Friday, May 27, 2011

Closing Time

I think that was actually my high school graduation song. It was that or Here's to the Night by Eve 6. Anyhow, we're done here! Wow! I'm still in a state of disbelief. It's not that I didn't think Jose would graduate :D, of course he would! It's more that I can't imagine what it's like to not be a student's wife. The whole time Jose and I have known each other, one of us was a student. It will be nice to have relatively free weekends now; no more having to set a big portion of our time aside for studying. Yessss!!! I think that's one of the things I'm most excited about. :)


But (and I think Jose will laugh at me for saying this) I'm a tad bit sad. Just a tad. Every time I move, I feel like I leave a piece of myself behind. Yes, I'm looking forward to living in a larger place with Central AC. Yes, it'll definitely be nice not having to deal with snowstorms and random power outages in the dead of winter. And yes, I will love not having to drive down primarily one-way streets that go this way and that to accomodate the layout of ancient buildings (I adore historic buildings, but driving on these crazy streets is another story...). But I will miss the beautiful Spring and Fall days. I'll be a little sad to leave behind the memories we've made here. This is where we grew the most as a couple; where I found out I was pregnant; where our first kiddo took their first steps; where we met some great friends. Then I remember that progress requires moving forward, and that inevitably means leaving some things behind.


Now we can begin establishing a foundation for our family, or firmly planting our roots. That will be strange for me, considering I've moved a billion times throughout my life (exaggeration ;). I'm very, very excited about that. I'm also a little intimidated at the thought. Then I realize we can still travel, so there really is no need to get antsy. When we feel the need to get up and go, we can pack a few things up and take a road trip with the kiddo(s). (Yeah, I like that. I actually love that idea. Wow! No more having to dread the exhausting packing/unpacking and moving process that takes place every few years.) There are also airplanes and trains. Love those too.


Sunday we'll leave Cambridge on an airplane; Jose leaves Tuesday in our carito. He'll then drive down to Austin with his dad. I'll be flying back to TX with my mom. This has been a hectic week, with the graduation and hosting our families. It will be nice to finally be settled down together next Saturday. I think that's when it will all sink in.




Friday, May 20, 2011

More Digital Scrap


...I have a scrapbook that I started for Mirabel, but it's just too messy and time-consuming to cut things out. I've resorted to doing it digitally. And that only happens every once in awhile now. But I had to do one to document her first birthday and the day she took her first steps. Technically, her first 2 steps were the 13th, but she took quite a few more on her actual birthday. She's still getting the hang of it but she can walk half way across the living room now :). Yay!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Dresser Before and After

We bought an affordable dresser on Craig's List a few years ago. We purchased it for its size; it's fairly tall and wide. It's also a nice piece of solid wood furniture. Only thing is, "nice" isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe the way this highboy used to look. It was pretty ugly, actually. But it was an antique, so I couldn't throw it out. I thought a few coats of paint could transform it.

Jose wanted to throw it out, though :P! I asked him if I could have some time to give it a make-over around Mother's Day weekend. He still thought it was ugly and that it couldn't be beautified, but he knew how much I wanted to give it a make-over, so he said yes to giving me the time (aka watching Mirabel). I also convinced him that we should do it before our big move, since it would be a pain for him to lug it up and down the stairs by himself without help from the movers.

I couldn't have done it without the help of Sarah from Lollies Abode (and also my husband, who sanded the monster down)! She is a furniture make-over master. All her projects always look so fun and beautiful! Thanks for the tips, Sarah, they sure helped! Now, here are those before and after shots I promised to share with you :).








Saturday, May 14, 2011

1 year ago today...

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

Psalm 139:13-14


I think I've said all I can say about how full of joy this year has been for us. We have grown closer together as a couple, trying to raise a godly little girl without help over the past year. The first three months were definitely the toughest, and we still hadn't gotten into our routine, but we survived it. We also survived the first sickness, nights of crying, etc. But we were also blessed to witness our baby's many smiles, giggles, and even hugs. She took two tiny steps yesterday on her own. Though they were tiny, they seemed so big. She is officially becoming a toddler.


Yesterday, as we were walking home from the park, I told Jose something that I think summarizes how we feel about being parents. No, we don't have much free time; no we don't go on dates these days; no we don't even get a break when the sun sets, but we have gained far more than we've lost.


It was a sunny and beautiful day yesterday; it was the perfect kind of day to spend at the park. We didn't stay long, but we got to go down the slide with Mirabel, let her play in the sand (or eat it ;), and we even got to ride on a teeter totter with her (believe it or not, we actually fit)! Jose was on one side of the teeter totter and she was on the other side with me. To give you a visual representation of what's happened in our lives over the past year: Jose and I were only able to balance each other on the tetter totter because Mirabel was sitting on my side. Without her, we wouldn't have been able to play. She has brought completeness...


If she wasn't in our lives, we probably would've spent most of our day indoors--Jose agreed. Sure, we might've planned a quiet picnic, but the rest of the afternoon would've been spent watching a movie or reading, or even blogging ;). But instead, we spent it as a unit; one complete and content not-so-quiet family. We experienced life; I think we're experiencing it even more with this sweet girl in our lives. We're feeling the sun, sticking our toes in the sand, getting dirty, and playing like little kids all over again. And that aching feeling--the longing and the wanting--the feelings we associated with the sadness of not having Mirabel in our lives...they're gone.


And that's why I don't mind that the other less important things (like time to fix my hair ;) are gone.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Complete

Odd picture to share, but this is my grandmother's hand. One of the most loving hands I've ever held; hands that have also held and comforted me...comforted me with love and scrumptious food, like this homemade corn tortilla :).


My mommy and me


"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."

Agatha Christie


A few years ago, I had to drop off a few gifts at the post office so they would arrive in time for Father's Day. To my surprise, it was fairly empty. The month before for Mother's Day, it was packed. The postal worker who took my packages said that it's usually pretty slow around Father's Day, and we both agreed how sad that was. She said it was because so many fathers just haven't stepped up to the plate. I understand that, but thankfully that isn't the case in my family anymore. Mother's Day is a completely different story. And I admit, I even have more women to think about around Mother's Day than I have gifts to buy for father figures around Father's Day.


My grandma and me


I've been blessed to be loved by many amazing mothers, aunts, loving friends, etc. So many women who are mothers at heart, and who love beyond biological bonds. But it's true, now that I'm a mom I have so much more respect for these women. Wow. Being a mom REALLY is hard work.


My godmother and me


I love that Mirabel's birthday falls around the same time as Mother's Day, she truly is the best Mother's Day gift. Oh, she can be a handful, like today when she screamed and screamed because she's been sleeping poorly/skipping naps/staying up late like a college kid. But those squishy legs that I love to squeeze, and the belly with the little folds! I love them all. I can't imagine loving anyone more; I feel whole, and my heart has truly grown. All the cheesy cliches apply.




I would describe this past year as the most joyful one of my life. I feel richer, though we do have less funds because diapers will do that ;); I feel at peace, though I have not slept through the night once since her birth; I feel whole, though a bit scatter-brained from the not sleeping thing ;). I don't want to be anywhere else. I remember the feeling of wanting to be a mother. If this was it for me, even if I never became a chef, or some kind of artist, or some kind of creative professional (oh, the many crazy things I want to be when I grow up ;)...I am satisfied with who I am today. Not because of anything I've done, but because of who and what I have in my life. I have love in abundance and I'm no longer hungry or longing for anything.


This Mother's Day I'm most thankful for my family, near and far, because I wouldn't know what it means to be a mother without them.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

1 (one :)





Technically, she won't be 1 until next Saturday, but we chose to celebrate with friends today at the Boston Children's Museum. Since Mirabel is the first grandchild and she doesn't have any cousins, I really wanted to give her a fun party here with the friends she's made over the past few months of getting together for play groups. That and...you only turn 1 once, right?! And when it's your first little one turning 1, a little one that's also your miracle baby--the one that, just 2 years ago, you thought you'd never be able to have--well, that makes things even more exciting :).


Last night was rough. I've been sick over the past week, going from one steroid to another (asthma always gets triggered when I get a cold); then I got Mirabel sick. She had a slight temp last night and stuffy nose, and she wanted to make her discomfort known by refusing to sleep until 3 AM. She screamed every time we tried to get her to go down, so we had to turn on Elmo to calm her down. She LOVES Elmo. And Mr. Noodle. My mom bought her these 3 DVDs of Elmo's World and she never gets tired of them. So that's who kept us company last night, he's the only one that kept her from screaming: Elmo.


And Elmo was the star of the show today, at the party. The party we were afraid we were going to have to cancel. But thankfully we managed to wake up on time, pick up the food, set up the party room (with the help of an awesome assistant provided to us by the Children's Museum), and have lots of fun, so it was pretty smooth sailing. It started off a bit bumpy, but after a dose of Tylenol and some time in the playroom at the museum, she was good to go.


She smiled the whole time her friends sang her the "happy birthday" song, she had a great time on the little wooden baby sized teeter totter, and she even ate a little bit (she loves chocolate cupcakes!). Here are some photos!


On her official birthday, we plan on going to the toy store and picking up a few age-appropriate toys. She's outgrown the ones she has; we want to find some that are a bit more stimulating. Should be fun, I love toy shopping much more than clothes shopping!!!! Unless I'm shopping for baby clothes ;).