One Month Birthday!!!

Mateo is one month old today! Time has gone so fast and he has grown so much. In his 4 week doctor appointment last Wednesday he weighed 9lb 7oz which is very good, all the endless feedings are paying off ;) He is spending more hours awake in the mornings, our opportunity to take him out in his stroller to enjoy the morning sun and sounds of the birds. Yesterday, we tried the baby carrier and we love it. It will make much easier to take Mateo to town without worrying about the car seat and stroller much.

It is so fun to witness changes in his development everyday. Now we are letting him spend some time on his tummy and he does very well holding up and turning his head. He is also enjoying the mobil in the crib and pays brief attention to sounds and shapes presented to him. This afternoon after a diaper change he spend some time replying to my talking, it was great!

Tummy time

Telling me his secrets

In very good company

Mateo, the newest EV member

As many of you know, I work with Environmental Volunteers (EV), a large group of kind and hard working Volunteers that provide natural science education to more than 10,000 school children in the Bay Area. I help to facilitate the communication between teachers and volunteers. Check out the EV website www.evols.org

Well, Mateo is the newest EV member now! I hope to bring him to EV events so he gets to know all the great people I work with. Thanks to all the staff and Volunteers who have given Mateo precious gifts and have sent us congratulation cards and e-mails.  

Mateo with Vandy 

A challenging day

Mateo is 3 weeks one day old today. He is getting bigger, stronger and cuter but also he is showing more his personality. The last couple of days he has not been able to fall sleep easily during the day and gets a bit more fussy, he expresses more when he is still hungry and when he is uncomfortable. Today, seems like the heat was to blame for it. He cried more than usual and just would not go to sleep, not even in the sweet arms of my mom. We managed to take a 2 hour nap in the afternoon together after some tearful (mom) crying. Later a bath made him feel like a million bucks and went to sleep right away. I enjoyed telling people that Mateo does not cry and he is just a little angel. After today, I will say that he does cry, some and still is a little angel.

He found the finger!

Beautiful eyes

Hanging out with daddy

Hanging out with la abuela

Refreshing bath, feels like a million bucks!

What a precious little boy

It is so nice to be a mommy and have the time to be home and really get to know this little being, really get to understand his language and what he needs. I appreciate all the help that my mother is giving us so I can fully commit to care for Mateo. Most of the time (specially at night), my boy is very easy, he eats and sleeps like a charm. During the day, he likes to spend more time awake looking at things, listening to my songs and stories and listening to Mr. Filiks bark. Sometimes, I have giving everything he needs and he still is a bit fussy, then is when I do not know what to do and I am glad to be able to handle him to my mom. He immediately stops and becomes very entertained by her. I read that he knows my smell and voice and he associates me with food so maybe that is why he fuss more with me ;)

The best mother's day gift - my son

Happy Mother's day to everyone! Today I am joining the group! This year I have received the best gift for Mother's day and my birthday that happens to be today too. Mateo is here to light up our lives and like someone told me recently "to add value to this world". I am so happy today because I can love and care this little being and be there for him for the rest of my life.
My mom is also here with me and that is very special. I have been 7 years away from her and we are starting to make up for all this lost time. We are two moms now.
Off we go to celebrate with brunch at the country gourmet... and later with Ecuadorian food at home with Valeria, Jesse and Oliver.

Time flies, Mateo is growing fast!

I can believe our little guy will be two weeks old on Thursday. Where did time go? It has been so much fun these 12 days with him. All our lives are committed to him now. I love being home and taking care of Mateo's few needs that are food, love and a clean diaper. He is just a very easy baby or I am just a very easy mom! I hope Mateo is back at 8 pounds or more on Thursday at our next check up. After that I will know for sure that he is getting all the food and love he needs.

Today we discover by chance that he actually enjoys his day time naps without being swaddle. He seems to love the freedom to move his arms and legs without constraint. At night the swaddling helps him sleep 3 hours at the time which is wonderful.

Finally, this week my mom, Pat and I are finally recovering from a nasty cold. Health is coming back to this house.

More cute pics of our sweet apple pie...