Our little ballet dancer

Bath Time

Two and a half months old

Future musician in action

As many of you know, Tallulah started her ballet and tap class this week and she was so happy!  Not to brag (but I will), Tallulah has always been quite the musical child.  She has a strong ear for sound which is why I think she started talking early on and speaks so well for her age.  Her sense of rhythm for playing instruments and dance is pretty awesome plus she loves it!  Yesterday, she had me sitting with her as she played a box and a cup in a drum circle and chanted.  She is too much!

Here are some pictures and video of her first class.  It will be fun to see her progress.

Love,
Alicia

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Joaquin at 2 months.

In love with her tutu.

Ballet in action.

Santa came!

Her "baby changing toy".

The Cousins

It is hard to believe that Christmas is already over and we have started the new year!  We had a wonderful Christmas and Tallulah was so excited about Santa's visit.  She was so happy that he surprised her with her request of "the baby changing toy" and said he was a piggy for eating all the chocolate chip cookies.  After a busy Christmas morning, we had everyone over for Christmas lunch with yummy tamales, rice and beans and plenty of amazing cookies that Auntie Andrea made. 

Then the children were spoiled with many more presents to open from Abuela and the Uncles and Aunties and Cousins.  Christmas is extra special when you get to celebrate it with your children and close family.  We are so blessed with our great family and to have them all so close to us. 

Christmas was a bit sad because it was the last time we would see Auntie Sara, Uncle Richie and Cousin Julien for a couple months.  They are going to stay with Sara's dad for a couple months in Sunnyvale so we look forward to their return!

Joaquin just turned two months and is looking more like a handsome little boy and getting a bit chubby.  Tallulah is growing as well into more of a big girl.  Next week she starts ballet and she is super excited.  Everyday she has been wearing her tutu and ballet shoes and I have to say that she is quite the dancer.  We also took her to the Nutcracker ballet a couple weeks ago and it was the children's ballet so she loved it.  She danced in the aisle the whole time.  People kept coming up to ask me if she took lessons or how she learned to dance like that.  I guess she is our little natural dancer.

Tallulah also went bowling for the first time last weekend.  It was a rainy day so Uncle Jeremy and Auntie Andrea asked if we wanted to go bowling. Tallulah loved it and Joaquin slept the whole time in the Ergo carrier.  It was a fun time.

We look forward to new things in 2013 and hope for many fun family adventures as our beautiful children grow.  We are thankful for our awesome family and friends and look forward to more time with them in the year to come.

Happy New Year!

Love,
The Bravos

Nutcracker Ballet

 

 

 

Santa is coming!

I look tired but we made it to the Nixon Holiday Party!

Big sister and little baby brother

She is going to guide Santa's sleigh

Our friend Kirsten stopped by yesterday.  Crying Joaquin!

Making tamales with Abuela.  So yummy!

It is hard to believe that Christmas is around the corner.  This is the last week before Aaron goes back to work and we are trying to make the most of it but it is going to be a sad day when he goes back to work. We will miss having him home and it will be tough for him as well!  However, we have been preparing for Christmas.  We got our tree and Tallulah has been very excited to help decorate.  Aaron put up lights outside the whole house along with our great neighbors Dave and Becky so our house looks festive!

The other day, Aubuela came over and we made tamales.  I am hoping to make this a Christmas tradition as the kids get older and have everyone involved and make it a big family gathering.
Joaquin is growing like crazy and starting to talk and smile a lot.  It is so amazing to watch them grow.  Today is my birthday and we are attempting to go to Julien and spend the day hanging around town and of course eating pie.

Look for pictures soon!

Love,
The Bravos

Joaquin is 5 weeks old!

One month old

At Sunshine Gardens during Grandma's visit

Our little artist at Art Soup

Thanksgiving Day

First bath

Happy holidays!  It is hard to believe that Joaquin is already 5 weeks old.  It has gone by fast but it has been a bit of a rough month for us.  First, our whole family was sick with colds so no one could come over and help us out during that first week and we really needed it.  It is a huge adjustment with having two children so that first week was pretty crazy for us plus we felt so bad that everyone was sick and no one could see Joaquin.  Then the second week, for the first time, we were all hit with a stomach virus.  First Tallulah, then Aaron was hit really hard then me. Thank goodness it did not hit Joaquin but we had a rough few days of just sitting in bed having Tallulah watch "The Mother Goose Club" on the ipad while we tried to rest.  Breastfeeding and having the stomach flu at the same time is not fun!  Sadly, our family was still sick so we had no one that could come over to help.  Finally, we got past it all.  However, breastfeeding was super painful for me and I was in denial that something was wrong since I had done it before but finally at a month, I went to this amazing lactation consultant and learned that I was feeding Joaquin wrong and his latch was not good so that was a relief.  Things are getting much better now. 

Aaron has to go back to work in two weeks which will be hard and a big adjustment for us all but then it will be Christmas right after so that will be nice.  We hope to spend these last two weeks doing some nice holiday family stuff like getting our tree, going to Julien, visiting Santa and just spending time as a family.

Joaquin is doing great and has grown so much.  He is a very mellow baby but eats a lot and it so strong!  I cannot wait to see what he looks like in 3 months.  Tallulah is doing much better now and is enjoying being big sister and is full of so much love for her baby brother.  We all went to the Encinitas Holiday parade this last Saturday and she was so happy.  We got to ride a school bus and then she got to show off her dance moves during the parade. Nixon was so awesome this year and set up private bleachers out front so we could watch the parade and had hot chocolate, pizza, hot cider, beer and other treats for everyone. It was a great family event and Tallulah loved it all.

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas holiday. We will be spending it with our family here and look forward for Santa's visit and the joy on Tallulah's face!

Lots of love to you,
The Bravos

Joaquin has arrived!

Thank you Dr. Cap!

Look at that fine boy.

Special big sister gift from mama.

Happy Papa.

Beautiful Auntie Andrea.

Sweet Uncle Jeremy.

Four days old with big sister.

Minutes after Joaquin was born.

Happy cousin Julien!

Happy November to everyone! For us, it brings the amazing birth of our little Joaquin.  We had a very wonderful and successful natural VBAC birth.  I went into labor around 2:00am on Monday night with some contractions and my water breaking and then my body moved fast from there!  Joaquin was born 12 hours later with just one hour of pushing.  We could not have asked for a better birth.  A huge thank you and lots and lots of love to my amazing birthing team.  My constant support, my husband Aaron, our dream doula, Linda Goldsmith, the best nurse ever, Gillian and of course, every women's dream doctor, Dr. Capetanakis.  Without him, this VBAC would not have been possible.  I only wish more women could have a doctor like him.  Thank you all for believing in me especially when there were moments in the birth when I was not sure I would make it!  I am grateful to have shared in it with all of you.

Joaquin was born on October 30 at 1:51am. He was 8 pounds and 3 oz, 20.5 inches long and born with a full head of hair.  We are happily all at home.  Tired but very happy especially our big sister Tallulah.  She has taken her big sister roll very seriously and is an excellent helper with diaper changing.  She is also very protective of her little Joaquin. If he is crying or really upset, she comes running to make sure he is ok. 

Aaron is home for the next seven weeks so we are excited for some wonderful family time filled with trips to the park, pie eating in Julien and Christmas tree shopping.

Many of you were anxious to see Tallulah dressed as Frida for Halloween.  Sadly, Halloween was missed this year since we came home that evening and Tallulah wanted to stay home with her new brother.  We did have a great costume and an amazing pumpkin.  Next year!

We look forward to you all meeting him very soon!

Lots of love,
The Bravos

Final Countdown!

Our one rainy day!

Rocking out.

Tallulah's first time to try Pumpkin Pie.  Loves it like her Papa.

So this week was full of Fall weather but I was laughing as all of us were posting pictures to Instagram about wearing our Fall boots or Fall sweaters and I was posting pictures of making pumpkin pie and using my crock pot since the weather is supposed to jump up to the 80s all next week and be hot again.  Major bummer!!

We hopefully I go into labor after it cools down.  My doula is gone until the 17 so I want Joaquin to wait until then hopefully!  Tallulah's room is finally complete with all her pictures hung and little twinkle purple lights that she picked out.  She was so happy and gave Papa lots of love for his hard work.  I am not sure Aaron has had any break in the last two months of weekends.  Joaquin's room is almost done as well.  Just a few odds and ends.  We are treating every day, like I could go into labor at any moment so we are making sure to keep up on things like vacumming, dusting etc.  So far, so good.

Tallulah seems like she keeps growing taller and her hair longer.  It is crazy how tall and lean she is.  I also cannot believe how much she talks and sometimes the silly things that come out of her mouth.  She is so special.  Her and Papa have been really busy lately with playing music and dancing. Here is a video from this morning. Soon, we will have a full family band!

Happy weekend!

Love,
The Bravos

Hopefully Fall has begun!

The cutest cousins ever!

Little kiss!

New dress from Grandma Milanna.

My sweet sleeping Tallulah.

Remembering our little baby.

Based on the weather outlook for the next week, I am hoping Fall has arrived.  I am 38 weeks pregnant and I am ready for the weather to be cool.  Plus, there is something weird about the idea of going to a pumpkin patch when the weather is 80 degrees so I am looking forward to the change.

As I said, I am just about to start my 38 weeks and things are going good.  We had a quick ultra sound on Friday and Joaquin is ready to go and all smooshed inside my belly.  He is head down, getting ready for his exit.  Now we just wait!

We have been enjoying our time with Tallulah as much as we can since every day could be the last day, it will not be the three of us anymore.  While we are all excited about Joaquin's arrival, it is emotional at times to think it will not just be Tallulah and us anymore.  Big and exciting changes are coming our way!

Tallulah is such an amazing girl and has been dancing and singing up a storm for us.  She is quite the enterntainer.  Soon, she wil be starting a tap and ballet class which I think she will love.  She has been helping get Joaquin's room ready which is somewhat close to being done.  Of course, we will not move the crib and rocking chair into his room until he is older and then Tallulah will get her big girl bed.  For now, he will sleep in our room and she will remain happy and comfy in her crib.

Today, Aaron is taking Tallulah hiking which she has been asking for, while I make a trip to Ikea for a few things for Joaquin's room.  Another weekend already almost over, they go by so fast!

Keep an eye out for a text message when we go into labor!  Stay tuned.

Lots of love,
The Bravos

 

Tallulah's new favorite song "Back in USSR"