Boots and Pj type of a day.

Dear Little Man, 

I want you to know that despite my sleepless night last night- I loved having a sleepover in your room and cuddling you...even if it was on the hard floor. I held your warm little body and couldn't help but kiss those soft little cheeks of yours. 

I love being your momma. 

Today may be a PJ and boots type of a day.

 That is okay. I love you to the moon and back. 

Besitots, xoxo, 

Your mama. 

Dear Diary,
I love being a mom. Have I mentioned that recently? I really do. 


But it is not always easy breezy...last week was rough. Thanks to a little stomach bug that we passed around...we have been out of commission. Feeling feeverish, cranky, and tired-  Nixon (and I) wanted to be constantly held.

I would put him down for a second and then would feel a little tug at my shirt... I'd look down  to see this little face peering up at me with his arms raised grunting as to say "hold me, hold me." So I did... even with week arms, an upset stomach and extreme fatigue. I am a mom... that is what we do.

 I am so glad we are all healthy and back to normal... so much more fun to have this summer!

Besitos xoxo,

Grateful mama

Family Photos.

Dear Diary,

Thanks to my sister Bianca- I have some family photos to put up on our walls.  

Besitos, xoxo

Cdame

my age. my life.

Your Age. Your Life.

Dear Diary,
Today I did a soul collage. Read more about what they are and how to do them here.

Today's Reflections

In a few hours I will be 29.  

One year away from 30. 

Wow. 

How time has flown by. 

Greater Impact: Smaller Footprint...

My main focus is on my family.

I no longer have the need to be a perfectionist...

 I am striving to "find my place in the rhythm of life."

I can't wait to see what is behind that door.

But I am sad to say goodbye to 28. 

What will cross my path this year?

What flowers will bloom?

What beauty will life bring?

Farewell 28. 

You will be missed.

Besitos xoxo, 

An almost 29 year old

I just can't wait.

Dear Diary,


I came across this photo of Bianca and me and it made me smile. I just can't wait to see my sisters and mom again this week... Family makes me so happy. 


Besitos, xoxo
CDame

My date with Summer.

Dear Diary,

For my birthday (Yikes- June 9th) Brooks is taking a mindful class with me (it's my second time!) and one of our daily assignments this week is to write about a pleasant event each day and keep a gratitude journal. Today this is mine. I title my event: A DATE WITH SUMMER AND MY LITTLE MAN. 

Today I felt like gardening. Nixon wanted to help.

He also wanted to try out our new hose. 

Mommy had to help a little bit. 

Time to turn it down

Not happy about this.

Today:

I saw: a beautiful sunny day

I touched: dirt between my fingers

I tasted: water from a garden hose

I smelled: sunblock on my cheeks

I felt: joy in my heart that summer is here.

Although Nixon was a bit sad to have to go inside, we treated ourselves to an orange Otterpop- that can always make things better. Ahhhh what a refreshing summer day- mud, water and all. 

Besitos, xoxo

a playful mama 

P.S. gratitude journal assignment:

5 things I am grateful for today:

* the slobbery kiss Nixon gave me after I gave him one.

* the tomato plants we planted in the earth.

* the sound of the birds singing in the morning.

* the smell of sunblock as we lathered it into our skin.

* the amazing husband I have who comes to a mindfulness class with me.

Nixon's MTV Cribs Edition

Dear Diary,

One of the places I enjoy hanging out with my buddy Nixon is in his Comic Book/Superhero room. The walls bounce the light in the afternoon and it's just a great place to plop ourselves down on the floor and play. 

Now this room didn't come easy! Agreeing on how to decorate the nursery took several months (even after Nixon was born!)- I wanted vintage owls and he wanted comic books. So... we compromised... and went with vintage comic book theme instead. I know,  most people think of baby blue and white for nursery colors- but blah how boring. 

We wanted something that was going to grow with him and not so typical. But I really couldn't have done it with out the help of my dear mother-in-law Evelyn (aka Mimi's Magic). 

Okay MTV Cribs Here is Nixon's room- take a look:

View when walking through the door. The curtains, superman blanket, red pillow, and valance were all custom made my Mimi's Magic. The checkered quilt was done by a dear friend Amy Cunnington. Both of these women have skillZ!

After a long day of chasing Guapo and playing at the park- Nixon rests his head here. (Polk-a-dot sheet was purchased at Target) 

  

This Superman Blanket is  mostly for decor and was handmade by Mimi herself. She made that Superman "s" by cutting out fabric and sewing it on to the blanket. It matches the one on the valance as well.
  

We got these hand painted...I was the one who chose Wonder Woman- we needed to represent some girl power in this room! 

  

This is a large painting we had done that hangs above the leather chair. 

 This is another painting that we had to put up - one of Brooks' favorites. 

Well, there you have it- Nixon's superhero room...hopefully, he enjoys superheros...or we just may have a problem- maybe changing it to my vintage owl idea in the future. :)

Besitos, xoxo

CDame

Life began the day I became your mommy.

Dear Diary,
My heart is full of gratitude today. I went back and read my diary and came across this post I wrote about a year ago. It made me smile.


Motherhood has opened my eyes to a world I didn't know existed... to love that I didn't know existed. Life began the day my baby boy arrived giving me the honor of being his mommy. I am blessed to have that privilege of experiencing my divine role of motherhood. Thank you. And thank you to my beautiful mom whom you can see here and my fabulous Mother-in-law whom you can see here. I love you both for being inspirational women and mothers in my life.


besitos, xoxo


A grateful mama

amazing mama mimi

Dear Diary-

Do you want to know who is an amazing mama?

Evelyn Dame (AKA Mimi). She raised 5 busy body boys (including Brooks)... okay enough said!? But not only that- she did it all with such style and grace. Did I tell you she is an AMAZING semestress and while I was writing this post I received a text from her telling me she was working on finishing a wall panel for my office and to text her back a measurement. What? It is nearly 11pm... She is amazing. You can find more about her and her sewing abilities on her etsy shop. I'll post our office amazingness when it's finished! Thanks Mimi!

So in honor of Mother's day approaching, here are photos of our Mimi and my cute little niece McCall who was visiting last month.  We were lucky to have her come over one afternoon to play. Of course I had to capture the moment... More photos of McCall can be found on my photo blog here.

Give Mimi a squeeze

Little tighter

Okay that's good!

McCall: "Lets play doll house!"

   

Nixon: "...More into playing with a ball"

Hmmmm....

How will this work?

Besitos, xoxo
a grateful daughter-in-law

Cloth Diapers Anyone?

Aren't these cute? 

Dear Diary,
I woke up this morning to find the once stocked drawer of diapers to only have 5 left!! Ahhh the day has come...the day where I promised myself that I would look into cloth diapering! I had been planning to do it right from the start but the look on experienced mother's faces when I told them I was going to do cloth was like "you don't even know what you are talking about- you're crazy"...it scared me.  


But I am a little crazy...that is why I purposely didn't stock up the diaper drawer so that I would be forced to do what I always wanted to do. So, I quickly ran to the computer and googled "cloth diapering in boise" and found Kimberly right away with http://www.toobabycrazy.com. She came over and gave me a 101 lesson on cloth diapering and I was sold.  I mean my husband has a sustainable sunglass company...shouldn't we be using sustainable diapers as well? Well that is how I sold it to my very skeptical husband. :)


 Plus she said the resale value is great...anyone wanting used diapers in the future? Anyone? No? Maybe my sister's and I can share then? It even almost inspired to buy a sewing machine so I can sew up my own... almost. I'll let ya know. 


Well...Here is the first attempt to the cloth diapering world. Wish me luck.


besitos, xoxo


crazy mama

let's go fly a kite

Dear diary-

 Sometimes I just want to go out and frolic through the grass on a windy day while holding a kite up to the clouds. Oh wait we did that last Thursday.

On the way to Salt Lake my little sister Bianca and I randomly pulled off in the middle of nowhereville (during the most intense windstorm I think I had ever encountered) and decided to fly a kite. We giggled and took photos of the madness- all in the name of Bianca's new album promotion coming this fall! 

 She left yesterday. :( I came across this photo...I miss you little sister.  I will never think of this moment without cracking a smile.

Random thought: Isn't it amazing how peaceful this kite looks floating so high in the sky- little do you know that the person (me) holding this kite is being tossed around by the 75 mile-per- hour winds! In fact, shortly after taking this shot- the wind ripped the kite out of my hands and I was running around chasing it through mud and grass. More photos of this photo shoot to come soon. 

Besitos xoxo,

A big sister

My #1 fan.

My #1 Fan

Dear Diary,

Even as a 28-year-old I love spending time with my mom. We had a slumber party over the weekend while Brooks was out of town! Plopping ourselves on the bed in our PJs, we laughed and cried while talking about life. I love watching her face light up as she talks about something she is excited about. Isn't she pretty? 


Today I am grateful for my mom. She literally is our NUMBER ONE fan. She would wear around a t-shirt that says that if she could. 


You may find her handing out my photography card, being the only brave one to dance at Bianca's concert, or filling every inch of her wall with Mandy's artwork! I really can’t think of a single time that she has ever made fun of or put us girls down... not even once.  Wow, I guess I have taken that for granted. 

I have always had a strong positive view of myself- there wasn’t/isn't anything that I thought/think I couldn’t do. I think much of that is due to the fact that my mom thinks we are so fabulous.

I attended a play therapy conference this weekend and had the opportunity to reflect on my upbringing and the style of discipline I was given. Reflecting back, I really had such supportive parents who always were encouraging! I think that is why I have such passion for teaching the parents I work with about positive parenting. 


I was over on my Live Inspired blog writing about it here if you want to check it out. 

Anyhow- I love you mami! Thanks for being so unrealistically positive towards us girls. It is nice to know someone believes in you. It has given me the courage to always shoot for the stars and beyond. At least I know I will always have a #1 fan no matter what I do.

Besitos xoxo, 


A very loved daughter

Dear Mint Oreos...

mmmmm

Dear Mint Oreos,
Why do you keep sneaking into my grocery cart? I keep telling you "no"- but somehow I end up taking you home. I always say, "I am going to have just one." But we all know that is impossible.


Don't you know that I am trying to be healthier? Don't you know that the summer is coming up and that means swimsuit season...you are not helping me out. Therefore, I am going to have to break up with you for awhile.  I just need a break from your addicting yumminess. Please don't feel bad- it's not you...it's me. 


I'll bring you back when I am good and ready. For now- 


Besitos, xoxo


CDame

Speaking "Play"

Mom in training.

Dear 28-year-old self,

Hi it’s me your four-year-old self… Thanks for taking me along with you while you went to the annual Play Therapy Conference this weekend. I know how much fun you had... P.S. What in the world is “play therapy” anyhow? Why do big people need to learn how to play? I don’t get it?

Anyhow, I am so glad you teach big people how to understand us. They always talk to us like with grown up words and stuff and are always expecting us to be well behaved and telling us what we can and can't do..."don't do this... stop doing that..." Ugh- it seems like we can never just be allowed to be us. Don't they know that we are trying the very best that we can with what we have been given. How did they forget to speak Play? The weirdest part is that they used to be once kids themselves? How did they forget so quickly?

Well, thanks for playing with me this weekend!

Love, your four-year-old self.

Love, Your Primogenita

Dear Daddy,

Even at the age of 28, it makes me feel special to be called your “primogenita” (first born in Spanish). Now I know what it’s like to have a "primogenito" of my own.  Can you believe it was 26 years ago when we made sandcastles on this beach together in Mexico?

Thanks for coming to visit us in Boise today- I had so much fun. I love our long talks.  Thank you for always listening. 


It was cute to watch while I showed you the ins and outs of twitter and facebook... It's okay- you'll get it someday dad.


Come back soon okay?

Besitos, xoxo

Your Primogenita

My dad and Me- age 2

Daddy and Nixon Today

Mi primogenito           

I really want family photos done...

(I didn't get a chance to post this last night)

Dear Diary,

I it is true I am a photographer. And it is true that I have over 15 empty frames in my house just waiting for just the right photo to be placed in there and hung on our bare walls. But just the perfect photo of our family just doesn't happen like that. Last October this was my attempt of getting a family photo... propping a camera on a tripod just wasn't cutting it-  so, needless to say- it turned into another Nixon photo shoot. I am okay with that- he is pretty cute.

 With Spring here- I am determined to get photos taken and frames filled. Here are the photos of our attempt to take family photos last fall. Get ready for our spring collection! It's coming.

Besitos xoxo

- CDAME 

Yes a smile!

Smiles didn't last long

   

Serious face

Brooks is showing leaves- trying to get Nixon to Smile.... 

  

Resort to kisses

cuddles

Checking out leaves

   

Peek a Boo

Now we get smiles

I

Love

This 

Kid.