Ain't no 'cation like a VAY-cation

 I've been looking forward to the annual Higgins Encinitas trip ever since ever since.  This year brought a new twist...a baby named Roko.  Is there any better way to kick-start a young life than a trip to the beach?  Roko says no.

I love that mug.

He rolled in style through the airport,

and rocked his first airplane ride (which isn't hard to do when the flight is only 50 minutes).  One day when I'm a gazillionaire I will only fly to vacation destinations.

No Encinitas trip is complete without an in-room juice bar- who the heck wouldn't buy a butt-load of juice when it is 10 for $10?

Best thing about waking up in California?  When you walk outside it isn't over 100 degrees.  #LoveLongSleevesDuringTheSummer #BaldoSaidSomethingGrossAboutMenSweatingDownThere

If you are going to hit the beach and relax all cool...you got to be able to check out the ladies without being caught.  Roko sports the baby blue blockers, boiii!

When is the last time you were able to soak up the sun, catch some sick waves and watch a real-life episode of cops?  This dude got the "Stone Cold Stunner" right in front of us.  When asked if he could smell what the cops where cooking - he responded with moist sand.

We tickled our taste buds at Taste of Thai for the third year in a row.  Tradition is the name of our game.  I'm pretty sure I was Thai princess in a former life.

 

This was the first of many stops to the frozen yogurt joint

  

A motley crew of beach bums.  Obviously someone doesn't know the rules about showing his midriff.  #ModestIsHottest

 The stromboli that never was. #ThereGoesYourTip

(The calzone was still delicious)

 

Readers, let me introduce you to the bacon donut- the fluffy, mapley, gooey, salty, sweet, make-my-lock-jaw-hurt piece of heaven.  #WhatSwimsuit?

  Let's be honest: a good chunk of our meals are planned around joints we see on Divers Drive-Ins and Dives.  We've been hitting up Hodad's for three or four years now.  Sadly, I boxed most of this because I spent most of the time feeding someone else *cough, Roko, cough*.

 I'll let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves:

Goodbye, Encinitas.  See you next year.

P.S. My man got some music video-making skillz.  Check it:

Crash My House

But Mom....

What do you mean it's time for a nap?

My Little Chimi

Rokito Taquito, our little chimichanga.

I've turned into one of those moms who kills time by looking at all the pictures she's taken of her baby since birth.  Today I listened to our first sound recording of his heartbeat and almost started crying.  Back then Roko was a stranger to me, but now he's my best buddy.  Him and I are- how do I put it- bosom buddies (literally). 

The last two months of life have totally ruled.  Not only because of my joyous unemployment, but because of the things I've learned about my little chimi.

1. Roko makes awesome faces.  I think he inherited that from me.

2.  Roko sneezes all the time just like daddy.

3. Want to snuggle?  Find Roko.
 

 
 
 

4. He conducts music in his sleep

5. He is the perfect beach bum

6. He's a wee bit shy around the girls. (Cedar, call me maybe?)

7. Roko loves making a good impression. ("Mom, you told me this place was fancy!")

8. He loves a good shoulder to munch on.

9. Picnics are a treasured rarity (wait til it cools down a little, buddy.)

10. He laughs at all your jokes.

11.  Roko is a blessing from heaven.

And Then My Water Broke

The night before, I attended dress rehearsal for my concert the next night.  Jokes were made, corners were sat in (get it?), piano parts were botched perfected. 

This concert was going to be epic!

Wednesday morning we woke up to get ready for our morning walk.

And then my water broke.

Cue uncertainty, excitement, disbelief (what about my concert?!), and haphazard hospital bag packing.  Add a dash of morning cereal, a last minute photo op (just in case), 

and a steady stream of what I like to call Insta-birth photos:

Roko Alexander Besich changed our lives forever at 1:37am on April 12, 2012.
We love him.
He loves us.
We are in heaven.

TEACH: Lauren Besich

*This was originally meant to be posted on April 6th.  What can I say?  Life happens.*

Yesterday was  my last day of teaching.

Let me repeat: yesterday was my last day of teaching.

After a very emotional nine months at my school, waiting and wishing for this day to come, it has.  And it felt good.  Very good.  Saying that I complained a little about the stresses of work would sadly be an understatement.  Negative Nancy was my M.O.  It was hard.  Towards the end, my job eased a little, whether because I was numb to the stress or started to change my attitude is still to be determined.  I'd like to think it was an attitude change, but I don't feel comfortable giving myself that much credit.

  Sitting here looking into the rear-view mirror of my life, the last year presented a lot of opportunities for growth.  I had countless conversations (aka- pleading sessions) with Baldo about finding another job, but he held strong to his motto: Besiches never quit.  He told me over and over that I could do hard things.  Reluctantly, and, to be quite honest, bitterly, I kept at it, waking up every morning at 5:00am, staying at school until 4:00 or even 5:00 at night.  I had my good days, I had my bad days, and I had my really bad days.  But I kept going.

When my dad called me yesterday to tell me how proud he was of me not giving up, it hit me.  I did a hard thing.  I did it.  In a flash all of the emotions felt over the last nine months consumed me and all I could do was cry.  No words can truly capture the emotions I feel right now; only tears.

Three and a half years ago I embarked on my teaching journey.  Not many pictures exist from the first class I taught; I still block them out of my memory.  My second year showed me the joys of teaching.  Those 8th graders will always have a special place in my heart.

Then came the big move to Guam where I found myself teaching these kids:

 

 

As a teacher, I love discovering the talents my students possess:

I may have forced a few of them into an impromptu talent show:

Somebody call Adam Lavene; I just found the next Voice!

Finally we moved back to Tempe where I taught 8th grade for the final time.  I learned a lot about myself this school year.  I learned that 13 year-olds possess the ability to extract swear words out of my mouth, that attitude is everything, that it's better to walk out of a room when I'm at my wit's end than let my emotions get the best of me, and that sometimes it's okay to let them see me cry.  My favorite lesson I learned is that I can do hard things- even when pregnant.

Enduring the last 9 months had it's final reward: a baby shower thrown by my students.  There was food, there was fun, and this time, I was the one forced into an impromptu talent show (my piano skills are a bit rusty).

Goodbye pencils, goodbye books, goodbye students' dirty looks!

Mrs. Besich, OUT!