I have started a pen & paper journal for G and A. This is so they have something physical to touch and also see how bad my penmanship is. In that journal, I will leave random notes, advice, lessons and maybe confidential information.

In no way am I ditching this blog. I will continue to record their achievements here. While this is a private blog, anyone I personally know can view it with a password. But I have not quite shared this blog with too many people. It's okay.

A couple of weeks ago, they got a new bunk bed and for the first time, they now share their own bedroom. They love it! They are always in it playing, fighting and bonding.

About a month ago, we also moved out of our house and into a rented house now. I like this new house a lot. I miss the old view, but hey, we're in a nice place now. Our new place is on 41st Avenue (@ Ortega). Both kids were so psyched on their first here. They didn't sleep until past 11.

the love in the air

Aubrey had her first taste of pre-school yesterday when we had to drop her in for a day with Gerard. SHe didn't cry, and the director said she did well. Wish we could afford to finally register her for good.

Tonight, though, as I was getting out of the shower, Gerard said his good night to me. When he was going down the stairs, he turned his back to the stairs at the top to lock the safety gate "for Aubrey." I got a little nervous as I always do whenever he turns his back to the stairs. I told him to turn around and not look away from the stairs, but he insisted on locking the gate so Aubrey doesn't go down. Perhaps, he just didn't want her to follow him to grandma's room, or maybe he just didn't want her to wake up and find the gate open and fall down the stairs. Either way, he was looking out for her. He knows we always lock the gate for Aubrey.

Love these kids so much.

Conversations with the kids

Gerard has been wondering and asking about his other grandpa lately. He's aware that he is passed, but he asked me yesterday where is Grandpa Romy. I told him he's in heaven, although when he asked his papa the same question, papa told him he's in space. Gerard asked me then, where is heaven and is it nearby. Ummm... I told him I really didn't know where it was.

He is an interesting person to have a conversation with. He's only 3!

To my dearest Gerard and Aubrey:

I have not been able to keep my little blog for you regularly. You both have kept me so busy and tired, but I'm not complaining. I love every minute we have together.

It is now February 2012, and you are both developing so very well. It makes me so happy and proud, and you hear me say this often...along with, "That doesn't make me happy, guys." You know, when you are old enough to understand this, I am always happy with the both of you no matter what.

Sometime last month, Gerard, you had learned how to write your own name. We made you practice hard, and it paid off. At your first Valentine's party at school, you were one of 3 or 4 kids who wrote your own name! I am so proud of you and how fast you did that. You have been potty trained for about a month now, and I'm so proud of how you have picked it up so fast. I am sorry that your Papa and I couldn't be the ones to train you, but we are grateful for your teachers and how they have helped to develop you in these last few months.

Aubrey, your vocabulary amazes me everyday. You are so intelligent with how you understand and communicate at your age of 26 months today. You love your brother and even though he makes you cry, you never want to leave him behind. In you, I see that you have so much compassion for your family this early, and I will continue to help you foster that through your growth in this life. Thank you for making me feel like a million bucks, when you always want me over anyone else. Even though this stresses me often, you better believe that I DO want to be with you at all times but right now you just don't understand that I need to do things on my own sometimes.

You both have changed so much about me, and because so, you make me appreciate everything I used to have and everything I have now. Before you both existed, I had no plans or desire to settle down. None whatsoever. But I feel like this was meant to be...God made it to be, and I thank Him as much as possible that He led me on that path I never imagined I'd be on.

I will write more when I can.....Mama is busy, and kind of on a break from something important right now. But I hope you get to read this one day. Although, if you don't, do know that what I write here are things you will know about in your daily lives.

Love you my brats,
Mama <3

A Thankful blog

Since this blog is hardly updated anymore, I am feeling like too many things have passed without them being documented outside of Facebook.

For our future's sake, here is a rundown of what's been happening with us:

-Gerard started school in October at 2 days a week. At first, he loved it and Aubrey really wanted to go too. But now he's refusing to go, and it takes a whole lot of encouragement before he stops refusing.

-Aubrey is still cranky, even moreso than when she started acting this way back in July. She doesn't like when Gerard or her papa get close to me. Her big thing to say is "NO GERARD!" even when he's not doing anything at all. It's a good thing Gerard doesn't fight back or even reacts to it.

-A few nights ago, while Aubrey was "sleeping" in bed, she walked off looking for me. I brought her back and laid down with her, but not before she wrapped her arm around my neck and her hand grabbing on to my shirt. I felt a bit like a prisoner ;-) Everytime I attempted to get up, she would only hold on tighter. It took about 30 minutes to successfully get out of her grip. I love her, but please, I have stuff to finish Aubrey!

-Potty training with Gerard is slightly progressing. He's apparently participating in potty time at school. But he's not very keen on it at home. Neither is Aubrey. She did have 3 days in a row a few months ago of using the potty consistently in the mornings.

-Aubrey is still obsessed with Ariel. Gerard is still obsessed with the same things.

-Aubrey has grown almost 5 inches since nearly a year ago!

-Both kids have been quite entertaining. Wish I could write them all :(

With that out of the way, it is my duty to write down that we are thankful for this family and our loved ones. Very thankful. I am thankful for having a husband whose commitment I am experiencing everyday and is growing stronger.

Halloween

The weeks leading up to Halloween were all about Star Wars and The Little Mermaid.

At first, Gerard couldn't decide on his costume: Fireboy, Prince Eric or Storm Trooper. I finally convinced him to be a Storm Trooper.

But since the beginning, Aubrey had maintained she wanted to be Ariel. So they both got their wishes.

I took them to work on Halloween day, and they had a blast. I entered them into the annual parade for fun. Then they collected candy from various officemates. Gerard ran everywhere, along with the other kids. I had to stay with Aubrey who was slow to catch up because she was admiring all the desk accessories and toys everyone had.

At night, we took them to Westlake where we collected more candy for the orphans. As a reward, they were to get 2 pieces of chocolate. But they already did that before any candy was collected, so we didn't give them any more. Our ever curious Gerard would peak into people's homes as he got his candy. Both kids did very well greeting with their "trick or treat" and/or "Happy Halloween!" and "good night, thank you!"

Even Aubrey got her "Happy Halloween" so clearly!

To conclude the festivity, we took them to Starbucks for a quick dinner and chocolate milk. One of the ladies in line noticed Aubrey and was quickly smitten by her. When asked what her costume was, Aubrey slid her jacket off her and started singing the Ariel melody. That was truly memorable.

These past few months we have seen Aubrey learn at the pace of a snowball, largely in thanks to Gerard. Only her second Halloween in life and she already knew what a costume was.

I feel so bad for not blogging enough. There are so many things happening. This whole summer passed and I rarely shared much.

Well let's see here....

Gerard is going to a pre-school 2x a week. He seems to like it a lot although he got lazy today about going because he wanted to play with the Delorean model car.

Aubrey has been snowball learning phrases. She is showing signs that she knows who her loved ones are because she doesn't like leaving any of us behind. If she thinks we are leaving someone, she'll coax them with "come on, _______, let's go!" Though her and Gerard bicker, she loves being with him. When she is separated from him on the days he's at school, she cries. I am told that she calls out to him all the time. I wish they could stay together the whole time but it can't be.

Recently, a friend of mine passed away. I attended all 3 days of memorial service, and on the 3rd day, I brought Aubrey with me. I had hear wear her punk rock gear because I once posted a picture of her in the same clothes and my friend gave it a thumbs up. I figure it was only appropriate -- he never actually met the kids except through my numerous pictures.

I also got to spend a whole day with just Aubrey. She was sick so I called in sick for her just to be able to comfort her. It worked -- she was happy and atleast for that day, I don't think she felt awful because I was with her. First we took Gerard to school (she wanted to stay), then we went to grandma and grandpa's house to eat breakfast and play with her cousin Bea for a bit. After that, we both attended the funeral of my friend where we met up with her BFF Bryce and ninang Bern, and she also met a bunch of my friends that have not met either of my kids. For lunch, I took her to Redwood City to meet more of my work friends and we ate a buffet. We winded down the day at her papa's work area, as he spent his lunch break with us at nearby Jack Early Park where we took pictures and just enjoyed Aubrey's company. Then we separated from papa and picked up Gerard from school, and that's how our mama-Aubrey day went. Would like more days like that.. She deserves it.

As of late, she's getting better about not crying for her milk in the mornings. Sometimes, she'll just wake me up saying "hungry!" other times she'll whine it out and start crying she's hungry. But it's nothing like the ear-piercing cries anymore. She had a bad case of that as an infant. I didn't think she'd get past it. Well, she did...and I didn't notice when it happened.

Gerard has been working on art projects at school and also now being potty trained there. Every morning, he's been using the grown up toilet (with papa's help) to pee, so he's on his way.