A bit of an update.

How lame is it that I only have 3 posts under January? That must change so here I am to update you all, and bring my monthly posts to a whopping FOUR!!

So the past few months have been really really hard. I've had the morning sickness, the exhaustion and even the depression. My pregnancy with Joaquin was pretty easy, so I wasn't prepared for this. All of that on top of chasing a toddler and working full time was just too much. But this past week the clouds have parted and I can see the light! No more nausea, gagging and puking. I can make it past 8pm and I'm not a walking emotionless zombie. I am getting headaches though. It seems like as soon as the nausea stopped the headaches came on full force. I went most of last week without one, but woke up to a lovely one today. Hopefully it's a passing phase.

Life is interesting these days. Dan is working the tax season doing taxes so that is good. Unfortunately he's not making much dinero, but he does enjoy it. We're both hoping this leads to something beyond the tax season.

There were two things I swore to myself once we were pregnant and having another child. One was that I would stay home with both kids for a minimum of a year...minimum. The other was that I would have a homebirth. I'm not sure if I'm getting either. Well, I'm pretty much positive the homebirth is not going to happen and we're working on the me staying home thing, but I'm not sure how much time we're going to be able to pull off.

The realization of these two things have really taken it's toll on me emotionally. I'm trying to stay positive and worry about things I can control, but money, or lack of it just plain sucks.

So that's where I've been lately...sitting around gagging and crying over money. Pretty obvious why I haven't been in the mood to write much, right?

We'll see what the coming months bring...

Go figure...

As you know, this year has been really hard for me professionally. Most days I want to run away from here screaming and never want to come back. Other days I leave feeling neither here nor there. Very rarely do I leave happy.

Today I found out I was nominated for Teacher of the Year for my school. I seriously laughed when I saw it. Me?!?! Angry, bitter, me?

I'm positive I won't actually win it, but still, I'm on the list with teachers that I admire and respect. So that's pretty cool, and kind of makes me feel like I'm not a total waste of space.

Maybe I'll actually leave today kind of happy?

His first day...

Dan did the drop off this morning because he goes into work later than I do. I was so sad to miss it, but Dan took this picture for me as they walked out the door.



Just like with me a couple of weeks ago, Joaquin dove right in and barely said goodbye when he left. I called in the mid-morning and they said everything was great.

When I went to pick him up this afternoon I walked in the classroom and it took about 2 or 3 minutes for him to even notice me! I watched him get up from the rug and sit down at the table to get his snack. He was so cute! He followed his directions and sat so patiently for his apple and crackers.

Then he saw me...he squealed "Hi Mami!", but stayed where he was and went right back to hanging with his buddies. After snack I actually had to bribe him with Bita's house (my mom's house) to leave! He even napped for almost two hours, it was my biggest worry because an unnapped Joaquin is not a happy Joaquin. But he was just fine!

It makes me feel so much better to see how much fun he was having. I think it's so funny how people talk about babies that co-sleep and nurse longer than the normal year will have "attachment issues". Joaquin is so the opposite! He just totally impressed me today with his outgoing and social personality. It makes me happy.

Joaquin starts preschool tomorrow.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. Part of me knows he'll love it. But the other part of me is just plain mad.

We have been lucky that he has not had to go to any sort of formal childcare in his two years. We've always worked it out with family and friends. When Dan lost his job last year, he took over childcare. It worked for a while, but now Dan is working during the tax season and the in-laws have done more than their fair share. So off to preschool our little guy goes.

But I'm ready for MY turn.

I went in with Joaquin for a few hours the week of Christmas to test the waters. As soon as we walked in the classroom he left my side and dove right in. I stuck around and chatted with teachers and played with the kids. He loved it and cried when we left, so I'm pretty sure tomorrow will go fine...at least until nap time. We'll see how that goes.

There is so much more to tell...so much about how I'm feeling these days. But I'll save that for another post. Now it's time for me to go attempt some sort of sleep.

Joaquin wanted to say "Happy New Year"!

What's that on his shirt you ask?

Could it be?

Is it true?



Looks like Joaquin will be a big brother in the new year...due August 6th!

The Christmas Tree

With the encouragement of my mom, we decided to get a Christmas Tree this year. Honestly, we have never had one that is over one and half feet tall in this house, but we figured we couldn't deprive our child of the joys of a real honest to goodness Christmas Tree any longer .

I was actually hesitant because I know my child. If you have ever met him, I think you would think twice before putting a tree filled with electrical wires and glass in front of him too. To make it as safe as possible we only have unbreakable ornaments all hanging from ribbon. I know my child would love to chew on those little metal hooks, he really would.

The first thing Joaquin did when we started decorating it, was put one of those lights right in his mouth, to you know, taste it. Luckily they weren't plugged in yet, and I tried to explain as well as I could that that was just plain dumb. "No, Joaquin, we don't put lights in our mouth because we don't like to die. Please put it back...how about a cracker instead?" Yep, that is when I knew I was in for a real treat.



Each morning since the tree went up, Joaquin wakes up begging for "The Christmas Tree Lights" and as soon as they're plugged in he cheers an "All Riiiight!" It's wonderfully cute. But, each day since the tree went up, I have had to redecorate it.

One day, Joaquin decided that the ornaments looked better hanging from the knobs all around the house. Another day he "cooked" them all in a big kitchen pot. While another time, he thought they looked fabulous spread carefully all over the floor of the entire house. I don't know how he managed to get so many off so quickly. Every day. But he did. He pulled the lights off, he pulled the beaded garland off. Every day.



Finally the Gods of The Natural Consequences heard my calls. I had gotten home to an empty house to see all the ornanments and half of the lights sprawled across my living room. I spent the next half hour redecorating while wondering if Christmas Eve was too early to take the tree down.

Soon Dan and Joaquin came home and Joaquin went straight for the tree squealing his version of "Christmas Tree lights, Christmas Tree LIGHTS!!" I was standing in the middle of the living room facing away from Joaquin and the tree talking to Dan when I heard a crash behind me. I turned to see a Christmas Tree on the floor and no child. I screamed "OH MY GAWD!" and hurled the tree up. Of course Joaquin was wailing, rightfully so...I mean a 6 foot tree just fell on his 3 foot body! But he was fine. Really.

That is when I lectured, "This is what I've been trying to explain to you over and over and over... we don't pull on the tree, or touch it, ever ever again. It will fall on you and kill you." He nodded in understanding.

He will now point to the tree, admire the lights and inspect the ornaments but all at a safe distance. My relationship with the tree and all those damn ornaments has never been better.

Party like a Rockstar!

After a few days postponement, Joaquin's 2nd birthday party was a raging success. I can't say I was in tip top shape with all the sickyness around and Dan had to miss it because he was next in line for The Puke, but we still managed to pull off a rager. Not nearly as many people were able to make it on Sunday compared to Friday, but we still had a perfect sized crowd. It was a Rockstar theme, because, well...my kid loves to rock out.


These were a variety of vegan, gluten free and regular...all were chocolate, with pumpkin and chocolate chips and all were dee-lish!


The cool kids munchin' on their rolled tacos my mom made...also dee-lish!


A guitar pinata, of course!


Goodies!


The bags had sunglasses, guitar bubbles...


...little musical instruments and...


...Rockstar tattoos, of course.


He LOVED this part!


It only took him a few tries, and a bit of slobber.


And I'm beat...but happy.


He's two! Happy Birthday little man!