Audrey's is 2!

Nico and Audrey were having a birthday face off! Nico insisted that it was ALSO his Birthday =)

Saturday we got to join in the celebration of Audrey's 2nd birthday! Audrey is mama Kara's daughter! It was such a great party. Of course Mama Kara was super creative and gave each of the kiddos a really cool BUG CATCHING KIT and had stickers for them to decorate their boxes, and tweezers for them to practice their FINE motor skills picking up the Centipeeds, snakes, frogs, lizards, and branches from an "insect box" that she put together.

Nico is one of the only NON-Primos in this picture! The CRUZ family is taking over the world!!

All the Kids really enjoyed the cupcakes...and NICO single handedly raided all the gummy worms from one box of cupcakes WITH HIS TWEEZERS. Needless to say, the gummy induced comma after the party led to a 3hr nap...hahaha.

We all had a great time! Thank you Kara for inviting us =)

Monkeying Around!

I know I haven't posted in forever...but GET READY! I will be BACK-POSTING about this past month and a half and will get you up to speed with the adventures of this dynamic duo =).

This past weekend Nico got to hangout with the Monkey's that mama worked with this summer! Though it was a rainy day, it was the perfect day for an adventure through the AMAZON RAINFOREST! Before going in to hang out with and feed the squirrel monkeys, we visited the Java Monkeys at the swimming pool, MAE, the orangutan, and KING, the gorilla.

Then we went into the jungle to feed the squirrel Monkeys some raisins and some other snacks! I was so excited to be able to share this moment with Nico:

watch

 

 For those of you who don't know...MONKEY JUNGLE is OPEN! It is located on 

14805 Southwest 216th St. Miami, FL 33170

            (305) 235-1611      

  If you would like a guided tour by yours truely....JUST LET ME KNOW =)

3 years, questions, uphill crutching...it makes sense

God has too much confidence in me sometimes....There are times I feel that he takes advantage or overestimates my ability to cope with changes, move, and expect the unexpected. Sometimes I'm flattered...and other times I can't help but ask: "WHY ME?"

3 years ago I recieved the "craziest" news I never expected... News that would change my life forever.
I found out that I had been Nico's Momma for 18 weeks! I was petrified, nervous, sad, angry, confused, overwhelmed  worried, and at that moment...All alone. The next few days were really a blurr but after about a week...I was on board my flight to Miami to embrace my new life that awaited me with open arms and the confidence that everything would be okay.

Now, 3 years later I see all the other changes that have taken place that have brought me to another moment of questioning..."why me?" with all the same emotions of confusion, anger, fear, and saddness....only difference is that this time I'm not alone. This time I have the greatest most unexpected miracle to hold my face at 6 in the morning and loving me look into my eyes and tell me..."MAMA WAKE UP...I LOVE YOU! WAKE UP!"
I still wonder why God sometimes allows for us to live through some of these painful times. I feel that if I could avoid Nico from ever feeling a pain like this...I would...In a heartbeat. Then again....each obstacle is just training and preparing for the next obstacle to come.

From Life is Calling Blog: Panama Tried to Prepare me;

As I slowly crutched up the inclined streets of Santa Clara de Arriajan at 12 noon after Technical Training Class, I felt FRUSTRATED, HELPLESS, and EXHAUSTED. The incline seemed to get steeper and longer with each second that went by. As people in the community looked out their front porches at me struggling to get up to my Host house, I would smile at them and pretend that it looked a lot harder than it really was.Deep down inside I just wanted to throw my crutches, ripped the walking boot off and go jump in an ICE POOL!Little did I know that getting hurt in Panama would only be a glimpse of the uphill crutching that was to come.  

Pumpkinhead!
Happy 3 year anniversary of knowing you were in my life and would become MY LIFE!! I love you with all my heart! You are the most amazing gift I've ever been entrusted with....I'm telling you, God has too much confidence in me sometimes ;). I now know what is feels like to be overwhelmingly happy, hurt beyond belief, and Love beyond what I thought was HUMANLY POSSIBLE! Thank you...
TE AMOOO CORAZONCITOOO DIVINOO!!!!!

...Sunday SickDay

Following Saturday Funday...sunday hasn't been so hot. Nico and I both woke up with Pink eye. We've been trying to stay clear of ppl =( doing our own thing. We went for a run this morning from our place to Parrot Jungle---where we bumped into the Pincrest Farmer's Market.

Mama made waffles for breakfast and then we spent the rest of the morning at the clinic...getting our meds!

Hopefully we'll get better soon...we are too social to have this!

New place...Complete

 So here is a continuation of the previous post...the rest of the apartment =) Nico helped Abuelo Luis and Momma put in the finishing touches with his tools:
NICO'S VIDEO==> INSERT HERE<==

The dining room =)

The kitchen area with our new chalk board up!

 My room...with my horse!!!!!

 And Nico's Room!!!!

 I have the most amazing parents! My dad has worked non-stop on putting my apartment together, securing the doors, fixing things here and there, adjusting things, and making our apartment even more special! Gracias por todo ese trabajo que le pusiste al apartamento para que quedara perfecto nuestra casita =)
GRACIAS!

Saturday Funday...

 Our Saturday got off to an early start...but with these cool cats...how could it not be an amazing day?!?!?!?

 Nico loved mama's old guitar and he loves his room and toy chest...so much so that it was difficult to get him out of his room to go play with friends!!!!

As if getting an 8mile run in, going to breakfast with the family, and getting a microwave and toaster oven wasn't enough to fill anyone's morning....we also snuck in some playdate fun with mama's friend-Yvette and her little man-Oliver, who was turning 1 year old yesterday!!! The Curious George Theme was GREAT! Nico had a blast! Congrats Sergio and Enana...and of course Oliver--Happy Birthday!!!

 

Then we stopped by the Gator Alumni Party to celebrate the GATOR NATION!!!! It was really hot...so we hung out long enough to get hyped up for this Fall's Football season and then came home for nap.

In the later afternoon we walked tot he grocery store with our new neightbors! for a second it felt like we were in LA in our old complex walking to the clubhouse....but that lasted a split second! We quickly started sweating profusely and realized that we were obviously in MIAMI.

We do miss our baby/momma friends in Austin and in LA....As the song goes: make new friends but keep the old....one is silver and the other gold =).


But the Funday continued through DINNER...we had our first dinner playdate with Tyler, Adrian, and Luca!!! They came over to make PIZZAAAA and fun!

 It was so nice to have our home filled with babblers, pattering of feet, giggles, fighting, things crashing, and LOVE!!! Miami Momma friends group is starting to take shape...I've said it before and i'll say it again...BABY MOMMA FRIENDS are the people that make the joys and trials of motherhood a topic worth "cheers"ing about!

Needless to say...Nico passed out halfway through the first bedtime book...this time however...IN HIS OWN BIG BOY BED in his own room---#proud mommy moment =)

When life gives you lemons....

......Make furniture!!!!
Since I arrived in Miami a couple months ago, I asked my dad to help me build some furniture out of pallets for my "future apartment". We worked on the furniture off and on, but the last couple days have been really special...seeing all the pieces come together. I know that I am an extremly lucky girl...to have such a talented dad!! I'm in love with my apartment but i'm most proud of the fact that I can look around and KNOW that MY HANDS and MY DADS hands put it together...PIECE BY PIECE! Here are some pictures of the process:

All the work isn't completed yet...but here's a snapshot of the living and dining rooms =)

Heather Walter, this is my version of your HOME UPDATES =) I miss you Austin Baby Mommas so much!

I'll leave you with a thought:

" I find the GREAT thing in this world is NOT SO MUCH where we STAND, as in what direction we are moving."

-Oliver Wendell Holmes