Off to the Mother land we go!

This past summer, before making the move to Miami, the Buccios took an unforgettable trip (roadtrip included) to the beautiful country of Sicily. Or as I like to call it, Coco's motherland. We absolutely loved Sicily. My husband's family hails from Ragusa so we really wanted to get to know the country and all it's fabulous towns. We went for the sole purpose of exploring the beaches. I definitely recommend renting a car. That's what we did and we are so glad we did it. We got to see so much more of the country and see the landscape, sit in traffic with the locals, go up and down winding roads, drive by vineyards and flower fields.  Plus we got to go at our own pace. We flew to Rome and from Rome we flew into Catania. We rented the car in Catania and drove to our first stop- Taormina. It was my favorite city. We stayed at a wonderful hotel in town and it had transportation to the beach so it was perfect or us. It's called Villa Paradiso. They were very hospitable and charming. We explored on our own, asked the hotel and some locals for suggestions. The piazza overlooking the sea with a view of Mt. Etna was glorious. Here are some of the restaurants we visited: Il Gatapardo, Ristorante da Lorenzo, Il Baccanale. The last was owned by a Cuban family that left Cuba and had made Sicily their home. They were absolutely lovely. The best part of eating in these quaint restaurants in the middle of side street was that while we waited for our food, I was able to walk around and play with Maya in and around the winding roads. 

Our next stop was Siracusa. Another beautiful town. The hotel where we stayed at, was one of our favorites. It was called Hotel Minareto. It was located in the beach section of the city and when we wanted to go into town, we would drive the 10-15 minutes to get there. Siracusa is a great town with lots of great restaurants and piazzas and churches. The streets are narrow with so much character. One of my favorite places was this little wine bar in one of those streets where we sat outside and just people watched. It was called La Vinera Cafe. Dinner was even better at Trattoria La Foglia. It was such a nice dining experience.  On another night we went to one of the most popular pizzerias with the locals and we could barely walk once we finished eating. It was unreal. I recommend it. Called Castello Florentino. We caught a concert while walking through the piazza and took some incredible pictures of Maya by the marina. 

The next pit stop on our itinerary was a day trip to the town of Ragusa where my husband's family is from. Tons of rich history and we literally saw the whole town on foot. It has some of the most breathtaking views when you make your way from New Ragusa to the Old Town of Ragusa. The cathedral of Saint Giovanni is definitely a must- see. Once we had lunch and finished our sightseeing of the town, we made our way to Agrigento. We stayed on Agrigento's seaside at a hotel we definitely DO NOT recommend. Bahia Ulyssees. It prides itself on being a wellness spa but i dont see anything "well" about having to pay for lounge chairs at a hotel you are already paying to stay at. We didn't explore the town center since we were seaside, so there's not much I can tell you about it. However, the seaside promenade had some great seafood restaurants and some of the best gelato in town. It reminded me a European Atlantic City boardwalk- a little classier, just as unpolished but still fun to be a part of. 

Our last and final stop was Palermo, which grew on me after a day. It's a grittier and less refined version of Rome but still with lots of personality and some impressive architecture and buildings like the cathedral and the Teatro Massimo where The Godfather 3 was filmed.  We had one of the best meals at this local spot called, Al Vecchietti and Il Biondo another night. But I mean, does anyone ever have a bad meal anywhere in Italy? I think it's virtually impossible. Cooking good, hearty food is in their blood. On another day, we drove to Cefalu beach which was so amazing because the beach and the picturesque town coexist within the same landscape. There you are, laying on your lounge chair, soaking up the Sicilian sun, and there's a 300 year old church right behind up. It was a nice getaway only an hour and change from Palermo. 

And with that, we concluded our Sicilian holiday vacation! We were there for 8 days and felt we got to see and do a lot of this great country. If it's not in your travel radar, what are you waiting for?! It's a must see country ready to be explored and loved! 

 Taormina

 Paradiso beach in Taormina

 Piazza in Taormina

 Siracusa beaches

 Pizza! pizza! at Castello Florentino (Siracusa)

 Siracusa

 Streets of Siracusa

 La Vinera Cafe in Siracusa

 Ragusa

 Ragusa

 Gelato in Agrigento

 Catedrale of Palermo

 Teatro Massimo

 Calamari Fritto at Il Vecchietti

Hanging out at Il Biondo

This Little Love of Mine.

 Alexander Antonio Alvarez

 Love at first sight.

The new generation.

If there is anyone that ever said or believed that miracles do not exist, I am here to debunk that statement. Not only do they exist, I was beyond blessed to have witnessed one in the last few days. 

On November 19th, at 12:27pm, a little boy came into this world. His name is Alexander Antonio Alvarez. His name sounds bold and royal and that's because he is. He's a BIG deal and not because of all the "oohs and ahhs" that come along with the birth of a new bundle, but because it took some time- a long time -for him to get here. And now that he is here, what was once a dream and a lingering "What if and will it ever be" became a reality. He was worth the wait.

That wouldn't have been possible if not for my aunt's tenacity and strong spirit. Their journey was not an easy one and without faith and modern medicine, I don't think many would have been able to withstand the heartbreak, the false hope, or the crippling hurdles that many times plague couples struggling with infertility. Why do women often feel at fault or like failures if they can't conceive? Does it make them any less able or fit to be mothers? Absolutely not. It is nothing to be ashamed of. It is disease, one that we have no control over but with the progress of modern medicine, can be somehow remedied (most of the time). There is hope. And then there's that inevitable question many ask, "Why are certain women who should not be having children getting pregnant while those that long and yearn for a child of their own, struggle? We may never understand why that happens. 

I am not here to speak about my aunt and uncle's road to parenthood. That is their personal story that belongs to them and I will respect that on my blog. But I will say that I look up to them even more for never giving up even when the odds were not in their favor. It was so easy for them to say, "maybe it just wasn't meant to be." But they overcame and conquered. Their commitment to each other, from the difficult missteps to the moment Alexander wailed his first cry, was the most powerful sign of love to be witnessed. They were a team and they had each other's love and support to keep pushing them further and further. It is a true testament of what wonderful, selfless, and caring parents they will be and have already become. Watching them these couple of days as they step into their new roles and get to know the tiniest member of their growing family, I am left with awe and hope of how miracles really do exist. 

Food Truck Frenzy.

Wheelin' and Dealin' Street Food Festival at the Magic City Casino

I'm a little late to the food truck trend. It's not so much that I was late, but each time I would come down from New York, I would miss the Miami food trucks events by a day or a weekend. Our schedules just never meshed. If they only knew how much I loved food, especially food on the go, they would make an exception. Right? Or is that just wishful thinking?! But as a wise person (I wonder who) once said, better late than never.

Last month, the food truck stars aligned and we were so pumped to go to their latest event at the Magic City Casino grounds. They call it the Wheelin' Dealin' Street Food Festival (http://burgerbeast.com/wheelin-dealin/) and the Buccios (including my mini foodie) were ready to eat. We came with empty stomachs and hungry eyes. The food festival comes to the casino every third Saturday of the month and they also make an appearance at the Wynwood Art Walk on the second Saturday of the month. Mark your calendars!

A good twenty trucks were lined up all along an enclosed lots and already I was overwhelmed and famished. We needed a plan of attack- fast. So first we did a walk-by of all the trucks and checked out the menus, gauged what we were in the mood for, then picked a handful of trucks to try. Since we knew this wouldn't be our last visit to the trucks and we had no interest in walking out with food babies, we picked our top favorites and went to town. We narrowed it down to- Crazydilla and HipPops for me, Ms. Cheezious for Coco and Maya, and Poblanos Mexican Fusion for Coco. None of the trucks disappointed. That goes to show you- good quality food can come from anywhere, even the back of a truck. I had a bite of Coco's original grilled cheese from Ms. Cheezious and it was amazeballs! It's comfort food to the max with a nice buttery taste on the toast. Maya loved it too. She's never met a grilled cheese she didn't like but this one was munched down at rapid speed.

Hello Grilled cheese! Ms. Cheezious

I had a Cubadilla at Crazydillas and it rocked. Imagine a Cuban sandwich served on a pressed quesadilla. It was so savory, I didn't even mind that the sauce was dripping all over my hands and fingers. The way I see it, more for later! Coco loved his burrito from Poblanos. Since I didn't taste it, I asked Coco for one sentence review. His answer, "They got it right." We couldn't finish the night without desserts. Would it be cupcakes, pies, or pops? What about gelato pops?! Sold! We've never had a gelato pop so that was a no brainer. Coco ordered the chocolate and I ordered the Passion fruit. The verdict- creamy and rich! Yum! Just ask Maya who devoured Coco's chocolate gelato. By the look of the chocolate mess on her face and the happy dance that came afterwards, something tells me she liked it.

So this week we're heading back for more. It's such an economical way to dine out and enjoy the local flavors of Miami in a laid back scene. Bring the kids, bring a date, and bring a hearty appetite. You won't be disappointed!

The Cubadilla from Crazydilla.

Enjoying our gelato pops from HipPops.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

I Ate My Way Through the Week. Literally.

I'm not one to complain about dining out or eating a good meal. Especially when someone else prepares it for me. And usually that task falls on my husband or a chef. In the case of this week, it fell on many chefs. I ate at 5 different restaurants and for the most part, all very superlative. I literally ate my way through the week.

I'm going to start off with my least favorite experience, which happens to be at a restaurant I normally love so I'm going to chalk it up to a bad day in the kitchen. I'm a big fan of Pub Belly Sushi- all the Pub Belly restaurants actually- so imagine my surprise (and my stomach's) when a recent lunch left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I ordered my favorite rolls as usual and those didn't disappoint, but I was still feeling hungry. I decided to order the tuna tartare. I mean, everything else was great so why not the tartare? I should also mention that it was as cold as Siberia in that restaurant. I wasn't the only one shivering and I did detect a few blue fingers on my hand. I think that also contributed to the unpleasantness. Another thing I should mention is that I'm a huge fan of tartare. One of the best tartares I've ever had was by chef Edwin Bellanco- first at Morrell Wine Bar and then at his super-chic-I-can't-believe-it's-in-midtown restaurant, Vitae, in Manhattan. I mean, it's perfectly sliced with the right amount of acidity and doesn't over power the freshness of the tuna. I could eat it morning, afternoon and night, but then I would probably get mercury poisoning or turn different shades of blue. So back to Pubbelly. When my tuna dish arrived it LOOKED good but it was a whole different ballgame when I took a bite. It was slimy. like Ghostbusters slimy, way too salty and extra chewy. No bueno. I took some extra bites and put it on the crackers but that didn't help. I gave up. I waved my culinary white flag. Do you know that feeling when you eat something that grosses you out and you just can't get the taste of it or the thought of it out of your head no matter how much water you gulp? That was me with this tuna tartare. Now, I don't want to cross out Pubbelly Sushi off the list, because like I said, I am still a fan of their menu, but you can bet I will not be ordering that tartare again. Forgiven but not forgotten.

Fast forward a couple of days later and I FINALLY was able to erase any last trace of the bad tartare out of my memory box. And how did I do that? With another tartare! (gasp!) My father-in-law was in town (our first official house guest!) and we went out to celebrate Coco's exam results and decided to check out Buena Vista Bistro. I hadn't been there since my birthday 2009 and after that meal I thought, "where have I been the last 4 years?" I decided to go big or go home after spotting the "award winning tuna tartare" on the menu. I asked our waiter "Yep it's true. Named best tuna tartare in Miami four years in a row by the New Times." I was impressed-and bold- and ordered. Well, IT BLEW MY MIND. Pub Belly who? This tartare was epic. A nice dose of lemon gives it that extra kick and it has some seaweed in it that adds a saltier element to the dish. It was refreshing, filling, and the perfect meal to make me forget about that "whatchamacallit?" Yeah, exactly.

The "award winning" tuna tartare from Buena Vista Bistro.

Our other foodie "aha moment!" came courtesy of Oak Tavern in the design district. This time, Coco and I were continuing the celebration solo (we like to celebrate everything! Isn't that what life is about?)   and I am so glad we got to experience this dining experience as a party of 2. Everything was absolutely delicious starting with the oxtail bone marrow as an appetizer. I never met a bone marrow I didn't like. Coco and I sucked every last drop out of that bone and drizzled it on these crispy crackers. Every bite was divine! For my main entree, I went for the seared scallops on a bed of capers. Now, scallops can be a tricky dish. If it's not done right, it's awful, inedible, and you will probably have a disagreeable experience later. But I was so glad I went for it because they were 110% perfectly cooked. They were juicy without being oily and crispy without being overdone or burnt. It was a slam dunk to my palette. And can you believe I even shared with Coco?! I hate sharing but I needed him to experience it with me. Now that's true love. But the tour de force of the meal awaited us at dessert. We ordered a French favorite, a pot de creme, with creme friache, caramel and sea salt. Coco and I became those obnoxious people that practically had a food orgasm, making awful noises that every table could hear. As Coco said, "this is like nothing I ever had before." It went so quickly, I couldn't even take a picture. It was that amazing. Coco and I are still talking about it two days later. 

Seared scallops at Oak Tavern (picture is not edible).

That really concludes my must mentions. That's not to say that the other restaurants were bad. They weren't. Out of convenience and comfort of knowing that the food is always good, we hit up NoVe sushi bar one night. It doesn't hurt that it's in the lobby of our building. And last night, a big group of us and our chirren checked out Butcher Shop and Beer Garden in Wynwood. It was a great spot with good food- obviously great meat- and very kid friendly (as in they were super cool that our girls tagged up their counter with Disney Princess stickers and thought it was "art"). I'm not a beer drinker, but the consensus was the they had ample selection and everything recommended turned out to be "good stuff." But I can tell you that the burger was out of this world. I definitely recommend this spot for big groups and rowdy friends. Oh yeah, and the Butcher Shop Sundae.  They should call it the Hunger Games dessert. If you think you're going to come out alive from sharing this amazingness, you may want to reconsider hiding the spoons. Did someone say ice cream and bacon?!

survival of the fittest. 

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kat 

Guess who's Bizzack!

Blog minions! I have returned.

My fingers are a little rusty and I greet you with some trepidation, cold feet anxiety, and change. Lots and lots of change. My last post was March 9, 2012- a week after we brought our first born home. Fast forward a year and a half later, and our baby is no longer a baby and New York is no longer our home- well, it IS our home, it's just no longer where we live (but that's for a different blog post and a whole other bottle of wine).

I cracked open my laptop today at a nearby coffee shop and decided to just let my mind go and my fingers wander. I'm letting it flow for this post. It has no direction and no purpose other than to offer a short and sweet "hello, I'm back" and give the wheels in my head a bit of a pre-writing warm up. I don't want to completely shock the system.

It feels good to write. I've missed it. And thanks to a an awesome Cuban nanny I pay $80 each Monday, I get to indulge in whatever "me" time activities my little heart desires. Today it's resumes, emails, Facebook stalking and blogging. Who knows what next Monday will bring. But surely some more blog posts are in my future.

I don't want to unleash the heavy in this warm up post, so I'll keep it simple and superficial. I do want to share though, that I have joined the ranks of the technologically advanced and finally gave in to a Kindle. It has changed my life. My husband is delighted one more paperback book will not overrun our tiny apartment; yet, Barnes and Nobles is crying into many pages over my lack of purchases each week. I carry my Kindle in my purse and read whenever I get a chance to. It's so convenient and simple. I won't lie and say it wasn't difficult to give up on the mountains of books I owned. I'm old school. I love the way pages in a book smell, the way they feel when they've been turned one too many times, or even when they've been loved by greasy fingers. For book worms, there is no greater feeling than buying a crispy new book and opening it up for the first time. I thought my transition would be met with withdrawals, shakes, and yearning. Instead, it was smooth sailing. There was a little bit of guilt but I got over that fast. It also helped that most of my books got damaged in my sister in law's house because of a basement leak. We had been storing some of our stuff there before the move. It was a sign from the universe. So instead of being angry and sad, I was glad someone else did the dirty work for me. I was ready to let go. Now I've drank the kindle kool-aid and I could not be happier.

That's it for me. Easy does it. Next couple of posts I'll be wearing my heart on my sleeve and diving deep into change. There is just so much to discuss and so much to be thankful for. And I'm thankful I get to share my journey with you.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kat

A Star is Born!- Baby Buccio Update- Week 40-41- THE BIRTH (final update)

Hello Maya's fan club!

 Maya Teresita Buccio is finally here! Our lives have changed forever and the feeling is just indescribable. So many times throughout my pregnancy I heard other moms say "you watch. the feeling is like nothing you have ever experienced." And that is an understatement because until you go through it, you never know what it feels like to literally have your breath taken away. Mine was. And I keep reliving the moment in my head. This little girl has stolen our hearts!

She came into the world at 8:20am weighing at 7.10lbs, and 19 3/4 long on Friday March 2nd, 2012. A beautiful baby girl with a big cry! Let's talk labor. The honest truth. I am very proud of me. I surprised myself that I really could do it. I had so many fears and anxieties about giving birth vaginally. i couldn't visualize it but I did it and it made me feel like superwoman. I was scheduled for an induction Friday at 6:30am since Maya was 5 days late but she had her own plans and started kicking and making noise at about 11ish the night before. The contractions started mild and easy enough and were a 2 on a pain scale of 1-10. When I went to bed at midnight, that's when the music picked up! They went from a 2 to a 4, to a 6-7 in no time! Imagine your worst period cramps, multiply that by 1000 and then someone decided it be fun to take a knife and stab you in the lower back and abdomen. Yes, that kind of pain! I could barely walk or speak and was so eager to get to the hospital that I left the house in flip flops, sweatpants (ewww) and no jacket! We jumped into my mother in law's car and drove the 6 blocks to Lenox Hill all while trying to get through every contraction by whimpering "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG." Those were the only words out of my mouth. Once we got there I was rushed into a labor room where the contractions were now coming every 2 minutes with barely any time to relieve myself. I switched into a gown which I would later get out of because i was dying of sweat during the contractions. I had a quick cervix exam which showed I was already five centimeters dilated. What the what?!!! Where are my drugs!!!!!!!!!!! My main nurse, Jenn, who was brillz and such a motivator, was talking me through the pain as I held (or should I say crushed) my mother in law's and Coco's fingers. I kept saying I couldn't do it anymore that i wanted the drugs but I had to get an IV first and make sure I had a saline bag in my system before I could get the epidural. Oh dear sweet baby Jesus. I was losing speed. The contractions were now coming right after the other and it seemed like years before the anesthesiologist showed up to alleviate my pain. He finally came, a vision in scrubs, with my needles and my drugs. I didn't even care that i was naked and showing him my pikachu. With Jenn keeping me steady, I got the epidural and it was painless. The actual IV that goes in your wrist was more painful. In less than five minutes, my feet began to tingle, the pain of the contractions went from a million to nonexistent. I was in heaven. The epidural was magic fairy dust, crack, candy- whatever you want to call it. All I know is that I felt normal again. So once I got my magic juice, the Wu suggested I sleep and she would check on me in three hours. And that's what I did- sleep peacefully while coco snapped unattractive pictures of me with my mouth wide open. After three hours, I was dilated 7 centimeters and she told me to go back to sleep for an hour and if I felt pressure to give her a ring. After another hour, i had dilated to 9 centimeters and shortly thereafter I was at 10! So let the pushing begin!!!!! First of all, the whole pushing experience was so relaxed and painless and Wu and the nurses made it look effortless. Coco was my superstar and not once did I curse at him. He held onto one leg, while my nurse Jen, held the other and both of them motivated me throughout the whole process. Coco even remarked "babe, i see her head and she has tons of hair!". I was told that i was a "great pusher" and you know me, anytime I get any sort of compliment it makes me strive for more! So I kept pushing and pushing, and at one point, I threw up a little while pushing but i was more concerned that it didn't get any puke in my hair. I stopped and yelled "omg did it get in my hair?! someone clean it please!!!" But the Wu assured me that my hair looked fantastic. After two hours of pushing, I was exhausted and so was Maya because her heartbeat was going up and down so Wu suggested that it be best to suction (aka vacuum suck) Maya while I pushed. It would help both of us get her out faster. Sure, I love vacuuming so why not?! At that moment, my labor room turned into some sort of spaceship laboratory. All these machines descended from the ceiling, new nurses shuffled in, and stirrups were produced from my transformer bed. Coco and I really wanted my final stages of labor to be a "just us' experience. So I lovingly told my mother-in-law to leave the room so that we could meet our baby girl as a parental unit. Everything happened so quickly from that point on! I started pushing (at this point you are probably wondering, did I poop? you bet your sweet ass I did! and I didn't care and neither did Coco or my delivery A-team) and the Wu let me know that she had to do a small episiotomy because she did not want me to rip straight through my hemorrhoids which had already quadrupled in size and look like a cluster of enlarged grapes hanging from my ass. She said if she cut me sideways and I ripped, I would at least rip sideways and not through the hemorrhoid which would be unbearable pain. I had no choice but to agree. And once she snipped, my final pushes were amazingly surreal! I felt the pressure of Maya's head coming through, then her shoulders and then the rest of her body and with a loud cry, there she was. I was finally able to lay eyes on this little person that Coco and I made and all I could do was cry. I cried tears of deep joy and happiness and I couldn't speak. (I'm tearing up as I write this). My heart was exploding with emotions and they were manifested through tears. My baby. My life. She was mine.

 Super dad Coco stepped right into his role, snapping pictures with a smile from ear to ear. He held her in his arms and what a beautiful moment. After I delivered the placenta which I didn't even feel, Wu began sewing me up. Seriously was she sewing me a a new dress?? Because she was down there a long time while I sent quick update texts and emails on my phone. (Some good multi tasking!)

 Once my mangled vagina was reconstructed, I was able to hold Maya in my arms for the first time and I was speechless. I never thought I could love someone so much so fast. I had been dreaming of this moment for months and here it was. I felt like I was in a dream. All I kept thinking was "She belongs to me." I wanted time to stop so I could take in every little part of my beba. She was our world now and I promised her to be the best mom for her. I would protect and love her with no limits. Coco came up to me and said "babe, she's our baby!" My heart was whole again.

A couple of hours later, I was moved to my private room. Granted, it was no Beyonce private suite, but I just couldn't imagine having to room with somebody else while I recovered and had quality time with Maya and Coco and a pile of guests that kept coming in and out. Similar to a Cuban waiting room which I absolutely adored. I had the most fantastic nurses hands down. They took such good care of me and helped me with my pikachu dressings and loaded me up with some Motrin and percocet to help with the pain. (Note: it's a nice gesture to give your nurses a little thank you gift because kindness goes a long way. So do perfume samples from Chanel) Plus that little squirt bottle that helped me pee without feeling too much pain is a God sent. It was like my own personal bide (bi-dey). I'll tell you only what your closest friends who have had babies will tell you- your vagina looks like a hot mess and in my case, my vagina and the hemorrhoids that took up residence in my arse were grotesquely uncomfortable and ugly. No wonder there is no sex for 6 weeks (in my case like 37 weeks! haha). I already told Coco that my vagina was closed for renovations. You cannot pass go. You cannot climb the fence because there are guard dogs, barbed wire, and tazer guns at the other end. i am officially closed for business!

 I took advantage of the wonderful nurses at the nursery and I had them take Maya both nights so that I could sleep and rest. I definitely recommend this! Maya became known as the "it girl" and fashionista of the nursery because she had a new bow or hat when she was taken to the nursery for pediatrician visits and sleep. Have they not met her mother?! The in-house photographer did a complimentary photo shoot with Maya and she was just delicious and perfect! Of course, we bought every picture.

 Let's fast forward to Sunday afternoon when we finally went home! And padrino javy came along for the ride! We took 100 pictures of our departure, her first ride in a taxi (what a new yorker!), and when she finally got home! Tia Gigi and grandma had decorated the apartment with signs and balloons for Maya's homecoming, which was so thoughtful! Grandpa Jorge came by the house too and gave us a very special gift- a song that he had written for his granddaughter called, "Maya, mi nieta linda." It's priceless. After a few hours, everyone left and it was finally just us. It was only our little family and we were loving it! The dogs smelled and kissed Maya and stayed close as they figured out what this thing was that we brought home. They have been really sweet with her even sleeping next to her!

As far as her first night went, she was a gem! She take a bottle like a champ and eats every 3-4 hours, which gives us some time to sleep in between. Coco has been my knight in shining armor and has taken over the night feedings while I rest because my movements have been minimal due to my nether region situation. I felt a little frustrated and useless and I cried because I haven't been able to move around productively but Coco soothed me back to reality and let me know it was okay. So I do the feedings during the day and he helps by getting me situated and then he takes over at night. We are slowly and comfortably getting into our groove and finding our rhythm  with Maya and putting her on a schedule that works in our favor. We are working through the kinks but having a supportive partner makes the experience that much more reassuring! But you know what the best part of all this is?? It is watching her change. Everyday she looks a little less swollen and has a little bit more personality. She's physically strong, opens her eyes when she gets burped, loves the boppy and her snuggle nest and the feeling of being in both her mama and papa's arms. She LOVES her tete and even holds it with her little hand in her mouth. Before bed time, I read her a bed time story, stare at her some more, and watch her snooze. What a wonderful high to be on!

 As the classic Boyz to Men song goes, we have come to the end of the road. This is my last and final baby update. Crazy to think its been over thirty-something weeks when the first one went out! I hope that you have been as entertained and enlightened as I  have reading and writing these updates! It's been quite the pregnancy for dummies and i have loved every second of it! It was my personal journey of the progression of the miracle of life and the transformation of a hot mom to be! Thank you for your love, support, well wishes, and words of encouragement. It's been wild! But this is not the end. I have another project in the works that I hope to share with all of you next year. Until then, here's to more babies, more laughs and cries, lots of healthy narcissism, but most importantly, to family and friends.

 In Style,
 Kathy.

Viva le baby! -Baby Buccio Update- Week 40.

Hello baby fan club!

C'est moi! The still pregnant and impatiently waiting UES mom to be. First off, thank you to all you guys who have checked in and emailed or texted words of encouragement. I really do appreciate the thoughtfulness, especially when I'm getting a tad bit restless here! (Have I mentioned patience is not my forte?!) Maya T.B. doesn't seem ready to pack up her apartment just yet and soon I will have to evict her! She seems to be extremely patient, a quality she clearly got from her papa and not from me. She is evidently running on Cuban time!

Coco and I went to the doctor this morning and I've dilated half a centimeter. Ughh! Which really doesn't mean anything because I can either go into labor in an hour or a week. The Wu says that if I don't go into labor on my own this week, I will definitely be induced Friday, march 2nd at 630am. So regardless, there will be a baby here no later than Friday! I'll be honest. I'm getting labor cold feet. As I've expressed many time on these updates, my initial decision has always been to have a C-section because I had no desire to push. Yes, a gazillion women before me have had children, I am certainly not the first, but as the day gets closer, the thought of pushing a baby out of my vagina is making me break into sweats and minor panic attacks. My doctor says this is a normal reaction to have but that we will explore the C-section when we get to the hospital and I'm experiencing contractions since she knows I've been back and forth with my decision (we will also take into account the baby's size and my tolerance).

It's highly plausible that we will be having a March baby. I married me a March baby and Lola Isabel is a March baby too. I'm totally cool with another one ( like I have a choice) as long as she doesn't come on leap day. What a way to start life with such confusion! (and too early to start paying for therapy!) I have to face reality. There is a chance she may come that day and I'm trying to be positive about it since my doctor thinks it will be "so cool" or some of my friends tell me it'll be "unique", "original" and "different." Yeah I guess they're right. But aren't these words just a politically correct way to say "OMG you're baby was born on leap day?! That sucks." Regardless, I will squeeze my vajayjay tight and push her back in!

I'm sooo tired and rundown today. Nancy, the Wu's nurse, said that today is the first time she has noticed my face a little swollen, to which I gasped in horror. She said it was just a little puffy. And Coco thought it be funny to say to me "you have cara de papa!" Um, are you drunk?! Rule #34224- do not tell a pregnant woman who is overdue and done, that she has "cara de papa" unless you want to get punched in the nut sack. Even Nancy was like "that might not be the right thing to say." He cleaned up his mess fast. Again, thank goodness for mirrors and my bulletproof self-esteem because I know that I still look amazingly gorgeous! Back to my contractions. The last 2 days I have been experiencing an increase in contractions with mild pain, but nothing horrible. The Braxton Hicks are becoming more frequent and more uncomfortable toppled with the urge to constantly pee. I also lost my mucus plug which is just as disgusting as it sounds so I'll spare you the details. Coco has taken over Nazi duties and forcing me to take stairs (he doesn't even care that my legs tremble like a baby horse's newborn legs!) and do a lot more walking. Shortly, after I send out this update and when I'm done napping, we are going to head out and power walk our way through the park. Oh I can't wait. Emotionally, I'm teetering between an insane amount of nerves and excitement. Yesterday I had many of those Oprah "aha moments" where it hits me like new that I'm having a baby (or it could be short term memory, who knows) and that our lives will be changing forever. It's exceptionally fantastic but also fearful since we are jumping into the deep end blind! I can't believe we are having a baby! There I go again.

This weekend we did one final run to Buy Buy Baby for essentials like wipes and ready to feed baby formula. My amazing mother-in-law did some bulk grocery shopping for us so we wouldn't have to stress about food when Maya arrives. And we are so excited because we booked our first Miami trip with Maya for the summer so she can meet some of her Miami family and friends and her other home! Ahhh! Next up is Thanksgiving trip! We have to get our little jet setter-in-training accustomed to the friendly skies!

And to my animal lovers out there! Our fur babies know something is up! They do say that dogs can sense changes in a human body earlier than we can and I really do believe that. Ito and Chacha follow me more than usual, even if I get up for a quick pee or to throw something away. Lola is more maternal. She doesn't step on my belly (check pic attached!). Instead, she cuddles with me and lays her head on my belly and it's so funny to see Maya move and Lola's head move along with her movements and she just stays put. This morning as she was laying on the couch with me, she growled at Chacha and Ito for getting too close to my belly. It's a pretty interesting behavior to observe. Don't underestimate those canines! Their doggy blanket is all packed up in the hospital bag so we can wrap Maya up with it once and then bring it home so they can familiarize themselves with the new baby smell.

Well, that's it for now kiddies! Wanted to keep you in the loop! The last and final update will have a baby picture, God willing, attached to it! It'll be Maya's "Hello World!" introduction! Thanks again for riding my baby carousel of progress! (BTW, you are really pregnant for 10 months. I don't know how that Duggar woman does it!)

In Style,

Kata