I know its been quite a while. Not sure if anyone missed us. With my first trimester behind me, I have been spending a lot of time trying to catch up on the housework and chores that have been neglected lately. I plan on taking another hiatus from the computer starting Wednesday of next week and I won't be back until after Easter. So, I wanted to update and what's been going on around here.
Christmas was great. We spent Christmas Eve at my maternal Grandmothers with my side of the family. We had a delicious meal of pozole and tamales. Christmas morning we got up and went to Mass at The Mission, then went to my dad's for the early afternoon. We came home and all crashed for a family nap. Unfortunately, we do not have many photos. We were too busy enjoying our time. Plus, we didn't do any family gifts on Christmas. Both Paul and myself gave in and gave our presents over a week early. I bought him a rain coat he can use when he is filming in the rain, along with some fleece pajama bottoms. And I got an awesome HP laptop! We figure Clare was still to little to get the whole Christmas thing and we haven't decided on what traditions we are going to be celebrating so we just skipped buying her a present (read on... we make up for it). So we didn't have a Christmas morning at the tree. I will share the few photos we do have.
Paul went to the Rose Bowl with his father. Second year in a row, by the way.
The second week in January we took a mini-vacation to Big Bear Mountain. It was Clare's first time in the snow. Sadly, we forgot our camera so we didn't get the best photos. But I got two from my camera phone and a cute video of Clare and Paul sledding. I did try sledding but it was a little bouncy so I didn't want to do it again. I got a couple cute shots of her checking out the snow in her snow suit. She was really cute, she hated being inside the room in the lodge and wanted to be outside the whole time!
Clare is getting so stinkin' big! I can't believe it. She is no longer my baby but my big walking, running, toddler. She helps me all around the house and wants to do everything on her own. Her vocabulary is growing. She can now say baby, uh ooh, & mama (in addition to the words she was saying at Christmas time). She loves stuffed animals and loves to cuddle with them and take the small ones with her everywhere. Funny thing is that I don't care much for them. They are mere dust collectors. But hey, they make her happy and that makes me happy. I love watching her cuddle and kiss the animals. She is such a lover girl. She sees my belly and says "baby" and puts her lips out to kiss it! She loves other children also and wants to give them all love! I know she is just going to be a loving big sister. I can't wait! Here she is helping me rake the leaves in the front yard.
As I said, we made up for Christmas. I had been eying the Radio Flyer walker wagon for a while now... and I fell in love when Clare and I went to visit our friends in Washington (who happen to have one). So one Saturday afternoon we got in the car and drove down to Escondido to my
favorite store. I am hooked to that store and we buy every gift for children there. They have a wonderful collection of wooden and classic toys. Just my style. They also carry organic baby and children's clothes, soft shoes, cloth diapers & accessories, baby slings, and so much other awesome stuff! Ok, commercial over. Clare loves her walker wagon. She plays with it more than her other walking toys. She loves to sit in it-even when playing by herself and loves to put her toys and stuffed animals in it and push them around. We took it with us one day when we went to mass so she could play with it afterwards. She and another boy from church had a good time. I blocked out his face because I did not get permission from his mother to post his photo on the internet.
And now there is me. I am currently about 14 weeks pregnant. Now that I am in the second trimester, I have a lot more energy to keep up on my wifely and motherly duties. The house is slowly starting to come together... although all it takes is a blink and Clare destroys or annihilates something. :o) She certainly is keeping me busy. I am being confirmed this Easter and that is exciting for me. I am attending RCIA with other converts to the Faith. So, my Lenten preparation for Easter I will be taking a hiatus from the computer and will be trying to immerse myself in prayer, spiritual reading, and my vocation. I hope to return with a new attitude on life and my Faith.
That's pretty much it for now... Paul's going to Las Vegas this weekend with work so Clare and I will spend the next 5 days or so trying to keep busy. I think a trip to the Wild Animal Park is in order!
Labels: clare, Family Life, holiday, paul, pictures, rachael, The Three Of Us, Thoughts, video
I look forward to next year. We'll be doing some more traditional All Hallow's Eve/All Saints Traditions and celebrations.
