The other morning Emilio was hungry so he helped himself to watermelon. I literally mean "helped himself." I came out into the living room and he had taken the ENTIRE half watermelon out of the fridge and had it on the coffee table. Why use a spoon when you have your hands? Needless to say there was a clean-up in aisle 5! Ay Emilio.
My two boys are quite squirrely lately. They spend countless hours running after each other, rolling around on the ground and screaming. Their new thing is scaring one another and I usually spend most of the day with Emilio wrapped around my legs as he laughs trying to hide from Ignacio. I am happy they get along so well, even if it can loud sometimes.
I tried to put only underwear on Emilio, which lasted 20 minutes before he was squatting out on the balcony peeing on himself. Not to mention he did it up against the screen so some of it was bound to run down the downstairs neighbors' screen. She probably thought I was watering my plants. Good Lord.
With the both the boys in toddler beds they now fall asleep in the same room and sleep the night in their own beds. It fun to hear them laughing at night as the wind down. We never thought we would get to this day but here was are!
Monday, September 10, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Picture's worth a thousand words...
Round Two
Ignacio woke up on Tuesday ready to rock and roll. First day of the last year of preschool. When I came out into the living room Angel had already dressed him and his hair was combed and his new shoes were on. He looked adorable. He insisted that Emilio be in every picture with him. He was adorable.
As we got into the preschool he found his name and made his way into the class. The kids were reading and playing and he clung to my leg for a few minutes just taking it all in. The new teacher asked if he wanted to play and he quickly joined. I approached Emilio who was already playing and told him it was almost time to go. He gave me a kiss as if to say goodbye and then I had to break it to him that he wasn't staying. Unfortunately, for him, he was going to have to leave with me every time like last year. I looked for Ignacio and found him sitting on a bench reading a book by himself and the tears came. As I paid close attention to his little back and the minature nature of his hands I realized how small he still is. I didn't want to leave him. He was too little and the world was too big but then the panic was over and I say my goodbye.
This time next year he will be gone all day to kindergarten and it will be Emilio's turn to stay behind. I pray for wisdom to continue to raise such good people who are kind, energetic and social. People who are compassionate, caring and willing to learn. Little people who will grow to be great men.
As we got into the preschool he found his name and made his way into the class. The kids were reading and playing and he clung to my leg for a few minutes just taking it all in. The new teacher asked if he wanted to play and he quickly joined. I approached Emilio who was already playing and told him it was almost time to go. He gave me a kiss as if to say goodbye and then I had to break it to him that he wasn't staying. Unfortunately, for him, he was going to have to leave with me every time like last year. I looked for Ignacio and found him sitting on a bench reading a book by himself and the tears came. As I paid close attention to his little back and the minature nature of his hands I realized how small he still is. I didn't want to leave him. He was too little and the world was too big but then the panic was over and I say my goodbye.
This time next year he will be gone all day to kindergarten and it will be Emilio's turn to stay behind. I pray for wisdom to continue to raise such good people who are kind, energetic and social. People who are compassionate, caring and willing to learn. Little people who will grow to be great men.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Grand Finale
Well, abuelo and abuela just left after a three-week stay and the kids had so much fun tackling abuelo and giving abuela sweet kisses. Our embraces were long at the airport and the grief to see them leave was strong. It felt good to have family around and we felt love and support in our parenting journey. So now I look at the calendar and we have two more weeks of summer. The grand finale!
The air is cool in the mornings and the leaves are tinged with yellow. Fall is making it's way upon us...I can feel it. My boys are beautiful and growing and changing almost as quickly as the leaves on the trees. Ignacio is tall and lean. He is smart and hyper. He is quick and active. He is kind and loving. His second and last year of preschool is coming up and we are buying his clothes (size 6 pants) and getting ready for his new experience. He will be there three days a week, a good transition to kindergarten. We are working on his whining, slowing his body down when he is upset and his focus. It is tough but we're doing it. I think school will help.
And my baby Emilio. He is getting so big. No more booster chair, no more crib for naps, no more 2T pants. He is intense and strong. He knows who he is. He is snuggly and kind. He is fire and ice. He is getting better at switching tracks when upset and the tantrums are decreasing slowly. He will miss his brother this year while he is at school. They are best friends for sure.
And Angel and I are so proud of our family. We sit at night talking and remembering. We remember how it all began with a swing on the dance floor and the hard work it took to be together. We remember the dream to have kids and raise them together as a family. We remember the love that brought us together and the love that is now manifested 1,000 times a day in our home in so many ways. And we wake up every day remembering that today will take patience, commitment and love to make it to tomorrow.
The air is cool in the mornings and the leaves are tinged with yellow. Fall is making it's way upon us...I can feel it. My boys are beautiful and growing and changing almost as quickly as the leaves on the trees. Ignacio is tall and lean. He is smart and hyper. He is quick and active. He is kind and loving. His second and last year of preschool is coming up and we are buying his clothes (size 6 pants) and getting ready for his new experience. He will be there three days a week, a good transition to kindergarten. We are working on his whining, slowing his body down when he is upset and his focus. It is tough but we're doing it. I think school will help.
And my baby Emilio. He is getting so big. No more booster chair, no more crib for naps, no more 2T pants. He is intense and strong. He knows who he is. He is snuggly and kind. He is fire and ice. He is getting better at switching tracks when upset and the tantrums are decreasing slowly. He will miss his brother this year while he is at school. They are best friends for sure.
And Angel and I are so proud of our family. We sit at night talking and remembering. We remember how it all began with a swing on the dance floor and the hard work it took to be together. We remember the dream to have kids and raise them together as a family. We remember the love that brought us together and the love that is now manifested 1,000 times a day in our home in so many ways. And we wake up every day remembering that today will take patience, commitment and love to make it to tomorrow.
No new memories
Dear Grandma,
I have been putting off writing on the blog. You were one of the main reasons I ever started it to begin with. I remember Ignacio as a baby and me writing new posts. I would wait for your phone call to tell me you had read it and you would laugh and say I was such a great writer. Now those phone calls won't come. No new phone calls will come. Today I was filling out Ignacio's school forms and it asked if there were any new events or changes in the child's life. I burst into tears as I wrote that you had died. Ignacio came to tell me something and asked what I had in my eye as he noticed I was crying. I said that they were tears. He then asked why I was sad and I said it was because I missed you and he looked at me and said you were always with me. With that he took his little hand and held it to my heart and said, "Right here." He was right. You are right here.
I was thinking today about how, this time last year, were together buying Ignacio's school clothes. The striped sweater, the blue jeans. I called you his first day and took pictures of him for you. You were so much a part of his first academic experience, just like I imagine you were a part of mine. And I missed you so much today. I wanted to call you. Emilio asked to call you two days ago. I didn't know what to say. I almost called you during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics but then remembered you wouldn't answer. I missed you then too.
I am sad to think think there will be no new memories, for me or the boys. It is hard to believe that you died. Harder to believe that there will be no time spent with you again here on earth. I miss you. I miss your laugh, your guiding hand, your love, your praise for me as a mother and woman, your touch, your wisdom. Mostly I miss you being a great-grandma to my kids. I miss Emilio walking around the house talking to you on the phone. I miss watching my kids open up packages from you. The magazines keep coming from you and I feel my heart get heavy as I set them in little extended hands. I miss getting off on Hwy. 29 with excitement that we were half-way there.
The grief is so thick for me today and the love so deep. Maybe it is Ignacio starting school or the leaves that are changing...I don't quiet know. Ignacio said on the microphone at your funeral that we shouldn't be sad because, "now we all have an angel" and, if he says it I am going to believe it. So to you my dear angel, I ask for strength and kindness and I send love and sadness into the universe with hope for healing.
I have been putting off writing on the blog. You were one of the main reasons I ever started it to begin with. I remember Ignacio as a baby and me writing new posts. I would wait for your phone call to tell me you had read it and you would laugh and say I was such a great writer. Now those phone calls won't come. No new phone calls will come. Today I was filling out Ignacio's school forms and it asked if there were any new events or changes in the child's life. I burst into tears as I wrote that you had died. Ignacio came to tell me something and asked what I had in my eye as he noticed I was crying. I said that they were tears. He then asked why I was sad and I said it was because I missed you and he looked at me and said you were always with me. With that he took his little hand and held it to my heart and said, "Right here." He was right. You are right here.
I was thinking today about how, this time last year, were together buying Ignacio's school clothes. The striped sweater, the blue jeans. I called you his first day and took pictures of him for you. You were so much a part of his first academic experience, just like I imagine you were a part of mine. And I missed you so much today. I wanted to call you. Emilio asked to call you two days ago. I didn't know what to say. I almost called you during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics but then remembered you wouldn't answer. I missed you then too.
I am sad to think think there will be no new memories, for me or the boys. It is hard to believe that you died. Harder to believe that there will be no time spent with you again here on earth. I miss you. I miss your laugh, your guiding hand, your love, your praise for me as a mother and woman, your touch, your wisdom. Mostly I miss you being a great-grandma to my kids. I miss Emilio walking around the house talking to you on the phone. I miss watching my kids open up packages from you. The magazines keep coming from you and I feel my heart get heavy as I set them in little extended hands. I miss getting off on Hwy. 29 with excitement that we were half-way there.
The grief is so thick for me today and the love so deep. Maybe it is Ignacio starting school or the leaves that are changing...I don't quiet know. Ignacio said on the microphone at your funeral that we shouldn't be sad because, "now we all have an angel" and, if he says it I am going to believe it. So to you my dear angel, I ask for strength and kindness and I send love and sadness into the universe with hope for healing.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Taking it all in...
Last night I laid next to you and took you all in. Your hair line around your face was wet from being in such a deep sleep and your sweet little freshly-bathed boy smell was intoxicating and familiar. Your pajamas were too short in the legs because you are growing so fast, so tall. I put my head on your pillow and felt your warmth and listened to your shallow breathing as you were far away in your dreams. I imagined putting my head on your broad shoulder when you are man but, in the meantime, enjoyed the feeling of your little bony shoulder under my head. As I took your hand into mine I was reminded of how small you still are. How fragile and precious you still are. And I just stayed there. In the moment that was you. And I promised myself to never forget it.
Movin' on up...!!!
In a week and a half Emilio has....drumroll please....learned to COMPLETELY put himself to bed, told me when he needed to use the toilet and actually used a BIG toilet outside of our house, and rode his tricycle.
No more sitting in the rocker while he tosses and turns/plays/sings/falls asleep. Our nights are freeeeeee. No more, "It is your turn. No it is your turn." between Angel and I at night over who will put the kids to bed. I just when in there one night and said sternly, "Mami all done silla(chair). Emilio night night like nino grande." It is moments like this you realize how much of the problem you were as the parent! Boom. He did it and has every sleep time since. AMAZING!!!!!
Then we are at the pool and he says, "Mami pee pee." and so I take him to the potty in the pool bathroom, plop him up on toilet with his little hinder teetering on the edge and he goes. Couldn't believe it!!! Ignacio deserves all the credit. If it weren't for him the training potty wouldn't even be out. Every morning and every night he goes pee pee in his little potty and we cheer and he does a victory lap around the house. I never believed in "training" and it appears he is ready. Just think of all the money we will save...I am already plotting how to use almost $100 extra dollars a month!
Then this morning we are out in front of our building and he gets on his tricycle with focus that you wouldn't believe and puts his little "sandal shoes" on the pedals and goes. He quickly crashes into a wall...but...he was pedaling. Next phase was getting the feet and steering together. He is so focused and determined that within 20 minutes he had it. He goes in reverse without wanting to half the time but he is going.
What's next? A job, getting married. Slow down Emilio. You are still my baby.
No more sitting in the rocker while he tosses and turns/plays/sings/falls asleep. Our nights are freeeeeee. No more, "It is your turn. No it is your turn." between Angel and I at night over who will put the kids to bed. I just when in there one night and said sternly, "Mami all done silla(chair). Emilio night night like nino grande." It is moments like this you realize how much of the problem you were as the parent! Boom. He did it and has every sleep time since. AMAZING!!!!!
Then we are at the pool and he says, "Mami pee pee." and so I take him to the potty in the pool bathroom, plop him up on toilet with his little hinder teetering on the edge and he goes. Couldn't believe it!!! Ignacio deserves all the credit. If it weren't for him the training potty wouldn't even be out. Every morning and every night he goes pee pee in his little potty and we cheer and he does a victory lap around the house. I never believed in "training" and it appears he is ready. Just think of all the money we will save...I am already plotting how to use almost $100 extra dollars a month!
Then this morning we are out in front of our building and he gets on his tricycle with focus that you wouldn't believe and puts his little "sandal shoes" on the pedals and goes. He quickly crashes into a wall...but...he was pedaling. Next phase was getting the feet and steering together. He is so focused and determined that within 20 minutes he had it. He goes in reverse without wanting to half the time but he is going.
What's next? A job, getting married. Slow down Emilio. You are still my baby.
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