Happy 4th Birthday Princess Gigi

Four years ago today I was blessed with my first princess! She has made life exciting and full of adventure. She has added millions of stuffed animals and pink tutus to our life.

Happy Birthday Princess Gigi! WE LOVE YOU! May God bless you always!

Poppin' some fun!

I had always been a microwave popcorn kinda gal until I began reading about all the dangerous stuff it has as well as all the bad stuff it's causing. Ever vigilant of our kids health(and ours of course) we began popping our own popcorn. It's so simple to do and so much fun (and of course cheaper)that it will quickly replace those crummy little bags of junk they try to pedal our way!

Step 1 Get girl with excited face to hold Popcorn bag!

Step 2 Pour Vegetable oil in deep pot

Step 3 Carefully test if oil is ready for some poppin fun then throw the little suckers in!

Shake em all around!

Tada!

Make sure and share!

Happy 70th Wedding Anniversary Aba and Papi!

Today would have been my grandparent's 70th wedding anniversary. I know they're in Heaven dancing and celebrating. What's sweet  and powerful about their love story is that they made it through so much, they had some of the heaviest things happen to them; The disability of a child, the leaving their beloved Cuba due to political persecution, illness and so much more. Yet, they made it through all loving each other so much.

They got to celebrate their 50th Wedding anniversary in 1992 because it was my grandmothers dream. In the ultimate show of love my grandfather barely made it,danced the night away and 8 days later decided it was time to hang up his Cuban Flag and go See God in heaven. Today I remember them both an Example of true love something we should all try to aspire to in this day and age where divorce is the norm. Where two people had some of the toughest things happen to them yet they were able to overcome them and love each other even more.
I love you Aba and Papi and miss you tons!
These are a couple of photos they were able to smuggle out of Cuba. A lot was lost because when they left they weren't allowed to take anything with them just the clothes on their backs.

Aba

Cuba Circa 1950's-they just don't make dresses like that!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas From my family to yours!!!

Yeah this was the best shot.lol

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:9-14

Lo the Helpful

My lo is a rambunctious little man. Always coming and going and never stopping long enough to allow the dust to settle around him. He is on the go from 7:45am when we hear the first broom broom sounds of his cars to the last sucking of milk from his sippy at 7:00pm. He never stops. Not even long enough for a nap. It can make for interesting times in our house. Those 12 hours or so need to be filled with constant entertainment from my part as well as a plethora of activities to stimulate his growing little mind.

That being said, I have started realizing that he needs to start having a little more(supervised) responsibility around the house and as crazy and as sometimes (anal retentive) I am about things getting done right the first time in our house. I realized that I needed to start allowing my son who is 2 1/2 the ability to "help"so we began with something simple like helping me clean up his toys. At times he is the most helpful of them all. I would get more help form our dog Jake and so realize that there are certain jobs he really enjoys doing and some that just don't appeal to him. Isn't it amazing how something so tiny,that has only been party of this world for a mere 2 years and change can deliberate what he likes and what he doesn't. I remember those days when I would simply give him a sippy with water and he would be on his way...chugging along. Now the adventure begins with picking out the cup. Then moving on to his beverage choice. Which at time is funny because he is being raised bi-lingual and somehow has managed to learn all beverage choices in a very rough Spanish. When I am in charge of the drink I can pretty much grasp the gist but at times when the hub has drink duty it takes a few tries on both parts before he gets it. Sometimes it becomes a game of Charades in which the Hub is pointing and lo is saying No...uh-uh.

This brings me to his newest responsibility one that he decided to take upon himself. It's the filling of our refrigerator door with drinks. Namely water or soda. It's so funny because his little ears perk up and his eyes twinkle when he sees one of us walk through the door with a new crate of water or soda. He automatically walks over to the refrigerator and starts pointing to the door. Once it has been opened and the crate has been opened he begins to place the soda/water in the door. It is so cute to watch just because of the care he takes doing this very important job. My favorite is when he realizes that there is something that doesn't belong on that shelf and is impeding his ability to feed all the waters/soda in and so he takes it out and puts it somewhere else. To many this is something so insignificant and silly but to you mothers out there,you know the joy that makes your heart leap when you see something like this because you realize your baby is growing up and you realize that they are becoming more and more self sufficient. But I have to admit as much as I love watching him do this..I still love it when he asks me to help him put on his shoes,because I realize no matter how big my little man is getting he is still that a little man and he still needs his Mommy :O)

Those Magical Shoes

" It's my hiking boots that lead me up high mountains in the air. I find my spot on the tippy top and shout, "hellooo down there!" Put on your shoes and become a superstar athlete, daring mountaineer or an adventurous pirate! "

- from My Shoes Take Me Where I Want to Go by Marianne R. Richmond

A few weeks ago I was shopping at Walmart when Lo sitting "patiently" in the cart started pointing wildly at something shouting "apatos""cars". It took me a few minutes to realize he was pointing at the Zapatos(shoes) Cars or in normal tongue "Car Shoes" hanging on the rack. They were a cute pair of "Batman Batmobil crock style shoes" I looked at him and looked at them and thought ok...if it will keep him busy I'll give the shoes to him while I shop then quietly slip them out of the cart before it's time to pay. Knowing the mind of a 2 year old I realized that this "interest" would be short-lived and last long enough to finish our shopping and leave the store without any major "meltdowns" or so I thought...
I became so preoccupied with my shopping list and the subsequent peace that I didn't realize that Mr. Lo had taken off his other pair of shoes and was now wearing his car shoes. It was now getting closer to the register when I realized it was time to pay and he was fixed on these shoes. I made a couple of attempts at removing them only to have him let out some screams that would put a banshee to shame and so I was at an intersection in parenting.
Now let me reiterate the fact that I taught for 7 years at some of the most interesting inner city schools you can find, I was always one of those people that said, "I will NOT give in to my child's fancies ,because I don't want them to turn out like THAT Child" and so this moment became one of those forks in the road that so many of us get to and realize is this battle worth fighting. So I looked at the price and I looked at the shoes, I looked at him, looked at the line behind me and though. Ok. I will get them. Now many of you are thinking Sucker! Spoiler! You gave in! But here is my reasoning. He needed a new pair of summer crocks (last years pair were not only worn down to the rim but were also 3 sizes too small & I had luckily grabbed his size) but I also thought at this moment in our lives I can give him this, I can give him this pair of shoes and it will make him happy. I thought of how God has blessed us so much and if a pair of shoes will make my son so happy and we can do it than you know what, I will.
What's made me feel even better is the fact that he has not taken those shoes off for the past few weeks (except of course to go to bed and even then he has fallen asleep with them a couple of times) So it made me start thinking about the fact that so many times children get lovies or binkies or something that they hold on too and won't let go of as a sense of comfort or a security yet most children are pretty secure within themselves. They express occasional fears of things that are unknown, but in all children tend to seize life and not look back or worry about the "consequences” of things. To my Lo these shoes must have been that sense of security. As children grow older they let go of those securities (binkies,blankets,etc...)Yet become more insecure, worried so much about what others will say or think or do. In a sense that fear is good for some learning reasons but in a sense it's sad that children loose that wide eyed excitement for things. It seems in the past few years children are loosing that excitement, that sense of innocence too quickly. It seems our kids are growing up too fast. Why is that? Do we blame TV? Society? School? Parents? Or do we just blame ourselves? Are we pushing our children to grow up to fast or are we setting them up to situations that are making them grow up to fast? What in Society is making our kids grow up too quickly? Why is it 12 year old girls in the 70’s&80’s were busy playing with dolls yet in the now are busy thinking about boys? What is it?
At night I put Lo to bed and most nights he falls right to sleep, but there are those occasional nights where he will stand at his door and want one of us to snuggle with him while he drifts off to dreamland. At times I know I have to stop myself from looking at the watch because he hasn't fallen asleep yet but then I stop and think, in a few years he won’t want us to snuggle let alone be in the same room with him! So point being let's love our children, take time to cuddle and embrace them, make them feel loved (without spoiling of course) but lets let them be kids. As I look at Lo walking around right now wearing his Batman shoes I realize that he must find himself being unstoppable and who knows he might think he is Batman or some super hero with those shoes. If it means my little boy will have that innocence and that desire to be who he is for a little longer I’m ok with that. If it meant taking that fork in the road.. I know I will have to be careful in the future but for know I will enjoy the journey on this path.

UPDATE on To Be or Not To BE?

Well as of 2:50CST today, his rash seems to be the same or IMOP less than what it was yesterday. He still hasn't had fever and the rash doesn't have the tell tale "pimple"look or as my doctor called it dew drop on a rose look. So I think we may not have Chicken pox this time around. As I told my MIL yesterday I guess if we were going to get hit with it this would be the best time because A.I am not pregnant and B. There are no infants in the house. But from the looks of it we escaped it this time around. God only knows what this little boy got into that caused this!
Thank you all for your concern and notes during this interesting adventure.

To be or Not To be:Is it chicken pox?That is the question!

So this morning I noticed some little red dots all over Lo's legs and thought nothing of it. So I rushed off to the store and left Lo & Princess GG with the Hub. When I got back an hour later the dots had spread all over his body and through his face and arms. So being the diligent and spazy mom that I am I got on the phone and called the doctor for an Appt. I am very blessed with the doctor I have because I can literally call and be in her office within a couple of hours for an appt. Well, he hasn't had fever and only a few of the "dots"had a small white head looking feature but not so prevalent to be classified as a chicken pox. So point of story Doctor couldn't figure out what the heck he has! We haven't been out in a few days because to top it off he has been hacking away with a heck of a cough and the weather hasn't been all that good. So no "grass culprits" could be found as for foods we haven't changed anything or eaten anything different. I am pretty sure it isn't the Chicken pox but my husband isn't as sure. Of course to make matters worse we found out there are 2 cases of Swine Flu in our state and the visit to the doctors office consisted of making sure the children didn't touch anything and that was interesting. So life has been interesting to see the least. I guess if we are going to get chicken pox we might as well get them now....

*Side note: I know some of you might wonder why I am even talking about chicken pox considering there is a vaccine. Well I don't vaccinate my children for chicken pox..sorry. For moral reasons. That is one of the Vaccines made of Aborted Fetus cells (As told to me by my doctor when asked so I didn't go online and find it on some kooky site) and so I made the decision not to vaccinate them with that immunization. So pretty much it's a waiting game at this point either way :O) Wish me luck!

GG, God's little Princess

What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice, and everything nice

That's what little girls are made of.

My little GG hasn't realized she is a princes yet. But she was born to be one.

I found out I was pregnant with GG when Angelo was 8 months old. What a blessed surprise considering it took us 2 years to have Angelo. She was born on April 4th 2008 at a light 9#1oz. Once again like her brother she was 3 weeks early. Thank God for that..anymore and I would have given birth to a toddler! My little girl just turned a year old a couple of weeks ago. Where has the time gone! But isn't that the cliche all moms use when referring to their kids? There is nothing more unforgiving than time!

She was a funny little thing when she was born. Upon being placed on my chest right after being born she decided it was time to pick her head up. (YES! Even the doctors couldn't believe it) and at 6 weeks she was rolling over from her stomach to her back! But my little prodigy decided she was peaking too soon and is yet to walk..but I am totally ok with that!

The funniest thing about my GG is that my sister in law had a baby on the same day as little GG. Unfortunately they are growing up many states away. I always wonder how different their personalities will be. GG is the second child and her cousin is the youngest of 6 and the first in 5 years. So you can imagine the peace her life will lead. I always wonder what effects the constant chaos that GG's brother the Lobear will have on her and who she is and the fact that I am convinced he is training her for the Olympic wrestling team.

That brings me back to the title GG, God's little princess. I saw the cutest books the other day at the store called Gigi,God's little princess and thought of my little GG. I thought I hope that the blessed Mother helps guide me so that my GG will be just that God's little Princess! That she will lead an exemplary life. So I pray that GG will always stay God's little Princess because God knows she is my little princess.

Life through the eyes of 2 year old boy

What are little boys made of?

Snips and snails, and puppy-dogs' tails,

That's what little boys are made of.

-Mother Goose

My little man makes me laugh. Not just because of what he says or does but who he is. He is a little gift from God in the form of a two year old little boy!
He was given to us as a gift from God on November 22,2006. And after 26 hours of labor and 4 hours of pushing, He was born a light 8#11oz (I should add he was 3 weeks early!) My husband and I had resigned ourselves to the fact that after being married for 2 years and no children , maybe God didn't want children for us. Then it happen! I found out I was pregnant with our little Man! What a blessing! We had our fair share of problems through the pregnancy he was diagnosed as being a two vessel cord baby (Instead of having two arteries and one vein running through his umbilical cord he only had one of each) Of course if you go online and research this you will find every nightmare scenario you can imagine from death to missing limbs. Thankfully he wasn't born with major complications. Unfortunately he WAS born with a small VSD(hole in the heart) and just one kidney (which to many this might sound like a lot but like I said before after reading everything that could happen I was very thankful!
Don't let all these problems fool you he is an active little man. He seeizes each day with such gusto and doesn't slow down for one minute, catching breakfast, lunch and dinner on the run, only stoping for a few minutes to catch an episode of Thomas the Train! He has taught me so many things from appreciating the smallest things like a bunny (buee) and stoping what I am doing to listen to the choo choo that happens to pass by about half a mile down from us.
As every day passes by and I work on teaching him new skills from language to Potty training (which has been an adventure all of its own) I stop to realize that the real person doing any learning is me because I see God's love through his eyes. He never judges, just loves or discriminates. He sees a cookie on the floor and he eats it, to him its not a dirty cookie, it's just a cookie! and he proceeds to enjoy it to the last crumb(not with my approval of course,haha)Not that I want to eat cookies of the floor but in life we judge and see others for what their apperance might or who we think they are and not realize that they might have the biggest gifts to give us if we just "brush away" the dirt and allow them to enter our lives. I know I am still a student of life and I know that my son is growing more and more each day but in the words of Father Relyea I pray each day "Lord please don't ever let my children loose their Baptismal innocens"Allow him to always carry that innocence and love of life. Because if we can at least learn that from Children our path to heaven might be a little easier to stay on.