Adapting, accepting, but not completely giving up

So after looking for a different job I find that I'm doing as well as I prob can do at the moment. Also, during my time of looking, my work changed my job description into something I like a lot more. I will now be a co-supervisor and will be working on the floor a lot more. If you remember from my last post one of my complaints was that I hadn't even seen a patient or used a stethoscope in many weeks.  I have only done the new work two day but they were the best two days I have had since Iv been their. So I am trying to adapt to the frustrations I feel about my job and the system at the hospital. Some of the changes I wanted to make and that I suggested are now being implemented. They are ideas I had that people argued tooth and nail against about a month ago. Now someone else has suggested the exact thing (a doctor) and it is going through.  I am going to just have to humble myself and accept that when I give ideas for change that I will most likely never get credit for them. With that in mind I do plan to still offer advise on changes that should be made and keep a low profile. I hope to prove to them with this new job profile that I am a good nurse and someone that they can accept ideas from.

I realize in the last post that I didn't mention much about the level of skill in the hospital and just grumped about the system for change. I want to be clear that the education level for nurses and doctors is excellent here. The are well informed and are good at their jobs.

There are a few things about the lax system that are helpful even. I was sick last week and one of the doctors noticed. He brought me to his office and gave me antibiotics for free. We often get free stuff like pads of paper, pens, even medication from drug reps that come through the hospital.

I am recieveing full benefits so that is also a plus. Any job I found that would pay me more for teaching wouldn't give me benefits. I really do want to adapt to life here. I know that we don't have any time limit for living here and that its for life. So I'm doing my best to accept things and at the same time keep my morals and beliefs. We shall see how that goes. Some days its so easy to live here I wonder why I'm such a grump about it. But other days it is truly a challenge and one I'm not sure I'm up to. Im pretty sure that no matter where I was to raise my family life would show up with its struggles. What I have to remember on a daily basis is that I'm blessed with three beautiful healthy daughters and a husband who helps me 100%. There really isn't much more you can ask for in life. God is good and always will be no matter how much of a grump I decide to be. But I'm sure I will hear from him more clearly once I accept my situation for what it is.

Well my girls just woke up so I need to go take them to the park. Have a great week everyone.

Whats in the Headlines

I have been wanting to start this as a series of blogs. I hope I can get one out each week. The idea here is to show those of you who do not live here that we are not living in a dangerous, third world, ignorant country. The people here live happy lives and think about a lot of the same issues as the people in the states and other countries. Mexican culture is that slow change is better than quick change and although in most cases this drives me up the wall I have also seen that it works a lot of the time. So here is the first of my Whats in the Headlines posts. Basically almost daily I grab a free edition called Publimetro. Publimetro from what I understand started here in Mexico but is now one of the larges world wide free publications. There are about four free news publications here in town but I have found this one to be the most unbiased and one that covers all issues from public to private, from government to famous people, and they even give a reasonable area to what is going on with all the drug stuff. The thing I like is that with each of these issues they lay out the facts. They don't over or under so any of it. For each article I'm not going to go into to much detail as far as this blog goes, but if I post about an article and you want to hear more on that specific topic I could write a second post about it, as always just let me know.

Wednesday 11 of January 2012
The Cathedral is suffering with time. With continual traffic and mistreatment from people the cathedral which is an important symbolic for the city is falling apart. So far they have only managed to raise 10% of the cost to renovate. This is truly a beautiful building but the paper is saying that their is much work to be done. They believe the work will not be completed until after the middle of February . Its going to cost10,000 pesos most of which will be paid by the secretary of culture.

Explaining the paranoia: Specialist talk about why people believe in rumors that are found in the internet. Basically the week before someone spread rumors about kidnappings from a government school. Almost  a third of people kept their kids home from school Monday threw Friday the following week. From the first day the state of Jalisco and the City was stating that their was no proof and no missing children reports. In the end it all proved to be rumors but now people are concerned as to why this rumor started and why so many people believed it even when officials where saying otherwise. 

Thursday the 12 of January 2012
Asking the internet about sex: Publimetro did a poll asking teenagers who the talked to about sex. The options were parents, teachers and the internet. A whoping 67% said they got their answers online, which isn't surprising but at the same time sad and scary. 25% said they asked their parents. I'm curious to how this would pan out in the states. And 18% said they asked their teachers. They noted that pregnancies cause 6% of drop outs during grade school and junior high in Jalisco. Within Jalisco their were 69,800 pregnancies in 2011, out of those 18,882 were under the age of 19. But here is the good thing about all this. This  information hit the front page of the news paper and talked about how the government is determined to have more education for teenagers about the subject. Although this may seem a little late I'm just glad they are taking note and planning on changing. Along with that they are trying to educate the public which is number one for change.

Thousands run to the federal office to register their voting card on the last day available. Ok there is not much to say here but laugh. And really I think the same thing happens in the states.

100 kilos of marijuana was confiscated inside a packing company.


Obviously there is a lot more in each paper but this is what is being placed on the front page.

Also one of the days I received an extra free booklet made by the Secretary of communications and transportation. It was a drivers manual. I'm not sure how many of you remember the manual you use to study for your drivers test but more or less it was the same. It also had stickers you could put on your car that said: Don't message while driving, Don't drive when your tired, Don't obstruct handicapped entrances, I have kids and pets in my back seat (the picture of the kid has a seat-belt), And I'm a responsible driver (again the picture has a man with a seat belt). Yeah for trying to make driving and streets safer here in Mexico. Im sure not a lot of people actually took the time to read the booklet but like I said educating the public is the first step to change and I think Mexico is well on its way to becoming a better place to be.

Hope you enjoyed and see you next week. ;)

FM2 Renewal 2011/Work permit

Im so happy to tell you all that this year was a breaz compared to other years. First off I need to remind you all that I have decided that due to the cost we are just going to wait until next year and apply for residency.  Their is just more paperwork, tests and money involved in the citizenship so we have decided not to take that route. We went ahead and renewed this year. I went in one day that I had off and turned in my paperwork to tell them that I was working. Due to the fact that my FM2 is familial I don't actually have to ask for permission to work. Its more that I just have to let them know kind of like when you move. For that I just had to have a letter from my place of work saying why they wanted to hire me, I didn't even have to have my credentials verified which was nice considering I don't have an apostille nor translation for my nursing degree or license. While I was their for that I asked for the list to renew my FM2. It was very strait forward and easy. She even gave me all the paperwork I would need to pay the fee and to attach my fotos to if it went through. My husband was going to bring it all in for me so the only extra thing we had to have was a typed and signed letter saying that I gave him permission to do so. He turned it all in on the 14th (I would have been late on the 15th, gees Im becoming so Mexicana, lol). Anyway I waited till now to check the status because before it was always after Christmas that they would have it ready. Guess what it was processed completely ont he 14th and on the 15th it shows that I can come pick it up. Holy Cow. But on the site it looks like they are closed till after new year, pues ni modo. Ill go pick it up in Jan.

¿The Normal Life?

The other night I was talking to my husband and I said, "I actually have time to blog now and I feel like I don't have anything to write about."
He says, "Amanda you have tons to write about you live in Mexico."
"Yes but everything seems so normal to me now." I responded.
He looks at me, almost exacerbated,"Then write about that." (somewhere in here I'm thinking oh gee how boring), he continues, "I remember when you first started reading blogs and when you saw that Leslie from Motherhood in Mexico said something to that effect, it gave you hope. That is why you write is to give those other people hope about their life here. I think you need to write about how you feel that your life is normal."

So here is that post.

I'm a mother of three beautiful girls, who every morning wake up at 630. I get them dressed, brush their hair, make a quick breakfast they can eat in the truck and rush them out the door. When I drop them off at school their is almost always something I forgot to put in a book bag, and if not at least one aviso (message) for me to give to a teacher or caregiver. I then zoom off (well not really my truck is a bit broken and I cant go over 30mph) to the hospital. I park and chat with the garage attendant if I have time then run inside to work. On the way in I say buenos dias to everyone I pass even if they are in the middle of a conversation (I guess Im still getting use to that part). After finding out where I'm working for the day I go and care for patients. At the end of my day I'm watching the clock because I'm anxious to get my girls and go home with them. As soon as I can I run out to my truck, of course saying adios to everyone I pass and from time to time stopping to chat. Their is no real running in and out of places here. I pick up my girls, the older two are always running to me for hugs and the baby loves her teacher so much I have to pry her from her arms. I listen to any report from the teachers and we are off. I talk to the older girls about their day on the way home and when I get home I read their report books and check for home work. They do their homework while the baby plays. Then I have Alana do an English website while Joslin watches and repeats. At aruond 530 the baby takes small nap with her milk while I cook dinner. By the time dinner is ready papi is home, and is welcomed by lots of hugs and kisses all around. We eat dinner around 6pm and then the girls get to play and talk with papi about their day. Bath time at 730 and off to bed for the girls. My husband and I then either spend some time alone doing our own thing or doing something together. Traffic and driving here in the city feels a lot like St. Louis, I have Wal Mart (which I cant stand anymore) Sams (which I love) close by and fresh fruits, veggies, and meat on every corner. We have a doctor that we really like. He only costs us 30p a visit, and he is wonderful with my girls. I have figured out how to keep the bugs out of my house. And I actually like the idea of black widows better than brown recluse. (black widows stay home and are usually in a place out of reach for my kids, brown recluse hide in your close and bed).

On days off my girls wake up and crawl in bed with us for a little snuggle time then want to eat. After eating we clean the house, let them do crafts, maybe walk to the park, or play games. We go to church from 11-130 I help in the nursery and my husband helps with translation. We have friends who come over for Sat night collage football, and my girls are happy and healthy. To me this all seems like what I would have been doing in the states. Although I must say Im ALOT more laid back than I would have been if we stayed their. My digestive system is healthier because Im less stressed, and I am able to brush off things much easier than before. Some of this my have come with age (no Im not old) but I know it came a lot faster because of Mexico.

I barely notice anymore that when I'm a pedestrian I don't have the right away, and that I have to teach my kids to run across the street instead of walk. I barely notice that my tissue goes in the trash can and I have to empty that can every day if not twice a day. And what were the other things that were different living here than in the states. I just read a blog this morning that talked about them all and seriously I cant repeat it if I wanted to.

Yesterday we shopped for food for Thanksgiving and for the babys birthday. Lily is turning one this coming weekend. I still have to finish her whole scrap book and baby book and make all the decorations and invitations. This should be a pretty fun week.

This post is for all of you out their who may be struggling with the idea of raising your family here, or who have just moved and need some hope. It took me three years to get to this point. Dont push it, take things one day at a time or how people love to say here poco a poco. Adopt that phrase and do your best to live it. You can do it and you can be happy here. One thing is for sure though you need a supportive spouse who loves you enough to love on you when its hard and encourage you when you get frustrated. Believe me my hubby is far from perfect and has screwed up pretty badly in the past but this is one thing that he has done so well.

I think thats it for now.

Mexican citizenship on hold.

Well Im not to happy to write this post nor am I excited about the reasons behind it. This is only a temorary hold but not one I was expecting or wanting. But as the saying goes, "ni modo." God knows best and it looks like we have to wait until after november. I recently had a question by one of my readers about if I have a lawyer an if they should get one. We have never used a lawyer for the immigration process and dont plan to for the citizenship. You do not need one but if you have the money and are willing to spend it you will have a much smother process than I have. This is only one example.

The requisit that we over looked is that you have to have at least 6months left on your current visa. My FM2 is up in December giving me only four months. The guy who was there to accept my application was so nice and worked with us very much. This is one reason we will not get a lawyer. This guy is not going to let us screw up if its not our intention. I say it that way because he basically counceled us on the best way to do things and said that if we chose to go ahead and file now he would have accepted out application. More or less he said if we had applied in July we would have had a better chance of D.F. overlooking the 6month rule. He also said that we could still apply and hope for them to over look it. He suggested for us to wait because if they did not over look it we may have to wait quite some time to get our money and paperwork back. This would cause a problem with my renewal on my FM2 in December. He said that our paperwork was complete but gave us some suggestions on how to polish it up a bit for a better chance at me getting it. He also gave us a better idea of what the interview would be and told me I needed to practice my spanish some more. (I was so nervous and was having a lot of difficulty speaking.) I think just being in the office one extra time before the actuall interview will help me.
I know in the long run having to wait is going to be better for the over all outcome but it came as a blow. I cried most of the way back to work.

Here is our current situation.

• We have to go to Tepa to get a different official copy of our marriage lic.,
•  I will renew my FM2 in November (one month before its up) and have to pay that stinking thing one more time,
•  my husband will then go to D.F. again for my carta (because by then the one we have will not be valid we are hoping me and the girls can go next time so we can visit with family),
•  He suggested that I get another cirtified copy of my birth cirtificate because the one I hade was not blue but we are not going to do that, 
• copy all pages of my passport (we only had the info page), 
• get a migratory flow letter from Immigration (we will ask for this when I renew,apparently it only takes like a day to get it),
•  Try to find a copy of my FM2 booklet( they recently went to a card form which for some reason does not have a certain number that he said could be helpfull to them, basically immigration doesnt use this number but external affairs does)
• Make three copies of all forms.
• He also suggested I read a book called Mexico tiera volcanos along with the book that is on the webpage. (http://www.colmex.mx/pdf/historiaminima.pdf)
• Again I want to give you the list that is provided by the office, or actually the web page(http://www.sre.gob.mx/index.php/carta-de-naturalizacion-por-haber-contraido-matrimonio-con-varon-o-mujer-mexicanos)

He was also kind enough to give us all his contact information in case we had questions later. This guy was extreamly helpful, and again this is why we will not be getting a lawyer. 

Obtaining Naturalization and the risks

I hope to get this post completely finished and published this morning. Mainly because there is a commenter who likes to stir up fear and distress in people who already have enough to deal with.  And my whole intention of this blog is to help alleviate some of that stress in others lives.  This person likes to appear that they know what they are talking about and loves to leave hatefulness with each comment. I'm only explaining this because I have many new readers since the last time this person took the time out of their apparently pointless life to read and comment on my blog. A lot of times I block the comments to the benefit of my readers but this one had some stuff that I actually wanted to speak to. This comment indicated certain articles proved that I am "stupid" to choose duel nationality. In reality it has a whole section that I am going to copy and paste below to insure you that you will not loose your nationality if you choose duel citizenship. Please feel free to read the whole article. The person who sent this article my way apparently read the first few paragraphs and assumed it would cause fear in an uneducated person. But what actually happened is that I had already read this section of law and I know my rights as an American and what they will be as a dual citizen. The important thing to remember any time you are investigating a law is to read the law and or articles about the law to the end and be sure you understand all of what it is saying. Im not going to post the whole thing here but only the part that helps everyone to realize that you can have dual citizenship and that I will never renounce my American citizenship. Again I want to remind that I am obtaining mine through being married to and having children who are nationals.
If you want to read the whole law or article just copy and paste the title and google it.

obtaining naturalization in a foreign state (Sec. 349 (a) (1) INA);

In September, 1990, the Department of State ("DOS") issued a policy statement which dealth with loss of nationality. The policy statement indicated that DOS would presume a person intended to retain U.S. citizenship where:

1. the person was naturalized in a foreign country
2. took a routine oath of allegiance, or
3. accepted non-policy level employment with a foreign government.

Such a person need not submit prior to the commission of a potentially expatriating act a statement or evidence of his or her intent to retain U.S. citizenship since such an intent will be presumed. It is important to note that the two expatriating acts which arise in the context dual nationality are given the benefit of this presumption.
According to the policy statement, the presumption that a person intends to retain U.S. citizenship is not applicable when the individual:

1. formally renounces U.S. citizenship before a consular officer;
2. takes a policy level position in a foreign state;
3. is convicted of treason; or
4. performs an act made potentially expatriating by statute accompanied by conduct which is so inconsistent with retention of U.S. citizenship that it compels a conclusion that the individual intended to relinquish U.S. citizenship.

Cases in categories 2, 3, and 4 will be developed carefully by U.S. consular officers to ascertain the individual's intent toward U.S. citizenship.
In order to ensure retention of U.S. citizenship, U.S. citizens may wish to assert their citizenship status by actions confirming a continuing intent to retain U.S. citizenship. These could involve a contemporaneous written statement confirming the citizen's desire to retain U.S. citizenship, submitted to a U.S. consulate or the DOS. The U.S. citizen should also continue paying U.S. income taxes, obtaining U.S. passports, and maintaining retaining property and other ties to the United States after the expatriating act takes place to evidence an intention not to relinquish citizenship. However, as stated in the DOS policy statement, such action is not necessary where the presumption applies.


Let me tell you I dont plan to be any of the numbered cases above. 


As to the other section that was posted
I only have to show you the first paragraph and Im not putting the italics in it they were already there.

Section 349 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 148), as amended, states that U.S. citizens are subject to loss of citizenship if they perform certain specified acts voluntarily and with the intention to relinquish U.S. citizenship.

If you googled the first article this law is shown as the second listing.

I will not ever renounce my citizenship nor will I take any oaths with tthe intention to relinquish my U.S. citizenship.

I hope this helped some of you who had questions. I know this not only spoke to the anon comment that was not signed but also to the otheres.

Jennifer I will post later today about how we got paper from D.F.

Mexican Citizenship part II

Its on people, we have my letter from D.F. saying I have no federal offenses. Monday we will get the one from state and write our letters and fill out the application. The plan is to go to the SRE (http://www.sre.gob.mx/) on Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm not sure yet if I will be given my history test and interview then or if they will set up an appointment. I am studying pretty hard just in case. One problem is that I can not find any examples of the interview online except saying that it is up to the interviewer. So I'm praying that I get someone who is maybe in a hurry or just a really good mood and who likes Americans becoming citizens. I think Ill do OK if they drill me but it will make me nervous. And when I get nervous my mouth doesn't like to speak in Spanish.  I already wrote the list of paperwork needed on a different blog so I wont do that again but really the amount of paperwork needed for this wasn't all that bad.  The link I posted above is where you go to find your list. Each person is pretty specific as far as how you get the citizenship. After this craziness is over I hope to do some more posts on things like day care, work, and culture so please stay tuned even though I haven't been much of a sturdy blogger recently. ;9

Mexican Citizenship

Ok here is the list that I have for me. Mind you I think there is different list for almost every one. To get this list he had to know the following:
What type of FM2 Im on (mine is familial)And how long Iv had it (I just am now finishing my second renewal)
If My husband was Mexican (he is)
If I had Mexican children (I do)
And what Country I'm originally from. (USA)

1)you must be of age and civil rights

2)your oiginal document and two copies of the solicitudDNN-3, which can be downloaded from the website of the Foreign Relations Secrataria that can be filled by machine or by hand with black ink and print legibly. http://intapp.sre.gob.mx/images/stories/docnatnacio/dnn3.pdf

3)The original and three copies of all pages of your FM2 and you have been here for two full years after your first applications.

4)A citified, apostilled, and translated copy of your birth certificate and three photocopies of it.

5)The original and three photocopies of my passport

6)My husbands proof of citizenship: His birth certificate and two photocopies of it.

7)A certified copy and three photocopies of your marriage lic. from the regitro civil mexicano. And the date of marriage has to be two years before you apply.

8)A statement of truth for what you are applying for.

9)Original and three photocopies of the ID of my spouse.

10)Proof from the office of safety that I have no federal or local offenses. ( I think one of these has to come from Mexico city)

11)A statement of truth from my husband about what we are applying for

12)Prove that you can speak spanish through a person interview.(they told me to talk to Mexicans to practice) and take a history test which has a study guide. http:www.sre.gov.mx/tramites/nacionalidad/guia_estudio09.pdf

13)4 recent pictures in color, 4.5 by 3.4cms with white background, full face, without glasses, head uncovered.

14)payment of 1,250pesos

For an appointment write to lbguzman@sre.gov.mx

FM2 renewal what I needed

Here is the list for the original renewal:
1) The form from www.inm.gob.mx with signature (on the left side click solicitudes de Tramites, under estancia click vivo en mexico y quiero, the first line is extender la estancia, and the secound would be refrendo de inmigrante, Then your info)

2)A full copy of and the origianl of your FM2

3)Proof of pay

4)A written statement of truth for what you are applying for.

5)5 photos 2.5 x 3cm, 3 in front 2 of side (most places close to the office know exactly what to give you if you just tell them what its for)

Always make tow copies of everything, and if your FM2 is familial or under someone else get a couple copies of their ID

I also always have an extra full copy of my passport in case its needed.

Address change list.
This time around all we needed was the new lease and an electric or water bill to prove we lived there.

Please note: Always go into your office and ask for what you need. I hear some offices may differ.

FM2 renewal 2011, vist 3-5

My previous post was about how I found out what I needed to do to fix the mistake I made by putting my country as Estonia. Trip number three went something like this. I had been told all I needed was a copy of all the papers I had from the first time and to redo the application. No problem one lesson I have learned is to make a full extra copy of everything I turn in for my records. So I went online and redid the application and checked it three times to make sure it was right. I then made two more copies off all the other stuff I had from the first time I applied. When I got to the desk she realized I had put an extra 5 on one of my ID numbers. OH my gosh am I an idiot... well no not really I have an astigmatism and haven't had my eyes checked in over a year. She had to show me each number one by one before I could see the mistake. After going across the hall and fixing this I turned it all into her and got my next print out with my information that I could check online. This all in all took over 3 hours.
Next after checking online and the status saying that I needed to go in and check on it we made the plans. I went in with my print off and got a number. This time I waited for almost 3 hours before being called again. They informed me that now I needed to pay for the address change. Thankfully the whole time I was waiting I was talking myself into the idea that I wouldn't actually be picking up my FM2 card that day. All that was needed she said was for me to go pay the fee (using the form they give you at immigration) and to bring them back one copy of my print out and two copies of the receipt. It was already 1230 and since they close at one I decided to do it all the next morning. Last Friday I made my fifth trip to immigration in a month and turned in my payment. She printed me off a sheet but it didn't have the info to check it online. She told me to use my old info and wrote down a new clave for me. I have tried this online multiple times this week and it is not working. For now the plan is for me to go check into it tomorrow morning.
I have been slacking on actually putting a list up so Im going to do that now on another post.

FM2 renewal, address change, citizenship

Ok guys my spell check is acting all crazy so good luck reading this one. lol
I was suppose to go check into my FM2 renewal on Monday but I forgot to bring my papers to work with me. So today was the big day. I let my student go a little early and I headed out of the school around 1130. I only took one wrong street and was quickly able to right my path. (this is a major acomplishment here by the way) When I pulled up to my normal parking garage it was full. I actually didnt panic but did call the hubby to ask if he knew of another one close by. The only one he could think of we usually dont use because its so busy that cars are always backed up the street trying oto get into it. Well today I was one of the cars that was backed up the street. I was parked and inside the immigration office by 1230 (I made excellent time concidering the traffic here that time of day). I immidiatly asked a gaurd if I needed to get a number (fecha) or if I just needed to go through the information line. He gave me a number and pointed to the side of the room I would be waiting. I noticed that they were on number 33 and I was holding number 76 in my hand. I hadnt had the time to pump (milk for Lily) before leaving the school so I figured I had plenty of time to do that now. I went down to the public restroom and took care of buisness. On my way back up I noticed the area that I needed to go to ask about citizenship and realized it was only 1 o'clock. I was pretty sure my number wouldnt get called for at leaset another 30min or so, so I stopped in. After asking a couple people I was sent to a room that had three desks in it. There were people already at two of those desks being helped and the other worker was on the phone. Once he got off I explained to him in my best Spanish what I needed and after only a short time I left with a list of things I would need. It seems that there are different lists for almost everyone. He needed to know what type of FM2 I was on (mine is familiar) if it was my husband who was supporting me, where we got married, and if I had Mexican children. After typing all this info into his computer is when he pulled up the list and had it printed off in the other room. I will put the list on a different post because I want hubby to translate it first so I dont get anything wrong.
Then I headed up to the immigration stuffy room. They had by now closed the door and stoped giving out numbers but the gaurd recognized me and let me in. It was now 115 and they were only on number 49. So I texted back and forth with the hubby and played suduko (I actually dont like the game because I cant beat it but I keep playing it because I cant beat it). When I finally got to the desk the guy that was helping me was so nice. (they usually are but I was a little nervous since I was alone) As a reminder and also a correction of what I thought previously, I put that I was from Estonia on my renewal (before I thought it was on the address change). The form was on a touch screan computer and apparently my fingers are to fat to pick the right country. He told me that I basically have to resubmit all my paperwork and that I dont have to pay again but just show them a copy of my pay reciept. This was a huge relieve. He also gave me a document that had a list of all that I needed to bring in and a sworn statement kind of thing saying I knew that I had screwed it up. This list I will also type up later after I can get conformation from the hubby that Im understanding it all correctly. The good thing is that he said that once I turn in the papers that I will get my FM2 very quickly because its just a little change and they were expecting it anyway. So I have a feeling it may already be there they just cant give it to me until I refile all the proper papers. Because he was being so nice I went ahead and asked him about our birth cirtificate ordeal with Lily. I asked him if it really would never be a problem for her or for me. He said now and that I could always prove that I was legal and that my papers were just in process. But that it really should never even come up. I even asked if it would be a problem with her US stuff and he said no as long as I wait till I get my FM2 back to file here. Which I was planning on doing anyway.
I then of course headedout to my truck but needed to stop at the ATM before hand. As I was walking down this busy city streat feeling as comfortable as if I were in St. Louis I had one of those wow my life is so odd moments. Not sure if any of you have them but I know I do. Its like I normally just go about my day and dont even think aobut it but sometimes its like something slaps me in the face and makes me look around. And then I think wow, I never would have known Id bee here even 5yrs ago. Its not a bad feeling or anything, just a wierd one.
Any way my next post will be chalked full of real information and not just the story line. :)

Mexican Birth cirtificate

Oh boy here we go again with paper work. This is one big reason I'm done having more babies. Ok it really wasn't all that bad but here goes. In Mexico as many of you know you dont get to just fill out paperwork while in the hospital and they send you the birth certificate. Here you have to take your newborn to the Registro Civil to register them. We knew we had to have two witnesses and one of the papers from the hospital. Attempt one went something like this. First we crammed my family into my Jimmy, me driving, mom in front seat and papi in back with all three girls holding my 4 year old. Yes I said holding. We only have two seat belts in back seat so Alana has been with out one. Its driving me crazy and hopefully we will have the money soon to put one in for her. Sorry that was off subject.
Then we went to pick up Melissa (thank you so much, we couldn't have done this with out you). She then was the one crammed in the back seat with two car seats and Alana and Papi sat in the back of the Jimmy together. Needless to say we did it true Mexican style crammed in like a clown car. We find the Civil office and go on in. The lady took one look at our paper from the hospital and said it was missing a date. It had the babies birth date but that it was missing the date that it was filled out. I said, oh well it was only two days after she was born just put the date on there. No, she says that now along with the date we need it re-stamped by the hospital to prove they were the ones to put the date on it. We leave a little upset but really we know as always that soemthing was bound to happen. We brought Melissa to work and went to get a bite to eat. So much for having my mom as one of the witnesses it was her last week here.
Last week we got my boss with us in the Jimmy and Melissa followed us this time and we went to find a different office. (because we just filled in the missing date). After finding the office which was all tagged up with graffiti we went in and told the lady why we were there. Ok she said, let me see your paperwork to be sure you have everything. The second she started examining my FM2 I knew we were in trouble. Why you may wonder well with Joslin they didn't even ask for my immigration status. My FM2 is currently in process at the immigration office of being renewed. I did not bring the paper stating this because like I said before it never even came up. She noticed that the date was up in December and said we would have to wait until I get the new one back. This was not an option for us for a couple reasons. For one this was the second time I had pulled two people out of their daily activities to witness for me, and two the baby needs her immunizations and cannot get them with out a birth certificate. After some discussion with the jefe Issac said they can do it but will have to put a note on her birth certificate that I am here illegally. The man assured Issac over and over that this would never cause us problems nor cause us to have to pay a fee at any point. I sure hope he is right. So we got copies of everyone's passports and current visa status (because everyone except Issac where Americans)and a copy of the babies hospital paper. We all signed and almost an hour and half after getting there we were finally on our way. So for the rest of Lily´s life it will appear that I was illegal. I really hope this never comes back to haunt us somehow.
So in case you didn't catch it all you need is the report of birth from the hospital (totally filled out) the mom, dad, two wittiness and copies of everyone's ID´s and immigration status if not Mexicans. And you walk out with the birth certificate. You can always go back and request copies. Dont get copies right away because most of the time when you need them they have to be copies you received with int a certain time.

Ok I need to go now Alana is sitting in the floor next to me singing a song about how mommy wont talk to her. lol
Let me know if I left anything out.

FM2 Renewal 2010

After having my blog come up first when I googled FM2 renewal IM feeling a little more pressure to get this post done well. The last renewal post I read didnt have a lot of the formalities about the process that I normally put in. So I plan to give you the details first of what you need then Ill go into my personal story of how it went for me.

For the Renewal you go online to
http://www.inm.gob.mx/index.php/page/Solicitud_de_Estancia
and fill out the form, be sure to save it and copy it. You need to be able to read in Spanish to get this done. If you can not be sure to have someone help you.
We filled out two letters of intent that were given to us by the Immigration office
They also gave us a form to fill out with instructions on getting another photo for the new ID. They will be giving a card ID now instead of a booklet.
Full copy of passport
Copy of info pages from my FM2 book
Pictures for the ID
Issacs ID (this is because my FM2 is familial under him)
We had to pay 2,800p at a Banamex and bring a copy of the receipt. (You have to get the form for the payment from the Immigration office)
we also had to have check stubs or a letter from Issacs Employer, we got the letter. Again this is because my FM2 is familial.


We also had to do an address change. We needed much less this time around.
We had to fill out and print off a form from the same website I posted above.
Full coyp of passport
proof of address
and a letter of intent, they actually gave Issac an example so he was sure to put everything on there.

It took us three days to be sure we had all the documents correct due to little errors and details. By the time we got to go to the office to turn everything in I had to go alone. Due to the fact that Im nursing the baby and havnt started bottles yet I had to bring her with me. Wile I waited for my number to be called I finished little angels for Alanas class. When I got to the desk and handed over my form and my passport copy the lady asked me what year I was born. "1980" I say. Your form is wrong she says. My husband put his year of birth instead of mine. The lady told me there was a computer across the hall that I could fix the form and then come back to her. She said I didnt have to wait with another number which was a relief. I did have to wait for one guy to get done with his document and then I was on. I had to change both of my forms and the first went almost without a hich. It was a touch screen and there are a lot of pull down menus so I kept hitting the wrong things because I dont have nails. By the time I got to the second I had people behind me and the baby was waking up and crying wanting to be fed. Needless to say I rushed through it. I then wrote down my numbers and went back to the lady at the counter who printed off my forms. At this point Im feeding the baby so she took my whole stack of papers and put them in order instead of asking for one at at time like the normally do. I was thankfull for this. She stamped everything and had me sign a copy of the print off that tells you how to check the status online. I grabbed my papers and finished feeding the baby as I walked out to the car. After I got home and handed my husband the papers he says, "Oh honey." with a bit of a sad sigh. Im like, "What!!!!"
I had put on the address change that I was from Estonia, which is right below Estados Unidos on the drop down list. I of course had to be calmed down by him and he said he would go in the next day to ask about what we needed to do.
They acted like it was no big deal because it was just the address change. They said they would just deny it and in Jan when they reopen we will have to redo it. This is not a big problem because it was late already and we were already going to have to pay the fine.

Thats it for now until I go top pick it up. I hope this information ends up being useful.

FM3 change of address

When we renewed my FM3 in December we got dinged pretty hard with a 1,000p fine for not letting them know when we moved. As you all know we have moved again and were sure to get there in the 30days. Yes we pushed it and were there on day 28 but hey Mexico does this to you. It wasn't to bad of a process we showed up with our old and new lease and a copy of my husbands ID and a copy of my FM booklet info. This is what they asked for last time. Right next to the immigration building is a place that does copies, pictures, ext. They also will go online and get the form you need, fill it out and print it out for you. We did all the above except the picture and headed into the office. We grabbed a number then noticed there was a line for elderly, disabled and pregnant women. I look only barely pregnant but we decided to give it a try. The lady behind the desk told us the people she was working on would take a long time so we should be sure to also have a number. No problem I can play lottery and stand in line and have a number. After standing there for a long time an older lady with a walker came in to get in line behind us. I dropped out of the line because she looked like she was having a harder time than me. Funny thing is at the same time I would have been called in the prego line my number was called so no big loss giving up my spot in line. We went to our window and handed over all our info. We had put the wrong date on our form so we had to leave and go back to the little office I was talking about before. This didn't take long and we headed back up. At this office if something like that happens they don't make you get a number you just go back to your window and as soon as the person is free you bring them your stuff. Then she said I needed a copy of my passport. Well crap we had copies of all other IDs but not this one. Of course it would be what they ask for. She had pity on us I suppose due to the baby belly and the fact we had a 3yr old and a 1yr old in tow. And the three year old was making it obvious we had promised her Burger King after we were done. She made the copies and had Issac hand write a solicitude saying we moved. This is unheard of they always want things typed. Which we found thankfully this time around is obsolete they are ok with things being printed off the computer. (bout freaking time). Also when she gave us our paper we were told we could check online to see if it was ready before we came back. Can I hear a hallelujah? Our immigration office finally realizes there would be less people in line if they didn't come unless their stuff was ready. Before you couldn't even call you had to come stand in line and hope yours was ready. We have been turned away twice after a two freaking hour drive. Also no application fee.. no money at all except what it took to get there.
We also read a note saying that for renewals and such you now make an appointment online and basically turn in all your info and forms online and when you show up you bring the originals and copies but at that point they would have been able to let you know if you need more info. Then we were off for a quick stroll down town some Burger King and home. I'm so glad to see them getting more into the net and computers this helps A LOT.
So in case your here on an FM3 and you move be sure to let them know and its not to hard to do so.

FM2 Renewal

We went to Guadalajara yesterday to pick up my FM2 booklet. Or so we thought. When we went to drop off our papers the last time we did as the website advised and brought our new lease and the dates that we moved. The lady had me fill out a little application about both apartments and that was that. When we go to pick up our booklet the lady at the counter says that we have to pay a 1,000p fine because we did our renewal late. I argued with her as did my husband and finally she took our paper back and looked at it. She kind of giggled and apologized and said it was because we did inform them of our move with in 30day. Also there was a listing that I didn't provide all that I needed to about me leaving the country when I visited MO in Oct. The combined fee is the 1,000p. So we still have to pay it but at least we know why. I have to bring back a copy of my first lease and my flight itinerary, and of course multiple copies of the receipt from the fee that we pay. Our only main complaint to her at that point was that they should have told us about this before when we were there because we live an hour and a half away. There of course was no good reason why this didn't happen it just didn't. She said we could pay the fee at any bank and because we were both about to blow a gasket we decided to walk downtown to walk off some steam. This helped a lot and and although at the beginning of the walk we were discussing weather I really needed to be legal, by the end we were back to our senses and we knew we should have expected this delay. Luckily once we get the immigration part out of the way we genuinely enjoy our visits to Guad. We walked around downtown, bought our coffee and fig newtons, and ate at burger king. Then we got to go visit friends (Melissa of http://livingonrefrieddreams.blogspot.com/2010/01/officially-integrated.html)We had a good time getting to hang out at their shop and she brought us to Costco so us country folk could buy things like Cheddar cheese. ;) We were so excited about the cheese she prob thinks were nutz. Seriously when we got home that night my daughter was sitting on the living room floor half a sleep then a glow came to her eyes and she was wide awake and she said, "can I have some Cheddar Cheese!?!?!?!?!?"

...in my skin...

I of course have been reflecting on this whole thirty thing. I know it is by no means old but it is older than I was before. One thing I was doing was remembering my self at 20 let me tell you I am much more comfortable in my skin and am excited to see where that brings me in the years to come. As a teenager believe it or not I was very comfortable in my skin, I liked who I was and the fact that I was going nowhere was comforting to me. Then thankfully others saw a potential in me that I never saw in myself and I was encouraged to go to nursing school. The first few years of my 20´s was quite confusing, I was giving up a lot of habits that had became (I thought) who I was. I wasn't sure who to be or who I was without them. Slowly but surely as I grew in Christ he helped me to see that those habits had nothing to do with who I truly was. Right when I was becoming comfortable with who I was again I met my husband and the fearful years set in. I was just looking at pictures from then and let me tell you I was happy and comfortable with who I was but fearful about the future. As most of you know our struggles with immigration started shortly after we met which was when I was 24. When I was younger I enjoyed my differences from other people, I actually tried to make them more than they were. The two years that Issac and I lived in separate countries and the last year and a half my differences from the others around me were a bit to strong for me. I now feel I am at a place where I am still very different than those around me but I am comfortable with the amount of difference. I want to always hang on to my American style, beliefs, language, and attitudes (except the worry part). I think part of what has made me more comfortable with the differences around me is that I understand them more now. Although I am regularly baffled by Mexicans I quickly come to understand why they are the way they are. I´m excited about raising and growing my family in the up coming years. I look forward to feeling safe and knowing that my family will not be torn apart by borders and that I can be comfortable with who I am. Here I let out a sigh of relief for the happiness, comfort and security I am feeling. Thank you God for giving me this.

Will I ever learn....

to procrastinate even a little. I'm always so prepared and ready. I finished repacking yesterday. Yes I said repacking. I first packed about mid week to be sure of how many and which suit cases would be necessary. Then yesterday I pulled everything out and made it organized and put the last few things in that were forgotten the first time. Anything that is last min like the bathroom stuff is in a premade bag in the bathroom waiting to be thrown in the extra space left for it. Obviously I'm not totally Mexican yet because if I were I would have started last night or more like today. We have to leave the house tomorrow at 10. I have my last load of laundry in the washer, painted my nails (orange for Halloween), and showed my 3 yr old as many videos on you tube and the airport site as I could find to try and get her ready. Now what do I do with the rest of my day. I wish my hubby would have called off work to hang out with me. I'm really gonna miss him and I know he will miss me and the girls so much. I'm so stinking excited I just don't know what to do with myself today. I suppose I'll go study. Iv been reading medical articles in Spanish thanks to a great idea from a friend. The though is that if Canada doesn't work (which I don't think it will) or if we just decide to stay in Mexico, that reading medical things in Spanish would be the best way to get my language boosted enough to work. When she suggested this I thought wow that sounds like a pain and not to much fun. I've been doing it anyway, and am finding it is a lot easier and I know a lot more than I thought I would. I get a real kick out of reading medical material and I'm finding I get that kick even if its in Spanish, and actually a little more because I'm learning more. My next plan is to get some audio medical books in Spanish. Sometimes when I read a word I know what it is but when I say it out loud I'm sure if I heard someone say it I wouldn't know what it was unless they wrote it down. So I will attempt to distract my mind to day with Spanish.

El Seguro otra ves

Once again it was shot time for my bebe, (this is not to bring up a debate, I think they are good others don't no biggie). This was our last set for her until she turns one. Because we had a few questions this time around my husband went with me. We were actually a week later than they had told us to return for the shots. I figured the date was an estimate for when she could have her next ones and that the time was what was important. They are not really great about explaining the goings on but when you ask they do tell you. So my husband turned in the babies booklet and immunization record and told them we were suppose to be there last week. The nurse smiled her, your new at this smile and told us it was fine. While we waited my husband spotted his cousin and went over to talk. I didn't bother him when our name got called because from past experience I knew they would only let one adult in at a time with the baby. We wanted to know if the girls and I could get a flu shot because we would be traveling soon. An airplane is one of the best places to catch a flu. The nurse explained to me that they didn't have the vaccine for another 10 days and that we could come back then. That is one day before I fly but I think for sure my 3yr old needs it so I think we will all go get it. After weighing and measuring Joslin (my baby) they quickly and efficiently gave her the two vaccines she needed and it was time to sit down at the desk with them while they asked me questions about her health. For example if she is still nursing, if I feel she can see, and hear things by her reactions ext. There is no doctor in site by the way this is all done by nurses. I think this is great of course. I then ask about the booklets and explain that we haven't gotten my 3yr old, my husband, or me one yet. She explained that I needed the paper from the office and a photo of each of us. When I told her I had them she had me give them to her. Right then and there they began making booklets for my daughter, my husband and me. When they got to a question about my husband that I did not know (his blood type) I said he was outside and they could ask him. The looked relieved because they were trying to explain a lot to me about the booklets and the flu vaccine and I could tell they wanted to be able to tell him to be sure I got it all. Don't get me wrong they have always been patient with my "dile otra vec." They called him in and boom we were all 3 (Alana, Issac, and Me) Getting a full check up. They checked me and Issacs , blood pressure, height, and weight. Issac explained that I hadn't had a pap since I had the baby and they did it right then and there, the table was behind a little wall. They said I had to wait another 3 months for the breast exam because I had just quit nursing. My husband said he felt like he was getting a full tune up on a car. They checked Alanas height and weight. Our B/P was great and we are both a little Sobrepeso which I'm pretty sure translates into overweight. But not a lot and I think I have always been a little Sobrepeso since I got past puberty. Iv always believed the charts run a little low for a healthy non workoutaholic. It dawned on me that your booklet is essentially your chart and you keep track of it yourself. They do have a computer system that I also see them putting information into but I have a feeling your booklet is the best resource for the doctor when you do see one. I'm going to go into detail here because I find it very interesting. If you don't care about the social health care in Mexico you may not want to read any further. So the booklet has all kinds of preventative stuff in it and gives you recommendations on how often you should get it done. The Orientacion Alimentaria is suggested to be done twice a year for men and women. The only difference in the Nutrition section for the women and men is that the women have a place for iron and folic acid before and after being pregnant of for anemic women. For the ninas they get a check mark for how many months you nursed them, and they of course get a height and weight check to check their nutritional status. They also gave them both vit A by mouth and sent us home with antiparisitic medication for the 3yr old, my husband and me. Babies don't get it until after one year. They said they recommend people in Mexico to take this every 6 months. This makes since when you think of the water situation, my daughter does frequently try to drink her bath water. Also I always wonder after being at the park with all the stray dog poop, if she hasn't gotten any parasites under her nails. We wash are hands good and often but with a child you just cant always prevent it. Next is the vaccines they asked us to bring proof of all our vaccines (not the baby of course) and they would fill it all in. When we had seen the private doctor while in the hospital and asked about this she said they wouldn't do this. Next is Prevencion y control de enfermedades. Here for the girls they have a place for the vit K shot all babies get when born and for PPD checks if they come in contact with someone who has TB. Then there is a place where they check there teeth and teach you or them how to brush. They marked this but didn't say anything to us about it. I wonder if this is because it was obvious we brush her teeth or if this is how they always do. Then they have a place for visual checks and it looks like all 4 yr olds actually get a visual examination. We are not there yet so I'm not sure if its something they will actually do or if again they will just ask if I think they can see ok. For this section the womens has an extra page from the mens which is mainly for pregnancy, pap smears and breast exams. The first entry in both books is for discussion of prevention of HIV and AIDS. Or in Spanish Prevencion de VIH-SIDA E ITS. They marked this for us but didn't talk about it, again I assume its because we appear to be in a monogamous relationship (which we are but as a health care professional I know you never assume)They also have here prevention of addiction and for TB. Then the stuff about brushing your teeth. Again all of this has recommendations on how often you should get checked. Every time you go the thumb through the book and fill out more and more. Ok heres the fun part there are a couple extra pink pages (oh yeah all the pages are color coated) in my husband and my booklet titles Salud Sexual y reprodutiva. For the male one the first entry is Orientacion/consejeria (derechos sexuales y reproductivos) sadly this is not in my book, Im pretty sure this is a sex talk and I feel it should be in the girls book also. Our booklets are for ages 20-59 and my girls is for ages 0-9, I would love to see if this section is larger in the 10-19 booklet. Next is a whole page for your personalized reproductive and pregnancy prevention. They did ask Issac what we were using to prevent pregnancy and we said condoms. (sorry that may be TMI but I have a point with this)When he said this one of the nurses left the room and came back with a box of condoms and gave us like 12 of them and wrote it in our books. They said we could come in every month and get more. Seriously those things are not cheap and I hope all people in Mexico who have segudo benefits take advantage. We asked what other options there where through the segudo for birth control. Due to me having gall bladder issues while pregnant I can not take the pill and they don't have the nuva ring in Mexico. They told me that I needed to come back on any day at 2pm and sit for a Dr. appointment. This doctor would then refer me to an OB who would discuss the options of implants. We would also at that time tell him about my gall bladder and he would also refer me to a specialist to get that checked to be sure all is well. That will be another post on another day.
All in all Im happy with the segudo, its a lot like having an HMO where you have to see one Dr. before you can see another but its free. We did all of that for free. not one penny paid out. I'm not sure if I will have to pay for the specialist or not or for the implant if we decide to get it but I will be sure to let you know.

10 Good things about Mexico

I know that so often I'm complaining or grumping about things in Mexico. Recently I have read a few blogs where people were talking of the things they love about Mexico. And I don't mean blogs of those who are retired here and have enough money to live as they please. Don't get me wrong I like their blogs also but it is for sure different when your making and living on pesos. Some of the things that may seem romantic or what not are down right annoying. Se there I go again the point is that when I read those blogs where people list the things they like I find myself shaking my head yes and being like, yeah me to. So here it is here is my list.

1)I do love that the tiendas are all over, we have one on the main floor of the building we live in, and because the owner is also the owner of our apartment we get to keep a tab. So no need to fret if you have no cash. It amazes me how much stuff they can fit in those little stores. Its like going to Walgreens, even if your thinking they prob wont have what your going for most likely it will be there. Or they will tell you that the one across the street has what your looking for. Although I'm sure I would loss some weight if ours wasn't open all the time. It doesn't close till about 1030 I love it. After we get the girls to bed we will often sneak down for a little snack. A good example is last night I was partly through cooking dinner and realized I needed more ingredients. All I had to do was put everything on low heat and run downstairs for what I needed.

2)People watching is totally accepted, and everyone does it. (Kinda freaked me out when I first got here, I'm a watcher but wasn't use to being watched) Now I love it.

3)Anything (and I do mean anything) can be fixed for very cheap. So far we have had like three watch faces replaced, and one watch that fossil told my husband was broke and couldn't be fixed is now in working order and like brand new.

4)Anything (and I do mean anything) can be sold out of your house or on the street. If your crafty or like to cook you can make some cash on the side. I have found that a lot of the fads from my youth are still in style here. For example the hemp style knotted necklaces and bracelets, are going like crazy. So my hippy days are finally paying off.

5)Most people don't get worked up over things that people would freak about in the states. examples bugs (this one kinda bugs me, hee hee), children being brought to work, children running or screaming or crying through a store ext ext. Kids are everywhere and are usually acting like kids and no one cares. Seriously you will seldom walk into a tienda where the owners children are not playing in the floor.

6)Its ok to just sit somewhere and do nothing, actually its expected when your at a relatives house. Sometimes they don't even talk they just hang out all day long.

7)People do your dishes when they are at your house, sure your expected to return the favor but for some reason doing someone else dishes doesn't seem to be as much of a burden. At first I thought this was just something Issacs family did (and I was sure they thought I was a slob and was trying to clean up after me) but the more we have people over the more I find its everyone. I'm curious to if this is just in our area or if this is a Mexican culture as a whole type of thing.

8)So I have to say it... The Food.. how can you have a great things about Mexico list with out the food. Come on people... in Mexico you can get a hotdog wrapped in bacon out on the street on almost every block. Or a Shrimp burger, which is totally made of shrimp, my first order of this I was expecting a burger with a couple tiny shrimp on it. NO we are talking a bunch of big shrimp and you get almost more meat than you do on a hamburger. Speaking of Mariscos oh the soup they make with all the chunks of yummy seafood and tomatoes and lime (not sure what all is in it really )So food could be a post of its own and Ill leave that up to other blogs who do such a great job of it like the The Mija Chronicles and Recipes by Leslie. Sorry I haven't quite figures out how o put links in. Someone care to inform me?

9)Trash pick up is almost every morning. The only days it doesn't come is Sunday and Wednesday. And when you have a ton of stuff there is always a neighbor standing by to help. You actually kind of get to know the neighbors through trash pick up time. Everyone gives a cheer hello and good morning (or evening depending on what time they come by your house).

10)I actually love the greeting and leaving practices. Its so welcoming to get a big hug and peck on the cheek when going to families house. And even when visiting friends you get at least a one arm hug and usually a peck on the cheek. Iv always been a hands on hugging type of person Again going back to the my hippy days coming back lol me and my friends were always greeting and leaving with a hug. So this is second nature to me. I actually missed it a lot as I got older and found that for most of the world this was not ok. Although I did find some friends from my old church who were happy to greet me this way. (wink wink Samantha) I have had a little trouble deciphering the types of kisses and how strong to hug but for the most part people don't look at me strangely if I mess this up.

Well to be honest that took me a while and I had to think about it. But I found that as I thought of these things it made me happier to be where I am. So I am going to make an effort to not only notice the things I love about this country but to also write them down so I can go back to them when I feel discouraged.

Oh I just thought of another one that I actually read about on another blog. I love that you get to see people riding there horses and donkeys through town. My daughter still gets a kick out of it every time and will come yelling, "mommy look horses." And sometimes I have to say," well honey that ones a donkey." And the funny thing is I'm just as excited about watching them as she is.

See this is working already. ;)

Babies US papers

Ok so there are a couple things you must get for your child that is born in another country. The first is the Consular Reports Of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and the other is only necessary if you plan to travel back to the US with your child which is their passport. The link below is what we used to find out what all papers we needed.
http://guadalajara.usconsulate.gov/service/passports-and-citizen-services/consular-reports-of-birth-abroad.html
From their suggestions we gathered:
prescriptions from our dr
Our Doctors records of our prenatal care which is just his notes from each visit typed on a paper with his letter head on it
The babies certificate of birth (certificado de nacimineto)
Our certified copy of our US marriage lic
The babies Mexican birth cirtificate
My Social Security Statement
The print off of our appointment page from the website stated above which I will talk more of in a min.
Both application forms from the website above

The babies armband from the hospital
a copy of my highschool and nursing school diplomas
The hospital bills
picture of me prego, at the hospital, and with the baby after she was born
Our Mexican marriage lic
The babies vacination record and booklet from the segudo
And the DVD of our ultrasounds

After gathering all this stuff up we went on the same website above and made our appoint. This is pretty simple but they didn't have any appointments available for almost a month. So we picked the first one. Also all the appointments Im pretty sure are early, the latest one available on the day we picked was 830am.
So we got up on June 24th at 5am and headed to Guadalajara. By the time we found the place and our parking garage we litteraly got there right on time. We walked up to the window with the speaker box and told them why we were there. They asked for our piece of paper showing our appointment and we presented it. Now you have to go in almost empty handed so we left everything (including my husbands belt) in the truck. If you cant make it through the air port with it you cant take it into the consulate (long story short). You also can not take any electronic devises including your cell phone. Once we get past the security check and inside a guy give us a number and tells us our number will be called. At this point and still Im not sure what the appointment was all about, I assume its so they dont have to many people at one day but then why give times. Anyway shortly after we called to a window and tell here why we are there. She then asks for the items that are in italics above. She was extreamly rude and short with us. She says that my social earnings statement is no good without W2's (this makes no since to me) and that I should have printed pictures of the ultrasound off of the DVD. I then explained to her that that is impossible for us. How on earth do you print pictures off of a DVD, our computer wont even play it, we have to play it on a TV. She says she doesn't think those to things will pass but she will take them anyway. Oh and I had to refill out the paper that tells of you physical location for your entire life. I thought it meant where I had lived and didn't include the visits to Mexico. The other times I had to fill this out we had an immigration lawyer in the states who helped us. The rude lady then tells me to go to the receiving window and pay for our stuff. We paid I think it was 960p for the CRBA and 1600 for the pass port. When we went to pay for the CRBA and I realized she didn't charge me for the passport I asked her about this. She said the CRBA has to be approved first then you pay for the passport. I also had to fill out a different form for the passport apparently the one I got online was wrong. But this lady was very nice and patient with me, she even whited out some stuff when I filled it out wrong. Something the website didn't say is that you have to have your passport photos, she said that my husband could go out with the baby and have them taken and come back as quick as he could. That the interview could go on with out him if he wasn't back in time but that the interviewer did have to at least see the baby. So Issac takes the paper that shows we had an appointment, the requirements for the photos and the baby and goes to get the pictures. This isn't hard to find anywhere you walk with in a couple blocks of the consulate you have people telling you they can do your photos for you. This took him about 20 min and when he got back we still had about another 30min to wait until we were called. The lady that did our interview was pleasant and helpful. We had to put up our right hands and swear that what we were telling her was the truth. (I find this funny because now days there is no bible so what the heck is the point in putting up your right hand). She asked if she could have permission to look up my work history using my social security number so that I didn't have to provide w2s. Well of course I said. Then she leaves for like 2 min and comes back with a couple pages of my complete work history. (kinda freaky if you ask me, but hey its the US gov right?)She tells me to send my husband over to pay for the passport and he goes. She explains that she is kinda rushing through my "interview" because she has a meeting in 2 min. Wow did I get lucky, I love to be rushed through in situations like this. Then she gives me all my papers back after checking to be sure she made copies of all of it. She also gave us two little slips of paper that had numbers on them. She told us to go to the MultiPac desk that was in the same room and give her our information. We litteraly just moved this weekend so we asked if we could pick up the papers at the office in Tepa, because we didn't know our address yet. Yes this would be fine and we should have our babies papers in our hands in a couple weeks.
Wheww now that's done, both my babies are officially duel citizens. No more paper work needing to be done until Dec when I need to renew my FM2.