It's FUN turning ONE!

Moreover, when God gives any woman wealth and possessions, and enables her to enjoy them, to accept her lot and be happy in her work--this is a gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19)



Can you believe that Naomi is already 1 year old?! I can't! To think that it was only 12 months ago that she was a little 6+ lb newborn just blows me away. She is so smart and adorable and understanding for her tiny little self. We've done a lot of celebrating for her first birthday and there is still more to come. Here's a little recap of events.

As most of you know, Naomi was born on Mother's Day of 2009. May 10th also happens to be the same birthday of our dear friend Elisha Okawa. Her "Birthday Twin" mailed her a package from L.A. - the very first present for Naomi to open on Friday night... how exciting!







Saturday morning, we headed out to the San Pablo lake to do some fishing off shore. Naomi had a blast... enjoying the sun and relaxing before her big day. Nowadays, when we tell Mimi to "Say Cheeze!"... She totally hams it up on camera =D





Sunday morning, I really felt the blessing of Mother's Day love coming from Naomi and Richie. Aside from attending church, we like to watch Joel Osteen on Sunday mornings. It's one of the few (if not the only) non-children's program that she watches intensely. Richie surprised me with two beautiful cards - one from him and one from Naomi. The inspirational Christian blessings and thanksgiving written inside made my heart melt. What made it extra special was Naomi's loving awareness that this was my moment. She gave me such a warm hug after I thanked her. Even early in the morning, she's up and happy and ready for the world!





Next it was time to get ready for a long day of celebration. First things first... putting on the birthday outfit =) I couldn't believe that it rained in the morning, so since it was chilly, it was time to put on the warmer outfit. Check out Mimi's bed-head =)



The darling ribbon jeans were kinda long and baggy so we did a switcheroo for some comfy pants and of course... Naomi had to have some kind of hair accessory! Doesn't she look like a birthday present?



Grandma Lily wanted to throw a lovely Mother's Day brunch to celebrate Naomi's first birthday. All of the Aunties and Grandmas from my side gathered together in South City.



It was awesome seeing Naomi's cousins Andrew, Adam and Alexis; we don't see them nearly as often as we'd like.



... and awesome cupcakes that Ninang Jasmine and Auntie Aileen made!





I bought matching dresses for Naomi and her cousins Andrea and Meleia. We were able to snap this pic before taking off to the next party:



Naomi was such a trouper because she didn't take any naps while we were in South City and she didn't start to get sleepy until around 3:30pm... just in time to rest for the party hopping. We changed her into her evening party dress and she napped in the van on the way to Pinole. By the time we got there, she was ready for round two. Naomi needs lots of energy to keep up with her amigos, Weslee and Bella!



Here's the birthday girl smiling sweetly in her darling party dress at her cousin Weslee =)



Naomi also had another cake to enjoy! We've been trying to practice getting her to blow her candle, but it didn't happen. That's okay, because I know there is a wish planted in her heart and that God will see that it comes true one day!



After eating even more cake, it was time to get cozy again... and play with the Musketeers some more! Baby Kamrin wanted to join in on the fun, especially when they all gathered around the bouncer. It's nearly impossible to get a picture of Mimi, Wes & Bella all looking at the camera at the same time, but it's those candid moments that truly tell the story. This one might be my favorite!



Naomi had to take a break away from all of the excitement. Yes, I am still breastfeeding her, but we'll see how long that will last. Here's the birthday girl checking out her new hair-do and practicing her future b-girl moves!



One more photo-op of the girls =)



... and the Mommies!



After a couple of more hours playing with her cousins, Naomi was super party pooped! Time to go home and catch those Z's....

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY NAOMI HOPE!

HAPPY GEN-EASTER!

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)



Naomi's First Easter.... WOO HOO!! Christ is risen!! On Saturday, we watched a musical drama presentation at Cornerstone called "All Who Hunger" with our new friends the Gonzales Family. Baby Malaya wasn't able to come out to play, but Naomi stayed at the nursery while we enjoyed the show. Afterwards, Grandma Lily and Titas Eva and Angeline came over for a pizza party =) They gave her a basket of goodies, including some adorable bunny ears!



On Easter Sunday, we went to a party, not only to celebrate our Savior's resurrection, but also to wish Genina a Happy 30th birthday. Lots of people were decked out in their 80s gear, but Naomi took home the "Best Dressed Baby" prize.... she well-deserved it!



There was a "Star Search" talent show/dance-off. Richie sang the theme from Growing Pains and I did my version of "It's Tricky" by Run DMC. Lots of fun and laughs all around! Here's what Richie and I would have dressed like if we met in junior high =P



Everyone also shared stories or words of advice for our lovely Genina. Even though it was raining cats and dogs all day, that didn't damper our spirits. The Lord's presence was among us and we all had a TOTALLY RAD time!

From Easter 80s

Party Time!

You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth (Luke 1:14)

Naomi has been a little party animal lately! It started off with cousin Meleia's first birthday on the 17th. We went to Grandma's house and had a small get together and played with our toys. Then we went shopping at Serramonte Mall.... the Disney store was our favorite!



Then on Saturday 12/19/09, Meleia had her party in South City. Mimi got to see her cousins Andrew (6), Adam (almost 4) and Alexis (17 mos) (below with Auntie Aileen)... the letter of the day must have been "A"!





There were a lot of faces that should have been familiar, but since it had been quite a while and there were sooo many of them, Naomi wanted to cling onto someone she knew very well. It was a perfect opportunity for Richie to soak up Daddy's Girl time. She was so tired of partying (and picture taking!) that she fell asleep on his shoulder. This look on her face is all Richie!

From Party Time

Then the following day on Sunday, 12/13/09, Uncle Marc had his birthday party at QZar in Concord. Daddy played laser tag with Uncle Marc, Auntie My and all their friends. Ninong Craig, and cousins Dean and Joshua played too while we hung out with Owen in the arcade. Here's a pic of Mimi chillin' on top of a table wearing her Santa hat =)



That was only the beginning of Uncle Marc's birthday get-together. On his actual birthday, Dec. 23rd, we had dinner with all the fam after praying for Uncle Ed's 1-yr death anniversary. Not only was there a huge Chinese food feast, there were two cakes with lots of glowing candles to stare at with cousin Weslee:





By the end of the night, Naomi was so exhausted. She was getting kinda cranky and probably wanted to go home after a week or non-stop parties. Of course, we had to take one last pic with the birthday celebrante:



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COUSIN MELEIA AND UNCLE MARC!

San Francisco Tour for Auntie Leia's BDay

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. (Isaiah 40:28)

Naomi took her first tour of San Francisco this past weekend. For her Auntie Leia's 31st birthday, the whole Dimalanta Clan rode around in a bus and visited many tourist attractions. Naomi definitely loved that she could just sit in Mommy or Daddy's lap instead of in her car seat. She soaked in the scene while riding on the bus, but especially while stopping along the way.



We started off with brunch at Uncle Marc's loft and headed out to see the Victorian Houses along Dolores Park. You could see the Transamerica Bldg and the cityscape in the background.

From Auntie Leia's SF Birthday Tour

Naomi fell asleep on our way to Golden Gate Park and slept through the entire King Tut adventure. She woke up when we were on the top floor of the deYoung Museum tower.



Next we went to the Cliff House and then ended the tour by crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Although cousins Weslee and Arabella were super tired, Naomi still had a lot of energy to spare!





The weather turned out to be just right and it was a wonderful reminder of how beautiful the city by the bay truly is. By the end of the day, we were all really tired, but we still had a wonderful feast in Pinole. Mimi had a blast, but needed to catch up on her rest. The following day, Naomi slept an extra two hours than normal in the morning!

Thank You Auntie Leia for sharing your birthday with the family and giving me my first tour of San Francisco. I LOVE YOU!

Let there be SIGHT!

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds (Job 33:15)

It seems like it's been a while since I last blogged; for those of you who keep checking: thank you for your patience. The reason I haven't been able to write until now (besides being busier with a more active Mimi - more later) is because I couldn't see my computer screen very clearly... until now. AND now I can see EVERYTHING. CLEARLY! To celebrate my birthday, I got LASIK surgery last Thursday. WOO HOO!

So how does this all relate to Naomi? Well, she was the motivating factor in finally taking the leap and getting the procedure done. I used to be scared of the possible pain, but after being in labor for countless hours and birthing a baby, a 30 minute eye surgery seemed like a walk in the park! When Naomi was about a month old, I stopped wearing contact lenses and relied only on my glasses. I was so blind that I would have to feel around for my glasses...only arms-distance away on the tabletop because I couldn't see them. It's even worse in the middle of the night, with only the dim nightlight, trying to latch a baby onto me. Then there were the showers. You know you're blind if you have to wear your glasses in the friggin shower. Lenses getting all fogged up and wet. Not cool.

Anyway, this blog isn't about me, it's about Mimi. So, while I was getting the surgery, Richie was in the waiting room and Grandpa Titong came along to hang out with Naomi. They cruised the hallways and by the time I was done (I was in and out in about an hour), Mimi was missing Mama. I eventually nursed her in the car - with my eyes closed. Easy enough. Afterwards we went to Grandma Lily's home while Papa went to some jobsites in the Peninsula. I was insructed to keep my eyes closed for the next 4 hours. The mission was to entertain Naomi for as long as possible without getting her hungry. I went to sleep and roughly 3 hours later, I hear my babygirl crying in the next room. Instead of Grandma trying to give her the bottle, which would ultimately get her even hungrier, I called out to my mom bring Naomi over to the bed. I cheated and peeked while she situated herself. When she was done nursing, we both fell asleep.

I couldn't see super clearly when I woke up (it was slightly blurry - very similar to the above picture of Mimi sleeping), but I knew it would only get better. And it has =) I woke up the next day and it was sooo amazing! For those of you with great eyes, it's not a big deal, but I've been wearing glasses for 20 years! So that was my birthday gift -> VISION =)

I swear, that morning, when I picked Naomi out of her bed, she tilted her head and gave me that inquisitive look that many of you have seen on her face. Usually, I'm thinking, "hmmm, what is she thinking?" But this time, I felt like I could read her mind: "Mommy, something looks different about you? Is it your hair? Noooo. Is it your nose? No, that's not it, either. Hey! I know! Where are your other eyes, Mommy?" I just smiled at her and explained to her how I could see her now without my glasses and that I would never need to be four-eyes again =) Naomi seemed to understand and smiled with her mouth wide open. It was a great way to start my 31st year of life =)

That night, the three of us went out for dinner. Afterwards, we dropped Mimi off in Pinole while Richie and I watched a movie. When we picked her up, I asked how she did. Grandma Mrs D said that Grandpa was the one who rocked her to sleep. Then when she started squirming in her sleep, Grandma grabbed my nursing cover and placed it in front of Naomi's nose. She got a good whiff and went right back to sleep. Amazing how that works!

On Saturday, we went to South City for lunch. Ninang Jasmine and Ninong Ken were there with cousins Drea and Leia. Tita Eve and Tita Ang were there, too =) When it came time to have cake, Mimi couldn't take her eyes off it. I think it might have been the first time that she was mesmerized by the candles on a cake.

From Mommy's Birthday

The festivities continued the following day in Pinole to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa's anniversary, as well as Ninong Craig's birthday, too. When Mimi is in South City, she gets to be girly with her cousins, but when she's in Pinole, she gets to toughen up with the boys =) Don't get me wrong though... the boys are super sweet and gentle with her. They all like to give her kisses, especially Owen =) It won't be long before Mimi is running around trying to catch up to them. Sometimes being a kid sure does get tiring though! Check Owee out... he looks like a mini-Richie when he sleeps, too!


I can tell Noami likes being around her family. She enjoys everyone's company and seeing loving familiar faces. Mimi is Mommy's JOY!

From Mommy's Birthday

A Splashing Good Time

As a face is reflected in water, so a person is reflected by his heart. (Proverbs 27:19)

What a wonderful weekend that Naomi had to celebrate her 2 months/9 weeks birthday. The celebration began early on Thursday morning when Auntie Melissa Francisco came to visit us at home in Emeryville. She brought over some tasty bagels and cream cheese for Mommy and a couple of cute outfits for Mimi. Melissa and I have been friends since Junior High when we went to Washington D.C. together. Her daughter Cathleya is my God-daughter and her blog was my inspiration to start this one. Then Grandma Lily brought over some salmon chowder, chicken salad, a pannini sandwich and quesadillas for lunch/dinner. She also gave Naomi a toy cow that "moos." Mimi must really love her new present... check out the SMILE on this happy little baby:


On the 10th, Richie and I watched Transformers at Solano Drive In. Naomi fell asleep on the way there and didn't wake up until we got back home. She missed the movie but all for the best.. what a sweetheart!

The real fun began on Saturday when we carpooled with Jasmine and the girls on our way to Sacramento for cousin Alexis' first birthday. With three car seats loaded in the van, we made the hour and a half long journey. Baby Meleia wasn't used to being in another vehicle and it turns out she wet herself on the way there. Like Mimi, little Mia doesn't like being moisty down below and let us know it! We were all smiling though when we got to Tita Agnes' beautiful house in Roseville...especially when we saw the feast that was prepared and the inviting swimming pool to cool us of from the heat. I asked Dr. Tracy if it was okay for Naomi to take a dip and she gave us the go ahead. Mimi was a little shocked at how cold the water was at first, but once her body adjusted to the temperature, she enjoyed herself quite a bit!

From Splish Splash

Aileen had a lot of fun games for the kids including making mini aquariums out of glass jars. Stickers, pretty rocks and toys? I'm all over it! I couldn't help myself and made one... for Mimi, of course :) She also had pin the tail on the fish and a cool cut out of a shark. As you can see, Naomi likes goldfish, but she's not too fond of being eaten by a shark! I suppose, I wouldn't either!