HELLO EVERYBODY!!!

It's been almost a year since I've written anything, but believe me when I tell you we've been so busy. Especially since the arrival of ARLETTE CABRERA born on March 17, 2009 ( St. Patrick's Day) at 5:40 pm, weighing 5 lb. 13 oz. and measuring 18.5".

Keira has been a very good girl, considering all of the attention has been geared towards "Arly", sometimes she'll come over and randomly give her a little kiss on her foot or her cheek, but sometimes when she's in a bad mood, she'll give her a quick smack. Keira and Arly are exactly 14 months apart and I think it was the best decision for us to have our children back to back. At the moment Arly is sleeping soundly for approximately 6 hours during the night, she'll wake up to have her bottle and she'll fall back asleep. Keira on the other hand will wake up screaming sometimes twice a night and I'll have to also give her a bottle to make her sleep again.

Here are my two little bundles of joy. It's incredible to watch them grow, smile, sing. Oh Keira's "singing" now, she sings the chorus to "The wheels on the bus". She's starting to do "Head, shoulders, knees and toes" by pointing to her head and ears. It's actually quite hilarious to watch her. Arly's starting to smile and she even started to crack up with Abuelito Josue.

I have so much catching up to do. Last year in May we went to Puebla to visit Jonas' family and while we were there we decided to baptize Keira. We were honored to have Jonas' cousin Beba and Alex to be Keira's Godparents. So we baptized her in the church of San Antonio right next to where Jonas grew up. This church has sentimental value because like I said, it is right door to where Jonas' family's home is. Actually my suegros used to hang out there as adolescents. The baptism took place on a Saturday or Sunday I don't remember. They light up all the candles and chandeliers in the church so it was absolutely amazing. Oh they also had fireworks in honor of Keira's baptism.

That is Keira with her GREAT-GRANDFATHER VINICIO CABRERA. The group shot is Jonas' family was taken in the patio of San Antonio Church and if you take a close look at the yellow building behind everybody, that is the Cabrera Family home. You want to know sometime cool. Keira's birthday is January 17 (patron saint St. Anthony), my birthday June 13 (patron saint St. Anthony Padua) COOL!!!!

KEIRA'S DAY @ DUMONT DUNES

THE CABRERA FAMILY WENT TO DUMONT DUNES LAST WEEK. IT WAS ACTUALLY KEIRA'S FIRST TIME IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS. WE HAD AN AWESOME TIME. WE HAD A LOVELY PICNIC IN THE DESERT WITH WONDERFUL VIEWS OF THE DUNES. JONAS AND I HAD BEEN IN SAND DUNES IN NAMIBIA WHEN WE WENT TO AFRICA IN 2003 SO IT WAS KINDA NICE TO REMINISCE ON THE GOOD OL' DAYS OF BACKPACKING.

DUMONT DUNES IS AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING PLACE.

I THINK NEXT TIME WE ARE GOING TO RENT SOME QUAD BIKE AND SOME TENTS AND STAY THERE FOR THE WEEKEND. HOPEFULLY MY LOVELY SISTER SANDRA AND HER HUSBAND AND KIDS WILL JOIN US NEXT TIME SINCE SHE'S ABOUT 1.5 HOURS AWAY.

KEIRA'S 4 MONTHS NOW

FIRST AND FOREMOST I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE TO THE WORLD!!!! (DRUMROLE PLEASE) . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . KEIRA'S SLEEPING ALL NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT MUST'VE BEEN WHEN SHE WAS AROUND 2 MONTHS OF AGE. WELL SOOOO MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED AND IT'S INCREDIBLE HOW MUCH SHE'S GROWN AND HOW MUCH SHE'S DEVELOPED. HER NEW THING THIS WEEK WAS THAT SHES PUTTING HER HANDS TOGETHER TO GRAB THINGS SHE SEES. SHE'S ALSO BEEN SUCKING HER FINGER. FOR ME THESE ARE INCREDIBLE EVENTS TO WITNESS BECAUSE I SEE HOW SHE'S GROWING AND HOW SHE'S BECOMING MUCH MORE AWARE OF HER SURROUNDINGS.

THIS MONTH HAS BEEN VERY BUSY FOR THE CABRERA FAMILY. WE WENT TO VISIT MY GRANDMA IN LOS ANGELES ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. SHE IS WELL OVER 80 YEARS OF AGE AND SHE IS STILL SUCH AN ACTIVE LADY. SHE STILL CLIMBS THE ROOF OF HER MOBILE HOME TO SWEEP THE LEAVES OFF .

NOW I KNOW WHERE MY DAD GET'S HIS GOOD HEALTH FROM. NOW I JUST HOPE MY LITTLE KEIRA GETS HER GOOD HEALTH.

YOU COULD SAY A TYPICAL DAY WOULD INCLUDE TAKING A WALK WITH JONAS AND KEIRA AFTER JONAS GETS HOME AFTER WORK. KEIRA ABSOLUTELY LOVES GOING ON WALKS, SHE LOOKS IN AWE AT THE TREES, THE SKY, THE CARS GO BY. IT IS AMAZING TO WATCH HER WATCH THE WORLD GO BY.

My Keira's 3 weeks old!!

A lot can happen in 3 weeks. My little Keira's getting cuter every day. She smiles (it's actually gas the doctor says), she finally got the hang of breastfeeding, and she's sleeping much better. This third week of having her in our life has been much smoother as we adjust to new sleeping schedules. The only problem is she cries as soon as we put her in her crib, so we give in and let her sleep with us. It is incredible how early in life children are good at manipulating their parents, HA HA HA! She already did her first naughty act, little Keira did. She pooped (sprayed) all over me while I was changing her diaper.

Happy Birthday Keira!

Our baby finally arrived in the wee hours of Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 2:32 am. The adventure actually began the day before when Jonas and I took a half an hour walk around our neighborhood. When we got home I started feeling sick to my stomach. I actually thought I had indigestion from the hamburger and fries I ate the day before, but then I started feeling worse and worse. I felt pains in my stomach which actually got worse as time progressed, then I started timing the pains and then it hit me. I'M IN LABOR!! I called Jonas at work and he came home early to help me pack since I wasn't at all prepared. So we started our journey from Victorville to Mission Viejo. By this time the contractions were coming at random times, but on the average 6-8 minutes apart. So here we are going 100 mph on the freeway towards the hospital, I'm in labor and poor Jonas trying to breath with me each contraction. We get to the emergency room and they send me right up to labor/delivery. They make me put on the ugly hospital clothing and then the nurse checks me and let's me know that I'm already 3cm dilated.
"YOU'RE HAVING THIS BABY TONIGHT" the nurse told Jonas. We got to the hospital around 3:00 pm, but I actually didn't get the epidural until approximately 9:00 pm because the hospital was understaffed. To make a long story short, my water broke and by midnight I was already 9 cm dilated, the epidural didn't work at all because I felt everything, excrutiating pain like never before. So after 6 easy pushes Keira popped out and we welcomed her with open arms!!! All 6 lb. 4 oz. of her!!! By the way did I mention my crazy sister flew in from Vegas and was with me the whole time. Thanx Chanita, we all love you!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEIRA!!!!