and baby makes three...

Is it really almost 2012?

2011-12-31T16:00:00.005-05:00

So long 2011! Here's to 2012 and the new memories it brings along. Y'all have a wonderful and memorable day ringing in the new year with friends and loved ones.

A year ago...

2011-11-23T17:36:00.003-05:00

We had our family pictures done on Monday and I can't help but look back of what our family was like a year ago. Below is a picture from our session last year. A lot has changed since then but one thing that remains the same is how thankful I am for having for having these two people in my life!

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all! I hope that the holiday season is spent with loved ones all around you.

Starlight Snowflakes Christmas Card

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Cartoons & Football

2011-11-11T08:41:00.002-05:00

Kayla loves cartoons. It's a great distraction when I'm getting ready in the morning and when I want to stay in bed a little longer. We also watch a lot of football on the weekends and I might have said "it's football Sunday" a number of times.

Here's how two convos went yesterday and today.

Scene: I'm getting ready. J's still in bed 'cause he's off. Kayla was in her room reading a book.
M: Kayla, come in here. Daddy's watching cartoons.
K: No, he's watching football Sunday.

Scene: K climbed in bed with us before we all got up to get ready for work. J turned on the tv and 3rd and Bird was on.
M: I don't like 3rd and Bird.
K: You don't like it, mommy?
M: No.
K: You like football Sunday?

Yup, we start them young with football. Ha!

Fall, where are you?

2011-09-09T11:06:00.004-04:00

I am ready for cooler temps, a warm pumpkin spice latte, sweaters, jeans & Ugg boots. There is just no way that I can sit there and sip on a warm cup of latte while my hair is out to here due to humidity! I know the fall is coming soon but I want it NOW!

Source: terragalleria.com via Karissa on Pinterest

Source: re-nest.com via Karissa on Pinterest

Source: southerntots.com via Karissa on Pinterest

First day of school anxiety

2011-09-05T23:26:00.002-04:00

My insomnia is at an all time high tonight. I'm off tomorrow due to a very long work-week so I'm not quite sure if my brain is playing tricks on me to stay up since it's a non-work night. I'm not even watching tv and I feel like I've played on the Internet enough.

Kayla's move to the next classroom tomorrow is giving me major anxiety and staying up longer is not helping me! I hate that I'm feeling this way. Somehow, I feel like I'm transferring my anxiety towards her and that's the last thing I want!

I know Kayla will do great! She always has. She can make friends with a quickness and has always adapted well. Yes, she's shy in the beginning but she breaks out of her shell later on. This will be her 3rd classroom move and two of her friends in her previous class will be with her. She will be with children who are a bit older than her. She will learn more and make new friends. I consider tomorrow her first day of school.

I know she'll be just fine but the mommy in me still worries. A lot. I know this feeling will never go away even if it's her first day in kindergarten, high school and even college. So tomorrow, be thinking about my girl (and me!), that we make it through the day just fine.

And yes, you better believe I'm scooping her up early right after nap time.

Sickies, boat & a breakfast date

2011-09-05T13:04:00.002-04:00

Kayla is not picky when it comes to food especially when it comes to anything sweet. When she turned down M&M's on Saturday after dinner, I knew something was up. She felt a little warm and had a low grade temp. She didn't eat well all day on Sunday but her fever finally broke this morning so I took her out for a bit.

We drove over to Dunkin' Donuts for and iced coffee, a donut for her and a breakfast sandwich for me. I knew she was starting to feel a little better since she couldn't stop eating the breakfast sandwich. We drove over downtown so she can go see the big boat and finish her breakfast.

We might run out again later. Carter's is having a huge sale and baby girl needs school clothes that don't break the bank.

1 year being in a new city anniversary!

2011-08-31T15:35:00.005-04:00

Yup, that's right! We have been here 1 full year. Today marks the year anniversary of when we made that one and a half hour trek down 64 East. We left everything behind - our family & what we have known our whole lives (for J at least. Not in my case. I was born and raised 'til I was 16 in a totally different country) to start something new and different.

A year later, I am still discovering new things and finding my way around town. I know where to go for my basic needs of grocery store, Starbucks, Target, shopping and restaurants. I am at a job that I love in a city that I am able to tolerate and hopefully love one day.

Do I miss Richmond? Absolutely!

Do I regret moving? Not one bit.
Will I do it again? More than likely, yes, but maybe to a different city.

Ten on Tuesday

2011-08-31T09:00:00.003-04:00

I was reading my Google Reader and saw that BB&B linked up with Roots and Rings. I am refusing to do work right now so I am linking up, too!

Bahahaha. I just realized that today is Wednesday and NOT Tuesday. Oops.

1. What is your favorite brand of shoes?
I can't live without my Rainbow flip flops or Uggs when it gets chilly out. I have branched out though and like Tory Burch Revas and TOMS.

2. How old were you when you learned to tie your shoes?
I have no clue.

3. How do you feel about freckles?
They're cute.

4. I can count to ten in ___ languages.
Four. English, Spanish, Tagalog and Chinese.

5. What is your favorite store-bought ice cream flavor?
Edy's Rocky Road!

6. Were you in ballet or gymnastics as a little girl?
Nope.

7. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
None of them. Elmo's laugh is really creepy to me and I don't watch the show enough to really have a favorite.

8. What’s your bedtime?
It varies but usually it's between 9p & 10 on the weekdays and around 11 on the weekends.

9. Do you have any jewelry that you wear every single day?
I wear my engagement ring, wedding ring, DY bracelet, earrings and necklace.

10. Who is the bug killer in your household?
Depends how fast and big the thing is. Usually me 'cause J is too wrapped up playing PS3. Ha!

'Twas the night before Irene

2011-08-26T23:01:00.000-04:00

(source: wavy.com)

I'm writing this post in the comfort of a plush king size bed beside a snoozing toddler and an exhausted husband. The past couple of days has been occupied with thoughts of Irene and the havoc she's supposed to bring with her. I don't know what news you are watching if you're unaware of Irene.

The area of town where we live is very prone to flooding. Five minutes of rain and you have to bust out your wellies. There was no question if we were leaving or not. It was a matter of when.

It's quiet outside. No rain and no wind. For now, we wait and see what happens and hope that we can come home at some point to a place with power, running water and no flooding.

My thoughts go out to everyone up and down the East coast. Stay safe and dry. I know I'll be spending a lot of time watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, coloring and snacking on Cheerios.

SMS @ the playground

2011-08-13T12:17:00.004-04:00

Our Saturday morning scene was spent at the playground. We took J with us this time. Kayla had fun using the big girl slide. But of course, the swing is still her favorite!

DSLR - A week later

2011-08-07T16:32:00.000-04:00

I haven't used my point and shoot since the day I got the big camera. The last time I touched it was this morning so I could take it out of the baby bag. Ha! I've been on a mission to learn how to use this thing. There are so many buttons and options and it's a bit overwhelming. But it's pointless to have this type of camera if you're going to stay on full auto mode. In my defense, I wasn't in full auto mode this whole time. I was on the mode where the flash was turned off. Pictures are much nicer to me when the flash is off and I was already doing this even with my P&S.

During my Google session last night in search for a pretty strap I stumbled upon Click It Up A Notch. I read posts all over her site and bookmarked this one. I really think that I'm slowly getting it a little bit. I even took the little one to the park today, armed with a little bit of knowledge, a camera & the happiest little model.

If you are still shooting in auto mode, run over to Courtney's site and read around. I'm sure you will learn a thing or two! Yes, I know, she is in sandals and white shorts. Parent fail today but she had a blast!

Today is my Sunday

2011-08-02T13:46:00.002-04:00

I worked 12 straight days and was able to take off yesterday & today. Kayla and I have been hanging out since Sunday but I took her to school today so I can get things done (read: pedicure and groceries).

We had such a great weekend! This child is such a mess that I am either cracking up or scratching my head. She is at such a fun age right now! Her new thing nowadays is asking "adooning, mommy?". That's "what are you doing, mommy" in Kayla talk. Sometimes I am so focused in what I am doing and take a while to respond to her. This is when she starts yelling momma instead of the usual mommy. She also likes to roll-call and goes down the line to ask where everyone is.

Potty training has been wonderful. She is finally going #2 in the potty. This was a challenge in the beginning. I think it was just strange to her. She gets M&M's after #2 and this could be the reason why it's been working out so far. There's no reward in regular potty which she knows so she's been tricking me that she pooped when she really didn't. She's also curious as to where things go after we flush the toilet.

She's also been playing with her babies a lot recently. She likes to tell me that baby is hungry while she proceeds to either stuff the baby's mouth with her toy-ketchup or toy-maple syrup. She's even shoved one of the baby's in her potty 'cause the baby apparently had to go.

I also got our new camera this weekend. And no, I do not plan on going into the photography business just 'cause I now have a DSLR. And yes, I have become that mother who now takes a ton of pictures which I am so happy about. I was going through the pictures on our computer one time and realized how in one of the months there were very few pictures. I plan to change that. I am definitely in paparazzi mode and I am just glad that Kayla likes to ham it up in front of the camera. She often tells me "I cheese, mommy!".

Recents Deals & Steals

2011-07-27T14:35:00.004-04:00

I love to shop. There's nothing more that excites me than when I get to purchase something I've been wanting at a discounted price. I'm pretty sure that I spend a good chunk of time looking for coupons, discounts and sales. The only time this does not apply is when I grocery shop. I used to only buy items that are on sale during my grocery shopping days but then I realized that I was buying items just for that reason - - - they were on sale. Everything would sit in the pantry and expire because I never really had a need for them. I've changed strategies since and now only buy items that I have a need for. But back to the main reason of this post - deals & steals from this week so far!

1. Pedicure - I am in need of one pretty bad. The last time I got a pedicure was the beginning of the month. Our local paper does a Groupon type of deal and I was able to snag a pedicure for $14!
2. Portable Potty Seat - I ordered one this weekend and received a back-ordered email on Monday. I didn't order from Amazon the 1st time because they didn't have it available. Well, they did yesterday and I had still have a gift certificate credit available in my account. It was also shipped for free and it has already been delivered to my house!
3. Erin Condren Life Planner - EC talk was all over Twitter yesterday! I had been looking for a planner since this past weekend and I dove in and got the deal. Sure, a $50 planner for $20! The only issue I had was picking the design.
4. J's MK Watch - I gave J this watch for Christmas and the pins have been coming off. I took it in to Nordstrom and the associate offered to get it sent out. She said 6-8 weeks to get it fixed but she also said she can give me a new one instead. I took the latter offer and walked out of the store with a brand new watch!

A 2nd birthday post...3 weeks later

2011-07-04T22:16:00.004-04:00

Oh, Kayla! Where do I begin? These past 2 years have been nothing but memorable and sweet. I don't even remember life before you! Yes, it is that good. And yes, every child has their moments, but the good ones outshine the bad ones. You have grown up to be a kind-hearted, loving and caring little girl. Your daddy and I can't get enough kisses and hugs from you. You tell us "I love you" often and it definitely melts us to pieces.

I know for a fact that the children in your class adore you as much as we do. You are quite the popular one when I drop you off in the morning. The kids are usually screaming your name and the teachers are quick to grab your hand from me. I think it is because you are so quiet and do not join in on the rambunctious play time nor do you ever fight the kids for toys and attention.

You enjoy music and movies a lot. Elmo is still a favorite but Handy Manny comes very close. We try not to watch too much of them but "I watch cartoon" is what I hear every morning when you wake up. Music is another love of yours. Justin Bieber's baby is well-played in our household & you also enjoy Taylor Swift's Mean. Very teeny-bopper-ish. You know a lot of songs. I mean a lot! You know your ABC's and a ton of other nursery rhymes. Of course you sing-a-long to your other teeny bopper songs.

We took you to the beach for the first time this month. There was a wedding we attended and we made a little vacation out of the trip. You love the sand! I honestly thought that the sand would gross you out for some reason but you could not get enough of it. You didn't like the beach itself as much. You love the pool more.

You have really grown up so much. I still see a little baby in you specially when you don't feel well and early in the mornings when you just want to watch cartoons and cuddle. You've become so independent and we are even so close to fully potty training. I hope that you are always as sweet and loving as you've always been until I am old and grey.

Kayla's 2nd Birthday

2011-07-04T21:40:00.006-04:00

Today, we celebrated Kayla's 2nd birthday! It was very low-key, just like her & just like us.

There was breakfast...

a bike...

and what looks like cake-diving with her daddy!

Baby girl, you have turned our worlds upside down since you were born! I can't even imagine what the next 2 years will bring. You are one loving, playful, smart and caring little girl! My heart is so full today just thinking about how much I love you and how much you have changed me as a person. I am so thankful everyday that I am your mommy.

Saturday Morning Scene

2011-06-25T18:26:00.003-04:00

A little late today...

We like to test-drive presents at TRU before buying on-line :)

Father's Day

2011-06-19T16:51:00.004-04:00

Today, Kayla and I are celebrating the wonderful daddy that she has. We're sad that he has to work today but we are cooking one of his favorite meals to say thank you!

After the creation of this collage, I realized how very few pictures they/we have together and I really need to change that!

Saturday Morning Scene

2011-06-18T12:36:00.005-04:00

I am linking up with Katie today for Saturday Morning Scnene.

We went to Town Point Park for CHKD's Blocks Party this morning. Kayla met Elmo and Abby. She adores them from far away and from the videos but taking a picture by herself with them was just not going to happen!

Summer must-haves for my little one

2011-05-31T09:00:00.005-04:00

Pool season is in full swing and my daughter can not get enough of the water. Melt down ensues when it's time to leave the pool. You would have thought I told her Elmo is dead!

I read a good bit of information on this whole sunscreen vs. sunblock subject and you better believe that I also did my research on what brand to use for my precious not-so-little cargo. Here's a wonderful website that I found and they even have a product hall of shame!

Here are a few things that are helping me get through this very hot summer:

California Baby Sunscreen - I know the price is a bit much than your regular sunscreen, but I promise that you will not regret it. This product gets rave reviews all the time and you can not put a price on protecting your little ones! The lotion goes on very well although it looks really white on Kayla since she's already dark as it is. This also comes in a stick-form for easy facial application but I use this one instead.

i play Brim Sun Protection Hat - Love this hat! I bought the biggest size and it has a little drawstring so that it can fit your child's head perfectly. I tell her no hat, no pool and the hat stays on the whole time!

i play Swim Shoes - I got her the blue pair because they were all out of the pink in her size. The blue actually goes better with all her bathing suits. Ha! They fit true to size and it's perfect for the hot ground and they are non-slip!

Pampers Splashers Swim Pants - We have always used Pampers except for wipes, we use Huggies. It was only natural that I buy these swim pants. She has never gone number 2 (thank goodness!) while wearing swim pants, but from what I've read, they work great. Make sure you check the package when you buy yours, Pampers still has the old packaging that has a whole lot less in them than the new ones. The picture above is of the new packaging.

Oh, and don't forget to bring snacks and cold beverages to assist and get your little ones out of the water from time to time. Gotta let their skins rest from pruning up and hydrate them!

Do share if you have and summer products that you love and can't live without!

Hot. So Hot.

2011-05-24T13:56:00.002-04:00

It is hot out there today. I really don't like what this weather does to my hair. I walk out of the house with perfectly fine, freshly straightened and nice-smelling hair (thanks to Organix's Moroccan Oil line and Solia flat iron), not even 10 minutes later, my hair is already getting frizzy. Ugh! I hate the humidity so much. I can deal with the heat, but the mugginess is just gross. I hate feeling hot and sticky!

With the hot weather comes pool season. I love that we have an awesome pool in the building and I get to layout and take Kayla to the pool whenever it's convenient without having to drive and pack up everything. My goal is to be as dark as possible. I think being super-tan helps me look slim-ish. Ha!

And just in time for pool season I went ahead and ordered a canvas tote with my married monogram. I've been married almost 3 years and have never gotten anything with it. I know I'm 10 years late to the party but I ordered this LEC/LE canvas tote. Super cheap for only $20-some dollars shipped!

I am working on getting a couple more bathing suits but I can't find any that I like enough that doesn't scream "Im a mom and my body is not the same since I had a baby"! I'm pretty sure that I will be doing a lot of shopping/shopping around seeing that there are sales everywhere! Kayla's need list alone is like a mile long!

Tuesday List

2011-05-16T15:18:00.005-04:00

I think everyone has a tiny little bit of OCD-ness in them. When I obsess about something, I tend to never let it go until I've accomplished it or bought it. Like the one time I obsessed over a pair of white jeans and scoured ebay and the internet until I could find a pair that was priced within my budget. Sometimes they linger and I just keep on doing it or keep on buying it. Haha. So, here is my current list of obsessions:

(Collage was created with Picnik, duh! All images were borrowed from respective website.)

Smocked dresses and bubbles - Kayla has/had some pieces since she was a baby but I feel like I'm in overdrive buying these nowadays. Facebook, of all places, has some pretty good companies that does nightly flash sales. Of course, deals can be had from ebay. My favorite right now is Posh Pickle. Holly is super nice and currently clearing out summer stock and prices are really good.

DSLR - Yup, I still don't have one. Why you ask? Cause I'm cheap and I need to be able to find one that I really like at a price that I like even better. Every time I read about Canon this and Nikon that, I get so confused that I don't know what brand to go with anymore.

Picnik - I see collages on blogs and the internet in general that are made really well and I wonder how they are done. Well, here's the answer. You don't even need an account to use the site and no need to upload photos to their site.

Trader Joe's - Trader Joe's and whole foods were 5 minutes away from me back in Richmond. Now, the closest TJ's is about a 20 minute drive. This is probably for the best or I'd go really broke if it were any closer. They have the best stuff when it comes to snacks and frozen foods.

White iPhone & iPhone 5 - I love my iPhone and I don't even have the 4. I google iPhone 5 on a weekly basis because I just need to know when it's going to come out and if it's too far from now I just might cave and get the white iPhone 4.

Clueless. That's me.

2011-05-16T10:49:00.005-04:00

Oh, Mondays! You come way too fast and I'm dreading this very long, 7 day work week ahead of me. Thanks a lot, prom season and social events! But I do have a 4-day weekend come Memorial Day weekend.

The weekend was wonderful. We braved breakfast. Kayla behaved well but refused to eat anything but turkey sausage. Oh, and she also liked her daddy's sausage gravy. I had eggs benedict for the first time since I had Kayla. I think this is a no-no when you're preggers so I never had it when I was pregnant. We stopped by Trader Joe's on the way home. I wish this was closer to us but glad that it's not 'cause I spend too much money in there every time. Have I mentioned how much I miss Richmond's shopping and grocery store choices? Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Short Pump all within 5 minutes from me! Hello?? What was I thinking agreeing to move here. Ha!

Last night, before bed, Kayla kept on asking me to sing Wheels on the Bus. So I pulled out the iPad and watched nursery rhyme vidoes with her. While watching Twinkle, Twinkle, baby girl srarted singing - hand gestures and all! I was so shocked that she knew the song. Hello, she's not even 2 and shen can sing songs?! It was so crazy and I might have gotten teary eyed while this was all happening.

(and because a post is not the same without a picture, this is Sunday while grocery shopping at HT)

Weekend, Mother's Day and Losing Weight

2011-05-08T22:38:00.001-04:00

The weekend was relaxing and busy all at the same time. I worked yesterday and today but was also able relax, take care of chores and hang out with J and Kayla. I had two events at work and had to go in for both but I practically spent all day with Kayla yesterday and with her and J today.

No crazy plans for Mother's Day this year. All I wanted was to spend the day with my family and a zoo re-do but of course it was rainy and gloomy all morning. By the time the sun came out it was nap time for all of us. Ha! We did go out for yummy Skinny Dip right after.

After our outing we took some pictures and I realized how chubby I've gotten again. I lost all the baby weight and some (20 plus!) thanks to breastfeeding but I have since gained all of it back. The pediatrician told me that I could gain some of it back but I wasn't prepared for all of it. So I have decided that I really need to get my weight in control.

I need to lose some weight. I liked being the size I was after the pregnancy. I was comfortable and didn't feel the need to wear loose fitting shirts. I work long hours and don't really have the time to work out. I'd love to but that means less time I get to spend with Kayla which is not a lot as it is. I can possibly wake up super early and work out before she gets up in the morning but I'm not sure I can commit to that.

My plan for now is to eat healthier. No more sodas. More water. Better food choices. Oh, I also plan to buy a scale. I'm thirty and have never had one. Ever. My goal is to lose at least 15 pounds. For now. We shall see where this goes. Bathing suit season is right around the corner and I need to get it together!

My 22 month old toddler is so close to 2!

2011-05-04T16:49:00.001-04:00

I adore this child. So much. She gets a little confused when it comes to pants and shirt but we are working on that.

Wednesday list

2011-04-27T14:21:00.005-04:00

It's getting hot out there. It's not so much the heat that I don't like, it's the humidity that comes with it most days. Feeling sticky and crazy hair just sucks!

Baby girl was under the weather all weekend long. She stayed home with my mom who was visiting on Friday and then stayed home with me on Monday.

We dealt with high temps, wheezing & coughing and missing the zoo trip on Sunday.

This meant a trip to the doctor's office and an hour later and one blood test, we had a prescription for Albuterol and iron supplements.

I did take her to the mall playground for the very first time. Ever. This place freaks me out. I feel like germs and sickies are everywhere in this place but it was really early and I'm hoping the the playground was cleaned and disinfected thoroughly the night before.

She was unsure of what to do in the beginning and was just following me around but she warmed up pretty quick and had a ball. And I mean screaming on her own because she was having such a good time!

It's almost May and I haven't done anything for Kayla's birthday party.

The Voice premiered last night. We watched a little bit of it. I think it's better than American Idol. Javier was AMAZING! I didn't even see him perform, my co-worker told me about him so I had to watch it online.

This week is super slow and I have to work on Saturday. Boo.

My mom is gone for the next 3weeks. Kayla is going to miss her a ton! She already asks for "gama" everyday.