I’m a romantic at heart, married to a foodie who shares my love of new wave music and different cultures. I'm a sweet mama to twin girls and a silly boy, who light up my life and keep me on my toes! I love brunches and spa days with my besties and jet-setting around the world - my fave travel spots are Paris and Italy! I love making things pretty while keeping it simple, and finding excuses to gather and entertain at home. I love to share inspiration for a beautiful life and support other sweet mamas and bosses struggling to do it all while maintaining their identity and sanity. xoxo Haydee (iDay, like Friday!)
I don’t blog nearly as much as I’d like to, because it is so hard to find time to sit at the computer uninterrupted for long enough. That’s why I’m going to try something new from time to time. I will try blogging from my phone now, too. Mind you, these posts will need to be short and sweet. {kinda just like me}
So, here goes nothing…
I wanted to share my latest project here. One of the last rooms to finish in our home is our living room. I want to liven it up with a more fun and almost beachy feel. I’ve settled on a palette of blues and yellow. Our huge sectional sofa is neutral beige so I am going to bring in some color with pillows. Our huge windows are still bare so I’m making curtains.
Here are some photos:
Our living room, currently with blue and orange accents..
Nothing is greater than a parent’s love for their child. I learned this quickly a few years ago when I first became a mother. Words cannot describe the emotions one feels when one welcomes a new little one into this world, and is immediately charged with protecting them and keeping them safe, in each and every way.
Those who know me personally are familiar with the challenges I faced with my first pregnancy, which continued long after the birth of our precious twin girls, Eva and Zoe. After spending three weeks in the hospital under 24/7 observation, I delivered my sweet girls nearly three months early, only to have to leave them behind in the NICU for another two months before they could come home with us. It was an experience I could have never predicted, or prepared for, even with the dozens of baby and pregnancy books I had read.
Two years later, Eva and Zoe are doing great and are blessed with their new baby brother, Lucas. This time around I had more of a ‘normal’ birth experience, and am so happy I was able to spend the first few hours of Lucas’ life with him and also bring him home with me when I was discharged. I am grateful every day I am a mother, and feel blessed with the beautiful family God has given me.
I do not forget what we went through though, in our early days as parents, and because of this my heart always goes out to others who face similar fates with their new babies. I get a soft spot in my heart each time I learn of a new story like ours, as I did a few days ago when I discovered a new artist I instantly fell in love with. My husband, Victor, and I stumbled upon the art of Fabio Napoleoni in a private art gallery and it immediately caught our eye. His art filled a small space on a back wall, and it drew us both in at once. Hearts were everywhere in his art — a large one with stitching on it, dozens of tiny ones floating the skies. The characters he painted appeared solemn and hopeful. The colors he used were vibrant, yet dark at the same time. It appealed to us on so many levels.
We slowly learned of the symbolism and meaning behind his art. These beautiful paintings were created by a father who had also struggled with pain and uncertainty when his precious daughter was born. When his daughter was born, she had to remain in the NICU due to heart complications. Since then, she has had several surgeries and is now doing well. In his paintings, he depicts himself and his wife as ‘rag doll’ characters, and uses a heart to represent his daughter. Fabio turned to art as an outlet for what he was experiencing as I am sure it was also difficult for him to find someone he could relate to. His images caught my eye even before I knew his story, but once I learned of his inspiration, I was even more touched by his art.
Do one thing, every day, that makes you happy. This is my new mantra.
I am all about life’s simple pleasures. I don’t need much to keep me happy. With me, it’s the little things. I quickly realized this as I am confined to mandatory bed rest for six weeks, to heal from the c-section that brought me my darling Lucas. I am itching to tackle huge projects at home and reorganize and redecorate every nook and corner of my home, but I am physically unable to do any of this. Instead, I am limited to spending the majority of my time at rest, reading, listening to music, and gazing at my sleepy Lucas most of the day.
However, all hope is not lost on me. I have been able to keep my spirits up by tackling smaller tasks here and there. I have also grown a deeper appreciation for my time with Eva and Zoe, since it is so limited and controlled these days. I still can’t pick up my girls, but it doesn’t stop them from trying to jump into my arms.
So, in the spirit of maintaining my sanity…uh, happiness…I am working on a list of my favorite things to do that bring me joy — here it goes…
buy fresh flowers for the home
chat with a friend on the phone
meet up with a friend
watch a funny movie *zoolander is my fave*
bake something delicious, from scratch
take a walk *great way to get to know the neighbors*
enjoy a bowl of ice cream (or haagen dasz bar)
work on a photo album or scrapbook
work on an inspiration board
laugh out loud
enjoy play time with Zoe and Eva *tea, anyone?*
read a bedtime story to my darlings
dance with Zoe and Eva *twirl twirl twirl*
complete an unfinished project or task
enjoy a hot cup of tea and cookies
Note that the following did NOT make the list, but do consume too much of my time on some days:
surf the web
shop online
browse pinterest
follow status updates on facebook
read junk mail and shopping offers in my inbox
open and sort junk mail received at home
pay bills
balance our budget
figure out what’s for dinner
clear out clutter
I’m hoping that if I can focus on the things that make me happy, I will find more balance and time to spend on those things that are guilty pleasures (i.e. facebook, pinterest) and be able to better tackle those necessary evils that cannot be ignored (i.e. pay bills and plan dinner).
I’ve already started small. Yesterday, I bought fresh tulips for the home and the happiness factor has already spilled over into today when I see them brightly sitting by my bedside.
Today, I’ve already completed two unfinished tasks AND reached out to a friend. The inspiration is never-ending. What will YOU be able to achieve once you start focusing on the good?
To celebrate the arrival of baby Lucas, we decided to hire a professional photographer to take some newborn and family photos for us last week. It was a bit chaotic behind the scenes at time, with Zoe and Eva running circles around our photographer (Alison) but we managed to get some really beautiful shots that capture the essence of our little family these days.
Lucas was a natural, sleeping through most of his camera time, while Eva and Zoe played coy at times while secretly loving the attention of the camera lens.
Here’s a sneak peek of our session, posted by Alison Frank Photography.
I hope you enjoy the glimpse into the nursery, as well. More pictures to follow separately, once a few finishing touches are complete.
On Saturday morning, March 31st, 2012, at 11.29am, we welcomed the newest addition to our family. Lucas Benicio Duarte was born weighing 7lbs 3 oz, and 19″ long. Full head of hair, and milky white complexion; our family was blessed with the arrival of our sweet little boy.
Lucas Benicio Duarte
Eva & Zoe met their little brother on Sunday afternoon, and were in awe of his tiny body and tiny little feet and hands. It was love at first sight. They were anxious to shower him with kisses and tickle his tiny feet.
Zoe & Eva meeting Baby Lucas
Lucas and I were discharged on Monday evening, and it has been nice to be home again. Eva and Zoe have been great with Lucas, and are already trying to say his name clearly when they refer to him. Zoe was holding the baby monitor last night and called into it ‘Hello LuLu’, after I told her it was for listening to Lucas if he woke up crying. Eva called him ‘Baby Luc’ when she was talking to him this afternoon. They wave their hands in front of his face, cooing “Hi! Hi!” and have been very helpful with him and very playful, too, which has really helped them transition over to ‘big sister’ status for both of them.
This is a huge relief, considering we were so worried about dealing with feelings of jealousy and neglect once we brought Lucas home. They know we still love them very much, and we both take time to read to them and play with them still, despite having brought a new baby home. Lucas is one lucky baby. He has been brought into a home full of love and warmth, and has two loving sisters who adore him so much already. We thank all of you for your blessings and best wishes as we adjust to our newest addition.
{how sweet life is} 