Life update {4.26.2018}

It's been quite a while since I last posted anything on here. If you don't know by now, I had my beautiful baby boy back in September. Eventually I'll share his birth story! Hopefully I can do that before his first birthday... Which is actually less than five months away. Oh my! 

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you all the things going on with me and my family. Life with two tiny people has been interesting. Having a three year old and a seven month old keeps me busy that's for sure! Life is unpredictable but wonderful. 

Lydia has been diaper free since October. We took her diapers away when Silas was just one month old. It took a little while to get used to going on the potty but once she understood the concept she began to tell me when she needed to go. She goes through good streaks of not having accidents and then sometimes there's days they happen more frequently. This week has been accidents galore and I was feeling lots of mama guilt. I couldn't help myself and at the time I felt like I was doing something wrong. I know it's normal to go through this but I found myself so frustrated and overwhelmed by the situation. I felt so guilty for getting impatient. I needed to stop myself and pray. I prayed to be slow to anger and more compassionate. She is still learning and things will get better. 

However she is sleeping in her own room (without any fight!) which is a huge milestone. She actually LOVES sleeping in her room and looks forward to her bedtime routine. Let me tell you, I feel so at peace knowing she's happy in her own room. For months and months she would put up a big fight every night, and her bed time was always so late. She would always wind up in our bedroom in the middle of the night. As much as we miss her cuddles, we are proud of her and excited for this milestone. Silas will eventually join her. But for now, we are indulging in his baby cuddles for as long as possible!

Silas, our big guy, he is becoming such a little person with a big personality. He is a true sweetheart, loves listening to music, dancing, and eating! We started giving him food around six months but he wasn't into it until a couple weeks ago. Again we skipped the purees and dove right into the baby-led weaning approach. I think his favorite thing to eat lately is roasted apples with cinnamon, spoonfuls of plain full-fat Greek yogurt and banana pancakes. He still loves to nurse though. I think that's his favorite food of them all. :)

I am excited and slightly nervous because he is starting to get onto all fours now. He scoots and tends to move backwards but hasn't quite mastered forward crawling. Lydia started crawling at seven months and Silas is getting closer to becoming more mobile each day! Fortunately for us our house is already baby-proofed. Just need to put the dreaded baby gate back up in our living room. I can see Lydia getting frustrated at it already or better yet trying to climb over it!

As for me and Michael, I have been busy with the kids and tending to our home. Michael's been hardworking between work, church, and us. I love that man.

I am happy I was able to give you all a little update. It only took me four months!! I will be sure to post more things in the future. I forgot how nice and therapeutic it is to write.

Until next time,

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,

Lydia Renee's { 19-month-update! }

I always find myself in awe with this little girl... Even when she drives me loco, I am always finding myself awestruck that she is my daughter and that I’m her mama. She just turned 19 months which means in five months she'll be a two-year-old! Her personality is really blooming. She’s strong-willed, passionate, and independent yet somehow still clingy with me especially. Independent in the sense that she's capable of playing by herself and not big on being spoon fed or having her hand held. Yet, clingy in the sense that she craves cuddles, which is fine, until she demands cuddles whenever I am in the middle of cooking dinner.

On talking: She doesn’t form sentences yet but is an excellent babbler! The words she says most have been very enthusiastic greetings such as “hi!” and “bye!!” She also likes to point to her head and say "head-head", and then of course she points to things and asks "whatsthat?!" I'm mama and Michael is "da." Sometimes she tells me "no!" which I don’t always agree with but it’s slightly better than her yelling or grunting her foreign language at me. She also barks. She seems to understand more than she can speak... Kind of like me with my Spanish skills! Though she's not a lost cause like me, and will learn to speak English fluently as time passes.

Lydia's daily activities: Besides babbling, Lydia's days are filled with what I think she believes as "organizing." She likes helping me clean by stuffing her toys in between the sofa cushion or slipping the really small stuff inside the vent.  She is big on reading and spends quite a while engrossed in her animal alphabet book. We are trying to teach her how to make animal noises and decipher which animal makes which sound. She loves playing hide and seek, and being chased too, though she's the happiest when she's outside and exploring nature. She's also happy when she is allowed to watch her nursery rhyme videos. She gets her groove on and I get a work out in, it’s a win-win. The YouTube channels that she loves (and that I can tolerate), are ChuChu TV, Dave & Ava, and occasionally The Farmees. If I sing the songs to her she tries to sing-a-long with me and does a little jig too.

What she's eating lately: Lydia is still a great eater! Her favorite are still blueberries, but now I can confidently add bananas and avocados to the list which were off limits before! During breakfast she’s currently loving oatmeal with cinnamon and maple syrup with a side of blueberries. She will usually have chocolate milk and juice throughout the day. Lunch varies between peanut butter and jelly, Annie’s mac and cheese, or whatever leftovers from last night’s dinner. She gets hungry in between meals and typically eats an applesauce or yogurt kefir squeeze packs. And when dinner rolls around, she will eat whatever we’re eating and sometimes a Biscoff cookie if most of her dinner goes into mouth and not into Zoe’s! 

Sleep: Lydia is still sleeping in crib in our bedroom and manages to sleep through the night. She's been having a hard time going to sleep earlier than 9pm but we are working on it. We are planning on moving her into the spare bedroom once it's cleaned up and painted. I have been wanting her to sleep in her own room for a while now but of course life gets busy and it will be a big adjustment for her. It's one thing to have her sleep in her crib for most of the night in our bedroom (she always winds up in our bed somehow), it's another thing to have her sleep in the crib and be in a separate bedroom all night. Sleep training is hard but I think it'll be good for all of us!

To wrap this up I will say Lydia you are a crazy little girl, and we love you so much. You create messes and have a fiery temper that tests my patience but you make both Michael and I's (maybe even Zoe's) hearts so full, and life just wouldn't be as fun without your silly antics. 

Friday Love! {7.29.2016}

source

one // Have you guys ever tried 2-ingredient pancakes? They've been around for a few years now and I've made them before in the past but completely forgot about them! Fortunately while I was browsing on The Kitchn, I saw that they posted a recipe and gorgeous pictures of them. So I made them this morning....Didn't manage to get a picture because, well, pancakes are not my strong suit and they were not pretty. It doesn't help that they're more delicate than regular pancakes. However, I'm learning that using a cast iron skillet and a fish spatula (which goes above and beyond flipping fish!) are key. As far as taste goes these pancakes remind me so much of french toast only they're lighter and give me energy! 

two // Remember how I mentioned organizing the basement two weeks ago? Well... that never happened. ALTHOUGH, I did manage to organize Michael's closet, the pantry and our small appliance cabinet. All of which were quite unorganized. The basement organizing will come into affect eventually. Again prayers are appreciated : )

three //  Lydia got in her molars!! Also she always eats standing up now and firmly believes that the more utensils at meal time the better. And she has been a little better about eating her food rather than throwing it to Zoe too. Sometimes it's just the little victories that keep me sane! Yay.

four // The most indulgent things we ate this week included homemade curly fries and miso caramel ice cream. The curly fries were reminiscent of potato sticks which I LOVED as a kid. However they weren't as spicy as I'd like them to be, so next time I will bump up the volume on the cayenne and smoked paprika! As far the miso caramel ice cream, I am completely smitten with this flavor and may or may not consider it a new favorite. I found the recipe here and used white miso because it is what I had. The miso provided both a nutty and salty flavor which balances the sweetness of the caramel. It's also extremely creamy and rich, a home run all around!

five // I am looking forward to the weekend. This week has been long, overwhelming and yucky... Hoping for sunshine, productivity and some quiet time.

On that note, I hope you also enjoy your weekend!

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!

Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Milk

I'm kind of a chocoholic. And I am not ashamed of that. I love sipping on chocolate in liquid forms. A mug filled with hot chocolate is a sure way to win a place in my heart! Not the healthiest but I lived off of store bought chocolate almond milk towards the end of my pregnancy and even indulged in a few glasses after giving birth to Lydia. I tried making up for it by having it with half plain almond milk and the rest with the chocolate milk. The desire to have chocolate milk all the time kind of dissipated and the beverage I *had* to have on a daily basis became forgotten. (That's not to say hot chocolate was forgotten ;) )

Fast forward to Lydia turning one a couple weeks ago, I had tried giving her organic milk and she wasn't into it. My mom suggested I try chocolate milk and I decided against store bought because of the added sugar and unpleasant thickening agents. However I was curious if I blended a little cocoa powder, dates, cinnamon, and vanilla bean to her milk would change her mind. Turns out it did!  This chocolate milk recipe is not only toddler-friendly, it is a delicious and nutritious treat for the whole family. And it can easily be made with non-dairy milk for those with food allergies or lactose intolerant. 

On the subject of milk, after seeing it a bunch of times at Whole Foods and contemplating whether or not to buy it, I finally bought grass-fed milk and guys, it's amazing! Although I've only had it in small doses, it is the only cow milk to date that hasn't given me the usual bloating and tummy troubles, and it tastes fresher too. On top of that it also has natural occurring omega-3's and CLA because the cow's are eating what their stomachs are designed to eat: grass! I just had to share because I'm excited to include more options in my diet.  That being said, here's the recipe to a toddler and mommy approved chocolate milk!

Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Milk

serves 4 

• 16 ounces milk of choice 
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 2-3 pitted medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until fully incorporated. Divide into four small glasses or in Lydia's case, plastic cups with lids. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to two days. Separation will occur, so give it a good shake before serving. Enjoy!

Lydia Renee's First Birthday Party!

Just a small collection of photos from Lydia's first birthday party. While I didn't quite capture every detail on my camera (I somehow forgot to photograph lunch and another banner, whoops!), I am glad I have these pictures to look back on! I'm super grateful for all the help my family handed to bring this party to life and also keeping me sane. Michael helped with the decorations, the cake bunting banner, and made that beautiful flower garland! I made slow roasted pulled pork. I had it cooking throughout the night and before we went to bed, I made Michael pray that it would cook thoroughly before the guests arrived! Thankfully it was perfect, and there was more than enough food to go around.

Mom made chicken empanadas, bacalao salad, a big pot of yellow rice, and salad. She also made those darling brown paper goody bags filled with double chocolate macadamia cookies, sesame cookies and my chocolate dipped coco's. Mom W. made adorable bunny deviled eggs that were also incredibly delicious! I put out some homemade chex mix, a cheeseboard with crackers, some of mom W's jalapeno jelly (so good!) and my brother-in-law's girlfriend made a tasty enchilada dip. For dessert, I had baked yellow layered cake with  chocolate sour cream frosting and vegan dirt cake served with dye-free gummy worms, and of course cafe con leche. Leftovers for days!

The birthday girl slept a little during her party and was initially confused/cranky from the large crowd of people but she eventually adapted, and was enjoying herself! I can't believe she is already one years old. The first 12 months have been such a fun ride and we look forward to new adventures with our daughter, and many more birthdays!

Lydia Renee's Food Adventures

Hi everybody! I thought it would be fun to share a little bit of what Lydia’s been eating these days. We started her on solids a couple weeks before she turned 6-months-old, and boy has she eaten a lot of food since then!

In the beginning we started her on homemade pureed kabocha squash, sweet potato, carrots and the like which were all successful. Then as the weeks went by she was onto more mixed purees and my beef stew. Before having Lydia, I had done research on baby-led weaning and liked the idea of feeding her foods that we were eating. It seemed like a great way for her to explore her food, play with it a little and experience mealtime as a family. 

So starting her on purees wasn't my initial plan but I'm glad I did them. It was a good introduction for her and it helped me see if any allergies were present, and fortunately there has been none so far! We do however avoid certain foods like honey, processed food, and conventional dairy products. She was eager to be fed at 6-7 moths and during that time she hadn't quite mastered using her fingers to feed herself, a.k.a. the pincer grasp which is developed at around 8-12 months old.

She was about 8 months old when she began to use her pincer grasp and that's when I knew we could successfully commit to the baby-led weaning process. Once she started to feed herself there really was no turning back! As someone who is passionate about eating and being married to someone who is also passionate about eating, we were blessed with a little human who, you guessed it, is passionate about eating! Letting Lydia feed herself is a little messy and there are certain foods that require a little assistance from us, like soup! But her enjoyment, little "mmm's" make it all worth it. 

People are always surprised to see Lydia eating because there isn't much she won't eat and she still has no teeth. My mom was shocked because on Thanksgiving Lydia was going to town gumming her dad's spicy chicken wings and guacamole! Lydia can handle the heat and likes things that pack on the flavor, a real epicurean in the making. I love it!

For the past couple of months I have been consistent with feeding Lydia breakfast, lunch and dinner, and that seems to work well for the both of us. Because she is only 10 months old, I'm still nursing her in between meals and she finds comfort in nursing periodically throughout the night. Once she turns one, I don't want to rush her into weaning but rather have her gradually rely more on solid food for nutrients than me. The comfort nurses are something I do cherish and I will part with when she feels prepared to do so.  On that note, here’s a little break down of what she's been eating!

//Breakfast// 

Depending on her last feeding in the morning, I don’t typically nurse her as soon as she wakes up for the day. 

she doesn't typically eat off of the floor but every now and then she eats breakfast in our room while I make my bed... it's all about multitasking guys!! :x

In the early stages I was feeding Lydia oatmeal that I grounded in the food processor and cooked it with fresh apple cider or organic applesauce, and a little ground cinnamon and cardamom or sometimes mashed banana mixed in. Initially she seemed to enjoy this but now that she's more independent her breakfast varies from homemade waffles cut into bite size pieces with fruit (chunks of ripe pear or roasted cinnamon apple), cheerios/rice chex, or fruit and yogurt smoothies in her reusable squeeze packs. She is currently in a cheerio kick! I give her about two ounces of apple or cranberry juice diluted with water to drink with breakfast. 

She typically wants to nurse 2-3 hours after breakfast time. 

//Lunch//

little peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; so cute!

a little sandwich in hand

cut up omelette with sliced avocado 

1 falafel and roasted carrots seasoned with turmeric + smoked paprika

avocado smiles are the best 

Lydia usually will take a nap prior to lunchtime so this gives me a little time to prepare our meals. She loves to share what I'm eating or have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, avocado toast, leftover soup/stew in her reusable squeeze packs, roasted veggies with leftover chicken or salmon, and occasionally nitrite-free deli meat when we're in a pinch.

She gets a little annoyed when I have to feed her so putting soups in the squeeze packs makes my life a little easier! Plus it's an easy way to blend spinach and kale into her soups which are otherwise a choking hazard. 

//Snack-time// 

blueberries! she likes to inspect her food before eating...

having her applesauce

she really likes her applesauce 

When she first started feeding herself, I would just give her organic puffs and her juice but lately I have been trying to give her more whole foods. Ie: blueberries cut in half, organic apple juice in her reusable squeeze pack, fresh fruit or a favorite of ours: blended frozen banana and berries with chia seeds. 

//Dinner//

here lydia is gumming down a tostone, embracing her puerto rican roots

sundried tomato pesto on pasta with  a little chicken for protein

This varies from week to week since, I like trying new recipes every week and she typically eats whatever we're eating for dinner. She seems to be keen on pasta dishes, chicken pot pie, and actually really liked the stuffed eggplant with lamb and tahini yogurt sauce that I made last month. There are some nights when Michael has to start feeding her before I'm even done serving us our dinner because she gets a little impatient and hangry. For the most part dinnertime is really nice, enjoyable, and I would definitely say my favorite time of the day because I'm with my two favorite people!

Having written this post, I had a lot of fun with it. I hope it can be somewhat resourceful and inspiring to you. I definitely would love to share more of Lydia's meals and actually put effort into the pictures. As you can see most of the pictures are quick snaps from my phone and that's usually the case because I have a little child wishing I'd hurry up and let her eat already. ;)

Until next time,