Happy Tuesday + homemaking

Things have been a little hectic today. My parents are still here, and we have been running errands, re-arranging stuff, organizing closets, and, of course, relaxing in the patio. It's the reason I missed my Friday blogpost.  But, between loads of laundry, and shopping, the days have gone by fast. Last weekend, we went to Brooklyn to visit my brother and came back on Sunday. I will post pictures of our Hoboken visit on Saturday. Going to Manhattan seemed like a long trek with a toddler, given the high temperatures and muggy conditions throughout the Northeast.  I hope you are having a good Tuesday. I'll be back tomorrow with regular postings.

On fortune

I know that every moment with you is a gift, a blessing and a memory for posterity.  And we are lucky to have those moments so frequent. No. Fortunate. You come, and when you leave, the house is never the same.  It starts with a closet, then a patio hose-down, and ever so subtle all the stains on the wall are magically not there anymore.  An action that somehow washes away the stains on my life-apron.  You run to the pharmacy on your last day and buy multivitamins,  eye creme, and refills for the swifter duster. You are concerned with my health, my beauty routine and my home cleaning.  And who wouldn't want this everyday? I'm a fortunate child. But, it's more than housework.  It's soulwork. 

Our conversations stay forever pending. Because we never run out of things to talk.  Even as you leave, I already have something new to tell you.  The more we talk, the more I have to tell you.  We are fortunate.  A mother and daughter who talk to each other.  There would be no us, if it wasn't for our talking.  To know someone so deeply is to find oneself. And we have found each other. And when I think of my daughter, I can't help but see myself in her, just like I'm with you. Do you believe in the possibility of this continuing on into the next generation? Can Emilu and I ever be this way?  I only dream so.

Cold slashing tea recipe

{Photo via}

I'm battling a nasty cold as I write this. Luckily, my mom is here and has prepared a special tea, which promises to reduce my cold symptoms and even cut the duration of this virus. Here's the recipe: Boil some water with a cinnamon stick, and a big onion peel. Once it boils, remove from heat, strain in cup and add some honey. The taste is amazingly not that bad. Fingers crossed...

Off topic: Visions

 Have your visions ever become real, years later?

When I was very young there was a Puerto Rican boy band, which was quite popular among school girls. I had this vision [or an eager imagination] while my brother and sister and I were playing in the yard in front of our house.  Sometimes we would climb up the trees without any shoes, and make out shapes from clouds or throw stones at the ground.  One day while I was up on a tree, and an unspoiled view of all the rooftops and neighbors' backyards sprawled before me, I had a vision of the boy band on one of the roofs.  The boys were wearing black and were joking at something.  I yelled for my brother and sister to come up and look and when they did, they couldn't see anything.  Strange. And while the world below seemed more real, as I could see the leaves piling up in a corner, or our shoes carelessly scattered about on the ground, I knew that this vision was undeniably real and genuine. I was always having visions and yet, my visions were never taken seriously.

Where am I going with this?  Well, just the other day I was walking Piki and when I looked up at the rowhouses  in our neighborhood, I noticed tree guys on the roof of one of them, wearing black and joking and laughing among themselves. I couldn't believe it.  Emotions came rushing in and I felt a serene wave engulfing me.  My mind's eye had never forgotten that vision. All I wanted to do, and could do, was simply to watch, because this time, it was real.

{Images from Atomic Atrocity, Andrew}

Cuteness

I recently discovered how much Emilu loves the rocking motion. On a recent trip to the playground she was instantly hooked on the swing and now all she desires is to be swinging in the rocking chair. Simply adorable.

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Reflection: Deep in nature

What is it about nature in repose that makes us feel connected to something big or important? Unlike us, nature just is.  A tree doesn't want to be someone.  A cloud is just a cloud. The fog knows how to be.  Sometimes I think humans are the most unnatural of beings.
 

{Photo by Andrew}

{Photos by la porte rouge}

Wise words

What would you say to a crowd of people if you were a motivational speaker?  This is how I would start my speech.  How about you?  Any wise words or special message?

Images via Pinterest

Be a Hero

Source: snopes.com via Patricia on Pinterest

I'm not sure what made me do this post today. Maybe it's the fact that I'm a new mom, or maybe it's because Christmas time is close. I just think this picture depicts so many things, and should make us reevaluate how lucky we are. You can read more about this picture here. This snapshot was taken back in 2006 by a nurse. It depicts a soldier in Iraq comforting a baby girl whose entire family was killed by an insurgent attack. She was shot in the head, had been operated on several times and was inconsolable those first days. This U.S. soldier rocked her to sleep a few times while she was at the hospital. Nobody knows what became of the girl. So many anonymous stories like this one in Afghanistan and Iraq.  What's important to you this Christmas?  Think about those in need this time of year and how you can help. It's so worth it for somebody else.  It makes the difference to them.

DC, stereotyped

Do you ever find yourself stereotyped?  It's not the worst thing in the world, and it's sometimes funny to see how you are perceived.  Some have called D.C. the fake city, the go-go place for politics, I just call it home, for now.  This map of stereotypes is pretty accurate.  I'm a proud resident of Gay. Woo-hoo!

For more stereotypical useless maps, go here and here.

Miscellaneous

Ha! We had so much fun taking these pictures a few weeks ago.  She had just turned 4 months and I was sitting her more often.  Can you believe she's practically sitting on her own any moment now. In her 4 months appointment which took place Sept. 9th, she was weighing 15.9 lbs (79percentile) and measuring 25.6 inches long (75percentile).  And although the doctor was game for introducing solids, I'm only doing cereal, preferring to postpone the veggies and fruits for when she's closer to 6 months.  It's been a wild ride this past months with her, and as much as I'm tired, sleep-deprived, have no time to read the newspaper or paint my nails, at the end is so worth it. Just one laugh, one giggle and I'm putty.