My Kids

Game time

2011-11-11T14:26:00.001-08:00

Game time, a photo by oakraidr on Flickr.

Game time

Baseball season

2011-03-24T19:30:00.001-07:00

My best days are spent watching my kids play.

Birthday Girl

2010-08-10T06:35:00.001-07:00

Birthday Girl
Originally uploaded by oakraidr

Happy birthday Sweetheart.

The Bulls

2009-03-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

It is Baseball season. Owen and i are are on the Bulls. I am managing the team (as if i can manage fourteen 5-6 year old). Over all we are having fun.

Owen is doing well. Ducks a bit when the ball is coming fast.

Jeff is helping out. He is Managing Brennan's team so we are happy on the days he can be out there on our field.

I think He would like to wear the gear when playing catch.

Batter up 'Lucky'. Hit it out of the park.

Holloween

2008-10-26T21:29:00.001-07:00

Holloween
Originally uploaded by oakraidr

My kids love this holiday. The dress up, the candy, the adventures as a new character.

Ella will really be an Elephant on the 31st. This was a special day time costume.

Owen is a Knight, any reason to carry a sword is a god costume for Owen. I thought of dressing him in black and calling him the Original Dark Knight. But only comic geeks would get the joke.

Owen Soccer Team

2008-10-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, i know the the name is a registered copyright. But you explain that to 5 year olds.

A great bunch of kids this season, 10 in all

Owen with a beautiful break away.

Yes, yes. I did tell them to 'spread out'

After Practice BBQ

2008-10-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

Last night after Owen's soccer practice the parents planned a BBQ. They brought Hotdogs, Chips, baked beans, pasta salad, drinks and all the fixin's.

It was a wonderful gesture and a good sign we picked some great kids this year. A lot of times I as a coach go through the year getting a 'thank you' or 'you are doing a great job' after a game. No real time to talk with the parents. With everyones busy lives we pack up and move on after each game.

Last night we all took time tostop and enjoy. It was a great job by all.

2008-10-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

. Who is this beatiful little girl She is growing up so fast it is hard to keep up. Potty trained and independent She does not need us anymore. We are working on how to ride a bike and not let the big bumps frighten us. She really wants to play sports but she is willing to watch her brother play for now.

She is a joy and a good girl.

2008-10-08T07:56:00.000-07:00

Owen is waking up in the morning to say goodbye to his mom before she leaves for work. It sounds like a good thing, but he is really sad about her going. He can not articulate his feelings as to why he is crying, he just miss her.
In the past he would scream and cry while clutching to her when she was leaving. I believe he wants to do that now, but he only cries and asks her ti stay home. During the week he will ask how many days off she has left or how many days of work she has this week.
We have noidea how to solve it, I know it will pass, but I want to know the underlying reason for this troubling time.

Helper

2008-01-14T08:59:00.001-08:00

Thank you for the help Owen

2006-08-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

Were having a little
Birthday Fun

Your Invited to celebrate

Owen Gallegos

3rd Birthday
Saturday Sept 9th 2006
3pm
7841 Hanna St

Regret only; 408-

2005-06-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

Michael and Owen....

2005-06-14T23:25:00.000-07:00

Hiking at Bear Creek Ranch.

2005-05-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

Avatar Photo

Owen G with the ipod.JPG

2005-05-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Owen G with the ipod.JPG
Originally uploaded by oakraidr.

He loves to listen to his music. (no it is not Elmo)

The Best little boy

2005-04-05T20:00:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at the words you are saying, both with your hands and your vocal chords:

Mama
Dada
More - both the sign and the word
Please - both S/W
Rock = one of the first true word spoken.
Out = outside
Shoes = So we can go outside.
Emma = used for both Dogs. (Jacie Really doesn't care)
You can sign Thank you, and mean it
Wawa = water. You never did learn the sign for that one
Rrrrrr = motorcycle/car/bus, anything with wheels. Motorcycle is a little bit different
HaaHaa = Hot

I have no words to describe my love and joy for you. Just tears of happiness can come close to expressing myself. Everyday you do something to make me smile, you are truly a gift.
With your brother/sister on the way, I can not imagine my love could grow any more, but I am anxious to find out how much bigger my heart can get.

Today you are 19 month old

2005-03-27T13:43:00.000-08:00

Hey, there is Candy in the eggs.

2005-03-27T13:38:00.000-08:00

Easter Eggs are Great fun.

2005-03-27T13:37:00.000-08:00

The Easter Bunny Left some Eggs for me to find.

2005-03-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

First piano Lesson.

2005-02-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

Good thing his Uncle Jeff loves to ride too.

2005-02-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

If we could put training wheels on the motorcycle, Owen would Ride it.

2005-02-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

Owen does not get tired of riding a motorcycle. Yes, friends his head is that big..

2005-01-17T20:48:00.000-08:00

Dad and I. (Dad is the one on the right)

2005-01-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

It was a chilli morning when we went for a hike.

2005-01-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

If he wants to Drive it he has to wash it.....

2005-01-17T20:44:00.000-08:00

They Said More Solid food.

2005-01-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

I think I am done Dad....

2005-01-05T18:57:00.003-08:00

I need to wash my hands...

2005-01-05T18:57:00.002-08:00

Hey How Deep is this

2005-01-05T18:57:00.001-08:00

Splash Splash

2005-01-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

Small Puddles are great

2005-01-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

To Much Water in My Boots

2005-01-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

We took Owen out with the Horses and let him play in the Mud. I think the Virgo in him kept him from getting to dirty.

2004-12-30T17:50:00.000-08:00

We drove to Sacramento to meet the Wilson at the Train Museum. Owen Like anything with Wheels....

2004-12-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

Owen and Nicholas at the park. Nicholas was snapped at; by the Duck in the front. We had him for Dinner the next night.

2004-12-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

My Son Owen. 11/17/04 photo by his Mom.

he is a good looking little boy

2004-12-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

My Son Owen

2004-12-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a few photos of my Son Owen

An Open Letter to My Son Owen

2004-09-05T04:44:00.000-07:00

An Open Letter to My Son Owen

Hi Owen, I am glad to see you. I want you to know I cry when I think of you. Tears of Love and Joy are easier to shed than tears of pain and heartache. The love I feel for you is immeasurable, the happiness you bring me is beyond any words I can put to paper. I just want you to know I am happy to see you.

I have only felt a flutter of real pleasure in my stomach on a few occasions. One was on the day I married your Mother. She was beautiful in her gown walking down the aisle at St. Mary’s Church in Gilroy, with her parents at her side. I thought the world had stopped at that moment as she glided to the altar where I waited. I thought I would never see anything that beautiful again.

Then one day your mama said she was ready… ready to have a baby. I was excited, on one end and I was filled with fear on the other end. When we took the pregnancy test I tried to play it cool. Trying to contain my excitement, not wanting to be disappointed if it did not happen. But when the little stick showed a plus sign, the flutter in my stomach rose up again.

Watching your mama grow bigger was a moving experience. I had seen other ladies who were pregnant, but now this all had new meaning. You were in there, and you were what I had been waiting for. Your mama grew slowly, a little pooch in the beginning, so little she still wore her regular clothes, then over night she could not sleep on her belly. At that point I knew you were getting close to showing me your smile. When you did your cartwheels in her tummy, I could not contain myself and I had to tape the action with my video camera. I wanted to keep it as a reminder of my anticipation for your birth. The flutter in my stomach was just as big.

The week of your birth was a long one. First of all you were past your due date. No worries, you mama was happy to keep you inside her. She knew once you were out she had to share you with the rest of the world, and she does not like to share. Especially when she has something good. So we waited, and waited.

The week you were born was a rough one. We were supposed to go in one night and get some gel, and then come back later to have your mom induced. Well, we believed in the faith of waiting for you to make the decision on when you wanted to come out. No matter how anxious we were we could wait till YOU were ready to come out. We still went in for the gel, and boy was that a rough night. It gave your mom some contractions all night long. She did not sleep and I barely slept. On the night of the 4^th we did not want your mom to have to stay home with pains all night again, so we told the nurses we were coming in. All the signs were there, pain every 5 min apart, the possible breakage of the water (not true). So we packed up and left. The time at the hospital was kind of cool. They hooked up your mama with items to monitor your action and her contractions. The contraction monitor was the best, we could watch it spike up and down. We could put a number on the pain your mom was having. The number 20 was the baseline; most of the contractions were around 80. On the machine the highest we reached was 112, it was a good thing the doctors gave her some medication or we would be peeling her off the ceiling.

After a long night of waiting the hour of your birth came. Your mom needed the help of your Aunt Wendy, the nurse and me to get you out. We had to tell your mom to “puuusshhh” and to keep pushing. We could see your head bulging, trying to escape and enter this big world. During your birth you would only poke out the top of your head, and I thought, “what a small baby we have coming”, but boy was I wrong. At 4:43 in the morning of September the 5^th you and all 8 pounds 9 ounces came slipping in to our arms. First things first, you needed to be introduced to your mom, and you were laid upon her chest. She had to hold on because you kept sliding off of her. I was lucky to cut the cord and your Aunt checked to see what kind of person you were. It was her who announced you were a Boy. Your mom and I were just happy to see you we did not even look. You had the best look; your bright eyes were wide open and looking around. We were so happy.

I worry about things, is the car seat the best, are we in the safest car, will the diaper rash go away, do you get enough to eat, will we ever see your neck? These things I worry about. I do not worry about the name we gave you, because you look act and feel like an Owen. Now that you are here, I can not imagine my life without you. I look forward to my drive home. I want to wake you up in the middle of the night to kiss you. I hate to leave for work without seeing you. I look into your eyes and see you understand the depth of my love for you. So when you smile back at me I know you are saying “I love you dad”, just as much as I love you my Son.

Your Dad