Warmest Holiday Wishes

I was so blessed to be surrounded with loved family during Christmas. It was beyond special. More photos and their stories soon....

Few Things Better

When I was pregnant with Natalya, Matthew's day care provider said one of the greatest joys of being a parent of two children is witnessing the love they have for each other. I was touched by the sincerity of her words, feeling their truth, believing with certainty. Now I know from experience that there are few things better.

Pour it all in

Carlos: How much bubble bath did you use?

Me: The rest of the bottle.

Carlos: Why?

Me: Look at them smiling.

Carlos: {unconvinced expression}

Me: Sometimes you gotta pour it all in.

Did this happen a month ago? Really?

This year for Halloween I had Ben 10 (a cartoon network character) and Wondergirl. Matthew just loves Halloween. We decorated the house at the beginning of October and counted down to the day. Talya wasn't happy unless she had her foot inside the plastic pumpkin and once we took pictures of her in her costume she started tugging at it, saying, "All done." It goes without saying that she wasn't nearly as enthusiastic.

My 2nd Birthday, by Talya

My second birthday. I love anything that starts with "my" but an entire day in my honor really takes the cake. I even had a pin that said "Birthday Princess." And a princess I was. My Great Grandma Sam, Gramma Mo, and Auntie Jenni were there, along with my mommy, dad, and brother of course.

First, I opened my presents. There were so many; it was a bit overwhelming. I hardly knew where to look or what to grab.

I got a book that was so cool I stopped unwrapping to read it. I showed everyone all the cool pictures and let them hear all the words I know. And I know a lot of words. I'm two now... remember!?!

Daddy and Matthew started helping me open presents. I guess they wanted to speed things up. I didn't care because I was checking out my new sneakers. I am a shoe girl after all. (hint, hint, Santa. size 6)

The cards I got were just as interesting as the presents. They are like mini books. Even my brother Matthew gave me a card that he signed himself. He wrote, "I love sister," too.

Soon I was covered in presents. Fabulous things that everyone put so much thought into.

Lastly, they sang me Happy Birthday and we had cake. And boy was it yummy. I got quite a sugar high because my mommy doesn't let me have many sweets. Don't tell, but my brother and I kept putting our fingers in the frosting when we thought no one was looking. :)

And when all of the festivities were over, I sat in that same chair for over an hour checking out all of my cool stuff. Thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate my 2nd birthday. By the looks of my smile, you can see it was perfect.

high entertainment value

As her Nana says, Talya has high entertainment value. :)

introducing...

our newest addition to the Delafuente family - Buddy.

He is 4 month old, pure-bred, yellow lab and is ginormous. He weighs in at over 70 pounds and still has plenty of skin to grow in to.

I had been looking for another dog at the Humane Society for almost a year now, but never settled on anything. However, fate interceded. Buddy's original owner bought the dog for their three young boys and quickly found out that for one, the boys were not interested in taking care of a puppy, and two, that he was going to be a large dog by the time he reached adulthood. So, they gave the pup to our neighbor. Unfortunately for Buddy, our neighbor has an older, female dog who was not interested in having a playmate. Especially not a rambunctious puppy. Last Sunday, as Carlos and Matthew were walking home from the barber shop, the neighbor asked Carlos if we were interested in getting a second dog, he came home with them, and everyone fell in love at first sight.

Buddy has a great personality and instantly fit right in. He is exuberant, but at the same time is very cuddly and loving. He follows me around the house and lays down where ever I am, keeping me company. He is gentle with the kids and Max loves having someone to romp around with. Honestly, I couldn't have designed a dog that would gel with our family as well.

The Oregon Humane Society has a campaign running called End Petlessness that I absolutely adore. The campaign focuses on the positive impact that pets have on their owners. I don't think anyone can deny that having an animal puts a smile on your face on a daily basis. So lets all do our part to end petlessness.

health and heart.

I have had the most unpleasant cold for the past week so I haven't been taking many pictures. My days are filled with hot tea, Airbourne, spending all day in my pj's, and rest, rest, resting. Thankfully, I have an awesome man. Carlos has been taking care of the kids, cooking, and generally picking up my slack while I try to recover.

So since I don't have any new photos of my babies, I thought I'd share a heart-shaped leaf that I found at my mom's house during my most recent visit.

Send me get well mojo.

laurelhurst park

a few weekends ago we went to laurelhurst park. it is a ginormous, and beautiful park. really, we couldn't get over how big is it. despite the flurry of activity going on in all the park's nooks and crannies, the sense of calm was undeniable. we spent four hours there, playing on the play structures, feeding the ducks, watching a juggling class. as you can see from the photo, matthew accidentally kicked his shoes into the pond. we had to wait for it to float downstream before i could grab it out. i've washed that shoe twice already and still every time he wears it his feet smell like pond scum at the end of the day. (yuck!)

i find that it is so easy to fall into routine in life. the same parks. same restaurants. same everything. i have to admit that there is still so much of portland that we haven't explored. yet when we do try new places, break through habit and routine, it is so rewarding. so here's to uncharted territory and new adventures.

sissy. a list.

Talya:

1. Loves trying new words. She mimics everything Carlos, Matthew, or I say. Sometimes it is understandable. Other times, not so much. But I love that she tries.
2. Is a great dancer. She hears a beat and immediately goes to the living room to do her bob-and-turn dancing. It's adorable.
3. Cries every night before bed. Its the way she winds down. I would be worried if she fell asleep any other way.
4. Has just started wearing 2T clothing. I call her my "2T guppy."
5. Has a starfish shaped belly button. She loves grabbing peoples fingers and rubbing them on her starfish.
6. Is very independent and doesn't like toys. She would much rather putter around the house, investigating and playing with household things like paperwork, jewelry, and toothbrushes.
7. Randomly sings the "Bob, the Builder" theme song. Her favorite part is "yes we can."
8. Does not like people who violate her personal space. Matthew is the biggest culprit. She responds with violence.
9. Is a really happy girl. I am so lucky that both of my kids are the happy kind. Natalya has high entertainment value.
10. Loves telling Matthew to watch out. She says it so clearly. And then laughs.

celebrate summer's last days

By the end of summer we know the ice cream man on a first name basis. John. He comes by our house at 3:20. or so. Yesterday, John told Matthew that he wouldn't be coming around as much because summer is almost over. I didn't think Matthew understood what he was saying. That is until he plopped down on the grass (that brown stuff in the photos) and said, "Well I'm really going to enjoy this snow cone then."

kindergarden. a beginning.

I can hardly believe that my boy started kindergarden last Friday. The thirteen year adventure that is primary education. We were all so excited and prepared that not a single tear was shed. His first day went so smoothly and better-than-expected, that he was asking when he got to go back the entire weekend.

Since we live 3/4 of a block away (how cool is that!?! It's super easy and quick- plus, I always wanted to live right by school.) Matthew rides his bike while I walk Talya in the stroller. His teacher is named Mrs. Brewer and the class has 24 students. Harrison Park School. He goes from 8:40am to 3:00pm.

My little guy!

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In other news, Carlos started his externship this Monday that will last six weeks. He is at a Legacy Hospital clinic on the Good Samaritan campus in downtown Portland. Because he is externing for such a large hospital system, he should gain useful experience and have a lot of potential for hire once the externship is complete. I cannot believe how fast his schooling flew by. We are all so proud of him for finishing with a 4.0 gpa.

Also, I intend to return to posting here more regularly. This summer was crazy fun and busy but I am embracing the added structure from having Matthew is school all day and Carlos working at his extern. I am still working at the nightclub but will be able to catch up on sleep while Talya is napping during the day, leaving me time to be more than half-awake, to tend to things that I enjoy, like this blog.

Look forward to more photos and stories of our summer and beyond. This is an exciting time for my family!

supermodel

Every parent thinks their child is the most beautiful. Myself included. But no person in their right mind would argue that the kid in this photo is anything less than striking. And yes, just like every parent, I brag shamelessly. :)

the Teaching Voice

I was prepared to write an eloquent ;) story about how Matthew used his Teaching Voice to instruct Talya on how to ride a trike. However, Matthew just informed me that I better "change Sissy's butt before she stinks up the whole dang house" and I suppose that takes precedence over blogging. So instead I'll keep this brief.....

I have the best, cutest, most talented kids in the entire universe and I am grateful that they love each other! (even when one has a stinky butt!)

ps. Erin- Do you have Photoshop? If so I know of a site to get free actions. I edited these photos in one click... so easy. Just google "Totally Rad Actions"

Matthew's 5th Birthday Party

(click to enlarge)

What a fabulous birthday party! The kids had fun, the parents had fun, even Carlos and I enjoyed ourselves.

This year's party was different in that Matthew invited his friends from school and our neighborhood, rather than having family members and family friends as guests. He took on the role of host without hesitation, showing his buddies around our home and yard. I was thrilled to hear him take such pride in his surroundings and  home-life. And since he was so super-duper excited about the party beforehand, I was surprised that he took so much interest in making sure that his friends had a good time as well. 

My favorite part was the pinata... seeing the kids bashing at it with such passion and determination was hilarious. 

After everyone left, Matthew hugged Carlos and I and said, "that was the best party ever. we should do the same thing next year." Mission accomplished.

Natalya in the Front Yard Garden

Talya's vocabulary now includes "flower" and "tree." She gets really excited at every opportunity to use her latest words.

My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades

Where is that line from? - "my future's so bright, I gotta wear shades." A song? I remember it said many times in my childhood. From my parents and Uncle Conan. Just thinking about it makes me smile. So when Sissy was rockin' her shades, that phrase was the first thing that entered my mind. 

Usually she immediately rips her sunglasses off, but this time Talya embraced them. Actually, I think she felt like a superstar! She be-bopped around eating ice and enjoying the sunshine, looking darling as usual. It is safe to say... her future's so bright, she's gotta wear shades!"

Master Gardener's Plant Sale

click to enlarge

While in Tacoma this past weekend, I went with Momma Mo to the Washington State University Master Gardener's Plant Sale. It was a feast for the eyes with beautiful, locally grown plants sold by the original growers. An entire room was dedicated to tomato plants complete with free educational material and helpful attendants. It was a great way to start the day. I left with two roma tomato plants, one sungold tomato plant, three Tradescantia zebrina, aka "Wandering Jew," and a bunch of gardening know-how that I didn't walk in with. 

Hope this collage (of only a fraction of the plants I saw) inspires you to get outside and create your dream garden. 

(and yes, I totally copied-and-pasted this post from my other blog. Don't judge me.)

So much improvement

Each Monday in preschool, Matthew does a book for a letter in the alphabet. He was so excited to complete "z," knowing that meant he was ever so close to kindergarten. Throughout the alphabet it has been a delight to watch his writing improve. I am so proud of him and know that his confidence will be to his advantage this September, when he starts at Binsmead Elementary.

Practicing in Photoshop

Although I find Photoshop extremely intimidating, the results can be breathtaking. I am obsessed with color tinting. A few more hours of practice (like hundreds) and I'll be able to take my photos to the next level. 

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Max looks so regal. Such a handsome puppy!