DEAR BABY!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Dear baby, ask yourself "How am I affecting the people in my life?" In other words: Think before you speak!

Your words are truly powerful. So when you speak, make sure you use your words to lift people up, and never put them down. Respect people’s feelings, because even if it doesn’t mean anything to you, it might mean everything to them.

Over the years, your dad has taught me this plenty of times. I have a pretty sharp tongue, and have been known to say things that cut people to the core. It's so easy to just lash back, and make someone feel small. On the other hand, though, it is so much more challenging to be the bigger person and understand where other people's thoughts/words/or actions are coming from.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring – all of which have the potential to turn a life around. Take notice that you, my little Mighty Mouse, are powerful beyond measure, and have the ability to affect and influence those around you.

Dear Baby,

Lately I've been really motivated to write again. So I've been working here and there on some scribbles. Already I can imagine us, reading, writing, designing and building together! I must say I can't wait! Anywho, in the process of my scribbles I wrote something for you! I hope you like it! Here it goes.

"I am telling you, my child there's no way that I am failing you/
I'll turn the moon to a balloon and bring it down to play with you/
If you are cold, I'll have the Sun come down and blanket you/
I'll bring you down a fluffy cloud, a nice one you can lay into/
Stuff money in my walls, in case we get a rainy day or two/
Tornado through? I'll smash the vortex down and bring a rainbow through/
I'll lock down every hospital, John Q my life away for you/
I love you! Can't wait to hold you in my arms and cradle you/
Teach you how to write a song get on a stage and blaze a tune/
Engage the world through words and thoughts, give it a twirl and change it to/
The sky is not the limit! Go beyond it, navigate new views/
Discover the unknown, imagine it? you can create it too/
They give you options, take them all,never settle with a vacant truth/
The world can try and take your light, show it darkness will not prevail with you/
Find it hard to climb a mountain? Gently ask it to move out of the way for you/
Like you, the world is made of clay, just think what you can shape it to/
you're Heaven sent, so imagine from the angels view/
I love you

Dear baby, ask yourself "what can I do to move forward with my goals?"

Baby, If you don’t like where you are, then change it. You are not a tree. You have the ability to lift your roots and plant yourself wherever you want, and shoot, move again, if it so please you! Nowadays, it’s not enough to just have talent and/or potential.  You also need to figure out what you want to do with it, and then you need to take action. ACTION is the key word here. Too many people say they're going to do something and, end it with that. ALL TALK and NO ACTION.
There are no ‘shoulds,’ just free choices. Decide to be one of those people who pull it off. Do what you say you’re going to do. Rise to your potential. When you get older, read "Getting things done," by David Allen.

Dear baby, ask yourself "what are my guts telling me?"

Is it just indigestion? Did you eat too much like your Papi? Hehe! Or are your instincts trying to tell you something more important? I never want you to apologize for what you feel and what you don’t feel; that’s a betrayal of YOUR truth. No matter how much advice people give you, sometimes you have to feel things out for yourself, make decisions on your own, experience things firsthand, and build your own conclusions from the ground up the old fashion way.
And it's okay.
Make your own mistakes, but never ever repeat them. Mami and Papi will be here for you when you stumble, and help you make the right choices. It will ultimately be up to you to follow a good path though. Follow those instincts! You come from two really instinctive parents. We know we've passed on only the good parts of us to you.

Dear baby, ask yourself "am I spending time with the right people?"

There are over seven billion people in the world right now; don’t let a handful of negative ones ruin your happiness. No, you can’t choose every person you meet in life, but you can choose who you spend your time with. So be thankful for the people who walk into your life and make it better, but also be thankful for freedom to walk away from the ones who don’t.

Dear baby, ask yourself "What do I appreciate about my life?@

Think of how you are going about your life as a diet: the choices you make will be the fuel that's going to keep you performing at a high level. Supplementing your daily routine with positivity will only make you stronger. If you replace negative thoughts (or people) with positive ones, you will start having more positive results. Over time, this habit will help you to reduce stress, release your hurt, and not take things so personally. When you become a teenager, you should read The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin.

Wisdom

Wisdom is not about knowing all the answers; it’s about asking the right questions. In the long run, the simple questions you ask yourself on a regular basis will determine the type of person you become.

Dear baby, ten days of thanksgiving: day five, six, seven!

Baby baby baby!
It's been one hell of a ride with you. Since day one we've experienced what contractions felt like. IVF is not a fun process at all. I wonder if my body would have spit you out naturally if not for all the drugs they've given me. With that in mind, I'm so thankful for medical technology!!

Your dad and I sat in the hospital the other night waiting to see if you were going to continue pushing your little way out. The contractions, the doctors say, were intense. I, on the other hand, barely felt most of them. I could feel you wiggling down and pushing your head lower, but it wasn't as painful as people say. Uncomfortable at times? Yes. Mostly because of the hospital bed that I was forced to lay on and the constant monitoring that they strapped to my belly.

From the research I've done, I'm not going to put up with any of this on our actual delivery day. I truly can't stand how some doctors speak to patients like they're idiots and have no idea how this system works! I'm going to reverse and return that treatment if another midwife gets smart with me.

Our midwife the other night in the ER was a male. Two words: NEVER again. To make sure you weren't coming sooner than expected, he had to do an internal check. My real midwife is soft, and gentle, and has smaller hands. This guy though, was very large and rough. I saw stars (in a bad way), when that jerk checked me. I will refuse a male midwife from now on. I will blame it on all the reasons I can think of, just to make sure no man doctor ever touches me again. I will deliver you with my own hands if need be hahaha

So, contractions. Where are we? They're still happening, that's for sure. Some are intense and others are just little blips on the map. I'd really like for you to stay in 6 more weeks so that I can continue going to work, but I seem to have most of my contractions when I'm there! It's funny, when we first felt you, I'd only get morning sickness at work. One if my co-workers said it was because work made me sick. I think it was just all the smells there (kids
wearing strong cologne/perfume, food preparation, coffee from the lounge, copy machine toner, etc).

Well, babe, let's get those lungs developed so that you can breathe free of a ventilator if you are born early. Be the little over achiever that I know you're going to be a rock this out.

Buying the last of what we want.

Your dad thinks he's a doctor

He's telling me "you had a really big one!" [contraction]

Dear baby, you're 34 weeks today!

And... You decided that you want to arrive early!! I'm been mentioning to family that I could feel you wiggle your head, and that I was sure that my cervix was starting to open. Turns out I was right!!

At our usual check up, the doctor checked me and said I was starting to dilate and that she could feel your head. This was not the best news to hear since we need you to stay in at least two more weeks so that your lungs can mature.

So... We're at the ER waiting to hear what you're going to decide to do. Mami and Papi haven't ate since noon and it's close to 8:30 now. We're starving! And your pops is looney. He's playing with motion censors.

Dear baby: ten days of thanksgiving- day 3 and 4

These past two days have been eventful baby. Your grandpop is back home! Surgery went well, and he is able to eat soup now. Your Welo isn't that old yet, so all these ailments are super crazy.... Then again, he has not always taken good care of himself.

I can't wait for you two to bond. You're going to be thick as thieves when you're together. He's going to be able to teach you all these things, like how to build stuff and fix cars, and all about history. Pay close attention to all that he says.

I am thankful, again, for family.
Family is everything

Dear Baby, today is Veteran's Day!

On Veteran's Day, there is no school, and no work: Fact.
On Veteran's Day, we honor those who fought for our country: Semi-true.

It's unfortunate that not too many people really realize what today is all about, baby. Your Welo is a Vietnam vet. In the future, he'll be able to tell you tons of Marine stories, and what it was like when he was a teenager.
On this Veteran's day though, your Welo had surgery to remove his gall bladder. This is one of the longest times that he hasn't been at home! He seems to be doing well, so hopefully he'll be using his bionic knee in the near future to chase after you.

Dear baby: ten days of thanksgiving, day two!

I am thankful for our family (immediate and extended).

Immediate:
Baby, I'm going to teach you something your Welo has always stressed to me and my brothers: when push comes to shove, you only have your siblings. Fighting and bickering over the little things here and there are understandable when you live in close quarters, but allowing it to break up your relationship is unacceptable. I know I can count on your Tio Marcos and Tio Danny to be there, if anything, at least emotionally. We always pull together. Your Welo and Wela will not always be here for us to talk to and learn from, but they've done their best to teach us everything we need to know to make you, and your one day siblings the brightest monsters alive.

Extended family:
Baby, you have a WHOLE lot of cousins. And these cousins will fight fiercely for (and WITH) each other. You are so loved, that it is truly amazing. At least that has been my experience over the years. You are going to have so many people to play with that are all about your age: Sophia, Vinny, Fiona, little Jonathan, and Ezra. (Your cousins Jeremiah, Jackson, Abby, Alexa, and Elijah are the next age group up... but they might be too old to play with. We'll see.)

No matter what, you always have people to help you. Trust in your family (immediate, and then extended). Mami and Papi are always here for you, ready to listen, and help however we can.

Dear baby, ten days of thanksgiving: Day one

Last night you woke me up right on schedule: 1:30am. As I walked to the bathroom with my eyes half closed, I thought to myself how thankful I am for your father... always remembering to put the seat down hehehe.

There's been only one time where he forgot, and my butt totally got wet. Not to mention it hurt like the dickens falling in. He's never done it again.

It's the little things that count, and make me love him like crazy.

Like this morning: he brought me a single blueberry waffle (no napkin or plate) and said, "waffle?"

Your pops is a silly one. I think you will be too (especially with him and I as your parents!).

Dear Baby, It's been another hard night for us!

Lately, I've been super tired, having small contractions here and there, and can't sleep through the night. You seem to want to party in my stomach at the most inconvenient times... like 1:30 in the morning. On top of the partying, you like to push your head down on my bladder. Not a nice feeling, baby.


Last night, I went to bed fairly early, since I haven't been able to sleep well these past few days. At 12:30am, your Welo called and asked if your Papi could take him back to the ER. Your Welo had knee surgery a few months back, and seemed to be healing just fine, but all of a sudden, he's been experiencing some weird side effects. Your Papi got up, groggy, but willingly and took your Welo and Wela to the hospital.

Welo had to be admitted. We're not sure what's wrong with him, but it might be a gallbladder infection (which hurts like crazy!). I'm leaving working now to go see him and pick up your Wela. You'll be here in a few short weeks, but your grandpop is already giving me the run down for what it's going to be like when you're here and I have to rush you to the doctor.

I pray you're more like me, and are a healthy baby and don't get sick as often as your dad.
(He's had a cold for the past 3 weeks, that booger head!)

Dear Baby, history was made today! (For the 2nd time)

Today was Election Day baby. Barack Obama was our very first bi-racial (black and white) President that our nation ever had, and was elected back in 2008. Today, on November 6th, 2012 he was re-elected for four more years! It's a pretty big deal. Not too many people have been happy with the job that he has done, and feel like he has taken way too long to make change happen.

Baby, you have to understand the conditions our country was in when he came into office. Bush had placed us in a war, and he had overspent much of our nation's money. Jobs were at an all time low. When Obama came in, our nation nearly went bankrupt (think of the Great Depression happening again). Slowly, things have gotten better, but lasting change takes time.

You, baby, will be nearly 4 years old when our next election happens. My hopes for you, is that Obama does a really great job over these next 4 years, and allows you to have a comfortable life.

Thank God, Mitt Romney didn't win.

Dear baby, just look at your daddy!

A few weeks ago, your Welo wasn't feeling well. I got a call at 2:30am, asking if your Papi and I could take him to the ER. We got up right away, put on shoes and jackets and raced him to Northwestern hospital. We spent close to 15 hours there! I asked your Papi to ask the nurses how to raise the volume on the TV, but he refused, saying that he didn't want to bother them. So.... He got up on a chair (that happened to be on wheels...) and tried raising the volume.

Needless to say, he didn't crack his head open, but he also did not succeed in raising the volume. We sat in silence, in the dark, while your Welo slept, watching horrible talk show people, while trying to guess what they were saying.

Eventually a nurse came in, and I ended up asking.

Dear baby, it's almost time!

I can't believe how fast this whole thing has been. In no time at all you'll be here crying, pooping, eating, sleeping, spitting up, crawling, walking, arguing with us, trying to take our cars, and then starting your own family! Of course, all of these things won't happen right away.

Today we had our baby shower. We asked the guests to fill out cards detailing advice they have for you. We saved all the cards to give to you in a few years.

Your Papi and I didn't fill out cards of our own, but this is what I would have said:

Dear baby,
I hope you learn: to take chances and push yourself to the edge. There is no way to be successful in life by always playing it safe. Now, I don't want you to take this piece of advice and become a wreckless daredevil.

I hope you love: to try new things and meet new people. Speaking for your Papi and I, we're both outgoing at times, but also very shy. There are times when your dad can captivate a whole crowd of people and other times where he is very reserved. I feel the same way about myself. My dream for you is to be more outgoing and pleasant when meeting strangers. (Just don't jump into the car with them!)

I hope you never forget: your roots baby! Know who you are, where you came from, and how you got to where you wanted to be, along with the people who helped you get there. Your identity is something we will work strongly for you to be sure of.

I hope you respect: the rules. Understand that you can't always change every rule to suit your needs. Sometimes, you just need to learn to play the game. One day you'll be making the rules, and others will need to follow them. Be patient.

I hope you ignore: rude and stupid people (in all sense of the word). I know how hard it is, but you're coming from two hot headed parents. Your Papi may try to deny it, but sometimes people get under his skin too. For you, I hope that you are kind, and patient with everyone. This is a skill that I've had to learn over the years.

Our Family Tree! Max and Champ love you already

We're 8 months here, little chickadee!

Dear Baby, your Family is artistic!

It's almost baby shower time, baby! Your godmother Tere, your grandma, your Papi and I have been working on the invitations, favors and centerpieces for some time. Look at what we've done so far:

I chose Cracker Jack popcorn instead of regular microwave popcorn. It's always been a nickname of mine and I'm in LOVE with the flavor. I hope you will too :)

Dear baby, we're almost 7 months

You and I are getting so big!

Dear Baby, we're fashionable

I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep my style of fashion once I got pregnant. It was pretty hard to find petite clothing when I wasn't pregnant, so you could imagine my worries. I've been fortunate to find good pieces over these past months and still look good ;)

Dear Baby, it's wedding (reception) day!

You can officially say you were in our wedding.

Dear Baby, we're ready for you!

We've got your room nice and READY for you!

Your daddy is weird!

Dear Baby, your mom and dad like motorcycles!

Did you know, that Mami and Papi like to ride motorcycles? Even as a itty bitty thing, you've already been riding on them too. Your Papi promises to get you a small motor bike when you can walk. So, I think he's expecting you to be a little dare devil like him.

Dear Baby, we go to the doctor A LOT!

Since you were conceived by IVF, we have to go to the doctor pretty often to make sure things are going okay. The idea of going to the hospital doesn't bother me though. It's pretty reassuring actually. I get to hear and see you.

Dear Baby, your dad and I have been married a year!

Baby, your Papi and I thought that we should be married before you came into this world. So, in August of 2011, we went downtown and got married at city hall. No one else was there with us, just me and him. It was a really special day:)
(Especially since your dad didn't really believe too much in marriage. That's how you know he loves me.)
We'd been together for a long time, and it was just the right time to do it. Thing is, we did it so out of the blue, we didn't have a reception. We decided to plan our wedding reception for our one year marriage anniversary (which would be our 5 year "being together" anniversary). Here's a few pictures of the dresses I tried on. We had to take into consideration that you would be very visible the day of the reception, so I needed a dress that wouldn't be too tight.

The sales associate tried to make me try on the "baby bump" pillow to see what the dress would look like when I'm 6 months pregnant. I wouldn't put it on.

This is the dress I chose.

Such a handsome man :)

Your Papi looks dapper!

Dear Baby, you're 17 weeks and growing!

Your Papi and I decided to live up the last few days of summer, and spontaneously go to the beach. This is the one right next to Navy Pier. It was such a beautiful night, that we decided to walk to Navy Pier and get ice cream. We were surprised that two ice creams ended up costing us close to $25. It was some good ice cream though :)

Dear Baby, You're 15 weeks!

See that little bump on Mami's tummy? That's you!

Dear Baby, you're 13 weeks here

Just look at you here! You're little belly is so plumpy, and your arms are so short. You look like a mini Cee Lo Green. (Haha, you don't know what he looks like, so I added a picture below for your reference.)

 

You and I went to the doctor recently to see if it'd be okay to fly to Washington, D.C. The  doctor said you were growing just perfectly, and as long as I got up every hour to walk the aisle, we'd be okay. 

The plane ride there was easy. It's when we got there, that things got tough.

You and I went to Arlington Cemetary, and it was HOT (approximately 103 degrees).

I took tons of water with me, but that didn't seem to help.

I thought for sure I was going to lose you. I experienced terrible stomach craps and contractions once we got back to the hotel. I put myself on bedrest for the next two days. I was so nervous, that when I came home I bought a doppler to see if I could hear your hearbeat.

Here we are in D.C.

Our National Monument

Your Mami LOVES Lincoln! If you're a boy, your middle name will be Lincoln.