What Encourages You???

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

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

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

**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!

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

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!!!

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! :)