Emma's world

she's on a bike, she's on a bike

2012-02-12T20:22:00.000-08:00

It has taken a while for E to get a hang of her bicycle. I think I bought it for her almost a year ago and she finally figured out how to push down onto the pedals. She still has trouble steering but she looks so cute trying and telling me, "all by myself" as I try to help her.

cute stuff

2012-02-07T12:17:00.001-08:00

E sometimes does the sweetest, funniest things. She apparently thinks that I can fix any and everything with either glue or tape; and anything that isnt working just needs "baderries". The other night Ant was laying on the floor and he was pretending to not feel well so he could just relax for a moment. E told Ant "dad, wait der" and got up and ran to my junk drawer, grabbed a small piece of tape and ran back to Ant. She placed that small piece of tape on his belly and said "Emma fix, all bedder ". That was the loveliest thing I think she has ever done and it brought a tear to my eye. Ant then magically got better.
E also does listen to things I tell her but chooses to only follow what I tell her when it is towards her advantage. For example, at night I tell her that the sun has gone to sleep as she should and that we don't get out of bed until the sun is out. This morning she was again in my bed tossing and turning and I told her that the sun was still asleep and that she needed to be asleep as well. Mind you I have black out curtains in my room. She proceeds to pulls open the curtain and say, "uh uh, the sun waking up. Its morning. The sun waking up". Damn, she caught me with my own rule and I had to get out of bed at that point. Oh well, mornings have been getting better since I have now an extra hour to just hang with her, eating chocolate circles and watching Lucy on the tely.

You will be my Friend

2012-02-06T08:18:00.001-08:00

yeah, Gato always has to get in the picture with Emma.

So back to my weekly book pick. I know I have mentioned my love for Peter Brown and his books, Chowder and Children Make Terrible Pets. He really is wonderful because he not only illustrates his books with such charm, but he also writes his own stories, which are just a lot of fun to read. Emma is a HUGE fan of his latest book, You Will Be My Friend, where we see Lucy from Children Make Terrible Pets reappear once more and try to make a friend with a variety of different animals. She goes throughout the forest in search of the perfect friend only to fall short with each attempt. She is at times clueless and gets so frustrated that I feel we all can relate to what it was to be a child and want to have a friend play with you. Lucy is just searching to find that one person with whom she can share a picnic, go dancing and swimming and climbing trees. I also find this book to be very humorous and I love when Lucy casually asks the Ostrich what it feels like to fly. This is an enjoyable book for you and your wee one and the best part is I just discovered that they sell the Lucy doll! E loves acting the book out with Lucy.

da ninj dancing

2012-02-02T08:36:00.000-08:00

In Mexico you can find bootlegged copies of any and all movies. E is such a Puss in Boots fan that I had to get her one. She loves that movies especially the dance off scene between Puss and Kitty Soft Paws. She loves zapateo and flamenco dancing and she has the hand gestures down pat. She is so much fun, so happy and uninhibited! This is not my most flattering angle but you get the gist of E's love for dancing.

LIHO

2012-02-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

LIHO is this new line of clothing for children that I just discovered and am IN LOVE with. They are British and uber expensive. I love that these outfits are mini versions of clothing I would actually wear and da ninj could totally rock them. Sigh, I just dont have an extra 200 dollars to dress my child in LIHO.

my teenage daughter

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

At times I feel E just skipped the next ten years of her life and went right into teenage mode. She is fiercely independent and that is good, but it also hurts me a bit. I long to feel needed by her. It is silly and hard to explain, but E doenst like to be held, or cuddle, or hug or show a lot of affection. She will run up to you and give you a quick hug, but it never lingers. At night when I read to her I just want to cuddle but she rather sit up, and do circle time. Her latest thing, aside from telling us she wants to do everything by herself, is that she now asks to be alone. She will escort me out of her bedroom so she can read and play alone. She rarely cries when I leave for work and I know I'm not supposed to compare but I do, and I do long to know what it is like to hold your child without having them squirm and kick. It is such a small gesture but it means the world to a mother, to feel the touch and love of their child. I know she loves me and needs me, but it is something so hard to talk about or even explain. Anyway, she is my world and I always look forward to each morning with her.

Ikea

2012-02-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

practicing her judo kicks

she really loves mirrors, she is a tad vain

"all by myself"-that is her new favorite line

One of the first places we ever took Emma was to Ikea. She was just two months old and she loved it. She smiled and was so well behaved. We enjoy taking her there because you actually are encouraged to touch and sit and run and everywhere you are, whether its waiting in line to return, or eating lunch, they have kids toys to keep them busy. They also have Small Land, an indoor play area that we have been eying since we first brought E. They have it marked that you have to be something like 36 inches tall. So when E hit that mark last year, we quickly went to drop her off, only to be turned away because they fail to have posted how the child must also be 100% potty trained. So finally this past weekend, E had meet the requirements needed. E loved small land, the giant clog/slide and ball bin. She did not want to leave Small Land. It was nice to be able to look at things in peace.

Tepotzotlan

2012-02-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

I'm sort of backtracking today. I never quite finished posting about our Xmas trip to Mexico. It was indeed a dream, so relaxing, warm and comforting. Emma just loves Mexico, especially downtown, which is my hands down favorite prat of Mexico. She loves the comotion, noise, the energy. I always feel like I'm transported back in time when Im downtown. I can always hear and feel my grandmother there. She was the one that introduced me to downtown and I spent many an hour just walking the streets, exploring. I notice that it is becoming more modernized but it still retains a nostalgic quality that I hope remains until I get a chance to explore el centro with da ninj.

Well, one of my other favorite places in Mexico is this small town called Tepotzotlan which is about 40mns north of the city. The town itself is quite small and a bit run down but it houses this beautiful monastery that is now a museum. We have been going to Tepotzotlan since I was 8 and I have nothing but wonderful memories of that place. There are three fountains where they have an an open shell and you can throw coins in hopes of having it land inside the shell. My favorite place is the yard, it is so green and quiet. They have this old well that we would climb up on and sit on and we even carved our names in it about 20 years ago. Alas the museum finally caught on and placed a huge sign and mini fence warning people to not climb and deface the well. I would say that the garden area was E's favorite place as

well.needless to say that she loved this.

the water retention wall I spoke of.

I'm outa here

she always seems to be on a mission

always on the go

the Noriega girls

one of the wishing wells

she could only take so much

yep, she rather watch Gato con Botas than take in all the glory.

good morning

2012-02-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

I love it when Ant stays home and watches da ninj. My mornings are so relaxing and I actually get to enjoy da ninj's shenanigans. This morning I woke up to da ninj acting out all the musical numbers in the Princess and the Frog. It was lovely, she gets so into it and even got on her back and pretended to swim down stream. She then she wanted me to bring down all her hats and as I was leaving she was walking around the apartment saying "caps for sale". That was one of my favorite books as a child and it seems to have left an impression on da ninj. Its been a while since I read that book to her but she remembers the concept and even will tell you what the monkeys say , "tsk tsk tsk". She does have a good memory and there is no hoping that she will forget something you promised her in the hopes of getting her to behave. She is like me and has the memory of an elephant, which is a good ting but can also a bit of a curse. Anyway,

da ninj

2012-01-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

She is a nut. She is into her walking like Mowgli phase and thinks she is a dog and walks on all fours. All things aside, she really is growing up so fast. On Sunday Emma made this sound that I hadnt heard in a long while. I was reminded of how she really is no longer a baby. When E was a baby, she would lull herself to sleep by doing this humming, grumbling sound. It was so funny and reassuring to hear because that was our cue that she was really falling asleep.
E also is speaking better, enunciating more clearly, describing things with such delight. She is a ham and loves making us laugh, I don't think I have ever seen Emma be moody or angry. She is always all smiles, and sillies. She loves school and loves playing school at home. She will do circle time with her imaginary friends, and call out all her classmates name. I can totally hear her teacher in Emma.

E's Bedroom

2012-01-31T10:15:00.001-08:00

E's bedroom is coming together quite nicely. It sort of just happened. I didn't start of with a view or theme, I just had some items that I had bought because of my affinity for owls and then little by little her room blossomed. Both Pottery Barn Kids and Target have a very similar line with a pink, light green palette. Her ivory colored changing table was the first thing I ever bought for her, and since it is a keeper, the rest of her furniture would be in that hue. I would love to have more room to put a nice bookcase in her room, as she loves to read and adores her books. She needs them to fall asleep, but for now, a small magazine rack sits next to her bed.

Well, the latest additions to her room are this great mirror I found in the trash. It is a dumpster find. I just loved it and cleaned it up and voila! We finally removed the changing table topper and now she has a proper dresser. The ballerina lamp I so love, is on it now, but Ant broke it and his "im going to fix it", is now on its 7th month. So for now its more decorative than functional.

Her godmother, tina banina, made her the most beautiful bunting with her name on it and it hangs below her great-grandmother's embroidered handkerchief.

I finally moved her butterfly mobile into her room and it really is one of my favorite pieces, though E has gotten some of the butterflies in a real tangled mess.

I love her Fox art wall.

Her tina banina also brought back from London these lovely wall hooks from this great shop called Sass and Belle. I was finally able to move her birthday E into her room. I still hvae a lot of work to do, but I do enjoy just hanging out in her room, it is so quiet and gets the best light in the whole apartment!

now for my newest find that I love, but am kind bummed someone else took my idea and is selling them for way, way too much money, are these lovely wool animals that I found in Mexico. The owl and rabbit are the first ones I bought in 2010. I went back this Xmas to the same lady at la Cuidadela and found a larger variety of animals. I will take pictures of E's collection, but for now, you can see the rabbit, owl and giraffe. They are done so wonderfully with such attention to detail, great material and so affordable. I mean I've seen what they are selling for in the US and it is such a mark up. I paid 50 pesos for my rabbit and 80 for the owl, which are like $3.50 and $6.00. Anyway, I'm not going to advertise the company that is exploiting my people, but if you want one, I can get you one within the year :)

Mom, are you der?

2012-01-31T08:33:00.000-08:00

I had a funny, somewhat embarrassing, moment with E on Friday morning. I just cannot wake up early anymore. It physically hurts to open my eyes and wake from my slumber. The ninj, she has the opposite problem. Aint no amount of chocolate that will keep her in her bed past 7am. The plus side of her early habits is that she becomes my backup alarm. She will only go without her "cerios"for so long and does a good job of getting me out of bed. Well, Friday morning she came into my room sometime around 745 a.m.ish. She said she broke her book and handed me the book with ripped out pages. E has a history with ripping her books for no good reason, so she knew she would get a time out. In my sleepy haze I told her to go to the kitchen for a time out. I then quickly passed back out. Then what seemed like the next day, I hear a little voice calling out from afar, "hello? mom, are you der? anybody here? hello" I look at my phone and notice it is now 8:01am. My poor girl had been in a 15mn time out and she actually stayed put for me.
I was mortified but then amused because I also hear Emma going through the motions of the time out, where you ask them what they did to get a time out and have them apologize. My poor girl was asking herself, "what you do? what Emma do? I broke book, sorry for breaking book". My heart just melted, so I ran to the kitchen to relive her, only to see that she had taken a pink marker and basically painted her entire face. There was another timeout for that.
The marker didn't quite come off so I had to explain to her teacher that those marks were from a marker and not scratches or an allergic reaction. Never a dull moment with da ninj.

the first of many

2012-01-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

It seems like I held da ninj as a squirmy baby just yesterday and I am floored to think that she will be 4 this year. 4!! It really does go so fast and I already miss so much about her as a baby. Yes it is always exciting when she moves onto to new things. I remember eagerly counting down to her first birthday because it meant she could now drink whole milk and no longer needed formula. Then eventually meals became easier as she would not only eat what we ate, but could also feed herself. Finally came the last of the diapers. We were elated when she finally became potty trained and we no longer needed to buy diapers. See these things we so fret about as out kids grow up, eventually have a way of panning out. Now I think how soon she will start kindergarten and have to be in school 5 days a week. I know that will just be the beginning of my little girl really belonging to the world. I now sit and wonder if I could ever do it again. The breastfeeding, the sleepless nights, the changing of diapers every 20mns, the bathing so carefully. I always pictured my kids being close in age, like me and my brother, but i see that this is clearly not going to happen. Once I had E I realized I could not have kids back to back, perhaps had E been easier, calmer, but she is so high spirited, so strong willed and fiercely independent that she is truly a force to be reckon with. I do love her personality and am glad she is so sure of herself. I know not now, but in the future it will come in handy. These nights I come home so tired, I just want to sit on the couch and watch TV but I hear her little voice calling me and go in her room and read to her, and I try and soak it all in because soon she will start reading her own books and start wanting more privacy and I will possibly be a burden to her, the uncool mom. So I treasure each night, each kiss and each hug.

my mexican birthday-part one

2012-01-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

my dish, I forgot its name.

Ant's dish, enchiladas de pollo con mole

the Noriega girls.

all my babies...my how my little cousins have grown.

the restaurant

da ninj loves her soup

We went to a restaurant in Coyoacan to celebrate my birthday. It was nice and relaxing. The food was good and Emma actually behaved. She ate her black bean soup with such delight.

school "holiday" party

2012-01-12T07:10:00.000-08:00

E had her first school Christmas party and I was so happy to be able to volunteer. I ordered nut free cupcakes from this bakery which actually got the order wrong and wanted to give me 1 dozen Hanukkah cupcakes with dreidels on top. Clearly this lady was a tad senile but they managed to scrounge up some nondenominational cupcakes. I read to the kids some stories and then they all ate a sugary lunch. I love making gift bags so I made them crayons in the shape of Christmas trees and snowmen. I realized a bit late how Christmas trees might not have been secular enough, but no one seemed to mind. I still have so many of those small muslin bags that they were used once more and then I topped them off with some labels I downloaded-I forgot where, sorry. The best part of that day was that I got to spend it with E!

new year...

2012-01-12T06:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, the last two months of 2011 just flew by and I promise I will try my hardest to post at least three times a week! I also promise to bring back my book of the week! So to recap a bit starting at Thanksgiving...E and I flew down to Tampa since we knew we would not be there for Christmas. It was a little strange because in the days leading up to our departure, it kinda hit me that my dad is really gone. I found myself longing to see him, to hug him. You know that clear vision we all carry with us of how it feels to greet a loved one after not seeing them for a while; that memory, his voice and expected "hey girl" was what was starting to gnaw at me. I knew I would not be hearing his voice and that soon a new memory of what it feels like to come home would start to become the norm for me. See Thanksgiving was his holiday. My father was always working, but on Thanksgiving and Christmas he would stay home. He would be in the kitchen working hard like some sort of culinary mad scientist. He loved to cook and I loved knowing that I was about to eat something pretty amazing. So, I took things in stride, I tried to do some of his staple recipes like his bourbon sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie and I really wish some had told me that pumpkin pie spice is all of spices needed for pie in one container. Needless to say my pie came out a little extra spicy.

Anyway, Emma was very happy to be back at "emma's house" and right away wanted to see Logan. She really loves him. Thanksgiving was uneventful, my brother and his wife do not, how do I say, have a way of making one feel at home. Their idea of having family over is everyone just grab a plate and sit wherever...and to be honest I was kinda wishing we could all sit at the table, talking and laughing. My brother sat in the living room watching TV while my sister in law ate in the kitchen alone. It was a bit bizarre, but Emma was happy to be with Logan and really that is all that matters. After wards we went to my friend Luana's house that is always loud and crazy and warm and just what I needed.
While at my mom's house, E took no time to feel right at home. She loves having a big house and bigger car and a backyard to run around in. She is so happy outside. I also love my backyard. It was one of my favorite places to play in as a kid. We had a swing set and my brother and I would just spend hours outside, playing, climbing trees. There is also my grapefruit tree and I say MY because if ever that house is gone, I don't know how, but that tree is coming with me!!! E helped me collect some grapefruits one day and below are some pics ...

Emma loves just taking leaves and snow and throwing them up in the air.

Christmas books

2011-12-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

I know I still need to write about Thanksgiving and some other things here and there but I really want to mention some lovely Christmas books I bought this year for Emma. Last year E was really into snowmen. She would pronounce it, "noman". She loved everything about them, so we got her books, coloring and reading, stuffed snowmen and we constantly were drawing them. This year, she is really into Rudolph, the 1960's claymation Rudolph. So she is watching the movie and singing the songs and she has amassed a nice little toy collection. She is also into pirates and when I saw the book, Gingerbread Pirates written by Kristin Kladstrup and illustrated by Matt Tavares, I had to look at it. I am not a fan of how the humans are illustrated but the story is really sweet. It even brought a little tear to my eye. Needless to say E loves this book! So if you have a pirate fan out there, this is a great gift.

The second book I want to mention is The Twelve Day of Christmas, illustrated by Jade Fang. It is an animotion book so each page comes alive as you see ladies dancing and lords a leaping and the best thing is they hide the previous day in each page, so it is fun to ask your child, where the doves and the hens are? E enjoys this book, especially me hitting those high notes. I really only sing for her.

Finally, I just never tire of mentioning this book. It is one of my all time favorites and I don't mean just at Christmas. Mr Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry is such a classic, lovely tale that teaches the joy of enjoying what we have and seeing the beauty in something that someone else might disregard. I love the illustrations of all the furry little animals.

He's up in the sky

2011-12-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

It has been a month since I last wrote and the ninj has done some really cute things and improved on several levels, alas, I am so tired that I am drawing a blank. I do want to quickly write this cute little blurb on something she told me while we were in Tampa. I always try and remind Emma of my dad, I will show her pictures and ask her where he is. She always pauses and looks around. I have avoided telling her that he is physically not here anymore, but I finally found the courage to say it out loud. I started telling her that he is up in the sky. I really only told her two times, both of which I thought she wasn't paying attention or that the idea was too abstract for her to understand. I had forgotten how wonderful a child's mind is and how open they are to accepting everything you tell them at face value. On a side note, Emma really does have this incredible use of her imagination. I mean she is over the top. So when I asked her where grandpa was and she responded "up in the sky". I was a little taken aback that she actually remembered. Then she really floored me as she proceeded to tell this lovely story of how grandpa is way up in the sky and he is jumping from cloud to cloud and he goes all the way up and then comes down. She was smiling and so into her story telling. It made me smile and get a little teary eyed. Then I couldn't help to laugh because I could imagine what she was seeing in her little head, my dad actually bouncing around from cloud to cloud, like Pooh bear. It really is a sweet image.

ouch my ear!

2011-11-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

E went to the doctors today. Last night she started complaining of an ear ache, and for once she seemed to be in so much pain. I have never seen Emma in pain. In fact when she gets hurt she usually just shrugs it off or asks me to rub it. But I knew something wasn't right. An hour into her sleep she woke up whimpering and crying. She tossed and turned all night so I took her in today. She was so good at the doctors. We entered the office and she walked up to the receptionist and told her that her ear hurt. Then when the nurse looked at her, E was so still. She even lifted up her shirt before the doc asked her to. E has the routine down pat, as she loves to play doctor at home! Here's hoping that it sticks in her mind all the way into college!

imagination

2011-11-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

little girl in a big forest. E was looking for clues at this point and took out her pretend magnifying glass and started walking around like those inspectors in old cartoons, all hunched over.

E is now fishing. She just sat down by the creek and started "fishing". She was too cute. She even did the full casting and reeling motions.

"it is time"

E as Rafiki

E has a very good imagination and I love watching it play out. She will just start doing something and when she explains what she is doing, it just melts my heart. This past Sunday as I mentioned we went to Stone Hill Farms and took a nice hike in the National Park. While we are walking E finds a large stick that looks like a staff. She then proceeds to tell me that she is a monkey, but not just any monkey, she is Rafiki from The Lion King. She then starts shaking the staff as if it had the little charms at the end, and doing the chant the monkey does when he mixes some dirt and another stuff. Then we walked a little bit more and pass a babbling brook. E decided to sit down and start fishing. She even did the little reeling motion and everything. The walk concluded with Emma finding a large log and sitting on it and proceeding to say "think think think" as she tapped her hand over her forehead like Pooh does. She is so full of life and sweetness, ugh, I just cant imagine a life without her.

Stone Barn

2011-11-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

This Sunday we went to Stone Barn and had an amazing time. It is such a lovely place. The grounds are so well kept and the animals look so happy. Apparently they have this super chi- chi restaurant which maybe one day I will eat at, but we did have some lunch at their cafe and the food and treats were delish. We had the BEST cranberry brioche and yummy black bean soup. Emma ate like a champ. She of course had THE best time. She really is an outdoorsy girl who just loves being outside, exploring her surroundings and being one with nature. The "kitchens" were her favorites and she had a stare down with one. She also loved just walking around in the forest. The setting is so serene, a truly perfect autumn day! She even did potty three times in their bathroom and only had a slight accident when we yelled at her for running out into the street. We really need to work on that.

I cant no like

2011-11-03T12:06:00.000-07:00

Emma still hasn't figured out how to say "I don't" so she says "I can't no like" . It is really cute to hear her say, "I cant no like the light", or "I cant no like you"...aw...heart breaker.

More Halloween pics

2011-11-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

Halloween Tradition

2011-11-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

2011

2009

E had a good time trick or treating this past Halloween. She wasn't as into it as I thought she would be. She got tired after only 30mns, and wanted to be carried the rest of the way. She understands the whole procedure and what to say, but she just didn't seem like herself. She was lacking pep. I think she was also a little scared by the decorations and really scared by that mask from the movie Scream. I had a little Bodyguard moment when E was put in a corner by a large group of kids and so scared by a kid in that mask, that I had to pluck her up from the crowd and carry her away. The best part was at the end of it all when we inspect her candy. Gato has to be front and center making sure he doesnt miss out on a thing.

The ECHO

2011-11-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

While we were in Burlington, VT my mom and I went shopping along Church Street while Ant and da ninj went to a children's museum. She really can get so involved in nerdy stuff like her dad. She enjoyed fishing and learning about sea creatures.

Happy Early Halloween

2011-10-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Emma had her first school party ever yesterday. Her teacher had a Halloween party and I, being the crafty nerd that I am, made cute little treat bags for the kids. Since her school is a nut free school, I am not allowed to bake anything at home. Everything has to be store bought and clearly labeled. This was a crushing blow to me, someone who loves to bake! Anyway, I figured I could jazz up some non-treat items for the kids. I had found these really cute iron-ons last year on this great blog called Oscar and Emm a, but never got around to doing them. Since I have so many of the canvas bags left over from E's party I decided to finally make them and fill them up with leftover pinata toys. I also bought some Vermont Nut free chocolates during out trip and printed some cute bag toppers at Hostessblog.com and handed them out.

Vermont part two-Billings farm

2011-10-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

yeah, im looking at you

my dream porch

I'm 50! No, wait, I'm three

cuz I'm a cowgirl!

We took E to Woodstock on our last day in VT where they have this cute, small, working farm called Billings Farm. She got to pet the sheep, cows and horses. She was happiest though playing in a pile of leaves, sigh. The view was just lovely, the rolling hills and green pastures. We got to visit an 1850's farm house and across the street they have the Billings-Rockefeller mansion. It is such a beautiful home that has been left pretty much in tact. It was a nice way to end our Vermont tour.

Vermont

2011-10-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

I heart covered bridges

ninj was one with nature

I love her little bear vest from Gymboree

she loved our first scenic, road side stop...

so proud at going to the bathroom outdoors for the first time

This past weekend we took a nice little vacation to Vermont. We have always wanted to go but just never had the time. I must say Vermont is a dream. The landscape is just so lush and awe inspiring, and just the way of living up there. It is so clean, so honest. You can feel a sense of community and everyone is so aware of how they can help out the earth. It really is the green state with recycle bins everywhere and even a few compost bins. It was just a dream. The scenery, so green and lush, the leaves, red, yellow and orange. E had a great time. We hit up Burlington and Woodstock and hope to go back one day to explore more of the little towns.

Angelina party-E's friend

2011-10-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, E is an Angelina fan, so I threw her a petite fete for our NY crew. It was really sweet to see E interact with my friend's niece, Tayla. Since E is an only child and just started going to school, she hasn't had much interaction with other children. I never realized how much of a learned process social interaction is. I was so pleasantly surprised to see both E and Tayla playing so well, taking turns pushing each other in her Little Tykes car. It was endearing and heartwarming. I never heard, "it's mine" or any form of yelling or saw pushing or hitting. Aw, my girl is growing up so fast!

Angelina Ballerina 3rd Birthday

2011-10-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

handmade party invites...such fun to make

the table, small but filled with love and little details

my first time working with fondant and I must say I like how my bows came out

fun with the hipstamic prints

my banner that I made with all my new tools, I love Michaels!

I got the fondant custom made cake topper from Brandee Dent at FondantFads

My Emma rosettes are my pride. They took forever to make but look so lovely.

lovely printable bunting I got at the The TomKat Studio

marshmallow pops!

the personalized water bottles were the party favors

E's birthday wreath-this is a keeper!

just change the number each year!

I had a small birthday for Emma in NY to celebrate with our few, yet dear circle of friends. I decided to do an Angelina b-day party, as Emma is a quite a fan, and it was too late for me to plan a large scale Angelina party for her back home. The setting was scaled back but I tried to spare no expense when it came to the details. As with my Olivia Party, there isn't a lot of Angelina party items out there, so this party was truly hand made! I had a blast making each item and I know I will be be able to use the banner and wreath for next year's celebration. It was a great day, very simple but Emma had fun, and that is all that matters. I cannot believe she is 3!!!

A day at the Queens Zoo

2011-10-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

The Queens zoo is a really sweet, small zoo that is the perfect size for us. We wanted to get out and let E run around after some days of being cooped up. My friend had told me about this zoo a while back, and though it did take us some time to finally get here, we are really happy to have gone. This zoo is so tiny, but well kept and they have the best petting zoo. So open and with a variety of animals. E is such an animal lover, she loves feeding the pellets to each animal. She isn't afraid to feed them and I love to hear her giggle when one gives her a surprise kiss. It was a nice day...a bit gray, but laid back and relaxing.

apple picking pics, part two

2011-10-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

there goes my family

I'm king of the world

this one tastes ok

I really wish Ant wouldn't teach Emma to love bugs. One day she is going to bring me a cockroach and Im going to lose it!

always stylin

Sasha's party

2011-10-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

I was so happy and excited to be able to attend one of my childhood friend's daughter's birthday party. It was a tea party and Emma had to go dressed to the nines. Emma is not a girly girl, but she does enjoy dresses and tea parties. They even had a Snow White, walking around and reading stories to the kids. The best part of the party was the face painter. I thought for sure Emma would not want her face painted as she hates people touching her face and hair. I also know da ninj cannot stand still for one second, but the minute she saw one boy with tiger face, she wanted one. All the other girls got butterflies but Emma wanted the tiger. She sat so still and was so happy when she saw her reflection! She refused to take off the paint when we got home and the next day she ran to the mirror to see herself and got all sad when she didn't see a tiger. I think I am going to have to practice my face painting now. Anyway, it made me really happy and proud to know that my child is independent, fierce and fearless and knew what she wanted.

Emma turns three

2011-10-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

cheese

strut

I want this one

like father like daughter

I'm this many

Emma's actual birthday was Sept 25 and I cannot believe she is three. I remember those weeks leading up to her birth, how I barely felt a braxton hicks contraction and strangers would take the time to tell me just how huge I was. She was after all, a big baby, almost 9lbs and 21.25 inches long. She was born fitting into 3 months clothing and now, barely three, she wears a 5T. I remember wondering what she would look like and feel, I was both anxious and numb. Now I cannot imagine my life without her. I feel that after three years I finally feel comfortable being a mom. I feel that bliss I have heard other moms talk about, that extreme love you have for your child. I have always loved Emma, but I have struggled with my role as a mom and the whole balancing act is still a balancing act, but I do feel it starts to getting easier.
Anyway, her day started off quiet. I unfortunately had to work that day so I woke up extra early to take her to Barnes and Noble so she could pick out a treat and book. Then after work we took her to see the Lion King at the movies and spent way too much money but the experience was fun. Finally at night we did the cake and opened presents and she was so happy! I love watching her little face light up.

Emma's 3rd Down by the Bayou-Princess & the Frog birthday

2011-10-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

our invitation

the table

the gorgeous cake

key lime cupcakes

red beans and rice

lovely containers and forks from the great folk at Garnish.

bayou pops

mason jar for lemonade. I think people were intimidated because no one used them :(

I scream, you scream for ice cream! cups and spoons also from Garnish

craft time-princess hats and...

lightening bugs. From Oriental Trading

this is E's bug

pin the kiss on the frog game

it goes here

da loot

I love making the souvenir bags!

handmade coloring books and crayons

princess starter kit

memory game

this is my prototype

Pinata time!

Emma is a huge fan of the movie the Princess and the Frog, but she is not a princess girl. She is very much a free spirit, an independent, can do, kinda gal. I see a lot of Tiana in her, someone who does not depend on anyone but herself, because if it hasn't been made clear, da ninj rarely asks for help. So for her third birthday I wanted to focus on the bayou aspect of the movie and steer clear of a lot of Disney imagry. I tried to incorporate classic images of the prince frog, as well as give the party a very organic feel. I was very much attracted to Mama Odie's home and the bayou, the moss, the color, the feel of the swamp. I must say that E's birthday came at lightening speed! I was so happy to go back home to celebrate with family and I had it all planned out for it to be an outdoors party, as the theme was Princess and the Frog, Down by the Bayou. Florida is the perfect backdrop, so lush and green, but alas there was threat of rain and high winds so we had to set up indoors. Luckily it never rained and we were able to do the pinata outside, but the winds were very strong, knocking some branches down, and the party had to stay inside. Thus my photo ops were limited, due to the lack of space inside my mothers house it was impossible for me to take a full shot of the table and there is no natural light, so I had to use what little source there was and gasp, use flash- I cannot tell you how much I am not a fan of flash and adore natural light. Anyway, I did the best that I could to document the party, but as always I was busy playing hostess, so there is just one picture of the family together.

It was a great time however and the best part was that Emma and her friends had a great time together. They loved their goodie bags, which are always the highlight for me to make! I will post a separate post where I will list my sources and inspirations, for now I wanted to share these pictures and give a huge thank you to our dear family friend, Gema, who as always did an amazing job with the cake!

School

2011-09-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

getting ready for the open house...

E's first day of school

So Miss E started school last week and how I haven't lost one pound is beyond me. I could not eat for three days straight. I was so nervous about her behavior, but not about the whole separation part. See Emma has never had separation anxiety. I knew she would be fine, but her listening and focusing and not sitting still do worry me. All that plus she started hitting about two weeks before she started school have left me a wreck.
Well, at the open house thank god my mom came with me because E made a beeline straight to the playground and I lost her. I stayed in the room and listened to what the teacher had to say. Then as the teacher is talking, you hear off in the distance this voice yelling and it is coming closer and closer and I know who it is. Emma comes running back into the classroom yelling "adddvvvveeeennnnttttuuuuurrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" and everyone stops to look at her and I just sigh.
Then on her first official day of school Emma is doing pull ups on a the door's handle bar and acting like a nut and within the first 5mns that she is in school she hits a boy who tried to take her spatula away. I'm mortified but everyone else seems to think this is normal. Then when I go to pick her up I hear her crying and see that she is the only one sitting on a chair . All the other kids are sitting quietly on the floor for circle time and she is in a chair crying , her face is all red and I can see the tears and my heart is breaking, it just is. I try so hard not to cry and ask why she is on the chair, but I know...she was rolling around and not listening, she was running around and grabbing things she wasn't supposed to, she dumped a whole tub of glitter. My worst fears had come true. I am thinking quickly what I can do fix the situation and then I remember the teacher telling me about the class sizes , so I ask to move Emma to the smaller classes, which only have 6 kids as opposed to 14 and it really has made a difference. I still get told that she needs to focus and redirect her attention, and I pray that in a few months there are huge strides made...but I still have a gnawing feeling that perhaps it is something that just cannot be controlled. Anyway, E seems to like school, she always walks in with a smile.

Apple picking '11, part one

2011-09-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

arg!

yeah, I'll cut you too!

Every year we like to go apple picking. We discovered this great little farm called Hurd's Family Farm in Medina, NY . It is great because it really is geared for families. They have this little kiddie coral with a sandbox, slides, tires and an ol' tractor to climb on. They also have cow rides and hay rides throughout the orchards, and they make the most delicious apple cider donuts. This year we went a little earlier than usual as my mom was here and she had never experienced apple picking. The weather was ok but there were so many mosquitos! we got eaten alive! It was really great was how interactive Emma was. This was her third time at the farm. The first time she had just turned one and was busy running around and being cute! Last year she was still running around and only interested in playing in the kiddie coral. This year she actually understood the steps involved in apple picking. She wanted to be the one to pull the wagon and she was running up and down the aisles picking apples, and just throwing them on the wagon. She didn't care how they looked, she just was throwing apple onto of apple and if you tried to pull one of her apples out, she would have a fit. She was really sweet! We all finally did a hay ride for free and she got to go on her cow ride again. It was a very peaceful day. I'm looking forward to my mom coming back in Oct to take her to the Storm king and the Blaze and all these fun fall activities. I just love fall!!!!

Cute things update

2011-09-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

she stills loves Gato to death

E is really trying to be good, and though she is still a nut, she does things that melt my heart.
I mentioned how she likes to tell me to go to the kitchen when she doesn't want me watching her. Well, the other night, she told Ant to not only go to the kitchen but to go clean in the kitchen. It was really funny. She has also started saying new words that I know she is learning at school..oh did I not mention how she started preschool, I'll get back to that. SO the other day in the bathroom she was washing her hands and water got on her stool and she could feel her shoes making a squeaky sound so she tells me that it is "slippery". She has also told me that "Emma is faster than mommy". I can tell what the teacher tells Emma because she all of a sudden will start saying "Emma come back" as she is running away from me and when she sees her school she will start asking "is everybody here?" or "where's teacher?" She has also started saying "yes" instead of "ok" and "I don't like". I have noticed that she chooses to use more English words now but I am not giving up on Spanish! I do miss her "no quieres".
I bought Emma a doctor play set which she chose and said "play doctor" and she is so cute when she uses it. The first time she used it I could tell she has memorized what her own doctor tells her. She put the stethoscope to my chest and said "all good" and "beautiful". Then she asked me if I was "all better". So now poor Ephy and Gato are her patients and she loves checking their blood pressure and giving them their shots.

She knows I love my Golden Girls and she can now say Golden Girls and sing the theme song but she also knows that I like to watch I love Lucy. The other day my mom was watching an old black and white movie and Emma said "Es Lucy, momma's turn" it was really sweet how she deduces things, oh my baby, almost three! I cannot believe it...it goes so fast!

Time out

2011-09-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

Emma understands that time outs are a form of punishment, she also knows that they are a way of killing time when she doesn't want to do something. When I want her to sit and eat or take a bath, and she is just starts doing flips, I do my countdown of 1-2-3. When that doesn't work, I ask if she wants a time out to which she replies, "yes" and runs to put herself in the timeout chair. I know she is just doing this so she doesn't have to do what is really important.. She can be sneaky.
But on a plus note, Emma started telling me why she is in time out or what she has done wrong. The first time I heard her say it, I was floored. See early one when I would ask her, she would just look at me so confused and say "sorry, sorry", but the other day, she actually told me,"I broke book". Granted it sounded more like "ibobo book", but it was clear! Now she tells me she if she was yelling, or hitting or shushing. Ah baby steps. really tiny itty bitty baby steps.
One thing that has really been bothering me though is how she has really got into hitting. When my mom was here she would hit her and then me, but mostly she hits poor Gato. Nothing seems to make her understand that hitting isnt nice. So I started focusing the attention not on her but on poor Gato to see if that would work. When she would hit him, I would just coddle him and hold him and completely ignore her. Needless to say E does not like to be ignored, so she would start kissing Gato and be gentle with him. She stills will try and strangle him and hit him when I am not looking, but she rarely gets away with it.

sorry for the delay...

2011-09-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

so excited that fall is here and E gets to wear her fall wardrobe.

always on the go

Angelina invitations!! handmade by moi

part of her decorations...

wow, so it really has been a long time since I last updated E's blog. I guess Im still so out of sorts. I have been busy trying to clean the apartment, as it seems to just never be anything but a small prototype for Gray Gardens. I have also been working on E's two, that's right, two parties!! wha wha, holla! Her official birthday is this Sunday and I have to work, blarg! SO I have decided to throw her an Angelina Ballerina party for her small group of fans up here in NYC and a larger, more kid friendly Bayou/Princess Frog party back home in Tampa.
Needless to say I am just finishing up the details. Sigh, anyway...here are some pics of a banner I am working on and the sweet invites that went out....oh still so much more to do..but first I shall recap some things that have happened this past month.

Cute things update

2011-08-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Emma is good about taking her time outs like a man. She wont put up a fight, knows where to go and she will just sit there until I come get her. She has even come to fear them, it seems threatening her with a time out is the only way to get her to stop misbehaving. Well, she now has gotten into the habit of giving poor Gato timeouts. She usually wants to give him time outs when he gets on the table and eats her food or starts scratching the furniture. It really is the cutest thing to hear, "Gatito time out". She will come find me and drag me to where he is and make me put him in the bathroom. She then squeals "two minutes". See her time outs last two minutes, they say you are supposed to give them a minute per age. (Soon it will be three minutes!) Anyway, there are times when Gato is doing nothing and she wants me to punish him. Oh, they are such a riot to watch. All he wants is to be near her and she just wants to punish him. She will even do this crazy witch laugh and say "Emma's crazy". I wonder at times about her.
Emma also loves to wash her hands. I mean LOVES. I bought a 12 oz bottle of soap not even two weeks ago and it is all gone. Emma will just pump, pump away, and yesterday I caught her washing the paws of all her stuffed animals. I mean Eeyore, Pooh, Owl, Tigger, Owl, Curious George...and theses are not plastic, but stuffed animals...sigh, we had to literally ring out Tigger to dry. It was sweet how she carried one by one to the bathroom and held their paws under the soap and then pumped away. I didn't get mad at her because she was just playing, but I need to return the fancy soap I just bought at Home Goods and get some of that Target refillable soap.
E is really sweet and talking more, you can't pull a fast one on her or she will correct you. Her latest craze is watercolors. She will spend 30mns just painting in her books and I think for her birthday I will get her some nice watercolors and fun paint brushes and like 10 smocks! Sigh, they say those paints are washable, but I found out last night, they are not!
And finally, I think E is well on her way to being potty trained. We found that she can pry herself away from her cartoons to go pee, which she wasn't doing a month ago. She can pull her roos off and put the training seat up on the toilet and do her business. The only thing we haven't tried is going out in public with just roos on. I'm not sure how to tackle that. I mean how do you tell her to hold it?

Angelina ballerina cakes

2011-08-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

From Cake Central

The Cake Store

From Amelia's House

Becca's Cake Artistry

Liez Cakes and Etc

Cakeadelic

cake by Claudia Behrens

For E's NY party I will be throwing a small Angelina Ballerina fete and have been looking online for some inspiration for her cake. I am not a cake decorator, in fact I usually just slap some glaze on my cake and call it a day. And while I usually work towards making yummy cakes, I want to at least try and make E a somewhat fancy bday cake. My mom's friend has spoiled me by making all of E's bday cakes and all my shower cakes but she lives in Tampa and I live in NY. Anyway, while researching cakes, I found some really brilliant ones online, most of which are from the UK. I seriously doubt my cake will look anything like these, I will be happy if I can get two even layers, but I do hope that above else, the flavor will be simply delicious.

it's getting closer!

2011-08-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

I have been getting sentimental lately as I look at E and am amazed at how much she has grown. She has been in my life for almost three years and the time has gone faster than a blink of the eye. I am starting to get a little stressed as her parties approach, that is right, I said parties. She will be having a small NY party her small little community of well wishers and my closest friends up here. It will be an Angelina Ballerina party. So fingers crossed everything comes out lovely. I have bought my first bag of fondant and will be practicing making fondant bows and butter cream frosting.
Anyway, I have been pining for this little bunny for a while now..the thing is, it is almost 30 dollars and you just get a kit...Id still have to make her, and we all remember that Boo doll I made last year...anyway...you can find her here at Miko Design.

Book of the week, My Name is not Isabella

2011-08-12T07:12:00.001-07:00

I picked this book up because E has a little friend named Isabella whose B-day is coming up and I wanted to see if this book would be a good gift for her. I did not expect to fall in love with this book. It is just wonderful! Isabella is Emma! This little girl has such a thirst for knowledge and imagination and creativity, that I felt as if I were looking at Emma one year from now. On each page Isabella tells her mom that her name is not Isabella but rather a famous woman such as Sally Ride, Annie Oakley and Rosa Parks. This book will ignite your little one's curiosity to learn more about these powerful, historical, female figures. This book will give them an insight on just how remarkable these women are. The illustrations are just as wonderful and the text is filled with humorous tone. Apparently there is a boy version of this book called My Name is not Alexander, which I'm dying to look at.

party favors

2011-08-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

give it to me momma, I got this

she can be so focused when she wants to

So I started working on E's party favors for her Princess and the Frog Party in Oct. I realized that if I don't start now, I will be swamped and miserable the night before her party and I want to enjoy her day! So as I'm modgepodging away, I just am filled with the urge to stop and do something low key, to buy premade party favors and do things that are less involved than decoupaging tiny 2 x2 wood squares. Then I find this picture of my dad and me that was taken during Halloween probably around 1987. I remember that night. I remember I either waited up late for my dad, or woke up in excitement because he had promised to do carve the pumpkin. See at our house my dad was the crafty one. He knew how to sew, and cook and embroider. He also loved holidays and loved decorating the house and I know that is where I get my love for the holidays. So I'm looking at this picture of me and my dad and I notice the small detail of how the eyes of the pumpkin have a red velum lining, so as to give it this glow when lit form inside. I just smile when I realize this small, perhaps innocuous detail, and I know that I have to continue with my insane party details because its in my blood and I can't not go all out. Perhaps only one or two people might notice my efforts, but I know E will one day smile at the thought of how her mom worked hard to make her feel special, she will look back at these pictures of her helping her mommy and she will smile and feel loved.

chana chana

2011-08-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

In Spanish there is this little song you sing to someone as you rub their booboo. "Chana changa, colita de rana, si no sana hoy, sanara manana". It roughly translates to, "chana chana, little froggy tail, if it doesn't heal today it will heal tomorrow. It of course rhymes in Spanish. My mom would sing it to us growing up and now I sign to E. She loves it and did the sweetest thing the other day. She accidentally hit me and starting rubbing my cheek and singing the song. She then kissed me, rubbed my head and said "you're ok, good girl". She has also done the same thing to her Minnie doll that she threw on the floor. She can be so tender, it breaks my heart. This morning she was singing the Dumbo song while describing what animals where doing what. She also really loves bandaids. I mean i think she thinks they are like jewelry. She will fake an ouch just to get one. Her latest kick is getting them on her little booty. She starts saying "ouch colita, bandaid bandaid!" I indulge her, as I cant think of how that could harm her. Its is expensive though, those character bandaids aren't cheap!

D.C.

2011-08-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

I rather have the adult umbrella, thank you

fine, I will take myself to the Museum of Natural History

working hard to not look like a tourist

you can give me the ol' stink eye all you want, I aight turning around.

hat, Old Navy
dress, some place in Mexico
model good looks, all mommy

We love D.C. It is our town..we have been several times and on this trip down we thought it would be nice to stop and show my cousins the sights. It was really HOT. I mean I had to bust out the umbrella to shield me from the sun. E had a good time. Unfortunately the zoo is under construction and since it was so hot, most of the animals were hiding. We took the kids to the Air and Space museum and they really did enjoy their time. E napped during that time, but managed to wake up towards the end of our stay at the museum and she even got a chance enjoy their exhibition on how planes fly. Her and I waited on the lawn outside while the rest of the crew finished up. E was so sweet playing peek a boo with me. It was a nice time.

'tude

2011-08-09T10:16:00.001-07:00

So da ninj busted out this past Sunday with her first "no YOU pick it up!" We were both a little shocked, slightly amused, but mostly curious as to where she picked up this 'tude. I thought for sure I'd have another 2-3 years of a sweet baby girl. And her new thing is she wants to be alone, as in please give me some privacy. When I am in her way, she pushes me away and tells me to "mama go cocina". Ah...I cant wait to see what the teenage years bring.

Ju Ju

2011-08-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

bikini, Janie and Jack
flip flops, Gymboree

In D.C. I got Emma a toy snake and she loves that thing. She calls it Ju Ju b/c she thinks it is Mama Odie's snake from The Princess Frog. She was dragging that thing all over D.C. and when she got to Tampa, Logan quickly became a fan. E has no problem sharing, in fact she is quite content to find the next thing to play with. Logan is the opposite, everything is his and he cant bring himself to share his toys. I learned that Ju Ju is the one toy Emma is willing to throw down for. Logan tried to take it from her and she had had enough. She pushed him and took her snake away. I was secretly proud that she stood up for herself, but I am trying to instill in her that one must not hit or push.

da beach

2011-08-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

I must say going to beach with E gets easier each year. She isn't as "wild" and can contain herself a bit more. She still runs around like a mad woman but sticks to running just on the sand. She is more cautious when it comes to running into the water. Logan handed down his life vest and that truly has made it much easier for E to swim and for us to enjoy the water. She loves to swim and actually has made huge improvements. We can see her trying to kick her legs, though it still looks as if she is bicycling under water, and she uses her arms more efficiently.

Kate Jackson Park

2011-08-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some highlights of just how cray cray she gets when it comes to water.

practicing to be the next Tropicana Juice spokesperson
swimsuit, Old Navy-I love this bikini, I just wish the swimmers weren't granny panties

strut!

parkour!

Emma loves water, she loves to splash around and there is this nice park nearby that has both a playground and water area. It was were she had her b-day last year and will most likely have it this year.

We are back, sort of

2011-08-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

she loves her princess towel.

you can see the struggle for the noodle, which is E's btw.

I got this papa, you can let go now.

living the high life.

swimsuit, Old Navy
jelly sandals, Gymboree
body, by Mac n Cheese!

We got back last sunday from our road trip down to Tampa. It was a lot of fun for Emma but a lot of running around for me. I must say Emma loves Florida, its beaches, pools and spalsh parks. She was so happy when we pulled into the driveway and she recoginzed that it was Grandma's house. She started yelling "yeah Grandma!" an waving her little hands up in the air. It was so loud my mom could hear her from the front door.
For me I was a little anxious. I had been dreading the return home because it was going to cement the fact that my father was no longer with us. I guess living in NY made me feel as if he were still in Tampa, on the sofa, waiting. As we pulled up and I saw his green truck I just crumbled. But E's cheers made me snap out of it.
All in all it was great, she got to be with her cuz login, who is such a trouble maker, but they do love to play with each other.

Book of the week, Along a Long Road

2011-07-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Along a Long Road by Frank Viva is a visually striking book using a limited palette consisting of only 5 colors, one of which is a shiny golden road that flows from page to page, front cover to back cover. The text is a simple rhyming text that follows the route of the bike. Children and parents will enjoy reading this book out loud and any one with a love of cycling and traveling will love this book as they follow this man's journey on his bicycle all over the city, the sea and the countryside.
I love this quote from Publishers Weekly, “It’s the kind of book that creates a mood rather that telling a story, evoking the freedom of traveling, the joy of movement and the exhilaration of being outside.”

cute things

2011-07-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Emma is starting to talk in fuller sentences. She will ask us "what are you doing" all the time and if Im in the kitchen she will add cocina to the end of that sentence. She will now ask us to "read her books" in both spanish and english and she loves to help us clean up. My favorite part of the day is when she wakes ups. Even if she just has her eyes slightly cracked open, if she sees me, she quickly stands up and runs to me and hugs me. She gets this slightly startled/scared look on her face , as if I m going to abandon her. Then she holds on just little longer. Yesterday in the car she started making silly noises and after she did that, she laughed and said "Emma you're so funny" and "Emma is crazy". She cracks me up and it cracks me up her ability to already knowingly be a comedian.
She also is doing voices. When she plays with her toys she will make the voice for Goofy and Minnie. She has such a good ear. I love watching her play with her toys.

Emma, the tour guide

2011-07-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

On today's itinerary we will be casing Cartier, moma needs some new bling, stopping by the Godiva store, I need some cocholate, and it will end with a little street performance. Sound good, any questions?

Emma the street performer

2011-07-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

So yesterday we took her and the kids to the Natural History Museum and Emma was super cranky and wound up. She really loves Juan and I think she is trying to impress him or something. She still calls him nene, and will hold his hand and hug him and laugh with him. Anyway, we took them to the museum and then crossed the park so he could get a chance to experience the beauty that is Central Park. As we are walking Emma hears some drums playing in the distance, and like Pavlov's dog, she starts dancing. When we get to the guy with the drums she just stops and stares at him and dances for him. The he lets her bang one of his drums and Emma takes that as an invitation to sit next to him and take control over his second drum. Emma starts beating the drum and then starts singing the exact same tune that he had been singing for her. It was kinda creepy but really neat to see how attune her ears are. He was impressed. He called her bright and energetic and said she had a good sense of music. I kinda already knew that and we all joke how she will be an artist...I sigh because I want her to be a doctor or a lawyer...something practical yet financially secure. Anyway, I love how social and gregarious and fearless my daughter is. I should totally set up camp in a subway one day and see how much money we can make!!!

Emma the dancer

2011-07-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

you can catch emma this summer, in Central Park, right behind the boat house!!
she is such a little dancer. She loves to dance and is not afraid to bust a move. I love how carefree and uninhibited she is!!!

drum roll

2011-07-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

I know I'm falling behind schedule. To be honest I do not know why I'm in such a slump, but as promised here is the theme for E's 3rd birthday. I cannot believe that she is going to be three!!! It goes way too fast. So as you can see by the picture, for those of you who have seen the movie, her birthday theme is going to be Princess and the Frog. And I am working hard at not making it a Disney party...it is more like, inspired by the movie, New Orleans, and the bayou. So we shall see how it comes out.

Book of the Week, Little Owl Lost

2011-07-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton is such an adorable book. The story is simple and though it has been told before, it is a refreshing take on the tale of being lost and found. This book reminded me of a little of Are you My Mother? by P.D. Eastman, aka Dr. Seuss. It follows this little owl who falls out of his tree and needs help finding his mother. He befriends a funny, yet slightly over eager squirrel who aids him in helping find his moma. After several failed, yet humours attempts, it is a frog who comes to the rescue. This book is also visually stunning as it harks back on a 1960's retro, minimalistic feel. Both parents and kids are sure to enjoy this lovely tale.

Outdoor movie

2011-07-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

top, Janie and Jack
shorts, gift from auntie naz
attitude, all mommy

Yesterday we took E and Ximena to see Shrek 4 at the Kensco Dam. It was a free, outdoor event and I thought why not. The only down side was that they movie didn't start until 9pm, so needless to say that towards the end E was a little overtired. All in all it was a fun event. I had never seen a movie outdoors, and it was fun to be around other families and bad food. Emma is super social and became very interested in a group of kids that were behind us. When the Electric Cha Cha song came on and the kids started to dance, Emma quickly got in front of them and copied their every move. she is just so fearless. They of course ignored her, but she didn't care and when the brother started dosidoing with his sister, Emma really wanted to join and and grabbed the sister, much to that litle girls disgust. It seems older kids have little patience for toddlers. Emma quickly found another girl who was dancing and started coping her. It was really sweet to watch. Once the movie started, E wanted to sit with the other kids, but we had to pull her back to our area.

4th of July!

2011-07-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

all aboard

no B, this is how you do a reverse pike

catch me if you can!!

I'll try some of that there.

E likes her men to have a little salt and pepper

she acts as if she owns 5th Ave.

My cousin from Mexico is visiting us for the next two weeks and I have had a blast showing her around the city. I feel like I'm 20 again...free to travel, with no worries. It has just been us two girls and I must say I love discovering all these things the city has to offer and which I have taken for granted. We have walked all over Manhattan, done the Highline, MoMA, Met and on the 4th of July we had a nice picnic in Central Park. The food was delish and my dear friend, and partner in crime, joined us for the mini celebration. Emma loves being outdoors and is quiet social. There was a nice family next to us with two little girls, around Emma's age, who had all these toys, balloons and a tent. Emma of course, not being shy, just made her self cozy in their little tent. They were so kind to share their balloons and even take Emma on a ride on their wagon. It was a great day.

pride fest

2011-07-08T07:48:00.001-07:00

and she is off

trying to hide from the po po

her best blue steel.

her first Mr. Softee

The last weekend in June marked the end of Pride week and it was a historical time as NY legalized same sex marriage. I thought it would be great to participate in both the celebration and history making, so we took Emma to the Pride Parade. It has been a while since we last went to none, and they still are a lot of fun. Great energy, music, dancing in the streets. Emma had a good time, though we did wait around a long while for the thing to start, and we all know that Emma waiting in one place is never a good thing. All in all it was fun, and one day Emma will say "I was there".

this morning

2011-06-27T11:47:00.001-07:00

Emma was actually being quite. She actually slept in her room all night, as she had a very busy day the previous day. My routine was the same, but as I was getting ready in the bathroom, I hear items breaking and I walk over and see Emma holding two picture frames, both had been taken apart. My only guess is she was trying to climb the bookshelf and knocked them down by mistake. I told her that Emma broke Mommy's things and that Mommy was very sad. She then said "emma time out" and walked herself to the kitchen where her stool is and sat there and whined. I put the timer on for two minutes and then went to finish getting dressed. I could hear the beep go off and by the time I got back to the kitchen, E was still sitting on the stool, looking all sad. I then explained to her why she had been given a time out and then she hugged me and asked if "momma happy?". She then actually behaved for the walk to the car, which is usually both a power struggle and mini obstacle course for me.
Anyway, a cute thing she did this morning was she took Ant's camera and somehow turned it on by herself and the next thing I see is a flash going off. I realize she had been taking random pictures. When I went back to see what she shot , it was actually quite comical. She is starting to get the concept of photography. I might let her take more pictures and see what she gets.

lightening bugs

2011-06-24T10:05:00.001-07:00

I love mason jars and I love the illusion of lightening bugs.

Book of the Week, Me...Jane

2011-06-23T08:46:00.001-07:00

"Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference. "-Jane Goodall.

This book combines my love for both writer/illustrator Patrick McDonnell and one of my heroes Jane Goodall. I adore the comics Mutts, and love that McDonnell is such an animal advocate and works hard at raising animal awareness. Jane Goodall has devoted her life to studying and preserving the lives of not only chimpanzees but the conservation and welfare of all animals. In the book Me...Jane, McDonnell tells the story of a young Jane Goodall and her prized toy, a stuffed chimp named Jubilee. In this book you learn of her quest for adventure and thirst for wanting to do something good for this world. You can see how Goodall's work has truly been a lifelong passion of hers. This is a story that will speak to everyone. Young children will be inspired to observe the world around them, older kids will be inspired to pursue their dreams, adult will be reminded of what it is to have a dream and perhaps be inspired to make a difference, no matter how small it may seem.

Father's day letter to Emma

2011-06-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

very first picture with Granpa, you are two months old. He was so scared of holding you so I propped you next to him.

your first birthday.

He loved animals, and had such a soft spot for strays. You now know where your moma got that same need to rescue all animals from harm.

On each father’s day you and I have picked out cards not just for your papa, but also your grandpa, my father. Two years ago you helped me make grandpa a mug by placing our signature hand print on it and signing it Bam Bam. That mug was his prized possession. He would always remind my mom, your grandma, to be very careful because “my girl” made it for him and that it was "very special". Yesterday morning I showed you a picture of Grandpa and 5 minutes later you came around the corner and told me that “granpa es bye bye”. It made me sad, but it warmed my heart that at your tender age of two and a half you are able to remember him and are aware that he has indeed gone bye bye.

This year is going to be a year of firsts without grandpa and as I try to figure out how to cope with his absence, I am aware that he lives on in us, through you and Logan and in all the small things he did for me as a child. It is very bitter that the first holiday we celebrate without him is Father’s Day. I write you today so you can remember him and know just how much he loved you. He more than loved you, he adored you. His eyes would literally twinkle when he saw you and he would just sit back and follow you around the room with his eyes. Perhaps you reminded him of me, since we are practically twins separated by some 30 years, or perhaps he was reminded of how wonderful life is and how it goes on. He was such a giving man and extremely thoughtful. He was always on the lookout for things he thought we would like. I have found catalogues where he circled things and had your or Logan’s name written to the side. He was always thinking of you, and his family. He was very quiet and there are not a lot of stories of grand adventures with him, but it is the small things that he did that still mean so much to me. How he embroidered my name onto first school bag, and how he made my own wooden pencil box, or how he remembered how upset I was that no boy gave me flowers for Valentine’s, so he went out and got me a huge bouquet and quietly left them in my room.

You were his Bam Bam; he gave you that name early on. See back in the day there was a cartoon called The Flintstones and there was a baby named Bam Bam who was freakishly strong, much like you. You would crash into things and slam toys around and that would make him laugh, so he gave you that moniker. Till the end he would only refer to you as his Bam Bam and he would always end each conversation by reminding us to always take good care of you because you were too lovely of a little girl. He had such patience, love and concern for you. I remember on your first birthday you could not sit still and were all over the place and he would just watch you like a mama cat, silent but so attentive. He was so gentle and I am sorry that your memory of him will fade but you need to believe me when I tell you that he is watching over you. You have to trust me when I tell you he lives on in your good deeds, because he taught us by example and he never hurt anyone, he never stole nor lied. He gave all that he could and more. A more humble, more altruistic man I have not meet, well…you will one day see that you are just as lucky to have a father like I did.

So Bam Bam, you might not see him or remember him but never for once doubt that he adored you and he is right there next to you, guiding you.

cute things

2011-06-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

Emma has been really good these past few days. Im trying hard to keep my cool and go past just saying "no" to her. Im trying to explain in detail why I am saying no and then have her focus on something else. I believe in energy and I feel she is picking up on my calmer demeanor. She will now say, "we friends" and asks for "moma con migo". She plays so nicely on her own and I love watching her play with her little toys, making them talk to each other. I love how she is trying to be more gentle with poor Gato and makes sure they eat their lunch. It is funny watching her try and corral Ephy into the kitchen, because Ephy knows to stay at least 5 feet away from her. She loves to help me while I'm in the kitchen and will pass me dishes. I have a red oven mitt and the other day she found the red case for her DVD player and took it to her play kitchen and was using it as an oven mitt. She is getting better at listening to my threats of time out and loves to snuggle at 3 in the morning. Now that is painful for me but when I look down and she is hugging me it makes it alright. This morning as I woke up to her next, my eyes went down to meet hers and she just light up and smiled at me and gently kissed my face. Oh ninj...i do love you!

popcorn

2011-06-21T07:17:00.001-07:00

Emma has been to the movies now three times. The first time she was only about 8 months old and she slept through the whole film. Last year we took her to see Toy Story 3 and she did ok, and this year it was Kung Foo Panda and she behaved so well. I decided to give her the true movie experience and bought her some popcorn. She loves her some popcorn!!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

Father's day came and it was just like Mother's day, very relaxing, no agenda, just us three enjoying the day. I decided to treat Ant to a movie, as it seems to be a tradition I'd like to start. For his first father's day I took him to see UP. It was Emma's first movie experience ever, and of course she slept through the whole thing. So this year we went to see Kung Foo Panda and it was hilarious, heart warming and action packed! I actually went to see the first one while I was pregnant and I remember Emma kicking up a storm when the action scenes came on and the loud music was playing. Emma always responded to the beat of drums inside my belly. Afterward we went to Whole Foods to get some lunch and brought it to a nice park to eat. Emma of course was enjoying the great playground and it was just a very enjoyable day.

For his gifts, I made Ant a couple of things. The first was a little card that Emma helped me make. I saw the idea at the blog A Day in the Life, and saw how easy it was to do. Emma loves giving me her hand and now knows it is how she signs cards. Then I bought this sweet book, I love My Daddy by Sebastien Braun. I went through my entire collection of pictures and placed ones I thought were appropriate on each page. Finally I made German chocolate cupcakes because both Ant and my dad love German chocolate cake. This was a new take on them and a new recipe. I think they came out good, but as always I feel they could be better.

daddy's back

2011-06-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

sorry dolly, this part is not appropriate for little dolls.

the only time I can photograph her is when she watches her telly. sigh

Well he has been back for a while now, but life just seems to get busier especially now that my mom, and right hand woman have left. Oh how lucky those are that have a support system. Anyway, Anthony got back safe and sound from Hungary and brought Emma back a lovely doll. I have mentioned how I started a dolls of the world collection for her, sort of on a whim. My dear friend Arpi gave her this gorgeous doll from Africa for her first Christmas and since then she just seems to be lucky enough to have people bring her back a doll from their trips. She has a great Aborigine doll, Mexican of course, Egyptian, Swedish and now Hungarian. My moms friend is going to Thailand next week and I have already requested a regional doll.

hints and ideas

2011-06-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to share some images that have inspired me for E's 3rd birthday extravaganza! I really wish I remebered the source but I just get carried away when Im researching ideas that I never cite. I will try and do a better job.

Amway, I just love muslin bags and knew that I wanted to use them as part of her party favor packets since early this year. I ordered some from Save on Crafts, and they are nice, but thicker than what I had hoped for. I am excited with the endless possiblites you can do with them. Shall I stamp them, iron on or emboroider?

I just heart Ball jars and feel they are appropriate for my theme.

I'm not much of a foodie, but I try and make food that is kid friendly and tasty. This year the themes is so strong that the menu has to be specific. This picture of these cute veggies is just an idea I like, kinda neutral, both kid and adult friendly. We shall see if i pursue this one.

ipad love

2011-06-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

So I finally received my belated Mother's Day gift and was so happy to get it. The only thing needed to really make it work is internet and we finally got set up with legit internet yesterday.
Needless to say I was up until the wee hours looking at the App store and I must say da ninj wins again. Perhaps it is the inner kid in me that loves this chance to relive my childhood, but I ended up downloading nothing but kid Apps. This morning I introduced her to the Angelina Ballerina App and she loved the coloring pages. The puzzle parts frustrated her a little, but she quickly picked up how to use the touch screen. She just needs to see it once.

Book of the week- When Martha's Away

2011-06-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

I have a long list of books waiting to share with you and I know I have fallen behind. I come back today with When Martha's Away by Bruce Ingman. This books is just a delight to look at and read. The illustrations read like a Matisse painting and the story is quite humorous. It tells the story of Lionel the cat and his dialy activities while his owner, Martha, is away. It is not quite what you would think a normal house cat's would do and Lionel certainly is not taking any cat naps throughout the day. All pet owners will enjoy this book as we have all wondered what exactly our pet does while we are gone.

the countdown-possible give away

2011-06-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

So....the official countdown to Emma's birthday will be on June 25. That will be 3 months shy of her 3rd birthday!! Where has the time gone??!! I have been planning her party pretty much since the day after her 2nd one. First it was going to be X, then Y, then Z and then back to Y. I will reveal her theme on the 25th of this month and if any one would like to take a guess at what this year will be, please do so. I might even be inclined to do a little give away. I might be willing to part with one of the favor's I am working on for her party. So leave some guesses and if you already know, Claudia, no chances. Anyway, since I unfortunately have to work on her actual birthday I will be throwing a small shindig for her up here with our closest friends. Since I already get Columbus day off, I will be going to Tampa that weekend and celebrating it Oct 8th with all our friends and family. This way I don't have to use a vacation day. I feel it will work out in the end. Plus my friends daughter's b-day will also be that weekend, so it will be a birthday weekend extravaganza. So here's to working hard for the next three months. .

Philly

2011-06-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

I'm off on an new adventure.

jeans, Old Navy
top, Zara
vest, Gap
hat, momma's

she loves her gramma

always running

making her Blue Steel face and sporting my Anthroplogie necklace.

getting stronger

you can't catch me

I want to touch it

Philly is a short drive from the city..I mean in an hour and half you are in a new state, city, environment. You really cant beat that. I will miss that about living up north. How close everything is. I mean in Florida, in an hour and half you are maybe in a new county. Anyway, we took my mom to Philly and we had a really nice, calm day. We spent most of the time at the Museum of Art and it was splendid. It was pay what you wish and they were having a Family Day. The ninj and her papa did some art while my mom and me had a chance to see most of the museum in peace. Granted the second half was typical. Emma running and trying to climb ancient artifacts, yelling and thinking its funny to be chased. It is funny because I saw this other couple that had a boy version of Emma and a little baby. The father's expression was one I knew all to well. I wonder how it will be if there ever is a baby ninja, or baby Buddha, as we both feel we might get the complete opposite of Emma the second time around.
Anyway, Emma did some arts, the ran around the entrance steps, she actually napped and we were able to walk the historic streets, see the Liberty Bell and have some nice lunch at Ariana, our favorite Afghan restaurant. We then went to Franklin's Fountain, THE beat ice cream ever. The place is meant to look like the turn of the century and just going there is an experience. You see the staff in costume, they only take cash and use paper cups, straws and sell vintage candy.
Since we just introduced Emma to ice cream at the beginning of the year, and she has become quiet a fan, we didn't want her to miss out on the Franklin experience. The only problem is she was still sleeping and she HATES to be woken up. She becomes a little banshee. So I tried a new approach. I gently dabbed some chocolate ice cream on her lips and could see her toss and show signs of getting irritated. Then I dabbed some more and she smacked her lips and sat right up, eyes still closed and said with such tenderness, "ice cream". She grabbed her little cup and pulled it into her and continued to eat, with her eyes half closed. It was really sweet and funny. Nothing comes between Emma and her ice cream.

The Boston Aquarium

2011-06-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

she's telling her dad to step back, he's cramping her style.

what's that little fish? I dont hear you.

Bean town

2011-06-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

helping gramma

at the children's museum

emma is always on her best behavior during nap time

she calls this the bumble bee...????

My mom has always wanted to visit the New England states. I had always thought it would be an adventure we would share as a family with both my parents. My mom is finally able to travel now, I guess worry free. She never wanted to leave my father alone. So her first request was Boston. We love Boston and have been 4 times prior to this trip. This is also Emma's second time there. We stayed a weekend and got a suite, which is really the way to go when you have a child. It was a great weekend. The weather was amazing and the food was delicious. My mom treated us to lobster and we got canolis from our favorite pastry shop, Mike's Pastry. We did the freedom trail and Emma got a chance to go to the playground and the aquarium and the children's museum. I must stay that the children's museum in Boston is hands down the best one we have been to so far. I got a family membership and we have already been to the one in Tampa, Norwalk and Manhattan. Boston is amazing. It is huge, not crowded, by the water and has so many interesting things kids can do and learn about. Really great. We will be back in the fall. And the aquarium was just lovey but super crowded. I mean the layout is fantastic, but it was impossible to really see the fish and enjoy being there.
So it felt good to be away and show my mom the city. She really loved it. She really wants to go to Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and Montreal. I have to plan when this can all happen. I see a grand farewell to the north east in my future.

It has been a long while

2011-06-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

she swiped the good cheese from off the counter and went to town, rind and all

so proud of herself...

It is taking me a lot longer to get back into the swing of things than I had anticipated. It has been a little over a month since I lost my father and things seem to be stuck in a state of limbo. At times I question if it happened, or why it happened, and realize that we all must go on.
Anyway....that being said, lets get back to the Ninj. She has been a real handful as of late. I mean a handful. I tried for two weeks to not raise my voice and only talk to her in a sing songy manner in hopes that my new demeanor would make her listen better. It seemed to work for a while, but now she just laughs at my face and I have resorted back to yelling again. I really do not like doing that. I immediately feel defeated and I wish I knew how to be a better mother, when it comes to disciplining her. She is a nut. She climbs and jumps, and breaks things and throw things and yells at the top of her lungs. But she is also doing some really cute things. Like this morning she pulled out the bottom drawer of Ant's dresser, to use as a ladder of course, and I hear a loud crunch. (this is not the cute part) I haven't fully inspected it but fear she might have really broken it. I just scolded her in a stern but not yelling manner and then proceeded to turn my back to her and ignore her. She grabbed my night gown and started kissing it. Then I told her "momma sad" and she continued to kiss me, as if her kisses would make it better. It was funny, tender actually, but....momma mad!
Her new thing is to say "mira" which is Spanish for "look". "Mira gato, miro es lunch". She still refuses to use verbs but her vocabulary is really vast. I am waiting for her to just put it all together, and I know with time it will come. This morning she was singing all on her own, no music was actually playing and my mom tried to talk to her and she shushed her. She said "ssh, Emma musica". See, she knows the verb cantar and sing, but always omits them. Anyway, if her dad is napping, she will "ssh" us so as to not disturb him. "Shh papa es sleeping". She even scolded Aurora from her music box when she kept spinning and playing music. She does love music and dancing and this summer I will start looking for classes in the fall.

Day at da zoo

2011-05-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

ithe goat whisperer.

alligators are my favorite!

giving me the ol' stink eye.

E was a little cranky yesterday and Olivia ended up frightening her, but all in all I feel she had a good time. We didn't stay too long at the Bronx Zoo, but she did get to see some bears, seals and her favorite was the petting zoo. She loves llamas and was so into feeding the goats and sheep. A real little helper to animals.

Emma banina

2011-05-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned, E is into Angelina Ballerina, or as she calls her Angelina banina. She loves to wear her tutus and ballet slippers and dance away. Emma has some tuts that are cute and do the job, but they aren't the best quality. The other day I saw this cute ensemble at TJ Maxx for 10 dollars. It was on clearance and such a good deal I couldn't pass it up. The tutu is of great quality and comes with built in shorts (baby pants), plus the cute top with a little girl that looks like E and a cute headband. Needless to say she wanted to wear this outfit the next day.

Emma the fashionista

2011-05-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

style, profile-pouty lips and all

Emma is super independent and will only ask for help when she has exhausted her last nerve. She loves shoes and will take off her current shoes and put on her new pair right at the store. She loves to go around the house trying on Ant and my shoes and it really is quite cute. The other day I was about to change her and I got distracted and she somehow took her diaper off and was running around the house with one pink Croc, her sunglasses and a white belt around her waist. She looked to cute and I wish I had the camera at that point. The photo above is when I finally managed to put a dress on her. She insisted on having the belt put back on and she opted this time for Ant's huge Cons.

Olivia-live

2011-05-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

you can see how close we were to her as we ate lunch.

here we go, it's our turn

nope, not having it.

I was so excited to get an email letting us know that Olivia would be making an appearance at the Bronx Zoo this weekend. So we got ready on Sunday and made our way over there. Emma remembers the zoo and got so excited as we parked the car. She started saying "animales" and "okay okay okay". So we had time to kill and did the carousel and saw some bears. Then there was a line to get your picture taken with Olivia so Ant waited in line while E and I went to have some lunch. While we were eating we saw Olivia approach and stand just feet away from us. Emma was smiling and waving at Olivia, telling her hello. So we joined the line and when it got to our turn, Emma quickly put the brakes on! She refused to go and when I picked her up to stand next to Olivia, she started shrieking like a banshee and crying these huge tears. It was as if I had repierced her ears again. She couldn't even look at Olivia. It was mildly embarrassing and even weird as we walked away, Emma waved and told Olivia "bye bye". I guess she just wasn't ready to see her face to face...anyway..

An extra book pick-The Heart and the Bottle

2011-05-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

I love how well Penguin Publishing summarized The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers that I'd like to share it below. This book is a sort of a pick, but really it is a book that has been looming over my head since my father passed. I have known of this book since it came out a few years back, and I have mentioned it before as possibly not being quiet a children's book. I now see it at a great children's book to help both parent and child understand the loss of a loved one. Oliver Jeffers is perhaps in my top 3 all time favorite children's book authors and illustrators. If you get a chance to ever peruse this book, don't pass it up.

"There is a wonder and magic to childhood. We don’t realize it at the time, of course . . . yet the adults in our lives do. They encourage us to see things in the stars, to find joy in colors and laughter as we play.

But what happens when that special someone who encourages such wonder and magic is no longer around? We can hide, we can place our heart in a bottle and grow up . . . or we can find another special someone who understands the magic. And we can encourage them to see things in the stars, find joy among colors and laughter as they play.

Oliver Jeffers delivers a remarkable book, a tale of poignancy and resonance reminiscent of The Giving Tree that will speak to the hearts of children and parents alike."

you can check out a video on his process here. He's kinda cute!

Book of the week-The Loud Book

2011-05-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

ok, so I'm back with my book of the week. It has been a long while and it has taken me some time to feel inspired. I kick off my return with this wonderful book that I have been aware of for a while now. I was so happy to get my hands on it sooner than I had hoped. It is the companion book to last year's The Quiet Book, written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by one of my favorite illustrators, Renata Liwska. Liwska is an illustrator I adore and I have already mentioned her own first authored book, The Red Wagon as one of my picks. The illustrations, though familiar, are just as warm and inviting as the previous book and this time your child will learn about all the different types of Loud there are. Just a lovely book that both you as a parent and your child will enjoy.

emma's way of talking

2011-05-17T11:03:00.001-07:00

Emma is a chatter box, unfortunately for her, most of it is is only understood by her and Gato. She is also very expressive and loves to use her hands when telling me something. I love how her mind works and she will find ways to describe new things with words she already knows. For example, she can say the proper names to most article of clothing. She is knows in Spanish and English how to say socks, shoes, pants, shirts, dress, jacket and pyjamas. Since it has been so cold up here E has not worn shorts, but in Tampa she would wear her shorts all the time. The other night I was putting her jammies on and she didnt want to wear the long pants. She requested to have "baby pants" put on. She did so in her usual cute way, "no, no quieres pants, quiero baby pants". It was too much. And another cute example was last week she saw a lady gardening and she told me that the lady was "cleaning her trees". She is so cute....a punk who loves to torture Gato, but she is a doll.

I love my mornings

2011-05-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

Yeah it sucks when da ninj decides to crawl into bed at 6am and wants to start the day but I've actually come to look forward to our routine. I love how she crawls into bed and lays her head on my chest, so as to not wake me up. Then she will hug me and once I hug her back she always says "Emma happy". I love knowing that my touch, my presence makes another human being so happy. I love how she waits until I'm physically out of bed to wish me a "good morning" and she runs to her changing table so I can put on a fresh diaper. She is so lovely right when she wakes up. Its only after she recharges herself with some breakfast that she starts her ninja moves.

I have to try this

2011-05-13T11:49:00.001-07:00

Emma loves kiwi and chocolate and these look delicious and healthy and perfect for summer. You can find the how to steps at Cathy Shambley's blog.

I gotchyou

2011-05-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Whenever Emma wants me to carry her she says "Igotchyou". It is so cute. At times she wants me to "gotchyou" while my hands are full but I love that she still wants mommy to hold her. This picture reminds me of those moments.

I just love her

2011-05-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

aint she a doll?!

Salvador Dali

2011-05-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

yep, she cant be still for a moment

las tres generaciones

The new Salvador Dali museum opened a few months ago in St Pete, FL. We decided to go check it out and it is beautiful new space, though the collection remains the same. It would have been nice to have seen new objects or other temporary exhibitions. They have a small, but really interactive kids room and Emma of course was happy with the giant floor puzzles, little tent and making her own mustache.