Week 39: Finger painting

Yesterday I got the bright idea that we should finger paint Daddy's wrapping paper for his Valentine's Day gifts. No one told me how crazy finger painting is with an 8 month old. You had fun though.

First we laid newspaper everywhere

You wanted to eat it of course

So I had to give you paper bags so you wouldn't eat the newspaper

Eating a paper bag is better than eating newspaper right?

I thought about sending this photo to your Daddy at work and saying..."Oh my God, I don't know what happened!"

Luckily I thought about it for a moment and decided not to send it...wouldn't want to ruin the surprise

You liked purple the best

Trying to escape

As soon as we were done I stuck you in the bath and prayed that the washable paint would indeed wash off

Luckily it did

Week 39: Pumping & your placenta

Hi little O :)

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day and also Happy 9th month birthday!!
You're so close to your first year birthday it's crazy.

So I'm pumping right now because your Daddy and I are going out on a little date tonight. I can't believe I pumped daily from about the time you were 2 weeks old until you were 6 1/2 months old. Every day. It was so stressful always having to pump and have enough milk. I longed to be able to nurse you exclusively and not have this weird gadget attached to me all the time. Although I am very happy that breast pumps are available and very very very happy that you were able to be in daycare and have mama's milk for you every day without missing a beat. Anyway, I'm pumping along so you'll have some milk tonight. I haven't pumped in months which means I also haven't been away from you for very long for months. I love it! I miss you so much when you're not around. Even when you're sleeping I miss you.

Anyhoo, I was looking at old photos of you the other day and was mostly looking at the ones from your birth. Our doula, Jen, was nice enough to take some photos right before you were delivered and right afterwards. She even got a photo of your placenta. In our childbirth class we learned that we could ask to take the placenta home with us if we were birthing in a hospital and then our instructor told us of various ways different cultures have used the placenta of their born. It ranged from burying the placenta to eating it to having a blessing ritual and I thought it was all very sweet but I didn't want to take the placenta home with me.

Well, looking at the photos of your placenta made me so sad because I wish I had kept your placenta. It gave you life for all those months and made sure you were well fed and nourished. I'm sorry I didn't keep your placenta sweetie pie. If I were to do it again I would have kept it and then buried it in the ground so it could give life to other little beings.

Here's a photo of your placenta. Thank you little organ for keeping my bambino alive. Much love to you.

Week 38: Picture Post

Week 38: Picture Post

What you've been up to lately...

You still love playing with blocks that Titi Lisa gave you

In your new highchair that Papa Cesar got you

"Eating" rice

Most of it fell on your lap

I like to put you in my tshirts

They're a little too big for you

Poor baby

We went to see Barack Obama yesterday

You got all dressed up

Daddy joined us after he got out of work

Obama!

Somehow you fell asleep while Obama was talking

Waiting to take the bus home

Your parentals!

Daddy stuck you in our clothes hamper

Trying to get out

Week 37: Current Events...and thoughts.

So times is just flying this year. Can you imagine it's February 2008? You should see how big you are now, oh and you still are getting cute if I may say so. You've been trying to crawl and making great strides in that area (no pun intended) and sadly you're not so little chin has a little rash from your constant drool. We would have taken you to see your doctor but you don't have one yet! We've interviewed a couple and as the saying goes, sometimes you don't know what you have until it's gone, that's how your Mommy and I feel about your last doctor. But we might actually take you bake "home" to Northampton to see him because thankfully he takes our insurance and until we find someone you need to see someone soon.

In other news my Pa had major surgery a few days ago and I'm happy to report he's doing well thus far. It's hard not seeing my family that much and I know they miss seeing you tons but the to do the 2 hour commute back and forth in just a few days over the weekend can wear on you and it's not good to get the week started off already tired if you know what I mean.

Have I mentioned how much I miss you and your Mommy during the day when I'm away from the two of you? Your Mommy calls and I call her and many times hear or speak to you but it's not the same as seeing the two of you. Talking about seeing the two of you, you should see how cute the two of you look in bed when I leave to work everyday!

Things have been good around the Rincon house, our new home. We've still got a ton of things laying around that I'm hoping to address this weekend so people could actually use the dining room to do something other than store boxes, imagine that! Everybody has been so nice to us. Just a few days ago your Abuelito Cesar bought you this real nice highchair to replace the one you were dangerously outgrowing at a rapid rate. You seem to like it and it's 300% safer than the one you were using before.

I was thinking last night about how I met your Mommy and how in such a short period of time so much has transpired, and all for the good. Besides the obvious of your Mommy and I falling in love, and you joining the party, I've been blessed to be taken in by your Mommy's family and treated like their own son, I've got a great job, and your Mommy has been able to stay at home and take care of you, something that makes me real happy because I know no one cares about you as much as I as your Mommy does!

Before I leave I wanted to fill you in on the innerworkings of my head right now, and what this means is what I've been thinking about, for you to get an idea of what your father was thinking about when you weren't even a year old and I was still in my twenties. Here is a list of recent repeated thoughts, in no particular order.

1. taking a vacation with your Mommy and you (anywhere, please)
2. your Mommy's happiness (does she miss work and feel overwhelmed?)
3. losing weight (I've packed it on in the last year and need to drop 20+ lbs)
4. applying to UConn Law (loved law school and think I can manage going part time)
5. are the Patriots going to go undefeated and win the superbowl this weekend? (yes)
6. my father's health (is he going to be around to see your children, I hope so)
7. my health (do I want to prevent following in my father's footsteps)
8. seeing my family more (could people come see us?)
9. my new little nephew (haven't seen much of the little guy that is getting big!)
10. have to fill this line because like have 10 thoughts not 9 =]

Well take care and chat with you later O. Love you.

Pa