Clothing for big girls:
Clothing for little girls:
Hair pieces:
Jewelry:
Shoes:
Even invitations:
Monday, May 10, 2010
Obsession of the Week
I am completely obsessed with rosettes. They are springing up everywhere and I love it! They add such a feminine touch to everything. I'm starting to think that everything should have a rosette somewhere on it. I especially love them when they are used to add a splash of color.
Clothing for big girls:
Clothing for little girls:
Hair pieces:
Jewelry:
Shoes:
Accessories:
Even invitations:
Clothing for big girls:
Clothing for little girls:
Hair pieces:
Jewelry:
Shoes:
Even invitations:
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Because I Never Want to Forget
My first Mother's Day has come and gone. I am left feeling humbled and blessed. I am so lucky to have an amazing husband who couldn't be more right for me. I am even more lucky to be sharing the huge task of raising a child with him. Today I was celebrated. I was showered with love and affection all because I am someone's mother. Who would have thought? It feels weird being celebrated when I am so new to this role as a mother. There are days when I feel like it's someone else with the beautiful daughter. I can't really believe that I have grown up enough to be at that stage in my life where I am a mother. Then there are days when I feel like the only thing that truly defines me is this role as a mother. The joy I find in caring for Catarina is immeasurable and indescribable. Sure, I have my moments of frustration, but when I look down at that sweet face I am reminded of all the love that swells within me. It's because of Catarina that I am a mother. She makes me want to be the best mother I can be and makes me want to love harder than I have ever loved. I couldn't be more thankful to Catarina for choosing me to be her mother and to Alex for choosing me to be his partner in this crazy adventure called life. I am whole because I have these two people in my life.
Picture of the Week
Another new feature! I really want to get to learn how to use my new camera and I need to know how to use it for pictures of things other than Cati, so I'm going to do a Picture of the Week post every Sunday. The goal is to take the camera out more, explore its features, and then share my favorite shot with you and tell you why I like it so much.
This week's picture is from Cati's nursery. It's of the silk peony hanging from her crib. The flower is actually in the flower holders we used to line the pews for our church ceremony when we got married. I love that I was able to incorporate the event that solidified our relationship in Cati's room. What I really like about the picture are the soft colors and the ribbon twisting around the flower. The picture really represents all I was going for in Cati's room: feminine, dainty, and classy.
This week's picture is from Cati's nursery. It's of the silk peony hanging from her crib. The flower is actually in the flower holders we used to line the pews for our church ceremony when we got married. I love that I was able to incorporate the event that solidified our relationship in Cati's room. What I really like about the picture are the soft colors and the ribbon twisting around the flower. The picture really represents all I was going for in Cati's room: feminine, dainty, and classy.
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies today. My mother-in-law shared this with me and I thought it too beautiful not to share with you. I hope everyone is having a great day honoring the mothers in their lives!A newborn's conversation with God
A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"
God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."
The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy." God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."
Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?" God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."
And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?" God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."
Who will protect me?" God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."
But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore." God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."
God said, "You will simply call her, "Mom."
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Things to Do: Miami Metro Zoo
I love the zoo. I love seeing all the animals. Miami Metro Zoo is a our local zoo and has made quite the comeback. When Hurricane Andrew hit the South Florida area, the zoo suffered huge losses. I remember it took them a very long time to rebuild the aviary area of the zoo and the zoo looked very bare and almost forgotten. The zoo is very kid friendly; other than the obviousness of the animals the zoo also has a splish and splash area for those extra hot days.
Here are some pictures of my favorite animals:
Miami Metro Zoo is located at 12400 Southwest 152nd Street in Miami. Admission is $16 per adult but they are always running specials online for reduced admission. It is definitely worth getting an annual pass because the zoo is quite large and it's hard to really enjoy it fully in one day.
Here are some pictures of my favorite animals:
Miami Metro Zoo is located at 12400 Southwest 152nd Street in Miami. Admission is $16 per adult but they are always running specials online for reduced admission. It is definitely worth getting an annual pass because the zoo is quite large and it's hard to really enjoy it fully in one day.
Friday, May 7, 2010
This Week in Mommyhood
Another new thing I want to do on the blog is dedicate a post to my Adventures in Mommyhood. It will be a weekly post recapping my week with Cati. If you remember this post, you'll remember that I think it's really important to have an open dialogue when it comes to the difficulties of parenthood. Not all of it is difficult and there are more good moments than bad, but it is hard and I really think we jump into this whole parenthood thing completely unprepared no matter how much we feel we are prepared. So hopefully these posts will continue the dialogue and resonate with some. And now, without further ado...
Each week starts with me freaking out about having to spend my days alone with Cati. I don't know if I will ever feel 100% comfortable and confident in my parenting skills. There comes a moment every weekend where I feel like crying because I doubt my ability to make it through the week. Above all, I fear being alone with Cati. It's as if I am transported back to that first week home from the hospital with a baby I don't know. It's so weird. I thought those feelings would have faded by now but they haven't. I'm taking it as an indication of how seriously and fully I take my role as Cati's mother.
I have been told multiple times that you can tell I know her better and that I enjoy her more. I do know her better and I am enjoying her more. My favorite time of day with her is in the morning when she first wakes up because she is so playful and interactive. She's talkative and constantly gives me that smile that makes my heart skip a beat. This is the only time that she's her most calm and patient. She wakes up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
She has settled herself into a bit of a routine. She's down for the night by 9pm and wakes up for the day by 7:30am. When they tell you not to get to used to a routine because it will change, they aren't lying. While Cati's bedtime and wake up times have remained fairly constant, her nighttime activities haven't. She went from only waking up twice overnight to waking up at least 5 times, with 4 of those times happening between 1am and 6am. She's obviously not a fan of letting her mom sleep. She used to be a good napper during the day and now she naps a total of 4 hours max, if I'm lucky. She's been taking two 30-45 min naps during the day and one two-hour nap in the late afternoon. She's not giving me much time for Me-Time during the day.
Cati likes attention. This week she has shown us that she gets upset when the attention is off her. We went out to dinner with her Abuela and at one point we weren't paying much attention to Cati because we were conversing. Well, Cati didn't like it one bit and started to cry. As soon as we looked at Cati and started talking to her she calmed right down. She was letting us know that she's the center of attention and reprimanding us for forgetting that.
We went to the beach for the first time this week. She got to wear her Gymboree bathing suit and even dipped her feet in the water. She responds well to water and actually enjoys it. I'm waiting for her to be a little older before I dunk more of her body in the water.
In mommy news, I got a clogged duct. Anyone who has ever had a clogged duct will tell you that it is not fun. I love that Cati has survived exclusively on breast milk and wouldn't change anything about that, but a clogged duct is a huge setback and an even bigger annoyance. It makes you incredibly uncomfortable and trying to get the clog out is sometimes painful. It also makes you wish for the days when your boobs lose their functionality and return to their aesthetic form. I can't wait til my boobs belong to me again and for things like clogged ducts and mastitis to become a faint memory.
We looked at Cati's newborn pictures and are stunned at how much she has changed and grown. I still can't believe this child was inside me at some point. I feel so blessed to have her and so lucky to be able to see her develop into her own little person. Alex said he felt like crying because his daughter was growing up so fast. I told him the only tears he'd see from me would be tears of joy because we are passed those hard first few weeks.
My goal is for her to know how much I love her so I spend a lot of time kissing her, hugging her, and telling her I love her. One day she will reject all these affections but before we get to that point I want her to know, without a doubt, that she is loved and adored.
The most exciting development this week is the increase in people saying she looks like me. When she was born, and up until a few weeks ago, the majority of people said she looked like Alex. Now I think Alex is very handsome and don't think there is anything wrong with Cati looking like him, but the girl should at least pay a little homage to the woman who carried her for 9 months and to the woman from whose body she was taken out of. It's the least she can do ;-)
Cati turns 3 months next week and I can't wait to see what next week brings. Life with a baby is never dull!
Each week starts with me freaking out about having to spend my days alone with Cati. I don't know if I will ever feel 100% comfortable and confident in my parenting skills. There comes a moment every weekend where I feel like crying because I doubt my ability to make it through the week. Above all, I fear being alone with Cati. It's as if I am transported back to that first week home from the hospital with a baby I don't know. It's so weird. I thought those feelings would have faded by now but they haven't. I'm taking it as an indication of how seriously and fully I take my role as Cati's mother.
I have been told multiple times that you can tell I know her better and that I enjoy her more. I do know her better and I am enjoying her more. My favorite time of day with her is in the morning when she first wakes up because she is so playful and interactive. She's talkative and constantly gives me that smile that makes my heart skip a beat. This is the only time that she's her most calm and patient. She wakes up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
She has settled herself into a bit of a routine. She's down for the night by 9pm and wakes up for the day by 7:30am. When they tell you not to get to used to a routine because it will change, they aren't lying. While Cati's bedtime and wake up times have remained fairly constant, her nighttime activities haven't. She went from only waking up twice overnight to waking up at least 5 times, with 4 of those times happening between 1am and 6am. She's obviously not a fan of letting her mom sleep. She used to be a good napper during the day and now she naps a total of 4 hours max, if I'm lucky. She's been taking two 30-45 min naps during the day and one two-hour nap in the late afternoon. She's not giving me much time for Me-Time during the day.
Cati likes attention. This week she has shown us that she gets upset when the attention is off her. We went out to dinner with her Abuela and at one point we weren't paying much attention to Cati because we were conversing. Well, Cati didn't like it one bit and started to cry. As soon as we looked at Cati and started talking to her she calmed right down. She was letting us know that she's the center of attention and reprimanding us for forgetting that.
We went to the beach for the first time this week. She got to wear her Gymboree bathing suit and even dipped her feet in the water. She responds well to water and actually enjoys it. I'm waiting for her to be a little older before I dunk more of her body in the water.
In mommy news, I got a clogged duct. Anyone who has ever had a clogged duct will tell you that it is not fun. I love that Cati has survived exclusively on breast milk and wouldn't change anything about that, but a clogged duct is a huge setback and an even bigger annoyance. It makes you incredibly uncomfortable and trying to get the clog out is sometimes painful. It also makes you wish for the days when your boobs lose their functionality and return to their aesthetic form. I can't wait til my boobs belong to me again and for things like clogged ducts and mastitis to become a faint memory.
We looked at Cati's newborn pictures and are stunned at how much she has changed and grown. I still can't believe this child was inside me at some point. I feel so blessed to have her and so lucky to be able to see her develop into her own little person. Alex said he felt like crying because his daughter was growing up so fast. I told him the only tears he'd see from me would be tears of joy because we are passed those hard first few weeks.
My goal is for her to know how much I love her so I spend a lot of time kissing her, hugging her, and telling her I love her. One day she will reject all these affections but before we get to that point I want her to know, without a doubt, that she is loved and adored.
The most exciting development this week is the increase in people saying she looks like me. When she was born, and up until a few weeks ago, the majority of people said she looked like Alex. Now I think Alex is very handsome and don't think there is anything wrong with Cati looking like him, but the girl should at least pay a little homage to the woman who carried her for 9 months and to the woman from whose body she was taken out of. It's the least she can do ;-)
Cati turns 3 months next week and I can't wait to see what next week brings. Life with a baby is never dull!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Reviewed: Fat Burger
My mom didn't like Alex when we first started dating. The truth is, she was in love with my ex boyfriend and thought there was no way I'd do better than him. So when she found out about Alex she told me I was giving up filet mignon for a hamburger. For some reason she thought I was downgrading. Alex eventually won her over but to this day we joke about her filet mignon vs. hamburger comment. Now I will say that if I was asked to choose between filet mignon and a hamburger I would choose the hamburger. This has always and will always be the case. I love a good burger and would rather have that than a filet mignon any day.
Case in point, Fat Burger. It's a new burger place on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables and I was dying to check it out. We recently went to it and I indulged just a little. I ordered a 5 oz burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. The burger was delicious! It was a little on the dry side but the bacon and egg really made up for that because of the flavors they added to the burger.
We order a side of onion rings to go with the burgers. The side was just enough to share. The batter wasn't too think and it was enough to add a nice crunch to the sweet onions.
Fat Burger is located at 232 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Prices are comparable to a place like Five Guys if you are getting a regular burger but they do get pricey once you start adding things (cheese is $.60 extra and bacon is $.99 extra). Still, they are a good alternative to Five Guys if you want a fried egg added to your burger.
Case in point, Fat Burger. It's a new burger place on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables and I was dying to check it out. We recently went to it and I indulged just a little. I ordered a 5 oz burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. The burger was delicious! It was a little on the dry side but the bacon and egg really made up for that because of the flavors they added to the burger.
We order a side of onion rings to go with the burgers. The side was just enough to share. The batter wasn't too think and it was enough to add a nice crunch to the sweet onions.
Fat Burger is located at 232 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Prices are comparable to a place like Five Guys if you are getting a regular burger but they do get pricey once you start adding things (cheese is $.60 extra and bacon is $.99 extra). Still, they are a good alternative to Five Guys if you want a fried egg added to your burger.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Cookie Wednesday: Peanut Butter Cookies
One of the new things I want to do on the blog is to feature a cookie each week. I have always said that cookies are my favorite thing to bake and that should be reflected on the blog. Or maybe I'm using the blog as a way to justify my desire to bake cookies. Either way, I love to bake cookies because of how varied they can be, how quickly they come together, and how perfectly portioned they are. No cutting, slicing, or unwrapping necessary; you can just grab and go.
This week I decided to make a cookie I rarely make: the peanut butter cookie. Alex loves peanut butter cookies but I don't. The truth is I don't like peanut butter in desserts. I like peanut butter on its own and love it in a pb&j sandwich but I don't like the way it tastes when more sugar is added to it or when it's baked. Or so that's how I felt up until this cookie. This cookie is so addictive. It's soft and sweet and has just a hint of peanut butter flavor. Alex said the cookie was amazing and tasted like Jamba Juice's smoothie Peanut Butter Moo'd. I found the cookie to have just the right amount of peanut butter flavor. In other words, the peanut butter flavor did not overwhelm the senses. It was properly balanced out by the caramel sweetness of the brown sugar.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Special Edition
1/2 butter, softened
1/2 peanut butter
1/2 granulated sugar
1/2 packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 baking powder
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Granulated Sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the butter and peanut butter in a large bowl and beat on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugars, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill dough until easy to handle.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in additional granulated sugar to coat. Place two inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten by making crisscross marks with the tines of a fork. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Bake 7-9 minutes.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
I Bring You Flowers
We have been living in our house for close to 9 months and we still haven't completely unpacked. Our garage is full of boxes of things we have no idea what to do with or where to put. Although we will probably never use them again, I can't part with my many big winter coats. So in a box in the garage they remain. One of the things that appears to still be in a box is my ice cream maker. I don't know how that could have possibly happened but I have no clue where the thing is. I was excited about making this week's TWD selection of Burnt Sugar Ice Cream until I realized that the key appliance was missing. Oops! Sorry to our host Becky of Project Domestication and to TWD for missing out on what I'm sure was a great selection. Hopefully these purple roses will grant me forgiveness.
Also, I'm going to get more organized with the blog and start posting more often. I hate that the blog has been somewhat forgotten. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with the goals I have set up for the blog. 
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Swim Model
The weather in Miami is becoming more and more perfect for the beach (or pool). I am working on getting myself back in bikini shape, but Cati is already in perfect shape for all her bathing suits. She's ready to show off all those delicious rolls. I'm waiting to get the go ahead from her doctor, but I am ready with her hats, sunscreen and tent. She has 3 bathing suits now and I have to stop myself from buying more. We are a big beach family and have been patiently waiting for her to be old enough so we can take her to the beaches we grew up on. Cati has two bikinis and one one-piece. Here are a few pictures of her in all her deliciousness...
This is her Gymboree one-piece. This bathing suit fits her the best. I love the booty ruffle!
This is her Old Navy bathing suit. I love the big bow on the top and her yummy rolls. I don't think she knows how to feel about this one, but I think she looks adorable in a bikini.
This is her Target bathing suit. This bathing suit is too big for her but I'm hoping she'll fit into by the end of the summer. The last picture captures her "I'm too tired for more pictures, mom!" face. 
I love having a daughter! Little girls are so much fun :)
This is her Gymboree one-piece. This bathing suit fits her the best. I love the booty ruffle!
This is her Old Navy bathing suit. I love the big bow on the top and her yummy rolls. I don't think she knows how to feel about this one, but I think she looks adorable in a bikini.
This is her Target bathing suit. This bathing suit is too big for her but I'm hoping she'll fit into by the end of the summer. The last picture captures her "I'm too tired for more pictures, mom!" face. 
I love having a daughter! Little girls are so much fun :)
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