Drying my tears, Staying Busy, Preparing Maricela for Aliyah's birth and The long awaited BIG Sister Party!

    In the mist of my pain and depression I tried my best to NEVER let on to my daughter Maricela {just four years old at that time} that something was "wrong" she would sometimes walk in on me sobbing my eyes out and just at the sight of her little confused face I would suck it up as best I could. Unfortunately she did catch me in full blown crisis a few times but thankfully my husband or mother were always there to distract her and explain "Mommy's crying cuz her tummy hurts" my tummy hurt A LOT in those days.


   Maricela enjoyed going to all of my prenatal appointments since I had 9 ultrasounds she loved seeing her baby sister on the screen swimming around in my belly. She was so excited! to be a Big Sister in her eyes  Aliyah was just her baby sister there was nothing else about it. Looking back on this....I envied the way Maricela was able to love Aliyah so purely even before they met face to face.

    As Aliyah's due date approached started I to educate Maricela about Down syndrome without giving her too much information as I didn't want to frighten her. I didn't tell her about the holes in Aliyah's heart until we were in the Cardiologist's office for a echo, I simply told her "that her baby sister had two boo boo's in her heart and after she was born the Dr's would make the boo boo's better."

    At bedtime I read her children's books about Down syndrome, I was trying to "prepare" my little girl for her baby sister's condition. Maricela is a very sharp kid so she understood everything! at four years old she was a little expert in Down syndrome.

Here are a few of the books we read together :)

http://www.amazon.com/Well-Paint-Octopus-Stephanie-Stuve-Bodeen/dp/1890627062

 http://www.amazon.com/My-Friend-Isabelle-Eliza-Woloson/dp/189062750X

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Worst-Brother-Stephanie-Stuve-Bodeen/dp/1890627682


    Despite the crying spells I did have a four year old little one after all, so I stayed pretty busy with her and all her activities she had during that summer she was in ballet, kid's zumba, swimming lessons, soccer and weekly playdates etc etc. I tried my best and kept going I didn't want my daughter's daily life to be affected by my grief I had to put on my fake smile for my daughter's sake and that's what I did.

These photo's were taken during those weeks and months following our prenatal diagnosis......

Soccer summer 2010

This is what was waiting for me in the mornings such a blessing 

playin with Grandpa 

evening practices 

My super model 

Birthday Parties 

visits to Big Mama's 

Playdates 

Mari & Z

Swim Lessons 

Shopping for Aliyah

2010 GO!!! GATORS!!!!

Mari and her Coaches 

end of another soccer season

Summer 2010 Zumba Classes

Go Mari!!! 

shake it baby girl!

Weekly Playdates with E

<3

One little angel Ms. R.B.

Zumba Performance   

more birthday parties Mari & Lil 'G

sword fights with C 

My strength 

My Joy 

My Hope 

Spending time with our Pumpkin 

Baby Sister will soon be here! 

BALLET 

Super Star 

My beautiful Ballerina 

Mari and T

Out Bowling 

Go baby you can do it!

My pretty Princess Mari 

Movies 

More Zumba 

Playdate with the Boy's 

Zoo 

Where I worked daily with Ms. Sandy's Parent Participation Preschool Sutterville Elementary 

Preschool Field Trip's once a week 

And finally my baby shower oops I mean Maricela's BIG Sister Party! Thrown by my Mami Teresa and Mama Felicia with the help of my Sis Eva.
There were so many friends and family there to support us with their love for our baby girl Aliyah.
Thank you ALL so much!
We love you!!!

Cristina, Alina and Ruben 

Jen and baby J

Luz and my Bro Miko

Lavina F. and family

My Tia's Chula's

Lavina's little Girl's

Michelle and baby Joey

V

Tatiana, Adriana, and Mama 

Cristina R

The Ketner Family

Chris and Mako

My beautiful Mami Teresa 

Korina thank you for all your advise 

The BIG Sister opening gifts for baby sis

pretty pink <3

My wonderful mother's 

My uncle Adan the strong man of the Oseguera Family

LOL

Cake Time!! thank you Tatiana for this yummy gift <3

Me and my BBF Chris 

Tia Irma and Tio Adan

My beautiful cousin Sandra 

Tia Rosa and Maria 

Diaper cake made by Christina 

We had everything we needed, the nursery was freshly painted a lovely shade of Lilac and decorated beautifully, the hospital bag was packed and ready to go all that was left was to wait for Aliyah to come into our world..........