Move Shake Drop

The other night Elan and I went to get some smoothies from Jamba Juice and decided to enjoy the nice weather we've had lately in the evenings. We were hanging out outside when Julio got home and played some music for Elan. This is what happened next...
 

I'll be honest, I hesitated posting this video, wondering what must people think about the music we're exposing Elan to, but in the end, it was just too funny to not share.

I spy something yellow

Lately our game in the car has been "I spy". Of course for us it's more like, "Yo veo algo..." We play just like you would in English.

Julio was just telling me that he and Elan were playing yesterday as they drove around town running errands. So, Julio says, "I spy something yellow." And Elan, very excitedly, shouts "the grass!" It wasn't really what Julio had spied, but really, with the drought and watering restrictions, can you blame the kid for thinking it was the grass?

Single Parenting is tough, but not impossible

So, at the time that I am writing this, it has been almost 72 hours since Julio left on his mountain biking trip, but who's counting, right? So, that's how long I've been a temporary "single parent". So, my overall opinion on this experience is that single parenting is harder than co-parenting, but not an unbearable task. Here's a breakdown of the highs and lows.


Challenges:

- I bought a new printer Thursday evening. I tried to work on setting it up while trying to get Elan to eat dinner. Probably not wise of me to multitask.

-Elan has a mind of his own and I tend to forget that. He has likes and dislikes. Which means getting dressed in the morning on Friday morning took longer than I had planned for. I was late for work.

- When I picked him up from school on Friday afternoon, I was terribly exhausted and had little patience left. It made for a rough night, but not horrible.

- Saturday morning Elan woke up 6:00 am. Seriously? He hardly ever wakes up this early. I was not prepared to start my day at 6:00am, but I had no choice. Out of bed.

- By Saturday afternoon, Elan was good and tired, but would not take his nap. He normally naps at around 12:30, but he didn't fall asleep till 3:00! Sigh. I think this was the only time during the weekend when I thought I was going to go crazy.

- Every morning and night, Elan has asked for Julio. He obviously misses his dad. And that is enough to break my heart.

The good stuff:

- Elan ate very well before we left for school on Friday morning. It was a no fuss breakfast- my favorite kind. 

- Elan helped me cook dinner on Friday night. I made my own version of these rice cakes. He helped me get all the ingredients together, but I had to make him go to the living room while I fried them up. It was a good experience while it lasted.

- On Saturday morning, we went to a joint-birthday party for 2 of Elan's classmates. He had a good time, and it gave me the opportunity to meet the other parents from his class.

- After he finally napped, we played his new game, Uno Moo, which turned out to be a lot of fun. We didn't play exactly as the instructions suggest, but close enough to where he could practice his colors, animals, and the concept of "same" and "different. It was a hit.

- After playing the game, Elan and I went to Central Market where Elan got to play, we had gelato, walked around the water in search of little fish, and we got to see the moon through some telescopes that the Austin Astronomical Society had set up since it was "Astromony Day". The group Oliver Rajamani Ensemble played in celebration of Ghandi's birthday, and I have to admit, they were pretty good. It was a very interesting mix. And Elan's behavior was superb! While there, we also walked over to Zinger's which can be any person's paradise. There's something for everyone there. We had a great night together.

-Each night, bedtime has been easy. Elan is pretty cooperative.

- Sunday morning, we packed up our breakfast and met up with Lauren and Aedan at Little Stacy Park. Elan and I had never been there, so I'm glad we got to visit another park. It was good catching up time and Elan enjoyed playing somewhere new.

- After the park, we went to H-E-B, where Elan surprised me. For background info., Elan loves the"car" shopping carts and looks forward to riding in those each time we go to the store. Last time we went, they were all being used and he broke down crying. Anyway, this time, we got one and cruised around the store like we usually do. When we were at the register, a mom arrived to the store with her twins and asked if they could use it when we were done. Knowing she would have to wait (with twins- aakk!) for our cart, I suggested to Elan we get another one and give them ours. I was very surprised at how easy it was- he just said "ok" and we made the trade. It made that mom's day and it made mine, knowing he gets it- we have to let others have their turn. :)

- Overall, Elan's behavior was good. I had some challenging moments, but they were due mostly to the fact that I forget he is little person with a mind and feelings of his own. I kept having to remind myself to respect that fact. A few deep breaths and we were able to compromise.

- The one-on-one time we have been able to spend together over the last few days has been a good bonding experience.

So, while I didn't have to deal with anything terribly challenging, I'm grateful that I normally have Julio to help me out as much as he does. It's definitely easier when we tag team it. So, I'm really looking forward to his return, which is still, oh, more than four hours away. Oh wait, I forgot, I wasn't counting.

Tough Love Takes on a Food Battle

Yeah, I know what you're thinking- I thought this blog died. I'll be honest, it kinda did for a while. It was in a coma, we can say. To be completely truthful, I've been lazy and have avoided anything related to a blog. I'm not sure why. I didn't post anything over the last 2 months and I didn't read any blogs in about that amount of time. Not sure what got into me. Anyway, I'm back.

So, about the food war (which I'm not sure will ever really be won)....

As you know, we've always struggled with Elan and food. We came to the realization that Elan is just a lazy eater when he was a little over a year old. When we first introduced meats, he wouldn't eat them. And it wasn't because of the taste, because he would eat them pureed just fine. It wasn't really the texture, either. It was the work that it took to chew the meat that turned him away. Fast forward to now and the story is not much different. Elan prefers foods he already knows he likes (sweets, crackers, fruits, pasta, nuts, etc.), prefers food that take little effort to consume, and prefers to be spoon fed (yes, I just admitted that). Plain and simple, he is a lazy eater. As he gets older, he is trying and testing how much of his way he can get. And this is where the food battle meets tough love.

Everyday, we get a written report from his preschool (oh, yes, more on his preschool in another post) on how he did that day. On Monday, it said he ate very little of his lunch. We made a slight mention of it to him, but nothing noteworthy.

On Tuesday, again, his report said he ate very little of his lunch. On our way home, I told him he would not be eating anything else until he ate a healthy meal. So, once home, I prepared him baked chicken with tons of veggies. He took one look at it and said he didn't want it. "No problem," I said, "you don't have to eat it, but just know there isn't anything else to eat until you eat this." It went untouched. An hour later, I asked if he wanted me to heat up his food and he said yes. When I presented it to him, he said the same thing, he didn't want it. He wouldn't even try it. So, I took it back to the kitchen and told him the same thing. Bath time came around and we went through all of our bedtime routine. When the lights were out, he said he was hungry. I told him he could eat if he ate what I had prepared for him earlier. He agreed he would eat, so we made our way downstairs, and I heated up the plate of food. To my surprise, he ate EVERY LAST PIECE OF FOOD on that plate, without a single face or gag! And he ate it on his own and quickly! I thought I had succeeded in getting my point across.

On Wednesday, I go to pick him up and again, there is a report that he did not eat very much of his lunch. Sigh. By this point, I'm pretty upset. I talked to his teacher about it and made mention of it to him while still at school. When we got in the car, he got a lecture. I have to admit, I felt quite silly lecturing an almost-3-year old, but I basically told him why I was disappointed, what I expected of him, that there would be absolutely no sweets until he started eating better, and that he was going to have to eat on our terms. The car was dead silent and he looked very serious. He knew very well, he was in trouble. While on the way home, he asked if I'd make him a PB&J sandwich. Nope. He asked a few more times and I didn't budge. Since I knew he was hungry, I decided to prepare his first meal completely on my terms. So, I got 3 Ritz crackers, topped them with chicken salad, and served it with a bowl of steamed edamame. He looked at the chicken salad, asked what it was, then said he didn't want it. He just wanted the cracker. No siree! This was an all or nothing deal. So, I gave him the look and another reminder that he needed to at least try foods. So, knowing he was already in trouble, he tried it. And much to his surprise, he liked it. During this meal, he also had to show me how he was going to use the spoon to feed himself at school. He ate everything and asked for more chicken salad. Ha! Before going to bed this night, he told me he would eat at school the next day.

In telling my mom and a few coworkers about the tough love approach, I heard things like, "You're so mean." "I would have given in and given him PB&J." "Poor Elan." "He's so young."

So, today, I went to pick him up, saw his report and it said he ate. Phew! When he saw me, the first thing he did was run up to me and tell me ate today, very excitedly, I must add. In hearing this, the teacher turns to me, and says, "yes, he ate... A LOT."

Success.

As a small reward, he got to chew gum on the way home. :)

While I doubt our food war is over, tough love prevailed on this recent battle, and I've learned a lot about sticking to my guns. You may be asking yourself, "why all the fuss?" Well, we are living in a world where more and more kids have a feeling of entitlement and feel they can always get their way. If we continue to raise our kids with that kind of mentality, we are setting them up for disappointment when real life hits. Elan may be young, but it has to start now. He has to know there are boundaries, there are rules, and they're not his rules. I'm not trying to be a micro manager of his life, I'm just trying to make him a better person while I can. He needs to understand that right now I know what's best for him.

What are your thoughts on tough love (or anything else mentioned in this post)?

Summer 2011, Part 3- Austin Time

When we're not visiting family in other cities or working, we like to spend time doing Austin things. Austin is such a great place to live and there are so many things to do- for kids and adults, alike. We like to do a lot of things outside and most of the fun (and free) things Austin has to offer require us to be outside. However, the recent intense heat has created a challenge for us. It's been difficult to manage tolerable weather and nap times, but I think we're managing okay. Here's a little bit of what we've been up to lately...

The Zilker Zephyr- This little, fun, low speed train ride through one of Austin's beloved parks is something that never grows old for us. You could ask Elan at any time of the day and he will say he wants to go ride the train. For a small fee, you can enjoy a 20 minute ride through Zilker Park, and when passing Lou Neff Point, you even get to hear live music from the reliable guitarist who hangs out there. While waiting for the train or after your ride, the little ones can play at the large playground, or you can always people watch those jumping off the diving board at Barton Springs Pool.

Walnut Creek Park- Known to many as a nearby place for mountain biking, hiking, and other activities, we first starting going here for its mountain biking. Now, we've started bringing Elan to enjoy his bike with a little off-roading action.

Hiking and Biking at Walnut Creek Park

Butler Park- this is another of our favorite places to go. It's a great place to relax, have a picnic, look for turtles, or just splash around in the fountains. It was the only way to cool off the other morning after a visit to the Zilker Park Playground.

Splashing around in the fountains at Butler Park

The Splash Pad at Pease Park- This is another place to cool off that I've come to really like. The playground here offers quite a bit of shade (but not for the little bitty ones) and the Splash Pad is big enough and interesting enough to entertain the little ones. There are very few shade spots, so you have to arrive early or wait for one to open up. But don't worry- if you don't get a shaded spot to watch your little one, you can always run through the splash pad too. It's quite refreshing!

Playing at the Splash Pad at Pease Park

More splashing around at Pease Park

 "Gardening"- Julio recently did a lot of cleaning up in the yard. I would say "we", but I only did about 1/10 of what Julio did, so I will give credit where credit is due. Elan and I lend a small helping hand from time to time, but more than anything, Julio's gardening time gives Elan a chance to play with some of his toys in the yard. We (and yes, I do mean "we" this time) also started a little project in the garden. I will post more on this later- like in 3 months (that's a hint).

Gardening / Playing with tractors in the yard

CapMetro Rail- Ever since Austin got a rail line, I've been wanting to take Elan for a train ride. At first they didn't have midday or weekend service, so it was a little challenging to plan a trip. But they recently added midday service, and since we have the summer off, it's much more doable. So, we recently boarded the train that stops near our house and took it downtown. Upon arriving downtown, we walked over to Jo's for some burgers. I had heard a lot of great things and had to give them a try. They were good- I'd go back. Then we walked over to the Children's Museum, which is practically next door. After that, we went and had some frozen yogurt. Then it was time to head home for a nap!

Waiting for the Train

At the Children's Museum, pretending to make some steaks on the grill.

 Blues on the Green- Every other Wednesday night at Zilker Park, they have a free "concert". This is another thing we've been wanting to do for a while now. So, we packed up a backpack and rode our bikes on down to Zilker. We met up with some old friends and had a good time. The ride back was a eerie, but cool, since it was night time. Not to worry, we had plenty of lights in front and in back of us. I think we will definitely be doing this again.


Canoeing- Lastly, we recently rented a canoe and cruised up and down Barton Creek / Lady Bird Lake. It was great being out on the water and Elan had a blast. He keeps telling everyone he sees about his canoe ride and all that he saw. I know this is something that made a lasting impression and something we will do again and again. It was so relaxing.

Some swans hanging out on the shore.

Turtles relaxing.

If you look closely, you can see a nutria swimming across the water.

What about you? What have you done this summer (if you've had some free time)?

Summer 2011, Part 2- We Gave In

A few days after returning from our camping trip, we decided to take a trip down to Del Rio to visit family before Julio started his summer work. It's always nice to go when we have a little bit more time and aren't rushed. But even then, we aren't able to see everyone (extended family).

One evening, Julio's sister, Selina, took us to this place out in Cienegas (you have to be from Del Rio to know what I'm talking about) called La Lomita where they have all of these crazy food and drink combinations. The owners have converted a small side house into their little store. I ordered a drink called Piña Loca, which is basically pureed pineapple. It was deliciously, refreshing! Julio and Selina ordered something called a Mangolada, with is basically a frozen mango puree with added chile. This isn't the kind of place you want to frequent for their food, as it will all probably lead you to a heart attack, but it's a good place to visit from time to time or you can just stick to their drinks, which can be a healthier option. All together, a pretty interesting place.

Yum!

While in Del Rio, we were able to get some swimming in at my parents' house. Allow me to sidetrack briefly. Julio and I are kinda "tough love" parents. We don't baby Elan a whole lot. For example, with potty training, it didn't take us long when we decided to get serious about it. We went through 1.5 packs of pull-ups, and they were used mainly at night. We just took away the "safety net" as soon as possible, so he would learn to rely on this own abilities and instincts, rather than the pull-ups. Same goes for learning to ride a bike. He uses a balance bike and we refuse to ever get him a tricycle or a bike with training wheels. He will learn to balance on this bike, and then the pedals come in later. Supposedly, he will learn to ride his bike quicker this way. Again- relying on his own abilities and instincts, rather than any other forms of balance. Ok, back to swimming. We thought the same thing about swimming- NO FLOATIES! Well...... we gave in while in Del Rio. For some reason, Elan has not taken on to swimming like we thought he would. He likes the water, likes the pool, but isn't comfortable swimming. We've tried the gentle approach, the "sink or swim" approach (he chooses to sink), but nothing has worked to get him comfortable. So, when we go swimming, he spends most of the time attached to one of us. This can get tiresome. So, while we were at my parents house, we found a pair of arm floats, and let him try them. He loved them! It gave him freedom and he was all over the pool. So, while we like to think we're tough, I guess we're really not.

Practicing his swim techniques.

Jumping in

On his own!

Summer 2011, Part 1

I have a lot of catching up to do. Luckily we aren't world travelers, so it's not like this will be in 10 parts.

I guess I'll begin by telling you about our camping trip. We met up with my brother Turis and sister-in-law Dacia at Tyler State Park the second week of June for a 3 day camping trip. It was very hot, but lots of fun. Elan especially had a good time. Believe it or not, this was his first camping trip. I don't know how we've gone this long without ever taking him. So, everything was new and exciting for him and it was great watching him experience it all for the first time.

A view of the lake about 5 steps away from our campsite.

A view of sun shining through the trees. Only Julio could capture this.

 We each had a good time enjoying the different things the park had to offer. Julio and Turis got to enjoy the park's expansive mountain bike trails. I almost forgot, I also got to go mountain biking (after 3 years of my mountain bike collecting spider webs)! Turis and Dacia got to go out on the lake on the pedal boats with their dogs, Hiro and Emma. Elan got to enjoy the swimming area, hiking, and his first go at fishing. And I got a chance to go for a jog around the tree-shaded trail around the lake.

I hope I don't go overboard with these pictures, but I think it'll give you a better idea of what Elan got to experience during the trip.

Making sure ALL of OUR bikes are secure before heading out on a hike.

Testing the waters.

 

 

A short climb during our hike.

Going for a ride.

Even the pros fall every now and then.

Gone fishing.

Casting.

Casting again.

Waiting for a bite.

Waiting patiently.

Taking a break from swimming. Of course, this is the only pic taken from my phone. Sorry.

After a nice shower.

Snacking, waiting for dinner.

Sunset

Sleeping in the tent. It was so hot, so we didn't dare use the sleeping bags, and all we had to serve as "a sheet" was a cloth table cloth! Oh, and we forgot the pillows, too! We survived, anyway.

So, that was our camping trip. We'd like to go camping more regularly, but it's been so hot the last few weeks, so we probably won't be doing it again until the Fall. 

Getting better

Things are finally on the upside around here. Since my last post Elan got worse. Congestion and fever reared their ugly heads and really got the best of him. Tuesday night was pretty bad and we kept him home on Wednesday. Well, Julio stayed home with him most of the day, till I could leave work early. It was really heartbreaking to see him just mope around. He didn't play AT ALL that day and he was pretty much in and out of sleep all day, either on the sofa or in his bed. He didn't want to eat anything- not even a cookie! So, you know he was feeling really bad. Poor thing. Wednesday was probably the worst of it. He was able to go to the sitter on Thursday and he's been getting better by the day. Thank goodness!

Julio was able to wrap things up at work on Thursday and he's done till the end of June, when he goes back for summer work. I was supposed to be done by this point, but the PTA account has taken a lot of my time and having to stay with Elan on Wednesday kinda set me back. So, I'll be going in on Monday to finish packing the last of my stuff. I'm sure the custodians will be relieved once I get it done.

So, in a way summer has begun. YAY! I'm looking forward to relaxing a bit, getting to exercise more, and just spend time with family. So far, no major plans. I'll keep you posted.

Cough

Elan seems to be coming down with a cough. He We had a rough night last night because he was obviously not feeling well. It's such a helpless feeling when you can't make them more comfortable. Of course, with little ones, medication has been a hot topic lately. Do you or don't you? Personally, when it comes to my own illnesses, aches, and pains, I try to stay away from medication whenever possible. I'm not quite a hippie, but I prefer more natural ways to remedy the situation. When it comes to Elan, I kinda feel the same way, but I can't feel his pain or discomfort, so I'm quicker to act (reach towards "medication"). Of course, this is only after I have explored less aggressive options. Here are some things that we try.

No fans- The ceiling fan is immediately turned off. 

Hot Lemonade-  This is my favorite. Heat a cup of water for 30 seconds in the microwave, squeeze in half of a lemon, add 1.5 teaspoons of honey (local), and mix. Drink up. It's tasty and soothing.

Humidifier- This is also controversial. Some doctors recommend the warm, moist air, much like what you could get from a steamy shower. Others are now recommending the cool, moist air. We go for the warm, moist air. We don't use this in the warmer months, though. So, I won't be taking out the humidifier this time around. Also, I don't use the gel that is sold to put in the machine, just plain water.

Vicks VapoRub- I guess some might say this is medicine, since it is medicated. But it's not an oral medication, so I'm not counting it. Growing up Vicks (commonly referred to a "beeks") was applied to the chest and back. I recently learned that many people put it on their children's feet and put socks on. Doctors can't really explain why this works, but it does.

All Natural Cough Syrup- This is our last resort. It's sold over the counter in most places. I'm not sure what the brand is. It doesn't seem to make a huge difference, so I prefer not to use it.

How about you? Do you know of any home remedies that seem to work for coughs?

Be a Ring Bearer- Check!

This weekend was a fun one. Julio's cousin Gaby got married in San Antonio and Elan was the ring bearer. When we agreed to let him be in the wedding, we weren't really sure if he'd actually do his job and walk down the aisle. Despite his recent openness with strangers, he can be very shy. I wasn't sure how we were going to get him to do this. At first, they were going to have Elan and Camila walk together, but they can become quite silly when they're together. So during rehearsal, it was decided to have one of the older flower girls walk in between them. That seemed to do the trick. They both did very well. Here are some photos that I stole from Julio's camera before he could touch them up. So, don't be surprised if I end up changing them out later. I was just too excited to post some pictures for family members who didn't get to see Elan all dressed up. Plus, this week, like last, will be a busy one. It's our last week of work, which means it's crunch time to get everything done. I hear camping calling my name.

Sporting his suit.

With Camila before walking down the aisle.

Walking down the aisle. 

Me and Elan. :)

I ♥ Central Market

I'm talking about Central Market, yet again. I promise I don't get a cut of their sales or even a discount. I am in no way associated with them. And to be perfectly honest, I don't really even care for the food at their cafe. But there are some things I love.

I've already mentioned the playground, so I won't go into that. Our most recent trip during the week, confirmed that love once again. Elan and I went to the cafe to order a smoothie for him and a blended mocha for myself. When asked which kind of milk I wanted, I was surprised to see almond milk as an option. I was very excited, as this is the same milk I use at home to make my blended mochas. It's less calories and adds a very good flavor to it. I've never seen almond milk as an option at any other coffee shop. So, they earned a point with the almond milk.

They earn point #2 because they are nice. As Elan and I waited for our drinks to be prepared, we were talking and the girl working in the cafe heard us speaking in Spanish. So, she began talking with us and she offered Elan some free gelato. I told her he hadn't had dinner yet, but she insisted, saying he earned it for being so calm and well-behaved. I think he charmed her with his Spanish. But either way, he got free gelato!

Not the greatest photo, but here he is with his free gelato. Thank you, girl at Central Market!

Why?

Elan is definitely in the "why?" stage. Sometimes it's funny and sometimes it's exhausting. He wants to know everything- when? where? who? why? how?, but his favorite question of all right now is "why?" A typical conversation with Elan goes something like this (in Spanish, of course):
Elan: Let's go to the pool.
Me: No, we can't go to the pool right now.
Elan: Why not?
Me: Because it's windy.
Elan: Why did you say it's windy?
Me: Because it IS windy.
Elan: Why is it windy?
Me: I don't know!!!!

I try not to show my exhaustion because deep down inside I hope he never loses his inquisitive nature. I lost my imagination and wonder for the world a long time ago and I hope that never happens to him. Julio's imagination is still in tip top shape and I hope Elan takes after him.

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day weekend was so nice and relaxing! On Friday, Elan and I met up with my friend Mari and her newborn Ellie at Central Market. The weather was great, there was live music, and we munched on some good bread while Elan ran around the playground. Elan loves parks and playgrounds, but I think this ranks as one of our favorites because there's a little bit for everyone. I think it's safe to say Ellie likes it too, since she was so calm and content the whole time we were there. After getting home, Elan and I snuggled up on the sofa and fell asleep watching a movie.

Saturday I put in a few hours at work in the morning, while Elan and Julio stayed home and cleaned and prepped food for Sunday's BBQ. It was nice to come home to a clean house. After an afternoon of lounging around and napping, we decided to go to Central Market again. Yes, again. I'm telling you, it ranks as one of our favorites. So, it was another night of nice weather, live music, and munching on treats. It was a great night for people watching, too. Some people are really out to keep Austin weird (while dancing). Like Julio and I always say, "They're just doing their part." Anyway, this time Elan was able to get up close to a turtle who decided to hang out on the grass. Although it doesn't sound like we did much, you'd have to see the look on Elan's face when he experiences these things to understand how much fun and special these times are.

After putting Elan to bed, Julio and I watched 127 Hours, which I wasn't sure if I was going to like. I have to admit, they did a good job making this movie. I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe not award worthy (in my opinion), but entertaining.

Since we stayed out a little later than usual on Saturday night, we got to sleep in on Sunday morning. Elan didn't wake up till 9:00 a.m.! Not a bad treat for my third Mother's Day. :)

As a special touch for Mother's Day, Julio slaved away in the kitchen (and outside at the smoker) to prepare an extra delicious BBQ meal. We had a few friends and family members over and it was nice to hang out and relax. We had a child of almost every age- a 2 month old, a 1 year old, a 2 year old, and a 3 year old, so it was fun to watch them all interact. Thanks to Julio for making the day extra special!

Only negative- I forgot to take pictures! So, I have none to share. I know, I know.... I'll work on that for next time.