September 2007 Archives

I slept til 2pm today. I normally would never allow this to happen, but I simply could not wake up. I kept telling Dav, "in 30 minutes." We opened the curtains to no avail. I woke up because we wanted to go to Sofia's 3rd birthday party (and I had gifts from Japan). I got up, got some coffee, and slowly woke up with the energy of kids around me.

Got home this morning, but jet-lag is kicking my ass. Normally I can force my way through it, but since I couldn't sleep on the plane while keeping an eye on Tesla, I could not resist taking a nap...and it took me a good 2 hours to force myself to wake up now. I guess we'll have dinner, and I can only hope I'll manage to sleep some tonight.

Got pics and stories to post ... later.

LOVE being back with Dav and my furry babies!

p.s. while Tesla and I napped, Dav went out to video the Love Parade with his shiny high-def video camera. So although I missed it, I'm watching some great footage of it right in our living room : )

Been a tad busy getting adjusted here...or getting little miss jet-lagged Tesla adjusted, staying close to home so Tesla can bond with my mom before I started work. We arrived Saturday, and had Sunday and Monday to chill (which in reality meant a lot of work for mommy!). I'm at the office now, and so far Tesla seems happy with my mom.

Not sure how much I'll be able to post, but wanted to let you know it's good to be back as always. Been enjoying all the little details that I miss and love. It's humid though!

p.s. I just spoke with my mom. She took Tesla to a big kid playground area in a department store, and apparently Tesla is having a blast running around with the other kids, using the slide, and checking out new toys. Yay!!

We haven't left yet and she wants to explore.

Already moving about...

Been super busy so haven't posted yet, but I'm going to Tokyo for a week for work. Leaving in 20 minutes! Again, Tesla is coming with me...and since she's a mobile energetic toddler, Elida is accompanying me on the trip. While I work, she'll explore Tokyo.

Packing is so much harder with a little one. Diapers, clothes, food, toys, extra this and that. Then my work stuff. And then worrying about Dav remembering to do things, making sure the cats and plants are happy, etc. Quite a preparation, but I've got 20 minutes to spare.

I'll go double check that I haven't forgotten anything...and I'll also go enjoy being with Dav. We're gonna miss each other!

Check out his "children" section for this year's burn. Little Ms. T is in there as well as a bunch of other happy kids. We saw quite a lot of babies out there this year, and I think it's just going to increase. I say "yay" for that!

Tesla sleeps and goes down for naps better on her own than if I hang around...even though for nap time, she takes her sweet time playing in her crib. I leave her there, but love peeking in. This time I tried to take a video, but Wakame followed me and meowed which made Tesla want to check out what was going on. If you listen closely at the end, Tesla is meowing back at Wakame. No matter how much I've done the sign for "kitty," she prefers to meow back as in kitty-speak. Can't blame her!

Then there's me trying to get Tesla to "dance dance" as she does all the time now with any kind of cheesy music.

Right picture above: Tesla's GREAT GRANDMOTHER is just behind T fawning over her. We have pictures and videos of Tesla both with her Japanese and American great-grandmothers. Awesome. Thank you, Technology.

Maria-Rose had her 2nd birthday party last Sunday. Tesla had a blast playing forever in Maria-Rose's plastic car. Even after both Maria-Rose (the birthday girl herself, only 2!) and I got tired of pushing Tesla, she did not want to come out. When I opened the plastic car door to show Tesla how she could climb out, she closed it!

I love the picture where I'm trying to steal a smootchy kiss from T, and she is not having it and looks downright miserable! And I love the picture of Dav looking so "Daddy" with his camcorder (although it's a high definition video recorder so counts as a geek-gadget thing which is what he enjoys anyway).

Check her out.

Thanks to blogs, us mommies can share real information that is not edited by a marketing team or PR agency. We can get the real ins and outs. There are tons of mommy-blogs. It's a veritable "genre" now. But here's a shout-out to a new one that let's you know what products work. Having just returned to Whole Foods a very nice-looking, but totally leaking sippey cup, I'm glad to know what to get because I just don't have time to return stuff nowadays. I want to buy things that work...duh!

Theo came to play the other day. Sooooooooooooooo cute.

Videos too.

We've been trying iSight for quite some time. And each time, Tesla gets shy or bewildered. So she doesn't "say" much. Well, here is evidence that she is a loud vocal gal. Note how I was giving her lovingly prepared Salmon. Spit out in no time. Such is a toddler.

p.s. Thanks mom for the bib-with-bucket-for-food. Very useful!

Tesla in her chariot. Eating after she took out her hair pin leaving playa-stiff hair.
In front of Michelle's fab stencil of BM on the RV. Amazing truck installation (built by a group from NY!)



Tesla's lovely ladybug from Lani. Daddy making our shade.

Night fire. Me in dust storm.
After a rainy dust storm, the Rv windows were so dirty! A nearby camp with dancing...
Tesla being loved by camp members. Me walking Tesla in her trailer.
Tesla running around with her blankie. She kept dragging it along the ground. Thankfully, I brought 5 blankies to try and keep her using clean ones. The temple...moving as always.
Friend's camp kitchen during storm. Oil rig. See this video.
Tesla at our RV door. She loved going up and down the steps. Kitten and me.
Rachel (Kitten), Sassy, and Dav in the dust storm.
Got BM stamped on my back. An awesome art car.
Tesla napping. Chris from Afghanistan.
Tesla with dirty plate out on the street. She really took a liking to the plate. Night of the burn on top of the RV with us girls while Dav was working hard as a Ranger.
Dav as a Ranger. Dav in a uniform...yum!
Kitchen. Kitty car!
Tesla loving watermelon - fists full - at Terry's camp which was No Moop, No Drama. I like that camp!!

On the playa at Terry's camp, ready for a nap.

Tesla not liking her shades. Darn!
Tesla socializing at Center Camp.
Lovely art car that reminded me of A Midnight Summer's Dream (playa desert version). Guy making fresh waffles with syrup and whip cream at a random spot on the playa. Why not?

Videos (cute ones of Ms. T) are on my Vox blog.

I simply want to share 2 things:

Tesla pooed in the bath tonight while daddy was washing her. Poor girl had no idea why daddy and mommy freaked out. One moment she was splashing around with her toys. Next moment daddy was yelling for help, holding her as she dripped. I gathered her in a towel, and daddy dealt with the aftermath.

Tomorrow is the 2nd time Gaby can't show to nanny. In such situations, I scramble a bit. I'm very VERY grateful that work is sympathetic, and with Dav's work flexibility, I plan to split the day so I'll go into to work from 3pm when I have meetings. Dav will work until 2pm, then head home so I can leave for work. It's not the end of the world, but these incidences make me TOTALLY appreciate all the mommies and daddies who have full-time jobs, with time-consuming commutes, and have super important projects that they are responsible for. I have no idea what they do on such occasions. I am extremely lucky to have a mommy-friendly team where they understand such moments (although I can't help but feel bad), and I can do the behind-the-scenes projects where there is flexibility for deadlines. Seriously, I'm at awe with what working mommies do. And thanks to my company for allowing me to work the way I do.

p.s. I'll get my BM pics up soon. : ) Been enjoying being at home. Dav's pics are here.

I meant to post this a long time ago, but kept forgetting. My sister-in-law is running in the Race for the Cure, and she is raising funds to go to the cause.

One in eight women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime. The Komen San Francisco Race for the Cure® raises money to fund education, screening and treatment programs for these women and thousands of others in our own community and supports the national search for a cure.

If you wish to donate, click here to her page. Thanks!!

Came back this morning. We left Sunday morning, but Dav was quite tired so he napped once, then finally decided to sleep for the night at a rest stop on the highway. Better be safe and rested.

Another great week on the playa. Beautiful weather in spite a forecast of constant bad dust storms; there were 2 big storms, but Dav and I love them. We just had to make sure Tesla was not affected. And the storms kept the days rather tolerable so we could take Tesla out for fun during the day because it was cloudy, and the nights were warm (although we stayed home most of the nights).

We are both officially Rangers now. But due to timing and Tesla's care, Dav had time for only one shift. I was on-call with a radio the whole time for Japanese language-related issues. I was called only once, and was not able to do a shift. I wanted to do more, and look forward to doing my full share next year.

Since we had Gaby and her husband with us, Dav and I had 2 date nights to play! We were so happy to run around baby-free. And as Tesla wasn't so tiny this year, we were able to take her out during the day, letting her enjoy the tons of attention she received. We were pleased to see much more of the playa compared to last year. Overall, Tesla seemed to have a blast which made us have a blast too.

We have lots of pics, but I'm still in the midst of cleaning so I'll post later. Just wanted to say ただいまfor now.