Hot Potato

Emilio hasn't pooped in five days. According to what we have read this is normal in a breastfed baby and we shouldn't be worried. For now we just have to survive his smelly toots...and let me tell you...they are smelly. Today Ignacio said, "That's gross" and he is RIGHT. Our little smelly baby. Emilio has turned our home into a game of Hot Potato and he is the potato. Angel and I have a silent understanding that if you are holding him when he blows you have to change him. This one is sure to be a doozy. I officially declare "not it" and pass him to Angel and the slightest hint of a grunt. I'm sure when he finally does go it will be at the park when I don't have another diaper or when we are already 15 minutes late getting out of the door. My little smelly (but insanely cute) baby...our little hot potato.

Tired but smiling

Today I almost fell asleep at the dentist. I didn't think it was possible but, there I was 30 seconds from falling into a sweet, deep sleep. The dentist stepped away for a minute and before I knew it, the painting on the wall in front of me began to blur. Who knew that a reclined, cushy chair and one hour by yourself would provoke such slumber? Welcome to motherhood! I also woke up today to find that Emilio is finding his voice. He now has this bat-like high pitched squeel he does when excited. He now enjoys playing with a toy, is no longer content to just lay on the floor and prefers to be upright whenever possible. Did I mention he is adorable? And Ignacio is just getting bigger and bigger. He says hilarious things all day long, makes me laugh so hard I cry like today, and is learning so fast I can hardly keep up. Angel and I lay on the couch when the house is quiet every night and talk about how much we just love our kids. Well, I have no dentist appointments tomorrow so I should go to bed, only to wake up to my beautiful, chaotic family all over again tomorrow.

Emilio..what can I say?

Look at me! I can hold my head up high and drool all at the same time!

Great Grandma...pretty soon I'll be riding bareback!

Smiley boy!

Emilio is the center of attention with is cousins and brother. They all had to be by him all the time and waiting to hold him. Next summer he will be right on their heels!

BIG brother and Emilio. When Emilio cries in his car seat Ignacio says, "It's okay. I'll keep you safe." So cute. Although, the other day when we went to the zoo he suggested we leave Emilio home alone. Not such a good idea.

Emilio's Baptism

So much love for our little one on the day of his baptism!!

At the party afterwards. Emilio is almost able to sit up assisted. He is also in a major love affair with his hands.

Both Ama and Emilio were pretty hot! The baptismal gown is from Venezuela and the same one that Ignacio used. Great Grandma would appreciate it because he had on the bonnet, the skirt and the outfit! Very traditional!

Emilio with his three godparents. We couldn't ask for better examples for him and are so blessed to have these three human beings in his life.

I'm Hungry

If you know Ignacio you know that you will always find little "scenes" around the house. His imagination is incredible. This day I asked him what sharks eat and said, "corn" and, according to this picture he is right.

I came out of the shower and Ignacio had an apple in his hand. He then told me that he also had a pear. Little did I know he had a little bit of EVERY pear in the basket. Here's the proof!

I'm in love.

I am so in love with Emilio it isn't even funny. He is so sweet and so fun to hang out with, especially the 20 minutes after he wakes up from a nap. He smiles with his whole body and his knees come up to his chest with excitement. I catch him just staring at me and spontaneously smiling. I have no other choice but to kiss him from head to toe. I am so in love with him. That is all I can say.

BIG

We had kind of built it up. "We are going to buy you a BIG boy bed!" Ignacio became increasingly excited over the coming days. As we headed to IKEA a bit too close to Ignacio's nap time I thought, "This is either going to go really good or really bad." I was so excited to see the little beds all set up for display with colorful comforters. Ignacio was more interested in the play area. Priceless. We quickly decided on one, went to the loading area where we hauled our big cardboard boxes of pieces onto the cart. (Ikea is famous for the "assemble yourself" motto.) Ignacio wailed the whole way home because he didn't believe there was a bed in all those boxes. Okay, maybe we had bought him a mattress but that is no bed. Given he was over-tired there was no convincing his two year old brain that the bed was in the boxes so we gave up half-way home. To top it all off he forgot his puppy stuffed animal while playing at the store and had a total meltdown after I had to break the news to him it was gone forever. Grief and loss at 2 is hard. Needless to say we made it home and later that afternoon Angel assembled the bed. Ignacio requested that we put it on our bed. Classic. Only Ignacio would want his bed IN our bed. We delighted in watching Ignacio's eyes light up at seeing his bed but I know in the back of our minds we were thinking, "...but is he going to SLEEP in it?" After pulling a "Supper Nanny" technique for 20 minutes my big boy was asleep in his big boy bed. He looked so BIG with his pillow and choo-choo blanket. I was going to take a picture of him but didn't want to risk waking him up! So, Angel and I are back to sleeping side-by-side and our nightmares of chasing Ignacio around the house every nap and bed time have been put to rest. He is going pee-pee in the toilet and sleeping in his own bed. Before I know it he will be picking me up from work to pick out the tux for his wedding. Although he is getting bigger, the diaper sticking out of his puppy pajamas and the Big Bird under his arm are a great reminder that he is still my little boy.