Here are a few updates that are really current:
Prose got released as the Second Counselor in the bishopric to be the Young Men's President. So still not a lot of time I get back with him...but slightly a little more...I think. Today I think I've actually seen him less. But here's a HUGE "plus." He gets to sit with us during sacrament meeting! I forgot what that was like!
I think our house is infested with cats. First of all, I have inherited my grandfather's genes in that I hate cats. I really do, sorry. And they are everywhere outside. Seriously, I'm going to call the pound. They are outside our windows, especially at night and they meow but it's more like a moan and it's the SAME pitch as when Mico whines when he wakes up from sleeping so we always have to listen if it's him or the cats. ....and it's always the cats now.
Did I tell you that I joined BNI? It's a growing experience and I really like feeling like a professional in my area of choice. They have been supportive enough, but I really need to help them understand how to refer people to me because it is something none of them really understand.
Mico is praying! We started him off by having him repeat each word when we prayed and he would get so mad if it was one of our turns to pray and not his. He wanted to pray every time. So we let him! And just a few days ago, he turned it on us and my husband was repeating every word after HIM! He's not quite yet able to pray by himself though he could. He wants us to repeat him. So his prayers go something like this:
Nosso Pai Celestial, Agradecemos...[I don't want to give away their full names] P____, J_____, E_____, L_____, Ti Tia, Tio D___, Vovo, Vovo, Mamae, Papai, (Nummi), eu, Dora the Explorer [yes, not just Dora, Boots, or Tico, but their full titles], Boots the Monkey, Benny the Bull, Tico the Squirrel, Isa the Iguana...em nome de Jesus Cristo...amen!
Here's our MUCH improved new kitchen! (Well, I need a more current picture because this doesn't have the dishwasher or mini freezer (for our food storage).
Nummi looking so handsome in his church outfit! (this is about 4 months...I think the outfit is for 6-9)
My husband had been doing so much for our family that I wanted to thank him, so one day he came home to this! (bag says "World's Greatest Husband")
He loves persimmon, so I found one, and also passion fruit, and I found some jelly and curd. Yum!
My birthday breakfast!
Nummi exercising and almost rolling over.
He's such a happy baby. LOVE him!
This is how we spend Thanksgiving with the in-laws. In fact, they shot to fatted calf and took a whole afternoon cutting it up and my 5 and 7 year old nephews were putting the pieces into the meat grinder so we could take home ground beef. I think we have enough to last us until next thanksgiving!
Nummi doesn't like to just sit (though he's more likely to do that than my other son at his age). This is him flailing his arms around to try and grab something...anything.
I have to tell you about our ward Christmas party. I was a little late because I was at the Star Consultant Party, but I left that early to come join my family and wow. I have never had such a good time since singles/youth dances. Miami Mormons know how to party! lol Mico was running around with some children in the Primary room (we checked on him every once in a while) and my nanny just loves Nummi so much that she held him while my husband took me out on the dance floor. I was in my AWESOME HOT new peep toe platform wedge high heels and I did not sprain my ankle! I was dancing like a Cuban (well, not really), and it was just such a long time that I've been able to dance like that. They even had a fog machine. In all my years, I have never seen such a ward party.
Ok, funny story. So Mico LOVES Dora, right? Well we were in the waiting room of the Dentist and he points to this and says, "Spooky Forest!" You gotta love assimilation!
I couldn't get one without him picking his nose!
Arriving at Vovo's for Christmas. He loves Vovo and his truck and the animals.
Christmas dinner table in their outdoor kitchen.
The tree.
Christmas Eve.
Mico was introduced to Santa, who came from the "Pole North" and had a pretty heavy Latino accent. :) All the rest of the cousins got it. But Mico was just enchanted with him. When Santa went upstairs to get Vovo, Mico followed him to the bottom of the steps and just had this sad look on his face that he had to leave!
Now Mico has a back pack just like Dora!
Had church in the morning, so came home to take a family photo (the family grows every year!)
Baby's first Christmas
We thought this was an awesome gift for my brother-in-law (dentist-to-be), just something great he could display at his house or put in his future office, idk...
But he was nice enough to let the kids play with it since they thought it was so cool.
After the in-laws, we got on a plane with our TWO sons (I am never flying with them by myself, I could barely handle it with my husband even helping me!) and went to Vegas! Nummi was sooooo good on the plane, even when we had stopovers. People said they'd never seen such a well-behaved baby. I was so proud of my son. And Mico just loved the "aviao." To this day, he asks if we are going on the aviao. He loved the whole airport experience. And he was well-behaved too.
Here's Grandpa!
And Great-grandpa!
And Papai!
From left to right: Brother-in-law, his wife my sister (she's pregnant!), and my other sister.
Great-grandma's gifts to my sons. I LOVE these jackets. They are so stylish and not too heavy for Miami, but just right for when it gets chilly.
The four sisters...j/k (my mom just looks so young)
What a great thing to see friends. If we were going to have a pre-arranged marriage for Nummi, this little girl would be his future wife.
This is how young my mom looks. That's her with my brother-in-law showing her how to do something with the camera I think.
I almost didn't go with my family (jet lag, I was soooo tired) to go ice skating but I'm so glad we did because it was such a great time. We were going to take turns watching Mico, but the skate rental guy was SOOO nice and let Mico skate for free! He loved it!
We flew back in time for J____'s baptism. I had such a fun time putting together his baptism book and recording the dates, thoughts, and feelings, and program, etc. of his special day. And here is the amazing cake my mother-in-law made!
Back home, Nummi started wiggling out of his carseat. We looked over, and he made his way onto the floor!
Just to show you how chunky my baby is...
So I mentioned in my previous post that my Grandpa (mom's side) passed away. I was going to go to that funeral. First of all, I grew up with him and let me tell you, he is a special man. Second, my Grandma is one of my best friends, like a second mother (I felt so at home when I could go to her house when I was attending BYU). So we were sooooo blessed (thank you Southwest!) that my uncle got me and Nummi (like I said, I was only traveling with one, so we drove up to Orlando to drop off Mico at his cousin's where he enjoyed a week running around with them and my husband went back down for school rotations) two seats round trip to SLC. What blessings from the Lord.
The funeral was Monday and I didn't know how long anyone was staying, but I knew that I was staying until Thursday at least because I remember how many things there were to do after my grandma lost her mother. And now she was going to have to do the whole thing over again for her husband. I knew I couldn't do anything with the funeral home, government-related stuff, etc. but if I could even cook meals, wash dishes, write some thank-you notes, address envelopes, and just keep her company, I knew her spirits would be lifted. And I'm so glad I did because it was like everyone came and as soon as the funeral was over, they left. If it was me, that would have been the most depressing thing and I would have felt so empty. My mom stayed too and we all had such a good time while it lasted. And they just adored Nummi, saying once again, he was the most well-behaved baby.
It was brought to my remembrance, that in his baby blessing, Nummi was told he would bring joy to the lives of others. In only five months of his life, this was the second instance I saw that fulfilled. It was such a good thing for my grandma to have him around. He brought smiles in ways that countered the sad situation. It was "Baby Therapy" for us!
On Wednesday, we were running errands and my poor mother was driving us around and got pulled over for having tinted windows too dark. As if she needed that right then. When the policeman walked back to his car, we talked about letting him know that her dad passed away, and I calmly suggested her what to say, and she was just in tears. My heart went out to her and my grandma because it was a week ago to the day that he had passed. The policeman asked if we happened to have proof of the funeral and since I put everything in my awesome purse, I found my program and he let her go with a warning. I tell you this not to embarrass anyone, but for journal purposes because this is something that we went through together and we had so many experiences I never want to forget.
People said it was the most beautiful funeral they ever saw (and some of these people have been to many!) I, personally, had one of the most reflective and relaxing times of my life. I learned so much and was so inspired by it all to go home and change what I needed to in my life. Though I missed my family terribly, and I still do.
What an amazing idea, to have a drawer in the casket, where you can leave a parting message to the deceased.
If you don't mind, I'd like to share mine:Dearest Grandpa,
My first memory of you is thinking you looked like Santa Claus. As your oldest grandchild, I felt like I got to spend many years with you, and remember developing a close, spiritual bond with you. You used to always talk about the gospel, in every conversation you had with me. Something you said over and over again was that you couldn't wait to pass on to the other side of the veil to be greeted by your father, and many other friends and family members. I don't know why, but that always touched my heart and made me think of the bigger picture. You talked to my spirit when you spoke of spiritual things beyond the veil. Now, you are there and I am sure it was even more wonderful than you expected. Grandpa, you were the most righteous man I have ever known. You were always patient, kind, caring, and most of all, loving. Your actions were always full of service. I never saw you do one thing for yourself. I just want to take this time to thank you for raising such a wonderful woman to be my mother. Everything you did for her, the values you taught her, the lady she became because you treated her like one, and for making her go to BYU-she has been able to be an example for so many people because you were an example for her. I'm not sure how much people who pass on see what the people they left do on the earth, and I would like to say sorry for my mistakes you will see, but I am trying, and hope to become as great of a person as you on the inside because you were at peace. I love you so much and look forward to seeing you again in the next life. It will be a great reunion.
Love,
Melody
My grandma is the best. Though she had a lot to do, she let me take the time to get a much-needed haircut. I need some slammin' hair. This is what is looks like now (un-styled)
So...back in Miami, here are some more pictures. This is Mico, and he fell asleep in the car because he refused to take his nap at home. We found him like this:
This pajama party was another turning point in my business. It gave me to motivation to go and do it!
Again, such a happy baby!
We went for playgroup to a fire station and Mico was so excited by the camiao de fogo. And the outro camiao de fogo!
Story. Ok, so we all gather outside far away from the hose and they proceed to show us and the kids how far the hose shoots. And all the kids were like, awesome! And I see my son make his way to the front of the crowd. I got it on video but I can't figure how to upload it from my phone. But I see him go to the front and then the hose is turned off. Well he is a curious, independent, confident, audacious, precocious, go-getter! Because he breaks off from the crowd and goes up to the fireman, and you can just put words in his mouth as you watch him.
"Hey, that was pretty cool! The water!"
"Yeah? You liked that?"
"Yeah." (pointing) "Can you show me how to do it?"
"Sure!" (takes him over and lets him pull back the lever, and thus the following picture)
Yep, I was a proud mom that day.
Mico sometimes takes two showers a day...
I thought I'd put in my Mary Kay "before and after," but I thought it would be interesting to do an after, and then before!
Makeup makes a difference! As someone once said, she went to Publix and most women were not wearing makeup! And in her words, "It wasn't pretty!"Love my boys!
I decided to make this with playdough and see if Mico could recognize it, and he did! Boots the Monkey!
Here is a Valentines basket I made for a BNI member who needed to bring something to an auction.
My sister-in-law gave us a tea set and I remembered those times when you were a little girl and you had tea parties and played with makeup! Well, I decided to throw a "Big Girls" Night In Tea Party (no kids!) and it was so fun! Only two out of the eight girls I invited showed up but we had a blast.
And finally, this past weekend was Auri Hatheway's National Debut and it was huge. I got to see some great Nationals, including Gloria Mayfield Banks and she is AWESOME! They had a fleet of cars earned showcased for you to see and I just fell in love with this license plate.
I have been so tired lately and my sons are sick, so I'm going to bed! Good night!
