Author: riannagalvez

Hello, dolls! Hello, NFL Season! As much as I want to say I am very excited to see the Ravens play again, I can’t help but feel indifferent about my husband planning life around the games again — I say this with love but we are not going to tell him that 😛 Now that Little A is bigger, game days seem to be more relaxing for us. I love seeing my boys in the basement hanging out together whether Little A is busy playing with legos or jump up and down as he yells “Ravens” when someone scores a touchdown.

It’s the simple moments like this that make me more motivated to stay safe and healthy for our kids. I know one day, Little A will say “Dad, remember when this happened during the game?”.

Hello, dolls! Hello, labor day weekend <3 After a very hectic week, I am so glad to be out of town and safely spend the long weekend with family. I’ve been really busy as a working Mom this week and felt guilty for not being present as much as I wanted to for the kids. After four months, I am back to working in-person and not just behind my computer so I feel like I am back in college again navigating my way around the campus. Little A went back to school and I still can’t believe he is now in Pre-K 4! So many changes to our quarantine routine this week but I am so glad to have more normality around the house.

One of my favorite “tasks” this week was redecorating Baby C’s reading nook. I am having so much fun making her room look pretty (shopping the main reason of course lol). When we had her closet remodeled earlier this year and saw this little corner, I knew instantly that it would be a reading nook. My main goal was to transform this space into a more relaxing and book friendly hangout spot for my girl, and I am very satisfied with the outcome.

Hello,dolls!! Hello, summer heat! I know it’s challenging to fully enjoy summer this year with everything going on but I hope there are more positive experiences in your life to look back to from this season. I would be lying if I said I wake up every morning with the confidence I had four months ago. I feel like as we get closer to the new school year and holidays, my anxiety gets heavier. With the uncertainty ahead of us, it’s hard to not feel worried about the upcoming changes in our lives. One of the biggest things that breaks my heart is the thought of not seeing our family for a very long time — cousins from New York, my siblings and my Dad in Manila, and friends that we love as family. This brings me back to all the parties I hosted over the years when everyone was able to attend. I had to cancel two parties I planned this year because of covid and though the kids don’t realize it yet, I feel bad that they don’t get to physically experience the love that a lot of people share with them.

It wasn’t easy deciding to cancel Baby C’s first birthday party. For weeks I would follow the news about coronavirus and hope that there is a way for me to gather everyone that we love and celebrate my girl. After two months of feeling concerned about the safety of our loved ones, I knew that hosting a party right now is not the best thing to do.

I am the kind of Mom who loves to plan everything ahead of time. I write down every idea and see where my mind takes me. I wanted something different for our loved ones to enjoy in the summer, so I thought what better way to celebrate a birthday in Baltimore than to have Maryland crabs?

Planning a crab-themed or nautical birthday party? I am attaching links to products that will make it easy for you!

Hello, dolls!! Hello, Mother’s Day weekend! <3 May is blooming beautifully like the flowers as we are starting to see some normal changes. Things are not going to be the way it used to be, and it’s okay. I have learned to accept this new reality after 8 weeks of being trained to take a step back from my aggressive go-getter self to a more conscious individual. When this is all over, I know that the stronger and better version of me is going to be ready to face the world again.

One of the things I realized as a Mom is the pressure Moms go through on a daily basis. I hate seeing Mom-shamers on social media because I know that everyone’s situation is different, I have come to fully understand this after having my second baby. Little A and Baby C might have similarities when it comes to their physique and some tiny details but the way Baby C’s growing habits are very different from Little A. I guess where I am going to is, A and I have to adapt to Baby C’s system so our parenting style is contrasting. Same parents and lifestyle, different kid and behavior. 

Continue reading “It’s okay, Mom.” →

Hello, dolls! Hello, warriors!! Challenging, hard, and unbelievable — these are some words that come to mind when I think of our current situation now. Who would have thought we will be going through a pandemic like this? Something that could affect everyone in the world so rapidly. I am not here to repeat everything that we’ve been seeing on the news about COVID-19, but merely reminding everyone that we as humans will always be stronger if we just do things right — don’t panic!

Having two lovely kids that I would do anything for, you might think my anxiety level is through the roof. In some ways, I am concerned about facing our temporary reality. If it was just me trying to adjust to this lifestyle, I would be okay — but I have kids, and they don’t understand any of this. My toddler does not understand why we don’t go out on weekends to go about our leisurely activities. When we do go out, only to buy what we need for the week, I am extra careful with everything he touches — and he can’t understand why I have this look of horror whenever he does it.

I had to alter our routine especially since Little A is out of school (which means I have to be his teacher for a while — but this story is for a later time 😛 ). Every day is a different story and just like everyone else, I can only hope we can get out of this dark hole soon. We are all trying to combat this virus in our own ways, and for that, we are all warriors.

Continue reading “HOW TO STAY POSITIVE DURING QUARANTINE (WITH KIDS)” →