Orozco Cafe

Halloween 2011!

2011-11-28T13:58:00.001-08:00

At long last! Halloween 2011! Truly, this was one of the best Halloweens! We've got plenty of slideshows and photos below to prove it! Following the slideshows are some final photos from cupcake and cookie decorating, homemade donut decorating, and a few from actual Halloween night! Let's just say, "The Force" was with us! :)

Austin's 8th and 9th Months...

2011-11-28T12:43:00.001-08:00

My oh my, time sure does fly! The best I can manage these days are 2 months lumped together at a time! But I figure that's better than nothing at all for my sweetest 3rd baby! Austin truly is an amazing addition to our family! These past couple of months have really brought out his personality! He truly is a sweetheart... a cuddler... a total lover... with a slight temper, but only if disturbed! ;)

These couple of months have also brought about some new milestones, namely in the way of teeth, as he managed to sprout four more... his two front teeth included... and two more on the bottom as well! :) He also likes to imitate quite a bit these days... He's starting to clap, he loves to wave, and will imitate saying "Mama" and on rare occasion, "Dada" ;) He also holds his arms outward when asked, "How big is Austin... SOOOO big." He really is quite the ham! He is also quite mobile, and to our great fortune, has already started climbing furniture! ;) And while I don't anticipate an early walker, Austin does stand independently for short periods of time... Blake and Addie get quite the kick out of it! :)

As far as size goes... Austin remains a whopper! Not abnormal or anything, just a good-sized kid! :) He weighs 23 pounds and measures 29 inches long, putting him in the 90th percentile for both weight and height! You'll see in the photos below that in a few more months Austin will likely match Abuelita in size! I think they'll love each other despite of it! ;)

In conclusion... Austin... you are loved... like you wouldn't believe! Blake & Addie truly cannot get enough of you and care for you like no other siblings I've ever seen! Seriously! And your Mommy and Daddy... well... we don't know how we survived without you! We can't wait to see you grow into our littlest boy! We also can't wait to see your interest grow in cars and trains (as you already seem to have a love for them) on your journey to your 10th month and beyond! We love you Bubba! :)

Austin's FIRST Haircut!

2011-10-07T21:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it wasn't technically his FIRST haircut... I mean, seriously, if you look back at pictures of this kid's hair, I had to at least trim it with scissors here and there!! This was just his first buzz cut! He's actually had another since this one because his hair grows about as fast as he does! :)

Luckily for me, Austin's quite the patient pea! He had no problems letting me buzz away at his hair for like 45 minutes! Cutting hair is tough enough, I do Blake's and Daddy's all the time, but babies are definitely a challenge! Thankfully, Austin went easy on me! Now, I can't say that the results were perfect, but he certainly looked perfect to me!

Austin's 6th AND 7th Months!!!

2011-10-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

Time goes by much too quickly for my liking! It's hard to believe that our sweet little bundle of love is growing so fast! The big guy is weighing in at 23 pounds and is in the 90th percentile across the board for weight, height, and head circumfrence... or "perfectly proportioned" as Dr. Cu likes to say! He's definitely a sturdy guy!

His 6th and 7th months truly blurred together with some serious milestones! On August 15th his bottom two teeth made their way into his mouth and it was quite the dramatic week... not a happy teether I must say! He also decided that he would start crawling at 6 months and then start pulling up and cruising the following month! As exciting as all of these milestones are, they certainly managed to turn our world upside down... particularly with his mobility! Praise God for his big brother and sister who are HUGE helps in alerting me to small pieces on the floor and keeping him in safe zones!

Austin still has a great appetite and is eating a wide range of purees these days... his favorites are fruits of any kind (with the exception of melon... you should have seen his expression), carrots and sweet potatoes... he's a fan of chicken, but definitely not a favorite for him. A "favorite" usually involves little room for breathing and lots of consecutive mouthfuls!

And finally, this kid's personality is so very mellow! He truly is wonderful to have as our third with the peace he brings! He's definitely go-with-the-flow and is quick to crack a smile... all of which definitely makes him a Daddy's boy! :) Sweet baby Austin, we love you so dearly and can't imagine our family without you... it's like you've always been here! :) Until the 8th month....

{Here are some photos starting with his 6th month and moving into his 7th... some were intended to be edited and made super spiffy, but he's too cute to even worry about ideal backgrounds, etc.! My favorites are the last ones with him standing... his personality is all over his face!}

Candice's 29th Birthday!

2011-10-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

In a word... BLESSED! Blessed to be taken to Shogun by my Dad and Step-Mom... blessed to have in-laws that always go the extra mile with beautiful birthday presentations and treats... blessed to have a husband that spent literally hours planning and cooking a meal for my birthday and surprising me with treats and cards in bed... blessed to have a best friend with a huge heart and a birthday close enough to mine that we can celebrate together... blessed to have met members of my husband's family from Mexico... blessed to have a Mom that was willing to watch the kiddos on my actual birthday so I could run to the DMV and renew my driver's license because I waited last minute for it to expire... blessed to be the mother of three outstanding children at this ripe age of 29... blessed to be healthy and thriving... TRULY blessed by each and every person that I was able to share my birthday with!

Cal Poly Trip - Summer 2011

2011-10-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

Below are some of my favorite photos of my babies from our Summer trip to Cal Poly Pomona!

The last of Summer 2011...

2011-09-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

These are the last of our Summer 2011 photos... starting with our once a week round of sock basketball, which is Mommy's way of getting the kids to match the socks! :)

Then we were fortunate enough to go to the Circus with Grammie and Grandpa Eggie!

And finally, Grandma Orozco and Tia Sandra took Addison to her first real tea house (Two a Tea in Glendora) where she indulged in coconut tea, while I went with Tia Christina, Massimo, Joaquin, Blake & Austin to the local bowling alley!

Addison's First Dance Class & Recital...

2011-09-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Over the Summer we decided to give Addie her first shot at ballet and tap! It was love at first sight for Addison! She didn't cry once despite the fact that parents don't stay in the room! She even participated better than we imagined she would! Dance may be able to stay around awhile... until she changes her mind about it, which tends to happen from time to time with three year old girls! ;) In the meantime we'll enjoy the fun of it all! Below are some photos from her first class as well as her first recital video... which I'm pretty sure EVERYONE has already seen, but for memory's sake, I wanted it here on our little ol' family blog! :)

Vacation Bible School 2011...

2011-08-24T22:20:00.000-07:00

This was the first year our kids were old enough to participate in our church's Vacation Bible School! They were so excited for the week long event! The theme was "Pandamania", where the kids learned that God is WILD about them! They had a ton of fun all week and then finished the week with a special Family Mass followed by a BBQ and water play! This was a rare occasion that Mike felt was worth taking the day off of work from! It really was a treat to see the kids with their friends on that last day and go to Mass with all of the kids, who were singing their newly learned songs throughout the service! They also had a slideshow of the week's events for us parents to see... very cool! The kids brought home a TON of crafts, which I'll have to take pictures of and post at another time! It was a great experience and they're already looking forward to next year... until then, we get to sing all of the songs in the van since we decided to buy the Pandamania CD!

Oh, and you'll notice in the pictures below that Addie was more cooperative for the camera... yeah... apparently Blake has reached the stage where Mom & Dad are an embarassment... he even wanted to sit with his friends at Mass instead of us... US... his TOTALLY AWESOME parents! ;) I'm sure he just didn't see us with our gigantic camera and 10 inch zoom lens... yeah, that must have been it! :)

Addison's FIRST Haircut!

2011-08-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

At 3 years of age, Miss Addison Grace has let go of her first couple inches of hair! It was quite the big occasion, so we wanted to do it up right... almost like royalty... and where is a girl to go for this kind of treatment? ... Crowned Studio of course!!! Addie's Nina is a Master Stylist at Crowned Studio and made sure to give Addie the VIP treatment! Knowing my daughter well, I knew we didn't have to worry about her nerves getting the best of her! Just as I suspected, she jumped right in and enjoyed the pampering! This was definitely a special day for us girls!

Thanks to Nina Christina for doing a great job, as always! :)

A Little Summer 2011 Catching-Up... with more to come!

2011-08-21T14:22:00.001-07:00

This summer was packed with all kinds of local, low-key fun! So much so that I couldn't keep up with the recording of it all! This is me throwing in *some* of the photos of our summer randomness before it goes by without remembrance!

I'll start with our beach trip with Grandpa Eggie and Uncle Cam! We were fortunate enough to get some extra quality time with Grandpa Eggie this summer since he was stir-crazy from multiple hospital stays!

We made some homemade pretzels for fun!

We BBQ'd a goat head for fun too since Mike has memories eating this delicacy as a child! The kids went nuts over the whole process and were more than delighted to eat the eyeballs and the tongue... I wish I was lying... video coming soon!

We attended many summer movies at our local park! It was actually a highlight of our summer with picnics and treats straight after Daddy came home from work each Wednesday!

Grandpa Eggie's stir-craziness paid off yet again with a trip down to Whittier to see St. Mary's, the church he grew up attending and the school he attended through 8th grade!

We also swung by the Rose Hills mortuary to see some loved ones...

Grandma Blake still sported a birthday card given to her by my grandfather a couple of months back.

And finally, Grandpa Eggie's childhood home in Whittier... much changed of course!

Back to randomness with my summer kick-off... watermelon waffles!

Most days looked like this over the summer...

With the exception of the day Addie got into a serving mood and surprised us with drinks... on a bathroom step-stool... totally her idea and we were so excited to partake in her hospitality!

We spent multiple days at the pottery painting place this summer as well!

Had a small espresso crisis that was so kindly solved by Grandpa Orozco...

And had a lot of special moments like this one... we went to check on the kids about an hour after them being tucked in, only to find that Blake had crept into his sister's room/bed and they had fallen asleep together! :) I'd say these moments are the best!

The End!

4th of July 2011

2011-08-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

Slightly delayed... better late than never! There's a TON more coming this week to catch up from my laziness! Until then, here's the basics from our Fourth of July... no pictures from that actual evening as I wanted to make sure that I was fully present to enjoy that time with our kiddos...and with the help of the Orozco's, we did exactly that! :)

Austin's 5th Month!

2011-07-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so there aren't any real statistics to report this month since we don't have a check-up, but it's safe to say that Austin is plenty tall and plenty heavy!

It seems as though he has had a burst of milestones lately! This month he started sitting with minimal support, branched out from rice cereal to homemade butternut squash and sweet potatoes, has begun pulling his knees up under his belly in the early stages of crawling, and LOVES to play with his brother, sister, and lots of toys! He really is evolving into a little character... one of my favorite stages for sure!

Something I want to note for memory is that Austin LOVES his Daddy and spending time with him in the morning before work. He has picked up the new hobby of kicking/tapping Daddy's face with his bare feet to feel the rough morning stubble on Mike's face.... he giggles with delight from the texture and they both seem to enjoy their special time!

Each month brings more joy with our newest little boy! Blake and Addie are starting to enjoy his reciprocated interaction as well! We look forward to the next month with our awesome addition... Austin! :) XOXO Baby Boy!

Addison's 3rd Birthday!

2011-07-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

What is happening to our babies!?! Miss Addison Grace has already arrived at her third year! To commemorate the occasion, I interviewed the lady of the hour! Here are some of Addison’s current favorites that I wanted to capture at this fun and special age!

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Food: Salad (I kid you not!)

Favorite thing to Do/Play: "Play tea party with Blake.” :)

Favorite Place to Go: "Take Austin to see Dr. Cu with Mommy."

Favorite Toy: "All of the puzzles." (And she’s independently slammin’ em’ together these days!)

What do you want to be when you grow up?: "A dentist.” (Which is odd because she HATES the dentist)

Best Friend: "Blake and my dance girls." (She’s referring to her friends in ballet/tap)

Favorite Animal: "A tiger that’s nice… if they’re mean then I don’t pick that one." (Nuff said!)

Favorite Song: "Jingle Bells.” (Mommy’s girl ALL the way! It’s JUNE and that’s her reply!)

Favorite thing to wear: "My Hello Kitty shirt.”

Favorite part of school: "Listening to the teacher.” (Total Teacher’s Pet!)

Favorite Movie: "The Jesus one because Jesus comes down and prays for the little kids in the dirt.” (I can’t even begin to explain this one…)

Favorite thing to do with Daddy: "Take care of him.” (HONESTLY, that was her answer and it put great big tears in my eyes… proud Mommy moment for sure!)

Favorite thing to do with Mommy: "When she paints my toes pretty." :)

Favorite thing to do with Blake: "Help him clean the toys up… we do that all the days.”

Something you can't wait to do with Austin: "I want to read those books to him." (Soon enough, she will!)

Addison, you are one special little lady. Anyone who meets you can attest to the fact that you’re 3 going on 13! You are comprised of strong will, tremendous leadership skills and could, honest to goodness, sell ice to an Eskimo at the age of 3. You love ferociously and speak boldly… you brighten all of our days! You’ve been blessed with the responsibility of leadership… it comes natural to you. Some may say “bossy”, perhaps sometimes, but those skills are rooted in a confident leader my love! We pray for the Lord to guide us in helping you foster this special gift! We’re certain you will do great things with it! We love you Addie... more than words! We thank God for choosing us to be your parents... how very blessed we are! :)

Now, onto some birthday footage! The first video is of Addison on the morning of her actual birthday receiving her traditional birthday muffins in bed as well as Addison’s 3rd year in review… with co-stars Blake & Austin. The second video is footage from Addison’s little birthday get-together!

Disneyland footage coming soon… thanks to Mikey for all of the special videos!

Memorial Day 2011...

2011-07-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm so behind,

but getting ready to do some catching-up!

I'll start with our busy Memorial Day weekend! It was full of BBQ's, Veterans, & Baptisms!

We decided to have a little BBQ at a really neat park with just the 5 of us to get the weekend goin'! It was so nice that it is sure to become a regular outing for us!

Then we were fortunate enough to be a part of our niece's beautiful Baptism... I think everyone under the sun has seen the video! :)

And finally, we carried on our tradition (for the 2nd year in a row) of going to the Oakdale Cemetery for their service dedicated to the fallen soldiers! We made this a part of our Memorial Day tradition in hopes of the kids understanding that it isn't just a day off of school... and I don't think we'll be regretting it, as it has been meaningful both years thus far! Next year we hope to come armed with buckets of water and sponges so that we can clean the headstones of those who gave their lives for our freedom! God Bless!

Austin's 3rd & 4th Months!

2011-06-17T14:44:00.001-07:00

With all of the fun we've been having with our growing boy, months 3 and 4 just flew by in a giant blur! Lucky for us we've captured some photos/memories along the way!

At 4 months old Sir Austin is weighing in at 17.5lbs. and is 26.5 inches long! Completely proportioned and a pretty big guy... so much so that the Dr. suggested starting him on rice cereal at the 4 month mark, which we had to do for his big brother as well due to his large size and never ending appetite! His sister was a true lady and was able to start cereal at 6 months as expected by most. What can we say, our boys are big eaters... whatever will we do in the teen years?

As far as milestones go, solid food aside, Austin is now rolling over in both directions, jumping happily in his jumperoo, babbling all kinds of silly things, grabbing and grasping a variety of toys, and busting a gut with infectious laughter! He has also moved into 6-9 month clothing with an occasional 12 month outfit here and there... I forget how quickly they go through their first year of clothes... my goodness! Also, we suspect that he has begun teething with his new found biting on things, although we have yet to see any resemblance of teeth. :) No rush for those days though! He's also trying terribly hard to sit on his own and has some good strength to bring himself up if propped... soon enough he'll be sittin' around with his brother and sister amidst all of the household action! Speaking of his brother and sister... definitely his favorite people! He lights up upon hearing their voices or seeing their faces! They have been incredible older siblings to Mr. Austin... he's loved very much around these parts!

We're thrilled for what the next month has in store!

Austin's 3rd Month:

Laundry Fun!

Austin's 4th Month:

Starting on rice cereal...

Photo below is credit to Big Brother Blake...Getting ready for some fun by the pool...

FINALLY... Easter 2011!

2011-05-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome Easter this year! We're so thankful for our faith on this holiest of days!

Only regret this Easter: We didn't take pictures at Grandma & Grandpa Orozco's... must have been having a great time to not have taken the camera out! :) Until next year Orozco's!

The Sunday School Easter skit... Blake was selected to play an angel :) ... this wasn't a huge thing with parents and such in attendance, I just happened to get lucky and brought my camera for my last day of teaching Sunday School! Amen!

Our tradition of Whopper nests!

A fun Easter craft for the kiddos! Their Bible School teachers called them "crosses with BLING!" :)

The kids making "New Life" cakes... since Jesus gives us new life!

Can't leave out dying the Easter eggs!

We put them out before bed for the Easter Bunny... with carrots too of course!

Would you believe that the Easter Bunny left behind evidence!?! That sneaky rabbit!

Easter at Aunt Jessica's... a fun time had by all!

Big Kid Beds and Austin's Crib...

2011-05-08T21:38:00.001-07:00

Where does the time go? SO, it turns out that Blake is quite the tall dude and wasn't going to last much longer in his toddler bed... not to mention that he started to notice his friends were not in toddler beds anymore (note to self: do not take him to his friends' houses anymore!) ;)

Well, I decided to be patient and wait until Blake's feet were dangling off of the end of his bed before jumping into the twin sized bed for him. Oddly enough, the week of his 4th birthday my mother (Grammy Ross) informed me that she was getting two matching twin-sized beds from one of her sisters! These beds were special because they belonged to my cousins Audrey and Andrew (a brother sister duo), whom Blake and Addie know as Soldier Audrey and Soldier Andrew for their service in the Marine Corps.! Obviously these cousins of mine are grown and in their early 20's now, but these beds belonged to them when they were small! The kids were SO excited to learn that they would inherit them! Did you catch that? KidS... as in more than one kid... because although Miss Addison was not even close to outgrowing her toddler bed, she would be getting an automatic upgrade as well! What a special treat!

As you can see below, Addison's crib has also been reinstated as Austin's in the "Boy's Room". As soon as we feel it's safe to start putting Austin in his big boy room, Blake and Austin will officially be roommates! Blake is SUPER excited, although he's going to have to be patient, as we're in no hurry to rush the little guy out of our room! Addison on the other hand is completely content to have her room all to herself! :)

Thank you to my Aunt Gail for allowing my Mom to keep the beds in the family, and to my Uncle Stan for packaging them so carefully and in such an organized manner... but an EXTRA SPECIAL thanks goes to my Mom for hauling the beds to my house on her own and setting them up like a rock star while I did absolutely NOTHING! Oh, and I can't forget to thank my best pal Jen for stopping by and teaming up with my Mom to completely clean and rearrange the kids rooms into the way they're seen below! They worked for HOURS that day and night... may God bless them both! The kids have been in heaven since and I'm glad I've got these photos to give them a glimpse into their childhood rooms!

Austin's 2nd Month!

2011-05-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

Slightly behind with our little man's update for the 2nd month, but we've been busy enjoying the heck out of him! At 2 months he is growing like a weed and changing by the day... the pictures below are a testament to that, as he looks like a different child from one photo to the next! Oh, and it helps that he's started to crack smiles on a more regular basis... it makes pictures so much more fun!

At 2 months he has moved his way into 3-6 month clothing and seems to be getting heavier by the second... says my back! ;) Austin is quite the strong little guy and is pretty capable of holding his head up to get a look around! He has also started talking up a storm with lots of coo-ing and goo-ing and enjoys running in place on his back, as it seems the scooting stage is on it's way... you know, one minute you set him over here, run to grab a burp rag or something and return to find him inches in the opposite direction! Exciting days ahead for Austy J! Speaking of which, he has also acquired a couple of new nicknames in his second month... "Porkchop" and "Porcupine" (due to hair issues)! :)

Blake & Addison are still very excited about the new addition to our family and are quick to smother Austin with affection! They have yet to request that we take him back to the hospital as I have heard other children their age tend to do! So thank God for their open little hearts and their willingness to help Mommy & Daddy! Austin is one lucky baby to have Blake & Addison as his siblings... and likewise, they're quite lucky too... just see the photos below... what's not to love about this guy!?! :)

The Orozco Trio...

2011-04-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

I must admit... few things delight me more than seeing the commonalities in our children and pondering the miracle of their existences! Of course they are each completely different children (that's the best part of it!), but recognizing that these little cookies were all made from the same cutters brings an element of unity to our family! With that said... Go Team Orozco!!! Blake at 1 Month Old...

Addison at 1 Month Old...

Austin at 1 Month Old...

Blake's 4th Birthday!

2011-04-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

My how time flies! Our first-born baby is already FOUR! To commemorate the occasion, I interviewed the man of the hour! Here are some of Blake's current favorites that I wanted to capture at this fun and special age!

Favorite Color: Blue & Red (Spiderman of course!)

Favorite Food: Spaghetti

Favorite thing to Do/Play: "Pretend to be a chef and eat pretend."

Favorite Place to Go: "Chuck E. Cheese"

Favorite Toy: "Dark Spiderman & red Spiderman... all of the Spidermans and superheroes."

What do you want to be when you grow up?: "A chef "

Best Friend: "Addie & Kai"

Favorite Animal: "A tiger"

Favorite Song: "Blue music" (No idea what he's talking about here!) ;)

Favorite thing to wear: "My blue shirt and my black pants... and my lightning shoes!"

Favorite part of school: "Color the words and read... and tangrams!"

Favorite Movie: "A Night at the Museum... the old one, not the new one." (He means the first one, not the sequel)

Favorite thing to do with Daddy: "Play Spiderman and superheroes... and taste the coffee!"

Favorite thing to do with Mommy: "Ride in the van to all those places then take a nap and have a snack."

Favorite thing to do with Addie: "Kiss her and hug her." (Swear to goodness this was his first and only response!)

Something you can't wait to do with Austin: "Play with him with those cars over there."

Blake, you continue to melt our hearts! You are such a sweet kid... seriously! ... so kind, generous, and bursting with love for family and friends! Even your teachers continuously point out what a huge heart you have! If only we could take credit for your sweet nature! You are blessed with a generous spirit by the Lord and we pray for Him to guide us in helping you foster this special gift! We love you Blake... like you wouldn't believe! We thank God for choosing us to be your parents... how very lucky we are! :)

Now, onto some birthday party footage and a SUPER special little clip that Daddy caught while we were working on your Spiderman donut tower! Thank you Mikey for always grabbing the video camera for these unexpected moments... this clip will live in my heart forever... a true depiction of Blake as we know him! :)

Oh, and some pictures of Blake on the morning of his actual birthday... keeping the tradition of muffins in bed!

St. Patrick's Day 2011

2011-04-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Austin's 1st Month!

2011-03-28T15:50:00.001-07:00

At 1 month old, little Austin is weighing in at 10 pounds and measuring 22 inches long… definitely seeing some growth from his birth stats of 6lbs. 11oz., and 19 inches long… some pretty rapid growth if you ask me!

Given the above-mentioned growth, it’s no surprise that Sir Austin was out of newborn clothing in the first 2 weeks of life… with the exception of one brand… God Bless “Circo” from Target! He’s currently sporting 0-3 month clothing with little wiggle room depending upon the brand! I’m interested to see if his growth continues at this rate given the fact that he was quite the little tater tot at birth!

Speaking of “Tater Tot”, that is one of Austin’s many nicknames! Addie and Blake lovingly prefer to call him “Austy J”, while Mike and I like to call him “Tater Tot” amongst other random names we come up with… including “Gassy Gus”… and seriously, we mean GASSY… but we love him just the same!

Austin is truly a sweet and good-natured baby! Unfortunately, he spent much of his first month with a very nasty cold! He made hardly a peep as we endlessly suctioned mucous from his nose and mouth on an hourly basis! We truly do feel blessed for his good nature during the difficult time of having 3 sick kids (1 being a newborn) and 1sick Mommy as we transitioned into our new roles as parents of 3! Not much has changed at the end of the first month… with the exception of our good health returning (Praise God!), but Austy J has remained just the same… sweet as the day he was born!

We cannot wait to see the changes ahead, as the first year is an exciting time full of fun and “firsts”! Until then, we enjoy his beginning smiles and ever-changing “coos” and “goos”… oh, and his hair… we can’t wait to see where his hair takes us! It’s all over the place!

We love you Austin J!

Oh, and before I forget… something I always hope to remember and share with him… Austin spent the whole first month smiling… almost every time I kissed his closed eyelids! It truly melted my heart… every. single. time!

Valentine's Day 2011...

2011-03-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

This Valentine's Day was EXTRA special since it was our first day home from the hospital with Baby Austin... an extra little one to LOVE! It was a most memorable day, followed by an awesome Valentine's dinner courtesy of Grammie and Grandpa Eggie! Doesn't get better than that folks! Praise God!

Austin's Birth Story...

2011-03-14T13:15:00.001-07:00

With abundant false labor and much excitement from our little family of four, we proudly welcomed our FIFTH family member! Mr. Austin Jesse Orozco was born at 38.5 weeks gestation on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 12:20p.m. weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and measuring 19 inches long! The Lord blessed us with another smooth delivery with a healthy baby to boot… we give all of our thanks to Him!

For those interested in the details…

The theme of this pregnancy was FALSE LABOR! It all started with a trip to labor and delivery 3 days after Christmas on Uncle Cameron’s 21st birthday. The contractions were coming at intervals that were easily timed and rather quite painful. The only problem is that I was only 32 weeks pregnant… much too soon for little Austin to make his appearance! They admitted me to the hospital, gave me a shot to stop the contractions, and then ran some tests to see why preterm labor had begun. Turns out that a silly little bladder infection was to blame for all of the commotion! I was finally sent on my way with medication for the bladder infection, medication to keep the contractions at bay while the infection was being treated, and directions to “be lazy” while our little bun finished baking. Orozco’s don’t do lazy, so I settled for taking it easy!

Once we hit 36 weeks gestation, the false labor was almost constant! Thank goodness for family and friends who came running at all hours on the several occasions we “cried wolf”. You’d think that by the third baby you would be able to differentiate between false and real labor… not so much!

Finally, at 38.5 weeks gestation on a Friday evening, the contractions started to kick in pretty good but were pretty irregular. Despite the irregularity, the degree of pain indicated that things were getting a smidge more serious. We decided to call Mike’s parents to come on over to stay with the sleeping kids, despite the fact that the contractions began to fade away immediately after hanging up the phone. By the time the Orozco’s arrived, the contractions had kicked back in and were becoming more regular, but by then I’d had almost a whole month of regular contractions at any given time, so I was still skeptical about heading to the hospital. As it approached 11p.m. Mike’s Mom urged us to go ahead and go and get checked if nothing else! By the time we arrived to the hospital the contractions were fading yet again and I felt kinda silly having them check me, but hey, we were already there!

Upon entering labor and delivery I tried to look as though I was in more pain than I actually was. They definitely looked at me like “there’s no way this girl is in actual labor,” but I had seen that look before while 8cm dilated with Addison, so I brushed it off and went forth to get checked. Before the nurse checked me I had told her that I probably wasn’t dilated since that’s what I was told at my doctor’s appointment less than 24 hours prior. The nurse was as surprised as I was to find that I was 2cm dilated… definitely nothing to write home about, but it was progress and I was thrilled that these contractions were actually serving a purpose at that point! They decide to keep me for an hour to see if I make any further progress. One hour later they discover that I’m dilated to 4cm and we are admitted for active labor!

Given the rapid speed of my previous pregnancies, I called for the epidural… STAT! The pain was so-so at worst, but there was no way I was missing that little slice of heaven… the spinal block! The epidural was administered by none other than Dr. Woo, the same anesthesiologist who performed my epidural during Addison’s birth. Naturally, I was pleased and quite relieved! I did have a few moments of light-headedness that were kinda scary due to a rapid drop in my blood pressure, but aside from those 2 minutes of fright, the epidural was as dreamy as I remember it… for awhile anyways!

I had never gone to the hospital this early in one of my labors, so this was the earliest I had received an epidural. It was so cool to just sit back with Mike and watch late night infomercials, visit, sleep, and eat ice chips… just like in the movies! My previous labors had never allowed enough time for ice chips… what a treat! ;) At this time I was dilated to 6cm with a bulging bag of water. Dr. T said we could let the water break on its own (which it had done in the past, both times, right before it’s time to push), or he could pop it since it was ready to go... we opted to try something new and told him to go ahead and pop it! Oddly enough, there was no significant difference from previous labors in regard to the water breaking or being popped, but it was a new experience nonetheless… nothing
lost, nothing gained!

Well, as 11:50a.m. on Saturday approached, I was still only dilated to 6cm and started to feel the pain through the epidural… so, naturally, I requested another dose of the good stuff! But no sooner than I made my request, I knew it was time to push… and I knew that I would be doing so without a refreshed epidural. The nurse did another check just to be sure, and history repeated itself with a super fast transition from 6 to 10cm. I tried not to cry, but I knew Dr. Tangchitnob had run across the street to his office and I would have to keep the baby in place until he could make a mad dash back… and holding in a baby that has wanted out for quite some time is not a painless process, at least from what I had experienced with Blake’s delivery.

Luckily for me, Dr. T made it back in record time! With Mike, Grammy Ross, and Grammie Eggie crowded around for support, I gave 4 quick pushes and brought Austin Jesse into the world with the umbilical cord around his neck… twice. Thank goodness the cord was easily removed by Dr. T and would soon be cut by the proud Daddy, who was thrilled to discover we had another BOY!

Austin was absolutely adorable the moment he was born with Apgar scores of 9 and 9! He seemed so small and feisty… and we were instantly in love! We continue to thank God for this most precious gift and are anxious to watch Austin grow under the love and protection of his bigger siblings who adored him before he was born! Sir Austin, you are most certainly loved!

Our Final Days as a Family of Four...

2011-01-30T17:50:00.001-08:00

We can hardly believe that the time is arriving to welcome our newest family member! We pray fervently that our newest addition arrives safe and sound and highly anticipate the new dynamics of being a family of FIVE! To commemorate this transition, I wanted to post these most recent photos of our family... just as we are today... full of love and excitement for our third gift from God!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."

~Psalms 127:3-5

Lucky Baby #3...

2011-01-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

Lucky to have such generous family and friends! As the due date of our little Sweetheart arrives, we've been blessed by some very thoughtful folks!

Auntie Jenny sent me a private invitation for a day of pampering and fun! She started by picking me up and taking me to a local tea house for tea... YUM! During tea she spoiled Baby #3 with all kinds of special gifts and goodies! And as though that wasn't enough pampering for me, she continued our day with spa pedicures at Burke Williams in Pasadena... considering it has been awhile since I've seen my own feet, it was a much needed trip! ;) Did Jen stop there... no, of course not, she then let me drag her through Toys 'R' Us to pick up some gifts for Blake & Addie to open at the hospital... from Baby Brother or Sister of course! It was a true day of relaxation and fun! A HUGE thank you to a most generous friend... from our whole family!

Oh, and I can't forget to thank Mike for watching the kids so I can have this time with Jen! Mikey, you are forever generous with your time and love for our family... the kids and I thank you... always! :)

(A quick shot of Jen, myself and the kiddos before heading off to tea!)

That's not the end for our sweet bundle of joy... The Orozco's put together a fun and tasty celebration to prepare for the upcoming arrival of Baby Love #3! I must admit, Baby #3 enjoyed this more than one might imagine... via food of course! Well done from the Orozco and Anguiano crews! Just look at the mouth-watering treats below... and the D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S main attraction of tender meat from the Anguiano's very own Taco Nazo Restaurant! As if we weren't blessed by everyone's time, thought, and food contributions already... the families proceeded to shower our little Sweetheart with handmade blankets and much-needed goodies of all sorts! How can we repay such generosity? Endless gratitute... which we intend to pass on to our upcoming bundle of joy! Little Sweetheart #3, you are so very lucky, as are your brother, sister and parents, to have such wonderful family to love and support us! Blessings and much thanks to you all!

Fun with The Three Kings...

2011-01-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

A fun video from our Epiphany Celebration!

Cousin Noah's 5th Birthday!

2011-01-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

We decided to have a little get together in honor of Cousin Noah's 5th Birthday! Of course, we stuck with a Thomas the Train theme and kept things simple with a fun Costco Cake re-make! It was a lot of fun and put a great big smile on the birthday boy's face! Big Smile = SUCCESS! :)

Happy 5th Birthday Buddy! Where does the time go?

Christmas 2010...

2011-01-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

There's no other way to say it... our Christmas was truly blessed! We hosted Christmas Eve for the very first time and thoroughly enjoyed it, although we'll be the first to admit that there were plenty of learning experiences along the way... We were blessed with the presence of wonderful family and friends from both near and far away... We witnessed the very first Christmas for a new niece and new nephew and rejoiced in the excitement of Jesus, presents, and Santa with our other two nephews, and of course our own children as well! Most importantly, we delighted in seeing our kids get a stronger grasp of the true meaning of Christmas and were touched by their innocent and genuine love for Jesus... and of course, Santa! We can hardly believe that we'll be celebrating another first Christmas in 2011... for our third child... whom we pray for daily for a safe and healthy arrival! We can hardly wait! Until Christmas comes again...

Oh, and we didn't take any photos on the evening of Christmas Day at the Orozco's house due to camera trouble... but if you check out the second video with the red framing, you'll see why we'll no longer have technical difficulties! ;)

Thanksgiving 2010...

2010-12-06T08:39:00.000-08:00

On Thanksgiving, and always, we have more than enough to be thankful for! We give thanks to God for the many blessings we're so fortunate to celebrate this year, and for the amazing people we get to share them with!

Also, thank you to both Grammie Stephanie & Grandma Orozco for hosting outstanding Thanksgiving dinners! As always, they put out a beautiful spread of food on the most beautifully set tables! We're so grateful for their efforts to make Thanksgiving special for us all! Oh, and we can't forget to thank Grandpa Blake & Grandpa Orozco for their help with the main attraction... those delicious turkeys! :)

Blake & Addie's attempt at prim & proper! ;)

Our silly little turkeys!

Thanksgiving with the Blake's!

Thanksgiving with the Orozco's!

Halloween 2010!

2010-11-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2010... in a nutshell... a VERY BIG nutshell! ;)

Pumpkin Fun...

Halloween in New Jersey :) ...

Halloween Night 2010...

Our Halloween Chili Night with the Family...

Halloween Crafting & Decorating...

Kids' Halloween Party with the Jones'!

Fire Station Field Trip!

2010-10-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

The kids and I went on a field trip to the fire station with their preschool class! Besides being super hot that day, the kids had a great time and enjoyed playing at the park and making a fire truck craft after our tour! :)

19 Weeks and Growing!

2010-10-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

Last week we had another ultrasound at 19 weeks! Baby Valentine is looking great according to Dr. T... although he/she looks slightly like Casper the Ghost in this particular picture! Hey, it's almost Halloween, what can we say! :)

The baby is measuring 1 week ahead of schedule, which is pretty similar to how Blake and Addie were... measuring farther and farther ahead as the appointments progressed! :) Ah, our big babies... I love them so!

The baby was also kind enough to expose his or her gender to Dr. T... and man was that a difficult piece of news for us to turn down! But hey, February will be here in no time and we'll get to see for ourselves who has been brewin' in my belly... speaking of my belly brewing, little Baby Valentine has been packin' the kicks and jabs lately! It's so exciting to get to feel him or her on a regular basis these days! While we wait for the big day to come, we pray for this little guy or gal to continue to stay healthy and arrive safely in God's time! AMEN!

L.A. County Fair 2010!

2010-10-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Blake and Addie's preschool had a field trip day to the L.A. County Fair! The beauty of this particular field trip is that we got FREE admission and FREE parking for the day! The teacher set it up so that everyone could arrive when they wished and depart when they wished... it was pretty awesome! Of course not all field trips get to be this way, but for this particular one it worked out splendid! Addie's buddies, Reese and McKenzie, are in Blake and Addie's class so we made sure to meet up with them and their brother (a.k.a Blake's best pal), Kai! We stayed ALL day and had a great time with good food and great friends!

Our Little Sweetheart at 10 and 13 weeks!

2010-09-14T20:44:00.001-07:00

This first shot is of Baby Valentine at 10 weeks along! We call him or her "Baby Valentine" or "Little Sweetheart" because the due date is February 22, 2011... one short week after Valentine's Day! We could call the baby "Baby Justin" since it also happens to be my brother Justin's birthday... but "Justin" doesn't seem very gender neutral! ;) Oh, and for anyone who doesn't already know, we won't be finding out the gender of the baby! We're shootin' for a surprise... I haven't decided if this idea is fun or just plain stupid... I'm kind of a planner in case you didn't know... so I'm not too great with suprises... with the exception of my surprise "Christmas in August" birthday party last year! That officially ROCKED!

Okay, back to our Sweetheart! He or she was measuring right on target at 10 weeks and was still managing to make me EVER SO sleepy from the moment I found out I was pregnant!

This next picture is of our Little Sweetheart at 13 weeks... less alien, more human! Very cool to see! As my belly grows... and it has been a growin' since day one... I'll get some belly shots up for good memory! In the meantime, I'm enjoying the return of my energy in this second trimester!

The kids are growing increasingly more aware of babies and taking care of them! They "feed" the baby through my belly button and make endless promises to change diapers and sing or read to baby and give him/her a bath! It is beyond heartwarming to see their excitement grow with ours... and the many kisses to my belly... and prayers for the "baby in Mommy's tummy" are absolutely priceless! :)

I'm currently 17 weeks along, with my next appointment on September 30th! The kids are already looking forward to it! The last time we went to the ultrasound, the kids couldn't stop talking about how the baby was "swimming around like a tuna fish!" ... and he or she really was cutting a rug in there... best of all, I can feel it now! :)

Our Summer Stay-Cation... via Slide Shows!

2010-09-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

(You may need to adjust the volume on each individual video by using the speaker icon... and the quality is better than it initially appears!)

Mike and I decided that it would be best if he only took a few days vacation this year and store up those remaining days for a rainy day... or month!

We decided to start with a trip to the Cabrillo Beach Aquarium since we had already done the Long Beach Aquarium. For a small museum we were most certainly pleased! We stopped for some fun at Redondo Beach on the way back home and made an entire day out of it! We all had a really enjoyable time!

This first slide show is about 7 minutes long I think, but if you can hang in towards the middle/end to see some of the photos of us dressing up like sea creatures, it would be totally worth it! :)

This next slide show is of our trip to the California Science Center. We knew it would be a great place to visit, but we were surprised to learn that they had an abundant amount of ocean life exhibits, which was great since that was kind of our theme... the kids studied ocean life all Summer and these first two trips definitely helped things "sink in"! :)

Next came our trip to Mt. Baldy to visit the fishing farm for the kids! Of course we kicked things off with a picnic in the woods, although we were too busy munching to capture photos! Now, we'd taken the kids fishing before, but with no luck and much frustration (more for Mike & I than the kids!)! SO, we decided to go the "easy route" and take them for a guaranteed catch! Little did we know, fish aren't always easy to catch at these farms, as you'll see in the first couple of slides! Took us about an hour to catch our first fish with a second following shortly thereafter! Blake caught his first and was very involved in the process that followed the catch! Addison caught hers next and turned out to be a true girl! :) She didn't want anything to do with her fish, unless it involved a taco! The kids LOVE their fish tacos! It was a ton of fun... and in the end, we were glad it took awhile to catch our prizes... otherwise it wouldn't have felt as authentic! The kids were thrilled either way!

The last 10 or so slides on this show are from a quick trip to Cal Poly... a regular visiting place for our family! Nonetheless, it was exciting!

This final slide show was from our visit to the Peterson's Automotive Museum! What a treat it was for us and the kids! The boys went crazy over everything, while Addison was drawn to anything pink! There were a couple real cute pink cars for her there... and she was beyond excited about it! Blake was in some kind of dream come true because he was super antsy and full of adrenaline... and questions/comments! ;) Fun for the whole fam!

This was the best stay-cation a girl could ask for! Thanks Mikey! The kids and I appreciate your hard work and labor to not only provide for our family, but for always making time for the important things... especially, time with our family!

Blake's Summer Soccer Fun!

2010-09-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some videos and a few pictures from Blake's very first attempt at sports! He was quite excited and did an excellent job listening to his coach and interacting with his friends/teammates! Coach Nikki couldn't say enough wonderful things about Blake's disposition and focus... you know, just enough to make any Mommy proud! :) Addison was not old enough to play, but she will be next Summer... they'll be on the same team if she doesn't choose to do dance class instead! :)

Oh, the videos below are from Blake's 2nd class of the Summer, so he was still pretty fresh, but they're my favorite nontheless! All of the videos are pretty short... and I had to throw a quick clip in of Addie during Blake's practice too!

And just to tease you, one of these videos (I'm pretty sure anyways) contains a fun toddler fight... the boys were pretty rough on the team... lucky for Blake, he was the youngest kid on the team, but also the biggest! That's our boy! :)

(You may need to turn up the volume on each video using the speaker icon on the actual video)

Blake was sick with a cold on his last day of practice, which may be evident by his facial expression, but he came to collect his award, give coach a special goody, and do one final team cheer... just enough fun to spread the germs, but hey, everyone insisted he partake... now that's a TEAM!

Let the "Summer 2010 in Review" Begin!

2010-09-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

Now that summer has officially ended, it's time to catch-up on all of our happenings! I'm starting with Blake & Addison's first set of swim lessons! While they weren't always the happiest of campers to attend the classes, they learned a great deal... mostly along the lines of safety, and for that we are grateful! Both kids now know how to grab the side of a pool and use it to get to safety, and they know how to flip over to their backs and float after being thrown into the pool! Can't say these were pleasant tasks to learn, but it's a great start! Oh, and they can both successfully go under water without swallowing too much of it... or inhaling it through their noses! Not to mention, we had a great time as a family every evening at these classes!

It will still be a LONG time before these guys are flying solo in the water, but we're glad we got a great start on a few of the safety skills that are more important than "swimming" anyways! :)

A Trip to Grandpa Orozco's Shop!

2010-08-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Orozco was kind enough to let us run wild through his shop a few Saturdays ago! The kids and I had never been before, so it was quite the surprise to see how HUGE the place was! There was much to see and touch for the kids! They loved all of the nifty gadgets that help bring Grandpa's beautiful brass work to life! And of course, there was plenty coffee and espresso to go around... the kids can make a mean brew ya know!

Thanks so much to Grandpa Orozco for having us out! It was great to see the kids so excited about his work... and passion! It's contagious! :)

Just Because...

2010-08-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

FOUR generations of Orozco men...

... and proof that Addison and I Might be related after all! ;)

Buzz and Woody...

2010-08-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Just a typical evening at our house! :)

One of our favorite qualities about Blake is that he is very protective and inclusive of his sister! If you give him a snack, he requests one for Addison immediately upon receiving his own... and it's pretty much like that for anything! Oh, and if you put Addison in time-out, you may as well put Blake in time-out too, because you're guaranteed an ALL OUT protest from Blake on Addie's behalf! This endearing quality makes up for all of the time they spend poking each others' eyes out! ;)

On this particular evening, it was Blake's suggestion to share his extra set of Toy Story pajamas with his sister so they could be Buzz and Woody together! We were touched to see Blake's generosity, and moved by Addie's excitement to accept his offer! They were quite the team that evening... an evening we hope to treasure as a family for a long time to come!

Family Fun at Cousin Jessica's Wedding...

2010-08-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

Just Another Day in Paradise...

2010-08-04T23:17:00.000-07:00

Brackett Airport in La Verne...

2010-07-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a little field trip one weekday to a little local airport! Who would have guessed the kids would love it so much! We packed some food and headed to the mini tourist attraction, where we happened to be the only tourists! It turned out to be a great place for kids! We got to play and eat right next to the runway where small private planes were taking off left and right... with some helicopters here and there as well! The little airport houses it's own restaurant on the runway as well, though we brought our own food for the picnic area! The boys enjoyed the play equipment outside while the girls enjoyed snacking and chatting at the shaded picnic tables! This will definitely be in our regular rotation for "field trips"!

The kids' excitement with the take-off of every plane made this trip a super memorable one! I hope there are more memories to come at this little gem of a place... and maybe some breakfast at the restaurant on a Saturday morning with Daddy! :)

Caught... Red Handed... in the FRONT yard!

2010-07-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

To say that we were proud would be an understatement! :)

4th of July 2010... and a BABY!

2010-07-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

We decided to start our 4th of July with some fun news... in the form of a firecracker! I used a Crystal Light container and some Dollar Tree accents to throw together our little TNT... Baby #3! We slipped our message inside for family to randomly open! It was fun to watch and we were glad that everyone was receptive... you never know with the more children you have! Regardless of anyone else, Mike and the kids and I are completely jazzed and are praying for a healthy baby! This is the earliest we've shared the news, but the baby belly grows quicker with each pregnancy and I knew this one would be hard to keep concealed!

Baby #3 had his or her first ultrasound on July 1, 2010 and had quite the stealthy heartbeat! Due date is February 22, 2011... give or take! :)

We then followed up with some traditional 4th of July fun! Addie was quick to show off her "cutie dress" from Grammie Eggie!

Then, she shed her sweater top and played ball with Pam...

While Blake manned the grill with Grandpa in his "Bob the Builder" apron, courtesy of Grandma Orozco...

Addie couldn't resist lending a hand!

Then, it was almost firework time! Blake and Pam scope out some early starters!

Then Addie gets cozy with Abuelita!

She manages to move along to Cousin Arianna shortly afterwards... to sport her "cheese face" of course!

Finally, it's time to double-team Pam!

Before we knew it, it was firework time! The kids did FANTASTIC with the fireworks! Grandpa Orozco let them be "setters" and then had them run back to the bench while he lit them! They couldn't get enough... especially of one called "The Koo-Koo Fountain"... they still talk about it depending upon the day! The name was enough to capture their hearts! :)

Sparklers were of course a hit too... with some family photos to follow...

Definitely a special 4th of July! I don't think I'll ever forget how the kids' faces lit-up and how their excitement over-ran their tired eyes!

A NEW Niece AND Nephew!!!

2010-07-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Introducing, Baby Olivia! She was born on June 5, 2010... the day after her cousin Addison's birthday! A sign that they'll be "Besties" for sure! :) Unfortunately, we haven't met Baby Olivia in person just yet... she's far away in New Jersey! BUT, we have met her via video cam and fell in love instantly with the little beauty! The kids were just as excited as we were to "meet" her! She's been flashing smiles since a few days old and already sporting bows in her beautiful dark hair! If she's anything like her parents, she'll be one special little girl!

Congrats Justin & Jeanette... you're most deserving of this beautiful blessing!

Introducing, Baby Joaquin! He was born on July 2, 2010! We took the kids to visit him on the 4th of July before the festivities began for the evening! Just like his brother, Massimo, he's a good lookin' dude! He slept so politely during our stay and allowed the kids to randomly poke and prod him without too much fuss! Joaquin even allowed them to pray over him with an oversized rosary... oh, and attempt to feed him some plastic food! At only a couple of days old, he's already showing signs of being a good little brother... you know, enduring the presence of toddlers!

Congrats Christina, Edward, and Massimo... he's BEAUTIFUL!

Father's Day 2010!

2010-07-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Mike is a wonderful man, fantastic husband, and SUPERB father, which made it easy to crown him as our KING for the day! We hope he felt like royalty... because to us, he IS!

Addison turns TWO!

2010-07-06T09:41:00.001-07:00

Per tradition, we awoke Addie to a large breakfast muffin set aglow by candles! She was a true lady about the surprise of it all and was beyond thrilled to allow her big brother to help her blow the candles out!

After waking up a smidge, she ran to her designated "picnic" area on the living room floor where a couple of gifts awaited her! We got her a vintage backpack with a family of bunnies inside! They each come with their own little outfits and bibs and a Mommy Bunny for good measure! She loved it! She also had a special gift from her Ninos... a special Ballerina Build-A-Bear! Her eyes lit up at the sight of it! She named her bear Tara... after my Dad's cat... whome she loves dearly, so that was quite a compliment to the Ballerina Bear! Thanks Christina & Edward! She also got to watch a video of her choosing at her private picnic... she chose Care Bears, but what little girl wouldn't? ;)

The rest of the day was ALL hers, but kept pretty mild, since she was having a bigger day the next morning at her PINKALICIOUS party! :) We love you Miss Addison Grace! You are a super smart and special lady! Your personality never seizes to amaze us! Happy Birthday baby girl!

Addison's 2nd Birthday Party!

2010-07-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Addie's 2nd Birthday Party was based on a cute little girly book titled "Pinkalicious"... which happens to be of equal interest to boys as well since the main theme of the story is CUPCAKES!

We decided to have her party at our local bookstore where we spend many days for storytime and music classes. It is family owned and operated and a true gem in old town! They did a fantastic job putting together games and activities to go with the story... some of which we never even got to! The rock climbing for cupcakes was an activity that was missed... which saddened me on behalf of the boys, but they had plenty fun dancing the May Pole and decorating cupcakes, playing "hot cupcake" and pinning the cherry on the cupcake! Not to mention, they got to listen to the story straight from the mouth of the "Cupcake Fairy", who also happens to be the music teacher during the week! ;)

We had a fantastic time and Addison was overwhelmed by the excitement of her favorite story coming to life! She is OUR sweet little cupcake and we hope these pictures demonstrate to her just how loved she is... not only by us, but by everyone who joined us for Addie's big day! Thank you, thank you!

LOST Videos... Catching-Up Continued...

2010-06-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

The following videos are a few... okay, more like thirteen, of some "oldies but goodies" videos that never made it into the "baby book", or better yet, "baby blog"! At long last, I couldn't let them be forgotten!

Almost Done Catching - Up!

2010-06-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago we enjoyed a Saturday afternoon at the local Police Station's Open House! The kids are officially obsessed with "police" in general and will even be glad to point out when a car is simply "parking enforshment" (parking enforcement) and NOT a real police car!

We had a great time despite the fact that it was prime nap time and Miss Addison Grace spent a good portion of the tour sleeping in Daddy's arms... but honestly, where else would a little girl rather be? :)

MORE Catching Up... Memorial Day 2010...

2010-06-24T08:04:00.001-07:00

Grandma & Grandpa Orozco, Tia Sandra, and Abuelita joined us for a special Memorial Day service at a local cemetary. The whole event was very well done and even more importantly, the patriotism ran high in honor of those who gave their lives for our freedom!

(My apologies for lacking pictures of the entire family... didn't get near as many pictures as I had hoped during this special ceremony!)

Still Catching Up...

2010-06-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Torres Family for a fun afternoon of water play! The kids had a blast!

Lots of Catching Up to Do...

2010-06-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

Starting with our month-long adventure with Frog & Toad! We started out by reading the kids the super sweet Arnold Lobel classics at bedtime, and any other time for that matter... they love the stories! Then, we attended our favorite local bookstore for a preview of the upcoming theater performance of Frog & Toad at Azusa Pacific University... and for some "froggy" activities too... see below for photos of the kids attempting to play leapfrog over Daddy! And of course, we interrupted the froggy fun a few times for some food play, rock climbing and story time! Finally, we got tickets to see the live theater performance of "A Year with Frog & Toad" at APU's new outdoor amphitheater! Our friends, the Fuentebella's got tickets to join us for the show! It was FANTASTIC! All of the kids had a great time and have since enjoyed listening to the soundtrack from Frog & Toad on Broadway! If you get a chance, it's worth looking up to find a local theater production of this super sweet duo... Frog & Toad!