MX pics

Mexico

It was a long/short trip. We left on Thursday the 27th. And Rio did soooo well on the airplanes. Slept the majority of the 5 hours (2 planes). Took TONS of pictures.

I visited my father in law in the hospital every other day, they wouldn't let Rio in to see him. And everyday FIL told me how he really wanted to see the Burrito (Rio) and I would tell him "he's outside right now, but we are all waiting at the house for you to come home" and he would respond "Oh I know, I'm going to go home, to see el Burrito" I saw him Fri, Sat, Tues, and Thurs. We were going to go on Sat the 5th. But I got a phone call at the house at 5:50 am. It was my MIL crying. My FIL passed away at 5am. He never got to meet Rio, didn't get to see his two sons here in the states, and didn't get to be in his own home for the last 13 days of his life. It was the HARDEST thing I have ever had to do, to call my husband thousands of miles away to tell him that his father died. I called Mario at 5:52am and then went into the big bedroom where my BIL's were sleeping and my 22yr old BIL collapsed crying into my arms. That woke up his little brothers (13 and 11yrs old) and they asked what was going on, and I was put in the position to tell them as well.

Rio and I later went to MIL's parents house for breakfast like every morning and they still didn't know so I had to inform FIL's in laws, he was a part of their family for 25+yrs. And then the phone rang and it was Mario's sister. She asked me what was going on because a cousin of hers told her to call because her dad "wasn't doing well". So I had to tell SIL while the two little boys sat next to me and I broke down crying and told her and that started everyone else.

The way they do funerals in MX is like the old days here. They have the body in the house and have visitors all day and night and the family stays up all night. They pray the rosary and the next day have mass. So he died Saturday and his mass was 1:30pm Sunday. He was placed in the tomb shortly there after. And we were all there to watch them place him in there with his parents and then seal them in with bricks and cement.

It was amazing to see how many people my FIL touched in his short 50 years.

We came home Tuesday, decided not to extend the stay, that was the day I had the ticket. Mario thought I might want to stay longer and let MIL have more time with Rio. But to be honest it wouldn't have helped. So we came home with plans to go back within the next 6 months.

Crawling

Here's little Rio crawling. I've got other videos but this one loads quicker :) I'll post the rest later.

Photos

Grandma and Grandpa Gipe took us up to Shakopee MN for a weekend of fun.

Rio's cartoon picture

Daddy with Rio after the drive home from MN

Waiting for Aunt Ashley and Grandma to get off of the ride

The four of us after a very wet ride. Obviously it wasn't important for me to be in it :)

Rio and Grandpa loving Ronald McDonald

Aunt Ashley and my happy little boy

We went to the Omaha Zoo again and here are some pictures of our trip.

Rio sleeping on the way to Omaha

Us in the pool in Omaha

We had a few hours to ourselves while Rio slept the entire zoo practically

The three of us in the aquarium

Rio LOVED the peguins

Rio LOVED the snakes

Us in the desert

Us under the big tree

Eating at the Treetop Restaurant

Rio watching the howling monkey after his LONG nap

Rio and Daddy in the desert

Rio and his new hat

We also had a wedding to go to this month, Bianca and Jesus got married the 16th so these are some recent photos.

Rio eating a Churro

The bride and groom and us

Daddy and Rio before the party

The three of us

Video

Okay well I can't seem to get the video off the disk from the video camera so I will take a video with the digital camera and post some videos later.

Follow up!

Got a call yesterday from the doctors nurse. Rio's liver is inflamed but his doctor has hope it will continue to heal itself. In June his numbers were in the 60's and 110's, in July they were in the 40's and 60's. Obviously improving. So we have a follow up in December! Yes that's right no more bi-weekly blood drawings.

Now on to 'normal' life!

Liver Biopsy

Monday August 3rd Rio started sitting up on his own! He is getting to be such a big boy, and changing so fast.

Wednesday August 5th, we had to go to Des Moines for Rio's liver biopsy. Special orders from doctor:
No milk after 9am
Clear liquid until 10:30am
Check in at 11:30am
His biopsy was to start at 1pm

The entire morning he did really well, no crying until about 12:30 when he started to get hungry and bored in the hospital. So finally at 1 the nurse decided to start his IV which was just to administer medicine, no liquids. She got the IV in his hand and then pulled it out, seemingly without reason. Then started one in his foot. Poor boy loves to kick his feet and his foot was pulled straight and taped to a board.

They started a little medicine at 1:20pm. And at 1:40pm they took him into do the procedure. Mario and I decided instead of waiting the entire time worrying we would go get something to eat. Within 20 minutes we got the call that Rio was back in recovery. We got there and he was sleeping. He stayed asleep all of 30 minutes or so and woke up because his tummy was EMPTY! So I fed him and we were able to leave at 3:30pm. We got to my grandparents house and Rio was rolling around acting as though nothing happened. And even started to crawl yesterday. He gets up on his knees and takes a lunge to get whatever object is in front of him...especially likes cell phones and remotes.

Rio then slept from 9-4 last night and another 1.5 hours after that and is sleeping now! I think since he is able to eat he feels much better and is able to sleep happily as opposed to yesterday.

Now we are just waiting on the results which should be in soon, they said they should know in 24 hours from when they did the test. So within the next few hours I should be getting a call.

Peek A Boo!

Pics

Love the attitude already!
With the refs at the Hill Billy Olympics

With Momma wanting cake, he didn't have clothes
on because...he just ate bananas I believe

Who is this?? JP was sleeping with Rio
Rio woke up and didn't know who JP was

With Daddy at Perkins

Blurry but super cute!Loved watching the fireworks. Didn't take his eyes off of them!

Ashley and I at Rio's baptism

Mario, myself, Father Reynolds, Esmeralda, and Gabriel

Mario with Rio

JUNE

Just relaxing in his carseat at a softball game against Pella. Lord Almighty that was a hot game!
After Ashley played at Pella, Mario and Rio and I left to go get some Smokey Row. Rio enjoyed licking the white chocolate off of Daddy's cookie.
When Ashley was able to leave her game we all went to El Charro in Pella and Rio enjoyed a 'Jarrito'...okay Mario enjoyed it, Rio just wanted the bottle.
A close up of Rio attacking the bottle.
Sleeping with Ashley's boyfriend Matthew at one of Ashley's games. Poor Matthew had to walk around and sway for 15 minutes for this to happen. Oh well, Momma was keeping score!