HAPPY BIRTHday

Happy Birthday Vivi!!!!! We hope you had a great day...and we can't wait to see you in 2 weeks! So Nico can give you your birthday gift in PERSON!!

And Speaking of Birthdays!!!!!!

TODAY IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR MY FAMILY IN COLOMBIA! My cousin, Betty had her little son, SAMUEL ANTONIO!!!! Felicidades Betty y Ricardo. Les mandamos un BESOTE.

Samuel is Nico's middle name. We both did it in memory of our grandfather, Samuel....my mom's dad. He would have been so excited to get Nico and now Samuel all dirty around the farm and up on horses!

It's a Special day in Austin too!!! Happy ONE-YEAR Birthday Jackson!

Julia, one of my Austin Baby Momma friends, had her little man ONE YEAR AGO! They are growing up SOOOO FASTTT!!!!

But wait!! There's more birth news in Austin!

Our running friends in Austin, Chris and Anne-Marie, welcomed their little girl, Natalie Alana a week ago, May 19th! Congrats guys! She's adorable and already has 2 body guards, Nico and Miles!!!! Can't wait to see you THREE in Austin in August!

Birthdays have always been a big deal for me, BUT now I truly understand HOW SPECIAL a BIRTHday really is! It's not only the day that your give your child the greatest GIFT---LIFE, but it's the day that you start to GRASP what LOVE really means!

Congratulations all you Mommas: FLORENCE, Betty, JULIA, Anne-Marie!!!

And of course...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Vivi, Jackson and Samuel Antonio!

Happy Belated birthday Natalie Alana!

16 months old!

Happy 16 months Pumpkinhead!

(sorry it took so long to post this one!)

Motor Skills- We have added more signs to hig vocab list!! He signs for LECHE, MAS, DIAPER, CHANGE, LAVA (for washing his hands), and NOW.....POOP!!

Language skills- He keeps saying CAR, and BALL all the time....but we think he is also saying COOKIE now....I think it's because of a toy that repeats--COOKIE JAR.

Teeth- He got two more teeth....which means he is only missing 2 teeth to have a FULL MOUTH of teeth!

Sleeping habits: He has been doing much better since we started keeping track of his nap schedule. He consistently takes one nap before noon. Some days he takes an afternoon nap. When he doesn't, we put him to bed a little earlier. At night, he's been getting up once (if that). HOWEVER....we have been bringing him to our bed early in the morning when he wakes up around 5ish....and he'll sleep with us for a little. I know we shouldn't but I LOVE that little cat nap that the three of us can take together!!!!

Eating habits: Some foods are hit or miss with Nico but he is all about eating on his OWN! And he has started using a SPORK...half spoon half fork contraption...lol, and he loves it.

Other updates:

Nico has started giving BESITOS! I LOVE IT!!!!!! Here is Nico giving Lorena a BESITO.

On another note, Nico and Daddy have become quite the inseperable DUO!

They workout together: (Legs up)

They play PIC-A-BOO and take siestas together.

MY BOYS ARE ADORABLE!!!

On sunday, Nico's 16 month birthday, we went to an open house at JPL---One of Peter's clients to check out their cool space toys:

THis The one above is going to SPACE in JUNE!!!
We went with the Neighbors: Alexander and Madeline. Here is us in MARS!

I love you to infinity and beyond...for real. As we toured JPL, a recurring theme we kept hearing was how infinite the universe was...how little we have explored it. It made me realize that, that's how I feel about my love for you Nicolon! You havn't even seen a glimpse of how much I LOVE YOU! HAPPY 16 months!!!!

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's day weekend was awesome!

Saturday morning I had a really great opportunity. I attended a career fair for a potential job, and had a informal FIRST INTERVIEW from which I received great FEEDBACK! Hopefully I'll hear back from them soon for my next Interview!!

After that we went to the Venice Fire Station for some FREE PANCAKES! Lorena, Alberto, and ALyssa were there too! Nico touched an 18 ft Python...Daddy didn't, hahaha!

Sunday- Mother's Day!
When I got home from the gym, Peter had made really yummy Pancakes Crepes!

I had already gotten the necklace, and I ALSO got a NEW DRESS from Peter and Nico...that I put on right away!

We went to the farmer's Market before Mass. Nico got to go on a Pony Ride; which I think I enjoyed WAY more than Nico!!!!! My cheeks were hurting from smiling.

Daddy bought mommy and nico matching blue converse shoes that we both put on for out Hike!

We went to Topanga National Park for some exploring!

We ended the day with dinner at our neighbors apt.....yummy primerib!

It was a great mother's day weekend!!!

Thank you Nico and Peter----I LOVE YOU TWO sillyheads WITH ALL MY HEART

2nd Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's day is hours away but we started celebrating yesterday when I got to go on a one clued-scavenger hunt for my 1st gift....A beautiful necklace with a mommy daddy and baby, making a heart shape with their arms! I loved it!!!!

Last year Nico and Peter gave an awesome photo on canvas, we are a yummy breakfast with Everette, Meagan, and Kevin at our complex's patio area (Austin). It was so much fun!

No matter what we do tomorrow, it will be amazing... because just having Nico run full speed at me with his arms wide open, giggling the whole time until he gives me a HUGE bear hug...is the BEST GIFT IN THE WORLD!!

I wanted to write a little about how it feels to be a mother...but when I read this email that Peter's mom sent me with a Poem, I realized that I couldn't have said it better myself!
Awesome Mom

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.


Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Feliz Dia de la Madres Mommy! Te quiero muchisimo!!

Happy Mother's day Baby Mommas!

5 de Mayo

I year ago today Nico and I made it Sarah's 2nd section of Metamorphoses to Motherhood. Nico was 15 weeks old when we met these other mommas. Now 15 months old, and MILES away from where they are, we still hold them and all the memories we've made together, very colse to our heart! Thanks girls for being making me feel SO NORMAL!! Stephanie, one the the baby mommas wrote a really nice anniversary note on her blog.

On another note, We celebrated 5 de MAYO in TURE AMERICAN FASHION:

with Margaritas, Mexican food, and (baby) friends...lol.

YES! We celebrated 5 de MAYO!!!!

Some of us took it the PARTY more seriously than others...

We had some baby Momma friends and our new neighbors over. The kiddos had a great time playing and "sharing". Nico loved showing off his toys and his FLOATY.

LA Happenings with Leilani, Baby Friends, and more

Just a couple days into being home and we've already had lots going on here in these parts:
See all of Saturday and Sunday's pictures here:

Saturday

Saturday morning we gave daddy a break and we(Nico and I) went for a nice 10 mile run together. My 1/2 Marathon in San Diego, is creepy up on me! Nico behaved like a champ. He was looking around and babbling away as we ran around the Marina's fingers by ourselves enjoying a beautiful, sunny, southern California morning with nice cool breezes every now and then. After our run we came home to get ready for Tia Leilani ARRIVAL! (She will be here for a week!!!)

From 1105 Back in LA

We got the cruisers ready and biked to the Beach. While we waited for Chris and Leilani to get to the sand, Peter and I played some ABC Volleyball.

From 1105 Back in LA

For those of you who don't know what that is, It's a game where you have to bump the ball back and forth saying the next letter in the alphabet (in order, without skipping letters) until it drops. Whoever drops it, looses. Peter apparently needs to hit up some of Nico's classes when he starts learning the alphabet since he was skipping all over the place...BUT we had a great time! I for one can say it's the most fun I've had on the beach with Peter since we moved here. Nico was playing in the sand right next to us, doing his thing!

After we FINALLY made it to Z, we walked over to where Leilani, Chris, and all their friends were hanging out. Good times...and of course a mini Nico show, followed by more volleyball (for real this time)

From 1105 Back in LA

---good times, funny people, AWESOME AFTERNOON!!!

From 1105 Back in LA

Later that night, I was picked up for a Bar outing. THough I was EXHAUSTED, I said yes...cause when do I get the chance to go out with LEILANI?

From 1105 Back in LA

We went to this bar that had Karaoke. However, it wasn't the regular, BAD DRUNK SINGERS kinda karaoke. It was HOLLYWOOD--wanna-be-found-American-Idol style Karaoke. Everyone, actually, not everyone....

From 1105 Back in LA

ALMOST everyone was REALLY GOOD! Some even gave me goosebumps.

Sunday Morning we Bike to Brunch at Shanghi Reds....EXPENSIVE but AMAZING! Bottomless Mimosas!!! Waffles and Shrimp (lol, Christy{Chris's girlfriend--Leilani's brother's girlfriend} got overwelmed by the BUFFET selection and ended up getting a little confused. Leilani was great at SNEAKING some food out for me =).

From 1105 Back in LA

The chocolate covered strawberries were delectable! The company was awesome and we also got some GREAT FAMILY SHOTS!

From 1105 Back in LA

From 1105 Back in LA

From 1105 Back in LA

After a mini nap, we went to Aaron's 1st Birthday Party---SUPER FUN: BALLOONS everywhere, chinese food buffet, applesauce and juice for the kids, fortune cookies, A MAGICIAN, and lots of YO GABA GABA paraphernalia!

From 1105 Back in LA

From 1105 Back in LA

(Birthday boy, Aaron, is on the Bike)

And yesterday (Monday) after sending out thank yous that NICO helped write himself...

From 1104ThankU-Lels's visit-hamock

We put Nico in one of the many gifts that TITO and YESENIA gave him for Easter, a chair hammock from one of the island stops they made on their cruise a couple weeks ago.....

From 1104ThankU-Lels's visit-hamock

and HE LOVED IT! I'm not gonna lie, I was having a bit of a myocardial infarction (heart attack), seeing him up there on his new swing, but his laugh and smile made me set aside(just a little) my fears so that I too could enjoy the moment with him.

From 1104ThankU-Lels's visit-hamock

View slideshow here:

SIDE NOTE: You see, the thing is that as a mommy now, I feel that I have FINAL DESTINATION SYNDROME (FDS). I always vividly foresee these crazy scenarios taking place and as a result, I'm super annoying to be around with all my BECAREFULs and WATCH-OUTs and HOLD-UPs. My parents have a super SEVERE version of the syndrome while I think that I'm still in the early stages of development. I'm working or figuring out a way to mitigate the side effects of FDS--- but so far...only Nico's laugh helps temporarly ease my anxiety and reasurrance from Peter that he is being MINDFUL of the dangers that linger around every corner....lol. Perhaps laying off CSI and Crimial Minds as well will an important factor in my treatment.

ON another SIDE NOTE:

I'd like to announce that NICO is no longer JET-LAGGED from the trip ....How do we know? WELL we know because he (read: WE) didn't sleep well (or almost at all) on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday night. Saturday he slept a little better but got up super early (3 or 4 am). However, finally on Sunday night and last night he slept ALL NIGHT! This morning he even slept-in until 7:30am.We are very proud of him!!!

Yay for Vivi!

Nico's grandma is a CELEBRITY in South Miami!

We wanted to Congratulate Vivi and First National Bank of South Miami for winning 2 awards:

High Growth Award

Best Corporate Citizen Award

at the First Annual Business Excellence Awards.

These images were taken by, Karen Nercess, from All-Star Event Photography.

Make sure to check out the YOU TUBE videos that grandma Vivi has created for her bank...

YES-YOU TUBE!