Christmas 2011

(Another post for records' sake.)

Hmmm...

Christmas 2011was good. I spent it with family and had much for which I was grateful. Also, I was spoiled - too much, but I loved it all the same, of course. The trip to NYC was of course my high light, but I also received some really fun, thoughtful things from family. We attended some great parties and tried to make time for just our little family to do "Christmas-y activities." The two days prior to Christmas were particularly festive with a walk along the Long Beach canals which were decked out in full Christmas regalia, and a trip to Julienne in San Marino for a fancy Christmas Eve breakfast. I was happy that all my preparations allowed me to approach the actual holiday with some calm and with some time to just enjoy the company with friends and family.

But...

It seems that each year everyone tries to do something BIG to make it especially memorable. Unfortunately, BIG plans are harder to pull off and, at the end, it's easy to be disappointed when things fall through. Case in point: most of Kenny's immediate family was gathering at his parents home to spend the night on Christmas Eve and there was lots of talk of games and nativities and such, but one of the families was dealing with the flu and another of the families was 2 HOURS late which ultimately meant Lola was already in bed before we could do anything at all. And as no one wanted to do anything until everyone was there we ended up doing nothing - even after everyone was there. So...bummer. Also a bummer was Lola waking up sick around 2am (right when Kenny and I finally made it to bed) and staying awake crying until 7:30am (right when the other kiddos were getting up and wanting to open gifts).

(above: Awake and watching Finding Nemo at around 3:30am. Below: Kenny setting up the table and chairs Santa brought her.)

I didn't have a lot of expectations for the day, but, with this being Lola's first Christmas to actually participate in the festivities, I was excited to watch her Christmas morning. Needless to say, I was really sad (i.e. I bawled in the shower for quite some time) that she was tired and sick and didn't want anything to do with it. The whole day was spent by either Kenny or I cuddling her on the couch until her fever finally hit 103 and we opted to just go home.

A trip to the Urgent Care confirmed our hunch: double ear infection. Her 6th one in a year. A quick update on the ear infection situation: Five days later, on her last day of antibiotics, she had a crazy (very scary, but kind of funny) bout of vertigo which took us once again to her pediatrician. Sigh. The good news is that her doctor finally gave us the go ahead to consult an ENT on getting tubes. The ENT confirmed she'd benefit from the procedure and now we're just waiting on the insurance to clear the surgery and then we can actually schedule the procedure. I'd say we're keeping our fingers crossed that she has no more illnesses until we can get tubes put in, but already she got nailed with the flu the following week, poor thing. She was kind enough to share that sickness with me and her nanny who both came down with it a few nights later. Fun. I haven't had the flu probably since I was, oh, ten. WOW it sucks. Making it worse was the thought that my poor girl endured it, too. And making it even worse still was having it while pregnant. Flu nausea is so much worse with a 27 week old fetus turning somersaults in my abdomen. Another tangent/good news: an ultrasound confirmed the baby is healthy and that my low-lying placenta is migrating upward - which is a very good thing.

So...starting with Christmas Day, my life has been a blur of doctors visits, antibiotics, bland crackers, vomiting, laundry, disinfectant, and a sick, cranky, and increasingly bratty baby girl. (Seriously, she's suddenly feisty, but that's a subject for another time.)

I must say here that my husband is a saint.

The poor man had the whole week off after the holidays and spent it (and the following week) taking care of the girls of our house. A sick baby and a sick, hormonal, pregnant wife. Yikes. At one point the man was researching reflexology and massage techniques so that he could alleviate my nausea and pain all while attending to Lola. A Saint, I tell ya. I'm so lucky to have him.

But back to Christmas...When The Girl felt better and started to finally notice her loot (and it was quite a haul), she was in heaven. Loved everything. Which was awesome. I finally got the reaction I had hoped to see Christmas morning. She's so cute the way she plays with things and I love that she wants us to participate. The first day she started feeling better I was away working and Kenny called me so I could hear her say feebly in the background "happ-eee, happ-eeee." And that made me happy.

Here's the only pictures we got from Christmas day, courtesy of our phones.

"Look what Sant brought you, Sweet Dee!" said a very tired Dad.

With her BFF cousin, Lucy.

Ignore that we look trashed. We were trashed. Someday we'll recount this day with humor and maybe even some fondness, but for now I'm just glad we're past it and that we have next year to anticipate. Here's hoping it's one free of illnesses and filled with sleep and good tidings for all. Especially for us. We've earned some good tidings, I'd say. Wouldn't you?
Anyway, Happy Holidays.

I'll close with a shot of our Christmas card and the goodies we took to the neighbors.

It's the first one I've ever sent and I didn't order it quickly enough to mail out before the holiday. (Fail.) And I grossly underestimated how many I'd need. (Double Fail.) So, sorry if you didn't get one. We still love you and hope your holiday season was the best.

Love,
Us.

PS - And best wishes for the happiest of New Years.

Putting it out there: Life Goals

I'm at my office. I'm supposed to be editing a deal I underwrote last week while polishing off another deal and mentoring the two junior analysts. But, in a flash, I was hit with a clear idea of my "Life Goals." I can't say these are all encompassing, but they likely serve as the foundational values and goals that drive all other things I'd like to accomplish. I prefer these broader life goals to, say, "resolutions" because when I fail even once at a resolution, I tend to write it off as a loss for the rest of the year and quit trying at all. So, lest I forget these longer-term hopes/goals forever, here they are:

• Have a mutually fulfilling, successful marriage that lasts. Like, forever.


• Earn a PhD. (or two???) In otherwords, to be forever learning.


• Raise my children to be kind, confident, resourceful, and generally happy adults. I realize I can't control them or many of the circumstances of their lives, so I'll only say that I hope they're also successful and educated and that they develop a firm faith in a Loving Father in Heaven and His plan. I also hope that as siblings, my children are close and bonded. And that they won't have too much to complain about me with each other.


• Build my dream home. Or two. And lest images of huge mansions go fluttering through the readers' heads, let me state that my dream home is not large, but rather efficient, simple, resourceful, well designed and made, unique/interesting, and full of light. Same goes for the the things and people with which I'd like to fill this home.


• Travel. Everywhere.


• Live abroad for a time.


• Be known as kind and intelligent. And honest. I think that's doable. In my dreams I'd like to be thought of as funny, too.


• To be unattached to things. Live to experience rather than to accumulate.


• Live in optimal, balanced health. At least with regards to the things I can control. I'd like to be an active senior citizen when that time comes.


• To be a person who boosts those around her - in whatever way is needed. This may require my getting over my own insecurities and inherent shyness (which I fear often comes across as snobbishness).


• Provide a financial legacy for my posterity. Both in actual funds and as an example of wise management of one's resources.


• Also to leave a legacy of faith, kindness, social responsibility and awareness, and passion.

So...that's it? Probably not. But it's something. And hopefully it will serve as a reminder for me when my priorities are out of whack. Hopefully.

NYC in photos

I guess it's about time I post some photos from our Christmas trip to NYC. These are not all the photos. They are not in order and they don't depict all we did, saw, ate, and experienced. But they'll do. Enjoy.

The Subway:

We were quick pros when it came to public transportation; however, it was particularly frustrating for Kenny not to have mountains to help him get his bearings and serve as a visual compass. Also, we never could have done it without our iPhones and various Subway apps. I love technology.

Rockefeller Plaza.. and THE tree:

we could not go to NY in December and NOT see this. Kenny wanted to go multiple times. It was the shot of "Christmas Festive-ness" we needed to combat our 70+ degree weather at home.

Bryant Park (my favorite) and a smaller tree and ice skating rink:

This is the spot I kept wanting to return to. Preferably with a hot chocolate and a good book (which would have been easy given it's right next to the main Public Library - also one of my favorite spots. Yes, I know. I'm a nerd.)

Times Square:

Can you find us on the jumbotron/billboard?

The Empire State Building:

I'd seen "An Affair to Remember" too many times not to go up and take in the view. Pretty incredible.

We got pretty creative trying to get a shot of both of us. Here is our reflection in the windows.

Awww. We're cute.

Central Park:

I'm glad we finally took some time to just sit and hang out while strolling through the park. We just meandered about and finally sat on a bench to share a bag of hot candied pecans and watched the performers. We were at first a bit bummed there was no snow to really add to the whole Christmas ambiance, but, in retrospect, we were so grateful to have fairly pleasant weather. We wouldn't have had this time otherwise.
(Thank you to our gorilla-pod for making photos of us together possible. If you follow Kenny on instagram, you saw his photos of me setting the camera up to take these sorts of shots. Worth it.)
Although Kenny holds his own pretty well without me in the shot, if I do say so myself. And I do.

Right outside the park was the LDS temple. So cool to see it in the middle of the city. We're so used to them being tucked up on some hill in a residential area. I liked seeing the Angel Moroni amidst all the high rises.

Brooklyn:

Worth the detour off the island if for no other reason than this view - the very best of the whole trip:
More gorilla pod couples photos...

And one more of my man. I like him.

Right on the waterfront and almost under the bridge was this empty, roofless building. So...we had to take photos, right?

The High Line:

Our last morning we walked over to the High Line and I'm so glad we did because my two favorite photos of the whole trip were shot while there (below). Isn't he so handsome?! It was inspiring to see what can be made of old, run down property. We shared some Donought Plant goodies and said good bye to the City.

It was over too fast, but so much fun. I can't wait to go back!

So I'm sitting in my office (tangent- i started working again one/two days a week as a consultant) and catch the tail-end of a conversation happening in the office across from me in which Colleague A made reference about a "porn deal" our office was inheriting next year. Colleague B got defensive and clarified that it was not a "porn deal" but in fact an "adult toy company" deal. A friendly (and detailed) debate then ensued regarding what we would classify as porn verses entertainment. The conversation ended when Colleague A conceded to Colleague B and said, "look, I was just making a a reference to the deal itself, but thank you for correcting me. I have nothing against the deal; shoot, I'd rather be in business selling that stuff than cigarettes or something."

And who said commercial banking is boring?

Christmas Cousins (and appeasing Magga)

My mother-in-law really wanted a photo with all her grandkids in Christmas attire. So, before we all made our way out to the Mission Inn in Riverside to see the lights, we gathered the kiddos and Amelia took a few shots. Lola's eyes are closed in most of them (thanks to a blinding camera flash) and Lucy kept trying to make a break for it. Good times.

From Left to Right: Lucy, "Magga," Monroe, Hudson, Sloan, "Krappa," and Lola

In the end, Magga got her photo. :)

I heart NYC

Warning: lots of words ahead. (This is really for me...just to remember)

Kenny surprised me last week with a quick getaway to NYC! I could add a whole row of "!" and it still wouldn't convey the extent of my excitement. This is the last month where I can technically fly before Baby #2, and I really had been wanting a trip before this baby comes and my body becomes soley a food source for a year+. My attentive husband took note (although I may have dropped quite a few not-so-subtle hints) and booked the trip! He is the BEST.

So, before I forget, I wanted to jot down all we did and saw in bullet form style. I'll add photots and elaborate on my favorite moments later.

Thursday:

• After meeting up with some cousins at Vince's Spaghetti, we dropped off our girl at Magga's (aka grandma's) house. Vacation officially began.
• Started missing Sweet Dee IMMEDIATELY. Seriously, as soon as the car pulled away my heart ached. Thanks to instagram and texts, I was repeatedly assured that she was having a BLAST with her grandparents, aunties, uncles, and cousins. I'm so glad Kenny's family took such great care of her. I still missed her a ton, though.
• Packed for the trip

Friday:

• Flew from LAX to JFK via Virgin America. Note to self: bring your own food when flying this airline.
• Took a cab to our hotel in Chelsea (which was FREEEEE!!!!! - the hotel, not the cab). My window would not roll up all the way which made for a chilly 40 minute ride. Also, our driver, while chatty, barely spoke above a mumbled whisper. I understood NOTHING that he said.
• Checked in, dropped our bags off, bundled up, grabbed a map and ventured out.
• 1st stop, Luke's in the east Village for seafood rolls and lobster bisque.
• 2nd stop: Rockefeller Center (to see the tree of course) and the surrounding blocks
• 3rd stop: Times Square and Broadway. Lots of people.
• then back to the hotel. asleep around 3:00am

Saturday:

• Free, easy breakfast at the hotel
• trekked back up to Broadway to pick up theater tickets
• Made a trip out to Brooklyn, took the wrong subway and got to see A LOT of Brooklyn. And did a LOT of walking.
• Shopped a bit for the Girl. Bought nothing.
• enjoyed the view of Manhattan from under the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Took LOTS of photos.
• waited and froze in the line for Grimaldi's; subsequently enjoyed some much needed hot chocolate with some very yummy pizza
• Back to Manhattan, Soho specifically, for shopping at Topshop/Topman and surrounding stores. Window shopped along Prince. Actual purchases: none. (Note: shopping isn't so fun at 5+ months prego. It's the "fat" stage. Yuk. And my sympathetic husband didn't want to buy anything if I wasn't - despite my protests. our only souvenirs our our memories, photos, and a few extra pounds. Or a LOT of extra pounds.)
• Went back to the East Village. Stopped at two Momfuku restaurants (Noodle Bar and another one I can't remember) and then indulged in some crack pie and cereal milk at Momofuku's Milk Bar (a third location). Kenny wanted more of it the next day.
• Dinner at Mary's Fish Camp in the West Village. Our "splurge" dinner. Worth it.
• Back to the hotel to soak our tired and cold feet and legs in a hot bath and sleep.

Sunday:

• free breakfast
• remembered to dress really, REALLY warmly.
• Made our way up toward Julliard, saw the Manhattan LDS temple, and ventured into Central Park
• Strolled through the lower half of the park, stopping at a few street performers, cozied up on a bench in the Mall with a bag of warm, honey-roasted almonds and finally just relaxed and took it all in.
• Made our way out of the park, stopped in at FAO Schwartz (again, for our Girl. Again, bought nothing), and strolled down Madison Avenue and 5th Ave.
• Lunched at Shake Shack. The line was long (although not as long as Grimaldi's), but somehow we managed to cut most of it and fill up on standard American food. Good, but over hyped in our opinion.
• Saw The Adams Family on Broadway.
• Took in Times Square during the day time. Again, there were lots of people.
• Stopped at the Muji store still seeking souvenirs. Purchased none.
• Decided right then was as good a time as any to head up the Empire State building and take in the view. Husband laughed at my fear of heights repeatedly as I braved getting near the fence to look down.
• Attempted to hit up Hampton Chutney for dinner, but it closed at 9pm. We were too late.
• Ultimately had dinner back in Soho at Cafe Habana. So, so good.
• Went back uptown and, on a whim, stopped at Bryant Park. LOVED IT. It was all decked out for Christmas complete with another skating rink, the pop-up stores were mostly still open, and it wasn't too crowded.
• Noticed a very big, very beautiful building nearby and went to take a look. it was (to my delight) the NYC Public Library. The nerd in me rejoiced and took photos. Had it been opened (our timing wasn't great) I'm pretty sure we would have spent a lot more time here.
• Back to the hotel to pack up and sleep.

Monday:

• early morning walk to the High Line park.
• doughnuts at the Doughnut Plant. Creme Brulee and Tres Leche. Delicious.
• Back to Bryant Park for breakfast and a last good look at the city.
• back to the hotel in Chelsea to grab our bags and make our way to the Airtrain via the subway.
• Endured a delay of takeoff due to a leaky faucet in one of the plane's bathrooms. Not so Awesome.
• Returned home to a rainy Los Angeles.
• Cursed LA traffic and the lack of good public transportation.
• Grabbed a quick dinner and enjoyed our last moments of couple-time.
• Picked up our girl. it was a happy reunion for all. She couldn't decide who to hug and so went from one of us to the other and then back again. Repeat.
• Arrived home, unpacked, and curled up on the couch as a family in the glow of our Christmas lights and watched Charlie Brown's Christmas until is was well past Sweet Dee's bedtime. We read some books and all went to bed.

The end.

(PS – I may or may not be pretty tired today. Also, our Sweet Dee – who woke up at a mean 6:ooam today – may have had a hard time with Kenny leaving for work. That’s not normal for her and it broke my heart a little; however, I’m glad to know she missed us.)

Family Photos - Thanksgiving 2011

Guess what?! My family actually has a decent photo! Of all of us! I think the last one we got was at my wedding. 8+ years ago. Sometime after Thanksgiving dinner and before the turkey coma set in, we ventured out across the street into the cold for some impromptu family photos. Huge thanks to cousin Tyson for taking these! Needless to say, my mom is pretty stoked to have a photo with all of us in it WITH all our eyes open.

I grabbed a few of the parents. Awwww....


My Dad turned 50 the day after Thanksgiving. However, he's still very much a kid at heart. He's not a huge fan of being photographed (that's a huge understatement), but he obliged. However he did have us do a few goofy poses...as the next few demonstrate.


Kenny looks extra "fabulous" in this one.
Lola loved this part.
And we allowed ourselves to be photographed with half our members in a tree.
And while we were there, we figured why not burn off some of that Thanksgiving dinner and play at the park for a bit.
Ryan demonstrates a proper "planking" photo.
Lola loves the seesaw - with whomever will take her on it.

And of course, what kid doesn't love being swung in the air?


I do wish that I had pulled her pant cuffs back down at some point, but oh well.
After photos we returned to our extended family to find this dude watching us from the window. Best photo of the session, in my opinion.
Happy Thanksgiving! Happy 50th, Dad! oh, and congrats to my two sisters who both got their braces off yesterday - one week after family photos. :)