Hello Michaela!

Ready or not, here she is! Michaela Rosa Flores was born happy and healthy, albeit a few weeks early, last week on June 22nd at 6:37 pm. She weighed in at 7 lbs 8 oz and is 20 inches. After a bit of a scramble to get mumma to the hospital, daddy back from NYC, Colin picked up from day care and Trish and Dad Seymour to the hospital to be with Roberta in the interim, we had the best possible outcome ...our wonderful baby girl.

Michaela sleeps ...a lot! We figure that she's probably resting up for many, many sleepless nights around the 1 month mark. When she is awake, her eyes are bright and she takes it all in.

Colin adores his little sister. (Pronouncing the name Ma-Ka-Ka) He gives big hugs and kisses and is always on the watch for her eyes to be open so he can put his face right up to hers.

Saying Good Bye to Madison

Earlier today I was rereading my posting from about 2 years ago. The sadness and trepidation with which I initially set out to Madison after 6 months home with Colin is now nearly rivaled by the sadness with which we return home. After 2 years in Wisconsin, Colin and I can claim not only a very successful project delivery but good new friends and many, many wonderful memories.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Baby Flores #2 !!!

We're excited to share that Colin will soon have a baby sister! We are absolutely thrilled and can't wait to welcome her in July.

In the meantime, Colin was his usual clowning-around self trying on the pregnancy pillow while I tried on maternity clothes.

Snowtime in Madison

We all went out to enjoy what was hopefully the last real snowfall in Madison. Colin loves his bu no-neut (aka blue snow suit in Colin-speak)

Halloween

Have I really not posted anything since July? Shameful. I have no excuse only explaination - work has been really, really, really consuming.

I will start with Halloween and catch up later. We had a fun Halloween with Colin this year. Once again we were in Madison and went to the mall's indoor trick-or-treating. It's safe and warm. Mostly Colin liked to run (true to costume) and watch the older kids. Most stores gave out tootsie rolls and other hard candy, but some had stickers and Colin was just excited to play the "please put something in my bucket" game. We're in an apartment now (not the hotel anymore - more on that another time) so I was excited to have kids come to the door later, but no one came :(

Off to Daycare

We've all been enjoying our time in Massachusetts (imagine! a whole week at home!). We had a good 4th of July with family on the South Shore, complete with lobstah :) Colin wasn't quite able to stay awake for the fireworks but maybe next year.

Juan and I always struggle with care for Colin while we're home. Generally it's a combination of taking time off from work, tag-teaming in between meetings and help from grammie Carla. This week we decided to try day care for Colin for 2 days. our company offers a backup care plan which does all the work for us to find and schedule at a facility and we only pay a small co-pay. Despite mommy's initial misgivings, Colin seemed to really enjoy his time there - sooooo many new toys and people and things to explore. The only quasi-difficult time seemed to be nap time where the toddlers are on mats already, not cribs.

Ready to go to day care - complete with sack lunch