three little birds, a picture story

***press play on the Bob Marley icon to get the true feeling of being in Jamaica***



In honor of our 6 year wedding anniversary (and the fact that I have a blog of my very own) I've decided to post a picture story of our special day. We decided that a destination wedding was what we wanted and (believe it or not) the most cost effective. We packed our bags and headed off to the Sandals resort in Negril, Jamaica. It was everything that Mo and I wanted out of a wedding: no problems!! The resort was beautiful and always lined with fresh pineapple and rum :) It seemed as if Bob Marley's Three Little Birds was playing almost on repeat throughout the resort - which made for believing that every little 'ting was gonna be alright. All in all, there wasn't a lot of formality or even a lot of people (though the family and friends that came were soooo amazing) but in the end it's what we wanted...

Also, I must immediately pay gratitude for the amazing photography to our totally talented friends Ben Julian and Amy Karle. Without their artistic eye, enthusiasm and kick-butt camera our day would have not been the same! (you can click on all the pics to make them bigger)

Ben & Amy

And so here we go! The whole crew once we all arrived!

There wasn't anything to "rehearse" so we all went out for a Hibachi dinner the night before.


On the day of the wedding we spent time hanging on the beach and sailing in the waters....

And a friendly game of big-size chess (one of Mo's favorites) even though my Dad kicked his butt!

...then it all began.............................................................

Mo and the Minister

Dad, giving me away (or so they say)


Saying our vows

Exchanging our rings

Becoming husband and wife!

Making it official

Cutting the cake

Jamaican toast!



My pretty bridesmaids

Our "after" pictures



Moving into the evening with a buffet on the beach and a steel drum band!

And finishing up with an outrageous fire dance by Amy! What a surprise!

It was all so beautiful...

coming full circle

Every year around this time (the end of March) I begin to carry around this angst-y feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don't know if it's the serious beating one takes during the dark cold winter, low vitamin D levels or the feeling of a "year in review" (as my birthday approaches) but without fail there is this feeling of heaviness that presents itself. I begin to think about what happened last year at this time and how things have changed since then. Was this year what I expected it to be? Did I do the things I was planning to do? Am I happy? The feeling of needing to come full circle is palpable. And though there is this bit of sadness that I have to tease out - there is also this excitement that things will be new again. Like the seasons change from winter to spring, I believe that each year around our birthday's the universe kicks up a little dust and asks us to spend some time in reflection. I'm not going to sit here and unearth everything that my reflection has brought to the surface - but I will share that turning 30 by far was one of the best things that happened to me! It's just not that Elias was brought into my life, it was the change that came with becoming a parent and growing a family of my own. The best I can describe it is like a hand that fits perfectly into a glove. Honestly, I don't know what Mo and I were waiting for! In addition, I believe that finally deciding to pursue a graduate degree in a career that I've been destined for since handing out advice in the school yard - but most importantly allowing myself to go after what I see as my calling - is also like a perfectly fitting glove (possibly for the other hand). And yet somehow these "perfect" fits leave me full of questions and worries. So here I am now...trying to figure out how to put these two hands together. Maybe that's what turning 31 will be about?!?

OK, enough of the deep thoughts by Jack Handy. I know why your here and it's not my random hippie-like ramblings! It's for my so-damn-cute-he-should-be-the-next-Gerber-baby :) So without further distraction, here are some pictures from the month in review!!

First, we traveled to Pennsylvania so that the Hereba's could meet there newest member! I would like to entitle these photos: happily hereba, literally....ummm talk about genetics! Not only was everybody so happy to meet Elias, it was a happy time to spend soaking in our Egyptian roots. All I have to say is this: there's a reason that it was the Egyptians that built the pyramids.

Here is Sherif, Mo, Ahmed, Elias and Jobair

...and now here's Jay...constantly competing with Mo as he grows taller and taller!

For another lession in Elias's heritage...we didn't quite make it downtown for the legendary Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade (aka booze and green beads) but we did have a really fun afternoon in the great and slowly warming outdoors! Ringo was soooooo happy to be back in front of the camera! What a pose! However, we didn't take any pictures at Grandpa's today but we were wearing green and eating corn beef and cabbage in true spirit.

Lucky me! Not only am I Irish but I have a good looking group of boys in tow!

And finally, in photo-happy tradition I'd like to document the THREE MONTHS mark! Not only is he smiling more often and finding his sense of humor - he's also spending a lot of time being very chatty!! Apparently he's got a lot to say and I'm anxiously awaiting to know what that is. Also, he recently found his hands which he couldn't stop looking at.

Imagine how cool it is to discover your own hands...

His eyes are getting so blue!

And finally...Mr. Big & Hungry couldn't take the camera anymore and decided to eat his fingers!

2 months, 2 cute!

So...I really don't have anything interesting to say. I've been thinking about all the things I'd like to write about in my next blog posting but they've all been forgotten in my stuffy-haze. What seemingly was an allergy/sinus thing has turned into a full-blown cold! I feel awful. I really really really hope the baby doesn't get this because I just want to hibernate...probably until the winter is OVER! I've had it with winter. Ugh.

Anyways, in honor of Elias turning TWO months old today (can you believe it!?) we had another photo shoot to keep the tradition alive. I'm looking forward to seeing the progression in his size and personality. However, in my Sudafed coma I didn't realize my camera was on different setting so everything is a bit blurry (also because he was movin' and a shakin'). And please notice that we are finally starting to get some SMILES out of him! Oh boy do I have to work hard for them but they sure do melt my heart.

I love this one!!

Awww...happiness...I can't wait until I get more of these!

Also, at two months Elias had his first birthday party invitation. Happy 1st Birthday Leanna!

And not to leave you hanging for my next entry (c'mon I know I have you at the seat of your pants). I've been working on an art project that was inspired by Elias's waving, busy, always visible hands! I thought it would be nice to document these big paws in a way that's different than those plaster castings. It is taking much longer than anticipated - probably because between naps I'm taking a shower and washing dishes, however, I look forward to it's completion. But the real question is: what will he do with his hands one day??

You will find Mo, myself and Elias's hands as my templates.
And yes! I did trace his little busy hands while he was sleeping :) That was funny...

gluten free baby?!

Almost two years ago (this April) after an exploratory journey through the medical system I decided it would be in the best interest for my health to become gluten free. I suffered for a long time with various symptoms and finally after finding a very wise nutritionist, having the will to give the whole lifestyle a chance, and becoming a googling-medical-junkie: I can truly say I found the thorn in my side. I am not allergic per say or a diagnosed Celiac (where your intestinal walls disintegrate when you eat it) you would call me gluten-intolerant. My body and immune system become severely inflammed when I ingest gluten which then creates a domino effect of uncomfortable symptoms and long-term internal damages. The short term effects pretty much go like this; enjoy the doughy goodness of something like fresh Italian bread, get a migraine that lasts 3-5 days, bloat about 3-5 pounds, have your sinus's swell and feel stuffy, hang out in the bathroom for awhile (and awhile more) and then feel so incredible sleepy you'd consider that you have a chronic fatigue syndrome for a week! It's just no way to live and quite frankly it's depressing. Needless to say it's still one of the hardest things that I do on a daily basis - my options are not "I'm hungry, I want to eat" it goes more along the lines of "I'm hungry, what CAN I eat." The amazing thing I've learned from all of this is that we take eating for granted. I'm sure that's why there's such a problem with health and obesity in this country, we don't have to think about it. It's the machine that we feed ourselves with: being the fastest, easiest and tastiest item that crosses our path. In fact, our food quite literally has become part of machine (see the movie Food, Inc. for further investigation). Anyways, I could go on forever about these things and it's my blog so I could...but I'll stop here.

So back to the title, gluten free baby?! I was recently asked (in a semi-judgmental tone) if I was planning on "making" Elias eat gluten free. I hadn't really thought about it, nor had I thought it was deserving of judgment! Don't all parents "make" their kids eat what they think is good for them anyways? What's wrong with raising a child with limited access to gluten? And I'm pretty sure he's been gluten free for 9 months so what's the problem? So anyways, the answer is yes! Saturday mornings we will be making gluten free pancakes, when I make a gravy I'll be using sweet rice flour and when Christmas comes and we will make cookies as a family, experimenting with all types of flours, making old recipes in a new way. The moral of the story being that in this house we cook gluten free and we're more interested in everybody being able to eat than keeping with the norm. And if by chance Elias asks for a good ol' fashion PB&J on regular bread with the crusts cut off - he can have that too! Because really I've never understood more than I do now that old cliche: there's no manual that comes with parenting! As a parent (still kinda weird to say) we make decisions based on what we think is right at the time and hope for the best. So here's to a kinda, mostly, gluten free baby!

And speaking of the kitchen, here's some pics from yesterday - funny faces in the kitchen!

just baby!

happy faces

sad faces

very scary faces!

sweet faces..

NOTE: I must make a note about the dark circles under Mo's eyes! He was up for over a week until 5 am writing papers for an insane mid-semester course! The GOOD NEWS: he was offered an awesome internship this summer at a big accounting firm downtown!! We're very proud and excited for him to graduate this December!

2nd NOTE: I really like this blog about being, eating and going gluten free - it really helped me a lot! Check it out if you're interested. http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

just be-ing, one month

The meaning of time has a different definition depending on what phase of life you are in. My true concept of time began during my college years when I first became responsible for managing my own affairs. College time was measured by semesters, dining hall hours and 3 a.m. bed times. My concept of the world was measured in 15 week increments and how much fun I could get away with (work hard and party harder being the motto). Soon there after came the smack-in-the-face reality of the working world. Alarm clocks before sun rise, coffee as a mandatory additive and the hum-drum of recycling through dress pants that were always wrinkled because I was too lazy to iron them. Monday through Friday, work then dinner then dishes: wash, rinse, repeat. OK don't get me wrong life before this Mom thing also had some fun gin & tonics on the weekends as well ;) Needless to say for the last month my definition of time has become newly defined. For the most part I have no concept of what day it is. I'm not patiently waiting for the weekend to arrive or dreading Monday morning creeping up on me. Right now I am on baby-time and that's all about eating, sleeping and being cared for completely (around the clock, every three hours - phew!). Babies have no time, they just are...they just "be" if you will. And since I'm around for this ride I can honestly say that this "be"-ing: sitting, marinating and soaking in a lack of Monday through Friday is such a beautiful breath of fresh air! Unfortunately, once May comes I won't be able to enjoy such luxury, however, in the meanwhile I'll try to enjoy each second.

So anyways, speaking of baby-time I surprise myself by saying that Elias is now one month old! I never before understood why new mothers feel the urge to announce each month that their child is older until of course it was mine...I guess you have to walk in those shoes to get it.

Mama and baby time...


Just be-ing...




...and yes the quilt is embroidered with the name Elijah Andrew (a gift) we think it's funny and still picture worthy! Ringo likes it too.

And of course happy one month glamor shots! Nice camo pants :)