SNOW!!

I think the only good thing about living in this city is that they have activities on different times of the year at the Sports Complex. They have a 4th of July party with fireworks, never been, but I have heard it is nice. We went to the Halloween party and it was great. They had activities for the kids, a chili cook off, baking contest, Haunted House and a Costume Contest.
We just came back from the Holiday Party, they had food, hot chocolate, Santa, reindeer, elf, and SNOW. Well crushed ice and all the kids had a blast throwing crushed ice all over the place. Even my Monkey had fun, since we are deprived of the real thing we had to conform with this. They also had soap from this machines coming down like it was falling from the sky.

Here's a video of that!




We have been pretty much stress free since we don't have to worry about choosing who's house we are going for X-mas. But something always has to go bad, today I had a car accident. Not anything major the baby and I are just fine but I am going to make a appt. just to make sure. So I was backing out of a parking spot to go to lunch, I looked back I saw a silver Honda go by and then nothing was there, then I just hear the crash. I was so mad at myself but whatever, I get out and its one of our well know customers at the bank. damn it! I said I was very very sorry and asked him what he wanted to do he just had a dent no scratches, he said not to worry he would fix it himself, but my rear light broke, and my bumper went into the tire. I said I didn't want to do that, I wanted him to get his car fixed and my insurance would pay. So far no one was mad, well I was but only at myself because I should have seen him. Then as I was calling my insurance company he got all mad because he wanted to talk to my insurance, like if I was a child and did not know what the hell I was doing. I told him that I ask for his information so that they could fix the cars, not to get anyone in trouble them he wanted to call the cops as if I had run from the scene or something. What an ASSHOLE. I am not making sense but I just had to vent because I was only trying to help ,even though he has some crappy car that's as old as I am. Now I feel better and I am not upset anymore. It's just a CAR. What matters is that we are all healthy and happy.

Things are going as planned. We got our tile put in about two weeks ago and it looks great. We went to Oregon this past weekend, it was a great trip. I loved Oregon, great people, great place, very beautiful State.

Holidays:
The holidays are coming and I hate it. I hate that we had to split our time between two family's, so after the HELL we went through in Thanksgiving we have decided that we are staying home this year. If our family wants they can come see us here at our house. Starting next year we are going to go away for the holidays which I think is a great idea. I don't care where it is just as long as its away from family DRAMA.


Our Trip to Oregon:
I fell in love. Everyone that we told that we where going to Oregon was like "why?". I have to say at first I did not know what to expect but it was a great trip. We went to the Pacific Ocean, and took some really great pictures thanks to Joel, Jose's friend who we were surprising. He just published his book, which Jose is in, Its called " Night of A Thousand Stars and other Portraits of Iraq. I would like to thank Nicole and Joel for inviting us to Oregon and opening their home, and for everything you guys did while we were there. Hopefully you'll visit us someday.

Anthony :
I think he has gone insane, or maybe thats just how all little boys are. He bit a girl at Day Care again and this time he left a mark on her. I don't know what to do, we weren't there to tell him not to do it and we can't really can't tell him after we pick him up because he does not know what I am talking about. So what do we do? HELP!!
Everything he finds is food, cat food is his favorite, paper is second and then everything else. We found out what his favorite fruit is, apple, everyday after he gets home he goes to the fridge and gets himself an apple and sit on his chair in the living room. He looks so cute when he does that, and makes me think of how time goes by so fast and before you know it he'll be in college.

Talking about college Jose Graduated last Friday. I just want to say that I very proud of you babe that you finished even through all the obstacles that you went through. I LOVE YOU!

Painting

I painted the living room and dinning room, and it looks good. I am very happy with the colors that I chose. Olive Tree and Warm Sand at first I was going to do sponge painting put it looked HORRIBLE. I almost freaked myself out luckily I was able to paint over it. So I painted opposite walls a different color. Wells it not completely done we ran out of paint for the entrance hall way but that won't take me long to do. I am very excited that the tile is going to be put in this week everything is coming together.

This is what it Sponge painting looked, I did not like it at all.

Feeling Better

I have been feeling better these last couple of days. I don't know what might have changed except that I moved my Dr appointment a week and he gave a RX but I haven't taken it, for the nausea, anyway I guess that I am done with the first trimester. Next month on Dec 15 is my sonogram. I can't wait, I want to see the baby. I don't think I have realized yet that I am pregnant. Maybe when I see him/her I will believe it, even though I have been very sick. Can you believe I lost 7lbs from my last appointment 3 weeks ago. I hope that that is over now.

BABY NAMES:
With Monkey Doodle we had a difficult time finding a name that we could agree on. It was very stressful but we managed on our own. But this time we have decided to ask for help. We ask whoever reads this blog to please give us some ideas of names. Please not anything to complicated we need our Spanish speaking family has to be able t say it too. It could be for either girl or boy since we still have no idea was he/she is.

Quiet time:
It weird not to hear my Monkey Doodle in the morning. I woke up this morning think that he was here but he is at grandmas having a blast. My mom spoils that kid so much it unbelievable. Monkey Doodle has more cloths than me and Jose put together, and let me not go into all the toys he has, I think this is all kids you give them a toy they'll play with it for 2 minutes and then play with the box it came in. Thanks for reading my blabs I have to go a clean. I am having company over today.

BABY #2

Yes, it's true baby #2 is on its way. We have kept to ourselves just because we weren't ready to announce it too soon. Baby #2 is about 15 weeks old and making me very sick. This is nothing like my monkey doodle, he was so easy, and this was exactly what I was afraid of that one pregnancy would be easy and the other would be hell, well not really hell but you know what I mean. Nothing has been helping with the morning sickness,you know what it shouldn't be called morning sickness if it's all day. I can barely eat I have actually been losing weight which is ok in the beginning, but I really hope it ends soon.
We have decided to do some remodeling of the house, which I am VERY excited about, we are taking all the rug out putting tile all downstairs. Which I'm picking out the tile for right now, yes multi-tasking, only we (women) can do that. We are also taking the rug out from upstairs and putting hardwood floors and I am finally going to finish painting the rest of the house. Since we have decided to stay in Florida might as well make this house our Home. Things are moving along great. I'll be updating on the baby and the house and chance that I can get, having a 13 month old can really keep you busy, how I wish I could stay home with him, which is something that we are working on for the near future.

Monkey Doodle's 1st Birthday !!

Party #2





My grandfather, my dad, my brother and godmother.

My grandmother and my sister and her boyfriend.

Jose and his Dad

It's small but it does a great job.

Party #1

It Been a Long Time

Well since the last time that I posted a lot has changed. My Monkey Doodle has 3 teeth he walks, and says a couple of words. It has been great. His 1st birthday is this saturday, I still can not believe it, time has gone by so fast. Well we just celebrated his birthday last saturday at Gymboree, it was ok spanish people can NEVER show up on time. The party was supposed to start at 2:30pm people started showing up at 3 pm, my poor Monkey is teething so he was not feeling to well but he did have his first pizza all by himself, it was the cutest thing ever. Well as soon as I upload the pictures to the computer I will post them.

Parrot Jungle Island

I remember that when I was turned 8 my mom took me to Parrot Jungle. Yesterday I took my Monkey, but I have a feeling I was more excited them he was. Pili, Jose's cousin, has a son 3 weeks younger then Monkey, and the four of us packed my car and drove 40 mintues to Miami to see exotic birds and animals. Its was a great time Anthony was very happy. He was a little scared becasuse the parrots were loud. Here are some pictures of our trip.

Pili and Allen

Monkey and me

Monkey and Allen

They are too Cute.

They were .....

pooped out by the end. lol!

1st Tooth

Today May 12 I felt Anthony's 1st tooth. He has been teething for a while now but today I felt his tooth he like to bite on our fingers thats how I knew. I felt something sharp, it was kind of hard to see since Anthony doesn't like us to touch his face to much, there it was his first tooth, well not the whole thing just a little white thing you can't really see it. I am so excited my baby boy is growning up so fast.

More pictures

Monkey crawling he looks so cute but most of the time he is lazy and doesn't use his legs to crawl. I love him so much, I can't imagine myself without him.

It's of the new chandalier. It's a little dark but it will do.

I like this picture better then the other one.

Monkey

Monkey playing with his gym.

Being silly.

In his high chair after breakfast.
Monkey is 7 1/2 months old. He is doing great he is starting to crawl and standing up on his own. Well not to great we just found out yesterday that Monkey has Asthma. He has had this cough that just won't go away and the Dr we are taking him to wasn't really sayng much he went the twice time first it he said to give him pediacare, the second time he gave him anti-biotics. But it wasn't helping. So we took him to another Dr, who checked him out and gave him a breathing treatment which helped and that when they told us that he has asthma. So now he has a nebulizer at home and he has his treatment 3 x's a day. He gets very aggitated when I have to give it to him but we have no other choice. He will have another appointment with the new Dr. next week to check him out again a see how well he is doing hopefully it will be better. Besides that he has been eating normally and acting like a normal baby. He is amazing, he makes funny faces and he knows when he is doing something he is not supposed to do.

My Vacation

I have been on vacation this week and I really didn't have anything planned. On monday I woke up wantIng to paint. We have been here 5 months and our walls are white, and it is killing me. I always wanted a house where I can paint the walls whatever color I wanted. I was tried of looking at plain white walls. I started downstairs, which is what most people see, no one really goes to the bedrooms or bathrooms upstairs. So the kitchen was my first project. I went to the nearest home improvement store and bought paint, bordeaux and vanilla bean. I made two walls bordeaux which was hard because its dark and I had to do about 3 coats to get it all even. I am very hapy with the outcome. I was actually only going to do the kitchen but then I saw this Palm Tree stencil that matches the towels in the bathroom downstairs, then I saw a chandalier that would go really great in the dinning room. I am not really sure what color I am going to do in the living room or dinning room I just know that it will take a while because thats a lot of painting to do specially if I have to juggle Monkey and making sure that the cats don't get into the paint.

More Pictures.............

Neither of us are from Brazil but the World Cup is coming soon and I couldn't find shirts from Costa Rica and Venezuela isn't going, This is the next best thing. Enjoy here.

Pictures.....

New pictures here
It's from a trip we made to Busch Gardens a couple of weekends ago and of our "monkey". And no "monkey didn't go with us to Tampa . He stayed at grandmas.

6 months

Well almost "monkey" will be 6 months old in just 2 days unbelievable. He is amazing, he is growing so fast. He weighs 22lbs and is 28" long, he is quite big for his age but the Dr is not to worried, he says that as soon as he starts crawling and walking he'll thin out, which I have been noticing, his face is not a chunky as it used to be. He eats all his veggies hopefully that won't end but I know that’s a dream that as soon as he realizes that they are good for him he won't eat them any more...lol! He has no teeth yet, but he is drooling a lot. He is very talkative, and this might be a little crazy but I think he said his first word “Mama” my mom was there too when he said it and we both looked at each other in disbelief, after I tried to see if he would say it but it didn’t happen he just laughed kind of like saying gotcha. I can't put any pictures because I can't find the digital camara, but as soon as I find it I will post one.

Pets

I have grown up with with pets all my life. Iguanas, cats, rabbits, dogs, finches, turtles, anything that you can imagine we had. I am amazed how people can give up their pets and hurt them, to me they are part of my family. The two cats that we have at home are our first babies, but of course Anthony is # 1. Amirah is a 6lbs Russian Blue that will be 3 yrs old in July, Mohammed is a 13lbs Bombay that will be 2 years old next week. We have to take them to the vet's make sure that they don't get sick or fleas, buy them pet insurance, yes and its very helpful. Mohammed had surgery last year and it was very expensive we learned our lesson. I really don't know what i would do without them, its like they wait for you all day for you to get home and they get so happy. They know when you are going to feed them, and Amirah knows when I am sad. While Jose was in Iraq, Amirah was my company I used to hate to go home to a lonely apartment, I remember that I used cry in bed and she would come and lay next to me rub against me and lay down kinda saying I know how you feel and I am here to keep you company. How can ANYONE be so cruel to them they just want someone to love and if you have a pet that you don't want just find him a home or a shelter that is a no kill shelter. If I had the room I would pick up all the stray animals that I see in the streets and also if my hubby would let me, he complains that we have to many pets already. Just like how my family did when I was growing up. I suffer from allergies and sometime they get REALLY bad my husband ask me what if you had to get rid of them because they are the ones that make you feel bad and I told him that I rather suffer then give them up, they will have to find a medicine that will work but luckly I am not allergic of my cats, its everything else. (lol) I was worried about the cats when I found out that I was pregnant, because you hear all these stories about cats attacking the baby of spreading a sickness. We have been really lucky Mohammed would come by and smell he and that was it but Amirah is the CRAZY one mostly with Jose because he picks on both of them but mostly her because she attacks him while he walks by and with other people she not a nice cat she WILL bite you or scratch you etc. When Anthony was born she wouldn't get near him until recently, about 2 weeks ago, Anthony and I where laying on the floor playing and Amirah came by. Anthony pulled her tail and she purred, I WAS SURPRISED! she hates it when people touch her tail even me and she is very close to me, ever since then she will sit next to him and purr and lets him touch her, now I know that I have nothing to worry about, and Anthony will grow up with them just fine. Please be kind to animals they do have feelings; even though they don't talk they can express it in different ways.

"Grandparents"

It's funny how my mom and Jose's mom get when they see Anthony. My mom kidnaps him every friday night which is ok since its the only night Jose and I have alone. But I still miss my baby, last week i woke up in the middle of the night thinking I heard Anthony but of course I didn't he wasn't in the house. My mom has gone INSANE she has her own car seat, stroller, baby bag and milk, cereal, etc. She thinks she is his mom for the weekend. hahaha! I bet people think she is too because she's a young grandmother, no one can believe that she has a daugther that's married much less a grandson. Jose parents are older I believe in their 60's. I guess that our parents are happy to have grandchildren because they know that there is a little of them in that child, and when the baby cries they can just return them tto their parents and not no to worry about it. lol!

Health Insurance

Why? Something so simple can be so hard to have. Why can we have it like in other countries were it is FREE. It should be the same here, the government has the money to give it to us. But anyway thats not what my blog, well just a little this what Jose comment is about the phone call that freaked him out. Like most of you know Anthony is 4 months old which means that he has gone to the dr. at least 3 times well yesterday going to a new dr because last time he was at the dr was in Minnesota at 2 months, the nurse said that we were not enrolled in our insurance that we have been paying for 6 months even before Anthony was born. Well Jose and I are enrolled but Anthony isn't, and that mad me very upset so for the last 4 months no one mentioned that he didn't have insurance and that the STUPID people at the insurance company don't know how to do their job. Its not just that, its that Jose went to the Building were you give them the information to enroll Anthony the week he was born so he pretty much did that for what, for them to screw up ANYWAY. All the have to do is type a name and SSN#. Unbelievable, we ended up payng $140 so that Anthony could be seen.

Working Mom

My dream has always been to be a stay at home mom. But I can't really complain I do only work part time 4 days a week, even like that I have a hard time leaving my baby. The first day that I went back to work I cried the whole way and a couple of days after that too. I know that I have to be patient but the first year is very important for the baby so that he knows that he is loved. Well we are looking to see what we can do, its unbelievable that a normal life can be so expensive. How people do it is a mystery to me, probably in debt over their heads, or they have the secret that I haven't found out yet. When we were in Minnesota for 5 months I didn't work and we were able to do more then we can do here in Florida. We went to Chicago and Milwaukee. It was great. I hope that we can go back to Rochester ,MN permantly. Most of the women that I met were stay at home moms and they looked so happy, I loved it too when I was home. We'll see what life has instored for us.

M.V.

Four Months Ago

It's unbelievable just four months ago I became a mother. Me, the one that wanted to travel and enjoy life with my husband and get to know each other more. Don't get me wrong we did have a lot of great trips together and a time to get to know each other. But there was another plan for our lives. I think that one could never be ready to be parents no matter how much you plan but fortunatly when you do everything just comes to you naturally, well it did to me. Its funny how your whole mind changes things that you thought you care about before are at the end of your list and this bundle of joy takes over. I love how evryday he changes and becomes more active and more enchanting everyday. Every stage just gets better and better, sometimes my husband will say "I can't wait till he......" but I can I wish he could stay this age forever just the thought of him leaving to college one day is devastating in a way, but I can't keep him forever he doesn't belong to me he is his own person and will be making his own life one day. I am already talking about college and he can barely sit up on his own. hahaha! Well I hope that this blog can help me and anyone that may read my blog, we are here to help each other.



M.V.