The Baby Blog

CUD is 2 !!
For his birthday Lolo bought him a pedal car... but not just any old car... it is a silver BMW!! Very cool, but he is still a tad bit short to actually reach the pedals! Younger brother sure enjoys, too!
We had a tamer event to celebrate the 2nd birthday. Spaghetti, and lechon leftovers from the 60th birthday bash... and ice cream cake! Few close friends from the area, and those who can join us on a monday night!

It was a long weekend but worth the exhaustion. Mom in law was very happy and surprised during her party. And that was well worth the hard work... she deserves it!

We began Cud's birthday day with a well-baby check-up. He got 2 shots in his left arm which did not make him happy. But he was fine by the time we walked out of Kaiser. And before you know it he was ripping through his presents and playing with all the toys he got!!

Meanwhile, GIMB2 is crawling around just to keep up. Teething is still a problem. His two first teeth are still making their out. But he is constantly chewing on stuff with the endless slobbering everywhere! But that's what makes this age so cute.

Unfortunately, now that he is more mobile, he won't even sit still through a diaper change. He doesn't even let me kiss and hug him! But he knows when it's time to go "yaput-yaputs" which is CUD's way of saying shopping shopping! He cries when you leave him behind, and smiles when you enter the room! He is growing into his own personality... a little more tempermental than Cud, but his own!

As for me... I think I am ready to start working more hours at the College...just so I can stop living paycheck to paycheck and actually try and move into our own place! I could use a little more organization in my life and need a little more of my own space! But I can't ask for anything until I know I can actually contribute some assistance in living that lifestyle.

Halloween is just around the corner, and I am actually looking forward to it. Still gotta find the wig for my costume, and fast cuz stores are running out! I just hope that my sons will last in their costumes... and I mean complete costumes with hood and head pieces!

What is this world coming to...
When a 15 year-old girl is hit by a "storm" of gunfire while innocently answering a knock at the door of her own home!!! Monday night a student at our Middle College High School was shot to death by gunfire. Apparently her oldest brother, who is suspected to be the actual target, may have gang affiliation. Their house has been "attacked" in the past, but no one was ever hurt... until now.

From the stories we hear she was a good student with a promising future. It was sad seeing all the footage of her mom grieving over her unbearing loss. I can only imagine what that must feel like!!

Every night as I watch my babies sleep, I pray to God that they stay safe and healthy. Then I pray that Brahma and I be blessed with the skills and strength to do what we can to raise our children well in order to "fight" off negative influences.

Then I read that a little girl was found dead after hanging herself in her bedroom!! According to the article the dad admitted (before talking to his lawyer) to having raped her in the shower after threatening to cut her hair if she didn't listen to him!! It just angers me that there are parents in this society who think of doing such things to innocent people!

I hug my boys everyday. I tell them I love you. I make sure they are fed and clean. I do my best to keep them from harm. I give them a "good job" when they catch a ball or start crawling, or say a new word. I miss my sons when I am at work. I enjoy watching them smile and cry... I love everything about them because they are a part of me! Even though we live paycheck to paycheck. Even though I can't afford to shop for new clothes. They are worth every sacrifice and as often as it hurts, it's worth a sleepless night or three!

anyways how can you say no to their smiles !!!

THE ELECTION
Okay, no matter where you live, you all now the "disaster" that hit california recently... "The Recall Election". So we elected the terminator himself (if Minnesota can elect a former WWF wrestler..), amongst a circus of other candidates!! I think what kills me the most is how do you balance a budget that had to WASTE (and I mean WASTE) millions of dollars for this thing, when schools around the state could have used that money!!!

CALIFORNIA... we elected a new governor (with the wheels already turning from the moment the Davis was sworn in!)... why not sue ISSA who started this whole mess and bring funding the children and the schools who are struggling to keep this state going...

Another thought... I vote to separate Southern California!! This state is just too big and too separated anyways. Just look at the turnout for every election!! From Prop 187 to Prop 54 to this crazy recall!!! Hell we have all the resources we need, right? Besides, Southern Cal is too smoggy... heheehee okay maybe it is extreme, but it still makes me so upset!!

That is it for now... we just got to wait and see... and sorry Arnold but if you can't meet your expectations and promises... don't start making an excuse that it was an "inherited" problem!! There is already a 9 year-old I know of who has stated that she will be the first African American 9-year old to recall Arnold . No, she is not mine, but I wish she was!!

I"M BACK
Back to work and the same old routine!! Annual show is over, so that means... My Sundays are free.... to watch FOOTBALL!! Actually, watch my husband and his parents watch football, and I actually watch the kids!! heheheee...I do hope to attend at least one game with the kids though!!! There is nothing that compares to watching the game live in the stadium with other die hard fans... eating the hot dogs and garlic fries with an over-priced soda, and of course the candy for the last minute sugar rush!

But we will have to settle for watching football for now, cuz the damn GIANTS lost in the first round of post-season!!! What happened?! They won 100 games in the regular season, they were #1 throughout the season, and beat the Marlins when they played in regular season... then when the games really count..... BLAHHHH ... CHOKE!!! What sucks is that my favorite players did not come through... (Snow and Cruz), and are free agents next year!! We will have to see!!

Baby Update
While we performed in Reno, the kids stayed behind. CUD stayed with Grandpa in South City and GIMB2 stayed with my aunt in Pittsburg. It was hard just trying to arrange pick-up and drop-off times that matched everyone's schedule!! Then you add the extra time it takes to pack ALL the bags and bottles, have emergency contact info for both, and enough diapers, wipes, bathing needs, and everything else I packed to fill 3 bags each... AND IT WAS ONLY FOR THE WEEKEND ( 1 night and a day and a half!!)

But it was all worth it cuz... Mommy and Daddy got to play...AT THE CASINO!! and eat $6.95 Rib-eye steak and eggs at 3:00am, and watch other friends get "tore up from the floor up!!" I would think that is what "hella" shots of who-knows-what kind of alcohol will do to ya!! But it was all fun... being with Likha group for our final "big show" performance for the year... now it's time for the Cast Party, and Christmas Party!!! hehehehe

CUD
Have I mentioned that he will have is debut as the "ring bearer" in our friend's wedding Thanksgiving weekend in Canada? Yes he is !! Our friend is actually the Godfather to GIMB2, but he is still too small for responsibility, he is barely crawling!!

He is becoming quite an entertainer... He is devolping his rhythm and dancing to any music he hears (even slows down the movements for the tempo)!! Here is an example:
We are walking in mall..CUD running in front... we pass the new Hollister and Co which is blasting a song through the store... As we reach 5 or 6 stores past it.. .CUD runs back to the store and stands in front for a second... Then before you know it... He is dancing with his hands in the air and his butt swaying side to side/up and down!!

I believe he is now associating the word "Mom" to things he wants or needs from me and everyone else around him... so, just so you know... he is not necessarily looking for me specifically!!

GIMB2
He is a quick one!! Now that he got his crawling on!! He is everywhere... even trying to crawl up the steps to the kitchen... He doesn't like to be held anymore, especially when he sees Kuya playing...he wants to play, too! Unfortunately, Kuya still needs some lessons in sharing! But as if crawling wasn't good enough...

He tries to stand up with his hands still on the ground, so his butt ends up sticking straight up into the air! Then, he lifts himself up to at least a kneeling position against a chair or toy to try and play... but he gets stuck and can't get back down or completely up... and that's when you hear the "cry". Not a real "i'm hurt" crybut the cry that will "get your attention, and you want to just run and help"!

But nothing beats the smiles and laughter you get when you come home from a long weekend away, or just a busy day at work, and there they are!! hugs and snot to make any parent just sigh!!

WOW... what an exhausting weekend!!

By Wednesday of last week I already began my "mental planning" of days to come! My schedule including times I will pick up CUD from the babysitter to meeting Brahma for a carpool to San Francisco, and finally neatly preparing my costumes and accessories for the big show!!!

Thursday night it turns out that we needed to meet our guest artists from Vancouver when they arrived at the airport. Luckily I wasn't Moonlighting that night, but Brahma was, so I picked up Gelo to join me. It was great seeing all of them, and 2 with children of their own. Now, I know I am not the only one trying to balance a family life and a passion for folk dance.

With only the morning to really prepare for our first full run-through I knew I had to start my day early, which included a check-up for GIMB2 and rummaging through our storage for a blanket and my shoes for "Cagayana". I still found myself rushing last minute to get ready!!!

My run-through didn't go so well cuz I shattered another glass. Which meant I needed to buy extra for the show. That was the second one I broke.. and all my confidence went down the drain!! What made it worse was adding the darn costume, which I kept stepping on as I first get up on the bench leaving me hanging until I could actually get if off.

The show apparently wasn't all that bad according to people who watched it. Maybe even better than our show last year! But I sure wasn't feeling yet! It was great sharing the stage with such a good group, KP from Vancouver. Break a leg during your show!!

It was a little hard being part of the show without my hubby right there, too! but as a stage manager he was still a part of it... everyone even recognized his voice for his "cameo" which he sang from backstage!!

well, no rest quite yet, cuz it's off to RENO!!! then I have to rush to the College for a retreat we planned for our budding Asian leaders of APSU!

You will probably hear from me next week, cuz my boss will be out of town!