NOAH & PENELOPE

Noah's Batman Party, Part 1

2010-07-14T20:29:00.024-05:00

Our sweet Noah turned four on July 7th. When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he said he wanted a Batman cake. Easy enough! After going back and forth about whether to have a party, I decided in the 11th hour to go ahead. It was going to be a small party, but of course with our family and neighbors alone, there is no such thing as small. I am so happy that we decided to have a party because it ended up being such a wonderful day. And, I got to put my budding craft skills to work. This will be the first in a 2-part post chronicling Noah's Batman party and all the decorations, food and activities that were prepared for the event. I owe many thanks to my search engine and the blogs where I found inspiration and free files!

With only three weeks to pull it all together, I had no time to spare. Inspired by this invitation that was comic strip style, I found a website with archives of the actual 1940s "Batman & Robin" comic strip. I personalized it to include the details of the party, pasted it to black card stock and, voila! Homemade invitations.
I really wanted to go with vintage Batman & Robin, and came up with the idea of creating "Pow, Zok, Wham!" signs to post around the house.

I also really wanted a Happy Birthday banner, so I decided to make one in the same style. Strung together with black satin ribbon that I found at a discount store, I was very happy with the final product.
The rest of the decorations were kept pretty simple.
The cupcake toppers were super fun to make!
I can't take credit for this one. My artist niece-in-law, Sofia, made it.
I borrowed the super cute idea of a Superhero Academy from Designer Girl 007 and Executive Homemaker and got to work creating all the crafts, decor and signage for the back yard obstacle course. The first step in becoming a superhero is to look like one, so I made foam masks (templates from Family Fun) for all the superheros in training.

Next step, Leap Buildings in a Single Bound. The kids had a blast with this one, so I let them go several times. Third was to rescue Superman from the Batcave.
Using glow stick necklaces and a giant Superman figure that was given to Noah recently, their mission was to remove the cryptonite from Superman's neck and meet me at the next station, which was...
Mr. Freeze had frozen Batman and Robin, and the next mission was to use squirt guns to free them from the ice blocks.
Finally, the superhero wannabe's moved on to the last step in Superhero training - show off your Mighty Muscles!
With all of the steps successfully completed, we were now ready for Justice League certificates and favor bags, handed out by a very special guest.
Of course, no Batman party is complete without an appearance by the superhero himself...
I kept it simple with finger foods.
Of course some specialty Bat-food and Bat-Candy for the kiddos.
I had to frost these the day of the party...
And last but NOT least, my friend Mary whipped up this FABULOUS Bat cake. Isn't she amazing!
My first attempt at cape-crafting.
He was too overwhelmed to participate in Superhero Academy during his party...
...but he was ready for action the next day!
Stay tuned for part 2!

New Stuff to Remember

2010-06-24T12:41:00.014-05:00

So it seems I have a new animal/insect/arachnid rights activist in my home. We have always battled itsy-bitsy spiders, and sometimes not-so-itsy ones. So naturally, my first instinct when I see one is to kill, I mean remove it. Well now one of these eight-legged thorns in my side has become a "pet." Noah found it yesterday and immediately ran up to me, insisting "DON'T kill it Mom, it's a nice spider. He's my friend." I guess he was still traumatized by the last one I smushed and his protective instinct kicked in. I am proud of my son, but also completely defeated by the loss of this long-standing battle. Although - I wonder how long spiders can survive in a can with no food or water...?

I thought Penelope had found her voice a long time ago, but she has reached new heights recently. I suppose it was inevitable. Along with every beautiful little girl, eventually comes a high-pitched screech/scream... right? I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it is really deafening! She was actually shushed by our grocery sacker yesterday... sorry! On a much cuter note, I was spying on her via baby monitor yesterday morning and she was so adorable with her babies. She was sitting up in her crib, hugging Curious George and patting it's head. Then she sat it down facing her, and began to feed it chicken nuggets, french fries and ice cream. What a nice mommy!

In Loving Memory

2010-06-10T20:52:00.002-05:00

G.G. Romero (1995-2010)
Gentle, loyal, protective, intelligent and irreplaceable. I hope there are plenty of tennis balls and adventures where you are, sweet girl. We love and miss you.

Reverse Psychology

2010-05-06T13:11:00.004-05:00

As I was playing with the kids yesterday, I was focused on tickling Penelope. Noah's strategy?

Noah: Mommy, DON'T tickle me
Me: Okay, I won't tickle you
Noah: Mommy, please tickle me!

Noah: Mommy, DON'T chase Noah (as he's running away)
Me: Okay, I won't chase you
Noah: Okay Mommy please chase me!

I don't always appreciate having my attention pulled in different directions, but this was a moment worth remembering. :)

Poolside

2010-05-05T14:23:00.001-05:00

The Birds & The Peas

2010-04-18T13:44:00.005-05:00

...& The Bluebonnets!

A year ago, I blogged about a bird who had built her nest over our back door. I was, indeed, a little sad when she left. In fact, I didn't remove the nest until several months later. So one can only guess how excited I was when she returned again this year to nest in the very same spot! When I told my friend Gail how badly I felt for removing her first nest, she called me a homewrecker. Ha! Her new nest wasn't visible at first, but she has since renovated and it's much bigger now.
Once again, she has two baby birds who have grown at lightning speed. By the time I first saw them, they were already the size shown here.

Last week we went to a bluebonnet field with our new friends, Allison, Eden & James. Eden and Noah discovered peas were also growing in the field, and they had a good time picking and opening them.

In their typical fashion, Noah and Penelope gave me a run for my money as I attempted to get a good photo of them together. This is about as good as it gets.

I was so excited about this adorable vintage-inspired romper that I have had my eye on for the last year. I had the entire outfit planned out, down to some cute little gold sandals. Penelope however, had her own ideas about the perfect shoes. Her faux fur leopard print boots were clearly the winners.

I try to compensate for being a very unskilled photographer by taking hundreds of photos in the hopes of lucking out with a few good ones. This is my favorite.

I'm in Trouble!

2010-04-05T20:32:00.002-05:00

Just have to share this little story about our trip to Hobby Lobby last week. Penelope got really angry when I wouldn't give her the item she was asking for off the shelf. So, in usual 1-year-old fashion, she began crying hysterically. After a while, I informed her that crying was not going to get her what she wanted. Her response: "It-not?" and immediately stopped crying. And she's only 18 months old. Very funny and also a little scary. Pics coming soon! i promise...

Noah-speak

2010-03-11T13:50:00.002-06:00

On the way home from the Y this morning:

Noah: Mommy-
Me: Yes, Noah?
Noah: No, I not Noah. I GREY. BATMAN.
Me: Oh, sorry. Yes, Grey Batman?
Noah: I hungry
Me: Okay, we'll be home in a few minutes and mommy will make lunch
Noah: Di-sore duggets? (Dinosaur nuggets)
Me: No, today we'll have turkey dogs, fruit and chips
Noah: Mommy. That's beauful* lunch. (*beautiful)

Layla Grace

2010-03-09T20:27:00.004-06:00

All I can think about tonight is Layla Grace. Her life story has touched me so deeply, and tonight I feel so much grief for her family and friends. I can only say that I am thankful to Layla and her parents for reminding me of what a special privilege it is that the Lord has entrusted me with two of his children. I feel ashamed for every time I have lost my patience and for every moment that I have taken them for granted. My deepest desire is to be the type of parent that God is to us all. Impossible, but definitely something to strive for. This is an awesome responsibility, and I pray that I never forget to cherish every. single. moment. God bless us all, and may Layla Grace rest comfortably in the arms of our Father.

Cuties in Ketchup

2010-03-05T21:13:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was the perfect day for lunch on the patio. Sunny, breezy and beautiful. So, after the Y we went straight to the backyard and played, listened to music and the kids enjoyed their lunch of chicken nuggets and "cutie" oranges. Noah will not eat any type of meat unless there is ketchup involved. Penelope decided she wanted ketchup, so I put a little squirt on her plate. She then proceeded to dip her little cutie orange slices into the ketchup and devour them one by one. And it. was. just. perfect.

Where's the dignity??

2010-01-14T13:26:00.002-06:00

Okay, so life is about balance, right? There are the moments that you just can't wait to blog about. And then there are moments like today, when Noah pooped in his Lightning McQueen underwear. In an effort to have as little contact with the poop as possible, I positioned him in front of the toilet so I could just pull the underwear down and dump the poop directly in. Nice and neat, right? Well, that plan backfired on me. Or should I say, backsplashed. Directly onto my face. Yep. Life is good. I won't be posting a picture of this. You can thank me later.

An Early Visit

2009-12-22T21:00:00.002-06:00

Family Portraits

2009-12-21T20:54:00.002-06:00

Okay so now that our Christmas cards have been delivered, I can post the link to our family portrait sneak peek. Laura worked her magic in spite of two pint-sized subjects who were not taking direction very well. And that's putting it mildly! Check them out at Studio Bloom Photography Blog. Thanks again, Laura!

November/December Catch-up...

2009-12-11T21:32:00.007-06:00

Wow. November and December have literally gone by in a blur. Not that I'm making excuses for neglecting the blog, just sayin...

Thanksgiving was wonderful, made especially sweeter by a visit from Miss Nyla, Paulie and Yvette from New York. The kids are growing, learning and changing with each passing day. Penelope is picking up more words constantly. One of her favorites is "baby" which sounds more like "baybay." She loves to pick up any kind of doll or toy and hug it tight while she rocks it. She is sweet as honey. She's really into giving kisses, and even makes the "Muah" sound when she puckers up. She watches and mimics a lot of what big brother is doing, including sitting on the potty and turning her face away from us when we try to feed her. She much prefers feeding herself and is quite skilled with her utensils, thank-you-very-much!

Mr. Big Boy Underpants Noah is now only wearing diapers at night...!!! It's still a work in progress and he still fights me on it daily, but at this point I'm grateful for any small victory. I just have to breathe, and remember he's three... :) Noah loves Spongebob and pretty much all superheros... Wolverine, Hulk and Batman top the list. His favorite play activities now are either playing superheros, or pretending that we're running away from sharks. Boys will be boys!'

Noah's pronunciation of Penelope's name has really evolved. First it was "Ah-pee," and then it becamse "En-uh-pee" and now he has shortened it to "Enna" which I think is a cute little nickname. I wonder if it will stick?

We are really looking forward to Christmas as we do every year. This is the first year that Noah actually understands about the holiday. He loves pointing out Christmas trees and lights wherever we go. He sort of gets the whole Santa thing, and definitely understands about the gifts under the tree. Penelope is just happy to take ornaments off the tree every day. I find them EVERYWHERE.

Well that's November and December in a nutshell. I am not going to make any promises, but I will try to get another post in before year-end. Merry Christmas!

Miss Sassy Pants.
Pucker up, buttercup!

And one for you...Tandem bike riding.

The world's tiniest snowman on our Texas Blizzard day. He enjoyed the snow so much!

I found her just like this in the a.m. Houdini #2 in the making?

Striking a pose on Thanksgiving Day.

Can I get some help here? Anyone?

Fun with boxes.

His new friend, Lizard. This had to be the most chilled out lizard I ever met. It was perfectly content just hanging out on Noah's hand. He was crushed when it was time to let Lizard "go home to his mommy and daddy."

Better late than never! As promised, here are snaps of my oh-so-adorable sea creatures on Halloween. Penny the Octopus and Shark Noah.

The Latest and Greatest

2009-10-22T21:01:00.014-05:00

A couple of birthday parties...

Even superheroes need some play time.

He decided to take his nap in this spot...

Snack Time!!!

Penelope's first steps.

Just me, my Radio Flyer and the open road.

Peek-a-boo!

Happy birthday to Penelope!

Okay, so October has officially been a month of transformation and growth! The kids and I joined Aunt Gail, Uncle Bill and Aunt Donna for a lovely, relaxing vacation in Cape Hatteras during the last week of September. It was the best of times. We enjoyed it so much and I feel like I came home with different kids. I just love the milestones that have been reached by both of them. Goodness!

We celebrated Penelope's first birthday on September 24th. She took her first steps in Hatteras, but it was just over a week ago that she actually understood. One night, she just started walking around the room and was so excited that she didn't want to stop. It's so new that I am still a little surprised to see her walking into a room with that proud smile on her face. I am so excited for her. It is amazing to see the wonders of life through the eyes of my children.

Noah has lost all traces of shyness and is now in full preschooler mode. He is very social, never hesitating to speak to people everywhere we go. He loves making friends at the park. It's cool to see the change in him and I'm proud of him for having the confidence to be as friendly as he is.

This next thing, I'm SUPER excited about. It is something I have dreamed of, prayed for and lost pretty much all hope that it would ever happen. I even blogged about it prematurely (my version of the MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner). But tonight, dear readers, NOAH USED THE POTTY!!!!!!! And I mean he really used it. Not just a few drops. And he was very excited. I know, I've already used the word "excited" like, a million times in this post. But seriously, it is all so exciting! There is no turning back this time. No relapsing. We are potty training! Oh, sorry. Potty learning. Must remember the PC term. :)

We went to Dewberry Farm yesterday and picked out pumpkins from the pumpkin patch. I wish I had photos to post but unfortunately we didn't realize our camera battery was dead until it was too late. I will, however, post one last photo of the pumpkins that we came home with. I can honestly say it's the best collection of pumpkins we've had so far. We are looking forward to Halloween this weekend, and I'll be sure to post pics of my munchkins in their costumes. I won't reveal what they are, but I promise it's going to be way cute. Stay tuned!

Steppin' Out.

2009-08-29T13:18:00.002-05:00

LONG overdue update

2009-08-18T21:45:00.009-05:00

Well, what can I say? The more that happens with the kids, the more I think that I need to blog about them so i don't forget, which makes me avoid blogging altogether because there's just so much time to cover! So I'm just going to write. Penelope is talking so much now, and for the most part we can determine what she is trying to say. Most frequently it's "what's this?" or "that!" and she has even tried to say "bath" and "splash" and tonight, even repeated "la, la, la" as I was reading a Boynton book to her. It sounds super cute in her high-pitched little squeal voice. She loves to walk while holding my hands, and is constantly grabbing my hands as if to say "We're going walking now!" Clever little thing, if she needs to take something with her, she just holds it in her mouth since her hands are occupied. It's quite funny! Also, she now can stand all by herself although she prefers not to. Yesterday, though, she did put on quite a performance at a group play date by standing unassisted for what seemed like about 30 seconds. Normally she just gets upset, screams at me and sits down but today she seemed quite pleased with herself. We are also in for a load of trouble as she seems to want to climb EVERYTHING. Toys, furniture, you name it, she's climbing it. She just recently made it onto Noah's bed which, for a while, was her Everest. It is definitely conquered now! I just can't believe how much love I have for this little girl. I am utterly, completely smitten.

Noah's latest thing is acting like a cat. Or a dog. Or a shark. At least once or twice a day, the only word in his vocabulary is "Meow." As if it weren't hard enough for me to interpret what he's trying to tell me! He is such a sweet and loving little boy. While hugging him yesterday, I caught his reflection in the mirror and almost cried for the expression on his face. It was one of complete and sheer joy, as if he could just live in my arms forever. I don't know what I did to deserve that kind of affection, but I am grateful. It's hard to imagine that there will come a day when my children won't want to be around me constantly, but I just hope that when that day comes, I'll be able to take it with a grain of salt. For now, I will just cherish these days while we (Mommy and Daddy) are the center of their worlds. What a blessed (and yes, sometimes overwhelming) place to be.

Just Chillin'

2009-07-16T13:25:00.001-05:00

Make A Wish

2009-07-16T13:21:00.000-05:00

Play time!

2009-07-15T15:15:00.003-05:00

SUPERNOAH!

Enjoying birthday gifts with Cousin Rene.

Our neighbor, Emma, came over last night while her parents took her older siblings to a movie. She is such a sweetheart!

Las Mañanitas

2009-07-07T22:10:00.005-05:00

Today marks the three-year anniversary of Noah's arrival into our world.
In classic three-year-old fashion, he had a total meltdown when we sang the happy birthday song...
He managed to recover in time to enjoy his cake. Thank goodness!
Chocolate cake, and she's not even 1 yet! Lucky girl.
Happy birthday, darling boy! Thank you for making our lives infinitely sweeter.

Mr. & Miss Personality

2009-06-30T20:04:00.006-05:00

Recently, Andres and our neighbor, John, performed in an Elvis face-off during a block party. It made a strong impression on Noah, and he loves to re-enact the performance whenever there is music or a microphone. He had no idea I was watching.
He loves his new "cowboy" boots. According to Noah, any kind of hat is a cowboy hat and any kind of boots are cowboy boots.

Showing off her new skills. Up on her knees...

...and up on her feet!

A hug from big brother.

Leaps and Bounds

2009-06-23T21:38:00.002-05:00

All in the span of one week, Penelope:
1) started crawling
2) pulled herself from sitting to standing
3) took her first steps
4) cut three top teeth
5) started waving hello and goodbye

I am so amazed by her! As for the prince, he is now saying "I love you, Mommy" and "I love you, Daddy." Actually it sounds more like "I yuh yoo"... so precious! Also, the past week or so he has begun responding to everything with "yeah!" which I'm not so sure about. But he says it with enthusiasm, which makes it hard for me to correct him. Plenty of time for manners later...?

Best of May, part 2

2009-06-07T20:25:00.004-05:00

Watching the French Open, and a Federer fan is born.

Best of May, part 1

2009-06-01T21:43:00.003-05:00

Boys being boys.

Portraits for a Penny

2009-05-31T17:07:00.002-05:00

My friend, Laura, did a photo shoot with Penelope a couple of weeks ago. We had to stop after about an hour, so part two should be coming soon. I love them all so much, and I can't wait to see the rest! Laura takes beautiful photographs and it is just so awesome to see our little darling through her lens. Thanks Laura!

First Sleepover, Sibling Love and Easter.

2009-04-27T12:52:00.012-05:00

Noah had his first sleepover last weekend when his pal, Jackson, visited from San Antonio. I am close friends with Jackson's mommy, Jenny, so it was a fun time for all. Noah and Jackson had such a blast together!

Jackson will have a new little sister this June. Judging from how much he adores Penelope, I think he is going to be an awesome big brother!!!

Some recent snaps of Noah and Penelope. Gotta love the sibling bonding!

At first glance, the next two photos look exactly alike. I thought it was funny though, that in the first one, Noah is serious and Penelope is smiling. And in the next photo, vice-versa. Details only a mommy cares about? Probably, but it was too sweet not to share!

I usually choose the best photo from each series but I seriously could not decide between these three. They are each lovely in such different ways.

A couple of weeks ago, this bird built her nest in the gutter above our back door. She has a lovely teal lining around her eye, and does not seem threatened or bothered by us at all. In fact, she seems to enjoy observing us and even posed for photos. She is very serene. I have yet to go outside and find the nest empty, unlike the nest in the front yard that is almost always empty. She seems like such a devoted mommy. I have a feeling I'll miss her when she's gone.

Noah's best friends are his cousins, Gio, Brianna and Adrian. They had a ball together on Easter weekend. Brianna is such a little mommy, and Noah eats it up.

Toys and popsicles. Life is good.

The first of many

2009-04-10T19:43:00.006-05:00

Noah used his potty today for the first time! He has sat on it many times but today was the first time he did something besides just sit. It was so cute how proud he was! So I guess this means that I must now be more active and consistent in my potty training efforts (Andres has been much better). I haven't wanted to push it on him, since I've always heard that it is much easier once they're truly ready. And, if I'm being completely honest, I've been a bit lazy. It's just easy to change a diaper and know that there will be no accidents or emergencies. But ready or not, we seem to have entered official potty training mode! Hopefully I won't relapse...

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

2009-04-02T13:21:00.002-05:00

Two exciting milestones this week! Penelope can now sit up unassisted. I do have to assist her into the sitting position, but she can stay there all by herself now. Of course I do have to be there to catch her when she starts falling headfirst in any direction. But still...

Also, she has cut her two first teeth (bottom front). This one is hard for me, because I think the gummy smile is oh-so irresistibly cute. You can't actually see them much, but you can definitely feel them! Yes, I found out the hard way.

Noah is all about posessions now. Everything is "mine"... My shark. My nuggets. My Buzz Lightyear. Mine, Mommy.

Yes, Noah. It is all yours. My heart included.

Big Boy

2009-03-27T14:47:00.002-05:00

In a moment of bravery (or craziness), I decided to convert Noah's crib to a toddler bed. I have some fears about this change, such as the idea of his wandering around in the middle of the night and hurting himself. Or a nap/bedtime struggle. But it had to happen sometime... right? It is the end of an era, and Noah seems excited about it. I'll decide how I feel after a few days. Wish us luck!
A goodnight kiss from Daddy.

A thief amongst us...

2009-03-25T14:49:00.001-05:00

A week ago today...

2009-03-24T21:31:00.004-05:00

Penelope began sleeping in her nursery. Much to my pleasure and surprise, she loves her crib. The night wakings decreased immediately from three or four to only one. While I am happy with the change, it also makes for a more tired me as I now have to wake up for her middle-of-the-night nursing session. I practically fell into bed at 8:30 last night and didn't wake up until 7 a.m.

In other news, Noah's vocabulary is moving to another level. His choppy two-word phrases are becoming sentences. His words are enunciated more distinctly. He is articulating his thoughts more clearly. By his third birthday in July, I predict much of his baby-sounding chatter will be a thing of the past. It's bittersweet for me, but definitely exciting.

Going bananas

2009-03-16T21:38:00.004-05:00

...for solid food! Penelope is so into whatever the big people are eating and drinking lately. This morning she had her first taste of fresh squeezed orange juice, and I think she's in love. Here she is, going to town on a piece of banana... mmmm!!!

on our way to a party...

going to another party...

Remember This.

2009-03-12T21:07:00.003-05:00

1. Yesterday at a group playdate, Noah approached another mom (Lily) whose build/hair are similar to mine. He looked her right in the face, said "Mommy," grabbed her hand and started pulling her to where he wanted to go. It took me a few seconds to realize that he thought she was me! When I finally got his attention, he stopped and gave Lily an accusatory look, as if to say, "Imposter!" It was so funny and cute, and also surprising that he could so easily mistake someone else for me. Toddlerhood is tough, I tell ya!

2. One way that Noah soothes himself is by rubbing my arms and elbows. He doesn't like it when I'm wearing long sleeves. Today, I was wearing a little hoodie sweater over my shirt and he came over and unzipped it. I thought he just liked playing with the zipper, but then he started pulling the sleeves off. He took it completely off and threw it on the floor. I still thought he was just playing, but then he immediately stepped over and started to rub my arm. I love it that I am his "lovey" rather than some blanket or stuffed animal. It makes me feel so close to him. To me, it epitomizes motherhood.

Got it!

2009-03-06T17:35:00.003-06:00

I got a photo of Penelope grabbing onto her toes today! Right before she rolled onto her tummy...

Rolly Polly

2009-03-06T13:26:00.002-06:00

Oh my gosh! Penelope just rolled from her back onto her tummy for the very first time!!!

This Little Piggy...

2009-03-05T20:58:00.004-06:00

Penelope has discovered her itsy-bitsy, cutie-patootie feet! If she's not trying to grab her toes, then she's using them to touch something that she can't reach with her hands - so clever! It's super adorable and oh-so-baby!!! I caught a picture of her reaching for her toys, but I still need to get one of her hanging onto her feet.

Noah enjoyed a pedicure with Mommy this week. He wanted to roll up his pants and soak his feet in the water right beside me. So, we did! It was so much fun that I decided to proclaim Mondays our mani/pedi days.

Today was a gorgeous day, the kind that makes me glad to live in Houston. We went for a nice walk and played with friends in the cul-de-sac. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I can't believe we're already almost a quarter of the way through 2009... yikes!

The Absolute Best

2009-02-24T13:41:00.004-06:00

...thing in my world right now is watching Penelope laugh at Noah. She loves being close to him and tries to get a hold of him anytime he comes near her. Noah was sitting next to us earlier while she was nursing, and she completely lost interest in eating because she was arching her back to get a better look at big brother. So, I sat her up right next to him and she was just tickled pink at being so close. She couldn't stop laughing and lunging for him! At one point she actually succeeded in grabbing the back of his shirt, which he wasn't quite sure how to react to. I am so blessed and thankful to be able to be with them during these moments! I look forward to watching their relationship grow over the years, especially once she's able to follow him around everywhere (which I'm sure she will). aahhh, life is good.

Squeals, Gurgles and Coos

2009-02-18T21:08:00.003-06:00

Penelope has really discovered her voice! And what a lovely voice it is. I took some video today of Noah in his playroom, having a good time. All the while, you can hear little Penny trying to steal the spotlight with her delightful little banter. It is all just so delicious!

Pictures, pictures, pictures!

2009-02-10T21:13:00.008-06:00

Penelope is crying because my neighbor, Liz, is there. I love that little scrunched up face and the extended hand!

This is my favorite photo in the batch. I can't take credit, Andres took it. I just love the expression on his face and the natural lighting. p.s., he's pointing at Milo, Abuela's dog.

Me holding my niece, Alanna and my sister, Letitia, holding Penelope. This was the day after Alanna was born.

She grabbed that ball on the first try!

Chillin' in big brother's bed.

Backpack, Backpack! Dora the Explorer time.

He had no idea we were watching from the hallway.

I wonder who was on the other end of the line?

He loves his cars.

25 Things

2009-02-03T23:26:00.005-06:00

I was recently tagged on Facebook to make a list of 25 things about myself. The list was fun and much easier than I thought it would be. In fact, I could have gone on to 100 and probably further! I guess it's pretty easy to talk about oneself. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to make lists for the kiddos. So here are my lists of 25 things about Noah and Penelope.

Noah...
1. Loves anything having to do with sea creatures. Fish, sharks, turtles, sea horses, sting rays, bring it on!
2. Enjoys jumping.
3. Knows that he gets a happy meal after mommy exercises, and is already chanting "nuggets" on the way to the gym
4. Refuses to eat veggies.
5. Eats lot of fruit to make up for no veggies.
6. Gets to eat a Popsicle with Daddy every night after his bath
7. Is extremely ticklish
8. Loves to play hide and seek.
9. Has recently started wearing a backpack around the house all day (thanks to Dora the Explorer)
10. Can count all the way to 11
11. Can sing his abc's, although only mommy and daddy can probably understand
12. Loves ketchup
13. Hugs and loves his stuffed animals
14. Says "ragget" instead of "ribbit" for a frog sound
15. Tends to cut off the first syllable of every word ("ickles" instead of "tickles")
16. Loves playing with daddy more than anyone else in the world
17. Calls Penelope "aah-pee"
18. Loves to dance
19. Loves bubbles
20. Can identify the letters I, T, R, A, O and more!
21. Loves his pacifier
22. Is very good at sharing his toys
23. Has been on a plane (to NYC last year) two times
24. Has feet and hands just like his mommy's
25. Loves to reenact scenes from his favorites shows and movies

and Penelope...
1. Has the most adorable chuckle-laugh
2. Is also very ticklish
3. Screams like a banshee when she's really angry
4. Is big for her age
5. Sleeps great at night
6. Likes to have her ears cleaned with a q-tip. If she's fussy after a bath, this instantly calms her down
7. Refuses to drink from a bottle
8. Has great hand-eye coordination (for a 4-month old)
9. Adores Noah. She smiles and laughs whenever he pays attention to her
10. Has tons of hair on her head - enough for three babies!
11. Was born with an outie belly button, but it is now an innie
12. Will probably have her ears pierced soon (maybe...)
13. Cries hysterically whenever my neighbor, Liz, is around but is fine when Liz is holding her
14. Has a very girly voice
15. Has Daddy's feet
16. Smiles a lot
17. Is the youngest of 12 cousins on Daddy's side
18. Has been to the Houston Zoo and the Moody Gardens Aquarium
19. Already pays attention to the television
20. Screams and gets upset when she has gas
21. Prefers sitting up to lying down
22. Already wears 6-12 month size clothing
23. Drools constantly
24. Has the cutest little pout in her lower lip when she's upset
25. Is hard to make a list of 25 for since she's so young!

The Jumpy Jumpy

2009-01-30T21:00:00.003-06:00

Noah, Penelope and I had a play date today at a indoor moonwalk gym (for lack of a better description). Or, as my step-mom calls them, the "jumpy jumpy." Noah impressed me so much with his bravery and independence. Normally, he won't jump without Mommy or Daddy and he most certainly has never climbed up to a slide all by himself! Yet another example of how my little toddler is becoming a big boy preschooler. Sigh.

Penelope had her four month doctors visit this week. Noah loves visiting Dr. Patti's office when it's not for him, b/c he gets a lollipop with no strings attached! Penny is growing beautifully. A bit too well actually! She's about 17 lbs and 26 inches. Wow! I really am convinced that 5 lbs of it is all in her cheeks.

Something different

2009-01-22T20:13:00.002-06:00

I recently stumbled upon Stephanie's blog, A Little Birdie Told Me So (see sidebar) and I now visit the blog regularly. Stephanie posted an interview that she volunteered to do and invited others to participate. I volunteered. Stephanie sent me the following questions, and here are my answers. They were excellent questions, they really made me think and I have to admit, I've been working on this interview for more than a week! Thanks, Stephanie, for stretching my mind.

If you would like to be interviewed by me, please let me know in the comments section and I'll email you your five questions!

1. I know from reading your blog that your children are still very young. What values would you most like to instill in them? How will you go about doing that?

Christianity/Spirituality. A desire to have a close relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and to fulfill the Lord's calling for their lives. How to instill this in them? Talking to them about our savior, praying together and always giving thanks and praise . Finding a home church to be a member of is also something I would like to do. I wasn't raised in a religious home, and I feel that being part of a church family would be a positive influence in my children's (as well as mine and Andres') lives. Currently I am researching the Episcopal faith. I must make a resolution to more actively pursue this goal and start attending different services to find what suits us.

Empathy. Which leads to kindness and compassion. These values remind a person not to treat or judge others harshly and never to be cruel. I think the most effective way of teaching them these values is to bestow them with the same. If they are being treated kindly and with compassion, they will hopefully learn to value this behavior. Of course no one is perfect, and I believe it is important to always apologize the moment that you realize you've done something wrong or hurtful. I live by this rule and will teach it to my children as well.

Confidence. The conviction to think for themselves, follow their instincts and stand up for their beliefs. Not blindly follow someone else's perspective. I think the key here is always listen to their ideas and encourage them, allow them to talk about their feelings and to let them know that I believe in them and accept them for who they are. No bullying, teasing or putting them down. I will treat them with respect and dignity.

There are so many more. Education, family & respect for the Earth are high on the list. The best way to instill important values in my children is to be a good example for them to follow. Andrés and I are the biggest role models in their lives, and ultimately we will play the biggest part in shaping their views and attitudes about the world and themselves. I pray that we will always provide an environment in which they can thrive.

2. List 3 things about your husband that make you love him.

Just three? Okay, here goes.
1) He gets me. And he doesn't try to change a thing about me.
2) He is so easy to get along with, so very charming.
3) He lets me sleep in on the weekends. And he never, ever complains.

3. Being a wife and a mother is hard work. What do you do for yourself to refresh your soul and keep your batteries charged?

I love to sleep and need plenty of it. Andrés is so wonderful to allow me an extra hour (or three) of sleep on the weekends while he plays with Noah. A long, hot shower is very relaxing and does wonders for my soul. When I can manage to spend quality time with my girlfriends, it's the absolute best, with the exception of a date with my hubby! I hit the gym a few times a week, which gives me a good hour or two of "me" time. I really appreciate this time to focus on myself, and when it's over I feel energized and ready to refocus on the kids. I think all in all, I've got it pretty darn good!

4. Name one secret desire and explain why it is one of your aspirations.

I have always wanted to learn to speak Korean and visit Seoul to meet my mother's family. I think it would be so nice to get to know them, ask them questions about what my mom was like growing up and learn about our family history. I might learn something about myself in the process, or find out that some idiosyncrasy I have actually came from that side of the family. How cool that would be!

5. What possession of yours is most symbolic of your personality?

My collection of music would probably be the possession that reveals the most about my personality. I listen to almost everything and enjoy so many different types of music, which symbolizes my appreciation for different cultures and perspectives. I am open minded and love to meet people who expose me to new or different ways of thinking. I feel this is a great way to learn and grow.

Here are the instructions for passing the interview along.

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the
questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview
someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Not a baby anymore

2009-01-21T14:04:00.003-06:00

Noah came up to me earlier and started saying what sounded like the word "towel," over and over again. But he was looking at the box of tissues. So I asked him, "Do you need a tissue?" and then he repeated "tissue." So I gave him one, very proud of him for taking the initiative to wipe his nose. He grabbed the tissue and walked over to the living room, where he had accidentally knocked over his cup of milk, spilling some. He then wiped up the milk with the tissue! Wow.

Just this morning, when he was whining at 6 a.m., I was reminding myself that he is only two years old and I must be patient. And now I find myself thinking, he's already two, and close to three! My baby has become a little boy. I am so proud of him! And, yes, a little sad for me.

So Darn Cute.

2009-01-18T12:38:00.003-06:00

Noah really wanted to play outside the other day. So badly, in fact, that he made his first attempt at putting on his shoes all by himself. Not bad for his first try!

Noah loves jumping from the top of his slide down to the floor. Correction - Noah loves jumping on or off of anything. Here is our little athlete in action.

And here are the spectators.

Penelope wore this to a birthday party yesterday. I'm totally loving the tights. Girls are so much fun to dress up!!!

One Little Monkey

2009-01-08T21:40:00.003-06:00

...jumping on the bed, and making his little sister laugh! For all of the boundaries and rules that I am a stickler about, jumping on the bed is just too much fun to forbid. Yes it's unsafe, and it scares the crap out of me when Noah gets too close to the edge. But hey, I figure I get some cardio points for running from one side of the bed to the other trying to keep up with him. And I score major "fun mommy" points too. Also, today we discovered that Penelope thinks it's funny. The three of us were hanging out in the guest room today and when Noah started jumping, Penny immediately started laughing. She watched him the whole time. She's going to L-O-V-E moonwalks!

Penguins and Clownfish and Sharks, Oh My!

2009-01-04T22:11:00.005-06:00

This was Noah's third trip to Moody Gardens Aquarium and by FAR the most exciting yet. The most obvious reason is that Noah is older now. But also, he was recently turned onto a couple of movies of the sea creature variety - Happy Feet and Finding Nemo! Characters that we identified included Lovelace, Nemo, Dory, Mr. Ray, Crush and best of all, Bruce the shark! We all had a great time, even little Penelope!

He loved the hermit crabs in this tank.

I love this one. Noah was really mesmerized by the sharks.

In the shark cage...

"Sleeping with the fishes"

Sound asleep, yet still holding on tight to his shark and fish. These toys are about as close as he has come to a lovey.

This is a photo of the very first time that Penelope (sort of) sat up all by herself. With Nemo's help, of course.

Look at that grip! She actually picked this up all by herself and held onto it for several seconds. And only three months old!!!

Uncle Adam, 2nd Cousin Marcelo, Noah and 2nd Cousin Abby. Marcelo and Abby were visiting from San Antonio. Abby is so sweet and loving, she wouldn't let go of Noah the whole time she was here! He likes her a lot more than this picture makes it seem. :)

Finally! A handyman in the house!

It's OFFICIAL!

2008-12-31T21:30:00.003-06:00

Good news: I got a promotion! On the day that I quit. Isn't life funny? Even better news: I submitted my resignation today, and I am officially now a stay-at-home mom! I guess you could also say that I've been promoted to full-time mommy, which is much more important than any contribution I could make as a project accountant.

What am I grateful for in 2008? My best friend, Andrés, for my beautiful life. He does so much to show the kids and me his love, and we're all so in love with him. Also, the birth of our beautiful Penélope and Noah's love for his little sis. He is so gentle and sweet with her!

My new year's resolution? To do something special with my kiddos every day, whether it's a nice walk through the neighborhood, a silly dance or a great game of hide-and-seek.

Many blessings in 2009!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T21:47:00.008-06:00

Here are some Christmas (& other recent) pics of Noah & Penelope.

Plus, the lovely Belen. This is the daughter of my best friend, Adriana, and her husband Pablo. She looked so beautiful in her dress, hair bow and patent leather shoes! Of course the smile is the most beautiful part of all.

Penélope is very alert and aware of her surroundings. She will make eye contact with you from across the room. Today, she laughed so hard and long while I flew a butterfly toy over her face. Who knows why she thought it was so funny. Maybe she just thought it was delightful. Of course, we were all delighted at her laughter! I only wish the camcorder had been nearby.

Bubble time! Noah loves to catch them on his fingertips and keep them there for as long as possible before they pop. Bubbles are a way for us to have fun while I am making dinner or washing dishes. Very entertaining for all of us!

Relaxing with Daddy after a bath.

Can you believe

2008-12-19T14:49:00.003-06:00

...that these two are only five weeks apart??? Cousin Alanna has some catching up to do!

Stuck on You

2008-12-19T14:42:00.006-06:00

Noah discovered an old gift from his Nana inside one of his toy boxes today. A coloring book that had two full pages of stickers! Guess where the stickers ended up?

Munchkin Smile

2008-12-14T17:58:00.002-06:00

I have to share...

2008-12-12T22:22:00.008-06:00

these family photos that were taken by my very talented friend, Laura Swinson (Studio Bloom Photography). She does beautiful work and my only regret is that I can't frame more of these photos (unfortunately, I don't have enough wall space at home so I'll just share them here!). I love candid photos, and below are some of my favorites. To see more of Laura's work, check out her site: www.studiobloomphoto.com

I just love Noah's face in this photo.

A kiss from big brother:

Thanks Laura!!!

As you can see from my previous post, Penny has grown. A lot. She is now laughing and smiling plenty. It's so cute how she shrugs her shoulders when she chuckles. If I can remember how to free up the memory on our camcorder by getting it all burned onto a disc, I'll actually try to record her laughter so that I'll never forget exactly what she looks and sounds like right now. I also need to record Noah singing the alphabet song. He is so proud of himself and sounds so stinkin' cute, especially with the "L-M-N-O-P" part! I love it!

Bah, Humbug!

2008-12-11T23:07:00.000-06:00

This was about the 50th shot in a series of photos Andrés & I took the other night, trying to get the perfect photo for our Christmas cards. We wanted Christmas cheer, they gave us Scrooge. Oh, well. We'll try again next year!

My first Blog. Ever.

2008-12-11T12:36:00.001-06:00

So about a century after blogs came to exist, I finally get it. Since it took me so long to even learn what a blog is, I never thought I, myself, would become a blogger. But I figure when my children are adults and my memory is on the downhill slope, these are the years that I will most want to remember. Hence, "Life With Noah & Penélope" has begun. My goal is to chronicle all of the adorable, funny and unbelievable things my kiddos do as they grow, and the lessons I learn along the way. And, of course, to keep family and friends updated with photos (and maybe even videos if I become very ambitious)!

I attended yoga class this past Monday. The instructor talked about how the poses are all about finding balance. Some days you balance with ease, and other days you have a harder time. And that is perfectly normal and okay. Her statement really spoke to me as I thought about parenthood and the juggling act that it is. Balance between the attention given to each child, housework, and the guilt that I feel when I fail to balance my time and attention appropriately (meaning less Blues Clues and more engaging activities with Mommy). Balance. Some days I have it, some days I don't. And that is perfectly normal and okay.