Twice Blessed

So, like I said in my last post, we are expecting our second child. Finally! After three years of trying. So many times I thought it could just never happen. We're so blessed to have Deepak, who is so extraordinarily amazing, and we are so happy that he is becoming a big brother.

I was sick for a few weeks but I thought it was from the stress of finding out that my dad had cancer. Once we planned our trip home to Cali I wanted to take a test first, just in case, so that if it was positive I could tell Dad. When it came up positive, I did not believe it, I didn't even believe the second test. I headed to the midwife's office straight away and was in shock to finally be pregnant. I never really connected with the midwife so as soon as I got the positive result, I made my first prenatal appt with another OB in the same practice.

I surprised Amit by leaving a gift box in the mailbox with the positive test inside. I told my mom over dinner once we arrived in California. Unfortunately we didn't arrive in time for me to tell my dad but my brother told him for me before he passed. I told Deepak "There's a baby growing in mommy's tummy." and he said "You mean you're pregnant?"

He is so excited and loves to rub my belly and tell the baby secrets. He thinks it's a sister because that would maintain our boy/girl pattern.......mom, dad, dee, sister, ace the dog (boy), lily the cat (girl).

The baby is due April 25th and will likely be born via scheduled c-section. I'm so so so so excited and terrified a little. Deepak will be almost six by then, I really feel like I'm doing it over for the first time in many ways. But I think I'm doing a pretty fabulous job with Dee so I'm not TOO worried ;)

How do I explain September? How about simply.......the first week of the month Deepak started kindergarten, Amit gave his notice and accepted a position elsewhere, I found out I was pregnant and then, my father died. We made two trips back to LA, the first in hopes of saying goodbye but we didn't make it. The second trip was for the funeral services. Our family is thankful that he died peacefully at home and we are looking forward to the newest member of our family due in the Spring.

August was tame. One of our many zoo trips was enjoyed with friends. Then the Bitchcakes had a much needed MNO (mom's night out for those not in the know) at the Basil Bar somewhere on the eastside. We got word that a spot opened up at MITCH Charter School so out with homeschooling and off Deepak goes to kindergarten come September.

Our time in Cali this summer was wonderful, even though Amit was busy all week in a conference. Here we are at Dee's birthday dinner at Rainforest Cafe, Dee and I at Disneyland, Dee showing his muscles at Huntington Beach, Dee and mama in Santa Monica and Dee and cousins with Lola.

Here's Deepak in his OMSI Let's Invent, summer camp. Deepak and mom with matching highlights and Deepak at swim class. Every morning at like 8am was brutal for me!

I am long overdue for posting so I'll be playing catch up over the next few days.
This was Deepak's June. Lounging with good old Ace and lots of bike riding with his buddy Connor. We also went out to Salem for the World Beat Festival. There we are with the Sinulog dancers. I was fortunate enough to experience Sinulog in Cebu and one day Deepak will too.

On Friday night we had friends over for dinner. Afterwards, the kids snuggled up to enjoy a movie together. Dee's too young to realize how lucky he is!

Dee and a friend discovered that the Japanese maple in the front yard is the perfect size for climbing. They decided to hold their "Jedi training" upon it's branches.

We had a few days of nice weather before the rain returned and luckily we took advantage of it.

Deepak balancing across a fallen log in the Tualatin Hills Nature Park, where he attends preschool as a Nature Kid.

Now that I am feeling so much better, Dee and I have been getting back into our groove. Thursday he started his day with a playdate, followed by his return to tae kwon do and then straight from there to Kumon class. After Kumon we sat by the pond outside and watched the lone duck wading thru the water.

When we came home, we joined our neighbors for a walk around the block, then all the kids came back and played basketball and hopskotch in our driveway.

Today, Deepak went back to preschool. I haven't been able to take him since about 1 1/2 weeks before spring break. He was happy to return and his friends were happy to see him.

Here they are on their daily Nature Walk.

We've been pretty cooped up at home while I've been dealing with some pain. I've been able to be creative in keeping Dee busy and active while hanging around at home and in our yard. But after my multiple doctor appointments on Wednesday, we decided to stop at the park and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine.

Aeryn is another of Deepak's very close friends. She will be four this July and she is so energetic and bright. She shares the same creativity and imagination that Deepak loves and they have so much fun playing make believe.......whether he's Fred and she's Daphne or he's Batman and she's Catwoman, they always have a blast!

It was such a nice day during their weekly playdate that they decided to do some running around and hopskotch jumping outside.

It was recently the 4th birthday of Dee's best friend and one of his first Oregon friends, Emma. They hit it off from the start and just love each other. To celebrate her birthday Deepak and Emma spent the afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese followed by present opening, cake and more playing at her Nana's house.

So yesterday Deepak says to me "Mama, you and Daddy are both 28, right?" I tell him that we are. He then says "So that means you're almost to 30. Next is 29 and then you'll be at 30!"

He was proud at his realization. I wasn't as thrilled with the reminder that my entry into my 30's is just around the corner.

Of course as his mama, I think everything he has to say is adorable and more important than anything else going on around me.

No pictures from this week. This mama is in alot of pain so we've been laying low. Doing art projects, coloring, playing legos, magnetix, reading tons of books and making mud pies and swinging in the hammock with our friends next door.

Hopefully next week we'll back to our busy selves. But since we're always on the go-go-go, I'm trying to enjoy our time at home for now.

Smooches my friends!

Today was such a beautiful day in Portland. Growing up in Southern California, you forget to appreciate such days, but not here. You remember what a blessing warm air and radiant sunshine is. Today we packed a lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches, grapes, carrots, strawberries, watermelon, goldfish crackers and of course......cookies! We sat out on the lawn near the elephants and Daddy and Deepak raced back and forth across the grass, Deepak did a few of his Jedi tumbles too. Then we visited the elephants, zebra, giraffes, bats, tigers, kangaroo and hippopotamus. Dee told me one thing he noticed about each animal and I wrote his observations down on index cards for his journal.

Once we got home, the three of us spent the afternoon outside. Daddy mowed the lawn and Deepak and I filled a whole bag with loose leaves and twigs. Another simply wonderful, family day.

Ok, this post is out of order and I haven't figured out how to fix that so cut me some slack! This post should have followed the Discovery Museum post.

After our trip to the Discovery Museum, we walked across the way to the Oregon Zoo. We were tired from our trip to the airport and time at the museum but it was so close, we have a membership and we really wanted to see the new Great Northwest exhibit.

We had awesome views of the black bears, bobcats and cougars, as well as fish, turtles and ducks. It was lunchtime so we left after walking thru the entire exhibit but we're going back Saturday because Deepak REALLY wants to see the ocelots!

Monday the Nature Kids got to see the first authentic bald eagle's nest recovered from the wild at the Jackson Bottom Wetlands in Hillsboro. Mom, Dad and Lola came along for the fun. Well all the parents came, they're 4 afterall!

Even though Lola left, we had a fabulous day. We visited the Forestry Discovery Museum. We played in the white water raft, boat and jeep, learned about the rainforest, tree harvesting and planting, the environment and the animals of the forest. The last time we were there, there was an Ansel Adams exhibit. The current exhibit is Jungles sponsored by National Geographic. I took photos of the photos on exhibit. Amazing!

Today Deepak's Lola (my mom) left Portland to return to California. We had a wonderful time during her visit and as always, are sad to have to say goodbye. She plans to relocate here later this year and we anxiously await the day that she calls Oregon her home.

Here is Deepak and Lola standing on our front porch. Isn't the Flowering Plum tree beautiful? Too bad it's our neighbors'! Makes for a nice backdrop though......almost looks like one of those faux backgrounds you use at a studio!

After the party at CM2, we headed over to Sip & Kranz in the Pearl District. Coffee yum, bagel yum, cookie yum! Deepak had cereal with soy milk so he was happy. Then he played in the Kiddie Lounge while we watched him through the see-thru wall. A soundproof room where kids can play, draw on the walls and tumble into piles of pillows while parents take advantage of great food, coffee, wine/beer and wi-fi......who can complain! Afterwards we stepped outside and let out more energy in Jameson Square. All in all, another wonderful day.

Sunday we went to a classmates birthday party at CM2 in Portland. We hadn't gone there for awhile.......it is SO time to renew our membership, that place is awesome! There have been some renovations and Deepak had so much fun during the party and playing with his friends in the museum afterwards. http://www.portlandcm.org

Today Deepak modeled his cute little Perry Ellis suit at Nordstrom's Spring Fashion Show.

He strutted his stuff down the runway after turning in his bio which stated that his favorite subject in preschool is Art, because he likes to paint and that he wants to be an Astronaut when he grows up because it would be exciting and he'd like to visit Mercury someday.

He was so cute doing his thing on the "catwalk" and there were many "aaawww's" as he strutted his stuff. He was very happy that his Lola was here visiting from California to see him. He was a great sport for having to be dressed up and paraded around at 8:30 in the morning.

Afterwards he had a big plate of chocolate chip pancakes at The Original Pancake house in Portland. Yummy!

Deepak earned his second stripe for his tae kwon do belt last week. To earn it he had to demonstrate his *four directionals*. I still couldn't tell you exactly what that is! From what I see, it is a short series of stepping/turning in the appropriate direction, using the appropriate foot for each step, and kicking.

After he earned his stripe he immediately called his daddy to share the good news. Daddy was thrilled as he is Dee's biggest fan.

His first stripe was for reciting the tae kwon do creed: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-control, Indomitable Spirit. It is VERY cute to hear a not quite four year old (at the time he earned it) say "indomitable"

I'm so proud of my little guy!