Friday, May 31, 2013

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo




Well, we went to the zoo on Sunday and it was really the perfect day. It was cool, but not cold and sunny but not hot. Perfect. My mom got us Brookfield zoo passes for my birthday, and I couldn't wait to use them. Jorge hasn't been to Brookfield since he was little, so I thought it was time.






As soon as we walked in, gabe said we HAD to see the alligators. We MUST see the alligators. We saw almost the whole zoo and all gabe wants to talk about is the alligators. Is he done with giraffes? I have a very large collection of giraffes so I really hope he still likes them!












-jen

Friday, May 24, 2013

Growing up




I deleted my post from earlier this week. I was in a bad place, and a little bit whiney. The best thing that I can take away from that post is, I am going to be 33 (I am 33) and I need to cut the whiney crap. So that is the first step that I am taking today, taking responsibility for the choices that I make and not wallowing in pity. It's a small step in the right direction.

I am not the only one who is growing up. Molly, the little girl that I'm a nanny for, isn't so little anymore. She is a beautiful, smart, loving 18 year old. Last Friday was her senior prom! It's so hard to believe that this little girl, who I can picture running around in her nightgown, is now getting ready to go to college, at Tulane in New Orleans. She has lunch with Gabe and I almost everyday, and I treasure that because she will soon be gone. I almost teared up when she came downstairs last Friday.








-jen

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Great abuelita's birthday

Last Saturday was Jorge's abuelita's birthday. She is a very tiny, sweet woman who unfortunately I can't really speak to because she only speaks Spanish. We always have a birthday party for her around mothers day. After the previous weekend though, I was taking it easy with the partying. It actually was a good thing because I took a ton of pictures!












Gabe was obsessed with the band and then the mariachi band. He would run past and just stop and stare. He also danced with his Tia and some of his cousins. It made my heart so happy. I was bursting!














-jen

Monday, May 20, 2013

Did ya know...

Did you know that I love tv? I really hate to admit that at this moment I'm watching "jerseylicious". I'm kinda a sucker for reality tv.

Did you know that Jorge and I have been together for almost 14 years? We actually dated for 2 days and then broke up for a month. He was so sweet, I thought it was too good to be true.



Did you know that I lived at home until I was 25? I bought a condo and Jorge and I lived there for almost six years.

Did you know that I LOVE chocolate? Gabe also loves chocolate and sweets. My favorite chocolate is dark with sea salt. Genius! (and nutella!)


Did you know I love to read? I can read a book in five days sometimes. We recently went to half price books and I got five books that I cannot wait to start!

Did you know that I went to 4 different colleges? I started at Triton, then went to Roosevelt, then Northeastern, then Illinois Academy of Art and Design then back to Northeastern. And I still don't have a degree!

Did you know that I have 7 tattoos and can't wait to get more?



I hope you learned a little bit more about me!


-jen

Thursday, May 16, 2013

The many faces of a toddler

Sometimes it's like gabe has multiple personalities. I know it's not funny to joke about these things, but seriously, one minute he wants something, the next he doesn't.

Last night for example, he wanted chicken. I got him chicken. He ate one piece and then didn't want it. I waited a bit then I was going to throw it out "no! I want it!" I asked if he was going to eat it and he said no. So I was going to throw it out and he said he wanted it again and then ate the whole plate. WHAT?! Make up your mind kiddo.



He seems to be like that about a lot of things lately. And he also wants to do EVERYTHING by himself.






This is one of our big struggles. I want bow wow and giant squid. Then he throws them on the floor. Then he wants them again, while I'm driving. It's an almost constant struggle.






-jen

Monday, May 13, 2013

Lucky




I'm pretty lucky. I may not acknowledge it all of the time, nor do I realize it all of the time, but yesterday I really felt it. Nothing in particular happened, it was like any other Sunday, I guess I was just reflecting on the day.

Here are some of the things that make me lucky....
*my mom. She's fighting cancer, but she's still at home, still upbeat, and one of my best friends.

*my dad. He may be annoying me with a possible trip to Florida, but it really just means he wants us to spend time as a family and relax.

*jorge. He can bug the shit out of me, but he is also the sweetest man. I really am lucky that he let me force him to marry me. He really does make me incredibly happy.


*gabriel. That kid. Sometimes it is hard, like really hard to be a mom, but I have never felt a love like this before. He can make me want to pull my hair out and then look at me and say "I love you too"...melting...

*javi. He may not be around a lot, but he is one of the good ones. I want nothing more than him to be happy and someday have a family of his own. I'm so glad that he is part of our family.

*maria. I don't know if you read this, but hopefully one of the girls tells you, I was over the moon yesterday when you told me I was like another daughter. It means so much to me to hear you say that. Thank you. I love you too.

To my brother,Cristina, Sidney, jasmin, and my friends....I am so lucky to have all of you in my life for different reasons. You guys have shown me love and support when I really needed it and I love all of you for it.



Ok, I'm done. I just wanted to say that I am truly lucky and blessed and very loved. I hope everyone knows how much I love and appreciate them.


-jen

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Constantly amazed




I sometimes cannot believe the child standing in front of me. He is truly an amazing kid.

Gabe is talking in full sentences almost constantly. Sometimes though, I don't understand what he's saying. It's crazy to think a few months ago he was only stringing one or two words together.

He is also surprising me with the food he is eating. He ate 1/4th of a turkey, cheese, and bacon panini today. Yesterday, he ate turkey hamburger helper and the day before he ate a cheeseburger. What?! I'm sure he will stop eating meat now that I've talked about it, but I'm so proud of him for eating some meat finally.

Gabe's kindness and love surprises me. I can't get enough of him looking in my eyes and saying "mama, I love you". He really is a sweet kid and I hope that he becomes a sweet man.




-jen

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Walk for MS




Gabe and I participated in the walk for multiple sclerosis on Sunday. I have become friends with a mom on instagram that has MS, and she let us join her team, the ALLIGAITORS (I love her clever name! Her name is Allison). It was the perfect day for a walk, the sun was shining and there was a great breeze off the lake.

Gabe and Mia were so excited to see each other again!






I think the kids favorite part of the whole day was when we released them from their strollers and let them run up the hill in front of the field museum.









-jen

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Crazy communion party




We went to a crazy communion party on Saturday. It was at a restaurant, with a dj, and a Mexican clown. *and lots and lots of alcohol*

Cristina and I had a great time. I had a little too good of time. I admittedly did not handle my liquor as well as I did at the last party.





That's the communicant's head on a stick. Jasmin and Sidney had a little too much fun with it. However, I may have been egging them on...









-jen

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Pregnant


NOT ME

I'm not pregnant, but it seems like everyone is either pregnant or just, just had a baby. I swear, there's a new mom pregnant on instagram everyday. My cousin is pregnant, my friend is talking about getting pregnant (two of her sisters in law are already preggo), my mom's friend is pregnant. It kinda makes me want to be pregnant too....

Wait...nope. I only like the idea. I don't really want another child and I really don't want all of that baby weight to deal with again. But when everyone around you is pregnant or cuddling newborns, it's kinda hard to not want that for yourself.



-jen

Friday, May 3, 2013

Update on mom




It's been awhile since I had an update on my mom. She had a very nice break from chemo recently. I think it was from Easter until last week. Obviously that was amazing! She had tons of energy, was able to go on shopping trips (yeah!), visit friends and start a cool hobby (I'll tell you more about that in a minute).

As far as treatment goes, she is going to be having radiation Monday thru Friday for six weeks. Yep, everyday for six weeks. Every Thursday she will also have a small treatment of chemo. There may be some side effects from the radiation, but we are trying to stay positive and not think about those. Luckily, the treatments are very quick and she is home from northwestern by 8:30 every morning.


The new hobby she started is making these adorable stuffed animals called, Beans. (her nickname is bean). She already has a few happy customers and would love to have many more! You can always contact me if you're interested.


-jen

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Please, just go to sleep

When gabe was a baby and learned something new, there would be a few nights when getting him to sleep was a little more difficult. He wanted to keep jumping, or rolling over. Now, he just wants to run and play outside.



Tuesday night, he was exhausted. We went to bed around 8. He cried about his pjs. He wanted footie pjs, (it was super hot in our house), he wanted shorts. He told me he wanted underwears. I put some over his diaper, he cried "I can't want underwears". It was a struggle. It took an hour to get him calm enough to sleep. Last night was more of the same. He went to bed at 8:50 and was still up at 9:45 when I was planning on going to bed.





He is napping now (which was also a struggle, but not too bad). Hopefully since its chilly and rainy, bedtime will not be such a huge struggle tonight.


-jen