Mommy and Me Monday

Getting ready for a baby shower for one of my best friends. She's having a boy, so I call this the "Baby Boy Blues"

Urban Decay Ammo Palette
Polyester Bride
Shattered

Crease
Plumage - Mac

And while I was getting ready, Diego decided to play with my makeup too. And I think I'm getting over my OCD, because I just LET him! But I don't think I'll be doing that again... because he grabbed my knee with his grubby fingers and soiled my jeans... :(

Much Ado about NOTHING!

If you're wondering weather (see what I did there - I know I'm such a Loser!) or not we had any snowfall, the answer was a big, fat NO! There was barely even any frost. Can't you see the disappointment in little Diego's face?

It didn't stop us from putting on our snow pants and pretending though. (I had to get my $12.99 worth before he outgrows those pants!)

Although nippy, it's turning out to be a beautiful, sunny day in the Bay. See you later, D and I are going to a baby shower today!

Love, San Francisco

If you're not from the Bay Area, let me let you in on what's trending here.... the weather. Snooze! I know how boring right? Wrong! San Francisco loves it's weather, and it's a chance in Hell that you would ever see snow in the forecast.

Snow?! Yes, snow. Supposedly tonight, and yet I'm not even THAT cold right now, but I pulled out my cute winter boots just in case. We were planning to take Diego up to the snow while I was on my sabbatical but time (and sickness) got the best of us and we didn't get to go. So, I guess the snow felt obligated to come to us (because we're rock stars!). That is - if the snow comes at all. We're all skeptical around here, and yet my camera and Diego's unused snow suit are READY!

It's hard to believe that only a couple of weeks ago during a bizarre, hot February week I saw this San Francisco picture posted on Facebook - true story....



Want to know if it's snowing in SF yet? click here...

What took me SO long???

After HOURS on endless.com looking for (and finding) handbags for myself, I suddenly did an about-face and went to Amazon.com and bought a diaper bag that's been in my wishlist for a year.

Who am I kidding? I have no need for a stylish handbag these days, and although one mom told me that you could switch to a regular handbag after the first year is over, I truly doubt that is true for someone like me.

Someone who packs as if we will be gone for the entire day or as if there will be some sort of horrible, wide-spread chaos that will leave us to fend for ourselves against the elements and the only thing that will save us and hold us apart from the others is the extra stuff that I packed in my bag.... yup, that's me!

But now at least, I'll be fighting off global chaos in a stylish bag... AND

just in case the story goes Hollywood, the props in the film adaptation would be more "realistic".

Note: Timi & Leslie Bag: Charlie
in Light Brown
Amazon.com, ~$150

Wordless-ish Wednesday

Technically, I don't consider profanity to be REAL words, and the device - well those aren't MY words....

Switching Teams???

Today, my sabbatical ended (display pouty face here). I walked into
my cube to find it decorated in a Latin American (basically Mexican)
theme. It's customary to decorate cubes according to the place that
the employee went during their sabbatical.

I took one look at my Mexican decor and instantly understood -- it's
tough to find good Peruvian decorations out there.

The cube decor came dangerously fitted with Dora the Explorer candies
-- note the half-eaten candy bracelet on my hand.

I am back in the working mom role after a six-week hiatus. I know
there's a gang war going on out there between working moms vs. stay at
home moms (a war almost as divided as the whole team Edward vs. Team
Jacob thing).

But for the record I'd be a stay at home mom in a heartbeat if I could
afford it.... as well as not have to sacrifice my shopping habits. I
know, I know, I want it all. Doesn't EVERY woman though?

"Mommy and Me" Monday

Practicing eye looks for my sister's wedding:
Urban Decay Ammo Palette
Eye Duct Area: Polyester Bride
Eye Lid: Maui Wowie
Crease: Smog

Migration of the Puffer Fish

I was sure that Diego would fall asleep early last night. The minutes turned to hours and as soon as I knew it, it was already 10 pm. My husband was asleep, snoring on the couch. I zoned-out on my laptop reading blogs.

I snapped out of it when I heard Diego chuckling and laughing with delight. He was actually playing with Qori. He's learned how to throw stuff (which can be dangerous). He used to try to throw things before, but he would let go too early and the toy would end up behind him. But now that he's actually launching things, he has perked the attention of my retriever, for which the name implies.

They were playing with a puffer fish toy I thought I'd over-paid for at Target. It was about $10 for a pack of 10 bath toys that squirt water when you squeeze them. I figured a dollar per toy was a good price at first but when I came home I found some toys were damaged with holes, so they didn't squirt. The toys that were undamaged were hard to get water into because the squirt hole was too small. The toys have since somehow migrated from the bathroom, to the living room, and now to a certain retriever's mouth.

Wordless Wednesday

Time for Valentine?

It's funny to think about the fact that for a minute, I was seriously considering naming my son Valentino. His due date was estimated for February 13th, and I thought: if I could just hold him in for 1 day.....

Unfortunately, I couldn't even hold him in for one month. He was born January 20th, and I'm glad that Valentino was not our ultimate choice in name.

Nonetheless, he is still one of my Valentine's this year (next to my husband and my dog), and I'm in LOVE. Since I HATE going to restaurants on Valentine's Day, we are going to have dinner at my parent's place. While Diego took his nap earlier, I fixed my eye makeup (something I haven't done in weeks). I constantly worry about letting myself go, which is probably why I went to the park last week in heeled boots. My sister joked that she looked like the mother in her sweats.

Not only am I afraid of letting myself go, but letting my house go as well. Everyone says "sleep when the baby sleeps" but now that he's a toddler, I clean, cook, and shower when the baby sleeps. I had a very interesting conversation with one of Diego's aunts. She said that she let her house go when she had her son (who is now 4). I wonder if the son is just a scapegoat. To this day, I have barely been in her house. Each time we stop by her place, we awkwardly "hang out" and "chat" right at their doorstep or on the curb.

That is the LAST thing I want to end up in. That's why today I'm making time for Valentine's.

Jumping for Joy!

I didn't notice when Diego started to stand up without holding onto any supporting structure; just his own equilibrium and gluteal muscles doing the job. I'll admit, I subconsciously felt a little robbed of delighting in the new milestone. It just seemed that once I noticed he was doing it, I wasn't sure if he'd also done it yesterday or even the day before. I wondered if the new-mom infatuation with my child was beginning to wear off... until today.

Today, Diego and I practiced a new milestone: jumping. He's perfected his squat, and his aunt even nicknamed him Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon while we were at the park yesterday. In hindsight I can understand how learning to squat would naturally lead to the sudden urge to SPRING UP from the crouching position into a full-blown jump. Well, OK, I'll admit that a quarter of an inch at most off the ground may not exactly qualify as a "full-blown" jump, but to a mother's eyes it was like he was practically flying; especially when I would help catapult him a smidgen higher than he could actually jump.

Isn't equilibrium amazing? It's the reason we are able to walk upright on two legs without falling on our faces; well most of us at least. I used to think you either had equilibrium, or you didn't. It wasn't something that really had a gray area. But I've noted that each day Diego is able to balance better and better. His aunt also commented that even though he's gained weight, he no longer feels like a sack of bricks when carried. We attribute that to the fact that he's distributing his weight better now, aka: better equilibrium. I guess equilibrium DOES come in shades of gray... there's hope for me yet with yoga!

Belated Birthday Pics

Since we've been back on good ol' Amuurican soil, Diego and I have been sick, sick, SICK. The flight left me with my right ear plugged. After one week, I went to the hospital and of course there wasn't much they could do. Today, I am on my second week of a plugged ear. It is so annoying, but at least I am now coherent enough to work on posting some pics from Diego's birthday bash! Here they are: pics of the pool party that lasted until the break of dawn! The RIGHT way to do the first party EVER! A beautiful way to end my whirlwind year as a new mom!

BEFORE THE PARTAY!

THE YUMMY CAKE!

FIRST GUESTS: MY SWEET GRANDMA-BLESS HER HEART

LET THE POOL PARTAY BEGIN!

BUZZ! YOU MADE IT TO THE PARTAY! LET'S DANCE!

"THANK YOU" SPEECH. I WAS MUTE; EMBARRASSED BY MY SPANISH SKILLZ

CLOWNIN' AROUND

AS NIGHT FALLS, THE POOL PARTAY CONTINUES...

THE DAY AFTER THE PARTAY :(

NO CLEANING-LADIES

DEVOURED CAKE?

CONFETTI FEETS!

PREZENTS OPENING TIME!

THE HAPPIEST 1 YEAR OLD EVA (IN A BOX)!

There were tons more pictures, but these at least give the gist of the grand event. The party really topped off my year with Diego. I love him so, and can't wait to see what adventures life with a toddler will now have in store for me in this new year...

International Birthday

EXCERPT FROM SHIRLEY'S PERU JOURNAL 01/20/2011

My dear Diego,

Today is your VERY FIRST birthday, and now that you are napping, I wanted to take some time to capture the wonderful day in my mind. (Although I would LOVE to be right there with you in slumber!)

Although this time last year, we experienced a torrential storm while bringing you into this world, this morning it was hot yet overcast (probably because we are vacationing in Peru). You slept with us in the bed last night, and I woke to find you in your favorite position - face down, booty up.

You woke in a good mood. I gave you a warm bath and brushed your 8 teeth for the first time using children's toothpaste and a Barney the Dinosaur toothbrush that I bought for you at the local store last night.

I made sure to lovingly sing you Happy Birthday, and you were able to stay a cute, cuddly baby for almost half the song! Then you remembered your newly-found ability to walk and decided that you had better places to go. We descended to the first floor where your grandparents were ready to give you big birthday hugs and kisses and a Toy Story 3 T-shirt to match your upcoming birthday theme.

Since your first birthday fell on a Thursday, we are diligently working on your BIG pool party for Saturday.

Although you won't remember this day or this past year even, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. There is an unconditional love inside of me that I never expected to feel, which makes me blind to all your menaces like your crying, your constant need to be picked up only to want to be put down again, and your new biting habit (not even the dog has ever bit me as much as hard as you!)

Forget about the the bruising from the love bites on my arm and forget about my sore back - just one look at those big, round angelic eyes, and none of those things compare to the aura of love that I have for you that surrounds me when I'm next to you, or even think of you.

I love you much and anticipate so many more birthdays and memories throughout the years to come.

Happy FIRST birthday DD!