Greg's first competition in Kitesurfing

August 30, 2007

While I was dealing with a patient with a bleeding hand crushed by a metal pallet and while Kai was terrorizing the daycare employees (they said he fits his "My Name is TROUBLE" t-shirt)- Greg was out having the time of his life!

Kitesurfer in comparison to the size of those cargo ships!

Greg entered his very first kitesurfing competition at Crissy Field near the Golden Gate Bridge. He competed with some of the nations top kitesurfers, totalling 21 competitors. Since he was unfamiliar with the starting signals, he got a late start in the race and came in 16th place. In the second race, he misjudged his tack to a marker, then dropped his kite- by then 6 kitesurfers passed him, but he still did better than the first race- he came in 13th place.

At least he didn't come in last place with this shirt.

Afterwards Greg got invited to the St. Francis Yacht Club for being a competitor. This place is located on one of the most expensive real estate areas in the Bay Area!

After all, you do get breath-taking views like this one!

Greg is looking forward to entering future kitesufing competitions! I'm proud that he at least placed! YEAH!!!

Poop Boy and other news

My sister in law sent me a Walmart ad of my nephew Dylan. Since I've last seen him (last xmas) he was just a boy and now he looks like a teenager. Time flies! I've followed in her path how she had allowed Dylan to model. He has also down commercials in Toronto. Great job Dylan!


This is the oldest of 3 brothers, Fredi, who is obsessed with the NAVY although he had not served actively. He likes to dress up in military gear and follows the fighter pilots. In fact, he wore his full flight suit (with air mask) when he went tandem paragliding over Folsom Lake with our buddy Phil. Hey everyone has their quacks...
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Anyway, I loved this picture of him staging this comical act.

This Sunday (Aug. 26), I checked on Kai and was overcome by this stench! He had taken off both his pants and diaper ladden with poop, and flung them out of his crib. I woke Greg from his nap and he immediately gave Kai a bath.

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Greg thought he was just uncomfortable with a big load in the way and dealt with the problem himself. Other than having poop on his heels, at least he hadn't smeared it all over the place and in his hair like I heard a horror story via Greg's co-worker.

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We still disinfected the place. Yuck!

Kai update 8-25-07

• Knows how to skip or gallop.
• Knows how to shove his finger up his nose for laughs or for the camera.
• Has started to fight. Will tackle his 2-yr. old cousin Cohen, grab his shirt and drag him around until he gets that toy.
• For some reason he continues to bite his cousin Cohen- daycare tells me he hasn't been a problem- he doesn't fight with others there.
• When Cohen continues to irritate him, Kai will do a titty twist on him! (Trust me, I did not teach him this!)
• Learned how to use a toy to climb into the playpen but hasn't figured how to get out (thank goodness).
• Cutting his last canine.
• Can climb bars on a play structure (scares me to death).
• Can stand on his toy horse and bounce on it without using his hands.
• Runs real fast, and can cut too when he runs.
• Throws a strike ball and fast balls!
• Learned to call Peppers name (the family dog), and Adira (his cousin). Says doggie and daddy very well. Knows when to say "YUCK" appropriately (like changing his diaper)
• Knows how to use a screw driver, appears to be mechanically inclined. Can stack legos, and is learning how to put a 10-piece puzzle together.
• Learns how to zip and unzip- and tries to dress and undress self.
• Can climb steps withou using his hands most of the time.
• Kisses and hugs on command (nana is really happy about this!). Gives me a morning kiss or grabs my face to kiss me.

Our last days and Bad Storms in the Midwest

A few of several faces Kai makes as my mother and sister have noticed...



August 22, 2007 Wednesday

It's been raining practically our whole duration here in Chicagoland and with intermittent sun popping out from behind dark clouds. We had a couple nights of lightening and thunder and at one point I got a little scared because I couldn't tell if it was a passing train or actual thunder that I heard. It sounded as if it was right in the backyard!
Later the sun popped out again, and my brother-in-law put me to work. I guess maybe it was because I had been chowing down on my favorite cheesiecarmel mix that he makes- he got me to photograph his products for his MySpace blog.


The trick is to use window lighting...and you get a picture like this.




Then you enhance the picture with a little photoshop, and got some professional looking images for your ad.

We were planning on going to the state fair but decided against it since it was so hot and muggy- instead we went to the SplashPad. Nana came over and we later met up with Derek and his girl Jen for dinner.

Partners in crime, Cohen and Kai approach me with cups filled with water. What are they going to do???

Nana and sister Cheri with her baby Hope.

This is Hope's first day outside, which she vocalized with much happiness.

Then we went out for sushi, and walked out on them after just ordering drinks and appetizers- the service was so poor and we just couldn't afford to waste time when we had 3 young ones out with us. We had Chinese take-out instead.

August 24, 2007 Friday

Hope is upset because she is having difficulty getting her foot to her mouth. She also wants me to pick her up. And she did win, only to fall asleep on my chest.


Hope receives her first dozen roses!


This being our last day here, we went for a walk before it got too hot. The boys just loved to ride this trailer, and not once did Kai get into the double stroller with Cohen. In fact, Kai was being a dare-devil by standing up as I pulled them along.

Kai and Cohen- those little monkeys!

We took them to the school grounds park, which was not outfitted for children this young. I think I felt several grey hairs pop through my scalp after having to chase after them so they wouldn't have a fall.

Then we came back, packed, and Matthew asked when was I moving back home? I asked him when he was gonna move the family out to California. He told me- he didn't wear the pants in the family...haha.

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I loaded the car and Kai even brought out his own luggage (all the way to the car!) and then my sister drove me to the airport. During the drive, the grey clouds rolled in and the rains hit us so hard, we could barely see through the car window. I still got there well on-time.
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But I should have just waited. Our flight was delayed several times. The storms were strong and the lightning bolts were long and lingered for several seconds, illuminating everything in it's vicinity. I was glad I was grounded and not in the air at the time.

I lacked a stroller, which meant Kai was running around getting in the way, and getting into trouble (like dragging his body while holding unto the moving walkway). So rather than me chase him and tie him down with a leash, I found an "extra-wide" wheelchair to rock him to sleep in- and to lay him flat and somewhat comfortably. It also allowed me the mobility to get us into the restroom w/o my having to wake him.

People got a kick that I was doing this, and it even got me 3rd in line into the airplane (they thought I was disabled with a baby- until I sheepishly told them I could walk). But what was funny was the beer drinkers found wheelchairs to lazily sit in!
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Anyhow, Click on this link to read more about that terrible night that made the news http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/08/24/747441.html
500 flights were cancelled at the Chicago O'Hare Airport - thank goodness mine wasn't or I'd still be at the airport as a stand-by.
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But after 9 hours of waiting around, We didn't take-off until about midnight! We made it home by 4am. The best part about all of this? Greg was there to greet us with a big smile and waving arms, and Kai smiled back and said outloud "daddy!" Too bad Greg wasn't within earshot!
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My sister Cheri told me that the storms were so bad they had flash-flood warnings, and the street lights were out, doubling her time to return home after dropping me off at the airport. Tree branches were scattered througout her neighborhood and a big tree at a nearby park had split in half. The sky was a sickening green, which usually means this is a tornado warning.
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I'd rather deal with an earthquake than a tornado. Tornado's are pretty scary as you can see it coming and it builds up on your stress, plus when they touch-down they always destroy something- like trailer homes. I am convinced that it must be attracted to the metal quality of the trailer homes (just my theory)...as for earthquakes- well they take us by surprise.
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I thought I would maybe cancel my work day. I have a splitting headache and my eyes are light-sensitive. (I am wearing sunglasses while I blog). Kai is sleeping in the playpen next door to the clinic... shoot now to go wake him up- it's time to go home!

Exploration Station and Wierdly Designed park benches

August 21, 2007 Tuesday

Kai got excited about the doggie statue and ran to pet it.

My sister booted us out the house so she could get herself organized and to be alone with Hope. So we took off on a 40-min. drive to Bourbonnais, IL to see tne Exploration Station...a children's museum.

Adira grimaces as Kai had just slammed his tool on her finger playing the drum.

(That's a whole set of piano strings hanging there on the wall. )

Cohen tosses in a few bread loaves.

Adira reaches over and steals all the money.

So that's the reason why the sink was backed-up. (haha)

Arts and crafts. Kai is great at marking up his shirt.

Kai screams a mock-5 in a F-16 airplane, while pressing his nose up against the glass pane.

Kai walks down the turret steps of an indoor castle. The boys hang around the water station.

I could see the boys were beginning to look tired. By the time we hit the highway to home, both boys had wiped out, which was great- as Kai took to pinching Cohen, or beating him with his sippy cup. Cohen on the other hand made my heart jump a few times by excitedly screaming "CAR!" and "Truck!"- not good when you are driving.

Nana came over to watch Hope while Cheri and I piled into the car with the boys again after being home for just a couple hours. We took off to Tinley Park to take pictures of these remarkable benches, and the old toys they represented from an era past (I'd be lucky if the younger generation knew what I was talking about!)

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Attraction: Benches on the Avenue.

Hand-crafted benches by community artists depicting the theme "Toyland".

Front side.

Back side.

Hey! She took my hat!

The birdhouse is just about as old as this historic home so it seems?

Video: Cheri performs a simple operation.

Your jaw would drop too if you just ripped your groin muscle doing this move ! haha.

A new habit Cohen picked up from Kai (my sister is just so thrilled!)

Kai opens the door to find the Pirate (Johnny Depp).

The boys try to make a call for pizza.

How stupid is that to place a bench in the way of incoming traffic!? There must be some sorta safety regulation here.

The boys have a little picnic before we head home.

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I was already beat from yesterday's "Things To Do". Cheri got me to decorate Hope's bedroom and made me screw in shelves. Today I have the responsibility of cooking for the family my dish of Shrimp Alfredo when we return.

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Adira has her first day of school tomorrow, and she was so excited she couldn't go to sleep- so I had her go out with me for a brisk walk through the neighborhood. But even that was boring- so we looked through people's windows (only those with their curtains open, just to see what they have or what they do). In one case, I got Adira to dance on a dare, in front of a man who was washing dishes. She had fun- and said we may have to do that tomorrow if she can't sleep well again...I know, I am such a cool tia (although I did get berated by Cheri and mom)...

Hope update: Poor baby was soaked this morning! Not only was her onesie wet, but so was the blanket that covered her and the bouncy she slept in while in her crib. Because of the antibiotics-she is draining a lot of fluid, however, her extremities are back to normal size and the scalp area in front of her cranial scar is sunken noticeably where it is lacking cranium to cover it (there's a 2-inch gap). When I touched it, there was no bone present but a very soft mass...geez I hope this isn't her brain I'm poking!