About time huh?

Finally, a chance to write a public update about my life and adventures. My Monie is now 9 months old, crawling around everywhere, putting everything that could possibly kill him in his mouth, and smiling every few seconds. That kid is amazing. What a blessing. Being a mom the third time around seems to be the hardest, but I'm older, have 2 other ones, and so much more to do. Although it's more difficult - mainly because the little pincher and bruiser wakes up around 5:30 am, it's also so amazing. Whenever I walk away and he's on the floor and let's out a little cry, Effie runs over to the rescue to sing him a song, or tries to make him laugh. Celia can't walk past him without saying how much she loves him, or saying out loud that her little brother is in love with her. The love just abounds in the house. In fact, today I found a drawing that Celia did in the garage (the girls' new work studio) and it said the words "Happy Home" all over it. Can't help but feel happy about that.

I also can't help but feel blessed every day in a way I've never felt before. I'm feeling so good. This is the first year in my life that I've only had one cold, which only lasted a day or two. I've avoided countless stomach bugs, and thanks to organic apple cider vinegar and my chiropractor, I'm feeling extraordinarily healthy. But more thankful than healthy. There have been numerous people in and around my life with illnesses or ailments, and just different health issues that to me, living each day pain free and healthy is just something I'm so thankful for at this moment. If I had to, I'd deal with whatever came my way, but right now I'm able to face the daily challenges of washing dishes, raising 3 kids, and working without the difficulties that health issues pose. So - yeah, a bit of a tangent - but it's been on my mind.

It's honestly hard for me to hear complaints of others who are totally healthy. It's a waste of time and energy to complain when you have two legs, and a functioning brain. Just go do something because you're wasting precious time.

What I'm doing now is actually spending precious sleep time awake considering my son and I will be wandering around the neighborhood in about 5 hours. Oh well.

It's a short hello, and a quicker goodbye, but I really should crash now. But to my friends and family reading. Los quiero mucho. Happy Summer. :)

2012

Let me begin by saying in 2011 my laptop was drenched in water - by a spillage caused by effie's cup - and this led to the erasure of all my pictures taken from june to september including the way too intimate photos of ramone's birth by becky, the death of the delete key, and also the inability to type an exclamation point. So there.

And 2011 is over. It ended with the most lovely day after a major hustle and bustle of Christmas engagements, family visits, outings, and crazy craziness. And on that last lovely day of 2011 we slept in, ate our usual pancakes - ran errands thanks to meken, then finally had a chance to play with the girls, make a ton of music together, read, draw, mess up the house, cook and cook, cook some more, take a walk, laugh with Monchis, and we all watched a movie together. We did more than that but that was the gist of it. The little ladies who played soooo well with each other alllll day went to sleep early. Celia asked if we were gonna go to a New Year's Day party - and I said "no", then she responded "yes we are", and I said "oh yeah?" and she said "yeah - we're having a party at home with our family". And she was right - as today - New years day - we spent another glorious little day - just us, making a mess, listening to music, playing music, performing music, walking, cooking, cooking, and more cooking, and more talking to Ramone - and so on and so on. It was awesome.

And 2011 was pretty awesome too. Mostly because.... it meant the end of my pregnancy and the beginning of my new crazy life with ramone. Since he was born, I've been tired, overworked, overwhelmed, exhausted, but happy, content, and overall in love in a brand new way. All the insanity and inefficiency of the household is well worth it. "Monie" (as the girls call him) has made us feel like those brand new parents that never sleep, and never rest. He's made it even more difficult to walk out of the house in a timely fashion - if not almost impossible to get anywhere. He's forced me to stop almost everything I was doing a year ago just so I can hang out with him, feed him, love him, squeeze him to pieces, and enjoy being a new mom again. He's so fun. He's the greatest gift to everyone in the house and has brought us alllll so much love. As if we didn't have enough already, he's blessed us with just that much more.

I'm gonna stop here - and get back to the dishes, laundry, picking up, cleaning up, organizing, and thinking that I can try my best to do while he sleeps. So wish me luck. Thank you for all your love and friendship and kindness to my kids. I'm so excited to start this new year with the 5 of us - and thankful for all the blessings in my life. I'm a very lucky lady. Buenas noches.