Be My Valentin

Look who likes to brush!

2012-01-23T09:30:00.002-05:00

It's Monday ....back to work...another day in paradise {sense the sarcasm?}..I'm gonna keep it short n sweet today.....Check out my handsome bebe!

Terrible 2's in full effect!!!!!!!!!!

2012-01-22T18:48:00.002-05:00

Please.......someone re-assure me that I am NOT the only one on this earth with a child who goes B-A-N-A-N-A-S anytime we go out to eat? Antonio just turned 2 on 1/12 and I swear he's turned into a wild animal and I have no idea what to do! You would think with him being my second I would be a pro by now with handling a kid but I'm at a loss right now.

When Antonio was born Sofia was 2 yrs 3 months old and we though she was a naughty thing when we went out to eat. Now looking back and comparing the 2 she was an angel. The most she did was maybe throw a crayon or 2 under the table and whine a little bit but as soon as the food came she was usually fine. Now that she just turned 4 she is pretty darn good when we go out. Antonio was also very good up until about 2-3 months ago. Now.....FORGET IT! He is throwing things, screaming, crying bloody murder.....and flat out refuses to sit in the high chairs they have. If we try to go out to eat, one of us is usually sitting with Sofia ....while the other is walking the restaurant with Antonio...UGH!

So tonight was no exception. Alberto was at a motorcyle show in NYC with another guy from his motorcycle club and he called me to meet them for dinner. So I got all prettied up and got the kids ready and headed to Cuban Petes {one of our faves}. I had my camera ready for some quality family time and some great blogging material {you know you all bring your cameras out to eat too.} and sure enough within 5 minutes I had to take this kid out of the restaurant, and rather than walk around the whole time being miserable and watching everyone else drink that lovely pitcher of Sangria, I decided to leave. Besides....people around us were getting annoyed and I really felt bad they weren't enoying their meals because of my son. So, Alberto kept Sofia with him and they stayed with his friend and his wife and son. Now here I sit at home.....again.....with my son who has a huge smile on his face and I wait for them to bring my food home. {and I'm starving BTW}

So do I just have to wait this out or what?

A Trip to the ER :(

2012-01-22T14:30:00.000-05:00

Thursday night I was so happy my babies were finally coming home from being in Harrisburg with my mom.....and 2 days early! Well my mom told me that early that afternoon Sofia was complaining of belly pain.....and had been all afternoon. Earlier that week she had really bad smelling pee too so she was going to see her pediatrician on Saturday morning to check for UTI.

So, Thursday night, once they got home, my poor princess was almost doubled over in pain crying. I quickly dressed her and took her to the hospital because she was just there in September and it seemed like she may also have an intestinal infetion like before.

Once we got there they checked her out almost immediately. They tried to take blood but she was so tense that her veins kept tightening and they couldn't get anything. I felt terrible because she kept screaming "mommy, mommy" and I just told her to squeeze my hand.....but it hurt me so much to see her in pain like that that as I was holding her hand I had to look away because I was crying more than her! Finally after poking her again in the other arm they got enough blood out.

Then what seemed liked hours of waiting they came back and told me there was a blood clot! As you can imagine I freaked out thinking my child had a clot somewhere inside her but the nurse quickly calmed me down and told me it wasn't a clot inside. Her blood clotted during testing ......but that meant they had to draw it all overs......and so began more tears ....for both of us :( Even worse was that she was dying of thirst and they wouldn't let her drink even water. But I kept wetting a paper towel and letting her suck on that a little .....when the nurses weren't around :)

Anywho it turns out she did have a UTI ....and a pretty bad one at that. But they put her on an IV with antibiotics and now after a few days on it shes feeling much better thank goodness!!!!!!!! So needless to say my much needed trip to the salon got put on hold ....but hopefully I will have a post this week with a new do. More importantly my baby is ok now though! Hope you are all enjoying your weekend! Back to work tommorrow :(

Hair today...gone tommorrow..or sometime later this week!

2012-01-17T08:51:00.000-05:00

So my hair is absolutely out of control ! Ugh I HATE it. This week (hopefully) I'm gonna go chop it off. My hair is naturally curly but I usually wear it straight. However, when its this long ....its so heavy I can't do anything with it. the top doesn't curl when its this long because of all the weight and If I wear it straight it takes 2 hours and you can really see all the dead ends :( Besides that .....when I take a shower I really loathe the feeling of hair touching my butt. It just grosses me out. I know....most people would think I'm a crazy B%#$^ but hair this long is not for me!

Semi-Curly Hair

Straight Hair

I'm thinking of playing it safe and doing just the usual side bang and long layers like this ...

I would love to chop it all off and do something a little more daring like Jessica's hair here but I think Mr. V would kill me....or just leave me for good (he loves long hair)

Any Suggestions on a new do?

Fifi's Closet - [Giveaway]

2012-01-16T15:55:00.003-05:00

If your a regular reader you may have noticed I haven't done anything in the way of giveaways lately (shame on me) I actually had a few lined up but I've been having problems receiving mail lately so I'm in the process of trying to track a few things down now. Anywho.....after being depressed missing my minis all morning I'm feeling generous and firgued why not host another giveaway from my own ETSY store Fifi's Closet!!!!!! Woo hooo.....you know your squeeling from the excitement!

I'll make this short and simple....The winner will receive their choice of any set of CLOSET DIVIDERS from my ETSY shop. You can choose a design you see on my store or have a custom design to match your baby's nursery or crib bedding! Dividers can also be customized to any sizes you like or you can even go by clothing type or days of the week to set aside all your little ones outfits for the upcoming week! The possibilities are endless!

Here's how you can enter:

***This giveaway is open to international readers and will end on 1/27!!! (EXTENDED from 1/20)
*****Winner will be chosen using random.org

1. Mention this giveaway or mention their website Online Site on your blog, facebook or twitter and comment that you did so on this post. You can receive a separate entry for each place you mention them but remember you must leave a separate comment for each too. Also leave a link to your post in your comment!

2. Visit Fifi's Closet on ETSY and check out some of my products then come back here and comment what your favorite item is.

4. Follow my blog publicly and comment that you're following or if you are already a follower comment this post that you are. (1 entry)

5. Follow my other blog Fifi's Closet publicly and comment that you're following or if you are already a follower comment this post that you are. (1 entry)

Empty Inside.

2012-01-16T09:17:00.000-05:00

You see this black hole .......

Well that's exactly what my stomach feels like right now. My babies have left me for a whole week to visit their grandma, great-grandma, and great great-grandma in Harrisburg. 2.HOURS.AWAY ! My mom came to visit and asked if she could come to NJ to get the kids for a week. Of course I had no problem with it at all and I would never pass up an opportunity for them to spend time with family of for me and Mr. V to have a kid free night out.......but I still feel so empty :( I know they are safe and in good hands but I need to kiss and hug them every day and I can't do that.

My main thing is that what if they cry for me and I am not there to hold them or comfort them. Sure ...my mom is there and they love her to pieces but I'm still Mommy.....and I feel so guilty now :( Hopefully this week will fly by and I will be holding them again before I know it. Now Excuse me....while I go cry.

My Baby Boy is 2.....Let's Rewind!

2012-01-12T10:25:00.003-05:00

What?!?!?!?! Is my kid really 2 years old today? Unfortunatley yes......I wish I could keep him a baby forever :::wipes tears::: But I love watching him grow and develop his little personality. I can't even believe that 2 years ago today I welcomed the sweetest most loving little boy into our lives. I remember actually feeling sad because I soooooooo wanted another little girl for Sofia to have a sister.....but I can't even imagine not having him now! I wish we had the money to plan a huge party for him but $$$ was tight this year especially right after the holiday but this year I hope to plan something big for his 3rd. For now we are just having cake , ice cream, baloons, and a few presents at home with me daddy and big sister :)

Now ......onto one of the best days of my life! I actually remember heading to the hospital at 7:30 am (since our C-section was scheduled for 8 am) and fighting with Alberto in the car because he forgot his wallet and we had to go all the way home when we were halfway there! I was so mad because I thought if we were late they would make us re-schedule for another day or something...LOL! Anywho...we had a c-section due to the complications I had trying to have Sofia and Antonio was significantly bigger than her so our doc wanted a csection for us. I will spare you all the details and get right to some of my favorite random pics over the last 2 years ....

First moments of life.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

First photo with momma and papa

My big 7 lb 7 oz boy!!!!!

1 month old!

Poor baby in the hospital at 3 months just like his sister was :(

Ladies Love me!

First Vacation to Destin, FL

You're not Latino unless you've been bathed in a sink ...or a rice pot at some point in your life!

Boxes make the best toys!

I got a kick butt haircut!

My momma loves my gap-tooth grin!

So fresh and so clean!

Yeah I was the sexiest guy at the pool!

I hung out at my great granny's house....

and ate all her tomatoes!

For the most part I'm a super good boy.....but no that I'm 2 I'm getting into throwing a few tantrums...much to mommy's dismay!

So now that I've drowned you in photos of my child I can't finish this post without bragging a little about what my baby boy is currently up to.....

Antonio has a sick obession with ELMO! So much so that he yells "mo-mo" constantly and even says it in his sleep ...HILARIOUS!
He doesn't talk as much as Sofia did at this age but he says "ess you" (bless you), "yuv you" (I love you), "milky", "joosh" (juice), "bibi" (spanish slang word for bottle), "book", "see" (when he's showing me his boo-boos, "nack" (snack), "hi mummy", "hi daddy", "bye", "no tuts" (no touch), "baby" (when pointing at other kids his age..LOL)
He counts to 5 but not on command......we just hear him doing it at random
Sleeps most of the night but I still baby him and give him bottle too in the morning and at night!
Love to give hugs and kisses and understand both English and Spanish when you ask him for one
He can point to his body parts if you say them for Ears, Eyes, Nose, Mouth, Teeth, Cheeks, Hair!
Loves jumping in water puddles (which makes me crazy)
He weighs 32 lbs which is more than his 4 yr old sister and most people think he's 3 or 4 .....but he's my gentle giant!

I could go on forever about this kid but I'll stop now. Besides.....you might un-follow me ......hehehehe. But all in all I love this kid more than life itself......Happy Birthday Baby Boy and May God Bless you now and always!

We have a new name!

2012-01-11T09:55:00.001-05:00

Yep...i did it.....I changed my blog name and I love it so much more than my old blog name. I know it was a quick decision ....but what do ya think? "Be My Valentin" just seemed the perfect name for us since my kids are both Valentins.........and I will be a Valentin.... soon........ :::hint hint Mr. V in case you are reading:::....Now Im just working on making a new button.

The only thing that sucks is that I notice my stats dropped tremendously ......Im guessing if anyone was following using the old URL ....maybe its not coming up in their blog roll anymore ...BOO! I hope they all find their way back :)

Daughters are AWESOME!

2012-01-10T09:20:00.001-05:00

Yes daughters are the best.....because....Hello? Who wouldn't want a life size doll you can wear matching stuff with??!?!?!?! No I'm totally not a psycho or anything.......but Daddy took us out for some shopping on Sunday and we couldn't resist these :) Next up......matching TOMS....and/or Sperry's!

What's in a Name?

2012-01-05T09:04:00.002-05:00

I just got a notification about reneweing my blogs domain name...........and I'm really thinking of changing it before it renews. I'm wondering though if my followers will still be able to find my blog or if they will see it in their blog roll though once I change the domain name. I guess I will worry about that later though.

The main thing for now is that I really want a different blog name. I feel like my blog name is not really me or not very unique. I chose the name "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" only because at the time that was my daughters favorite song she was learning {I know, corny...but it's all I could think of people!}. Now I feel like that name says nothing about us and our family ....like it's too cutesy and babyish.

So help me brainstorm a new name ....ppppllllleeeeeaaaaaasssssssssssssseeeeeeeee!!!!!! I was thinking something with our last names in the title. My children's last name is Valentin....mine is LaFontaine {yeah me and their Dad aren't married....yet}. My last name means "The Fountain" in French. So maybe something like "The Baby Fountain" ....Is that corny? I dunno I'm at a loss. But then once we do get married my last name would be Valentin too so would I want my old last name for my blog title?

Help me out people!

How Latino Kids Roll....and a few goals for 2012! {REVISED}

2012-01-03T09:00:00.006-05:00

My kids can't deny they're Puerto Rican! Antonio and Sofia are already playing one of the national pastimes of Puerto Rico...DOMINOES! Have to teach them from a young age! Even though all Sofia knows how to do is match the dots for now....it's still funny to watch them!

Now....onto things for 2012! First off let me say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas Season but I'm happy the holidays are over. This year was a rough one for us financially and just all around so I'm ready to put the past behind us and move forward into the new year, I'm soooooooo looking forward to spring! The only thing I hate about right after the holidays is that NJ is so cold so it's hard to sit and wait around for warm weather to come back :( But for now I will just scour the internet ...and PINTEREST......for all things springy and summer. I can't wait to not have to bundle the kids up and to be able to wear flip flops and tanks again :) I long for days at the park, beaches, barbecues, pools, summer dresses and cold beers...mmmmmmmmm! Maybe a trip to Puerto Rico will also be in the cards for us this summer.

But until then, here are just a few of my goals for 2012....I'll try to make them short and simple :)

Join a GYM - preferably one with a playroom for the kids so I can workout more often!
Find a Church Home - If you've read any past post we have been "church shopping" if you will......but I think we may have found the right one for us (more on that later)
Be a Better Mommy - I love my kids more than life itself but sometimes (like all moms) I lose patience and yell or get upset with them. Sometimes I have to remember that kids will be kids and I need to have more patience with them.
Be a Better Christian - This kind of goes along with number 2. I've already accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior but it's much more than that ....I really want to be more involved at church maybe in the children's ministry :-)
Relationship Strengthening - It's no secret to some who know us personally that Alberto and I have had a rough road and 2011 was very had on our relationship but even though we both have things we need to change in ourselves we really have been trying to get back where we used to be and hopefully 2012 will help us get there.
Organization on ETSY - Lately I've been slammed with holiday orders on ETSY so Im hoping to get organized and back on track in the coming months and find a routine to keep orders getting out on time.
Move - I really want a bigger place for us and the babies but anyone from NJ know bigger usually means ALOT more expensive or you move to a bad neighborhood. Ideally I would still like to move back down South ....after all ....I spent the first half of my life there. My heart is there. Hopefully we won't have to drown in NJ housing prices too much longer.
Become a Better Photographer - as you may notice I don't have many pics of myself on this blog.....mainly because I'm usually the one behind the camera. This makes me sad because it also means I don't have a lot of pics with my kids and myself together :( This year Im hoping to really get some use of my tripod and remote and maybe take a photography class or two!
Enjoy Life - {This may include drinking alot more wine} Many times I find myself getting caught up with the stress of work, kids, ETSY, $$$ troubles, etc........that I forget to have a good time and enjoy the little moments with my family....I'm working on that.

******REVISION****** - I would also like to add one more goal.......using fewer F-BOMBS {notice I said "fewer"}because I know completely eliminating them from my vocab probably won't happen. I'll leave that goal for 2013!

What are your 2012 Expectations?

2 Years ago today.........

2011-12-30T16:34:00.001-05:00

It was my last day at work before going on Maternity Leave.....to give birth to this amazing little angel.

I can't believe how fast it's gone by and my baby boy will soon be 2 years old in less than 2 weeks! So tomorrow night Daddy, babies and I will be doing nothing but snuggling up with some sparkling cider {well that's in the kid's glass, mama might have something else} and spending a quiet New Years at home. Ah the joys of parenthood.

Hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year!

God Bless and see you in 2012!

Word{ful} Wednesday - Christmas and a Car Crash.

2011-12-28T14:26:00.002-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted since last week.....but yeah..... you read that correctly.......I was in a car accident! Merry flippin' Christmas to me ...right?!?!?! I was driving with my son in the backseat to the supermarket and a 90 year old lady ran a stop doing at least 30-40 mph. I was already part way into the intersection when I could see she wasn't gonna stop, so I hit my break so she wouldn't hit me on the driver's side door and instead she plowed into the front end of my car! So after dropping a few {by a few I mean like 20} F-Bombs {don't judge me!}, I got out of my car....and spoke to this lady. She really had the nerve to say, "I'm sorry I didn't see you. The sun was in my eyes."

Ummmm.....last time I checked ....if you can't see and the sun is in your eyes......you STOP......or go super slow! You don't drive 40 mph through a stop sign! Luckily it wasn't on the other side where my son was sitting ..Praise GOD!

Oh well now her insurance can pay for all the damage she did. It may not look like much from the outside but my front bumper was hanging. The lights are smashed, turning signals don't work, windshield wipers are acting up, alignments off, steering wheel is shaking like crazy, rims scratched and bent a little, and the whole innner frame is smashed to pieces...GRRRRRRRR. Don't mind the SNOOKI-ESQUE tape job courtesy of Alberto. I guess it suits me since I am in Jersey.....LOL

This pic was taken from above and shows inside the bumper where the frame is smashed.

In more positive news we had a great Christmas but my camera battery charger is MIA and my phone was dead too so I got not ONE.SINGLE.PHOTO. of my bebes opening presents ...BOO! But it was great ...we spent the day at home cooking and eating and enjoying family. Hope you all had a great holiday as well....now off to worry about my car :(

Wordless Wednesday - Cheap Bastard

2011-12-21T08:15:00.001-05:00

I spotted this in the supermarket.....Nothing says ~~forget last-minute christmas gifts for your kids and come get wasted for a mere $5.99~~ Merry Christmas like a bottle of Cheap Bastard. I mean seriously.....what is the world coming to?!?! I guess people have lost their creative marketing anymore.

EYE see you!

2011-12-19T08:57:00.001-05:00

This weekend I wanted to play around with some editing....particularly eye enhancement or making the eyes "pop" in photos. My baby girl has amazing eyes so i thought why not get some eye shots with her....but sure enough shes still in the phase of making crazy eyes at me when I whip out the camera. Plus getting shots of her in soapy bath water wasn't the ideal location but at least she was contained here.....LOL....anywhere else shes won't sit still and is running around like a wild woman!

(all of these are SOOC but I will post the after editing later)

Twinkle Lights - Part One

2011-12-15T08:14:00.000-05:00

I decided after ooing and aahhing over all these gorgeous photos in the bloggy world that I would attempt some twinkle light photos and I'm actually amazed at how simple the setup was! Ok well not that simple, but definitely easier than expecte. However, for part one....you will notice that my photo shoot involved 0 live children and only my son's little minions :) And they were so well behaved!

Monster Boy

Isn't he sweet? He even put his arm around Simba. These two would make great toddler models!

I'm amazed at how well they turned out for my first time. Part 2 should be coming in the next couple of days ....and hopefully will involve real bodies this time :)

Wordless Wednesday - A New Toy

2011-12-14T08:03:00.008-05:00

What little boy doesn't love Bob the Builder?!?!?!!

Holiday Pictures = FAIL

2011-12-12T09:21:00.001-05:00

Saturday we had our much anticipated appointment at Picture People so mama made sure all were up getting ready at the crack of dawn. Sure enough the day was stressful to say the least and just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.....Let me break it down for you. Keep in mind the appointment was for 2 pm.

7 AM - Coffee is brewing and Antonio is waking up.

8 AM - Sofia is still sleeping and trying to get her up is like waking the dead....so I decide to let her sleep a little longer while I make breakfast for Antonio.

Antonio...my angel {sense the sarcasm?}....had other plans and decides, that at almost 2, he can make his own cereal......and dumps and ENTIRE box of fruity pebbles on my carpet. Thanks kid. and as luck would have it as soon as I turn on the vaccuum, I sucked up a stray sock and snapped the belt. GRRR!

So after 20 minutes of trying to scoop 20 lbs of fruity pebbles of the carpet....I get most of it up....only to have that powder from the bottom of the box get ground into the carpet by little feet who think its fun to run through whatever messes mommy is cleaning up. YAY! Thanks again kid!

8:30 AM - Sofia yelling, "Good Morning mommy......I peed all over your bed" PERFECT. Lets's go right to 9 am, because I'm sure I don't need to explain the last 30 minutes.

9 AM - I make scrambled eggs .......since that's all I have and need to go food shopping ASAP.

Antonio loves scrambled eggs ....but today decides he would rather spit them on the carpet.. {Remember there is no vaccuum at this point}..and Sofia ....whines "I hate scrambled eggs, I want boiled eggs" SERIOUSLY KIDS? What kid asks for boiled eggs?

10 AM - After a 2nd breakfast of boiled eggs, kids are in the tub. Hmm let me run and finally grab a cup of coffee in the kitchen. Sure enough, before I even get a sip.....Sofia yells, "Mommy Antonio dumped a cup of water on the floor!" (INSERT 4-LETTER WORDS HERE) Coffee will have to wait.

11 AM - Kids are dressed now {mom still hasn't showered...or had coffee}.....and they feel the need to jump from the Sofa....to the chair....to the floor....REPEAT {about 50 times}...and I'm sure the neighbor downstairs wants to kill my children by now.

11:30 AM - I realize...."HOLY SHIZ-NAT! Sofia has no headband or bow!" How the hell could I forget that? MOMMY BRAIN. So I grab my glue gun and some needle and thread and red ribbon and slap together a pretty awesome headband in about 30 minutes.

12:00 PM - Kids and in the car and were driving down the street....2 hrs ahead of schedule. I forgot the coffee...and the shower. (INSERT MORE 4-LETTER WORDS HERE...only said in silence since kids are close by this time).

12:15 PM - I hear, "I'm hungry and I really have to pee!". Ummm didn't you just have boiled eggs? and empty your bladder all over my bed? Detour now....to McDonald's. Forgot coffee...AGAIN!

1 PM - We're back on the road only to get to Picture People and have to drive around for 30 minutes looking for parking...GRRR....I could really use that coffee right about now!

2 PM - We get to Picture People right on time and sure enough there are 5 gazillion people in line and I hear the lady saying, "Yes we are taking walk-ins, and there is about a 30 minute wait"

Is this #$%^ crazy? What about all the people with appointments?......You're telling people they have to wait and you're still squeezing walk-in's in? WHATEVER! 30 minutes you say? FINE. We can manage.

4 PM - I won't go into details about the last 2 hours {full of whining and tantrums of course}.....YES I said 2 FLIPPIN' HOURS. Not 30 minutes.....but we finally get with our photographer at 4 pm. Neither kid will cooperate. PERFECT! Antonio also spots a fireman's hat and will not let go for the life of him. Great....all of our Christmas pics will have a fireman's hat! Just what mommy wanted!

4:30 PM - Photographer seems a little frustrated. Mommy is VERY frustrated. I.GIVE.UP. Pictures did not come out at all like I expected and while we were choosing our pics the lady said she would "soften" them which actually only made them look out-of-focus. I gets that's what we get for going somewhere they hire teenagers to take professional pics! Honestly...I could have probably taken better pics in my house ....which I plan to attempt this week.

5 PM - We finally walk out of the place only purchasing 5 pics and I take my butt straight to Starbucks before I kill someone! So to anyone who reads this and actually received some of the photos we took ....

I went through a day of HELL.....to get these to you! Merry Christmas!

(BTW I can't post any online yet but I will try later this week.)

50 Random Things About Moi

2011-12-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this little meme floating around the blogosphere so I figured I'd join in the fun :)

1# Where were you 3 hours ago? - Sitting here enjoying my dream job. [Can you sense the sarcasm?]
2# Who are you in love with? - My two angels Antonio and Sofia.
3# Have you ever eaten a crayon? - I hope not.
4# Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? - Yes tons of flowers and ribbons for Sofia's Bows :)
5# When is the last time you went to the mall? - Yesterday since I work right next door.
6# Are you wearing socks right now? - Unfortunaely....I wish I could be barefoot or in flip flops all the time.
7# Do you have a car worth over $2000? - Yes my Toyota Avalon was $15,000 but I got it for $10,000
8# When was the last time you drove out of town? - Well if you live in NJ you do it everyday because all of towns are connected...I think NJ is one big town.
9# Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days? - I haven't gone in years...Which is DEPRESSING.
10# Are you hot? - as in Sexy hot? I'd like to think so ;-)
11# What was the last thing you had to drink? -I'm drinking water now
12# What are you wearing right now? - black pants, boots, a button down shirt and a pea coat since my job is freezing cold!
13# Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it? - I never do it....Alberto does all the car stuff for me.
14# Last food you ate? - Wendy's ...ewww....now I regret it!
15# Where were you last week at this time? - See question number 1.
16# Have you bought any clothing items in the last week? -yes I bought 2 sweaters in Gap.
17# When was the last time you ran? - HIGH SCHOOL...I know ...SAD
18# What's the last sporting event you watched? - Yankees Baseball over the summer.
19# What's your fave animal? -I love Dogs but I don't have any at the moment.
20# Your dream vacation? - Seychelles Africa.......Check out THIS POST
21# Last person's house you were in? - My Own.
22# Worst injury you've ever had? - Fractured Rib.
23# Have you been in love - Yes Three times.
24# Do you miss anyone right now? - My Babies.
25# Last play you saw? - HA! No clue its been years!
26# What is your secret weapon to lure the opposite sex? - Maybe it's sounds conceited but just being myself I guess.
27# What are you plans for tonight? - Diapers - Baths - Bedtime - and probably a few tears and tantrums thrown in to the mix! Same as always LOL
28# Who is the last person you sent a myspace message or comment to? - I haven't used MYSPACE in like 2 yrs.
29# Next trip you are going to take? - Probably Harrisburg to visit my Great Granny since she had a little fall last week :(
30# Ever go to camp? - Not a summer cap....but my family went camping together alot.
31# Were you an honor roll student in school? - YEAH BABY! Straight A's ....most of the time!
32# What do you want to know about the future? - If I will be blessed to marry my love and if we will have more babies :)
33# Are you wearing any perfume now? - No.
34# Are you due sometime this year for a doctor visit? - Yeah Im way overdue.
35# Where is your best friend? - In NJ ...and it's sad we don't see eachother or talk as much as we should.
36# How is your best friend? - A great career driven woman and an excellent wife and mother! Best most caring person ever. Love you Angie!
37# Do you have a tan? - No I'm transparent since I got rid of my tanning vice years ago :(
38# What are you listening to right now? - Co-workers typing away and talking.
39# Do you collect anything? - No ...except hair accessories for Sofia :)
40# Who is the biggest gossiper you know? - I won't say names but they know who they are and this is the exact reason we aren't friends anymore!
41# Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over? - I can't even remember honestly.
42# Have you ever drank soda from a straw? - Ummmmm Doesn't almost every restaurant give you a straw?
43# What does your last text message say? - My phone is off so I cant check but I think i sent pics of my kids.
44# Do you like hot sauce? - ON.EVERYTHING.
45# Last time you took a shower? - This morning.
46# Do you need to do laundry? - Always.....I have a 4 yr old and a 1 1/2 yr old.....someone is always covered in something.
47# What is your heritage? - Spanish, Belgian-French, Panamanian
48# Are you someones best friend? - Yes
49# Are you rich? - Moneywise.....Not even close.....but rich in spirit.
50# What were you doing at 12 am last night? - Making a bottle for my son who decided to wake up in the middle of the night.....but I still love him even though he robbed me of sleep!

Bedtime Fun

2011-12-08T08:25:00.000-05:00

So originally this was supposed to be a Wordless Wednesday post but all day I couldn't get this darn video to upload. It was uploading about 1% every 5 minutes no matter how fast my connection was. Apparently i need to convert the file type .......so I downloaded a converter .....which turned out to be only a trial version ....after I waited 30 flippin' minutes! Hence the water mark on the video at the end so just ignore that!

But for now just enjoy the cuteness that is my little princess and ....yes.....She does sleep all night with that Hello Kitty mask ....EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT.

Love.Her.

Please ignore the psycho-path type laughter in this video ....I think the comibation of too much sugar and not enough sleep did a number on her ;-)

Show Me Yours.......

2011-12-06T12:39:00.000-05:00

Because I would love to show you MINE! My Christmas list that is! Get your minds out of the gutter people! But really...I love doing this post every year. It always takes me back to childhood when I would start thinking of all those things I "needed". Now my own 4 yr old has finally started her list and I was amazed that at the very top of her list....before she put what she wanted, she wrote:

"Santa...please bring a truck for my brother .....and a new laptop for my mommy"

Yup ....my kid is AWESOME! And I'm also writing this .....just in case you happen to be reading Santa! I've been a really good girl......well at least for the last couple of months...I think :)

90mm Macro Lens - for when I really wanna get up in my kids' faces :)
Photoshop CS5 - who doesn't want this?
Sandwich Maker - I have wanted this for years and its only $20 ...lords know why i haven't just bought it myself.....but it makes some kick butt sandwiches!
A nice comfy pair of TOMS
Apple iMac Desktop - Santa, a laptop would be awesome too but I'm more of a desktop gal!
The KEURIG!!!!!! What I love this! For lazy people like me who dread making coffee....this is the best invention ever....pick your flavor and put it in the machine....2 seconds!
A nice vacation in sunny Puerto Rico - but this I WILL get no matter what :)
Number 8 is self explanatory :::hint hint Santa!:::

Link up your Lists @ From Mrs. to Mama

Christian Ladies.....I need advice.

2011-12-05T15:47:00.002-05:00

What to do? What to do? Right now I'm super torn. I recently started attending a Baptist church which I fell in love with instantly. The message was awesome the people were amazingly friendly too! My children also fell in love with the nursery and Sunday School. There was only one problem. I noticed I was the ONLY one in pants .....aside from a few 12 and 13 year olds.

So I spoke to the pastor and the Sunday School teacher's wife and both advised me that the best thing I could do is keep reading the bible and not to try to "fit in" if you will. They also told me for now, not to worry about conforming or trying to be like others. What got me is that they told me eventually GOD will speak to my heart on the matter ......insenuating that eventually I would be led to change my dress from pants to skirts or dresses.

So here is my problem. I know whats in my heart and so does GOD and I know myself and no matter what....pants are not something I could ever......I mean EVER ....give up. So should I even keep going to this church because I know eventually I will be expected to change, or should I find a new church? I was able to find a more liberal or contemporary baptist church not to far from home and I spoke to the pastor there as well. He advised me there is no dress code as they welcome people from all walk of life.

Some would advise me that in the bible specifically there are statements advising against pants...such as this one:

“The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” - Deuteronomy 22:5

I feel like at the time when the bible was written dress was alot different between men and women. Nowadays women wear pants and I think they look gorgeous! There is nothing manly about them. I think if you are "cross-dressing" then that’s a whole other story though.

So in my case would you change churches if the dress code was the only problem?

A week late but ....

2011-12-02T13:41:00.001-05:00

While the world was out shopping we spent our Black Friday at.....

Much to my dismay they didn't have any Salted Caramel cupcakes but they had everything else so i got a Pistacharetto Cupcake and Sofia got the Classic Vanilla :)

Her face says it all :)

This is the only pic I got of Antonio before his face was covered in frosting

Then we went up to check out the gorgeous view at the Sept. 11th Memorial at Eagle Rock looking at NYC!

Checking out the wall of names of the victims of 9/11...so sad!

And check out these pretty flower pics taken by my baby girl! She was so funny because i kept telling her to turn the wheel to focus but she kept replying..."I can't get it so I will just back up till it's clear...that's easier mommy!"

And one last one of my guy being silly as always!

Quick Update on Antonio

2011-12-02T12:33:00.000-05:00

Ok now I'm a little freaked out. As you know last night was Antonio's appointment for the lumps we found on his neck and the doctor found 4 total. He said they could be swollen lymph nodes from him being recently sick, and if they are then they should go away within 3 weeks to a month.

However, he was a little concerned about the one behind his ear. He said that one really may be a cyst and not the lymph nodes so if it doesn't go away in a month he wants to see him back again. If it turns out to be a cyst they wont take it out just yet because he is too young. For now he wants me to feel it a few times a day and make sure it stays soft and painless. If I notice it getting hard or that it bothers him when I touch it I need to bring him in right away. The reason being that he mentioned....LYMPHOMA.....as in CANCER!

Now I'm freaking out and my mind is thinking worst case scenarios! Thanks doc for opening your big mouth! I really hope and pray my little angel doesn't develop something like that. I can't even imagine how parent's deal with that. I mean, I guess you don't have a choice but to deal when faced with such a horrible disease but still.

Anywho.....please keep my baby in your prayers and hopefully I will have updates in a few weeks on all of this :)

One thing after another :-(

2011-12-01T12:06:00.000-05:00

So 2 nights ago I noticed Antonio has a cyst the size of a quarter that appeared on the back of his neck out of nowhere. I called the pediatrician and we have an appointment this afternoon. But now last night another quarter size cyst appeared behind his ear.

The pediatrician said it could be swollen lymph nodes but he wants to see him just to be sure. I'm a little freaked out because I know pretty soon he has to go get is circumcision fixed anyway (whole other issue), but I don't even wanna think about him having to get these things removed now too. He just got 4 shots 2 weeks ago too! The poor kid is gonna be traumatized from all the poking at him!

Please pray for us that it's nothing serious :-(

CYBER MONDAY SALE! 10% OFF EVERYTHING!

2011-11-28T14:18:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone !!!!!!!!!! Today in honor of cyber Monday everything in the store is 10% off!

Check it out:

Fifi's Closet on ETSY

Westboro Baptist Church = EVIL

2011-11-28T09:14:00.001-05:00

So originally I was gonna post a Thanksgiving recap .....but Thursday night this story aired on 20/20 and I was so absolutely disgusted and wanted to share this. The story was about Westboro Baptist Church out of Topeka, Kansas. The first clips shown were of a 3 or 4 year old little girl and her brother singing songs of hatred and that "God Hates America, which is a nation of sin."

My daughter asked, "Mommy, don't we go to a Baptist Church?" and "Will I learn songs like that?" I told her, "Yes we go to a Baptist church and you will NEVER EVER be taught to hate people and sing songs like that." How can you preach, as Christians, to HATE? It seems this church is a complete hypocrisy and I want to assure you that true Christians do not behave like this.

One of the Sunday School teachers recently mentioned that Satan is known as the author of confusion. He loves to create confusion in your everyday life and will try to twist your beliefs around as much as he can. It's evidently clear that this church has allowed Satan to create confusion and chaos in their congregation. NOWHERE in any bible have I ever heard God command, "Thou shalt Hate." He is a God with nothing but LOVE and FORGIVENESS for those that accept him.

One of the worst things that I saw was these people picketing at the funeral of a fallen soldier! They said that he deserved to die for defending a nation of sinners a.k.a. the USA. They were carrying signs that read "Thank GOD for 9/11"

The USA is a country that founded on Christian principles and those that planned the 9/11 attacks believed that Christians were the true "INFIDELS". The last I knew ....soldiers have been giving their lives defending the Christians of this country against those that would attack them. Yes this country has sin like any other but this country also has real faithful Christians that believe in GOD. While I may not support war entirely I give support the young men and women who are defending this country. They are protecting the lives of all American Christians! So if anyone from the Westboro Baptist Church happens to come upon this message I ask you to take a look at the:

Book of Matthew.....Chapter 7:

1: Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again

Christian Humor from a 4 yr Old.

2011-11-23T09:33:00.000-05:00

Before Thanksgiving is here I just wanted to share with you some of the humourous blurbs heard via my 4 year old.....

1. Conversations with the Lord

"Umm excuse me, God? ....I know You're probably REALLY busy but....OK OK I'll make it quick. Can I just tell you ....Look at me! I have lipgloss on!"

2. Conversations with Abuela

"Abuela, Do you know I went to Sunday School today? You know that if you do bad things in life you will go to HELL ....where's there's fire...........and you burn?"

3. Conversations with Mom

[Conversation #1]

Sofia: "Mommy will I die someday?"
Me: "Yes, Baby we all die someday.......sometimes young, sometimes old. But if you love the Lord, when he's ready for you, he will come to take you to Heaven."
Sofia: "Will he come on a motorcycle? Because that would be awesome!"

[Conversation #2]

Sofia: "Am I a sinner Mommy?"
Me: "Yes, we all sin throughout our life. But how do you think God feels when we do sins?"
Sofia: "Wellllllllllllllllllll....ummm.....I think he will get sad. Then he will drop rain on us for 40 days and 40 nights!"

[Conversation #3]

Sofia: "Mommy, how do babies get out of your belly?"
Me: "Well they grow until they are too big and then the doctor helps to get them out of your belly."
Sofia: "Does it hurt?"
Me: "Yes sometimes it hurts, but the doctor will make you feel better."
Sofia: "Yeah because thats your punishment for eating that apple!"

4. Songs

Verse 1 : "My Lord Jesus Christ, I love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."
Verse 2 : "My Lord Jesus Christ, I don't think my little brother does.....because hes a brat." [Insert> Me yelling thats not the song you learned!]
Verse 3 : "My Lord Jesus Christ, Can you please tell Santa to bring me a Nintendo DS for Christmas!"

Hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Remember to give thanks to the Lord for all that he has provided in 2011!

First Day of Sunday School

2011-11-22T08:42:00.000-05:00

Sunday we decided to try out a brand new church and start the kids going to Sunday school as well........but as with many mornings we went from this sweet angel .......

......To this crying mess within 5 seconds. I know, I know......Shame on me for taking pics while he was going ballistic, but even crying he was still adorable! And this was all because he didn't wanna give up those keys in his hand so I could go start the car!

Lucky for me once we got there he was fine. I didn't get to snap any pics while we were there but both kids did great in their Sunday School classes. Sofia walked right into the "Little Angels" class without fear and without even looking back or saying goodbye to me :::tear::: Antonio was a bit clingy at first but i put him down and let him walk in when he was ready and then he was fine.

While the kids were in their Sunday School class I went to the adults Sunday School class and then onto the sunday service. This was my 2nd time going to a baptist church which is a bit different than the pentecostal church we were used to going to. Let me just say I absolutely L.O.V.E.D. it! From the moment we walked in people were right their introducing themselves and welcoming us to their church. It was AMAZING and I can't wait to go back this Sunday. I really loved this church because they have many different ministries for men, women, & children so I'm hoping to get more involved in time with some of the different groups.

Once it was time to leave we had a few more tears because Sofia was being a bit of a sore loser since she didn't win the game they were playing and she then manipulated me into getting her ice cream :) But other than that it was more than I had hoped for.

Do any of you have any experiences with baptist vs. pentecostal or other church types ????

Holiday Outfit Score!

2011-11-10T13:48:00.000-05:00

Maybe I'm a little early on this but I'm so excited about Sofia's holiday dress this year! Remember the red rose dress from last year that I posted about HERE? Well I found a dress just as perfect and almost the same in Baby Gap! It was backordered from the first day it came out online but I couldn't justify $60 at the time.

How cute is this!?!?!?!

Lucky for me the store had only 1 and in my daughter's size too .....but the best part....I had a 40% off coupon so I got it for $36.00....WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!! Now I just have to find Antonio's outfit. We go to Picture People on December 3rd so hopefully we'll get some great holiday shots!

Complete Skin Care Site and Contest!

2011-10-26T13:37:00.004-04:00

Happy Wednesday Ladies! Today I wanted to share this awesome new skincare website with you called CompleteSkinCare.........and what girl doesn't love skin care products?!?!?!?! Especially when they are up to 30% off retail price every day!!!!!!!!!!

I was recently contacted about this site and I'm super excited to share it with you! We all know skin care products can get pretty expensive......and seriously who has hundreds of dollars to shell out every month on this stuff? if you have ever wanted to try beauty products that you think may be a bit too much for your budget I urger you to check out their site. They have makeup, hair products, skin care and even men's products! In addition, their site was amazingly easy to navigate!

One product I was amazed to find was the Go Smile Teeth Whitening System. I've always wanted to try and and this is the same teeth whitening celebs use which retails in Sephora for $89.00......

Go Smile Whitening System Limited Edition

It's only $59.30 on Complete Skin Care!

That's 33% off the retail price!

I was really suprised to see all of the different brands they carry including BareMinerals, Obagi, Philosophy & Kerastase...just to name a few! With the holiday season fast approaching, I think this site is a must if you are shopping for your mom, sister, daughter.....even your hubby! Better yet....indulge in your self before the holidays come :)

For a limited time enjoy free shipping with your order by entering FREESHIP at checkout! You can also check out their FB page HERE and fill out your info for a chance to win some great goodies!

End of Summer Updates + Photo OVERLOAD + Exciting News!

2011-09-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

I keep saying over and over how I'm gonna post updates so here it is.

Summer was complete insanity this year. We moved to a new place which unfortunately needs a TON of work! Luckily we are only there for a year. We also had tons of family visiting from Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Alabama.....so needless to say time for blogging has been pretty much non-existent!

Daddy and babies in Central Park with their cousin Lyannis on the left (she was visiting from P. Rico)

We made 2 trips to my grandmothers new house in Harrisburg, PA which the kids abosolutely LOVED since they has so much space to run around and play. These are a few pics of them out on her deck. Antonio devoured EVERY.SINGLE.TOMATO she had growing outside!

A mouthfull of tomatoes!

No more pics mom!

Hanging out at the pool !

In addition, Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on NJ which forced us to evacuate for a couple of days. September has also been B-A-N-A-N-A-S for us. Sofia was in the hospital this month with an intestinal infection and a possible food allergy as well...(More on that in a later post.)

Sorry for the quality on this one but it was from my phone :(

A few days after her hospital stay my princess turned 4 years old. WOW!

Due to all that's been going on we didn't do a party but she gots lots of clothes and gifts, a trip to Chuck E. Cheese...which ended in tears as usual...LOL, and a ride on a horse trail.....also ending in tears! But I think she has a new found love for horses just like her mama did at that age :)

Now on to our big news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Me and Daddy have been talking it over .....ALOT. ....And we have decided within a year or two we are going to try to relocate to ATLANTA!!!! Words cannot even express my excitement about this. While I love NYC and all, I grew up the first half of my life down south and long to be back there. Its a much better opportunity for our family and a better environment to raise our children in. I am waiting for a specific position to open up there within my job and God-willing if I get the job we will be moving. I'm so over the cold weather and paying and arm and a leg to live in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment! Plus Alberto's brother is there so we have some family there as well.

Anyways that's pretty much it. For now we will be enjoying our last (hopefully) winter and fall up north. Now that summer is over I should be back to a regular blogging routine! Also if you have time don't forget to stop by my ETSY store and check out some of my new fall stuff :)!!!!!

A Message within a Message?

2011-09-30T08:36:00.001-04:00

Once again I will start off by saying that I'm sorry for my absence lately ....life can sometimes get the best of all of us and mine has been extremely busy lately .......Hopefully when I have time I will provide some updates. However this morning I wanted to share something with everyone.

Recently I have been pretty disgusted with all of the music on the radio and TV. I mean let's face it....we all know hip hop is the best music to dance to, but since when does every single song have to be about sex and vulgarity? So we have been listening to Star 99.1 which is an amazing Christian radio station that plays some very powerful uplifting music. Here are just a couple of my favorite songs they play....

After listening to them every day it really made me think of what I can do to change my life and the lives of my children. Meaning becoming more involved in church, and living by HIS example.

So this morning I get to work and I got a random text message that reads:

"Happy Friday and a Blessed day to you my friend. Becasue HE himself suffered when HE was tempted, HE is able to help those who are being tempted" Hebrews 2:18

Naturally since I work at a wireless company I looked up the number and I have no clue who this person is and I don't recognize the name. But even if they texted the wrong person by accident.....what a wonderful message to receive on a Friday morning! Could there be a deeper message there from above?

Have any of you ever received some type of "sign" or "message"?

Matchy Halloween Ideas Anyone?

2011-09-22T14:59:00.003-04:00

So lately I've seen a few blog posts already about Halloween Costume ideas and now I'm getting all these ideas going in. Originally Sofia had her little heart set on Belle (from Beauty and the Beast)for the longest time. Naturally I thought the cutest things would be to dress Antonio as "the Beast". Unfortunately I have yet to find a Beast Costume thats a size 2T :( I only found one on ETSY but for a whopping $225.00 I can't justify it for one night. Plus when I mentioned the idea of him being the Beast....my smarty pants little 4 yr. old said, "He's not allowed to copy me mommy....make him Spiderman!" Little does she know mommy runs the show and I will make them match :::laughing my evil laugh:::

So these are the next contenders..................

1. Dorothy and the Lion - this would be even cuter if I had 4 kids so i could have all 4 :::eats 20 BC pills::: the Dorothy one is from GoodyGoodyTutus on ETSY.

2. Peter Pan and Tinkerbell - I actually love this one because the Peter Pan costume is not girly at all. I don't think Antonio's dad would be to fond of his son in tights. The Tinkerbell costume is from PetitPeanut on ETSY. There are tons of cute tinkerbell costumes but this one was my fav!

3. Dr. Seuss Thing 1 and Thing 2 - This one is different but I think super adorable and Sofia's my first baby and Antonio is my 2nd ....why not Thing 1 and Thing 2 !!!! And the best party is Sofi's is still a cutesy girly tutu....also from ETSY of course!

Does anyone else have any cute matchy ideas ????????

Giveaway!!!!

2011-09-22T11:34:00.002-04:00

Hey all.........sorry for such a long hiatus in blogging but my ETSY shop is booming .....probably thanks to many of you! So needless to say I've been super duper busy processing orders plus I've had so much going on with my family leaving ZERO blog time. If you want the opportunity to win some of my closet dividers check out the stylish and cute new mommy blog TOYS IN THE DRYER!!!!!!

We're Alive!

2011-08-15T13:11:00.000-04:00

In case you may be wondering....We ARE NOT DEAD! This has probably been he longest blog hiatus I've has since I started blogging but it's not been by choice. The past month and a half have just been exhausting! We've had non-stop visitor from out of town, in addition to birthdays going on and a huge move (more on that later)....and most of all my ETSY SHOP is BOOMING....SERIOUSLY! I definitely cannot complain at all about that! So most of my free time has been spent fulfilling orders :)

Anywho I must keep this short but I promise this week I will be posting lots of pics from everthing going on the past month and please please please ....check out my ETSY SHOP.....Im still doing 10% off right now !!!!!

Father's Day in the Park!

2011-06-22T14:03:00.000-04:00

For anyone who has has kept up with my blog you definitely now we are Central Park and NYC lovers. NYC is our go-to place on weekends! Father's Day Alberto's cousin and his son and fiance came in town so we spent the day in Central Park with them. We got our usual gyros MMMMMMMMMMMMM! Then we just walked around! All in all a very relaxing day!

Smothering her baby brother with kisses as always!

Always with the crazy faces when I try tio get pics :(

Me n my girl

Love her !

Cooling OFF

Hangin with Daddy :)

At Belvedere Castle

Watching the boats.

Hope you all enjoyed your weekends as well! Stay tuned I have a review coming up for those of you ladies who love to have that summer glow year round!

Father's Day is bittersweet for us :(

2011-06-18T21:07:00.003-04:00

Father's Day is always one of those bittersweet days for our family. Both mine and Alberto's fathers passed away within the last few years and father's day just reminds us they are gone :( No cards to send them. No father's day outings. No more phone calls. Nothing. Losing a parent leaves a void that can never be filled.

The worst part is that my children will never have either one of their biological grandpa's to build memories with. The other day I was leaving the mall and I saw the cutest old Greek man holding his granddaughters hand...trying to teach her Greek words and I just thought to myself, "How can it be that my babies will never have that?" When my kids have all their little milestones I always say. "Dad...I hope your up there watching because I can't believe your missing this."

So now that I've made all of you depressed .......Check out how much my son looks like his Grandpa Dave! This first one is my dad in kindergarten and the 2nd is my son (alot younger) at 1 1/2. Everyone is always saying how much they look alike. I just wish he could've lived to see them grow up but it makes me happy when I see my dad in my son :)

I can only hope he grows up to be as handsome and smart and funny as this guy was!

Happy early Father's Day Daddy! We Miss you! This song is for you!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Just a few more pics of my prince .........................

Baby Hercules carrying my rice box around the house!

Tommorrow is Father's Day so I hope you all make it count and hug your Dad's! Let them know how much you love them. Even a phone call to say "I love you"! Happy early Father's Day everyone!

Oh yeah.....Please Please Please vote for us too!

Help me photograph my toddler!

2011-06-10T21:01:00.001-04:00

So can someone please give me some hints to photograph a hyper 3 yr old? I'm trying to get shots of my daughter for her birthday party invitations and she is just not cooperating. The theme is "Mermaids/Under-The-Sea" and I got her the cutest petti romper and made her 2 matching headbands but shes more concerned with running all over and I'm really trying to get a classic elegant photo :( HELP ME ....any tips are welcome! We are going to try again tommorrow but this is all I got today :( Maybe to better go with the theme we should hit the beach instead ?????

Scared of a bug :)

Not to brag but my kid is gorgeous and I feel like I cannot capture he beauty at all on camera.....

WORLD'S WORST PHOTOGRAPHER = ME!

Look who eats with a spoon!

2011-06-09T09:14:00.000-04:00

Well at least he tries to. This is not always a good thing because he gets more food on him than in his mouth but yet refuses to let me feed him now. I can't believe next week he will be 17 months? OMG.....that's a month away from 1 1/2 .........ugh oh.......baby fever could be setting in very soon! :::kicking self for even thinking that:::

He usually ends up using his hands too.....but Hey ....it's a start!

I refuse to acknowledge that my baby is turning into a "big boy". :::tearing up:::

Oh yeah.....Please Please Please vote for us too!

MarbleSpark Personalized Book - [Giveaway Winner]

2011-06-08T10:02:00.000-04:00

So I decided to keep this giveaway open a bit longer and we finally have a winner........

Heidy G!!!!

Heidy G said... 1: OMG ERICA, I just love your blog and all of your contests! I never get the chance to enter any of them but when I saw this I absolutely fell in love. I love this idea. Alani, my 4 year old daughter, loves to read and she would this book. Brilliant idea!; May 24, 2011 2:20 PM

3 Day Weekend Recap :)

2011-06-01T18:55:00.000-04:00

Hey all!!!!!!!! I hope you hade a lovely memorial day !!!!!!!!! We sure did and this is probably gonna be one of the longest posts...EVER! Well.....more so the most photos EVER in one post. Hey what can I say...I like to take pics! Anywho this weekend was freakin awesome! We've lived here for years and still LOVE LOVE LOVE going into NYC! This weekend was the first time taking my little guy and gal there via the subway and they loved it.

Antonio a bit nervous listening to the subway trains while we waited :)

I think she was a bit nervous at first too

Daddy was puttin in work ...hehehehehe!

If you ever visit NYC ...skip the hot dog and get a gyros...NYC gyros are the best! and this cart was right outside the World Trade Center stop.

Of course I made Daddy get me a gyro.....

........and this baby was gone in about 1.5 seconds.

After what seemed like forever we finally got to Central Park :)

Me and my baby doll :)

Chasing pigeons :)

Our little family

Enjoying her first snow cone

Check out the new construction on the freedom towers....bittersweet.

Daddy spent the rest of the weekend tinkering with his bike and then swimming in the pool with Fifi

Oh-so serious!

I told her give me a model pose.....this is what I got...LOL

Don't forget to check out my ETSY shop.....I'm still offering 10% off if you enter SPRING11 at checkout!

Oh yeah.....Please Please Please vote for us too!

Sunshine ..FINALLY!

2011-05-27T13:17:00.001-04:00

Anyone who lives in or around the Tri-State are knows we have had one hell of a winter. Generally it gets very cold but not too much know but this year quickly became known as "SNOW-POCALYPSE"! On top of all the snow, the cold seemed to linger up until this week! Can you believe that .....freezing cold and rain...in MAY?!?!?!

Well this week we finally got some 80 degree weather and sunshine! :::pinches self to see if this is a dream::: So.........You know I had to get my babies outside. It was also my little guy's first time in flip flops.....but definitely a not-so-great idea since he was falling all over the place.

Sorry this ones a bit out of focus

Oh and beware when trying to teach your 3 yr old good sportsmanship for the first time......

Exhibit A - Happy-Go-Lucky kid

Exhibit B - Bat in hand ready for Mommy to throw the ball......... (she missed the ball)

What I failed to photograph was my sweet baby angel then throwing the bat like a maniac and stomping away .........tears ensued, followed by the words, "I will never hit the ball....I dont like baseball!" And my words of, "Try again" meant nothing to her

Exhibit C - Can't you just feel the despair

The funniest thing was that all I had to do is say, "Look Sofia a baby squirrel!" and she forgot all about the baseball incident and ran off to look for the squirrel! Gotta love 3-yr olds!

Wordless Wednesday - Park Fun

2011-05-25T09:47:00.000-04:00

Daddy trying to fit!

Oh yeah.....Please Please Please vote for us too!

MarbleSpark Personalized Book - [Review and Giveaway]

2011-05-24T13:55:00.002-04:00

I've been a bit behind on posting my giveaways lately but I have one that is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G for you today! Recently I was contacted by Marblespark to review one of their lovely personalized children's books and let me tell you the quality was wonderful and my daughter was blown away! Also I would like to add this is not an E-book! It's an actual hard copy book that your child will love for years to come!

You will also have the opportunity to win one of their personalized children's books for your little one as well. But, before I get into that....let me first tell you about the book we received. We were lucky enough to review their latest book "Following Featherbottom."

The personalized book we received follows a stork named Felix Featherbottom all over the world on your child's birthday and tells them the story of how their name was chosen and all the countries that the letters of their name came from. You can do first and last name or first middle and last name but we chose just first and last name since my daughter's last name is quite long! The book also features your child's birthday and their nickname too! I've never seen a book personalized to this extent. The order form is so simple and you even get to preview the entire book before submitting it just to make sure its perfect! This book has quickly became one of Sofia's favorites and is now our "go-to" bedtime book each night! Here are just a few of hers and my favorite features from her book

From the beginning you get to put a personal message to your child!

Sofia loves the part that they call her a "beautiful girl" and that she has a "beautiful name"

....and she cracks up hysterically at this part that says "put ants in his pants"! You can also see at the bottom as you read along in each page it builds your name at the bottom and each page also features tons of pics of things beginning with that specific letter!

You even get to feature your child's nickname which gives an extra personal touch!

At the end of the book they get to sign their name on the line........

......and go back to each country the book visited and find their letters in their name!

From this one book alone your child will be learning geography, spelling, rhymes, but most of all they will feel so special and loved to have a personalized book written especially for them! This personalized children's book comes in a high quality hardcover and has a $32.95 value but you have the chance to win one personalized book with the name and birthdate of your choice!

Heres how to enter and win your very own copy of Following Featherbottom:

Visit the MarbleSpark WebSite and check out the personalized children's books ....Leave a comment on what your favorite thing about their books is (1 entry)
Become a follower of One, Two, Buckle My shoe and comment that you are a new follower or that you are already following (1 entry)
Follow the MarbleSpark Blog and comment that you did (1 entry)
"Like" MarbleSpark on Facebook and comment (1 entry)
Mention this giveaway on your facebook, twitter, or blog and leave a comment with a link to your post (1 entry for each place mentioned) **Make sure you leave a separate comment for each place mentioned

**Note** This giveaway will close on 5.31.11 and the winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. You also must be 18 to enter!

Oh yeah.....Don't forget to vote for us too!....not as a contest entry ...but just because you love us :)

Did anyone miss me...at all?

2011-05-17T11:02:00.002-04:00

In case any of you who actually read my blog were wondering.....No I'm not dead and I haven't blogging. I've just taken a bit of a much needed hiatus... if you will. My little bloggy break was due partly to the fact that I caught 2 viruses and a bacterial infection which has made me feel like absolute HELL! Luckily I'm getting over that now.

I also feel like I have nooooooooo inspiration at all to blog. Lately, every time I do try to blog, I go from having 50 blog post ideas in my head down to 0 within minutes. Also, Alberto and I have been going through some pretty serious issues in our household and I feel like somethings I do need to keep private. Rather that blogging about my misery I would rather not say anything at all in this case. But don't worry... I hope things will be back to normal soon. I also have 3 or 4 review/giveaways that I've been working on and never seem to find the time to finish and post them (which I promise I will.......hopefully).

In other news I started adding a few new projects to my Fifi's Closet ETSY Shop including those cute little onesie stickers as well as closet dividers.....What do you think? You can click each picture and it will take you directly to the link for the listing on my shop!

Don't forget to vote for us too!.... just because you love us :)

Week Recap

2011-04-29T20:03:00.000-04:00

I had lots of posts planned for this week but I had such a busy week that I really didn't have time to post anything until now! This week flew by because one of my very best friends from PA came to visit for a day to go sightseeing in NYC with me. I had such a blast with her and was truly sad when she left...but hopefully she will be visiting again !!!!!!!!!!! Here are just a few pics of us enjoying the craziness that is NYC.....don't mind my mess of hair .........anyone with curly hair knows humidity wreaks havoc on us.

Miss Brittney loving the city life

Some pics are out of focus...lol....B wasn't used to working the DSLR

Add caption

Check this guy out...he's always in Times Square!........ What a freak! I guess it takes all types to make the world go round!

I think B was a little scared of him ....hahah

Note to self: Don't buy beer in Times Square.........I knew they were expensive but sheesh, you also dont get alot for your $$$.....Where I was raised, shots are bigger than this! But thats NYC for ya!

I finished up the week with tons work at my job and now its finally Friday .......and I'm relaxing with my bebes watching Rapunzel and having pizza and soda/juice

.....which makes for happy babies

Hope you all enjoy the weekend ahead!!!!!!!!!!!! I know I will.....haircuts and playgrounds tommorrow then my friends little boy is having his 3rd birthday party on Sunday so we shall be super busy! So excited!

More tubby time fun!

2011-04-23T14:31:00.000-04:00

Don't get me wrong ...I love photographing my daughter but right now shes more interested in running from the camera or trying to take it out of my hands so I usually have to beg her to take a pic....which usually ends up looking overly "posed" :-( My son on the other hand is always happy to smile for me. So for now I'm taking advantage of that because I'm sure before long he won't want mama snapping away in his face all day!

Last night he was having a bit too much fun in the tub .....as usual!

That gap-tooth smile just melts me every time!

Another boo-boo this week :-( !

His new thing is screaming at the top of his lungs ....so funny!

mmmmmmm......plastic!

Plastic is not very tasty mom :(

Awwww....big sister brought him her fishies to play with :)

I was planning to finally post their Easter photo shoot from a few weeks ago tommorrow .....but I don't foresee me getting those pics uploaded anytime soon so hopefully next week. And in case I don't post at all .....I hope you all have a wonderful Easter with your families and that we all remember the real reason we are celebrating the holiday! God Bless!

Don't forget to vote for us too!.... just because you love us :)

Passion for Fashion .....BABY STYLE!

2011-04-21T10:09:00.002-04:00

Fall/Winter 2010 baby fashion didn't really impress me too much but I'm over the moon with all the cute styles out for Spring/Summer 2011!!! With all my couponing savings I'm excited to pick up some new things for my bebes!!!!!!!! Here are a few of my favorites I've found lately.....

I absolutely LUUUURRRRRVVVVEEEE me some gold and white in the summer and these are just adorable from TARGET! I just found them this morning and I'm already obsessed. The gold fishy and coral and turquoise give them a sort-of "greek-esque" look to them!

BABY GAP also just listed online their new seaside collection in such gorgeous purples and blues ....

and for the boys..........

JANIE AND JACK is a bit pricier but has great quality and gorgeous collections...won't those coral bubble shorts go so cute with those fishy sandals from Target!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last but not least one of my favorite places for the kiddies as well as myself....H&M!!!!!! Their website just changed so now you can see all the styles unlike before and I think they will be offering online shopping very soon (which could be my demise)! I truly feel for you if you don't have one in your area because they have the cutest styles with prices that won't break your bank account!

This is one of my faves from H&M. It comes in 3 colors and is only $4.95!!!!

I'm also loving this summery dress that comes in blue pink and white!

Don't forget to vote for us too!.... just because you love us :)

Extreme Couponing Obsession?

2011-04-19T11:16:00.000-04:00

By now you've probably all heard of this Extreme Couponing show on TLC and maybe some watch and some don't, but I've quickly become an overnight couponing maniac after watching that show and learning some tips.

Many time over the past 3 years after becoming a mom I've gotten a little frustrated because I feel like I miss out on many things I could be enjoying with my family due to $$$ costs. Take last week for example. We went to Picture People for the first time and I spent around $100 on Easter/Spring Photos of the kids. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to do that but cancelled our appointments because I couldn't justify spending that money. Even this time I almost immediately started feeling guilty. However, I also was thinking ...I don't want to spend my life worrying about money ALL...THE...TIME! I work a 40 hour per week job and should be able to spend some of that on my family doing fun stuff. We don't spend alot of $$ to begin with so there is not alot of room for "cutting back" and now that I am paying full price daycare without assistance I thought couponing could be a good way to go to save some money. If can feed my family and keep our house stocked with food for a very low price or even for free in some cases ....then I am a happy mommy!

After watching the show Extreme Couponing....I decided to give it a go and I bought 4 Sunday Papers and went online for lots and lots of coupons. Here are just some of my recent deals.....

- Grocery Bill - on Sunday was $80 down to $20!!!! Really it was $10 but Sofia picked out $10 more in snacks that I didnt have coupons for

- Goya.com - you can print coupons for beans which we eat alot of $.60 off 2 beans. Beans are $.69 each normally and you buy 2 which makes them $1.38. The $0.60 coupon doubles to $1.20 making it $.18 for 2 cans of beans. So of course I used lots of that coupon!

- L'Oreal - The sunday Paper had tons of $2 off L'Oreal coupons in each paper and I had 4 papers!. ShopRite has all of the kids L'Oreal shampoos and conditioners on sale for $2.19........that means I paid $.19 for each shampoo! SCORE!

Those are just a few of the many deals I got this week .....I got so many my head was spinning and in just w week my cabinets are already stocked full!!!!!!!!!!!! Alberto was laughing at me at first but ater he saw how much I got for free he was sold! I don't think I will ever shop without coupons again!

NO CLUE where she heard that!

2011-04-15T16:22:00.000-04:00

Well that was my reaction when I got yesterday's report of my lovely little princesses day. Picture this conversation and me with a mortified look on my face!

Teacher: "So ummmmmmm....Sofia had a bit of a grouchy day."

Me: "Uh-oh what happened?"

Teacher: "Well she started off the day by hitting one of the other kids as soon as she got here.....and then pushing her baby brother for no reason at all."

Me: "OK I will speak to her about it."

Teacher: "But wait that's not the worst of it. She actually then told someone to SHUT THE F&%K UP!"

Me: "WHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT?!?!?!? Well I ugh......"

To be quite honest with you, I do curse.....ok quite alot! But in all fairness I really censor my vocabulary in front of my daughter. The worst is I may drop a few "shits" or "damn-it's" around her .....but I almost never drop F-bombs around her. Mainly because she will chastise me to no end and say "Mommy...you said a bad word. Your in trouble" and she will go on and on about it! She knows the bad words ...ALL-OF-THEM! and that she is never to use them! So what the heck could've prompted my sweet baby angel to turn into a little sailor-mouthed monster???? The craziest part is when I questioned her about it this is our conversation (remember she is only 3 1/2 not 16....supposedly!)

Me: "Sofia I heard you had a bit of a rough days today and you were in Time-Out?"

Sofia: (rolling her eyes) "huh"

Me: "I heard you were in Time-Out today....why?"

Sofia: "Well Nasim hit me first so then ...."

Me: "Stop right there. I know you said a bad word at school and you know that is unacceptable! Why would you say words like that and you know better?"

Sofia: "Because F is my letter! S-O-F-I-A.......you see mommy I have an F in my name so F means thats MY letter!

Me: (sigh) "Don't say that word ever again! It's a very bad word and you don't say it!"

Sofia: "I can't wait to be a grown-up so I can say bad words like you and Daddy!"

Ahhhhhh................the age of innocence....or lack thereof! I have a feeling that 3 1/2 year old is gonna give me a run for my money and many headaches of the course of her lifetime! Now's wheres my Excedrin Migraine?!?!?!

Do YOU read my Blog?

2011-04-14T13:21:00.000-04:00

I've always been a bit curious as to who actually really reads or keeps up with my blog. I mean I do have a good amount of followers but in all actuality I think many people just follow to gain a follower in return. I've joined blog hops and such in the past a hosted giveaways too but I don't want my blog to be all about that. I have followed others' blog in the past that I have seen on the blog hops but mainly because I enjoy the content and LOVE their blogs.......sorry if it seems shallow but I don't just follow for the sake of following. I love writing about my life and my kids and photography or whatever else peaks my interests at the moment. I would like to think I'm an "OK" writer and maybe have made a few of you laugh at some point or another .....but I would really LOVE to know if you actually enjoy the content of my blog.......If you do it would be great if you drop a line or two and let me know ...K- thanks!

Lovable Labels - [Giveaway Winner]

2011-04-14T13:11:00.000-04:00

Alas......... the I have a winner for the Lovable Labels Camp Pack!!! The winner is.............

Chelsey from Sowing Dandelion Seeds !!!

Chelsey said... 28: http://twitter.com/SowDandelions/status/56043011016105984 mybabyappleseed(at)yahoo(dot)ca; April 7, 2011 1:18 PM

Oh yeah.....Don't forget to vote for us too!.... just because you love us :)

Easter Cards :)

2011-04-12T15:24:00.000-04:00

So this year I decided to do Sofia and Antonio's Easter Cards myself and I desgined them in Paint.net. I would love to have Photoshop but for now this will have to do. I designed one in English and one in Spanish since some we have a huge Latin family :) What do you guys think? BTW....the pic is just one of many I'm going to post from our photo session at Picture People last Saturday. I can't wait to post them and I have exciting news about their photos too :::squeeling from excitement:::.....but you will have to wait for that!

Wordless Wednesday - Big City Dreamin'

2011-04-06T09:19:00.005-04:00

Guess what?!?!? We are a featured blog on:

Thank you Cindy! make sure you check out that blog hop and visit a few of the awesome blogs there!

Now on to Wordless Wednesday...

Sofia loves the city life ......imagine all those little dreams in her head :)

Don't forget to vote for us too!.... just because you love us :)

Loveable Labels - [Review and Giveaway]

2011-04-05T09:40:00.001-04:00

This Giveaway is now closed ....winner will be announced soon!

So I was going to start out the week with our weekend recap but I was so anxious to post this giveaway that I decided to do it first and I think you're really going to love it just as much as we did!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Lovable Labels to host a product review and giveaway. With the school year coming to a close in a few months and summer camps and activities fast approaching, Lovable Labels can help you keep your children's things organized and safe from being lost. All of their labels are waterproof and have a super strong adhesive so they adhere for long lasting wear and tear!

We received one of the Ultimate Camp Packs for review and one lucky reader will also receive a camp pack in the theme of their choice customized with their little ones name.....150 labels total....A $44.95 value that includes:

•15 Regular Sticker Labels
•40 Slimline Sticker Labels
•72 Press n'Stick Clothing DOTS
•12 Shoe Labels
•2 Mini-Metal Tags (two 4” silver ball chains incld)
•12 Square Labels

I can honestly say 100% that they are definitely waterproof .......All of the cups and containers we labeled have since been through the dishwasher numerous time and have no signs of peeling or any damage to the label. However they are super strong as far as the adhesive is concerned so be careful when your little one is "labeling". Sofia decided to label a few of my things and they are very hard to peel off ....in a good way though :) In addition, all of their labels are sunscreen and temperature proof as well as safe for the washer and dryer which is wonderful for the clothing stickers!!!

Little fingers anxious to "label" all of her stuff

All of the labels came in this perfectly organized tabbed booklet

She loved putting the little labels on all her cups and dishes....

Even her portable DVD player just had to get one!

All in all we loved the cuteness and durability that Lovable Labels provides and can be sure no one will take Sofia's stuff home by accident from daycare! We will be ordering another camp pack very soon so that we can label all of baby brother Antonio's stuff!!!!

Here's How to enter to win one of the Camp Packs:

Visit Lovable Labels Website and check out the Camp Packs ....Leave a comment on what your favorite theme is (1 entry)
Become a follower of One, Two, Buckle My shoe and comment that you are a new follower or that you are already following (1 entry)
"Like" Lovable Labels on Facebook and comment that you did so (1 entry)
Follow Lovable Labels on Twitter and comment that you did (1 entry)
Follow Lovable Labels Blog and comment that you did (1 entry)
Mention this giveaway on your facebook, twitter, or blog and leave a comment with a link to your post (1 entry for each place mentioned) **Make sure you leave a separate comment for each place mentioned

**Note** This giveaway will close on 4/10/11 and the winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. You also must be 18 to enter! Giveaway is also open to US and Canada residents!

**Disclosure** The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Oh yeah.....Don't forget to vote for us too!....not as a contest entry ...but just because you love us :)

Easter Outfits !!!

2011-03-31T16:31:00.000-04:00

I'm very happy with the outfits I picked for the kiddies for Easter this yer and they also have an appt. on the 8th to get their pics taken at Picture People! This will be Sofia's first time as well as Antonio's in a picture studio (i know .....I waited way too long) so let's hope things go smoothly! This is what i found this year. I fell in love with Sofia's dress from Baby Gap ......

and yes I am one of those "matchy-matchy" moms when it comes to dressing my kids which is not always the easiest this to do when you have a boy and a girl. Especially when the girl is wearing pink. However ....I found the perfect polo in Old Navy for my son.....and it has a tiny bit of pink .......Just enough so that his father wasn't mad I put pink on him...HA! Paired with some khakis and dress shoes.....SO CUTE!

And besides taking pics in the studio I'm hoping to get some on Easter Day outside. I'm hoping since it's in late April this year we'll get some warm weather but winter's been lingering a bit here in the Northeast! Let's pray for sun!

Anxious to see what others' little ones will be wearing too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Midnight Lullaby CD - [Giveaway Winner]

2011-03-30T14:18:00.000-04:00

Houston....WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!!!!! The winner of the Midnight Lullaby CD Giveaway is...........

Lara N.

Lara N. said... 20: Liked Lady Lullaby on facebook lara at twiceblessedlife dot com; March 25, 2011 11:26 PM

Oh yeah.....Don't forget to vote for us too!.... just because you love us :)

Jersey Girl Blog Design

2011-03-28T14:51:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! I just started a new blog, Jersey Girl Blog Designs, to showcase my blog designs! I hope you like it! Check it out if you are interested in purchasing a blog design!

Sundaes on Sunday

2011-03-27T19:55:00.001-04:00

Sofia has been begging me lately for Ritas I thought I would take her to this new place, Cups. Too bad when we got there .....theres was literally 30 people waiting in line out the door. NO way was I gonna stand in that line with a 3 and a 1 year old so we hit up the supermarket for this instead :)

Sunday Morning Destruction!

2011-03-27T10:44:00.001-04:00

Am I the only one who's kids wake up on a rampage in the morning.....usually at about....hmmmm.....6 am! Why can't mommy wake up this happy at 6 am?

Notice all the junk on the floor? Yeah ....they take out every possible thing they can find and spread it all over the house......Ahhhhh the joys of toddlerhood!

Don't forget to vote for us today!

Skin MD - [New Giveaway Winner]

2011-03-24T13:55:00.000-04:00

Since I never heard back from the last winner chosen....the new winner is ....

Morela said... 8: Hi, new follower from MFM. Can't wait to read more of your posts. http://myviewfinder.blogspot.comhttp://addsomechaos.blogspot.com; March 7, 2011 11:27 PM

Oh yeah.....Don't forget to vote for us too!... :)

Blog Designs :)

2011-03-23T14:46:00.000-04:00

So I have so far done 3 blog designs in addition to my own.....check them out and follow them if you like :) Also I'm still taking blogs to work on so let me know if you may be interested in a custom design by email me at Fifis closet@gmail.com

This is my co-workers BLOG ...Miss Chevon....She sits right next to me at work :) and just started her blog .....check it out!

La Bella Vita

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

This one actually no longer has the layout on but I thought I would at least post the header ....Not sure why she changed it back.. Oh well its ok :)

3 Men and a Mommy

Don't forget to vote for us today!

My LOVE/HATE Relationship with NEW JERSEY.

2011-03-22T13:24:00.000-04:00

It's weekends like this when I remember my LOVE/HATE relationship with the Garden State.

1. I HATE THE COST OF CHILDCARE IN NJ! The cost of rent is also ATROCIOUS!
2. I despise our governor as well!
3. I DO LURRRRVVVVEEEEE me some New Jersey shopping though! The fact that I have 5 gazillion malls around me is pure AWESOMENESS......but very bad for my bank account!
4. I freaking love that we are about 10 degrees warmer than where I grew up in PA except for weekends like this when that BIA Mother Nature decides to give me a 78 degree day on a Friday when I dont even get out of work in time to really enjoy it. I did get a hour so sunshine in with kid #1 outside. Nothing beats bubbles and tricycles!

Ahhh I remeber when I was that carefree!....Gone are those days!

5. I also love that we have every and any kind of restaurant you can think of so on Sunday we did enjoy a nice family day and Daddy took us to the most yummy Colombian Restaurant ever called Noches de Colombia. They also have one really close to my house and they DELIVER! This could be very bad for my bank account!

6. We're also only about 10 minutes from NYC so after dinner we went to take a nice drive through Times Square which is one of the many reasons I love NJ.....Being so close to NYC is awesome and I love sharing that with my bebes!

Only in Times Square could a McDonald's look like this!

Taken from my sun roof .....while Daddy was driving of course!

And just because my one of my son's million nicknames is Bubba Gump ....I couldn't help it :)

However, now this week snow and freezing rain hit us as soon as we walked out the door! Once again I'm back to hating NJ! BLAH!

Don't forget to vote for us today!

Midnight Lullaby CD - [Review and Giveaway]

2011-03-21T11:28:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday Ladies! I have a lovely giveaway that you and your little ones will simply adore. I recently received the Midnight Lullaby CD to review and I will also be giving one away to one lucky reader as well!

Click Here to preview the CD

I'm so happy I was given the opportunity to review this lovely CD. It features a compilation of songs written by greats like Sade, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Wilco, Tom Waits, Donovan, Dixie Chicks, Hugh Prestwood, Josh Ritter and Jane.....and performed by the soothing voice of Ms. Jane Roman-Pitt. I started listening to the CD as I was cooking Saturday night and the lyrics in combination with her voice are absolutely breathtaking and beautiful....it almost brought me to tears! All i could think about was rocking my babies to sleep. They really accompany a mothers love for her child and will send your babies right off to dreamland....I know.....because I almost fell asleep too a few times listening to it! My 3 year old also loved it too ......She actually told me it was her new "Ballet Music"! Ha! You can purchase the CD via their website Midnight Lullaby or you can enter to win it. You can also check of the Midnight Lullaby BLOG to view others reviews of this beautiful selection of lullabies!

Heres how you can enter:
***This giveaway will end on 3/25 and the winner will be chosen using Random.ORG

1. Mention this giveaway or mention this CD Midnight Lullaby on your blog, facebook or twitter and comment that you did so on this post. You can receive a separate entry for each place you mention them but remember you must leave a separate comment for each too. Also leave a link to your post in your comment!

2. Visit their website Here and check out some of the songs and let me know which is your favorite by commenting this post.

3. "Like" Lady Lullaby on Facebook and comment that you are doing so (1 entry)

4. Follow my blog publicly and comment that you're following or if you are already a follower comment this post that you are. (1 entry)

5. Follow my other blog Fifi's Closet publicly and comment that you're following or if you are already a follower comment this post that you are. (1 entry)

Oh yeah.....Don't forget to vote for us too!....not as a contest entry ...but just because you love us :)

Attention ! Attention !

2011-03-19T19:41:00.000-04:00

I still haven't heard from the winner of the Skin MD Giveaway , Angela G. Angela if your reading this right now I have no way to contact you as your contact info isn't on your blog or your profile. Please email me at fifiscloset@gmail.com with 24 hours or I will have to choose another winner . Thank you :)

Boys will be Boys!

2011-03-18T20:36:00.002-04:00

Antonio is no exception to the rule either. Even as we sat waiting for the pediatrician yesterday he was in every cabinet tearing up everything...

Yeah that bad boy made a mess in that office that mommy had to pick up as always! But luckily or trip to the ped was a success and he finally gave him an antbiotic after 3 months of coughing and now coughing so hard he's vomiting and refusing to eat! Let's hope the meds get my guy back on track!

He was also such a good boy when hs doctor was checking him that I had to take him out to the park for a bit to enjoy the 70 degree weather! Although it didn't last too long because for some reason he kept gravitating to the muddy areas!

mmmm......grass is good!

Very good!

That's right ...I walk like a pro now!

Don't forget to vote for us too!

SkinMD - [Giveaway Winner]

2011-03-17T20:34:00.000-04:00

Sorry I took so long in posting this. This week has been unusually hectic and stressful with my son being sick which I will post about later.....In addition I'm working on lots of blog designs and doing things for my ETSY shop! Crazy week I tell ya! Anyway the winner of the SkinMD Lotion Giveaway is .....

Angela G!!!!!

Angela G said... 10: Skin MD Natural looks like a better option than the cortisone induced lotion I'm giving my daughter now.; March 8, 2011 3:57 PM

Congrats Angela! Please email me your contact info to fifiscloset@gmail.com so your prize can be sent out. Thank you to all who entered as always and check back because I have a few more giveaways lines up for the next few weeks that I know you will love!

Don't forget to vote for us too!

3.5 years & 14 months old! [MEGA PHOTO OVERLOAD]

2011-03-13T12:09:00.004-04:00

Well I'm probably the worst when it comes to these age updates especially compared to some of you who post them on the dot every single month with every single update. I guess it comes with being a mama of 2 now. Always on the go and half the time I forget and don't remember till I''m halfway through the month anyway. Buuuuuuuuuttttt......when I do remember its easy for me because my babes were born on the 11th and 12th so I can post their updates at the same time!

Sofia turned exactly 3 1/2 on March 11th and don't you dare say she's 3 unless you want the tantrum from HELL to happen! She will correct you very quickly that she 3 AND A HALF! NO MORE ....NO LESS! She is such a teenager in a little girls body ......I'm left wondering how did my little girl go from this ......

To this..........

Sofia's Updates

1. Still a peanut weighing in just under 30 lbs. and 34.5 inches tall........she even measured herself with crayons multiple places on my wall......how sweet of her!

2. Counts from 1-20 in english and 1-17 in Spanish.

3. Repeats everything....I mean EVERYTHING! Yesterdays phrase of the day was,

"Mami will you turn on the fan? It's DAMN hot in here!"

Hmmmm I have no clue where she could've learned that. Mental note: **Sunday school will be mandatory starting next week ;-)

4. Sofia is learning to write letter and numbers and traces them perfectly!

5. She loves exploring outside

6. Favorite foods are hot dogs, cucumbers and sherbert and she also has a slight obsession with Rita's just like her big brother in NC :)

7. She wears a size 8 shoe and is finally into 4T clothing but some clothes that fit tight like leggings or swimsuits she can still wear 2T.

8. Favorite time of the day is usually bath time and she loves when I put her baby brother in the tub with her. Although she did ask me why he has a "tail" and where was hers. LOL. Try explaining that to a 3.5 yr old!

That's all I can think of for now. She is such a clown and does so many funny amazing things everyday. I just love seeing her grown into a little lady! But I do miss my baby being so little. Now onto Antonio...aka Tico....He is my gentle giant....a total mama's boy but a tough guy at the same time! As of yesterday 3/12/2011 he's officially 14 months! And what a joy he's brought to our little family over the last 14 months.

Antonio's Updates

1. He's currently also weighing in just under 30 lbs like Fifi but that tells you just how big he really is! He's not fat just BIG. Maybe be cause he loves to eat.

2. No real favorite foods....just food in general. He will eat anything and everything in sight!

3. Still has 8 teeth but 2 molars on the bottom are making their way through the gums so he's been a bit grouchy lately.

4. His vocabulary still just consists of "mama", "dada", and "whass-at" (What's that)

5. Tico loves giving kisses when you tell him "beso" (kiss in Spanish)

6. He also loves jumping all over his big sister and definitely beats on her because everytime the play she is the one who ends up crying that he's either pulling her hair or punching or biting her! Brothers can be so nasty sometimes!

7. He's finally walking like a champ! Well more like running. He seems so have skipped over the walking part.

8. He also loves being chased and cracks up hysterically when I say, "Mami's gonna get you!"

That's all I have for now on Antonio too. Un-related to updates though I took Fifi's out yesterday to enjoy the sunny 60 degree weather as all my PA friends complained about the snow all over facebook. But as I sat there watching my little doll playing in the sunshine I couldn't help but think of all the people in Japan suffering from the earthquake and tsunami and now a potential nuclear meltdown. It really made me think that in spite of money troubles and daycare issues we are lucky to have working electricity and jobs and a roof over our head and food to eat. I'm praying for all those affected by this tragedy! May they find comfort in our Lord God at this time. Here are a few moments from our day I captured yesterday and today's weather seems to be just as nice......

She rode all the way to the pool and almost had a tantrum to get in .....there's no trying to explain to a 3 year old that the pool doesn't open till summer. In her mind SUNSHINE=SUMMER!

And just for fun because I've seen this on some of your blogs...in case your wondering what shes wearing...

Shirt, Jean Skirt & Leggings - Old Navy

Jacket - Baby Gap

Shoes - Puma

Hair Clippies - Courtesy of Mama 's Etsy Shop Fifi's Closet

So now that I've exhausted you with photos of my babes.....will you please give us some votes on TMB....pretty please?!?!?!

The Sleep Ninja!

2011-03-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

Yeah this kid turns into a ninja at bedtime when he's fighting his sleep and last night was no exception. Antonio was kicking and punching all over the place. Luckily I decided to keep his crib bumper on a bit longer because he would probably be even more banged up than he already is. Mr. Cranky Pannts was uber-grouchy last night .......and ummmmmm.....I'm sure mama snapping the camera in his face didn't make him any more happy either!

ahhhhh.....Who doesn't love baby feet???????

andddddddddddd.....HE'S OUT!

Oh yeah....Did you notice the little scar on his forehead. Well I forgot to post about this last week but the poor little guy went from this happy-go-lucky state............

...........To a crying mess after he decided to trip and bang his little head on the only sharp part of our sofa. I couldn't bring myself to take a pic when it happened because the poor kid was so traumatized. These were taken the next day once he forgot about it. :(

I have a feeling this one is going to be a walking accident jst like his big sister! I'm guessing I could have many trips to the ER in my future with these two! God help us!

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Blog Makeover List

2011-03-09T09:01:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all who responded to the previous post! Here are those I will be working with for now.

Ashley - Blog Button

Britt - Blog Design - <<< DONE Check it OUT!

Susan - Blog Design

Mrs. Burrito - Blog Design

Mommy R. - Blog Design

To those of you listed above please email me asap so we can get started working together! If there is anyone who is still interested in a low cost blog design (meaning you only have to purchase the images you want)....just email me at Fifisclost@gmail.com and I will let you know when I can work with you. Thank you!

Don't forget to vote for us too!

Free Custom Blog Design!

2011-03-08T15:18:00.005-05:00

So I've decided to try my hand at a little custom blog design work but I'm looking for a few people to volunteer for me to "makeover" their blogs. I'm looking to do them without the "scrapbook-ish" look .....I guess you could say something similar to my own blog design....which I also did myself! ::: pats self on the back:::

If you would like me to do a blog design for you just comment this post and I will take the first two people who comment. The only thing you would have to pay for is the images you would like, for example, the avatar on my blog header and/or if you want a pattern background other than a solid color like mine. If you want any images like that you would have purchase it from iStockPhoto. I will take care of the rest!!!

***If your not one of the first 2 I may do a couple more after I am finished with those ones. Also I can only work on Blogger/Blogspot Designs not WordPress

Don't forget to vote for us too!

Skin MD - [Review and Giveaway]

2011-03-07T10:02:00.004-05:00

This Giveaway is now CLOSED. The winner will be announced soon !

Hey Ladies I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!!!!!!!!! Ours was great and I'm excited to share this review/giveaway with you from Skin MD. I'm really excited about this giveaway and my amazing results.

I received the product to review about a week and a half ago and I wanted to use it a bit before giving my opinions and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I received this bottle of lotion .....

Myself as well as both of my children have super sensistive skin and it's been amazing for all of us. My 1 year old son gets eczema patches all over his body that come and go and they get very dry and itchy. Since using the Skin MD lotion they are almost all gone and he's not scratching away as his skin anymore.....which makes for a very happy mommy :) I also use it on my legs and elbows since they get very dry and I love that it goes on so smoothly and you only need a pea-sized amount. My dry skin is completely gone and feels very silky and smooth but without the greasy feeling some lotions leave behind. The product is also fragrance-free in case your skin is sensitive to frangranced products.

I was also very impressed to read that 93% of the ingredients are all natural and the remaining 7% are on the FDA's safest product list. Skin M D lotion is also made in the USA using Solar Power Energy and uses no aminal products and is also never texted on animals making it a very eco-friendly and vegan friendly option!

You can also win a bottle of their amazing lotion ....heres how to enter:
****The winner will be chosen on 3/10/2011 using random.org
Update: I was just informed that I cannot use the TMB voting as a form of giveaway entry so I had to remove that from the entries. If you already voted I left the entried on the contest that were already there. You can still vote for me is you love my blog :) Just not as a contest entry. Thank you :)

1. Mention this giveaway or mention their website SkinMD on your blog, facebook or twitter and comment that you did so on this post. You can receive a separate entry for each place you mention them but remember you must leave a separate comment for each too. Also leave a link to your post in your comment!

2. Visit their website SkinMD and check out some of their products then come back here and comment what your favorite thing about their site is.

4. Follow my blog publicly and comment that you're following or if you are already a follower comment this post that you are. (1 entry)

5. Follow my other blog Fifi's Closet publicly and comment that you're following or if you are already a follower comment this post that you are. (1 entry)

Oh yeah.....Don't forget to vote for us too!....not as a contest entry ...but just because you love us :)

City Kids ...for now. - [ANOTHER PHOTO OVERLOAD]

2011-03-02T10:53:00.000-05:00

So until we can move somewhere with a slower pace...preferably down south.......we get to enjoy to beautiful NYC skyline on a daily basis and yesterday was no exception. I took the kiddies to the Pirate Ship in Weehawken to enjoy some sun. I love this park to because its enclosed with a padded floor so Antonio can run around without getting hurt!

Before pic - SOOC

After pic - I tried to make it look kinda vintage :)

Beautiful view of the Empire State Building

Sofia checking out Manhattan

Sofia made a new friend and they were inseparable!

Looking through the binoculars to the cliffs behind us......

.....and this is what they saw!

I think he was telling Sofia's new friend, "Stay away from my sister!"...LOL

Happy Wednesday ladies! and.......

Don't forget to vote for us too!

Weekend Recap - [WARNING-PHOTO OVERLOAD]

2011-03-01T08:50:00.000-05:00

This past weeekend was probably one of the best I've had in a long time. I got out of work Friday and Mr. V. was already at the daycare waiting for me to help with the bags and the kiddies! Brownie points for him! Then he took me out to a new Hibachi place near our house and it was so delicious! Granted Sofia's behavior left a bit to be desired but she's been worse! After dinner Mr. V. then surprised me again by taking me to Unique Photo which is basically a camera superstore and he got me my new lens (as if you couldn't already tell) !!!!!!!!!!!!!! :::fans self::: Saturday we split up for a bit and I took my son to get his haircut and he took Sofia food shopping. Then on Sunday we just spent a relaxing day at the park. It was nice to finally get a sunny 50 degree day after we've had nothing but clouds and freezing snow or rain. These are just a few of the pics from Sunday. BTW...I have no clue why they came out so bright! In the camera they looked ok but when I uploaded them they were super bright.....the ISO wasn't up high......I'm not sure what I should change to fix this .....I was in Manual Mode ............any ideas?????

Sofia before leaving the house

Always the ham!

Such a DIVA!

She never leaves the house without her accessories.

Checking out the snow that's finally melting!

Off to one of our favorite places ....and yes that's the same Verona from "The Sopranos"

Yay! Finally a chance to get the tricycle out!

Riding next to Daddy!

I think he had a good time too :)

All of the big kid swings were full ....luckily she still fits in the baby swings!

Now that you're all tired of seeing my kids ....lol.....how were your weekends??? and......

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I Heart Faces Photo Challenge | Anything But A Face!

2011-02-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday all! I had an amazing weekend which I will post about later. I spent all weekend playing with my new lens. :::squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee::: I can hardly contain myself! Anywho this is my first time joining on of the photo challenges on I Heart Faces.

I have been a lurker for awhile but I now feel confident enough to link up ...YAY! This challenge was "Anything but a Face," and it just so happens I took this yesterday morning!

Sunday morning my 3 year old Sofia came up to me and said, "Mama I have a present for you," and held out her little hand and I had to snap this! Love little girls!

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Twice failed photo op.....but a cute Baby Faux Hawk!

2011-02-27T18:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Antonio has his 2nd official haircut and this time we went to David Alan Cuts for Kids in Paramus and it was wonderful. The staff was amazing and there was candy and toys galore for all the kiddies! However, when I got there I couldn't snap ONE.SINGLE.PHOTO! I left my memory card AT HOME! GGRRRRRRRRRRR! When he got his first haircut back in December I was so caught up trying to keep him from crying that I didn't take a picture then either and afterwards I took a picture at target but the camera I was using had a different size memory card that doesn't fit in my laptop :( So this time I was determined to take my new camera and I drove all the way there only to have left the damn memory card in my computer at home. :::kicks self for the 20th time::: I guess I have to wait until haircut number 3 comes around to get pics!

Here is a before shot - Eating Sofia's new shoes!

Here is the after shot - Baby Faux Hawks = AWESOMENESS!

@ Ronnie from "Jersey Shore" - Your faux hawk can't touch my kid's faux hawk!

"I'm over this photo shoot mom!"

Well at least he was an angel during the haircit!

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Selfie Saturdays - Arms Length Selfie Pic

2011-02-26T17:55:00.008-05:00

So this is my first time participating and linking up with the Selfie Saturdays photo challenge and what better time than now since I got my new lens yesterday ....and it's flippin awesome! You can play along too with SelfieMagic.com if you love the camera like me! (Don't lie...you know you love it!)

This week was "Arm's Length" and I think i did pretty well for a first-timer :) Taken right after the shower....its a rare occasion you will see me with my naturally ~~nappy~~ curly hair!

and one more just for fun .....

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Goodbye.

2011-02-25T21:07:00.001-05:00

To my kit lens that came with my Nikon. Sorry lil buddy .....my new 50mm f/1.8 has officially become the newest member of the family .......and yes, mama chose a favorite.......and well, you're just not cutting it anymore :(

Sorry to see you go old friend !

Now, on to some photos with the new lens :::drumroll::: You can see my poor lil guy's nose after his first real spill at the nursery school this week :( Luckily he was all smiles by the time mama got there!

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Munchkin Baby Bottle Sterilizer - [Giveaway Winner]

2011-02-23T10:57:00.000-05:00

Hello all....hope you are all enjoying your Wednesday! I'm so ready for the weekend already ......This weekend I will be buying my new lens for my camera :::squeeeeeee::: ! Anyway thats a whole other post! The winner of the Munchkin Bottle Sterilizer is........ Jessica !!!!

Jessica said... 41: I tweeted http://twitter.com/jjak2003/status/38332055251062784jjak2003 at gmail dot com

Jessica please email me your contact information so the prize can be shipped out to you! Thank you to all who entered and please check back as I have some more great giveaways lined up for March!

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New Stuff Again!

2011-02-17T13:16:00.010-05:00

Check out Fifi's Closet (the blog) or my ETSY Store for more new stuff just uploaded today!

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