Lugo Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone. A part of me is a little sad, but at the same time I am happy to get out of the Christmas rush. I always feel like things slow down a bit after Christmas, and it's a nice breath of fresh air.

This year was Kylie's first Christmas. She had a blast opening presents. Of course, she was more interested in the wrapping paper than anything else. In fact, she ate some of it. Oops! Her favorite gift so far is a Winnie the Pooh toy that lights up and spins around. She gets so excited when we turn it on.

Christmas with Katelyn was so exciting this year. She really got the hang of the Santa thing this year. She was so excited when she saw that Santa brought her a big red wagon. But her favorite toy so far is a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse race track. It has kept her busy for most of the day.

I have to say, one of the things I enjoyed most about this Christmas was that we could not afford to get gifts for ourselves and others like we had in the past. It helped us to really appreciate what we have and what we got. Watching my girls enjoy their gifts was the best gift I could have ever gotten.

Katelyn's First Trip to the ER

Last night we had a little scare in the Lugo household. We had just finished eating dinner and Katelyn went in to play the piano. The next thing we hear is a thud followed by silence. Then as Charlie and I went in to see what happened, she started screaming. We thought she just hit her head and was being a little dramatic. Then I saw the blood on her shirt. Charlie looked at the back of her head and she had split her head open. She had fallen off the piano bench and hit her head on the window sill. He started cleaning her up and we got ready to go to the hospital. As we were strapping the girls into the car, Katelyn started throwing up pretty badly and acting really strange. Charlie told me to call 911. We both ended up trying to call and couldn't get through, so since we were already in the car, we drove her to the hospital.

She was a little dazed in the car, but was doing ok. I talked to her the whole way there to keep her from falling asleep. We finally got there and got back into the room. She ended up having to get 4 staples in the back of her head. She got a CT scan done, and we'll hopefully get the results of that back tomorrow. The dr. thinks she suffered a mild concussion.

She's doing much better today. She's not acting quite herself, but she's playing and running around. It was a pretty scary night for all of us.

Busy, Busy

I just want to write a quick update. It's been a while since I've posted anything. I am now back at work. It was very difficult the first week or so, but now we're getting into a routine. I miss the girls so much while I'm gone. I'm glad Thanksgiving is coming up so I'll have a few extra days off to be with them.

Katelyn is still in gymnastics. She's doing very well. She has a little bit of trouble listening, which has caused her to get hurt (minor) a few times, but she's sticking it out and loves it.

Kylie is sitting up now, but still falls over once in a while. She loves to play on the floor with her toys. She's getting so big. She's 6 months old today! I can't believe it.

I'll try to give more detailed updates later. Going back to work has kept me very busy.

Trip to the Farm

On Thursday Katelyn, Kylie, and I met up with some friends at a farm. They all had a blast. Katelyn is obsessed with farm animals, but much to my surprise she was very reluctant to touch any of them. She did milk a cow, though! She would not hold any of the ducks or chicks. She didn't even want to touch the pigs, which is her favorite animal. She loved the hayride and train ride. And before we left we got to pick out a pumpkin. So it was a great day at the farm.

New Pics of Our Girls

Here are some recent pictures of Katelyn and Kylie. The last pic is of Kylie's first time eating solids.

One of those days...

Today has been one of those days that I was warned about when people found out I was pregnant with Kylie - having 2 children is not easy. On one side of me I have 4 month old Kylie crying because she's tired, and on the other side is 2.5 year old Katelyn crying because she's tired. This was at 11:00 am. I finally just stuck Kylie in her crib to cry-it-out for a while, and I put Katelyn in her room because I was really about to lose my patience. After about 10-15 minutes of putting the pacifier back in Kylie's mouth, she was asleep and quiet. Around that same time frame Katelyn calmed down, too. So, that situation just goes to show that putting them somewhere safe while you take some time to calm down really helps. I felt much better after a 10 minute break.

Big Day

Yesterday was a big day in the Lugo household. Katelyn had her first day of gymnastics. She did great! She clung to me at first and was very shy. She didn't quite understand what her teacher wanted her to do. But I stood by her side and helped her. About halfway through the class she warmed up to what was going on and got right into it. I think she'll do even better next Wednesday since she knows what's going on.

Kylie had a busy day, too. My baby girl got her pretty little ears pierced. She was mad at first, but now she doesn't even fuss a bit about it. Unfortunately, she had to get some shots, too. But she was a trooper. She had her check-up and weighs 13 lbs, 10 oz (50th percentile). She's 26 inches long (95th percentile). So I have a tall baby. Other than her piercing and shots, she did very well.

I'm so proud of my babies!

My Sister, Coryn

My sister, Coryn, called me today to give me her "official" news that she is moving to California. She said the only thing that will keep her from going is not being able to negotiate her salary. I am so sad. We have not always gotten along, but for the most part she's always been close by. I hate thinking about her leaving and not knowing if we'll ever live near each other again. It just doesn't seem real yet, but I am still so sad.

Coryn is such an awesome person. She is a hard worker and good at what she does. California will be lucky to have her. I hope this is a good opportunity for her to follow her dreams and find the career she really loves. I support her 100%.

Katelyn and Kylie Milestones

My girls have hit a few milestones in the last few weeks. Katelyn is now officially not taking a nap anymore. We still make her have quiet time in her room, and she loves that. Occasionally she'll fall asleep playing on the floor. It's so cute!

Kylie has learned to scoot (on her back). She digs her little heals into the floor and pushes off. I'll put her down in one place and position, and two seconds later I'll turn around and she'll be facing a different direction or have scooted like 3 feet away from her original location. I've got a mover on my hands.

We attempted to put Kylie in her crib the last few nights. I wasn't ready and couldn't sleep. The monitor was too loud and I felt an anxiety in me that I just couldn't shake. So Kylie is still in our room. She sleeps better in her bassinet, so I plan to keep her there now until she outgrows it. Then we'll move her to her room. Hopefully, I'm not setting myself up for bad sleeping habits. Katelyn is such a good night sleeper, it would be a shame if this prevents Kylie from being the same.

4th of July by James Patterson

I love when I'm reading a book that is so good I can't put it down. It's even better than getting into a good movie. I just finished reading 4th of July by James Patterson. It is part of the Women's Murder Club series. I am actually very sad to be done with it. I get down to the last few pages and wish that the book would magically accumulate more pages. Even though it won't, I at least have the next book in the series. I hope it's just as good.

I just love a good read!

Eating Turkey

Tonight, my husband and I witnessed a miracle. Katelyn ate turkey - real turkey. We asked her to please try it, and she ate every bit of what was on her plate. Then she asked for more and ate all of that! I almost cried, I was so happy that she ate something other than macaroni and cheese, cheese sandwich, fries, or nuggets. Now if only we could get her to eat other things too...

Friends

I am the type of person who doesn't need a lot of friends but needs to know that people are there as friends. I have betrayed some friends in the past, and I am not proud of that. I'm just glad I was able to revive my friendships with them, and now we all have babies who are very close in age, within a month of each other.

Even though I am so glad that I have their friendship again, I am sad that I have lost others. I don't know what it is. Do I try too hard? Am I not outgoing enough? If I knew how to make myself more likable I would. Even people whom I feel like I could be very close to don't seem to give me the time of day. There's always another person out there they consider a better friend. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I wish so badly I could be the one friend to someone that they always come to and can count on. I want to be the first in someone's life. Maybe one day...but for now I still have my husband and my family. And for that I am thankful.

Working Mom

I spent the day today working in my classroom trying to get the room ready for the new school year. Even though I'm not going back to work until October and will have a temporary teacher in my place, I still had a small glimpse into my life as a working mom of two. I missed my babies. I was distracted working, but my heart ached to see my girls. I wondered the whole time how they were doing and what they were doing. All I have to say is thank goodness I still have 2 1/2 more months with them.

Kylie Slept Through the Night

Last night my sweet little 2 month old slept through the night. It was glorious! She slept from 10:00 until 7:15 this morning. She barely woke up to eat at 7:15, and fell back to sleep. It is now almost 9:30, and she's still sound asleep. I hope I didn't just jinx myself and that this a pattern that will continue from now on. Of course Katelyn was wide awake and ready to play at 7:00, so I had to be up. But I got to sleep almost an entire night through. Yea!

Kylie Laughed Today

Kylie laughed for the first time today. It was like music to my ears. To me there is no better sound than hearing a baby laugh.

Two Kids = No Life

It's really sad when the highlight of your day, or even week, is taking your kids to lunch with you to meet up with friends. Don't get me wrong, we had a great time, and I love meeting up with Jessica and her new baby Keira. I was just thinking how this would have been a small and minor outing pre-baby. Now, it's a big deal. I guess it helps me to appreciate the little things in life.

No Nap?

I have a feeling I'm going to have to face the reality that Katelyn doesn't need a nap anymore. I'm hoping this is just a phase, but the past 2 days she has not slept during naptime. I need naptime! All I have to say is Katelyn better be content playing in her room alone for 2 hours because whether she takes a nap or not, she's going in that room!

The Rest of My Family

I just want to take some time right now to share about the rest of my family - the family I knew before Charlie. What can I say? My mom and dad have been so great to me. They have always been so supportive of my every want and need. No matter how much trouble I caused (which wasn't much), they still stood by me. They would go out of their way to meet the needs of my picky eating...cutting up my meat, driving to two different fast food restaurants because I would only eat McDonald's fries. When I didn't understand a project, Dad would go out of his way to help build it, sometimes even doing it for me! Mom put up with so much with me. She took me to the doctor for just about everything out there, just in case something really was wrong with me. And when I really did have a problem, they did not leave my side; even now as an adult. These are just a few examples of the things my wonderful parents did for me. Thanks so much for all that you have done and continue to do for me. I love you!

My parents weren't the only ones to take care of me. My sister and best friend, April, did more for me than I will ever really know. Being 10 years older, she had the ability to do things with and for me that most siblings could not do. She would give me baths growing up, feed me dinner, and even let me sneak into her bed every night for what seemed like an entire year when I couldn't sleep. Even though we didn't live in the same state for 8 years, our relationship never fell apart. In fact, I think it got stronger. She has always been my life line. I could always count on her for anything, even if it was just to talk and vent or get mommy advice. April, you mean the world to me. I love you!

And last but not least, I can't forget Coryn, my baby sister. Coryn and I were not always the best of friends. We were very typical siblings who were always out to get each other. But I don't think our relationship would be what it is today without those moments. We've learned and grew from our experiences as kids. Looking back I see how special our good times were. We had each other on vacations and when we were lonely at home looking for a friend to play with. But I have to say holidays were probably some of my favorite memories with Coryn. I will always remember Christmas of '88. Thinking back to those moments helps to strenghten our relationship now and I believe we have grown to be best friends. I am so proud of Coryn for all that she has become. I'm so glad I get to be the big sister to her and be there for her. I know she's always here for me as well. Thank you Coryn, for being you. I love you!

I feel that I should mention two other very important people in my life, my nephews, Jack (8) and Jamie (5). These little guys have taught me how to be a parent. I was so lucky to be able to spend so much time with them as they grow. I loved taking them to theme parks and just being Aunt Erin. I would do anything for them. I love them as if they were my own children, and sometimes I have to remind myself that they're not. If I could keep them forever I would. Jack and Jamie, I love you so much!

I feel so lucky to be able to say that I have two parents who will drop everything for me, two sisters who I can say are my best and closest friends, and two nephews who have taught me about patience and parenting. Now I'm married with two wonderful babies. What more can anyone ask for?

My family

As with most people, my family is the most important thing in the world to me. So, I thought this blog would be an good way to keep everyone updated on all the events going on with my family.

My name is Erin, and I am the wife of Charles and mother to Katelyn (2 years) and Kylie (2 months). When I'm not doing the mom thing or wife thing, I am likely working. I am a second grade teacher at a low income school. I love my job; however, I wish that I could be home full-time with my girls. In my "spare" time I love to read, scrapbook, and chat on my mommy message board.

Charles, AKA, Charlie and I have been married for almost 6 years this October. He is a busy man, but always finds time to spend with his family. He is a firefighter/paramedic, owns his own lawn service, and is in the Army National Guard part-time. He is our own personal hero. Katelyn and Kylie mean the world to him as does he to them. In his spare time he used to work on restoring his first car, a '64 Ford Falcon, but with his many jobs, he had to sell the cars. Now, he just finds things around the house that need fixing.

Katelyn, the oldest of the Lugo girls, is two years old. She'll be 3 at the end of February. Katelyn has grown so much, it's unbelievable. She absolutely loves to sing and will even make up words to songs - just to keep things interesting. Her favorite thing to do is play with Little People and Disney figurines. Her favorite character is Mickey Mouse. She also loves the Disney princesses. She's a great big sister and is always looking for opportunities to help with Kylie; even when the help is not needed. We are currently working on potty training her. She's doing very well, but we do have our bad days. I think she enjoys having the attention she gets when she does well with it, so she tries hard. Katelyn is my first born and will always have a very special place in my heart.

Kylie, the baby, will be 2 months old on July 23. She is such an angel. I call her my peaceful baby; although, she does have her moments of fussiness. She is a great eater and loves to have snuggle time. She has bonded well with all of us so far. Her pacifier is currently her favorite possession. It's truly a blessing to have her in my life.

That's my family in a nut-shell. I'll update as often as I can.

Blogging...

Ok, so we all know I am very new at this. And I have a hard time writing about everyday life. Will anyone care? Then I stop and think about it, and it really doesn't matter. This is a way for me to look back and see how my life has gone from one place to another. I have a terrible memory as it is, so blogging will help me remember the important, or not-so-important, parts of my life.

Right now, I want to thank the ladies at Momdot for all your help and support through my amateur blogging. As soon as I learn how, I will help to advertise for you all, too. LOL

First Blog Ever!

I've been introduced to blogging through a group of really great friends. They swear it's therapeutic and addicting. I love to keep up with journals and to share about my family's everyday life, so I guess this is the place to do it. Wish me luck!