double digits

this little girl turned 10 on wednesday.  her abundant energy and dramatic flair keeps our home alive and unpredictable.  

for the past week she's been reminding me that i will no longer have children in the single digits.  it's the sad truth.  

with this birthday we leave behind a little innocence,  some childishness, we are made to grow up. but just a little bit.  

she has been mature and grown up since she was 3. but now i see it in her beautiful face. the baby face is almost gone and she is looking like a young girl.  but she will still talk in her baby voice, snuggle with me when she wants some love, and wrap her hand around her daddy's to feel safe. and we'll enjoy that for as long as we can.

she is our risk taker.

her confidence exudes from every pore of her being.

she has a wicked sense of humor.

she is creative and expressive.

she is a thinker and an innovator.

her friendships are meaningful and compassionate.

she has an incredible memory that she is using to her advantage.

she is brave but not fearless.

she is strong willed - always has been.

her love is limitless but her pain is too.

she will carry on a conversation with anyone.
she has amazing insight and instinct.

sofia enjoyed her birthday. there were donuts at school and an appreciation circle where each of her classmates told her why they are thankful for her.  yes, i was in tears.  they really know her and their comments were thoughtful.  dinner with my family was a big party - just like she wanted.  today we are taking her and her girlfriends to a taping of liv and maddie.  the best part is, they have no idea.  this weekend we celebrate with softball friends and more family.

on wednesday when i tucked her into bed she said, "the best present i got today was being with my family and friends and feeling loved. . . and the barbie dream house."

she is truly a loved little girl and i couldn't be more proud of the young woman she is becoming.

happy birthday sweet sofia!
with love,
mom

andrew @ 13

andrew is officially in the teen years.

emotionally, he's been there for a while now. but we can't deny the fact any longer that 2 of our 3 kids are teenagers.  and there is so much to love about that. really!

andrew is all kinds of wonderful.  in his serious, sarcastic, under his breath way he makes the world a happy place, but you have to be paying attention to get it.

andrew is loving, curious and caring about the world and the people that live in it. he is a compassionate soul. he is a thoughtful listener. he explores and discovers with enthusiasm.

to say he is easy going is an understatement. it's a middle child thing. but he rarely complains - although when he does, watch out! he is happy where he is, doing what he does.

he loves legos (still), video games, nerf guns, baseball (maybe like it a better word), role playing games, rap music (the clean stuff), jokes, head's up, and being random. but he hates the spotlight.

he is enlightened and intelligent. mature with his words. pensive and insightful. he is sensitive but with an outrageous sense of humor. he may not always share his feelings but when he does, watch out!

and he loves a good donut.

what more could a mom ask for? he is my happy place. my deep thinker. he is love. he is goofiness and sunshine and a head full of messy hair.

and i love him with all my being.

welcome to teen-hood.

celebrating lots of happiness

today we get to celebrate 3 things.

may 10th is mother's day in mexico. it is not always celebrated on a sunday, like it is here is the u.s. today i get to say thank you to my wonderful mom who is my biggest example of how to be a woman, a wife and a mother. she is my hero and i adore her. thanks mom for always being there for me and my family, for your unconditional support and love.

today is also mother's day and i get to celebrate being their mom. these guys are my everything. they are why i do what i do everyday; the shuttling, the cooking, the worrying, the cheering, the studying, the listening, the comforting, the pressuring encouraging, the loving, the smiling, the laughing. i am proud to be their mom. it is the greatest job in the world.

i forgot to add celebrating the wonderful mom's in my life, mother-in-laws, sister's and friends. you all inspire me. yay for motherhood.

today we get to celebrate his 13th birthday. he was born on sunday, may 10, 2002 and he filled my heart with joy. he is the coolest 13 year old i know. he is curious and mature with a  wicked sense of humor. he is persistent and nerdy but with an easy going attitude. his heart is full of love and laughter. happy birthday andrew. you are azaming! (that means better than amazing according to andrew.)

the story behind the picture.
me: andrew do you feel loved?
a: yeah, why?
me: i just want you to know that i love you.
a: uh oh. i don't like where this is going.
i walk over to give him a hug. he doesn't let go of the game controller.
a: am i being punished?

happy sunday!

my birthday in photos

another appropriate title for this post would have been why i allowed myself to eat 3 dessert over the course of 4 days. but no judgements here, right?

i was really looking forward to this birthday.  maybe anticipating is the better word.  i wanted to celebrate turning 45 and enjoy where my life is now and where it is going.  basically to celebrate some of the magic that comes with birthdays.

so it started on friday with a lunch with my mother in law at the yard house.  it was friday, during lent, so no meat means crunchy ahi tuna salad of course.

we started off with these crispy brussel sprouts and potatoes.  i am encouraging you not to order these. they were evil and crispy with a creamy aioli dip.  trust me you will regret it.

a cool surprise was that she gave me a necklace i had spotted while we were shopping in new orleans last year.  she bought it for me then but held on to it until that day.  brought back some good memories.

 saturday morning started as it always does, with a torturous run.  5 miles up and down hills.  it felt good to finish, really good.

bobby took andrew and sofia to opening day at cjbl.

 i came home, showered and then took jordan to swim practice with a friend.  while he swam i walked my aching legs around the mall unsuccessfully searching for a dress.

we finished the day at sofia's softball game.

sunday was andrew's first game of the season.  it was an exciting game that didn't go their way. but andrew scored 1 of only 2 runs for the team.  hooray.

 originally we had planned to have my family over for dinner but our schedule was confused and we had to cancel.  ultimately we ended up having dinner with my parents at macaroni grill.  i am 45 years old and i still find it odd to order a drink with my parents.

we ordered the chocolate cake for dessert - with 7 spoons.

monday was my actual birthday and we were lucky that both schools had the day off for teacher conferences and development days.  so we headed to disneyland.  before we left the house we realized that andrew needed to see the dr. since he was still not 100%.  luckily the strep test came back negative and he was feeling  a lot better.

while we were there we took jordan to get a blood test done for his thyroid.  might as well.

we got a very late start but made it to disneyland before lunch.

the best part was that i got to plan the day; what rides to ride, what to eat, and when to rest.  if you ever want to feel special on your birthday go to disneyland and get a birthday button.  everyone wishes you a happy birthday - cast members and guests.  of course no one tried to pronounce my name but that's ok.  it was a reminder all day long that it was my birthday.

i got to do some of the stuff i love like the tiki room where we enjoyed the dole whip - yummy.  the park wasn't too crowded so we zipped through a lot in a short period of time.  then we went to california adventure.

and rode tower of terror.

and toy story mania.

and no one complained when i stopped to take pictures.

we finished the day back at disneyland.  we had dinner at cafe orleans which was just ok.  but these pomme frittes were pretty outrageous.

and a mickey beignet for one more wish.

i could not have asked for a more perfect birthday.  i felt special and loved and spoiled by those around me.  i really enjoyed the text messages, phone calls and fb posts from everyone too.

it was a good reminder that birthdays are magical at any age.

just a thought

today i am counting my blessings and making new wishes!

sweet 16

happy new year!
and happy birthday!
this guy turns 16 today.
it doesn't seem possible.
yet, it feels so right.

he's always been beyond his years, a deep thinker and an old soul. and now his age is reflecting that.  every year i am more and more grateful for his being in my life. for everything that he teaches me; perseverance, coolness, a let it go attitude, the ability to try something new and move on from it.  his sense of security and quiet confidence. his love and compassion for everyone. he charts my course as a mother and reminds me that i'm still learning.

my favorite moments are still the ones when i pick him up from school and he tells me all about his day.  i can already feel those moments slipping away.  i don't always pick him up at the end of the day.  soon, but not too soon, he will be driving himself.  i am letting go and giving him space and privacy and trust.  it's hard and scary but it's the way it's supposed to be.

he continues to thrive and excel as a student.  he loves learning. he's a science and math guy - not so much english.  but he knows that and plays to his strengths.  he is inquisitive and pensive. memorizing comes easy, but he understands it as well. his academic success has come from hard work and dedication.

he's a puzzle master.  his rubik skills amaze us all.  it's all algorithms and practice - lots of practice... and a touch of ocd.

now he is a drummer. a music maker. a percussion genius.  it's patterns and rhythms and exercises all the time, anywhere he can, on any surface.  it's part of who he is now.  and i am so happy that he has discovered it.  he will follow that passion wherever it leads - as he should.

this coming year will be something special, full of challenges and achievements.  i can't wait to see what he does with it.

today we celebrate a new year for our boy with love and ice cream cake.

happy monday

this is not a monday like any other monday.
it's the monday after an incredibly happy week and weekend.
it's the monday the kids all go back to school and we go back to work.
it's the monday that rings in the month of december and holiday celebration.
it's the monday we start eating healthy again.
but it's also something very special.

this monday is his birthday.
and i'm not sure what it is about this year but i feel like this birthday is a big deal.
he worked hard this year and saw success.
he had visions that became (or are becoming) a reality.
he learned some hard lessons but gained a lot of confidence.
he taught me to learn from the tough moments and move on - always move on.
he supported our family, financially and emotionally and we are so grateful.
his strength grew - thanks to the gym and his generous heart.
he kept his priorities a priority.
he restored his camaro and reignited an old hobby.
he played baseball with andrew,
and softball with sofia.
he drove band trucks and sold concessions for jordan's band.
he went to water polo and football games.
he was the kids' biggest fan.
he put up pop ups and movie screens, gave speeches and lead the way for our school.
he walked through the difficult times holding my hand.
he made us laugh and cry (while we were laughing).
he did things that mattered
and let go of things that didn't.
he stood up for us.
he has always been the greatest man i've ever known but this year he was even greater.

b,
happy birthday.
i love you.
b

sassy @ 9

sofia has been called sassy all her life.  it's something about her attitude.  i was not a fan of that nickname.  to me it meant rude, disrespectful and having an attitude.  

so when it came time to put her nickname on her softball jersey i wasn't sure this was a good idea.  

but then i did a google search of the word "sassy" and it brought up this definition: lively, bold, and full of spirit; cheeky. that definitely described who she is and how she lives her life.

she has an amazing spirit.  she is gentle and fierce. intense and sensitive. reserved and bold.

she is all in.

she loves 100% with all of her heart.

she is creative and energetic.  she doesn't hold back.

she is beautiful.

she has the biggest sweet tooth of anyone i know.

she is so funny but takes life seriously.

she is most definitely stylish.

she is still so much a little girl who fights growing up.

she does great things with lots of energy.

she is a risk taker who feels secure in the choices she makes.

and goes confidently.

she is a girl who doesn't put limitations on herself (and won't let others put them on her.)

she is sweet, thoughtful and caring but with a strong will.

she is joyous, smart, friendly and dramatic.  we love all that about her.

in my google search i found the urban dictionary definition of "sassy": possessing the attitude of someone endowed with an ungodly amount of cool.  well that sums it up!

happy birthday to my sweet and sassy girl.

love,
mom

12 things as he turns 12

andrew turns 12 tomorrow, here are some cool facts about our boy

1. he goes by many names - goozy, monkey boy, grillito, mr. bun buns, aj and andoo.

2. recently he has been researching jokes - funny jokes and is working on a routine.  he even wrote a script for him and i to do in front of the family.  stand-up comedy may be his calling.

3. he loves his sister and admires his brother. with all his heart.

4. he also loves his hair and is always in need of a haircut.  getting that done when he gets back. it may be the deciding factor for high school.  short hair may not work for him.

5. he gets up easily in the mornings on school days and early on the weekend.  he likes his quiet time before everyone else gets up.

6. 3 obsessions: legos, video games, and star wars.

7. he will follow in his father's footsteps and start a role playing game with his friends. can you say nerd?

8. he is so smart, and takes such care with his school work, when he's not totally absent minded about it.  his favorite subject is social studies and has been fascinated with war and ancient civilizations.  can you say nerd?

9. he has the best one liners.  "like steak on a grill." "i don't know about you but i have a life to live." "sometimes the smallest mistake can be your biggest problem."

10. he is moving into adolescence.  some changes are obvious and some are not. but we will have another teenager in our house soon.

11. he plays baseball from his heart.  he's not the best hitter or outfielder.  but he never misses a practice, he listens to his coaches and he tries hard.  what more could you ask for?

12. he is a sweetheart, a comedian, a deep thinker, a true friend, a compassionate boy, a

believer, and an amazing son.

i love you goozy and can't wait to celebrate with you!
mom