Whoa...did all that just happen?!

I woke up this morning to the aftermath of Christmas scattered all around my house, and I realized it's all over. I also realized I have not updated the blog once since mid November. I guess the busy holiday season got the best of me. I really was hoping to do a better job of keeping it updated for Luca's sake. He has grown and changed so much in the last month. I can't believe he will be 6 months old next week. His first year is just flying by. Sometimes I get emotional holding my little one in my arms at night just wondering where that tiny little baby went.

November and December have just flown by in a blur of work, visitors, holiday events, parties, sickness, and milestones. I went back to work on November 1st, and since then one of us has been sick with something almost every week. Luca is still battling his second cold, we all three had the stomach flu, I had food poisoning, and Luca also broke out head to toe in eczema. It's been a rough couple of months! In the midst of all that illness, we have had a slew of visitors and celebrated Luca's first Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since I fell behind on my posts, here is a photo timeline of Luca's first holiday season:

At 4.5 months we started Luca on some solids. He loved it in case you couldn't tell. So far he has tried bananas, avocados, pears, cereal, and a little bit of mango gelato. Can you guess which is his favorite?

Luca celebrated his first Thanksgiving with a visit from his Great Uncle Jerry and Great Aunt Mariana. He loved all the attention. 

Luca loved all the excitement and magic of his first Christmas. We took him to Home Plate for the Holidays at the Goodyear Ballpark where he saw Santa and snow and had his first real experience with cold weather! We also enjoyed the Tolleson Luces de Navidad parade and he was absolutely mesmerized by the police motorcycles. The kid loves lights and sound. He also loved scooting himself under the Christmas tree and pulling on the branches in an attempt to get to the lights. 

Luca's cousin Ruthi came out to visit for Christmas and they got to meet for the first time. They are just 4 months apart. It was so great spending time with my parents, Andrew, Candice, and Ruthi. We all had a great time together and even had a professional photo shoot of everyone together. I can't wait to see how they turned out! 

As 2012 quickly approaches I am so excited to see what the new year will bring. 2011 was such an incredible year, and we were so blessed with the arrival of our little boy. I am looking forward to watching him continue to grow and change over the next year. I am sure many more special memories are ahead. God is good!!!!

The Life of a Working Mom

As I approach the end of my third week as a working mom, I can't really say it's gotten any easier. Sure we have established a routine now, and I am getting used to the craziness of teaching all day and coming home to play mom all evening, but being away from my baby boy all day will never be easy. I know he is well cared for all day, and he is always all smiles when I pick him up, but I can't help that nagging feeling that I am supposed to be the one loving on him all day. I feel like I am missing so much. I love teaching, and it will always be my passion, but it will never compare to being Luca's momma. And I feel like I can't be the teacher I want to be while being the best mom I can be. I can teach for the rest of my life, and I will probably always be involved in education in one way or another, but my baby is only going to be a baby for so long. Even though there are moments I wish I could press fast forward (like to a time when I no longer have to haul a breast pump around all day and spend every spare moment pumping), I know that these moments are so fleeting, and I want to cherish every gummy grin.
Then there's the teacher heart in me that is breaking with my class this year. I have 36 students total that I see each day. 36 little lives that I am responsible for teaching, loving, and molding. 36 children with needs far beyond what I can ever meet. Even if I wasn't a busy mom, this would be a very challenging year. Every single child in my class this year has so many needs. Emotional, academic, social. It devastates me that I cannot do it all. I can't be everything to everyone, and let's be honest I am giving the best of me to my own child and my own family. And that's what I need to do. But that doesn't change my deep desire to meet each and every child's needs that I come in contact with every day. How can you look at an innocent child that for whatever reason is not having certain needs met and just wash your hands clean of them? I can't. And I don't like feeling defeated. I don't like to just give up. But I have come to the conclusion that I cannot parent every one of my students, and so I may just have to be unpopular with some of the parents this year when I demand that they step up to the plate.
I have been doing some serious soul searching in these last few weeks, and let's just say I have a lot to think about in the months ahead.

One Year Ago Today

Last year on this date, we found out we were expecting for the third time. Luckily for us, the third time proved to be the charm and we are so blessed with our precious little Luca. I remember that morning like it was yesterday. It was a Saturday morning and we were supposed to be volunteering at the food bank helping to paint and do some general clean up work. We were obviously trying to conceive after our two losses, and it was time to take a test. I had really wanted to wait until Halloween for some odd reason, but I just knew I was pregnant and didn't want to take a risk by inhaling paint fumes and doing heavy lifting all morning at the food bank if I was indeed pregnant. I didn't even have to wait for the second line to show up, I knew I was pregnant. Sure enough, there were those pretty two pink lines glaring back at me. And just to be sure...I also took a digital. I just love seeing that little word "pregnant" pop up on the screen. I remember feeling a range of emotions that morning. Of course one of the most prominent being fear. After having gone through two previous miscarriages, there is always the nagging thought that this one might not "stick" either. I didn't want to be too excited, and I was no longer that naive person I was the first time I got pregnant. I knew all the possibilities, and I knew all too well that not all pregnancies end in a baby in 9 months. But part of me deep down felt that this was our "take home baby", and I got a little giddy.
Here we are one year later, and as I write this I am watching our almost 4 month old little boy play on his play mat. Rolling, giggling, batting at the toys. I never imagined this day would actually arrive. It was such a far fetched thought, but it is now our reality. God is good!!!
Last year I wore this same Halloween shirt and took a picture just shortly after finding out we were pregnant. Here we are one year later with a baby on the outside all ready for his very first Halloween!

Dear Luca

Dear Luca,
Right now you are napping peacefully in your swing after almost an entire week of refusing to nap during the day. You are just so interested in what's going on around you, you don't want to miss a thing! We have been spending a lot of time on your favorite play mat, and this past week I even got out a big blanket to put under it since you have been rolling and scooting all around the living room. I have so much fun just watching you explore. I would say we could add letter links to your list of favorite toys now. You could play with those for hours. I hope you enjoyed all of our trips to the park this week. The weather has been gorgeous in the mornings and the heat is finally starting to subside. I love going to the park with you and showing you off to all the other neighborhood mommies. You are so well behaved, and you just love being outside in the fresh air observing all the kids on the playground.
I have one more week at home with you and I am feeling pretty sad. I love being with you every moment of every day. It's so hard to think about being away from you. But I want you to know that even when we can't be together I am thinking of you every second and counting the minutes until I can see you. Even though your daddy and I would love for me to stay home with you, we also know that you will do well at your new daycare. You will learn new things, make new friends, and have lots of different toys to play with. You will become more independent, and the time we are together will be even more special. I know one day you will understand, and you will be proud of me for being a working mom. You will be proud that every day when I have to be away from you, I am making an impact in the lives of lots of other children. You will be proud that your mommy has such an important job.
Every day I hope and pray that God will provide a way for me to be home with you, and I have to have faith that one day he will answer that prayer, but in the meantime please don't ever forget how much your momma loves you.

Love,
Momma

Weight Loss Update...and Confession

So this week I was terrible at getting in my 30 Day Shred workout. The temperature has finally dropped below 100 degrees outside, and I have been spending my mornings at the neighborhood park with some of the neighborhood mommies or walking the dog. Plus, this week Luca has been on a napping strike during the day. He hasn't been fussy, just wide awake and not at all interested in napping. Needless to say my workouts have suffered...as well as the house cleaning. Oh well, it just means more time with my favorite little guy! That being said, I had somehow dropped down to 133.4 at my last weigh in. Now, I am certain that has gone up a bit due to my slacking off this week, but I hope I can get going in the right direction again soon. I go back to work in a week (ahhhhh!) so I am really going to have to push myself to fit it all in. I will finish the 30 Day Shred, I will finish the 30 Day Shred....

Fall Days...Sort Of

October is my favorite month. It brings in the fall, my favorite season. Growing up in Indiana fall was very different than it is here in Arizona. October meant that the leaves were starting to turn colors and cooler weather had arrived. Even though we are rocking flip flops and shorts here in October, I still love it. We may not have the change of seasons, but we still have all the fun fall activities that everyone loves. Last weekend Santi and I took Luca to the pumpkin patch to pick out his very first pumpkin for Halloween. Although he was obviously too little to understand what was going on, or what those big orange things were all about, he enjoyed getting out of the house and going on an adventure. He loves being out and about. New things to look at, fresh air, people to watch. Of course it was more of a photo opportunity for mommy and daddy than anything, but we had a good time.

Babylegs

I pink puffy heart Babylegs! Luca received a pair as a gift and I put them on him for the first time yesterday. We actually had temperatures here that dipped below 60 degrees! That's pretty chilly for Phoenix in October! Now, Santi is not a fan of said Babylegs. He thinks they are "too girly" for his little boy. I on the other hand think they are adorable on boys and girls. Plus, they are practical. Luca is hard to size when it comes to pants. He has a skinny waist and short legs. He can technically fit in newborn pants still, but is busting out of his 3 month onesies and tops. Babylegs fit perfectly in place of pants. Plus, they make diaper changing super easy because you don't have to mess with pants. I am a huge fan. Too bad I left Luca with Santi to make a grocery store run yesterday and when I can home the babylegs were off. He had supposedly pooped on them. Coincidence?

Are you really going to tell me that these aren't the cutest things you have ever seen? And look at those little toes...I just want to kiss them!

I can roll over!!!

Just the other day our little guy turned 3 months old. I posted about how he was attempting to roll over with no success. Well, I guess I spoke too soon. On Thursday morning I went into his room at 6am to get him after hearing his little coos on the monitor. In my foggy early morning state of mind I went to pick him up and was confused as to why he was on his belly. Then I realized  he must have rolled over in his sleep. Now, even though I was excited at this new developmental milestone, I had a slight moment of panic. Of course all the latest research on SIDS says "back to sleep" until age 1. Well, what on earth am I supposed to do if he rolls onto his belly in his sleep?! How will I know if he doesn't make a peep? I am actually surprised he didn't protest his new position with crying, which is what he typically does during our supervised tummy time. He really isn't a fan of being on his tummy. I guess he was just too tired. Maybe he realized it's comfortable after all. I was always a stomach sleeper before pregnancy. Oh boy...back to not getting any sleep at night. I am ashamed to admit that I actually slept with the video monitor in my hand for awhile last night...even though we also have an Angel Care breathing monitor. Yes, I am that mom.

Here is my little man practicing on his playmat. He has rolled over successfully several times since doing it in his crib. He does however get his arm stuck underneath him sometimes, which makes him mad. I was also reading the other day that babies typically learn belly to back first because back to belly is supposedly more difficult. Leave it to our child to tackle the most difficult move first.

Weight Loss Update!

Ok...I guess this is the end of week 4 for my 30 Day Shred. I have been doing the video 4 days a week, except this week I was bad because I got a flu shot and pertussis shot to protect my little guy and my arms are soooooo sore! So, I technically lost count of the days but I am pretty sure I have completed a total of 13 days out of 30. I am currently weighing in at 135.2, which means I am down close to 4lbs I believe. I'll take that. It's coming off slower than I would like, but it's coming off. 15lbs until I reach my goal weight! I can see and feel a difference in my body just from doing the video. I feel a lot less jiggly and overall more fit. I am getting stronger, and that's important. I know eventually I will see my efforts pay off more on the scale. I also purchased a used jogging stroller on Craig's List so I can start running. I miss running, and with my handy new jogging stroller I can drag Luca and Tevez along with me. We took it for a test drive this morning because the weather was absolutely beautiful here! I think I am really going to like being able to jog with Luca and Tevez and it was surprisingly easy to run with the stroller and my wild dog. Hopefully I will still have enough energy when I go back to work. Ideally I would love to be able to sign up for a 5k in January or February...but that may be a little ambitious.

Look who's three months old!

I cannot believe how fast my little man is growing! In just the last couple of weeks he has moved into size 6 month clothes, even though he is still skinny on the bottom and can still fit in newborn pants! He is built like his daddy I guess. He is full of smiles and giggles. We have started calling him "little owl" because he makes a sound just like an owl would make. It's precious. He is starting to be more interested in toys, and he loves his hands. Everything he can get a grip on goes into his mouth now. Just this week he has started trying to roll over (still without success, but he is putting forth a good effort!). He is also getting much better at supporting his head when he is sitting up or we are holding him. He loves to see what's going on around him, and sometimes that even means he refuses to eat because he is too busy exploring and observing. Every day he looks more and more like a little boy and less like the tiny little baby we brought home from the hospital in July. I can't believe how handsome he is. If only he could stay little forever...

Mom, This Toy is Cool

Luca got a new toy. Can you tell he likes it? It's so neat to watch him start to explore his surroundings. Just this week he really started gripping things and picking them up to get a closer look...or a taste in most cases.

Hmmm...wonder what this tastes like?

delirious rhapsody: fall fashion week: day one!

Check out the fall fashion post from one of my favorite blogs. I am so insanely jealous of everyone busting out their cute fall wardrobes. I am still stuck in sweats and nursing tops. I am dying to go shopping. I am feeling the need find a new style to fit my new role as mommy. Hopefully before I go back to work I can find some time to freshen up my look.

delirious rhapsody: fall fashion week: day one!: This week you're all going to have to put up with TWO post from me. Every.Single.Day. (At least that's the goal.) My regularly scheduled pr...

BLW: Baby Led Weaning...Share Your Thoughts!

Anyone do baby led weaning? Ok, for those of you that were as clueless as I was, here is blog with some good information:



I have been hearing a lot about baby led weaning, and I am interested in giving it a shot when Luca is ready for solids. We are trying to hold out until 6 months and I am hoping he will remain exclusively breastfed until then. Santi and I are very adventurous eaters. We love to cook, and we enjoy all kinds of different foods. We want our children to eat a variety of foods as well, and we want to avoid the picky eater syndrome if at all possible. I am also weary of introducing bland foods like rice cereal that don't really have any nutritional value. I think if you start babies with very bland foods, they won't grow to like a variety of different foods. I think this whole baby led weaning thing might be the way to go. My only thinking is that when he is in daycare he may have some spoon fed meals, but his daycare provider is awesome and I am sure she will be more than willing to follow our wishes with what Luca eats. She actually makes homemade breakfasts and lunches for the kids, so I am thinking it shouldn't be an issue. It doesn't have to be an "all or nothing" experience, so I am okay with some spoon fed meals here and there, particularly with foods that don't fit well into the "finger food" category. I am going to keep researching this, and if you have any insights or advice I would love to hear it!

Weight Loss Update: 5 Days Out of 30...DONE!

I posted a week or two ago about losing the baby weight. Last week I started the 30 Day Shred.

I have always been a Jillian Michaels fan thanks to my Biggest Loser addiction (new season starts soon!). I have always wanted to try her 30 Day Shred, and after I got the go ahead from my doctor at my post partum visit I was excited to get going! I have been motivated to lose the last 20lbs I am hanging onto...well, actually I am only about 15lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight but I would like to push myself to go a bit further since I was a little on the chubbier side before I got pregnant. So, last week I squeezed in 4 days of The 30 Day Shred, and I am proud of that because last week was rough with Luca being so fussy. I weighed in last Monday at 139.6, and today at 138.4....down a little over a pound! I would say that is a decent start. I am going to shoot for getting in at least 5 days of exercise this week and today's workout is done! I will do mostly 30 Day Shred, but I would like to try for a jog since my ultimate goal is to get back into running. I will admit though, I have not been that great with my eating because breastfeeding makes me famished all. the. time. I am going to keep trying though! I am going to keep you all posted on my progress with the 30 Day Shred!

Laughs!

I should have posted this earlier, but I am just now recovering from last week. Luca had his two month shots the week before, and that was followed by an entire week of fussiness. I hate when my little man is fussy and I don't know how to soothe him. Thankfully by Friday night he was back to his normal happy self, and we even captured some of his first laughs on video! He started laughing the week prior...but we were never able to capture it. He usually gets the giggles sitting on dad's lap in the evening listening to dad make funny noises. I have even caught him giggling at Tevez a couple of times. It's just the most adorable thing in the world. 

Dear Luca

Dear Luca,
I am not sure why you have been so darn cranky the past few days. Are you growing? Not getting enough to eat? Could it be the weather? Are you too cold or too hot? Perhaps you are gassy? Whatever it is, mommy has no idea how to make it better, and it's very frustrating. Listening to you scream for a good portion of the day is exhausting, but I love you no matter what. I only want to soothe you, and it's so very heartbreaking when I can't. You don't want to swing, or hang out with me in the Moby. You don't like to be snuggled (tear), and you don't want to play. You eat and eat, but you're still not content. So little one, if you could just speak up and be clear about what it is exactly that you need, I would be more than happy to oblige and we would all feel better.

Love,
Momma

First time in the Bumbo!

My eventual goal for this blog is to have it printed into a keepsake book for Luca that includes all the posts from my pregnancy and his first year. I didn't post as often as I would have liked during my pregnancy, and I didn't get in one last belly pic in the Halloween shirt before I went into labor (let's face it, by the time I realized I was in labor I wasn't thinking about taking pictures), but I am going to try very hard to keep the blog updated with all of his "firsts". At 2 months old he hasn't had too many "firsts" just yet, but I know many of them are just around the corner and I can hardly wait! Yesterday on a whim I decided to get out the Bumbo just to see if he would be able to sit in it yet. It claims it's for babies 8 weeks and up. I was doubtful that his head control was good enough to sit up in it, but I gave it a try anyways...and viola! My little boy was sitting up straight...and he didn't look so little anymore. It is just amazing how quickly the tiny little newborn we brought home from the hospital has changed. He is developing a personality, smiling, cooing, and now becoming more and more steady supporting himself. I love how his arm hangs over the side.

7 More Weeks...

I cannot believe I only have 7 more weeks until I have to go back to work. Although I am absolutely dreading it, I am blessed to have been able to stay home with my little man this long. As much as I hate to leave him anywhere, with anyone, I am thankful that God has provided a caretaker for Luca that I feel comfortable with and that I know will take good care of him and give him lots of love and attention when I can't be there. Since he was born in the middle of summer vacation, I basically got an extra month of maternity leave for "free". He will be 4 months old when I go back to work, and he will only have to be in daycare for a total of 5 months this whole school year, so that's another thing I have to be thankful for, but it's still hard to think about leaving my precious child all day and being away from him. Being a working mom is something I have struggled with for a long time. When Santi and I were first married we agreed that children would wait until we had both finished our education, had established ourselves in our careers, and saved up some money so that I could stay at home. I never wanted to be in a position where my children would have to go to childcare. As much as I love my career, I wanted to spend every second possible with my children. We worked very hard, both of us going to school and working full time. It wasn't easy, but we did it and we sacrificed. We knew it was important for us to be able to support a family. Unfortunately by the time Santi finished his bachelor's and I finished my master's the economy was in shambles. Our mortgage was upside down on our first home (like so many others) and Santi was having a hard time finding a better position. By that time we had been married almost three years, and we were really longing to start our family. We took a leap of faith and hoped that God would provide a way for me to stay home, even though it wasn't possible at the time. After struggling over a year to start our family (also not what we had expected), we welcomed Luca, and I was still holding out hope that somehow I would be able to stay home. Since I found out I was pregnant, I have been crunching numbers and cutting back to try to make things work. Now, with my return date looming I know that it is not in God's plans for me to stay home with Luca at this time, and I have to trust His decision. Maybe He wants me back at work because He knows the work that I am doing and the lives I am impacting in my career as a teacher. Or maybe he just wants to test my faith yet again, and in His time the right opportunity will come along for me to stay home. I feel His whisper at times telling me that I will be able to stay home with Luca, and He will provide all we need, but I have to be patient. All I can do for now is trust Him with our finances, remain faithful with the tithe, and pray that he will bless us for our hard work. Sure it's frustrating to know how hard Santi and I both work, and yet we are still unable to afford for me to stay home. It's frustrating knowing that we aren't living lavish lifestyles, and yet the bills are still barely paid each month. It's frustrating knowing that we both went to school for a long time, and borrowed a lot of money, and we may never see a return on our investment. I have to believe that it's all a part of His plan, and honestly we are truly blessed. I know money doesn't buy happiness...but it's hard to say that when money is what would allow me to stay home with my child.

Food!!!!

I have a couple new recipes to post with photos. Part of my 101 in 1,001 (see tab on top of blog) was to try 20 new recipes. Well, over the last year or so I have developed a real love for cooking and I have since surpassed my original goal of trying 20 new recipes. I have posted a few here on our blog in the past, and I have a couple new favorites to share. I just love sharing recipes, and I love when others share them with me! Feel free to link to your favorites:)

I will admit my pictures aren't great because my kitchen doesn't have the best lighting for photos, but you get the idea.
Both recipes come from one of my all time favorite food blogs: Gina's Skinny Taste

The first one just looked like fun. Meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potato "frosting". This would be a great meal for kids. It even has hidden veggies. They were DELISH!
Here's the recipe: Meatloaf Cupcakes
And here is a picture of mine:

 I love Asian food, especially Japanese. I really love all the Asian flavors like ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. This recipe has it all! I served these Asian turkey meatballs over rice with some edamame on the side. YUM!

You can find it here: Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

And finally, not a recipe but it is food...Santi located a new Ecuadorian grocery here in Phoenix! It's right by his office, so he stopped by after work the other day to check it out. After chatting with some fellow Ecuadorians he picked up some goodies for us. These are some of my fave foods from Ecuador.

I pink puffy heart Fiora Vanti...there is no soda like this in the U.S. It's kind of like Fanta but waaaaaay better! Can't wait to go with Luca for some Ecuadorian ceviche and mote sucio (google it)!

Two Months!

Yesterday our precious little boy turned 2 months old! They say children grow up way too fast, but that's an understatement. After the long road we walked to get him here, it's hard to believe he is already two months old. It seems like in the blink of an eye we went from mourning the losses of our other pregnancies and wondering when we would ever be blessed with our own child, to ooing and awing over this absolutely perfect little guy. He is so full of smiles and coos, and he so happy and content all the time. Even though I was a little sad to pack up  the newborn clothes this past weekend, I am excited to watch him continue to grow and change. Oh, did I mention he has slept through the night three nights now? Yeah, that's right. Momma is feeling pretty good with all the extra sleep:)

Let's Just Be Honest

The other day I came across a new blog I am now following, and a post that made me say "Wow, I needed to hear that." I have been meaning to blog about it since I read it, and then our laptop charger decided to quit on us so needless to say blogging hasn't been possible lately.
You can read her full post here: She Breathes Deeply
I couldn't agree more with the majority of the things she talks about in her post, and to be honest it felt like a weight was lifted off of me...just hearing that other moms think and feel the same why I do. One of the most difficult things about being a new mom is that no one is ever completely honest with you about just how difficult it is! Yes, I was expecting sleepless nights, worrying over everything, a change in dynamics in our marriage, and a lack of "me time"...but I had no idea the kind of pressure and anxiety I would feel. I think the pressure has been the hardest thing for me. All of a sudden, I had this new role to add to my other roles as a wife and teacher. And there were certain expectations for this new role, and all of a sudden I was struggling to figure out how to balance it all. Every new mom, especially in today's society where the internet and technology make it so easy to connect with other moms, compares themselves to their friends, strangers, their own mom. When I was pregnant, I spent a lot of time on The Bump website. I got to "know" a lot of moms and moms-to-be through their message boards, and have even met a couple in person now. While the friendships I have developed there and the support I have found are such a blessing, I also found a lot of pressure there. The same goes with so many of the mommy blogs I started following, books I have read,  friends that are moms, moms from church, moms in my own family, and moms I work with. I felt pressure to be a "super mom", and for many women today that means a natural birthing, exclusively breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering, homemade baby food making, co-sleeping, stay at home mom. Well, the reality is, that's not reality for many moms. And that's okay. It is taking time for me to accept that it's okay if I can only breastfeed for a few months, I am blessed that I have been able to do it at all. It's okay if I don't find breastfeeding to be this special, magical experience. I see it more as a sacrifice for my son, a gift. It's okay if he hates being "worn" in the Moby and would rather sprawl out on his playmat alone. He's independent. It's okay if I have to use disposable diapers. Let's face it, what working mom has time for hand washing diapers!? It's okay if I buy baby food in a jar. It's okay if I am still hanging on to 20lbs of my baby weight at 2 months postpartum and I am no where near getting back into my old clothes. It's okay if my house is a mess and dinner sometimes comes from the freezer...or a box...or is delivered to our door. And probably the biggest thing for me to accept...it's okay to be a working mom. Luca is going to love me just the same. 

The Time Has Come...

To lose weight. I have always been a petite gal, and I have never been overweight. Sure I put on a few extra pounds in college, and during the months I was coping with our miscarriages and trying to conceive I was a little on the chubbier side, but never overweight. Yes I know I just had a baby 6 weeks ago and it takes time to lose the weight, but I am ready to get started! I am ashamed to admit that I allowed myself to pack on nearly 50lbs during my pregnancy. Wow. That's tough to say. I had always told myself prior to becoming pregnant that I would stay active during my pregnancy and only gain the recommended amount of weight. Well, I was so anxious about everything during my pregnancy, and any form of exercise beyond walking just made me a nervous wreck. I know that sounds crazy, but after two losses I was not about to do anything that could possibly jeopardize another pregnancy. When I was working the weight gain was minimal because I was on my feet teaching kindergarten all day and busy, busy, busy. Towards the end of my pregnancy is when I started gaining fast. Sure I swelled up like a blimp, so a lot of it was water weight, but it also didn't help that the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy fell during the beginning of summer vacation and I sat around in the AC all day stuffing my face. Well, what's done is done. I am less than thrilled with the way I look now, but I have an amazing little boy to show for it.
On Monday I was given the go ahead by my doctor to start exercising, and I have started really watching what I eat. I am going to be totally up front and open about my weight on here so that I have some accountability on this journey. Before I got pregnant my weight hovered around 118-122, which was even a few more pounds than I would have liked. At my last prenatal visit before I went into labor I weighed in at a whopping 169lbs. Yeah. My first day home from the hospital I was at 157lbs. As of Monday's doctor's visit I was down to 143lbs. So that's 26lbs that I have lost since delivery. I still have a little more than 20lbs to go to be where I would like. Santi is joining me on this weight loss journey. He lost about 25lbs before Luca arrived, and he still has more to lose, so it will be nice to have a partner to keep me motivated. I have to be honest, I am a little overwhelmed by the task ahead since this is my first venture with weight loss. I will keep you posted on how things are going...

Num Nums

I have become quite the foodie over the last year or so. I love cooking, trying new recipes, and I am obsessed with Food Network. My favorite recipe blogs are Gina's Skinny Taste and Annie's Eats. Now that I am on Pinterest, I started a "Num Nums" board. Check it out. My Num Nums Board

Personally, I think the turkey meatloaf "cupcakes" are going to be next on my list of new recipes to try.

I mean, seriously?!

Sunday Blessings

Before Luca arrived, I set a goal to blog more regularly and to get more creative with my blogging. I also wanted to have some regular weekly posts. To be honest, I am not great at keeping up with regular posts like some of my blogging friends, but I really want to make an effort. I love blogging. It's my outlet. Since I began this blog four years ago I have had periods that were just uninspired and other times when I had so much going on all I wanted to do was blog. Now as a new mom I feel like I have recovered my passion for blogging. I have so much on my mind and so much to share. This new phase in life is so full of new experiences and inspirations.
One of the "regular" posts I tried to start before Luca arrived was Sunday blessings. I wanted to take a moment each Sunday to come up with at least one thing I am thankful for. One blessing among many in my life. One "shout out" to my awesome God, full of mercy and grace.
Now this particular Sunday I have finances on my mind. Not too different from any other day of the week honestly. When we found out we were expecting Luca, we began saving for my maternity leave because I knew I wanted to take the full 12 weeks, even if it was unpaid. We decided we would just put away enough money to live off for those weeks, plus cover the expenses of the hospital bill and any baby expenses we might encounter. We thought we had plenty saved up and I was feeling good about taking all this time off work. Well we all know things don't always go as planned...in fact, they rarely do. Since Luca's arrival, in addition to the couple thousand dollars we had already dropped on the hospital and doctor bills (the amount they had given us initially as an estimate), we have received additional doctor or hospital bills almost every other day in the mail it seems like. Partly because of the issues I had towards the end of my pregnancy that resulted in extra ultrasounds, and party because when it comes to doctors they are never up front about what you really are going to have to pay. What we had estimated for medical expenses has doubled easily. Additionally, we have had not one, but three incidents with our cars that required repair. Tack on another thousand. The money we had saved for my leave is quickly disappearing, and part of me wants to feel really anxious about how we are going to pay the bills for the next 10 or so weeks of my leave. But then I remember that I serve a generous God...and He provides. I have to remember that. So, my Sunday blessing for today: our fridge is full of food, we have clothes on our backs, and a roof over our head. I am not sure how we are going to stretch out our savings until I get paid again...but I do know that He knows. We have been faithfully tithing for over a year now, and I know He will take care of us. He can do more with 90% than we can with 100%. I am ready to watch Him work. We are blessed.

Our New Retreat

My father-in-law rocks. Every time he comes out to visit he does something around the house that we have been meaning to do and haven't gotten around to. Well, I have been dying to freshen up our master bedroom for awhile now. We have lived in our house for three years, and I have never been a fan of our master bedroom. For some reason I thought it would be a great idea to paint it chocolate brown and teal when we moved in. In theory maybe a good idea, in actuality it was kind of ugly and dark. After we were finished, I just decided to leave it and see if it grew on me. It didn't. We decided to take advantage of my father-in-law's visit this past week and ask him to repaint the room for us. It went from this:

To this...

We also updated it with some new shelves and mirrors from IKEA, as well as a new comforter I found on clearance at T.J.Maxx. We spent about $250 total on the makeover, and it really turned out great! It looks so fresh and new...perfect for this new phase in our lives! 

Pinterest

Ahhh...as if I needed another distraction. I have discovered Pinterest and I am slightly addicted. Basically, it's an online pinboard that allows you to keep track of things like ideas, recipes, products you love, etc. Check out my Pinterest boards here: Ashley's Pinterest Boards!

We're All Smiles!

I apologize for neglecting the blog a bit lately, we have had guests staying with us for the last week, and our newest guest (Aunt Andrea) just arrived last night. Santi's mom, dad, and grandpa came out to meet little Luca this week, and it was so great to have family here again. They are so in love with their first grandchild (and grandpa's fourth great grandchild). Just in time for their visit, Luca started really smiling and cooing in reaction to voices and faces. It has been so special  to watch him interacting with us, and with his grandparents. He is growing so fast, and I am looking forward to all of the other milestones that await us!!!
Check out that smile!!!

It's so much fun trying to catch all his smiles on camera!

On a side note, he has also moved into size 3 month clothes! He is starting to look more and more like a little boy...and more like his daddy.

1 Month and 28 Years Old

Yesterday our little man turned 1 month old, and today I turn 28 years old. I cannot believe our baby is one month old already. This morning has been rough for Luca after yesterday's visit to the doctor, which resulted in a vaccine and a diagnosis of acid reflux. When he is fussy and I am exhausted, I often find myself wishing for the days ahead when he has more happy awake times...when he is more independent. Then, I remind myself of how quickly time has already gone by, and how much I am going to miss these days of exhaustion when a shower and hot meal are rare, and my new wardrobe consists mainly of sweats and puke covered nursing tops. It's my 28th birthday, and so far today I haven't even had a moment to brush my teeth, but it's all good. I am blessed beyond belief, and if I remember correctly last year at this time I would have given anything to be celebrating my birthday with my precious baby...even a fussy one.

Happy one month birthday my sweet little boy. Mama and papi love you so much.

LoVe

Welcome to Mommyhood

I think I have about 10 minutes before Luca wakes up from his nap. Which means I will probably start this post, he will wake up, nurse, and then I will come back to the blog and forget what on earth I was writing about. Welcome to mommyhood!
On Friday, Luca will be one month old. It's so hard to believe he has been here for a month already. It has been such a wild ride so far, and mommyhood is so different than I ever imagined. This tiny little person has made such an impact on our lives, and we are so truly blessed. In the fog of sleep deprivation, it's hard to even wrap my mind around the idea that we are actually parents. Sometimes it still feels like we are babysitting and the real parents are going to show up at any moment.

This week I began my "official" maternity leave. I have 12 weeks at home with my amazing little boy, and I know it's going to fly by. I always thought being a stay at home mom was a fairly easy job compared to teaching kindergarten, but boy was I wrong!  I never thought that one little boy could take up so much energy, especially since I am used to having 25 five year olds all day long! My days consist of waking up whenever Luca wakes up (which could be anywhere from 5am to 9am on a good day), taking a super fast shower when he is napping, grabbing a quick bite to eat here and there when I can, cleaning up when he will let me, changing diapers, soothing him when he is fussy, nursing, nursing, nursing, and more nursing....all while being deprived of sleep. But I wouldn't change a thing. Even though these early months are tough, I know I am going to miss them when they are gone. I have to stop myself from thinking ahead to all the "firsts"...first real smile, first coos, first time he rolls over...even though I am excited to experience the true rewards of being a mother, like when he actually recognizes and acknowledges me with a smile, I have to stop and enjoy the quiet newborn moments.

Isn't this the most precious face you have ever seen?

He's Here!!!!

Our precious son Luca Alberto Sotomayor made his grand entrance into the world on July 5th, 2011 at 6:52am. He weighed in at 6lbs 7oz and 20in long. We are so in love with him!!! I went into labor on my own at 4am on the 4th of July. I was so excited to think we could have a little 4th of July firecracker! Well, after laboring all day at home I was finally admitted to the hospital at 6pm. Luca didn't quite make it in time for a 4th of July birthday, but we are so thankful that he arrived perfectly healthy on the 5th. After all the ups and downs of trying to start our family, it is so surreal that he is actually here. We are so blessed with this little boy and couldn't be happier. Right now we are enjoying every moment with him and our new little family. Here are some of my favorite pictures from his first week at home. Enjoy!

I look like I got hit by a bus after almost 30 hours of labor, but I was sooooo happy!

Favorite place to sleep...on mom or dad's chest.

Isn't he such an angel?

I could just eat him up!

So precious

Leaving the hospital finally

Ready  to go home and we just missed the big dust storm!

The Sotomayor Boys!

6 Days...or Less!!!!!

I know, I know, I have really really slacked off on the blog the last few weeks. I think the last time I posted I was almost 37 weeks. Well, here we are today at 39 weeks...and man am I tired!!! I had most of my nesting energy between 34-37 weeks. I cleaned the house top to bottom multiple times a week, organized drawers, and cleaned out closets. Once 38 weeks hit I was just wiped out. I haven't truly slept in weeks now. I hate bedtime. I dread going to bed because I know it means a night of tossing and turning, wanting to sleep so badly but not being able to, getting up a million times to go to the bathroom, going from the bed to the recliner and back again...it's awful. I know it's my body's way of  preparing me for having a little one..but geez at least let me get some sleep before he gets here!!!! So...blogging has taken a backseat to my laziness. I have spent the last 3 weeks just lounging around the house and pool trying to stay out of the 115+ degree heat. Summer is in full force here in Phoenix, and man it's awful when you are 9 months pregnant! I try to only leave the house for doctor's appointments, but I did get out a couple days ago to enjoy lunch with a friend and a much needed pedicure. My feet have been sooooo swollen in this heat! I haven't even managed to get any belly pictures the last couple of weeks because I have lived in Santi's t-shirts and sweats. I have actually reached the point where not even my maternity pants fit! I am a hot mess! So, if you are lucky I will force myself to get dressed tomorrow and I will take some final belly shots, including a final shot in the Halloween shirt which I am pretty sure will no longer go over my belly. In the meantime, here is a 3D picture of our little man:

When I went for my biweekly ultrasound on Friday, the tech decided to "play around" with the 3D machine. It looked much clearer on the actual screen, but she printed some pics anyways. And of course Luca has his arm/hand over his face like always, so you can only see his eyes and nose. And his head is now really low, so it was hard for her to get the shot. Typically the 3D machine is only for special circumstances, but I think since they see me twice a week she just wanted to do something fun and try to let me have a sneak peek of his face. I love the ultrasound techs at my doctor's office! They are so sweet!
And now for the exciting news...my due date is next Saturday, July 9th. After meeting with my doctor last week she said that she does not want me to go past my due date because of his small size and lack of appropriate weight gain. So, that means if Luca doesn't come on his own before Thursday, we will be induced early in the morning on 7/7/11. I think that sounds like a cool birthday, but I still would love a 4th of July baby so I am hoping he gets motivated to come out before I have to be induced! If I don't quit feeding him Ben and Jerry's ice cream every night he is going to want to stay put though...I might need to cut that out. Everyone keeps asking me if I am nervous, but honestly I am not at all. Maybe that will change once we are at the hospital,  but I am just so excited to meet our little man!!! I honestly can't wait! I feel like a kid at Christmas! It's been a long, hard road to start our family and I could not be more happy and excited. I feel so incredibly blessed and Santi and I are more than ready for this new chapter in our lives. Come on out Luca!!! We are all waiting to meet you!!!

Anniversary and a Babymoon

On Thursday Santi and I celebrated 4 years of marriage. Because our actual anniversary was on a Thursday night, we decided to stay in and I made a special Ecuadorian dinner of churrasco with menestra...and I also tried my hand at the raspberry cheesecake cupcakes from Annie's Eats. I was surprised by how well both things turned out!

Delicious raspberry cheesecake cupcakes from Annie's Eats

An Ecuadorian meal...churrasco, menestra, rice, fried yucca, and salad...yum!

Santi came home with these beautiful flowers for me. 

After enjoying a wonderful anniversary, Santi convinced me (didn't take much) that we should go ahead and enjoy a mini-babymoon. We had originally planned a weekend in Sedona for our anniversary/babymoon, but my doctor said no more out of town trips. He found us a great last minute deal at an amazing resort in Scottsdale for the weekend, so we were able to enjoy a fantastic, relaxing weekend staycation! We spent the weekend soaking in the pool, getting some sun, and eating lots of yummy food. It was so relaxing and so wonderful to spend that time together as a couple before we welcome Luca into our family. I know once we are officially parents, our lives are going to be much different (in a good way) and our alone time as a couple is going to be very infrequent. It was a fantastic last getaway as just the two of us, but I think we spent the majority of the weekend talking about all the fun trips we wanted to take with Luca and how much fun it was going to be. I can't believe he is going to be here in about 4 weeks or less!

A beach belly picture...36 weeks!

Pool time!

Lounging at the resort listening to some great live music. 

One of 10 pools at our resort!

Next weekend I will be 37 weeks...which is considered "full term". That means Luca's arrival is just around the corner. 4 weeks or less!!!

Four Years

Four years ago today, Santi and I began our journey as husband and wife. Every part of our wedding day was absolutely perfect...and our marriage has been pretty much the same. Every day I still wake up thankful to see him beside me, and every day I love him more than I ever thought possible. God has truly blessed us in our marriage, and he made the perfect match. He truly brought two people together from different parts of the world, and our union was a part of His perfect plan.

A picture of the happiest day of our lives...so far.

Our Hawaiian honeymoon. It was such a beautiful trip and Santi has promised we could return to renew our vows for our 10 year anniversary. That means I have 6 more years to go!

And here we are four years later, about to welcome our first child, Luca Alberto, into this world. 

Life has thrown a lot at us in the last four years, but our faith in God and commitment to one another has gotten us through even some of the most difficult times, and we are so much stronger as a couple because of those trials and tribulations. From getting married, to moving across the country just weeks after our honeymoon to a place we had never even been before, to losing our first two pregnancies, to now awaiting this miracle child...God has been faithful! I look forward to the many years we will spend growing together in the future, now not only as a couple, but as parents. I started this blog shortly after our wedding and move to Arizona, and it is so special to look back on all of the memories we have shared. It's all there. Documented for the future. And I am so excited to see what new things I will have to blog about in the years to come!