Birthday Boy...

I cannot believe that it has been a year since we brought our beloved little Franco home from the hospital. He has brought so much laughter and joy into our lives. I awake everyday to the sweet, smiling, sleepy face of Franco and know that no matter what the day will bring, I have him in my life.

He shows me each and everyday that we should cherish the little things... like being tickled or a funny noise that can send you into a ton of laughter. He is my everything and I am so thankful that I have him in my life.

Commercials...

Ok... staying at home with Franco does give me the ability to watch a lot of TV... and I have most recently begun to pick apart commercials.

The latest one is for microwave mashed potatoes... they show a woman slaving away at peeling potatoes and chopping them, then boiling them and mashing them. They make her seem like this is the most difficult thing in the world... but wait... all you have to do is purchase their already cut potatoes and put them in the microwave... then mash and you have your potatoes...

What happened to the days of actually mashing your own potatoes... granted my mother used potato flakes (which were delicious)... but I just wondered at what point did peeling a potato become so labor intensive that we need someone else to do it for us...?

Crawling Man...

Last night Hermann was seeing if Franco wanted to crawl...

Franco started a few weeks ago by reaching for the farthest toy and eventually he would get on his stomach and then roll over.

But on Wednesday night we noticed that Franco was on his stomach and then somehow got to a sitting position.

Well our smart little man figured out crawling very quickly... but he seems to prefer the dragging the legs behind him method the best...

I can't believe my little boy is mobile.

Tiny Man Ties

Hey Everyone...

Lait-Love Covers has officially launched its newest product...

TINY MAN TIES

Check them out at my www.laitlove.etsy.com ...

Thanks!

Brand New TOOTH!

So this morning Hermann comes in to give Franco a kiss and I hear, 'Oh My God'... and I look and sure enough...

Our baby boy got his second tooth... this one is also on the right side... but on the top.

I have been wondering when Franco might ever use his first tooth (on the bottom) but the lactation consultants said that his tongue will cover it so it shouldn't be a problem... they said to watch out for the top teeth...

GREAT! He better not bite me... I love breastfeeding him...

2 things

1. The least important first... Fanny Pak was kicked off of America's Best Dance Crew. Total bull crap... they are way more interesting and creative then So Real Cru and should not have gone home.

2. My darling little angel got his first boo-boo. We were having dinner at his Aunt Claudia's house and was playing with his cousin, Yasier. All of us were laughing and having a great time... Hermann and I were watching Franco making sure he was OK and since he is learning to crawl he is venturing more and more towards the furthest toys...

We were watching closely and I think we both knew that he was too close to the tile... and then it happened... my little bug fell head first into the tile. I heard a big thud and instantly grabbed him up... it was soon followed by a burst of cries and tears. I was holding him close and then pulled away to make sure he wasn't bleeding... and there was no blood but he does have a nice little scratch between his eyes.

He was such a little trooper and let daddy put some ice on it... my angel is doing okay... I think we were more traumatized then him.

Anderson Photography...

Anderson Photography is officially in business... check it out...

www.andersonphotography.etsy.com

Last Lecture...

I was online this morning and came across a news article about the professor who's "Last Lecture" is one of inspiration and life. He passed away today and I just wanted to share it with you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

The video is an hour long... but well worth watching.

L

Little nubbin...

This time it is real... Franco has a little nubbin growing on the bottom of his gums. There is a little white bump... I can't believe he is getting his first tooth...

Oh... and he rolled from his back to tummy today too!

That's my boy...

Yesterday... Franco rolled over from his tummy to his back and on the 22nd.

Many may know that 22 is my lucky number and it follows me everywhere. And my birthday is 1/22 and Franco's is 12/2... the same numbers just shifted...

I was so proud of him. Hermann was calling to me to come and see our boy. He has hated tummy time since he was born and has been sitting up all by himself since 5 months that I didn't push the tummy time.

But, from time to time, we will put him on his tummy to see what happens and last night was one such occasion. Sure enough, like everyone said, it will just happen one day... and my boy is a rolling man...!

My Darling...

I just have to say that I have the most wonderful man in the world. I don't know how I managed to get this guy to stay through all of my craziness...

He is handsome, charming, supportive and caring. I cherish every moment that I have with him... and without him I wouldn't have my little love, Franco.

I love him so much...!

Playgroup Friends...

Yesterday Franco was at his first playgroup in months... due to stupid high gas prices I can't afford to do all that we want to. So we hosted the playgroup... it was fun... although Franco felt the need to slobber on his friends.


Franco and Daniel had a great time hanging out, sharing toys and wrestling... well more like Franco biting Daniel's fingers whenever they got close! Then his friend, Kira, got too close and he decided to bite her hair... good times!

It was nice to see my friends too... I miss them and having an intelligent converstaion...!

Semi-Homemade...

I don't know why this bothers me so much... but on Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee, she is always matching the background of her kitchen. On all the other shows on the Food Network, no one else does that...

Is it just me... or does that bug?

Big Boy Bath!

So this week Franco started taking baths in the big boy tub... he loves it... he can stay in there for hours, if I let him. He loves to play with his rubber duckie and his little froggie... ain't he cute!

ABDC...

On the last season of America's Best Dance Crew it was easy to see who was going to win... the JABBAWOCKEE's... this season is harder to decide.

I really like ASIID... despite the fact that Joey is deaf, the crew is amazing... Fanny Pak are the true artists and always amaze me with their choreography... Boogie Bots are coming up from behind... I love their name and their dancing is finally catching up... and SoReal Cru they are great as well... they use the girls to their advantage...

It is hard to say... We will just have to see.

New Photo Header...

I have to thank my friend, Sabrina for her website recommendation... like her I was able to create a gorgeous header for my blog. I love it. It showcases the most important people in my life... my father, my mom, Hermann and Franco...

Full Circle...

Today my son met Haleigh. Haleigh is the daughter of my old best friend...

Caron and I met when we were in 6th grade at Montgomery Middle School. We absolutely hated each other for no reason we can remember. After we finally talked to each other we became the best of friends... We were friends all through middle school and even on through high school.


I attended her wedding in 1999 and she was set to be my matron of honor at my wedding. As things would happen she was not my matron of honor and we fell out of touch and our friendship suffered. I often think of Caron and do not wish her any ill will. I think of her as a lost soul and I know that she will one day come around...

Her mom and my mom, however, have remained good friends... Billye was up at my mom's house this week with Haleigh and I decided to stop by. Haleigh is now 7 years old. I cannot believe how big she is getting (and she is Caron's mini-me). So her and Franco went swimming together and it was just nice to see that my old best friends daughter got to meet my son.

First 4th of July...

Our darling little boy celebrated his first 4th of July with his family... first he went to his Grammy's house where he got to swim with his newest cousins, 8 week old Charlotte and Trevor (although they didn't swim... they watched Franco play in the pool).

He got to spend some time with his Uncle Jim... mostly trying to steal his hat from him...

Then he came home and found his Abuelita and older cousins waiting for him... so he went swimming with Yasemin and Nicole. Then he watched fireworks with us right outside our house... he wasn't scared... in fact he watched in amazement.

What a wonderful 4th of July... with our little boy...

Little Swimmer

My darling Franco began swim lessons on June 30th... he loves being in the water.

He is learning how to blow bubbles, kick his legs and float on his back. He is making new friends and has a great time.


He is even getting his first tan... Despite covering him in 30 SPF sunscreen (by Arbonne, of course) he is getting brown and showing up his mommy (who is white from the shoulders down...).

WALL-E

Yesterday Franco and I went to see Wall-E with his cousins and aunt...

First off... Franco does amazingly well in the movies... he eats and takes a nap and then wakes up to watch the ending... Second... the movie... incredibly cute and perfect for our world right now. It shows you the possibility of what life will be like if we don't act now to change our world. In 700 years people are forced to circle the galaxy until life is found on another plant. It shows how we let robots and the convenience of modern living take over our lives and we become so dependent that we loose our ability to think for ourselves and even walk...

Very entertaining and definitely one to own...

Don't watch the NEWS...

I have once again realized why I shouldn't watch the news...

It all started in 1999 while watching the evening news I found out that a dear high school friend of mine, Erik Ortega died while surfing. Then a few years later I heard that an old boyfriend of mine, Billy Agnello was killed in PB...

After that I swore off the news... and yet I still watch it. I don't know if it is to be entertained or informed...

After having Franco all the 'nanny cam' stories started to make me panic... so Hermann and I decided that I should stay home and raise our son. But then the stories about infants (newborns) and very young children being harmed by the very people who are supposed to protect them started to appear...

And then today... I won't go into the details... but a young mother's son did not survive and I have had enough...

NO MORE NEWS!!

My darling son...

My darling son, Franco Ulysses was born on December 2, 2007. I cannot even begin to describe the joy that he has brought to my life. He wakes up with a smile and continues to laugh and smile all day long... he has his moments but don't we all.

Even when he is crying... I will catch a light in his eyes that makes me smile. I am thankful that I have him in my life.

Starting again...

The reason why my blog is titled "Starting Again" is due to the fact that my life has started to be full... In 2004 I lost my grandfather (a great man who gave me my first car... a 1967 Ford Mustang) and my beloved dog, Rocky, of 18 years... that was also the year that I graduated from college, got married, and my father was diagnosed with cancer.

It was a very busy year with many ups and downs. In 2005, my marriage ended and I lost my job. But losing my job meant that I could devote all my time to taking care of my father. I spent a month and a half by my fathers side watching the SciFi channel all day at the hospital until he lost his battle with cancer in May.

I moved home and found a job (that I hated) and returned to school to pursue my dreams of becoming an interior designer. I quit my job and went back to Starbucks. Things were going great... I was making new friends and then in December my other grandfather passed away. I was devastated... all the men in my life were gone...

Then I met Hermann... my assistant manager at Starbucks (who I was not supposed to be dating...). We would go salsa dancing every week and make the trip to Long Beach once a week to see my favorite band, Knyght Ryder. We decided to move in together about a year later and within a week of moving in, I found out that I was pregnant.

Franco was born in December 2007 and I realized that even though I had lost all the men in my life... they were slowly being returned to me. I had my beloved Hermann to hold me close when I cried... and my darling Franco to stare into my eyes and know I am there for him.

I am truly grateful to get the chance to start again...