Santana James Mora

Born on August 26, 2011, Santana was a perfect, happy, easy baby. He was a big, fat and healthy boy who had been sleeping through the night for the last 2 months. We wish now that he had been a fussier baby so we would have held him more and gotten up at all hours of the night to see and comfort him. He had his 4 month well child check-up on Wednesday the 4th and weighed 15.3 pounds.

"Little Baby Santana", as his proud big brother Zander always called him, looked just like Zander, except with his Mommy's lighter skin color. Most people called him Santanita but for awhile we thought his nickname would be Hiccup since he had them so often, starting while still in Mommy's tummy.

Santana would suck on his hands when hungry. He was a slow and messy eater while taking a bottle and had just started rice cereal which he enjoyed.

Mommy was so excited for him to start trying the homemade apple and pear sauce she had made for him from the orchard in front of their home. Santana would scratch his head when tired. He liked to be tightly swaddled and have a binky when sleeping. While awake, he liked to be sitting up and looking around.

Santana woke up happy every morning. He loved to lay in his crib and watch the bugs go around on his mobile while listening to the music. It was such a joy to hear him talking to his bugs while waiting for us to come scoop him up.

Santana laughed when Daddy nuzzled into his neck and said "waca-waca" to him. He liked to make us laugh by pursing his lips together, blowing air through them and making funny sounds. He loved playing with his big brother, Zander, who adored him and took such good care of him. Just like big brother and Mommy, Santana always had lots to say, squeaking, cooing and talking all day.

Santana had already done and seen more than some people do in years. In October he flew to Miami for 3 weeks with Mommy where he got to meet some of his extended family and see the ocean. Thanksgiving was spent in Fall City, WA at his Grandpa Vern's. He spent the week after Christmas and brought in the New Year in Arizona, getting to know his Aunt Gracie, Uncle Todd and cousins, Julia and Marcus.

Santana, Mommy is so happy and thankful that she got to have these adventures with you and to spend all this time home with her little "Chiquitico Lindo".

Santana left behind his parents Gabriel and Jozette, his big brother Zander, Grandmother "Abuela" Perla Benitez (Carlos Solis), Grandmother "Abuela" Maria Mora, Grandpa James "Jake" C. Sanders, Grandpa Vern Collins, Grandfather "Abuelo" Ignacio de la Mora (Estela, Miguel, Mireya, Nachito, and Vanessa,), Aunt Sirena and Uncle Todd Phillips, Aunt Christie and Uncle Matt Blisard, Uncle Eric Sanders (Torene Terrell, Hope and Michael), Aunt Gracie and Uncle Todd Myers and cousins; Jacob, Logan, Marley, Liam, Julia and Marcus, as well as countless other extended family and friends who loved him.

Thank you to all of our family and friends who have surrounded us with love and strength. Also to our employer's who allowed us to spend so much time home with Santana, to Pacific NW Fertility who helped us conceive Santana, the Yakima Police Department, the paramedics, doctors, nurses and staff at Memorial Hospital, Jack Hawkins, Yakima Co. Coroner who gave us answers & brought peace to our family. Special thanks to our nurses Donna and Karrie at Terrace Heights Family Physicians, and to our amazing doctor, Julia Robertson.

Santana you are the piece that completes us.

Whenever we think of you, we smile and are whole again. Thank you for spending this precious time with us. We will not be sad that our time with you is over but grateful for the time that we did share with you. Little Baby Santana, we will remember you and hold you in our hearts always. We love you, we love you, we will love you forever.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Santana Mora fund at Solarity Credit Union.

A Viewing will be held at Keith and Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel on Thursday, January 12, 2012 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, a Rosary will follow from 7pm-8pm. Gabriel and Jozette will not be present for the Viewing nor Rosary. A Celebration of Santana’s Life will be held at Keith and Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel on Friday, January 13th at 3pm.