2.28.2011

Problem Solving

So last week I shared my concerns about night weaning and figuring out a way to get Cruz to sleep through the night without having to end our co-sleeping relationship.

After much (much, much) research I came to a conclusion... nobody had a good solution. Or at least not one that was gentle enough for my needs.

So I came up with my own solution.

Cruz's very own big boy bed...in his Mama's bed!



Bed: Handmade by an awesome friend of ours with some amazing skills. 
Bedding: Mama made

My little man has his very own bed with his very own down(alternative) blanky. He gets to learn how to start sleeping on his own, but Mama is right there to comfort him if he gets scared in the night. 

He is only sleeping in it about 2 hours a night so far, but I am optomistic! 

And he just looks sooo dang cute cuddled up in his big boy bed. I just can't get enough! 

But it is awful lonely in my bed for those 2 long hours that he isnt in it. Sadly, just a little taste of what is to come.

Thanks for all of your encouraging comments last week, they mean so much. 

If you like Cruzy's new bed, you should give us a vote!

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2.25.2011

Fashion Friday: Swimwear

Ok, it is FREEZING.

And I know I am a total wimp. Because I live in California and 50 degrees is considered freezing to me.

But I am craving the sun so I have been daydreaming about swimwear.

And since I would rather light my hair on fire then show my stomach to unsuspecting strangers, I have chosen suits with a little more coverage. 


 That looks like it hurts her bum

All three from Anthropologie



Oh my gosh, I could go all day. I love, love, love all of these. Thankfully, Cruz was gracious and avoided giving me stretch marks on my upper torso (the only place he spared)! If you are just dying to buy me one of these swimsuits, feel free to email me for my home address :)


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2.23.2011

Cha Cha Cha Changes

So Papa and I have been back to court to reevaluate our time with Cruz. We have pretty much decided that I will take the next 3 months to night wean Cruz before he starts spending the night with Papa.

This is really tough for me. Obviously I wish that Cruz never had to spend the night away from me. But I know its important for him to spend time with his Papa. And I have been really considering night weaning for a while, but now that it is something I HAVE to do, I feel really anxious about it. I know three months is plenty of time, but it just feels yucky.

I completely plan to continue co-sleeping (regardless of what the pediatrician says) so I am a little bit stumped on how to night wean. You all were so great in reassuring me with my last dilemma. 
So I was hoping to get some words of wisdom with this new venture in our life. Or at least some words to soothe my anxiety a little. 

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2.22.2011

There is something you dont know about me....

-I have this irrational insecurity about my windshield wipers. I always look around to see how fast other people have their windshield wipers going because I never want mine to go faster then anyone elses. I don't know why.

-I hate swimming. Papa and I always used to joke that we were like cats, the second we jump in we are right back out. I get cold too fast. And I dont like it when my fingers get pruny.

-If Cruz had been a girl his name would have been Stella.

-If we didnt name him Cruz, it was going to be Santana.


-I do not believe in killing trees, but I love paper towels. Way more then dish towels which get dirty after one use and if you wash them more then 3 times they just stay stinky forever.

-If my iPhone auto corrects my spelling one more time I am going to throw it against the wall.

-Dr.Pepper is my favorite soda ever. Except for Cherry Pepsi at the Taco Bell drive through. And only at the Taco Bell drive through.

-I haven't slept all the way through the night in well over a year.

-I make Cruz's soap.

-If I saw a Beach Cruiser sitting unattended I would seriously consider stealing it. I'm not usually a thief, but thats how bad I want a bike. And the last sentence is a lie because I did steal lipgloss from CVS once in Jr. High. My dad made me take it back and tell the manager what I did. I had to pay for it. Pure shame. They probably have my picture hanging in the backroom somewhere with the rest of the thieves.

-I hate schedules. I suck at them.


-Cruz and I dont have the same last name.

-Eggs creep me out.

-The End.

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2.21.2011

The Very Best Thing about Birthdays....

...are birthday presents. Obviously.

One of his new favorites is his crayons. He got the perfect Cruzy sized crayons as a present and we are slowly making progress in the prestigious area of fridge art.





Anxiously awaiting the "drawing on the walls" incident. I think that is the exact moment that signifies an infants right of passage into toddlerhood. I doubt that my landlord will be as thrilled.
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2.19.2011

Like Father like Son

Cruz has been staying until 8pm with his Papa lately. So when he comes home he is already in his jammies and ready for bed.

This morning when I took Cruz's jammies off to give him his morning bath, this is what I found....

HAHAHAH. Like father like son. 

2.16.2011

Wordless Wednesday (sorta)

I thought I'd take advantage of Wordless Wednesday to post the pictures of Cruz's birthday party.











 Cruz opening presents with his cousins.
 Got bored with present opening so he and his cousin went exploring instead.


 Messy, dirty, little boy. Took full advantage of his special day.
A tired little Indian.
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****Oh and I finally opened my etsy shop. Just getting started but take a look if you'd like****

2.14.2011

Running from the Law

I have been on the run from the police for about 6 months now.

Shocking, I know.

But dont be startled or start "unfollowing" in masses.

I didnt kill anyone. I didnt hit anybody with my car. I didnt steal.

Well, I guess technically it could be considered stealing.

Alright, alright I'll tell...

I forgot to pay my vehicle registration... for 6 months.

Well it was a combination of forgetting and not having the money. Because once you let it go too long, they start tacking on fee's left, right and center. For like emotional distress and therapy sessions and what not. Oh, you didnt know that state workers pay for their psychiatric needs via your registration overages? Well now you know.

I have gotten pulled over a total of 6 times for it. SIX times. Understandable, once for every month I was late; they dont miss a beat those cops. And just narrowly escaped with my life...and my car. Because if you didn't know, they can totally impound your car if you dont pay your registration. I did not know.

Fortunately, Cruz played his part swimmingly every time we got pulled over. Because, you know, what kind of person leaves a single mom and a crying baby on the side of the road while their car gets towed away. No one. No one does that because you would have a nonrefundable ticket to Hell if you did, I'm sure of it.

But it did make driving a somewhat nervewracking game of stealthy evasion. Fear not my friends because I am the queen of evasion. The Queen. I obviously evaded the towing companies and impound lots for an entire 6 months. I have also successfully evaded my debt collectors for somewhere around a zillion months. Not to mention the razor that I have evaded every time I hop in the shower (who shaves during the winter? Or when your single?) Although that one might be catching up to me soon.

I will admit that I have had to pull some questionable moves to avoid being seen driving my car. I have dodged off the freeway onto backroads that I didnt even know existed in order to avoid being spotted by the cops. It has really widen my knowledge of California's geographic layout...which could actually be seen as a benefit of my insurance evasion as geography was never my best subject.

All and all I do not suggest it. Cable companies, Medical offices and Target are all much easier to dodge then the police so I think I'll start there next time. To my dear friends at the California DMV, I apologize and promise to never ever be late on my registration again. Lest you ever have to stalk me through the streets of the city again and scare me with those stupid blinking lights that should really be outlawed because I am pretty sure they could send a person into an epileptic fit...and thats just not safe while driving.
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Family and Friends (and friends who I might have considered family at a certain point in my life but dont anymore, but who I know still totally read my blog and keep tabs on me) I would love if you would take a second to vote for us. Thanks!



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2.11.2011

Single Mama Drama?

Papa has been out of town all week, so blogging has been low, low on the priority list for this single mama. I had never realized how much I had counted on those few hours every week that Cruz goes with Papa. So my days have been filled with baby-entertaining with no time to slip away to Starbucks to work on posting. Hopefully things will get back to normal soon.

In other breaking news, I agreed to do an interview for a friend, who is a freelance writer, about what its like to be a single mom.

And honestly, I'm a little nervous about it.

A. Because I have no idea what the questions are going to be like.

B. Because its super difficult to answer when people ask me if its hard to be a single mom. Because I don't know any different. I dont know what its like to be in a marriage. Or a working relationship. I dont know what its like to have a partner to lean on and learn from. Maybe its harder that way. Maybe I have it easy. I dont know because, well, I just dont. But I assume that its got to be more or less about the same.
Because:
-Its always expensive to have kids, no matter if your single or not.
-Its tiring to be a stay at home mom, whether your single or not.
-You never get to be "off" when your a SAHM, single or not.
-It can be very isolating and lonely if you dont have a good group of mommy friends to help fill the days, pass the hours and commiserate with.
-The time and energy that goes into taking care of an infant is the same whether there are two parents around or just one.
-Its still just as rewarding and amazing to have a healthy, happy baby, even if you dont have anyone to share that feeling with.
-The milestones are still incredible even no one else is around to see them.

Maybe I am just naive, but I dont think that its that much different or harder to be a single parent. Maybe if I was a widow and I had had this amazing, helpful husband around all the time and then, WHAM, one day he was gone. Maybe then I would think it was harder to do it on your own. But mostly what I know is that all the moms I talk to are pretty much going through the same things I am. Their children are learning and growing the same. They are testing limits just the same. Life is all about dirty diapers and Dr visits and utilizing your best WWF moves when it comes to wrangling a screeching, arc-backed child into a dirty, crumb-filled carseat. It all seems pretty relative to me.

But who wants to hear that, right?

"Teen Mom" would be no where near as entertaining if they had everything all topped off and squared away. Everyone wants to know the nitty gritty of it.

Maybe I'll give her the ultimate of horror stories. Of being alone with screaming, snotty babies in a tiny, white-walled room with no money and no heat, bare cabinets, stained carpets and shitty furniture. No one to turn to and no where to go. All alone.

Wait, I think I just described that "Candies" commercials that preaches safe sex with spokesperson Bristol Palin.

Because if anyone knows the hardships of being a poor, single mom its Bristol, right?

Maybe I should just tell my friend to email the Palin's and call it a day.
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Top Baby Blogs reset today. Vote here if you would like. THANKS!
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2.09.2011

A Man of Many Hats















Really, you guys, this isn't even half his hat collection. I think I have an addiction. Am I creating a monster? Well, at least he is a cute monster.