One month old cutie

Baby girl Carmen is one month old. She changes everyday and is as sweet as can be. She's such a good baby. She rarely cries. Instead when she's upset, she wimpers like a puppy. This month has really flown by! At one month old, she weighs a whopping 10 pounds! That's 2 pounds more than she was born!

a 1st Easter & Baptisms

Baby Carmen and cousin Baby Myca met for the first time recently. They are 3 months and about 3 pounds apart. This is their first photo together!!

Myca and big brother W were baptised at church on Easter Sunday. David and I are the proud godparents of Mr. W!

But this little one was the star of the show!

While we were dressed in our Easter best, we took a family photo!!

Little girl Carmen slept all day since she was being held by several family members!

She had a costume change midday to show off her clothes.

Grandma had a great time being with both granddaughters...

And Vince had a wonderful time cracking cascarones on our heads! It took him about 5 tries of banging against our heads before they broke but he did it!!

We wish every weekend was a holiday as we had so much fun hanging out with family that came up from Laredo, Selena & fam that came in from STL, and our in town family :).

Carmen's infant pics

These infant portraits were taken of Carmen at exactly one week old (almost a month ago!) by our great friend Evan Chavez (www.evanchavez.com). We used the 3rd and 4th pics for her announcements.

Carmen - 2 weeks & counting

Carmen is 2 weeks old today! She is more alert with wide eyes (when awake), but if you visit us, more than likely she will be asleep. I waited all day for her to wake up to take a couple open eyed pics of her @ 2 weeks.

A friend bought us a blanket with a growth chart in it. It is marked at her birth height. You can see how big monster Vince is next to her! David and I really thought he gained 5 lbs recently but we weighed him and he hasn't gained anything, our perspective has just changed since we have a little lady that is about 8 lbs! I used to carry him around like nothing at 9 months pregnant and now he's heavy??

For the most part Carmen sleeps at night and just wakes up about every 3 hours for feedings. She eats really fast, most always for less than 10 minutes (very effecient child). I'm tired of course, and sneak naps in during the day sometimes, but I think I was way more tired with Vince (I don't know how, it's not like I had a 3 year old running around back then!). Everything would be great if I could just sleep in a little. Mr. Vince wakes up at 7am though. Lately, he comes in our room, I put on the Disney channel, and tell him to wake me up after "Jake" (his new favorite pirate show) is finished at 8am. By then, I know I have to get up and get him dressed, fed, get his "mask" asthma treatment done, and ready for school. My parents have still been helping out a bunch with Vince, taking him to and from school and keeping him in the afternoons so I can rest.

Baby Carmen is our little angel thus far. She only crys when she wants to eat or has to poop. She is so beautiful and innocent. When she's hungry and you put her up to your face she just wants to eat your cheeks :) A friend came over today and I we were chatting about Carmen being born and I recalled that when she was born, they brought her to my face and she was crying up a storm. I started talking to her and she quieted down very fast. It was an amazingly special moment that I wanted to write down so I can look back on the blog and remember.

Stay tuned for the next blog post which should contain our some of our newborn portraits!

We are home!

We had a great, short hospital stay and were able to go home after only 2 nights. A normal c-section stay is 3 nights but they gave us the option to go home since baby and I were doing well. I was up and walking fast than the norm and she was sleeping and eating well too.

Before I get to the home pics, here are some more from the hospital. I love this hat on her!!

Another family pic! Vince loves his sis and calls her his baby.

My parents kept Vince while we were in the hospital and have been wonderful at keeping him off and on since we've been home.

Jess and Noah visited us at the hospital along with cousin Melissa.

They also visited us at home!

This is Carmen on the way home. Her first ride in her carseat!

At home she has been a big sleepy head. She literally only wakes up to eat every 3 hours. Every time we put her on her back she rolls over to her side. I didn't think a newborn could do that but she does!

Vince loves "his baby". He kisses her everytime he has the chance. He looks like a giant next to her! Makes us realize he's not a baby anymore! They are almost 3 years, 2 months apart.

Like I said, she is barely awake. So earlier today when she had her eyes opened wide, I got this pic! You can't tell here, but her eyes are not just regular dark brown. They have a hint of hasel or green in them, or even blue or grey. It's so hard to tell at this point! One things for sure. She has a beautiful full head of black straight hair. It's silky smooth and feels great.

And here she is in her crib for the first time. I have to limit myself on going up and down the stairs right now due to the surgery so we are spending most of our time downstairs and she hasn't seen her room much yet. The animal/blankie there says "thank heaven for little girls". I agree 100%!!

Baby Carmen is here!

Baby Carmen Saenz was born on March 23rd, 2011 at 9:10am weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces. She is so beautiful with a full head of hair and round cute cheeks. She is eating and sleeping well. Here are some pictures from her first day in this world. Many more to come...

Almost there!

Carmen will be here one week from tomorrow. We are so excited! I feel like I have prepared as much as one can. I have diapers stashed downstairs, in our room, in her room and clothes stashed everywhere too. She has a ton of clothes, given to us from friends who had little girls and from our 2 work showers. Everything is sorted and organized to the T. Our house is clean, our fridge stacked, her car seat installed. I know a newborn is a whole lot of work but I have done all the ground work and am ready for the dirty stuff. I think so anyways! I know almost nothing prepares you for a newborn but at least I've been down this road once before and I know it will be hard. I'm thankful my parents live closeby this go around for the extra hands.

Since I will have her one week before her due date, I am currently 38 weeks. I estimate baby Carmen weights 7 pounds right now based on a sonogram I had a couple weeks ago when she was 6lbs, 3 ozs. Here I am at 37 weeeks. I am my own bad phone photographer.

We have been blessed to have 2 great showers. One by my coworkers and one by David's. Unfortunately, I did not get great pictures at the one with my coworkers. But it was an awesome shower, complete with a double decker cake and over 20 friends! My parents, sister, David and Vince joined in the celebration that was over lunch at a nearby Mexican restaurant. David's shower was more of a suprise. They decorated his office while he was at a meeting. Apparently,this was all oranized over a period of time without him knowing. It was totally unexpected, and very much appreciated! I do have a picture of his office and of some of the loot that was received!



Aren't these dresses so adorable?!? I can't wait to dress a girl! It will be so different. It will be interesting to learn how to do her hair. I don't even touch Vince's hair daily!!

See you soon Carmen!