Marcus Man

Here's just a couple of Marcus from the day we took their pictures together...I'm not posting all of them but I didn't want to leave him out because there were a LOT of handsome, studly ones of him. :)

* One of my favorites* I did an arrangement on their bedroom wall with expression shots in black in white and I love it!!! This is one of them that I used of Marcus. Elaina is so proud to take people in their room and show them her wall with her and Marcus, she loves to show them her handsome big brother!

What a handsome little devil, just like his Popi. Love you kiddo.

Miss Elaina - 18 Months-ish

Here are some of Elaina's pictures I took of her this Summer. With bad weather, a late Spring and things that kept coming up we got to these a little later but here they are.

I love this one of my little sassy sweatheart

My little poser, love it.

Her sweet little smirk.

The wheels are turning....I wonder what she is contemplating so hard about.

The BIG Move!

We finally did it. Elaina moved up to Marcus' room last Saturday. When we first started talking to both of them Marcus was only ever VERY excited to get to have Elaina as a room mate and Elaina was pretty excited too! Her little stories and animations as we talked to her were adorable. She felt so big all day as we moved her things and talked to her more to try and make the transition an easy one for her.

Marcus excited to share his room with his sister and have a room mate!

Getting her blanket ready just so....

Total poser! ;)

Trying to settle down. SO excited!

Marcus pretending to be asleep....funny kid.

SO HAPPY!!!

We have a monitor in their room but I had to go sneak a peak of my sleeping angels. They were passed out! The transition for her and Marcus was smooth and positive. Only problem we encountered was the first night. After I got a few pictures and said goodnight for I dunno, the 10th time, I just hung out in the kitchen for a minute to make sure they were going to settle down. All of a sudden I hear Marcus screaming and shouting at Elaina. I go in to see what the matter was and through his alligator tears he tells me that Elaina got up and out of bed and closed the door all of the way and he didn't want it closed all the way!! He has always slept with the lamp on and the door open enough that we can stick our whole head in - many nights us having to prove to him that we can in fact fit our whole head through the opening. We told him with him starting preschool this fall it was time for him to graduate to sleeping with just a night light and the door being open just a crack. Reason being, Elaina is use to sleeping with the lights all off and the door closed and I don't want to make her afraid of the dark and afraid of having doors closed at nearly 2 years old so this is ONE of the times little sis gets to help her big brother to be brave and strong. After I reminded him that he was a big boy now and that Elaina was right across the room and she would help him to not be scared and that she's not even 2 and wasn't afraid - he found new found courage and was OK after some more hugs and kisses. Marcus slept from then until morning and Elaina did wake up with her said little cry twice but after hearing a reassuring voice [Manny the first time and me the second time] she was out for the count. Sunday night she fell out of bed but otherwise slept through the night. Only draw back thus far is both Sunday and today she woke up early [it's much brighter in their room in the morning] but that's going to put a damper on me getting to sleep in the days I have to work at night but I'm sure we will adapt to that in time as well. This was a perfect weekend to do it because we had Marcus 3 nights instead of 2 so he was really able to help to make the transition easier, more fun and positive for her - and us too.

Marcus when I checked back to make sure they were okay. ;)

Love you two to pieces!

Sweet Dreams

xoxoxoxo

4th of July

C E L E B R A T I N G INDEPENDENCE DAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Elaina and Marcus at our 4th of July BBQ on Sunday. Looking mighty patriotic and cute!

Getting so big!

Mom's festive "Patriotic Trifle" - Very pretty

Mmmm...yummy and so festive!

I had to work Saturday night so obviously no pictures of the annual BBQ at Andrus' or of fireworks but Manny, Marcus and Elaina had a blast with the family. I am so grateful to the men and woman and their families who sacrifice so much so my family and I can enjoy the freedoms and lives we have today. God Bless the USA!

Montes Nino's - July 2010

Love the expression in her hands in this one. She does this with her hands all the time when she's playing adorable or trying to get out of hot water for being in trouble. I love the expression on Marcus' little face too. *Happiness*

Around 17-18 months she discovered her pockets and loves to put things in them as well as walk around struting her stuff with her hands in her pocket.

I love Marcus' expression in this one.

I love this one and the one below. These two have their moments like any other siblings in the world but most of the time, they are so sweet and like 2 peas in a pod. They've always had a close and sweet bond - I hope as they grow older that never changes. I'm so in love with them. They are my greatest joys.

These pictures were taken July 1, 2010. I've needed a good picture of the two of them since Elaina was born and I finally got a few that I love. Elaina was a little bear so the fact I got any of her that she wasn't screaming was a miracle in and of itself. Most of them she isn't looking at the camera but they are still some of her adorable smiles and natural candid facial expressions she pulls. As a Mom, those are some of my very favorite ones!

3 Years Strong

My Hearts Treasures...

Manny and I ready to celebrate our 3rd Wedding Anniversary!

Lucky me, he's my date!! ;)

My "Prince." Love him to pieces!

The Montes Family

June 9, 2010

Marcus popped into the picture when I was trying to get one of just Manny and I.

Elaina's turn to be with just Mommy and Popi

Just Me...ready to celebrate with my family! **So Blessed**

Yes, this is the kids with us out to dinner on our anniversary. This year our anniversary fell on a Wednesday which is our always anticipated day of the week with Marcus! I really, really wanted to go celebrate our day but didn't want to cut our family time for the week esp since I worked the previous night which meant sleeping a few hours in the AM since Manny was off. When we reflect back on our wedding day we have a lot of GREAT memories but with the great times we're also reminded of the hard ones...Manny fought with his ex to get 3 measly hours with Marcus for our wedding day. I felt like everything was completely rushed and chaotic to get the important stuff done in just 3 hours. We rushed through pictures and I missed getting a lot of pictures I wanted. It was really hard esp. for Manny to not have his son there but for what seemed a glimpse of time. Remembering what we would have given to have Marcus be a bigger part of our day I really hesitated to do anything just the two of us on our actual anniversary this year...after all we did get married to start our family including having more children together - our family is THE most important thing to us.

How nice it was this year to spend our day with our children and enjoy one another's company. I am also grateful for how things have progressed over the past few years with Manny's parent time with Marcus also. I never second guessed our love for one another, only thing I worried about or was apprehensive about knowing the goals I had for my own family was if I was a strong enough woman to raise a blended family knowing SOME of the challenges that would face us and could I be a strong wife to endure what Manny had to when it came to losing time with Marcus. In my wildest dreams I couldn't have imagined some of the challenges and hardships we've faced and I'm sure it's only the beginning. I am so grateful though that Marcus is allowed to be a greater part of our lives. Our time with him is still strict in a lot of ways but not near as calculated and harsh as in the beginning. It's hard to build a strong, connected, close family when you have all your kids home all the time but esp a challenge when you have a blended family. Don't get me wrong, this is what Manny and I chose and I'm so glad we did because I couldn't imagine my life without these three angels in it. The hard times have been worth the wonderful/blissful times. The sacrifices we've made to have the relationships we do with them are ones I'd do all over again. Like I've said, it's difficult at times but I'd much rather live in a world where there is Marcus then in one where there isn't. Our family without Marcus [or Elaina] would be like the Earth without the Sun and having him for even an inking in time is better than none at all.

I reflect back on these last 3 years especially and wonder what I did to be blessed to experience all the things I have. We don't have extravagant, exotic lives but we do have ones full of unconditional, pure love and that's all I could ever ask for.

Thank You Manny for being an amazing husband, Popi and man. You are my perfect match and have blessed my life with your love and 2 amazing children. Because of your love, I have experienced it in the deepest, purest, most meaningful sense. My love for you grows with each breath I take. My dreams came true when you said, "I do," thank you for choosing me to be your queen by your side. XOXOXOXOXO

Forever Yours,

Jana

Easter Sunday

Last year we planned to go on a family vacation the week of my birthday, I told Manny that's 'all' I wanted for my birthday since in years past we haven't been allowed to have Marcus at all for birthday celebrations with the exception of last year [we got to pick him up the day of my birthday for the majority of morning/early afternoon.] When we planned to do our vacation the week of my birthday I didn't realize that Easter Sunday was that weekend so we decided to post pone the trip and just keep our extended parent time since it was already scheduled as this would be the first time Marcus would be able to come to my family birthday dinner. I was so excited to just have my whole family there, crazy how when you get older it's the 'simple' little things that make the difference. With Easter Sunday and my birthday weekend I was stoked to have Marcus with us and to have 9 whole days off of work to spend with the kids and Manny. I planned all these fun things for Easter since we had the time off and Marcus with us (this is the first year we had Marcus for Easter where he was excited or interested to dye eggs and really get into the festivities of the holiday, not too mention Elaina is at a fun age too.) Slowly all my plans and fun things started to get unravel. It all began with my Dad going into the hospital the Thursday before Easter, then finishing touches on remodeling the bathroom prevented the traditional dying of eggs, which took away the traditional egg hunt as well; one thing after another it was all falling apart. I still had Sunday though, Easter Day and my family birthday dinner/party. Right before we were sitting down to eat, Manny got a call that his brother had been in an ATV accident and was in the ER so he raced down to see what was going on. The first year I was going to have the blessing of having my whole family there and my Dad ended up not being there as did my husband. I suppose some of us aren't meant to have it all. It was bad enough Dad wasn't home that day, I tried really hard to not let the irritation get to me and still enjoy my time with the ones that were there but I only ended up getting mad at myself for feeling cheated and selfish for not wanting my husband to run off on Easter Sunday and my birthday dinner. Having my family together is the only real gift I could ask for, two and three years ago - that's all I could of asked for was to have everyone together. It was still a nice day, lots of sweet moments with the kids and lots of hugs and kisses from Marcus and Elaina which kept me from losing it truth be told. Plus we had a very nice dinner and at least all my siblings and nieces and nephews were there this year.

Anyways, the Spring General Conference weekend fell over Easter weekend which in the LDS church means, no meetings at church that day. It being Easter, of course, I wanted pictures of the kids in their Easter outfits so I dressed them up anyway to grab a few shots. It was freezing cold and snowing all weekend and by the time I made time for pictures Elaina was grumpy and desparently needing a nap and Marcus was too busy having fun with cousins, I knew if I didn't get them then, I wouldn't get them at all. Marcus was still my Prince and was a good sport about letting me interrupt Spidey/Batman time for a few pictures and we ended up getting a few smiles out of Elaina before she lost it. Kind of disappointing to miss out on a lot of the traditions and things I was looking forward to for as long as I've waited for them to happen but life's about learning to dance in the rain right? I have way too many picures from Easter morning to try and choose from but here's a few snapshots of our good lookin' kids on Easter Sunday.

SO stinkin' cute!

He was sweet, he reached for her hand to help her down so I had to pause to grab a picture. :)

Running to meet Justin who pulled up to the house as we were taking pictures. So excited to see her bud! All the ones of just Elaina she is screaming in or has her dumb binky so these two cute ones of the back of her will do.

Aunt Deborah did her hair in braids for her, she was so cute and prissy walking up to the house to go play with Justin.

Getting so big! What a handsome stud!