5 Reasons Why I Enjoyed Riley's 2nd Birthday More Than His First.

The first birthday party was a little stressful. What's the theme? Who do we invite? Where do we have this birthday party? What is he going to wear? What are we going to wear? Making sure that everything is done on time ... List goes on. Not to say I did not enjoy his first birthday. I did enjoy it . The funny thing was that the original plan was thrown out of the window two days before... when meteorologist falsely cried rain for the day of his outdoor birthday party and it still turned out to be a good time. This year things were different. We decided to keep it simple and not go too crazy.

1. Sesame Place was a good time for him. I don't know if our trip to Playland prepared him for the rides but it was a lot easier to get him on the rides. We even got him on the Rubber Ducky ride. The parade was so much fun for him. He was not scared of the characters. We let him take his Elmo along for the car ride.

2. His birthday portrait was a blast and less messy for me. This time I did not have to sit and paint with him through his crying. He was focused and created what I think was a dope piece of art. This is a yearly tradition and I look forward to seeing the changes  every year. You can check out the video on IGTV.

3. A smaller themed birthday party with just our immediate family. Toddlers are usually shy around too many people and often do not act like their sweet selves. Well at least that's what happens with Riley. I knew not to overwhelm him and to keep it small with people he sees and speaks to everyday. He's been obsessed with Toy Story lately, We decide on getting him a Toy Story themed cake, plates and party hats. He absolutely loved it.  He blew out his own candles. I had no idea he was able to do this. It was definitely a surprise for me.

4. The fact that he's talking and we can communicate with him makes it even more fun. He tells us what he likes and doesn't like and things don't seem too much like a guessing game these days.

5. His two year check up was a breeze, no screaming. 

Postpartum Anxiety & The Reality of Motherhood

When Sujeiry messaged me to be a guest on her podcast "Love Sujeiry" I was excited and scared at the same time. Though I do have podcast experience, it's been a while since I've had a Mic in my face. I get so nervous speaking in public and more now that I have very long periods of time without having mature verbal conversations. I was making excuses in my head as to why I couldn't do it. I fought those thoughts. Even driving to to Long Island during rush hour traffic did not stop me. I have not seen Sujeiry in person since we first met in 2014. We were both single and rising in our businesses at that time. We are both mom of toddlers , working 9-5's and handling a business now. It was so refreshing to have a conversation with another mom that I could resonate with. Check out the video below:

BRAIN DUMP : Time to Pivot...

"When you want to make your business a stronger version of yourself, it is time to pivot." - Boss Girl Creative podcast.

I am always pivoting. Making changes when I see that what I am currently doing is not working. When I do not feel fulfilled. When I do not feel purposeful. When I feel like a hot mess. I pivot. I do not like feeling stagnant. When I feel stagnant I feel as if I am drowning and there is no way out. Pivoting is my way of finding my way out. Finding change from my internal force instead of from exterior things I can not control.

I have been thinking hard about my purpose in life. Yes, I own a boutique, but besides selling beautiful clothing I do not feel like I am making a difference in the world through it... yet. I know there is a purpose because there is a purpose to everything. Especially since I can't seem to give it up no matter how many times I fail. Maybe the purpose of my store is to make a  more creative person out of myself. To expand my talents to it's fullest potential? Whatever it is I will figure it out.

I have also  been told that I inspire and motivate people through my posts and have recently felt like my posts get lost in the IG world. There is just too much noise. I have decided to start writing a newsletter where there is no noise. Just me, my thoughts and the words I am typing.

I have designed and written my first newsletter and I must  say I have not felt so proud in a while. I enjoyed every aspect of the creation process. I took my time. I made sure the details and the writing were good. It kind of felt like I was meditating. I was able to think straight. Which rarely happens these  days. It felt really good. Extremely good.

It is going to be my way of giving to this world.  I feel good when I am focused more on creating things for others rather than focusing on what is in it for me. Something that I am working on at the moment.

If you would like to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here.  Newsletter will be going out once I have my first 50 subscribers ! I would greatly appreciate it if you tell your friends to subscribe as well.

Thank you in advance.

HOTEL REVIEW: Hotel Eiffel Petit Louvre . Paris, France.

Chris and I were in Paris about a month ago. I thought we were going out there for some much needed alone time, little did I know Chris had something up his sleeve. Yup. He proposed (In case you missed it on the gram ) right as the Eiffel Tower started glistening outside of our hotel window. It was a beautiful moment. Very laid back, not public, and yes, I was very surprised. I was wondering what he kept checking on every time we came back to the room. FACTS: Our valuables were safe at the Hotel Eiffel Petit Louvre. 

When it comes to picking a hotel, there are three things I look at: how comfy the bed looks, the decor (for content hello! ), and the bathroom. The major thing is the price. The Hotel Eiffel Petit Louvre was really good for the price having a view of the Eiffel Tower. It is a boutique hotel within walking distance of the tower and a few steps from the metro. Right now as I look, the prices are actually more expensive than what we paid for being that peak season is starting soon.

At our arrival we were told that our Eiffel Tower view room was not going to be ready until the following morning. I get annoyed when these things happen. After a long flight, I just want to go to the room, freshen up, organize my clothes and take a quick nap. Due to our 5 night stay, we brushed it off and continued to our temporary room. 

The photos on the website made the rooms look much more bigger than they are. We could hardly move around with our luggage in the way. The room would of been perfect for one person. Def not someone traveling with a child either ( They do have rooms if traveling with children, available upon request.)  There was a point where I had to drag my suitcase into the bathroom ( which was beautiful and clean)  to be able to open it completely. So annoying since this was not our permanent room and I had to keep going into my suit case every time I needed something.

The next morning, Chris reached over for the phone to check on the availability of our original room. There was no phone. I had to go to the front desk in my PJ's to get information. We were told that our room would be available by noon. Chris requested for them to wait until we got back to move our belongings ( now I know why).  We returned by 11 am and our luggage was moved to our original room, the ring was still there, nothing of  value was lost or stolen. You can trust the staff with your valuables. As precaution I suggest always leaving the "Do not disturb door hanger."

We walked into the new room , it was a bit bigger but the view was gorgeous! We did not have that touristy Paris view, it was the local Parisian view. The metro right in front of our window, the Eiffel behind a few residential buildings. It was beautiful ! We kept our windows open whenever we could. It was perfect for people watching and the metro does not sound like the NYC subway system. It was actually a pleasant sound. 

 I would not recommend this hotel for a long stay. It's good for one or two nights. The tiny cabinet in the room does not hold clothing for a whole week for two people. Most of my hanging clothes had to be folded on the shelf. No space for the empty suitcases either. Though the website states that a minibar is provided in each room, there is no minibar and you would have to go to the main floor to get something to drink when the thirst kicked in. No irons are included in the room either. We had to go downstairs and to borrow and return it.  Some people wouldn't mind this but when I am on vacation, I AM ON VACATION lol. I don't like to waste my energy on extra things when I have a city to explore, food to eat and of course some resting to be done. 

We did not eat breakfast at the hotel. We never woke up early enough. You can purchase unlimited breakfast for the rest of your stay when you book the hotel. We decided we wanted to eat locally. The neighborhood has a lot of good places to eat. There is a Liquor store right below, perfect for those early nights. Grab a bottle and wind down with your partner. 

I was happy with our stay at Hotel Eiffel Petit Louvre. I would of just liked more attention to detail by the hotel. I feel that these little things are important. Hotels need to remember that people are on vacation and make them feel as if they are on vacation. 

FIELD TRIP: CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF MANHATTAN

The plan yesterday was to head to The New York Botanical Garden, but there was rain in the forecast. My friends and I decided to take the babies to the Children's Museum of Manhattan instead. I have been meaning to visit this place ever since Riley has started crawling but have not taken the opportunity to.

The location of the museum is awesome. Right on the west side, walking distance from places to eat and Central Park. It is a little pricey for a one year old. $14 for each person. I feel that a one year old should not pay full price, but that is just my opinion. I guess it's cheaper than those expensive baby gyms. I am interested in knowing yours below. 

Strollers are not allowed but they do hold them for you. I enjoyed the freedom of walking around without a stroller. If you are with a child who does not walk yet, I suggest you bring a carrier. 

I loved the floors of the many activities. We started on the 4th floor and worked our way down. There were multiple rooms with different themes ; A grocery store theme, a toilet showing them how to flush ( Which reminds me, I have to potty train soon. ) A class room setting and a huge MTA bus in the hallway. Riley loved the bus, since his favorite song is currently the wheels on the bus. There were lots of stairs for him to climb on. He was not interested in the slides. He is into blocks now, so we stayed in the classroom setting a bit longer. The classroom setting was full of blocks and books. 

The third floor had a fire truck , another bus, a bigger grocery store and a section with cushion which was perfect for my friend's six month old daughter. Riley enjoyed it too. It was a huge playground. There were hats to wear in the fire truck, balls to throw around and little installations like a peek-a-boo window around the room. 

The 2nd floor was  Dora and Diego themed. Super cute. He walked over the bridge and counted his steps on the stones. Played the maracas and the drums while doing his little dance. We did not explore the first floor because by that time, Riley was hungry. My advice, plan accordingly around your kids eating and napping breaks. 

I will def go back again. Especially during the cold winter months.

Change Your Tribe

Last week was tough. There were three different people that doubted me. They doubted my hard work and capabilities. I was highly offended and hurt, it triggered my depression. Again I felt like a loser, as if success was not possible for me. I already knew what was coming. My depression after having a baby is easily triggered. There's no drinking it off , there's no buying a plane ticket at last minute and flying away from the source, things are different now. I cannot ignore it.  I have to find the source and face it or I really won't survive.

The first question I asked myself was, "Why is it that I get offended so quickly when people do not believe in me?" I did not know that answer, but I did know that it does not happen all the time and that the longer I have a relationship with someone the more I do get offended. I dug in deeper and I found the source of what really bothered me.

 For a long time I have considered people that I know for a long time a part of "my tribe" and have always looked out. Whether they needed a last minute  door-girl, bartender, therapist, assistant, stylist, promoter, and list goes on... I was always there. No job was ever too big or to small. I was always there and owned whatever I was asked to do. We all started at the similar places , during similar times. Some have grown and become successful, and some are still stuck in the same place... or seem to be stuck. We don't really know what goes on behind the scenes, for all we know someone can "seem stuck" and is probably making major moves without telling everyone.

I have felt stuck for years. Mostly because what I really wanted was to work for myself "one day" but I never planted my own seeds. I was not sure what I wanted to do with my life yet.   I feel like I've progressed most within the last three years than in the last 14 yrs, because I have finally figured out what I want to do with my life.

Now do I regret it? When I'm depressed I do, but when I get over my depression I do not regret any single moment. Yes, I am not in a high position in my career and getting paid what I should but I did what made me happy. I've had dope experiences that would not have happened if I had just focused on my career. Regardless of anything I STILL had dope opportunities come my way and if it weren't for those experiences I would not have known where I want to be now.

So the reason I have gotten offended is because those people have witnessed my work ethic at it's finest. They had witnessed a person who did not care what the job was but always tried her best as opposed to the person who I am now. I still try my best but this time I know what I want and I am the one that picks what jobs I want to do and what jobs I do not. Now that I know what I want and need a little guidance, that "Tribe" isn't there. That's what triggered the depression.

I have recognized the problem and then found a  solution. If someone does not want to be part of my tribe that is there problem. I can't let their assumptions about me get the best of me. I know what I am capable of. I am a hard worker and I am a stronger force now because I do know what I want. I have arrived here by myself.  If they can't see that anymore , I am not here to make them see. There are other people that have arrived in my life after them and see exactly what I am capable of, and those are the people I need to open the doors for and include in my tribe.

There comes a point in your life when you have to change the people around you no matter what you're history has been. What good is having people around you who have stopped believing in you?

WHY WE DECIDED TO MONTESSORI AT HOME.

I have always been a huge believer that children are gifted from day one. They have a natural passion for life, no one has influenced their beliefs and personalities yet, they carry no judgement and list goes on. Back in January we decided to place Riley in Daycare and found what we believed to be the right fit until I was sent a video from the Daycare provider while I was at work. The video showed Riley crying at one end of the room while the rest of the kids were dancing and watching TV. The message said "He hasn't stopped crying since this morning." I responded " Does he have a fever ? Is he teething ?"

The question was not answered. Instead I received A long paragraph explaining that it's been two weeks and Riley had not picked up the Daycare's routine. If he did not follow the Daycare's routine in another week, she would have to end the contract.

I immediately broke down in tears out of frustration and worry for our son. It was noon. I did not answer the text. I stopped what I was doing. Told my boss I had to go and went to pick up Riley. He was napping when I got there and she was in another room on the phone unable to have a conversation. I went home and as the day went on I was more livid. SO MANY thoughts were going through my mind.

First of all, I felt like our son was being singled out ( I wish I could show you the video but I am going to respect the privacy of the Daycare) and I also felt that someone was not giving our son a chance. As a first time mom, it was the first time I felt that feeling. I can not even explain it, but all I wanted to do was to protect Riley.

He was only 17 months old at the time, never has been with anyone except family. The fact that she did not understand separation anxiety and believed that he was going to follow a routine after two weeks when a high functioning adult needs about 30 days, made me believe that she was not capable of running a DayCare and our son was not going to be attending anymore.

I started looking into other DayCares and came across the Montessori method. It def was something that aligned with our beliefs in how children should be educated and treated but $28,000 a year did not align with our pockets.

I started doing my research on how we can apply Montessori at home until he starts school. What I noticed was that it requires a lot of space to make the home Montessori friendly. Something that a lot of New Yorkers Lack. This led me to start figuring out ways to still make it happen regardless of space and budget.

I would like to share this part of our journey with you all. Please stay tuned for my next blog explaining what Montessori is .

Open letter to Forbes

Dear Forbes,

I have been deeply offended by your recent cover and it is not because Kylie Jenner is on it. In fact I am very happy for her. As a woman and as a business owner, it excites me to see any woman on your cover. It's where I hope to find myself one day. Kylie made something of herself unlike many people in her privileged position . So congrats to her and may she keep receiving many more blessings. BUT .... a big BUT she is not a "self-made" Billionaire.
The meaning of "self Made" in the English dictionary is : having succeeded in life unaided and made by oneself. I am not hating or knocking Kylie Jenner's hustle but perhaps she should be acknowledged for another category? You see, if Kylie did not have Kim's sex tape, a momager, famous family & friends, and a reality show. No one would know who she is. Her lip kits would not have sold out so quickly. Without the aide of others she would not be in the position she is now.
When you look into the past of a lot of self-made people, they all have one thing in common; a struggle. Some people may say that to be self-made you do not need a struggle but when you start from zero with no one's help,  a struggle is sure to find it's way into your journey.
Take a look at Gia Monae boutique owner and You Tuber Jackie. Mom of 2, Pregnant, and has been growing her business from 0 to something. Explaining the reality of having to sign up for some Government  assistance while running your business. Kylie does not know what that kind of struggle is. Or my friend Jennifer who has to have two or three jobs in order to keep her business running . The people featured in the book  Hustle Believe Recieve by Sarah Centrella ( and Sarah) who have had to face the "8 step plan" to change their lives.  The list goes on. These people may not be billionaires yet but they will be one day with no one's handouts.
It's discouraging to see someone who had the resources for success be called "Self-made" for the rest of us that have gone literally hungry to build our businesses. Makes it feel like it's unattainable.I understand that Forbes as a business needs to make money, but as readers we want stories that motivate us. We want to see people who have gone through it all and have made it, THAT is motivation.


Your's Truly ,
Future SELF-MADE Billionaire,
Iran Ortiz

5 Quotes From: Resonate

"When AOL and browsing the web in a social way took over, most Gen X'ers were already fully formed adults. And those God forsaken Generation Zer's (The Generation after us) only know the world with it. But millennial? Can you believe it? We're the only people in the world that grew right by it's side."

"You've got to show the truth no matter what falls. It's the only way we'll ever get to see what you mean. Destruction is the force responsible for progression. "

"It's not easy to get people to do things, you know? People are very stubborn. Look at you. You can hardly get yourself to do things. Yet, here you are trying to get others to like your stuff and follow you and buy from you? Humble yourself, you one!"

Niches are not about size as much as they are about detail. They don't gather people through the shallow enticement of popularity. It's so pre-internet. They gather people from something deeper.."

It all comes down to perception. Perception is the real currency our culture runs on now. These micro-cultures on social media are forming because there has never been this much pressure to try to show the world who you are. " 


You can purchase Resonate here. 

Please, Don't Touch His Hands.

Picture this. You are taking a walk in the neighborhood and you run into a friend with their friend. The friend, whom you just met, reaches for your five month's old hand. What do you do? Awkward situation or nah? I despise awkward situations. My heart would beat at an abnormal rate every time someone attempted to touch Riley's hand because I did not want to deal with the awkward situation and I wanted to use physical force against them at the same time.

I would then pull the baby away and wipe their hands with a baby wipe. For the longest I did not want "to hurt anyone's feelings." Then recently I've had enough of  of the aloofness. I do not understand how people think it is OK to touch the hands of babies with their dirty hands.

I've had mothers of multiple children laugh at me and other new moms and tell us that  those are "1st time mom problems." In all honesty, I would deep down feel upset. It was not only "1st time mom problems" it was also knowing that the flu was kicking ass this season and people were dying. Especially babies. Imagine the thought of your child getting sick all because someone touched them with their dirty hands. Now what if your child got sick. YOU are the one that has to deal with it, while the person keeps living life with their dirty hands.

So I am here to tell those who walk around with their dirty or clean hands not to touch my baby or anyone's baby especially on their hands. Babies are constantly putting their hands in their mouths. And don't kiss them either. It is not ok. especially if you are a stranger. The parents have every right to slap you or snap at you . Well maybe not slap you but you get the point.

From the day we delivered its been our responsibility to keep this new human alive. Therefore no one has any say in how any parent chooses to be with their child. So what if some parents decide to have no visitors the first few days of their child's life (Boy did we get criticized for this lol) or to put their child in a bubble. That is perfectly fine. Respect their wishes and remember that if something happens to that child you aren't the one that is going to have to deal with it. Their parents do.


Parents. Here is a video of what to do when someone tries to touch your baby.

Magical March (A Reflection)

Oh Magical March,

Did not know you were so magical until just last week. Up to last week I did not take a moment to be grateful for all the doors that opened for me this month. It's been a very tough year. I received my biggest blessing in 2017 (my family) but what came along externally was ROUGH.

After months of searching for a job that worked for my new life and lots of slammed doors. Opportunities fell on my lap. Yes Plural. Opportunities. I welcomed them but I was still struggling. I was sad because I couldn't spend as much time with Riley as I have in the last 7 months. I felt overwhelmed and kept telling myself that I was not going to be able to handle it all. I was exhausted and still did not feel like my pre-partum self.  What kept me going was that all of these opportunities were the kind that actually fit within my life goals. There was no way,  after having nothing, that I was going to let these things pass me by.

On March 25th,you forced me to open my eyes and see my blessings. I will never forget the date. I went to a baptism at a Christian Church. The church that my partner has been trying to get me to go to since we started dating. As the Bishop spoke his sermon, I started crying. God/ Jesus/ The Universe was talking to me through him.  I was being told to keep walking. I can get through anything . Something big is waiting for me. I need to be glad about being able to wake up everyday and LIVE. I need to look up and keep walking no matter what life keeps throwing at me. Other people are going through worst things. Don't worry about those that don't support me and that wish me bad. To be grateful for the good and bad that does happen in my life. Those good and bad things were written in the books for me in order to reach that day I have been dreaming about. PHEW ! The list goes on. As he kept speaking I started releasing all of my frustrations through my tears. When service was done, the church seemed much more brighter than when I walked in. I thought the lights were turned on. But the next few days everything was brighter. I felt more at peace and my path was a lot more clear. I had less worry and most importantly more confidence in myself because that diminished in my first few months as a mom.

As I look back to that date I can't help but to think that just how we know when we meet the love of our life, we know exactly the moment our life pivots and things start getting better. That was my day. Thank you magical March for this experience. I am looking forward to everything that is coming my way. I will continue working hard and not worry about not being rewarded. This  was one of my biggest worry. Doing all of this for nothing. Thank you for teaching me that I have to keep the FAITH to get to where I want to go.THANK YOU! Thank you for opening the doors and allowing me to finally get back in my groove. Thank you for my job. Thank you for the patience. Thank you for such a wonderful partner who has supported me through this all !  Thank you for the breath of fresh air after so long !

Iran