Where I'm headed

I used to be a pretty crafty person. I made cards. I painted. I had a lot of crafty ideas in my head that I couldn't accomplish because of a lack of skill (such as sewing)

And now? NADA. I don't have time. Actually, I don't make time. Yes, I'm super busy being a mom. However, when gabes sleeping I could be doing something that doesn't involve the tv. Although, he is sleeping right now...in my arm. (just one otherwise how could I type?)






I love being a mom, I just wish I could still have time for those other things I used to love too. For example, I started a painting for gabes future girlfriends,and it's still unfinished. Part is because I can't decide how to finish it, and partly because I don't have the time. Being crafty isn't like picking up a book you've been meaning to finish. It requires supplies and space and most of all, time.

It sounds like a lot of excuses. Honestly, I don't know if I'm making excuses or if it's true. Our weekends are jam-packed! We barely find the time to do laundry, how could I possibly start a project? Am I selling myself short or is there really no time? Since gabe I know I've been putting aside some things that I'd like to do, but doesn't every mom, every parent? Also, are there people who want to buy cards? Just because I want to make them doesn't mean there's a reason for me to make them.

Thanks for "listening", any suggestions or card orders would be great! :)


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A year later....

I don't know where to begin. This time a year ago I was making sure that I had everything ready to be admitted to the hospital. I was being kinda bratty and the doctors finally agreed to induce me a week early. I think they were just tired of listening to me twice a week. However, they were the ones who kept making me come in so often!

A year ago I still had not committed 100% to naming him Gabriel. I had a few names that I liked that I was going to spring on Jorge if I felt like he didn't look like a Gabriel or an Alexander. A year later I cannot imagine gabe being any other name.



A year ago I was afraid of being a mom. I was afraid of a newborn. Now, I am still afraid that I'm not a good mom sometimes, but I think gabe is turning out Ok. He is walking and talking and sometimes even responding to questions!


A year ago I weighed 202 pounds! Oh my god! There was not a gigantic baby inside of me. Why was I soooo huge?! Since dropping thirty pounds rather quickly in the beginning because of water weight and breastfeeding, I have gotten stuck at a few different weights. Now I have lost almost twenty pounds since June! I'm only twelve pounds away from what I weighed when I went in for my first ultrasound.




A year ago I didn't know I could love someone so much. I would do anything for gabe. He means everything to me. He has a better wardrobe then I do! I didn't know that seeing him walk for the first time would bring me to tears. I also didn't know that I could be so concerned with how much one little man ate or drank in a day. But having a baby changes a lot of things in your life and in your mind and definitely in your heart.



Happy birthday baby. Mommy loves you sooo sooo much!

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This is going around some other blogs I read.....

A. Age: 31? AM I REALLY THIRTY ONE?!
B. Bed size: QUEEN
C. Chore that you hate: WASHING DIRTY BOTTLES AND THE TUB (Yuck!)
D. Dogs: NOPE. JORGE SAYS IM NOT ALLOWED
E. Essential start to your day: I DON'T REALLY HAVE ONE....BUT I DO LOVE A LITTLE CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE!
F. Favourite color: BLUE
G. Gold or Silver: SILVER
H. Height: 5"1'
I. Instruments you play: NONE
J. Job title: WIFE, MOM, NANNY
K. Kids: ONE STEP DAUGHTER AND ONE YEAR OLD SON
L. Live: CHICAGO
M. Mother's name: JEAN
N. Nicknames: JEN, JENNY, HUBBA DUBBA
O. Overnight hospital stays: HAVING GABE, 5 NIGHTS!
P. Pet peeve: LITTER ON THE FLOOR
Q. Quote from a movie: "NO ONE PUTS BABY IN THE CORNER"
R. Right or left handed: RIGHT
S. Siblings: ONE YOUNGER BROTHER
T. Time you wake up: WHENEVER GABE DOES, USUALLY AROUND 6:30
U. Underwear: BOYSHORTS
V. Vegetable you hate: TOMATOES
W. What makes you run late: JORGE AND SIDNEY
X. X-Rays you've had: BACK
Y. Yummy food that you make: SPAGHETTI AND BEAN PIZZAS
Z. Zoo animal: POLAR BEARS, MEERKATS

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Cake

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The first birthday party!

Today is gabes first first birthday party. We are not having the greatest weather today but I know that it will be so great!




Gabe is practicing on sidneys guitar while she helps Jorge get ready. It's been a busy week preparing for today. And next week will also be full of preparation for the next first birthday party. This is one lucky kid! And I feel so blessed that there are so many people who want to celebrate this milestone with us. Thank you everyone.

Don't worry, there will be plenty of pictures!




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A weekend with the Romans!

We had a great weekend. It was super busy (of course) and ended with a sick baby. Can gabe still be considered a baby? I mean he will always be my baby.

Friday Megan and I went to this awesome resale thing. I got gabe a cozy coupe for $8! I mean, it's a little faded but otherwise it is in great condition. I also got gabe some snow boots and some other clothes but I am so excited about the car! I had been eyeing it the whole time and I told myself if it was still there when we were checking out, then I would get it. I have wanted to get gabe one for awhile but, I don't like the eyes on the new one.

The bad news on Friday was that Megan and I returned to two wide awake little men at ten thirty! Supposedly they were just having so much fun with each other that they couldn't sleep. *sure*


Saturday the hubbys went to the cubs game with Sidney. Gabe took a long nap after the crazy night before. He was a little cranky but I figured that he was just overtired and getting teeth. I really didnt think that he could be getting an ear infection. Megan made dinner for us that night. Gabe loved it!





I should have realized that something was wrong with gabe when Megan and I went to target and gabe (who was with Jorge) cried the whole time. Again, i figured he was just overtired. Poor little man :(

For some reason, we thought it was a good idea to go to the flea market in the rain on Sunday. I guess it was kinda a good idea because I got an awesome slide for gabe! Seriously gabe and kyle played inside on that slide for over half an hour! And every time gabe sees it, he runs right to it. Best fifteen dollars!





You can see gabe running to the slide!






I know gabes birthday is coming up soon and I should maybe not have bought him some big things so he could get them for his birthday. But......I just can't help myself! I love buying gabe things and I love a great deal! Besides, since we don't have a yard, I would not expect anyone to get us outside toys. It would be different if we had a yard.

Hopefully my little man will be feeling better soon!




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Soooo tired......

But here Are some pictures to enjoy!






Sidney doing karate in the park



Kyle pushing gabe




Gabe loved kyles car!





Mcdonalds and milk for lunch




We had a busy busy Saturday and I am wiped out! I am laying down typing this that's how tired I am! ( and I am not doing that good,thank god for spell check and auto correct!)





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A walker

I cannot believe how much gabe has changed in such a short period of time! I know that I have said this before but since he started walking on September 2nd, it's been non stop chaos!





He is now walking more than he crawls. Everyday there is more walking and less crawling. Today, he really only crawled when he wanted to get somewhere (the stairs) quickly. He is moving so quickly and so much I can hardly get any decent pictures!




WHOA! Watch out! Baby running by!



We went to the park today and it was pretty awesome. We really haven't gone to the park a lot because for a long time it was hard to keep shoes on and there was the crawling. But today he crawled up the stairs and then we slid down the slide a few times together. He is definitely not a fan of the slide by himself. He could have spent all day in the swings. I think he was in a swing trance for awhile. There is also a rocking thing that he really liked. Where did my baby go? I see a lot of park time in our future. I am really excited about the new playground that they are building by out house. It looks amazing!


There is other big news too. Sidney is now a teenager! Yesterday was her birthday. She lives right across from the park and we spent some time with her last night. She was holding one of gabes hands while Jorge held the other and they were walking in the park. It's weird for me to have an almost one year old, I cannot imagine how Jorge feels having a one year old and a thirteen year old!





I have the power!


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In remembrance

I have to write about today's anniversary.

On September 11, 2001, I was getting ready for an early day at navy pier. I was watching the today show with my mom like we always did in the mornings. Matt and Katie were talking about the first plane flying into the first tower. They were showing a live shot of the trade centers. I believe they were talking about what could have happened, unsure of what was going on. Then it happened. I watched in horror as the second tower was hit by another plane. All I remember was thinking "is this really happening? What is going on? Should I go downtown to work?"

I had to go to work. It was very strange at the pier. It was earlier than normal and usually there were not any people there. But that day there were men and women in the suits walking around an otherwise deserted pier. We were asking constantly if the pier was safe and if it was going to remain open. It was scary. It was also sad and overwhelming.

The pier didn't stay open long that day and it seemed like very one was in a rush to leave. Personally, I just didn't want to be downtown, at a tourist attraction. I wanted to be as far away from there as possible, just in case. I remember taking the streets home because I was afraid of the expressway. It took a really long time and I know that I was on the phone with Jorge for part of the ride. I was glad that everyone that we knew was safe.


It's strange. I love history. I never expected to be apart of it in a little way. No, I wasnt there. However, Jorge and I had just returned from new york a few days before. I also I feel like I watched it happen. I didn't see news about it after the fact. I sat there watching the today show and saw the second plane hit. I think it made it a little more real for me. I was a mess this morning when they were showing all of the footage from the memorial. The saddest moment came when a little boy read the names and he dedicated his reading in memory of his father whom he never met because he was still in his moms belly. *tears*


I would like to dedicate this to all of the men and women and children who lost their lives that day and to all of the men and women who are fighting for our freedom. Thank you


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so much has changed

this was me one year ago at a friends wedding. my cousin donald was trying to tell me i had a cyclops baby. he was poking it's one eye.

anyways....so much has changed since then. i cannot believe that in twenty days my little tiny baby will be one year old! STOP!!! stop time right now! i miss my little baby. i miss being able to rock him to sleep in the swing. i miss him being able to hang out in his boppy.

however...there are many things that i do not miss about a little baby. yes, maybe gabe only eats lodi sausage and berries but that's a whole lot better than pumping every few hours and having a freezer full of frozen breast milk. and maybe gabe winds up in our bed for a few hours. it is so much nicer to be able to sleep in my bed and not on the couch next to the bassinet. and the spitting up. i do not miss the spitting up. i realize that gabe's was not as bad as some babies but on the other hand, he was a lot worse than some babies too. it's nice not having to have twenty back up outfits for the two of us just in case he pukes.

because gabe is such a cuddler, i don't miss holding a newborn. he cuddles all of the time (um...three hours yesterday at nap time) and he also gives the best hugs. there is nothing like a gabe hug. it is intentional, it is tight, it is full of love. he woke up early yesterday morning and i went in and got the biggest hug and it made up for the fact that it was 4:15.

people always told me that i needed to enjoy him. and that time goes by fast. well, they were right! i do enjoy gabe. how could i not? he is my pride and joy. but time, time is tricky. the first three months didn't feel like they went that fast. it seemed like i was always pumping and gabe was always eating. the holidays probably should have made it seem like time was flying but not really. then came january and before i knew it, september! i treasure every day with gabe, maybe not every moment, but i know how precious everyday is.

every day when he was tiny seemed like an important day. it always seemed like he was learning something new. then things slowed down. but now, it seems like he learns something new everyday. i also (a bit biased) think that he is a smart baby. for example, today he moved the pack and play (which is angled into a chair to block getting to the stairs) crawled through the opening and pushed it back so that i couldn't get through. WOW! i was on the floor laughing and telling him how smart he was. he is also taking alot of steps and always seems amazed with what he is doing. sometimes it is hard for me to grasp that not so long ago he was just army crawling or that in a short time he might be running.

this has already been one crazy adventure and i can't wait to see what lies ahead.

I'm getting prepared

Yesterday gabe would not sleep without me holding him. Three hours! Three hours of getting nothing done. Yes, I love to cuddle with my little man, but three hours is just too much. In about an hour I will be getting ready for gabes cuddle free, cry it out nap. I don't really like to let him cry it out but I can no longer do this. He is almost year old after all!

So I am going to put the blanket he sometimes sleeps on in his pack and play and hope for the best. He cannot crawl to me if he is in his pack and play. Keep your fingers crossed!


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Take a picture Thursday!

Ok. I took this picture over the weekend, not today. I got to wear this really cute pin up girl bow that Jorge and Sidney bought for me! I always post about gabe but I thought that I'd put up a picture of me for once.

More stuff to come(if I can get gabe to sleep on his blanket!)

I've been busy...

I'm sure most of you have seen my video on Facebook. If you haven't, gabe is walking! It was a very interesting weekend. It was a little sad too.

Friday gabe took intentional steps toward a chair. It was only a few, maybe three. But he definitely stood up and walked towards the chair. Jorge was a little sad that he was not around to see it. However, the best was yet to come! Later that day we were all at home, me, gabe , Jorge and Sidney. I made sure Sidney was holding the camera and then IT happened! Gabe just took off! He stood up and just walked away! It was breathtaking! It was sad! I had tears in my eyes but I was also so excited. I was especially excited because everyone was there to see it. I posted the video for our parents as fast as Facebook would let me!

The weekend was more of the same. Gabe would be crawling, I would secretly hope that he forgot he knew how to walk, and then he would just stand up and take off. Of course, he was shy around both families. He only took a few steps when we went to my moms and jorges moms. Seriously?! At least I had the video to prove it.





On Saturday we went to a friends surprise birthday party. It was nice, especially since it stopped raining. Gabe was a little fussy because he just wanted to get down and go. But we were on the sidewalk and he was getting his first birthday pictures the next day. I already knew he was wearing shorts so I didn't want him to scrap his knees up.

Speaking of his pictures.....blah! He was not a cranky baby, thank goodness, but he didn't really smile. The girl was not really helpful. She kept saying mom anything you can do to make him smile.....um...isnt that kinda her job? Oh well. There are some cute ones, just none with a big smile like I was hoping for.






Monday was great! Jorge spent the whole day with gabe! Awesome! I got to see the help with my mom. I loved the book and the movie was just as good. What a busy weekend! It was pretty emotional too. I mean I want gabe to walk, I want him to grow up. But......I want my little baby.



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