Fotos

Samira is nine months and we thought that we better get some family pictures before she gets all grown up.  We were sure none of the pictures would turn out with kids making faces and looking the other way and everything but we were surprised with some good ones.

Samira ahora tiene nueve meses y pensamos mejor sacar unas fotos de familia antes de que ella sea grande.  Estábamos seguros de que ninguna foto saliera bien con eso de los peques haciendo caras y mirando hacia donde no debían pero estuvimos sorprendidos con algunas fotos buenas.

more after the jump

Flashback Friday Utah 2004

Si es que parecemos cansados en esta foto es que estabamos cansados.  Sacamos estas fotos en Utah unos cuatro meses después de que naciera Natalia, nuestro primero.  Por lo que he oido los bebés te dejan revolucionado.  Ahora depués de tres no somos menos cansados sino que estamos entumecidos.  Y fíjate que los que sí han pillado sueño (mi hermano Steve y cuñada Cristy) también son los que durmieron la noche entera. 

Hablando de cansado, anoche Samira se despertó a las tres de la madrugada y me tuve que estar con ella hasta las cinco.  Y encima, durante el día no quiso tomar su segunda siesta la capulla (y eso que tengo el toque mágico y logré dormirla tres veces pero cada vez que le ponía en la cuna se despertaba ¡que mala suerte!

Eli and I look tired in these pictures four months or so after Natalia, our first, was born, and truth is we were exhausted.  Babies will do that to you I've heard.  Now, three kids later we aren't any bit less tired, just fully numb.  And go figure, the two people in the picture that are able to squeeze in a little snooze (my brother Steve and his wife Cristy) are the ones that also probably slept all night. 

Speaking of tired, yesterday I was up with Samira from three to five in the morning and wouldn't you know it, she flat out refused to take her second nap (I actually have the magic touch and was able to get her to sleep three times in a row but each time I put her in her crib she woke right up).  

Flashback Friday

Eli graduated from BYU with a MS in stats in 2004.  Looking back it's funny that she didn't realize know she would have to learn English and pass an exam prior to entering her program (stats is math after all and math has its own language you know).  So she learned English and then started her program.  Meanwhile I finished the last year of my BA in Spanish.  After I finished that I worked during Eli's last year framing houses, the hands down most awesomest job I have ever had!

Eli se graduó de BYU con su masters en estadística en el 2004.  Es gracioso que ella no se dio cuenta que tendría que aprender inglés y aprobar un examen ántes de empezar su programa (estadística es matemática y la matemática tiene su propio idioma ¿lo sabes?).  Así que aprendió el inglés y después empezó el programa.  Mientras tanto yo terminé el último año de mi bachillerato en español.  Después de eso, trabajé durante el último año del programa de Eli construyendo casas, el trabajo más guay y divertido que he tenido.

Flashback Friday

La Plaza in Kansas City circa 2003.  We spent the summer in KC for Eli's internship at Quintiles.
La Plaza en Kansas City alrededor de 2003.  Pasamos el verano en KC mientras Eli hacía su internado en Quintiles.

Christmas and Palm Trees

Here are some more pictures of our trip to Florida over the Christmas vacation. The cold from Indiana followed us to Florida so we didn't spend as much time in the water like we usually do but it was fun anyway.

Aquí están algunas otras fotos de nuestro viaje a la Florida durante las vacaciones de Navidad. El frío nos siguió hasta Florida desde Indiana así que no pasamos tanto tiempo en el agua como solemos pasar pero ha sido divertido de todas formas.

 more after the jump

Samira

Samira came with us to finalize the cabinets we've selected for the house and she fell asleep in my arms.  She was really cute so we had to take some pictures.  She is now 5 months old and it's hard to believe she's been around that long, really she's a joy to have around, except when she is in the car strapped in her car seat.  She hates it and cries and screams the whole time she's awake.  And we have a trip to Florida planned.  Any tips for making the 16 hour trip with screaming Samira would really be appreciated!

Samira fue con nosotros para revisar los muebles de cocina que hemos escogido para la casa y se durmió en brazo.  Estaba muy guapa y no podíamos resistir sacar un par de fotos.  Cumplió 5 meses el otro día y es difícil de creer que llevamos cinco meses con ella, la verdad que es un encanto tenerla, pero no tanto en el coche.  Grita y llora cuanto la tenemos abrochada en su silleta en el coche.  Y tenemos pensado irnos a Florida en un par de semanas.  ¡Cualquier consejo para poder sobrevivir el viaje de 16 horas en coche con la Samira gritadora sería muy bien recibida!

Noviembre

You've gotta love Indiana in the fall!  It's late November and we still have some evenings warm enough to roast some marshmallows over a fire!

¡Cómo mola el otoño en Indiana!  Aquí estamos mitades de noviembre y todavía tenemos noches sin mucho frío, noches perfectas para prender una fogata y "rostizar" unas cuantas nubes.

Trafalgar, IN

Fuimos a la casa de una compañera de trabajo de Eli durante la semana del día de acción de gracias.  Está como una hora hacia el sur de Indianápolis cerca de Brown County, una parte muy bonito de Indiana.  Era muy guay que la casa está ubicada en la orilla de este lago chiquito.  Lo pasamos muy bien relajándonos y yiendo en el barquillo aun que hacía frío. 

We went to one of Eli's co-worker's house Thanksgiving weekend which is about an hour south of Indianapolis near Brown County, a really beautiful part of Indiana.  It was cool that the house was situated on a little lake.  We had a good time relaxing and going out on the little pontoon paddle boat even though it was cold.

Compré este macuto/llevabebes para llevar Samira pero segun esta evidencia no le gusta nada. 
I bought this baby carrier backpack to carry Samira around but according to this evidence she doesn't like it at all.

But here a few minutes later and she's as happy as a clam.  Now if we could just communicate telepathically I could have a conversation with her about this backpack thing and find out what she really thinks.  Seriously, I have one week to return it if it doesn't work.  How soon do kids start talking anyway?

Pero un par de minutes después está feliz.  Ahora, si pudiermos comunicarnos telepáticamente, podría preguntarle lo que piensa sobre el tema.  En serio, tengo una semana para devolverlo si no funciona.  ¿Cuándo empiezan a hablar los bebés?

Hacía esto cuando era chiquito con mi padre y ahora le toca a Alejandro.

I did this when I was little with my dad and not it's Alejandro's turn.

En el centro de Indianápolis con los nenes.

Downtown Indy with the kids.

I love this picture.  Eli is beautiful in this picture with her baby.  Eli didn't like how the drugs from her epidural with Natalia made her feel and decided to go natural with Alejandro in Spain and now with Samira here.  She labored for a while in bed at the hospital and then in a birthing tub which was in the same room.  She started to feel a little dizzy and so the nurse told her she needed to get out.  At this point her contractions were very strong and painful and luckily a nurse very skilled in coaching natural deliveries came in and really helped.  At one point during the pushing Eli was overcome with pain and screamed a little and then quickly apologized to the nurses for doing so....only Eli.  Samira Anna was born at 2:00 in the afternoon on Saturday the 26th of June, the same day Alejandro was born three years ago in Spain, what are the odds?  She weighed in at 8lb 5oz and measured 20.5 inches; she is the heaviest and shortest of all three kids.

Me encanta esta foto.  Eli es perfecta en esta foto con su bebé.  A Eli no le gustaba como las drogas del epidural le hicieron sentir cuando tuvo a la Natalia y decidió hacerlo natural con Alejandro en España y con Samira aquí.  Mientras dilataba Eli se quedó en cama y después cuando el dolor estuvo más fuerte entró en una bañera para partos que estaba en la misma habitación.  El agua de la bañera le ayudó mucho pero al poco tiempo se sentía mareada y la enfermera le dijo que se tenía que salir.  Entonces sus contracciones eran muy dolorosas y frequentes y por suerte vino una enfermera muy sabia en ayudar con partos naturales y ayudó muchisimo.  En un momento de fuerte dolor Eli gritó pero rápidamente dijo a las enfermeras que lo sentía por haber gritado....sólo Eli.  Samira Anna nació a las 2 de la tarde sábado, el 26 de junio, el mismo día que nació Alejandro hace tres años en España.  Pesó 3.8 kg y midió 52 cm.  Pesó más y midió menos que los tres peques.

Florida: Canaveral National Seashore/Playalinda Beach

Playalinda Beach is my favorite beach out of the ones we've been to so far in Florida.  It is part of the Canaveral National Seashore which means it's natural and undeveloped.  There are fewer people so keeping track of kids is much easier.  This beach, however, is where Natalia was stung by a Portuguise Man of War jellyfish, very nasty, and where I stepped on an Atlantic Stingray (I didn't get stung but it scared the crap out of me).

Playalinda es mi playa favorita de las que hemos visto hasta ahora en Florida.  Es parte del Canaveral National Seashore así que es natural y sin desarrollo.  No hay tanta gente así que es más fácil no perder a los peques.  Sin embargo, es la playa donde una Carabela Portuguesa le picó en el pie a Natalia, y donde pisé una Raya de Espina (no me picó pero cómo me asustó). 

Playalinda Beach in 2008

Indy Zoo

There always seems to be something new at the Indy Zoo. This year they brought us Kimodo Dragons. They are HUGE! and when you look at them and them at you, you know why called them dragons.

The Replacement

Just before our Spain trip someone broadsided us and totaled our Accord. Luckily my mom and dad came to visit soon after because they watched the kids while we madly scrambled to find Eli a replacement vehicle. We finally struck a deal for this Civic at a dealership thanks to Eli's wicked-awesome bartering skills (I know she has skills never knew she was such a good negotiator).

Off to the Races

In tribute to the Indy 500, which is coming up in a few weeks, Natalia and I went and drove the race cars. This is the first year she is tall enough to ride as a passenger and she was soooo excited. She kept jumping up and down and when we started racing she shouted GO GO GO GO the entire time.

Hiking

Natalia has been bugging me about hiking so we loaded up our gear (camera) and went on a big hike (walk) to the forest (natural area in our subdivision) around the big lake (pond) where we crossed a river (small stream) and climbed over boulders (rock bed).

Good Weather Slippin' Away.........Again.

It doesn't seem to matter how much time we spend outside during the warmer months, the canteen doesn't ever seem to fill enough to last through the winter. I used to look forward to winter months because they meant snowballing cars, sledding, doughnuts in parking lots and most of all snowboarding and skiing. None of that here in Indiana though.

Last year we had one small dusting of snow and a whole lot of mind-numming cold! Anyone need a snowboard? Anyway, winter provides us with plenty of time to sit indoors and look at pictures of warmer times like this summer when we helped raise these Painted Lady butterflies from caterpillar to butterfly. Good times!

Abuelita

Eli's mom visited from Spain during the first part of the summer. We had a lot of fun hanging out and just being together. We all were completely spoiled rotten on a daily basis with the most authentic Spanish cuisine.............delicious. Natalia misses her a lot and asked Eli if she could go to the airport and pick her up, as if she were just hanging around in the airport. Since she has been gone we have started a new tradition at home, churros for breakfast Sunday mornings (these are not the same things most you have eaten at Disneyland). Delicioso!