Sweet Virginia Beach

Being from the west coast born and raised, I've really come to love the Virginia Beach area, aka VB. Not only are the beaches great, but it's also very family oriented and people are really nice around here, it's honey and sweetie everything.

Must sees here in the area in the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, which has gorgeous rose gardens galore and child friendly activities. Going down to the oceanfront at the main resort area is also another must, and I recommend eating at Johnny Manana's on the beach, they have great fish tacos and machaca burritos! My baby son and I did a 5 mile walk on the boardwalk in VB back in April for the March of Dimes, and that was terrific.

Also, you can't leave Atlantic Avenue (the oceanfront cruise area) without stopping at Kohr's for an orange and vanilla swirled waffle cone. OMG, the most beautiful 27 foot tall statue of King Neptune of the sea also awaits you at the boardwalk, SUCH a sight to see. Ronan, my boy, and I just go down there anytime we can to stroll the boardwalk, and take in the beautiful beach view. The local Virginia Aquarium is also a great place to take the kiddies to see a plethora of undersea creatures such as sting rays and sharks.

We currently live in the Chicks Beach area of VB, and the beaches here are more laid back and not as packed. Also check out Zia Marie's restaurant here in Chicks Beach for awesome thin crust wood fired pizzas.

Good people, good times, and great sights await you in ol' VB...

Destination Playa del Carmen is a must!!!

I took my first real trip to the Mexican Riviera this last February with mi familia, aka my husband and bambino. Let's face it, I've been to Tijuana many, many times during my college days in San Diego to party it up, but that in no way counts for a true, week long Mexican vacation.

We flew into Cancun, and then took a comfortable 45 minute personal van drive down to Playa del Carmen, a very charming and quaint Mexican Riviera town. I recommend taking a van, it's only around 50 dollars one way, and you get a lot of tips from the local and nice driver. We stayed at Moongate Hotel, in the heart of 5th Avenue, which is the main tourist strip where all the action happens. Shopping, eating, drinking, dancing, you name it, it's all there on 5th Street, only a block from the beach, or la playa, literally. I would not recommend staying though where we did, as the room was small, dark and dingy, and smelled of sewer! It did have a nice balcony though, but was right next to a construction area, where we could actually hear pounding hammers through our walls, I'm not joking.

There are a plethora of hotels to choose from in Playa del Carmen, though, and I would recommend getting something beach side and away from construction if you can. It is such a great town to get immersed in, stroll down the cobble stoned streets and have a great time --- and we even did it with an 8 month old!!!

Also, rent a car while you're there and take the easy hour drive down to Tulum to see the ancient Mayan ruins, so beautiful, and right on the beach! Also, take note of the signs for local cenotes, or natural swimming holes, ponds, etc. We found one off the beaten path on our way back to town from Tulum, and paid a minimal fee of around 15 dollars, and had the cenote to ourselves to dive into and be purified by the healing waters!!! Ahhhhh!!

February is also a great time to travel to the Mexican Riviera, as the temps were very lovely, in the mid to upper 70's I would say, just marvelous!

The first fall....

Ronan had his first big "digger" the other day, as my brother in law calls them, aka boo boo. He's pulling up onto everything now, and we were in the kitchen and he pulled up on the dishwasher door to a stand, and then fell and hit his head very hard on the wood flooring, and a huge goose egg ensued immediately. I really freaked out, being a first time parent and all, but my awesome neighbor helped me through it, and we rode to the ER in an ambulance. The EMTs remarked how they've never seen an infant be more calm than the parent.

Ronan's cat scan turned out super fine, no crack or bleeding, thank the lord. I really wish I would have handled the situation better, but now I'll know that I need to remain calm next time and not stress out and let that get the best of me. I am the parent. I am the one he looks up to, I need to remain calm and collected. For being a boy, there will be many more minor owwies to come, I'm sure.

Ever since then I've been dealing with anxiety again. I think it's just my body's way of flushing out the unnecessary stress I brought upon it this weekend. Breathing long and deep breaths is a good way to battle anxiety. And I am also so blessed that Ronan is fine and doing so well, he's the same happy and sweet boy he always is.

We live and we learn. I've learned I will try my hardest to remain calm for my own health in stressful situations to come. It took a couple years off my life last weekend, but I'll do anything to protect my sweet 'n strong Ro Ro :)

Good ol' Jamestown

So I did it! I did what I said I would do...explore the area while we are still living on the east coast. Ronan and I took a short like road trip to the first colony of America, Jamestown, est. in 1607. It was really cool to see, especially because of all the history and because it's on the water. It was very hot today, though, but the wind from the bay waves felt lovely.

It's only a 10 dollar admission fee to see historical Jamestown, and it's good for 7 days if you'd didn't get to see everything in one day. My favorite parts were the statues of Pocahontos and John Smith, the first governor of Virginia.

Jamestown is one of the 3 historical colonies in the colonial triangle of Virginia, namely right next to Yorktown and Williamsburg. I was not aware that the college of William and Mary is literally right next to Williamsburg, but it is. I just love driving around and seeing all the old, ivy league looking brick buildings of the east coast.

Until our next adventure :)

Roadtripping in America avec my bambino

While we're out here on the east coast for a few more months, I'd like to hit the road and see some great 'n historical places. Might as well since the hubby is always gone working :( Let's see, we've been to Williamsburg, Charleston, Savannah...I think next on the list will be either DC or Charlottesville, or both! They're both only a few hours drive away.

Be sure to eat at B. Matthews if you go to Savannah, GA. Great service and great food. And go to Hank's in Charleston, SC if you travel there, AWESOME crab cakes and shrimp 'n grits. The Williamsburg Lodge was just lovely for Thanksgiving brunch, definitely a brunch I will never forget, with so many different types of yummy food, a harpist, ice sculptures, the works. If we were to stay here longer in VA it would definitely become a tradition to up and have Thanksgiving there every year. It's around 60 bucks a pop, but WELL worth it.

Eating food in new places always seems to elicit fond and charming memories for me. Restaurants are great places of restaurants for good times had in new and exciting places.

Til the next town...

That White Line

I just put my son Ronan down for the night with his nigh nigh bottle. I love that white roll that forms at his wrist from his chubby arms and chubby hands meeting and blocking out the sun to his wrists. I love that, my lil' brown Portuguese bug! Thank goodness he got his daddy's nice 'n tan pigment, and not my rosey 'n white skin.

A good way, for you new moms out there, to thin out baby lotion and SPF is to combine a bit of the 2 after you give your baby a bath, instead of all one or the other. That way he is lathered up and protected from the sun. I use Arbonne baby SPF 30 lotion, made from natural botanical ingredients. I also use Aveeno baby lotion, as well.

Pampers diapers are our diddy of choice. Probably in part because that's what the NICU used on him for 2 months, but I've also tried Huggies and Luvs, and they just don't hold up to the soaker son my boy is.

What else, oh ya, Boudreaux's Butt Bath is my choice as well for Ronan's bath time bubbles, great scent, gentle and great clean. I should get an endorsement from these companies, lol.

'Til next time SAHMs (Stay at Home Mommies)!!! Much love :)

Ohhhh how the time flies, it really does

We all get bored, it's a fact of life. Even with a new baby, it's possible to eventually get bored --- I don't mean with your baby, but with the little bits of time here and there in between. But I believe that the speed at which my son is growing and we are living truly triumphs boredom. What I mean to say is that I can't believe my son is already 13 months old, and getting so big and strong everyday. It definitely trips me out to think we were in the NICU with him, praying for him everyday for 59 days straight, and to look at him now you would never know he was a 10 week early preemie, my big boy.

When people ask me how old Ronan is and I reply with one year old, I hear a lot, Oh, he's a big boy for one. Boy has he caught up.

I know I keep harping on the subject of my son, but I guess I'm still dealing with the amazement of how perfect he is now, even with being born so premature. And I guess I'm still dealing with working through all of the emotions of the roller coaster ride we had with him in the hospital most of last summer. We are so blessed, I can't say that enough.

On a side note, to moms of babies out there who are presently teething, if anyone reads my blogs besides myself, Humphrey's Teething Strips are a great self dissolving teething pain reduction measure I really encourage using. Ronan is working on tooth number 5 now, and they really seem to help pacify him when I can tell he's in teething pain.

My boy is ONE YEAR OLD!!!!

He's more than 1 year old, in a couple days Ronan will be one year and one month old, I'm so happy he's doing so well, eating like a pig, living life and loving it. He is SUCH a hap hap happy baby, we are so blessed. To think, last summer was spent in the walls of the NICU day in and day out, hoping for the best, and we are here and Ronan is healthy and I am so thankful, from the bottom and outside and all valves of my heart.

We've been in Charleston the last week since Daddy's ship is in port here in the yards being worked on. Charleston is such a charming and historical town, full of civil war lineage and low country shine. The best restaurant we've ate at so far is called Hank's, an upscale but still laid back surf and turf restaurant with the best crab cakes I've ever had. The tuna tartare was great, too, as well as the shrimp and grits with sauteed spinach, mmmmmmm. Jack's is a good and cheap breakfast place to go if you're on a budget. And the Gibbes Museum of Art on Meeting Street is a calming and fun museum to go to, to take in some of the low country history reflected in portrait paintings, and enjoy a wonderful piece by the Gullah culture history artist Jonathan Green located on the 3rd floor, entitled "Caroline" I believe.

I heart Charleston, and I HEART HEART HEART my sweet 'n strong son RONAN :)

To be a sailor's wife takes a lot o' guts...

It's been over a couple weeks now since my husband's been underway, and I'm really, REALLY starting to miss him badly. I don't know how I do it. I guess over time you just get used to it, but really I never fully get used to it. As humans, it is such a farce how when our loved ones are with us day in and day out we can easily find a multitude of things to bitch about them for, but once they are out of our lives for awhile, our hearts grow so much fonder for them.

I am very thankful for the hard working man my husband is. And being a sailor is in his Portuguese blood, I seriously think it's in his Azorean DNA, no joke. He's supposed to be home in a week, but might get detoured to Flo-Rida for more work, so who knows. I will just continue to hope for the best, that he's able to get home in time for his son's first birthday party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rainy Sunday

Hola all. My baby is already in bed, it's kind of strange. He's been on a really good daily schedule. My mom in-law told me early on that baby's love schedule, and I believe she is right. He's been going to bed later at night though, but tonight got back onto his more earlier nighty night time. Must be the rainy day atmosphere. I'm feeling pretty tired myself.

My son is getting so big! He'll be a whole one year old in just a few weeks, I am so super excited! We're having a luau / pool party for his b-day, fun fun FUN :)

Well, I started writing this blog in the hopes that some trail of thought would come to fruition, but it is not occurring, so I'm off for the night.

Peace, love and love my sleepy baby boy...

In Honor of Precious Preemie Kayleigh

I just learned yesterday about the story of a 12 week early preemie named Kayleigh of North Carolina. She was born weighing a little over a pound, and had to endure well over 200 medical procedures, including open heart surgery. I saw her story on the TV show The Doctors yesterday, and it broke my heart to see the pain she went through, as well as her parents sorrow.

I know exactly how they felt, could feel the tears wanting to explode out of their eyes, but holding them back just to try and stay strong. Our boy Ronan Troy was born 10 weeks too early, weighing 3 pounds, 9 ounces. He endured a 59 day stay at the NICU, and various medical procedures, including two rectal biopsies, 2 PIC lines, many IVs, TPN treatments, intubation, NG tubes, stomach distensions leading to no feedings for our baby for days, barium x-rays, invasive eye exams, EEG exam, many ultrasounds including cranial and renal, and many more I'm sure I'm forgetting, or have subconsciously wanted to forget. I wish I could forget everytime my baby's small belly would get so distended from not being able to tolerate his feedings then, even my breast milk, that the doctors would have to stop feeding him. Thank GOD those days are long gone.

I was there in the NICU with my boy everyday all day for 59 days. It became like another home, with the nursing staff and doctors becoming like close friends. I remember having to bear witness to a preemie twin who was put to sleep forever in the the isolette bed right next to Ronan's bad, and how I ran out of the NICU crying for fear of that maybe being my little man.

Fortunately, Ronan made it through being the strong soul he is, and is now less than a month away from being a year old on June 9th, born just two weeks before Kayleigh. I wish I would have learned of her story earlier so I could have followed her story as well and empathized with her family, and felt and given love and support to them.

My mother always says it is like a special "club" that preemies and preemie parents are in, one that no one can really understand unless you are in our shoes. I am so deeply and truly sorry for your loss, dear Freemans. It breaks my heart thinking of her being in the NICU for over 10 months. She was a fighter and a little pink angel. I love her, just having learned of your fight yesterday, I really do.

Please know that I feel your sorrow and pain, I feel joy and happiness you were blessed to have when Kayleigh was in your arms smiling, and will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers forever.

6 pounds and counting

So I've lost 6 pounds in about a week and a half, inspired by the pH miracle living lifestyle. I must admit though that I've altered it a bit. I have the super green shake for breakfast, and a self-made lunch, and something healthy for dinner. I've treated myself to a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich here and there! Gotta live in moderation, ya know?

I can definitely tell in my waistline that I've become healthier looking, or maybe I just feel healthier when I daily eat all those chlorophll filled green veggies! We've also switched to soy milk from cow's milk, and my husband even enjoys the soy milk, which he said he never would. It's the Silk brand, very yummo.

Also, I'm taking the herbal laxative every other day now, as the directions recommend to not take it that often.

Cheers to a healthier lifestyle :)

Diets are rough

Okay, so it's been awhile since I've posted, I'm long overdue.
If been on the pH Miracle diet for 4 days, and whoa is it hard when you've never really tried a solid diet before. My body and mind is totally craving carbs and sugar, the worst things for me!!

I've lost a few pounds though. I wonder if it's from the herbal laxative I've been taking though, which is one of this diet's factors. My body does feel cleaner and healthier though, we'll see how long I can do this for. It's really all about moderation and eating healthier, which I definitely am doing and want to continue to do.

By the way, the above picture is of me and my son this past weekend at the 2009 March of Dimes - March for babies 5 mile walk, it was such a blast!!!

As the bottle warms....

I've got 5 minutes or so to spare while my son's bottle heats up for his morning nap, so let me take this time to reflect. On what? Time can only tell....I hear him squealing upstairs, we are so lucky to have such a happy baby boy!

Let me reflect on the past year, being that my son's first birthday is coming up at the beginning of June. What a whirlwind year this past year has been, starting with the day my son decided to come into this world 10 weeks early and surprise us all. Surprise, shock, anxiety, despair, fear...all these words describe my emotional and mental state of being the first four months I became a mother. And with the unending love and support of great family friends, I was able to "build my confidence" as my mother said, and become the great mother I was bound to be.

Now I feel secure and confident to pursue and master this life called motherhood. And what an amazing and wonderful journey it is....

I'm off for now to grow and love my boy....

THE ALKALINE RICH LIFESTYLE

A Synopsis of the Alkaline Rich Lifestyle, As Directed by Dr. Robert Young in His Book “The pH Miracle For Weight Loss”

We all want to lose weight and completely keep off the mass we have worked so hard to permanently lose, not ever for one moment having to ponder the cruel notion of gaining it back. Well, how does one try to achieve this goal? By following an alkaline rich lifestyle of living, and not dieting, which can truthfully never insure the pounds will remain off your frame endlessly.

How to do it: by following the pH miracle living theory proposed by Dr. Robert Young, and cutting out acidic foods from our daily nutritional regimen. Acidic foods are horrible for our blood stream, organs and general health, and are the leading reason as to why we become overweight.

Over-acidification robs the blood of oxygen and slows down our metabolism by making our bodies have to work even harder to regenerate cells lost. Much like a marinade tenderizes a steak, so does over-acidic foods to the tissues in our bodies. In essence, gaining weight is our body’s way of protecting us against cells lost due to over-acidification. Unfortunately, in an unhealthy way, the body is then forced to work even harder to regain its correct equilibrium and naturally desired cell mass.

P.S.

As you can see (if anyone is reading my blog yet) my last two posts have been centered towards theology. I just would like to post a disclaimer that, yes, I am spiritual and believe in a higher power, but no, I am not religious. I do not regularly attend man made places or structural bodies of worship, for I feel having a personal relationship with your heavenly being far outweighs, in the long run, being religious.

It does not take much wikipedia-ing to see what death, greed and social destruction leading religions have brought to all segments of society, historically speaking. I'll have no part of the prolongation of that, thank you very much...

My baby's big lashes

I can remember back when Ronan was first in the NICU, the beginning of a 59 day stay. I remember holding him, every so tiny at 3 and a half pounds, and staring at his eyelids closed, with barely any eyelashes poking out. I remember thinking, wow, will I ever see the day when his lashes are protruding?

Now, as he is almost turning 1 whole year old in a month and a half, I am blessed to see everyday how big and beautiful his eyelashes are, covering and protecting his beautiful brown eyes. I just put him down to sleep for his morning nappy, and I am so in love with him, sometimes I can't stand it! Well, I can stand it, but I'm just so relieved and happy to be holding my sweet baby boy in my arms everyday, and not visiting him for 2 months straight in the NICU.

Thank you Jehovah God, for all you've done and continue to do for not only me and my family, but others lucky enough to have your love and guidance as well.

Amen. What a beautiful world we live in...

Praying in the Shower

Doesn't the above title sound like an enticing title to a novel? And don't even think about it, it's already patented! lol....I really actually do this, pray in the shower. I find it comforting to not only cleanse myself physically but spiritually as well daily in the rub a dub tub. Two condors with one stone, n'est pas?

I am not a religious person, but I do consider myself very spiritual. I find it hard to focus when praying, but when I'm done I feel a sense of self-vindication and as if I've meditated and purified my soul.

You should really try it sometime, give it a go....

Becoming a blogger

Am I doing this correctly? Is there a certain etiquette to blogging? Why do I feel like such a tech goof? I mean, my husband is a computer geek, and I mean that in the highest respect of the term. I think I've just relied on him too much to figure out any techy problems here at home with our computers, and have let his computer jargon go in one ear and out the other...

Well, from here on out it'll be a whole different story morning glory.

I'm ready to blog my heart out! Blogging being short for weblogging, naturally. I read an article that the best way to become a good blogger is to start blogging daily, so here I go. Let me put those 4 years of college and my degree to some use, don't want to get grammatically rusty here, so to speak....

P.S. I'm a first time full-time stay at home proud mama, so I'd like to make a bit o' cash as a blogger, now that I've become confident in mommyhood, and have a bit of spare time to fart around on the ol' PC while Ronan is napping (like right now)! :)

Au revoir for now!

Don't be a zodiac hater

If I had a nickel for every time I saw a roll of the eyes when I mention a notion astrologically inclined. What I mean to ponder is, why is it so hard most of the time for people to entertain the idea that our intrinsic natures are based on our astrological entrance into this world?


I first started to become interested in astrology during college. I worked my junior year at a bookstore called The Psychic Eye in La Jolla, Ca. I was surrounded and immersed in a social structure made up of Wiccans, psychics, and the non-mainstream mentality type of human beings. It was this exposure that opened my eyes to helping me better understand and become more interested in human natures as explained by astrology.


Explaining and better coming to terms with the build blocks of astrology is not just so simple as saying, well Jenny was born under the sign of Capricorn, therefore she'll always act in every situation life throws her as a Cap. Rather, we are all born under a certain planetary alignment, so you must look at all the planets and not just the sun planet at the time of one's birth to try and determine or understand their intrinsic nature. When I say sun sign this means the sign you are born under, such as the fact that I was born in mid-July and so my sun sign is Cancer. There are 12 sun signs in the zodiac, starting with Aries and ending with Pisces.


There is also an exact time, date and place on this planet we call Earth when we are born into this world as humans that determines our predominant sun sign and hence personal nature, based on a specific planetary alignment. By examining and analyzing astrology, this will help one in order to better understand our own individual nature or the natures of those humans we interact with most in life.

Okay, so I'm a new blogger, and I really want to learn the craft per se, reallllly get into it.
Any advice anyone?