November/December 2017 Update
I have combined the last two months' blog updates, because as you are well aware by now, the end of November was the hardest day of our life. So I am just now getting around to jotting down some updates for the last two months. Also, I should note that I accidentally deleted almost all of my November photos!
We started off the month celebrating the kids' birthdays. We had a play date birthday party at their favorite playground (Tom Otterness Playground) with all of their friends and family. They are so loved!!
The next weekend, as part of Aly's birthday present, Ron took her to see Disney on Ice in Brooklyn. She absolutely loved it! Make sure you check out the super sweet video below that Ron made to document the trip!
That same weekend we had a quick day visit from Gigi and Bop, which is always great!
We stayed home and celebrated Thanksgiving as our little family this year, as we were a little too close to Roman's due date to be travelling even to Long Island. So we spent Thanksgiving morning watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. We have friends that live along the parade route, so we hung out with them, and then were able to watch the parade easily, as their block is blocked off! It was so much fun, and we can't wait to do it again!
The Monday after Thanksgiving, November 27th, we met and said goodbye to our sweet Roman. This has been by far the hardest thing any of us have had to endure. I could say 10,000 words about Roman right now, but we've already written some thoughts out that you can read here, here, and here if you haven't already.
After saying goodbye to Roman, we wanted to spend some intentional time together as a family, and really just enjoy time with the two kids that God has blessed us with. Some of the fun things we got to do this month were ice skating, visiting Santa, building gingerbread houses, baking cookies, visiting the "Big Tree", riding carousals, and going to the Transit Museum and the Natural History Museum. It's been a sweet time together.
We spent Christmas at Lito and Litas' house. It was a great time with family, and it's always so fun to have the cousins together! And now we are wrapping up 2017 by spending the weekend with some of our best friends, the Schmidts! :)
Alynne
Aly-gator, you are four years old now! Wow! Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday that we were bringing you home from the hospital. You are such a wonderful young lady. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. You constantly care for other people and always stop to make sure someone is okay or try to make them feel better. You are particularly good at comforting Fynn.
This month has been a big growing up time for you. You have had to deal with things a 4 year old should never have to deal with, or grown ups for that matter. Losing your baby brother has been difficult to say the least. You were so very excited to meet Roman in the hospital and were devastated when you learned what happened. You talk about Roman daily, usually telling me about the things you would like to do with him if he were here. It's good for my soul to hear you talk about him. I pray you always remember him. We've had difficult conversations with you about death and heaven and God, and I've seen you age a lot in your capacity to understand things. Mami and Papi so wish we could take away your hurt and pain, but we love you so very much. You are an amazing little girl, and I know Roman would have loved you as much as the rest of us do.
A few other quick notes for you from these last two months:
-One day you said, "When it's Wintersday, can we build a snowman?"
-We were reading Turkey Trouble, and you asked why the Turkey was scared of being eaten, and I said, well what do people eat for Thanksgiving? To which you said, "Turkey. But not that kind of turkey, people eat food turkey!"
-You said one afternoon, "Mami, we should go see the Nutcracker again this year." and when I told you it was too expensive to do again this year you said, "How about for Christmas, we can get some money, and then we can go!"
-"Lord, please make the weather sunny tomorrow because Fynn has been asking to go to the playground for awhile now."
-We had your first Parent Teacher conference in November. You are truly loved by your teacher, Mrs. Rivas. She had such wonderful things to say about you. We are most proud of how you love on everyone in your class, always including everyone and talking to everyone, even those who don't speak the same language as you! You are quite the leader in your class!
-This month you have really started reading. You have many books that you can read on your own. You must know close to 100 sight words and can sound out most CVC words. So proud of you!
-"This has been such a special Christmas. You want to know why? Because Baby Roman gets to celebrate it with Jesus!"
Fynnlan
Oh Fynn, we love you so! You are so full of fun and energy these days! You are super silly, constantly making us laugh (check out the drill video below!). You have started to push boundaries a little more, like trying to escape your room at night! And we hear a lot of "Don't want iiiiiit," and "No, Papi/Mami." haha!
The first couple of weeks following Roman's birth were hard for you. I know you don't really understand what happened, but you could certainly tell something had happened. You were even more attached to my hip (if that were even possible haha), and just a bit on edge emotionally. You have since returned to your normal, easy going self. You still include Roman in your prayers every night, and it makes me so happy. You would have been the best big brother.
A few things you have said these past two months:
-"Baby, look!" You have Baby watch everything you do.
-"I do it!!" All. The. Time.
-"Shumpy shumpy shump." (Thumpity thump thump.)
-You ask so many questions these days--What's that? Where going? What we doing? What you making?
-"Sorry, Papi" with the saddest little frown face, that bottom lip folds in half!
-You also blow the most adorable "teeth kisses" haha
