To all the dads in our lives.....we are so blessed and love you all so much!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
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!
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!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
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.
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,
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
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!
As well as Nana, CC and Mommy!
Thanks, Abuelo, for coming to see me tonight!
CC and one of her beauties, IsabelaWay to go, Gabriela! You did a fantastic job! We all love you so much!
Happy Mother's Day
Nana opening up her gift from all the grandkids.
The girls were so excited to see how much Nana loved it!
Nana showing off her treasure....with the help of 4 of her 6 grandkids. We missed you Cierra & Bobby.
Happy Mother's Day, Nana!
Thanks, Mamaw, for the push on the swing. We love you!
Happy Mother's Day, Mom & Mimi. We are thankful for you!We hope you all had a special day!
Hanging out with CC & Uncle
I think that it *might* have been mentioned in previous posts that the girls love Chocolate milk...and apparently one of the many reasons that they love me so :)
Girls chillin' with Uncle and watching Tom & Jerry.
Smilin' on the couch...and being still....for now!
"OH, Uncle, you are soooo funny!"
Learning to the sign to "ROCK ON" from Uncle
Laughing at Uncle's funny songs
Being silly with CC!
As always, fun time had by all.
Future Rock Stars!
Maya took an instant liking to Uncle's Guitar Hero guitar and headset. She immediately moved into the role of Stage Manager for the Jonas Brothers....and warmed up the guitar, while checking in on everyone. It was hilarious. If only I had it on video!
Check...check....are you ready to rock, Jonas Brothers?
Check...check....are you ready to rock, Jonas Brothers?
"Jenna....are you ready to rock?" (apparently Jenna is Isabela's stage name)
I see a bright future ahead for these girls :)
Friday, May 09, 2008
"Are you a mommy or an aunt?"
.....sweetly asked to me this evening by Gabriela, in the car.
I replied ~ what do you think?
An AUNT, she replied....and the best one ever! :)
A few minutes later, Gabriela came into the house for a minute and she met me at the door and with the most sincere look on her face, she said...
"CC, I know that you're not a mommy yet. But I know that you will be one soon. And you're gonna be a great one. You know why?"
"Why, Gabriela?"
"Because you love me so much...and because you always buy me donuts and chocolate milk."
Well, there you have it folks! From the mouths of babes :)
As Gabriela left the house, she said..."and...oh yeah, CC? .... Happy Aunt's Day!"
I sure do love that sweet girl:)
I replied ~ what do you think?
An AUNT, she replied....and the best one ever! :)
A few minutes later, Gabriela came into the house for a minute and she met me at the door and with the most sincere look on her face, she said...
"CC, I know that you're not a mommy yet. But I know that you will be one soon. And you're gonna be a great one. You know why?"
"Why, Gabriela?"
"Because you love me so much...and because you always buy me donuts and chocolate milk."
Well, there you have it folks! From the mouths of babes :)
As Gabriela left the house, she said..."and...oh yeah, CC? .... Happy Aunt's Day!"
I sure do love that sweet girl:)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Update on Gabriela
As Gabriela puts it....she survived! Whew :) Yes, Gabriela came through her surgery with flying colors. She was extremely apprehensive about her surgery. As she was being wheeled into the operating room, she said, "Now, Dr. Rainey, I've never had surgery before. Can you go over this with me again?" Gotta love it! Quite the inquisitive child.
She did have a pretty severe ear infection in her middle ear, so they were able to clean everything out really well, put the tubes in and take out her Adenoids. Her tonsils are still in tact.
I stopped by to see her last night and while she looked a little pale and red-eyed, she was in good spirits ~ just complaining about a sore throat. She was tired of resting, though. When I came to the door, she sheepishly asked....why are you here, CC? As IF she didn't know?! :) Immediately she asked, "where are you going when you leave here?" (Which is her classic way of asking if she can go shopping with me) The girl just had surgery and she wants to go shopping....oh dear!
I stopped by today and she informed me that she is "all better", so she didn't think that she should have to have the drops put in her ears. She is literally counting the days until she doesn't have to use them (which is Sunday); apparently, they are somewhat painful. She will return to school on Friday ~ better than ever.
Thanks to all for your prayers!
She did have a pretty severe ear infection in her middle ear, so they were able to clean everything out really well, put the tubes in and take out her Adenoids. Her tonsils are still in tact.
I stopped by to see her last night and while she looked a little pale and red-eyed, she was in good spirits ~ just complaining about a sore throat. She was tired of resting, though. When I came to the door, she sheepishly asked....why are you here, CC? As IF she didn't know?! :) Immediately she asked, "where are you going when you leave here?" (Which is her classic way of asking if she can go shopping with me) The girl just had surgery and she wants to go shopping....oh dear!
I stopped by today and she informed me that she is "all better", so she didn't think that she should have to have the drops put in her ears. She is literally counting the days until she doesn't have to use them (which is Sunday); apparently, they are somewhat painful. She will return to school on Friday ~ better than ever.
Thanks to all for your prayers!
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Pray for Gabriela today
"CC, I need to have a serious talk with you." "Ok, Gabriela."
"CC, I have some horrible news."
"Uh-oh, what's wrong?"
"Wellllllllllllllll, (deep sigh) they're going to go in and cut open my ears!"
"Oh-no! Cut open your ears?"
"YESSSSS! I saw the pictures of it in the doctor's office!"
"Well, it'll be ok. You'll be asleep. You won't even know what's going on."
"I know what's going on."
"Remember, Maya had to have tubes put in her ears and she did just fine."
"Well, I'm not Maya."
"Indeed you are not" (how do you argue that?!)
Gabriela has been fighting very severe ear infections for the past year, along with tonsilitis. So today is the day. She will be going in at 11:30 this morning for tubes and possibly to have her tonsils and adenoids removed. She is extremely apprehensive about this so we would definitely appreciate your prayers.
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