3 Peas in a Pod

Reminders

2011-04-29T19:27:00.001-07:00

If you are anything like me you need daily reminders to keep up with your list of to do's. I am infamous for making notes on any slip of paper I can find.

Reminders are good b/c they help us to stay organized and remember things we might otherwise forget. We all move so fast and try to do so much that it's easy to forget the important things that we need to do each day - some of my recent reminder notes include groceries, appointments, phone calls, craft ideas, etc. etc.

But the last couple days I have discovered that above all of these usual reminders that I find myself enveloped in on a daily basis there are three very special reminders that take precedence above all else. I am reminded to be thankful and grateful every single day no matter what....and I am reminded that I have the choice whether or not to choose joy.

I'm reading a great book called "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp and it really opened my eyes to the simple truth that to be set free from the chains that bind us in life (worry, anxiety, heartache, fear, doubt, anger, bitterness, hatred, etc.) we must begin to be thankful and show gratitude for the good things in our lives. No matter if it's only one good thing or a bunch of good things we must be thankful. That simple act alone is so powerful and transforming. Another truth I have found is that we all have the ability to choose happiness and joy or sadness and negativity. We all go thru ups and downs in life and its during those down times that we must actively seek and choose joy. We must choose to focus on the good and not the bad. It's amazing how these simple acts can transform ashes to beauty.

A great quote that I've been reading lately is from Nienie - many of you probably read her blog - http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ - it's actually in her calendar for the month of April. It lifts me up and I wanted to share:
"My pain, heartache, and confusion have led me to a state of mind that all is lost, but when I look into my children's eyes I see my Savior and I know that it is not lost. It's just the beginning of a big plan for us." That sums it all up for me at this point in time in my life. When I look into the big brown eyes of my darling boy Cristian I see an ocean of hope and I am reminded to be thankful and grateful for all of the amazing blessings that God has given me.

I choose joy and remind myself to be thankful everyday for the good times and even the bad times in my life b/c it all has a purpose and it's all part of a beautiful plan even if I cannot fully understand how or why. My heart is full...and my cup runneth over. xoxoxoxoxox

Pay it Forward (& Happy New Year!)

2011-01-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I realize today is Jan. 11 but better late than never, right!

Here in Atlanta we are snowed - I mean iced in!! I have never seen such brutal conditions around these parts...I cannot complain though b/c this ice storm has allowed me to be home with my two favorite boys in the world! Loving this time together!

One of the mommy's from the Bump boards I follow here in Atlanta had a wonderful post on her blog that I wanted to be a part of - it was title "Pay if Forward". I love the idea of paying it forward...passing along a good deed or gesture and then that person doing the same and so on and so forth! This is what Ra posted on her blog and I copied it here to my blog. I'm excited to see if anyone responds b/c I'm not a very active poster here on my blog...I'm hoping to post much more in 2011! :)

I promise to send something handmade
to the first 3 people who leave a comment here.
To be eligible, you must also post this in your blog,
offering the same thing to 3 other people.
The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it
must be sent to your 3 people *sometime* in 2011.
Mine will be sent as soon as possible!

If you would like to participate just leave me a comment and I'll get back to you asap.

Christmas Cards!!

2010-11-09T13:36:00.000-08:00

The holidays are here!! I love this time of year so much and for so many reasons. I am a festive person - I love to celebrate just about any occasion - but the holidays are my absolute favorite!!

I was born on Christmas Eve and I'm sure that has something to do with me being festive - I am convinced I'm an Elf! :)

This year as I prepare for Christmas one of the things I like to do in early December is send out Christmas cards. I've done this for many years...even when I lived at home with my Mom.

Now that I am married and have a son I like to send out photo holiday cards. I have used Shutterfly before for many personalized photo gifts. You can check out their photo card selection here - http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery
This year their line up of Christmas cards is amazing!! Last year I was so happy with the cards I selected from Shutterfly. This year they have so many selections to choose from - it's hard for me to pick just one!! One of the styles I like is the Peppermint Bliss.

It's nice and festive with the candy cane font used for "Merry Christmas" on the top in red and white. http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards

If you haven't picked out your holiday cards yet I would highly recommend checking out Shutterfly. Their selection is amazing and their prices and customer service are excellent also!!

Shutterfly also offers great personalized gifts. The personalized photo calendars are a great gift idea for the grandparents! Check out what Shutterfly offers here - http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars I have ordered one from them before and plan to order more. They are great quality and reasonable priced. These calendars are fun and festive...right up my alley!

As an added bonus Shutterfly is offering a great deal to bloggers. Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly, follow this link http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Cristianisms!

2010-07-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

You are such a happy boy! You wake up smiling and go full force all day long until nap time or bed time. You are a ball of energy and are constantly on the move...never sitting or standing still for long. You keep us on our toes...never a dull moment and we wouldn't have it any other way. We realize as each moment passes that all too soon you'll be grown up and we'll cherish these precious moments b/c we're gonna miss them so much!

Here are some random things about you that I want to document so we can always remember them...since your Mami's memory is spotty at best! :)

You love to count from 1 to 10 (most recently you've got to 15 in English and 10 in Spanish)...I think you finally got the hang of it one day in the bath tub when we were playing with your foam numbers/letters. You sometimes forget to start with the number 1 and start with 2...and you always get excited when you get to 10! You say it louder than the rest of the numbers and clap at the end and are so proud of yourself.

You know the letter C and I think it's b/c your Abuela sings the letter song to you often. C is for Cristian...and she makes the C sound.

You love music and love to dance. You love it when we sing songs to you and one of your all time faves is "Itsy Bitsy Spider"...you love, love to play "this little piggie" on your toes...and you think it's hilarious when we pretend to smell your feet and say "ewww"!! You learned to sign Row, Row, Row Your Boat and its so cute. I'll sing the first line and you'll finish if for me everytime. And at the end you say "Yay" and clap.

You are so intrigued with the lawn mower and weed eater! It's so hilarious! You get so excited when we're outside or in the garage and you get to touch them and just look at them. The other night you played in the garage for about 10 minutes while we watched you run circles around both of them. You are just so fascinated with both.

You love to go bye-bye and love going to the park!! We recently took you to the park with your tricycle and you rode all around the track. You're an ace on all 3 of the toddler areas of the playground...you don't need much help maneuvering these days!

You call the lawn mower - Mako, Mako and the weed eater - wee e-uh! :) You know that both of these are kept in the garage so you point to the door to the garage and say "Mako, Mako" almost daily. And if we don't listen you'll say "Mano (hand in Spanish) and pull us to the door. You are persistent!

You are already bi-lingual! You speak and understand both Spanish and English and that makes us so happy! You are so smart and sharp!

When you want us to go with you you'll say "Mano" and grab our hands and lead the way.

You love to go into Mami and Papi's bedroom and especially the bathroom! You have the most fun going into the drawers and cabinets under the bathroom sink. I gave up and trying to keep you out and just let you have at it. You play with everything and pull it all out. I have to watch you with the Q-tips and Vaseline! You look for them every single time.

You love the vaccuum cleaner! You enjoy playing with the attachments and pushing the vaccuum around. You like to push the broom around too and are such a big help to Mami!

When we come home from work each day you and Nana are usually at the front door waiting on us (Scooby too!). It is one of the best parts of the workday when I get to come home and see your precious face beaming. You're always so excited to see us come home. I usually have my glasses pushed back in my hair, car keys in my hand and a CFA cup in hand when I come thru the door. I have learned to that divert a potential temper tantrum I must hide said objects so that you don't see them!

You love your Papi's electronic gadgets! His PS3 controller, his headphones, the remote controls to the TV...if it's electronic you are drawn to it! Papi gave you an old PS3 controller and you'll sit and emulate him playing when he's playing a game.

You label certain things as either Mami's or Papi's. For example, you'll say Papi's Mako Mako, Papi's grass, Papi's computer, Mami's Wako, Wako (as a side note - you love Water Towers too. When we're driving and you see one you point and excitedly say "Wako, Wako". On the way to Mama Moon's house there's two water towers and you always say Mami's Wako, Wako!)

You're an avid bird watcher! On our exit there's a bridge overpass and you always know that's where the birds hang out - sometimes there are a bunch and lately they're hiding in the shade b/c it's been so hot! But you always look for them and point and say "Burd or Burdy"!

You love balloons! And the funny dancing balloon things that look like Gumby. You're eyes light up and you squeal with delight when you see them. Once we were in the drive-thru at CFA (one of our favorite places to eat) right during the lunch time rush and you saw a balloon inside the store from your carseat and said "maloon, maloon" You were intent on getting one and so I asked the girl at the window if she could please get you one. She obliged but it was taking forever and I could see the line of cars growing behind me. When she finally came I stuffed it in the car and we high tailed it out of there. But, for you I'd do anything! :)

Your favorite shows on TV right now are - Handy Manny (Hanee Manny), Imagination Movers (Magination Moo-Moos), Diego, Dora (she is Diego's cousin after all), Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (You know Pluto and Goofey and of course Mickey) and sometimes Curious George and Barney. We can't forget Special Agent Oso and Le Frank (I think that's his name?) And there's a cute girl that comes on in between the shows and sings the "All aboard the choo-choo train" song and you stop in your tracks to watch that every single time!! We say that is your girlfriend!

You love to play with the waterhose and have the best time when we take the sprayer off. You'll play for hours with it and the backyard ends up looking flooded after you're done. One of the best memories we have is sitting on the back porch watching you play with the waterhose one night after dinner. It was so peaceful for Mami and Papi to sit and watch you play and laugh and watch Scooby run around playing with you...it was the perfect ending to the perfect day!

You love Scooby and he loves you too! He's your best pal! He'll let you lay all over him and play. He'll let you chase him all around the house and around the table and when he's had enough he'll run to the bedroom door so he can hide from you. You love to pull his tail and we have to watch you b/c you pull hard!

On Saturday mornings if Mami goes to get you up and Papi's still in bed you'll run in the bedroom and straight to him and punch/smack him in the arm to get him up. You and your Papi love to wrestle and play like boys do...and I'm sure this is where you get it from. I've become accustomed to this in a house full of boys!!

You give the sweetest hugs and kisses! You say "I love you" back when we say it to you and it is the sweetest words we could ever hear! Ahhhh!!!!

Lately you've been letting us know when you're tired and you'll say "Bed" or "Nye, Nye" and we know you're ready to hit the hay!

There are 3 things you can't sleep without - one of which is going away when you turn 2 (the bo-bo (pacifier). The other is a monkey that Emily got you for your 1st b.day and you absolutely love that thing!! The other is a Woody from Toy Story blanket that Nana got you. You always ask for either Monkey or Woody at night when you're drinking your milk before bed. You will not accept substitutions either...we've learned!

You are a really good eater as far as what you'll eat. You have always loved fruit and eat that up everytime! We hit a little bump here recently where you didn't want to eat anything...but I think we can attribute that to teething! In our house teething is horrible!!!!!! When you were 7 mths. and 17 mths. boy did we ever feel the affects...no sleep for Mami/Papi...wow!

I started this post in July and it's now October....as I wrap up this post...that is bad! LOL! But what can I say...better late than never!

You are now two years old, Cristian, and you are such an incredible little boy! You amaze me and your Papi every single day - God blessed us more than we could ever have asked for when he made us your parents...we love you, CJ!

4th of July

2010-07-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

We had a nice time celebrating the 4th of July this year! CJ stayed awake for the first couple fireworks but then crashed on his Daddy's chest and missed the finale. There's always next year!

Whoa, Dude!!!

2010-06-23T08:04:00.001-07:00

In practically 2 short months our boy will be 2! Amazing how time passes in the blink of an eye...I never really knew this truth until having a child of my own. The first year is really the only time they're a "baby"...after that 1 yr. mark they grow and change rapidly. Cristian has really taken off lately - it seems in the last week or so he's learned new things and doing new things and talking in phrases instead of just words here and there. One funny example recently - he was walking and slipped on the wood floors and busted out with "whoa, dude!" :) H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!! He sounds like a little surfer! Priceless, I gotta get it on video one of these days!

Cristian is an amazing little boy who makes us laugh everyday and inspires us more than we ever could have imagined! He is the brightest light in our lives...we love you, CJ!!

Our Boy...is amazing!

2010-04-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

Cute Kid Alert!

2010-03-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

My little one is a week shy of turning 1.5 years old!!! I'm already thinking his 2nd b.day is gonna be here before I know it!

Cristian is such an amazing little boy! He's so loving and fun and silly and smart...just the best son I could have ever asked for and then some!!

We love that Spring is around the corner so we can start hitting up our usual fun spots like the park. CJ loves to play outside. He has fun in the backyard throwing balls around, going up and down the deck, playing in the the dirt (aka Mami's flower pots!), and going up the hill in our backyard. Soon I can see him running and rolling down the hill...I did this when I was a kid at my Grandparents house and I'm sure Cristian will do the same!

Uncle Kevin is a Fireman in Knoxville, and in honor of him Cristian loves to throw on his fireman hat and run around the house! Too cute!

This face, this little boy, this miracle...who is my heart...I love you, CJ!!

Cristian's 1st Haircut!

2010-01-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

My little man has curly hair and I love it! But around last November it was getting a little too bushy for my liking...lol. So we decided it was time for Cristian's 1st haircut. We took him to Pigtails & Crewcuts. Cristian was such a big boy...I thought he might cry but he didn't shed one tear! My little one surprises me every single day! The kid's salon is so cute - he got to sit in a fire truck seat - we thought it was fitting being that his Uncle Kevin is a fireman. Cristian loved the bell on the fire truck and that helped keep him distracted while his precious baby curls were being snipped off!

Pre-haircut Pic

During and After haircut pics

After Cristian's haircut we thought we should visit Santa so we hit the mall for a visit with the jolly big man! Here's CJ waiting on Santa to return from feeding his reindeer! :)

I thought CJ would scream...but of course, he surprised me and just stared at Santa like "who are you"? :)

All in all...this was the makings of a wonderful day!

I'm so blessed to have these two wonderful fellas in my life...I love you JJ & CJ!! xoxoxox

Rewind...Oct. 2009

2010-01-20T12:48:00.001-08:00

I have missed out on some blogging the last few months and thought it would be nice to catch up a bit...so I'm playing catch up from October 2009.

For Halloween Cristian dressed up as a Blue Monster and he was so darn cute! Halloween fell on a Saturday last year and that was nice b/c we didn't have to rush home from work or anything. We've made it a tradition of sorts to have chili for dinner on Halloween - something tasty and easy - so we can enjoy passing out candy and watching Ghost Hunters (lol)! We always get a lot of trick-o-treaters and we go thru a ton of candy and its a lot of fun to see all the kid's dressed up!

This year was Cristian's first year trick-o-treating and it was fun, but it was raining all day long so we only made it to a couple houses and didn't get a lot of candy for the little guy - not like he could eat it but still...oh well, there's always next year!

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

Back in the saddle...kind of how I'm feeling today as I officially end my wonderful Christmas vacation! Back to the 9 to 5 and the daily grind...blah! It was so heavenly to be at home with my two boys for 12 straight days...just heavenly! I'm so thankful for the wonderful time we spent together with each other and our families during this time. I miss my boys so much and wish we could spend everyday together...a girl can dream!

We had a blast each day and I'll be updating my blog with some new posts and pics about our vacation...stay tuned.

I'm excited to see how 2010 unfolds...excited at the thought of the endless possibilities that a new year brings. I'm hopeful it'll be a wonderful year...and am grateful for all that I have been blessed with. Here's to making this year even better than the last! Happy New Year!

Dear Santa,

2009-12-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

As Christmas (and my birthday) draw near...I've been pondering what I would love for Santa to bring me...since I've been good all year long and all! :)

One of the many cool electronic gadgets I would love to get my hands on (aside from a DSLR camera and all) is an HP TouchSmart Computer!!! Since I don't think Santa can hook me up with such short notice (we have 2 weeks till Christmas) and all...I figured I'd enter a contest that MckMama is holding right now and see if I'm lucky enough to win one!!!!

When I read about the awesome capabilities it has - like the great photo storage and the recipe organization - I was nearly salivating at the mouth with excitement!!!! I got lost in dreamworld at the thought of owning my very own HP TouchSmart!!! Oh a girl can dream....and dream big I will! The contest ends on my b.day...so I'm anxious to see if I'll end up with one of these bad boys under my tree!!

Check out MckMama's post here - http://mckgiveaways.blogspot.com/

Thanksgiving & Giving Thanks

2009-11-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

As I sit down to our Thanksgiving table next week my heart will be overflowing with thanks giving to God for all that he has truly blessed me with this year and all 30 years prior! :) My little one is already 14 mths. old and every single moment of every single day has been an adventure with him! Jose and I often look at each other in amazement when the 3 of us are together and just marvel in the greatness of God...we are forever grateful for the gift of our son! Cristian is such a blessing in our lives...we are so priveleged to call him our son and he is one of our greatest blessings in life, the thing we're most thankful for! We're so excited for him to sit down at the table with us this Thanksgiving and eat his first official turkey dinner! This time last year he was a whee little one - only 2 mths old! Wow!

I have so much to be thankful for...far too much to list here...but among the many blessings I thank the Lord for everyday is my family. My husband who is such a wonderful man - so kind and loving and he takes such good care of me and Cristian, my son who is the light of my life, my parents who have helped me so much in my life (Mom your support is priceless, don't know what we'd do without you!), my grandparents (Mama and Papa Moon, I love you), my sisters, my brother, my nieces and nephews, my aunts and uncles, my cousins and friends who are not just friends but family! I'm thankful that my son is healthy and strong and such a happy little fella. I'm thankful to have just celebrated 4 years of marriage with my main man. I'm thankful to host my first Thanksgiving in my home and to share this special day with my family (although I'll miss the ones who aren't able to make it this year). I'm thankful for all of the little ones in my life - my nieces and nephews (Jackie, Amadis, Connor) AND for the little one who will be with us next Thanksgiving!!!! Yes, my sister Kim is pregnant!!! I am so thankful for that and can't wait to meet my next niece/nephew in June!!! I'm thankful for so many things...blessed beyond measure...that I am!!

And, as a follow up to my last post I'm happy to report that Stellan is SVT FREE!! He's doing great and back home with his family now and I am thankful for this miracle! Little Stellan and his family have a lot to be thankful for - what a miracle - God is GREAT!!!

Stellan

2009-10-28T09:43:00.001-07:00

Friends and Fam - the sweet little boy named Stellan, who is the son of Jennifer, who's blog I read faithfully is not doing so well right now. I am posting to ask that if you're reading this that you'll take a moment and pray for Stellan and his family. What they're going thru right now is hurting my heart and the least I can do is pray and ask for you to do the same.

Tomorrow just so happens to be Stellan's 1st birthday and it's just even more sad he's going thru such a bad time right now.

If you aren't familiar with his story check Jennifer's blog by clicking on the tag below.

Life is precious and so easily taken for granted when we're going thru the mundane ins and outs of our days...each moment is a gift so cherish it people. Things can change drastically in an instant. Make each moment count! Situations like this really humble you.

God Bless Stellan and his family...we're rooting for you little buddy!!

MckGiveaway!

2009-10-27T04:13:00.000-07:00

I love blogging, that's a fact! It's so nice to read about people's lives and share ideas and mommy stories...just life in general. One of the perks of blogging is also the giveaways that pop up from time to time. I love to partake in those, too!

MckMama (Stellan's Mommy) has a giveaway going on, just like the one Angie has going on (Bring the Rain blogger) and I thought what the heck - I need to enter this one too!! Angie got to sample and review a Samsung washer and dryer...MckMama got to sample and review a Samsung refridgerator! Ahhh...both are awesome, and it's a toss up as to which one I would prefer if I had a choice. Enjoy it, MckMama!!!

What appliance would make my life easier...hmmmm? I have given it some thought and although a new fridge and washer/dryer would be awesome...a mother's dream really...I still have to say a brand spanking new double oven that self cleans would be so stinkin sweet!!! I do enjoy baking...and if I had a double oven that would be such a treat b/c I could bake more than one thing at a time...and then if it was a self cleaning double oven...fuggedaboutit!!! LOL! Ahhh...a Mama can dream can't she!!

Cowboy's Excellent Adventures

2009-10-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

One of the blogs I read from time to time is called Cowboy's Excellent Adventures. Cowboy is too cute - you can see for yourself by clicking on the tag below.

I really do love reading other mommy blogs...they're so insightful and funny and inspiring and just good stuff to share.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Blogging & Laundry...

2009-10-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

The title refers to one of my favorite things to do and one of my LEAST favorite things to do!! I love to blog, it's become one of my most treasured hobbies! Laundry on the other hand...not so much...I have never been a big fan. Ask Jose, I was just commenting on this very subject a week or so ago when we decided he would be in charge of laundry in our household! Of all the household chores doing laundry is the one that I really dispise! LOL! I would much rather scrub the toilets than do laundry. I think the part that bothers me is having to fold and hang up the clothes...maybe if I had a bigger closet it wouldn't be so bad...and an actual laundry room to work in...I dunno...but either way it's still the pits.

Well...the reason for my post on laundry here is that one of my favorite blogging mama's has a giveaway going on (for a $200 gift card to Best Buy) and I want to win so to get an extra entry I am blogging about laundry b/c she scored a sweet washer and dryer from Samsung and BlogHer and I was green with envy after reading her post about it! I think if I had a washer and dryer like hers I would love to do laundry and joyfully take over that duty from my hubby!! Angie's giveaway blog can be found here if you want to check it out - http://angiesgiveawaysandreviews.blogspot.com/

And for the record...if you care to know...my b.day and Christmas are right around the corner...and I've been talking to Santa about getting me a super nice gift this year (a SLR camera, if you must know) and if I win the BB gift card...that would be, well, awesome!!

"We've got a walker on our hands..."

2009-10-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

It's official folks! Cristian is now a little walking bandit!! He started walking on his own about a week after his 1st b.day and now there's no holding him back! Jose was 13 mths. old when he started walking (not sure when I started walking) but he seems to have a lot in common with his Papi.

I was just taking a walk down memory lane and looked back the beginning of this blog and it's so weird to see Cristian so little! You forget just how small your babies are and how they looked when they were little infants...they change so fast and so much right before your eyes! That's one reason why I love photos so much...they're priceless memories of precious times that time you back to the exact moment they took place. Photos allow you to record history...moment by moment, they're little pieces of the puzzle of our lives.

Cristian is an amazing little boy! He is for the most part smiling from the moment he wakes up until the moment he goes to sleep at night. The slightest look will cause him to break out in laughter. He's our silly monkey! Never a dull moment with him in our lives. My heart swells when I think of him...that little boy is something extra special I tell you. How blessed we are to have you in our lives sweet boy...we love you so much! xoxoxox

Happy 1st Birthday, Cristian!

2009-09-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today is bittersweet for me because I have seen my firstborn child grow by the speed of light right before my very eyes! I sound like a broken record but I just cannot believe a whole year has come and gone. I can remember that wonderful day a year ago when my life changed forever. It was by far the best day of my life (next to my wedding day, which I know is cliche but so very true)!

The day you were born, my sweet baby boy, things were never ever the same. My world had changed for the better and I finally knew what I heard other mom's say about that different kind of love that you have for your child. It's amazing really - one of life's great mysteries - how you spend 10 mths. nurturing this life inside your womb...and then giving birth and instantly having this bond that no words can really quite define. The day you were born was such a wonderfully peaceful day...I prayed and prayed that God would give me the strength and grace to get thru delivery! I was scared out of my mind...but I prayed and prayed and had faith everything would be ok...and just as it has always been in my life, it was. Faith really does carry you thru anything, your Papi and I will teach you that one day when you are old enough to understand. Let me tell you about the day you were born...
On Sept. 16, 2008 I had a Dr. appt. to see how things were coming along and we discovered that you were in the breech position. So we were instructed to head to Piedmont Hospital the next day Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 which just so happened to be your due date. We ended up deciding to get a c-section instead of trying to do an aversion (where the Dr. tries to turn you around by pushing my belly). So on Sept. 17 Papi and I woke up early to get ready to head to the hospital. We were both filled with nervous excitement as we took our showers and got ready to head out. The car was packed and we made arrangements for Nana and Papa David to come check on Scooby while we were away - we told Scooby when we came back we'd have a little brother for him and that life as he knew it would never be the same! Papi fixed his coffee and I straightened up the house a bit (well actually, before we left the house I was in full on nest mode and I had to straighten our closet before we left - which meant I was down on my hands and knees arranging your Papi's shoes on his side of the closet and vaccumming - everything had to be just right for when we brought you home)!! We left the house and drove to your Abuelos house (Papi's parents) to meet Abuela Rosa and Dalma so they could follow us to the hospital. Nana and Papa David were going to meet us at the hospital. The drive to the hospital was nice...it was a wonderful cool morning and I even did the whole mommy-cam where I recorded our drive and did a play by play for you! Your Aunt Kimmie and Mama and Papa Moon (your great-grandparents) called on the way to the hospital to wish us luck and let us know they were thinking of us and couldn't wait to get the news that you were here!! We got to the nurse's station on time (which is something short of a miracle for me as you'll learn when you're older!) and I was so relieved to see one of my mid-wives there! I loved all my mid-wives and having a familiar face there the day I delivered you made me feel much better! We got settled in to our room in Labor & Delivery around 8:30 a.m. Abuela Rosa and Dalma kept me and Papi company as we waited to see the Dr. Papi is a big man and they didn't have any scrubs that fit him so he looked silly in what they gave him! :) A sweet nurse found some that worked a little better, thankfully, b/c your Papi looked like big bird and I was worried you might get scared when you saw him for the first time!! I remember feeling such peace as I was sitting in the hospital room waiting to see the Dr. - I could feel God's presence so strongly that day...it was such a blessing!! It didn't even upset me when your Nana called and was upset b/c her and Papa David got lost and would be late getting to the hospital. We waited as long as we could but we had to get things moving and around 11:00 a.m. or so I had to kiss Papi goodbye and walk to the operating room. Everything went so smoothly and at 12:10 p.m. you were born!!! You came out with no problems and I remember hearing your first cry...tears just flowed down my face and I could hardly speak. I saw you for a brief second before they wisked you away to get you all cleaned up and then they brought you over for me to see and you were so darn cute! I got to kiss you and we took our first family picture! Papi was so excited too...he didn't leave your side for one minute. It was so cute when they were ready to take you to the nursery they asked Papi if he wanted to stay with me or go with you and he practically ran out of the room. :) From that moment you were his little man and he never left your side. Nana and Papa David finally made it to the hospital and just in time to see you being rolled into the nursery. Nana and Abuela Rosa screamed and had tears in their eyes when they first saw you! You were the first grandson on Mami's side of the family and the first granchild on Papi's side...so there was so much to celebrate!!!!! You had many visitors the day you were born...and then of course when we brought you home.
My sweet, sweet boy...so much has happened in your first year...so much that I want to share with you...so much I want to tell you so you can remember all of our special times...but it would take a lifetime to do that. You have brought more love and happiness into our lives in one short year than most people get in a lifetime. We are so in love with you and we thank God for you every single day. We are so proud to be your parents and we're so proud of the wonderful little boy that you are. You are our blessing...we love you more than the stars in the sky. Happy 1st Birthday...we love you so much! God Bless you today and always! Love, Mami & Papi xoxoxoxox

I had a hunch...

2009-09-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

Last night - just shy of one week until he turns 1 - Cristian started walking!!!! We are so proud of our little guy...it was such a wonderful sight to behold! He has been cruising (walking holding on to things) for some time now and he's been standing by himself and taking a few steps here and there...but last night he was full fledge walking! We tried to get it on tape...but of course, once the camcorder came out all bets were off. He was tired from all that walking and it was past his bedtime already!

I have been saying by his 1st b.day we'll have a walker...and my little man has proved me right! He's such a blessing...and we adore him more than anything in this world!!

This week is going to be bittersweet...as we prepare for Cristian's 1st b.day! :) We love you baby bubi! xoxoxox

Jesus Storybook Bible

2009-09-10T06:51:00.000-07:00

I just learned of this little gem and wanted to share! Next month the new deluxe edition of the Jesus Storybook Bible will be available and I can't wait to get a copy for Cristian!

I learned about it from a fellow Bump Mommy's blog (The Bump is a message board of many wonderful local Moms that I frequent).

Check out the website for yourself to learn more.

http://www.jesusstorybookbible.com/index.php

Enjoy!

Moo-Moo!!

2009-08-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

It's official folks - we are off of formula and on to cow's milk for Cristian! He is a few short weeks shy of his 1st b.day so we decided as soon as our last can of formula was used up we'd transition to whole milk. And let's just say our little man didn't skip a beat. He drank his bedtime bottle all up and slept all thru the night as usual. Good times!!!! We are stoked to be off of formula...no more mixing...just pouring straight from the jug! :)

I'm still trying to get a grip on the fact that we've made it thru the 1st year...looking back I can say it was a piece of cake...lol, but then I remember all those sleepless nights...and I'm so proud at what all we've accomplished together...as a family...Jose, Cristian and me! :) We are truly blessed...beyond measure. I'm so very thankful for it all!

Foto Frenzy Friday...JJ & CJ

2009-08-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

CRAZY HAIR ALERT...LOL! His Papi loves to comb his hair back after a bath...and this is the end result...can we say Lil Richie?? :)

These are my boys...each of them stole my heart...and I love them more than the moon and the stars in the sky! :)

Picture Catch Up...

2009-08-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

I have tons and tons of pics to share...but finding time to upload them has been a challenge. I thought now that we're approaching Cristian's 1st b.day I better get on the ball...so I can have a collage of sorts of how he's grown and changed over the last year by the time his b.day rolls around. I have been digging thru some old files...and here are a few I thought were especially cute! Enjoy my little slice of heaven...otherwise known as Cristian! :)

Cristian's first taste of watermelon...perfect 4th of July fare!

Mami, Cristian and Papi - we all got the memo to wear red!

Cristian's first 4th of July was fun! He wore his red, white and blue proudly. He's so happy he started to eat the flag! LOL

I won this Baby Be Blessed Lamb for Cristian...and he loves it!! They are so adorable and so hard to get your hands on b/c they're in such demand. Check out their website - www.babybeblessed.blogspot.com

This was one of Cristian's Father's Day gifts for his Papi...and Papi LOVED it!!

Flying Superman...up, up and away!!

Thank you Titi Lilly & Tio Guelo...I love my very first Superman PJ's!! :)

In my carseat being a good boy!

My 4th of July stud muffin!

Talk about a cutie pie...I could just eat him up I swear!! :)

Cristian and Mami...being silly!

Superman is outta here!! Beep...Beep!

Riding along in my automobile!

What's happenin hot stuff!? lol

11 wonderful months...

2009-08-20T10:42:00.001-07:00

Our little cutie...check out those curls! For some reason the left side was a ball of curls and the right side was all slicked back...lol - the curls have a mind of their own as you can see!

Sometimes the curls are unruly...too cute! Jose and I refer to it lovingly as "crazy hair" :)

Our beautiful, big, blessed baby boy!!

One more month...and then pics with monthly signs will be a thing of the past!

How can this be? My little boy is less than a month away from his 1 year old birthday!? WOW - I cannot phathom that my little bundle of joy is soon entering the toddler world. This year has zipped by. Jose and I have learned a lot over these past 11 months...Cristian is the light of our lives...and has really transformed us in wonderful ways...he's a miracle and soon we'll be celebrating his 1st year with family and friends...and we can't wait!

What Encourages You???

2009-08-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

Blogging is one of my favorite ways to express myself...I am so glad I started this blog! :)

One of the first blogs I ever really visited was Bring the Rain http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com Angie Smith is such a strong and faithful woman and her blog has inspired me so much!! Her husband, Todd Smith, is one of the singers in the Christian group Selah. If you have time to check out Angie's blog you should b/c it's so uplifting. From Angie's blog I branched out and learned of other blogs that spoke to me...one of which was Jennifer's blog (Stellan's Mom) called My Charming Kids http://www.mycharmingkids.net Stellan is some little miracle...and those close to me know Stellan's story. Angie and Jennifer's blogs are two that I frequent daily.

Blogging is one of my sources of encouragment. When reading people's blogs you get a glimpse into their world...you would be surprised how much good you can walk away with just from reading one person's blog. I speak for myself...and know this to be true!! There are so many wonderful people out in the world...thru blogging people who would have never met otherwise are able to form friendships and bonds without ever meeting in real life.

Just by reading Angie and Jennifer's blog my faith is renewed...it's so refreshing and I get so much out of just reading their words. It's really powerful this blogging phenomenom~!!

If you look down on the leftside of my blog you'll see many of the blogs that I frequent...take a peek and get a glimpse of what I'm talking about for yourself.

There's a new blog that was just lauched and it's wonderful - it's called (In)Courage...check them out http://www.incourage.me and start to be ENCOURAGED! :)

Wild Olive Kid's Tees

2009-08-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

I just love Wild Olive tees! So far I have only one - the Unfolding one - and I love it! It fits just right, is soft cotton and the messages and design are so darn cute!!

This month they are launching kid's tees...and I wanted to let everyone know to check them out!! www.wildolivetees.com

Enjoy!!

Love & Laughter...Good Times

2009-07-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

My two boys are the light of my life! Last night at dinner we had fun - Cristian and Jose were laughing their pants off at each other! See for yourself...

Cristian Laughing from Stefanie Aponte on Vimeo.

Bakespace.com + Julie & Julia

2009-07-24T05:06:00.000-07:00

**UPDATE to original post**
Jose and I were quoted in our local paper. They did an article on the Julie & Julia movie opening - click here to read - http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-movies/enthusiastic-food-fans-hit-111122.html

I am a member of Bakespace.com and they're having a giveaway for tix to see the advanced screening of the movie Julie & Julia. I won 2 tix and cannot wait to go see the movie next week with my hubby!! Can you say date night?! :) Check it out if you're interested. Have a great weekend!!

PS - I am hoping to find a little time soon, maybe this weekend, to update my blog with some recent pics of CJ! :) He's so wonderful...

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10 mths. old & Grandma's Birthday!

2009-07-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

Today is a very special day indeed - Cristian is 10 mths. old and it's also my Mom's birthday! Happy Birthday, Mom!! We love you!

Cristian is such a wonderful little boy! He brightens our day every day - every single day this child blesses us with a million smiles and a ton of laughter...it's amazing! No matter what kind of day I have when I see my little angel it makes everything so much better...he always greets Jose and I with a huge grin and lots of laughes when we come home from work. He's such a happy baby!! He is so full of love - just a miracle I tell you! :)

It blows my mind to think in 2 short months (60 days) that my little baby will turn 1!! The time has gone so fast...he's gotten so big and he's developed so much it just amazes me to see him grow each day!

10 things at 10 mths...

1. Cristian is saying Mama a lot now...it's so cute and last night I got it on video. It sounds so cute...it is my most favorite thing in the world to hear! :)

2. Cristian waves goodbye and gets so excited at times that he bounces up and down and waves both hands in the air.

3. Cristian will give you 5 if you hold out your hand and ask him to.

4. Cristian loves to hear me sing to him...he's the only one! LOL! He loves to hear two songs that I made up for him when I was pregnant. And he loves the little nursery rhymes...like Itsy Bitsy Spider!

5. Cristian loves the telephone and remote control. He smiles when he sees both and quickly tries to grab them. Each morning when he wakes up Mom calls me at work and we say good morning and then Cristian hangs up on me while pushing all the buttons on the phone!

6. Cristian is such a great eater! There are only a couple of things that we've given him that he refuses to eat - peas (you cannot fool this kid, he doesn't like peas...but he does love green beans) & he absolutely dispises Beech Nut Dinners...he makes the worst faces and cries when we tried feeding it to him. He loves the Beech Nut Fruits, but no way Jose on the dinners!

7. Cristian understands Spanish and English and that is so great b/c we're raising him bi-lingual.

8. Cristian does not like his changing table much these days...diaper changes are a chore these days b/c he gets really irritated when we lay him down to change him and he won't sit still. He is a wiggle worm and it's an Olympic sport to change him...LOL!

9. Cristian loves his stuffed animals that are in his crib - he loves sleeping with all of them and he loves them so much he tries to eat them and then he hangs them upside down and drops them one by one out of his crib! He loves his monkey, his doggie, his lamb and his teddy bear.

10. Cristian loves the water. He really enjoys the bath and swimming...he loves taking showers too!

Tonight in honor of Cristian's 10 mth. milestone and Grandma's birthday we're going out to celebrate!! We're going to dinner and Grandma is going to buy Cristian a toy for HER birthday...talk about spoiled! :) Cristian has Grandma wrapped...Mami and Papi too! We love you, baby bubi! xoxox

Growing & Changing

2009-07-01T05:36:00.000-07:00

Cristian is growing and changing so much every day! He's 9.5 mths. today and the day he turns 1 is fast approaching.

It seems like everyday he does something new...he's such a smart little boy. He's so happy and funny...always laughing that little one! :)

Monday I finally brought him to work to meet some of my co-workers. He is quite the ladies man...lol, he's a little flirt. He was hamming it up with the ladies in the office, he was a hit! He started really waving goodbye when we left...I said "say goodbye, Cristian" and the ladies waved to him and he waved back...it was so cute!! Now he pretty much does it on cue...too precious! I have to get video of that and post it so everyone can see.

Cristian is also a great eater...now at mealtime we put cheerios or small cut up fruit/veggies on his high-chair tray and he picks them up and puts them in his mouth...he really has improved over the last week or so. It's so cute to watch him feed himself. And he loves to drink from his sippy cup, but especially from cups! This week at dinner Jose has given him juice from his big cup and Cristian loves it...he gets so excited and pulls the cup to his mouth and drinks and when he's done he'll look at me like "look ma, look what I can do" - priceless!! I have to upload video of that, I got some cute stuff last night.

We're practicing clapping. He doesn't quite have that down yet, but he's getting there. And I found out the other day that the "Bzzz" sound cracks him up!! LOL! It's hilarious...if we go "Bzzz" he just starts laughing and thinks its the funniest thing ever!

Knock on wood...Cristian is back to his wonderful sleeping!! Thank God! The 7 to 8 month stretch was a little rough in the sleep department. We think it was the teething that threw everything out the window...there were nights when he would wake up screaming and nothing would comfort him except for holding him...and there were many nights the 3 of us slept in our bed together...I was so worried we were starting a bad habit...but thankfully once he hit 8.5 mths. things were back to normal and he was sleeping in his crib thru the night and if he does wake up he is able to go right back to sleep easily. Phew!! :)

Cristian - Mami and Papi love you so much...you are the most beautiful blessing we could ever ask for...you are our most precious gift from God above...we love you endlessly, more than the stars in the sky!! xoxoxoxoxox

9 months...3 more till we reach 1!!!

2009-06-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

We had a great visit to the Dr. this week for Cristian's 9 mth. check up. He weighs 22 lbs. and is 30.5 inches long!!! We have a very tall boy on our hands! He's gonna be tall just like his Papi and Uncle Kevin! :) We go back to the Dr. in September for Cristian's 1 year check up!

This past Wednesday, 6/17, marks Cristian's 9 month milestone! These past 9 months have been so amazingly wonderful!! I have grown and changed so much since becoming a MOM and I love it! This is truly the most rewarding, most challenging, most happy blissful blessing God could have ever blessed us with!! :) Cristian is LOVE...he is our blessing, our first little miracle!

Here are some pics at 9 months. I couldn't get him to sit still so I decided to put him in his crib where I can sort of contain him for some picture taking! :)

Sweet Stellan

2009-06-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

Some of you close to me know about a sweet baby boy named Stellan. I read his Mom, Jennifer's, blog daily and since coming across it months ago I have followed her family's journey dealing with a heart condition known as SVT with their youngest son, Stellan. Stellan is very close in age to Cristian - and I'm guessing that is why it hits a nerve with me and makes my heart break even more for this precious little boy. You can check Stellan's Mom's blog at www.mycharmingkids.net for more information.

Please also pray for Stellan and his family. Please pray for God to heal Stellan's heart and to lift up his family during this rocky road they are traveling.

**We all have issues that we are dealing with in our lives...whether it be sickness or loss or broken/unhealthy relationships with family and/or friends...the list is endless. Let's pray for each other often...we all need to be there for each other...not just for the good times in our lives but especially during the valleys in our life. God hears our prayers...you can count on that!

The Beach...

2009-06-18T12:21:00.000-07:00

We took our first family vacation over Memorial Day weekend and had a wonderful time!! Jose, Cristian and I went down and Mom joined us!! :) We went to Clearwater Beach, FL. We stayed at a small mom and pop place right near the beach and I loved it!

It was a really nice getaway and we cannot wait for the next one!

Cristian loved the water and looked so cute in his little swimming trunks and hat! See for yourself! Enjoy!

8 Months, where did you go?!?!

2009-06-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

Let me begin this post by rewinding a tad...the last month has zoomed by even faster than I can believe!? Seems Cristian was just 8 months old and yesterday he turned 9 months!!
Cristian began crawling up a storm...he started pulling up on the sofa, on me, on whatever he could find that was sturdy enough...he started eating bite size pieces of food like a champ...his sleeping was off from 7 mths. till just a few weeks ago (knock on wood - we're back to "normal" - thank God!!)...he gets a little shy with new people or familiar faces he hasn't seen in a while and he'll put his head down on my shoulder and hide, so cute...he loves to sleep with his stuffed animals - 3 in particular - his first teddy bear, his stuffed doggy and his stuffed monkey - he loves to have them close to him and snuggle with them...he loves to play in the bath...he loves the remote control and phone and he's started to cry when you take things away from him...and he's getting so tall he's almost too long for the changing table! I cannot believe my baby boy is quickly approaching the 1 year mark...it passes in the blink of an eye...it really does! We love you, Baby Bubi! xoxoxox

Crawling, Cracker Eating, Cutie Pie...

2009-06-04T04:22:00.000-07:00

The list of adjectives to describe our little blessing is endless!! Cristian is just amazing...and we can hardly believe he's on his way to 9 months old!! I have some great pics from our first family vacation to post...and catch up on all the great things Cristian has been doing since turning 8 months old! Until then...enjoy these cute pics of our little boy!

Wild Olive

2009-05-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a great website that sells cute, hip shirts for women and best of all they help spread the word of the Lord!!!!!!

I love them and have already ordered one for myself. It's the shirt called "Unfolding" and some of the profits from the sale of this particular shirt benefit a great charity called "Until Journey's End".

I learned of that charity from MckMama's blog www.mycharmingkids.net. I have talked to some of you about her blog and her youngest son, Stellan. :)

Please check out Wild Olive and you'll see just how great it really is! Enjoy! :)

Vote, Vote, Vote!!

2009-05-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

****UPDATE TO ORIGINAL POST****

The contest ended yesterday, May 13, at 5 p.m. and unfortunately we lost by 1%! :( Thank you ALL for helping me almost win by voting like mad men yesterday! We were ahead by 2% and for whatever reason around 4:10 p.m. many of us, including me, got locked out of the voting system and could no longer vote. My competition caught up and was able to win.

I was so bummed about this last night...but hey, it happens!

Thanks for all your support - we can't say we lost for lack of effort!! You guys ROCK! :)

PLEASE READ AND VOTE - USING THE LINK AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THIS POST!! THANKS, GUYS!! :) XOXOX

I had maternity pics done in July 2008 by Lori Gordon owner of Shooting Star Photography http://www.shootstarphoto.com/ and the pics were awesome! When Cristian was born we were lucky enough to have her do his newborn pictures in September 2008 when he was just 10 days old!!

Lori's photography bizz is celebrating it's 1 year anniversary and she is having a contest for former clients and the picture we submitted of Cristian is one of the finalists. All of the pics are GREAT but I am Cristian's Mother and I am biased!

If you are reading this blog - please vote for Cristian's pic daily thru Wed., May 13th. Check the following link for more details and to VOTE!!!

http://www.shootstarphoto.com/blog/?p=972

The picture above is the one that we entered in the contest! Isn't it gorgeous!?!?!?! Thanks, Lori! :)

Picture Catch-Up

2009-05-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

Mami & Cristian...LOVE.

Cristian's 1st Easter - April 2009.

I love this pic...Cristian swinging...so beautiful and innocent...to be a kid again!! :)

Mami and her little Easter Bunny!

I'm still trying to figure out what the heck a sippy cup is!?

One of my many hats...

My beloved Jumperoo...I'm almost too big for this!

Belly time...savoring every last bit before he's off and crawling...any day now!!

What's that I see...a tooth peaking out from under your bottom lip!!

Sitting up like a pro...I like my new push toy!

I like to hang out in my playpen and play with my toys!

My big boy pj's...with Sponge Bob on them - a tribute to my Tio Juan Luis!

A day at the park with Mami, Papi & Scooby = one of my favorite weekend activities!

"I am a happy baby...I love to laugh and make silly faces!"

Cristian's first time swinging at the park!! He liked it!

I'm already 7 mths. old. I like the rocker my Papa David and Grandma Annie got for me! :)

"Say What?!?" LOL - one of the many faces of Cristian!

"I cannot believe you are making me wear these bunny ears...."

"Well, I guess I do look pretty darn cute in them!!" :)

Like Father Like Son...

2009-04-23T13:05:00.001-07:00

These two have practically the same facial expression!! :) LOL - that's just too cute, there's no mistaken Cristian for Jose's son...even if he is blanco y rubio!! :) I love it!

Que cute!!!

2009-04-22T08:41:00.001-07:00

I know I am biased b/c Cristian is my son...but I can't help it, he's so darn cute I can just eat him up!!! :) Check out some family pics...and see for yourself who he resembles. I think he is a wonderful mix of his Mami and Papi! Love you little Bubi! xoxoxox

Mami at 6 mths.

Papi at 6 mths...?

Grandma Annie

Mami...Cristian's hair color is exactly the same as mine in this picture!!

Mami again...do we notice a trend?

Papi...Cristian has this same exact facial expression!! :)

Uncle Kevin

Aunt Kim

Tio Juan Luis

Papi again...Cristian does the same thing with his mouth...and he has the same big, brown eyes!!

Hope...Faith....Love...and the greatest of these is Love!!

2009-04-22T07:42:00.001-07:00

Some of you may have noticed on my blog a tag that says "Pray for Stellan". And that's what we have been doing for the last month or so. I came across a blog months ago and have followed this family's journey with their youngest son, Stellan. I am so touched by this story b/c Stellan is close to Cristian's age and it just tugged at my heart strings. I wanted to post the picture below of Cristian wearing orange in support of baby Stellan - yesterday he had surgery on his heart...and as a show of support we all wore orange on 4.21.09 and prayed extra prayers for Stellan. If you feel compelled to do so please take a moment to read his story and say a prayer for Stellan and his family.

Hope...Faith...Love...and the greatest of these is Love!!! :)

We are so blessed...in so many ways...and Jose and I are forever grateful and thankful to God for blessing us with a beautiful, strong and healthy baby boy!!!!!! xoxoxoxox

4.17.09 - 7 months already!!??

2009-04-17T10:52:00.001-07:00

Today Cristian is 7 months old!!!!! Wow, these days have passed us by so quickly. I remember being pregnant this time last year...and it seems like yesterday! :)

Cristian is so wonderful...he's just so active and fun! He smiles and laughs so much. And he thinks his Papi is the funniest thing ever b/c he cracks up at him every single time he sees him! LOL! I have tons of pics to upload and will get them up soon. There's so much great stuff to update on with Cristian...I just have to find a minute to get it all organized so I can post about it.

We had a nice Easter and Cristian got not one, but two Easter baskets! Grandma Annie and Papa David got him a big ole basket filled with lots of goodies and then Jose and I got him a basket filled with a couple new toys. Cathy got him the cutest Duckie that he really likes to chew on! LOL We didn't get to take pics with the Easter bunny this year, but we will next year and I'm sure Cristian will scream in delight! LOL And we didn't get to do an egg hunt but we did get some really cute pics of Cristian with some bunny ears and some plastic eggs as props! I'll post them soon. We went to Mama and Papa Moon's for Easter lunch and had a nice time and during this Easter celebration we also remembered the sacrifice that was made on our behalf and gloried the fact that the Lord is Risen and the tomb is empty...how wonderful is that! :) We hope you all had a great Easter, too.

Now...here we go with 7 things we love about Cristian at 7 mths...

*His gorgeous smiles and laughter - when Jose and I walk in the door from work he sees me and then immediately looks for Jose...and when their eyes lock Cristian immediately bursts out laughing! I think its b/c Jose looks so silly...lol, j/k! :)

*His sweet kisses - I have taught Cristian to give me kisses. They are open mouthed and very sloppy and wet but they are still kisses! It's precious...I kiss him sooo much I think he learned by example...but if I tell him "Dame un besito/Give me a kiss" a few times he'll open that mouth and plant a big wet one on me! I love it!! xoxoxox

*Cristian is just like me in so many ways...when I was little I loved when my Mom cleaned my ears with a Q-tip...and sure enough Cristian is the same way. Jose and my Mom are witnesses to this...after his bath we put him on the changing table and lotion him up and put on his pj's and comb his hair and clean his nose and ears. When I get that Q-tip out he will just lay there and as soon as I start to clean the inside ever so gently he'll close his eyes and make this face like "Ahhhh...." It's too darn cute!! I have to try to get a pic.

*He's just started reaching for people when you're holding him and its the best thing ever. For instance Jose will be holding him and he'll say go with Mami and I'll hold my hands out and he'll come to me!

*Cristian is fairly easy to get ready for bed - after his bath he knows its time for his bottle and Jose and I take turns feeding him and lately he's been a little fussy with Papi at bedtime and so I take over and he calms down. He's already showing that preference for Mami and Papi...some nights he wants one of us more than the other. :)

*I love waking up with Cristian! He's such a happy baby...and he usually wakes up around the same time each day and on the weekends I love waking up and hearing him talking on the monitor. I give him a few minutes to stretch and roll around and then I go get him. As soon as he sees me he starts smiling and moving all around...its the best feeling to greet him each day and just cover him in hugs and kisses!!

Ok - that's 7 so I'll keep it at that. But for the record...there's so many wonderful things about Mr. Cristian!! He's started talking up a storm now and his first official word is "Da-Da" Jose is in hog heaven!!!! It's so cute to hear Cristian call his Papi...he says "Da, da, da, da, da..." over and over!!! :) And his first tooth is about to be completely out...it's the bottom left one. I'm already missing the gummy smile...but that one tooth is pretty cute too! :)

The Essence of a New Day...

2009-04-08T07:45:00.001-07:00

I have a poster in my office at work that has a Joshua Tree on it and behind it a beautiful sunset on the horizon and then in the corner of the purple/orange/red sky there is a crescent shaped moon...amazing!!! It has a quote underneath the picture that talks about the Essence of a New Day and I wanted to share it b/c once again...my heart told me to. :) I find following my heart these days is a lot better than following my head! :)

"The Essence of a New Day"

This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you left behind...let it be something good.

Also - a good friend of mine sent me the following and I wanted to share. So, so true! :)

Have a great day!!!!! Stef (a.k.a. "The Wife")

Somethings learned along the road of LIFE...

I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.
I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.
I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful Feelings in the world.
I've learned..... That being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
I've learned .... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I've learned.... That life is like a Roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.
I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned..... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts..
I 've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned..... That love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
I've learned... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned...... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost, someone will take the ones you miss.
I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
I've learned.... That one should keep his words both Soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
I've learned....That trying to live up to other peoples expectations is not worth it...you have to be true to yourself.
I've learned....That standing up for yourself or what you believe can sometimes be uncomfortable and can put a strain on relationships.
I've learned...That forgiveness is not something even the most regular church goer can easily do...that old saying practice what you preach is not always followed.
I've learned...That some people are just stubborn and have too much pride to admit they have any fault.
I've learned...That having a conversation or disagreement with people is sometimes not possible, no matter how persistent you are some people just choose not to hear what you are trying to tell them.
I've learned...That the truth hurts no matter how hard you try to run from it.

Motherhood

2009-04-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Let's see, I have officially been a MOM for 6.5 mths...my how time flies! :) Technically though, I have been a MOM for 16.5 mths - b/c I carried Cristian for 10 months (yes, you read that right!) and that time counts too!! By the grace of God, I carried him without any complications - thankfully. But I also did my part to take extra special care of the life that was growing inside of me. I was priviledged beyond measure to carry this precious child that we all know and love named Cristian! :)

The topic of this post came to me just out of the blue today...so I decided to take a short break and get it out while it was fresh on my heart, otherwise I would get distracted by the gazillion other things in my life that pull at me from every direction. Mommy-brain is real...I know all of the Moms reading this understand what I mean w/out any explanation! :) This secret Motherhood thing has a gazillion perks - Moms understanding Moms is just one of them!

For me being a Mom to Cristian is one of the best things, if not THE BEST things, that has happened to me. God only knows just how grateful I am to have this precious little boy in my life...and to be the one that God chose to be his MOM! In the 6.5 mths. I have held this role I have grown and learned so much, from one small boy...and can not even imagine all that I have yet to learn in the lifetime ahead.

Dads - you are important too - don't get me wrong! My wonderful, loving husband is one in a million - he's the cream of the crop as far as I'm concerned. He has been an awesome friend and husband to ME and has been a wonderful and loving DAD to Cristian...he's just that good, plain and simple! We love you, Bubi. But I digress...the point of this post is about me being a MOM to Cristian and what I have learned so far.

When I used to hear people say being a parent (or MOM) is the hardest but most rewarding job in the world I never could fully understand what that meant b/c until Cristian came along I only had myself, Jose and Scooby to worry about (note - I always worry for my loved ones, my family and friends - but I'm talking my immediate family circle - the people I shared a home with). I thought that was enough to worry about...boy was I wrong!! LOL! That was only scratching the surface. :) Being a MOM is all that times about a million!

Being a MOM has taught me so many things...let me hi-light some below.

*To be unselfish. I put Cristian's needs before my own even when I'm dog tired and just pure exhausted mentally and physically. It's an automatic response that comes natural. It's that primal instinct to take care of your baby no matter what the cost. His needs are met first and then mine and Jose's. When my bones are weary and I'm feeling like I need a boost of caffeine straight to my veins all it takes to snap me back is to see that sweet face...those big brown eyes and those chubby cheeks!! :)

*To be patient and accept a change in plans. Having an infant I've learned to be more patient b/c he's so small and new to this world that he relies on me to guide him and show him the way. He is not going to pick up on things instantly and watching him grow is teaching me a lesson in patience. Yes, he's growing quickly but in stages...its all at Cristian's pace, not mine. I am not the most organized person in the world, but I do like some type of order. You can plan and plan and plan and having an infant you learn that plans have a way of falling apart mid-flight!! No matter how much precision you take in planning the details ultimately the baby dictates your schedule now. Feedings, diaper changes, naps, spit-up stained clothes requiring a change after you've buckled baby in their carseat...LOL, all these things are like monkey-wrenches in whatever plans you thought you had!! I have always been infamously late...now, forget about it!

*To stop and smell the roses. I know it sounds ironic. I'm busier than ever now being a MOM - so how can I stop and smell the roses when things are moving faster than the speed of light?! But raising Cristian I have a different view on life...that's ever changing. It's like by having a baby you are allowed to see the world thru their eyes too...what a blessing! When I say "stop and smell the roses" I mean to slow down and appreciate the quiet moments in life more...to stop running around like a mad person trying to do it all. The superficial things in life seem to melt away and the really important stuff takes center stage. I have learned that babies don't keep...meaning every moment they are changing and growing and if you put other priorities before them you'll miss out on so much! For example: a clean house is nice...but I've learned I am not Super Mom...I am human. If I do not have the time to clean the house as much as I would like but instead spend some quality time with MY BOYS (nowadays this refers to Jose and Cristian - and Scooby) then that's by far more important. I would rather miss having a clean house than to miss one, single moment in my families life! Time is moving all around us no matter what we might be going thru...so instead of wasting time on the superficial stuff that really doesn't matter...why not jump in with reckless abandon and enjoy every moment with the people that you love!?? Having Cristian I have gotten over that hang-up of trying to do it all before enjoying myself...and now I choose the reckless abandon route...I don't want to waste precious time on whats really important to me...my precious, precious FAMILY!

*A greater respect and appreciation for my extended Family. Now that I am a MOM I see things differently than I did in my younger days. I have an even greater respect for my own Mom b/c now I see a glimpse of the journey that she traveled as a new Mom over 30 yrs. ago. I love my Mom so much and appreciate the relationship that we have today...sure its had its bumps and bruises but it all had to happen in order to get to where we are today. I appreciate my Mom in so many ways...and I thank her for understanding me and giving me the room to make plenty of mistakes and loving me along the way...she's a great woman and I am proud to call her Mom. One day I hope Cristian is as proud of me as I am of my Mom! :)

There are so many others that are right up there with my Mom (namely Mama & Papa Moon) and I don't want to be remiss and leave them out...but to keep this short and sweet let's just say you know who you are! :) And I love you all just as much and thank you immensely for all that you have taught me and given to me in my life.

I will close this post now...b/c I don't want to get too far off course here. I know I will never be a perfect MOM to Cristian, but my intentions in this life are to be the best MOM I can be to him (and our future children)...and I pray and hope that Cristian knows just how much I love him. It's a love that is unconditional...that will not change no matter what. I know we will disappoint one another and we will be angry with one another and we will disagree with one another and we will not see eye to eye on certain things....and the list goes on...........but one thing I can surely say with all my heart and soul is that I will always be there for Cristian as his MOM and I guess at the end of the day I want him to know without a shadow of a doubt that he can come to me, always, with whatever is on his mind and that I will be there to lean on and to depend on and to support him and to encourage him and to carry him and to listen to him and to love him with reckless abandon and to forgive him if he - or I should say when he - does/says something that angers me or hurts me. I want to live and breathe the example that I am teaching him to be.

Ahhh, after all this I feel lighter inside. This was on my heart and I just felt the need to share.

Sorry if I went all over the place with my writing...I just typed and didn't really worry if it all made perfect sense!

And lastly, to my precious little boy Cristian - I love you more than all the stars in the sky...endlessly, unconditionally, for all time! xoxoxoxox You are my precious gift...thank you for being YOU! I thank God for you...to see the world thru your eyes is a gift and I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful son - you are my everything! :)

Cristian's 6 mth. stats

2009-03-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Cristian's 6 mth. Dr. appt. was on Monday, 3/23. He had his 6 mth. shots and he was a strong little fella! It always hurts me more than him! He had 3 shots and one oral medicine.

The Dr. said he's growing wonderfully and all looks great - praise the Lord!!!! We are so very grateful and blessed to have a healthy little boy!! :)

Cristian weighed 19.5 lbs and is 28" long!! He's a beautiful and strong boy!! :)

Our next Dr. appt. is in June, at 9 mths. Luckily no shots on this visit - just a small blood test to check for anemia. His next round of shots will be at his 12 mth. visit in September!!!

6 at 6 months

2009-03-24T07:29:00.001-07:00

My first time going to the park with Mami, Papi & Scooby!!! March 21, 09

Cristian is 6 mths. old...and he's just amazing! Everyday is an adventure with him...life is so much sweeter with him in it for both Jose and me!!! Cristian is truly a miracle...God selecting us as his parents is nothing short of the biggest blessing we've ever received!!!

We love you Baby Bubi!! xoxoxox

*Cristian is such a ham - he loves to laugh and giggle and smile!! He's truly a happy little baby! His smile and laughter is infectious...and very contagious...I challenge anyone to be around him and hear him laugh and see if you can't help but laugh too!! :)

*One of my favorite things in the world is taking a nap with Cristian!! He's so precious and cuddly...I find myself wanting to nap with him on my bed instead of putting him down in his crib to nap! I'm selfish, what can I say - he's just so darn cute I cannot help it!! I can just stare at him all day long while he's sleeping...he's such an angel, so perfect and full of love!!

*Bathtime is a lot of fun! Cristian enjoys taking a bath in his ducky tub...we have just started using bubble bath and he seems to enjoy all the bubbles! He doesn't like to sit in the tub much though - he much prefers to push himself back and "lounge" in the tub. He cracks us up b/c he'll push back so much he'll make himself float...so all you can see if his little face sticking out of the bubbles. His head/ears/body are all submerged...lol, he's too cute!

*Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner - fun times! Cristian recently got a new highchair and likes it a lot. He's such a big boy in it! He's such a great eater...we have lots of fun playing airplane and making faces. He's such a wonderful eater - he never gives us a problem eating...I wonder where he got that from??!! :)

*We have a serious roller on our hands!!!! Cristian is on the move let me tell you!! He's rolling all over the place. Soon he'll be crawling! Scooby is already fully aware of the wrath that is called Cristian!!! Jose and I crack up whenever Scooby takes off b/c he sees Cristian coming...I believe Scooby has met his match!

*Cristian loves his walker! Our neighbor so sweetly gave us her old walker and Cristian loves it! Talk about life saver. It's so convenient for us to put him in there while we get a few things done and it keeps Cristian entertained and so mobile. He really moves in that thing...he's our little speed racer!

1/2 Birthday & St. Patty's Day!

2009-03-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

March 17 was a festive day at our house! Not only did we celebrate Cristian's first St. Patty's Day but more importantly we celebrated Cristian's 1/2 birthday!!! Our big boy is 6 mths. old - 1/2 way to his 1 year milestone!! To commemorate this special occasion we went all out to make this an extra fun day for all 3 of us!! We dressed Cristian in a St. Patty's Day outfit complete with matching socks, matching hat and matching headband with shammrocks on it! Jose and I wore green shirts too! Scooby has green in his collar so technically he was covered too! LOL!

When we got home from work the festivities officially began! Jose cooked a delicious Shepard's Pie...Yum-O! It was such nice weather out we fed Cristian on the back porch and had a great time. Cristian ate GREEN beans for dinner. And then we brought out the 1/2 cake we baked for him with 1/2 a candle and the number 6 on it with sprinkles! We sang Happy Birthday to him and got it all on film! He kept trying to reach for the cake...it was too cute. We let him taste a little icing...he wasn't very impressed...but it was just a little after all, not enough to fully appreciate the sweet goodness!

The last item on our itinerary was to put Cristian's hand and footprints on a family tablecloth that we started a few years back - before our little one joined us! I thought it would be a piece of cake - wrong - try dipping a 6 mth. old's hands/feet in paint and getting them to uncurl their fingers and toes...LOL! Cristian had the death grip and it was nearly impossible to get them unfolded all the while paint was dripping everywhere...but it was fun! The finished product is a blob of blue paint...you can't really tell it's actually his hand/foot imprint...but its there...he undoubtedly left his mark on the tablecloth! :)

We wrapped things up around 8 p.m. - past Cristian's bedtime, but it was a special day so it was ok this time. We took a bath and gave him a bottle and he was off to la-la land for the night! All 3 of us had a wonderful evening.......and we have lots of great pics that I'll share soon once I upload them.

Here's to the next 6 mths...I'm sure they'll fly by just as fast as the last 6 mths did! Jose and I were talking about how soon we'll have a toddler on our hands...WOW!!! Every moment with Cristian is such a blessing...to watch him grow before our eyes is one of the greatest gifts we've ever been given. To love this little boy and hold him and kiss him everyday is a gift...how blessed are we to be given this precious gift! Thank you, Lord! :)

Got 5 minutes to share a laugh??

2009-03-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

If you have a few minutes to spare and need a good laugh or a smile to brighten your day....check out this video montage of Cristian!! Enjoy!! Have a good day!!

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=841a4e2e8a266d40f215cc&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Spring has Sprung!

2009-03-12T04:42:00.000-07:00

Mami, Cristian and Papi - 3 Peas in a Pod!! Family Picnic night in the backyard = FUN TIMES!!

I love my Moo-mmy!! (and Papi, too!) - the little guy was plum tuckered out after all the fun!

Mami with her precious angel...pure love...ahhh!

Before the festivities began...a little silly family time!! LOL!

Cristian checking out the beautiful, blue sky above!

Last Tuesday the Aponte Fam welcomed the warmer weather by having a picnic in the backyard! It was so much fun - we threw down a blanket in the grass and brought out all our food and some toys and made it a family night! We fed Cristian in his Bumbo (his dinner selection was carrots and applesauce...YUM-O!) and Jose and I had hot dogs - perfect picnic food! It was such a great way for us to reconnect and relax as a family...I think this will be somewhat of a tradition for us...it was just so special! After we ate we played for a bit and then we all layed on the blanket and just stared at the beautiful blue sky - Cristian even snuck in a cat nap. It was a perfect way to end the day together...I love my boys...all 3 of them - Jose, Cristian and Scooby!! :)

Relaxing with a full belly...life is good! Ahhh!!

Carrots...yummy to my tummy!

Cristian and Papi...what a great pair!!

2 weeks until...

2009-03-05T06:58:00.000-08:00

Where did the last 6 months go!? In just under 2 weeks our little boy will be 1/2 a year old!!! I remember when he fit in the palm of Jose's hand, literally - remember Cristian's newborn pics? The one of Jose holding him up in the palm of his hands? He was just 10 days old...and now he's almost 180 days old (6 mths.)!

For those of you who follow Cristian's life - pull up a comfy seat and settle in to our new blog. Our website expired and we wanted to continue keeping our loved ones informed about the happenings in our life. My intent is to update often and include lots of pictures and video of Cristian as he grows each and everyday right before our eyes!

I named our blog 3 Peas in a Pod b/c that's just what we are - Jose, me and Cristian! (we can't forget Scooby, so technically we're 4 Peas in a Pod, but 3 is more catchy).

Each month I want to try and name things that stand out about Cristian...so since we're in between the 5 and 6 mth. mark I'll start with 5...

5 things at 5 mths.

*I love this age!! Cristian is an absolute ball of laughter...he smiles and laughs so much! His laughter is the best sound in the world...and that gummy smile will melt your heart instantly!

*He is such a great eater! Just the other night I was eating a few bites in between holding him...and I noticed he was eyeballing my food...so that was my cue that he was hungry - as if he was saying "Hey Mom, I'm hungry here..." As soon as you lock him into his highchair and put the tray on he knows what time it is. He'll bang his hands on the tray and smile, he gets so excited! He's so darn cute! He has started helping me get the spoon to his mouth by grabbing my hand and pulling it towards his open mouth...I think its time for stage 2 food!

*I swear his first words are coming soon! He squeals with delight and makes so many news sounds...its as if he's testing out his vocal cords and seeing how this whole talking thing works. I am practicing with him daily to say "Ma-Ma" so I'm hoping that'll be his first word! Sorry, Papi!

*He loves to play peek-a-boo! He cracks up everytime and its so cute. I'll sometimes hold him and look in the mirror and move up and down or side to side (to get out of sight for a minute) and say "peek-a-boo" - when he gets too tickled he'll grab my face with both hands and open his mouth and plant a big ole' wet kiss on my cheeks!! It's so slobbery and messy - but its one of the best things in life!! I love those wet, baby boy kisses!!

*He's always been a really good sleeper! Around 1 mth. old he started sleeping thru the night! Jose and I joke our next child will be the complete opposite...LOL! After his bedtime bottle he sometimes falls asleep before we lay him in his crib...but sometimes he's still awake but drowsy...these times are so precious b/c we'll give him hugs and kisses before we lay him down...and then we'll give him his paci and his stuffed animal and he cuddles with it...and shortly falls asleep. It's so cute to watch him do this!!

There's so much more I could say...but since this is 5 at 5 mths. I'll leave it at that! :)