1.5

Ignacio is one and a half years old! For his "half-birthday" mama and Ignacio packed a yummy picnic and went to two parks and went swimming in one lake and one pool. To mark the occassion papa attempted his first official commute to work on his bike (a '77 Schwin), which he achieved! (It's like 24 miles one way people) In just six months I will be sitting hear talking about my two year old toddler and all that he brings to my life, but for now he is still my baby boy whose butt looks small in diapers and who still teeters around babbling. He can still get away with throwing his snack crackers around the living room rug and intentially tipping his sippy cup upside down as to create a puddle which he quickly sticks his feet in. The word "no" is acquiring more meaning as he equates it with meaning the opposite of "yes".

We experienced our first "night terrors" with Ignacio last week and, let me tell you it is something freaky. I was about to pray a rosary and you all know how long its been since that has happened! After researching them the next night I realized we did everything wrong like try to hold him, attempt to comfort him and say his name. I guess the hugging him while singing his name prolonged the fiasco. Good news...he won't remember it...bad news...he will if he goes to regression therapy.

This is my last week of working during the day and I am about to embark on a new adventure along with Ignacio, Addison and Krista. All of our weeks are about to look very different with me staying at home full-time with Ignacio. We are all connected in such a special way that I am sure not much will change... except I won't leave two crying boys plastered up against the bay window at Krista's watching me as I hop into my car and ask myself, "Why am doing this again?" Although I am sure I will ask myself that question a million more times in a million more ways in my life.

Sacrifice

What can an MBA say about a man? I can tell you what it says about Angel. It says he has the unlimited capacity to take enormous challenges and chances not for himself, but for our family. It says he can stay up all night patiently with a fussy newborn and write a paper the next day. It says he can make sacrifices to achieve his dream without ever making his family that sacrifce. It says he can be exhausted and frustrated but never an exhausted and frustrated husband or father. It says that he is strong, but most importantly, WE are strong.

Precious Moments

Papa has big shoes to fill, in more ways than one!

Family in Panama can't be at the table with him so looking at their picture is the next best thing.

Calculators can be phones too; can't they?

What do 350 Q-tips look like on the bathroom floor? Take a look.

Priceless

Time it takes to run to Walgreens for Sour Patch Kids: 15 minutes

Cost of gas to make the trip: $0.16

Sale price of the candy: $1.00

The look on your kid's face when they put it in their mouth: Priceless

Put it back.

For months I have been saying, "Put it back" as I clean things up with the eternal hope that Ignacio would soon grasp the concept of kindly cleaning up after himself. I sweetly imagine the day when I no longer trail behind him all day breaking my tender back picking up everything he throws, drops, drags and moves. Whether it is toilet paper strewn about the bedroom floor or plastic blocks dancing down the hallway, mommy has been eager for Ignacio to grasp the developmental ability to "put it back!"

Well, the day has nearly arrived and then some. I am slowly finding that Ignacio is somewhat of a "neat freak" now that he is able to "put it back" and here is a video to prove it. Notice he only has one shoe on because the video was shot as he approached the shoe rack to find his other one, only to notice that things were quite in disarray. Oh no, it could not be. Notice at the end of the video when he pushed the shoe so it is in line with the other!

He has quite an eye and is making mommy (a self-proclaimed neat freak) proud. Nothing like passing on your anxious tendencies to your child! Hopefully when he is older he is able to have guests unexpectently stop by without nearly having a panic attack because the house isn't perfect or relax and enjoy a day even when the kitchen floor is dirty and your socks stick to it. I hope I learn that some day too.

Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day and I am in my big fluffy robe, Igancio is sitting next to me on the bed spouting off babble in his adorable way and my belly is stuffed with a big yummy breakfast Angel made for me. Today I slept in until 9am (which is like noon in "mom-time")and woke up to a dozen roses. Never underestimate the loving capacity of Angel. This year on this day I just want to spend as much time with Ignacio as possible. I feel this intense happiness that he is in my life. If I could stick him back inside of me I would, just to have him that close again. Last year I was convinced that Mother's Day should be reserved as a day WITHOUT your kid, as a well-deserved break but, for some reason it is different for me this year. Maybe it is because I am sleeping more that 5 hours a night for more that 3 nights in a row. Maybe it is because I am eating three meals a day. Maybe it is just that I have found a balance in life as Ignacio has grown. I am back to showering every day, reading books, watching TV at night and making runs to Barnes and Noble all by myself. There is a sense of normalcy that has found its way back to me. One thing I have definately learned is that, for everything as a mom the saying"This too shall pass" is true. Whether it is something hard or easy, good or bad, painful or joyul it, in its own time, shall pass and you will find yourself suddenly on to something new. So, I am off to enjoy my day with my spunky boy and loving husband and be present in what life it really about, the now.