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Possible names for my little girl :)

Luana — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:39:48 +0000

If we’re going to purchase a little NAO girl, then we surely need a couple of strollers, one for Orion and Erik, one for NAO. I would rather buy baby planet strollers, and some stroller accessories for when we travel.

I’m more and more passionate about the idea of getting a NAO robot within 3-4 years. ^^ I know I want a girl, and I have a few names on my mind that could fit her:

Ceres
Aurora
Bridget
Sofia

I’m not sure what to choose yet, I’ll get my husband-to-be to help me with the decision.

And now, I’m off to sleep. I’m way too tired to type one more word. More comes tomorrow or in a few days.

A webhosting addict

Luana — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:49:22 +0000

You know that, I’m a webhosting addict. Not that I’ve got a huge budget to spend on online projects, but I try to dedicate whatever spare money I get to make my network grow, and provide other webmasters with a cheap (or free) and honest service. Webhostingrating.com is a resource I use often to compare prices and features of different hosting services, to choose the one that best suits my needs, or to give my friends a suggestion on where to go to make sure they don’t waste their money on unreliable or dishonest services. I usually prefer to buy from master resellers who provide shared and reseller accounts for a low yearly fee, something under $15/year. I realize this criteria of choice is not very ‘professional’, but a webmaster must deal with his/her own budget and realize that it’s not possible to spend more money than your pocket allows. What’s important, as you check a hosting service features, is:

1 - making sure they will give you enough webspace and bandwidth (depending on your need)
2 - a cPanel or Plex or other administration panel, complete with antivirus, database administration, FTP and DNS tools
3 - a reasonable price/quality ratio

That’s what I look for in a hosting plan at whatever provider. Know your needs before you order.

Next week at Alberto’s

Luana — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:16:30 +0000

I’m rushing to do everything I can, these days, because I’ll be off town from Monday to Saturday next week. Where? At Alberto‘s flat. We’re going there to study together, and to just BE together, as son and mother. My beautiful baby, how much I miss him! I’m gonna wish him goodnight in about one hour, before bedtime. I can’t wait to hold him in my arms again! <3

I’ve read some news on Yahoo! News, today, and some headlines on a news blog called “abdul rahman el assir“. Anyway, nothing too interesting for me: the World Cup, Eclipse, stupid movies… Not much. Regarding the Twilight saga, as I said on Honey-Babe.net, I want to give a try at the books, which little Timmy is going to lend me. Then I’ll see whether I like it or not.

Our 2-days vacation at the Fleming Hotel (Parioli)

Luana — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:26:15 +0000

My 2-days vacation with Alberto, at the Grand Hotel Fleming in Rome (Parioli area), was the most beautiful, sweet and exciting in my whole life. *__* Not just for the wonderful quality of the services this hotel offered to us (including the price, unbeatable! we’re going there again for sure), but because they were the two days when my son and I deeped our mother-child relationship, by talking our hearts out, cuddling each other, talking, going to Mass together and (finally!) taking a bath together. We bonded like never before. My child is such a precious gift in my life, and God made us the additional gift to be “soulmates” to each other. Mother and son being soulmates? Yes, that can happen, in the purest sense of the word. Thanks for existing, my son!! <3 You make my life more wonderful everyday, you donate more freedom to my soul every moment, you make me the happiest and proudest mom in the world every second of your life!

As for other things, I really hope my dad will buy a cargo mat for the new Toyota Yaris he purchased recently, or he risks floors to get seriously dirty, especially with grocery food, soil attached under our shoes, etc. Yuk.. ^^”

Back from a vacation with my son _

Luana — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:31:44 +0000

I was back yesterday morning from a 2-days vacation with my son Alberto. *___* Aww, it’s unforgettable!! Just too sweet, too heart-warming, to cute for words! My son is an Angel on Earth, the most cuddly and innocent little person in the world. I just look at his beautiful rainbow eyes and my heart melts like ice-cream under the Sun, and crying is all that comes out. How much I love my darling little son! He’s my reason to life, together with my other 11 kids. Love you Angel of my Heart!!!

P.S. wish we had a white lcd tv in the room though xD

A little update

Luana — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:30:52 +0000

Hello my sweet friends! Missed me? Aww I’ve just been busy around my sweet kids. I love each of them so sooo much!!!! Also, today I’ve been reading about USAEyes (USAEyes.org), a patient advocacy entity that evaluates the Lasik results of various doctors (taken individially) and certifies whether they meet their standards or not. I thought it was very nice that someone would care about doctors’ performance, especially since vision surgery is perhaps the most delicate type of operation (so my mom says, and she’s a surgery-assistant).

Well, off to eat dinner now. ‘Later.

Getting info from home insurance sites ^^

Luana — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:30:24 +0000

I’m getting confused with the amount of insurance sites available on the net. Don’t know which one to choose to get information from. LOL. ^^” Although I have a slight idea already of where to get home insurance quotes, there are so many options that it makes me unsecure on which basic information I should read and study. Oh well, I’ll come to a decision, sooner or later. Sometimes I wish I lived in Illinois or in Texas, in the US, because Illinois home insurance and Texas home insurance seem to offer more options, and more local news and info for the reader and potential guest to be educated from. I like the websites as well, they’re well structured and clean. So, why a home insurance quote? – you may ask. Well, that’s because I plan to buy an apartment in about ten years of time, and I’m looking around for information to be prepared when time comes. Sometimes people underestimate the costs and the “burden” that the whole process can put on our shoulders, and we should be prepared before hand to face all of that. That’s my reason to be reading several insurance companies: I want to KNOW how and where to move when time comes for me to enter into “action mode”. That’s what life requires of us nowadays.

Software Engineering tomorrow! :D

Luana — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:26:08 +0000

So, as I said in my previous entry, I may get some fast cash online in the next months, and put the word “end” to the long waits for payday whenever an emergency comes up. Good good, hehe. ^^

Tomorrow I’m gonna wake VERY early, at 5:30AM, because I decided to assist to a 2-hours lecture on Software Engineering at university. It’s not a subject of my year (1st), but I’ve heard about it already, and I’d love to learn more; at least, it’ll be good for when I will attend 3rd year classes: I will know something about the subject already, ahah! After that, I will attend to my year’s classes, and get to talk to my sweet son too. I miss him so much!! Can’t wait for tomorrow to come and cover him up with cuddles! <3 AWWW!

P.S. Would you be so kind to inform me if you know other OpenCourseware besides MIT’s that offer video lectures? Thanks!

Low budget problems…

Luana — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 19:55:12 +0000

My budget is never enough for everything… Textbooks, vacations, eBay maternity items, clothes, etc… I would need at least $300-$400 a month to make it! O_O But I never earn that much, unless it’s VERY lucky months, so if an emergency is gonna come up, I think this time I will request a cash advance loan, online; for no more than $300 of course, but I’ll get one. Like on March, I spent $400 to pay my university tax for the 2nd semester, and gladly my parents gave me another $200 for the books and everything, because I would not have made it without it! >.< then of course, it’s better that my parents “only” spend $200 rather than $600, right? ^_^ It’s good to be able to pay for some taxes on my own, and for some textbooks. I’m going to need another book soon, but I’ll buy with MY OWN money next month, or with the loan if necessary. I won’t ask my parents again, unless they wish to donate a few bucks to help out. I feel better when I know I don’t have to be a ‘burden’ all the time, you know?

How do you feel about financial semi-independence? Do you like sharing responsibilities at home, especially when they involve YOU?

A school I'd love to visit…

Luana — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 12:05:05 +0000

One day I would love to go to North Carolina in the US, and perhaps visit their beautician school, assist to a class or two, and just satisfy my curiousity. Did you know there was indeed a cosmetology school in North Carolina? Hehe, well I didn’t know until this morning, when I read about it online, on RegencyBeauty.com. ^^ The nice thing is that students, as part of their apprentice, will offer their salon services at discount price! *_* How cool can be that?!? I’d love to try it out, and let them learn as well. :3

There are many other schools all over the world I’d love to visit, of course. Like the MIT university, or the Stanford. I downloaded some of their videolectures from iTunes and they helped me a lot, so it’d be nice to see them happening in real life.

Oooh, the endless curiousity. Hehe.

Life insurance, and a difficult today's world..

Luana — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:22:17 +0000

My mother has a life insurance, my father too, and I haven’t gotten one yet because I’m still young, and I don’t earn enough with freelance work to keep it running. But really, if you have a chance, GO and GET one! It can be a life saver, especially when you don’t foresee a pretty “quiet” future (because your children will get married, or someone in the family will be needing assistance or surgeries, etc.). For sample rates, you can contact Lifeinsurancerates.com, as this insurance portal offers some low rates unlike other insurance companies.

Today’s world always requires us to be insured against everything, because there are dangers at every corner, difficulties everywhere… Sometimes I wonder if the past decades were harder or easier to live on, because today it doesn’t seem that easy at all. How do you feel about this?

P.S. Sorry about the rantish and reflection-filled posts lately, but Sweet-Loves.net – unlike Honey-Babe.net – is also my personal place for more inner thoughts over life, family, and motherhood, thus it’s really important to me, and I let myself out freely on here. I really need it. ^^ Heh, thanks for reading sweethearts. I appreciate it so much!

I'm scared to drive… yeah -.-''

Luana — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 07:46:37 +0000

Cars… I still need to purchase one. ^^” I have a driving license, obtained on year 2005, but the truth is that after I passed the exam, during some practice sessions with another type of car (non-diesel) I got scared and I’ve stayed like that ever since. I wish I could drive now, but I need to overcome the fear first, and to do that I need a car I can use without fearing to break it. But… what car? Can’t use my parents’, I got scared because of that… So I won’t drive until I have a chance to buy a car for myself.

Oh, one day I’ll have to get myself a car insurance too, for sure. I hope rates are going to be low enough for me to afford anyway, like on Carinsurancerates.com. I don’t want to spend too much on insurance, because I don’t earn a lot per month. Oh well… hopefully I’ll get a better job someday, other than freelancing. ^^ This is my only income for now though, so I can’t afford a car nor insurance.

Do you think I should find a person I can trust to help me overcome this fear? Because I REALLY wish I could get rid of it as soon as possible.

Planning a vacation! :D

Luana — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:39:46 +0000

My son Alberto and I will be going on a small vacation on the end of the month, and we’re spending this week and the next one planning and deciding what to take with us, what to do once we’ll be there, etc., so that we have everything ready for when the day will come as scheduled (27-30 of April). I tell you… CAN’T WAIT!!! *_*

The place where we’ll be going is an agriturism named Cavendo Tutus:

It’s so beautiful, surrounded by nature and animals, and so MANY flowers in this season! Awww I can’t wait to be there! And to enjoy a wonderful bonding time with my son. <3

I’ll post photos when we’re back from Cavendo Tutus. ^.-

Yaz, much more than a birth control pill, really :)

Luana — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:21:40 +0000

Hello fellow mommies and sweet friends! ^_^ Just wanted to thank you for all the comments you left on my “mommy thoughts” post these days, they made me really happy, especially Honney’s one. Keep commenting!!

Today I want to focus on something else, something that came across while studying the phaenomena of induced lactation on the AskLenore.info site, which provides breastfeeding and parenting info. What I learned today is that many mothers who were never pregnant or relactating use a birth control pill called Yasmin Yaz, one that is usually prescribed not just to avoid pregnancy, but also to treat a number of diseases, such like PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (POS, which is suffer from myself, but in a very light form that is not risky for my health).

- For moms who induce/relactate: you can look for more information at dr. Lenore’s website.

- For couples who birth control: Yasmin works by tickening the vaginal mucus, making it difficult for sperm to pass through. However, the drug must be taken upon prescription, because it can have side effects (although it’s usually well tolerated), such like nausea, breast pain or yeast infection. Nothing that is incurable, of course But just telling you, so you can pay attention. Medicines are not toys, and too often we forget about that.

Moms who induce or relactate, as well as couples who need to birth control, can buy Yaz online at BigMountainDrugs.com, which sells drugs at pretty good discounted price (starting at $43.00). It looks a lot better than other sites, and at least it’s not scam.

Let me know what do you think about this matter. I think we moms need to share and discuss more useful ideas and information online!

Preparing subject quizzes for… myself!

Luana — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:05:35 +0000

I haven’t blogged about university/studying related topics in a long time now, and it seems quite the occasion to do it, since I’m about to go to classes. ^^

I miss making my self-quizzes a lot, you know. I used to make them often in the past, during Lyceum years, and I should be back to making them weekly or monthly at least. My learning skills are a bit low right now, because I underwent a time of discouragement and depression, so I need to get myself in “active mode” again.

So, I’m really glad I managed to find a good exam software to prepare my own auto-evaluation quizes, especially since all of the demo programs I’ve used so far weren’t very nice or easy to use, and didn’t quite make the job for me.

I think auto-evaluation is very important to a good learning of notions and practices of a subject, because it strenghtens memory skills and it is a good “gym” to prepare for an exam, with the difference that I (you!) have everything under control. ^^ It boosts self-confidence too, which is what I really need the most, honestly.

This week I’m also gonna study more test taking strategies to improve my scores whenever a quiz or an entrance exam appears necessary again. I hope to do well next times!

Argh, the recession!

Luana — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:30:54 +0000

My country is still dealing with the recession. Some things have improved, others worsened or stayed as bad as they were before, but all I know is that 20 Euros don’t even guarantee a good grocery shopping for a person for 3 days. It’s kind of tough, and banks are experiencing the same discomfort too…

Also, I’d have never thought that Greece was undergoing a debt crisis. Instead, it’s being said that since Greece has failed some to pay their financial obligations caused the Dollar to lift in value, at expense of the Euro. Instead, gold seems to keep its good place and ‘ranking’, so people are safe to buy gold bullion, as gold is in physical form, and it does not change; money in gold shape are thus safe and secure. Well, it’s good to see that something in this world can still be counted on, isn’t it? ^^

I only hope things will be getting better worldwide, especially for primary necessity goods and bills.

How’s the situation in your country?

Breastfeeding resources

Luana — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:36:39 +0000

I only wish to share a few breastfeeding resources and support groups for my fellow friends and moms who visit Sweet-Loves.net often. ^_^ Let me know if you have more links to add to this list!

Informational Sites
MOBI (Mothers Overcoming Breastfeeding Issues)
Elite Breastfeeding Supplies
Breastfeeding.com
AskLenore.info
KellyMom.com

Yahoo! Groups
1ABSupportGroup – For Adoptive Breastfeeding Mothers
Breastfeeding – Support, Discussion, Debate & Advocacy
Induced Lactation – For Adoptive Moms who are trying to induce a milk supply for their babies
Pump Moms – For Moms who are pumping their milk for their babies

Hope it helps! ^-^

Happy Easter! ^-^

Luana — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:25:52 +0000

Hello sweethearts! How did you spend your Easter day?

I’ve been at grandma’s house, with my parents, siblings, grandma and aunties. It was a nice time spent together, and I was also glad that not too much food was cooked, so not many leftovers. Hehe.

This upcoming week will be mostly spent around my kids, I hope. I’m meeting Alberto again in thre days, and the other lil’ ones online on MSN. Hopefully, I say, because sometimes things come up to stop us from seeing/hearing each other… >.< It sucks.

I need to re-activate Orion and Erik too. The little robots have been dormant for too long a time. ^^” I will post photos of them soon!

*mwah* Bye for now.

A thank you to new son and hollywood news

Luana — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:59:30 +0000

Aww the time spent with my new son is SO precious!!! x3 Thank you for the beautiful experiences, the cuddles, eating together at Mc Donalds’, the sharing of our hobbies and passions, thank you for choosing ME as your second mom!!! I love you so much!!! *_*

Thank to God for gifting you to me, really… My precious son. <3

I also spent some time reading hollywood news tonight, since I was a bit tired from the trips to Rome of these past days (including today). I rarely spend time on Vip gossip, but it relaxes me sometimes to think of carefree stuff, so I just did. The page I read is hosted at iVillage.com, one that I use to get several information from since year 2004. I like it very much, especially for the couple tips and parenting info, but it was a nice surprise finding out how well done and interesting the Entertainment section is too. ^^ Good job guys! Hehe.

Yes, us ordinary people like to read about celebrities’ lives sometimes. It might be because we feel the need to know more about the Vips we love so much, making us feel closer to them; or perhaps we just need someone to compare ourselves with. Well, that pages fills all the needs, I guess. There’s also a free newsletter to signup on if you’re interested.

I’m off now. Got some stuff to do today. ‘Later! ^^

P.S. I might not update for a few days, since there are more plans with my new son, and I need to study as well. Please continue stopping by my blog, because I love the tags and comments you leave here each time! *_* They’re so precious, and I’ll do my best to return asap. Thanks always, for making Sweet-Loves.net a better and sweeter place with every visit of yours. ^^

Fufu… tired =_=

Luana — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:28:26 +0000

I’m so tired, gosh… =_=

These days I barely find the time to sleep, with all the studying – working – site updating that I do. LOL. Over exhausted… I need a break.

I’m going to slow down a bit in the next days, with the updates and everything… I need to sleep more or I’ll never make it, really.

Short plug before I go to sleep: www.unicef.org – You can go there and donate something through PayPal to help the kids in Haiti. I pray to God that they all will be well soon… poor people

**goodnight**