When they are asleep...

So every night is like a marathon...dinner, bath, bed. Come on we can do it. Negotiations about how many stories...

Isabella: Well what if we read three short books and one long one?

Momma (AKA Jenna): What about just three short books?

Isabella: We can read four books because I am four years old.

Momma (AKA Jenna): Isabella, mommy is really tired can't we just read a few books?

Isabella: I don't think you are that tired.

This will go on till I usually give in. Let me say, that I love reading books with her, just not as many as she would like (which if she had her way would be about 10)

After they are both in bed (note that I did not say asleep) and after Bells pops out about 5 times for potty, water, to tell me something impor-tint, and any other reason her four year old mind can come up with, it is then glorious MOMMY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mommy can catch up on her news (Facebook) watch some educational programming ( The Office, Ugly Betty, etc.) and basically put my brain on vacation for an hour (or two).

Sometimes I feel a little guilty about how happy I am that they are asleep. Did I really just rush through books because I wanted to see who took the "what radiohead song are you quiz on facebook?" Less snuggles with the snuggle boy because I wanted to see if Jim and Pam had the baby yet (they haven't FYI but seriously how long are they going to drag that out?)

It is at about this time of guilt, that I sneak back into their rooms. Usually Bella's first. I love to watch my kids sleep. I get a glimpse of the sweet little faces she made when she was a baby. For brief moments, I can see my tiny baby girl in the face of my almost five year old big girl's face. And the smell of her slightly sweaty head and they way that she snores a little, Jose says she gets that from me, but that is so untrue ; )

Sometimes I lay down with her and just cuddle with her. I am reminded all at once how fleeting the days are. The days when she wants me with her. She wants me to read to her, watch her color, go to the park, sing songs, bake, and just be together. I know the days of her wanting me all the time are numbered. In the not to distant future she will want to be with her friends more than me, and think I am old, out of touch, and boring (as all teenagers come to see their parents).

Next off to Sandro... which is tricky because he is a light sleeper. But if I can get in his room and steal a peak of his current adorable sleep position (using his Ugly Doll as a pillow, adorbs!)

I am happy with that. Of course the obligatory new-baby-paranoid-mom-move, put a finger next to his nose and make sure that he is breathing. I know unnecessary as he is almost one, but also entirely necessary because I am sooo paranoid. (I can't remember but I think when Bella was three I stopped being worried about SIDS)

Then I get out before I wake him. But just that picture of him..ahhh. Those things are Mommy drugs. Just a little fix till tomorrow.

These little moments, that they aren't even aware of, are some of my favorite of the day. They help me remind myself to be a better mom, to be a little more patient, and most importantly just be in the moment. Even though life is going so fast, to just slow things down and enjoy the moment with them. I know one day when Bella is 14 and Sandro is 10, or 24 and 20, I will miss these days more than anything and will be so mad at myself if I don't really take the time to enjoy my two biggest fans (at the moment).

I am a blog slacker!!

Okay, well I know it has been a while. I am sure that there are probably many who gave up, but the blog is back! I am a blog slacker, but also my laptop had a tragic accident back in May 09. So it is not entirely my fault. My darling daughter was "flying around the house" as Tinkerbell and caught the cord for my laptop and it fell...ahh! The screen was all cracked and everything. Horrible. I can even remember the last thing that I was looking at, lockets on Etsy (I was looking at Mother's Day gifts for myself). Anyways after so long, I finally have a new computer! It is a beautiful powerbook! Jose found it for me, because he knows that the Internet is my only connection to the outside world. Pathetic yes. Going out into the world with two kids...exhausting. I love it, and now the blogging can continue.

The last eight months have been crazy. Having two children is every bit of the challenge that I had imagined and then some, but I love it. The best part is now that Sandro is crawling and much more able to interact I love seeing he and his big sister play together. By play I mean Isabella telling him what to do and Sandro cracking up thinking that she is playing a game. My bossy girl...like Mother like Daughter. Or something like that.

Isabella started her last year of preschool in September, and will start Kindergarten this fall. How did this happen? How do I have an almost five year old... Time does fly when you have kids. I know everyone says that, but it really is true. It goes in warp speed.

She is a wonderful with Sandro and very patient. She has exceeded our expectations of how she would adjust in her new role. She is so sweet to her little brother. I know this will probably not always be the case, but I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

She is coloring all the time, she loves art. She makes her own little books, and has me write in all of the words. They are so adorable, I will try to add some photos of some of her latest masterpieces. Last time we spoke on the matter (yesterday) she told me that she wants to be a dolphin trainer when she grows up. This can change on a daily basis, so updates will be made on the matter. She did express concern about being a working mother, at which time I assured her that I would take care of her kids while she was training the dolphins. Thus proving ladies, you can have it all ;)

Alessandro is ten months old now, with four sharp shiny teeth! Crawling, babbling, and just being his adorable self. He has such a mellow spirit something very needed in our family with all of these feisty Latin people. ( and a feisty danish mutt)

I completed the Seattle half marathon at the end of November. I started training when Alessandro was four weeks old and it was a really great feeling to finish after all of the preparation. I fully intend to keep up with the running and also to run the same marathon this year and maybe the rock and roll marathon in June too. It was so cool to do something that I NEVER thought that I would do, being that I hated running. (Note still HATE running on a treadmill, LOVE running on the Burke Gillman trail located right behind our house!)

Well, that is a brief recap of things...Of course there are some things I am forgetting, as I remember them I will try to put them in here. Oh and some pictures too. I am so bad about the photos. Did I mention that I am in love with my computer?

Adios!