Garden of Eden

While at the Garden of Eden...I mean my family's garden... I took it upon myself to take some shots of the beauty I was beholding. My new goal is to get a picture in Birds and Bloom. Ask Mary and Dirk. I am convinced at least ONE of them has to make it! All I can say is when I look at the pictures I think, "Birds and fricken Bloom baby!"

Summer Lovin'

Summer is upon us and in full swing. We have been outside for most of the days...at the beach, pool, with friends or with family.
Three words...Birds and Bloom. I'll explain later.

Hey, look at me. I like sucking on my fingers.

At the beach being BIG dorks.

HELLOOOO world. I'm Emilio!

Yea, maybe that eating-the-sand thing isn't such a great idea. Here we are at Elm Creek. Our version of Brown Deer Park.

My two silly boys. This is the day Emilio rolled over from back to front. Ignacio was right there like a cheerleader.

I LOVE this picture. Pure joy~

Raspberries the size of a grape...and yes, we ate them all.

We got our own PERSONAL garden tour, brought to us special by Mama Ama.

Mama Ama was great with Emilio and it was so special to have them meet. Just another full circle moment.

Love, love and more love from auntie Mary. I

Ignacio in his own world playing with the sand. He loves being in the sun (like Ama), doesn't mind the sand (like Papa) and can always go for an ice cream (like Mami).

Angel, the human jungle gym! Here we are in the pool on the roof. We have spent sooo many days there this summer. Can't beat it!

Me with my boys. Ama taught Ignacio to swim with his life jacket so my arms will no longer be sore after swimming with him.

The Moment

Ever have that moment in your life when you are doing exactly what you want to be doing? That moment when you wouldn't want to be anywhere else or doing anything else in the whole wide world. That moment when all the senses align and you experience the closest thing to perfect you may ever experience. There is no crystal blue water on a deserted island that looks better. There is no silence or solitude that you seek outside of that moment. This moment came to me on Sunday as I lay with the top of Emilio's head tucked under my chin as we took a rest together on a blanket in the shade at the beach. It was our moment.


Savor it
The moment
Soak it in like hot sun on a warm day
Be in it
The moment
Soon the shade comes to cool the skin

Love you too.

Today Ignacio looked at me out of the blue and said, "I love you mommy." I love him too. He then went over without a diaper on and practically sat on his brother's face. I choose to focus on the "I love you" part of the day.

Stats

Emilio at 4 months is:

16 lbs 10z = bigger than 90% of babies his age
27 inches long = longer than 97% of babies his age
really cute = 100% cuter than all babies his age

Four month check-up went really well. Ignacio brought his doctor kit and checked Emilio out before the doctor came in. Ignacio found everything to be in working order and felt it redundant to have to stay for a second opinion but I opted to stick around.

Today as I sat in my living room I had a total "oh my gosh" moment as Ignacio ran around playing in big boy underwear and Emilio was standing in his Exersaucer for the first time playing. I distinctly remember Ignacio at this exact age doing the same thing. It was when I started this blog. Incredible.

Here are some other exciting updates:

Ignacio's new favorite saying is "I need" and he uses it about 100 times a day. Today he "needed" to ride his bike, eat cookies and to have/do a bunch of other things. Ahhh...need versus want...welcome to life.

Ignacio is totally into jumping off EVERYTHING. When crossing the street he has to stop at the curb and wind up as if he is base jumping off some mountain. He bends way down and springs up...only to jump 4 inches down. At the park he goes down the slides but stops just short of sliding off of them only to stand and jump off.

Does anyone know...What is the standard amount of toilet paper needed after using the toilet? Ignacio's opinion seems to be about 1/4th of the roll.

Emilio's pajama feet were wet this morning and for a second I thought my Yanomami toddler had piddled on his little brother but it turns out he just figured out how to get them to his mouth.

Ignacio sings "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in the backseat for Emilio every time he cries.

Ignacio told me today "Ice cream is very important." I'm not going to argue that one.

Emilio signing on.

Hey...I figured out my mom's password on this thing. It's Emilio and typing when you just found out you even have hands just recently is hard but I will try. This week the funniest thing happened. I was laying in my crib just relaxing when I turned to my side and...all of sudden...I was looking up at my animal mobile. How did I get from my tummy to my back? Freaky! Scared the living daylights out of me. My mom came in and looked over the crib and seemed to think it was the greatest thing ever. I don't know what the big deal is. Oh yea, I have these cute things that look like hands at the bottom of my body. I think they are feet. Well, I can grab them now but can't quite get them in my mouth yet. I get A LOT of attention when I play with them. My mom and dad use the word "cute" a lot when I do it. The other little kid in the house is paying more attention to me. He comes over to me and likes to give me things like a big plastic toy at my head when I am laying in my crib. I think he is funny. I like looking at him. Well, I'm getting tired. I've been up for like 1 hour...I'm exhausted. Ba, ba la la la (that's baby for see you later).

Poop

"Do you have to go poop?" This has been the question ever since I have initiated the "Yanomami technique" for potty training. The Yanomami are an indigenous tribe of Venezuela and the technique goes like this...you take the kid's diaper off. The only two options are 1) Go on yourself or 2) use the potty. Brilliant! I was going to start potty training months ago but was too big and pregnant to stay consistent. Then Emilio was born I was too sick and I was always on the potty to even contemplate teaching Ignacio how to do it. But now, here we are four months later and we know Ignacio knows when he has to go. Step One accomplished. So, for two days he has been running around the house without a diaper on like a Yanomami in the jungle and going pee pee in the toilet all day. Hurray...but not poop. For some reason pooping outside of a diaper is highly anxiety-provoking for him. So today he has been playing around without a diaper on and, as I was nursing Emilio, saw the look in his eyes. He has to go!!! I gently suggested he sit on the potty and not two minutes later he proudly stood up and looked at his poop! YEA!! We went directly to the kitchen where he climbed up on the chair at the table and waited for the BIGGEST ice cream EVER!!!

On a smaller poop note, Emilio finally pooped after 7 days. 3oz of apple juice coupled with a tummy massage and warm bath and "SPLAT"! We were quite relieved. He didn't seem to see what the big deal was. Happy Fourth of July and Happy Pooping!