Barbies and Boyish Blue

Two weekends ago, Bapa came over to paint the nursery a more masculine shade of the rainbow. Although the color we had was gender neutral, after 4 years, momma was getting pretty tired of the bright green. What he didn't know was that his mission would be slightly delayed by an inability to refuse his first granddaughter's pleas to play. He didn't seem to mind that the 'play' involved dressing Barbie dolls. 

  This grandpa can do it all, I tell you. He can build a home and with the same two hands entertain a 31/2 year old with talk of ballroom gowns and fairy tale endings. He's got a really cute high-pitched female voice too... 

Oh yeah, and the room....
Once the paint was bought and I knew it was going up on the walls, I got a little scared terrified that I would hate it mainly because the color scheme I chose would remind me too much of my high school and college days practicing living in the gym of my gold and blue Alma maters. But, I was so relieved and thrilled to see it up and actually looooove it!

Thanks Dad for giving up your Saturday and lending your professional painting skillz.
Now it just needs those special touches. 

Be back soon with the finished before and afters...

Stop and Smell the Roses

Inspired by an E-book I've been reading on photography, thanks to Big D, I've been trying out some recent techniques and tips I am learning on some beautiful subjects in our blossoming garden. 

I should know the name of these fabulous plants but I don't have a clue. All I know is that they are gorgeous and the vibrant colors and complexity make me smile every time I walk up to our house.

 I'm sure my mom would not only know the name, but the classification, class, order, subclass, superorder, family, tribe, genus, genera, species and cultivar (haha). 

As I mentioned earlier, she (aka Mimi, DE, bff) took complete charge of researching (many, many hours & many, many trips to many, many nurseries) the right plants for our space which would combine affordability, low-maintenance, year-round beauty & enjoyment, even child-friendliness. Other than giving my opinion here and there on preferences of color or narrowing it down between 2 choices, she did it all! She acted as a paid professional and treated our project with the utmost care and seriousness. Thanks to her (& her partner in crime of course), our backyard is stunning, especially as all the plants and flowers are fertile and in full bloom, thriving so much so, that I had to make a trip to Home Depot to buy some trimmers so they don't start strangling each other.

Thank you mom for investing so much of yourself and your time to the soft-scape portion of our exterior remodel!!! I now smile rather than scowl every time I step foot out the back (& front) door, smelling the lovely fragrances, rather than feeling nauseated at the condition our backyard was in before. 

The girls and I are most definitely enjoying God's beauty and creation given to us by the hands of his servant, Martha!

Have a beautiful weekend enjoying the charm of Springtime!

Mother's Day 2011

A mother is the most important person on earth. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any Cathedral -- a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body. 

-- Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

What a tremendous privilege and responsibility we mothers have to be chosen to house, to form, to nurture, to love and to instruct this immortal soul.

15 immortal souls between the 3 generations (Ita bearing 60% of those) 

The greatest gift I received today was simply observing my girls with a special intentness and nearly crying with joy at their innocence, their purity, their immense joy (especially in their Bapa's company) that blesses me beyond exhaustion, beyond aches, pains and beyond all temporary frustrations.

Thank you Lord for using my children to help me become closer to You than I ever thought I could be.

 Mary, Queen of all Mothers, Pray for us! 

My Sweet Sweet Genevieve

I just cant get enough of her.

 I smother her in kisses every morning and carry her as long as possible before she is squirming to get down and when I lay her down at night, I can't wait to do it all over again. Despite her increasing independence and apparent, unique spunkiness, she is still the Sweetest thing. 

I wouldn't call her mellow, so much anymore. She is a very healthy, active 16 month-old: she darts into the street to get to that tether ball she eyes at our neighbors across the way; she lets her sister know in very clear ways she can't be bullied around and she throws herself on the floor in a short lived fit when something doesn't please her. But she still loves her sleep, she loves to share with everyone, to give big sister her blankie and "baca", to wave "hello" and "goodbye" to everyone and anyone. She still loves her daddy's arms for comfort and consolation when she is overly tired or sick and loves to pat or lay her soft cheeks on my baby bump. And she still melts my heart even though the days of holding her close to my chest are fading all too quickly.

 How happy I was over the fact that the Vans Auntie Nini bought for Spicy (whose feet were far too wide & thick to ever squeeze into) are finally getting broken into over 3 years later!!!

Celebrating with the onesies you love

(If the title has you chuckling or smiling, I can't take the credit. That would be my better half, Mr. Soto)

This past weekend, I gathered with my nearest and dearest friends to create some homemade, special onesies for the littlest Soto coming next month (uh, hopefully next month!) It was such a neat celebration from the days weeks prior of preparing all the details: gathering fabric and decorations and dying and washing dishes, cutting stencils, making name tags and the like, to the actual day of being with such incredible women whom God has blessed me immeasurably with their friendship and life example. From the moment the doorbell rang and the first guest arrived, the time. flew. by.  

And the day began. This was my speech attempt to express my appreciation and love for each one of my friends who come from varying stages and places in my journey but equally fill my life with such immense fulfillment and richness... What a dream come true to have them all in the same home sharing food, each other's company and crafting!!!!

Then we prayed and ate our heart out! The lovely spread...

This was Station 2: Choose your onesie color/style, fabric and applique stencil... 

(with some professional examples for inspiration)

Station 3: The sweatshop craft room with a lovely view of the Emde Resort...

 & the slave laborers ladies hard at work producing some awesomely creative onesies:

 They definitely surpassed any and all expectations I had with their intensity and excitement.

Hands down, Julianna had the most creative, hillarious idea for 1 of her creations...Can you guess what it is? Not a jelly bean or a jumping bean....

 It's Soren's missing left kidney!!! It still has me busting up every time I see it! Yes, child, we are already laughing at your expense before you even enter the world :)

(& you better believe he will be seen sporting that proudly)

And this super momma,  in the land of sleep deprivation, cracked nipples and a healing crotch (sorry Care), having pushed out a 9 pounder 10 days prior, shows up beautifully glowing, passes up the pre-made stencils and busts out a onesie using a hand drawn original! What a treat not only to see her but to also meet and hold baby Tyler!

 Some more highlights of the beautiful afternoon...

I'll need to update the "after" picture since several more were added after working into the evening (not to mention the backsides of some which have some really cute bum embellishments) but a very impressive transformation...

Thank you Mom (Dad, Miranda & Ita) for your incredible labor of love, countless hours of shopping, prepping, cleaning, dying, washing, ironing, gift wrapping, knitting, crocheting, decorating and much more to create such a warm, welcoming and loving environment for everyone. It was such a special time, absolutely perfect, and I am so blessed to have had such a memorable celebration in honor of our 3rd miracle.

 And a special thanks to Mr. Soto for taking over as Mr. Mom giving our girls a full day of fun memories with daddy (& some adorable video to prove it) so mommy could take a day "off" and get spoiled!