Happiness

My Baby You’ll Be

Categories baby bear, Family, Happiness, infant sleep, Love, Mama Bears, Special People, Uncategorized1 Comment on My Baby You’ll Be

Most nights when I come back in after my run the house is serenely quiet and dark. The boys are sleeping soundly and Sean is often engrossed in a show in our bedroom. I often pause as I shut the door behind me taking it all in. It’s a simple pause in a normally busy day that signals the final stretch of my day.

Tonight however when I arrived home, Sean was still upstairs with Liam and Atticus was wailing at the top of my lungs. As soon as I walked in, I immediately sprang in to mommy mode. It’s rare for Atticus to awake after he goes down, especially so early in the evening. I threw on a giant tee shirt because I was a sweaty mess and quietly crept into the nursery.

love you forever mom

I said nothing and turned on no lights. I simply held him in my arms and rocked him back to sleep. Sitting in the comfort of the rocking chair, my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. I looked down at my beautiful baby listening to the gentle, rhythmic sound of his snore. It’s amazing how the world completely melts away in those little moments with your children. As I sat there, my heart full of joy, I started thinking about one of my favorite books growing up, Love you Forever by Robert Munsch. A book my mother still keeps on her coffee table at home to this day.

mom and son

If you’ve never read the book, it’s a beautiful love story about a mother’s love for her son. It’s touching and brings me to tears every time I read it. My mother gifted me my own copy when Atticus was born. I remember reading it just days after giving birth. Sitting on the couch next to my mother, both of us arm in arm engrossed in the story as tears streamed down our faces.

toilet paper

Undoubtedly nothing prepares you for the amount of love you feel for your children. You will do everything in your power to move mountains for them, take away their pain, and give them the world. Even after our children graduate and enter adulthood, in our hearts they will forever be our babies. I know the need to rock Atticus to sleep will fade with time, but I will forever hold on to these beautiful moments that truly are the best parts of motherhood.

A Mama and her Bears

Categories Baby Bears & Little Bears, Dinner ideas, Family, Happiness, Mama Bears, Recipes, Shop Local, Special People, Uncategorized, VegetarianLeave a Comment on A Mama and her Bears

This weekend we were one bear short at the den with Papa Bear away on a fishing trip. The neighborhood offered a wealth of opportunities to keep the boys and I happily entertained.

We started off our morning with breakfast at the playground. Sunday mornings are always a little better when you indulge in a blueberry scone paired with coffee. Climbing, crawling, and an unexpected surprise (a hot air balloon floating through the sky) set the tone for a wonderful day.

After lunch, we ventured out to the neighborhood Farmers Market. A few key finds included savory beef samosas, spicy habanero pickles, and homemade popsicles for the boys and me. Liam wore more than half of the red berry rhubarb on his chin and tee shirt. A sure sign he thoroughly enjoyed it. Atticus and I shared a tangy lime cucumber, and I think the photo evidence supports that he more than loved his first popsicle.

For homework, Liam had to complete a university pennant. I discussed the importance of college and showed him a video for each of his parents’ alma maters: Ball State (Sean), Indiana University (Anne), and Texas A&M/The University of Texas (Me). Because I went to two universities, I felt it was important for him to understand that transferring is always a viable option too. As we watched the videos together, I pointed out various features of each school but maintained absolute neutrality. I wanted Liam to decide which university he liked most. When it was all said and done, he decided he liked A&M the most because of Reveille, the Corps of Cadets, and the spirit of Aggieland. Proud of his artistic efforts, he posed with his pennant and made sure to throw in a “Gig ’em, Aggies” for good measure.

With Halloween around the corner, Liam is counting down the days until he can don his Darth Vader costume and venture out for trick or treating. This afternoon he created a Spiderman pumpkin to add to our growing collection.

After a fun filled day of indoor and outdoor activities, I opted for a simple yet delicious dinner of fideo. This classic dish is savory, spicy, and always takes me back to my childhood. It’s also quick, easy, and a great vegetarian option. I usually serve it with warm tortillas but because I was out, I opted for a side of tortilla chips and fresh avocado.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 box of Vermecelli
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 15 ounces chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup water
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 packet of Sazon Goya cilantro and tomato seasoning
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons chili powder (more or less depending on how much kick you like)

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat until fragrant. Add the Vermecelli and sauté until brown. Then add the broth, water, salt, pepper, seasoning packet, and chili powder. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with fresh tortillas or tortilla chips and fresh avocado.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Categories Baby Bears & Little Bears, Faith, Family, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Special People, Uncategorized, WorkLeave a Comment on A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

This week has been a whirlwind of illness, work, soccer, dinner, snacks, and a whole lot in the middle of all of that. There have been high points and low points; good days and better days. Through it all, it’s the little things that have stopped me in my tracks, brought a smile to my face, and joy to my heart.

Life is a collage of beautiful moments. Some are incredibly simple and others are far more monumental. These moments are the stories that define us as wives, mothers, daughters, friends, and professionals. Because time gets away from us, these little moments can so quickly fade into the background like everything else in our day.

They say a picture is a worth a thousand words, so I’ll let my favorite images from the week do all the talking!

  1. Bath time with the boys is one of my favorite evening rituals is bath time. It’s a symphony of giggles, baby screams, and splashing water. Atticus feeds off of his older brother’s antics, and I delight in seeing the two of them playing together so happily. Image-1 (53)
  2. My little monkey- Liam has been in gymnastics for a little over a year now. He’s become incredibly fearless and climbs effortlessly up climbing structures with ease. I fondly call him my little monkey because he’s often climbing, swinging, or hanging around like a primate.
  3. Coffee- There is truly no better way to start your morning than with a steeping hot cup of coffee. When you’re weekly coffee shop indulgence doubles as a work of art, it truly is the perfect marriage of beauty and flavor. coffee love
  4. Baby selfies- Sometimes he’s a camera hound and other times he’s much too busy to pose for selfie. In the first selfie, Atticus embraced the camera and gave me one of his beautiful pearly whites. I think the term counts even if you only have two teeth. In the second selfie, playing the piano was far more enticing than saying, “cheese!”
  5. Winding down- After his bath, I like to carve out a few extra minutes of playtime before bed. One night this week, Atticus couldn’t get enough of his Ironman teddy. Like his big brother in so many ways, he was mesmerized by the shiny blue repulsor blasts. ironman
  6. Soccer match- Today marked the first soccer match of the season. I think Liam enjoyed the snacks more than the game. When his nerves subsided however, he did wow me with his speed across the field.
  7. Dessert- Liam looks forward to dessert every night after dinner. Most nights it’s something easy like a frozen fruit bar or a piece of candy. From time to time, I like to up the ante and offer something a little more special. Tonight, I took an H-E-B Neapolitan ice cream sandwich and rimmed the edges with rainbow sprinkles. It was incredibly simple, but the wow factor put Liam on Cloud 9. ice cream sandwich
  8. Little brother- Spectating your first soccer match was the highlight of the morning for this little eleven month old. He skipped out on his morning nap and took in the sights and sounds of YMCA soccer instead. After all, safeguarding your big brother’s soccer ball is an important job! want to be like brother
  9. “Luke, I am your father!”- This afternoon, Liam picked out his Halloween costume at Target. He absolutely loved trying it on and pretending to be the infamous villain with Atticus. He may need to work on his role as Darth Vader though, his brother seemed anything but intimidated. darth vader
  10. Pulling up- At the playground, crawling and pulling up are Atticus’s two favorite things. High on the list would also be laughing at your brother when he gets in your face and makes funny noises. love bugs
  11. Throwback Thursday- This week was Homecoming Week at St. John XXIII. I decided to partake in some Throwback Thursday fun with an homage to one of my favorite television shows from the 90’s… Saved by the Bell.

    While my hair wasn’t quite as long, I did get the Keds shoes, flannel shirt, and Guess jean skirt right for the part of the girl-next-door, Kelly Kawpowski.

  12. Curiosity- As I’ve said before, I absolutely adore Atticus’s little moments of curiosity. This week’s came when he discovered the dryer for the first time. Watching the clothes spin around and around can easily be summed up in two words, “Mind blown!

mesmerized

In high school, one of my favorite songs was Could not Ask for More by Sara Evans. Fast forward almost twenty years later, and these lyrics hold even greater meaning now as a wife and a mother. I will continue to savor the sweet little moments as they come and catalog them away in my heart so that I can always keep them close.

These are the moments I thank God that I’m alive
And these are the moments I’ll remember all my life
I’ve found all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more

Chorus from Could not Ask for More by Sara Evans

 

All Dogs go to Heaven

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It’s hard to believe my sweet Cookie Dough has been gone for a little over a year now. Faithful and true to the very end, she was the most important part of my furry family for thirteen years.

Saying goodbye to her is still one of the most difficult things I’ve faced. She sat in my lap letting me love her and pet her as tears streamed down my cheeks and fell softly onto her dark fur. At this point she had lost her eyesight and was suffering greatly because of severe pancreatitis. The veterinarian would come in and check on us for time to time that fateful afternoon waiting for me to signal I was ready to put her down. Each time, she entered I couldn’t bring myself to make eye contact with her.

I was six months pregnant with Atticus and remember feeling grief-stricken that Cookie would never have the opportunity to meet my first child. Cookie had been everything I could have ever wanted in a pet. From the first time I brought her home until her final night with me, she slept beside me; always burrowed under the sheets and cozied up next to me. I remember cradling her in my hands when I picked her up for the first time. She couldn’t have weighed more than three and a half pounds. Her large doe eyes and giant ears looked almost cartoonish on her petite frame. Cookie celebrated my graduation from college, moved thirteen different times with me, endured an incredibly traumatic apartment fire, and loved me unconditionally for thirteen beautiful years.

Thunderstorms sent poor Cookie into a tizzy. She would shake uncontrollably and cry out in fear; often burrowing under the sheets or ducking underneath the bed to escape the rainy conditions. She despised baths almost as much as she despised other dogs and delivery men. After a bath, she would run circles around the apartment, rolling around and cozying up in a towel to warm up. If I was in the kitchen cooking, she was always underfoot eager to nibble up any food that might fall off of the counter or stovetop. She especially loved Granny Smith apples, romaine lettuce, and carrot peels. I was always more than happy to share these healthy treats with her.

Atticus is now closing in on a year. He often reaches for Barkley (Sean’s fifteen-year-old Westie) and loves staring at him eye-to-eye through the backdoor. I can’t help but wonder how Cookie and Atticus would have interacted. Liam formed a strong bond with her and expressed great sadness when she died. Would they have been thick as thieves too?

I still think of Cookie often, especially on rainy days, when I peel carrots, or when I take my socks off after a run. She loved playing with them; pouncing on them and going into attack mode like they were a fierce beast threatening her very existence. Cookie truly stole my heart from the very beginning and will forever have a special place there until the end of time. She may be gone but my sweet Cookie Dough will never be forgotten.

“All dogs go to heaven because, unlike people, dogs are naturally good and loyal and kind.” Quote from All Dogs go to Heaven (1989)

Mama Bears & Motherhood

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Mama Bears love fiercely, protect their own, and carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. They live each day for the baby bears they call their own. Some days the beauty of motherhood radiates around us like a luminescent aura. Other times our patience wears thin, and we cast blame on ourselves for our shortcomings.

Between the dirty diapers, runny noses, temper tantrums, home cooked meals, and bedtime stories, there is often little time for ourselves. Thank God for the brief quiet moments we steal from time to time, even if those moments come in the form of a quick shower, your child’s nap time, or an evening run around the neighborhood to clear your mind.

Undoubtedly, Mama Bears, we are often incredibly hard on ourselves and oftentimes not very forgiving. How easily we forget that we are human; flawed and imperfect. We have to cut ourselves some slack because we’re all doing the very best that we can. We are blessed with the amazing opportunity to help our children grow in faith, love, and character.

Motherhood will test and try us on more days than we’d like, but it will also surprise us in beautiful and unexpected ways just as often. I am grateful for every single day with my boys. They truly are my greatest joy, and my greatest hope is that they grow up to be respectful, responsible, and kind gentlemen who follow their heart and find great success in life. You, my sweet boys, are my sunshine, my light, and my reason for making every effort to be my best self for the two of you!

Kudos to all of my Mama Bear friends who I take notes from every single day. You inspire me through your words, actions, and strength. A special nod to the following Mama Bears: Anna, Ruby, Stephanie, Adita, and Blaine. I would be lost without your guidance, wisdom, and friendship.

Picadillo, Play, & Pinot

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This weekend solidified why the little things matter most in life. We had no expectations or plans, which allowed us to capitalize on meaningful quality time together as a family. We enjoyed our Saturday morning coffee date at Land of a Thousand Hills and spent the rest of they day playing. Between superheroes, dress up, and plenty of outdoor play, it was an easy going afternoon.

Sunday was another beautiful day full of sunshine and smiles. Liam decided his brother would make a cute Mr. Magoo. He dazzled me with his bowtie and monkeying around skills. Between hanging upside down and climbing into Atticus’s crib, Liam was in the thick of most of it.

Our weekend ended with a savory picadillo dinner paired with fresh avocado and tortillas. I rounded out my evening with a moonlit run and toasted the new week with a glass of Pinot Noir. All in all, the simplicity of this weekend was a beautiful change of pace to our very busy work week.

ingredients for pica

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon ground comino
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 jalapeno, diced
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 large Russet potato or 3 small white potatoes, chopped
  • 1/3 cup of water

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté the potatoes in 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive or canola oil until brown on medium high. Remove from heat and drain on a paper towel. Next sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant. Add the ground beef and comino and cook until brown. Next add the canned tomatoes, chopped jalapeno, and cooked potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add the water. Cover and let simmer until the tomatoes and potatoes are warmed through. Serve with fresh avocado and tortillas.

Like the Seasons…

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This is an open letter to my husband, Sean:

I know most days we find ourselves caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. Most mornings our alarms buzz us out of our dreamlike state and propel us full speed ahead into our day. It’s a blur of brushing teeth, getting ourselves dressed, and then making sure the boys are ready to take on their day too. I’m downing coffee and toast while simultaneously packing up lunch boxes, gathering backpacks, and divvying out vitamins and allergy medicine for Liam. Through all of this there are brief exchanges and pleasantries, but I know I never give you much more than a hug, goodbye kiss, and a salutation to have a wonderful day.

After the boys are safely at daycare, goodbye hugs and kisses sending us all our respective ways, I often find myself reflecting on the way the morning unfolded. Many times, I lose myself in thought replaying certain parts of my morning like a particularly adorable giggle from Atticus or a Liamism that made me laugh out loud. In those moments, I wish I could rewind the day and freeze it long enough to have time to exchange an embrace with you that doesn’t feel like time is working against us. To enjoy more than a brief pleasantry and instead give you something more monumental to hold on to and carry with you throughout your day.

By the time I pull into the parking lot at work, reality sets in and the marathon race begins. It’s a blur of students, parents, emails, and meetings. Each brings a sense of accomplishment, but few opportunities allow me the time to pause in my day and send you a text message telling you I’m thinking about you, am looking forward to seeing you later in the day, or am sending you my love.

By the time 4 o’clock rolls around, the whirlwind of homework, dinner, bath time, and bedtime dictates the direction of our evening only leaving opportunities here and there to exchange pleasantries about our day. Then I’m out the door for a run and you’re often still trying to knock out work after the boys are down. As our own bedtimes quickly encroach on our quality time, I often find myself wishing there was simply more time in our day. More time for the little things like enjoying a glass of wine, duking it out over a game of Scrabble, or cuddling up to watch a great movie.

After we’ve both given our best to everyone else in our day, we often are too exhausted or mentally drained to give our best to one another. I say this not out of spite because in my heart, I know we both have the best of intentions. Between parenthood and demanding professions, it’s a reality we’ve both come to accept.

With that being said, however, I need you to know that I love you with my whole heart. I love seeing your eyes light up when you’re with the boys. I love watching you lost in thought as you pour over your computer. I love clinking glasses with you and enjoying a glass of red wine in your company. I don’t always give myself opportunities to pause and say thank you for how hard you work to provide for our family. I may not always give you the best of me, and I’m sorry for that. Please know that even when I fall short, I have the best of intentions at heart. I find peace in knowing that some of the stresses we carry with us every day  are like the seasons; with time, they will change because our workload will lighten and our role as parents will shift as the boys get older and are more independent.

In the meantime, I’m hopeful an open letter written with love and sincerity will bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart. After all, Papa Bear, I love you to the moon and back!

All my love,

Heidi

Recharging my Batteries

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This last week proved to be incredibly difficult as I found myself carrying the weight of an abundantly full plate. Between an infant with a double ear infection, the unexpected loss of a dear friend, and the stress of transitioning into a new job position, it left very little time to write purposeful blog pieces. Since embarking on this blog journey, I have faithfully posted almost every day without fail. However I quickly realized that stress can adversarially impede the writing process.

This weekend, however, proved to be exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries before starting my first day at my new job today. My mom and madrina (godmother) came into town and brought the love, hugs, and positive affirmations I desperately needed. Between margaritas at Gringo’s, some retail therapy, comfort food (fried green tomatoes, French fries, and an amazing burger topped with a fried egg) at Whiskey Cake, and some screen time at the movie theater (Home Again), it was a perfect weekend.

Living so far away from family proves to be a challenging endeavor. Trying to sync everyone’s schedule to make time to get together involves an extensive amount of calendar coordinating. When the stars align though and we can all be in the same place long enough to relish in the laughter and marathon conversations, familial homeostasis is restored.

Thank you Patti and Mom for making the drive up this weekend to visit. The boys loved seeing you just as much as I did. In fact, this afternoon as we were unpacking backpacks, lunch boxes, and the like, Liam said, “Mom, why isn’t Dolly still here? She usually stays a lot longer. I really wish she hadn’t left.” His sentiments definitely mirrored mine. Whether it’s a weekend or a week, it’s never enough time! Until next time, sending you both love, light, and gratitude.

The First of Many

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For parents, the first day of kindergarten is undoubtedly a monumental day; a day that signifies your little one really isn’t so little anymore. Monday marked Liam’s first day of kindergarten. Because of Hurricane Harvey, the start date was delayed by almost two weeks. When the big day finally came, he was absolutely ecstatic.

The night before his clothes were picked. He was eager to wear his new Star Wars tee and blue laceless sneakers. His lunchbox was prepped with Cheez Its, a ham and turkey sub, a yogurt pouch, and a Rice Krispie treat; all compliments of Lunchables. I don’t usually encourage Lunchables but was more than happy to appease his first day lunch request this time around. He set his alarm and went to bed full of excitement.

In the morning, the smiles and excitement continued. He posed for the obligatory first day pictures, even requesting the opportunity to take a photo with his little brother. We dropped Atticus off at daycare and headed to Shipley’s for a special first day breakfast of donuts and strawberry milk. On our drive to school, he chatted about the things he was looking forward to most- recess and riding the school bus back to daycare.

We arrived a little before 8:30 and stood alongside other families eager to walk their children in on their first day. At 8:30 several very excited teachers ran out of the building yelling, “It’s the first day of school!” This signaled the beginning of his first day. Together we walked hand-in-hand down the hall towards his classroom. It was a sea of backpacks, lunchboxes, and children. I could see a few nerves creeping in slowly across his face. I leaned down and whispered to him that it was ok to feel nervous. I always felt nervous on the first day too.

When we walked into the classroom, his teacher greeted him with a hug. He found his seat, gave us both incredible bear hugs, and looked longingly at us as we waved goodbye and walked out. Leaving him behind was bittersweet. I knew he was more than ready academically and socially for this new chapter, but leaving him behind was difficult, nonetheless.

At the end of the day, Sean and I picked up both boys together at daycare. This is a rarity but one of the cars was in the shop so we carpooled to work that day. Liam greeted us with a giant smile and raved about his first day. He proudly marched out of daycare with a hat made out of construction paper and sentence strips that said, “I  rocked my first day of kindergarten.” His enthusiasm and praise were music to his parents’ ears, no doubt!

Now halfway through the first week, our kindergartner is still eager to get to school in the morning and comes home with positive things to say. I couldn’t be more grateful he’s off to a great start! Here’s to an incredible school year!

New Beginnings

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My career as a school counselor began three years ago at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic School, a small inner city Catholic school in the heart of the Fifth Ward in Houston. It was here that I developed a comprehensive guidance program and built a rapport with my students and their families. I could have never prepared myself for the joy that came from helping others academically, socially, and emotionally. It was a difficult school to walk away from; but when a new opportunity knocked, I answered.

Two years ago, prayerful intentions led me to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School where I continued to grow as a school counselor. With an open heart and an open mind, I found my work incredibly rewarding and very quickly grew to love the faculty, students, and families. My days were brighter because of elementary students’ bright smiles and hugs. My heart was happier because of the joy that came from coaching cheer and track; a position I took very seriously as I suited out for practice just like my athletes and led them in workouts around the track. I challenged myself in many ways professionally- leading accommodations meetings, advocating for students with learning difficulties, and meeting the social and emotional needs of many, including faculty and staff. Professionally, I was happy, fulfilled, and content.

Then on the Friday of my first week back at work, I received a phone call from the Director of Admissions at St. John XXIII College Prepatory High School. They had a school counseling vacancy and expressed interest in having me come by for an interview. I found myself immediately torn. I loved the work I was doing at St. Elizabeth but recognized the tremendous opportunities for growth the new position offered. Despite the conflict I felt, I knew I at least needed to interview for the position because I didn’t want to leave myself carrying around any “what ifs?”. My first interview went well, which led to a callback from the principal, and second interview with him. By midweek, I was offered the position, and knew I had a significant amount of soul searching to do.

After prayerful consideration and several heart-to-heart conversations with my closest family and friends, I decided that this opporunity was too good to pass up. The timing was far from ideal; leaving my current position less than a month into the new year and taking on a new role in a new school later in the game. Nevertheless, I’m eager to embark on this new journey and challenge myself professionally in new ways.

A few weeks ago, my post focused on the adage, “everything happens for a reason.” God put this new opporunity in my lap for a reason. This did not happend by accident. My principal notified the faculty and parents about my new position this afternoon. I’m incredibly grateful for his support and look forward to what the future holds. My last day at St. Elizabeth is this Friday. I will take the next few days to say my goodbyes and prepare for this next phase in my professional life.

So here’s to new beginnings, moving forward, and embracing the adventure that lies ahead. Thank you St. Elizabeth Ann Seton for the tremendous opportunities. You will forever have a place in my heart!