Eye of the Tiger

Today marked my first run with my daughter. Only thing is that all you people out there who make running with a stroller LOOK so easy...forgot to tell me that it really is NOT easy! At first I thought it was just the fact that I can be a bit um, shall we say "uncoordinated", but now I really just think running with a stroller is hard work! I swear I started singing 'Eye of the Tiger' on my way back just to pump myself up. You can see from the video that Vanessa clearly does not share my views about how difficult running with mom might be. If you listen closely, she'll tell you just how marvelous she thought our run was.

What a difference a day makes

Lot's of excitement around here over the weekend. To start we had oodles of playdates! We were lucky enough to have the Wells family come stay for awhile while they were in town for a wedding...lucky really to have Richie all to ourselves for a bit. Although Vanessa couldn't get enough of him (probably wanted too much for Rich's liking at times), she really liked when he left for the wedding and she got to play with all his toys solo! The fun continued with a visit from our friend Marina and then even more friends on Sunday as we finally got to meet Kay Tichy (of course mom forgot to take pics!). BUT the biggest news is that we finally **drum roll please** have a TOOTH!! A little bity piece of white, sharp as a nail, on the bottom popped out on Sunday morning. We think Vanessa must have had some great sleep on Saturday night because she woke up Sunday and started using a few of her signs that mom's been working on all by herself ("more", "milk", and "eat") and has a tooth. Wow...what a difference a day makes! Trying to get a shot of the tooth!

Easter! Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! The last pic is a little shot of Vanessa "helping" mommy with the laundry. The pants on the head is in honor of our friend Haley Larson!

Home Sweet Home

Ahhh is pretty much the word of the day EVERY day around here these days. Back from Orlando, we're getting settled in and 39 Timbira is really feeling like "home". Hence the .....Ahhhhhh. We had such a great time in Orlando and were so glad to be able to spend time with our family down there. I got to celebrate my birthday (22?) and have my very first VeggieTales party. Party hats and all! My nephew Joshua was also born on 3/20 so we decided to make it a joint event. Good thing he's a fan of Bob the Tomato! Vanessa loved all the company and couldn't get enough of her cousins! Vanessa is the big 1-0 today! 10 months old and this mom can barely keep up with her. We've mastered crawling and moved on to standing and are on the verge of the "cruising" stage. "Careful what you wish for" is what I keep reminding myself. I'm certain that no sooner will I see her take her first step and then she'll be sprinting down the driveway! We're waiting for Spring to not just come but to really and truly STAY! I'm getting ready to start training for this years Utica Boilermaker 15k Road Race and these OLD bones just can't hack a run in the cold!!

Where are the Blanco's

Where are the Blanco's????? Yes, our last post was WAY back on February 8th ...too long for some of you. Just can't get enough of us can you! Well we've been very busy but it's all been for the good! We finally have a new address...no wait...make that a new HOME! A home of our very own where we'll create all kinds of great family memories while miss Vanessa grows. We signed the closing documents, packed and moved all within a 12-hour period. Crazy. We're still getting a bit settled but it already feels like home. The timing couldn't have been better too especially since Vanessa is crawling and standing ALL THE TIME and was literally busting out the seams of our small apartment. With the size of our living room now, she can't decide which direction to go first. We also celebrated Vanessa turning 9 months! Wow...has it really been 9 months already?? She's still our little peanut weighing in at 16lbs 14oz and standing 27 1/2inches tall and has quite the linebacker appetite! We're off to Orlando to spend some bonding time with family --- Vanessa will finally get to meet her Tio Peter, Tia Marjorie and her cousins Samuel and Joshua!! Promise to post again when we're back! lot's of boxes!

Hablando con Tia Susy

Vanessa gatea por primera vez para hablar con Tia Susy. A little video for the Blanco side of the family. This was actually Vanessa's very first crawl....straight for the phone (foreshadowing for her teenage years???)

A small correction...

We'd like to make a small correction to our last posting. It appears we may have been mistaken when we stated that Vanessa is "almost" crawling. She was either teasing us or decided to prove us wrong. Take a peak at her new video ;-)

8 months big!

Wow....8 months already! Vanessa is at such a super fun age right now, laughing all the time (belly laughs!) and so interactive it's incredible to think just 8 months ago she was our little itty bitty 6lb peanut. Crawling? Almost! She crawls backwards and also does what look to be like cart-wheels around in circles to get to where she wants to be. Hey...gotta love her inventive style right?! Who wouldn't want to do cart-wheels all day long? We tried to take a photo of her holding her "8", but as you can see by the video below she preferred to shake it and crumble it up. ALSO... may we have another drum roll please.... the Blanco's are nearly home owners!! Hey, good things happen to those who wait, right? We're heading down the final stretch on our home purchase and hopefully if things keep going smoothly we'll be closing end of Feb or first week of March! So excited.

Proud to be an American!

Today was a very special day for the Blanco's (for all the Blanco's) as Juan took his Oath of Citizenship this morning and is now.....drum roll please.... a U.S. Citizen!! Yeahhhhh daddy!!!!! A big room with lots of people from different cultures (and lot's of different smells)finally getting to live the dream. Certainly a moment that one can't help but feel proud to be an American. Off to go sing a little Neil Diamond to my husband ("They're coming to America") ;-) Vanessa and I are very proud of our newest American!

Where is Vanessa.......?

No more fever and the congestion is getting better, I think Vanessa is feeling pretty good these last few days.....

Lord love the aspirator!

How's things with the Blanco's you ask?? Pretty great...except that Vanessa seems to have her first cold (we were hoping it was just teething, but we think otherwise). Fever of 101+ all day/night yesterday and oodles and oodles of snots and sneezing. We've fallen in love with our nasal aspirator (although I think at times Vanessa wishes we'd misplace it). Our poor little angel has been in good spirits most of the time, but you can tell for sure that she's not feeling well. Hmmm....could it be just coincidence that three days ago she had her first daycare/babysitting experience at the YMCA (I am leaning towards a big fat NO on that)??? Either way she was bound to have her first cold sooner or later, look on the bright side....she did fabulous at the YMCA and played so well her mom and dad wondered if she even knew we weren't around? Here's to hoping for a speedy recovery!!!

A few giggles for daddy

Since Daddy is away this week (in AZ for work) we thought we'd post a few giggles for him (and you) to enjoy. We miss you Daddy!

Rock on Gene Simmons

I wonder if KISS will still be touring when Vanessa is 18?? She's been working on her best Gene Simmons face...

Ms. Piano Man

"...sing us a song Ms. piano man...sing us a song tonight...." Rock star or Julliard scholar, we're not sure yet.

7 months and play dates

7 months....wooowhooo!!!! Vanessa is 7-months big today and couldn't be happier about it. These days all she wants to do is stand. And I do mean ALL she wants to do! She of course needs assistance, but just try to pull your hands away (I dare you) and she'll lunge for them. We're still babbling up a storm and have recently grown fond of talking on the phone (hmmm....is that an inherited trait?)

Also we had a few play dates recently which means we finally got to meet little Mr. Hehl...well worth the wait! So very cute to watch the two stare at each other and then start "talking"! Too bad we didn't film it, the adults got a kick out of the babble baby talk that's for sure. We've already made mommy Hehl promise to teach Vanessa how to ski.......we're working on future prom date too since Jake is added to the "pre-approved" list by dad.

our friend Marina

(born 2hrs before Vanessa - we met in the hospital!)

7 months!!

little Jake Hehl

Happy New Year!

2008 was such a blessed year for us! We are looking forward to the new year more than ever because it means many more "firsts" for Vanessa...don't worry, I'm sure we won't be shy with making sure we share every last one of them via this blog!

Hoping 2008 was good to you and wishing you many happy blessings in 2009!!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Is there anything better than celebrating a FIRST Christmas??!! We've had a couple of long days with lots of family and couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the holidays. If we were worried about Vanessa being in too much of a "shell" by being with mommy & daddy too much, well the last two days certainly broke the shell. Our little munchkin did very well flashing her gummy smile and babbling to anyone and everyone who'd pay attention. We can only imagine how much more fun the holidays will be as she gets older. Hoping everyone had a very merry Christmas!!

wrapping paper is fun!

playing with Aunt Toria's doll....hey, wait a minute that's a KEN doll. No boys till your 30!

Shhh....LISTEN!

...if you listen, you'll hear the sweetest words ever spoken ;-)

a week with Oma

Last week Vanessa (and us of course) got to spend a great week with Juan's mom, or "Oma" as referred to around here (Dutch for "grandma"). Vanessa was full of smiles and we think she made Oma fall in love with her the instant she showed her first gummy smile! We can't wait to see her again - we're hoping next time will be in Orlando so we can also finally meet Tio Peter, Tia Marjorie and of course Samuel and Joshua!!

Waiting for Oma to come

Lot's to be thankful for!

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! We personally have lots to be thankful for this year and loved having Vanessa spend time with the whole family. 6 months already - wow! You parents weren't kidding when you said it goes by fast...yesterday she was swaddled in her bassinet, today she's sitting like a big girl and lunging for toys, tomorrow....riding a bike???