Summer Plum

The first of the summer plums are showing up in the markets this week. I did the ol' squeeze 'em test... But I should have taken a bite, because I bit into a tart one... But since baby was interested, I gave her a taste, assuming she also wouldn't want to eat it and it would be discarded. But she seemed to enjoy it, so I let her gnaw for a few minutes with those 2 teeth of hers. Within a minute, she had peeled a long piece of plum skin off, do I took the choking hazard out of her mouth and got the peeler out, to remove the skin and let her enjoy her snack. Ooooohhh she screamed bloody murder!! She was pissed!! I quickly peeled... Them gave it back. But there were a few tears.. That were just too precious not to share...

Omg! <3

DIY Friday Weekend Projects

So Victor is working the sound board at music concerts and festivals most weekends this summer... So I declared my weekends to be dedicated to DIY projects that I have pinned on Pinterest. Here is my first successful project!! Thank you Mom & Dad for the plants to complete this gorgeous display of my craftiness!

I have about 7 other projects in various stages I completion... I am ashamed to say. But if Baby continues to actually nap once a day... Maybe I will be able to catch up on some of them.

#palletgarden #DIYFRIDAY 

tiny terror on 4 wheels

bia-birra on 8 wheels

Laundry

Baby loves laundry. Clean, dirty, she loves it all. Her favorite is clean, folded, and ironed clothes.

( i couldnt help myself)

so in the last post, i forgot to mention that among baby's new skills, preferences and things that make me giggle...  she loves to kiss her mama. oh oh oh, swoon.  

12 Months Update!

I know, I know, I know.......  I have been the WORST.BLOGGER.EVER.  Especially after my New Years Declaration to write more, post move, take more photos, etc...

But more on that later... I swear...

VALENTINA LEE CASTRO is awesome.  What more do I need to say?!  At her 12 month check up, she weighed 7.390 kilos, which is about 16.5 lbs.  Her height/ weight is perfect for her corrected age, which at the time of her first birthday, was a little more than 9 months old.  My momma and Grandma Lee came for a visit at the end of April, and Momma and I were looking at MY baby book.  Valentina is remarkably similar to my hight/ weight at 9 months... c.u.t.e.... 

She is crawling all over the place, looooove standing with support, and is now getting into everything!  Drawers, cabinets, anything anywhere near the floor is bound to be slobbered on and smashed in her pudgy, sticky little fists.  OMG.  swoon.

We need to start baby-proofing the house, in a big. big way.  

In other news, I have been crazy busy gardening, skating roller derby, cooking, baking, tackling a long list of DIY projects around the house.  Photos of my projects coming soon, too!  AND I know I was talking about Valentina's Birthday Photo Shoot!  It got postponed for several reasons.  Daddy Victor wanted to be there and the weekends just keep slipping away... Then my car was stolen in Lisbon, so I was literally stuck home for about 2 weeks, as Victor has been working crazy hours lately and I couldn't get to the beach, the scene for our epic photo shoot.  The huge plus to the postponement though, is that I have officially decided on the theme for Valentina's Coming Home Party, at the end of July.  Since baby couldn't eat cake for her official 1st birthday, May 8th, I was reading online how preemies celebrate their first birthday.  So we are celebrating the date she came home from the hospital, which is more accurate to a 1st birthday, developmentally speaking.  I have no problem giving her a sugary delicious cupcake to smash ("eat") when she is developmentally 12 months, but 9 months?  She could hardly swallow bites of bread without giving me heart palpitations!  

OK OK OK bring on the photos!!

And I swear... cross my heart + hope to die, stick a needle in my eye:  I. WILL. BLOG. MORE. OFTEN. PROMISE. 

omg! this is my morning!

happy birthday baby

not humored....

breakfast

1st time baby pulled herself to stand
she immediately began to chew the railing... 

google wished me a happy birthday!
i'm 25! woohoo!!!!

heyaaaa

morning walk to the school bus with big sissy 

new game.
we both laugh a lot. 

this is my baby and her baby

grandma patti & great grandma lee came for a week in april!
here is their arrival photo
*jetlagggg....

nice view from their hotel in sesimbra

day in lisbon

omg i love this baby
(see those little scars on her hands?  from all the IVs? sniffle sniffle)

yeah...

happy birthday big sissy bianca!
9 years old!

monogram silver toothbrush.
nothing but the best for our little petunia.
VLC

beautiful birthday baby

"baby- proofing" the liquor shelf

big girl cup!

i love my puzzle from great.grandma lee

we dont have much hair... but its growing in
PUNK ROCK

NO diaper NO

practicing for our photo shoot

apples & blueberries for baby

i was missing MY daddy, so bianca and i shared a banana split
cos "grandpa steve makes the best ice creams" says bianca

chicken, baby rice, sweet potatoes and carrot "meatballs" 

what i am doing lately

happy birthday baby!

I know, I know, I know...  I've been terrible lately....

I have a HUGE GIGANTIC EPIC 1 year update coming...  But Monday morning we have Valentina's 12 month doctor appointment,  so I am waiting for the "stats" to post...  

But other than that.... Our little petunia is nothing but joy.  And cranky teething.  :D

our girl. <3

This photo just cracks me up every time I see it.
My dearest friend Darly sent me a pre-mother's day email, asking if I was sleeping in,
enjoying a day of pampering, etc.
This is the photo I sent back to her.
LOL.

OMG happy baby

Not humored. 

breakfast.

This is documentation of Valentina pulling herself to stand in her crib on her own, and chewing the railing.
Next Google Search:  DIY crib rail cover

11 Month Update!

After a looong hiatus, for which I deeply apologize.... I am vowing to get back into the swing of things... Blogging, continuing to revamp the house, running, skating, keeping up with derby websites/ messages/ workouts, etc.  And Valentina updates.  Ooohh yes, we have a lot to discuss with about our little Petunia... <3

I have been busy whitewashing the 50 foot long wall alongside our driveway, Wednesday I painted the patio walls, Monday and Tuesday I scrubbed the tiles on both the patio and driveway, chased baby around in her walker (man can she MOVE in that thing!), cleaned up the garden disaster (aka my "green thumb" experiments), I have a huge list of 1st birthday prepping...  AAAAnd those two teeth coming in....  They are causing us some super crankiness that is taking over any productive daylight hours...  I am going on 3.5 hours of sleep last night, 4 hours the night before...  How is a Momma supposed to do it all?!

I have some more videos to upload, but my internet is being cranky, like the rest of my house...  More coming soon...

But here she is! April 8th, 2013:  Happy 11 Months, Sweet Pea! <3