Men, Can't Live With Them. Can't Live Without Them!

The first time Adam and I saw each other I was 8 months with my first daughter. We were at a team building workshop at work, in a hot gym. I wish I could tell you that it was love at first sight and we  have been inseparable ever since but I can't. To be honest I didn't really notice Adam. I was too pissed off that I had to be at the team building thing and even more pissed off that it was 110 degrees and they wanted me to do physical activity 8 months pregnant!Needless to say I was less than pleasant! 

About a year later I was laying in bed getting ready to watch Entourage (to this day my favorite  show). I got a Facebook message from a guy that looked familiar but didn't know from where. It was Adam. I had just gotten my heart broken and was in no mood to deal with a guy hitting on me. For whatever reason this was different we talked to each other the whole show. I went to sleep feeling different about this random guy I was talking to.

The next morning I told a girl that was extremely close to at work. I told her that I was unsure if I even wanted to talk to Adam again. See I was used to meeting guys at bars, meeting guys online was so much worse I thought! She assured me that Adam was a great guy, super nice and I should just see what happens. Later that day Adam asked if I wanted to go over to his apartment and hangout. All I could think was  just started talking to you yesterday and now your inviting me over. Something isn't right  with that. With the reassurance of my friend I said I would go and hangout. 

Since that day Adam and I have only been apart from each other a handful of times.

Our relationship has by no means been easy. If you have ever heard that song by Maroon 5, "She Will Be Loved" there is a verse that says, "It's not always rainbows and butterflies its compromise that moves us along.". This is basically how our relationship is. Tons and tons of compromising. Agreeing to disagree and move forward, from making major mistakes. Mistakes that most people would never stand  for. We stay together because working it out and working on our relationship is more important to us than just throwing in the towel. Has it been thought of? I'm sure it has , but I firmly believe that one of us would kill the other first, before we left one another. For whatever reason our demons mate well with each other. There is literally nothing we can't make it through. 

I tell this to a lot of people in relationships and the first thing they say to me is " So you let him walk all over you and put up with it? Why would you do that?" My answer to that is no we don't. There is a respect between us that has  been built and grown into appreciation for what the other does. If Adam or I ever treated each other like an option instead of a priority we would move on. We are both strongly opinionated people. In my eyes in order to be in a relationship with someone that is so much like you, you have to realize that you are not always right. That your way may not always work, stop being stubborn when you are wrong, admit that your wrong , say sorry where it's needed and move on. It took Adam and I a long time to realize that we needed to let go of things and not hold grudges. When you do they just resurface up in the next argument and nothing ever gets solved. We have learned to talk things through and try not to make mountains out a molehills. So far so good.

Love is the basis of any relationship and anyone who is willing to accept your flaws and love you more because of them is the one for you. With that being said you have to be able to do the same. Adam and I have both been in relationships where we were giving 100% while the other person was giving 0%. I've also been on the other end where I was the person giving 0% and hurt someone pretty badly.

There are thing I can't stand about Adam. Like how he NEVER cleans out the sink when he shaves. But I know damn well there are tons of things that I do that he can't stand either. We learn to live with it and try to correct it. Again certain things just aren't that important to start a fight over. You have to pick your battles. Fighting is time consuming and exhausting. Half the time it isn't worth arguing over things that can be lived with!

Adam and I may not have the perfect relationship at times, but it's one I 

wouldn't want to have with anyone else! 

XOXOXO,

Liz

Liz's Budget Bedroom Makeover Part One

So, this is the second time that I have wrote this blog.The first one my lovely Guiliana deleted.

Anyways...I have completely sick with a cold for the past 3-4 days. Being sick sucks all together but it sucks even more when you are pregnant!!!!! But onto the fun stuff!!!

While laying in bed I got tired rather quickly of staring at a room that was full of clothes on shelves,(our room doesn't have a usable closet.) baby toys every where and 4 gray walls. I always wanted my bedroom to be a place where it was my "oasis", where I could read, blog, vlog and just relax in and block out the rest of the world. Now I have tried to do this before. Why has this not worked before then you ask? For starters I share a room with another human now. A human that has different taste then I do and could careless what our bedroom looks like. As long as he has a bed and a T.V he's content. Every idea I throw at Adam he hates. Also when I come up with ideas to change my room around or re-do a room I seem to think that I have the financial resources of Mr.Donald Trump. Upon realizing that I am not Donald Trump and/or anyone with money to blow on remodeling, I give up and move on with life. But not this time folks, not this time.

So on to how I came to what I currently have, which frankly isn't too much but makes a word of difference. I wanted a bright color that would work with gray. Surprisingly Adam and I came up with the a color we both agreed on, yellow. After finding out a color I decided that we would start with the bed. I love my bed, the girls also gravitate to my bed when we watch movies or favorite T.V shows. I wanted to find a comforter that was soft and cozy. I didn't want something that had so many details going on that it took away from the comfortableness off the bed. I found it in Home Goods. Usually I'm not a real huge fan of Home Goods because I never find anything that's an awesome deal. Well I already explained that this was different. Suddenly the angels sang and a bright light guided to perfection! I took a picture and sent it to Adam and he approved.Then I saw the price tag! It was under what I was willing to spend!!!! WINNING!!!! Then I gravitated towards the decorative pillow section and there it was! "You Are My Sunshine Pillow", not only did it match the bed but i love the  saying on it. Super cute!! I decided at that point to leave and not test my luck anymore in the store.

Next I went to Khol's and Bed Bath and Beyond. Both were no good and I felt that my luck had run out. Before going home I tried one more store, Marshalls. After 2 minutes of being in the store I had found a picture in a frame saying "Love You To The Moon And Back". I say that all the time to my girls so it was perfect. The next picture  came across was  a canvas picture with he saying "You Are My Sunshine" on it, perfection? I think YES!!!

Well that's all for right now folks. Stay tuned for Part Two of Liz's Budget Bedroom Makeover!!!!

XOXOXO,
Liz

**Part Two will have all the info about everything I bought with prices.**

Happy Valentine's Day!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY LOVERS!!!!!!!!!

I'm a really big fan of Valentine's Day! I love all the love, flowers and candy! But, this year was a little different. My girls have been sick with a cold, fever and soar throat. Unfortunately I also got it and last night slept very little due to coughing up my damn lung!!!This morning I had to go and do the work thing, then got my car stuck in snow and had to drive very slowly to Adams mom to park in her drive way. The joys of living in New York with a car WITHOUT snow tires! To complicate matters Adams car broke down last night and he had no way of going to buy me a gift for Valentine's Day. (Clearly he is a male because they do all their shopping last minute)This morning I got a picture, that Adam made to say Happy Valentine's Day apologizing about how he couldn't go out and buy me anything.

 I would be lying if i told you that I wasn't disappointed. I was but I also understood that this was not his fault and if he could get something for me he would. After work I went to drive home and to go a billion different way to get to Adam's moms because going up my hill in the snow would be suicide. We picked up Adam and Guiliana in her car and Adam then went out and bought me gifts and chocolate roses. For dinner he bought me the biggest lobster I have ever seen. (side note Adam, HATES seafood. It makes him nauseous just to smell it but on special days he doesn't only buy it but cooks it as well. Now that's love.) 

Everyone always want that perfect man/woman. Well let me let you in on a little secret, if you are in love with the man/woman you are with, he/she is perfect for you. Everyone has flaws and if they are willing to accept those flaws your already off to a good start. Adam and I have been through hell and back in the almost 4 years we have been together. At the end of the day being together was important than any argument. You fight, you forgive and move on.

Well,I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. Weather you have a significant other or not, the holiday is about love. The love of family and friends. Don't lose sight of that. Its one day, don't be miserable over one day of not having someone. In the end loving yourself is enough!!!

Please Share your what you did for V-day, pictures and all I'd LOVE to see them!!!!!!

XOXOXO

Liz

Everybody has a story......

Today I had every intention of writing a blog about Disney and how much my family loves it. Then I started scrolling through my Facebook news feed just looking and post after post it was something negative about someone else and how they live their lives. After the the first few I thought to myself, "Damn I guess everyone is in a bad mood because of all the snow we just got." Then I went back and read the comments people were posting about others.Seriously each one was worse than the last.Now mind you I am 26 years old. The people making these nasty comment are around my age or older. To be frank I was disgusted at everything I was reading. Your so perfect that you find it okay to degrade others? Who made it okay for you to pass judgement on someone else? Last time I checked God was in charge of that and I'm pretty sure he has the situation under control.

By no means am I saying that I have not been on the other side, where I passed judgement on other people. Nor do I believe that I am fully innocent when it comes to this matter. Sadly I think it has been written into our human nature and we find that to be okay. I believe that society as  a whole has painted a picture of how we should live and instead of standing up for what we think we should be doing because its better for us, we conform. 

Personally I have lived my life completely backwards compared to society and a lot of my friends. I had my first daughter at 21,my second at 24 and now I am pregnant with my third. I will deliver her at the age of 27. I'm not married or engaged. I moved in with my boyfriend after only being with him for about 10 or 11 months. For a long time I was ashamed of getting pregnant so early.I had not finished college, I still lived at home and had absolutely no idea what the real world was like. People judged me. I even had someone tell me to get an abortion because I was living life backwards. They said I would never be able to find a man because I had "baggage". Call it naive but guess what, I believed it. I believed that I was wrong and that I would never get married or find someone who wanted to be with me cause I already had a daughter by another man. Unless you have lived that you have no idea how much that knocks a person down. What made that person think it was okay to say that to someone else. The next almost two years I believed that I was not good enough for anyone because I had a daughter out of wedlock.

I met Adam and he changed my way of thinking. This is a man who was severely overweight most of his life, but that never seemed to bother him. I will never forget  the day someone compared their weight to Adam's, saying things about his stomach and how it hangs. How it could touch the floor when he bent over. I saw red that day. All I wanted to do was tell this also overweight piece of crap off. Adam stopped me and said "Babe, why let it bother you? Who cares, life goes on." At this point in time Adam had lost over 100 pounds, yes 100. I was so proud of him! All I wanted to do was knock that guys head off because it was like the pot calling  the  kettle black. Except he was talking to my boyfriend and there was no way he was going to say something like that to him. In my eyes if you cant look in the mirror and say I'm perfect you have no business throwing stones a glass houses.

With bullying being the biggest thing lately you would think that people would change their way of thinking. Actually think before they say things (this is also something I need to work on). Everyone has a story. You have no idea what that story is, your assumptions aren't fact so don't be a fool in thinking so. Sometimes there are actual reasons behind things. Like that girl who you say puts on too much makeup may be covering up a bruise on her face given to her by her husband/boyfriend. The kid that has on nasty clothes,maybe he cant afford more. The mother working 3 jobs and you think is irresponsible because she barley sees her child, yeah she may be working to make a better life for herself and her children. Or lets try this one. The girl who you say puts on too much makeup and takes to many pictures.....maybe, just maybe that makes her feel good about herself. Maybe people like you have been tearing her down and that's her way of building up self-esteem.

How about you stop writing someone else's story with your nasty opinions and nonsense and worry about yourself. I can guarantee you can use the negative energy being put out into the world and make it productive some how. Just try it, what the worst that could happen????

XOXOXO

Liz

Diabetes Sucks the Big One!

"Bank 23. Down the hall when you get to the nurses station its on you left."
"Thanks!" I have no idea if she even heard me cause I was running at this point!

People are piled everywhere! It doesn't help that New York just got hit with a snow/ice storm. The hallways are full of people that have been in accidents and every single room is taken. It looks like something out of the T.V show "House". I walk briskly into the room and there she is. Before I can even get a word out it hits me. That fruity smell on her breath that I know all too well!

"Rebecca, what the hell happened." I mutter trying to keep my composure. " I don't know" she manages to respond in a faint voice. She knows damn well shes in a rough spot right now. Even the slightest of movement hurts her. She's got a puke bag in one hand her other is resting on her head. My first instinct is to ask a billion and one questions. I start with the first one and Adam gives me a quick glance meaning "shut your damn mouth, she has no desire to hear your voice lecturing her right now!" He's absolutely right so I snarl, stop talking and rub her head.(which I'm sure is equally annoying)

DKA or Ketoacidosis is the diagnosis.

OK, quick biology lesson...
Ketoacidosis is a serious diabetic condition where your body produces high levels of acid call keotones. Insulin helps glucose enter your cells which helps produce energy. Without enough insulin your body will start to break down fat as an alternate fuel source. I know what your thinking, break down fat! Um, that's not the worse thing. WRONG! Eventually what you will have is a toxic situation. When your body starts to find alternate sources for energy it builds up toxins in your blood stream aka keotones. So all in all bad news!

 

Now I'm sure everyone is telling themselves, "this has nothing to do with anything you stated in your last blog." Well yes and no. Family is extremely important to me and Rebecca is my 21 year old sister. She has battled with diabetes since she was 11 or 12. A lot of people don't think of diabetes as a "battle". It's not as publicized as cancer or heart diease. Most people just think it's a minor diease and think nothing more of it. This couldn't be anything further from the truth. 

I have watched my sister fight for her life. Not only in a hospital setting but in a home setting. Fight for happiness and normalization in her own life. As a person standing on the outside looking in at the situation it's easy for me to say "take you blood sugar, give yourself insulin and let's move on with life." But for Rebecca it was never that easy. For awhile Westchester Medical Children's Hospital was home away from home. She was in denial about her newly diagnosed diease and refused to face the fact that it would never go away. This was a life long diease and she was stuck with it. I don't think she knew how she would live normally ever again.

Backing up a bit...Rebecca at this point in time was a huge tomboy. Sports were a major part of her life. She was the life of the "party" and was loved by all she came in contact with. When your sitting in a hospital bed in ICU life seems a lot different than what your used to. She later went on to be the President of her class and Prom Queen all at the same time fighting an internal battle with herself and her diseases.

After being diagnosed with diabetes she was again diagnosised with another diease that has just recently been brought to light, Celiac diease. Celiac diease is having an allergy to gluten. Gluten is in literally EVERYTHING we eat. More so when you are diabetic. If it is sugar free it has gluten in it, if it's gluten free food it's loaded with sugar to give it a better taste. You can see where eating becomes a chore and less enjoyable. It is a struggle she is still dealing with.

 

Okay, so enough with the heavy. Why am I blogging about this? Well I'm hoping to bring awareness to a matter that is over looked. I'm hoping someone somewhere will look at a similar situation with a different attitude and have more compassion. You never know the battle a person is fighting. 

Rebecca has since moved to Puerto Rico with my mother. The warm weather helps with her depression, mood swings and neuropathy that she has because of the diabetes. Life is simpler. She goes to college, has become the life of the party again and in all aspects has managed to create a new life for herself. For the first time in involves her Diseases. She has bad days as does everyone and is moody but she has come to terms with the disease and finally had taken steps to control it. 

Rebecca is the strongest person I know. She continues to amaze me everyday and has come so far.

 

Lastly, I have tons of sugar free and gluten free recipes that I have stashed away for years. Since this blog is insanely long (sorry I feel very strongly about this topic) I will save it for a different day!!! Thanks loves and stay tuned for more goodness to come!!!!!

 

 

XOXOXO

Liz

About Me

Hey Lovelies and welcome to my blog, The Fab Mama Chronicles!! My name is Liz and I'm the proud mama to 2 1/2 children. Gabriella age 4, Guiliana 20 months and Baby Birkett currently residing in mommy's tummy who is the ripe age of 17 weeks and 6 days!! (Eviction notice shall be sent out for July 2015) My boyfriend Adam is a stay at home daddy and a damn good one at that! It's like he was made to be a "Mr.Mom"!

Well I created this blog because my life has been far from easy peasy. I have had to face a lot in the short 26 years that I have been on Gods green earth.

I've had to learn that sometimes moms need to move were they are needed. Mom may not always be around, but she will always be there to support me.

Sometimes dads get up and leave without warning and for no good reason. Moving on is hard but necessary for your own happiness.

Lastly....HEY YOUR A MOM, all before your legal to drink!

My life was not suppose to be the way it is today, but who's life is perfect anyways right?!

I wouldn't change my life for anything it has taught me a lot about myself. You just have to roll with it and take everything as it comes!! ( Uh, hello I'm pregnant with my 3rd child all before the ripe age of 27, SURPRISE!) God doesn't give you what you cant handle, I firmly believe that!!!!!

OK ladies and gents, what should you expect from this blog?!?!? Well  a whole bunch of goodness that's what!!!!! Not only have I mastered, well not mastered but in the process of figuring out how to create a relaxed household full of monkeys. ( we will just have to see how that goes)

Next, I love love love MAKEUP!! Best thing ever invented, EVER! Now hear me out. Makeup makes pimples disappear and that girl at the bar, yeah she just went from a 3 to a 10. Pretty incredible if you ask me.

Mama's sometimes get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday mom life. Just because your a mom though and you have other to take care of remember you are just as important! (my cousin Wanda has drilled this into my head) Makeup can be so simple and makes a huge difference in how you feel!

Also fashion. that's pretty much self explanatory. Fashion doesn't need to be looking like a Kardasian. (though i wouldn't mind that every now and again!) 

Last but certainly not least, I plan on giving updates and feedback on things from pregnancy tot he latest kids movies!!!!

So that's all! Hope you guys enjoy my blog as much as I love creating it!!!!!!!!!!!

XOXOXO

Liz