What's up with the Jones'

Doug. My hunee is working at the Treasure Island Job Corps as a CMA Instructor. The Job Corps is a program for disadvantaged kids to learn a skill and hopefully get a new start as an adult. He helps them become Certified Medical Technicians. Even though it is definitely not a cush job, I think he really enjoys it and he has an AMAZING view of San Francisco.

Lisa. I am working as a contractor for a fiber optics company in Milpitas (near San Jose) as an HRIS Analyst. Basically they had a huge reorg and they needed someone to come in and learn their systems and document the processes and procedures and then educate them on how to use them. It is a contract position, but they have told me that they plan to extend it for a year and hopefully have the budget to hire me on later.

Huston. My baby boy has started a Montessori preschool and it is incredible. It is mostly Indian kids, so he is getting his cultural integration too. He is really doing well with the structure and his teacher said he often sits with the 3-4 year old groups and keeps up pretty well. Apparently he eats veggies there too, so that alone is worth the money. He also just had his 2 year well baby check up and the doc said he is going to be a big boy and is very smart and charming. He is almost 30 lbs and is 3’ tall now. We did a quiz that says he will probably be 6’2”.

Us. We finally moved into our new home and it is coming along. It is a beautiful apartment in Dublin and has so much space. It is so pricey to live here, but for the location we needed to keep our commutes down, I think it’s worth it. It’s a 2 bed/2 bath, but H’s room is so big it can easily convert to a guest room when needed (hint, hint). I already feel like we are all three so much happier being around family in a beautiful state with so many things to do.

2 Year Check-up

Huston had his 2 year well baby today.  I am always so proud when he had doctor appointments, because he charms the doctor so much.  He had the whole office playing with him before we even went back to the room.

He weighs 32 lbs (75%) and is almost 3 feet (80%) tall. 

I told him they if he'd let them poke him, he'd get stickers and he said "K".  So he got two shots and barely whimpered (but I did get a dirty look) and then when they put on Snoopy bandaids and let him pick out stickers he was back to his flirty ways.  He talked them into a Cars, Handy Manny and Thomas sticker even though a sign clearly said one sticker per patient.

He very proudly told the doctor he was "twwwwo" and pointed out his nose, ears and shoes without being prompted.  Little show off.

She said everything looks great and he doesn't have to go back until he is 3.  I'm sure that will feel like tomorrow.

Huston you are 2 years old!

We are no longer counting your age in months. This is good because they fly by so quickly these days I can’t keep up. I feel like I was just writing your blog for one year.

You have lost almost all of your “baby” fat and are now my skinny boy. Your once cute, chubby, adorable feet are now stinky. You constantly have dirt on your face and under your fingernails. Yep, you are all boy!

Your month started out a little rough, you fell climbing out of the bath tub (did I mention you are a monkey?) and cut open the skin on your hip bone. You were very aware of your “boo-boo” and pointed it out anytime you saw the band-aid. You also got sick for the first time and threw up all over me three different times in one night. You were all better the next day, so I guess it was a small bug but it was not fun!

You are talking away. Your favorite words are fries (“fwies”), water (“bubbles”), cookie (“kukie”), go-go-go-go, baby (“bebe” and you say this when you want on my lap), banana (“blannnannna”) and bagel (“blagel”) and you are finally starting to put words together. Most nights you will tell your Da and I that you love us “tuv tu” when we tell you. You have also learned to say “DOH!” in your best Homer Simpson voice thanks to Grandpa Ron.  One of my favorites is when you say "Niiiiiiiiiiice".  I didn't realize how much I say it to you when you show me something until I started hearing it back.  You also tell me to "Seeeeeeet" when you want me to sit down to read a book.
Did I mention you know the word fries? Yes, I have the child that recognizes fast food places and starts screaming “FRIES, FRIES, FRIES” and crying if/when you don’t get them. Luckily we found Veggie Straws and call them fries and it seems to trick you. You are eating much better and are trying some new things. Supposedly you eat veggies at daycare, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

You love to have your window down in the car and will repeatedly ask me if I forget to roll it down. You are still all about Buzz, Woody & cars. You are so much taller now, that you can open just about anything, which has kept us very busy shutting doors and telling you no.

We are also working on you recognizing that you are turning 2 and you will tell us and even sometimes show us on your fingers. Most often it comes out as 4 but you are trying!

You have had a pretty crazy month. Not only did we just move to California and live with Nama and Grandpa for about a month, you also started a new daycare/preschool. It is a Montessori and you really seem to like it. Ms Preeti says that you often move over to the three year old lessons and are recognizing your shapes really well.

You also got to go to a few baseball games and even caught a ball from Kurt Suzuki and high fived the fans. The jumbo tron caught you dancing to. You love to dance.

For your birthday we are going to Red Robin, just like last year. This will probably become our family tradition (your mom and dad’s first date was at a Red Robin and we got engaged at one). Then Friday we take you to get your 2 year baby check up and 2 year pictures. Your party is Sunday – Hot Wheels Party!

We love you so much bebe boy and the last two years have been so amazing watching you grow and learn and we can’t express enough how proud we are of you.

Home is Where Your STUFF is

Home is not where your heart is.  Your heart is with you on vacation at work, even at jury duty.  Home is where your stuff is.  Home is where your daily routine is.  Home is where you cook meals, have family time and make memories.  Home is where your bed is.  And I miss my "home".

Our family has been so wonderful letting us stay with them while we found the perfect place, but I am excited that the countdown is on to get the keys to our place!  12 Days!

We found a great apartment in Dublin with a resort like feel.  We are on the 4th floor right by the pool and fitness center.  I can't even do justice describing it, but it is amazing for apartment living.  The garage does let us park right by our apartment, so no crazy stairs, we have a trash shoot and no lawn to mow :)  I cannot wait to get all of our things inside and decorate it and make it our "home".

7 adults, 3 kids, 3 dogs and a cat

No, this is not a new sitcom or reality show, although it does sound like it.  It's the number of residents in our temporary home.  While waiting on our place to be ready, we are staying with Doug's mom and dad, their two kids and animals and my sister in law and her two kids are here as well.  The kids are having a blast and Huston is loving having playmates.  The adults are even playing nice and nobody has killed each other yet :)  We are looking at it as an "extended" vacation, but are sooooooooo ready for our new place to be ready!  I miss my stuff....

Flat-ering

Flat is always described as such a negative word.  It fell flat.  Nobody wants a flat tire, flat chest, flat hair, flat soda, flat nose. And, well, flat-lining, that is never good.  I always heard people from out of state mention how "flat" Oklahoma is when they would visit. I never understood, we had hills.

Now I get it.

This is my view driving to work.

This isn't even a good one.  I can't wait until everything is green.....

I will say that there are a few instances when flat is good:  bicycling, running, tummies.

Huston you are almost TWO!

Huston, I can't believe you are almost two years old!  We have a birthday party to plan!!

This past month has been so busy.  You are still my sweet, smart, adorable little boy, but you are definitely getting a bit of those terrible twos I hear about.  You have your opinion on how you want things and if they don't go that way, you can throw quite a little fit.

You are learning hot & cold and love to point out whether everything is hot or cold.  You have become very clean and if there is anything on your hands you want them washed immediately and you will go get a dish towel out of the kitchen if there is a "mess" and clean it up yourself.  You are finally starting to eat a lot more things and are getting pretty good with your utensils.

You love to color, play with your Cars, Buzz & Woody and balls.  You are slowly losing your Handy Manny obsession.  You have also found your love of water, whether it is to splash in, swim in or bathe in.

You are starting to combine words and imitate what other people say.  When you first wake up, it's like you need to remind yourself what you know and you will point everything out in sight and say what it is.  One of the cutest is you have started saying "Hey, you" when you walk up to someone.  You are so used to me saying, "Are you ok?" when you fall down or get hurt, that if something happens and I don't say it, you will keep saying "K?" until I ask.  I love it.

You have found your sense of style.  You are known to steal a hat from anyone who leaves one around.  You love baseball caps and stocking caps.  And sunglasses.  You also now have an opinion on what shirt you wear and if it's not Cars or Toy Story, you usually get very upset with us.

This month you have a very big adventure, we moved from Ohio to California.  You were such a good boy on the road trip and we had lots of fun.  You are having a blast with your cousins, Jazzmin and Aydin.

We'll have our own place soon and we will get back in a routine.  You are such a special boy and we love you so much.  You do something cute every day and even when you are a handful you make me laugh.

xoxox