Happy Easter from Our Family

Happy Easter!

It's more than just a simple phrase from our family to you... it's a heartfelt invitation to a celebration, deep well wishes, a catalyst for reflection and spreading of our happiness which overflows almost to the point of crying. Tomorrow is Easter, the day we celebrate Christ's resurrection. What a thought! Even as this busy season, the warm almost summer like days and E has kept us over the top busy... we cannot help but be immensely grateful and feel so privileged that we are God's children by the profound act of Jesus Christ dying for us and those pitiful sins we've committed. How do and can we express enough thanks and celebration at a time like this? I don't think I can. But one thing I know is that as tomorrow comes (and goes) we want to share this beautiful Easter day and message to all we meet (family and friends and even strangers alike).

So again, Happy Easter!

New Stats for Elizabeth

We went to the doctor's on Wednesday for E's "15 month" check-up. Of course, she's almost 17 months, but that was an appointment-making oversight over the holidays. Can you believe our very popular doctor is booked 3 months out even for a quick check-up? Anyways, we came so late (age wise) that we're actually skipping the 18 month check-up (but she did get the corresponding shot for it at this check-up) and we're planning to go to see the doctor at E 's 2 year check-up in October. That's nice!

So for E's stats:
Height: 31.5 inches (We thinks she's quite tall looking, but I think it might be more her limbs are long like Mommy)
Weight: 22 pounds, 5 ounces (she's really slowed on the weight gain since 1 year hit, but it isn't for lack of eating... I can tell you)
Overall growth: She's around the 40%-50%... so I guess pretty average.

Oh and this time E was really observant to all that was going on, which meant she really didn't like the shots. We also have an order for bloodwork to test for lead ... but we just can't quite bring ourselves to take her, hold her down, see her cry and thrash as they attempt to draw blood. Ecks! We will, because it's important... but who knows when. (Actually we've had that bloodwork order for... oh... 5 months, sitting in my wallet.)

But one funny (at least I found funny) shots antidote, later that day right before her bath E got her diaper changed and Ian didn't put her pants back on. As he put her in the living room to wash his hands, she looks down and starts cry whimpering. I try to coax her to come to me (maybe about 5 E sized steps, but just far enough that I can't just reach out and pick her up), but she won't budge. She just keeps crying and looking down at her bandages. It was like seeing those bandages immobilized her legs (maybe more likely reminded her of the ouchie she got at the doctor's office). I found it slightly amusing only because all day she was running around, jumping and climbing everywhere without a care in the world. But at the sight of those colorful band-aids, "Boom", her legs stopped working. She wouldn't even bend her knees or turn. Of course, once the bandages were removed though, she was fine.

(post written by Gilda)

Ah Ah Ah... No No No

E has learned a new word: "No". The other day I laid E down to change on the changing table and she started saying very clearly and articulately "Ah ah ah, no no no" - words Mommy and Daddy have often used to tell her not to do something. She was having fun saying it and kept saying it over and over to her daddy as he changed her diaper.

Does she know what "no" means? Yes and no. She knows what it means when we say "No" about something she wants or tell her not to do something (like go into the trash can, hmm yum). But when she answers our questions with a "no" and a head shake, I'm not sure she means it. Sometimes she'll even say, very clearly, "no" and then proceed as if she meant yes. She's probably just copying us and enjoys saying "no" with a little head wag. (Oh and she loves to copy and often likes to mimic whatever we say - or at least tries very hard it. Other new words in her repertoire are "owl" and "more" with the sign for more.)

We're also amazed daily that she truly understands most of what we say to her. Including phrases like "Do you want more?", "Do you need a diaper change?", "Let's go outside", "Go get the ball/your shoes/socks/Mr. Bear Bear..." etc. How she's growing up our little one!!

Let's just hope with all this new understanding she won't grow up too fast. Oh and hopefully this newfound interest in the word "No" doesn't mean she's beginning her "Terrible Twos" "No" Phase anytime soon.

Amgen Tour of California 2008

Last year we saw the Tour come through Davis. I doubt E remembers it, but it was pretty fun to watch for and then see. This year, we were so out of the loop that it was actually my sister who informed it it was coming through today. So amidst the rain, E and I again went out to see the Tour pass through Davis.

Pretty much I think she enjoyed the many police and CHP cars with their lights going and the sirens more than the many (and colorful) cyclist speeding by. Oh, and it also helped that we stood next to a class of preschoolers (the non-napping ones) chanting "Highway Patrol" and "Police Cars".

So, for our friends and family far away... here's a few shots of the Tour as it came through Davis (right by our apartment) once again.


Doesn't he look tired? Well, he broke away somewhere at the 4 minute mark and had been riding by himself for most of the stage. Oh, and there's a sprint coming up, so good time to take a smallish breather.


The rest of the pack a couple minutes behind. Really, the group of them come and go really quickly... maybe 30 seconds. They'll have a sprint after getting through Davis and then finish at the Capitol.

2007 Taxes - Round One

Yesterday night I decided to try to tackle my pre-run-through of our taxes. This year is quite a bit more complicated as I am legally self-employed as a sole proprietor and need to fill out, in addition to the numerous other schedules having to do with our stock investments and child tax credits, a schedule C (business loss and profit report) and a SE (for self-employment tax). This of course spawns the having to download and go through numerous other forms and publications (just so I can figure out what to put on certain lines on my 1040 or scheduled forms).

So, after about 2 hours of calculatoring, writing (in pencil), realizing I totally messed up in areas, erasing and rewriting (still in pencil) all the necessary numbers - our pre-run-through of our federal and state tax forms are done.

How did we do? Well, being that Ian makes a Teacher Assistant's salary (I think his exemptions are still set like they were when it was just him), I am self-employed but make very little (so little in fact that I didn't even pay the normal self-employed quarterly taxes this year) and E give us a big credit (well 3/4 of that pays for her diapers alone!)... we fall in a really low tax bracket (and owe very little taxes). That along with Ian paying a lot of federal taxes and a myriad of deductions (IE: my health care premiums before the net income was calculated) my pre-run-through calculation show that the government owes us just under $2,000!!

Of course, this to me looks really odd/wrong. Doesn't that seem a bit high? So I'm going to take a look over it again with Ian (in detail) and I possibly might have an accountant/HR block friend look it over. If it's right, that's great! (Ian will be changing his exemptions, either way.) We'll have a little money for my IRA, for bills and maybe for a small vacation this summer. ("Sorry Bush, extra money in our refunds rarely gets back out into purchasing stuff! We're frugal over here!!")

Here's for hoping I did the taxes correctly!