Grandma's!!

This weekend we headed up on Ignacio's first trip to Grandma's house! With all the excitement he found no need to sleep the WHOLE weekend! That, and he is getting his second tooth which makes it difficult to stay asleep when he finally crashes. It was great to see Aub and Trevor and just hang out like old times...except with a baby. He is clapping now and thinks it is really neat. He can also go from laying to sitting all by himself! Big Boy! He is just about crawling and when that happens...the sky is the limit!

In the still of the night

It is 3am and I hear him. It starts with a whimper and slowly escalates to a small cry. I usually can't tell if I awake because I hear him or if I awake because I sense his awakeness. I roll over and look at the clock. 3:03am. I skillfully find my slippers with my feet in the dark and make my way to the bedroom door. It is amazing how quickly I can become fully alert after deep sleep. As I make my way into Ignacio's room I slowly bring the lights up, just enough to catch a glimpse of his big brown eyes. As I scoop him up he is warm and sleepy. I gently shhh him with my voice as I make my way to the rocker in his room. As I sit down he becomes more alert, looking up at me briefly in the dim light of the room. As I feed him his little hand moves up to my mouth then down my chest as I bring the blanket around his little toes. His eyes stay closed as he snuggles in. When he has had his fill I slowly bring him to my shoulder and he nestles in, managing to find his spot. I wrap the blanket around his little warm body and rock. All logic would say that it is time for my head to return to my pillow and to continue dreaming but the closeness and quietness keeps me there, sometimes for longer than I even expect. He is still. He is mine. When I have had my fill I slowly stand up and place him back in his crib. He rolls to his side and drifts back off to the world he was in before his little tummy woke him up with hunger. I shuffle my way back to my room feeling just as full with love.

That face...

I love spending time with Ignacio, especially because he is SO expressive. I wonder where he gets that from? Eating has become a daily show I rarely want to miss. I made some babyfood and every time he tries a new flavor I just sit back and wait patiently for his face. Today it was carrots. I thought they were really good but then again I've been eating them for some 28 or so years. The look on his face said something different. It was a cross between smelling roadkill and eating a lemon. Sometimes the face turns into a gag as if I just fed him cow brain. The funnier thing is that he just continued opening his mouth for more and repeating the same face after every bite.

I also love his face when he looks at me and laughs. There is just this moment when our eyes connect and we both recongnize the goofiness in the other and smile. I can tell he knows me well and I him. Yesterday that smile turned into an all-out giggle fest that lasted a couple of minutes. I don't know why but something in his face made me giddy and before I knew it he was chuckling right along with me, which in turn made me laugh more. Angel was sitting at the table watching the exchange as tears practically rolled down my face from laughting so hard and Ignacio, on the floor, could hardly contain himself. What a blessing, to have a new person to get giddy with. Angel will now have two unpredictable and unexplainable goofballs to survive!

Another new face is when he gets scared. Things that used to be delightful in his world have suddenly become new dangers lurking...a barking dog, a swing, the blender. His eyes squint and his mouth opens as his eyes grow wide with wonderment and then it comes, the cry. I have to admit it is heartbreaking to watch it but there is no better feeling in the world than scooping him up, holding him close and promising him it is okay, which is one promise I know I can keep.

Here is a quick video of Ignacio splashing in the river. Mommy forgot her swimsuit so the fun was limited! Next time!

Down by the river...

Yesterday we went to Minnehaha Falls here in Minneapolis and it was a beautiful day. The river was full and flowing and, while most kids were afraid to brave the waters, there was Ignacio, hands waving with excitement upon seeing the opportunity. He just got his feet wet but it sure made his day. All the Chinese tourists were taking pictures of him! He will be in some random family albums across the globe. I'm telling you, this kid attracts people! After he was so tired he fell asleep on papi's chest and we laid him in the grass as he took his nap, which, for anyone who knows Ignacio, is a miracle! After there was ice cream and walking. The first pictures of him in the stroller are at the end of the day when he was a bit grumpy. I thought I would post a few pictures of Ignacio not smiling just to prove that he has his moments too! Oh, and we think he is getting a second bottom tooth! Look at the picture of him eating with him mouth open. Do you see what I see?

Summer Fun

When my sister and I were little we spent days upon days in our plastic pools in the backyard at grandma's. Using old screens to keep them clean and black plastic tarp held to the sides by clothes pins, we catered to their cleanliness as if they were the top-of-the-line in-ground pools. Every morning we would wake up and run out in our pajamas, beginning our daily ritual of pool preparation...removing the plastic, checking the temperature, cleaning the impecable water of floating grass, or even worse, bugs and setting up the buckets to clean our feet before entering our watery havens. Many wonder what we could have possibly done for hours in a little pool but the possibilities were endless...make whirlpools by swimming around the edges fast, putting a smaller pool inside the bigger one to make a boat, or adding any inflatable object (usually way to big for our pint-sized pools). This is why, when two weeks ago we introduced Addison and Ignacio to a backyard pool, it was such a BIG deal. Krissy and I were practically more excited and just reveled in the nostalgia. The boys loved it and is was so fun to watch their faces. There experiences fit their personalities perfectly...Addison laid back in his flotaion device and observed the feel of the cool water and warm sun while Ignacio embraced the ability to finally move freely as he splashed and lapped the water like a puppy. But I must admit, I think it was Krissy and I that had the most fun. When the boys had had their fill and were taken out to get dried off and dressed by grandma and dad, there were Krissy and I, still in the pool with popsicles in hand daydreaming. I can't wait to help recreate some of the best summer memories of my life for Ignacio...bare feet in wet grass, Mr. Freeze popsicles, sprinkler runs and full days of pure imagination that runs as fast and free as the summer breeze.

Celebrate Good Times, Come On...

Well, there are many things in our lives right now to celebrate...but the biggest are these:
Angel has left Target and will no longer be living the life of a nocturnal species. He has accepted a wonderful position at Cargill as a Supply Chain Analyst. It was a great professional move and a timely fit for our family given our little peanut. Now he will be home every night and we have weekends together for the first time in two years!!! We are so excited. He already has his spark back. When he came home tonight we had a classy dinner of Burger King and champagne under cheesy streamers I hung all over the place. YEA!!

The other thing to celebrate is Ignacio's first tooth!!! It is almost all the way in and he has been a real trooper. It isn't easy having something bust through your skin that sharp! He had his six month check-up and weighs almost 20 pounds and is far exceeding the average development. He is up on all fours and almost able to crawl. He is such a ray of sunshine!!! The other day Angel took him for a walk on a windy day and he reached his little hand up to the sky and opened and closed it. Don't you wish we all tried to catch the wind? So adorable.

Our family is thankful for what we have and forgetful of what we don't. So many blessings....