Halloween was quickly approaching and it was time to decide what to dress you up in.

This?

Or this?

But it was decided to wear this…

and you liked it. Hot Dog!!! On Halloween, we took you out trick-or-treating out in the old neighborhood around Sherman Oaks. It was your first time and you didn’t really know what was going on at first. Why were there all these people walking around in costumes going up to doors, saying “trick-or-treat!” The cool thing was, while we were walking from one house to the next, we ran into Ketcup and Mustard! Here are some photos…

It looks like you liked it. Especially the candy!

On September 15, 2007, we went to the Museum of Natural History where you just loved seeing all the “BONES.”

The next week, we visited the Long Beach Aquarium. You got to touch and feel the slimy baby stingrays. We saw so many different types of fish and corral.

The week after that, Grandma Nancy came down to visit us. We went to the LA County Museum of Art and the La Brea Tar Pits.

You were really sad to see Grandma Nancy leave. You cried when she said “bye bye!” And we had to distract you so you wouldn’t notice that she was going away. But you were too smart and knew what we were trying to do. You cried with arm reaching out to her as she started driving away. Fortunately, as she was leaving, at our feet appeared Mo’o, Ketura’s bearded dragon. He had been missing until then for about two weeks. That cheered you up.

The next weekend, we went to the LA Zoo. And here begins our “Back of the Head” series at the zoo.

You then decided that you wanted to lead the way…

and showed us this…

and this…

okay… I took that picture.

On July 6, 2007, when you were just over a year old, you mommy and I finally made it official and got married. It was one of the most happiest days of my life. Something that I will never forget, not because of the exotic location or the fancy banquet, but because I can officially say, this is the woman that I will spend the rest of my life with, loving her with all that I am and all that I will be. Don’t get me wrong, I already knew that your mommy was the one I wanted to be with and love forever, regardless if we got married or not. I just knew the moment I met her that if this woman wanted to be with me, I would be more than happy to spend my time with her.

After the wedding and wedding lunch, we went to a 7-Eleven dressed up as a Kwik-E-Mart. Everyone was excited about the new Simpsons movie that was coming and Mia bought all these Simpsons promotional items like Buzz soda and Krusty O’s.

Well, you’ve certainly been 1 years old for awhile now. There have been lots of laughs; lots of crys; all of it with love. You’ve picked up more words to say and you’ve grown a lot more teeth, which you seem to enjoy since you are now able to chew food that you weren’t able to chew before. You still love to stuff your face and store food in your mouth. Many things have happened since you turned one, but even though I haven’t written in your blog since then, during the time since I’ve last written in here, I’ve just been growing to love you more and more. So don’t you think (when you’re all grown up and reading this) that Daddy ever forgot about you and didn’t care about your blog. I, your mom, your sisters and brothers, and everyone else in your family will always love you no matter what. And don’t you ever forget that.

A lot has happen, so instead of trying to write about it all, here are some of photos of some highlights.

You love to swim. You don’t know how to, but you love it just the same.

And you loved to take out the trash. You were very helpful.

We went to the Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, CA. You LOVE strawberries.

We took you in for Strabismus surgery. We were so worried. You were so little, but we had faith in the doctor and that your eyes were going to be straight and better. We didn’t want you to loose sight in one of your eyes so we decided that we had to get it done. It broke our hearts seeing when the doctor took you away and then when they brought you in to recovery – seeing you with the respirator on and all the monitors made your mother and I cry. But they said that everything went great and that you were going to be okay. The reasurrance made us feel much better. I even wore the shirt that I wore when you were born for good luck.

We took a big family vacation to Cancun in June with Ye-ye, Ma-ma, Uncle Matt, Auntie Lyly, Kelina, Malia, Cayden and Kaiya. You’re becoming quite a traveler. The ocean was beautiful and we saw some Mayan ruins. You loved the beach and loved playing in the sand.

Julius and Jared came down to be with us for the summer. Then Auntie Mary, Trey, Bo and Uriah visited so we could all go to Disneyland together. It was your first time to the “Happiest Place in the Earth.” You both loved it. We had the greatest time. You loved the Dumbo ride. I think that one was your favorite.

We celebrated Jared’s birthday July 13. We all went to Uncle Mike’s and Auntie Martha’s and had a pool party with delicious food provide by Auntie Martha. We opened ate, swam and Jared blew out the candles and opened his presents.

It was a wonderful summer. Definitely a summer to remember. Like this moment when you were playing Mia’s Nintendo DS.

Now, that’s not all. When I get another chance, I’ll tell you about the rest of the summer.

Wow the BIG #1! You’re now in a digit.

On Saturday, May 5th, family and friends all gathered at Ma-ma’s and Yeh-yeh’s house to celebrate your first birthday. Before we left our house, we dressed you in a cute tanktop and skirt that Mia got you for your birthday, and snapped a photo with your mom. We then gathered all our stuff and drove down to Yeh-yeh and Ma-ma’s house, stopping by Tapioca Express to get our usual Saturday morning boba drinks. We then helped clean up and get everything ready, then changed you into the pink dress that Uncle Dan and Auntie Shay gave you. Uncle Matt and Auntie Lyly helped us get the food: A mexican menu of beef and chicken taquitos, rice, beans, salad, carnitas, chicken, and carne asada, with Uncle Matt and Uncle Tony doing a wonderful job barbacuing all the meat and warming the tortillas.

Mia brought a huge Scooby-doo piñata stuffed with candy and toys that all the kids, including Mia just loved. Apparently, this was also the first time Mia got to hit a piñata. She delighted in breaking it open, with all the candy in toys spewing out onto the floor. And that’s when all the “kid” partying started. All the kids, and Mia, rushed in to grab all the candy. Everyone throwing confetti up in the air. Auntie Joyceln and Auntie Sue blew bubbles at you. It was a great time.

and as you can see, the kids weren’t the only enjoying themselves like kids. If only everyone was always like that.

Afterwards, we all gathered to sing you a birthday song and to blow out the candle on your cake. Cayden and her best friend Chloe did the honors since you didn’t know to out the candle yet. You and I then cut the cake and we all drived in. Oh boy did you like it. You just dunked you face into the cake and took big bites; getting cake and frosting all over you face. You even shared some cake with me, which was very sweet of you.

Afterward, some of us watched the big boxing match between Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather. For that I have to appologize. Lots of people bought you very thoughtful and nice presents. And while most of the guys and some of the girls, were watching the fight, you got tired and fell asleep, so no one got to watch you open your presents, since it got too late. Sorry everyone! I should’ve started the party earlier.

So since we didn’t get to watch you open the presents, here are a bunch of photos of you in the outfits and toys that everyone got you.

Thank you everyone for your wonderful gifts. We hope that you had as great a time as we had. And for those who couldn’t make, we missed you and there’s always next year.