Joaquin is 3 months old and life is busy!

It is hard to believe that Joaquin is three months old.  He is growing like crazy and very busy grabbing his feet, talking and drooling a lot and he even has more hair then he was born with.  He just started sleeping from like 8:00pm to 3:00am so that is great for us but we will see how long it lasts.

Tallulah is loving her ballet and tap class.  She really is a natural performer.  She has also become quite the girl and is in love with all things pink, princess and ballet.  However, she is pretty tough and loves kicking the soccer ball and blasting it around the park.  She really is fear less.

Yesterday, we were at teh store and she pointed to a doll she wanted.  It was a Barbie doll.  I could not belive it!  Aaron and I both think she is a bit too young to have a Barbie, maybe when she is a little bit older.  For now, we will stick with her babies.

In a couple weeks, we will be doing a family weekend trip to Ojai. We love it there and so does Tallulah.  It will be a nice get away.

Spring is around the corner and we are anxious for beach days and swim and surf.  Aaron recently completed a design for a shirt that Prana will be releasing, we are excited about that and he will be doing some shirts for Patagonia Cardiff as well.  We are so appreictive of these fun jobs for him.  It is tough to find the time but Aaron always makes it happen.

We love all and look forward to updating you soon.

Love,
The Bravos

Doctor Check ups and a visit from the Mitchells

Amazing family shot!

Handsome Men!

Lyla, Tallulah and Cody

Special Friends

Joaquin and Tallulah had there check up yesterday.  It was Tallulah's two and half year check up and Joaquin's two month check up even though he is two and half now.

Joaquin gained 4 pounds since his last check up so he weighs 12 pounds at 23% for boys and is 23.5 inches long at 47% and his head is 43 cm at 96%.  So he is a little guy right now, tracking just like Tallulah was so who knows he may be long and lean like her.  Time will tell but he is eating and growing great. 

Tallulah is 31 pounds at 75% and is 36.25 inches at 70% so she is mellowing out on her growth for now.  Both check ups were great!  Healthy children is a blessing!

On Sunday, we also had a wonderful visit from our good friends, The Mitchells.  The last time we saw them was in June so it was so great to see them and see how much Lyla and Cody have grown.  We had a great visit and Tallulah loves playing with them and it was great to have them meet Joaquin.  They are expecting their third child in June so we look forward to his arrival!

We have know them for 8 years which is hard to believe and we feel blessed everyday for the amazing, loving friends we have.

Love,
The Bravos

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