Big Boy Status

I had been meaning to blog about this for almost 2 weeks, but with Ibrahim’s arrival right around the corner the madness at home has been a little above our average.

However let me tell you that this little gentleman started school on August 20.

Omi’s first day of Preschool was definitely bitter sweet for his poor very pregnant hormonal mother.  As most of his classmates clenched to their parents desperate to not be not left behind, my big little guy went around the ENTIRE room to each child saying “Hi, what is your name?  My name is Omi Falcon.”  I stuck around just in case my poor 4 year old who has never been to school spazzed out at the idea of not being home with his mama ALL day.  But nope, nothing, nada.  At one point when he saw one of the other little boys crying he asked me “mama, why is he crying?”  scared it what trigger him to cry I told him softly “because he is sad that his mommy left”.  His reply?  In typical Omi fashion “mama, doesn’t he know she is coming back?”  This kid cracks me up.  I on the other hand got slightly teary eyed when I saw him socializing and bouncing around the room happily.  Kind of like the end of an era for Omi and I.  He and I have spent the last four years together at home doing all our day to day routines together.  Trips to the zoo, movie theater, playgrounds, museums... you name it.  Now our routines would include him being dropped off in the morning.  It made me realize just how much he is growing up and how quickly it has all seemed to happen.  I’m so proud of my Omi.

During the last two weeks he has already learned how to write his name (which I will take a little credit for since he was taught his alphabet, colors, numbers, shapes, animals, etc by his mama), comes home singing all sorts of new songs, tells me what he had (or didn’t eat) for lunch.  As a matter of fact last night he made us sing the song they sing before eating, which of course we do not know--- he was more than happy to teach us.  Not to mention that he is the self appointed class greeter, even walking the girls to their seats every morning.

   

I took those on the first day :)  Enjoy!

Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans

In this world we try to plan out our lives so methodically.  When we’ll finish school, get married, who will be the perfect husband/ wife, the age WE will choose to have kids, buy your first home, etc.  Truly believing that it will go as planned, because why not? Well the reality is that it doesn’t always go down as planned.  No matter how much planning you do and how many things you do correctly--- life happens.  Life sometimes can hand you lemons when you don’t want lemonade, throw curve balls your way...and other times just to mess with you it will throw curve balls with lemons!!! I’m amazed at how some deal with forks in the roads and how others just stand at the fork like an ant who has lost their way in line. 

I feel fortunate to have my world the way it is, and continue to be thankful to God for everything he has blessed my family with.

This quote to me never gets old, I love it.  It puts me in so many places, both baseball and non-baseball related and always brought comfort.  Crazy I’m not a movie buff nor do I ever look to them for inspiration, but this little clip right here is always worth sharing.

Cannot believe I forgot!!!

So birthdays in our home are a HUGE deal (at least for me).  So for some reason I could have sworn I had blogged about Omi’s fourth birthday--- I had not and quite frankly I am appalled!

So here I go-

I cannot believe my oldest baby is already four.  I always remember my parents telling me when I was about 18 “you grew up so fast” and now I completely get it.  I feel like I woke up one morning and he was walking, talking full sentences, potty trained, turning on his TV and picking out his own DVDS... the list goes on and on.  Luckily it did not happen that quickly (and I have had many laughs with his antics) but it sure feels like it did!

When Omar and I found out we were FINALLY going to be parents we were over the moon.  This kid brought us so much happiness before he even joined the outside world that it was amazing to me.  Since he joined our family we have had so many blessings come our way (including Aiden and soon to be Ibrahim), I feel like he was the one who started it all.  It is like I tell him when he  asks me “mama why do you call me your baby still?” “papi it is because you were my first baby and the one who taught me how to be a mama”  He is so cute, he loves it when I tell him that, he than proceeds  to tell Aiden –who could care less- all about how he taught me to be a mama. 

My big guy is shaping up to be such an amazing little person.  He never ceases to amaze us with his quick witted responses and one line zingers.  Cannot believe he is already 4!

On his actual birthday we did the usual trip to Chuck E. Cheese’s for some pizza and cake :)

His birthday party this year was of Super Hero Squad theme as per his request.  Of course he LOVED it, except for his issues with having Spiderman on the back drop.  He was very upset because Spiderman is NOT part of the Super Hero Squad.  And believe you me he made sure to let everyone know about it!

Regardless it did not place any sort of damper on his celebrating.  He even used the zip line!

Omi, although he shows his love by pelting you with building blocks, your little brother thinks the world of you.  I cannot wait to watch you boys grown up together and all the madness that will bring to our home.

  

Omi @ Blizzard beach being Spiderman in the ocean.  Don’t ask- I am clueless as to what that meant as well.  Sometimes I just have to go with the flow with this kid’s imagination

  

And now this picture makes me laugh, smile, fill with all kinds of giggles inside.  I am in love with his crazy smile--- it is JUST like mine when I was his age.  It’s spooky how much this one is starting to evolve into looking like me.  It took 4 years, but finally one of my kids looks like me!!! HIGH FIVE!!!!

 

See!  Pardon the tragic side pony tail and the rest of me that was the typical disaster at that age.  But yeah... same crazy smle

Mini Donuts? YES please

Every so often I blog about something I have made.  I try not to make it too often, I don’t like to seem like I am bragging or boasting.  B-U-T I will for a little moment :)

Last Christmas my mom gave me the cutest little mini donut maker.  And could you believe I had never used it?  Amazing I know.  For some reason or other I had just never gotten around  to braking it out and making some goodies.

I took advantage of the boys being in bed early and Omar out to the gym.  I loved how easy they were to make.  The first couple were not too cute, but once I got the hang of it--- LOVED it! 

The donut maker came with its own little recipes for donuts and glazes, but I choose to use something of my own.  I went with a cinnamon sugar batter and instead of using a glaze, I use candy melts.  They were a lot less messier and since they dry they make for easier storage as well.  I added sprinkles more for the boys than anything else.

Once done I placed some of them on lollipop sticks.  I cannot wait to use them for upcoming parties. 

I didn’t try any yet, but Omar had a couple once he got home.  I got the thumbs up from him :)  We will see if I get the boys approval tomorrow once they wake up.

Where I have been...

Yup that is right, I have been sitting pretty on the couch hanging out on the laptop and eating bon-bons.  Which of course explains why I have not blogged.  Oh don’t I wish that were the truth.  But alas no- my third trimester butt has been lugging my growing bump around all over.  

I am ALMOST done with the boys room.  I really wish I could say that I have pictures, but I don’t.  They manage to keep their living space nice and a mess so I have opted to not embarrass myself as a mom who has raised little piggies.  Perhaps next time they sleep over abuela’s house I will venture in organize and photograph it.  The living room is ALSO complete with new couch and area rug.  I have managed to organize all the boys stuff out of the living room, which was a huge task in itself.  I’m pretty glad to say I am slowly but surely making room for little #3. 

Yet to be tackled is the office which is getting converted into the nursery. My dad is helping with that one, he is “refurbishing” the boys’ crib and changing table.  I’m excited about setting up another nursery soon.  Even more excited about the impending arrival of Mr.. Ibrahim come Oct!!!

I have also managed to create a cake here and there.  Although I have been taking it a little easy with that, since A) the bump is making it difficult to roll out fondant B) too much on my plate.

My latest cool little project was refurbishing the boys’ small table and chairs.  Santa brought them a table and chair set (from IKEA) about 2 Christmas ago which was just beginning to look ratty.  I was going to chuck it and buy a new one but HGTV convinced me to do otherwise.  This my lovelies is a picture off of their website of what the set looked like (minus the stickers and crayon scribble)

And VOILA!  Same table and chairs with a paint job and mosaic tile sheets... My finished product!!! 

  I also for some reason decided the other night (yes I did say night) decided that the doors in the house looked dingy so I started painting those as well.  I guess nesting mode is in full effect.  I am amazed how I even get these spurts of energy.  The boys have me drained daily and have recently decided to elude napping during the day.  EXHAUSTED does not even begin to describe my day.  The other day while I thought they were asleep I walked into their room to find this:

On that note I leave you some pictures from 4th of July and I’m off. How I even managed to finally write this post @ 3 am is mind boggling.

Chaos is my middle name

Alright so I was not given a middle name by my parents- but had they decided to grant me one it would definitely have been chaos.  These past couple of weeks although I am happy to report I have been feeling much more energetic, they have just been way too non stop for a pregnant lady.

I have had birthday party after birthday party every weekend.  Which I do not mind- at all… I love taking the boys to parties and getting them nice and tired and than bringing them home :)  I am pretty sure I have had the privilege of making all the little one’s birthday cakes which we have attended too!  Again, totally not complaining!  So just this month in cakes alone (probono and orders) I have had my hands full! 

This was for the cutest themed tea time party

Baby shower, baptism, wedding, business anniversary… you name it- I did one this past month!

 

A very special little baby girl named Lia’s first birthday <3

This one cake had rave reviews from both the birthday boy’s parents and any one else who had an opportunity to see it.  I loved the brightness of it all and enjoyed designing it using the mommy’s ideas.  Needless to say I was proud as a peacock over it :)

Now this beauty was the beyond a pleasure to make.  Why might you ask?  Well because it was for one of the most specialist little boys in my world, my oldest Omar.  For the most part when it comes to the boys’ cakes I do not go too over the top with accessories and details.  Pretty much because I am running around with all the other birthday stuff.  Since we went ahead and had his birthday at an indoor party location again this year I had the time and lack of stress to sit down and actually draw it out before I started.  The true task was not having either boy dismantle it.  Oh and did I mention it only took me 3 hours to put together and complete?  I know that seems like a lot of time, but not when it comes to creating a cake.  So yeah… high five me! (fyi I am going to give Omi and his birthday their own post… so be patient I am trying so0o0o hard to catch up here!)

 

I think in the only one not pictured is sweet little baby Andrew’s Popeye cake.  Which due to the poor little guy being sick a couple days before his big first birthday made the evening before utter madness for me.  I also made him the cutest cookies which were placed on tables in the centerpieces.  I am just waiting on a Mrs.. Reyes to hook me up with the pictures from the little one’s birthday so I can go ahead and post his cake picture too!

Hmmm… So I am going to try to go in order as best I can, but no promises because the ADD is kicking in full forth lately.

So on May 21 my oldest (and let me clarify I do not mean she is an old lady but we have been friends since 6th grade- she gets a little touchy on that wording)turned 30.  I am most likely going to get extra sappy and will like to go ahead and credit the pregnancy for it.  But it amazes me that 1) we have known each other since we were 12 and getting to that 20 year stretch of friendship (AMAZING!) 2) we can say we have known each other our entire adult lives (which is scary when you stop and think about us being ADULTS!) 3)Omar has known Cam since kinder, so amazing that our circle of friends really is tightly knit and 4) our boys are all so close in age we are having the chance to watch them grow up together.  I know I am a month late, but happy birthday Cameron- you deserve only the most beautiful things in life (and you have them, your boys).  I am so glad that after so many years we still get to spend our birthdays together.  Omar really wished he could have gone to dinner with us all, but glad we got to at least have a kinda sorta birthday lunch with you ;)  Lo0o0oVe you!

And than there is  this little girl, her name is Lia Marie Antelo… and can I tell you that I am a little obsessed with her.  You see, I do not have myself a little girl.  So her beautiful mommy Liani allows me to live vicariously thru her- lol.  She is so yummy that when I see her I have to restrain myself from taking a bite.  Omi is also in love with her.  But honestly he just likes girls in general so I try not to get my hopes up yet.  Although I am really pushing for one of the boys to end up with her :)  She turned one on May 23, they celebrate the big day the weekend prior.  Unfortunately Miami weather licks and it rained all day.  However the party looked phenomenal!  Although everyone involved had to scrimmage and make it an indoor party last minute- it was great!  And all of her mommy’s hard work showed.  Everything was beautiful my friend, love you :)

With that said,  we also are in the process of re-doing the boy’s room.  They are no longer in a toddler bed and crib.  The big boy bed transition is in full effect.  They really do look so tiny in their new beds.  We opted to go with bunk beds.  Which I am totally in love with.  Since they are still pretty young we went with the beds which have stairs instead of a ladder.  At first the excitement was all about the top bunk and both boys were fighting over territory.  Since than they have settled their difference and Aiden has migrated to the bottom bunk and has learned to deal with it.  Every so often he visits his older brother on top, but has come to terms with sleeping on his bed.  Not to mention HATES when Omi decides to visit.  It makes for quite the adventures at nap time in our home.  I have yet to take any pictures because it really is still a work in progress.  Don’t judge- I AM 21 weeks pregnant and do a little bit at a time.  The walls are painted, super hero decals are up, and furniture is all in place.  But I am still working on the small mural with their names on it, cleaning our their toy bins and chucking the old a battered toys.  I really am hoping to get it all taken care of before our new living room furniture comes in.  Another battle awaits me with that one.  Not to mention the office which is in transition mode to a nursery.  So you see I really do have every excuse in the book as to why my blogging has been slacking. 

With all the extra stuff piled on top of the “normal” day to day it really is amazing that anything gets completed in our house.  Which is likely why I have so many half done projects piled all over.  My next order of business is the baby shower.  Which I am trying to keep small, but we have such a large family and close friends it really is difficult to cut some out.  Plus I really cannot just have like a platter of veggies and cake.  I love all the extras, the bows, the decorations, invitations, knick knacks and diy projects.  It really is no wonder I am non stop.  I am pretty sure once #3 makes his grand entrance I will have to make some more adjustments.  But since I really do have such a go with the flow approach, I think he will just fit perfectly with our bunch.  I am already starting to feel him doing all sorts of stuff in there.  He is non stop just like the rest of our brood.  I am so eager to meet him, see what he looks like, his personality.  To think we still have such a far road ahead before he joins us… I cannot wait!

And here my dears are our day to day antics… the boys first basketball game, baseball game, build-a-bear… you name it!