He's ONE!

One year ago today, Sal and I began a new relationship, getting to know the most important person in our lives, Isaac Paul Zepeda. Yesterday was filled with remembering how I felt before we headed to the hospital...the anticipation of getting to meet our son. To think it's already been a whole year amazes me. People told me this year would fly by and I thought naaa no way, but it has done just that. Isaac's personality is blooming, he doesn't just sit there any more, he is completely active, total boy - sounds, actions, everything BOY! Look at that face! 100% BOY!

I remember being terrified when I found out we were having a boy...what was I going to do with a boy?? Now I can't imagine my life with a girl! In fact I have come the conclusion that I may just be cut out to be a "boys mom"....but don't hold me to it, I would be thrilled if our next one is girl!


We will no longer see today as New Year's Eve, it will be forever Isaac's birthday! How exciting, he will always have the day off from school, there will be fireworks at the end of his day...wow! I bought him a birthday shirt today, I will post a picture of him in it later. It simply states "I'M ONE." and it is perfect!

Happy Birthday Isaac. We love you so much and are so proud of you. You have brought a level of joy in our home we have never experienced. You are our sunrise and sunset, we absolutely adore you and look forward to the adventures that lie ahead of us throughout your many many years!

Christmas in Austin

We tried to go to the trail of lights....try is the key word. It took us over 30 minutes to park, 15 minutes in line to get on a bus and an hour on the metro. Needless to say we never got off the bus, but we saw the trail of lights from the bus window! Maybe next year!

Isaac and Sal waiting in line to get to the bus!

We celebrated Christmas early in Austin this year. Isaac wasn't sure what to do about the presents, he looked at us like he would get in trouble if he tore anymore paper! The most he did was take the bows of the presents and put them on different packages! Too Cute! We also discovered that Sal has an eye for photos...who knew! Enjoy some of my favorite pictures!

Helping Daddy put together his trike

Playing with Daddy

Playing with his new puppy

My boys

It's already been a year....wow!

It's Christmas Night and I am finding myself to be quite nostalgic - today was our baby boys first Christmas, last Christmas it was just the two of us (me and Sal) and I remember wondering what it would be like to finally have Isaac in our arms - he was born 7 days later!

There was a night in late March early April 2007 when Sal was playing his guitar and he began to pray/sing to God asking him to "Bless our Baby" - we weren't even pregnant yet but we had been trying for quite a few months and were beginning to be discouraged. April 29, 2007 I found out we were pregnant - it was a Sunday, Sal was in Austin visiting his mom and dad, I went to church but couldn't survive Sunday school because I was so queasy, after church I couldn't even eat lunch because it smelled so gross, I made it home and had to take a test. It was the middle of the day, I should have waited for the next morning but I just couldn't! And wouldn't you know, two lines showed up!!!! I didn't know what to do, I was all alone so I called Sal and totally freaked him out because I was crying my eyes out! He rushed home to celebrate with me!

Throughout my pregnancy I remember this overwhelming sense of joy, it would consume me at a moments notice. This past year has been the same way. I will find myself instantly consumed with pure joy, gratefulness that I have a son, that we are a family!

Isaac was born New Years Eve 2007 - so 2008 has been FULL OF FIRSTS! A year I wouldn't trade for anything. There have been days where I thought I wouldn't be able to make another minute and there were days I hoped would never end. Our little boy has grown and changed so much, his personality is blooming. He is silly and loves to be chased, he giggles with this shrill when he finds something that amuses him, and scrunches his nose when he doesn't get his way. His eyes twinkle too when he smiles and when he's being mischievous, and he still HATES socks and shoes, he curls his toes up so his foot is like a ball....no fun at all!

As I think about this last year I am reminded about the great blessings we've been given. We had our son, we bought our first home, we are healthy and happy. I also think of my friends who have the same longing we had in early 2007, it was one that consumed my every thought for 6 straight months. My prayer for my friends who desire a family is that God would pour out His mercy, grace, and love upon you. I pray that the desires of your hearts be given to you and your hearts and minds be filled with Gods promises, joy, peace, and grace.

Thanks for letting me remember this amazing year of our lives. I will post video and pictures soon of Isaac's Christmas and next week his birthday!!!!

Merry Christmas!

From our Family to yours, we pray you all have a blessed Christmas and an incredible New Year!

Our Family!

So Happy!

My Boys!

Visitors from Colorado

My Gramma (Isaac's Great Gramma) and my Auntie Penny (Isaac's Great Auntie Penny) came to visit us over my moms birthday week! This was the first time either had met Isaac. My Gramma and I are particularly close, my mom and I lived with her when I was little bitty....so a lot of her memories of me are at the same age Isaac is now. It was great to see them both, I miss them and hope that there won't be so much time between our next visits. Enjoy the pictures!

What is she doing???"


Gramma and Isaac

Kleenex

It's amazing what fascinates little minds.

Isaac discovered Kleenex the other day..

Peas

We've been giving Isaac soft solids for a while now, but I have come to find out that he loves peas. He loves to pick them up, roll them around between his fingers, eat them, and SMASH them!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

October 31 was Isaac's 10 Month Birthday and his first Halloween. Thanks to Aunt Jeanette, he had the cutest costume and was the hit of "Trunk or Treat" on Boston Avenue. He started out in his stroller but was soon ready to be carried. The funny thing is that while I was carrying him and collecting candy he was digging in his pumpkin searching for something to gnaw on. He never broke thru any chocolate, but he did get past a wrapper on a sucker! OOPS!!! Shhh don't tell Sal!!!

How Cute is He!! His ears even squeeked!


Getting mor candy at the Miller house

That candy bar was mush once he was finished!


Getting more!
(I think he got his mommy's sweet tooth!)

Austin in October...

We had a chance to go visit Austin again in October :) Aunt Jeanette bought Isaac his Halloween costume....but that's another post! While we were there, Sal's cousin (Marie)had her son's first birthday party that's where the pictures came from!

Is he not the most adorable thing ever?!!?!

Playing with Aunt Jeanette

In the Ball area for little ones

It's been a while...

So I thought I'd share with you what we've been up to!

Once we returned from evacuating things started to get back to normal...kindof!

Isaac discovered:

1. He could sit in his big boy chair...


2. Toilet Paper!!!

So serious!

3. How much he loves to go swimming...


4. His long lost buddy Sparky


Don't worry it won't take me as long to post again! I promise!!!

He did it!

Since Hurricane Ike, Isaac has been slowly weaning himself. Once we got home he decided he wanted absolutely nothing to do with me (as far as nursing goes) which of course broke my heart. So I continued to pump to supplement what he wasn't getting. Well then the worst thing happened, my milk supply went thru the floor almost gone. We took Isaac in for his 9mo check up - he's perfect (of course) but our doctor told me he needed at least 20 oz of milk or formula a day. WHAT!? Needless to say things have only gotten worse, I went from 16 - 20 oz a day to 8 if I am lucky. Thank you to all my friends who I reached out to who encouraged me to try different things while trying to get Isaac to drink formula. It's been a struggle, with lots of tears, guilt, frustration, confusion, everything. So we've been trying to give him formula each night and each night he has adimently refused BUT TONIGHT IT HAPPENED! I put him to bed after he refused the bottle three times. I heard him whimpering so I went in to his room, bottle in hand, scooped him out of his crib and handed him the bottle and he took it, downed the whole thing!

I was almost in tears! And then he went straight to sleep! I'm so proud! I know it may seem silly to you but for us it is a HUGE hurdle we've come over!

** I had to take a picture because I was so proud!!**

We're still here....

We're still here, everyone is fine. Isaac is growing like a weed! Since the 2 evacuations in September things have been crazy. Our home is fine, our lives seem to be even busier. However, I promise to upload all of my pictures soon and post again. I have so much to share that you may actually get sick of reading about our son and our lives! Thanks for checking in on us!!

Stay tuned I will post soon!

The Zepeda Generations

While we were in Austin this last time, Sal's grandmother came to stay with his parents. She is one of the sweetest and most kind souls I've ever met. Her spirit is soft, yet when she tells stories she becomes so vocal it is suprising!

On Friday FOUR generations of Zepeda's were sitting at my mother-in-laws table, this picture is priceless!

Sal Sr., Isaac (aka little Sal), Sal Jr., Grandma Zepeda

Earlier in the week, I caught this absolutely adorable picture of THREE generations of Zepedas.

Look at Isaac's face, I'm not sure what he's doing but it made me laugh!
Can you tell how proud Grandpa is of his Son and Grandson!?

Hurricanes....go away!

We've evacuated AGAIN! The second time in two weeks, I actually just finished unpacking from the first evacuation on Monday and had to REPACK on Wednesday to leave all over again. We are in Austin again, enjoying this great area and visiting with friends we haven't seen in a while. Sal is of course in heaven being "home" and I am waiting anxiously to get back to our home, in our bed, in our routine. But I guess that is mostly because I have my amazing little trooper Isaac to worry about. He has been absolutely wonderful, no trouble at all, even when his nose was running and he couldn't breathe, he was happy, he's become quite a little traveler! All we know from home is our fence is down and we have no power - which means our freezer has defrosted (again) and we'll have to clean up a mess (again, ohh I forgot to post those pictures from 2 weeks ago...that's another story...) and we'll have to go grocery shopping again! Oh well, I hope all of you that read this and are not at your home, not in your routine are safe and doing well. We miss all our friends and look forward to a "welcome home" get together! Text me or leave a comment and let me know where you are!

He can make a bad day so happy!

Just a few random pictures I found that I thought I'd share!
I hope they make you smile like they do me!

He discovered he could stand up under our sofa table....he was so proud!

Attacking Ryan's cell phone - he LOVES cell phones!

We have a climber!

He actually scooted around the kitchen on top of the battery box!

Father and Son - in Austin

**We visited Austin the weekend before we evacuated (before the earlier Austin post) but my camera died so I couldn't get my pictures until now!

We went to a park near Sal's mom and dad's house and I got some great pictures of my boys!

Lookin at the duck across the water

Nice Hat Isaac!!

Isaac loves to swing!

He Did It!

HE CRAWLED!!! He's been taking a few scoots on his hands and knees and of course once we start cheering him on, he collapses on his belly and army crawls to us....but today HE DID IT! I sat him down on the floor and he crawled into the bathroom while I was starting his bathwater. Then just to "test him" I sat him in the middle of the hall and called for him in our bedroom - and he did it again, even when his little arms gave out he got back up and crawled! So of course I had to get of film, so enjoy the video! He gets whinny at the end and reverts to the ol' army crawl, but he did it!!

Evacuating to Austin

On The Road...
This is a pretty long blog, hang in there,
because there are some great pictures to be seen!

Living on the Gulf Coast has its ups and downs. Sal would say that there are more downs than ups, and this past weekend would be the perfect example of a DOWN. Hurricane Gustav made its way into the Gulf which in turn forced a mandatory evacuation. Not wanting to be stuck here with an infant, we packed up my moms SUV (Thanks mom, you were a life saver) and headed to Austin. Of course the Zepeda's were more than happy to see us and get some quality time in with their newest grandson! Here's some pictures of our adventure in Austin - thanks to Gustav!

Grandpa and Isaac at Zilker Park

Ooooh Snow Cones!!!

What is this?!?
Don't worry, he only got the plain ice,
no Cherry Snow Cone for Isaac!

Weeee!!! Isaac's first ride down a slide!

So Serious!
We were on top of a HUGE fire truck in the play ground area.

1st Train Ride thru Zilker Park.
He watched as the ground "wizzed" by.

Sweet, tired, hot little boy!

Isaac and Stephanie
(Stephanie is married to Scotty, one of Sal's very best friends. I think she and I would be good friends if we lived closer. She is one of the warmest, genuine and fun people I 've ever met. She really inspired me to have fun with every moment, laugh and make others laugh! Thanks Stephanie!)

BATH TIME!
Isaac got to take a bath in the sink.
He will be too big next time we visit, so I had to capture the moment now!

Always chewing on his washcloth!

We also took a trip to San Marcos and New Braunfels to see our friends Cheri and Zach and to meet Caleb!! Cheri has the pictures of the boys together, I will post some soon! Here's Caleb though, he is so sweet and absolutely adorable! We had a great time visiting with them!

Caleb Andrew - the perfect combo of Cheri and Zach!

We also started feeding Isaac more "solids". He has really taken a liking to anything mixed with Cereal....this time we tried peas....

Even with a mouth full of peas, Isaac is still absoultely adorable!!

We had a great time visiting in Austin!