Year end round up!

I can't believe the year has come and gone. (I know the Christmas post hasn't even made it up!)
We've had quite an amazing year. The most exciting part of course was the Cubs choking in playoffs, again, oh wait no, that part was bad. Domingo, Chris and I met the much talked about and much anticipated hermatina, Amalia Mafalda, and Domi's world was never the same.



But I can't say that Domingo has minded thus far. There were a few moments of mommy-jealousy, i.e. put the baby down, make the baby sleep, I want oopa, but nothing like some of the stories I've heard (i.e. send the baby back to God- very creepy tia J.) which was a huge relief. Domingo pretty much accepted her as soon as she arrived and he now adores her and does his best to amuse her. (I'm sure I'll upload a video of Domi doing a line from West Side Story for Amalia and her cracking up, a laugh riot, I know!) From the moment Amalia's eyes could focus, they were trained on Domingo and she is so interested in every move he makes.








There have been several milestones reached this year. Domingo turned two, learned to jump, climb up and down the stairs, became a lover of the swimming pool and the icy waters of lake Michigan, and he discovered his first true and obsessive love: dinosaurs. He knows the name of about 40 different kinds of dinosaurs. He will very often correct me, (and I've become quite the expert from all the dino books we now have) when I mistake one pachycephalosaur for a parasauralophus.

And we haven't even mentioned the milestones Amalia has reached this year! Amalia was born on the longest day of the year, as if to let us know she would fill our days with light. I can't rewrite history though, she was a little stormy those first few months, but once she hit 4 months she was and continues to be a delight. She is so sweet and giggly and rolly and chubby.




She went from a teeny little peanut to a giant drooly dumpling. And those early days of little sleep and teeny diapers are a blur and haze, but you really don't have a chance to be sad about them passing because each new moment, phase, stage is more fun than the last.

This year we said goodbye to Ana, Domingo's babysitter since he was 4 months old, she couldn't wait for us while I was off for 6 months, so she's taking care of another family now, but we are saying hello and welcome to Ester who will take good loving care of Domi and Amalia when I return to work after 6 long great months off. I hope I remember what I'm doing! We've had such a wonderful 6 months together, you'd think we'd get bored of each others company, but it's just not the case! We've done so many fun things this year: museums, zoos, aquarium, swimming at abuela's, vacationing at the new cottage on Lake Michigan, visits from friends, meeting brand new babies, playing at the park, playing at home, learning colors and numbers and letters and reading reading reading! I've had such a great time I don't want it to end. I know it will be hard. Change is always stressful, but it can be a really good thing, just look at the changes our little family has gone through in the past year as proof.





Year end round up in photo-form:

Things that concern me...

The Christmas wrap up is coming asap. I have to learn that we cannot outsource our memory capturing. So the next time we get a 3 foot triceratops you bet I'll be there, flashbulbs popping!
But now to some things that are a little concerning to me:
1.) Domingo said to me while playing with his new magnet fishing game: "I'm harvesting the sea animals!"
2.) Domingo is completely into Jurassic Park III (not surprising) but is not afraid at all of the dinosaur attacks and says, "look mama, that Spinosaurus is eating the man!" "I want to see the deinonychus (what the veloceraptors of the movie are actually modeled after- and Domingo realized that completely on his own!) chasing the man."
(His favorite part of the movie however, is when this little boy is playing with dinosaur toys- he can watch that 15 seconds over and over and over, and says he wants those toys, mama go to the store and get those toys).
3.) I'm allowing my 2 year old to watch violent dino-related deaths.
4.) Domingo continues to repeat EVERYTHING we say. In the car the other day one of us quoted a line from a movie and Domingo has been repeating it over and over, he knows how to get a laugh.

Happy Holidays!

May the calendar keep bringing happy holidays to you!

6th monthday!!

Amalia,
When did this happen.




The last thing I knew, I was walking out of a courtroom to head to the hospital, and now here you are a giant sweet beautiful girl. It was just a moment ago when you were so tiny we had to stuff the carseat with towels and blankets so that you would fit in there without bouncing and lolling all over, and now your feet hang over the end and the seat is practically too heavy for me to even pick up!


So in other words, I can't believe how quickly this last 6 months has gone.
We don't really have any new milestone-type developments to report. You are still rockin' the tripod a little longer stretches now, you are flipping easily from tummy to back, but since you hate tummy time, you never go the other way even though I think you probably could. You still do your left leg pump when you are in your bouncy seat or laying down. Your left leg just pumps up and down over and over, if you are bored or mad. It's very unique to you.
You know your name and respond to it, especially if Domingo is saying Amalia. You babble non-stop, and much to your father's delight say dadadadadada. But you also say squEEEEEEE, babababab, and something that sounds a lot like aloogobi.



While I don't think you are quite up to Indian food yet, we will be starting solids this month! I know you are very anxious to eat food because you look at us when we're eating you smack your lips and squeal and even grab at our utensils and plates. You are definitely your mother's daughter.

One of the best things that has kept happening this month is your continued fascination with Domingo. You love looking at him, grabbing for him, laughing at his antics. It's pretty obvious how you feel about your big brother. If you are fussy and we can't figure out why, it's a sure bet that it's because Domingo has wandered away from your field of vision and if we take you to him you cheer right up.
The only other person you do this about is me. It makes sense, you are with us both all day everyday. I have to say, while it's sometimes kind of a lot to deal with, usually it just feels nice to be so loved and needed.

I know I am less than objective here, but I can honestly say that you are the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. You had a much shorter "troll baby" phase than Domingo, and are growing into this gorgeous creature. You are all lashes and dimples (and thighs- I know I'm just stating the obvious here but you are one seriously chubby babe!). Every inch of you is chompable, from your neck rolls to your ankle-chub.
You have the smiliest eyes I've ever seen. If you are even hinting at a smile the first thing you see is your big beautiful eyes crinkle up and then you flash the gums.
Yes, that's right, still just gums. I thought we were going to have another super early teether with you. (Your brother got his first tooth at 4 months pretty much on the nose) But it's been months of drooling, biting, hands in mouth, everything else in mouth, crabbing, crying, and yet NO teeth. Well, it can't go on forever, but I do wish you'd hurry it up.



But that's the only thing I want to rush. This month you and your brother are in for a new adventure as I will be returning back to work, well the kind of work that takes me out of the house at least. I remember last time I was out on leave, I was off for four months, and it flew by, but at the same time felt like it lasted forever. I told myself if I ever had another maternity leave, I would take 6 whole months, and that would seem like enough time. Let me tell you, it's not. There are entries and entries in this blog about how I was so conflicted about going back to work. I wanted to be with your brother, but at the same time was going a little nutso from not having any contact with other adults. I felt like I wasn't using my brain, and my degree in the way I had in my "previous" life. I felt like I would be a better mom if I got to exercise that part of myself too. That hasn't really changed, but one thing that is different this time around is that I'm so much more comfortable and confident in being the "mom" that I can stop worrying for a few minutes and just enjoy you. It's really really nice. I don't know if it's you or me who has made this happen, but I'm so glad we are both able to reap the rewards of the (marginally) less crazy me. I know that you and Domi will be fine when I'm at work. We found someone who is very kind, caring and already loves you both even though she has just met you, but I can't say that I blame her. I know I'll be very sad to see our non-stop time together end, but I think it will make the time we do have that much more special.



Love,
Mama