You are the Sunshine of My life

Scrumptious!!!

2012-02-13T10:21:00.001-08:00

The Boyz kickin back with some grub...

2012-02-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

Ava's First Day of Ballet Class

2012-02-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

SAHM

2012-02-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

I've been asked if I find being a stay- at- home- mom (SAHM) to be sacrificial. Of course I do. Is it worth it? Without a DOUBT!

Baby Elly

2012-02-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

This is who we get to play with on Mondays!! We watch her for our friends Lizzy and Mario in our growth group. Ava Marie LOVES her to pieces.

Baby Elly back in the tummy : )

Mateo finds his belly button!

2012-02-11T11:39:00.001-08:00

Ava Marie's first big owie. She was very brave :-(

2012-02-11T04:17:00.000-08:00

We thought it was a broken wrist, turns out it's a broken arm. Pink Splint on for 24 hours.

Purple cast on for 4 weeks :(

Cinderella Making a Birthday Cake for Jesus

2012-02-11T04:07:00.000-08:00

I'm a Big Girl Now!

Look at me, Daddy!

A few more minutes and the cake is done, yum!!

Little Man helping Daddy to put together our new TV!!

2012-02-11T03:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas Morning 2011

2012-02-11T03:47:00.000-08:00

I know it just doesn't seem right to post something from Christmas in FEBRUARY, because
it's just sooo yesterday :) But I love the excitement on the Mateo's face that I just couldn't resist.

Words I never thought I would hear come out of my mouth

2012-02-11T03:16:00.000-08:00

With a preschooler & toddler in the house, there is never a dull moment. Our job as parents is to love, protect, and of course instruct them. Today in yet another teachable moment, I couldn't finish the sentence without bursting into laughter. Of course, this sent the kids rolling into an all-out hysterical belly laugh also. I thought it would be fun to share with you my favorite of the week.

"Kids, we don't put pom poms between our bum cheeks!!!"

The Stanton Clan stopped by for a visit

2012-02-10T19:45:00.000-08:00

We're Back!!

2012-02-10T16:03:00.000-08:00

Hello loving family and friends,

Mommy and Daddy no longer have a Facebook account so look for pictures and updates on our blog to keep up with our busy little family. Much love!

The Smith's

Guess who is Five Months old?

2011-01-30T21:11:00.001-08:00

Mateo Thomas

2010-11-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

Our Baby Boy!

Daddy & Ava paint Ava's wagon

2010-07-03T20:31:00.001-07:00

Kerry, a co-worker of Justin's, gave a wagon to Ava. It is about 15 years old and it is weathered from many years of use by Kerry's daughter. So when Justin brought it home he asked Ava what color she would like to paint it. She said purple...so they walked to the hardware store bought purple spray paint and re-created "wagon". Daddy and Ava were even able to figure out how to attach an umbrella to it. They had a lot of fun with this project.

Ava loves playing with Daddy's tools. Here they are taking the wagon apart and repainting the white parts.

Half way finished and they take time to eat cupcakes. This is a very important step in the process...eating cupcakes.

Ava bringing Daddy more paint. She is a very good helper.

Ta-da! Painted and put back together.

Ava wants to say "Hello Everyone!"

Ava being silly.

Here is Ava giving the wagon a test drive of her own.

We Caved!

2010-06-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

Five years ago we vowed to never become one of those people. We simply under NO circumstance could ever sucuumb to the nonsense. No, we aren't pretentious people, but driving a minivan??? Absurd. A sedan that seats five has ample leg room, trunk space & passes the crash test with flying colors, thank you very much. Besides, who in their right mind would CHOOSE to ride around in a vehicle whose purpose serves better delivering goods instead of people. Not Us! That was five years ago. About three months ago my dear husband planted the seed. He actually spoke of minivans in a positive light. You know honey, you could have a power liftgate & side doors. Imagine the convenience when loading up the little ones along with a cart-full of groceries. What had happened to my true-to-the-end-no-minivans-ever partner? I took a deep breath, listened attentively, and yes...considered it. So we did it. We caved. And you know what? It's the best decision we've ever made in all of our vehicle purchases (single days included) of the past. And like many of the others often say, I can't imagine my life without one.

Grandma Marce's Visit

2010-06-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

GM stopped for a short but very enjoyable visit. Grandma will be holding down the fort during those hours in which baby #2 makes his grand entrance into the world.

Bubbles just make the world a better place.

2010-03-31T21:33:00.001-07:00

Hello Spring!

2010-03-31T21:16:00.000-07:00

Will this get me my way?

2010-03-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

I don't think so honey, but nice try! Ava's (strong) attempt at manipulating me into buying her something (I don't even remember what it was). Btw, her bffs, Molly and Zoe, weren't budging either.

It's Party Time!!!!

2010-03-15T20:34:00.000-07:00

This is Ava's first Quinceanera. As you can see, she got her fair share of salsa dancing in. When it's in your blood...it's in your blood. Love it!!

Latest and Greatest in Ava's toybox

2009-10-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is back-breaking, but you know we'll do just about anything for a smile like this.

Ava's First Driving Lesson

2009-10-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

First let's find some good tunes.

Ok, everyone strapped in? We're headed out!

Piece of cake

We've arrived! Where to next?

WAAAAAAA! But I was just getting the hang of it.

Mouthful of Teeth

2009-09-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

Y Agua, Agua, Agua, weeeeee!

2009-08-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

Toddler Business

2009-08-28T20:17:00.001-07:00

Here we are spending an afternoon at our friends Teryn and Jackson's house. It's always bound to be a blast with these two. Their salt water pool is especially refreshing in this August heat.

Double Trouble

Although Ava savors the moment, Jackson is not quite sure he's sold on the idea.

Our little Nemo

Precious Moments

2009-08-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

God didn't gift me with anything resembling a pretty voice. But I LOVE to sing...privately. Besides prayer, there is no better remedy for brightening my day than blaring Christian Rock as I sing praises to my Jesus. The other (very mundane) day, Ava and I were having lunch without much being said- Ok, so I normally do the talking and she does the caveman grunting back. One of my favs came on the radio, "Beautiful One" by Jeremy Camp. With a burst of energy from left field, I jump up and begin singing, very much off key (always the norm), hands up in the air...praising the Beautiful One I know and adore. Ava, with hand in midair making its way to her mouth, stopped eating. So I, feeling a little embarrassed in front of this 13 month-old, stopped singing. Ava motioned her hands and signed "more." AAaaah, she wants "more" bread to eat along with her chicken. Ok, more bread on her tray...there you are...lunch is resumed. Not quite, Ava signs again "more." "Honey, you have plenty of food in front of you." Wait, water, you must want water. No problem, let me get you your sippy and...she signs "more" a few more times. Sheepishly I put my hands up in the air and sing my off-key tune. My daughter smiles. I smile. I sing louder and put my hands up higher in the air. She puts her hands up in the air. Tears fill my eyes, and joy fills my heart. What a friend we have in Jesus.

Play Buddy

2009-08-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, what kind of trouble can I get into today?

I know, let's find a good purpose for this bucket.

Dog- Why can't I make myself invisible?

Cool trick huh?
Dog- Is she going to try to shove me in the bucket next?

Forget it then. Tough crowd...

Celebrating Ava's first year of life!

2009-08-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

Proud Papa and the apple of his eye.

Birthday girl and Jackson (who's only a day younger)

Showing off her ability to show the big one-year-old she is.

Sapo Verde

Getting wet at the spray park in our neighborhood.

Horsing around at the Petting Zoo

2009-08-04T10:08:00.001-07:00

Pardon me Mrs. G but you are in my personal space.

C'mon...kissy...kissy

Come back, was it something I said?

Promise Kept

2009-07-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

I have made the promise to many of you that I'd resume blogging soon. In my defense, aside from being busy, tired, and yes, a little lazy too, our computer was attacked by a virus back in May. But enough with the excuses. I am devoting the next couple of hours to finding and sorting pictures so that you can all see Ava's busy and fun Summer thus far and how much she has grown, grown, grown. Hasta pronto.

PS. Make sure to also click on 'Older Posts.'

Do you hear the African Drums?

2009-07-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

We've joined our friends Teryn and Jackson in moving to the beat in our Music and Movement class.

The best part of the day is that we get to play with our friends Teryn and Jackson

Fun, Easy, and Cheap entertainment

2009-07-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

Two wacky parents, One energetic toddler, a park, and a tub.

Playing is learning

2009-07-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Loved ones loving on Ava

2009-07-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

Auntie Jenna and cousins Alexa, Questin, and Mason

Uncle Dustin and Auntie Jenna

Auntie Sherry and baby Josiah (in the belly)

Josiah

On your marks...

2009-07-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

Landon allows Ava a head start

He catches up to her around the corner

He steals a kiss as he zooms passed her

The Perks of Mommyhood

2009-07-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

When my patience tank is running low, a flashing smile like the ones below fill it right back up.

Fourth of July hip, hip parade!

2009-07-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

Another tradition in the making...4th of July parade at Hagan Park with the Byrnes.

My,don't we look patriotic.

Enjoying everything from the marching band to the dancing horsies.

Our friends Amy, Jamey, and Lily

Home, not quite ready for all the festivities to end.

Pool Fun

2009-07-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Ava has inherited the fish gene from both daddy and mommy so we have spent many a days at the pool

Daddy taught the mommy and me swimming class for years so he's starting Ava out early with her kicks

I know your hiding the Cheerios up there somewhere

Def Leppard Cassette Tape

2009-07-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Photograph... I don't want your... photograph... I don't need your... photograph...ALL I GOT IS YOUR PHOTOGRAPH. Anyone else loved that song?

My 80's music destroyer

Hi Everybody. Today I turn NINE months already. My, my I'm getting so big.

2009-04-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

Here I am in Carmel having a ball with mommy and daddy as we celebrate God bringing them together 5 years ago.

Hola Amigos! Ya tengo Ocho Meses!

2009-03-07T19:22:00.001-08:00

Another Playdate with Landon!

2009-02-10T20:39:00.001-08:00

Well, guess who is SEVEN months old already?

2009-02-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Ava has quite the quirky personality these days. Bath time just keeps getting better and better!

Ava is now 6 months old and counting!

2009-01-07T20:45:00.000-08:00

with a longer attention span these days, I'm having fun exploring my new toys.

Feliz Navidad!

2008-12-24T22:45:00.000-08:00

Ava wanted to wish everyone a very Merry CHRISTmas. Remember...tonight a King is born!

Hope you all enjoy the photo that Jackie took of me. If you are looking for a great photographer go to Jackie's website: http://www.jacquelinephotography.net/

Surprise!

2008-12-21T20:40:00.000-08:00

I sat up all on my own for the very first time yesterday! And what do you think of my dress?

Hoy cumplo 5 meses de nacida! Sending Blessings your way!

2008-12-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Pain of His Child

2008-11-29T21:53:00.000-08:00

Many of you know the story. Jim Desmond and his twenty-six-year-old son, Derek. Derek was favored to win the four-hundred meter race in 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Halfway into his semifinal heat, a fiery pain seared through his right leg. He crumpled to the track with a torn hamstring.

As medical attendants were approaching, Derek fought to his feet. "It was an animal instinct," he would later say. He set out hopping, pushing away the coaches in a crazed attempt to finish the race. When he reached the stretch, a big man pushed through the crowd. He was wearing a t-shirt that read "Have you hugged your child today?" The man was Jim Redmond, Derek's father.

"You don't have to do this," he told his weeping son. "Yes, I do," replied Derek. "Well, then." said Jim, "we're going to finish this together." And they did. Jim wrapped Derek's arm around his shoulder and helped him hobble to the finish line. Fighting off security men, the son's head sometimes buried in the father's shoulder, they stayed in Derek's lane to the end. The crowd clapped, then stood, then cheered, and then wept as the father and son finished the race. (Max Lucado)

What made the father do it? What made the father leave the stands to meet his son on the track? Was it the strength of his child? No, it was the pain of his child.

I can tell you as a mother, seeing my child in pain is heart wrenching. I would agree to take the place of my daughter any day of the week in order to spare her little legs from being injected during our doctor's visits. Seeing her in agony brings an overwhelming feeling of sadness over me.

God feels my pain. He yearns to take the broken pieces of my heart and put it back together. If only I let Him.

We ran to feed the hungry (ok, ok, walked)

2008-11-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

We joined 28,000 other participants this year for the 15th annual and largest fundraising event for the Sacramento Food Bank. We plan to make it a holiday tradition. We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Our little Punkin...

2008-11-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Daddy promised to dress up next year.

Daddy couldn't resist my pumpkin pie kisses.

We love the Rodriguez family to pieces.

Our First Annual Apple Hill Visit

2008-11-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

Hurray for road trips!

I was enthralled by that funny hair on the head of the cob.

We stopped for some scrumptious apple pie. Yum!

Ava Marie is 4 months old!

2008-11-07T20:33:00.001-08:00

Play Date with Landon

2008-11-07T20:19:00.000-08:00

Hmmm. Milk. It does a body good.

2008-10-07T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hey There! I am 3 Months Old Today!!

2008-10-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Say Cheeeeeeez!

2008-09-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

Look at Me in my big girl bathrobe! Thanks Auntie, Tara!

2008-09-23T14:32:00.001-07:00

Now Bath time is TWICE as fun!

Intro to the Art of Using Chopsticks. Arigato.

2008-09-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Life with Baby

2008-09-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

As some of you may (or may not) have noticed, my blog entries have been sporadic and limited on words. First let me say that never in my wildest dreams did I fathom life with baby could be so consuming on so many levels. My days typically consist of coming up with creative ways to get Ava to sleep longer, eat less often, and find interest in her toys and books. Quite a change from my days as a classroom teacher.

But let me go back to the first weeks with baby. Sleep deprivation can bring one to a state of lunacy. The breastfeeding/newborn fog made it difficult to carry out simple tasks, not to mention carry on an intelligent conversation. I remember a morning in particular in which I could not for the life of me remember what I had eaten, worn or who I had talked to the day before. One of the lowest point that comes to mind was when Justin became sick and "quarantined" himself in the spare bedroom for a few days...unable to spend time or be of any help with Ava. I was running on 4 hours of sleep (tops) in 5 days. I wasn't producing enough milk to meet Ava's high demands. And colicky Ava was going on 2 hours of high-piercing inconsolable sobbing. After a bout of hysterical crying, I dried my tears, put Ava down, took a deep breath and proceeded to bring the vacuum cleaner into the bedroom. I blasted that puppy next to Ava's ear for 3 hours. It worked like a charm (I won't share the cost of our energy bill for that month). I have since resorted to the hair dryer as it's a lot less cumbersome and more energy efficient.

I am happy to say that Ava is no longer colicky and sleeping more, so our challenges are a little different today. She is sleeping in 5-7 hour stretches at night (thank you Jesus)...naps, however, are a different story. The routine goes as follows...rock her to sleep, put her down, she wakes up 10 minutes later. Pick her back up, rock her to sleep, put her down, she wakes up 12 minutes later. Repeat 2 more times. And at last, success. She has now been napping for 30 minutes. Woo hoo! Now if mother nature would just step it up so that I can satisfy this ravenous child after her nap...we'll be in business.

Guess Who's Two Months Old?!?!?!

2008-09-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Daddy's Big Date Night

2008-09-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

Kickin' it at the Crib...

2008-08-19T11:26:00.001-07:00

God's Promises I hold dear to my heart (especially during 3 am feedings)

2008-08-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Don't let anxiety steal your joy:
rather, tell me about your worries
and needs and thank me in advance.
As you pray, you'll find that my
incomparable peace overshadows
all of your problems and insecurities.

Always be content with what you have,
knowing that I'll never leave or abandon you.
I'll supply everything you need, according
to my endless riches in glory.

Faithfully providing,

~Your Prince of Peace

-from Deuteronomy 7:12-13, John 16:33, Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 4:19

Being introduced to the bottle makes my new favorite...Feedings with Daddy!

2008-08-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

Daddy's feeding me today? Does he really have the equipment?

Not what I had in mind...but I like it!

Yummy!

Burp Time!

Motherhood...No training required but flexibility and patience highly recommended

2008-08-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest. Never in my wildest dreams did I fathom (or put forth any thought for that matter)that being a stay-at-home mom would be so challenging. My lack of sympathy towards the "profession" leaves me feeling a little guilty and ashamed. I guess like many others in our society, who have no idea what a "homemaker's" day entails, I assumed that not having a set schedule of working hours meant freedom, lots of time, no sweat kind of day. Preposterous! Raising a child means alarm clocks are no longer necessary. And forget about hitting snooze when your wake up call is an infant's cry. Freedom of choice, forget about it. You are at the mercy of the tiny tyrant that steals your heart every day. Your day has been laid out before you can even say diaper change. Routine? Very Funny. The only routine your day will have are feedings, diaper changes, and singing soothing lullabies. Small projects are carried out in segments. Some may never come to fruition. And this my friends, takes flexibility. Calming the cries of a colicky baby takes patience. There is no way around it. The price of being a mother is sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice. Now do the rewards outweigh the costs? You be the judge...

Endless carefree cuddles and sweet slobber kisses. Silly giggles and tiny arms that squeeze you tight. Lessons on forgiveness, trust, and unconditional acceptance. A new appreciation for the God above. And last but not least, living with the knowledge that all the hard work and effort invested in your child helped to make this world a better, brighter place. As for me, I believe the rewards of being a mother are simply priceless.

I'm One Month Old!!!

2008-08-07T13:01:00.001-07:00

I have filled out quite a bit, haven't I? Eating is my favorite thing to do!

Visiting with Mis Tios

2008-08-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Tio Neneto promised to bring me cousins very soon!

Tio Rober fell in love with me right away

Hiking by the American River

Mommy and Tios enjoying breakfast at the cafe near our house

Yep, I'm their pride and joy!

Who's That Photographer?

2008-07-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

We have gotten quite a response to the black and white photo that is shown on our blog. Just to let you know, it was taken by Jackie of JacquelinePhotography.net. She is great to work with and is a talented photographer. Look for more of her work on our blog in the future!

Ava's Birth Story

2008-07-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the story behind the baby :) Enjoy!!

Ava’s birth story begins a few days before her actual birthday, on Wednesday, July 2nd. Ana had her weekly Doctor’s appointment to see how things were moving along. Much to our surprise, the Doctor told us that Ana was dilated to 2cm and Ava had dropped to a pelvic station of zero; which basically means that Ava’s head had dropped and was resting at Ana’s cervix. We thought Wow! That is exciting. I asked our Doctor if she could tell us when Ava would actually arrive. The answer was less exciting, “Could be tomorrow, could be in two weeks.”

So with that we settled into our regular routine of walking every night, doing Ana’s pregnancy work out DVD and hanging out waiting for a twitch. Wednesday afternoon…..nothing. Wednesday night….nada. Thursday morning….wait….contraction time! I came home from work ready to play coach. It was not long before we realized that it was a false alarm. Thursday afternoon….nope. Thursday night…..you guessed it, no contractions.

Friday we decided to take a long walk, go for a bike ride, walk some more. Still nothing. Saturday came, more walking, we bought a desk and put it together. Anything to get this baby moving! Finally by Saturday afternoon Ana decided to go to the gym and lift some weights. (Don’t worry; she had been lifting all pregnancy) Apparently Ava did not like that, because about an hour after Ana got home, around 7pm, the contractions started!

Being that this was our first time at this baby stuff, we still did not know if this was the real thing or not, but just to be on the safe side we proceeded to shower and get ready as if a trip to the hospital was imminent. By 8:30 pm it was obvious Ana was in labor. So we started working together doing breathing exercises, and birth positions while I rubbed her back. By 11pm her contractions were pretty intense. She was sweating profusely and was having trouble talking through the contractions. We decided that the pain was bad enough to go to the hospital.

We took off, Dale Earnhart style. You know: red light….um what red light? We got a baby on the way! After arriving at the hospital in a smokin’ 7 minutes (a law abiding drive from our house is around 20 minutes) I loaded up Ana in a wheelchair; by now I am really concerned. She isn’t saying much, is curled up in a fetal position and drenched in sweat. After a mad dash to the maternity ward, the intake nurse checks Ana and finds that she is fully dilated to 10 centimeters and is at a +2 pelvic station! After checking Ana out, the nurse screams for help, turns to Ana and me and says with urgency, “Honey, whatever you do, try not to push yet; because this baby is coming RIGHT NOW and we still need to call your doctor and get you set up in a delivery room!” With that the nurse rushes Ana into a delivery room. Our doctor showed up in 15 minutes and 5 pushes later at 12:01 am on Sunday, July 6th, Ava was born!

I am thankful for such a wonderful wife. She is strong mentally, physically and spiritually. I am constantly amazed by her! The doctor said that in 30 years of practice she has never had a patient with as much muscle control as Ana. Ana achieved her goal of a natural pregnancy and as a result, she was fully alert and calm after the delivery. According to Ana enduring the pain and working through the cascade of contractions, is empowering and moving. She feels that she can tackle anything after working through the pain and discomfort of delivering a baby.

Ava came into the world in a very peaceful, non-medicated manner. She arrived with her eyes wide open and was very alert. She had a serene, puzzled look on her face and was content to lay on Mommy’s chest and bond. Ava was born a healthy 6 pounds 4 ounces and was 18 ½ inches long.

It's Bath Time!

2008-07-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

First Visit with my Grandparents!

2008-07-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

Abuelito and Grammie

Grandma Mom, Cousins Alexa and Mayson, and Daddy

Papa Tom and Grandma Marce

More pictures

2008-07-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Is it ok if we're a little camera crazy? Oh, we're supposed to be? Ok good! You can see more of Ava by clicking on the flickr icon just below our portrait image.

Oh oh, baby's crying, gotta go :)

Ava has Arrived!

2008-07-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

Beloved friends. Ava has graced us with an early arrival. Ana and Ava are doing great. We will post the whole birth story later, but in the meantime we wanted to share some pictures with you!

Thanks for all the love and phone calls. Bear with us, both our cell phone batteries have died and the hospital doesn't allow anything but hospital equipment to be plugged in, we will get back to you as soon as we can!

Waiting

2008-06-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Dear baby, here beneath my heart,
I thought that you might come today;
The timing just seemed right.
But the stars are out
And the moon is high
And sheepishly I wonder why
I try to arrange the plans of God.
For now I know
You will not come until the One
Who holds eternity rustles your soft cocoon
and whispers in tones that I will not hear,
"It's time, precious gift.
Now it's time."

by: Robin Jones Gunn

Ava's #1 fans!

2008-06-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

I can remember it as clear as the sunny California sky. I waited for my students to finish their morning routine and with 15 pairs of eyes on me, I made the announcement. "Class from now on until the rest of the school year, we will be having an additional snack recess in the afternoon." Without much of a hoopla, most of my third graders glanced at each other, then back at me and gave me the polite "you are the teacher, whatever you say goes" smile. Most...except for one. "Mrs.Smith, are you pregnant?" I gave the class a somewhat bashful smile as I nodded yes. Suddenly bodies dropped to the ground (literally), cheers, and hoorays filled the room. Children are the best at displaying excitement (even if often over exaggerated). Now you are probably wondering how in the world does an 8 year-old make such a connection? Let me explain. The year prior Mrs. Tracy, the second grade teacher, had received the miraculous news that after 12 discouraging years of trying to get pregnant with no avail, and two adoptions, she was having a baby. As a result, the class benefited from an extra recess to accommodate for fatigue, bathroom breaks, hunger, etc.

When entering the third grade, the question was raised on whether I would allow for a morning recess only or for both morning and afternoon. Without hesitation I explained to the class that third grade involves a lot more work than second and therefore that valuable time would be used towards one of the academic subjects. Secretly, one of my students approached Mrs. Tracy to tell her that starting that night, she would begin praying for God to gift me with a baby so that she could enjoy the scrumptious snacks dad packed daily for her. I chuckled as Mrs.Tracy shared this with me. This student has a heart for God that is seldom seen at such a young age. But to be honest, I didn't put much weight on her requests to the God of the universe to bless me with a child.

Now most of you know that we were incredibly fortunate to have gotten pregnant within the first month of trying. I was shocked, Justin was shocked. I was thrilled, Justin was thrilled. I have heard on many occasions of amazing stories of answered children's prayers. As to whether my blessing came from a child's innocent request, well I'll just have to wait for the answer on the other side of heaven. And frankly, it makes no difference to me because either way...I'M HAVING A BABY!

2008-06-23T16:26:00.001-07:00

Are we cramped yet?

2008-06-19T17:42:00.000-07:00

I'm baffled by the little space babies have in the last month of pregnancy. With four weeks to go, Ava's arms and legs are plumping up nicely which means that she is big enough to take up most of my uterus, and has limited space to move around. She wriggles less because of this constriction, but her movements are stronger and more defined. Justin and I have been having fun taking guesses of baby's body parts from the contours of my belly. The Doctor said she has assumed the head-down position in preparation for birth.

Next week (week 37), she is considered full term, meaning that if labor were to start, no effort would be made to delay it. Interestingly, research suggests that it's actually Ava who will trigger labor by producing hormones as a reaction to her cramped surroundings.

Getting a full night's sleep is virtually impossible these days. I am making bathroom trips about every 45 minutes. The pressure from Ava's weight on my pelvic joints causes some serious hip pain. So about every 2 hours, I have to shift from one side to the other to alleviate some of this pain. And to top it all off, throw in the mix sudden leg cramps and charlie horses that wake me up of a "deep" sleep.

May I suggest next time you see a pregnant woman at your workplace or working hard on her feet, please extend her some much needed grace. Go ahead, hold the door open for her, offer her your seat on the light rail, give her a sympathetic smile. She will be thrilled you did.

Papa's Day

2008-06-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

Last night I gave Justin a small "gift" of appreciation in honor of Father's day. Nothing overly exciting, nonetheless, some favorites of his. Peanut M&Ms, a box of Swedish Fish, and for his latest kick of iced lattes, a Starbucks gift card. And of course a father's day (to-be) card. His eyes lit up and contentment followed as he devoured the candy while watching "The Great Outdoors." I find peculiar (and rather relieving) how easily men can be pleased or at least my man. Besides keeping his tummy full, my husband's primary longing/need is respect. Sure he likes to be romanced, waited on, and spoiled. In actuality, the definition of respect is exacly that. Respect: To take notice of; to regard with special attention; to regard as worthy of special consideration; hence, to care for; to heed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the message by our pastor on Father's Day. The common thread throughout his sermon was that all men, and he said ALL, desire one thing. You guessed it...RESPECT. They need respect in the home as much as in the workplace. I can't control the actions of his boss and co-workers but what I can do is ensure that his home, his haven, is a place where he can beyond a shadow of doubt know he is in fact worthy of special consideration. A place where his opinion is desired, his needs sought after, and his hopes and dreams revered. I mean if that is in fact the most pressing need in my husband's heart, how could I hesitate to deny him from it?

Butterfly Kisses and 100 Wishes...

2008-05-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

The nursery is all ready for the arrival of our precious little jewel. We decided on pink despite the lack of popularity for this color among today's birthing parents (or at least that's what the toll revealed in our birthing classes). We personally love it! And it still remains one of Justin's favorite colors. JUST KIDDING! His wife's favorite color.

Showers of Love

2008-05-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hello family and friends! I can't believe how long it's been since our last post. I also can't believe we will be holding Ava in our arms in a little over 8 weeks! Well, on May 3, Ava was showered with gifts and mommy with love. A very special thank you to Tracy for the time and hard work put forth in order to make it happen. Thank you to Glenda for extending your beautiful home for the event. Mama for providing the gorgeous (and extremely tasty) cake and party favors. Sherry for your scrumptuous tortilla soup. Bonnie for agreeing to take the responsibility as the official photographer for the day. Carol and Anh for helping with clean-up. And last, but certainly not least...to my husband; for putting me before (once again) anything else despite the hundred other things already on your plate.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the ladies for your presence and all the generous gifts given to us. We feel so blessed and grateful to have you as friends. With much love, Justin, Ana, and Ava.

Enjoy the Pictures!

2008-04-03T21:21:00.001-07:00

Making Her Presence Known.

2008-04-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl has been quite active lately. Today she is 25 weeks old. And although she weighs a whopping 1 1/2 lbs, she has the strength and stamina of a two-year-old. Or at least this appears to be the case when in my peaceful sleep, I'm suddenly struck with a kick to the rib. Ironically, this little boxer's jabs manage to give me a half chuckle in the middle of the night. Early this morning (we have an early riser on our hands apparently), I felt her kick without ceasing for what appeared to be hours. I finally resorted to the fact that my persistent, little one was not giving up without some sort of good morning acknowledgement. So, very gently, I patted my belly to try to illicit some sort of response. Immediately a kick was returned to the same area. I returned with a press to the belly curious (and very hopeful) to see if my child would entertain me once again. Again, another kick to the belly to the same exact spot. This little game went on for about 2 minutes. Wow! What a tremendous experience!

My Best friend, My Forever Companion. Anniversary Celebration in San Diego.

2008-03-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Justin surprised me with a trip to our old stomping grounds. Thank you to the masterminds behind it all (Dad and Marce)! For those of you who have walked with me through the journey of my exodus from this place (SD) to where today finds me, you know many changes have taken place in the last 8 years (yes, it's been that long). And can I tell you that four days in this old familiar place with the newfound me was more fulfilling and gratifying than any of the 5 years from a decade ago. God is good people. No agenda in telling you that my friends...just speaking it how it is. We love you.

One last Hurrah before our lives are turned upside down! Happy 4th Anniversary!

This image was captured on Easter. He is risen!

Easter Brunch View. I love San Diego.

You can't leave San Diego before hitting Old Town for some good Comida Mexicana

By far, the highlight of our trip was cruisin' down the boardwalk

Daddy and Mommy basking in the sun

My handsome, most amazing husband...

Meet Molly, the official Surf Shop Mascot

Beached Whale on Wheels!

Mama turns 32!

2008-03-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

And looking mighty fine if I say so myself. I took her to a fondue spot we have been hearing about for years called "The Melting Pot." We were blown away. Every morsel was savored on our dish of filet, shrimp, beef, and chicken. Dessert included bite size pieces of brownie, cheesecake, strawberries, bananas, and other delicious sweets. Enjoy the pictures... isn't my wife and mommy-to-be beautiful?

It's a Girl!

2008-03-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it has been a month already since our last post...time really flies when having a baby!

So everything went well at the 5 month ultrasound; the baby is very active and quite the show stopper; Ana and I watched in amusement as the baby grabbed her leg and stretched it over her head, followed with some kicks to Mom's bladder. Take it easy now, Mom just topped off another bottle of Aquafina just so we could see you. After a good laugh we saw that the baby has a strong healthy heart, organs, good arm and leg bone length and is a girl! Her name is to be Ava Marie Smith. You can see her in the ultrasound image, Ava says hello!

Yep....she's got a baby in there.

2008-02-13T19:27:00.000-08:00

Wow, I never thought that I would love to rub and hold my wife's beautiful belly! Expect regular updates as our baby continues to grow inside of Mommy. Just to give you all a time reference, in the ripped tummy picture, Baby was 1 month old (taken the first week of November) and Baby in the other picture is 4 1/2 months old.

Looking forward to this much fun!

2008-02-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

The Second Trimester High

2008-02-10T20:01:00.000-08:00

I read all about it. The second trimester is typically a joyous time for mommy. The discomforts of early pregnancy will have passed, and most women begin to feel incredibly well. Morning sickness has typically subsided. One's hair appears thicker as the natural cycle of shedding hair comes to a halt and won't resume again until after the birth. The increased metabolism and blood supply have a positive effect on nails. What woman wouldn't feel great? As for me, my nails are definately stronger, and the hair, well lets just say I'm no Tina Turner but, nonetheless, it appears to be a bit thicker. And morning sickness is a thing of the past. Hallelujah!

My body is going through many changes and the fact that I'm pregnant is becoming more obvious. The first time someone other than a friend or an acquaintance asked whether I was pregnant was at no other than Chipotle. Being that Justin and I dine there quite frequently, one of the employees couldn't help her curiosity. She just had to ask. I don't blame her. She has seen us come and go for quite some time now and the mention of children was never on the menu. She showed excitement of that similar to a sister. She brought a big smile to my face and I realized more than ever that this really is a special moment in time for any woman.

As far as baby, this a period of rapid growth as fat starts to be laid down under her/his skin. This helps to keep her/him warm and give her/him energy. Baby is getting more hair on her head, eyebrows, and eyelashes, she has fingernails and toenails in miniature : ) She can now hear sounds outside my body which is why I have headphones up to my belly playing Chopin's Piano Concerto No.2 as I'm typing this. I read that he/she may move around vigorously if exposed to loud noises such as music at a rock concert. Guess where I'll be tomorrow night? None other than the Jeremy Camp/Toby Mac concert. Baby will surely be rocking out. And he/she better get used to it. Daddy and I are not about to end our hobby of attending our share of yearly concerts.

Have a wonderful week and Happy Valentine's!

Au revoir jeans, au revoir any resemblance of a waist

2008-02-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of my 4th month. The whole idea of becoming a mother in 5 months is completely surreal to me. All week I heard comments such as: you are really starting to show, or oh...look at your bump. My favorite...there is baby inside of there! A baby. Wow. I can't wrap my mind around it sometimes. And I especially can't wrap my mind around the fact that this summer, I will be holding a little creature made by the person I completely adore and me. So here I am giving up any resemblance of a waistline for a child with the resemblance of my handsome husband. Hey, that's a trade that is definately worthwhile!

2008-01-22T18:33:00.001-08:00

Baby, you are God's latest masterpiece

2008-01-22T17:47:00.001-08:00

Imagine, my bundle of joy- the creator of the universe, the one who made the heavens and the earth, who placed the stars in sky, is personally creating you as I write this. The same God who created gravity along with all of Newton's other laws is gently and carefully at work on His latest masterpiece. He is weaving together all your teeny, little, intricate parts. He hears every beat of your heart. He has put your hairs in place and knows where your ticklish spots are. He stared into your eyes, and He smiled. That's right. You are being handmade by God. When He knits, He doesn't make mistakes. Every stitch is orchestrated with His perfection. And even though you can't do or say anything on your own, you are perfect, one-of-a-kind. Child of mine, you bear God's brand name and have incomparable value because of your Creator. Nothing can ever diminish your worth. Nothing. Don't you ever forget that. No matter what life brings. And the reality is that in my own imperfection, at one point or another, I may regretfully stain this beautiful truth. So I say to you now... own it, claim it, relish in it, you are invaluable. God's own masterpiece.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

A Little History on Mama's Thumb Sucking Saga

2008-01-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

This week will mark the end of my first trimester. Baby measures 3 inches and is fully formed from top to toe. His/her organs will continue to develop, particularly his/her brain. Astonishingly, baby is quite active at this stage. He/She is doing flips while moving its arms, fingers, and toes. Baby can also smile, frown, and suck his/her thumb. Some of you may not know this but mama sucked her thumb from the womb until the age of 8. After many failed attempts to discourage this habit(tabasco sauce was a popular one used), my parents gave the burden to the orthodontist. Doctor Evil placed an apparatus in my mouth literally translated to "jail" in Spanish. It prevented me from placing my thumb at the roof of my mouth in order to hinder a sucking motion. People, I cried injustice (and cried myself to sleep)for days. Why, oh why was this necessary? It was my thumb and my mouth...no one could take my safe haven away. Well, they did. The conspiracy devastated me. I was supposed to live and die sucking my thumb. Even if it meant marrying a thumb sucker.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. And the glorious day came. La "jaula" was coming off. Oh yes, indeed. I contemplated it all the way from the orthodontist's office. Should I or Shouldn't I. Temptation overcame me. I placed my thumb in my mouth and began sucking. Yuk! What did I ever like in this before?
Although I never dared to attempt that again, I am reminded and will be into old age of my stubborn act of defiance. How, you ask? An overbite no braces could ever fix.

So it is my desire for history not to repeat itself. But if our child has an ounce of stubbornness like me...well we better get started on a braces' fund.

Soda Crackers (and Beef). It's what's for Dinner.

2007-12-27T19:52:00.000-08:00

As I approach the end of my first trimester, two burning questions come to mind. One, when will my belly begin to pop? Two, is it really the end of morning (noon, night) sickness? I remember having a conversation with my mom the week I found out I was pregnant regarding the infamous early pregnancy symptom, nausea. My mom delighted me with the utmost reassurance that she had never experienced any morning sickness or resemblance of such in all of her pregnancies. Oh, I remember. Yes, of course. I smiled and relished in hearing all these wonderful things. I felt almost entitled to skip this by-product of pregnancy. Well, hadn't I heard countless times that one's pregnancy is very similar to that of their mother's? Ha! With a vengeance I was struck down about 2 weeks later. In the beginning, the symptoms were mild and deceiving. Oh, no thank you. I'll pass on the latte, my stomach is a little queasy. Before I knew it, I was a ravaged beast one minute; and a bloated, hung-over-like wretch the next. You see, I not only have these terrible bouts of nausea that can make a scrumptious pecan pie look like dried-up fruit cake; I have moments in which the only thing that will keep me from screaming bloody murder is a juicy piece of filet with potatoes. I'm all over the board. It completely boggles my mind how suddenly I can go from mildly hungry to a ravenous fool. Bless Justin's heart. He's always ready to pounce or withdraw. He has the patience of a saint. God knew just what I needed.

Although my growing child will be worth every nauseating minute, I'm ready for the next phase. Bring on the heartburn and backache. So do you have any morning sickness stories, ladies? That's ok, you can share all about your flawless first trimester as well. I won't hold it against you.

Do we want a Boy or a Girl? Just give us a child with the faith of this little angel.

2007-12-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

Can you be in love with someone you have never met?

2007-12-23T16:32:00.003-08:00

I find myself daydreaming as I consider the growing miracle that is happening inside my body. This week (week 10), baby has switched from an embryo to a fetus-which means "little one." Twenty tiny baby buds are forming in her/his gums. Her/His wrists and ankles have formed , and one can make out fingers and toes. Tiny nails are now present. All in all the greatest miracle is that this precious little one- roughly the size of a paper clip- has a completely developed heart. This heart can be clearly seen and heard (thank you, technology) at a merely 8 weeks of pregnancy.
The Ultrasound experience...without a doubt one of the most exhilarating experiences in my 31 years of life. So that's what those tissues are for. There is nothing that will kick into gear excitement for the advent of a baby like listening to her/his heartbeat for the first time. The sound is best described as, galloping horses.
Yes, I'm in love. I thank God on a daily basis for such an astounding method of creation. My part in this pregnancy business so far is simply to rest, eat well, exercise, rest some more. Nature is busy developing what will in under 8 months come to be a human being...utterly and completely dependent on mom and dad for food, nurturing, and basic survival. That's a tall order; however, Justin and I are up for the challenge : )

Our Firsts.........

2007-12-17T22:19:00.000-08:00

Justin needs all of the help he can get....

Thanks Tracy, Ana loves the Pregnancy Bible; they are a wealth of information!

The book that inspired the blog.....

Our first toy from Nanny....it sings and prays!

Our first congrats card from Dad & Marce...Those skinny legs look just like Justin & Ana's

First Ultrasound

2007-12-17T22:06:00.000-08:00

Our first ultrasound went well!! Check out the first pictures of our little one :)

Congratulations! It's a...blue line!

2007-12-02T18:50:00.000-08:00

The night was November 6th around 10pm and Ana and I were in our second week of trying to 'make a baby'; we both thought that it would take at least three months to get her pregnant. We (Ana) had the ovulation times down, the cycles memorized, stocked up on pregnancy tests and were ready to begin.....Well its Monday night, apparently Ana felt the need to practice taking a pregnancy test. Unknown to me she took it and then promptly threw it away. God only knows what made her go get it out of the garbage. At this point I walk into our room and find her with the most unusual look on her face. The best way I can describe it is fear, like freaked out fear and crazy, like insane loopy crazy; you know that look, we have all seen it in someone we love, the one that creates a million thoughts to cram into your mind all at the same time, anyway after we go to the store to get more tests (just to make sure we were really pregnant), it is confirmed that she is pregnant. We jump around and scream with Roberto. Wow! We are gonna have a baby!