March 31, 2011

MOM stands for Made fOr Multitasking!

      Yesterday a friend of mine who I hold very close to my heart, Karen LaPaz, asked me a question, "How do you do it? How do you have time to blog, cook a gourmet meal, take care of two little ones under the age of two, take care of the house, husband and have time for yourself?" Well I am a mom I was created to be a multitasker.  Although there will be days that you just one to pull out your hair and days that you wonder WOW all the chores are done on my list, also it helps if you have "fun" doing the task. It is good to have a balance of what needs to be done that day and what can be done the next days. It is very important to have play time, or play dates it is a mini break from the daily routines.At times my day goes something like this. Picture a boxing ring, but instead of punching, there are many many hugs, kisses, therapy, laughter in between. In one corner there is me, MOM (the multitasker) and the other corner there are, kids, house chores, husband, dog, etc (need to be taken care for and loved). Now my laptop is in my kitchen counter which make it easier for me to write a few lines here and there in my blog, facebook or to look at other amazing blogs. I advice you all to take a look at my firiends Holly's blog: http://www.notaperfectmomsblog.com/. She is a sassy mom of four under the age of 7, yes people FOUR she is amazing, her children are beautiful plus her and I share something in common.



Round one: I wake up at around 7:45-8:00 ish in the morning, brush my teeth, go to the kitcken prepare my coffee maker, prepare a warm bottle of milk for Ethan and prepare Amalia's bottle. Once Ethan and Amalia have warm milk and formula in their tummy, I drink my warm cup of coffee, aaaahhh!! (this is the me time,haha).
    
    
     

Round two: Breakfast time: this is around 9:30-10:00 ish, menu; home made pancake, eggwhites for me and homemade banananut muffins with OJ yummy. Once we eat breakfast Ethan watched television, I do the dishes and then start thinking of Lunch and dinner menu. Amalia is relaxing in her playpen and then she goes for her first nap. I start organizing the bedrooms, bathroom, laundry. While the two bedrooms and two bathrooms are spic and span. I put a load of laundry (this is usally done on Mondays) i take Ethan a bath. After that, prepare Amalias food (sweet potato with ground turkey), because when she wakes up she is HUNGRY. (phew)!

        Round three: LUNCH time,this is around 2:00 ish, it can either be wheat pasta with chicken with alfredo sauce or just a nice sandwich of turkey ,cheese and a yogurt. After lunch we color a bit or plays cars and Ethan takes his afternoon naps, and I feed Amalia and 30mn later take her a bath. Once done with Amalia, i take a shower and watch TV for like 45 minute.


        Round four:  Ethan wakes up at 5:00 ish and then i give him a snack. Give Amalia her bottle and back to the kitchen I go to prepare dinner.


       Round five: DINNER IS SERVED, this is around 6:00ish  I am hispanic so dinner is rice, beans, steak, chicken or fish, salad, mashed potato, some frined platains and salad or sometime just a simple split pea soup with rice and some sort of protein to go with the meal with biscuits. Ask husband how was his day, and so forth. After dinner i do the dishes or just put it inside my dishwasher. If it is Monday I begin folding cloth while I watch some tv shows or anything that Ethan is watching which means, the movie TOY STORY or Nemo. Put clothes away.  


     Round six:  Around 9:00 ish give Amalia her bottle and off to bed she goes, and give Ethan his bottle and he goes to bed by 9:30-45 and spend some quality time with hubby and off to bed we go at around 11:00 and knocked out.

That was just a basic day for me. There are days where I wonder where did the time go and did not complete half of the chores that was in my list. I also want to give credit to the single DAD out there who take care of their children they are multitasker as well. If you are a parent that work write down a schedule for you that will help you, if it is easier for you to cook in the weekend for the entire week go for it. When I used to work, saturday was my cleaning days, hubby will drop off the laundry to be done while i cleaned. During the week, i will prepare the menu for the week and I will either marinade the meat the day before or went to the market and purchase the protein of the day, go home and begin cooking. While that was cooking, i normally did a "face wash" to the bathroom, fluff the pillows, spray some febreeze to my sofas and light up some candle. It is a tough job, but try to have fun with it, be creative, play some music, have some fun with it and it wont feel like chores.




Question: How do you multitask? Do you follow a weekley schedule? Do you take a day to cook for the entire week or cook daily?
 





I was searching around the internet for the perfect "house chore" picture and came across this one, i believe it belongs to: http://nickphil67.blogspot.com, at least that is what it said when I clicked on it. I just want to give credit to whom it belongs to.jijiji

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 "I can do everything through him who gives strength" (Philippians 4:13)

"Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice" (Phillippian 4:4)

"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the the field shall clap their hands." ( Isaiah 55:12)



          

March 30, 2011

100...100.1...100.2....102

I was not counting sheep, it was the number shown on the thermometer, Ethan broke out in fever at 2 in the morning. I went to the kitchen to get some baby Motrin, ice-pack and liquid for Ethan to drink. Like any parent we do not like to see our little one get sick, but I knew he was going to get sick. Ethan by nature sweats a lot especially when he naps, and he naps for a good three hour; however yesterday he napped for only 30 minutes and he was not sweating at all. So, he was placed on our bed, and received many kisses from mommy and told him I love him very very much. At that moment I took a time to reflect that GOD always has  a plan for us. On Sunday I was not myself, I was so so so tired that if I need to compare myself to an animal I would say I was a bear in hibernation, my eye-lid could not be kept open, so I took a nap with my boy, although I am not a napper, while daddy spend time with the princess. I napped for 3 hours, but last night i realized why, i needed to restore energy because little man was going to get sick. God plan was for me to rest on Sunday and good night sleep on Monday because Tuesday night was going to be a long night. An hour passed and a silent prayer was said and my darling Ethan fever was decresing to 99.0 YES and I know the LORD answer my prayer quickly because Ethan began sweating and I was able to sleep more comfortable knowing my boy was going to be alright. Today he woke up his normal self, jumping, singing, running and that is the Ethan I know. He is vibrant, curious, funny and loving and loves loves to give kisses. Glad you are better.


Sunday napping


This morning feeling like himself


 This question goes to any parent out there, how do you handle when your child gets a fever of 102? Do you give natural product, home remedies, bath, etc...


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  "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (Matthew 7:7-8)"

March 29, 2011

What is a VSD?

WHAT IS A VSD?
      Ventricular Septal Defect or VSD is a "hole" in the wall between the two lower chambers of the heart. The hole may be small, medium, or large. At times the small hole can close on its own, but in case of Amalia, her VSD was BIG, HUGE, and the only way to repair it was by doing an open heart surgery, which means stopping the heart and the patient will be alive by an oxygen lung machine. Scary ha! BUT GOD WAS WITH ME AND MY LITTLE GIRL AND OF COURSE THE SURGEON AND HIS STAFF! Please note the following picture that you will see is Amalia's open heart surgery journey from the day of surgery until her last day at the hospital Arnold Palmer. I ask the surgeon if possible to take some pictures because I wanted to see my daughters heart with the VSD and the repair heart and he did and mailed it to me. Amalia's open heart surgery was on March 19, 2011 at 8:30 in the morning.






With her daddy and her thought on surgery!
Amalia's heart with the "hole"
Amalia's heart repaired, YEAH no more VSD








 What does a VSD do?
      Well the muscular wall between the lower heart chambers is meant to separate blood passing through each of the ventricle. This separation prevents unhealthy mixing of blue blood from the veins with red, oxygen blood going to the arteries. When the muscular wall  is incomplete or "broken", mixing occurs. In most situations, this leads to red blood passing across the defect and mixing with the blue blood on the right side of the heart. This is called a left-to-right-shunt and leads to abnormally high blood flow into the lungs, which breathing can be come difficult in children. When the VSD is large in a very small child, lung blood flow may be so enormous that the tiny ventricles cannot pump such a volume. This causes congestive heart failure. Heart failure in a child produces fast shallow breathing, excessive sweating, inability to feed well, irritability, constant crying, and a failure to grow at a normal pace. I thank the LORD each minute of my day because the doctors, I should say the cardiologist was surprised that with such hole in Amalia's heart, she was able to gain weight, grow at her normal pace, she did not have trouble breathing nor was sweating excessively. 


 What happens if the VSD is left untreated?
     The child can go into heart failure due to the great amount of blood flow into the lungs.


Life after open heart surgery
      Occupational therapy would be suspended for 6 weeks and she can not be picked up from under her arm for 3 months. How is she picked up you ask? by scooping up her bottom and placing a hand on her back for support, like a newborn. Other than that, she will have normal fun, she will run, jump, swim, dance, and play sport with no heart problem and to continue praying for the Lord to continue placing his healing hands on my children so they can have a healthy blessed life on this earth!



45 out of the OR, she looks good. I imagined worst.



                                                               2 days later, looking good!




Saturday March 12, 2011. She looks amazing


March 13, happy to know she will go home on Monday the 14!yeah!!!


Home at last. My mommy handmade this bow for me!
                                                          
2nd day at home, they missed each other! My mom came from NY to help with Ethan.









Her recovery has been amazing, the doctors are so surprised that for a child with Down Syndrome she able to go home in four days, it usually takes 7 to 10 days in the hospital before they can go home. Her cardiologist did a check up on her on March 24 and did an Echo, and guess what, NO MORE HEART MURMUR, WOOHOO THANK YOU JESUS. Now in about two months she will get eye surgery because she is "crossed - eye" or the medical term - Strabismus.  
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Set your minds and keep them set on what is above, not on the things that are on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)  
For the joy of the Lord is your strength ( Nehemiah 8:10) 
                                                                                                                                                                                             









                                                         


































        




March 22, 2011

My five year plan


Before ever getting married my five year plan went something like this: Get a college degree, get a job, meet a great man, get married, buy a house, have children and live happily ever after. Soon to be five year later my so called "five year plan" did not go as plan. I did get a Bachelor in Finance and Investment and certified as a Charter Market Technicina Level I. I did work at a couple of financial industry, I did married a great man BUT have not bought a house as of yet. Eight month after being married we found out we were expecting, and eight weeks later we lost our pregnancy. I cried and asked the famous question "why me, why us?." As a believer in the Lord and knowing that God always knows what is best for us, a sense of calmness came over me. So, we moved on and told ourselves we would not plan on having a baby, we would just leave it in God's hand. April 2008 we found out we were expecting again. A sense of fear came over me for I did not want to have a miscarriage again, but I told myself to relax and that is what I did...I relaxed. As weeks passed by my belly was getting bigger and I just knew I was having a boy (mother instinct). Except when I was 32 weeks pregnant, I was not feeling good at all. I was having strong headaches, and I was swollen like a blimpe balloon. Called the doctor, his advice was to take regular tylenol and to lay down, the swelling was because I was retaining water. Well at 2:30 in the morning of October 13, 2008 I woke up throwing up everything that was inside of me, Lola barked at my husband to wake up and he rushed to the bathroom and adviced to stop throwing up because it looked like my liver was being affected due to the color of the yukiness coming out of me. I did stopped vomiting but I have no recollection of what happen after that. The following information was told by my husband and he said: He laid me on the bed and I went into a seizure attack and lost my breathing, basically I died at home. He is CPR certified and has a degree in Medical Assistance and he did what he had to do...Bring me back to life. He did, he then called 911 and off to the hospital we went. Luckily my Doctor was on duty and straight to the OR. Hubby then tells me that Doctor told him I was not going to make it only the baby, but he told him to do everything in his medical power to have both of us alive. "She is alive I know she is," he told doctor. Well had Ethan by C-section and I went into a coma for four days.......Four days later woke up to see my husband face, Thank You God, for blessing me with Life. It turned out I had Eclampisa or Toximia. On the fifth day of doing great went to the NICU to see my son for the first time and it melt my heart that when i held his tinny hand and spoke to him he gave me a smile, he knew his mama voice. A week in the hospital and then home sweet home.


New Born at 3lbs 11oz

Two and half year later.

 Now it is 2009 went back to work, left my bundle of Joy in the hands of a great nanny who happen to be a family member. In March hubby was accepted at a job all the way in Florida. I was excited for the new adventure but already getting homesick. I always lived in New York, my life, history, family live in New York. I was not sure I wanted to move BUT we did, we moved to Florida in October 12, 2009 which mean Ethan one year old birthday party was celebrated 3 days early.














Eat your heart out Prince William you have competition!






Flor Genao, Ethan's babysitter. I can tell you i could not have chosen a better person to take care of my miracle baby. 



















Dec. 24, 2009 SURPISE, we are pregnant again. Schedule an appointment at the doctors and once I arrived I made sure I told them everything that happen with both of my pregnancy. I did not want another traumatic pregnancy. Each time I went to the doctor I made sure my bloodpressure was checked, my urine was tested for protein, and my weight was not increasing insignificantly. As months passed went to do my sugar test and failed. Went to see a nutritionist and was given a glucometer. Needed to test my sugar four time a day and follow a diet. I was never a bad eater nor junk food is in my vocabulary BUT blame it on the hormone. August came and on the 8th at 2:00 a.m. my water broke and I have to say it felt great, becuase with my previous pregnancy I did not experience the full term. We grabbed my hospital bag, a sleepy 22 month old and told Lola see you soon and of to the hospital we went. We checked in and they told me that I would have to stay. My doctor arrived at 6:30 and her team was preparing me for the C-section. What happen with Ethan while I was getting ready, he was being dropped off at a friends house which I have adopted as family!
  Welcome to the world Amalia Bermudez, you are some gorgeous baby!






    
August 8, 2010!!!

Amalias Christening on Dec. 19, 2010

Therefore, my five year plans did not go as plan, but I have had a great five year so far, because I was blessed with LIFE once again to see and be around those whom I love!



Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverb 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

March 21, 2011

A great day to start blogging.

I have been contemplating for some time when to begin writing on my blog and I have been waiting for that perfect timing and what better day than today March 21 or 3/21 which represents that magical chromosomes found on people with Down Syndrome. Today is Down Syndrome Awareness so where your blue and yellow color to support these extraodinary people.


I am a stay at home mom with two little ones. A 2 year old boy named Ethan Nathaniel Bermudez and a seven months old baby girl with the extra magical chromosomes name Amalia Bermudez. Both of my children are extraodinary in their own way, I mean no finger prints are ever alike. Ethan, he is active, love cars and loves loves to jump, run,chase our shihtzu, Lola and to kiss his little sister.



Amalia, she is a diva in disguse, HA! She is tough and expressive. She knows what she wants and when she wants it, girl rock!!! On March 9, 2011 she went for her open heart surgery to correct her heart murmur. She was born with VSD (Ventrical Septal Defect) and needed surgery to close it.




 Getting ready for surgery. Was I scared, actually no. There has been so many prayers for this moment that the Lord placed a calmness within me. I was able not to cry when I handed her over to the OR Nurse, Tina. She was in good hand because the Lord let me know it! With Faith all things are possble. 
                                  


 In her hospital gown, holding mommy's hand!








 Her surgery was awesome thanks to the Lord for guiding the hands of the doctors who perform her surgery. She came home on Monday March 14, 2011, Wooohoooo!!! Thank you GOD!!!! Her recovery is coming along phenomenal. Therefore, TODAY IS A GREAT DAY and lets celebrate the wonderful people that have Down Syndrome.  Todays awareness is to let the world know, that people that have Down Syndrome are strong, loving, full of life and they can achieve all of their dreams. With words of encouragment and with help they can become eveything they can imagine. We can learn so much about ourself from them, we can learn to live live to the FULLEST!!!!!!!


Feed the Faith
 ".....for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (I JOHN 5:4)"

       
"Fear not; stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today (Exodus 14:13).