The Thompsons

Caleb's First Piano Recital

2010-05-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

Blake is walking!!

2009-05-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

I have attached a video clip of Blake walking. He started walking the day after Mother's Day! We captured this video on the following Tuesday, and ever since he has been walking. Although he still prefers to crawl, he is able to get up on his own and walk a short distance. Such an amazing step for him! Enjoy the video clip :)

Disposables have got to go

2008-06-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Americans need to stop the disposable paper and plastic mentality! In my
conscious effort to slow down global warming by reducing the CO2
emissions, my "carbon footprint", I decided to ban paper and plastic
disposables as an experiment today. At Starbucks, during an unexpected
stop when I had to wait for a certain store nearby to open in half an
hour and baby Blake was awake and demanding breastmilk, I decided to sit down and have a drink to pass my time. Instead of getting disposable
cups (which greatly harm the environment with the production of paper
and plastics that emit a lot of CO2, and most of which aren't recycled
by consumers), I wanted to buy a permanent starbucks mug which I'd leave
in the car for every SB visit. Upon ordering my tea, I asked through
speech to have it poured into my new mug. Instead, the employee used a
paper cup and a plastic lid, thinking I only wanted to buy but not use
the mug (huh??). I then wrote down to clarify, and this was worse... she transferred the contents into my mug and then THREW away the paper cup,
hence nullifying my fight against global warming if that paper cup was
already "disposed of" on MY account. Not only this happened, but I had
also wanted to buy a large glass jar for loose leaf tea infusion. Without asking me, this same lady immediately wrapped the jar in lots of tissue paper. She had only just begun with a slight wrap without yet crinkling or folding the paper when I halted her and asked not to. BUT
then she CRUMBLED and and THREW the entire pack of tissue paper (in almost perfect condition) that she had barely used! AND then, she
quickly took out a gift bag for the jar, but I stopped her right away, insisting that I'll just wrap it myself with the receiving blankets I already had in my tote bag, and to simply put it in the bag (Duh!). I failed my effort to zero out my "footprint" today. Looking back, I should have accepted the paper cup, declined to purchase the new mug (since I'd already have the disposable when it was too late), and with restraint, accept the tissue paper (so I could re-use it myself later, a lesser evil than seeing it go to waste). The message of conservation needs to get across to all Americans, so those of us who do care, don't need to struggle to NOT do harm.
Weeks later, at a GAP, where I was exchanging Niel's gift shirt for a different size, I had brought in the shirt already folded in a little "Baby Gap" box. I clearly asked the sales lady to use the same box for packaging that I had brought, and she agreed to do that. When I glanced away (of course to my sweet baby near me) and then back to the lady, I caught her trying to slip a darn store plastic bag over the box, struggling to get the bag over without ripping it. I couldn't help but yell, "No! I don't need that, thank you!" I obviously didn't have a problem arriving without a bag, so why should I need help leaving the store with a bag? I had my stroller with me, where I could conveniently place the box without the bag after the exchange.
Today, I am proud to have walked into Ralphs and out with a lot of groceries without consuming any bags - paper or plastic. I simply asked the bag boy to put all my groceries in the cart without any bags, and then at the car, I transferred everything into my tote bag that I had forgotten to take out in the first place. It was easy! What about those fruits and veggies in the produce section? Don't I need those little plastics for covering 'em? Nope. No bags at all . . . I wash my produce before eating or cooking them, so why the bags? I'm wasting a LOT LESS plastic or paper bags now than I ever did before, and feel exhilarately great about it!
See the enclosed link to a power point slide about the harm plastic bags are doing to our environment. I happened to get it recently from a friend and from my mother through email, and thought it was appropriate to share in this post. http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016

Caleb says Grace

2008-06-26T22:22:00.001-07:00

At dinner a few days ago, as we got ready to say grace, Caleb was ready with his hands
pressed together in prayer before we were, as he usually does. What was
new tonight was that when Niel began saying grace, Caleb interrupted,
saying "Caleb's turn" so Niel stopped and asked Caleb to begin. Caleb
signed "Thank you for family- Mommy, Daddy, and Blake. Amen." My eyes
watered with warm joy and surprise!
Ever since, Caleb has been interrupting or insisting on saying grace himself. He'd list the things he's grateful for, or at least observes in his day. He'd go like this in ASL: "JESUS, FAMILY, MOMMY, DADDY, BLAKE, NANA HERE, TIME-OUT, SLEEP, MOUNTAINS, BIRDS, TREES, FOOD, AMEN." Starting our dinner has never been this endearing.

You are my sunshine!

2008-06-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

Here Caleb is singing his version of "You Are My Sunshine" on his new banjo that his grandpa gave him.

Caleb fingerspells his name!

2008-06-09T18:36:00.005-07:00

What you are seeing is Caleb fingerspelling his name for the first time, well, not the first first time but you know what I mean? :) He has done the ABCs quite well (and for some time now) and knows how to sign all the letters, very clearly and fluently, but has not been able to fingerspell any words, with the exception of signing bus, car, ok, etc. So, this is really his first fingerspelled word, CALEB! Wow, pretty exciting. Enjoy the video! Love, Niel

Meet Blake Evan Thompson!

2008-04-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

Blake, 0-3 days after birth. Older brother Caleb dotes after him.

More Love - Holding Blake

2008-04-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Before Blake was born, Niel and I had wondered if we could love this new
baby as much as we love Caleb, and how it'd be difficult to "split-up"
this love between two sons. Now after meeting Blake, we realize we were
wrong. Love doesn't split up; instead, love multiplies. I find myself
increased in love and happiness. Seems the more children and loved ones
we have, the more we love. Niel put this into an analogy with God, that
He has more and more children multiplying all over the earth, and thus
His love increases- He doesn't love one more than another, but all
equally. Having children helps us understand God more, doesn't it? :)

Blake Evan Thompson

2008-04-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

As the youngest member joining the family of Niel, Erika, and Caleb . .
.

Blake Evan Thompson
Born April 2, 2008 at 5:55 a.m.
7.9 Lbs. and 20 1/2 Inches

Erika had an all natural birth, no medications! Erika and Blake are
doing well!

Story of my labor with Blake

2008-04-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

On the morning of April 1st, "April Fool's", my ob/gyn found my cervix still completely closed, and didn't think the baby would come soon. Induction was scheduled the following Monday April 7th. I was disappointed, hoping to have natural labor, and not deal with pitocin, known to cause more painful contractions.

When I had begun contractions, Niel, Caleb, and I were celebrating the due date at "Best Thai Restaurant" on Chicago and Spruce. A teacher told Niel that if I needed to try induce labor, I should try Thai. The food was delicious, top-rated best in Riverside! During dinner at around 6:30, I started having what I thought was Braxton-Hicks, that I've been having so frequently for the last month and half. This time, it was mildy painful, but no different from what I felt for the last couple of days (and had reported to my doctor who dismissed it as just Braxton-Hicks merely because of its time irregularity). This continued throughout the evening, without stopping, but still was irregular, jumping from minutes of ten, six, twenty, thirty, eight, etc. with some regularity only a few times in a row.

We both didn't take these contractions seriously and went about our evening. I gave Caleb a bath, waiting in between pains to do the motions. While watching "Dance with the Stars", I started wondering if I was in early labor, or if I'd start in the middle of the night. At bedtime, I wasn't able to lie still in bed, tossing and turning at every contraction (on average ten minutes apart). Bothered by my motions, Niel moved to the guest bed to make sure he's well rested and able to help me later if needed. Unable to sleep, I took a warm bath with no improvement results. I started to realize that I might be in actual labor, but still kept the possibility that it was a false alarm. I lit a "Stress-Free" candle for my bedside, and struggled to sleep. I'd sleep for only ten minutes, only to be interrupted with painful contractions, which still were irregular, according to my faithful timing of each, using my pager. Around 2 a.m., I paged a list of girlfriend moms asking for their opinion, although I knew most of them would be asleep. This continued for one or two hours, until I realized I was in much more pain, and that sleep was impossible. Yes, this is labor!

During every contraction, I tried to ease the pain by kneeling, walking on fours, lying back, to no avail. I later felt mildly nauseated, hot, a bit dizzy, finding comfort lying on the very cool bathroom floor with toilet nearby. It helped most to kneel, resting my chest on the toilet seat (lid closed) for some reason. During all this time, Niel was still asleep in the other room, unawares. At 3 a.m., I decided I was too much of a wimp to bear through what I thought was the first or earlier stages of labor. (I've heard girlfriends' stories of going to the hospital only to find out that they weren't far along in labor, at only 1 or 3 centimeters apart, and being told to return home, hence I decided to wait it out a little longer at home - which I later learned was a risky mistake!) I paged a friend and my mom about coming over ASAP to rescue us, so we'd be able to leave for the hospital, leaving Caleb asleep in his crib with an adult in the house. I woke Niel half an hour after calling mom for rescue, telling him I'm in labor and we're hospital bound. I had already packed my bag, ready to go, during the earlier hours of labor. In the hours while I waited for rescue, the contractions went down to only one minute apart, with excruciating pain I became MAD that I wasn't already at the hospital drugged with painkillers. The massages and thoughtful gestures Niel tried doing for me no longer worked, and only made it worse. I didn't want to be touched, for every pressure on my flesh intensified the pain.

We finally were able to leave the house at 5 a.m., enduring the most painful drive at bumps and curves. I begged Niel to drive FAST during the one minute intervals I didn't have contractions, and then to drive SLOW when the pain came. We entered Riverside Community Hospital at around 5:15 a.m. By then, I was crouching, and desperate to crawl on the floor in pain. I was quickly wheeled to the maternity ward, but was hassled for insurance papers, registration, etc. We also tried asking for an interpreter. All seemed hopeless. Thankfully, the staff finally led me to a room where I could lie down. At around 5:30, a nurse inspected my cervix, and it was already 8 centimeters wide, leading to 10! Being naive, I asked for painkillers, and was shocked to be informed "NO", it was too late . . . the baby was expected to come within the hour (when he actually came 14 minutes later after that point!). I'd have to brave it all on my own, and I've always known to have very low pain tolerance, so, I thought, oh boy . . . can I do this? By then, the contractions were killing me, I had just got to get this maddening pain over with by going along with the motions and push if I felt like it. Nurses were present, but my regular doctor would miss it, and another doctor was on his way, to be with me in five minutes, I was told. No, I knew I couldn't wait even five minutes. Baby felt like he was coming out NOW! During the subsequent contractions, I could FEEL some widening, opening of my pelvis and whatever else it was, and an urge to push during each motion. The nurse said if I had to push, to go ahead. Yeeeeahhhhh! I'll push, that's for sure! One more, and I could feel the baby coming, and feel my vagina widening even more along with the anus in the "pooping" pressure. The doctor then walked in, just in time. The second push, and finally the head came out, and that was the most relieving reduction of pain I've ever felt. The third and easy push, and out came the entire baby!

Hiking with Rachel the Day Before Labor

2008-03-31T15:33:00.001-07:00

On March 31, the day before the baby's due date (and when I began labor), I went hiking at Sycamore Canyon. I've been wanting to check out this place for a long time and grabbed
this opportunity while the weather was sunny and breezy, cool enough for
hiking in the open. Luckily, it was Cesar Chavez holiday so all friends
were off from work at CSDR, so Rachel Smith was available and willing to
join me for company and precaution in case I fall helpless or start
labor in the middle of the trail.

We found the trails a lot more challenging than anticipated, especially
for me when fully 9-months pregnant! We climbed up a few steep trails,
shuffled down others trying not to fall, and tightroped down a very
narrow trail on a slope only to reach a dead end at a dried out creek
covered deep with dead branches and twigs, and having to return back
where we came. Thank God we found another short-cut trail that led us
back to our cars!It took a full hour for us to hike
around and back.

I felt exhilarated being out in the open, exercising and taking in the refreshing air and expansive view of the Riverside trees, golf courses, hills and vales, especially after many months of preferring to sit indoors, tired from the symptoms of pregnancy. A nice change! Now that I look back, that was clearly a part of my "nesting" urges with such outbursts of energy and desire. Next mission: Mount Rubidoux with the family!

No Baby Yet, Still Waiting

2008-03-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

No baby yet... due date is still april 1st, but I had thought he'd come earlier, if it's my 2nd pregnancy. I'm at full term now, 40 weeks. I've just begun my maternity leave, wanting to rest and prepare before 'delivery so I'd have energy and be less overwhelmed as possible once baby comes. The baby's name will be Blake Evan. We can't wait to meet him! Niel's 'relatives (dad, granddad, brother) on the Thompson side will be spending the weekend at our house April 19th/20th to meet Blake. On April 26th, Erika's mom and sister-in-law Lisa are hosting a "Meet Blake" party at Mom's house, with family on my side. Friends are welcome to visit anytime. Caleb will be at daycare only on Tues and Thurs starting this week, to keep up with his social skills and educational structure, while I get to enjoy him on Mon, Wed, and Fri all day. I'll miss that once I return to work in August. Niel will be "Mr. Mom" next year. When I deliver, I will be paging 10 people only who will forward the message to everybody else. My pager has a limit of sending the same email to 10 people, otherwise email gets bounced back. If nothing happens this week, delivery will be induced on Tuesday April 7th, 1 week past the due date (hope not the case- more painful and not natural. We're registered at Babies r Us if anybody would like to know what Blake needs that we don't already have. Thanks!

Cold Case - TV Episode

2008-03-30T22:04:00.001-07:00

Caught the last twenty minutes of "Cold Case" TV episode last night. Deaf kills Deaf because of the cochlear implant? What a unfair plot! I must say, though, that the Deaf actors did well on the show- Handplause to you all- Bob, Michael, Sho, Evelina, Sheena, Lisa, and especially lead actor/Cold Case victim Ryan Lane, a former student of Niel's who graduated from CSDR in 2007! Anybody who taped the show who could loan us the tape??

Caleb's First Haircut

2008-02-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

Caleb's first haircut at just over two years old at "Monkey Dooz" at the Canyon Crest shopping center. I admit I was a bit nervous. I hadn't planned on
giving him a haircut until the 3rd year or so. However, he was born with
longer hair in the front, so the length bothers his eyes and vision, and perhaps because his hair is so thin it was not as manageable.
I didn't want him to look too old... he had curls at the bottom, I hoped he'd somehow keep a little of that. Some of Caleb's hair was saved for taping on a "First Haircut" certificate presented to us by the hairdresser.

Immediately after his haircut, Caleb ran outside of the salon toward the landscaped-streams just to gaze at the water, the rocks, the lily pads. He also likes pulling out leaves to toss into the water - a hard habit to get him to break! Caleb's spoiled from his abundant pebble-tossing experience at the Greek beaches on Santorini island.

Pregnant mom whirling 2-year old Caleb

2008-02-09T15:15:00.000-08:00

With this 2nd pregnancy, I don't have the luxury of relaxing and taking it easy physically. Firstborn son Caleb is such a bundle of energy, he wants to be lifted, carried, or whirled around, it makes him the happiest kid in the world with his contagious grin. Here I am, pregnant mom whirling around a 29 pound boy - the first stage of the two brothers playing together for the rest of their lives.

Caleb and Sawyer

2007-12-28T15:23:00.000-08:00

Caleb and Sawyer, the sons of childhood best friends Erika and AJ Granda. Mutual best friend Erin looks after the boys.

Visit to Papa (Alan) and Grandma B (Barbara)

2007-11-30T15:33:00.000-08:00

Grandma B helps Caleb pick tangerines from the tree.

Papa contributes to Caleb's knowledge of and appreciation for music.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-30T15:17:00.000-08:00

A very happy Thanksgiving at Grandma Kathryn's - Caleb loves being with his family, including Grandma who always brightens his day. Uncle Luc adds more fun to the playground.

New Baby Boy or Girl?

2007-11-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

We had "the ultrasound" last Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, to find out whether Caleb will have a brother or a sister on the way. It didn't matter to us what it'd be, for we're overjoyed with either baby gender, when we can think of many pros on both sides. We just HAD to know, to have an early glimpse of what our lives would be like as a family. Oh boy . . . that's the exact result we got, seeing clearly the male gender between the legs on the screen. Tears flowed on both our faces, we couldn't believe what we were seeing. We're so excited to receive another precious baby son! Our next step is figuring out a boy name we both like - a challenge after we already gave firstborn Caleb Anders our favorite names!

Caleb at the Playground

2007-10-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Caleb is happiest outdoors, at the playground, especially when sliding down, or venturing dangerous quests! Photo taken at cousin Anaiah's 1st birthday party.

Caleb's first visit to the Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-15T16:35:00.001-07:00

When asked, "What does the sheep say?" Caleb always correctly yells "Baa!" Petting a live sheep is still a new experience toward which Caleb is gradually growing confident and enjoying more and more. In the petting zoo, there were also chickens, goats, rabbits, and a pig. Caleb required about fifteen minutes before he'd warm up to the animals and let go from clutching his parents' jeans! After we tired of the farm at the end, Caleb wouldn't leave without getting upset.

We had a free ride on the ATV, going around the pumpkin patch, petting zoo, and other rides. Caleb was apprehensive at first, but later enjoyed the ride.

The cumulation to a great outing at the Pumpkin Patch fair! We bought two pumpkins: a large-sized one for carving, and a miniature that Caleb personally picked and held as if it was a ball - a favorite toy of his. Caleb signs and speaks "Pumpkin!" and gets thrilled every time he sees a pumpkin wherever we go, including Ralphs.

The Dickson visit in Camarillo (Click Here for Video)

2007-09-10T17:31:00.000-07:00

Compliments of Erika's brother Sean, view this great video that sums up our day's visit to Sean, Lisa, and Ethan in Camarillo. Some highlights include: petting Ethan's new puppy, Ethan sigining a few words for food, Caleb riding a tricycle for the first time with assistance, Caleb and Ethan having a ball playing together, Ethan assisting daddy Sean with guitar music, and Ethan and Caleb doing a guitar strings race. Caleb talked about the visit quite often afterwards, signing and speaking "Uncle Sean, Aunt Lisa, and cousin Ethan". Click on the title and it will take you to a new window to see a cool video of them playing.

We have exciting NEWS!

2007-09-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Yes, you’ve probably guessed right that our exciting news is that our second baby is on the way! I am 11 weeks along in the pregnancy, and the due date is the first day of April, in time for spring – new life and birth! The moment we found out, we were very uncertain that I was pregnant because the home test showed a strong vertical line but a weak, almost invisible horizontal line. We also were worried that it might be a tubal pregnancy after my abdominal surgery ordeal. Thankfully, my doctor accepted an appointment right away and I got a very early ultrasound test that clearly showed the baby in the right place in the uterus. All results showed that I’m having a normal, healthy pregnancy. That was exactly what we needed to learn before we could begin celebrating! We’re thrilled Caleb will be having a baby sibling with whom he could play and adore, after seeing his latest obsession with babies. To help prepare him for his sibling, we tell him about the baby sleeping in my belly. We even ask him to kiss the “baby” too when he kisses Mom and Dad good night, and he does kiss my belly without being told where to do so! We will find out the sex of the baby in October and have no preference for a boy or a girl. A boy would be easier, with all our hand-me-downs, our experience, and Caleb has been such a joy, we wouldn’t mind another one. A girl would be different, and we have no idea what kind of joy lies ahead. I myself would love having a daughter, enjoying the bond I have with my mom. Either way, we’re very excited to await this new addition to our family!

Steve and Karen's wedding

2007-08-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

On July 1st, Erika's sister (daugther of Dad's second wife Barbara) Karen Kafka married Steve Daniels, after many years of searching for Mr. Right. At this beautiful and elegant wedding in Long Beach, Erika danced across the expansive ballroom, joining her life-of-the-party, always-dancing Dad whenever he's dancing alone without his favorite dancing partner wife Barbara.

Great-Grandpa Came to Town

2007-08-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

In June, we drove to a church parking lot in Orange County to meet with Niel's paternal grandfather, a resident of Chico, CA, who had just arrived back with his missionary group from Mexico where he helped build basic one-room houses for the poor and homeless. We went out to dinner at Islands and came back to witness the staggering popularity of this octogenarian among predominantly teenage members. Grandpa swung Caleb around to show off his great-grandson, as well as his grandson and granddaughter-in-law, to his new friends. Teenagers told Niel, "Your grandpa is SO COOL!" Caleb enjoyed playing with a few of the teenage girls who adored him as well.

Arizona in June

2007-08-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

In June, we visited Niel's brother Erik and his family in Gilbert, AZ. Caleb adores his baby cousin Anaiah who is just less than a year younger than Caleb. How we all wish we could live closer together for more frequent visits!

Trip to Greece: Photos & Daily Journal from 7/16-7/30

2007-07-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

7/16 Athens:
Landed safely! Tina and taxi driver Niko picked us up.
Hotel Attalos- dorm style, in middle of busy, dangerous street. Elevators are odd, one small cubicle, with regular swinging door with doorknob. Unsafe- shows the wall sliding as we ascend.
Lunch: in pedestrian area- flea market/plaza- lamb gyro and greek salad with fresh block of feta and lots of tomatoes, mmm! Peddlers bothered us, and motorcycle sped right by our table- we worried for Caleb.
Appetizers: atop hotel roof, with view of Acropolis, had ouza- licorice flavored spirit and olives.
Dinner- touristy traditional greek food of chicken kabobs and greek salad (green bell peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, block of feta, olive oil, basalmic vingear), with view of railroad, ruins, Acropolis.
City is dirty, filthy... unkempt. yet powerfully beautiful and startling structures of ruins illuminated by light at night, and bright by sunlight during day.

7/18 Athens:
All of us rose at 4:30 a.m., inner body clock still out of whack!
Hotel Breakfast- tried their "cereal" of fresh yogurt that looks like thick sour cream, honey, canned peaches/mixed fruit, and cereal puffs, mmm! Coffee is nice, with chocolade powder.
Bus tour to Delphi: lots of waiting, changing buses. niel jokes "GO Tour" for Greek Organized Tour isn't organized. Long, windy road into countryside with trees and landscape just like southern CA. Anticipating Delphi, the most beautiful and mystic center of the ancient world.
Came, saw,... and conquered the long steep hike to the highest point of Delphi monuments- the Roman stadium where games were held when Delphi was at that time considered the center of the world. Quite windy and hot. Pillars, steps, ground holes and sloped platforms where oracle priestesses prophesied. At the Delphi museum, Caleb delighted in finding the animal statues. One museum guard blew a kiss to Caleb, and he responded by doing the same, on his own! She showed her hand fluttering on her heart. :)
Caleb expressed his first fingerspelled sign "bus" (which he has been doing enthusiastically ever since, and had once later on cried when a bus stopped and took off again without him being on it).
Delicious lunch provided, table with Nathan and Daphne, whose mother lives in Greece. Both are teachers. stop over at Araphnova to look at rugs and grecian urns. We all fell asleep.
Delicious dinner of spinach pie and chicken gyro, view of ruins, and music from guitarists. Caleb was their best fan, clapping at the end of each song, and tipped them with 2 euros.
Niel bought an alternate wedding band for 6 euros. We had strawberry ice cream on the rooftop of our hotel. Acropolis glowed!

7/19 Santorini:
Enroute on a ferry to Santorini island, writing this during our ride. Caleb asleep just now after an hour of walking around the ferry, exclaiming "water!" and "boat!"
Boat docked at Oia island for change of passengers, before Santorini 20 mins. away. All buildings white with blue trimmings, a cross either on roof, or as window decoration. We changed seats to move away from heavy smoking section, eventually giving up by sitting outside which turned out nice, warm, and breezy, with panoramic view of the mediterranean and the surrounding islands.
Santorini- Kamares Beach, at the ex-Boathouse, a waterfront resort. BEAUTIFUL! Simple, relaxing, a vacation feel. Elegant, delicious restaurants, with outdoor beach front seating, and stores line up in a long way along the coast, we haven't seen either end. Lunch at the Boathouse, with white wine at the end, compliments of the waiter and staff. Caleb played tossing pebbles just outside the rail, near us. Niel is quite curious about trying the small fried crispy fish.
I love the fresh, sweet tomato feta salad, growing accustomed to it and eager to have it again!
We swam at the hotel pool, at the front with sea view. Baby rafts and inflatable toys were freely provided! Dinner at the Seaside Restaurant, after a long survey among the many places and sadly turning down restaurant offers. Two fair-haired Spanish little girls were touching and adoring Caleb, but he shyed away from them, objecting. Later, he stares at them tossing pebbles. Caleb loves throwing pebbles far into the water!

7/20 Santorini:
Enjoying the black pebbly and sandy beach. 6 euros for the built in thatch umbrella and 2 lounge chairs, where Caleb has been sleeping, in the warm and breezy shade for some time. He's sure to wake up to sign "Swimming!" as he sometimes has since we got here. Niel and I took turns swimming with goggles- perfect water temperature. The surface of the sea floor is rock hard uneven reddish-brown lava, with a bit of sand over it! A black volcanic island this is, with almost every acre covered with grape vines.
Lunch was take-out lamb gyro, tzazaki, and pina colada juice, at our shaded spot. The cook was smoking a cigarette as he prepared our meal. Hmph! Fairly everybody else in Greece smokes, too- inside the Athenian bank (even bank tellers on duty), guests in restaurants, inside the ferry boat (we had to move to unclaimed seats further away or wait outside on the deck- no second hand smoking for Caleb, please). We're learning to appreciate good ol' smoke-free California!
Beer and Ouzo for happy hour (which begins at 7 p.m. here, while dinner generally begins 8 or 9) with close view of beach from our cushioned seats and glass coffee table. Dinner- a 1st time try of crispy fried fish "Wapi", I was relieved these came without head or fin. We still eat the bones, though. I liked Mousaka-a pie of potatoes, cheese, eggplant, or the like. Caleb loves it here at Santorini.

7/21 Santorini:
Fira, the ancient port of the island, with 560 steps between the town and its harbor- traveled to and fro only by foot, cable car (which we took), or donkey. Only I entered the elaborately painted town church where modest attire was expected. Lunch on the balcony of the Classico, high atop the sea cliff. Large capers gave a special touch to the tomato mozzarella pesto sandwich, and the crepes was tasty. Greek dining comes with table top condiments of olive oil, red wine vingear, pepper, and crushed garlic salt. No butter, mayo, or ketchup.
We descended the cliffs in a cable car, at the very front of all the cars, with the best view of the approaching harbor. We showed Caleb the donkeys at their station before they carry riders on a man-made zigzag stairway up the cliff. Caleb was most impressed, staring and insisting on staying near them, and returning. "Donkey, please", he'd request.
Shops at Fira carry sophisticated items; I bought a red flowery top, and the new Harry Potter 7 (which I've completed reading by the last day of vacation).

7/22 Santorini:
Oia- The famous village for catching the sunset over the sea, at the northwesternmost tip.
Like in Fira, the flat 2-D map looks easy, but is actually steep paths with many steps (not good for a stroller).
Dining at Lira's, again on a cliff side balcony, overlooking the sea and neighborng volcanic islands. Baked lamb with feta and veggies. Caleb likes lamb, wolfing down the tender pieces! Almost everyone flocked to balconies, stairways, steep zigzag paths, all that face the sunset close to 8:30 p.m. The sun turned orange-pink, and the water shone brilliantly across the horizon. From our view, a posted Greek flag waved by the setting sun.
Afterwards, everyone raced to the buses, overcrowding them that we almost missed our ride. Upon changing buses, I carried a sleeping Caleb in my arms, helpless in the midst of the crowd. Thankfully, the bus regulator handpicked me to get abroad the already full bus, by giving me a fold up seat between the driver and the door, Niel standing by me.

7/23 Sifnos:
Dinner at the famously recommended "Mama Mia"- italian restaurant with food to die for! Perfect waterfront view, in the cool breeze, no flies around or only just a lonely one.

7/24 Sifnos:
Sifnos Island- HOT today! Battled the heat with mom's "cool coolers" around our necks, or as my hairband. Quiet, mellow, and simple here. We miss Santorini already, but at least Sifnos has sandy and shallow beach for Caleb, who did his first beach dip during this entire vacation. Compared to others, he's well-protected, but looks rather ridiculous- water shoes (for the hot sand), multi-patterned swim trunks, surf shirt, bright neon orange waxy ear plugs, inflatable arm floaters with unmatching multi-colored cartoon characters, and finally Niel's fishing hat (for sun protection). Caleb has been refusing to wear any of his cute hats, so he was forced to wear Niel's with its fastening strings. The lapping water is cool and clear- just like at Lake Tahoe.

7/25 Sifnos:
Beach first thing in the not as hot morning, after the hotel breakfast. The family huddled together in the cool water, holding the slightly submerged Caleb in turns, since he was still resistant to standing in the shallow water.
Caleb finally gets his real swimming in the hotel pool on our way back. Ice cream on a beachfront porch with steps leading to the water.
Dinner at Kastros in the middle of the east islandic coast- Audriana, a model beautiful Athenian Greek working at our hotel during the summer, recommended us to try out the restaurant "Frogs" for the "veddy good" food, which she repeated thrice, it being her favorite. We gladly set out for Kastros by bus with Caleb's stroller. We arrived there surprised to find the long series of steps we'd need to take to reach the waterfront restaurant from the top the hill. With stroller locked around a phone pole, we hiked down, Caleb either riding on my hips or gleefully doing his "grown-up" steps. We passed by a few fenced goats and a cow. Niel thought we went the wrong way, finding only dirt, overgrown vegetation, and no marked paths, so we went back up some more steps, only for Niel to have spotted a couple walking across the dirt. We went back down, crossed the open dirt area, but then some free roaming goats appeared in front of us. My left leg shook in exhaustion and apprehension. Caleb clutched my shoulder tightly. Niel went up further to scout it out and eventually discovered the cove beach and the restaurant, so it indeed was the right direction. The cove was beautiful- sage green rocky serrogated cliffs enclosed this private tiny beach of multi-colored pebbles and rocks, the hues of oil in the sunlight. People were sunbathing and swimming, apparently being there all day. We wish we had known to come earlier with swim gear. By the time we got there, we had only 1 hour before catching the 7:45 pm bus, or we'd have to wait till 10 pm. Our linguini came with full-bodied prawns, eyes and all, and very delicious sauce. We gobbled up everything in the 5 minutes that the dish was presented, before we took off. Niel ran up the long, steep steps to catch the bus and ask it to wait for us (the bus had almost left when Niel stopped it), while I trailed behind, awkwardly carrying a 26-pound laughing toddler up in a rush. That was the meal and exercise of our year! We topped it off with an evening swim in the pool.

7/26 Sifnos:
Pool swim in a.m. after breakfast- Caleb's favorite activity. We visited one of the island's 366 churches, "Christoplous" via bus and hiking trail of another long series of steps. The all-white small church lies on a rocky mini-island, connected by a bridge, standing atop a cliff with a 340 degree view of the sea. Very windy and a worthwhile hike. For the first time, we all entered a church in Greece, wearing pants and full-covered shirts. We treated ourselves to ice cream nearby. The hike back up was tough, but this time, Niel wore the baby carrier backpack, as Caleb contently fell asleep inside, under the shade.
Reserved a good space in the shade at the beach in the late afternoon when the sun has moved away from the coast, behind buildings. We all swam, Caleb now standing up in the shallow water, holding my hand.
Greek salad with its flavorful tomatoes and feta cheese from the restaurant behind us. Good news... Niel NOW likes tomatoes, lots of 'em, chunky and raw! A change of heart toward tomatoes, or it's the distinct Greek tomatoes that won him over?
Mama Mia for dinner again- so good! Ping pong at the hotel outdoor commons area in the evening. Caleb now talks about "Ping pong", imitating the swinging of the arm and wrist.

7/27 Sifnos:
Windy and slightly cool- a welcome change! same routine as the day before, except more playing at the hotel. Caleb discovered toys at the common area and played with the staff's dog and cat. Fun and relaxing (yet competitive) ping pong again!

7/29 Athens:
Ancient ruins and one of the wonders of the ancient world. Hike up to the famous Acropolis to see close up the Parthenon and the temple of Athena. Hard to fathom how this civilization goes back to 3000 B.C. with many monuments still standing today from a few centuries before Christ. How can this little walled fortress on top of the towering limestone crag be the original entire city of Athens? It later on served as a site for religious devotion, as the city expanded down below. We had to be careful walking on the surface of the Acropolis, our old shoes have lost the traction for safe contact with marble. The ground, broken up as it is now, was actually mostly marble that has worn down over the centuries to uneven and slippery ground, mixed with dirt and rocks. Caleb enjoyed the trip for a while until he fell asleep in my arms, so I had to be extra careful descending the slippery path! On our hike down, we walked through the Agora where people once assembled for major cultural and daily functions. We also stopped by at the Acropolis museum for more history and artifacts. Caleb enjoyed finding artifacts with animal shapes or paintings.

7/30 Airborne:
We left Greece on July 30th, and arrived in California on the same day of July 30th, while we have actually been up for at least 24 hours due to the time zone difference! Although our flight itinerary indicated a 9:30 p.m. arrival time, we didn't get home until 2 a.m. Home sweet home!

Family Abroad in Greece!

2007-07-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

Niel, Erika, and Caleb all leave for Greece from July 16 to July 30. Here's our flight, hotel, and contact information if you need.

We just signed up for free international phone coverage on our pagers- you will be able to reach us via phone text messages only; our phone numbers are: 951.368.8619 for Erika, and 909.389.8190 for Niel. PLEASE e-mail our pagers prior to our departure (7/16) or phone text message us to give your phone text msg number if you have one. We currently can contact our mother Lynn Gold, thru her cell text messages, so you may contact her if you need for communications. We might also have access to our aol accounts when we use a computer in one of the Greek cafes, too. If we have e-mail access, we will send updates directly to our web blog, rather than typing multiple addresses each time. Continue to check this site if needed.

Flight Itinerary:

Mon, Jul 16, 2007
Departs 6:30am, Arrives 2:40pm
US Airways 714
Los Angeles, CA to Philadelphia, PA

Mon, Jul 16, 2007
Departs 4:00pm, Arrives 8:55am
US Airways 758
Philadelphia, PA to Athens, Greece

Mon, Jul 30, 2007
Departs 11:20am, Arrives 3:35pm
US Airways 759
Athens, Greece to Philadelphia, PA

Mon, Jul 30, 2007
Departs 6:30pm, Arrives 9:25pm
US Airways 715
Philadelphia, PA to Los Angeles, CA

Travel Itinerary:
July 15: 1 night stay at hotel near LAX
July 16: Depart LAX for Philadelphia, then Philadelphia to Athens
July 17: Arrive at Athens airport
July 17-19: 2 nights stay at the hotel Attalos in Athens center (breakfast)
July 18: One day tour to Delphi
July 19: Fast boat tickets Piraeus-Santorini island
July 19-23: 4 nights stay at the hotel Arion Bay (ex Boat House) on Kamari beach (breakfast)
July 23: Fast boat tickets Santorini-Sifnos island
July 23-28: 5 nights stay at the Verina Suites, 50m from Platys Yialos beach and 10km from town (breakfast)
July 28: Fast boat tickets Sifnos-Piraeus
July 28-30: 2 nights stay at the hotel Attalos in Athens center (breakfast)
July 30: Catch flight back home

Caleb's Ear Surgery & Hearing

2007-07-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Caleb had his ear surgery on July 2nd for tubes that were inserted into his perforated ear drums to drain the excessive fluids that never otherwise seemed to reduce by itself. Although we felt pain watching Caleb being taken away by the nursing staff prior to his surgery and afterwards when he cried for an hour, the surgery was actually successful. Our appointment for his post-audio test will tell us how much hearing Caleb now has since the diagnosed 55 dB hard-of-hearing level prior to surgery. Caleb had been temporarily hard-of-hearing all year, so we are thankful we did not let his language get delayed if he had been exposed only to speech. With signed language exposure, Caleb is advanced linguistically for his age, that it doesn't matter how much he can hear, in regards to his language development.

Picnic at Fairmont Park in Riverside

2007-05-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

Fairmont park in Riverside is such a great place for taking walks, feeding ducks, and hanging out on the expansive, well-shaded green grass.
Caleb takes charge of Amy's leash...

Good ol' rough play with Daddy!

Duck watching with Mommy...

Lake Tahoe-Heavenly

2007-04-09T22:31:00.000-07:00

We went skiing for the day while Grandpa Bruce babysat Caleb at his lovely cabin. In two weeks, the snow might all be gone, so we were glad to relish this opportunity. We couldn't take our eyes off the gorgeous view of the lake and the surrounding mountains as we descended the slopes.

Easter 2007 - El Dorado Hills

2007-04-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed our first Easter egg hunt with Caleb who is for this Easter more aware and mobile for this special tradition. Ken and Peg Christensen's lovely and expansive backyard gave lots of room for Caleb (15 1/2 months) and his egg hunting buddy, third cousin Trevor (21 months), to run and gather eggs! Caleb also saw a real horse for the first time as parents fed carrots to the horse's nibbling teeth. Caleb also, for the first time, rode on a toy motorcycle, pedaling on his own, and staying atop with ease. Thanks to the Christensens for a wonderful time!

Farewell to Erika's grandparents

2007-03-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

The passing of our beautiful and talented grandmother Violet Louise Dickson, 12/29/1916 - 2/9/2007, marked the end of Erika's grandparents's generation in the family. All of them are missed dearly.

Papa Bernie and Nana Louise Dickson (paternal gradnparents) with Dad and family - one of the last times we saw both of them:

A picture from the 1930's that includes all my four grandparents, in their twenties, out vacationing during my maternal grandparents' honeymoon: (from left to right) Bernie (dad's dad), Helen (mom's mom), Pat (mom's dad), Louise (dad's mom), and friend

Thompson Cousins

2006-12-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

Caleb and Anaiah enjoyed meeting each other for the first time at Christmas. We spent Christmas at Erik and Michelle's house where we enjoyed watching Caleb open his presents as well as being with the rest of the family.

Ice-Skating

2006-11-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

During the Thanksgiving holiday, Niel and I enjoyed ice-skating in the open at the Mission Inn marketplace in downtown Riverside. The rentals I had were uncomfortable, though, but Niel later got me my own skates for Christmas. Thanks, darling! Photo was taken by our dear babysitter Erin Land who was with Caleb, watching us.

Boys Playing the Piano

2006-11-23T21:34:00.000-08:00

After our Thanksgiving dinner at Mom Lynn's, we had a riot laughing as we watched Caleb (11 months) and Dickson cousin Ethan (2 1/2 years) blast away at the piano as a rowdy duet. The boys went on and on, clearly enjoying our loud and encouraging reactions! Erin Land (friend and Caleb's babysitter) in the background.

Caleb's Ear Infections

2006-11-21T17:28:00.000-08:00

We were just at the pediatrician's office. Caleb's strep throat and
fever are gone, but his ear infection in both ears still remain. (His
fourth one by the way). The antibiotic he had been on was apparently too
weak, so he's been prescribed a stronger antibiotic. This explains why
Caleb was often fussy and sleepless this past week. We'll be sure he
stays healthy, especially with the addition of Juice Plus fruit and
veggie powder to his pre-mixed food. By Thanksgiving he'll be back to
his cheerful self again.
Concerned Mom

Caleb is walking!

2006-11-06T19:53:00.000-08:00


Caleb is finally walking! As you can see in this video, Caleb is making one of his first steps, and obviously enjoying his new found skill :)

Getting Caleb to Sleep and Talk

2006-10-30T21:17:00.000-08:00

Click on video above. Caleb has been difficult to put to sleep these past few months. We kept rocking him or holding him until he fell asleep. We realize this isn't feasible ever since he's gotten heavier and we get more tired, so we now have finally managed to leave Caleb in his crib until he falls asleep on his own. It was a difficult road, but we got there! (More details are given through ASL in this video clip). Caleb is now speaking a few words such as "mama", "dada", and most frequently, "uh oh", when he falls down, drops something, or is looking for trouble (according to Nana Lynn). He also claps his hands, and signs something resembling "bird" or "diaper", indecipherable at this time. We enjoy being Caleb's parents very much!

Malpractice Suit

2006-10-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

I met with my attorney a few days ago for malpractice suit against Kaiser Permanente for substandard care. My lawyer, Snyder Patin, collected almost all of my information and said it was a viable case. It is now going to be reviewed by a medical expert, and when ready, my case will go through arbituation. This won't involve judge or jury, but only three arbitrators, one representing me, one for Kaiser, and one independent person. This process might take up to 15 to 18 months, but I will keep you posted of developments.

Pirates Party

2006-10-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

Niel and I went to a friend's Pirates Party where pirate apparel is
required. Caleb stayed home with babysitters- thanks to two darling
teenage CODAs! We haven't gone out much as a couple, always spending
time as a family (who'd want to stay away from such a cute, irresible
baby like Caleb??) We realize Caleb needs to get accustomed to having
sitters other than family for his own personal growth. After a great
time with our pirate friends, we came home to find Caleb long asleep,
the house squeaky clean, and the girls content with tales of how fun
they had playing with Caleb. All went well, and we definitely should do
this more often.
Love,
Erika

Caleb's Birthday & Many Births

2006-10-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

Caleb will celebrate his first birthday on Saturday December 9th. Family
and friends, mark your calendars! We can't believe our baby has two
months to go before he's a full year old and toddler-like. We're blessed with many babies of the family who have arrived this year two years after Sean and Lisa had Ethan ... Naomi's Aedan Josiah (8/4/06), Mary's Audrianna Violet (8/20/06), and now, Erik and Michelle's Anaiah Ruth (10/19/06)! (Why all "A's" this year, by the way? We even had almost gone with Anders as the first name, but decided on Caleb Anders.)

October Update-Belated!

2006-10-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

It’s been so long since we last sent an entry. We are all doing well, so here’s news in a nutshell:
-Today on October 19, 2006, our niece and Caleb’s cousin, Anaiah Ruth Thompson arrived! Although she is six weeks early and at three and a half pounds, she and mom Michelle are doing well. Proud Daddy Erik is with them, as well as both of Anaiah’s grandmothers. We have been praying for their safety every day and feel relieved now.
-Niel has been commuting one hour and a half one way daily to and from Irvine, where he teaches at our alma mater, University High School. He loves teaching there, dealing with a 99% teaching and 1% discipline ratio that he doesn’t take for granted. On his way home one afternoon, he got in a car accident. A restaurant truck, whose driver is 100% at fault, turned suddenly into Niel’s exit lane, ramming the front and driver’s side of our beloved 2006 Saturn VUE that is still to this day at the shop with repairs being paid by the restaurant auto insurance. Thankfully, Niel is all right, and that he was alone when it happened while Caleb was safe at home.
-I (Erika) had an unexpected C-Section for the removal of what is suspected an incorrectly inserted IUD and was ordered to stay home a month to recover. I’ve finally returned to work about three weeks ago, and am productive and fairly happy, dealing with many new changes at the school.
-Caleb attends a family-daycare center, run in the household of a deaf couple. His crying has minimized as Caleb got used to it there. I still breastfeed him before work, at lunch, and after school, so Caleb is still fairly at the breast exclusively, in addition to fruits, vegetables, and his latest favorites: asparagus, corn, tofu hot dogs, veggie tofu cheese, and linguini! Caleb will walk any time now, as he’s already doing so while holding onto parents’ pants or skirt, or on the sofa, and briefly letting go for a few steps at a time. Be sure to baby proof your house the next time we visit!

Surgery Aftermath

2006-08-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

(August 17,2006)

Niel, Caleb and I just left Kaiser at 7 pm tonight for home after being
there since 11:30 a.m. yesterday. I can now remain seated with less
pain. It's a killer when I sit down, stand up, move around, etc. because
the stomach muscles are used. My stomach, lungs, collarbone, and neck
are bruised from the artificial gas used to balloon up my stomach for
the lariscopy camera vision. Breathing is difficult with the
aftereffects of full anesthesia, and the phlegm sitting in my lungs
which will lead to lung infection later this week or next unless I keep
breathing out of this plastic tube with a lever that goes up to the
level of inhalation required- very exhausting and dizzying. My stomach
hurts to the slightest touch, so I steer away from Caleb during his
active phases when possible. I cannot lift more than 10 pounds
(including Caleb at almost 19). And of course, there's the huge stitched
slash across my crotch hairline, with lots of heavy duty tape, won't be
fun removing later. I'm ordered not to lift, work or drive for 6 weeks.
I however will feel better in 2 weeks, I was informed. I need to drink
liquids and soft foods for awhile.

Now as to why all this???
It was a very long process for me, finding out one more bad news after
another, since last Wednesday when I had an appointment to have my IUD
removed, normally a simple procedure of pulling the string out. IUDs are
good for 5 to 10 years, depending on the type. After only 6 months, I
felt it was just too much pain to bear- ocassional stabbing sensations
in my stomach while breastfeeding, sitting, or standing, all at random
times. I've contacted a nurse about this but was told it was normal
because of breastfeeding. On that day, the IUD string couldn't be found,
nor thru ultrasound, until the X-Ray detected the copper "T" in my
pelvis. Surgery was scheduled the following Tues. (yesterday). I went
under anesthesia thinking I'd wake a few hours later with 2 small clean
cuts in my belly and ready to go home as an outpatient. Instead, I'm
told the IUD was found to have been improperly inserted past the uterus
into the intestines, and was complicated to remove so a C-section was
done. I spent the night bedridden at Kaiser for 1 1/2 days. I was
finally released after "passing" the test of sitting up, standing, and
walking- a very difficult feat that usually gave me fainting spells,
nausea and anxiety attacks for most of the day. I've been thinking about
the mistakes made at Kaiser:
1) the dr inserted the IUD into me and THEN gave me a brochure on the
risks involved and that I should take into serious consideration (too
late)
2) dr inserted way too far, pushing it past the uterus into the
intestine (so I technically never got birth control)
3) after insertion, the dr didn't use ultrasound to make sure it looks
right (found that my cousin, an ob/gyn in NY does this for double check
herself)
4) when I reported pains, they told me it was normal pain due to
breastfeeding w IUD (again if I knew that'd happen, wouldn't have chosen
IUD)
5) and now this... With loss of 6 weeks worth of work/income

Well, I'm glad to be alive, and recovering, and still able to bear
children. That's the most important thing. I've received wonderful
support from people all this time. Thanks for keeping me in your
thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Erika

Lake Tahoe

2006-08-03T18:40:00.000-07:00

"Da ow" as the Indians called the "Lake of the Sky", which the newcomers mistook as "Tahoe". Our dog Amy sharing in our pleasure in this secluded beach site at Kiva Beach in South Lake Tahoe.

Thanks to Niel's dad Bruce, we stayed at his nice, humble cabin for a week. Dad Bruce had a barbecue ready for us upon our arrival. A few days later, we went out to lunch with Niel's mom Kathryn, along with Aunt Marcia, for her birthday. Close to the end of the week, Niel's Uncle Scott and cousin Danielle drove over for the night and took us out to the Catina restaurant. Such nice meetings with family in beautiful, sunny and cool weather! A great escape from Riverside which was 115 degrees!

Caleb Growing Up!

2006-08-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

Sigh... Caleb is no longer a baby baby. It is evident this evening. He is as of this moment standing up against Niel, and had pulled himself up on his own. Just earlier in the bath room, Caleb pulled himself up to a standing position outside the tub! What's more, I wanted to read to him from this colorful baseball book, but Caleb took the liberty of turning the pages in the correct direction, using the correct thumb and index finger position! It's kinda the first time he didn't try to chew the book, as he now knows the function of books. I must've modeled a lot during my maternity leave! We're amazed and so proud of our lil' boy!

Lake Tahoe video

2006-07-28T15:11:00.000-07:00


Enjoying a day on the beach at Lake Tahoe.

July 9 Wedding Vows

2006-07-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

Niel and Erika exchanged personal vows again in front of their pastor and 80 witnesses, family and friends, atop a bluff facing the Dana Point harbor and the Pacific ocean.

Blue Dog Art Exhibition

2006-05-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

On Saturday May 27th, Erika, Niel, and Caleb attended an art exhibition at the Del Mar Hilton to view the art of George Rodrigue who they are pictured with. Rodrigue is well known for his paintings of the famed Blue Dog. Erika surprised Niel with a purchase of a Blue Dog print (as shown in the picture) for an early birthday gift with Rodrigue's signature on it (the 1st of 500 prints!). It was such an exciting opportunity for them to meet the artist and view his paintings in real life, as some of them are valued as high as $100,000.

Thompson Reunion & Cecil's 80th Birthday

2006-05-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

A Thompson reunion at Niel's grandpa Cecil's 80th birthday party in the Thompson hometown of Chico, CA. A smashing success with catered barbecued chicken, tri-tip steak, wine, beer, lots of A1 sauce, guitar-playing, cake, family re-introductions, and some apparent competition for Caleb-cuddling time!

Solid Food & Forefathers

2006-05-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

Four direct generations of Thompson boys. Caleb successully eats solids for the first time- mashed oatmeal cereal with banana, as his daddy, grandpa and great-grandpa cheer him on. Plain rice cereal he hated, but this he likes!

Baby Caleb

2006-05-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Caleb is now 5 months old. Parenting him is getting more fun and exciting as he is now responding to our facial expressions, voices, signs, and actions. Caleb loves reaching for pagers and coffee mugs, clearly because his parents often have these in their hands! Caleb likes exploring his hands and feet, and his parents' faces, especially Daddy's goatee and Mommy's hair, and both of their lips. He is as active as he can be for a baby who isn't yet sitting up on his own or crawling. We love him dearly, and look forward to what he's able to do next!

Niel and Erika Thompson- Easter 2006

2006-05-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day

2006-05-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Erika's 1st official Mother's Day, celebrating with Niel's mom Kathryn. We're amazed how much life changes beautifully in only a year, and we're now all mothers- including sister-in-law Michelle, who is expecting her firstborn this December 1st. I'm joyfully proud to be Caleb's mom!

Dickson Reunion

2006-05-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

Uncle Ron and Aunt Dawn came to visit from Seattle, so the Dickson brothers (my dad Alan) and their families, including cousin Lynn (my mom) gathered at Sean and Lisa's for a reunion. Everybody certainly had a good time! The ping pong, guitar playing, drinks, the baby boys, and the delicious kabob bbq! Ethan was so cute when he tried to present the orange monkey to Caleb during his crying. Ron's song "I'm Alive" was inspiring so I memorized it for signing while he sang with his guitar. Uncle Gordon... He's a great competitor in ping pong, and I hope he was only joking about his broken toe! Sean and Lisa, thanks for a great party! (Photographer Dawn)

Carlsbad Beach

2006-05-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

We met up with Niel's dad Bruce, Marion, and her family in Carlsbad where we had a pleasant, brisk stroll along the Pacific. Caleb, at a beach for the first time, was lulled to sleep by the sea air! (or by Bruce's voice?)

Racquetball Tournament

2006-04-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Niel and Erika played as first-timers in the novice division at the National Deaf Racquetball Tournament in Fullerton, CA, because it was nearby. Niel enjoyed himself even though, in his last match, he had to play against a "B" player who wasn't supposed to compete in the Novice division. Erika lost once, and had to play in the 2nd tier "Loser's Bracket" for a total of 10 games, to re-emerge in the championship rounds the next day to defeat her previous winning opponent, all squeezed in between breastfeeding sessions! Thanks to mom Lynn for carrying Caleb in a front carrier, so both of them could watch Niel and Erika playing.