Christmas 2007

We had a beautiful two days! We spent Christmas Eve day with Manny's mom and sister and kids and the kids had a lot of fun together. Christmas Eve we went out to dinner with my grandmother, aunt, uncle, parents, brother and sister-in-law. After dinner (which I was glad to be over, only because it is stressful to be out at a really nice restaurant with a 2 year old. He was well behaved and not too noisy, but I still worry the entire time.) we went back to my moms and opened gifts with them.

Christmas morning we had to wake Manny up at 8 o'clock because Taina had already been patiently waiting. Manny didn't really know what to expect or what to do when he saw the presents under the tree. Santa had wrapped Taina's gifts in princess paper and Manny's in Diego, so when he realized the Diego gifts were for him he would carefully take one at a time, bring it to the table, open it, show everyone, take it all in and then go for the next present. He got so wrapped up in his gifts that we had to remind him he had more; I guess that means he really didn't need everything he got! Taina's favorite gift was her American girl doll from grandma and Pop-Pop. Everything seems to be Manny's favorite toy.

Christmas afternoon my mom's brothers and sisters and my grandmother all get together at my moms and we do a big dinner and then more gifts. Manny didn't get a lot to open at this point because there really is/was nothing he needed. I told people to get him savings bonds or money to put into his savings account; this wasn't fun for him though. He had 2 presents and the rest were cards..he kept asking "Can I open more presents?" He was so good about it though, even though he didn't have anymore. I was happy to see him being patient and calm, and not throwing a fit for more.







My uncle thought his gift was funny.....thank goodness he forgot to buy batteries for it!!

A look back at Manny

Being pregnant and very emotional I have been thinking and wondering whether our new little peanut will look like his brother. I took out old pictures today and wonder where all the time has gone! Manny is so big now, it is hard to remember him being this little. He is only 21 days old here and so sweet and innocent.
Will Baby Aviles (sorry I'm not giving his name away) have that same head of dark hair (when born...because Manny's is lighter now), will he have those same luscious lips, and soft

sweet smell? I can't wait to meet him, but I am not rushing it!





Here Manny is 2 months old and it is the day he was baptized. Yes, he had a little tux on. I can't wait to put it on peanut and have him baptized. Manny's hair started to have a wavy curl to it by now.





He's 2 days shy of 3months old here...he has always been such a happy, smiley baby!!!

Here is my little movie star. His hair was not easy to control.




Here Manny is taking a bath...I couldn't resist showing you this one. He had so much hair that it was easy to put it in a ponytail or curl it up like this. Last picture I promise. I have so many I could post for days...wish I had know about posting back then, I would have uploaded every picture of the thousand I have!!

Santa

At the tree lighting ceremony a couple of weekends ago the kids got to sit on Santa's lap and get a goody bag from him. Then we went inside the firehouse and had hot chocolate and cookies and cupcakes.

Last year Manny was so scared of Santa that he'd cry and go the opposite direction. I was afraid this year it would be worse...but I was wrong. We first saw Santa at Adam's and he sat next to him but didn't really say anything, just sat there looking at him. Then he was first in line at the tree lighting ceremony to sit on his lap.

He doesn't say anything to Santa as he sits on his lap, he just kinda sits there and looks at him. At home it's a different story. I like PBS because there are no commercials, but on Disney and any other channel everything he sees, he wants. "Mommy I want that!" Mommy I want that!" and so on and so on with every commercial. It doesn't matter what it is, he wants it. So I started to say "That would be nice" after each thing he "wants". He now says, "I want that be nice!" I just yes everything he says. The kid doesn't need anything; we could open a toy store with everything we have. Of course none of the cars or trucks have tires on them. He has this obsession with taking off every tire, no matter how hard it is and he chews on them and calls it his "gum". Now he's never had gum so I don't know where that assimilation came from.

He surprises me everyday though with what he knows. He saw a trumpet on one of my mother's carolers and told me, "That's a trumpet." His new phrase is also, "I LOVE my mommy, I LOVE my mommy..........." I love you too love bug!!!!

Our first snowstorm

We received our first real snowstorm today. They closed schools everywhere before it even started doing anything. I had plans to run to Walmart before the snow came and I never made it out early enough. The snow started at 9am and it's still snowing at 7:30 tonight. There is probably 9-10 inches out there. I took the kids out to play late this afternoon and they had a blast. Manny is at a fun age and is really enjoying everything this time of year. I have Santa pictures to post too...

They helped shovel the driveway, or should I say made more a mess that then had to be re- shoveled. Manny thought he'd be able to ride his bikes in the snow; that didn't work either.

I am hoping for no school again tomorrow. I love snow days and especially as I slow down here in my pregnancy, it is nice. I have 9 more weeks and am started to feel "huge". The kids are crazy in school with the holidays and the snow, so I'd rather not deal with them. The other part of me would rather have the "snow days" in the spring, that way it's less days I don't get paid for while on my maternity leave. Either way I guess I win.

Sweet things

I am home "sick" today with Manny. I decided to keep him with me today to monitor his breathing. He has a cough and last night was really rough with breathing and wheezing. We had serious issues with this last winter so I didn't want to let it get away from us. I took him to the doctor and she said his lungs are clear, thank goodness. She gave me a new inhaler because the old one didn't seem to work. She also gave me prednazone for those emergencies when I can't get to her right away. I am glad he is not at that horrible point right now. I'll put him back on his allergy medicine and hopefully see improvement.

Yesterday was our anniversary and Manny (big) managed to spoil me yet again. We went out to dinner Sunday night because he works late all week. He started off the night by giving me diamond hoop earrings. They are absolutely beautiful!!! These are practical everyday small hoop ones and I love them! Then yesterday at work I get a delivery from edible arrangements...yummy!! I love the fruit, especially the white chocolate covered strawberries that re requests especially for me. To top it off he comes home last night from work with another gift....a Coach bag. He said he heard me mention the other day that I needed a new purse...now I would have settled for a Marshall's or Target special....but I am in love with my Coach bag!!! I love my husband and I love times like these when he spoils me. I did feel guilty though and told him he should have saved the bag for x-mas.

Handy Manny

Daddy got Manny a tool set. Manny was so excited by it that he told me he is a builder. The chainsaw is his favorite tool.


I am so excited and proud of Manny. He has been "potty trained" at daycare for some time now. He uses the potty all by himself (he'll yell "Shell I done" just to let her know) and pulls up his own pull up and pants. (His pants are always on backwards, he likes the tag in the front and many times inside out.) He remains dry all day and in the same pull up all day. The minute we get home that all ends. He can sit in a wet or poopy diaper forever at home and run away from me changing him. Tonight he told me he had to go potty, climbed up on the toilet all by himself and wet potty. I am so proud of him for doing it finally at home, even if it was just one time.

Every night during bedtime he plays the same questioning game. "Mommy, where's Daddy?" I answer him. "Where's Pop-Pop?" Answer. "Where's Gamma?" Answer. "Where's Daddy?" Answer...so on and so forth through all of them over and over. Finally I've had enough and I tell him I am leaving if he doesn't stop it and go to sleep. Well tonight he says to me, " Ha! Ha! I locked the door, you can't leave!" It was so cute the way he said it because he seriously thought I was locked in and he was controlling me. I had to laugh at him.

I want to win a sling

The Domestic Diva is giving away a sling and I want to win it so I can wear the new baby!! I think, or shall I say I know that I am going to have my hands full with Manny (he'll be 2 months shy of 3) and a newborn and Taina. If I can wear this baby it would be awesome!!!