Happy Holidays!

So I know I was good for a few months with posting, and then I pooped out. SORRY. What can I say, this blog-inspiration thing just comes and goes.

This time around, I decided I would just post photos from a recent shoot in our very own Balboa Park - home of Mommy's workplace - by Alex Matsuo, an up-and-coming photographer here in San Diego. She did a fantastic job.

We hope you are enjoying the wonderful holiday season, and many happy wishes to you and your loved ones in 2010. Cheers!!

First Walking...Now Talking

As always, so much to catch up on. Mommy’s off at a movie and the kdis are down for the count. But for today, I thought it would be fun to jot down most of Fox’s vocabulary. He’s pretty talkative these days. He actually speaks in complete, fluent sentences. They just don’t happen to be English. He seems genuinely puzzled that we can’t just pick up on his flow.

But these are the words that he has deigned to learn in our mother tongue. He’s pretty darn cute when he says them. I will give the English word first, followed by the Fox version:

• Mommy = “Mah – eee”
• Daddy = “Dah – eee”
• Papa = “Papa”
• Doe = “Doe”
• Sleeping Blanket/Burp Cloth = “Nigh – nigh”
• Thank you = “Than (glottal stop) oooo”
• I love you = “Ay – oooooo”
• Ball (or any round object) = “Baw”
• Most food = “Apple”

More pics and stories to come soon.

Look who's walking! (or, "LASING!")

I hate to compare Fox to Boba when she was his age, but she's my only point of reference, so I end up doing it anyway. It's not a competitive kind of comparison, so I don't feel too bad doing it, but it does make me worry at times about things that I probably shouldn't worry about. For instance - walking. Boba started walking pretty consistently a couple of weeks after her first birthday. And Fox...well, I don't know if it was laziness or what, but the boy didn't even seem remotely interested in walking at his first birthday. So then I thought, be patient, Mom, he'll be walking by 13 months. Then 13 months went by. And the down-on-all-fours things was working out just fine for him. Then the 14-month mark hit. By then he was definitely cruising, but as soon as he let go of whatever he was holding on to, it was like - plop. Down he went on his bottom, and he'd start crawling again. I was beginning to get worried.

I know kids are on their own schedule, but with another kid who basically established the baseline for you, you can't help but think, "What's up?" Fortunately, we had no developmental issues to be concerned about (at least none that we were aware of), so more or less we figured that he was just taking his sweet time, and that at some point he would just do it.

Lo and behold, he did.

It's not like he all of a sudden got up from a sitting position and started walking like a pro. It was definitely a gradual thing, like one day he did two steps without help, and then a couple days later it was four steps, and then even later it became eight steps....but then, it seemed, a day after he was taking eight steps, he started taking many steps. And then many, MANY steps.

And then he started dancing and juggling teddy bears and telling knock knock jokes. CRAZY!

Okay, not really. But there was a day where I just went, "Oh my gosh, he's walking! He's finally walking!" I don't know why I was so relieved, but I was. Maybe I lacked faith in him. (Shame on you, Mommy! What a terrible thing to say!) The thing is, he's so....rotund, that I had wondered if perhaps his inability to walk could be blamed on his uneven distribution of weight on his body (i.e., it's ALL on his belly).

But he finally managed it, and we're on about week 3 of walking. And it is very, very,

VERY cute. We like to yell out "LASING!" when he walks, because in Tagalog that means, "DRUNK!" and he sure walks like one. He has little balance (the tummy theory was not entirely incorrect after all), and he picks up his feet every time he takes a step like a little march. And every time he picks up his foot he wobbles, kinda like his body isn't sure what direction he's

going, but the weight is shifting anyway, so his foot lands where ever the

majority of his body was leaning, and sometimes it's not where he was intending to go. But hey, we all gotta start somewhere, right?

He's like a marching bobble-head. Who's a little drunk. : ) That's our Foxie.

Thank goodness for the kids

Here we go with a cliche.

You know that scenario when the parents have had a long day and are totally beat up over work, and then they come home to their happy, healthy, and beautiful children, and all of a sudden they forget about their stresses and life is beautiful??

IT'S TRUE.

I'm not kidding. It's true for at least an hour. And then of course, you get bogged down with things like, "Oh, we're running out of baby shampoo...better go shopping...and while I'm out I should pick up some stamps for the bills....wait....did I pay that bill?...."

And so on, so forth.

It's a ridiculous stream of thought, at least in MY mind, that can go from children-induced bliss to flat-out panic in about 1 minute.

But for an hour or so before that decline, I revel in the beauty in my babies, who I had not seen for the previous 9 hours. And I forget about everything while I soak them in, hugging and kissing them, breathing in their scent.

We've got some pretty wonderful children, Daddy and I.

A wake-up cuddle with Daddy

Boba's starting to read!

Contemplating a circle

With the remnants of face paint after a day at the SD Zoo

More visitors!

This is just a quick post to share some pictures of Grandma Vickie's visit! It was a fun-filled weekend of swimming (for the kids) and theatre (for the visitors). Thank you to G'ma Vickie and her partner Brad for the good memories! It was the first time they met the kids, and boy, did the kids have a good time with them!

The family with Vickie and Brad

Another shot...but this time, Fox is about to melt down

On a totally different note: that mustache you see on Daddy is GONE!! HOORAY!!

Boba, Fox, and Friends

Because Daddy is currently in a hit show in town, we've had the privilege of lots of friends coming down to visit. And while I wish I could say that I have pictures of all of those wonderful visits....I regret to say that I do not. I do, however, have a few very adorable photos of the kids with some of our younger visitors, and I thought I'd share those here.

First is Henry, son of friends Albert and Katherine. Henry was born 3 days before Fox, and his Dad and Jason have been very good friends for a long, long time. Albert is actually in the same show as Jason, so we were lucky enough to hang out with them at different times throughout the summer.

We think Henry and Fox are going to grow up to be close buddies. That is, once they can actually communicate to each other.

Boba, of course, has to always be a part of whatever action is going on, especially if there is picture-taking involved. She adores Henry ("Hennery") and loves to show him all her fun toys. (Note: I said "show," not "share." There is a difference.) For one who was outnumbered by the over-excited BobaFox duo, Henry was remarkably good-natured and hardly even complained when Fox went to maul him. (Mauling is actually a sign of affection. I know this because I get mauled daily.)

Then, another weekend we had Lana and Dash, children of Jason's friend Jennifer, come over to play. We discovered, not surprisingly, that Lana was a Princess fan (and a little Princess herself!) just like Boba, so they whipped out all her Princess dresses and played dress-up all morning.

They also played croquet. I guess that's kind of royal, too. Right?

So cute. (Did you see how they switched dresses??) I was lame and didn't get any pictures of Dash, who is 7 months old and a total doll. Darn. At least I got a photo of the Fox, who is really making progress on the standing & walking front.

He tries to climb too, but he's (thankfully) not very successful with that.

Look at those legs!

Daddy's show is closing soon, BUT....more visitors are expected soon, so stay tuned for a Part II!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Often, when I meet up with an old friend or relative who has not yet met my children or who I haven't seen in a very long time, one of the first things they ask is, "So, how are you holding up?" The question actually has many forms, from "How do you do it?" to "What is life like for you these days?" I presume the elaborate version of that question is "How do you juggle motherhood, a full-time job, and everything else?" It's a perfectly valid and polite question, but I'm going to pose a theory here, and I acknowledge that I could very well be wrong. Hell, I sorta want to be wrong. But I think I'm hitting on something, and I bet many mothers can relate to my theory.

I think that they ask that question because they're looking right at me, and they are alarmed at how much I've changed. I mean, not just how the circumstances of my life have changed, but how I look. And let's face it - I look tired. My body shape is different (and that's putting it mildly). Even the shape of my face has changed. And frankly, what I wear is more about what's clean and comfortable and less about what's hip and stylish.

I won't lie. I think some people feel sorry for me. They think I'm one of those moms who "let herself go." I realize that I might be taking it the wrong way, that the question may be meant as a gesture of admiration. In many women's cases, that may be true. But in my case, I don't think so. You see, I'm not really pleased with the change either - I definitely don't feel as attractive as I used to. I acknowledge the more-than-average weight gain. I realize I don't put as much effort in arranging an outfit in the morning. And I'm also older. No use running away from that.

I have always said that motherhood has been the single most transformative event in my life. I am not the same person I was before Boba was born, that's for sure. And yes, sometimes I mourn the woman I used to be, the woman I used to look like. I used to be very depressed, actually, that I would never be that person again.

Long story short - I've gotten over it. There are things I will always wish for, like to be skinny again. But I'm over the fact that I'm not thin right now. And though I try not to be overly sentimental in this blog - yes, I know I've failed in that regard too - I'm going to take a leap and be very honest for a moment.

There has never been a more worthwhile transformation than the one that motherhood has granted me.

I just thought I'd say that, instead of my usual "This is what we did over the summer!" narrative with photos.

But yes, the photos are some from over the summer! Aren't the kids gorgeous?


:)

The backyard harvest

I know, I know. You guys come to Flamboba to read about Boba and Fox, NOT to read about Flambo's silly newfound obsession with fresh vegetables. Lord knows I am not well-versed enough in cooking to write a food blog. But aren't I excused for even just a little bit since my gardening adventures are (mostly) inspired by a desire to feed Boba and Fox good food? Because I am concerned for their health and well-being? And because I really want to master the art of stir-frying?

Just to satisfy those of you who are here solely for the kids, here's a picture of them playing.

Okay, happy now? (My goodness, they're so cute, aren't they? Look at Foxie's legs!) Good. Now on to the veggies.

Behold: a bountiful HARVEST!


Clockwise from top right: Passion fruits*, cherry tomatoes, and heirloom (I think) tomatoes. All plucked within seconds of the picture taking. Isn't it glorious? *swoon*

*Yes, I know Passion fruit is a fruit, not a vegetable, but I wanted to incorporate purple in the photo to make the picture more vivid. So there!

Of course, I would be a fool to grow veggies and not learn any actual recipes to use them in. So, I decided to cook dishes that I have always enjoyed at in restaurants. I had to find recipes, however, that didn't call for fancy-schmancy ingredients that weren't used in other dishes, so to some extent these are pretty simple dishes.

Having grown up in Indonesia, here is my attempt at Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice):

Basic ingredients for this include chopped tomatoes and chilies from the garden, garlic, green onions, chopped white onion, scrambled egg, sesame oil and kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce). This was superb, if I may say so myself.

A couple of days before I made Szechuan Eggplant Stir-fry:


This recipe was a little more complex, with sesame oil, peanut oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chicken stock, and a little bit of corn starch to thicken the sauce. The eggplants were mostly from my garden; I had to supplement with store-bought Chinese ones to make sure I had enough for the recipe. Also threw in some green onion and chilies (from the garden), and garnished with sesame seeds. This dish, may I say, was TO DIE FOR. Oh my god, it was so good. Normally eggplants served in restaurants tend to be a little over-cooked and mushy - these were firm and yet juicy in texture, having absorbed the flavorings perfectly.

Oh my gosh, maybe there's a food blogger inside me after all. Anyway, periodically I'll post photos of my garden and cooking, but next post will be exclusively about the kids, I promise! (I should add that neither of them ate much of either dish - Boba is a picky eater, and while Fox isn't, he's too young for Szechuan or Fried anything. But just you wait...they will see the genius of my cooking eventually! Mwahahaha!)

Camping in the backyard

We are still enjoying the warm nights of San Diego, so much so that Daddy had the brilliant idea of camping out in our own (beautiful) backyard. Boba was so ecstatic about the idea that she has been demanding it every night that Daddy doesn't have to go to his show. She and I actually got him a tent for Father's Day, and he got her a bunch of outdoor toys for her birthday, so after a shopping trip for chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows, we were fully prepped for an outdoor adventure last Monday.

Honestly, I really didn't know if she would take to the whole "outdoor sleeping" thing...why?? Well, because she comes from "non-outdoorsy" stock. In other words, half her gene pool comes from a long line of people who consider "roughing it" to mean staying at a 3-star hotel. (Yes, that would be the maternal half of her gene pool.) I NEVER camped when I was a kid, and the one time my Girl Scout troop organized a big camp-out, I pretended I was sick just to avoid it. Oh, but wait...there was the one time my family trekked across Europe in an RV, and boy, did we ever feel like we were "roughing it" then! I mean, the campsite bathroom facilities! Those trips to McDonald's for breakfast! Those laundry services where they return your clothes wrapped in brown paper! Talk about giving up the luxuries of life!!

Wait...you're telling me that wasn't "roughing it"??

Um, okay, never mind. Anyway, back to camping out at home, Boba was thrilled when the night finally began, and Daddy broke up the glowsticks he got for her birthday, and we began roasting marshmallows. She was having the time of her life! Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening, however, was not how much she was enjoying herself, but how much she DIDN'T like S'mores. Uh, wha??? Who doesn't like S'mores?? Apparently not Boba, who opted to chew on the graham crackers by themselves, calling the marshmallows "funny-tasting." (This little quirk definitely did not come from Daddy or me, as I feel that the only reason to have a campfire is to roast marshmallows. And Daddy, of course, will eat anything that's bad for you.)

This is a terrible shot because it was so dark, but I wanted to at least show off the tent!

We played, we looked at the stars, and by the time we all settled in the tent (Fox was sleeping inside the house, BTW, and we checked on him constantly), Boba was clearly tuckered out and ready for a good bedtime story. Daddy and I collaborated on a telling of the classic "The Three Little Pigs," and by the time the pigs were dancing triumphantly inside the house made of bricks, Boba was practically snoring.

And she didn't budge the whole night.

Daddy, on the other hand, had a less comfortable night of sleep...he woke up stiff, sore, and with a cold to boot. Boba was glowing the next day, asking, "When can we do that again?" Fox and I cuddled in my bed, him having woken up at the ungodly hour of 5:30am, probably sensing that he had been excluded from a fun night and was making me pay for it. (Oh right, did I mention that I slept inside the house? In my wonderful king-sized bed? I don't camp out, remember?)

In all, however, it was a glorious experience, and I tell you what - I joke about being outdoor-phobic, but the truth is, I love that my daughter and my husband enjoy it, so much so that I can't wait to join them. We'll probably wait until Fox is a little bigger to do an actual camping trip, but in the meantime I am excited to camp out in our backyard again. And maybe next time, I'll stay outside with Boba!

More from Foxie's 1st Birthday

Since we're still in July, I want to grab my last chance to commemorate the big month that July is for our little family. Here are some photos from little Fox's birthday, which was happily celebrated at Papa & Doe's house with (cheese)cake and presents.

Blowing out the "cake"

Opening presents

A Jack-in-the-Box!

Man, he's cute!

I actually have some other fun "summer" photos to post. It's kinda nice to get back into the habit of blogging, even if it isn't daily. Hopefully some of our readers will become interested in the life and times of Flamboba again!

Flambo's Urban Homestead

For many of you who have known me all or most of my life, you would probably be very surprised about the contents of this post. Why? Well, most likely you believe:

• I, Flambo, do not cook.
• I do not like to cook.
• I don't really care about the food I eat, as long as it's yummy.

Folks, I am happy to tell you that NONE of these points are true. (Well, except maybe #3. I do love yummy food. Who doesn't?)

I do cook, and I really enjoy it. Most of the time I just don't cook because I don't have time or the necessary ingredients to make something as good as it should be. So unfortunately, I do tend to prepare foods of a more convenient nature (boxed Mac & Cheese, for instance) when it's my turn to make dinner.

But now that I'm a parent, I've realized that I just don't want to feed my kids all the lovely additives, preservatives, and chemicals that are present in most processed foods. I'm not saying all processed foods are bad, but the vast majority of "convenience meals" are. So, what have I done to ensure healthier eating in my family? Well, there are a ton of things one can change in their dietary habits, but I'm a big fan of the "baby steps" process, so I decided to take some of my own. In early May, a good friend of ours helped me in doing something I've longed to do in a very, very long time....plant a vegetable garden.

It's been a long and wonderful process, and one that has really connected me to nature (I know - cheesy as all heck but what can I say? It's true!). I've planted 9 different vegetables: two kinds of tomatoes, bell peppers, chili peppers, Japanese eggplants, chives, cilantro, sorrel, and arugula. And so far, all the vegetables are thriving.

No ripe tomatoes yet, but the cherry tomatoes are getting there, and I've already harvested several eggplants that I'm planning on putting in a Szechuan stir-fry. I've made many salads and sandwiches with the sorrel and arugula, not to mention an AWESOME salsa and guacamole using the chilies and cilantro.

I've also tried to involve the kids a little with my daily gardening routine. Fox will often be on my hip in the early morning when I water the plants, and Boba will help me check out all the veggies to see if they're ripening. They're still too young to appreciate the value of a vegetable garden, but I think they'll be reaping the benefits very soon.

In the meantime, I've also purchased a breadmaker (for $20 off of Craigs List!), and have already made what had to be the most delicious loaf of bread I've ever had. I kid you not. I know it's not totally homemade (although I'm planning on doing it by hand in the near future!), but it's as close as I've ever gotten to it. I still bake with box mixes, but the process of making everything with Boba at my side sure feels like I'm some kind of domestic goddess!

The other day I had the pleasure of a breakfast & lunch that was very much from my yard - toasted homemade bread with apricot jam and a glass of fresh lemonade, and then a sandwich with the same bread, arugula, sorrel, chives, tomato, and ham later on! Just marvelous!

So - I think we're on our way to better eating. I'll tell you one thing - fresh tastes a HELL of a lot better. I hadn't realized that the flavor I'd been tasting all along in jarred salsa was one of preservatives. It's not bad, but it just can't compare to the real stuff when you make it at home with nothing but veggie goodness.