SOFIA GIULIANA ARRIVED

Technically, it's been almost 3 months since she was born. What a Journey!!!! We have gone trough a few things in such a small period of time. Starting with the C-Section getting postponed, Karina getting induced into labor, emergency c-section cuz Sofia was "stressed", Sofia not wanting to breath and with tachycardia and going to NICU and not being able to carry her for two days. Then came the sleepless nights... for Karina...ha. After a few days went by, all that subsided and a few days after that it began to sink in the fact the there is little baby that came out of nowhere and it's the most incredible feeling. Such awe and love at the same time as you stare at that little miracle that depends on you for everything. Seriously, I don't understand how people don't believe in Jehovah and the tremendous miracle that is the creation of a tiny human being.
When that baby looks into your eyes and grabs your finger, it just spins your world around in a way that you cannot describe it. Of course you have an idea when people tell you how it feels like, but until you go through it, you realize how strong a bond can be, and how much you can love a person.
That brings us to another subject, being a mom. Now, I am in the same boat about having an idea but not having the opportunity to fully inderstand it, for obvious reasons. But after seeing all Karina went though and all those sleepless nights and all the devotion and dedication invested in a lil pooping-farting-burping machine. I take off my hat to her because it has been rough on her and she is doing such an excellent job. And I love her and thank her so much more for that.

DANIEL "pulgarcito" ALEJANDRO VARENA has arrived!!!!

Maybe I am getting old, or sappy, or gay... but when I carried my nephew for the first time, I felt so many wonderful things that I can't even begin to explain them. I felt a bunch of things, like happiness for Maggie and Pilo because they had been wanting a baby for a while, joy because El Dani came out healthy and sooooo cute. At the same time it hit me that that lil baby shares my blood and is now a part of the family, and that in some way I am responsible for him as an uncle. I dunno, maybe it is hiting home so hard because I am going to be a Father soon and all these heavy feelings of family, responsibility, love are coming up under a different light. By the way, Danielito weighted 5 pounds 10 ounces, and measured 18 inches. I promise to be there for him and to be the best Tio he could ever ask for. By the way, CONGRATULATIONS PILO AND MAGGIE!!

Baby Shower Thanks

It's been almost a week and people are still tellling me how pretty and awesome the Baby Shower was. It's not like I did anything, other that cause the whole thing to exist! Since some of you weren't there for the big speach after we finished opening all the gifts, it went a lil' like this:
Mauro: I want to thank everybody for all the effort, money and time invested. Everything came out beautiful!
Karina: That's all you are going to say??
Mauro: That... and thanks a lot, guys.
Karina: Ever so eloquent!

Special thanks to the girly crew: Anita, Gabriela, Jenny, Maggie, Miriam, Olivia (in alphabetical order, btw)
There were many other people that helped, pitched in with $ or gifts, or BOTH. Our hearts go out to all of you. We are extremely blessed to have all of you around us through thick and thin. I thank Jehovah for putting us in the path of so many loving and caring people. Enough with the emotionalism...
GRACIAS... TOTALES!!!

Baby Girl Update

I'm back after four months. Time flies when you are expecting! Two Saturdays ago, Karina and me went to a Birth and Delivery class. It was so much fun... it was only from 10am to 6pm. Among other things, we listened to nurses, doctors and practiced spooning and relaxing techniques. It was adorable... the highlight of the day were the videos, one a normal delivery and the other a c-section. I would take the whole class again just to see the faces of all the pregnant women squirm while the babies were coming out. Even though they couldn't watch it, they all began discussing how women are so strong and how if it was up to men, there wouldn't be any babies on earth... Right! Anyway, I salute all the suffering souls that populate humanity in their stomachs.

Moving on, we saw the first 4D picture of the baby!! I am so exited, specially because a few people have said that she looks like me. HAHA! Of course Karina is devastated by the news, and I think she is secretly praying extra hard for the baby not to have my nose, feet, apetite, and the ever present need to annoy somebody. I Well, in all seriousness, all we are really praying for is for her to be healthy, the delivery to be good, and finally... we are praying to see if we can decide on a name for the baby. We have narrowed down the list to : Angelina, Victoria, Camila, Sophia and Giuliana. To tell you the truth, I don't know if we are too indecisive or if the seriousness of the task at hand is so up there, that we are putting it off till last minute in order to have as much time as we can possibly can to pick a good name. Hopefully, we'll have something by March 18 or even before that.

IT'S GIRL!! (The head is to the left, legs to the right)

What a surprise! It's not like I didn't know there was a 50% chance of it being a girl, but I was completely convinced that we were gonna have a little boy. I figured that since my dad had five brothers (6 boys and 2 girls in total), the fact that including my lil brother that passed away before I was born, twin boys that my mom miscarried, Pilo, Chachi and myself, (6 boys in total) PLUS the fact that Pilo and Maggie are expecting a boy, all that lead me to think that for sure we were expecting a boy. I did not have an specific preference, i just thought we had more chances of having a boy.
To my surprise, we are definitely having a girl!!!
Karina says that I froze when the sonogram lady told us the gender, and it did shock me for the before mentioned reasons. To be completely honest, it scares me a little being the father of a girl, actually, two things scare me at this point: first on the list are Disney Princesses, and second is the color pink. It's not that I hate pink, but I think that girls should wear every color, maybe not a lot of baby blue, but all colors are allowed on a boy and it seems to me that people only want to dress a girl in pink. To my surprise, my daughter's mom thought it was super cute to paint half of what used to be our office in guess what color? P I N K! I am so happy!

Lemme tell you how we decide on what color to paint the house.
Karina: Ayy, we should paint.
Mauro: AGAIN!!!!!?????
K: What color you prefer? Pink, light pink, burnt pink, old pink, dark pink, baby girl pink, or fuchsia? (It is usually in the beige palette.)
M: I think they all look the same, pick what you want.
K: Ok, I am going to Sherwin Williams.
M Thinking quietly: (What, Home Depot is not expensive enough? Did I marry Ivanka Trump?)

So now the office is no longer an office, but a baby's room... it's not like I am counting, but the baby doesn't come for another five months!!! I guess it gives me time to start getting used to the pink.

What's better thaN one pretty lady? Two pretty ladies!

I hope I don't get in trouble for giving my sisters online compliments! I said I wasn't going to just post pictures, but this was too good to pass. To their credit, they played it off like if it was nothing. And it was nothing, really! It was just so funny to see their faces when they saw each other. What are the odds, ah? With all the dresses in the flea market, they pick the same one to wear the same day to the same party. We had fun at Gabriel n Jenny's bridal shower.

Thoughts on becoming a father!!!

I took a sabbath from the blog while I was trying to get my thoughts in order. I have decided that I don't want to only use this to post pictures of friends, but also to express/vent my opinions and also to let you guys comment and express your thoughts.
Getting to the point, I am going to be a father! To tell you guys the truth, we weren't planning on it. To be more precise, we were planning on it happening, but later on. Two weeks before we found out, Karina and me had a conversation in which we agreed that next year we were gonna have Mr. Stork come from Paris with a cute baby in tow. Newsflash... it is gonna come early next year, in March. Turns out that when we had the hearty conversation, we were already pregnant. Note to self: El hombre propone y Dios dispone.
The lack of premeditation has brought a percentage of excitement and surprise to the equation. To be honest, i know it changes your whole outlook in life and it brings many many responsibilities, but I can't wait for him/her to come out. I tell him everyday... through Karina's belly button, which i figure is attached directly to the baby's ear... that we are stocked and anxious to see him and hold him and Karina can't wait to start changing diapers! We pray to Jehovah that he/she comes out healthy and that the delivery room has the "Easy Button" from Staples. To let you in on a secret, when I was born I looked so ugly and greasy and dark that the first thing my dad asked was: Esto que es?
Putting that aside, we have six more months to go, that I am sure are going to fly by.

PS, I couldn't post the printout of the sonogram, but i'll do it soon.

FIRST PICTURE OF MAGGIE AND PILO'S BABY!!!

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GEE, I WONDER WHY KARINA LOOKS SO DISTRESSED??? HERE IS WHY! WE ARE EXPECTING!!!!! DUE IN MARCH OF 09. THE FIRST DAYS WAS SHOCK, WE CAN'T WAIT FOR HIM/HER TO COME OUT.

ORLANDO WEEKEND

WE HAD A GOOD TIME QITH THE BOYS. HERE ARE SOME OF US IN THE MAN-VAN AND EATING BREAKFAST. WE DID A LOT OF THOSE THINGS, EATING AND DRIVING. NOT MUCH SLEEPING...FIRECRACKER SQUAD WAS ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT! EITHER THAT OR THE WAKEUP CALL AT 5 AM!!! COURTESY OF WASHIGTON...

FRANCO CON EL PELITO CORTO!

ESTAS SON LAS MAS RECIENTES. JUGANDO EL LA PUERTA DE SU CASA CON LA PELOTA Y LA SILLITA. VIERON QUE GRANDOTE QUE ESTA?

IF GAS KEEPS GOING UP, WE RE GONNA NEED SHOES LIKE THESE.

Moo!!!! Look twice!

BIRDS, BY ALFRED HITCHCOCK!

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE MOVIE, BUT THIS ATTACK ON DAMARIS AND GABRIELA WAS HILARIOUS. I GUESS THE BIRDS SAW ALL THAT MEAT, AND DIDN'T WANT IT TO GO TO WASTE.

MOTIVITO DE PARQUE!

IF YOU NEED TO BBQ FOR 120 PEOPLE, I'M THE GUY TO CALL. I ALWAYS ENJOY GRILLING, SPECIALLY IF IS FOR MY PEEPS. THAT DAY IT RAINED ON US, BUT THE FIRE KEPT GOING!! THANK GOD.

RED ROBIN IN NEW JERSEY!!

THATPIECE OF ART IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE IS AN ORDER OF ONION RINGS, THE BEST I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE. THEY ARE LIKE AN INCH THICK! PLUS THEY GIVE YOU ALL YOU CAN EAT FRENCH FRIES, THEY JUST KEEP 'EM COMING, WITHOUT EVEN ASKING! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT WITH AN UGLY STICK! THE CLOSEST ONE IS IN GEORGIA, I CHECKED... BELIEVE ME!

CHICHI AND MONKEY!!

THIS IS TO PROVE THAT OUR FAMILY IS VERY ECLECTIC. HERE STANDMY DAD AND SOME OTHER FAMILY MENBER, THAT HAPPENS TO BE A MODEL. THIS IS WHEN WE WENT TO NY/NJ FOR WORK. WE ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD TIME TOGETHER, EVEN IF IT IS WORKING. THE BIG APPLE WAS AN ADVENTURE. CHINA TOWN ROCKS!

SCOOBY AND KARINA!!

WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN U MIX A COLOMBIAN AND A MEXICAN? I DON'T KNOW EITHER, BUT THESE ARE CHARLIE AND KARINA. COOL BUDDIES. WE MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET TOGETHER FOR LUNCH ONCE EVERY ONE OR TWO WEEKS. CHARLIE CAN RECITE ALL THE GOOD LUNCH SPOTS WITHIN A 5 MILE RADIUS OF BLUE LAGOON. IT IS A DIRTY JOB, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT.

KARINA AND THE ORCHID. VERY PRETTY

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO!!

SAME PLACE. SAME DAY. THE MONKEY WASN'T BUDGING, NO MATTER WHAT I DID TO HIM. HE HAD THE SAME COMIC APPRECIATION AS MY FATHER-IN-LAW.

WANNA LAUGH??

I'M NOT SAYING I AM A FUNNY GUY, BUT I LIKE MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH. SOME PEOPLE ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO CRACK A LAUGH, SO I RESORT TO MAKING FACES. THIS WAS ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY, OR THE SAME, I'M NOT SURE. KARINA AND ME WENT TO THE FAIRCHILD TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN, AND HAD A BLAST.

TYPICAL FACE WHEN PRESENTED CUTE JEWELRY CASE

THIS WAS 2 OR 3 ANYVERSARYS AGO. SHE REALLY LIKED THE GIFT AND I ENJOYED GIVING IT TO HER. MARRIAGE IS A BLESSING!!

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!

THIS IS WHAT THEY DO FOR FUN IN BROWARD. THIS IS OUR FRIEND ANDREA. SHE IS VERY TALENTED IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

BEHOLD... THE RAFT!!!

THIS IS THE VESSEL. THE BEST THING ABOUT IT IS THE PETTY OFFICER ON DECK. ME!!! JUST KIDDING! WE ALWAYS HAVE A BLAST WHEN WE GO OUT. WAITING FOR MR. RODRIGUEZ WAS FUN TOO! IT IS SO MUCH FUN TO HAVE WEALTHY FRIENDS! AKHL FOR PRESIDENT!

Natha the fisherman!!!!

On that saturday we had a blast. We left the Akhls like at 7 and came close to snatching a big ol' Marlin. We had a blast, nobody threw up! Specially me! Thank God for Dramamine.

I DIDN'T WANNA DO IT!!!

NOW MILLIONS OF DEVOTED READERS ARE GONNA SEE THIS!
JENNY 1 - PIZZA 0
THE POOR PIE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE! IT DIDN'T MATTER THAT WE WERE IN IT'S HOMETOWN OF BROOKLYN. IT WAS SUDDEN DEATH!!

THIS IS FOR KARINA!!

IT IS HER FAVORITE SCULPTURE, IT IS CALLED THE
I-DON'T-REMEMBER-THE-NAME-HUNK-OF-MARBLE!

TODOS LOS VARENAS JUNTOS!!

LA FAMIGLIA UNITA!

FELICIDADES A LOS FUTUROS PADRES!! ESTA CIUDAD NECESITA MAS VARENAS!!!!!!!!!

CHOLA Y CHICHI!!!!!

EN EL JARDIN JAPONES EN BUENOS AIRES! UN SALUDO A MI MADRASTRA!!

MY BABY HAD TO BE HERE.

I'LL TAKE A BETTER PICTURE OF IT, THIS I TOOK WITH MY CELL PHONE.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS FUNNY!

I AM SURE THE ANITAS ARE GONNA LOVE THIS. IN NO WAY IT RESEMBLES MY OWN EXPERIENCES... FOR REAL... I MEAN IT...REALLY!!!!

MARIETTA'S DRAWING!!

I LIKE THIS SO MUCH FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. ONE IS THAT MARIETTA PAINTED IT. TWO, SHE WAS INSPIRED BY A CONVERSATION WE HAD. THREE, SHE GAVE ME THE ORIGINAL. FOUR, IT IS SO PRETTY!
WHEN SHE IS FAMOUS, I CAN SAY I HAVE AN ORIGINAL BY HER.

THE CLOSEST I'VE GOTTEN TO WEARING A DIAPER!

NERVES BUILT UP FOR 2 MONTHS, BUT WHEN THE DAY CAME I WAS OK. THANK GOD I DIDN'T CHOKE IN FRONT OF 1500 PEOPLE.

LAS 3 MARIAS!

AT THE MORIKAMI JAPANESE GARDEN IN DEERFIELD BEACH! AREN'T THEY CUTE. FEEL BAD FOR THAT ROCK!! JK

DON'T BE FOOLED BY HER CUTE LOOKS!!!

SHE CAN THROW A MEAN PUNCH!! BE CAREFUL, EXTREMELY VOLATILE! SHE BITES TOO! TAKE AWAY ALL THE VIOLENCE AND SHE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PERSONS, THAT'S ALL I AM GONNA SAY. SHE IS THE BEST LIL SISTER I NEVER HAD!

LIL' VENICE HORSE BITES BACK!!

LONE RANGER NO MORE. CALL THE TRIPLE A. MAN DOWN.
MAURO 0 - LIL HORSE 1

GUESS WHAT HAPPENS...

WHEN 50 CHINESE GIRLS CLIMB ABOARD AN ALREADY FILLED-TO-CAPACITY BUS? ANSWER: THEY ALL GET TO SMELL YOR ARMPIT!

CHACHI, CHANCHI, CHICHI Y YO!

BBQ DAY AT DON DOMINGO'S! WORK HARD, BBQ HARDER!! ...RIGHT!! THAT THING THEY ARE HOLDING IT'S MY DAD'S POODDLE.

WE FOUND A USE FOR THAT NOSE!

THIS IS WHEN GIRLS FOUND ME CUTE...

... B4 THE POLIO, MAYBE I SHOULD START EATING ORANGES AGAIN!

THEY SHOULD'VE USED THIS AS THEIR WEDDING INVITATION!

I'M 100% KIDDING, MARRIAGE IS A LOT OF FUN, ESPECIALLY THAT GOD-FORSAKEN FIRST YEAR!!!!!!

TOÑITO WITH PAPABUELO HAT!

ESTE GORDITO TAMBIEN ESTA LEJOS Y LO EXTRAÑO UN MONTON. ESPERO NOS VEAMOS PRONTO, AUNQUE SEA EN LA CIUDAD PERDIDA DE FUNES.

COSTIERA AMALFITANA, I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN... I PROMISE!

IF ANYBODY IS FREE DURING THE WEEKEND, AND HAPPENS TO BE GOING TO THE ITALIAN COAST... PLEASE TAKE ME WITH YOU!! HOPE YOU DON'T MIND THE WINDING ROADS AND THE OCCASIONAL CRASH AGAINST THE RAIL. PICTURE TAKEN FROM THE VAN'S WINDOW, LOOK AT HOW CLOSE THE RAIL IS (LOWER LEFT).

TWO THUMBS UP! ALE AND MANO!!

WITH MY FAVORITE NEIGHBOR, FRIJOLITO! HE IS THE BEST BECAUSE HE VISITS OFTEN, AND CHILLS WITH ME. WE WATCH NEMO, DRAW, EAT UVAS, DRINK AVA, PLAY WITH THE MICROWAVE WHEN OLIVIA AND KARINA ARE NOT LOOKING...JK! bY THE WAY, THIS MIGHT BE PROOF OF ALE'S FIRST THUMBS UP! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

THE CREW... PARTIALLY!

THIS ARE SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE LUNCH POSSE! GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD APPETITES!

SOBRINITO FRANCO!!

QUE BEBE MAS LINDO! FRANCO TE QUIERO MUCHO Y ESPERO VERTE PRONTO. QUE FEO ESTAR TAN LEJOS!

FRIENDS...MINUS THE SOFA!

GOOD TIMES WITH GOOD PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T GET CLOSER THAN THIS. DINNER AFTER THE CIRCUIT CONVENTION. THE DORIAS WERE STILL HERE, I STILL MISS THEM A LOT. THAT EVENING WE HAD DINNER AT BUCCA DE BEPPOS, AT THE POPE'S TABLE, DON'T TELL ANYBODY!

TRIO LOS GLADIOLOS

CON MIS BABYS, EN LA ASAMBLEA DE CIRCUITO. AHORA UNO SE ME CASA, Y EL OTRO VA A SER PAPA!! QUE MOMENTO, QUE ALEGRIA, QUE NIVEL!!!!!!!!

ORLANDO OUTLETS, NOT MY FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD...

BUT IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM!!! LESSON LEARNED FROM MY ANITAS.