Living in Slow Motion

Everyone keeps asking who Miriam looks like. I didn't really know at first, but she is really starting to look like Sofia did as a baby.

Isn't that the sweetest little smile, with just a hint of mischief?

Sofia is our sweet little poser.

Don't mind the poochy postpartum belly. I keep reminding myself that it will only get better :).

Miriam is waking up to the world. We were hoping to get some cute sleeping shots of her today, but she was in the mood for a party.



I took these cute pictures of Chris and Miriam. Not too shabby, eh??

Gabe doing what he loves doing most right now.

Everyone always says that your kids grow up so fast, but I am definitely feeling like I am living in slow motion right now (which I for the most part am loving). You would think that I would have the newborn thing down with 3 kids, but each kid is so different. Miriam is so sweet. She is pretty chill for the most part, but when she does cry, she is pretty ticked off. I keep meaning to post on different topics and to do some book reviews, but let's face it... I live and breathe kids and a newborn all day right now. We are laying low in the Becerra household, but we like visitors :)!

The Birth Story---Miriam Sol Becerra

I thought that I would post a few thoughts/details about Miriam's birth while they are still fresh in my mind (although my mind is not very fresh with about 8 hours of sleep since Tuesday morning). Wowsa are they still fresh in my mind :). I am the worst person in the world about knowing when I am going into labor. My labor's start so gradually that I spend a large portion of time not knowing/denying that I am in labor. Not hard to do when I was having contractions 20 minutes apart for 2 days before hard labor started. Tuesday night around dinner time, I think Chris and I started realizing that this may be the real thing with contractions becoming a lot more painful. When I laid down to sleep at 9:00, I soon knew that there was no way that I would be sleeping that night.
When I am in labor, I am obsessed with being in the water. I got into the bath tub at around midnight and stayed for a few hours before we headed off to the hospital around 3:00 a.m. We went to the hospital a little earlier this time than we usually do. Upon arrival to the hospital, I immediately got into the water and stayed for another 4 hours. I think that I am pretty calm for the most part in labor, but I have to say that the couple of hours before I had Miriam were very intense and extremely unpleasant. Around 8:15, I felt the urge to push a little, but when they checked me, they told me I was only at an 8. I think that I psychologically made up my mind that this baby was coming, and at a 9,I started pushing. Pushing was insane. I pushed this baby out in 12 minutes!! Chris said that one second he saw the top of her head, and the next second, she was totally coming out. Like I said, I wanted the baby out :). When Miriam came out, is was so awesome to find out that she was a girl like I had suspected. It is so amazing how one minute I was in the depth of despair freaking out, and the next...I am holding my beautiful baby.
What a rush, and to share this whole experience with my husband was awesome. I can not imagine a better coach/partner in labor than Chris. He is pretty much a stud. He is so attentive during labor, putting chapstick on me or anything else that he thinks may distract me from the pain. Seriously....I am never more in love with my husband than when we go through this experience together (although at this point... I don't really see myself doing it again :). The nurses kept commenting on what a good team we are and I feel pretty blessed to have a great husband to share this experience with. I know that there are a million more details that I could share, but I am exhausted. Life is great. I adore this baby. The kids adore this baby. This recovery is going well.... although a bit harder than my last. Let's see if we can get some sleep tonight.

Cute kids, chore charts, and other business :)

*4 more days until my due date. Lots of contractions happening, so we will see when this little Becerra baby plans to come. Hopefully not right this second, I would love a good night's rest.
*I love how peaceful my life is right now. My plan of eliminating stuff from our lives has worked like a charm. I have so enjoyed the last few weeks enjoying my kiddos without major agendas.
*It's amazing how much better my kids behave when I am fully present with them (my brain has been in the clouds lately). Sounds like common sense, but I am a slow learner sometimes.
*Even though I in theory am not really fond of behavior charts, I thought I would give it a try out of desperation. After a couple of days, it was clear that the kiddo that I was hoping would love the idea... wasn't motivated at all by it, and the kid who didn't really need it as much was eating it up. Hmm.... on to my next plan to see what motivates this little man of mine.
*Aren't these kiddos cute? I have been pooped and impatient lately, but I would not trade my time with them for anything.

Christmas 2010

We had a great Christmas this year. It was actually the first year in the almost 7 years that we have lived here that we were actually in Corvallis on Christmas. Lots of family came to hang out with us, and here a just a few of the pics (I am not even going to try to get totally caught up).


Sofia wanted to wear her fancy Christmas dress for dinner. We had a family talent show that night, and Sofia insisted that Chris paint her face for his talent :). She thinks that her daddy is the most talented at everything that he does.

Here's Gabe snitching some pumpkin/ginger trifle. I think he had eaten probably 3 servings before we caught him :).

My nephew Devin jamming for his talent.

Sofia immediately went to play with new art supplies in the play room.

This picture cracks me up. Gabe was pretty confused about why Santa Claus would include an orange in his stocking.

Gabe playing with his new horses. Gabe literally played all day.. only taking breaks to sneak treats :).
I love Christmas and New Years. As our family takes time to reflect on the Jesus' birth, it always gives me a renewed desire and energy to be more like him. Too bad nesting and hormones have gotten in my way a little of being the loving wife/friend/mama that I want to be :).