Category: Yay!

There were 1,864 messages in my inbox this afternoon, going back as far as February 2005. I’m down to 4. Oh yeah, baby.

Alaethia’s been extra-clingy today so I haven’t been able to do much (chores-wise) while she’s been awake. I took the opportunity to roll her Boppy around myself and sit her on it while I typed and deleted. It’s amazing how much stuff I’d either held on to or just hadn’t replied to. Does anyone else have that many e-mails in their inbox just collecting dust?

While going through the e-mails I realized that I’ve gotten out-of-touch with some people and I feel terrible about it. Either we’ve grown apart, they disappeared from the ‘net, or it’s been so long that either of us have made an “effort” to chat, that I feel embarrassed doing so now. I was so busy with school and then my pregnancy after that that I kept putting e-mails and comments on hold. I’d try catching up with the older ones so I’d put new ones on the back burner which would then make me fall even farther behind. Vicious cycle. I’m going to try my hardest to be a better…Reply-er? Respond-er? Well, you know what I mean. I vow to keep in touch with people and reply to comments and e-mails as fast as humanly possible. That meaning: when Alaethia lets me :).

I made dinner with Alaethia attached to my hip yesterday evening. I didn’t think I still had it in me. I remember with Eenan and Jaylen I could actually wash dishes while holding them. I can’t do that now LOL. I totally should have invested in a sling for Aly–it would make things so much easier!

My arms are killing me. I put her down on her “circle” I’ve got on the floor and she’s smiling her goofy smile at me. I love this kid to death! She looks so sleepy, but she’s fighting it. Lately she’s been falling asleep easier if she’s got a washcloth or her blanket over her eyes. I don’t feel comfortable with her doing it in her crib when she’s alone at night, so I make sure to tuck her blanket in really snugly around her and her wedge. But if I’m with her I love when she does that! She’s such a cuddly baby!

Mario just got here and she rolled up and squealed at the sight of him. She loves to spend time with him. It sucks that he’s always out, though!

Anyway, Alaethia didn’t fall asleep till 1:30am last night and it looks like tonight will follow the same trend. She was hysterical last night, crying for what seemed like no reason. She kept rubbing her eyes and screaming until she started gagging from crying so much! I had to run to the bathroom and hold her over the toilet and after a while of hearing her I started gagging, too LOL. She was fine after she calmed down, but I still slept with her in my arms for about half an hour because I was afraid she’d choke.

I woke up every hour last night, the first two times because of Eenan. He’s been having trouble sleeping for about the past week. I don’t know why–just out of nowhere. He woke me up at 2:15 and then 3:00, both times talking about how he couldn’t sleep and how he couldn’t get something into one team. He said they kept splitting up into two teams O_o. He’s a sleep walker, and like his father, remembers dreams vividly and talks in his sleep about them…while he’s walking!

Hmm..like I said before, I’ve not done much around the house except try and keep up with laundry and dishes. I’ve been doing the dishes every time we use them, instead of letting them pile up and risk not getting a chance to do them at night because of Aly or whatever reason. I’m happy with how clean the house it, though. It still needs some work, like the boys need to get their toys off the kitchen table and I still need to put some boxes into the storage room but other than that, the house looks spiffy :).

I just remembered, Jaylen’s asleep on my bed. Since Eenan went to sleep over at Mary’s and there wouldn’t be room for Jaylen he decided he’d sleep in my bed. He gave me “permission” to have Mario put him in his bed when we’re ready to go to sleep. He’s so cute, he fell asleep listening to his nursery rhyme CD LOL.

I should get ready for bed (even though sleeping won’t actually happen for another hour or so). Mario’s off tomorrow and he gets paid, so we need to cash his check and start paying bills. So depressing. We’ve got to figure out which vehicle we’re going to move the payment date of since both are at the beginning of the month and we won’t be able to pull that off with all the other bills.

Mario also got a new credit card, but WAIT! Since it’s got such a low interest rate (after the first year of not having an interest rate at all) we’re going to consolidate some of our credit cards so we’ll have less payments to make a month. We’d never got to an actual consolidation place, not only because it’s a bad mark on your credit but because we don’t have that much debt. This shall be fun (sarcasm)…I really dislike having to go through all the bills and see how much of our money will be sucked away. *tear*

Mario just told me his cousin and his wife had their baby this morning!! A little 5 pounder! I hope we get a chance to go see them tomorrow!

I took care of Saturday in the previous entry so now I’ll catch up from Sunday-today. I wish I did One Photo An Hour all the time so that I can remember everything, heh.

Sunday, Apr. 8th – Mario was off on Sunday, Easter, and since we stayed up so late the night before, we slept in a tad Easter morning. I woke up around 9:45am, got myself and the kiddos ready and we went over to Mary’s. We basically chilled out all day while the men were outside bar-b-q’ing. When the food was done we ate. And boy did we eat! I had bar-b-q’d fajitas and pork ribs, broccoli rice, beans, potato salad and I can’t even remember what else. It was all so delicious. We sat around and talked some more and then devoured the desserts. I had some blackberry pie Elda made and some cherry and pineapple Dump Cake Mary made. It was SO sweet, but incredibly delicious.

The kiddos all opened their baskets around 4pm. There was lots of hustle and bustle around since everyone was packed in Mary’s living room.

After they’d all spent about an hour with their new goodies, we went outside to crack the piñata Mom had bought for the kids. It was cold outside, but we braved it since the kids were excited. This was around the time Mario started to feel tired and went to sleep. I wish I could just up and go to sleep whenever I felt a little tired. I’d be sleeping all day!

Since it was so cold and muddy from the rain the day before, we decided not to crack the eggs. For the second year in a row. Last year, we opted out of cracking eggs since it was in the 100’s and was extremely hot. Who’da thought it would be in the 50’s this year?!

So, we’ve got lots of eggs, once again, for next year.

Since we were stuffed from lunch still, I made sandwiches for all of us and Mario and I sat on the futon to watch Desperate Housewives. He commented, “The highlight of our lives, huh?” LOL

Monday, Apr. 9th – The kids had the day off the next day, so after Mario left to work I got them ready and we went to Joy Dollar. I needed to ask Ricci about a car charger for my phone, so I stopped by and talked to her for a while. They didn’t have any and another customer walked in so I said by and wandered off to get batteries and some new flip flops. I got two, black and pink ones, for $1 each. And some batteries. Yay for cheap purchases! I keep telling everyone not to step on me though. You never know if the straps will unravel LOL.

I had a few groceries to get, but I didn’t feel like driving all the way to H-E-B so we went to Dollar General. After Mom and I got everything we needed we came back home to put the perishable foods away and then went to the new beauty salon. NEVER AGAIN! The darn woman totally ruined my boys’ hair! I had to keep telling the nit-wit to fix this or that on Jaylen and she kept cutting Eenan’s hair crooked so she ended up cutting it super short. Then she has the gall to tell me that if the hair looks uneven, I need to find exactly where the “part” is so that it’ll look right. WTF? No other beautician’s ever told me I have to find the part to make it look right. When we got home and Eenan shook his hair out after his shower we noticed it was 2 inches longer on the left side than the right. I had to fix it myself!

And don’t even get me started on Mom’s hair. She kept insisting that she get highlights and kept telling her she’d leave them for a lower price if she got them that minute! She left her hair all uneven in the front, too!

I’d been avoiding going to McAllen all day so that I wouldn’t spend any money, but then Mario called and asked me to drop the camera off to him since he was doing a custom job on a car. So there John and I go, to drop it off. We left the kiddos at home with Mom so that we could stop by the storage unit to get more of my boxes out since they’re closing on the 25th. (Bastards.)

We drop the camera off and then John asks to stop by the mall, so we go. First stop was Hot Topic, where he found the Skelanimals blanket he’d been wanting to get Alaethia since she was born.

He looked around at a game store and then we left. I stopped by the H-E-B at Shary Crossing to get gas since it was cheapest there: $2.49 at the time. My gas tank’s on the right, and it’s so annoying to find a gas pump that’s empty where I can just squeeze in and it was no different that day. All the people were going in the opposite direction of how I was driving in so I went around. My luck would have it that suddenly everyone was turning the opposite direction again when I reached the other side! There was an old lady in front of me, at the diesel pump so I knew I was going to have trouble getting out. Turns out she was paying, but for my pump, not the one she was at. She starts telling me I need to move, and this is after I’ve already paid my money for my gas. The attendant calls me on the speaker to wait so she can reset it since the old woman had already paid. Total chaos. Everyone was staring right at me — so embarrassing! To top it off, the lady had blocked me in, so I had to ask the guy in the white Mustang behind me to please scoot back a bit so I can back out. Thank God he was nice about it and didn’t give me any problems or ugly faces.

We go to the storage unit next, where I’m kind of hoping the manager is present so that I can yell at him and release my anger. He’s not there. Poo. I wanted to ask him for half the month’s rent back since they were basically kicking us all out and I was planning to be out within the week. I spoke to him later on and he acted like a complete idiot. Supposedly didn’t know anything about the storage units and when they’re closing or anything. The only thing he did know was that he couldn’t give me my money back. How convenient!

Mario got home late that night since he was working on that car. Around 8pm I notice that Alaethia feels really hot, which isn’t unlike her; she’s a sweaty baby. Still, I got her pacifier thermometer and to my surprise it read 101.1. Not good. I gave her some Tylenol and her fever was gone within half an hour and didn’t get one the rest of the night. She didn’t fall asleep till at least 1am because of her cold and stuffy nose. She woke up at 3 and then again at 5, so I knew she was feeling worse and decided to take her to the doctor the next day.

Tuesday, Apr. 10th – The boys went back to school and I was exhausted from getting a crappy night’s rest. Alaethia was asleep after the kids went to school and stayed asleep even after Mario left to work so I decided I’d leave the doctor’s visit till after I picked Jaylen up. I took a nap with her until it was time to pick Jaylen up.

John had the day off, so he accompanied us to the doctor’s office. Mom was at her own appointment, or else she would have probably gone with us, too. It didn’t take long to get in, thank goodness. She weighed 10.10 lbs. and was either 22 1/2 or 23 1/2 inches long. I can’t remember now =\. The doctor checked her up and down and nothing. No infections anywhere. He gave her some Tylenol just in case and prescribed some more cold medicine (like the one she had last time) and some new nose drops.

While we were there, I weighed myself and to my absolute horror, realized I’m back at 122. Not cool! I have no one to blame but myself, however. Eating burgers at 12am and stuffing myself silly with ice cream will surely pack on the pounds. But it’s so delicious :(.

Later on, after I’d already picked up Eenan, Mom, Alaethia and I went to drop off the prescriptions. It would be a two-hour wait. I figured we could walk around and buy a few things, but nope, we were done after half an hour. I got some more Special K cereal in chocolate for my “diet” (they actually had it, Mayra!). So far, I don’t think it’s working! I have been eating only a bowl for breakfast, lunch and having a well-portioned dinner. We’ll see if anything happens.

I made meatloaf for dinner that night, mostly because Mario’s co-worker wanted some. He told Mario he loved how the meatloaf smelled when he’d microwave it when he’d take it for lunch. Mario took him some and he said he loved it. Yay :). I didn’t have as much as I usually do and I was starving later on but I didn’t let myself break and have say, one of those delicious chocolate Pop Tarts that are in the cabinet *cries*.

Wednesday, Apr. 11th – Alaethia slept much better the night before — all through the night actually. She didn’t wake up till 6:40am, which is when I wake the boys up to get ready for school. After the boys left to school and Mario left to work, Aly and I slept in a little more till it was time to pick up her brother.

Mom, Alaethia and I picked Jaylen up and then we went thrifting! Too bad it was an incredibly disappointing day. I saw “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” at both stores we went to, but I thought, “Eh, what do I get it for now?” So I just left it.

We stopped by H-E-B to pick up the prescriptions we’d left the night before and Mom got down to get some groceries. I stayed in the car with the kiddos and read “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan” while we waited. Those are really the only moments I actually get a chance to read.

We got home, I ate my Special K and then picked up Eenan. I decided I’d stay away from the computer if I wanted to get anything done around the house. It looks like a tornado crashed through the place now that I have garage sale bags and Sterilite Tote boxes littered everywhere till Mario can remove the shelves from the living room closet. Mary had called and asked for a number she’d e-mailed to me, so I had no choice by to plop myself on my computer chair and check my mail. And Myspace. I had a comment from Karina and it said that she, Carmen and Sally were having dinner that night so to let them know if I wanted to go. I look at the time: she’d sent it since 10am!

I look at the clock. 5:15. I call Sally up quick, praying that there was still time for me to get ready (I really needed a shower!) and thank God, they were meeting at 6. I had 15 minutes to shower and get ready since it takes 30 minutes to get to McAllen. I got ready as fast as I could, bathed the boys, gave Mom instructions on what to give them for dinner if I was too late getting back, made sure Alaethia’s stuff was within reach and kissed them all goodbye and left.

I left the house at 5:50. I had the cruise control set at 70; fast enough to get there quick, but slow enough to keep from getting pulled over. I made it there at 6:10, woo! It was so great walking into Chilli’s and seeing the girls together. It felt just like old times. We all hugged and had a great chat, mostly updating eachother on our lives. I threw my diet out the window just for that night, and my jog, too, as I was supposed to start walking/jogging again that night. But flabby legs and tummy? Friends? Friends totally win!

I had some nachos, as I didn’t want to eat a huge plate of food as I usually do and just enjoyed the atmosphere and the laughter. We made plans to meet for Sally’s birthday on Friday night and then, as we were getting ready to leave since Carment was already 20 minutes late to work (she was on her lunch break! The rebel!), Sally shares some incredibly awesome news with us! I won’t mention it here, as I don’t have her blessing yet, but OMG, I’m THRILLED for her and Pete! I need to get more details. I tried calling her tonight but got her voicemail. I can’t wait to see her again :). I’m counting the minutes till we all have dinner tomorrow :)!

Thursday, Apr. 12th – Today was a pretty low-key day. The morning was normal and I got to nap again with Alaethia in the morning. I’m taking advantage as much as I can, because I hate feeling like I’m dragging in the afternoon. Mom kept nudging me to go thrifting again, but I didn’t have cash and they don’t take Debit so I declined. I also was still disappointed that I didn’t find anything at all yesterday. I cleaned up a little bit, then had a quick chat with everyone at Mary’s and a bit of food she made, then I came over here and made Mario some dinner: pork chops and cheesey broccoli rice. Too bad he’d already eaten at work since one of the reps treated them to pizza. Grr!

I got the boys bathed and ready for school tomorrow. They’re totally into “The Tall Book of Nursery Tales,” which Jaylen found at Goodwill a week ago or so. I just found out yesterday that it’s vintage: from 1944! The pictures are lovely and the pages are immaculate. It doesn’t even look like it belonged to anyone!

Ok. I wanted to get this entry up and I did it! And Alaethia just fell asleep so it’s time for me to hit the sack as well. Goodnight!

I can’t believe I’m typing that. I’m trying to STAY AWAKE, can you believe it? I stupidly forgot to set the dryer to dry so now I’m stuck waiting for the white clothes to finish drying and then I have to put the jeans in to dry. Grr.

Mario got home from accompanying his mom to pick up his Dad a few minutes ago and now he went to pick up some Sprites from Aziz. I need to take a shower before Alaethia wakes up screaming. She’s been colicky all day, poor thing. She’s spent more time awake today than she has asleep, so hopefully we’ll both get some good sleep tonight. I’ve been saving the gas drops for tonight.

I did nothing today, just like I’d planned. Well, except for when I drove John to work to check what time he goes in tomorrow. Other than that I cleaned the kitchen table (although now that the kids have played and eaten there, you would never be able to tell), did laundry, cooked meals, of course; read and spent some time online. Then I accompanied Mary to Wal-mart, along with all my kiddos. Mary’d promised them a toy and they never forget so she figured we should go now. I got two boxes to organize my closet and I’m regretting not getting the rest of them. They were on clearance for $2 each! And I didn’t even pay for them; Mary got them for me since I bought Big Mario some staples he needed yesterday. Woo!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about where I want to live when we’re ready to build our house. At first I wanted to live in McAllen, but I know housing over there is much more expensive, especially where I want to live. Then I thought Mission, but I do not like the Mission school district. Mario’s mentioned a few times that he wouldn’t mind living where we do now and I always wrinkled my nose at the idea. Lately, though, I’ve actually been considering it. We’d be close to our parents, we wouldn’t have to pull the kids out of school and away from their friends (I, personally, was never happy after I moved away from McAllen, thus bringing on my trust issues), housing is much cheaper over here and even better: the economy is sure to boom after Wal-mart is built in Peñitas. I hate having to drive 15 minutes just to go to Wal-Mart or Target. Having something nearby will be great. I know for sure Mario will still have to commute to work every day and I probably won’t find a job around here, but I can actually say I don’t mind living here anymore.

Thinking about all this and all the new stores and shops that are being built around here got me thinking about the Sharyland Shopping Center and I went searching for the site plans to see what else will be built. I knew for sure they were building a Ross (um, YAY) and a TJ Maxx (which I’ve never shopped at, but I hear it’s cool). I found this. I can’t tell you how excited I am about all these new, much closer stores! And there’s still 6 more buildings that are available, so you can bet I’ll be checking this thing out every day!

I didn’t find anything on the new Wal-Mart, but I read on the Mission city forum that the shopping center over there’s going to be like the one in Palmhurst, so that’s pretty damn cool. I hope they build a Wendy’s over here, too!

Okay, Mario’s home now. Time to shower!