Happy Halloween!

Siena was invited to a Halloween party with some kids from the neighborhood. We picked up her costume at the last minute, and while I had my doubts, it turned out really cute. I was so surprised at how much fun she had. She was happy, smiling and laughing the whole time we were there. She is quite the social butterfly and was really friendly with everyone. It was also a fun way to celebrate her turning seven months today :)

Admirning her costume. She was fascinated by the tulle skirt. It seemed like she actually enjoyed wearnig the costume and didn't even try to take her hat off.

I took this picture as soon as we arrived. She was so excited to be there.

A group picture (even more kids came later!) Can you spot our little one? She blends right in with the other kiddos but she is easy to find because she is posing for the camera - such a ham!

All partied out! She fell asleep as soon as she got in the pram. What a good day!

Tounge Tied?!

I don't think so! At Siena's six week check-up, the general practioner told me that Siena was tounge tied and may need to have her tounge clipped. I was surprised because she can stick it out pretty far. It hasn't caused her any problems feeding so I am going to wait and see if it interrupts her speech. But I'm going to say that she's ok. Lately, she is very oral and plays with it all the time. How she managed to stick out her tounge and smile at the same time is beyond me!

Siena at 5 Months

Thanks Aunt Angela for my adorable new bow!

Here are some of the things Siena can do at five months:

- Smile for the camera ... I'm serious! She almost poses now when she sees that I'm going to take a picture with the iPhone.

- Roll over. She has been going from back to tummy for some time now but she just started to go from tummy to back.

- Turn the pages in a book. I know this may not sound like much but it demonstrates that she is showing more interest in books. She can recognize (and LOVES) the book "Guess How Much I Love You".

- Eat solid foods. She has tried: rice cereal, apples, pears, sweet potatoes, carrots, zuchinni, swede, and green beans. She's a pretty good eater, which is nice.

- Twirl her "hair" while she takes a bottle. She doesn't really have any hair but she tries. It is so cute! She takes a bottle of forumla now - yeah!

- Laugh and make your heart melt.

Thankful

Did you ever wake up in the morning and just feel like you are the luckiest gal in the whole wide world? I did today. Not too sure why. Maybe it's because Siena slept through the night. Maybe it's because she is a constant reminder of God's love. Or maybe it's just because I am lucky. Whatever the reason, I am thankful.

Sometimes I don't feel like I deserve all the great things in my life but I'm going with it. I just continue to thank God for it all and try to do good with it. Here are a few things that I am especially thankful for.

Trials and challenges. For the past few weeks, Siena has been waking up every two hours at night. Besides being exhuasted, I was also frustrated because she used to sleep fine. I didn't know what to do and felt helpless.

It wasn't long before I realized that this wasn't just a challenge for Siena but also for me. I prayed to God for guidance and He gave me the answer - "let her cry it out and I will help". So we did. She woke the other night at 2:30 am and cried for two hours straight. I went to her every so often to rub her back and try to calm her down, without picking her up, of course. Then, I would go back to my bed and pray that God keep her safe, bless her with peace, and help her to learn to self soothe. I also prayed that He help me resist temptation to cuddle her and remind me that it was for her best. She finally fell asleep and slept until 8am the next morning. Last night was Day 2 and she did even better. She wimpered and was restless from about 3:30-4:30 but I didn't have to go to her and she fell asleep on her own. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a new learned habit.

None of this would've been possible without the help of God. Besides Siena sleeping better, I also learned a new level of patience and perservence, the first intents of disciplining with love, and how parenting can make a marriage stronger. So while it hasn't been easy, and I am sure the sleeping battle isn't over yet, the challenge has brought more good than harm.

Pret A Manger Coffee. This is my favorite coffee in London. It's amazing how much a skinny latte can brigthen my morning :)

My job. Being a full time mom has been one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs I have ever had. For the first time, I feel like I am doing what it is I was meant to do. I find such joy and purpose in being a mother and taking care of the "family business". (Even though, sometimes I think that agency life was a walk in the park compared to this!) I am not saying that I will be a stay-at-home mom forever but for now it is where I need to be. (My life mantra is: "It's not forever, it's for now.") I mean who has the same job their entire lives anymore anyway? While I will always be a mother, I am sure there will come a time when I will long to do something else, too. And, I will.

My health. I have always been thankful for being in such good health. These days it seems like I am always hearing about someone who is sick, having surgery, or been in an accident. Getting sick isn't something you can prevent and you never know if or when it will happen to you. That's why you have to be grateful for every healthy day. I am also thankful for my family's good health. I guess eating well, excercise, and a little madness does a body good :)

My family. There aren't words to express how much I love my family. They are the best friends, support system, and source of encouragement I could ever have. They are also good for some good laughs and lots of drama :) I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband with whom we have started our own family. I am eternally grateful for him and our little Siena.

Nap time! Not for me but for Siena. We are concentrating on getting the night sleep sorted out first, then we will move on to day sleep. Siena is starting to nap during the day, which is great because it gives me time to do things like update my blog! The catch is that I have to take her out for a 15 minute walk in the pram so she can fall asleep. Then she just naps in there when we get home. I know it's not the best solution but it works. She is going on an hour and 15 minutes right now!

She's one of us!

Five months old and already a shopper. She must be our daughter :) Oscar took Siena out on Saturday for some "daddy and daughter" time (and so I could take a break) and ended up taking her shopping. He bought her the most adorable bunny rattle and a onsie that says "Citizen of the World" on it - too cute! I had to take a picture because this is how they came to me in the kitchen - Siena in Oscar's arms, holding the shopping bag. She looks so happy with her purchases :)

PS - When I take Siena out, we normally go to the park. Daddy is so much more fun! We love him!

Pear Puree

Siena is getting ready to start on solid food and I made her first puree last night ... steamed pears. My mom bought me a pressure cooker when she was in town so I could start the baby food factory and it works great. I was still a little nervous using it but I didn't blow up the kitchen so I guess I did it right :)

Her first food is going to be rice cereal but soon after that we'll add in pear puree so I wanted to have some stock in the freezer. Stay tuned to see how it goes ... I'm sure there will be pics!

Siena's First Summer

Siena's shirt says "My First Summer" yet it has long sleeves ... Thank goodness it does because she wore it to a paella bbq the other day where it was cool and rainy. Even though we had Spanish food, it was a "British Barbeque" because the chef needed an umbrella to keep the food from getting wet.

Siena Loves Yaya

I love the way Siena is looking at my mom in this picture. It is so sweet and it shows their special bond. She truly loves her Yaya. The day my mom left, Siena had such a sad heart. She looked for her everywhere and I could tell that she missed her. I don't think anyone can love my mom as much as I do but I think Siena may come in a close second ;)

Just a few pictures

Siena being entertained by her abuela and cousins at the beach house.

In the Cotswolds with my favorite people.

My darling little lady.

Siena's Christening with her godfather, Brian, and godmother, Rosa.

Been Busy

No more Yaya and grandpa, no more abuelos, no more aunts, uncles and cousins and no more Aunt Angela ... what's a mom to do?!

Try gettiing into a routine, I guess. Siena is about four and half months now and working herself into a routine. She has pretty much mastered the night routine and is getting good about the morning nap. After that, she is pretty unpredictable. We're working on a mid-day or afternoon nap but we're not there yet, which is why I've been a little MIA lately. It's exhausting!

Also, we've been busy getting back into the swing of things after vacation. We're making progress and I hope to get back to blogging as soon as I can. But first I need to write thank you cards, respond to emails and write/call all the people that I think of everyday and can't find the time to catch up with.

In the mean time, I'll post a few pics from our summer :)

What a Difference Four Months Make

Just a few days old

A little over four months

We're Back!

We just wrapped up Siena's world tour and are glad to be home. During the past couple of months we have:

- Been in three countries
- Spent time in the city
- Vactioned on the beach
- Took several airplanes, taxis, car trips and walks
- Visited with friends and family
- Had Siena baptized
- Loved watching our little girl grow

As soon as we get settled and download all of our pictures, I promise to post more about our summer. In the mean time, this is our most recent family picture :)

Madrid Debut

What a weekend!

Siena made her first stop of her world tour last weekend in Madrid. She did so good! She handled the trip really well and slept the whole flight there. We only had one minor hiccup when she had an explosive diaper as we were taxing to the gate when we landed in Madrid. We got her cleaned up pretty quickly before getting in the taxi to go see her abuelos.

It was a good learning experience for Oscar and me, too. When traveling with a baby you can't bring anything more than the bare necessities. A lot can fit in the basket of the pram but, once you have to check it at the gate, you have to carry everything to your seat. Not easy! Other than that, though, everything went really well.

We had such a wonderful time visiting with family and friends. And, not to mention, the gorgeous weather. I think we may have even gotten a little color to our transparent skin while we were there :)

Oscar's mother was so kind to prepare Siena her own bedroom complete with a crib, new sheets, stuffed animals, a changing area, a chair for feeding, and a closet. It was really very sweet of her and we were very grateful. Siena loved her room and slept all by herself in the crib. She slept better than ever in Madrid. I don't know if it was because she was so comfortable, because of the Spanish "black-out" blinds, or because she was so exhausted from all the visits. Regardless, she was very content there and we couldn't have been happier. My mother-in-law also bought new bedding for Oscar's bedroom, which was a special treat for us, too!

We arrived Thursday evening and Friday morning Siena, my mother-in-law and I walked to meet my nieces, Sandra and Monica, at school. They were so excited to meet their new cousin! I had missed them so much and was dying to see them, too. I can't believe how big they are. Sandra is such a little lady and Monica has lost her two front teeth and is just adorable. Both the girls took such good care of Siena.

I stopped by the vineyard to introduce Siena to the crew and everybody just loved her. Later that afternoon, I went to see my friend Bea and her six-month-old, Jorge. Then, Oscar's cousin and sister came by his parent's house later that evening. Oscar and I even got to sneak out to dinner with some friends in Madrid that night. It was so nice to have a night out!

On Saturday, Oscar's mother's side of the family came over for lunch, followed by a garden party with our friends and their kids. On Sunday, Oscar and I went to Mass by ourselves while my mother-in-law took Siena on a two hour walk through the neighborhood. And, finally, Sunday evening my father-in-laws family came over.

It was such a good trip and wish we could've stayed longer. We'll go back in July, though, and catch up with others that we missed.

FAMILY!

All the girls. Just missing Almudena and Baby Girl on the way!

Oscar's mother's side of the family.

Siena with her abuelos. You can tell how much she loves her abuela from the way she is looking at her. She really loves her abuelo, too, and had so much fun playing with him.

Monica loved pushing Siena around the backyard. She was so good with her!

My brother-in-law, Pedro. He has become a cyclist enthusiast and been doing some very impressive routes across Spain. Siena was like a hot potato while she was there and don't know if she ever fell in his arms. Pedro is so good with little girls so I am sure he will get her next time.

Rosa, Siena's godmother, with Sandra. It was so sweet to see them together.

Oscar's aunt and uncle. Can you tell that he is my father-in-law's brother?!

FRIENDS!

Monica with Baby Gonzalo.

Noelia and Adriana. (Not pictured, Daddy Mario. I wish I had a picture of them together because she is a spitting image of her dad!)

Bea and Baby Jorge. He is such a good baby and he loves his mommy!

Juan and Sandra's kids - Mateo, Sara, and Claudia. I have loved watching them grow up.

Claudia is such a good big sister. She was taking really good care of Sara. Claudia is such a sweet girl and I have always had a special place in my heart for her.

Claudia with her mom, Sandra. They are both so beautiful.

Mario with Baby Gonzalo, the yougest of his three.

Mario and Oscar taking Gonzalo for a walk. This is one of my favorite pictures. So sweet!

Mario and Monica's eldest son, Mario.

Mario and Monica's daughter, Jimena. She looks just like her mom!

Our baby girl with her good looking daddy!

Felix, Olga, and Baby Felix.

Park Weekend

Feliz Cumpleanos Oscar!

I had so much fun preparing for Oscar's birthday this year. It was a little challenging working on all the preparations between feedings, diapers, and naps but it all got done! The guest list was very exclusive and limited to the guests of honor's closest family members - Elizabeth and Siena :) - and it was just perfect. I told him that he has experienced and accomplished so much already and he is only 35. We had so much to celebrate this year and I am sure so much more in the years to come.

A surprise birthday breakfast. Yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit and homemade granola. Oscar loves granola so I was so excited when I found a recipe to make it at home. It was actually pretty easy and turned out great!

Blowing out his candles. Oscar loves anything lemon so I decided to do something different than a cake this year and make lemon bars. We have become fans of shortbread after living in London for a year and the crust was made out of shortbread. He ended up taking some to the office and they were a hit. I will have to add this one to my permanent recipe file :) Siena was supposed to be in bed but we let her stay up to celebrate with Daddy.

Opening his gifts. For those of you who know London, you can guess from the bag that Siena and I shopped at Selfridges :) It was my first outing with Siena in the Bjorn front carrier. Everything went well but I felt a little like a bull in a china shop when I was trying to make my way to the till .. I had her on the front, my purse on one arm, one bag already on the other arm and my coat. The salespeople were more than willing to help me as I neared a nice display of tea cups ... !

A British birthday! Oscar loves anything with the British flag on it so I thought these would be fun gifts (a throw pillow and a door mat) that would also double up as nice souvenirs one day. This is the first year - I think ever - that he hasn't returned or exchanged his birthday gift. Yeah!

Siena - 5 weeks and 4 days

What a difference a few weeks make! Look at those chubby cheeks :) Check her out at 3 weeks and 4 days here. You can really see how much she has grown because she is propped up in the same position. She went through a growth spurt and is now wearing 0-3 months clothes. Yeah! She now has a whole new wardrobe of things she can wear :)

She has always been very alert but she is even more now than ever. Her play mat is one of her favorite places to be and can even entertain herself for short periods of time. I love to watch her kick around and be so fascinated with the hanging toys and blinking lights. She is going to be so much fun to play with when we go home in June!

PS - We moved flats last weekend and won't have our Internet access transferred for about a month. Bummer! So I may not be able to post for a while. I promise I will get back into it as soon as we have access again. Also, responding to email may be a little bit of a challenge but will keep up with it as best as possible on my iPhone.

A Walk in the Park

We have had some unseasonably warm weather in London this Spring and have enjoyed every minute of it. Regent's Park has become our favorite place to be ... along with the rest of London! The other weekend every part of the park was packed with people having a picnic, playing sports, or just taking a walk. It is so nice to have the park just around the corner. We love it!

Siena wearing her first short set given to her by Matty's parents. Thanks Ramon and Matilde!

How cute is that?! My mom gave her those pink high tops and they went perfect with her outfit. Oscar said she was dressed appropriately with her sports wear to go to the park :)

Having my first ice cream cone of the season in Regent's Park. It was carmel flavored called "Hokey Pokey" - so yummy!