Why I love this thing

I first read about back carriers on my friend Megan's live journal. (Thank you Megan!) I'd only seen those with the metal frame and I couldn't imagine adding more weight to an already growing baby. Then I wondered why they only made soft front carriers not ones for your back. Well apparently, I was unaware of the baby carrying world because they exist just not at your local store. I chose the AngelPack LX because of great reviews from petite mamas. The Beco got great reviews too. The Angelpack LX has narrower straps than the Beco so I chose it instead. There are many others to chose from and you can review similar soft structured carriers at TheBabyWearer.com under soft structured carriers. The carriers can also be worn in front. Although I still prefer the Mei Tai for front carrying, the back carry position allows me to do a lot more things.

Here's what I've been able to do since I purchased mine:

* Grocery shop. They don't have double carts here so Marisa goes on my back and Elena in the cart.

* Go to the park and follow Elena wherever she goes without a hauling the stroller around. Marisa loves watching Elena play.

* Use public restrooms. Maybe too much information but I swear I waited to get home before, and now Elena goes, then I go, and Marisa just stays on my back.

* Do just about any chore around the house when Marisa wants to be held.

* Cook...okay so I know technically I'm not supposed to do this but I make certain she's safe and dinner gets done at the end of the day when the girls are tired of each other and need a break from each other.

* On the same note, separate the girls when they're having squabbles and need a break from each other.

* Walk the dog

* Not have to take the double stroller everywhere since I have free hands ready for Elena's every move.

* Ride the "T" (the mass transit system). I can use the double stroller, but with crowds it's sometimes easier to have Elena in the single, smaller stroller.

* Carry Elena in it. Okay so I didn't do it for long, but it sure helped to distract her at the airport during our layover.

* Carry Marisa in the most comfortable position ever for an hour or more.

Fall colors

Fall is almost over, or at least the colorful part of it is, so we took a stroll at the Arnold Arboretum in nearby Boston.

My rooster and hen

There was a Halloween celebration at a nursing home nearby so the girls were able to dress up early. Marisa wore Elena's costume from 2 years ago and Elena had a choice of wearing costumes from her dress up collection. Once I told her Marisa would be a hen, she insisted on being a rooster. Warm fuzzy costumes actually make sense here. It was around 50 degrees.

Uh oh incident

Omar was out for the evening so I took over his usual duty of walking Jake right after serving the girls their dinner assuming their meal would occupy them while I walked to the backyard briefly. When I returned I found an entire box of Kix on Marisa's tray. I was mad at first but then I couldn't help but laugh and take a picture. After all this was the most mischievous thing Elena's ever done, and I was happy she was refilling her sisters tray rather than pestering her. Marisa was of course beyond thrilled. She always wanted an entire box of cereal on her tray!

in Texas

I LOVE this thing!


Hugs for Daddy
Laughs for Grandma

In loving memory...

Clemente Gutierrez
November 23, 1946 - October 11, 2008



Safely Home

I am home in heaven, dear ones;
Oh so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in heaven at last.

Did you wonder how I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh, but Jesus' love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.

And he came himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus' arm to lean on,
Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still;
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust our Father's will.

There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remains,
You shall rest in Jesus' land.

When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!

Elena's artwork and more

One of the best things about Elena's age is her increasing ability to follow simple directions. This has led to many projects and a lot of saving of projects on my part. I was reminded of the numerous projects made by my former kindergartners which gave me visions of piles of piles of artwork being saved...Elena's only two! So, I decided to photograph these precious mementos and blog about them of course. Which also reminds me to ask, does anyone know how to save your blog?
Circles
Blue
Fall leaves
Hands
Pretend play is always fun too!
Okay so this is just a random photo of Elena attempting to bite into a waffle that I uhhh..burned. :) But it's a rarity to have her smile AND pose so I had to post it.

No Boston Creme?

If you're ever at a Dunkin Donuts in the Boston area and you order more than half a dozen donuts, be sure to include a Boston Creme. If you don't you'll get asked the question above and you just might feel bad. Omar and I tested this (not purposefully) 3 times, at 3 different restaurants and we were asked that question. We figure we will include the popular donut in future orders. We do like the creme filled chocolate frosted donut anyway. :)

Apples!

It's apple picking season here! Elena loves apples and the weather was absolutely gorgeous so off we went to a nearby apple farm.


Aren't these great?

Ode to (my) GPS

How I love thee GPS
You tell me where to go
And if by chance I go the wrong way
As I often tend to do
You turn me back around again

No longer do I need to call my love
with frantic calls that I am lost
Because no matter how far I go
You always lead me home

Okay so I am a terrible poetry writer, but you get the point.

Marisa is 10 months old

I don't really have a pattern to these updates. Every once in a while I feel this urgency to journal about these milestones I don't want to forget them. So here goes.

These days Marisa is enjoying crawling all over the house. She does crawl with her belly off the floor sometimes. She does so often in carpeted places, but she still prefers to belly crawl especially if she must get to something quickly. She likes to crawl holding an object in each hand. Perhaps she prefers belly crawling because she does not want to let go of her toys. She's pulling up on surfaces and I love to see her pull up on her crib to greet us every morning. We even get a wave sometimes. She does love to wave and also waves each time I put her down in her crib for a nap. I chuckle each time because I didn't show her this but she learned we leave for naps so she likes to say good bye. She takes two naps about 1 1/2 hours long.

Marisa LOVES to eat...everything. She joins us at each mealtime and mostly has what we're eating. She learned quickly that what we were eating tasted much better and would demand we give her some so I obliged. It was my perception that because she was eating a lot she must be growing perhaps very tall like her daddy. Everywhere in public people commented on how big she was for her age. But to my surprise at her 9 month check up she was in the 50th percentile in weight and height. She's 18 1/2 lbs.

She loves playing games with her sister, and Elena is the one who makes her giggle about anything. She asks for me often and for a while I thought mama, mama, mama, mama, wasn't directed at me necessarily since she likes to say it as she crawls around the house. But, every night that she wakes up Omar gets her out of the crib and she immediately starts to say mama, mama, mama until she's in my arms. Sweet I know but not always at 2am. Daddy also makes Marisa giggle and she greets him with a big smile everytime he arrives from work. She loves the games he plays with her.

And Elena is 3 years next month so be on the lookout for that update soon.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books Her ever so famous wave