mom-mode

mom-mode post #140 - on moving to mommode.wordpress.com

2011-06-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

We have moved!!!

Come see me at mommode.wordpress.com

Thanks guys!

mom-mode post #139 - on traveling with a toddler to Rome part one

2011-06-16T14:58:00.002-04:00

photo by the husband

Its funny how life turns out sometimes. This past week I got to realize a lifelong dream of visiting Europe. Rome, to be exact. We packed up some of our belongings, and enough diapers to last five days in the city that once was the epicenter of the world.
Now, when you think Rome, you may not think "vacation with toddler", but I was surprised by how many babies and toddlers we did see. However I mostly surprised by how well our little intrepid O did.
In addition to visiting one of the most welcoming cities I have ever been to, O - and us- got to reconnect with our beloved auntie Rhonda.
Over the next few days, as to not to forget this once in a lifetime opportunity, I will be journaling some of the highlights, thoughts and impressions of the trip. Hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride.

mom-mode post #138 - on what I'm into this June

2011-06-08T03:51:00.001-04:00

I saw this on my friend Sheila's blog, thought it was so cool, I decided to steal it!
So:

What I'm into this month - June 2011

on my nightstand: 'The Hunger Games' trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Let me tell you, this is some of the best fiction I've read in a long while. I finished the first one on a five-hour train ride to Istanbul. That's how fast of a read it is. Now, if you can't handle a little gruesome, I'd steer clear from these.;)

in my bible: all about me some Romans right now. Romans 8 has got to be some of my most favorite scripture.

on my television: as pathetic as it may be, I decided to watch an episode of 'Hoarders' this past week and since then I haven't stopped watching it. It is so gross and addicting.

in my kitchen: aside from the bag of m&m's I just received, it's been all about clearing out long lost items from the pantry. I've decided to not buy anything else until I've cleared out all the noodles I have stocked up. A favorite has been a yummy apple and chicken salad croissant sandwich.

in my ears: I have a confession to make, I have a country station on my Pandora. Solely because of Sugarland's 'Stuck Like Glue'. It has such a great beat! I can't believe I just admitted to listening to country music on the world wide web. I'm sure I've just lost some major cool points. I have been greatly into Adele's 'Rolling in the Deep' also. Does that give me back some cool points?

and my own little add on, in my closet:
I finally got around to cleaning up my closet, getting rid of my 'interim wardrobe', i.e. clothes I bought while I couldn't lose the baby weight. I got rid of 3 huge bags, which left my closet ready to be filled with fun new summer purchases.

I had been on the lookout for new black pumps since mine were a little outdated. Found these at Mango and the heels were just right.

fun flats mama bought me at the airport on our out from Brazil. It's just finally warming up enough that I can wear it with my fun skirts!

I'm in love with this shirt, specially the sleeves. It was a cheap little pazar find.

stripes

don't look too closely. This is my first attempt at sewing a skirt. It will probably go down as the ugliest skirt in the world. But hey, I'm chasing a dream, and I won't go down without a fight!

This is by far my most favorite and special purchase. A fresh new purse in a nice summery color, with a shoulder strap -- a must when you are mother of a busy little boy.

mom-mode post #136 -on "anneanneler' and 'babaanneler'

2011-06-03T14:47:00.000-04:00

Every morning after we get breakfast and get out of our pjs, O and I head to the park.

This time of day is perfect for a little toddler learning the ropes of the playground. The big bully kids are off to school, which makes the job easier for this mama.

Yesterday another little kiddo joined us at the park, only a few months older than O. He had two older ladies with him. I quickly assumed one of them was his grandma. We started chatting and that's when I realized that this lucky little boy was being swung by not only his anneanne (grandma from mom's side) but also by his babaanne (grandma from dad's side). They told me about how his mother works, so they get to keep everyday, all day while she's out. Friends, I can't lie to you, but my hear just sank a little. Because right now I can only dream of a day when O will be flanked side by side by his babaanne( gram) and his anneanne (vovo). I am blessed to get to stay home with my boy, yet when I saw that scene my heart just got a little blue for O. I guess I just get all sentimental when it comes to grandparental relationships. As my daddy lost his parents while still in college and my mama's parents were of old age and health by the time I came along. That little boy at the park, loved (and a little spoiled) by his two grandmas, reminded me of my own lack of grandmas. I'm so thankful that O is so blessed to have two of the best women I will ever know as his grandmas. Here's my prayer that someday he will get to go to the park with both of his grandmas in tow.

to Gram and Vovo: you guys rock.

mom-mode post #135 - on having to change my diet

2011-05-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

If you know me, you know how I'm not necessarily known for my healthy eating choices. I try to watch my portions, but other than that, it's pretty much a free-for-all fest.
I'm also a closet picky eater. When I'm out at a friend's house or traveling, I'll eat anything (dog, liver, cow's stomach), but at home, if you really inspect my diet, there are only a few handful of items I eat everyday. In fact, I could go days without eating a proper meal. Just snacking on the same favorite snacks.

Lately O has been a on this kick of trying anything we eat. He looks at you with sad puppy eyes, points to whatever you are eating and mumbles a slew of unintelligible words that probably translate into: 'can I please have a bite? Pleeeeeeeeeeeasssse??'

If we're at home, I can offer him some other healthier snack option. But when you are at a picnic with friends, he gets to eat a treat or two:

Mama and son who share a love of chocolate together, stick together?

Needless to say, this mama needs to start making some healthier choices if she wants to instill lifelong healthy eating habits in her precious offspring.

mom-mode post #135 - on little boys at the park

2011-05-19T03:41:00.001-04:00

Yesterday the sun finally came out. So we packed up our stuff ( well I packed up our stuff) and rushed to the park. It was such a relief to be out near a little bit of nature and water and not feel like the city is closing in on us. Some days I swear it feels like it is.

First we stopped for lunch, mommy had to have her diet coke. She let me hold the can, but wouldn't let me take a sip!

Then I decided it was time to explore. Mommy didn't like me getting to close to the water. I fought her big time. But she won.

Then I played on the playground. I love the playground. I love to follow the big kids around and scream real loud in excitement. I'm not a huge fan of the swings, but I love to climb up the stairs to go down the slides.

All in all, it was a nice break from the crazy busy and rainy days we've had. We'll certainly have to do it again!

mom-mode post #134 - on mr.ben and mr.jerry

2011-05-16T06:57:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I unassumingly walked into my local grocery store looking for a Magnum bar. If you've never had one. These ice cream candy bars on a stick are the perfect companion for the first real spring day of the year.

But I digress. I'm not here to talk about magnum bars today. Immediately I spot it from the corner of my eye, a light purple freezer with the words 'Ben & Jerry' painted on it. Having lived here a while, I knew not to let my heart believe that just because there's a freezer does it mean that there's ice cream. But living overseas you also learn to check every square inch of your grocery store, because you never know what hidden treasures you may uncover.

I pushed the stroller a little faster, walked/ran to said purple freezer and much to my disappointment there was ice cream in there alright, but none we could call worthy of mr.ben and jerry. Then just as I'm about to close the freezer door, I see it. Two little pints of 'chunky monkey' goodness. Still a bit incredulous, I only bought one pint. Afraid that it might not taste quite right.

But when I got home after a delicious pizza dinner to celebrate the husband's fourth place in his first photo competition, I placed two perfectly smooth scoops in a bowl and tasted the best ice cream I've had in quite a while.

I'll probably gain a pound or two from eating it all. Because I am certainly not sharing it with anyone!

mom-mode post #133- on a little boy that climbs

2011-05-16T06:35:00.001-04:00

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

And if I followed him around with a camera, not enough flashdrives in the world could hold all the picture of him trying to climb up some kind of something. But look at that face though and those chubby legs! I just could eat him up!

mom-mode post #132 - on chasing after a toddler

2011-05-15T08:25:00.000-04:00

Thirteen months old. That's how old he was when life as we knew it was about to change forever.

He had taken a few tentative steps before. Holding our hands for support, reverting back to his fast crawl. But that Sunday he finally built up enough strength and courage to just take off walking. It was so sweet, he would get into position, arms side-to-side to give him balance, belly stuck out front, legs open wide.

It's interesting to see this aspect of his little personality. Of how he timidly tries first, gets extremely frustrated but once he masters it, there's no stopping him. (I don't know where he gets this from, I'm not like this at all... Even though the husband tells me otherwise)

It was no different with walking. Now his walk is quickly becoming a run. And this mommy is quickly becoming exhausted.

It's different than the 'newborn phase' exhausted, when all you need and want is a solid night of sleep. Being the mom of an energetic boy is more like doing a Jillian Michaels DVD all day long, no breaks. Well, except maybe for nap breaks. But even that these days has been elusive (more on this on another post).

He starts off early morning and doesn't stop unless he absolutely has too. Or unless I make him stop to eat or take a nap. Or sleep.

And although I often go tired and hungry ( not much time to sit down for a meal), there's nothing I'd rather do, than to watch O discover the world, on his own terms.

It's a whole new world, this toddler world, a whole new world. Now I better go grab a bite to eat before O wakes up again, ready to conquer it.

mom-mode post #130 - on being back

2011-05-15T07:42:00.002-04:00

Hey there friends,
I guess my hiatus didn't last nearly as long as I expected.
More often than not, I found myself writing blog posts in my mind.
Expressing myself through writing can be so therapeutic, I thoroughly missed putting down my thoughts and feelings into words.
And to add to that, Turkey has seemingly lifted the ban against Blogger, which made me even more tempted to come back.
Plus my mom-in-law asked me not to stop writing.
So, I'm back!
I don't know how often I'll post, But I'm back.

And so is this little face:

mom-mode #1001 - on a blogging hiatus

2011-04-21T03:47:00.001-04:00

Hey there friends! Remember me? Well, I've been away due to some technical difficulties, so today I'm using a vpn to get passed Turkey's block to Blogger.:)

While I've been away I've picked up another hobby or two, and I realized I'd just rather spend more time on those than blogging right now. My to-do list is growing as we speak, I needed to do a little downsizing around here. As much as writing about motherhood has been cathartic and therapeutic, I'm needing to take a break. I'll still post photos of the cutest boy in the world on Facebook. But, for now, I'm taking a little sabbatical from blogging.

Thanks for always cheering me on,

mom-mode.

mom-mode post #129 - on the swimming pool

2011-03-22T04:36:00.001-04:00

Pardon the overdose on posts about Brazil, but we were having so much fun, we just took a bazillion pictures. And since this little blog serves as journal for the days of old, when my memory will fail me, I wanted to make sure I registered those special moments we had.

Speaking of special:

O was a bit timid with the pool at first. Kinda like he is with most things in life. He starts off slowly, proceeds with caution.

And then he will either abhor it forever or, more often than not, he will fall whole-heartily in love and passionately embrace the new.

Tio Bruno and tia Va got him to put his feet in first...

Next thing we knew, he was splashing all over the place. He didn't want to leave.

Neither did I. I don't think I had ever seen my child smile this widely and get this excited about something.
I've said it before, but one of the best things about this whole motherhood thing (year 2!) has been discovering the world again through the eyes of my little boy. And what fun world it is, when you are a 1 year old, discovering a swimming pool for the first time.

mom-mode post #128 - on the birthday party

2011-03-13T09:03:00.003-04:00

I remember looking at pictures of my first birthday party and feel so loved by mom. Her attention to detail was so visible, everything made by her or my aunts' own hands. I wanted O's first birthday party to have the same feel. Small, intimate, simple and homemade. We had the party in my parent's home, almost everything was made by me or my sisters. What we couldn't make, we ordered from small local business.We kept the guest list to family only. Like I said on my other post, Oliver had the most fun. I hope many years from now he can look at these pictures and just feel the love!

My aunt ordered these delicious Brazilian homemade candy from a lady that lives near her. They were not only beautiful but delicious. And they just had a 'vintage birthday party' feel to them.

My mom found this 'old school' candy holder. Growing up,
no party would be complete without one of these!

tia Paty made the delicious and traditional Brazilian cake, nega maluca.

tio Bruno took this picture and I cut it and tied a ribbon to resemble a bookmark. Guests were asked to bring books in Portuguese for gifts. We gave these out as party favors!

The cake and cupcakes, simple and understated. Just like I wanted.

We also filled with cupcakes, m&m's and jello (another childhood party must-have).

Photo booth props.

Trying out the photo booth!

Putting the decor up.

Simple wall decor - I cut out circles from scrapbook paper and made these tissue pompoms.

The cake table all lit up and the handsome birthday boy!

Earlier in the day, my dad and tio Bruno cooked up a delicious Brazilian steak lunch for everybody.

Birthday boy enjoying some fun in the sun, poolside.

mom-mode post #127 - on the birthday boy

2011-03-12T04:01:00.000-05:00

Our baby O is one. And I'm out of words to express the sheer joy that this year has brought to us. He is this fun-loving, dance to the beat of any music, intense, passionate, funny kinda guy. We love him so much. Now I leave you with pictures of the most adorable little one year old EVER. (it's true, he is, check it for yourself)

A little overwhelmed by all the singing.

little cousins loving on O

That's how much your mama and dada love you baby. That's how much.

proud grandparents celebrating with O!

Does it have chocolate in it? Then I love it mommy!

silliness with mama and my titias

first time I met my tia Va. She awesomely crazy!

how big is Oliver? He is one!!!!

not quite walking yet... But I can hold my own!!!

I think I will go down in history as the only one-year-old who thoroughly enjoyed his party.

mom-mode post #126 - on the magic of coming home

2011-03-12T03:37:00.000-05:00

To say we had the time of our lives would be an understatement. Brazil was awesome.

There's just something slightly magical about being near the water... My heart beats a little slower, following the rhythm of the waves. And an overwhelming feeling of peace and awe filled my heart, the minute I saw my little island from the plane. Awe for this magical little place on Earth that God created. One can't help but think, what a marvelous God we serve, creation screams of His glory and majesty.

There's just something slightly magical about coming back to a place you called home for so long. But there's something even more magical about enjoying all of your favorite Brazilian things through the eyes of your one year old.

My brother-in-law (www.brunomessina.com.br) took these pictures of us. He captured so well, this feeling of freedom and home we felt while we were in Brazil. This is one of my favorite places to go. You take a little 10-minute boat ride (which O just couldn't get enough of!) to get to this salt water lakeside seafood restaurant. They serve the freshest shrimp there. So yummy.

Our little family. We had such a beautiful time with the fam and God's creations.

I got to sing baby O to sleep while looking out to the most gorgeous view ever. If I could freeze a moment in time, this would be it.

O practicing his steps. He was having just so much fun!

mom-mode post #125 - on how the ergo saved the trip

2011-03-02T16:18:00.002-05:00

Just a quick note about our flights to and from Brazil. All I have to say is that alongside some much appreciated prayers, the ergo was the most life-saving tool we took on this trip!

It was there when O needed sleep and just couldn't get comfortable on the plane. It was there when my arms were about to go numb from holding my 10 and some kilo baby. The ergo was there when I needed to help the husband with bags. I tell you the ergo MADE this trip.

We also took to heart some great advice. We packed lots of small toys wrapped in gift wrap for O to unwrap when the novelty of being in a plane had started to wear off. We just went with the flow. When he was tired he slept, when he was hungry he ate. No schedules. Just being there to meet his needs. We also packed his favorite snacks and loaded our ipods with fun new apps.

During our layover, we let O crawl around an empty corner at the Madrid airport. He was so cute, pushing his red car around, getting all-dirty and most importantly, getting some energy out. The trick worked. By the time we boarded, the boy was wiped out!

After a few rough trips last year, this trip helped me regain my love for flying and duty-free shops at the airport. That's how easy this trip was. You see, I've always had these little travel rituals that made my trips fun and exciting. After we had O, I thought those days were over. But this time, things were as smooth as they get when travelling with an infant. Praise God. And thanks to my wonderful husband who is just best partner a girl can ask.

Check back soon for O's first birthday pictures and some Brazil pics as well!!!

mom-mode post #124 - on running errands with a baby

2011-02-10T07:29:00.001-05:00

No, this post won't be about tips on how to easily get your errands done with babe in tow. Honestly I don't know how people do it with more than one kiddo. I basically just make sure O has had a fabulous nap, carry with me plenty of cheerios and pray for the best.

This post is about running errands with a baby in these parts of the world. One of the most interesting (in my opinion) aspects of Turkish culture is how turks love children. Young or old, male or female, poor or rich, they all love to stop and get a child to smile at them, they love to protect them from any evil they see, they love to give them anything sweet. Case in point:

On my way to the post office the other morning, Oliver and I were stopped at least 5 or 6 times:

- a young teenage boy stopped to make him smile and snapped a picture with his cell phone.

- a lady in her forties stopped us to pinch his chubby cheeks and threw about a thousand 'maşallah's' (a word they use constantly here to ward off evil) at us.

-at about the same time an old, well-intentioned man, stops to tell me I need to put some gloves on my son, because his hands are cold. Mind you, although it has been frigid cold around here, this was the warmest day we've had. Plus, O isn't as coordinated to put cheerios in his mouth when he is wearing gloves.

- two teenage girls pass us and I overhear them say (in a high-pitched-baby-talk): 'ai, what a cute baby!!!'

- a little girl, not much older than 8 years old, follows us around the store, and every time she gets a chance she waves at O. O, busy with his cheerios, lifts his head up on occasion and gives her a big grin. That makes her day.

Some days, the incessant requests to put more clothes on my baby, or to not carry him on the Ergo carrier, or to not get him out because is too cold, they can really wear on you. So much so that it makes me think twice before I leave the house with O. But most days, when I see how sociable my child has become, how he smiles at everyone, goes to everyone and just seeks to make eye contact with anyone he sees, I am thankful that I am raising my baby in a culture that embraces children so lovingly.

And just for kicks, check out the loving chubbiness of our little valentine:

I know this is kinda cheesy, but I just couldn't resist!!!

mom-mode #123 - on first utterances

2011-02-04T08:20:00.002-05:00

Three little words. My 11-month-old can speak three little words.

Of course 'da-da' came a long time ago. But only recently has he put meaning into it. Every time we go buy daddy's office, I hear 'dada'. We hear the lock on our door, 'dada'. He just loves his 'dada'.

'Mama' came a couple of months ago as a sort of hybrid between mommy and mamae (in portuguese). He cries out 'mama' when he wants to be held, 'mama' when he wants something from me and sometimes I think he says 'mama' when he wants food.:)

The third isn't really a word, but an interjection. But since he uses it at specific times, in the right context, I can't help but count this as his third word:' Uh-oh', there goes the sippy cup on the floor. 'Uh-oh', there goes all the blocks mommy had put into a tower. 'Uh-oh', there goes my paci... And so on and so forth.

I have to say that I write these words in relief and in anxious anticipation. I have met many a bilingual who learned two languages as natural as it gets. So I wasn't at all concerned until recently, when I met a bilingual family whose 2 year-old only had about ten words in his vocabulary. I began to fervently study about multilingualism. Because in our case, we are dealing with three languages instead of the usual two. That's when I realized that even though multilingualism will come naturally, we must be intentional with how we go about it.

Currently we are following the 'OPOL' method (One Person, One Language). I speak Portuguese to O and the husband speaks English. He hears English from his American family and Portuguese from his Brazilian family. But there's also an element of Ml@h (Minority language @ home), given that once we cross the threshold of our home, he only hears Turkish. Needless to say this all could be very tricky if we are not carefully intentional about it all.

From all the testimonies I've read, if we work hard at it, we will reap many, many benefits. The onset of language might come later than a monolingual child, but when it comes, it will come twice as more.:)

I can't wait to hear all the new little words he is going to learn! It is such a relief to be able to actually understand what my child is babbling about!

mom-mode post #122 - on the introduction of the pizza

2011-02-03T03:14:00.000-05:00

I normally try my very best to only feed O with the healthiest choices I can find on this side of the world. If I can buy organic, I do. If I can't, I try to buy the freshest veggies at the market, always looking for the best and healthiest way to prepare O's meals. But nowadays O has grown increasingly interested in what we're eating. And let's face it, I'm not necessarily known for my nutritious eating habits. So behold, the introduction of the pizza (after this, I don't think we are ever going back to our all-natural eating days -- ugh):

'Um, I think I like this', he says to himself.

'yeah, mommy! Keep the goodness coming!'

This has got to be my favorite face ever.

'this pizza business made me thirsty!'

mom-mode #121- on the year of learning how to parent intentionally

2011-01-28T03:43:00.000-05:00

“Let them be fondly cherished…deal gently with them.” John Calvin

I have been thinking a lot about intentional parenting. About discipline and the big life goals I have for my son. I have been thinking about the things I need to teach him and the things I want to teach him. I have been meditating upon God's word and the things He requires of me, as parent, to do and be.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I haven't thought about these things up until now. I have been a mommy for almost a year now and these things have certainly crossed my mind. But honestly, this first year was more about learning to keep my child alive, well-fed and well-slept. I was learning all the physical aspects of parenting, and now it is time to focus on the spiritual aspects of it. I can already tell this year will be another huge learning curve for me. I am so excited for what God has in store for my little family.

If you are parenting little ones, go here and listen to these three talks on parenting. Listening to them has been a wonderful way to kick-start my year of learning how to parent intentionally and biblically!

Have a blessed day, friends!

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he
will not depart from it. Pr 22:6

mom-mode #120 - on meeting a goal

2011-01-26T08:17:00.001-05:00

Well friends, by the title of the post you can judge that today is a pretty awesome day here for us at mom-mode. I, this little mom that could, stepped on the scales this morning and was met by two much sought-after little digits. That's right, I am officially in pre-pregnancy weight territory! Hallelujah! Insert happy dance here.

I thought the day would never come.

mom-mode post #119 - on mid-week momfessions

2011-01-25T15:29:00.001-05:00

Hi, my name is Priscila and this is my momfession:

I love, LOVE cloth diapers, and my extra-sensitive-bottomed-babe surely prefers it over disposables. But when I'm drowning in piles of laundry, or when we are busy with company, I put baby O in disposables and never ever look back.

Today I'm linking up to my friend's Sheila's mid-week momfessions.

mom-mode post #118 - on writer's block

2011-01-24T03:31:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry if you've been waiting for an update lately. I have a bad case of writer's block. And busy block. You know, when you get so busy, that you never have time to site down and actually write.

So while I catch my breath (and the laundry) to get my inspiration back, I leave you with this:

My two guys having a laugh on New Year's Eve

mom-mode #117 - on reflections of a new year's eve

2011-01-02T07:13:00.002-05:00

I admit it, I didn't really spend much time reflecting on the last day of 2010. Usually I do like to take some time and think about the year that has passed. The choices I made, life events, personal growth etc. So I am taking this time today, albeit a couple of days late, to think about the year that has just left us. I'll use this list from here. Don't panic, I won't bore the life out of you by posting all twenty answers to the twenty questions... I'll just hit the hightlights, I promise. I kept the question number the same though, so don't think I lost my mind and 'unlearned' how to count. I do warn you that I may or may not be incredibly redundant and only talk about the biggest change in my life this year. We'll see.

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

the most life-changing gift, our sweet baby O

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

Becoming a mommy away from everyone and everything that was familiar to me.

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

Family visits!!!

Mom and dad got to meet O when he was just minutes old!

Aunt Paty just got here and they are already best buds.

'Hey guys, this is me and my beautiful auntie Rhonda, just chillin'

O got to meet and hang out with my gramps and gram a couple of times this year and it wasn't nearly enough

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

Sleep deprivation while still dealing with culture shock.

5.With whom were your most valuable relationships?

with God, the husband and this new little guy we are getting to know and love.

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

Adding a whole new role to my life.

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

Motherhood taught me that it is ok to cry and ask for help.

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

I came to realize that grace is abundant for this ragamuffin mommy.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

Literally? I'll spare you the exact numbers (I don't think I could live with them plastered all over the internet), but seriously though, I learned my body is a lot tougher than I thought. There was so much that was accomplished on very little sleep.

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

Facebook, Twitter and my blog-feed. Ugh.

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

It's all about making the most out of those nap times, baby! Laundry, lesson plans, dinner, exercise, bible reading. All accomplished during three (ish) precious hours of daily naps.

19. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?
I learned that God is sovereign and that He has me here, in this place, during this time in my life, for an specific purpose. 'For such a time as this.'

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you

forever changed

~ How was your 2010? ~

mom-mode post #116 - on the battle of the bulge

2010-12-31T03:04:00.001-05:00

I haven't updated my progress in a while...

the diet: Good news is, with the sister in town, I have eaten a whole lot healthier. Every morning she makes this green juice out of kale, ginger, flaxseed, and whatever fruits we have on hand. It takes a while to get used to the taste, but once you do, it really helps you feel like you got a healthy start to your day! She also helped me realize how big a portion I was still eating. I have significantly cut down my portions and I feel so much better.

the exercise: Jillian was back on, but then I got really sick and I haven't done any physical activity as of late. My sister did introduce me to some Pilates moves (she is like the queen of Pilates) and I was hooked. We'll see if I can keep it up after she leaves.

the weight: These past two weeks, between completely overhauling my diet and getting sick (with a complete loss of appetite), I lost a total of 5 lbs. I know it is a little much, but I think my body was just shocked into losing all of this. I'm happy, even though I know it wasn't all lost because of my efforts, but because I was sick. Next week things should go back to normal.
Happy news is that I am only 2.5 lbs away from my original goal for December. Now I still have a total of 5 pounds I want to lose before I have to hit the beaches of my beloved Brazil this February. Talk about forced motivation.

So from October 4th until December 31st, I lost a total of 9.5 lbs.

mom-mode post #115- on our merry little Christmas

2010-12-27T14:09:00.001-05:00

It was a merry little Christmas in the Smith household this year. We dearly missed the loved ones we couldn't be around this season, and celebrated the visit of my sister and brother-in-law.

We started new traditions with our precious little gift.

We spent time making sure we kept some of our old traditions as well.

We sang songs before bedtime, celebrating our dear Savior's birth.

We dined a typical Brazilian candle light dinner.
We also included some new dishes this year like French toast. You read it right. Apparently where my brother-in-law is from, that's what you eat on Christmas Eve.

We were woken up (early) by an anxious little boy (not) , and got an early start on Christmas morning.

We opened presents for the first time ever.

But some of us seemed a tad more interested in just the wrappings.

And some of us seemed a bit more excited about opening gifts than others.

'What are you playing tia Paty?'

And some of us got wore out and in need of a nap.

We made memories as a family of three.

Afterwards, most of us indulged in a more American breakfast. Complete with gravy and biscuits and cinnamon rolls. The husband, the sister and brother-in-law, even the baby partook in it. For the record, I DID NOT touch the gravy and biscuits, excpet for while making it. I probably just had some leftover dessert for breakfast.:)

And we kissed (after I unwrapped my super stylish gifts from the husband! I can be so superficial some times. :))

We skyped with our families, and longed for the day we all can be in the same country, celebrating together.
We sang Christmas hymns in Turkish (the sister even joined in), which we forgot to take pictures of..I had a great time, given that I miss singing in a choir every Christmas. We had delicious Turkish food for Christmas dinner.And we were reminded, even in a foreign language what blessing we have in our Immanuel.

It was one of the most memorable little Christmases yet.

mom-mode post #116 - on O's current favorite things

2010-12-23T03:16:00.000-05:00

O has never been the kind of baby that you wondered what kind of personality he was going to have. From day one, he showed us loud and clear that he was no wallflower and that he came into our lives to add a few more sparkles with his firecracker-y personality.This month though, I have seen his little personality blossom even more, as he interacts with us even more and as he bonds with his aunt and uncle. It's been a fun ride:

- O has found a love for dancing. He loves dancing to Jingle Bells and the opening credits of Gilmore Girls.
- He has found my new keyboards and he is in love with it. So much so, he will stand under it and beg for us to get him up to play. His favorite music to make: the special effects key. To which he normally starts bouncing up and down as he gets into the beat. I have yet to catch it on film. But I hope to do it soon. I think we may have a musician in the making.
- Clapping. He's learned to clap and if he's happy, he will do it all the long for ya.
- Playing by himself. This started recently. He started waking up from his naps or in the mornings, and instead of crying for us to come get him, he would just sit there, playing in his crib. This has been one of the most interesting developments for me so far. To see him slowly growing more and more independent from us.
- So independent so that now that he can get himself anywhere he wants to get to, he doesn't feel like he needs to be in the same room as us (scary, I know). I have followed him many a time crawling to our bedroom to play.
- He goes to our bedroom because he has found our floor-length curtains. He lets out little squeaks of joy as he lets the materials drape over his cute little face.
- He has lost a lot of his interest on food. All he wants to is to explore the world. No stone left unturned.

And I love my little explorer, even if every room he goes by looks like a tornado aftermath.:)

awesome photography done by the brother-in-law. Look at those little teeth!

mom-mode post #116- on christmas decor

2010-12-21T08:16:00.000-05:00

After last year's excuse for Christmas decor I put up. I decided to get the ball rolling a little early this year. We only brought nativity scene from the States, so I had to get creative. Here's a look at our simple yet meaningful decor this year:

A small wooden bird, a picture and some modge podge = baby's first ornament. I made this before I knew my mom-in-law was mailing me a really cute Baby's First Christmas ornament. So now we have two!

Our nativity scene we brought from the States. I think my mom-in-law gave it to us on our first Christmas together. I love it.

My humble little yarn wreath. It's a little crooked, but it was made with lots of love.

A new nativity we got this year made out of turkish pottery and my poor attempt at a Martha Stewart magazine tree. It was my first attempt. I want keep working on them until I get it right!

Our tree and the most precious gift we got this year!

Our tree is still a little skinny, but it definitely has more color than last year's (I don't think we ever took a picture)
I made this pompom garland inspired on this rainbow colored garland I saw on Anthropologie's website. There are still few more things I'd like to add to our tree, but there just was no time to do it. Maybe next year. :)

That's all folks!
Hope you are enjoying your days before Christmas comes!

mom-mode post #115 - on losing the weight and the flab #update#

2010-12-17T02:22:00.000-05:00

Let's have an update on how I'm doing on my pursuit of life, liberty and thinness.;)

the diet: all things considered, not bad. We went to Istanbul for a few days and with it, all the yummy foods the big city has to offer. Also, my sister arrived in town with a suitcase filled with yummy Brazilian sweets that I just absolutely could not resist.

the exercise: Jillian Michaels is back on and I couldn't be happier. The weather has turned too nasty to go out for runs. So I'm just as content with my 30-day-challenge.

the weight: it's been two weeks and I haven't had any loss. I'm ok with it, as long as I'm not gaining any. I hope this week I'll have something to show before I indulge in some Christmas treats! Reality is, there's NO WAY I'm making my set goal. But I'm happy with the direction I'm going. I'm staying active and relatively healthy. Though I hope to meet my goal before O hits the one-year mark!!!

I never though I was going to be the mom that is still fighting the baby bulge after 9 and some months. But odd as it may sound, and although I still don't fit comfortably in my skinny jeans. I am content with how I look and more importantly, I'm very happy with the kind of mommy I've become.

mom-mode post #114 - on captured happiness.

2010-12-17T02:06:00.000-05:00

mom-mode post #113 - on the elephant in the room

2010-12-05T03:18:00.000-05:00

Let's talk about the elephant in the room (pun intended, ha), shall we? It's been over two weeks since I've posted any updates about my diet and exercise regimen. Reality is, there has been no updates going on. I haven't had the time to exercise (except for walking all over town running errands and trying to make it to all of my appointments and classes) and there has been no diet. Breakfast has been a ~~piece of cake~~ joke.
It's like the old saying, 'when it rains, it pours'. This summarizes our lives as of late. One series of events after the other. No time to breathe or rest (well, except for our anniversary date night, but I wasn't about to count calories on our special dinner!).
Right now, it's not even ten am and my whole body aches. Still sore from teaching little pre-schoolers all day yesterday. And of course, still sore from taking a turn as 'human jungle-gym' to one rambunctious 9-month-old.
Luckily I haven't gained any weight. But I haven't lost any either in the past two and a half weeks.

Here's to hoping this week will be a little more peaceful. Praying it won't snow so I can go out on one more run before the weather turns bitter cold!

mom-mode post #112 - on our fifth anniversary

2010-12-05T02:37:00.000-05:00

"If I could travel back in time, I would travel to the most beautiful tropical island on 12/03/2005 just so I could marry [the husband] all over again. Happy Anniversary", and so read my Facebook status this past Friday. And I would do it a thousand times over. No doubt about that. Five years ago we could only dream of being where we are today. A foreign country, the sweetest baby boy... We are blessed.

The husband started the celebrations off by gifting me with something I've been wanting ever since I left my piano, some five years ago:

I immediately printed off some music and started playing. I'm SO rusty!

Yes, this is what it looks like, a handmade card.

Not to be outdone, I presented the husband with this:

He made me promise to only get him a card because my gift was a little pricier than usual. I simply obliged.

One more shot of my special gift! I'm so thrilled!

Later that day, the husband had already arranged for a babysitter and we went out on a very special date. We went to the ~~only~~ best Italian restaurant in town, went for a romantic walk and ended up with some coffee. Just the perfect way to celebrate these five years with my handsome and most awesome husband!

mom-mode post #111- on a lifetime of hairdressers

2010-11-28T15:40:00.001-05:00

Sit tight friends, 'cause you are about to read through the story of how I found all my hairdressers (or at least through the ones that really count!)
Like any other women, it took me a while to find the right hairdresser for my type of hair and personal taste. Mom used to take me to our friendly neighborhood hairdresser. Her skills were up to par for when all you need is a trim for your otherwise extremely low-maintenance long locks. But one day, when I was a teenager and mom couldn't take me to get my haircut, she just set up an appointment and gave me enough money to go on my own. Off I went, savoring this little bit of independence my mom had entrusted me with, only to get to the end of my appointment with my hair still wet. I was sitting there, waiting for someone to come dry it. The lady then tells me they had added an extra charge to style the hair after a haircut. It wasn't built in in the price anymore. I begginly replied: "m'am, my mom only gave me enough for the old price, could you go ahead and style it, please? I assure you my mom or myself will come by later and pay for the remainder." Now mind you, this women had cut my hair ever since I was a little girl. In fact, she had cut my hair, my little sister's hair, my mom's hair, and even my dad's hair on occasion. "Sorry, honey, we make no exceptions." was her reply. So furiously and frustrated I left, on a humid, windy afternoon, wet-haired that quickly turned into Monica-on-a-Barbados-vacation-hair. I started crying half way home, as I started to feel the weight of all the humidity creep through every single strand. By the time I got home I was a royal mess. I had a party to go to that evening and no amount of at-home washing could fix it. It needed a professional. So my mom, being the understanding mom that she was, quickly made a few calls and soon, I had found the hairdresser that was going to style me through bad puberty hormones that made my hair extra curly, to the perfect 'beach hair'-do on my wedding day.
One week after I got married, I moved out of the country and found myself desperately seeking for a new hairdresser. One that wouldn't leave me hanging on a wet, rainy day. One that understood the peculiarities of my sometimes straight, sometimes wavy, thick black strands. After a few tries, I found one that suited my stipulations (stipulations adopted after the dreaded no-pay, no-style hairdresser incident):
-I feel pampered and not like I've been "handled" after I leave the salon.
-Keeps his/her own appearance very well-kept.
-Is familiar with modern haircuts.
-Gives you the perfect salon-style blowout, every time. The kind that you could never replicate at home.

So when I moved to yet another country, I was worried. Especially since I can barely communicate in the native language.Plus much like a teenager's self-image, a new-moms self-image is a fragile thing to mess with. AND I had heard horror stories from other foreigners that had had some not-so wonderful experiences.The first time I got my haircut here, a Turkish friend took me and all went well. It was a simple trim, anyways. But this time, I went all by myself (with a non-native speaker for support) and communicated exactly how I wanted my haircut, all by myself. I was biting my teeth with nerves, before I got there but needless to say, after I left, I felt like I could conquer the world. For I left the salon with exactly what I had asked for:

This is the day-after hair, I took pictures the day of, but they didn't turn out so good.

And a gratuitous shot of my handsome 9-month-old!

So this is all for now friends. I don't anticipate having to find another hair stylist anytime soon. Insert 'sigh of relief' here.

mom-mode post #110 - on O's current favorite things

2010-11-18T07:24:00.002-05:00

I am known for having a very good memory. You know, the kind that never forgets what happened ten, fifteen years ago. That stores useless trivia information, the kind that drove my sisters crazy when I would proceed to describe exactly what happened on a cold July afternoon. I tend to remember every minute detail, even though I may forget to get the clothes in the washer way more often than I'd like to admit. But just in case one day I suffer amnesia and forget what were O's favorite things when he was eight and half months of age, here they are:

- his most favorite activity right now is top crawl up and down the hallway. He has his favorite stops: the hallway mirror, the guest bedroom door, his bedroom and the office.

- whole-wheat pancakes have become a breakfast staple.

- as well as scrambled egg yolks for dinner.

- his favorite sound to make? A clicking sound he makes with his tongue. And he smiles if you do it back at him.

- standing. Anywhere, everywhere, anyhow.

- he used to cry himself to sleep. Now he talks himself to sleep. We go by his room after we put him down and here him blabbing away until he's out.

- pulling up on mommy's or daddy's pants.

- his favorite toy? a vintage Disney jack-in-the-box toy his Gram found for him, just like his daddy's.

- parks. Any kind of park. As long as he's outside.

- his favorite game? He cracks up when we play horse or peek-a-boo. Or tickle monster.

His current not so favorite thing? Grass. He doesn't like the texture of it at all. But we are working on that. We know we are currently raising him in the city, but a boy that doesn't like grass just won't make it in Galax, VA. I really do hope he will like sand. Because a boy who doesn't like sand just won't make it in Florianopolis, Brazil.

mom-mode post #109 - on fashionable little finds

2010-11-15T07:17:00.006-05:00

When we were teenagers, my sisters and I had this thing. Every time one of us would come back from a shopping trip, we would open all the bags, try everything on and make comments on what each other got. As well as ask for permission to wear it should the occasion arise. As time went on, and distances grew farther, we continued on our tradition every time we saw each other. We would show off our new purchases, even if they had been bought six months before. It's been too long since I've seen my sisters and shared with them my pretty little buys. So I thought here would be as good as place as any to continue on our sisterly tradition.

Two vintage purses. The dark brown still had receipts in it dated 1945. Though I suspect this little beauty is only about 30 years old.

Getting in on the leopard print trend on the cheap. Little five lira find form the local bazar.

Because I love a good striped tee and a little collegiate blazer I scored from my sis-in-law stack of discards.

This down vest is my new Fall uniform. I never thought I'd be a proponent of down or vest, but I am completely sold. They give you warmth without the bulk. Just perfect for Fall. My sis-in-law got an adorable plaid number.

New winter garb from my perennial favorite, Forever 21.

I scored this little beauty on a little garage-sailing trip with my mom-in-law. I just had to have it and it was super cheap.

Stripes and a cardi? Count me in. Especially if they come from the sis-in-law's discard pile.

Nice little pin I got on the same day I got the necklace, from the same lady. I also got a couple of sterling silver bracelets from her, but I forgot to take a pic.

So here they are, my fashion little finds for my sisters and the world to see.

mom-mode post #109 - on losing the weight and the flab #update#

2010-11-12T01:47:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it's Friday again. This week has flown! I'm not complaining though because after this weekend we get the whole week off from teaching! So excited. And the faster time goes by, the faster my sweet sister will be here.

So here are this week's stats:

the diet: I did fairly OK on this end. Kept portions small, tried to eat good-for-me stuff and only ate when I was hungry. Breakfast was a different story though. O woke up extra early most mornings this week. I just can't eat that early. So it was just a bit harder to keep up the heart-healthy breakfast deal.

the exercise: again, still adjusting to my new schedule (it seems to change every other day - drives me crazy), so I was able to do a couple of days of DVDs and went on a couple of walks. Also, chasing my baby boy crawling and teaching preschoolers kept my heart-rate going!

the weight: minus 2.2 lb. I'm pretty content with this week's weight loss. I still may not be able to meet my goal by Dec.31st, but at least I'm losing weight steadily...

Stay tuned for next week! I should have more time to exercise. I've been craving a really intense workout session like a spinning class or a good run. I'll see what I can manage.:)

mom-mode post #108 - on losing the milk

2010-11-11T02:50:00.001-05:00

Alright friends, brace yourselves for perhaps the most over sharing I've ever done on this blog. I think I'm on a TMI kick these days. So be warned, faint-hearted, now is the time to quit reading!

It finally happened. The thing I feared the most as a nursing mother. My milk is gone. It happened seemingly overnight. Blindsided me, really. We got back from our US trip, dealing with the stress of jet lag and the trip. Next thing I know, my baby is acting hungrier and hungrier.
I did a lot of research and asked my friends that had gone through something similar before for tips on how to get my milk back. I thought it was just a phase and that things would go back to normal soon. But they didn't.
Ultimately, the husband and I had a decision to make. He is always reminding me that although our goal is to do everything we can to take the best care of baby O, in the end we have to make the decision that is best for the well-being of the whole family. Not just mine, or O's or the husband's.
I could have tried a little longer, a little harder, I thought. But the stress of it all was taking a toll on me (and therefore affecting the well-being of my family). So we decided to stop. As we made this decision, I kept hearing the crowds of La Leche league consultants telling me not to give up, that it was too soon. Oh well. We don’t always get what we want, not matter how hard we may try.
O transitioned smoothly into a bottle. In fact he is even sleeping better. For I think my milk supply had decreased way before I had ever noticed. He is so busy exploring the world around him, that he as content as ever to be able to eat and look around at the same time.
I, on the other hand, am still mourning. Although not the most pleasant thing in the world in the beginning, I loved being so closed to my baby, sharing in that unique and precious bond that is breastfeeding. I was so thrilled to be able to nurse. My mom (and so many other women like her) although try hard as she did, she never got her milk in with any of us. I was so ecstatic that I was able to do it. I'm so sad it is over.
But I did it. Eight months of it. It counts, doesn't it? (Please tell me it does)
So now what? Now we move on, confidently in the decision we made as a family. Watching O thrive as he busily crawls from corner to corner of our place, hurrying as to not to miss a thing. And I, hurry behind him, because I don't want to miss a thing either

mom-mode post #107- on things that are inspiring me these days

2010-11-11T02:35:00.001-05:00

I saw this here and I thought I'd write about what's inspiring me these days. I've been in despereate need to get my creative juices going, as the holiday season approaches and with it the gray and cold winter that seems to take away my peace so easily. So here they are:

image from thenester.com

COLOR : It's actually more like a color combination. Light blue and beige. Actually more like a seafom blueish color. I've been redecorating my living room in my mind and these are the colors I want to redo it in!

FONT : Daniel via dafont.com. Loads of free fonts over there people! I'm thinking of making my Christmas cards in this font.

image from Designer Stencils

SHAPE : I still love a good quadrefoil. I want to incorporate it into my Christmas decor this year.

NUMBER : 13 – Because that's the date my sister arrives next month. 'Cause if I can go to the island, the next best thing is a little piece of the island coming to me!

WORD :Process. A quote from my Esther bible study that has had me praising the Lord for putting me exactly where I am today:

"As painful as the process may be, that which shatters our superficiality also shatters the fetters of our fragility and frees us to walk with dignity and might to our destinies."

Want to play along? I’d love to hear what’s inspiring you.

mom-mode #106 - on trying out the swing

2010-11-06T03:19:00.001-04:00

I dreamed of days like this. Of taking my baby O to the park, playing on the swings, going down the slides...
Simple little moments of childhood memories being made. So this one is for the books: O's first time on a playground swing:

I dressed him in little curdoroy overalls because that's what I imagine little boys wear when going out to the playground. It seems to me that overalls are the quintessential playground outfit. I also added a couple more layers because I didn't want to be called out on not dressing my child warm enough for such a 'cold' day...

After some swing time, we sat down for a little snack. Cheerios and banana.

Days like this make the winter seem a bit more bearable. Days like this make the longings for home a little less stronger.
Days like this, help this mommy feel a little more 'normal', and a WHOLE lot happier.

~Thankful for a God that blesses me with some warm sunnny days and the most precious little boy of all.~

mom-mode post #105 - on losing the weight and the flab #frustration#

2010-11-04T14:35:00.000-04:00

So it has only been a couple of weeks I've already hit a major plateau... In my defense, I've started teaching again, we've had guests and... well, I've just failed to get my life together in order to exercise! AND it rained non-stop last week, so I could not even go on walks with O.
Truth be told, I realize my goals may be too lofty. So I may just have to stay content with however much I do lose (as long as I'm losing...) and not focus so much on the numbers on scale.

SO here's this week's lo-down:

the diet: I still ate a healthy breakfast most mornings, but didn't do such a swell job with the portions and/or quality of what I ate. Life was just hectic.I just made do. Sue me.

the exercise: still did my DVDs. I only did it a few times though. Jillian Michaels kills me. I'm so weak.

the loss: 1 lb. That's right, one little pound. Oh well.

As I adjust to my new schedule a bit more, I hope to do a little bit better next week. We will see...

mom-mode post #104 - on pumpkin patches, family and the great US of A

2010-11-01T08:39:00.000-04:00

Just a little late... but here are some snapshots of our more than lovely time in the States. O had a blast with family, the husband and I went on many memorable dates, I ate massive amounts of candy, chick-fil-a and chili's and did some hardcore shopping at thrift stores, garage sales and my favorite stores.

Husband and I at the beautiful New River Trail

All the girls! -- Savannah is just the cutest.

O's favorite Gram and Granps!

O had fun at the church playground.

Family photo op at Gram's!

Gram had super yummy food for O

'how big is Oliver?' - 'sooo big!'

We found a box of pumpkins outside of a grocery store, stuck him in it and snapped a photo!

Watching the cows

mom-mode post #103 - on losing the fat and the flab #update#

2010-10-24T14:00:00.000-04:00

So I promised weekly updates, well, here I am.

the diet: I ate a healthy breakfast everyday but today.;) I have watched my portions and tried to eat mindfully as well as watch for signs of true hunger. There's still room for improvement though.

the exercise: with the babe getting over jet lag, I had a harder time with this one. I did the dvds four days this week and went for walks most days. No running yet, my foot still doesn't feel one hundred percent, so I chose the lower impact dvds and walks instead. Maybe next week!

the loss: about 2.2 lbs.

Not bad, but could be better... Stay tuned!

mom-mode post #102 - on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

2010-10-12T22:27:00.000-04:00

To say that my stomach was all tied up in a knot would be an understatement. I was nervous, but I was prepared. Very prepared. I had memorized ALL one hundred questions, not one was left unanswered. I listened to the audio study guide repeatedly on the long 7-hour trip there. Even the husband learned a new thing or two about Susan B. Anthony. Now questions was, were they prepared?

They had made many mistakes before. Even last week they made a mistake. We found out they had scheduled our appointment on Columbus Day, a federal holiday. We rescheduled. However, if we hadn’t called, what would have happened?

We got there early and went to our usual waiting spot, Panera Bread. I had my usual bacon and spinach soufflé and all kinds of jitters. I kept holding myself together, afraid, very afraid of fainting again.

There was no one else in the waiting room. Just the two of us, nervously pacing the room, wondering if they had made a mistake again. After all, this place is usually packed with peoples from all over the world. Not this time. It was just us, my knotted stomach and the receptionist. Fifteen minutes late, out comes a gray-haired man, all smiles and friendly. This could be really good or really bad, I apprehensively thought. He was very unlike most of our usual USCIS officers. We did some small talk, signed some papers and finally go to the portion I’d been studying so hard for. Out of the one hundred questions they give you to study, they only ask you ten and you only need to know six.

I’m quite sure they are not allowed to show bias but our friendly little old man didn’t seem to care. At every question he asked, he made little snide remarks that showed us very clear what were his political leanings. Kinda helped calm my nerves down. You know when back in college you had studied the whole book but the professor only asked about the first chapter? That’s how it felt as I finished answering my questions. I could’ve answered questions about U.S. politics and history all the day long, if I had to. I was way over-prepared. The final part of the test that sealed the stamp of approval? The written part that had me answer the question: “When is Columbus Day?”. Oh, the irony of it all.

While they prepared the official-looking documents,we waited some more, then we were taken into the oath room. Before my very “large” audience of one very supportive husband, I said my oath. In a matter of minutes it was all over with. I kinda missed out on the huge crowds of the usual naturalization ceremonies. I didn’t even get to say the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the Star-spangled banner. They did give me a super nifty “Welcome to America” packet that includes a miniature American flag and a letter signed by the President. Woot woot.

And just like that, I became an American citizen. Now friends, if you excuse me, I’m off to live life, enjoy some liberty and purse me some happiness.

Curious about what questions I was asked? Read on and see if you would have passed:

Name one branch or part of the government.
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
What does the President’s Cabinet do?
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
What did the Declaration of Independence do?

mom-mode post #101 - on losing the fat and the flab

2010-10-04T14:36:00.001-04:00

New haircut and my little O - photo by Daniel Smith

So the time has come folks. When I can no longer blame my jelly-like belly to pregnancy pounds. Let's face it, I can't even blame it on "baby weight" either. Although O was a big baby, after I had him and all the fluids left my body, I was still left bulging out of my pants.

I've had a few bumps on the road that have kept me from jumping right on "the lose the weight after six weeks" wagon. Life as new mom in a new culture was quite overwhelming for me, so I didn't get a handle on exercise until O was 4 months old. Don't get me wrong, we would go for walks and whatnot. But real exercise didn't start until then. I started running again and was working my way into running an 8k in October. BUT as life would have it, I broke my foot and it all came to a screeching halt.

As I've mentioned here, people lie. You don't shed all your weight by nursing. Some people might, but I have MOST certainly not!

As far as diet goes, adjusting to new portions and fat/sugar content in foods in a new culture hasn't been as simple as I thought. Throw in my hypoglycemia and picky taste buds and you have one crazy not-so-healthy diet.

Next week, when we get back to Turkey I'll have to OK to exercise again. So, dear friends, I'm publicly committing to lose this flab, once and for all.

The goal: Everybody has a number, and my number is to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight by December 31st, 2010. And get back into my wedding weight by February 2011. But if I get to comfortably fit back into my skinny jeans, I'll be a happy mama.

The diet: MAJOR portion control and a eat a heart-healthy breakfast EVERYDAY ( none of this cup of coffee and I'm good to go nonsense)

The exercise: 30-day shred AND couch to 5k app.

The accountability: weekly updates on here

Wish me luck everybody!

This is the most current picture of my growing behind and my once-flat stomach

mom-mode post #100 - on writing 100 posts and the baby sitter from the future.

2010-10-02T07:01:00.000-04:00

The day before we traveled was a very busy, hectic, insane kind of day. The hub was out running errands, I was up to here in piles of laundry and suitcases. And O was busy teething. So in the midst of chaos, I sat O on the kitchen floor with a few toys, in an desperate attempt to get a few things done before nap time. A quiet minute goes by and as I surprisingly look down, there she was, a new baby sitter was born: the washing machine. O was so intrigued and mesmerized by the swishes and swashes of this strange apparatus. He just sat there in the soft morning light, quiet as could be. I couldn't help but call D to get a picture of him like that. So precious our little boy is. Teething, flying, jet lagging and all.

mom-mode post #99 - on flying with a baby (again) and other big things

2010-09-26T01:28:00.000-04:00

Well people, we are doing it again. We are taking O on a big and long transatlantic flight yet again. This time though, I ain't flying solo! The husband is going with me, so I can safely assume things will go a lot smoother and tear-free ( at least for me). I've spent the past couple of days running errands, cleaning and packing. I'm exhausted. But no matter, 'cause when get to Virginia the grandparents will take over and there will be plenty of rest for the hubs and I. Woot woot.
Also happening in the next couple of weeks:
1. O will be 7-moths-old! Wow. That's all I can say.
2. We will celebrate one year of our big move across the pond. 1 down, 2 more to go.
3. I may or may not (it all depends on how I do on that test) become citizen of the Great US of A ( while keeping my lovely green passport, of course).

That's all folks!

Remember us in your prayers.

Having a laugh with Daddy.

Two new teeth to complete his handsome looks.

mom-mode post #98 - on dinner time

2010-09-16T02:36:00.002-04:00

"The mundane has purpose. If it weren’t for the ordinary duties of food preparation and kitchen cleanup, than this moment, this mealtime, this bond, wouldn’t exist." --
I just love this quote. I'm terrible about saving quotes and forgetting about the source though. So if anyone knows, please let me know. This quote truly reflects what dinner time feels like sometimes (and most housekeeping tasks too!), just so mundane. However it is wonderful to remember that the mundane has a purpose. Some of my most favorite memories growing up were around the dinner table. I pray and hope dinner times will become a wonderful bond for our little family.
About a month and half ago we ventured of in the wonderful world of solids. It wasn't really love at first bite. And actually this experience revealed me more of my son's personality. He always carefully examines his options before he jumps right into something new ( he takes this from his daddy), but once he jumps in, he goes in head first and never looks back (he takes this from his mommy). At such a young age O has an intense relationship with food. He loves every bite and is willing to try new things. But he is not afraid to say when he doesn't like something.
So far our biggest hits have been: peas, carrots, apples, bananas --which he feeds himself--, oranges, apricots and green beans.
On the list of I'll eat but don't really love it: yogurt, pears, peaches, plums, rice cereal, oatmeal and scrambled egg yolk.
And the list of please-don't-ever-put-this-in-my-mouth-again- foods: avocado and store-bought veggie baby food.

You may notice some unusual choices for first foods we've introduced to him. I wanted to incorporate the different cultures we are immersed in when it came to O's eating habits. So instead of following the usual american schedule, I am adding variety and diversity to what he tries. Hence the yogurt, eggs and oranges. I wish I could find some papaya to let him try! :)))

mom-mode post # 97 - on lessons from the throws motherhood

2010-09-14T13:44:00.001-04:00

A couple of week we celebrated O's 6 months of life. Along side with the rejoicing of his precious little life, I realized I was celebrating 6 months of motherhood. And what an exciting time this has been! Aside from algebra, German, and let's face it, Turkish, this undertaking has been my biggest learning curve as of yet. So to commemorate such truly joyous occasion, here are some lessons I've learned from the very throws of motherhood.:
Lesson 1. Motherhood has taught me to be less judgmental. I'll never judge another's mom's way of parenting. I know all too well the pain of being judged for my parenting decisions when no one truly knows what is like to be be in my shoes, raising my baby. The way I see it, unless you are a criminal parent, doing crazy things to your child, you do what you do for reason. Even if they aren't my reasons.
Lesson 2. Motherhood has taught me to be less categorical. I'll never say: I'll never let my child, or I'll always do this for my child ... Because you will and you won't. U-hum.
Lesson 3. Motherhood has taught me to let go of cleanliness. Because it is dirty work! I never thought I'd have the stomach nor the endurance to clean up some of the messes I've cleaned up. Ugh. Gross!
Lesson 4. Motherhood has taught to be more forgiving. Of myself and of others. I mean, when you are running on very little sleep, you are bound to make many mistakes.
Lesson 5. Motherhood has taught me how far I can go. I've learned that my strength and energy are not endless but it can go a lot further than I thought.
Lesson 6. Motherhood has taught me to cry. Yep, that's right. I'm a cry baby now. And proud. O has made me so much softer.:)

It has been an incredible journey and it is safe to say that after baby O, I'll never be the same again. And here's the one lesson I never believed when people said it, but I've more than learned it to be true: Motherhood is hard work but it is all sooooo worth it.

mom-mode post #96 - on ten things I love about you

2010-08-28T06:37:00.004-04:00

;

"What do you mean I don't get to eat my cake?"

In celebration of my sweet son's 1/2 birthday, I decided to write ten things I love about him. Now mind you, the list could go on for days, so that's why I've chosen only ten. So when time flies by again and I forget what he was like at 6 months, I can come back here and reminisce. Behold, the-ten-things-I-love-about-you-list:

1. The two little indentions that form on each side of your face when you smile. Your dimples are my favorite and I know that someday they will swoon a girl or two with that boyish charm of yours.
2. Your smile. How it lights up your face, wide opened toothless mouth, a twinkle on your eye. How it is always genuine, never fake.
3. Your early morning quiet babbles. Your tiny little voice, trying to tell us about your dreams ( or so I think). Your positive morning disposition is inspiring and it makes it for a lovely start of the day, no ~~strong~~ coffee needed.
4. The soft cuddles after you are all bathed in smelly goodness, ready for bed. Probably my favorite part of our day.
5. Your pursed lips when examining something new. You press both lips together and frown your little eyebrows enthralled by the new textures and sounds. No small detail goes unnoticed.
6. Your unruly hair. Although it may drive your uber style-conscious mother crazy when it just chooses to stick up and not go where the comb takes it. In so many ways, you are your hair. Your firecracker-y personality shines through every unruly strand.
7. No matter where or what you may be doing when mommy or daddy enter the room, you look right up. Usually offering up the sweetest of smiles.
8. When you are asleep. The way you just look so peaceful and rested. Some days I fight the urge to go in your room just to watch you sleep. 'Cause you are just toooo cute.
9. Your roll-y, wobbly bits. Can I just say yum?!?
10. The sweetest most contagious sounding laugh. Your daddy makes funny noises and faces and you just die laughing. Oh how I love the sight and sounds of you two playing together.

Apologies for the over-indulgent post, but I just needed to make sure these special little things are never ever deleted from my mommy memory.

mom-mode post #95 - on Wednesday @ 4pm

2010-08-27T02:44:00.000-04:00

mom-mode post #94 - on a broken foot and new for fall boot.

2010-08-24T13:54:00.001-04:00

It is old news that being a mom has its share of challenges.
Being the mom of a young baby can have the gruesome challenge of the sleepless nights.
Being the mom of a young baby away from everything and everyone that is familiar to you can be brutal.
Being the mom of a young baby away from everything and everyone that is familiar and break your foot can be... Challenging would be an understatement.
That's right folks, I broke my foot. Thankfully it is nothing huge, just a small crack that should heal quickly.
Just when the weather was starting to cool and I was going to go back to running so I could lose the last stubborn 7 baby pounds. Just when the temperatures were not too unbearable to start taking baby O for refreshing walks and spend afternoons at the park. Just when he started sitting up and we were going to start working on crawling, just when...
I have to admit I needed an attitude adjustment when I realized the grandiosity of being momentarily impaired with a baby to care for. But being the eternal optimist that I am ( in my mind the glass is always half full in a pink-tinted glass...), I made a mental note of all the positive outcomes of my newfound predicament:
1. This is temporarily. I was sitting by the window holding O as he watched the cars go by today. And I was feeling pretty miserable that I couldn't stand with him and as usual tell him all the colors of the cars that come by. Then I remembered this lady I saw on a news bit one day. She had no arms and cared for her infant using only her feet. Praise God my situation is temporary and I still have both my arms and one leg to care for my baby.

2. To add to those two arms and a leg? I have a wonderful hubby. I've said it before how much more I love my hubby now that I've seen him as a father. But seeing him care for me and O when he already has so much going on has been so special in a bittersweet kind of way. I know it's been hard for him but he refuses to complain. He keeps a great attitude and his servant heart blesses me so much.

3. I've always struggled with wanting to control everything, every detail. This predicament is ~~making~~ helping me let go. It's been hard but it's been good. I'm now forced to lower the crazy high standards I set for myself and I realized how much the pressure is off now that there's nothing I can do about it. Maybe through this I'll finally learn to give me a bit more grace. The Lord certainly gives it to me. And His is sufficient for me.

4. Laundry, dinner, house cleaning, grocery shopping... I get to put it all in the back burner and focus on making my baby let out the sweetest of laughs. We have found all kinds of new games and I'm SO glad I get to enjoy it all.

I was going to leave you with a lovely picture of my new-for-fall single white boot. But Blogger has been messing up. So you'll have to wait on that one! Meanwhile, pray for me.:)

mom-mode post #93 - on a little token of appreciation

2010-08-20T02:24:00.001-04:00

Dear Aunt Jules,

I'm glad you read this little old blog of ours because you still haven't sent me your new mailing address. Therefore, I cannot send you an old-fashioned "thank you note". So in lieu of a proper note, please accept this little blog post as a small token of our appreciation.
First of all you're insane. I've said it before and I'll say it again. When you said you were going to get a "few things" to help me get Oliver started on solids I thought you would send me a couple of bowls and spoons not an ENTIRE suitcase full of stuff! Wow we are so blessed by your generosity. And I'm so blessed by your friendship, really.
We love everything. I love the Dr. Seuss bowls and O is in love with his new spoons. He is also thriving on his new-found love: watered down juice from a soft tip sippy cup. And don't get me started on the puffs. He just loves the puffs. And the "mesh-popsicle" thingy. O loves being able to feed himself from those. And we use the bib you gave us back in June every. single. day.
But you see, the sweet thing about these gifts is not only the fact that they are making my life and O's much easier, but is the fact that every time we feed O we think of you. And that's just the sweetest gift to us.
I miss you every day. Thanks for being my friend. Thanks for not forgetting about us all the way here on the other side of the world.
And give our buddy J a big hug from us, please.

Love,

P.

p.s.: I'd still would like your mailing address please.:)

mom-mode post #92 - on hot days and cooking

2010-08-03T07:04:00.000-04:00

let me tell ya, these days the weather in our city has been extremely hot. And like I've said before, there are no beaches around here. We also don't have a neighborhood pool. There's no breeze during the day. And did I mention there's no AC in our apartment? But who's complaining? Hubby and have done the occasional "escape the heat" trip to the mall. But most days we just turn on all the fans, plop O on his super duper pool and just hope for night time to come.
Needless to say, I have been doing very minimal cooking on the stove. So here are some recipes we have been enjoying these hot days:

Chicken Pesto Croissant Sandwich:

1. 1 chicken breast cooked, shredded and seasoned to taste
2. 1 1/2 tablespoon of pesto sauce ( you can make it yourself, but since I've killed my basil plant, I bought it ready at the grocery store)
3. Cheese of your preference
4. 4 Croissants or I guess you could get a tortilla and make a wrap out of it.

Assemble the sandwiches and enjoy!

I've also tried out my mom-in-law's frozen coffee drink, but I've forgotten the recipe so I made it like this:

1 cup of brewed coffee
2 tablespoons of sugar
3-4 scoops of chocolate ice cream.
Throw everything in a blender. Done.

mom- mode post #91 - on (what do you know!) my first award.

2010-08-03T06:26:00.000-04:00

I received The Versatile Blogger Award from Sofia's World

My first award, how exciting!In order to fully accept the award I must:

1) Thank the person who gave me the award. Thanks Sofia!! I write this little blog for my friends and family to get an insight on what life has been like as a new mommy. Glad you have enjoyed the read.

2) Share seven things about ourselves.

3) Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs, and let the nominees know about the award.

Seven things about me:

I live in a far far away country away from everyone I love and it hurts everyday.
I speak Portuguese, English, Spanish, I've forgotten all of my German and Turkish is kicking my butt ( can I say butt on a family blog? Maybe I should say behind. Kicking my behind.)
I miss teaching. Well, I miss my kiddos I used to teach. Most of them are in Middle School now. I pray and wish that they are defying all the odds and are being successful.
Speaking of things I miss, I miss Target. Lame I know, but I do.
Another thing I miss? Summer days in my beautiful hometown.
I love fashion and I love going shopping with people and helping them find their style.
I'm still trying to figure out life here and some days culture shock still gets the best of me.

And...I would like to nominate the blogs below because they are on my blogfeed and I read them often... Unfortunately I do not know of 15 new blogs to nominate, so I nominate 8 :

1. Momfessions
2. Saco de Farinha

3. Gringuinhos
5. Comer para Crescer
6. Aventuras de uma familia na Europa
7. My busy home
8. The Lewii

Congrats!

mom-mode post # 90 - on a little growing perspective

2010-08-02T06:07:00.000-04:00

O @ 2 weeks of life (and then)

O @ 5 months (now)

Now and then:
Boy oh boy how life has changed. Os is a growing, active, smiling little baby boy. No longer a sleepy, hungry little newborn.
Then he used to eat every two hours, was still learning the difference between night and day and I felt like so inadequate as a new mommy. Learning everything from taking care of a belly button, giving him a bath and what was the most adequate feeding position.
Now he eats some solids ( with gusto!), thrives on his daily routine and I don't feel quite so inadequate anymore. We are on a groove, O and I. I know him more and more each day. And with every new week hew develops a new little cry, a new little trick, a sweet new smile.:) Hubby and I are just so in love with this little guy with his chubby legs and toothless smile.

Here's to what five months can bring. A new perspective in life. Life is most definitely different, most definitely challenging, most definitely wonderful.

mom-mode post # 89 - on daddy's birthday

2010-07-30T12:31:00.000-04:00

So I'm a month late on this post. Life has been... busy, challenging, exciting.
We celebrated hubby's birthday with a simple lunch out at a new western restaurant with found in town that sells burgers and that doesn't start with Burger and end with king ( see pic)
A couple of weeks later we celebrated with an all out american cook out with turks, canadians, a brazilian (moir!) and the guest of honor, an american.:)
I even busted out a special yellow cake mix and cream cheese frosting. I wish I had taken a picture of how I decorated it, but like I said life has been busier than usual.

To the man of my life, man of my dreams, I hope you had a lovely little birthday. O and I love you!

Here O is working on slightly bored look that most kids only master when they are teenagers. My kid is smart like that.:)

mom-mode post # 88 - on fake beaches, real islands and whatnot

2010-07-15T13:51:00.001-04:00

If you are not going to the beach.Bring the beach to you. Or something like that.
These hot summer days have got me longing to take O ( and myself) to the beach. Given that we are as landlocked as "landlockedness" gets (which makes this long lost island girl incredibly sad), I took matters into my own hands. I am determined to make O into a little fish like I was when I was a little girl. So we went to Carrefour, bought the one pool that could fit into our balcony and voila, instant beach sans sand. O actually felt quite relaxed, enthralled in his must-have summer read: "Water, water everywhere".

All the while I kept reassuring him ( or myself?): One of these days O, mama will introduce you to a real beach on a island far far away... One of these days.

mom-mode post # 86 - on mommy guilt

2010-07-07T04:26:00.000-04:00

If there is one thing about motherhood no one warned me about was this: guilt. Stemming from your own high standards, from other moms in your family, from that friend just seems to have it together, from your nosy neighbor, from that craft blog, from the parenting magazines... Mommy guilt set in before O was even a month old. It starts with a little bit of second guessing yourself: Am I doing this right? Should I be doing something different? And it escalates to full blown guilt, keeping you awake at night ( as if your baby wasn't already doing a great job at that), making you feel less of a mommy, a wife, a person.

If you are a young mom and are being eaten alive by mommy guilt, I share with you this article. Hope it is a refreshing to you as it was to me. This has been one of the most to-the-point articles I've ever read on the subject.

If you have not come to this stage in life or have long passed it, would you do me a favor? Would you be willing to say a little prayer for me? Pray that I'll "be all here" and my ministry to O will be my biggest expression of love for him. So I can live "mommy-guilt" free, knowing that I am right where I'm supposed to be.

Much love,

P.

mom-mode post # 86 - on beautifying sleep

2010-07-06T04:59:00.001-04:00

It's as if every morning he wakes up just a little bit cuter. And I fall for him just a little bit harder. :)

mom-mode post # 85 - on momfessions

2010-06-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

Inspired by this post by my friend Sheila. Perfectionism has long been my middle name and now more than ever I struggle with the high expectations I set for my self. So in an effort to just let go and remind myself that there's not such thing as the perfect mom and wife, here are my momfessions:

1. I have half a cheese quesadilla for lunch almost everyday. Call it stuck in a rut lunch, I call it an easy way to fill me up.

2. I feel guilty when my baby doesn't nap right on cue. Or that I still rock him to sleep. But he is a baby, not an exact science and I'm finally OK with that. Besides I love the extra snuggles I get when I hold his sleepy little body in my arms.

3. I often pretend I don't understand the local language when locals tell me to put socks on my baby when it is 100 degrees outside ( or insert any other cultural custom here). Would this be considered lying? I call it surviving.

4. I've gone to bed having forgotten to brush my teeth only to remember it right as I'm falling asleep. Some days I don't get back up.

5. I envy those moms that snapped right back into shape after the baby and wonder why I have to work twice as hard to get everything back? Then I'm reminded of my genetics and how it's always been this way when it comes to losing weight.

6. My windows are probably the dirtiest in all of my building. I just haven't had the guts (or the time nor the will) to prop myself up on the window seal to clean them.

And I'll end like my friend Sheila did:

I’m not sure why I’m telling you all of this. Maybe I just needed to get it off my chest. I’m not the perfect woman, and I don’t think I mind all that much.

mom-mode post # 84 - on father's day

2010-06-20T14:44:00.000-04:00

To my daddy - Who is far away today. And it is not even "Father's Day" in Brazil today. But I celebrate you today. We have been through thick and thin and I'll always think of you when I hear Steve Wonder's song: "I just called to say I love you". Today I just wrote to say I love you. We celebrated you today. O is blessed to have a vovo like you.

To my dad-in-law - Who is also far away today. You've modeled what it means to be a Godly man to my husband. You've raised him to be the same. You've taken me as your own daughter. Your hard-work to provide for your family all these years is so admirable and inspiring. We celebrate you today. O is blessed to have a gramps like you.

To hubby - O's daddy. Back in our dating days I knew you were going to be a great daddy. But I have to say that the day Oliver was born you've exceeded all and any expectations I had. I am so blessed to be together with you in this parenting journey. And if it's possible I love you even more now that I've seen you as O's daddy. O and I are blessed beyond measure to have you as the leader of our little family. We celebrate you today.

mom-mode post 83 - on cheering for mommy's team

2010-06-15T07:19:00.001-04:00

It's the world cup and it's a big deal.

mom-mode post #81 - on flying with a baby

2010-06-06T08:37:00.000-04:00

I could not have asked for a better traveling companion. He kept me busy just enough to keep me from getting bored, he gave me space when I needed to get things done and he slept when I needed to rest...
Baby O behaved like a seasoned traveler.
The first leg of the trip, a one-hour flight. O slept through the whole thing.
Then, a lay over a JFK. O felt all cozy in his stroller and slept like a baby. Allowing me to go from Delta counter to Delta counter trying to get a bulkhead seat, so O could have a bassinet on the plane. Also allowing me to make a quick stop-over at Chili's for deliciously juicy bacon cheeseburger. Yay for not losing baby pounds. I guess I just couldn't pass that up.
Needless to say, the Delta people were less than helpful, leaving it up to me to arrange that bulkhead seat. I think I must've shed a tear or two out of shear desperation. How was I going to fly with my 3 month-old baby for 9 hours ( and some) without having a place to put him down to sleep?
I got on the plane, baby in tow and the flight attendant were very helpful, asking me what I needed. I promptly said: a bulkhead seat, please. They said they would help me by asking whoever had that seat to change with me. Three young guys had those seats. They were traveling together and were ready to enjoy each other's company. I KNOW I ruined their trip when I asked to change seats... His first response was a simple no. So appealed to begging: sad puppy eyes, holding my baby, slightly crying voice: you see sir, I'm traveling alone with my baby and I need that seat so they can attach a little bed for my baby to sleep... The flight attendant added: and you get free drinks for being nice! And just like that our smoothest trip as of date started.
O quickly fell asleep right after dinner was being served. The kind flight attendants brought my dinner afterwards and I enjoyed a calm quiet flight. O woke up thirsty minutes before we landed and offered up smiles to everyone around us.
Things were going down without a glitch until O's pants started to leak... A quick trip to the bathroom quickly solved that. And off we were to customs, baggage claim and our dashing hubby and daddy's arms.

mom-mode post # 101 - on flying

2010-05-30T17:07:00.000-04:00

You may think I'm crazy, but yes, I took my 3 month-old on a transatlantic trip. As life would have it, we had to take an unexpected trip to America to take care of some of my citizenship process. The Lord worked out the timing so I could fly back with the grandparents and experience traveling with O before I have to do it all on my own on the way back.

Baby O did great. Sleeping through most of our long flight. He liked the little bassinet and really only cried a few times. I went in with the mentality that I wouldn't worry about his feeding schedule and would just go with the flow. That eased my mind whenever he got too fussy and the only way to calm him was by feeding him. That kept me and everybody else on the plane sane.

Security procedures was another story though... They make you take the baby out of the stroller, fold the stroller up, go through the detector with your baby, put your baby back in the stroller so they can scan just you, etc, etc. If I didn't have his grandparents with me, I would have lost my mind. Here's to hoping (and fervently praying) that the way back will go down without a glitch.

Thank you Gram and Granps for keeping me mentally sound on what has probably been my biggest undertaking as a new mom.

My next BIG undertaking: jet lagged baby. But that deserves a post all on its own.

mom-mode post # 90 - on shot day

2010-05-18T14:47:00.001-04:00

My baby got three shots today. Nothing could have prepared me for this. I never thought I was going to be the mom that cries whenever her baby gets shots. I've never been the crying type. You know, the weddings are beautiful- "the notebook" was awesome - goodbyes are awful - crying type. I usually take the "tough it up" approach. I cope with things easier that way ( I was nicknamed "ice queen" back in high school, but that's a story for another day). Needless to say, ever since becoming a mother, the nickname couldn't be farther from the truth. And the "tough it up" approach doesn't seem so pertinent anymore.

After the medicine wore off, he cried. And cried. Until his little face was red and his little voice was hoarse. I held him ever so closely and could not fight the tears falling from my very eyes. I sat right next to his crib until his little body drifted heavily into sleep. I cried a little more. I sat down with a cup of coffee after it was all said and done and could feel the stress melt off my body. He may still wake up in pain tonight. But I'm praying he will sleep right through it all. Just another day in the life of discovering motherhood.

Moms tell you about days like this. My mom certainly did. And do I dare say it, I have a deeper appreciation for my own mama now.
At the risk of making this blog sound like one of those cheesy, sentimental 'forward' pps presentations, the often quoted 'before I was a mom' poem did say it better than what I am trying to say. Here's an excerpt:
"Before I was a Mom;
I never thought about immunizations,
I never held a screaming child so the doctors could give shots,
I never looked into teary eyes and cried,
I never felt my heart break into pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt ...

Before I was a Mom;
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down,
I never sat up late hours of the night watching a baby sleep,
I never got up in the middle of the night to make sure everything was okay,
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby...

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside of my body,
I didn't know that having something so small could make me feel so
important,
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,
the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a mom."

I leave you with a picture of a happier day than today. Isn't he a cutie pie?

mom-mode # 46 - on mother's day

2010-05-16T02:13:00.000-04:00

Hubby surprised me with a sweet get-away and the cutest photo book ever.

I remember how I felt the first night at the hospital. Overwhelmed at the fact that this tiny little being was solely dependent upon me for survival. Little old me, all stitched up and still numb from surgery. Little old me, never-babysat-much and clumsy. Little old me, a mommy.
Almost three months go by and we are celebrating my first mother's day. I'm now an, hum, "experienced" mother. Realizing that little old me was whom God chose to take care of this precious little guy. And boy, am I ever so blessed, so thrilled, so in love with our little family. I love my hubby even more and have a greater appreciation for him now that I've seen him as a daddy. And ever since that first night at the hospital, I've come to appreciate being my little guy's sole source of nourishment ( at least for now).
It was after a long night of being up with him, I found console in this quote ( I can't remember where I got it)

Heed this warning – I urge you to cherish every bleary eyed mid-night diaper change and feed as they are but a tiny portion of this parenting journey but just so special. Just as the kids start sleeping through the night those dark, quiet cuddles come to an end. Soak it all in.

And I am. I am soaking it all in.

( Oliver and I couldn't get a good picture together on mother's day. Either my eyes were closed, or he had a frown, or my hair was a mess... So we'll try to take some pics together soon)

mom-mode post # 45 - on "sitting up"

2010-05-08T14:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks Mr. Joe and Ms. Erika, I just love my little seat!

mom-mode # 45 - on meeting gramps

2010-05-07T15:14:00.000-04:00

Having a heart to heart with gramps.

mom-mode post # 98 - on making new friends

2010-05-07T15:13:00.000-04:00

Oliver made a new friend ( Thanks cousin Sheri!) and was just thrilled about it.
(Not to mention the fact that he is just relishing in all the loving he is getting from his gram, gramps and auntie)

mom-mode # 78 - on having a 9 week old

2010-05-02T13:05:00.000-04:00

("mom, I' not sure I like you holding me like this!")

Baby O is 9 weeks old. Wow. He wakes us up (at the crack of dawn) every morning with the biggest grin on his face. He "talks" to us and is jsut a very alert baby. He has started to enjoy tummy time and is pretty strong. He also loves Elvis. Love me tender, Can't help falling in love with you... He just relaxes and smiles. So sweet. Heck, he may even have enough hair to pull off an Elvis costume this Halloween! :)

I am just overjoyed with my little family. I don't like to bragg ( oh, but I do!). But they are pretty awesome and I feel pretty blessed.
Plus I got a hairtcut this week, which has helped me feel 100 percent better, no amtter how little I've slept.

Not satisfied that I already look enough like a local, the hairdresser gave me a haircut that all the girls here are wearing. So if I'm not out with ym two white guys, I pretty much blend in.:) It turned out great though, I'm not complaining. Just stating a fact. Plus, I absolutely loved the price: 20 lira. A far cry from the much higher prices ( plus tip) I used to pay in the States and Brazil.

mom-mode # 61 - on growing overnight

2010-04-23T04:20:00.000-04:00

I think Oliver gained a pound or two this past night. He just seemed so much heavier when I picked him up this morning. ;)

Interesting new facts:
- Oliver loves to smile! If he's not tired or hungry, he will smile all the time. It's so sweet.

- After not liking the swing for the first 8 weeks of his life, he now has decided he really likes it.

- He likes getting back and foot massages. ( But then again, who doesn't?)

And here's a quick snapshot of my two favorite guys!

mom-mode post # 60 - on the neighborhood bazaar

2010-04-22T10:31:00.001-04:00

I love the "randomness" of my neighborhood bazaar. Every Wednesday, with the excuse to buy cheap veggies for my family, I walk about two blocks to enter my most favorite thing to do in this city. I have yet to take pictures, but here is just a sample of the random things you can buy at the bazaar on any given Wednesday:

A "marka" (aka name-brand) t-shirt for about 2 dollars. This one is from H&M. And it's NOT a fake.

A hair thingy ( what are these things called?) for 1 dollar.

The most delicious strawberries I've ever tasted for about 50 cents a pound!

Replacement for my real (now broken) Wayfarers, 5 bucks.

Pretty fabric for about 2 dollars a yard.

Pretty sweet, I tell ya.

mom-mode post # 58 - on growing up too fast

2010-04-18T16:29:00.001-04:00

My little ham was 7 weeks old yesterday. It's not like he's off to college or getting married yet. But let me get corny and say: They grow up SO FAST!

I was putting away a coat yesterday and found one of his little hats in my pocket. It's a wool hat, so he won't be wearing it anymore. Next winter it will be too small. I must confess I cried a little when I realized it. They grow up too fast indeed. May I take in every little hug, every little smile, every little cry. May I cherish him and always take the time to cuddle ( and let the laundry pile up)for soon he will not fit ever so cozy in my lap.:)

p.s.: Motherhood (aka lack of sleep) has made my brain stop working. Hubby called me out on the fact that I've numbered some of my most recent posts wrong. So from now on, in order to make my life easier,I am just going to give my posts random numbers.:)

mom-mode # 56 - Laundry much?

2010-04-13T16:20:00.000-04:00

I'm SO there.

Okay so people warned me that laundry was going to pile up after you have a baby. I thought they meant the baby's laundry. No one told me ours (mine and hubby's) would increase also. Interesting how this tiny little being has the capacity of dirtying up (spit up and other things) a whole lot of clothes.

mom-mode # 55 - on going to the mall

2010-04-13T16:15:00.001-04:00

Dressed like a little dude ( and looking a like a lil'rascall) to go to the mall with mommy. I love this kiddo.

(on a side note, what in the world is going on with his hair?)

mom-mode post # 64 - on what to wear AFTER your baby is born

2010-04-09T14:55:00.000-04:00

Let’s talk about fashion, shall we?

I know, I know, this is supposed to be a blog about baby O. and stuff. So then why are we talking about fashion? Well, mainly because no one told me that my outfits were going to have to change in order to accommodate my new mom lifestyle. Not just because I’d have spit up all over my silk J.Crew top, but also for comfort and practicality.

Granted, the first few days (or weeks?) you may be living in your pajamas, and you won’t see a need for styling. But trust me, there will come the day you will go stir crazy inside the house and eventually you may want to go out and well, your pre-pregnancy wardrobe may not be the best choice (or you may not be able to get into them just yet!).

No, this is not 1999 and I am by no means advocating for moms to wear velor track suits or the so-called “mommy jeans” and tennis shoes. If you’re still wearing them, put them away, right now. In the name of comfort, so many of us settle for the simple and plain, but for the tired and under-slept mamas out there, a cute outfit may just be the energy booster they need.

I recently had baby and all I’m saying is that lately I found myself in a fashion dilemma. For one, five weeks in after my baby was born, I’m not quite back in my old skinny jeans (will I ever?). But also, although I want to be a stylish mama, I realize that a turtle neck dress may not be the most practical choice for a breastfeeding mom.

And even if you’re not breastfeeding, you still need easy stylish practicality.

So here are a few styling but comfortable tips that I’ve come to realize in the past five weeks:

- Get a few “in between” sizes pants. Nothing wrong with the maternity pants. But trust me, you will feel and look much better in pants you can actually button.

- Wear lots of button downs. Borrow it from your husband’s closet and cinch it at the waist with a sash or a belt. For these provide "easy access" for the breastfeeding mom.

- Flats, wear cute ballet flats. They add style to your outfit and are still comfortable. Plus they elongate your silhouette, making you look slimmer. I know tennis shoes are comfortable, but flats are so much more feminine.Seriously save your tennis shoes for when your doctor releases you to work out again.

- Accessorize! Perhaps you may have to give your necklaces a break (I’m still fighting this one, but my 5 week old has almost broken one so…). Headbands are a great way to accessorize and hold your hair in place. A nice chunky bracelet or statement earrings are a way to show that you’ve put some effort into getting ready. Your hubby will appreciate it.

- Cardigans are a must. They can add color to an all-black ensemble or slim-down a baggy maternity top.

- Everyone has these cute “embellished” tee-shirts for spring now. Old Navy, the Loft, you name it. The beauty of these is that they still are just as comfy as a tee, but have a cute feminine appeal to it.

- Finally, stick to two-piece ensembles. Dresses are great, but despite the fact that they do not provide “easy access” for the breastfeeding mom, if you get spit up on them, you have to change the whole outfit. If you are wearing a top and a bottom, all you have to do is just change the top or bottom if your little one spits-up, or if you get wet while giving them a bath or if your little boy pees on you…

So that’s it friends. Keep it simple, keep it clean (for the most part!) and keep it stylish!

mom-mode # 54 - today i'm at....

2010-04-09T14:16:00.000-04:00

Hello friends, today I'm paying a visit to my sweet friend Sheila @ My Busy Home
Go check it out!

mom-mode #53 - a liitle comparison

2010-04-06T09:17:00.000-04:00

mom-mode post # 52 - on taxi rides and 5 week olds

2010-04-06T08:46:00.001-04:00

(Yes, no infant seat. That's how they do it here. I just pray and cringe)

I realized the other day that my son is going to grow up in a world much, much different than the world I grew up in. No, I'm not just talking about the fact that I was born in the so-called "lost decade" ( yep, I'm 28 today!) and the ipod was a mere glimpse in Steve Jobs mind, but I'm talking about the way we got around. As far as I remember my main mean of transportation when I was a baby was either in my dad's old Passat or my mom's VW bug. Now Oliver my friend, has had a whole different experience. Take yesterday for example. We were coming back from the outskirts of Istanbul to our city. First, we took a taxi to the nearest bus stop (transportation #1). Then we took am-hour long bus trip into the city (#2). Next, we hopped on another taxi to our friend's house (#3). An hour later we arrive. The next day, our friend drives us to the train station (#4). Then we hopped on a train (#5). Finally, another friend picks us up at the train station in a van (#6). No wonder he was exhausted. I'm tired just typing it all.

Oh yeah, Oliver is 5 weeks old. I just cannot believe it!

mom-mode post #51 - on taking a bath in a bucket

2010-03-27T03:54:00.000-04:00

No, it's not because we don't have money to buy him a proper bathtub. Nor is it because we don't have a kitchen sink. But because were going out of town for a week, I didn't know what to do for his bath. So I remember reading somewhere about bathing babies in buckets. How its better for them anatomically, how they relax more, etc. I wasn't completely convinced, but I was willing to give it a try. So we did and... He loved it! I have never seen baby O so relaxed. So from now on, that's how we're bathing him. In a bucket.

mom-mode post #50 - On how Oliver likes to relax

2010-03-23T04:30:00.000-04:00

Hi, my name is Oliver Gray. I'm three-weeks-old. I like to sleep on my mommy's lap ( a habit we're trying to break) and long walks on the beach.

( The matching striped ensembles are absolutely non-intentional)

mom-mode post #49 - on being 2 weeks old.

2010-03-17T04:19:00.000-04:00

So my baby is 2 weeks old. About to be 3. We're settling into life pretty well. Oliver is such a precious joy to us. In fact, we're doing so well we even went on a little train ride the other day. Oliver behaved like seasoned traveler. Here's a few pics of what we've been up to lately.

Oliver likes to fall asleep like this. Here's him, 2 weeks old in his little polo onesie that was a one-time only use.:(

On the way back to our city. We took the fast train!

First Starbucks experience, gotta start the caffeine habit early! He's brazilian after all. Finally, a little stroller ride around the neighborhood.

mom-mode #48 - on how you came into the world

2010-03-14T12:48:00.001-04:00

Excuse me there friends, but today I write this to my son. Many years from now, I hope he can read it and know what a joyful occasion it was when he was born.

It started the day after your due date. A little pain and discomfort. I didn't tell anyone because I was tired of being stuck inside and wanted to go out to distract myself from waiting.You see, you didn't come the day the doctor's predicted and I was hoping you wouldn't be too late. I was so ready to meet you, hug you and kiss you. My parents and I went to the mall and met up with your daddy. We walked around and even shopped some, then we sat down for dinner. By this point, the little pain I was feeling was coming every 30 minutes. I told your daddy. We decided it was best to go home.
All night long, the "little" pain started to come more and more often. I didn't really sleep. I was so excited you were coming!
The next morning the pain was coming every 8 minutes... We called our nurse friend who had been helping us with going to the doctors in this country where we didn't know the language well enough yet. She informed us that our doctor had already moved to the other hospital ( we knew this was a possibility, but didn't expect for him to have already moved). So instead of being only a block from the hospital, we were now a good 20-minute drive. So the doctor and nurse thought it was best for us to go ahead and come in. Just in case things progressed a little faster.
Your daddy and I were hoping for an all-natural birth. We wanted you to come into this world the old-fashioned way. No interventions, whenever you were ready. Our doctor was on board with our decision and I was confident that's how things were going to happen.
But when we got to the hospital around 8:30 that morning, the doctor didn't like what he saw. You see my body wasn't working with you to bring you into the world ( I'll spare you the details). And you had a slightly big head... And you were a little heavier than most babies. The doctor thought it was safer to bring you into this world through a cesarean. I was very sad about this. But your daddy and I came to terms with it and decided it was the safest way to finally get to meet you.
Next thing I know I'm being prepped for surgery. My legs went to sleep and suddenly I hear is the sweet sound of a crying baby. I asked it that was my baby, because I couldn't believe you came out that fast! Then I saw your daddy in surgery gear, camera in hand, telling me how cute you were. He looked so happy. Smiling from ear to ear.
Then the nurse brought you close to me. All dirty still, wrapped in a green sheet, crying. I got to kiss you and feel you on my skin. And right then, I knew I was a mommy. Your mommy. And it felt just right.
You were born at 11:30 on February 27th, 2010. 53 cm and 4,295 kg of pure goodness. In a city that will forever be remembered by your daddy and I as this special place where we got to meet you.
Your tiny life is blessing from God to us. You came and filled every little crevice of our hearts with love. We are thrilled to start our family with you, Oliver Gray Cardoso Smith.

Our little family.

mom-mode post #47 - a few snapshots of our first week together

2010-03-06T04:05:00.000-05:00

Since my mom has been busy catching up on sleep and procrastinating on writing my birth story, I thought I'd share a few snapshots of my first week of existence. Much love, Baby O.

My mom insists on styling my hair every time we go somewhere. She also likes to smother me with kisses.

Flowers daddy brought mom because I was born. Sweet friends visiting us and drinking chai.

Daddy sometimes has to undress me so I'm awake enough to eat. I clearly do not appreciate that. I slept a lot this week, just not at night. But mom and dad are teaching me the difference between night and day.

I've taken a bath or two as well, cause I was really stinky from being inside my mommy's belly.

mom-mode post # 46 - on, well...

2010-03-02T12:45:00.000-05:00

Smells like new.

mom-mode post # 45 - on waiting for my world to change

2010-02-20T05:58:00.001-05:00

Hey there. This is Oliver and I, ballooning at 39 and 1/2 weeks.

Mom and dad arrived safe and sound. And we are busy catching up, having fun and enjoying the warmer weather. Oh and yeah, excitingly waiting on our world to change. Hope next time I update this, it will be with a picture of Oliver outside of me.:)

mom-mode post # 44 - on how it ain't Pottery Barn but I love it!

2010-02-15T03:17:00.001-05:00

It ain't Pottery Barn, but I am very happy with how it turned out. Considering we were on a budget, in a foreign country that doesn't have yard sales or Target and most of the items in here are hand-me-downs!

Chair we got on sale at Home Depot type store here. Much cheaper than Ikea... The materials for the curtains and pillows I did by at Ikea and had a seamstress here work with it. The materials were way more expensive than the seamstress. The crib was a hand-me-down.

The tree mural was inspired by a painting a I did for my friend's baby a couple of years ago. Plus it's about the only thing I know how to "free hand" on a wall.:) The paint here was a little messier than what I was used to work with in the States. So i came up with the idea of the canvas initials to cover up my mess-ups.:)

Hand me downs: changing table and dresser.

Here are some more details:

Now we just need a baby boy to go in it!

mom-mode post #43 - does this dress make my belly look fat?

2010-02-14T12:04:00.001-05:00

For your viewing pleasure, a little comparison: same dress, 10 weeks and 38 and 1/2 weeks.

Does this dress make my belly look fat ( and my face and my arms, etc)?

I guess the little boy and the extra chocolate in me do.

Happy Love Day everyone! Off to enjoy some last few moments with my hubby before the chaos ensues. ( My mom and dad are coming into town this week!)

mom-mode post # 42 - on what they call "nesting"

2010-02-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

I've been crafting like there's no tomorrow. Ideas just keep popping into my head and I start a new project without even finishing the other. Is this what they call "nesting"?
Going on 38 weeks. Pictures soon to follow.

Meanwhile, behold my headbands and flowers craftiness.

mom-mode post #41- on the anticipation of things to come

2010-02-01T03:13:00.000-05:00

Mr. Oliver Gray and I at 36 and 1/2 weeks. Time is coming quickly to a close and our baby boy will soon make his debut into the world.
He moves around a lot, he has lots of strength and energy these days... Last night I felt like I was being punched in the stomach, the kicks were so strong. I think he's running out of space in here ( see the pictures!!!).
I'm getting so excited about the upcoming weeks, I can barely sleep of anticipation! Mom and dad come in two weeks and hopefully, soon AFTER, our baby will come too. "Excited" is the understatement of the year. I may not be ready, but I'm so excited to be his mama.
This is us, running away from the snow and cold of our city. Isn't it a beautiful place?
The last pic is for my sisters, I'm showing off my new boots.:)

mom-mode post # 40 - on how I'm not afraid and how I'm not going to miss my heavy belly!

2010-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

35 weeks going on 36 . One month left. I have a hospital bag ready and his room is practically finished (check out the photos for a sneak peek).
Maybe now I can just rest and wait for him to come. I am so tired and he's SO heavy. That's why I'm not going to miss my belly.:) I will, however, miss the sweet feeling of him kicking and screaming inside me. For soon thekicking and screaming outside of me will take place.
Many of my friends here asked me if I'm scared. I guess it's a common thing for women here to be afraid of the pain in the delivery. Interestingly enough, I am not. Not anxious, not nervous. Just want him to stay put until my parents get here. Do you think I'll make it to my due date?
Another friend here "measured" my belly and told me I still have time. Her measuring consisted in placing four fingers at the top of my belly -- she could only fit three. Which means I haven't dropped yet, according to her. We'll see. :)

p.s.: We finally chose a name for our baby boy! Can you guess by the pictures?!? I'll give you a hint: his first initial - O for... , his middle initial -G for Gray and his last initial - S for Smith.

Mom-mode post # 39 – 34 weeks of “hugeness”

2010-01-11T13:03:00.003-05:00

So I feel huge. But I guess that's to be expected and it's only about to get worse. People can definitely tell I'm pregnant now. My walk is not longer a walk, but a wobble. I no longer gracefully sit down, but simply just land on furniture. I get seats on the tram all the time now. Even if I insist that I'm only taking it to the next stop, they still get up and give me a seat. I happily oblige.
At every mall or big store here, you have to go through a metal detector before you get in ( don't ask me why). I had heard they usually let pregnant ladies go through without being scanned, but I have never been told I could. Today, the guy took one look at me and told me to use the side entrance.
Everyone asks me when I'm due. I say February 25th as if it were still pretty far off. People respond with : "it's coming!" Or the lovely: "not much left now!"
That's when I freak out and realize they are right. Next month, I will be a mom. The mother of a son. A child, a little ( well, generally speaking - we all know he won't be little!) defenseless baby that I'm, along with hubby, fully responsible for. Ai caramba.

mom-mode # 38 - on the song and dance of sleepless nights

2010-01-03T11:15:00.002-05:00

Yes, I knew they were coming. The sleepless nights, I was warned about them. It all started off small, around the 6th month. The song and dance between bathroom and bed was played only once or twice in the middle of the night. Slowly, they added a new act. The kitchen decided to join in the middle-of-the-night fun. I would either wake up thirsty or my blood sugar had dropped. None of it was a big deal, because after this little number I was able to easily fall back asleep. Until last night. I lost count of how many times I had to get out of bed. And each time I got back, I couldn't find a comfortable position. It wasn't until early morning that I was able to turn off this "preggo" symphony. I finally fell asleep. Thirty minutes later, the alarm went off. Should I assume it is only about to get worse?

Picture taken the first day of the year. An unusually warm and sunny day. Days like that, I like to go to the park and pretend I'm by the ocean. It was also very windy, hence the "blow out" effect.

mom-mode # 37 - on resolutions and retrospectives

2009-12-31T02:29:00.005-05:00

Like most things the media promotes, I cannot stand New Year's Resolutions. I find them cheesy and pretty useless. Just another marketing tool for some new diet or gym. However, I thought maybe 2010 was the year I needed to make a list, just to prioritize my goals and whatnot. After all, this will be the year that forever changes my role in society and forever changes our little family of two to become three. I thought I just better get organized and set some goals. So we won't call them resolutions, we'll call them " Goals I'd like to accomplish in 2010". New to this whole setting "Goals I'd like to accomplish in 2010" thing, I could only come up with three, albeit monumental, simple ones: to know God more, to love my husband more and more and to become the best mom my flawed self could possibly be.
I could add: drink less caffeine, but let's face it, I wanted to set realistic goals, mind you. :)

One thing I love to do this time of the year though, is to look back on the year that's passed. If I could find Doc, enter his time-traveling Delorean and meet my January '09 self, I don't think I would have been able to grasp the amount of changes and turns my life would take this year. 2009 will forever be the year that changed our quiet little North Carolina-couple-without-kids life to plane-hopping-ex-pat-couple-with-baby-on-the-way life.

I had a lot of dreams when was in high school. I never thought they would ever come to fruition. But here we are, living a life that one could have only dreamed of.

Truth be told, dreams are dreams and reality is reality. So, although dreamy, our new place in life hasn't been easy, nor simple. In fact, it is more complicated than I ever anticipated for it to be. But fret not, my soul ( I often tell myself this when I find that I can't communicate well with someone here), the New Year is here and with it, the hope and faith I have in the One that came to save me. For He has never left me or forsaken me.

Happy 2010. May it be happy and true.

~32 weeks~
( can you believe it? 8th month here we come!)

mom-mode post # 36 - on couples preggo shoots

2009-12-29T11:02:00.001-05:00

The other day I realized hubby and I didn't have a decent picture together of us preggo. We've been in transition ever since we found out we were expecting, plus we didn't really have the option of having the talents of our friend Angey Price (http://angeyprice.wordpress.com/) to take some nice photos of us. I looked around at some photo shops around here but all the samples I saw were those cheesy studio photo shoots with the dad making a heart shape with his hands on the mom's belly. Another of my pet peeves, but we'll talk about this another day. Needless to say, we didn't go with a local photographer either.
So we took advantage of our friends coming to visit us ( it was so nice to have them here for Christmas!) . With the excuse of taking them to see our favorite park, we asked them to take a few pictures of us. So this is us at 31 weeks. :)
So glad we got to register such an exciting time for us as a couple. We are both so anxious for our baby boy to be here and to see his little chubby face ( yep, the dcotor tells us he is a big one). And we know that by the time he gets here, we'll have a special name for him.

p.s.: this is my favorite new coat and about the only one that keeps my big belly warm, so don't be surprised if every belly pic from now on comes with the coat.:)

mom-mode post # 35 - on Christmas traditions

2009-12-25T00:37:00.003-05:00

Every family has at least one Christmas tradition. No matter what they are, there's just something comforting in knowing you will eat the same foods, do the same things, see the same people, year after year.

I never realized how much hard work and effort it takes for these traditions to be kept from year to year. I knew my mom and mom-in-law spent many hours in the kitchen baking all of our favorite and traditional holiday treats and foods. I knew many hours were spent decorating the house, and many others were spent shopping for the perfect gifts.

Even though I've been married for four years, I had never had to take on the role of "tradition-keeper" until this year. We always spent Christmas with our families, so there was never a need to ensure that these traditions were kept.

This year, is a little different, as we are many hours away from both our families. And with all the craziness it's been, we've only managed to get a tree and I managed to bake some of our favorite treats. We didn't even achieve to put presents under the tree. It's just little sad without everyone here. Okay, it's really sad, I confess. But it still doesn't take away the REAL joy of today, anyways. :)

I have to say it made me so thankful for my "moms" and their enormous efforts in making sure everyone had a wonderful time, every year. They have made for some of the sweetest memories one could ever ask for.

My prayer and hope is that next year, with our little one in tow, we'll be able to maintain some of these wonderful traditions and create some new ones of our own, as the years go by. I can only hope my son will have as wonderful memories as my husband and I have had, thanks to our moms.

But of all the traditions we could ever possibly create, I just want my baby boy to know and cherish the real reason why we celebrate.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God,The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6

~ 30 weeks

mom-mode post #34 -29 weeks and a nice little rest

2009-12-12T14:40:00.004-05:00

29 weeks of baby heaviness. He is getting so big, I cannot believe it! We were hoping for an average baby or a small one like I was. Looks like he's gonna be heavy one just like his daddy. Oy.

The other picture is the moment my soul sighed with joy as I took in my most favorite sight and sound: the ocean. It was cold and windy, but still, just God's perfect creation.

Hubby and I are enjoying some much needed r & r in celebration of our 4th anniversary. What a blessing it has been!

Mom-mode post # 33 – on language learning

2009-12-07T15:38:00.003-05:00

I wish I had this poster to hang on my living room wall.

So every time I try to put the verb in the middle of the sentence, I'd be reminded to let go of this concept.:)

And to remind me of what it takes to learn new things.

This poster comes from here: www.advicetosinkinslowly.bigcartel.com

mom-mode post # 32 - on entering my third trimester

2009-12-05T02:31:00.005-05:00

28 weeks and entering my third trimester. Time went by way too fast. Part of me (the part that doesn't have his nursery ready or a name picked out) wants him to stay put a little bit longer. But the other part of me (the one that feels so heavy and achey all the time) is kinda ready to be done!
New hat. All the girls here wear cute little hats ( it is waaaaaaaaaay too cold) so I figured I'd fit in and got me one. It's hard to feel cute these days and the hat helps.:)

mom-mode post # 31 - on my baby daddy

2009-12-02T15:23:00.003-05:00

Little did she know that life was never going to be the same again. In only ten days, her life from a monotonous monoculture to a world-whirlwind undertaking.

He was just a guy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him. She in turn, realized he completed her. "I'm in love! I'm in love! And I don't care who knows it!" she shouted from the roof tops.

Grueling months of distance, many times leaving on a jet plane. He asked her marry him and she promised to wear his ring.

A paradisiacal beach, the perfect "I do". Well, yeah, history is gonna change.

A move to another land. He took her hand and guided her through it. It was just the beginning of their life-long adventures together.

Fast forward a four years later, a baby boy is on the way. And another move to yet another land. They say “whoa, this is heavy!”. But they wouldn’t do it any other way.

Happy 4^th anniversary hubby! You know you are my favorite. The past four years have been the best ever. No kidding.

Disclaimer #1 – movie and song quotes slightly changed to fit our story. And sorry, I won’t take the time to properly cite each one. :)

Disclaimer #2 – overly cheesy post, but I’m so happy, I don’t care who knows it! Ha!