Christian is one funny kiddo! Lately, he's taken to spinning around the room. The noises he makes and the eye movement are HILARIOUS! I honestly have no idea what we did for entertainment before Christian came along!
Enjoy!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Yes, it's hot here!
"Man it’s hot. It’s like Africa hot. Tarzan couldn't take this kind of
hot." - Matthew Broderick in Biloxi Blues
Living in the Phoenix area gives a new meaning to the phrase, "the dog days of summer." As I sit here typing this blog entry, it is 111 degrees outside.And 111 degrees is HOT. Though, happily, the humidity is only at 18% right now. The other day, it was well-over 100 degrees, and 49% humidity. Yuck!
The other night, when the news came on at 10:00pm, it was 104 degrees. As the night progresses, the temps drop into the mid-to-high 80s. But, as soon as that sun comes over the mountain in the morning, it gets hot immediately. During the intense heat of the day, the air is so hot that when the sun touches the skin, there is a burning sensation. It's crazy!
Jonathan and I discussed we've gone from one extreme temperature to another since we moved. In Santa Fe, the winters were frigid ... single degree temps in the early morning hours when Jonathan walked Bella. Summers here are well-over 100 degrees. And that is 100 DEGREE DIFFERENCE.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
"... for Generation X, a Really Bad Day"
From an article on Fox News: Two Lost Icons: For Generation X, A Really Bad Day
But the sudden death of Michael Jackson ... WOW! When "Thriller" came out, I became a pre-teen obsessed with Michael Jackson. I was definitely of the "MTV Generation," and stayed glued to the TV to see his videos. Thriller was a special treat when it came on TV, and I'd get up and sing and dance (I mean really ... who didn't?).
I would take pictures of Michael Jackson when he was on the TV. I'd tear out pictures from magazines and put them on my wall. I'd put my tape recorder up to the TV and the radio when his songs came on (I don't know why I didn't just ask my mom to buy the cassette tape ... or maybe I did and she declined ... who knows).
I used to brag that I could just sense when a Michael Jackson song was on the radio. Well, sure ... that is because some radio station SOMEWHERE was always playing a Michael Jackson song.
One year, Santa even gave me silver socks for Christmas! :)
Over the years, his looks changed (why didn't he just stick with the face on the Thriller album?), and he became rather odd (and even more odd as time passed). My taste in music expanded and eventually, I moved on from Michael Jackson. But for a few years, I could sing every song on Thriller, and even to this day, when I Michael Jackson song comes on the radio, I'm singing at the top of my lungs.
Despite the fact that I'm 36 years old, a wife and a mother to a fabulous little boy, the death of Michael Jackson does indeed - as the article quote above says - make me realize I'm all grown up.
For me, Michael Jackson's death is the largest pop culture event I can recollect ... with the exception of Princess Diana's death many years ago (in fact, as a child I didn't like my name because it seemed EVERYBODY was named Jennifer ... I wished I had been named Diana instead).
As I watch the news coverage, sometimes I am just hit with, "Wow, he is actually dead!" I said to Jonathan, "Last night, Michael Jackson was probably doing just what we're doing ... sitting here watching TV and winding down from his day. And bam! A few hours later, he's dead." Wow, it could happen to any of us.
And as a mother, I think of his three children who have been a mystery to the public for their entire lives. My goodness ... they've lost their father. How incredibly sad!
As a friend of mine wrote on his Facebook page:
Farrah's death was indeed sad ... and the story of her illness is heartbreaking. May none of us have to go through that kind of physical agony.
"These people (Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson) were on our lunchboxes," said Gary Giovannetti, 38, a manager at HBO who grew up on Long Island awash in Farrah and MJ iconography. "This," he said, "is the moment when Generation X realizes they're grown up."
It was a long time coming. Cynical, disaffected, rife with ADD, lost between Boomers and millennials and sandwiched between Vietnam and the war on terror, Gen X has always been an oddity. It was the product of a transitional age when we were still putting people on celebrity pedestals but only starting to make an industry out of dragging them down.
Its memorable moments were diffuse and confusing — the Ronald Reagan assassination attempt, the dawn of AIDS, the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. It had no protest movement, no opponent to unite it, none of the things that typically shape the ill-defined beast we call an American generation.
These were the people who sent to the top of the charts a song called "We Don't Need Another Hero," then figured out how to churn them out wholesale, launching the celebrity obsession that is now an accepted part of American cultural fabric.
But the sudden death of Michael Jackson ... WOW! When "Thriller" came out, I became a pre-teen obsessed with Michael Jackson. I was definitely of the "MTV Generation," and stayed glued to the TV to see his videos. Thriller was a special treat when it came on TV, and I'd get up and sing and dance (I mean really ... who didn't?).
I would take pictures of Michael Jackson when he was on the TV. I'd tear out pictures from magazines and put them on my wall. I'd put my tape recorder up to the TV and the radio when his songs came on (I don't know why I didn't just ask my mom to buy the cassette tape ... or maybe I did and she declined ... who knows).
I used to brag that I could just sense when a Michael Jackson song was on the radio. Well, sure ... that is because some radio station SOMEWHERE was always playing a Michael Jackson song.
One year, Santa even gave me silver socks for Christmas! :)
Over the years, his looks changed (why didn't he just stick with the face on the Thriller album?), and he became rather odd (and even more odd as time passed). My taste in music expanded and eventually, I moved on from Michael Jackson. But for a few years, I could sing every song on Thriller, and even to this day, when I Michael Jackson song comes on the radio, I'm singing at the top of my lungs.
Despite the fact that I'm 36 years old, a wife and a mother to a fabulous little boy, the death of Michael Jackson does indeed - as the article quote above says - make me realize I'm all grown up.
For me, Michael Jackson's death is the largest pop culture event I can recollect ... with the exception of Princess Diana's death many years ago (in fact, as a child I didn't like my name because it seemed EVERYBODY was named Jennifer ... I wished I had been named Diana instead).
As I watch the news coverage, sometimes I am just hit with, "Wow, he is actually dead!" I said to Jonathan, "Last night, Michael Jackson was probably doing just what we're doing ... sitting here watching TV and winding down from his day. And bam! A few hours later, he's dead." Wow, it could happen to any of us.
And as a mother, I think of his three children who have been a mystery to the public for their entire lives. My goodness ... they've lost their father. How incredibly sad!
As a friend of mine wrote on his Facebook page:
I hope Michael Jackson is better remembered for his performance skills than his eccentric and strange behavior - in his prime he was awesome!Indeed.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
A Big Ol' Nuclear Reactor Head ...
As ya'll know, Jonathan works at Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station ... the country's largest nuclear plant.
He just sent me a video that you may find interesting. FOUR miles per hour!
Click on this link: Nuclear reactor head slows traffic
He just sent me a video that you may find interesting. FOUR miles per hour!
Click on this link: Nuclear reactor head slows traffic
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Straws and Forks
Things are moving quickly in the Lucero Household ... so you'd better not blink. :)
Two days ago, Christian amazed me when he finally figured out how to drink from a straw. I didn't think it would happen for a long time, but decided to give it another try ... and he got it!
Last night, he used a fork by himself for the very first time ... which was very exciting. Luckily the camera as readily available (as it often is) so I caught the big moment on video.
What made this moment extra special (for me) is that he was using a Snoopy fork that was given to me on Easter 1975. I've somehow managed to hold onto that fork all these years. And from that 34 year old fork, my baby took his first bite. Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!!
Two days ago, Christian amazed me when he finally figured out how to drink from a straw. I didn't think it would happen for a long time, but decided to give it another try ... and he got it!
Last night, he used a fork by himself for the very first time ... which was very exciting. Luckily the camera as readily available (as it often is) so I caught the big moment on video.
What made this moment extra special (for me) is that he was using a Snoopy fork that was given to me on Easter 1975. I've somehow managed to hold onto that fork all these years. And from that 34 year old fork, my baby took his first bite. Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Thank Goodness for Washable Ink!
We got Christian his own picnic table ... and some markers! Good thing Mommy got washable markers!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
A Sunday at Lake Pleasant
No ... it's not a metaphor.
We took a spontaneous drive to Lake Pleasant today, as Christian and I had been cooped up most of the week while Jonathan was in California (with the exception of going to the library on Thursday).
The lake is about an hour's drive away and is a surprising blue contrast to the neutral desert landscape. Unfortunately, there are no trees near the Shoreline and the shore itself was rocky. So, it wasn't really the best place for Christian to hang out.
Jonathan tried dipping Christian's feet in the water without much luck. So we all just sat there for a few minutes under the umbrella and then left ... vowing we'd be back when Christian was older and could play around on the rocky beach.
We took a spontaneous drive to Lake Pleasant today, as Christian and I had been cooped up most of the week while Jonathan was in California (with the exception of going to the library on Thursday).
The lake is about an hour's drive away and is a surprising blue contrast to the neutral desert landscape. Unfortunately, there are no trees near the Shoreline and the shore itself was rocky. So, it wasn't really the best place for Christian to hang out.
Jonathan tried dipping Christian's feet in the water without much luck. So we all just sat there for a few minutes under the umbrella and then left ... vowing we'd be back when Christian was older and could play around on the rocky beach.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Desperately Seeking Sandbox
Christian is "all boy" already. He loves digging in dirt, rocks ... and Bella's dog food.
Our back patio is surrounded by the remaining landscaping rocks from the front yard. Christian loves to dig in them, and find the biggest rocks among them to toss around. He loves going after the weeds ... loves running his fingers through the dirt. He loves CRAWLING on these rocks, which are by no means smooth. If it's dirty or rocky ... he's attracted to it.
Bella has dug herself a hole to lay in, and Christian loves to make his way down into that hole and hang out. That new hideout, combined with Christian eating Bella's food yesterday, has us wondering if Christian thinks he's a dog. :) (Thankfully, Bella's dog food is all-natural and organic, so we don't have to worry that he consumed rat tails or pig snouts - or whatever odd fillers are in regular dog food).
We desperately need a sandbox! Daddy promises Christian will have one soon.
Our back patio is surrounded by the remaining landscaping rocks from the front yard. Christian loves to dig in them, and find the biggest rocks among them to toss around. He loves going after the weeds ... loves running his fingers through the dirt. He loves CRAWLING on these rocks, which are by no means smooth. If it's dirty or rocky ... he's attracted to it.
Bella has dug herself a hole to lay in, and Christian loves to make his way down into that hole and hang out. That new hideout, combined with Christian eating Bella's food yesterday, has us wondering if Christian thinks he's a dog. :) (Thankfully, Bella's dog food is all-natural and organic, so we don't have to worry that he consumed rat tails or pig snouts - or whatever odd fillers are in regular dog food).
We desperately need a sandbox! Daddy promises Christian will have one soon.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Our Fabulous Lil’ Guy Turns 19 Months Old Today!
The last few weeks have seen visits to a neurologist, Christian’s new pediatrician, an endocrinologist, as well as a CT scan, and various blood work … all to determine why Christian isn’t yet walking or talking (at an age-appropriate level). Calls have been placed so he can get a variety of evaluations from speech and physical therapists and a developmental specialist, too. However, it will take weeks/months to get in to see anybody. So, we are working with Christian on our own with his walking and verbal skills.
For a while, we thought he had hypothyroidism. He does not, but there is still something possibly going on with his thyroid, so he’ll be scheduled for a thyroid scan soon. And we are waiting to hear the results of the CT scan.
But to us, Christian is just a happy, curious, energetic little boy who is the light of our lives. His legs are getting stronger and he makes new noises (I’m sure the are words, in his opinion). And he’s so smart … he catches onto things almost immediately. He loves his books more than ever … and his current favorite is “Green Eggs and Ham.” I think I’ve read that book more to him in the past two weeks than I did during my entire childhood. We are so pleased that he enjoys books so much, and is able to remain focused on the books as we read to him.
His new words to read are “toes” and “chin.” When we show him “toes,” he lifts up his toes to show us. When he sees the word, “chin,” he points to our chin. He’s also recently started pointing at numbers. We have a counting book, and I can say, “Where is 5?” and he’ll point to the number 5 on the page.
Christian follows directions very well, and it’s heartwarming to see him be so compliant. I know it may not always be this way, so I am enjoying the compliance while it lasts.
It is fun to watch his little personality develop. He’s easily amused (lots of laughter around here!), and also easily frustrated at times. In the past couple of days, he’s really protested being placed in his car seat. Even when he knows we’re on our way to someplace fun (like Melissa’s house), he makes it very difficult for me to get him buckled into his car seat. I’m hoping whatever issue he’s having with it is short-lived.
Christian’s appetite has really increased over the past few days, which pleases us as we’re now able to give him more balanced meals. For example, yesterday for lunch he ate salmon, grapes,
cheese, a banana and an entire cup of milk. Quite a lot … and quite nutritious!
We love that Christian is so affectionate with us … he frequently comes to sit in our laps to be read to and loved on. He’s learned to give kisses (the open-mouth wet variety, of course!). Such a lovey-dovey little lad!
For a while, we thought he had hypothyroidism. He does not, but there is still something possibly going on with his thyroid, so he’ll be scheduled for a thyroid scan soon. And we are waiting to hear the results of the CT scan.
But to us, Christian is just a happy, curious, energetic little boy who is the light of our lives. His legs are getting stronger and he makes new noises (I’m sure the are words, in his opinion). And he’s so smart … he catches onto things almost immediately. He loves his books more than ever … and his current favorite is “Green Eggs and Ham.” I think I’ve read that book more to him in the past two weeks than I did during my entire childhood. We are so pleased that he enjoys books so much, and is able to remain focused on the books as we read to him.
His new words to read are “toes” and “chin.” When we show him “toes,” he lifts up his toes to show us. When he sees the word, “chin,” he points to our chin. He’s also recently started pointing at numbers. We have a counting book, and I can say, “Where is 5?” and he’ll point to the number 5 on the page.
Christian follows directions very well, and it’s heartwarming to see him be so compliant. I know it may not always be this way, so I am enjoying the compliance while it lasts.
It is fun to watch his little personality develop. He’s easily amused (lots of laughter around here!), and also easily frustrated at times. In the past couple of days, he’s really protested being placed in his car seat. Even when he knows we’re on our way to someplace fun (like Melissa’s house), he makes it very difficult for me to get him buckled into his car seat. I’m hoping whatever issue he’s having with it is short-lived.
Christian’s appetite has really increased over the past few days, which pleases us as we’re now able to give him more balanced meals. For example, yesterday for lunch he ate salmon, grapes,
cheese, a banana and an entire cup of milk. Quite a lot … and quite nutritious!We love that Christian is so affectionate with us … he frequently comes to sit in our laps to be read to and loved on. He’s learned to give kisses (the open-mouth wet variety, of course!). Such a lovey-dovey little lad!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Those Wonderful, Amazing FIRST STEPS!
Jonathan and I were blessed just a few moments ago (3:25pm, to be exact) to have both witnessed Christian's very first steps! Just three days before he turns 19months old, and our sweet boy has finally done it!
We bought him a balloon today, and he's been chasing it around the house since we got home. He kept standing up and moving one foot forward, then squatting back down. But out of the blue, he decided to walk to the balloon that was a couple of feet away. He took FIVE steps and then reached for his beloved balloon.
And then he did it again. It was an amazing sight to behold!
We tried to get him to walk after that so I could get it on video, but it didn't happen. But we thought you'd like to watch us try!
We bought him a balloon today, and he's been chasing it around the house since we got home. He kept standing up and moving one foot forward, then squatting back down. But out of the blue, he decided to walk to the balloon that was a couple of feet away. He took FIVE steps and then reached for his beloved balloon.
And then he did it again. It was an amazing sight to behold!
We tried to get him to walk after that so I could get it on video, but it didn't happen. But we thought you'd like to watch us try!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Afternoon Tea
We ladies got together today for afternoon tea at the St. James Tearoom in honor of Carrie's pending wedding. If you live in the Albuquerque / Santa Fe area, I highly recommend St. James for any event ... a bridal shower, birthday celebration ... or just because. It's really a very lovely, charming venue.
The food is absolutely delicious and included a wonderful rosewater mousse desert that is served in these dainty little glasses. I must confess, I ate all the extra desserts that were available. They were very petite (so my indulgence doesn't count as gluttony) and incredibly delicious!
Madison and Carrie ... and Madison's pink Princess Tea
Carrie, Madison, Amy and Debby
The food is absolutely delicious and included a wonderful rosewater mousse desert that is served in these dainty little glasses. I must confess, I ate all the extra desserts that were available. They were very petite (so my indulgence doesn't count as gluttony) and incredibly delicious!
Madison and Carrie ... and Madison's pink Princess Tea
Carrie, Madison, Amy and Debby(and the incredible rosewater mousse on top)
The Arrival of Granny and Grandpa
Today Christian got to see his Granny and Grandpa for the first time since July! He didn't remember them, of course, and took some time to warm up to these two happy, smiley faces. And when he did, that is when the fun really began!
It was a true delight to watch Christian and his grandparents together. "Reunited and it feels so good ..."
It was a true delight to watch Christian and his grandparents together. "Reunited and it feels so good ..."
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
An Exhausted Little Boy
What a day we had! Saying goodbye to Auntie Bol and Uncle Mr. Ashe in the morning (after a lovely breakfast!) ... and spending the afternoon with the Fernandez Family. And no nap for Christian! We put him down to bed at the hotel, and he was so wound up, it took forever for him to fall asleep. Finally, there was silence from the crib and we sneaked over to see Christian had fallen asleep in mid-play!
Ever the doting mommy, I grabbed my camera to document this cute scene! And then, of course, moved his head a bit so his nose wasn't squished into the bottom of the crib (we mommies are always worried about our children suffocating, you know).
Ever the doting mommy, I grabbed my camera to document this cute scene! And then, of course, moved his head a bit so his nose wasn't squished into the bottom of the crib (we mommies are always worried about our children suffocating, you know).
Stay tuned to more stories about our week as they occur!
A Visit with Kristy, Joaquin and Baby Teresa
We were delighted to visit my sweet friend Kristy and her adorable children, Joaquin and Baby Teresa today. I haven't seen them for well-over a year and was excited to see how much Joaquin had grown (A LOT!) and how adorable Teresa is (VERY!).
Christian seemed so small compared to Joaquin ... yet so BIG when compared to Teresa. She is only 4+ months old and weighs 10 lbs, compared to Christian's 24 lbs. So it was a bit of a surpise to hold such a light baby!
Thank you for the lovely afternoon, Kristy, Joaquin and Teresa! Oh how we wish we lived closer so we could visit more often ... so that Joaquin and Christian could become best friends ... and Teresa and Christian can fall in love and get married one day. :)
Christian seemed so small compared to Joaquin ... yet so BIG when compared to Teresa. She is only 4+ months old and weighs 10 lbs, compared to Christian's 24 lbs. So it was a bit of a surpise to hold such a light baby!
Thank you for the lovely afternoon, Kristy, Joaquin and Teresa! Oh how we wish we lived closer so we could visit more often ... so that Joaquin and Christian could become best friends ... and Teresa and Christian can fall in love and get married one day. :)
Our Stay With the Ashe Family
Our stay in the Land of Enchantment began Monday with a visit to our fabulous friends Auntie Bol and Uncle Mr. Ashe (aka Jon and Valerie) at their beautiful home in Bosque Farms, just south of Albuquerque. They graciously let us stay with them for a couple of days.
We had a blast with them and Valerie and I especially enjoyed watching the finale of Dancing with the Stars Tuesday night.
Christian was especially taken with the spaciousness of their home and their cat, Watson. It was so cute to watch the two play with a ball together.
We'd like to thank the Ashes for so graciously hosting us. Our stay was all-too-short and we miss you already!
We had a blast with them and Valerie and I especially enjoyed watching the finale of Dancing with the Stars Tuesday night.
Christian was especially taken with the spaciousness of their home and their cat, Watson. It was so cute to watch the two play with a ball together.
We'd like to thank the Ashes for so graciously hosting us. Our stay was all-too-short and we miss you already!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Long Journey ...
Our long journey actually began the night before when we found a sizeable scorpion in the house. In case you're not familiar with desert critters: scorpions are bad news and since we have Christian, we are very concerned about scorpions. In extreme cases, a scorpion sting can kill a child. Jonathan tried to kill it, but it just made its way down the sink drain. Jonathan ran a lot of water, I poured a lot of bleach. So I hope its either dead (sorry, PETA) or on its way to the sewage system.We have since learned scorpions travel in pairs (and often with babies). So ... I guess there is one more in the house somewhere. We put out "sticky pads" in some key areas with the hopes that the other scorpion might get caught in our absence.
The travel morning started with a visit to Christian's new doctor, Dr. Diaz who is an absolutely wonderful, kind and compassionate man. I'm going to have to devote an entire blog post to telling you about Dr. Diaz (some day).
Christian and I were upstairs getting ready (okay, he was playing, I was getting ready) and Jonathan was downstairs loading the car up. I heard Jonathan say, "Hi, Christian!" ... and i was confused when I saw the baby gate was still up, but the voice came from downstairs. Turns out we've got a little escape artist on our hands ... Christian managed to get through the gap between the gate and the stair railing. I have no idea how he did that, but it appears we need to come up with a new solution for keeping him from going downstairs. I am just thankful he didn't fall down. He's actually very good at getting up and down the stairs on his own ... but it only takes one moment of distraction for him to loose his footing ... and down he goes (as I witnessed back in February). So knowing he bypassed the gate and got downstairs without my knowledge really got my heart racing!
Our drive started close to 11:00am (much too late) and we assumed since that was Christian's usual nap time, he'd take a nap. The nap lasted an hour or so ... and didn't resume until we got close to Albuquerque. So, he was pretty cranky for some of the drive. And since he's not walking, we couldn't put him down on the floor when we stopped and got out (the picture to the right is a stop outside Grants, NM). So, he was either in the car seat, in our arms, or in a high chair for the entire day. And that is no fun for a kiddo who is used to being able to crawl all over the place and explore the world.
Christian's spirits picked back up when we arrived in Bosque Farms (just outside ABQ) to stay with our friends, Jon and Valerie. And he was too excited to go to sleep. I think we got him down at around 10:30pm. And sure enough ... he was awake at his usual time this morning (5:00am Arizona time).
It was a rough day for our lil' guy ... and consequently a rough day for us all.
It could have been worse, of course ... but I have informed Jonathan that next time we must go to Albuquerque, it will be on a plane.
Heading to the 505
We're leaving today for a few days in Albuquerque. My friend, Carrie is getting married on 5/23 ... and Jonathan's parents are driving down from Denver to visit us Christian, whom they haven't seen since July. Chrisitian is a completely different kiddo now, and won't remember them ... so we're hoping he'll warm up quickly and he and his Granny and Grandpa will get to spend a lot of time having fun together!
The last time we made this long round-trip drive between Phoenix and Albuquerque was back in January 
2008, when Christian was just a couple of months old. And that was a rough trip. So it will be interesting to see how he does now that he's older and much more interactive. I expect he'll sleep thorugh the first portion of the drive. After that ... we'll just hope for the best!
2008, when Christian was just a couple of months old. And that was a rough trip. So it will be interesting to see how he does now that he's older and much more interactive. I expect he'll sleep thorugh the first portion of the drive. After that ... we'll just hope for the best!I hope to be able to update the blog frequently through the week with stories and photos. (and I still need to post about Christian's latest doctor visits, too). So, stay tuned!
In the meantime, enjoy some photos of today's lunch ... RAVIOLI! Who knew Christian would like ravioli so much?
Actually, he's been eating A LOT lately ... so maybe he's going through a growth spurt! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
