Heaven

This week has been horribly sad and so very sweet at the same time. One of my dearest friends in the world lost her father this past week. The past two years we went to the Nashville ALS walk with he and his family.

Santi, Luca, Auntie & I had also gone a couple of Saturdays to visit with him as he had seriously declined in the last few months. We would then go with his wife and my dear friend out to breakfast to just get them out of the house for a few hours. Santi dearly loves his sweet “Na-Na” and “Na-Na’s Mama”! He also adores their dog Berwyn. He would play the entire time we were at their house with the dog. So it wasn’t weird that during the week Santi would constantly ask where Berwyn was.

This past Friday Na-Na’s Papi past away from ALS.  Neither Nolan nor I discussed it with Santi, but that very evening as we were getting him ready for bed he asked where Berwyn was, nothing new. I gave him the same answer as always, “Berwyn is at Na-Na’s Mamas house.” But then he continued, “Where is Na-Na’s Papi?” I was surprised. He knows Na-Na’s Papi, but hadn’t ever asked about him before. I hardly knew what to say, I didn’t want to make it a sad thing. Then I realized it didn’t have to be sad. “He is in heaven with Jesus.” “Oh wow, that’s cool.” And that was that. It was a very sweet moment. Heaven isn’t a sad thing! Heaven is where everything is perfect, no more pain, no more tears. AND, Jesus is there! How amazing is that?! 

Fast forward to yesterday. Again, Santi asked me where Na-Na’s Papi was. I told him the same thing, “He is in heaven.” He followed it up with “Yeah, with Jesus. Na-Na isn’t sitting on his lap anymore.” I didn’t really know how to respond to that. I didn’t really know what was going on in his head, but I do know he was trying to figure it all out. 

This morning we started our resurrection eggs. I asked Santi to bring me my Bible so we could read the verse first before opening the egg. He was very excited to read about the palm branches and to learn that we will all have our own palm branches at church this Sunday on Palm Sunday. It was a sweet time reading the Bible together. As soon as we were finished Santi got his Bible and starting flipping through it (The Jesus Story Bible in Spanish and English that Na-Na’s Mama had just given him).  He found the story about Zacchaeus, Noah, David & Goliath, and then he saw Jesus on the cross. We discussed Easter again and how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He then took my Bible and handed me his. He flipped through just like he had done in his and “found” all the stories he knows. 

He then immediately started talking about Na-Na’s Papi again and how he was in heaven now too. He told me that he too wants to sit on Jesus lap. My heart is full. What a sweet thought. I am a happy Mama. It is a horribly sad week knowing that my friends’ father has died, but at the same time it is a visual for Santi this Easter season. Na-Na’s Papi is someone who Santi knows, he is someone who he has physically seen and touched and loved. Now during this Easter season death has been made real, heaven has been made real for my 2 year old. I am so grateful that through death and sadness a little boys mind has been opened up to the good news of Jesus!!!

Love letters

Two days after I found out I was pregnant with Santi I started writing him letters. I wrote through my whole pregnancy and then since he was born I have continued to write about the fun things he is doing or learning. It is fun to look back and see what I was thinking and what he was doing what seems like forever ago. I have no idea when I will actually give him the letters. Maybe I will give them to him when I am old, or maybe Ill give them to his wife, or child. Who knows? But for now its fun writing just for me.

Todays entry.
April 8, 2013

My little love,
As always, its been way too long since I last wrote. You have become such a fun, funny little boy. You aren't a baby anymore. You are huge! Not only are you tall, but you have man-feet! You wear a size 8 or 9. You are so big! We got rid of your highchair last month. Now you eat at the table with us only using a booster seat.

You think big trucks, buses, tractors, and airplanes are the coolest ever! Oh, and bomberos too.

Cars 1 is your favorite movie and you ask to watch it every other second. Mater is your favorite. You have a little Mater truck and Lightning McQueen car and you basically carry them around everywhere.

You are such a happy child. You wake up smiling, brighten total strangers days all day long by smiling and waving at them and you even go to bed with a smile. I have never known a happier child. Papi and I and Nana and Granddad marvel at how happy and smart and funny you are. As you play we watch and laugh and love!

You dance and sing. You copy cat. You adore anything with a ball. You are amazing with a soccer ball. You can dribble, drop kick, and even bicycle kick while laying down. You mix Spanish and English (you mainly say either the begining or end of a word, but I mostly understand everything...others dont normally). Right now your new word is "keke". You learned that because of my birthday.

You utterly adore your Papi "Pa"! He rules your world. The second he walks in the house from work you scream and run to show him what you have been playing with.

A normal week:
Sunday: church (maybe lunch with Nana and Granddad at Garcias) home fellowhsip group at our house every 1st and 3rd Sunday. Sometimes a soccer game for Papi.
Monday: wake up at 8, breakfast, play, maybe grocery store, lunch at home with Papi 11-12, nap 1-3:30 or 4, 4:30 Papi leaves work to come home, 5:30-6 dinner, play some more, bath at 8, read books, 8:30 bed time.
Tuesday: same morning. I have Spanish class at FCS at 1:05. I take you to school and Auntie brings you home for a nap while I teach. I come home at 3. Same evening.
Wednesday: same morning, Auntie comes over after her work at 12:30. We hang out while you nap. Same evening.
Thursday: After breakfast I take you to Nanas. I pick you up after my Spanish class. Same evening.
Friday: Sometimes we go over to the Raymonds or they come here. Same afternoon and evening.
Saturday: Papi has off so we play all day or take you somewhere fun. Now that it is FINALLY warm outside (as of 2 days) we will be able to go to the park more and soon enough the pool!!

In a few weeks you will take your last free flight (under 2 years old) as we go see Papis Aunts and Uncles in Ft. Lauderdale. W will get to go to the beach again! Then at the end of July we will go with Nana and Granddad! This is going to be a great Spring and Summer!!

Words- (I won't be able to remember them all Im sure)

Español:
keke
chao
agua (aga)
mas
media (meme)
zapato (tapa)
leche (le)
bombero (bombom)
no ma (no mas)
bien
luna
luz (lu)
tractor (tra)
dame (dam)
pie
helados (lala)
Mama ven & Pa ven
Tio
Abuelo (lelo)
Abuela (lela)
celular (lar)
pelota (lota)
amo (amm)
casa (caca)
caca (also caca...they are said the same, but you do know the difference)
hielo (lelo-same as abuelo, but also know the difference)
bebe
gracias (gra)
tu (you say this while pointing at yoursef!)
llama (llam)

English:
bird (bir)
bear
duck (du)
car
bus
light (lie)
bye bye
more
no
Barnabus (Barn)
battery (bat, specifically for your trains)
NaaNaa (Brianna)
cup
block (bla)
buckle (buu)
diaper (die)
nose
brown (bown, for Brown bear book)
fire (ire)
play (lay)
ball
Elijah (Lie...said over and over and over...)
trash (tra)
ipad (pad)
Tom (for the Talking Tom cartoon)
Nana
Granddad (dad)
Joel (dol)
chair (chai)
clock (lock)
door
spoon (poon)
toy
slide (lide)
shoe
choo choo
T (auntie)
toes
night night (nigh nigh)
bed
yeah (you say this for EVERYTHING)
bar (for a cereal bar)
star (tar)
Matt (our next door neighbor who is 6 and you think is the greatest!)
OH NO!
boot (boo)
love (luu)
bee
book
mall (because of the play area)

You dont really like putting your toys away, but when you do, you do it perfectly! You like things to be exactly as they are supposed to be! Example- you like all the blocks and letters facing the same direction. Im a little scared!

As I write this there is a house being built out our front window AND our back window! The amount of tractors, dump trucks, and cranes is unbelievably wonderful for a little boy. There is always something exciting going on! Surprisingly none of the crazy construction has woken you up!

Auntie taught you how to make a "grouchy face". You look down at the ground, then keep your head down, but look up with your eyes! Hilarious!

You have ALWAYS kissed me and Papi every time we ask for besos, but now every once in a while you roll your eyes or run and throw yourself on furniture. Im terrified of you becoming a teenager! If I think its bad now, what will it be like then?!

I never knew I could love another human being so much! You are my world! My everything! Please stop growing up so fast! Im not ready to be the "mother of the groom"!

I love you to the luna and back!
Te amo SIEMPRE!

Mama

Some pictures of us!

Clase de Español

I have had so much more fun teaching Spanish than I ever thought possible! I have wonderful students and have had a blast teaching something I love so much! BUT, ever since the begining of this semester my students have become lazy. They do not read the directions on homework or tests. I have told them over and over and over that they need to follow the directions. Often times questions on a test are two part; conjugate the verb AND translate. I even capitalized and on the tests and the kids still often times missed it. So desperate times call for desperate measures. Today I gave my students my favorite test ever! I had a blast giving it!! AND I think I got my point across finally!! Would you have gotten a 100 or a 0 on this test?

Nombre:

Fecha:

1. No es un examen. Dame (dar me) tu papel* (*paper) con tu nombre y la fecha y sientate* (tu sentar…*sit) en tu silla. No respondes a las otras* (other) preguntas.

2. Escribir tres preguntas de “la hora” y responder:

3. Escribir tu nombre en Ingles y Español:

4. Responder y traducir:

¿Que hora es?

¿A que hora comes en la mañana?

5. Para que ustedes aprenden que tienen que leer todas las direcciones, estoy hacienda este examen. La verdad es que no tienen que hacer nada. Quiero ver quien lee todo y ralamente esta dando atenccion a lo que escribo.

¡Si solo escribes tu nombre y la fecha y despues me das tu papel te voy a dar cien puntos, pero si respondes a las preguntas no pasas! ¡Buena suerte!

6. ¿Donde esta tu nariz?

Think about it chair

So we have finally taken the plunge and started a "think about it chair". 99.9% of the time time is spent in the chair because Santi has grabbed the ipod off the dock. He LOVES electronics. Honestly if thats the worst he does then we are in good shape. But, he is still disobeying. So we have little talks while he sits in the chair with his hands folded. There is only one problem. He is TOO cute when he sits in the chair and folds his hands. All Nolan and I want to do when he folds his hands so adorably is laugh and cuddle him.

The other day Santi was being entirely too quiet in the livingroom while I was in the kitchen. So I walked into the livingroom to find Santi playing with the ipod. I took it from him, but wasn't in the mood to go through the whole process of the chair. Much to my surprise he walked over to the chair and folded his hands without me saying anything. After only a very few days he knew exactly what to do. Bless him and his sweet little heart.

Here is a picture of the "think about it chair". He was in fact sitting in the chair because of the ipod, but the reason I really HAD to take the picture was because he had gotten into my mascara a few minutes before and I hadn't washed it off yet. Notice he put it all around his eye...meaning he knew exactly what to do with it he just didn't have good aim! Hahahaa! Mascara and folded hands...ahhhh....edible!

H&M

I am so excited that we are finally getting an H&M in Nashville! Its about time! But, since we don't have one just yet, this weekend while I was in Atlanta I made a little stop. I found the cutest pants ever for Santi. They are so beyond 80's its not even funny! They are not only skinny jeans, but they have elastic AND a zipper on the bottom. I could die they are so great! I bought them a little big since Santi grows so fast. Since they are a little big they aren't as skinny as they are supposed to be just yet, but man they are still FANTASTIC!

Rockin' out the 80's pants!

Oh yeah, and I totally bought him a tank top to go with it, (Is it still called a tank top if its for a boy?
 Its not sleeveless, its a full on tank top.) but that (and his guns) will make its debut in the spring or summer!

Thank you H&M for amazing hilarious clothes!

Levels of success

I have talked about success before. We now have new levels of success. When I took Santi to the doctor for his 12 month check up the doctor asked me how good Santi was getting with a spoon. I sheepishly admitted that I hadn't tackled that yet. And then he called me out. "Too messy?" How does a  stranger know me so well? For the last 8 months I have looked the other way, bitten my tongue, and forced myself to let him get food everywhere!!! He still isn't perfect, far from it in fact, but I have to say I have seen a HUGE improvement. When he eats cereal, not only does he get cereal in his mouth, but milk too! Tonight as he ate an after dinner snack I realized how much he (and I) has changed! 10 months ago I spoon fed him everything. These days I cut up his food, blow on it, and put it on his tray...the end. SO MUCH EASIER! And when he gets food everywhere I kinda don't notice.

SUCCESS!!!!!!

And JOY!

Child locks?! HA!

Grown adults come to my house and can't open my cabinets. But what is a simple child lock to a 20 month old?! Not only has he decided he can open them, but he even knows how to then kindly close them back for me! AWESOME! The cleaning supplies are being moved today!!!!!

I see a little thing right here. Maybe if I press this part.

OH MY GOSH! I got it!!! I hope Im not in trouble!

Don't worry Mama! I know how to put it back!