Style & Serenity

Tender Heart

July 6th, 2014

The heart is the most delicate part of our anatomy and yet it has the most awesome power. It pumps blood throughout our entire body and nourishes our muscles. It endures a lot and yet it’s so delicate that once it is pierced it can easily be destroyed. When we are in love we feel with our hearts. Poets and songwriters have written about the heart. There is an entire day dedicated to the heart. I call my husband my sweetheart because the love I have for him comes from my heart. It is from the heart where sweetness of every sweet thing is derived.

As a mother I feel my heart soar out of my body when I look at my child. My love for her is the reflection of the pure heart. I put my everything in raising her to be someone who cherishes the love she has been given. She has learned to handle the hearts of her loved ones with compassion, patience and kindness. I hope that the people she loves do the same for her. Our hearts are soft, fragile and enduring. I try to keep that in mind when I handle those I love and when I speak to people that pass through my life.
I would never want to be the one that breaks the heart of someone I love. The next time you speak to your loved ones make sure you shield their heart, because a broken heart is hard to mend, if ever.

The fantasy gift

June 29th, 2014

My child had a moving up ceremony on Friday. That’s because in our school district, Kindergarten to 2nd grade is in one building…3rd to 6th grade is in another. Sophia will be going to the “big” girl school in September. From what I hear it’s a lot less bright and cheery. Apparently, they treat the kids like they are no longer babies and expect more from them. I’m not sure if I like that idea. I think eight years old is still pretty young to be thrown into a more mature atmosphere but then again time will only tell.

After the moving up ceremony we celebrated with family, hit the beach and then had dinner by the water. It was a great day ending with lots of presents. Sophia received lots of wonderful gifts including a little mermaid kite from her grandmother, a new necklace and lots of books from her dad and I……but the gift she got from her aunt put the biggest smile on her face.

My sister got her a mermaid tail she can use at the pool. Sophia has always had a fascination with mermaids. The Little Mermaid has always been her favorite Princess. She always wants to know if mermaids are real. I usually say “I don’t know, what do you think? They may be real. They are magical!”
Her beautiful dark eyes widen and she responds with “of course they are mommy and one day I’m going to find out how to turn into a magical mermaid!”
The mermaid tail helps her use her imagination to live that magical fantasy.
Childhood in itself is magical and so are our children. I sometimes look at her and smile at my great luck!”
She is magic!
How do you feel about letting your child live a fantasy?

Little girls of summer

June 26th, 2014

Summer is here and kids are looking to dress light and comfortable. Here are two little girls that are doing exactly that! My daughter Sophia’s BFF Brooklyn is wearing a great little tank dress with white, light pink and dark pink ruffles on the skirt. She has a sweet little pink flower as an accent on the top portion of the dress. Sophia has paired a patriotic tank with the appropriate jean shorts for an all American look. Notice that I mention that it’s an “appropriate” pair of jean shorts.

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I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend lately. Lots of young girls and some young women are donning very short shorts. They are so short and tight that nothing is left to the imagination. The first couple of times I noticed this look I thought it was random….but it seems to be a trend that is being sported by the average girl. You can spot them at the malls, on the streets of every neighborhood and even at schools. This is a trend I would love to squash! The feminist in me is outraged that once again fashion designers are objectifying women! That being said I don’t understand how these teenage girls are walking out of their homes in little sexy hot pants! Why are their parents allowing them to dress this way? What does it say about our society when little girls are dressed so provocatively? How does it make them feel about themselves? It scares me when scantly clad girls in music videos and celebrities like Miley Cyrus have more influence on our girls then we do. My child is very young so I’m able to make sure that she isn’t exposed to music videos but she still notices all the girls wearing these very short shorts! Call me old fashioned but little girls should dress like little girls.
Unfortunately it’s hard to find sweet little outfits for my daughter. I have to go out of my way to find clothes that are appropriate. I also avoid very trendy looks like skulls on everything and high heels. Yes, they make them for kids. I want my little girl to enjoy being young, innocent and sweet for as long as I can. I also want her to respect her body and never allow herself to be objectified.
How do you feel about the new barely there shorts? Sound off and let me know.

My little man is finally here!

June 23rd, 2014

The birth of a child is the most amazing journey. It’s almost like an out of body experience. As a mother, you feel your baby growing and moving inside your body for months. You bond with the baby even before they are born. The first time I set eyes on my daughter I felt an intense sense of joy. It was euphoric. It seemed impossible that the sweet baby I was looking at was really mine. A child is the greatest gift, a miracle.

Being a mother changed me both physically and emotionally. Aside from the obvious changes to my body, I felt completely different emotionally. I worry about my daughter all the time. Am I feeding her the most nutritious meals? Am I being too much of a helicopter mom? Am I doing enough to prepare her for life? These are just some of the thousands of worries I have.
Granted not all moms are as crazy as I am but, I am what I am! With all the worrying comes many sleepless nights. In fact I haven’t had a really good nights sleep since her birth.

Becoming a parent has also helped me see my parents in a different light. Somehow all the craziness and the control they wanted to have over me now makes sense. You become so protective over your child. It’s the most difficult and yet, the most rewarding job in the world.

Last week my youngest brother and his wife had their first child. He is a perfect baby. At 8 pounds, 21 inches he has a mop of dark hair and beautiful eyes like his mom. The rest of him looks a lot like my brother and my daughter too.

Next to my daughter’s birth my nephew coming into this world has been the most amazing experience of my life. I never expected to love him the way that I do. I just never thought I would ever feel the same sense of protectiveness that I feel for my own child, but I do. I get to love him, spoil him and always be there for him. I’m sure I’ll worry about him but raising him is his parents job. Now I get to sit back and enjoy seeing my brother take on the role of a father. That in itself is surreal! I get to see the joy in my parents eyes as they love him and look forward to another grandchild to visit them. My nephew connects two families together. He will change the dynamics of the family for the better, and connects his parents in a way that is even deeper than marriage.
I’m feeling blessed to be an aunt.
Welcome to the world my little man, I love you to the moon and back!

Cousins

June 17th, 2014

Growing up some of my fondest memories are those with my extended family. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and my cousins. I had a lot of fun and I got into a lot of mischief with my cousins. To this day, whenever we’re together even if it’s after many years, it’s as if we were never apart. Childhood memories flood through my mind. I have a sense of euphoria, a happiness that I only share with them. It’s a connection that’s unique and filled with memories of happy carefree days.
I feel blessed to have such amazing cousins and experiences. They’re my first friends and will forever remain in my life. I wish that for my child, so every opportunity I get I make sure she spends it with her cousins even if it means we take a three hour trip to Connecticut to see two sweet little girls!

Friends come and go. If we are lucky we have a handful of friends for a lifetime that love us even at our worst. That is rare and special.
Cousins are stuck with us, well mine are anyway. They can’t get rid of me even if they try!

My daughter is very much like me. She has such love for her cousins. It’s a special bond we want to nurture, especially because she is an only child.
How do you feel about your cousins? We are planning on spending a lot of time this summer making wonderful new memories with ours.

Tender Heart

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The fantasy gift

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Little girls of summer

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My little man is finally here!

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Cousins

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