I Feel Good.

doo rag
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

I was sitting in her room yesterday messing around on the computer when I looked over to her. She was sitting on the floor amusing herself with her little elephant rocking chair. I said "hi!". She looked up to me with her big eyes and smiled. Wow. I'm so in love with this little person. Sometimes at work I think about her and laugh at the things that make her HER.

First High Chair
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

I admit I do get jealous sometimes when her mommy comes home and she reaches out to her from my arms to be held, but we have our moments. At night I've kind of made it my ritual to slowly dance with Isa at night listening to her Carlos Villalobos Dreamtime Lullabies (if you don't have this one do yourself a favor and pick up this acoustic guitar artist) to settle her down for the evening.

I want the ice cream NOOOWWW!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

My favorite feeling is knowing that I make a baby feel so comfortable and secure to fall asleep on my shoulder as I hold her. Even when she's being a little naughty and I scold her and she cries. She'll crawl to me upset and climb up so I can hold her. It's like her way of saying sorry. How can I be mad at her? I can't. So I hold her and her crying stops with big globes of tears trailing down her cheeks.

I have a way of tricking her into eating food she doesn't like with funny faces and sounds. She laughs when I bury my face into her neck . She SCREAMS when we dance fast and I spin her around or throw her up in the air. She makes me feel good knowing that we have a connection between us.

lunch with mom
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Eleanor, too, has her special things that she does with Isabella. She plays in the pool with her. She dances with her in the afternoons. She reads to her every night before bedtime. She has done so well as a mother. Nurturing, caring, patient without complaint. Of all the people I know she's the one who I think deserves such a good baby the most. Am I biased? Sure, but not without grounds.

yeck!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Her daughter is a direct reflection of who she is as a person. People thought Isa looked like me when she was newborn, but now they see more of Ellen in her. Her sweetness, her laughing eyes, her full smile

dessert!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

I feel so complete with these two in my life. Happy 8th Anniversary El.

Chillin' with Flipper and Shamu

The Girls
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

A few weekends ago El's mom and younger sister caught a ride with the Raguine's on their annual Disney bound trip and came for a visit. El took the weekend off to hang with us so I planned a trip to SeaWorld for Isa. I made a call to my buddy, Randal, who works there as a videographer and editor to see if any arrangements could be made. Sure enough Randal came thru like a champ. Thanks for the tickets man!

HOT!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

The day was hot and although I planned on leaving fairly early to avoid the full on sun as expected organizing a party of people to go somewhere and packing a small child is a task unto itself. We were out of the house by almost 11am.

My feet are hot
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

It was hot and Isa pulled through like a trooper.

Up Close
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

She didn't complain and thoroughly enjoyed the different aquariums, shark tank and even sweated thru waiting in a crowd to be up close to see a dolphin. We had lunch there compliments of El's mom.

Lola and Isa
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Emperors
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Happy
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Lola's mad skillz
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

I dropped $20 to get some game tokens to win Isa a giant penguin. Her Lola Lisa put on her game face to beat down a bunch of little kids and win her another one. Emily gets an "E" for effort for trying to win something for her.

I wanted a stuffed Shamu, not this crap.
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

This Carousel SUCKS
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Penguin Says Sleeeeep...
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

The day was great, although tiring, and by almost 6pm we made our way home to shower off and cool down, but not before Isa jumped in her little pool with her Auntie Emily.

I think another fave spot of mine from when I was a child will be planned out soon. I fondly remember Marineland from back in the day. Government funded it's now a research center as well as a tourist spot. We'll see. if Isa is a good girl...

Blast from the Past

Clarence
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

So you know how sometimes a chance encounter from your past leads to something else? It just so happened a buddy from high school in the Philippines so many years ago bumped into my older brother at his brother's wedding in Vegas recently. Charles and my bro, Rick, were great friends years ago half a world away. All part of a larger, tight crew they maintained their friendship all these years. By osmosis I befriended Charles' younger brother, Clarence, as well. He and Rachel, my older sister, were classmates in middle and high school as well.

It just so happened that Clarence asked for Rachel's number from my bro and thus they reconnected. I guess they've been chatting for a couple of months now and Clarence even managed a visit a few weeks ago from Louisiana Tech University.

It was cool to chat with him again. Of course, after 20+ years a lot has changed, but there is still a little bit of the same dude I knew back then. He's coming back this weekend to see Rachel again. They're something of an item I suppose. Good for Rachel - and Clarence.