First Day of Preschool

The day finally arrived for my firstborn son to begin his education - August 27 was Cruz's first day of preschool! We spent so much time prepping for the big day and had numerous conversations, that when it finally rolled around Cruz took it all in stride. Of course we started the day with some pictures to commemorate the important event.

After a breakfast of pancakes, tangerines and a glass of milk, we piled into the car and headed off to school. When we arrived we were met by my dad or "Apam" as he's affectionately called by his grandkids. He has created the tradition of coming to all of his grandchildren's first days of preschool (so sweet!).

We walked Cruz into the preschool, where he was greeted by some friendly staffers, and he proceeded to go and hang his backpack on his designated hook.

After getting his name tag from his teacher, Ms. Nina, I showed him again where the bathroom and water fountain were located, and then it was time for goodbyes. Some sage parents had advised me to keep things short and sweet, and not to linger too long, or else the child may become clingier. So I knelt down, told Cruz we were leaving but that we'd be back to pick him up soon. We snapped a couple more pictures and then we hugged and kissed our boy goodbye.

In true Cruz form, he was so, so, so good and didn't cry, resist or make a fuss. He simply said "ok, bye, I love you" and that was it.

After a few hours, we returned to pick him and he was all smiles and seemed like such a pro already. His friend from daycare Madi is in class with him on Mondays, so he had a familiar face to play with.

 I am so proud of my son and his ability to rationalize, process and adapt to new situations. He is so even-keeled (just like his father!) that he makes our jobs as parents so much easier and enjoyable. I can't wait to watch him learn, grown and blossom throughout the coming school years.

A Village Celebrates

As the saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a child"...well, I think it also takes a village to send someone to medical school! Last Sunday we had a luncheon with our village to celebrate Randy completing residency. It was a lovely, intimate celebration with family and friends who were truly the support network for our family as we made the journey through medical school, residency and even parenthood. Whether they sent texts, emails, Facebook messages or made phone calls, these people took the time to show us they cared and checked in with us despite their own busy lives. We had the party at Hs Lordships restaurant in Berkeley - the food, view and company were all wonderful!

In particular I am grateful to my girlfriends (Christine, Marinel, Darlene, Diana, April, Virina, Violeta) who listened to me complain (a lot) about Randy's ever-changing schedule, empathized about  my solo parenting during certain rotations and just allowed me to vent when I needed to. They helped keep me sane and kept me and my kids company when Randy was always at work. I couldn't have asked for better friends - I love you gals!

We also could not have made it without the unconditional support of my sister, Kuya Maynard, Gabby, Jessie and my dad. Countless times they let me come over in the evenings when Randy was working nights, fed us homecooked meals, watched the kids so I could take a shower, and then sent us on our way with more food for the fridge. I'd also come over to their house when Lucas was a newborn and hang out at their house all day just so Cruz could play with his cousins, I'd have help with Lucas and I could even catch up on sleep. And if that wasn't enough, there were times when they would drive to Vacaville and help me at home so I didn't have to go anywhere. The list of what they did and continue to do for us is endless. They have come through for us time and time again...with family like that, I can take on anything life brings.

Of course I can't forget to acknowledge my mother-in-law and goddaughter Josie who would drive to Vacaville 2-3 times a week during Randy's more difficult rotations, after they had already spend the day at school and work. They would come over and help me with the kids so I could shower, make dinner, feed and bathe the kids, pack the diaper bag for the next day, get my work stuff ready and anything else I needed to do. They were an extra pair of hands that I desperately needed! We couldn't have survived those rotations without them.

I know I'm not thanking everyone here but I am truly grateful to this village of loving, caring people who were integral to our family successfully completing this chapter of our lives. We will always remember their efforts and will do whatever we can to return the favors!

And last but not least, cheers to my hardworking and dedicated husband, Dr. Randy Villanueva! I could not have chosen a better father and role model for my two sons. I know you do it all for us - we are the luckiest people in the world to have you! Enjoy this tremendous achievement, you deserve it!

Preschool Meet and Greet

The day before Cruz's first day of school, the preschool hosted a "Meet and Greet" for the incoming kiddies. It gave them a chance to meet their teachers and get acquainted with the space so the first day will have some familiarity.

Cruz expresses excitement about starting school in general, but this day I noticed he held my hand a bit more and stuck pretty close to my side. I showed him where the bathroom is (his biggest concern) and he met his teacher Ms. Nina.

I know it's a cliche but I can hardly believe my baby is starting school. It is so bittersweet. I am excited for what is in store for him, especially since Cruz thrives on learning new information, reading and listening to stories. I am hopeful that he will make lots of new friends and that they will appreciate his sweet, kind, demeanor.

Here he is checking out his new digs.

Black eyes and tofu

This past weekend was relatively low-key, considering how busy we've been these last few months. Randy worked both days so I was on my own with the two little munchkins. On Saturday I had my usual TNT training which was at Mare Island. It brought back so many memories of my mom and the countless Saturday mornings when she dragged us to Mare Island to walk with her. There were plenty of times that I didn't want to go and wished I could just sleep in like a normal person, but now I am grateful to have those memories of time spent with her. It's funny how that works out.

After my training (4 miles by the way - woohoo!), the boys and I attended our little buddy Evan's 4th birthday party in Vallejo. Evan's parents are my friends from high school, so it's always great to celebrate these special occasions with old friends. 

 Lucas wasn't too crazy about the party hat.

Cruz and the handsome birthday boy waiting for yummy cake.

Sunday was more of a lazy day, with me just running a few errands and tidying up around the house. At one point in the morning I was lounging on the couch and Lucas crawled on to my lap. I look over at him and burst out laughing at his fluffy, crazy hair. I have no idea why his hair grows so haphazardly but it certainly gives him character!

 After lunch I loaded the kids up in the car and we drove down to Benicia to check out an open house. As we walked through the house I happened to glance down at Cruz. To my surprise he suddenly had a black eye! I asked him what happened and he said he walked into the corner of the counter in the kitchen. I wouldn't have even known if his little face hadn't been bruised. Luckily it didn't hurt much because he never cried or yelled out. Naturally I had to take a picture of it (lol).

I know he looks sad in this picture but I actually told him not to smile so I could get a better view of the bruise. He was still my happy little camper despite the incident.

Another little milestone worth mentioning was last night Lucas had his first "big boy" meal, meaning no baby rice cereal or veggie puree that he's been eating for the last 4 months. He increasingly has shown interest in table food and loves it when we feed him little morsels of whatever we're eating. Now that he has so many more teeth coming in he's gotten better at chewing and swallowing correctly, so I could tell that he was ready to begin the transition to regular food. Last  night I made him what Rachel Ray would call a "stoup" - thicker than soup but not quite a stew. I used organic vegetable broth, brown rice, carrots and tofu. I simmered it for about 40 minutes on the stove to thicken it and get the veggies nice and soft so they'd be easy to eat. 

Lucas loved it! He couldn't eat it fast enough. My little guy sure is growing up fast! So, another summer weekend has come and gone. Next weekend we are having Randy's graduation luncheon so stay tuned for that post. Happy Monday and a good week to all!

Mommies Day Out

Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending time with some dear girlfriends who I've been friends with for 16 years now. And actually, one of them, Darlene, I've known since the 4th grade! I am truly grateful to have friends who are constants in my life. No matter what things come and go, these ladies and their friendship is something I can always count on.

It's difficult for us to carve out time together since we are all busy working mamas with families to tend to, but 4 of us managed to get together last Saturday for some R&R. We were missing Hannah and Leslie but had a great time nonetheless.

After a hearty brunch at Highway 29 Cafe in American Canyon, we headed over to Spa Terra at the Meritage Resort in Napa. Spa Terra is my favorite local spa and one that I have frequented over the years. It's a beautiful, calm and serene space housed in a man-made cave that only makes it even more tranquil! They offer a number of different services for both men and women, and have other great amenties. Us ladies indulged in massages, the sauna and whirlpool. We spent the afternoon getting pampered, relaxing and more importantly, catching up with each other. In this day and age where email and Facebook are king, it was refreshing to talk to each other face to face.

(Don't mind my workout gear - I came straight from TNT training, ugh!)

 After lounging the day away, it was time for dinner and drinks. We stopped first at The Farm restaurant and had drinks in their ultra-cool bar area. I peeked at their menu and I think I'll be coming back to check it out, maybe with Randy for a date night.

Last stop was dinner at Boon Fly Cafe. This has been on my list of places to eat and it did not disappoint! It's a cozy little restaurant that serves comfort food with a little bit of that Napa panache. We were so hungry that we ended up ordering a ton of food, but it was so much fun sampling the menu and enjoying each other's company.

Although our get-togethers are not as often as I'd like, I love that we always pick up right where we left off, as though no time has passed at all. I think that is a marker of true friendships - time makes no difference. I love my girlfriends!

Missing her today

I never knew I could hurt like this 
And everyday life goes on like 
I wish I could talk to you for awhile
 Miss you but I try not to cry 
As time goes by 
And it's true that you've reached a better place 
Still I'd give the world to see your face 
And I'm right here next to you 
But it's like you're gone too soon 
Now the hardest thing to do is say bye bye 
 Bye Bye, bye bye, bye bye 
Bye bye 
 And you never got the chance to see how good I've done 
And you never got to see me back at number one 
I wish that you were here to celebrate together

 I wish that we could spend the holidays together...

Haven't heard this song by Mariah Carey in a really long time, but found myself listening to it this afternoon on the radio. I couldn't help but think about my mom and the lyrics ring so true. Trying to channel the sad feelings into inspiration and motivation for my marathon. Some days I just miss her, especially when I look at my sons and wish they could have met her....

A Marathon? Who, me?

Believe it or not, I have signed up for a half marathon! Yes, you read that right. I know, I know, I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, an athlete but it's something I have always wanted to do. Blame the bucket list. After years of hearing about Team in Training and their fundraising efforts for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I decided to make the leap. I figured that since Randy is done with residency and will have a more regular, predictable schedule, I can actually commit to something. So here's the lowdown: I'll be walking 13.1 miles in the Big Sur Half Marathon on November 18, 2012. As a member of Team in Training (TNT)I also commit to raising $2500. I am equally terrified and excited by the whole thing. I have never trained for anything ever before (heck, I haven't even exercised regularly in over a year!) nor have I ever fundraised for any large dollar amount. And while this whole thing freaks me out a little bit, it also gives me a sense of purpose and challenge. What's life if you don't push yourself, right? As part of my fundraising campaign, I've sent out about 125 emails and am working on sending out about 50 letters. Here's an excerpt from my donation request email: I also have two personal reasons motivating me. First and foremost, I lost my own mother, Carina Calpe to lymphoma in February 2005. For those of you who knew her, she was a warm, vibrant, caring woman who loved to cook, dance and travel. She taught me at an early age to have compassion for others, and to always give to those less fortunate than myself. This is my way of honoring her and continuing her legacy of giving. Secondly, over the last 7 years, I have been focused on supporting my husband Randy as he completed medical school, and subsequently his Internal Medicine residency. During that time we were also blessed with the birth of our sons, Cruz (4 years old) and Lucas (10 months). Needless to say I haven’t had much “extra” time. Now that Randy is done, I can take a little time and do something for myself and not kid-related! So far I've raised $350! I am so thankful that I have people in my life who believe in me and who are generous enough to donate to such a worthy cause. I am still not sure I can complete the marathon, but I am going to give it my all and do whatever it takes to get across that finish line. Follow my progress on my TNT webpage! Go TEAM!