He's listening...

Domi's favorite phrase of today is, "this room is a disaster"(esta piesa esta un desastre!). I wonder where he picked that up?

I'm charging the camera batteries as I type this, we had an awesome Corn Festival weekend, but with too few pictures b/c our camera battery dies in an instant. Because I'm noticing this blog is getting heavy on the prose and light on the photos.

Today I went out with the stroller that ate our apartment, and it's AWESOME!!!! (Yes, all the capitalization and punctuation was necessary to show the extent of the awesome.)
I wanted to take a picture of how great it is, but again, no batteries.
It's light as a feather, so easy to push, turns in really tight spaces and as far as I can tell from these guys, is pretty comfy.
Amalia really enjoyed sitting up and looking around and then she got sleepy, so went to sleep! (Bad mommy, I know) And Domingo could play in the park without me having a sleeping baby strapped to my chest, it was great!
I think she may prefer this mode of transport over the Bjorn, since she didn't cry one bit (except when she wanted to sleep and the chupete kept falling out of her mouth) and she usually screams for a few minutes when we strap her in the Bjorn- I think it bothers her tummy to be pressed like that.
The only downside I can see right now is it would be nice to roll her right into our bedroom, turn on the sound machine and let her sleep in there, but um, yeah, the stroller doesn't fit through the bedroom door. Oops.

Too many chins

So the other day I was nuzzling Amalia's sweet little neck chub and noticed a decidedly unsweet smell. Hmmm. What could it be? I know I joke about never bathing her, but at least once a week is the minimum. Well, it turns out that a previously uncharted neck fold, or "triple chin" was discovered and smelled a little ripe. Let me tell you she does NOT like when mama has to get in there with the cleaning implements. Too bad. Since I kind of thought it went without saying that the cheese farm I have dreamed of would not be located under my daughter's neck. Gross.

Buyer's remorse

We did it. We bought the giant super expensive double stroller I had my eye on since we found out number two was on the way.
It came yesterday and Chris put it together and it's great. It's bigger than our dining room, but it's great! We'll just have our meals in the stroller from now on.
I'm really bummed that it's such a gross day out, or I would strap the kids in and go for a little ride. Domi went for a test drive last night down the hall way and was really enjoying himself. he can climb inside by himself, and it really does turn super easily in tight spaces, like um, our home. So I hope to get lots and lots of use out of this stroller (lots, please lots!) before my enormous children outgrow the weight capacity, which may be by next weekend.
Actually, I think it will last a really long time.

Stat sheet...

We had Domingo's two year appointment this week. And while I normally love our pediatrician, and the office, they've moved to a new location and so far I'm less than bowled over. I mean, the office space itself is very nice, but now you have to pay to park (granted it's only $2, but still) and they have yet to work out some kinks. Mainly, we were left in the exam room with a 3 month old and a 2 year old, who they told us to strip to the diaper, for over an hour. It was outrageous. But that wasn't even the worst part. When Chris went to ask the desk when we could expect to see the doctor (I was getting ready to reschedule because everyone was beginning to melt down and it was perilously close to bedtime by then) the person who was in charge of the charts was SO RUDE! I wasn't there, so I can't say exactly what happened, but Chris is not the most hotheaded person, nor does he have a tendency to exaggerate like I do, so I have to believe it when he said it was completely out of control. So this woman's mistake left us sitting around for over an hour, and on top of it she was obnoxious? Not good.
Of course the doctor came in and was so apologetic, Chris vented and then immediately felt guilty (and he's not even Catholic!) and I was like, ok, can we get on with the exam and shots these guys are fading FAST!
So here are the stats:
Weight: 31 pounds! (between 75-90%)
Height: 36 inches (between 75-90%) -although this measurement is a little iffy since Domingo was NOT into the measuring he was ready to GO HOME! and kept letting everyone know.
Head Circ.:19 5/8 inches (between 75-90%)
BMI: 17 (between 50-75%)
So he's back on the charts for height, his weight is about the same on the curve and his head has now caught up to the rest of his body- no more pea head!! Although people have often said that he has a giant head and I have to inform them that his head was actually small compared to the rest of him! Not anymore!
He got one shot, and finger poke for the lead test, and the nasal flu vaccine, but I think he probably would've preferred the shot. He was freaking out with the nasal thing, and only cried for about 3 seconds after the shot. Then the nurse promised Diego stickers and he was mollified. But of course he kept recounting the horror of the visit "and they gave Domi (which he pronounces 'Nomi') a shot and Domi cried and cried and then Domi got a sticker with 'Biego' and baby jaguar"
They also gave us this questionnaire to see if he's developing on track. And as far as I can tell, he's right on track, but the language questions are really telling. They ask if he can put two words together, and to give an example of putting three words together in a sentence like "mama go home". My example of what he said to me this morning when I was filling out the form was "I want Mama to put Amalia in her chair right now." He speaks in complete multipart sentences, he used past and present and future tense (he will often threaten me, if I don't do X, Domi will cry, yeah tough luck kiddo) he does not stop talking EVER! And now he's starting to take off in English.
I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a more complete social/physical part of the questionnaire, because I really am curious to see how Domingo is relative to other kids his age in other areas, because I think he may be behind the curve a bit on things like sharing, playing together- not just parallel playing, and he is actually still pretty clumsy. He will just fall randomly, and stairs still give me nightmares even though he's getting better, he is just a bit of a klutz.
That said, his tackle is outstanding.
We are in Morris and last night we went to play with the twins and Domi's new game is tackle the primas. He loves them so much and gets so excited to play with them, but the only game he knows is "take them down". He runs at them puts his head down and plows into them at the waist. It is incredibly effective for taking out a girl a little taller than you and exactly your same weight. Graciela, the object of one of these hits was on the ground complaining that she couldn't move. We kept saying "push Domingo off of you" and she said "I'm trying, but he's just too heavy!" We have to work on their dodging. That is their advantage, they are much faster and more agile, but what he lacks in speed he makes up for in mass. I am completely amazed that we left without tears last night. (Well, Amalia cried, but I was sure that one of the kids was going to have head trauma!)
They had a great time, and there is more Corn Fest-y goodness to come tonight! So I'm sure I'll have pictures and stories to come.

Happy 3rd Monthday!

Amalia you are 3 months old today! And I think we are starting to come out of the woods.
You definitely have very uncomfortable reflux, that makes you look like this more often than not:


What makes you think my grimace isn't due to my non-matching outfit?


When I said, "this medicine isn't doing anything, I'm going to stop" you promptly said "WHA? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" So we started giving it to you again and you are slightly less enraged.
In your more calm and happy moments, you are such a cutie. You are smiling, gurgling, goo-gooing and laughing out loud. That is just the best sound ever, to hear your laugh after 3 months of crying is pretty awesome.
Your tia said that you are a double black diamond baby. We only thought Domingo was a black diamond, but it turns out he was just a blue square and we didn't know how to ski.


Polly says, it's ok, don't let them make you apologize for who you are.

Maybe so, I'm not so convinced though. One thing that makes you infinitely easier is that you take a pacifier with gusto. I love it! This started in earnest a few weeks ago, and may go away soon as you are finding and keeping your hands in your mouth and prefer that to the plastic chupete.

We are almost in the zone of milestones coming fast and furious. You have flipped over from your back to your belly a few times (well you were really already on your side, and the fact that I was next to you and causing the mattress to be kind of a down-hill doesn't really matter does it? The point is, you flailed your top arm over and over until you flipped and then nestled in to sleep before I flipped you back on your side) and seem to enjoy being on your tummy ONLY when trying to sleep, since tummy-time, awake version is invariably met with angry screams that could wake the dead. So we try to give you a few minutes, but it never lasts very long. You love looking at your hanging toys and trying to grab them. You also love looking at your brother, and he loves looking at you! That is really great. Soon you'll be able to interact with each other more and more and I have a feeling he'll be the one who holds your attention the most.
This past month we've done a lot! We met tio Gustavo, got baptized, went to your first baseball games (one win, one horrendous loss that Farfar got to see too),

as well as lots of fun stuff here at home.
We've got a routine pretty much down. You wake up between 7 and 8 because your diaper is ready to explode. You eat, play and get sleepy again around 9:30. Your morning nap varies in duration, but you wake up ready to eat and play again, then you get fussy and we put you back to sleep. This happens throughout the day until about 7 p.m. when you are ready to sleep for the night. Our success rate in getting you down to sleep for the night varies as well, but Papa is better at it than I am, maybe because he's fresher, since he hasn't been at it all day,

or maybe he just has the touch, what ever the reason you and he have a little quality time before he rocks you to sleep. You only wake up once or twice at night to nurse and always fall right back to sleep.
It's a decent routine, and I think the fact that it's starting to come together pretty naturally is more evidence that you are becoming less fussy, and we make it through this yet. The only monkey wrench in the works is this monkey:


But thank goodness, you don't seem to mind.
We'll see what this next month brings! I can't wait.
Love,
mama

The best thing ever...

Going Batty

Both because Amalia (I think) has outgrown her dose of reflux medicine and therefore has been screaming pretty much non-stop for the last three days, and because this afternoon there was a loud thump at the window and I looked and saw this little fellow.


Chris came home and wanted to get a better picture, but the dirtiness of the window is on the outside. He opened the door after convincing me that if the bat so much as moved an eyelash he'd close the door immediately. I then convinced Chris that a bat flying around in the middle of the day and thumping into our window is probably not the healthiest little bat in the belfry. But, he's very cute and Domingo named him Alfonso (I suggested it, he said yes that's his name).
Domingo has been saying some really funny things lately too. Mostly he talks about the cat that scratched him at Charlotte's house, and that he wants to go to Charlotte's house to play with that cat, and touch him softly softly, and that he went to Charlotte's house and wanted to play with the monkey and fox (Boots and Swiper for all you Dora fans) and when mama wouldn't let him, he started to cry. He says all this in the 3rd person, narrating what is sure to be the novelization of his traumatic childhood. "And the Domi wanted to play with that monkey and fox, and mama said its time to go, and Domi cried and cried." (which isn't even true by the way, he didn't cry at all!)

Big baby!

Now the one who did cry and cry was little miss Amalia.

We will reweigh her this weekend, and ask Dr. Ian what the proper dose on the reflux meds should be and hopefully that will return her to the somewhat happy baby we had before. She's never been what I'd call an easy baby (except those first few "freebee" weeks) but she went from a little fussy, to sounds like I'm branding her with a red hot poker a few hours everyday. Needless to say, I'm a little fried by the end of the day.

Now, from the department of lost causes: Domingo is sleeping in his BIG BOY BED!! Not at night of course, but for a week, at nap time, every day. I say hooray! Baby steps right? Some day he'll be sleeping there so much I'll have to yell at him to get out of bed, but that day is a loooong way off I'm sure.

His true nature showing

Looks like an angel, but he's the devil in disguise.

Whirlwind weekend

We had another great and fun-filled weekend.
We started by heading out to Morris on Thursday morning, just mama, Domi and Amalia. We've done this trip three times now, leaving Chris, pig in the city. (just kidding, I'm only slightly jealous of his all night sleepathons alone, slightly) It's worked out really well. I get some help and company during the day for at least a day or two, it splits up the week really well, Domingo gets to hang out with his primas who he adores, he gets to play outside (usually) and we get fed and cleaned and housed and I don't have to do any of it! It is pretty awesome I must admit. The only thing that would make it better is if Chris was with us.
This week, we got the added bonus of hanging out with tio Gustavo. He made delicious dinners Thursday and Friday. Hopefully they'll show up on his food blog. And even though Domingo has been going through a mama phase and does NOT want anything to do with anyone that is not mama, I think he had a really good time with tio. We went to the zoo, played in the pool, went to IKEA, and played and watched Dora all with tio, something we don't often get to do. It was a super long visit and we got to see him a bunch which makes me so happy. He also got the important task of guiding little Amalia's soul as her Godfather, along with tia Hez, so that is a good thing too!
Then on Friday Chris took the train down to meet us for an overnight stay, then we came back up to the city on Saturday for a day of birthday parties.
First our friend's daughter Charlotte turned two, just a week and a day after Domingo. We went to their house for a really nice party, where Domi got to play with all kinds of new toys and chase after the first real live kitty he's ever seen. She scratched him on the hand and he has been talking about it ever since. He talks about his "nana" (boo boo) and how the cat said mreow, and scratched him but he wanted to touch the cat very softly. He kept trying to give the other cat little plastic toys saying it was milk for the kitty. It was all too sweet.
Then we went to the second party of the day at Abuelo's favorite restaurant, Tango Sur. And with only a 45 minute nap under his belt, Domingo did really well I must say.
He played with the primas, hugging them around the waist and head butting them as they tried to dance. Sofia kept looking at Domingo with a bemused look, eventually saying "NO Domi!" and putting her hand up. To which Domingo looked confused and said "Si?" We've got to teach this kid about boundaries.
But we had a very delicious meal, and left just as both of the kids were melting down. Luckily that place is so loud I don't think anyone really noticed. We did leave some toys from the Domingonian collection at the restaurant. That's what you get for loaning them out to a prima at the other end of the table. But that just reminds me of one time the girls were over and they were playing in the nursery. One of them said "hey, this belongs at our house!" I would not be surprised if she had made a sweeping gesture encompassing the entire room. If you don't count diapers, I'd say 99% of the stuff in there had indeed belonged at their house at one point in time.
So, next time Domingo asks for the hippo, or camel, or dinosaur that was left behind, I'll just say look at the 300+ toys you do have, all from your primas. (something tells me that won't be much comfort).
Then today we said adios to tio Gustavo after a delicious but fast breakfast at Tweet, my new favorite place for brunch. The place isn't new, I just had never been until somewhat recently, and it's so awesome, and really close to our place.
Domingo behaved really really well, Amalia did too for the most part, and I got to scarf down a very yummy breakfast on Abuelo's dime! Excellent.
Unfortunately I have zero pictures of all this excitement, and am still waiting for someone else to come through with pictures from last weekend, but promise to get some up here as soon as I can!

Next stop the Met

Today he was singing the words to Frere Jacques in English rather than mehmmeh mehmeh, so I think there's hope for his vocal career after all.

Singer from alice on Vimeo.

Baby's first soul-cleanse

In addition to Domingo's birthday, we all rejected the glamour of evil yesterday. Yes, it was Amalia's baptism! Now we are all (save Chris) officially Catholics, or as they say in Chicago, Cat-licks. Awesome. That means the next time we have to go to mass is Christmas. (Hey I didn't say we were good Catholics!)
Amalia looked positively holy in her little white christening gown. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, since we were kind of in the middle of the action, but hopefully abuela or one of the tios will come through at some point. Here's one of the "after" shots. As you can see, she's contemplating the meaning of being "saved".

Fasten your seatbelts, 24 MONTHDAY!!

Happy birthday Domingo!
I can't believe you are two years old today! It's hard to believe in both ways, it seems like just yesterday you were a teeny baby just like Amalia, but then again, it seems like you should have been two months ago. Partly because I feel like the terrible twos started a LOOONG time ago, partly because you are such a chatty guy that that it's hard to believe you just turned two today.
Two years ago you were like this:


And now:


You have changed so much over the last two years it's incredible.
You continue to be the worlds sweetest boy. You are such a little snugglet. At night when you are all tucked in bed, you go through the list of people and toys you love and say they are all snugglets (Mama, Papa, Amalia, Marco mono, Baby jaguar etc. etc.), it's very sweet. You love animals and bugs and dinosaurs and milk. You hate diaper changes, wearing shoes, nap time, and are currently going through a real mama-phase.
Last night was a perfect example, after a long day with no nap you were ready to hit the hay, and I foolishly wanted to take a shower and let your father put you to bed. That was a bad idea. You stood outside of the shower door crying and kept trying to open the shower and didn't care that you were getting all wet, you just wanted mama. You were either trying to save me from the horror of the shower or the sight of me naked scared you to tears. I know, I feel the same way.
I know that I should treasure these moments, when you only want to be with me, when you can't bear to be parted from me. I know it won't be long before you won't want me to be standing next to you let alone giving you hugs and kisses and tickles.

This month has seen a few changes at our little home, but most notably:


BIG BOY BED!!!
You haven't slept in it yet, but you have played on it, and do like it. We'll have to slowly introduce the idea of you sleeping in it at night at some point soon. I think it will help you sleep better when Amalia wakes up at nap time or over night. (Although you don't really wake up when she does now.)
I'm sure I'll miss having your warm little body snuggly next to me (and Marco mono- your favorite monkey), but I am looking forward to having the bed to myself again, oh whoops, your sister still has a few years to go!
There haven't been a lot of major milestones this month, and we haven't been to the doc. for the official weight/height check, but it's the little ones that are getting me these days. For example, you are really proficient at going up and down the stairs by yourself. You are very cautious, which I love, but it takes you a long time and you want to do it BY YOURSELF, which can be irritating when we are trying to get out the door. You are very into by yourself these days. You don't want help with anything, and some times that means you'll dump your drink, or spill your food, and I've learned to say, that's fine, and carry an extra change of clothes everywhere.
you are over your absolute hatred of changing clothes and diapers and will now allow me to change you provided you have some suitable distraction.
The thing you're really into these days is "what eats what". You'll go through an exhaustive list of animals, living and extinct, (brachiosaurus anyone?) and ask what they eat. You are a foodie after all!
This coming year will bring lots of changes for you I'm sure, potty training, a new sitter and/or daycare, and mama going back to work, and a little sister who will want to take your toys!
I don't want you to grow up and change too quickly, but seeing you change over the last two years makes me wonder what you'll be like in 5, 10, 15, 20 etc. years. I know it will go by all too quickly, so I'm just enjoying the moment right now.

But enough of the mushy stuff, here's what you want, PINATA CARNAGE!!






CANDY!



Post-party crash!

Smiley!

Here are some of Amalia's lighter moments captured on film. See people, she does do something other than cry.

Enjoying some "desnudy" time

Domingo has a recurrence of his hideous and itchy bottom rash. It was all cleared up and I was congratulating myself on a job well done, and then two days without the ointment we were using and it came back as angry and red as ever. Blech. At IKEA the other day I noticed him picking at his diaper, and when I sat him down in the cart to check out he said "mama mi colita esta lleno de poopies!" and was very annoyed. So then I took him to get changed, and I saw it was back. How irritating.
So today before we have any guests and while I am cleaning house, Domingo is enjoying some air time for his unmentionables. He loves to run around saying he's "desnudy" rather than desnudo (naked). I like to chase him and make sure there is a towel always near by.

Labor Day

Ah, Labor day, what a wonderful way to honor mothers. Here's to all of us laborers!
We had a really nice long weekend up in Michigan with a quick side birthday trip to South Bend.
But first we did some fun stuff before we left.
Thursday night Amalia went to her very first cubs game. Domi got to stay home and play with tia Hez, and he was pretty pleased about that.


Despite the pink pants, people still asked what "his" name was.
Amalia did pretty well at her first game. She fussed until the Ramirez hit a grand slam and then, when victory was certain, she conked out.



We were at the game courtesy of Amalia's friend baby Polly, who is a much better baseball fan than Amalia. She smiled the whole time, and held her head up high, not like slouchy-grouchy magee over here.



However, this is what happens when you buy jerseys with players names on them. I think this guy was traded well before Polly became a fan.

Then Friday, we hung out with tio Gustavo, had Pho for lunch, and went to the zoo. This is the only picture I took, because I'm an idiot. (But also because I was strapped to Amalia in like 90+ degree weather and my brain was frying).

I'll get more of tio and the babes when I go to Morris tomorrow, and when he comes up for the baptism this weekend.

Then it was up to the lake for the weekend.


Despite copious applications of sunscreen, and a "sunbuster" outfit, Domi got his first ever sunburn. It was on his shoulders where the sunscreen must have rubbed off from picking him up or something, because his face and lower arms and legs were as lily white as ever. I felt terrible, but by the next day it was gone.
The other skin ailment my poor child was suffering from was a horrible looking rash, I think the culprit was Roseola infantum. Luckily, once the nasty looking rash appears, the illness is no longer infectious, and it looks like Amalia was spared. I blame the doctor's office, since we had no other way of catching this virus. We took Domi to Amalia's check up and he got sick the next day. Poor baby.

But despite all that, he had a wonderful time, and did NOT want to get out of the water, or out of this little kayak that is up at the cottage.

(day after the sunburn, we doubled up on the sun-busting outfits, AND sunscreen)

And I think Amalia had a good time too. She mostly slept, and spent time in just a diaper, but I think she likes the fresh air.


Baby asleep.


Baby awake!

I can't believe summer is officially over. I am in complete denial. But September promises to be super-fun-packed, and in Chicago, the heat can last well into October, so we'll just have to wait and see.