Be You-nique

En serio! BE YOU-NIQUE, y no mires hace atras! 

Once people get to know you, no hay vuelta atras; there is no fake, no lie and no recreating you. Just be you. Simple as that. Will everyone love you? Probably not. Will some people Love you? Claro que si! 

Never give up on who you are, evolve and grow but always be true to who you want to be, what you believe in and where you want to go. 

My children are being taught that life is about being real, being themselves and loving the toasty brown skin we were born with. We know we are Mexican's born in the "states of America" as my Santi would say. 

We never attempt to be anything other than who we are and we embrace life as it comes. 

What about you? Are you embracing who you are and loving the skin you were born with and in? 

{4 years Santiago} Letters to my Son

My Beautiful Baby,
{it's what I call you every time I hold you in my arms, by the way...you are really big but still I hold you like a baby...my baby....}



Today you are 4 years old.
You are active and no one can stop you.
You are stubborn but still a sweet baby.
You are beautiful and loving.
Your smile lights up a room.
If you sleep long enough you wake up and say
"Good Morning Mami!"

You are taller than most and in a size 6/7 clothes and size 11 shoe.
You brighten up my days and make me nervous all at once.
Everyday is a new adventure for you and you are eager to take on the day's "challenges"...

You are curious and sometimes we don't agree.... you want your way and I
want what's best.

Your life is so simple and easy. You don't know how to have
a bad day. And, everyday that I pick you up from school you say,
"Mom, I had fun today!"
You have fun everyday, even when you don't feel good or are in a bad mood.
You fight with your Sister, a lot but you are also very protective, loving and giving...
when  you want to be.
You are definitely a Momma's boy and your Dad's best buddy.
You love to make up words and speak Spanish when needed.
You are full of life and vibrant!
You love to run and play and laugh and just be happy....you tell me...
"Mom, just let me be happy!"
when I try to calm you down or keep you quiet.

You are very much a ladies man and you even have the best dance moves.
You love all things "boy", you are rough and tough but sweet and sensitive and you even play with your Sister's babies and kitchen.

You want reassurance as to how much I love you almost daily. I don't mind telling you how amazing and beautiful you are and how much I love you...but know that this life is not fair and people of the world will never make you who you are. God has created you; strong, unique and loved...that is all that matters.
Your best friend in daycare is "Sanchez", the other Santiago of the class.

You are my life and although it's often filled with tantrums and tears...you have a way of turning all my wrongs into the best rights ever. God has blessed us with you and your Sister.
You are the little man that stole my heat 4 years ago.
Your Daddy and I love you { & Camila} more than life!

You may not know this but you have everything you need and everyone you need in your life, maybe not everything you want but we provide what we know you need to thrive as a child and to grow; mentally, physically and emotionally. We support you and we will always be here for you..if one day we are not..don't be scared...look to God, He has brought us this far.... and He will take us the distance...

Santiago; you have no idea the amazing and intelligent little boy that you are, you say the best things and you come up with the best comments... every word that you say is heard and acknowledged.

And, yes...some days we have our days. You push every button and try to surpass every limit. We keep you in line. And, although it's cliche...at times..it hurts us more than it hurts you...we want you to be happy but we also want you to learn to be respectful and humble. We will never break your spirit although sometimes you act as if it's the end of the world when the word "NO" comes out of our mouths. You have survived and you will survive even the most stern "NO's", life is filled with them so it's better you hear them now from us and learn that they are normal.

You are a great son and a good boy but you are over active and sometimes you beat us at the how's and what to do with you.... your imagination is expressed in so many ways. You love to draw Angry Birds,  your favorite game, in every notebook. You also draw me and your Dad and Camila. We look like potatoes but one day it will be different, practice makes perfect. You play with all your toys as if they were alive, scary yes but so amazing to watch.

You are built like an athlete and even "Box" with your Dad, and talk about "faceball"...{baseball, basketball or football...they are all "faceball"} yet I have a feeling the arts maybe your calling...your Dad claims I think everything is your calling at the end of the day..it's up to you. God will guide you. You will know how to use your talents and what you will develop.

You love watching "Connie Cow" on Youtube. You know how to use my cellphone and computer better than me at times. You love your GranMa and GranPa. You pray for us all and have special request when you know our loved ones are ill. You tell me about your Bible readings and sing songs everyday. And, so much more!

I love you and pray to God that you remain healthy and protected by all of those who love you. No words can ever describe how we feel on a daily basis to have you and your Sister in our lives!

Happy 4th Birthday my beautiful baby Boy!!!

We Love you!!!!

Momma {Daddy & Camila too!}

Why Hello There! Hola!

I know. It's been a while. I turned 32 while I was away and this past weekend we baptized my daughter. So, yes I have been a little busy.

Life is good. Turning 32 made me realize how much I have changed. How much my 30s are making me into who I really am. Not really carefree but a little more free of cares that I had when I was in my 20s. I now realize how much I cared about what others thought, how much I worried about whether or not people liked me, how much I cared about anything really. Not that I don't care anymore just that those type of things about  life I don't have time for because I chase a 3 year old and 2 year old around all day which consume my life and I love that! 

I don't want to have to worry about those things happening around me. I know that a lot of it affects my everyday and my family but at the end of the day if my kids and my Hubby are taken care of, then I have done my job for that day and that is what I care about the most. 

I take it one day at a time and I take in those small things in life that will one day disappear. I want to make my 30s the years that created the best part of my life. I believe that by eliminating unnecessary, I will accomplish that. Life is difficult enough with the necessary if I crowd it with too much of the  {for lack of a better word} "blah", I loose sight of what is really important. 

These days I plan to enjoy my life, my family, and move forward. Less clutter and more simple. Having fun and being "young". One day it will all be over and if I spent my life stuck or dwelling on things, situations or people who are not allowing me to be me and relax, then I think my life will have been horribly spent. 

My life as a 30-something year old should be....Simple. Happy. Care free. Kinda. Trust me. I am not saying that I will some how avoid challenges or difficulties. No. I know life is hard and we must deal with it. But, I am saying that I refuse to allow the unnecessary to crowd me. 

I have done so much in my 20s and I think others don't know that about me or forget. But, I have. College life, Dating life, Marriage, Married life, Life itself and all it's turmoils in-between...I wanted to have children in my late 20s early 30s for a reason. I enjoyed my life before them and now I cherish my life with them. I refuse to allow the unnecessary things to crowd my vision of a happy and enjoyable next 8 years, until I enter the next decade of my life. 

Life is life. It's what you make of it. I have made it what it is and it has taken me over 15 years to get here... and trust me. This is only the beginning. 

Happy Monday everyone! 

3 Years Ago Today.... ♥

3 years ago today.....

I gave birth after 24 hours of labor and an emergency c-section...to a little man. One with an angel face. Whom I fell in love with from the minute I knew he grew inside of me. A little man that captured my heart and kept me up late every night for a year, not by choice. 

Today he is smart, strong, confident and so brave! He is energy that his 31 year old Momma is not. He is love that I never knew I could feel. He is faith that I knew one day would come. He is one of the Loves of my life. I fell in love with him and now I know... that a Momma's love is like no other. 

But, I pray....that he grows up to be independent and self-sufficient, that he is confident yet humble. That he can recognize when he is wrong and correct his errors. I pray that as the years go by he realizes the sacrifice that we have made for him to be where he will want to be. I pray that his faith grows like the mustard seed. I pray that he looks up to his Dad for being a man of perseverance and love. That he has a caring heart and that he never gives up on his dreams! I pray that he knows that he can accomplish anything he wants in this life if he works hard and that he shouldn't expect for anything to be handed to him.....by anyone. That while we are always here for support, life is about making your own mistakes, learning from them and moving forward. I pray that God will keep him safe and protect him from all harm and evil but that he knows that this life is unfortunately unfair. But, I pray that he can grow up to be strong and gentle with those who love him. That he is a man of great faith and character and that he knows when he is being too nice and when he should lend a helping hand. 

Santiago, 

You are only 3 but I wish so much for you and your future...only when you are OLD, like me...in your 30-something years and decide to have children...you will know the prayers and request that fill my heart... the love and faith that you were the second I knew you were being formed deep inside my womb. I pray that you love us and are thankful for all the things that God has provided for us in this life and that you never take anything for granted because someone somewhere in your family worked really hard to cross a border that separates two worlds... in order for us to give you a better future....and just so you know you were born into a family of clowns...we are not normal and you will be embarrassed by us, one day..{HA.}hopefully never embarrassed of us and trust me you will be just fine and hopefully grow into a normal adulthood, enough to know that you are loved and that we want you to be proud of our accomplishments and our family!

With that said...You {and your Sister} are the light of our world... you are the love in our hearts and TRUE BLESSINGS & GIFTS from up above. God has been so good to us and we do NOT have regrets. You shouldn't either... 

Happy Birthday my Big Boy. Everyday that passes by I look at you {& your Sister}in amazement. I can't believe that God would Bless me so big even though I don't deserve you.... we love you more than life and because of you, life is love! 

Con mucho Amor Siempre, 

Yo'Momma