Happy BIRTH day Mason!

31,536,000 seconds
25,600 minutes
8760 hours
365 days
one whole year

One year ago today you were born.

I kept mentally checking myself today and thinking..."10:30 just having the C section now"..."2:30 seeing you for the first time" and on and on. So many memories. So many moments.

A year ago today my whole being was focused on keeping you alive.

Today my whole focus was on how much life you have in you.

Now I'm a sentimental old fool and I will always feel that though today was the day you were born (birth day) your birthday is on the 10th of January the day you had the surgery that gave you life.

So today we celebrated your birth with a cake and on the 10th we will celebrate your birthday.



What an amazing day it has been too! Today you've been on your stomach and happily lifting your head and looking around like it was nothing (something which you usually hate and will never do). Then to really show off you got into the crawling position TWICE! Something you've never done before.

You sat at the table with us in your highchair for the first time and gummed a piece of pizza crust and tasted the frosting on your cake.
We were even able to do your cake smash. I didn't get a chance to edit the pictures but just love the way they turned out.

Even though they aren't edited I just have to share a few.

Your cake smash was a good lesson for me and, I think, a good example of what we will do everyday in your life.

A lot of people might think a child that can't sit or eat couldn't do a cake smash and wouldn't even try.

We we did. We adapted the situation to you and it turned out amazing!

There is nothing you can't do.

If the Mason doesn't fit the mountain. Mommy will make the mountain fit Mason.

We have a fun day planned for your birthday on the 10th with pictures to follow and then your party on February 25th.

We have so much to celebrate.

We  have so much to be thankful for.

Thank you for this boy.

Thank you for this day.

Thank you for this life.

Happy birthday to meeeee!!!

I have a post planned but haven't gotten a chance to get to it. But since it's my birthday if you wanted to get me a gift you could send a birthday card to an amazing little boy. You can read all about him here.

Ours are already in the mail. I hope we can make it his best birthday ever!!

2011

2011

365 days of my life.

Somehow it only only having been 365 days feels inadequate.

Feels like a lifetime ago since I posted this.

Two life times ago.

Maybe most people would look back at this last year and all that we have experienced and be glad that this it's over.

Almost 4 months out of the 12 spent in the hospital. Too many days when I really thought we might lose Mason. Almost 4 months of of the 12 when we were separated from Pierce. The CHARGE diagnosis. Three major surgeries, two minor. 100's of Dr's appointments. Sick more days than well.

Not me.

I'm actually a bit sad that there is only a few more hours left.

I'm not ready to let it go just yet.

I'm tearing up as I type this.

What a blessed year this has been.

One of the best years of my (almost) 42 years equal only to 2008 and the birth of Pierce

We are whole. We are happy. Our version of healthy.

My life is full and so is my heart.

Thank you life, fate, karma, chance, God, whomever, whatever for this amazing year and all the gifts we have been given.

I'm only too well aware of how differently it could have gone.

I could be sitting here typing about all that we have lost rather than all that we have gained.

I will NEVER, NEVER forget that.

I hope that you to feel blessed for all that 2011 was for you and I hope that you are as excited about 2012 all that can be as I am.

I plan on spending every last second of this year fixing in my heart and mind all that this year was and then I'm gonna kiss my husband and welcome the start of 2012.

Just think of all that might be...

I'm so excited!!!

Merry Christmas!

Now that it seems most people have gotten their cards I will post ours here. I didn't even get started till the last minuet (story of our lives this year) but it came together even better than I had hoped.







Cards are one of my favorite parts of the holiday. Not only do I like sending them I love getting them and this year I'm so pleased to add our CHARGE family to our card list. I think next year I will have to find a bigger place to display them though. My fireplace is running out of room.




I've read a few comments on Facebook this year about how some people don't like to send out cards because...it's not good for the environment...you could do the same thing with an email..not worth the time..and a few other bah humbug excuses.

Well I recycle and otherwise do my part for the environment all year long so I will enjoy this indulgence, will never feel the same pleasure opening an email as I do finding a box full of cards to open, and will always always find getting pictures of friends and loved ones well worth the time.

I just love my cards and they are one of the last decorations I take do. I loved everyone I have gotten (and look forward to the late ones too) and thank you all for including my family in you holiday cheer.

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and or whatever holiday you celebrate from the Lozano family to yours.

Now I hope to update the blog in the next day or so but...well it is me we are talking about so just in case.

Happy New Year too!

Save the date!!!

I'm gonna cry.

No seriously I am.

We had originally planned Mason's birthday party for January 7th but we've all been too sick this month so we moved it to February.

No big deal I figured I'll just change the date on the save the dates.

But I changed it to the wrong date.

I'm gonna cry.

Once upon a time I was this super organized person. I had the parties, and all the details planned, months in advance. Now I can't even get the date right.

((sigh))

OK, now that I'm done whining the correct date for Mason's party is

Saturday February 25th

It's been an amazing year. Just about a little bit of everything has happened.

We would love it if you could be there to celebrate the day with us.

On this day....

On this day four years ago I began my life as Mrs. George Lozano (and although I didn't know it till a few weeks later my life as a mother).


We promised each other forever. For better or worse. In sickness and in health, richer or poorer, till death do us part.

It's amazing how much we have already lived those vows.

I heard on the radio back in September that serious illness and financial problems are the top 2 reasons people end up getting a divorce.

I think it's a testament then how strong our love, how deep our commitment, that we have faced both in the last year over and over and we've come out of it stronger and more committed to our family and each other than ever.

Next month we hope to take a day off together to celebrate just as Amy and George but honestly we both feel like we are celebrating even though I will be at work and George home with the boys who are both fighting colds (and Mason is still trying to kick this ear infection).


We are celebrating tonight mostly healthy and happy at home as a family of four and getting back on our financial feet.

We are together and that is all that really matters.

Happy anniversary my love. It's mind boggling how much we have packed into just four short years. I'm excited to see what we will do with the next four.


As long as I'm with you I'm in.

.....................................................................................................................................
So the rest of this post has been uploaded and on the blog for two weeks now just waiting for me to get around to posting it. Life just keeps getting in the way. It's way past Halloween now but the pictures are just too cute for me to not post.

I can't believe it's on already days past your 10 month-versay and I'm finally getting around to posting you 9 month picture. Oh well, at least I have the picture right?

What an thrilling month October was too. Physically and mentally your making great leaps forward and as hard as this last heart surgery was your so much stronger now and it makes all those hard days so worth it.

We've been fighting an ear infection since September and will now be going to a second ENT Dr to see if he can help us get you healed. Fingers crossed we get this infection gone by December 28th when we have your next hearing test scheduled.


We are putting our head down and getting through November so we can have an awesome December and 2012 together.

Can you believe it's less than two months to your first birthday? Seems almost impossible.


Well I hope to get your 10 month pictures done in a few days and will update more then.





Pierce didn't feel like cooperating for this picture. As it was I had to combine two different pictures to get one where they are both even looking up. Thank goodness for Photoshop. It gives me the family nature didn't. :)

Cutest pumpkin ever!

and here's Pierce at two months in a pumpkin for comparison and to prove that I torture both my children equally.

and the pumpkin patch...

I added the 2011 to the picture. Pretty cool huh?

Pierce's version of pumpkin chucking

I love it when you look all surly.

This is a combination of three different pictures. That's what it takes to get all my boys in one shot.

The Lozano Family pumpkins 2011.

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