Apartment Therapy Props...Woot Woot

Ever since I can remember I have always loved design....DESIGN for everything...clothes, jewelry, homes, decor...EVERYTHING!!!!  I ofcourse have my favorite asthetics but can appreciate the beauty in every genre.  When I was young (around Bella's age) I use to walk around with a sketch book and doodle designs...I lived for it...and now I see Bella doing the same and it makes me so happy.

Do I consider myself a designer? Nah...Do I consider myself an artist? Sure.  I consider anyone that has a vision and brings it to life in their own original way an ARTIST.  I do it mostly with my jewelry line...but every now and then I do enjoy bringing my vision to life in my home...and recently I totally re did the kids room in preperation for Cruz arrival and intergration to the living situtation in out 6 person family 3 bedroom business we have going over here.  I loved the end result...the kids all loved it..and Jamas did as well.  But guess who else did?  The CHIC folk over at Apartment Therapy and the contacted me to let me know that they would be publishing my lil design story on their website...and they did...ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

SO honored!  Hope you like it!
Follow the link below to check me out on Apartment Therapy

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/vibrant-room-for-three-my-room-174575

xoxo
Me

Fourteen going on Forty

 This exact time...14 years ago...I had in my arms my first baby boy...he was adorable, chubby, healthy, and happy.  I was young, unexperienced, nervous, and the happiest girl on the planet.  That wonderful moment that they place your first born into your arms and you have the choice...to be the best you can be..or not.  I chose to totally give my life to being the best I can be...and I have never looked back.  I am so very honored to call this young man my son...and am overwhelmed with excitement to see what else his Golden heart can teach me not only as a mom..but a human being.  I love you Johnny..you are a blessing!!!

Our Blueberry....35 weeks!

AHHHHHHHHHH....35 Weeks...I'm so excited!

Hibernation is around the corner..

I cannot WAIT to meet Cruz..I cannot wait to see him in Papas arms..

I cannot wait to hear his first cry..that sound is comparable to no other!  

Love at first sight.

I feel great...GINORMOUS...but great.

I am as big as I always get..not much room for Cruz to stretch out inside this 5 foot mommys body so my tummy continues to grow and seeing peoples reactions to me saying I am not overdue..is halarious. Also, they always assume this is my first..and when I tell them it's my fourth...they CANNOT believe it.

Honestly...sometimes I can't believe it!

This past weekend my sweet Sandra (AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHER) put together a lil photo shoot for my volcano belly and although I was a lil skeptical at fist to bare it all...I am so glad I did..I have always wanted beautiful pictures of my bare pregnant belly...and since this will be my last pregnant belly...I went for it.

xoxo

Volcano Belly

Feliz Cumpleanos to me.

As I sit here i my kitchen..late...probably too late for me to still be up...I find myself so grateful for my life.

Today I turned THIRTY FOUR...and out of these 34 years I have had some rough ones..many that I would like to erase from my memory..and many many that I often reminise with a smile.  But none can even compare to the last few years I have spent with ALL my kids..and the most amazing man I have ever met in my life.  I finally feel with Cruz' impending arrival that my life is where I have prayed it can be for many many years now.  I have all the babies that my heart has always wanted...I continue to grow in pride watching them grow up...and I am with a man that I feel so lucky to have..the kind I thought didn't exsist..but they do..and I have one!  

My gift from Johnny was being able to secretly watch him with Mateo in the sandbox playing for 30 minutes...it filled my heart!

My gift from Bella was her sneaking into my bed this morning and waking up to her tickle inducing curls in my face.

My gift from Mateo was an abundance of slimely and delicious kisses he planted on my face all day long.

My gift from Cruz was the constant movements that only cause my aniticipation and excitement to grow for his arrival.

And...the gift from my sweet Jamas was his happy face walking into the house...the same face he has every single day..because he is so grateful to have me and our 4 kids...and because even though I know he is dead tired when he comes home from a hard days work...that man is always happy and ready to love on us everyday...and that is a gift I will always want!

xoxo

The 34 year old ME

Our Blueberry.....34 Weeks

With all my tooth issues lately and pain galore it felt as I hadnt seen the light of day for a while...but luckily I feel alot better and we have been having a great summer over in the Bryan-Arnold Abode...we have been attacking the Summer List...and making some great memories during The Summer of Cruz!  I both HATE and LOVE how quickly summer is flying by...I am really trying to slowly quench everyday...and get as much done as possible.

All the jammies are washed with dreft...

The bassinet is sitting right next to by bedside..

The Hospital bag is mostly packed...

&

My arms are more than ready to snuggle our Lil Blueberry.

A big thank you to some of my favorite ladies on this planet...I met up with my Cassandra for what I thought was a lil lunch with her...and showed up to be greeted by the beautiful smiles of Lizeth and Yazzy...Shelly and Ozzy, My EMILIE and her chic and lovely daughter Allie, I finally got to hug Alyxza...and ofcourse myBella Bear by my side.  It really meant the world to me that they anted to celebrate my Cruz...and am grateful for it.

I love you ladies...and miss you tons!

xoxo

Me

Our Blueberry...33 Weeks

I am 33 weeks...so close I can just feel the softness of his skin and smell the sweetness of his breath.

I have learned a lot during this fourth and sadly final pregnancy of mine...the biggest thing is the gratitude I will take away from the gift it is to be able to be blessed with carrying your baby for 9 months ..it's not that I didnt realize or have been grateful in the past..it's just that with this FOURTH go at it I have realized how hard it is for my body to do this...and to survive this..and most importantly to keep the lil blueberries inside me long enough to where they are born nice and healthy and super chubby!  I remember every day with all my babies...I remember the anticipation of welcoming my first baby when pregnant with Johnny...all 19 years of me would countdown to the very second I would lock eyes with my baby boy.  I also remember the excitement of feeling and getting to know the bond of a mother and her daughter with Isabella...I was 23 then and tired for what seemed the ENTIRE 9 months...I guess even in the womb her spunky lil energetic body and soul sucked out every ounce in mine!  Then my sweet and vibrant Mateo...his was a very different pregnancy...although still very tired and sick...he was the only baby I carried while I still worked...but I also had an amazing support system in my amazing Jamas and the BIG KIDS...so it made it seem as it were my easiest.  But now comes the fourth and final...My Cruz...my blessing...My OMG I CANT BELIEVE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FOURTH BABY....this has been hands down the most challenging and hard pregnancy for me...sure I can chalk it up to my ubber busy life being mommy to a busy teenager, ballerina, and very busy 18 month old...but I expected all of that.  The challenges came in the physical strain this last blueberry has caused my body.  In these past 9 months I have been sent to a neurologist to rule out possible GOD ONLY KNOWS going on in my brain...a cardiologist to find the cause of palpatations and make sure my aourtic valves are strong enough to handle major surgery..so I needed EKG's and a sonogram of my heart (this was scary)...I was in a car accident...I slipped in the rain and fell on my booty...I had several visits to the dentist with CRAZY INTENSE pain due to a sweet lil root canal that decided to rear its ugly head right at the end of my pregnany...and DRUMROLL please...this sometimes not so bright mama fell off a ladder at 6 months pregnant which led me to be rushed to the ER.  So why all the uplifting updates...well...because this did change me not only as a mommy but as a woman...it made me so grateful for the blessings I have been given...and it has made me a lot more grateful for life...and most importantly it has forced me to SLOW DOWN...slow down and not let life rush past me.  I have had some very emotion filled couple of weeks...and mostly it's because I let my Latina Dramatic Head get the best of me..I started picturing myself not surviving surgery and leaving 4 kids behind without their mama..I found myself having hysterical crying fits with both Jamas and John making them both promise me that they would become the best of friends and raise the kids together as much as possible...I found myself driving to all my crazy medical appointments crying my eyes out thinking of how happy the kids make me...and how I needed to be alive to watch Johnny in all his ROCK GOD glory..and to be in the audience watching Bella and brushing her hair...because only I know how to brush it the perfect way...and Mateo...who would pack his perfect lil lunches on his first day of school?????  And don't even get me started on my missed bonding with Cruz.

BUT....I allowed my CRAZY LATINA TO COME OUT FOR ONLY ABOUT 1 WEEK...crying off and on.

Now I am ready...willing and GOSH DARN ABLE to be mama to these four lil Blueberries of mine.

And with alllll that said...throughout all of this medical drama of mine...Our Lil Cruz is Thank God....One million percent healthy...infact that is probably how I survived this whole ordeal..I kept telling myself better me them him...I will handle any and all pain..as long as he is fine.  So this August 27th we are scheduled for our c section..where I plan on locking eyes with my youngest boy 14 years after I happily did with my oldest boy. 

Grateful and Full of Love

Me

Summer List....Volcano Belly Edition

Things have been quite busy and a lil overwhelming for me lately....I would love to fill you in...but today I just want to drink up the summer...enjoy this beautiful weather..and make the most of these last 2 months before I go into hibernation with a lil bambino in my arms.

We finally discussed and with my VOLCANO BELLY in mind came up with a great Summer List that we have already started crossing off....it's always so much fun to hear what the kids suggest..

Bella Suggested

HOLDING CRUZ (ahhhh)

Beach Days

one on one dates

Plank Mob

Library

Cheez Club Show

Johnny Suggested

Squeezing Cruz' cheeks (ahhhh)

Souplantation

Turning 14

Reeces Peanut Buter Birthday Party

Jam

Attend Metal Shows

Fly Kites

Barnes N Noble

Pizza Party

Jamas suggested:

Becoming a daddy for the 4th time

Angels Game

Beach Days

Aquarium at night

Museum

I suggested:

Giving birth to a FAT BABY

journaling 

speaking more spanish

zoo

puzzles

gameboards

I also came up with some ideas for Mateo to enjoy

Becoming jealous of new baby brother

finger painting

shaving cream party

bubbles

Butterfly House

Hopefully we will get most if not all of these done....and I am off to throw the kids in the car now and crossing some more off.

xoxo

Me

Weekend Roundup...Sucky Weekend, Amazing Husband

What do you get when you take a very pregnant woman and throw some head cold germs on her....NOTHING GOOD! 

The bad news is...I spent the weekend feeling HORRIBLE...a simple headcold to a pregnant woman might as well be the darn FLU...especially when it brings along unbelieveable horrid tooth pain...tooth pain so bad I would prefer major abdominal surgery (oh..wait..that glorious pain will visit me soon enough).  But the great news is that I have the most amazing husband that took amazing care of me and all the kids.  Infact...the very few times I was able to roll out of bed and stumble into the kitchen or where the undead exsisted the house looked so pretty..and the kids looked so clean and happy..and I cannot tell you the peace that it brings to this crazy OCD momma.

So Cheers to my sweet Jamas...and prayers that no more bugs visit this preggo volcano bellied woman..and hoping that the next time I am dying of pain..it will be because of a teenie tiny GASH on my tummy...but a big beautiful baby in my arms!

xoxo

Me