Beautiful Angel

Happy Birthday Esperanza!

Thank you to everyone who recognized her birthday yesterday with your thoughts, prayers, cupcakes or donated gifts, etc. The world is definitely a better place because of this little girl, and we're grateful for her!

Snow Day!!

‘ Twas a few weeks before Christmas, and all through the house

not a creature could get out, not even a mouse

The yard was all covered with snow up to there

in proof that Mother Nature could take a dare.

The baby was nestled all snug in his swing

With visions of what a weekend of torturing Mom and Dad could bring.

And Dada in his wind-pants and me in my hoodie

Were settling our brains on the naps that could-be.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

We sprang to the window before it could shatter.

Away with the grill cover, the wind did blow

Tore open the courtyard with a gusting of snow.

The snowplow on the sidewalks covered in new-fallen snow

Made a heck of a lot of noise for the apartments below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

but a shoveling man, bundled from boot to ear.

With a little cute baby, so silly and sweet,

I knew in a moment, this was a snow-day to beat.

More cold out than the arctic, we’d stay inside,

And watching Christmas movies, all day we would hide.

Now “Elf,” now “Christmas Story,” now “White Christmas” and “Grinch,”

Now “Charlie Brown” and “Muppets' Christmas Carol” will do in a pinch.

To the end of the movies, to the end of each one,

Now laughter, and tears, and Christmas spirit – such fun!

As the snow, falling and blowing, did continue to fly,

And the wind outside whipped things to the sky,

Up in the living room our naps we did take,

With the kitchen smelling of Christmas cookies and cake.

And then in a twinkling, we woke from our rest,

and the dirty laundry put my energy to the test.

As I folded and put-away, and was turning around,

Out from the bedroom came Lexi kittie with a bound.

She was fluffy with fur, from her head to her tail,

And Adrian tried to grab her with his sharp little nails.

A pile of toys he had strewn all about,

And he looked so darn cute as he started to pout.

His eyes-how they twinkled! His cheeks, how rosy!

And don’t get me started on his cute, chubby toesies!

He’s our pride and joy, and we love him like crazy,

And love even more spending a day with him, just being lazy.

The stump of the tree outside covered with drifts,

And the custodians taking turns shoveling in shifts.

But inside we’re all cozy, a family all lovin’;

What more could we want, but a bowl of cookies fresh from the oven.

We are happy and snug, a bunch of right jolly old folks,

And we laugh as we play together, and at our silly jokes.

With a wink of his eye, “I love you,” Mike said,

And I know in my heart I have nothing to dread.

We need not speak a word, but go about the day,

Knowing that nestled as a happy family we’ll stay.

And laying his finger as best he can to his toes,

And giving a grin, up from his nap Adrian rose.

He springs back to life, and to his parents gives a giggle,

And away the quiet flew as he starts to squirm and wiggle.

But I exclaim as I watch my two handsome sweet men,

“This is the best snow day; please, Lord, let us do it again!!”

Happy Snow Day to all, and to all a safe night.

Halloween Traditions & Firsts

It was another year of incredible Halloween fun - both old and new!

First, on Saturday our friends again went all out to play pretend with us at our annual costume party, and it was a blast! Apparently people get nervous when I get out the camera at the party, because they know they'll likely show up on this blog, so this year I've decided to be gentle, and a.) I'm not posting the video footage of the bobbing for apples (even though they're pretty funny!), and b.) I've consolidated all our creative guests into one picture. Here they are:

Top: Danny & Sandy (2nd place), Cinderella & her fairy godmother (3rd place), Juno & Bleeker (1st place). Bottom: Adrian & soft-monkey; the chipmunks; gumball machine; biker Orns

Then on Sunday, Adrian got excited for his first Halloween...and we got excited when we realized how cute he was in his costume! He even went trick-or-treating to Grandma & Grandpa's, and Great-grandma's. There are just too many adorable shots of our "Little Pumpkin," but here are some of my favorites:


And then, to top off the terrific holiday adventures, Adrian enjoyed a nice treat (or trick??) of rice cereal before bed.

Happy Halloween to all the little guys and gals out there celebrating for the first time, and thanks to our family and friends who celebrate with us year-after-year!

All Saint's Day

Need a reminder why we celebrate All Saints Day....here you go:

The Saints Song

Happy All Saints Day everyone! All you holy men & women, pray for us!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Dustin!

Finally old

Thank you to everyone who sent Birthday greetings and well-wishes! Especially to my ladies for the lovely afternoon, and my two beautiful men for a great evening! And thanks to those who helped me feel "young again" with the hayride and bonfire last weekend. I am so blessed, and would gladly turn 30 all the time with this kind of laughter & support (and as I get older, I just may be turning "30" every time :D)

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

This upcoming Friday is an important day for me. October 15th is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.


As the mother of an angel in heaven, as well as a mother who still worries every day about her angel on earth's well-being and how long I'll get to keep him, this is a day very close to my heart! Personally, when I experienced my miscarriage, I felt completely alone, despite the fact that, unfortunately, about 25% of pregnancies, end in miscarriage. I also had a very bad experience with my hospital's bereavement department and their inability to respond when I reached out to them for help. I felt like because my baby wasn't born, I was expected to act like she'd never existed, and the world didn't acknowledge her existence or my loss. I never got to give her a funeral, I have no pictures of her, and I was left completely broken (and in so many ways, still am)! And I know I'm not the only one suffering from this, and even more difficult experiences of loss. My experience has helped me see that awareness of pregnancy and infant loss is greatly needed, if for no other reason than to help those families experiencing it know they're not alone, as well as to help others realize the great need for support and resources! The first step is simply REMEMBERING those beautiful little ones who have gone before us!


The following is a video done in memory of many of the beautiful children lost. (Warning: It's difficult; I myself haven't even been able to make it all the way through, although I was able to see my little girl memorialized near the end of part 1!) May these children rest in joy, and may their families find peace!

October 15th memorial video, part 1
October 15th memorial video, part 2

I invite you to help recognize this day, and those millions of families out there suffering with this type of loss, by lighting a candle from 7-8:00pm on October 15th. If people light a candle at 7pm their time, and leave it burning for one hour, a wave of light will pass across the country in memory and awareness of these beautiful children we love and miss so much.


For additional information or resources on pregnancy and infant loss, or on this designated day of remembrance, visit:

http://www.october15th.com
or http://pregnancyloss.info

I miss you and love you Esperanza! You will always be our first child and an important and recognized part of our family!

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Miguel! From that first motorcycle ride, to dinner last night, I have been blessed by these past five years with you in my life! Thank you for everything! I love you so much!

First Family Vacation

This past weekend we took our first "family vacation" with Adrian. We felt a bit like a National Lampoon's adventure - with the station wagon all loaded up, and driving around in circles when we didn't know where we were going (no Wally World though!) But we had a great time! We had perfect weather, perfect fall colors, and a perfect family get-away! And aside from being Adrian's first vacation anywhere, it was also Mike's first time really visiting Duluth and seeing Canal Park too, so it was an exciting adventure for all! And while Adrian won't remember any of it, we think it was the best first family vacation we could possibly have offered him! Here are some of our favorite memories:

Enger Tower & the fall colors

Canal Park & the lift bridge

The lake

The little guy on his first vacation...

...and all tuckered-out from his first vacation! :)

And my favorite part - being together as a family!

We closed off our family fun with Mike's birthday on Sunday. We didn't get to make him a cake because we were on vacation, but we did make sure he got some "Peanut Butter Bucket" from the Chocolate Factory in Canal Park, so I think it worked out and he had a good day. I'm glad - he deserves it! Happy Birthday Mike!!

Hurray for parenthood

Today is Adrian's four month birthday. We celebrated by taking pictures of him with the clothes he wore when he was first born, so he could see how much he's grown and I could tell him how proud we are of him for how he's growing!

By doing some tummy time, to see how strong he's getting! And by spending a little time wishing happy birthday to the cute boy in the mirror (one of Adrian's favortie past times).

Then he sat in his bouncy seat and told his owl and hedgehog friends all about his day, and a few funny (judging from his smiles & giggles) stories about this past third of a year he's spent with his crazy parents. It was a great day!!

Happy Birthday my little guy! I love you SO much, and thank GOD every day for letting me be your mom!!

And now as he's fast asleep, I ask GOD to be with and bless those others I know who are expecting their own little miracles in the coming months:
- Mel & Todd & Kirra (due any time now!)
- Jeremy & Denise & Lauren
- Becky & Dan & Noah
- Wendy & Greg
- Chasity & Eric & Kaitlyn
- Frank & Stacy & little Frankie (extra prayers as they await TWINS!)
- Jo & Dan
- Adam & Dina & Parker
- Jess & Jeremy & Jaxon

"A baby is GOD's opinion that life should go on. Never will a time come when the most marvelous recent invention is as marvelous as a newborn baby." (Carl Sandburg)

No Limits

It has been the day of limits. Trying to pay my hospital bill I was told there was a limit to the amount I could pay at a time from my HSA account. Just a few hours later I was told there was a limit on the amount I could withdraw from my checking account. My grocery coupons all said “limit 2” or if it was a really special deal, “limit 4.” And just minutes ago I returned from rushing our video rentals back to the store before the limit of how long we could keep them ran out, on the way back from which I saw a policeman pull someone over for exceeding the speed limit. Limits, limits, everywhere I turn.

In a world of so many limits it is hard to imagine the limitless. Yet I am reminded, the more limits I encounter, of how limitless our GOD is. He exists everywhere without limit. She desires for us goodness without limit. He guards and guides without limit. And She loves us without limit!

Twice today I was brought to tears while playing with my son, realizing how beautiful and miraculous he is and how much I love him. And yet this love is only a fraction of the love that our creative GOD has for us – a love without limits. Today, despite all those that surrounded me, I am grateful for no limits!!!

"Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade.
To write the love of GOD above, would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.”

("The Love of God,” by Frederick M. Lehman, 1917)

A prayer for our son

Today is Adrian's two month birthday. I can't believe how much he's grown and changed already! Every day countless prayers are said for our little man, including prayers I share out loud with him. Here is the prayer I prayed with him this morning:

May you always see beauty in the world
and hear music every day.

May you know the touch of gentle hands
and walk the peaceful way.

May the words you speak be loving,
may laughter see you through.

May you be blessed with hope and joy -
these gifts we wish for you.


Happy day my beautiful little boy!!

Lost locks

They're gone! My long locks are gone!!

The last few years of growing my hair out have paid off....yesterday I cut off my hair and donated it to Locks of Love (the organization that makes and donates hair pieces to children who suffer hair-loss from cancer or other illnesses). The first time I did this was inspired by a male RA partner of mine in college who was growing out his hair to donate...two years after that I had enough to donate myself (ask my little brother how that turned out :D). I'm not sure what inspired me to grow it out and do it again, but I did. Here are the results:

BEFORE

AFTER


And luckily Adrian still recognizes his mom (my only worry with cutting it). Thanks Locks of Love for your ministry, and thanks Mike Goodwin for the initial inspiration 8 years ago!

Old Man Adrian

A few folks have asked for updates on our new little guy, so here it is...

Adrian is 5 weeks old now, and celebrated his one month birthday this past week (he'll be heading off to college before we know it!) At his last check-up he weighed 6 pounds 15 ounces! So he's definitely over 7 pounds by now, and he's already outgrown all his premi clothes and most of his newborn sleepers and a few onesies....bring on the 0-3 month sizes finally! And in addition to growing beautifully, the doctor said he seems very healthy and is doing well!


He's getting better at sleeping during the night, which is a huge blessing to his daddy and I! However, he's getting worse at sleeping during the day...what's the saying, "When dad's away the baby will play"? (except his "playing" tends to include grunting, wriggling practically out of Mom's arms, screaming, wanting to eat twice as often, and not wanting to be burp or be put down....it's pretty obvious to me he favors his daddy, or at least misses him during the day). It's normal and good, but makes for one tired and slightly crazy mom by the time 5:00 rolls around!


Although most people can't tell (at least not as much), those of us who are around him all the time can definitely tell that he has grown SO much! Just in case you want to try and compare to see if you can tell the difference, here are some new photos of Adrian from his 1-month birthday:

The Mancini men: Adrian with his dad, Grandpa, uncle and cousin on Father's Day...he wasn't happy because they took him off Grandpa's belly for the picture (either that or cousin Isaac tried to play with him again, I'm not sure which).

Uncle Allan babysat Adrian for the first time we went out (to celebrate our 2 year and 1 month anniversary...since we were having a baby for our actual anniversary).

And his daily "babysitter" - Lexi is very protective and loves watching Adrian; it's very cute!

Daddy and his two loves: his son, and his computer! (luckily they both fit on his lap... for now)

Adrian is getting practically too big for his Moses basket - he props his feet up on the side.

I love this picture because it makes him look SO long (plus, you can tell that his onesie, which is the one we brought him home from the hospital in, is too small for him now...his 1 month birthday was its retirement day).


And a few of my other favorites...look at those sparkling eyes!

My beautiful blessing!