Princess Fiona

So busy!

2009-12-24T09:48:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it has been 2 months since I posted... I was trying to stick to it! Christmastime is here and we are all enjoying the season. Gregory and Kelly are here from Oregon and a couple of nights ago, we had our 2nd annual "gingerbread" house party. We made houses from graham crackers and frosting and decorated with candies and cookies. It was so much fun. Gama and I have so much work to do with Christmas and to get ready for our trip to Mexico. We are driving and we leave as early as possible on the 26th. Lots to do!

Aidan, watching The Sound of Music

2009-10-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

Last night, we needed Junior to do some extra reading at bedtime. We had him go downstairs and Gama sat with him, reading the paper. As much fault as Junior has in not doing his reading lately, part of the problem really is that our house is always so noisy. Somebody is always watching TV, running around, etc.

Anyway, I had to do something to keep Aidan in his room until Junior came up. He gets scared if he is alone. Several months ago, we put an old TV/VCR in their room so we could set up the Wii upstairs while we had stuff going on downstairs. We kept putting it away and pulling it out, etc. Finally we decided a couple of months ago that Junior and Aidan can have it in their room just for videos and Gamecube. Luckily they barely use it. But I figured it would come in perfectly last night and put The Sound of Music on. I told him I was going to leave him watching it but that movie has a powerful draw LOL I couldn't leave.

We were sitting there, watching the part with the nuns arguing about Maria and going into the song about "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" and Aidan was getting very upset with the crankier nuns, especially when one called her a demon. He looked at me and said, "Somebody should tell the Priest on them! They are being mean!"

A few minutes later, it was the part where she in on her way to the Von Trapp home and she is singing that song "I have confidence in me" and skipping down the street and singing loudly and he got this funny smile and said, "Isn't she embarrassed to do that? Anyone can see her!" At the end of that bit, she trips and runs to the door almost screaming "... in meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!" And he said, "Yeah... she should DEFINITELY be embarrassed about that!"

He was marvelling at the size of the house and asked me why some people have such big houses and I told him that some people have a lot of money and buy bigger houses. He said, "Well... we could make one, but that would take a lot of wood!"

We stopped the movie a few minutes later, right after she finds the frog in her pocket. He can't wait to watch more today. I am so excited because I really had to talk him into it and now he is hooked!

Yikes!

2009-10-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

I am going to start out by saying Facebook has kept me so busy, I haven't been keeping up with this blog! Since my last post, Charlie started walking, got thrush one more time, stopped nursing, and started sleeping in his crib all night... how is that for catching up? LOL Anyway, I don't think anyone else really reads this so it doesn't matter. It is just for me.

Why Leo is cute...

2009-06-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

About three days ago, we were heading out to get dinner. We were all being a little silly, walking through the backyard to the garage. As we got to the garage door, I asked Leo, "Why are you SO CUTE??" and he turned around and threw his hands up and said, "Because I'm LITTLE!"

It was so cute. I was not expecting any answer at all... just being silly. But he had that answer ready to go as if he has known that simple truth all along!

Charlie is ONE!!

2009-06-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Charles Fernando is one! I can't believe my baby is a year old. We had his big birthday party yesterday, combined with Leo's third birthday. Charlie is such a little sweetie. I feel like it couldn't possibly have been a whole year ago that he popped his little head out before the doctor even got to the bed!

I remember that all day Friday I had contractions. Friday night, I thought about going to the hospital but my mom had offered to babysit so we went to Spaghettini for dinner instead! We even almost went from there to the hospital, but went home to see what would happen. I managed to sleep but every time I woke up to go to the bathroom, I felt the contractions still there!

Saturday morning, I called my mom. She heard me huffing and puffing through contractions and said she really thought this was it and that I should go to the hospital. I told her I'd take a shower and we should just go ahead and go to lunch and if it got much worse, we'd leave her with the kids and go. LOL After lunch, I decided to try to make it to the mall first. Aidan needed new shoes for school. When we got to the mall, I went to the bathroom and saw a bit more blood than what I had been having the last few days. So I called the on-call doc and he said to go ahead in and get checked out. I hung up and said, "Let's just go to JC Penney first. They might have those Z-Strap Skechers that he wants!" We checked and they didn't have them so we left the mall, put the 3 kids in my mom's car, and went to the hospital.

Of course, as soon as we got there, the contractions slowed way down. For the next 5 hours, they were fewer and further between. But when I was checked again, I had dilated another centimeter, to six! So stuff WAS happening. And he had moved down to -1 station. So the doctor broke my water, and the next contraction had me hollering for the epidural already! I guess it was because he moved down so quickly... I have never gone from being OK to needing an epidural that fast LOL About 30 minutes after getting numb, I started feeling pressure. The doctor checked me and I was ready! He told the nurse to let me "labor down" for about 20-30 minutes, until my own nurse got back. Basically that just means you let the baby move down into position before you push, if you can manage it.

I was feeling a lot of pressure so after about 10 minutes, the nurses that were in with me told me to go ahead and give a few pushes to see what was happening. A couple of pushes and she said, "OK! Stop for a minute. I think I better get the doctor." She left the room and suddenly, I felt his head moving. I was watching in the mirror and said, "I think his head is going to come out RIGHT NOW!" The nurse came back in the door saying, "It's OK! Go ahead!" and as she came towards me, the other nurse on the other side of the room came towards me, and his head just POPPED right out LOL The doctor came running into the room and I said, "I can't stop him! He is coming!" and he said, "It's OK! You're fine!" and as he came up and grabbed Charlie's head, his body came out in one more pop! Just like that, he was on the bed in front of me. The doctor was still getting his gown and mask on. The bed wasn't broken down. There was no catching him. He just plopped out in front of me LOL They suctioned his mouth and nose, Gama cut the cord, and they put him right on my chest. It was heavenly.

And now he is a whole year old... unbelievable how fast it all goes!

Leo is THREE!

2009-06-01T09:28:00.001-07:00

Leo Francisco is three years old. May 26 was his birthday but I didn't get to my blog. Anyway, I made him a chocolate cake with lots of FRINKLES on top. We ate dinner outside, BBQ, and afterwards, my parents came over and we gave him his presents and had cake. His big party was combined with Charlie's. It was yesterday, May 31. I will probably get around to blogging about that sometime in the next month I hope hahaha...

My Mother's Day =)

2009-05-10T21:13:00.001-07:00

This morning, we went to Church. Junior sings with the choir and today they did a beautiful Ave Maria song (not the Ave Maria) for Mother's Day. It was so nice. After church, we went to eat with my parents and gave my mom 2 of her presents. One didn't get here in time! Darn shipping! After that, Gama and the boys took me to Roger's Gardens. It is a great nursery not too far from where we live. I haven't been there in a few years. Here is a picture of what we got...

Afterwards, we stopped at a Starbucks and then went into Costco. That is not normally the place I want to be on any weekend day, let alone Mother's Day, but I was looking for grapes that come in little snack cups, all ready to pop into school lunches. We didn't find them. But we put Leo and Charlie together in the cart and it was so cute. Here is a cute shot... Charlie realized he could reach Leo's drink!

We came home and Gama went to work in the backyard, making space in our planter for some of the plants we bought. After a couple of hours of playing around back there (LOL) he finished. The potted plant is not actually potted, but just sitting in this pot for now. He will probably do that tomorrow. But the planter has 4 new plants.

There is one more plant too... it is a big vine-y plant with pink flowers. Gama needs to put it in a different section of the planter, where we have big things for the vines to grow up and around. But right now, we have these big scary pumpkin plants. Gama planted a few seeds about a month ago and THE NEXT MORNING there were 7 little sprouts poking through the dirt. Later that afternoon, there were 14! And the next day, 25! Within a couple of weeks, they were getting tall. Here is a shot of them. They are really pretty... big, green, heart-shaped leaves. But we need to move some of them over so we can put the new plant in there. Check this out... seriously, there was nothing there just a month ago! hahahaha...

My Angel

2009-04-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Twelve years ago today, my first pregnancy officially ended at three months. I had found out two days earlier that the baby had stopped growing a month before. The baby actually died right around the time I found out I was pregnant. But my body showed no signs of it for a month. That month was the happiest time in my life. We had been trying to get pregnant for three and a half years before we finally succeeded. I spent that month buying baby things way too early. We even painted the crib.

When I started spotting, I knew it was over. But everyone told me it might not mean anything. Spotting can happen during healthy pregnancies. I know this myself because I spotted with three of my four healthy pregnancies. But unfortunately my spotting was the beginning of a miscarriage.

I miscarried at home, after promising the doctor I would go to the hospital if the bleeding came too fast. Thinking back, I can't believe I stayed home with that much going on. I had strong labor pains and bled so much. Finally, after three hours, I wrapped myself in towels and laid down on the floor to sleep. I was so exhausted. I am so lucky that everything went OK! I should have been in the hospital but I had no health insurance and still owed the OB $500 from my prenatal visits.

For a long time, I was so sad, thinking I wasn't meant to have a baby. It was a hard time in my life. I went on to have my four healthy boys, and one more miscarriage, right before Leo. That one wasn't as brutal, physically or emotionally. I think having Junior and Aidan cushioned the blow. And I was only five and a half weeks so it wasn't much worse than a very bad period.

Now, when I think back to that first miscarriage, the saddest part is remembering how heartbroken I was at the time. As for my Angel (seemed like a fitting name), I know I will see him again someday. He and my other little angel, who I named John Paul, are probably playing together in Heaven.

I used to listen to this song and cry... It was my little song for him, but parts of it are more like what I imagine he'd want to say to me. After a while, I stopped listening to it because I didn't want to cry anymore. And then when Junior was about a year and a half, I decided I wanted it back and started singing it to him and dancing around the living room at bedtime with him, with this on the stereo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LraZEoRnkPc

Charlie

2009-04-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

So, either he has a very poppable left eardrum, or he has a hole in it. Last night, with no signs of infection, suddenly he started leaking a bunch of pinkish discharge. I took him to the urgent care and the nurse practitioner said it must be popped because she couldn't even see his eardrum through all the gunk. The other ear looks fine. Then she said it is a possibility that there is a hole so tiny that they aren't seeing it and that this is just fluid and wax buildup that is leaking out from time to time. It would explain why he never has a screaming fit when his eardrum "pops" and also why it seems to have popped this time when we didn't even think he was sick at all. She put him on antibiotics because there is no way to know right now if it is infected and if it is, it is bad enough to pop his eardrum so we can't mess around. But she said she really thinks we need to see an ENT after the 2 week follow-up to see if there is a hole or what. She said if there is, most of the time they just watch it. If it never closes up, she said sometimes they put a "patch" on it.

I am not too upset or stressed out so far. He seems fine and happy. If he does have an infection, the meds should clear it up. The only thing I am a little worried about right now is the thrush. He has gone almost 2 months without it I think, but antibiotics can definitely bring it on. So we have to watch for that.

Charlie crawls!!!

2009-04-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

It was so exciting! He has been so close for a few weeks now. He would get almost into the crawling position, but with one leg tucked in. Sometimes, he'd even get that leg stretched out, but then he'd lay on his belly and that would be the end of it. If he was on a slippery floor, he would push himself up on his hands and end up sliding backwards. But that didn't even seem like a big accomplishment because he certainly wasn't doing it on purpose LOL

But today, he finally got that little leg untucked and went for it! He really wanted that empty green glass Perrier bottle that my dad put on the floor! hahaha... And after that, he went for the wires that connect the TV to the Wii! Now it is definitely time for Round 4 of babyproofing the house!

You should see how hard he went to sleep tonight... such a big day! =)

It takes 4 tries...

2009-04-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

4 tries to get 4 smiles in one picture!

Aidan can ride a 2-wheeler!

2009-04-02T20:02:00.001-07:00

He learned on March 30! It was such a thrill and happened so quickly. We've been trying to talk him into it since Junior learned last year. He kept saying he just wanted to roller skate. But we ran into his "fairy" godmother Vivian on Saturday and her twins Angelo and Julian were also there and she was talking about how they learned already. So Aidan said he wanted to.

Monday night, he suddenly remembered and asked if Gama would take his training wheels off. We have like 8 bikes so he just took another small one that didn't have training wheels and lowered the seat. He started running behind him, holding the back of the seat. And he said, "Keep pedaling! Keep pedaling!" and he let go! Aidan kept pedaling and that was that. He learned just like that. In the span of about 10 minutes, he learned how to start himself off, ride, steer, and brake! I can't get over how fast he picked it all up.

Before learning how to brake, he just kept steering into the grass and crashing LOL At one point, he crashed into a neighbor's (and a cranky one, at that!) lightpost and knocked the top off of it and broke the reflector off the front of the bike! hahaha... but Gama fixed the lightpost and Aidan didn't care about the reflector or his own injuries. He never cares if he falls down. That is probably why he was brave enough to keep pedaling on his first try.

We are all so proud. Junior was cheering him on. And they have been outside each day, riding around together. =)

Leo... WHAT kind of bird did you see?

2009-03-31T15:33:00.001-07:00

It was a humping bird!
(hummingbird LOL)

My first blog award!

2009-03-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

My fellow loopy broad Mandee gave me a blog award! How sweet! Thank you Mandee =) I am just trying to get back into the swing of things with this blogging business!

So along with the award comes some rules...here they are...

Rules do accompany this honor:"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

I have to start this off by saying I know some of these girls have already gotten the award... but these are the girls I want to give it to! I am sure they have fulfilled their obligation already and don't need to send it on again!

Jen! http://jenzrb238.blogspot.com

Valerie! http://aubreyclairesmommy.blogspot.com

Sheila! http://runninlateagain.blogspot.com

Nastassja! http://nastassja85.blogspot.com

Gingie! http://mommyisblessed.blogspot.com

Dani! http://mylifewithchildren.blogspot.com

MJ! http://thebarbosabunch.blogspot.com

Shana! http://shanamama.blogspot.com/2009/03/every-words-mother-longs-to-hear.html

Red Envelope Day!

2009-03-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

http://www.redenvelopeday.com/index.php -- Go here to send your own red envelope fast and easy online!

When: March 31st, 2009

Get or make a red envelope (using a red marker). You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores, or get one with a single card purchase at a $ store. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington , D.C. 20500

Please put your return address on the envelope. This shows that different individuals are sending them, not just one individual sending out multiples.

On the back of the envelope, write the following message: "This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion. It is empty because that life that was taken is not able to be part of our world."

Mail the envelope March 31, 2009.

Forward this event to anyone you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died [in the U.S.] before having a chance to live...

It may seem that those who believe abortion is wrong are in a minority. It may seem like we have no voice and it's shameful to even bring it up. Let us show our President and the world that the voices of those of us who do not believe abortion is acceptable are not silent and must be heard.

Together we can try to change the heart of The President and save the lives of millions of children. We continue to pray and work for conversion of hearts and minds and the salvation of lives and souls, through Jesus Christ our Saving Lord. Amen

No longer the silent...... we will send a message.

"Life begins at conception when the spark of the Divine is infused into the new creation"

Star of the Week!

2009-03-29T10:17:00.001-07:00

Aidan was star of the week at school last week. This is the poster he made to share with the class. You probably have to click the picture to look at it bigger in order to see everything. The last box says "If I had one wish, I would wish for..." and without missing a beat, he said, "a baby sister!" Poor kid LOL =(

Sweet Leo

2009-03-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

We were sitting on the couch and he looked so sweet...

Our Day at CA Adventure

2009-03-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

We all went to Disney's CA Adventure on Sunday -- Gama, the kids, my parents, my brother, my SIL, and I. It was such a wonderful day.

We started out at Soarin' Over California, which is my favorite ride there. You all sit in rows and then the rows are lifted up and forward so that you are in front of this giant screen. You see all sorts of scenes and feel like you are paragliding through them -- over skiiers, a golf course, hikers, Yosemite Falls, orange groves (and you can smell the oranges!), forests (smell the pine!), the beach just after sunset... drifting over the water... and it all ends by flying through Downtown LA (can't help wishing it were Manhattan though LOL) and then over Disneyland, finishing off with the fireworks over Fantasyland!

We tried a new ride for me -- Mulholland Madness. It is a really small roller coaster but with a few swift drops and at the beginning, you are whipping around the top of this thing, feeling like you are going to fall right out the side, over the edge and onto people walking by! Aidan LOVED it and had his hands up the whole time. Junior loved it too but didn't put his hands up... he's mine LOL

Poor Aidan couldn't go on two of the rides that he wanted to. One was this thing that shoots you way up, while you're sitting down, and then drops you back down. The other was the big Mickey roller coaster that flips you upside down. He is not tall enough for either and had a major fit over both!

Everyone except for Gama, the babies, and me went on the big swings in the Orange. I have done that one before and regretted getting on the instant it started LOL

We went through A Bug's Land and took Leo and Charlie on all the little kiddie rides. Then we headed to Hollywood's Backlot to go on the Monsters Inc. ride. After that, all the brave people (everyone except for me and the babies LOL) went on Tower of Terror. If you want to know what this is like, go to youtube and search "CA Adventure Tower of Terror" and watch somebody's video! You drop freefall 13 stories -- no thank you! Even worse, my brother told me that you never really know if you are about to shoot up or down, except for when you get to the very top and then you can see out the top of the hotel! Yikes!

Anyway, that was our fun day. I am so grateful for days like those. We all had so much fun together. Charlie ate a churro! He loved it! We walked around and told funny stories and had big laughs and didn't worry about a thing. Gregory and Kelly went home last night and we miss them so much already! But we are so lucky -- they get to visit often and this visit was truly special! =)

Darn thrush...

2009-03-25T19:52:00.001-07:00

I think it is coming back again. We finally got rid of the pacifiers like 3 weeks ago. But he has some suspicious stuff on his gums and now what looks like a yeast rash on his hiney. It looks like the pacifiers weren't causing the thrush but maybe they were making it spread and grow faster? I don't know.

We will have to go back to the doctor probably tomorrow or the day after. I am not sure what he will say about it. He said something like "We have to see if the thrush will come back after we get rid of the pacifiers." So I don't know what he will want to do next. I am trying not to be nervous though. He seems happy and healthy otherwise. And now he is eating great and gaining weight.

Charlie's Skinny pics

2009-03-25T19:19:00.001-07:00

These are the pics I took like 2 weeks ago. I am going to take some pics in the next couple of days and see how much chubbier he looks. He is definitely gaining -- finally!

About Charlie...

2009-03-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

Isn't he adorable? We found out at his 9 month visit that he had lost half a pound since his 6 month visit. Doc wasn't happy and said we had to work harder at getting him to eat. Part of the problem is that he had no interest in food. The other part was that he had ear infections for a month before his 9 month visit.

We started working with him and the baby food and within a week, we had him up to 3 jars a day, gerber puffs, even a piece of pizza crust! At his follow-up visit 2 weeks later, he had gained about a pound! Yay! And then he got some crazy stomach bug, refused to eat and kept barfing for a week. 6 ounces lost... boo!

He is back to enjoying food now. He definitely seems to be gaining. And I have decided to just let him eat whatever he wants, within reason. I know they can't have honey or peanuts right now. But we gave him a couple of french fries the other night. And at Disney's CA Adventure a few days ago, we gave him a churro! He loved it! He went to town on it LOL

I am going to post some skinny pics of Charlie that I took a week or 10 days ago. And then over the next few days, I am going to try to take some new diaper pics of him and see how much chubbier he looks!

So behind!

2009-03-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in ages. I keep meaning to and then I don't.

We had a wonderful Christmas. Greg and Kelly were here and we had lots of special days. Unfortunately, I got deathly ill on Christmas Eve and stayed sick for like 5 weeks. It was crazy. Everyone else got sick too but everyone else got over it faster.

We got a puppy in early January. She is a long-haired Chihuahua and we named her Speck. She is soooooooooooooooo cute!

Green hair

2008-10-26T09:36:00.001-07:00

Junior's soccer team wears green and yesterday, the coach brought green hair spray. Not a surprise to me at all, Junior refused to get his hair sprayed and was the only kid on the field from our team without green hair!

Aidan saw their heads and started begging for it. One of the girls on our side got the can and sprayed his head. Leo saw that and wanted in on it too! I thought it would be cute to do it to Charlie too. LOL Here are the three of them on the slide... by the way, even after Junior saw that all 3 of his brothers had green hair, he still wasn't going to let anyone spray his head! I don't know why but he has always hated stuff like that!

Junior, the altar-server!

2008-10-10T11:43:00.001-07:00

Oh my goodness... it was the cutest thing ever! 4th grade goes to church on Fridays and Junior begged me to come today because he was going to try to get a turn to be altar server. I went and sure enough, he got a turn today! He and his classmate Nicole (who is wild and crazy and adorable -- I love her!) had their first try today, with a 6th or 7th grader Alex, to guide them. Alex's parents are Gary and Suzanne. They do a lot around the school and we always talk to them. We like them a lot.

Anyway, Junior was so cute -- you can imagine. He was making all of his cute little Junior-boy faces. He kept looking at me to see if I was watching. He would give me a tiny little wave with his hand down by his side so he didn't get caught. He would give me his cute little smile ("Don't you just love my cute little smile?" he said to me once, while showing me his Kindergarten school picture). And he would look nervously at Alex, waiting for him to tell them where to stand, when to walk, what to carry. His little nervous ticks -- the scrunching up his nose and blinking hard -- he would do that when it was his turn to do something. It was just so cute and sweet, I wanted to giggle and cry all at once. But I sat in the front row to see and I didn't want Father Tuan, or the stern-looking priest behind me to think I was going to cause trouble LOL I am 34 and still scared to death to get into trouble in church!

When it came time for the consecration, each kid got to take a turn ringing the bells. They do it three times, once to begin, once for the bread, and once more for the wine. Nicole got to go first and she did a fine job. She passed the bells to Junior and Alex held his hand out, signalling him to wait. When it was time, Junior gave such a gentle jingle, Alex had to encourage him to ring them a little harder. He did it JUST a tiny bit harder and set them down. Alex was last and I thought it was SO adorable that even being the big kid -- he looked just as excited for his turn LOL And boy did he ring them! He gave them such a good hard long shake and Junior whirled his head around and stared, as if to say, "Shoot! I could have done it THAT hard???" I am sure that the next time he gets a turn, he is going to give them such a shake... cars outside might screech to a halt! LOL

Anyway, I wish I could have gotten it on video because it was so precious. I have been so stressed out lately and it was just what I needed. =)

More thrush stuff

2008-10-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

Dr. Vergara said NO MORE MINIS for Charlie. He said that is what is making him get thrush over and over. I asked why now after 6 weeks of nothing -- he has had his mini all along. He said that it builds up from very little until it gets to the point that we can see it. I went home and decided to go for it -- no minis. Naptime was a challenge but we did it. That is pretty much the only time I ever give him a mini during the day anyway.

Night came and we got ready for our "first bedtime" which is about an hour before his last feeding of the day. He gets all wrapped up and we put him between us on the bed. We watch TV and he dozes off or just looks at us. Sometimes he wants to be unwrapped. Anyway, we got him all ready and he was looking all over for that mini. It was making me so sad. He wanted it so much and couldn't figure out why he wasn't getting it. I told Gama that I think part of the problem is that Gama had gotten way too easy with the mini. He was giving it to him all day long. Any time Gama is home, if he has the baby, he gives him his mini, whether he is going down for a nap or sitting in his swing or we are getting in the car. Gama agreed. So I asked him what he thought about letting him have his mini for 5 minutes to fall asleep and then pulling it out of his mouth and that is the only time he gets it. If he wakes up when it isn't feeding time, we can try it again at that time too but always taking it out once he is asleep. That is what we had planned on doing after the last case of thrush but it just never quite stuck. Gama thought it sounded like a good idea too.

I felt bad for caving so quickly and going against what Dr. Vergara said. We like him so much and really trust his advice. But I think sometimes you have to trust your own instincts more. I didn't even care about losing sleep. I would stay up all night if I had to. But I just felt so bad taking it away cold-turkey like that. Dr. Vergara said it is a habit like any other and he'll get used to it. I think that is true but he isn't old enough to understand that he has to give up this habit. Maybe we will be able to get rid of it altogether, doing this. Already he has taken a few naps where he went to sleep without it. I just can't take the stress of wondering how much it is upsetting him to not have it at all.

As far as the thrush, his mouth is totally clear and was within 24 hours. I am a different story... unfortunately, my skin looked worse yesterday. I was really scared that it wasn't going to go away quickly for me this time. Today I am trying to think that it is looking better. I can't decide. My left side is not that bad at all. But my right hurts a lot. I *think* the last feeding on my right side was a little better but I don't know. I really don't. I latch him on and think, "Oh... it isn't as bad as the last time." but then by the middle of the feeding, I am thinking it is still just as sore. I went to church this morning -- it is Junior's church day and he told me he was going to try and get a turn at being altar server, which he did and I will post about that next -- but I just prayed so much for this thrush to pass again.

Thrush again =(

2008-10-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Sent this to my loop on Wednesday, Oct. 8:

I am depressed as hell right now. Thrush is back. It has been gone since like August 25 and I had finally started believing that it was something we had to deal with but that it was over and behind us. I had stopped taking acidophillus everyday which I guess was stupid. I think that the super hot weather really does make it easier to get because the weather had gotten a bit more mild but the last 3-4 days have been in the 90s again.

Anyway, I am on my way to the doctor. Please pray for me and Charlie that it goes away fast. It did the 2nd and 3rd time but I am still scared that it could get bad like it did the first time. My right nipple is peeling and very very sore. My left is a little sore. They started hurting yesterday but I didn't catch on until this morning. We checked his mouth and sure enough it is all over the inside of his lips. Gama said it isn't on the inside of his mouth yet so maybe it is still early enough. I hate this =**(

Charlie's 4 month check-up

2008-10-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

I have fallen behind here. Charlie had his 4 month doctor check-up on Oct. 2. I am just going to copy and paste what I sent to my mommy email loop:

He is 13 lb. 15 oz. and 24.5 inches long. The doctor said he looks perfect and I can start solids if I want. I was surprised because I have always waited until after the 6 month visit. He usually says "keep on with the breastfeeding and we'll start solids next time" when I go at 4 months. I asked him about it and he said it is great to wait too. But I admitted to him that I was actually thinking of starting earlier this time. None of my other babies have seemed interested in food before 6 months. But Charlie keeps leaning towards my food and staring at it LOL I swear, he seems like he wants it! None of my boys have had any kind of tummy trouble so the doctor said when I feel right about it, go ahead and start with simple cereals and see how he does.

He got 4 shots plus the oral rotavirus. He didn't have any issues at all with his shots at his 2 month visit so I wasn't concerned with them this time -- same shots again. I have questioned my doctor about vaccines and trust his confidence in them. He is big on breastfeeding and always slow to medicate when the kids are sick. He doesn't strike me as one of those "just go by the book on everything" doctors so the fact that he trusts the vaccines makes me comfortable. And none of my kids have ever had problems with them. Aidan would get a mild fever (like 99) after his shots when he was under a year but that was it. I always think a lot about the vaccines every time we go, because of talking about it here and in other mommy loops. But I always end up trusting my doctor and going ahead with it.

STRESSED!!!

2008-09-15T16:57:00.001-07:00

I am so stressed out today. Sometimes it just feels like there is way too much to keep up with.

It is going to take a miracle for Junior to get a B in Responsible Behavior this year. Instead of color changes, now in 4th grade, they have marks. It used to be not so terrible to get one color change a day even. But now, if he gets one mark for the whole week, he gets a B for the week. Two is a C, three is a D, and 4 is an F for the week and a detention. He got one mark last week but since it fell into three categories, he got a C for the week and she told him she was letting him off the hook because it should have been a D. A C or a D for the whole week because he got in trouble ONCE! God help us.

Now, instead of 4 costumes for Halloween, I have to get 6. Junior and Aidan each need 2 costumes this year because their school has decided to make the change from Halloween costumes to "Saints or Biblical Characters" costumes for Oct. 31. Not only do I need 2 extra costumes, but I am probably going to have to make them because you can't exactly find saint costumes at Party City!

Sometimes I just feel like the school doesn't realize how hard it is for people who have 2-3-4 kids or more to keep up with all of the new rules, new ideas, new plans, etc.

I can't get on a diet again. I keep trying and failing. I fail everyday. At least I started walking. I walked on Friday and again this morning, around the park across the street from the school. I can't do it tomorrow though, because I have to bring the babies to drop off Junior and Aidan. =(

Tomorrow is going to be crazy. Not only will I have Charlie crying in the car all the way to and from school, but Junior's first choir practice is tomorrow afternoon. I am going to have to go to school at 2:30 to pick them up and then bring them to my mom's or something so that I can go back at 3:30 to bring Junior to choir practice, upstairs... this means I have to bring all 4 kids inside and can't bring the stroller. Then I have to go back at 4:45 to pick him up. And then tomorrow night is a Parent Meeting at the school at 7pm... I am soooooooooooo dreading tomorrow!

Fun with Junior and Aidan

2008-09-11T08:20:00.001-07:00

An email I sent last night:

OK now I have to share... this is Junior's homework though. He is in 4th grade. For his spelling homework tonight, he had to write sentences with his spelling words. Tonight, he tried extra hard to be creative. I have been talking to him a lot about trying harder to do "A work" etc. Two of the sentences just need to be shared... I love it LOL

1. My dad is happy with his beautiful and talented wife.

10. Everyday, my mom weighs her weight (which doesn't weigh that much) on a scale.

hehehe how cute is that? I know the wording is all clumsy in that last one but it was too cute so I am not going to have him fix it. I probably should... but it is just too sweet!

OK... I was just about to hit send but I had to add this tidbit. As I am typing this, Aidan is laying on the floor in my room, watching Gama working on the new tile he is laying in our bathroom. He just said, "When I am a man, I am going to buy a saw!"

I'm not your boyfriend!!!

2008-09-03T20:43:00.001-07:00

Movies...

2008-09-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

Movies I have recorded on my DVR that I keep watching over and over again (in 15-20 minute segments while I nurse Charlie usually) since Charlie has been born:

Best in Show
Blades of Glory
Breakfast Club
Dirty Dancing
Fried Green Tomatoes
Knocked Up
Nacho Libre
Pride and Prejudice
Waiting for Guffman

The two I have watched most are definitely Dirty Dancing and Fried Green Tomatoes.

When Leo was born, I kept watching Titanic over and over again. Every time I think of this movie, I think of his newborn time. I know it will be like that for Charlie's newborn time and Dirty Dancing and Fried Green Tomatoes.

With Aidan, it was Sex & the City. People kept asking me if I named him after the character on the show and I had never seen the show. But that piqued my curiousity so I started watching the reruns on cable and got hooked. I lost interest though by the time the last season started and only watched it because I had seen everything else and really wanted to see what happened LOL

With Junior, it was the spanish video cable channel 39 in NY! I had that on almost all day long! We didn't have movie channels. We weren't even paying for cable. But I guess the cable company had left a few channels on from the last tenants. We had the spanish video channel, TBS, and the Indian singing channel. There was a lady who sang often on that channel who looked EXACTLY like Tony Danza from his Who's the Boss days LOL We referred to her as "The Tony Danza Woman."

First Day of School!

2008-08-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of school! Everyone was super excited, especially Mommy! hehehe...

For Aidan, today is his first day in the big kids' school building and his first day wearing a uniform. He has been at the school for 2 years but preschool and pre-K are in a separate building and the kids just wear playclothes. So his first day of Kindergarten was a real thrill! He put on his uniform this morning and said, "I look like a man!" He is in the same class as his best buddy Nina and we are all very relieved about that! There are only 2 classes per grade in Kindergarten and sometimes 1st and sometimes 2nd. From 3rd grade on, there is always just one. So we only have to worry about that for a couple of years LOL Anyway, he had a great day and when we picked them up after school, he said, "This is the funnest day of my life!"

Junior started 4th grade today and also has something special this year. It is his first year that he is allowed to bring a rolling backpack. You would be surprised at how important that is to the kids! LOL They have been watching the older kids pull their wheeled backpacks across the playground for years, just waiting for their chance! When we picked them up after school, he told me that only one student didn't have wheels and he said, "I don't know WHY she wouldn't get a backpack with wheels!" He was really shocked that she would pass up the opportunity now that they finally are allowed LOL

Thrush update

2008-08-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

OK so the ped. found a little of the thrush in his mouth so we are sure that is what it is. Well I was sure yesterday but obviously his doctor wasn't sure until he saw it today LOL

Good news: As long as we catch it fast, we are able to get rid of it fast. He went from 4 big patches last night to one small spot today.

He said to keep doing what we are doing with the Nystatin and if for some reason it doesn't go away completely, he will put him on the Diflucan again. He also said to try and get rid of the pacifiers because then there will be nothing to give it to him again. Using a mini makes him produce more saliva, making his mouth more wet and more able to grow yeast. I had read that already. We thought we could get rid of them today because Gama was pretty sure he could get him to sleep without it. But we weren't able to when we came home and tried to get him to nap. So we have decided for now to at least take it out of his mouth after he falls asleep. I will have to make sure to boil them everyday and give him brand new ones once the thrush is gone this time. Hopefully he won't get it again!

More good news: He is otherwise healthy and very happy. The thrush can't be bothering him too much. And he was 12 lb. 3 oz. which means he gained a pound and a half this month! =)

Here is a pic of him from this weekend:

More thrush...

2008-08-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

This is so frustrating. I knew I would have to be on the lookout for it since we have dealt with it twice. But to be honest, I really didn't think it would come back again, at least not so soon.

I think this happened for two reasons. The main reason is that I forgot about boiling and replacing his minis(pacifiers) this time. The other is that we did the nystatin in his mouth for a week after it was gone and we probably should have gone 10-14 days. So once we stopped the nystatin, he kept using the minis which weren't sterilized or replaced and he got the thrush back.

So far, at least I am not showing signs of it. I was just about to stop doing my own medicine as I was getting to the end of one tube and figured that was when I'd stop. But last night, I opened a new tube. I have to do what it takes to keep my skin healthy so that I can keep nursing.

I am trying not to let it get me down too much. Thrush is something I am going to have to learn to live with, it seems.

Hunting for Transformers...

2008-08-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

Junior just came in with a mini-con and asked me to hide it so that he and Aidan could search for it with their transformers. When I went into their room, he grabbed one more mini-con and said to hide both. They each have a transformer and they went into my room so that I could hide the mini-cons.

I think this is going to work out great. It is totally keeping them busy and they are super excited about it. We might have to play this game everyday! LOL

Oh -- just as I was about to save this post, I heard Aidan's voice, very excited, saying, "Mini-con! Mini-con! I found it!"

Adventures in nursing...

2008-08-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

Charlie and I started out with a great breastfeeding relationship. For the first 10 days, everything was easy and I had no pain. I was cautiously optimistic, knowing that I had never made it to day 10 without having intense pain at the beginning of each feeding.

Well... after those first 10 days, the pain started. First I was just a little sore. Then I started to crack a little on each side. I tried my best to deal with it, using a lot of Lansinoh, pumping a little at the beginning of each feeding to draw it out so it would be easier for him to latch on, those sorts of things.

What I didn't realize was that Charlie had thrush, a terrible yeast infection, in his mouth. I saw the white stuff but thought it was from my Lansinoh and ignored it. Charlie gave it to me and suddenly my nipples and all around them were bright red and I had more cracks! And the cracks felt like salt was being rubbed into them every time he latched on. The pain got more and more intense and I kept reading up on ways to help with sore nipples. Finally, after about a week, I realized that we both had thrush.

We went to the doctor and she put him on oral suspension Nystatin and me on Nystatin cream. Unfortunately, the infection was so bad, it didn't work enough. For the first few days, it was improving. But day 10 was just as bad as day 3 so we went back to the doctor. He put Charlie on diflucan which is taken once a day for 10 days and gets rid of the thrush from the inside out instead of just topically like the nystatin. He said I'd be fine as soon as Charlie got rid of it because he'd stop giving it to me. But I was miserable.

Two days later, I went for my 6 week check-up. I told my OB and she put me on diflucan too. First she just put me on 2 pills to be taken one that day and one a week later. But a couple of days after that, I was still so miserable, I called and got them to put me on a 10-day dose, like Charlie.

During those 10 days, I continued trying every cream and ointment I could get my hands on. I was pumping for as many feedings as I could, to try and rest my nipples a little. The pump still worked them but not quite as hard. I was crying pretty much everyday as I was in pain and felt like nothing was working.

Finally, in the middle of the night, at 6.5 weeks, after fighting this infection for 4 weeks, I couldn't take it any longer. I told Gama to go ahead and buy formula. I was so depressed and beaten... I didn't know what to do. A few hours later, I told him I'd try to nurse sometimes and do formula for other feedings and see what happens. We gave him formula for 24 hours to try and let me heal. I nursed him the next day, once on each side, and felt a lot better. The day after that, I decided to try feeding him twice a day. By the second day doing that, the cracks were all open again and even the pump hurt. Feeling so defeated and so sad, I decided to stop altogether, at least for the time being. I didn't know what else to try and I had to heal.

When I got to the end of my 10-day dose, I called my OB to ask for more because I felt like it wasn't gone yet. She said she didn't want to give me anymore pills and that she thought my skin was probably just still irritated. She told me to use the nystatin mixed with desitin. I tried that for a couple of days, all the while still buying and trying new things, Grapefruit Seed Extract pills to take 3x a day, acidophillus pills 1x a day, Grapefruit Seed Extract spray to put on my skin, Lansinoh, Mustela healing cream, Nipple Nurture cream...

After the 5 days, I was so sad and brokenhearted over not nursing, I had to try it again. My cracks had all healed but my skin was still red and peeling and puffy. I decided to just try once a day on each side. I knew my milk was gone already and that it would be work to get it back. I knew he'd need bottles after but I needed to nurse him. I started doing the right side in the morning and the left at night. It was working OK.

On the third day doing that, we went to his doctor for his 8 week check-up. I told the doctor everything and he said that if I took the diflucan for 10 days, I probably didn't have the yeast anymore and really was irritated most likely. He gave me an antibacterial ointment and told me to use it with cortaid 4 times a day. Within a couple of days, my skin was sooooooooo much better. I was so relieved! The yeast really was gone!

A few days later, I started nursing 4x a day, twice on each side. Each side was getting 12 hours of rest in between feedings. I was doing OK. A few days like that and I moved up to 6x a day. After a couple of days, I went to 7x a day. And after like a day of that, I went back to all nursing. When I was at 6x a day, he stopped needing any formula after nursing. My milk was back. yay!

About a week after everything was back to normal, he got thrush again... I couldn't believe it. My left side started to crack a tiny bit where one of the old cracks had been. I was so scared and so depressed. Immediately, we started medicine on both of us. This time, the oral nystatin worked on Charlie. I was using Lotrimin because I have started to believe that the nystatin was too harsh for my skin. Within a day or two, all signs of yeast were gone. We also started giving him one bottle in the middle of the night to rest my skin a little bit. We kept up the meds and are still doing them today, a week after the yeast disappeared. Charlie's medicine is running out and we will probably only have enough to do it a few more times. But the yeast has been gone for a whole week so we should be OK for now.

If it comes back again, we will get the doctor to call in another prescription for the nystatin and I will go back to my meds too. As long as we catch it early, we should be able to get rid of it. And as long as I can get rid of it without cracking, I will be OK.

Charles Fernando, born June 1, 2008

2008-08-14T22:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Charlie is almost 11 weeks old and I haven't yet posted a birth story. Not only that, but I can't find the one I typed out and emailed...

Here goes. Wednesday, May 28, I had an appt. with my OB. She told me I was 3 cm dilated. That hadn't changed from the week before. The next day, we took the kids to Disneyland. I wanted to make sure we got one more trip in before the baby was born and our passes expired. I knew we wouldn't be buying new passes for a while. We walked around all day and the spotting I had been having started to increase a little.

Friday morning, I woke up with contractions. The lasted pretty much all day. They would subside for an hour or two at a time but I would also get them for 3-4 hours at a time, about every 5 minutes and strong enough that I paid attention to them. Friday night, we went to dinner at Spaghettini and I told Gama we better go to the hospital after dinner. He talked me into going home and I was actually able to sleep through the night although every time I woke to go to the bathroom, I was still having contractions.

Saturday morning, I still had them. While talking to my mom, I had to keep stopping to deal with them. She said I was crazy not to go to the hospital. I told her I was going to get ready for the day and maybe we'd all go to lunch first at least. My shower seemed to calm the contractions down. We went to lunch and I was contracting but OK. We headed to the mall next to buy shoes for Junior. While we were there, they started getting stronger and when I went to the bathroom, the spotting looked more like bleeding. I called the OB and got Dr. Kizner because my doctor, Dr. Angelli was not on call that weekend. He said to go get checked out.

My mom took the 3 boys home with her and we got to the hospital around 5 or 5:30. The nurses checked me and I was 4-5 cm. and -3 station. They called Dr. Kizner and he said to keep me, based on the fact that I was almost 2cm further along than 3 days before and also that this was my fourth and I live 30 min. from the hospital. For the next 5 hours, I was monitored, walked around, etc. He got there at 10:30 and I was 6 cm. and -1 station. He broke my water and the very next contraction had me calling for the epidural LOL

About 90 minutes after having my water broken, he checked again and I was at 10! He told the nurse to let me "labor down" for 30 minutes and he left the room. About 10 minutes later, I started feeling a ton of pressure down there and the nurse said I could push against it if I wanted to and that it might make me feel better. It did! I pushed for about 10 minutes and they started seeing more and more of his head. They gave me the mirror to see for myself. I pushed for about another 5 minutes and one of the nurses said she better go get the doctor. She walked out the door and the other nurse went to the other side of the room to do something. Suddenly, I yelled out, "I feel his head moving! I think it is coming out!" She said, "It's OK!" and in one pop, there was his head LOL As the nurses came towards me and Dr. Kizner walked into the room, I said, "He is coming!" and he said it was OK to push. As they got to me and grabbed his head, the rest of him popped out quickly LOL It hurt this time. I had the epidural but it must have been wearing off because I felt a lot. But it was so fast. I yelled OW OW OW OW OW!!! and then it was done!

They put him on my chest and covered us with my gown and the blanket and I just hugged him and kissed him and rubbed his back. They rubbed him down a little bit and let us hang out for a while before weighing him and stuff. He came into the world at 7 lb. 6 oz. and 20 inches. He is just so cute and has gotten cuter and cuter each and everyday. There is nothing like having a brand new baby look up at you with those sweet curious eyes!

Blessed Sacrament BBQ

2008-04-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

We went to the 4th Annual Blessed Sacrament Family Barbecue yesterday and had so much fun. We have been every year since they started. The kids have a blast and as they are getting older, they are allowed more freedom and independence to run around and do some stuff on their own so they have even more fun. I love watching them run around with their friends, feeling so big and cool, and enjoying being at school with nothing to do but play.
Junior and Gama won one of the 3-legged races together. Junior ran another one with his buddy Jack and Aidan ran one with his buddy, and Jack's little sister, Nina. They also had fun playing in the big games of musical chairs, and the limbo. Gama also took part in the grown-up versions of both of those games, mostly because I wasn't allowed. Two years ago, I was 7.5 months pregnant with Leo and fell down during the limbo contest and freaked out the guy who runs it and this year he laughed and said, "You are not allowed to play anything this year!" So Gama played instead.
Here are a few pics from the day. The first two are Aidan and Nina, before the 3-legged race. It was so cute, the way they were standing there with their arms around each other. Nina put her arm around Aidan first and was rubbing his back, and had her hand on his bottom without realizing it. Her mother Socie and I were cracking up! It was the funniest thing. The last picture is of Aidan and Junior, sharing an iced tea that Aidan went over and bought all on his own. He also went to the hair-painting booth on his own. He was such a big kid yesterday! He just kept asking me for money to go do things.

Aidan

2008-04-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

We had Madagascar in the DVD player tonight and they made mention of the lion being the king of the jungle and Aidan said, "Shamu is the most king." and then 2 seconds later, "But Jesus is the MOSTEST King." I thought that was cute. =)

Leo singing

2008-04-20T21:35:00.001-07:00

Leo sings constantly. He sings everything they sing at daycare and everything we sing at home. He sings along with TV shows, the car stereo -- everything. Some favorites of his:

Twinkle, twinkle
the alphabet
5 little monkeys jumping on the bed
5 little monkeys sittin' in a tree
Itsy bitsy spider

He does these with hand signs and everything. During 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed, he screams the line "NO MORE 'BUNKEYS' JUMP-A-BED!" and during 5 little monkeys sittin' in a tree, he loves to say (with giant hand signs) "EEEEEEEE-NAP DAT BUNKEY OUT-A-TREE!"

Junior's limerick

2008-04-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

Junior got in the car after school on Friday and told me the limerick he made up:

There once was a boy named Gama,
who got a new pet llama.
He brought it to school,
thinking it was cool,
but the teacher chased him home to his Mama!

Leo's doctor visit on Wed. 4/16

2008-04-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

Leo might end up with tubes in his ears. When he was dxed with asthma in December, I was hopeful that fixing that would end the ear infections and that at least he might not need tubes. But his asthma is under control and he still has fluid in his ears and is getting infections again. He had antibiotics that didn't do the trick and today as a last effort, he got a shot of lidocaine at the doctor's. We will bring him back in 3 weeks and if there is no improvement in the fluid level, we will be sent to an ENT.

I am really unhappy about the tubes. I hate that they will have to put him under and even though I know it is a routine thing and most kids do fine, I can't help but worry about other things like possible complications that I have read about. One good piece of news is that he gets to come off his asthma meds for now. He should be able to stay off of them until the weather gets cold again. So at least that is something to be happy about.

an Aidan funny

2008-04-16T12:14:00.001-07:00

The other day, Leo was playing with a broken remote control that belonged to a car. I don't think it ever worked and it is just one of those things that we never throw away for some crazy reason. The little battery compartment door is long gone and it probably hasn't had batteries in it since the day after we got it and realized it didn't work.

Suddenly, Aidan yelled out, "Mommy! Leo has the remote control and he is touching the technology!" LOL I didn't realize what he meant by it at first but a day or two later, I was putting batteries in one of the Wii remotes and he said, "Mommy, be careful not to touch the technology!" so I guess he means the inside of the battery compartment! hehehe...

Parent/Teacher conferences

2008-04-04T21:49:00.001-07:00

We went to see Mrs. Stanley first. She said Junior (well, she calls him Gama) is doing a great job. He has improved not only in his work, but in his attitude. He still needs improvement in some areas, like staying focused and not talking so much, and putting more work and pride into his artwork and handwriting. We were so proud, listening to everything Mrs. Stanley had to say about his recent growth. She is definitely a teacher who expects a lot and it was nice to see that she is impressed with his efforts.

I told her that we always discuss with him how he needs to take more pride in his artwork assignments and handwriting because those will be easy grades to bring up if he just puts a little more effort into his assignments. I told her that his uncle and grandfather have terrible penmanship and I think he takes after them a bit. I know he can print neatly if he takes a lot of time but even just going at a normal pace, he has so much trouble making neat letters. She seems to think he could do a lot better than he is doing and did show me a couple of examples of good writing from him. I know it is possible. And as for his artwork, she said, "He is a wonderful artist! I know he can do it! His only problem is waiting until the last minute to do an assignment and then, for instance, drawing something quickly and not coloring it in." I know what she is talking about because sometimes he will have to draw something as part of an assignment and he will do it as fast as he can and I will ask him to do it over and take a little time and the difference will be amazing.

But overall, she gave us such a good report. She said he is such a good, sweet boy. And she is so proud of the growth he has shown. It made me feel so good to see that she obviously likes him so much.

Next, we went to see Mrs. Sinclair and Mrs. Jeske. They had so many wonderful things to say about Aidan. Mrs. Sinclair is his main teacher so she spoke the most about his improvements in his behavior. He started out the year not having any problems behaving or listening. And then after our trip to Mexico over Christmas, he came back a little wound up and had some trouble getting back into his routine. He actually took at least a month to start behaving like his old self at school again. It wasn't anything extreme, but just a notable difference. Mrs. Sinclair said that he has definitely gone back to his old self, having no problem behaving. He listens and does what he is told. She is very impressed with how quickly he is learning to read and both teachers mentioned how hard he is trying to improve his artwork -- fine motor skills.

And then Mrs. Sinclair started talking about what kind of boy he is. She said he really gets so excited about religion and we mentioned that we have noticed the same. I told them that they must be incredible religion teachers because he is so fired up about it. Mrs. Sinclair went on to say that he is such a kind boy, showing so much kindness to his friends all the time. She said, "He is just beautiful. He really is. He is so beautiful inside." And then she grabbed a tissue and said, in a half-joking way, "I mean it! I am going to have to grab a tissue because it will make me cry!" and we chuckled a little but I saw that her eyes filled up with tears. I started to say something to ease the tension but it took her a couple of minutes for her eyes to stop tearing up. I was so touched. We have noticed that she really seems to care so much for him, but to see it like that -- I was going to start crying, myself!

We left the school feeling so happy. Not only are we so proud of our boys, but we feel like they are just in such a great environment. They are being challenged but they are being cared for and loved. Today is just one of those days that all feels right with the world =)

Gama's new wetsuit.

2008-03-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

I wanted to see Gama try it on but when we got to the place to pick it up, Leo was asleep so I sat in the car with the kids while Gama went in. So at night when we got home, Gama brought it upstairs. I was sitting at the computer, checking my email. He put it on the bed and started to unzip the outer piece. Suddenly I said, "Oh shit, did you remember to throw the baby's shirt in with that laundry that you just started?" Leo had spilled icee down his shirt and I soaked it and put it in a plastic bag until we got home. Gama had forgotten to add it and the wash was already started so he ran downstairs to get it out of the car and throw it in.

I knew I only had like 3-4 minutes. But I knew it would be hilarious. So I pulled off my PJ shirt and separated the pieces of the wetsuit. The first part you put on is one piece that basically covers you like a tank top and pants. You undo one shoulder and then pull the whole thing on. After that is on, the other piece is like a big tuxedo coat that has one leg you have to step into because it goes down to your knees. The other leg you pull together and that is where the zipper is. I knew there was no way in hell I was getting it zipped up over my pregnant stomach -- I was shocked I got into the other part so successfully.

I heard the garage door slam shut and I ran into the bathroom. Gama got to the top of the stairs and didn't see his wetsuit on the bed and started laughing before he even got into the room. And there I was... in the bathroom, 7 months pregnant and wearing his wetsuit. We were both laughing so hard... I was crying. I just couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't believe I actually did it. I felt like a penguin. The suit was so thick and I was so stuck into it, I was waddling hahaha... I should have taken a picture. It would make a good myspace default. It would certainly keep guys from sending me friend requests ROFL

Snow Day

2008-02-23T18:28:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to the mountains today, to play in the snow. We stopped at McDonald's for lunch just before getting to the mountains. The kids were maybe as excited to eat there as they were to be heading to the snow! I saw a lady with 6 girls at her table, the oldes was probably 11 and the youngest maybe 9 months. I wanted to ask her if they were all hers but felt shy. I noticed her checking us out a little and I think she wanted to ask us if we were having another boy but she looked a little shy too. When we made eye contact, we both looked away LOL But later, Gama asked me my opinion on a boy name, I can't remember which, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her head pop up.

Anyway, we got to the snow and Gama first took Junior and Aidan to do some sledding while I popped Finding Nemo into the DVD player for Leo. I had no plans to even walk in the snow. Two years ago, while pregnant with Leo, I tried at least playing around a little in the snow and I slipped and fell and scared the crap out of myself so I wasn't about to go through that again.

After about 90 minutes, I yelled to Gama to come get Leo. Aidan was ready to rest anyway so we traded little ones and they played for about 20 minutes. At that point, Junior started having a fit about something and Gama was just exhausted. They all came back to the car, Leo crying for more sledding. I felt so bad. He loved it and unfortunately didn't get much time doing it. Next time, we'll make sure to let him join in a little earlier. I just didn't want Gama to have his hands too full when I couldn't even hang out in the snow to help him.

I logged so many hours in the front seat of the van today, I don't even want to sit in this computer chair LOL

Junior's blinking

2008-02-23T17:40:00.000-08:00

We took Junior to the doctor yesterday. For the last few years, he has had this little nervous habit of scrunching up his face and blinking hard. He does it when he is on stage at school concerts or when he is reading something to a group. He will blink hard and scrunch his nose and wipe his face, those sorts of things. Gama does stuff like that sometimes (like when he made a video and was speaking right into the camera) so we didn't worry too much about it. But just recently, the blinking has gotten more and more. It started to look more like his actual eyeballs were bothering him because sometimes he wouldn't scrunch his face, just blink normally but very often. And then last weekend, he started winking one eye on and off. He doesn't do it constantly but now that I think about it, it is usually while he is talking to us. I don't see him do it much when he is doing homework or something.

He just had his vision tested at school and while they haven't given me the results yet, he said he was able to easily read everything the woman told him to and that she said he did a perfect job. His vision doesn't seem to be affected which was a relief to me but I just wanted to make sure he was OK. I had tried giving him Visine drops and it is always a fight because he doesn't want to open his eyes for them.

So we went to the doctor and he looked at both of his eyes, including some little spots that I noticed last weekend in the white part of his left eye which happens to be the eye he is winking. He said the spots don't look like anything (Aidan happens to have a little one in one of his eyes too and doesn't have any blinking issues) and that his eyes don't look dry or like he has allergies. He pointed out that they aren't bloodshot at all and that they look very healthy. He looked at them a lot with his light, bringing it back and forth in front of his eyes.

What he really thinks is going on, after examining his eyes and then watching him play around in the room with Aidan and Leo, and seeing the blinking, is that it is just a nervous tick. He said they come and go and that he might have a new blinking tick in addition to the scrunching up his face one and that the winking might be even another one. He told me that the most important thing to do is to not call attention to it. He said if it gets excessive, to bring him back. I asked him what he meant by excessive and he said, "If the teacher mentions it to you" which his teachers never have. So we are keeping our eye on it for now, but that is it.

Junior story from 2004

2008-02-22T21:28:00.000-08:00

This happened on Nov. 18, 2004:

Tonight, Junior's Religion homework was to dictate a letter to me. It is a family letter, thanking God for all of our blessings. I wrote exactly what he said to me. I thought it was really nice and pretty cute too (of course I always think the stuff he does is cute LOL) But I did think that you would enjoy this...

Nov. 18, 2004

Dear God,

You are not mean. And we love everything that You do for us on the planet Earth. Thank You, God, for our pets. We love the Bible Book that You made for us. And when we are scared, we must put our hands on our hearts because we know You are saying, "I love you." Thank You, God, for electricity. You are the Whole Mighty. Thank You, God, for food. Thank you, God, for our family. We know that every child is Yours, because You made everyone.

Love,
The Rodriguez Family
Christine, Gama,
Gama Jr. and Aidan

St. Faustina

2008-02-19T20:47:00.000-08:00

We were driving in the car tonight and Aidan said, "Why don't I learn a lot about science?"

I told him, "You will learn a lot about science in school. Trust me! And actually, you already learn some science now." I was about to remind him that he learned a lot about dinosaurs, spiders, and snakes.

But before I could say anything else, he said, "Well, I learned about St. Faustina."

Gama said, "A ver... que aprendiste de St. Faustina?"

And Aidan said, "I don't remember."

Juan Diego's grandpa

2008-02-19T20:45:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning, Aidan got into bed with us and started telling us the story of Juan Diego and the Virgin Mary. When he got to the end, he looked over at this picture,

which has been in our room for about 2 years, and said, "And there is the Virgin Mary, bringing his grandpa back to life." I asked him whose grandpa and he said, "Juan Diego! He died and Mary is bringing him back to life!"

I explained to him that it is Pope John Paul II and that he is giving respect to the Virgin Mary who is comforting him. But I think he liked his own version better LOL

Aidan, the faker!

2008-02-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Aidan pretended he felt sick so that the school would call me to come get him!

It all started last week. Junior and Aidan both got very sick. In fact, they gave it to me and to Gama as well. Gama got so sick, he ended up with an infection in his lungs. Anyway, Junior missed school Monday and Tuesday. He went back to school Wednesday but got sick again and they called me to come get him. While I was there, I picked Aidan up early too and it turns out he was just starting to come down with what Junior had. They both stayed home Thursday and Junior went back Friday. Aidan didn't go back until Monday.

So this week, he keeps saying he can't go to school. He just wants to stay with me. He is perfectly healthy. Well yesterday, his teacher saw that his nose was running constantly and his eye was watering. These are just the leftover symptoms from being sick last week. He had clogged tear ducts as a baby and to this day, his eyes water when he gets a cold.

She didn't know that and wanted to be sure he was OK so she asked him if he felt sick. Seeing his opportunity, he said he was. She asked him what hurt and he said his arms. LOL He came up with that one because he has some dry skin on his arms that I have been putting thick lotion on. The school calls me. I show up and find him on the floor, playing blocks with his friends, swinging them around like crazy. I told him, "Aidan, your arms look fine. Do they really hurt?" At this point, Mrs. Sinclair starts telling me about his issues, nose, eyes, etc. The whole time she is telling me, he has a little smirk like he is trying not to laugh. I said, "Look at him!" LOL

She told him she wasn't happy that he told her a fib and that she didn't want him to laugh about it because it isn't funny. He has to be honest with her and not say he is sick unless he is. So he felt bad and told her OK and he and I had a little talk about it later too. He said, "But I just wanted to be with you!" How can you yell at a kid for that? hehehe...

Today, he promised to tell the truth all day and to be a good boy at school. So far it is lunchtime and they haven't called me yet!

Birdie Munch

2008-02-08T11:22:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Aidan fell asleep on the couch for about 90 minutes. Later, when he woke up, he said, "Mommy... I want to see Birdie-munch." I had no idea what he was talking about and he said, "You know -- the show we saw yesterday with all the kids." Brady Bunch! hahaha...

I saw it is on one of those local stations in the afternoon and had decided to try and get the boys into it because they watch those annoying Drake and Josh and iCarly shows. Sure enough, it was a big hit. They love it and I would rather have them watching that. Aidan was bummed when he realized he missed it yesterday. I promised him he could watch it today.

Aidan's idea, last night...

2008-01-25T11:28:00.001-08:00

Aidan came up to me while I was typing something on the computer.

Aidan: What if Junior and Daddy and me and you, not Leo... he can babysit with Meemaw, but all of the rest of us can sell puppy chow?

(He means the crispix/peanut butter/chocolate/powdered sugar treat that Connie taught me how to make ages ago. I make it every year at Christmastime and He LOVES it.)

Still Aidan: ...and you could make it and we could sell it and everyone would come and buy it and give us money!

Me: Well, that is a nice idea but where would we sell it?

Aidan: (thinks for a minute first) How about if Daddy could make something with wood and he could paint it and we could see it there? (as he said this, he motioned with two fingers on each hand, like a house-shape)

I just loved the "Leo can babysit with Meemaw" part especially LOL

Leo is done nursing...

2008-01-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

My Leo -- at least he gave me up gradually. He gave up his bedtime feeding 2-3 months ago. He just didn't want it anymore and started fighting and crying when I'd try to do it. He was down to morning and naptime. And then naptime became such a chore. It was hard if we were out and about because he was too distracted and didn't stay latched on. I realized he was getting bored with that one too so one day I was going to stop offering it at naptime. I forgot and tried to offer it and he wouldn't take it. Kelly was there and she joked and said, "Well HE remembered!" LOL So were down to morning. Last week, he stopped taking my left side. On leftie days, he just wouldn't do it. He'd latch on, break right off, poke me, and babble some complaint and struggle to get down. And then a couple of days ago, he wouldn't latch on my right either.

I am so broken-hearted! I will never look down at him nursing again. He'll never smack me in the boob while he nurses, or break off to tell me something and latch back on. That special time for us is in the past now. I got just what I wanted though. He nursed until he was ready to stop. He has no stress or sadness over it. And I know I will be just fine in a few days or so. And it is nice that they will belong to me again for a few months before the new little nursling comes along to claim them for himself!

Definitely a BOY!!

2008-01-17T09:12:00.000-08:00

I keep forgetting to enter this here. We went for the bit 18 week u/s on Jan. 8 and my doctor confirmed that this is definitely a little boy! It was so exciting to get the confirmation and to know for sure. We went out that afternoon and bought him a little outfit to celebrate =)

So now we are focusing on the boy names and the two frontrunners at this time are Henry and Fernando. Henry was one I suggested when I was pregnant with Leo but Gama wasn't crazy about it. Now he does like it. Aidan loves it and just keeps asking us to name him Henry. Fernando is one that has been on our list since our pregnancy with Aidan. Gama's great grandfather, his little abuelita's father was Fernando. Gama has nice memories of him. And I just happen to love that name. It is one of my favorite Mexican names. So we'll see =)

So now for the picture. It is hard to see but try to imagine the way you would lie on your back on your bed to watch TV, with your head propped up against the headboard. His head was in a funky position and she just couldn't get a good shot of it so you can't see his head well at all. But you can see his body, bottom, and legs which are crossed at the ankles.

Christmas season in Mexico

2008-01-09T21:39:00.001-08:00

We had such a wonderful trip. We left the day after Christmas.

It started out a little hairy -- our flight was delayed and we spent almost 7 hours in the airport before taking off! But even with no stroller for Leo, it worked out better than I'd have expected. We bought treats for the kids and they were surprisingly well-behaved. Then, upon arriving in Leon, we discovered that the plane had been overloaded with luggage and they took random pieces off, one of them being Leo's carseat. We had to drive 2 hours to Santa Rosa with Leo in a seatbelt. I wasn't happy about that but there was nothing else to do.

We got to Gama's mom's and dad's house pretty late but they had some food waiting for us. We ate and chatted for a while and then went to Paola's house where we were going to be staying. They have built 2 big bedrooms upstairs and our room had 2 full-size beds with a pack-and-play in between for Leo. There was a TV with cable and a DVD player, racks to hang clothes, shelves for other clothes and a little desk/dresser with a couple of small drawers. It was such a nice room.

The next day, we hung out with the family, bouncing around from house to house. We also took a quick trip to Walmart for diapers and wipes. It was just mostly a nice day of visiting.

Friday came and everything was buzzing. Brittany's quinceañera party was that night. We went to the hall to help everyone set up. The kids ran around and I tried to help Connie's mom with the napkin holders. Mostly, I chased Leo, though LOL

Friday night was wonderful. Brittany was a vision in her pink dress. She is such a beautiful girl. The mass was beautiful too, said by Gama's cousin, Padre Mayito. I love his sermons. He has such a way of speaking. He relays his messages so beautifully, yet not overdone or stuffy. I always come away with stuff that stays with me and that will always come back to me later on. After the mass, we headed to the party. It was a blast. The music was great. I danced a lot. Vivian and Erasmo came with Angelo and Julian and it was so much fun to see them there. Brittany's choreographed dances went so well. She looked great. Gama started crying when his dad started dancing with her. He knew that her uncles would follow and that Pancho wasn't there to dance with her. He came back from dancing with her, still crying. After those dances, the slideshow started with so many tear-jerking pictures. We were all misty-eyed. Then the picture of Brittany with Pancho popped up and everyone just burst into tears. Gama was so sad. But the slideshow ended with all these gorgeous pictures of the beautiful young woman she has become and everyone clapped and then they announced her last choreographed dance, the hip-hop number. She and all the chambelanes had changed into street clothes and as the music started, fireworks went off inside the hall! It was so cool. A few of the younger girls ran around them, shooting them with silly string. It was quite a sight. The whole night was so much fun and Brittany was glowing. Her boyfriend Efren was there too and it was very obvious how crazy they are about each other. Young love... =)

The next day was my birthday. We didn't have any big plans. We had to make another trip to Walmart for a few things. In the evening, we went to Mayra's house and she was having a little get-together for everyone. Gama had them get me a cake too and they all sang to me later in the evening. That was nice. Then when they made me take a bite of the cake, Connie tipped the cake up to my face to cover me with icing LOL

Over the next few days, we hung out and visited with everyone, mostly just taking it easy. We made a few trips into the city and took a lot of walks around the town. The big New Year's eve party went great at Gama's abuelita's house. Leo had a bit of wheezing because it was so cold out but his asthma was really getting better. The next day, we spent almost the entire day at his abuelita's house again, for the "recalentado" but luckily, they made new food instead of reheating the stuff from the night before LOL On the 3rd, a photographer came and took pictures of the family. Afterwards, we went to Church for Pancho's monthly mass. Connie and Lupe and their group left on the 4th.

On the 5th, we went to the mercado and tianguis. The mercado and tianguis run all day long that day, in preparation for Three Kings Day the next day. Everyone has to do their shopping. The place was packed all day long. We hung out a lot in Gama's mom's "post" and walked around and did our own shopping too. We also bought the boys a little turtle. Paola said she'd keep it for them. They named him Swimmy =) When we got home that night, they each left a shoe under the tree.

The 6th was a lot of fun. The kids woke up and found what the Three Kings left them under the tree. They were so excited. We went to Gama's mom's house and then into the city, to show the kids the huge nacimiento display they have in the center of the city. It is awesome. It takes up this huge town square area. There are several smaller displays all set up next to each other. There are all kinds of animals, a set-up of the Visitation, a big nacimiento with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the shepherds, the Three Kings arriving, etc. and there is even a section on the outside corner with devils. It is very impressive. After seeing that, we walked over to Gama's old school. He only went there for 2 semesters and hadn't been back in 20 years. The school's front door was open and we went in and walked around. He was filled with memories. The place was incredible, just like all the buildings in Queretaro. I took a bunch of pictures. It was such a fun excursion.

The 7th was our day to leave. First we had to run into the city to get a correction issued for Leo's baptismal certificate. It has his name as Leo Francisco Rodriguez Robin. They were a little confused and thought that my last name was Robin. Also, they don't realize that kids in the states don't use a matrinimic. We got the correction and now Paola will have to take it to the church we had the baptism in so that they can issue a new certificate.

We went to say goodbye to Gama's "little grandma" -- his dad's mom. We had said goodbye to almost everyone else the night before. His little grandma always cries so much. She always says she might not see us again. She is 95 but doing good. She is frail and tiny but mentally she is all there and she gets around pretty good for 95. We should all be that lucky.

We went to the airport and that is where we said goodbye to Gama's parents and to Paola and Erick. It was so hard and everyone cried. Our flight home wasn't delayed and it was mostly smooth with just a little turbulence about an hour before we landed. The kids were wild though, because Aidan and Leo slept the 2 hour drive to the airport. So neither one fell asleep on the plane this time! It wasn't easy but we made it LOL

So that is most of it...

Leo's asthma check-up

2008-01-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

We took Leo in today for a follow-up visit. I told his doctor how we had to use the inhaler until like the 30th and then not again until the night of the 31st and only once that night and not again since. He listened to his lungs and checked his ears and was very happy with the way he looks and sounds. He said he thinks it is just a "tiny bit of asthma" which made me so happy. He said for now, let's keep up with the singulair once a day and see what happens the next time he catches a cold. He said if he doesn't wheeze, we know the singulair is doing the trick and that his current dose is fine. If he wheezes with his next cold, we have to try something new. He said he is almost sure he will only need meds during the cold months. I am glad our cold season is so short.

I loved hearing the words "tiny bit." I really feel like he is going to outgrow this. And as much as I hate having to give him a pill every night, it is such a relief to finally have him breathing normally and not wheezing and coughing and producing a ton of mucus. And the ears! I was so afraid he was going to need tubes. Now that he is not getting sick over and over again, his ears are staying clear.

Leo has asthma...

2007-12-22T21:35:00.000-08:00

Leo has been diagnosed with asthma =(

He got sick a ton last winter and his doctor said he might have it but then he got better and we didn't talk about it again. Now, he has been sick for about 7 weeks straight. He keeps getting better and then sick again. He has had ear infections 3 times, sometimes in one ear, sometimes in both. He has had 3 different rounds of antibiotics. Tuesday night, we brought him back to urgent care because while on antibiotics, he got a new fever and his breathing seemed kind of weird. He got a 3-day steroid and an inhaler to use every 4 hours. Friday morning, we went to his regular doctor for his 2-week follow-up from the most recent ear infections and his doctor said that even after 3 days of steroids, he still had the wheezing/rattling. He said it is definitely asthma.

I am so bummed. I am trying to look at it in a positive way. I asked him if he thought he'd outgrow it and he said he thinks so. I asked him if it is "bad asthma" and he said no. And at least now we know why he gets so sick whenever it is cold and we have a course of action to try to keep him from getting sick all winter.

But to hear the doctor say things like "we can't cure it so we will try to prevent the symptoms" and to have him on so much medicine right now -- he is so sick right now. My poor little Leo. I know rationally that he will be OK and that he will get better and better as he gets older. But it is just hard to get used to the idea that he has this chronic thing that makes it hard for him to breathe. He HATES the inhaler and the taste of the steroid. He screams and we have to pin him down to give it to him. He started singulair tonight -- a daily medication for asthma. It is a chewable tablet and thank God he thought it tasted good and begged for more even. Hopefully he won't always need to be on a daily medication but he has to take this for 3 weeks to get him past this crap he has now. He only needs the steroid for a couple more days and the inhaler only until the wheezing stops. He sounds like he has a whistle stuck in his lungs.

Sorry to write a book. I am in the process of researching it. I am learning a lot. I am glad we didn't stay living in NY as it seems his trigger for his asthma is the cold weather. Here in Southern CA, it doesn't get that bad. And thank God we moved the cats outside when he was born and also took the carpet out downstairs. We are going to to remove the upstairs carpet as soon as we can afford to put pergo upstairs too. Dust and dust mites are another big trigger. And nobody in our house or our families' houses smokes. Smoking is a big one too. My mom is convinced she has asthma because my grandmother smoked through her pregnancies. But the fact that Leo seems to have inherited her asthma makes me wonder if she would have had it anyway. I don't know.

Actually, I have to go help Gama pin him down for his last inhaler treatment of the night... ugghhh I hate doing this to him. If only he could understand that we have to do this to help him. It must just seem like we are being mean to him =(

2007-12-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

My doctor said 70/30

...

that this baby

...

is

...

a

...

-nother BOY!!!

hehehe... Looks like I really am a vending machine stocked with boys!

I wasn't supposed to get an u/s or anything today but she couldn't find his heartbeat with the doppler so I asked her if while she was looking on the u/s, if she could just take a peek. I said I knew it was super early but just a peek just in case we actually could get a clear view. She said it could be a lump of cord so she wouldn't say for sure that it is a boy but that it really does look like a pee-pee there. And it really does! Baby looks good and healthy. Heart rate 158. I go back on Jan. 8 for my big u/s! =)

Now for the picture...

Junior's soccer injury

2007-12-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Junior sprained his ankle on Saturday. He was playing in his last soccer game of the season and stepped funny or something as he was running after the ball. He kept playing, saying he was OK. At the end of the half, Gama (he is his asst. coach) took him out for the 3rd quarter to make sure he was fine. He said he was and went back in for the 4th quarter and then ran around for 2 hours at the pizza party they had afterwards.

Saturday night, it swelled up a little and Sunday morning it was really swollen, so we took him to the doctor. They x-rayed it and said it is just a bad sprain and he needed crutches. He is in heaven LOL He is milking it for all it's worth. Sunday afternoon, we went to a charity soccer game being played between Chivas USA and a team of Mexican soccer legends. The goalie from the legends team, who happens to have been a champion with Chivas (THE team in our family), signed one of Junior's crutches. He asked him all about the injury. Junior was just on cloud 9 LOL Then, on the way back to the car, we had to go up a flight of stairs. Gama had helped him down them but going back, Gama was carrying Aidan who had fallen asleep at the game and was still groggy. He took Junior's crutches. I had Leo. And Junior made his way up the first few steps. A fellow fan coming up behind us asked if he could carry him up. Gama said, "Well, actually if you could give him a hand?" The guy scooped him up and carried him all the way up, asking him if he hurt it playing soccer and everything. It was so sweet.

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T22:01:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago, we were watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving video and Aidan asked if we could bring some toast, popcorn, jelly beans, and pretzel sticks to Thanksgiving dinner this year because that is what Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Woodstock prepared and served to their friends. I thought it was cute so we did it. I knew the kids would put some of those items on their plates and I planned to do the same. I toasted and buttered a big stack of toast, just like Snoopy does. Aidan was thrilled. Everyone took a little of something at least, but Aidan made his plate to look exactly like the plates in the cartoon. This is what he had for Thanksgiving dinner... Gregory took a picture of it...

Doctor visit today

2007-11-20T11:54:00.000-08:00

I met my new OB today and I LOVE HER! I am so relieved. Everyone in the office is great. The doctor seems so cool and down to earth. She even gave me a quick peek with the u/s. She is completely OK with a VBAC which is my main concern, of course. I have had a c-section and 2 VBACs and I never want another c-section if I can help it.

I got to hear the heartbeat which was 171. She changed my due date by 2 days, based on my period and my last u/s. So I am at June 11 now which is fine with me. I couldn't see his legs in the u/s and when I told Gama that, he said, "But you don't got no legs, Lt. Dan" LOL We are big Forrest Gump fans. Anyway, here is my latest picture of Mater aka Lt. Dan:

Aidan funnies

2007-11-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

Just now:

(calling to me, from the bathroom)
Wow! Do you see all that water that came out of my weenie?? Come over here!

A few months ago:

(talking to Gama, from the tub)
Wow, Daddy! My weenie got so big! Look! You should take a picture of it!

Yesterday:

(to me, while we were getting ready to go to a birthday party)
A: I really love you.

me: I love you too, Sweetie!

A: And I really love Junior, and Daddy, and Leo.

me: and we all love you!

A: (folds hands in prayer) -- Dear God, thank you for my family -- (and then to me) but we don't have to go to Church today, right?

me: Yes, it is Sunday. Of course we are going to Church. We'll go later after the party.

A: (hands unfolded, arms starting to flail, feet stomping) BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO TO CHURCH! I HATE GOING TO CHURCH!

u/s pics

2007-11-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

First pic is from the u/s on Nov. 1 and the second one is from Nov. 9:

RE: Ultrasound on Nov. 9

2007-11-11T08:22:00.000-08:00

I had my other u/s this morning. My dates all match up now and everything looks good. The u/s tech said I am 9 weeks today which is what I was figuring, based on my ovulation date and the due date I got of June 13. The u/s machine was saying June 12 and my doctor is still saying June 15 is fine but that would make me not even 9 weeks yet so I am just considering my due date as June 13 since every online predictor has given me that back based on when I ovulated.

I am so relieved now that I saw how much he has grown in a week. I got to see his little heartbeat and his arms, legs, and head wiggling around. The u/s tech's notes even said, "very active fetus." LOL =)

RE: ultrasound on Nov. 1

2007-11-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

This is copied from the email I sent out about my ultrasound on Nov. 1.

Things are OK =) She is having me come back in a week for a better one, with the u/s tech. My dates look off by a few days but that makes sense because she is going by my LMP and I ovulate late. Also, she likes one good scan somewhere between 8-10 weeks and I am not even 8 yet. I should be 7 weeks 6 days today and the machine put me at 7 weeks 4 days. That isn't really much of a difference. She said the baby looks like the right size for when I ovulated and the heartbeat is there. I was so nervous because she wants me to come back in a week but she kept assuring me that nothing is wrong and I can go ahead and tell the kids and everything.

We told them when we picked them up from school. They are so excited and both wanting a girl LOL I showed Junior the u/s pic and he said, "You're pregnant? Really? I hope it is a girl because I would like to have a baby sister." I asked Aidan if he understood what we were saying and what the picture was. He said it was a baby. I asked him where it is and he said, "Is it in your tummy?" and when I said yes, he said "And it is a girl! Let's name her Sarah!" He has an imaginary sister Sarah.

So I said, "But if it is a boy, that is good too, right?" Junior just answered "Yes" but Aidan said, "A boy AND a girl?" and I said, "No... if it is not a girl and it is a boy, that is good too, right?" and he just stared at me for a few seconds and said, "A boy AND a girl?" LOL Oh, and then when we got to lunch, he told my mom, "Mommy is PREG-A-NANT!" and she said, "Wow! What does that mean?" and he said, "It means she is having a baby girl!" hehehe... not that I feel any pressure or anything hahaha...

Doctor visit

2007-10-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

I went to see the doctor today for my annual well-woman visit and first prenatal visit. I told her my last period was 5 days later than it actually was because she always moves my due date up so much. I ovulate late but she always counts it by my LMP. So I had this great plan to just give her a later date for my LMP. And so she ended up giving me a later due date by 2 days LOL I had June 13, based on when I ovulated. But she gave me June 15. I am not going to worry about it too much though because I know she will move that up once I have an u/s. She always moves it up at the u/s.

I will get that u/s on November 1, which is 2 weeks from tomorrow. I am so excited and impatient, I can't stand it. It is always such a great relief to see the baby and his heartbeat and know that something is really growing in there! After the way our first pregnancy turned out, with us going around for a whole month thinking everything was fine when the baby had in fact passed away right around the time we found out we were pregnant, I am always nervous that maybe everything just seems fine but it is not.

I do feel though that things are going well. I remember that during that first pregnancy, I didn't really have symptoms for very long. Right around the time I found out I was pregnant, I was very run-down, tired, not feeling so good. But that was right around the time the baby stopped living. After that, I felt great for a month and then had the miscarriage. Since then, I have had 4 more pregnancies before this one. Junior, Aidan, my 2nd m/c, and Leo. With this one, I feel pretty much like I did with the boys. With the other m/c, I had such a horrible backache for a few days and then it was over. But with this one, although I had a backache when I found out I was pregnant and that scared me to death, that went away after a few days and since then, I have just had my normal pregnancy symptoms. Nausea that comes and goes, sleepy all the time, moody.

Speaking of nausea, it is just like it was with the boys but much earlier. I am supposedly 5 weeks 5 days and I have had it for a whole week already. I usually don't get anything until 6 weeks. So that is odd. But nausea is a good sign so we'll see. Everyone keeps telling me that means it is a girl since I got sicker sooner... I don't know how much I believe all of that stuff... we'll see LOL

Aidan, a couple of days ago

2007-10-12T09:35:00.001-07:00

Aidan: When I be a grown-up, I am going to buy some of my kids toys... I am going to be better than Daddy!

me: That is not going to be easy... Daddy is the best Daddy ever!

Aidan: Yeah, but I am going to buy toys for my kids. I am going to be better than Daddy!

He said something specific instead of "toys" the second time and I can't remember what it was LOL

I'm pregnant!

2007-10-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

I found out last Monday... almost two weeks ago. I just haven't gotten around to posting it here.

We are so excited. For the first time ever, we got pregnant without trying. It has always taken months and months and even years but this time it happened a few months before we were going to start trying!

This baby will be due in June 2008, just two years after Leo was born! I am a little nervous about a two year age gap but I know we'll be fine. Things will be a little hairy for the first few months but we always manage =)

Our boys look like...

2007-09-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

We always thought that our kids looked so much like both of us. We also thought that Junior looks more like Gama and Aidan looks more like me. Apparently we were right. But Leo -- I was surprised by his results. I thought he'd come up the closest to Gama. What is most surprising, though, is how in the middle all 3 of them are! I mean, I think they look so much like both of us but assumed the thing would put them further to one side or the other... anyway:

Random funny talk

2007-08-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

I posted this on Aug. 5 but it is about stuff that has happened over the last year...

Junior is always using big words. Aidan is not much of a talker. He doesn't talk unless he has to. But he has a funny habit of mixing up why and because. I think it is because in spanish, they are the same word and he is the one of the three that got the most spanish as a baby since our friend Angelica watched him.

~Aidan! Did you just throw your ice cream away?
~Yeah... that's why I was finished.

~Aidan! Did you take your shirt off?
~Yes -- that's why I spilled water on it!

He turns things around like this in other situations too sometimes. One morning, I was dropping him off at my mom's house and he had a bunch of stuff and he said, "Meemaw, will you hold my transformer?" and she said yes and took it and then he added "...and so is my cup" as he held it out to her LOL

From July 23

2007-08-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

Responding to a friend's questions about how I feel about Leo growing up, etc...

I do get sad that he is starting to nurse less. Aidan quit on me, cold turkey, at 18 months. I was thrilled that I made it as long as he wanted and that it was his choice and he didn't miss it or cry for it. But it is so hard to stop! I cried everyday for at least a week.

Last summer, I had a very hard time and decided that Leo would be our last. School was out. Junior and Aidan were 7 and 3 and fighting and wreaking havoc everyday. I was a mess. We had a horrid heat wave that started a couple of weeks before Leo was born and lasted throughout the whole summer and our AC kept crapping out on us. I just thought I couldn't wait to be past the baby stage and to be able to function again.

Even once school started and I went back to working mornings, I felt like life got a little more manageable but was still sure I was set with my little trio. I felt like life was not so hard anymore but that I was really looking forward to moving out of the baby stage and into the big kid stage where we could plan trips without worrying about carseats, diaper bags, strollers, where the baby will sleep, etc. Gama felt the same way.

And then the magic time started LOL Right around 6-8 months. Leo started eating baby food. He hated it at first but eventually, he learned to like things like crackers and breadsticks. We were able to go to restaurants without taking turns eating. He let us put him in the stroller to walk through the mall instead of screaming to be carried the whole time. He started napping on a schedule every afternoon so that I could help Junior with his homework and make sure Aidan didn't pee in his pants. (Junior almost never had accidents so I was in for a big surprise with Aidan who still has accidents if we don't remind him to go potty every hour or two).

With each month that passes, I have felt more and more like I want another baby someday. We always said we would have 4. I know that we are perfect just like we are and that life will continue to be wonderful with our three boys. But I also know that once you get through that newborn stage, you are set. You have another best friend for everyone. You get to watch all the adorable things again like learning to walk, learning what lemons taste like, learning to yell at the big kids... those things are just so precious.

And anyway, as hard as the newborn stage is, I can't help but miss it sometimes. That floppy head. That little stretch they do when you lift them up in front of you and they push their head and butt back really hard LOL

I know what is going to happen already. I have given up saying we will never try again. I am not sure we'll succeed again because it has always been such a fight for us to get pregnant. But I am sure we'll try again. In fact, just the other day, Gama said we should start trying in January LOL That one threw me! Back in May, he was still saying he was excited to get out of the baby stage and still not thinking we should try again. So I can tell that neither one of us is ready to throw in the towel. And if we do succeed again, I will just hope desperately that I don't have a summer baby so that at least the older two are in school. And I am sure that at least once everyday I will say, "How on earth did I think I could handle this again?" But I know it will be great anyway.

Last night, I dreamt I had a baby boy, at home in our bed. It was actually part of a big disturbing dream. But that slippery little body... I liked that part of the dream LOL

About the OC Fair and Gregory and Kelly moving

2007-08-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

We are taking the kids to the fair today. It is kids' day so Junior gets in free. Aidan would be free anyway because 5 and under is free. I am excited. We skipped the fair last year because we had that horrible heat wave and Leo was a newborn.

Tonight, we have to go say goodbye to my brother Gregory and SIL Kelly. I have been dreading this! I know everything will be fine and there will be a lot of good parts about this move. It will be exciting to go visit them in Oregon. They won't be THAT far away and we will have plenty of communication between the phone and email. But tonight will be hard. We are such a tight group. Sunday we went to "Ourbucks" (the Starbucks we always go to) and hung out on the couches for our last time as a big group. It will be weird to go there without them all the time now. Lots of things will be really weird. And I had been thinking it would be 5 years but it turns out it will most likely be 7. WOW. Last weekend in church, Junior asked me how long they'd be gone and I told him 5 years and that he'd be 13, a teenager, when they come back. A few months ago, we told him that and he thought it was really cool that he'd be a teenager. But I guess it is becoming more real to him too because he didn't say anything for a minute and then he started blinking a lot and said, "But I don't want them to come back when I'm 13." I told him "I know" and he just lost it. I haven't told him that he'll actually be 15 before they come back. He doesn't need to know that now. As time passes, he'll get so used to them not living here. But Gregory has always been like a big brother to him. This is going to take a lot of getting used to, for Junior especially.

Anyway... enough whining. I'll be glad when the goodbyes are over and we can start planning our first trip to go see them!

About Leo taking his first steps

2007-08-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

Back from June 8...

Leo has a new nickname... Mr. Two-steps!

He did it!!! Last night, he finally took two steps on his own. He did it several times but won't take more than two. It is so funny. He stands there wobbling and then takes two very rigid steps and says "oooohhhhh" and carefully sits down LOL

I am sure he is far from walking around. Both Junior and Aidan took more than 2 steps on their first day and they still took a couple of weeks to really walk. But it was just so exciting that he finally took his first steps. I was so afraid he'd do it at daycare and I'd miss it LOL I kept telling them not to let him walk. I would say, "If he looks like he is getting close, just go knock him over." hehehe...

Happy Birthday, Leo Francisco!
My baby is turning ONE 5/26!
Christine,
Mommy to 3 beautiful boys:
Gama Jr. (8) ~ Aidan (4) ~ Leo (1)

About Leo 8-16

2007-08-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

I posted this about Leo...

Mostly, I have been reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? because that is Leo's favorite thing in the entire house. He especially loves the page with the big yellow duck and also the page with the purple cat. He quacks too. It is the cutest thing. I love how he sounds and looks when he quacks. He tries to imitate the way I do it, really nasally and kind of in my throat "wack-wack" but when he does it, he looks like he is having trouble swallowing something or coughing something up LOL If I ask him where the duck is, he goes right for the bookshelf to look for that book.

A post about Aidan

2007-08-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

I posted this on Aug. 6 but this is about stuff Aidan has said cute for the last several months:

Aidan calls yogurt "the yogurt" and it comes out sounding like "de-yogurt" so he will say, "Mommy! Please can we buy the de-yogurt that I can drink?" or "Mommy, I didn't eat my de-yogurt yet!"He also says extra "its" sometimes, as in "I drank it all of it!" instead of "I drank all of it" He used to pronounce "all of it" as "ovalit" LOL "Mommy! Don't drink it ovalit! I want some too!"

From July 3

2007-08-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

I posted this on July 3, after we took Junior and Aidan to see Transformers:

We saw Transformers today. It is the best movie I have seen in a long time! I loved it! Of course, the boys loved it too. They got so excited every time they realized one of the vehicles was a Transformer and would whisper to each other who it was.There were some bad words. I reminded them before that I better not hear them say any of them later. Normally, I wouldn't take them to a PG-13 movie but this was a special circumstance. And there was a scene with a couple of lines that I wish they hadn't heard but I think it went over their heads and I was distracting them anyway.Awesome, awesome movie!

A post from July 10

2007-08-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

An easy way to add stuff to this blog will be to copy and paste emails and posts I have made about the kids. Here is one about Leo walking. I wrote this post on July 10. Leo took his first steps on June 7 and started walking on his own on July 8...

July 10: Sunday night, as we were getting ready for church, Leo walked 14 steps across their room! And ever since then, he has been getting up and taking 6-10 steps at a time. He is so pleased with himself. He claps wildly and has this ENORMOUS smile on his face. It is so cute to see.

Of course, at the same time, I am a little sad about it... he is turning into a full-fledged toddler. He nurses for about 2-3 minutes now. He is still interested in latching on but he doesn't have much patience for it anymore. He is becoming more and more like a little boy! It's great but a little hard at the same time LOL

Always happens!

2007-08-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

Every time I decide to start a blog, to keep track of things I want to remember, I don't know where to start so I just leave it there... uggghhh...

OK so now I am really going to make an honest effort to get things going here.

My first post

2007-07-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to have a blog. I mostly want to use it to save funny stories about the boys and other things I want to remember.