Enjoying Every Minute!

When I was pregnant people always told me, Enjoy every minute cause they grow up really fast. From many things that I've heard from other moms, this was the most true that I've experienced so far. I can't believe how time has gone by fast! I look at my boy and I ask myself how can this be? Not long ago he was just a little baby! So as I rock him to fall sleep, I keep recalling those times when I was sitting at the same chair breastfeeding him.... he was so small and fragile. Now here I have a boy who wants me to sing, who says mais (more) when I stop singing, who expresses his discontent when I change the song by repeting mais over and over until I start singing again the same song. This boy even notices when I change the lyrics:  he lifts up his head from my chest and with his small fingers touches my mouth. He keeps touching (more like poking) it and saying mais until I sing the original song....  they grow up really fast. Since we got back from CA, he has having a hard time to fall sleep by himself. He was a pro in sleeping solo before. Now he cries. He wants to cuddle, or even to sleep with us. And though its tiring it's been gratifying cause it has reminded me to enjoy every minute... 

And as I rock and sing to him in a hope he will fall sleep soon, he slowly reaches my lips and gives me a sweet kiss... He then melts into my arms and falls in a deep sleep.

He loves eating apples! He eats the whole thing without any help.

My Guapo Boy!

Everywhere we go we always hear two words about Nicholas: "guapo" (handsome) and "simpatico" (nice).  So here are some pics from my guapo and simpatico lil boy!

PS: We're doing really good here in Spain! I'll have another post soon with some sweet details!

Family Photo Shoot: Rancho Cucamonga

I had a wonderful time capturing fun moments of this beautiful family. They not only look really good at the camera but they also know how to have fun together!
Thanks for allowing me to frame the warmth of your family as a unique piece of art!

Happy 6 months!

My baby is already 6 months old! Wonderful 6 months! Nicholas is just an adorable and sweet baby! He likes to smile a lot, loves eating bananas and rice crackers, is sitting up using one hand to support (some times without hands), jumps with joy when papai (dad) gets home, loves music, crabs everything he can and takes to his mouth, is very vocal, loves jogging with his mama (in his comfort BOB stroller), loves outdoors, gets very fussy when we don't get out of the house, is sleeping through the night, is still breastfed, loves being around people, doesn't like tummy time, wants to eat everything we eat, likes to be naked (I always have to take out his cute outfit), loves bath and bubble bath, gets fussy around 5pm, likes to put his blanket over his face to fall sleep, likes to have his socks halfway on his feet (just like his papai), melts our heart everyday, and bring joy to our lives that no words can explain. Nicholas Haruki is the best and cutest baby boy that we could ever have!!!! Thank you Lord!

Missing Vozinha

My mom went back to Brazil yesterday and we're already missing her! Even Keith said: "Wow, I'm sad... your mom is not here anymore!"
 So to remember the good times a special photo of her and Nicholas playing!

this pic is for you mae!



PS: Grandpa and Grandma Turner are coming!!! Looking forward to have some fun!!!

New Born Photo Shoot/Burbank

I'm so thankful to had the opportunity to capture Tarcy and Marcelo when they were expecting Nathan. Now that cute bump became a cute baby! Nathan indeed is the joy of their whole family! And he is so adorable! Seriously, I had to hold myself not to bite him while shooting cause he is so yummy:)

Before:

After:

Out'n About!

Enjoying life with fam! Nicholas ' first time at the beach!

A Painful Memory

One thing I like about blogging is that it helps me to record important moments and feelings through my photos and random words. It's been three months since I had my precious baby boy and every time I hold him in my arms and watch him fall asleep I thank God for his life. Although it's been a great joy for me and my husband, we can say we had the most terrifying first days of our lives as parents. 

I haven't talked about it much to avoid the pain and if I mentioned to some people, it was a very brief story. Well, I decided to share it cause I remembered one of my posts, HOW GREAT IS THE LORD and realized how indeed God is Great!

When we brought our lil baby home from the maternity we were very excited; however, the excitement went away when we realized something was wrong with him. He wasn't eating and looked very weak so we called his Pediatrician who sent us back to the hospital. I remember thinking, good at least there (the maternity) they will help me to breastfeed him. Man how naive I was! We had to go through the emergency room where is the last place you want to be with a newborn. So there we were in an emergency room, three days without sleep with a 2 days newborn among sick people waiting for someone to do something. 

Man, we were so scared and  there was nothing we could do besides waiting until they admitted us to the Pediatric section. We waited, we fought for them to do something, and we prayed for protection and strength. It took the whole night until they finally admitted us. I cried the whole night as I held my baby and watched them drawing several times blood for tests. I cried all the days we were there. And I cried when we finally were sent home with a healthy baby.

Looking back we still don't know what exactly happened. The peds said it could have been an infection he got it during delivering so they put him on antibiotics. But it could have been also because he wasn't getting enough breast milk. I wasn't producing milk for the first days so the poor lil guy was sucking and sucking and nothing was coming out. I told the nurses I wasn't sure If I was producing milk but they guaranteed me I was. I realized I wasn't once I was put on breast pump and nothing was coming out. So the nurses started to feed him formula so he could get his strength back. It took three days until he finally started acting like a "normal" newborn.

Those days were the scariest and most painful days of my life. I felt hopeless, weak, and desperate. I confess I was frighted I was going to loose my baby. I don't even have words to describe the pain. I wish that for no one. My only hope was our faith in God. We prayed with all our souls for protection and strength. And God is Good and Faithful! He gave me strength to support those painful days. Strength that I know only could have come from up above.

Today I have a healthy, beautiful, and very smart baby! I'm also successfully breastfeeding only! Those days now are only a painful memory that made me realized how God is Great. I was weary but He renewed my strength!  I'm indeed now flying like eagles!  

And here is another pic of my lil guy

Bath+Nicholas = Super Cute

Nicholas just loves relaxing in a warm bath while "tasting" his sweet hand (really, it seems like there is sugar on them). When it's time to get out, oh boy... this little dude complains... he lets you know that he's not done yet :)






PS: Today my dear friend Flavynha made Nicholas laugh out loud... it was so cute!!! It was the first time he's done that. He smiled and giggled many times before, but today was sort like an outburst of laughter!!!! Keith and I was so amazed that we started laughing too.... the problem was we had to retain ourselves cause it was in the middle of the service!
So, tia Flavynha, Nicholas loves hanging out with you! I guess all the talk you did when he was in my belly paid off! hahaha... lov u girl!

Congratulations to my hubby!

After 3 years of hard work and many miles driven my hubby finally got his MBA (masters of business administration). We're so proud of you, Amore!



Watching daddy! He behaved so well!