2008 in Review...

Well, 2008 was an amazing year for us!!!! It started with a few sad moments but it got SO much better! Here is a recap of some key moments for 2008...

January: we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary!!
February: my mom's cousin, Osvaldo, passed away at a young age.
March: we got Lola!!
April: without knowing it yet, Crystina turned 1 and Lola had 5 puppies.
May: went to the beach...for the last time for a while.
June: we got "The Call" for Crystina!!
July: we were preparing to travel...to the other side of the world.
August: we traveled to China to pickup our daughter!!!!
September: we returned home...as parents!
October: Crystina got her ears pierced.
November: we found out we are pregnant with a boy!
December: Crystina's 1st Christmas home!

Well, those are just a few moments for this past year. We are hoping and praying for a great & wonderful 2009!!!!!!!! Have a Happy New Year and may GOD bless you!!

Christmas 2008

Finally some Christmas pictures!!!

We always celebrate Christmas Eve with our families. First we went to Edgar's cousin's home (Willie, Jessica & kids). This is where the "fun" started...I got SOOOOOOOOOO sick when we were there. His family started frying some traditional food from back home (morsilla, for you PRicans)...and the smell...............oh my goodness!!! It was terrible!! I felt so bad, physically and emotionally, because it was Crystina's first Christmas home and I couldn't do anything! I sat on the couch for 2 hours...with awful nausea, shaking, heart racing, you name it! Jessica's sister, Ruby, who is an EMT, watched over me and kept on insisting for me to go outside and get some fresh air BUT I couldn't get up, if I did, I would have fainted. That's how bad it was. I really wanted to see Crystina enjoying herself with all her cousins...fortunately she had fun!!! Then we were off to my parent's home. I felt a little better but the "damage had been done." I still wasn't feeling too great but I felt we had to go. Crystina, of course, still had fun with her cousins! She was up until 3:00AM!! Yes, 3 in the morning!!! The girl doesn't want to miss anything!

Then came Christmas morning...she was up at around 9 or so..........cranky!!! So we "bribed" her with Gerber puffs to open her gifts. It worked! ; ) It was so cute watching her open her gifts. She did so good!! She LOVES all her gifts!! She plays with one and then goes to another, then another...etc. As long as the toy makes noise, she loves it!! And we had bought her some Christmas pajamas for that morning BUT they are no where to be found! So, no cute pj's...just mix-matched clothes.

Christmas afternoon...Edgar's sister and family came by, as well as my parents. We had a very nice time! Then in the evening, we went to my brother, Nathan's, home and had a nice time there. Crystina, of course, had a blast...all day! She slept like a rock that night! Enjoy the pictures of Crystina's 1st Christmas!

Willie, Jessica & kids opening their Christmas gift (from us)...we are going to an Orlando Magic game! Yippee...can't wait!

Crystina opening her very 1st Christmas gift!

Thank you Tio Willie, Titi Jessica & cousins!

Playing with Ayden's tool goggles! Too cute!
Ayden playing with his Black & Decker flashlight!

Ready to open gifts!!

What is this?!???

I love it!!!!

So cute!!!!

Opening more gifts!!

What is this???

Want some??

Crystina with her gifts...and mess!

Thank you Titi Shirly, Alvani, Joshua & Norberto!

Looking cute...as always!

Crystina & Alvani

Crystina & Joshua
Helping Grandma (Nai Nai) with one of her gifts...

a picture of her 3 grandbabies!

I hope you enjoyed all the pictures. Crystina had so much fun!! It was so wonderful watching her!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! And may GOD bless you all in the New Year with much Happiness and Love!! Here's to a great 2009!!!!

Tonight at dinner...

Okay, so tonight at dinner Crystina decided she was..........sleepy!!! It was so funny, she was eating one second and out the next (no, her mouth was NOT full of food). I decided to take a few pictures, only because these pictures are SO priceless! Her "nap" only lasted, maybe 10 minutes...because when we tried to put her in her crib, she was up...and then she finished her dinner. Enjoy!!!

Too cute...

Pasta...sure made her sleepy!

And she's completely out!!!

These didn't make it...

Okay, so the other day we wanted to take some Christmas pictures here at home. So, my brother, Coco, came by and was our "photographer." Our goal was to take a nice picture in front of our tree...us 3 with the 2 dogs. Well............my brother just kept on laughing while taking these pictures but I was trying to get an active toddler and 2 very playful Yorkies to be still for a few minutes. YEAH RIGHT!!!!!! After I downloaded the pictures, I realized why he was laughing so much! I'm still laughing.... Here are just a few pictures that did NOT make the cut. Enjoy!!! ; )

"You want me to go where???"

"Can I open this one?"

There goes Crystina...trying to get Lola. Lola & Bertha were not having it.

Wait...let me go get Lola & Bertha!

Our VERY silly girl!!!!!!!!!

Being cool with Tio Coco!!

That was just a few pictures of our funny photo session. We did get a few good ones...but not with the dogs. Hope you enjoyed the pictures! GOD bless!!!

3 months ago...

3 months ago today, Crystina was placed in our arms! It's amazing to us to see the changes in her, in just 3 short months. She has learned SO much! She is "babbling" SO much more...everyday!

She knows how to say the following words:

• da da
• ma ma
• Lola
• Bertha
• Grandpa
• Angelica
• Ayden
• Joshua
• Titi
• Gigi
• Tio
• bye bye
• hello
• Thank you
• leche (milk in Spanish)
• sometimes when we sneeze, she will say "Bless you"

She knows where her head, nose, eyes, feet, belly and hands are. And she tends to mimic us...ALOT!!!!! It truly feels that she's been with us forever!!!

3 months ago today...

Today...

I plan to put up some Thanksgiving pictures within the next few days or so...so, please check back. Thanks again for checking up on us. God bless!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

This year we have LOTS to be thankful for......

First, we are so very thankful for our beautiful, precious daughter...Crystina! And also, for the little boy that GOD created growing in my tummy. Being able to experience the miracle of adoption and the miracle of (not yet) birth is just amazing. With these 2 miracles, we have MUCH to be thankful for.

We are also much thankful for...our family! All of them have been very supportive of Crystina and LOVE her to pieces! The love everyone has for her, is just amazing! And for that, we are VERY thankful!

The opportunity that we had to go to the other side of the world was just amazing! Once there and noticing that we take so many things for granted and being thankful for the freedom that we have...well, there are no words for that......but we are most thankful for the trip of a lifetime and that both of us were able to go and pick up our daughter.

There is SO much more that we are thankful for...and we thank GOD for it all!!

This year we are doing things a little different. Today, we are going to be with Edgar's family and then on Saturday, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. And on Friday, of course we are going SHOPPING!!! I hope to have pictures of both days up soon.

Ready to go eat some turkey...

So beautiful!!!Being silly...
Santa is coming when????

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you have many reasons to be "Thankful" for!!!! GOD bless!

Blog face lift...

Hello...yes, you have the correct blog! We just changed the background, we needed it to be more unisex, not all pink. ; (

I'm not big on what I picked but with small pickings, I don't have much of a choice. The website address will NOT change just the appearance of the blog. It might be changing again...but we'll see.

Well, I hope to post updated pictures of Crystina soon. And if you are wondering...YES, I am showing. My mom has been wondering where I hid this belly for so many months. Who knows?!??? I guess once we were told we were pregnant, the baby decided not to hide anymore. ; )

Check back soon for pictures. God bless!!

Some VERY exciting news!!!!

Well, yesterday we found out some VERY exciting, blessed news......we are pregnant!!! Yes, you read that right! We are, very, pregnant. I'm 18 weeks along and the baby's due date is for April 14th...Crystina's birthday is April 19th! So, within less than a year, we will have 2 Blessed miracles!!!!!! Oh....by the way, we are having a BOY!!! Crystina is having a baby brother!

Crystina holding a picture (sonogram) of her baby brother.

These 2 children are such a blessing for us! They are truly MIRACLES!!! 2 children of our VERY own and more LOVE to share!! Thank you LORD!!!

Well, this is all for now...check back again for more updates on our babies. God bless!!!

October in review...

I know, I know...I've been really bad at blogging.........but Crystina has sure kept me busy! So, I'm going to try and make up for it. Here are a bunch of pictures for the month of October. Crystina has been a little busy body...she went to the doctor to get some vaccinations, she got her blood drawn and her ears pierced, all within one week. She also went to the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford and Sea World! She has meet more family members and friends, and does so well every time!

Enjoy all the pictures!!!!!!!!!! ; )

Dinner with my cousins...

At Sea World...they were having their annual "Spooktacular" and it was FUN!

Waiting to see Shamu!!!!!!

Waiting to get on a ride...

Checking things out.

Having fun!!!!

Wasn't too thrilled about the ride.
Angelica liked it!
**see my hand holding hers ; )**

Crystina and Bertha...how cute!!

Looking cute as ever!!!

At the Central Florida Zoo...

Crystina and Titi Shirly

Crystina and Grandma

Check out Crystina's ears!!! Yep, she got her ears pierced.

"Mommy, smell my feet!"

How cute!!!!!!!

Hanging out with daddy!!!!!

Alvani & Joshua with their Chinese outfits.

Crystina is not very happy...

So peaceful!!!!

Having fun with Ayden at Home Depot!!

Putting on lipstick...

Having fun on Grandma's rocking chair...
"Cheese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ahhh....too cute!!!!

Your juice sure looks good!! Checking out her goodie bag that Grandma Violeta made for her...

Crystina & Grandma Violeta Our sweet, beautiful FLOWER!!!

My 1st time Trick-or-Treating... Crystina & Angelica
Angelica, the Butterfly & Ayden, as Spiderman

Having fun Trick-or-treating...

Having more fun in the wagon...

**check out Ayden playing with Crystina's bellybutton** ; )

Tia Annabel pulling us around the house...
playing with cousin Angelica...
Grandma trying to rock all 3 of her babies...

Well, I hope you have enjoyed all the pictures!! I will TRY my best to update more often...but sometimes the time just gets away from me. Well, this is all for now.

Thanks again for checking up on us! God Bless!!!!!!!