{The Padillas}

{Sisters}

2011-12-10T12:49:00.001-08:00

{ Getting ready for baby }

2011-10-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

Well, well.. Here I am at 40 weeks pregnant with baby #2. Holy moly, time has flown by! I was planning on working until I "popped" but I think baby had other plans. On Friday, I got to work and while I was chatting with some co-workers, I started feeling some contractions. They were strong enough to catch my attention. I informed my boss and co-workers of what I was feeling. I've been training my replacement for the past two weeks, so she should be good on her own now. I'm also a phone call away if they have any questions.

I called Brandon and told him what was going on so he left work right away and picked me back up. We headed home, I called Stephanie (midwife) and Rose (Doula) to let them know what I was feeling. Stephanie told me to keep her posted and Rose informed me that another Mom was in labor. I'm pretty sure baby wanted to wait for our wonderful Doula because as soon as we got home, things stopped. We laid down and napped for a good four hours. It felt good! We decided to wait and pick up Elora at her regular pick up time to take some alone time for us and relax. The house was so quiet. Almost too quiet.

It is now Sunday, October 30th and baby is still in my belly. I am definitely okay with that! Hoping tomorrow (Halloween) comes and goes. I'd rather not have my baby share her birthday with Halloween. My guess is November 1st, but we shall see how she feels about that. It's all in her hands now. I'm feeling pretty achy and I guess I'm not sleeping right because I wake up sore. I really need a massage, but I don't think that's going to happen before baby arrives.

I decided to stop working now. Friday was a wake up call for me. When I was getting the contractions, I felt super uncomfortable to be there. I didn't like the feeling at all. Staying home until baby arrives will give me some bonding time with Elora and maybe I can start packing some of our stuff, slowly. We will be moving at the end of November, hopefully to Chandler. We've been looking at rentals and found some good ones, but apparently it's pretty competitive out there right now when it comes to renting. So we will see. I have to stay positive and hope that everything will work out. I hope to continue blogging more as well. I love looking back at my posts to see what I was thinking/feeling at that time.

{Introducing the newest addition to our growing family...Blu!}

2011-10-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

Blu-Blu, as Elora and I like to call him is our new family member. After doing tons of research on the breed of cat we wanted, we finally found him. He is a purebred Balinese cat. There is a local breeder in Scottsdale that we found and we went over there to meet his Mom, Dad & siblings this past Wednesday, Sept 28th, the day after Elora's second Birthday. He is actually a gift from Grandmama for Elora's Birthday. She wanted to get her something BIG and we thought getting her a kitten to grow up with like Brandon had when he was a kid would be perfect. Plus, cats live a really long time. Brandon still has his cat "Harley" and he's 17 years old now and still kicking! Blu is two months old and Elora is two years old so it worked out perfectly! I was hesitant on getting a kitten because I'm not a huge fan of cats, BUT I am SO glad we got him. It's only been one day and I am absolutely IN LOVE with this little guy. He is the sweetest cat, ever! He loves to cuddle and loves attention. Elora is good with him too, which is great! I know he's still adjusting to his new home but we hope to make it an easy transition on him. He kisses a lot too, which is so odd to me! I never knew cats were this cuddly. As we await our even newest arrive, Babygirl Padilla #2, there are lots to tell but I will have to do it in another blog post. Chow for now! Time to cuddle=)

{ Pregnancy Update - Week 11 }

2011-04-17T22:03:00.000-07:00

So I'm obviously bad at blogging. There's really no excuse since it takes about 10-15 minutes to type my thoughts and feelings out. But I have been busy working full-time and going to school. Which, by the way I will be done with school very soon! My last week of classes is this week. I have 5 classes to make up (from being out because I was sick). Then I need to complete my clinic hours, case study project, take state board classes and reach my 600 hours. I'm around 450 hours right now. Okay, so maybe I'm close, but not so close? I still have a ways to go so I don't want to get too excited. I can't believe it's been almost a year since I started in June. It's crazy how time flies. I really should be finishing up my workbook for school, but I figured I needed to blog for a minute since it's been awhile.

So I am 11 weeks pregnant now with baby #2. They weren't joking around when they said you really "feel" things sooner with the second baby. I started feel nauseous at around 6 weeks. THEN, I got this gnarly sinus infection that just kicked my butt. I was so miserable. But I'm very thankful it has passed and hopefully *knock on wood* won't come back again! That's the first time I ever had a sinus infection that bad. I have already felt baby flutters (I'm pretty sure). I can feel them mostly at night when it's quiet and I'm laying down getting ready to sleep. I'm sure if I had more quiet time I could pay attention to it more and feel them. It's definitely weird being pregnant again because I feel like I was JUST pregnant not too long ago. Which is true, it's only been about two years. I haven't decided on a Doula yet but Stephanie is our Midwife. We have our second (12 week) appointment with her this Thursday. YAY! I'm so excited to hear baby's heartbeat again. I haven't had an ultrasound yet and I'm not sure if I will have one at all. I would like to but I know it's not "necessary". Plus, we have decided to keep the baby's gender a surprise! How exciting is that going to be?!

Anyways, time to get ready for a new week! Wish me luck with my finals =)

Hugs & Kisses,

AP

Without further a'dieu... I'm PREGNANT!

2011-03-22T23:48:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, Elora will be a big sister this coming November. We are so excited about this new journey we will embark in. It's going to be very challenging, but so amazing!

Tonight was our very first appointment with our Mid-wife Stephanie. We arrived at 6pm and I was greeted with a big hug from Jen who is Stephanie's Apprentice. I haven't seen her since I was pregnant with Elora. She wasn't able to stay for our appointment, but she will be at our next one. We sat down, got comfortable and Elora found her little area with tons of treasures to keep her busy. Stephanie asked how I was feeling and I told her that I think I'm feeling okay? I mentioned my sinus infection that I'm still trying to get over and the fact that I'm HUNGRY ALL the time! She said that because this is my second pregnancy, I should expect to feel things sooner (which I have been) that explains a lot. For the past couple of weeks, I thought I was over exaggerating my feelings, but now I know I'm not crazy.

We decided on what blood tests to do and figured out the finances. She said that we could try to see if we could hear the baby's heartbeat, but because I'm so early on there's only a 2% chance that we'll be able to hear it with the doppler. She said not to be disappointed or worried if we don't hear anything this time. Before I hopped onto the comfy bed, I went to the bathroom and did my urine test. I love that *I* get to see the results, so awesome! I just need to drink more water during the day. I reported back to Stephanie then got onto the bed and lifted up my shirt so she could use the doppler. The room was silent aside from the slooshing sounds from the doppler. She said that once she heard something FOR SURE, then she would give us the look. She moved it around a little bit then there it was... She looked at me with eyes bright and wide! WE HEARD THE BABY'S HEARTBEAT!!! Clear as day! Sounds so strong *tear* 7 weeks and 5 days STRONG! She said it sounds like it could be a boy, but don't get mad at her if it's a girl =) Either way, as long as baby is healthy, we will be happy! She took my blood pressure and it was normal. The top number was slightly elevated, but she said it could be because of the excitement of hearing baby's heartbeat. Stephanie tried to draw blood, but my veins weren't out enough. I didn't drink enough water before my appointment, plus I have thick skin!

We spent the whole hour in her office and the time went by so fast. I just love LOVE having my prenatal care with a midwife. It's total night and day compared to an OB office. I'm really looking forward to this new journey =) Will definitely keep you posted!

Hugs & Kisses,

AP

{Homesick}

2011-02-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

Something hit me last night and it hit me hard... I'm homesick. I miss my family. I miss my Mom coming to my work so we could have lunch together. I miss the constant bicker with my Appa. Yes, he drives me crazy but we are so much alike that I just love him unconditionally. I miss going to the in-loves house and just lounging around, watch a movie if time permitted. I just miss miss miss the closeness with my family. I text or talk to my Mom everyday, but it's just not the same. Sometimes I want to say "let's grab some lunch", but that's obviously not possible. If we could sell our house and not have to owe anything on our loan, we would probably be back home. It's really hard to call Maricopa, AZ "home". Even though, I gave birth to Elora at home, it's just not the same. Our house seems so empty, so lonely. Maybe we just need more rugrats running around? =) HAHA!

Anyways, I go through this kind of mood once a month, so I assume it's hormonal? Or maybe I just ignore my feelings until I can't handle it anymore and just VENT! I don't think many people read my blog, so I'm just going to let it out there... Brandon and I are "trying" for baby #2. We started trying a few weeks ago. I've been charting my cycle and starting yesterday is my most fertile days until the 10th. So keep on, keepin' on! Here we go! I'm excited, nervous, scared, anxious, happy, thrilled, ecstatic and so much more! I know it's going to be challenging, there's going to be rough days, hell it will be rough for the first few years, but it will be worth it. I feel it in my heart.

Today is the Superbowl, not excited about it at all. I wish the Chargers were playing right now! It's the Steelers Vs. Packers. I'm going for either team at this point. No matter who wins, I still have to go to work tomorrow. Bahahaha! Anyways, I seriously need to keep up with blogging. It's like I only check in once a month. I need to be better about it, stay consistent.

I'm more than halfway done with school! I can't believe how fast time flies. I'm super nervous about taking the state board exam. I don't feel even close to being ready for it. I hope when the time comes, I'm confident. I'll wait to worry about that when the time gets closer. For right now, I need to focus on getting through the rest of my program.

Elora is getting so big! She's going on 17 months, WOW. I can't believe my babygirl is going to be two years old this year. I'm not sure what we're going to do for her birthday. I would like to have another party. I want to have a party for her every year, no matter what. I think it's so important to celebrate your birthday no matter how old or young you are turning. Birthdays should always be exciting!

Gotta get going now, time to work on some homework while listening to the Superbowl in the background, great!

{Monday, Oh Monday!}

2011-01-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

Back to the same ol' grind today! After the Holidays, it's hard to get back into the mix. But now it's time to get focused! Back to school tomorrow. I'm excited about what we're going to be learning. I'm in the Green Block now and it's all about business and other modalities to add into our practice. I love learning everyday! I even learn something new everyday at work too.

So excited for our good friends, the Goodans. They welcomed their sweet baby boy Dominic this morning. How perfect, a boy and a girl! I've always thought that if you have a boy and a girl, you will have good luck by your side for life. I wonder if Brandon and I will be as lucky? As long as baby is healthy and thriving, that's all that matters. I would like to keep it a surprise next time, but Brandon doesn't think we can hold off that long without knowing. We will see! (soon, maybe?) hehe =)

Last night I said to Brandon, "do you realize how much we've been through the past five years we've been together?" It's pretty crazy and yet we have overcome all the obstacles. Time seriously flies when you grow up!

I completed my Doula training with Nurturing Hearts Birth Services in November but I need to find the time to attend births to gain experience. With working full time and school, I'm not sure how I can do it. There's so much I want to do and accomplish.

Elora wants to play so I better get going. Until next time!

{2011}

2011-01-02T23:29:00.000-08:00

Well talk about slacking! It's now January 2nd 2011 and I'm now just posting an update. SO much has happened the past 6 months. I started working full-time for a PEO company as an Office Administrator and I started school for aesthetics at the same time in the evenings. I'm not really sure how I've managed to stay sane the past 6 months, but I have. I know a lot of my sanity has to do with my wonderful Husband. He has been so supportive and he has bonded so much with our little Elora. They are best-friends, true story. There are times where I feel jealous, but then I think to myself, there's nothing to be jealous of. I'm so thankful they have a great relationship already. It's so cute to see them playing together.

Elora started walking a couple days after her first birthday. We weren't in any rush for her to start walking. People would constantly ask "is she walking yet?" As if there is a deadline of when she needed to start. But we knew she would walk when she was ready. She is so full of life. She makes us laugh and smile on a daily basis. She truly brings so much joy into our lives and our families lives. She definitely has an attitude. When she wants something, sometimes she cries or whines. The disciplining has begun and she is starting to understand us more and more each day. Her bed time is, well she doesn't have one. When I started school, I asked Brandon to keep her up until I got home (which was about 10:45pm) just so that I could see her and hug and kiss her good night. Well, she pretty much got used to that schedule, even on nights when I don't have class. But who likes to be forced to sleep anyhow? We let her go go go until she is completely tired. She sleeps in her own room in her crib. And the "binky" a.k.a. pacifier has been non existent since she was 8 months old. (whew!)

As I'm catching up with my blogging I will post more updates on Elora. I really should be sleeping right now since it's Sunday and I have work tomorrow morning. Until tomorrow... good night!

{Multi-tasking is a must!}

2010-07-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

Again.. it has been awhile since we have updated our blog. So much has been going on in our lives, we haven't had a moment to think about blogging. Thanks to my dearest friend Summer, I decided to post a quick blog for the night.

I finally got a job offer. While I should have been excited and grateful when I found out the news, I was sad..very, very sad. I really didn't picture this day coming. It's been a great 9 months of being at home with Elora, but it's time for mama to go back to work. When friends would ask "are you sure you're ready to go back?" I would hesitate. But because of this economy, I told myself (& my Mom) that if I DO end up getting this job then it was meant to be. Everything happens for a reason, while we may not know why right away, the answer will show up eventually.

Mother, wife, full-time work, full-time school, housekeeper & treasurer. The list is endless, but those are my priorities right now (not in any specific order). Talk about multi-tasking and keeping busy! My first day at work was this past Friday. Elora's first day of daycare. Wednesday was my third interview and they informed me they were making a decision that day. I got the call that evening at 4:30pm. I accepted the position then it hit me. My heart felt heavy and I felt like I was losing the job I love most, being a stay at home Mommy.

I cried A LOT on Thursday. It felt good to just cry. I didn't cry in front of Elora because I know she can see when I'm hurting. I cried alone and thought to myself, "it's going to be okay, this is meant to be". We found a great daycare for Elora and it's very close to my work and Brandon's work. Her name is Kathy and she runs a small daycare in her home. I called her references and everything said about her was excellent. I felt better about it. On Friday, I took Elora to Kathy's house and brought all of her stuff (food, diapers, wipes, essentials for her to get through her days). I didn't cry and Kathy reassured me that she would take excellent care of Elora. I gave Elora a kiss and hug good bye and I headed to work with my mind at ease, ready to take on any challenges with training for my new job.

Training went great! The day went by fast and I was so excited to pick up Elora and see how everything went. When I arrived, Kathy opened the door with Elora in her arms and said how good of a baby she is. She said she napped for two hours and played the rest of the time. We are so excited to have Kathy as her caregiver. We hope that Kathy will be part of our family and Elora can bond with her.

It's Sunday night and I need to get ready for Monday and a full day of work. It's weird working again, but I will get used to it slowly but surely. Brandon has been very supportive and understanding. This will be the first week tackling work and school. Wish my luck! I will keep you posted!

Xoxo,
Mama A

{And.. we're back!}

2010-06-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks! Things got a bit crazy there for awhile. I think it's a good kind of crazy though. We've been pretty busy with our little one AND now we have room mates living in the upstairs of our house. It's quite interesting, but a good experience. It's a family of three and they have a 4 month old son. It's nice to have another baby around. We're definitely not ready to tackle baby#2 yet!

I just started school and last night was my first day! It went really well. I am attending Southwest Institute of Natural Aesthetics in Tempe, AZ. There's 11 of us in the class including myself. I like that it's a small group. Our instructor for the first 16 weeks is wonderful! I love that she is very organized. She gave us a syllabus of everything we will be doing in the next 16 weeks. I should complete the program in June of 2011. My goal is to be the best of the best! I can't miss ANY days of class. I want to get perfect attendance.

Elora has three teeth coming in on the top. Her two top teeth and one on the right side. She has been doing very well with teething thus far. They were bothering her a lot last week while we were in San Diego, but overall she's doing great! That's my babe! I'm teaching her how to give kisses. She claps her hands and baby talks like crazy! She says "ma-ma" & "da-da". Sometimes when she cries she says "ma-ma" =)

We're going to try and post as much as possible during this hiatus. Getting ready for Elora's FIRST birthday in a few months! I can't believe how fast this year is going. Our 4 year anniversary is on June 27th and our two year wedding anniversary is on November 22nd. We don't have anything special planned, but we'll definitely celebrate =)

Until next time friends!

Angela

{First Mother's Day Celebration}

2010-05-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

These past few days have been amazing! My parents came into town on Wednesday evening and just left this afternoon. It's my very 1st Mother's Day and I definitely take pride in that. It's a new Holiday added to my list to celebrate!

It felt so weird this morning when Brandon said "Happy Mother's Day Babe!" I loved it though. What an honor to become a new Mom. I have to thank my beautiful Daughter Elora for giving me the best gift of all, the title "Mom".

My Mom has never been pampered before. I have no idea why, she's just never been into getting her hair or nails done. She has never had a professional massage either! So for Mother's Day we took her to get a make-over from La Lou Salon in Scottsdale. I entered her into a make-over contest for Mother's Day and she was one of the three Moms chosen! She received highlights, a hair cut and make-up applied. She loved it! Something she could definitely get used to. We also got her a facial from my school, Southwest Institute of Natural Aesthetics It was so great because not only did she get her very first facial, but she also got to see my school in action.

Brandon gave me gift certificates from Spafinder.com for Mother's Day. I got an hour & a half massage and my hair done! Ah, I LOVE being pampered! I also got a pedicure as well =)

This was such an amazing first Mother's Day for me. I will never forget it!

{Week 1 on HCG Diet} Weigh-in

2010-05-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

And the results are in!!! After one whole week on the HCG diet, Brandon and I have learned a lot already. We've learned more about portion control, discipline, and will power. I have to say, I feel GREAT! And it feels awesome to have your Husband say "Wow babe, I can definitely feel that you are losing weight everywhere" haha =) I can actually see it in my face.

So here it is:

Brandon: 227.0 lbs.

Angela: 197.4 lbs.

You can see our starting weight here: http://mommypadilla.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-1-of-hcg-diet-loading-day-1-of-2.html

SUCCESS!!! We have both lost a total of 7 lbs. each! We feel great and we're very excited about our results. Looking forward to another two weeks & even more results!
Stay tuned for our progress!

Happy Monday everyone! Make it a wonderful day!

{Team A & B}

{Day 6 of HCG Diet} "Tough time"

2010-05-01T22:47:00.002-07:00

So today was a bit of a rough patch for Brandon. He was craving SO many things and kept talking about tacos, See's Candy, Cinnabon, frozen yogurt, & candy, candy, candy! That's what happens when you walk around a Mall. The temptation was EVERYWHERE. Left and right, everywhere we looked. We could smell the aroma of freshly baked pretzels. I feel like we gained calories just inhaling that stuff!

I had to remind him of the commitment we made to ourselves. We knew this diet was not going to be easy, but we are determined. I'm standing strong to our commitment and I will stand behind Brandon every step of the way. Needless to say, he did NOT splurge by eating any of that crap. Go Team A&B! =)

Our weekly weigh in is on Monday morning. Stay tuned for our progress!

Cheers!

{Lean Life Challenge Casting Call} Sheknows.com

2010-05-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

This morning we woke up early to get our Saturday started. We drove to Phoenix to Desert Ridge Marketplace and got there at 11am. I auditioned to be part of a new reality TV show called "Lean Life Challenge" by Sheknows.com. Sheknows.com is the third largest website for women. I love reading their articles and checking out their updates.

When we arrived there I was #4 to audition. They were extremely organized, I loved it! First, I filled out the application, went to take my photos, then pre-screening, and finally interview with the panel of judges. Everyone was extremely nice and great to talk to. It was a really good experience for me. If I'm not one of the 4 women chosen for the show, I am still empowered to get in the best shape of my life! I want to be healthy for myself and my family.

I love challenging myself everyday. Whether it's seeing how much I can get done around the house while Elora is napping or getting a workout in during my busy day. Life is about challenges. The question is... How far will you go?

If I don't hear back from them within a few weeks then I'm not a potential candidate. I'll keep my hopes high and fingers crossed in the meantime. =)

{Mommy A}

{Day 5 of HCG Diet}

2010-04-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a week! Once we started the "Detox" part of the diet on Wednesday, it's been a little rough. But since we have each other for support, it's been better. Here's our testimonials for the first 5 days on the HCG diet....

Brandon: Well it’s been almost a whole week on the HCG detox, I can say I am already noticing results. Jeans that used to be super tight on my waist are starting to require a belt.

It’s a bit trying, as driving around usually you notice the emanating scents wafting in from restaurants and fast food places. My co workers bring in doughnuts and buy lunch for us all but I hold strong and tell myself this HCG diet really works as long as I stick to the protocol. At first you feel hungry but the drops diminish that, you will notice your body feeling different, like the HCG kicking in and doing its thing. The cravings still exist, that’s the one thing that the HCG cannot overpower at first. I still would love to have a huge bar of chocolate or a giant milkshake, but it’s all mind over matter. I’ve always been a firm believer that whatever we decide to do, or put our minds to, it can happen and will happen. Nothing is impossible, and with the HCG it makes dieting all the more better.

The greatest asset in this diet is my wife Angela. It would be twice as hard if she was not doing the diet with me. She’s there for motivational support, and also the fact that both are experiencing the same things as I am. It’s a huge relief knowing that I’m not alone in this. We find it easier since both of us can talk to each other about our thoughts, feelings, and cravings!

Let’s hope week 2 goes as great as week 1 has been!

Angela: I was telling Brandon last night, "I wouldn't be able to do this diet without you". Since it's my first time doing it, I'm SO glad I have him for the support and motivation. But I'm sure I can do it on my own if I were to do it again. I feel good so far. The first day, it was a little rough, but we got through it. I like that we've changed our eating habits. Every night before bed, Brandon weighs & cooks the chicken breast for us, for the next day. He also throws in a vegetable and cooks it all with seasoning. I really think this will completely change our whole outlook on eating, in a good way. We needed portion control.

Before we would just eat whatever and wouldn't care. Now, we appreciate food more. I get excited to wake up in the morning to drink my tea and eat a piece of melba toast. So good! I thought the drops would taste funky, but they don't taste like anything so it's easy. It's getting easier each day, for sure. Stay tuned!

We will weigh in on Monday, which marks one week of being on the diet and post our weight for everyone to see our progress. (We have been weighing ourselves every morning to see our progress, but we'll just post our weekly results for you).

Until Monday everyone! Have a fabulous weekend!

A & B

{ Day 1 of HCG Diet} "Loading Day 1 of 2"

2010-04-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

We have always been curious about the HCG diet ever since Brandon's co-workers raved about it and swore by it. We never got around to it with me being pregnant (*you can not do the diet if pregnant or nursing*) and with being occupied with our baby girl.

We finally decided to commit to it when an opportunity arose to be testimonials for a company that exclusively sells oral HCG. You can check out their website here:
http://www.hcglabs.com/

This is a 23 day commitment. Day 1 & 2 is the "Loading Phase" where you have to load up on FAT and start taking the HCG drops (3 times a day). Day 3 and on is a detox where you will follow a 500 calorie diet while taking the HCG drops everyday, 3 times a day.

So today was Day 1 of the "Loading Phase". This part of the diet seems the hardest because we don't eat a lot of foods with "fat". We weighed in first thing this morning before eating & after using the bathroom.

Here's our current weight:

{Brandon}: 233.8 lbs

{Angela}: 204.2 lbs

We will post a new blog on our status & update every Sunday for the next 3 weeks.

Until then...

{A & B}

{Today was a GOOD day}

2010-04-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

We just got back from San Diego late last night. It was a fun trip with our family and friends. Time always seems to go by WAY to fast when we visit.

From reading the title, it may seem as if something spectacular happened to me today, but no. Just another day in paradise with my baby girl. We just had a 'good' day.

This year is going by too fast. I can't believe it's already April. I start school in two and a half months. I'm excited, yet nervous and anxious. It's been SO long since I've been in school so I'm not sure what to expect. All I know is that this is way over due and I want to put 110% into this. I don't want to miss a day of class. I want to learn, learn, learn. My passion has always been in skin care and make-up, among other things like photography and acting. I want to be successful... I WILL be successful.

I fall in love all over again with Elora, everyday. She never fails to amaze me. I love how everyday I notice something new that she does. Her voice when she baby talks makes our hearts smile. When I see my Mom & Dad with Elora, being goofy, laughing & smiling... it truly brings my heart so much joy. It's amazing how someone so tiny and new can bring so much into our lives. Elora has definitely changed our lives, for the better.

{Friends & Family & Colleagues}

2010-03-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

Have you seen all the beautiful new products & contest for pro photographers on http://www.DesignAglow.com ?

Take a moment and check it out! Beautiful products! =)

{Mommy A}

{What RED means to me}

2010-03-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

My Daughter's FIRST Christmas 2009. This photo represents RED to me because red reminds me of Christmas and {LOVE}. No love beats the love for your child.

There's an awesome blog that I follow called Beyond Snapshots & they are having a fabulous giveaway for an epiphanie camera bag! Their camera bag designs are absolutely GORGEOUS! It would be an honor to even have one! I LOVE LOLA!!!! Check out their amazing camera bags here http://www.epiphaniebags.com/

{Milestones of Emotions}

2010-03-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

So it's been almost six months since I went through the life changing experience of becoming a new Mom. Six months, really? It's amazing how fast time flies but during the moment it doesn't feel that fast. I look back at videos and pictures I've taken of Elora in the past 6 months and I am in awe in how much she's grown, changed, and developed. I feel so blessed to be able to witness everything with her thus far. Sure, it was rough in the beginning. From nursing obstacles, hormonal changes, becoming a new Mom that has never changed a diaper in her life, to figuring out how to balance my relationship with Brandon as parents and trying to work on losing the baby weight I gained during pregnancy. Roller coaster of emotions, indeed. But like with everything in life, it has it's ups and downs. Definitely more UPS.

As parents, I don't think anyone is ever an "expert" at it. I think you learn new things everyday whether your child is 6 months, 6 years, or 16 years old. Even me being 24, I think my parents still learn new things about being parents. Especially now that they are Grandparents. Grandparents are the legacy of the family. I can only imagine (until my time comes) how it feels to be a Grandparent. I know that my Mom & Dad LOVE spending time with Elora and I love seeing them with her, especially my Dad. Talk about a man's unsung moment. I have seen my Dad change since becoming a Grandpa. He's so sweet with Elora and when he plays with her, it truly warms my heart. I believe Brandon and I have given a gift to our parents. Nothing beats a Grandparents' love.

If I could give advice to any new Mom or Mom-to-be it would be to always follow your heart. If you feel like something isn't right, say something or do something. Stand up for what you believe is right. Your child/children are depending on you to make the best choice for them. My problem is that I care too much what other people think. I don't know why, but I do. It's something that I have to work on, especially being a new Mom. I don't need someone Else's opinion on how to raise my Daughter. I was given so much advice when people found out I was pregnant. I didn't ask, nor did I care. Brandon and I were going to do this parent thing together and learn along the way. We did our research, we aren't naive to believe everything we read. We are doing what is right for our Daughter.

Last night was the first night Elora slept in her crib. We've been co-sleeping with her since she was born and we've loved every minute of it. She's becoming more independent and we feel that she is ready to sleep on her own, in her crib. She did fabulous by the way. We put her to sleep at 9:30pm. She woke up once at 2:00am, then went back to sleep to wake up at 7am. When she woke up this morning, she laid there playing and talking to herself. I had to get a video of it to document this milestone in not only Elora's life, but ours too! I have to admit, I missed sleeping by her. But when I saw her this morning, I picked her up, gave her the biggest hug and just held her for a moment and told her how much I love her. She's such a good baby and we are so lucky.

{Busy bee!}

2010-03-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been forever since I've blogged. Sorry everyone! I've been so busy lately, I don't know what happened with January and February! Sheesh! This year is flying by SO fast! "Dear Time, please stand still... Just for a moment?"

We entered Brandon and Elora into this contest and IF he wins, he will get a backyard makeover! Something he would absolutely LOVE! Help him WIN! You can vote once a day. Contest ends, March 22nd so VOTE VOTE VOTE! =) Please and thank you!

http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/PhotosAlbums/PhotoView.aspx?picid=1150226_66587327&pid=1122234&scid=518&

I need to catch up on my blogs when my parents leave on Monday. They are here for the weekend! YAY! Talk to you soon!

{hugs}

{Wake up, wake up..it's the FIRST of the MONTH!}

2010-03-01T22:10:00.000-08:00

Excuse me, but does anyone know where February went? I don't know what happened with it! WOW, time is flying this year. It's true, the older you get, the fast time goes. Why is that? I wish time could stand still, just for a little bit.

{Breaking News!!!} Elora has a tooth coming in on the bottom front! It happened over night! I checked on Saturday and there was nothing. Then yesterday evening I checked again and there it was! Clear as day, a little white tooth trying to break through her gums! It's not fully out yet, but it sure made it's appearance. I got super excited when I saw it! I can't believe how fast my baby girl is growing! She just turned 5 months on Saturday, the 27th.

Here are some photos I took the morning of the 27th=)

{Short but sweet visit to San Diego!}

2010-02-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Ah, we had such a good time in San Diego this past weekend! It sucks, it was only a day and a half, but we sure made the best out of it!

Brandon and I finally saw "Dear John" while Grandmama watched Elora. It was an awesome movie! Definitely a tear jerker, but I loved it! Brandon actually enjoyed it too! Elora did really well with Grandmama & Grandpa. They loved watching her! If only they lived closer=( Maybe one day we can buy them a house out here in AZ!

I also met with my tattoo guy, Bill Kiefer. He is awesome! I LOVE his work. You can check out his website at www.edentattoo.com
Bill has done two of my tattoos. My appointment is set for June 19th. Gives me more time to shape up!=)

We went to my little cousin's birthday party on Saturday and we played Bingo and I won $100! We had to get a "black out". We were waiting for O66! Unexpected and exciting all at the same time! YAY!

I just entered Elora into a baby clothing casting call. We're going to need all our friends and family to vote for her once her photo and info is up and going. I will post the link next week! Stay tuned! =)

{Hugs}

Mommy A

{Time for another ROAD TRIP!!!}

2010-02-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

Sitting here at work waiting for the clock to strike that all too familiar time when I get to leave. Tonight we will be on the road 5 hours headed to San Diego.

We are excited to see our family, and looking forward to a little alone time movie date so Angela and I can finally see Dear John.

Weather report shows it's going to be raining all weekend so there goes the fun filled walks along the boardwalk or walking around balboa park =\

Until next time folks.

-B -

{Big Bear Weekend Adventures}

2010-02-15T23:05:00.000-08:00

What an awesome three-day weekend! Elora did so well in Big Bear this weekend. My friend Summer confirmed for me that Elora is indeed teething. There are no teeth cutting through yet, but the beginning stages are in effect! I'm not really looking forward to her teething. I can only imagine what that must feel like! My poor baby!

We had such a good time in Big Bear. We went hiking in the snow, walked around the village, watched the sunset over the lake and explored as much as possible. For the first time, time didn't go by so fast like it usually does over the weekends. We really enjoyed our time with our friends and their Daughter.

I got some awesome ideas for my next tattoo=) I don't want to spoil it, so I will just have to post photos later! I am hoping to get it done on Mother's Day weekend *Hint*Hint*. We are going to San Diego this coming up weekend and I'm going to be meeting with my tattoo artist, Bill to discuss ideas. Bill does amazing work! He has done two of my tattoos. You can check out his work here: http://edentattoo.com/ I'm really excited about it!

Our good friends, The Goodans=)

I have been thinking a lot and I have so much to blog about, but I will posts my thoughts gradually and not just in one post =) So stay tuned!

{hugs}

Mommy A