Great weekend until... BOWL!

I'm just not meant to have nice things. Or at least not these particular pyrex glass bowls with pictures of Amish people and chickens. I got one years ago and had it forever, and then broke it awhile back. I went on a crazy ebay extravaganza trying to buy these darn bowls and people would outbid me the last second EVERY SINGLE TIME! It was infuriating. I finally gave up on the ebay thing (which was good, since I was becoming kind of obsessive) and just bought a set of four without bidding.
And just now, as I was trying to clean out the refrigerator, the tupperware full of old pineapple knocked into the second smallest bowl and crash. It shattered on the floor at my feet. I don't think I screamed an expletive, but I definitely screamed. Now I'm sad and can't really blog about what a nice weekend we had. I'm too bummed.
So here's a cute picture from last weekend. I'll put up some more from this weekend, later, when I'm through grieving for my bowl- little blue bowl, I hardly knew ye.

The race

This weekend was another whirlwind of activity. We went to cookouts, ribfests, and memorial day picnic. The weather held up, and it was actually HOT today, definitely hot enough to go swimming if we had stayed in Morris this afternoon. Hopefully it'll stay this way for awhile and we can take advantage.
Although, I'm more and more reluctant to leave our little apartment 5 minutes from the hospital and our doctor. I'm not super keen on having my sister or my father in law deliver Domi's little baby sister. Saturday I had a little scare, I was up until 12 feeling really painful twinges, not quite full on contractions, but I would contract and then have really bad muscle/intestinal pain, and I was a few contractions away from calling Leticia and going to the ER. Not a fun way to spend Memorial Day Weekend. I decided I should layoff the encased meats for awhile, but had some polish sausage and bratwurst the next day anyway.
In other in-utero-baby news, we are at 34 weeks, and all is well I guess. This baby is total low rider, which makes it hard to walk, hard to sit, makes me have to pee every 5 minutes, and her frequent squirmings make me cry out every now and again, but the good news is I can eat more again! All this baby dropping has left more room for MY stomach and organs, YES! That's all that matters.
But back to the title of this post. This weekend we as usual, hung out with my sister and the twins. And in one of the first overtly hostile displays of sibling rivalry I was transported back to my own sweet childhood.
The first incident was really a second hand account of a conversation that was had at the store. Leticia said someone asked them who was older, and Sofia said she came out first, so she was older. Graciela instantly said, no, she was older because she stayed in longer and "cooked" for longer so she was older. When we were talking about it, Graciela overheard us, and was like I'm the oldest. Sofia then heard this and said no, I'm the oldest, and it was almost the start of a fight, but luckily ice-cream changed the subject.
Later, while we were sitting outside, Sofia was running around the back yard and decided to have a race. Graciela was asked to participate, but unfortunately did not go the approved route and also started before all the runners were ready. Sofia spent the next 3/4 of a lap around the yard screaming after Graciela that she was NOT GOING THE RIGHT WAY, and Graciela was smiling and running, not paying attention and increasing her lead. Graciela got back to where we were sitting and was beaming the smile of the victorious, meanwhile Sofia was screaming, stomping and doing an excellent John McEnroe impersonation. So Ian tried to alleviate the situation by saying he was racing Sofia and Graciela couldn't race too because it was Sofia's turn. Sofia and Ian raced, but Graciela started after, and when she lost, there was much screaming, crying and rending of garments. I have to say, she has a winners attitude. She will not accept anything less. Leticia has some work before they become gracious in victory and defeat. That said, as Graciela looped around the back yard her triumphant elfin face glowing, and Sofia's tormented wails egging her on, I was so vividly reminded of my own youth. That could've been me cheating my way to an easy win with Gustavo hopelessly chasing after screaming that it wasn't fair, I was going the wrong way, I started too early, and life in general sucks. Luckily, they are also my sister's children, and I know she will sooner rather than later help them learn, you win some you lose some, and it's better not to make your siblings suffer. A lesson, I still have trouble with.
Here are some pictures from this weekend!


Domi admires his commissions

sitting on the patio

pre-race camaraderie

little miss low rider. This is my favorite pregnancy outfit ever. If I could wear it to court or to work everyday I would, it's the best. God bless those little Mexican women, they know what they are doing.

Another insane week!

I had so much to blog about I swear, but this crazy week has just zapped all energy, creative and otherwise and I don't even remember what happened a few minutes ago at dinner, let alone to update what's been going on since last time.
This past weekend we went to abuela's house since they are back from Paraguay, we went and watched tia Leticia in a race around the zoo which was fun, but Domi was sick with a cold, so he was a little bit crabby, then Chris and I got his cold so we were a lot a bit crabby the rest of the week.
Then last night I did the supremely stupid thing of staying up until 1:00 a.m. finishing the Other Boleyn Girl. Why do I put myself in these kinds of situations? It was a decent read, but not worth the price I paid today!
So of course today when I was barely hanging on to consciousness, and it was nap time FOR EVERYONE, Domingo absolutely refused to go to sleep. This is becoming kind of a pattern on my days home with him. He does not want to take a nap although his head is rolling on his shoulder, his eyes are red from rubbing and he is crabbypants magee. Let me tell you, it was not my finest hour (actually hour and a half). I finally gave up and we went to his room and read some more stories, and then after another 45 minutes tried again. This time with success although a few tears (not all of them mine). He slept for 3 hours and is still up now with Papa. I'm getting more and more convinced that it's because he is used to falling asleep in the stroller. Where he would be completely awake and screaming because he doesn't want to take a nap in his room, or in the bed, one second in the stroller or the car and he is out like a light. This is something that I do not endorse, and don't really approve of, but like so many things that happen when I'm not around, feel like I don't have that much control over. It's pretty frustrating. I also realize with impending doom that my days of co-napping with this baby are nearing a close unless by some miracle baby #2 decides to coordinate her naps at the same time. I can only hope!
Ok, enough baby-rants, here are some fun pictures from this past weekend. This coming weekend is sure to be a good one too, we have BBQs, picnics, and ribs to look forward to. Ah, summer.


pre-race!


scary giant kangaroo, with babies in the pouch.


the best shot we could get of all of us


only tia may can soothe the savage Domi

Everybaby was Kungfu fighting

This is my new favorite picture ever. Domingo has that strong family resemblance to Bruce Lee.

Happy Mother's Day!

How awesome that we get our own special day! It really should be called Women's Day because no matter if you have children or not, I'm sure if you are a woman, you've been a mom to someone or something. But anyway, it's great. I didn't change a single diaper today, I got to do my exercise dvd, and even though I made breakfast for the boys, it was very well received, and I didn't mind at all.
Although I missed my own mom, I got to hang out with tia may, who is a very close second. We also got to hang out with tia Leticia sans primas because they were in Champaign visiting their Nana and Grandpop. So Tia got to do a little mothering of Domingo as well.



We went to the park and got to see some ranas and tortugas (mama almost caught one!). We took a long walk, played in the grass, and Domingo got to run around like maniac.
All in all, a great mother's day weekend!

20 Monthday Post!

This one nearly got away from me! Especially since I've been saying that you are 20 months for a few weeks for some reason when people ask! You are just a very mature baby I suppose. Well this Tuesday you officially turned 20 months, and you have been doing some wild stuff this past month. The craziest of which has been going peepee and poopies in the potty. You asked to go poop in the "basin" twice this last month, completely of your own initiative. I have no intention of "pushing" you to potty train before you are ready, and didn't think that would be for another year at least. But you have shown a lot of interest in going in "el basin" and even put your bumbo chair in the bathroom, and say you need to peepee or poopies and sit in the bumbo. It's pretty funny, and Papa and I will probably end up getting you a real "basin" pretty soon if this interest keeps up. I'm fairly certain though, as soon as little miss hermanita shows up all interest in the basin will be gone. Oh well.
As I write this you are in your room playing with your toys, making up a little play and I can here you saying "hola Pepe, como estas?" "muy bien, gracias" and similar things in your high little "make believe" voice. It's really too much. You are such an easy even tempered child that I can't believe that over in a pile of books by the book shelf is one entitled "your fussy baby". When was that? It seems like a lifetime ago that you were such a teeny little screamer. I've almost forgotten what it was like, almost. Then I could not put you down for an instant without some screaming. Now you can spend really long stretches of time entertaining yourself with your toys, cars, and "dialogs" that you hold with them. It's really wonderful.
You have the best imagination. You are so abstract in your thinking, like you'll show me a bitten off piece of Arthur mac and cheese, and say "looks like a bicycle", and you know what? You're totally right, it does look like a bike. Or you'll wake up and look at the covers that are all crazy and piled up and yell "mountains!" You'll make up words and laugh at jokes and sing songs with both the real words and then made up gibberish and then laugh and say "funny". (It's another one of your english words you've picked up)
I love this more than you can imagine. I think it's so wonderful that you are turning into a child with this great imagination. While it's a little bittersweet that you are not the teeny baby anymore, I couldn't be happier with the sweet, affectionate, talkative little boy you are becoming.
Really the only thing I can find to complain about this month (you knew there'd be something) is the fact that you are becoming a little bit of a picky eater. You wolf down peas, (blech) carrots, and any kind of fruit I put down in front of you, but other than that it's a little tricky. You will not eat any meat or meat product. I've seen you turn you nose up at honest to goodness BACON! (Again, how is this my child?) You also don't like new food, if I try to give you something different than the usual corn, carrots, or mac and cheese (from a box no less- you completely dissed my homemade version. When I tried to assuage my guilt of feeding you the dreaded ubiquitous childhood fare by making a nice bechemel with elbow macaroni, you absolutely refused to even have it near you, but pull out the "bunny" version and it's gone in a flash. BLERG.) Sometimes I have success, abuela's pasta for example, you absolutely refused to eat, and then after a few attempts of sneaking it into your mouth, you realized, this woman is not trying poison me, this is quite tasty! But try that with a bit of pork, a morsel of steak, a shred of chicken, and you will howl like a man condemned.
I blame your father, mostly because I write this blog. Honestly I know I was a very picky eater as a child, I had a list of things I detested, and actually only recently (like 2 or so years) I started eating Indian food, so I know that there is hope. (I still have a list of things that I can't stand, but it's much shorter) I just have to keep trying, and dealing with your tortured face as I try and put a piece of chicken on your plate.
Well, you've now come out of your room and asked to play with me and Pepe and ardilla after about 20 minutes of playing happily by yourself. How can I refuse?

Love,
Mama.

Superfunpak weekend

Hey all! We had another superfunpak weekend, complete with spills, thrills, and nothing else that rhymes, unless you count Felipe's gills.
We went to South Bend to see Grandma and Farfar, and then went to a party at Tia Laly's for Elena and baby Sebastian. We had a great time every step of the way.
But before we left, I got all my hair chopped off and will send it off to Pantene's hair donation program for women with breast cancer. Here are the before and after shots!



I must admit, while I hated having my hair so long (it's usually about 5 or so inches shorter) I'm not loving the kicky new do either. She was supposed to cut 8 inches, and it was more like 10 or 11, so she had less to work with after the initial chop. It's much less Katie Holmes/Victoria Beckam cute little swinging bob, and much more Sally Field's brown football helmet in Steal Magnolias. That said, it's only hair and it will grow back. But it does help me realize a tiny little bit about how awful it must be to lose all your hair not by choice. It also helps me to realize, (more like the horror is dawning) that I'm turning into my mother. We now have the same hair cut, and almost the same amount of grey. Yikes.

After the chopping, we were off to South Bend, and hung out with Grandma and Farfar, and when we left this morning, I'm sure Domingo would have rather we left him behind. He had such a nice time, even got to see a "Sapo Sarza" what we call toads (the word for toad in Spanish is sapo, but we name them all Sarza for a class mate of my dad's who looked like a toad so that was his nickname, so ever since the girls were tiny we called them sapo sarzas, mean I know!! but I've never even met the guy, so it's really just for alliterative purposes)



Reading with Grandma, and even though he laughs at her Spanish, they understand each other without a problem. (He picked up several English words too while we were there)


Sunday, we got to see the Michigan cottage in progress, and it looks amazing. I know I've said it before, but I cannot wait to go up there this summer! I know Domi will have such a great time, and it is going to be so beautiful, with tons of room for everyone. We are all so psyched.


Grandma was right when she said that it's not an addition but a whole new house!

After the cottage, we went to Elena's birthday, and Sebastian's welcome party at tia Laly's. Domingo was still a little sleepy, but perked up in the middle of all the toys.

Teeny baby and proud papa.

We went to Tia's with four bags and left with about seven! Fortunately for us, everyone had expected little Sebastian to be a girl, so our little one to come inherited a windfall, unless of course our ultrasound techs were wrong too, in which case we'll be sending those things back, well, most of them (there's nothing wrong with an infant boy in pink, who could possibly know the difference!)

We got back today and had a really wonderful day. The weather (for once) was absolutely beautiful, and Domi and I played in the park for a really long time. He is such a sweet and happy child, I just relish days like today where I can spend a lot of quality time with him.

Not an exaggeration

But it is May 2 today and outside our window we see mixed in with the rain, little flakes of snow. SERIOUSLY? When will it end? Blerg.
Domi had a wild night last night. Farfar, Jennifer, Theo and Chris went to the Cubs game yesterday, and despite a heartbreaker of a loss, they had a good time. Domingo was totally riled up when they came back and he spent the afternoon marveling at Theo. Then as if his mind couldn't be further blown, Tia Hez came over to watch LOST. Too much excitement for one day. Today we are laying low, since I don't know where my parka is, I'm not venturing outside. This weekend we are going to South Bend to see Grandma, and Elena's new baby brother Sebastian, and may get a sneak peek at the cottage! I know this summer will be crazy, but I'm totally looking forward to seeing Domingo on beach!
Here are some pictures to appease the masses.








Notice the dinosaurs all lined up, this is his favorite past time, he lines up his cars, turtles, whatever he can get his hands on. He has named the two matching dinosaurs 'Fia-'Ciela.

UPDATE: ok, so after the weird snow-rain this morning, the sun broke through, and it's actually pretty nice out, now, but the weather is not off the hook for being insane.