One Month

Better late then never. .. .

Photos by Smoo

Dear Cordelia,

Baby girl it has been a very long month, it feels like you have been part of our family forever and I cannot imagine life without you. I have learned many things this month and I have been amazed by many things this month. 

I have learned how amazing life is, and how crazy it is that your father and I created life when we created you. I truly know, without a shadow of doubt that all of the time I struggled while I was pregnant was worth it, 100% worth it.   

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 I have learned that a person does not know, or understand fear, until they become a parent. I learned this when you were exactly a week old and we had to take you to the emergency room. Nothing can describe the feelings your father and I felt as you lay on the hospital bed, and nothing can describe the feeling of relief when we found out you were ok. 

I have learned that holding a newborn baby can help people work through great grief and sadness, it can give new hope and help people understand the circle of life. Holding you has helped me understand this too. 

I have learned that breastfeeding is hard, but I am so happy that it is something I can do for you, and I love the moments I share with you because they are unique to you and I.

 I have learned that many people feel your birth erases their own nasty behavior, but I have also learned to never let their behavior sully my time with you. 

I am so amazed by you. You have grown so much! You weigh 11 lbs now and you grew a whole inch! You are so much more awake and I can see you seeing me. At first I had no idea what we should do when you were awake, and sometimes all we do is stare at each other. 

I am amazed by the peace and love that you fill me with, even when I can't figure out why you are crying ;) I hope that you will always know how special you are, and how much your father and I love you. 

Your father explains life and his emotions with song lyrics, I conclude this post with lyrics that express his feelings now.

Thank you for the branch you grew on this tree.

Your first breath wasn't easy to find.

So you signified the mountain you climbed,

By lettin' out a warriors cry and it sounded like mine.

Now everybody hold up the family sign.

-Something So, Atmosphere

Mint-tastic Cupcakes

Andes Mint Cupcakes

While pregnant I felt a great desire to bake, but I had very little free time because I was swamped with my last semester of school, preparing for Cordelia, and being sick to my stomach- so I never managed to bake anything. When I came across this recipe I jumped at the chance to make it for the hubby for his first Father's Day (he loves Andes Mints). The recipe came from Your Cup of Cake, I stumbled across this blog and I have quickly become obsessed, I think I want to try all of her recipes. To see her post on the Andes Mint Cupcake click here    

Chocolate Cupcake:

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup water

1 box devils food cake mix

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with liners

2. mix sour cream, oil and vanilla extract together

3. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each one

4. Alternate adding the cake mix and the liquids (buttermilk &water), stir well

5. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 14-18 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

As a note, I think I filled my cupcake liners a little too full so the tops of the cupcakes kinda spilled over when they baked- they still tasted good, but they didn't look as pretty. 

Chocolate Mint Filing:

1/3 cup chocolate chips

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Melt chocolate chips and heavy cream together, I did this in the microwave but you can also do it on the stove-top over medium heat

2. Stir in peppermint extract and powdered sugar

3. When the cupcakes come out of the oven use a squeeze bottle to fill the cupcakes with the filling

Mint Buttercream:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

green food coloring 

1. Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy

2. Add powdered sugar, heavy cream and peppermint extract- beat well

3. Add green food coloring

4. Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes and top with an Andes Mint  

The hubby loved them and they were a huge success- and they are the prettiest thing I have ever baked too! I feel a new desire to cook, and bake so look forward to more food posts. 

A New Life

On April 30th 2011 my husband and I welcomed our little girl, Cordelia Ito, into this world. She was 8lbs 10 oz of beautiful joy, she is the center of our world, and we are blessed to have her. On April 30th 2011 my husband and I started the first day of the rest of our lives, It is amazing and heavy all at the same time. 

Pregnancy

Photo: Sarah Yvonne

See her post for more photos from this shoot 

I have to admit that pregnancy, for me, is not fun and it does not feel pretty. I cannot reach my feet, they are huge, swollen, painful, and ugly; they resemble the humans feet in the movie Wall-e. My shoes do not fit, and I worry they wont ever fit again. I am queasy, and for the first time in my life I truly have a week stomach. My legs hurt, I cannot sleep through the night, I am always tired, I get depressed easily, and I cry a lot.   

I have to admit that I was kind of hesitant to take maternity photos, I don't always enjoy having my picture taken on the best of days, and theses past couple of months have really not been my best days. However, Sarah really wanted to take them, and she was very encouraging (she's been amazingly encouraging about the beauty of pregnancy they whole time which I also appreciate), and I'm really glad I did it. Taking these photos reminded me, and looking at them helps me remember, the beauty behind what I am doing. They remind me that I am beautiful, and strong, and that I am growing a daughter who will be beautiful and strong just like me. 

Windy Day

Windy days can be really beautiful, they can also be a pain when you are trying to take outfit photos.

In the end Sarah was able to snap some nice ones

Photo: Sarah 

Dress, flats :Target

Leggings, t-shirt, vest: Forever 21

Sweater (in top 2 photos): Khols 

Beautiful Rain

Photo

I love rain. I love rain all times of the year, but mostly I love spring rain. I know we aren't quite to spring yet but the rain we are getting here in D.C is very similar to spring rain, so I feel like spring is finally coming! We haven't had a bad winter at all, but when I pictured myself pregnant I always pictured myself in beautiful flowing dresses. However, I have been wearing a freakish amount of jeans/ yoga pants and sweatshirts- which does not make for interesting outfit posts.  

So back to talking about why I love rain- I love the fresh smell it always brings to the air, and the beautiful noise it makes as it hits the roof, and the way it can make everything very quiet. Rain is peaceful. 

The photo above is from Singing in the Rain- one of my all time favorite movies, and the only musical my Dad will watch. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend that you do, and soon, in fact I think I want to watch it now! Maybe after I get some more homework done :) 

Baby Room!

So we have been busy bees preparing for our baby. We finally got her room cleared, and ready to paint! This is my hubby pretending to paint :) 

I couldn't really help paint, so I left, and our good friend Sarah came over to help him! She did a lot of the painting in the room, and I'm so happy and grateful she could help. She also took all of these photos for our baby book, Doesn't she take beautiful photos! Check out her blog and ogle more of her photos. 

When I got back, Sarah took photos of the hubby and I (and my growing belly). 

Aren't we cute together? I know I look super tired, and he looks like he is going to bounce off the walls- it's pretty normal for us these days. 

This is Brendon going "Thats my baby!!!" he is so excited to be a dad. Life is great when you have a healthy growing baby, an excited expectant dad, and a great best friend.