Fun, Fun, Fun!

Well, we have been super busy the last few weeks.  Richard finished up with classes and his parents came to visit and we had so much fun showing them around New England.  We visited Boston, Providence, the Mystic Seaport, and spent a few days at a resort in the Berkshires.  We loved having them here and I know they loved spending time with Victoria and Reed and I guess they liked seeing Richard and I as well.  Richard's brother Javier was able to come spend a few days with us also, as he was on his way to the Catskill Mountains to work as a rock climbing guide for the summer.  It was so great to see him.  Victoria couldn't get enough of him.  She wanted to be right by his side.

Congratulations Richard!

We spent last weekend in Stamford, Ct.  Richard represented UConn in a case competition and his team won!  Congratulations!  We also had a night out on the town (actually attended a UConn dinner) and left the kids with my cousin Nick and his wonderful wife Amy.  Thank you so much!!

You can see more about the competition here:

 http://www.business.uconn.edu/cms/p242/a467

Spring!

Spring is here! Finally, after a long winter spring is here.  We have been hiking and playing outside as much as we can.  On this hike Victoria was hunting for beaver!  We saw a lot of dams but no beaver.  We still had lots of fun!
This picture just shows how busy Reed is.  We literally just brought this chair in and sat it down, turned around for one second, turned around again and Reed was rocking this chair like a maniac!  I have to keep an eye on him every second.
We brought Victoria's old car seat in to move her to a booster and Reed climbed in and made himself right at home.  It was so cute!
This is a picture of Victoria two minutes before the Easter egg hunt.  She was so excited.  This year she finally got it and went crazy running around picking up only yellow and pink eggs!  She wouldn't even touch the blue and green ones.
Reed is just getting so big! He just needs to start walking and I know we won't be able to catch him!  He is such a happy, rough and tumble boy!

Good Ol' Willie

Believe it or not, Rachel and I attended a Willie Nelson concert a couple of weeks ago. A professor was unable to go and gave me the tickets. Needless to say the crowd was very "interesting!" To our surprise, Billy Bob Thorton and his band, The Breakers was the opening act. As I have seen Willie in concert a few times, I never thought that I would have to move to Connecticut for Rachel to attend her first (and probably only) Willie Nelson concert. We had a fun eveing and we enjoyed many of his classic songs.

- Richard

 

Naps!

I have to admit that I am a little bit nervous. Victoria is slowly giving up her naps. Somedays she sleeps a good two hours and others, like today, she just messes around in her room. She has been in there for about a half hour. I went in a few minutes ago and she had all of her animals sitting on books and she was reading to them. Now I can tell she has gotten out of her bed is playing with other toys. It is now 2:30 and I don't know if I should enforce "nap time" or let her stay up. Richard ran for an office in the Bussiness Association here at UConn and we have to go to the "Awards Night" and we actually are leaving the kiddos for the second time since we moved here in August!! I am excited. I really don't care if he wins or loses. At least, it gets us out alone! At least if Victoria doesn't nap she should go to sleep easier for the babysitter.

Reed is finally sleeping through the night. He goes down around 6:30 and sleep until 6. After getting up with him 2-3 times a night all year I am very excited to be sleeping again! He is getting so big. He still isn't walking at 13 months, but he has mastered crawling. He has started saying quite a few words. They include baby, momma, dadda, no, thank you (kind of) and various animal sounds. We visited the Horse Barn here at school and he heard the sheep, baaing and mimicked them. Now whenever he sees an animal, any animal he makes that sound. He also makes a funny growling sound every time he stuffs food in his mouth.

I want all of our family to know that Victoria still remembers all of you. She says the funniest things about all of you from time to time. It's like she remembers things and has heard things we have said about you and mixes them up. After visiting the horses I think I mentioned that Grandpa Steven used to ride horses and now she keeps saying that Grandpa Steven rides horses all night long. She is always bringing up Aunt Melissa and Silvio. She wants to know if he is bigger!! Whenever we talk about preschool next year she asks, Oh, like Grandma Donna's school. Whenever I can convince her to wear the cute leg warms Aunt Emily gave her for Christmas she remembers Emily gave them to her. But she always says, they are kind of scary though, right Mom!?

Sorry this post is pretty slow, but I just want to remember what these two are up to these days!

Happy Birthday Victoria!

Well, one week removed from Reed's first birthday was Victoria's 3rd birthday on March 14. Our little girl is growing so fast. We had a wonderful magical princess party for Princess Victoria. A few friends from Richard's program and church came over to help us celebrate Victoria's special day. All the girls were so cute in their princess dresses. The two main highlights of the party were the pinata and the Belle birthday cake. Victoria was so proud and happy of her Belle cake that she didn't really want to eat it! We have been so blessed to have Victoria and Reed and are very excited to make them so happy during special days like these. Happy Birthday Victoia!

Happy Birthday Reed!!

Reed turned one today and I don't believe how fast the time has flown. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing home in San Antonio and now he is turning one in Connecticut. Where does the time go?!
He sure is a joy! He is such a sweetheart. He has such an easy smile. If he catches your eye he just beams. I just can't imagine our life without or sweet Reedie pie.