Busy week...

Last week was a rather busy one at work and at home, making it nearly impossible for me to get on the blog and update. And while this week doesn't seem to be letting up one bit, I'll do my best to get some new photos of our little rugrats up here, along with some of their recent accomplishments. For now, all I can say is that they're really starting to feed off one another, developing that tight bond that can go either way. They have their good days when they gleefully play games of hide-and-seek, share toys, and just sit and "chat" with one another. And they have their not so good days when all it takes is a look to set one another off! The not so good days are sometimes comical because we can't figure out why they can be so touchy?! But then we realize that both kids are just mirrors of Enz & myself when we're just not having good days, only on a smaller and less understandable scale! Those bad days just require a little more work on our end to make the kids feel "normal" again, but at the end of the day, all the hard work is well worth the effort as the kids revert back to their carefree selves.

Our little mischief maker...

Breaking in daddy's new slippers...

Trip to the SF Zoo

This past Monday, since both Enz & I had the day off, we took this opportunity to surprise the kids with their first visit to the zoo! The weather was beautiful in SF that day although the wind started to pick up by mid-afternoon. Nevertheless, the day was a perfect way to complete our Easter weekend!

The kids didn't quite know what was in store, except that they'd get to see a bunch of animals. We were a bit disappointed when we found that there were no elephants at this particular zoo, but I don't think the kids minded so much, especially since they did get to see a lion and a bear (two of Isaiah's favorites because he knows how to make their sounds)!

Both kids had a great time in the Kid's Farm, a small petting zoo where you can get up close and personal with a bunch of farm animals. Isaiah proved to be a "Dr. Dolittle" in the making as he was captivated by all the goats that surrounded him. He showed no fear when they came to him in search of food. In fact, he was so enamored by this one particular goat, that he didn't want to do anything else but pet him and only him! HA! Enz hung out with Isaiah and his buddy, and it took her a while to get him to finally move on to the rest of the animals. Makenna was more selective with the farm animals and told me exactly which animals she didn't like (sheep). Maybe she thought they looked gross and disgusting? Or maybe that's just what I thought?!

After trekking through the entire zoo, and having a nice lunch in between, we noticed the kids were starting to wind down a bit. They weren't the only ones, as we finally realized how much more energy these two little ones over us! Before leaving we took them on a carousel ride and they both loved it. What a great way for them to end their first trip to the zoo. It didn't take any time for them to crash out on the ride home. We hope this was a memorable time for the both of them, a first of many more to come!

Happy Easter!

This past Easter Sunday we spent the afternoon with the family and the kids had a blast! Not only were they older, they were a bit more "seasoned" with the Easter egg-hunt (at least Makenna was)! Isaiah still needed a little coaching, but what can you expect from a 14-month old?! Once he found one egg on his own, it was almost as if that was it for him, and he just wanted to play with that single egg! Enz had to urge him on in order for him to find other eggs. Too funny! Of course Makenna did her own thing and picked up as many eggs as she could find. In the end, they came away with their baskets full, and we came home with wiped out kids! Fun was had by all and we can't wait for next year's Easter celebration!

Makenna got that "I'm on a mission" look on her face

Isaiah's got one egg, now the search is on for more
Happy Easter from the Camero Family
The cousins and their loot

Two-year doctor visit

Yesterday, Makenna had her two-year checkup and all went well. No shots this time around, so Kenna was in a GREAT mood! The doctor was impressed with Kenna's current level of development as she listened to him intently, and thanked him at the end of her appointment =) Her current measurements are as follows: she's 34 inches long/tall, which puts her in the 50th percentile for height; and she weighs 30 pounds, which puts her in the 80th percentile for her weight. Barring any unusual circumstances, her next appointment is at three years of age. It'll be interesting to see how much she develops in the next year!

Our two-year old diva...

Cruisin'

As the kids learn the concept of "sharing," the house is constantly filled with sounds of screaming, crying, and the word "mine!" Even if they both have similar toys to play with, Makenna always wants to play with whatever Isaiah's playing with, even if it's of no interest to her. Basically she only wants to play with a toy if he's already playing with it. Go figure! For her birthday, she received a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe, and with all the other "ride on" toys she's gotten, it took me this long to put it together. When I did, she was all smiles and she screamed like a wild woman! She was SOOOO happy that she was even willing to share her new ride with her little brother! Happy Monday!

"I love it when we're cruising together...."

sharing is caring!

"Sorry Dada"

Possibly one of the best things about our children is their innocence. They're both growing and learning so fast, and they just seem to soak up everything we teach them. Not only that, they seem to pick stuff up along the way that we don't teach them, and I'm not talking bad things either.

Breakdowns, meltdowns or whatever you want to call them, are not specific to young children. Being an adult does not make you less susceptible to such breakdowns. Call it a bad day, but I fell victim to one of these breakdowns yesterday, and in retrospect, I feel badly on how I handled it.

The kids look up to us adults as parents, role models, and guides. They look to us for understanding, strength, and overall comfort. When they have their so-called "meltdowns," they look to us for help to get through them. We are supposed to provide them the knowledge and understanding as to why something is happening, and how best to get over it. Whether it be a solid one to one talk, or even parental disciplinary actions, our children depend on us to help them get through these confusing times. Once all the dust settles and the emotions are back in check, the kids go about their merry way almost as if they've forgotten that they just had a tantrum a few minutes prior.

When one of us adults has an off day, it really shows, even to the untrained eye of the kids. Yesterday was my day, and I don't know how the kids got the best of me, but they did, and to make things worse, I let them get to me. I forgot that I'm the one that has the ability to rationalize and to sort through my thoughts before blowing up. I let the kids and their fussiness break me down, and I don't know why.

The beauty of the whole mess was that my kids were there for me. As I tried to get through my episode, I got quiet, and in doing so, it triggered something in Makenna. She followed me around the house and hugged me, and all along she kept asking me "okay dada?" as if she knew something wasn't right. Isaiah was also quick to follow his big sister and would keep calling out "dada?" as I struggled to get their dinner ready for them. But even their innocence wasn't enough to snap me out of my funk. Makenna noticed that I wasn't looking her in the eye when responding to her and she persisted by saying "sorry dada." It's almost as if she thought that I was angry with her and by apologizing to me, it would make the tension go away. Man, I look back and I realize that I was a jerk to my kids last night, plain and simple.

I don't want to be that kind of parent who takes his frustrations out on his kids. I mean sure, they can have their bad days and do things that can really work my last nerve. But sometimes I fail to realize that they're just babies, and in order for them to learn what's right, they also have to learn what's wrong. As an adult, I've had the experience of going through that learning process, so I have the advantage over these kids. In fact, being an adult doesn't mean you have all the answers. We're constantly in a state of learning, from the day we're born to the day we pass, so it's safe to say that, as a family, we're all learning together.

At the end of the night, after Enz put both kids down, I went in to see them right before they fell asleep. I apologized to both of them for "acting up." Isaiah responded with a big smile through his pacifier, and Makenna gave me a big hug and said "sorry dada, I love you, see you later!" After that it hit me, life is way too short to let the little things bring you down.

Sorry kids, for letting you down, I'll try harder next time. Thank you for being there for your Daddy!

Mr. Personality

It seems that our little man has started to come out of his shell as of late, and it was most noticeable last night when we had some of our cousins over for Tuesday night shows & DVR catchup. Isaiah has been extremely moody these past couple of weeks, mainly because he had a few teeth cutting in at the same time. As the pain and irritability subsided, he became much more of a delight to be around, with less fussiness and more laughter! He has actually started to repeat more words, especially after hearing Makenna say them. Last night he was all laughs as he enjoyed a little play time with the family. I don't think we've ever seen him so giddy & giggly for so long. As he began to wind down, he became his usual fussy self, but we attributed that to his normal way of telling us that it was time for him to go down. We're hoping that with the weather getting warmer, and the days getting longer, he'll be able to enjoy more awake time with his new-found pleasant demeanor. We also hope yesterday wasn't a one-time thing, and that we see this better side of him more frequently!

The little man has developed a shoe fetish...

Eager to fill & walk a mile in daddy's shoes...

The kids

While a lot of our attention has been on Makenna's growth, we've forgotten how quickly Isaiah is developing as well. Its fun to compare where Isaiah is now to where Makenna was back when she was a year old. Back then, she was a lot more chatty than he is now, but he's picked up on more words than she did, probably because he hears her saying them and then he attempts to say it too. Regardless of what we're teaching Makenna, Isaiah is right behind her playing catch-up, though she's at the point of understanding what were asking of her while he's just imitating. Either way, they're both making great progress in their overall development!

Isaiah continues being overly inquisitive, and has found great interest in the dog. Whenever Marino enters the room, Isaiah lets out a big "oooohhhhhhh" and follows him all over the place. He likes when Marino licks his hands, and enjoys playing with Marino's teeth. Marino is very careful and will just lay there while Isaiah has his way with him. We've been fortunate that Marino has taken well to both babies, even though a lot of people still can't believe we have such a "beast" around the kids =)

Makenna is turning into a real peach, and her attitude has really started to surface. She's become so independent and strong-willed, and will shout "me do it" when she doesn't want any help in doing something. She will ask for help though if she gets in a bind, but that's usually after getting extremely frustrated! HA, sounds a bit like me =) At this point, we're allowing her to express her independence, to a certain degree of course (give an inch, they take a mile)! She's still too young to do much on her own, but recently, when putting her in her car seat, she started with the "I wanna drive" chant. What the? Drive?? Already?? Oh boy, do we have a big task ahead of us with this one!

Playing hide & seek at Yogurtland

Storytime for ALL the kids (even Marino's getting in the mix)

Good Mood

CONGRATULATIONS to our friends the Nguyen Family on the arrival of the newest addition to their family: Kaitlynn Nguyen! Kaitlynn was born on March 26, 2009 at 4:43 pm, weighed in at 7 pounds 10 ounces, and was 20 inches long. We wish nothing but happiness & great times ahead for the Nguyen family!


Life is always better when our two little ones are in good moods, and while they both have their occasional meltdowns, they've gotten better at just being happy =) As Isaiah continues to cut new teeth, his mood swings are more frequent, but for the most part he's been a happy camper. So when he's in a good mood and Makenna's in a good mood, it makes for fun times between the two of them. They play better together, and they "talk" more to one another; basically they just get along well and that makes for a great overall mood at home! When the mood is good, it brings the stress level way down, making family time fun time! Couple that with this great weather we're having, it just make life seem more manageable. Ahhhhhhh! Happy Friday all, have a great weekend =)

Isaiah found mommy's hula-hoop but didn't know what to do with it but drag it around the house...

Makenna rockin' daddy's docs

Developing personalities

So it seems that our two little munchkins are becoming quite the formidable tag team these days. And while they're both making great strides in their development, their bond with one another is much like that of any other brother and sister pair we've seen. They have their good days, and their not-so-good days, some more than others, but at days end, they both give each other a goodnight hug and kiss. I wonder how long that'll last before they start ripping each other's hair out!

Now that Enza's birthday has come and gone, we're done with the "Camero birthday rush" which tends to keep the momentum of the holidays and our anniversary going. Ahh, a lull in the festivities is all we need, because it seems like we've been going non-stop since Halloween! For now, we can enjoy the silence, how ever long that lasts! With all the recent birthdays came Isaiah's new word: birthday! He actually said it right before we woke Mommy up on her birthday. That being said, Makenna's favorite song at the moment is Happy Birthday, and she sings it to anyone and everyone regardless of their date of birth!

Isaiah has sprouted a couple more teeth, and has been one big ball of drool as of late. He can't keep his shirts dry for more than a few hours and we're finding that his laundry is neverending! His little jealousy streak is slowly developing, and he doesn't like to share our attention, especially with his sister. If he's sitting with one of us and Makenna wants to join us, he will immediately push her away and start crying. I'm pretty sure he learned that from her, but we're slowly working on the whole idea of "sharing."

Makenna's attitude is showing up more, and was the most evident the other day when I called her over to clean up her toys. Her response? "I'm doing something!" and she said it with such attitude it left Enza and I speechless! Sure, it was funny, but then we started to look at the big picture and had visions of her future rebellious years. We need to nip that in the bud before the attitude becomes overly dominant. And so it all begins...

Our artsy little man, showing off his latest drawing...

Makenna helps prepare breakfast

Patience tested

We thought Makenna's terrible two's started early, but seems like that stage may be in full swing now that little Miss Independent has a big voice! Sure all her words were cute and funny when she first started saying them, but since she's figured out how to put them together to form sentences, she's literally been telling us what she wants and doesn't want. At first we praised her for her ability to use the right words at the right times, and that's a great accomplishment for a two-year old. But when that word is the dreaded "no," it gets a little old. She acts as if she has a say in the matter, regardless of what it is. For example, Makenna will say "no" when we tell her it's time for her nap. Or she'll say "no, I don't want to eat" when it's time for dinner. These are just a few examples of her thinking she has a choice! It gets to the point where every other word is "no" and sometimes she'll even confuse herself by saying it when she wants something! HA! She knows that word will get us going (God knows what we used to go through if we said "no" to our parents) and she just keeps on saying it to push our buttons. When we don't give in, she'll break down and cry, and sometimes throw herself on the ground. She's also developed this weird, whiny, roaring sound that makes us look at each other and ask, "where did she learn that from?" Oh well, we keep telling ourselves that it's just a phase that kids go through, and with that, we're preparing for when Isaiah goes through it, if he hasn't begun already! Right now he starts up when he sees that Makenna is having a fit, and he's already Mr. Sensitive.... Oh the humanity!!! Happy Friday!

Makenna and Isaiah on a good day...

The family @ Brianna's 2nd birthday (we were all kind of sick here)

That's entertainment!

The kids have always been a great source of entertainment, but more so lately, as their personalities continue to develop on a grand scale. Those who have been around can see it in a couple of things. With Isaiah, he's become less of the "fuss-bucket" he used to be and has become more inquisitive of everything around him. You can see it in his eyes when he spots something new and interesting, and he'll usually say, "ooooh, what's that?" He's also a lot quicker on his feet now, and he's gaining a better understanding of what we tell him. His newest thing is that he wants to walk to his room on his own when he has a dirty diaper. If we tell him we have to change it, he'll immediately make a beeline for his room! Who taught him that???

With Makenna, it's almost as if she's on overdrive, especially with her speech! She's at that stage now where "me do it" and "I did it" are pretty common. Our little Miss Independent loves to do things on her own, but will always ask for help if she runs into a snag. It's funny to hear her ask "daddy help you" when she needs assistance because she's basically repeating what I say to her when I notice she's stuck. Out of the blue, she'll sing entire songs (nursery rhymes) while Enz & I look at each other in amazement! Just last night, she called both Enz & I by name! HA, too funny!

They're both at great stages in their young lives and it's so fun to watch how they feed off one another's energy. Sure there are still times when Kenna overdoes it and gets Isaiah all riled up, but it seems that he's learning to get over it quicker. That is, unless she continues to push his buttons...

Isaiah rockin' Makenna's leopard print scarf, with his "blue steel" pose....

Makenna just hammin' it up for the camera...

TGIF!

TGIF! So now that the weather's gotten a lot more favorable, we've been able to take the kids outside without the fear of getting wet, WHEW! Not quite sure how long the great weather will last, but we've been taking advantage thus far and the kids love to be outside! Isaiah got a wagon for his birthday last month, but we haven't been able to use it due to all of the rain. Both kids have been able to enjoy it since it's been warm, and they both love being pulled around in it. I guess it gives them a little more freedom as opposed to being stuck in a stroller! Here's to continued warm weather as the month progresses! Happy Friday!!

Our little "wagoneers"

Isaiah LOVES blueberries!
Makenna attempts to play us a tune

Makenna's 2nd Birthday

Still can't believe the little one is two-years old, and to this day we still find it hard to believe how blessed we were that she was born on my birthday. What are the odds? For this birthday, we decided to have Kenna's party at the Little Gym, and let her and her "posse" blow off some steam! It worked out perfect as the kids were allowed to do their own thing, mixed in with some fun instructor time. Now that Isaiah's been walking for a solid month, he was able to get down and run around with all the bigger kids too! The time went by so quickly though, and by the time all the kids sat down for cake and ice cream, they all looked exhausted! Makenna had such a great time on her birthday, so much so that I think it pretty much erased her memories of the "jumpy house" for Isaiah's birthday! Thanks to everyone who made it out to celebrate this milestone with Makenna =)

Kenna's new ride

Hangin' with the two little monkeys, Makenna & Kevan
The "crew" eagerly anticipating the extra large air mattress to be inflated

Makenna & Isaiah LOVE bubbles

Enjoying the "parachute"

Mommy playing with Isaiah on the balance beam
Elliott & Cole swinging
A bunch of tired little monkeys....
Getting ready to dig into the Dora cake! Happy Birthday Makenna!!

Fun with the kids!

Yet another relaxing weekend at home, with not much planned but to lounge around and do nothing! We were anticipating the next "big storm," but apparently it turned out to be just a teaser as it didn't really rain much. The kids were on their best behavior for the most part, though Isaiah decided to rebel this weekend and took it upon himself to skip out on his afternoon nap on both days. He's got another tooth starting to make it's way out, and he's been drooling more than the dog! Makenna continues to "wow" us with her ever-growing vocabulary, and the use of her new words is pretty much spot on! We often find ourselves wondering, "how does she know when to use that?" So now it's a matter of keeping a watchful ear on what we say around the house because it seems that Kenna's radar is up and running, and she seems to have selective hearing as to what she picks out to repeat! As cute as it is to hear her repeat certain things, it's probably not appropriate to hear her drop an f-bomb when talking to grandma!

A future American Idol?

The Camero Family Rock Band!!

New stages

What can I say? Everyone knows how silly our kids are, and the laughs just keep coming! Isaiah's been doing his own thing as of late, walking around the house saying "what's that" to everything he sees, or practicing saying his name. It's fun to watch him attempt to run since he's just mastered walking recently, but he's trying. His favorite shows don't seem to hold his interest much, as he's more content with his ability to walk and get into stuff! We thought he'd be Makenna's little shadow, following her wherever she would go, but that's not the case. In fact, she seems to always follow him around! Maybe it's because he can get into stuff we previously told her not to, and since it's his "first offense," she can't get in trouble either? We can't call it! There are times when they're able to play together peacefully, but most of the time, Zae likes to do his own thing. As long as they're not fighting, life is good!

Makenna is in her "repeat what I hear" phase, so you know Enz & I have to bite our tongues every now and then! Makenna has already dropped a couple of undesired four letter words, so we really need to be mindful of what we say. The good part of her new phase is that she's learning a lot, and learning it fast! She can finally say her own name, when previously she had trouble putting the three syllables together. We would practice with her, "Ma-ke-na," and she was able to say each part individually without any problems. But when we tried to get her to put them together, she just couldn't do it, so she would just say "Kenna." Watching Makenna, we can almost see her brain at work, so to speak. We can see what piques her curiosity, what she's interested in and what she doesn't care for. She's at the stage where she's able to communicate more, of course with the occasional tantrum thrown in for good measure! Aside from that, it's hard to believe that she's a week shy of hitting the two-year mark! I can say it until I'm blue in the face, but seriously, where did the time go???

Makenna strikes a pose in daddy's shoes, while Isaiah checks for new teeth

Makenna's attempt at promoting Muscle Milk The canister is bigger than Isaiah!

Relaxing weekend

Not much planned this past weekend, just enough to keep us busy and the kids occupied. We've noticed that the kids tend to act up a bit more when we don't have anything planned, especially the days when we need to stay in to clean house. The weather hasn't allowed us to do much of anything with the kids outdoors, then again, it's still winter! So any chance to get out of the house, whether it be for a quick trip to the mall, a visit to the grandparents, or even a birthday party, the kids are satisfied! That was pretty much our weekend - a visit to Nonno & Nonna's, a birthday lunch with family, and a trip to the mall. Nothing too exciting, but to the kids, each event was a much needed change in scenery! I guess if we just stayed home the entire weekend, it would've given the two more chance to get into trouble! Nevertheless, they had a great time visiting with family =)

Thank you Anuntie Maria & Auntie Elena for my new jersey!

Makenna loves Minnie Mouse =)