Cristina is 22 Months!

I know I have been a bad blogger and haven't updated in a while, but with work and having a high schooler, a middle schooler and a toddler our lives have been very busy!!! Weegie is loving high school and since she is in SAS her work load is very demanding. She is also in confirmation class that takes up to 4 hours of her time during the week, but last week it literally took 12 hours of her time because of a retreat. Speedy Cheetah is loving middle school and has found her calling in musical theater. To say she loves it, is an understatement. Putting her in this program was the best desicion for her!!! I am working with my new kinders and that is always a challenge in the beginning because kinders have no idea and have to be trained on everything, from putting papers in a basket to lining up and washing hands. I still have a lot of training to do with this group. I will also be teaching morning school soon 3x a week and teach ccd on Wednesdays. I think I will be a tad bit busier soon!!! Squiggler is just great and this is her monthly update.

These roses are from our garden. I love all of our flowers, but our roses are spectacular!! I have the best garden and a mother that is obsessed with making sure everything is watered regularly.

Well Squiggler is 22 months now and turning into such a little girl. What happend to my baby!! She is so much fun and has the craziest little personality. She has us cracking up all the time. Her new thing is to dance and move her arms while she is dancing. It is so funny! If I can get a longer recording of her I will post it soon. Squiggler is still wearing a 12-18 months, but somethings are getting a little short on her because she is long. She still loves boots and we bought her her first pair of princess dress up shoes. Oh my! She loves those things too, but we won't let her wear them out of the house. She probably still weighs about the same and still wears a size 3 diaper. We are still working on potty training, but some days are better then others. She wears a size 6 shoe, but I think we are going to be moving up soon. I am still nursing her when I am home, and as soon as I walk in that door from work she attacks me!!! The other day her daddy beat me home and she kept asking him for me and was very upset that I wasn't home yet.

Squiggler is still a big flirt and her favorite guy in the world besides her daddy is my nephew Hooch. (Not his real name.) She LOVES him and he happend to be working at our house this past month for a week. She made my mom take her outside to see him all the time!!! We tell her to smile for him and she gives the biggest smiles. Its funny because he has a sister and his sister always wants to hold and love on Squiggler, but Squiggler will have nothing to do with her!!

Squiggler you are such a blessing to us and complete our family! You love your sisters so much and you and the dog have a love/hate relationship. You are always trying to tell him what to do. Some other little things about you right now.

• You love french fries. carne and noodles.
• You like to drink out of a straw.
• You like to sit in the booth at restaurants not high chairs. You think you are such a big girl.
• You love to wear boots! (You probably have 5 pairs right now. All bought off ebay at very cheap prices!)
• You love to watch Mamma Mia and now sing to the songs.
• You love dancing and practicing cheers with your sister.
• You talk up a storm and repeat everything we say!! (We have to be careful!)
• You love to talk on the phone.
• You love babies and baby dolls.
• You throw kisses and say hi and bye to everyone.
• You let me comb your hair now, but then try to pull off your chongos.
• You call grandma "Ga" and we try to correct you but you still call her "Ga".
• You love to eat with a baby fork.
• Your birth mark is fading and hard to find on top of your head.
• You have new teeth now and now have 16 teeth. You have the prettiest smile!
• You love to write with a pencil and draw on paper.
• You read your books everyday and sometimes let us read to you.
• Sometimes you can sleep in, but most days you are up at the crack of dawn looking for your daddy.
• When you fall, you usually just get right back up and keep on going. Nothing slows you down.
• You say your name. (It sounds like Tina.)
• When I say, "Who's the princess?" You raise your hands. LOL!
• You love to look at one of mommy's blogs of another baby named Harper and every day you ask to see Harper.
• You love to play with the computer and try to change the channels on the tv, just to get your sisters mad. LOL!
• You love mommy's hair and say curly hair mommy.
• You like to pray at the dinner table.
• When I tell you that I have to go to work, you say "No mommy." I say "Yes Squiggler" and then you say "No mommy" again. It's really cute.
• You like to grab people's faces and give them kisses.

You are such a little sweetheart and so well behaved at church. Everyone always comes up to talk to you and you are so sweet, but sometimes you are a little naughty. You like to say mean mommy or daddy or sister if we are not doing what you want us to do. LOL! For some reason you like to sit on the table and we always tell you to get down, but you act like you can't hear us until we count to 3. We love you so much and are enjoying this chance we get to watch you grow. We thank God for you and your sisters everyday!!

PS: JCP's no longer lets me add her photos onto my blog, but you might be able to see them if you go here.

First day of Middle School!

My Speedy Cheetah started middle school today at my alma mater! I can't believe how time flies! She is in the Magnet for performing arts which is a school within a school. She has the same teacher for 3 periods and another teacher for 3 periods and 1 other teacher. She has 7 classes with just 3 teachers! She also has 3 of her friends from elementary in most of her classes.

I'm happy about that because she was very nervous about going to middle school, but I knew she would be just fine!! She is very social and makes friends easy. The funny thing is that from her elementary school these are the only 4 girls going to her middle school and they are in all the same classes. What are the chances!

They have to wear uniforms and she was not sure how she felt about that, but all the middle schools around here wear uniforms so she had no choice! They can wear red, white or black polos and only black bottoms. She decided to go with red because it looks good on her. She was also determined to have a messenger bag and not a backpack. I can not tell you how hard it was to find a messenger bag and one she liked too!

I'm so proud of this beautiful little girl and I know she is going to do great things!!! I think this is the perfect school for her and she will find things that she will really enjoy!! I love her so much and can't believe she is already in 6th grade. It was just yesterday that I took her to preschool and she told me to leave and go back to work! LOL! She also got braces this summer and her teeth are already straight!!! She has only had them on for 4 weeks. I think this will boost her confidence because she is such a pretty girl and her smile will only enhance it! Love you Speedy Cheetah!

First Day of High School

Our oldest Princess has officially started high school. Today was her first day and I had the pleasure of taking her to school and picking her up. Thankfully she doesn't mind that I bug her to take pictures!

I dropped her off at around 7:30 and she quickly found her friends. She is taking Geography, Spanish, Biology, PE, English and Algebra. She has all Honor classes and will have a pretty heavy workload because she is in SAS.

She said her day was good and has some of her friends in her classes. We picked her up and took her for a treat. She picked Menchie's. She said that she got all her books today and stored them in her locker. She told her dad that he would like the Biology teacher because he likes Jazz like him. She also told us a funny story about his name. Tommy Thomas or something like that?

I can't believe that this day is here and my baby is in high school. I remember taking her to pre-school and she cried!!!! I felt so guilty! She didn't cry, but I shed some tears. She was excited and is very happy to be back at school. Go Highlanders!

A Day at the Beach

Yesterday we took Squiggler to the beach for the first time and she loved it! We thought that she wouldn't like the sand or how the water rushes in and out, but nope she is a water baby.

My honey, Weegie, Squiggler and I went to spend a couple of nights at my bil's house and he and his family joined us. I forgot to take any pictures of them, but I did get a couple of my little niece. She is so cute and sang songs for us. LOL! She reminds me of Speedy Cheetah.

Speedy Cheetah didn't go with us because she didn't want to miss swimming class. She had a test on Thursday and would find out the results on Friday. She passed and now gets to go to the pool for the remaining summer for free. She was so excited. She has passed all the swimming classes that they offer. That girl has always been a fish, learning to swim before she was 3, she loves the water.

My honey loves this picture and wants me to post it to his facebook. I love it too! Squiggler was not afraid and kept pulling us back to the water. My honey was telling us stories of how when he was younger he spent all his time at this beach. They would ride the bus down there for a quarter. My bil remembers going too, he must have been little!

I love Squiggler's smile in this picture! She is such a happy baby and this is her natural smile. (Not one of those staged ones that she sometimes gives me.) She actually turned 20 months yesterday, but that post is for tomorrow.

Here's my beautiful niece. She drove down with us and quickly made friends with two other girls about her age. I was so worried about her in the water because she does not swim yet. It was funny to hear her and the other girls talking, they were talking about how they thought they saw a shark. They were so funny!

Speedy loved harrassing her sister while she was trying to get a tan. My older girls are so good with her. My daughter looks good in a bikini. I NEVER wore a bikini ever!! LOL! I am so glad she has good self confidence.

My sil did take this decent picture of me so I included it in the blog. My other sil challenged to write a haiku about a picture. I didn't pick a picture, but picked the memory of the day. It was the perfect beach weather and just the perfect day. I don't really like the beach anymore, I use to go all the time as a child, but I had so much fun just being there with my family. It was a great day!!!

A day at the beach

good times making memories

love my family

A perfect beach day

squishing the sand in our toes

the sun is our friend

LOL! I think I could go on and on thinking of haikus!

Squiggler is 20 Months!

Squiggler is 20 Months! Wow does time fly! She is closer to 2, but I tell everyone that she is 1 going on 12! This girl is sooo funny and a little spoiled! She has had the luxury of having us home all summer and she is not going to like it when school starts again. I think she can sense it because she has been kind of clingy lately. She is talking up a storm and puts little phrases together like, "Pipe down Woody!" or "More grapes please?" She is so cute! I love this first picture of her because of her smile!

She loves to climb and run! She is always scaring me because I think she is going to hurt herself! Sometimes she does, but that's how they learn right? I love her little voice and have to remember to record her saying some of the cute things that she says. She still loves shoes with a passion and I was able to get her some cute boots off of ebay for good prices. She is set in the boots department!

She loves to sing and dance too! She hears songs in the car and she says "Song!" meaning that she likes it a lot! She still wears a 12 months and I can put some 18 months on her. I can't put 18 month pants on her or they fall down her behind when she walks. Its really funny! She outgrew her size 5 shoes and we have moved on to size 6, but all shoes are different and some size 6 are too big. Oh well! She will grow into them. This past month you went to Arizona, the beach for the first time and took swimming lessons! You are really dark right now because of all your swimming!

At the studio we had the new photographer and she was okay, but not great. I spent the least amount of money I ever have on pictures and the other girl who has worked there for a while and knows me was in shock! I laughed! I know for sure that I am going to do this until she is 2. Then I will just do it for special occasions like Easter, Christmas and maybe in June because she will be 1/2 years old.

Squiggler at 20 months

• You weigh about 22 pounds and seem the same height.
• You wear a size 6 shoe and size 3 diaper.
• You love to sing and talk on the phone.
• You love your dog and most other dogs too.
• You love to push your doll Polly around and say "Oh baby! Oh baby!" (I think you are trying to comfort her.)
• You don't want to be in your stroller at the mall anymore. You like to walk on your own and drag a shopping bag around with you. People always comment on how cute you are.
• You are a big time flirt still!
• You love to watch other kids and call all kids 3 and under a baby.
• You really like to brush your teeth. I hope that lasts!
• You hate to have your hair combed, but like to wear hats and headbands with flowers.
• You behave really well in church! I hope that lasts too!
• You count to 6 and recognize when there are 2 of something.
• You like to write and color.
• You love to read and watch Sid, Curious George and Martha Speaks on PBS.
• You blow kisses and wave bye without being prompted.
• You say Bless You when someone sneezes all on your own.
• You still ask to see Mamma Mia everyday!!!!
• You say cute when you see something cute like a baby or something pretty when you see something pretty. It's funny because you said Weegie's pedi was pretty.
• You are so smart and loving!!!

We love you so much Squiggler!!! Thank you God! Amen! (You like to say that too!)

PS: Your photos were taken on the 8th of the month because we were at the beach on the 6th!

8 Years

8 years ago today my daddy went to Heaven. What a glorious day for him, but a sad one for those he left behind. I can't believe that it has been 8 years already, time flies by and I miss him so much! He was the best daddy that a girl could ever ask for and I know without a doubt in my heart that he loved me as much as I loved him!

Now some people get confused because on paper he was my grandfather, but in my heart he was my daddy! Any man can be a father, but it takes a very special man to be a daddy. (My husband is a daddy too.) From the moment I came into the world he always took real good care of me and there was nothing he wouldn't do for me! I'm so lucky to have had him with me for 33 years and he loved my daughters Weegie and Speedy Cheetah a lot too. I know in my heart that he sent Squiggler to me. She is always so happy just like he was, and she loves to sing and dance just like him too.

My daddy had 10 children, about 30 grandchildren, A LOT of great grandchildren and in September he will be getting his first great-great grandchild. Now my daddy wasn't the biological dad to all these children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but in my family that doesn't matter. We are all family and that is all that matters! Growing up we were all so close and spent every Sunday at his house, eating menudo and watching the games on tv. (He loved his Dodgers!) There are a lot of great memories of my childhood that all revolve around his house. There was always music, singing and beans on the stove. ALWAYS! He would get up early every morning and make me breakfast. Even when I became a teacher, he would get up at 5 am and have breakfast ready for me before I left on my 45 minute commute. When I came back to live near him and my mom after I got married, I would have lunch with him the first year I started teaching at my alma mater. Everyday I would bring him something and we would watch DOOL together.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him. I love when he comes to visit me in my dreams and I can hug him. The day he died I sang Amazing Grace to him in his ear and whenever I hear that song I know it is him reminding me he is always with me. (I can't sing, but I sang it for him.) I like to think about how he is now with my grandmas (yes plural) and playing all the baseball he wants. He is also with all his brother and sisters and his mom who passed away when he was only 14. I know Heaven is a wonderful place and how wonderful to be there with God and Jesus. But I still miss him! I love you Daddy!

Hanging Out with My Girls!

My beautiful niece is visiting us from up North. We have been trying to show her around town and take her to some of our favorite sites. On Monday, she went to the beach with hubby and my 2 older daughters. Yesterday, the girls all went to Magic Mountain, and today we went to the Grove in LA. I let the older girls walk around on their own while I kept the younger ones. Speedy Cheetah can spend hours in B & N, but the older ones wanted to go clothes shopping.

At the Grove there is almost always someone famous there and we did see Jillian Reynolds from Channel 11, but my niece didn't know who she was because she is local. Squiggler and I got asked to stand on the grass area and pretend that we were interested in what Jillian had to say about the new Skechers and exercise. It was fun and they gave us a backpack for it, but I would have preferred some free Skechers. LOL! Speedy and I also saw some papparazzi taking some pictures, but we couldn't figure out who they were taking pictures of?

We went to the Cheesecake Factory to eat a yummy lunch and that is the 2nd time my niece had been there since Saturday. The first time she didn't try the cheesecake, but today she did. We had terrible service, but overall I think we had a good day. We had to be back by 5:00pm because my hubby had bought tickets months ago to take Weegie to the Dodger game. He was going to cancel, but she was looking forward to it. I stayed home with Speedy, Squiggler, and my niece. It has been really nice getting to know her. She is very sweet and reminds me very much of my own girls. I hope she is enjoying her time here. She leaves on Friday.

I didn't get many pictures, but I did get a couple. I really need to get back into taking more pictures!