Tuesday, December 22, 2015

11 Months

Often I am reminded of how time flies and to enjoy Nate while he is little. With intention, I do this daily. This months pictures was hard to take because Nate was moving, pulling the sticker off the elephant, flipping through his books and crawling all over the room. Although he is not looking at the camera, this was the best picture of the bunch. He definitely keeps me on my toes.


Though I have said that I never could have imagined myself as a stay-at-home mom, I am enjoying and cherishing every moment watching Nathaniel grow.  The key is to be open to see what is happening in front of you and not let the busyness of the day take over. 


We play with cars and not that I know how to "play cars", I just roll the wheels over Nate's back and it makes him laugh.  That's all I want to do it make him smile and laugh.



With an open schedule, we can go visit Grand-dad in rehab/physical therapy. (Not the the twelve step rehab, just to be clear.)  Nate lights up the room and my Dad goes crazy.  My Dad acts like a kid again and loves seeing his grand-son tear up the room.



Recently, I had the piano tuned and have since kept the keys uncovered.  Nate will crawl into the office and start tickling the ivory.  Who knows, we might have another Mozart in the works. 


My days end with nursing Nathaniel to sleep and praying over him.  I pray that God will bless my sons, guard them and protect them daily.  I pray that God will remain in their hearts and in their lives daily. I pray that God will be preparing a Godly spouse for my sons. I pray that they sleep well and fall asleep quick. I wonder if Nate will be active and like to run, bike and swim like his parents; or if he will be a homebody. Every night I shed tears of joy as I watch my baby fall asleep in my arms. 

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Growing

Parenting and being a mother is everything everyone says it will be.  The trick is finding new and creative ways of describing it. This is difficult for me because I do not consider myself a writer nor am I very creative. I am a big reader and enjoy learning by what other have to say and then I do my best to find my own words. 

Today was a big day in our house, all da boyz now have their own bedrooms.  When did they get so big and where is all the time going?  

When I meet da boyz, Jon was in the third grade and Joe in kindergarten.  They were tiny boyz and we would all snuggle up in a king size bed at night.  This worked for us for about six months before someone started getting pushed off the bed, usually da mister. Over the years I have seen them grow and mature.  One summer they are ordering from the children's menu and the next summer we do not even look at the kid's menu.

Now that Nathaniel has transitioned to his own room- in his own crib, I realized that all my boyz will be in their own rooms and sleeping in their own beds.  I am glad that my boys are growing and becoming independent but I must admit I miss the night time snuggles. 

Sunday, November 22, 2015

10 Month and Co-Sleeping

My baby boy is ten months old today. He is crawling and lifting himself up.  The past three weeks have been brutal with teething but we made it past the initial hump of four new teeth.


When Nate was born I was good about nursing him then putting him down in his pack-n-play located in our bed room.  Somewhere around month three, da mister suggested I just leave him in bed with me because it would be much easier and I would get more sleep. And it was initially.  

Then the nights turned into day time naps and  there you have it, we were co-sleeping.  Since I am a light sleeper, this has been hard on me because Nate would wake every few hours to nurse or just move and disturb my sleep.  I have been a walking zombie and this sleep pattern was not working for me. 

I tried exactly two times to let him cry it out but I could not take him screaming. So what does an exhausted mother do?  For me, I was tired.  My arms hurt from carrying around a cranky baby and I finally broke down.  

This past week I have endured the cries during nap time and on Friday evening I placed him in his crib for night time sleep.  Surprisingly, the night time sleep has been quiet even though not much sleep is really happening at this point. 

It is hard to hear him cry but I know that we are learning to self sooth (for me to) and develop better sleeping behaviors. What gives me hope is my pediatrician said that no parent that has ever done the cry out method has ever been sorry that they did. 

There you have it folks.  Barbie's guild to getting more sleep and getting stuff done.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Selfie

Recently I was challenged with selfies and taking the perfect picture.  I know I do it and I am sure you do it too.  We take a picture over and over and in different poses to find the one we like.  Then we spend another thirty minutes going through the all the pictures to find the best one to post on social media.  We only want to post the best picture of our self for the world to see.


It surprised me to read the comments on my FaceBook about this picture because in general they said, "You look so beautiful," but what I was feeling was so different.  

This day was October 31, 2015- Nathaniel's first Halloween. We also decided to have a gender reveal party to announce the sex of our new baby.  Let me lay my day down for you.  

I have a nine month old teething baby, I am not sleeping through the night and get two hours of sleep at a time, 10 AM appointment, 1 PM party, skip nap time due to late arrivals to the party, sneak in late lunch early dinner, get to the pumpkin patch one hour before closing, and I am 14 weeks pregnant. Through all that, I finally relaxed in a safe place with my baby.  I remember thinking, Wow, I finally get to sit down. I am happy to capture the joy of this moment with my baby boy. Okay, let me sit him on my lap to hide my baby bump and take a picture. 

I wish I could have a picture of me and Nate smiling but this was the best we could do. We made it and I have my cherished picture of Nathaniel in his blue M&M costume surrounded by pumpkins for his first Halloween. You may see only my smile and baby, but for me I remember every detail of the day.  Rushed, tired, and joyful are all things that I will remember when I see this picture.  


Sunday, November 1, 2015

What it takes to be a Mom

This past week was the fifth year anniversary of my mother passing away. I miss her daily and remember what an amazing women she was.  As I struggle with the daily chores of being a mother, I recall all that Mom did and I wonder how she managed it all.  She went to nursing school, worked full time, volunteered at our PTA, was our Girl Scout Leader, organized employee picnics, played softball, and sold Mary Kay cosmetics.  There are days when I struggle just to brush my teeth and get myself dressed much less do homework with da boyz and cook dinner. Every day I am reminded how strong and determined Mom was. She is my roll model and is exactly like the mother I want to be to my children. 


What is a mother?  In the narrow sense of the word it comes down to caring for your children's success and guiding them and showing them how to become independent individuals. But it is much more than that.  It is never giving up, having patients, and caring enough to parent your child- even on the days when your patients runs out. 


Joe caught me off guard and said, "Mommie take our picture".  I'm not sure at what point he felt comfortable enough to call me Mommie but it is a moment that I have hoped for but never expected. It has not happened since but it is always a moment to capture. 

I love seeing the big boys play with Nate.  They carry him all over the house and Nate loves all the big brother attention.  

With our growing house of boys, I hope to make my mother proud as I work on being the mom that my mother was to me. 

Thursday, October 22, 2015

9 Months

Every month I vow to post more frequently than once a month. Here we are again, one month later, with no other post to show for.  Maybe this month will be better now that my nine month old is teething and crawling.


We have tried two Mother's Day Out programs- and both did not work for us.  We have tried three different nannies.  Our current Nannie is going on six weeks and it seems like we are all getting used to each other and things are working.  She truly is heaven sent and provides a faithful presence in our home. Maybe now I can find extra time to blog or I may just nap my extra time away.


The older boys are settling in and Nate really looks up to them.   He is always curious to see what the big boys are doing and wants to be around them.  I enjoy watching him crawl to the bottom step and stare up to staircase to get a glimpse of what his brothers are doing.  So far, they have been patient and kind with the little one. I have even caught myself saying, "Bring your little brother back down stairs!" They are pretty good at carrying him around and introducing him to boy stuff- for now anyway. 


Never in a million years would I have ever thought I would be a stay-at-home mom. I I always thought I would be a working mom.  That is not to say that stay-at-home mom's do not work.  We work and it is never easy.  I joke and say that we need one more Nannie so that each kid has an adult to work with. (I still can't figure out why da mister said h-e-double-hockey sticks NO to that one.) With the help of extra hands, we manage a fussy baby, 4th grade homework, 6th grade homework, dinner, and clean up time.  It is not always smooth between tutoring and teacher calls, but things are working and we are transitioning into our new rolls.  

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

8 Months



Nate is 8 months old today.  He started to crawl and is definitely a mama's boy.  Nathaniel is full of energy and does not sleep as much as a baby should.  I can relate to having a bouncing baby boy in the house and cannot help by let my heart smile when he gazes at me- no matter how tired I may be. 




Also, this past month my 90 year old grandfather past away.He lived a great long live and we know that he is finally resting well.  Popo was my reminder of my mother and my living connection to her.  I will miss his talks and words of wisdom.  It was such a blessing to have Popo meet Nathaniel, his great-grandson, at the beginning of the year. 
  


Although I do not boast often, this is a time to do so.  After two years and two months, we finally have full time custody of da boyz.  It has been a transition period for all of us but it has been worth the wait.  Needless to say I have been busy getting da boyz in school and settled, thus not many blog posts. Let's do the math- two boyz, a baby boy, and da mister equals four boyz and one Barbie in the house. 



This was my busy month.  Now that I have a nanny to help around the house, I hope that I will have more time to blog more regularly. 




  Ridin' on...




Monday, August 24, 2015

7 Months

Growing off the charts, Nathaniel is now seven months old.  We are still not sleeping through the night and I have him sleeping in the bed with me.  One day soon, that will change. Mark. My. Words.


Since I am a walking zombie, I am desperately searching for a Mother's Day Out program and looking for a reliable sitter.  I have learned that with most programs, I should have registered Nathaniel when I was pregnant. Who knew.
  

Let me introduce you to Korosh, my friend since college.  We never have been in a situation where I could see him with children until I introduced him to Nathaniel.  I was totally shocked to see how good he is with children.  After all this time, I never knew he is like a baby whisperer.  If only the babysitters I have been interviewing had half the magic as he does. 

Here is to good friends.  Even though we may see each other once a year, we always pick up right back where we left off. 

Saturday, August 8, 2015

WeeRide

Barbie and her bike now has Barbie and her baby. 


This is the bike that I rode across America on. I had to lower the seat way down so that my feet would touch the ground.  The seat was difficult for me to install so I ask a neighbor for an extra pair of hands.  After that, we were ready to roll.  However, my knees hit the back of the seat and I am getting used to the extra weight.  

For our first ride, we only rode up two houses.  Next time, I will ride earlier in the day when it is not so hot and after Nate's new infant bike helmet arrives.  Who knew that infant bike helmets even existed.

Ridin' on my friends.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

6 Months

Being a parent means being selfless.  If I am hungry, I put that aside and feed da boyz first.  If I am sleepy, da boyz get their baths and bed time first.  For da mister, that means driving four hours a day to work and back, so we can have food and a roof over our heads.  

If you had told me that I would be a walking and starving zombie a year ago, I may have opted out on the kid option. Now, I love waking up to my smiling happy baby boy-  there is nothing that gives me more joy than to see Nathaniel playing in the mornings.



 The best compliment I received was from the neighbor lady. She asked me where I got my baby from because she never saw me pregnant.  Well,  he grew in me.  It's like I ate food and a baby grew.  I am baffled and I remain fascinated by the miracle of life. 

These days I feel like I am in the best shape of my life- thanks to a personal trainer and a gym membership with child care. I have been on my bike a few times but child care is the hold up from getting on the road more often.  


Nathaniel is sitting up, teething, and starting to eat broccoli, cantaloupe, rice, and bananas.  He is rolling and I have started child proofing the house.  People, we are getting ready for a crawler.  

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

5 Month

Yeah, I am back up on the internet and my little man is now five months old.  I cannot believe how much he is growing at a whopping 18 pounds. There are times that I want my newborn baby back.



Nathaniel has his own little personality and I enjoy watching his personality develop.  Me on the other hand, feels way to old to be getting this little sleep.  But, I remember that this is for a relatively short period of time and that is what keeps me going.  I cherish all the time I am getting with my baby- especially while I am nursing him.


We also baptized Nathaniel this past weekend.  It was a special event for me since I had my god-sister, Cece, be Nathaniel's god-mother.   I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful family and friends . 

Friday, June 19, 2015

Sleep Deprivation

The thing about sleep deprivation and me is that I write these blog segments while trying to fall asleep and then in the morning I cannot seem to remember what I was going to blog about.  Instead I will share some pictures that capture my life.


#barbieandherbaby at our first swimming party.


This is me relaxing at the adult pool at the gym.  I was so tired that I checked Nathaniel in at the Kids Club and sunbathed/napped for an hour and half.  It was absolute heaven.  Now if only I can get cabana service and a soft fluffy pillow. 


We have the older boyz for the summer.  It is hard to tell who is walking whom.  Is Roxy running Joe?  Is Nathaniel walking me?  You be the judge.  

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

What Would You Do?

Now that I am a stay at home mom, I have become that typical mother that watches Bravo TV, goes to the gym, attends baby time at the library, and seeks out play dates. Not exatly how I envisioned this mommy stuff but it is working for this chapter in my life. I enjoy wathing Nathaniel eat ceral for the first time, learn to roll, and interact with other babies.  Waking up to a smiling baby every moring is the icing on the cake. 

Here Nathaniel is like, “check out my guns”.


I love to read and I often read to Nathaniel.  At the library, they read to the babies, sing, and play.  It always surprises me how much the babies observe during this time.  Nate will want to stand when he sees the other babies stand and reach his arms out to other babies.

On our first library time, I noticed a mother going throught the toy bag.  Since it was my first time, I was not quite sure how the time would fold out.  Just as the librarian walked out of the room, the mother grabbed some toys and stuffed them in her purse.  Did I really just see a mother steal toys from the library?  

It was like an episode of What Would You Do? And that is just that, I did not know what to do.  I was new to the group and did not want to stir up trouble.  After a diaper change, Nathaniel’s and not mine, I asked my sister what I should do. We looked for the librarian, however she already left.

Still to this day I wish I had done something more.  Confront the lady?  Call her out on the spot?  Either way, my non action bothers me more than what my action should have been.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

4 Months

Nathaniel is now four months old. 


 He found his feet and he sucks on his toes.  He also found his hands and has started to grab things and pull his own hair.

That is the exciting stuff around these parts. More later, after my nap.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

My First Mother's Day

This year I have a mix of emotions on my first Mother's Day.  I totally and utterly miss my mom and wish so much she was here to see me and my baby.  I love that I have a bonus mom that loves me the way my mother loved me.  I love being a bonus mom and having two big boys who can hug me and enjoy the cookies I make for them.  And mostly, I love that I am a mom and I have a new baby that has found his feet and wakes me up at 5:30 in the morning to play with his new discovery.

Not to be morbid, but I love celebrating my mother and coming up with new ways to decorate her. Nothing is more lovely than a bed of rose pedals.  


Mother's Day is also special in a bike ride way because it is the day that kicks off the ride across America. On this day back in 2009, I started the journey that made me a new person with bragging rights of riding my bicycle from La to Boston.  Keep ridin' on my fellow CrossRoad riders.

Monday, April 27, 2015

3 Months

Nathaniel is now three months old.


Fiesta happened and I celebrated my forty and fabulous birthday.


Fiesta is not complete without the obligatory picture with Melvis (the Mexican Elvis).



Nathaniel is alert more and is in need for constant stimulation. Last week we attended toddler time at the library. I was reluctant at first thinking he was to young.  We sang, played, read books, and everything kept his interest.  We also go on daily walks with our new sling. I'm going to work up to doing lunges with Nathaniel in the sling, in hopes to make my legs stronger and get muscle back.  


Let's get real people, one day I hope to laugh or cough and not pee on myself. The way I see it is that all competitive athletes pee on themselves.  That is how I see myself- just another athlete trying to scare off other athletes from drafting off me. 

Brest feeding is like training. You have eat right and drink lots of water.  Breast feeding while I am working out is even more difficult because I have had to really listen to my body to ensure I'm eating and drinking enough to supply both me and Nathaniel without getting dizzy.

Like most days, some are easy and some are hard.  Overall, I love being a mommy.  Most of all, I love listening to Nathaniel giggle, laugh, and smile. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

On a Mission

This week I was on a mission to do a blog post before Nathaniel's three month birthday.  I really do not have much to blog about except being a new mommy.  

Nathaniel and I do most of the same things everyday. Wake, eat, nap, change diapers, and play. Wait, this kinda of sounds like a bike tour.  Wake, eat, ride, go to the bathroom, repeat. Needless to say I have been getting pretty board and I am constantly looking for new entertainment, hopefully with adults.

Da mister is training for his first TRi, my training is limited.  But mark my words, when this TRi thing is over, it will be my turn to hit the road while da mister stays home with the kids.  

I get nervous about going to too many places with Nathaniel just because I never know if he will be fussy.  His timing my not be good timing for me.  I guess you could say I am a nervous mom, but hey, this is my first time doing all this.  It is taking me some time getting used to the car seat, diaper bag, baby, toys, change of clothes, and diaper refills.  You get the picture- lots of baby things to think about.  I try to make things as simple as can be, even dressing Nathaniel is a simple onesie without shorts or pants. 

My goal is to get Nate on more of a schedule so things can be more predictable around here.  Really, I do not have much to complain about.  He is a good baby and will sit and play while I do what I need to do.  


Monday, March 30, 2015

2 Months

Has it really been a month since my last post?!  Sleeping and eating takes precedence over blog post, sorry followers. 


My Nathaniel is now two months old and he started holding a rattle.  He does all these really cute baby things like cooing and smiling.  He weights 14 pounds and I wonder if my arms will be strong enough to continue holding him.  I am fascinated with how my body is still sustaining my baby. For the nine months in womb, I feed my baby not realizing that 
 all I eat and drink continues to make my baby grow. 


I am itching to get back on my bike but due to the lack of baby sitter, I am stuck on a stationary bike in the gym.  I am fortunate to have a gym membership that watches babies starting at six weeks old.  This is good practice with detaching from my little man at an hour a time.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Motherhood

She looked at me and said, “You b!tch” after I told my friend I only had five more pounds to loose.  Yes, I said a friend.  My doctor has cleared me to get back to normal life, as long as I have the energy and a baby sitter.  To me, that means bike here I come! 


It has been once month since Nathaniel has been born and most of the time I am crazy happy.  Sleepy, but happy. Sure, I may have put a couple diapers on backward.  But to my defense, it was two o’clock in the morning, on the second night of having a new baby.  Not only that, Nate is a wiggle worm and kicks like crazy for diaper changes.

My motherly scenses have kicked up a notch and I can smell diaper changes even when Nate is wrapped in his swaddle and fully clothed.  I can also identify Jon and Joe’s footsteps as each wakes and walks down the stairs. I have become more in tune with a facial grimice saying my stomach doesn’t feel so good. 

Awe, the joys of mother hood. 


Did I already say I can get back on my bike?  Should I confess that I never really was off my cruiser bike?  Over ten years of bike experience gives me the comfort to say that, but not to my doctor. 

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

My Birth Story

I was surprised how many people asked me about my birth story.  So, I decided to blog it and maybe Nathaniel Andreas Alaniz will read about it one day and know that he is loved and wanted in every way.

It was 3:45 in the morning and I woke to a kick and a contraction, both common over the past two months.  The contractions were more intense and I kept thinking that I could muscle through it, but this was different.      

At 4:30 I woke up da mister and said, “I think it is time to go to the hospital.”  I did what every girl does at this point.  I grabbed my curling iron, throw it in my hospital bag, and waddled to the car.

We drove through crazy rain and were checking in admitting by 5:15 AM.  By 5:45 my water broke and I was dilated to 3. I am not sure of the time after that, but shortly after I was at 6. The pain was too intense and I decided to go with an epidural.  At 11:30 AM I started active labor and by 2:27 PM my beautiful baby boy was born.


From the first moment he was in my arms he started smiling at me. 

We stayed that Thursday night in the hospital.  By Friday evening we were back at home introducing Roxy and Nate. 

Friday, January 30, 2015

Barbie and her Baby

Let me introduce you to

Nathaniel Andreas Alaniz

Born on January 22, 2015 at 2:27 PM

7 pounds 8 ounces and 20.75 inches long


After 39 years, Barbie finally has a baby.  



I am so sleep deprived but so happy.  At least three times a day, I look down at my little man and think, "how did I get so lucky"?


 
Here Nate is like, "Call me" because this is what handsome looks like.  No promises, but I will try not to bombard my blog with baby pictures. 

Monday, January 12, 2015

Week #38

 Well, here I am at week #38 pregnant.  I have every complaint any woman would have carrying an extra 25 pounds around plus all the usual aces and pains pregnant women have.
 
 
Last week I was sicker than a dog and I spent the week in bed. Unable to drive myself and because my doctor is two hours away, it was not until Thursday that I was able to get antibiotics. When I did show up at my doctors office, she told me to think February even though my due date is January 25. 
 
 #WhatTheWhat?! 
 
How is that even possible?!  My bike and all the gear I have does not even weight 25 pounds and I am supposed to walk around like this for the next two weeks, give or take.
 
I am much slower to get around these days and only committing to a few things that I know for sure I can get myself to.
 
It looks like my heart tattoo that reads, "XC" for cross country will be with me for generations. I have no plans to remove it but will have to be creative in my answer when Nathaniel says he wants one too.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Week #37

 Well, I am almost there and I am so ready to indulge in one too many adult beverages.  For now, I get to use my belly as a portable table.  Da Mister does not seem to mind since I get to hold his drinks for him.
 
 
All in an effort to ensure labor and recovery is easier, I am still going to spin class, yoga, and swimming.   Some days are easier than others.  My logic is that if I am going to hurt laying on the couch, then I might as well hurt doing something that I like.  I like telling the ladies in class that if I can keep spinning, then they can too. Talk about motivation.
 

Mean while, I am working up the courage to take a belly picture for the next post.