Emma's favorite...blocks!
When she first came down the stairs she found the bed and wanted to open all her presents lying in it!
Jr. Mr. Claus
The silly Christmas tree after Santa came...we had to decorate it only on top to prevent any breakage by certain swipers...
Since we're posting videos, I thought this one was super cute of Miss Emma...
This is Ben live about a week ago...he really broke out with the social smiles about 2 weeks ago...wicked cute! Oh, and the title is "Snuffleupagus Garrido" (I had to look up how to spell that one) because he had a cold and he was snorting like a little piggy when he laughed haha. Please ignore my baby talk. I know I sound ridiculous. I'd do anything for a smile...
This past week I was the luckiest girl ever to receive my Mom, Grandma and sister for 2 and a half days. It turned out that Ben and I got pretty sick Wed. the day they arrived, and Emma was sick by Fri, so their timing was impeccable. Thank you so much Mom for taking Ben overnight - I bet I'd still be sick if it weren't for you! And thanks for all your work in the kitchen Grandma! Katie - you did a great job playing with Emma. We all miss you and had a great time while you were here! Lots of love!
My Grandma (Emmanuel taught Emma to call her G-ma hehe) helping in the kitchen.
My mom was so good with Ben!
Katie my sister and Emma rockin' with Guitar Hero.
If you don't remember from other pictures, this is what it used to look like...
My mom cut Emma's hair and my sister Katie kept her distracted.
The final result...I could only get her to sit still in front of the TV of course :)
I don't know what it is about Ben...I hesitate to make blanket statements about baby boys...but Emma was definitely not like this.
Let's just say that he has a special talent for pooping outside his diaper and spitting outside the parameters of the burp cloth. Today we were getting ready for church and we were literally standing at the door to leave when Ben started crying like he was hurting. So I scurried to get him out of the car seat, put him on my clean ironed shoulder, and he threw up all over me. I had to change my entire outfit, but he managed to keep his clean?! Then, when we got to church he got fussy again and I mixed up a bottle for him. When he finished it, I again put him on my shoulder to burp him, and I felt something wet on my hand. I looked down and my lap and center was covered with mustard-colored poop. At this point I just started crying, I couldn't help it. There's something about poop that makes you feel especially dirty I guess - and they were in the middle of passing the sacrament, so we were stuck. I was mortified having walked in late, and then we had to leave as soon as we got our water! I was covered in poop, my mascara was running down my face, and everybody was staring at us.
And this is what Ben's face looked like after he got it all out of his system and got cleaned up...he's fast asleep on the couch right now...and mom's headed for a nap herself. What a day.
This Thanksgiving we split up the work with the neighbors and had a lot of fun over at their place. Emma loved having a buddy to play with, although I have to say that she was a bit of a bully :( She's still having a hard time adjusting to having to share her mom and I think that's making her a little bit irritable with everybody.
I have so much to be thankful for this year:
We welcomed our Benito into the family, and he is perfect and healthy. We shared an amazing and unforgettable experience leading up to his birth. Oh! And Ben slept 5 and then 4 hours last night - allowing me to only get up once! I love sleep!
Emma is so fast with her language skills that she can say her ABCs to "G" and can count from 1-10 in Spanish and English. She only hears a word once in context and remembers it forever. She recognizes and can spell her name. She also recognizes and can say 9 shapes (including rhombus and trapeziod!).
Emmanuel continues to recieve recognition at work for a job well done. And I say they had better recognize him - he went to work the week Ben was born and we moved! He has come such a long way as a Dad! There was a time he wouldn't change diapers. Now he jumps right anticipating the needs of the kids (and me) without hesitation. He has listened to me whine and cry and say crazy things as we moved, transitioned from 3 to 4/5 (mom-in-law). He probably doesn't care a rat's rump about breastfeeding, but he'll listen and act interested and he tells me what I need to hear - even if I have to tell him what it is I need to hear. I love you Emmanuel (I know you secretly read our blog) and this Thanksgiving and for the rest we will share together - I am thankful most for you. It is because of you that I feel strong and supported in what I believe is the most important work I will do in my life.
Look at Ben's chubby cheeks - he's almost 10 lbs this week!
Abuela and Ben chillin' on the couch - I love how she always talks to him and tries to make him laugh.
Emma holding Ben's hand while she watches TV - so cute!
My little man after a bath.
My mother-in-law left on Tuesday. She was here with us for 4 weeks. I just have to take a minute to stop and think about how loving and selfless she was for giving up her life for a month to come be with us (mostly me and the kids). She doesn't speak English, so being here in the first place must be weird for her. And then, it's no secret that we've had our differences in the past, and she still bought her ticket for the amount of time she did. While she was here, she unpacked and organized almost the entire house, ironed Emmanuel's entire closet full of clothes (which is A LOT), and spent hours and hours in the kitchen cooking and washing dishes. We had fresh hand-pounded corn tortillas every day. Last week when Emma was sick, she pretty much took care for Ben for me. She was always willing to jump right in and change diapers, clothes, get snacks, water the lawn, whatever needed to be done. All she asked for in exchange were rides to her favorite shopping places and a few trips requiring endurance to Wal Mart. I am so grateful for her and everything she did for us when she was here.
Gracias Chagua por todo lo que hiciste mientras estabas aqui. Fue bonito tener dos mujeres pendiente de Emmanuel, Emma y Ben. Nunca te voy olvidar por tantas trastes que lavaste, panales que cambiaste, y por cuidar a Ben mientras Emma estaba enferma. Gracias por sacrificar tu tiempo con la familia en Veracruz para estar con nosotros. Seguro que te les extranaban muchisimo. Esperemos visitar muy pronto (febrero?). Con mucho amor y carino, Michelle, Emmanuel, Emma y Ben.
Emma really wanted to hold Ben, and when I actually let her, she got a kick out of it.
Sometimes she needed a little help :) Check out his smile!
Ben covered in blocks and completely content with it.
Emma playing blocks with her brother...she actually says the word "share" while she is piling them on...
Ben is oficially 3 weeks now. Emma has been doing great with the transition. She needs a reminder or two to be gentle, but otherwise she's excited about her little pal Ben. Unfortunately, Emma has step throat right now and has been running a pretty high fever since Sat., so things aren't going as smoothly. I think last night was the worst of it (knock on wood). Thank goodness my mother in law is here for 6 more days, otherwise we'd all be crying. Poor Emma just wants mommy, so mom in law has taken over Ben for me.
Ben is getting chubbier and changing everyday. He turns his head to voices he knows now, and he smiles for me all the time. Nobody believes me though because I'm the only one who's noticed it. Today he was on my shoulder wide awake and he stretched up his neck straight up without help, leaned back a little, and looked right at me. Haha I guess he wanted to see my face. I loved that moment. I bet he's more than 8 pounds now. He finally fully fills (say that 5 times fast) the newborn and preemie clothing we have for him. We are bottle feeding and nursing at least for now. I don't know why I find nursing so hard! It seems so easy for the moms that exclusively breastfeed.
And that leads me to me and Mr. Garrido. You know, the second kid is way different for us. We don't feel as...hopeless haha. We know there will be an end to the fatigue. It's funny how the way you value your sleep and eating habits change with each kid. It was a shock with Emma to not be sleeping 8 hours a night. Now, we don't really care or pay that much attention to it. Like I said, it must be because we know it will pass. I think we kind of got converted into warrior parents or something with the birthing experience, too. If we can handle that intensity of an experience, these bouts of uncomfortable sleepy nights and days are nothing, right?
It's a miracle anything came together this Halloween...but we did manage to have some fun ;)
Emma getting ready to go out Halloween night.
I was trying to get her to smile!
Enjoying the rewards of having walked around the neighborhood for half hour...
The Wed. before Halloween we did Trunk or Treat at our old ward...this is the only family shot we have so far with Ben!
Papi, Emma, and Ben
His favorite pacifier
5 days old
After signing all of the closing documents for the house.
The day we moved...the truck was 3/4 full.
So I know I should have a lot to say and a story of my own to share right now, but I am seriously still processing it all. After all of the drama, it was all about us having this little baby in our arms. And when I look at him, it was all worth it. It was imaginations of my baby boy's soft sweet head against my cheek that brought me to him - and now I have him and I am humbled beyond words.
Here is the approximate time line of how things went:
Thursday 16, At night (around 10PM), first contractions occur, Michelle thinks it's gas.
Friday 17 9:00 AM Michelle is sure she is having contractions.
Saturday 18 3:30 AM Until this point, contractions had been mild. Then they change in intensity and Michelle can't sleep anymore.
Saturday 18 10:00 PM Since contractions are still 9-10 minutes apart, though strong, Michelle thinks she can try going to bed and wait until next morning to go to the birth center.
Saturday 18 10:30 PM Michelle changes her mind about going to bed and contractions start getting REALLY intense, still, about 9 minutes apart.
Saturday 18 11:30 PM Michelle calls Alisa (her midwife) and they agree that she should get to the birth center due to the intensity of the contractions.
Saturday 18 11:32 PM Contractions' frequency goes from 9 minutes down to 2 minutes.
Sunday 19 12:20 AM (Time according to chart records) Michelle get officially admited into Birth Center.
Sunday 19 1:25 AM Benjamin Apolinar Garrido is born.
So there you have it. Overall, it was a pretty wild night. Ben is pretty healthy and he is very well-behaved so far. Emma has been trying to play blocks with him and sharing her pacifier. It's too bad he is not very good with blocks yet.
On a personal note, I'd like to thank:
San Antonio Birth Center: For your encouragement, coaching and because the staff deals with people, not just clients.
Alisa Voss: For helping me understand Michelle and her crazy idea of having a baby the natural way much, much better.
Jess and Jack: For helping us taking care of Emma.
Monster Energy: For allowing me to not feel like a zombie today (Yes, the drink with the "unleash the beast slogan).
Anyone who has read this far: For letting me know I'm not that boring after all. ;)
Here are some pictures of Ben:
1. It can be used as an arm rest/plate rest/book rest. (A shelf)
2. If your mid-section is where your jiggle is, you can't tell anymore :)
3. Ha and my personal favorite...when emptying the trash, you can use your belly to hold down the trash can as you yank the bag out of the can without tearing it :) :)
Our new stove and microwave :)
They installed the carpets!
Papi and baby chillin' on the stairs
The backyard...the fence is done
Entryway and Emmanuel's office...aww it looks like home with shoes by the door :)
So when do YOU think the baby will arrive?
Here is some information so you can make an educated guess...
1) Baby's original due date: Oct. 31
2) Current due date: Oct. 28
3) House closes Oct. 24, we move 25th
4) Mom-in-law arrives 27th
5) Baby has dropped but not locked into place, and I am 75% effaced.
Post your guesses in comments...I wonder who the winner will be? Maybe the winner should get rights to see the baby first? Hmm I'll have to think about the prize...
What do you feed a kid who:
1) Won't eat cashew butter and jelly (or sandwiches for that matter),
2) Is allergic to egg whites, soy, and peanuts,
3) Won't drink anything in which she detects milk,
4) And seems to get an upset tummy or has an eczema flare-up when you vary from this even in the slightest?
Sometimes I feel like the recipe box in my head is completely exhausted and we'll all starve one of these days!
This is the space in between the neighbor's lot and ours...as you can see their fence is up and ours just got started.
My favorite part of the house! Counter tops and dishwasher are new! What do you think of the colors we chose?
I am standing in the kitchen...so this is one big space...one half for living, the other for kitchen. Oh, and the lights are on!
Master bathroom tub...I love clean tubs haha.
I couldn't fit the whole yard in the shot, but these posts are the beginning of our fence. As you can see, there is a unique terrain to our back yard...they will plant bushes at that drop off so it isn't a hazard for the babies.
We've had company and and long weekend to visit with her. Her name is Kerena, and she's from Mexico City. Emmanuel knows her from his mission. She wanted to come to buy a bunch of clothes and sell them in Mexico. So, we went to the outlets in San Marcos. We were there all day Friday and half day Saturday. Friday was fun - and Emma did really well seeing as she wouldn't take a nap! Saturday I thought I was going to lose my uterus haha. But we all made it and had a good rest today. Did I mention that I LOVE Carter's?
Emma's stylish sunglasses - so mod.
Haha. Daisy duck hat lasted about 30 seconds. That's a problem with kid's Halloween costumes - not to mention way too hot for SA!
If you click on this picture, Emma looks like a baby supermodel - her hair is blowing in the wind.
