::Momma Disclosure:: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with James Avery, all opinions expressed are my own.
I turned 37 last month. And, in celebration of my birthday and my partnership with James Avery, I’m taking some time to reflect on this new year of life... and the opportunities it will bring to improve and grow. No need to be sad or feel regret, life is about living and learning and growing older...and hopefully wiser.
There are so many lessons that I’ve learned over the years. Good, bad. Sometimes sad, life-changing and traumatic. So many experiences and people who have helped me and supported me along the way. Most importantly my family. And, in 37 years all I can say and think of is... I was created for more. More than just being a Momma or a professional.
Along the way, I’ve made many mistakes. Encountered so many problems and obstacles. Been faced with many issues. Some of which I’ve come out victorious and some of which I’ve failed at. I'm human. Not perfect. I say that all the time. I have many faults and make mistakes. Not everyone likes me. I’ve learned to live with this. Such is life.
And, even though some days are tough and my confidence dwindles or I feel unworthy... there are always those moments, those people and certain words that remind me that I truly was created for more. If there is anything I’ve learned is that to make an impact you don’t have to be the smartest, the prettiest or even the most perfect. You just have to be human and care about others.
I am loving my partnership with James Avery and their customizable pieces which constantly remind me of my purpose and that I was created for more! I know that in order to achieve this I, at times, need to slow down, take a deep breath and be reminded of what my true purpose is and how I will achieve my goals.
Year 37, I’ve embraced you and I’m ready for the road that lies ahead. I don't know what it will bring but so far life has not let me down...
No matter what is going on around me, I am choosing to re-think, re-evaluate and re-do those things I know I can do better.
What about you, how are you embracing your purpose and what you were created for? James Avery can help you express this through all of the perfect and uniquely crafted items. ::GIVEAWAY:: Do you want to win a James Avery gift card? You still have until July 30 to enter to win! Post your favorite way to wear their jewelry and use the hashtag #myjasummerstyle
Over the past 6 years, the amount of physical, emotional and learning growth that you have experienced is visible every single day. You are a strong willed, gorgeous little lady who practices self-love daily. You know that you can do anything you want, a little too much some days. You and I have fighting words almost daily, but I love you like no one else. You are not your typical Daddy's girl because some days you don't want to even be around him. But, he spoils you rotten regardless and loves you more than words can express.
You are not really your typical girl in any sense, which we absolutely love about you.
You are VERY humorous, but you are also a little jealous when your brother tries to show you up. We're working on this with you. You love to make people laugh. You dance salsa, merengue and Cha-Cha-Cha. Pretty much anything hip-hop too, you love to be free flowing and we love seeing you come up with new dance moves. About your brother, you love him more than life and even though you guys fight every minute of every day, he loves you just as much. You are usually best friends and loving when you aren't punching each-other and shouting about something.
You know how to make us laugh, you encourage us when we are down. Literally, you have told me "Mom, you can do this." And, you encourage yourself. You are tough at times filled with self-doubt and a little too stubborn. We are working on this too. At times, I want to rid you of your flaws and tantrums, but then I think about how those little things make you who you are and I know that some of those traits will have to remain with you.
You love creating and filming videos for your non-existent YouTube Channel, you've made so many short videos and we laugh so much with them. You don't like to be laughed at. But, your personality is just so great, sometimes, we have to laugh. You've mastered "snapchap" (snapchat). You love makeup and are the girliest of girls. Not sure where you get that from, it's not me. At all. Again, some days I'm highly annoyed because I have no clue where to start with you, but then we learn together and all is good.
You are not only funny and beautiful, you are VERY hard working and smart. We knew you'd be that girl, you want to learn and are very competitive. Which is great. You try hard to reach the same levels as your brother in school, and at times seem to exceed them. You have learned to speak Spanish, all with your own effort. You love doing school projects and making friends. You are too friendly at times and have learned that if kids don't want to be your friend, you can move on without them.
You have always been so super sweet and loving and caring, this has only grown with time. You are amazing Camila, don't ever allow anyone to tell you otherwise, but you already know this. You are faith-filled and at times far more understanding than me. You are very impatient, like me. You want things done now and no other way. You are a busy body and I can shift you from project to project. You don't mind doing, as long as it's something you want to do. You don't like cleaning up, you are a messy artist. You are a creative and thoughtful person.
You are strong, in so many ways. But, most importantly, you are loved. I can't wait to see you (and your brother) grow even more in days, months, and years to come. You are our Morenaza!
I pray for you to be beyond blessed all the wonderful days of your life...
::Momma Disclosure:: Post is partially sponsored, but all opinions and thoughts expressed are mine and true.
It's been a while.
I know.
Here is the thing about life and well in this post about birthday's. You really can't predict the outcome. A couple months ago I thought about a great theme for Cam's 6th Birthday. I wanted her to have a fun Spa day with her friends and then a dinner at our house with family. Well. Then life happened. Right around the same time in February when I was planning all this, I had a car accident. Semi-bad and somewhat costly. I have been in therapy for about 7 weeks now. Our truck was in the shop for about a week and the same day we picked it up, it broke down. Two-weeks later we still didn't have a car and more money was spent. Side note: Don't know how families of 4 or more survive with one car, we managed but it was hard. Kudos to you!
Then about three-weeks ago, I let go of the idea I had for Cam's birthday and decided we would wing it and just have something "small". Of course with a (big-fat) Mexican family you don't really get a "small" option but maybe a more contained group than usual.
My Husband and I started looking into our options and went for a family only dinner at our house, which would still be between 30-40 people or maybe 60. OK, so we had a small get-together for 60 family members, cause you only turn 6 once. HA. Prior to this I was asked by a PR representative for Nancy's Cake Designs, if I would like to partner with the bakery for one of my kids' birthdays. Since Cam's was first, I did just that. During the first few days of March, I worked with Nancy and her team to design the cake and figure out logistics. The bakery is on the SouthEast side of town, thankfully my Momma lives nearby in North/East side of Houston and was able to pick the cake up for me. But, trust me it was well worth it. Being an optimist, I told Nancy I would only have about 30-35 guests, but we had near 60. Still the cake was SO big, everyone ate cake and we even had leftovers!
I had envisioned something colorful and that fit our theme with Cam's birthday being, "Birthday Diva". Because, in case you didn't know, she's half child and half Diva, true story. If you follow me on "snapchap" (snapchat) then you know, she spoke one day on the subject and how her friends just call her Hollywood Diva for short. And, if you know Cam then you know, she is wild. Like no other. I don't think I could make up her personality. And, again if you follow me on social media then you know my children lack personality and imagination ::KIDDING::.
Anyway, the CAKE. It was perfect. My vision and what I sent over was embodied perfectly!
Nancy's Cakes was very professional, they messaged me, called and made sure I was very happy with how my cake details were coming along. I spoke to Nancy herself on several occasions, she is fully bilingual which helps on so many levels! And, the cake was not only perfect on the outside but the inside was equally delicious! We tried a nut flavored cake with strawberry cream filing, you guys, best choice ever. Visit her page for all the fun designs and cake options. The one cake that sold me, and if you know me you know why, was her UH cake! It's my alma mater and I love it!
And, as for life and birthdays, no matter how far off track things can get, or how lost you might think a cause maybe. It's truly not that serious and there is always a better and fair alternative or solution. Cam's birthday wasn't what I envisioned it to be this year, but we have many more with this little Diva so we'll get it right one day!
Either way, everyone loved spending the afternoon with Miss. Birthday Diva and she absolutely LOVED being Diva for the day!!! ::done using the word DIVA::
HUGE Thank you to Nancy's Cake Designs for making our day extra special and to our family who came and joined-in celebrating my little miracle baby!
P.S. Yearly Birthday Letter/Photo-shoot to follow.....
So, it happened. 35. It's here. In full effect. I turned 35 yesterday and my co-worker asked if I felt wiser. Truth is. I feel the same but deep down inside, yes I am wiser. My eyes are wide open and my heart is prepared for the world and years to come. I have over the years been extremely blessed to meet, to know and to gain friendships from wonderful and inspirational ladies. My circle changes constantly, not because I don't love all the ladies the same but because life happens. Our situations and circumstances take us in different directions. But, at 35 I know those women have come into my life, made a beautiful impact and moved on to do so much more... it's amazing. I love that feeling. Of having been a part of someone's journey. That's what I have learned in 35 years. Life is a journey. It moves, changes and evolves constantly. Nothing is a given and everything should be appreciated.
In 35 years I have learned balance. I have learned that some months I will have time to blog and workout and some months I won't want to do either, and that really is okay. You know why? The world keeps going with or without you. I have had times of great productivity when all I do is work, work, work and others when I veg-out on the couch for days at a time. And, you know what, my Husband loves me the same, my kids love me the same and the laundry pile, well, it's still there. Go figure. Balance and the ability to move on knowing that sometimes, dishes don't get washed, posts don't get posted, pictures don't get edited, and tasks never get completed. Life goes on.
Picture Credit: Ari of 3twentysix
Picture Credit: My Sister
Just in the last 2 weeks, I realized how much good I have in my life right now. Stability and being in a "good place" seems to be the thoughts in my head. Knowing that while our lives are not perfect and we might not have "everything" , we are happy. We are good. My career is in such a stable and good place, I love it. I haven't felt this way about a job in years. My kids are healthy and my Hubby is his same ol' sarcastic self that everyone loves to hate, or hates to love. HA. Our home, I always say, isn't an expensive super fancy place, but it's home and we make it work every day. In our own little crowded messy way. My kids love everyone and they are so happy and unique it makes me laugh, smile and cry all at once. We are blessed.
Honestly, "we have it all" without really having it all if that makes any sense. While we don't have big fancy belongings, we have one another and we are happy, we are blessed and we move forward. One of my Aunts, who has been there for me in many ways pointed out how happy we are as a family. How blessed Ricardo and I are to have an education, how great my parents are for being so supportive and loving and how no matter what we are always there for one another. That we do have. A happy family, supportive and unconditional love. Forgiveness. We forgive those who hurt us and move forward. We are real and honest about what we believe in and stand for.
That we have. Realness. Truth. You will always get that from me. Now at 35 and 10 years from now at 45, I will be real and honest. On to a new year of life and feeling overwhelmingly humbled by all the beautiful messages on Facebook, direct messages, texts and phone calls to wish me a happy birthday. It was an amazing one. My loved ones made it a special day and I am SO thankful. Always.
In the spirit of celebrating years of life, I teamed up with two amazing women Coppelia Marie who ran a special "Turning 40" series on her YouTube Channel. Coppelia is a former local DJ for a Christian radio station called KSBJ. Meeting her has been amazing. I have been a fan since I heard her on the radio years ago, meeting her and being able to call her my friend, is just mind blowing. Her featuring me on her blog for my Birthday is a true honor! I am such a fan and her message of self-love and embracing your age no matter where you are in life, is awesome!
Not only did I team up with Coppelia for her series, we both teamed up with Ari of 3twentysix for her awesome giveaway series, The Paper Files! Make sure you enter. Ari also filmed our video! She did an amazing job. Thanks, Ari! You can visit any of our pages to sign-up for the giveaway!
Picture Credit: All picture below by Ari of 3twentysix
::Solo Girl Chronicles is a series created by #Femmeboss, a mobile app and membership app for women only who are seeking like-minded and compassionate friends to connect with or meet locally. This blog post is part of the series. You can learn more on their website and find new friends.::
Age is nothing but a number. I know now how true these words are. I will be 35 in 19 days. And, I feel amazing. No joke. I stay busy, that's my secret. Some days are hard only because I take too much on. At 35 I have two children, a Hubby, a full-time job outside the home, a college degree which has allowed me to gain a career and a full life. I help run a group of local latina bloggers, called Houston Latina Bloggers and then I run this little ol'blog. 8 years and counting. I also do boot camp twice a week with am amazing group of ladies who have inspired me so much in my weight loss journey. And, currently, I am attending a class for local Latina's in Leadership, every other Wednesday. With the Summer in full effective we have gotten somewhat of a travel bug, nothing big just small road trips to explore new places in Texas and the U.S. for ourselves and mostly for our kids!
How do I do it all and how does 35 feel? Well, it feels like a whirlwind of emotions and really I sleep a lot (but not really) and my house is a mess. That's truly how I get things done. Half asleep and in a daze, not good, I know. But, I do what I can, I work hard and passionately and move forward. It's not how life has always been for me. I used to have a real life with friends and family that I helped and bent over backward for, over the years, that's diminishing. I now do things I love, things that benefit me and those things that will further create who I am and where I want to go. I feel that at 35, I can say these type of selfish things because for years I have not been selfish.
As I thought about what to write in this reflective post weeks before my 35th, I heard the song "Wake me Up" by Avicii. As I am a lover of words, I take the lyrics in and think about how turning 35 will change me, and how I have changed over the last 35 years. Evolved if you will. It's pretty dang amazing. I love learning and living my life to the fullest. Doing as much as possible because tomorrow is not guaranteed.
So wake me up when it's all over When I'm wiser and I'm older All this time I was finding myself And I didn't know I was lost
I have been through so much in my life that sometimes it does feel like a dream. I am older and wiser now and in the process, though at times I didn't know, I was lost. I have found myself. The last 35 years have not been perfect. I have had lots of sorrow, sadness, depression and made tons of mistakes, hurt so many people and been rude and offensive. I apologize to those who have suffered because of me. In return, many have hurt, used and offended me. I forgive them. None of this is necessary. But, I do it anyway, because of who I am, an apologetic person. My good friend Ari always tells me to stop apologizing and it's hard to change after 35 years. I have discovered that some will love me for that and others will straight up hate. And, that's okay.
At 35 I no longer care for others opinions and need to refrain from giving mine out. And, refrain from wasting words on those who don't care for them. It's part of my 35-year-old resolution. Stop giving advice when not asked. Most people will do what they want anyway, and that's okay. It's their life, not mine. It's something hard for me to comprehend sometimes, I always feel I should help or change the world. It's not really my job. I have children who need me and that's where the change and help will begin and end.
I tried carrying the weight of the world But I only have two hands I hope I get the chance to travel the world And I don't have any plans
So, I am turning 35. How does it feel? Pretty good. To know that I have survived on this earth this long, with minimal trauma and so much more to look forward to! At times, I do wish life would stop for a moment in time, but I have learned to live in the moment, to appreciate the time and to slow myself down to enjoy it all.
I wish that I could stay forever this young Not afraid to close my eyes Life's a game made for everyone And love is a prize
A little more about Camila. You know the little 5-year-old sassy pants that lives in my house and has more attitude in that itty bitty skinny body of hers, than anyone else I know.
Sassy, yes. Attitude, yes. Bossy, Oh hell yes. Confident, pretty much. Capable, yep. Will she one day be taking names and kicking ass, I hope so.
I don't know where the last 5 years have gone but I am sure they are now lost in the infinite tantrums, eye-rolling and cussing; I mean me not the 5-year-old. Well her too, a little. Camila came into our lives as a surprise. Yes, an unplanned pregnancy! ::insert gasps here:: When I found out I was pregnant again, I cried. Mostly tears of fear but they quickly became joy and happiness. I was scared senseless, though. My son was 10 months old. I had a horrible first pregnancy which ended with an even more horrible C-section. My Husband was a full-time student, working internships and traveled. I was about to be promoted to Assistant Supervisor at my job. I was sure the second baby would be the end of me, and guess what although the pregnancy and delivery were very similar, it was SO much easier the second time around.
How was Camila Isabel named? Well, there is this Mexican group named Camila, and when I become pregnant with Santiago they were a thing. Only I was having a boy and not a girl. So, when I became pregnant again and found out, this time, it was a girl, we knew Camila would be her name. Isabel? Well her Daddy is in love with Brad Pitt, I mean over the moon infatuated, will he hate me for saying this? Yeah, pretty much. But, it’s totally relevant to my story. Where was I? So he loves Brad Pitt. He also loves his movies, one very unknown to me was Legends of the Fall, in the movie a gorgeously mixed Native American/Caucasian little girl named Isabel Two grows up to become a gorgeously beautiful mixed Native American/Caucasian woman who marries, yep, Brad Pitt. She is killed in the movie and it's a horrible tragic love story. My Husband loves drama so he loves that movie and Isabel Two, so Camila is Isabel too.
{By the way, I have been crying the whole entire time I am typing and I can't see past my tears. This is sure to be an ugly cry moment by the end.}
Dear Camila,
The last 5 years have gone by too fast, before you were born I wasn’t sure what to expect. Now that you have grown you are exactly what I hoped you would be. You talk for days on end. You love everyone so much, until you are angry and then we are the worse family on the face of this earth. You have a fierce intensity about you, your focus at times is tremendous. Sometimes, too intense for me. But, we manage.
Your imagination is truly awesome, you have entire conversations with your friends over a fake cell phone. You take fake selfies and text or email people while you blog and “do wo-k”. You sing in the shower which we will catch on video to further embarrass you one day. Your song selections go from the Contemporary Christian songs you hear at daycare all day to Love yourself by Justin Bieber. Who you know is Selena Gomez’ boyfriend. You have no clue what you say sometimes but you repeat it all with such conviction, you would think that you really know about Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber’s drama.
You have now been a ballet dancer, a soccer player and currently a baseball player. You love and want to do it all, until you actually have to do it all, then you are ok with quitting to do something else. You are good at baseball. You are tall, with straight tangled hair and those long skinny legs are all the rage! We love you so much.
Since you have your brother who is now in Kinder, you too want to go to Kinder and want to do homework, ride the bus and go on field trips. Because well you love Santiago so much you want to be like him and with him every day all the time. Him, not so much, except when he is trying to protect you and make you happy. In which case you guys are best friends.
You have a ton of “best” friends, who you get over daily and then become their friends again. I guess that's how pre-school and 4-year-olds roll. You would think that you are a teenager, your thoughts are deep and your drama is very real.
You are very smart and remember people names and then ask about them randomly. You are very crafty and love to learn. You are very thoughtful, and remember things like people birthdays and likes, and on their birthdays, you want to buy them everything they like. We don’t but you would love to.
You love bright happy colors like pink and purple, because you are that happy cheerful little girl. Everything about you is girly, which is beyond me, I am not really that girly. You love nail polish, make-up and pretending that you rule the world. You are strong, and brave. You fight with Santiago and have become very tough over the years, sometimes a little too tough.
You are always sick, or so you think. At school, they call you sickie-wiki. You love being pampered and babied. Yet you are very independent and have learned to do everything Santiago does in half the time. Especially the talking. That you have down packed. You are a little Diva. You love to look pretty and wear dresses but hate brushing your hair or your teeth. Even when we threaten that they will rot and fall out, you don’t care or believe us.
You are loved. No matter what. So much. By so many of us. Don’t forget that. Ever. You tell me all the time that Jesus is in your heart and that we should not be scared. I tell you to please hold on to that. This world is not easy. Some day you will have to work hard for what you want and hold on tight to what you believe in. God will be with you.
I want you to grow up to be a courageous strong warrior who will one day rule the world. I want you to be who you are. I want you to be as strong and confident as you are today. I want you to believe in yourself and not depend on others to validate your abilities. You are strong, you are capable and you will be a warrior. These are things I tell you when you come home sad that your “friends” are being mean or don’t want to be your friends anymore. I remind you that not everyone has to like you or be your friend because that’s the truth.
I am a little harder on you some days and it’s only because I want you to do well in life. We don’t sugarcoat in our home, we tell it how it is. You and Santiago are very much the same way. Honest and raw. We love it.
And, we love you too. So much. Always remember that.
A couple of days ago I read the most heartfelt and heartbreaking post over on This Life I Live, a blog by Rory Feek. It made me think so much about life. My kids. And, those daily struggles that I should just give up on. I don't mean give up in a sense of not doing them but in a sense of letting go because there are so many other amazing things to focus on.
This month is forever important in my life, 5 years ago on March 25th, I became a Momma to a little girl. The same little girl that today rolls her eyes at me, is super dramatic when she is getting in trouble, and with whom I fight and make-up with every morning when she doesn't want to brush her hair or her teeth. The same little baby who was so tiny, ever so sweet and loving. I already know we will have that kind of relationship; where we can't stand each other but we love one another like crazy. She is my heart. {So is Santi but it's different.} I am a little harder on her in many areas, I want her to be strong, independent and stand her ground for what she believes in. And, oh boy is she all these things. And, for my own sake I want her to be all the opposite, but not really. So, I know we will have a consistent power struggle, but at the end of the day she is in charge, she is Daddy's girl and we love her so much.
As a Momma, I want to be there for my children but I also don't want them to think life can be handed to you. I want them to work hard, to struggle less than I did, but to appreciate all that we have been able to give them. It's a constant struggle as a parent to find this balance. I am sure we will make mistakes but I know we will make it a life learning experience worth our while. Both of our kids are teaching us so much about life, about having fun, about being ourselves, and about moving forward.
As parents, we have a big responsibility to not only care for our children with the material items that they need but also with wise choices that will impact them in years to come. Just like our parents made sacrifices and decision as well as mistakes. These days I can totally understand them. I sympathize with them and realize that they a had a lot on their plate, but learning where my parenting should be strong and where I should just let it be. At the end of the day, every child is a person, with their own personality, faults, and destiny. I can't, even though I think I can, control everything. It shouldn't be called parenting it should instead be called, "hands-on-learn-as-you-go-pray-you-don't-screw-up-experience".
I have learned to let go in so many areas where my self-proclaimed OCD wouldn't allow me to deviate. These days, it's a lot of "eh" and "ok, moving on", type situations. And, it is well with my soul. Otherwise, I would drive myself nuts.
One of those items was monthly letters to my children the first year of their life, which slowly changed to yearly Birthday Letters and it has worked out just fine. I spend time with them, talk to them, try to be extra patient when they are doing "experiments" in my bathroom with food coloring and all my white towels; so I know I am creating lasting memories for them that don't need to be documented daily.
This is Camila's birth month and I want to share more about her throughout the month, in the meantime, you can read her Birthday letters up to now HERE.
I have been writing you ::letters :: since before you were born. In my heart, in mind. ::Letters:: that I would hope you could one day look back on. As a reflection of how much you are loved and how perfectly you have been created.
We don't have a perfect life, but you {and your Sister} make everything so much better. On days when I am sad, or mad; you are one person I can look to, to make me smile. And, to remind me, that life is not that serious.
You are full of energy. You play all day and truly have so much fun. I am guessing that's a good thing. Shows how much life and spirit you have. How you don't give in and how healthy and strong you have always been. You rarely get sick, when you do it's not easy but you are usually okay within a couple of days.
I think over the years I have covered how great you are; how much you are growing and how loved you are by everyone in our lives. But, I can't tell you enough, how loved you truly are. You are my sweet baby boy. My tough yet sensitive boy. I want you to continue to be who you are.
You started Kindergarten this year. It has not been easy. The adjustment to a different structure, to a different environment and teacher. I don't know if this new beginning shows patterns for the future. If so, it won't be easy but know that together we can do this! Your Dad and I, will always be there for you, to support you, to cheer you on, to help you.
You have a strong personality, you don't take no for an answer and are very stubborn. Again, not sure what all this means for years to come but I hope they are traits that will help you grow into a strong minded and independent individual.
You fight with your Sister, all day. All the time. It's annoying but I hope you can out grow that, one day, although I heard it gets worse before it gets better.
You {and Camila} are the sunshine in my heart. God has truly blessed me. You show me every day how to slow down, how to relax, and how to live life with no regrets. You remind me of the patience I lack and the strength I need to develop. Because in moments when I am frustrated you remain calm. And, at times when I have needed to be strong, you are always there to show me what true strength is.
I love you so much. I pray for you everyday. I want to hold you and protect you everyday of your life. I know how naive that is...because I can't. But, I know that you will be ok....
June is a bit important in my life, since it's the month I was born. Back in 1981. My birth story like most is an eventful one, filled with emotions and I kind of left my Momma in a coma. No worries. It ended well. 34 year later; my Momma and I are very well alive and determined individuals. We survived birth and birthing, we have literally lived through hell with family turmoil and now we just appreciate every moment and work hard for a wonderful future.
Since then I have graduated college, got married and had two beautiful children who these days create interesting days and sleepless nights.
I am happy and blessed to be turning 34 this month, considering.... I should have never made it.
June thankfully brought some sunshine in Houston. We have had some pretty devastating floods across Texas in the last couple of weeks. I am glad the month started off well. The sunshine helps me thrive.
June promises to be busy...what are you up to this month?
{Birthday Letters are kind of a big deal for us, you can read the yearly series ::HERE::}
When God blesses you, it's always to the fullest. Santiago was only 10 1/2 months when I found out I would be a Momma again. I cried, in fear. Another baby. I couldn't possibly do it. My plate was "so full" already. Months later we found out we were having a Girl. Oh boy. The tears were new. Happy. Blessed. Joyous. My heart was full now. Our family complete. Our lives made new. Never would I have thought that I would have the amazing little Princess Diva that runs our house today.
A letter to my daughter on what the last 4 years with her have been about and who she is today:
::Dear Camila::
Today you turn 4. You act like you are 13 year olds and talk for days. You love to dance. You make the silliest of faces. Your favorite things are dancing to Bruno Mars-Uptown Funk You Up and Maroon 5-Sugar; as well as making your brothers life impossible. It's good, keeps him on his toes. He is rough and you guys fight a lot but he loves you so much. And, you admire him. I pray this continues.
When you throw fits {and oh my do you throw fits} he is the one that helps calm you. It works sometimes. He does his best. You love wearing makeup, dressing up and nail polish {lots and tons of nail polish, in every shade of pink}. You asked just this week if you can dye your hair pink. Don't know where you get all of this from but it makes for interesting days, and it keeps me on my toes. You are very girly. Very.
You love dresses. But you also love dirt. You are super sweet, caring and sensitive. But, you can also be feisty and tough. You speak "Spanish" when you want {it's usually a cuss word or something you shouldn't be saying. Totally our fault.} and claim that your Brother is SO Mexican. Not sure what that makes you.
You love everything Princess and you act like one too. You love your GranPa Chuy. You love your teacher and you even wear your sweater around your waist like her. It's hard to see you in pain or when you are sick, because you are so tiny. The last 4 years have flown by. You are no longer my chubby little baby, you are now my skinny long leg baby.
You finally, yes barely {no judgement please}, moved on from your "titi" and are now a "big gurl" and drink from a Sippy. It took me a long time to allow you to let go. I had to. You look crazy with a bottle.
You have the funnest dance moves, you care very little about what others may think of you and you are most definitely yourself. I don't ever want you to think that you can't be yourself. I want you to know that you should above all love who you were created to be. I want your confidence to grow, I want your little wings to give you the energy needed to be who ever you want to be. I want you to follow your dreams. Never allow others to tell you otherwise. Be yourself.
You are stubborn. A lot. You want things done your way. You are competitive. And, you are outspoken and not shy. I don't want that to change. But, I do want you to use your personality for the better, for your own well-being and to become a strong, confident grown-up.
The last 4 years have been a heart-filled life lesson and one of the biggest blessings God could give us . The light and colors that you bring into our lives shine brighter everyday. I pray that you continue to shine. That your smile grows and remains, that your heart is soft but your eyes wide open. Don't be naive to the world around you. You are smarter than that. Don't go with the flow just because, have a purpose and reason.
Your laugh is contagious. You are our little baby no matter what. And, always will be. We love you. So much. Much more than you can ever imagine. I know that right now, you don't like that I have so many rules, that I am constantly watching what you do. Or, that I might push you to try even though you want to give up. You will thank me later in life. I hope.
You are everything we could have ever wanted in a perfect little Princess baby. And so much more.
God has filled our home with amazing love. {You and your Brother are the life of this place..without you we would be nobody.}
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