HELLO SUMMER | GOODBYE SUMMER

Hello! Hello! Hello! The summer came and went and somehow it's has been so busy that I seriously have not had time to blog. But I am here now. Lets do a quick recap of our summer.

We did a bunch of fun stuff locally and Milo was in school as usual and Matilda had a longer break since her baby class ended in July. We had family members visiting with us for a short time and the kids enjoy their company.  Milo's eyes have been stable and it's great but at the same time, I have to think twice about it since its rare that nothing major had happened. (YEAH to that of course!)

My hubby took on our summer project of repainting all our bedrooms. I was of no help in the paint department because my job was to keep the kids away during the process. We did all the rooms in white and I am loving it. We purchased some new furniture for the kids' room. Our room used to be chocolate brown and now it's SO bright. We keep thinking that we turned on some bright lights but really, its just the white wall. It's nice because it is bright for Milo when he is playing in our room. I  have to figure out all the decorations for all the rooms. It will take some time because I never seem to have time to do all the things I want!!

We ended our summer by going to a wedding of our friend and Milo had a blast because he is one dancing machine and he loved taking silly pictures in the photobooth.

I had a bunch of projects on my own and it was a challenge to illustrate what I needed but I did it. I lost some time because my back gave out on me for no reason and I was in pain for a week, then my right hand decided to swell up and it turned out to be some kind of arthritis and that took forever to heal and it still gets bad when I use my right hand too much which sucks a big one since I am right handed. (I guess my body is telling me that I am getting old!)

Here are a bunch of pictures from the summer and I am sure I have left out a bunch of stuff but I am sure you won't miss it since you don't even know what. And if I think of it, I will be sure to share at a later time.

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1) Milo: Top: Gap Kids 2) Matilda: Top: JCrew 3) Milo: Top: Sugarman | Pants: MiniBoden | Shoes: New Balance || Matilda: Top: Zara + MUJI | Pants: MotherCare | Shoes: Zara

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4) Matilda: Shirt: MiniBoden 5) Milo: Shirt: Uniqlo 6) Matilda: Top: JCrew | Pants: Target | Shoes: Milo's || Milo: Top: KingKow | Pants: MiniBoden | Shoes: New Balance

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7+8+9) Matilda: Jacket: North Face | Pants: Target || Milo: Jacket: North Face

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10+11) Milo and Matilda wearing Matilda's bumblebee costume from last Halloween 12) Milo dressed as Chewbacca
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13) Matilda: Top: Mighty Fine tee | Pants: Target 14) Milo: Top: Mighty Fine tee | Pants: MiniBoden

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16) Matilda: Top: MiniBoden | Pants: Hanna Anderson 17) Milo: Top: Target | Pants: MiniBoden

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19) Milo: Top: Uniqlo | Pants: MiniBoden || Matilda: Top: Splendid | Pants: GapKids 20) Milo: Top: Mighty Fine tee 21) Matilda: Top: Old Navy | Milo: Top: Old Navy | Swim trunks: Hanna Anderson

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22) Matilda: Top: Splendid | Pants: Target 22) Milo: Top: Target | Pants: MiniBoden 23) Matilda: Top: MUJI + MiniBoden | Pants: Target

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23+24+25) Milo: Top: Target | Matilda: Top: MiniBoden

Thank you Summer 2012, it was great to know you. We will catch you next year!

xoxo

me

A LITTLE SOMETHING SOMETHING MORE ABOUT MY M+M.

milo had an EUA yesterday morning and when the doctor came out and said let me tell you the good news first, i thought, oh crap. the cornea infection in his left eye(home of the prosthesis shell)cleared up so we dont need to worry about that anymore and at some point in the near future, another prosthesis shell will be placed back in (not looking forward to that). as for the right eye, his pressure is still higher than what it should be so the doctor is jacking up the dosage on one of his eye drop to see if that will help. (he suspects that the existing valve is blocked by the growth of his iris.) we will go in for another EUA in one month and if the pressure is still high, the doctor will try to pull back his iris and if that is not possible, a new valve will be placed. i guess milo had a good run on his ahmed valve since he had it placed when he was 3 months old and its actually pretty unusual for it to be working for so long for a child. we got lucky and i really hope that whatever happens, his pressure will be under control soon because that is his only seeing eye and its already slightly damaged (the ophthalmologist estimate about a 20/100 vision + tunnel vision due to glaucoma).

the many great faces of milo.

but aside from this, milo has been great since his last EUA. with the prosthesis shell out of his eye and his infection being detected and treated, he hasnt had an episode of eyes shutting or painful breakdown and he is not sensitive to light as much. we have been doing our fun summer-ventures and its been really nice to see him so happy.

he will be starting a new regular preschool end of august and we got him a new big boy lunch bag (he saw the catalog and said thats what he wanted and i thought it would be a great little new thing for him for his new big boy school).

the always smiling matilda.

matilda has started eating solid for almost a month and she loves food so far and i am loving my Beaba food maker. it makes making food so much easier. i want to use it to make smoothie for myself every time i am making fresh fruit for her.

the summer is not over yet and the weather has been great this year (sorry east coast peeps)! we will continue to check off our summer-venture list. yeah.

OH! THE PLACES WE WILL GO.

milo's summer session at ECE ended last week SO HELLO SUMMER FUN TIME! we use summertime as an excuse to do more fun time with our little ones. well, it was actually last year we started this so called tradition since milo was old enough to go on adventures. so with the summer almost coming to an end, as i am constantly being reminded by the consuming world with back to school sale and pre fall season sale, i am going to share with you some fun places around us in the san francisco bay area. if you have any other places, please DO share and if you would like to meet up and join us, let me know too.

SAN FRANCISCO ZOO.

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. - we took milo last year and i think he was a bit too young but i think he is ready for it again.

HAPPY HOLLOW.

MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM. this place kicks my bum bum i tell you. i love going there. i would love to spend a night in a nearby town someday soon with my kids and make it a quick getaway that is not so far from home.

BAY AREA DISCOVERY MUSEUM.

FAIRYLAND.

PIXIELAND AMUSEMENT PARK.

STOW LAKE AT GOLDEN GATE PARK.

PARKSIDE AQUATIC PARK | SAN MATEO.

GILROY GARDENS.

LEMOS FARM.

HIDDEN VILLA.

PHIPPS FARM. well known around the bay for self-picking produce farm.

SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MUSEUM. free admission. and you can always stop by your local fire station for a visit, they are usually pretty nice about you walking in.

CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM | SAN JOSE.

ROARING CAMP RAILROADS. - we took milo there for the first time last year for a special Day Out with Thomas and it was fun if your kids love train as much as mine. *and please try to bring your own food because the food is not good. i know when you go to zoos, amusement parks & kids places, the food is not only overpriced but its not so good. but seriously, when we went last year we thought the food was pretty nasty. they are doing another Day Out with Thomas end of July and August, so, get your tickets if you want to go.

TILDEN PARK STEAM TRAIN.

BILLY JONES WILDCAT RAILROAD.

NILES CANYON RAILWAY.

BARON PARK GARDEN RAILWAY.

PALO ALTO JUNIOR MUSEUM & ZOO.

i dont think we will hit all these places but this is the list we will be starting from. we will at least try to visit one of these places each week, and if its not too far, we could even hit two of these places a week. but then again, we will be using this list all year round.

and oh yes, for those of you who would like to take your little ones to a movie theatre, theres a family friendly screening of Winnie the Pooh this saturday (july 23rd) at Redwood City's AMC at 10:30am. its a good chance to take your little ones since they leave all the lights on and turn down the volume and you dont have to worry about your child crying or talking since its all about that. the Metreon use to have Reel Mom but they canceled that program a little bit ago. i have been trying hard to find more family screening/mom screening around the bay area but its hard. all i can do is to call each theater and unfortunately with the summer season and all summer part time job, most of the people that answer the phone has no idea what you are talking about. so, if you do want to inquire, ask for the manager and you can ask him/her if they are interested in hosting such events. good luck and please tell me if you know more places.

HAPPY SUMMER FUN FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY.
(and if you dont have little ones yet, some of these places are good places to take your date.)

SUMMER FUN.

let the summerfuntime begins.
milo has one month of summer school at his Early Start School and after that he will move on to a new preschool. its going to be tough since he has known all the teachers there since he was 8 weeks old when i started baby class with him. but at least matilda and i have started baby class so i will still get to see the wonderful teachers. i think it is me that is going to miss the school more than him. but thats not the point of this post, its about summerfuntime. my hubby and i started to generate a list of things we will do with milo and matilda during this summer. i cant wait and i will share some of them with you for those that are local. yeah.

happy summerfun time to you and don't forget sunblock and don't forget to say shoo shoo mosquitoes.

xoxo
me

PARCA DAY AT THE FAIR.

Tuesday, June 14th : PARCA day at the fair.
for people with developmental disabilities & their immediate families.
start time - 11am and rides will be open and free unti 12pm.

i never went but i signed up (thats right, you have to sign up here.)

i think it would be good for milo having that extra hour before its open to the public since he does get pretty anxious around a large crowd especially when there are lots of kids running around. he tends to step back, stay close to us and don't really want to participate. its all because he does not have much peripheral vision on his only eye and things can get a little too much for him visually.

looking forward to this and i cant wait to see you + your family and your little ones.
and yeah for funnel cakes and cotton candy and all things sweets.

summer is here.

summer fun with refreshing patterns.

i found these and i want it.
if i have all these then it would make camping and picnics and just outside outings way more exciting.
i love me some pretty patterns.
Anorak remind me of the horse patten tote bag that i have from Marimekko (see below).

i just cant decide which pattern i like best.

i want to take my little dude to these amazing places this summer.

ive been dreaming of summer getaways and i want to do something different besides visiting friends and families. just something cool to do with my little dude and my mansomehandboy (and for myself). and these are the places that i really really want to go. its better than taking your child to disneyland or anything. i want to i want to. where should i go first!!!!???

the treehouse that i can never have in my backyard.

The Giraffe Manor. need i say more. it took me a bit to realize that this is an actual place.

Sky Cycle.crazee japanese. a good excuse to go to japan again.

i want to put you in my summer plan.

check out this Rock Reach House. and the cool thing is that you can rent this place out and at a reasonable price.
i really want to do it. anyone?

i want all this for my perfect imaginary day.

i see this ad everywhere i go when i am here on vacation. i want it and i am finding a place to get my hair cut just like hers. i am trying grow my hair long again but i want a head of new fresh and healthy hair. SO, it might take a couple rounds of short hair style before getting new growth. this is a good style to start.

this is a perfect warm weather day dress. i think i had something like this when i was young (except for the high slit on the side).

toggle buttons! its hard to find these on a non kid jacket.

Orly Kiely water bottle

ive been wanting a bike but now i think i want this (Amish made Scooter. YES> AMISH MADE.) instead.

for the arrival of warm weather and warmer weather approaching i want to find ways to do more fun outside stuff with more fun warm weather clothing. and all this together is EXACTLY what i want and what i could wear everyday.