Oliver: 6 months

Today is Oliver's *half* birthday and he continues to work his way to the most special spots in our hearts! He's such a loving baby...playful, smiley and just plain adorable...

Oliver LOVES people, he simply cannot get enough of all the love and attention that he gets from everyone around him; he loves being held, played with, rocked, talked to, etc.. you get the point..he just loves life!.. Of course this also translates into a VERY needy baby, which can get very exhausting at times...especially at night...

Speaking of nights..can you believe that this baby STILL doesn't sleep through the night?? :( .. He basically wakes up every 2-3 hours to eat and even though most times he falls right back asleep, there are nights when he prefers to talk, play around or just cry for no season (those nights are criminal!). He is also VERY hard to put down and we usually spend a good hour or so trying to get him to go down for his first night stretch, which I call his "night naps" for obvious reasons...

As far as milestones go, Oliver is pretty much on track (or ahead!) with every single thing a baby his age is supposed to achieve; he rolls in both directions, can sit unassisted, grabs things with both hands, shakes toys, blows kisses, waves bye bye, smiles on command, babbles and mimics pretty much every sound and can even drink from a straw, which is one of his recent accomplishments... 

He also recently started eating REAL food and loves to share meals with us; since we're doing baby led weaning this time around, he basically eats whatever we eat (within allergen limits, of course); so far he has had avocados, pasta, bread, bananas, yogurt and rice...we are having so much fun feeding him and getting to try new things and so far his appetite hasn't disappointed! 

This month Oliver took his very first plane ride...a very LONG plane ride too.. we flew from Miami to Berlin, with a layover in Istanbul, Turkey and we were so amazed at how well he did; his fussing was very minimal and he basically slept/nursed for most of the flight.  He has also done remarkably well during our time in Europe showing us that he adapts amazingly to new situations.  

No weight or height updates this month but I know he's already over 20 lbs. And last but not least, we are STILL exclusively and very successfully breastfeeding, which I continue to be very proud of; the plan remains to breastfeed at least until he's 1 and then take it from there...he sure loves his mama's milk! :)

Here are some pictures for cuteness! 

Happy 6 months, baby boy! ;) 

And here's a little collage I made of his first 6 months.  It's amazing how much babies change in such short amount of time!

Movie review: "Zootopia"

Even though we saw this movie on Friday and I'm a bit late with my review, I'll go ahead and post it for my blog's sake...so here it is!
Zootopia is another one of those Disney masterpieces that is bound to captivate all families and people of all ages.
The characters are cute, animation is spotless and the story..well..it's a bit complicated for younger kids but it still delivers a great message.
In Zootopia you can be "anything you want to be", and that's the core of the message in this movie, that there are no limits to what you set your mind to and anyone can make a difference if the heart desires it.
The story revolves around officer Hops, who is the first bunny cop and one that has her heart set on making a difference; she has always dreamed of being a good cop and teaching the bad guys a lesson. In her quest to fulfill her dream, she comes across Nick Wilde (a fox, voice by Jason Bateman), who helps her solve the mystery of predators becoming wild and threatening to disrupt the harmony in city of Zootopia.
Officer Hops is able to uncover the plot and catch the people behind it and her findings reveal corruption and abuse from the most unlikely suspects.  Like I mentioned above, I thought the story was a bit too complex for younger kids since it involves political corruption, self-driven revenge and other elements that I deem too "advanced" for kids under 8 or so, but the movie still manages to keep the kids entertained and interested in the story line.
There are so funny characters that help make the story even more appealing, like Flash the sloth, Gazelle the singer anda few others; who even though are not central to the story, they do add a fun touch and color to the movie.
I give this one a 3.5 out of 4 only because I thought the story could be simplified a bit, but we still loved it and would see it again! :)

Oliver: 5 months

Our little bundle of joy is 5 months today! He's so cute and squishy and I love him to death, but I'd be lying if I said he comes without challenges. 

Oliver has proven to be, by far, the most difficult baby out of our three and I've been struggling to come to grips with the fact that some babies just aren't "perfect" and moms just have to deal! "Why do I say this?", you may ask, and it's simply because Oliver is an AWFUL sleeper and such a high maintenance baby; he demands constant attention and entertainment and never sleeps longer than 2-3 hour stretches.  He wakes up 4x per night on average and I'm simply exhausted beyond belief; on top of that he hates naps for some reason so he could literally go on without a nap for 10+ hours, which makes for a very cranky baby who doesn't settle at night. 

A friend of mine recently shared this article with me and I'm so glad she did because it came at a perfect time; a time when I was starting to think I was an awful mother for having crazy thoughts and getting so angry at Oliver for not sleeping at night! Another friend said to me: "sleep deprivation does crazy things to your psyche" and I couldn't agree more... some nights I start to think I'm going crazy from this ongoing survival/zombie mode I'm living in and then I remember that this is just a stage that some day will become a distant memory (hopefully sooner than later!)

I will say, however, that for every cry and fuss, he gives out ten smiles and kisses and it's right there when I remember how blessed I am despite the sleepless nights and constant exhaustion. 

On another note, Oliver has mastered rolling and is almost sitting up unassisted. He is such a happy baby for the most part and LOVES attention and cuddles. He loves to play with plastic, flexible toys and puts everything in his mouth. He loves being in his baby carrier and loves laughing with his dad and sisters.  

He is still exclusively breastfed and we haven't introduced any foods yet; I'm thinking I'll hold off until he's at least 6 months or shows some interest. I have noticed he has grown increasingly curious about food and loves to admire people while they chew but I'm holding off a bit longer because I know once he starts eating solids time will just fly even faster!

He weighs 18lbs 6oz and is 27 inches long; currently wearing clothes size 6-9 months and growing like a weed.

Here are a couple of pictures of my 5 month old! I can't believe he's growing so fast!

We love you Oliver and I pray that you continue to be such a happy and healthy baby.. I also pray that you get the hang of sleeping at night so mommy can get some rest. 

Happy 5 months! :)

Movie review: "Kung Fu Panda 3"

It has been a while since I've written a movie review and not for lack of movie attendance but rather lack of time to blog about it. But what better than a well known franchise to come back to my review writing days?
This past Friday we watched "Kung Fu Panda 3", and even though I've never considered this franchise to be GREAT...I think this 3rd installment was!
The movie has a much "lighter" and "upbeat" storyline compared to the previous two; it is also loaded with wonderful messages about life and learning.. my favorite being "If you don't do more than you know, you won't be more than you are!"; it is such a "feel good" movie and the kids really enjoyed it... Oliver included! ;)
The story revolves around Po and his ever important role as the "Dragon Warrior"; he is given a huge responsibility when he is asked to teach his fellow kung fu fighting friends.  In the process, he is reunited with his real father who takes him up to visit a beautiful panda village.
Po's challenges get even more difficult when evil Kai returns from the spirit realm and wants to steal all the pandas' chi (energy force) to be the most powerful being in the mortal realm.  Po is faced with having to create his own panda army to help him defeat the evil Kai.  He finds himself creating the strongest and most powerful army out of the most unlikely characters and that's where the message of the movie gets really good... "it's not about teaching people to be someone they're not...it's about teaching them to be their best selves"  I really like how to movie capitalizes on the value of each person and on the skill that each person has; every individual skill can make all the difference... "be the best version of YOU that you can possibly be".
As predicted, Po (and his friends and family) end up being the ultimate winners and come out triumphant and happy.
I really like that the movie is colorful, upbeat, features great music, amazing animation and the same warm and joyful humor that every character owns.  I really enjoyed this one and give it 4 out of 4 stars.  Great for all families!

Oliver: 4 months

Our baby boy is 4 months today! To say that time is flying is an understatement, I can't believe how fast everything is having this time around!

Oliver is such a HIGH MAINTENANCE baby.. as cute and adorable as he is, he is also extremely demanding and exhausting!

At 4 months he STILL doesn't sleep longer than 4 hours at at time and wants to eat every 2 hours during the day. He cries inconsolably when he's not being held and I always joke around and say that he has 3 modes: Sleeping, Crying and Eating.  I never imagined having such a needy baby, let alone succumbing to his every need and whimper; there are nights I wish God had given me a different baby and then I feel awful for feeling that way and I just keep on loving the one I got, which is perfect in every way...even when he drives me insane!

Oliver currently weights 16lbs 13oz and is 26 1/4 in long.. he grew over 3 inches in less than 2 months and the doctor was very impressed about this...what can I say, we make them big! LOL!

When Oliver isn't crying, he is such a pleasant baby...he smiles ALL THE TIME (even when he cries..LOL!) and LOVES attention and company.  He already started to grab stuff and shake toys and can roll from back to tummy and tummy to back...he's quite the active little guy. 

We are still exclusively breastfeeding and going strong..this little guy loves the boob so much and I am in absolute awe about the bonding we have, so unique and wonderful.  I almost feel guilty for not having breastfed my 2 girls exclusively, but that's in the past and all I can do is enjoy this last chance I got!

I won't lie... I'm really hoping Oliver starts some sort of pattern/schedule because I live in zombie mode most times and I know I can't keep this up much longer! 

I won't introduce solids yet so food isn't going to help for a while; we'll just have to wait and see what this little guy has in store for us!

Here's a couple of pics! Happy 4 months, baby boy! :)

Oliver's Baptism

Our sweet boy was baptized this past Sunday and I just can't get over how much joy that moment brought to us. He looked absolutely angelical with his beautiful outfit and the ceremony was very touching. 

We chose to have 4 godparents; my two good friends Pechy and Maria Isabel, my uncle Daniel and my brother in law Luis were the "chosen" ones for this event and I am so thankful for all of them giving us such honor. I know Oliver is lucky to have such wonderful people in his life for spiritual guidance and overwhelming love. 

Oliver threatened to be the disruptive baby at the start of the ceremony, but somehow he was able to settle down and fell asleep; he slept through the blessings, the water, the oil, the candle..he basically missed his own baptism! 

After the ceremony, we had an intimate family lunch at a local restaurant and ate some delicious baptism cake. 

It was such a beautiful day for our baby! Thank you God for this wonderful blessing.

Here are some pictures. 

8.5

My "little lady" is 8 and a HALF today!..this also means I've been a mom for that long and that simple fact fills me so much joy...
Olivia is the epitome of a wonderful daughter and one of the biggest blessings we have received as a family. She is smart, sassy, funny, beautiful, caring...and every possible (positive) adjective there is to say.
Olivia LOVES to read, she is my little book worm and really enjoys the Dork Diaries and Wimpy Kids series; I've already lost count of how many books she has made me buy her and I love that about her.
She is an amazing big sister to both Gaby and Oliver and has slowly turned into a little mommy to her little brother. She loves singing, dancing and everything art and has the best personality out of everyone in the family.
She has her own sense of fashion, which is a hippie-like style; loves long skirts, dresses, flower prints, etc.. and I love to see her loving herself the way she does.
She is also a bit of a drama queen and is currently in an awkward "pre-teen" stage (that's right..8 going on 12..or 15!), where she gets involved in silly girl arguments at school, which preoccupy her more than they should...I'm sure (*I hope*) this stage will end soon but it can be very exhausting.. teaching her to "pick her battles" can be so challenging sometimes.
Olivia does great in school and is really loving 3rd grade; she does hate homework (who doesn't?!?) but is an incredibly responsible student with perfect attendance so far! (yay Olivia!)
I'm so proud to be Olivia's mom and pretty much everything she does makes me happy (except for the night time battles!) and I can only hope that she continues to be the sweet person she is and can share her happiness with the world!
Happy *half* birthday Olivia! You're amazing!