Monday, February 18, 2008

Happy Birthday Lauren!

It's a double digit birthday! Ten years old. Daddy and I were married for 9 years before you were born. You sure took your time getting here. I was begining to think that I would never have children.

I remember the day that I found out I was pregnant. There wasn't anyone around for me to share the news. I had to wait forever until Daddy got home. Finally he came home and we both could hardly believe it. Grammy and Poppy were so excited - you were the first grandchild.

I was convinced that you were going to be a boy. You were born and they told me it was a girl, it was total shock. I remember Daddy had said to me when you were born..."I didn't know what I would do with a little girl, but I love her" and I said "That's funny, I didn't know what I would do with a little boy". (though I sure did learn quickly when your brother was born)






I was thrilled. A little girl to dress in frilly clothes, to go shopping with, to share secrets with. I knew it would be fun and special to have a little girl but just how special I had no idea.



You are an angel. You have grown into a lovely young lady and I couldn't be more proud. I love our girl time. I love our shopping trips, our trips to the movies and the theatre. I love watching you dance, and being part of all that you do for dance.

I have a song for each of you and the song that brings tears to my eyes and makes me think of you when I hear it is "In My Daughters Eyes" by Martina McBride. It really relays how I feel about you.

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her hand around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about
It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough
It's giving more when you feel like giving up
I've seen the light
It's in my daugter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see
how happy she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes



I love you
Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Matthew!

Today we will be celebrating your fifth birthday. How can that be? Five years have gone by so quickly.

Your name, Matthew, means "Gift of God" and you truly are. As we had lost a baby in 2001 and then a miscarriage the following year, to learn we were expecting again brought lots of emotion. It was a long 9 months for me. Only because I worried so much and prayed every day for you to be a healthy baby. I was so worried that I actually rented a portable doppler machine just so I could check your heartbeat everyday.

There was a very bad snow storm 2 days before you were born and I had heard that the hospitals were cancelling some surgerys. I prayed that all would go as planned for your delivery. It did. We went to the hospital early in the morning and at 10am you were born via c-section.

You came out screaming and Dr. Walker said "this boy is mad". We were moved into a recovery room where you and daddy could stay with me. This was different than when Lauren was born, I had to go into a recovery area by myself. So it was very nice that we were all together until we were put into a regular room.

Daddy went home that night to be with Lauren and came back to the hospital the next day. When he came in the morning he asked me if I had heard about the fire. Of course I had no idea what he was talking about but he put the news on and there had been a terrible fire at a local night club. 100 people died. Many I had gone to school with, a friend of the family, and people I used to work with. So as we celebrate your birth we also remember all the victims of the Station Night Club.

You were a good baby. Always smiling, always happy. When you were four months old you gave us quite the scare...you had to be admitted to the hospital for menangitis. You spent four days in the hospital and they were the longest 4 days of my life. I hated seeing you there in the crib with an IV and sleeping for so long. After a week you were back to your old self.

As a toddler you really gave us a run for our money. Very active, full of mischief and sometimes not a very good listener. There were days when I didn't know what I was going to do with you. But you always had a smile on your face. Always made us laugh and you still do.

I'm very proud of the boy you've become. You now are a very good listener. You are so smart, kind and thoughtful. You impress me -- when you are done watching tv you turn it off, you put your toys away. You love to joke. You love to talk. We have some pretty good conversations. I love when I tuck you in and tell you that you are "my sweet boy" you always respond and say "you are my sweet mommy". I love when you give me a kiss for no reason. I love the dimples in your cheek. I love your energy. I love everything about you.



Soon you'll be playing t-ball, going to Kindergarten, becoming more independent and I will miss these little boy days but until then, I will enjoy every moment because I adore you. When I hear the song MY WISH by Rascall Flatts I think of you because what they sing are things I wish for you as you grow.


I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,
But more than anything, more than anything,

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.
But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
This is my wish


Happy Birthday Baby Boy! I love You


Saturday, February 16, 2008

Journey to the new me (2)

GOAL REACHED

I have reached the 10 pound mark. I got on the scale this morning and couldn't believe it! Whoo Hoo! (that's 2 bags of sugar)

New goal: 10 lbs and get a new pair of jeans

Friday, February 15, 2008

Journey to the new me

I've been debating posting about this......I feel like everytime I say outloud that I'm going to lose weight I set myself up for failure. But there is something different about this time. With my 40th birthday upon me, (and believe me, I don't feel like what I thought 40 would feel like -- I still feel like I'm in my 20's -- I'm young at heart and always will be) I told myself it was time for me to take care of me. I always make sure the kids go to their dr's apts every year. I take care of everyone but me. So on February 1st I had my first physical since I don't know when and I put myself, for lack of a better word, "diet". I've been watching what I eat, using smaller plates, making better choices. The other night we had pizza, I had one piece instead of 2-3 pieces. Yes, I have had a small chocolate here and there, but I haven't eaten a whole candy bar. I'm striving for portion control. I have also started exercising on a more regular basis. I'm making goals, each 10 pounds I lose I will treat myself... When I lose the first 10 I'm getting a new pair of sunglasses (my favorite accessory). The good news......Since February 1st................I have lost 7lbs. Ok, so at first I say only 7 pound but then I think....that is 7 packages of butter or a 5lb bag of sugar and 2 packages of butter. Thinking of it that way makes 7 pounds seem pretty significant. I also feel better mentally, knowing that I am doing something good for myself. So in the end the big goal is to lose 100 pounds but we will take those 10 at a time. So I have 3 pounds to go until those new sunglasses....goal is to do that by 2/29. So begins the journey to the new me. . . . (to be continued)

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentines Day

So here we are Valentines Day, 2008. I told Rick last week that I am boycotting Valentines. I mean first of all it's just another day for card companies to make money. Even if you just wanted to go to dinner, the restaurants are crowded. I just got a small box of chocolate for Lauren and Matt. Cost me all of 2.00. Rick gave me a big hug this morning, said Happy Valentines and I love you -- well that's all I need on Valentines day. So to everyone else Happy Valentines Day.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Visit to the Doctors

Today Lauren and Matthew both had their annual apt. They are both growing beautifully (those were the doctors words). Matthew weighed in at 40lbs and was 42 inches tall. Lauren weighed in at 67lbs and 55 inches tall. They said Matt was 50 percentile for both height and weight and Lauren was 50th percentile for height and 25th for weight. The skinny little thing! Matt got 3 shots and didn't even flinch. He's a brave boy. He also had a hearing and vision test which he passed with flying colors. So Matt is done with shots until he is 11. (I can't even imaginge him being 11) After the doctors visit I dropped Lauren off at school and I had my own doctors apt.

I had my very first mammogram. All I can say is OUCH!





I'm very proud of Matt because he had to sit outside the door all by himself. He was so patient. He's such a good boy.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

The Sickies are visiting today

Lauren started complaining last night that she didn't feel good. This morning she still doesn't. She has a headache and feels like she's going to throw up. Poor Baby! I hate when they are sick. Matt is fine. He, however, has a dentist apt this morning and I had planned on taking a half day today at work to bring him. Because it is a half day experience; by the time you get to the dentist, and then get back him back to school or daycare and get to work, it's already a couple hours. They both have apts next wed too at the dr's so that's another half day of my vacation time. Oh well. It's ok because Rick has done most of the apt's this year. Anyway, now I have to figure out what to do with Lauren this afternoon because Rick is home until 12 with her so I can take Matt to the dentist. I wonder what I'm going to do with myself when the kids are all grown up. I'm going to have so much time on my hands. Of course then I'll be very sad because the kids are not little anymore. I guess that's why they make grandchildren. lol.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

How was lunch? What lunch?

I got back from "lunch" today and my co-worker asked "How was lunch"? Lunch? What Lunch? My day starts at 6am. Rick wakes me up. I have 30 minutes to get the kids, up, dressed, teeth and hair brushed. (this is why showers and baths happen at night) we leave promptly at 6:30am. Drive to the other side of town (5 min) and pick up my nieces Nicole and Steph. Drive to the next town - Bristol - (15 min) drop off Nicole at High School, go up the street and drop off Matt at his day care provider. Then I Drive back to Warren. If it's a Monday, Wed or Friday, Lauren gets dropped off at a friends house to catch a ride to school for her chorus group (school is back in Bristol where we just were but it's too early to be dropped off) A Tues or Thurs she gets to come back home with me for a half hour. I get ready for work, we leave the house again at 7:55 where I will go 30 seconds up the road and bring Steph to Middle school. If Lauren is with me she goes to the bus stop for 8:20. I then go to work - I work in Somerset, MA. that is about 10 minutes from my house. I work until 11:45 and then leave to go get Matt in Bristol bring him to school in Warren and then come back to work (that is my lunch hour). Work until 5 and then go the next job at the cable company until 8:30. Lucky for me, Rick will clean and cook and do the laundry. I go home eat, make lunches and maybe watch some tv. Then start it all over again. Next year won't be so hectic. Both kids will be in the same school and we'll actually get to sleep until 7a. Matt will be in school for the full day. So when I get asked "How was lunch"? I have to ask....What Lunch?

Monday, February 4, 2008

Pats are still #1 to us

Well, the Superbowl has come and gone and the end result was certainly not what we expected or hoped for. It was fun, house full of company and good food that is what was important. The Giants played a great game, you have to give them that. So to the Giants Fans, Congratulations! We know what it means and how it feels. Enjoy it. To Tom Brady and the gang, you had a great season, the superbowl would have been the icing on the cake, but hey cake with no icing is still good! There's always next year. To Patriot Nation, show the class that Tom Brady would and be happy for the winners! Red Sox season here we come............................