Busy November

Xiomara's Homecoming
November has been a busy month for us.  On the 2nd, my sister-in-law, Hermana Xiomara Ruiz, came home from her mission in Montevideo, Uruguay.  We missed her so much, and it's wonderful to have her home.

Thanksgiving
For Thanksgiving, Mario's parents, brother, sister, and grandmother came to dinner.  Although I've hosted several Thanksgivings before, this was my first time doing basically the entire dinner myself.  Xiomara came a few days early to help me.  I absolutely couldn't have done it without her!

Yosemite
The last Friday in November, Mario said to me, "Let's go to Yosemite--tonight!"  He booked a hotel, Xiomara drove down, and we were on our way.  The drive there was very creepy and uncomfortable.  The GPS took us through dark, winding country roads.  There was nothing but orchards, and fog set in.  We were completely alone in the middle of nowhere.  We all agreed this would be the perfect place for a hitchhiker to murder us.  Add to that the fact that I got really car sick and Windham woke up and screamed to be let out of his car seat for an hour and a half, and you can imagine how relieved we were to reach the hotel.

We began the day by hiking up to Bridal Veil Falls.  Translation: Xiomara pushed the baby in the stroller up the trail, Mario scaled the boulders up to the falls while carrying Windham, and I just tried to keep up.

We spent the rest of the day in the valley doing some short walks, playing in the leaves, having lunch in shadow of El Capitan, and perusing the disappointingly tacky souvenirs at 2 different gift shops.  On our way out, were lucky enough to see a bear cub up a tree, and a doe with her fawns.  Mario, of course, took some fabulous photos, none of which are pictured here.

Despite the discomforts of getting there, it was a wonderful trip.  It wasn't too cold or very crowded, and we didn't get eaten by bears or wolves.  I'm actually looking forward to our next trip!

For more photos of our busy November, click here.

Love By Numbers

2  Naps a day
8 Teeth, and counting
7 Baths a week
1 Left Thumb he sucks a lot
3 Meals a day
12 Months size of clothes
About 100 Kisses mama gives baby every day
3-5 Kisses baby gives mama every day
1 red stroller we go everywhere in

Infinity times infinity is how much we love him.

Better Than Ice Cream

Chicken, rice, and kale.  Also better than ice cream.

Your love is better than ice cream
better than anything else that I've tried
and your love is better than ice cream
Everyone here knows how to fight

And it's a long way down
it's a long way down
it's a long way down to the place where we started from
 
Your love is better than chocolate
better than anything else that I've tried
Oh love is better than chocolate
everyone here knows how to cry
 
It's a long way down
it's a long way down
it's a long way down to the place
where we started from...

"Ice Cream" by Sarah Mclachlan

I was thinking of this song yesterday when Windham fell asleep for this afternoon nap nestled next to me.  Our naps are one of the most precious experiences we share.  Having that special time together is more valuable to me than anything I could possibly accomplish during that time.

On another note, Windham is walking!  Mario totally called it:  Ten months.  He's a pro now and walks most of the time.  It's great.  Less messy, and I feel like he enjoys the freedom.  He's also eating 3 meals a day and doing really well learning how to drink from a cup.  And he has 8 teeth: the front 4 on the top and matching ones on the bottom.  Speaking of teeth, we're still working on the teeth brushing thing.  For some reason he doesn't like it when I shove a plastic thing in his mouth.  He clamps is teeth shut and won't let the toothbrush past.  I'm hoping his frequent chewing on the toothbrush brushes them enough...  We already cut his hair and clip his nails while he's asleep... I don't see how I could add tooth brushing to the list, too.

Mario and I love watching Windham walk around, although it's made church more difficult.  But it's a wonderful thing.  It's very fulfilling for me to see him learn a new skill from getting off the bed to using a spoon to trying a new food.  It's a seemingly never-ending stream of exciting firsts, and every day is an opportunity to explore, cultivate good habits, and strengthen our family bond.

Dad and Aunt Carrie's Visit

In September, my Dad and Aunt Carrie came to stay and play with us for a week.  We had an ambitous list of activities but also took time to relax.  With a ratio of 4 adults to 1 adorable baby, Windham got lots of love and attention.

First, we visited the breathtakingly beautiful San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park.  We leisurely strolled through all the exhibits.  My favorites were the Prehistoric Plants, Meso American Cloud Forest, and African and New Zealand exhibits.  We must have seen every kind of Rhododendron that have cultivated/genetically modified.  Afterward we had amazing and authentic Greek food just outside the park.  I doused my giant gyro with lemon juice and hot sauce in honor of Leah and Jessi who would've done the same if they had been with us.

The next day we toured the famed Winchester Mystery House- a bizarre mansion built by a paranoid widow and heiress to the Winchester Rifle fortune.  She continuously added onto and improved her mansion until her death in an attempt to keep the spirits slain at the hands of her husband's

Hanging out at Santana Row

rifles at bay. 

Featuring 47 fireplaces, 10,000 Tiffany windows, two then state-of-the-art kitchens, a plant watering room that spanned 2 floors so the runoff from the top could be funneled below, a room with gold-leaf wallpaper, staircases and doors that dead-end into walls, windows on the floor, and upside down pillars, it was both gorgeous and frustrating.  Hallway after hallway of narrow, winding stairs prevented us from bringing the stroller so Mario, Dad, Carrie, and I took turns carrying wiggly Windham through the house.  Several rice cakes and lots of cheerios later, we made it through the entire hour-long tour!  The crystal ball picture above is fromthe gift shop since photos aren't allowed inside the mansion.

A beach trip was also most definitely in order.  Since low tide was late that day, we skipped the tide pool experience and went to Montara State Beach.  Dad made his special Blood Type A bread to snack on.  He and Windham are both Type A.  The bread was a hit, and not just with Windham.  It was unanimously delicious.  Here Windham is sharing his piece with Grandfather Jerry.  After a chilly day at the beach we had a late lunch at Sam's Chowder House.  The key lime pie absolutely hit the spot.

 At Henry Cowell State Park we loitered around the train station and high-society resort town of a bygone era which has since been re-purposed into a modern-day tourist trap.  But the highlight was the redwoods.  The smell of the trees and fresh air, the cool shade, and peaceful silence made the experience perfectly serene. Windham was supremely content to enjoy the view from his stroller and play in the dirt as his parents permitted.  He found a piece of redwood bark on the forest floor that he found simply irresistible.  He alternated between chewing on it and crawling around with it in his hand.  It's now sitting on the shelf in his bedroom.  Our only excitement that day came in the form of Dad trying to climb one of the redwoods until a very agitated park ranger rushed out of the Visitor's Center informing him that the redwoods were not to be climbed.

It was wonderful to spend time my Dad and Aunt Carrie; it will be hard to wait until the next visit.  Click here for more photos of our adventures.

Dandelion Wine

"Dandelion wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer caught and stoppered."  -Ray Bradbury

 

We had a wonderful summer.  Windham and I rode the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad at a nearby park twice.  The second time we brought Mario and also rode the carousel which coincidentally looks like the one from The Sting.  The carousel was beautiful: hand-painted with wooden horses.  The train was authentic, as well.  A steam or diesel engine pulls the miniature train around the park over hills and under trees.

We also participated in our Neighborhood Block Party which featured amazing burgers and hot dogs, live music, a dog parade, and door prizes.  Our street was closed to car traffic for the day and we camped out on the lawn and visited with neighbors.  By the end of the day we were all exhausted and ready for a nap.

Moss Beach Tide Pools

On Saturday we took a half day trip to the beach.  We spent the morning at Montara State Beach.  Here's an edited excerpt from a yelp review that does it justice:

"You know how you see a movie scene where people are on a secluded beach, and you snort with disgust knowing such a thing doesn't exist? Cuz every time you go to a... beach it's filled with trash, screaming kids, obese dudes in Speedos,... and, if you're lucky, some dead animals?  Yeah. Well bibbity bobbity boo...!!!!!! Montara State Beach has got to be the closest thing I've ever seen to a private beach...

The problem with this... beach is the staircase of death leading down to the beach...  Speaking of death, this might not be a swim beach. Only go swimming here if you've always wondered what it would be like to drown."


Many thanks to Tracey W. of St. Louis for her colorful and accurate description.  Those stairs were harrowing--especially with our stroller, 2 blankets, towel, baby bag, and Mario's camera gear.  Oh, and the baby.  But it was great exercise.  Windham went to town crawling around in the soft, cool sand and ate a ton of it, despite Mario and my best efforts to thwart him.

We hit the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach, CA around noon for low tide.  The tide pools are a very short walk from the parking lot.  The beach was rocky and pretty crowded, but the tide pools were neat.  We saw some seals at the far end of the beach, too.

Our last stop was Sam's Chowder House for lunch.  Then bumper-to-bumper traffic to get out of town.  The traffic was backed up for miles and at a total stand-still coming into town, so we were glad we came in the morning.  It was the perfect day trip.

For a few more photos Mario took, click here.

Time Machine Post: Father's Day 2012

I just found these photos on my camera and remembered I took them with the intent to post them to this blog. After all, it was Mario's first bona fide Father's Day.  :)  First, there was breakfast, where I mastered--for the first time--pancakes just like Mario's mom makes them.  They're more like crepecakes.  Very thin yet still light and fluffy.  Also pictured are the huevos estrellados and fresh fruit.

After church, Mario and Windham took a mid-afternoon nap.  That evening, Mario's parents came over for dinner, and afterward Mario staged a mini photo shoot in the backyard.

It was very special to watch Mario photographing Jose Mario and Romilia playing together with Windham on a blanket given to us by Mario's Salvadoran relatives.

Three generations of Mario Ruizes together for Father's Day. 

(These photos were all taken by me. )

Jose Mario has expressed that because he was unable to meet his own first-born son, Mario, until he was 2 years old, being with Windham, his first-born grandson, is all the more special.

Although the day entailed a lot of preparation and work on my part so that everyone else could enjoy themselves, it was important to me to honor Mario as the wonderful husband and father that he is.  Even though we didn't do anything extravagant, I feel like the bar was set high for Father's Day next year.

Lots of Firsts at 7 Months

Windham will be 7 months old tomorrow.  I can't believe how fast time flies!  Here are some firsts he's had lately:

• Saying "Bah, bah, bah."  This is actually a significant communication milestone.  He also does raspberries and lip trills really well (although he's moved on from the raspberry.)
• Singing!!!  He sung his first few notes the other day.  It was **SO** cute. 
• Standing for several seconds without support.  He's been letting go all by himself and is getting better at balancing.
• Pulling himself up to stand!  This includes in his crib and playpen which we've had to lower.
• Asking for his bottle.  We're pretty sure he made the sign for "milk" and will definitely keep up the baby sign language.

Although he likes playing on the floor with his toys and crawling around to explore, his favorite thing to do for the past few months has been standing.  His newest trick is crawl over to me, climb up, turn around, walk to dad, turn around, and walk back.  He's really smart, too.  When he drops a toy and can't reach it, you can see him thinking about how to get it for a minute, then he'll try to get it.

Mario has been home for the week (hallelujah for paid vacation!!) so we've had lots of time to both play and relax together as a family.  He's such an incredible dad.  Fun, supportive; helps with everything.  And I mean everything from diapers to baths to feeding.  He does it all.  It's been so wonderful to have him here for these important milestones.

Super Secret Beach and Redwoods

Hot mamas

We've been enjoying perfect weather this summer here in the Bay Area.  Windham and I took a week day trip to a beach near Santa Cruz (because Santa Cruz is incredibly, ridiculously-- incrediculously-- packed) with some girl friends.  We all recently moved from Utah and had our first child within weeks of each other.  I secretly call them the Trophy Wives Club--not because they're dumb, but because they're so gorgeous.  But I need to come up with a better name...  The beach was clean and quiet, and the public restroom and free beach front parking make it my favorite California beach so far. 

We also recently took a family trip (Mario, Windham, Prince, and me,) to Henry Cowell State Park to see the mini redwoods.  The "real" ones are much farther away.  After being told that dogs aren't allowed on the trails (UGH!!!  Dogs aren't allowed anywhere in this state!) we left Prince at the Visitor's Center while we took a leisurely stroll through the trees.  Our guide was pretty obnoxious, though.  Our group was mostly young families with little kids and strollers, and we were all going pretty slow (because kids have shorter legs than adults) and stopping to take pictures.  But our guide kept yelling at the little kids to stop running ahead of her (she wanted to make sure we heard every word of her tour) and chiding us all for getting her off "schedule," even though we were the only group of the day, and there was no one else on the trail.  But aside from that, the beauty and tranquility of park were refreshing.  We plan to go back and ride the train.

But this trip was definitely more for Mario and me than for Windham, because although he enjoyed the stroller ride, I don't think his depth perception was developed enough to see the trees.  The highlight for him was a redwood twig he found that we let him drool on for a while.

We'll definitely be returning soon to both the beach and the redwoods.

It's a wonderful Win-derful world

Windham will be 6 months old on June 8.  I can't believe how fast he's growing!  New skills he's recently mastered include rolling over, (both ways,) banging his plastic caterpillar toy on the table, laughing, "eating" rice cereal (he mostly mushes it around and some hopefully makes it down the hatch,) and drum roll, please... teething! Two tiny teeth are poking through his bottom gums.  Not gonna lie, it's been a hard road, but not as hellish as I anticipated.  

Besides his laugh which is my new most favorite sound in the whole world, my other favorite thing he does is when I smile and tell him he's doing a good job, his face will light up with delight as if he's just realized he did something good.  Even though part of me wishes he would stop growing, the other part of me can't wait to see what he'll do next.

Hopefully the first of many summer beach posts

My friend, Carrie, and I took a quick day trip to Santa Cruz.  We probably looked pretty funny lugging our strollers, umbrellas, car seats, and large beach bags down the hill from where we parked, across the street, and over the loooong stretch of burning sand.  As dad always says, "Having fun is hard work."  And it was.  But totally worth it.

It was gorgeous weather and the beach was "California empty," which means it wasn't jam-packed.  The ocean was very cold, but Windham didn't seem phased by the frigid water.  He was interested in the sand, and swallowed at least one mouthful before I noticed.  Whoops!  The famous boardwalk was closed so we'll have to come back with Mario in the summer so we can have the full experience.

Easter

The town we live in, Campbell, has the most adorable Easter Parade.  The town provided free sidewalk chalk to keep the kids entertained before the parade started.  There were baton twirlers, classic cars, and a handful of creepy bunny costumes. 

On Easter Sunday we had Mario's parents and brother over for dinner.  After dinner I made everyone dye eggs.  "Traditiooooon!  Tradition!"  Totally worth the whining from both Mario and Byron.  Mario jokingly observed that for having had so many years of practice my eggs were pretty ugly.  He was right.  However, dying Easter eggs is most definitely about the experience, no the outcome.

Yoooootah Trip

At the end of April we went to Utah to celebrate Leah's graduation from Utah Valley University.  We got to see Leah, Jessi, my dad, mom and Paul, cousin Kim, step-sister Anne and her cute kids, and as a bonus got to meet Leah's sweet boyfriend.

After the family festivities (which were plentiful thanks to wonderful hostess, Jessi) we were able to visit many of our friends.  The Allens and Jonses and Bishops- of course.  Not pictured: Annie and Bob, Sarah Croker, the Goldens, Cherry Hill 6th Ward, Michelle and other MAG friends, United Way friends, Britney, (holla!) Mitch, the Jarvis, Wilcox, and Neff families, and I almost got to see Deloris.  Almost.













To top it off, the weather was perfect. It was as if Utah was beckoning us back! Maybe someday we'll be so lucky.

Jen's Visit

In April, my dear friend, Jen, visited from Seattle.  She was only in town for the weekend, but we had a really nice time.  We didn't do much.  Talked and sat in the hammock, tried to find a bathing suit for me at Nordstrom Rack--failed--then went to get frozen yogurt.

And on Saturday we went to Half Moon Bay to get the MOST. AMAZINGLY. DELICIOUS lobster roll Eveeeeeeeeer!!!!!!!  Ok, this thing has CHUNKS of lobster with warm, crunchy, buttery, toasted bread, a fabulous light cream sauce with crunchy celery, and with a touch of tabasco sauce... THIS IS WHAT HEAVEN TASTES LIKE.  And I don't even like lobster!

All thanks to my wonderful friend and mentor, Jen.   

Feb 8. 2012 Testimony for Xiomara and Family

Happy 10 months, Hermana Ruiz!  Here's a gift from my heart to yours:

I know that the Lord has a plan for me and my life.  Whenever I've followed His suggestions, even if they didn't fit into the plan I had for myself, I've always been so much happier than I would have if I did it my way.  He truly knows how to make us happier than we can imagine, and He has a vision of us as our best and perfect selves.  I know He is guiding me toward that better self as I keep the commandments and covenants I've made with Him and as I follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. 

I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that He died for my sins so that if I repent, I can live with God again someday.  I know that the Lord has a living prophet on the earth today, President Thomas S. Monson, because God listens to, cares about, and guides His people today as He did anciently, and as He always has.  I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, as he said he did, and that They tasked him with restoring the one true church to the earth.  I know that Joseph Smith translated the golden plates into the Book of Mormon, and that the Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ.  A second witness to compliment the Bible. 

How do I know this?  I haven't seen an angel or heard God's voice from heaven or seen Christ in a tortilla.  In fact, I've never had a miraculous vision of any kind.  But I have seen miracles.  In my life and in the lives of others.  That's how I know God is real, and that He loves me and notices me.  He doesn't always give me what I want, when I wanted it, but He has always given me what I needed to learn and grow.

When I decided to take the leap of faith to start our family, it was the most difficult decision I'd ever made.  I felt like I was giving up everything.  My career, my body, my freedom, my life.  It was a huge sacrifice for me.  I thought that since I was doing something so hard for me that the Lord would bless me with a dream or vision of my future child to help me through the difficult times ahead during the pregnancy, labor and delivery, and beyond.  But He didn't.  Not ever.  I felt so foolish and abandoned.  Then I realized that He had already sent an angel to help me.  He sent me Mario.  He was all I needed to get me through the tough times.  Which there have been many, and I know there will be more.  I thought God wasn't listening and didn't care about what I needed, but I was wrong.  He was watching out for me the whole time; I just didn't see it, because I had decided I needed something else.

Marrying your brother was the best decision I've ever made.  (Another suggestion from God!)  I'm so grateful we're sealed together for time and all eternity in the temple.  It brings me such peace to know that if we live worthily, we will always be together, and nothing could take him away from me.  The temple is a wonderful place.  We draw ourselves closer to the Lord when we serve there.

May legions of angels protect you as you serve the Lord on your mission.  You are an incredible person, daughter of God, sister-in-law, and missionary!  Felizisissimo 10 months!!

With love, Chelsea

Jan 30, 2012 Black Holes and Babies

Grandfather Jerry with Windham

Xiomaraaaa!

I can't remember if I wrote last week or not... I must not have if you asked about Windham.  He's doing ok.  At the moment he's lying in my lap crying.  I think he's just tired fussy, though.  I hope he'll fall asleep soon.  Right now we're playing "spit out the pacifier."  Prince is here on the bed, too, napping peacefully with his sock monkey.  Poor Windham.  Baby tears are the saddest thing in the entire universe!  Ok, one of the saddest.  Prince just gave me this look as if to say, "Really, Chelsea? Can't you make him stop?"  Would if I could, Prince.  Would if I could.

So back to Windham and to answer how he's doing, I've made a decision that I know you'll be proud of.  I've decided that I'm tired of complaining.  I'm tired of complaining about how much he cries, how little I've slept, how incompetent modern medicine is, and on and on.  From now on when people ask how either Windham or I'm doing, I'm going to tell them all the good things about him.  Like how beautiful his blue eyes are.  Or what a good eater he is and how he's growing so fast.  (He's almost 11 lbs now!  When he was born just less than 2 months ago he was 7 lbs. 11 oz.)  Or how amazingly adorable he is, or how I looove the sound he makes after he sneezes.  Don't worry, we've got it on video, so if he's stopped doing it by the time you get home you'll still get to hear it.  Anyway, I've decided to change my attitude and be positive.  If it takes me 24 hours to get 8 hours of sleep, so what?  I can do that.  If his tummy hurts and he's crying, I expect that and will deal with it the best I know how.  I am a planet and this little guy is my sun, and everything I do revolves around him.

Speaking of the universe and planets and such... black holes are so cool!  Did you know that nobody know what happens to stuff that goes into black holes?  And that time stops at the edge of a black hole?  Time is related somehow to gravity.  The more gravity, the faster time goes.  The less gravity, the slower time passes.  (Scientists have done experiments to prove this, so I'm not just making it up.)  Craaaaaazy!  Some scientists believe that the other side of black holes could be a "white fountain" where energy and matter are spewn out.  It's fantastic to think about.  The reason I bring up black holes, is because I feel like having a baby is like entering a black hole.  Very scary and unkowable.  And painful.  Plus time does kind of stand still when you're in serious labor.  And then, on the other side of it... well nothing can really describe it.  But it's light and beautiful and creation.  So Windham is my little white fountain, and I've decided to appreciate and celebrate that rather than focus on his acid reflux and colic.  So I hope that's a decent update, in a round-about way.

By the way, about that scary Peruvian man, you did the right thing to listen to the spirit (or lack thereof) and just leave and then pray.  Satan is definitely real.  But so is God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, modern day prophets, the Priesthood, prayer, temple covenants, and the power of love. 

And we love you.  Keep up the great work, Hermana!  You are wonderful and inspired, and an angel sent to proclaim the gospel to Uruguay.

Chelsea