Lots of PICTURES!!!

Here are a bunch of recent pictures from this weekend. The pictures of us dressed up are at Addison's baptism today. It was really wonderful and we had a nice lunch after at Krissy and Chad's house. Ignacio amazingly slept through some of the mass and was bright eyed and bushy taled the rest of the day. My mom is here and it is so fun to see her with her grandbabies. Ignacio is in love...she is the only other person he knows besides his mom that can keep up with him. He loves her pink purse. The staps are the perfect texture and size for his gums. Now all he needs are matching shoes. The other pictures are of us at Joe's Garage on the roof eating din-din. My mom showed Ignacio how to drink out of a glass!!! He is only five months old but thinks it is pretty cool. My mom says he probably gets dehydrated with all the constand moving...and I mean CONSTANT! She also fed him BANANAS!!! He is so excited to be on to big boy food. She even got him a booster chair so that he can sit with the family and constantly drop his toys on the floor. Grandma says he has WONDERFUL table manners. He doesn't reach for the spoon or spit. He patiently waits with his mouth open and eyes wide like a little bird. Afterwards it is time for dessert...a cold washcloth just for him. He chews on it until his heart is content. Teeth should be on the way soon. Well, time for bed. Ignacio is already sleeping so we should too. Enjoy the pictures!

Amazing...

It is my first Mother's Day and I received one of my many presents from Ignacio at 3am after feeding him and laying next to him. Rather than go right to sleep he decided to make every sound he has EVER learned to make in a row for about a 10 minute concert. I just closed my eyes like it was music to my ears and was thankful to have him at my side. Angel made me breakfast in bed and gave mommie a gift certificate for a 90 MINUTE MASSAGE and haircut!! Seeing as my last haircut was during the second trimester of my pregnancy I am in NEED of a change! No really, NEED a change. Krista and I spent the day running around town with the car windows down and the music up as Chad took up the challenge of watching both the boys and he did a great job. When we came back he was walking with Addison in a front carrier and Ignacio in the stroller. Both the boys seemed happy as can be!

As Krissy and I saw women with their children today we just shook our heads like, "See, she should have some time alone to do what SHE wants to do." All mothers should have Mother's Day as a break AWAY from parenting in our opinion. Breaks are good!

It was so amazing to spend my first Mother's Day with my sister and enjoy this time together as women, sisters and mothers. Although we have this new function in our life we have maintained the true essence of who we are as Krista and Katrina. We get giddy, keep eachother grounded and have so much fun that most of the time people are probably worried that we are responsible for babies because we are so nuts! Before I had Ignacio I hoped for that. You see, so many people have children and then everything changes about them. You look at women and ask yourself, "Where are YOU amidst all the change?" I hope that who I am as Katrina is just enhanced and deepened by caring for Igancio and he fills his space in the world.

The truth of the matter is that being a mom is something anyone can do, but being a good mom is hard work. I ask the universe for strength, wisdom, patience and laughter to do my best every day to be the best mom I can for Ignacio, even on the days I feel I fall short. And to all the women in the world I say, "You are amazing."

Good night to all the mothers in my life...I have to get to bed so I don't miss another Ignacio concert.

Boot Scootin' Boogy

Angel Ignacio loves his exersaucer and I have been thinking I am going crazy because I swear it is in one place in the living room and then when I look over it is in another spot. I know sleep deprivation can do things to you but this was really weird! I finally solved the mystery while watching Ignacio in it. He has managed to rock the ENTIRE thing back and forth by moving his legs like he is walking and scooting it across the hardwood floors. The other day he saw a toy in his swing and managed to rock and scoot over to it!!! For your information, this thing isn't on wheels!!! He is a strong boy!

Today we had his on his tummy and, while he has been rolling since three and a half months, he can now do his trick to the right, left, from front to back and back to front. Amazing!! Angel was calling him with his hands to see if he would crawl and he managed to scoot himself on his belly to within a foot of his papi after doing to strategic rolls to get closer like a little GI Joe.

Anyone who has been with him knows he likes to MOVE!!! Let the games begin!!

Warning: Do not try this in your own crib!

And now...for your enjoyment...we have...Angel Ignacio...performing the dangerous feat of... (DRAMATIC DRUM ROLL) rolling over. Ladies and gentlemen...we need complete silence...it takes tremendous concentration.

Musica Maestro!

We always have music playing at our house every day. Ignacio and I wake up in the morning and the music goes on. As I make breakfast he gets a kick out of watching me sing and be goofy. In the car he loves the music on. If he gets cranky in the car seat Angel and I blast salsa music and he calms down. For the first three months of his life Angel danced EVERY night with him to old-school merengue music. Most babies require lullabies or nature sounds but Ignacio has always required music with strong rhythm. That is the VENEZUELAN blood in him! The only "white noise" Ignacio appreciates is the fan in our room while he is sleeping. The radio in our living room is on the bookshelf and Igancio has recently been more observant to the source of his music. When a song starts his turns his head in the direction of the bookshelf and stares...trying to figure out exactly where it is coming from. He never used to pay so much attention but now, every morning, he looks intently like an investigator trying to get to the bottom of this "music coming out of the wall" phenomonon. So curious! Let the music play on!!

The smile that lights the world...

Ignacio woke up from his nap and when I came in the room he was facing the opposite direction he fell asleep in and on the opposite end of the crib... meaning that he is scooting around on his belly already. We just went for a walk in park and his little eyes gaze at everything in such a wonderous way...the green grass, tall trees, singing birds and budding flowers. He is quiet and observant just taking it all in. No distraction. How exciting to see things for the first time. No wonder he gets so excited! As I sat on the park bench I too began seeing things through his eyes and rather than name them all for him I just entered his world where nothing has a label yet and it came alive in a new way. As the sun hit his face he began to smile when he once again realized I was at his side. I know I am his mom, but his smile is such a light that really touches everyone he meets. We need more light in the world and for Ignacio in my world I am forever grateful.

Rub a Dub Dub

JUST PRESS PLAY AND IMAGE APPEARS!!!

Here is Ignacio at bath time tonight. He gets so excited! Watch how his eyes get intense as he sees the cup coming...remind you of anyone?! You can see in this video how much he is moving his legs and watch him grab for the cup! This is our night-time ritual followed by diaper, a rub over with lotion, a combing of the hair, jammies and then a night cap of milky-milky!