sleeping baby

 

It's been a while since I posted, our house got caught with the sickies.

Luckily the kids had just a slight cold but mama on the other hand, I'm still trying to recover. It's been lingering for over a week now and I've just been exhausted.

I'm just greatful that the kids are better.

 

And speaking of kids...

 

Believe it or not, my baby girl is sleeping in the picture below.

 

 

 

Kinda creepy isn't it?

 

I love how peaceful my kids look when they are sleeping.

 

I can go into my son's room a dozen times at night after he goes to sleep and just kiss him and watch him sleep.

Other than watching one of his movies thats the only time he's still.

 

And speaking of sleep... yawn... it's about that time.

 

Good night y'all.



Mother's day

 

 I had a wonderful Mother's Day.

 

I got to sleep in till almost 11am!

My hubby made us breakfast, or should I say brunch since it was sooo late.

 

 

 

 

He picked out the most beautiful cards, one from him and one from the kids.

I also got a special massage and aromatherapy treatment... hubby done good!!

 

 

And I just got to spend the rest of the day with my babies.

The wonderful reason I get to celebrate this day.

 

My lil angel.... she is such a happy happy soul.

I hope I can make her as happy as I do now in 13 years when she's a crazy teenager.

 

 

My crazy lil guy that just amazes me sometimes. He is so loving towards the people he loves, he is attentive to his sister, and although too hyperactive and whiny at times he is too wise for his 4 years of life.

 

Here he is telling us he needs to check his email.

 

 

 

My mom came over in the afernoon and spend time with her grandkids and me of course.

Then the hubby and I grilled up some steak and potatoes for dinner.

 

 

As much as I love being appreciated and doted on during Mother's Day, I cannot forget two things.

One, the mother who gave me life. Who carried me for 9 months, who I depended on for nourishment and support and comfort and who sacrificed to be there for me as I was growing up. Not just my mother but also my grandmother who was a second mom to me.

 

Secondly, my children and what a blessing from God that they are. Of course without them I could not celebrate Mother's Day but also without them I would not be the person that I am today. I appreciate all they have shown me, the unconditional love, their dependance on me has taught me unselfishness and the miracle of life.

 

I truly have been blessed and I hope all the mother's out there had a great Mother's Day as well.

 

 

 

 

 



is the doctor in?

 

I just can't get enough of how well he plays with his little sister and how much she adores her big brother.

 



i heart my kids

 

 

First of all, it still seems strange to me to say kids.

I have kids, as in more than one!

 

I feel so blessed to have two healthy children.

They are wonderful and wonderful with eachother and I am so lucky.

 

 

My little girl absolutely adores her big brother.

She watches his every move and listens and coos when he talks to her.

He eyes light up and she smiles whenever he's near.

 

 

My son is so happy everytime he sees his sister smiling.

He is a doting big brother and is always keeping an eye out for his sister.

He's very protective of her.

 

Even though they are 4 years appart, I can already see that they are close to each other's heart.

 



Hello? Is anyone still out there?

Hello?

 

Is anyone there?

 

Yes, it has been a LONG time. I took a serious break from blogging and the entire time I missed it. I missed all of you. I missed being creative and sharing what I've been up to.

I missed this great community of bloggers.

But, I've enjoyed every minute that I had with my new baby and our new family.

It's Sunday and I'm enjoying the last day I have at home with my baby as I have to go back to work tomorrow. I am both exicted to go back to work refreshed and get back to a schedule but also sad to leave my baby, I wish I could just be a stay at home mom. But since no one has offered to pay my mortgage and the bank would probably not like it if I suddenly stop paying, I must get back to work.

Well hopefully here I am, not only back to work but back to blogging. So much has happened and honestly I don't know how we survived! The biggest and bestest thing of course is this little miracle....

Introducing
Aria Cruz Sayoko Mandrigues Morales

 

She was born on February 25th weighing in at 7 lbs 8.8 oz and measuring 19 inches long.

She completes us!

 

 

I'm so greatful to have been home with her the last 8 weeks. She has made me fall in love with babies all over again. She is such a good girl, very happy baby. She makes me reflect on my first born and appreciate him even more.

 

We're so happy to have her in our family. Her big brother loves her and she just adores him.

 

Well here I am! I hope I can keep up.
Thanks for sticking around while I was taking a break and I hope you all stick around to hear all of my new adventures!

 

anxiety strikes!!!

(I was supposed to post this last week, but it didn’t happen so it’s a few days late)

I went to my doctors appointment last Wednesday and I’m now on once a week check ups.

I go again this Friday, once a week check up makes me nervous or anxious or scared or excited, I haven’t figured it out yet. I think a little of everything.

What also makes me nervous is that the doctor seems to think this baby is coming early and since last Wednesday I’ve been having all sorts of crazy labor dreams.

I know you can’t be totally ready for labor and brining a new baby home, but I just have these strange feelings of I have to finish this or that first.

My shower is on Saturday and the hubby wants me to last till then. I have some things to do at work that I really want to get done with before I go on leave. Why I feel I have these priorities I have no idea.

I really do just want to make it through this weekend, get everything ready and spend some quality time with my son before we totally throw him off adding another one to the mix. I’ve been trying to talk to him and prepare him for what is coming. Of course he seems to understand but when we bring the baby home, I’m sure it’ll be another story.

God, please help me.

Here I am at about 35 weeks, I know I look small, everyone keeps telling me that but I do feel so big and so uncomfortable. 

Update… it’s Sunday night and I made it this far. I survived the shower and I want to share some pictures so bad! Of course I was having too much of a good time to take a single photo.

Thankfully my mother in law and my sister in law was taking pictures so I hope to share them soon!

 

What ever happened to Christmas being the most wonderful time of the year??

 

I know that I have admitted in the past that I am a Christmas Grinch. I have been changing my ways, I really have.

Even though it was like pulling teeth and I would rather have pulled my teeth out than have to nag at my hubby to spend 5 minutes to take some of our Christmas decorations out of the attic, I had a fun time with my lil man putting out decorations.

We didn’t take down all the decorations this year only one box and no lights on the house this year either. All I can think about it having to spend the time taking them down and packing them away just weeks before the baby is due.

I even did my best at keeping my OCD in check and I let my son decorate the tree with very little help. I sometimes sit on my couch and look at the tree and see two ornaments hanging too close to each other and I want to move them so bad, but I let it go. I’m so proud of myself.

Still all I can think is, what is so damn jolly about this time of the year?

I don’t know if it’s the hormones, or exhaustion, or stress, or all of it put together but I just want to skip the holidays all together!

Everything is rush rush and its so commercialized, how do we get back to the real meaning of the season?

I’ve been so busy at work and then going to the hospital to visit my grandma every day after work and then rushing home to cook dinner and do our night time routine and then do it all over again! I have had NO time or energy to do my Christmas shopping. This is the last weekend before Christmas and instead of helping out my hubs is going to ride with his friends, just great, thanks! I told my hubs from last week, I need his help with the shopping and well… I won’t even go there.

So this year, we’re not doing Christmas… if I get the chance to do my baking, I will, if not, oh well.

I don’t even feel bad for not having anything ready or having the time or energy to put into Christmas, is that bad??

How about you guys? Are ya’ll ready for Christmas?

A Happy Thanksgiving

 

Can you believe Thanksgiving has come and gone!? Time is just flying by.

This year we barely got our turkey! I’m fine with that I’m more into all the trimmings anyway and a ham, yum. My husband on the other hand was not happy about the possibility of not having turkey.

I didn’t have room in my fridge or chest freezer so I decided to wait until the last minute to get a turkey. Not a good idea! All the grocery stores on our side of the island were completely sold out by Monday before Thanksgiving.

We work in town so I went to the one and only grocery store there and they were also all out. My husband’s co-worker told him that he had to drive clear to the other side of the island to get a turkey!

I totally lucked out and stopped at Costco, who had sold out of their turkeys the day before and somehow they found the one and only turkey left in their store. YAY! SCORE!

I got up early on my day off (ugghhhh) and took our turkey out of the brine, dried it off and slathered it with butter and bacon, yup… bacon.

My little man insisted on helping out so I let him think he was chopping the parsley for the stuffing. He was the happiest lil guy ever.

Of course I made my favorite dressing, my grandma’s recipe. Each year that I make it, it gets better and better.

And to top it off, my lil man also insisted on washing the dishes!

I SO LOVE HIM!

He did a great job and kept asking, “what can I help you with next mom?”

We had a yummy lunch of course followed by a little nap.

But not before we had chocolate cake and pumpkin pie!

I may have over done it just a tad, I had no ankles for two days!!!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!!

Beginnings of a Big Boy Room

 

So with baby number 2 on the way, I’ve got to get in gear and get working on my son’s big boy room.

When we asked him a long time ago, he said he wanted a room with blue walls and white curtains, I think I might watch too much HGTV with him around.

Currently, this room is being used as a junk room, kind of a catch all where we put things we don’t know what to do with or need somewhere to get it out of the way. It also serves as a guest room so whenever we have guests the junk in the room gets pushed into the closet and cleaned.

I have been just too exhausted to move the big stuff in the room, but I found a few spare hours so I started painting his room.

And this is the color that he picked out. I can’t remember what the name of the color is but I got it from Sherwin Williams and it’s a $5 can of sample paint, I think I am going to have just enough to do what I need to to with just that a $5 sample size of paint!

I have a habit of painting around furniture if its in my way.

This is just the beginning and I’ll give you all the details when the room actually starts to take shape.

Meanwhile, daddy finished priming the back patio and started to paint it grey to match the house. My son had to join in the painting as well, so luckily we had this sidewalk chalk paint for him to play with.

He loved it and it kept him busy. Looks like I’ll have to diy more paint!

Stay tuned for updates on the big boy room.

Just keep in mind, I’m moving at a snail’s pace!

TV Time

Do you let your kids watch tv?

Let me tell you in the beginning of this pregnancy, TV saved me!!

I’ve always tried to be very careful what my son watches. He loves PBS kids and Disney, in fact his newest fav is Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue. (of course the hubs wasn’t thrilled… haha)

via google

In the afternoons he enjoys his Sid the Science Kid, Sesame Street, Ni Hao Kai Lan and Word Girl.

He does get to watch the occasional Phineas & Ferb although I see no educational point to the show whatsoever.

I sometimes feel guilty about putting my son in front of the tv while I do something else but how else am I gonna get the dishes put away the kitchen cleaned and dinner cooked.

When I was struggling through morning sickness I would get home in the afternoons and turn on a movie and throw myself on the couch and let the TV watch my son until my husband came home. I felt guilty but it was the only way I could survive! Not even my zofran could help!

I saw this article on Baby Center today on What to Watch. Yay for most of my son’s favorite shows being on the list!!

I still do believe in going outside and playing instead of being glued to the tv but when I need a quick, easy and cheap baby sitter PBS kids has been there for me! haha

And yup, I know I owe ya’ll an update on the pregnancy, it’s coming.

Nothing fancy but its coming.

Coming to the realization he’s not a baby anymore

(Yes, I know I’ve been absent, I wont make excuses… so on with my post….)

It is happening to me right now and I don’t know how to feel about it.

I swear I feel like this was just last week

And before I knew it I was going back to work and this was the last day mommy and her lil guy had together.

Then the big boy was going out to dinner.

And eating in his own highchair.

In a blink of an eye it was his first birthday.

And yup, blink again it was his 2nd birthday.

Three weeks ago, I find out that he got accepted into Pre School.

We had been waiting for it for a while and we weren’t sure if he would get in.

Now that its real and my baby is going to preschool, I feel so emotional. How did he grow up so fast, how is it that my baby is old enough to go to school?!?!

All these crazy emotions are going through me right now.

The other morning I picked him up out of bed and just wanted to carry him like a baby. I hugged and squeezed him just a little tighter and longer than I normally would have that day and it brought a tear to my eye. (mind you he is more than half my size) It reminded me to make sure to tell my son I love you about a hundred times a day.

He’s been in school for over a week now and he loves it. I see my little boy maturing right in front of my eyes! I have anxiety about will he be a good boy, will he listen, I hope he doesn’t make trouble. Then I have anxiety over will he be the kid that gets picked on? Will he be a follower or a leader? I really do make myself crazy…. he’s a great kid and I love him. His teachers say hes doing great in school and loves problem solving and outdoor play.

Getting him to eat whatever they give him… now that’s a different story.

 

I’m linking to

 

Pour Your Heart Out

my 4th in instagram

Hope everyone had a great Independance Day.

If you don't follow me on Instagram you must do it now! LOL

If you do, you've seen pix of our little family enjoying the 4th.

Here's a recap.

The military base on our island, PMRF, put on a free fireworks show on Tuesday night. We parked on the side of the road and packed a picnic. When the show was over we jumped in the front of the car and took off before traffic even started!

My son LOVES his pop pops!

We went through almost a whole case in a few hours.

Does anyone remember these?

Super old sku!

Here's to the land of the free and home of the brave!

Hope you all had a great holiday!



Weekend Gardening

So I mentioned last Friday about getting fit and being more active, boy I didnt know what I was saying at the time!

Saturday was a beautiful day and we all got out in the yard and worked hard!

First off we have our garden box right under our kitchen window.

It has provided us with gorgeous veggies for our table as well as family time planting and cleaning.

Check out the cucumber from 2 years ago...

I know, so wrong right?

Well it also has been a source for dust and dirty kitchen screens for some time and lets not forget the new puppy in the backyard... someone didnt give me the memo that they CHEW EVERYTHING!!!!!!

First we had to move most of my plants into pots and the hubby made a bench to put them on that I told you guys about here.

So since then we've been left with an empty planter box and a nice place for the dog to get all dirty!! It was time to go.

We dug out all the dirt and kept it on the side since it was good dirt.

I need to replant my hanging baskets soon, like 6 months ago soon. haha

When we pulled out the wood we found this against the house.... yuck!

NASTY!

It reminded me of when we were young we would put salt on slugs and watch them melt.

So you know what we did right?

We told the lil guy we were going to do an experiment.

We gave him salt and had him pour it on the slug and watch it melt.

He was sooo excited to do a 'sperment'

Vanilla was sure curious too.

My son watched intently on what would happen next.

Well, what happend was he was occupied long enough for us to finish leveling the ground where we took out the garden box and then we decided to move his toy box in that spot.

While we were at it, I also finished painting the trim around the window.

Again another project we started oohh... 2 years ago.

 

I plugged some grass in the bare spots around the toy box and hopefully they fill in quickly.

Also the bald spot we left taking up the toy box.

Grass... let me tell you will be the bain of my existence!!!

We worked hard and took a nice little nap but our work didnt stop there!

My mom called on her way to work and asked if we had time she wanted the hubby to mow her lawn as well. Well when the lil guy got up from his nap we packed up the truck and went down to her house.

I used the lawn mower for the first time.

Yes, I've never mowed the lawn before.

Sorry no pictures... that is one look I do not want floating around the internet!

LOL

Saturday was a great and productive day!

And I sweat my butt off!

 

Easter Weekend

I hope you have been following all that is going on with the Plantation camp that I grew up in and where my mom still lives.

I havent given an update recently and I plan to, sorry.

There has been so much and its been such a long and emotionally draining ride.

Either way we wanted to have what was possibly our last family gathering at our family home.

It turned out to be a cold and rainy day, we didnt get to go outside and hide eggs but we made the best of it and had a great Easter.

This was the first year I made my son an Easter basket.

I figured he was too young in the past and it's just not what Easter is really about.

He loved his basket and I kept it really simple.

His faves were the Spiderman watch and the box of egg dying supplies.

I dont know what they're called... I personally made a confession on my FB page that I cannot dye eggs. I wish I could enjoy it but I just can't my OCD makes me crazy sometimes!

Of course grandma to the rescue, she just loves dying Easter eggs.

She belives that kids should be allowed to play and make a mess and have fun.

I guess thats what grandmas are for... what the heck happened to me?

I do have to admit right when they come out of the little cups they look so beautiful.

Then, I'd like to know what happens?

Oh and don't even get me started on Easter grass! Yikes!

I cannot stand when I step on them on the floor!

Well.... enough of that.

We had tons and tons of food!

How beautiful is that!

And of course a few local favorites as well.

And thats just some of the stuff we picked on before we had a late lunch early dinner of turkey, stuffing, rice, gravy, roast beef, salad... my head is already spinning.

To top off the night, my son was out cold, sleeping in his own bed by 8:30!

Yay! Mommy and Daddy could clean up our kitchen, take out the trash and fold laundry as we watched GCB!

Hope you all had a great Easter as well!