Christiana In Training

I just think this is so cute! Christiana’s big sisters are training her to hold a doll already. Maybe I will show her how the iPhone works.

What You Can Do With An iPhone

I'm still amazed with the iPhone! All the things you can do with it when you download the right program, it's not only just a phone! For example, the photo above was edited using the iPhone (I call this image "Christiana My Little Apple") It's like having a photoshop right on your fingertips! For those of you who are interested, I downloaded this (free) app from the app store called Ezimba You can edit and transform your photos.

Homeschooling Begins At 3 Days Old

Gabriela was reading a book to Christiana this morning and she was paying attention as a three days old baby would. It's never too early to teach your children! Okay, all joking aside, we thought this is a cute picture!

Christiana Is Home

Christiana and Coby came home today after 48 hours in the hospital. We are all so happy and excited to have them at home. We gave Christiana a little tour of our home, she slept most of the tour, but she likes her new home!
We would like to thank everyone for your prayers during the pregnancy until now, but please still keep us in your prayers during this transition. We also would like to thank Robin Duke and family for watching the girls when we went to the hospital on Monday. Thank you also to Jennifer Rodriguez and family for watching the girls the day after Christiana was born.
Thank you also for all the emails and phone calls of congratulations you have sent to us. Lastly, thank you to Michael's parents (Christiana's grandparents) and Fr. Miguel Marie for visiting at the hospital. We are so grateful with all the kindness!

Praying Before Coming Home (We Think . . .)

I just wanted to share this picture with you before we pick up Christiana and Coby to come home. We like to think she is praying before she is coming home, we need your prayers that we will have a smooth transition with four girls. And thank you for all your prayers this far. God Bless!

SHE IS HERE, CHRISTIANA IS HERE!

Exactly twelve hours ago at 11:12 am, our baby was born! Thanks be to God! Both Coby and the baby are fine and they will be coming home on Wednesday.

Christiana Mary

January 12, 2009 at 11:12 am

8 lbs and 4 oz

20 1/2 inches long

We thank all of you for your prayers and for those who participated on selecting the names for our 4th baby girl. We chose the name Christiana Mary! We know this name was not part of the selection, but the name just fit her!

The delivery was really fast and Coby did very well. She started the contraction around 4 am and by 6 am it got really strong (this is what she told me, because she didn't even wake me up at 4 am) When I was getting ready to go to work, she said, "you are not going anywhere!"

The time line goes something like this:

4:00 am - Contraction started (although, she has been having contraction for the past 3 weeks)

6:00 am - Contraction got really strong (10 to 12 minutes apart)

7:30 am - Coby had breakfast

9:30 am - Doctors Office

10:00 am - Doctor checked her and she was 9+ cm dilated

10:20 am - Nurse wheeled her to the labor and delivery

11:12 am - Christiana was born

By 2:30 pm, I picked up the girls and brought them to the hospital to see their new sister and Mommy. They are so happy, joyfull and couldn't take their hands and eyes off their new baby sister!

Christiana with Abigail

Christiana with Rebecca

Christiana with Gabriela

In a short time, we will try to take better pictures of Christiana and also with her Mommy and Daddy.

Getting Ready . . .

Still no baby yet . . . I know I had mentioned on the earlier blog that the next time I blog would be about the new baby, but the baby is still not here and I cannot not blog this whole time. We are all getting ready for the baby to come, the room is ready, the tiny "cute" diapers are purchased, and the car seat is down from the attic.

In the pictures you can see, all the girls are getting ready, they are practicing to be like their Mommy carrying their baby dolls in the wrap. A moby-style wrap, which they made today.

Flashback to before 1999 - It's Alright To Be Different

Still no baby yet . . . but, I had forgotten about this little true story I had written in the Envoy magazine sometime in 1999 or even before 1999. A Full-Court Press is a true story that happened to me and my friends while playing basketball one day and through our examples we attracted a guy to play with us . . . well, you can read the rest of the story here: A Full-Court Press

We'll Be Back Soon

For those of you wondering why we have been quiet (no new blogs) since January 1. We have been quite busy. Michael is back to work yesterday, the girls are back to homeschool, and Coby and all of us are waiting for the new baby to come. Until now, still no baby yet! "This is just a waiting game now", as Coby's doctors called it. Hopefully the next time we blog, it will be about the new baby. So, keep checking back!

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Happy New Year, 2009, to you and your family on this great feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God!

from:

Coby + baby and Michael,

Gabriela, Rebecca and Abigail

All Eyes Are Still Fixed On The Baby Jesus

Our Parish has a beautiful Nativity set outside the Church and it always attracts little children including ours. Our girls never get tired of looking at the Baby Jesus. I think we should all learn from our children how to adore the Baby Jesus, in a simple and most loving way!

Christmas Octave with The Friars

We had a fun day with the Franciscan Friars bowling yesterday. Most of the Brothers and Priests were there and even my Mom bowled too. Father Miguel was the winner from our group. I guess he's still got it!

After that my parents and Fr. Miguel came over to our house for dinner and we opened our gifts. Thank you Papa and Mama for the Christmas gifts for all of us. The girls love their dresses (Abigail didn't want to be in this picture with her sisters). Thank you Fr. Miguel for the goody basket.

Father Miguel and I just had to do something silly for this picture.

Wishing You and Your Family the Joy of God's Miracles This Christmas!

From all of us in Alabama,
Michael and Coby + Baby,
Gabriela, Rebecca and Abigail

Gifts From Troy, Michigan

Merry Christmas to Tom, Barb, Amanda and Rob and thank you for all the gifts for us, especially for the girls. They love it! Your buckets must be full by now. Love the Merry Mochacino! Thank you and we miss y'all.

Thank You Albert & Ira for the "Warm" Gift

Merry Christmas to all in California! Thank you for the throw blanket, we need it more during this winter - freezing days!

Visit to Grandma and Grandpa

We went to visit grandma and grandpa on Tuesday to deliver their Christmas gift (they are sitting on it in the picture above). We also helped them plant their little trees in the front yard. The girls were a big help for Daddy, especially Abigail! She wanted to do everything Daddy was doing, from shovelling to pouring the dirt.

Therese and Her Family Paper Dolls

Rebecca received a great Christmas gift from her godparents, Monica and Marius; "Therese and Her Family Paper Dolls". They were busy the rest of the day cutting the paper dolls, dressing them up, lining them up and listening to the story of St. Therese and her family. You can check it out here if you'd like to purchase Therese and Her Family Paper Dolls
Thank you very much to Monica and Marius! This is more than paper dolls, a great gift and a great teaching tool!

First Confession for Gabriela

Today was a big day for Gabriela, she had her first confession. She chose to have her uncle, Fr. Miguel to hear her first confession. She also chose to do it now rather than later (sometime in March before her First Communion), because she wanted to give Jesus this gift for Christmas.

Afterward we let her choose to have lunch at a place where she wants to celebrate this big day, and she picked to have lunch at Chuck E Cheese. Thank you to Grandpa and Grandma for coming out to celebrate this big day with us and thank you to Fr. Miguel too.

Poinsettia and Abigail

A very nice combination!

God's Covenant

This beautiful rainbow was over our house a couple of weeks ago. Just a thought . . . with all the doom-and-gloom happening in this world, we know that God is not going to destroy the earth with the flood again.

(Genesis 9:12-17) 12 God added: "This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: 13 I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, 15 I will recall the covenant I have made between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings. 16 As the bow appears in the clouds, I will see it and recall the everlasting covenant that I have established between God and all living beings--all mortal creatures that are on earth." 17 God told Noah: "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all mortal creatures that are on earth."