Mike, Veronica, and Sean

Grandpa Arturo Castro

2011-06-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

My grandfather passed away on Memorial day. He had been struggling to breathe because he had fibrosis in the lungs. He was on an oxygen machine for about a month. He was surrounded by loved ones in his last few moments. His services will be on Friday night and Saturday morning. The family is working together to get everything done. I don't think I need to say much more other than that he will be missed.

Golden anniversary

Arthur's HS Graduation

In my mom and dad's backyard

Claudia and Mike's College Graduation

At my cousin's wedding

More photos to come....

Hawkins-Castro Wedding

2010-09-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

So here are a few pics of my brother Arthur's wedding.

I made their cake and their bouquet and boutonnière. Thanks to Claudia and Randy for the help in making the bouquet and boutonnière! Thanks to the internet for all the great ideas too! Hee hee :)

The cake was covered in Marshmallow Fondant that my sis-in-law, Fawn pointed out to me (thanks so much, the substitutions for the cake mix also turned out great!). It was a white cake with a whipped chocolate ganache filling.

The cupcakes were made of chocolate and white cake, with buttercream frosting. They were all decorated differently but had the whole brown and green color scheme incorporated. I made an extra cake to try out after and it was delicious...yum.

Sean's 2nd Birthday

2010-08-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Here's the pics I promised...no need for explanation right?

It was a Cars theme party, Sean was very insistent on that, even with other choices given to him.

Thanks to everyone who came and to those who wished Sean well. We are grateful for such awesome family and friends! It was fun doing a mini-party for the boys, Evans family :)

p.s. Can someone tell me how to upload photos faster??!! I am so frustrated and don't have time to sit and wait for it to "load" to only have it say ERROR. Arrgh.

Sean Eighteen Months

2010-03-01T12:50:00.000-08:00

So Sean is past eighteen months, but I thought I would do a run down anyway. The photos are from the day after he turned 18months, he went to Nursery for the first time on this day. A plane caught his attention.

Weight: 25 lbs.

Height: 35 inches

Shoe Size: 5-6

Clothes: 24 months, 2t

Favorite Foods: Chicken nuggets, Pastas (with or without sauce), Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, PB and Jelly Sandwiches, Strawberries, Bananas, Oranges (sometimes), Grapes, baked potatoes, churros (from Disneyland), ice cream, black olives, quesadillas, yogurt, fish, rice, cereal, milk, apple juice, pizza, turkey wraps, cheese, french fries, it goes on and on...

Favorite Things: Remote control Train set, trains in general, planes, cars, helicopters, space shuttles, rockets,coloring, Fire and Trash Trucks, drawing, things that explode, music, playdoh, drums, Disneyland (especially the Trains) harmonica, phones, Dad's PDA, Jake the dog, playing with Jake the dog, animals, Nursery, his friends, cooking, helping with cleaning, singing, running, cutting things with scissors, his stuffed animals.

Favorite Songs: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Nap Time

Favorite Shows: Yo Gabba Gabba, Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, Wow Wow Wubbzy, The Upside Down Show, watching YouTube videos on trains, planes, rocket launches, and animals. Here's one of his favorite animal videos that he likes to laugh at: Baby Panda Sneezing

Words: Horse, Milk, Ven (Spanish for come), stop, go, wait, daddy, momma, doggy, puppy, duck, he makes various animal sounds instead of saying their name, cheese, Jake, shoes, socks, water, juice, cracker, and the word "tchee-tchee" which means an assorment of foods, pasta, train, train track, choo choo train, up, down, help, thank you and please (and he actually uses these correctly, most of the time without us reminding him to), nose, belly button (bun), feet, hurt, ow, phone, hi, hello, draw, red, blue, plane, fish, All Done!, Ooh, wow, heart, star, high, lift off, one two (he will count backwards also), vroom (car), trash, eww, boogie, Oh no!, Oh man!, chicken (chichen), play, slide, wee, stuck, outside, poo poo, pee pee and so forth. He knows other words in sign language too and some of these words he signs in sign language while saying the word.

It's hard to sum up a person by their likes, but it gives a little glimpse into his world. Sean is a little independent boy. He loves to do everything for himself if he can. He doesn't cry when we leave him in the Nursery, and is usually very happy and energetic. He is very easygoing, but can be stubborn at times. Sean is a very intelligent little boy. He is curious about things and sometimes it can get him into trouble. He tries very hard to communicate his needs through sign language or by speaking. He loves to be with people, but can also play by himself very well. He makes us laugh often, and reminds us that life does not have to be complicated when simple things are fun and exciting. We love you, Sean!

Some Old Photos...

2010-01-22T18:22:00.001-08:00

I found some photos of my sister and I when I was looking through a memory box. I'm not too sure of the ages...

Sean Killing a Strawberry

2010-01-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

Child labor is great ;) He made the mess, he should clean it up. I still ended up having to do it myself, but its fun to see him try. He is so serious about it, too.
He will be 18 months on the 23rd of January.

Looking Back: Sean's 1st B-day

2009-11-18T23:29:00.000-08:00

So much!

2009-10-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

So much has happened and I can't keep up! AAAhhh!

Well, first things first: tomorrow we go in to see Dr. Hurwitz and get an explanation of his ultrasound. We will then decide the next steps. I will let you all know what is going to happen, but apparently just from looking at his ultrasound while it was being done, you can tell his pelvic renal area is still quite enlarged. We are optimistic that the right choice will be made for Sean.

Okay, so since I am so behind, and I have had people tell me that they want to see photos, here is a rundown of all the activities and not so activties we have been up to:

Coleman's Birthday:
We were going to go for a hike in the mountains for our little friend's b-day, but the mountains were closed due to the fires we had. We decided to go to Bonelli Park instead and have a picnic lunch. The kids had fun running around, playing with Coleman's cars, and eating. The adults had fun having some normal adult interaction haha! Thanks for inviting us Coleman! You can read more about it on Michelle and Tyler's blog. They got such better photos of the kiddos at the park than we did. :)Janelle and Jonathan's Wedding:
We had fun and were so excited to go to their wedding. We got to see so many people we haven't seen in a while. Janelle looked very lovely in her dress. The cake was yummy, the food was delicious, and their reception was really beautiful! They had a great turnout. We are so happy for them! Congratulations to you both! You can read more about it on Matt and Heather's Blog .
September 23: Our last swim in the pool.
Sean loves the water, he just doesn't love cold water. So for that very reason, that was our last time in the pool, the pool's been cold ever since. So here is what Sean looks like after a cold swim...
San Dimas Western Days Festival:
We love our City, it feels like a small town with all the festivals, concerts, markets, parades, and celebrations! After watching Saturday Morning Conference Session, we attended the Festival. Sean loved petting the animals in the Petting Zoo, he held a rabbit but didn't know what to do with it, so it just sat in his lap. We walked around the merchant's market, watched a parade, saw a cowboy re-enactment, watched a Native American Pow-wow, ate tacos (yeah, I said tacos at a western days festival, haha), and had a good time. We didn't get to go to the Rodeo (yes, a full out Rodeo), because Mike had Priesthood Session with his buddies. Maybe next year...

Conference:
We kept our tradition of Crepe eating on Sunday as we watched Conference. They were great sessions and we felt enriched! Sean enjoyed eating syrup on his crepe as he watched the Prophet speak.

I will be posting the L.A. County Fair and Mickey's Trick or Treat Party in two separate posts, there's just too many photos that are fun.

Last and Final Ultrasound

2009-10-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Sean goes in for another ultrasound to check out his left Kidney. If it has improved, then we just keep monitoring it. If it hasn't improved, is the same, or has gotten worse, then surgery may be the next option. He had Hydronephrosis of the left Kidney, his ureter is dilated which is causing his renal pelvic area to stretch because the fluid doesn't drain properly. This can get worse and start making the kidney function go down. On the 29th we go in to talk about the results of this ultrasound with his Urologist, Dr. Hurwitz. Everybody out there please say a little prayer and keep your fingers crossed that good decisions are made and that things will go for the better.

Dirty Laundry Music

2009-10-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

I looked around the corner because it got "too" quiet. Sean was sitting in front of two drawstring laundry bags that are waiting to go to laundry. He was taking the two sets of strings in his hands and trying to put them in his ears. Since they are white, they look like the Ipod ear buds. I wonder what kind of music dirty laundry plays? I love my little Sean.

Boys, geesh!

2009-09-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

Sean was being a ham as usual when he decided to run down the hall laughing at himself. He lost his balance and slammed his head into the wall. He was quickly stopped by said wall and knocked onto his bum. He thought this was hilarious, which made me laugh even harder. (Yes, mom, he was okay.) He thinks its so funny, he decides to revisit the whole situation, four more times. We couldn't stop laughing and I had tears coming out my eyes. He will do anything for a laugh.

Strawberry Thief

2009-09-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

One day while I was getting ready to cook dinner, I opened the fridge to get all my food items out. Sean (as usual) thought it would be fun to climb into the fridge and check things out. When I turned around, he was stuffing his face with a strawberry and running away. Ever since then, Sean is my little strawberry thief. Almost every Wednesday I buy strawberries at the Farmer's Market down the street. I like to keep them on the bottom shelf of my fridge just because they fit nicely there in their little baskets (that is why Sean was able to take one). Now I have to wash a few and keep them in a bowl hulled and ready to eat just for Sean. Hulled because he will eat the hull too. I've heard the hull isn't bad for you, but I think it's yucky. Sean just loves his strawberries!

Tuesday Antics Came and Went

2009-09-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

So Tuesday came and went, twice. Whoops. I'll just write them as they come...
Sean and I went to a Baby Shower last Thursday night. We helped set-up and decorate, and we stayed for the party. Sean was up to his no good tricks. At least I was a little frustrated, and I even called poor Mike to say, "Please pick him up now!" Mike was going to pick him up anyway, but I got desperate when I saw it was ten after eight and Mike was not there yet. Here's a rundown of what happened not in order...
1. Sean decides to climb the stairs of the home and doesn't know how to get down.
2. Sean is thirsty, so after asking for water (I ran for his sippy cup), he steals his friend's cup of water and walks across the home spilling as he tries to drink from it.
3. Sean hits his friend over the head with a helicopter causing him to cry.
4. Sean steals his friend's marshmallow.
5. Sean throws a tantrum because he is taken away from the pretend play lawn motor.
6. Dad's here, YAY!
It may not sound like very much, but we were trying to set up for the baby shower in record time, and trying to have a nice party. He did other things I can't remember, and it was kind of a "you had to be there" moment. My friend Michelle was so nice to help me out. It was a fun experience!

Tuesday Antics

2009-09-01T16:50:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo of Sean from the first time he went swimming in June.

I officially dub Tuesdays as the day I will write about Sean's antics. He seems to get into a lot of trouble. I brought home four gallons of milk and a carton of 18 eggs from Costco. I hauled everything up the stairs all at once, Sean was already safely inside the apartment. Lets not talk about the trip to the apartment which meant Sean walked on his own while I tried to steer him in the right direction (holding four gallons of milk and eggs, mind you). So I get upstairs, put everything down, turn around to take my shoes off, and turn back around to see Sean tugging at the eggs. I caught the carton just as it started to tumble, but somehow Sean still managed to knock it out of my hands. Half a dozen cracked eggs on my carpet later, he decides to walk through them. I am thinking, "When will this horrible destruction end?" Mike walked through the door as I took Sean's shoes off and put the steam cleaner we bought not to long ago to work.

Blogging Blahs

2009-08-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

As you may have seen (or more like, not seen), I haven't posted in quite a while. Time is an issue, also, the fact that my now one year old does not let me have the computer to myself (making it hard to type). I also lost my camera- or should I say, Sean "put it away" for me, possibly in the trash can. So photos are lost, time can't be found, and I am left with this. I guess I can try and be better about it, seeing as how this used to be a favorite past time. So much has happened in these last few months. Sean is getting so big, and we have done so much. Hopefully my next blog will be a bit better in terms of photos and such...sorry.

Sean 8 Months

2009-04-01T23:39:00.001-07:00

Sean turned 8 months on the 23rd of March. He is crawling, eating puffed cereal like-foods, crackers, biter biscuits, zwieback toast, (along with his normal pureed foods), drinking juice out of a sippy cup or occasionally out of a straw, and likes to dip his toast in spinach dip. Sean laughs hardily, pulls himself up to a standing position (accomplished after a couple of days of crawling), and thoroughly enjoys the water. He understands the signs for: eat, drink, book, and milk. Sean is a handful, likes to cuddle, likes to explore, and is very friendly (a flirt, even). He is best friends with Jake the Beagle and likes to crawl on top of him and pull and pet his fur. He loves all dogs, period. Sean is not scared of loud noises thus far, and thinks its funny when something or someone falls, screams, yells, or claps. He has two sharp little teeth that he loves to use on everything and everyone. We love him and are grateful for such an awesome gift.

Sean Can Crawl

2009-03-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

Sean is now crawling. He started Sunday night at my parents house, so they got to see him start. Now he won't stay in one place. I think he is excited to be mobile, he doesn't have to rely on me anymore, which is kind of nice. Bad thing is, he doesn't stay in his room anymore, he crawls out. He thinks its so neat that he can go exploring. It is very cute to watch.

Happy Birthday Relief Society!

2009-03-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

Thursday we had our RS Birthday celebration. I volunteered (I don't know why I do, but I have fun in the end) to decorate a table and make a cake that went with the theme of my table. I went for a sea theme. Because the cake turned out so well, I think I will start offering to make cakes for others, to get some good practice. Here's the pics (they didn't turn out so well, especially the table photos, sorry).

Whoops! I Forgot About These...February Happenings

2009-03-09T23:18:00.000-07:00

For Valentine's Day we hung out with Matt and Heather and went to one of our favorite places to eat, Bravo Burgers.

Here are my Valentines. Mike and Sean.

Here are Heather and I, okay, whe was my Valentine Friend, too.

Here is Sean in his stroller, ready for running errands. He now looks out the window as we drive and laughs and babbles. He is 2 pounds away from a forward facing car seat!

On Saturday, February 28, Sean went in for a second ultrasound (after a VCUG and a Kidney Function Test). The Tech was really a nice guy, he even let Sean play with the cord. Sean was a little scared at first but later warmed up to the exam. He is such a trooper. Now we have to wait for the results...

Sean's first ride on our new bike trailer. He doesn't like the helmet too much, but he is slowly getting used to it. We walk him around in the trailer so he'll get used to the helmet.

Sean cried the whole first ride because of the helmet. Jake didn't fit in the trailer too well. Needless to say, it was an interesting first time. Jake won't be riding in the trailer again. Yes, that is Sean behind the dog.

Here is what I call an action shot (really, it's just blurry and out of focus), Mike does the hauling the first ride. It was a fun end to a Saturday (Sean will tell you different).

Whoa, I went Post Crazy, But I am Caught Up now, Whatever That Means!

2009-03-09T23:11:00.000-07:00

So I thought I was going to only do one post with all the pics that are in the following posts, but some stories were too good not to be told. Have fun reading!

Oh, the Stories We get from Visiting Costco...Frogurt Addiction

2009-03-09T22:56:00.000-07:00

Mike and I decided we would get lunch at Costco Saturday, since it would be fast and cheap and we needed to go anyway. Sean was fed before we went since his lunchtime was way before we would be able to eat. We ordered Pizza, drinks, and a frozen yogurt (we call it frogurt), so Mike and I could share it. As we walked to our seats, Sean took the spoons out of the Frogurt and waved them around, getting it everywhere. Mike took the spoons away and as he did, Sean stuck his hand into the Frogurt. A man at a nearby table just chuckled to himself at the sight of our struggles. It wasn't over yet, though. When we sat down to eat, Sean began demanding frozen yogurt, because we were eating it and he was determined to have some. I gave him a taste of it with a spoon. He yelled for more. I gave him more. He yelled again. So I got frustrated and stuck the cup near his face and let him suck on the yogurt cone-style. I have a Frogurt addict. Mike caught a pic of him yelling in agony for more, and sucking on my Frogurt. At least its non-fat.

Laser Hair Removal in Tijuana

2009-03-09T22:46:00.000-07:00

We (my mom, dad, sister, Sean, sometimes Mike, and I) went to Tijuana again for the third time. We are going just about every month so we can get Laser Hair Removal. Yea, I know, it sounds weird, but I am tired of shaving my sensitive skin. If you know me well enough, you know how sensitive it is, so much so that I am willing to do this. So far the hair is not growing back as much, and after 10 more treatments, I will be hair free. Sean is getting to be a good little traveler, and I am told he is a handful, and a character too (or so my parents say when they take turns watching him while I get lasered).

Here he is banging on the table as he waits "patiently" for his food at the food court in this nice outdoor mall we visit.

Here we are in the outdoor mall, it is always full of people. I have noticed that people tend to dress up more in Mexico, it's not as casual, flip-floppy as California.

Sean 7 Months

2009-03-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

Sean is now 7 months. He is trying to crawl, loves his books and being read too (especially the touch and feel, open the flap, and big eyes on a character, kind of books). Here comes trouble!

Frightening Flowers!

2009-03-09T22:35:00.000-07:00

Sean was introduced to flowers by Grandma Castro a couple of Sundays ago. When she stood him up next to the flowers, he let out a surprised yell, afraid of these interesting things he had never really paid attention to before. We had never heard him yell out like that before. Mike showed him the flowers a little later and after a few minutes, he was okay with the new discovery. There is Mike with a beard that he had for about a week until the Bishop reminded him that Young Men's leaders need to be clean shaven.

I Know There is No Such Thing as Pre-Nursery, but We Need It!

2009-03-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

Here is Sean with his friend in what we call "pre-Nursery." They sometimes play during primary while I fulfill my calling as secretary and his mom as chorister. It works out.

Sean: 6 Months Old

2009-02-17T00:40:00.000-08:00

How we love our little Sean. He is growing so fast. Enjoy.

Sean and His Fishbowl

2009-02-12T22:51:00.000-08:00

I know it has been a while since my last post...time sure gets away from me these days. Here is a picture of him looking into his fish bowl (his cousin Jake brought his over and Sean liked it so much that I went out and bought one for him). Sean looks into the bowl at the flashing lights. When I took this photo Sean was still learning to sit, but he has gotten better at it.

Baby's First Christmas

2008-12-19T01:40:00.000-08:00

Here is Sean's first encounter with Santa, (I told him to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas, but he just sat there dumbfounded A Christmas Story style). He didn't get shoved down a slide though.

Tagged

2008-12-19T01:23:00.000-08:00

Here is my fourth photo in my fourth folder...
I caught Jake sleeping on the couch when he was a puppy. That is his BoBo on top of his head, he likes to cuddle with his stuffed animals.

I tag: Luisa, Fawn, Tennille, and Cindy

2008-12-17T23:26:00.000-08:00

Here are the things we have done since the last time I posted:
We went to Utah for Thanksgiving...

I met some of Mike's family (The McLachlan's) for the first time...

We went ice skating (Mike, Sean, and I got there late- we were busy socializing with Fawn:) )...

We shopped at Rod Works while the boys played basketball...

We stayed in Mesquite on our way to and from Utah...

Had a blast!More pictures to come...

I'm Going Bald! Yipes!

2008-11-18T23:16:00.001-08:00

It started a couple of weeks ago. My hair has been falling out like crazy, what I would usually collect in a few days on my brush, I collect with one brushing. It is really gross. I say gross because it looks like a Guinea Pig is shackin' up in my trashcan. I dread washing my hair because it falls out just as bad. I wear my hair up so that it won't fall out all day long. I don't have any bald spots per say, but I can tell a difference when I run my fingers over my scalp. I am glad there is a wig store down the street. Just in case.
Oh, yeah, in case you're yelling at me to go see a doctor, this is supposed to be a "natural" thing that happens after you have a baby, good ol' hormones.

I get bored...

2008-11-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

I sit every night after Sean's gone to bed and stare at the TV or computer screen (as a little voice inthe back of my head screams for me to catch up on chores) and I think about how bored I am. I think, "Maybe I should paint, scrapbook, blog, take a bath, walk the dog--again, exercise, play video games, text a friend or relative, read my scriptures..." but still I sit and stare. I feel guilty not developing my talents, making the apartment spotless clean, or just going to bed and getting rest. I feel so bored, I have so many choices, yet I choose nothing. Why? How annoying I am to myself when I go through nights like these. Does anyone else go through this? What do you do? Don't get me wrong, its not every night, but it happens often. Yeah, I'm up this late, why go to bed when the baby will be up soon to eat again?

A Saturday with Friends

2008-11-08T21:18:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Griffith Park and visited Travel Town and the Los Angeles Zoo. We ate dinner at Roasty Toasty. It was a great day with Matt and Heather. Yay!

I was Up Late Doing This...

2008-11-05T23:47:00.001-08:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Thanks Kim for finding this, I had to make one for myself after I made one for Heather!

Embarrassing Moment at Costco of all Places

2008-11-05T21:18:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this with:

I had Sean in my arms, no Baby Bjorn (I thought it would be nice to carry him in since he was sleeping)
I was trying to be nice and help a lady out with a computer question
Sean woke up and was getting hungry
I was hungry (if you know me, you know that hunger and I don't get along)
It was going to be the beginning of a long evening without Mike around because he is working late
I am human, and humans make mistakes

Okay, quick version:

The lady in line before me was asking about Windows Microsoft Word
I tried to answer her question and she moved forward away from credit card machine to show me her package of software
I moved forward to pay for my stuff and ended up paying for her stuff (I thought she was all checked out)
I get cash back on top of it all
Checker hands me the other lady's credit card and my cash back
AAAAhhhh! What just happened?
Checker is annoyed
People are accumulating in line
Manager is called
Money is returned to me (all $153, please keep the 53 cents change because I just want to run outta here)
I walk away towards the food court
Ma'am, you forgot your ATM card (more embarrassment)
Buy a slice of pizza (at this point it feels like my back is on fire from all the evil stares I am getting from behind me)
Leave with pizza and baby
Realize I don't have what I originally came for (eggs)
Find my eggs, lose my sanity
Calmly walk out of Costco and hope the rest of the evening goes better

I think I will have to change my hair do and avoid that checker next time I go there, that is if they didn't get a photo of me and pin it up in their look out for this bozo customer board.
So, I challenge y'all to top that one. I feel rich walking around with $153 in my wallet.

My-o my, do I Procrastinate!

2008-11-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

I must confess...Sean is now 3 months and 3 weeks old and I still haven't finished those darn announcements. I know, I know, I am waaaaay late. But, whats that old saying- better late than never- right? I told Luisa I would call her to come and help me, but I just never did, I never had them ready enough to call her over. I just have a few things left to do, print out a layer of vellum, cut the vellum, assemble layers and photo, put in envelopes, address the envelopes (find the addresses), buy stamps, apply stamps, mail away. Wow, it seems a lot more than I thought. I guess I am just not a card making person like I thought I would be. Next time, I will take a photo, upload said photo, and pick a nice background from an online anouncement place (like some that I saw after the fact, geesh!). It will save my sanity. I guess I thought I would have more time, but it didn't work out that way. Look for it in your mailbox soon...(there, I wrote it out so now I HAVE to finish them!!).

HELP Me People Out in Blog Land!

2008-11-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

So I am sitting here reading other people's blogs and wondering why I haven't gone beyond the default template that this darn thing gives me. I would like to personalize this blog of ours (I say ours, but really, it is mine since Mike doesn't really blog...), but how do I do this? I feel so technophobic these days. I used to be a video editing guru* and now I can't even figure out how to make my background pretty. Am I out of the loop? Did I miss something? I feel like I am on MySpace all over again (speaking of which, I need to get back on that horse for the sake of keeping up with my side of the family). What advice can y'all give me? HELP!

*Self-proclaimed title used for exaggerating purposes only

I am Veronica Rueckert and I approve of this message.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-03T22:29:00.000-08:00

Because it was Sean's first Halloween for Sean, Mike and I decided to actually dress up. If you can't figure it out, Mike was Han Solo, Sean was Chewbacca, and I was Princess Leia. Enjoy the photos!

s

Finally! A New Post!

2008-11-03T21:46:00.000-08:00

Well, I am sorry to say that life has just not dealt me the right cards lately in order to be able to write a new post. I won't go into details as to what kept me from posting other than having moved and not having internet available. Some of the photos are older, I meant to put them up sooner but time escaped me. On to the good stuff...

Sean is 3 months and 2 weeks old now, he is doing very well!

Here is a photo of him when he was 2 months old...He was doing the Johnny Carson thing- Ay-o!

Here he is at 1 month sporting some cut footsie PJs.
Here we are ready to go on a walk with Jake. Its what we do in the mornings a few times out of the week, we all get some exercise and Sean gets to see the world or sleep. This is at our old apartments. We get to walk to Historic Old Town San Dimas now. Its nice!
Here we are at Disneyland, its something we weren't going to do for a while, but the opportunity presented itself thanks to our good friends Matt and Heather!

Another photo of him at 1 1/2 months...

Sean's Blessing

2008-09-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday was Sean's blessing. I was so glad to see everyone and happy to have family and friends together to see Sean get blessed. After the blessing, we had lunch at Clark and Kathy's home. Thanks to everyone for all the help and love!

Put on the Hazards

2008-09-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

Whoops! we should have bought new tires amidst having a baby, hurt dog, and such.

Lunch with Jake

2008-09-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

I went out to lunch with Marc, Luisa, Frank, and Barbara. Sean and Jake got to hang out together, as far as two babies can. It was nice spending time with them.

Labor Day Weekend Extravaganzaa

2008-09-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

So the plan was to go to the beach with Sean. Here's a photo tale of what actually happened...
The Honda had not been driven for almost six weeks, so the battery died (not the hybrid battery, but the regular, under the hood battery). This is the second time we jump the car. Going to the beach like this was not a good idea...So we went to an auto store. They said it would take a half an hour to test our battery. Off to McDonald's for lunch, it was the only restaurant around. Here's Ronald McDonald reminding you to pray that your lunch won't go straight to your thighs.
Mike ordered a Happy Meal, this planet thing was on the side of the box. Although we didn't get to go to the beach, we still had some fun fooling around at McDonald's and walking around with Sean.

The train has now left the station

2008-09-03T22:41:00.000-07:00

I am officially left alone with Sean. Boy, was I secretly horrified at the thought! I couldn't imagine life without Mike at home to help me with Sean. It's been two days since Mike has gone back to work now and, you know what, its not that life threatening. I'm alive, Sean's alive, the dog's alive. I guess I was getting freaked out over nothing. Life goes on. All aboard!

Pocahontas

2008-08-28T17:50:00.000-07:00

You Are Pocahantas!

Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

How strangely familiar...I dressed up like a Native American in high school once, and I like to sing that hokey song about the colors of the wind (Mike hates that song, he he). I am part Apache...

Ode to Sean

2008-08-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

We are so happy to have our son finally here. I think back to a few weeks ago, months even and remember how much I wanted to meet him. Heavenly Father blessed us with a beautiful baby boy. We loved him before we even knew he was coming. We waited six years to see him. We wanted everything to be just right for him. Now that he is here, we love just looking at him in wonder and awe. We can't believe that we have been entrusted with such a lovely spirit. We are truly thankful and happy to have him. We feel so blessed.
We love you Sean.

Billiards anyone?

2008-08-14T23:26:00.000-07:00

My parents finally got their pool table up and running. We have fun playing, (I got to play once, I am mommy the rest of the time). It makes my parents home the official cool hang out spot. They have a swimming pool, a pool table and a nice backyard with a great new barbeque. It is fun and relaxing, like a mini vacation! Here's a photo of Mike and my brother Arthur.

Poor Doggy Jake!

2008-08-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

Well, our poor pup now will be lopsided. We were walking him on Sunday, August 3 (our 6 year anniversary) because we wanted to get out since it is so hard to do so with Sean. We also thought about how it would be nice to walk the dog since he had been sort of ignored since we brought Sean home. Also, it was our anniversary and we wanted to break the newborn routine. We walked Jake around the neighborhood as usual. The corner before we got home, Jake decided to stick his head under a fence, before we could react, the dog that lived there bit a chunk of Jake's ear off. We didn't notice until we got home. We ended up going to the Emergency vet at 8:45pm that night and didn't get home until 10pm, $320 poorer. Wee, what a fun anniversary! Look at how sad he looks, but it sure doesn't stop him from getting into trouble!

2008-08-14T23:04:00.001-07:00

Uncle Roman and Aunt Val
Grandpa Art
Aunt Claudia

Great-Grandma Emma

This is a little late, but who cares! Here we are having breakfast with the grandparents, great grandparents, and grand uncle and aunt and aunt. Phew, what a mouthful! It is so nice to see different generations together like this. It was a Saturday morning and my parents and sister along with Mike, Sean, and I got together with my grandparents and aunt and uncle at Nick's restaurant. It was our first outing with Sean and you could totally tell we were new at this (bottle problems and all), but we had fun and enjoyed seeing family.

Meet Sean Michael...

2008-08-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hello, I am Sean Michael Rueckert. I weighed 8 pounds 15 3/4 ounces when I was born and measured 21 inches. I was born on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 9:31 am. I don't like to be swaddled, I smile often and can hold my head up!When I sleep, I sleep! I don't know who I look like the most, you decide. Well, apart from being about 3 weeks old now, there isn't much I do other than eat, sleep, and soil my diaper. I weigh over 10 pounds now! Jake the dog gets along with me pretty well. He leaves me alone but is interested in me. Whenever I cry he will sit next to me until someone comes to get me. I guess he is my babysitter. Everything is going pretty well! I hope I can meet you all soon, I have already met so many of you!

Delivery Day

2008-07-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

It looks like July 23rd will be the day I get induced. I went to the doctor (my doctor) and he said if it doesn't come on its own then Wednesday will be my break point. I sure hope he comes on his own! I was 80% effaced on Thursday (last week) so hopefully it is getting better. I went to NST today and had three contractions spaced about 5-10 minutes apart. "Early Labor" they said, but it could go away or just keep going the same way for a long time. I hope it keeps going this way...we will call you and let you all know when it is time. I am tired and still have lots to do, I really don't feel like doing anything except resting. Can you blame me?

Baby Update...Induce?

2008-07-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

What?! Induce me? Already?? I sure don't feel comfortable with early induction. I figure the baby will come when it is good and ready. I guess the doctors worry about me being a "high risk" pregnancy because of my diabetes. My sugar levels have been good, I am told, and the amount of insulin I take is not that high. I just don't feel like my body is ready for the birth yet. The doctor examined my cervix and said it was 50% effaced, I was only dilated about 1/2 a centimeter, the cervix was not dropped completely either, it was only half way down or "medium." He is going to have me see my ob/gyn (Dr. Henry) next week so we can determine if I am ready then. I go in on Thursday the 17th of July for that exam. I don't like getting poked. The baby doesn't like getting pushed around, he pushes back. Supposedly, just by feeling around my tummy, he is about 8-9 pounds, but that is hard to tell because he's just feeling from the outside. By the way, the doctor I saw today wasn't Dr. Henry, as usual. He was double booked and so because I needed to be seen, Dr. Grove was the lucky man. This all makes me frustrated because nobody wants to discuss anything because, "I'm not your doctor." Getting results form the June 16th ultrasound had to wait until today! Now I'm being told that I may have to be induced, but we aren't sure because "We don't know how Dr. Henry is handling this." AAARRRRGH! I am putting my foot down and doing what I think is right. The baby will come when it comes, unless they see it is distressed or too big, then I will consider getting induced.

Mom's Baby Shower

2008-07-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

Well, this is a little late and out of order, but that's okay. It's like scrap booking last years pics, you get to it when you can. My mom threw me a baby shower on June 28th. I had lots of fun seeing friends and family. I also got a lot of gifts. The food was good, we had a quite a few subs from Subway! Chips, macaroni and potato salads, fruit, and lemon cake, chocolate cake, and cheesecakes. The house looked really nice, and it was pleasant sitting by the pool since it was a hot day. My parents and sister decorated the place with balloons and they hung up some baby clothes I had received on a clothes line. It was really cute. The younger kids went swimming and had a blast. After eating and socializing, I opened presents. Everyone was very generous and kind. I received a lot of things from my registries. Cousin Christina made a scrapbook for me without photos so I could fill them in later on. My Aunt Val had made some nice party favors and she also made had us play the "No Crossing your Legs, Arms or Anything" game. We passed out prizes and favors at the end. All in all, I had a fun time! I will post photos later on...

Fourth of July

2008-07-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

This Fourth of July was really relaxing for us. Mike had a nice 4 day weekend. On Thursday, we dropped Jake off at PetSmart for Doggy Day Camp. He really loves it there! We then ran a few errands after eating breakfast. We watched Hancock. It was a good movie. After that, we picked Jake up and spent some time with him at home. We then decided it was time to go see the fireworks show that Bellflower hosts at Thompson Park. They do it on the 3rd of July every year. We were supposed to go to Old Navy first to pick up some flag tees, but as we were driving toward the park a parking space opened up in a little shopping area. We took advantage of the great spot and forewent the trip to Old Navy. We walked to the park. A bunch of teenagers were there for the carnival and lots of families were already set up at the baseball field for the fireworks. Mike and I found a nice spot amongst the crowd and laid out our blanket. We listened to a live classic rock cover band while we waited for the show to begin. They did a great job and lots of people were dancing and having a good time. The show began at 9 after the mayor said hello. It was a great show! I teared up as fireworks and patriotism often make me tear up. I know, I'm weird. After the show was over, Mike and I went to Target to finish up some shopping. We then headed for some more R&R. That was all on Thursday! Friday was the same, but we went to my parents to hang out in their pool. They got home in time for fireworks from the neighbors. Saturday was a big void of nothing. It was so nice to eat, sleep, eat some more, sleep again, watch TV, eat and sleep. We figured we wouldn't have many days like that after the baby. Sunday was church and dinner with my folks. My grandparents and uncle (dad's side) came over and I got to meet my grandmother's sister who lives in Mexico. She is 80 something years old. It was a very relaxing weekend and we were sad to see it end. We need to work to know relaxation though, so it's all for the better.

By Popular Request...Baby Update

2008-07-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hello...here it is in list format, because I like lists...

1. The baby is in the "correct" position, down and back.
2. My due date is July 23, not the 28th anymore. Add 5 days to however many weeks I am on counter.
3. I still haven't packed my hospital bags.
4. Not done with the nursery.
5. Crib is not put together.
6. No more working for me, I am offtrack and on a looooooooooong leave.
7. We still have to shop for a bassinet or something of the like.
8. Presents from baby showers have not been unpacked fully or organized.
9. I have one more baby shower left, (woot!) courtesy of the Young Women.
10. I have about 4-5 Non Stress Test (Fetal Monitoring) appointments left
11. I have 2 doctor's appointments left and hopefully they will let me know the results of the latest ultrasound I had in June! Geesh.
12. My ob/gyn is either on vacation or double booked, so I will only see him on the 21st. Then maybe on my delivery date if he is on call... Yay for Kaiser *sarcasm
13. We still haven't decided on a name or even narrowed it down to a few
14. Oh my gosh I get sooooo tired! I thought not working anymore would alleviate that.
15. It's a boy
16. Mike is tired too.
17. My tummy isn't happy, and I get stronger contractions. I am getting close!

Kevin & Bean

2008-06-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

So I really don't listen to these two in the morning anymore because they have gotten pretty bad lately. I happened to turn to KROQ the other day while I was cleaning my classroom (no kids present). I happened to catch the end of this podcast and it was quite funny. If you have time, take a listen and scroll all the way to the end where Mayor Villaraigosa speaks about reducing traffic, and then they interview him...

Literacy Fair

2008-06-26T16:07:00.001-07:00

Last Friday was our school's Literacy Fair. It's basically a fair where you visit different booths with your students and they get to play games that have to do with the theme and with Literacy. This year's theme was "College+Career=Successful Future" and so we had a bunch of college related things to do and also things to do with careers. I was in charge of the read aloud rooms. I had to decorate them in the theme of the book that was going to be read aloud. The books I chose were not related to the theme. One of the books I chose was Horton Hears a Who. I took a photo of the big banner that my aide and I worked on. We traced it from an overhead projector image to save time. It turned out pretty good and as you can see, it reaches from the top of the ceiling to the ground and then some. It was a nice banner.

Baby Shower at Work

2008-06-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

Today, my coworkers were so very kind and threw me a baby shower. It was very nice and I received a lot of gifts from them. Ms. Pleman made 2 cakes for me and Ms. Reyna made a cake for me too. They were all very scrumptious! Whoops, so I tried them all, who cares! So many people worked hard to put it together for me. Best of all, they were all there to say congrats and to also say goodbye. I am certainly going to miss them and it will be a happy/sad close to a chapter of my life. I don't know when I will go back, and at the same time, I hope I can spend as much time as possible with my son. I am really getting super excited!

Tagged

2008-06-18T22:36:00.000-07:00

Four things you may not know about me: 1. I am addicted to Sudoku 2. I watch Naruto with Mike (Japanese animation) 3. I can change the oil of my car 4. I like chickens (as pets silly) *I can't get over my fear of spiders *I am extremely hankering for chocolate but can't have any because of my diabetes Four places I go over and over again: Work, Home, Parent's home, bathroom Four people who email me: Home Again (for lost pets), Motherhood, LDS Gems, Food Network My four favorite foods: Pizza, hotdogs, Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing, Martinelli's (So yummy! Okay, I know it's a drink, but it is so good!) Four places that I'd rather be: The beach (namely Mazatlan), San Francisco, Jamaica, fast asleep (I mean the good, uninterrupted kind of sleep!) Four movies I watch over and over again: Recently? None. But I do have some I like to watch over and over, Conan the Barabarian (or Destroyer), Indiana Jones series, Alice in Wonderland, and I went through "The Notebook" phase...there's others, but too many to list.
*I tag Heather and Fawn

NST

2008-06-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

I am now going in to NST (Non-Stress Test) Department twice a week so they can monitor our baby. Even though it seems like a lot to do along with seeing the doctor every 3 weeks, it has actually been a blessing in disguise. I get to hear our son's heart beat and movements, I get an informal ultrasound each time, and the bonus is that I am really getting to know the nurses there . They are very kind and caring. Mike and I went in for a tour of the Labor and Delivery area today and I knew half of the people there. I felt very comfortable and at ease knowing that they would be taking care of me. I also made friends with the head nurse of the 5th floor where I will be recovering. She took a liking to me because her daughter and I had a lot in common, due dates and such. She was very nice and gave me lots of tips that she really shouldn't have because she isn't supposed to. We said goodbye at the end and she told me she hoped she would be working her shift when I deliver. I am really excited to have our baby and now I am more confident that things will go well.

Renal Pelvis and the Pee Pee Tube

2008-06-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I just went in for a routine check-up with my doc and he says that the ultrasound results were fine except for the fact that the baby still has a dilated renal pelvic area in his left kidney. In simpler terms, the tube coming out of his kidney (the part where it is attached to the kidney) is dilated and causing the kidney to have extra fluid because the pee pee won't come out properly. Our baby will now have to be monitored regularly and through ultrasound in order to see the progress or lack thereof. The worst that can happen is that the baby will have to go into surgery so they can fix it, if they can't fix it with a catheter placed stint to open the tube. So we shall see how things go. But that is the latest in that area.
Click on the pic for a better view...

Incompetence

2008-05-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or are there more and more incompetent people out there? It seems as if it isn't in their job description, then they don't do "that." Whatever happened to good people who just want to give their best? Or be helpful? Or point you in the right direction? What happened to good ol' fashioned elbow grease? I don't tell my students, "Sorry, I can't help you tie your shoe because it isn't in my contract." I just needed to vent because I keep running into incompetence everywhere I go...

The Nursery Dilemma

2008-05-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

I am still trying to figure out what I want the nursery to look like exactly. I know I would like natural primary and secondary colors, but the thing is I already bought a rug that has more vibrant tones. Well, I guess I could always save the rug and buy another? I don't know, I just keep seeing all of these cute things everywhere and can't decide or commit to one. I know that I would like to have this leaf canopy over the crib. I also know that animals and polka dots would be nice. I have been looking at the weird stuff Ikea offers and I like most of it, but I also like some of the other things I have seen online. Here is a link to some of the children rooms Ikea has created, I particularly like the polka dot wall room. Ikea Children Rooms

I knew it!

2008-05-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

There's a 44% Chance You've Been Abducted By Aliens

Maybe you've really been abducted by aliens... but probably not.

Let's face it. You're just a little weirder than most people.

What Are the Chances that You've Been Abducted by Aliens?

Happy Birthday, Buddy!

2008-05-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

Well, time sure flies! Our little puppy Jake is now a year old (yesterday). He has been a handful but we have lots of fun and laughs. He entertains us, keeps us company, and makes us happy when we have had a long stressful day. Doctors should prescribe pets as medicine because they sure keep the mood light and can lift your spirits when you're down. We love our doggy and look forward to many more years with him, even when he gets into trouble and we end up having a big mess to clean up. HaPpY BiRtHdAy!!!

Meet our Baby!

2008-05-07T19:11:00.001-07:00

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, (well not really- it just happened to fall on that day) Mike and I went to First Look Sonogram and got a 3D image of our son. We were so excited to see him and now we can't wait for him to be born. We love him so much and this just made it even more real! Who do you think he looks like? We can't tell because 1. Our baby pics are not currently available to us, 2. We're the parents and find it hard to tell anyway. So we'll leave it up to everyone else.

Starting the Nursery

2008-05-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

Mike and I have been working on getting non-nursery items and furniture out of what will be the nursery. He actually is the one doing most of the work. I get tired too easily and need to sit and rest. I don't know what I would do without him! He moved the computer desk out by himself and all I could do was help steer the furniture dolly. It's still not done, and the mess has only grown, but it'll start looking like a baby space in no time.

Pregnancy at 26 Weeks...

2008-04-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

Wee, here I am at 26 weeks. I go to Lamaze tomorrow and I have a Glucose Tolerance test to take this coming weekend. I feel him kicking or punching me all the time. Sometimes it's very rhythmic, which could be hiccups. All I know is that sometimes he takes me by surprise and kicks real hard, so hard that it makes me jump! I feel like I am getting bigger by the hour. I hope I don't get whale huge!

Camping at Joshua Tree

2008-04-20T21:42:00.000-07:00

We went on a camping trip to Joshua Tree this weekend with the Boy Scouts from our ward. We got to Cottonwood Springs on Friday night and set up camp. I made camp cake, that's what Mike calls it and we had bean stuff for a late dinner. I call it bean stuff because I took some homemade beans and added chorizo, ham, weenies, and chopped onion. It turned out pretty good. I think they are actually called "Frijoles Rancheros," but bean stuff is easier to say. We slept well- NOT! It wasn't too cold, but our air mattress would dis-inflate every hour. Being pregnant and sleeping on the hard desert floor is not fun. My hips ached and my back was sore. Mike would re-inflate the mattress every hour. Mike had cold face most of the night because it did get in the 50's. We woke up at a quarter to six and began our Saturday with scrambled eggs, bacon, and beans. The boy scouts ate Cup o' Noodles or instant oatmeal. We then packed up and drove to Jumbo Rocks where we spent the rest of the morning climbing boulders. I couldn't make it to the top of most peaks, but got pretty high up. The boys would get so high up that it made me nervous. We had a lot of fun.

Exercise or Torture...

2008-04-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday morning Mike and I bike down the San Gabriel River Biking Trail to the Long Beach Town Center. Our goal is to get good and conditioned so that a future beach trip won't be so hard on us. We bike about 6 miles there from our apartment and then the 6 or so back. We stop at the Town Center to grab a small bite to eat (it's usually breakfast time around then). We might also drop by Sports Chalet or the bookstore to browse around. It is a good little break. Today we rode to the Center and got there in 25 minutes. It takes about 10 or so in a car on the freeway. Needless to say, I felt pretty good. The way back was not so pleasant. We had to ride back slowly so as to not get my heart rate up to high and so I wouldn't overheat, considering it was pretty warm and sunny. So, although I like biking, I can feel how it is getting tougher the further along in my pregnancy I am. What a bummer.

Veronica is not as smart as Mike

2008-04-11T20:12:00.001-07:00

Your IQ Is 120

Your Logical Intelligence is Above Average

Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius

Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius

Your General Knowledge is Above Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

I beg to differ.

2008-04-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

What is this about? I am a great cook and sure, I'll sneak in cereal as a snack. But hey, I picked whole grain bread and was forced to pick a pancake topping. That is totally not fair. I like all the toppings, please and thank you.

You Are Cereal

Playful and lighthearted, breakfast is likely your favorite meal of the day.

(In fact, you're probably the type who sneaks cereal as a midnight snack.)

Your culinary skills are probably a bit lacking... and you are a sucker for junk food.

Some people accuse you of eating like a kid, but you prefer to think of yourself as low maintenance.

What Kind of Breakfast Are You?

2008-04-11T17:56:00.001-07:00

Your IQ Is 115

Your Logical Intelligence is Above Average

Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius

Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius

Your General Knowledge is Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Oh me, oh my! I need to get it together in the "general" area.

What a sucker...

2008-04-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little late considering we got this ultrasound when I was about 18 weeks, but here it is now. I don't know if you can tell, but he is sucking his thumb. He even lays down the same way Mike does; with his arm behind his head. Hmmm...interesting. I guess some behaviors aren't learned?

Hee Hee Hoo...

2008-04-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

So we went to Lamaze on Monday. We forgot to eat before we got there because we were busy coming home from work late and taking the dog for a walk. It was 9:30pm before we were able to eat dinner! We won't do that again. Our Lamaze instructor keeps us laughing. She's like a female version of Jack Black. It sure makes the time go by faster. We watched some funny videos about nutrition and birthing (eeeeek). It was pretty informative. We have homework to do, three times a day Mike has to say to me, "Contraction begins..." and I have to respond with a deep cleansing breath. I also have to find a "focal point." Meaning, something I can focus on when a contraction is taking place. A lady in the video had a photo of her cat. We all laughed at that. Fun times.

2008-03-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

bwa ha ha ha...we have a blog. What does blog mean? Anyway, I gave in and finally started one (After I sat and said these were pointless because you just sit and talk about yourself.) I guess I like keeping up with everyone and seeing pics of family and friends. Y'all come back now, you hear?