Thank You!

I turned 29 yesterday.



What does that mean? Nothing really. Just that I have been alive for 29 years. I have survived even being born so to say that I am THANKFUL and that I Praise God for ALL of the Blessings in my life, is a true understatement. I am so very, very Blessed and life couldn’t have been more just to me in the last 29 years.


Have I suffered? Sure, who hasn’t?


Have I cried? Goodness yes!


Have I had times when I thought I wouldn’t survive? Yes. But, I am here. 29 years later. 29 years, many don’t make it that long and some come close. So, again, I am Blessed.


I had planned a theme to write for 29 days about my 29th birthday! That didn’t happen. Then I thought let me make a list about the 29 things that I am Blessed to have in my life or that I would like to change from this point on but that didn’t happen. I even wanted to do a countdown 29 days to 29. And yea, that didn’t happen either. Ha. But, I did turn 29 on the 29th, so that was cool.


So, I am here. Guided by God to just write. Reminding me that though I have lived through "special" circumstances THAT doesn’t make me special. It just makes me human. Because EVERYONE suffers, everyone lives through hardships and MANY have survived through worse than me. So; instead of praising myself for what I have done. I SHOULD EXAMINE MYSELF, for what I haven’t done and what I should do. No, I don’t mean jump off of a plane or lose a gazillion pounds though both would probably be awesome. I mean, DO, as in actions of Faith and Love more than anything.


So, Why am I here? Where do I go from here?


“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”- Revelation 21: 2-4


There use to be a time in my life when it was all turmoil, pain and confusion. And, though it may sound unreal, and I have since made MANY mistakes, this time of chaos ended when I turned to HIM. Just as the above verse suggest…. I am with God and God is with me. He has indeed wiped every tear from my eye and the death and mourning that I suffered, the crying and pain that I felt…that all passed. I am now at peace, or attempt to be on a daily basis, with life and love in my heart, no matter HOW difficult my current situations may be, I always feel Blessed. I always feel happy. I always have a smile. And others’ problems and chaos well that can’t and won’t affect me because God has plans for ME and though others or I may judge myself that doesn’t matter anymore.


So, Happy Birthday to me? Ha.


And, to anyone else who was born on June 29th!


You are Blessed. Praise Him.


Thank YOU to EVERYONE who called, TXTd, emailed, hugged, and just gave me LOVE! :D


Please if you didn’t, don’t worry. I am horrible at remembering peoples birthdays and what’s worse I always forget to tell them…I know…horrrrrrible!

Psalm 150


1 Praise the LORD. [a]


Praise God in his sanctuary;


praise him in his mighty heavens.


2 Praise him for his acts of power;


praise him for his surpassing greatness.


3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,


praise him with the harp and lyre,


4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,


praise him with the strings and flute,


5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,


praise him with resounding cymbals.


6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.


Praise the LORD.

I've Been "Youtubing"?! Ha. Some likes.

Her name is Yuridia. She participated in the Spanish Version of American Idol, called La Academia....Her voice is ANGELIC!



Her younger brother passed away, he had Muscular Dystrophy.....

Just Because.

I WROTE SOMETHING ELSE BUT IT FELT TOO "VENT-Y"..NOT THE COFFEE SIZE FROM STARBUCKS..WHICH BY THE WAY THE ONLY FRAPP I LIKE SO FAR IS STRAWBERRIES N’ CRÈME…I TRIED SOME OF MY OTHERWISE FAVS AND NO THANKS.

My Chai Tea Latte should be hot and my Green Tea on ice.



Random, why is that ONE bag of M&Ms is not enough? No really, it isn’t! Trust me… it isn’t!

I haven’t done one of these in a while..so why not!? Plus, I had a minute or two to spare.

And, because I too am a follower: http://www.othersuchhappenings.com/



What color are your socks right now? Truthfully since I left TCH in 2007, I have not worn socks! I wore then for 7 years along with my 6 pairs of tennis shoes and then like Forrest Gump, I just got tired and stopped.






What are you listening to right now? My co-worker speak Vietnamese, my other co-worker vent about the fax machine and my windows media player…just changed it to John Mayer…waiting on the world to change…






What was the last thing you ate? My SECOND bag of Peanut M&Ms






Can you drive a stick? Nope. My Dad tried to teach me, fail…then the hubby….super duper fail.

 Last person you spoke to on the phone? My mom…much needed comfort and reminders.






How old are you today? 28 yrs ,11 mnths, and 29 days and some hours, minutes and seconds....






What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Anything the hubby is watching…even though it frustrates him tremendously that every other question is…and why would they do something like that? NO REALLY…I don’t get half the sports on TV but love watching him get frustrated at me and then ask if I have something else to do..cause I DO…wink wink. lol.






What is your favorite drink? GREEN TEA.






Have you ever dyed your hair? Every color under the sun and then some…it’s been dark brown (my natural color) since the day I found out I was pregnant (Jan. 27, 2009). I thought that being in the presence of any type of chemical would harm my baby…so didn’t even consider or miss it!






Favorite food? Homemade Mexican food made by my mom! No really best Pozole and Picaditas in the world!

POZOLE

PICADITAS

What is the last movie you watched? Movie? Uhm. I don’t remember…so that should tell you how long it’s been… or maybe the age of my son… almost 10 months!






Favorite day of the year? September 16. Santiago was born and after that EVERY day became my favorite DAY of the YEAR!






How do you vent anger? After I pray and ask God to help GUIDE me through it…usually verbally…mild tone, to a friend…mostly my husband, my sister, my mom and maybe one or two girlfriends….if and when they are available and not to all of them just to the ONE who is available at the moment…if not….let it go…God is here.






What was your favorite toy as a child? Anything girlie… I think…don’t know…uhm Barbies…maybe.






Favorite Season? Winter? HA. I know we live in Houston and seasons are hard to come by but yes…cold, wintry days are great! More so if you can stay in your warm bed and drink a warm chai tea latte..and if you live where there is snow, it's even better..


Cherries or Blueberries? Strawberries? Although my Father-in-Law has the best Cherries from his family’s ranch… mmmmm.






Living situation? Temporary "Single" Mom with an almost 10 month old…when the hubby comes home in August…we are a "single family home" of 3 according to the Census.






When was the last time you cried? Last week, Thursday…I was getting a cold, had a horrible headache…and had to go pick up Santi..I felt horrible! All I could think was I can’t be sick…what will happen if I am and Santiago and I are here alone…I prayed, took some meds, slept it off (30 minute nap) and went to get my son.






What is on the floor of your closet right now? A folded blanket, some shoes and broken glass…Santiago broke the mirror..and I haven’t been home to clean it up!






What are you most afraid of? Illness. In me or my son. While we are alone.






Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese and Jalapeños please.Preferably...WHATABUGER!






Favorite dog breed? Yorkie!






Favorite day of the week? Sunday.






How many states have you lived in? 3. Tamaulipas(in Mexico after I was born…my parents thought they wanted to go back home), Texas and Michigan






Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds, although I only own one... my engagement ring... and it's not too big...but perfect for me.






What is your favorite flower? Hydrangea, they remind me of my wedding.





Did you get an H1N1 vaccine? Yes, because I was breastfeeding my Santi and he was too young to get it.






Hmmm. That was fun. De-stressed. Now back to work? Ha.  

It's the weekend...

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend...rainy and sunny! I love it. 

Santi is taking nap but I wanted to share....

As you guys know..I have been seeking change, small, big, whatever...just CHANGE! 

So, here is a sneak peek of what I did yesterday: 

From this.....

To this.....

I LOVE IT! 

My Summer is going VERY well. And, I love that!!!!!! 

BTW. I didn't do it...my FABULOUS DAD DID! :D Blessed to have Family the way I do!!!! :D

Santiago Galore!

SO! I finally had some time to upload and organize pictures and figure out how to present them here. There are SO many! But here we go. I picked some of my favs and created collages.
In this last month Santiago has been VERY BUSY!

As I mentioned before he had a HUGE month and a HUGE trip... here are some pics from that trip and pictures from his 9 month check up!

MAY 2010

Trying new foods, getting some teeth, looking more and more like Daddy and helping daddy pack!

He has been to the pool with his Cousin Olin and his Tia's.

He has been traveling to see his Daddy. (Who we are VERY proud of!)

Traveling to see his Tio Jesse and even went to the BEACH!

Enjoying time with Mom and Dad.

JUNE 2010

Exploring his room and the GREAT outdoors!

Having fun and being Blessed with GREAT family!!

Finding himself, literally and resting! (Last night he broke this mirror...oh no!)

Becoming a BUSY body and having no MERCY on his mom! :D

Just being cute and as he leaves messes around the house.

He had his 9 month check up and started eating SOLIDS! :D

I made some uhmmm Mexican childproofing....uhm Failed!

 Santiago has just been himself and LOVED sooo much! :D

Even Batman needs Breakfast! My little Super Hero!

In Lake Charles, LA for Father's Day!

He loves  his baby Cousin Olin.

On the Lake with Grandpa.

On the Lake with his Cousin, Tia and Grandma.

Fun vacationing with Daddy and family!!!

Have I mentioned how much he LOVES water!

Father's Day Love! My sister made the dad's breakfast!!!

In all Santiago has been to many new places, explored new land and met MANY new people!!! He loves it all...I hope he LOVES to travel, smile and Love as much we do!!!!

By the way today was a BEAUTIFUL morning in H-Town! VERY BLESSED, LOVE IT!!!!

[AND PLEASE EXCUSE THE FORMATTING BLOGGER IS NOT MY FRIEND TODAY! AND IF YOU CLICK ON EACH PICTURE YOU CAN SEE IT BIGGER]

Because I'm a Momma!

In cleaning out Santiago’s room I decided to make a list of what I think you REALLY need!

If you are having a baby shower, or 2, or in my case 4! Hey.... first grandchild for both set of grandparents, in a very large family! What can I say. Ha. Any who, if you are having a baby shower, I say don’t worry about the clothes…everyone will give you clothes!


Of all things make sure these are on your Baby’s registry:

1. Diapers, Diapers, and more Diapers (From Stage 1-4 )
2. Wipes, Wipes and more Wipes (Sign up for the refill boxes like 5 or more- You can buy a pretty container once and just refill it.)
3. Baby Formula, Baby Formula and more Baby Formula- The Hospital will give you some but sign up for samples so you can see which one your baby will like….most common- Enfamil Advanced with Iron…Blue Can. Santiago hated the soy and organic.
4. Baby Powder
5. Butt Cream-Desitin or any other
6. 2 to 3 Bottle Brushes, you may just want to stock up on these you will probably go through about 5 or 6 in the same year if you are going to bottle feed and use the regular bottles, not the ones with the disposable bags.
7. Bottles (Lots)
8. Receiving Blankets (Lots)
9. Bibs and Burp rags (Lots)
10. Wash cloths and Towels(Lots)
11. A GOOD Diaper Bag with lots of compartments; seriously take your time, look for one you love...because you will soon learn this is it! Your purse, briefcase, camera bag, book bag, etc etc.
12. Booger Syringe-Nose Bulb is what it’s called I think, lol.
13. Nail Clipper, I suggest you go to the pharmacy and get one where the tip is at a slant, we call it 'the edger" in my home, makes for a SUPER time and insanity saver when trying to get those wiggly little bitty fingers to keep still so that you can clip those super tiny finger nails that can be almost deadly! Santiago's were so sharp, I thought he was going to behead me every time he swung his arms! Haha.
14. Thermometer, a digital, fast reading one...for when they start wiggling and grabbing!
15. Humidifier, I suffer from allergies so bought one from CVS but anyone will do.
16. Monitors, especially if your house is horribly designed like mine! lol.
17. Baby Proofing items, I only got one item, those plug cover things but they help! Thank You Erica and Michael! Not the siblings but the husband and wife! ha.
18. Baby Gates, I have one...it helps. Until they start crawling and pulling up onto things from the floor! ha.
19. Diaper Caddy or Basket to put all the diaper changing stuff in one place, time saver to have everything in one place!!! Trust me. When panic sets in you forget where your head is!
20. Bottle Rack, I have 2!
21. Microwave Bottle Steamer
22. Heavy Blankets for when it’s cold
23. Plain Onesies, for when they are newborns and poops all over the place… :D
24. I recommend a Changing Station…. I am old and my back hurts when I change Santiago’s diaper on a surface lower than my waist.
25. I signed up for a ton of samples and coupons: Strong moms and Enfamil are two good sites to start.
26. Playpens, Cradles, and Cribs….unless you plan on being VERY strict about them sleeping in them don’t go super expensive. Used, borrowed or on sale is the BEST way to go! I think. Santiago only used the cradle for about 3 months, the Playpen for about 7 and his crib….ehm ehm…uhm…never? :D
27. Bottles, the best ones for super busy working moms are the “Drop-Ins”
28. High chair, car seat and strollers are a great investment for feeding and travel. My High chair was a used one from a garage sale, simply cleaned it very well way before baby was here. The car seat and stroller we were a bit pickier about and really read reviews online before deciding on a brand. You have to check for recalls and so on.
29. Sippy cups , spoons and bowls. I bought a lot of them at IKEA, in the children’s section and then at Target or Babies R Us my favorite brand is the Take and Toss. I don’t really toss them! I just wash them! They are very good. I like that the sippy cups don’t have the handles because for some reason Santiago does better at gripping them like this.
30. Toys. I would stick to anything soft that rattles or has music for the first 6 months, once they can sit and crawl (which is where we are now) and are more active; noise making and learning toys are fun. I made homemade "shakers" from plastic containers and uncooked hard pasta and they work fine. If you need a visual, I will post one later.
31. Bath tub and rub-a-dub-dub. Santiago only used his baby tub for about 5 months, he sat up fairly quick and was interested in playing with the water. As for the bath toys, he’s more interested in the water faucet at this point. You will need a shower caddy or something to put all the toys in while they are not in use. I usually find great tub toys and shower caddy's or bins in the Dollar section of Target.
32. When your baby starts eating solids, I found that the store brand “puffs” , “melts” and “crunchies” from Target or Wal-Mart are just as good as Gerbers Graduates and they offer more flavors. As for purees, Gerber has so many new and exciting one…I just try them all. There is also a brand at Babies R Us called Ella’s Kitchen, which I just absolutely love!
33. Gift cards and cash are always awesome!

DON'T FORGET TO SAVE THE RECEIPTS, tape them to the item if possible so you don't get confused when and if you need to return things!

As you may have guessed my top stores are:


Target


Babies R Us


Wal-Mart


It’s all about doing the research, trying the products and then looking for sales and coupons. I love shopping for Santiago!


Two things that I am researching and will take action with in the next couple of days are:


Child Proofing
Non-Toxic Cleaning Products


I hope these little insights and reviews help!

The Biggest Loser.

All I can say about yesterday is literally, Thank God for family!



The day could have started out crazier than it did but it was a GREAT morning and I felt very Blessed.


I was running really late and thought I would be crazy (can you guess the word of the day, haha. Crazy) late to work but my Mother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law made my morning go so much smoother and I felt well, Blessed. From Ricardo’s Mom promptly coming to the front door to receive Santi to Ricardo’s sister letting me borrow tweezers and perfume, it’s the little things that remind you that your family is here for support.

At the end of the day I decided that I have been waiting and holding it off long enough and have made too many excuses and after almost 18 months of no exercise, well planned exercise as in an actual workout, I decided to try out my new workout video! I will get back to the video in a minute.


I was attempting to work out as Santiago played and watched on but soon enough he became restless and just wanted to be held by Mommy. I did what I could and worked my bottom off, it felt AWESOME to say the least. Using Santiago as my workout prop, a 21 pound hand weight equals massive workout, Ha. I finally sat him in his highchair with some snacks and was able to finish my workout. Just as I was finishing, some more family Blessings, Ricardo’s Aunt knocked on my door. She had stopped by to visit and ALSO to offer her “daycare” services for Santi for the next two days since his grandma, Ricardo’s mom, is going out of town.

While she was there I asked if she could watch Santiago for 2 seconds while I showered, it took me longer than that no worries ha. So a double Blessing at the end of the day! Lord knows how I would have showered after my workout… trust me, it would have involved a lot of peek-a-boo, ha. Santiago is usually asleep in the mornings when I do get to shower, I know it sounds horrible. But it’s only temporary until the hubby gets back. With the exception of yesterday morning which is why my morning was running so late. I usually transfer him from my bed (I KNOW, I KNOW) to a blanket on the carpeted floor of my room. Thank God I have a bathroom in my room, so I leave the door to the bathroom open so I can hear him and close the door to my room so he doesn’t escape, ha. But yesterday he actually woke up earlier than usual and I found him sitting in the middle of my bathroom looking for me. I peeked out from behind the curtain and since he was still half asleep I was able to hold him off to finish my shower with continuous “NO NO NO, WAIT, PEEK A BOO!”, so he would come too close to the shower and hurt himself. It was, yes you guess it, CRAZY, HA!


Anyway.


Yesterday turned out GREAT! I felt great inside and out!


Ok, about the video.


Right before I found out I was pregnant back in 2008, I started to explore Yoga! I loved it and would do it almost 4 times a week. Well I became pregnant and couldn’t exercise due to complications. Then I had Santiago and lost a lot of weight and felt really good but it’s been 9 months since his birth and the weight is slowly creeping back up on me. I decided to do something about it and I purchased a video from the Biggest Loser.

This show has now become my new biggest obsession, more so Jillian, especially after seeing her on her own show, Losing it with Jillian. I lost it when she presented a young Mother of 2 with weight and health issues that if left untreated would eventually kill her. The thought of leaving her 2 children behind, them being so young, just killed me and I knew I had to get my butt up off the couch…and last night, I did!

I personally LOVED Jillian, I thought that her “intense, I don’t care what you feel, just do it” attitude is exactly what I need right now. Boy was I right the video I bought was the “Last Chance Workout with Jillian”, I loved it. The combinations of different workouts and time intervals are perfect!


I think it all goes back to her own personal struggle with weight and it helps her not only identify with people who struggle with their weight but also motivate them, if she did it, anyone can! Read about her here.

Soon:

I will have some new pictures of Santiago posted, I am trying to figure out....slide show or collage...I will see. Haha.

Also, next week I turn 29. And the week after that is the 4th of July!

Wow, This year is almost gone!!!

Books Anyone?

I JUST finished a series of books that have REALLY helped me and kept me entertained. I found hope in an unlikely place. I am sure everyone knows Jenny McCarthy . She is not a name that would have popped into my head as far as authors go. But, one day I came across her book, “Life Laughs”. I bought it and read it and then realized I read the last book first, well then I became pregnant and was so in love with her books by this time that I went ahead and purchased “Belly Laughs” and “Baby Laughs”. By this time I had dropped all my other books and ONLY read baby books. Then I had Santiago and he loves for me to read to HIM but he hates it when mommy reads to herself and despite my effort to read him Mommy’s books he didn’t get the point and was quickly seeking pictures in my small print books. So, I now read in VERY long pauses and finished “Belly Laughs” while I was pregnant and just finished “Baby Laughs” Sunday night.


As the exhaustion lets up and Santiago gets to bed earlier I want to get back into reading. I love it.

Now, I know you wouldn’t think of Jenny as a super Faith and Holy person but I think that regardless of our shortcomings everyone finds some Holy in every person or situation, as I have recently experienced and am coming to see. So, while yes it’s true that Jenny cusses and is a bit much crude, she is a very real and somewhat "relatable" mom. I know I am not Hollywood material but I am a mom and so is she. And I also know she may just make herself relatable for the sake of selling books but she did a great job at it. I am really going to recommend her books because of that, she was REAL. And who knew...she's Catholic and even speaks about Faith and Hope in her book. People who know me, know that I am NOT one to sugar coat it and AM Faithful to those who don’t sugar coat it for me; i.e. my Sister, my husband, and my few but wonderful girlfriends. Therefore these book really hit home for me.

They are simple, short and fun reads.

She is also as she calls herself a “Mother Warrior” for Autism. Which in my opinion has become an open and more heard of fight than ever before. People have many, many different views of this development disorder and I don’t think anyone is wrong, like most anything in this world sometimes situations have many causes and effects.


I am currently reading: "The Power of a Praying Wife" but in Spanish (El Poder de una Esposa que Ora)


Have a Blessed Day!

Chunk Update!

Santiago (My Sunshine of a Chunk)



Month 9 (June 16, 2010)

Emotions:


This month can be summed up in one word: Exhaustion.

Oh and have I mentioned, Exhaustion.

No really ONE WORD…exhausted. Ha.

Between being emotionally drained from attempting to be a “single mom” to missing my husband tremendously this month has been well EXHAUSTING! Ha.

The “single mom” part, my husband and I are still VERY much in LOVE and together, probably more so now than EVER but he is away on an Internship in Mississippi. We realize how much we need one another and how much we need Santiago and he needs us! That topped with the fact that my son has over night become more than active it’s like he has sprouted extra arms and legs. It feels as if my child takes a triple shot espresso and a Redbull every morning (WHICH HE DOESN'T!)! But you know what I mean. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I LOOOOVE it and we are SOOO Blessed to have such a healthy and active son!!!!

He stands, he sits, he pushes, he jumps, he leaps, he shakes, he smiles, he sings, he cracks up, he give me peace, he gives me comfort and company, he is LIFE and he is a TRUE gift from my Almighty Lord! He thinks he can walk, he thinks he can swim, he thinks he is a 20 year old adult man and even flirts! He LOVES girls. He loves to play and be read to and oh yes he thinks he can read so he reads... He is just my most Blessed little man.

This month has been very, very emotional. I have had to handle and deal with a lot of firsts with Santiago on my own and it’s not easy. My hat goes off to single moms around the world and if I ever thought that my husband wasn’t as much help as he should be…I was wrong. Very wrong. It’s a difficult task to create a safe and happy life for your child on your own, not saying it’s impossible but I can now see what it would be like for a single mom, for whom I pray find peace and energy to fulfill their roles. I have so much respect for moms as it is, but to be a single mom, I wish you many Blessings.

Aside from having to refuel myself and remind myself that he will eventually fall asleep, HAHAHA? (Laughs nervously, haha.) It’s been a great month! We got to visit my Hubchub and Santiago had his first mini-vacation! We are definitely Blessed.



This month Santiago taught me that life is simple and we should all just be happy, because of his pure soul and tiny heart I see life, the light and God every day. His smile melts me in so many ways. His laughter gives me TRUE hope for my future. And, his little bitty face and gorgeous deep brown eyes remind me why God has brought me to this day and to this very moment. With him I too am learning to be as independent and free as he is. I am also learning that life has no limits and EVERY day is a learning day!

Highlights:


* Santiago’s two upper front teeth started to come through.


* He now crawls, EVERYWHERE!


* He is pulling himself up and standing EVERYWHERE!


* He HAS GAINED self confidence and thinks he can walk, leap, jump off of things, stand on his own, and do just about anything and everything possible, no real walking yet but soon I hope.


* He is VERY vocal now, KNOWS exactly what to do to get your attention, how to “ask” for more and how to “ask” for help amongst other very amusing sounds and gestures!!


* He LOVES to play with his Grandparents, tiring them out beyond their wildest imaginations; I think some days they wish they had stunt doubles, I KNOW I DO!


* He is VERY spoiled by EVERYONE.


* He is very, very good at sleeping at night now, pretty much through the night, out at 10pm up at 6:30am. Mostly due to his SUPER EXTREMELY ACTIVE days! Not a bad thing, I am Blessed to have a HAPPY and HEALTHY baby!


* He does this really super cute grabbing of his food with his thumb and index finger — the "pincer grasp." He looks like a little crab! :D


* He LOVES to Shake, bang, drop, and throw things. I even made him shakers from pasta and plastic container…it’s super cheap and easy!



Discoveries:


* That he looooves FOOD!!


* That he LOVES WATER!!! BEACH, POOL, TUB, anything where he can pretend to know how to swim and dive! He loves it.


* Everyday holds and new and exciting adventure for him, he knows that there are no limits and loves to explore!


* He has discovered that there is a whole new world out there and I DON’T THINK we can stop him from here.


* He also loves his Dad. Everything his dad does amazes him and HE can do NO wrong!

Challenges:

Mommy-


· Saying NO in a way that he understands.

· Finding new and creative ways to keep him from being bored. (i.e.Shakers and Flashcards)

· Fears of my child being harmed, just in general.

· Fears of my child being sick or diagnosed with some type of illness.

· Fears of SIDS.

[But, God is with us and He will only allows us to experience what He knows we can handle, and it’s always better to be informed and know that things do happen and that at times you cannot be there to prevent them BUT the more you know and are ready for every situation the better. BUT I know GOD will NOT leave us or forsake us!]

 Baby-

· Separation Anxiety, ESPECIALLY AFTER NAPS! And in this last week or so when I leave him at his Grandma’s house for the day…..he clenches to my arm and it just breaks my heart.

· Not getting his way and throwing fits and yes even holding his breath. Which is totally normal, I hear!

· Hitting others

· Being bored

· Having to wake up early to be taken to his place of daily care, his GranMa’s house.

· Being easily scared by new objects AND sounds, like mom and dad’s laugh, it really freaks him out.



Height: 29 5/8 Inches —90th percentile

Weight: 20.8 lbs---50th percentile

Next doctor’s visit: At 1 YEAR of age! (3 months)






What to look forward to:
* His Baptism.


* His first Birthday!!! Only 3 months away.


* The ZOO!


* The Museum.


* MOST ANYTHING AT THIS POINT.

Half way done....

.....the month that is!

Today my Santiago  is 9 months!

9 months of being an absolute Blessing.

9 months of growth and health.

9 months of learning and mimicking.

9 months of mischief and tantrums.

9 months of exploring and laughing, and OH MY what a laugh!

9 months of giving my life, our life, pure sunshine and joy!

9 months of mommy's full recovery from carrying him and the delivery, Jenny McCarthy was RIGHT!

9 months of fears and worry but all has been handed over to the Lord.

9 months of meeting and greeting, Santiago is so social and happy.

9 months of grace and Faith.

9 months of those BEAUTIFUL brown eyes, those GORGEOUS round cheeks and those Stinky little toes! I love him to pieces!

9 months is how long it took for him to "cook", he was then born a perfect little bun! He has since filled my life with not only pure and honest love but Sunshine, Faith and Motivation. I can't express the Love, the immense Love that I feel when I see him, hear of him and hold him.

Santiago in 9 months has already had a long list of adventures, I can't wait to see what the years to come will bring! We are definitely in the talks about Baby Number 2, I hate to call my next child Baby Number 2...Ha. We are waiting for a second Blessing. When? Who knows but he or she will be MORE than welcome. God has already Blessed us so much that my heart can't imagine being more Blessed but God can do that!!! He can Bless us SO much that even we can't believe it! I love that!

In this month Santiago made a much anticipated trip to see his Daddy on location..HA. He sounds like a movie star, no far from it my husband is a hard working, loving Father and Student. And, his current set is Life, location Mississippi! Pascagoula, Mississippi that is and it's been a true experience for him. So, we went out there to see what all the fuss was about...and well...we fell in love!

Santiago also made the trip to Seaside, Florida to visit his Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky, Ha ha. The entire trip was a true Blessing in just 4 days! We took our Memorial day ventures to a whole new level but it was well worth it.

This month Santiago and I also had a photo shoot with my more than wonderful BFF Casey, please check her out, HERE.

It has definitely been a very busy month for my little one and a lot of adjusting for the summer for Mommy as well. In all we are surviving and there are only 8 1/2 more weeks until Daddy comes home. I don't know if I have expressed this enough, but being a "Single Mom" is a real challenge! I appreciate my husband now more than ever and I also appreciate Mom's in general. In all I think we are surviving...did I say that already!? Ha. Maybe it's the sleep deprivation, lack of adult conversation or just all around exhaustion.

I planned to update you tomorrow about my Santi with pictures and all but I think it will be a 2 or maybe 3 day update at this point......

This weekend we are planning yet another trip but only to Lake Charles to see Santiago's Grand-Father and Daddy will be meeting us there to celebrate Father's Day.

We are ONLY 3 months (93 days)from Santiago's First full year. Where does the time go? We want to not only celebrate his First year of life in September but we also want to Baptize him. I swore I wouldn't wait until his First Birthday to Baptize my child but due to circumstances that's just how it worked out. I wanted to have his Baptism in May or June, but God had other plans, no biggie...at all!

I wanted to post some pictures from our Memorial day trip but I can't find them on my external hard drive...will have to post them tomorrow.

Happy Tuesday.

First off, please check out the link to my Blog; let me know what you think;


http://gomezfamily2009.blogspot.com/


I am making some changes and would LOVE some feedback!


Secondly, after a trip to T-Mobile, a Soy Strawberries and Creme Frap from Starbucks, a trip to Best Buy and $40.00; I have a  phone again! Not the latest or the greatest but it will do for now!


Finally, I have so much going on in my head, my heart, and my "world" that today, I feel drained. Drained emotionally, physically, and just drained. I don't think this is bad, I actually think this is great, gives me MUCH room for improvement. Santiago turns 9 months tomorrow! 13 days later I turn 29 and almost 2 months later my husband turns 31! So hard to believe that it's been 11 years for us and that now we have such a beautiful and healthy baby boy whom we adore and are Blessed to have!


I pray that you all have a Wonderful and Blessed Tuesday! As you can see....this week, is one of those weeks...I just really need some sleep, some "me" time, and a vacation.


Soon I hope.

Weekend Updates:

• So, I lost my phone this weekend... POOF! And it was gone...not upset at all...I am not a phone call type of person  :)  I am not worried or upset about the missed calls or the lost property. What I don't like is that I took so many pictures of my son with that phone and now if someone has it they have his picture, that I don't like. :( I am on the look for an inexpensive alternative, if anyone knows of any please tell?! :D
• My hubby was in town for the weekend! Time very much appreciated. We realized that we have been apart for  4 weeks when we talked for 3 days straight and still had things to say! Ha. Santiago and I were so very happy.
• Facebook, Thank You for everyone who has thought about me and emailed me to know where I am. Makes me giggle :D  But, I am honestly seeking Him and you have no idea HOW great I feel...I got this in my inbox this morning, which reminded me that I am on the right track: Taking Time ~What kind of relationships would you have with people if you never spent any time with them? — from God, Help Me

We really just spent time together and with family this weekend and it was a GREAT weekend!

I hope and pray that everyone has a GREAT AND BLESSED Week!!!

This week my Sunshine of a Chunk will be 9 months! :D I will have some new pictures! :D