Father's Day thoughts and celebration

My mom used to tell me "I just want you to have a better life than me". Her life was full of sacrifices and few hard times (may be more than few) but she's a wonderful woman and through prayer and hard work made sure my life was "better" - I finished High School, I got a college education, I have a husband and a son, obviously she had a daughter but she didn't have any of the other things I just mention, on that regard yes my life has been better and I will be forever thankful for all that and much more she has given me and continues to give me 'til this day.

As my son celebrated his daddy today - as much as an almost 3 year old can do - I thought how my son is already having a better life than me - which is every parents wish - he has a daddy, a wonderful daddy, one that is present in his every day life, one that starts his bath every night, one that has a calm tone of voice to calm him down when he's in the middle of a tantrum, one that plays with him, rolling on the floor and making him fly, one that plays with him outside on Sundays when we get home from church while I get things ready for lunch, one that used to put his cereal bowl on his back while he was laying on his legs as a baby :), one that takes him out for breakfast and into the park on Saturdays, one that studies every word and move of his son, that's a Daddy!!! I had a wonderful fatherly figure in my life but I didn't have a Daddy and I'm forever thankful and blessed that my son has that!

This week Nicolas made a pretty picture for his daddy (thanks to his teacher from daycare!) and we went to picked a card for him, which he did all by himself, of course it was a Mickey Mouse Card!! :) I wasn't sure the card was gonna make it home that day, because he kept opening it and closing it, just to see Mickey Mouse popped up "one more time mommy". He was excited.

This morning I prepared yummy breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes, scramble eggs and sausage, orange juice and coffee (although I have to admit coffee looked crappy ... not sure why it just did ... oh well ... we are not perfect, are we!). Nicolas went running to wake his daddy up and when he came to the table we had his present and card, Nicolas helped me wrap the present took a couple of pieces of tape and stuck them on the present and he was so proud.

After church we had a good nap and then head to my in-laws for a father's day celebration that turned out really fun, kids played outside with their daddies, moms talked and watched the games, kids ran around until the point of exhaustion and then we came home with full bellies and filled hearts!

What a great day!

Always present in my mind, my Mom, the woman who did the double duty, the one who not once spoke bad about my father - although he was never on the picture - the one who taught me the importance of hard work and that no matter how hard life gets, God is always here with us, to help us get through anything!!

Te Adoro mi viejita!

Interesting conversations and more

One of the things I love about our son (among many other things that I adore about him) is his way with words. We've had some pretty interesting conversations lately.
He loves to look at pictures of our trips to Chile. I love that he loves that because it keeps memories fresh in his little big mind.

The other day Matt and I were getting ready to go out to eat and I was explaining to Nicolas he was going to spend some time with "Nana" and "Poppie". He said "OK" and a few minutes after that he looked at me and said "But why can't I go to "Tita's House??" (that's my mom = Tita). This breaks my heart but it also flatters me to know that he would like to spend some time with the grandmother he's lucky to see once a year, the one that doesn't speak any English, the one he talks on the phone once a week, I love that!!!!

Saturday morning I was talking to him and I asked him if he would like to have a brother or a sister?. A while back I asked him this and he said "nope, my friend John Patrick has a brother so that's OK" ha ha ha so I decided to ask again and see if he had changed his mind. His answer was:
"Siiiiiister!!!!! Sister!!!!! where are you????? Com'on Mami we gotta go find her"
So I still think he's a little confused on what a Sister (Brother) is at this point ... he he he.

He is such a big boy! Not wearing diapers at night (we have finally mastered the potty training during the day and nap time), we switched to pull-ups and the first night he woke up totally dry, last night he got a little wet but nothing huge ... he was so excited when we told him no more diapers at night, I think they made him uncomfortable because he's been sleeping much better now! (fingers cross).

Couple of weeks ago we went to a party and there was a pool and he enjoyed it beyond measure.



I can not believe what a big little guy he has become.

My favorite time a day with him is still first thing in the morning when he comes, crazy hair, blanket on his shoulder and eyes half closed to wake me up and ask for his milk, followed by an immediate request of picking him up by lifting his arms up, we have that code ... we are not morning people and not much talking is being made first thing in the morning, so we lay together on the couch and snuggle as he drink his milk.

Yesterday afternoon we went to play outside, I got carried away puling weeds (is there anything more rewarding than pulling those suckers!!) and I found a worm so I showed it to him, he was soaking wet, been playing in the water and I didn't care, I remember being little and my mom used to get upset when I got wet or dirty and what was the fun on playing outside if you couldn't get wet or dirty, right??? In my mom's defense I must say we did not owned a washer so she had to wash clothes by hand, with a brush and soap, not fun!!! I probably wouldn't even let my kids see the outside if I didn't have a washing machine. :) Back to the worm, I showed him how it moved and how it rolled up and all that and he thought that was cool. Cute moment between mother and son. After that we all went inside, after changing his clothes we all sat on the couch and watch whatever he wanted to watch. Ate supper siting there, completely lazy and lay back ... it was an awesome evening!

I know this is all random but I needed to leave a note of all the things my boy has been doing and saying lately.


He can be an angel





He can also be a little terror.



We love you son!!!

Something to complain reflect on

Friday night almost mid night, I can hear my dryer going (when isn't it going at night? ha!) I'm enjoying my huge cup of hot tea (just like I used to drink it in Chile) and the privacy and freedom of this evening. Nicolas is asleep, Matt is out with friends (don't worry tomorrow is my turn) and I am here, glue to my laptop reading all the blogs I follow and they are all so inspiring but out of all the things that I have in mind right now (You wouldn't believe how many different topics are in storage ... let's see ... interesting conversation with my toddler, daddy having an ear ache that lasted longer than expected, cleaning my pantry for the first time since I've been married, well and more ...) there's one that seems to be a repetitive one as I went through my week. Not only I am at fault on this but a lot of those - strangers and not strangers - that I have come in contact this week.

I'm talking about COMPLAINING!

How often do we do it? Why do we do it? Do we get anywhere with it? (this is a tricky one because if you complain to your cell company may be you could get a deal ... I don't know, I'm just guessing!) ... back on topic ... think about how many times you've complain this week, or not even that long the past 2 days. CRAZY ins't it?

Here are some of the examples I've experienced this week:

I complaint after I offer to do a shower for a friend because things were not turning out as I had plan them in my head (emphasize I ... who's the shower for??? that's right, my friend ... not me ... God spoke to me big time on this one).

I complaint to the girl at the bank when she asked the teller next to her if they were allowed to give me cash back, before I could even think words came out of my mind "Why wouldn't you, we have an account here!!!" (worse part? I had just heard a sermon on ANGER before I left work to go to the bank ... OUCH!)

Many customers I've talked to this week had complaint about the rain - we at the office have done it too - but for the last two years we've been complaining about the drout.

As I was waiting in a very small line (two people in front of me, one behind me) at the Wal-Mart pharmacy the lady behind me asks me "That looks like more than 5 items to me, don't you think???" pointing at an old couple who decided to bring their few items to the pharmacy as they pay for their prescription too (I still believe they have 5 items or less) but who cares??? The lady at the pharmacy could of let them bring more than 5 items, they were older, the man needed assistance to walk ... there was only 2 people in front of me - I promise you - it didn't take long ... so I didn't say anything else than "I really don't think they have more than 5 items" I wanted to say much more but I decided if I wasn't going to be nice I shouldn't open my mouth anymore ...

The secretary of the church where my son goes to preschool complaint to the Director of it that the teachers were showing too much cleavage (I bet she doesn't shop at Wal-Mart, she could have a heart attack by seeing some of the "things" you see people exposing there ... ha ha ha).

We complaint we have too much work, we complaint when work it's slow.

Jon & Kate complaint about the media following them, I'm sure they complaint when no one knew them and they didn't know how to pay their bills (sorry I do have People Magazine next to my laptop).

See where I'm going???

This is like an epidemic, it's contagious, we are in constant complain,
why do we do it????

What good does it do to our hearts????

Is it worth it????

I believe is part of our natural ways, it comes out before we can think about it, but we can make a difference by seeing the other side of things too. Much easier said than done but you know, life is what it is, God has a perfect plan for us and we are not going to like what HE has in store for us 24/7. Just like my mom used to tell me growing up "Things are not always going to happen the way YOU want them to happen" I'm sure she knew a lot about that (when she found out not only that she was pregnant but that my dad "forgot" to tell her he was married and already had 2 daughters of his own!).

Let's face it, perfection doesn't exist, life is not perfect, is unfair and it's ugly sometimes but there are also so many things that are wonderful about it.

Like this moment of tranquility at my house, like my son running to me when I pick him up from daycare all excited yelling "maaaaaaaaaaami, maaaaaaaami", like the time I could see in Matt's eyes that he was no longer in pain, like the play date I'm going to have tomorrow with 4 wonderful friends (2 of them I don't get to spend time with because they live out of town and I got the privilege to know them when I was an exchange student here back in 1994), you name it, there is plenty.

Yes there is!

Like the moment I clean my pantry and I realized I really don't need to go to the grocery store again because I have more than plenty in there ... see!!! We got so many things to be thankful for, I know there are terrible situations out there, I know people are aching, suffering, hurting, I know that but I also know there are good things in this life that we should recognize and value because we have no promises about what tomorrow it's going to bring, we could be really struggling then!

I do know one thing, if I don't go to bed right now I'll be complaining in the morning "why didn't I go to bed earlier" :)