I Left My Heart in San Francisco!

WARNING: This is another blog post with TONS of pictures!!!
I took over 900 pictures in 5 days.. So you have been warned...

12.16

First things first!!

I need to thank my thoughtful, loving, generous amazing husband for such a wonderful Christmas gift!!

He surprised me during Thanksgiving dinner with an early gift - a 5 day trip to San Francisco!! We had such a great time!! We left on Thursday from Fort Lauderdale..

Turkey Day 2012!!

12.2

Better late than never right?! HAHAHAHA!!

I'll start with the festivities first, and then I will get into the recipes and photos!!

Award Winning Blog!!!

I can say that I am now the proud owner of an award winning blog!! WOOT! Go me!!

I could not have done this without all 5 of my followers!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!! 

Let the Birthday Celebrations Begin!!!!

♥ This is another photo intensive blog post! ♥

♥ Enjoy!! ♥

11.11

My little Sofia is a year old.. A whole year old.. My little baby, my little 8 pound 15 ounce, 20 inch long baby is one. year. old.

One. Year.


One


Year.  .  .  .

I'm ready to cry again!!!

Punkins Punkins Everywhere!

11.5

I need to get a jump on going over all the Halloween festivities and activities we did with our little love muffin..

First, we went to the Pumpkin Festival in Coconut Grove.. I use the term pumpkin loosely.. There were about 7 pumpkins in the "pumpkin patch" and they were bruised and ugly.. Plus is was hot as all hell.. That was back on September 30th.. We had a good time.. had an arepa, and got some free snacks for Sofie! Sofie was miserable in the heat, we were miserable in the heat.. and needless to say we left after about 45 minutes..

Photo a Day: October

October was pretty busy month.. we visited 4 different pumpkin patches! So I was planning on doing one blog post for all of Halloween and including our trip to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween party, but then that is also part of Sofie's first birthday celebration.. So.. I will split Halloween and Sofie's birthday into two blog posts {for photo purposes!}

For now, enjoy my Photo-A-Day photos for the month of October

Thanks again to Fat Mum Slim for creating these monthly challenges!

My Baby is BACK!

And she's better than ever!!!!

Well.. Sort of.. 

Where, oh where, has my little angel gone.....

I want to know who stole my baby - the one who sleeps the whole night and doesn't cry - and replaced her with this cranky baby that doesn't sleep and cries all night.. I would like to kick that person's ass

Feeling Helpless..

I would do anything for this face! Anything! But I feel so helpless sometimes..

Video: Sofie Makes Silly Faces 

Photo a Day: September

So, even though I was pushed into the pool during the month of September, and my phone was ruined, I was able to complete the September Photo a Day challenge {shared by Fat Mum Slim} even if it was 5 or 6 days late..

So, without further adieu here is my September in photos!

Celebrating Ale!

-  - and Sofie -  -

9.21.2012

So,

On Tuesday {9.18.2012} my brother graduated from the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program {GMASEP} at Broward College.. He's been in this program for 2 years and has been working so so hard.. Monday through Friday at school, Monday - Saturday working at the shop, and even Sundays doing side jobs for friends and family.. Needless to say, he rarely has free time, but I think that on Tuesday night all of his hard work paid off..

 

Sleeping Baby

I can't ever really complain about Sofia.. she is laid back and friendly and sleeps like a rock..

Except for last night..

Last night she woke up at 1.30, 2.30 and 3.30.. I know she is teething and is probably a little uncomfortable, so I shouldn't complain about her waking up.

Photo A Day: August

Here come the August Photo-A-Day Challenge pics!!

Thanks again to Fat Mum Slim for coming up with these challenges! They are so fun and I hope she keeps sharing them!!

Primos Sanz-Cianci-Saenz

I love getting to spend time with family..

This past weekend, Sofie got to hang out and play with her cousins from Venezuela.  She had met them a few weeks ago, but since it was late at night she fell asleep while the boys played in the pool.. I'll share a few of those pics towards the end..

We were with my Tio Domingo and his family.. He and his wife have two boys together, Andres {11} and Carlos Mario {7}.  We got to spend the afternoon playing in the pool, and the boys, who love to play rough {as boys do!} were so gentle and so sweet with Sofia! It was so cute to watch them!! Andres was playing catch with Sofia and Carlos kept repeating "primo Carlos" to her, trying to get her to say his name! To be completely honest, I was a little nervous about them playing with her, but they seemed to love her almost instantly and had a great time playing with her.. Carlos even helped Sofie walk around by holding her hands.. It was precious!!! {I wish I would have gotten a picture of that!!! Mad at myself.. }

Photo-A-Day: July

I know, I know.. Super late... But, better late than never, right? Right!!

So.. here we go!!

OH, What a Hairy Situation....

I need to discuss this now so I can move on!

Oh my..

As most of you know already, Sofia got her second and third haircuts yesterday {sigh}

For a few days now I have been thinking that Sofie needed a little trim - especially to her bangs, as they were poking her in the eyes.

Mom.. I have hairs in my face! 

Road Trip!!

8.20

{{Get ready for a VERY photo heavy blog!! lol}}

We just got back from a 9 day vacation with my parents.. It was so much fun! Sofia's very first road trip/vacation! We drove from Miami to Valle Crucis, NC. It was a long trip and I was concerned with how Sofie was going to handle it, but she really was a little road warrior! She did amazing!!!

We left Miami on Saturday at 11 am and drove all the way to Atlanta, GA. It's an 11 hour drive, but since we had to stop to feed and change Sofia, and potty breaks for ourselves, we made it in 13 hours. Saturday was a very long day! Sofie slept through most of it though.. She would eat, nap for about 2 hours, play happily for about 30 to 45 minutes and then she would start whining and wanted out. We tried to schedule our bathroom and dining breaks around Sofie so we wouldn't lose too much time, and I think it worked out pretty well..

The night before we left.. 

Posting from the road..

So we started our journey on Saturday morning at 11.30 am and it feels like its been a week already! Lol

We drove 11+ hours on Saturday to make it to Atlanta and then Sunday morning we went to the Georgia Aquarium! Sofie loved it and I'll do a longer post later with lots of pics and videos..

After the Aquarium we drove another 5 hours to my family's in Greensboro NC and got to spend the day with them today.. Now we are heading to our cabin in mountains! Hopefully we will be there in about an hour..

Here are the pictures of is crossing the state lines and one of my favorite ones of the Aquarium!!

Lots and lots of Play-dates!

Sofie is one busy little lady! Her social calendar is busier than mine! lol thankfully mine is pretty empty so we can keep up with all of her engagements! =)

Dawn is her little BFF and they have been spending lots and lots of time together.  Dawn's mommy, Jackie, and I know each other from years back.  Her brothers and my brother were in the same boy scout troop, and actually one of her brothers was in pre-k with my brother! So its easy to say our families have been friends for quite a while.. Jackie and I were honorary boy scouts.. they called us Jack and Ben =)

Anyway.. Dawn and Sofie get along really well.  Dawn is about 6 or 7 months older and than Sofie, but I think Sofia thinks they are the same age. We have taken them to the beach, Cool-de-Sac (which is a great place!) and Gymboree for play dates! Dawn tries to help Sofie stand up while they are playing and she is always really gentle with her.  I love watching them play together!

March Photo-A-Day Challenge!

OK.. Totally random time to post this {because it's the middle of July} but the other day I mentioned I wanted to share these images, so share I shall!!

Pool time, Falling and Fireworks.. Oh my!

The Fourth of July was this past week.. Sofie's very first Independence Day! It was so much fun!! But I can't wait till the end of the blog to share this picture.. it's one of my favorites of the day!!!! LOVE!

Let's Go Marlins!!!

So last week we took Sofie to her first Marlins game! We went on June 27th, Marlins vs Cardinals. Marlins won 5 - 3! Sofia had a blast.. She laughed and made friends with everyone around us. She's a ham!

lol

My hands smell like Grape Boogie Wipes!  LMAO!!!

It's been a while!

I know, I know.. it's been WAAAAY too long since I posted anything and I feel quite badly about it.. My apologies  

So, let's start with Sofia's Baptism. I will interject pictures as we go!

Food for thought

=)

So, I was invited to join a book club and we had our first meeting/pot luck dinner on Saturday 3/31.  It was so much fun! We read "The Best of Me" by Nicholas Sparks. I enjoyed the book, but the general consensus was it was predictable and we decided no more Nicholas Sparks for a while, he just likes to find any tragedy he can think of and throw it into a book.  Just a little too emotional. 

But, the best part of book club was the pot luck! Since the book was set in North Carolina we decided on a southern theme! Yummy comfort food! We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, sweet potatoes, chicken pot pie and potato salad!! 

All About Sofia

On Monday I took Sofie to the doctor for her 4 month, well baby check up.  She is doing perfect! Weighing 14 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 25 inches, she is in the 75% for both height and weight and I am a proud momma! Her reflexes and neck strength are on point! 

Thats my girl!! =) 

She has been mostly breastfed since the beginning.  Most days she only has breast milk, but when we go out I bottle/formula feed because breastfeeding in public (even in mothers' rooms or family restrooms) creeps me out.  Yes, I have a cover and yes, I know how to feed her using a blanket as a cover but it makes me uncomfortable.  Just something I haven't gotten over.  Anyway, the doctor advised me that I can start feeding Sofie fruits and veggies, which I'm really excited about, for two reasons, but I'm kinda sad too! Excited because I have been dying to see all the funny faces she is going to make when she tastes something new, and because I want to make her foods instead of buying compotas (I bought a baby food cook book!! lol). But, I'm sad because I feel like I am not producing enough milk for her and it may be time to start weaning her from breast feedings to bottles only.   

I have been very lucky from the very beginning of this whole journey because everything has come so easy to me.. The pregnancy itself was a breeze, nothing too crazy happened besides the occasional overreaction to some things and the extra tears for silly things, no morning sickness, no weird cravings (croquettas aren't weird! lol) my feet didn't swell and I didn't get stretch marks till the very very end.. literally the last two weeks was when the effing stretch marks made their appearance!! 

I didn't feel a damn thing during labor - thank you epidural!!! And even though I ended up with a c-section, my recovery wasn't bad at all.  I was terrified of the recovery and really it wasn't any where near as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I didn't even finish my pain killers!

Even the breastfeeding! Everyone I talked to said it was soo difficult, and soo frustrating, and a lot of people have given up very early.  It was frustrating at the start seeing as how I've never done that before, but once Sofie and I got the hang of it, it was cake. We started giving her formula at night to "help her sleep longer" but she's been sleeping 5 hours straight since 2 months, and now almost 8 hours straight on breast milk only.  No cereal, no formula, just me.

I know that my experience is not typical, at all.  I know that Nery and I have been blessed with a very happy, very content, healthy little girl.  She has an amazing personality and I love her to death.  No cheesey "oh she changed my life" blah blah blah enter your own cliche child quote here..

I love her. 

Period.

lol now I want to cry! =P

Here are some pics and videos of her.. 

The videos are listed as private so you can only see them with these links.. you cannot search for her on YouTube

First Father Daughter Pic 

Holy tan lines Batman!!

Besides running after Baloo, last week was so fun!! 

I got to meet a cousin of mine from Italy and show her around Miami! Her name is Licia, she is a foreign exchange student and finishing high school in Dickinson, TX. She came to Miami for 4 days as part of her spring break. 

She arrived on Tuesday and my daddy brought her by my house.  She brought a little gift for Sofie that was so sweet and unexpected! I tried to take her out during the day as much as a I could, but with Sofie its a little limiting.. we went to eat lunch with my mom in Coral Gables on Wednesday and we ate Peruvian food! She got to taste fried yuca and platanitos for the first time EVER and loved it! lol Then Thursday we went to Dadeland for a little shopping, but she forgot her wallet at home so she could only window shop.  Friday we went back to Dadeland so she could fulfill her list!! =) And of course I shopped a little too both days! hee hee

Saturday was the best day! We went to the beach.. one of my favorite places!! Nery stayed with Sofie so I could go relax with Licia and my mom.  First, however, I made a pit stop to buy some croquettas from my favorite place to snack on at the beach.  Licia had never tried them, and I had been talking about them all week so I HAD to stop and get some! 

I met up with them on 14th street (after parking on 14th, walking to 13th and then walking back to 14th!) The day was gorgeous! Couldn't have asked for better weather! The sun was out, the wind was cool and it was just perfect!! We got there around 12 and left the sand at 4ish.  I thankfully used sunscreen all over the place, except the back of my legs. . . . . bad idea.. I got a sunburn from my ankles all the way to my bum, and it still hurts a little to sit! But I was lucky compared to Licia.  Crazy girl didn't use sun screen at all and used oil instead!!! Lucky for her she didn't burn her back so she was able to sleep on her back but everywhere else was horrible!! I blame myself and my mom for not warning her, but in my defense I did see her put sunblock on her face! Then I didn't think about it again!!

SORRY LICIA!!!! lol

Baloo's great escape..

Part one of probably many more to come.. 

So yesterday, as I am getting ready to leave the house to go have lunch with my cousin Licia and my mom, Baloo decided to have me chase him for over half an hour all through our neighborhood.  Usually whenever we leave the house, we put Lady and Baloo in their crates so they (and by they I mean Baloo) don't destroy or eat anything (furniture, garbage, etc) while we are gone.  The last step in my "out the door routine" is letting the dogs out into the yard so they can do their thing. Well Baloo has a new bad habit of digging holes under the fence and escaping through them.. We have covered his old holes, but he keeps making new ones.  He clearly had a new hole that we hadn't covered because we ran out of things to cover it with! He was outside for less than a minute, and I know that because I had just put a bottle in the microwave to heat up some water for 1 minute.. before the timer beeped Lady was already barking that Baloo had gotten out. 

Sigh..

Ooops.. Forgot some stuff! lol

There are a few things I left out.. So many things happened it's hard to keep them straight! Well that and that's what happens when you are writing at midnight and can't keep your eyes open! lol

So, we got engaged and found out about the baby in March, had the engagement pictures done in April and the engagement party in May. Also in May, my in-laws decided to completely retire and move back to Nicaragua. That was very bittersweet for us.  Bitter because I was excited that Sofia was going to have both sets of grandparents in the same place, since I didn't.  I had my paternal grandparents here (well, in West Palm Beach, FL.) and my maternal grandparents in Venezuela. It was sweet because his parents asked us to move into their house.  We went from a small 2 bedroom apartment to a huge 4 bedroom house, with a giant yard for Lady and Baloo to play in!! We moved into the house the last week of June. =)

Getting up to speed....

Hi Everyone! =)

Just wanted to give you a quick history into my little family! 

Nery and I have been together for 5 years now.  We have known each other since 2006. For those who don't know we met online (on MySpace to be exact!) through my friend Diane.  He messaged her, and I was the one who answered the message and directed him to my page.  From there we began an online friendship.  Messaging and chatting and getting to know one another.  After about 6 months of chatting we FINALLY spoke on the phone and met in person shortly after.  We started dating and made it official on March, 4th 2007. 

Testing Blogger Mobile! =)

Our first family photo!! More to come soon :)

:)