Happy Belated Easter

The following photos were taken by Dylan's Aunt Diane last month during Easter. The family had gathered at Grandma and Grandpa's home, and of course with all those cute kids, someone had to get the camera out!

Aya holds Dylan, Kiara holds Evan, and Grandma holds Maya
Easter, 2008

Dylan wearing the biggest pair of pink bunny ears ever!
Easter, 2008

Lovely in Santa Barbara

Dylan and Jennifer, Santa Barbara, January 2008

Here are Dylan and Jennifer, in Santa Barbara a couple months ago. This photo was taken by my very dear friend, Leigh Marrin, who lives in SB. When we were down there in January, we got together for breakfast.

Isn't Jennifer just beautiful! She has always been beautiful, and being a Mom just agrees with her so much. She is such a terrific Mom for Dylan, so loving and attentive and positive! And you can just see all this love in her eyes, and every time she looks at him, talks about him, all this love is so evident. And in Dylan's eyes, all that love is returned to her. It is a real joy to watch the two of them together - they are perfect for each other! And I am a very lucky guy indeed to be a part of this wonderful little family.

Some of the many faces of Dylan...

Dylan, April, 2008

Dylan, Hard at Work, April, 2008

Dylan, April, 2008

Dylan, April, 2008

Dylan, April, 2008
Sometimes it is really really hard to hold this head up!


(More photos from this session to follow)

The Latest News on Dylan!

Well, a lot has happened since Dylan made the newspaper a couple weeks ago. He got pretty ill for a few days, right after he started day care. We were expecting some illnesses, but still it was a challenge - mostly for us, not so much for him. That Monday when we picked him up from day care, Yolanda (his day care provider), told us he had been rather grumpy - very unlike him. When we got him home, he was definitely congested and a little miserable. We called the advice nurse, who after listening to him breathe over the cell phone (!!), told us he probably had 'wet lung' and told us to get to the ER - stat! So, we spent about 5 hours in the ER (including a chest X-ray, which was something to participate in - a baby getting a chest X-ray!), all to be told he had a cold. Got some Albuterol (the stuff asthmatic kids take), Tylenol and we were sent home.

Over the next week, he'd have fever spikes, continued congestion and we kept him home - actually, Jennifer's mom, Pat, took care of him (thank you so much, Pat!) so we didn't have to miss much work. Jennifer had already made a Thursday appointment for Dylan, and when the doc saw him, we found out he had an infection in each ear. That got him started on antibiotics and from there, he rebounded really fast. All is better now and you'd never know he was sick. He was a real trooper - hardly complained at all, sick as he was.

Second big news: he got his first teeth! Two bottom ones. I tried to get a photo of them, but I guess I'll have to have Jennifer pull his lip down so we can get a clear shot of them. He seems to like them, though has taken to biting his mother when she is feeding him. Not good!

Third big news: He is seven months old! Wow! 7 months. It's been a wild ride and so much fun. He went to the doctor's last month for his six month checkup, and he is growing like a weed. Everything checked out: 18 lbs, 1 oz; 27 inches long. Got his shots again. No more injections until he hits a year.

I guess that's enough information for one entry.

The photos are some I took on Sunday, just The Boy sitting around on the floor and in his high chair. He sure is cute! And we sure do love him!

Dylan is in the newspaper!

Here is the on-line version to today's (3/29/08) Sacramento Bee. I had submitted the photo to the Bee's weekly baby photo editor about three weeks ago. It was very surprising to see his photo in the paper, as we got no advanced notice. I thought, given the lack of cute babies shown weekly, we ought to share the wealth a bit with everyone...

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Snapshots: Rice is nice, but messy
Lives in focus
Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, March 29, 2008
Story appeared in section, Page K12

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The subject: Dylan Joseph Zarate, 5 months old

The snapshot: Dylan was enjoying a bowl of rice cereal fed to him by his mom, Jennifer Ambrose, when his dad, Ernest Zarate, snapped this photograph. The family lives in Sacramento.

More Sitting!

OK, here are a few more photos taken by Jennifer of the little man doing his thing! We love the last photo especially...

Dylan Joseph Zárate, March 2008

Dylan Joseph Zárate, March 2008

Dylan Joseph Zárate, March 2008

The Little Man Sits!

Jennifer recorded a very significant moment in our son's life with these photos. For weeks now, Dylan and Mommy and Poppy have all been working on him sitting up on his own. A good portion of this has been at the boy's insistence - he has grown increasingly unhappy with anything other than lying flat on his back or sitting up. Anything in-between, and he struggles to sit up at a 90 degree angle.

So today, March 11, one day prior to his six months date, he sits up, on his own, for minutes at a stretch! Long enough for Jennifer to snap several photos (we need to get Mommy a decent camera - the video camera just doesn't cut it!) while he does the delicate dance of correcting any listings or leanings. I am impressed and awed! He is one terrific kid.

Dylan at Home!

Ah, the joys of eating! Dylan enjoying his meal
Sacramento, February 2008

Dylan gives a shout out to his bros via the bib: I Love My Big Brother(s)
Sacramento, February 2008

Well, after the dust settled from all the visiting and traveling last month, we are getting a chance to recover and recuperate. Much needed. Here are a couple photos of the boy, just Dylan chillin' and taking it easy...

The Big Visit!

My 3 Sons: Matt, Jack and Dylan, Sacramento, February 2008

Jack and Dylan, Gettin' to Know Each Other
Sacramento, February 2008

My 3 Sons, II: Matt, Dylan and Jack, Sacramento, February 2008

My 3 Sons, III: Matt, Dylan and Jack... again.
Sacramento, February 2008

My Three Sons (and me) IV: Poppy, Matt, Jack and Dylan
Sacramento, February 2008

Proud expecting parents: Teresa and Jack
Fresno, February 2008

Jack, Dylan and Teresa, Fresno, February 2008

Teresa, Dylan and Jack, Sacramento, February 2008

Teresa, Dylan and Jack, Sacramento, February 2008

Poppy, Teresa, Dylan and Jack
Sacramento, February 2008

The Big Visit finally happened! My (formerly) youngest son, Jack, and his girlfriend, Teresa, flew out here to Sacramento on February 19th. We have all been waiting for this for many months now, and it was just as exciting as all the anticipation. Jack and Dylan would meet, face to face, and then the little boy would know both his big brothers.

Jack arrived sicker than the proverbial dog, and so he and Teresa stayed with some family friends in Elk Grove. And they also had a very full schedule visiting friends all over the area. It had been over a year since Teresa was in town, and nearly that for Jack, so they had a lot of catching up to do. But we did get to spend some time with them, and enjoyed every moment.

While they were here, we got some very exciting news from them. Teresa is pregnant! That means Dylan is going to be an uncle, and I am going to be a grandfather! I was beside myself with happiness at the news - I had thought about the possibilities of being both a new daddy and a new granddaddy when Dylan was 'under construction' and I thought that was pretty amusing, but did not imagine it very likely. Well, color me wrong, and wrong in a good way! So in about 8 months or so, another baby enters into the world in our family. Very exciting!

The photos of the three brothers were all taken early in the morning, just before we rushed out the door to drive Jack and Teresa back to San Francisco to catch their plane. That may explain the morning hair I am sporting and the occasional morning fog in my eyes. But I was very happy to have some photos with all three of my sons! They are all wonderful and I am a very lucky guy indeed to have 3 fine sons!

Dylan's First Trip to San Francisco!

After we took Jack and Teresa to the airport, Jennifer and I decided to head into The City for a short visit. We first went to one of our regular spots, a burrito restaurant on Mission Street, near 23rd Street. Dylan enjoyed the ambiance, and you can rest assured that he will be a huge fan of all sorts of Mexican food as he was very focused on what we were eating.

Dylan and Mommy, San Francisco, February 2008

Then, after our tummies were full, it was off for Dylan's first visit to the beach. Ocean Beach, to be specific. We parked the van, got Dylan ready and took him for an old fashioned stroll along the boardwalk. He got a big kick out of seeing all the people, the seagulls and the rest of it. Many more trips to the beach for this little boy!

Dylan and Poppy, San Francisco, February 2008

The day was absolutely beautiful in San Francisco, and we had a very good time being there with Dylan. Just the first of many trips to come to this wondrous place!

Dylan Eats and Bathes!

Dylan, wearing a lot of rice cereal - and an "I love my Daddy" bib!
February, 2008

Mommy feeds the boy a spoonful of yummy cereal.
February, 2008

"I don't know what it is, but keep it coming!"
February, 2008

Nothing like a bath to soothe the little boy!
"Splish, splash, I was taking a bath..."
February, 2008

Not much text here, just some photos of Dylan eating rice cereal and getting one of his baths.

He has passed the phase of whatever and has now returned to his old, happy self. Thankfully! Was it teething, illness, upset stomach, a reaction to Jennifer's hormones... ? We'll never know. But things have settled down once again and we are grateful for that.

Jack is coming out here next week, he and his girlfriend Teresa flying in from Louisville, KY on Feb. 19th. This will be Jack and Dylan's first meeting and we are excited about it. They are staying for about ten days. Then we are thinking of a trip to KY in May if we can make it work.

All else is moving forward and in good ways. Dylan continues to delight and amaze.

Day Tripper!

Uncle Mike, Aunt Clarice, Dylan and cousin Kyle
January, 2008, Fresno

Grandma Pilulaw, Dylan and Ah-tish-win
January, 2008, Fresno

I got a burr under my saddle last week, and felt like I needed to make a road trip - taking Jennifer and Dylan, of course! Jennifer was most accommodating, agreeing to the madness that had taken hold of me, and so we loaded up the Sienna and drove to my brother's home in Fresno.

For those of you who may not know it, taking a baby on the road does something to time. What would normally be a three hour trip all of a sudden becomes more like five or six hours! But we sallied forth anyway and got down to Fresno around 3PM. We had a very nice visit with Uncle Mike (what a lucky kid to have not just one, but TWO Uncle Mikes!), Aunt Clarice, Grandma Pilulaw and cousin Kyle. Not to mention all the puppy dogs there -Jeb, Jake, Petey, Ah-tish Win, and Pumpkin!

After having a very yummy dinner, and having a video-fest of early Dylan movies, our little family of 3 loaded back into the van and headed back north. Actually the trip back only took about 2.5 hours as Dylan slept through the entire trip. That was generous of him, don't you think?

Dylan at Home

Dylan, January 2008

Dylan, January 2008

Here are just a couple of snapshots taken the last week. Nothing special. Well, I ought not to say that! I mean, the little boy is amazingly special. And then his Aunt Connie knitted the beautiful sweater which accentuates Dylan's blue eyes. And he is getting ready for his high chair, which is a pretty cool one... it's got wheels and all the latest gizmos! But no special occasion for the photos is what I meant.

What's been going on? Well, I have returned to work (sigh). I got used to spending nearly every moment with Dylan while I've been on vacation the last six weeks. So it's been a big adjustment for me. The only plus to it is that I get to come home and see that boy smile at me!

As for Dylan himself, right about the time I went back to work, he hit a rough patch. Dylan went through a major change in his attitude. Whereas he has been a very happy baby with just a few moments of being unhappy and fussy, all of a sudden - almost overnight it seemed to us - he became a baby that was mostly miserable with just a few moments of smiles. The techniques we used for calming him that worked flawlessly, were no longer working. Very hard on him, and on us as well. Maybe he was ill, or having a growth spurt or possibly reacting to the change in my schedule. We didn't know, and took him to the doctor. Not much help there, but it didn't seem like there was any overt illness causing this.

Now a week later, it seems like Dylan has more or less returned to his old self, though the sleep issue continues to be difficult. We are trying to find a solution - if you have any ideas, do share! We'd like to find one. We tried the crying it out method many weeks ago, and it was like torture for all of us.

Well, he's once again happy most of the time again. And, we are having a grand time and love him
with all our hearts!

Dylan's First Road Trip!

Dylan had his first road trip this past weekend, January 18 through January 21, 2008. We loaded up the brand new Toyota Sienna and headed down to Santa Barbara. We found the van to be a most worthy purchase (so much room!) and Dylan to be a true road warrior. He did a terrific job of handling the vagaries of a journey and very flexible and patient and accommodating!

The trip to Santa Barbara was short, but eventful. It just so happened to coincide with a memorial event for an elder of the Chumash Coastal Band, Sespe, who recently passed into spirit. The memorial service was held near Solvang, at Nojoqui Park. There we met up with Grandma Pilulaw and Uncle Mike (my mother and older brother). Dylan enjoyed meeting everyone and delighted all of them. He also enjoyed the drumming and singing a lot! We shall have to make sure to get him to more ceremonies and events in the future.

We stayed in Santa Barbara at the home of my youngest sibling, John, and his lovely wife, Kim, and her son, Josh, along with assorted dogs and cats: Pinga and Max, the two adorable Maltese dogs, and Qupid, Gizmo and Phantom, the 3 cats. It was a very comfortable stay, thanks to the grand hospitality of John and Kim. We also got a chance to have a meal with my very best friend, Leigh. I've known Leigh for over 30 years now, and try to get together whenever we can. Hopefully he'll send some photos he took along so we can include them on the blog, as I was very neglectful and didn't take any!

We are now in the planning stages of making a major, cross-country road trip to Kentucky to visit Jack and Teresa in Louisville in May of this year. Both Mommy and I will be off-track then, and we think it would be a lot of fun and very adventurous to make this sojourn with Dylan!

Dylan and Grandma Pilulaw, Nojoqui Park, January 2008

Grandma Pilulaw and Dylan, Nojoqui Park, January 2008

Grandma Pilulaw, Dylan, Jeb and Uncle Mike, Nojoqui Park, January 2008

Aunt Kim, Dylan, Uncle John and Max, Santa Barbara, January 2008

Poppy, Pinga, Aunt Kim, Dylan, Uncle John and Max
Santa Barbara, January 2008

Poppy, Uncle John and Dylan, Santa Barbara, January 2008

Just the Facts, Ma'am...

Dylan with his mobile - his fave animal? Donkey! January 10, 2008

Dylan had his four month doctor visit today. The short and sweet news is that he is doing just fine! We figured as much - he's such a happy boy and seems to be very content with his situation. Mommy and I are so grateful to have this little boy with us!

As to the numbers for the past (and only) three pediatrician visits:

Weight:

09/12/07 7lbs, 4oz (birth weight)
10/10/07 9lbs, 2.4oz (36th percentile)
11/15/07 12lbs, 6.9oz (65th percentile)
01/10/08 15lbs, 7.5oz (66th percentile)


Height:

09/12/07 1' 08" (birth height)
10/10/07 1' 10" (83rd percentile)
11/15/07 2' 0" (77th percentile)
01/10/08 2' 2" (91st percentile)


Head Circumference:

10/10/07 14.17" (28th percentile)
11/15/07 15.75" (48th percentile)
01/10/08 16.73" (60th percentile)


That's mainly for you who are interested in the numbers. What it all boils down to is that Dylan is growing just fine.

For more information on his day today, keep reading.

A Day (1/10/08) in the Life of Dylan:

7AM feeding
9:20 drive to doctor
9:40 - 10:20 wait in doctor's waiting room (another feeding) for 9:50 appointment
10:20 - 10:50 get weighed, measured, examined
11:00 injection clinic: THREE SHOTS!!!
11:20 - 1:00 Mommy and Poppy eat out (Dylan has the WORST blow out [to date], and during the diaper change in the women's restroom at Panera Bread, screams and screams - Mommy was the brave one who unknowingly got stuck with this; normally, Dylan really enjoys a diaper change and is all smiles and chatty)

1:00 - 1:30 Another feeding in the car in parking lot
1:50 - 2:30 Sleep in the bank, while Mommy and Poppy check out car loans
3:00 - 6:30 Car shopping at Maita Toyota (another feeding)
7:00 Jiggedy jig, HOME AT LAST!!! (another feeding)

Now considering that the boy is only four months old, it is amazing that he tolerated being out and about for nearly 12 hours! Not only did he tolerate it, he actually was in a great mood for nearly all of it (diaper change and injections being the only real exceptions!). Tons of smiles for doctors, nurses, car salespeople, and various assorted people just (naturally) drawn to the boy. I kept thinking "Oh, this is it... we're going to have to head home..." only to have him be in a great mood and happy to be wherever he was.

He's a great kid!

Rock and/or Roll

Here is Dylan, rolling over! Actually, last month he did this a few times over the course of a few days. These initial roll-overs were always accompanied with great drama and struggle. Then he stopped, for reasons unknown to everyone - but him, of course! Maybe it was just more work than it was worth.

Then, Tuesday, 1/8, Mommy (who's been fantastic with working with the boy on his tummy time) had him on his tummy and he just rolled over. Just like that! She put him on his tummy again, and Dylan did the same thing - rolled right over! So on Wednesday morning, I thought I'd try to catch it 'on film' (OK, digital). It's very spontaneous and spur of the moment sort of digital capture (i.e., photography).

Anyway, here is our own little Dylan, doing his 'first' front to back roll. More to follow.