Thanksgiving 2008

SAMANTHA
MAYA
GABRIELA
ISABELA
SISTERS ~ MAYA, ISABELA & GABRIELA

TWO VIDEOS: ONE WITH ALL THE KIDDOS WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING. 2ND ONE IS A CONVERSATION WITH MAYA.

How I told the girls...

I can't believe that it's been 2 months since I posted on CC's World! Life has been a whirlwind since mid-July when we brought Maggie home. I just realized that I never shared the story of how we told the 3 little ones about Maggie's arrival, so I guess I'll share it now :)

I was so nervous about telling Gabriela, Isabela & Maya about Maggie. I just didn't know how they would react, if they would understand. I've been so close to them since they were born, always with them, hanging out, doing things together...and I knew that those things would change when we brought Maggie home. I asked Ashley if she had told them about Maggie, and she said no ~ she thought I'd want to do it.

So, I came over to the house one evening, around bedtime. All of the girls were getting ready for bed and Gabriela wanted me to come and read her a story. So, I read her a book, and we just laid in the bed and chatted. Here's a little of how it went:

G: So, CC...what's new with you? (wow - loaded question!)

CC: Well, there is something I wanted to tell you about, Gabriela.

G: Ok, what?

CC: You know CC & Uncle have wanted to have a baby for a long time now?

G: Yes, I know

CC: Well, we are going to get a little girl to come and live with us and we're going to be her new mommy and daddy.

G: (squealing) a GIRL?!?!?! when?

CC: in a few days

G: how old is she?

CC: she's 1 1/2 years old

G: oh, so like Samantha's age?

CC: yep, a little smaller than Samantha

G: What's her name?

CC: Maggie Joy

G: oh, Maggie Joy. So, she's going to be my new cousin?

CC: yes, she is.

G: wow, that's awesome. Now, let's go tell the girls.

**** Before heading off to the girls' room, I just sat back and thanked God for this sweet little girl and how - just like that - accepted Maggie as our own.

CC: Maya, I want to tell you something.

M: Ok, CC...come in my bed and tell me.

CC: I wanted to tell you that CC & Uncle are going to get a new little girl to come and live with us.

M: What? A girl? (that seemed to be the theme for the night) You're going to have a little girl?!?!

CC: Yes, a little girl named Maggie.

M: Hey! Her name starts with a "M" just like mine (huge smile!)

CC: You're right it does

M: I can't wait to meet my new cousin, Maggie. I love her already, CC.

CC: I love her too.

M: Hey, CC....don't forget though...I loved you first :)

CC: I won't forget, Maya. (choking back tears)

M: Now go tell Isabela

*****

CC: Isabela, want to hear some good news?

I: Sur-a (sure)

CC: CC & Uncle are going to get a new little girl named Maggie and she's going to be our new baby.

I: You are getting a little "gurl"?

CC: yes, we are.

I: Wow! Is she going to yours For-ev-a?

CC: Yes, she's going to be our little girl forever.

I: I'm going to love my new cousin forever. Can you bring her over here now?

CC: Well, not right now. She isn't here yet...maybe in a few days.

I: Ok, well, make sure you bring her by so we can give her big kisses.

******

Could those 3 little girls be any sweeter? I mean, seriously! God knew what He was doing when He blessed me with those 3 sweethearts, in preparing me to be a momma, by being their aunt. They have taught me so much about love and acceptance in their short lives. Even now, recalling those special conversations, brings tears to my eyes.

We don't spend as much time together but the time we are together, is that much sweeter.

And I couldn't ask for better cousins for Maggie. They have loved her with an unconditional love, full acceptance and have never questioned one bit of how it came to be. There was no reason to worry about telling them...I should've known that they would respond as they did.

Moving forward, 5 months later...the screams that once greeted me at the door "CC's here! CC!" have now been replaced with "MAGGIE! Maggie's here!, and oh, hi, CC" But that's ok....I had 6+ years of greetings...I'm more than happy to pass it on to my little one, who never knew love like that, before she met the girls.

I haven't posted any pics of Maggie with her cousins, for security reasons, but since you can't see her face on this one, I thought I'd post it :) This picture was taken the first time Maggie went over to play with the girls.

Spanish 101

Gabriela is taking a Spanish class at school this semester. They meet one day a week, after school. She is already bi-lingual, as Ash & Ed have raised all the girls with both English & Spanish in the home. However, because this was her first true class, they placed her in the beginning class.

When I asked her today how her Spanish class was...this is what she said.

"CC, it's so easy. I know everything already."
"Oh really, why is that?
"well, CC...I AM Mexican"

gotta love it!

"Keep the Change"

When Gabriela started Kindergarten last year, she was finally at the big school and was allowed to have visitors at lunch. She was always asking me to come up and have lunch with her, but I couldn't due to my work schedule. Well, Maggie & I ventured up to Gabriela's school today to have lunch with her. She seemed so grown up...with all her other 1st grade friends.

Maggie & I waited for Gabriela to come to the lunchroom...ChickFilA waiting. Gabriela was excited to see me, but MUCH more excited to see Maggie. She sure does love that little one! (forget about CC, now!) Anyway, she sat down, started to enjoy her chicken, when she slyly asked...

"CC, do you have a dollar?"
"I think I do, why?"
"Well, I want to get an icecream"
"Ok...it's a dollar for an icecream?"
"Yep...everything is a dollar"....and off she went to pick our her treat. She came back to the table with her little BlueBell cup of icecream and I thought to myself...wow...what a rip off. I can't believe that cost a $1!
"Here, CC...here's your change." (65 cents...ok, that was more like it)
"Oh, there's change. I thought everything was a dollar"
"Well, I always give a dollar and then there is change.
Um, CC, how about you just let me keep the change so that I can get icecream again tomorrow?"
"Ok, Gabriela...you can keep the change!"

A smile went across her face and once again, CC was the favorite for the moment :)

Oh the joys of making a little girl happy...even if it is with 65 cents to buy an icecream tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Maya!

Dear Maya,

I can't believe that you are 4 years old today! Boy have you grown! Time has flown by and I have enjoyed each moment. It has been so fun to watch you grow, develop, and become the sweet little girl that you are today. You are soooo full of energy ~ no one would question that! You are a giggle box and it's contagious. I'm always laughing with you. You bring a smile to everyone you meet. You are loving and always giving me sweet kisses on cheek, hugging my neck and even throwing in an occasional "zerbert", which you find absolutely hilarious. You know that CC loves those!

You are growing into such a pretty little girl. That tilted smiling face is a killer :)I am so thankful to have been a part of all your firsts, your happy times, your frustrating times, your learning times and to see you become the little girl that you are.

Happy Birthday, Booger. I hope that you have a very special day. Always remember that CC & Uncle love you soooo much. I can't wait to make more memories with you this year.

Love you,

Happy Birthday, Isabela!

Dear Isabela,

As I look at this picture and see your sweet little face, I just can't believe that you're already 4 years old. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was in the waiting room, awaiting the news that Baby A had been born! We were all so excited to meet you and Maya.

You bring joy to those that you're around. Your sensitive heart and sweet spirit shines through to all who meet you, even at your young age. Your early years weren't easy with all your illnesses, but you were the best sick baby I've ever been around. You love to read and watch movies (oh how you love Spiderman, of all things, right now!) and do "crafts". You are the focused one, the more serious one, but also the more defiant one as of late. But boy are you cute!!! You have the most beautiful big brown eyes and the sweetest smile with those darn dimples :) I could just eat you up!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea. I can't wait to see how much you grow and change in the next year. I look forward to all the memories we'll build together. Always remember that CC and Uncle love you soooo much. Hope you have a special day.

Love you,

Girls' Birthday Party

Here are just a few pictures from Gabriela (6), Isabela & Maya's (4) birthday party yesterday.

My dear friend, Sally, and I made the girls' birthday cakes this year....which deserves an entire blog post all to itself. (check back tomorrow for that!)


Sally was also the hit of the party with her face painting wonders!

There were lots of presents to open....

And plenty of fun outside on the water slide....

Happy Birthday girls! We hope that you had a fun time celebrating your special days. We love you all so much.

What happens at CC's house.....

Happy Father's Day (a little late!)

To all the dads in our lives.....we are so blessed and love you all so much!

Grandad with Maya, Gabriela, Samantha & Isabela

Dandy with Isabela, Maya, Samantha & Gabriela

Ed with Isabela, Gabriela & Maya

John with Samantha

Bobby with Cierra & Bobby

Just me and Gabriela....

Last Friday evening, I went to watch Gabriela's gymnastics lesson and then we were off...just the 2 of us...to celebrate her birthday.

She was sooo excited. "It's still just you and me, right, CC? It is my birthday afterall". Yes, just you and me.

"CC, I brought a really pretty pink dress to change into since you're taking me out to dinner."
"Where would you like to go eat? We can go anywhere you like."
"Chick-Fil-A?" (are you kidding me?!?!?!)
"No, we're not going to Chick-Fil-A tonight. Pick something else."
"OK...let's go to Papi's restaurant." (seriously, you can go anywhere and this is your 2nd choice?!)
"Really, that's where you REALLY want to go? Are you sure? Really?" (can you tell that I really wasn't wanting to go there...but if that's where she wanted to go, we would go.)
"Yep. That's where I want to go."
"Ok...let's go to Papi's Restaurant."
As we are driving down 1960, Gabriela pipes in...
"Wait! CC! Let's go to Chuck E Cheese!"
"Sure - let's go!" (that's more my kind of place to celebrate a birthday)

We had a great time a CEC and Gabriela was raking in the tickets from all her games of Skeeball and other games. She ended up with 218 tickets and was able to get 4 little things from the counter. I wonder how much a ticket is worth? Probably a penny....of course, a token is worth about a quarter. I'd say that they're making quite the profit, wouldn't you?

We left CEC and Gabriela wanted to know where we were going next. We were going to go and paint pottery but we spent too much time at CEC and it was too late. I told her it was her choice, but that I couldn't go anywhere that required a lot of walking, as I had just sprained my ankle that afternoon.

"How about the mall?"
"um...Gabriela...remember, not somewhere that requires a lot of walking?"
"oh yeah..that's right...let me see...how about Walmart?" (still not getting it)
"no...can't go there. How about we go and get some icecream?"
"Sure - that sounds perfect! Do you want to just go into Jack In The Box and get an icecream there?"
"Well, they don't really have icecream cones there."
"Ok, then, we can just go to the gas station."
I was cracking up....I could just hear it...so, Gabriela, where did CC take you? To the gas station.
So I suggested "Well, how about Bruesters Icecream?"
"Oh yeah, the one where you stand up next to the sign to see if your small enough to not have to pay for your icecream?"
'Yes, that one."
"Ok, I either want a cone with chocolate icecream, sprinkles and eye candy OR strawberry icecream with Reese's peanut butter cups."
Thankfully she went with her first thought, because that 2nd option just sounds nasty to me. But according to Gabriela, "it's absolutely the best icecream ever!"

After we finished our icecream, we made a quick stop at CVS to get a few things. Of course, she's always on the prowl for things that she "just has to have". And low and behold....we come across the whole section of polka-dotted items. Polka dots are very big for her right now. Her room is full of them and she wants her birthday party to be decorated with polka dots. We actually found some really cute b'day candles and table cloth with polka dots. She was so excited.

So we walk up to the counter to check out and the teenage girl working at there probably didn't know what hit her....

"Hi, tonight I'm celebrating my birthday with CC, but tomorrow is actually my birthday. I'm going to be 6. I love polka dots so CC is buying these for me and my sisters for our birthday party. See, there is a birthday candle with a 6 because that's how old I am going to be, and then we have 2 "4" candles for my twin sisters. We're going to have a polka dotted cake and this table cloth will go on the table so that we don't make a mess on my mommy's nice table. I sure am glad that we stopped in here tonight"

People I am NOT exaggerating. I was cracking up. And the girl behind the counter said - well, it sure is exciting to be turning 6! Indeed it is!

Happy Birthday, Gabriela!

Dear Gabriela,

Happy Birthday sweet girl. I can't believe that you are 6 years old already. I still remember when your mama told us the exciting news that you were on your way...we couldn't wait to meet you! Oh and the first time I held you, I was so overwhelmed with how much I already loved you! I was so excited when Mommy & Papi moved back to Houston when you were just 6 weeks old....that meant that we were going to be able to spend so much time together. (I wish I had some pictures to add of you as a baby, but we weren't "digital" then...so I don't have any on the computer)

I was there when you first rolled over, crawled, walked and spoke your first words. You were the most beautiful little flower girl I'd ever seen. I was there when you fell off the bench in the kitchen and lost consciousness for a minute while Mommy was trying to keep Maya & Isabela from coming (literally!). I loved our drives around the circle (you were a good driver at the age of 3!) I have seen you learn to swim, ride your bike, attended your school programs, watched you perform your gymnastics routines, taken you to paint pottery and to the movie theater, and had you accompany me on too many shopping trips to count.

There was a song that I made up and sung to you when you were just a baby....more words were added as time went on. And as you grew older, you sang it with me.

"There once was a girl named Gabriela.

She was sooooo pretty.

And she was sooooo smart.

And she was sooooo funny (enter laughter)

And she was a great big sister.

One sister's name is Maya.

And the other sister's name is Isabela.

And she was a great big help to Mommy and Papi.

She gives great besos (kisses)

And great abrazos (hugs)

(here's the best part....)

And her favorite aunt is "CC!" (hey - you can't start too early) :)

You are so pretty! You are so smart! And you are way too funny! You always make me laugh and you have the sweetest heart.

When I asked you the other night, if you knew how much CC loved you....you said....to the moon and back! And then you said, but CC I love you more...I love you to the moon to the stars, to the sun, to Papi's restaurant to your house and back. That is a lot of love!

I love you Gabriela! I hope that you have a fun birthday, celebrating with everyone. I hope that you always feel special and that you feel loved. I look forward to all the fun memories we'll make together this year.

Love you,

More conversations with Gabriela

Last Friday night, I stopped by to see the girls real quick. I was surprised to see Gabriela when I walked in the house, being that she is usually working with Papi at the restaurant.

CC: "Oh hi, Gabriela, what are you doing here?"
G: "I live here, CC...what are you doing here?" ha!
CC: "Well, I just came by to say hi and to see your new rooms." (they just went through some renovations). "But, I thought you would be working tonight."
G: "No, not tonight."
CC: "Why not?"
G: "I just didn't feel like working tonight?"
CC: "Well, sometimes we have to go to work even when we don't feel like it?"
G: "Not when you're 5"

...well I guess so!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, the girls gave me a tour of their new rooms. Gabriela's walls are PINK and her new bedspread/sheets are all polka dots of pink, blue and green....very cute! She is quite proud of her room. Isabela & Maya are in their same room with a fresh coat of yellow paint and twin beds. They are more than excited to not be sharing the full size bed anymore. When I asked Gabriela about having her own room again, she said...

"It is just wonderful, CC. You just can't believe how much better I sleep. The girls were always keeping me awake with their humming, singing, talking. Ugh....It was really aggrevating. You know how I need my sleep."

Yes, we all know how much a 5 year old needs her beauty sleep.

Gabriela's Kindergarten Program

Can you say....center stage....performer...lovin' it?!?!?

Gabriela had her little Kindergarten program the other night. "Rock-n-Roll with Mama Goose" There were about 120 kiddos on stage and they sang 14 songs. It was quite an impressive production, and actually very cute.

Proud sisters watching on....As well as Nana, CC and Mommy!

Thanks, Abuelo, for coming to see me tonight!

CC and one of her beauties, Isabela

Way to go, Gabriela! You did a fantastic job! We all love you so much!