Puerto Rico Adventures: El Yunque

My family and I are blessed to live on an island that is rich in history and diverse in nature and landscapes. From the rainforests, to the caves, to the beaches, to the salt plains, there is always something new to see! 

During the month of July, we planned a few affordable day trips around the island to take in as much of Puerto Rico as we can before we move back to the States later this year. 

Our first stop was El Yunque rainforest! 

Since we got a late start we did not have time to stop at the observation tower and viewing spots on the way up to the river. Our main priority was taking a dip in the cold Yunque water! If you want to see everything the mountain has to offer I recommend leaving early; the park is open from 7:30am to 6pm. 
Start heading down 45min. before they close to avoid getting left behind. 

When we arrived we were interested in going to the peak, but the hike is much too difficult for our 22mo, Nico. 

(My husband and I agreed to go together later) 

 

Instead, we tried to tackle the hike from the gift shop down to the waterfall. The path was steep and narrow and there were dozens of tourist passing by on the way up and down. Needless to say, Nico got very tired and when we realized we would have to carry him all the way back up the mountain we turned around.
(Again, we agreed to save this hike for another day) 

Nico and I suffered a minor accident when I stepped off the path and slipped on a rock, falling face forward, with Nico in my arms. 


 


I came down with his weight and mine on my forearms and elbows, and learned to never leave the path. The 30 or so people around me were very concerned about Nico, who was terrified but not hurt, and shot me "bad parent glances" when they passed around me, as I was now determined to never leave the path.

We eventually made it back up to a picnic area we had spotted on the way down, conveniently close to the parking lot and a tranquil shallow part of the river. 

We ate a delicious lunch of turkey, Swiss, and salami sandwiches with barbecue chips, then suited up for Nico's very first river bath!

 

He was freezing but excited and more than comfortable as long as he could cling to Daddy or me. 

I guided him up stream.... 


 

And before we knew it, it was time to go home. On the way down the mountain, Nico fell asleep...

and we were able to stop at a looking point with a view that is much better in person. 

Where the ocean and sky connect <3

On Being a Teen Mom

 
I found out I was pregnant when I was 18 years old. When I was 19 I gave birth to a handsome and very yummy gummy bear, Nico Isaac Alemán.  There is no end to my love for him or my husband; I could not imagine my life without them. That being said...

There is nothing glamorous about being a teenage mother. There is nothing cool about the ominous uncertainty we face. In fact, the only thing we can be certain of, is that we have absolutely NO IDEA what we are doing. No amount of articles can prepare a person for being pooped on in their favorite shirt, or tell you what to do when your 2 year old is screaming as you walk through isle after endless isle at the grocery store, cheerio necklace polished off long ago, or how to scoop something out of his mouth without having your finger ripped off. When you have a child between the ages of 15 and 19, you find yourself in an awkward position between two contrasting worlds. 

We want the same things any young woman wants. To find love, to make life long friendships, to have fun, to discover who we're meant to be. We want the freedom to be able to make mistakes without being judged and scrutinized by the gaggle of people watching our every move from the moment we announce we're pregnant, or by those who think they are better than us because they didn't make the monumental "mistake" we did. 

At the same time, we also want everything a mother wants. We want our kids to be happy, healthy, and well rounded, with strong values and good behavior. Like older moms, we want to be able to give our little ones everything they deserve in life and more! We try to be the perfect mommy, and we get discouraged because the other moms seem to have it all figured out. 

In the place of perfection, we often find frustration. It is incredibly difficult to do something you don't know how to do. I some times find myself losing my patience with Nico, yelling at him when I don't mean to, longing for time to myself, or for something fun to do with my old friends. Instead, I struggle through the 5th tantrum of the day and think about how miraculous it is that I'm not bald from having my hair ripped out by his tiny hands. 

There is an intense desire to be understood. 

Being a teen mom can be lonely.

The other moms in our lives are older, many of them are married and planned for each one of their children. We don't have much in common with them besides the age of our kids. Sometimes, they are polite, nice even. They make small talk and give you good advice, but they don't try to schedule play date and they talk about real life amongst themselves because they assume we won't "get it." Sometimes, they look down on us for being younger, as if our circumstances somehow make us less of mother. 

Most of the girls our age are on a different page all together. They're also nice, and they think ours babies are super cute, but they don't invite us to hang out. They might assume we will eventually ask them to babysit, or that we're too busy for trips to the mall. Evidently, it's impossible to enjoy themselves at all around a baby that is not theirs. 

Dating is a forgotten pastime. It's weird to bring someone in to your baby's life who you aren't sure about, but that's not really a problem because there aren't many guys who are willing to date a girl with baby baggage. And even if you are married to/still with the father of your child, your relationship has changed in ways that no one really knows how to describe. The challenges of a serious monogamous relationship are many, and neither of you honestly realized how much work and time it needs to be nurtured and maintained. 

Nope. Nothing could have possibly prepared us for the reality of motherhood. 

Not even "Teen Mom". 

However, through all of that, the one thing that makes everything worth while is the little life that is forever intertwined with yours. That adorable little face that smiles at you every morning. That complicated mini person that is impossible to completely figure out. The giggles and tickles and "I love you's", make up for all the judgmental glances, rude remarks, and never-ending Saturday night Netflix marathons. For me there is nothing better than when Nico learns something knew or gives me a kiss; I just melt in to a goopey puddle of love every time! 

As a teen mom, my greatest accomplishment will always be my son.

My reward is watching him transform and evolve right before my eyes, from baby to man.

My advantage is being able to grow with him and having my whole life ahead of me to work towards my dreams, to show Nico that anything is possible as long as he decides it is. 

It's okay if I am the only person who takes me seriously.

It's okay if the other girls don't want to be friends.

And the other moms can think whatever they want. 

I am proud to be a teenage mom because it means that I was mature enough to make a difficult decision at a young age. I accepted the responsibility of my actions and I was wise enough to do the right thing.

To the other teen moms reading this today: 

Don't be too hard on yourself, you're doing the best you can. 

You are not alone. Someone out there understands. 

Oh, and no body's perfect ;)  

Yup, that's us :)

4 Everyday Outfit Ideas For Young Moms

Before I had Nico fashion was a big part of my life. I didn't shop everyday, but I had a pretty good collection of versatile pieces that I loved to mix and match! I loved to look good; who doesn't? But during the course of my pregnancy, through the morning sickness, bloating, and changes in my body, I lost sight of my style. 

As a young mother, the changes of motherhood were sudden; one moment I find out I'm pregnant and the next thing I know, I'm blowing up like a balloon, hardly able to recognize myself. 

I was fortunate to return to my normal size a few months after Nico was born, but inside, I had completely changed. I realized that the things I used to wear no longer expressed how I viewed myself; a young mother with large goals who wanted to be taken seriously while still feeling young and beautiful. 

It took me a while to be comfortable in my own skin as the person I became when Nico was born, a Kul Mom. 

 I can finally proudly say this is my style as a 20 something mommy! 

4 fabulous everyday outfit ideas for young moms:

The Classic T-shirt and Flowy Skirt.

Comfortable white Keds because it's hard to chase a 2 year old in heels!

Jean Jacket, White fitted Cami, & Navy Striped Skirt

Sheer Black Quarter Sleeve, Loose Fitting Black Cami, & Gray Skinny Jeans 

Accessories: Long Tangled Necklace, Sterling silver Ear Cuff

  
Checkered Navy and White Button Down Shirt Dress, Print Fitted Cami, & Black Leggings

I LOVE mixing patterns! It adds an interesting twist to an outfit!

Welcome New Kul Mom: Amanda DelValle

This has been a LONG time coming, but I would like to formally congratulate one of my dearest old friends, new Kul Mom Amanda DelValle (Aka Mandi, Aka Lola), and her fiance, Blake Holden, on the birth of their precious baby boy, Dean. 

On March 25th, 2015 this beautiful woman...

 

brought this handsome little package into the world!  

Over the past few months Dean has just gotten cuter and cuter! 

He enjoys sleeping, and...

SMILING!!!

 

 Mandi has always been an extremely gifted artist. This new addition to her life brought inspiration to create more exquisite things; Dean is her adorable muse! 

 

 

It is clear that Mandi and Dean are a match made in heaven.

 

Amanda, you are glowing and gorgeous! I knew that you would make a wonderful mother, Dean is very fortunate to have such a fabulously loving family. 

 

May your little family continue to grow in strong love and may God bless you and Blake, that you may never lack anything you need as long as you all live!  

I can't wait until our little boys are old enough to play and become friends. 

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Dads can be the hardest people to shop for, but finding something just right doesn't have to be complicated! Sometimes the one thing holding us back from thinking of the perfect present, is thinking way too much. 

The first step to finding the last minute gift of his dreams is taking a deep breath and remembering to keep it simple! 

Favorites - Things to keep in mind when looking for something for dad are his favorites. Favorite color, band, vintage show, movie, superhero? A gift card to his favorite store in a meaningful card is guaranteed to win you that smile you love so much! 

 
Books - There is no such thing as having too many books, and there is no such thing as a person who doesn't read. The question is what do they read? Comics, magazines, newspapers? Get your hubby a good thrilling read that he will greatly appreciate the next time he finds himself with a chunk of personal time. 

   
Free Time - Speaking of time, it seems like Dads don't ever have enough of it! When my husband isn't working, he is doing a chore around the house or hanging out with Nico; he never really has a moment for himself. If that sounds like your hubby, a nice gift might be a night to himself. The night before his day off, pack up the kids and take them for an over night trip with you to Grandma's house, leaving your husband all alone for 24 hours of man time! 

Nothing - The ultimate last minute gift is absolutely nothing! Make overnight arrangements for the little ones and spend the day doing nothing but watching his favorite movies/ shows, and eating his favorite junk food (don't forget the pizza!). Most importantly, spend the day wearing NOTHING AT ALL ;) 

  

Easy Last Minute DIY Father's Day Gift (Toddler Friendly!)

This year is my husband Pedro's second Father's Day! 

His second Father's Day is equally as significant as his first, because our son, Nico, is finally old enough to help me continue the tradition of the DIY Father's Day present!

 22 months old

Last year, I created a little picture book explaining what made Pedro the best father in the world. 

It was kind of last minute, but I was able to put together something that he could look at on a bad day, or when he needed something to make him smile. 

This year since I already had an idea, I put much more thought and time into his gift, and I was able to make him something just as personal as the first, but a bit more practical......  

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

A wooden picture frame! 

Painting is a wonderful toddler friendly activity! Not only does it help little ones develop fine motor skills and creativity, it's a great time to teach colors! 

Not to mention, painting a picture frame is a simple activity for busy Kul Moms that takes 30 minutes or less! The small frame cost less than 10 dollars at Walmart, along with the paint and paint brushes. And the newspapers were free, making this activity affordable on virtually any budget! 

Since Pedro's favorite color is green we started with a green base. Nico enjoyed aiming for the picture frame, but after a while, that turned out to be the last thing he wanted to paint. 

CAUTION: This is activity is only for Kul Mom's who like to get messy! 

While I finished the green base and painted the borders blue...

Nico smeared green paint all over his hands and in between his fingers. It turned out to be a wonderful sensory experience for him! 

 

I added strokes of yellow before the paint was dry to give it a funky texture and painted the back of the frame a solid green. 

I had a number of pictures that would have looked very nice in the frame but none that managed to send the right message. 

This Father's Day, I wanted Pedro to know that I appreciate him as a dad, and also that I am in love with him as a dad. When we were dating, I used to sketch pictures for him all the time and write songs and poems about how I couldn't be without him. My heart was seeping love and it had to be expressed! I need him to know that I still feel that way, more now than ever! He is not the boy I fell in love with. He has turned into an incredible man who means more to me than anyone will ever know. 

I drew him a new picture to show him that I cherish the bond he has with our son, and that I still love everything about who he is.