Things I don't EVER want to forget:
*Emilio's little sayings:
-Amo Mami
-Lalalu for Dinosaur train
-Daqui for Lighting McQueen
-mano for hermano
-mas arriba for higher in the swings
-allboardchoochootren the game the boys play with each other every night
-Lala for elmo
-bebe does it
-Yo!! for "I do it"
-nuggies for snuggles
-No tu for no you
Emilio is such a big boy but I feel myself holding on to him so tightly as a baby, especially considering recent events. I cry because I can't recall him as a baby off the top of my head. I don't remember every month, every moment. Some of it is all a blur because I was so sick. I want it all back. I want to live it all again with him. I know I was there but I can't remember it "like it was yesterday" and I know that today will be one of those days in the future when I long to remember him at 2 years 3 months. He is so beautiful. He is so kind. He shocks people with his politeness and he is ADORABLE. His character is strong and his throws his fits, cries and screams and you know it when he is mad. He is intense and I try hard not to just give in as to avoid WWIII half the time. He and his brother love each other. They play so well together. They snuggle. They say gracias and por favor to each other. Today Emilio fell and Ignacio requested to put his bandaid on for him. They are so wonderful in each other's lives. Emilio always thinks about his brother, always requested the thing he is requesting for his brother too. Ignacio equally wants to be like his brother. If one is in shoes and the other in sandles they will switch to both be in the same thing. If one has short sleeves on the wants that too. They are so funny that way. He is growing so fast too. He is already in 3T clothes and so long. He is healthy and strong. When he runs he looks like a 4 year old. He is fearless...he jumped in the pool without his life jacket on and after Angel fished him out he wanted to do it again. I look at him in amazement. It seems like a dream that my body made them; that they turned out okay. This time with him is unforgettable but it is sadly so easy to forget.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Talk back
Oh boy, we have hit the talking back phase. We knew it was coming at age 4 and it has arrived. Ignacio is a talker anyway. He says EVERYTHING that is on his mind. This makes talking back a bit tricky. It has taken him awhile to get what "talking back" is. For him he is just saying what is in his head; which is what he always does. But, all good things must come to an end and his habit of saying everything that comes to mind has to be curbed. It is important in life to know when to stay quiet; when to think something but not say it; when to SHUT UP. Believe me. I have wanted to say that more than once...but I don't. So, we have zero tolerance. Angel was raised without talking back to his parents and we both agree kids here have gotten out of control with talking back. Too many chances, too many excuses, too many parental statements that end in a conversation. Nipping this right in the bud. I have a feeling we will be working on this for the rest of our lives with him but he is getting the message. I can see him fighting his natural urge to continue dialogue about something but he is slowly learning to "let it go" and "hold that thought" and be quiet. Silence...was a precious gift. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Winter Wonderland Vacation
Here we are hitting the road to head north...notice the boys are already sleeping in the back!
Some pictures at the pool. We swam every day. The boys loved it. Angel and I actually were able to BOTH sit down as they jumped in and out with their lifejackets on. What a milestone!
The above picture is one of my most memorable moments of the trip. We are sitting as it is snowing and I said to Emilio, "Shhhh...listen to the snow fall." We sat, perfectly focused on the present moment and a calm came over him. It was magical.Emilio wanted to call Mama Ama the WHOLE vacation. One of his favorite games was to say, "Mama Ama" and then go to the phone, pretend to talk and then say, "Bye" and hang up. We called her so that she could talk to him. It made his day...and hers!
Ignacio went ice skating for the first time. Here he is as a serious hockey player. He mostly just wanted to sit on the ice and play. Lacing up my skates brought back MAJOR memories from being little.
Emilio dressed himself.
The boys and I pretended to be in a house under the pine tree. 
We sat under this tree after Ignacio and I hiked for 1/2 an hour in the woods.
At one point he stopped and closed his eyes, put his hands together and said, "Dear God, we won't hurt your plants." Amazing.
Our familia....Emilio is a TOTAL Papa's boy. He sticks to him like glue. We are always making sure to give Ignacio extra time because he definately has competition in the Papa Department. Angel is so good about it though and makes a special effort with both the boys. They are so loved!
Here we are at the local General Store...that is actually the name...General Store. I love it! Liquidation SALE!! Notice that Ignacio bought a top hat and sun glasses. He says he is preparing for his job as "boss" at Emilio's upcoming birthday party. He also bought a microphone. Oh boy. Emilio got glasses too as to keep up with the fashion trends...or mostly just keep up with Ignacio.
We bought the boys scuba gear at the General Store. They thought they were sooooo cool. Notice Ignacio is without lifejacket!!!!
Ignacio wore his first pair of flip flops. He is offically size 1/2 in boys. No more toddler sizes. He looked so grown up with them on I seriously had a major moment watching him walk around the pool in them. I had to take a picture. FYI He asked if he could sleep in them.
On a nature walk. Note the binoculars. Nature observing is serious business.
This is the jacuzzi tub in our room. They boys took a bath in it every night and had a BLAST!Friday, March 2, 2012
This winter has hit us hard in terms of health. Between the stomach flu, strep, runny noses, fevers, viral rashes and ear infections we have had our whoping share of not feeling well this winter. Even Angel got double ear infections, which gave me a secret glimpse into what it will be like to live with him when he is 70 years old. "What??? What??? I can't hear you??!!!" UGGHHHHH!
The kids, other than being on and off sick are growing so big and strong and HILARIOUS. As I write this we are on vacation in northern Minnesota at a resort together as a family. It is actually our first family vacation with just the four of us. No one elses schedule to follow, not worrying about what others need. It is just us; at our own rhythm. Eight day stay in a really nice condo in the woods with jacuzzi tub (which the boys used every night for their baths), fireplace (which the boys ate picnics in front of frequently), backyard (which the boys trampled around in to play in the snow) and pools galore (which we visited every day, sometimes two times a day). We did some planned activity stuff...ice skating, games, etc. but mostly we just were with eachother. Today we went into town to the General Store and it was GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! Everything was a dollar and I screamed. It made me wish my mom and sister were with me. We LOVE things like this!!!!! 33 dollars later we left with the most RANDOM things...flip flops, scuba masks and coloring books.
Angel put it best when he said that here we had our "own little bubble" this week and that is exactly what it has felt like. Our home away from home with no where to go and no one to see. I have done a lot of meditating both sitting and walking, reading (I finished three books) and a ton of snuggling with Angel and the boys. Actually, now that I think of it, we have mostly snuggled! There will be pictures to follow.
Emilio has just blossomed into his own beautiful little person. He is our baby golden boy. In fact, if you ask him if he is a big boy he says, "Uh uh...bebe!" Okay, we got it Emilio. You are the baby. He is his own being. I don't know if it happened during this trip or if life just slowed down enough for me to finally notice. He is a solid member of our family. He is strong willed, funny and talking more and more each day. He just started putting two words together and his primary language appears to be Spanish, which is enough to make any parent fighting the current to raise bilingual kids proud. The other day he said, "Papa, mira" (Papa look) and Angel and I just laughed. He concentrated so hard to put those two words together. It is such a conscious effort. He is his brother's leader and, at the same time, shadow. One minute he is poking his brother or trying to make him laugh and the next he is watching Ignacio so closely so that he can do the exact same thing. He is rough and tumble with energetic snuggles and hugs with teeth gritting and hair all wild and then he is sweet and serene, stroking your face as he gently pulls you closer to him. He is our Emilio and he is turning two. Five more days to savor every minute with him as a one year old and take him all in as he is in this moment.
Ignacio is brilliant. He is our little golden boy. His capacity for compassion, generosity and understanding is breath-taking. He is constantly talking...but mostly asking questions. "Mommy, what does "cheat" mean? Mommy, what does "equal" mean? Mommy, does Peter Pan know how to drive? Mommy, does God make things die? Mommy, did you know Emilio is my baby dragon? Mommy, what does "civilization" mean? Mommy, tell me a story about when I was born. Mommy, did your heart feel my hug just now? Mommy, are God and Buddha friends?"....on and on. All day every day. He recently made a card for his preschool teacher because she is out sick and requested that I write, "Be happy and never loose your heart" on the front. That is Ignacio. He is intense and fiery when he needs to be. He is eager to learn. The other day he called me into the room and proudly displayed his name he has written all by himself on the dry erase board. I couldn't even believe it. This vacation he swam without a life jacket. My baby, who I held next to my heart every night for the first two weeks of his life, is jumping into a pool and swimming the length of it with his own strength and coordination. I could barely contain the tears.
The best gift is the two of them together. They are the best of friends. They fight, hit each other, argue over toys and who gets to press the elevator button. They are normal brothers who fight for our attention and get jealous when one gets more than the other. But outside of those moments, which are so few, they are beautiful together. Ignacio anxiously cares for Emilio as if he is his own baby, never entering the elevator until Emilio has, never running ahead in a parking lot without seeing his brother in front of him. He is his caretaker. Emilio knows when to bend and when to stay firm in their relationship. For instance, he will hold his ground and fight yet give his brother the toy Ignacio so badly wants that he is crying . The other day I came into the living room only to find them laying side by side rubbing eachother's heads. While taking a bath together they will stop playing and just hug. It is adorable. They are partners. They seek eachother and provide for eachother in only ways that brothers could do. They are precious.
The kids, other than being on and off sick are growing so big and strong and HILARIOUS. As I write this we are on vacation in northern Minnesota at a resort together as a family. It is actually our first family vacation with just the four of us. No one elses schedule to follow, not worrying about what others need. It is just us; at our own rhythm. Eight day stay in a really nice condo in the woods with jacuzzi tub (which the boys used every night for their baths), fireplace (which the boys ate picnics in front of frequently), backyard (which the boys trampled around in to play in the snow) and pools galore (which we visited every day, sometimes two times a day). We did some planned activity stuff...ice skating, games, etc. but mostly we just were with eachother. Today we went into town to the General Store and it was GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! Everything was a dollar and I screamed. It made me wish my mom and sister were with me. We LOVE things like this!!!!! 33 dollars later we left with the most RANDOM things...flip flops, scuba masks and coloring books.
Angel put it best when he said that here we had our "own little bubble" this week and that is exactly what it has felt like. Our home away from home with no where to go and no one to see. I have done a lot of meditating both sitting and walking, reading (I finished three books) and a ton of snuggling with Angel and the boys. Actually, now that I think of it, we have mostly snuggled! There will be pictures to follow.
Emilio has just blossomed into his own beautiful little person. He is our baby golden boy. In fact, if you ask him if he is a big boy he says, "Uh uh...bebe!" Okay, we got it Emilio. You are the baby. He is his own being. I don't know if it happened during this trip or if life just slowed down enough for me to finally notice. He is a solid member of our family. He is strong willed, funny and talking more and more each day. He just started putting two words together and his primary language appears to be Spanish, which is enough to make any parent fighting the current to raise bilingual kids proud. The other day he said, "Papa, mira" (Papa look) and Angel and I just laughed. He concentrated so hard to put those two words together. It is such a conscious effort. He is his brother's leader and, at the same time, shadow. One minute he is poking his brother or trying to make him laugh and the next he is watching Ignacio so closely so that he can do the exact same thing. He is rough and tumble with energetic snuggles and hugs with teeth gritting and hair all wild and then he is sweet and serene, stroking your face as he gently pulls you closer to him. He is our Emilio and he is turning two. Five more days to savor every minute with him as a one year old and take him all in as he is in this moment.
Ignacio is brilliant. He is our little golden boy. His capacity for compassion, generosity and understanding is breath-taking. He is constantly talking...but mostly asking questions. "Mommy, what does "cheat" mean? Mommy, what does "equal" mean? Mommy, does Peter Pan know how to drive? Mommy, does God make things die? Mommy, did you know Emilio is my baby dragon? Mommy, what does "civilization" mean? Mommy, tell me a story about when I was born. Mommy, did your heart feel my hug just now? Mommy, are God and Buddha friends?"....on and on. All day every day. He recently made a card for his preschool teacher because she is out sick and requested that I write, "Be happy and never loose your heart" on the front. That is Ignacio. He is intense and fiery when he needs to be. He is eager to learn. The other day he called me into the room and proudly displayed his name he has written all by himself on the dry erase board. I couldn't even believe it. This vacation he swam without a life jacket. My baby, who I held next to my heart every night for the first two weeks of his life, is jumping into a pool and swimming the length of it with his own strength and coordination. I could barely contain the tears.
The best gift is the two of them together. They are the best of friends. They fight, hit each other, argue over toys and who gets to press the elevator button. They are normal brothers who fight for our attention and get jealous when one gets more than the other. But outside of those moments, which are so few, they are beautiful together. Ignacio anxiously cares for Emilio as if he is his own baby, never entering the elevator until Emilio has, never running ahead in a parking lot without seeing his brother in front of him. He is his caretaker. Emilio knows when to bend and when to stay firm in their relationship. For instance, he will hold his ground and fight yet give his brother the toy Ignacio so badly wants that he is crying . The other day I came into the living room only to find them laying side by side rubbing eachother's heads. While taking a bath together they will stop playing and just hug. It is adorable. They are partners. They seek eachother and provide for eachother in only ways that brothers could do. They are precious.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Merry New Year
Well, I am sitting on the couch watching the star on the top of Christmas tree flash for no reason and thinking, "Tomorrow we take it down." Oh yes, the holiday season has come and gone. Angel just ran to get a movie and our two beautiful boys are soundly sleeping. And so I sit, in a quite house and write. Here are some of the highlights of our holiday season...
*Ignacio wrote his first letter to Baby Jesus this year (well...Angel wrote while Ignacio dictated) and we placed it in the tree to wait for Baby Jesus to come scoop it up. And sure enough on December 13th in the morning it was gone. Ignacio asked for a magnifying glass, binoculars and a Spiderman that talks. He got all three.
*Emilio says "Ho Ho" anytime he sees anything Christmas related and we probably heard it close to a billion times in a month span. His little pursed lips make it one of the highlights of the season for me.
*We decided to buy our tree at ACE Hardware...I know...not the image you conjure up when imagining the experience of cutting down your tree...but...it was the BEST tree we have EVER had. As I am sitting here now I can still smell it. Only $24.95!!
*We spent Christmas in the big white house in Athens and it was amazing to watch our little ones make memories in the house Mama Ama did as a little girl. I laughed, I cried, I ate. My highlight was interviewing my grandma for the book I got her for Christmas. My respect for her only deepened learning more about her past and her hopes for me in the future.
*Angel made TWO Venezuelan meals this holiday season. The first was at Mama Ama's house for Christmas and the second was at Tia Casey's house for New Year's Eve. Amazing.
*After unpacking our bags from Athens we packed them up again to head to the North Shore to see Casey. It felt relaxing to be a warm, nurturing place where there was someone asking ME what I needed and wanted rather than being the one cooking, cleaning and tending after the little ones. I did little cooking, almost no cleaning and much reading and relaxing.
*The New Year was brought in along side my love bug Angel after a beautful meal with great people at Casey's house. We did it full Venezuelan style from the food to the traditions and grapes. It was great. The boys slept the WHOLE night both nights there!!! I was coming off a day of nausea and stomach pain but managing to feel better within 24 hours.
*Now we wait and wish for SNOW!!! The kids now have all the gear...we just need the white stuff!!! Here is hoping January will totally make up for the warm, grey month of December.
I am thankful for all the love in my life that comes to me in the form of family and friends who make my life full of life and laughter. I am thankful for the lessons of this year and the strength I have found in myself to create a healthy and safe childhood for my kids. I am sad for the losses I have experienced and continue to experience but continue to hold hope that love conquers all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
*Ignacio wrote his first letter to Baby Jesus this year (well...Angel wrote while Ignacio dictated) and we placed it in the tree to wait for Baby Jesus to come scoop it up. And sure enough on December 13th in the morning it was gone. Ignacio asked for a magnifying glass, binoculars and a Spiderman that talks. He got all three.
*Emilio says "Ho Ho" anytime he sees anything Christmas related and we probably heard it close to a billion times in a month span. His little pursed lips make it one of the highlights of the season for me.
*We decided to buy our tree at ACE Hardware...I know...not the image you conjure up when imagining the experience of cutting down your tree...but...it was the BEST tree we have EVER had. As I am sitting here now I can still smell it. Only $24.95!!
*We spent Christmas in the big white house in Athens and it was amazing to watch our little ones make memories in the house Mama Ama did as a little girl. I laughed, I cried, I ate. My highlight was interviewing my grandma for the book I got her for Christmas. My respect for her only deepened learning more about her past and her hopes for me in the future.
*Angel made TWO Venezuelan meals this holiday season. The first was at Mama Ama's house for Christmas and the second was at Tia Casey's house for New Year's Eve. Amazing.
*After unpacking our bags from Athens we packed them up again to head to the North Shore to see Casey. It felt relaxing to be a warm, nurturing place where there was someone asking ME what I needed and wanted rather than being the one cooking, cleaning and tending after the little ones. I did little cooking, almost no cleaning and much reading and relaxing.
*The New Year was brought in along side my love bug Angel after a beautful meal with great people at Casey's house. We did it full Venezuelan style from the food to the traditions and grapes. It was great. The boys slept the WHOLE night both nights there!!! I was coming off a day of nausea and stomach pain but managing to feel better within 24 hours.
*Now we wait and wish for SNOW!!! The kids now have all the gear...we just need the white stuff!!! Here is hoping January will totally make up for the warm, grey month of December.
I am thankful for all the love in my life that comes to me in the form of family and friends who make my life full of life and laughter. I am thankful for the lessons of this year and the strength I have found in myself to create a healthy and safe childhood for my kids. I am sad for the losses I have experienced and continue to experience but continue to hold hope that love conquers all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Full of Firsts
We attended Ignacio's first parent-teacher conference. I am not going to brag...but...the teacher did use the word "advanced."
In a nutshell...Ignacio:
*prefers social interaction over playing alone
*talks A LOT
*is respectful and kind
*has many friends and interacts with everyone
*is fluid in Spanish and English
*is a great listener...one of the only ones that stays sitting during circle time
*makes people laugh
*regulates conversations by looking away
*knows all his letters and numbers up to 20
*is empathetic..he knows who is out sick and asks about them
*talks all the time about his brother
*is good at letting people know what he needs
Last weekend was his first concert and the Joyce Holiday Fiesta. Auntie was right there to cheer him on. As I had the video camera pointed at Igancio ready to sing in the big gym I noticed that Emilio was no where to be found. Not wanting to take the camera off Ignacio but also wanting to find Emilio, I panicked. As I looked through the screen of the video camera I noticed a little boy in the front row with the kids up on the stage ready to sing. It was my little Emilio. He was up there ready to go and up there is where he stayed all three songs. He was moving back and forth and making eye contact with the audience.
This just solidified the fact that Emilio thinks he is in preschool. On the days Ignacio goes, Emilio carries his lunch box to school and upon entering, Emilio hangs his coat up on the hook with Ignacio's. Before you know if he is off and running into the classroom until I have to take him out kicking and screaming because he wants to stay. Well, he had his moment at the Fiesta up on stage like a big boy. Ignacio sang beautifully and was shy. He held his friend Jacob's hand the whole time. It was adorable...every part of it was adorable.
In a nutshell...Ignacio:
*prefers social interaction over playing alone
*talks A LOT
*is respectful and kind
*has many friends and interacts with everyone
*is fluid in Spanish and English
*is a great listener...one of the only ones that stays sitting during circle time
*makes people laugh
*regulates conversations by looking away
*knows all his letters and numbers up to 20
*is empathetic..he knows who is out sick and asks about them
*talks all the time about his brother
*is good at letting people know what he needs
Last weekend was his first concert and the Joyce Holiday Fiesta. Auntie was right there to cheer him on. As I had the video camera pointed at Igancio ready to sing in the big gym I noticed that Emilio was no where to be found. Not wanting to take the camera off Ignacio but also wanting to find Emilio, I panicked. As I looked through the screen of the video camera I noticed a little boy in the front row with the kids up on the stage ready to sing. It was my little Emilio. He was up there ready to go and up there is where he stayed all three songs. He was moving back and forth and making eye contact with the audience.
This just solidified the fact that Emilio thinks he is in preschool. On the days Ignacio goes, Emilio carries his lunch box to school and upon entering, Emilio hangs his coat up on the hook with Ignacio's. Before you know if he is off and running into the classroom until I have to take him out kicking and screaming because he wants to stay. Well, he had his moment at the Fiesta up on stage like a big boy. Ignacio sang beautifully and was shy. He held his friend Jacob's hand the whole time. It was adorable...every part of it was adorable.
4 years of love and life!
The post is a little late, but better late than never right? Ignacio is four. Yea, you heard me. Ignacio is four. Once again I reminisced about the length of my labor...remembering back over the two days before he was born what I was doing and where I was. He woke up the day of his birthday this year so early and so excited to be four and we were sure to make it sure it was special. I had preordered tickets for the Aquarium, which we had never been to. Ignacio, Emilio and I made our way there and the excitement was mounting. I have to admit...it was pretty cool. There is a huge tunnel and you feel like you are actually in the ocean. The huge sharks and turtles swim right over your head. I took a picture with my phone of Ignacio at this part of the visit and I had a moment. As I looked at it on my phone he looked so big. His bright eyes were glowing and his lanky little body was tall and strong. He is a preschooler...almost a school-aged kid and he is beautiful. After lunch at home and a day full of play we returned to the Mall Of America to meet Angel where we had a special dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. It reminded me of being there with my mom when Ignacio was really little and she requested a change from having a view of the huge dancing gorillas to a seat next to the big fish tank. This time around he was fascinated by the huge animals but still anxious. After eating waaaaaay too much food Angel took the boys back to the Aquarium to take a look also. As we arrived home we lit a candle on a cupcake. Ignacio requested that HE sing to us, rather than the other way around. Goofball. As we tucked him I thanked God for him. Thanked the universe for bringing me such a gift in the form of a bright light we decided to name Angel Ignacio four years ago.
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