Papi Comes Back from Brazil

"Hip Hip Hooray!" Papi came back from Brazil today. It sounded like it was a very fruitful, interesting and tiring time. We missed him dearly and are happy to have him back. I am also happy to no longer be a single mom.

Here is a pic that Eddie took of a cotton farm in Brazil. I think it is cool that it literally looks like cotton balls on a stick.

Mateo took the "King of the Castle" role a little too seriously while Papi was gone and was slow to give it up.

To celebrate we headed to Aba and Abu's house to barbecue, swim and catch up. Miss Lucia had a ball on the rocking horse (which used to be Mateo's)

Mateo impressed everyone with his floating solo abilities

Lucia had fun splashing around in her kiddie pool

A pooped and red-eyed Mateo had a very good day

Mateo Gets a NEW Scooter

Well we know what happens when Mateo comes back from Aba's house. He comes back with stuff. When he came back this time he got a new scooter because he claimed that the one he currently has is broken, when I exposed that as being untrue he said that it was dirty. That is sort of true, but it is no dirtier that anything else with wheels that is stepped on all of the time. It didn't matter - Aba got him a new one. Once he got home, it was revealed that the new one he got wasn't exactly the one he wanted, so Aba went back out to a local toy store to scout out the actual one he wanted. At the end of the day he was left with his old Radio Flyer Scooter, a Harley Davidson scooter and the one he really wanted, the one that everyone has - the Kick scooter. That is right he ended up with 3 scooters. Now the plan is that the old one will be donated and the Harley one will be returned to the store, but we will see what actually happens.

Mateo is excited about his New new scooter

M&L - Someone Comes to Visit

Since Papi is away for another few days, a visitor decided to come in early to keep Mommy, Mateo and Lucia company. Who could it be? Hmmm let's think?

Lucia got on the horn to announce the arrival of a special person

"YAYY! - It's Grandma!" This moment needs to be captured so our new Junior photographer Mateo VG decided it was his duty to do just that. The next few photos are from his portfolio called "Grandma Comes to Visit"

Here is an up close and personal of little sis Lucia

Here is Aba trying to work my old camera - "Amateurs"

Mommy took this one while I was asleep. Apparently these are the cookies she and grandma had made for Lucia's "One-derland" party. It is a good thing I didn't know about these or they would have been gone..."yum, yum"

Lucia Riding Solo

Eddie has been in Brazil since the beginning of the week so I have been a single parent. I have got to say that it is a tough gig. All week Aba has been asking if I am ok and to call whenever I need help. I must admit I was proud of myself for handling them, but I finally acquiesced and allowed her to take Mateo for a sleepover. That left Lucia alone with Navita during the day and with me during the mornings and evening. It was nice girl bonding time.

"I am a lone wolf"

" I do enjoy having my pick of any toy in the house"

"But don't tell Mateo"

" Now I get to choose the bedtime book also - this only child thing isn't half bad"

M&L Visit Thomas the Train

Today was a "happy! happy! joy! joy!" day for Mateo. He was actually going to get to ride on a real live Thomas the Train Engine with his cousins Ayden and Antonio and of course his little sis Miss Lucia.

Engineer Mateo is ready to roll

Here is Thomas the Train waiting to be boarded

Mateo, Ayden and Buzz got to take a picture with an adult-sized train engineer

Lucia, Mima, Abu and Aba (not shown) got to enjoy the ride too

Mami, Mateo and Buzz are all-aboard and ready to go

Mateo insisted I get a close-up photo of he and Buzz

After the ride Mateo and Ayden received their very own Jr. Engineer certificates

And before we left the boys took a quick pic in front of Thomas the Train

M&L Finish a Loooong Weekend

After the 4th of July wrapped up we had nothing to do but errands and that is what we did. A little of this, a little of that and then we were done. I think we were all exhausted by the end of it.

We had no food in the house, so off to the grocery store we went. Mateo and Lucia decided to share the responsibility of riding shotgun in the shopping cart.

Feeling a little loopy - Mateo decided to channel the masked crusader and Cypress Hill

Feeling super exhausted from this super long weekend, Lucia passed out in her highchair with a mouthful of rice still stored in her cheeks.

Being the horrible parents that we are, we insisted on recording for our own personal entertainment

M&L Celebrate The 4th of July 2010

Today Mateo and Lucia celebrated our country's birthday. Last year at this time Mateo had his first memory of fireworks while Miss Lucia was still in utero. What a difference a year makes. This year we were not planning to go on any roof decks, but we were planning to celebrate with family, friends and food. Happy Birthday USA!

Mateo (Buzz) , Papi and Lucia are ready roll

Mateo (Buzz), Mommy and Lucia were all dressed in their red, white and blue for the festivities

Mateo also decided he wanted to rock the fisherman look today

Chi-town visitor, Richie, was visiting with his mom and wife. Lucia enjoyed the goatee and the tattoos

Mateo, Tia Stacie, Antonio and Ayden cooled down by taking a dip in the pool

And finally the fireworks started. This year they were higher than last, so we actually could see some from Aba and Abu's deck

Lucia enjoys her first fireworks with Erich, Antonio, Papi, Stevie and Aba