Entering and Leaving this World

Here is a picture of Sofia after her first time strawberry picking today. She literally ate like 20 strawberries! We will be doing lots of berry picking this summer if anyone is interested in joining me (Chris can only handle so much of it). Also, I am finally posting an ultrasound picture.. not that they are super exciting to other people, but I think he is cute for still being at that alien stage :).

So, I have been thinking that last couple of days about two big stories in the news that are different but also very related. The first one is about the 60 year old woman who had a baby!! Whoa mama!! I can not imagine having a baby at 60 years old!! What do people think about trying so hard to have a baby at that age? I think it is crazy that science has advanced so that a woman a couple of years older than my mom could still have a baby.

The next story in the news is the release of Dr. Kevorkian from prison and the whole assisted suicide issue. What do people think about assisted suicide? First I have to say that I cannot even begin to understand what it would feel like to see a family member suffering or to myself be so close to dying and tired of hanging on. With that said, I on the other hand wonder if science can go too far in trying to play God sometimes. I know that science can bring technology that blesses lives ... but when have things gone far? Can we as human beings really try to control "nature" this much? When do we stop and have faith that there is a higher plan for us?? I am throwing this out, because it is a confusing topic. Obviously science is essential in helping and even saving lives... but I guess I start wondering if things are going too far. I really am intersted in hearing what people think!!

It's a.....

Hello everyone,
I am sorry that I am just now writing. We just got back into town after a weekend with both sets of grandparents. So.. I am writing to let everyone know that It's a boy!!! I would post pictures of the ultrasound, but we left them at my parent's house. Chris and I both had boy dreams, and so far my dreams are coming true (no pun intended). We are very excited. With Sofia's personality, it just makes sense that she will have a little brother to boss around. Everything else seemed to look great in the ultrasound, which was a relief. Chris and I feel so blessed to have a funny little Sofia and another one on the way. It will be interesting to see what adding another one does to the mix.
I am also adding a few new Sofia pictures. The flower pictures posted are of a field we stopped at to let Sofia run around on the way home today, and the other one is Sofia and her friend Emmaline showing eachother their bellybuttons!

This is My Confession (Pet Peeves)

So I have a confession to make. Many may see me as a nice enough person with a kind heart.. but there is a darker side to me you may not know about. Here it goes... I do not really like domestic animals that much. Whale watching... I love. Looking at Bald Eagles.. amazing. Having a nasty cat come up and rub its' butt on me... nasty. I think that a lot of people who are major pet lovers may think I am cruel, but I just don't invision myself doing the pet thing. I have been thinking about this and how it will play in with having kids. I had pets growing up.. but those poor pets ended up being neglected after they left the cute baby stage. For those of you who I am friends with who have pets.. don't be paranoid. I really don't mind going to people's houses who have animals...in fact, I can even admire their sweetness from time to time (especially dogs).. I just don't have what it takes to commit to taking care of another creature right now besides the human creatures that dwell in my house. It also kind of bugs me when people treat their pets like they are royalty. It cracks me up when someone asks me about how Sofia is doing and then they tell me about how that is just what their dog is doing too.

Pet lovers.. please defend yourselves. I know that even though I may not want pets any time soon, I need to relax and help my kids to feel comfortable around animals. Any suggestions? Am I the only person around her who isn't ga ga for pets?? Don't worry everyone.. this isn't a subject I stay up losing sleep over.. I just randomly thought of it.

Livin la vida loca

Hello Everyone,
Please get on me to write more posts. I just get busy during the week and it seems like the weekend is the only time I get around to writing. The last couple of weeks I have been feeling really yucky with a cold. Yesterday it was so nice, because Chris was able to take Sofia to Portland to run some errands while I just spent time trying to get better here. By the way everyone, I have my ultrasound on Friday.. so I can't wait to see my little caterpillar and make sure everything is going well.
Life feels so busy right now, so I can't wait for summer vacation to start in 4 weeks. Even though I would like to think that summer will be relaxing, we are already swamped. I will go a few days after school is out to Klamath Falls with Sofia while Chris' dad comes up to help put hardwood floors in downstairs. Then all of my family will be coming in town for my sister's wedding at the end of June.. so it will be fun but crazy getting Sofia with her 10 cousins on my side. I will then leave Chris and go up to Seattle for a good friends wedding, and come back with 1 day to get ready for our trip to Honduras. Yes, we are going to Honduras this summer. It will be so so fun. Most of Chris' family from the states on his dad's side will be going down as well. We will be hanging out on the beach for 10 days, and that is all we plan on doing. I can't wait to run around and explore with Sofia in a new place (as much running around as a 6 month pregnant woman will want to do). It has been 4 years since we lived in Honduras, so it will be so so nice to go back.
Sorry that this blog is so random, but welcome to me :). I would now like to talk about cute Sofia things. This little girl's personality is exploding. She loves trying to make jokes with us. She also is learning so much. Usually when we read with her, she can say the words of things that she recognizes (dogs, cats, agua, cars, big bird, ball, etc.. ), but now she is starting to make more connections. Chris was wearing a shirt with a car on it today, and she said "Vroooom" when she noticed. He also was wearing an Oregon duck sweatshirt later today, and she saw the duck and did the sign for bird and said "bir." It is so amazing to watch their little minds work. It is so amazing to see things throught the eyes of a child. Anyways, that is life in these parts right now. More updates to come after my ultrasound on Friday!! Peace out y'all.

Happy Mother's Day

Today was a great mother's day. I woke up to breakfeast in bed made by Chris and my father-in-law. Chris surprised me with this glider/recliner that I have been wishing for but knowing we probably wouldn't get it from the Toy Factory. It is the most comfortable chair, and I can't wait to rock baby numero dos in it. I would say that I can't wait to rock Sofia in it, but the chance of her letting me rock her for a long period of time is very slim. I am in an extra sappy mood today as well as we just celebrated our 5 year anniversary last week. I know for the old timers, 5 years is nothing.. but it feels good to be married 5 years and happy and loving Chris more than ever. We are realizing after 5 years how important it is to keep the love alive, so we are now starting weekly little dates while my sweet cousin Debra watches Sofia. Maybe I am being caught on an extra good day, but I have no complaints at all today. Life is good!

Anyone need computer help?

If anyone needs computer help, apparently I am the woman to come to. Not really, in fact, I would say that I am barely average with my computer skills, but it is all relevant. It seems like in the last week, I have gotten about 3 night time calls from the Mexican moms in my little program asking for help with some simple skill. Mind you, I am teaching these women how to use a mouse, type, and I they think that email is a modern miracle (which it actually really is). Chris thinks that it is very funny that people are calling me and asking for computer advice, beause as I mentioned before, I am not exactly an expert. I am very appreciatove for the skills I have to enable me to live successfully in this country.. email, driver's license, the ability to communicate with everyone around me. I am really trying to work with the moms to try to branch out and push themselves with their English and also with other goals like obtaining drivers license etc... I think that sometimes they feel so intimidated (understandibly) by how much they have to learn, and when most of them have only a 5th grade education, I think that they feel even more intimidated. What a great example for these moms to show their kids that they can accomplish things even when they are hard.. which also reminds me.. how good am I at doing this? Sometimes I really feel like I need to work harder at pushing myself to do things that aren't "comfortable," because I so get in the habit of daily life that doing things out of the norm can be very intimidating. I need to not be a hypocrite telling them to push themselves when I often times want to just be in a place where things aren't too hard. Anyways, that is my random thought for the day.

The beginning of the end

I am a wierdo (in case anyone didn't already know that). Sofia is officially weaned, and it is killing me(I am not just talking about the engorged boobs). I was so completely ready to wean her as my body was on overload producing a new baby and milk for Sofia. I thought that the process would be easy for me but hard for her, but I was wrong. I miss the closeness from nursing. Sofia has never been very snuggly, so nursing was the one time I had her to myself to bond and snuggle with her. This may be a little dramatic, but this whole process has made me start thinking about how hard it is to let go as a parent. I am having a sad enough time with weaning... I can't even think about sending them to college or even kindergarten. Anyways.. this is my random thought for the day. I also realized today that I am too busy right now, and I really miss Sofia. Today she was at the babysitters essentially all day with an hour break in between visiting her and then an hour after work I left her with Chris to go to a church activity I had committed to. It is interesting trying to find a balance. It is refreshing to work a tiny bit and feel exicted and ready to spend time with her, but I also feel so sad when a day goes by and I only spent 2 hours with her. This is something I definitely don't want to get into the habit of doing. I really like bothof my jobs a lot, but no job is better than spending time with my family. Whoo hoo summer is just 6 weeks away and then the real parties start!!