December Traditions and Creating Sweet Memories

Decking the halls, 2015 (8-years-old)

"You know, Santa's elves are on the roof of this place. And when he's finished taking pictures with kids today, he's gonna go back to the North Pole."

This was last year when Aiden was 7-years-old and we went to take pictures with Santa.

ABC Carpet & Home, 2014 (7-years-old)

This year, his theory on Santa is slightly different. "You know, it's not the real Santa who's taking all the pictures with kids right? It's just a guy dressed in a Santa costume. But we have to give him our Christmas list so he can go to the North Pole and give our list to the real Santa."

Well. When you put it like that...

Kings Plaza, 2009 (2-years-old)

I remember all the way back to Aiden's first December and his first Christmas season. I remember not really knowing what to do with him or how to make the season special for him. I remember wishing that I had holiday traditions to piggyback off of from my own childhood, but I kept coming up short. The only Christmas "tradition" that I had as a child was to stay up until midnight to open presents. And that's about it.

I remember listening to so many of my mommy friends talk about Christmas and holiday traditions from their childhood that they wanted to pass on to their children. And I remember that inadequate feeling of coming up short. I had nothing to share and no tradition to pass on.

Kings Plaza, 2010 (3-years-old... what a difference a year makes!)

But eventually, I started to plan things and do things and go places with Aiden during the holiday season. And the next year, I'd plan and do and go places with him. Again. And, before I knew it, we'd have a solid list of things to do during this festive season.

We deck the halls by decorating the Christmas tree, while jamming out to our favorite R&B holiday station on Pandora.

We watch Home Alone and Home Alone: Lost in New York. Several times. Because those are the classics and the only ones worth watching.

We go see Alvin Ailey and NY City Center because the performers were born to dance and they inspire me to move, shake, and test boundaries. (I hope one day they inspire Aiden too.)

Macy's SantaLand, 2011 (4-years-old)

Macy's SantaLand, 2012 (5-years-old)

We go see the Nutcracker. Because, 'tis the season.

We decorate ginger bread houses. And eat lots of frosting and candy in the process.

We take pictures with Santa. Once, twice, sometimes thrice throughout the holiday season.

We make holiday cards to send out to friends and loved ones.

ABC Carpet & Home, 2013 (6-years-old)

Nutcracker, 2013

We go ice skating, because: winter wonderland.

We go see the tree at Rock Center. (I mean, we have to if we live in NYC, right?)

We play tourist for an afternoon, walk along 5th Avenue to see the holiday displays in stores, and pick a favorite.

Macy's SantaLand, 2013

Christmas Eve, 2013 (#BlessedDuo)

We count down the days until Christmas because build-up and anticipation is part of what makes it so much fun and so exciting.

We wear new pajamas on Christmas Eve and Aiden takes a bubble bath. Then we bake and decorate cookies for Santa. Then we leave him a sweet note, something to the tune of "I hope you like your cookies..."

We discuss that this season is not just about getting presents, but giving and loving and thanking God for all that we have. And celebrating the birth of Christ.

On Christmas morning, we wake up to open presents, from Santa and from mommy. After presents and pictures and excitement, we make pancakes and enjoy breakfast together.

Rock Center, 2014

Alvin Ailey, 2014

And, in recent years, we've been traveling after Christmas until the New Year. Because I love the idea of giving Aiden the gift of experiences over things. Any day. Everyday.

Just us. And Chicago, 2014

As we were decorating this year's Christmas tree, Aiden reminded me of all the things we do during the holiday season. To my surprise, he listed almost everything that we've been doing for the past few years. He's old enough to understand that we do these things every year, that it's a tradition. It's shaping his memories about the holiday season.

So far, they've been happy memories. Sweet memories. Warm memories. Fuzzy, feel-good memories.

2015

They make him smile when he thinks of them.

And that alone is enough to make my heart smile.

Seeing Gray: A Sleek and Modern Nursery for Baby Delicious

For the past two weeks, I've been in full-on nesting mode. I've been going from room to room, closet to closet, one area to the next... cleaning, organizing, throwing out unnecessary old crap stuff, and reconfiguring rooms and spaces to make room for Baby Delicious. And I'm so happy that my entire apartment is super clean and ready to go.

And... I'm so, so happy that the baby's nursery is all set up and ready to go... two weeks before my due date.

I feel like I've accomplished a huge feat, especially considering that I didn't finish setting up Aiden's nursery until I was actually in labor. Early labor with mild contractions, but labor nonetheless. As you can see, Aiden's nursery came out great, but I didn't like the feeling of rushing to get it done.

Flashback to Baby A's nursery:

Teddy bear decor

Aiden's toddler bedroom set-up

Now back to Baby Delicious:

Although I really love the color of Aiden's crib and dresser set, this time around, I wanted to go with a light and airy, sleek and modern (but not too modern) look. The Zutano Tivoli 3-in-1 convertible crib and three drawer dresser in cloud and white fit my vision perfectly, and fit perfectly in the small space allotted for Baby Delicious.

I saw the set online, feel in love, and had to have it for Baby Delicious! I love that this stylish set will grow with him as the wood is super solid, sturdy, and durable. And I love, love, love that I can use pretty much any bedding set and decor to jazz up the furniture in many different ways.

Painting the walls was out of the question (because, pregnancy), but I found these classic triangle wall decals from Brit + Co that I adore. Simply peel, position, stick, and voilà... the entire space is jazzed up! The bold black worked really well with the stark white and soft gray colors, adding depth and giving the space an entirely different look.

I opted to go with lighter shades of gray for the bedding set and the other decor pieces in order to make the small space feel more open and airy.

(And, yes... I stole some of the baby books and teddy bears from Aiden. No worries, though... he's totally cool with giving his little brother some of his "childhood things," as he calls it. #ThatKid #ICant)

Yes, the drawers are filled with his clothes (that have already been washed!)... and the organizer on the dresser is stocked and ready to go... as are the bins in the three-cube organizer! #TypeAMom #DontJudgeMe #OkayMaybeJudgeMe #ButJustALittleBit

Yes, that's a Columbia Lion right next to his "Oh The Places You'll Go!" poster.
With a 3x Ivy Leaguer for a mother and a lawyer for a father,
this kid's gonna have some big shoes to fill.
Just Kidding. (Not really.)

I could not be more happy with the space and cannot wait until Baby Delicious makes his appearance so that he can enjoy it as much as I do!

Now excuse me while I rearrange some things in his closet, drawers, and three-cube organizer until I go into labor. (You guys... my Type-A personality can't help it! #SendHelpNow)

Baby Delicious Baby Shower

Over the weekend, my friend K hosted a fun and sweet (literally!) baby shower for me! (Thanks K!)

Friends from all over Brooklyn and Manhattan showed up to the candy shop, Chocolate Works in Brooklyn Heights and we played games, laughed, mingled, made chocolate-covered pretzels, Oreo cookies, and graham crackers.

Yum!

Then we ate, played a few more games, and tried out the chocolate foundation to make chocolate-covered strawberries and marshmallows.

Double yum!

In between, there were lots of silly photos with funny props. And, to end off the night, everyone got to take candy and cake pops from the dessert table.

Like I said before, the shower was sweet. Literally! 

It was such a blessing to spend time with so many smiling faces and now, I'm even more excited to meet Baby Delicious! And, of course, I used the opportunity to spend a lot of time taking photos of the awesome big brother.

He's so ready to take on this title.

Visit Mommy Delicious on Instagram for more fun photos of the sweet, sweet day!

Lessons From An Eight-Year Old

"It's not about lucky bats; It's not about lucky helmets; it's about hard work."

This is what Aiden said to me a few days ago as I was helping him complete his homework. He was working on this "fast math" worksheet where he had to complete 24 math facts within one minute or less. The idea behind it is to develop automaticity with numbers and math facts. He's been doing really well with the worksheets since the beginning of the school year, even getting 24 out of 24 on pretty much all of them.

But on this particular day, the worksheet was assessing new math facts. Which he hadn't studied yet. So when he saw that he left five questions blank by the time one minute was up, he was feeling pretty down and was pretty hard on himself. To help the kid out, I wrote the new math facts out on flashcards (the equations on the front of the flashcard, the answer on the back of the flashcard). I also helped him notice any patterns that might help him with memorizing the facts.

We practiced for about two days. On the train ride to school. At home before bed. While running errands. Anywhere, really.

The next time he completed the worksheet, he got all 24 math facts correct. With 12 seconds to spare. He was so proud of himself. (And he's been keeping up the momentum and getting all 24 facts correct each time he does the worksheet.)

"Wow, Aiden... you've been working really hard at studying your math facts and I see it's paying off," was my response to his efforts. 

His response? "Yeah... it's like that book I read a few days ago, Strike Out, when the boy said, 'It's not about lucky bats; it's not about lucky helmets; it's about hard work.'" 

(Back story: he recently read a book about a little boy who thought he needed lucky bats and lucky helmets in order to be good at baseball. But, as it turned out, he only needed to work. Hard.)

Truth be told, I didn't even remember the book or the lesson that it tried to teach. But Aiden did. It stuck with him. And he shared that lesson with me.

And, in that one instant, Aiden reminded me what hard work, grit, and resilience can get you -- success. Good success. 

I hope he holds on to that lesson for the rest of his life. I know I will.

Turning Eight

"I'm eight-years-old today!"

That's what Aiden said as soon as he woke up yesterday morning. Happily. Energetically. And as though he were ready to take on the world.

I can't even begin to believe that I now have an 8-year-old son. And that I've been a mother for eight years. Eight!

These past eight years have been perfectly imperfect and nothing short of amazing. Hard at times, stressful at times, but pure, pure wonderment.

He may be just eight, but he's got an old soul. I swear, there are times when I feel as though he's been here before. With his precocious wisdom, his tell-it-like-it-is outspoken attitude, his grandpa-like demeanor, and his energetic and loving spirit. His name means "fiery" or "little fire" and he embodies that name. In every sense of the word.

He is truly a ball of energy. At... all... times... and he never tires. Ever since he started preschool, every year, one of his teachers has given him a nickname along the lines of "Mr. Busy." (I'm not kidding.)

Aiden's never been one to just "go with the flow." He's always questioned and wondered and challenged the status quo and I absolutely love that about him. I wish I were that bold when I was his age. (Heck, I wish I were that bold even now as an adult.)

This has been a very hard year for me and him and us. But the fact that he's still standing shows me just how resilient he's learning to be. And that's a trait that I really admire in him.

He inspires me.

To do better. To reach further. To learn more and try harder and work smarter.

He inspires me.

To love harder, stronger, and more effectively.

He inspires me.

To learn to forgive and understand the true meaning of unconditional love. To parent gracefully.

This year, I've worried and prayed and cried and prayed some more. I've tried to instill value and character in him. I've tried to push him to be his absolute best and absolutely see the best in him... even when he wasn't exactly showing his best self. I've learned to advocate and fight and move mountains for him.

And I haven't grown weary. Because... he inspires me.

I hope Aiden knows how much I love him. Like, with everything in me, down to my fiber and bones and all up in my DNA. I hope he knows how proud I am of him and how I would find a way to make the impossible happen for him. I hope he knows that, no matter what, I'll always, always have his back and be there to teach and lead and guide him.

He always says, "Mommy, I love you all the way to outer space and even pass God."

Right back atcha, kiddo.

Right back atcha!

The Cycle of Parenthood

If you're hanging out with the Mommy Delicious crew on Facebook, then you'll know that these days, my time is spent with struggling to get Aiden over a rough patch. A really rough patch. And that I keep on repeating the same phrase: This parenting thing ain't for the wimps.

Because it ain't.

It's hard.

And draining at times and overwhelming at times and downright thankless at times.

Lately my relationship with Aiden has been only about what's going wrong, what he needs to fix, or his bad day at school. And that's been emotionally taxing. For him and me.

So this weekend I decided that what Aiden and I needed was time together. With just us. He needed my undivided attention and I needed him to see that we can still have positive interactions... even in the midst of turmoil.

On Saturday, we had Game Night. We took a trip to Target and I allowed him to pick out any board game he wanted to. Monopoly, Trouble, Candy Land, and Bounce Off were his top picks. So that's what we played when we got home. On the floor, with no smartphone, and no social media, for as long as we wanted.

We laughed and learned from each other and got to know each other. All over again. It was... glorious. And refreshing.

Aiden needed to see that my love for him is unconditional. And that our life doesn't have to be losses of privileges and scoldings and time-outs and tough talks.

It can be fun too!

On Sunday, I was tired. Because: pregnancy. But I took him bowling anyway. And to the arcade. Again, it was just us. No smartphone, no social media. Just us... laughing, learning from each other, and getting to know each other. All over again.

Is this a magic pill to fix whatever's wrong? No! But it's definitely a start.

Aiden's actions have been due in part because he's resisting and resenting change, in part because he's feeling pretty powerless with all the things he has to do, in part because he's needing and wanting attention, and in part because it's all too confusing for him. He's regressing. And it's hard and scary and overwhelming to deal with.

So I'm giving him love and affection and attention. And he's seeing the school counselor to help him during the day. And his school and I decided it was best to switch his class so that he now has two full time lead teachers in his classroom (instead of one full time lead teacher and one part time assistant teacher). The adults at his school are really trying to help him and are going above and beyond to support him during this time. I'm so grateful and thankful for them.

And HEB is spending more time with him. And my sister is checking in on him daily. Because, like I said before, I'm calling on the village to help this kid through his rough patch.

It's part of the cycle of parenthood and we're taking it moment-by-moment. Some moments are amazing and joyful. And some moments are frustrating and overwhelming. But, in the end, I know that I'll look back on this time and this cycle, smile, and thank God that we made it through.

Because we will.

{Personal Style} Love, With a 1920's Vintage Flare

Over the weekend I got all dolled up, traveled back in time, and HEB and I headed to the wedding of two lovely friends. Hosted at The Metropolitan Building in Long Island City, the wedding theme was 1920's vintage, and the guests and bride and groom came ready to show out!

I, on the other hand, refused to buy a 1920's style maternity dress (is that even a thing?!) so I wore one of my black maternity dresses. I literally have four different black maternity dresses -- one with a cap sleeve, one with a scoop neck, and two with 3/4 sleeves in two different sizes (small and extra small). It's become somewhat of a staple for Baby Delicious and me, and I ain't even mad! (HEB, on the other hand, makes fun of me every time I'm in "another black dress?!")

But I digress. 

I decided to dress up my maternity dress with 1920's-inspired accessories -- pearls and statement necklaces, a faux fur shawl with a brooch detail, and a feathered hairpin. For a pop of color, I wore pink peep toe pumps. They aren't exactly 1920's-inspired, but they added a modern twist and a perfect pop of color. 

I thought the entire outfit looked classic! 

And the bride and groom? Well, they were just as stunning and loving and happy as ever. It was definitely a wedding to remember. 

So happy I got to be apart of their special day! Cheers to Daryl and Nicole!

Hope you all are having a fabulous week. Stay stylish!