End of the Year

I know I have been absent from my blog, as my family so nicely reminded me. As we close the year we always look over the year and make resolutions for the next. I usually don't make resolutions as I don't keep them but this year I am going to try again.

I stumbled across another blog called the Simple Mom. On this blog there is a post called 10 Questions to Encourage Engaged Parenting in 2010. To the other moms, if you have time check this out. I found it quite interesting as a way to reflect on the year past as a parent and to make goals for the next year.

This is what prompted me to make my resolutions again. And hopefully I will stick to them this time. I have had a very stressful year and I have really spent time evaluating what changes I need to make to have a less stressful year in 2010. I will post more on this later and will also update with some wonderful Christmas pictures of the kids.

We Are Still Here

We are still here. We have been very busy and I am finding it hard to keep up with the blog. Since the last time I posted a lot has happened. Mateo had 4 sinus infections and 4 ear infections in one month, he turned one, and he had tubes put in. He is doing much better now, thank goodness. He takes 4 steps and then falls down and seems to be content with that. He is definitely moving at a different pace than Kaden but we know he will walk when he is ready.

At his one year check up Teo weighed 26 pounds 10 ounces and was 31 inches long.

Kaden is doing well. She is growing up so much. She talks no stop. She loves to watch out for her brother. She can count from 1-5 and can sing the first half of her alphabet. Her vocabulary is wonderful. When she talks she switches between English, French, and Spanish. We are very proud of her. We have officially hit the terrible twos. She is very persistent about what she wants and when she doesn't get it watch out. She loves to watch the same Barney video over and over. In the car this week we have had to listen to Pop goes the Weasel and Old MacDonald has a Farm over and over and over again.

So I dont know what happened with the pictures. But I'm not going to try and add them again.

Play time

Kaden and Teo playing together.

Kaden Update

Kaden has been very busy recently. She is taking swimming lessons on Saturdays in addition to gymnastics. She loves to jump, with a little help, into the pool and even swims up and I meet her half way. She is talking up a storm. We have worked on potty training just a little but whenever we get a free weekend we are going to do a crash course on it. She loves her brother and is always talking to him, trying to feed him, and sharing with him. At her 19 month check up, which was really done when she was 20 months, she weighed 31.1 pounds and was 33.5 inches long. Now Kaden seems to be a little girl now, time is flying by.

Mateo Update

Mateo is now 9.5 months old and doing well. At his 9 month check up he weight 21.2 pounds and was 28.5 inches long. He is still trying to walk, has 2 teeth, said his first word Papa! Mateo can go under water in the swimming pool and he loves his sister. In the mornings they talk to each other. It is so cute.

First Hair Cuts

Waiting to get his hair cut. You can see how excited Mateo was.
Kaden playing while waiting to get her hair cut.

Mateo did very well. I was impressed as was the hair dresser.

Getting his hair styled.

First Hair Cut!

Kaden in the chair watching Elmo.

Getting her hair cut. Kaden's hair was different lengths. We had her hair cut to be the same length now so it will grow nicely.

Finished!

We took the kids to Cartoon cuts to get their hair cut. They did much better than I could imagine. They both cried once but that was it. This place was just for kids. We got a certificate and locks of their hair as well.

Yard Work

My new orchid.
We added hanging baskets to the back.

I re-potted this plant.

I re-potted this plant.

I made some flower boxes.

I re-potted this plant.

Kaden raking the yard.

We have been working in the back yard recently. I have been re-potting all of my plants and have added some new ones as well.

Trip to the Zoo

Getting ready to go see the animals.

Kaden getting to see an Elephant!

On the carousel.

The tigers!

Kaden loves animals. So we went to the zoo to see the animals we read about. She had a great time and did all of us. The only thing it was sooooooooooo hot. We will go back in November or December when it is not as hot so we can see the animals we missed.

Kaden Update

Helping Papa with the grill.

Kaden has grown so much recently. She is talking like crazy. She loves to listen to music and dance. She has 4 more teeth coming in. She has given her brother the nickname, Teo. She calls him all the time, it is so cute.

Mateo Update

Mateo is in need of a hair cut. This is one day after he woke up from his nap.

Mateo's first boo boo. Mateo was trying to stand up and hit his head on the dresser. Good thing he is a tough guy.

Mateo is doing well. He finally has 2 teeth coming in on the bottom. He can pull himself to standing. He can crawl but usually doesn't. He prefers to be standing. He is talking a lot. He and Kaden love to play together now. It is so cute to watch them laughing together.

Pool time and Cousin time

Kaden with her cousin Victor
Cousin Marc

Victor and Mateo

Kaden in the baby pool. She loves the water!

Kaden on the go.

Mateo in the baby pool. He was able to walk around the pool with the float.

Mateo and Gilbert