Monday, December 29, 2008
Christmas 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
My Awesome Husband!

- Wakes up extra early to get Joey ready for school every morning. He fixes him an awesome breakfast of eggs and the works, irons his own clothes, gets Joey dressed, teeth brushed, hair done and school things ready to go... so all I have to do it get myself ready and out the door. I have been super tired during this pregnancy so every minute of extra sleep is a god-send. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this!! He even does this for me on his day off and for church!
- Let's me spend all I want on skin care products, clothes, etc for my pregnancy and beyond.
- Is understanding when I come home aching and tired from work and just don't have it in me to make dinner or do housework. He's been really great at pitching in around the house and makes his own dinner most of the time.
- Takes me out to dinner a lot so I don't have to worry about it! And he takes me anywhere I want!
- Paints my toes!
- Does housework on his days off like laundry and sweeping, etc! (I never would've imagined this some years back!) He hates laundry.
- He's a scout leader.
- He teaches Sunday School to 11 & 12 year old boys... Those kids love him!
- He's Joey's soccer coach. This is 2 to 3 times a week!

- Takes Joey snorkeling, biking, swimming, etc on his days off and when he can, after work. He's such a great dad!
- Drives Joey after work whenever he can to karate which is 25 minutes away from work and 45 minutes away from home. He is absolutely committed to his children.
- Pitches in with (okay does most of) the shopping for groceries and for the home- Costco, K-Mart (we are limited here!), etc. This has been a HUGE help. I'm ready to turn in at 5- when I get off work!
- Is so thoughtful about me and the things I like - He is always thinking of us.
- Always thinking of Joey and looking for things for him online... Takes so much time and care in Joey's clothes and making him look stellar! Joey is a lucky kid.
- Much, much more!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Prego and the Maid of Honor
19.5 Weeks Pics
13 Weeks
18 Week Prego Pics
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Karate


Monday, June 2, 2008
Whatnot's by Joey
~I wanted to see Narnia. Joey, "Mom, you know that movie is rated 'L' right?" "Joey, there is no rating 'L'." "It is rated 'L' Mom... because it's LAME and I don't want to see it." Where does he come up with this stuff.
~At another restaurant.. and I guess him just being done. He goes, "Okay, I'm tired, I've just eaten my entree' and so now we will need the check." and looks up at the waitress filling our water right then, as if to say, hint hint. She looks down startled, "Okay." And I said, No, that's fine.. don't listen to him. Man is he demanding.
~Genuinely, "Mom, I'm really very sorry you have to clean up this mess I just made." haha... yeah.. right.
~"You know how the gum ends up in my hair or clothes?? Magically! It's just there." With a sweeping motion he makes with his hands and a look that says, 'that's just the way it is.'
Aspirations
Missionary, "4 weeks."
Joey, "What are you going to be after this?"
Which by the way, I thought was some pretty advanced insight for a 5 year old. It might be difficult to understand this if you don't have kids.
Missionary, "Oh, I'm not sure... I have to figure it out. I have no idea."
Joey, puzzled by this, "You don't know what you want to do?? Well, I know what I want to do! I'm going to make movies." very matter of fact might I add.

Here's the ticker. Some of you who know Joe might think he got this idea from him... oh, you are wrong. He has come up with this on his own... kind of evolved. From 3, he saw books as scripts. At 2, he preferred to carry around pictures of his super heroes over the actual super hero figures themselves. I saw his admiration grow for images and photography to movies at a very young age. He appreciates them, memorizes lines, familiarizes the actors and can always identify them from other movies he has seen. And for some reason, he never wants to see a movie twice... ever.
I know I am bragging here.. but hey, this is the beauty of being a mother. It's the best... But seriously, he is pretty impressive to me. When something will happen, he will want to draw it all with a short script below the pics... He wants to put it all down as a story.
The other day, I walked through his dim room and he had these little people figures standing next to his wall with different color lights shining straight on them that projected their shadows on the baseboard... He said, "Mom, look. This is how you film people moving without moving them yourself." and moved the lights to make it look like them were walking along (by their shadows). I was like, "huh, I don't think I could've thought about that."I feel like we are holding him back by not giving him all his tools... I swear this kid needs like a studio! Especially with his art work... wait till I post about that!
May Day School Speech
Here's the funny thing. When I dropped him off at school.. he freaked out when he saw the school being set up. I said, "What on earth is the matter?" "It's May Day and we have to HULA! Oh, I don't want to." and started whining and complaining. I said, "it's not a big deal, just go along with it." All the grades put on their own performance.
Then when I found out that he was speaking I naturally thought he was freaking cause he was nervous to give the talk. But when we asked him about that, he goes, "NO, not at all! I didn't care about that. I just didn't want to sing! It's so stupid!!" haha... he always makes me laugh.
You know how little kids and toddlers in groups will clap their hands and sing along in activities (like with Barney or in Library readings)?? Joey has never been one to do that. Ever!.. I always wondered if he just didnt' get it.. but then I realized in his own little head, he just figured it was silly and was always looking around at everyone like they were crazy. He just refused to go along with it no matter how hard I prodded..

Picky Eater? I don't think so!
At dinner time at home, he actually starts WITH his veggies (asparagus, broccoli, etc.) and moves from there. I have been quite pleased as he doesn't even know "ew, this looks gross.. I can't eat that". However I didn't quite expect this from my kid.
Joey's food choices crack me up. Let's just say he prefers the more sophisticated choice. No joke, he even seems offended when he is handed a kid's menu. He just gives you and the choices this snobby disappointed look. I still try though because I don't like that...
He has been eating crab, sushi, calamari and more since he was 3. Escargot, sashimi and caviar since he was 4- perhaps even younger.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Where do babies come from?
One thing you have to understand about Joey is he can tell when you aren't giving him the facts and he is scary inquisitive! As you can tell, I don't have any other options but to be honest. Besides, I don't believe in the alternative.
LUCKILY, he has not made the connection as to HOW it all happens in the first place.. haha!! Last night was the first time he asked. I think my heart stopped and I just laid there frozen, not knowing what to say. "Mom, how does the baby get inside the mom in the beginning?"
Ummmm.... finally I thought, "From the Dad." Scared out of my mind what would come next he goes...
"OH Yeah, the sperm!"
"Right." I said...
I can breathe!... he still didn't make the connection and to avoid the chance of him asking, I quickly changed the subject.
So far it has been diverted, but for the time being I will get educated as to what a child should know and how they should be told.
Whew! but his reply cracks me up.... too much!
IT'S A BOY!
BUT, there was the penis- there was no escaping it! He kept flashing us.. it was like he was trying to say something.
His name is Jed Maxime Prado. Jed means 'God's Beloved' and Maxime (a french boy's name) is pronounced 'Mahcseem'- but Joe says "Maxim-ae"... I don't mind either way.
Here's his profile pics: The 2nd one looks as if he's about to suck his thumb. So cute! One of these pics was taken right before he scratched his face! It was amazing to see how animated they are so young.
This is the best one of him flasing us! LOOK at his butt cheeks! SO cute!!!... then again, I am the Mom.
"And here it is again Mom, just in case you didn't see the first five times!"
This one you can't see as clearly- it looks like an arrow pointing to the right! This cracks me up.
Wow... was I surprised! I am so happy for my little guy though, and glad Joey has a little brother to look up to him.
Joey is so sweet... everytime he sees me or passes by, he comes up and lifts up my shirt and kisses the baby.. "Hello Baby Brother!- my little baby brother in the womb." and kisses him all over... it's so cute!
This guy is nuts... he wouldn't sit still for a second! We were lucky to get those pics of his profile. At one point, we went to look at his face and he had his fists up by his head and started punching the sac like it was a punching bag- like crazy, over and over! His little face was squished while he was doing it as if he was frustrated... it was the funniest thing. He seems to be like, "GET ME OUT! I'm DONE!!!" He's a lot like Joey that way.I'm pregnant!

Except for the frequent bathroom trips and sore and growing chest, I didn't have any symptoms to speak of...
I was 6 weeks at the time and my due date is October 15... Joey's Birthday is October 13th! I wonder how close they are going to be... funny.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Sing a long
It goes a little something like this:
"Heeee's myyyy little schnookum woo, little schnookum poo, little schnookum woo woo woo woo bear.
Heeee's myyyy little pookum poo, little pookum woo, little schnookie woo, poo poo poo bear.
Heeee's just a schnookuuuuuum, he's a poookuuuuuuuum, he's just a little little little little wookuuuuum. He's my little guy... the littlest guy in the wide world.
The wiiide woooooooorld...." and then I change it up a bit.. mm,k?
it's late.
Obama Fights for Partial Birth Abortion Updated

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The other side does not want to deal with these issues: unjust wars and evil political machinations, poverty, misuse of power, destruction of the environment.
So they stick to the abortion issue. But for me, it's just one issue and I've had enough discussions with people to know that many who support abortion rights do not support abortion.They just believe that those who are against it shouldn't be able to impose on the rest of us.
I personally would never do it or be part of it unless under extremely rare conditions.
So, having said that, I would say that abortion is not a make or break issue for me. No single issue is. I judge Obama based on the totality of his postions and I'm impressed and fully support him more than any other candidate so far.
Posted: July 19, 20061:00 am Eastern
By Jill Stanek© 2008 WorldNetDaily.com
In his USA Today opinion piece, Obama admitted being "nagged" by the Jesus-wouldn't-vote-for-him statement, but only because he wished he'd given a different comeback. Obama insinuated opposition to abortion is based only on religion, lecturing pro-lifers like me to "explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all." I don't recall mentioning religion when I testified against live-birth abortion. I only recall describing a live aborted baby I held in a hospital soiled utility room until he died, and a live aborted baby who was accidentally thrown into the trash. Neither do I recall religion being brought into the partial-birth abortion ban debate. I recall comparisons made to U.S. laws ensuring animals being killed are treated humanely. I recall testimony that late-term babies feel excruciating pain while being aborted. Obama stated pro-life proposals must be "amenable to reason." OK, Sen. Obama, let's reason. Explain why you support abortion for whatever rationale, at whatever gestation, by whatever means. Explain why you support infanticide, if banning it might interfere with abortion. Then, since you brought it up, explain how, despite all that, you
Jill Stanek fought to stop "live-birth abortion" after witnessing one as a registered nurse at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill. In 2002, President Bush asked Jill to attend his signing of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. In January 2003, World Magazine named Jill one of the 30 most prominent pro-life leaders of the past 30 years. To learn more, visit Jill's blog, Pro-life Pulse.