Inside the Dancers' Studio

At 3.5 years old, it's really just getting the girls in a room with a big mirror, some music, and a kind-of-granola teacher to give them some direction.  And that's all Huelan needs.

She's about five weeks in to the session- it's ballet/tap- and there's only one other girl in this class.  We're not sure if that's a plus or minus, but just for something different we hope that there are a few more girls in the next session.

Parents are not allowed in the studio during the class- we watch via closed circuit TV on the waiting room.  But there's a "recital" on June 16th where we'll be able to watch live and we already know she's going to go nuts.


(at 0:14 and 1:13 she says, "My butt itches.")
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Here are three more videos I shot that day.  The class eventually devolves into chasing each other around the studio and making animal sounds, but then so do a lot of her activities.

Tapped

The only place she's allowed to tap upstairs is on the tile in the entry.  So that's where her tap shows take place.  Like Tyler Perry, she plays all the parts in her productions, and all the parts have different moves to showcase.

Staged

If there's a stage around, this girl will find it.  And if there isn't one, she just might craft one out of a stool a rock or an upturned bucket.  She has just the vaguest notion of shyness, maybe shrinking for a moment with a new acquaintance, but her compulsion to shine quickly wins out.   She belts out memorized nursery rhymes and freestyles with equal conviction.  And when she bows, she expects applause.  She might not be on key, but she loves to be on.

May Days

 

 

 

 

 

Mothers' Day was kind of an atyipcal one this year.  Great for my mom since for the first time in probably over a decade she's had all of her kids together to celebrate with her.  I went down solo just for the night to attend my uncle Loi's wedding, which happened to be the night before Mothers' Day and an excuse to get the fam all dressed up for some pics.

The wedding was a blast- literally- with cannon propelled confetti and streamers.  I've been to a number of Vietnamese weddings, though mostly of my parents' friends, so an older generation.  This was the first one closer to my generation (Loi's the same age as me).  I wouldn't call it a traditional Vietnamese wedding, but the reception was very Vietnamese, though more new school. The live band (playing You've Got to Lick It and Freak Out) was one of the highlights, in addition to a co-ed bouquet toss (great idea getting ALL the single people on the dance floor together) and a bottle of Remy on every table.  And Peking Duck Butt... way better than it sounds.

SoCal Mothers' day was a relaxed affair, perfect for the occassion.  We stuffed ourselves again, opened some presents, and mom posed for pictures.  Great tradition that I hope we can do again sooner than later.

Meanwhile, back in the Bay, Liz managed to keep busy with Huelan.  Saturday was a twofur of a birthday - Sydney and Melinda.  Sacramento and San Mateo.  Liz easily logged 300 miles with Huelan in tow, but pulled it off without a major meltdown.  Huelan somehow knew that there was partying involved, so went along with the plan.  They spent the night in the Sunset to wake up at Grandma's on Mothers' Day, which was a casual affair at the house.  With Tom and Adrienne's wedding this weekend, I think that a cozy Mothers' Day was just what the doctor ordered.

some pics here, including Huelan opening the costume chest that Dina's daughter Paige has outgrown.  I think I feel a Princess Phase coming on....

Round Trip

BiBi's back from Viet Nam. She's got some big plans, but going to hang out with us for a little while first. 

Yard Birds

For someone who's not really in to yard work, I've been doing a buttload lately. Capped off last weekend by digging a hole in hard, rocky soil where a big juniper bush used to live to make a home for the lemon tree that Anh got us for a housewarming gift 15 months ago. Better late than never.

About 15 more bags of mulch, and we'll be set for and while I hope. 

Pterrrrrranadon!

I forgot about this video from a few weeks ago.  Huelan has been playing this game for about a year with no signs of letting up.  We take turns being  either the spotter (Buddy the T-Rex has very good eyesight) or the fisher (Tiny Pteranadon is a pescavore).  She likes being the Pteranadon, who strikes fear in her prey with a shriek, then spears fish with her beak and brings them back to the nest.

Chu Ti is a good sport!

Sunny Days

 

We had about 9 days of atypical bay area weather. Atypical in that it was about 85degrees and sunny.

We whined about the heat a little bit, but really it was gorgeous and people actually wore shorts.  Perfect for the anniversary brunch and baby shower at Harding Park.

More pics here.

End of April

April was the busiest month I can remember, so I'm sure that I'll forgot many things from this wrap up, but I'll do my best.

After the camping trip, we shifted into high gear. There was Vlad's bachelor party (and the rehab), Liz's spa day baby shower, Vlad's wedding (and the rehab), Lynn & Larry's anniversary, the end of my fiscal year at work, a visit from Rene and Mark, and , in the last day of the month, the Grand Opening of Bay Vein Associates. Personally and professionally, probably the busiest I've ever been.

A whirlwind with more than a little anxiety, but man was it fun. Vlad, Jay, Sam, Scott, Hollis, Brian, Anh, and me in Vegas. Sounds like a dumb idea, and it was.

Sell a pile of implants on the final day of the year to eek out my quota, followed by a spectacular Warriors game, where I lost a contact lens in the wind only to have it found by a random passerby right when I was about to lose hope and succumb to despair.

Vlad and Rachel's wedding was just right- full of friends, celebration, dancing, food, sake and partial blackout.

Though I couldn't properly punish the generous buffet at the Palace Hotel the next morning for the anniversary brunch, it was probably just as well.

When we got back, after a little family nap, I smoked a tri tip and got to spend some quality time with ooooold friends.

That was just enough of a respite to re-energize and take on the final preperations for the first day of appointments at Bay Vein Associates. The plan was to only book four patients in the four hours we were open, and we pretty much needed the entire time. As we get our processes streamlined, we'll ramp up, but right now we're not in a hurry. Just trying not to screw anything up.

Then this weekend, Liz had her family baby shower at Harding Park (man I miss playing golf), which allowed me a couple of hours to vegg out... or install some recessed speakers in the kitchen. Guess which I chose.

Finally, today Anh came over and we planted the lemon tree he gave us for a housewarming gift (the one that's been on the deck for 15 months). Had to dig through gravelly soil and tenacious juniper roots, but we got the job done. And for good measure we cleared some of the dry brush off the side of hill behind the house for some positive kindling karma.

The thing is, the busier I am = the busier Liz is. And we could both be hungover, dead tired and beaten down, and het no deference from Huelan. She'll still jump on our faces at 7:15. She'll still want to go to the oark if it's sunny. She'll still want to play "hide and find" at all hours of the day. This is both exhausting and extremely comforting, annoying and endearing.

And when one of us picks up the slack for the other, it's not a favor, it's not a score, it's just appreciated. Besides, we probably won't be as busy when we add a newborn to the mix, right?

Some more pics here.

And Here

Tu-Pun

One for the archives

Strategy

When I have Huelan for the day like I did this past Sunday, my strategy is usually to load up the schedule. It was a great east bay weekend to be outside, so we spent the entire day out and about.

We started at the Temescal farmers' market. We werent really hungry, but found room for a pretzel croissant anyway. Picked up a baby tomato plant. Huelan also supported these two girls who set up a lemonade stand- at a quarter a cup, we splurged and got two.

She's not real good at the scooter yet, but she's getting better. She practiced in between pointing out that dogs sometimes have spots and picking pebbles out of the dry mud creek.

As soon as that place got old, we headed to a park where she made a few friends and burried her lap in dirt. Her reward for that? Popsicle. Then, Home Depot for some potting soil. She knocked out on the way home as planned, which gave me some time to install the last sprinkler timers and drip lines in the yard.

(Side note: automatic sprinklers are awesome, life changing even. It's like the first time you have laundry inside your pad- just a whole different way of getting through the week. I really dislike lawn care, so this takes a huge load off. Now if only I could keep the dandelions at bay.)

When she woke up, it was time to get the baby tomato plant potted. By this time Liz was back from her girls' spa retreat and helped get the patio ready. We got the tomato settled in a sunny corner, and lounged on the deck to catch the rest of the sun.

Not a bad Sunday. Yes, it can be pretty mundane, but a daddy daughter day is never boring.

In the Jeans

Liz and Huelan went to Adrienne's bridal shower Saturday. Liz said that there was another mom/daughter wearing jean jackets.

I felt sorry for the other girls because, really, no one wants to compete with these two.

See... Food!

Thankfully, she's not a particularly picky eater, but she does something kinda weird. Even if she doesn't want to eat any more, sometimes she'll keep putting food in her mouth and just chew it for a while. Masticating for hours. We've found her working broccoli cud from lunch after her nap.

It's gross, but when I ask her why, she says, "I just like to."

We Did It! Lake Santa Margarita

We had a ton of questions coming in to this trip: how would we (Huelan) sleep, how would the kids get along, what was the drive going to be like.... it was endless.  Throw in the fact that Liz and I have never been camping together and what we ended up with was a couple of weeks of semi-anxious prep.  If it wasn't for the fact we've been so busy with Easter, weddings, showers, and birthdays, it might have actually been stressful.

But as it happened, this turned out to be an easy trip.  Of course it took some prepping- gathering supplies, packing clothes, and smoking meat- but we relied heavily on Omar's checklist to ease the anxiety.  

The campground was simple and all that we needed.  The drive-up camp spots allowed us to quickly unload gear (though knowing this made packing lean a little more difficult).  Before we knew it, tents were pitched, spots around the fire ring were staked out, and kids were exploring the hillside.  Grandma had the brilliant suggestion that we bring Huelan's bucket, and she had it filled in the first 20 minutes.

Camping is unique in that we weren't just getting out of the house, but it felt like we were really getting away- something totally different than our usual routine.  We were totally unscheduled and unplugged, which was a welcome change.  Didn't have to strap Huelan into a carseat all weekend!  

Of course the kids loved it.  With a meadow on one side and a grassy hill on the other, they had ample room to roam (though they were often content playing with a box in the gravel next to the car).  Throw in a short hike to the lake, a rabbit hunt, ladybugs, glow sticks, and marshmallow smores and the kids had plenty of stimulation.  Maybe a little too much at times- Huelan had one breakdown Saturday afternoon after missing her nap and passed out as Liz was carrying her back to camp (at six months pregnant, doesn't bat an eye at the idea of camping, quelling a tantrum, and carrying a passed out 3yo back up the hill- my vote for Ly Family MVP).  

But aside from that incident, which resulted in a 2-hour toddler coma, the kids got along smashingly, and most of the time it only took 1 or 2 adults to watch the entire gang.  Because isn't that the other part of getting the families together?  Not just letting the kids hang out and get to know one another, but letting the parents re-connect as well.  Of course it's fun and heartwarming to watch our kids hang out, play, explore and eat junk food together, but I think trips like this are just as much about getting the parents together, reminding  us that we're still people who crave good food and drink and laughter with good friends.  All the better if around a campfire.  

More Pics here, including liberal sampling from Cindy's Flickr album

Realization

The ah-ha moment when your kid realizes that something cool is happening, Egg Hunt edition: