Hump Day's Three Words...

IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!!!!!

For the great city of San Antonio:) The weather people, God love them, kept telling us it was going to be icy and the roads would be bad. Well this morning it was just Hella Cold; no rain/sleet/ice just some wind and cold. Gotta Love Texas weather; wait five minutes and it will change.

Stay warm everyone it should warm up to 60 degrees this afternoon, oh and don't forget your sunglasses, it's sunny out!

We are sending Angels....

To Ricky, Melissa and Baby Gage! May God guide the doctors hands as they work on you and may angels make you laugh during the procedure tomorrow. Mark, Joseph and I are sending our special angels to you, 'cause we love you all.

Please let us know how everything goes and God Bless!!

All our love and lots and lots of ANGEL KISSES!
~The Ulrich Family

What I have learned about being a parent

Today is one year since we found out that our home was going to be enlarged by two feet!

I can't help looking at Joseph and thinking, "WOW! I can't believe it, I'm a Mommy and he will ALWAYS need me."

It's crazy how much you change the way you think or act once you have a baby. I know that our parents told us it would change, but we never thought it would be so intense.

So here are some things I have learned about myself, Mark and being a parent in the last 4 months...

(1) I have learned that Mark and I have times when one of us is the more dominant parent.

(2) I thought I would be the one that is more hands on and Mark would be support when needed but we trade places depending on what Joseph needs.

(3)Having Joseph has brought us closer and at times it has moved us apart. But what do you expect with two strong, stubborn people with pretty hot tempers?!?! We make it work and remember that we love eachother for our differences and for our flaws.

(4) I have also learned that Mark gets extremely nervous when Joseph cries and he doesn't know if it's because of a tummy ache, he's tired and won't give into the sleep, or when he's hungry. He gets like this because he's frustrated and he feels he's not helping. I assure him that he is doing the best he can and that I get that way sometimes too.

(5) I have also learned that sleep deprived and/or stressed out I am more sensitive when it comes to an opinion or comment and that my temper is a lot quicker. (sorry to anyone who has felt the repercussions of this)

The most important thing we have learned is that no matter what God puts in front of us we will make it through and be stronger because of it. This last part is a work in progress because everyday is different with different needs and different solutions.

I now understand what our parents meant when they said, "You'll understand when you have kids of your own." You never know what you will feel or how you will react to situations when it comes to your own children, but no matter what you will always do what is best for them and they will thank you for it.

Exciting events to look forward to!

Sorry for the long time between posts but we have been busy.

This past week (1/14) was my father's birthday and we went to Laredo to surprise him! While we were in town we went to see my Grandfather and took a few pictures of him and Joseph. My Dad told us that he will not be going to Washington D.C. until February 8th; he was originally suppose to go February 1st. I was very happy to hear that! Mark and I have been trying to plan Joseph's Baptism in Weimar TX and tentatively scheduled it for Sunday, February 1st. We then found out that my Dad was going on a detail to DC for a month and he was leaving February 1st. Now that he is not leaving until February 8th we can go on with the Baptism as originally planned! So I let my In-Law's know(we are having a lunch at their house) and sent out the invitations to family this week! We are so excited!!

List of exciting events these next few weeks:

Friday, January 23rd

Mama Joan's Birthday!!!!

Saturday, January 24th

The Ulrich's (Mark's parents and sister) are coming to SA to visit!

I am singing the National Anthem at the Freestyle Motor Cross Event at the AT&T Center!!

Monday, January 26th

One year ago we found out we were expanding our home by two little feet!

Wednesday, January 28th

One year ago we told our parents, brother and sisters we were having a baby!!!

(We waited until after our first visit to the Dr. at 8 weeks to tell the rest of the family)

Friday, January 30th

My Aunt from NYC is coming to SA to visit and meet Joseph!!!

We leave for Weimar for Joseph's Baptism!!

Sunday, February 1st

We Baptize our son in the same church that Mark was baptized in, St. Michael's Catholic Church.

(we will have pictures next week!)

WOW! We are going to be very busy; I don't mind because we will be making/sharing a lot of memories with family and friends.

** I would like to ask all of you that keep up with our blog to keep Ricky, Melissa & Baby Gage Davis in your prayers this next week. Ricky let us know that Gage is having surgery Tuesday 1/27, to operate on a hernia and hydrocele. It is an outpatient procedure so he will be sung in his bed that night; little Gage is only a month old.

Davis Family, we are thinking of you and will be sending angels to watch over you, your little one and the doctor's on Tuesday. We love you!!!**

Please enjoy the pictures from this past weekend and we will be sure to keep posting new ones as they come.

Love you!!!!

Mommy and Joseph in Laredo

1/17/09

Daddy and Joseph getting ready for work.
1/15/09

Joseph and my brother Nando

1/17/09

Joseph and Papa Grande

1/18/09

Me, Joseph, my Grandfather and Mark

Joseph and Opa sleeping

Joseph smiling 1/19/09

Joseph having Tummy Time with Daddy

Happy Birthday Daddy!

What can I say about my Dad...there is so much I don't know where to begin. My Dad is strong, patient, wise, funny, strict, loving and all of those qualities has helped to make me the successful woman I am today. Don't get me wrong I'm close to my Mom too but there is something very special about a bond between a Dad and his little girl.

So I would like to take time to tell him...

Daddy

You have been the rock I cling to when I feel like I'm drowning, you are the voice I hear in my head when I need reassurance, you are the arms I run to when I need to be safe, and you are still the only person that knows me better than I know myself. Thank you for being a fantastic father and role model for Yemile, Nando and I! Thank you and Mom, for helping me be a good wife! Most important thanks for preparing me to be the best mother I can be to Joseph!
Happy Birthday and I love you!!!!

Veronica

The Guerra Family

Bottom left: Mom, Dad, Nando Top Left: Yemile, Veronica & Mark

The Monday Blues...

and all I want to do is be home with Joseph and cuddle.

This week should be fun; my dad's birthday is Wednesday and my parents are coming this weekend so we can celebrate his birthday together. Next Monday is MLK Day so I get to have a three day weekend!!! Joseph and I get to stay home but poor Mark has to work. :(

Well, have a great Monday!!!

It's Finally Friday!!!!!!!!!!

Need I say more?!?!?!?!

This week has been a busy one for us.

At the AT&T Center we have had two concerts and yesterday started 4 days of back to back games; two Spurs games and two Rampage games.

Mark has been in meetings all week and come home stressed, but when he gets home and sees us all the stress melts away!

This week hasn't been easy for Joseph, he started teething. When he comes home he just wants to cuddle with Mommy and Daddy. He sits and tells us all about his day and we just look at him and are amazed at how big he is getting and by how much he has changed!!!

October 2, 2008

January 2, 2009

This weekend we get to take down Christmas decorations, oh how I will miss my beautiful tree. We can't have it up all year long or so Mark says. {pout}

What he doen't know is...we will have an Easter tree for Joseph. Well, we have to have something to put our Easter baskets by and besided where else will the Easter bunny put our Easter gifts?!?!

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures Part 2

This is the best gift Mark and I could have asked for this Christmas...

Joseph, we love you!!!

Here is Joseph sleeping in the bouncer that Tio Bobby & Tia Esmeralda gave him for Christmas.

Joseph sitting in the Bumbo that Grandma & Grandpa Ulrich gave him for Christmas.

He really likes sitting in there!

The Ulrich Family's First New Years!

This is before our date night on January 2nd.

Happy 3 month "birthday" Stinker!

Joseph with Grandma & Grandpa Guerra

Joseph with all his gifts from Santa. We don't have pictures of all the gifts he got from his Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles. He was a very good boy and deserved everyone!!

Pictures

Joseph telling a story to the Christmas tree

These are my favorite pictures from the holiday's! We enjoyed spending time with our families and being able to have our First Christmas in our house. I know it sounds weird but these last few years we have spent Christmas with our parents at their houses; well this year we were able to have our families come to our house! We made a turkey, ham, buttered potatoes (Mark doesn't care for mashed), broccoli and rice casserole, sausage, green bean casserole and lots of cookies and pies!

For New Years we went to see my parents in Laredo. Mom, Yemile and I tried our hand at making tamales and were successful in making 10 dozens!!! They are/were AWESOME; we have eaten a lot of them!!!! Mark and I were even able to have a date night. We didn't stay out too long 'cause we missed our little one, but we did enjoy some time for just us.

"Merry Christmas!" from Santa Joseph



Three Generations of Ulrich's
Joe C., Mark A., & Joseph A.


Myra, Joseph & Mark

Grandma Joan, Joseph & Grandpa Joe

Mark and I decided that we need to add to the Christmas traditions we grew up with and didn't know what to do. So after some thinking we agreed to:

(1) Go to Church

(2) come home and make cookies for Santa

(3) Read "Twas the night before Christmas"

This is our new Tradition

(4) Everyone that stays at our house for Christmas on Christmas Eve gets new PJ's!!!!

So here are some picture of us in our Christmas PJ's, well you can see Joseph's but not ours. Mark has on a grey shirt and dark plaid pj's and I have on a purple shirt with purple and yellow plaid pj's.

Joseph and Mark on Christmas Eve in there new Christmas Eve pj's

Joseph and I in our Christmas Eve pj's

I am having some trouble posting some pictures so I will re-post them for you later on tonight.

Happy 2009!!

Hello! I thought we could start a blog for this new year to help keep family and friends up to date on our family. So here we go!

Mark and I are very happy to being 2009 with our son Joseph; he is growing more and more everyday. On Friday, January 2nd he turned 3 months old!!!! It seems like just yesterday that we were on our way to the hospital to have him! I am sharing some picture from Joseph's First Christmas and New Years for all to see.

We would like to wish all our family and friends a wonderful and blessed 2009! We love you and are glad we now have a blog to keep all of you posted on how we are doing!

All our love,

Mark, Veronica & Joseph