Disney Parades (plural)!

Tiago was a HUGE fan of the many Disney Parades.  We saw three features in Disneyland Park and one in California Adventure Park.  All were fantastic and wonderfully captivating.

(Above, Tiago scopes out a good parade viewing spot for later that evening.) Mommy happily volunteered to "save a spot" for an hour, while Tiago and Daddy ventured over to the Jungle Boat rides and Swiss Family Tree House!

 On the second night of parade viewing, we upgraded our spots (just a few imperative seats further away from the blasting speakers) and sat closer to the street curb for good viewing.  Tiago's pals Diego and Mia met up with us to join in the celebration.

 Tiago was on his 2nd (or 20th) wind at this point but pulled it together for the final parade.

 (Peter Pan was deserving of a standing ovation, naturally!)

Our 7.5 hour drive back home was perfect for recapping the whirlwind, magical moments at the happiest place on earth:

The Power to Read!

Wow, our little super-hero is determined to gain the power to read!  Despite his dyslexia odds.  Mommy and Daddy couldn't be more proud (and relieved).  He's learning all of his pre-reading skills such as letter recognition and using visual cues.  He can recognize all of the letters in his name (and spell it out loud), and he uses associative memory to remember letters of the alphabet, saying, "M is for Mateo, Micaela, tio Matias, tio Miguel and Mommy!" and "H is for Henry (Thomas the train character)!" This boy is going to be ready for kindergarten!

A Week In Oregon

Two days after returning from our trip to the South, Tiago and mommy re-packed their bags to join daddy on his pilgrimage up north.  The Pacific Northwest.  First, we drove to Grandma Naomi's on the coast.  Tiago tried his hardest to stay awake for the entire trip, but after car-sickness (both child and dog), a massive rainstorm and the longest 12 hours of his life, he fell asleep at 10pm--just an hour before arriving in Newport, Oregon.

 I really couldn't blame Tiago for wanting to make the never-ending car ride a little more bearable.  And with a THREE-trailer truck--resembling a train--passing us during a thunderstorm, why NOT roll down the window?!  

(The dog, found the trip to be stomach churning and hair raising.)

 The next morning we took a hike down to the beach and enjoyed a cool, damp fog (slightly different from the scorching hot week in North Carolina)... But at least, Tiago, er, I mean BATMAN, got to put on his rain coat and check out both of Paul's very cool motorcycles.  That's right, Paul (also a Gemini) has TWO bikes.  Our little Dark Knight couldn't have been more pleased.

 On our way from the coast towards the mountains, we made a quick stop in Corvallis (Nate's hometown) for a romp at Avery Park.  And, wouldn't you know?  Tiago loved the park which contained Nate's childhood favorite: the old Georgia Pacific locomotive!

 Finally, we arrived at daddy's favorite place to recharge his batteries: Willamette Nat'l. Forest

 (and there was even a double rainbow over Clear-Lake--just for dramatic effect--as if it isn't breathtaking as it is.)

 We hiked, we rowed boats, and we roasted marshmallows with Grandpa Josh, Lana and Tasha

 The kids had a blast.  The dads had a blast. The mommies...well...we enjoyed seeing our families happy...and a glass of wine didn't hurt...

...But we really enjoyed the hotel in sunny, Bend, Oregon, at the end of the trip!  Tiago swam confidently in his new floaties (brought back from North Carolina).  He and Tasha swam like fish until their eyes burned with chlorine!

Then, back at the rooms, they burned off any left over calories by jumping on the beds.

 It was a trip worthy of many naps.  So, naturally, Tiago skipped all of his naps and saved up for the long, sunny, drive home!

Trains, Planes and Automobiles...and Swimming!

This summer, Tiago's abuelito and abuelita invited him to visit their home in Georgia.  And, WOW, was this California boy excited about Georgia.  Why? you might ask.  Well, 1st of all, you must fly on an airplane to get there.  2nd, there are trains there.  Old trains, real trains, toy trains. (Need there be more?)

As if playing with abuelito's elaborate toy model train set wasn't enough, we also got to see an old Civil War train: The General!  Tiago's exact words were, "Whooaahh! Muy Grande!"

ee

In addition to playing with trains and trucks with his abuelitos, Tiago got his first swim lesson from abuelita.  He learned to blow bubbles and kick his legs.

 Abuelito, on the other hand, taught him how to defy gravity.

 During the hot, humid evenings, we hunted for fire-flies (aka: luciernagas, aka: Tinkerbell)

After a nice stay in Georgia, we hopped in the Jeep and drove to North Carolina to celebrate 4th of July with the cousins.

 (More swimming)

 (After swimming, the kids watched Cinderella.  Naturally, the sparklers were then waved to the tune of Abra-Kadoo, Bipidy Bopidy Boo)

With all of the hot, hot, heat, we got our quota of swimming for the summer (a welcomed heat, since we typically have to fill our kiddie-pool with the tea-kettle back home)!

 (An outing at Jordan Lake, followed by super-hero/Disney Character lunch at the La Serna's)

 (OK, not all of our summer swimming was done in pools or lakes.  Some was done standing in the front yard during a down-poor in 90 degree heat!)

 (more trains and automobiles in the "play room" formally known as, mommy's bedroom. check out the oak tree on the wall!)

Grandma and GrandPaul

This Spring we had a nice visit from Grandma and GrandPaul-Paul.  Tiago enjoyed taking them to CuriOdessy's Magic Mountain Park, where he and Grandma faced down the jaws of a ferocious Dragon (or, rather, casually sat in the dragon's mouth)...

They also took refuge behind the castle's gates and courageously mastered the tunnel of doom (aka: a very tall slide)...

After their game of dungeons and dragons, Tiago and the family walked over to the far side of the park to watch airplanes land at SFO, and observed para-gliders and windsurfers in the bay.

Later that weekend, the family enjoyed a rare sunny day at Half Moon Bay.  It was actually (almost) warm enough to put your toes in the water...

...On second thought, it was much more fun to just run towards the water and then quickly run away from the icy waves as they approach!

Thanks to Naomi and Paul for convincing the sun to come out for a wonderful weekend!

A Memorable Memorial Weekend

This Memorial Day Weekend, Tiago learned that his little cousins were coming to town for a fast and frenzied weekend. So, we skipped out on Daycare and awaited their arrival via San Francisco Trolley.

They never did make it on that trolley...but, they did get there.  And we had lunch at the Fisherman's Wharf.

We kick started the weekend with an outing to the famous PIER 39 on Embarcadero.

The kids ate cookies, hotdogs and rode the double-decker carousel.

Then, we headed back to the hotel, where Mica and Mateo presented Tiago with a birthday Fantasia Mickey (courtesy their recent trip to Disney World) and a very cool Pirates of the Caribbean bandana.

That same evening, the children learned the valuable lesson of, "It is indeed ok to jump on the bed--when at the Marriott Marquis."  A lesson inspired by tio Miguel. This, of course, was part of tio Miguel's master plan to wipe the kids out while mommy and tia Jill went to a conference workshop downstairs.

 

(On Saturday the family went to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk--but that deserves it's very own separate blog post).  

On Sunday morning, mama Guilar took the three amigos to a very special friend's birthday party.  Of course, if you ask Tiago, it was actually his birthday party (he figured the cousins had missed his birthday party and this was their make-up day)...makes perfect sense!

They bounced...

They slid...

They ate loads of sugar!

Then, mommy and the three amigos drove back to the house where lots of extended family had gathered....

(so, naturally, the kids brought out the charm: there was fighting, screaming, and time outs)

The gang decided to make one last attempt to drain the excess energy out of these "creaturas" by taking a hike down to the local park...and playing some more!

  After a good scrub in the tub, the kids dressed in their super-hero (and princess) PJs and got ready for bed.  As the kiddos giggled, wrestled and writhed in the bed as Daddy/Tio Nate read them a bedtime story, a good-night's rest seemed dubious...

However, in less than 8 minutes, they were out!

And the adults were able to finish their sentences.

All in all, a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend!