A sick baby...

This is our first picture. My Grandma made the afghan while I was pregnant. Unfortunately, she passed away before Aaron was born.

Well, it is 3:49 am and Aaron and I have been awake for about 2 hours. He has a fever and just seems to be wide awake. Nights like this really suck for sure. He really wants his Da, but Alex is sick too so I am trying to let him sleep. The washer is fixed, we think. My Mom had to go to urgent care for her head today. Prayers that she follows up with the doctor and everything is OK. Obviously, I still don't have the time for the long lost friends bit. I am off to the babe-hey at least he is back to calling me Mama!

Blah, Blah, Blah and long lost friends

My sleeping baby at 1 month!

Well-we are officially all sick to some degree, except for Aaron (thank God). It all started with Andy and it has managed to touch each of us in some way the last 2 days. Aaron had his shots today and he was a trooper. Our doctor is amazing and Alex and I feel really comfortable with him. He is not a pediatrician (spelling?) but he is everyone's doctor-me, mom, John, Krissy, Alex, Andy and Ashley so it only felt right to trust him with my son too. Alex is working with one of our firends from church on the washer and tomorrow another friend is coming to look at my car to see what is wrong with it. God truly is amazing and if you do not know that I pray that you are touched by this too.

Well, my son is calling for me(Amy) so the long lost friends will have to wait for later!

Amy...

One of my favorite pictures-3 months with Daddy

Christmas 2006

A month ago

That is what my son has started calling me! Maybe because that is what Andy and Ashley call me, who knows! I cannot believe it. Although today he did call me Mommy for the first time, it is usually Momma. He is the greatest. We went running around today and I went to Mom's to do laundry-our washer is a little under the weather right now. Hopefully we get it fixed soon. Ashley went to a birthday party and then Mom and I went to Kohl's. Tomorrow we are off the to doctor for Aaron's 18month check-up and shots and we may go to the dog pound! YIPPIE!

Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve- Not the best picture of me, but everyone else looks great!

Our day is pretty much over. Aaron and Ashley are watching a new Elmo DVD, Andy is making a pizza and Alex is trying on his new clothes. We had such an awesome day today. Last night I told Alex that we have so much to be thankful for and we truly do. We have a strong and loving marriage, 3 beautiful and healthy children, a new home and a relationship with Our Savior. This had been the greatest Christmas of my life. The kids were so excited to get up today, Aaron was the last one awake, but we all stayed in Ashley's room waiting for him. Then, the troops came over and we opened gifts. Krissy and I both tried to get Aaron down for a nap, but when he wouldn't bite we went to Mom's. He actually took 2 breaks here while opening gifts and didn't open the last of his gifts until tonight around 7:00. At Mom's he took a nap in the middle, so for the first time in my life I was the last one done opening gifts. We all got really awesome stuff and had a wonderful day. The kids wanted to get Alex another tattoo, so we did. We gave him money and each drew what we thought should be his next tattoo. The theme was pretty much an A with wings and something beneath it. An "A" for all of us, the wings in memory of his brother Angel and the words at the bottm varied-mine was beloved. My wish is that each of you had the same pleasure today in celebrating the birth of Jesus and spending time with your family. Merry Christmas to all! Tomorrow my Dad and Sandy are coming for Christmas so it will be another BIG day in the Rodriguez household. Well, I am off!

A new job

Oh yea-I accepted a postion at DSW. I start on 1/7/08 at their corporate office!

Christmas Eve

Well, it has been another busy day. Our original plan was pajamas all day and staying home until we went to church. But, as usual the plan foiled. Andy's luggage came at 3am this morning and when he showed me the shirt he brought to wear tonight a quick decision was made that we had to go out to get a different shirt. Then I had to take Ashley out to get Alex something and then he had to take them out to get me something then it was time to get everyone ready for church. Service was great and my Mom, John, Krissy and Tish went with us-YEA! We got home around 10 and Aaron is asleep. The kids just went down and Ashley is so on the verge of not knowing what to believe. Right before bed she informed us that she is afraid of Santa now. Goodness! I cannot wait to see Aaron's face in the morning! We got our matching pajamas tonight. Now all the girls match-me, Mom, Ashley, Krissy, Tish and Dawn and then the boys-Alex, John and Andy. Aaron is on his own this year, but Mom and I vowed to have everyone match next year!

It's almost here

My guys!

I cannot believe it is Christmas Eve! I am so excited. I always get excited for Christmas, but this year is much much worse. Aaron will be a riot, the kids are here, our first year in the house and I feel that this year I truly understand the real reason for Christmas. I just got up and we are off to the store for breakfast stuff. Tonight we are going to church, then to Rob and Tammy's for dinner and then to church again. Lastly, we will go to Mom's so everyone can open their Christmas pajamas-tradition-and then take pictures. We will then come home to bed and try to sleep before the big day tomorrow. God bless all of you. Have a Merry Chrsitmas!

Back to Normal

Well, the kids are here and it totally feels like they never left. It is such an amazing feeling to have them here. It is weird becasue I miss them more when they are here. I guess it is the feeling of knowing that they are going to leave way too soon. Their luggage didn't arrive with them so I was off to WalMart last night to get church clothes and underwear. Ashley's bag arrived today, but Andy's is still MIA. What an ordeal!! Aaron was so excited to see them. He went right to Ashley and then to Andy. His adoration for them is very obvious. Well, I am off to bed!

Are you kidding me????

It is now 7:23, the kids were due at 3:20-give me a break! Today was scheduled for a BIG day...Aaron had his first hair cut (he did great, but I cried). We went to Cookie Cutter and he sat in the airplane-it was awesome! I have been hearing from everyone about the hair in his eyes and decided I couldn't take it anymore. So off we went and I cried! What a dork. He also fell out of his crib for the first time today. We woke up to him crying at 8:31 and when Alex went to get him he was laying on the floor flat on his Superman pillow! I have always been insistent that that pillow be pushed up to the crib-God works in mysterious ways. We also bought another blow up yard decoration at Big Lots-50% off baby!
So, onto Andy and Ashley-their flight was cancelled and we all went into panic mode(me, Alex and Becky). There was mechanical problems. So, we are thankful it was cancelled, but are dying for them to get here. We are at home and waiting gor them to call to say they are taking off. We did do something cool this year. Our friend Dana arranged their flights and they met up in Chicago-it was a suprise! They had no idea. We try every time they come to have something exciting. The first year it was me! (hehehehehe) The next year it was the wedding, year 3 was Aaron and this summer was the house. They will be here soon-safe is what really counts.

I need to get better at this!

Lolita the Killer Whale

Our great niece Brooklyn and Aaron

Aya and Abu at their 50th wedding anniversay celebration!

Right before the Elmo Makes Music show

I know-I say that I am going to be on here daily, but I always find other things to do. We are all ready for Christmas-presents wrapped and just one more gift to buy for Andy. I am off today, but work tomorrow and then the kids come Saturday. I am so excited for them to get here-more than I have ever been. I cannot wait to see how Aaron reacts to seeing Nene(Ashley). Alex and I both have all next week off so we will have a ton of time with them. I hope you all have an incredible holiday!

Miami

Well today is the day. We leave at 7:00 tonight and we will be in sunny Miami for 6 days. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I cannot wait to take Aaron to the ocean and see his face when the waves touch his feet. We are also going to the Miami Seaquarium to see Lolita (AKA Shamu). Alex's parents 50th wedding anniversary is Sunday-can you imagine?

My Sister

Me and Krissy

This is the cake she made for Aaron's 1st birthday!

Krissy is amazing. We are so different in so many ways, but manage to be so close. I have no idea what we would all do without her. She is a rock during tough times. My son is very lucky to have an Aunt like her and she is amazing to Andy and Ashley as well. If only everyone was so lucky to have her for a sister. When she met Alex and liked him I knew I was sold. They get along so well which is a HUGE bonus-unless she sides with him which can happen! I love you Krissy!

I cannot fathom

I read this story on cnn.com today and was in tears at my desk. I immediately pulled myself together and called Denise to check on Aaron. People make me sick, there is absolutely no excuse for this type of behavior. I cry in joy at watching my son sleep, snuggle with Alex, kiss Abbie, watch Emlo, take a bath-EVERYTHING he does is a miracle. How there are people on this earth that are like this is somethingI will NEVER be able to understand. I have learned though through my pastor that in times like this you pray for everyone involved-so pray if you will and give your kids extra love today so they feel just how much they mean to you.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/27/riley.sketch/index.html

Is it Friday yet?

I am so ready for the weekend-that always happens after a long one. We had an incredible Thanksgiving and productive weekend. We got all of our inside decorations up and one lone yard decoration. However, it definitely is worth a million bucks. Once we get the pictures in the computer I will post a pic of it. We went to see Elmo Sunday(me, Alex, Aaron and Grandma). He was mesmorized the entire time.
This weekend is the Strean Family Christmas at our house and then we go to Miami next week. I am very excited! We are taking Aaron to the Miami Seaquarium, which I am hoping is the Miami version of Sea World. They ever have a Shamu, except her name is Lolita. I look forward to taking Aaron to the beach for the first time and watching him in the waves! It should be a trip!
Tonight I have MOPS, which should be fun. We have 2 guest speakers and I really like and it is always fun to catch up with everyone.
Please pray for my friend Angie and her son Alex, my friend Elisa who needs some sunshine, my friend Emily who is dying from a rotten tooth(hehe) and my Father-in-law who is not feeling well.

Thanksgiving

Days like today are such a happy and sad time all bunched together. There are so many emotions that run through me that sometimes I just want to break down and cry. My first thought today was how happy and thankful I am for being able to wake up with Alex next to me and Aaron just down the hall. So here are some random thoughts on why today is happy and sad...

Happy
I am blessed with a truly wonderful husband. I am not all that easy to live with (shocking I know) and he really gives me 100% all the time. He is the man of my dreams.

I have an incredibly healthy and beautiful child that I adore something fierce. I never imagined a love could be so instinctive.

My Mom is amazing. She is such a rock for me and Alex that I couldn't imagine life without her. My Grandma always told me growing up that my Mom should be my best friend and mine is quite close I have to say. She does everything for us-always has and always will-it is that simple. She is more in love with Aaron that anythign in her life-EVER!

My sister is a constant for me. She is so much to me Alex, Aaron, Andy and Ashley. She is an incredible Aunt and Sister all at the same time. I am so glad she moved home to be here with me when I was pregnant. She dotes on Aaron and it makes me so happy. He was all about her tonight which is sweet!

My Dad who I never ever get to have Thanksgiving with. Divorce is such a horrible thing and I pray that our vows and relationship with God keeps us away from even the thought of it. My Dad lives back home so we don't see him as much as I would like. My Grandmother is now living with him, which keeps him from being able to visit. It really makes me sad becasue there are long lengths of time in which he doesn't see Aaron. (happy and sad)

Andy and Ashley who I really really miss today. I wish so much that they were here with us.

Abbie-my babygirl-who is amazing with Aaron. Tish who supports my sister always which is a rough job. John who is great to my Mom and tries really really hard to take our family in all its glory. Missy and Colleen my oldest friends who after all these years are still a BIG part of my life and family. Don and Elisa who techincally are "old" at this point who have been through a lot with me over the past few years. Clogging. My silky. My son's curly hair. My husbands awesome looks. Presents! Nail polish. Our home. The tramploine. My minivan. Alex with Aaron. Chicken bundles. The list goes on and on.
This year I am very thankful for something rather new in my life and that is my journey with God. I have a long road ahead of me, but I so much feel Him in my life.


Sad would be 2 things.
1. The absence of my Grandparents. Granny and PaPa were the most amazingly wonderful people who ever existed. I cannot stand how much I miss them-especially right now.

2. Andy and Ashley-the absence of them is really lingering today with all of us-it is more than sad.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

In the mood to ramble

Work has been very frustrating today so I am not in the best of moods. The weather is really crappy, but on the brighter side of things:
I have a great husband and a healthy baby, a beautiful house, a great circle of friends, an incredible family and awesome Faith in God. Tonight is clogging so I should be able to clog out my frustrations while giving some much needed praise and thanks for the good things in life.
My friend from work had her son, Alexander yesterday at 29 weeks so there is a lot of praying that needs to happen for them. She lost a son a few years ago, so I pray that this little man is a fighter and pushes through. Please pray for them in any way you can.
We took dinner to the Timmons famil y at church this week. They are a young family with 3 kids and the Dad was diagnosed with ALS over 2 years ago. His disease has become worse over time, but they still have their Faith which amazes me.
Not much else is going on. Hope you are all having a great week.

MY FIRST KISS

So today Alex is working from home and he kept Aaron home with him. I called to talk to Alex and he put me on speaker phone so I could talk to Aaron. When we were finished I said "by Papa" and he KISSED THE PHONE-I actually heard him. I could die happy today! XOXOXO

The weekend

I cannot believe it is already over! Friday we left work early so we could pick Aaron up by 3 and then we went to Target. We bought Aaron's first Christmas present-YEA! We went to my Mom's for dinner to celebrate her birthday (late becasue Aaron was sick Wednesday). Saturday Alex had to work so Aaron and I stayed home. The day was extremely productive as I cleaned the house, did all the laundry, packed up his summer clothes, organized the basement a little and took down all the Halloween decorations. We had pot roast for dinner when Alex got home and just hung out. Yesterday we went to church and I taught Sunday School. It was a great class yesterday and we had a few wonderful moments. I am trying my best to have patience with developing relationships with "my kids", but 7th and 8th graders are a tough bunch! The path these kids are on amazes. They are so young, yet so comfortable and confident in their walk with God-they truly inspire me. We cleaned my Mom's yesterday which sucks, but it really helps us out. One day I will make enough money that I can quit!! Anyways, hope you all had a great weekend. This weekend we are going to Wintersville. The closest thing I have to a little brother is getting married-I cannot believe it! It should be a great time and I cannot wait to see Colleen's family. I haven't seen some of them since she got married 6 years ago.

Andy and Ashley

Ohio State Fair-2006

Stylin!

This was taken in Cheyenne a few days after I met them the first time-I was never more nervous to meet someone in ALL my life! My how they have changed!

Definitely a Daddy's boy!

She is a GREAT big sister!

Binky brothers!

Ashley just a few moments after seeing her room for the first time!

This is over 2 years old, but it is one of my favorite pictures of Ashley.

Andy and Taren before Homecoming-he is gougeous and he knows it!

My step kids are quite amazing to say the least. I am blessed with the fact that I truly love them and they truly love me-no joke. They are both hilarious is different ways and total hams. We talk to both of them several times a week, but it is so hard not having them here. Ashley really misses her little brother and is very excited to see him in just a few weeks. When we bought the house I made sure that we had more than enough room for them so they both had a finished bedroom when they came for the summer. Somehow we managed to keep the house a secret so pulling into the driveway with them was totally fun. Once the next little Rodriguez arrives we will finish the basement for Andy and move the baby into his room.

I was so nervous to meet them considering I was head over heels in love with Alex and pretty much knew that I needed their support in order for us to stay together. We really did get along from the very beginning. I love them very much and miss having them here terribly. When they get here it feels like they never left and when they leave we are all lost. It takes a while for us to adjust-even Abbie looks around for them. Even though they aren't here they are still so much a part of our life everyday. Andy and Ashley is you read them...I love you pookie pookie poo...love The WICKEDEST OF THEM ALL!

Clogging

Right after Alex and I first started attending our church the Heart and Sole Cloggers performed during our service. I was so amazed and so in love with it that I knew I had to do it. Once I started getting to know people and the church I asked around and found out that most of the "older" people that clog do it with their daughters. (This just adds to the reasons that Ashley needs to live in the same city as we do!!) I talked to a girl at church that I am friends with and she convinced me to just give it a try. I started in September and I LOVE IT! It is harder than I ever thought, but it is amazing the feeling you get when you are worshiping God with something you do. We finished learning our first song last night, We Sing and will start a new one next week called Big, Big House. Ahhh-it is fun! I am not sure if I will get to the point where I feel comfortable performing, but I will definitely give it a whirl!

Aaron is better!

I am not really sure what was really wrong with him, but he woke up today as his normal self. It is so amazing that they bounce back like they do. He is so funny and loving in the morning , but once we get to Denise's he is off and very uninterested in us.

We are very blessed with a sitter that I consider to be sent from God. There is never a day that I worry about Aaron's care. He is in wonderfeul hands and I know that each day I need to thank God. It is never a good feeling to have someone else taking care of your child, but until I am able to do it all the time, Denise is the answer to my prayers. Aaron loves her boys Ben and Will. IN the beginning they named Aaron Boo-boo, but he has recently graduated to just Boo. I am positive that at some point he will be big enough to be called Aaron. They play and play all day and fight too! When Aaron sees them at church he gets so excited-it is so wonderful to see.

"HOme"

This past weekend Alex, Aaron and I went "home". It is funny that after living in Columbus for 11 years that I still find Wintersville to be home. Although it is just my Dad that now lives there, I still feel so at peace there. This visit was a little rougher for some reason. I wish so much I could visit my Granny and PaPa. I miss them more than I ever thought possible. They were amazing people and the best Grandparents that EVER existed. As always we drove past their house and it ripped my heart out like never before. The neighbors were outside and even Stella was walking around the bend like ALWAYS. Ahh-what I wouldn't give to have one more day with them. I can only hope and pray that they are now my Angels in heaven watching over me and my family and are proud of the Mother I am.
While home we also saw my friends Missy and Colleen. We were so close growing up and are as close today. I talk to them multiple times every week and miss them something terrible. You never really find friends like that once you have grown up with someone. One special thing we did was get "the boys" pictures taken all together. It was fun and chaotic all at the same time and then they all came over to my Dad's for dinner. Wether my Mom's or Dad's, both places were the gathering place when we were growing up so it is fitting that we still gather at my Dad's.

Well-bath time!

Pictures

This is the face you get when you say "cheese"

Best Buds

Daddy and Aaron decorating the front porch

This year at the pumpkin patch

Home with "The Babe" today

Aaron is more than a little under the weather. I think we have been awake since around 2. He is running a fever and is very whiney. It's nice to be home with him, but I wish it were under a differene circumstance. Thank goodness I have save some time at work huh? He is just watching Baby Noah and is now calling for Mama! I am off!!

Phone Update

We are shutting off our home phone so you will only be able to get me on my cell. I know, I know I have to be better at keeping it charged, with me and even answering it!

Trying this again

I guess I am going to give this blogging thing a shot again. I am sure it will take several posts to catch up since it has been over a year!

Alex is wonderful, Aaron is perfect, Andy and Ashley are marvelous-life is good.

Aaron is 16 months and chatting up a storm. At this moment he loves Melmo (Elmo) and saying "cak"-his term for anything dirty! He is just adorable.

Andy has a "long term" girlfriend Taren. They went to Homecoming a few weeks ago and had a great time. He is getting good grades and is as goofy as ever.

Ashley is just Ashley. She is so funny. She met Corbin Blue this week at a motorcross race and was over the top with excitement. They were evacuated due to the fires, but are back home safe. In a miracle from God, they live in a four block radius that was NOT burned to the ground.

Alex is wonderful as always. I wish that I was 1/2 the wife he deserved-seriously. I am so lucky and thankful for him. I need to figure out how to always show my feelings.

The house is perfect! I love it, I love that it is ours, but it still feels very strange that we have a house. It is great. I love to have people over and need to do it more often.

It wouldn't be right if I didn't mention Abbie. She is great with Aaron and he is great with her. He lays with her, pets her and gives her treats before we leave in the morning. If we could just get her to quit eating the darn binkys! Hello! They are like $2 a piece!

I will post some pics soon!