Grant Me Serenity

The need for grace and peace has been a constant for me the last few weeks. Who am I kidding? Years!!! I once read that a person's attitude when things go wrong is a reflection of that person's true character. It's easy to act like the yearbook's Best All Around when you wake up to sunshine, favorite song on the radio, and the most beautiful person in the world is your significant other. But it's difficult to flash a million dollar smile when your monthly visitor heavily arrives and people just aren't accommodating your simple requests. I find myself reflecting on a simple petition: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Cherishing Catalina

Keenan said something to me the other day that has been echoing in my mind: "She (Catalina) is not going to be like this for long."  As in, Catalina is growing very quickly and she is not going to be a baby much longer.  At 7-months-old she already has two teeth and is crawling backwards.  Gone are the days of toothless grins and gone are the days of total dependence on Daddy and Mommy for mobility.  It is only a matter of time before the adorable coos transform to words and the Rolly Polly rolls progress to steps.  For a while there, I was going about my days in complete frustration at the laundry pile ups, constant dishes, diarrhea disasters, toddler tantrums, incessant crying and screeching screams that all of these things drowned my enjoyment in this very brief time with Catalina as an infant.  She will always be my baby girl, but the natural process is for her to grow out of infancy into toddlerhood, pre-adolescence, adolescence, etc..  So I had better get over the other stuff and just enjoy this time with my precious, adoring, completely lovable Catalina.  Keenan is right, she is not going to be like this for long.  So Mommy is going to relax, let the daily chores come and go, and cherish these days with my baby. 

Solids mesh well with the new teeth.  Literally.

Bath time is a favorite for Catalina.

Experimenting with the sippy cup.

Daddy's day to do hair = Fohawk.

  

Walking Memory

As I was walking into the Post Office today I crossed paths with a woman that was the spitting image of my late Grandma, Tequia Jose.  We exchanged warm smiles as we passed one another and I went on to take care of my postal business.  While I was driving home later that afternoon I was hit with a sudden pang of sweet sorrow.  I began to recall memories of my Grandma and longed to go back in time to show her my endearment.  There are three things I remember about my Grandma: 1) She was a woman of God.  As I child, we shared a room and I vividly remember waking up to find her kneeling on the floor and earnestly praying the rosary.  Mind you, this was generally between 4 and 5 in the morning so I usually ended up pouting for her to turn off the light and pray.  2)  She was an excellent cook of authentic Filipino food.  In my opinion, her best dish was Samporado which is a Filipino chocolate rice pudding.  3) She cared about her appearance.  She was so beautiful she woke up looking like a Philippine Alexander doll- flawless fair skin, dark thin eyebrows, and crimson lips. And the woman I saw at the Post Office looked just as I described.  Little does she know that her appearance brings me such sweet memories of my Grandma.  I miss her.

Tequia Jose

Pink Hair?!

 This morning Adisson told me she wants pink hair like this little Bubble Guppie:

Molly

Who knew that viewing Nickelodeon cartoons would provide opportunities of in-depth discussions for parents and their children?