The Pacheco 4

Sick Brennan

2010-10-18T20:23:00.001-05:00

My poor Brennan is sick today. I hate seeing him sick. It just breaks my heart when he isn't feeling well.

It started yesterday. I put the boys in for an afternoon nap and I went to lay down since I had to work last night. Well, none of us ended up napping. Brennan woke up about 15 minutes into the nap crying. It was a whining cry. He was running a low grade fever. I attributed it to a bulging molar that looked like it was about to cut. I went to work at 6:30...and Brennan was pretty whiny all the way until I left. Well, at 11:30, Miguel called me to tell me that Brennan had woken up screaming, and was running 103.3 fever. I tried to leave work, but was unable at the time. Over the next couple of hours, Miguel was pretty much up with Brennan the entire time. I was able to leave work an hour early. When I got home, Brennan was crying. I held him for a while, but he just couldn't get settled. I finally tried to sleep on the couch with him on my chest. That worked on and off for maybe an hour. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much last night. Brennan finally fell asleep for good at around 6 am. Unfortunately, I had to wake up at 8 to take Colin to school.

All morning long Brennan was cranky and was running around 101. At 11:30 I took his temperature again, and this time it was 104.5. I decided to take him into the pediatrician's office. He saw the NP. She said that his throat was very red, but there weren't any pus pockets or blisters. She thinks that it is just a virus (1 of 2 going around right now that is causing high fever and sore throat). She swabbed him for strep, and that was negative. She said to watch him for the next few days and to come back if he develops any other symptoms or has the fever for more than 3 days.

We got home and Brennan just kept getting worse. No nap, whining, crying and lethargy were my afternoon. I took Brennan's temperature again, and it reached it's highest, 104.9. Poor baby. After being diligent with the tylenol & motrin, and pushing liquids, Brennan is currently in bed and acting more like himself.

I'm hoping that tonight will be a little better. Hopefully Brennan will get some quality rest. Right before bed he was playing and acting like himself again. His temperature was 99.8. Yay!

2010-10-12T22:58:00.000-05:00

Birth

Almost 2 months

6 months

Almost 8 months

1 year

17 months

Almost 23 months

23 months

2 years

My friend Casey youngest daughter is only 1 day younger than Brennan. Brennan, born October 10, 2008 & Alyson, born October 11, 2008. We try to snap a picture each time they are together.

Brennan's 2nd Birthday Party

2010-10-10T22:37:00.000-05:00

Brennan has a blast at his birthday party. It was Toy Story 3 themed. He just loves those movies! He had a ton of family and friends that came over to celebrate with him. We ordered pizza from...Pizza Planet (no, it was really from Papa John's). The kids colored, ate food, ate cake, watched Toy Story and killed a pinata!

Happy Birthday Brennan!

2010-10-10T10:34:00.001-05:00

My sweet sweet Brennan is 2 years old today! I can't believe it. I remember carrying him in my belly like it was just yesterday. I love him more and more every single day. His party is later today, so I'll post pictures and do a post about that later.

Brennan while I was finishing setting up for his party!

Colin's 4 Year Well Visit

2010-10-01T22:13:00.014-05:00

Colin had his 4 year well visit today. Yes, it's a little late. I thought that I had scheduled it, but, I didn't.

Anyway, he had a vision and hearing screen, and he passed both with flying colors!

He's super tall...43.5 inches (95%). The doctor said that if he keeps growing on the curve that he's on now, he'll be 6'1" - 6'3"! I'm gonna have a tall boy!

He weighs 39 pounds (50%), so, he's tall and lean.

He got 4 shots today. He handled them just 'ok'. He also got the flu mist. This was our first time to try the mist, and the only reason that I did that instead of the shot was the simple fact that I didn't want 5 shots at once.

My baby is growing too fast...

Colin's First Spirit Day

2010-09-16T22:07:00.003-05:00

Today, Colin's school had their first Spirit Day. They had to wear their school shirt and a silly hat. Colin chose to wear his pirate hat!

Playate w/ the Kolb's

2010-09-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

The Kolb's came over for a playdate today. It's been a while since we've gotten together, and I'm glad that we did. The kids always have fun together!

Playdate with the Hill Kids

2010-09-10T23:40:00.000-05:00

I babysat the Hill kids (Jaida & Jonah) this evening so their parents could go out for a bit. Colin just loves Jaida! I think that Jaida is one of Colin's best friends! Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Colin's First Day of Pre-School

2010-09-09T23:44:00.000-05:00

Today was the big day! It was Colin's first day of pre-school!

We all woke up early and had a nice breakfast. Colin got dressed while I packed his snack and lunch. We did his hair, put some cologne on, snapped some pictures and went to school! Miguel came with us. We all went into his classroom. We helped him find his hook for his backpack, and his assigned seat. Colin didn't have any reservations! He walked into the classroom like he owned it and immediately started playing with the toys set up on his desk. He gave us a kiss goodbye, and we left. No tears...from Colin. I, on the other hand, got a teary eyed in the car.

Meet the Teacher Night

2010-09-07T23:34:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that my little Colin will be starting pre-school in just a few days. I remember when he was born and needed me for everything, and now he dresses himself, brushes his own teeth and is getting ready to start pre-school.

Colin will be attending a private pre-school. We chose Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church. They have a large, well established program for a decent price. This evening was 'Meet the Teacher Night'. Ms. Laurie is his main teacher, and Ms. Felicia is her assistant. They seem really nice and excited about the school year. I like the fact that this program follows a course outline and that there is NOT a nap time. He'll be in school on Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9-2. He will eat a snack and lunch there. They will be focusing on writing. He will also have chapel everyday. In addition, some days he will have PE & spanish class.

I'm so excited for the school year to start. We weren't going to put Colin into school until kindergarten, but Miguel and I both felt that Colin was starting to stagnate at home. He was getting bored, and was soooo eager to learn. I felt like I wasn't doing my job as a parent if I didn't put him in school, since I wasn't meeting his learning need. I'm happy and confident in the decision that Miguel and I made.

Cake Attempts

2010-09-01T10:59:00.000-05:00

Well, normally I order custom cake for birthday parties, but they are so expensive. I decided that I wanted to spend the money on something else. I decided to make my own cake this year. Here are my first 2 attempts. They aren't pretty, but they sure did taste good!

Colin's Backyardigan's cake:

The entire cake is a white cake that I tinted different colors. The filling for the bottom layers is a mango cream cheese. The filling for the top layers is a fresh strawberry puree that I thickened.

Miguel's Birth cake:


The bottom cake is a white cake frosted with buttercream frosting. The top cake is a strawberry cake with a fresh strawberry topping and strawberry pull 'n peel twizzlers for decoration.

Colin's 4th Birthday Party

2010-08-29T22:37:00.000-05:00

Today we ha Colin's 4th birthday party. The theme was 'The Backyardigans'. That's his absolute FAVORITE show! It was held...in the backyard, of course! We had a bounce house, tents, tons of food, a pinata, lots friends and family, and I made the cake. Colin had a great time with everyone that helped to make his day special! His Titi Bianca even drove home from college just to be at his party!


Tio Danny & Titi Rossilyn dressed as Pablo & Uniqua! I love how they match the theme of the party!

Miguel's 31st Birthday Party

2010-08-28T22:14:00.000-05:00

Well, I did something a little out of the ordinary this year regarding Miguel's birthday party.

Back story:

We were at lunch with some friends and my BIL & SIL. We were discussing the theme of Colin's birthday party, and I happened to ask Miguel, jokingly, what theme he wanted for his birthday. Well, anyone that knows Miguel, would have anticipated a smart ass answer. That's EXACTLY what he gave me. HE said that he wanted a 'birth' theme because it was his BIRTHday. I gave him several opportunities to give me a real answer, but he just kept joking around about the 'birth' theme. I told him that since he asked for a birth themed party, that's exactly what he would get.

So, I decided to only invite family this year, because I don't think all of our friends would get my sick humor. I had the party at my moms house and it was a swimming party in the evening. I had 'Sounds of the Womb' playing while we were all swimming...you know, so it was like we were swimming in the womb. I made the cake. It was a placenta. Yup, a placenta.

Nick Jr. Storytime Live

2010-08-27T23:25:00.000-05:00

As part of Colin's birthday present, Miguel and I got him tickets to see the Nick Jr. Storytime Live. It was a combination of 4 shows from Nick Jr. Colin's absolute favorite show is The Backyardigans. He had so much fun. We actually kept it a surprise from him until we got into the theater! We had awesome seats, so he was able to see really well!

Colin is 4!

2010-08-25T23:17:00.001-05:00

Happy happy birthday to my sweet sweet Colin!

Colin turned 4 today. My how the time has flown! He is such a kind hearted kid. He's loving and sweet and gentle. He can make you smile when you are in the worst mood. I love him more than I could ever tell him. I thank God that I have him in my life.

Tonight we celebrated with a small family dinner. his birthday party is going to be on Sunday, but I couldn't let his birthday pass without making it special for him.

Swimming w/ 4 Kids

2010-08-20T21:34:00.001-05:00

My sister & I took the kids to Jack Carter Pool today. They have a really neat little splash pad/wading pool for the kids. They all really enjoyed it. Courtney & I had a fun time too! We packed a picnic lunch so we could eat in between pool breaks!

My Sister is Here!!!

2010-08-17T19:32:00.000-05:00

Yay! My sister and 2 nieces arrived today for a 2 week visit! I haven't seen Rachael since she was 2 (and she's almost 4), but even more, this is the first time that I'm meeting Savanah! She is such a cutie pie!

We've got tons planned during the 2 week visit - portraits, pool time, Colin's birthday party, going to the movies, splash pad, park etc! I hope that we can fit it all in!

Bianca's Farewell Breakfast

2010-08-09T19:14:00.001-05:00

I organized a farewell breakfast for Bianca this morning. It was a bittersweet goodbye for us. Bitter, because we will truly miss her...especially the boys! Titi Bianca is their favorite babysitter! Sweet, because little Bianca is all grown up. She will be attending OU this fall, and is very excited to be going!

Circus

2010-08-02T23:34:00.000-05:00

Miguel, my mom and I took the boys to the circus tonight. It was their first time, and they had sooo much fun! Brennan got a little cranky toward the end, but for the most part the boys were great. We had some excellent seats, about 4 or 5 rows from the very front!

And, the boys were super sleepy on the way home!

New Portraits

2010-07-28T22:57:00.000-05:00

I just got back the portraits that I had taken a couple weeks ago. These are the ones that I wasn't teriibly happy with, but after looking at them now, I'm glad that I bought them!

Anniversary

2010-07-27T17:15:00.002-05:00

Today is mine & Miguel's 9th wedding anniversary! We've had our ups and downs, but I'm glad that we are still on the journey! Miguel came home early from work, with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. In fact, I think that they are the prettiest flowers that he's ever gotten me.

VBS

2010-07-26T21:33:00.000-05:00

Colin started VBS today. I'm excited for him b/c we ended up not going to the VBS that our church had b/c we live an hour away. A friend here in town told me about her church's VBS, so I signed Colin up. He had a blast! The theme is 'Galactic Blast'. Colin came home and sang one of the lines to a song that he's learning, and was just going on and on about all the fun that he had.

Colin with his friend Jaida.

My Baby is a Big Boy...

2010-07-24T18:19:00.001-05:00

We converted Brennan's bed from a crib to a toddler bed today. It saddens me that my baby isn't a baby anymore. He was so excited. He ran right over to it and jumped on!

Jalapeno Popper Pizzas

2010-07-23T21:38:00.000-05:00

I'm really getting into photographing some of the food that I cook here lately, so here is another one!

Jalapeno Popper Pizzas

Anniversary

2010-07-22T23:59:00.000-05:00

Today is mine & Miguel's 9th wedding anniversary! We've had our ups and downs, but I'm glad that we are still on the journey! Miguel came home early from work early with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. Honestly, I think that they are the prettiest ones that he's ever gotten me!

Later on we dropped the boys off to spend the evening at my moms house and headed off to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants...Sambuca. Dinner was so yummy!

I decided that after dinner I wanted to go see Inception (which was really really good!!).

Miguel bought me a beautiful pair of pearl earrings that match the necklace that he bought me for Mother's Day. It was a perfect and beautiful anniversary!

Boys Portraits

2010-07-20T17:02:00.000-05:00

I took Brennan to the have his 21 month portraits done the other day, and he was in a TERRIBLE mood, so I set up my studio equipment and shot a few of the boys myself. They really didn't turn out that great b/c the lighting was really off...but I'll share a few anyway.

Yummy Dinner

2010-07-14T20:56:00.001-05:00

I made one of my favorite meals for dinner tonight, and I thought I would share a picture of it!

Hungarian Goulash

Swimming

2010-07-13T19:48:00.000-05:00

I took the boys to my moms house for some fun swimming. My MIL & FIL ended up going too!

Me after jumping in the pool!

Colin taking a little break.

My FIL holding Brennan.

21 Month Comparison

2010-07-10T22:47:00.000-05:00

Colin - TOP Brennan - BOTTOM

Dinner & Family Pictures

2010-07-05T23:14:00.000-05:00

Tonight we went over to my MIL's house for dinner to meet my SIL's new boyfriend. We all got dressed up and took some fun family pictures.

Then, of course, the silly pictures!

Fourth of July

2010-07-04T23:36:00.000-05:00

We had a great 4th of July this year!

We all dressed in red, white or blue and gathered at my MIL's house for a barbecue. We had some yummy food!

Then we took some silly pictures...

Then a serious one...

We went on over to Craig Ranch to watch the Red, White & BOOM! fireworks. They were quite pathetic this year due to technical difficulties, but we all had fun together as a family!

Twilight Trilogy

2010-06-30T13:52:00.000-05:00

Last night Whitney, Rossilyn, Bianca & I went to to the movies for the premiere of Eclipse. We actually watched all 3 movies with the premiere starting at 12:15 am! I had not seen any of the movies yet, but I had read all of the books. I had an awesome time!

All of us waiting for Twilight to start.

Roz & I

Whit & I being silly!

Bianca & I

Bianca took a nap in between the 2nd & 3rd movies.

Whit messing with Binks while she naps!

Father's Day

2010-06-21T14:43:00.001-05:00

We had a jammed packed Father's Day this year.

We started off the morning going to my MIL's house for a Father's Day brunch. We cooked the boys a yummy breakfast!

Brennan eating breakfast.

Miguel reading one of his cards.

The 3 little ones jumping on Miguel's back.

Colin & Christian lovin' on Babu!

We then went home to prepare our house for a Father's Day luncheon for Miguel's dad.

Colin & Abuelito reading.

3 of the 4 cousins playing together (and nicely!!!).

Brennan playing all by his self.

Father and the 2 sons that are fathers.

Miguel and our boys.

Roman, and his 2 kids that have kids...and the grandchildren.

The 4 boys and their papi. The only child missing is Megan, who was at school.

Titi Rossilyn and Brennan.

Awesome Worship Experience

2010-06-20T10:33:00.002-05:00

Every year our church has a Christian artist come in and do a show. Last year we were on vacation during the concert. This year, our church had Shane & Shane come. I LOVE Shane & Shane! We saw them live about 6 years ago at the Celebrate Freedom Concert. Last night was the show, and it was AMAZING.

Shane & Shane don't just put on a show, they worship. Everyone in the room can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, and in turn worship. What a wonderful worshipful experience. They are funny and just a blessing to the Christian music community.

Our churches Praise Band opened up for them (Miguel plays guitar in the band). I volunteered by helping set up Shane & Shane's Green Room, and cooking dinner for them.

Here are some pictures from the day!

Mandy, me & Pam right before we started setting up the Green Room.

Food Team.

Miguel and I before the show.

Casey and her husband Chris came. I'm so happy that they were able to make it.

YG Praise Band (Miguel is playing the gold guitar).

Shane & Shane

Us, the Wilson's & the Kolb's worshiping.

Shane & Shane took a photo with the YG volunteers after the show!

Miguel and I after the show.

Friday Night Dinner

2010-06-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

My mom and I have a weekly 'date' on Friday nights. Miguel goes to band practice and it gone for several hours, so my mom, the boys and I always go to dinner. This past week we went to Sauce on the Square in downtown McKinney. It's a cute little restaurant. The food was just average, but priced a little higher than I believe it was worth. I got a few cute pictures of the boys.

Colin being silly.

Brennan boy.

My mom with the boys.

Aquarium Time

2010-06-15T20:22:00.001-05:00

Miguel and I took the boys to the Dallas World Aquarium today. None of us had ever been there before. I'll start by saying that we had fun, a good time. It was nice spending time together as a family. I do think that the $20 for adult tickets and $12 for child tickets was a bit ridiculous. $52 for our family (Brennan is still free). Honestly, I feel that the tickets should have been $10 for adults and $8 for kids. That would have been more worth it for me...and at that price, I might think about going back. My main complaint was that it smelled. Really. Bad. Like, I said, we had fun as a family, so here are some pics from the trip!

Miguel with the boys.

Me with the boys.

By the end of the aquarium, Brennan was in a foul mood. He was hungry and cranky. This is his first public tantrum.

We left the aquarium, and took a few pictures right outside.

And then, mommy & Brennan.

NYC: Day 4

2010-06-12T23:29:00.000-05:00

Back posting the days events.

The picture taking really slowed down from here on out, but I'll share a little bit.

Today we woke up early, again. We ate breakfast in the hotel,but took some more silly pictures before leaving.

Off to Times Square.

We then went back to the hotel, to rest a little before heading out to a bar to watch the USA play their first game in the World Cup. The first bar that we went to was so packed it was crazy...and we went 2 hours early!!! The 2nd bar that we went to was packed as well, but we at least were able to get a bar table, and I was able to get a chair to sit down on. The fans were crazy, the bar was loud, but we had a ton of fun!

NYC: Day 3

2010-06-11T23:10:00.042-05:00

Back posting the day's events.

Today was our first full day alone. We woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel. You would think that since we are on vacation we would sleep in...but no, not us. We are up by 8:00. Before leaving the hotel, we took some silly pictures in our room.

We went to Chinatown to buy some stuff, well, b/c everyone knows that Chinatown is the place to go!

After Chinatown, we were hungry. I was too scared to eat in Chinatown b/c of all of the rumors that I've heard. We went the Mike's Papaya. It's a famous hot dog place.

We went back to the hotel for a little rest and then prepped to to see the Yankees play. It was our first time in the new stadium. What a nice stadium! It was so east to get in and out of.

On our way home that night, we are pretty sure that God saved us from being mugged or hurt. Long story short, a man followed us, we recognized it, and headed back in the direction we came from. Once on the elevator in our hotel, we said a prayer of thanks to God for protecting us.

NYC: Day 2

2010-06-10T23:46:00.000-05:00

Back posting the day's events.

We woke up early and walked to a cute little cafe that is close to FIT. We had a yummy breakfast, then headed out for the day.

We went to the Museum of Natural History. I'd never been there before, so it was a new experience for me.

After the museum, we were hungry, so we found a pizzeria to have have true NY pizza! It was as good as I remembered!!!

We walked around some more, and then went back to the hotel to say goodbye to my cousin Patty. It was so great to see her and I was sad to see her go.

Miguel and I went to eat dinner at a yummy sushi restaurant.

After dinner we went to see West Side Story. It was really good! That was Miguel's first show experience.

After the show, we went to Junior's Bakery. I had purchased a cheesecake recipe book a while back, and then realized that they are a famous bakery in NY...so I had to go!

Just a block away, I ran into an old friend that I've known since elementary school, but haven't seen since high school. She's an NYPD!

We walked around Times Square some more, making a stop in the M&M store. We picked out red, white & blue M&M's to eat as a snack when the USA played in the World Cup.

NYC: Day 1

2010-06-09T23:53:00.001-05:00

I'm back posting the days events.

I took TONS of pictures today! I've got them all up on my smugmug. We had an uneventful flight from DFW airport to Newark. We made it to our hotel fairly quickly. My cousin Patty took the train in to the city to stay the day and next day.

Sitting in the airport waiting for our shuttle to take us to the hotel.

We were pretty hungry when we arrived, so we went for gyro's. So yummy!

While waiting for my cousin to arrive, Miguel and I went to F.A.O. Schwarz. Chewy is made of legos!

Yay! Patty arrived! My favorite cousin in the whole wide world!

We took a short subway ride into Times Square to go to Madame Tussauds wax museum. What fun!

After the wax museum, we went back to the hotel to get dressed for dinner. Patty made reservations at one of Bobby Flay's restaurants...Mesa Grill.

Let me just say...A M A Z I N G!!!

My Metro Card wouldn't work on the way home. Miguel and Patty were having fun and laughing at me from the other side of the gates.

That was Day 1 in a nutshell!

NYC Tomorrow!

2010-06-08T14:51:00.000-05:00

Miguel and I will be heading on a short vacation to NYC tomorrow. We are staying in Manhattan until Sunday and we are planning to cram a lot of fun things into the 5 days! That's where both of us are from, (well, my hubby is from PR, but he grew up mostly in NY), and it's been a while since either of us have been back since we moved to Texas 8 years ago. I won't be posting while I'm away, but I'll back post each days adventure when we return!

Swimming Fun

2010-06-06T23:45:00.000-05:00

We took to the boys to my moms house to swim today for a bit. Colin loved it. He's such a fish. Brennan isn't too sure about it yet, but hopefully soon, he'll change his mind.

Colin Riding His Bike

2010-06-01T20:33:00.000-05:00

We took Colin outside this evening to teach him to ride his bike. He didn't really get it, but we got a few cute pictures!

Christian's 3rd Birthday

2010-05-30T20:24:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Christian's 3rd birthday Toy Story style. The boys played in a bounce house and played some games!

More Splash Pad Fun

2010-05-29T23:12:00.000-05:00

It's so funny...the other day I posted that Brennan hated the splash pad. Some of the family went to eat dinner at The Purple Cow in Fairview. Outside the restaurant, there is a splash pad. The boys wanted to go, so we all watched. Colin ran in and had a blast immediately. Brennan was a little more reserved, but was curious. Titi Whitney gave him a hug and told him to go for it. Titi Rossilyn actually walked into the splash area and got Brennan in it. He had such a great time!

Splash Pad

2010-05-28T20:07:00.007-05:00

I took the boys to the splash pad that's at the city park at the end of my street. My friend/neighbor Kelly brought her boys too. Colin loved it, but Brennan didn't want any part of it!

HCG Diet Day 12 Progress

2010-05-28T09:48:00.000-05:00

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 161 pounds

Yesterday's Weight Loss - 1.4 pounds

Total Weight Loss - 8 pounds

Number of Days on Diet -12

I'm ecstatic with the results of getting back on the diet. 7 more pounds to reach my goal of 15 before my vacation!

HCG Diet Days 8-11 Progress

2010-05-27T16:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't get back on my diet like I was supposed to on Monday. The good news is that I didn't gain anymore weight back. I'm still down 6.6 pounds! I've started the diet up again today, and plan to be on it for the next 2 weeks straight. We are going to NY on a mini vacation in exactly 2 weeks, and my goal is to have 8.4 more pounds off by then.

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 162.4 pounds

Week's Weight w/o Dieting - +/- 0 pounds

Total Weight Loss - 6.6 pounds

Number of Days on Diet - 11

My Hubby Plays Guitar...

2010-05-26T18:45:00.000-05:00

I'm lacking in content, so I figured I would share some of my favorite photos of my hubby playing guitar in our church's praise band.

HCG Diet Days 6 & 7 Progress

2010-05-24T11:33:00.003-05:00

I decided that I am going to take the weekends off from the diet, so I backtracked in my progress a bit.

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 162.4 pounds

Weekend's Weight Gain - +3.2 pounds

Total Weight Loss - 6.6 pounds

Number of Days on Diet - 7

HCG Diet Day 5 Progress

2010-05-22T12:17:00.002-05:00

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 159.2 pounds

Yesterday's Weight Loss - 0.2 pounds

Total Weight Loss - 9.8 pounds

Number of Days on Diet - 5

HCG Diet Day 4 Progress

2010-05-21T07:07:00.000-05:00

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 159.4 pounds

Yesterday's Weight Loss - 1 pound

Total Weight Loss - 9.6 pounds

Number of Days on Diet - 4

*Got nauseated during lunch again (I had just taken my multivitamin after eating 1/3 of my lunch).

Mother's Day Portraits

2010-05-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

I just got back the portraits that I had taken of me and the boys for Mother's Day. It's a tradition that I do every year with the boys, and one that I hope will continue for a long time!

Here are a few of my favorites:

The rest can be found on my smugmug!

HCG Diet Day 3 Progress

2010-05-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 160.4

Yesterday's Weight Loss - 1.4 pounds

Total Weight Loss - 8.6 pounds

Number of Days on Diet - 3

*Got very nauseated and dry-heaved during lunch (I had just taken my multivitamin on an empty stomach). Felt slightly hungry in the evening. Had a minor headache all day.

HCG Diet Day 2 Progress

2010-05-19T09:26:00.001-05:00

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 161.8

Yesterday's Weight Loss - 3.6 pounds

Total Weight Loss - 7.2 pounds

Number of Days on Diet -2

*Got a craving for junk food in the evening

HCG Diet Day 1 Progress

2010-05-18T11:06:00.004-05:00

5/17 - Pre-diet Weight - 169.0

Today's Weight - 165.4

Yesterday's Weight Loss - 3.6 pounds

Total Weight Loss - 3.6 pounds

Number of Days on Diet - 1

*I felt great today!

New Diet

2010-05-17T15:17:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I talked about my weight issues, and feeling inadequate. Well, I've decided to go ahead and give the HCG diet a try. I started my drops on Friday. The first 3 days were my 'loading' days...meaning that I was to eat to capacity, whatever I wanted. I was excited about that, but I must say that the drops made me not hungry...AT ALL. I had to force myself to eat. Today is day 1 of the actual diet.

I'm not hungry, so that's good...b/c it's only 500 calories A DAY!!! I had a piece of melba toast and an apple for a late morning snack and 3 oz. of chicken and spinich for lunch. I'm drinking unsweetened hot tea (b/c I forgot to buy Stevia when I was at the store). For dinner (I've already made it and portioned it out) I'm having 3 oz. chicken, spinich, a piece of melba toast and a handful of strawberries.

I hate to do this, but I have to hold myself accountable somewhere....so, I started off today at 169 pounds. YIKES! I can't believe that I just posted that. I'm supposed to lose anywhere from 0.5 - 2.0 pounds per day. I just weighed myself again (I know, I know, I'm not supposed to do that....but I just couldn't help myself) and I weigh 168.6...so 0.4 pounds off already! w00t!

I'll be tracking my progress here. I hope I can stick to this...b/c if I can, I'll have my weight off in 20 days!

Weight Loss

2010-05-11T14:59:00.002-05:00

So I need to get my skinny sexy self back. I'm sick of feeling fat. Summer is coming, and I want to be wearing a cute bathing suit!

So, here's my problem...I like to eat. I enjoy eating. I like to cook. I love to bake. I get the warm fuzzies.

I'm not saying that I'm fat, but I'm certainly not nearly as thin as I was before having my precious babies.

Here are some before & afters:

This is me in December 2005. It was pre-children. Well, I was actually pregnant with Colin here, but didn't know it yet.

This is May of 2007. This is 9 months after delivering Colin.

This is December 2008. It was almost 2 months after I delivered Brennan.

This is me now. My youngest child is 20 months old. I am currently 20 pounds heavier than before I got pregnant with my oldest child.

I have GOT to do something. I'm unmotivated, and I like food. I would love to fit back into all of my old clothing...I've got so much!

I'm thinking about starting the HCG diet plan.

It's basically HCG drops that you put under your tongue 3 times a day. It helps to 'reset' your hypothalamus. You eat a very strict low calorie diet (500 calories per day) for either 23 days (if you have under 20 pounds to lose) or 43 days (if you have more than 20 ponds to lose). After the 23 or 43 days there is a maintenance plan that you follow. I know several people that have either completed it, or are in the process now...and the results are phenomenal! You lose .5 - 1 pound per day!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-10T10:10:00.002-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day yesterday.

It started with a yummy brunch at my MIL's house. Every year, the boys and non-mother's help to prepare breakfast for all of the mothers in the family. The did a fantastic job this year (as always!!!)

Then the moms opened their presents. I'll have to post a picture later of my gifts. Miguel got me a beautiful necklace with pearls from James Avery. The boys got me a charm bracelet from James Avery with the Mother's Love charm on it! They are so beautiful!

After brunch, we visited for a bit. Then we went to Lowes (my idea!!!) to look at some paint colors. I want to paint a few rooms in my house...but that's another post.

After Lowes, we went home to put the boys down for a nap. Miguel and I napped as well, since I had to work last night! It was a GREAT day!

Super Heros

2010-05-08T22:13:00.012-05:00

My boys are super heroes!!! They are crazy!

Towne Lake Park

2010-05-08T21:37:00.000-05:00

Miguel and I took the boys to Towne Lake Park today for them to run around.

We walked around the lake, looked at the ducks, scared the pigeons, and played at the playground.

It was a beautiful day and we had a ton of fun! The trip isn't complete without someone getting hurt...so this time was Colin's turn. He fell and scraped his elbow & knee. He's ok!

My Boys

2010-05-03T13:20:00.000-05:00

I just love sharing photos of my boys. I'm so proud of them and think that they are the most beautiful creatures on this planet. I dress them alike as often as I can. I know that I won't be able to do it forever, and they will probably hate me for it later...but it's just so cute now!

Jonny & Whitney's Wedding

2010-05-02T23:20:00.000-05:00

This afternoon my BIL married his beautiful bride. We celebrated all afternoon into the evening. They had a very non-traditional wedding...a wedding that suited them to a tee!

They got married in the Lakewood Theatre in Dallas.

We ate popcorn and candy during the ceremony.

The ambiance was amazing!

She looked exquisite!

Mine & Whit's hardcore pose. She even had time on her wedding day to pose with me!

My husband Miguel was a groomsmen and my oldest son Colin was the ring bearer. Don't they both look handsome?!?

We took our little one to the wedding as well...well, b/c all of the family was there, so we didn't have anyone to watch him! He looked adorable!

New Photos

2010-05-02T10:02:00.000-05:00

I just got back Brennan's 18 month portraits, and I wanted to share a few of my favorites. Of course, Colin got some new ones too. The rest can be seen on my smugmug.

Card Reader

2010-04-29T10:38:00.002-05:00

So, I never found my card reader...ugh!

But, the hubster surprised me with a new one yesterday!!! Yay!

I've got some pictures to get onto my computer and then I'll be posting again!

Meet Kristen

2010-04-20T14:19:00.000-05:00

I finally bought Miguel a guitar. He named it Kristen, after me. She's really pretty :-)

It's a PRS Mira.

Miguel plays in our church's YG praise band.

Caught Up

2010-04-20T13:18:00.000-05:00

I'm finally caught up on my posts...

No, I didn't find my card reader, but I borrowed my MIL's just to get the pictures onto my computer. I'm STILL searching for my card reader!!!

So go back and look at some of my posts and leave some love!

Check out my pictures at: http://kpacheco.smugmug.com to see the updated pics!

New Blog

2010-04-16T16:42:00.001-05:00

I've started a new blog with a friend of mine. Check it out. I think it's gonna be a fun read, once it gets going!

Sweet 'n Sassy Mommies

Check us out, follow us, grab our button and make us known!

Found One

2010-04-14T09:29:00.000-05:00

So after my post last night, I went crazy looking for my card readers. Casey had her fingers and toes crossed that I would find them. I had an 'Aha!' moment. I looked in my laptop bag, and I found the card reader to my small camera. I can't blame my boys for that one...it was all me.

I would have rather found the other card reader, and I'm 99% sure my little Brennan has it hidden away somewhere.

I just wanted to make a public announcement that I found the little one, and it wasn't my boys' fault.

Sorry boys for blaming you for both...;-)

Look for some backdated blog posts. I'm trying to catch up with the few pictures that I've got now. Most of them are on my good camera...

Still Looking...

2010-04-13T19:09:00.000-05:00

I am STILL looking for my card readers...this is getting ridiculous...

Where oh where boys, could you have put them? Mommy wants them back...NOW!

kthxbye

Brennan's 18 Month Check-Up

2010-04-13T16:02:00.000-05:00

Brennan had his 18 month check-up today. I can't believe how much he's grown in the last 3 months! He went from being my teeny tiny baby to my average sized baby.

Brennan now weighs 24 lbs. 10 oz. (50%) & is 32.3 inches long (75-90%).

I mentioned a while ago that I was worried about the way that he was walking...that it just didn't look quite right. Well, it's gotten much better, but it still isn't perfect. I mentioned it to the pediatrician, and he had Brennan run up and down the hall. Then he rolled his legs back and forth. He said that Brennan has femoral retroversion. Basically, his femur turns out a little bit, which causes the rest of his leg to turn out slightly. The pediatrician says that it is a 'normal' variant. He says it starts correcting itself between the ages of 2-3 and is usually fully corrected by age 6. Nothing for us to worry about! Yay!

Brennan has EXCELLENT gross motor and social skills. We just need to work with him a little more diligently on the fine motor skills and language. Brennan tends to be a grunter instead of using words to get his point across.

I'll be taking him for his 18 month pictures soon, and will get those posted as soon as I get them back!

Baby Dedication

2010-04-11T20:56:00.003-05:00

Colin and I had the honor of attending Alyson Kolb's Baby Dedication and the celebratory lunch after today. It's always a blessing to have a little one dedicated to the Lord. You can find proud mommy Casey here.

18 Month Comparison

2010-04-10T09:51:00.001-05:00

Colin - TOP Brennan - BOTTOM

No Updates

2010-04-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

So, I haven't updated my blog recently b/c (and thanks to my boys, I'm sure), I can't find EITHER of my card readers for my camera. I've got tons of pictures on them, and a few posts that I wanted to write...but they included photos. I don't have a clue where they are. I'm hoping to find them soon!

Easter Egg Dyeing

2010-04-02T23:05:00.000-05:00

Joel, Val, the kids & Bianca came over tonight for some fun Easter egg dyeing tonight. Christian & Colin enjoyed it the most, but we all had fun! The kids just love getting together!

The finished product wasn't beautiful, but it sure was fun!!!

A New Princess

2010-03-31T15:44:00.000-05:00

My sister had my niece this morning at 9:30 am (NY time). She weighed in at 7 pounds 10 ounces and was 20 inches long. Both mom and baby are doing great. Courtney had a very short, smooth labor and delivery. Savanah Michele is precious and looks just like her big sister Rachael.

I can't wait to meet her!

We've Got Growth!

2010-03-28T13:03:00.001-05:00

Yay! I see green popping out of the soil!

Colin's Herb Garden

2010-03-23T23:43:00.000-05:00

Colin told me that he wanted to plant a little garden, and I had been wanting to start an herb garden for a bit, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to combine the two!

I took Colin to to store and we bought all of the necessary items to get going. Colin was so proud of his little gardening bag & tools.

He mixed the special dirt with the water to make soil.

He filled up his containers and added the seeds.

Rinse & repeat 7 times, and we've got a happy Colin with 7 pots of seeds! He can't wait until they start growing!

Things a 3 1/2 year old says

2010-03-23T12:34:00.002-05:00

My 3 1/2 year old, Colin, was just watching an episode of The Backyardigans. He was siging one of the songs...and this is what I heard:

'Hookapeli, hookapeli the ERECTION is coming and is coming soon.'

The song is about a volcano ERUPTING, not ERECTING!

He's too cute!

Brennan's Time Out

2010-03-22T20:52:00.000-05:00

Brennan is at the age now where he can understand right from wrong (to a VERY simple degree). We've started putting him in time out when he doesn't obey or hits. I had my camera handy to capture him in his first ever time out. It broke my heart, but I know it'll be good for him n the long run.

Dinner & Mavs Game

2010-03-18T09:03:00.002-05:00

A bunch of us YGers went to the Mavs vs. Bulls game last night...where the Mavs kicked some major butt!

Before the game some of us met up for dinner at a quaint little Mexican restaurant.

It's always fun getting together with them.

More pictures can be found on my smugmug!

Long Time No See...

2010-03-16T16:26:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time since Casey and I have gotten the kids together to play. In fact, it's been a really long time. We've been trying to get together since before August, but every date that we set up, something came up on one end or the other. Literally...since before August. Now, the kid did each other at a couple birthday parties, but to actually set up a playdate...it's been forever!

We FINALLY got together today, and it was nice. The kids played nicely...well, mostly nicely. You can't ask for perfection when the kids are: 6, 4 1/2, 3 1/2 x 2, 1 1/2 x2.

The great thing, is that our youngest children were born only a day apart. I love getting pictures of them together. The rest can be found on my smugmug site.

New Nursing Blog

2010-03-15T08:28:00.003-05:00

For many years I've wanted to start a nursing blog. A place where I could talk about my journey as an ER nurse. I've [finally] just gotten around to it. I hope for it to be a place of laughter & wit.

Go on over and check it out!

*I'm looking for a few more people to write on the blog with me, so if you are an ER nurse and interested, let me know!

Brennan Walking

2010-03-10T16:39:00.002-06:00

Well, over the past 2 or so weeks, Brennan has decided that it is FINALLY time for him to use walking as his main method of getting around. It's cute watching him walk. He's still wobbly, but gaining confidence every day!

On a more serious note, I've noticed that his 'walk' doesn't look quite right. A few other people have noticed and mentioned the same thing to me. It's kind of hard to describe, but it looks like there is something wrong with either his right hip or right knee. Almost like a limp. I called the pediatrician's office yesterday and talked to a nurse. She talked with the doctor and we decided to watch Brennan closely for another week or so. If he seems to have pain with walking or dragging his leg, then we need to be seen right away. If not, then it can wait until his 18 month appointment (which is next month).

New Template...

2010-03-10T15:02:00.001-06:00

Working on a new template as we speak, er, read :-)

Coming Soon...

2010-03-08T11:04:00.000-06:00

Some updates...soon, I promise.

2 More Teeth!

2010-02-28T09:59:00.001-06:00

Brennan just got 2 more teeth in...the sharp ones on top...whatever they are called. Of course they came in at the same time. Would I expect anything to be easy?

My Birthday Day

2010-02-22T23:30:00.000-06:00

We started off the day going to and celebrating Katie Tovson's 5th birthday. It was at Pump It Up. After getting over his fear of the bounce houses, he really had a blast! Brennan did not like the bounce houses at all!!!

Since we were near Grapevine for Katie's birthday party, Miguel met us at the Grapevine Mills Mall, where we had lunch and did some clothes shopping for me. As we were walking in, Colin saw the Rainforest Cafe, and commented on all the animals. Since he's never eaten there before, we decided to have lunch there. Colin loved watching the thunderstorms and all of the animals moving. Brennan wasn't too happy about it.

I was in the mood for cheesecake last night, so we decided to have dinner at Saltgrass. I LOVE the cheesecake there. I also had a couple yummy drinks, that left me feeling a little tipsy. Good thing Miguel was driving. Our waiter offered to take a family picture for us.

The day ended with a trip to Best Buy. I wanted to get a new Bluetooth earpiece. I've tried a few of them, but none really worked the way that I wanted them too. I ended up getting a more expensive one this time. We'll see how it works out. We also got the boys a replacement DVD player for their playroom, since the one that they had died a couple weeks ago. I snatched Colin's glasses that he got as a favor from Katie's birthday party, and made a few silly poses.

My 27th Birthday Party

2010-02-21T11:34:00.002-06:00

Last night I celebrated my 27th birthday with family. Miguel decorated the house beautifully, wrapped gifts, and picked out a cake that was truly me. He did a great job!
I got lots of greats gifts (thanks everyone!), but most of all, I got to spend time with my family that I love so much. They really made my birthday special. The rest of the pictures are on my smugmug.

Brennan Feeding Himself

2010-02-19T11:47:00.002-06:00

I gave Brennan a spoon to try to feed himself today. He really tried, and actually got a few bites into his mouth, but in the end he resorted to feeding himself his oatmeal with his hands. We will keep trying, and I know he'll get it soon!

Lack of Content & Playdate

2010-02-15T23:25:00.002-06:00

Well, like I stated in my last post, I've been lacking blog appropriate content lately. Sure, things are going on, but just not things that are either appropriate for my blog or things that, really, wouldn't be interesting to you...

I've recently reconnected with an old friend. Emily and I live like 3 blocks away from each other, and we drift. In fact, we can pretty much go over a year without contact. Recently, we've started getting together again...which I really enjoy. My boys love playing with her girls!

Today, we took the kids to McDonald's for lunch. We let them play for a few hours...literally! Then we went over to the sports store and picked out some new workout clothes, weights, and workout videos...we are gonna be HOT MAMMAS!!!

Here are a few pics from lunch. The rest are on my smugmug.

February Snowfall

2010-02-11T23:51:00.000-06:00

It seems like every year in February we have some snowfall. Colin LOVES it! He wanted to play outside all day, but it was too darn cold! This was the first year that we bundled up Brennan and put him in the snow. He was NOT a happy camper! The rest of the pictures are on my smugmug.

No Posts...

2010-02-09T17:56:00.003-06:00

I have been lacking content lately.

Well, I guess that there is always stuff I *could* blog about. Most of which would either bore you to death or I feel is not appropriate for blogging...so, I just don't have anything to say right now.

Hopefully I'll be full of fun blogging stuff really soon.

15 Month Photos

2010-02-02T15:38:00.002-06:00

These are just a few of my favorites from Brennan's last session. The rest are on my smugmug, as well as some of Colin and the boys together.

OMG My Horrible Day...Continued.

2010-01-25T08:31:00.002-06:00

Wow is all I can say! Later Saturday afternoon I started feeling sick. I was nauseous. Really nauseous. It just kept getting worse and worse. It finally got to the point that I couldn't even stand to be up anymore, and I went into bed around 6:30. Miguel put the boys to sleep. I ran to the bathroom and vomited. I HATE that feeling. I don't know how anyone could make themselves do that on a regular basis. It is the most disgusting feeling ever. Miguel ran to the store to buy me some ginger ale and some medicine to make me feel better...but I ended up throwing up like 4 more times during the night. I was up ALL night long. I kept Miguel up all night long too. The diarrhea that went along with this was just horrid. On Sunday, I was still nauseated...all day long. I didn't throw up anymore, but I was very dizzy. Every time that I got up I thought that I was going to pass out. Then, Miguel wasn't feel so well. Colin was back to normal, thank God. I ended up calling in to work last night. There was no way that I could work if I couldn't even stand for more than a minute without feeling like I was going to drop.

So here we are Monday morning. I don't feel sick anymore, but I'm still not feeling quite right. The upside...I got on the scale this morning, and I lost a little over 5 pounds! yay! Though, if given the choice, I'd have kept the 5 pounds to not be sick.

My Horrible Day...Sickness

2010-01-23T14:18:00.000-06:00

So we got up this morning to go to church, and Colin started throwing up. He threw up like 4 times from 7:30 until 9:00. I felt sooo bad for him. Then, Brennan was in his high chair, and had a blowout of EXPLOSIVE diarrhea. It was EVERYWHERE. At that point I decided that we probably shouldn't got to church. The bad thing was that Miguel had already left for church, and I was warming the food for the lunch that I do every week...so i still had to drive the food to the house that the lunch was at...and this week it was in Burleson (about 1 hr 15 mins from our house). Yikes!

So, I was giving the boys a bath...since one was covered in vomit and the other in poop. I forgot that the food (chili) was warming and ended up burning it. Really really burning it. There was NO saving it. So, I packed up the boys, ran to the store, bought all new ingredients to make a quick new batch and hurried to the checkout line...where Colin puked all over the floor. Yuck. I felt terrible taking him into the store knowing he was sick, but I had to have food for the lunch!

We got back home, where Colin threw up a couple more times, and I made the chili. It definitely was NOT my best, but I did the best that I could with the time that I had. I had to have the chili in Burleson by 12:45. I packed up the boys again, and made the trek to Burleson. Colin threw up 3 more times on the way, and then FINALLY fell asleep. I dropped off the food, and turned around to go back home. I hit my hand on my seatbelt and broke one of my new pretty nails! UGH! Today was just not my day!

We finally got home, and I made Colin his 'sick bed'. Basically, it's a blanket on the floor covered with smaller blankets for him to lay on. When he throws up, I just remove a layer of blankets. He doesn't tell me with enough time to get him to the bathroom, so this works. He is currently watching tv.

A Day of Pampering

2010-01-22T20:16:00.000-06:00

This afternoon, my mom and I went to a day spa. Miguel purchased a gift for me LAST Valentine's Day that I never used, and decided that it was finally time! I got a pedicure, pink & white tips put on, and had my eyebrows waxed. Along with my new haircut, I feel great! Thank you Miguel!

New Haircut

2010-01-21T20:05:00.001-06:00

I got my hair cut today, and I must say that I absolutely LOVE it! I think this cut defines my face, and it's definitely the best cut I've ever had! It's what I wanted last time, but didn't quite get. My stylist is amazing. I just love her! Oh, and I enjoyed drinking a mimosa while being styled!

Haircuts & Pictures

2010-01-19T20:00:00.000-06:00

I took the boys for haircuts today. Surprisingly, Colin didn't cry at all, and Brennan cried the entire time. Usually, it's the other way around. After haircuts, I took the boys to have pictures made. I take the boys every 3 months for pictures until they are 2. Since having Brennan, I always have pictures of the boys together as well. It's a great memory that I'll have of them while they are small. Also, I always have Mother's Day pictures taken with me in them with the boy/boys.

Anyway, the pictures will be back next week, so as soon as I get them, I'll post them!

Brennan's 15 Month Appointment

2010-01-18T19:54:00.000-06:00

Today Brennan went to the pediatrician for his 15 month appointment. He is doing well. He got 3 shots...which, of course, he didn't like. He's a small little guy...weighing in at only 21 lbs. 2 oz. (10-25%) and 31 1/4 inches long (50-75%). The crazy thing is that he eats...all the time...and A LOT! I guess he's just gonna be small! He's still not walking. He stands and will take a couple of steps here and there. The doctor said that he HAS to be walking by his 18 month appointment. I'm not freaked out, b/c the same thing happened with Colin. Colin walked 1 week before he turned 18 months. I guess that I just have slow walkers...and that's ok by me! I brought up a concern that Brennan really doesn't say too many words yet...mama, papa, more, *tries* Colin, uh-oh. That's about it. Doctor said that's fine. He just on the slower side of 'normal'. He said that 3 words by 15 months is considered normal.

I'm taking Brennan for his 15 month portraits tomorrow, so I'll post them as soon as I get them back!