Life changes

Finally...a moment to catch up on my thoughts. This will probably be brief, but I will come back for quick thoughts as often as possible. It feels so good to organize these precious little moments in my mind.

Samuel is now a month old! I can hardly believe it! He is so exquisitely beautiful. He has begun smiling and cooing when spoken to. His favorite thing to do is be snuggled (all the time!) Napping is not so much a favorite activity, but we are working on that.

Rose Marie is an AMAZING big sister. She loves Samuel so much and tells us that frequently. She lets me know when he is upset and tries her best to soothe and entertain him. She loves to give him a bath, which is very helpful to me, as I try to hold a squirmy, slippery newborn!

It feels incredible to have moved from being a family of three to a family of four! Somehow it feels like we are a "real" family now and I love it! We still have a lot of adjusting to do...or at least I do, but I am trying to take it a day at a time for now. I feel like I have accomplished so much when dishes are done and quality time has been given to both of my children. I am still working on how to get dinner on the table between nursing and the needs of my toddler, but hopefully that will gradually fall into place. As you all know, I am also trying to figure out when to blog or make phone calls where you won't here the cries of the baby or again, the needs of my toddler. My days are so full now, and I enjoy it and am trying everyday to just go with the flow.

I promise to post more, I would love to talk a bit about Samuel's birth, but this will have to do for now. I am hearing stirrings from the crib, so my time is about to be cut short. :) Here are a few pictures to enjoy. Thank you for reading!

Samuel Louis Meza

Here is a quick post with pictures until Jessica is well enough to put the great post she does online. Samuel was born the day before Thanksgiving at 12:50pm. He is healthy and all is well.

I have my girl and my boy!!!!

This was a long day for Samuel.

9lb. 1oz. 22in

It is amazing to look into a newborn's eyes!!

Mommy was exhausted, but did an amazing job bringing Samuel into the world!!

2nd Annual Pumpkin Patch Visit

I LOVE the fall! We move from lighter meals, to roasts, stews, casseroles and of course, baked goodies. Cotton sheets and bedding gets exchanged for cozy flannel and down comforters. Hooded sweatshirts...my favorite! And for us little Mezas, it means a trip to the pumpkin patch! We all had such a blast. Here are a few pictures from that beautiful day.

1) The big, "Jumpy House," as Rose called it. She played in here forever and laughed herself silly.

2) The pick of the patch!


3) The one she picked just for Mama, and the one she carried for the rest of the day.

4) No, it is not a pumpkin under my sweater!

5) At the end of the day! Next up...nap time! :)

All in a Day's Work

1. Retrieve what used to be pieces to Rose Marie's favorite puzzle from the washing machine. I don't know why I didn't look for puzzle pieces in the laundry basket initially...now I know.
2. Rescue Bud Bud from being "toilet trained," on a potty that still had pee in it! Talk about close call! Yuck! From now we "pretend" that we teach toilet training to Bud Bud, by using a little chair or a stool, not the real potty.
3. Go Jack Bauer on a spider, that Rose Marie insisted she was unable to shoot. (I didn't realize that we shoot bugs, but hey, whatever works I guess!)
4. Sift through the grocery cart at the check-out, trying to remember which things I put in the cart, and which things magically appeared there with the help of a certain two year old. Apparently, she is feeling drawn to Asian food, based on the sauces and spices I laid aside today.
5. Honing cat-like reflexes as I see, out of the corner of my eye, an egg being held above the head of said two year old, who is "baking" cinnamon bread and catching the egg just before it was about to meet certain demise all over the counter. As I gingerly take the egg from her hand, she says, "I can crack the egg myself." Right.
6. Receiving a long, wonderful little kiss from this two year old and hear her say, "Mama I love you very much."

Yeah...it is totally worth it!

A new discovery!

Guess what I discovered!!!

You can keep a toddler quiet for the duration of the grocery shopping trip by applying a small amount of lipgloss to her lips. She will keep her lips puckered the entire time!!!! She will only answer questions by nodding or shaking her head. People will comment on how quiet and well behaved she is while shopping, and I simply nod and smile my appreciation...secretly having an evil laugh within. :)

Feeling so small...

I think God gave us the vastness and power of the ocean, to remind each of us how small, and yet how very loved we are. There is something so beautiful about seeing your daughter sense this for the first time.

And then, there is the endless "sandbox" and thousands of seashells that must be collected!

Quality time with siblings, discussing the meaning of life, is essential to any beach trip! :) I love the conversations that I have with my siblings and now the spouses as well! It is such a blessing to see our little discussion circle continue to grow.

Just the three (well actually four) of us! This trip was so good for our little family. It is so nice to have so much time to relax, cuddle, laugh and talk.

"We are family..." I remember going on these trips when these two were actually shorter than me! How times have changed, but just like the seasons, those changes bring their own particular beauty.

I love beach romance! :)

The end of a beautiful day and a fantastic trip! I am sure that mothers the world over, look forward to the solid sleep that accompanies a full day of surf and sand!

Three Years Ago Today!!!

Three years ago and the smiles have not faded. Then it was a smile of joy, looking forward to the future and what it might have in store for us. Now it is a smile of complete happiness knowing exactly what our future has in store: a beautiful child - soon to be two children, a loving and caring wife, a friendship that words can never express, and busy days of living and planning for a bright future.

Many people said as we were getting married, "just wait until the honeymoon stage wears off." Scary thought then, yes, but today I feel as if we are moving in the opposite direction! Honeymoon stage? Those people got it wrong. For me, the Honeymoon stage was just the prelude to the beautiful symphony. Every time a new piece is introduced, the more exciting life gets. We have not hit the climax, but the beginning of the show is keeping me at the edge of my seat. I only have three years under my belt, but I can tell you that I think it is a mistake to wait for the honeymoon to end. Rather, why not try and make everyday and extension of that beautiful time in your life.

I know there will be ups and down, and not every day is perfect, but my wife has taught me many things. The most important of which is the title of this blog, "The Little Things!" This is something Jessica has emphasized since the day I met her (one of the many reason I fell in love with her). She said, "Jake, always remember the little things when life gets to busy. If we do that for each other on a daily basis, we will not fail." Those have been some of the best words of advice I ever have received. Day in and day out we work at the little things. Here is what is so ironic. Paying attention to the little things has allowed us to accomplish so many big things with so little effort!

These hands have been locked together ever since they could. I made a promise to never let go. That means, that no matter what comes our way, I will hold on to all that is dear to me. Sure, occasionally there is a small pair of hands that manage to slip their way in between. But my daughter Rose Marie has only enriched our friendship, not diminished. (There will be another pair in a few months who will also bless our marriage!!!)

Three years I have been holding the hands of my best friend. Three years I have been incredibly blest by God's love that shines through my wife and child. Three years, well, when you are having so much fun, time does fly.

So for all those newly married out there, when you hear sceptics say, "wait till the honeymoon is over," I say it is possible that they day may never come! Don't waste your time waiting. Instead, grab your spouse's hand, and walk forward to an incredibly happy future. All the while, remembering the little things! :)

To: My Little Princess who has made me so happy these past three years. Happy Anniversary!

Happy Feast Day!

On October 1, the Church celebrated the Feast Day of St. Therese. I have always had a special love and devotion to her. As a mother, I lean on the wisdom of St. Therese's Little Way, both for my own spirituality and for teaching my daughter about the faith.

This year, I was determined to try to keep this Feast Day in our own home. As it happened, Rose Marie woke up that morning with an awful cold, so I felt slightly discouraged. However, it turned out to be a blessing. She and I spent the good part of the morning setting up a special area in our home dedicated to St. Therese. Rose Marie poured her whole little being into making it special. We went to the store to find candles. When I asked her which color St. Therese would like, she carefully looked over the options and said, "Mama, St. Therese loves pink, she likes pink candles." So, pink it was! We went to chose three roses to give to St. Therese and of course, she chose pink again! The long and short of it was that, despite how sick she felt, she was determined to make the day special for Jesus' friend. In the midst of her efforts and preparations, she forgot about her cold. She filled the vase with water and arranged our three humble roses, she placed the candles next to St. Therese's picture and then stood back to admire her handiwork.

I realize that she does not understand the theology of St. Therese's Little Way, but I think her little heart knew it in a special way. She knows that Jesus is St. Therese's "best Friend," because she explained this fact to me several times throughout the day. The candles remained lit throughout the day and they would draw Rose Marie to the table, where she would gaze at the photo, make sure everything was in order, and she would quietly say, "St. Therese, pray for Rose Marie."

Yes, St. Therese, please pray for Rose Marie and for her Mommy.

Maybe we are doing something right.

While I was cooking dinner yesterday, Rose Marie was busy being "Mommy" to her baby doll. I was semi-aware of what she was doing while I was cooking. I knew that she was pretending to go grocery shopping, that they went to an imaginary park and that she was teaching her...something...although I am not sure what. But then she did something that halted me in the middle of my dinner preparations. She took dolly back to her bed, knelt down, helped dolly make the sign of the cross, asked her to thank Jesus for something and then proceeded to say the "Hail Mary" twice all the way through, and then tucked her "snug as bug," into bed. I was shocked! I am sure that Rose Marie and dolly's prayers warmed Our Lord's heart...(along with their mutual gratefulness for cookies) I know it meant the world to me. Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more!

Rainy Days

Today, is the kind of rainy day, that cups of hot chocolate, sweaters and socks, movies and cuddle time on the couch under a blanket, were made for. Based on the rather cloudy mood of a certain 2 year old in this house, who shall remain nameless, I think that those are the activities we will pursue for the rest of afternoon. It seems to me, that the above mentioned activities will cause the least amount of frustration and tears. Wish me luck!

7 Months!

Third trimester!! About 2 more months left to go! Hopefully we will get some more tummy shots for you soon. Thank you all for your prayers. The pregnancy is going so well! I feel better during this trimester than I did in the last. I am feeling more tired these days, but if that is all, I have no room for complaints. I do think this little person has a few surprises for us. He/she is far more active than Rose Marie was at this stage, so we may find ourselves more busy than we were with Rose Marie...but we shal see. :) Please keep the prayers coming! Pray especially for peace, mostly for me. I find myself feeling the need to prepare for the baby's coming rather frantically and I get stressed out by it, even though I still have lots of time. I need to slow down and enjoy this and be at peace.

Lack of words

I have been waiting to write this post, hoping that words would come to my mind to help me explain what I want to say. None have come. I suppose, there are those moments in life, that surpass expression with words. Meeting and talking to my husband's great-grandmother seems to be one of those moments for me.

How do you describe the feeling that a tiny, smiling 100 year old woman elicits as she walks into the room? What do you say when she gathers your husband to herself and sets him at her feet, touching him gently and asking him questions in only the way a great-grandmother could? What about that moment of understanding and seeming familiarity exchanged between your daughter of a mere two years of age as she chats happily to her great-great-grandmother? How do you describe the breathlessness that comes when she draws you to herself and she tells you that she is proud of you and that your husband, whom she has loved since he was a baby, is lucky to have you? What about the feeling of her hands on your tummy as she felt for her great-great grandchild? What do you say?

Tips for flying with a Toddler:

We just finished flying seven hours across the country with a 2 year old. I thought I might share a few pointers we learned along the way. First of all, our little one was FANTASTIC! She is quite the little traveler. Anyway, here a few things we tried that worked for us.

1) Lots of little snacks, but watch the sugar. We had fruit snacks and several different kinds of crackers in tiny packages that were a novelty.

2) Lots of water or milk...no juice! We watched one little 2 year old behind us have a complete meltdown after having several sippycups of some kind of juice. Trying to restrain a toddler on a sugar high is a pretty difficult task.

3) Bring your carseat on the plane! Jake was such a trooper with this. He brought it on each plane ride. Rose Marie just nestled right in and would usually fall asleep for the first hour or so on the plane. We didn't have to fight with her to stay in her seat, because she knows how the carseat works. I highly doubt we would have had such luck if she were in a regular airplane seat.

4) Disinfecting wipes! Airplane bathrooms, plus potty trained toddler...need I say more!

5) Let them have their own backpack. She took such ownership of her backpack and was always excited to carry it around the airports. I had packed it with new goodies that she hadn't seen before, so that added to the fun. :)

6) Travel size magnetic puzzles are AWESOME! And of course, crayons and new coloring books and little notepads (collected at Target's dollar spot!) were always a great way to make her feel productive.

7) Lastly, bring a sense of humor and adventure! They really pick up on your feelings, so be aware. Make sure you are having fun and laughing, and odds are they will too!

More Pictures!

1) Daddy showing how to move your legs, so that you can swing!

2) Doing it by herself!

3) "Working" on her new bed. She is practicing sewing.

4) More work.

5) My sister, brother and Rose Marie keeping my niece company.

6) Solving the problems of the world! :)

7) A Sunday morning picnic at Maymont.

8) The beach!!!

9) Us girls!

Pregnant Musings

To be given the gift of bearing a life within your womb, has to be one of God's most wonderful, humbling, tender and miraculous gifts! I feel so grateful that I am allowed to carry my babies in such an intimate way for nine months.

This pregnancy has certainly been different from my last. There has been more aches and pains, a longer bout with nausea and exhaustion that doesn't seem to go away.

However, this time around, there is a wonderful sense of familiarity that was missing from the first. The first time, I was so anxious about the future, about how I would handle being a mother, and mostly, I was terrified that somehow I wouldn't love the little one growing within me.

Now, I look at my beautiful daughter Rose Marie, who fills my days with songs, laughter and wonder and my heart thrills at what is to come! I may not know this little one, but I know that I will experience again, that ferocious love that wants nothing more that to love and protect the new life laying in your arms. I know that there will be moments of uncertainty, scary sicknesses, long nights, teething etc. But there will also be magical moments at 3:00 am that are only between myself and the baby. We will need one another like only a newborn and mother can. This little one will have the added benefit of having a big sister who is far more entertaining than mommy will probably ever be. My heart is so excited to meet this little one who responds to the voices of both his/her daddy and the squeals of the big sister. Already, the baby makes Rose laugh hysterically when she rests on my tummy and the baby kicks her to let her know that he/she is there.

This time around, I know that all of these movements I am feeling inside come from a little person, with his/her own personality, temperament, likes and dislikes and little quirks. I feel so privileged and honored to be the one to carry this little person and to be able to spend time to get to know, and more importantly to love, him/her.

I can't wait to meet you my baby! I long to hold you in my arms and kiss your sweet lips. For now, I will pay attention to your every move, hiccup and wiggle and dream about our future together. May God prepare all of our hearts for your very anticipated arrival!

What we have been up to

Here is a few of our latest happenings:

1) Today is Jake's 26th Birthday!!! (Rose Marie is going to Marmie's house for the weekend, so we can enjoy some time to ourselves before baby #2 comes along)

2) Rose Marie has made the switch from a crib to a big girl bed (thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Meza's generous gift!)

3) Rose Marie is now potty trained! She did it much faster than I anticipated, but I am grateful for that.

4) I am officially in my third trimester and feeling so much better! Thank you all for your prayers!!! Only about 10 weeks left to go!

We are back!

I promise, I am back for real now. I will not abandon you, dear blog, for this long again. So, here we are!

After the Silence...

Pictures!

I don't usually like to just fill my posts with pictures, but I know that recently I went through a phase where there were none at all. So I thought I might post some pictures of our recent summer "doings." Hopefully, I will have something semi-thoughtful to fill my posts with later. :) Hope you enjoy!

1) Cuddle time with Uncle Jacob, when he and Aunt Kate came for a wonderful visit!

2) Rose Marie and Uncle Jacob doing the "new" smile!

3) A birthday treat from Aunt Kate and Uncle Jacob...chocolate ice cream at Cold Stone!

4) Baking sweet treats together! This is one of my favorite activities to do with Rose Marie. It is so fun to watch her explore in the kitchen! Please note the aprons...they are a must according to Rose Marie.

5) Rose Marie's spicy swimsuit attire! She can't go to the pool without her sunglasses and hat! Thank you Aunt Maria and Uncle Corey for the awesome frog hat...now I need one so I can look as hot as she does.

6) Swimming together! I have one little person on my back and the other little one swimming in my tummy! Who could ask for more!

7) Pool Chicks!

The votes are in...

According to the poll, Rose Marie will have to get used to the idea of having a little brother! :) Thanks for playing everyone! We can't wait to see who is cooking in there! I guess we will know who wins in November...hopefully in time for Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday Rose Marie!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter who is officially 2 years old today! I can't believe so much time has already come and gone. You bring so much joy into my life. You are my little companion, my tiny friend. I love our days together and our evenings as we snuggle you down to bed. Thank you for being the wonderful, amazing little girl you are. I love you Rose Marie! Happy Birthday!