Hi buddies!  I’m here for a quick update before having to get back to keeping track of 1 toddler, 1 newborn & 1 furbaby.  There’s a lot of pee, poop and sleep that I need to keep track of on a daily basis! 

Monumental Meltdowns & Magical Moments

There were a few weeks when I didn’t have any help and I really struggled.  I couldn’t help but wonder…Am I doing something wrong?  Is it supposed to be this hard?  I really appreciated how honest my friend was when she told me that the first year after having her second kid was the hardest year of her life.  It made me realize that I’m not alone.  I’m not the only one who thinks this transition is sooo tough.

 

You hear lots of crying at our house these days – Evan throwing a tantrum, Joy crying because she’s hungry, Bella barking at a cat outside.  Evan’s meltdowns have been monumental.  Sometimes we’re just baffled and don’t know what to do. 

As hard as it’s been to handle the tantrums, there are so many magical moments that just seem to make everything better in an instant. 

A Sewing Dream Come True 

I’ve always wanted to learn how to sew.  A lifelong dream has finally come true~ I can proudly say that I can sew!  Here are a few of my first sewing projects.

 

I love fabric so even before I knew how to sew I started collecting fabric.  My collection was a mess until I ran into this awesome tutorial.

iPhone/iTouch Case

I really wanted this Leica iPhone case from Clickin Moms but never had a chance to get it.  I saw a giveaway online and gave it a shot.  I was totally surprised when they said I got one!  The best part is they said I could have one to give away too!

 [photo source]

The case is super cute and looks like a vintage Leica camera!  It also has an anti-glare camera ring.  Since I take so many photos with my iPhone any upgrades to the camera are a big bonus.  I’ve had lots of cases before (good & bad) and this is my favorite so far!  It’s sturdy, cute and makes me smile whenever I see it.

 [photo source]

So if you think this case is as fabulous as I do then just leave a comment by midnight PST on 10/30/11 and I’ll randomly pick someone!  [Congrats HSookiC!]  You can also buy your own on the Clickin Moms website.

Target Missoni

I’m not familiar with the real Missoni line but I love chevron patterns~ lol!  The whole Target Missoni craziness happened last month and I couldn’t get in on the great deals because it was right after I had Joy.  I heard that some stores were sold out within minutes of opening and the website kept crashing.  I was able to talk to a very nice customer service person who tracked down a handful of makeup bags for me!

I felt so lucky that I nabbed these for myself and a few friends so I’d like to share one with you too!  Just leave a comment by midnight PST on 10/30/11 and I’ll randomly pick someone!  [Congrats Stacy Sung!]

iPhone Love

Funny how of all the photos I took of Evan & Eleni my favorite ones ended up being iPhone photos. 

Hope you all have a wonderful Halloween!  Can’t wait to see your costumes~~!  Here’s a peek at a little tiger…

Hi buddies~!  Thank you for all your kind words about the newest addition to our family!  I meant to update sooner but having a toddler plus newborn means no time for anything else.  We made it through the first month though!   

Tired!

I know all about sleep deprivation~ having experienced all-nighters throughout my life.  However, the kind of tiredness that comes from having a newborn is just a whole new level of exhaustion.  Sleeping for only 1.5-2 hours at a time really takes a toll!  I think it’s harder this time around because I can’t just sleep all day~ I need to be up for Evan. 

I realized though that I need to make an effort to capture these fleeting moments through photos and writing or else they’ll just be lost in a tired haze.  I love looking back at old photos/posts from years ago.  It’s so nice that I can see all the newborn updates I had for Evan all in one place.  Although I’m sure I won’t be able to update as much now…I’m going to try!

Joy

Joy went from 7lb 3oz at birth down to 6lb 9 oz a week later then up to 10 pounds at one month.  She’s so different from what I remember with Evan.  She’s more vocal and lets you know if she doesn’t like something~ lol!  She loves to snuggle and is always content sleeping on me.

5 Year Anniversary! 

We just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary!  5 years ago we were running around preparing last minute details for our wedding and packing for our honeymoon in Italy & Bora Bora.  5 years later we were rushing to get all the baby things ready for Joy and packing for our hospital stay.  

A lot may have changed but the one thing that always stays the same is our love & friendship.  I feel so blessed to have the most wonderful person in the world as my hubby! 

I haven’t been able to wear my engagement ring for a long time now.  Andy surprised me with a ring~ a creative rendition of my engagement ring.

I was cleaning and found something from our wedding.  I couldn’t believe it~ I had forgotten all about this little sign.  I don’t know what made us write it that way and capitalize Joy.  It was all meant to be!

Favorite Dress

You’ll never see me doing a fashion post~ lol!  I’m the least fashionable person ever but luckily I have awesome friends.  Gina, my super fashionista buddy, got me an H&M dress a long time ago.  I thought it was funny to see how much I love this dress~ I’ve taken it all around the world!

Happy Birthday Teresa!

I remember watching her from afar on the first day of law school.  She was really pretty and had long black hair.  I couldn’t hear what she was saying but something about her exuded confidence.  I’m pretty reserved so I just kept to myself but I could see her chatting it up with all sorts of people.  I remember thinking…I wish we could be friends. Lol!  Little did I know then that she would become one of my best friends.

You see, Teresa is my person and I’m her person.  We always keep tabs on each other.  We know when the other one is about to leave on vacation and note in our minds when they’ll be back.  We know when the other person is sick with a cold or just has stomach issues.  We talk about deeply personal issues or about just how many exclamation points is too many in one e-mail.

 

Teresa makes me want to be the person she believes I am.  I’m often humbled by her perception of me.  She sees the good in me that I have a hard time seeing.  It makes me happy though and gives me motivation to want to become that better person.  She’s just so wonderful I can’t even describe in words.

When I was pregnant with Evan she did tons of research and made me an incredible basket filled with things I’d need during my pregnancy.  As busy as she is as an attorney she still reads my blog and makes it a point to comment about it.  It’s really mind boggling that as smart as Teresa is (UCLA Law even paid for her schooling so she’d go there!), she’s also so creative and can bake and take photos like a pro.

I love how Teresa can be friends with and talk to anyone.  She even brings back presents from her vacation for her nail lady and used to bake cookies for her favorite retail store manager.  I always watch the timer on my phone as I listen to her voicemails because it’ll certainly pass the 1 minute mark and it cracks me up.  I love how “stopping by” means sitting around and talking for 1 or 2 or maybe even 3 hours.  I love how she loves Evan and Joy.  I love how we’re just like family now.  

In my heart I’m always wishing and praying that great things will happen for Teresa.  She undoubtedly deserves it.  Teresa, if you’re reading this, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Thanks for being you.  

iPhone Love

These days my iPhone has become my #1 camera~ lol! 

Until next time~ hope your days are filled with lots of love & laughter!