Cel’s Blog

Busy Bee started clapping and it’s so cute. Just another one of those milestones that makes you so happy. She also thinks that it’s cool to start cruising standing up at 9 months. I don’t think she got the memo to continue crawling until she’s a year old. :p

A little while ago Ms. Busy Bee stood up by herself pulling up on the couch. She was so proud and giggling. She tried to do it a second time, but her efforts were stopped by her ever loving brother. :p She’s not even 9 months yet, will she follow her brother’s footsteps and walk by the time she is 10 months? We shall see.

I’ve been meaning to upload my photos, hasn’t happened yet. Half of the Kauai’s trip photos are on Jag’s laptop, the other half in my camera. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Trekking along a river…

Father’s day…

Excuse the last two posts if you read my blog through a blog reader. You must’ve seen some spam posts that I’ve already deleted. I used to post to my blog by sending an email, but I’ve since then erased that option. Oh well.

I’ll be adding some photos and videos of our recent trip to Kauai. Hopefully soon. We are packing already, or decluttering I should say. Busy bee is cutting her 6th!!! Tooth, two on the bottom, 4 on the top. Funny Tornado had 4 on the bottom and 2 on top first. She prefers table food than baby pureed food, who wouldn’t it. She will steal food from your plate when you turn the other way, so be watchful. I got soaked in coffee today at Big City’s Diner when she tried to “drink” some of my coffee. The mug was FULL but thankfully the coffee was just warm or otherwise I would have had third degree burns all from my pinky toe to my waist. She was giggling the entire time while JAG tried to snap a picture of us. Tornado is being very difficult, terrible two’s at its worst. The trip to Kauai was awesome. They should call it chicken island because instead of doves, pigeons, etc they have chickens, chicks and roosters…EVERYWHERE. I mean everywhere, on the side of the road, by the restaurant, at the gas station, where you rent kayaks, on the hill, by the beach. It’s funny. Tornado started imitating the roosters and he makes a noise that sounds like “papacaw!” It’s hilarious. Wait til you see the video.

And Happy Father’s Day! JAG celebrated the first Father’s day with Busy bee today. He is a really good dad, loves his kids to death and I couldn’t ask for a better daddy. We love you and thanks for all you do for the kids and family.

Does taste like true lime juice. I bought some the other day just to see what it was like since sometimes I run out of fresh limes. It’s crystalized lime juice and it comes in little packets, each one is about the juice of 2 lime slices. I’ve used it in Tornado’s water and he loves it, no sugar just a little bit of lime juice in it with ice is very refreshing. Last night I opened a can of pozole and I always MUST have lime in it. Well I thought that I had at least one lime in the fridge but I was wrong. I remembered I had a box of True Lime and I used to packets in my pozole and it tasted just like regular lime juice, better than the little liquid lime juice that comes in a bottle. I highly recommend it, and from now on I’ll keep it with me just in case we run out of limes. You can get a free sample HERE. I read that it’s available now in Canada.

rhetorical question.

Busy bee is getting her third tooth, it cut through the gum on Monday and today I can see a little point sticking out. Her upper gum is very red and swollen. Poor thing has been miserable since Sunday and unfortunately I’m included in the misery. No sleep. She wakes up every hour and a half screaming. Of course it takes me almost 20 minutes to make her go back to sleep and by the time I’m falling asleep she wakes up again. Tonight she fell asleep at 10am! Tornado couldn’t go to sleep so he was watching some cartoons but I knew he was tired so I put him in bed and he went to sleep while Busy Bee was screaming in her crib. I ran to the crib to calm her down and thankfully she got quiet and didn’t wake up Tornado. Then she woke up again at 11:40, screaming. Anyway…

This morning we went to Na Kamalei (I’m the “webmaster” :)), it’s the local babywearing group. I’ve been attending to the monthly meetings since Tornado was around 9 months old. We just hang out with the kids and talk about baby carriers and teach the other moms. Some are new moms expecting, some have older kids and still come like me to share our knowledge. I really like going to the meetings because a) it’s in a huge room, no escape route for Tornado and I can keep an eye on him at all times easily, b) it’s really nice to meet other moms that have similar parenting ideas to mine but they are also very different and I get to learn tips and tricks. Many come from different cultures than mine so it’s nice to share stories. Overall it’s fun, not just babywearing stuff. I’m going to miss the meetings a lot when we move. And the moms, I’m starting to make a lot of friends, and Tornado remembers the kids every time we go there. He loves playing with them.

When we left the meeting, Tornado saw an airplane in the sky, he looked up and said “Come down Papa” :’-( Then as I was getting him on his car seat he was saying something to the effect “come papa pay” (Come daddy lets play). My heart sank. He is so sweet and innocent. I’ve been talking more about papa coming back home soon, not a lot, but just enough to let Tornado know that his daddy is soon to return. He’s just ecstatic and talks about daddy all the time and how he’s going to play with his new car and how he is going to go see Elmo (Elmo show is coming to town in June). Then we drove by the Hawaii State Fair and he wanted to go on the “big wheel” with daddy. He also told “Nanaaaaa, papa come soon” and grabbed her hands as if clapping.

Sorry my post is all scattered, just random thoughts from the day. Things I didn’t want to forget. I was moved by my son. He’s smart, smart cookie. Children are much smarter than we give them credit for and days like today prove it.

I also got an email from a writer/photographer for a local parenting magazine. She wanted this picture for an upcoming article. Hopefully they’ll use it.

We miss you @-}—-

What a day, thankfully it started after 7am… it was 7:19am when I had to open my eyes. Believe me if I didn’t need to open them I would have stayed asleep until noon. I miss sleeping so much it’s not even funny. The kids watched some TV in bed/crib while I made the beds and got dressed and ready to face the day. I won’t bore you to death with our entire day’s routine. I’ll just say that Busy Bee has learned how to sit up by herself from being on her tummy. She tried to do it yesterday but failed thanks to her brother Tornado. He saw her sitting up and thought it was funny and tried to get on top of her. But today I stopped him in time and she did it. She was surprised and had such a funny face with her mouth open in awe. Tornado and I were clapping and cheering her on and she started giggling so loud. Super cute.

Busy Bee ate peas for the first time and gagged, coughed and spitted them out. Just like her mama, she hates peas. HAHA. I will be a good mama and will continue offering them to her. I know she’ll eventually eat them just like Tornado. I couldn’t full her at dinner when I mixed about half a teaspoon of pureed peas into her oatmeal cereal (which she loves). She could taste the very mild pea flavor. It was funny. I know you think I am mean, but nah.. she’s fine.

We stayed indoors because the vog is really bad right now. It feels just like being in Mexico city with all the pollution. Stuffy nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, etc. Really “fun”. Check this video from one of the local TV news casts.

And from blast from the past check this out

For those of us who grew up in … the 70’s check this you tube from Odisea Burbujas. Do you remember the songs? And the character’s names?

Busy Bee (aka Ana, forget the Mariposa she’s never still) has been doing all kinds of things. She’s been a busy bee, maybe I should just call her that because she’s non-stop, I guess she’s very similar to her brother the Tornado. It all started on May 8th when she decided that waking up every two hours was cool. A couple of days later it dawned on me that she was going through the dreaded 7 month growth spurt. I had read about it on some parenting blogs. I am glad I had read about it and I was able to quickly realize that’s what was going on. Thankfully for my own sanity she is somewhat back to normal, but read ahead and you’ll see that there’s never a dull moment for me.

She stole a piece of my sandwich while I was talking on the phone. Very quietly and swiftly she grabbed a corner of the bread and stuffed her mouth with it. She was sitting on my lap, so really she must be good at this because I didn’t notice until she was giggling. It was really funny actually all her mouth full with bread and I look at my sandwich and I see a missing piece. Took me a few seconds to put two and two together.

She can sit by herself. Sometimes she falls backwards but we have foam squares all over the floor. She’s enjoying sitting a lot as she can play more of course.

Then she has started to “crawl”. Goodness save my sanity please. If you leave her in one spot and come back a few minutes later you will find her 5 feet away from the original spot. Scary because as you remember I have a Tornado that leaves small tiny things all over for Busy Bee to find and put in her mouth. She has a blast playing with the vertical blinds, if I’m in the kitchen and I hear the blinds that’s how I know she’s ventured on too far and it’s time to reposition the baby into the “safe zone” (the foam squares or the office, read exersaucer).

She didn’t care too much about avocado, makes funny faces. So I’ll keep offering to her. Takes about 15 times for a baby to accept a new food. She really likes applesauce, who doesn’t? (I make my own applesauce or buy organic with no added sugar and it’s so sweet). She also liked carrots and rice. Actually grains of rice, not mashed. She kept eating them and made the cutest puckered face trying to swallow each grain.

Oh and I almost forgot, she can drink from a regular straw. Next will be to master the sippy cup, but I’m trying to skip the little cups and just teach her to use the same ones Tornado uses (Playtex Tumblers, they are nice and easy to put in the bag).

J.A. will be really surprised to see all the changes in both kids. Tornado no pacifier and he is almost potty trained. We still have accidents, but he is doing pretty good and we are only using one, maybe two pull-up type diapers a day. My goal is for him to be trained by July, before we leave to the mainland. And funny thing is that Busy Bee is also using the potty. She really likes going potty there instead of the diaper and she knows what the deal is when I sit her after naps. I know you must think that I’m some crazy hippy-tree hugger, but really it’s all about learning their cues and understanding what it’s like to be a baby. I’m loving this stage of both kids, even though Tornado drives me crazy every day and Busy Bee wakes up a gazillion times a day and fights naps and I’m sleep deprived and with a big headache every day.

On other news, J.A. rode an elephant. He didn’t sound very excited about it, but we’ll need to see photos when he comes home soon. We’re doing well, but we miss J.A. a lot and can’t wait for him to come back.

I don’t even know where to begin this post, but this weekend has been really challenging. Firstly Tornado boy has way too much energy and I do realize we need to get him out of the house and run more. I really wish we had a fence. We are not moving into another house without a fence. At this age is crucial. We could spend the entire day outside playing, but it is really hard having to care for a fussy baby, Mariposa (aka Ana) and then having to chase Tornado down the yard almost into the street. He’s learning to stop where the grass ends, but that’s on the street already since we don’t have sidewalks. Or when I have to go after him from the back yard to the front yard and I don’t like to leave Mariposa behind sitting in her “office” (aka exersaucer). Tomorrow I’ll get the swimming pool out. Tornado has been asking to go swimming all day long. And thankfully there’s no more vog. (Vog is volcanic smog, it has sulphuric fumes in it and it was really starting to cause some asthma on me :().

The other challenge this week is that Mariposa has discovered that if she lifts her torso and pushes herself with her arms she can go places. She’s starting to lift herself on all four, but the floor is too slippery. In a way I wish I had carpet, then thinking about it, no, thankfully we don’t have carpet (I find cookie crumbs everywhere and long lost cheerios all the time). Up until now Mariposa sleeps in my bed, her crib is “attached to the side of my bed, like an extension of my own. I love this, because she sleeps in her own space/mattress and I can move freely at night. When she wakes up in the middle of the night I just extend my arms and grab her. Unfortunately with her newly found mobility I believe I need to put the missing side to the crib and let her sleep (at least until JA comes back) in her own crib. I’m just getting nervous that she might just decide to get down from the bed on her own. It’s at least 3 feet high from the floor, not an easy climb down.

Just so you get an idea of what my days are like.

0600- Mariposa woke up
0610- She woke me up
0615- Tornado woke up thanks to Mariposa
0618- Tornado climbs to my bed
0620- Tornado asks for “eat food mama cookie bear please”
0621- I receive a kick on my face from Tornado (not nice)
0622- First temper tantrum of the day (I haven’t been awake more than 12 minutes)
0700- Go to living room and get some juice for Tornado
0700 to 0800 - Blurry, I’m still half asleep
0820- Eat breakfast (Menu of the day Fruit smoothie with orange juice, Migas - scrambled eggs with corn tortillas, chocolate milk and cheerios)
0900- Started laundry (washed, dried, folded and put away 4 LARGE loads) I’d like to tell you that the TV was off all this time. There were MANY tantrums in between, screams, crying kids, several visits to the potty.
1010- Mariposa took a nap (thankfully)
1200- Mariposa woke up from nap
1215- Finished laundry
1230- Mariposa went potty #2 IN THE POTTY WOOHOO! (Check Elimination Communication)
1235- Dressed two kids
1240- Grabbed snack and drink for Tornado
1245- Everyone in the car and we had a “picnic” in the car.
1300- Driving to car wash 16 miles away
1314- Tornado finally fell asleep in the car.
1330- Washed car (Mariposa freaked out and cried horribly, Tornado never noticed the noise from the car wash pistol at least he napped!)
1420- Head back home (forgot I needed to go to Home Depot, duh!)
1500- We are home, Tornado woke up as soon as we arrived. Tantrum. Ate snack.
1630- Got back in the car, went to USA Baby to get a car seat protector thingie for my truck and a small potty for the car. Did I tell you Tornado is potty training? So much work, but I need the little potty to take with me in the car. Easier to go there than in a nasty public restroom.)
1720- Visit to Home Depot. Bought plastic flap for leaky toilet and some cleaning supplies. Tornado behaved nicely.
1800- Quick stop at Starbuck’s for a Green Tea Frapuccino. Yummo!
1815- Back home, drove by playground, no parking available. So went back home, dropped off the car. Tornado needed to potty (yeah, potty training is sooooo much more work than diaper changes, no kidding). Tantrum, he thought we were going back home and not to the playground.
1830- We walk to the old yucky playground. Mariposa is on my back, Tornado is walking holding on to the stroller (we want him to burn some energy right, so walk baby walk). Get to the playground, thankfully there are a couple other moms with toddlers. Usually at this playground there’s a group of teens, TEENS in a kiddies playground. don’t get me started). Met another mom and her little boy.
1845- Tornado would not slide down the slide. I ask him why “MAMA, CACA!”… hummm.. okayyyyy. Incredibly he got down from the playground and we headed back home with NO tantrum. Unbelievable. But at least he realized we needed to get that taken care of. Another WOOOHOOO for the day.
1900-2100- Blurry. I think I fed Tornado. I’m sure I did, he had milk and some grilled chicken. Mariposa ate a mashed banana. Changed a couple of diapers. We watched some Mickey Mouse, first time TV got turned on in a couple of days. I changed the toilet flap that was leaking. Tornado started getting really incoherent, tired, ready to go to sleep. But he asked to “call papa nite nite” (Call daddy to say night night), He ran to turn the computer on so we could call JA.
2100- Talk to daddy, read the kids Bible. (He was paying attention, so cute)
2115 to 2140- Trying to make Tornado stay in bed and Mariposa to fall asleep, at the same time. Talk about crazy. If you’ve never done this before, by yourself, with no help you have no idea what I’m talking about. At this point I wanted to cry and pull my hairs. Some of them turned green when there was a high speed chase with a car and two patrols behind him on the street we live in. GREAT.
2145- I can officially say both kids are asleep. And I get some time on the computer.

Time it took me to write this post about 30 minutes. I’m going to eat some dinner 11:05pm and then off to bed. And if you’ve read this far, bless your heart. I’m tired.

Do you shop on ebay? I do occasionally. Bidding makes me jittery. The same feeling you get when you drink 3 cups of bad coffee, lol (think VIP’s coffee). I’ve been eyeing a clover bias tape maker. If you sew you know that bias is expensive. At least here in the US. It’s ridiculous how expensive they sell it $2 something for 3 yards, in Mexico you can get an entire roll for the same price. I’ve been sewing more lately and I want to do things that require finished edges with bias. The solution, make your own bias tape. I found this set on ebay. New you would need to fork at least $35 + shipping. I got the 4 of them for $20 w/shipping

What has been your latest ebay purchase? Did you get any good deals?

Side note: Any tips on how to make a cat swallow a pill? I tried the pill pockets and I could not fool Ziggy. I’ve tried the method of prying open his mouth with my thumb and index finger and lets just say that I was >< close to being bitten by some sharp teeth and maybe getting clawed. After JA got bitten a few years ago by Ziggy and reminiscing a crime scene due to all the blood loss I’ve decided to let the pill swallowing rest.