The Rath of Heather

Santa

2012-01-19T09:29:00.001-08:00

Back in December (obviously) I took Afton to the mall in Escondido to do the last of my Christmas shopping and spotted a short line for Santa. I asked Afton if he wanted to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas and to my surprise he said yes. So my shy little boy squeezed my hand as he walked up to sit on Santa's lap. He looked on the verge of tears but never actually cried. He even told Santa he wanted a drum set, which Santa obligingly brought him.

Mud Pots

2012-01-16T13:56:00.001-08:00

Remember I said that Afton was obsessed with going to see the mud pots near the Salton Sea? We went! We decided to take the long way there through Julian and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It was a nice drive until Afton puked. Ha! We cleaned him up and continued on our way. Totally worth it too. There is something about watching a bubbling slurry of grey mud pop and ooze. Mini volcanoes! The Salton Sea is a strange and gorgeous place.

First Snow

2012-01-04T21:54:00.001-08:00

We were able to go enjoy the snow on Mt. Graham while visiting family in Safford over the holidays. It was the first time Afton has played in the white stuff. He loved it so much!

Another Obsession

2011-12-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Afton and I watched a show on PBS about the Salton Sea mud pots. What is more fun than mud to a little boy, except maybe rain puddles? We have spent the whole morning watching videos about geothermal mud volcanoes and now he is convinced that we are going there at any moment. When I said to get his shoes on he asked if we were going to the mud. When I told him we were going to the store he said "after the store we go to mud?" I guess there is a day trip to plan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1liFUqHhvY&feature=related

Afton is Funny

2011-12-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

Afton: Knock, knock.

Me: Who's there?

Afton: Ghost.

Me: Ghost who?

Afton: Ghosts don't say who, they say BOO!

Mr. Rath

2011-07-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Afton has become such a big boy. I can now say that he's fully potty trained as he went the whole night in his big boy underwear without an accident! He loves anything that has to do with space...space shuttles, planets, galaxies (he likes to find the swirls on his night sky blanket), astronauts, ect. We went to the Aerospace Museum at Balboa Park today and he was all wide-eyed. Granted he was also a bit overwhelmed with all the planes attached to the ceiling and the echo sounds, but as we continued he got much more comfortable. It's a good thing too because we paid for a year membership. Now we can go anytime we want and bring along 2 visitors with us. I'm excited to go again and check out the NASA exhibit.

Afton also loves the beach. He loves to dig holes and bury his feet, saying "where did my feet go? They disappeared!" If you build a castle he is sure to be the opposing army as he will trample it right as you think it's looking good. He will also drag whoever it is holding his hand right into the waves, pulling until you're afraid you're going swimming instead of just wave jumping. If you ask him what he wants to do that day he will say the beach. The park is a runner-up though.

Sushi. Afton thinks whenever we go out that we are going to eat sushi. He gobbles up my tuna and salmon nigri anytime we go. I end up having to order another round so that I can get a bite. There is a waitress at our sushi place (Yummy Sushi) that knows him and will provide extra tofu in his miso soup, since that is his favorite part. He also gobbles up all the edamame and white rice with soy sauce. He thinks he can use chopsticks too, which he can as long as they haven't been pulled apart.

One of my favorite thing Afton does is playing independently with his trucks, motorcycles, and cars. He takes them on rides over the couch and ramps them off of the pillows. I put one of his trucks in the bath with him and he spent 15 mins running it through the car wash, i.e. putting bubbles on it and pouring water over it to clean it up. If Afton doesn't ask if we are going to sushi when we go out, he asks if we are going to the carwash. He says our car is dirty. Always. Even after we have just gone to the carwash.

The boy loves to sing. Not real songs or even a consistent tune. He picks up his guitar, and more recently his flute (not on it's own but along with the guitar), and sits in his seat and sings. Mostly the songs are about Hoho his favorite character from Ni Hao Kai-lan. I have tried to get him to sing his ABCs or any of the many children songs he knows but he prefers to improvise, and he's pretty good at it too.

What a good boy I have. He surprises us everyday with the things he knows. He is getting really good at using the computer. He knows what games he likes (mostly on nickjr.com) and what button to click to watch netflix or listen to iTunes. He has mastered Nippon's iPhone and will play Angry Birds and Pocket Frogs all day if you let him. He speaks in full sentences and will tell you what he wants to eat or drink. I guess I have to admit now that he isn't a baby, and if you say he is he will tell you, "Not a baby...Afton Rath."

MIA

2011-07-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

So I've been missing for a while now, and hopefully I will be found soon. Ha! We finally set up our desktop which has all my pictures and bookmarks and stuff on it. Yes, I have had access to the internet, but I really hate typing a lot on the laptop which is why I haven't been posting since we moved to San Diego. Also my camera is full and I still need to upload all the images so that this blog can have current pics. Anyhoo, enough with excuses.

We have been in beautiful San Diego for over two months now. We LOVE the weather, especially after seeing the soaring temps in Phoenix. I'm definitely not missing the 110+ degrees. I have had my issues adjusting to all the pollen here though. My allergies were awful for the first month. Not only was I sneezing but it aggravated my asthma and I've gone through 2.5 (!!) inhalers since arriving. Not fun. But it seems that my body is adjusting (or course right before I go to the doctor next week) and we've been able to take evening walks to the park without me coughing and wheezing the whole way.

I'm pretty sure that I will get more visitors here than I ever did in Tempe. No question. A couple weeks after moving in Nippon's cousin Mick stayed with us. Even my mom has already come to visit, which is super awesome. Several other family members were in town too (for my cousin's graduation...CONGRATS CORBIN!) so we all got together for a BBQ, went to the beach in Coronado, hit up the zoo, shopped in Old Town, and just relaxed and enjoyed each others company. Then my sister and brother-in-law came and we found some yummy new places to eat (Crab Hut is my new food craving), went to the beach (of course) and did some hanging out. Next visitor is my brother Lee in August. I love that people want to come visit, even if it is not just to see me but to visit this awesome city that we were lucky enough to move to. Once we move into a house it will be much more comfortable.

The View

2011-04-18T20:37:00.001-07:00

Nippon sent me this picture of the view from our balcony.
Look at all that green!
YIPPY!!!

Crying Like A Baby

2011-04-17T16:26:00.001-07:00

Yup, that was me when Nippon left about 30 mins ago. OK, I'll be honest, I'm still puffy eyed and a bit weepy. It's the weirdest thing. I know that he will be back in 5 days, so it's not that I will miss him. I mean, I will miss him but there's just something more to it. I think I know what it is. Today signaled "the change." This is no longer "our house." I mean, we will still own it and everything but it's no longer HOME. I really like our house and where we live and our friends and having family close and well everything! This is a big step for our family. Heading out into the great unknown. It's pretty scary, and of course totally exciting.

I wasn't the only weeper. Afton (who hadn't had a nap because I wanted him to spend as much time with his daddy as possible today) started bawling. I'm talking huge crocodile tears accompanied by wails of "I want Daddy" and "I go, I go." After Nippon was gone, I took Afton to his room to read books and have some milk, hoping that he (and I) would calm down. This didn't really work too well. We both basically had a 15 minute cry-fest. After sobbing our way through two books Afton passed out. I'm sure being over-tired had a lot to do with his tears, but I know mine were from inevitable change. I guess it wouldn't feel real if there weren't some emotions involved. Right?

The Big Move

2011-04-16T11:58:00.001-07:00

We found a two bedroom apartment in the Carmel Mountain area of San Diego. It's a bit further inland than we wanted, but it felt like a better area for a 2 year old to run around in. There is a play area in the complex, several parks nearby, and shopping right around the corner. It's in a much less congested area than the other apartment we were going to get in La Jolla, even though it would have been awesome to live there!

Nippon starts his job on Monday, so he will leave tomorrow and stay with my bestie Jaime (which is probably the best part about moving to SD) and then go pick up the keys to the new apartment on Monday after work. He is only taking what can fit in his car which means he will be sleeping in a sleeping bag and eating on the floor. Luckily he won't have to do that for very long. He is coming back on Friday and we will pack up a U-Haul and move the rest of our stuff next weekend. That means that I need to have everything packed and ready by the time he flies back. I plan to go visit my family in Safford, so I better get a move on.

I will now leave you with a picture of Afton at Coronado Beach (from our previous trip to SD in Sept). He LOVES it there and talks about living in "Sa Deego" and going to the "beash" (beach). He actually says "California" with perfect clarity.

Packing + Stress = Sickness

2011-04-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

I wanted to blame my cold solely on Afton, but I'm sure that the stress of moving is taking its toll. He picked up a nasty cough a couple of weeks ago along with a runny/stuffy nose and fever. He still has a lingering cough, but is basically fine. I on the other hand feel like poop. It started with a slight cough and feeling tired. I've been running around from Kid to Kid (to see if I could get any money from clothes Afton has grown out of and toys that I don't want to pack) to play dates with friends that we will be missing. Throw in packing, cleaning, and regular daily life and there is no surprise why I was tired. But then...the cough decided to turn into a seal bark, my nose sprung a leak, I'm positive my head is going to explode, and to top it off my body thinks it ran a marathon. I'm really not in the mood for this. Not that anyone is ever in the mood to be sick, but I've got packing to do and we are heading to San Diego on Sunday to find a place to live! I will now use the phrase that Afton has been using quite a lot lately...GO AWAY COLD! He doesn't say the "cold" part obviously, it's usually "Mommy" or "Banyan" (the cat), but the message is the same. GO AWAY COLD!

Book 'em

2011-04-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

We've started going through things and begun packing last week. The DVDs are all ready to go (because they were super easy to pack) and the linens & bath towels are sorted and ready for donation. I've begun wrapping my knickknacks and have taken down almost all of our pictures. The thing that has taken some time though (so far) are the books. I hate to get rid of any of them, yet I know there are several that need to go. They have been read and used and loved and are not worth packing up. They are very HEAVY! Especially Nippon's computer programming books. So we spent yesterday deciding which will stay and which will be passed along to new readers. I have four large bags of books to take to Bookmans to see if they will buy any. I'm sure they will buy quite a few of them, as there are some great books in there. After that they will be taken to Goodwill. I was thinking that I would go to Changing Hands but they only give store credit. That means I would end up buying more stuff to pack. Not a good idea. But still temping.

Champions

2011-04-02T11:16:00.001-07:00

AND THEY WON IT WITH A SIX!

Way to go India. ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Champions!

World Cup Finals Here We Come!

2011-03-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

India triumphed over Pakistan today at the World Cup semi-finals! I started watching it on streaming live toward the end of the match, with Harbhajan bowling and Pakistan in need of 73 runs from 51 balls. There was a couple minutes there where I wasn't sure they were going to be stopped, but when Nehra hit the batter out and then Tendulkar caught one, I started doing an Indian celebration. It's kind of like an Ewok celebration but there is more pointer finger dancing.

Great match! I can't wait to see the India Vs. Sri Lanka match on April 2nd.

It's Official

2011-03-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

We are moving to San Diego!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!

Nippon had a job interview last week and yesterday they officially made him an offer, which he accepted. He is set to start April 18th so we don't have any time to waste find a place, getting our house ready to rent, packing, ect. ect. ect. It's going to be a bit crazy at our house for the next three weeks! I am super excited to start this new adventure, but I will definitely miss my friends, family, and familiar spots in Arizona. I guess change is always hard, but luckily it's fun too!

Lookin' At You

2011-03-25T12:44:00.001-07:00

I've probably posted these pictures before, but they make me happy so....

A Real Cut

2011-03-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

This is the picture the lady who cut Afton's hair took after a very easy and quick first salon haircut. I had been cutting Afton's hair at home, but since I was basically just trimming it to keep it out of his eyes, his hair was turning into a mullet. I decided to take him to get a "real" cut. I thought it was going to be a horrific ordeal but he was really good. I'm sure the Elmos video, race car seat, stuffed dog, and other fun toys were distracting enough. I almost thought his patience had left while waiting for the stylist to get a band-aid for the cut she gave herself about three snips into it. BUT he was a good boy and only asked a few times to get down. All in all it was a great trip. He still has some cute curls and his hair is out of his eyes. I think I can keep it trimmed for a while, but when the back starts getting longer than the front you know we will be back.

Aftonaut

2011-03-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

Afton and I watched the last launch of the space shuttle Discovery last week.
I tried uploading the video I took of him watching, but it wouldn't load.
You should have seen his eyes wide in amazement!
It's a good thing that I DVRd it because he asks to watch "space shuttle" several times a day.
It's the first thing he wants to do when he wakes up in the morning.
It trumped the Wii.

Master Bowler

2011-03-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

Afton really likes playing the Wii. He was getting so good at the old Wii Sports that we decided to buy him Wii Sports Resort so he has more game options. This is the score he got when playing bowling. Notice the 4 strikes in a row! Oh, and the fact that it's 11:36 and he is still in his PJs.

radionoggin

2011-02-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

Listening to....

They made me happy today with an early release.
Now the car ride to Safford will be a bit more tolerable.

Lil Skater Boy

2011-02-13T09:52:00.001-08:00

Once There Was a Christmas

2011-02-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

I promise we did celebrate this holiday. We went to Safford to spend Christmas Eve with my family. We opened presents at my parents house before going to my Aunt Lisa's for a delicious dinner. Christmas is so much fun now that there are kids to enjoy it with.

Afton was spoiled, as were Nippon and I.

My parents gave Afton a tricycle. He looks so cute on it!
He finally mastered the pedaling and goes all over the house, though he still needs to get the steering down. Practice, practice!

My niece received this pony. You can feed it, brush it, sit on it, ect. and it responds.

This is the kids reaction to Scott bringing it in.

Adyson loved it.

Afton, not so much.

NOLA

2011-02-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Back in December we flew to New Orleans with Nippon's parents to help his sister move back to AZ. She just finished getting her masters at Tulane. Congrats Sushriya!!!
Here are some pics of the fun we had.

We had just walked back from Cafe du Monde, finished eating our beignets, and were waiting to take a cruise up the Ol' Miss.

We took the Steamboat Natchez up the Mississippi. This is the last authentic steamboat on the river. They take you up the river pass a lot of industrial parts of New Orleans and give a little history on the area. They also let you tour the engine room which was interesting and all steampunkish. Before we set sail a guy entertained us by playing a steam-powered calliope. How cool is that!?

Domino sugar refinery.

Industry or Mars?

Sriya took us on a tour of the Tulane School of Public Health.

The Bloody Marys in that town are da best! They are spicy and have okra, green beans, and green olives to garnish. They had me at okra.

We also went on a Cajun Encounters swamp tour. Afton liked the gator until Sra tried to feed him to it. Actually, he didn't mind that part either.

They said that it was very unlikely that we would see an alligator since the weather was chilly. Guess who spotted one though!?!? Yup, ME! Here is a shot of the little guy. Can you see him?

These herons were pretty much the only wildlife we saw (other than the baby gator).
That's okay, they are beautiful.

The Big Easy was more than fabulous. We made it to Bourbon Street (forgot to take pictures) and had some drinks. Hurricanes of course! Maybe that's why I forgot to take pictures. Nippon had to go back the next night and get something called a Grenade because there was an airplane flying around advertising them. He didn't want to miss out. The food was outstanding. I can't decide if Deanie's, Drago's, or Mulate's was my favorite. It must be a tie. Oh, and we also went to the Audubon Insectarium where we ate chocolate covered grasshoppers, scared Afton with a hissing cockroach, and wandered through an Asian inspired butterfly garden.

Can't wait to go back!

Sedona 2010

2010-12-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

We took our annual trip to Sedona back in October.
Nippon's parents have a time share at the Hyatt there and we love going each year to check out the gorgeous views and eat yummy food.

Having Afton with us makes it even more fun.

Here are some pics!

We always have to stop at Cocina Rustica for dinner!

It was a great trip, even if we didn't get the room we normal stay in. The other room has better views and is on the top floor. Oh well. I can't wait until next year!

A Worthy Cause

2010-11-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is the season for giving, and I know someone who could really use the help. A former co-worker of mine, John Larsala, suffered a terrible loss yesterday. His home caught fire and he lost everything. John is a refugee from Liberia. He fled his war torn country with just the clothes on his back, his wife, and children. Now that he has lost his home he must start again, just as he did when he came here from Africa. If you are able, please donate any items you can. They need clothing, hygiene products, food, ect. A Wells Fargo account has also been set up for monetary donations. Their phone number is 602-375-5591, and the account #2706102544. Thanks!

Covenant of Grace
Christian Fellowship
906 W. Peoria Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85029
(602) 678-0999

1st Haircut

2010-11-18T08:51:00.000-08:00

I cut Afton's hair for the first time so that Nippon's mom could take some to India with her (of course I kept some too). There is a temple called TaraTarin i in Orissa that takes hair as offerings during the months of March & April. We asked that the priest take his curls there.

I didn't cut much. Mostly just the long wispy hairs that stuck out. Luckily he still has curls left over. This also made it easy to cut because if I made a mistake you can't tell.

The final product.
I didn't take a before picture, but you can't tell much of a difference.
He does look a little older though, at least to me.

Gramma Blake

2010-11-17T14:31:00.001-08:00

I feel blessed that Nippon, Afton, and I were able to visit Grandma this weekend.

I was her only granddaughter, and she spoiled me rotten.

Now she can finally rest without pain, without fear.

I love you Gramma.

You will be missed. Greatly.

Halloweenie & More

2010-11-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Afton was able to experience his first Halloween this year. Last year we were in India, and he wasn't old enough to enjoy it anyway. He dressed up as the cutest, I mean coolest, Wolverine ever. He had fake muscles and all. We bought it at the Spirit Halloween store which is NOT a place Afton enjoyed. He wouldn't let us put him down and would start shaking if he was too close to any of the scary animitronic whatnots. Luckily there were no tears so I didn't feel so bad giggling about his fright.

Afton was scared of this skeleton Nippon bought but after he saw it a few times he thought is was "silly." His words.

Evil eyed Banyan completes the shot.

We didn't go trick or treating door to door since he really doesn't care about that part yet, but we did go to the Kiwanis Park Carnival. It was a fun place to people watch and chow down on some Navajo tacos. YUM!

They had a face painting booth where I asked the guy to paint some chops (aka sideburns) onto my cute Wolverine. I'm not sure exactly what the guy was thinking, and Afton hated every second of the ordeal. Don't ask me what's on my face either. Apparently I was kissed by a weird lipped creature.

Earlier that week we went to Mother Nature's Farm with my cousin Carianne and her daughter Kate. The kids had lots of fun running through the maze, going on a hay ride (where Afton lost his hat, but we got it back), decorating pumpkins, and jumping in the bounce house.

I love this picture of Carianne and Kate (peaking over the top).

San Diego Part 3: Jaime & the Beaches

2010-11-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

Ok. Let's finish this up!
So the day after we went to Sea World we met up with my bestie Jaime (we've been friends since we were five) to visit Coronado Island. We played in the sand and Jaime took Afton into the waves to cool down. It was pretty hot that day, which was surprising since I thought we were leaving the heat in AZ. Apparently San Diego (and California in general) was experiencing a heat wave. At least it was still slightly cooler than Phoenix. Afton loved the beach. I'm sure he would have been happy to stay there all day. This was the second time he has been to the ocean. The first time (in India) he couldn't walk and was kind of scared of the waves. This time he was all for it, even when he was knocked over by a wave. After playing on the beach we headed over to the beautiful Hotel del Coronado. They filmed one of my all time favorite films here, Some Like It Hot. In the main entrance there is a gorgeous chandelier designed by Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). You'd think it would be all whimsical but it's pretty traditional. We hung out with Jaime the whole day, which was fabulous because we haven't done that in a long time. She's so much fun and I miss her a lot.

We stopped at Gossip Grill for some drinks and food.

On our last day in San Diego we met up with Nippon's old boss for lunch. They talked business and Nippon learned that he has several possible job options in the area if we choose to relocate. It's definitely a possibility! After lunch we had to stop off at the beach for one last time. La Jolla Shores was packed with surfers and sun bathers. Of course Afton loved getting wet and sandy. We buried his feet and dug some holes, then headed home. We had a fabulous trip to San Diego and hope to be back soon!

San Diego Part 2: Sea World

2010-10-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Of course we had to go to Sea World while we were in San Diego. It was a good thing because Afton LOVED it. It was actually pretty warm that day, and Afton refused to take a nap, yet he was happy and excited the whole time.

He thought noise the seals make was funny. If you ask him "what does a seal say?" he will make a weird barking noise for ya.

Here we are watching the Shamu show. Afton clapped along and even waved his arms around in hopes of getting splashed. Luckily we were at the top of the splash zone and didn't get a drop on us. It's never fun walking around wet.

I love flowers.

The penguin exhibit was nice and cool inside. I'm always surprised at how large the Emperor Penguins are. Their waddle makes me giggle.

He really liked the Sesame Street Bay of Play area, and not just because Elmo was there, although that was well worth the wait.

Does it look like Afton is crawling through large intestines?

There was this cute lil girl that wanted Afton to play with her (you can kind of see her behind the xylophone), he would have none of it.

In the Bay of Play they had this fun tidal wave tarp thingy for kids to run around on. Afton didn't want to leave.

Chomp!

San Diego Part 1: The Hotel

2010-10-31T09:49:00.001-07:00

At the end of September we went to San Diego for a much needed vacation. Nippon had been working a lot the past few months getting everything ready at work for the new school year, so when things finally let up we headed out to Cali for some r&r. We stayed at the beautiful Sheraton Marina where we had a breathtaking view. I think we pretty much spent all our time on the balcony at the hotel.

Here is that view!

Me chillaxing.

The boy chillaxing.

Aja

2010-10-25T11:55:00.001-07:00

We love you Aja and will miss you. Thank you for your wisdom and strength.

Mount Graham

2010-10-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Another fun thing we did during the summer was an over-nighter, with my brother-in-law Tikon, at the Rath's cabin on Mount Graham. It is the mountain I grew up going to, and is just outside of Safford. Growing up we would frequent the apple orchard (the best apples evah!), go on picnics (usually with a bucket of KFC), fish at Riggs Lake (not too many fish caught but still fun), play in the snow (of course we always had to make snow ice cream), and camp (which in my dad's mind meant using my grandparents motor home). I know Nippon spent much of his youth there too. They at least had a cabin to go to. Actually, I was lucky enough to have a best friend who's grandma (Grammy) had a cabin at Turkey Flat too. It was always a treat to be invited to stay there.

Anyway....We had lots of fun on the mountain this time too. Afton found lots of bugs, I found lots of pretty flowers. Nippon and Tikon played around with their swords, knives, and axes. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of all that manly fun, shucks! Afton and I went on a short hike around the other cabins, waving to all the kids there and listening for birds. Afton got good and dirty too, which is what you're suppose to do on the mountains. He even found time for some coloring. We ate some yummy food and roasted marshmallows. I think I was the only one who enjoyed that part, even Afton didn't really care for the gooey goodness. He did enjoy the fire though. He fell asleep in my arms watching it crackle and glow. He very rarely falls asleep in my arms, so it was nice to snuggle with him next to the fire.

Summer Rewind

2010-09-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

So I've been slacking again. We went to San Diego (I'll post on that later) and I had to upload all the pictures on the camera so that I could take more of the boy at the beach and SeaWorld. There were +300 photos! I obviously have a lot of catching up to do.

We did a lot of swimming. Since Afton took swim lessons he thinks he knows all there is to know about swimming. He loves going underwater and looking around. I bought him some goggles but he hated them. Oh well.

There was lots of time spent indoors because of the heat. Afton loves playing with his daddy, making music, and doing a ton of coloring and finger painting. Of course there was lots of Yo Gabba Gabba watching too.

We went to Chuck E. Cheese. I actually had never been. You can't beat the games...they are all one token! Afton wasn't too fond of the animatronic mouse, but he couldn't get enough of the flashing lights and fun games.

One of our favorite places to go is Tumbleweed Rec Center.

It's super fun because there are lots of balls!

Here we are on a hayride at Superstition Farms on one of many play dates. Afton really liked petting and feeding the animals. I think my favorite part was the homemade ice cream.

We like to hit up a bunch of mall play areas. Afton seems really independent there. He doesn't try and drag me around, which is awesome.

This is at the SanTan splash pad. We like meeting up with our friends Chelsea, Ella, Debbie & Ethan there and then go shopping after! Well, I like that part.

We went to a birthday party at a place called Family Time. They had lots to do! There was an area for the little kids that Afton took full advantage of. He stacked large colored blocks, rolled on the foam cylinder, and went on the slide all by himself. They also have this big lava slide (not sure why it's called that) was awesome because Nippon and I could go on it. It was pretty steep and extra fun. Then of course there was coloring.

When the rains finally came it was a nice coincidence that my brother Scott, his wife Jessica, and their daughter Adyson were here to enjoy it. And of course the cousins had to take a bath. Nothing cuter than babies in the tub!

We got a visit from our Rath cousins too! Afton played with his new cousin Marici., which was super cute. We then headed over to Desert Breeze Park and let the kids get wet while Nancy and I chatted it up.

It's Potty Time!

2010-09-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

I bought Afton this potty chair a while back and have slowly been getting him use to it. He used it a couple of time but nothing consistent. This last week he has really jumped on the potty training wagon. He uses it several times a day to go pee, and yesterday actually pooped in it!!! His face was hilarious. He seemed dumbfounded as to what it was. I made a big deal about it, clapping and giving high fives, so he became excited as well. We did a happy dance to the bathroom and I let him flush it (his favorite part) and washed our hands (his second favorite part). I'm so proud of him. My technique isn't anything special. I take him over to the potty every hour or so and let him try. I think the process of taking the potty to flush it is the part he enjoys so I haven't had to use any other incentives, i.e. treats, stickers or presents. He tends to go to corners and hide when he poops, so I took the chair to one of his regular spots and gave him some privacy. This did the trick. I know we are just at the beginning, but it's nice knowing that he understands and is willing to do it.

More Teef

2010-08-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Since teeth have been on the mind, I wanted to document the growth of Afton's pearly whites. His first teeth (he got the top two at the same time) started coming in last year while we were in India. They started swelling at the beginning of October 2009 and were in around Christmas, which was when his bottom two teeth began their arrival. He has had those 4 teeth since January and it seemed that he would never get any more. Finally he started to get his next two teeth (on the top) in July and that started a full on bloom of them. Currently he is getting the two teeth next to his bottom ones as well as two bottom molars! He is super drolly and is constantly chewing on his fingers. Luckily he isn't too whiny, but there have been some days that he wakes up really early or doesn't want to nap because they are bothering him. I have given him teething tabs, which work for a little while. He seems to thinks they are candy or something even though they have no flavor. I also tried Orajel. He hates it! I have resorted to some pain meds to give him a little relief, but I do that sparingly. Overall though he hasn't been to grumpy, and I'm excited that he will be able to chew up his food better. Hopefully I won't have to give him puree fruits and veggies any more. Yay for teeth!

Teef

2010-08-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

Today I went to the dentist for the first time in 12 years. I know, I know. Stupid, but that's what happens when you have no insurance. Actually I've had dental insurance for about 3 years now and should have done this much sooner but getting my teeth cleaned and checked on hasn't been in my routine in ages. Better late than never. Right?

Anyhoo...I had a great check-up! They were all surprised that it had been so long. I have two small cavities that will be filled on the 20th, but other than that they said my teeth look fabulous. Yay for me! Of course they think I should get my wisdom teeth out. Boo.They don't bother me and aren't causing any problems so it's not high on my list of things to do. So, even though I hadn't seen the dentist in FOREVER I was definitely conscious of my oral hygiene and it paid off. I rule.

Funsy Fotos

2010-07-21T16:00:00.001-07:00

Afton chilling with his robot (transformer).
Robot is one of his favorite words to say.
It's right up there with rocket.

My lil bookworm.

Two hats are better than one.

Spilling his guts.

The Cooking Bug

2010-07-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

So I've caught some sort of bug this week...The Cooking Bug. It's not like I don't cook often anyway, but this week it's been crazy. Maybe it's because I've been watching too much Iron Chef or my favorite TNFNS Aarti making mad dishes, but I've been making tons of yummy food. Here is what's I've cooked.....

Aloo Gobi - This yummy Indian dish has potatoes and cauliflower in it. It's suppose to be more of a dry dish but mine usually ends up a bit saucier than it should...but it's SUPER good! (Hey I rhymed!)
Chicken Korma - Okay, so I do have some help on this one. Seeds of Changes makes a delicious Korma simmer sauce. I cook up the chicken and saute onions before cooking them in the sauce. Then I add freshly chopped cilantro and serve it with Basmati rice.
Aarti's Unemployment Dinner (aka Swiss chard, tomato and Great Northern Bean saute) - This is a great side dish, but makes a wonderful main dish as well. I came across this recipe at aartipaarti.com and decided to make it to go along with my brother-in-laws brined pork a few weeks ago. I had used mustard greens last time, but this time (once again there was no swiss chard at the store) I used spinach. The creaminess of the beans and the tang of the tomatoes make this dish a keeper. Go Team Aarti!
Cheese Logs - I received this great recipe from my friend to make for my son. They are soft enough for him to eat (with his limited teeth) and have a yummy cheddar flavor. It's nice adding another item to his list of snacks.
Spicy Tofu with Pork - Holy Cow! This was SO good I'm not even sure I made it. Haha! There is a place in Tucson, Lucky's, that I always went to to get this spicy dish. Since I haven't been there in years, I thought I'd try making my own. I must say that mine is better. Heehee! It's nice to be able to add more of 'this and that' if you want. (I guess that's why cooking is so much fun.) The only thing I would have done different is use firmer tofu.
Buffalo Baby's Pancakes - This is another friend recommended item that I made for my son but I ate as well. It has great ingredients like rye flour, flax seed, yogurt, blueberries, and honey. At first I thought they would be too dense for him, but he gobbled them right up....and I ate 4....shhhh.....don't tell.
Whole Wheat Bread - I made some homemade bread a few weeks back and Afton would beg for it. I think he ate a loaf and a half on his own. I decided to make some more for him today. Currently it is on it's second rise. The house should be smelling good this evening!

Like a Fish

2010-07-10T17:37:00.001-07:00

I enrolled Afton in swimming lessons this summer, and it was super fun for both of us. Not only did Afton become really confident in the water but I got a nice lil tan too! I'm pretty sure he thinks he's a fish. He LOVES to go underwater. So much that it kind of freaks me out. He isn't afraid of jumping in from the side and going completely under. Surprisingly he doesn't drink or swallow much water. We took the class with my cousin Carianne and her daughter Kate. Afton didn't quite pick up the pro-bubbling skill that Kate did. He needs more practice! I'm pretty sure Kate is the only other child that Afton actually recognizes. This is kind of sad because I've been trying to socialize him more. Luckily we've been going on more play dates and getting out more since there are so many activities available during these hot summer months.

Pictures to Accompany the Not-So-Vacation

2010-06-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

So now for the pictures. This may get long.

OK, let's begin.

We finally made it to NYC!

Afton was happy.
Nippon was tired.

Wowie! Look at all the lights.

Affy, Mummy, DaDa, Ghia & Kaku

Gray's Papaya....om nom nom....

The Apple Store on 5th Avenue.

Flags on display at Boston Common for Memorial Day.

Trinity Church reflected on the John Hancock Tower.

Lovely gardens at Boston Common.

So what would you like in your paan?

Nippon, along with several other cousins, helped usher the bride down the aisle. Good job on the frown. ( He was told to look sad.)

The beautiful bride.

The happy couple.

Mamu & Mai

Sick boy at the wedding. He looked so cute in his white kurta.
Oh look! You can kind of see the top of my salwar kameez.

Green sea anemones are awesome.

The harbor just outside of the New England Aquarium.

Looking out of the hotel room on our last night in Boston.

I think I see a smile in there somewhere.

Heading back to the desert.

Whew! Done.

The Not-So-Vacation

2010-06-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

Just thinking about this post makes me tired. As Nippon wrote, our trip didn't start out too well. The whole process of getting to the East Coast was long and exhausting. The re-directed flights and delays cost us the little time we had planned for New York. Even though we weren't there long, we still had fun in NYC. I mean, it is New York! We got to the hotel pretty late but decided to hit the town anyway. We strolled on down to Times Square and checked out the lights and the people. Afton was quite impressed with all the bright flashing signs and the bustle of the city.

The next day we had a yummy hot dog and delicious papaya, pina colada, and orange drink at Gray's Papaya and then headed off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That museum would take days to get through if you really wanted to see everything. One of my favorite paintings there is Dali's Madonna and Child. I love that it incorporates so many images and change as you get closer. Unfortunately Afton started to get cranky. He had been such a trooper with all the ridiculous flights, odd eating schedule, and disrupted sleep, but it was finally catching up to him. I took him to the lobby and let my brother-in-law and hubby continue the tour. After the museum we took Afton to one of the many Central Park play areas. He was happy to be out of that stroller and stretch his legs. He played for a while and then we headed to meet the rest of the family for some tasty Chinese food. I happily picked up a small I heart NY shirt for Affy.

After dinner we made the drive to Boston/Framingham. Afton didn't sleep very well that night, and he wasn't his cheerful self the next day, but we decided to check out Boston anyway. We drove to the Boston Common area and saw the many Memorial Day flags that were displayed. We then set our sites on seafood (which was a big part of our plans). Yummy oysters at Skipjack's! On our way back to the car we wandered around the gardens and even stepped inside the Boston Public Library, which I must say is gorgeous! The murals by Sargent are amazing. They also had a display of old B&W photos of Boston. Pretty sweet. The day had been wonderful, low humidity with scattered clouds, but just as we drove out of the parking area it started to rain, and rain hard.

Fortunately the rain had stopped by the time we headed over to an outdoor family dinner party. I put on my new salwar kameez that I bought specially for this party. Sadly we had to leave early because Afton was tired. He had been getting grouchier and grouchier, and I was starting to think it was more than simple exhaustion; he was getting sick. He didn't stopped crying the whole time we were at the party. Well, I take that back, he did stop when Ma let him play with water in the sink. It was the only thing that calmed him down. Poor boy. His temperature sky rocketed that night. For the rest of the trip he was sick....sicker than I'd ever seen him. He was lethargic, threw up most anything he ate, and slept a lot. He basically lived on Pedialyte, only taking a few bites of apple sauce each day. The wedding we came to attend luckily was held at the same hotel in which we were staying so Nippon and I were able to tag team our attendance whilst one of us stayed with Afton. We did take him down briefly during the dinner so that he could meet some family members, but that was it. Nippon's cousin looked beautiful and the wedding decorations were gorgeous.

Nippon was suppose to fly back 2 days before us so that he could get back to work, but he missed his flight to stay with us for another day. It was nice to have him there, and I know Afton was glad his daddy was there to snuggle with him. The day he flew back we went to the New England Aquarium. They have a giant tank in the center that you walked along and can see the different animals that lived at different depths. At the beginning Afton didn't really seem to notice (or care) that we were there, but right at the end when we were about to leave he seemed to be feeling better and wanted to see the animals. I took him back inside to look at some fish and the penguins...and finally a smile! Hallelujah!

We stayed one more night in a hotel near the airport and Afton started to want to play. I had purchased a ball at the aquarium and he started to toss it around. It was so great to see his energy returning, and he even ate a bowl of oatmeal! He was definitely not 100%, but was much MUCH better. On our second flight home I bought the in-flight entertainment just so he could watch his beloved Yo Gabba Gabba. Best $6 I've ever spent.

The trip was overly exhausting but was still enjoyable, even if I did spend most of it in a hotel room with a sick boy. I would love to go back and check out more of Boston. I'm not a fan of the traffic, but the greenery and the seafood out weighs any negativity I have about their roadways. Next time hopefully we will hit Cape Cod.

We're Not In Denver Any More

2010-06-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Our recent 'vacation' to Boston and New York was memorable indeed. Just not in the way I generally prefer. After logging hundreds of flights and perhaps a half million miles in my lifetime, I've never been faced with as many airport closures, redirects and stranded passengers. I've only been through Denver once before and I don't remember it being such a harrowing experience. But let me give you an idea of the events of those days.

Flight 1: Phoenix to Denver - This is generally an hour and a half flight, however on approach we learned that there were tornadoes touching down on the runway. The airport was shut down and all planes were put in holding patterns. We circled for over an hour and since the airport was still closed and fuel was running low, we were diverted to Colorado Springs 20 minutes away. There were already 10 planes on the tarmac and the refueling truck took over 2 hours to reach us. New FAA regulations penalize airlines $25,000 per passenger if a plane is on the tarmac for over 3 hours. Obviously no airline is going to pay, so they have their tricks. With minutes remaining they announced that passengers bound for Colorado Springs could deplane. Once the doors opened, they restarted the clock. So after 5 hours on the ground at Colorado Springs, we get in line to return to Denver. We managed to land after 9 PM, but lightning strikes meant that the ramp could not be deployed. Another half an hour and only feet from the gate. Once we got into the terminal, we then stood in the customer service line for another 2 hours until we made plans to take a 6 AM flight from Denver to Las Vegas and then to Newark, NJ. We booked a hotel, which turned out to be the nicest one in the whole trip, for a few hours of rest.

Flight 2: Denver to Las Vegas - Relatively uneventful, but now we're further away from our destination.

Flight 3: Las Vegas to Newark - This flight was 5 hours, but put us only 20 min from our hotel in Times Square. We would manage to lose only a half day, since the original plan was to drive from Boston. Half an hour from Newark, the pilot announces that thunderstorms over the New York area have closed all regional airports and we begin another holding pattern. As fuel dips, we learn that we are headed to an air force base to refuel. Our hopes of making anywhere soon are suddenly revived when the tower clears us to make an attempt. The pilot manages to ram the plane onto the runway and we all share a sense of relief to be free of airline travel for a few days.

Flight 4: Boston to Newark - I was originally scheduled to fly from Boston to Houston on Memorial Day, however the stress of our previous days was too much for my little boy and he was still running a temperature, throwing up anything more than a couple bites and generally not happy. He slept all day, cried, didn't eat and just wanted to be held. So I missed my flight to stay with him another day. I managed to book another flight for $150 change fee and a $47 Continental credit, yay! My flight from Boston to Newark was pretty good, had an empty seat next to me.

Flight 5: Newark to Phoenix: Four hours and forty-one minutes with a window seat and British youths sitting next to me. I watched the entire nation drift by. From deciduous forests to river deltas to farms to plain to foothills to mountains to desert plateaus and finally over the Mogollon Rim to Phoenix. It's a wonderful land. Can't wait to try it again.

Bubbles, Baskets, & Balls

2010-05-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

I took Afton to a free Play & Learn class at Gymboree today. He was quite shy at first and didn't even want to walk into the play area. He wedging himself between the counter and the gate so well that I had to pry his white knuckled hands free so I could get him inside. Then he saw the balls. Shyness dissipated. He watched another boy make baskets in the small hoop near the balls. He then promptly did the same. On tippy toe and using his finger tips, he got the ball in. I'm still calling it a slam dunk.

There were also bubbles. The teacher sang a song and blew bubbles at the kids. Afton always makes this cute squinty-eyed face when bubbles are blown at him. Super cute. The bubbles collected on the mats, slides, balls, and even on the kids (and parents) hair. Afton took it upon himself to pop as many as he could. It didn't matter that the class had moved on to other activities. That boy is crazy for bubbles. He even loves saying the word.

I must say that he really enjoyed most of the class. The parts he was not so fond of include the parachute (which was always my favorite in PE, but then again I wasn't 16 months old), the slide tunnel thingy, and the balance on the rolly tube part. He would have been happy with just bubbles, baskets, and balls.

In (Cooking) Heaven

2010-05-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

After picking up an awesome black Calvin Klein suit for Nippon at Macy's, we strolled along toward the children clothing section. On the way we passed by the cookware and kitchen appliances. We have been needing new cookware FOREVER and stopped to look as we always do. There was this beautiful 10-piece set calling our names. Oh the delicious creations I could make with such a set! The store clerk saw the yearning in our eyes and swiftly came to give his shpeel. The set came with a free 5-quart dutch oven and a 7 piece kitchen tool set. (!!!) We decide to walk over to the kids clothing to think about it. This did not take long. We are now the proud owners of a Calphalon Unison set. YAY! Unfortunately (or maybe not) they didn't have the kitchen tool set, so they told us to pick something of equal value ($50). We chose a round grill pan. Sweeeeeeet!

Now I ask....is it weird that I'm this excited about cookware? I tell you no. These pots & pans are fantabulous. The food cooks faster, tastes better, and they look amazing. This purchase is right up there with my Dyson Animal Vac. Pure heaven.

Pecos Park

2010-04-28T10:31:00.001-07:00

The other day I took Afton to play at Pecos Park. My cousin had recommended it as a fun place for small children. She was right. Thanks Julianne! I had forgotten that she had told me there was a little water play area there. Luckily I always bring an extra pair of clothes and Afton was able to partake in the water fun.

When his lips started quivering I knew it was time to get the blanket. Once dressed, he proceed to play in the sand, climb up the slides, and run wild. Then he remembered the water and tried to get wet again. Good thing I run fast.

There is also a skate park right next to the play area. He wanted to sit and watch them, which we did for like 15 mins. Do I foresee a lil skater in the future? Quite possibly.

om nom nom

2010-04-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

Afton has been gobbling up a wider variety of foods lately. I believe it is due to the strengthening of his jaw. He only has 4 teeth so it makes it hard to eat many foods. Anyhoo....here are some of his old and new favorites.

Blueberries - He loves picking them up, squishing them, and popping them in his mouth.

Nutella - On bread, on crackers, on fruit, on his fingers.

Cottage cheese - Best served with pineapple.

Spaghetti - He isn't really a big fan of marinara sauce, but he quite enjoys slurping up the noodles. I actually think he enjoys the mess the most.

Avocado - He stopped liking them for a while. Strange. But now he can't get enough.

Kiwi - Yummmmm

Crunchers - This is what we call any cracker or Cheeto-like snack. He just started liking Cheez-its, but his all time favorite is veggie flavored corn crisp.

Peas - Never liked them mashed. He LOVES them whole because he can pick them up and eat them by himself.

Steak - It has to be cut very small, but he will gobble it up. This boy is definitely not a vegetarian.

Green Beans - Loved 'em mashed, loves 'em whole.

Upgrade Your Grey Matter

2010-04-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

We finally broke down and succumbed to the need for more cores. The HD vidcam we got last year has generated 50GB of video that can't even be viewed in the native compression by our Ubuntu system. According to the forums, a quad-core is the minimum for editing avchd formats. The new box is running win 7 professional 64-bit. From Newegg:

Intel Core i7-860 2.8GHz LGA 1156 Quad-Core Processor

Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power Power Supply

ASUS P7P55 LX ATX Intel Motherboard

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

MSI GeForce 8400 GS N8400GS-TD512 Video Card

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 3.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive

Our windows experience rating is hobbled by the bargain video card which only managed a 3.3 out of 7.9. The cpu and ram sailed to a 7.4 each and the hard drive was a barely acceptable 5.9. Not that we're gamers by any means, but I have a strangely predictable urge to get the score up. Now we just need some editing software and we'll have the complete epics of Afton Metrix.

Science Center Fun

2010-04-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

We took Afton to the Arizona Science Center last weekend. Here are some pictures of the fun. Prepare yourself for picture overload.

Pluck. Pluck.

Afton showing me the ins and outs of circuitry.

Jeez. That boy has a big head.

Dad & Boy

He only wanted the balls. He didn't care if they floated on a bed of air.

There is a cool exhibit that allows you to feel different weather conditions. Afton didn't mind the wind too much.

But the earthquake was a bit scary. No tears though...and we didn't have to leave like this other little boy did.

We both enjoyed the monsoon.
Well, at least I did.

It was really fun watching Afton run around and get right into things. We will definitely be back!

Mobile Photos of Afton

2010-04-15T10:12:00.001-07:00

Afton at the library. He loved this chair so much, and he looked so cute in it, I had to get him one! His is green.

He LOVES playing his daddy's guitar.

Jackie O?

Sand, sand, sand....can't get enough of it.

Yummy Oreo! This went much better than the time I gave him half a Twinkie. I'll take the chocolatey mess over a Twinkie crazed baby any day.

AzizAziz

2010-04-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Last night Nippon and I watched Aziz Ansari's Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening. Hilarious! (though quite raunchy) I was thinking I'd contact Aziz and tell him to "friend" my brother Lee on Facebook so he could gather new material. Then I thought that he probably has enough with his own family. Not only was he funny, but he has some good taste in music (minus the R. Kelly stuff, which I'm hoping was just for laughs). Now I need to check out his mixed tape he did as Randy with Dave Sitek (from TV On the Radio). Sweek!

*Sidenote* I was reading somewhere that people expect Aziz to use stuff about his culture in his act, but he doesn't. Is that an issue? It's not like he denies that he's Tamil or that he comes from immigrant parents. Anyway, there can only be one Russell Peters.

What we're listening to...

2010-04-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Artist: Broken Bells
Album: Broken Bells

Regardless of James Mercer's relationship with The Shin's, the end result of the collaboration with Danger Mouse proves that sometimes the formula needs to be updated. Danger Mouse add his usual array of percussion and keyboard to Mercer's patented vocal melodies. The recent Rolling Stone interview paints an optimistic picture for the future of this collaboration, so we can hope to hear more Broken Bells soon.

Sona Chaandi

2010-04-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy there is a place here in Tempe where I can find Indian garb! I haven't been to L.A. in a while, and the plane tickets to India are a bit steep. Yay for Sona Chaandi. And while I'm on the subject of Indian dress, I just love, love, LOVE this lengha saree! Now if only I had that hot bod to go along with it.

Teammate

2010-04-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Nippon has joined the team! Now (hopefully) you will be updated on the world of geekery....from knife foolery, LED flashlights, and Futurama, all the way to open source software development. Now aren't you excited? I know I am.

I Wanna Go

2010-04-09T16:05:00.001-07:00

Coachella Day 3

Newbie

2010-04-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

So I've been meaning to start a blog for a while now since I'm not so good at keeping a journal and such. Plus this will be a nice way of keeping friends and fam up-to-date on Afton and his shenanigans.

So, let's recap....

Once upon a time in the state of Arizona, a girl named Heather realized that she super liked this chap named Nippon. With her youthful charms she captured this handsome fellow, and they have been together ever since.

Then one day they had a beautiful lil boy named Afton Krishnan Rath.

Born at 6:37am on January 1st, 2009.
Weighing in at 7lbs. 12oz.

And he got bigger and bigger....

And cuter and cuter....

So there you have it. Hopefully I will get the hang of this thing and post often. It's nice to be exiting the world of a blog stalker, and re-entering as a blogger.