Ethan, Mommy Commentary

Celebrating Ethan

Eight years ago, my firstborn, Ethan, was born prematurely at just under 23 weeks. He only lived for two hours on December 13, 2011. This year, celebrating his memory has been rather quiet, almost muted. It's not that we don't care anymore; we'll always care, love, and celebrate our baby. It's more of a quiet reflection. As 2019 is drawing to a close, and a brand new decade is
Mommy Commentary

Our Thanksgiving Vegas Adventures

We did something different this year for Thanksgiving; we went to Vegas! Maks got me a Mariah Carey floor ticket for my 40th birthday. We originally planned to leave Los Angeles around 11 AM, but heavy congestion (along with a 10-car pileup) on the I-15 prevented us from leaving. So, we left later that night and well, that was a disaster, too! It snowed on our way to Vegas.
Yoda

Bear is 6!

Today, I have a six-year-old. A happy, healthy, and precocious six-year-old. For those new to this blog, I lost our firstborn, Ethan, in 2011. We spent all of 2012 trying to get pregnant again to no avail. Just when I thought I wasn't able to have any more children, we fell pregnant with Bear. While Bear has not taken the place of Ethan, he has helped us heal. He
Russian Soul Sundays

Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes

I used to buy au gratin potatoes via the box. I figured it was easy. Just do this and that and voila, I have my potatoes. Then I discovered once you start cooking more, you tend not to buy convenience foods as much as you used to, if at all. Making au gratin potatoes by scratch took a lot less time than I thought it would. For that reason
Russian Soul Sundays

Homemade Moist Cinnamon Rolls

So, over the weekend, I made cinnamon rolls. I have a lot of yeast and I'm not entirely sure why I bought it to begin with. I was lucky enough to find homemade science experiments that needed yeast but other that, I just had it chilling in my kitchen. One of my good friends, Estella, recommended I use my yeast for homemade cinnamon rolls. I figured, why not? I've
Kids' Activities

Homemade Science Experiment – Elephant Toothpaste

Bear and I love doing science experiments at home. One, it's hands-on and it's super fun (okay, that's two), but also, a lot of the ingredients and materials we use are SUPER CHEAP. That being said, let me introduce you to the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment. Here are the instructions courtesy of ScienceBob: A clean 16 ounce (473 ml) plastic soda bottle or a water bottle.20-Volume hydrogen peroxide liquid (20-volume
Russian Soul Sundays

Garlic Parmesan Crescent Rolls

So, a funny thing happened the other day. I decided to make pasta for dinner and I was on the hunt for garlic bread. I went to one store and they were sold out. So, I went to another store. No luck there. I wasn't about to try my luck at a third store. I remembered an old trick a friend's mother used to do when she didn't have
Mommy Commentary

Why I Celebrated PAIL Quietly This Year

PAIL: Pregnancy and Infant Loss. October is recognized as PAIL awareness, honoring our lost babies and helping other mothers to know they're not alone. In the years past, I've always lit a candle in honor of our son, Ethan, who was born prematurely at 22 weeks. This year, I did the same as I always did. However, things were a bit different this year. I did it quietly. I
Health

The Best Hair Removal Cream You’re Not Using.

There are a lot of hair removal creams and gels on the market. Some will promise baby soft skin while others will promise no more hair (at least for a short while). As a woman coming through various creams and gels, I found an unconventional cream that was never meant to be used for legs. Or even by women. Enter Magic. Now I'm a bit old school and I'm showing
Mommy Commentary

It’s My Born Day!

Me at 21. Turning 40 is huge. Honestly, every decade is big. If you think about all of the people that died at a young age, the older you get is a blessing. Some people make fun of their age (Damn, I'm old!) and some people are trying hard not to age (various plastic surgery and over the counter products to reduce aging). Honestly, I embrace it. Me at 30. I