Balandran Family

Christmas Party

2012-01-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2011

2012-01-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

Tyler was a Lion

Riley was a Duck

Hailey was a Bee

Kyra was a Ladybug

Hailey and Kyra with Daddy

Park Pictures

2012-01-03T12:26:00.000-08:00

Kyra

Daddy and Hailey

Tyler

Riley

Kyra

Family Pictures Aug 2011

2011-09-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

My cute family!

My Cute Kids

2011-04-21T15:51:00.001-07:00

Hailey, Riley, Kyra and Tyler

Hailey & Kyra

2011-04-21T15:38:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of my beautiful girls Hailey and Kyra at only 15 days old.

Our Family

2010-10-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

October 16, 2010
A much needed family picture. Riley just
turned 3, Tyler is 16 months, and Hailey
& Kyra are 5 weeks.

Our new additions finally arrived!

2010-10-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Our twin girls Hailey and Kyra arrived in September and have added much joy to our little family...maybe not so little anymore. It feels like I have four babies now. With Riley just turning three and Tyler 16 months I never seem to have enough hands or eyes. I stay pretty busy all day with the four of them and then at night with the girls. We had to get a minivan and it is full of car seats it is so weird. The boys adore the girls and are always giving them kisses and hugs. Riley can even tell the difference between the two...they are identical.

Update

2010-07-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

So it has been a very long time since I have been on my blog. I have been very busy and don't get on the computer much. Our biggest news is that we are expecting twin girls soon. I am currently going to one to three appointments each week!! Plus preparing for the girls arrival and trying to keep up with Riley and Tyler. Tyler turned one in June. He is walking, talking, imitating others, whistles and climbing furniture...keping up with Riley. Sergio & I just celebrated our 4 year anniversary two days ago. The girls should arrive in august or september. Then Riley will turn three in October. I've been worrying about how I am supposed to get 4 babies to the doctors office when I onlt have two hands...that should be an interesting challenge. So I will have two toddlers and rwo infants which will keep me very busy, but we are very excited for the girls arrival!!

TWINS!!!!

2010-04-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

So we are expecting twins! We will find out if we are having boys, girls or both in just two weeks. We are trying to prepare for the big change in our family as we are still getting over the shock of our lives. Since neither of our families have twins. Sergio and I are hoping for girls since we already have two boys. We'll have to wait and see how the boys react to two new babies. They will arrive this fall.

Tyler's Blessing

2009-08-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

We had Tyler's blessing yesterday. With the temple dedication and stake conference we had scheduling issues so we just did it at our home with family and friends. Matt gave Tyler a beautiful blessing. Afterwards Sergio made Carne Asada, Pico de Gallo and Salsa for the whole family. Which we all loved.

Riley's Shoes

2009-08-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

Riley likes to help Mommy by putting his shoes on. When he came to me like this I had to snap a picture of it to show Daddy.

Riley, Nene and Benito

2009-08-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

I pulled out Riley's froggy pool which he loves it sprays up in the front and he is drinking from it ib the first picture. He loves his cousins Nene and Benito. Nene is the only name he says (besides Mommy, Daddy and baby) He would go to their house and play with them and they would spoil him. I took a few pictures of the three of them when they stopped by while we were out playing in the pool. They left the next day to return to Mexico. Riley misses them so much and loves looking at the pictures.

Photos of Tyler

2009-08-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

So I finally got some pictures of Tyler posted, sorry it took so long. He is such a sweet little boy and we love the new addition to our family.

He's arrived!!!

2009-06-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

Our baby Tyler Joel arrived on June 2nd at 7:05 am. Weighing 7 lbs 14 oz and 21 1/2 inches.
He has lots of dark hair and looks just like Daddy.

Surprise!!

2009-05-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

I woke up from a nap to find hair all over the bathroom. I went looking for Riley and found out that Daddy had given him a haircut while I was sleeping! He looks a lot older...I call it his big brother haircut. I'll post some pictures soon.

To Do List Before Baby Arrives

2009-05-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

So I have this long list of stuff I want to get done before June 2nd. I asked Sergio if he could assemble the bassinet this week (with Riley he assembled it when I started having contractions!)
He said he could wait but he did it anyway. While I washed the fabric pieces and the infant seat cover. I was happy to have the bassinet and car seat ready. I put one of Riley's stuffed animals in the bassinet and another in the car seat. Hoping that he would get used to the new items. Riley looks over the top of the bassinet and says "baby". Then went to the car seat and was rocking it back and forth. I left the room and when I returned he was in the seat, on top of his bunny rocking back and forth. Sergio and I need to teach him not to do that to Tyler! I'm slowly crossing items off my list, but I better hurry up. Only 10 more days!!

Almost There!!!

2009-05-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

I'm down to 19 days! I woke up this morning just before 2 am to run to the bathroom. I hate throwing up and I have thrown up everyday since Sunday. My doctor says it's normal. I looked in my book that I kept while I was pregnant with Riley and I saw that I was constantly throwing up at the end also. At least this pregnancy I didn't throw up for the entire 9 months. So now I go to visit my doctor every week. On Monday we scheduled my Cesarean with the hospital. On June 2nd I'll be headed to the hospital at 5:30 am to get set up for my 7:15 am Cesarean. It will be nice to have him first thing in the morning instead of waiting all day in the hospital like I did with Riley. Sergio & I are still hoping Riley is okay with the new baby. He kisses my stomach constantly and says baby. We'll see how he reacts when he finally gets here. Plus while I am in the hospital he will be staying with Grandma. So that will be a big change for him too. We're keeping our fingers crossed that all goes well.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

Today when I went to pick up Riley from Nursery he gave me this card and little flower pot. I love it! What a cute idea!! He even gave me a big hug and a kiss. That's all I need from my sweet little boy. Riley has a great nursery teacher. A few weeks ago she gave me a cd of songs that they sing in class so I can play it at home and get him familiar with them.

Cute Pictures

2009-05-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a few photos from this week. The first one is my little monkey up in the tree. Riley loves playing outside. The next two photos I had apparently worn him out playing outside. Sergio said one minute he was sitting in the glider talking then he looked over to find him like this. So he hurried and snapped a few pictures before moving him to bed. The last two are from yesterday when Sergio went to watch his team play soccer. (Last weekend he hurt his back playing soccer. So the chiropractor told him he couldn't play yet) Riley had fun watching soccer with Daddy. His new word is "Goal." Which made Sergio so happy when he said it for the first time two weeks ago. At the game Riley was given a BLUE ring pop. So when he got home he had blue lips, mouth and teeth, sticky fingers and streaks of blue all down his new shirt. What a mess!!! So after I took off his shirt and sprayed it with stain remover we snapped these photos.

Park and Baby Clothes

2009-05-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took Riley to the park. He loved the swing and would laugh as he swung back and forth. He ran around a lot, craling through the tube and went on the smaller slides with no problems, even climbing up a few of them. He wanted to go down the big slides, but I am pregnant and 26 days away from the big day and I didn't want to do them since he is too little to do them on his own. I saw a slide that went in circles and was open on top (not like a tube) so I decided we could go down that one. We climbed all the way up and I realized it would be a little harder than I thought. Where you sit down is under a turret and I am 5 foot 10 1/2, so I had to bend down pretty low and get seated all while keeping Riley from sliding down without me. Then when sliding down we kept stopping since I can't pull my legs up because of my protruding belly. Riley had fun, but I was done. (Next time we will bring daddy to go down the slides) Riley was crying when I put him in the car, but I was hot and exhausted and it was time to leave. When we got home I found that he had run out of energy too, we both laid down and had a nap.
Later when I woke up I opened the containers of baby clothes and was able to organize them and get everything put away in drawers and baskets. One less thing to worry about getting done. Sergio and I were talking about the baby furniture we have to bring up from the basement. And realized it's going to be a lot different with a second baby. Riley is 19 months mow and likes to climb up and jump off of everything which can be scary when you have an infant in a bassinette, baby swing, or bouncer. We're really going to have to keep our eyes on Riley.

My little monkey

2009-05-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know how he thought to do this, but this is how he has always laid on this glider and ottoman. He also likes to roll the ottoman over and sit inside like a little boat. Here he is going to balance on the wood posts and clap for himself (which always scares me because I think he could fall) but he enjoys it.
He also loves to climb onto the empty bookshelf and lay there. I've been calling him my little monkey lately because of all the furniture he has decided to climb up on. What a cutie!!!

Giggles

2009-05-05T07:20:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Sergio and I were talking and could hear Riley's giggles from the other room. We both quietly peaked around the corner to find him looking out the window at some neighborhood kids play. It was so cute. So I got my shoes on and took him outside to join the fun. I'm still trying to teach him to stay out of the street. And it seems he runs faster than I do right now. (only 28 days until baby Tyler arrives!!)

In this picture Riley would get on the couch and then jump over Sergio's shoulder, they both had a lot of fun.

Kids and their imaginations

2009-04-22T16:20:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you why Riley does this but at least once a day he pulls my quilt aside and sits on the stand to play. This day he had his little set of keys and would press the key like it was a remote (like daddy's keys) and then would turn the key in the iron spirals like he was starting the car. He has started to imitate Sergio and I alot. Other days he sits in there talking. It's fun to watch.

Riley's baby dolls

2009-04-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Riley has a little doll that we started calling baby Tyler (the name we chose for our n ew baby) It's so cute to see him cuddle with it and carry it around on his shoulder. I had another doll in the basement that I brought up one day for playgroup since I knew there would be girls coming over. After everyone left Sergio saw the doll in pink and thought that one of the girls had left it behind. When I told him no, it's ours he said "No, dolls are for girls" and tried to hide it, but Riley found it and liked to carry it around. I started calling it baby Ashlin which was a cousin that was bornsoon after. So then Sergio didn't mind so much that Riley was carrying a little doll dressed in pink. ha ha ha Men are so funny!

Riley loves puppies!!

2009-04-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors have the cutest little puppy named Harley that Riley adores. Here are some pictures of Mackenzie, Cooper and Riley with the puppies. (The brown one is Harley and the other is his little sister) Riley apparently didn't think Mackenzie had her hands full with two puppies so he decided to join them on her lap. Riley loves playing with the neighbors he has been running up to Mackenzie and giving her hugs since we moved. And now he hugs her two younger brothers Tanner and Cooper and two brothers just a few houses down Calvin and Peyton. Riley steps out our door and has lots of kids to play with, plus he is attracted to all the outside toys they have. Since this is the first summer Riley has really spent outside we don't have any yet. Sergio wants to find some for Riley soon.

Only 56 more days!!

2009-04-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

I wish it was closer. I have another appointment Monday. Everything has gone really well (no throwing up for nine months like with Riley) I'm just uncomfortable, mostly at night, but I only have 56 days!! I'm so excited to have another baby to cuddle with. Riley still cuddles with me, but he enjoys running around exploring too. Sergio & I keep talking about Tyler (that's the name we have chosen) with Riley. Sergio was sitting in the rocking chair with Riley while I was laying on the couch the other night and told Riley that soon Tyler will be here and laying with Mommy. We can hardly wait!! A few days ago Sergio was at work and Riley came over and sat on my lap hugging my stomach (his favorite position lately. We sat there talking about the baby and then the kicking started, pretty hard I might add. Riley just laid there hugging my stomach and would giggle every time the baby would kick. It was so so cute to see the boys share a moment together. I just wish Sergio could have been there to see it too.

Mommy's Little Helper

2009-04-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Riley loves to help Mommy. He has delivered bowls of dessert or fruit to Daddy in the past (we call it a special delivery) and loves to turn off the lights. Now he helps me by closing the fridge, taking clean dishes out of the dishwasher and handing them to me. He has started to help me clean up his toys, which as you know can be a real chore throughout the day. Since we moved he has discovered something new the door handles here are levers that you just pull down instead of the round knob, so he enjoys opening the door for friends and visitors. So of course we keep the doors locked so he doesn't escape.

Lasagna Soup

2009-03-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

I had this at a progressive dinner our ward did (for those who were there, it was at Carolyn's house) and it's delicious!

"Freakin' Good" Lasagna Soup - Mandy Peterson
2 lb. ground beef
2 small onions, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 28 oz. cans italian style tomatoes
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 beef bouillon cubes
6 chicken bouillon cubes
8 cups water
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
6-8 lasagna noodles, cooked and cut into pieces
mozzarella cheese, shredded
cottage cheese

Brown ground beef, onion and garlic. Drain fat. Add tomatoes (I chop up my tomatoes before I put them in), tomato sauce, bouillon cubes, water, seasonings. Heat to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Add lasagna noodles; continue cooking about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with a dollop of cottage cheese and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Update

2009-03-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy! We have moved, but we still live in the same great neighborhood full of kids to play with. Sergio has felt the baby kick. We taught Riley to say baby and he has started going to Nursery. Riley is growing up so fast, talking alot and doing more and more each day. He says Mama or Mom all day long now. He now comes and kisses my stomach and laughs at my dissapearing belly button. The baby is coming soon and we're looking forward to having another little boy in the the house.

SNOW!!

2009-02-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

Riley having fun in all the snow that we received. I built a little snowman for him,

Glasses

2009-02-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

Riley wanted to wear my glasses but this is the oly picture Sergio snapped before Riley grabbed them and I didn't want them to break. But I thought it was cute.

2009-02-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

Sorry it took me so long to post. But if you look down to Riley's Haircut you can see the before and after pictures.

Ultrasound

2009-01-23T10:20:00.000-08:00

Sergio & Riley came with me to my ultrasound yesterday so we could all find out together. It's a boy!!! We are so excited that Riley will have a little buddy to play with! We just have to figure out a name we both like.

Doctor Appointments

2009-01-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

I have an appointment for my ultrasound on January 22nd! Sergio,Riley and I will all go together to find out if we're having a girl or a boy. At my appointment last week I heard the heartbeat and had a quick ultrasound to check the size of the baby (8 oz) and I got a couple pictures. Sergio was upset that he wasn't there to hear and see the baby with me. I also know that I will be having another Cesarean so I can schedule it earlier than my June 6th due date.

Riley's first haircut!!

2008-12-21T15:24:00.000-08:00

We waited until he was 14 months to get his first haircut. We were out running errands when Sergio suggested we go get it done. So we went in and Riley did really well. He looks so different with no curls! I told him he is no longer a baby, now he is a little boy.

Christmas Decorations

2008-11-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

So we put up the tree and all our Christmas decorations on Friday. Riley was getting into all the boxes with me. And I had to rearrange things to keep them out of Riley's hands. Riley went right for the outlet where we just plugged in the lights. He really likes all the lights. Later that night Riley pulled an ornament off the tree and dropped it on the ground. The first ornament to break and hopefully the last. I think Sergio and I will be saying No a lot over the next month. I will post a picture soon. I tried to take some last night of Riley standing in front of the tree, but he would just walk off. I'll have to try again when Sergio is home.

Sergio is so Sweet!!

2008-11-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

Monday night Sergio got home from work around eleven and we were watching a show that he enjoys watching that I recorded for him. They were eating watermelon at the end of the show and I said that it looked really good and wanted some. A few minutes later Sergio said he would be back in a minute. When he came back at 12:08 am I realized he ran to the store to get me some watermelon. I thanked him and he said he would get me anything I wanted. With Riley Sergio always kept the fridge stocked with fruit. I loved it!! Thanks Sergio!!

Tag from my friend Gaye

2008-11-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

8 Shows I love to watch.
a. Law & Order: SVU.
b. CSI
c. Survivor (Sergio asks me to record it so we can watch it together)
d. Knight Rider (we both watched this show when we were younger Sergio calls it "Auto Fantastico")
e. Several shows on HGTV
f. America's Next Top Model ( Sergio sometimes watches and laughs as the girls try to walk in heels)
g. Numbers
h. Handy Manny (I watch this with Riley - it also has some Spanish words to help me learn)
Can't think of any others.

8 Favorite Restaurants
a. Tucci's
b. Johnny Carino's
c. Macaroni Grill Mi Ranchito
d. Mi Ranchito
e. Tucano's
f. Maria Bonita
g. Chili's
h. Applebee's

8 Things that happened Yesterday
a. I did two loads of laundry
b. Ran the dishwasher and put everything away.
c. Cleaned up toys all throughout the day
d. Changed several diapers
e. Played with Riley
f. I read a book - while Riley slept.
g. Threw up -- morning sickness.
h. Made Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for my boys.

8 things on my wish list.
a. A trip to Italy
b. A trip to Mexico
c. For my family to be happy
d. To have a baby girl in June -- I'm still crossing my fingers.
e. For warm weather to return
f. To have my entire house organized
g. To see my sister in Massachusetts
h. To catch up on my scrapbooks

8 People I tag
a. Jocelyn
b. Cali
c. Stephanie
d. Tara
e. Julie
f. Mom
g, Karilyn
h. Julia

A Few Funny Things ...

2008-11-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Riley is such a fun little boy to watch as he is growing more and more everyday and likes to explore his surroundings. Earlier this week we woke up to a winter wonderland. We have had rain lately, but I wasn't expecting snow. Later when the boys got up we went to the kitchen and looked out the french doors at the snow. I opened the door and picked up a handful. Riley reached out to pick it up and quickly dropped it and pulled his hand back as he realized how cold it was.

Riley now has eight teeth and is eating new foods each day with their help, but he has now decided he wants something new, which I am trying to avoid. Riley likes to bite my toes and legs. Don't ask me how he got this idea. He just laughs as I try to push his little face away and tell him not to bite mommy!! As I'm siting here writing this he is getting my knee all wet triyng to attack me will I'm distracted. Crazy Boy!!!

Riley has always loved Mommy and Daddy, but shows it in different ways. For example he has always enjoyed cuddling with Mommy, but with Daddy he will wrap his arms around his neck. Such a sweetheart!

We were eating breakfast the other day when I got up to grab something. Sergio started saying "April! April!" I looked over to find Riley's face down in Sergio's plate trying to eat his food. ha ha ha I wish I had a picture of that Kodak Moment.

Husband Tag

2008-11-01T16:12:00.001-07:00

1~Full Name? Pablo Sergio Balandran
2~How Long Have You Been Married? 2 years, 3 months and 4 days
3~How Long Did We Date? 10 months
4~Who Eats The Most Sweets? I do, Sergio eats only a little.
5~Who Said I Love You First? Sergio did.
6~Who's Taller? I am
7~Who Sings Better? We both sing, Sergio loves singing to Riley -- so cute!!!
8~Who's Smarter? Depends on the subject.
9~Who Does The Laundry? I do everything except his work clothes, which he does separatly since they are so dirty.
10~Who Pays The Bills? Sergio
11~Who Sleeps On The Right Side Of The Bed? Sergio
12~Who Mows The Lawn? Sergio
13~Who Drives? Both, but when we are together it is usually Sergio.
14~Who Admits They Are Wrong? Both of us.
15~Who kissed Who First? Sergio kissed me.
16~Who Asked Out Who First? Sergio
17~Who Wears The Pants? Sergio

Doctor Appointment

2008-10-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

Today I took Riley to the doctor for his 12 month checkup. He received four shots that made him cry, tears falling down his face and his face turned red while he screamed. It took me a while to calm him down. His measurements were -- length 31 inches (85%), head 18.25 inches (50%), weighs 22 lbs (39%) which is less than he did at 9 months. Which concerned the doctor who said "He's not terribly skinny, but try adding more calories to his diet. Add butter to his vegetables." Riley is a very good eater and very active now -- walking all over. Tall and skinny, doesn't that run in the family?

Riley hanging out

2008-10-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

I went to get Riley after hearing him wake up from his nap and found him sitting there with his feet sticking out waiting for me. Then when I got the camers he was peeking through the crib slats at me.

Riley's Rocket

2008-10-24T12:05:00.001-07:00

We found this cute ride on toy for Riley's birthday that he absolutely loves to play with. There are lots of buttons to push And the four Little Einsteins characters to play with. He will sit on it, but right now he prefers to push it.

Quote

2008-10-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

"Nothing is as scary as someone needing you so much. BUT, nothing brings the kind of heart-stopping joy that his smile or hug brings."
-Will, father of 3 year old

Happy 1st Birthday Riley!

2008-10-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe it's been a year since Riley has come into our lives! He has always been such a sweet, happy baby boy. Sergio and I adore him so much. I remember how Riley would fall asleep in my arms and I would watch his little face. What a blessing! He has grown up so fast. He is walking all the time now, And it's funny to watch him learn new things each day and to play with him. He's climbing the stairs (with parents close by watching of course, one of us is always behind him and the other is at the top cheering him on) He also loves to clap his hands he even started clapping Sunday after the choir finished singing. He is eating more and more since he has 8 teeth to chew with now. And he has mastered how to use a straw.
Today Riley was on TV! I sent his picture in to Good Things Utah the other day and they had his name and picture on screen as they played birthday music. (they only do 1st Birthdays) I recorded it so I could show it to Sergio. I'm so excited for Sergio and Riley to see it when Sergio comes home from work tonight. (Riley was napping when it came on)

ABC

2008-10-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

A- Attached or Single? Attached

B- Best Friend? My husband, Sergio

C- Cake or Pie? Pie

D- Day of Choice? Saturday, we can all sleep in and spend the day with my family

E- Essential Item? Lotion and chapstick

F- Favorite Color? Tiffany Blue and Chocolate Brown I wear these colors and also decorate with them.

G- Gummy Bears or Worms? Bears

H- Hometown? Orem, UT

I- Favorite Indulgence? Chocolate

J- January or July? July, I love warm weather

K- Kids? My adorable little boy Riley who's first birthday is next week!! (8th)

L- Life isn’t complete without? Family

M- Marriage Date? July 28, 2006

N-Night or Morning person: Both

O- Oranges or Apples? Apples

P-Phobias? Natural Disasters, Bees - I have been stung sooo many times. Once both feet!!!

Q-Quote? "Always kiss me goodnight." Sergio always kisses Riley and I before he leaves for work, when he comes home, before we go to bed and before he plays soccer.

R- Reasons to smile? Riley

S- Season of choice- Summer

T- Tag 3 people. Jocelyn, Cali, Gaye

U- Unknown fact about me? I always make lists - things to do, to buy, cleaning, you name it.

V- Vegetable or Fruit? Fruit

W- Worst Habit? Procrastination

X- X-ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound -- I've had to have x-rays before for a fractured wrist and before gallbladder surgery OUCH!! I'd rather have a baby any day!

Y- Your favorite food? Italian and Mexican

Z- Zodiac Sign? Gemini

Breaking in the New Highchair

2008-10-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

Riley loves his new highchair. He was sitting there enjoying his Cheerios and Kix cereal. I left the room to go get something and came back to find him like this, He is so cute! It's funnt because most of my baby pictures I was asleep in my highchair. He's just like Mommy.

Elder Mark Lunceford

2008-10-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures we took after Mark's farwell talk. Today we went to the MTC and left Mark there. He will be leaving to serve in Kennewick, Washington by the end of October. He is so excited and looks so handsome in his suit. He won't be back until Riley is three!!! But I made something to help Riley remember Mark. At enrichment a few months ago we made ABC books. (A is for Angel, P is for Prophet) In Riley's book M is for Missionary Mark and I'm putting in this picture of Mark and Riley. I hope he enjoys it!

Riley's Birthday Celebration

2008-10-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

Riley finally met all of his cousins, two more Aunts and an Uncle. We had a party while all seven cousins were all here in Utah. We had a pinata which all the kids enjoyed and since Riley was born in October I found a cute little ghost cake for him to play with. He really enjoyed destroying it as the other kids sat around the table watching and laughing.

EIGHT -- Tagged by Jocelyn

2008-09-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry it took me so long to post, I still didn't think of eight for each, but thought I would just post it anyway.
8 Things I am Passionate About:
1. My husband Sergio and my baby Riley.
2. Creating a loving home for my family.
3. My Faith. I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints 4. Decorating my home.
5. Reading -- I have always enjoyed good books.
6. Being organized -- I'm working on my entire house. My closet is organized by color, Riley's is organized by size. and I just finished his whole closet. Now it's down to the basement.
7. Creating Memories. Taking picture, Scrapbooking, Journaling and Blogging.
8. Supporting my husband as he plays Soccer.

8 words or phrases I say often:
1. Mommy loves you -- to my adorable baby Riley
2. Loco -- to my husband
3. Loco in the cabesa negra
4. Gross
5. Come on shorty
6. Yeah -- as I clap with Riley
7. That's Ridiculous
8. Whatever

8 Things I want to do before I die:
1. I've met and married the man of my dreams. X
2. I've had a child. X
3. Build and decorate my own Home.
4. Travel with my Family
5. Have more children -- pregnant with #2 right now!

8 Things I currently want or need:
1. Organize and decorate basement
2. Continue to strive to be a better wife and mother.
3. A Family Picture.
4. Catch up on my Scrapbooks
5. Some new clothes

Updates!!!

2008-09-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything new, but I finally got to my computer and got new photos off my camera. (Even with two little boys in my lap) So I hope you enjoy the posts I have just added. Riley is doing more and more each day. Last night I caught him doing something he has never done before (which I haven't posted yet) and today he took 31 continuous steps without holding on to anything or falling. So there will be more coming soon! Have a great day :)

Our Family

2008-09-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few recent pictures of our family.
Our photographer was my niece Julia. She did a great job. I love the close up of Riley and Sergio.

The Great Outdoors

2008-09-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

Riley loves to try putting leaves, twigs, rocks and dirt in his mouth when I'm trying to take pictures of him.

Our cute little boy

2008-09-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

Riley is such a happy baby and has brought so much joy to our family.

Strawberry Reservoir and Deer Creek

2008-09-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

We packed our picnic basket and drove up to Strawberry Reservoir and Deer Creek. Riley loved the water and poking his fingers in the sand. We all had a fun time. I got some cute shots of Riley too.

Daddy's Wallet

2008-09-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

One day we found Riley like this. Pulling money from Daddy's wallet. Riley loves to pull everything out. At only 10 months he already knows where to go to find money!

Balandran Look-alike Meter

2008-09-24T22:06:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Free genealogy websites - Family history

Wow!! We actually did this three times (I only posted two of them), every time with different pictures and every time it came that Riley looked equally like me and Sergio. I guess it's official.

Balandran Look-alike Meter

2008-09-24T22:00:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family tree outline - Family tree templates

2008-09-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Riley and Julia

2008-09-23T21:10:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Riley and Julia from July 4th.
You can't see Riley's onesie, but it has fireworks and says "Mommy's little sparkler."

Swim Shorts

2008-09-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

I found these cute swim shortsat Old Navy last year before Riley was born. He has been getting alot of use out of them this summer. He loves the sprinkler and the shower.

Tag

2008-09-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by my sister Julie.

Joys
1. Riley
2. Sergio
3. Talking with Jocelyn

Fears
1. Losing someone I Love
2. Natural Disasters
3. ????

Goals
1. Catch up on my scrapbooks
2. Decorate basement
3. Get my house completely organized

Obsessions/Collections
1. My Family
2. Reading
3. I collect spoons

Surprises
1. I worry about everything (What mom doesn't) I agree with Julie on this one.
2. I love watching Sergio play soccer. I am amazed that more wives don't come.
3. I enjoy weeding. I can make my yard look nice and think at the same time. (I just spent four hours outside -- Riley slept the whole time!!)

Here's the Scoop

2008-09-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a while since I have been able to get on the computer. I have had my hands full lately. Riley is teething, he got his first six teeth in two weeks!! He is also standing on his own and taking a few steps before he falls down. I am aslo watching two other little boys. A 3 month old and a 14 month old. I'm hoping that Riley will be motivated to walk more after watching the 14 month old boy run around the house. Right now it is faster for Riley to crawl after him. They are cute together and are sharing toys and food. Riley will be 11months old on Monday! This year is passing so quickly. Sergio has been busy with his soccer games. Riley loves to go watch Daddy and play with his cousins Benito, Nene and Erasmo. They are all so cute with him, picking Riley out of his stroller and playing with him for hours. Handing him over to me for diaper changes of course. Last week Sergio was at soccer practice three nights in a row. He came home from work took a shower and left for at least 3 hours each night getting ready for a big tournament on Saturday. They have won every game and hope to continue to win. One night they ran up to the Y. (The BYU football team also does this) Sergio didn't realize how steep it was since he had never been on the trail before. But they all got a good workout.
Sorry, Riley's crying so I have to go. I'll post some pictures soon.

Riley's Lion

2008-08-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

Riley has this cute lion on his bouncer that is attached with velcro. He loves to pull it off and put the tail in his mouth and crawl around. I'm not sure why he does this, but he looks so cute.

Riley under table.

2008-08-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

Riley has always enjoyed crawling under the table. The third picture of him is the first time he stood up. Sergio thought I had put him there, but I didn't. I saw him stand up and I ran to the other room to grab the camera.

Riley & Julia

2008-08-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

Today I invited Julia to come over to play with Riley. They played in the house and we went for a walk, but the fun came when we got Riley in his swim shorts and turned on the sprinkler. Riley and Julia had so much fun while I laughed and took pictures. Riley is sticking out his tongue, which is common with him lately. I love the shot of the two of them with Riley's back. Julia took the last two shots of Riley wrapped in his towel. She loves taking pictures. Riley had so much fun and finally fell asleep exhausted after spending hours playing.

Two Years!!

2008-07-29T08:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Our Second Anniversary! I can't believe it has been two years already. Sergio and I are so happy together and Riley makes us even happier. Sergio is wonderful. He's caring, giving, sweet, is a wonderful father and husband, handsome, dresses so nice, always smells so good, enjoys singing and dancing, works so hard at work and at home, likes to clean and be clean, and he is also a great athlete. I love him so much. He took the day off work yesterday to spend time with Riley and I. And then we took Riley to Grandma's house while we went to dinner and a movie. We usually have Riley with us. This was only the second time Riley has been away from both Sergio and I. (the first time was in December when Mark was in ICU after his accident and no babies were allowed so Britani watched him while I visited with Mark) We didn't think he would cry, bit we didn't know for sure. We enjoyed our night out, but were excited to go get Riley. He had a great time, when we walked in Julia was feeding him Kix Cereal. He just started eating them (mostly in church) and makes a MMMMM noise when he gets them in his mouth. It's so cute!! We were surprised he didn't go to sleep since he hadn't had a nap in the afternoon and he was sleepy when we brought him over. He was having too much fun with Grandma and Julia to sleep. Once we got him in the car he started yawning and fell asleep right away. He slept soundly until around 7:30 am today! We had such a fun day celebrating another milestone in our relationship.

Alone Time

2008-07-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

Riley just recently started crawling out of the living room and going down the hall to his room. He will grab one of his favorite books or a toy and play quietly by himself for a while and then crawl back to me in the other room. I think it;s so cute that he will go off to his room to be alone. I like to tiptoe down the hall and peek in on him. Riley loves his room. Sergio painted the room (his first time ever painting) and he also assembled all the furniture. The only thing I did on my own was install the light switch cover and the crib mobile. We enjoyed putting the room together for Riley. From the time we brought him home from the hospital we have always spent time there. Changing lots of diapers and clothes, reading books as we sit in the glider, taking naps, playing on the floor, and sleeping in his crib. I'm so glad he likes spending time in his room.

What a big boy!

2008-07-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

Just this week I moved the lamps and other breakables out of our living room so Riley wouldn't knock them over. And I covered all the outlets so he couldn't stick anything in them. But I guess there is more baby proofing to be done now. Today Riley climbed up eleven stairs !!! What a workout! He shocked Sergio and I since this was the first time he has ever been on the stairs. I can't believe how big he is getting and that he can do so much.

Laptime

2008-07-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

I put Riley in his stroller and we walk to the Orem Public Library a couple times each week to have laptime. It's for infants and toddlers. The Moms and kids sit on the floor. Dads can come too, but I have only seen Dads there once. There are different women that prepare a lesson that includes books and songs with actions. Right now I move Riley's body to participate, but later he can do the actions all by himself. The first laptime lesson we had was on seeds. She read The Carrot Seed, and also a book about a farmer that wouldn't wake up. The kids were roosters, it was so cute. She also showed us seeds and the kids tried to guess what they would turn into. It's a fun little lesson and Riley gets to interact with other children. He loves to go outside, so we enjoy the walk and I get a bit of exercise at the same time.

In the drivers seat

2008-07-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

Riley got his chance to sit up front while Sergio washed the car. Can you see Sergio in this first photo? He usually spends a few hours washing the car so we joined him outside.

I love Riley's face in this photo.

As you can see, the seat and steering wheel are huge compared to him. But he had so much fun

Water and Grass!

2008-07-03T10:17:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Sergio and Riley in May when we discovered that Riley loves to play in the water. Other than his baths this was the first time he played in the water. The first time we put him on the grass he hated it, but now he likes to sit there are pull out the grass. So we try to get him outside to play more often.

Our Family Name

2008-06-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

For a while we didn't have anything with our family name. And I really wanted to get something unique . I found these letters at Archiver's and loved them.

I had this made by a crafter at Quilted Bear. Our name and the year we got married is cut out of metal and then framed in wood.

I made this one at Enrichment Night. Our name
with families are forever written in Spanish since my husband speaks Spanish.

I also found this pretty tile.

Happy Face

2008-06-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

I noticed that the last few posts Riley had such serious expressions so I had to share this picture of him smiling. Riley usually has a smile on his face. That's why a lot of our friends and neighbors ask me if he ever cries. He is even quiet all through church, usually falling asleep in sunday school. He is such a sweet baby.

Riley in crib

2008-06-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

On this day I had to take some pictures because Riley got up on his knees for the first time. He is doing new things each day. It is so fun to watch him grow. We have now moved his crib mattress to the lowest position since he can almost get up to stand now.

Sergio and Riley

2008-06-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

I thought this was such a cute picture of Sergio and Riley. Riley loves his Daddy. When Sergio comes home from work we go to the door and Riley just kicks his feet with excitement. Sergio can always get him to laugh. Sometimes he laughs so hard he gets hiccups.

Soccer

2008-06-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Sergio plays on three different soccer teams. So I thought I would post a few pictures. Sergio loves soccer. Sergio plays soccer, watches his friends, watches soccer on tv, and likes to go to the Real Salt Lake games. Here is a team picture of his Fantasmas team.And a few with Riley. He giggles when he gets to kick the ball.

Our Family

2008-06-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a family of seven kids and thought that was a big family, but Sergio is the oldest of thirteen kids!
Sergio's birthday is on June 19 and mine is on June 20. He is one year and one day older than me.
After working since I was sixteen. I am now a stay-at-home Mom.
Last summer two of my sisters-in-law and I were all pregnant. Marina had a boy July 31. I had a boy October 8. and Ana had a girl October 28.
On October 8, 2007 Sergio & I were blessed with the arrival of our beautiful baby boy Riley.
We have an International Family! I was born in Italy, Sergiowas born in Mexico and Riley was born here in the United States.
I have always enjoyed reading. I am now reading Presidents & Prophets by Michael K Winder.
Riley and I love going on walks together around the neighborhood or through the park.
Sergio loves soccer. He is currently playing on three different teams. (2 outdoor and 1 indoor)
I love to cuddle up with Riley rock him to sleep and then just look at his precious little face. (Sergio says I spoil him, but that's my right as a Mom, isn't it?)

Mark & Riley

2008-06-21T14:04:00.001-07:00

Here is Riley with Uncle Mark after he was ordained an Elder.

Fireworks

2008-06-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Sergio and I put Riley in his stroller and walked over to the city center for the Orem Summerfest. There was a big parade, food, carnival rides and games. There were alot of people there celebrating. We also saw alot of our friends and neighbors. At ten o'clock the fireworks started. I was a bit worried on how Riley would react to the loud noise since we were so close, but as the fireworks started he just laughed. We all enjoyed the firework show. I'm so happy Riley enjoyed them since we'll have more in July.

What is this??

2008-05-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

Riley loves to eat these new tasting foods. Here he was eating carrots and then started playing and spitting carrots all over.

Riley is so cool

2008-05-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

Riley loves to wear his sunglasses. We go on walks and he wears his sunglasses the whole time. The kids in the neighborhood would smile and tell him he 's cool.