Valentino is 1

Happy Birthday baby boy!

In a little gazebo in Maine...

8 years ago today, I married the love of my life. We dated for 2 years. We were best friends. We still are best friends. We can talk all day long about nothing and anything. Who needs a big fancy wedding anyways? They're overrated. A lot of money and stress for a uniting that can be done just well all by yourselves. Ok, I admit it- I'm a hater! I may not have gotten the wedding of my dreams, but I sure got the man of my dreams! I still find it hard to believe that we've been together for 10 years, but I feel as though we know each other so well and we compliment each other. We have brought 3 amazingly precious and healthy children into this world together. They will always have us and we will always have them. Thank you for my babies. Thank you for being you, for the wonderful man that you are and your dedication to our family. It was on this day that I vowed to love, honor, cherish and respect you for all the days of my life and I stand by that today and always. I love you my love. Happy Anniversary! xoxo.

11 months

Ok, so I just realized that I'm a little late. He'll be 1 on the 23rd. Anyways heres a pic of him doing what he does best: eating and being cute! He took a couple of steps this morning! My boy is going to be walking soon. Aw, he's getting so big.

Livin the good life

This is what most of Mariano's days are like. Either playing this game that he got for his birthday or playing on the computer. Just look at him lounging. Man, if only I could be a kid again. They have really got it made. So care free.

mocos, mocos and more mocos

Both of the boys have had runny noses for a few days now, but feeling fine for the most part. Well lo and behold Monday morning rolls around and it's time for school. So Mariano comes into my room at around 5am and throws up all over the place. I rush him to the toilet, but by then it's pretty much done. I clean him up and lay him back down. I get my room cleaned and get V out of the crib and bring him downstairs, by this time I need coffee. So I get my pot of coffee started and then I feed Valentino a bottle (yes, I'm starting to wean him). After he eats he is ready for his "just woke up" nap. So I take him back to his crib and he ventures off to sleep. Meanwhile I am downstairs making Mya's lunch for school and I hear Mariano coming down the stairs. He gets to the bottom of the stairs and starts throwing up, so again I rush him to the toilet and he manages to get most of it in there. I start cleaning up again and realize that I still need to wake Mya up so I head upstairs. On my way down I hear Valentino stirring, but I want to get Mya's breakfast ready before I get him. I come downstairs check on Mariano (he's laying on the couch now) and make Mya something for breakfast real quick. Run upstairs to get Valentino now and when I open the door all I can smell is poop. I reach in to get him and realize that he has taken off his diaper and there is poop everywhere. Uggghhh! So I get him out, strip his crib, and take him straight to the bath. Get him all cleaned up and dressed, come downstairs, throw the laundry in and decide to call my neighbor friend Darcy to see if she will take Mya to school for me (her son goes to the same school). Luckily she obliges and I become a little less stressed. She even came over and brought me a cup of coffee :) I finish getting Mya ready and off she goes and Mariano throws up all over the couch. After I clean it up I decide to make him an appointment. They can see him at 9. I get all of us ready and head out. Get to the Drs office and Mariano starts acting fine. FINE? What? Yes fine. So we see the doctor she checks him out and says that nothing appears to be wrong. She looks in his ears, mouth etc. So I'm cool with that. We head out and I decide to stop by the commissary because we desperately needed milk and since Mariano appeared to be doing better I thought I might as well do it while we were already out. Now get ready for the best part of the day. I'm unbuckling the boys and our conversation goes like this:

Mariano: Mommy, I love you
Me: I love you too honey
Mariano: because you always take care of me
Me: Awww, that is a mommy's job sweetheart...to love you, protect you
and to take care of you
Mariano: and you always keep me from getting runned over
Me: lol
Mariano: can we get some chocolate milk from 'tarbucks now?
Me: naaa

Then I knew that my boy was feeling better.