Two Months of Awesome!!!!

My first day in 3 month clothes

Two Month Update from Thomas:

Growth

Weight: 10lbs 13 ounces - I've gained 4 POUNDS since I was born!! 

Length: 22 3/4 inches almost 23! :) 

Things I can do:

proof of giggles

I've got this breast feeding thing DOWN! When I first started it took me 15-20 minutes on each side and now I'm down to 5-10. I've got too much going on to waste time so I'm super efficient!! I giggle all the time!! Just Mommy smiling at me can give me the giggles. I'm talking nonstop too (dad says I get that from mom but I've heard him tell stories so I'm not sure). I'm also getting much stronger in my neck and leg muscles bc I have to beef up for the ladies ;)

Things that I have changed:
I won't stop growing!! I'm in 3 month clothes now and almost too long for some of them!! I'm fully sleeping in my crib and I love it. I'm also sleeping 6-8hrs every night straight and 12 hours or more total. Mommy seems so much more alert these mornings too?!

Big News!
So much happened this month!! My cousin Sophia was born! I can't wait to meet her at the end of July when we go back to Alpine and see Nana and Papo. I also found out I'm getting another cousin from my Uncle Joe in January. We got lots of information about my surgery that will be in a few years and I get a hearing aid soon. 

Next months pictures will be from Alpine!! 

Two Month Picture supporting the po-po

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” ― Anatole France

Young Wicked circa 2000

   Growing up I always wanted a dog that was my own. I begged and begged for a dog and when my dad got me one at 9 it promptly became my dad's dog lol. I loved her but still wanted a dog that was my own. My mom told me the summer before I started High School that I could have one if I saved up enough and found one I wanted. It was the first thing I ever had to save and work for months to get and he was completely worth it.

Wicked napping with Princess 2002

  They say there are two kinds of beagles, the smart ones and the other ones and Wicked was definitely never accused of being smart. He's been dim and neurotic since day one not to mention allergic to everything under the sun. But he is also loyal and loves any person or animal he meets. He wants to be everyone's friend. His best friends were our other dog Jip who couldn't stand him, my brother's dog Abby who tolerated him at best, and our cat Princess who was kind to him and everyone else. All have passed away. Wicked is the last of his group. Any person young or old he's kind to, even animals or people or strangers who aren't very nice to him he is always sweet to. Some dogs can be taught to dislike certain things or people but not him. One of his greatest personality strengths has always been that it seemed almost because he isn't the brightest crayon in the box that he is missing that ability to be mean or hateful to anyone.

Wicked 2010

   He loves walks, treats, belly rubs, popcorn, scratching his ears, chewing on his paws, and of course barking/howling like hounds do. But he's always loved myself and my mother best of all. Even in the last year when his hearing has left him whenever I would visit and sit on the ground he would come get in my lap as soon as he saw me. Since I left for college and they moved to Arkansas he formed a special bond with my mother and has worshiped her ever since. He loves sleeping at the foot of the bed or under the bed. He loves all things dogs are supposed to love and a few odd unique ones to him and always has. He is the dog that marches to his own drum and doesn't care what anyone else thinks.

Wicked meeting Thomas

   Over the last couple years he has had some health problems. Bouts of losing or gaining weight and losing his hearing and sight but he always seems to be ever the warrior and come back with a burst of energy and life. I kept telling mom he wanted to meet Thomas :) On Monday we found out he has advanced lung cancer and tomorrow he will go to sleep for the last time. It has been a rough week and tomorrow will be such a hard day. Thank you to Wicked for being the most friendly, loyal, and cheerful dog. I am so grateful for the happy life you've led and the peaceful way it will end. We will always remember you lovingly.

April 20, 1999 - June 22, 2013 RIP

Our First Holidays Together as a Family

   I have to say that I absolutely love that our first Holidays as a family were Mother's and Father's Day. I LOVE Holidays so much that the word is always capitalized for emphasis of importance even though I know it is not grammatically correct :) I'm also happy to say that our firsts were a huge success! From the pictures you can see what a HUGE difference 5 weeks can make for a baby. The first was taken on the night of Thomas' baptism the Saturday before Mother's Day. Since we were on the road home on Mother's Day there wasn't a picture taken of him then so this picture was the best. It is also candid which are both Marco and my favorite kind of pictures, where moments are caught you didn't expect. The second was taken today as Marco and Thomas were relaxing on the couch.

   For Mother's Day Marco got me something unexpected, a Charmed Memories bracelet from Kay's. I had never looked at these bracelets before but I now am so excited to add charms over the holidays to represent our growing family. I was so happy that he started simple with a charm representing our baby boy and one representing his baptism and beginning in the church; that way every charm we add can have its own special meaning. We were also able to make flower pots for Thomas' Grandma, Ouma, and Nana with his footprints. We haven't been able to deliver them all but I am so excited to give them presents they will be able to see again and again to remind them of how much they mean to us and Thomas.

 


 

 For Father's Day I tried to give Marco his perfect day. For his gifts I went unique :) My parents had my aunt who made Thomas a hooded towel with a longhorn make Marco his own adult sized hooded towel with a longhorn and dad embroidered on it. Then I framed the picture our photographer took of Thomas on Marco's hat with a cop kid quote and got him a special book called Daddy Kisses. To top off the day I let him sleep in and then made the best chicken sopa I'd ever made with roasted corn and ice cream cake from baskin robbins for dinner. He's had a wonderful first Father's Day and we can't wait to get Thomas' Grandpa, Oumpa, and Papo the pictures we had framed for them. So grateful for our first Holidays and for all the wonderful mothers and fathers in our lives.

One Month Update!

One week old

One Month Update from Thomas:

Growth

Weight: nearly 9 lbs!!!

Length: nearly 22 inches - long and skinny like daddy

Things I can do:
POOP! I'm the master at it! lots of eating (breast milk is the best thing EVER!)
I can also see better now, I stare at the mirror in my swing and love looking at mom and dad
I giggle but Mom is still pretty convinced that all that is gas :)

Things that I have changed:
I've grown! I outgrew most of my newborn clothes so we upgraded to 0-3 months. Mom was a little sad but happy that I'm so healthy.
I also now love to be in the Mobi

Big News!
Next week we start trying out this place mom calls the crib? We'll see how that goes . . .

One Month Old :)

One Week Ago Today . . .

   One week ago today we were in the process of having our baby. My doctor told me on Thursday that if I had not gone into labor by Saturday she would start inducing. I am so grateful that she did because as we found out after he was born had he been much bigger I would not have been able to avoid a ceasarian birth.
   We started on Saturday and spent a little under 29 hours in labor and 3 1/2 hours pushing to get our angel out. We found out while pushing that my tailbone had small notches that we had to push him past which is one reason it took so long.
   I was worried before having him that I would miss being pregnant. I had enjoyed my 40 weeks so much and loved the closeness of feeling this life moving inside me. I had no idea how much better it could get. Marco and I have never been more in love with each other or any person. Our lives changed instantly in ways we could have never imagined. He is everything we could have wanted and more. The out pour or love and support from our family and friends has been so overwhelming and amazing. We are so thrilled and ready for the adventure of parenthood we get to now experience :)

Pregnancy Reflections

   We are officially less than three weeks away from Thomas' expected arrival and getting very excited!! Being so close has made me really stop to think about and be grateful for this adventure we've experienced over the last 37 weeks. It has definitely been one of the most amazing 9 months of my life and I am so thankful I had Marco to share the journey with. Pregnancy definitely challenges and blesses your marriage in ways I never imagined.

Day we found out we were pregnant :)

   Pregnancy much like weddings and I'm sure newborns brings out the best and unfortunately not so much the best in you and everyone around you. We've had friends and family that have absolutely amazed both of us with their generosity, love, and support. We have been so blessed with those that have gone above and beyond. From friends who give up their time to keep a pregger lady company when alone and put together furniture on their days off to family who are generous enough with their time and gifts to make Thomas feel loved and welcome even before he arrives and help prepare his future for great things. I used to think we should choose carefully who was a part of our lives but I've come to realize that anyone who genuinely wants to love and support us and our baby is welcome in our lives because there is a reason God has put them in our life.

at my Austin shower with Thomas' Godmother

   Pregnancy and motherhood have taught me so many lessons already. I have always had separation issues, always tried to be the friend or person in people's lives that gave so much that I was needed. And of course like any girl I had image issues here and there lol. Pregnancy changes all of that and I'm sure labor will even more so. When you are spending literally all you time, energy, love and body to grow this miracle inside you so that it can leave your body and one day if you're successful leave you and become a happy, independent, respectful individual in this world separation issues really become ridiculous. Your purpose is now to raise your child well enough that they are a healthy adult. Any body image issues go out the window as your body goes from being your own to a vessel for this miracle inside :) I am so grateful that I have had Marco here throughout this pregnancy to tell me how beautiful I am time and time again.
   The one thing I tried to do throughout this pregnancy was focus on the good and enjoy every second of it and I can honestly say that I have, even the emotional/hormonal days. I am so excited to meet little Thomas but sad that I won't be pregnant any more lol. From the serious food aversions and constant nausea to the heavenly second trimester and now to the hormones and swelling of the third it has been a magical and wonderful experience. I truly hope Thomas stays in for the full 40 weeks and I get to enjoy a full 3 weeks more of it!! So thankful for this journey and all of you in our and Thomas' lives.

Maternity Pictures

Whoa Baby thats a lot of growth!!!

6 Weeks

    Baby Pena has grown like crazy over the last couple months! I had my second ultrasound last week and it was completely different! No more gummy bear, there are long skinny limbs and everything! We are starting our second trimester this week and I am so excited to be in the part of the pregnancy so many of my friends have told me is the best. Our baby is about 3 inches and almost the size of an avocado. She/he was kicking like crazy during the ultrasound. Thankfully I haven't felt them yet, but I am ready to feel something. I've gained 4 pounds now but the doctor said that will change a lot in this trimester. All the health screens all came out negative which means our little one is good and healthy :) We find out the sex on December 5th at 20 weeks. 

13 Weeks