Guests and LASIK!

We have been very busy the last two weeks!  Between ramping up in my new manager position and hosting my parents and the Dentons (Keith, Lauren, Marea & Sawyer), it's been a blast!  Today, in about 5 min, we're heading out for me to have LASIK done.  Very exciting. :) 

Three weekends ago the whole Janeiro family was sick.  Aunt Patti took Olivia to the mall in the afternoons for entertainment while Kevin and I slept both Saturday and Sunday.  Patti also babysat on Monday when I stayed home sick and we were monitoring Olivia.  I think Patti & Olivia had a blast!  Olivia even had a little boyfriend at the New Park Mall playground.  As luck would have it, the weather was also rainy all weekend - perfect for staying in bed!  Kevin and I needed all the rest we could get... and our coughs haven't quite gone away yet!  But at least we're functional :).

Two weekends ago, my parents came to town and enjoyed the warm, sunny California weather.  It was ~10 degrees in MD.  Their timing was perfect - the weather cleared up and the Janeiro household was almost healthy!  We had a great time.  Thursday night I picked up M&D at SFO, and we all crashed.  Friday morning M&D joined Olivia and me at Music Together class in Niles and then grabbed a delicious gourmet hot chocolate.  Back at the ranch it was nap time and enjoy-the-patio-and-pergola time. :)

<time to go to LASIK.... will write more tomorrow, if I can see!>

<Day after LASIK, which did not go as planned.. apparently I am 1 in 5,000-7,000, but my eye is healed/healing and we can try again in a week or so, if I feel like it>

So where was I?  Ah yes,  Friday was lovely and relaxing.  We met up with Annie and Walter at Paradiso restaurant in San Leandro for an early Valentine's Day dinner.  While the kiddos were not particularly interested in sitting still, the food was delicious!  M&D went home with Annie from there and we came home to continue trying to sleep off the cold/flu. 

Saturday, we worked on cleaning up the house and yard for later in the evening when A&W were coming down to play.  Around noon, feeling a sinus infection settling in, I finally made the call to take myself to the doctor and get some antibiotics.  After a solid week with the chest cold, then a solid week with the Flu, another solid week with a sinus infection was going to break me!  So Kevin watched Olivia and it all worked out well.  A, W, M&D were here sometime around 4pm and we played in the back yard.  Dolores, Charlie and Kathy joined us all for a cookout and it was a party!  Kevin of course out-did himself making crazy tasty bacon avocado burgers.  Mmmmmm!  How nice to enjoy our patio and pergola after all the work that went into it!

Sunday, M&D and the Janeiros went to Sunol to hike up and see "Little Yosemite."  That was just the right length of hike for everyone.  We took a few breaks up the hill, and Olivia fell asleep in the backpack on the way down - perfect!  But that was mostly the extent of her nap for the day.  Back home, Mom and I returned to the toy store for some fun things for the kiddos (bubbles, brooms and dustpans, wooden animals).  I totally forget what we did in the afternoon and for dinner that night.  There may have been pizza involved.  I think there was also watching-Olivia-scramble-around-the-patio-and-climb-on-every-chair involved.

Monday, I had to go to work (new job, I feel obligated) for a few hours.  Kevin hung out at home with M&D and A&W came down to hang out and play in the little sandbox and the yard.  The new toys from Mum-Mums and the bouncy ball that Kevin found all were a big hit.  Olivia has also improved drastically in throwing the ball for Trixie to chase. 

I made it home right after lunch (naptime) and we all enjoyed the beautiful weather and playing broom ball on the patio.  With the antibiotics kicking in, I finally felt like a human being again. :)  So much so, that I trimmed back the liriope bordering the patio and Walter had fun harvesting snails. :)  We didn't tell Walter what ended up happening to those snails once Auntie Kate added a little soap to the water.  A&W left shortly after 3pm and we had Happy Hour on the patio.  A quick dinner at Claim Jumper's and then a trip to the airport concluded the visit from Mum-Mums and Pop-Pops.  Olivia had seemed excited to see them and I'm just happy my parents had the chance to see her toddling all over the place and being her silly little cheerful self.  They've now really witnessed first-hand her effusive personality.

Everyday when we return home from work, Olivia beelines for the sandbox in the backyard and tells us to "sit" next to her while pointing at the floor beside her.  Adorable.

DENTON VISIT
I managed to cram in about 10 hours of overtime the week my parents left, which made the Denton's visit the following weekend that much more of an even to anticipate.  Keith, Lauren, Marea and Sawyer arrived in Berkeley around 2 or 3pm Friday.  While they had play time with the Middleton's, the Janeiro's tried to put our house back together, turning over sheets, etc. and fighting the last bits of the cold.  I was also starting to prep for LASIK (eye-drops, lid scrubs).  We were exhausted from the week - I had an all-day training on Friday which is prime catch-up-on-email day.  We ended up sleeping in until 8:30 Saturday when Olivia awoke and made it up to Tilden Park by 10:15am or so.  By that time, the early risers had already seen the animals, so we joined in a walk to the pond nearby.  How nice to see Keithie and his family!!! They're so cute. :)

The kids started melting down shortly thereafter and we returned to the Berkeley Bungalow for lunch and naptime.  Or in Olivia's case, instigate laughing with Walter and play mischievous games to prevent him from sleeping!  So while the other children napped, I brought Olivia out in the courtyard and we played with all the fun toys around... especially the balls, Auntie Annie pushed her on the scooter, and the push-cars... it was a blast!  We chatted with Keith and Lauren a bit... and eventually took a stroll to the local Peet's for coffee and up through the Claremont Hotel.  I enjoyed catching up with Lauren - they're such chill, real people.  It's refreshing.  Olivia, thankfully, took a little snooze in the stroller.  We had planned to stick around for dinner, but then I realized the dogs were locked up all day, it was their dinner time, and Olivia was getting testy.  So we left around 5:15 or so. 

Sunday we took Olivia to Disney on Ice at 11am since Kevin had tickets from work.  Olivia lasted through the first half and was pretty interested... then naptime hit with full force!  She wasn't too fussy, but we knew it was just a matter of minutes, so we left.  It was a fun family outing overall. :)  Back home, we prepped food and fine-tuned the guest room for the Dentons.  Sometime around 5 they all arrived, along with Annie and Walter and we had a lovely cookout: London Broil marinaded for two days, roasted veggies, potatoes, and bread.  Of course Kevin's favorite chili cheese dip too, and chocolate cake from Annie!  Marea was like a moth to Olivia's flame - totally in love with the little girl!  Poor Sawyer had a little tummy flu and was cuddling with Mom all evening.  The Kraft Mac n Cheese went over well with all the kiddos and I think the adult food turned out well too.  Dusk decended fairly soon after everyone arrived, but the kiddos were still able to play for a bit in the yard.  Annie and Walter left just before dessert and the bedtime routines began shortly thereafter.  Somehow we fit all the Denton's into the guest room and the kiddos all went to bed easily - even Olivia.  Kev and I stayed up for a bit chatting with Keith and Lauren and then it was time to prep for the work week.

THIS WEEK
Well, I already mentioned the LASIK... and Olivia spent Wednesday home sick with me on my 'recovery' day, so it all worked out well. Delores and CHarlie came by to babysit a little so I could make my follow-up optometrist appointment and they brought the cutest little purse and sunglasses for O.
Today, Kiwi had her teeth cleaned (and 6 pulled) and Olivia was sent home early with a fever.  Kevin also is coming down with another cough!  By the time I arrived at home with Kiwi, Olivia was down to her diaper and looking a bit glazed.  She seemed better WEd night, but apparently not.  They said she was not interested in anything and not eating anything (didn't eat yesterday either).  All she wanted to do was cuddle with mommy.  So we spent some time together, and then went and cuddled in the gues room where she promptly fell asleep.  Poor little thing, at least she's drinking milk like crazy.  We just changed her diaper and she was fever spiking.  I'll be she's better tomorrow.  Kevin, I'm not so sure about.

FUN OLIVIA THINGS
- She's been fighting us when we undress AND when we dress her - "No!" features prominently.
- Loves the sandbox
- Makes an elephant trunk with her arm when you say "elephant"
- Does the "Beep beep" motion to "The wheels on the bus" song, and the "round and round" motion
- Teething and drooling everywhere
- I'll have to remember more.... it's late.

I'm behind on pics because dropbox is full.  I'll have to fix that this weekend and upload photos to smugmug!

This Sat we have music class and a playdate with Helen (Urgent Care friend) and her kiddos.  Sun I have a birthday party to attend....  all assuming there is good health.

Good night!
Kate

"No!" "Ok!"

Olivia's two favorite words.  Yet somehow when she says "No!" in her adorable little girl voice, it's the cutest thing ever!

She says "OK!" just like her mom, pick up a pen "OK!", Put something in its place, "OK!"... any little accomplishment and it's "OK!". 

Then, the little girl goes and tells everyone what to do.  "Dad, sit there!" (by pointing and whining).  "Cheese!"

Olivia has a blast with 'pretend food' and pretending to feed everyone out of her "can" of green beans, or corn, whatever.  She's really emulating everything we do.  Tonight, she watched Daddy sweep the patio and wanted to help.  (I didn't get a pic, cuz I've been in bed with the flu the last few days :( ).  On several occasions, Olivia has walked all around the house with the dog leashes and poop bags, and has tried to put the leash on Trixie.  Too funny!  She pretend feeds the dogs as well, and still loves hanging out in their dog beds in our bedroom, and splashing in their water bowls (a favorite who-can-get-there-faster game with Mommy and Daddy).

She really enjoys playing with her large legos, and kitchen.  Today Aunt Patti babysat again and they had a blast at the park (Patti visited Sat and Sun afternoons and took Olivia to the mall for several hours - they had a BLAST while Mommy and Daddy slept to get healthy.  Olivia apparently had several admirers, one little boy kept holding open the play-car door for her!)  Thank goodness for Aunt Patti!

We can't wait for Mum-mums and Pop-Pops to visit!  We just hope the cold and flu bugs have more than departed our house beforehand.

I'm a little stressed by the new job and being sick for a week and a half has not helped the situation.  I'm sure it'll improve soon.

Ok, nighty night!  "OK!"

Dog Treats. 'Nuff Said

This post is inspired by the fact that last night Olivia figured out pulling over the container of dog treats, opening it, taking out a biscuit and walking over to Kiwi to feed it to her.... then go back to the container for another one, and we showed her to give it to Trixie.... then had to hide the container to break the cycle!  She was having so much fun!

Tonight, Olivia went back to that fun place on top of the dog houses and pulled out a full roll of puppy poopy bags and a leash, then proceeded to parade around the house dragging both behind her - couldn't be happier!  Adorable!

What other tricks.... she's been happy at daycare the last few days when we dropped her off (more or less).  Olivia is almost over her chest cold.... Mom and Dad are certainly not.  In fact, last night I was up until 1am working (ramping up on new job) and coughing, and today was just miserable.  Kevin has also been coughing up a lung.  I can't wait to finish this quick entry and turn out the light.

I do have to say that it's amazing a child can start so adorable and innocent, so beautiful, fun and happy, and then somehow deteriorate into the terrible, violent people that we're watching on the news in the ISIS group in the Middle East.  All those people were toddlers at one time, how does such hate and violence grow out of familial love?  I just don't understand it.  Today, the group released a video of burning a Jordanian pilot alive.  Why?  For some ideal?  How could you debase human life, something not yet found anywhere else in the Universe for some intangible story?  And why is no one really fighting back?  Most of all, the peaceful people of the same religion who are being demeaned because of the ISIS tactics.  During our walk around Lake Elizabeth Sunday, it was apparently World Burka day, and people had picnics and signs up saying why they wore burkas and trying to say that it doesn't change anything.  I just don't trust someone if I can't see their full face. (And there are plenty of people I don't trust even when I can see their face!)

Sorry to get all political in this happy family blog, but we don't live in a vacuum and I struggle daily with the dichotomy of this happy life in America and trying to understand the motivation behind such hate and malice in other parts of the world.  I don't want Olivia growing up in such a hateful world.

Super Bowl! Childproofing!

Last night was a great time with the Middletons joining us for the Super Bowl (Seattle VA New England... patriots won).  It was a great game, and the cousins  had a blast playing with each other.  I made stuffed mushrooms and we had sandwiches for dinner. 

Sat night I was inspired and finally child proofed the lower cabinets.  Now the questions are:
1)  how long until Olivia figures out how to open them?
2)  How long until the parents are used to the latches?!  I haven't adjusted yet, that's for sure!

We had an awesome trip to Ardenwood on Sat.  All 3 of us went and Olivia had a blast playing hide and seek on the side porch of the patterson house.  She was all smiles and giggles.  Sunday morning we all 5 of us went for a walk around Lake Elizabeth.   We tried the dog park, but Kiwi was so protective of Olivia that we had to leave.  The walk was lovely, gorgeous weather and exercise before the super bowl.

Ok....  almost to work.