Hey everyone!

What a difference a month makes!  Less than a month ago (August 12) our family had the best news with the arrival of Caleb Ashton Mendoza-Burks!  He was 6 lbs 8 oz, 21 inches long and has changed our lives for the better since the moment he has arrived.  It feels like this first month has just been one long day with the lack of sleep and the craziness, but every time Adam and I look at him it is SO WORTH IT!  Everyone who has met him keeps trying to figure out who he looks like more, Adam or me.  So far the only thing I think looks like me at all is his scrawny long legs  My dad has nicknamed him Sandy Koufax because he has long fingers that my dad says “will make him a great baseball pitcher” — he has even started to work on his hand-eye coordination, gotta love Coach Grandpa!!

My family has been amazing with my mom over almost every day to play with him, teach me something new every day and tell me stories about what I was doing at his age.  It is truly a miracle of life and I am so appreciative of all the moms and dads out there that raise children — so amazing!!

Tomorrow I leave for my first road trip since Caleb was born.  He is staying home, so this means I will be away from him for the first time!!  I am so sad, he is my little buddy and the most I have spent “away” from him is the 3 hours of sleep I get at a time at night.  I am leaving to speak at the “Women and Power” conference at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY.  It is going to be an all-star lineup with remarkable women such as Natalie Merchant (singer/musician), Gloria Steinem (groundbreaking feminist from the 70’s), Donna Lopiano (former CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation), Angela Hucles (Olympic soccer star) and many, many more.  I am looking forward to not only being a part of this conference, but to also listening and learning from the amazing women around me.  Just have to figure out how to not miss my son too much

Many more exciting trips and stories to come, Caleb takes his first plane ride next month to Washington DC and New York City for the Tween Summit and the Women’s Sport Foundation’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports Dinner, he even got his first tuxedo for the red carpet — too fun!!  If any of you are interested in attending the NY dinner or learning more about it, check out this link: http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/News-And-Events/Events/Annual-Salute-to-Women-in-Sports.aspx.

I am also trying to get back into shape fast for the USA tryout this January — can’t wait to get back and play again!!

Looking forward to updating you all on the next few months, thank you for all the kind words and congrats — so many amazing parents out there!!!

Love it, Dream it, Live it!!
Jessica Mendoza #2