Philip and I got to sneak off to the movies last Sunday. Our first "date" in six months. It was nice, but we still missed the kid.

JonP started eating strained veggies. He liked the sweet potatoes, but his face looked like the green beans were bitter.

He retrieved JonP's Halloween costume from the hand-me down pile at his cousin's house. Oh boy! I tried it on him and he looked like he was straight out of a Anne Gedes calender. Only thing, is he had a sour face because he hated the hood part. I hope he can tolerate it long enough for us to get some pictures of him smiling in it.

JonP hates Dioji, but Dioji loves JonP. We went out to feed Dioji a bone, but as soon as JonP saw Dioji moving he clung to me with his arms and legs and started a fearful cry. Later, he turned his head away from Dioji and wouldn't even look at him. Dioji on the other hand was really excited to see the baby and when he heard him crying, thought that JonP was playing with him. Poor Dioji, his brother hates him.

posted by gian 10/24/2003 02:35:47 PM

. . .

Happy Birthday to my Dad!

luv you
-g

posted by gian 10/14/2003 03:56:27 PM

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Cali weekend update
We took JonP on his first plane ride last Thursday morning. He did pretty well actually. His eyes got wide during take off and landing, while he felt the forces on his body. Traveling with a baby and husband is quite an adventure. We arrived in San Jose with car seat, stroller, baby bag, purse camera bag, garment bag, and 2 small suitcases. I'll have to say that the San Jose rental car shuttle is quite stupid. It mixes people going to the airport and people going to the rental car place. You run into lots of people and can hardly get your stuff on and off the shuttle.
We rented our car and headed out on HW101, then HW152 on our way to Fresno. 3 hrs later we pulled up in front of Judy's house. JonP's cousins greeted us out on the street. Connor was so excited he was doing the skip hop.

We stayed in Fresno for 2 nights. Andrea followed JonP around whereever he went. She was either stroking his head or trying to pick him up. Connor was playing peek-a-boo inches from JonP's face. Martin liked JonP at first and even gave him a kiss on his lips, but later got jealous that his mommy was holding him. It's funny how the kids just know they're related. The second time we saw Martin, I thought he wouldn't like us because he had only been 1 month old when we had seen him last, I opened my arms out to him and he ran to me and hugged me. JonP did the same when he met his cousins. He smiled and looked at their faces. It's like he knew that they belonged to him.

On Saturday morning, Lolo Lito and Lola Tessie surprise the kids by coming from the airport unannounced to them. They brought the rugrats lots of snacks and some books. Later, Philip convinced the kids to go swimming with him, in their huge "inflatable" pool. When he got in he realized it was a little too cold. They climbed all over him and made him pull them along in the water. They got out when Connor's lips were turning blue. On Friday night, Stacy and her friend Bobby visited. Sorry all we had was Salmon head Sinigang.(It was pretty good though, you should have tried it) Stacy gave Andrea a red beaded necklace and Andrea was so happy and enamoured by it. She wore it to the wedding the next day. We had a great stay in Fresno. The main attraction in Fresno is at JonP's auntie and cousin's house. So that's all we saw of Fresno.

On Saturday morning, Philip, JonP and I left Fresno for Vallejo at 6AM. One speeding ticket(Philip is still pissed), 1 toll bridge crossed and 3 1/2 hrs later, we arrived in Vallejo. Our fist stop is Safeway to by some flowers and supplies(baby oil) for our visit to the cemetary. Philip and I made this same trip together twice before. We pull into the cemetary and Philip asks if I remember where they are. I said of course, they're straight ahead. They are expanding the veterans court at the cemetary and removed the flag pole and the stone wall that says "Veterans Court". Lolo and Lola are still there in the same place. Lola's marker looks a bit beaten up and faded, which is wierd since Lolo passed 9 years before her. I go through the same ritual, I see the other old ladies doing. Take out the flower pots and dump out the guck in them, fill them w/ water from the spiget, arrange the two bouquets, sweep off the dirt from both markers, drizzle on some baby oil(this time I used a whole small bottle between their 2 markers), and work it into the metal. Nice and shiny. Philip, JonP and I try to have a moment w/ Lolo and Lola, but this old Filipino lady comes by and starts asking us questions. After we have a brief conversation with the lady. We pray and introduce JonP to his great grandparents. I'm sure they already know him and probably watch over him everyday, but their physical selves were present there in Vallejo.

Later we met Judy, Dave, the kids, Mom Tessie, and Dad Lito at the church for Lory and Ed's wedding. The sound system kinda sucked in that church, but Lory made me cry when she walked down the isle. She was really glowing. The reception was also nice. We got our own table next to the cake. The food was good and the table was beautiful. Since it was an open bar it got a bit rowdy. But all was good and fun especially to see the UW Fasa crew act like they're in college again. The family headed back to Fresno at 8pm and Philip, JonP and I hung around till the money dance was over. The DJ had a great mix of slow jams that he could have sold to everyone in the room. It was a very long evening. JonP and I didn't even get to do the Electric Slide.

Auntie Auring had told us to cancel our hotel reservation and just stay at her house. As soon as we arrived JonP got hungry and while I was feeding him I fell asleep.

We awoke the next morning to breakfast smells. I handed JonP off to Julie & Ryan, while I got ready and re-packed. Auntie Auring fed us real good. It was like I-Hop, but better because there was leche flan and empanadas. She even went shopping at Goldilocks so we could bring home some of Vallejo to the family.

They put us in the back of the plane on our return flight. The three of us were lulled to sleep by the engine noise. Lola Jane and Papa Joe were waiting for JonP at SeaTac. They missed JonP while he was gone. What about JonP's parents though?

It's good to be home....


Fun at the wedding with Vener and Emme and the DJ in the background

posted by gian 10/14/2003 02:26:30 PM

. . .

Weekend Update

Quick trip to B-Town Friday night to drop off a delivery to the Sari Sari store. Got to ride the ferry in Darv's company, but Hoven found younger, cooler, people than us...

On Saturday, we had a play/lunch date with Maxwell. We stayed at L&L for such a long time. I was so stuffed when we left, but still managed to have a brownie, ice cream and rum cake(Thanks fel & janet)! Max wanted his mommy to have JonP. Max also got to hold JonP and tucked him and his stuffed animals into his race car bed. JonP even played some golf with Max. It was great fun...Mom & Dad came over to watch the 2nd half of the Husky game at our house. Dad kidded that he heard a rat in the kitchen. When they left, I heard sqeaking from the kitchen and told Philip to check it out. A baby rat stuck to the glue trap! Phil was going to bring it out to the street and step on it, but he ended up just putting it in a plastic bag and in the garbage can.

Philip went down to take a shower on Sunday morning. But instead of the shower, I heard stomping. JonP and I got up to see what the clatter was about. Another baby rat really stuck on the glue trap. Dead Rat headcount:3
We went to mass, then had dim sum with the family. Philip, JonP and I spent the rest of the day shopping. We're on a home improvement kick again. We got more rat traps some organizational supplies, new socks for JonP, Lightbulbs, a teddy bear w/ heartbeat sound, a papershredder, sleeping cushion for JonP, etc...
Wow what a difference the lightbulbs made! We had track lighting w/ 1/2 the light bulbs out. But now all the lights are producing light. It's pretty gorgeous.

Trip to California coming up in T minus 3 days...

-g

posted by gian 10/06/2003 10:04:12 AM

. . .

...been busy...
Last weekend we stayed across the Sound, and ran the Sari Sari Store. Despite JonP's little accident on the ferry ride over (I think the apple prune juice worked a little too well), things went smoothly. I love how the stinky little kids come in and buy candy. They hold up their items and say, "How much is this? Is this enough money?" and hold out their other snotty hand with a bunch of coins and some rocks.

Philip's been a hunter this week. Seems that we've had an unwelcome tenant in our house, who sneeks around when we're not looking and stole an apple out of the fruit basket and nibbled it on the floor, letting us clean up after him too. The little bugger was even bold enough to try to get into the dog food.

After setting the trap and leaving the house for a couple hours, the hunter returned home and found that sucker dead and smooshed! Yay, for Philip the Hunter! He's left the traps out in case that rat invited his friends to a party this weekend.

-g

posted by gian 10/03/2003 08:24:48 AM

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