Family, friends and presents...

This is a long overdue post, one to give a big THANKS to our families and friends for the presents received over the last few months of pregnancy.

Our family from Altea started early sending us tiny little clothes for Marc almost immediately after we announced Lily was pregnant, it was a great surprise!

Our friends in Chicago followed shortly during our home warming party and kind-of-but-not-quite baby shower: clothes, gift cards... and even the coolest running stroller ever which Papa Miguel and Marc will use heavily putting miles on it by Lake Michigan!

Our family from Altea also sent us a big money gift which was enough to pay for everything we've had to buy so far: crib, stroller, car seat, bouncer, etc, etc, etc

Our family from China sent us cool clothes that will keep Marc warm through the long Chicago winter.

Yesterday we got one more package from Altea with all sorts of cool things for Marc...

There go a couple of pictures, we really appreciate every body's love and support during these last few months, it feels good to know so many people around the world care for us.

Once again a big THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

Space management...

Living in a condo space management is critical... with Chenxia (Lily's sister) visiting and Marc's imminent arrival we had to decide what to do with the crib, etc...

We finally decided to temporarily move the crib to our bedroom, the move took place on Sunday and it involved a good amount of furniture re-shuffling, it was like playing with Lego, we finally managed to fit everything nicely.

There go some pictures from Marc's room (now crib-less):

I've been chained....

Well well well... those of you living in the US may be aware of the chain bowling ball tradition, basically they have a very heavy iron chain attached to a bowling ball in one side and to a pair of hand-cuffs in the other.


When you are about to get married your co-workers hand-cuff you to the bowling ball and make you walk around the whole day trying to find out who has the key, you ask people and they are supposed to tell you if they ever had the key and if they did, who did they give it to....


In my department, they've taken this tradition to the next level, for folks about to have a baby they have a new "device", basically:


- somebody bought a plastic baby doll.

- filled it with concrete.

- attached the same heavy iron chain and pair of hand-cuffs.


The basic "rules of the game" are the same.


Yesterday was my day to "suffer" this nice tradition, my co-workers prepared a surprise meeting, brought the chain-concrete-baby and showed some videos of crying babies using the projector... We went out for lunch to Chili's and I only manage to find the key at around 2:30pm.

I have to admit it was fun and a very cool surprise, it was nice of them to take the time and effort to prepare the whole thing, thanks guys!


Some pictures were taken with cellphones....

We've been tagged...

Wow! This is gotta be a good sign, we've been tagged for the first time (thanks Missy!), so we are now official bloggers :)

There you go:

1. Where is your cell phone? Sitting by the kitchen window
2. Your significant other? Behind me reading Chinese news in the other computer
3. Your hair? Weird
4. Your mother? Too far (miss her)
5. Your father? Retired
6. Your favorite thing? Harmony
7. Your dream last night? Can't remember
8. Your favorite drink? Coffee
9. Your dream/goal? Happiness
10. The room you’re in? Living room (watching Spain struggle against US in the hoops game)
11. Your hobby? Reading
12. Your fear? Loosing any of the loved ones
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Hmmmmmm, home (wherever home happens to be)
14. What you’re not? Patient
15. Muffins? La bella easo (yummmmm)
16. One of your wish list items? We get through the delivery with both Lily and Marc healthy and happy.
17. Where you grew up? Sunny beautiful Altea (Spain)
18. The last thing you did? Long run, shower and breakfast.
19. What are you wearing? Shorts
20. Favorite gadget? Camera
21. Your pets? Do plants count????
22. Your computer? Sucks :)
23. Your mood? Relaxed
24. Missing someone? Always
25. Your car? Orange Murano (love it love it)
26. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes
27. Favorite store? Zara, H&M, Armani Exchange,...
28. Like someone? Absolutely
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When is the last time you laughed? This morning
31. Last time you cried? Last December (at the cemetery back home visiting a good old friend)

How about that? I finally broke 1:44:00 in the half marathon... and was able to sustain a better than 8 min/mile pace, not bad at all for an old dude like me :)

I really think the new wave start method they employed this year help me push it a little bit extra, it took forever for my group to get started and I wasn't able to see what the race time was when we actually started running, so at every check point my time looked "not so good"... when I finished the race time (measured from the time when the first runners started) was close to1:50:00... therefore I thought my actual time would be around 1:47:00, what a nice surprise when the official results were posted and I saw this wonderful 1:43:53...

I'm the 178th fastest half-marathoner among Chicagoans between 30 and 34 years old!!!!!!!

The countdown has started...

Time flies indeed... it almost feels like it was yesterday when we found out about the pregnancy, but little Marc is getting ready to leave the comfy and nice life he's had so far and join all of us in this not-always-nice world.

If everything goes as planned he will arrive on 08/31, only 2o something more days to go... to make things even better Dr Brennan told Lily yesterday that based on her experience, Lily may go into labour early since she is petite (I haven't seen Lily so happy for quite a while :)).

In any case, the last doctor visit confirmed that Marc is already head down and getting ready for his first trip, it will be a shorter but intense one, maybe one day he'll follow on his parents footsteps and will travel all over the world, will meet wonderful people and will go through amazing experiences.... time will say.

It's almost impossible not to think about how life will change for us in the next month, the added responsibility, etc, etc. For now, we can only cherish all the moments we are going through, the excitement of our families and our friends around the world and here in Chicago...