"May" be gone!

Finally the month of May is OVER!! For some reason this is usually the longest month for me..the days feel so long and the month is just eternal...
PLUS, I have so many plans for the months of June and July that I'm just ready for May to be GONE!

In the next few weeks, Olivia will be graduating from Pre-K, we will be going to Disney a couple of times and then I will be taking a trip to Canada with Olivia to visit my good friend Jen and her family..

We will also be having some family members over our house and we'll be finalizing the preparations for the new school year and new school...

So.. May.. thanks for being OVER... see you next year! ;)

My mother-in-law's birthday...

My mother in law is in town and yesterday was her birthday so we improvised a little celebration here at the house....

I made her a delicious cake and a few other desserts along with sandwiches and snacks and we officially had a party! 

It was fun to see the girls all excited about the mini party we put up... Olivia picked a few party plates and special napkins at Party City and we celebrated the special day...what a special occasion!

Happy Birthday, Danay! We hope you enjoyed your birthday!

Lemon Yogurt Cake

I rarely share recipes on my blog since I figure anyone can Google them whenever they're needed... BUT, this one is just so good that I really feel like I should spread the word about it...I made it twice in a row, each time with a variation and both times it turned out delicious...

It's a Lemon Yogurt Cake by Barefoot Contessa at Home... I took it right out of the Food Network and I will just copy it here...

Here it is:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Greaseand flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour thebatter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

This is a picture of my actual cake right after I was done covering it with glaze

The first time I made it I used Greek yogurt instead of the whole milk vanilla yogurt the recipe calls for... I think the Greek yogurt was much better since the cake turned out a bit softer when I used that!

The second time I did use the whole milk vanilla yogurt but added a few pecan chips to the mix... yum!

I strongly recommend this recipe.. it's so easy to make and so delicious.. ideal for an afternoon snack and also great for breakfast!

NBA Playoffs

Iggy and I had a very special date night last night... We went to a Miami HEAT playoff game!

It was Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semi-final and it was as exciting as it gets...

The HEAT were playing the Boston Celtic, who they beat by 14 points and we were there the witness it...yay us! ;)

For those of you that know me well, it is no secret that I am a huge basketball fan and although my favorite team isn't the Miami Heat (I'm a Lakers fan!), it was very exciting to get to go to an NBA playoff game... the energy in the arena was amazing and the whole thing was really fun...)and I got to spend one-on-one time with my awesome hubby too!)

I hope the HEAT make it to the finals, because I so want to be there again!

...we had seats in the 400 section and the view was surprisingly good!

Breakfast with the Gonzalez family

Yesterday we had the great opportunity to have breakfast with the Gonzalez family, who were visiting from Atlanta and on their way to Orlando...

My friend Susan, who I met through the WTE pregnancy boards, was nice enough to make some time to enjoy a yummy Venezuelan breakfast with us. 

It was great to spend time with Susan, Gus and the kids and of course it's always wonderful to see how online friendships can transcend in this modern world....

It was a great breakfast!

Here's a picture of us with the kids. 

...and the best part was to see how these two little girls (Olivia and Emily, 6 weeks apart), who have seen each other but two times in their entire lives, get along so well.. they are both little divas and really hit it off... This is too adorable!

Thank you Susan and family.. We hope to see you again very soon! ;)

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a day of remembering all of the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.. it is also a day to thank all of those who are currently serving and putting their lives on the line for our freedom and happiness.
I have so many friends who are military spouses and are currently enduring (or have already endured) long and difficult deployments... I also know several veterans and I even knew some military men who died while serving in different wars.. To all of those THANK YOU...
On this Memorial Day I will say a special prayer for all of you, the ones who have chosen this difficult path and serve our country proudly day in and day out, but specially for the ones that have lost their lives while doing so...and even though I am not an American citizen by birth, I am one by choice...Today I am proud to be an American and proud to be able to stand on free ground thanks to the many selfless people who choose to protect our nation.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! GOD BLESS AMERICA!

My crusade against "thumb sucking"

A few months ago I wrote this post, when I naively thought that Olivia had quit her nasty habit of thumb sucking... only to write this other post a couple of months later admitting that she had regressed and was back to thumb sucking full throttle!...
Well.. it has been over 6 months since that last post and she is STILL sucking her thumb like there's no tomorrow...
Please keep in mind that Olivia will be 5 really soon and this habit is only getting worse each passing day....
The incessant thumb sucking has caused Olivia so many issues...she has been sick (and on antibiotics) several times this year, her teeth are terribly crooked, the skin around her thumb is affected with severe dermatitis, her nail doesn't grow on her left thumb AND she constantly STINKS.. I'm talking rotten saliva smell all day long...
There was a time when I thought her thumb sucking was the cutest thing in the world (just like many parents of BABY thumb suckers), but now it's the most disgusting thing I can think of...
So... ever since I have admitted that thumb sucking is a terrible habit, I have started a crusade against it.. every time I see a parent with a thumb sucking baby, I approach them politely and tells them about the risks and consequences of this habit..now, I will also post that information on here because I know it will help so  many parents who are unable to see the long term consequences of this activity.
According to some of the research I have done, thumb sucking is a very common habit (occurring in about 80% of normal infants and children), however by 4 years of age, only 15% of children still suck their thumb (I guess Olivia is in that "lucky" percentage). Some of the consequences of thumb sucking are as follows:

1. If it persists past 6 years of age, may cause damage to the permanent teeth, primarily "buck" teeth.
2. Dermatitis of the thumb, introduction of toxic materials to the mouth, candidiasis, herpetic whitlow formation, and increased incidence of paronychia (a bacterial fungal hand infection)
3. Orthopedic abnormalities including radial angular deformities
4. By constant pressure by parents that the child should get their thumb out of their mouth, the child's self esteem may be affected
5. Peer relationships and social interactions. Children perceive thumbsuckers as less intelligent, unhappy, unattractive, and less desirable to become their friend.

So, as a parent of an almost 5 year old thumb sucker, who is exhibiting many of the issues I have mentioned above, I strongly advice all parents agains it.  Use a pacifier if your child MUST have something in his/her mouth.. you can always take that away but you can't cut the thumb off...If you think a baby looks cute sucking his/her thumb.. believe me.. you won't think so when he/she is a toddler... Take it from this very frustrated mom who has been dealing with this issue for years now.. (literally).

References:

1. Rosenberg, Maris. Thumbsucking. Pediatrics in Review February 1995
2. Van Norman Rosemarie Why we can't afford to ignore prolonged digit sucking?.  Contemporary Pediatrics June 2001
3. Davidson L. Thumb and Finger Sucking.  Pediatrics in Review June 2008

Crazy Hair!

How cute is she??

My baby is getting so big! Look at her with her "crazy hair"... 

She's so adorable and incredibly sweet! 

I love my kids!

20 years ago....

... I was a 10 year old girl, having her First Communion!

This picture was taken on 05/23/92, exactly 20 years ago!

I found it in a box recently and it seems fitting to post it today.  I remember this like it was yesterday...

How amazing to have such vivid memories of my childhood and how great that my parents kept all these pictures and keepsakes... it's always so great to reminisce!

Stuff Olivia says....

I'm sure every mother thinks she has the most hilarious and adorable children..and I'm not the exception.. I happen to think my kids are funny and peculiar and such fun to be around...
Olivia is particularly ingenious and absolutely the funniest kid I know.. Lately she has been coming up with the most comical comments I have ever heard...

The other day (when I was helping my dad move) my sister took her to church (thank you Sis!) and Olivia was so happy to tell me she had prayed so hard during mass...
I asked her "Olivia, did you pray today?", to what she responded "of course mom, I asked Jesus for some ice cream!".. I giggled and said "Olivia, you should pray for the poor kids that have no food and no toys, not ask for ice cream!".. she looked at me, very puzzled and said "Mom, but you already gave them a bunch of my toys and some canned food, don't you remember that huge bag we dropped off the other day?"...I started laughing hysterically.. apparently she thinks we have fed the poor with some canned foods and old toys.. how cute is that?  I guess I have to re-educate her about the ongoing needs of the poor in the world and get her more inspired to help...

On another occasion, Olivia says to me "Mommy, I want a baby brother!"...I paused for a second.. confused.... thinking.. how do I explain a 4 year old that we're NOT having any more babies?.. so in the sweetest possible way, I told her "Olivia, baby.. I don't think we're having any more babies!".. To my surprise, she started crying hysterically.. as if I had given her the worst of news... she was throwing the craziest of tantrums as I kept thinking of a way to make her feel better... So I said "Olivia, we have no room in our house for another baby.. you already share a room with your sister, where would we put your baby brother?"... She paused and looked at me and then said "Well..he could sleep with me... OR we can always put a crib between our beds!".. and she smiled at me.. as if she had come up with the brightest idea ever!.. It was adorable!  I wish it was THAT simple!  ;)
It's the little things in life!.. I'm so glad my daughter makes me smile every day with her crazy comments and ingenious ideas..she makes my world go round.. I love it!

Moving weekend...

Moving is so much fun....NOT! OMG! 

This weekend Iggy and I took a trip to Alabama to help my dad with his move back to sunny South Florida.  We flew out on Friday night and spent the whole day Saturday helping my dad empty his apartment and load it all into a huge U-Haul truck to then drive back to Miami... what a crazy weekend this was!

This is what the apartment looked like when we first started packing and taking all the furniture out!

...we packed tons of boxes and spent a lot of time taking curtains and pictures down... such an exhausting task....

 ...this is my dad posing inside the truck, when we first started loading the boxes into the gigantic 27' truck!

 ...our process was tedious because my dad lived on a 2nd floor so we had to take everything down to the 1st floor and put it outside the truck so that we could make better use of the space...

 ..Iggy was loading stuff like a maniac... I'm sure he got his share of exercise in... my poor hubby! :(

...and just when I thought we were done loading.. my dad shows me to this garage.. which was packed with stuff too.. most of it was trash (according to me, at least).. but my dad insisted we go through it and pack some of that stuff too...(shoot me now!)

 .. this is my dad "pretending" to help...I swear he only lifted this one box, which was probably under 10lbs.. ha ha! (that's the spirit, dad!)

 ...and this is the guy my dad hired to help, making his outmost effort to lock the truck once and for all.. I thought he wasn't going to accomplish that task, but he did (thankfully) and off we were... ready to drive 10+ hours back to Miami...

...this is what the garage and apartment looked like after we emptied them... a thing of beauty, I tell ya!

...on the way down we stopped at Valdosta, GA and spent the night in this hotel..Thankfully the beds were super comfy and the breakfast was yummy! We set off to Florida at around 9am on Sunday and drove for the rest of the day...

...last toll plaza!! Yay! I was in glory by the time we hit this spot! It felt so good to be HOME!

 ..and of course, here's a picture of our  huge (loaded) truck right before we left my dad's apartment complex...

I'm glad to be done with this crazy move, but I am specially glad to have my dad back with us.  These three years with him so far away have been so difficult and I'm glad my parents are back together for good... It has been so challenging to have my father so far apart and I'm glad it's over... Thank you God, for bringing my daddy back to us! Now, let's just hope he doesn't move again any time soon! ha!

VPK picture

Somebody please show me the PAUSE button! Time needs to SLOW DOWN!!!

My "baby" will be officially done with VPK (Voluntary Pre-K) within the next 3 weeks and will soon be going to KINDERGARTEN!  Where did time go?  When did my baby get so big??

I got her VPK pictures back yesterday and I got so teary eyed when I saw her so grown up in them. 

She is thrilled to be experiencing all this and says she's "so ready" for Kindergarten. 

She will have her special VPK graduation this June 8th, so I better get my Kleenex ready because I know I will bawl!!

Here's her picture!

Olivia Isabel Perez- VPK- Class of 2012

What? You mean "being fat" is MY fault??

 A few days ago, one of my Facebook friends posted this on her status:

"Stop complaining about being fat and tired! Make a change......It's NOT a diet, it's a lifestyle of change. Yes, I could prob. devour a pint of ice cream by myself and excuse it by saying I'm pregnant, but this baby is coming out and unfortunately he is not taking all the fat/calories I consumed, with him. It's not easy to push through a hard workout, but the results are worth it. Let TODAY be the day you don't give yourself and option to drown yourself with bad choices of poor nutrition and lack of exercise. YOU GOT THIS!!!!"


I didn't see anything wrong with her status but I was honestly shocked to see some of the negative responses she received.  There were people complaining about being fat for "medical" reasons, and others even attacked her for being "judgmental"; mind you, she is one of the sweetest people I know and I'm sure her status wasn't meant to be offensive...
The whole "debacle" about the status update got me thinking about the obesity epidemic in the United States.  What is it with people not taking responsibility for being overweight or obese? I realize this is a very sensitive topic for many (including myself), but my friend wasn't too far off in her rants... Complaining about "being fat" isn't going to fix the problem and after all it is true that "being fat" isn't a freak accident... we ARE responsible and we are the only ones that can change the way we look....If you're "fat" IT IS YOUR (OUR) FAULT!..and once you (we) understand that, then maybe *just maybe* things will start to change!
Of course I don't discredit the many valid excuses people have for having excess weight (thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, etc)..but in reality most people that are carrying extra weight are not sick and they aren't always willing to lay off the fat foods, sweets and other things that might be responsible for their out-of-shapeness...
Certainly many aren't willing to exercise enough to make an impact in their bodies and many aren't even aware of the lifestyle changes that need to be made in order to get back in shape...or maybe they don't care?
I, for one, am at least 40 lbs overweight and although I have gotten better at exercising (I've been working out 4x per week for over 2 months), I'm still horrible with my dieting habits and I KNOW I'm not making a big enough effort to lose the excess weight..so what do I do instead?.. well.. I complain about "being fat" just like everyone else around me who is having the same issue...
Obesity is a HUGE problem.. it's not all about looking cute in our clothes and being able to wear a bikini during the summer.. it's about our HEALTH...our QUALITY OF LIFE... our ABILITY to run after our kids and lead a wholesome life...
So, to all my friends and family struggling with weight issues, don't get discouraged.. instead of complaining, start making those lifestyle changes you need to lead a healthier life... Start creating better habits, which will lead you to your ultimate goal...
I will never give up on this.. even if it means getting depressed every once in a while and having someone tell me to my face "you look fat!"...maybe those harsh words are inspirational after all! ;)

Gaby is 34 months!

My little girl won't be 2 for much longer and I, of course, can't believe that time has flown so fast...
Let's just say that Gaby is ADORABLE...she is the funniest little girl I've seen and it is such a blessing to be her mother...
She talks so well and is extremely eloquent and effective in expressing herself... She is a little manipulator and always manages to get her way, and of course I can't help but please her as much as I want..She's also overly dramatic, which is very funny at times!
Gaby is generally very well behaved but she has her moments, just like any two year old... She does cry and whine at times, but she is overall a very "easy" child... I've been lucky to have skipped the "terrible 2's" with Gaby and I'm looking forward to another wonderful year with her!
Gaby has gotten very good at coloring inside the lines and playing with building blocks...her motor skills have improved tremendously within the past month and she has even learned to draw the letter "G" and recognizes most letters in her name.. She is truly a smart child...
Gaby is into gymnastics, dance and all kinds of artsy stuff!
Happy 34 months, Gaby!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all mommies out there...

Congrats on the wonderful job you do with your kids and I hope that God continues to bless all of us and give us the wisdom to do the best we can do for our children.

We had a great Mother's Day.  I am lucky enough to have my mom nearby and be able to spend this precious day with her...

My kids and husband were awesome to me today.. I was able to sleep in and had my breakfast expressed delivered to my bed...

I got an ICE watch, an iPod nano and a super cute phone case as gifts... definitely more than I expected...

I am one happy mommy!

Here are some pictures:

This is a picture of my sister and I with my mom on this special day...

 ...and here is me with my mom and grandma... what a blessing!

...and I had to share this picture of my girls with my niece Erika... Olivia looks so big here.. she is growing up so fast!

Movie review: "Chimpanzee"

This one doesn't probably qualify as a movie since it's really a documentary, but it is playing in theaters nationwide so I'll go ahead and review it too...
"Chimpanzee" has been out since April 20th but we just got the chance to see it yesterday; the girls were adamant about watching the "monkey movie" so we obliged...
Let's start by saying that while the film is interesting and has a rather profound message (the similarities between animal and human instincts).. It depicts the journey of a herd of chimpanzees struggling to survive in the jungle...the movie shows the "family life" of these animals and follows the story of a little one name Oskar, who happens to lose his mom in a battle with rival chimpanzees and is then adopted by another chimpanzee who raises him and his own...
The story is interesting because it isn't staged (obviously) and it shows real footage with a great narration throughout...(it is narrated by Tim Allen).. It also has great scenery and beautiful images of the jungle...
On the down side, the kids got bored and it was hard for them to follow the story.. I don't think this movie should have been marketed for little kids...this one belongs in a segment of National Geographic or Discovery Channel... It was cute...but it definitely did not grab the girls' attention even though the movie is only 80 minutes long...
This one gets 3 out of 4 stars from me, based on the fact that it is very well made and the story is compelling and REAL!

Controversial parenting??

By now most people (especially moms) have put in their two cents in regards to TIME Magazine most recent cover, which features a super fit mom breastfeeding her almost 4 year old toddler.. The "controversial" cover photo is accompanied by the caption "Are You Mom Enough?", which has certainly enraged many mothers across the country....
Many have taken to internet social networks to voice their strong stance for or against extended breastfeeding and many have taken stabs at moms who choose not to breastfeed at all.. Others have called the cover a "beautiful thing" and some have even claimed that the woman on it is not even a real mom...
The most ironic thing about all this is that the featured article is not even about breastfeeding but rather the concept of Attachment Parenting, which in itself is a very controversial topic....
Let's face it people, parenting is a tough job and unfortunately NOBODY has all the right answers, but some moms (and dads) just DON'T GET IT!... On the internet, some people have gone as far as saying that any parenting style that is different from "attachment parenting" is detrimental to children and that most attachment parenting children grow up to be "better adjusted" individuals... WHAT?  So if I don't breastfeed by kid until she's 4 and let her sleep in my bed until she feels like it I am damaging her?  Yeah, yeah.. I know that attachment parenting isn't just about that, but the fact that someone is taking the time to even imply that they have the secret to perfect parenting, really irks me!
Of course there are people who post articles like THIS ONE, claiming they don't really care about the implications of the TIME cover and all they wish is for their kids to be happy (believe me, we all do!), but I honestly don't buy into that.. Everyone has SOME KIND of reaction towards things like this, even posting an "I don't care" type of article represents a reaction...
Of course I don't agree with "mommy wars" and I strongly believe that my real life and kids are far more important than anything I read online, but let's be honest, motherhood and parenting are VERY sensitive issues and for opinionated people like myself it is almost impossible to pretend that something like this wouldn't elicit some type of reaction... right?
I honestly couldn't care less about how long someone chooses to breastfeed their children (it's NONE of my business really)... after all, breastfeeding is a very positive thing and any mother who decides to pursue it should feel free to do it for whatever long she wants to.. but please don't even think of implying that someone is not "mom enough" for not doing so...and certainly don't expect to publish covers like this one and not get a crazy reaction from mothers (like me) who happen to think that the implications are just nonsense!  I believe that this cover is not only very offensive to some, but ironically, it is also having a negative impact on the whole idea of promoting extended breastfeeding...It is sad when things become an "us vs. them" thing.. certainly a useless concept in my opinion!
Now please, TIME Magazine, go back to your usual lame covers and let ME raise MY children in peace!

Mother's Day celebrations

Here are a few pictures of the girls' school Mother's Day celebrations...

They made me cute gifts, sang cute songs and gave me cute smiles...

I couldn't ask for more...I am blessed mommy!

Let the Mother's Day weekend begin!

Have fun, mommies!

The job of a parent...

The job of a parent... NEVER ends!
It's no secret that our world is constantly changing and evolving.. some would say it's changing for the better.. but I argue it's changing for the worse...
I believe we are slowly losing many of our values and making our every day lives more and more liberal...Kids are losing respect for adults and focusing their energy on more and more lame things..
Liberalism doesn't equal freedom and it definitely doesn't equal progress... Some parents fail to teach their children the importance of self respect and dignity and that's how we end up with kids involved in crimes, drug issues and who knows what else...
I get it, being a parent is HARD.. it is by far the toughest "job" I've had to do; certainly the one with the most responsibilities and the biggest challenges possible..but then again, nobody said it'd be easy...
As parents we need to understand that our kids are like "modeling clay", the more time that passes, the harder it gets to mold.. We have so much power to change the world by positively influencing our kids since they will only reflect what we teach them...so we need to exercise that power while we still can...
The early years are crucial and as parents we need to be able to make a difference and make our kids want to be good people.. we need to understand that there is NOTHING more important than our kids and everything takes a back seat when it comes to kids..because parenting is a FULL TIME job and we need to treat it as such....
I know this might sound like a totally random post, but I feel the need to remind every parent that while we all know that frustration comes with the job, parenting is the best opportunity we have to make a difference in our future and our children's future so we must strive to do a great job at it...for them.. for our kids!

Happy parenting! Keep at it!

Movie review: "The Avengers"

"The Avengers" is probably one of the most hyped movies of the summer, if not of all year.. it is such a big budget film and so far it has lived up to its expectations... at least box office wise...
So we joined the millions of people who went to see this movie on opening weekend and let's just say we should have waited a few weeks since the 40 minute line we made was definitely not worth it.. AT ALL!
Strangely enough I generally enjoy super hero movies and believe special effects are quite entertaining...For some reason a muscular man with super powers dressed in a tight suit sounds appealing to me so this movie was a must see...
We took the girls with us, which was probably the first mistake about this experience.. this is NOT a movie for kids.. it is LONG and very complex for a little child.. Even though the girls got through it just fine, there were some "scary" parts for Gaby and they just didn't get it...
While I have to admit that the movie does feature some kick ass special effects, the plot is just really weak and some of the super heroes don't really add anything to the already lame story...
As I suspected the movie revolves around Iron Man and the other characters are just fluff.. The story is the same old plot of an evil enemy stealing some power source for malicious reasons, which could potentially destroy the world...until the superheroes save the day with their magic tricks and physical abilities...In the end they win (of course!) but the possibility of the evil archenemy returning remains open... (we need sequels, after all!)...
In my humble opinion, the movie is "ok"... entertaining yes... but good?... I don't think so...
It did make over $200 million on its first weekend, so there's definitely "something" to it...
I give it 3 out of 5 stars....

Alessandra's 3rd birthday

Today we celebrated Ale's 3rd birthday with a wonderful party at Little Javas in Weston...it was such a lovely day and such a great event.  

Ale is the second niece of my good friend Marianna, who has been my friend forever, so naturally her family is really dear to me...

The party's theme was Tangled and Ale had a beautiful (and delicious) Rapunzel cake... the kids had a great time jumping around and enjoying some fun times... it was so great...

Ale was very happy and excited about her birthday and she enjoyed the company of all her little friends...

Happy Birthday, Alessandra!  I'm glad you had such a wonderful day!

Thank you to the Diaz-Salvioli family for inviting us!

Here's the birthday girl, about to sing "Happy Birthday"

These four little girls have "known" each other since BEFORE they were born! It's always great to see them together! ;)

And the birthday moment!