My Alter Ego

So.....

I've recently started a completely separate blog that just discusses what it's like to be the wife of a medical student.  Call it a therapeutic avenue.

So, this will be my family/baby blog, and the other has a little more "me-ness" where I can share my feelings and experiences relating to our life situation right now.

So.....if you would like to live through medical school vicariously via my other blog, add it to your list.  Read it, comment on it, follow it.....

.....is it silly that I'm kinda reluctant to share it?  It's a lot more personal than this blog....but it would also be nice to post to actual friends I know instead of posting to the unknown internet--

--which by the way, I made my other blog open to everyone and searchable, so that other medschool wives or anyone interested can find it and hopefully gain something from it.  Hence, I've used nicknames for myself and my family.  It kinda makes me laugh, actually.

Let's see what her new blog looks like

Napa: Week 1

Well, we live in Napa now, and so far we really like it (despite the major con of being too far from family!).  But it is so beautiful here....so lush and green with trees everywhere.  And the weather is heavenly and reminds me of San Diego weather.  It's nice, because there are grape vineyards reminiscent of Marcos' hometown of Fresno, and rolling hills that remind me of my hometown of San Marcos.

Today we visited Napa's premuim outlet mall, which is a lovely outdoor mall with lots of high-end shopping outlets....not that I shop at any of these places regularly, but it was really fun to walk around the nice mall.  I did like the Gap outlet, though, and if I had money I'd take advantage of their awesome deals.  We even saw tour buses that take loads of tourists to this outlet mall.  It was a lovely place to window shop and walk Mason in his stroller, and it's less than 10 minutes away from us.

 Our apartment complex has a really nice little playground we take Mason to, and he loves it!  He really likes this wall of rolling wheels.

And this spinning knob thing that barely qualifies as a toy but that kept him entertained for about 15 minutes.

Sliding with Mommy!

Peek-a-boo!

Sliding with Aunt Tracy!

Sliding with Daddy!

Monkeying around on the monkey bars.  Such a fun playground...and it's so nice that it takes us like 2 minutes to walk there.  Looking forward to many fun times here!

4th of July 2010

To celebrate the 4th this year, we drove up on the 3rd to Shaver Lake to watch fireworks with Marcos' family.  How cute are we with our matching 4th of July shirts?!

Marcos' family hands out glow sticks to all the kids right before it gets dark, which is super fun for them and I think a smart way to keep track of kids in the dark.  Mason liked playing with one for a while.

But I soon replaced it with another toy, cuz he would totally chew right through that glow stick.  Bad news.  I like his "duck lips" while studying his toy.

Then came the fireworks!  It was really cool to watch the fireworks with the reflections off of the lake.  What was even more impressive was the resounding BOOM that echoed and rumbled through the mountains with each display. 

It was so much fun, and Mason wasn't even afraid of the fireworks like he is with other loud things (i.e. the blender, vacuum, etc).  He sat and watched intently the whole time.  I was so happy and had a great time!

Update

So, I guess I should post an update on here for those who didn't get the annoucement on Facebook......Marcos recently got accepted to medical school at Touro University in Vallejo, CA.  We're moving next Saturday, the 24th to a lovely apartment in Napa....not too far from Marcos' school.  Napa is beautiful and smells like the ocean and is a nicer area than most of Vallejo.  It'll only be like a 30 minute commute for Marcos....not too bad.

We are really excited and so grateful he got into medical school, because we were absolutely dreading the thought of having to apply again if this first time didn't work out.  It is an exhausting, grueling, expensive process!  So we are so grateful for this tremendous blessing and opportunity.  We are sad to leave all our Fresno family and friends, but we're not too far away. 

P.S.  How weird is it that I did a post with no baby pictures?!?!  wow.

Mason's 1st Pool Time

Mason recently had his very first big pool experience.  I was sort of expecting the worst......for him to scream and cry as he sometimes does in new/overwhelming situations.  But he actually did pretty well!  At first he didn't know what to make of this experience.

But then he started having fun slapping the water.

And decided that splashing water--especially in people's faces--is incredibly enjoyable.

He's also learned that picking his nose is quite fun and interesting, and frequently enjoys this pastime in public with absolutely no shame.

Grandma and Tracy took turns holding him, but Mason has pretty bad separation anxiety right now, and sometimes is only happy with Mommy or Daddy. ::sigh::

That's Tracy's hand and Mason's hand in the foreground because he knows how to give high fives!

 By the end, he was feeling much more comfortable in the pool.  I just love this picture and the expression on his face at such new and exciting experience!

Mason's First Beach Trip

A few weeks ago, Mason had his first beach experience.  He was very excited!

He liked watching the waves

and getting sandy toes.

Then came the first time his little toes touched the ocean

and it was cold!!!

more sandy toes

pretty baby

Mason just loves hanging out with Grandma...2 pairs of beautiful blue eyes

Big surprise of the day?  He didn't even eat any sand!  I got all psyched up and prepared for all the inevitable sand-eating, and he showed no desire to eat it like he does with grass and leaves at the park.  But he did like picking up the sand

and then letting it ago, watching it fall.  Again and again and again.

Cute little Mama's boy

Mason loves fun aunt Tracy.

It was a great beach trip!  We look forward to many others!