Now THAT'S the BIG PUMPKIN, Charlie Brown!!!!!!!

After a day spent pumpkin and apple picking nearby in Warwick, NY, Tyler and Al were inspired to find an even BIGGER pumpkin than the farm had....

Here is how it all went down...



A good time was had by all, and the memories are priceless!


Not sure what to say about this one...




The Artists and their Muse!








TA DA!!!!!!

8 MORE WEEKS....

Well, we're almost there! 8 more weeks until our scheduled c-section (unless SHE decides otherwise!). It's been a long hard journey, but the payoff is priceless!

As the end approaches, I thought the fears would dissapate that plagued me this whole pregnancy. After losing 2 babies, I guess that fear never leaves you. Unfortunately, Tyler has that fear also. Last week he asked me if the baby was going to die before we got to the hospital. He was 7 years old when we lost Gaby and I guess he remembers it all very well. I told him God wants us to have a healthy baby.

So, preparations continue....and we wait with unbridled joy at our baby girls' arrival.

Happy Birthday, Tyler!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday marked a milestone for Tyler...his 9th birthday! He started the weekend of festivities out early, on Friday, by being sent home from school because he threw up in class...not a good sign. But, after being home for the whole of an hour, Tyler announced he was feeling better and "starving." So, three bowls of chicken broth and two jellos later, with still no sign of fever, he was pronounced well by doctor mom. The nervous stomach was attributed to the anxiety or excitement of the upcoming celebrations.

Saturday was Tyler's first sleepover party, with 4 guests: Luis Valenzuela (Tyler's best buddy from White Plains), Kevin Gilson, and Joseph and Nathan Greco, all from our neighborhood, and bus buddies. Here is a picture taken at a (very) rare moment of relative silence:

The festivites continued on Sunday with the gathering of old friends, new friends and dear family with a fiesta of food lovingly made by yours truly. We feasted on baked ziti, meatballs, sausage and peppers, chicken adobo, rice (thanks to mom and dad for letting us borrow the rice cooker as ours is still packed up somewhere), salad and of course, the kid friendly chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks and french fries. Seems like everyone enjoyed it, as there was not much left in the end.

Pictured are Al, his brother Santiago, his mom Rosalie, me (attempting to hide my pregnant bulk), friends May and Ben Eng (our old neighbors in White Plains). In front is Al's brother Francisco holding birthday boy Tyler. In the second picture, Ben is taking the picture and Al's dad, Santiago joins us.

At the end of the exhausting weekend, Al and I reflected and thanked God for blessing us with such a rich tapestry of family and friends around us. It was our first party at our new house and it was such a delight to see everyone we loved in the most special place to us, our home. There were of course family and friends missing from our celebration physically, but were most definitely in our hearts and spirit there with us.

This sums up the weekend...

ZZZZZZzzzzzzz....thanks everybody!!!!

Shucks, I'm sure tired from panting & beggin all day!

Where did everybody go??? Is there any cake left for me????

Thanks to all, and to all a good night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!