MAMI’S DAY

06.10.2018

Lucas’s necklace from kollector

Mother’s day photos a few weeks late but the sentiment is the same. A day to celebrate the women in our lives who helped to shape us, our future, and our children. We always keep it simple and the day is always filled with an abundance of joy and love. We headed down to the East Village where the mamas and grandkids gathered for friend chicken, rice, and tostones. I’m forever thankful for my tribe and my family because as many times as you hear it (and how old it can quickly become) the saying is true – it truly takes a village.

DAYS LIKE THIS

05.18.2016

A few snaps of my love bugs and I on mamas day. The weather was perfect and we strolled along the Upper East Side before heading to Queens to spend the afternoon with the grandmas and our family. I actually shared the day with Ivan who’s birthday happen to fall on Mother’s Day this year. So basically it was a mama/birthday extravaganza. So much love. All day long. I am wishing and praying for a million more days just like this one.

On Lillie Sol: Romper by Anaiss & I
On Lucas León: Cardigan, Tunic, & Shorts by Anaiss & I | Sneakers by Bucketfeet

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME THAT BEAUTY COMES FROM WITHIN

05.03.2016

My mother is the most beautiful woman I know. Inside and out. I have vivid memories of watching her get ready as a child. Sitting on the toilet, my little legs crossed, watching in awe as she carefully applied rose colored rouge and and raspberry lipstick. She always finished with a light dusting of face powder. Before we would leave the house she would spritz on her perfume and I loved how the scent would float around the house behind her as she collected her purse and put on her shoes.

My mother taught me that beauty comes from within but that pampering yourself and a sense of self love is so very important as well. I take pride in putting myself together not just as a mom but as a woman who is ready to tackle anything the day brings. Whether that be a splash of perfume, a luxurious hair mask (Honey Treasures by Garnier® Whole Blends™ is my fave!), a fab outfit, or the perfect accessory – I always feel better when I look my best.

On this upcoming Mother’s Day (and all the beautiful ones to follow), I am spending the day with all the strong, confident women in my life. My mama, my mother-in-law, and my sister. There will be talk of kids, life, motherhood, laughter. I truly can’t think of a better way to celebrate being a mama. And we will all be in our Sunday best. Beautiful inside and out.

Here are some favorite flashback images of my beautiful mama!

I wish she had kept this velour jumpsuit. I mean – fab! My mama and I in Clearwater, Florida – my very first trip to the Sunshine state. Black and white portraits that I just love.

Now for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, tell me in the comments below, how will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year?

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MAMA’S DAY RECAP

05.13.2013

To say my Mother’s Day was glorious would be an understatement. I SLEPT IN until 10 a.m. (not without a few interruptions. someone let a baby loose in my house and said baby thought it would be fun to pounce on me and climb on my head. not once. not twice. but three times. the culprit will remain anonymous 😉 The aroma of bustelo filled the house – the best coffee ever (you’re welcome) – and I knew the day was off to a good start.Lucas was finally officially invited to join me in bed for good morning kisses and snuggles. He is always so excited to see me in the morning and greets me with the loudest and most enthusiastic “MOMMY” you can imagine. Pretty much the best wake up call ever.

And then there were crepes. My favorite breakfast/lunch/dinner of all time. My hubby has lovingly perfected his crepe skills over the years and is now the master. We even have a special skillet. We take the french pancake very serious in this house.

After feeling very French and very full, I opened my Mother’s Day card and Lucas decided it was time for a nap. He had been up since 7 a.m. after all.

After naps were done, we got dressed in our fancy duds, ate some bread, and took selfies to pass the time and wait for our loved ones to arrive and celebrate the mamas!

We had an amazing lunch (5 p.m. latin time!) which consisted of rice, beans, chicken, salad, corn, and more rice. Not great for the waist line but so yummy. We have a lovely courtyard attached to our building and the weather was pretty mild at this point so we ate outside and talked, laughed, and Lucas might have bumped his head while running. He took it like a champ and kept on trucking (after some kisses from mommy of course). It was a sweet, sweet time.

I had an incredible day. Seriously, just perfect. I got to celebrate the joy of being a mama with two amazing role models – my mother and mother-in-law. These ladies are everything I aspire to be for Lucas and my family.

I hope you all celebrated in your own special way and felt the tremendous love of your children. None of us are perfect but in the eyes of our little ones we are super stars. And today I felt like the biggest rock star of them all.

lucas león // cardigan, t-shirt, & trousers from h&m kids // shoes from carters

RAMBLINGS ON PREGNANCY & MOTHER’S DAY

05.11.2013

Ever since I can remember I dreamed of having children. I loved the thought of having a family, but if I’m being honest, it was the thought of a little rugrat running around that truly made my heart flutter. I was that person who would stop a mom on the street to admire their little ones chubby cheeks and gummy smile.

Lucas was not planned. The year before I became pregnant I was backpacking through Europe, drinking endless bottles of wine and draining my bank account. I had no idea that in just a few months my life would be changed forever. Bottles of wine would be replaced with bottles of milk, dancing at night clubs would be traded for late night lullabies, and fancy new clothes would be swapped for spit-up stained t-shirts.

I remember sitting at work and going through my planner. My period was a week late. There was absolutely no reason to believe I was pregnant but I decided to go to the pharmacy on my lunch break and purchase a test. I came back to work and went straight to the bathroom – oh the excitement! I opened the box and it was empty. What?! Frustrated, I went back to my desk. After work I returned to Duane Reade and explained the situation as they looked at me like I had 2 heads. I’m not sure if they believed me but gave me a new box regardless. This time I waited until the morning, no rush right? I woke up at 7am excited and giddy. I peed on the stick and waited. I knew I would see only one line but nonetheless the anticipation thrilled me. After the longest couple of minutes of my life I looked down and saw TWO LINES. There was no way. The test I had purchased was a cheapie. I ran outside in my pajamas to buy the most expensive test I could find. Ten minutes later – a PINK line! I remember sitting on the toilet in shock. I cried and cried. This was my baby. My gift. I just knew.

I spent my first trimester sick as a dog. I had all day “morning” sickness and I felt like I could sleep forever. Everyone smelled and I couldn’t keep anything down. I also lived in fear. I wanted this baby so desperately that I became obsessed with the idea that something would go wrong. I checked the toilet constantly and could not enjoy my growing bump. I obsessively counted down the weeks until I was officially in my 2nd trimester. 12 weeks arrived and I finally breathed a sigh of relief. My all day sickness disappeared, I felt energized, and I was finally able to share my news. Ivan and I were expecting our first child! It was glorious. I absolutely loved being pregnant. Planning, shopping, searching for names. I soaked in every moment. Ivan and I spent evenings singing “you are my sunshine” to my bump, talking about our future, and preparing for our boy.

11/21/11. The day our world changed forever. This is only my 2nd official Mother’s Day and although this holiday is extremely commercialized I am not going to pretend that it doesn’t mean anything to me. Yes, mother’s should be celebrated EVERY DAY. So should fathers, grandmas, love for your partners, heck – even birthdays if you ask me. I am not excited for a fancy new bracelet or a massage. I am excited because I have a little person that belongs to me and calls me mommy. And we have a day to celebrate it! I’ll take it! I remember being so excited for Mother’s Day as a young girl. Making poems and messy hand prints with a quote on each finger professing my love for my mama. That is what it’s all about. I carried my bean for 10 months and spend every day loving and cherishing him. So what if we have a “commercial” holiday. Bring on the macaroni bracelets and lop sided clay figurines!