The entire vlogging adventure that we are embarking on is time consuming, exhausting, but more fun than I've had in a long time. Unfortunately, I don't have the kind of time that other vloggers have to do all the editing and networking because of my day job, but I think I do alright. I mean, these vlogs are for our mainland family to see us for the most part, so mission accomplished!!
This video is mostly of Alaka'i and Arielle playing and hanging out. I wasn't in much of a mood to record myself this weekend so this video is very children heavy and adult light.
Arielle is becoming quite a proficient scooter and crawler. She is growing up so fast! Can you believe she's 7 months (plus ten days) old? I forgot how quickly they grew! I was pondering the rate at which Alaka'i grew the other night while I was up editing a video and man, that boy grew up fast. Somehow that fact escaped me as I watched my baby girl grow bigger and stronger each day.
I try my best to soak up all the moments, to cherish the little cuddles, the squeezes, the cheek kisses and the precious moments of connection. I never really had the opportunity to feed Alaka'i the way I feed Arielle because well, I was 19 when I had him and he preferred the bottle to breast milk. I remember trying and trying while tears poured down my cheeks as my baby boy rejected the breast and opted for the bottle. When Arielle was first born, she seemed to prefer the bottle as well but after a couple weeks at home with me, one day she just latched and connected. It was a magical moment and since then, she rarely takes a bottle (which isn't always convenient for me), but I can't complain. It's those moments where she is connected to me that I cherish the most. Knowing that she will never have that same bond with another human in her entire life just warms my heart. There is something so special about feeding your baby and allowing that natural bond between mother and child continue to grow. Not that bottle feeding makes you any less close or any less connected than breast feeding. Alaka'i was my constant companion. We spent so much time together, cuddled and loved and had all those same precious moments. It's just that in these twilight hours of silence that I'm awake editing videos that I can truly reflect on the differences between my two children and appreciate how precious and truly unique they each were and are.
It's back! The Aloha Friday Blog Hop ran for over 2 years before I had to take a hiatus because my day job and homeschooling Alaka'i took a toll on me. In that time, we grew to over 500+ link ups every single week and all of my former co-hosts and I got a lot of wonderful followers, found new and interesting blogs and made friends through it. Now that I have more time and help, the Aloha Friday Blog Hop #AFBH is back starting Friday May 22nd!
We are looking for co-hosts!! I am going to have 5 co-hosts (maybe more) a week. Co-hosting is a monthly (4 week) commitment. I have all of the information, details, etc. here:
Aloha Hop Information & FAQ page.
If you're interested, please email me at jean@whatjeanlikes.com ASAP. I want to get all the coding done this weekend if possible. So looking forward to bringing the Aloha Friday Blog Hop back! It was so much fun and so many people grew their blogs and got followers from it. We will be holding occasional contest as well (at least 1 time a month) so look forward to that as well!!
I will personally be giving away a $50 gift card to the retailer of your choice to whomever wins in celebration of the re-launch of the Aloha Friday Blog Hop!
I read this article and it hit so close to home. I'm praying for Jeanine that she make it through this lung cancer. My mother was a smoker and a lung cancer survivor, thank God. I remember my mom having a persistent cold and cough that wouldn't go away and after arguing that it's just a "smoker's cough", she finally went to the doctor and found out it was lung cancer stage 2. Thankfully they caught it early and with surgery and aggressive chemotherapy, my mom survived lung cancer and in September, will be celebrating 8 years cancer free. When I read the article below on Everyday Health, it was a sobering reminder of how fragile life can be and that lung cancer can happen to anyone, it doesn't discriminate. This poor girl never even smoked and she has stage IV lung cancer. What a nightmare.
Jeanine Pucci was surprised to learn her persistent cough was something more serious.
Jeanine Rivas
Jeanine had never smoked a day in her life
For teachers, colds are just part of the job. So when Jeanine Pucci, 43, developed a cough in the early fall of 2013, she assumed she caught something from one of her first graders.
“But the cough didn’t seem to be going away,” Pucci remembers.
After about two months of persistent coughing and urging from her friends, she finally went to a walk-in clinic where a chest X-ray revealed a mass on her lungs. A doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering later told her she had stage IV lung cancer that had spread to her bone. The news, delivered just days before Thanksgiving, came as a shock in part because the cancer was so advanced, but also because Pucci was not a smoker.
“I was repulsed by [smoking] my whole life. I could not even look at an ashtray. I never even tried a cigarette,” she says.
Not Just the ‘Smoker’s Disease’
I am so proud of my husband Andrew!! He graduated college!! Yes, after years of school while serving in the United States Air Force, working night shifts, becoming a civilian, getting married and having a newborn baby girl, he finally got his diploma. He achieved what he set out to and he did it well as a part of the Honors Society.
Andrew, we are all so proud of you!! We love you more than words can say!! You are a super man and can achieve anything! Thank you Jesus for giving Andrew the strength to persevere and get his degree.
