My 25

I wasn't tagged in the Facebook 25 Random things, but since I read my sister-in-law's 25 things, she said I had to do it too...Here it goes:

1. I want a god child or some god children.

2. My oldest child is actually my brother's daughter that we adopted.

3. I am in love with my feet. I think they are cute. I will spend my last 50 bucks on a pedicure! And I get more upset if I chip or break a toenail than if I break a fingernail.

4. I am a daddy's girl. Not your stereotypical daddy's girl but I know how to be my daddy's girl.

5. I carry a camera with me at all times. I'm not talking about my camera on my phone either. But that will work if that's what I can get to quicker...

6. I trust people too easily.

7. I buy my kids too much stuff.

8. I vowed to myself when I was little that I would work at Checker Auto Parts just because my shoes squeaked on the tile when I walked in there. I used to go there with my dad when we worked on the car together. I ended up working there for 4 and a half years and met my husband there.

9. I love James Patterson books. I have about 30 of his books and haven't even read them all...

10. I had a full ride scholarship to Stanford University that I didn't take.

11. I love to watch my husband play video games. My favorite is the God of War series.

12. I love to sing! The car is my venue of choice but I will sing in the house or bathroom if no one can hear me.

13. I wear my feelings on the outside.

14. The love of my life is also my best friend. We've had lots of issues over the last 11 years and have probably been judged by lots of people but...I don't give a f***! It makes us who we are as a couple and a family. Not perfect, perfect together!

15. All of my pets have been named from the show "The Dukes of Hazzard." Right now our cat is Luke, dogs are Roscoe and LuLu, and turtles are Enis and Flash.

16. I was offered a job with the City of Phoenix Police as a Crime Scene Tech years ago but passed it up to stay at Cox. I love my company!!

17. I like all kinds of music...Big Band, oldies, rap, rock, hard rock, R&B, Country (my favorite), Doo Wop...my girls think it's funny that I can turn on the radio to any channel and sing the song that comes on.

18. I decided when I was about 14 that I didn't want any children. Now I have 4. Don't know what I would do without them. (Well, maybe I would sleep a little more...it's overrated anyway!)

19. My first job was at Baskin Robbins where my ice cream scooping helped me out with my throwing arm for softball.

20. I was a gymnast when I was young and if my parents could have afforded the training, I could have gone to the Olympics.

21. I don't like that my son's name is Juan.

22. My dream car is a 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS. Yellow.

23. I love the channel Investigation Discovery so much that most of it's programs are re-runs to me.

24. I hate when people leave the toilet lid open!

25. I like to give people advice and I do it in a "storyteller" manner. I use my own life experiences to help other people. It's amazing to know how many people go through the same stuff...

So, now that you have read mine, I will assign the same to you. Have fun!!

A Whole MONTH!!

He's a month old today! I can't believe he's a month already. I think time will continue to fly by as it always has when it comes to our babies...

Ramon is sleeping an average of 5 hours after he eats at night and I think we have his days and nights all figured out. He doesn't like to take baths yet but you can tell he feels better after he has a bath. He bops his head around and is starting to get more control of that. He stays awake a few hours each day now. His brother and sisters have adapted to a new baby very well. His sisters even act like little mommies and help me take care of him and Juanito will even go get Ramon's binky and try to give it to him when he's crying. He eats about 6 ounces at each feeding now. He LOVES to sleep on his tummy! He likes to be held but doesn't cry when you put him down.

He is a really good baby...I think he's a keeper! I love him!

I love feet!!

I think he looks like his daddy in this one.

He wasn't happy that I was taking pictures and he was hungry!

I think he looks more like me in this one.

This one wasn't taken today but I included it to show that he has BLUE eyes! Hopefully they stay that way...

Party, party, party!

On April 16th, my nephew turned 12 years old. This is my nephew that I haven't seen in about 3 years or so due to my sister and I having a HUGE falling out. When my mom and dad told me that they were planning to have a birthday party for him and asked me if I would go, I was a little hesitant. I mean, I haven't talked to my sister in a LONG time and we don't have the greatest relationship right now. But, I had to think of the kids. They need their family and if it's one thing I have learned since becoming a Melo years ago, it's just that. So, I agreed to go and told my mom I would help her out with it.

It turned out to be a surprise party for him. My sister told him she was gonna take him to the movies for his birthday when she got out of work and my dad would pick them up. Well, when he picked them up, he told Adam he was hungry and that they should stop for pizza. We had already gotten there by then and he had some friends there and his cousins he hasn't seen in a very long time. He was excited!

Grandma made his cake and cupcakes. She did a great job on this one! (He loves Pokemon.)

I don't believe she used a template to draw Pikachu's face. AMAZING!!

The kids took off to play games with the tokens Grandpa got for them!

Juanito LOVES basketball and he went straight for this one. He was standing on the opening where the balls come out.

A little later, I found him inside the machine right next to the hoop!

Guess standing on the opening wasn't close enough! Cheese!

Just like old times...Brianna found her favorite perch...my niece Heidi.

After we all ate pizza and played video games, it was time for cake and gifts.

Adam was taking a picture of his cake.

Blowing out his candles...

He liked this one!

He thought he got pretzels but inside was a boat load of Pokemon stuff!

Grandma & Grandpa's gift was especially hard to open...

Still working on it!

Got it! YAY! A backpack! He was excited about this one too!!

Here are all the kids that were there! (Top left to right: Alicia, Brianna, Heidi, Zachary. Bottom left to right: Tallynna, Juanito, Adam, Jillian, Chris, and I forgot his name)

Then Adam turned in his tickets and got some cool stuff like 85 little ninja guys and these vampire teeth!

It was a great party!

I was even able to talk to my sister a little bit. I miss having her around but also just cannot get over some of the things that happened between us. I have forgiven but forgiveness isn't for her, but for me which is why I was able to be there and see them all. The girls couldn't have been happier to see her and their cousins and for that, I am glad we went.

I saw God today (part 5)

Atalie Belle Duckworth

4.8.2010 at 5:11PM

6 pounds 10 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long

I got a text message at 7 something yesterday morning that my sister-in-law was in labor. I started to text them to ask what was going on. I got updated regularly. She didn't have a room at that time and her contractions were pretty far apart so I wasn't in a huge hurry to get to the hospital...yet. I made sure to keep in touch with my brother in law for the day because I promised my sister in law that I would be there for her whether she wanted me in the room when Atalie was born or just at the hospital. Turns out I was allowed to be in the room when she graced us with her presence.

I got a text from Junior that Michelle's contractions were about 5 minutes apart. So I said to myself, "I gotta get over there!" It was about 11am or so. I called my babysitter to see if she could watch the boys for me and for the first time EVER, she couldn't watch them. Her husband was sick and with a new baby, she was considerate to tell me that. So, I called my parents to see if they could help me out. My dad said he could bring my mom over to watch the boys and be here for the girls to get home from school. PERFECT!! They got to my house around 1 or so and I took off.

I am a music person and when I got in the car, the first song I heard was "I'm already there" by Lonestar. Michelle had written a blog a few days earlier that had to do with this song. I thought it was appropriate and even made a tear come to my eyes. The very next song was "Unstoppable" by Rascal Flatts. This song talks about how love conquers all and helps you get past whatever things come your way. The last song that came on that I really paid attention to was "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood. This was has it's own special meaning with us as a family and I will leave that one at that. Youtube them if you wanna listen to them. I knew at that point that I would be able to make it to see my niece born or at least be there for Michelle.

I sent Junior a text to tell him I was on my way and asked if he needed anything. I stopped for a Monster for Junior and Tiffany and a Cherry Sprite for me from Sonic and I got there. We just hung out from there on. I didn't get a lot of pictures on my camera because I was taking more with Michelle's camera so she could have the memories...

Junior was rubbing Michelle's stomach when she was having contractions.

Here she is! Her first time meeting her mommy! Junior was taking a picture with my phone and I was taking a picture of that.

On the scale...

If you look close at her legs...she has loads of hair!

Here she is at home, a few days old, all cleaned up and hanging out with her favorite tias! (Yes Nichole, that's plural cause I was there too! LOL!)

So, there it is. One more down and 2 more to go. I have 2 more nieces due in the next 2 months. Hopefully, my sister in law in Phoenix will allow me to be there for her daughter's arrival...

I felt very honored to be able to be there for Atalie's entrance and happy that we have a great close family!