Progression or Regression?

Dimaya has been growing like crazy! It seems that the only thing she wants to do these days is eat Cheerios! I was worried about putting her in the nursery school on campus where I teach, but I'm beginning to think it's the best thing we could have done for her socially. For those of you who know her, you know that she is a social butterfly! They teach her to sign at school and she currently knows the signs for EAT, SLEEP, WATER, and BRUSH (teeth). It's really cute actually! I like that she can communicate so that she doesn't feel overly frustrated when she needs something. Her progression in Sign Language is excellent!

The only drawback to sending her to nursery school, for me, is that she doesn't get any Spanish whatsoever. Last week was the first time I heard them even mention reading a book in Spanish. I feel like I need to be MUCH more consistent with Dimaya if she's really going to learn Spanish. Since I am a non-native speaker of Spanish, sometimes I feel as if I'm not the best person to be teaching her. I mean, when am I going to run out of vocabulary or get the grammar mixed up? I study and try to immerse myself in Spanish when I can by listening to interviews on Spanish radio programs or just catching the news in Spanish on TV. It feels so overwhelming at times though :( She understands when I tell/ask her to do things in Spanish, but still no words from her. We're working on counting (to 3 at least) and she says "Tays" for "tres" which I understand lol. She said "si" a few times, but I'm not totally convinced as to whether or not she understands what it means yet. Progression? Maybe...

Dimaya y su muñeca...

So Dimaya is now 14 months old and it seems like she's grown up overnight! She climbs on everything and is such a great walker. She got a few cute dolls for her 1st birthday and favors one in particular. This muñeca is like a little princess doll. We never had a name for this doll so we just started calling her Muñi for short. Dimaya loves to put Muñi in her shopping cart long with other stuff--libros, papeles, etc. It's fun to watch her roll that thing around. She has even learned to say a few words that we can all intelligibly understand!

Her English list consists of:
DAD, MOM, GIGI, HI, BYE, SEE YOU LATER, NO (her favorite at the moment), STOP, GONE, PLEASE, and THANK YOU.

Her Spanish list consists of:
SI, and sometimes MAS when she wants more food.

Her Spanish understanding of these spoken phrases is great:
NO TOQUES, CIERRA LA PUERTA, SALGA, ABRA LA BOCA, and more.

I'm trying very hard to keep her Spanish exposure since she doesn't get to hear it very often. It's just DORA THE EXPLORER and me against the rest of the monolinguals! Most of her books are written in both Spanish and English and we read quite a bit. We do vocabulary pretty regularly and I try to do more learning on my own time. Now that Dimaya is going to be starting her nursery school, I'm not sure if they do anything in Spanish there. I truly hope so, because if not, I may have to spend any extra time with her speaking Spanish only.

I admit my Spanish is a little rusty since I don't use it as much, but that's about to change. I'm thinking of possibly going back for a second Bachelors degree in Spanish which would be about 27 hours. I'm such a polyglot and would love to add another language in there some day, but hey...I gotta start somewhere. In our house, it's hard to keep up the OPOL (One Parent One Language) method. Steve speaks decent Spanish and sometimes like to read her Spanish books to her, even though that is technically supposed to be my job. Plus, I want him to be able to speak Spanish with us. The only bad thing is that he is definitely not as motivated to work on Spanish as a family language as I am lol. He's really more into Gaelic. Gaelic is cool, and maybe we could add that to our inventory someday, but Spanish is where the resources are for us right now. Heck, I would rather be learning French, but the resources are limited at the moment.

This adventure is fun, and even though it's hard to know exactly how much Dimaya is learning and/or understanding, it's rewarding! I'll keep posting the progress of Dimaya y su muñeca favorita.

There will be change...

It's been a while since I last blogged, but I'm back! My family and I are going through a transition right now which involves me going back to work and Dimaya going to nursery school. I am kind of excited about my job since I will be teaching Geography courses at the University, but I'm also kind of sad because we've never spent more than a few hours away from each other. I know that once she's over the initial shock, she'll do great. There are many positives in this equation. One being that she will just be around the corner on campus. At least I can get to her quickly if there is a problem. Steve will also be available and that makes me happy.

I still have so many things to do--lecture prep, generate a syllabus, trainings of all sorts--and it feels like going from spending the day with my daughter speaking Spanish and having a good time to filling out a ton of paperwork for HR and making decisions about who is fit (in my mind) to be caregiver for my child. I love teaching more than anything and if it didn't take up so much time...I would probably do it for free. It's something about being able to present--sometimes boring--material in your discipline in an interesting manner. I strive to be the best instructor that I can be, and this means looking at the things I hated and loved about the instructors I've had in the past. Right in between is a healthy balance ;)

Doing My Part!

Today has been such a beautiful day! Nice and warm with a cool breeze! Dimaya spent some time in Eureka Springs with one of her grandmothers and we had a great time outside watering the plants in our garden. She has a beach play set with a rake, shovel, etc. that she used on the garden. Such cute photos! I started thinking about how nice Fayetteville really is...despite all of the things that are missing. I love our garden in the backyard, even though it's small right now (we're eventually expanding). I like going out and picking fresh basil for my famous spaghetti sauce, and even the flavorful tomatoes that come out of our garden. I also started thinking about how the decisions that Steve and I make now actually influence the way Dimaya views the things.

Considering that I have degrees in Anthropology and Geography, I care a lot about the environment and the way we use it. Especially, since there are small things that each of us can do to help out. It's all about doing your part! So, I ran across this website EarthLab that allows you to check your carbon footprint and evaluate your current (and future) earth-friendly practices. It has great tips for reducing your carbon footprint and saving money at the same time!! I'm seriously encouraging everyone reading this post to consider taking this quick assessment. The results range from 150-900 with the lower the score, the better. So far Steve and I are at 336! There are still plenty of things we can do to get that score even lower. Below is a list of things that I pledge to do this year in order to decrease our carbon footprint and save some money:

• I am going to start composting.
• I will use "green" cosmetics and facial products.
• I will buy and refurbish second hand items.
• I will utilize the Community Garden at Walker Park more often.
• I will use natural lighting during the day instead of turning on the lights.
• I will replace light bulbs with energy saving ones.
• I will purchase my next vehicle responsibly and consider a hybrid or smart car.
• I will unplug my cell phone charger when not in use.
• I will get an extra recycling bin. (We never have enough room)
• I will continue to buy locally produced products.

I think this is a good start! I will let you know how things pan out! I'm very excited to start showing Dimaya ways to take care of our earth. It makes me happy to think that, for her, she won't have to change her habits...it'll be a lifestyle she'll know from the beginning!

Other links you may be interested in:

Fayetteville Gardens (Community gardens in the Fayetteville, AR)

Ozark Natural Foods (Become an owner for $25 a year and when a profit is made by ONF you get a refund based on your annual spending)!

The Daily Green (Great resource for anything green and sustainable)

Health/Fitness Update!

I know...I know...I'm playing catch up with my blog! It's a good thing while I have the help :) Besides, I have a lot things I want to cover! This post is going to be about my health/fitness journey. In a previous blog (right after Valentine's Day), I was writing about trying Zumba. Since then I have been a very loyal Zumba participant. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Zumba, it was created by dancer/choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in Colombia in the 1990's. It combines a mix of latin dances, including salsa, cha-cha, cumbia, bachata, and many many more. It almost doesn't feel like exercise! It's kind of like going to the club in a way lol! In my Tuesday night class, which continues to grow each week, the women are friendly and we have a lovely instructor. I am also seeing the results of my exercise! Since I have been running (I live a block from a park), doing Yoga/Pilates at home, Zumba, and eating better (i.e, snacking more throughout the day and eating less at one time), I have broken into the weight bracket below the one in which I was experiencing a plateau. I have new running shoes with inserts for my crazy high arches and I'm really enjoying exercising with them.

I have decided that I will run a 5K this fall. I want to give myself time to prepare and Dimaya will be older (nursing less, which totally helps the breast scene). I have 2 weddings to attend this summer, one in Little Rock where I am a bridesmaid, and the other in Milwaukee. Right now my focus is to just lose weight. I'll start training after all of these events take place. Keep in mind that I'm still running, just not training! I also have decided that I want to become a licensed Zumba instructor by the end of the year! I really love this fitness style and feel that it is one of the best choices I've made for myself in a long time!

Since I've been visiting my parents in Texas, I knew I wouldn't make my Tuesday night class so I've been using YouTube to do a few of the routines posted by other Zumba instructors. Since my mother is starting her path to Yoga certification, we do Yoga together in the mornings. Dimaya does really well as she tries to imitate some of the poses herself :) All in all, I happy to report that I am still confident in my health mission and the goals are set and clear!

Silver Screen Madness

Sometimes when I'm feeling down in the dumps, it really helps to have my mother come up to visit me from Texas. It always cheers me up! That is one reason I'm glad she's only a 4 hour drive away. One of the best things about moms is that when you have a child, they are more than thrilled to entertain your child while you clean, eat, sleep, shower, or do things you normally have to do in a hurry. Or sometimes...even come with you to the movies and entertain too! I must say, I am a very lucky person to have a mom as awesome as mine! Dimaya, now a little over 9 1/2 months, loves to be out with her Gigi (my mom). She's always busy doing things and doesn't like to sleep because she's afraid she'll miss something. Before Dimaya was born, Steve and I would go to the movies with family and friends (or each other) on a regular basis. Now, one of us normally stays home with the baby while the other goes out. We thought about taking her with us to a matinee in the middle of the week when no one would be there, but decided against it each time. My mom suggested (last Saturday) that we all go to the movies and take Dimaya with us. She said that if Dimaya got loud or antsy, she would take her out of the movie and hang out with her. We all agreed! It took only a second to decide that we wanted to see Limitless. (Great movie by the way)! So...we got to the movies a little early and got our seats. Probably not the best idea since we had really loud previews and they didn't turn the lights out until forever. (Making a note about this for next time). Dimaya did really well in the beginning, but she wanted to talk and there weren't many people around...except for this one girl (whom I will speak of here in a minute). We tried to pick an area close to the exit and free of people. When the last of the previews were showing, Dimaya decided to start talking EXTRA loud. Keep in mind...the previews were also REALLY loud so Dimaya could barely be heard. Now...the woman who came and sat in front of Steve kept turning around mugging us like Dimaya was such a problem EVEN THOUGH she was facebooking on her bright phone through all of the previews. (Hello people out there! Yeah, you! If you're reading this, please know that Facebooking in the movie theater is just as annoying to the people behind you that have a big bright spot in their view of the screen!) Before the movie even started, my mom told me that she was going to see if she could take Dimaya to a movie for kids. We went out in the lobby where I decided to nurse her before sending her off with Gigi. Off we went to see Mars Needs Moms. Gigi led the way, choosing a seat in front, and sat down with Dimaya. I made sure everything was okay before I started walking back to my movie. Dimaya was so excited about the movie that she never saw me leave, and apparently didn't give it much thought later when she noticed I wasn't there. I watched Limitless in peace with my brother and husband, and when the movie let out we went outside looking for Gigi and Dimaya. Couldn't find them! I was for sure their movie was out too! I had a slight sense of panic when I searched and couldn't find them! I called Gigi's phone a million times and texted to find out their whereabouts. No answer! So finally I went back to the theater (whose marquee said Lincoln Lawyer, which threw me off in the first place). Inside I found a smiling Gigi, holding a peacefully sleeping Dimaya. All was well! Later, we got the report that Dimaya had watched the movie and laughed like the older children. She also watched a young girl sitting next to them for a great portion of the movie. When things work out like this...alll you can do is smile!

Post-Valentine's Day

So yesterday was interesting...for lack of a better word. It was Valentine's Day and it was a LONG day. Dimaya woke up screaming 3 times in the middle of the night, but she did put herself back to sleep which is awesome. No one tells you that even when babies do begin sleeping through the night, it doesn't mean that you will. Most nights I hardly sleep since I'm always anticipating the moment she'll wake up screaming! So, yes, there is some truth to when other parents tell you "You will never sleep again!" with their sunken and bloodshot eyes. Welcome to Zombieville...because that's exactly how you're going to feel. It's crazy how you just look at your child's face and you can't be angry about not getting any sleep.

I started off the morning with some a bowl of Captain Crunch in Horizon Organic Fat Free Milk since it took everything in me to crawl out of bed. I must say--if you haven't tried it yet--Horizon milk is the best I've ever tasted. I tend to be a little sensitive to milk, but for some reason, it's about the only brand that doesn't bother me as much. The gym trip turned out to be a family affair. Steve, Dimaya, and I mobbed into the gym with all of our gear (and toys). I had a pretty good workout, and was very surprised at myself for running 8 out 10 minutes non-stop on the treadmill! Currently I'm sticking to a routine I found online that seems simple, but effective. I'm feeling a little more confident and and less self-conscious about being in the gym. There were more women there this time so I didn't get the uncomfortable feeling this time. I completed everything on the circuit with a few interruptions from Dimaya. You see, she was in the Kids Club area with the glass windows. All I could see was her face--red and tear-streaked--plastered against the glass screaming for us to come and get her out.

As for Valentine's Day, Dimaya and I went to visit Steve and the interns at the office until their work day was finished. Then we had a family dinner at Shogun which was extremely busy. We ended up sitting around the grill with about a million other people and watched the show as the grillmaster cooked up our food. Dimaya was enthused by all of the action and stole the show as usual. The only thing she didn't like was when the fire blazed up really high and got close to her. It was funny us because she was so shocked she started crying and screaming for a moment. It was a great dinner...long...but fun! I hope everyone out there had a great Valentine's Day too!

Getting Motivated

(Okay, so I meant to post this yesterday also, but of course life happens. Figured I would just post it now).

The activities on Sunday were as follows:

• Short walk in the park with the family (including the dogs). It didn't turn out to be very long or "brisk" to be considered exercise, but we got out of the house. We've had PLENTY of snow in the last few weeks.
• Went to Barnes & Noble to get inspired and motivated for Monday...the big workout day! Read a few Pilates and Running magazines. I got really psyched about possible teacher training, certifications of all sorts, and Couch to 5K races.
• Found a fitness routine that I think suits me well!
• Got a new sports bra and some pants from Target. Let me tell you...I never knew breasts could be used as weapons (against yourself for that matter)! Obviously I needed some real support--went from a 34C to a 36DD--if I planned on running anywhere.
• Had a nice dinner with friends and extended family. I opted for spinach enchiladas to be a little healthier! They were delicious!

One thing that concerns me about working out at the gym is being there with all of the juiceheads. I know it's something that is totally my issue, since most of them could care less whether or not I'm there working out. I guess there is some kind of solace in that. I never remember feeling this way before I had a baby. Probably because the idea of anything jiggling was far from my mind. Now it's part of life! That's a clear sign of motivation if I never had one before! Don't get me wrong...I'm not huge or terribly out of shape, but I have goals that mainly include feeling great about myself and helping others to do the same. It amazes that I'm going to do this in such a public way. I am really pumped about starting my workout and getting back in shape! Let's see how it goes!

Gearing up!

Hello everyone!

Almost two years ago my life changed dramatically...for the better! I was a graduate student in geography conducting research on how to create resilient communities that were vulnerable to hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. Little did I know, I would meet, Steve, the man of my dreams and within 3 months, I would be engaged. Four months later...we were married. Talk about a change! Oh, wait...let's throw a another surprise in the mix! June 1, 2010 we welcomed a baby girl, Dimaya, into this world.

The last two years have been the best years of my entire life. I NEVER would have thought that I, the tedious-solitary-government-job-seeking-girl, would end up married with children so quickly. No one really tells you how to handle the massive amount of responsibility suddenly placed upon you...once you say "I do" and then when you give birth.

For some reason, I found myself lost in between the graduate student I was and the stay at home mom I had become. Almost like a world of limbo! My situation had changed, along with my body and my self-confidence. Let's just say two years ago my life looked like this:

• Go to class and work on hurricane research.
• Go to the gym and get a good workout. Gotta keep the body tight!
• Go to work at the pharmacy as a technician.
• Look for government jobs in good locations with nice salaries and benefits.
• Go out with my friends.
• Buy the latest (BCBG/Nine West) shoes and (Big Star/Lucky) jeans.
• Maybe cook, but most likely go out to eat sushi or Mexican with my single friends.
• Stay up watching re-runs of old shows and finally fall asleep at a crazy hour.
• Sleep in until about 10:30AM whenever possible.

Now it looks more like this:

• Wake up at 5:00am (after various wakings throughout the night) to a crying baby ready to eat.
• Feed myself with baby in lap trying not to spill milk from the cheerios on her head.
• Watch Rugrats and Dora until I can crawl back in bed.
• Buy Dimaya the latest Baby Gap/Old Navy clothes and shoes. I think I own 2 good pair of flats. Pumps? I gave up on those when my feet looked like squished sausages during pregnancy.
• Hang out with friends who have kids because they understand when you have to reschedule.
• Go on baby playdates, La Leche League meetings, Story time, Mom groups, etc.
• Exercise?? WTF...
• Take a nap with the baby at some point during the day. Changing diapers is exhausting!
• In the bed by 9pm or 10pm at the very latest. Yes...I am old ;-)

I am on a journey to regain my body, self-confidence, and do things that I always thought were impossible! I'm hoping that someone will find this blog helpful and maybe even inspiring. Follow through this learning experience as I find myself in the making!