One Haute Getaway

Haute Mommies, listen up!  A brand, spanking new GORGEEEEEOUS boutique hotel has opened in Cabo.  We all know and love the Thompson Brand with their slew of swanky properties in cities like Chicago, NYC, Miami, well now they've got another to add to their lineup, this time in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  Introducing, The Cape.  Take the most-elegantly appointed mid-century modern decor (think 1960's Mexico-meets-SoCal vibe) and pair it with every amenity you could ask for, top it off with 5-Star service and situate it on one of the most desirable coastlines in Cabo, and you have The Cape.

With heavenly views from all corners, you'll get serious use out of the Infinity pool over-looking the beach, the slightly more-secluded/bath-water-warm salt water pool, a super sexy spa, state-of-the-art gym, most jaw-droppinly stunning rooftop and food for days and days and days at one of the deeeelish restaurants on site.

The hubs and I planned a very last minute getaway for the 4th Of July and chose The Cape after scouring the internet for great deals. http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/The-Cape-Los-Cabos Currently, they're offering a couple exclusives: Stay 4, Pay 3,  and The Great Escape - which includes ground transportation and daily breakfast for two.

We bravely planned our stay just three days after the hotel had officially opened.  Clearly there are benefits to that: the privacy, 10-staff to every 1-guest (at least it felt that way) never-before-been-used sheets...and then some drawbacks: minor construction still in progress, select rooms available....but lemme tell you, being the Guinea Pigs served us well.  The team was on point and our stay, flawless.

This was our first true getaway w/out the babe so we had a lot to lose, thank gawd we left feeling like we gained so much.  Time together to work on "us", mornings to sleep in, 1 highly-improved pool game  (yup, they've got one in the lobby) a couple killer tans, and even an afternoon spent downing one too many shots- We can thank their Welcome Tequila Amenity for that :)

While I can promise our next trip away won't be just the two of us, I can assure you, it'll be the whole family treking down south for another magical stay at The Cape in Cabo.

Gotta Try: The shrimp tacos by the pool.  O M G we had them every single day, twice somedays

Can Live Without: $25 Room service for a pot of coffee.  Go down to the hotel restaurant instead where an entire buffet is less than that.

My Kid Hates Me...

I was counting down the days until our first trip away. Vegas, my best friend’s wedding, Bloody Mary’s by the adult pool rather than bouncing babies at the kiddy pool. It was time for us to be kids again. I created this vision in my head for months leading up to our actual trip that I’d finally recharge my flickering battery (In Vegas?? Really??) returning more grounded, restored and present with a gleaming little boy at the front door chomping at the bit to greet me and jump back into my arms. Wow was I in for a surprise.

I returned home more exhausted ever (duh, it’s VEGAS!) and my baby wouldn’t even so much as look in my direction. I kneeled down to pick him up, overwhelmed to see how much he’d grown in literally 72 hours…first thing he did was push me away and reach out for my dad, who – along with my mom- stayed our place to watch him while we were livin it up. This continued all day, into the next. I was convinced, my kid hates me. And the guilt sets in. Maybe we should’ve only gone for 2 nights, maybe Gibson should have come with us…maybe maybe maybe… My mom assured me it was just “a phase” and “would pass”

We all know it’s tough to balance life as a mom and still manage to take time for ourselves whether it be a wknd away with the hubs or an afternoon to lunch with the ladies or 30 minutes to shower and blow dry our hair. I’m not one who’s willing to totally give up on myself and my needs ONLY to focus on the needs of my little guy. I believe we can do both and actually have it all. It’s true, my son comes first ALWAYS but I follow closely behind.

It was now 48 hours since coming back from our sinful wknd in Sin City. My son was slowly warming up to me and I could feel bit by bit his walls start to break down. At Mommy and Me that day, our teacher asked if anything new had taken place over weekend. Oh you mean other than my child tossing me to the side like an old, used-up toy?? Her response: “It’s totally normal.” What? For your child to hate you?! I’d never heard of this but then she explained that babies will often give parents the cold shoulder for up to 48 hours after they return from being away. Babies are confused, scared and not sure if you’ll leave them again so they instinctually put up a wall to perhaps protect themselves. This made total sense. Gibson was just acting as nature instructed him to…even if it was at my expense.

Fast forward to now, today- one week later. I can’t seem to suction my child off my hip. He’s back to being a total mamas boy – until next week that is. Palm Springs, another friend’s wedding, 2 nights away. At least I’m prepared this time.

20 Things You Don't Know About Courtney Lopez, Haute Mom Edition

You know her as the beautiful host of NUVOtv's Love And Salsa, from her VH1 reality show, Saved By The Baby with hubby Mario Lopez and as our new #HauteMomsLife Contributor but theres a whole lot to Courtney Lopez ya didn't know like who she'd change lives with for just one day.  So, here goes... 20 Things You Don't Know About Courtney Lopez, Haute Mommy Edition....

1. I can't live without my cute workout clothes. I like to be comfortable.

2. You'll never find me dressed up at the grocery store.

3. When I grew up I could run around my neighborhood with no worry .  My kids are growing up on a very tight leash. Times have changed.

4. I'm happiest when my whole family is together including my family and In laws from out of state.

5. Blood freaks me out most as a mother

6. Cute band aids make everything better when #5 happens. They make Gia so happy!

7. I've learned everything I know from my mom

8. What I don't know I learn from my mom

9. I get inspired by single mothers. They have such a hard job.

10. People think of me as sometimes guarded...but actually I have such a huge heart. I just don't like being taken advantaged of.

11. Lack of sleep surprised me most when I became a mom the 1st time

12. Even more lack of sleep with no time to nap because of 2 kids surprised me most the second time

13. I can't take when other mothers compare children.

14. The best piece of advice I've gotten is...be present. The days may feel long but the years fly by.

15. My family means the world to me.  I don't remember my life before them.

16. If I could change positions with anybody for one day it would be J LO.

17. I strive daily to make the best decisions for myself and family.

18. The 3 most important things in life, other than my family, are my doggies, coffee and coffee.

19. In 5 years you'll find me in the same kitchen making food for my husband, dogs and kids. I don't think I ever leave the kitchen!

20. My definition of a Haute Mom is this; If you're a Mom, you're a Haute Mom to me. What we do and what we give is just freakin awesome.

Beautify...Simplify...Maximize

As a new Haute Mommy, there are certain things in life I can't live without.  It's taken some serious trial and error but here some my Top Finds that √ 1 or more of these following categories:                             1. BEAUTIFY 2. SIMPLIFY 3. MAXIMIZE

Learning Walker Baby- You're child will grow with this toy at each early stage of life through walking $30+ amazon.com

Hudson Jeans Krista Ultra Skinny - They're called Skinnies, but offer tremendous stretch $200 hudsonjeans.com

Audra Tanks - Sexy, cute, and so easy breezy you can go from day to dressy in a snap $50ish http://audrashop.com

Smash box Wondervision Gloss - For those days when makeup doesn't fit in - a dab of lip color fixes everything $25 sephora.com 

H&M Hat - Go from Glum to Glam instantly $20 www.hm.com 

American Apparel Baby T's - My personal faves are the baseball-T's  Soft, comfy, ideal for spring/summer $14 http://store.americanapparel.net

Sprout Organic Food Pouches - My on-the-go blessing were answered with this all natural food for bbs http://www.sproutorganicfoods.com/faqs

Red Tricycle - http://redtri.com Get the scoop on the best family activities...regional and national Swear...By...This!

New Study: Must-Read For Anyone Having Kids

#ICYMI Haute Mommies, a new study came out suggesting gestational diabetes (or diabetes that develops early in pregnancy) may increase women's chances of having a child with autism. The risk was seen in young children whose mothers were diagnosed with diabetes during the most crucial period of fetal brain development. Reasons for the potential link are uncertain but it’s possible that exposure to high levels of blood sugar from the mother disrupt fetal brain growth, especially in brain regions important for communication and social behavior, said study co-author Dr. Edward Curry, a learning and behavior specialist for Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, California.

So we've hit up Dr. Daddy, Dr. David Heber - Founding Director Of UCLA Center Of Human Nutrition - to see how to stay as healthy as possible during pregnancy.

Here are his TOP 5 TIPS:

1. Eat a healthy diet with low fat protein at every meal and colorful fruits and vegetables.

2. Do some form of exercise approved for pregnancy such as yoga or pregnancy pilates

3. Take your prenatal vitamin with folic acid and omega-3 supplement from a fish oil or DHA supplement daily.

4. Take calcium and vitamin D so that your bones stay healthy as your baby grows.

5. Get enough sleep, rest, and relaxation, because things will get busy when the baby arrives.

For more information on the study, check out Healthline.com