...From our family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!
We hope that this finds you warm and happy this holiday season! May you enjoy gifts, and traditions and feasts, and may you enjoy even more the time you have with your loved ones. Go ahead, put down the gadget and connect! We dare you!
And here is 2013 in Prieto Family updates:
In the past year Orion has grown from a tiny newborn to a running, music making, dancing, climbing, loving little boy. After a long season of having a colicky baby, we have loved watching his personality unfold throughout the year. He is very physical, yet cautious, and although he loves to hug, blow kisses and snuggle with us, he can also play very happily on his own with toys and the contents of the entire tupperware cupboard. The more communicative he becomes the more we see his sweet personality blossom. We really enjoy having him in our family.
Giovanna has also unfolded her petals in new ways this year. Having a new brother has been an adventure for her, but they have now wiggled into a good spot and are becoming friends. Gigi and I had a looong summer together with Orion as Marcos was doing an internship in Charlotte during the week, and for sanity I bought a kiddo workbook and Gigi learned to write her letters and is now sounding out basic words. She loves to draw and paint, and make greeting cards and she is in coop preschool two mornings a week. When Halloween came around this year, and all of the delicious spookiness started appearing, Gigi was at the perfect age to be entirely drawn in to the world of costumes and ghouls. Around that time, Marcos also introduced her to comics and superheroes, and she is currently infatuated with talk of superheroes, make believe, and good vs. evil. She is also exploring her independence lately, which is a nice way of saying that she has the tendency to completely disregard what we tell her. As with all of her habits that drive us crazy, we hope this one is just another (very short) phase.
Marcos is finishing up his final year of studies at the University of North Carolina, and he will graduate with a Bachelors degree in Information Science next May, which is more than just a little thrilling! This fall semester in particular was really difficult, and the challenge made us anxious for graduation, and the beginning of a new chapter that includes evenings together as a family, and even (gasp) an income! During the summer Marcos was the superstar intern at a great company in Charlotte, NC, and the commute gave him the chance to delve into audio books. He has swamped me in the literary department this year and I'm a little jealous. When he is not busy playing with the kids or giving me foot rubs (I wish), he has been using his free time to establish new Guys Night traditions (late night Taqueria Truck hopping, anyone?)
And then there's me, Metta. This year has been an interesting one from me, and has had some real ups and downs. However, largely through the generosity and good humor of my mom who lives nearby and loves her grandchildren, I have been able to do some things for myself that have helped me to find balance during this first year of staying home full time with two young kiddos. One thing that I've enjoyed is a photography class that I took this fall, which has given me a chance to express myself creatively and take better photos of our family. Another hobby I've gotten into, which has surprised even me, is exercising. Some of my close friends and I have been doing health competitions, and I daresay that the repetition of exercising and eating better throughout the week are becoming habits that might even stick. I've also been involved in Gigi's coop preschool, and I am President of the Primary children's organization at church. So, I keep busy.
So that's us in a very small nutshell! We wish you so much goodness and happiness for 2014. We are definitely feeling like it has good things in store.
Lots of love,
The Prieto Family
Marcos, Metta, Gigi and Orion
1 comment:
Merry Christmas Prietos! Love and miss you guys.
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