www.dtez.com

As we waited for Devan to arrive, thinking he would be born on Valentine's Day, we happened to take a couple playful pictures of Chantel's belly. She knew that the baby would come early, but not in two more days.

I have always grown up playing music, and I've come to realize that I need to play guitar at least once a week to balance myself. Even if it means playing guitar hero, or strumming my stratocaster, I need to play music at least once week.
So what I also started doing was create my song book. I have at one time or another, played every song in "Dtez Song Book", and currently working at memorizing them.

I've done it! I think I've really done it! I have figured out how to wait in line in India. Last year I learned how to cross the crazy busy streets- you just walk real real slow and let everybody drive around you cause if you run across chances are someone is driving right into the spot you are about to spring into, so just let them drive around you! And this year i've learned how to wait in line. I've been doing it all wrong! Since I'm a bit more bravehearted now traveling in India when people have cut in front of me i've been taping them on the shoulders, giving a cute girlish non aggressive smile and saying or motioning, "excuse, but i was in line here" and it has shocked me how many people are so courteous and apologetic putting their hands in prayer, bowing and saying sorry etc. So then i got to thinking, well, it's obvious i'm in line, i'm behind the person in front of me right! so how can they not notice? but they seemed so sincere in apologizing so it got me to thinking.... oh! they don't think i'm in line cause there is a space between me and the person in front of me. If I'm not actually touching the person in front of me, then I'm not really waiting in line. so I'm still hesitant to touch the person in front of me but now i just use my bag to make contact. I'm also more patient when someone is pressing on my back cause if they don't, someone is just going to cut in front of them. I consider this a big milestone :)

hello awesome awesome peeps!

today i am departing from this cute mountain Himalayan town that I have called home for the past three weeks. This town called McLeod Ganj is where the tibetan government in exile is located. I have so been enjoying this area! Clean air, beautiful mountain views (when not storming), plenty to do, and the people are so lovely. I think I have fallen in love with the Tibetan culture. In general the people are friendly, good natured, full of eye contact and smiles, and they love their children. so awesome to see the men participating so actively in the care of the children.

loved ones-

Please forgive any lack of flow on this email. Ten days of semi-silence and meditation can make the brain go numb... but a good numb of course :)

made it safe and sound to McleodGanj... wow, that 13 hour bus ride was interesting!!! details later. i didn't puke but i have bruises all over my body from the jerkiness!

McleodGanj is awesome... i already love it... i can tell i am really gonna spend some serious time here. monks eveywhere, restaurants, cafe's, volunteer houses, lecture halls, temples, libraries, small movie theatres, mom and pop shops... just great... still lots of filth, cows, honking cars and mangy dogs.. but the himalayas are the most gorgeous backdrop!

Ok, I häve come up with Sweden.s new motto: "sweden.... the country where you dont need sunglässes" :)

Yes, Sweden is bone chilling cold and cloudy, but guess what? Despite all this, what a superb country!

Hello loved ones-

Well, it's arrived. The date for me to take off to India. This time around my preparation has been very minimal and rushed. But, I got all the essentials: passport, visa, money, underwears, books, journal, Lonely Planet India, inflatable fake turkey in case I'm hanging out with Americans on Thanksgiving, light up yo yo etc. OH, and lots of pens. Ball point pens were my greatest commodity last year in India. Don't know what it is but a good pen is hard to find in India and the Indians go nuts over em'. Indians woudl just come up and blatantly ask "May I have your pen?" or if they didn't speak English would make some type of hand gestures. Last year within two weeks I had given out six pens and found myself with only one for my own usage! So, I have about twenty very nice pens to give away this year. Was thinking maybe I'll take pictures with everyone who gets a pen and title it "pen pals" in my scrap book.... or something like that.

Our hallway bathroom is clogged up. Dante loves to wash his hands and play in the sink. I told Dante he cannot wash his hands for too long or the water will get too high. I said, "It's broken and we have to fix the water." I knew he would understand the word "broken" if I explained it that way. So, He moved on to our bedroom bathroom and continued to wash his hands in the sink. Once he was done and I dried his hands he went off to explore somewhere else.

This morning Chantel, Dante and I went to the ultrasound person to see how the baby is doing. We found out that its very healthy and it's a boy!

Great stuff! this is so exciting. Whether boy or girl, we are just so happy that we have another healthy baby on the way. Gracias a Dios!

On Friday, we were getting Dante into the car, and he didn't want to get in. So naturally he played limp, while Chantel was holding his right hand.

Next thing we know, Dante is just crying away. We could tell something was wrong because he had that painful cry. We asked him where it hurts and he pointed on his wrist. he is pretty tolerant to pain, so he was controlling his cry. We even were squeezing around his arm to check if it was his elbow, but he'd only cry if we pressed on his wrist (which made sense since it would cause stress on the elbow)

We went to the hospital and after 4 hours we finally saw the doctor... He supinated the hand (made palm up) and flexed the arm (made a bicep curl), which quickly set it back in place. Poor buddy, 4 hours of waiting for such a simple fix.

Anyways, we are making sure that until he gets older (after 3) we gotta watch out for this, and keep teaching Dante not to just play limp!

Dante's first try at using a webcam.webcam

It's amazing to see Dante getting older. He's 2 now, and talking like a storm. He is starting to reason out things and demand things. He understands MINE. He understands when he did something wrong, when he did something right. Everytime I come home and he looks at me and smiles that "Daddy's home", it makes me feel so good inside. I love it!

Big Brother This is what Dante wore to tell the family and the world that Chantel is pregnant with Devan. Pretty cool huh? Even at this early age, it seems Dante understands what is going on and that he will have another someone in the family.

When I left work I took the 91W freeway and drove on the far right lane driving speed limit. Next to me, a car on the fast lane driving about 80mph swerved to the middle lane to avoid clipping the car in front of him. Luckily, I reacted unexpectedly and slowed down...

His car lost control, spinning onto my lane. In front of me, while I slammed on my brakes, he screeched completely across my line of sight, completing a whole 270 degree spin before completely stopping half on my lane, half shoulder.

I love my wonderful Husband. He takes good care of us. He's under a lot of stress with the Condo, work and home. I know once he walks in the door to see our smiling faces welcoming him home he puts all the stress aside and appreciates what he has...especially with Dante.

Just right now as Dante was lying on Chantel's lap, drinking his milk so that he can go to bed, he stopped and said, "I Love Mommy"... Crazy! Nothing instigated, he just said it!

Amazing
Easter pic: Dante's first easter

Dante and I were home for the evening and I was lounging on the couch with my eyes getting heavy. I wasn't asleep, but boy did I want to. The last heavy eyelids I felt a big "POW!" Dante threw a elmo measuring tape at my face right below my left eye. I jumped immediately and started crying telling him, "you hurt mommy". I couldn't stop crying. I felt I was crying a little too much, but I coudn't get over it. I was so shocked he did it and I was so relieved he didn't hit my eye. He started laughing at me which was odd.

Our little baby Dante isn't so much a baby these days..
He is growing up so fast before our eyes! Dantes and I are always amazed how fast he learns a new word and new skills. Right now he knows most of the letters in the alphabet and numbers up to 10. He also is getting better at jumping (his favorite skill to do). It used to be cute when he thought he could jump but really he would just bend his knees and stand up real fast. Now, he can jump with a little bit of air 4 times in a row! He's super proud of himself..which is antoher thing we love to see.

I didn't realize how much I love planning baby showers! A coworker/friend and I planned a shower for a coworker. We enjoyed everytime we worked together cause we knew it ment also research time on the computer! We would look at our favorite websites like cupcakes, invitations and decorations. Figuring out what colors to use and patterns was the exciting part. I have 2 more I will be planning in the spring for my cousin. I already have great ideas and fun help with my friends. :)

Today marks a new day. The other inaugurations were like little pep rallies or watching ho hum news. Not that it wasnt important before, but I didn't have a frame of reference and/or it didn't matter much back then.

Instead, I'm in my thirties. I have a home, wife, kid, dog, and all of the grown-up things (not to mention the economic turmoil everyone's in). Now it means something... the direction of the country, and the leadership of the president. It actually means something to listen to what this guy is saying!

Wondering if doing a blog at 1:30am means that I should talk about Thursday or Wednesday. Anyway, as far as Wednesday goes, I can see that there is much progress around me. Friends, work, as long as there is movement, I am happy!

Dante is learning more and more. He learned table and chair in sign. Chantel is doing a great job with teaching too. What is surprising is that sometimes he'll say words that he remembers unexpectedly.

This picture was taken at Christmas 2008 at Lisa Ngo's house. We had a great time, as you can see on Dante's face. What a family pic! I will always remember Lisa saying at her first christmas party at her house, "Wow, we are really adults now!" I laughed because it just sounded funny, but also because it was so true!

It's amazing what a difference your life can change from one time point A to point B... What's interesting is what you consider A and B right?