7/8/12 Training Wheels??

We're done! Katrina learned to push-start herself on a bike without training wheels! After a lesson at a nearby park with Dad, she practiced all afternoon around our yard, with varying success. But at least she knows what to do and is motivated to do it. Yayyy!

This is yet another milestone to brush off the last bits of baby/toddlerhood, and I say, thank goodness! I'm so excited she has this in her rapidly growing big-kid repertoire.

Not sure where this fits into stereotypes, but Katrina was well behind her brothes in relative age giving up training wheels. Julian was 3-1/2, Gabriel was 4-1/2 and Katrina was 5-1/2. Just a data point, and in our case probably mostly dominated by personality -- for instance, Julian had no POINT to prove when he was learning, he just wanted to learn to ride, and did.

In any case, I'm thrilled they're all on two-wheelers now!

7/8/12

7/5/12 Farewell Cousins!

Even though we squeezed in another glorious day in Arnold, we had to face reality eventually, and drove home Tuesday night July 3rd.

The long drive stinks no matter what, so might as well make the day about a visit to darling downtown Murphy's, an afternoon outing at the lake, and another big dinner scramble, instead of about driving home/. It was super-busy packing up after dinner, but we pulled it off and had a traffic-free hiccup-free drive back to sea level.

But not before I got another coveted photo of the whole crew! On the deck of our temporary home in Arnold.

Too bad photos can't capture scents. The woodsy, earthy, almost balmy scents of the redwoods and sequoias....absolutely glorious. If there is a Paradise in Heaven, it smells like this.

I absolutely loved Arnold -- at 4000 feet, it's just upward of the foothills, but it's still low enough for manzanitas and to be accessible and not risk being closed due to snow, though it does snow there. I've been through Arnold many times, but never spent any real time there. I have such a sense of belonging in that area. Gold Country -- figures!

But flatlands and reality had to interject, and two sisters and five children in a rented Toyota Sienna arrived in Sunnyvale around 11pm. We whisked kids off to bed fast, ready for a relaxed day at home the next day.

July 4th day, we went to, what else, the pool. I'm so happy I joined this pool! I thought it'd never pay off, but July is barely underway and it already has. If nothing else, just to see our five children bouncing around like crazy in the water today (well, 4 in the deep end) was worth it!

Steph and I marvelled at how our children worked out. Our lives have led utterly divergent paths, yet somehow we ended up having our first babies, both boys, within 5 days of each other. In the end, all 5 kids were born within 5 years, and it would have been under 3 years if not for Katrina. And how incredibly fortunate for all of us!

Each visit as they get older, the cousins have so much fun together. And me too. This year especially, I can't think of a better way to explore and enjoy my favorite things and places than with family. We shared a mountain cabin, a lake, a cavern, a state park with massive trees and lots of good food and tons of great fun with kids, together. (I'm so proud that my niece and nephew think I'm a great cook!)

Meantime, lifetime family relationships continued to be forged...Julian indulged in hours of imaginative play with his cousins....Gabriel sucked his like-aged cousin into gun wars....the girls did endless girl-things together when not playing with or fending off brothers (both girls have only older brothers and no sisters).

More as more as they get older, personality trumps age and we can see real relationships forming based on individuals, as well from the juxtaposition of genes and history. Nothing makes me feel more like I've done something right in life than when I see and hear these children playing, talking, arguing, laughing together.

But today, it came time for the Engels to fly home.....still, we were all happier about our fantastic time together than sad about saying goodbye.

Aunt and East-coast nephew/niece...

The boys...

The girls...

The 3rd-graders...

The 5th-graders...

Aunt and girls...

The sister grownups who made it happen....

....and our kids we made it happen for!

7/5/12

7/2/12 California Caverns

Around here, a cavern visit was a must!

I'd hoped to make it to Black Chasm Caverns on a friend's recommendation, but decided it was too far from Arnold. Instead, I picked California Caverns, primarily because the guided tour was "mostly level." Other closeby expeditions were shorter, but involved over 200 steps and might have been a problem with a 5-year-old in tow.

In retrospect, I might have reconsidered if I'd realized how carsick my nephew Aidan gets -- and these roads are carsick roads for anyone! I'm happy to be back in my old motorcycle stomping grounds (classics like Avery-Sheepranch Road and Fullen Road), but in the back seat of a minivan, these can't be any fun.

But we made it to California Caverns, and had some time before our noon tour to take some photos.

Everyone had to wear a helmet. Thankfully, Aidan took it upon himself to mind Katrina and help her through some of the trickier hiking, steps and tunnels in the cavern.

I took a lot of photos in the caves, but only the stationary ones came out. I've been to other caverns that are more spectacular and colorful, but this one is so interesting historically, in that gold miners discovered it and then used it for things like church services and weddings. The miners damaged pretty much every area they touched, but there was one room that was discovered as recently as 1960 and is completely preserved ("The Jungle Room").

Unlike our hike along the fantastic Big Trees, there was no whining or complaining on this tour. Gabriel was probably the most enthusiastic, whereas he'd been the biggest complainer on the Big Trees path, and had objected the most to going out today.

We're so in the swing of things now that we've decided to stay an extra day, and our kind landlady happily agreed!

We'd essentially lost a day because my sister's flight was cancelled (can you believe that?!) and they didn't arrive on their rescheduled flight until well into the evening. This forced us into a delayed, traffic-choked drive eastward, a hurried Denny's dinner, and then a long painful search for our rental house in the dark, instead of an easy, clear, daylight drive with plenty of time to get oriented and re-acquainted (thanks a lot, American Airlines).

Turns out, my initial instinct of 5 days was about right, but we lost a day with the airline snafu. So after our landlady kindly confirmed another day, we were all jumping for joy to have another final day together in the magical mountains!

I can't get over the views, the fragrance of the woods, how things shift so quickly according to altitude here. The Caverns we went to were at under 2000 feet, and not only was the vegetation much different, but it was much hotter and just seemed so different. I'm not sure which I love better -- 2000 ft. near Sheepranch or 4000ft here in Arnold (where it snows) -- but it sure is a terrific dilemma to have!

7/2/12

7/1/12 The Festival

Our 3rd day in Arnold, and we're finally getting the hang of things! Inertia is high, so motivating the whole crew to go do something fabulous around here is tough, but that's fine. There's so much just plain old hanging to catch up on.

This morning, the girl cousins spent a long time sketching trees and chatting together outside behind our rented cabin.

Meantime, two of the boys hunted some imaginary foes with Nerf guns, while the 3rd boy hid.

Julian is having a grand time with his cousins, able to indulge and be led into all sorts of imaginative play that just doesn't exist in the logical Doudna household. At least, none beyond a 5-year-old girl level.

But every parent knows that kids need to get out, away from the house, a change of context, no matter how much fun they're having at home. It happens that a small local art festival was taking place in "downtown Arnold" (that's an oxymoron), which we rounded the troops up to attend. After fulfilling a promise for souvenirs (they all picked polished rocks and crystals at the festival), and for a gooey sweet kids-drink, we lucked upon a local carnival-type entertainer at the festival. Juggling, magic, unicycle-riding, comedy, that sort of thing. What better for a bunch of kids (and two moms) !!

When the entertainer called for a volunteer, Cousin Aidan eagerly put himself out there, and helped the carnival guy with a 5-ball juggling trick that included catching one of the balls in a hat.

It wasn't easy, but Aidan succeeded and got a big round of applause! (And also he was awarded the first audience donation into the same hat.)

After festivaling, the kids were hankering for a swim. The area we're staying in has two man-made lakes with beaches (very hard to find), and that are unusually warm for Sierra Nevada lakes. Arnold is at about 4000 feet -- above snow line, but bodies of water will be warmer than those around Lake Tahoe. We tried one of the lakes that's close to the cabin we're staying in, and this was perfect. Very pretty, with a nice safe sandy beach, and a dock to swim to, for those so inclined and able.

I went for a short run while Aunt Stephanie minded the kids in the lake, and I marvelled at how lovely this area is. I can't get over the scent of the redwoods and the forest and the fresh earthy air. It's warm enough that we keep many windows open, and every morning the crisp woodsy scent wafts into my room and lures me out of bed just to join the outdoors. The tall trees in the mountains are so cathartic, even spiritual, but in a very tangible, palpable way.

We're finally well into the groove of things here, we have a good routine going and are in tune with the energy swings of five children. These will be family bonding memories we'll cherish all our lives! I already am.

7/1/12

6/30/12 For Bonne Maman

The five cousins are happily ensconced in Arnold, CA!

At the last minute, I threw together some knitting needles, yarn and scissors, because Katrina said she wanted to learn to knit. Well, she's in good company -- her grandmother is a terrific knitter, her mother knit for many years, and best of all, her aunt has her own yarn-craft business and is a talented, creative designer!

So Aunt Stephanie taught Katrina to knit, and Katrina was VERY excited about this. She talks about it nonstop and claims that's all she wants to do.

And whaddya know, one day later, she's doing just great at it. She can actually knit now (not purl yet though), including the tough first one or two stitches in a row. She can't recover from loops or cast on or off yet, but she can knit basic rows herself and is doing great!!

This exercise has gotten cousin Remi and brother Gabriel finger-knitting too, though no photos unfortunately.

Today the whole crew went to Big Trees State Park, where we walked around the North Grove trail. Fantastic, amazing, massive trees. There was some tiredness, whining and of course the requisite fighting along the way, but overall everyone found this to be a magical place. Being among the giant sequoias, less than 5 miles from where we're staying....indeed, magical.

Lots more has happened that deserve more blog time, but this will have to do. I got away with these photos under the guise of "Bonne Maman and Papa Paul are waiting for these!" -- so they must be posted!

6/30/12

6/27/12 End of swim lessons

Two more swim lessons this week! And that's it!!

Just Julian and Katrina took lessons this time; Gabriel has (barely) satisfied me that he's safe in the deep end. Actually, Julian's even safer because he likes to play there -- but he likes lessons and is learning flip-turns, so I figured I'd keep him going.

The real holdup -- the real key I should say -- is Katrina. And she's doing great -- far better than I expected at this stage. She's happily jumping into water over her head and swimming back to the side, for instance.

And while I'm not confident her side-breathing would hold up in an emergency, this is how it starts. She's (basically) swimming!!!!!

We ended swim lessons yesterday, just because of time and upcoming vacation. I wish I'd known years ago that this is the way to go for swim lessons: an intense round of private lessons early on in the summer, for about 2 weeks, and then give the kids a way to practice. THAT will solidify water comfort and safety, if not style :).

Meantime, I'm SUPER DUPER busy planning and preparing food for our annual cousin visit, starting TOMORROW!!!!! We'll pick up the Engels at SFO at 11am, then drive straight to Arnold for a rental cabin and 5 days of summer mountain fun.

My sister was kind enough to take on the massive hassle and time-sink and faith-in-the-world reducing experience of continental air travel, so it's the least I can do to present a reasonable food selection. I'm having a great time planning a totally over-the-top menu!

It's driving me crazy, but anyone who knows me knows that this is my sweet spot! I work better under pressure. I'm bound to forget something, but overall, every entree is prepared, sauces made, meat marinaded, hors d'oeuvres planned.

We will most certainly have too much food for our 5 days in paradise (also known as sleepy Arnold, CA, smack-dab in the middle of Gold Country in CA's Sierra foothills, one of my truly favorite places in the world) -- but too much is better than too little. And of course, resources have evolved since the Gold Rush -- there are always markets nearby if I forget some or other ingredient.

After my sister told me that my picky 7yo niece thinks I'm a good cook, I have a VERY high standard to live up to! I must impress...and raise the bar every year!

6/27/12

6/23/12 Summer Scamper

Today, Gabriel and I ran the Summer Scamper, a 5K/10K race to benefit the Lucile Packard Children's hospital.

After last year's race, I made this in honor of Brittany Romero, who is Uncle Ryan's sister. She spent many years in and out of the Packard hospital, fighting an aggressive form of spinal cancer. It's unthinkably tragic, but she succumbed in 2004, at the age of 17.

This year, my friend Betsy joined our "team," though I ended up be too busy to do any serious fund-raising efforts. The most I was able to do was iron out some T-shirts that say "Team Brittany" at the last minute. Maybe next year I can be more organized about it!

This year's race was much easier to deal with than last year's, which was nice. Parking was easier, it was easier to get to, they staggered the start times of the 5K and 10K races, and there weren't massive lines for the bathrooms. It's a nice course around the Stanford campus too.

Last year, Gabriel and I ran the race mostly together, until the very end when I was able to sprint past him just before the finish line, beating him by one second. This year, it wasn't even close -- he was determined to beat me, and did so handily. We ran together for about the first half, then he decided to edge ahead, where he stayed. He was always in sight, maybe 40 feet ahead (I'd guess about 5 seconds at most), but I just couldn't push enough to catch him. The race results say he finished 18 seconds ahead of me, but that doesn't sound right -- 18 seconds is far enough ahead that with bends in the course I'd have lost sight of him. Regardless, he won easily!

I realized on the drive home that Gabriel had brought his two favorite stuffed animals with him in the car (and rats, I didn't get a picture). One of them, Green Doggy, was given to him by Brittany herself, when Gabriel was born, and it's still one of his favorites.

The best part was that the whole drive home, we talked about Brittany and what she meant to the Romero family, and what I remember of her. He asked what relation she was to him, and I explained that she's sort of an aunt since she's his uncle's sister. I told him about the time we visited her family's home in Santa Cruz when he was a crawling toddler, and that she really liked him, she thought he was really funny. I told him about how Uncle Ryan remembers taking care of her, and how much he loved her, just like Gabriel loves his little sister too. I dug up every story I could think of that Laura's told me about her, as they were quite close too. We talked about her cancer and the time she spent at the Packard hospital, and how that affected her life. I told him that the one thing she really wanted to do was just be able to go to school like every other kid. It's not often Gabriel spends so much time in another person's world like that, so it was very very sweet.

All in all, a very nice way to start the day. But I wonder if I'd have a better chance against him in the 10K next year! :)

6/23/12

6/22/12 Swim progress

Yay! Swim lessons have worked so well this year!

I've taken the kids to swim lessons every day this week, after 2 days last week (and 2 more next week), and each one gets a private lesson. That is so the way to go if you have a short amount of time, and really want them to learn to swim quickly.

My objective for both boys this summer was for them to be safe in the deep end. Gabriel was pretty much there, and proved to me that he could be pushed in and swim his way out. I insisted he do some laps too, which he's very poor at but can basically do.

For Julian, I hoped that by the 5th day this week, he'd be close to really swimming in the deep end, but he went way past that. He can swim across easily (with far less complaint than big brother) and now spends all his time jumping in and swimming out.

And to my amazement, Katrina is starting to get the idea of how to do side-breathing too! She's still a ways from actually swimming, but she's getting closer and closer.

What a change from the days when I'd have to sit in the pool with them, barely daring to turn my head, and hoping I wouldn't have to rescue more than one at a time!

6/22/12

6/20/12 "Hello, Julian!"

Katrina sure is enjoying her Chinese daycamp at the YMCA!

Today she asked her teacher to tell her how to say, "Hello, Julian!" and she's said it many times. She really sounds like she's speaking Chinese (well, Mandarin). She's learned various words too, but this is the first that sounds like a phrase.

It freaks me out a little to see her chat out Chinese so easily. She's still young enough that her brain has super-powers when it comes to language learning. She could be drop-shipped into Japan or Korea or Russia or Kenya or China and she'd learn the language as a native, and might even forget all her English. That's astounding considering how well-developed her English language is now, but 5-year-olds are really on the cusp of permanent language development.

Julian, at a mere 2-3/4 years older, at age 8-1/2, would probably have a much harder time learning another language, and would probably not entirely forget English. Gabriel at age 10-1/2 could be almost as lost as I would be, and would be very unlikely to lose all his English. Lots depends on the individual, but still, it's truly amazing how much language development happens in the few short crucial years before puberty (when language psychologists say major changes happen in the brain, such as the shift from bilingualism to fluency).

(This could be Proud Mom speaking, but a part of me suspects Katrina also has a talent for language arts and writing -- and regular readers know I'm quite honest about where my kids' natural talents are and aren't!)

Speaking of language development, I had a fun conversation with a coworker I just adore, a young woman who's going to have her first baby any second now. She's from Mexico and her husband is Australian, and I was telling her today how I want to learn Spanish. She of course said she'd help me practice anytime!

I also have a friend from Las Madres who's Mexican, and a neighbor from Mexico City (imagine that, a Latina in our neighborhood -- in California?!), and now this coworker -- so no shortage of Spanish speakers to practice with. I have far more schooling in French than Spanish, but it's time I caught up to Katrina in language-learning!

adios,

ok, a bientot,

noemi

6/18/12 Another biking milestone

Katrina had a big milestone today with bike riding: being willing to attempt two-wheeling without training wheels!! The operative word there being willing, and the second operative word being attempt. She did OK though!

She could make it in a straight line, sort of, but needs help stopping and starting, as most kids do at first.

Still, for her, it's a huge leap from refusing to try without training wheels, to actually balancing for a few feet. She's so excited about it that I'm sure this will continue.

And she gets a big high five from a proud brother!

She's doing so well in swim lessons too that it won't be long before she can take side breaths and actually swim. Growing up isn't so bad, is it!

6/18/12

6/17/12 Mountain Bike

Bicycles are viewed a little differently around here than in many families. They're not really owned by one kid, they're not gifts or rewards or something you choose or Christmas presents, any more than carseats are. They're more like a family resource, something you use while it fits you, and when it doesn't anymore, the next kid gets it.

But I think Gabriel will have a hard time parting with this new mountain bike when it comes time. Finally, he's grown big enough for a bike with gears!

Dave took the boys to a great local bike shop today, and neither came away empty-handed. Julian didn't get a bike -- our method means he'll get hand-me-downs for years -- but he did get a new helmet and gloves.

And someday, this lovely shiny thing -- probably a lot less shiny by then -- will be Katrina's!

This might be enough to push me over the edge to finally start mountain biking, another obsession brimming under the surface, waiting to take over. And what better reason than to go with my kids?!

6/17/12

6/14/12 Swim lessons

This is by far one of the best last-minute decisions I've ever made.

The day school ended, Tuesday, I was still trying to figure out what fun thing to do with them for the afternoon, when it struck me on the way to get them: swim! We've visited at this local pool before, as guests, but suddenly I decided to join. It's costly, but alas, choice often is. Now we don't have to depend on the kindness of friends or coordination to go.

And bonus -- they offer swim lessons. Most pools do, but never at times palatable for working parents ("how about, hmm, 10am on Tuesday?" -- uh, no!). So to my amazement, I was able to sign the kids up for swim lessons for several days in a row after work.

I never plan these things right, and when I do I mess it up -- so this couldn't have worked out better. The day after school ended, they started swim lessons, 5pm - 6:30pm, one half-hour private lesson each. Yay!

Gabriel isn't happy about this, but it turns out, not all was lost in the past. He actually kinda-sorta can swim.

I asked him to jump into the deep end and show me he can make it across, and sure enough, he could. He really needs to play there though, so he can broaden his skills.

Katrina of course is loving the swim lessons, and Julian too is going right along with it. My money is on him to be a strong swimmer when he gets the technique down, he strikes me as pretty natural in the water. But both boys mostly just want to annihilate each other with water guns.

I'm so happy that after swim lessons, this weekend we can actually go back to the pool and just play!

Nothing like a set of nice worn-out kids to make an evening better. Ahhhh...

6/14/12

6/12/12 The Moment

Tonight at dinner, somehow the subject of Grandpa Jim came up. The kids wanted to understand more about Alzheimer's and how it manifested itself, from not remembering that people have refrigerators to not being able to chew and swallow food. I explained that Grandpa Jim was in a wheelchair not because he couldn't walk, but because he'd lost his balance and would fall too much. I told them he was strong enough to walk through woods and leap over logs, but he'd get lost.....then I couldn't help it, I got choked up and started to cry quietly. To my amazement, the kids were all silent and just looked at me. Usually they seem to have no awareness at all of my emotional state.

Then I looked up at Gabriel, and was stunned to see tears in his eyes. "What's going on, Hugabug?" I asked him softly, using his babyhood nickname, and I reached my hand out to him. Gabriel choked out, "He'd have liked me...." and he started to cry. I hugged him right away and told him that absolutely, Grandpa Jim loved him.

I couldn't believe it -- my uber-tough cookie, my super-hard case ?! This kid surprises me all the time. He has all the same feelings we all do, they're just accessed differently and show up more unexpectedly.

I think more than anything, he was reacting to seeing me cry, and was rattled by it -- so I bucked up fast. I assured Gabriel again that Grandpa Jim loved him, and spent the next 10-15 minutes telling them stories about Grandpa Jim, his favorite things to do with kids, and how he reacted to his own grandchildren.

It was a remarkable, touching moment.

The truth is, my father was probably in mid-stage Alzheimer's by the time his oldest grandchildren were old enough to play with, but I talked it up as best I could -- and as only my dad could have done.
(June 2006)

I was expecting to blog about the last day of school and our afternoon at a neighborhood pool, but my son being sentimental totally took precedence.

The good news is, I'm writing while my sons are supposed to be cleaning up the kitchen -- I doubt they've gotten far, but I hear sounds of garbage being taken out. Between chores, being advanced to the next grade today, a fun afternoon playing in water, and seeing a rare soft side of my oldest son, I think I did OK today!

A few Last Day Of School photos.

They weren't cooperative this morning for me, until Dave got this one -- arguably the best one, except Katrina insisted on wearing her sweater and covering up her "varsity" T-shirt -- but this is the best of the poses, I think!

1st, 3rd and 5th grade -- it is going fast!

6/12/12