Reminders

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!)

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!!

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!

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

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!!!

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!

Cute Kid Alert!

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!

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

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!!

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,

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

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

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!

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

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...

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..."

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!

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...

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