Godbye Grandma

After being here, taking care of us for an entire month, it is time for Grandma to go home.  We are all going to miss her so much.  It was so nice having her here with us.  The house always looked great, there was always something delicious cooking, and her and Cruz had such a great time.  I admire her and have learned a lot!  I now am not afraid of chicken thighs(bone-in), don't scoff at beef tongue, will continue to pick up Cruz's toys in the same way she organized them, and now notice a bit of her in the way I talk to the baby.  I will miss our chats, trips to Ranch Market, and watching Red Box movies!  I can't wait till she visits again!  Thanks so much, Elva!

Before she left, we snapped a few pictures.  If I had known there would be a photo session, I would have dressed and did my makeup!  Next time, we will have to get a picture together!  Poor Elva had an awful headache this morning, and I felt so bad she had to travel!

I love Cruz's funny face!

We had such a great time!

Who's There?

I finally captured Cruz looking out his own imaginary peep hole.  Coaxing from Grandma never hurts!

"Cruz, who is it?"

Elva and I were dying laughing!

I think he looks like a tubby, old man in this picture  Still super cute though!

Family and 1 Year Old Pictures

I am finally posting the pictures we had taken on Cruz's actual birthday.  They were ready while we were at home in Michigan, but even though I got them right when we got back home, my surgery prevented me from posting them any sooner.  I was very happy with how they turned out.  Katie Lacy did a great job!  I even made Ben a collage for work for Father's Day.  I can't wait to print them out and get some new pictures hung up!

Food Excitement!

Enjoying an Oreo with Dad.  Cruz is finally extremely interested in what we are eating and is willing to try everything.  He even ate ground beef yesterday and a hot dog today!  I can't say he will eat those things tomorrow, but he tried them (again).  He loved the Beef Stroganoff I made for dinner last night and the hummus I put on his rice crackers.  It is fun now that he is able to eat some of the things we do.
 

New Games

Cruz is doing a lot of exploring and trying new things.  Today's game was putting the sunglasses on the TV console and then taking them off again.

"Who's there?"

Of course he has a random vacuum attachment....that's my boy!

Sunday Evening Fun!

Bath Time with Grandma!

Playing with his new ball.

This is the new big thing.  Cruz is now very interested in playing, "Who's Here?" and looking out the peep hole.  He tries to mimic us as we look out. 

Of course Bridgette likes this game too!

Priceless

Corn Broom

Yesterday, I bought Cruz a Corn Broom at the store.  He was obsessed with the one at Erica's, so I knew he just had to have one.  He has been "sweeping" since the moment it was placed in his hands.  He LOVES it!  Looking at these pictures makes me laugh because the plaid outfit and the cowboy hat were not planned ahead of time.  He just looks so cute!

Note the new fridge in the background.  Our old one started to poop out on us Tuesday.  After transporting food to our neighbor, Glenda's, Ben and I spent the evening shopping for a new one.  We are very happy with it, and our kitchen finally doesn't look so weird because the fridge fills out the space allotted.  It is humongous, and I doubt we will ever be able to fill the whole thing.  The most exciting part is that the Brita has been retired because we are now able to get water from the door, and we will never have to buy ice again either!  We are finally living in 2014!

 

Lots of Hair!

Cruz's hair is getting really long!  I am sad just thinking about cutting it.  These pictures highlight how long it really is.  Mullet Man!!

Vegas Trip

This past weekend, we drove to Vegas for Ben's cousin, Melissa's wedding.  It was a gigantic family affair, and I met a lot of new family members; Ben's family is huge!  It is so hard to believe how close everyone is.  Ben's mom came with us, and we had an adjoining room to her, Rose, and Jessie at the Flamingo.  It was so nice having lots of extra hands close to care for Cruz.  

I had been nervous to make the trip because I had no idea how recovery would be going, but it was not too bad.  It was great icing and elevating my swollen hand on the 5 hour car ride and reading my Kindle.  And Ben's sister, Jessie, blew dry my hair and styled it as well for the wedding.  It was the most put together I have felt since the surgery.

Cruz loved all of the attention from the family, and even got to meet his 2nd cousin, 2 year old, Sara Rose.  She was a doll, and even the same size as Cruz!  All of his great aunts and cousins just wanted to eat him up as this was the first time everyone was meeting him.  He was such a good boy.

Ben's mom even watched him for us after the wedding was over.  We got to go out to eat at Margaritaville with everyone, gambled a bit(I won $75 on the fish game), and I even scored us $30 in food and beverage from the front desk for complaining about the noise from Carlos and Charlie's that had kept me awake the night before from 1:23-3:30am!  I am glad I did because it kept me up that night as well. 

It definitely was not the normal pool, dinner, and gambling trip that I am used to, and I was never thinking Cruz would visit Vegas before he was 21, but it was a nice trip, and my hand did not keep me down.  I was so glad we made the trip!

Greg and Melissa's Wedding!  

It was super hot at 2pm in the afternoon!  We sat in the shade on the groom's side.

Rose

Melissa and Gregg

Elva and Jessie

Michelle and Bob

Cousin Julian and Cruz's Great Grandma

Champagne Toast

Cruz was keeping busy.

Family Photos

Before we left to go home, we got some photos with some of the family.  Please note: If only I had known we would be taking pictures, I would have done my makeup! 

Cruz sporting the Bachelorette Crown!

I can't believe he kept it on for a few pictures!

Aunt Rose

Aunt Jessie

Great Grandma

Hugs

Awww....

Ben's Aunt Delia

Aunt Sylvia

Elva, her mother, and sisters Sylvia and Delia

Cousin Sam

Cousin Julian and Sara