The Ornelas' Odyssey

Sneak Peek at Santiagos Birthday Party....Arrg!

2012-01-30T15:28:00.001-06:00

Mohawk

2012-01-29T22:34:00.001-06:00

People have been telling me they like Gabriel's hair lately and they like his Mohawk so today he wore a true Mohawk!

Hilarious

2012-01-28T19:25:00.001-06:00

Keeping the Peace

2012-01-28T18:56:00.001-06:00

What does a momma do when one kid wants to play and dance in his room and the other needs to eat.....

I aim to please tonight because Gabriel isn't feeling very well and neither am I so he is eating his rice and sweet potatoes sitting on Santi's floor while Santiago listens to his music, dances and plays with his train table.

Great Uses for 31 Thermal Totes

2012-01-27T19:38:00.001-06:00

There are just a few days left to purchase a great thermal tote at sale price. Check out the picture to see some creative ways to use or gift a tote! Hurry...the sale ends on the 31st!

Click on my link for more info at the upper right corner of my blog. By the way....I'm trying to grow my business and my team is currently having a booking blitz that ends tomorrow. Email me if you can help me out by booking a party with me or by joining my team. Remember we have a brand new spring catalog beginning February 1!

Handsome Cowboy

2012-01-27T09:27:00.001-06:00

Santiago wants to wear his cowboy boots EVERY day! Here he is all ready to go to MDO :)

Droolly Baby

2012-01-26T16:39:00.001-06:00

This little man has had a mouth and nose running like a faucet for a couple weeks and yesterday his top two front teeth finally broke through his gums. He has 4 teeth now! Hopefully his nose will stop running but I'm a little afraid he has a cold or something else because he started coughing today and has been a little fussy. We will see...

A Taste of Three Kids

2012-01-25T14:27:00.001-06:00

This morning I had to take our neighbor, Travis, to Mother's Day Out. I had three boys 4 and under for about 45 minutes at the house before loading up to go. It was fun but BUSY. Travis is a little afraid of dogs so he was like a leech connected to my right leg everywhere I went in the house! Haha the explorer was quite full this morning but it's nice to know 3 seats will fit!

Shopping at SAMs

2012-01-25T14:24:00.001-06:00

6 Months Old - Gabriel

2012-01-23T23:01:00.001-06:00

Gabriel Michael had his half birthday last Wednesday on January 18th. I can't believe a half of a year has already gone by. I am so thankful to be home and enjoying every minute of seeing him learn and grow. Gabriel has a very sweet big brother who loves him dearly and of course Hector and I love him dearly as well. We sure are blessed with our two wonderful boys! Here is what Mr. G is up to now at 6 months:

Wears size 12 month clothes and size 3 diapers
Weighs 19 lbs and 4 oz (95%), 28.5 inches long (90%) and head circumference is 17.5 in (75%)
Has two teeth on the bottom and is working on the two on the top
Had a good well check visit with a new pediatrician. Our previous one who I loved had her third baby and is on maternity leave now and won't be returning to the same practice because of her commute.
Still has very sensitive skin and bad eczema - we just switched to California Baby products
Eye lashes have really filled in and grown long

Began solid foods at 5.5 months - Has eaten rice cereal and oatmeal, bananas, pears, applesauce, butternut squash, avocado and yogurt
Nurses 4 times a day - sometimes 5 but is loving his solids a lot! If you are eating something, he will grab your hand and pull your fork towards his mouth and open wide. He wants everything we are eating!
Sleeps 10-11 hours at night and takes 3 naps a day
Sometimes he wakes up around 5 am and I will bring him to bed with me and he will sleep until 7:30ish - on the weekends we have 4 people in our bed every morning! I love it!

Rolls back to tummy and tummy to back but doesn't do the latter very often
Pivots on his tummy to reach for toys
Sits up really well and loves to play while sitting
Loves the doorway jumper

Gabriel's hair grows really fast on the top and is starting to grow on the sides but in the last week I have heard or been asked if he has a mohawk! Gabriel has had two haircuts but the sides and back have rubbed off and are having trouble catching up....I am not purposely giving him a mohawk!
Loves to play with his feet and put them in his mouth while laying on his back
Squeals and makes a uh-uh-uh sound alot
Smiles whenever he makes eye contact
Laughs and laugh at Santiago's every move
Is very ticklish on his chunky thighs
Has always laid his head on my right shoulder but just recently started turning to lay on my left shoulder or self positioning himself in a cradle hold on my left arm
Reaches to you if he wants you to hold him

loves to splash in the bath and loves when I bathe him with Santi
Will sit and play for a good amount of time by himself in the playpen or on the carpet with plenty of toys in front of him
Gabriel is really just a very happy baby. We love him so!

Thanks Kelly for the cute onesie!!

Santi's Eye Checkup

2012-01-18T20:47:00.000-06:00

Santiago's First Office Visit at School

2012-01-18T20:41:00.001-06:00

As I was walking into the building today to pick Santiago up from Mothers Day Out, Ms. Sandy, one of the head ladies, told me to be sure to ask Santiago about the office. I was a little concerned and or confused so I just kept walking with Gabriel in my arms to Santi's classroom. When I walked in, Santiago was just waking up from his nap and I asked him about the office. He was still half asleep so he just said "Oh Ms Sandy got in trouble.". I looked a Ms Mary Jo, his teacher, and she just busted out laughing. All I could think is at least Santi didn't get in trouble. I knew they would have called me if something really happened. Ms Mary Jo went on to explain that whenever they make announcements in the intercom, Santi always asks "what did as say?" or "what's that mean?". I know the feeling....he is mister curious and has a question for everything and wants b answer. If you reply with "I don't know" he begs you to tell him! So Ms Mary Jo said she always answers his questions about the intercom announcements by saying "They said Santiago needs to come to the office. He is in big trouble!". He knows it is a joke and they always laugh about it. Well today Ms Sandy was visiting his classroom when they announced that Ms Sandy needed to come to the office. Santi quickly went to her and told her that she was in big trouble and she had to go to the office! Haha his two teachers and Sandy got a big kick out of it and a good laugh! Santi the. Wanted to know where the office was and how they talked real loud. Ms Sandy catered to his curiosity and told him he was in big trouble too and had to go to the office with her. She took him on his very own field trip to the office to see where they make announcements and how the intercom works. When we were leaving I thanked her for answering his questions and showing him answers. How cool is that!? I feel blessed that my boy is learning so much in a wonderful environment with teachers who truly care about him. That's what learning is all about!

Thirty One Retirement List

2012-01-18T20:07:00.001-06:00

A new Spring catalog will be going LIVE on February 1st so Thirty One will be retiring some products and prints to make room for the awesome new stuff! Take a look at the retirement list and feel free to place an order by visiting my site at www.mythirtyone.com/katiemco You can also click on my Ind. Consultant logo on the right side bar. Be in the lookout for our great Spring catalog. It's awesome!

http://www.thirtyonetoday.com/Portals/0/2011_Retirement_List.pdf

Tootsies

2012-01-15T13:39:00.001-06:00

I just love watching babies play with their feet!

Outside Fun

2012-01-05T16:57:00.001-06:00

Santiago absolutely adores the three little girls that live on our culdesac. Today he is riding the tractor with Katelyn and Gabriel, Roxie and I are watching.

Train Table

2012-01-05T09:31:00.001-06:00

Santiago and Gabriel got a train table for Christmas and Santi absolutely loves it. He wants to play it several times a day and it keeps him occupied for good amounts of time. One on the train cars has some coal you can haul places but Santiago thinks its barbacoa! Haha

Rice Cereal

2012-01-04T19:41:00.001-06:00

I started feeding Gabriel rice cereal on December 30th while I was in Midland. He has been real hungry lately and his pediatrician recommended beginning solids between 5 and 6 months and Gabriel was is 5 and a half months so I decided to give it a try. You would have thought he had been eating from a spoon for awhile because he knew exactly what to do. He opened his mouth, grabbed my hand with the spoon and pulled it right in. He loved it! I'm already feeding him 2 servings of cereal a day - morning and evening. It seems to be helping with his reflux a little and it definitely is keeping his tummy happier hunger wise.

Santiago loves to help with everything involving his little brother so feeding him is no exception. Santi even told his teachers at MDO all about Gabriel starting on cereal today and how I let him give Gabriel bites.

Footie Jammies

2012-01-03T20:47:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

My mom bought the boys these comfy pajamas and I hadn't even attempted to put them on Santiago this winter because he hated them last year. I even told my friend yesterday that Santi wouldn't wear them. Tonight I was pleasantly surprised when Santiago asked to wear "comfy jammies like Dabriel's to sleep in." (Santi still pronounces his /g/ like /d/).

So here's my two cuties in their comfy jammies!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-06:00

Winter Breakfast

2011-12-23T08:45:00.001-06:00

Santiago loves pancakes and I usually have to make him Mickey Mouse but my friend Leticia made a cute snowman for her kids the other day so I decided to give it a try. When Santi saw the snowman, he wanted a Christmas tree! So we had a yummy winter breakfast this morning!

Gabriel has a tooth!

2011-12-22T21:47:00.001-06:00

I have had a feeling for the past few days that Gabriel was teething because everything has been going in his mouth and he has been liking me to rub his gums with my fingers. Sure enough when I went to rub his bottom gums tonight, I could feel a little spike! He has his first tooth! They always came in twos for Santiago so I'm sure another will break through soon!

5 Months Old - Gabriel

2011-12-21T22:20:00.000-06:00

My baby boy is 5 months old!! He is just the sweetest and happiest baby ever (most of the time). He really only cries when he is fighting sleep or really hungry. I just love how he is getting chunky. He's my little chunky monkey. He has rolls on his arms and legs - I particularly love the crease in his wrists. AND he really has some thunder thighs!! Santi says he is getting "lots of lines" SO cute! Here is what Gabriel is up to lately:

Wears 9-12 month clothes and size 3 diapers
Weighs about 18 pounds or so....
Has brown eyes but I think they are a little lighter than Santiago's eyes. His hair is closer to my color - definitely lighter than Santiago's.
Still has reflux and we have increased his Zantac to 1 ml twice a day, but some days I think he getting better and then he has a day where he is projectile spitting every where! ha!

Rolls over both ways but still gets stuck on his tummy sometimes. He loves to be on his tummy now and can push his entire upper body off the floor.
Rolls over and sleeps on his tummy sometimes after I lay him on his back.
Can put his paci in his mouth on his own but it takes a lot of effort.
Can rotate his body when he is on his tummy to try to get a toy or see something on the playmat - I call it turning like a clock.
Loves to play in the exersaucer - Thanks Alli!
Nurses every 3.5-4 hours or about 5 times a day.
Is extremely interested in our food. We will probably start on some solids soon in hopes that it will help with his reflux. He is getting plenty nutrients through the breastmilk - you can tell he eats well with all the rolls he is developing : )

Loves his big brother and will laugh hysterically at anything Santiago does.
Is starting to notice Roxie more and tries to grab her when she is nearby. Gabriel also thinks its funny when she sneaks in a lick.
Grabs and plays with toys.
Gives big slobbery kisses and will suck on your chin or cheek.
Loves to hold on to my bottom teeth and lip while nursing or while I am holding him to go to sleep. It feels a little strange but I kind of like it!
Squeals and squeals very loud.
Can sit up on his own but not for long periods because he usually tries to grab something and falls over.
Tries to sit up when laying on his back. It looks like he is trying to do a sit up.
Raises his eyebrows and smiles when you make eye contact.

Has a little Elvis grin going on
Has found his feet recently and loves to suck on his toes when I'm changing his diaper.
Loves bath time especially because I just started putting him in the hammock thingy with Santiago in the bath at the same time. Gabriel loves watching Santi bathe from my lap and loves being in the tub with him even more! The sound of the water splashing makes him giggle every time!

Like I said before...Gabriel is just a happy happy baby. He is such a joy to have around and its so fun to see him and Santiago interact. They are great brothers and the future is going to be so fun with them! I love my boys!!!

Here's a picture of Santiago at 5 months for comparison. I don't think my boys look anything alike! They are both handsome boys with great personalities though : )

Santi's Silly Sayings

2011-12-21T08:21:00.001-06:00

Santiago has become quite the little comedian. His vocabulary is amazing and I just love the conversations we have these days. I wanted to write some of them down so we can always remember his cute words, sentences and stories. I'm going to just make a list of the things he says and type the way he speaks. Here it goes...
• Let me tell you a funny doke! It's going to make you laugh and diddle! Lalaleeleela (while he does a funny wiggle dance)
• isn't this soooo boootiful!
• wow this is amazing momma! Isn't this so amazing?
• me wish it would no. (snow)
• I'm doe-ing! (growing) Look how big I'm getting (as he reaches up as high as he can)
•.Mommy me wish me could have one of those (he says this whenever he sees a toy commercial - every commercial!)
•I'm going to throw you in the tash can. (he says this when he is upset and we're working on getting him to stop saying this)
• me love to! (Santi says this whenever you ask him to help you with something)
• Mommy can me have someting brrrr that belongs in the fridgerade and has a blue lid? It's ice team!
• And he is constantly asking.....Why? What's this? What time is ______?
• if you answer any of those questions by saying you don't know, then Santi says "please tell me". So you have to make up an answer

Elmo Chair

2011-12-21T08:15:00.001-06:00

Little Stinker!

2011-12-16T19:08:00.002-06:00

Earlier today I left Gabriel on his bedroom floor playing with Santi while I went quickly to the laundry room to put some clothes in the dryer. When I came back I found a little surprise that made me have to quickly put Gabriel in the bath tub. The little sneaky stinker aka Santiago had found a travel size bottle of baby shampoo and decided to put it on Gabriel's head. He told me that Gabriel had a bug bite that was itchy so he had to put that stuff on it. When I told him that it was shampoo, he just said "oh I thought it would make his itchy go away.

They took a bath together after!

Morning Cartoons

2011-12-15T08:14:00.001-06:00

My boys love just being together. Gabriel is getting stronger and stronger and he can sit up real well with support and almost has it without support. The boppy pillow offers just the right amount of support for him. Santiago loves that his baby brother can sit next to him now. He wants Gabriel to do everything with him! I have to remind him all the time that Gabriel is a baby and he's learning new things all the time and will be able to do more with him real soon.

Santiago's newest cartoon love is Max and Ruby on Nick Jr. and Gabriel seems to love it as well. I don't remember Santiago being interested in tv as much as Gabriel is at this age, but then again I never had cartoons on when Santi was this little! It's a whole new world with an almost 3 year old in the house! I sure love my little life and being home with my boys to enjoy cartoons while we eat breakfast!

Momma Watch Out!

2011-12-13T15:24:00.001-06:00

These two boys absolutely adore each other and I'm beginning to get a little taste of what my future has in store for me being a mother of two boys. If I leave Gabriel on the floor, Santiago is always by his side. I love that they can already entertain each other, but I'm not so sure I'm ready for the wrestling to begin! But ready or not, it's already coming....

Wondering minds want to know....

2011-12-12T19:22:00.001-06:00

While sitting at the dinner table tonight eating Santiago was thinking and he was thinking real hard. He looked down at Roxie, our pomeranian, and then at Hector and said, "Daddy why aren't your ears on top of your head like Roxie?". I had to turn away so Santi wouldn't see me laughing because his question totally caught me off guard. Hector quickly explained to our smart boy that God made us with our ears on the side of our heads and made dogs have ears on the top.

So Much Fun

2011-12-12T12:48:00.001-06:00

Gabriel loves to play in the saucer! Thanks Seester for letting us borrow it!

Bubble Man

2011-12-08T22:54:00.001-06:00

News from Santiago's Teachers

2011-12-07T15:13:00.001-06:00

The real St. Nick came to visit Santiago and his friends at Mothers Day Out today. He left a special note and two chocolate coins inside their shoes while they napped. Santi's teachers are teaching the kids the true meaning of Christmas this month and about the real St. Nick.

I absolutely love hearing stories and compliments about my boy and today I was told a story that made me laugh so hard I cried! Ms. Mary Jo began by telling me that Santi read them a book today. She said he did a really good job of telling the story by remembering it from a previous read and from the pictures. She then said that he made her laugh because before he began he asked her to 'wait a second," said "toos-me (excuse me) I fordot someting." Then he went into the play kitchen area and said loudly, "I need my goggles (glasses)!". He then pretended to pick them up off the kitchen table, put them on, and then came back to his book. Then he licked his finger to turn the page!

We have seen him do similar things like this before but hearing her tell the story and demonstrate his movements and words made me laugh so hard. Meanwhile Santi was standing by smiling ear to ear feeling so proud of himself while listening to his teacher talk about him. It was so cute!

Sort of Sit

2011-12-03T18:45:00.001-06:00

This doesn't last long but he likes to try!

God Our Father Song

2011-11-30T21:49:00.001-06:00

Tonight as Hector and I began our nightly bedtime prayer with Santiago with the sign of the cross, Santiago began to sing a song instead of our usual prayer routine. It made me so happy to hear his sweet voice singing a prayer. I had to listen real careful at first but then was able to hear the words. I looked up the song and it is called "God Our Father" and is sung to tune of "Are You Sleeping" It goes like this:

God our Father

We thank You

For our many blessings

Amen

I can't wait to take him to Mother's Day Out on Friday and tell his lovely teachers that he taught us a new song that he learned from them. Santiago also sings "Jesus Loves Me" and can pray to Good St. Anthony when something is lost. The songs he learned from school and the prayer to St. Anthony is something I learned from my mom and it always helps find whatever is lost!

Four Months Old - Gabriel

2011-11-30T11:13:00.001-06:00

Gabriel Michael is four months old! Where does time go?!? I'm really late writing this post but this is my baby book so here it goes!

Gabriel weighs 17 pounds and is 26.25 inches long. He had a healthy checkup on the 18th and is growing big! He is in the 95% for height and weight. He is almost exactly the same size as Santi at this age. Santi was a quarter inch taller but weighed exactly the same. Their head is the same too.
Wears size 3 diapers and 9 month size clothes. It won't be long until he is in 12 month.

Can do the tripod sit but tumps over real fast.
Has turned over once from tummy to back....more flips are coming soon though!
Reaches and grabs toys and woobies and puts them in his mouth or swats at them.
Smiles and coos and laughs out loud - especially at his big brother.
Is ticklish!

Nurses every 3.5 - 4 hours and 4-5 times a day.
Sleeps through the night in his own crib from about 8:30 pm until 7:45ish am - sometimes longer!
loves his paci and can almost put it in his own mouth
loves bath time
Only really cries when he is hungry or real tired

Still dealing with reflux. We increased his dosage of Zantac due to his weight gain and that seems to help make him feel better but he still spits up large amounts after every feeding and sometimes projectiles it!

Loves to snuggle with you. He'll wrap his arms around your neck like he is hugging you and sometimes plays with my hair.
Gives big slobbery kisses!
It melts my heart when we make eye contact and he just grins so big!
Loves attention from people
Raises his eyebrows and does a elvis type grin
still loves his swing although he is getting pretty big for it

Haircuts

2011-11-30T11:01:00.001-06:00

Gabriel got his first haircut yesterday. We evened out his hair because it was very long on the top and he has a rubbed off bald spot on the back of his head and he was beginning to look like he had a comb over! haha He looks so cute now : ) I'm so glad we cut it! The pictures above are his before shots and below are the ones I tried to take while holding him during his cut. That was hard to do!!

Here he is after! So handsome!

Santiago also got his haircut yesterday and I must say that I think I have the two most handsome boys in the world and they love each other so much. I love watching how Santiago can make Gabriel smile and laugh just by being close to him and talking to him. It's an amazing thing to see their brotherly love developing. My heart is so full!

Thanksgiving in Midland

2011-11-30T10:18:00.001-06:00

We have many things to be thankful for this Holiday season. Hector was able to work in his company's Odessa branch for the beginning of Thanksgiving week so that allowed us to spend an entire week in Midland with my family. We spent lots of time just hanging out at my parent's house. They have tons of toys - big and little, inside and outside, and some even alive! Ha!

Here's Gabriel and my mom - aka Grandma or "Dammah" in Santi talk. He will correct you though if you pronounce it the way he does. He can't produce the /gr/ sound yet but he hears it right when he says it! My mom did a wonderful job of planning ahead for meals so we ate mostly at home and only had to do a little preparation for each meal. I know she was still tired though when we left! It's exhausting being a momma and grandmomma! Thank you mom for everything : )

Blake, Santi and Poppa spent a lot of time on the living room floor wrestling, getting tickled, doing somersaults and flips! It was great fun to hear their laughter - my dad's included!

Gabriel was able to snuggle up with many people who love him including his Daddy!

Here they are watching football together. Gabriel already has a love for the game and Hector is so pleased about that! It's amazing to watch a four month old baby's eyes glued to the television when football is on....who would've thought he could be so interested so young?!?

I enjoyed receiving slobbery baby kisses from my littlest love.

Blake just adores Gabriel and spent lots of time keeping him entertained. She is such a sweet big sister and cousin! Love her to pieces!

My Grandma Hazel, who is 87 years old, got to hold and spend time with my kids. It made my heart so happy to see her with them. (Don't tell her I shared her age on the blog! haha) I know it made her heart happy too to be able to see 4 of her great grandchildren at one time.

Blake and Santiago enjoyed watching Poppa rope and was able to ride his horse after he finished roping. My little cowboy is beginning to love riding horses and looks particularly handsome in his new boots and hat! Ever since my dad bought them for him he won't wear any other shoes! He asks to put his boots on first thing in the morning!

Travis came to Midland Wednesday evening and was able to stay through the weekend in Midland. It's always so nice to have my parents and siblings all together! He makes a pretty handsome cowboy too!

Easton is quite the busy body crawling and cruising all around the house. He loved being on the floor and Gabriel got to spend some time learning from him! It won't be long til my baby boy is moving as fast as Easton! They are pretty close to the same size right now even though they are 5 months apart in age. Easton still has three pounds and a couple inches on Gabriel though. I wonder who will be taller?

My uncle Scott and cousin Olivia also came to Midland for Thanksgiving and they were able to help Blake and Santiago make rice crispy treat snowmen. It was a fun edible craft for them!

They even got to paint the icing on top!

Olivia made a Christmas tree treat!

Our close family friends also came by for a visit and I am so thankful that they made the effort to see us. Thanks Carla, Kelli and Brewer for stopping by! Brewer and Easton are a few weeks apart and it was so nice to finally meet him! What a cutie pie!

Santiago thinks my parents' house is Midland. He doesn't quite understand that Midland is a city yet. It's cute to hear him talk about "Midland" and all the fun things we do there. He loves going for "nule" rides (the mule is like a golf cart) to feed the chickens at our friend's place. He says that's his favorite part of Midland.

He even drives the mule with help. He's a pretty good driver too!

Here's Santiago holding a baby chick.

and feeding the chickens....

Here's one of the new pump jacks on my dad's property. Santiago will tell you that pump jacks make money!

Gabriel enjoyed mule rides too and usually fell asleep because he was bundled up nice and warm.

Wow that was a long one....Happy Thanksgiving!

I am very thankful for my family on both sides. I love you and appreciate you! XOXO

I'm a Real Cowboy!

2011-11-23T14:09:00.001-06:00

Today Santiago's Poppa took him to get a cowboy hat and boots. Santi is one lucky boy! He now looks just like his Poppa and claims he is "real cowboy" now! When my dad came in holding Santi's hand, it made me so happy to see how happy they both were. Then they both reached down and pulled up their jeans and revealed the green tops! I couldn't believe it! How cute is that?!? Matching black hats and matching boots! They are the most handsome cowboys I have ever seen!

MDO Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-18T18:16:00.001-06:00

Today I had the pleasure of going to eat a delicious Thanksgiving feast with Santi and all the wonderful ladies who run our church's MDO program. Dah came also and I am very thankful that he did because it would have been hard to go through the buffet with Gabriel and Santiago.

Santiago has two of the sweetest teachers and Ms. Yolanda dressed up today with the kids. Look how precious they are! The next picture is of Santi with his friend, Travis, our neighbor.

CUTE

2011-11-17T15:56:00.001-06:00

Laundry Buddy!

2011-11-17T12:28:00.001-06:00

Crazy in the Rain

2011-11-08T17:12:00.001-06:00

It's been raining on and off all day today but I really need to drop two letters in the mail and Santi wouldn't stop asking me to walk to the mailbox so out we went. It looked like the rain had stopped. There was clouds in the sky but there were many bright blue sky spots showing between the clouds so I thought we could make it. Santi wanted to ride his tractor so I put Gabriel in the single stroller and we began the walk down the street to the mailbox. I wasn't a complete dummy though....I made sure to bring a blanket just.in.case. As we were walking down the street I noticed the tractor sounded a little weird and wasn't going as fast as usual. We made it to the mailbox and as we turned around it started sprinkling. I asked Santi to go as fast as possible while I covered Gabe with the blanket. We went a few more yards and then the tractor started barely moving and then the rain picked up and began to pour! Craziness! I had to leave the tractor in front of our neighbors house in the corner so I could get the baby home fast. The tractors battery completely died. Santi and I got soaked but luckily the baby stayed completely dry. I left the two boys in the garage and ran down the street to push the tractor home. Santi was laughing hysterically watching me and cheering for me. I couldn't help but just laugh. What else can you do?!? Thank God for the rain and put your babies in a hot bath after getting soaked in the rain!

Zoo Boo

2011-11-06T17:50:00.002-06:00

The weekend before Halloween when my parents were in town visiting we took a trip to the zoo on Saturday afternoon. I was a little nervous about taking Santiago during his nap time and him going without the nap but he did really well and we all had a great time. It was so much fun seeing all the kids in their costumes. Santi didn't want to wear his but I had Gabe in his and I wore Santi's hat some of the time. Travis aka Bubba took some amazing pictures and sent them to me today. He is quite the photographer!

Check out these shots!

Thirty One Gifts Open House

2011-11-05T21:59:00.002-05:00

I recently became a consultant for Thirty One Gifts. I am really excited about this new adventure for a few reasons. 1. I'm excited to have a reason to get out of the house every once in awhile. 2. I LOVE the products and want them all and 3. It's a new and different experience for me. I received my big pink box a couple weeks ago which had my enrollment kit in it. I ordered some business cards and began getting to know the products. I still have so much to learn but today was just the beginning. I sent out a ton of invites and had my first party - my Open House - at my house today. I didn't have a big turnout, but the people who came are absolutely wonderful! Three even came all the way from San Antonio!! Ok Ok they were really in town for a wedding, but I was honored with their presence for a little while today and I am so thankful. I can't believe we didn't take any pictures together today Shannon and Jacquelyn! What were we thinking!?!?

Here's my display of some of the great products that Thirty One has to offer.

Here's the food and drinks that were available.

I have a few more parties lined up for the next couple of weeks and am looking forward to hopefully many many more! Let me know if you are interested in hosting a party at your house or having a catalog/online party from afar. I would love to set that up for you so you can reap the wonderful benefits of being a hostess! Visit my website or click the picture on the top of the blog for more information or to shop! www.mythirtyone.com/katiemco Thirty One always has awesome customer and hostess specials!

Snuggle Time

2011-11-03T17:41:00.001-05:00

Santi just went and got his "warmy blanket" and asked if I wanted to lay down with him. Of course I said yes. Then he said "I think you're cold so lay down and I'll snuggle with you after I cover you up." I love my sweet boy!

Hi!

2011-11-02T12:17:00.001-05:00

Halloween Fun

2011-10-31T21:30:00.002-05:00

Santiago has been looking forward to "tick or tweeting" for sometime now. He had a really fun time tonight going door to door and saying funny things like "toosy woosy" and "stinky winky" and "Tick or Tweet" My little dragon and itty bitty dinosaur got lots of compliments on their cute costumes! I just wish I would have been able to get a better picture of them both together and separate! I may just have to dress them back up tomorrow or soon to get some cute ones!

Nana and Dah came over to eat dinner with us and joined in the fun of handing out candy to the trick or treaters. I'm glad no one came to our house that was too scary!

Santiago had a blast with Bailey and Travis who live across the cul-de-sac from us. Santi is in L-O-V-E with Bailey! She is a second grader. She is so sweet with him!

Jack O Lantern

2011-10-31T21:16:00.001-05:00

Poppa and Grandma came to visit for the weekend and we had a TON of fun together! Santiago got to carve a pumpkin with his Poppa. I'm not sure who had more fun : )

3 Months - Gabriel

2011-10-22T10:17:00.002-05:00

On October 18th, my sweet Gabriel turned 3 months old. I took these pictures on the 18th but am just getting around to uploading them. Gabriel has changed so much in the last month! He is getting more and more fun each day and is sweet as can be. He is a happy baby and his personality is really starting to show. Here is what he has accomplished in the last month:

Wears 6 month size clothes - some 3-6 still fit and the 6-9 are a little big but the ones that just say 6 month are perfect.
Wears a size 2 diaper. His tiny hiney went from a size 1, to a size 1-2, to a 2 this month!
Has very sensitive skin. I'm pretty sure he has ezcema. He breaks out in red patches that are scaly feeling along his neckline, in his elbow and knee creases and on his face and shoulders. Aveeno works well to make them go away but I just wish he could have the smooth baby skin all the time!
Huggies diapers seem to make him break out around his waistline and along the elastic around the legs. I'm sad because I prefer huggies with the elastic on the backside because it keeps the poop from rising up the back!

Loves his brother! Gabriel will smile, wiggle and coo anytime Santi gets anywhere close to him. It's the sweetest thing.
Grabs at his toys when he is in his carseat or playing on the playmat.
Puts everything in his mouth! He loves to suck!
Loves his paci.
Will fall asleep in his swing when its naptime. All I have to do is cover him up and give him a paci and he falls asleep instantly.

Loves baths.
Loves to watch Roxie and gets tickled when she gets close to him as well. Roxie loves to do "lick bys" That's what I call it when she sneaks over to him, licks him in the face and then takes off running!
Likes tummy time and can lift his upper body up pretty well. I don't feel like I give him enough tummy time because it makes his reflux worse and he projectiles when laying on his tummy too long.
Doing better as far as being comfortable with the reflux. He doesn't cry as much and although he still spits up a LOT - he usually isn't in pain so that's good.

Gabriel loves attention. Anyone who will talk to him will make him smile real big and coo.
Loves to be outside and go for walks in the stroller or lay on a blanket on the grass. Yay for fall weather!
Loves watching the trees sway in the wind
Enjoys his bouncer seat - This allows me to take showers or cook when he wants to be close to me.
Sleeps through the night!!!! He has been doing this for about 2 weeks now. He goes down about 8:30 or 9 and sleeps until 7 or 7:30. WONDERFUL!

One of Santiago for comparison at the same age : )

Here's Gabriel's typical schedule for a day:
7:30 Wake up and nurse
8:15 Play on playmat while Mommy and Santi eat breakfast
9:30 Morning Nap
11:00ish Nurse
11:45 Play - bouncer, playmat, etc
1:30 Nap
4:00 or 4:30 Nurse
5:00 Play - Daddy gets home and plays with the boys
6ish - Nap
8ish - Nurse and asleep for the night

Mommy's Eyes

2011-10-20T13:20:00.001-05:00

Santi and I were just having a conversation about things that are brown.

Santi: Roxie's eyes are brown and Gabriel's eyes are brown and my eyes are brown and Mommy's eyes are....(as he stares into my eyes) dorgiss.

Me: Mommy's eyes are what?

Santi: You know dorgiss Mommy like really pretty. I don't know what color they are.

MELT my heart!

(That was gorgeous if you didn't figure out Santi language!)

B is for Bread

2011-10-19T19:05:00.001-05:00

Santi loves to sneak in the kitchen and get a slice of bread for a snack and he was proud to tell me that his bread looks like a B! That of course made me proud too :)

Double Stroller

2011-10-15T18:03:00.001-05:00

Look at the awesome gift we received from Bianca, Matt, Nana and Dah! We love it and can't wait to use it all the time! Thanks so much!

Our Latest Happenings....

2011-10-13T21:53:00.002-05:00

BEWARE EXTRA LONG POST! : )

Our life seems to be super busy lately whether we are staying at home or are out and about. I have been on a mission to "declutter" our house. I have been trying to do at least one big project a week - sometimes more. I have cleaned the inside of the fridge, reorganized the pantry with tubs and such, put together a family binder, cleaned out the cabinets below our bathroom sinks, linen closet and several junk drawers. It feels good to get rid of junk that we never use and make the junk that we do use a little more accessible and neat looking! Also, with my new role as a stay at home mom and wife, I have been trying to keep up with the regular house duties better by doing one big cleaning thing a day such as the bathrooms, mop, dust, etc. along with doing one load a laundry a day and regular things to try to keep the house a little straighter. It is not perfect by all means and sometimes I don't get to that one big chore a day but I'm trying to get a new routine down. I feel good about it all! So that's what I have been up to at home in addition to loving on and playing with my boys. That job keeps me extra busy all by itself! I love it!

I think I have mentioned before that I have joined a meetup group called Moms of Tots and I have enjoyed getting out of the house with the boys so that I can have some adult conversations with some new friends while Santi gets to play with some kids his age. It's great. I have enjoyed the few playdates that I have attended so far and I look forward to more. So when we aren't at home doing all of the above, we are grocery shopping or going on playdates or visiting with Nana and Dah.

I've also just become an Independent Consultant for Thirty One Gifts and just received my big pink box with all my enrollment products. I will be busy with that as well learning the products and hopefully hosting many parties at friend's houses and online. I'm looking forward to having something in my life that will bring more friends into my life and hopefully a little extra cash haha! It will be nice to have some adult only time with wonderful fun women. My website for Thirty One is www.mythirtyone.com/katiemco Feel free to take a look and ask for more details if you are interested!

Ok so here's some pictures of some things we have been up to in the last week or two.....

We went to Tomball's Spooktacular Halloween Event last Saturday with Nana and Dah and did a little trick or treating, game playing and pumpkin decorating:

We watched the UT football game. Santi can do HOOK EM' HORNS really well now.

And we made some brownies.....

Licked up our mess....

And then Roxie licked and cleaned Santi up!

And snuggled with my happy boy.....

See ya next time : )

Big Baby

2011-10-07T10:42:00.001-05:00

The last two days I have found Santiago in the bassinet when I come out of my restroom after getting ready for the day. Silly boy!

Beautiful Fall Evening

2011-10-06T17:51:00.001-05:00

Night Out With My Man

2011-10-05T13:33:00.000-05:00

Hector and I got to go on a "grown up" night out last Friday for our friend's wedding. We weren't able to make the actual wedding because it was just too hard to get ourselves ready for a 6:30 ceremony that was downtown. Hector gets home about 5:15 every day and although I began getting ready super early and getting the boys ready for an evening with their Nana, I was still running late! We enjoyed ourselves at the reception. It was nice to see lots of friends and have a glass of wine (or two....) It was my first night out after having Gabriel and it was much enjoyed!

SAHM

2011-10-03T04:13:00.001-05:00

Today would have been the day for me to return to work. It would have been the end to my 6 week maternity leave. Although Gabriel is more than 2 months old, my maternity leave really began the first duty day of the school year, not the day he was born. Instead of returning to work, today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I'm being blessed with the opportunity to stay at home with my boys. It's a big job and I have been loving every minute of it so far. For anyone who thinks it is easy, it is not! I don't get off at 3:20, or 5 or 8....it's a 24/7 job. I'm not sure how long I will stay home but for now I am counting my blessings and enjoying every little detail of my days with my boys. It is nice to not have to worry about possibly missing one of Gabriel's firsts while I'm at work during his first year and it's nice to be able to drop off and pick up Santi from MDO every week. There's nothing more fulfilling than hearing about what a joy your son is in other peoples' lives. I get a compliment on Santiago every day from someone different and it makes me so proud. I could name a million reasons why I am thankful for being home with my boys but to sum it all up it's simply being able to experience everything with them everyday.

I always wanted to be a stay at home mom growing up but making the decision to actually give it a try was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. I worked hard to reach the other goals in my life - becoming a teacher, getting my masters and extra certifications to be a reading specialist and then finally getting a job as a reading specialist. I was excited to be moving to a wonderful new school that was closer to home for this school year. I loved my job working with kids and teachers and parents but ultimately I love my own children more so Hector and I decided to take the leap of faith for me to give up my job and stay home with our boys. I'm still a teacher - I just have a much smaller class. One day I will probably go back but for now my dreams are coming true being home with my children.

Tonight as I was getting Santiago ready for bed he randomly said: "Mommy, I love youuuu! I had a fun day with you!"

THAT is exactly what makes staying home totally worthwhile. This is going to be the best job in the whole wide world. It already is!

Wall Update

2011-10-01T20:37:00.001-05:00

I updated the frames on our living room walls. We used to have three beautiful pictures of Santiago as a newborn in the frames but now they house both of my precious boys. Gabriel's newborn pic is on the left, Santi's on the right and both boys together in the middle. My heart overflows when I look at the frames! We are truly blessed!

Nice Surprise

2011-10-01T11:50:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my wonderful husband surprised me with a special gift that brought tears to my eyes. He gave me this beautiful necklace with two charms on it - one for each of my boys. It has the boys' birth stone on the top of their charm and it has their name on the front and their birth date engraved on the back. I absolutely love it!

There's a Monkey in the House.....

2011-09-29T17:23:00.001-05:00

Mommy's (and Daddy's) Answered Prayers

2011-09-28T17:24:00.001-05:00

We were told I miscarried, was threatening miscarriage and then was diagnosed with a subchorionic hemorrhage. This little man made it and we wanted to march him into the Midland Hospital when we were recently visiting to show him off to the doctor who thought my pregnancy wasn't viable. But we didn't.

Shannon gave me this onesie when I was pregnant with Santiago. Both our boys are definitely answered prayers!

Gabriel's 2 Month Pics

2011-09-25T15:18:00.003-05:00

I finally took Gabriel's two month photos today. I included one of Santiago below for comparison and then a bunch more of my G-man. I have two handsome boys!! My heart is bursting!

Two Months - Gabriel

2011-09-23T14:02:00.001-05:00

Gabriel turned two months on the 18th but we were in Midland visiting so I didn't get a chance to document his milestones yet. We went for his well check this morning and I think he is running a slight fever from his vaccines. He received three shots and one oral vaccine. He pretty much slept through the entire appointment. We had to wake him for Dr. A to look in his mouth and nose and after he was fully examined he fell back asleep until the nurse had to poke him for the shots.

Gabriel is growing well! He is in the 90% for height and weight and 50% for head circumference. He weighed 14 pounds and is 24.5 inches long. He actually weighs about a half pound more than Santi did at 2 months but they are/were exactly the same length. I am so pleased that Gabriel is eating and gaining so well with his reflux. He is doing better each day. He still has his episodes of spitting up but the doctor reassured me that some amount of spit up is normal and that Zantac won't stop the spitting up but will help control the reflux and make Gabriel comfortable. She said most babies grow out of reflux by 6-7 months and when I begin introducing solids I will see even more improvement if he hasn't weaned himself off the meds by then. She wants me to wait to introduce solids around 5-6 months because he is doing so well breastfeeding. We didn't have to increase his dosage of medication either because I am seeing improvement every day. Yesterday he even fell asleep on the couch on his own without having to be held or rocked. He used to scream every time we went anywhere in the car and now he is riding happily or falling asleep! Thank goodness.

Here are some of my little G man's latest:

- wears size 1-2 diapers and 3-6 month clothes. 6 or 6-9 month footed jammies!

- smiles and coos at familiar faces and voices

- no longer curls up in the fetal position when you hold him

- turns his head from side to side to follow you around the room

- can lift his head and chest off floor when on his tummy but doesn't like tummy time very much

- loves to smile at his brother

- NAM pacifiers are his friend

- eats every 3-4 hours during the day and can stretch about 6 hours at night.

-has a really good eat, be awake, sleep routine

- baby acne has cleared up

- may have eczema but the dr wants to wait until he is a little older to truly diagnose him because we have only had one incident on his arms that I think was an eczema breakout

**I'll add in Gabriel's official two month pictures later!**

Super Santiago

2011-09-23T11:51:00.001-05:00

Santi's Nana and Dah bought this inflatable Superman costume. He was very excited to put it in yesterday but only wanted to wear it a few minutes.

Destin Family Vacation

2011-09-16T11:40:00.006-05:00

We just returned from a wonderful family vacation to Destin, Florida. It was so much fun to have the McLane's, Trevino's and Ornelas' all in one place for a few days. My parents rented a three bedroom condo for us to stay in right on the beach. We even all got to fly together! Travis, Hector, the boys and myself got on the same plane as my parents and my sister's family because they had to stop here in Houston on the way to Florida. It made for a really fun beginning of our family vacation together!

We stayed from Friday night to Tuesday afternoon. Hector was only able to stay until Sunday because he had to get back for work on Monday. We ate at fabulous restaurants including Ruth's Chris where we lucked out and got our own private room since we had such a big crew. We also ate at Pompano Joe's and Maguire's Irish Pub. We ate very well there....so many delicious places and lots of yummy seafood!

Every day Alli and I woke up early with our kids and it was nice to have some special tine just with her and our cuties. After everyone else woke up, we would have breakfast and then head down to the beach to play for hours. We ate lunch most days at the Sand Bar that was part of our resort. Great hamburgers!

The turquoise blue water and the white sandy beach was a little piece of heaven. We all had so much fun playing in the water, building sand castles and walking and relaxing on the beach.

Santiago and Blake were fun to watch. They had the best time. Santi was fearless in the water. He loved every bit if it! Blake was a little cautious at first but by the end of the trip she was splashing away in the water too! When we were inside, the two of them played really well together but there seemed to be a little competition between them! They each wanted the chair the other was sitting in, Santi wanted Blake's monkey all the time, and we heard "mine" a lot from the two if them. We also heard "shoo" when they wanted the other to leave them around. Santi taught Blake that one! They have such different but great personalities! My boy is loud and playful and Blake is more quiet and sensitive. I can't wait to see how Easton and Gabriel turn out and how the four of them interact.

The two babies did extremely well on the beach vacation as well. It was wonderful to have so much help around. Easton is the happiest baby and he started to crawl on our trip. Gabriel was a trooper and spent a lot of time in my Maya Wrap. I learned how to wear him a couple of new ways and having the wrap was extremely helpful. I love that thing!

All in all this vacation was a blast and I'm extremely thankful for our time as a family together in such a wonderful place. Santiago wants to go back one day and so do I! Destin is the perfect beach vacation spot!

After the First Day of MDO

2011-09-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

When I came to pick Santiago up at 2:30 from MDO this is what I saw when I looked in the doorway. Santi was playing on the floor with a little boy and having a great time. When I said hello to him he stood up and smiled at me but then looked at his teacher for the ok to come see me. When she said "Go see your mommy" Santi came over to me and hugged and kissed me. Ms. Mary Jo informed me that he had a really great day and that he is a very sweet boy. I was worried that he would have an accident at school because he sometimes forgets to tell other people that he needs to use the restroom. Ms. Mary Jo informed me that he did a great job using the restroom all day and even napped without a diaper on. He was also the first one to fall asleep! Good job Santi!

I took Santiago to Dairy Queen after we left to get an ice cream since it was his first day at MDO and to celebrate a job well done. We brought our ice creams home and ate them on the front porch where he told me all about his day leaning back on the couch.

Here's his story of the first day of MDO:

Mommy me had so much fun at tool (school). Me pry (cry) just a little bit then me be happy boy because my Momo (Elmo) made me happy.

Me made toast, two toasts in the kitchen. I took toast from Ben. What's Ben's last name?

I answered that I didn't know Ben's last name and then Santi said, Please tell me!We sang a song about Jee-zus then we ate lunch then we went night night then we sat down on our mats and read a book about Jee-zus. I woke kids up with loud trucks but me won't do it again.Me went teetee with my teachers.Me seep (sleep) wi (with) out my diaper me so proud of myself. You be proud of me too mommy! Me so happy!

First Day of MDO

2011-09-07T11:16:00.001-05:00

Today is Santiago's first day of Mother's Day Out at our church this year. He is in the young two year old room. Since last Wednesday's Meet the Teacher I have been talking with Santi about going to "school" and all the fun things he would get to do there. I've been telling Santi he gets to be brave like Caillou and Franklin when they go to school. He loves watching Caillou on TV and one of his favorite books to read is Franklin Goes to School. Last night before bed, we prayed about going to school. He has been very excited about school! Even this morning he was telling me about the friends he would see, toys he would get to play with and the pictures he would make for me and his daddy. Here's Santi walking in to MDO on our church grounds. He's carrying his Elmo backpack and I carried Gabriel and his sleep mat.

Here's the schedule he will be on when he goes to MDO on Mondays and Wednesdays. I love that his nap time is the same time as we do at home. Hopefully that will work out well!

As we were walking in to the building, we were greeted by Ms. Anne who is the director of MDO. She loves Santi and he was very happy to see her. He greeted her with a hug! Then Santiago hung his backpack and sleep mat outside his classroom on his hook with his name on it (with my help). I took this picture with my phone while holding a wiggly Gabriel so it's blurry! Sorry!

Then we walking to his classroom door where many children were already playing in the room. Ms. Yolanda greeted us at the doorway and Ms. Mary Jo waved from the back of the room. Ms. Y was trying to console a crying boy as I was trying to say goodbye to my sweet boy. Santiago wanted to kiss me a million times - literally! He kept puckering up and saying things like "two more tisses mommy" "four more tisses" "one tiss right here" as he pointed to my forehead, then my cheek, then my lips. I loved all the kisses and affection he was showing! I kept telling him to go into the room with Ms. Y and that I loved him and I would see him later and he just wanted to kiss me some more. Then the tears began. I told him one more kiss and then Mommy had to go. He kissed me once more and then walked into the room and grabbed Ms. Y's hand while crying all the way in. I walked away quickly because I knew that was the best thing for him and me because I was getting teary eyed at this point. I know he was probably smiling and having a great time minutes after I left because that's how most kids are once their parents leave. All my years in the classroom helped me prepare for that I'm sure. It definitely pulled on my heart strings to see him crying but I know going to "school" is a great learning and socialization opportunity for him. I can't wait to go pick him up at 2:30 and hear about his day!

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T21:53:00.002-05:00

Usually we go to the lakehouse for Labor Day but this year we stayed home because the water is so low with the Texas drought and also because we have a loy of traveling coming up. It was nice to have a long weekend at home to relax and play with some new toys at the house but it was strange not to be at the lake. I really missed the lake this summer!

Hector finally got a mountain bike this weekend to go with the bicycle trailer I gave him for his birthday in May. He took Santi on a couple rides this weekend and Santiago absolutely loved it! Hector has dreams of future family bike rides so one day I may have to get a bike as well.

Another new toy we have at the house is this little pool. Santiago loves it so much that he got in it with his clothes on! Crazy boy!

Someone else loves the pool too....

Baby G loves to be outside too. Sometimes stepping outside is my saving grace when he is "refluxing". I don't think that is a real word but that is what I call it when my Gabriel is crying, spitting up, gasping for air and just feeling plain awful. I love it when he is sweet and peaceful like this....

We had a great weekend overall and we hope you did as well.

Monkey @ Toddler Time

2011-09-01T16:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we had a very busy day! After breakfast I got my two boys and myself dressed and to the library at 10 for Toddler Time. I'm getting better at juggling all the stuff involved with having two boys and the boys themselves to do fun things or run errands. We sang, danced and read books about monkeys at the library and then Santi got to have thus monkey mask he is sporting in the picture. He thought he looked more like Mickey Mouse than a monkey!

After library we came home for lunch and an extra long three hour nap and waited for Hector to come home from work because we were going to his parents house for dinner and then to church for Meet the Teacher night for Mother's Day Out. Santi was a little nervous to go see his new classroom but when we arrived he was welcomed by sweet teachers who all knew him from last year. They all couldn't believe how much he had grown over the summer. It was really wonderful to hear how much they loved my Santi last year and these two teachers only saw him on the playground last year. These two lovely ladies are the two year old teachers and they said they were looking forward to having my sweet talkative boy in their class this year.

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Bouncin' G

2011-09-01T15:45:00.001-05:00

Gabriel officially started smiling this week at 6 weeks old. So cute! I caught a tiny smile in this picture.

He will stay happy in his bouncer just long enough for me to load or unload the dishwasher or prepare dinner. With the reflux, its nice to have him sit upright in this bouncer chair even if its a short while. He seems to be doing a little better with taking Zantac but he still has his miserable moments. I hate seeing my sweet little baby hurting and I'm hoping these meds continue to improve his reflux.

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Twinkle Twinkle

2011-08-31T17:15:00.000-05:00

Santiago loves to read and sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He has great one to one correspondence already with print and knows that the words carry a meaning! It's so cool to watch him learn : ) I know I'm such a literacy nerd but it really is cool!

Picture Fun

2011-08-31T17:12:00.000-05:00

The Face of Reflux

2011-08-29T10:40:00.001-05:00

My poor Gabriel was diagnosed with GERD last Tuesday and we started taking Zantac for babies. Right after Gabriel was born and began to nurse, he also began to spit up. At our first pediatrician appointment at day 3 of life we were told that we would watch him for reflux because he was spitting up a lot of yellow stuff. Soon after my milk came in and his spitting up has continued. I'm not talking about a little spit up that all babies do. I'm talking about soak your shirt and have to change a ton of times each day (both of our clothes). My poor little guy is uncomfortable a lot where he arches his back and makes gasping noises. At times I thought he was choking and that is extremely scary especially when he is sleeping. So last week I took him to the doctor because he wasn't getting any better and I hate not being able to comfort him all the time. Evenings are the hardest and sometimes I was nursing for hours at a time because he is comforted there and not screaming. My pediatrician got to hear his labored breathing that I was worried about and witness him spitting up. She explained that sometimes babies aren't developed all the way and this causes reflux which makes them very uncomfortable. It's heartburn all the time. We didn't experience this with Santiago and I hate that Gabriel is going through this. He is supposed to outgrow this problem and I hope that he does. The meds that we are trying are supposed to take two weeks to take effect and we will check back in with the doctor at Gabriel's two month appointment. The good news we got that my doctor was impressed with was Gabriel's weight gain. He weighed 11 pounds 6 ounces at 5 weeks old last week. Most babies don't gain weight that well with reflux so I'm glad he is getting plenty of nutrition even though he obviously doesn't feel good and a lot comes right back up!

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Spelling

2011-08-29T09:46:00.001-05:00

Sometimes Hector and I spell things when we don't want Santiago to know what we are talking about. This morning Santi came up to me and said:

"Mommy can me have one of those P R S T U V thingies. You know those thingies that Daddy likes?"

I had to ask him to show me what he was asking for because I knew he was spelling something. Haha. He took me to the pantry and got out V8 fusion juice. He's right....his Daddy does like those!

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Best Buds

2011-08-27T11:28:00.001-05:00

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Choo Choo Train

2011-08-25T17:12:00.001-05:00

Santiago has been lining up lots of things in our house to make Choo Choo trains. He does this with all the pillows from my bed on a daily basis and with his blocks in the playroom. Here's his latest train made in the kitchen. He says he's going for a ride while he eats his plum. This boy is a hoot!

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Moms of Tots Playgroup

2011-08-25T13:40:00.000-05:00

I recently joined a local Meetup group called Moms of Tots in order for Santiago, Gabriel and I to make some new friends and have some fun outings to attend during the week. Today we attended our very first playdate at a very fun park in The Woodlands called Timarron Park. It has a really great playground, soccer field and an awesome splash pad that is open to the public. I didn't get to take as many pictures as I would have liked because I just don't seem to have enough hands lately. I invited my friend Nicole and her 12 month old son Jack to meet us there. The fun began at 9:30 am and it was already 90 degrees outside! When we left at 11, I think my car said it was 95 degrees. Needless to say it was HOT and holding little Gabriel in the heat only made us sweat all over eachother! We were both drenched but not from the splash pad.

Santiago was a little shy at first and didn't want to play in the water too much by himself. Jack, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. Jack is very independent!

We had a great time and look forward to many more playdates in the future with this new mommy group!

Brother Bath

2011-08-21T15:30:00.002-05:00

The boys took their first bath together!

Yes, I know this is a little crazy, but Santiago really wanted to get in the bath with Gabriel when I was bathing him so I just slid the baby tub down and let Santiago climb in the regular tub and filled it with water. Gabriel is not a big fan of bath time yet so I bathed him as fast as I could and then took him out and removed the baby bathtub so Santi could have more room to play in the water while I lotioned up and dressed Gabriel in my lap.

Jager Ride

2011-08-21T15:30:00.001-05:00

Santiago has been playing in the backyard every chance he gets lately and sometimes I let him go outside by himself while I watch through the window. The other day it looked like Santi was having a full blown conversation with Jager so I opened the back door to hear what he was saying.

This is what I heard:

Hi Jager. Your my best friend Jager. Dood (good) Dog. Want to go for a ride Jager? Dood Dog.

Awww come here Jager.

Dood Dog Jager. Me ride you Jager. Dooood Dog!

Santiago was able to sit on his back for about 5 seconds and then Jager began to roll over causing Santi to get bucked off! It was quite funny.

Music to My Ears

2011-08-21T12:12:00.002-05:00

Santiago's sweet words to me today....

Mommy let me div you uh bid hud (then he hugs me) and a bid tiss! (Then he gives me a kiss on the lips!)

Translation: Mommy let me give you a big hug and a big kiss!

Santi hasn't mastered the pronunciations of these letter sounds yet: g, k, c, and v.

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Gabriel - 1 Month Old

2011-08-19T22:10:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe it! Gabriel was one month old yesterday! We are all adjusting to life with two kids. We have a new normal now and things are getting easier each day. While I was pregnant I sometimes wondered how in the world I could possibly love another child as much as I love my first one. Well its actually pretty easy. Having two is amazing and I feel like my heart just grew twice as big when Gabriel got here. There's definitely enough love to go around in this house. My boys (all three of them...Hector included) are my entire world and my definition of love.

With Santiago, I took pictures in his crib every month and recorded his milestones until he turned two. I plan to do the same with Gabriel. At one month old, there aren't that many milestons since all he really does right now is eat, sleep and use the restroom!! However, I can definitely see him growing and changing. Each day his facial features seem to change a little. He is getting stronger as well. At 10 days old, I was holding Gabriel against my chest and he picked up his head and turned it to face the other side. My mom was still here and I remember her telling me to make sure to write it in my baby book. That's the only reason I know he first turned his head at 10 days old. Now when I am holding him and sitting on the couch, he can push up and hold his chest and head off my chest to look at me or look around the room. He seems to enjoy tummy time right now more on me rather than on the floor or playmat.

He recognizes voices and will look around to see who is talking or what noises he is hearing. There are TONS of noises in our house lately between Santiago and Roxie!

Gabriel has been wearing newborn size clothing but just in the last couple of days I have noticed that the footed jammies are too short on him so I have started putting him in some 0-3 size clothing at night and during the day. He's still wearing newborn size diapers.

We don't really have a schedule yet. He is a great sleeper and has been since the beginning. He will sleep a 4-5 hour stretch in the night but then eats pretty much every 3 hours during the day. Except in the evenings, beginning right when I finish making dinner and it's time to sit down to eat, he seems to want to eat non-stop for almost 3 hours!! I think that is why he sleeps such a long stretch after he is finally asleep - his tummy is extra happy. I don't mind the extra long feeding except that it makes it hard to get Santiago bathed and in bed during that time. So even though Baby G would like to be eating non-stop at this time, I am having to stop him and start him back up on and off during this time.

AND just for fun...here's a picture of Santiago at one month old.

Santiago couldn't miss out on the photo fun so I had to let him join Gabriel in the crib. They are going to be the best of friends! I love them to the moon and back!!

Letters

2011-08-17T15:39:00.000-05:00

While this sweet boy did this.....

This sweet boy helped Mommy do this.....

I haven't posted any official nursery pictures for Gabriel's room because I have been waiting to paint his name for his wall. When my parents were here before and after Gabriel's birth, they bought the letters at Hobby Lobby for me but they did not have the letter I. Two days ago we finally made a trip to the "letter I store" as Santiago called it so we could get the last letter to complete Gabriel's name. Santi has been asking me non-stop to paint the letter I so today while Gabriel napped we got the first coat on the letters. I think they will look great once they get at least one more coat and then get hung above his crib. Santiago kept saying "Me So happy!" the entire time he was painting. He loves to help! I can't wait to show you how Gabriel's room turned out....its very customized thanks to my Momma - the boys' Grandma!

A Boy's Best Friend

2011-08-17T12:40:00.001-05:00

Santiago has been playing in the backyard lately with Jager. I love that we have huge windows in the living room that I can easily watch him while I'm feeding Gabriel. Santiago is getting more and more independent where he will play inside or outside by himself. We stay mostly inside though because the temperature has been over 100 for many many days now.

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S & G

2011-08-16T09:48:00.001-05:00

Santiago sure loves his baby brother. He always asks these questions:
Is my baby ok?
Is Dabrel Michael happy? (Santi can't pronounce /g/ yet)
Is baby's eyes open?
Can I hold my peanut? Let me get that boppy pell-ow.
Can I welp (help) you Mommy? (I hear this question al day long when I tell Santi I'm going to change Gabriel's diaper, change his clothes or bathe him)

I sure love my boys! Santi is adjusting quite well to his baby brother being here. We had a rough start but every day it gets better and better.

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Toy Story 3 (more like 100)

2011-08-13T11:49:00.001-05:00

I had been wanting to see Toy Story 3 for the longest time and we finally had the chance to watch it with instant streaming with Netflix last week. As you can see, this movie has quickly become Santiago's favorite movie. He's wearing a tshirt with Woody on it today and we are once again watching what Santi calls "that silly movie" for the 100th time it seems like. Every time I sit down to nurse Gabriel, I try to keep Santi's attention by reading to him or having him sit next to me so he doesn't feel left out. Sometimes he plays by himself in his playroom but usually he wants me close by so feeding time has become our tv watching or reading time. It works out but I'm getting a little tired of the same movie even though its a good one! Luckily we only watch bits and pieces at a time. I wonder how long this will be his movie of choice.....it's either Caillou or Toy Story!

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Snoozin'

2011-08-12T13:48:00.001-05:00

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Bath Time

2011-08-11T11:00:00.001-05:00

Gabriel's umbilical cord is about to fall off, but for now we are still giving him bird baths. My neighbor gave him this cute bath buddy cover up to use to keep him warm while I bathe him. Why didn't I invent something like this?!? Its a silly little thing because a towel does the same trick but its awfully cute!

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Bed Crasher

2011-08-11T10:39:00.001-05:00

While I was feeding Gabriel in his room last night I thought I heard little footsteps but I never heard Santi's sweet voice calling Mommy so I didn't think much of it. I always check on Santiago when I wake up in the night and recover him or straighten him out in his bed so he doesn't fall off. During my pregnancy I checked on him multiple times since I woke up to use the restroom in the night. Now it continues with nighttime feedings. So when I finished feeding baby G, I went to check on Santi but he wasn't in his bed....instead I found him asleep on my bedroom floor! I was shocked that he didn't call for me when he woke up, he just brought his favorite blanket, pillow and Duck-Duck and went back to sleep on the floor!

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Magnet Man

2011-08-09T11:59:00.001-05:00

Lately Santiago has been loving playing with my magnetic letters and board from my classroom. He is learning more and more letters and thinks the magnets are really cool. He calls himself Magnet Man!! (another title he learned from watching Caillou.)

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Santiago's Half Birthday

2011-08-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

Santiago is two and a half today! He is the most amazing and fun little boy and we just don't know what we would do without him. I have no idea how many times I tell him that I love him in a day and I just melt when he says "me wuv you too mommy" He says and does the funniest things on a daily basis and I wish I could bottle it all up and keep it forever. I have loved every little stage he has gone through- except for the throwing fit stage- haha! Here are some of the amazing things he is up to at 2.5!

Weighs almost 37 pounds and is 37 inches tall. What a co-ink-y-dink!
is one year post - op from his second surgery for Craniosynostosis (July 9, 2010) and doing great! We just had a check up with Dr. T and got a good report! Our next appointment will be in a year.
Loves trains, fire trucks, and tractors.
Santiago's speech and language has skyrocketed in the last 6 months. I can remember counting how many words he would say in a sentence around his second birthday. I think 8 words in one sentence was his longest at age 2 and now he speaks in paragraphs!

Can count to 13 consistently and sometimes higher.
Knows many letters and a few sounds
Can spell words with his wooden puzzle pictures
Recognizes tons of environmental print and reads the signs and restaurants as we drive by
Loves to get ice cream from McDonalds
Loves peppermints and will claim "its peppamint time" with a big cheezy smile to ask if he can have one
He also proclaims "bitemons time" which is vitamin time when he wants a chewable vitamin
Can't pronounce /g/, /k/ or /v/ sounds so some words he says sound really cute.... Grandma is Damma, very is berry, careful is wareful

Loves to take baths in the big garden tub instead of his bathtub
Loves to swim
Loves Roxie - he kisses, hugs, cuddles, feeds and plays with her. Sometimes she gets fed up with all the attention! When he wakes up in the morning, one of the first things he wants to do is find her.
Loves to wrestle with his daddy and will tell me to "shoo"
Sings Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me, Captain Curly Head, Good Morning Lord, Old Dan Tucker (the last two songs he learned from my mom- his Damma!)
Loves to help you work on things and fix things with his tools
Wants to help do EVERYTHING
Has a love of learning and is curious about everything. When he asks a question that you answer with "I don't know" he responds with "please tell me!!!"
Asks "what are doing" about a million times a day
Pretend plays
Loves to watch Caillou, Thomas the Train, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Has imaginary friends - Caillou and Rosie- He calls them on the phone, invites them over, takes them to potty, makes them help clean up his toys, and asks where they are all the time so Hector and I have to play along!
Is completely potty trained except for night time and has been for a little over a month. He still sleeps in a night time diaper but wears his chones (underwear) all day. Thanks to my mom for getting him started at the beginning of June and helping me meet my goal of only having one child in diapers at a time!
Loves to listen to books and has a few memorized that he reads himself. Reads the pictures of any book he picks up and tells his own stories.
Loves to give play by plays of things that happened

There are so many more things he says and does but that is all I can think of right now. His vocabulary is huge and his memory is extraordinary! I am amazed on how he soaks everything up that he sees and hears. He is a very smart little boy who has a very bright future ahead of him. I can't wait to see all the wonderful things he will do, learn and accomplish in his life. We love you Santiago! Keep on growing and learning : )

Gabriel - 2 Weeks

2011-08-02T13:41:00.002-05:00

This morning Santiago went to his Nana and Dah's house while I took Gabriel to the pediatrician for his 2 week well check. Baby G had a really good check up and is doing great. He lost about 9 ounces of his birth weight but has gained it all back plus a little. He now weighs 8 lbs 12 oz and is 21.5 inches. That puts him in the 50% for weight and 78% for height and his head is in the 37% at 36.5 cm. Its amazing how tiny he seems after having such a big baby the first time. Santiago has always been in the 90+% for everything since birth! Dr. A gave me the go to stop waking Baby G up to nurse since he is eating well and gaining weight and has no signs of jaundice. I have to confess though - I haven't been waking him up at night at all for probably the last 5 nights because he sleeps so well at night. I don't want to jinx a good thing! I'm counting my blessings and enjoying my sleep when I get it. Life is different with a two and half year old and a newborn but I'm loving every minute of it!

P.S. Gabriel does not have craniosynostosis! Thanks everyone who prayed for my sweet baby throughout my pregnancy. It started and ended a little rough but everyone is great now!

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Brotherly Love

2011-07-31T01:14:00.000-05:00

Gabriel's Birth Story

2011-07-30T18:11:00.001-05:00

On Monday July 18th I began having some contractions at about 3:30 in the afternoon. Although I was hopeful, I didn't really expect things to progress because I have been having the type of contractions every day for about 2 weeks. I figured they were just more Braxton Hicks. Plus I had my 39 week appointment with Dr. W that morning at 10:45. At my appointment I learned I was about 80% effaced and 2-3 cm dilated. I had been 1 cm and 75% effaced since my 36 week appointment so I had made a little progress! Great news but I still wasn't getting my hopes up. I passed up the opportunity again to be induced. I passed it up the week before as well. I just wasn't real comfortable with the idea since there was no medical need for it. The only reason to do it was to prevent this baby from getting as big as Santiago and to ensure Dr. W would be there to deliver. At this point, I figured I had made it this far so I might as well keep waiting for mother nature to take it's course. Dr. W said I most likely wouldn't efface more until I was in active labor but he believed I would go soon. Good news for me....I was ready! My back, hips, and pelvis were really aching all the time and my body was really tired.

My good friend Kathy had come over to drop off a beautiful blanket for the baby (UT of course) and my mom and I were sitting in my living room with her visiting. I kept asking them to look at the weird shape my stomach was turning into as it was tightening with each contraction. Kathy thought I should go to the hospital right then and there but I wasn't in pain yet and just figured I was having more Braxton Hicks. Kathy and my mom convinced me to go ahead and start timing my contractions so I pulled out my iPad and began using the handy contraction app at 4:20. Kathy left around this time. I knew Hector would be coming home from work soon so I just sat back and timed contractions at home with my parents and Santiago. When Hector got home I still wasn't convinced I was in labor because I had a couple other days like this so he went for a quick workout at the gym. My mom was making dinner and as my contractions got closer together and stronger, I laid in my bed waiting for Hector to get home. I was ready to call him and tell him to leave the gym when he walked in the door. He found me in the bed and immediately said "this looks familiar" referring to when I was in labor with Santiago. He came home from work the first time with me waiting in the bed and my mom rubbing my back with tennis balls. I told him that this was really it this time. My contractions were very regular and hurting more and more with each one. I was having very strong back labor this time. By the time we got his bag packed and all our stuff in the car, my contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart.

We arrived at St. Luke's Hospital in the woodlands a little after 7 pm and went straight to Labor and Delivery. I knew my doctor was not on call so another doctor would be delivering my baby. The nurses at the check in table made me a little mad because they asked me what brought me there. As Hector was helping sit down in a wheelchair that he had to go get for me down the hallway I think I gave them some nasty look as I was having a big contraction and the nurse had to answer her own question of what brought me into the hospital - duh I was in labor having painful contractions! They took me back to triage and I changed into the hospital gown. I could still walk at this point and answer questions. She got my IV in and started my fluids and finally checked me. I was between 5-6 cm dilated so Hector called both our parents and told them that they better head up to the hospital too. Hector asked if I was still going to be able to get an epidural since I was almost at a 6. They said as soon as they moved me into my L&D room that they would send the anesthesiologist. I was relieved because I knew I wanted one. They held true to their word because soon after we moved to my room, my parents dame in briefly and then everyone had to leave because the doctor arrived to give me an epidural. It's hospital policy that everyone leaves, even the husband, during the epidural. My contractions were coming faster by now, it seemed like every couple of minutes, and they checked me again right before beginning the epidural process. I was at a 7. The nurse had me hug a pillow and lean forward as the doctor began with the procedure. He told me that it would take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to complete the epidural depending on how easily he could get between my vertebrae. Well it took much longer than that and about 12 attempts with the huge epidural needle. Luckily I couldn't see what they were doing but I could feel every poke and prod and every very painful contraction. They tried giving me some other pain meds through my IV but they didn't help. One made me feel weird all over from the second it went in and I hated it. I kept asking if what they were giving me was safe for the baby. After about an hour of trying to give me a good epidural he thought he got it and said we needed to wait about 15 minutes to see if it was going to take effect. I asked if Hector could come back in at this point because I was scared, tired and in tons of pain. My hair was down the entire epidural process and I was so hot. I had to have him blow in my face and put my hair in a ponytail for me. I wish my hair would have been up while they were trying to give me the epidural because I felt like I was suffocating under my hair and with the pillow practically in my face. They let me turn on my left side because I was pretty miserable on my back and I got to squeeze the life out of Hector's hand by this time. Time was ticking and the epidural wasn't working at all. I think by this time I was cussing with each contraction and Hector and the nurse were instructing me on how to breathe. I never cuss so i surprised myself saying OH S..T repeatedly through each awful contraction. The anesthesiologist wanted to attempt the epidural again and I asked if Hector could stay. The on- call OB had come in the room already...not sure exactly when...she broke my water and the baby did not like that because it made his heart rate drop down into the 60s range. Feeling the amniotic fluid rush out was a crazy feeling! They started saying that we needed to get this baby out and I kept telling them that he was down there about to come out. At this point I got really nervous and scared and Hector told me to try to stay calm. I was scared they were going to say I needed a c- section after all I've been through without pain meds to make sure the baby would be ok. I definitely wanted the baby to be ok. The pressure the baby was causing was unbelievable! I just knew he was ready to come out! The anesthesiologist said Hector could stay in the room while they attempted one last time for the epidural while I was laying on my left side. He said it looked like Hector was making me a little more comfortable. The OB did not like that he allowed Hector to stay. I kept telling them the baby was going to come out so they checked me again and I was complete at a 10. Right as they proclaimed that they got a good epidural in and that it would take a few minutes to kick in, I was ready to push. They turned me on my back and pulled my legs up and I began to push. And NO the epidural had not set in yet. I think I pushed 3 or 4 times before my sweet baby boy made his appearance. They used a vacuum to help him get out faster with my pushes and I needed an episiotomy. Feeling the baby come out was crazy. It hurt but was just an indescribable sensation and I know I made a crazy noise as he came out. Haha! Hector cut the umbilical cord as he laid on my chest and they rubbed him and cleaned him up. I cried and cried. What a miracle!

Gabriel Michael Ornelas was born at 9:56 pm at 8 pounds 5 ounces and 20.5 inches. After they weighed, measured and got him bundled up they gave him to us and wanted me to immediately breastfeed. Unfortunately he was making a grunting noise and the nurse took him from me and said that she may have to take him to NICU for awhile to monitor his breathing. I immediately asked if he was going to be ok and all she said was "I don't know"....what do you me you don't know...I was in shock and so was the rest of the family who had come in the room.

By the way, after all this had happened and I was getting stitched up, my legs went real heavy. The epidural had finally kicked in! Ugh! Fortunately a NICU nurse came in the room and explained to all of us that Gabriel was going to be ok. Due to the quick delivery he did not have time to clear his lungs of fluid that is held in little sacs inside his lungs and he had not had time to properly transition. The nurse said they were going to keep him for t least 4 hours monitoring his breathing and oxygen levels. He was already doing a little better and was not needing any oxygen support so that was a good thing. Hector was able to go see Gabriel and bring one family member at a time. The NICU nurse made us all feel more at ease.

My night nurse came on duty at 11 and I sure liked her a lot better. She had to move us into a new room at around 2 am and we asked to stop by NICU to see the baby. When she called and told them we were going to stop by on our way to our new room, we were informed that he was ready to leave NICU and come to our room! Hooray! It was wonderful to finally have him back in our arms.

We stayed in the hospital for two nights but less than the required 48 hours. I forgot to mention that usually babies are kept for at least that amount of time when the mom is GBS+. I was only able to receive one round of antibiotics through my iv before Gabriel was delivered because it happened so quickly. Usually they want at least 2 rounds of antibiotics with as many as 4. We were able to be released early because Gabriel was doing well and with the understanding that we would follow up immediately with our pediatrician. Gabriel was also circumcised on the day we were released.

It was wonderful to be home as a family of four! Santiago adores his baby brother and so do we!

Introducing Gabriel Michael Ornelas

2011-07-19T03:15:00.001-05:00

We are pleased to announce that Gabriel Michael Ornelas joined our family on July 18th at 9:56 PM weighing 8 pounds 5 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long. We couldn't be happier to be a family of four! Birth story to come....

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Nana's Birthday Celebration

2011-07-15T23:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight we went to dinner with Nana and Dah, Bianca and Matt, and Matt's parents from Michigan to celebrate Nana's birthday at Landry's. After dinner and dessert, we went on the patio to listen to some live music, feed the turtles, ducks and fish in the waterway and watch Santiago dance. Although I was having contractions throughout the dinner and evening, it was really great to have a fun evening with family. Happy Birthday Linda!

39 Weeks

2011-07-15T23:43:00.000-05:00

1 week until the due date...I wonder if I will make it that far! Santiago came right on his due date - what are the odds of two babies arriving on their due date? I'm hoping this little guy decides to make his appearance sooner rather than later! I'm ready - I think! I'm nervous but very excited! I can't wait to see his sweet face....

I have been having contractions - Braxton Hicks - every day and today they have been constant all day. They come and go. Today they actually hurt some and were lasting longer but they have not increased at all - just slow and steady all day long. I can feel it in my lower back and lower tummy and the tightness when it contracts is getting stronger. The little guy moves alot after my belly loosens up as if he is saying "Get me out of here!" I keep praying that things pick up just because this waiting game is getting harder! We still have so much to do to prepare but I know it will all get done sooner than later! The little man's room is not complete yet and I should probably at least pack my hospital bag! ha!

Santiago says he is ready to see "his" baby. He wants to give him one kiss- just one! haha! He says he is going to help me get diapers and share his toys with the baby and I know he is going to be such a great helper. I worry about him when I actually go into labor and how he will be when I am in the hospital. He is such a momma's boy and its going to be hard on both of us to be away from eachother for a couple nights. He has both sets of grandparents who he adores and although I don't have a definite plan for who will have him when it all does happen, I know he will be in good hands with whomever it is. It's hard to plan when you don't know what time of day it will be or what everyone else will be doing at the time. All I know is that everyone is ready to help out in any way they can and Hector and I greatly appreciate it! This is an exciting time! It's getting more and more uncomfortable for me and my body but it's all worth it.

Me and My Boy!

2011-07-14T23:52:00.001-05:00

Cranioversary

2011-07-09T18:46:00.000-05:00

One year ago today Santiago had his second major surgery to correct his right coronal craniosynostosis. He was 17 months old and this day was a very difficult day for all of us. Santiago did way better than I could ever imagine. Thinking of handing him over to the anethesiologist team, waiting in the waiting room for surgery updates, and seeing him for the first time in recovery brings tears to my eyes and I think it always will. It's hard to believe that my sweet boy has been through two surgeries, two rounds of helmet therapy, and tons of doctor visits for craniosynostosis. I count my blessings that Santiago is doing so well. Cranio can cause all sorts of problems developmentally due to cranial pressure but luckily we were able to correct the main issue with his first surgery at 7 weeks old. That day was extremely hard as well. His first surgery was an endoscopic strip procedure where they just took a strip of bone out to release the pressure and allow the skull to grow normally. His second surgery on July 9th last year was a total reconstruction of the skull and orbital rim. This was done to ensure that there was no pressure on the brain or eyes and helped achieve more symmetry in his facial features that will in turn help with his development. It's not a cosmetic surgery at all.

We had an eye appointment last week because I was a little concerned that I was seeing some lazy eye type behaviors with Santi's left eye but luckily we had a good check up and they said his eyes are developing together and normally. We saw two doctors that day and the first one specializes in eye problems with kids with craniofacial disorders and she was very complimentary to Santiagos surgeons. She said that no one is completely symmetrical in their facial features but that it was hard to tell that Santi has even had to have surgery -much less two - because he is pretty symmetrical. She thinks that some of what I am noticing with his eyes is due to the extra "puffy" skin that kids his age have between their eyes on the top of their nose line. It causes sort of an optical illusion with his eyes because you can't always see the white of Santi's eyes inside close to his nose when he is looking in different directions. She says all kids, not just cranio kids, can have this and as they grow and their face develops more, this skin because thinner. She made me feel my nose and compare it to Santi's and it's almost like their is baby fat on his! ha She made me feel a lot better and even applauded me for being so conscientious when it comes to Santi's health and development. Geez that made me feel good - in fact, I almost cried! Thanks pregnancy hormones! The next doctor we saw at the same office did a real simple trick to test his eyes to see if they were developing right and most importantly together. Santi passed it on his first try which is apparently unusual for a two year old. Go Santi! He was very impressed! I left the doctor office feeling much better. It's nice to know (at this time) cranio is behind us. I hope it is behind us for good. Santi will go for a follow up appointment with Dr. T, his surgeon, soon after his little baby brother is born. I, of course, am going to have Dr. T take a look at the baby as well. We have a 50% chance of the baby also being a cranio baby and a lot of my prayers have been going toward the health of my baby. Hopefully, Santi will have a good check up with Dr. T in the near future and his little brother will be cranio free! If not, thank goodness for great surgeons with the knowledge of fixing craniosynostosis. I am thankful that it is fixable - things can always be worse! My Santiago is doing wonderful and that means the world to me!

The pictures are from today's lunch at Texas Roadhouse where Santiago got to sit on a saddle and rope like his Poppa and chase some pigeons that were eating peanuts outside. The last one was right before Santi's afternoon nap - which he slept for 3.5 hours - he loves to cuddle with Roxie and fall asleep.

37 & 38 Weeks

2011-07-08T19:10:00.000-05:00

First off, I apologize for the bare belly! This blog is about documenting memories for me and my family so please forgive me for wanting to remember my bare BIG belly! The good thing about that picture is that you are getting a sneak peak at the baby's new room. The furniture is not placed appropriately yet but the paint job was complete : ) I really like how it turned out! I was crazy the day before I took these pictures of myself and painted the baby's room all by myself before we got new carpet. The above pictures were taken at about 36.5 weeks and then the next pics are from week 37. Santiago wanted to get in the picture with me so I squatted close to the ground and let him sit in my lap. He is getting more and more excited about the arrival of his baby brother!

At my 36 week doctor visit I learned that I was already 1 cm dilated and 75% effaced. I couldn't believe it! When I went to my 37 week visit, I was expecting to have made more progress because of the way I had been feeling leading up to that appointment. I have been getting pretty swollen in my legs, feet and hands and have been pretty achy all over. My hips, pelvis, tailbone area has really been hurting and sounds gross but I felt a lot of pressure down there like the baby is just about to fall out of me! From one day to the next this week, I felt like the baby dropped and my belly looked different and felt different. When I went to the doctor and he did my exam, I learned I had not made any more progress. I was exactly the same! I was really surprised and so was my doctor because I have Braxton Hicks contractions every night and he said that usually makes you progress more. The good thing is that my blood pressure remains on the normal-low side - it's usually in the 104/64 range and I didn't have protein in my urine like I did at 36 weeks. I only gained one pound this week also. That gives me a total of 29-30 pounds so far. My doctor still thinks I will probably go into labor sooner than my July 22nd due date but he doesn't want me to hold him to that because there just really no way of knowing. Originally he said he thought it would be a good idea to induce me at 39 weeks because Santiago was a 9 pound baby and this one is looking equally as big but he doesn't even think I will need that anymore. I'm sort of glad about that, I don't really know how I feel about being induced. It scares me a little.

So today I am actually 38 weeks pregnant! I thought I may have been going into labor last night because I had contractions from dinner time (around 6 pm) until I made myself fall asleep around 11ish. They felt different that the contractions I have been getting off and on because I had lower back pain that was coming in waves right before my tummy tightened up and I was getting cramps as well. I have an app on my iPad for timing contractions and Hector made me start using it. I was averaging about 8 contractions in an hour. They must have tapered off around when I made myself try to go to sleep. I was very tired and when I put a heat pack on my lower back it made me relax more and I was able to go to sleep.

Today I was so exhausted that I had to call my loving in-laws to take care of Santiago for me so I could just rest. I took an hour and half nap and then went and got my haircut. When I was finished with my haircut, Santi was napping so I was able to come home and put my feet up and just watch TV. It sure is different being pregnant the second time around. It's exhausting but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I feel very blessed to be having a second baby - it's just different when so much of you time and energy goes toward your first baby! I am counting my blessings to not be working up until the last day like I did with Santiago. I went into labor while teaching first grade with him and I'm very thankful to be home for the summer at the end of this pregnancy!

I will go to my 38 week appointment on Monday morning. My parents are coming to town on Sunday and it will be really nice to have them here to help out as well. Hector and I are so blessed to have such wonderful family members to spoil us and our children! We love you all!

Big Boy Bed

2011-07-07T21:06:00.001-05:00

We bought Santiago a day bed and got it assembled and put his new comforter on it tonight. We don't have it positioned against the wall yet but Santi is excited and anxious to try out his new big boy bed! So we are going to give it a try tonight! We will see how this transition goes before the baby arrives. Since the baby will be in the bassinet in my room for awhile I am in no hurry for Santi to be out of the crib. My goal is to make the change slowly!

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Fourth of July Weekend

2011-07-04T23:54:00.000-05:00

This Fourth of July weekend was totally different from every Fourth I can remember. It was good - just different. The main reason it was so very different is because we were unable to go to the lake this year. I grew up going to my grandparent's lakehouse for the 4th and the tradition has continued at my parent's lakehouse for the past years. My OB advised me awhile back not to take any trips as my due date approached and when I told him I was planning on going to the lake for the 4th he told me he didn't think it was a good idea. This was about 3 weeks ago. Then, I thought I might be able to make it anyways. As this weekend was approaching and I knew it was out of the question. My body would not have been able to handle a 4.5 hour car ride to and from the lake much less being in the heat and walking up and down to the boat dock from our lakehouse. My feet, legs and hands are swelling every day and I have Braxton Hicks contractions daily now. I'm glad we stayed home.

Saturday we went Brad and Jackie's house for a fun time with lots of friends. Many of them went to high school with Hector, some are old work buddies and then others are friends we have met along the way through the other people there. They had a brisket cookoff and lots of delicious snacks to eat and Santiago enjoyed being the center of everyone's attention. He loved his two Jackies, helping pick up baby Jack's toys that he would toss on the ground, and hanging with the boys. Here's a guy pow wow that took place on the kitchen floor with Santi right in the middle!

On Sunday, we went to our friend Lacey's parent's house for some swimming and fajitas. Santiago had a blast in the pool and went without a nap the entire day. I'm always a little nervous to risk going without a nap but he held up just fine and was in great spirits the entire afternoon.

It was great to see my friend Jeremy from Midland and his wife and cute son.

Lacey babysits little Jase sometimes and Santiago loved playing with her in the pool. Santi got a little jealous when Lacey would hold Jase.

The pool has a nice little wading area which was perfect for the boys. This watering can was a big hit for both of them!

Santiago really loved swimming with Lacey. She taught him a motor boat song and how to close his mouth when he was going under the water a bit. Here they are making sure his mouth is closed!

Santiago also LOVED being thrown through the air and landing in the water. This made me a little nervous at first but seeing how much Santi loved it and knowing he was safe made it all ok!

After a long day of swimming and sun, I brought Santi home and fed him a little more dinner since I wasn't sure he ate enough at Lacey's because all he wanted to do was swim! He ate his food, watched a little Thomas the Train and then fell quickly asleep on the couch!

Today we woke up and went to Nana and Dah's house for a delicious breakfast! After we ate, Santi went outside with his grandparents to water the plants. He really enjoys this activity!

Mid afternoon we went and bought Santiago a twin mattress for his new daybed that he will be transitioning into soon. We have been talking about his big boy bed and how his baby brother is going to need the crib and I am hoping to make the transition slowly before "his" baby arrives. He loves calling the baby "my baby" and although we haven't decided on a name yet - he still wants to call him Baby Easton! Every once in awhile he says Baby _____ and names one of our real choices but no one can understand him! haha The rest of our Fourth of July was spent napping and taking it easy together as a family. It was a very nice way to end a very fun and busy weekend!