The weather in NYC has been..um..rather Spring like. Ok, not quite. But it has definitely been unseasonably warm the past few days. Rain, foggy, and muggy. We got to ditch our coats yesterday and instead got cozy in bright vintage sweaters and comfy, cool sweats. As much as I love this weather I am looking forward to snow this weekend (please, please weather man..don’t fail me now!). One of my best gals is flying in tomorrow from Florida with her kiddo and he has never seen snow! What a gift that would be. I’m anxiously awaiting their arrival and in the mean time I hope you all are having a fab Friday and wishing you an awesome weekend.
hat (gift from his auntie) | sweater (thrifted) | pants c/o nununubaby | boots (thrifted)
A few weeks ago I announced that my girls and I were asked to be a part of Solerno liqueur’s holiday campaign. What an incredible experience. I’m still pinching myself that I was able to be a part of such an amazing collaboration. Well here it is (eek!) – my tips for a sparkling date night with your other half. For throwing the perfect holiday party check out Julie’s tips, and for the perfect holiday brunch head over here to watch Christine’s tips.
Tonight we will be celebrating at the Eventi hotel with Solerno, friends, and of course, cocktails 😉 I’ll be posting some more behind the scenes footage this week.
Saturday was perfect. It was cold, but not too cold. The sun was shining. Brooklyn was calling our name! We headed down to Dumbo to see this babe and this babe (plus the little ones of course). Christine recently moved into a new apartment and it’s pretty – ok, REALLY – amazing. Definitely inspired me for hopefully soon upcoming move. We ran around Dumbo with pretty much the best trio there ever was. These kids are destined to be city bff’s. A ride on the carrousel and a pit stop for cupcakes and wine later, we headed back to the house to eat chinese and watch football with the hubby’s. The night ended with fresh and so clean tots and cocktails for the parentals. I heart these ladies and those sweet babes of theirs. tee c/o slyfox threads | windbreaker & sweats c/o nununubaby | mask from littlest crochet shop
I hope everyone had a beautiful day yesterday giving thanks and spending time with loved ones. We were amongst family and friends and it was truly a wonderful Thanksgiving. My two turkeys are the light of my life and man am I one blessed lady to have them. My little family of 3 has been through a ton of changes this year and each uncovered stone has made us stronger and just solidifies what I have known all along (I’m a genius that way) – we can get through anything with love. And there’s a whole lotta love happening around these parts! A few things I am forever thankful and grateful for:
our health. we are a bunch of healthy, happy people over here.
a beautiful mama who makes me strive to be the best mom I can be. it’s hard to top that lady.
the handsome fella above and his hugs that make me feel warm, safe, and eternally loved.
friends who are rare gems.
my career.
a small person who couldn’t bring me more happiness if he tried. i’ll take another just like him, thank ya very much.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May your bellies and hearts be full this holiday and always!
I was the mama who left everything to the last minute. This left me a frantic mess while planning Lucas’s party. Instead of boring you with the details of how I ran from store to store, almost having a birthday breakdown, I’ll tell you this. Friends, family, and lots of love – that’s all that matters. At the end of the day our loved ones made my Lucas’s 2nd birthday bash an amazing one.
On Thursday my sweet boy turned two years old. For weeks I have been an emotional wreck but as Ivan and I sat on the couch Wednesday evening blowing up balloons, it finally hit me. Two is going to be good.
When Lucas woke up he shouted from his crib, per usual..”mama! dada!”. Ivan and I jumped out of bed and rushed to our big boy, armed with smiles and the camera. We sang an off key version of happy birthday and watched him play with his balloons. Once he had enough and asked for his milk, daddy left for work and we got ready for the day. I have been wanting to take Lucas to the Children’s museum of Manhattan for some time and so I thought turning two was the perfect occasion. He had a blast exploring however spent a majority of his time in the big fire truck, passing out fireman hats to all the kids. Some things never change! We had pizza for lunch and headed home for a nap. That evening a few friends and family came over for wine and cupcakes. It really was the perfect day for my big boy.
It’s only been a few days since the big two but I swear I can already see a transformation in Lucas. He’s talking more and his behavior just seems more indicative of a boy, not a baby. My favorites have to be when I say something to him and he responds “oh, okay” as well as “tank ooo so much mama”. I mean, melt my heart why don’t ya! Turning two makes for a well mannered boy? I’ll take it. I’m already loving everything about this age and don’t ask me how it’s possible, but my heart is filled with a never ending love that seems to grow every day.
Lucas Leon, you are loved. So loved. Happy 2nd birthday my beautiful boy!
I am honored to be amongst 17 amazing mamas and papas for volume IV of the sling diaries: everything shines. I will be documenting my baby wearing journey with sakura bloom for the next six months. You can follow along with my fellow sakura loves here. I am wearing the simple silk baby sling in midnight.
New York City. I have quite the love affair with this city of mine. Born and raised, I fall into the category of those who proudly boast “I will never leave!”. On November 20th I went into labor with Lucas. It was a cold, dark evening when I walked (waddled) into Colombia Presbyterian hospital, located in the heart of Washington Heights. 32 hours later my prince stormed into the world, the glass windows of the birthing room showing off NYC and all it’s beauty in the morning light. The tall buildings, crown molding dating back to a time in New york I only dream of experiencing, the graffiti marked walls dotting the city with color. A Big Apple welcome for my seven pound New Yorker. There’s a reason why NYC has been dubbed the melting pot of the world. A city that never sleeps and is immersed in culture. Within a 5 block radius of our apartment we can choose between Indian, Chinese, Italian, Tai, or Japanese cuisine. Lucas has developed quite the palate. There are countless playgrounds to choose from. And then there’s the best back yard (in my humble opinion) that ever was – Central Park. One of my very favorite cultural gems is Spanish Harlem. On our walks through El Barrio Lucas dances to the blaring salsa music coming from tiny apartment windows and the smell of maduros (Lucas’s favorite treat) fills the streets. Oh, and the art! From painted classics that fill giant white rooms on Museum Row to the equally special street murals, a part of our daily routine is learning about and appreciating all the masterpieces our city has to offer. I think what I Iove most, and what I’m truly excited for, is Lucas’s exposure to all walks of life. I see Lucas float from child to child at the playground and it prides me to know he doesn’t see color. He doesn’t know color. He looks at me with widened, excited eyes as if to say “look mama, I made a new friend!”. What could be better than that? To raise our children to look for the amazing qualities in a person and befriend them because they love what’s inside – that’s all that really matters, isn’t it? So thank you New York City, our very own mecca of culture, art, and love, for helping me raise my son to be the man I know he is destined to become. A stand up human being who accepts the world with a big heart and sparkling brown eyes that see no cultural boundaries. Just beauty.
Sunday was supposed to be a day of crossing off the many mundane items off my dreaded to-do list. After Lucas’s morning nap we headed out for a walk to get rid of those post sleep wiggles. After Saturdays hair cut fail I sort of came to terms with the fact that a hair cut for my tot was not in the cards and removed it from my never ending list. What happened on our walk was what I least expected. I left the house with a long, curly haired baby and came home with a clean cut toddler.
As we walked beside Lucas, making small talk about his upcoming birthday, we came across a new kids salon that recently opened up in our neighborhood. If you follow me on Instagram then you know I was totally against paying $30 to have Lucas sit in an airplane. Welp. Here we were, sitting in an airplane, about to dish out 30 bones for his first cut. Motherhood is funny that way, isn’t it? I’d like to tell you a mushy story about how happy and overjoyed I was but if I’m being honest I stood quietly beside my son, snapping photos, and feeling sick to my stomach. I was naseaous you guys! I could only offer my baby an occasional, meek “you’re doing a great job honey!” We walked home and I couldn’t stop staring at this little person beside me who seemed to instantly transform from a baby to a boy. I held it together until I called my mom to tell her that her grandson got his first cut. I ugly cried for 20 minutes all the while blaming my poor mother (sorry, mama!) for forcing me to cut his hair. She did after all let me know on an almost daily basis how crazy Lucas’s hair was getting and to “cut that poor boys hair!”
It’s been 2 days and the short do is growing on me. Another milestone for the books I suppose. I have a ziplock filled with his hair and a certificate to prove it. Long or short hair, forever my baby you’ll be my sweet boy.
I have a pajama addiction. Ever since I can remember my mom would purchase the most adorable sets for me to wear. New pairs for every season! She passed down the pj gene and I’m always on the hunt for Lucas. We recently received this pair from Skylar Luna and I’m hooked. The simple, modern patterns are perfection and they are soft..so so soft! We have washed them several times and the color and fabric look new. This is big. His pajamas are washed so frequently that most of them fade and look less than stellar after just a few rinses. Another bonus? They are so adorable that I’ve taken him outside in them. So now not only am I a pajama addict, I’m a Skylar Luna addict.
This week flew by and now the weekend is nearly gone as well. I can’t seem to keep up with all I need to accomplish and my to-do list is growing at an alarmingly rapid pace. Here’s a little breakdown of the past week.
We’re on swim lesson #2 and he loves it. A real water boy we have on our hands.
I shot the most rad campaign with this lady and this lady and we got to drink cocktails and dress up – all before noon on a weekday.
I purchased almost everything we need for Lucas’s upcoming birthday party.
We were so close to cutting Lucas’s hair but the barber shop was packed. I’m pretty sure this was due to the fact that it was Saturday and the fella’s were getting ready for their rocking evenings but I took it as a sign that Lucas’s hair should in fact NOT be cut. Stay tuned for more riveting hair cut details.
I started a new, amazing gig that I can’t wait to share with all of you. The downside is that looking for a daycare/school for a few days a week is more work than I ever imagined. This is intense stuff you guys and probably deserves its own post. So in between searching for a program I love and won’t rob us blind, the hubs and I have been taking turns shuttling Lucas back and forth to my mamas house.
I’m trying not to focus on the fact that I can barely keep my eyes open, but instead on all the positive, bright things that are happening for my family. And then there’s also a little someone’s upcoming birthday that is making me absolutely giddy and overwhelmingly sad at the same time. Cheers to Sunday and here’s hoping that I can cross about 20 additional items off that darn list today!
