Long Over Due

Last month some family came from up north and I could not be more excited...Just the thought of my children having fun with their cousins, aunts and uncle made me all giddy inside..it meant making memories. It was their first time in Florida and they had in mind the theme parks and beach they wanted to attend. The weather cooperated...the weather promised a nice week of high 90'S..woohooo!!!  The first day they came early..I made a delicious breakfast of eggs, turkey bacon, fruit, waffle topped with powdered sugars, coffee and orange juice....after breakfast a quick tour of Downtown Disney and Orlando...we then ate dinner at Buffalo Wings....and once we came home we play WII and dance our way to sleep...Woke up early the next day..tune in the weather channel and a promising of high 95 we headed the Aquatica the water park theme....Eat breakfast...packed coolers...put a TON of sunscreen on...put on our bathing suits and out the door...We arrived at ten in the morning and the place was packed....once we all went and found the perfect spot to drop off all of our belonging...the kids dodged to the water and the adult follow.....had a great time and we did not leave until the park closed at seven o'clock the kids were all tired but you can tell they had an awesome time...The next day it was a  trip to Lego Land...Such a beautiful colorful park...do not know who had more fun the kids or the adults, the night ended with a nice meal at Olive Garden..... The next day was beach day....they headed to Clear Water beach and  I stood home with the princess since I was not feeling well at all.....but managed to cook a nice home made meal since I have been wanting to cook for my guest.... The next day agenda Sea World...Ethan's favorite place....He was told that morning we were going to Sea World, he looked for his shamu the whale plush toy and out the door we went.......It was a great week....the next day they were headed back up north...as we departed we hugged each other with tears in our eyes......and we thank each other for everything....I wished them a safe blessed trip and until next time.....

The above picture...Grand Central New York...a little bit of home in the state of Florida..made out of Lego's.

Cappuccino for children

This morning I was drinking my delicious warm cup of coffee when I heard on the Doctor show that in Australia, coffee shops serve cappuccino for children calling it "Babyccino." This trend has been going on for over a decade and now this trend is in New York. Coffee shops in Brooklyn such as in Park Slope and Fort Green have barista serving this "Babyccino" for a price of two dollars. Babycinno is described as a cappuccino beverage featuring a shot of decaf espresso topped with steamed milk and froth, while others use it to describe steamed milk with foam on top and a touch of cinnamon. Now, when I was small my grandmother once in a while would give me coffee diluted in water with crackers as a "snack." It is common in the Latin culture to give a taste of coffee to children; but not to the point of going to a coffee shop with your toddler and ask for a Babyccino. 

Now tell me, would you order a Babyccino for your toddler? Why?

Let's get physical..physical.....

The other day I had to drive in the rainy weather to see an orthopedic for Amalia. Amalia's ankle bows slightly and in order to improve this "pronation" an orthopedic shoe inserts will help her correct the bow of the ankle when she begins to stand.  All the clinics that I have attended in Florida always have a corner or a room full of toys.

Thirty minute in the waiting area and we were called in. The specialist sat her on a red cushion seat and measure her cute pudgy feet. He advice that she will be getting the Chipmunk shoe insert but she needs to wear high top sneakers ( boooo) but its ok..she is still cute no matter what she wears. We left the clinic and headed home on a rainy day.

                                                          

The Chipmunk shoe insert

    Before we headed home I had to do some food shopping so we did a quick stop at Publix..and look who graduated to the front of the shopping cart. Yes..I was sooo happy, because when I go food shopping with them,  Amalia is inside her baby car seat inside the shopping cart while Ethan sits in the front. I even picked up her hair...she looks such like a young lady..

                                

            Amalia was getting ready for her therapy session on the following day.

                                       
                                 Let's get physical!!!!

                                                                                              

                                                                  
                                             
                                                                                                
                                                                               

Life is like a cup of coffee....

This morning I received a beautiful text message from a dear friend of mine who I hold dear to my heart. She mention how she thought of me when she saw an inspirational video on You Tube called..Life is like a cup of coffee, hence the title has the word "coffee"...yummmm.. I saw it and had to share it with you all....So, get your favorite mug fill it with your coffee flavor of choice and enjoy this video.

Have a blessed day!  

Surgery Day.....

June 4, 2012 at 4:45 a.m. my alarm went off it was time to wake up, get ready to go to the hospital for Ethan's schedule surgery. I am not going to go into detail on what the surgery was about for one day he will grow up and maybe read this and do not want to embarrass him; therefore let us just say, the surgery was to correct what mother nature did not do. As a mother I knew that he was going to be just fine. I just felt a bit uneasy with the anesthesia part, but I prayed about it and knew God answered my prayer because my uneasiness became calm and felt a feeling of confidence.. The staff was just amazing, especially the child life specialist Jessie..she was so bubbly that just being in her presence I became bubbly..She played with Ethan with a children doctors kit tool explaining how they were going to take his blood pressure and a how a mask will make him take a nice long nap. Ethan was allowed to chose the flavor of the mask...he chose chocolate. Also, she told Ethan, there is a trading card collection game in which he needed to collect four animal card from the other staff, the animals were: a fish, an elephant, a monkey, and a bear and once he collects all four he gets a prize.  They sure made him feel so comfortable. 


The Walt Disney Pavillion at Florida Hospital

Arrived at the hospital with his trusty friend Shamu

Playing while waiting for his name to be called

Feeling a bit scared..... 

Playing doctor

 When the anesthesiologist came in that is when he felt scared and a bit uneasy..then they gave him "happy juice, which I was told is like drinking a case of beer..

                                          

The "happy Juice" look

I love him...

Sister by his side for some support..

The time came for Ethan to be taken to the operation room. While he was in the operation room I decided to collect the trading cards for him, I was mom on the hunt.. I wanted him to come back from surgery and see he had a cool prize.. I collected them all....They are pretty cool...the cards have the picture of each staff with their name and on the back a brief description of their favorite things and cool things to know about them, the prize was Flounder the fish from the Little Mermaid...The procedure lasted 45 minutes. He did great and although it has 24 hours I can not stop thanking the almighty God for his blessings...The surgeon for doing a great job....He lasted in the recovery room for an hour and was able to go home...he drank apple juice and was a bit drowsy but did great...Got his prescription, dressed him up and headed home..

He was drowsy but liked his Flounder.

  Before we exit the hospital we did a bit of a touring around the place....we saw some cool decorations for a hospital and a guy who we assumed works for Disney, he is hired to sing at the Pavilion..He was singing "Hakuta Matata."  

                                             

                                          

                                                     

This was the floor, swimming fishies..so coool!

You really felt you were under the sea.

The two moose

Children and their parents can seat here and watch a Disney Movie

You placed your hands where indicated and the walls lights up...so cool

Little Simba.

Going Home

Although the hopsital looks more like a mini Disney museum, I am glad we did the tour it took his mind of what just happen and it put a smile on his face. With lots of rest, good diet and lots of tender loving care he is doing great and I have God to thank for that.                                                                                                             
                                                         
                                              
                                                    
                                                                        



Siblings are the best teachers....

I decided to get Amalia more therapy because well she was a bit behind.....She has an excellent ITDS (Infant Toddler Development Specialist), but Amalia needed extra push...She is know taking seven hours of therapy during the week and WOW...it is working....little diva can hold her sitting positions for an hour and half...she is starting to get on four points (crawling positions) and she crawls backwards...not all the time but girlfriend moves, and pivots like a champion...I always knew physically Amalia would do well...but for Occupational Therapy that is another story......SHE DOES NOT LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO...she tries to do everything else besides "work"...she pouts, she plays peek-a-boo, she even shows her outfit of the day to Margarita, her Occupational Therapist...she even does the blank stare that says "are you talking to me?"....but she does not like to take the blocks and place it in the bucket......I decided to buy the exact same block, to practice at home and she does not like it.....until her big brother came into the picture...Ethan delicately sat in front of her, took her hand and told her "Amalia take the block and put inside bucket.." my heart melted. I just stared and was amazed that with a couple of practice Amalia was able to take two blocks and place it in the bucket all by herself. Ethan sure praised her with the big brother hug....He feels so proud of teaching her that he even teaches her how to play with a toy piano. Although she gets all seven hour of therapy during the week, she rather learn from her big brother.