Sitting on the train

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

I'm sitting on the train on my daily commute home. It's been a long time since I've posted on a regular basis. It'll be a while. My house is still a disaster. We haven't fully unpacked and things we have we wished we hadn't as it now lies in an inch of dust. The remodeling on the master suite floor has taken over our house. The floors are covered in remodeling dust and our sheets constantly feel gritty. I'd take pictures but I can't seem to find our camera charger and our home computer is sitting under drop clothes and layers of soot.

Can I just say how much I hate picking paint colors. Ed and I bought 22 quarts of paint samples to test and the final result...we still haven't decided on colors.

Finding the Nanny.
We have word that she's still in LA. A source from work has several friends in the FBI and on the side has been having fun tracking her down. We have nothing new or substantial to report as of yet. I just gave them the info and stepped out of their way. But I smell victory.

On Isabella's Development.
Isabella has been so much fun lately. We found a wonderful family daycare. They are very professional with a nanny and teacher for the toddlers that provides the care daily. A preschool teacher comes in twice a week and teaches the kids things like the alphabet and understanding emotions. A dance teacher comes in every Friday. And then they have a music teacher. Every other day Isabella comes home with a new art project. I'll scan them in and do a show and tell. I was so surprised to see artwork so soon. It's been such a relief to have found such a nice place. It's been remodeled last year and is built specifically for a home daycare. They have a great backyard designed for kids with safety and fun in mind.

Last weekend we took Isabella to the LA Zoo. She got to see gazelles, lions, chimpanzees, gorillas, zebras and more. And for every animal she either made cat or cow sounds. Lol, but honestly...what does a gazelle sound like? We bought the family membership plan so we can go as often as we'd like. It's very close to our house so it's perfect. Plus, the line for regular passes was insanely long.

Isabella is such a talker. We've now added these words to her vocabulary:

• "Goodnight"
• "Ah-san-oo" is how she says I love you. I have no idea why, but its so cute when she says it.
• "Morning"
• "Enough!" - she just learned this one from daddy.
• Sit down
• "Be careful" - she learned this one a while ago, but it's funny when she uses it to warn other people or herself before she might fall.
• "Goodbye"
• "Color" - when she wants to color
• "Sophie" - for Merah and Jack's dog
• "Soapie" - when she wants to wash her hands with soap
• "Wash"
• "All done" - another one from a while ago
• "No more"
• "Icky" - she usually says this with "Ewww" in front of it. It's hysterical. She'll say it all on her own when there's trash or lint on the floor or bugs.
• "Melon" - she loves watermelon. It's her favorite fruit.
• "Stwah-berry" - another fruit she likes
• "Trash" - she learned how to throw her own trash away and loves helping around the house.
• "Cute" - she uses this when she sees a dress or a pair of shoes that she's about to wear. How does she learn this stuff?
• "Baby"
• "Lay down" - she tells her baby doll to lay down and puts her down on the ground.
• "Sit" - she also tells her doll to sit, but isn't as successful. The doll isn't really shaped that way.

She's starting to put several words together. I have her help me around the house. She likes to go under the sink to get out the floor sponge and clean the floors. She puts her own trash away. I have her help me put her shoes away. She's finally off the pacifier. We just did it cold turkey and it only took a week of adjustment. Although, I found out her daycare gives her one during nap time.

She loves playing with her baby doll that she got for Christmas. She likes directing her doll on what to do; I guess she's mimicking what she's learned from the adults around her. I really wish I could charge my camera battery to share some of these things. It will be a while before the house is in order. We're about to tackle the first floor with Isabella's room and the kitchen remodel.

Let's just hope its all done before the baby arrives!

Identity Theft

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Wow, I never thought I would have to go through identity theft before. So let me catch you up on the latest happenings in the Kremer household. Since moving to LA, we've been busy not unpacking, but remodeling. We started a remodeling project a few weeks ago. We have replaced every window in the house, replacing all existing window mouldings, base boards, and door mouldings. We built a walk-in closet, added french doors in the master bedroom, and enclosed a space in the media room for a formal office with french doors. We are working one floor at a time...the master suite. We're adding a gazillion canned lights, 30+ switches, and wired the bathroom, master bedroom, office, and media room with built in ceiling speakers. We're putting all lights and sound system onto remotes...Ed's ultimate dream. Once the floor is complete and all the moulding is complete we'll move on to the kitchen remodel and then finally paint!

Amidst all this chaos, we hired a live-in nanny. It has been a unique experience having a young live-in. I created a 4-page work agreement with our nanny that pretty much explained everything. And those that know me well know that I can be pretty detailed. The agreement discusses work hours, pay, responsibilities, communication, living arrangements and some basic house rules. For example, Ed was adamant about having no guests in the house without permission and absolutely no overnight guests period. Of course, the customary "no drugs, smoking and even alcohol was allowed on our premises." So I wrote it all out and she accepted and signed. So...as I was gone last month in China for a business trip, Ed tells me that she had her boyfriend over and he sympathized and allowed it. But one thing you don't anticipate is hearing, uh-hum, "noises" coming from the bedroom. Mind you, her bedroom is 10 feet away from our master suite. Awkward to have that conversation, we both let it slide. Then two weeks ago, I smell a strange scent in our hallway and realized it was pot. I couldn't let this slide. It was 12:30am and I knock on her door. It took her a few minutes to answer it. You could hear her movement in the room. She finally answers it and I ask her straight out if she's smoking pot in our house. "No, I smoked it outside."

*&#^&$*#^$&@)(*#*

Sure, there was an apology somewhere in there. So, calmly I tell her that is unacceptable. No drugs of any kind are allowed in or around the house, regardless if she is on duty. She apologized. Ed releases her from her job daily as I commute from Orange County back to LA. So, he decided to have "the conversation" with her alone. He discussed her appropriateness and behavior, and other communication concerns we were having. Ed and I are obviously regretting our selection in nannies at this point. We've both agreed to find a replacement, but wanted to think about the timing with a new baby coming and etc. So in other words, we did not move fast on finding a replacement.

Last night, I missed my train coming home so I didn't get home until 9:30pm. I decided to take a later train to work today. I normally leave the house at 6:45am and Ed gets Isabella ready for Shelley, the nanny, for her 7:30am start. When today, I get up to make my bagel and cream cheese around 7:30 and no sign of Shelley. Isabella's talking in her crib. It's now 7:45am and still no signs of Shelley. I walk down to her room and the door opens up...the room is completely cleared out. Not one thing left behind. She didn't steal anything of ours that we know of. Again, I'm thinking...#$&*#^&*$^$@.

I make arrangements with work to let them know I will be home for a few days to take care of my situation. My nanny walked out on the job without warning. I thought, she probably saw the writing on the wall. I mean, gosh we're cramping her style for not letting her boyfriend and her have loud sex and smoke pot in her bedroom.

I spent the first half of the morning looking for daycare when I get a call from my credit card company. They want to verify a $6000 charge at a local plastic surgeons office in Beverly Hills. Hmm...no...that's not my charge. As I ask them to tell me about other charges on the account, I look up my account online and I don't see these charges. Another charge for $35,000 in gift cards was also made on 5/5. I still don't see any of this on my account online. I ask them about the account. It was just opened on 4/25. What the *$@&$. I, of course, close the account and file a fraud claim. I've had construction workers and a worthless nanny in my house, so I have no idea who the perpetrator is. I do all the necessary things. I contact the three credit agencies to report fraud. This person has everything they need to create a credit card. That means my SSN, birth date, address, phone numbers, mother's info and etc. How, I still have no clue. Of course, all of this has already taken most of the afternoon. Ed came home early to help me out. We also went to the police station to file a report.

After I felt all was resolved as much as I can do, I decide to clean out Shelley's room. She left some food behind. I go to dump it and notice both trash cans are full. I see a ton of American Express gift card receipts and used gift cards. So I call Ed over and we go dumpster diving. I find a ton of my mail, such as pre-approved credit card applications, among all of Shelley's trash. I also find two UPS envelopes with my name on them that I never received. I track them and see when they were delivered. I found one receipt shredded up and another still intact in the envelope. One receipt read 70 quantities of $500 gift cards from American Express. This package was received 5/6. The second package with the ripped up receipt said 21 quantities of $500 gift cards from American Express delivered on 4/30. Hmm...it doesn't add up. The only charges that Amex shared with me were for $35,000 and $6,000. What's this additional $10,000? So I call Amex and ask them to tell me all open accounts I have with them. They report 3 accounts. Two were opened in April. The #(&$^# opened two credit card accounts and racked up $51,000 in charges.

I look at my credit report to see other inquiries companies have made recently and see only one other credit card she opened. She must not have been able to authorize the credit card because it was never authorized or used. The good news is...one, Isabella is okay and unharmed that we can tell; two, I'm not stuck with any fraudulent charges and hopefully it won't affect my credit, three, we were able to track the $35,000 worth of gift card numbers that still haven't been used and stop them so she can't spend anymore money!!! and four, I have all her information to give the police, FBI identity theft division, FTC and etc. Identity theft and grand larceny is a big offense. You can be charged up to 30 years for grand larceny (anything over $200 can qualify as grand larceny). We even found an old address and contacted her estranged mother and informed her of her daughter's recent actions. Appalled and shocked, she gave us her SSN, which matched what we had in our records and all her contact information. I want to prosecute to the fullest extent.

Lesson learned...don't be naive to what can happen when you give someone access to your house, personal computer, and mail. It doesn't take much to steal someone's identity. All they need is a SSN, birth date, current address, and mother's information. Pretty scary. If you ever feel violated, get your free annual credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com and verify the recent inquiries made on your credit report. If anything looks out of the ordinary, call the financial institution right away. Also, report a fraud alert. When you alert one of the big three credit agencies they alert the other two. The fraud alert will let you know of any credit-related activities over the next 90 days.

Here are some great sites that have helped me:

• Federal Trade Commission - Identity Theft
• Credit Agencies: Equifax (800) 525-6285, Experian (888) 397-3742, TransUnion (800) 680-7289.
• United States Department of Justice - Identity Theft

I hope this doesn't happen to any of you because talking to credit card companies and their fraud departments suck.

Sorry for the long blog.

Boy or Girl?

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Other big news that deserves a post of its own. On Friday, I had my second ultrasound. I am now about 18 1/2 weeks into my pregnancy. My due date is still expected to be September 1. The doctor asked if I wanted to know the sex...uh...duh. YES! I love hearing about friends that left it for a surprise, but not me. I want to know the sex of the baby so I can start visualizing him or her right away.

Let me first start by saying the baby is in good health so far. The baby weighs approximately 8 oz and all the heart, brain and all vital organs are looking solid. So...is it a boy or girl? I'm not going to say, instead take a look at the pictures and see if you can tell.

Baby's First Picture


Did you figure it out yet?

Back from the Dead

I have been MIA for a long time. Moving took some adjustment time for us all. Isabella had the hardest time with leaving day care and moving to a strange new city. I got seriously sick before my trip to Europe and infected everyone else. While I was out and we were preparing the big move, Eva flew out here for a month to help out. She was a tremendous help, but unfortunately she got the bug and was a trooper for taking care of Isabella and herself. Glad to report everyone is getting back to normal.

Isabella has a new nanny, Shelley. They are getting to know each other and seem to have fun together. I had a few weeks to work out my commute and I think I now have it down. I leave the house at 6:45am and drive to Union Station. The drive is a short 8 miles, but takes 20-30 minutes depending on LA traffic on the 101 freeway. I aboard the 7:20am Amtrak to Irvine. I love the train, especially Amtrak. The seats recline and each have a tray for your computer with an outlet. AWESOME! It's clean and never full. I get into Irvine at 8:25am and I jump in my "beater", a 2001 Volvo S40 with 86,000 miles - lucky me, it's not such a bad car at all. And I finally arrive at Oakley around 8:50am. So door to door it does take 2 hours each way, but it's the quickest 2 hours ever. I work on the train every morning. I finally got my wireless card and so I can stay connected. The train is my office away from the office.

We're already going to sell our little beater car though. My sister, Ann, just bought a new car and needs to sell hers so Ed jumped right at it and bought it. So now my beater will be a 2001 convertible Mustang with only 44,000 miles. Sweet. Now we have a convertible to take joy rides in when we go to the coast and just in time for summer.

The house...well...there's very little progress there. However, I'm very excited about our new bedroom furniture. We finally bought new bedroom furniture. I feel like a grown up now. Before our new bed, we slept on Ed's (pre-Lydia) Ikea furniture. Check out our new bed frame.


We still get a lot of tourist that stop in front of our house to take pictures. I'm only assuming that Jesse made it on the star maps. We haven't done any painting yet, but definitely will soon. We just found out that America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) will be moving in soon to a house 5 houses down. Speaking of stars, last weekend we took my parents out to dinner in West Hollywood at Cafe Med. Isabella was getting antsy so I walked her around the restaurant. As we past the hostess table, in walks Quentin Tarantino. He was with a woman and was as animated as he appears in front of the camera, talking with his arms flailing.

So much going on, I hardly can catch my breath. Everyone here is trying to adjust to all this newness. It's kind of strange to live in LA. I do miss the smell of the ocean and the small intimate streets that don't make you cringe when you drive on them. I've gotten used to the small windy roads that lead to our house, but most of our visitors remind us of how scary it is.

I leave for China on a business trip tomorrow, but when I come back I will post more blogs with pictures...if I can find my camera. Half of our stuff is still in boxes. I am in no rush to unpack. I really have nothing to unpack into yet. So bear with us.

Peace.

What else is new?

Friday, February 22, 2008

Isabella had her 18 month old doctor's appointment yesterday a little early. We missed her 15 month visit (long story) so it's been 6 months since we've had her weighed and height measured.

At her 12 month visit, Isabella weighed 20 lb 4 oz at a height of 29.5 inches.

Yesterday, Isabella weighed 24 lbs 6 oz at a height of 33 inches. She is in the 50th percentile for her weight and 90th percentile for her height. She is a long and lean little girl.

I stayed home with Isabella on President's Day because her daycare is closed. At lunch we went to the park and had some fun. Isabella's favorite thing she does first is the swings. Then she ran in the park. She was running right up to other families. We met this nice woman and her daughter. She introduced Isabella to bubbles. Isabella loved it so much that the nice woman gave her the little bottle.

On Isabella's Development

She now has more words in her vocabulary. She has words that she'll use on her own and then words that she'll repeat if you coach her.

Words that she uses to communicate with us; most of them are used as commands to do something:

• "up" - I want up, pick me up, let me up onto x
• "outside" - I want to go outside
• "Open it" (sometimes it sounds like, "open-nen-nen-nit"). This is her favorite at the moment.
• "Mine!" - just like in Finding Nemo; this means stuff she doesn't want to share
• "No!" - she's used this for a long time, but now she uses it when she doesn't want to do something or when you ask her a question
• "mulk" - I want milk
• "wa-wa" - I want water
• "apple Juice" - I want apple juice
• "cookie" - I want cherrios or crackers. Rarely does it mean an actual cookie
• "tank you" - after demanding something, she'll sometimes remember to thank you
• "baby" - whenever she sees a doll, she calls it baby.
• "paci-fier" when she goes down for bed she'll ask for it
• "pee-pee" and "pooh-pooh" while pointing to her diaper
• "but-uh-fwi" for butterfly. She sometimes confuses bunnies for butterflies
• "more" when she wants more "cookies"
• "all done. no more" - Ed swears she said this once when she finished her milk

Things she'll say with a little coaching:

• "pwease"
• "upstair"
• "Itsy bitsy spier" - when we sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider, she uses her hands while she sings along
• "don't touch" - this one was learned at daycare
• "don't-do-it" - also something she learned at daycare

The rest is gibberish. We're working on our A-B-C right now. She loves to dance around to music. She loves being chased. She is very ticklish. She'll laugh in the beginning, but then get frustrated. She loves climbing up on the couch and armchairs. She is starting to learn to put things back. I'll ask her to put the toys back and she'll do as I ask.

The week before last the department I work with went to the Clippers game. It's an annual thing. We were invited to the pre-game, which consisted of dinner in a private room and a chat with the assistant coach. There was also a free throw challenge. The winner gets a signed Clippers game ball. There were about 35 of us there. I invited Ed along. Most of the group were men. Ed was first up. He missed, so he was out of the challenge.

I was fourth in line. My ball sank right in. It didn't even touch the rim.

Then four more people air-balled or bounced off the rim. Then another five. Then another five. I'm thinking...could I be the only one. Then one of the guys, Tony, makes it in and we're the only ones still up. I take my next shot. Woosh. Again, it went in smoothly without touching the rim. Tony takes his shot. Boink. It hit the rim. I won!!! I'm the free throw challenge winner! I won a signed basketball with all the Clippers players. Okay, so it wasn't about the Clippers as much as it was about winning a challenge against a group of guys on an NBA regulated basketball court. The same court that the big players, like Shaq and Magic - maybe not Magic since the Staples is pretty new, once called home.

After that Ed and I stayed at the Bonaventure Hotel. He dropped me off at Union Station so I could test the train. It was awesome. It was relaxing, comfortable and very clean. I was surprised to see that it wasn't crowded at all. I arrived at Irvine Station exactly at the time they had suggested. Then it took a short 20 minutes from the train to my desk.

So, what else is new?

Life has been pretty hectic. We're trying to manage a move, two new careers, Ed's commuting to LA daily, and me...well...I'm pregnant.

I'm 12 weeks and five days pregnant. What a complete shocker. My heart seriously stopped when I found out I was pregnant. Ed's been bugging me about working on number two, but I just as I was about to knock him out with his incessant nudging the stick showed positive. I wanted the kids to be three years apart. Apparently I was pregnant over the holidays and didn't know it. I was feeling a little sick after Christmas, but I thought it was the stomach flu but it didn't really go away. Finally, when Ed was out I got the courage to pee on the stick. And instantly, no waiting 2 minutes, it was positive. I was so freaked out. I had no idea how far along I was. I've been so irregular after giving birth that I haven't been keeping track.

Last Thursday I finally had my ultrasound and the baby is doing very well. The heartbeat sounds great, beating at 165 beats per minute. It was during the ultrasound that we determined how far I am. I'm due on September 1st. This would make Isabella and the new baby two weeks shy of two years apart.

So I'm announcing it publicly because I've already done my part in telling my bosses at work. Sometimes you're thrown a curve ball, especially when it seems your life is moving in the right direction. I know it's going to be a tough pregnancy with managing my new role within the company and commuting from LA everyday, but that's the choice we've decided to make. We're just going to take it day by day.

Love TMZ

Friday, February 08, 2008

How funny is TMZ.com? Today I get an email from a co-worker that Jessi Metcalfe was sucker punched last night. I had to go to TMZ to watch the video footage myself. Since buying his home I've learned more about his public character and find it all sad. He's another victim of fame and money.

You can watch the footage yourself. It's pretty funny.

Mini Me

Thursday, February 07, 2008

I have a small portable heater in my bathroom that I use in the morning. There is a single button on the top to turn it on and off. I've gotten lazy bending down so I usually turn it on and off with my big toe. Isabella must have seen me do this many times. So needless to say, I see her playing with the button with her hands. Several days later I see her trying to turn it off with her foot. It was the funniest thing. She's a little mini-me.

Bye-Bye Vida

Monday, January 28, 2008

Today, I told Vida that we are moving to LA. It was so sad to break the news. She has been the best daycare provider for Isabella ever!!! I wish I could take her with me. Her whole family has been family to Isabella. I know she will truly miss Vida and all the kids she plays with daily.

I remember the first interview I did with a daycare provider, I cried when I got home. Granted I was a bit hormonal, it still didn't feel right. When I met Vida I knew instantly. She is warm, friendly and has a nurturing way about her.

But now I'm desperately looking for a nanny to take care of the most precious person in our lives. If you have any connections with reliable, patient, fun, and happy nannies who love what they do in the LA area or are willing to live-in, please let me know! The process is excruciating. I have received so many responses, but I don't know if any are right for us. Please help me!

San Clemente Home for Rent

We are currently trying to rent our house. We have placed ads on Craigslist and signed up with Top Dog Leasing. We are looking for long-term renters who will treat our house like a home. We spent time and money upgrading it in every way possible. If you know of anyone, please forward them my email (lyd6070@yahoo.com).

We are on the southwest side of San Clemente about 7 blocks from the beach (Riviera Beach). It is in the ideal neighborhood about 1.5 miles south from downtown San Clemente.

It is a quaint 3 bedroom/2.5 bath home with formal office, living room, family room, spacious foyer, and loft.

Hollywood Hills House Pictures

We went to the house on Saturday for the appraisal. I took a few pictures, but they didn't turn out so well. But I found a few nice picture from a real estate website. Seeing the house for the second time was interesting. I wouldn't say that I had buyers remorse, but just saw past the initial glory and realized the work (minor as it may be...paint, some day a kitchen remodel, more paint) that will need to be done to make the home feel like my home.

The drive up was even prettier than I had imagined. We will soon live in the original Hollywoodland, established in 1923.




What was unimpressive was how messy the current owner left the house for the appraisal. The layout of the house is quite interesting. It is a reverse plan that begins on the top floor and proceeds downwards.

Let the tour begin:
On the top floor is the kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom 1, and bedroom 2

Kitchen

Dining Room

Living Room

BTW, the boars head is not staying.

Bedroom 1 (Isabella's bedroom)

Bedroom 2 (guest bedroom)

These stairs lead down through three flights of stairs to the very bottom of the house.

The middle floor is the master suite. On this floor is the master bedroom, suite (family room), and gym.

Master bedroom

This long corridor passes the entrance of the master bath (which leads to the master bedroom) or takes you directly to the suite/family room and gym.


Suite/Family Room


Gym

From the middle floor it splits on two sides of the house. On the south side of the master suite are stairs that lead to the recreation room. On the north side of the master suite is another guest bedroom and apartment both with private entrances.

South stairway to the recreation room.

North stairway to the lower guest bedroom and apartment.

Bedroom 4, the nanny's quarters.
It's on a separate floor with a private entrance.
It's quite spacious. Much bigger than the master bedroom.


The apartment can only be accessed outside of the house. It has direct outlet to the balcony that leads to the front of the house. Not sure how we'd use this room yet. It's a small space with a private bathroom.


There are so many balconies off several rooms.


All north facing rooms have the beautiful Hollywood sign.

End of tour.
I can't wait to move in and start painting.