Life with Lydia {6.10.17}

Hi friends!

It was almost a year ago since I've last posted all about Lydia. And as I write this post, I have a little girl climbing all over me, and a baby boy squiggling around in my womb. I didn't tell you guys, but we are having a boy! I feel tired lately but mostly blessed as we are getting closer and closer to becoming a family of four. Life with Lydia has been both a fun and interesting endeavor! She'll be 27 months old in a few days and like most kids her age she's into everything.

A few of her favorite things these days are her PJ Masks stuffed dolls, anything and everything Mickey Mouse related, singing, playing outside, and talking. She has been talking so much lately and we're finally able to understand what she's talking about too! She's been able to understand us for a little over a year but was slower to start talking back to us, and using words to express herself. It's been truly exciting to hear what she has to say!

What I'm not so excited about is whenever Lydia gets into these tizzies and throws things, and thinks it's the funniest thing in the entire world. She's especially keen about throwing her food when she's "all done!" Since she's turned two she has been pickier with food and sometimes won't even touch things she used to eat with no problem. It tests my patience, and I am always making sure she's getting enough to eat. However she loves eating fruits and vegetables, likes chicken sausage, peanut butter and guacamole! I have been limiting her snack intake during the day to reinforce the importance of eating meals. I also put collagen in her chocolate milk for a little boost too. I'm just hoping this is a phase!

Lydia is stubborn, independent and active. She's always running, climbing, and tumbling. I really would like to sign her up for gymnastics in a few months because I think she would have a blast! She is also our little cling-on and doesn't love sleeping on her own. She sleeps in her crib and actually didn't mind being in there but things got hairy when we visited my parents in Jersey. She was in our bed with us a good portion of the trip and bed time has been a bit of a battle since then. The good news is that her bedroom should be finished this weekend, and that means Michael and I get our bedroom back. Woohoo! We were sleeping in the guestroom just so she could get used to sleeping by herself again. She has been in our bedroom all her life so it'll be an adjustment, but hopefully nothing too crazy. I think she'll grow to love having her own space and might be even happier to share it with her little brother. Updates and photos of the room to follow!

Now onto potty training... Hm. It's a non-existent issue at the moment but she does like to read the potty book, and sometimes asks me questions. She also tells me when she went to bathroom which is a step in the right direction! I still haven't bought an insert for the toilet or even a little potty only because I don't think she's quite ready for it. We're not in too much of a rush but I am looking forward to only have one baby in diapers in the near future!

Lastly this summer should be really fun, because Lydia is old enough to understand what's going on around her and will love spending most of her days outside. Hopefully we can take her to the beach next time we visit New Jersey and maybe even go to Sesame Place with her big cousin DJ!

Until next time,

A New Addition in September :)

If you follow me on Instagram or know me in person, you probably already know that Michael and I are expecting baby #2 in September! If not, surprise! We are both thrilled to become a family of four and giving Lydia a sibling. I'm 13 weeks pregnant and am finally starting to feel a little less exhausted. Much like my first pregnancy, I only experienced a little nausea in the morning and mostly because my stomach was empty. I am also experiencing the same aversions and cravings, nothing too sweet but lots of fruit, everything salty, spicy and sour. So far I am beginning to think much like my mom and sister that I am one who bypasses morning sickness, however, I seem to get a double dose of fatigue. I did exercise most mornings and it worked as a pick me up but still felt drained after lunch. Nap time became my best friend!

We found out I was pregnant pretty much the same way as last time. My period wasn't due for a few days but I was feeling off and sluggish. I just had a feeling I was pregnant. I told Michael to pick up a test, I took it that night and we waited for the results. I asked him if he could read it and he reacted the same as last time. "Oh boy" HAHA. I just laughed. We were both elated and a little nervous. In my previous post I talked about how we traveled to Puerto Rico in November, and there was an outbreak of the Zika virus back in the spring/summertime. We actually wanted to get tested for the virus before trying for a baby but God had other plans for us! So we quickly made an appointment that following Monday with our doctor to get a script for blood work. At this point we already told my sister and our parents so they could keep us in prayer as we prepared to test for Zika.

After we went to the doctor's office we learned that it was only necessary for me to get tested, and we got a stack of papers about the Zika virus and how the test worked. I actually googled up a storm prior to the doctor's appointment and learned about the horrors of the Zika virus to those who are pregnant. I prayed a lot prior to getting the blood work done and after while I was waiting for the results. I waited about a week until we fond out that I tested negative for the test. I felt incredibly relieved and thanked the Lord for answering our prayers! 

The three of us got to hear the baby's heartbeat a couple weeks ago, and last week we were able to see the baby for the first time via ultrasound! Lydia is still not sure what the heck is going on, but I am sure she'll fall in love once the baby is born. We are planning to find out the sex of the baby sometime in April, and would be happy with either a boy or another little girl. I already have a list of names! :) I may or not share the name on here once we've settled on one.  Now that I have finally posted something, I'm going to do my best by keeping you guys updated as I go through my pregnancy!

Long time no blog

Sometimes I lose track of the hours in the day, especially during the end of the year, and get distracted by all the small things on in my life. So here's a little glimpse of what's been going on in my life since I've been gone:

Since I last posted my family and I went to Puerto Rico during the week of Thanksgiving. It was a vacation with highs and lows, and all started with an Airbnb guest home that was not what we expected. To keep things short I’ll say the home wasn't as pictured (though we got what we paid for), the power went out more than once (this is actually normal in Puerto Rico though a lot of the businesses around the guest home had generators), a stray kitty always pooped in the flowerbed so the front porch was always smelly, and the most unfortunate: the shower water was always cold. We learned that the previous guests broke one of the showers and it was constantly dripping which caused all the hot water to be used up. However we did make the most of the house when the power was up and running but once it went out a second time towards the end of the week, we all threw in the towel and booked a hotel for the night. It definitely humbled us all. And made us appreciate our houses, consistent power, air conditioning, and hot showers.

bacalaitos, empanadas, rice, beans and mofongo!

Not to say we didn’t enjoy our vacation. We did! Michael and I got to visit Old San Juan, see my grandparents who live there, eat delicious food, and of course take Lydia to the beach for the first time. She didn’t seem that enthusiastic about the beach but absolutely loved the pool at the hotel.

Once we got home from our vacation, Michael started a new job that’s work from home all the time, and it’s been a huge blessing to have him around the house more. He's rested, we get to have lunch together almost every day, and he likes his boss. He was actually Michael’s boss a couple years ago at his old job, then he moved to a different company and reached out to Michael to see if he’d join his team. I was so happy that he was able to smoothly transition into this new job and that we can spend more time together. Periodically he will need to travel to New York, the first time he had to go there Lydia and I went with him. We stayed at my parent’s house and he commuted to the city from there, it was such a treat to spend time with my family!

Another small thing that's been going on is that we've been putting Lydia to sleep earlier and scheduling her naps. No more co-sleeping in this house! As much as we enjoyed the experience, you get to a point where you just want the bed to yourselves, and have your child in their own crib with a healthier sleep schedule. It's actually exciting because I'm getting that extra alone time during the day with her naps and of course dealing with a less cranky child during the day. A big part of why I haven't been blogging has a lot to do with the fact that I lacked the alone time to sit down and write. Alone time was so sporadic, and now it's more consistent, which means I should be back on here more!

During this transition, Michael has been such a big help and blessing. He has been putting her to bed most nights, praying with her and making her feel comfortable in the crib. It has been growing their bond too. She does fuss after he leaves the room and sometimes he’ll go back in, but she eventually falls asleep. Right now her crib is on our bedroom and when she wakes up in the middle of the night, I try to comfort her by holding her hand or if that doesn't work I'll cuddle with her. I am trying to be better with that though and teach her that she needs to put herself back to sleep.

We plan on moving her into her bedroom once Michael his office space into the basement sometime in the spring. I am hoping she loves her bedroom and won’t feel the need to sleep in ours!

Lastly, we hosted Christmas and it had a lot of fun with Michael's side of the family. I made this pear sangria, yellow rice, empanadas, cheese flan, and pumpkin bread. Michael made his famous wings and everyone brought a delicious little something-something! After we exchanged gifts, Michael shared a message the Lord placed on his heart and prayed before we all ate. We played The Game of Things and laughed up a storm! We are planning on hosting our small group on Thursday for an end of the year get together, and my parent's are visiting this upcoming weekend for New Years which we are also hosting. Lots of hosting but it's been coming with lots of help which has been much appreciated! : ) 

And the bad... I started to trim my bangs and got too carried away by cutting them too short... At this time I'm so thankful for bobby pins, headbands, and of course the fact that it'll grow back. But if that's the worst thing going on in my life, I'll be a-okay. 

Until next time my loves,

Friday Love! {10.21.16}

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I's been like two months since I've done one of these bad boys, so let's get started!

one// This Sunday Michael and I are going to Chicago! It's for a conference with Harvest Bible Chapel, and it'll be our first extended trip (3 days!) without Lydia. I'm a little nervous because the longest I've been away from her is a full day/overnight! However, at the same time I am looking forward to learning and becoming closer to God without all the distractions.

two// The other day I took a picture of Lydia sitting in her chair and realized I had taken a similar one exactly a year before. 7 months old vs. 19 months old. I think she was just starting to army crawl at that age and now she's running, climbing and dancing!

three// I am easing back into painting. I got out the oil paints that I had bought over a year ago and forgot about. I am hoping it'll help with relaxation and spark my creativity!

pacifier nostalgia 

four// So, Lydia hasn't used her pacifier in two full days! We have been talking about weaning her off of it, but my instincts just told me to just keep it from her and have her go cold turkey. I told Michael we need to be strong and not cave in when she's upset. Yesterday she was a bit of an emotional roll coaster but we all survived. On the bright side she's been sleeping through the night without a fuss! The next step? Have her sleep through the night in her crib :)

five// I'm happy that the weather is finally cooling down! This week has been so hot, and I have been drinking iced coffee in the afternoon when my soul is craving a hot latte. I also want to retire my sandals already and bring out the cozy fall/winter clothes. Today may be dreary and wet but I think it is refreshing, and I can appropriately wear a flannel and sip on a latte without sweating :)

six// After two years of reading my bible on my phone, I got myself a new bible this week and it's beautiful! Distractions are constant in my life, and doing my daily readings through my phone seemed to open doors to more distractions. I've always preferred reading books over screens so the transition from phone bible to real bible has been seamless!

That's all I have for this week, I hope you guys have a lovely weekend!

Happy Autumn!

Last Autumn when Lydia was 8 months old, now she is 18 months old!!

"Life starts all over again 

when it gets crisp in the fall."

                       -F. Scott Fitzgerald 

For as long as I can remember autumn has always been my favorite season, and I'm pretty proud of being born around this time of year! I love when the weather slowly begins to cool down and the leaves start changing shades of color. The smell of the air is crisp, and cinnamon sugar becomes the signature scent of my home. Everything just feels cozier. I'll be able to start wearing my fall uniform: a chunky sweater or flannel, jeans and boots. I cannot wait til I can wear boots again!! Food seems to taste better this time of year too. Winter squashes are at their peak, and boy do they taste mighty fine roasted, sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and served over kale. I also like pumpkin pie, pumpkin oatmeal, and pumpkin smoothies heavy on the spices.

There's a lot to love about this season. It seems to always inspire people to get together more whether it's to watch football (not me, I'm just there for the food), go to harvest festivals, host seasonal parties, go apple picking, etc. There's really no solid reason not to fellowship with your people when autumn is here! I am most looking forward to starting traditions with my family. I think Lydia will love jumping in freshly raked leaves, going to our towns harvest festival and helping me bake lots of delicious treats in the kitchen.

What are you most looking forward to this autumn? 

Lydia Lately {7.12.2016}

"Though she be but little, she is fierce!” -William Shakespeare 

In a few short days Lydia will be sixteen months old. Her imagination is so big, her love for her family is strong, she's independent and she finds joy in the little things,  all traits that I truly admire! Through this journey of motherhood I am constantly learning how to prioritize my time, be more present and not sweat the small stuff. Motherhood is challenging and just when I think I got everything under control something new proves me wrong, and that my friends is humbling! I'm understanding that it's impossible to be in control of everything and that some days will be more exhausting than others. Though knowing that God's in control keeps me grounded and the encouragement from friends and family who remind me that I'm doing a good work as a wife and mommy does too.

But enough about me-- here's what Lydia's been up to lately:

-she is in the 2% for weight and 7% for height but the doctor isn't concerned because Michael and I are shorties! 

-she's talking on the phone with random objects like my old credit card!

-she's waving to people a lot more now

-she is blowing kisses and giving cuddles 

-she is saying words like "hi" and "mama" in context! she is still babbling but finds ways to communicate with us through body language. 

-she's eating with utensils 

-her favorite foods are blueberries and cheese, especially the free cheese samples at whole foods!

-she is playing with her dolls and "reading" books

-she's dancing every time she hears a beat! we went to a winery and they had a band playing classic rock music and she was dancing up a storm.

-she's growing another tooth on the bottom!

-she asks us for a cookie after she's finished dinner; she points to the jar and laughs like a maniac! 

-bath time is one of her favorite pass times

-she sleeps in her crib most of the night!!! *hallelujah chorus*  

-Zoe and her have a special kind of love/hate relationship; Lydia yells at her but wants to hug her all at the same time.

-she has a strong temper and had a breakdown the other day because we took away a pen from her. she was literally in rage for 10 minutes! 

-she makes us laugh and keeps our hearts full on a daily basis :)

I love you Chubski!! 

Breastfeeding: The End of an Era

I think it’s safe to say Lydia has officially weaned herself. We’re going on day four without nursing and it’s been a gradual process ever since she’s turned one. Nursing three times a day quickly turned into twice a day, in the morning and before bedtime, and then a few weeks later she dwindled down to only nursing at night. Then suddenly she would go a day without nursing and then the next day she would want to nurse at night or in the morning. She was nursing every other day for about two weeks and would only nurse about five minutes or so. Nursing time decreased once Lydia was 12 months old, after that she always got to the point and quickly moved on, she had places to be I guess! 

Because she’s so active, I give her chocolate milk during the day and snacks in between meals. She’s always been a good eater which has been a tremendous blessing and might also be why she was ready to wean herself.

As happy as I am that she weaned herself and is moving on with her life, a part of me will miss our breastfeeding journey and I am a little sad it’s over. I know that may sound odd but she still seems so tiny to me, maybe time has just flown by so quickly that I’m not always prepared to let go. I laugh because when I was her age I was still nursing and my mom eventually had to force me to quit nursing (aka cold turkey) because I was well over two years old and asking her if I could have “nursings.” She told me that she had me sleepover a family friend’s house so I wouldn’t have access to the goods! I guess I figured Lydia would be the same because much like I was, she is a mama’s girl. Though Lydia choosing to wean herself couldn’t have been a more seamless transition, and I’m proud of her!

I feel fortunate that I was able to have a pleasant breastfeeding experience and am even more fortunate to be her mama! She is the sweetest little girl, quirky like Michael and I, and so incredibly sharp. So even though we’re ending this era of breastfeeding, I know we’ll have so much more to bond over as she grows into a little lady and the thought of that just melts my heart. I love you Lydia!

Friday Love! {6.10.16}

one // These pictures of Lydia eating corn last weekend. She was all about that corn and wasn't about to share with anyone either!

two // Buying 10 plantains for $1.99 and yucca for $0.69 a pound in New Jersey… It made part of me miss living in Jersey. We used a few of the plantains for tostones on Tuesday and now that the rest of them are ripening I'm going to make a pastelon tomorrow! And instead of making yucca fries, I'm going to boil chunks and serve them with mojo because it's been a while!

three // This blog post on protecting your marriage. Such encouraging list of things I know and have heard in different ways but always need reminded of. IE: raying for Michael, doing more of those little things, making time for him, etc. Life gets hectic being a mom, and unfortunately I haven't been making my most important relationship top priority. The list reminded me that I need to spend more time praying for Michael and being present for him. Fortunately we are going on a date tonight by ourselves to catch and spend much needed alone time with one another!

fresh out of the oven; feelin' confident with my results!

the next day after being transferred, prayin' ice cream will cover this up!

four // I learned a little lesson in pie baking. I baked a cherry pie with frozen cherries and it resulted in an extremely loose/watery filling, and then I transferred it all the way to New Jersey. Unfortunately when I took the pie out of the foil it was covered in the cherry filling and the once flaky crust became soggy. While I did have a mini meltdown, the pie was still 100% edible and was an excellent base for ice cream. I learned that next time I will be using fresh cherries in my next pie : )

five // Our CSA begins this Wednesday and I am so excited! It'll be our third year subscribing and I feel much more confident with knowing what to do with all the produce. I got a spiralizer attachment for my Kitchen-Aid on Christmas so I'm seeing a lot of zucchini pasta in the future, and possibly use my juicer to make fresh juices. (Confession: I've had my juicer for 4 years and only used it twice in my life!) Though I might need to do more research on kohlrabi and what the heck to do with it. That vegetable befuddles me. Any suggestions? 

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six // I made these mini oatmeal cream pies and they were really quite good! I didn't get a chance to take my own picture but I found them to have the perfect balance of sweet & salty, the cream filling was delightful and not too sweet, the cookies had a nice kick from the cinnamon and were exceptionally soft as any oatmeal cookie should be!

Hope you all have a beautiful weekend!

A long overdue Lydia update

A few months have passed since I've last written a post about Lydia and I apologize for not doing so sooner! I guess I've been pretty wrapped up in this new chapter in my life as mama, and I've been putting blogging on the back-burner, yet again. Oops! Since I've last posted a lot has happened too. Lydia's almost nine months old and that means she will be the same number of months as I carried her in my womb; which feels so long ago! 

In my previous post about Lydia, she was barely sitting up and now, get this, she is starting to cruise! But let's rewind a bit, shall we? At six months, I remember being worried because Lydia wasn't sitting up on her own, and would only sit up if I sat her down myself and once she tipped over she was stuck on her belly which frustrated her. She even started to army crawl before sitting up on her own; though once she finally sat up on her own, she started crawling on all fours and that quickly turned into speed crawling which was began her journey to get into all sorts of things...

Fortunately we were prepared and had the baby gates installed shortly after she began army crawling! 

A little before she turned eight months she was starting to stand up with support and later began to pull herself up with the help of furniture, and now she as she is veering closer to nine months she is using furniture to cruise! As she gets more mobile, she is also becoming more independent in how she eats and prefers to eat finger foods over purees now. Her favorites include my homemade waffles, guacamole with chips, daddy's oven roasted buffalo chicken wings, puffs and pieces of beef! She likes to self-feed by using her pincer grasp or by using reusable squeeze bags. It's funny because she doesn't have teeth yet and that doesn't stop her from gumming these foods down! I am still exclusively breastfeeding her, everything is still going wonderfully, and we both couldn’t be happier!  She’s sleeping well through the night, and usually takes a long nap in the early afternoon and shorter one after dinnertime. 

Her personality is coming through more and more now too. She is independent and enjoys playing by herself yet she loves to cuddle with one of us when she's sleepy. She can be a little shy when she is around new people and seems to enjoy people watching. I should also add that she has a temper and is known to putting up a fight when things are taken away from her or during diaper changes. Boy does this little chub test my patience but at the end of the day, I'm so blessed by her and love her more each day! Speaking of love, Lydia loves her dad, and is definitely a daddy’s girl because as soon as he comes home I no longer exist, unless she wants to nurse of course. But I adore that she and Michael share such a special bond! 

And that's what Lydia's been up to lately! Until next time my loves,