F is for Fall and Food.

September 29, 2013

I love love love Fall, not only for its weather, but also for its YUMMY food!
Heres a few of my favorites I will definitely be indulging in this Fall season!

1. Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts 
Recipe here
2. Pumpkin French Toast
Recipe here

3. Gnocchi Man n Cheese
Recipe here
4. Pumpkin Cinnamon roll pancakes.
Recipe here

5. Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Lemon Sage Butter Sauce
Recipe here


A few things I’ve learned as a parent.

September 28, 2013

Thinking about how my life is going to change yet again in about 45 days… I am reminiscing on some important things I’ve learned not only about myself but just having kids in general.
  •  A 3 year olds mind is all about “ME”(as in them) as hard as it can be on somedays to try and make Pella understand that the world doesn’t revolve around her…in her mind it does.
  • When having a child that suffers from severe constipation from 8 weeks old  and still at 3.5 struggles, I’ve learned it takes an intense amount of patience and constant encouragement to make going #2 a comfortable “okay” thing. I never pushed the toilet training with her, she picked up the pee part pretty quick by 2.5. She has been using the potty for #2 for about a month and half or so, and sometimes it takes her 10 minutes, and other times 40 minutes…regardless of how long it takes her, I am right there encouraging her, and letting her know Im there. 
  • NEVER wake a sleeping baby/kid.
  • A schedule or routine is key to having some kind of balance, at least in our home it does.
  • Some days I am beyond both physically & mentally exhausted, but its not about me anymore.
  • They will eat when they are hungry. I kind of gave up fighting my kid to eat, and feeling like im forcing her to eat. I’ve noticed when she’s hungry she always asks me to eat, even if its not when I am offering her meals. 
  • When my child pushes me to my breaking points, I have to walk away for a moment, take a breathe, cry for a second, and tell myself I am blessed to have this kid in my life, not everyone is as lucky and blessed to have a child. 
  • TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY.
  • When my kid is melting down, I’ve found that changing the environment or distracting her with something else seems to be a great quick temporary fix!
  • Let kids be kids. meaning they should be allowed to dissect things, make messes and indulge in their little world of chaos. 
  • Its the little things in life. cliche as it gets, but couldn’t be more of a true statement when being a parent or even a toddler! 
  • Having to co-parent is HARD.
  • You can never tell your kid you love them too much! 
  • Opinions are like assholes, everyones got one! I dont care what other moms say or do, I respect their opinions and thats that. 
  • Never turn down help. If someone offers to watch your child so you can have a date night, or run to target solo… DO IT.
  • Make time for your significant other. My life seems to be consumed with my kid more often then not, but I still try to make it a point to spend some one-on-one with the hubs. 
  • Plan ahead. couldnt stress that one enough
  • DO NOT tackle a major “home construction project” while pregnant. EVER.
  • When I’m having a bad day , I seem to find peace when I watch Pella sleep. I can just stare at her, run my fingers through her little head of hair and feel instant LOVE. 
  • Get down on your kids level. I’ve always had the best interaction with my daughter while being down on her level, sitting or laying on the floor with her playing whatever it is she insists on doing… its a bonding time like no other. 
  • Missing your kid can be a blessing in disguise! Say you went on a weekend get-away or even a night out on the town sans the kids, when you feel that “missing feeling” it makes you appreciate your chld THAT much more. 
  • Cherish everyday. 

Maternity Shoot in Malibu Canyon

September 27, 2013

I recently had a photo session shot by the lovely new mama Rylea of Love Letter Photography.
I am actually really happy with how these turned out, given Im pregnant, and MUCH larger then normal. It was a reason I didn’t do a maternity session with Pella, I felt so BLAH and I regretted not having had done a maternity session. Enjoy!

Baby M’s Wishlist

September 21, 2013

I recently accepted the fact I’m having another baby shower!
I would have been just fine without having one, as I know etiquette is you don’t have a second shower for the same sex baby. However my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and friends have planned a little shower for BABY Miserendino! For Nick and his family given their past experience, I want them to feel comfortable and be excited for her arrival! If that means I get showered, then I get showered!
Nick and I are truly blessed to have such amazing family and friends in our life! This little baby is one lucky lady! 
Here’s a few things I personally have been ‘swooning’ over!

TGIF! and some words of Inner Wisdom!

September 20, 2013

I get emails quite often from people who are seeking advice on how to deal with their own tough times….For some odd reason I’ve been able to break through to people via my blog, and instagram. To be honest I’m flattered,  it really makes me happy that I can help inspire someone to be a better, stronger, and a positive person!  So I guess where I’m going with this post today is kinda of an overview of my experiences with inner strength, keeping a clear mind and happy heart.
Social media can be at times the devil, people do a great job at portraying something and someone they are not. I can’t judge people I don’t personally know but I can say there are PLENTY of people I do know who portray this “perfect sissy lala happy life”. Reason I start with this is because I try really hard to stay as real and true to who I am not only as a woman but a mother too. I’m sure some may say I make it look it easy, but if you know me, and you know my past and you even know my present its not unicorns and rainbows. It’s taken me YEARS to get to where I am. I am 28 years old, and in those 28 years, I’ve been at my happiest, and stablest just in the last 2 years. My childhood was fine, and as normal as my dad could have made it be given my parents got divorced when I was 10, my dad remarried when I was 14ish and I cant say I really was able to ever bond with a woman or mother figure. Hence made my teenage years be not the greatest, I was a pain in the ass, I was rude, I was disrespectful, I was acting out bc I didn’t have the tools of life just yet. I met Pella’s dad when I was 17, got pregnant at 25, was a single parent at 26, engaged and married at 27. At age 24 I started couples therapy with Pella’s dad, in a last effort to save a toxic broken relationship in which at that time I was slowly learning wouldn’t be able to be salvaged. When Pella’s dad and I were on an off status I stuck with therapy. Best decision I ever made. Little did I know within that same year I would end up pregnant. Through out my pregnancy I stuck with therapy, and sought out a few people I would reach out too when times were tough. It took the first year of Pella’s life to fully grasp the reality that I couldn’t do it anymore, therapy pushed me, certain individuals pushed and having my daughter pushed me. I learned soo many tools of life I wish I had learned sooner, but it what it is.
Which brings me to the tools I’ve learned on how to have inner strength, a clear mind and a happy heart.  I constantly apply these to my daily life, and I swear it keeps me on my rocker!

*  It truly is, “It is what it is”
*You Control YOUR OWN HAPPINESS
*You are NOT a victim
* Take responsibility for your own actions
* Pick and choose your battles
*Life is short
*Never “stuff or bottle” your emotions
*Communication is key
*Forgiving doesn’t mean you have to forget, do not have animosity”
*You CANT control people, or certain situations, the ONLY thing you can control is yourself.
*Do what is best for you & your kid/kids <–if that applies 🙂
* Take the high road, NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS. ( probably one of the hardest things ever)
* When life seems hard, always know; It could always be worse, and there’s someone who has it much worse then you
* Surround yourself with positive environments and positive people
* Do NOT look in the rear view mirror
* Do NOT have expectations, for expectations lead to disappointment
* Breathe, take a break
* Time heals all wounds

I swear by therapy. If you’re struggling, seek a therapist or life coach.
If your depressed and feel hopeless, and helpless get on a good SSRI (aka anti depressant) they can really help.

Life for me just like everyone in the world, isn’t easy at times, there are PLENTY of days that my 3 year old makes ME cry! (backwards isn’t it?) There are days where I’m lonely and feel overwhelmed bc my husband works so damn much. There are days that I don’t put makeup on or do my hair. There are days I just struggle in general…. Its life, we have good days and we have bad. I make an effort to wake up everyday and thank a higher power for how fortunate I am. I have A LOT to be thankful for, and knowing that really keeps my heart happy when life hands me lemons. I wish more people were capable and open to seeing the world for the great place it really can be. I want to be able to live my life without regrets, and raise my daughters to be humble, hardworking, honest, happy women. It makes my heart happy to know that there are people who see these traits in me and come to me to help them. I can only hope to inspire them to be in a better place.

Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win
By fearing to attempt.”
 — William Shakespeare



Heres one of my ALL TIME favorite books for Inner Wisdom
GO BUY IT!




10 things my husband tells me daily.

September 19, 2013

Husband Talk.
I may at times and very few times question and not fully understand his intentions, actions, & etc… and there may be times I flat out disagree with him!  Men live to think and voice how complicated and ridiculous women are, but I find most men to be just as if not more complicated. One thing I do know, is that when you find that one person who actually fully accepts you for you, loves you for you, and understands you for who you are… and doesn’t try to tweak and change the things that make you, YOU… is that neither of you will be unhappy, or feel one another is too complicated and sucks at life! Communication isn’t easy, talking things out when one or both of us is pissed off can feel hopeless, but in the end of the day I think both my husband and I thrive on having a successful marriage on COMMUNICATION. He is better at it then me, but I really try to better my communication skills especially when it comes to anything in the “affection category” 
Nick takes the cake in the “affection category”  heres 10 things my husband says to me daily, and when I say daily, I mean every single day….
1. Loves ME (most important)
2. Loves Pella
3. Loves our unborn child
4. Loves my boobs
5. Appreciates ME
6. Enjoys being married
7. I’m his best friend
8. Loves my big pregnant butt  O__o
9. Goodnight & Goodbye both followed with a kiss
10.  I’m beautiful
And sometimes he comes home with flowers & ZANTAC for me.!  Whatta Guy! 

Im starting to miss….

I may sound a little vain in this post, but as I’m approaching 8 months pregnant I am really missing a few luxuries in my opinion!!!!

1. Having no HEARTBURN! my heartburn has been getting the best of me day in and day out!
2. Being able to BREATHE
3. Sleeping soundly NOT having to pee 3,4,5 times a night
4. Coffee, by Coffee I mean like more then one measly cup a day, I cant wait to resume my morning and afternoon cup.. shit maybe pickup a 3rd cup in there somewhere!
5. NOT living in a construction zone, like I’ve previously posted we are heading into month 4 of our addition and it’s beginning to drive me a little batty at the thought of all the transitioning thats going to be happening at the tail end of this pregnancy.
6. Being able to SEE my lady bits…. its not like its a luxury per-say but it is nice to be able to have all my body parts visible!
7. Normal sex. and by normal I mean just being able to breathe, and not feel like a weighed down ship anchor
8. My body, everything about my body has been changing and will continue too for the next few months… I’m okay with it given I haven’t gained THAT much weight yet. I gained over 60 pounds with Pella, but I’m going to be honest, I didn’t give 2 shits what I ate, and wasn’t active! Im just over feeling “heavy” bearing the weight, and the plumping up of everything on body! Theres days my pelvis  feels like its going to give out from under me, my back has shooting pains, my feet like I’ve been on an airplane for 15+ hours, and having to use a pantyliner everyday…over all of it!
9. My patience/energy, I like to think of myself as a patient person, but with the overall exhaustion of being pregnant and parenting a 3.5 year old, I KNOW my patience has worn thin. I snap much quicker, cry much easier, and get heat flashes like a menopausal old woman bc my blood begins to boil quicker then ever before.
10. My nightly appetite. I enjoy eating. It’s been a little annoying that come dinner time I’m honestly NOT hungry. I make myself eat at dinner for obvious reasons, one being that I am housing a tinny human in my body and she needs the nutrients!

None the less I am truly looking forward to meeting our little baby girl! I don’t want to sound negative or vain, but maybe because this isn’t my first rodeo everything is more apparent! 8 weeks couldn’t go by fast enough!!! lol

30 Weeks

September 12, 2013

We had our 30 week ultrasound today, which is also our last ultrasound until she is born!
I am NOT diabetic which was a relief to hear! My placenta previa has moved up off my cervix, also a relief! Baby M is approx 3lbs 10oz, which I’m sure is closer to just 3lbs since I know they shoot high with the weight guessing game. Shes head down, Dr says she most likely will stay that way from here on out, so its no wonder why I’ve been a little more uncomfortable then normal! So over all today was a good day. Pella had her 2nd day of preschool which seemed to go a little smoother than the first day. She also started OT (occupational therapy) again today, she jumped right into the swing of things with that, her therapist is going to work on her crossing the ‘mid lines’, some mouth stuff to strengthen her mouth up,  and more usage of her hands, and forearms since they seem weak.

Here’s a few photos of baby M at 30 weeks and 1 day.

Pellas 1st day of Preschool

September 9, 2013

I cant believe I’m posting about Pella’s first day of Preschool! I remember like it was yesterday that I was bringing home my newborn baby girl! Now, 3.5 years later we dropped off Pella at her new preschool! She was pretty excited this morning about waking up to get ready for school! She’s been telling everyone over the week that shes “going to ‘cool'” We walked her into her classroom where all the other parents were settling their kids into their first day, meeting and greeting the teachers, and giving the quick kiss on the cheek “goodbyes” to their kids as they one by one were sneaking out of the classroom. I took Pella’s backpack off and hung it on her hook, walked her to the table where they had play-doh set up thinking she was going to be ALL about that! I sat her down kissed her on the lips and said I’d see her in a little bit and to have lots of fun…. Well that went all sorts of wrong, her eyes filled up with tears, and she snuck out of her seat to grab me as I tried to sneak out! She was so upset, begging me not to “Leave her”. Luckily her teachers are totally accustomed to the “cling on” crying wrecks of tiny humans they can be! She had her death grip on me, as the teacher peeled her off me insisting she would have fun, and that Mommy would be back in a little bit to pick her up! That was my sign, I had to leave… me, nick and my dad scurried out of the classroom feeling that expected guilt for walking away from our distraught Pella! I bolted home literally so I could cry, I wasn’t crying about leaving my crying upset child at school, but more over the fact my baby is NOT a baby anymore! Now and for the next 15 years at least all shes going to know is “school”. This is my 3.5 year old blossoming before my eyes into a “KID” and into this beautiful, smart little girl who will be becoming who she is destined to be, and setting the foundation for her future getting an education. Its a bittersweet feeling. Her life existence thus far shes only ever known to have me be right by her side in everything she does! I’m sure in the next couple weeks she will be become more confident, comfortable and adjusted. When I picked her up she seemed in good spirits, she was sitting down at her table smiling, I walked into the doorway and she instantly bolted for me. Her teacher grabbed her and directed her how they dismiss each child when its time to go home. Pella put her backpack on, the teacher handed her daily art project and sent her off with a positive affirmation! When we got in the car the first thing she asked me was “why” I left her there. I kind of avoided answering that question, but rather kept it simple telling her, I didn’t “leave her”. She continued to tell me about her day, and the new friends she made…. All in all I’d say she had a successful first day of preschool!

Today is also Nicks 35th Birthday! and Pella’s first day of her second round of Ballet. Life is quite busy over here! I’m looking forward to being on the go,  and maintaining this schedule, as for me it will make the remainder of this pregnancy and construction project fly by! I don’t mind that one bit!

Where I left off….

September 5, 2013

On my previous blog I left off with some recipes, crafts, stuff that inspired me, and most importantly debating at taking a shot at baby #2. Well that same week I posted that blog post, I literally wound up “PREGNANT”!! I knew the minute my AF was late, a miracle had happened! Fast forward to today, I am 29 weeks pregnant with another girl! I am thrilled to be having another little lady! I am most thrilled for my husband Nick, he has embraced Pella as his own from the day he met her. She filled a void in him from having lost his son 5 years ago, and now he will be blessed with a baby girl. I’m not sure if hes comfortable with me talking about his personal life and the loss of his son, but what I do know is that hes meant to be a dad. It fills my heart with happiness to know he will soon hold his daughter, and embrace her like he does Pella. Hopefully her birth will give him some closure to his past and the fear hes endured my entire pregnancy.  November is rapidly approaching, on top of being pregnant, Pella has her first day of Preschool Monday the 9th, which is also Nicks birthday! We started a master bedroom construction project back in June converting our one car garage into our new master bedroom, were are looking at completing this beast of a project at the end of this month! Pella still continues to have speech therapy, and occupational therapy, which once preschool starts will be a heavy load for her and I.  I dont mind the fast pace of life being pregnant, its flying by, but I hope time can slow down once my daughter is born. I am really looking forward to bringing home a new baby, to a happy stable environment, which is a 180 from when I brought Pella home. I am so lucky. I am also looking forward to blogging again, being a stay at home mom come the end of this month, I will hopefully have the time ti dedicate to writing again.

I started photographing my belly at 13 weeks, so heres 13 weeks updated every 2 weeks to date.

Our most recent ultrasound of baby Miserendino