Being Mama

Dear Sissy,

2010-11-15T22:45:00.003-05:00

One year ago tonight, I was laying on the couch watching "Desperate Housewives" while gripping a pillow and wincing in pain. You were on your merry way. I looked over at Dada and said "I betcha anything you won't be going to work tomorrow!" He didn't mind. I couldn't believe you were about to be born and I cry now as I write, because looking back to that night, it's hard to imagine I hadn't yet met you. You weren't really in our lives just yet, and now, we can't imagine life without your crystal blue eyes and contagious smile.

Sometime around 5 a.m. (my memory is a bit weary) we called Grandma to come and sit with your big brother so that we could head to the hospital. I remember being sad that I wouldn't be able to say goodbye to him since it was so early. I went around the corner to head up the stairs for my hospital bag, and there he was, sitting on the stairs. He'd heard the commotion. Even though it was so early in the morning, I was so happy he'd woken up. I told him that when Daddy and I return, he would be a big brother and I kissed him goodbye. I may have also left him with a new toy. (Mommy guilt) Then, we were hospital bound.

The birthing process is never pretty, so I'll focus on the good stuff. It was so exciting to lay in bed and wait for you to arrive. Painful, very painful, but so exciting. I wondered who you'd look like. Would you look like me? Dada? Brendan? Would you have a ton of black hair like your brother had when he was born? Would you be quiet as a mouse in the nursery and win all the nurses hearts over with your teeny little voice? And most importantly, would our lives change just as much as they did, when Brendan entered our lives?

Well, to answer all of the above. You looked just like Brendan did, minus the hair because you were born without one strand. You had the cutest nose that we pegged immediately as Deepah's. (Grandpa, for those reading) You were NOT so quiet in the nursery, and they were ever-so-anxious to bring you right back to me after each trip to the nursery. And last but not least, you have changed our lives in more ways than you can ever imagine. Sometimes I look at you and Brendan playing on the floor, and life before the two of you almost seems nonexistent. I got more sleep back then, but I wouldn't trade this life for anything in the world.

So, at 1 year old, here are your stats:

You're almost walking but still not quite sure. I am fine with that BTW.

You have 6 teeth. 4 on the bottom, 2 on top that just came through, like yesterday.

You loooove books. You sit and turn the pages, point to objects, and laugh.

You looooove dolls already. You hug them and sway from side to side.

You looooove music. The only way Dada can make you happy sometimes is to turn on iTunes and blast the volume. It may be your calling.

You took yourself off the bottle last week. I cried over that one. There's nothing I loved more than holding you first thing in the morning, all dressed in your cozy pajamas, while you drank your ba-ba.

You love Brendan's blankie, which has caused some problems. You have 3 of your own, yet you want his. There's something about that blankie....

All of the sudden you despise baths. Hated them as a newborn, then loved them for a few months, now hating them again. So, you get very few baths.

You make us belly laugh like no other. Especially Brendan. He'll never admit it, but he loves to laugh at you. Everything you do is "so silly" he says. "That sissy is so silly, right Mama?"

You've got just about enough hair for a bow.

You're a human garbage disposal. You eat, and eat, and eat. There is no food out there that you do not like. You also like toilet paper, leaves, and socks.

I will find out this week how big you are getting. I can't believe we're headed to your one year appointment in a few days. I just can't believe it. It was just yesterday that I layed on the couch with you, many nights, rocking you to sleep. I enjoyed those quiet moments, just you and me. I couldn't believe I had a baby girl to follow my baby boy around.

Sissy, Ry-Ry, Diva, Crazy lady, Ry-Lo, Rhino, munchkaroo, Snotty McSnotty Pants....whatever the nickname is for the day....We Love You. Thank you for making us belly laugh.

Happy, Happy 1st Birthday! (tomorrow.)

Love,
Momma

Dear Ryan....

2010-10-18T22:29:00.021-04:00

Back when your brother was born, I had all kinds of time on my hands. Apart from doing laundry, changing diapers, back-to-back feedings, vomit clean-ups in aisle 4, and finding time for the occasional shower, I spent my days staring at him...blogging about him...and writing him letters. Lots and lots of letters.

I have to be honest, I don't have that kind of time these days. I have you! But, you still deserve a love letter from your Mama before you turn 1 year old next month. Even if I wake up feeling all kinds of tired and crabby tomorrow, because it's way past my bedtime! But as I said, you deserve some written words from me.

From the moment I found out I was pregnant with you, I knew you'd always keep me guessing. After 3 different pregnancy tests, all reading strangely different results, I was happy to find out that the positive one was right on the money. I came out of the bathroom and told Brendan he was going to be a Big Brother! He acted excited but really had no idea what was to come. Then Daddy came home from work, and I told him. He was very excited also. We couldn't wait to make our family a happy foursome.

This is you, inside Mommy:

I was miserable the first few months of pregnancy with you. I don't know why they call it "morning sickness" because I was nauseous from morning til night. Once that subsided, the heartburn and reflux was next up to kill me. I couldn't eat or drink water. Convenient! Orange juice commercials alone sent me running for the TUMS. I craved peanut butter, bagels, waffles, donuts, doritos, anything mexican, and ice chips. I chewed so many ice chips that I eventually broke a tooth at 38 weeks pregnant and wound up in the dentist chair. "Are you sure you're not at the wrong dr. office, Mrs. Lotty?" Nope! Fix my tooth so I can get back to chewing ice chips please! And make it snappy, I gotta pee!

You were very active at night. I never slept because you were testing out your fancy dance moves on all of my bodily organs. I remember laying in bed, watching my pajamas move all over the place as you moved and grooved. I almost miss that feeling...

Brendan curiously watched my belly grow bigger and asked me if you were going to like cars. Judging from the way you danced inside the womb, I didn't have the heart to tell him you'd prefer all girly things, but I was wrong. You DO love cars. Actually, you love anything as long as he is playing along side you.

Finally on a chilly Sunday night, I beached myself on the couch to watch "Desperate Housewives" and winced in pain. Major pain. I knew you'd be arriving very soon. I told Daddy I didn't think he'd be going to work the next day. I was right:

There you were, one day early. You entered this world with attitude, girlfriend. Brendan was so quiet in the nursery, they had to check his pulse. You, on the other hand, could be heard for miles. And miles. You screamed for the first 4 months of your life. We're very proud of ourselves for keeping our cool and not leaving you in a basket on the church steps. Because then we wouldn't get to see this face each and every day:

Your brother wasn't so sure of you at first. Okay, so he finally just warmed up to you just in time for your 1st Birthday. I think he's figured out that you're not going anywhere, so he better just suck it up and start showing you some love. He's a true big brother- likes to tell you what to do. I'm just hoping it will stick when you turn 16. "Don't go out with that guy, Sissy, I'll tell Mama." He does love you, so, so much. You're the first thing he asks for in the morning, and the last thing he talks about at night. "I wuv Sissy, I wike to share my toys wif her." He likes to build towers out of plastic cups or paper towels and laughs hysterically when you knock them over:

And when he really, really loves you, he lets you take his wheels for a spin:

I don't want to embarrass Daddy so I'll keep this part simple. Your bond with Dada is something pretty special. He gets mad at me for being at Brendan's disposal, but I just know the second you're able to talk with that sweet little voice, he'll be tripping all over himself to wait on you. Right now his mission is to get you walking. I am not ready for that, but can't wait to see you running around the backyard with your Daddy and big brother either.

At 11 months old, you are just the craziest little thing we've ever seen. The craziest! You crawl at lightning speed. You eat everything and anything you can get your hands on. You dance to every tune. You clap your hands when Brendan smiles at you. You say "Mama" and "Dada" already. You can spot a piece of jewelry from across the room, and immediately notice if I've painted my nails. You put any object up to your ear and pretend it's a phone. You find things in drawers we didn't know we had. You love your Grandma and Deepah and shriek with delight when you see them. You're always on the go, yet you love a few seconds of cuddling from time to time. I'd love to say that you sit and read books like Brendan did when he was a baby, but sitting still is simply not your style my little friend.

I have to be honest and say that I always thought I'd have boys. I never thought I'd be the mother of a daughter. I am terrified of all sorts of things...I mean, I don't even know how to accessorize or how to properly apply make-up, so how the heck am I going to set a good example for you? I guess we'll just have to figure it out together, you and I.

Thank you for coming into our lives, and keeping us on our toes. You've certainly got spunk, and we cannot wait to see what you do with it. Those big blue eyes and magical laughter have lit up our world in ways we can't describe. Life with you, is wonderful.

Love,
Mama

5 Years

2010-10-07T20:26:00.008-04:00

I was supposed to post this last week as a little tribute to our 5 year wedding anniversary, but as usual, kids get in the way.

The husband and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary on October 1st. I cannot believe it's been that long already since we made a lifelong commitment to eachother....

I knew from the moment I met him, that we'd be together. Really. I sat down next to him in a bar, was immediately mesmerized by his baby blue eyes, and haven't looked back since. I couldn't believe he was single. I just thought he was the most handsome man I'd ever met. Still is.

I don't think you'll be shocked when I show you the coolest things my husband has ever given me:

But he's also given me other things throughout the years....

Friendship
Loyalty
Laughter
Comfort
Support
Confidence
Memories
More laughter

...and love of course. Lots and lots of love.

Happy 5 Year (and one week) Anniversary, Matthew. :)

32

2010-09-25T10:50:00.003-04:00

I turn 32 years of age today. I am healthy, I live in a lovely home, and am married to the best man in the world. I have two incredible children, an amazing, supportive family, and great friends. I never thought in a million years I would end up this lucky. I am so blessed.

Happy Birthday to me. :)

Paging June Cleaver

2010-09-23T22:25:00.004-04:00

Failing sucks. And lately, I feel as though I'm failing miserably as a mother. I just wish I could go back and un-do it all, and start over. Start fresh. I suppose that would take the entire journey away, and that's what parenting is: a journey. I wish I could've been more prepared for its ups and downs. And for the times that there are so many more downs than ups. I just want happy children, and one of them never seems to be happy. Can you guess which one?

I also just wish I would stop letting the chaos get to me and take it like a grown-up, instead of throwing tantrums like my 3 year old. Where is the June Cleaver in me? Why can't I just stand there in my apron and pearls and fancy up-do and say "Well dear, when you're done throwing matchbox cars at me and your sister, you can join us for supper." Instead I get so angry at him for acting like a 3 year old. Because you know, he's THREE.

How do teen parents do it? You know, those 16 year olds that pop out several kids. I'm 32 and can barely keep it together. I'm sure they don't have it together either, but at the moment, everyone else seems so much better off than we are...

Off to snuggle with the one who never seems to be happy. Hoping for better days to come. It's all I can do.

Deep Thoughts by Brendan

2010-09-23T15:01:00.002-04:00

"How long will Sissy live here? She needs her own house and her own toys."

*sigh*

Mothers Throw Tantrums, Too!

2010-09-23T08:50:00.003-04:00

That's right. I threw a tantrum in front of the kids lastnight over having nowhere to sit. I had made Ryan a bottle and sat down in the chair with her. Brendan decided he was suddenly in charge of where I sit while I feed her, so he started screaming. "Move! You can't sit there! That's MY chair! That's MY CHAIR Mama! Move Mama! THAT'S MY CHAIR!" Poor Ryan could barely finish her bottle with all the yelling, so I got up to move. That's when I lost it. He's still screaming, I'm looking around for somewhere to sit with the baby, and there's nothing. Nowhere to sit. The couch was covered in toys. The other chair was covered in toys. The chair I'd been sitting in was covered in toys, as I could feel the sting of matchbox car that had dug right into my right ass cheek.

"AND JUST WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SIT? THIS PLACE IS A DISASTER AREA!" I sat Ryan down on the floor, picked up the toy baskets that are SUPPOSED to hold all of the toys, and started chucking cars and trains in like crazy, all the while muttering not-so-kind words for bossy toddler.

10 minutes later the room is completely cleaned up and I'm covered in sweat. Kids are both staring at me like I've just grown 6 heads. "Thank you for cleaning up, Mama. Is it time for bed now?"

I'm ashamed to ask if I should do that more often??

Ryan's Stats

2010-09-21T10:11:00.008-04:00

Since I never did keep baby books for either child, (slap my hand!) I need to quickly jot down Ryan's "firsts" before I forget.

1st roll over- the day she was born I think!

1st smile- about 4 weeks old, right here:

1st tooth- Popped in on April 20th while Brendan and I were in NYC with friends. The babysitter noticed it first and texted me to announce it. I cried.

2nd tooth- Popped in not long after?

3rd tooth- Popped in August 14th. Matt was in Vegas for a Bachelor Party and I texted him to announce it. I doubt he cried.

Sat up alone- Memorial Day Weekend.

Started crawling: Middle of July, right after returning home from our beach vacation in North Carolina.

Stood up alone: doing it now!!

She's crazy. Nothing like Brendan was....Brendan wasn't even officially crawling at this age. He was just a chubby bump on a log:

This is Ryan, crawling toward the camera as quick as an ostrich:

You get my point.

Stay tuned for more wonderful "firsts."

2010-09-20T20:08:00.004-04:00

Brendan had no nap today. It's like a scene from "The Exorcist" upstairs. God keep me from getting in the car and heading for the nearest liquor store.

Fall is here...

2010-09-19T22:12:00.016-04:00

...and I am too! I know I made a solemn vow to faithfully commit myself to keeping this blog back in....June, I think was the last post...but man alive, do these kids keep me busy! I truly am lucky if I get to eat a full meal some days. Summer was insanely busy with a energetic, potty-training toddler and very mobile infant. And facebook-ah, such a love/hate relationship with that thing. It has to go. Soon, I promise. It has kept me from writing in this precious diary of mine for so long and for that, I am embarrassed. If you're not on facebook, I congratulate you because it is seriously time consuming and can be borderline addicting if you let it become just that. I could sit and view photos of old classmates and their families for hours upon hours. I haven't even seen some of these people since Junior High, yet it's "so necessary" to see what they've been up to this summer by viewing pics and reading their numerous daily status updates. Why, you ask? Hell I don't know! That's the problem. My husband loathes facebook. Sees absolutely no reason to be on it. "If I didn't like anyone in high school, why would I want to be their f*cking friend on facebook?" He's got a point. Yet, most of my family is now on the infamous site and so are many close friends that I truly DO enjoy checking in with. I tried taking myself off it for a week and had major withdrawls...."wonder what my little brother is doing today...wonder if my sister-in-law posted pics of the kids first day of school...wonder what my mom is eating for lunch...." Well, I suppose if facebook is my biggest dilemma in life, I've got nothing to complain about.

Speaking of life...life is crazy. Brendan is 3 and Ryan is 10 months, already! Already!! I feel like both kids just arrived yesterday and gazed into my eyes at the hospital, probably thinking,"Wow, she looks terrible. Hope she perks up a bit!" When you have babies, every Tom, Dick, Harry, and Henrietta will tell you just this, word for word: "Enjoy these years, they fly by so fast." And you just yawn and say with an eye-roll "Yeah, whatever, I'm tired...hopefully they do fly by so that Momma can get a little shut-eye for a change." But man, were those people right. Brendan sprouted up before my very eyes. I have vivid memories of him just days old, napping on my chest The cute, twisted faces he would make as he'd lift his little fuzzy head to yawn and stretch, then lie down again for more slumbering. Oh how I'd give anything, anything to go back to one of those naps. Ryan is still my little baby, but even she's just about entered toddlerhood with her proud moments of standing all by herself. She dances to any music, even just a car commercial if it's got a good beat. She claps. She waves. She belly laughs like nobody's business, especially when big brother is doing something silly. She crawls at lightning speed which has put my mothering skills to the true test at times. "Who is upstairs in Ryan's room hiccuping into the baby monitor? OMG! It's RYAN!" She took those stairs like an escaped convict and never looked back. (thank God, or she may have fallen.) She's crazy. She's into things Brendan never even thought twice about at this age. Drawers, cupboards, the toilet, shoes....there are shoes scattered all over this house. She looooves jewelry already...can spot a sparkly earring from a mile away and will manage to unclasp it from your ear in a nanosecond. Basically, she's growing so fast, another reason I'm so angry with myself for neglecting this little diary here. She doesn't have all the funny stories and posted somewhere special online like Brendan does...I suppose it's never too late to start though, right?

I'm turning 32 on Saturday. I don't want this to be just any other birthday, not just any new year of life to celebrate. I just did some praying to God upstairs and truly believe that He is what led me right back downstairs to write. (he also mentioned that facebook, if used wisely, can be beneficial. Phew. He also mentioned he has yet to join.) Anyway, I prayed for many things, but most importantly, I prayed for myself. Sounds kind of selfish, but I need some faith in my life more than ever right now. I haven't been feeling very "motherly" as of late. Okay, as of the last 10 months if we're really being honest. Raising two kids has been hard for me. I love my children. Boy do I love my children, but the daily (and nightly) challenges can be very overwhelming, especially with a traveling husband. I'm ashamed to admit that my patience level isn't quite what it was when I was a nanny, raising other's children. I catch myself screaming at my innocent 3 year old for doing things a 3 year old does. I catch myself groaning when the baby won't nap, instead of being thankful that she's a vibrant, healthy baby girl who'd rather play with Momma than sleep. It doesn't help that we're dealing with a sibling rivalry situation between the two. Big brother is still. trying. to. accept the fact that he's no longer the only light in my life. He picks on her. Takes her toys. Pushes her over. Tells her she stinks. (and will eventually tell her she's adopted, I'm sure.) He torments her, and it's hard. I wasn't expecting this kind of upsetting behavior out of him, and I haven't been the best ring leader to try and change the situation. Every night, I get into bed and tell myself, "Tomorrow, I will not yell. I will remember he is only 3. He loves his sissy, he just doesn't like her around so much. He will one day. Tomorrow, I will not yell..." and on and on.

Back to the all praying upstairs that I was doing....I was praying for me. I need strength as a mother. I need patience. I need will power not to be such a screamer. I need to relax. I need to stop and smell the roses. I need to be a good Mom to my children. They need me to keep praying for all of these things so that I can continue to love them as much as I do. Man, I just wish someone had told me parenting was going to be this hard. It's not written anywhere when they send you home with that tiny, tiny newborn. It's all fun and games until big brother has a baby sister.

But, it's not all bad of course...life is actually really good, despite the toddler issues. The husband and I went to a wedding lastnight and like many other simple things that remind me of how incredibly lucky I am, something caught my eye: My husband. He looked downright handsome in his groomsmen outfit. Truth be told, he was the best looking dude in the place. Of course I always feel this way, but nothing like a navy blue blazer and khaki pants to make him pop. I'm so lucky. So lucky to have him. So lucky to have our kids. So lucky to have our families. So lucky to have that wedding where we danced the night away with great friends....

So, I'm turning 32 and with the celebration of another year lived, I am going to make some changes. I'm going to pray more. I'm going to devote myself to being a better Mom, because there's always room for improvement. Always. And most importantly, I'm going to live my life with a little more passion and meaning. My best friend once said, "We're only here once, make it great." Sadly she passed away just a few short months later at just 18 years old. I owe it to her to start living life the way she would have.

I posted a video below of a song that really touches my heart for some reason. "If I Die Young." Life is so fragile. Just incase I die tomorrow, I want you all to know this: I had a safe, loving childhood. I took a total leap of faith by leaving the only home I'd ever known at just 18 years old and flew across the country, only to find my new home. I have formed friendships so close, that really, they're my family now. I found the love of my life in a bar, so don't believe those that say bars are a terrible place to go looking for love. I didn't know what pure joy felt like until my babies were born....the kind of joy that makes you feel like you're floating off the ground and makes your heart skip a beat when you come face-to-face with them for the first time. And if there is one thing I have learned in life, that I get to experience every single day, is that children give the most unconditional love ever imagined. They don't hold grudges, they live in the moment, they wear their hearts on their sleeves, and they passionately scream and go after what they want. We should all live our lives like children, in a way. We should all live without judgement and love all others, even when they pick on us and take our things. The world would be a much better place, wouldn't it?

As I write, I am already feeling so relieved of the daily parenting pressures, and am just so thankful for those precious human beings asleep upstairs and all they've taught me. So thankful for this incredible life that I live with my best friend at my side to continue this crazy journey with. Thank you, God, for leading me downtairs tonight. He really does listen, for those who wonder.

I am done babbling for now and leave you with a couple photos for your viewing pleasure. Stay tuned for more of my greatness. :)

The Band Perry - If I Die Young

2010-09-19T22:05:00.000-04:00

Great song...makes me think of special people in my life that died much too young.

Pajama Time

2010-06-10T21:42:00.002-04:00

Day at the Zoo

2010-06-08T21:16:00.014-04:00

Brendan and I enjoyed a special "Mommy and Me" Day today. Things have been a bit....stressful....around here to say the least. If I hear "3 is the new 2" one more time, I might punch someone in the face.

Anyway, here are some gorgeous photos of my gorgeous boy. No matter how tough times get, I still love him with every beat of my little heart.

Nicknames for Ryan

2010-06-03T13:03:00.003-04:00

Since we have a whole list of them accumulated for Brendan, thought I'd share what precious Ryan as been dubbed so far:

Diva
Screamin Diva
Beast
Ry-Ry
Ry-Lo
Rhino
Monster
Miss Priss
Munchkaroo
Sissy
Sissy-Poo
Turdface Stinkyhead

Okay, I added that last one in today because she was up all night and I'm wiped.

Long time, No Post!

2010-06-02T20:12:00.007-04:00

I cannot believe I've let so much precious time go by without posting to this blog. I sat down today for the first time, in a long time, and the tears just flowed all over the keyboard. I'm so disappointed in myself for not keeping up with it. I can't explain why I'm so sad....maybe it's because this blog was always more than just a blog to me. It was like a diary for my son to read years from now. To be quite honest I used to get caught up in who was reading this and how many viewers I had which weren't many, so I kind of just gave up. Didn't feel it was worth spending the time on. But after looking back over this today, I realize what an awesome gift I have here. A gift for my children to read when they're older. A gift for myself! The only important viewers I should ever care about are fast asleep upstairs. This is for them, and I vow to keep up with it from now on.

So, so much has happened since my last post!

Meet Ryan Caitlin. Born November 16th, 2009. Boy is she something! She is 6 months old already and just adds to the beat of our hearts, yet she is another reason this blog had hit the dumps. From the day she was born until about 12 weeks old, I gotta be honest, she was not a happy baby. The husband and I were beginning to wonder how much we could get for her on eBay. (kidding!) No, really though, it was a very stressful time in our lives. In a nutshell, she was born. She wasn't happy. Brendan wasn't happy she was born. Nobody was getting any sleep. The screaming was unbearable, from each member of our little family. The holidays came and went and really are just a blur to me. I was surviving on roughly 3 hours of interrupted sleep each night. Brendan was completely out of sorts. He was so used to being the prince of the family that it was really, really hard for him to adjust. Everyone kept saying "what's the big deal? He'll get used to it....didn't you get used to your siblings?" People just did not realize how the world stopped whenever Brendan was around and now that he was sharing the spotlight, things got a little hairy for awhile there.

BUT....here we are. We survived that chaos and now have two beautiful, mostly happy children. Here is Ryan (aka Beast) now at a little over 6 months:

She is such a riot. She's nonstop. Nothing like Brendan was. You could put him on the floor and he wouldn't budge. Okay, so he was quite chunky and physically could not budge if you poked him with a knitting needle, but she is sooooo different. He didn't crawl until 11 months old. I'm giving her maybe one more month before she's ruling this roost on her hands and knees. She doesn't miss a lick. She's already aware of strangers, yet loves when they coo and drool over her.

Brendan loves her, and also loves to annoy her. He hides her binky's. He throws toys at her and blames his Woody doll. He takes her toys and stuffs them under the couch. But he also covers her with blankies, talks to her in the cutest voice, and will pat her on the head and say "you're so cute Baby Ryan!" when he thinks nobody is looking. I have a feeling that once she starts walking and shows a little interest in his cars, he'll have a best friend for life. I mean, he's too young to take money bribes for poses like this, so he must like her a little bit.

So here I am, now the mother of 2 children. It's hectic. It's tiring. It's downright physically and emotionally exhuasting. I know that I complain, a lot. But at the same time, sometimes I look at my family and wonder how I got so lucky. What made me so fortunate to deserve all of this? This is my family. This is my life. Thank you, God, for believing I deserve this.

Oh Boy!

2009-06-26T21:05:00.002-04:00

We're having a GIRL! Just thought I'd letcha know. Stay tuned for many panicked posts as I try to wrap my head around this. I always thought I'd have boys. Nothing but boys. I kind of want another boy, which means we'll have to go for #3.

:)

Lynsey

Meet Baby #2

2009-05-29T14:40:00.003-04:00

Isn't he/she gorgeous?!

I think it's a girl, but will let you all know at the end of June.

Signs of Life!

2009-05-15T15:21:00.009-04:00

Get it while it's hot! Boy... this raising-a-toddler business sure puts a hold on my blogging hobby. But just to prove that we're still alive and kicking, I'll share some photos. Enjoy! ...oh and for those who haven't heard, Brendan is going to become a big brother in November! Hooray!

Spring has Sprung

2009-03-18T15:29:00.005-04:00

And wow! Look at me, dusting off the old blog! It's been ages people! Just goes to show that these days I'm left to choose between blogging, or chasing after a crazy 21 month old boy. He's sleeping now, so I know he's safe. :)

It's been a rough winter in this house with colds, ear infections, etc. Poor B-Lo is still recovering from a massive stomach bug that attacked him last Friday. It took everything he had and was so pitiful to witness. Nothing is worse that seeing your child ill. Nothing. But thankfully he's on the mend and getting some more strength back by the day.

I am so happy that the warmer weather is here. It's not quite as warm as I'd like, but it's getting there. I've got a list of things I want to do that involve the outdoors and fresh air- something my child needs a good dose of every day or he drives me nutty. I love him though. :)

I spoke too soon, I suppose the sound of the keyboard woke him up. I hope this post finds you all well. More pics to come soon.

Doritos. Can't eat just one.

2009-02-04T21:37:00.004-05:00

Thursday's Thoughts

2009-01-29T08:15:00.010-05:00

We have My Gym today. I'm kind of excited because I think, I THINK, I'm making some progress with the other Moms. I'm determined to make them my friends, even if they are snobby and rude. Everyone can use friends like that, right?

The driveway is a sheet of ice this morning. Yikes. I sure hope I don't kill myself for the sake of being chummy with great snobby, rude friends.

I always have the weirdest dreams. Lastnight I dreamed that I was magically flying over an ocean and landed on the side of a rocky mountain. I sat down, pulled an apple out of thin air, and ate it. I was apparently waiting for someone to call because I kept looking at my cell phone. I didn't USE it to call anyone, I just stared at it for what felt like an eternity. WTH? That brought on a craving so I baked some apple slices for me and B this morning.

My grocery budgeting is going well. I still haven't built up the patience for coupon clipping yet (sorry Andria!) but I'm sticking to the plan, which is to only buy what we need. I keep a running list on the counter and add things that we run out of, along with meal plan ideas and what we'll need for each one. I'm so proud of myself but there's still a ton of room for improvement. My goal is to cut our grocery bill IN HALF by the end of the year. (I was spending way too much money at that damn market.) I think I can do it.

Brendan is growing like a stink weed! It's so amazing to look back over the past few months and see how much he's changed physically, along with how much he's learned. He's a little man now! Baby fever set in right around the time that he learned the word NO. I need a newborn. ASAP.

News for The Lumberyard if you're reading: Husband might be taking on a project in Jacksonville! Can you believe it? Could this be an oppurtunity to meet another blog friend? I think so! Just email me your address. I'll call you when I land. :)

I smell something. Might be time for new slippers.

Happy Thursday!

I Miss Him.

2009-01-28T14:15:00.001-05:00

Blog Challenge

2009-01-27T08:36:00.003-05:00

After much neglect, I've decided to try and post every day of the week. Kind of like the "365 Day Challenge" only I am going to give myself the weekends off. In order to do this I'll need some motivation. I can't just rattle off random things like I used to. That being said, here's what my weekly posts will consist of:

Mondays: "Memory Monday"

Tuesdays: "Topic Tuesday"

Wednesdays: "Wordless Wednesday"

Thursdays: "Thursday's Thoughts"

Fridays: "Frugal Friday"

So to get started....today is Tuesday which means I will share my thoughts on a topic. Today's topic: The Elderly and their right to drive. I sure hope I don't offend anyone.

Last week alone, I (fortunately) dodged 2 car accidents due to 2 older gentlemen. They both pulled out into busy intersections WITHOUT looking, and then proceeded to flip ME off as I skid to a sudden stop in order to avoid killing them instantly. They just shouldn't be allowed to drive, unless tested every year. They don't feel the need to pay attention to stop signs and blow right through. Sure! Why should you stop? Life is getting short, so I can see the need to rush. The rest of the world however, may have young children in the backseat and God forbid you hit me, your life will be cut even shorter my friend. My purse is too heavy and full of crap for a reason ya know. They don't know how to park and often take up 2, sometimes 3 spaces. They drive 30 mph on the highway, yet fly through town going 70. WTH?

My Grandmother stopped driving at 70. She figured that once she wasn't able to roll with the big dogs on the road, that it was time to retire the license. Now that's a smart woman.

Just my opinion. Feel free to share your thoughts on the topic.

Lynsey

New Things

2009-01-21T13:14:00.012-05:00

It's a new year. We have a new president. I got a new (gorgeous!) camera. I'm making new friends. I have a semi-new hair color. I am in the market for new underwear. (TMI?) So I figured I needed a new title for my blog. I figured "Being Mama" was fitting, don't you?

Speaking of the new president, I don't know what to think about the inauguration. I had never really paid attention to one before, and I didn't start on Tuesday. Truth be told, it really didn't have much to do with the person being sworn in. I just don't have the attention span for that kind of thing. Maybe if I didn't have a 19 month old who also doesn't have the attention span for that kind of thing, then I could've watched some of the festivities just to see what all the chatter was about. I did catch some highlights and I suppose it was truly exciting if he got your vote. And I suppose it was even more exciting when you realize that it really was a huge day in the history of America that will be talked about for years and years to come. I will remember something else though that way too many of us will not. I will remember watching the former president, George Bush, wave good bye. I will remember feeling very sad for him. I truly believe in my heart of hearts that he did the very best he could for our country, considering the tragic hand he was dealt back in 2001. I think he had an overflowing plate to begin with and that he did what it took to keep this country safe since then. It's such a shame to think he will never get the respect that he deserves. Sure he made mistakes, but show me someone who could've handled the past 8 years any differently. Or handled it better, and I might feel obligated to join the rest of the people in the negativity. Until then, he has my utmost respect for keeping my family safe each and every day since September 11th. You'd think that would count for something, but unfortunately for most of this country, it does not. I am just pleased that TV has returned to its regularly scheduled programming and life can resume.

Moving on.

Along with a new year comes 2009 Resolutions! I wasn't going to post mine until I read Andria's. (actually, I hadn't even come up with any yet, I'm just winging it here...)

In 2009, I will:

1. Clean out my own car instead of paying $25 at the expensive car wash only to get jipped when they think I won't notice that they didn't even go near it with a vacuum. Jerks. They didn't know who they were messing with. I am one customer you do NOT want to rip off. I do apologize if I offended anyone with my loud sighing, eye rolling, and minor expletives under my breath. I'm dangerous that way.

2. Develop more pictures instead of storing them all on the memory card and/or computer. I don't want my future grandchildren huddled a computer to view online family photo albums. I was great when Brendan was first born...I was so diligent about printing out photos every few weeks and adding them so neatly to his cute little blue photo albums in an organized and timely manner. Now? Let's just say that the last actual printed photo to be placed into that adorable little album was of our trip to Florida last February. Not good.

3. Learn the ins and outs of our finances, as my husband has been begging me to do. I don't have a clue and am way too dependent on him to play the accountant in this marriage. God forbid something happen to him, there is a small chance that Brendan and I will experience just what it feels like to sleep inside a cardboard box. I don't want that to happen. I'm not a fan of cardboard.

4. That being said, I also vow to cut some corners around here, starting with the grocery bill. Good friend Andria shared some awesome tips on how to do this, and I plan to follow this one through. I am so tired of spending X amount of dollars at the grocery store only to come home and having nothing for dinner. I swear to God that always happens. If you'd like to read her tips, click on the Boy Crazy link in my sidebar. I would insert the link for you but that's something I still need to learn. Maybe that could be another resolution? "Learn how to do other things than just type and play with facebook." I don't think that I spend a lot of money on things actually, in fact the husband once commented that I'm "pretty low maintenance" compared to some wives. Let me refer again to my underwear collection, or lack there of. I am convinced that the dryer eats them, but some might disagree with that explanation. Somehow, I am down to 5 good pair TOPS which means I'm doing a lot of laundry lately just to make sure I've got clean undies. I apologize if this is TMI but it's my blog and I'm trying to make a point, which is, if I was one of those women who looooooved to spend money, I would've been out the door on my way to Victoria's Secret faster than you could blink an eye. (it's the only comfortable brand that I like. Sure, I could get them at Target for cheaper which I have done in the past, but I don't enjoy picking deep wedgies in public.) And my purse is so gross, dirty, and old, that I have pondered sending it to a lab just to see what I've been carrying around with me for the past year. Could be interesting! I have been wanting a new one for ages now but cannot justify buying one when I have one, even though I truly believe that I need one. Now that I think about it, maybe this resolution should be to just buy some new undies and a purse and call it a day.

5. Take a photography class. I've always, always wanted to learn how to take professional photos and since I've got the nice camera now, I really have no excuse not to. In my dream world, I open up my own photography business and make millions on scenic and family photos. Maybe I could start a paparazzi business here in CT? I can follow all the filthy rich people around and catch them doing dirty and illegal things. Then I can blackmail them with my wonderful photos in order to make my millions? Will keep you posted on that.

6. Stop flaking out. I am a self-proclaimed flake and way too indecisive. This drives my husband CRAZY. This conversation that took place 2 nights ago should clue you in on how bad I am:

"I need to go to the store. I hate going to the store, but I should go. Should I go honey? I could just take Brendan with me tomorrow. I need to get to the store. I am wondering if I should go. Should I just go? It's so cold outside, I hate going to the store in the cold. I can't decide if I should go!"

I thought the husband was seriously going to blow a gasket. "IT'S NOT BRAIN SURGERY. JUST GO IF YOU WANT TO GO. YOU EITHER WANT TO GO OR YOU DON'T!!!" He hates when I can't make up my mind on anything, which happens often. I need to stop doing that. Or do I? I can't decide.

7. I'm going to copy Andria and spend less time on the computer. Just like she said,"I didn't become a SAHM to sit on the computer all day." I agree. I don't spend as much time as I used to now that Brendan is down to 1 nap per day, and when he is awake, he certainly doesn't let me sit here and type unbothered. If I am on the computer, monster will actually come and push the keyboard in and slam the drawer. Point taken. Time to play with child. I follow a lot of fancy Mom blogs and I'm always so curious as to how they find so much time for it. One that I follow has 4 kids and homeschools them all, yet she will post 2, sometimes 3 times a day! And her blog is so darn pretty. How does she do it? I guess it doesn't matter, because I'm going to spend less time following it from now on if I live up to this resolution, right?

8. Get adventurous with the cooking. I think that I am a good cook...I mean, the husband eats it without compaining so I assume that I am a few steps above Debra Barone. The problem is that I tend to make the same things over and over. I need to step it up a notch. I just learned how to make pot roast a few weeks ago which might shock you considering I was raised in Idaho: Land of meat and potatoes. It was a little on the dry side, but that's a great excuse to try it again. I need to get Brendan to expand on his food choices also. He usually only goes for anything that contains maple syrup or ketchup.

9. Blog more. Wait, that contradicts resolution #7 right? See? I am so indecisive!

10. Hang pictures on the walls. In this entire house, we have ONE lonely picture that hangs, and it's in Brendan's room. Literally ONE picture. Husband has this weird thing with putting holes in the walls, along with "What would Roger Hazard say?" (major kudos to anyone who knows who Roger Hazard is) He's always in this frame of mind that we're selling the house, so we shouldn't add any personal touches to it because it takes the resale value down. But, last I checked, we're going to be living in this house for at least the next several years, so why I can't a hang anything up? I can't stand the bareness anymore. There are jail cells that are decorated better. He's just lucky that I don't know how to use the stud-finder yet or this place would be littered with stuff all over the walls.
(note to self: track down Home Depot associate and ask how to properly hang pictures.)

I think that's it for now. Must get to the grocery store since I didn't end up going 2 nights ago, incase you were wondering. :)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T20:03:00.002-05:00

Remember to scroll down to the bottom and pause blog music for the video.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

"Happy Christmas" (War is Over)

2008-12-22T12:29:00.010-05:00

I just love that song, know which one I'm talking about? It sums up the year, as well as the holiday season for me.

I'm finally a little organized and just might manage to have all of my shopping and wrapping done by midnight on Christmas Eve. Hallelujah! And it looks as if we might, just might, have a semi-white Christmas this year thanks to the snow we got this weekend.

It's been a wonderful year, full of making memories with our crazy 18 month old. I cannot believe this is his 2nd Christmas already...as part of an early gift to Brendan, I've written this letter:

Dear Brendan,

It's been an action packed year for you, little man! You've traveled more this year than many people do in a lifetime. One trip to Florida, one to Texas, and 2 fun trips to Idaho. And with the exception of one of those flights, you are an expert at flying now which makes me so happy. You've cut a total of 9 teeth and are working on a 10th as we speak. In February you swam in your first swimming pool and put your little toes in the sand in Naples. In May we visited Daddy in Houston where you (officially) learned to crawl and discovered your love of cars. In June you gave Daddy the best Fathers Day gift ever, by saying your first word which was none other than- CAR. We also traveled to Idaho to meet your other Grandma's and Grandpa's, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was a great time. This summer we spent many days on the beach and playing with friends in your froggy pool in the yard. In November we traveled to Idaho again to spend some special time with family, and that is when Grandpa Pat taught you how to walk! It was amazing and the perfect 60th birthday gift for Grandpa Pat. He was so, so proud. You've had 2 haircuts this year which would make lots of Momma's with bald babies out there very jealous, and you still have tons of hair that's hard to comb after baths. You survived a few bad colds, the coxsackie virus, 3 ear infections, and a whopping stomach bug.

At just 18 months, you cannot get any more perfect. Despite the terrible 2's you've now entered, you keep us laughing every day. You're quite the chatterbox and love to talk on cell phones. You've discovered how pens work which is okay, as long as you stick with paper and not furniture. You love to help Mommy cook, empty the dishwasher, and fold clothes which can be interesting and fun. You and Daddy listen to music and play with your cars in the family room, or you guys kick the soccer ball around the backyard. Toilet flushing has become a favorite past time of yours, as well as emptying out Mommy's make up bag to see what floats. Books are becoming your best friend. My favorite moments are sitting on the sofa, watching you pick out books that you want Mommy to read. I'm not too sure books can replace your fondness of cars, but as long as you take an interest in both, then I'm happy. You're still a binky and blankie baby, but there are no plans to take either of those away, anytime soon. You love our Christmas tree and I'm not quite sure how you're going to handle the day we take it down. I'm sure you'll miss saying "tee! tee!" when Mommy plugs the lights in every morning. You're so smart, Brendan. You head for the stairs when Mommy says "bath time!" and you are already counting and can say the letter "D" in your name. You run away from us when we pull out a diaper to change you. When you're tired, you stick your face in your blankie and beg for us to put you to bed.

Mommy could go on and on about how much you have enriched our family every minute, but Christmas is 3 days away and I've got a long list of things to do. When you read this letter years from now, just know this...if someone were to ask us what we did with our lives before you came alone, we wouldn't know what to say. You have made us "Momma" and "Dadda." That's all we know, and that's what we're most proud of.

Merry Christmas Brendan!!!
Love,
Mommy

I apologize.

2008-12-11T19:14:00.016-05:00

I've been avoiding my own blog like the plague. If you'll notice, my last post was November 15th. I feel so behind and very out of the loop. It's the holidays, ya know?? I'm at the point where I'm not sure which end is up. I'm sure I'm forgiven, right? Once January hits, I'll be blogging like a maniac again. You have my word.

I don't even have much time to write tonight, so I also apologize for being a tease. But I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive and kicking.

In a nutshell:

The trip to Idaho was wonderful. Well, I feel guilty saying it was wonderful actually, because my Uncle Frank who had been battling cancer for a year, passed away while we were in town. In a way, I found it to be such a blessing that I was able to see him in his final hours and say goodbye. It was heartbreaking. He was my most favorite uncle, and such a remarkable man. He left the way I would want to go though...surrounded by his entire loving family, peacefully at home. At one point I stood by his bedside and the tears just flowed. It was my turn to whisper how much I loved him and how much I will miss him. I stood by his bed and was reminded of a time about 5 years ago when I was in town visiting. I had called my Aunt Julie and Uncle Frank to let them know I'd be stopping by. I pulled into the driveway and before I could even take the key out of the ignition, Uncle Frank appeared with huge hugs and a bright smile. Aunt Julie followed behind with the same. I'll never forget that moment, feeling so welcome and loved in their presence. Aunt Julie is sad. She's lost her best friend too soon. She put on a very good show for all of us, but I know deep down, her heart is missing the biggest of pieces. Uncle Frank, the family is missing a very dear member. We all love you so very much.

*tears*

Ahem. On a lighter note. Brendan and I were able to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday with him, as well as catch up with Uncle Shawn and Aunt Kat and the kiddies. It was so funny to see Brendan play with his cousins this time around. Abbie roughed him up a bit while Tyler did his best to play referee. I love the how the dynamic is so different when Brendan plays with his cousins vs. playgroup buddies. When he plays with Tyler and Abbie, they can wrestle, taunt eachother, and the tear the house apart, and it's just not a big deal. If someone gets hurt, oh well! It's just a whole different ball game and I love it. My brother-in-law better get with the program STAT or else B-Lo is shit out of luck for east coast cousins to beat up on. He was totally eaten up by all the grandparents of course....and did you know? Brendan is now WALKING! That's right folks! My Dad taught him how to walk within the first few hours of visiting. Isn't that something? I'll post the video as soon as I figure out how to do it.....

Thanksgiving was wonderful and now Christmas is on it's merry way! Crap! Which brings me back to reality. I've got to get off this dang computer and go finish the Christmas cards. I will fill in the blanks on some more good stuff at a later date.

Here are some pictures of the trip for your viewing pleasure. Oh and more thing incase you're wondering, Brendan was a total DREAM on the flights to and from. Total dream. Whoever invented the matchbox car gets a huge A+ in my book!

Dear Everyone,

2008-11-15T03:58:00.002-05:00

My Momma is taking me on an adventure today! We're flying to Idaho to see my Grandpa Pat, Gramma Linda, Gramma Shelley, and Poppa Tom. We're also going to see my Great-Grandma Flossie and cousins Abbie, Tyler, and Mahala. Grandpa Pat is turning 60 years old so we're going to help him celebrate, and we need to visit Momma's Uncle Frank who isn't feeling so well. I sure hope we have cake for Grandpa Pat! I love cake...mmmmmmm,gooooooooood.

I am so excited! I promised Momma I'd be a good boy on the big airplane, although I hope she knows there are never any guarantees in life. I saw her sneak some cool new things into the backpack though so as long as she plays with me, I'm sure I'll be a great traveler! I love airplanes, do they have wheels?? You know how much I love anything with wheels....

We will keep you all posted on the trip!
Love,
Brendan

Sweet November

2008-11-11T09:14:00.006-05:00

Obama Wins.

2008-11-05T10:21:00.003-05:00

*Note the lack of enthusiasm by adding just a period, no exclamation point*

It should be no surprise that I am disappointed, saddened, heated, and even disgusted to the very core. But what might surprise you is that I'm not feeling that way toward the big O himself. I'm feeling that way toward my fellow Americans who actually believe that this man can steer our country. Some of you actually believe that he's capable of doing what he's promised. You're all high if you think you're going to have more money in the end, because that couldn't be further from the truth. And judging by the media coverage and the people they're interviewing, they are lining up right now for the big handout. Ugh....I could go on and on....but I'm too worked up to even think straight.

I can only hope that for my sake and for my family's sake, he doesn't leave me saying "I told you so" in just a couple of years. Although, that would feel really good....

I voted!

2008-11-04T10:47:00.002-05:00

What a great feeling to live in a country where the people choose! Even if some of us choose opposite me, it's still a poweful feeling. Before I head off into a cleaning spree to keep myself occupied the rest of the day, I'd just like to state that no matter who wins this election, we still live in the best country in the world. Let's stop taking that for granted and live our lives the best way we know how. The President of the United States cannot determine what kind of person you are. YOU determine what kind of person you are, and that should start with being grateful and appreciative for all that we have in this beautiful country.

Go Vote!

Sums It Up For Me!

2008-10-31T11:12:00.001-04:00

Employee Notice Please POST

Important Notice; to All Employees in Complying with the New Liberal
President Campaign Policy

As of November 5, 2008, if Obama is officially elected into office, our
company will instill a few new policies which are in keeping with his new,
inspiring issues of change and fairness:

1.] All salespeople will be pooling their sales and bonuses into a common
pool that will be divided equally between all of you. This will serve to
give those of you who are underachieving a fair shake.

2.] All low level workers will be pooling their wages, including overtime,
into a common pool, dividing it equally amongst yourselves. This will help
those who are too busy for overtime to reap the rewards from those who have
more spare time and can work extra hours.

3.] All top management will now be referred to as the government. We will
not participate in this experience because the law doesn 't app ly to us.

4.] The government will give eloquent speeches to all employees every week,
encouraging its workers to continue to work hard for the good of all.

5.] The employees will be thrilled with these new policies because it's good
to spread the wealth. Those of you who have underachieved will finally get
an opportunity; those of you who have worked hard and had success will feel
more patriotic.

6.] The last few people who were hired should clean out their desks. Don't
feel bad, though, because President Obama will give you free healthcare,
free handouts, free oil for heating your home, free food stamps, and he'll
let you stay in your home for as long as you want even if you can't pay your
mortgage. If you appeal directly to our Democratic Congress, you might even
get a free flat screen TV and a coupon for free haircuts (shouldn't all
Americans be entitled to nice looking hair?) !!!

If for any reason you are not happy with the new employment policies, you
may want to rethink your vote on November 4th.

Thank You,

Invisible Mom

2008-10-29T21:52:00.002-04:00

*I get the following email from time to time, but it never really touched me as much as it did today.*

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously, not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen
again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.

It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.

And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Brendan is going through a "Momma" phase, and he kicked it into high gear today. I took him to weekly playgroup this morning and practically wore him as an extra pant leg the entire time. He was stuck to my side for 2.5 hours. Well actually, that's a lie. I did manage to make a potty run without him, but even then, I could hear his voice echo down the hallway..."Momma? Momma? MOMMA!"

We came home, I put a video on, and ordered him to sit on the couch for approximately 30 minutes so that I could unwind from the playgroup "Momma!" drama. Why is he suddenly like this? It used to be that I could set him on the floor and let him loose while I sat, sipped coffee, and gossiped. Humph! It was all I could do today just to drink my coffee without batting his hand away while snapping "No! HOT! Mommy's juice! MOMMY'S JUICE I SAY!"

So as I said, I was beyond frustrated until I sat down and read this email. It hit me like a slap across the face. One day, not so many years from now, I'll wish he was kneeling at my feet with his arms stretched up, waiting for me to hold him. I'll wish he was the happiest kid alive just to have my undivided attention for 15 minutes. I'll wish we were hanging out in the family room, playing with all of his "caws" until bedtime. I'll wish his heart was breaking as I disappear for a quick potty break.

One day, I'll wish for all of this. I'll wish that I wasn't so invisible.

Bring on some more of this "Momma!" phase.

I get the point.

It Never Freakin' Ends.

2008-10-27T12:16:00.007-04:00

Fellow blogger Tracey inspired me to rant this morning, she's having a rough day. I'm hoping it will make me feel better. (I hope she's feeling better now too!)

Why do I hate Mondays? Why do they always totally suck, leaving me to absolutely dread the rest of the week? Every Monday just sucks! I don't know why, nothing explains it, but I am always in the absolute worst mood on Mondays.

Our lovely computer here has been the victim of a brutal attack by spyware. Damn that spyware! Damn it all to hell! It's still working, obviously- since I'm blogging at the moment, but what you don't see is me fighting numerous pop-ups and swearing at all the alerts that keep hogging the screen. I KNOW IT'S INFECTED A-HOLES. ONE ALERT IS ALL I NEED THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW LET ME GET ON WITH MY F--KING BLOGGING. o-KAY???

Brendan is STILL SICK which normally wouldn't be a big deal, but considering he's now in a My Gym class, I'm pissed since there is a gigantic friendly reminder bannered across the place that reads "NO SICK KIDS IN THE GYM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION." So if he has this runny nose and cough come Thursday, you can bet I'll be scheduling a make-up class. What a pain in the ass. And why am I the only one that follows those rules anyway?? Why do I seem to be the only considerate one who keeps her damn kid home when he's sick? Why is it always okay for other moms to chase their kids around with tissues at these places, but I'm too scared to break the rules? Does that make me a loser who doesn't take enough risks in life? Should I be more loosey goosey? Should I be more of a rebel and just show up with a sick child, just to see what they say? I fear I'll be reprimanded in front of the whole group and be sent home with my tail between my legs, while the other moms watch and laugh and use their sleeves to wipe their rugrats disgusting nose. Bottom line, if he's still sick come Thursday, we'll be sitting at home, bored out of our minds, because I'm a loser.

I have to see the dentist tomorrow. That's NEVER fun. One of my front teeth that recently had a root canal is bothering me. It doesn't hurt a lot just yet, but I fear it's headed in that direction. The really bad news is that it shouldn't hurt at all, considering a root canal was done, right? Right. I really wish my parents had been more strict with us brushing our teeth while growing up. Or if they were strict, then I was obviously very sneaky because my teeth are horrible. I am always so jealous of people with perfect teeth. If there is ONE THING our kids WILL do EVERY DAY in this house, it is BRUSH THEIR FREAKIN' TEETH. NO EXCUSES. It's just not worth it to hit your 30's and start to wonder if dentures would be all that bad.

I need to find a place to store all of B's sippy cups. Right now, they're in a drawer that he has access to, 24/7. And where does he like to play, 24/7? In that damn drawer. If I walk into the kitchen one more time and see 25 cups and 25 lids all over the damn place, I just might lose it. So tonight after the little devil goes to bed, those cups are relocating to a new home called "the upper cabinets." I'll show him. I'd post a picture of the sty he creates in my kitchen but since the computer has been sleeping around and has a filthy virus, I can't download any photos.

Ugh. All this whining has me wanting to burn some energy. Think I'll go rake some leaves while the monster is resting. Knowing my luck, I'll attract deer ticks and get lyme disease.

*update- B just woke up from a ONE HOUR NAP. The rest of the day should be interesting! Bring on the temper tantrums, the whining, the biting, the screaming, the throwing food, the spilling juice, the flying coasters, the messy kitchen....."

"My Friends are my Estate"

2008-10-20T19:50:00.009-04:00

...a quote by Emily Dickinson.

Woodstock, Vermont
Annual Girls Trip 2008

I'm already counting the days till the next trip!

Perspective...and Rememberance

2008-10-15T19:35:00.013-04:00

I'm not sure if many of you know this, as I just became aware myself, that today is National Day of Remembrance for pregnancy and infant loss. This includes all babies who have died because of miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, or any other infant death.

I think I've mentioned this before, but we suffered from a miscarriage a couple of years ago. It was devastating to say the absolute least. I can't imagine a worse pain than losing a child, even one I had never met. It plays with ones emotions like no other and left a scar on my soul that I'll forever be wary of, especially when becoming pregnant again.

I know there are days when being a Mom makes me sigh continuously out of frustration and sends me to bed with pounding headaches, asking myself "How will I get through tomorrow?" But that doesn't mean I'm not truly grateful he is here. That doesn't mean that I'd give him back for a split second just to get some peace and quiet. I'm grateful for the miscarriage we had 2 years ago, and ever so grateful that we were blessed with another chance to become parents. I think I finally realized that God meant to place that baby with someone else. And we in turn, got this guy.

He's the beat of our hearts.

I know that some people try and try to conceive, to no avail. Some people suffer from multiple miscarriages. Some people welcome their children into the world, only to lose them to SIDS, illness, or other circumstances. I should sigh out of frustration a little less, and smile more. I should welcome the headaches at the end of the day, and be just be proud that I survived the chaos. I should be grateful that someone so precious has come in and turned our lives upside down and inside out, because I know that many, many people would kill to feel as exhausted as I do this very second. It's all for such a wonderful cause.

If you or someone you know has experienced such a loss, I will say a prayer for you. I can only speak for myself, but there will always be a hole in my heart that even though it cannot be filled, recognition and caring words from a fellow blogger made it that much easier to smile tonight. Thank you so much for making me aware of what this day, October 15th, means to so many people.

Lynsey

Hot Date Night

2008-10-15T14:01:00.008-04:00

Brendan had Ariana over for dinner lastnight. It was quite special. They chewed on some cars, had some dinner, exchanged binky's a dozen times, and then settled on the couch for a video. Young Love. *sigh*

People Suck.

2008-10-14T11:10:00.003-04:00

I know that sounds terrible, but I'm finding it to be true.

Example #1.

I'm in Homegoods last week, browsing the cookbook section. A lady appears to my right and is also browsing. Soon, she's directly in front of me, blocking my view of the cookbooks. Hmm. Okay, maybe she just didn't notice me. I'll move. I walk a little further down the aisle, continue browsing. Lady appears again, directly in front of me. Again, blocking my view. WTF? I seriously wanted to smack her in the back of the head and say "Hello!! Anybody home!!" Am I the only expert on cookbook aisle etiquette around here?

Example #2.

Church parking lot. Sunday morning. I'm carrying Brendan, giving him kisses, enjoying the glorious day while walking into church. VVRRROOOOOOOMM. Ugly beat-up minivan comes flying past us, nearly taking us out, just to reach the closest parking spot. (which this lady could've used the extra walk, trust me.) Was it worth it to damn near kill me and my precious child? I'm assuming you don't have any children because you're so hideous-looking, so you have no sympathy for me and mine?? That just ain't my problem!

Example #3.

My Gym Class today. I love My Gym, and so does Brendan so far. The kids are adorable. The mothers are mostly, well, rude as hell.

Me: "Oh your daughter is so cute."

Mean Mom: "Thank you."

Me: "How old is she?"

Mean Mom: "18 months."

Me: "What's her name?"

Mean Mom: "Olivia." *walks off to find someone better to talk to.*

Me: "Oh I absolutely DESPISE the name Olivia. EVERYONE and their MOTHER picks that name these days. And every child that I meet with that SAME NAME turns out to be the biggest BRAT on the planet! Good luck with her!"

Okay, I didn't say that. But how about some response for my child? Do you know how to converse with people who don't have giant sticks up their asses? Did you miss the social skills train or what?? What's the problem here?

I know, I know. I need to learn to relax. But man, people really rub me the wrong way sometimes.

6 Things About Me

2008-10-07T10:52:00.008-04:00

Thanks Andria! I love these things.

1. December 1, 2008, will mark the 13 year anniversary that my best friend died in a tragic car accident. Her name was Diana, and she was only 18 years old. Even though she was one grade above me, we stuck together like glue in high school. She had a boyfriend, Ryan, who died in a car accident as well just 6 months previous to her death. I still think of them often, especially Diana. I miss her and wonder what our friendship would be like today if she were still alive. It does put me at ease to know that they're together in heaven, and every time I see a rainbow or a beautiful sunset, I like to think they're sending me a sign of how happy they are up there.

2. I once adopted a dog without consulting the husband first, who was out of town on business. I don't think it would've been such a big deal, had the dog not resembled a vicious pitbull. I was oblivious to his pitbull qualities, I just took one look at all the scars he had from the previous owner and loaded him in the car! Husband literally saw his life flash before his eyes when coming home from Japan only to be insanely greeted by "Harvey" who we'd later rename SPIKE. Little did we know how he would win our hearts over repeatedly after that. I sure miss that dog.

3. The town I grew up in is Population 640. And it's probably even dwindled some more. My graduating class (1996) had 26 kids, the biggest class to ever graduate from that dang school. God I miss that small, wonderful town.

4. Brendan had no name when he was born. We had somewhat of a list when arriving at the hospital, but had nowhere near decided on a name. I kind of enjoyed watching the nurses grow impatient, as they kept popping their heads into the room. "Any name yet? You kids decide on a name yet? What about a name??? Okay...Boy L**ty it is then..." *SIGH* Apparently it screws with their paperwork for awhile. Hey. That's what they get for not making sure I had 2 IV bags before anyone could administer the epidural! Do you know what it was like, waiting for that damn bag to drain before I could get any relief??? Drip. Drip. Drip.

5. I have a scar on my bottom lip, got it when I was 5. Ma and Pa left us with a babysitter one night, and Shawn dared me to take a bite out of the frost that had formed on a shelf in the freezer. You can figure out the rest. Jerk. Funny though-I also fell onto a woodstove when I was little, both hands landed smack dab on the side of the stove and scorched until someone removed me. I had to wear casts for weeks. No scars from that! Weird.

6. To get political, George Bush got my vote 4 years ago, and I don't regret it for a second. It struck me that I have no regrets when the husband and I saw this bumper sticker the other day: Defend America--Defeat Bush. I found that so strange, because in my opinion, all he's ever done is defend America. Homeland security is my #1 priority considering my husband is on a plane twice a week, and last I checked, we haven't been attacked since 9/11. George Bush made sure of that. I hope he gets the credit that he deserves someday, I really do.

One Year Older

2008-09-30T21:08:00.004-04:00

and as overwhelmed as ever. So much crap to do around here. Yet, I'm on the computer. Is that bad?

I had a wonderful 30th Birthday celebration last week. Lots of great gifts, a nice dinner out-sans Brendan, topped off by a really fun party at none other than the Seagrape, where we met 6 years ago. I'd post some pictures of the big shindig but I can't have fellow bloggers thinking I party like that all the time.
So along with lots of great gifts comes lots of thank you's to write. Ugh. This house is such a pigsty I can barely take it any longer. The office I'm currently sitting in is overflowing with things that need to be filed. The laundry has somehow piled up to the ceiling...or close anyway. And the floors...oh my precious hardwood floors. Covered in juice splats, drool, and God knows what else. Not to mention, I have a soon-to-be 16 month old whose curiosity is about to kill this cat. He's all over the damn place and likes to be Mommy-entertained at all times. How do people stay on top of it all with multiple kids? Because every time I get just a tad overwhelmed with everyday life, I can swear I hear my ovaries shrivel up a little bit more. Oh the headache I have right now...

On a lighter note, tomorrow is our 3 year wedding anniversary and I plan to post a beautiful tribute to my darling husband. Stay tuned.

Small Stuff

2008-09-26T20:11:00.002-04:00

It was a night just like any other. I got Brendan ready for bed. Fresh diaper. Clean PJ's. Hands and face washed. Teeth brushed. Stories read. Blankie thrown over my shoulder and binky in hand. We head upstairs.

We walk into Brendan's room and just as I'm about to lay him down, he puts his head on my shoulder. "Momma. Momma." In the softest tone of course. I wanted to fetch him ice cream just for being so sweet and amazing, but we have none.

It's the small stuff that gets me. My heart is stolen again and again by that little curly haired man upstairs.

That's okay. That's one thief I can most gladly forgive.

The Big 3-0

2008-09-25T08:58:00.013-04:00

I swear I just turned 21 like, yesterday! Where does the time go? How does life pass by so quickly?

I had this long, brilliant post planned for today. I was going to go on and on with my life story, how I arrived at where I am today, and how I'm feeling about it all. But instead, I'll just say this. I'm 30 years old. I'm happy, I'm healthy, I have the best family and friends I could ask for, a gorgeous son that amazes me every moment of the day, and dammit, I can still pass for a college kid!

The years have been wonderful to me, and I have a feeling the good times have just begun.

A Day at the Office

2008-09-18T15:44:00.002-04:00

"Grandpa Jack, just how many remotes do you need in here anyway?"

My 15 Month Old Likes....

2008-09-17T15:10:00.012-04:00

anything he can push around the place.

a stuffed puppy named Cooper that he stole from Grandma's house.

rearranging the shelves in the fridge, pantry, and cabinets.

cookies. All kinds.

hanging out with his girlfriend, Ariana, of course.

going as naked as possible. Should make winter very interesting.

and last but certainly not least, anything with wheels. "caw? caw!"

What's Better Than a Grandma?

2008-09-09T19:37:00.004-04:00

My mother-in-law is going to kill me for posting that, she hates having her picture taken, but I just had to share. There's nothing in the world like Grandmothers. I should know. My Grandma Flossie is one of the world's greatest and I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

What would we do without them?

The Sad Post.

2008-09-02T17:35:00.003-04:00

Summer is over! Or, almost over I should say. We had such a fun summer, the funnest I've had in ages. We were so outgoing, Brendan and I. We hit the beaches, Lake Mohegan, lots of playgroup outings, made new friends, took many, many walks to the park, and just hung out in the backyard eating ice pops and soaking in the frog pool. In my opinion, summer is best when you have a little one. It's so easy to throw a onesie on him and just let him go. I hate, hate the thought of bundling him up in a snowsuit just to go outside for 10 minutes. Should we take advantage of the husband's work situation and fly south to Houston for the winter? Do you dare us? We just might.

I'm also sad because an uncle of mine has fallen ill. Very ill. He's been battling cancer this past year and it's just not looking good at the moment. It seems every time they finish up the chemo and tell him he's done, they find more spots. This time, on his liver. I love my Uncle Frank. He's always been my most favorite. He and my Aunt Julie have been such stable rocks in my life, they are those people that I count on to always be there. I would be absolutely devastated if something were to happen to him, as many others would be. Please say a prayer for him, he's a very good man with a heart bigger than most. This world simply wouldn't be the same without him in it.

Also, on another sad note...Brendan has a cold! I know, not too traumatic, but he was up all night coughing and looks so pathetic today. I hate when he's sick and there's only so much I can do. Humidifier? Check. Vicks Vaporub? Check. Saline drops? Check. Tylenol? Check check. Warm baths? Check. Lots of love and attention? Check check check. But nothing is doing the trick today. He's sleeping now, and it's dinner time. I refuse to wake him, it's the most he's slept without coughing in 2 nights. If he's up all night, so be it. The joy of having kids, right?

At least the weather is gorgeous. When he does wake up, we just might have dinner on the patio and take advantage of the rest of summer. Why not I suppose. Hope you all had a safe Labor Day Weekend.

Then and Now

2008-08-27T19:36:00.005-04:00

Last Summer...

This Summer...

This is how we do it.

2008-08-21T21:39:00.002-04:00

I mean seriously, who needs utensils when you have 10 perfect little fingers to get the food in? Huh?

Parenting 101

2008-08-20T09:36:00.004-04:00

No Mom! I'm not eating a chocolate frosted donut for breakfast! I swear!

Now leave me alone...I'm watching Regis and Kelly.

Move over Nick Nolte

2008-08-06T20:26:00.004-04:00

How's this for a mugshot? It's hard to tell in this photo, but sometimes, our precious son resembles Mr. Nolte with the crazy hair he unfortunately got from me. And in the humidity? Oh boy. It can get downright Donna Summers in this joint. What do you think, bloggers? Could my wee little man pass as Nick?

Adventures in Mommysitting

2008-07-29T21:39:00.007-04:00

It's hot, and I'm crabby. I just want one nice day to open all the windows and get some fresh air in the damn house, but no. It's been disgusting and disgusting some more for about 2 weeks now. I know it's not "Houston Hot" (husbands 2nd home) but damn it, it's hot and humid and disgusting!

I tried to beat the grossness by taking B-Lo out on Monday anyway. I woke up in a great mood and thought,"I don't care if it's downright stifling today. My boy and I are going someplace fun." The beach? Too humid. The Playground? Too crowded. The library? Too boring. The zoo? Perfect! And we were on our merry way.

Ten minutes from home and flying up the parkway, I'm searching my bag for the directions which I soon realize are conveniently laying on the kitchen counter, at home. Never fear! There are signs galore for idiots like me, surely we'll find our way, right? *buzzer sound* Wrong! There is one sign that screams which exit to take and after that, well, you're on your own my friend.

30 minutes and many obscenities later, I'm knee deep in the heart of B***geport, which for those of you who aren't familiar with this specific area, let me just politely say this. It's not the kind of place that you want to stop and ask for directions with your 13 month old child in the backseat, looking ever so cute and totally snatchable. Every street I turn down seems worse than the one before, which I didn't think was honestly possible. I may be exaggerating here, but I'm convinced that that we were swimming through a sea of ex-cons and serial murderers for roughly 20 minutes, and I was honestly wishing that I was an awful mother who preferred not to take her son to the zoo that day, and instead opted to sit him in front of the TV for several hours while I clean. But no, here I was, trying to find the zoo. The reality that we might vanish into thin air set in somewhere between the slums and the even worse slums right about the time that *ta-dah* I see a glimmering sign with a descriptive arrow that read "F**rfield." Thank the almighty Lord for giving an idiot who forgot the directions such a break. "It's okay Brendan, we're going to be just fine, Mommy found our way...." as he's checking out the lovely homeless guy approaching the car with a cute cup for change. Nice!

We peeled out and headed for home. F**rfield never looked so damn good to me. We stopped at the very crowded playground, hit the diner for lunch, and then took a long afternoon nap together. Just another summer day with clueless Mommy in charge.

I have to say that our travels weren't such a waste though. I did discover a few hoppin' bars that actually open at 9 a.m., incase I'm ever in need of a drink that early.

Tomorrow is lookin' good. We're headed downtown for an outdoor concert where Brendan can get his groove on. He can really shake a diaper.

Boy Meets Girl

2008-07-28T09:16:00.013-04:00

Ah, young love. Isn't it grand? Brendan and Ariana have been dating since April. They enjoy long walks- stroller by stroller, backyard BBQ's with their parents, chewing on books at the library, outdoor concerts in the summertime, dining out in fancy restaurants, and swimming in froggy shaped pools. Sure, they bicker, but what healthy relationship doesn't have its moments? It's been hard to keep them apart since their Mom's have become new BFF's but I'm certain they don't mind.

Here are some photos of this gorgeous couple as we follow them on this journey called love.

He's Back.

2008-07-22T19:34:00.008-04:00

*WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES AHEAD*

This time, he's focused on any and all kitchen cabinets. Hide your styrofoam dishes and plastic cups, they seem to be his items of choice. Forget trying to distract him with actual toys that one would think he'd be interested in, because he's not. This is what he's after:

Judging by the images below, he will also be charged with indecent exposure due to lack of clothing:

It seems he's becoming more daring now, as his getaway vehicle has been upgraded to a walker, if you will note the left hand corner of the image below:

Folks, this is serious. Again, please contact Mommy ASAP if you have any information on the whereabouts of his next strike.

We thank you for your cooperation.

Hot Fun in the Summertime

2008-07-21T09:35:00.008-04:00

Who Needs Mondays Anyway?

2008-07-14T13:50:00.006-04:00

I'm voting Mondays off the island. There seems to be a pattern here. Every Monday I've had for the past month has totally sucked. They just aren't good days for me and it all seems to start on Sunday evenings, just ask my husband. Every Sunday afternoon, the crabbiness slowly sets in. I'm irritable, annoyed, cranky, and just cannot be pleased about anything. I nag him, I freak out about the littlest things, and then just plain refuse to sit back and enjoy the afternoon like most normal people. Then it creeps in...Monday morning. It sweeps over the house like an ugly dark cloud even on the sunniest of days. It hollers out: "Don't bother getting out of bed today, you fool. I'm going to make your day more miserable than you can ever imagine." If I didn't have a one year old, I'd listen to the voice and pull the covers back up over my head, however, that may qualify as ch*ld neglect if I continue to sleep the day away. At what age can kids make their own breakfast anyway?

I can't seem to find one good thing about Mondays. Not one. Tuesdays however, are good days. For some reason, I'm raring to go come Tuesday morning. I'm awake, I'm perky, I'm organized, I'm excited, I'm ready for the rest of the week. Why can't that happen one day early? I'm so confused.

At least one good thing came on this humid Monday afternoon. My baby boy took his first step toward his Momma. It was really exciting. It even warranted a phone call to the husband which I try not to do when he's at work. He was excited too.

Okay so this Monday wasn't all that bad. I still dread the next one. Is it Friday
yet?

*update* Just when I think I'm having a rotten day...I hear of a local Mom who lost her 4 month old baby boy to SIDS last weekend. Now that's a rotten day. A changed perspective just took place. I welcome any day as long as I've got Brendan as a part of it.

Momma's Little Baby

2008-07-09T20:05:00.014-04:00

...is almost little no longer. This photo was taken last Labor Day at a friends house:

Here he is at their 4th of July picnic, sitting in that same chair:

and yes he does have cookie crumbs on his chin.

He's growing up way too fast for my liking, but I do love this age. The animation, the curiosity, the emotion, the expressions, the language. "Ca" means car. "Ba" Means ball. "BaBa" means bottle. "Hot" means...hot. "Poppa" means...poppa. Oh, and we can't forget "da" which he just started, it either means dog or he's wondering where Daddy is. No "MaMa" yet but I'll wait.

And I guess I should've labeled this post "One of those days...Part II." I knew he had something else going on, that it wasn't just the teething. Isn't it funny how we just know? I mean, they don't call us the mother for no good reason. He woke up at 5 a.m. today with a fever of 102. I know it's not necessarily cause for sheer panic, yet I was indeed, panicked. I did the usual...put a call into the dr.,tylenol, cool bath, ice pops, pedialyte, and kept checking his temp. It wouldn't go down. And not only was he boiling, but was completely lethargic. My boy is never lethargic. Right about the time I started to sob, the nurse called me back to check on him and I lost it. The conversation is a little blurry, but was something like "He's so tired, and hot, and tired, with little bags under his eyes, cheeks are firey red, he cries and cries and wants to be held and I don't mind holding him but he's so hot so everytime I pick him I continue to worry and I just hate seeing him like this because his little spirit is just gone and I'm so sad..." Next thing I know we had an appointment to see the doctor at 2:30 and we were out the door. *Nurse Sandra- you rock*

Diagnosis: coxsackie. I knew it wasn't just the teething. I know there isn't much we can do but let it run the course, but I knew in my gut that something was wrong.

So...this was my little man this afternoon. How many one year olds actually lie on a couch to watch TV? Sick ones do.

Five minutes later...it was lights out. Don't you just want to snuggle with him and make him all better? So sad...

On a lighter note, my friend Maureen emailed me a photo of us from the 1st birthday party:

Don't we make a cute couple?

One of those days...

2008-07-07T19:49:00.005-04:00

where you sit and wish it was almost over, and the clock hasn't even struck noon yet. Brendan is getting all sorts of teeth and is not handling it well to say the least. Took him to the doctor HOPING that the kid is suffering from a violent ear infection just so that we'd have some sort of explanation for all the crab-ass-ness, but no such luck. "He's getting teeth Mrs. L, gotta be patient!" Patient my ass. I was really starting to wonder how much I could get for him on eBay. Kidding! Don't call the DCFS on me just yet.

The humidity could not be any worse. I am a victim of "natural curl." Which in bad hair day terms is "FRIZZ-O-RAMA" in this kind of weather. I look like total white trash and it's way beyond my control, literally. I've tried all the hair products that vow to tame even the worst of the frizzies, but nothing can slick down this disaster. Nothing. Poor Brendan is taking after me in this department also. Together we look like we just walked through a carwash. Luckily the husband only midly teases about it and has chosen to stay with me in spite of all the horrible hair days. And they are horrible...trust me...

After putting the monster down for bed tonight I noticed that the husband left the cover off of the grill yesterday. Being the responsible wife that I am, stepped out to throw it back on. Um, bad idea! An entire family of HUGE BLACK BEETLES has formed a temporary breeding ground underneath, and I refuse to be the one to break up that kind of family. That shall remain on the ground until husband comes home.

Ugh, just one of those days. Thank God the monster was quite happy with popsicles and goldfish for dinner because this Momma was way too tired for anything else. I suppose I'm in for a lifetime of these days when the clock cannot turn slow enough. I'm assuming that's why God invented wine?

Idaho Is...

2008-07-03T10:24:00.033-04:00

Smelling the fresh mountain air that makes you wish could be bottled up and taken along.

Lounging in the yard that Mommy used to play in.

Getting called "buckshot" by Grandpa Pat. What does buckshot mean?

Mommy and Aunt Katrina, we wish we'd seen more of her.

Mommy and Uncle Shawn catching up on old times.

Swingin on the porch with my buddy Danielle. Gosh, if I were a few years older...

Taking scenic photos on very windy days.

Going for walks over the Long Bridge.

Awesome homecooked meals.

Swimming in the baby pool.

Taking walks to visit the neighbors with Poppa Tom.

Baths in Grandma Shelley's BIG bath tub.

Fighting with Cousin Abbie. I love her though.

Attracting all the neighborhood ladies. That's right. I'm that gorgeous.

Reintroducing Cousin Ty to the crawling technique, he so gets me.

Going for rides in Uncle Randy's monster truck. Only Mommy got to do that though- no room for the carseat. Bummer.

Playing beautiful music at Grandma Flossie's house.

Grandpa Pat showing me around his sanctuary (garage) and telling me what I'll inherit one day.

Playing catch with Daddy and Grandpa Pat.

Spending time with Cousin Mahala, watching her pick weeds.

Getting rocked to sleep by Grandma Flossie.

Spending good quality time with Daddy, getting launched into the air.

Picking dandelions, and then trying to eat them.

Looking at the fish at the Fish Hatchery. That's where Mommy spent lots of time as a little girl!

Hanging out with Uncle Shawn and Aunt Katrina.

Going for a ride in Grandpa's Rhino. I'm hoping to inherit that.

Driving the rhino...well, pretending to drive...

Swimming with Auntie Andie.

Hangin' with Uncle Randy.

Eating on the deck...nude if you want.

Loves from Gramma Shelley. She digs me.

Once Upon A Stormy Night

2008-06-16T22:44:00.026-04:00

...a young mother is home with her one year old son, all snuggly asleep in his bed, while she roams the house trying to find something to do. The cable has gone out due to either the thunder or lightening, or both, which means that there is no TV or computer to entertain her until she turns in for the night. Cleaning is her forte, but she is tired of cleaning. Organizing seems like a good idea, so upstairs she heads to put some clothes away and dilly dally around the 2nd floor.

She spots a stack of baby books she's been collecting for quite some time, leaning against the dresser in the guest room. Amongst them are baby journals given as gifts, some are chock full of baby names, and some are just "what to expect" while expecting. Out of curiosity, she sits on the guest bed with the stack of books and starts to thumb through the pages in one of the journals, since she'd been too busy to ever sit and look through it before. Or so she thought...

The world stops spinning and everything comes to a complete standstill. The shaky words begin..."I can't believe I'm pregnant already. I can tell Matt is a little stressed about it, I mean, we've got a massive hole in our backyard and there is no way our house will be finished by the time this baby is born. There's just no way. I should be happy, but I'm kind of...not. Is that bad?" Time suddenly reversed back to the summer of 2006 and she let the memory just flow, like a dam breaking over a waterfall.

Just a few days later she went in for her first ultrasound with her mother-in-law for some support. Little did she know, she'd need it. The technician gouped the gel all over her belly and proceeded with the ultrasound, like she'd done it a million times that day already. She's supposed to be a pro. But how come this pro couldn't find the baby's heartbeat? She tried, but couldn't find it. Some words were spoken..."it's probably too early to tell....maybe you've got your period dates all mixed up...it's just too soon in the pregnancy...." She had stopped listening at "I can't find a heartbeat."

The ride home was dull compared to the ride down. On the ride down, her belly was doing flip flops as she'd finally gathered up some excitement for this pregnancy, for this child. She had a handful of baby names she liked that she'd later run by her husband. She had the pregnancy journal her father-in-law picked out at some store. She had a yellow onesie that her best friend gave her as a congrats gift. Even though the house was far from ready, everything was lining up. It was all falling into place. Everything felt perfect on the ride down. Now the car felt foreign. She didn't want to be in that car anymore, she wanted to be in a different car, in a better mood, with a healthy baby growing inside of her.

She was told to wait another week, for another ultrasound. That, was the longest week of her life. Laying in bed for six nights, next to her husband, wondering if it was just the 2 of them, or if a third little person was listening to them chat about their day. Keeping busy was key, or else she'd drive herself crazy with the wonder of it all. "Are you there baby? It's me, Mommy." As if she was going to get an answer...but it was worth a shot when nothing else was making any sense at all.

The second ultrasound. This time, her husband is present. He sits at the end of the bed while she prays for the technician to work her magic. "Please, find something. Look harder this time. Don't miss my baby's heartbeat." And yet, nothing. She sits up and wipes the gel off her belly, as if she's trying to erase the pregnancy altogether. She wishes she could. She wishes she hadn't gotten pregnant at all. She wishes....she doesn't know what she wishes. She just knows she didn't wish for this.

Another drive home with no baby. In just a matter of weeks, her life went from expecting, to nervously expecting, to happily expecting, to scared to death, to completely crushed, to a Mother who had to say goodbye before she got to say hello. She knew there would be a reason for all of this one day, and people tried to reassure of the exact same thing, but her heart wouldn't truly accept it. At least that is until...

This little person came along to make her a true believer in "everything happens for a reason."

Maybe that's why she didn't bother keeping up with the pregnancy journal that time around. Who needs a journal to remind her of all the precious moments she had while carrying him for so long? Who needs a few scribbled words to recollect what it felt like to hear the words "We have a heartbeat, and it's excellent." Who needs a specific date to mark when and where she was when she felt him move for the first time? It was January 15th, 2007, at her in-laws house by the way. Who needs that first journal of that first pregnancy, when she will always know deep down in her heart, who that baby gave up it's place for?

It had been so long since she dug out that part of her, and it felt good. It will always be there, it's just put away now. The journal is put away, her son is lying in his crib, and she is a Mom who continues to roam the house, looking for something to do on a stormy night.

What I Pray For

2008-06-16T08:32:00.011-04:00

I've recently become a church-goer. I may not go every week, but I go. I was baptized in March and have found a parish that I love, and try to frequent as much as I can. My reason for choosing a faith is personal, and you'd really have to walk a mile in my shoes or catch a long glimpse of my life to understand exactly why at this point in my life, I chose to add some religion to my world. Let's just say it has something to do with how blessed I've always been, as well as becoming a mother. There is someone greater looking out for me, and I felt it was time to start giving back a little.

When I do go to church, I find myself looking around at everyone with their heads bowed. I find myself wondering what they're praying for. A loved one in pain? A deceased child? A dear friend going through hard times? A daughter in Iraq? A son struggling with addiction? A grandchild with cancer? Or maybe they're just praying to pray, because I guess you don't necessarily have to pray for someone. You can just bow your head and talk to God about how lucky you feel to finally be so close to Him.

I do that, but I also like to pray for those who asked God "Why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong?" and never get an answer. I pray for the neglected and abused children who did nothing wrong, yet are abused by cowards who direct their anger at defenseless, innocent little human beings. I pray for all of the homeless people in the world who need just a little bit of help getting on their feet, yet cannot seem to find one person who cares just enough. I pray for all of the abused animals who are still loyal to their attackers, because that's just how they are made. Our old dog Spike is the perfect example of this. So severely abused judging by all of the scars on his body, yet he came into our home and gave us nothing but love and security. I pray for all of these people, children, and animals who need a voice, but can't find one. Who need shelter, but can't find it. Who need one person to look at them and say "I love you" but have never heard it. Who need someone to pray for them, but no one has. I am praying for you.

I have lived a charmed life if I do say so myself, but it's so hard to look around sometimes at all the pain and sufferering in the world, and be grateful. Why me? Why am I so lucky? Why are some people chosen to suffer and to live their lives in total despair, while I sit in church and pray about it all?

I can only hope that with every single minute I spend sitting there, talking to God, that my thoughts are strong enough to reach just one person. One person who feels so alone. One child who continues to suffer at the hands of someone who is supposed to love him. One person willing to take the saddest of the shelter dogs home.

I hope that it's working. I hope that what I pray for, is working, one moment at a time. That's all I can do.

*this post follows yet another article on foxnews.com, in which a baby boy was beaten to death on the side of the road by a 27 year old man. I pray for that little boy*

Happy Father's Day, John

2008-06-15T19:26:00.009-04:00

So, I know that I mention my mother-in-law Susan all the time, but I might not mention John as much. He's my father-in-law. I don't mention him as much because he doesn't let me gab his ear off on the phone, or listen to me whine about Brendan getting into everything, and he doesn't let me drop Brendan off for hours with him so that I can catch up on some "me" time. Susan lets me do all that. Of course I'm more than grateful to her, but I am also so grateful for John, so I thought I'd tell you all a little bit about him.

He's tall, dark, and handsome. I am allowed to say that, because my husband resembles him. He's very funny and is always making us laugh, without even trying really. He's one of the most passionate men I know. He is a true believer in what he believes in- know what I mean? He loves his office. If you can't find John, he's in his office. I would love to be a fly on the wall just to be snoopy and see what he does in there exactly. He's a little daring these days. He fell in love with a car on eBay, and bought it. We were all cringing at the thought of it, wondering if he'd been scammed as we waited for the truck to deliver the car. But it came, and he's been sitting in that car ever since. (kidding.) He wears his heart on his sleeve and cried at our wedding. Many times. I am still hoping that it was a good cry! *wink wink* He loooooves golf. He would leave Susan and run away with a golf club if it would cook for him. He also looooooves to bargain shop and can find him at Marshall's or TJ Maxx on any given weekday. "It was only $5. I couldn't just leave it there. You can wear it to wash the car." That's an inside joke, had to be there. He's always on the lookout for the next new gadget, so one of his many nicknames is now "Grandpa Gadget." Just today, on Father's Day, he dragged us all out to the verizon store to switch cell phone companies for me in the interest of saving us some money. Who's father-in-law would do that? Mine. My father-in-law would. He's always looking out for us in any way that he can. He's like the Pappa Bear of the family. Comforting, safe, secure, caring, generous, loving, and all of those other mushy words that will make him blush. He's the Pappa Bear that watches over all of us and without him, I would feel very lost. I am not so sure I could ever imagine my world without him. It wouldn't be the same place I've called home for the past few years, that's for certain.

Last year he became a Grandfather for the first time. From the moment he laid eyes on Brendan, he's had a different look about him. He's always been soft, but now he's softer. He's always been caring, but now he's careful. He's always been generous, but now Brendan is set to inherit the "family fortune." He's always been loving, but is now so in love with his little "cheekers." He's always been humble, but now is just so proud to be called Grandpa. Grandpa Jack. The best Grandpa in the world.

Happy Father's Day to someone who makes the family go 'round. We love you.

Happy 1st Birthday Brendan!

2008-06-12T20:14:00.008-04:00

You had quite the celebration so far which unfortunately isn't documented with photographs because brainless Mommy hasn't taken the camera anywhere. But, the party officially started lastnight when we went to the diner for a little "Mommy and Me" date night. You had a grilled cheese and some fries and flirted with the waitresses while Mommy ate her grilled chicken sandwich and had a nice glass of cold beer. (you're too young for the beers my friend.) Then this morning, your actual birthday, you woke up very crabby with a tiny fever of 100 degrees, so Grandma and Grandpa babysat while Mommy ran errands to get things in order for the big birthday bash. (also got my nails done because I need to look pretty with my new 1 year old.) The best part of the day though, was going down to our neighbors house for what we thought, was just going to be pizza, but they surprised you with yummy cupcakes and a fun gift! Wasn't that sweet of them??? I sure thought it was. We had a very nice dinner outside and just enjoyed the rest of my little man's birthday.

Daddy is on his way back from Texas and won't see you until you're fast asleep in your crib, but that's okay. He thought of you over and over today, wishing he could've been here. We love Daddy, don't we.

So, Happy Birthday to the best little guy in the entire world. I cannot wait to celebrate many, many more special days like this with you! And since I don't have any photos of today (stupid Mommy!) I leave you with one of my all time faves. Love you Brendan!!!

Bye Bye Baby...

2008-06-09T20:52:00.017-04:00

Hello crazy toddler! My dear, sweet, precious baby boy is turning one year old on Thursday. How can this be? Just yesterday, I found out I was pregnant. Just yesterday, I found out I was having a little boy. Just yesterday, I felt the first flutter in my belly. Just yesterday, I had the worst heartburn, ever. Just yesterday, he had the hiccups and my whole body shook from the vibrations. Just yesterday, we laid in bed and watched my nightgown shift around from all the utero gymnastics. Just yesterday, my MIL threw me a beautiful baby shower and we celebrated with all of my closest and dearest friends. Just yesterday, I packed the suitcase for the hospital, knowing I would need it very soon. Just yesterday, I was jolted out of bed by the strangest feeling I'd ever had. Just yesterday, Matt drove me to the hospital where 10 hours later, we'd finally meet the love of our lives. It all feels like just yesterday and the fact that it's not, makes me kind of sad.

I don't want life to go by this quickly. I want to go back that moment when I felt you move in my belly for the first time. I want to go back to that moment when I felt my first contraction. I want to go back to that moment when the nurse first handed you to me. I want to go back to that moment when I looked over and saw Daddy holding you, like he was holding the most delicate piece of china that he wouldn't dare drop. I want to go back to that moment when we finally chose your name, Brendan Matthew. I want to go back to that moment when we were finally alone together in the hospital...I whispered "You and I are going to be together forever." And I swear you smiled. I want to go back to that first night at home with you, all snuggled up in your bassinet next to our bed. I remember thinking, "So...this is my family."

This past year has been indescribable. I don't think Daddy and I had ever known the power of love until you made your way into our lives. We dote on your every move and hang on your every...jibber jabber. Your simple little smile can make our hearts burst. The sound of your sweet voice, the touch of your soft little hand, the smell of your hair, the chubbiness of your feet, the legs that I could eat up all day long, the infamous round cheeks, the perfect little nose, the big, brilliant blue eyes, and the most amazing personality. You're perfect at only one year old, and you've got an entire lifetime to go.

Time is going to keep marching on, you're going to get older, and soon you won't be sitting at my feet with your little arms stretched up as if to say "Momma, I need you." I am writing this letter to tell you that you will never be too old to need me. You can sit with me any ol' time and stretch out your arms because that's what I will be best at. I will always be best at you needing me.

I am going to try to muddle through the week without crying as your birthday quickly approaches, but I can't make any promises. My sweet baby boy is fast asleep upstairs on his belly with his little tushy sticking straight up in the air, and I want so badly for him to stay up there forever. Where I can see him, protect him, and continue to need him, just as much as he needs me.

We love you Brendan Matthew. We will always, always love you.

What Will It Take?

2008-06-09T10:40:00.003-04:00

The news just reported that a 3 year old boy was found beaten to death at his home in Brooklyn. He was living with his godmother and her boyfriend after his mother surrendered him months ago to keep feeding her crack addiction. They questioned neighbors who said they heard the boy screaming from time to time, but didn't think anything was "unusual." Brainless, stupid people! Is it so "usual" to hear a little boy screaming for his life?

My God. What is it going to take for human beings to stop taking their anger out on small, defenseless children? We're supposed to be adults who know better! I am so sick of hearing these horrific stories on the news, day after day. Literally sick to my stomach. They've charged the godmother and her boyfriend with murder. I can only hope and pray that they wind up in a small, suffocating cell with a guy named Butch who doesn't prey too kindly on child murderers.

Come on people. If you suspect child abuse, you must report it. These defenseless children need us to give them a voice. This shouldn't of happened. None of these cases should ever have to happen. Open your eyes and ears, it's more common than you think. Only the ugliest of stories make the headlines, but it happens every. single. day. Pay attention and watch for the signs, maybe you can save a child from enduring the hell that little boy went through.

30 Days

2008-06-04T17:20:00.014-04:00

Have you seen this show? It's called "30 Days" and it's on the FX channel. I caught it lastnight just as I was crawling into bed, and I couldn't take my eyes off of it. In a nutshell, it's a show that documents some of the worlds most dangerous jobs and lastnight, they documented coal mining. I am a miner's daughter, did you know that? This is where my Daddy works:

That is his office. My Dad has been an underground miner for roughly 35 years now, maybe even a little longer. He has worked in several different mines throughout his life, including mines in Washington, Nevada, and Michigan. He's not a coal miner though, as many get confused, and yes- there is a difference. My Dad mines for mainly silver and zinc. Oh, and of course gold if you can find it, and oil if you shall strike it! But that rarely happens.

He now works at the Lucky Friday Mine (pictured above) and he will probably remain there until he retires in 5 years. The depth of this mine reaches 6200 feet, and you can bet, most miners have touched the bottom at one point or another. There is literally an elevator shaft (not what you're imagining) that takes them up and down, and there are hundreds of tunnels that they work in. Hundreds. It boggles my mind that my Dad goes into the ground, every day, in extreme weather conditions where anything can happen, anything, and he has never even flinched. He wears what they call "diggers." His fancy work outfit consists of grimy old t-shirts, long johns, overalls, wool socks, boots, goggles, and of course, a hard hat. He gets so filthy that Dawn dishsoap is his shampoo of choice. He rubs vaseline over his eyes to get the gunk out, and then scrubs his nails with a brillow pad if he's taking my stepmom out to dinner. He eats his lunch and even drinks coffee down there. (I used to pack his lunches for him and would put notes in his lunch box with knock knock jokes, figured he needed some sort of entertainment!) But beyond all that, he works his behind off and always has. I didn't grow up in a huge house and he may not have sent me to college, but I'll tell you something, I never went without a good meal, the best healthcare, or a cozy home. He made damn sure of that. That's my Dad.

I am truly ashamed to admit this, but sometimes it's difficult to tell people what he does for a living...what he has done all his life to take care of his family. I mean, it's not the most glamorous job to say the very least. But then, I catch myself feeling guilty for the tiny twinge of shame I might experience, because I shouldn't ever feel that way about what he does. It's by far the most dangerous job on earth in my opinion, and my Dad does it without worry, without complaint, and most of all, without shame. I don't think he's ever felt ashamed. How many people can say that?

30 Days highlighted some coal miners in West Virginia. Some of them were fresh out of high school, some were middle aged with young children, and some were in their own words,"I'll probably die right here in this mine." These were honest, hard working, dedicated men who never miss a shift, never call in sick, don't expect vacation days, and certainly don't talk back to the boss. They take pride in their work and are true providers for their families. I know that some people heckle them for the way the look, covered in black dust from head to toe. People call them "stupid" and think that coal mining should be "done away with" and "who needs it?" It's those people who are stupid. It's those people who simply don't realize that without coal, and without the minerals that my Dad busts his ass for, we wouldn't have the technology and other luxuries that we have and take for granted. Imagine leaving your spouse a "just incase note" every morning before walking out the door. "Just incase, you know....I love you. Always have." If any kind of mining was so unnecessary, do you really think these men would risk their lives doing it? Would my own Dad after 35 years continue to put his health and life at risk, just to plunge a mile or deeper underground, anxious to spend the day surrounded by walls that with one wrong move could collapse at any second, because he's got nothing better to do?

I have always been proud of my Dad, always. It just made me that much prouder to see that documentary. I am a miner's daughter. Thanks Dad.

PS- Major props to my father-in-law who went down into the mine with my Dad to get the experience. Not too many people have the b*lls! Especially if they're not even getting paid!

America's Most Wanted

2008-06-02T10:15:00.012-04:00

Breaking News: Mess-making criminal on the loose

Physical Description:

Infant Male, soon to be classified as crazy toddler
Roughly 24 lbs, 32 inches
Dark blonde hair, rather curly in humid weather
Big, gorgeous, yet sometimes deceiving blue eyes
Two bottom teeth
Cheeks fit for a squirrel

Security captured these images as the suspect exited the scene:

We believe he's using this as the getaway vehicle:

Suspect was last spotted at the beach, using innocent Grandma as an accomplice:

If you have any information on the whereabouts of this guy, please contact Mommy immediately. We're confident he will strike again.

Missing Houston

2008-05-27T07:14:00.025-04:00

We went down to Texas to see Daddy last week and had a great time. It was hotter than a pistol, but fun. Luckily the hotel had an outdoor pool to take B-Lo in for cool dips in the afternoons, he loved it. We tried a few new different restaurants which included Barry's (best pizza), Becks Prime (best burgers), PF Changs (best chinese, and Whataburger (best burgers also I hear, but we had the chicken instead which was good too). Here's B-Lo at some of the different places he ate:

It was a little hard for him to stay occupied while at the hotel, since we didn't have his usual 2,659 toys to keep him busy. But we managed, as you'll notice, even mommy's bra can be quite entertaining:

Here he is at the galleria (which I LOVED because it had every store I'd ever need) in front of a gigantic candy store that I'm sure in a few years, he'll be begging to actually go into instead of sitting so nicely like this:

But my most favorite part of the trip was finally meeting my fellow blogger friend, Andria, and her beautiful family in person:

That was one of the most memorable lunches I'll ever have, by far. It was so neat to finally sit next to her and enjoy actual live conversation that didn't include blogging or email. I discovered her "Boy Crazy" blog over 2 years ago, and have since felt like I've had a wonderful friend in her, even though we'd never even sat for a cup of coffee together. Thanks for trecking all that way just to meet us for lunch Andria (and family). It meant the world to me!

Another great part of the trip was the hotel breakfast area. Sounds funny, but so true. Every morning you can go down and have breakfast in a serve-yourself kind of style. They have all kinds of things to choose from. Brendan would eat his french toast and flirt with the kitchen staff, and I'd enjoy my coffee while watching the news on the big screen TV they had. On our last morning there, I was hoping to get a photo of him and one of the kitchen ladies he befriended. She was so sweet as she'd touch his little face and say "God Bless you." It's always nice to hear something other than "God! look at the cheeks on him, he sure doesn't miss too many meals...." That's all she'd say to him, was "God Bless You" and "He's so sweet, you're so lucky..." Anyone who says things like that gets my vote. Anyway, when we went down for our last breakfast, she was nowhere to be found--must've had the day off. I was bummed since I was really hoping to say goodbye. Maybe we'll see her next time.

Here he is enjoying some HOT fresh air outside the hotel, waiting for Daddy to come back from work:

This is Daddy's Home-away-from-Home during the week:

And last but not least...here we are, leaving Houston, just when Momma was learning her way around the damn place!

Thank you for making us feel at home Houston. We'll have to come back just to get a dose of all that friendliness again. (I didn't even notice any road rage which was awesome!) Everyone was just. so. nice. You made us feel like family which always makes for the perfect trip.

*Houston is where Brendan tried his first burger, enjoyed pizza for the first time (didn't like it much at home) and started officially crawling. Lots of great firsts!*

My First Mothers Day

2008-05-11T20:49:00.006-04:00

Wow...it was a very meaningful day. My MIL had Brendan make a card for me using crayons, with lots of guidance of course-but it is by far, the cutest card I have ever seen. It really made me feel like "Mom." Very cute. Then hubby was cute enough to scurry around town this morning in search of roses, coffee, chocolates, and donuts. All of my favorite things. I sure liked Mothers Day.

10.5 Months and a Lifetime Still Remaining...

2008-04-28T22:29:00.001-04:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Fun Times in the Kitchen.

2008-04-24T21:00:00.006-04:00

B-Lo's First Stomach Bug

2008-04-22T06:46:00.005-04:00

oh of course I had to post pictures of his first little pukey-flu! You know I try to document all the "firsts!"

Enter at your own risk.

2008-04-19T09:24:00.006-04:00

This house seems to be hosting a slew of viruses. Last weekend, the stomach bug tore through here quicker than fire. It started with Brendan, then hit me, then conquered Daddy. It was ugly. Ugly is even too pretty of a word. It was disgusting. Just awful. The most violent stomach bug I've ever experienced. But somehow we survived and seemed to have an okay week, despite the annoying housegest we've had. Oh yeah. Forgot to mention that on top of the virus parade, my lack-of-manners friend is here visiting from Montana. I'll fill you in on that later. It's a whoooooole other post.

Anyway, Brendan was just starting to get a little of his spirit back after last weekend's trauma and then lastnight came around....now he's got a raging head cold with green snots galore. All he wants to do is lie down or be held. Poor little dude! Just can't catch a break! I suppose I'll get it next. How the annoying houseguest dodged all these bullets so far is beyond me. It's just not fair. At least we were able to get to the beach one day to enjoy this fine weather we're having. Thank goodness summer is almost here to fry all these germs.

The Pantry

2008-04-09T21:22:00.011-04:00

Every now and then, everyone needs a good wake-up call. Just to kind of shock us, make us take a step back, and realize how good we have it.

I went down to the local food bank today, aka "The Pantry," to donate some things I had sitting in the cupboards. I love this food bank. The older ladies that work there are so kind and grateful for everyone that comes in with their boxes and bags of stuff. I discovered it right after Brendan was born. Being a new Mom, I was buying stuff left and right that Brendan didn't necessarily need. Not to mention, he went through numerous brands of baby bottles until we found one compatible for him, so I had dozens of abandoned brand new bottles, just sitting there looking stupid. The food bank was more than happy to take those off my hands for sure. So off I went again today, with my box full of Top Ramen, various soups, rice cereals, and pasta noodles.

I followed an old beat up car into the parking lot. This car didn't look fit to be sitting in a junkyard, let alone cruising down an actual street. It was pretty beat up and very noisy. I parked next to the car and happened to glance inside as I was emptying my goods from the trunk. It was sad. A man, roughly the husband's age, was unbuckling his little guy, about 2 years old, from his carseat. They both looked about as ragged as ragged gets. I followed them into the food bank (which, by the way, for you people with no manners out there--the guy had a toddler in his hands, yet still held the door for me) and sat the box on the counter. They stood behind me and a woman appeared from the back. She greeted me so nicely and handed me the sign-in sheet, then took the man and his child aside with some paperwork. While signing in, I could hear they were discussing the qualifications necessary to use the pantry. I just wanted. to. die. Could you hand over your precious kid and I promise to make sure he never goes hungry again??? Oh my God. I won't go into further detail just because even though I don't know this guy, I feel he's got the right to privacy and it's nobody's business why he's there. He's just a man, trying to make sure his family has something to eat tonight.

My question is: Why do I find it necessary to bitch about the small stuff all the time, when there are people in my own community who cannot afford to feed their children? Could you imagine lying in bed, knowing that your child probably didn't get enough to eat for dinner, and you really have no idea what's in store for the next day?

It made me want to hit the grocery store and come back with heaps of food. Heaps and heaps. All I can is thank goodness for places like The Pantry. Thank goodness for all of the people who donate food. That adorable little guy, if anything, deserves something to eat tonight.

Almost 10 Months Old...

2008-04-05T21:14:00.011-04:00

It's so bittersweet for me sometimes though. As Brendan reaches his 10 month mark, I realize it's been 10 months since I've had Spike at my feet, drooling in my lap as I type. My memories of him came flooding back to me on Friday during an episode of Oprah, where they went undercover to expose puppy mills. Did anyone else catch that? It was awful. Heart wrenching. I just sat there and thought of Spike. Did you know that his bedding, pillows (yes, I said pillows) and crate are all still sitting the basement, in the exact same place my husband put everything on that sad day? I can't seem to bring myself to move it all, or God forbid, throw it away. I figure it's really not taking up much space...it can stay there until I'm ready to move it. To another spot. In the basement. Probably. I don't know....I'm just not ready to give it up. It's still Spike's stuff. Gosh, I miss him.

I do look on the much, much brighter side of things though. Just look at this guy.

Brighter side, indeed.

9.5 Months Old

2008-03-27T21:25:00.008-04:00

Y'all are you going to be so sorry I got my camera fixed. Let the picture posting begin! And at the risk of sounding totally prejudiced, just how cute is this little guy? Can he please stay this precious and sweet forever? He came down with his first cold this week and has been such a trooper...smiles and plays even though he's not feeling his best. Bless his little heart.

Happy Easter

2008-03-24T20:10:00.007-04:00

...a day late and no cute-little-boy-in-pastel-Easter-outfit photos to share. I just got my camera back from the repair shop today though of course, so I guess I'll just have to dress Brendan up in his Easter outfit tomorrow and pretend that it was taken on Sunday. Sounds like a plan to me.

Yay! I feel so complete to finally have my camera back. It's like we've been missing such a vital part of the family for the past 6 weeks. No camera? No good! But, it's back and working like a charm so I'll be sure to post hundreds of pictures and my blog will be back to normal in no time.

Easter weekend was wonderful. I was (finally) baptized Saturday night. It's something I have wanted to do for years, and then once I had Brendan, it hit the top of my priority list. I feel so happy to have completed such an important task in my life. My journey of learning is far from over though, I still have a lot to figure out. But now Brendan and I can do it together. And Matt, if there's nothing good on TV.

B-Lo is suffering from his first cold so we had a busy day of cuddling, snuggling, warm-bathing, Baby Einstein movie-watching, book-chewing, and more cuddling. Fine by me. I'm sure when he's older, I'll look back at these days and wish he'd snuggle with me like he did today. He's the best. Am I prejudiced? Nah....

I'm off to watch Britney Spears in How I Met Your Mother now. Again with the priorities. I've been waiting for this episode! I hope everyone had a lovely Easter!

Jack and Brendan

2008-03-19T09:45:00.012-04:00

If you had told my best friend Caroline and I that 10 years from now, we'd both have precious little boys, we would've said you're crazy. Party was our middle name and we certainly weren't about to give that up for any child, no matter how ridiculously gorgeous they were!

Here you have it though, 10 years later, and Momma is now our only name. Or as Jack likes to say, "Mummy."

Dear Brendan,

2008-03-13T20:57:00.019-04:00

Yesterday you turned 9 months old. You'll read this years from now and think,"How boring, what was I doing at just 9 months?"

Well now, let me enlighten you my child.

At 9 months old, you are just starting to figure things out. You've managed to master the "fake cry" where Mommy gives in and runs to the rescue, and Daddy says,"Let him cry, he's faking." But Mommies are trained to shrug off suggestions such as that and immediately give you what you want.

You've just started eating "people foods" which makes Mommy want to cry. You're growing up too fast my little friend. I almost broke into tears today as I watched you eat french toast for the first time. Your little fingers, desperately grasping at each piece with your mouth wide open, praying that the yummies will make it in! You are getting the hang of the sippy cup. Mommy has to remind herself not to help you when you struggle with it- but sometimes I help tip it for you anyway. Hey- a guy's gotta drink.

I am becoming more and more convinced that your future lies in wrestling, judging from the matches we have while changing diapers. Is it frowned upon to put a 9 month old in a choke hold? Kidding. It's certainly tricky though. Either you're going to be a wrestler, or all of this practice is going to turn Mommy into a gymnast. Not quite sure yet.

You loooove, loooove to hear yourself sing, but by the sounds of it, American Idol will not be calling anytime soon. Sorry buddy, but of course it will always be music to my ears.

Books- bring em on! Those little cardboard and squishy books have your slobber and teethmarks all over them. You love to look at them, as well as eat them.

Clapping and waving are your favorite things to do. You wave to yourself in the bathroom mirror after your tubs which is very funny. The clapping started about a month ago at a playgroup. I was just starting to dodge questions such as "is he clapping yet?" because you weren't...and when I looked over, by golly, you were clapping! It was amazing! True story!

Crawling is not something you've figured out yet, but you're very close. You roll all over the place and you're very happy just sitting with your toys, watching the world go by. I am actually soaking up these days of immobility, because there's lots of "B-Lo proofing" that still needs to be done.

Oh the kisses- lots of them for Momma these days. You plant both hands on my cheeks, open your mouth as far as it will possibly go, and manage to eat my entire face. Best kisser ever.

You're a great, great sleeper. So great that I've had death threats from mothers who do not get the kind of sleep that you allow me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this awesome quality. It's been grand.

You love the blue blankies that Grandma Susan made for you. They go everywhere with us. You became most attached to them during our trip to Florida. I think it was wise to bring them, because you knew they were little pieces of home that made you comfortable. Such a wise child.

Speaking of Grandma and Grandpa, you could not have 2 people wound any tighter around your little finger. Their love for you is indescribable.

I took you in for your 9 month check up today and Dr. S said that you have such a wonderful disposition. He said he's very impressed with how well behaved you are, and that you are perfectly healthy in every way. Aawww, I bet he says that to all the Moms....

You're still carrying around those cheeks that stop people dead in their tracks. "Look at the cheeks on him!" I never, ever tire of hearing that.

Daddy is fascinated by you. Of course he's never actually said that- it just wouldn't be manly. But he is, I can tell. Mornings are my favorite time of day, just because of the way he races into your room to get you. "Whats up Buddy?" And you go crazy....

Mommy is just plain in love with you. My heart literally bursts when I watch you discover something new. It's like winning the grand prize- whatever that may be- every time you develop a new skill or look at me with such delight with those big, beautiful blue eyes. These past 9 months, each single day and every waking moment, have been a gift from God. I don't know why he chose to send you to us, but let me tell you, we promise to make him very, very proud.

Love,
Momma

Back to Business

2008-03-11T19:31:00.010-04:00

Since I was so rudely interrupted by my child yesterday morning, I thought I'd take some time to continue my last post...

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I joined a "moms group" recently. I joined for many reasons, the most important one being to find B-Lo some nice buddies. Or just to find buddies, period. The Moms Group offers a variety of services from playgroups to MNO (Moms Night Out for those of you who don't know the lingo.) The one service I love the most is the messageboards. Every day, all day, you can post questions, suggestions, and even share cute little stories about your children, and all the other Mommies will offer their advice, opinions, and share little stories as well. It's been fun to sit down at the 'puter at night and chat with these ladies, some of who I've met, some I have yet to come into contact with. Anyhoo, I logged on today, hoping someone had replied to my "how on earth can I get my 9 month old to lay still for one freakin second so that I can get his damn diaper on" and this is the first message I see on the board:

"Women who work behind desks are miserable people 9 out of 10 times...
Maybe there husbands are cheating on them? haha."

Ahem. What? Where did this come from? And how is this relevant to raising children- as this messageboard was strictly created for? I was shocked to read something like this. I read down a little further and figured out what had caused the comment. Apparently, one of the Moms was having an issue with her pediatrician's secretary....she hadn't called her back ASAP, she didn't even call to remind them of their appointment until the day before the appointment. (since when do they call any sooner?) Anyway, Mad Mommy was ranting and raving about the secretary...."she's rude, she's old, she's miserable, she should retire..." blah. blah. blah. Well, if I hadn't just been to the dentist today and wasn't in any pain, I probably could've laughed off the rude comment above. BUT- I couldn't let it go.

-"I think we should be very careful when making jokes such as this on the
messageboards- I didn't take offense to this because I do have a sense
of humor...BUT- I did work behind a desk for a few years and could see
how a "miserable" person might not like comments such as these! Not to mention, infedility is no joke either-in my opinion. Just my quick two cents on messageboard etiquette."

Thanks,
Lynsey

I just found it so....gutsy is the most polite word...of this woman to make such a generalized statement to a bunch of women whom she has yet to meet! She has no clue what we all do for a living. She can't just make statements like that and figure everyone else will laugh because they're all real estate agents, just like she is. (I googled her.) Not to mention- infidelity is no joke either. This group has over 100 women in it now, and a small percentage of them are divorced. Why? We don't know! But we certainly can't be making jokes about a man cheating on his wife now can we? Such a jokester she is. I bet she wasn't laughing with the moderator posted her reply on the matter. She was none too thrilled and really read her the riot act. Good Job Moderator.

Jeez. Some women just have no clue. Whatsoever. And by the way, I've been around my share of female real estate agents since I'm in the business and let me tell you, miserable can be our middle name!

I don't mean me of course. I'm the peachiest thing you'll find.

Sssssshhhhh!

2008-03-11T07:54:00.003-04:00

Quiet in the hall! It's almost 8:00 and B-Lo is still sleeping. I'm loving this new sleeping-all-night-and-most-the-morning kick he's on! But I've figured out how to get him to sleep like a teenager. He used to be on 3 naps/day. One quick one in the a.m., a long one in the afternoon, and a little snooze before dinner. BUT- if I don't let him get that last snooze in before dinner, he goes to bed at 7:00 and I don't hear a peep until at least 8 a.m. Who's the genius? And call me nuttso, but I've been setting my alarm to make sure I'm awake a good hour before he starts sqirming around. I've already got the laundry going, the house cleaned up, have had coffee #2, and look- I'm blogging! Crap! Spoke too soon. He's awake. Well, at least I got a paragraph in this week and you are all now aware of our sleeping schedules!

Being Lynsey

2008-03-08T19:47:00.002-05:00

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Subscribe to Rolling Stone Magazine at an 86% discount!

Color Me Happy

2008-03-04T18:03:00.002-05:00

You are a Rubik's Cube

You are engaging and popular. People are drawn to your colorful personality.

As much as they try, people can't stay away from you.

And while you seem easy to understand, people can't figure out what direction you're coming from.

What Kind of Puzzle Are You?

Sorry R*chael Ray!

2008-02-29T10:42:00.006-05:00

But I think I'm going to have to finally turn your show off. Does her voice grate on anyone else's nerves like nails on a chalkboard?? I love her- I think she has the same passion for neglected and abused animals as I do, she gives more than most to various charities without advertising it, and last but not least- her recipes rock! But, what's with her voice! I know she cannot help it, so therefore this post is completely mean and obnoxious, but I just can't listen to it anymore! Once in a while it's cute to hear someone speaking with that rough and raspy tone, but not everyday. I watched one episode where she literally had no voice at all. Poor Jennifer Garner just sat there reading her lips and interviewing herself. I felt humiliated for her.

It's time to turn the TV off anyway. God knows I have better things to do. Like blog.

Wanted: 8 Legged Freak

2008-02-28T11:29:00.009-05:00

Well crap. I was just upstairs doing some cleaning, figured it had been a few weeks since I did anything up there with being on vacation n' all, and what do I come across. A spider. Spiders and I don't mix, and this time of year, they basically take up residence in our home until April. How do they get in? Where do they come from? This wouldn't be such a big deal if the damn thing wasn't in our bedroom somewhere as we speak. I was in my cleaning frenzy, trying to get a few things done during B-Lo's nap, when I picked up a picture frame to dust and felt something....tickly....on my hand. I immediately thought, picture frames don't tickle. *high pitched "eeeewwwww" scream* There went the frame, flying through the air onto the bed, along with the spider. I was able to wap at it a couple of times with my dust cloth, but the little bastard rolled up into a ball during my last swing and now I can't find it. It's disappeared. I stripped our bed which really sucks, because I just changed all the sheets the other day. Didn't find it. Cleaned under the bed, the dressers, and nightstand, not there. And to me, the only thing worse than a spider, is a fugitive spider. I just know that I'll find it when I crawl into bed tonight. It'll be on the ceiling, directly over my head, just dangling. It will dangle and taunt me until I give up and sleep on the couch, because I'm too scared to kill it. I can give birth, but I can't kill a spider. Pathetic is my middle name.

Damn it anyway. I hate spiders.

Pet Peeve of the Day

2008-02-26T17:43:00.003-05:00

I don't like anonymous comment-ers. Even when they try to leave nice comments. Why do they bug me so much? If you're anonymous, don't leave me a comment, I will not publish it, even if you do say my kid has precious cheeks and eyes. I guess I don't like the idea of someone being able to judge my thoughts, opinions, and heck- the looks of my child, yet, I cannot judge the anonymous users. It's just not fair.

So there. My gripe of the day. Anonymous people. You annoy me.

I Choose...

2008-02-25T18:00:00.003-05:00

Sure was rough in Florida...

2008-02-24T13:09:00.010-05:00

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

2008-02-07T21:22:00.001-05:00

It's a beautiful word, isn't it? Saturday cannot come soon enough for this lil' lady, and apparently for a few others as well. I took B-Lo up to Target this afternoon....need a few things for V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N, plus well, I just wanted to get out of the damn house. Teethy, whiney baby made this house feel very small and stuffy and small again, so we set out for some shopping to ease the tension. As we were walking through Target, lovely, lovely Target where I can actually get an adorable t-shirt for under $10, we overheard several conversations of people getting ready for vacation. "Mom, you have to take me to the MALL, I cannot and will not go to the beach in a bikini that I got from HERE...." and then there was,"Harold, you can't wear that in Florida, you'll roast to death..." and lastly,"Dad! Dad! Can I get this for the plane?! But it's a FAKE gun! PLEASE???" I guess it's that time of year. Can't wait till Brendan talks! Oh the fun we'll have!

Anyway, I don't have much time to post, I just wanted to say peace out to you all, as I probably won't be checking in much. However I'll be sure to post photos of me in my adorable $6.08 t-shirt on the beach, next to the 12 year old in the $150 bikini from the MALL.

I leave you with my precious, innocent, child who doesn't know the difference between Target and Abercrombie just yet. Thank GOD.

My Condolences

2008-02-07T09:11:00.001-05:00

I've just heard some sad news. My friend Kristen, from high school, lost her mother to cancer last month. I haven't seen or spoken to Kristen in years, but still fondly remember the bond they shared. I am sure she is hurting deeply and I wish I was there to give her a big hug. My heart goes out to her and her family. There are no guarantees in life, and it's unfortunate that it takes tragedies such as this to make us remember that. Goodbye Mrs. T. These are for you.

Momma's Big Boy.

2008-02-05T21:04:00.001-05:00

Dear God what's next, borrowing the car to take his girlfriend out? *tear*

A Little Time To Kill....

2008-02-01T09:51:00.001-05:00

It's been so long since I've actually sat and written, so I thought I'd do so now while I have a few extra minutes. It's pouring outside, peaches is napping, got my cup of coffee- Ready, Set, Blog.

I miss Idaho, although from the sounds of it, my home state may no longer exist due the amount of snow it's buried under. I am almost scared to call my Mom. She sounds so depressed. Wild weather like that can really take a toll on one's mentality. Whenever I do call, she says she's just sitting in her pj's while Tom shovels. I swear, Tom has been out there shoveling since November 1. Those poor people. They've even cancelled school for most of the week which floored me. I remember growing up, looking outside in the morning at mountains of snow piled up, and literally climbing them to get to school. No snow days for us, folks. But I guess with the amount of Californians (taking over) moving up that way, they just can't handle it. A snow day here in the northeast consists of one flake that has yet to fall. Completely true. I guess my kids will certainly enjoy that.

Well still no sign of my peaches on the Regis and Kelly website baby gallery. I sent them an email- oh yes I did! I was completely professional, went something like this:

Dear Regis and Kelly,

I am saddened to inform you that you have yet to display my child's gorgeous face on both your show, and in your web gallery. You truly have no idea what you're missing. Every morning for the past 3 weeks, I have checked to see if my little guy with his most gorgeous face is there, and still, it is not. What I DO see, however, are photos upon photos of children who are obviously at professional photo shoots, which is against the "rules upon entering." Am I correct or did I read the rules backward? I have also noticed the amount of duplicate photos of the SAME children. If I had known that I could send in an entire slew of pictures of my child to better his chances of getting in- then I would have done so. Please don't regard me as just another "wacky" new Mom who thinks her child is just the most precious thing she ever saw and absolutely thinks her beautiful baby boy with his two-of-a-kind cheeks should be displayed proudly in your web gallery, because I am not. If you've taken the time to view his picture, I think you'd agree that I am indeed, not wacky after all. I would like to comment on the some of those professional photos of the children--could you kindly disclose the name of their photographer? Some of them are just breathtaking.

Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,

Wacky, New, Doting, Proud, Mommy

So...was that too much?

We are off to Florida next Saturday! Hoo-ray. We need a vacation like nobody's business. Well, I should say, my husband needs the vacation. He works very hard, he really does. I don't think I could do what he does on a daily basis, with travel often thrown on top of it. Up until recently, I viewed my position as a SAHM mom kind of....unglamorous and often very difficult. Hey- I'm being honest. It is 10:30 a.m. I am still in my pajamas and my teeth are not brushed. But then something made me realize that I am so fortunate to be able to stay home with my little peaches rather than send him to daycare everyday. I would just die if I had to leave him behind to go to work. Nothing against people that have to do it. I grew up in a household where both parents had to work in order to make ends meet. There were no such things as "stay-at-home-Moms" where I was born and raised. Well, unless you were on welfare, but that's a whole different blog for another time. Anyhoo, I've been in both situations. I've been the nanny and I've worked in daycare, and I've seen how hard it is for the parent(s) to leave their little ones behind all day long. I watch my neighbor load up her two kids at 7 a.m. every morning to head off to daycare and I imagine it's hard for her. If I had to do it, I suppose I would. But I am fortunate enough that I do not have to. He's upstairs napping in his cozy little crib, all snug as a bug in a rug, right where I like him. Home with me, unbrushed teeth and all. Thanks to the hubby who makes it all possible. Anyway, it's off to Florida next weekend for some Disneyworld, fun in the sun, and lots of quality time with Grandma and Grandpa. They are dying to see us- well, dying to see peaches that is. We're used to people only wanting us for our child now. It happens.

Speaking of peaches, my time is up. Naptime: over. I leave you with my unprofessional photos of the most beautiful baby, ever. Who needs their web gallery when I've got my very own?

PS- GO PATRIOTS!

Most Beautiful Baby

2008-01-23T14:14:00.000-05:00

I did something I regret. I entered my precious child in Regis and Kelly's "2008 Beautiful Baby Search." They're giving away $125,000 in college funds to the winner, which they will not announce until February 11th. Being a hopeful, new, doting, prouder-than-a-peacock Mom, of course my son will win. Why wouldn't he? Have you seen his award winning cheeks? Well...I emailed his photo in 2 weeks ago and it hasn't even made the website baby gallery yet. Trust me- I check several times- daily...nightly... Anyhoo, I am losing hope that he will get the grand prize if he hasn't even made the stinkin' gallery yet. And you can hate me for saying this, but I now doubt my fair skinned, dark blonde, blue eyed baby is going to be granted a free ride to college. Why, that would just be an outrage.

Too bad. I guess all that matters is how delicious he is to his Daddy and me.

Where Did My Baby Go?

2008-01-22T15:23:00.001-05:00

Do you see what I see? Besides the big scratch on his nose? Those teeth came through sometime last week. We woke up one morning and there they were. Well, if only it were that simple...the teething was really starting to take a toll on all of us as we watched the poor little man chew on everything in sight, drool nonstop, cry in fits of rage over the pain, and knaw on cold washcloth after cold washcloth. Trust me, I'm psyched that those little devils finally pushed through, but every time he smiles, I see myself dropping him off at college! Everyone keeps asking if he's crawling yet but we're nowhere near that fun stuff. Thank God. One milestone at a time please. The teeth are still sinking in for me.

The Playdate

2008-01-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

We may want to consider getting him around other children a little more often, because this little prince did NOT want to share his castle today.

Out Of Everything That Santa Brought This Year...

2008-01-09T15:51:00.000-05:00

this is his favorite toy in the world. And it's used! Was a hand-me-down given to in in-laws...their grandchildren outgrew it. Anyway, he can't get enough of it. And of course- we can't get enough of him. Rock on B-Lo!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T07:51:00.000-05:00

We got off to a great start yesterday- if you love taking daring road trips through Vermont in the middle of a snowstorm! We spent a total of 5 hours in the car to get home from the weekend trip. But I have to say, our little peaches was just that- a peach. Not a peep out of him the whole time. We had a great time with him...went sledding for the first time and he loved it. How lucky are we to start the new year off with this little dude? It's going to be a great year.

2007-12-28T16:00:00.001-05:00

My panic button has been pushed. Grandma and Grandpa leave for Florida tomorrow. They're the best babysitters on the face of the earth, I just love them. Oh, and Brendan kinda likes them too. What on earth am I going to do for the next 3 months. I'll never find a sitter that will love him like this.

Look What I Got!

2007-12-26T19:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry all, I grabbed the last one.

2007-12-22T08:27:00.000-05:00

Last Christmas...

This Christmas...

I think I'll enjoy this Christmas much more.

Arrgg! and #%$&#$*!

2007-12-20T14:51:00.000-05:00

And you thought I was done posting for the year....ha!

Whatever happened to people with manners? If I get the door slammed in my face one more time as I walk behind someone who refuses to hold it for an extra second so that I can get the stroller through, I just might lose it! Not to mention the ladies who race through the aisles with their carts, practically running over my heels because I am not moving fast enough for them- oh so many words that I don't dare put in this because my children might be bored enough to read this someday. Atleast I take the time to swerve out their way so that they can get around me, but how dare me to expect a "thanks!" out of it, naturally! Even before I had a baby, I was aware of women pushing strollers and would go out of my way to hold the door for them, slow down for them in parking lots, squeeze around them in the aisles, let them go first if she had less items than me and a screaming child....I swear! I was courteous like that! Why can't I find the same? I am not expecting special treatment, just a dash of common courtesy. Do you think I enjoy pushing my 19lb child through cram-packed stores 4 days before Christmas? Do you think I'm getting my jollies out of such a dreadful experience? Do you think I love to hope and pray that his nap lasts just 10 minutes longer, or just long enough to get us through the line that has 50 people who are all returning crap? Not so much.

Just makes me think of the woman at the pediatrician's this week who was complaining about having a toddler and twins, all under the age of 4. I felt somewhat awful for her until she mentioned that her "nanny only works from 8-6 and the rest of the time she and the husband are on their own!" *gasp* How does she survive? You know, while I'm at it, something else that's been bugging me. My cousin got married in June. We sent her a very nice cashmere throw blanket and never got a thank you note. Being worried that she didn't receive it, I asked my grandmother to inquire. "I asked her, she says they received it right before the wedding." Oh, okay- thanks! Was just curious to see if she indeed received the darn thing! It's those little things that really get the blood boiling. Not to mention her little brother graduated this year and we sent him money for that...think we got a thank you card from that little turd? Well heck no! Why would expect such a thing? Guess they don't make thank you notes in Idaho. Stupid, rude, thoughtless people. Happy fricken holidays.