Sunshine Pregnancy

On Sunday, in the midst of looking for a home and packing for our trip, I played on Polyvore. I know. A good way to waste a little time. The site is addicting, I have to admit that much. But I was thinking about outfits for our trip.



I came up with this one. It's so happy and summery. Pregnancy in summer, it's not the best. Take it from me. I've never been to good at planning these things out. In fact, we went to Florida in August 2005 for Linda and Gabe's wedding. Talk about crazy! It was hot, humid, I was pregnant with Sarita, and had to dress up. Why did I waddle around Disney World? I'll never know...

But we were packing for this trip. And I thought about bringing lots of versatile pieces. The weather had been nuts around here. Rainy and cold 1 day, triple digits the next. So I did a layered look. Very cute! We actually made it to Forever 21 during the week. And I wore a similar look yesterday. Loved it! And I love how they sell maternity clothes now.

So there you go. My maternity look. It went from the a day at the Zoo, a train ride, and aquarium included. Oh, and feeding the ducks. To us going out to a nice family dinner. And it was nice to have a few options. Because it was hot outside. But freezing indoors. Thank goodness for Polyvore! And for La Chiquitita's suggestions of places to visit! She is from a pretty amazing city. ~C

Looking for a New House...

Not going to lie here. Juan and I are a little stressed out. We need a house. Here. At home. We belong here. OK, we both grew up about 45 miles south of here. And spent most of our lives there. Until the flood. Then lots of things happened. And we moved east. First to San Antonio. Then to take care of our daughter.

Now, we're looking for a home. Nothing too fancy. But it has to be a 3 bedroom house. You know, our familia is growing here. We're hoping to stay under $250,000. And I'm saying nothing fancy, because we've decided to have a home built. But that generally means, 18-24 months. Oh boy! Maybe we should have thought about this before getting pregnant.

But we need a house relatively soon. Because I'm well into my 2nd trimester. And we can't continue to stay at Memo's house. Do you know what I mean? We love him. We really do! And he is just like family. But we can't do it anymore. We need a place for our family to grow. We won't stop traveling east for Sarita's treatments. But we're hoping that after our little girl is born, well, that maybe there is a cure in our future. We can only pray.

Juan and I spent the better part of today scooping out a few things. Some properties here. Near Memo and all of our friends. Now I really know why La Chiquitita and her Hombre are buying a house here. Close enough to the city. But still a little town. And if you find the right piece of property, almost out in the middle of nowhere. Love it!

We found a lot. One that we really like. For a really good deal. And we called our real estate agent. I know. It's Sunday. But you have to move on these great deals. She is starting our paperwork. An offer is being made tomorrow! In the meantime, we need a house. One that is built. And we're more than OK to live in the city for a year or so. While we build our home.

I found an old Craig's List listing. I hope that this house is still available. It looks like the current owners are selling it. A good deal too. Juan and I learn that it's best to buy directly from the seller. That's what we did in San Antonio. And we got an amazing deal! We just want to see more pictures. They had none of the bedrooms or bathrooms. Maybe even go look around the actual home.

And we found another listed on a local real estate agents website. For $198,000. The lot is small. There's not much grass either. But it's a good location. A fairly nice layout. Again, just a little small. 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A cul-de-sac and nice views. The house generally looks a little small. But we just need a home for "now."

I know what you're thinking. Why not go with our real estate agent? We could. But she exclusively works on custom homes. And in this small community. Don't get me wrong, you drive down one street and you're in the city. But do you understand? It's a place where more expensive real estate is sold. And most of the newer homes are custom built. It takes a while. And that's all she does.

If worst comes to worst, La Chiquitita, Berto, and Sanchocito have all offered up their homes. I know that Memo would enjoy us staying here too. But we really want a place of our own. Now to go email the one woman from the Craig's List house. And to call the real estate agent and leave a message. Let's see who we hear from first...

Not only are we looking for a home, but we're going on a small trip tomorrow. Up north. About a 3 hour drive. We're going to La Chiquitita's (Nana) hometown. :)To take Sarita to the big Zoo, museum, and who knows what not all. We'll be gone for about a week. Maybe we can find a home by then. Fingers and toes crossed. Even if we do all of our business online. We just need a home. Can you tell that I'm super stressed out at the moment? ~C

Missing Cari Bear

We made it home yesterday. Well, to Papa Memo's house. and it feels amazing! He is definitely like a father figure to Juan and I. And Sarita's Papa (grandpa.) It just feels nice to be home. And to see all of our friends and family. We're just waiting for La Chiquitita (or Nana) to come home too!

It feels really good to be back. And we need to start looking for a house. Juan and I are hoping to buy a house here, before the baby comes. We have so much to do! We really need to get on top of this. We're not sure if we want to go through a real estate agent. Or just to go look for a home that is being sold by the owner. We'll just have to wait and see.

But this morning, Sarita came to our room a little sad. She misses Cari Bear. As do we. And Papa Memo. But Cari Bear is in Florida with Big O (or Nono.) Enjoying a vacation with her Nono. The house is so quiet without her. And we miss her so much! Sarita laid with us for a while before going to hangout with her Papa Memo. He told us tonight, that he misses his Cari Bear too. But he's glad that she can have such a great vacation.

We can't wait until Cari Bear comes home. But I hope she has a great time! Until then, we're going to try and help keep Papa Memo busy. Because he needs it. It's so sad to see him down. But I think Sarita is doing a good job at keeping him busy. :) ~C

Feels Like Home

We're finally home. Well, at least in our apartment. Sarita was released today. For just a few short weeks. But still, we're home. My baby girl is sleeping in her big girl bed. Her bed!

Juan and I couldn't be happier. Nothing is as amazing as putting our little girl to bed in her bedroom. And we're planning on going home. Back home. To the southwest. At least for a few weeks. We try to take full advantage of our time away from the hospital. But still being aware that we need to keep our daughter safe.

It feels good to be home. Plain and simple. I hope that soon, our little girl will no longer have to deal with cancer. We also hope that our dear friend, La Chiquitita, also doesn't have to deal with this horrible disease any longer. It's a tough road. For everyone involved. But to watch your daughter and your best friend both fight this horrible disease, it's tough. It eats away at your soul. And sometimes, you question life.

For now, I'm a happy woman. Our daughter is between treatments. And she's home. La Chiquitita is also between treatments. And on vacation! Mujer, I'm so happy for you! And we're heading home. To visit some of the most amazing people I will ever know. Tonight, I thank Mi Dios a few hundred times more than normal. ~C

Life and Music

I seen this video on La Chiquitita's blog recently. I've been trying to catch up on my blog reading. But I just thought it was a cute song. And the video reminds me of her. Because she is silly like the girl in the video.

You see, our friend is a quiet person by nature. And a little shy. OK, a lot shy when it comes to men. And for years, I listened to countless men confess their love for her. But they were all too shy to ask her out. Because even though she is shy, she is very successful. And men are a little taken aback by that.

But in the end, she found a man. They met by chance. And she captured his heart. Without even trying. That's what happened. He'll admit it. In the end, they met. And he finally had the huevos to ask her out. Now, you can't find a happier couple out there. How funny life is. Music mirrors life and life mirrors music. Oh, and Pepe Aguilar happens to be La Chiquitita 's favorite singer too! ~C

Back Home with Our Little Girl

We're back home. And it feels so good! Juan and I are well rest and refreshed. A vacation is just what we needed! It strengthened Juan and I's relationship. And that is always important for our little girl. :)

But nothing felt better than hugging and kissing our little princesa! She seems so much older and wiser. We were gone for an ENTIRE MONTH! And I feel like I've missed so very much! But it's nice to be back.

We have 2 bags full of gifts for our friends. They are amazing! Thanks again to Nana, Nono, and Papa Memo. Truly amazing people! They really are like our family. :) It's nice to be back. And to have all of our loved ones near.

Now, it's time to get to Dreamland. Our princesa is fast asleep on Juan's chest. We just want to be near her tonight. We missed her so much. So tonight, we're going to enjoy sharing our bed. And in the morning, I can't wait to wake up and see my sweet little girl's smiling face! ~C

We're Going to Paradise

Our friends are AMAZING! They are sending us to Hawaii for a MONTH! Just me and Juan. For a MONTH! Oh my. We're so excited. Sarita, Nono, Nana, and Papa Memo had our bags packed for us this morning. With our tickets. I can't believe it. We're going to be here in a few hours!



I don't know how we got so lucky with our friends. We really are lucky. Nana, Nono, and Papa Memo are going to take turns watching Sarita. All the guys in the mariachi pitched in money for our trip. And literally, everything is paid for! I feel so blessed!

Our friends know how much Juan and I need this vacation. Since I got pregnant, we haven't been on a trip. And we could never imagine leaving our daughter when she was sick. But right now, she is in the middle of treatments. During one of her 6 week breaks. It's still going to be tough to be apart from her. But Juan and I really need this.

The last 4 years have been tough. We've endured our little girl's illness. And a few miscarriages. A major flood. And almost losing everything. Believe me, we're going to enjoy this trip. Thanks again to ALL of our FRIENDS! We'll see you when we get back from PARADISE! ~C

Journaling

I got this amazing gift for Christmas. From the very thoughtful Chiquitita. She happens to have so many great ideas! And she's my Comadre. And one of my very best friends. You know the kind. When you life is falling apart, you call them. La Chiquitita is that friend for me. She inspired me and encouraged me to start my blog. Yup, she has been blogging for almost 10 years now. Her private blog...it's AMAZING!

And she's been journal-ing even longer. I remember the very first trip we ever took together, La Chiquitita had her journal. And she was peacefully lost in her words. Writing away. It always amazed me. But she just loves to write.

Before Christmas, we were talking about journal-ing. And a few of us were wanting to start on this little project. My Comadre had a good idea. And got all of us these amazing journals and pens. A very thoughtful gift. The first few pages, she wrote a nice letter and added a few quotes. I will cherish this forever!

Over the last few weeks, I've been writing every day in my journal. I like to blog. And I really like to read blogs. Like no bodies business! Especially the more personalized, family blogs. :) But journal-ing, I feel like I can write about anything and everything on my mind. All those scary thoughts, and happy things. And I never feel like I'm going to be judged. It's a nice little hobby to get into. And I enjoy setting 10 minutes aside every day to just be alone with my thoughts. ~C

Look at Sarita's Favorite New Doll!

Do you remember Cabbage Patch Kids? I do! I remember the craze...in 1983. I'm not going to tell you how old I was. But I got one. Years later, I found out that my dad risked his life to get me mine. I have a great dad! :)

That was 1983. And La Chiquitita was an infant. And her dad got her one too! She still has it. No lie! On her bed. :) I just love her! Fast forward. To 2008...the 25th Anniversary of the Cabbage Patch Kids. And then to Christmas time. La Chiquitita gets another red head, green eyed babe from Marissa. :)

Everyone's kids know, they can't play with La Chiquitita's doll. But Sarita gets to. Well, when no one else is around. My daughter is spoiled! What a good Nana she has.

This year, for Sarita's birthday, this was one of the presents she got from her Nana! How sweet was that? Now, my daughter has her very one Cabbage Patch Kid! Just her size too! Because with this cancer, our daughter looks a lot younger than she is. Let's just say, she's growing very, very slowly!



But now Sarita has a cute little doll to play with. She is so proud. We even had to frame her baby's birth certificate! I just love it! And I love to watch her baby her sweet doll. She is just so gentle. Thanks La Chiquitita! You know exactly how to put a smile on my little girl's face. :) ~C

Oh My 'Rella!

Have I told you this before? My daughter is spoiled! And I can't even say by me and my husband. But by her Godparents. They really went all out this year for Sarita's birthday. Here are just a few of her favorite 'Rella presents. Let's not forget about all the clothes. And the big trunk of dress up goodies from Cinderella's Castle. Thanks Nono! Yes, straight from Disney World to our little princesa! And all the handmade things from Nana. Oh and the Barbies!

A cute necklace!

Some talking jewelry.

These cute gloves and fun purse! It's perfect!

A 'Rella with lots of clothes!

'Rella, Prince Charmin', a castle, and lots of fun things to play with!

Need a carriage, some fun animals, and a Fairy Godmother?

A laughing and talking 'Rella baby doll!

Another fun 'Rella baby doll. She really likes this one!

A 'Rella Barbie doll. Too cute!

This one has a long dress. She's pretty!

And another Tea Set. She likes to keep her other one at her Nana. Something tells me it has to do with their "Tea Parties." Who would like real tea and sugary snacks?

As you can see, our little princesa is spoiled by her Godparents. And not just with the material goods. But with lots and lots of LOVE! Thank you Nana and Nono! You both mean so much to us! ~C

My Love!

When I was pregnant with Sarita, we were really busy. No lie! We had friends who were expecting. Friends getting married. A friend who was sick. And my husband was working almost non-stop! It was just busy. The summers used to be so busy for us. That's when my husband works the most. It wasn't unusual for him to go to work at 6 in the morning (on a Saturday) and not return home until 5am on Sunday. Then he'd sleep for 2 hours, get up and head back out. The life of a musician.

With that, I had his schedule with me all the time. We would try and meet sometime on between Thursday-Sunday for lunch. Let me tell you, it was hard to find even 30 minutes. And I'd spend a lot of time wobbling around town, just trying to catch up with him. I was probably 7 months pregnant. Oh, and we live in the desert. The temps were at least 100 degrees every day!

My dear friend La Chiquitita would see me. I was beat tired. Trying to get ready for our little girl. Running around. Picking up CD orders for my husband. Going with him to pick up trajes. It was none stop. And I mention to La Chiquitita how I couldn't sleep at night. It was miserable! I just couldn't unwind.

Did I mention? She works with my OB/GYN. A few days later, I went in for my appointment. It was insanely hot outside. And during my last trimester, I only wore dresses. I really couldn't stand anything else. At home, I was usually in underwear, a tank top, and the AC was always on! The heat was just miserable! But that day, La Chiquitita had a present for me...



This little basket full of "The Healing Garden" lavender set. It's heaven! It had way more products than this set. And it smells so good! I about cried. she also included a CD of relaxing classical music and a massage book. That night, I tried everything out! And I slept like a baby.

I still use this line. And for my baby shower, La Chiquitita included another scent for the line. I can't even remember the name of it. But it was another one designed for relaxing and sleeping. Sadly, they don't make it anymore. :(

But this stuff is amazing. I use the lotion the most. I like the texture and the scent. It's not over powering. And something that just makes me smile. Even in a hospital. Oh, and Sarita LOVES to be massaged with this! It's a complete success! ~C

Berenstain Bears

This was one of my favorite books to read when I was little. I like the whole series really. They had them at school. But this was my favorite! And one of the 1st things I bought when I found out I was having a baby. I figured, both a boy or a girl would love and appreciate it. :)



Sarita and I read lots of books all the time! Every night we have a bedtime story. Every morning, we read from her Children's Bible. Thanks Nana for it! But today, we got a special surprise from Nana. Another HUGE LOVER OF BOOKS!



That's right! The Berenstain Bears have a book about praying! Love it! I can see us reading this many, many times. Thanks again Nana! ~C