Quirky things about Jack I want to remember

He insists on kissing my toes before he goes to bed. Eww, and I have no idea where that one cam from.

Today Adda told him he was like a sponge. Jack corrected her and told her no, he was a wash cloth.

Jack wants to brush his teeth so they won't be green like the Hulks.

Jack begs us not to eat Cherrios each morning because "it will smell like Cherrios." He asks me to eat them a few steps away from him. Weird.

Jack told us today that everyone has an Adda. Oh, how I wish everyone had an Adda. The world would be a happier, more wonderful place.

Gilroy Gardens

Last week after my kickboxing class, we decided to be spontaneous, skip naptime and drive down to Gilroy Gardens to check it out. I had heard good things from some friends and it did not disappoint. The whole place is geared to kids Jack's age (well all but two rides). He LOVED it! He got to ride on the carousel, fire truck ride, race car ride, balloon ride (that went soooo fast and he wasn't scared at all), run through the waterfalls and fountains, ride the train, drive the cool car, and eat a churro. There were a few lines, but Jack handled them like a pro. He didn't complain once in line, maybe because it was such a new experience, or maybe because he was so jazzed that he got to go on all the "big kid" rides.

One moment I want to remember is when we put Jack on the carousel we were told no parents were allowed. It was Jack's first time on a ride without one of us, so I was clapping and dancing about (I know...just picture the spectacle) and cheering for my big boy before the ride started to try to boost his confidence. At which point I swear Jack looked so embarrassed and looked away! Oh, could it be starting this early????

San Jose Children's Discovery Museum

Despite the fact that the new job and upcoming move to San Diego appear to be occupying us fully, we are still managing to enjoy our days with good friends and family. Here are a few pictures from our trip to the Discovery Museum last week. We used to have an annual pass here, but the excessive amounts of kids not well monitored on field trips pushing my one year old out of their way totally turned me off. I was pleasantly surprised to find the museum nearly field trip free!! We had a blast!

I've always said, if he interviews he'll get it...

I have been psyching myself out, totally convinced Zack didn't get the job and feeling sorry for him. The job is his (YEAH for Zack!!) and now I'm feeling sorry for myself. Well not really sorry, just scared. If he didn't get the job it would have felt like we were spending the next year just treading water. It feels like a great opportunity for Zack's career, and honestly for our life. So, I guess, San Diego here we come! Ugh.

Hearing Good Things

So, Zack's interviews went really really well. He will hear for sure on Tuesday, but the recruiter emailed him today to tell him that she has been hearing really good things about him around the office but they will tell him officially Tuesday. Ugh. He is really excited about the job...in fact as far as jobs go, it's pretty much perfect for him. It's all about being an idea guy. He will be working to come up with new business ideas for Intuit. It's cheaper to live in San Diego. Ugh. It's nicer then up here. Ugh. We only wanted to be here for another year anyways. Ugh. It's not Korea :). We will have to leave Dani, the home we brought Jack home to, the place that has been home for half of our marriage (longer then anywhere else), the friends that we have made, the three parks all within walking distance, my trusted friend the alarm system, oh and did I mention Dani? Ugh. Not fun. If only I could say it didn't feel right. Ugh. Ugh. And did I mention Ugh.

August 25 is right around the corner

I'm not sure who is keeping track of the fact that August 25th (Zack's official layoff date) is just around the corner. First off, Zack has received a promotion !! YEAH !! which deserves to be celebrated despite being laid off. So Saturday night I am taking him to Scott's Seafood up in Palo Alto which he has been hinting ever so casually about wanting to try out. Secondly, Zack has 3 solid job offers, all as a Marketing Manager in the Mountain View office. All three are waiting on his decision in the next few weeks to come. Thirdly, Zack is now on a plane to San Diego to interview for another job he is interested in...dare I admit it's his first choice, which is super scary for those of us who don't like change even if it's good change. We will keep everyone in the loop as the deadline gets even closer...

Moments continued

I can pretty much get Jack to help with anything by telling him it's going to make Zack happy. Last night he helped me get dinner ready and kept saying over and over with such sweet enthusiasm, "Momma, Papa is going to be so happy!"

Last Saturday Zack gave me the day off for some me time. When I got home to my boys, Zack told me that at one point in the day Jack looked over at him and said, "Papa, how come Momma doesn't make messes when she does this?" Yes, how come indeed. To his credit, all the messes were cleaned up before I got home.

Zack has brought out his two remote control cars that he built when he was a teenager. If Jack didn't think he had the coolest Papa in the world already, this solidified it. Most nights you can find us at the school racing the cars. Zack has explained all about how cars work, and now Jack is obsessed with "bustion engines" (combustion engines).

Kiddie Pool

Jack and I were invited over to a friend's pool today. It's a great set up because there is a pool, a hot tub and a kiddie pool. I was telling Jack how much fun we were going to have at the kiddie pool yesterday. A few hours later he came to me and said,
"Momma, I don't want to go to the doggie pool"
It took a few seconds, but turns out he was hearing "kitty pool" which quickly translated to "doggie pool" in his head. :)

Visiting with Grandma

This past week my mom was in town which pretty much translates to a parenting Sabbatical for Zack and me. Jack totally loves her and asks politely if Zack and I will leave the room so he can have her all to himself. Grandma's visits always include donuts, parks, visits to the bagel store, sandcastles, playing cars, and whatever new thing Jack is into. This time the trip included a stop off at our local bowling alley and Jack's first Mini golf experience. Here are some sweet pictures from the week.

Ilich Beach Week 08

Despite the trip beginning with tears, we had a wonderful time at Ilich Beach Week 08! Jack quickly remembered that although he was suddenly cousin-less, he was surrounded by adults who were ga-ga for him. Some of my sweetest memories are of watching him with Baba and Deda. Baba wanted nothing more then to get to sit and cuddle with him on the big pillow...and finally the big moment happened and it was priceless to see! Jack decided it would be funny if he called Deda "donut" and so "donut" he became! The week included lots of well deserved surfing for Zack and Sean (and Jack too), long walks to the park, donuts, bowling, bike riding with Baba, Jack playing in Grandma Kari's BMV and asking to open the hood to inspect the engine, dinner at Dukes for Zack and me, Baba hating every show we watched, Tablici, and an introduction to chavut cici for Zack and Sean.

We had an easy drive home, until 30 minutes from home Jack threw up. Thankfully the clothes that Sarah donated were right on top in the trunk and Jack was thrilled to get to wear an over-sized Cars shirt and boxers. By the time we got home Jack had a 104.5 degree fever. The mysterious illness left as quickly as it came, and by the next morning he showed no sign of ever having been sick. He did however spend the next week insisting on wearing Brenden and Oliver's large shirts and no pants and kept telling me how cool he looked. :)

Zackrison Beach Week 08

A few weeks ago we spent a week+ down in San Juan Capistrano for the Zackrison Beach Week 08. The house was fantastic and right on the beach which made for a lot of beach and water time! Jack loved getting to be one of the gang and got a real kick out of hanging out with his cousins. When we were driving away the last day and he realized his cousins weren't going to be at the new beach house he started crying. He was so sad to be leaving them! Then he asked if Zack's cousins (sisters and brother) were going to be at the new house and cried again when he was told they had to go home with their kids.

Some highlights include...
*Jack pushing Zack and me up on the beach and saying "You two stay here, I'm going in the waves"
*Oliver teaching Jack how to pull his shirt over his head
*Finding Jack along the back side of the house. When I asked him what he was doing, he told me he was hiding from Baby June so he could eat his Fruit Loops
*Grandma and Grandpa Z finally arriving to join in the fun
*waving to Jack on the train with all his cousins and Grandma and Grandpa Z
*playing card games once the kids went to sleep
*Mei Li getting locked in my car (on my watch...yikes!!!!)
*Jack deciding thumbs up didn't express how awesome things were, so he decided that he needed to use his thumb and his pointer finger in the shape of an "L" and went around doing it and saying "Cool dude!"
*Taking Jack to his first movie. He was so excited about popcorn, but didn't make it through the opening credits because he was so overwhelmed and scared of the noise and hugeness of it all...
*tons of quiet down time with family and loved ones!

Moments

A moment I don't want to forget...

Jack gently grabbed my face and turned it to face him one day after bowling and said, "Momma, do you know that I like you and I'm having fun with you?"
Sweet, sweet boy.

The Apple doesn't Fall Far

I do not [HEART] hiking. Seriously.

For anyone who has spent any real time with me, that statement shouldn't come as a shock. As a kid, I had to be enticed up the mountain with the promise of "chocolate chip" cookies (only once I had made it to the top of the mountain did I realize I had been duped and they were raisin cookies which everyone knows are never ever good enough to climb an entire mountain for!).

Fast forward to today. Some good friends invited Jack and I to go to San Antonio Open Space Park. Since we really didn't have anything better to do (READ we postponed bowling till Wednesday) we decided to go. It wasn't until we got there that I realized pretty much the entire activity was a nature walk. Nature walks are too close a cousin to hikes for me generally, but the company was fantastic and I was actually happy to be there. Jack on the other hand couldn't understand what we were doing there. I was upbeat telling him we were going on a hike and an adventure, and he kept asking me if we could go to Target now. He saw lizards, ran over bridges, posed for pictures with bugs, walked on logs, saw a deer roaming free (despite the picture looking like it was caged in, it was on the outside of the cage and just happened to be walking down from the hillside near the fence), got totally dusty, gave himself a water bottle shower, played with his friends and saw tractors. Getting in the car I was proud that I hadn't let my hatred of hiking affect his experience. I said, "Wow that was so much fun getting to go on a hike with our friends! To which he responded, "Um, next time how bout I just stay in the car?"

Alas, all my hard work and he saw through to the heart of the matter. Hikes=long bug filled, dusty, sweaty walks!

*Notice that I am so silly and had flip flops on! My red polish was totally brown before the morning was over.

Let's Go Bowling!

Words cannot do justice to how much Jack loves to bowl. I have no idea where the obsession came from, but it is here and we are embracing it thanks to a free pass that allows Jack to bowl 1 free game every day this summer! We are trying to keep it to twice a week so that the bowling mystic won't wear off too quickly. He loves choosing his ball, trying to carry the ball with his fingers in the holes, rolling it down the lane and then shouting "HURRAY!" at the top of his lungs regardless of whether he knocks down 1 or 10 pins! Zack's game is improving as well (bumpers tend to help adults too ;)). I know some of these pictures are super lame, but to be honest, I love how totally lame they are. I love that every shot I tried to get of Jack his eyes are either closed or he looks like he's a gone off the deep end a bit!

28 is getting a bit too close to 30 for my taste

Jack with his Birthday Momma!



Here is a picture of the cake that Jack and Zack made for me. For weeks Jack had asked me what type of cake I wanted for my birthday...well maybe more accurately he had told me for weeks that I wanted a pink cake for my birthday. The day before I was instructed that I wanted a pink "Sally" cake. He and Zack made me this awesome birthday cake, complete with two tailpipes (thanks to Jack). So much fun!!



I instantly felt old after looking at all of the smoke from all of the candles in the picture...I guess I have to remember that it's 29 candles (times 2 people) = 58 candles

Happy 4th of July!

We had a wonderful 4th of July! Our day started with a trip over to one of our favorite parks where Jack got to be in the annual Bike Parade. He really got a kick out of being one of the big kids riding (okay so maybe more like using his feet to push) his bike. At the finish line Jack got his first medal! The rest of the day included playing in the pool, helping wash my car and Adda's car (once again, maybe more like spraying us all with the hose) and then a crazy long nap that ended at 6:45pm. Any other night we would have woken him up, but the late nap made going out to see fireworks possible. It was Jack's first time seeing fireworks,and because of our experience a few weeks ago trying to take Jack to a movie and him being terrified by how loud it was, we stayed in a parking lot a few streets back. We all lay on the hood of our car and watched a great fireworks show which Jack loved! He kept asking me if we could watch it again on Tivo (pretty much as soon as the show started). I tried to tell him to just lay back and enjoy them while they were on, but it made me think of how many times I have struggled to learn that very same lesson. Now I have to help Jack learn to be in the moment and not worry about the next step, the next task, the next stage. For now, the special moment of lying on the hood of my car wrapped up in blankets with the two loves of my life, watching fireworks, totally in the moment will be the picture that I remember in the years to come.

A No Show

So, he hasn't shown up for class since the incident. Now I feel like the bad guy for standing up to him and calling him on his rudeness. Lame.

Standing up for Myself

Having a twin sister has been wonderful. It's an experience I hope for my children (that is if it could happen without me having to be the mom to twins...). I loved growing up having a built in friend. Someone who liked the same things I did. Someone to jump all the major growing up hurdles with. That being said, there is one aspect of being a twin that hurts. Somehow being a twin makes the outside world think they have a free pass to comment and compare you to your twin in ways that no one would ever think of comparing two people on the face of the planet. Because right there next to you is a copy of what you could be like. What you would look like were you talented, beautiful, and skinny.

Growing up, I went through an extended awkward phase. I was chubby, something not uncommon among pre-adolescent girls. But I was different from other girls because I had a skinny twin sister. I vividly remember being stopped in the mall (something that happened often when we were growing up and twins were less of a common site then they are now thanks to the marvels of modern medicine). My sister and I stood there smiling at the stranger who approached my mom and my sister and me. She was asking the usual questions that people had. The best is always "oh are you twins?". We were being polite until she said, "no wait, I can tell the difference, this one is skinny and this one is fat (pointing to me)." My mom totally stuck up for me and right away told her, no I was perfect, but it couldn't erase the humiliation. I was the fat twin. End of story. Sadly, this experience was not the only one of its sort. I have been told by a stupid, stupid man to stop eating my sister's food (a joke I assume he thought funny in his mean spirited, hurtful way), and humiliated time and time again as it is pointed out for the world to hear that I am indeed fater then my sister.

Over the years, I thinned out, and grew taller and less awkward. Today I stand at 5'8" and 135 pounds, well below the normal average for my height. Still, I fight to erase the picture I have in my mind, the picture I have let strangers paint for me of myself, because I see the amazing women my sister is, who stands a few inches shorter, but 20 pounds lighter.

Tonight, at my kick boxing class, an older man came up to Dani and me and started asking if our husbands looked alike, and then if they could tell us apart. I told him yes to which he promptly responded for all the class to hear "well of course, because she is so much skinnier then you!" I was shocked, but I pasted a smile I have perfected over the years on my face and said yes. Dani was worried about me all through the class. I told her I was fine, and that I had long ago stopped letting it bother me. But, had I been alone, I'm sure the tears wouldn't have been far behind. I punched a little bit harder, having such a vivid target in my mind. All the while I kept wondering when I would have the guts to stand up for myself. I thought of my dear friend Monica, chewing out the construction worker on her daughter's behalf, and I decided tonight was my night.

Right after class, I uttered a silent prayer that I could get the words out, and I walked over to him. This is what I said,
"You know, I tried to let it go, but I decided instead of me feeling bad about myself I was going to come over here and let you know how hurtful and inappropriate your comment about me was earlier."
He looked stunned, but apologized. I told him that I expected he had no intention of hurting me, but that I needed to let him know that he did. I then wished him a good evening and left cheering big cheers for myself inside my head.

Tonight I did it. I stood up for myself and hopefully saved some young child, some "larger" twin someplace, from having the same ignorant comment made about her. The world needs to quickly remember that being a twin doesn't mean that common etiquette and kindness should be thrown out the window. I think tonight, there is one less person who believes it does.

Work Shirts

Jack has figured out that Zack dresses differently depending upon what he has to do for the day. Jack's current nemesis, the "work shirt." Practically as soon as Zack walks through the door in the evening Jack insists he go and change out of his "work shirt." Only then can he relax and know Zack's not going anywhere.

New Cars

Yesterday evening, on our way home from the park, Jack looked over at Zack and said,

"Papa, when I get bigger, I'm going to buy you a Prius"

Zack was touched by Jack's generosity until he turned to me and said,

"Momma, when I get bigger, I'm going to buy you a Porsche"

Sounds about right.