Daddy's Day!

Father's Day was full of Adventures!

From 1006 1st Father's Day

We had a yummy authentic Texan Breakfast: Steak, Egg, and Bean tacos

Then we went to Eddy Pool:Deep Eddy Pool is a historic, man-made swimming pool in Austin, Texas. Deep Eddy is the oldest swimming pool in Texas and features a bathhousebuilt during the Depression era by the Works Progress Administration. The pool began as a swimming hole in the Colorado River, became a resort in the 1920s, and is today a popular swimming pool operated by the City of Austin.

From 1006 1st Father's Day

From 1006 1st Father's Day

Watched Brazil play at a Restauraunt with some friends

Then we went to Lake Travis on a SAIL BOAT RIDE! It was the first time me and Nico had ever been on a sail boat! We stopped on the way there to get a Life-jacket for Nico and we were set!

Even though we got on the sailboat at 6:15pm, it didn't really cool down until like 7pm. Nico didn't really like his life-jacket, I don't blame him...it look like of constricting.

While we were out on the water, floating, I fed Nico and he fell asleep. I guess the rocking was soothing for him..it was making me a little sea sick though. I jumped into Lake Travis for a little. The water felt great!!!!

From 1006 1st Father's Day

I think Peter enjoyed his father's Day =) We are still waiting for his other gifts to be delivered!

TIA Manuela comes into town with Tio Juan this week and We are moving to the new apartment this FRIDAY! The guest bed will be gone by the time Manuela and Juan leave and Nico will have HIS OWN ROOM, like a big boy!!!

Happy Father's Day!

From 1001 Hello Nico!

Happy Father's DAY!!!!!

Today is Peter's first DADDY Day. Nico got him a pair of TOM's Shoes and some other surprises that haven't come it yet but let's just say he will be watching the world cup in style!

I could tell Peter was going to be a great dad from when I saw him playing with his cousins a couple years ago at a family reunion. The way he talked to them and played with them was so cute...it made me happy to see that he liked kids.

In the past 5 months, he's shown Nico and everyone who sees them interact, that being a DADDY is something that can't be learned, it's something that comes from within you, something natural.

Pirol, Thank you for being such a great daddy and for loving Nico the way you do. I'm so happy we're celebrating this day =)

Peter had a great example of a caring and loving father figure as did I. We want to wish Pedro and my daddy a Happy Father's Day and Happy Abuelito Day!

From 1005 memorial miami

From 1005 memorial miami

I have the best dad in the world. He is always there providing support, help, love, and most of all is just there, present, for whatever I, and now NICO, may need. I love you daddy!

Happy 1st father's day to so many new dads out there! Tim, Kevin, Tom, LuisFer, Antonio and so many others! Feliz Dia del Padre!

5 months old

Nico turned 5 months this past Tuesday! I tried to give Nico some rice cereal mixed in with some milk but that didn't work out too well. He kept making really funny faces.

On another note, although Nico is getting older, his sleeping patterns have regressed to his earlier days when he would get up and eat every 1.5 to 2 hours.....which means that I haven't gotten much sleep lately either. Last night we put him to bed around 9pm, and by 10:26pm he was already up again! We got him a new crib to put up in his new room (when we move apartments ). Hopefully he'll start sleeping a little more so that he can actually use the new crib...in his room(maybe it's wishful thinking.)

I can't believe Nico has been with us for 5 months already! I'm so happy with my little family!!! Yesterday I was driving home from a play date and I looked back to see my little man playing with some toys in his car seat, so interested in the things infront of him and all around him.

This is a picture of Nico and his friends after they got out of the pool yesterday =) Butts from left to right: Miles Dexter, Dylan David, and Nico Samuel!

Stressing News

The problem with staying home is that my adult conversations take place with my T.V. friends and occasionally (when i'm lucky) my other real life friends.

This morning on Good Morning America, they were discussing SKIN CANCER and how common it has become. As i heard all the stats, signs, symptoms, ways to detect early, and death rates of this cancer, my heart started racing.

One woman said that her sister was diagnosed in as a sophomore in college. She was healthy, athletic, and young but suffered a slow 6 month death. Another woman was able to detect her's early, however she had to undergo chemo and was not able to resume with her active lifestyle. She was just happy to be alive.

I know that I can't allow myself to get worked up over all the news, but being from Miami, literally growing up OUT UNDER UNDER THE SUN, always having a golden brown suntanned look, I wonder if maybe there is something that I should get checked out. Especially now, because my pumpkin head needs his mommy to be heathy and strong!!!

An Inspirational coach receives a Home Makeover

I am in tears watching Extreme Makeover Home edition about a coach with ALS, a generative neurological disease that is slowly deteriorating his body. The guests on the show are the family that inspired the creation of the movie, " The Blind Side".

WATCH EPISODE

Watching this coach talk about NEVER GIVING UP makes me wonder where he gets the strength to coach and encourage his players and all those around him when he himself is struggling with so much?!?!? The coach said that sports teach kids: character, integrity, and discipline, three of the most important personality traits that are needed for success.It is such an inspirational episode that will probably bring everyone who see it to tears.

Shows like this make me want to do something really great and helpful with my life. I feel that I started quenching that thirst in me when I was in Panama but it's starting to creep back in. I have this unsettling feeling inside, this anxiousness deep within me that i'm wasting valuable time that I could be investing in being part of something SPECIAL! I want Nico to grow up with a mom who is full filled in all aspects of her life. I'm aware of how lucky i am to have the happiest, healthiest, cutest little family that I can wrap my arms around, but there are times when I wonder about those dreams that I have always had. I wonder if they are getting lost in the scramble and commotion of what my life is now. There is always something that needs to be taken care of AT THE MOMENT, whether it's Nico's diaper, a feeding, groceries, dinner, laundry, organizing, going to teach, shower, or EAT. Looking ahead, thinking long term or outside the box, current moment, is very difficult, almost impossible.

Peter asked me where I saw myself in 5 years. It took me a really LONG time to even come up with an answer. If you would have asked me this question 1 year ago I would have had a completely different answer, but at least I would have come up with it faster, because I was living in the moment with my eyes set on that future goal of mine.

I'm not upset that I can't differentiate my academic/professional goals from my life goals because I feel that only if the goals in all aspects of your life align, is it possible to attain them. No aspect should overpower the other so much that you lose sight of what truly important in your life....and to me from now on, its the happiness and unity of my family. I have to work-in my work goals, athletic goals, and artistic goals into that equation.

Nico is growing up

Nico is growing up!

He got his passport to TRAVEL THE WORLD with mommy and daddy:

He sat in the shopping cart at Target the other day like a big boy:

He sat on his own today!!!

Nico's cousin: Manolo

Nico's primo in Spain, Manolo (Manuelito) was born Friday June 4th,2010

in Barcelona. My mom was there to welcome him to this world!

Felicitaciones Gabriela y Antonio

2nd Miami Vacation

We're Back from our trip, Nico's 2nd time visiting Miami and he's not even 5 months yet.

From 1005 memorial miami

Miami vacation was awesome!

Nico, the celebrity, had a full schedule of people to see and places to go.

Mommy and Daddy got a chance to hang out with friends and GO OUT!

From 1005 memorial miami

From 1005 memorial miami

Nico's list of activities began early Sunday when he joined me at Kelly's bridal Shower.

Then we drove down to Key Largo to meet up with Peter's Family.

Nico hung out with his primitos, got in the ocean, and even got on the BOAT!!!!

From 1005 memorial miami

From 1005 memorial miami

From 1005 memorial miami

During the week we got to see TIA Gretchen and Marin , who were in the Peace Corps with mommy in Panama! Catching up with them made me relive a lot of fun memories!

At the end of the week, Daddy, Abuelo Pete, Tio Tony I and II and some of their friends all went to Bimini on a Fishing trip:

While Peter was fishing, I went with Manuela, Vivi, and Cecilia to get a BOBBY BROWN MAKEOVER! I was in dire need of some fixing up. We got celebrity treatment!

The trip felt a lot longer than it actually was...and we had a great time. We were a little nervous and sad about the oil spill in the Gulf. As we looked around at all the beauty in keys, the thought that if that oil problem isn't solved fast, Nico won't get to enjoy all that beauty after the oil goes through and NEITHER WILL WE!