Recap of 2011 !!!!!!

2011 was by far my best year for me, although it came with many challenges. It was the year that I was pregnant, gave birth, became a mom, and the year my relationship with my fiance' grew stronger!Through all the ups and downs we are in it for the long haul ! I had so many blessings this year and the amount of love that was given to me, my son, and fiance' this year was truly amazing...so good-bye 2011 you will truly be missed and hello 2012 !

January: I officially announced to everyone I was pregnant and it was my fifth year anniversary with my fiance'

February : We found out "It's a BOY!"

March: Me six months Pregnant !

April: I got to do my 3D sonogram (v e r y Exciting!!!) Turns out....Frankie is INDEED a thumb sucker LOL

May: Was scared about that May 21 end of the world dooms day thing, but here we are still living and breathing. Here is a picture of me on Mother's day and excited about being a Mommy 2 be and I look like im going to pop !LOL

June: Had my wonderful Baby shower thrown by my Aunt, Sister, & also my future Mother In Law....Last But certainly not least my son was born ! On June 19th 2011 weighing 6 pounds 10 ounces and 19 inches long (3 weeks early). It took 35 hours for him to arrive !!!!!

July: The month of adjusting to no sleep and being a mom....I can't believe he was this small...This is a picture with Frankie and his dad !

August: I celebrated my 24th bday and this is a picture of Frankie in his swing. This picture has a story behing it. We were trying to enter Frankie in the "Children's Place Model search competition" on facebook and it was a GROUP effort to try and get him to smile...he was not in the mood so I guess he flashed us this little smile so we can leave him alone. LOL

September: The first time we went out to eat with little Frankie at TGIF's and he was so well behaved.

October: Frankie's first Halloween. He didn't want to take any pictures soon after he got his first cold.

November: Frankie's first Thanksgiving. I love this picture of him and his dad.

December: Frankie in his Christmas pajamas...the next day wasn't so good because he had a fever and was not in the mood for pictures.

*********This wraps up my year. Wishing you all a very wonderful, healthy, and prosperous New Year*******

Im Blank Because.....

I saw this going around in the "Blog world" & always wanted to do, but never got a chance. Now that my little boy is sleeping I got the chance :)

I'm weird because....
- When I used to drink with friends & get a "buzz" I would automatically regret it & not like the feeling and would want it to go away (which is why I don't drink now).
- I won't heat up left overs I like them cold.
-I fiddle with my eye brows when I'm nervous.

I'm a bad friend because....
-I haven't seen my best friend in forever & I really miss her :(
- sometimes I'm a flake.
- I don't respond to text right away.

Im a good friend because:
-I don't judge.
- I'm honest, loyal, & genuinely care for my friends.
- if ever they need a shoulder to cry on, someone to vent to, or talk to they can count on me.

I'm sad because...
-My son is growing up so fast.
-still haven't lost my baby weight.
-I'LL have to return to work soon.
- I need to get a bigger place.
- My son's 1st Christmas didn't go according as planned :/

I'm happy because...
- I'm blessed with so many people that love my son, fiancé, & I.
-My son is healthy & lights up my world.
-I'm happy I can stay with him
Every minute of every hour for the time being.
-I'm happy because he's learning do much & it truly amazes me.

I'm excited for:
-The greats toys, books, & clothes my son got for Christmas that we get to play with, read, & dress him up in.
-the new exciting things he will soon be doing waking, talking, & etc.
-joining a gym.
- I'm excited to take my son places this summer swimming lessons, museum, zoo, park, beach, & pool.
-the new adventures that await in 2012 !
-I'm reading a great book: The Hunger Games ! :) [if you know any other great books please let me know I love book suggestions]

*******Feel Free To Write Below A Few Things About Yourself I'd Love To Get To Know You Guys & If You Decide To Do This "I'm blank because.." Post Let Me Know So I Can Read It & Comment :)****

"Your Baby Can Read"

As a Christmas gift my son got "Your Baby Can Read" kit. In it comes with 3 DVDs, Flashcards, & 3 books. I wonder if it truly works & I hope he enjoys it. I love to read & think it would be awesome if he was a reader like me because his dad doesn't like reading at all.

Have any of you guys ever used it before? Does it work? what's your take on it?

Christmas....

I put so much into this Christmas because it was my first Christmas as a Mommy...unfortunately it didn't go according as planned...I've learned as a mom nothing quite does..lol...my son had a fever & didn't want to be bothered with the festivities and I didn't want to leave his side...I was glued to him the whole day with the thermometer. Eventually his fever went down *whew* I was panicked ! He didn't get to enjoy most of his toys because he was extremely crabby BUT the next day he was back to his happy-go-lucky cheerful self ! Here is a picture with his favorite show characters from: "Yo Gabba Gabba."

How did you guys enjoy your Christmas ? :)

Christmas Eve

This Christmas eve was spent at my Gandfather's house and it was so much fun. I'm so thankful I get to spend the holidays with people I truly love & my son got to be a part of that. It's his first Christmas and its off to a God start ! I'm so happy God blessed with such a wonderful little boy, great family, & friends :)

Parenting....

"Be the Parent you wanted for yourself for your child."

One day I was in my fiance's mother's kitchen and we were talking about parenting. When her husband said that his father walked out on him and his brothers and sisters when he was young. He remembered seeing him at eight years old and never again. He stated that his mother was a mother and a father to him. She was the best mother he could have possibly asked for and he decided to be the best father if he ever had children in the future. He said although he didn't have a father he raised his children with this in mind: "Be the parent you wanted for yourself, for your child." Through the months so many people have offered me so much parenting advice that I let go through one ear and out the other, but this actually stuck. So I decided to adopt it as my parenting technique.

What are some of your parenting techniques or advice you have gotten over the years that have really made an impact?

6 months old!

I'm now a parent to a six-month old. He is growing so fast right before my eyes. In these past months I must say it's like he's a completely different baby. I look at him and think to myself is this the baby that I took home from the hospital? This month, in my opinion was a really big month.

Reflecting back on the month : I learned a few things this month. I learned how to handle a child that's constipated (Karo syrup). I learned how to still keep him on the schedule even staying at someone else's house which was my biggest fear. And lastly I learned that although he's my first child and I want everything to be perfect I'm learning to just go with the flow and that I cannot control everything.

What he's up to:

He can sit up for short periods at a time.

He eats three baby foods a day.

He's wearing 6 to nine-month clothing but can still fit into his 3 to 6 month clothing.

He sleeps 8 to 9 hours at night.

He loves Yo Gabba Gabba

When his pacifier falls out he can put it right back into his mouth.

Whenever I read him a book he loves to turn the pages.

He grabs everything at any opportunity.

He never smiles when he takes pictures. LOL but I'm sure we'll get the hang of that.

He still has a love for music and likes listening to music with me while we play.

Overall he's a happy baby except when he's tired, he gets kind of cranky.

Lastly, he has his first tooth coming in !

This month has been a great month and I look forward to all the future months with Frankie.

About me?

My likes: I like spending time with my family & friends. Make-up, shopping, reading, blogging, taking pictures, Facebook, surprising people, kissing my son all over, going on date nights, watching you tube videos, & laughing.

Dislikes: PMS, household chores, feeling obligated, knowing I'll soon
Have to start working again, teething, people that update their statuses a kazillion times on facebook, awkward silences, scary movie commercials that come on when your watching a show and you're home alone, never coming to an understanding after a disagreement, dramatic people, & pushy people (I'm very passive & reay dislike when people are pushy and insistent about things).

What's on my mind? Christmas, buying gifts, joining the YMCA to take swimming classes with my little guppy son, & taking some mommy & me classes with my son.

What I'm reading: Princess: true story of a princess in Saudia Arabia.

What I'm working on: losing weight, getting healthy/fit, and balance.

Life lesson: you can't always please everyone.

What I love about me: I'm friendly & outgoing.

What I dislike about me: I'm sensitive, don't like confrontation so I don't really like confronting people, & I'm not as strong as I'd like to be.

It would be great to know a little about u bloggers out there so comment below <3

The Change....

I decided to make a change. To finally get healthy, lose the baby weight, become more active, and be a M.I.L.F LOL (okay the last part I was joking about). But I decided that it is time to get out of my slump and claim the old me back. I gained about 50 pounds while pregnant, which is way above how much I was supposed to weigh. As time wore on I kind of became too comfortable with this weight because prior to getting pregnant I was at my ideal weight. It took me about 6 months to get there and then I became pregnnat and gained it all back and more of it. I felt defeated by my weight and didn't feel like going through the whole diet thing again. So many times people would say "it sould be easy this time around because you did it the last time." To be honest in my opinion weight loss is never EASY. I find it harder now because I dont have all the time in the world to focus on that goal. Then I decided to make THE CHANGE! I went to TRADER JOEs and brought all healthy things and the first few days were hard but each day is becoming easier. This time im not giving myself a time frame to lose the weight...I will take it each day at a time...and weigh myself every two weeks. It doesn't feel good feeling unhappy about your looks which is why Im going to do something about it.

Short, simple, & sweet

To keep it short, simple, & sweet. There are days that I stare at my son as he sleeps and I'm so very thankful. Thankful for having this little human being in my life who has taught me so much in these soon to be six months that he has been here. He's taught me love that is endless, patience, compassion, & has opened my eyes to
a whole new life. A life that no longer revolves around me, but around him. I'm worried about someone else for a change: has he eaten enough? Is his nose runny? Has he pooped today?My whole day revolves around my little man & I don't mind it one bit.

Christmas Card !

This is my Christmas card of Frankie ! After being quite indecisive & Frankie being quite uncooperative with smiling I chose this card of him & I gotta say it gets me in the Christmas spirit !

Christmas Survey

I found this survey on Tales Of a Young Housewife (unfortunately I dont know how to tag other blogs) and I decided to post my answers to start the Christmas season with a BANG !

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I would definitely have to say Egg Nog with a little bit of cinnamon !

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? I wrap all my presents but if they are clothes its much easier to just put them in a bag.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I like colored lights but since I'm getting a fake tree this year I think I might go with white lights just to do something different.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, I do not.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The first week of December.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Since I'm spanish we eat something called Pernil which is pork. It taste really good and it is most definitely my favorite dish.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Probably my sister waking up at 5:00 am running to out Christmas tree and screaming "he came ! he came !" and then I would wake up and run to the tree and see all our gifts and get so excited. I remember one year recieving wooden blocks and I was so excited because blocks were my thing when I was little. Christmas was so magical when we used to see the cookies and milk gone that we left out for Santa. I want to make it really magical for my son as well.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? The kids at school telling me and eventually my mom told me the truth.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, just one though.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I put colorful lights, orgnaments, candy canes, and fake snow on it.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I dread snow. The first time it snows I love it but then it gets all dirty and slushy and I'm over it. It makes commuting so much harder.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes I can. One Christmas I got ice skates because I used to go ice skating so much when I was younger.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Yes my blocks !!!!! ;)

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with family, sharing laughs, and eating good food.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I dont know but I plan to start some with Frankie and Little Frankie.

17. What tops your tree? A angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love to give just to see their reaction.

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? YUM !

20. Favorite Christmas show? "Home Alone" (Not sure if that really counts) and "A Christmas Story."

21. Saddest Christmas Song? "Last Christmas" I absolutely love that song but it doesn't get me depressed. LOL

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree" & "Grandma got run over by a reindeer."

Just Not A Picture Person.....

My son is a very happy baby who loves to laugh and smile....BUT....when one who loves to take pictures and "capture" the moment like myself he freezes up and puts on the most serious little face...so you can imagine the struggle I went through trying to find "that perfect picture" for the Christmas cards I planned to hand out. Perhaps it is the huge camera that I have that throws him off....maybe you are thinking well why dont u continue and try to make him laugh? I DO ! I've tried it all...I LOVE my little boy regardless even if he's just not a picture person....LOL