do you really need that?

They say kids say the darnest things. And it's true...they really do.

I was lucky enough to have the day off on Monday and of course, I spent it with my little man. He was excited to have some QT time with mommy as was I with him. After spending some time at Chuck E Cheese and having lunch, we decided to head over to the Dollar Store since I needed to pick up some essentials...

My son's new thing is throwing unnecessary items into the basket or cart when we're shopping. So he was up to his usual behavior as soon as we walked into the store.

"Don't just throw things into the basket, Dylan."

He still continues to put random items in the basket so I finally say, "Okay, these are things that we don't need so let's not put things that we don't need into the basket."

This is something that we are trying to teach him when we go shopping - our needs vs. wants.

He puts what he was holding back down, looks at me {with a little smirk on his face} and says, "But Mommy, you put chips in there. Do you NEED chips???"

I swear, this kid is too smart for his own good.

the sweetest boy

Over the weekend we moved into a new place so you can imagine how hectic and messy it was. The three of us were so pooped that we were lying in bed at 8pm and my son and boyfriend eventually fell asleep 30 minutes later. I thought, "Yay, I get to sleep early tonight for once, too!" I must have jinxed myself because I didn't sleep early at all. In fact, I laid there in bed for 3 hours trying to get myself to sleep.

I tossed.
I turned.
I went to the bathroom several times.

It was going to be one of those nights and I was already dreading the next day.

I woke up around 6am this morning to make breakfast and was not in a good mood since I ended up falling asleep around 1am. After feeding my son his breakfast, I quickly got dressed and went into the kitchen to eat my food when I heard, "Mommy you look so pretty."

Immediately I looked at him and felt so much better. I walked over to him, gave him a big huge hug and said, "You are the sweetest boy ever. You make sure to always tell girls how pretty they are...they will melt in your hands."

My little man just smiled. I love him to pieces.

a perfect ending

It was Dylan's last day of soccer for the summer season last Saturday and it ended better than any mommy could ask for. Of course they don't play actual games, but just games for fun - no goalies, no scores. So on the last "fun game", my son got hold of the ball and he started kicking it. His team and the other team were trailing behind him.

"Go Dylan, go!" we yelled.

He kept kicking and running and getting closer to the goal. He did one final kick and the ball went straight in! He threw his fist in the air out of pure excitement and came running to us as we gave him the biggest high-fives ever. We were so proud of him!!!

We told him he deserved a prize for doing such a great job. What did he ask for?

Macarons.

Oh, he is so my son.

soccer kicks & disneyland dreams

This Saturday will be my son's last day of soccer for the summer. I'm so happy that he's having so much fun playing the game. The kids are so cute and entertaining to watch! We enjoyed it so much that we signed him up for the Fall season!


The other night as I was putting him to bed...

Mommy: It's time for us to go to sleep now. I'm gonna close my eyes and dream of Disneyland.
Dylan: Ok. I'm gonna dream of Disneyland, too. I'll meet you there!

flowers for mommy

My boyfriend had the day off yesterday so he and my son had a fun-filled day together...while Mommy had to work. {Yay.} Their day started off with a Starbucks breakfast together - Chai Tea Latte & a sausage breakfast sandwich for Daddy, hot cocoa and a blueberry muffin for baby. 

Since I didn't get to spend the day with them, my boyfriend sent me pictures throughout the day. This is the usual for us whenever one of us is missing out on something. The first picture was of my son standing outside Costco. 

A few minutes later, I received this picture...

Along with this text: 

He said, "Daddy, I wanna buy flowers for Mommy." 

Even when he's away from me, he never fails to melt my heart! I come home after work and I say, "Dylan, where are my flowers?" His response...

"They're at Costco."

dear dylan...

Dear Dylan,


I've learned the greatest lessons being your mommy.


You've taught me patience.
You've taught me unconditional love.
You've taught me to relax and to let the little things go. 
You've taught me to stop and enjoy my surroundings, the simple things.
You've taught me what it's like to love someone more than life itself.
You've taught me what life is really all about.

I've learned that time really does go by so fast. Too fast.
And that I need to cherish every moment.
I need to listen to every cackle of your laugh.
I need to wipe every single tear.
I need to hug and kiss you 100 times a day.
I need to watch you sleep and listen to you snore.
I need to take a mental picture of your face every second.
I need to carry you as much as I can before you're almost as tall as me.
I need to stare into your big beautiful eyes.
I need to remember these moments.
Because one of these days, you won't be a little boy anymore. 

You've grown into such a wonderfully loving boy who melts my heart every day. You amaze me with every breath, smile, and laugh.


My life has changed forever because of you. And it continues to change and grow beautifully as every year passes by...just like you.

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!

{birthday celebration pictures soon to come!}

what's in my {mommy} bag

One of the features I enjoy checking out in fashion/celebrity magazines is the "What's In My Bag" section. 

I think it's a common curiosity for women to wonder...what's in her bag? Plus it's a fun way to find new things that you should be or want to carry in your purse, right? So I thought it'd be fun to share what's in my bag.

Purell hand sanitizer - a must have for a toddler
Hello Kitty notebook - to jot down blog ideas, thoughts, etc.
Johnson & Johnson first aid kit - bandaids, aspirin, and cold medicine
Marc Jacobs heart wristlet - to hold my quarters for laundry and SF parking
Cottonelle wipes - another must have for a toddler
Hello Kitty make up case
Make Up Forever kabuki brush
Revlon lipstick in soft nude
Chapstick
Hello Kitty pen
wallet 
Visine Eye Drops {for contacts}
Eos Cucumber hand lotion
my lovely iPhone
Marc Jacobs aviator sunglasses {not pictured because I left it in the car}


H&M cross-body bag: my ultimate favorite bag in the whole world right now 




What's in your bag??

and just like that.

My honey was in Vegas over the weekend with his boys.
So it was just me and my little man.
I tend to get a little jealous when he goes out and has a good time...without me.
I know, it's selfish of me.
He deserves to have fun. 
He works hard to provide for our little family.
So why be a brat about it?
Well I was.
And during a phone conversation with him while he was on the road to Vegas, I showed my bratty attitude...and annoyance.


I got off the phone with him...
And right away, my son sensed my frustration.


He looked up at me,
And in the sweetest and softest voice ever,
The kind that makes you melt and fall in love with him,
He said, "What's the matter, sweetie?"


And just like that.
I was over it.

the buzz about me

I came across a cool blog hop on From Mommy To Calm Insanity and thought I'd join in. 

This Weeks Questions:

1. The last thing you ate - garlic fried rice and spam

2. The last thing you purchased - Hello Kitty and Thomas the Train Xmas wrapping paper


3. The last thing you did before going to bed last night - checked my email


4. The last song you heard - a song sung by my son :)


5. The last show you were watching - American Horror Story (addicting!)


6. The last person you called - my mom


7. The last person you received a text from - my sister


8. The last color nail polish you wore - Sand Tropez from Essie


9. The last place you were before going home - my mom's house


10. The last time you did something for yourself - Oh gosh, I don't even know... 

say what!?

Mommy. 

I absolutely love the sound of it. I love it so much that when I hear my son say it, I often ask him to repeat what he said just so I could hear it again. I am a Mommy. Well, until the other day at least.

Me: Dylan, come here please.

Dylan: Yes, Mom.

Me: {WTH! MOM???} It's Mommy. You call me Mommy, ok.

Dylan: Ok.

conversation continues for a minute or two...

Me: Ok, can you please go pick up your toys from the floor?

Dylan: Ok, MOM!

the best compliment...ever.

My son is going to be 3 in a few months and to this day, I still can't believe how much motherhood has affected me. My whole world revolves around him. Morning, noon, and night. I take him almost everywhere I go. But, he's not just my little sidekick. Everything I do and say as a mother reflects on him...and I can't help but think how he'll turn out. As a grade school boy, as a teenager, as an adult, as a human being. Every night before I go to bed I think about our day together and along with a million other thoughts, this always stands out...

"How did I do as Dylan's Mommy today?"

When I was a teenager, one of my fears was growing up alone. Now my fears, along with my hopes and dreams, all revolve around my son. My hope is to be the best Mommy he could ever have. And my main fear is not doing a good job at it. I'd like to think that I am an awesome Mommy...all thanks to my mom, who paved the way to my role as a mom.

And leave it to her to remind me just how silly my fears are. Earlier this evening she just said to me, "I have to tell you, you are doing a great job at raising Dylan." She's said these very words to me before and every time she does, it always feels like the first time.

Best. compliment. EVER.

mommy needs some rejuvenation.

Every girl deserves and needs a spa day once in a while.

A time to get pampered, relaxed, and rejuvenated. 

A sweet escape from reality. 

My wonderful honey surprised me with a massage gift yesterday...

To a spa that I've been dying to go to for a long time.

Burke Williams Day Spa in San Francisco.

I was beyond ecstatic.

I was in dire need of a massage. 

It was above and beyond my expectations.

The amenities, the services, the massage...amazing!!!

My massage was 50 minutes.

But as soon as she was done, I was longing for more time.

Just 5 more minutes, please!

"OMG" and "Wow" kept running in my head.

Pure relaxation from head to toe!

Thank you, Frankie!

The best way to end my spa experience for the day...

The Quiet Room.

It is what it is, no need to explain.

I sat in there for 30 minutes...

and for the first time in a really long time, I read a magazine.

InStyle magazine, one of my faves.

Front to back, no interruptions.

Peace and quiet. I could hear a pin drop.

Best spa experience ever!

{I need a Quiet Room in my house.}

Thank you, honey!

You are the best. I love you!

momma's boy

My sister and I used to make fun of my brother for being a momma's boy {actually, we still do sometimes}. With my mom, he always got his way and she was always more lenient with him. Even to this day, at 23 years old, she is the first person he calls when he's sick...and when that happens, it's like the world is coming to an end...for the both of them. 

I remember when I was pregnant with my son a manager at work said, "Oh you're going to love having a little boy. The relationship he has with his mom is indescribable." I never understood the relationship between my mom and brother. That is until I found myself in my mom's shoes.

Meet my very own little momma's boy!

He doesn't want Daddy to take him out of the car seat, he wants Mommy.

he doesn't want Daddy to give him a bath, he wants Mommy.

He doesn't want Daddy to push the stroller, he wants Mommy.

He wants Mommy to do EVERYTHING.

He doesn't like to sleep without Mommy.

He loves to cuddle with only Mommy.

He doesn't want Daddy to kiss or hug Mommy. "She's my Mommy!"

He calls Mommy his best friend.

In a quiet moment before bedtime last night...

Daddy: Dylan?

Dylan: Yes, Daddy.

Daddy: I love you, man. You're my son.

Dylan: I love Mommy!

This had me rolling with laughter. A mother-son relationship...now I get it. 

don't forget to breathe

Ahh, the joys of motherhood. They're wonderful. The best thing a woman can experience in life, I think. The hugs, the kisses, the sweet and funny things your child says or does, the fun kid-friendly activities. I remember when I was pregnant people would tell me, "Oh motherhood is the best. You're going to love it." They were right, I do love it. More than anything in the world. How could I not? I was prepared and ready to love it. However, no one cared to mention {more like, warn} the kicking, the screaming, the crying, the tantrums, the monster that lives deep inside your child. I was not prepared or ready for that.


My son is a very loving and happy boy. But he's also in his "terrible two's" stage. Over the past few days, he's shown proof of that stage...and very well if you ask me. I've never had a problem with him throwing tantrums or crying for long periods of time until just recently. 


He wanted to watch Cars videos on YouTube and I tell him "no" because I'm using it. Tantrum for 10 minutes.
He woke up from his nap. Crying for 10 minutes. {non-stop}
He wasn't ready to go to bed. I tell him no more playing for the night. Crying and tantrum for 10 minutes. Crying stops and he falls asleep...only to wake up an hour later. 10 more minutes of crying. 


I know they were only 10 minutes, but they seem to go on forever. Right before his last episode started, I had just sat down in front of my laptop for some "mommy time" so I was pretty frustrated when he woke up. I told Daddy to handle the situation while I closed myself off in the bathroom for a few minutes. No, I didn't go in there to use the toilet. I went in there to just...breathe. And it helped. 


He drives me crazy at times and sometimes I just want to scream. I certainly don't love when the little monster emerges from my son, but he did manage to make me smile at one point. In a moment of frustration I said, "Who are you right now?"


He said, "Dylan!" That kid! :)

tangled up!

My sister came over yesterday and we decided to watch Disney's Tangled. I already knew my son wouldn't be into it since it's a little girly for his taste, but we went for it anyway. Yesterday made me realize that watching a movie at home is not quite the same as it used to be...

Movie starts.
Dylan jumps.
Dylan runs from couch to couch. 
Mommy tells Dylan to calm down.
Dylan sits.
Mommy pauses movie to take Dylan to the potty {currently in potty-training}
Mommy and Dylan come back.
Movie resumes.
Dylan jumps on Auntie.
Mommy gives Dylan a toy {mommy's iPhone} to play with
Dylan sits and plays a loud game.
Dylan wants a drink.
Movie is paused.
Mommy and Dylan grab a drink from the kitchen.
Movie resumes.
*On repeat until movie ends*


By the way, I loved the movie! Super cute and even made me shed a tear. Any Disney movie that can make me cry definitely tops my list. 

three in a bed??

"My biggest fear is that my son will sleep in the bed with us forever!"


These are the words my cousin said last night about her son. He's 9 months old and has never taken to sleeping in the crib so he sleeps with her and the hubby. She loves it and honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I understand where she's coming from, because I am guilty of the situation myself. 

Yes, my 2-year old son sleeps with us.
Sometimes in the middle...
Sometimes on the side of the wall where the bed lies against...
Sometimes on top of us...
Sometimes with his whole body on top of all the pillows.


Before I had my son and before I was even pregnant I always told myself, "My child will never sleep in the bed!" Never say never, right?? Yeah that bit me in the butt really hard.


My son has been in the bed with us since he was 9 months old. Up until that point, he was sleeping in his crib. No problems, no waking up in the middle of the night...it was a breeze. Then he got sick. It was the most sick he'd ever been. I couldn't bear to let him sleep all by himself. He was miserable and not my usually happy son. He wanted Mommy and I wanted to cuddle him and make him feel better. So I brought him in the bed with us. I told myself, "It's only for a few days...just until he gets better."


Sure enough, he was better after several days. Okay baby boy, back into your crib! Sounds easy, right? No way...little man had plans of his own. He woke up in the middle of the night, crying his little eyes out. We'd put him back to sleep and lay him back into his crib, only to wake up to him crying again after 30 minutes or so. This routine went on for a few days before we decided to just bring him in the bed with us. The cry-it-out method didn't work for us and we weren't about to try it again. With early mornings and work days, the whole process of him waking up in the middle of the night was just exhausting. 


One thing I've learned with motherhood is that it's very unpredictable. I wouldn't have predicted that my son would be sleeping in the same bed as us, even at his age. It's worked out fine for us. We honestly love sleeping with our son in the bed. Although it has gotten in the way of "cuddle time" with each other, I believe it's a wonderful bonding time. How can you not love cuddling with your whole family? With him growing so fast, it has gotten very cramped in the bed so we're going to need to transition him very soon. We've introduced the idea of getting him his own bed and surprisingly, he's taken in the idea. 

"I want a Thomas Bed!"

Getting him out of our bed isn't going to be an easy task, but we're up for the challenge. I know everyone has their own opinion about co-sleeping with a baby, or in my case, a toddler. I know people who've done it with their children and their kids are perfectly fine in their own beds now. I've even had people say "Oh you shouldn't do that...they'll NEVER leave your bed."


Psh! Never say never, right? ;)

saved by the...cheese?

A few weeks ago, I blogged about my son's meltdown moment. Yesterday, I had my OWN mommy meltdown moment. 


I had just lugged three bags of laundry to the car...with my son running around and not listening to a word I was saying. 


"Please get in the car now." {nope}


I finally got him in the car and reached into his backpack, which I had temporarily used for my own personal belongings, to grab my cell phone. I pull it out and there's juice all over it. Grape juice. Not only did it get all over my phone, but it got all over my wallet and his pull-ups. 


Anger starts building up. 


I take them all out in an attempt to dry my phone AND the bottom of the backpack with the only napkins I could find in the car. After doing that I start to put everything back in the backpack when I notice MORE juice had somehow dripped onto my seat. 


Enter a flood of curse words.


I'm freaking out now. OMG, grape juice on my car seat! I quickly run back inside the house to grab a wet towel and furiously dabbed at the darn stain...hoping it'll go away. 


Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. 


Before heading to the laundromat, I pick up my sister from her apartment. She gets into the car, hands me a snack size Tillamook cheese, and all of a sudden, I'm feeling much better about what had just happened. My unlucky turn of events was saved by these bad boys:

FYI: the seat and phone are in fabulous condition. oh, and so am I.

a meltdown moment.

Today started out like any other day. My son and I had breakfast, watched a little bit of TV {his Thomas the Train and my CSI} and got ready. Off we go to Target...


It was supposed to be a quick and easy shopping trip. For once, I had one thing on my list: envelopes. Simple, right? Well no, not really. Of course I had to browse in the other departments of the store, which is what I usually do anyway. On the way, I picked up a few more things not on my list- a bottle of Smart Water, a green squishy-looking toy, a pack of stickers to reward Dylan on potty-training, and a super cute short-sleeve button-up top for Dylan. Just my luck that the kids clothing department is right next to the toy department. Whose idea was that?? 


"Mommy, I wanna go toys!"
"No, Dylan."
"Mommy, toys, toys, toys!"
"You have plenty of toys at home. No."


Enter MAJOR MELTDOWN. It was completely unexpected and absolutely annoying. I'd never seen him react this way in public before. His face was wet with tears and snot and not to mention red from the fury that I, his dear mommy, told him no. He doesn't like the word "no", obviously...but this was at an all-time new. I'm usually good at handling these types of situations.


Soft voice.
Keep it cool.
Don't make a big deal. 
Ignore. 


It didn't work. He kept crying and crying and CRYING. People were beginning to stare.


I panicked.
Freaked out.
My stress level went up, up, UP.


So I took him out of the cart, calmed him down, hugged him, and rubbed his back. *Silence* I'm in the clear, right? Nope. After that, he refused to get back in the cart and started crying again. At this point, I'm frustrated and kept thinking in my head, "OMG, I can't believe this is happening." Finally, I got him back in the cart but he was STILL crying {hysterically}. I'm fed up by now so I have no choice but to grab my son and the only thing I came in to buy {the envelopes} and just abandon the cart right there. I found the shortest check-out line and quickly paid for my much-needed envelopes, left the store, and came home. 


Whew, what a day! How was yours? 

before i was a mommy...

I was never an early riser

My weekends consisted of clubbing, high heels, and dresses

I never carried a first-aid kid and baby wipes in my purse

Fashion and celebrity tabloid magazines were my only sources of reading material

I could never find a good reason to take a trip to Disneyland

I would never get excited for a Disney movie to come out

I hated cooking

My patience wasn't nearly as tested as it is now

The only pictures found in my camera were of me and my friends

The only "cleaning up after" I did was for myself

Taking short showers was out of the question

Baby powder wasn't a necessity

Finding time for myself wasn't so hard

I had 8+ hours of sleep
I never used the word "tired" as much
You wouldn't catch me in sweats and no makeup

No one gave me as many hugs and kisses

I never imagined myself playing with toy cars
I never understood why other mommies talked about their kids a lot
Time-outs were only associated with sports
I never had to clean someone else's snotty nose
I didn't know what Yo Gabba Gabba or Caillou was
Kids' birthday parties were never in my weekend schedule

I didn't appreciate my mom as much as I do now

I didn't think I could love someone this much

favorite celebrity mommies

It's one thing to admire a celebrity, but it's another thing to admire their role as mothers. I am a sucker for celebrities and the world of entertainment and I have a handful of actresses, singers, models, and fashion designers that I've come to love and respect for their work. Since becoming a mommy myself, these are the celebrities who have topped my list as my favorite celebrity mommies:

Angelina Jolie

Gwen Stefani

Reese Witherspoon

Sarah Jessica Parker

Kourtney Kardashian