Baby Shower Brunch

I’m still recapping February’s events.  I’m getting nervous about my upcoming trip because everything is happening so fast.  Of course, there’s a ton of things I have to do.  Namely, getting my seasonal haircut which I will be doing tonight.  I can’t wait to chop off these winter ends!

After my long night when my friends were in town, I had to get up early the next day to go to a baby shower.  I was exhausted so I skipped church to get more zzzz’s.  Trust me I didn’t have time to feel guilty about it.  My friends were assuming I was at service so I got ready as fast as I could.  Since church was over at 12pm, I knew they were on their way to pick me up.  Luckily,  I wrapped my present a few days earlier.

We made our way downtown, but traffic was terrible.  I was worried that we were going to run into the mom-to-be before we had a chance to set up.  We luckily found parking at a lot in front and ran inside the restaurant.  A friend of ours offered up space at his restaurant.  He had our section ready for us.  We quickly decorated and waited patiently.  I guess it didn’t matter rushing down there because the mom-to-be got there an hour late!  Oh well.  What can you do?  She was very pleased with her shower and the lunch was delish.  I love it when things fall into place!

Baby Shower at the Ukrainian Cultural Center

I hope everyone enjoyed their Fourth of July holiday weekend!  I did a lot, so I’m glad we have a short work week.  Let me recap the last Sunday of June…

After that eventful Saturday at Mamby at the Beach, the next day I had to attend a baby shower.  I was pretty exhausted.  I made it to church then headed back home to get ready.  The temperature dropped a bit to the 70s, so I wore pants and a cute top I won off ebay from BCBG.  

I FINALLY figured out how to wear a milk braid (lol) so it was nice to do something different to my hair.  I’ve noticed as I have gotten older that my hair is not as full as it once was.  Sometimes a ponytail looks too stringy.  I miss having full curly hair.

My friend looked beautiful on her big day!  It was a complete surprise to her.  She enjoyed catching up with everyone.  Pretty soon her life is going to be very busy with the baby.  It’s going to be an adjustment but the happy couple is eagerly waiting for her arrival. I’m so happy for them!

Baby Sprinkle

Still trying to catch up on April events.  I’ve been sick for almost a week now.  After a while it starts getting to you.  I don’t know what I have.  Cold, sinus infection, allergies, wheezing, fever, migraines.  It goes on and on.  Not to mention, I’ve been having trouble sleeping because of it.  I have a checkup coming up on Monday and if I’m still sick I’ll ask her to prescribe me something.  I thought I could ride it out but it’s starting to interfere with my life too much.  I’ve become irritable because of it.

Last night I yelled at my mom pretty bad.  I’m ashamed of it but she had me so frustrated.  I just don’t get her sometimes.  I cannot figure out what she’s thinking because she changes her mind too often.  Do you know anyone like this in your life?  How do you handle this person?  For me, it’s hard because I do not know what this person is thinking or where they are coming from.  I am not a mind reader and for me to guess what someone is thinking is very hard.  How would I know what your perception is?  Why should I figure out the clues?  Wouldn’t it be easier if you tell me what you are feeling?

The thing is, I never really know what my mom is feeling.  I think she goes with whatever the majority rules, and I’ve never been that way (or I try not to be).  I want to look after her best interests but with these mind games, I’m afraid I won’t know how to help her. 

The following day after the Davis Theater was Palm Sunday.  I went to church that afternoon and found out one of my friends went on a cruise for Spring Break.  Nice!  I’m curious about vacationing on a boat.  Who knows?

Later that day me and my other friend decided to meet up for margaritas.  We called up our other friend and headed to Skokie to Uncle Julios.  This was one of the nicest days we had in Chicago and we wanted to sit outside.  It was fun catching up with my friends on juicy gossip.  

The Easter Bunny showed up for Palm Sunday.

The following weekend I helped out a friend by keeping him company while he was going through some stuff at his storage unit.  It was another hot day in Chicago, but I needed his expert advice on how to handle my mom with the house situation.  I was still pretty unsure if we should put it on the market or not. After listening to my friend’s advice, I had no choice but to sit this out.  The pros and cons go on forever.

The next day was Easter Sunday and I went to mass in the afternoon.  I then had to go to a Baby Sprinkle for my friend who is going to have her 2^nd child.  A “sprinkle” is a smaller baby shower since nowadays it is more common to have just one shower for a family.  It was nice seeing friends come together with their little ones.  Kids love having fun with other children.

Two friends stopped by later after the party and we headed to Café con Leche for some afternoon cocktails.  It gets harder and harder for all of us to get together.  That is why I jump at the chance to see them when the opportunity arrives.  I just want everyone to be happy, no matter where the road takes us.   

I wore a maxi dress to the baby shower on Easter.

Just hanging with my peeps 

I got to hold my friend's 2 month old son!  He was loving the Paris themed mural!

Baby Shower In the Burbs!

I can't believe July 4th weekend is here already!  We had our last softball game for the season this week.  We came close to having some wins this year, but it was a tough situation trying to get people to participate.  Our firm kept a lot of attorneys busy in May which made it difficult getting a solid team going.  Regardless, there's talks it might be our last season.  I made a lot of wonderful memories with my co-workers.  I'm hoping it's not so but it's out of my control.  All good things must come to an end.

That goes to say the same for traveling.  I am growing afraid of the times we live in now.  What happened in Istanbul is unfortunately our new reality and it's occurring too frequently.  It makes me feel uneasy because I will be overseas soon, but part of me knows I have to overcome this fear.  Feeling afraid, or skeptical of people in general is not the way to live your life.  Everyone has differences, but in the end, what we have in common is the same general needs we all want for ourselves:  love, health, the safety of our friends and family.  I feel the world needs to reintroduce themselves to each other again and discover how wonderful we all truly are.  I want to meet new people, make new friends, take the opportunity to discover new places.  It's what brings us closer to one another; to love.  I pray that the violence will stop.  I know we can live peacefully within each other.  We need to do this!

Last Friday my friends wanted to come over to celebrate my birthday.  I told them it was over already and that it wasn't a big deal, but they insisted.  They came by with a ton of wine and sushi and of course, their babies!!  We had a great time catching up with one another.  There are so many changes coming up in the near future.  We are trying our best to make some time for each other.  I'm excited for their plans but it does bring a certain sadness knowing we won't be able to do this all the time.  Hopefully we'll be able to continue our group textes.  Sometimes those are enough to bring a smile to your face.

Birthday sushi!

The next day I had dinner and drinks at Cantina Laredo.  I've always passed up the place, but I must say, I enjoyed my night there.  It was SUPER hot that weekend, and there were a ton of people in the city.  I realized I haven't had the chance to walk around River North in months.  I had a nice time.

The next day I had to get up early for a baby shower out in Morton Grove.  It was at the Arboretum.  These are the kind of occasions I dread because I never have something to wear.  Luckily I found a dress on ebay and everyone loved it.  I know I have to step up on my wardrobe, but I have a big trip coming up and I have to save up for that.  I cannot spend my money foolishly.

It was a great time of fun and games, plus, lots of pictures!  I cannot wait to see how they came out.  They had a photographer walking around and we happily posed.  Since it was 90 degrees that day, we didn't have a chance to walk around and checkout the Arboretum, which is a shame because it did look very pretty out there.  Hopefully one day I can make my way out to Morton Grove again.

I love this picture!  We had so much fun that day!

Hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend.  Due to the terrorism acts in Istanbul, America is in high alert.  Remember if you see anything fishy, call the police and get help!  We have to stick together and help one another.  The violence in Istanbul could have had more casualties if the police didn't intervene.  Be safe and love one another! 

Memorial Day BBQ!

Sunday on Memorial Day weekend my friends decided to throw a BBQ.  Who could pass up an invitation like that??  Me and my friends made our way to Skokie for some backyard fun.  The weather was HOT and the food was delish!  It was nice catching up with everyone.  So many things are coming up for the summer; it's getting harder to figure out how to plan for some of it.
Number one for me has always been:  what to wear.  I am NOT a dress person.  Yes, I've worked in retail over the years, and I know how important it is for women to find a flattering dress for these summer occasions.  And it's not easy.  I've been shopping online for the past 4 years and have completely ruled out shopping at the mall.  I've been the same dress size for years so trying something on has never been a problem for me.  It's more of scrambling through tons of dresses that drive me crazy.  Not to mention, I'm pretty much always on a budget.  If the sky was the limit, then yes, life would be much easier.  But I'm not wealthy so I have learned how to shop for myself over the years.
What I have learned:
Let's face it.  You're not a little girl anymore.  You pretty much know what looks good on you by now.  When it comes to certain occasions, look for what has worked for you in the past.  You know your silhouette.  If  you have a great pair of legs, then don't wear a maxi dress.  Show them off!  If you have a tiny waist, don't wear an empire dress.  Stick to dresses that accentuate your body and not hide them because of whatever trends are happening this season.  For the most part, up to this point in your life, it's been trial and error.  But you'll never forget those times when people have come up to you to tell you how great you look!  Those are unforgettable moments!
What's your color??  I have a friend that always wears black because she feels it looks best on her.  She feels more confident because it slims her down and she doesn't feel so exposed.  I have another friend that wears rich colors like magenta and royal blue well.  It looks great on her skin tone.  Everyone has a color! 
Do you have a favorite brand or shop that has always been your go-to for shopping?  I have 5 brands; shops that have worked for me in the past.  I usually luck out when I shop there.  I usually start there before branching out to other stores. 
Now that you're "aware" of what has worked for you in the past, it's time to know what occasion you are shopping for.  I have a couple of baby showers and baptisms coming up, as well as a work function.  For the most part I know I will be looking at day dresses and work dresses.  It narrows down your search tremendously when you know what you're looking for.
I have yet to find my dresses.  Over the years, I have managed to look for good deals online and out and about.  There have been times when I've bought a dress because of how well it fits, despite knowing where I would wear it to.  My rule of thumb has always been to get the dress.  You never know when something pops up.   

Birthday Baby Shower Part 1

I have OFFICIALLY caught up with my events!!!  Yipee!!  lol.  It took a while for me to get to this point.  Looking back on the events in my life has helped me tremendously.  Sometimes you have to realize how far you've come to the point where you are NOW.  Currently, my mom has been expressing to me that she is suffering from some memory loss.  I tried to write it off as something that will pass.  Since her husband's passing, I simply assumed she was going through the hardships.  But now I am fearing it might be more than that.  We had a good talk and I did advise her to see a doctor whenever she gets a chance.  She is looking forward to retiring around her birthday in September.  Even though I'm worried about her well being, it's nice to hear that she is welcoming this next transition in her life.
Around the holidays, I found out that my dad and his wife weren't in good terms.  My other two aunts have been having problems with their husbands too.  I hate seeing them go through this because they are all older.  Yes couples fight but this has been going on for YEARS.  So much friction, yet they put up with it for the sake of the marriage.  It terrifies me.
It bummed me out because I want to see them happy.  I want them to love one another and grow old peacefully.  Hearing some of the fights they're having breaks my heart.  Seeing the sadness in their eyes proves to me there's something terribly wrong.  And then there's my mom.  I may have a problem over thinking but I do appreciate the time I have now being single.  I am drama-free.
Of course, coming home to an empty apartment is an adjustment, but blogging has helped me sort out my thoughts.  I look into the future of my family members and worry about the decisions they've made.  Then I look into the present with all of my friends settling down and hope they're making the right decisions for their future families.  There is simply no way to predict how things will turn out.  You have to take a chance in life and in love and hope for the best. 
My friend had her baby shower this past Saturday.  Leading up to that day was pretty hectic.  I had to catch up on my work since I was pretty wiped out from the weekend before.  I was in charge of some of the games.  I printed up some activities for us to do in case we get a little quiet in there.  I was all set!
I woke up around 9am to do a quick clean up of my apartment since I knew I was going to be out all day.  Then I slowly got ready.  My friend wanted us to be at the restaurant around 11:30am to help set up.  The funny thing about this day was the weather.  It was unseasonably warm.  In the upper 40s.  If I would have known how warm it was going to be, I would have worn a dress, but instead I wore what I had planned all along.  A black sweater with an attached cape and faux leather panel leggings.  I was hot!!  Not to mention, the shower was being held at Quartino's restaurant.  Part of the table arrangements were 5 head candlestick candles and votives  displayed throughout the area.  There was even a fire place on!!  Go figure!
We did our best to setup the tables before the guests started arriving.  We had the upstairs area from 1-4pm.  The mom-to-be had a decorating table so people could paint and decorate baby onesies and wooden blocks for her future son.  That was a pretty fun idea!  Everyone enjoyed decorating.  We also got a chance to play bin-the-baby-in-the-belly with the cutout babies I printed out.  We enjoyed playing it from the last baby shower we attended, and as usual, it was a hit.
Time flew by quickly!  The staff at the restaurant reminded us that we had the room until 4pm and it was a Saturday after all.  They needed to clean up right away, so we didn't have time to linger around.  My friends wanted to grab drinks afterwards, but we opted to meet up later on.  My feet were killing me.  I went home and passed out for over an hour.  Next thing you know, it was time to get back up again.  This cycle needs to stop, I swear!  lol.  I agreed to it because the mom-to-be was celebrating her birthday as well.  It fell earlier that Tuesday.  They were also hosting some friends who flew into Chicago for this shower, so off we went at it again.  Stay tuned for part 2!   

Baby blue cake! 

Decorating table...

 We hung up the onesies as part of the decorations.  People would grab a onesie and make their way to the decorating table..

Quartino provided a buffet for the party.  There was margarita pizza as well...

Wishes for baby on a onesie!

Pin-the-baby-in-the-belly!

Time to measure the belly...





The mommy-to-be wore baby blue!  I wish I wore something more colorful but I assumed it was going to be freezing since it usually is in January.  Regardless, this shower was in River North after all, so I kind of fit in.  LMAO

B is for BABY SHOWER!!

During Memorial Weekend my friend had a baby shower.  I haven't seen all of my friends in a while.  As we get older we get more busy, but it's times like these that bring us all together.  I love it!  The shower was held at a golf resort in Evanston.  It was perfect because it was not far from the city and had plenty of parking for everyone.  Hey in Chicago, that's a big deal.  lol.  Everyone had a specific task in participating in the shower.  I was in charge of the games the kids will play.  My friend made this shower kid-friendly since most of her friends are moms.  That way no one had to find a sitter on the day of.  I found most of the games on Pinterest, (a God send) and luckily the kids had fun!  They were mostly based off the game minute-to-win-it.  I also bought some prizes from the dollar store to give away. 
In the end, we had a great time and the kids enjoyed themselves too.  I can't believe how fast time flies!  My friend gave birth to her son in July! 


Pretty setting!



Treats for everyone!



The beautiful mother-to-be!

One of the games I found on Pinterest.  In one minute try to scoop up as many cotton balls as you can into a bowl on your head.  Blind fold of course. 

Another minute-to-win-it game.  Post as many post-its on someone for a minute.  Who ever has the most post-its on their body wins!  Remember, sometimes they don't stick as easily...



Me with my friend's baby girl who was born back in January!

March Madness Part 4

After celebrating St. Patrick's Day with my friends, I had a baby shower to attend the next day.  It was held at the Ukrainian Village Cultural Center.  I have to admit, I was a bit hungover, so I arrived a little late.  I was glad to see my former roommate and her family.  I lived with her many years ago, but we still keep in touch from time to time.  It was nice to see everyone doing well.  I finally felt better after I ate some food.  I ended up joining in with the fun activities.  Baby showers can be so much fun if you can get everyone to participate in the games!

Sitting in for some goofy pics!

My girlfriend is expecting twins!

My former roommate and her son.  My has he grown!

 



The following week was a tough one for me personally.  It was suggested by my mom's doctor that she goes see a therapist.  My heart sank when she told me over the phone.  For some reason, I was hoping what my mom was going through was "normal" and that things were going to get better soon.  But hearing those words from her made me realize that she was not handling his passing well.  She was having trouble sleeping at night.  She now was working but felt overwhelmed at times.  I would talk to her on the evenings to see how she was holding up, but sometimes she told me things that would break my heart.  Her pain was deep and I was helpless.
I told my friends what was going on, and they seemed optimistic about therapy.  They looked at it as a positive thing.  I was having a hard time seeing it that way, but looking back I was emotionally drained.  I couldn't feel optimistic about anything.  I missed my old life.  Feelings of guilt would rush in from time to time.    Even though I would escape by hanging out with my friends, I would come home feeling incredibly guilty.  How could I be so selfish when my mother was suffering?  I didn't know what I was suppose to do, suppose to feel, suppose to act.  I would look at my younger brothers and felt they weren't around as much.  I needed them to step in and check up on my mom more often.  I was getting angry at them because I was handling her breakdowns on my own.  "Well, you know how guys are," my friends would tell me.  What was that suppose to mean?  I'm the daughter so it's my job emotionally to be there for her?  I couldn't comprehend.
I went out with my friends for dinner one night to catch up on things when our other friend texted us to see if we wanted to go out.  Fedde Le Grand was playing at Parliament nightclub right down the street.  I jumped up and got excited.  I forgot how if felt to get excited about anything.  I LOVE dance music, and he was definitely a good dj to see.  Unfortunately I was the only one up for it, so I met up with my friend.  I had fun dancing.  I almost forgot how miserable I was earlier in the week.  Sometimes you need these breaks to take away the pain from time to time.  It won't change your situation, but it does remind you how wonderful life can be...sometimes.

Got a chance to say goodbye to a friend before she headed off to China for work!

We don't know the girl in the middle but she was fun...

Fedde Le Grand playing in the background.  I had fun dancing that night...