"Cooking"

What a Mess!

This picture is very representative of the perpetual state of our house.  Even Mateo seems a bit overwhelmed.

Soccer Kid!

Mateo has started playing soccer every weekend  It is fun to see him play with the other kids and get to know the game.  Here is a shot of him looking like a pro!

One Year and One Day

Profile of (Another) One-Year-Old

Back in 2008 I wrote a post profiling our then one-year-old Mateo.  Not wanting to contribute to "2nd child syndrome" it seems only fair to do the same for Joaquin, who turned one today.  It is cool to look back and see their similarities and differences!  Here's the same list, with some variations.

Weight: 28 lbs
Height: hmmm… need to measure that. Maybe it is 2nd child syndrome after all...
Number of Naps Per Day: 2
Bedtime: 8pm
Awake: by 7am
Number of nighttime wakings: 4-6 or more; and to think he started off as a better sleeper than Mateo
Number of Teeth: 6-8 (two are just barely peaking through)
Favorite Foods: bananas! bananas! bananas!
Favorite Word: All done! (he likes to say it and hear it)
Favorite Animal: dog (same as Mateo)

Animal Sounds He Can Imitate: none… but he makes a mean raspberry noise.

Favorite Activity: Removing all the books from their shelves

Favorite Activity We Endorse: inserting and removing the bubble wand from the bubble jar
Least Favorite Activity: Sitting still in the stroller
Favorite Element: Ice.  He begs for ice from water glasses.  It causes quite a scene in restaurants!
Favorite Toys: balls, bubbles, musical instruments
Favorite Motion: Being chased while crawling

Some other thoughts about our birthday boy:

Joaquin just started saying some "words" including words for: Daddy, Mateo, All done, and ball.  "Mommy" is just the sign for "milk."  Joaquin loves to laugh and smile, and seems to genuinely find the world to be a delightful place.  He is very social and seeks to engage others by talking, waving, and smiling.  One thing he has started lately is initiating games of peek-a-boo with others.  Joaquin also loves to spend his time working on fine motor and spatial tasks -- stacking blocks, putting objects inside other objects.  He has definite opinions about things, but is generally easy going and cooperative.  The only area we would love to see "improve" is his sleep.  Last night he woke up 12 times! He is very active and loves to explore while crawling around the house, up the stairs, and even outside if he can get out the door.  Although Joaquin seems to think mom and dad are swell, his true favorite is big brother Mateo!  We love you!

Halloween 2011

This was a Halloween of firsts:  Our first Halloween in LA and Joaquin's first Halloween.  Although we missed being with our friends, we had a great time Trick-or-treating around the psychology department with Joaquin's daycare.  And afterward, we hit up our neighborhood, which was full of Halloween enthusiasts and trick-or-treating kids.

Daycare Buddies-- Bee Joaquin and Superman Gustavo

Trick-or-treating in the psychology department

Waldo in Training

Getting ready to hit up Westwood

Mateo made a trick-or-treating friend.  A Ninja named Will.

Weekend Adventure

We've been waiting for the weather to cool down to explore the mountains around Los Angeles.  Finally we decided to make a day of it.  Pumpkin patch, then our first LA Area Hike in Topanga Canyon.  On the way home we spontaneously stopped by the Malibu beach at sunset.  The perfect end to a wonderful day.

Bay Area Weekend Fun

We traveled back to the Bay Area for the weekend, for our cousin Adin's Bar Mitzvah.  This means that we not only got to return to our favorite stomping grounds, but we also had lots of fun with our family.

Mateo checking the map for directions

Tasting a puff at Jen's house

Hanging out with relatives in the hotel room

It is so funny to wear Saba's hat!

Playing in the fountain with cousin Jenny

Joaquin loves water

Hitching a Ride with Daddy on the hike

Face Paint

Happy Birthday, 4 Year Old!

Dear Mateo,

Happy 4th Birthday!  This past year has been full of changes, which you have taken in stride. You started preschool.  Joaquin joined our family. We moved to Los Angeles, where you had to make new friends and start a new preschool.  Sometimes there were growing pains, and some struggles with a new sibling, but you have come through as your shining, bright self!   You amaze us with your ability to introduce yourself on the playground, to neighbors and at school.  You are energetic and inquisitive, and have really developed a sense of humor.  Your brother adores you and it is really fun to see the two of you play together.

Your interests are varied and very much your own:  you love construction, transportation, and learning how things work.  You spend hours looking at maps, tracing routes, and naming places.  You still love to travel.  You continue to love books and are proficient at reading.  Numbers are your latest "problem" to figure out.  You can count up to 1,000 and are starting to learn basic math.  You like to cook (we have a kids cookbook we choose recipes from regularly) and learn about food -- especially how many grams of sugar foods have.  Recently, you have become very interested in sign language, which you are learning in school.  You put your heart and soul into dancing.  You are riding a bike (with training wheels now) and are learning to play soccer.  You love your "pajama suit." According to you, your favorite color is pink and your "best color" is blue.

We are loving to see your reason and logic develop. Sometimes it seems that you observe the world and ask a few key questions, then figure it out on your own -- it almost seems as if we can see the gears working.  You still have an outstanding memory and are very clear about your opinions.  About 6 months ago, you said that when you turned four years old you were going to eat lentil soup and green beans.  And you did!  (However, I am hoping that you will eat broccoli earlier than 33 years old).

You really say some funny, funny things.  Like these:

"The water is too hot, it is as hot as the sun!"
"I am really tired!  I am as tired as 80!"
"Look… it says Australia.  Australia starts with an A and ends with an A, like Ohio.  Ohio has two O's and Australia has three A's"

We wish we had a tape recorder to capture them all.  In fact we wish we could record you all the time and relive all the precious moments we have with you.  We look forward to this year of you being our wonderful four year old!

Love,
Your Mommy & Daddy

It's Official! He's a Crawler!

For the record we want to post that Joaquin is now crawling, as of the last week of July.  I suppose it is the fate of the 2nd child to have compromised documentation of his life... but perhaps we can also blame it on the move to LA and summer travels being a distraction?   Regardless, it is true.  Joaquin can reliably and competently move around and pull himself up pretty much anywhere.  And just in case we missed it before: he has two teeth (lower) and two more (upper) on the way.  This week he decided that baby food was no longer his style and is insistent on eating our foods.  Joaquin loves balls and musical instruments.  He really enjoys making noise, especially drumming, and knocking over towers of blocks.  He finds the ceiling fan endlessly amusing.  People frequently comment on how happy and friendly he is.  In fact, he is known to "yell" at strangers in the elevator or the waiting room so they look over and he can smile at them.  He leans towards people and loves to be held and snuggled.  And he adores his big brother! Joaquin is also quite fond of the babies his age at daycare, often pulling himself right next to them and giving them slobbery kisses on their heads.  And, seriously, the little guy almost always has a gigantic smile on his face.  

The Official 8 Month Chair Photo (yes, we are very late on that too-- he is 9 months now!)

The Happy Crawler

Visitors from San Francisco

Although sometimes it feels like we moved to the ends of the earth, in fact, we are about as close to our friend in San Francisco as we could have hoped.  This makes travels pretty affordable and easy-- and we were lucky to have our friends come to see us.  Jen and Keira came down for a long weekend, which happened to coincide with Jim, Casey, Maya & Lily's trip to Disneyland.  It felt just like old times, hanging out together at family dinner or another occasion.  The only sad part was when we couldn't say "See you next week."  But... we'll be there next month!  And one of the coolest things about Jen's visit is that we took buses everywhere.  I would have never thought we could do fun things in LA without a car, but indeed we did.

Jen & Keira swing at the Skirball

Just like old times...

Anita & Joaquin on the way to the Santa Monica Pier

Up on the Ferris Wheel

Mateo learns to drive the bumper cars.  Maybe next time there will be other kids to ride with.  This was our second trip to the bumper cars when he was the only kid in line!

On the lawn at the Getty listening to family music

Cutie!

Kids in a row: Mateo (3 yrs, 11 mo), Maya (3 yrs, 9 mo), Keira (22 mo), Lily (16 mos), and Joaquin (8 mos)

The Great Midwest Trip of 2011

We were due for a visit with several family members all who happen to live in the midwest.  Time for a mini-road trip!   We cheated a bit and flew part of the way (into Des Moines and out of Milwaukee), but drove from Des Moines, IA to Champaign, IL  then to Janesville, WI, with a little day trip to Madison, WI thrown in there.  We pretty much chose the hottest possible time to go: during a record breaking heat wave.   Despite the heat, it was super fun!

First Stop: Des Moines, Iowa.   Jesse's grandfather Abe (aka Saba) lives in Des Moines. In addition to seeing Saba, we met up with Jesse's Aunt Julie and cousin Anna.  We had great fun adventuring out to the Children's Museum, Playground, Soda Fountain and swimming pool... plus, we celebrated Saba's 93rd birthday!

Saba, Mateo & Anna watch Robin Hood (the 1973 Disney animated version-- it brought back memories!)

Cousins (once removed) -- Mateo, Anna & Joaquin

Mateo & Anna on the Green Screen

Saba, Julie & Joaquin at the Children's Museum. (Notice Mateo in the background with the "Convertible" Belt.  That was quite a hit with him!)

Happy Birthday, Saba!  (With Red Velvet Cake)

Lighting the Birthday Candles

Grandkids & Great-Grandkids

 Next Stop:  Champaign, IL.  We visited some of Anita's relatives who live there: Aunt Leigh & Uncle Steve and Cousin & Cousin-in-law Rebekah & Joe. Anita's cousin Elizabeth and her sons Lochlan (age 4) and Finnegan (age 2) made the long drive from Aberdeen, South Dakota to spend time with us.  And Anita's brother Alfonso & sister-in-law Sandra joined from Janesville, WI. 

(L-R) Anita, Joaquin, Rebekah, Finnegan, Elizabeth, Mateo and Lochlan watching the Demolition Derby at the Champaign County Fair.  Joe was supposed to race, but unfortunately there was a scheduling error and we missed it by a week. 

Finn & Mateo get ready to ride the train at the County Fair.

 Next Stop:  Wisconsin!  Our home base was Janesville, Wisconsin to visit Alfonso and Sandra (Anita's brother & Sister-in-law).  From there we also too a day trip to Madison to visit Jesse's cousin Adena & cousin-in-law Carey.

Enjoying the kid pool and picnic with Uncle Fonso & Auntie Sandra.

Cool drinking fountain

Joaquin practices driving -- just like the big boys!

Adena coaches Mateo on being a pinball wizard at the Madison Children's Museum.

Carey has very interesting things to say

Mateo looking like a bodhisattva.

Mateo & Adena enjoying each other

Mateo loved watering Adena & Carey's beautiful garden.

I *love* Madison!

I *love* Uncle Fonso!

I *love* the motorcyle ride at the 4-H fair!

Busy Bees!

The year Mateo could go on rides by himself (at least some of them!) He is now eagerly awaiting 42", which is the next cutoff.

Truck Driver

End of a fun summer visit with Aunt & Uncle.  See you soon!