Wednesday, February 29, 2012

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

This is one of those days the entire area should stay in bed. And plus it’s Leap Day?! That means today doesn’t exist. Today doesn’t count. At least, that’s the way I look at it. Is that wrong?

Wouldn’t you love a day to just… well, anything? I would love a day to stay in my PJs, have pancakes in bed, and snuggle with my family to watch a funny movie. All of us with blankets, and pillows, and Plutos, and doggies, and each other.

How am I supposed to focus now?

Make It Stop!!


“{You} never realize how fast time flies till you watch a child grow up. It's truly the most bittersweet experience.”

This was my friend Jess’s response when I sent her JP’s 4yo pictures to view with the comments, “My Baby isn’t a Baby anymore. MAKE IT STOP!”

Oh my goodness, how true. In less than one month our Baby will be 4! Four! I cannot believe it (and neither can my maternity weight).

It was just yesterday I waited anxiously by the telephone for my report to surgery call for his C Section. We had everything planned: Madi going to Abba DeeDee’s, Haley being taken care of by PopPop, bags packed and all. Then we got the call, Labor & Delivery was overwhelmed with “real deliveries” so we’d have to wait until the next day. Ugh.

It was also just yesterday that we were discharged from the hospital only to make our way to the next hospital to treat JP’s jaundice. The Pediatrician at our first visit wasn’t happy with the count and readmitted us to the hospital he could tend to. {My Doctor had privileges where we delivered; JP’s doctor at the other.}

It was just yesterday that we nursed and nursed and nursed his Colic with EVERY single idea we (or anybody else) had for the situation. It was just yesterday we broke some of the rules just to get him some relief from crying and screaming and screaming some more. {And by rules, I mean nothing serious; binkies, swaddling, tummy napping, whiskey- wait! whiskey!? Just kidding! See? At least I can laugh now.}

Just yesterday we had JP’s Mickey Mouse 1st Birthday, his Tractor 2nd Birthday, and his Construction 3rd Birthday. JUST yesterday! 

Skip ahead to, literally, just yesterday and our “Baby” is doing HIYA kicks copying his sister’s Karate moves. He’s “reading” Green Eggs and Ham at the dinner table and he’s helping Big Sissy feed the dogs. He’s zipping around the games and movies on the iPad and calling Mommy on the telephone to say hi. He’s parading around in his Fireman Costume as my hero. He’s making Mommy & Daddy proud and he’s growing up WAY TOO FAST.

MAKE IT STOP!





Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Family Fun Basket Raffle

#FansForTrinity 

Family Fun Night
Basket Raffle

$3ea or 2/$5



Basket is handmade & donated by my Mom,
the awesomest basket maker ever.

Family Fun Night surprises donated by
Mel Tuttle, Delaware Beach Families.

PayPal, Checks, and Cash donations accepted. 
Raffle to be drawn March 16th at
to benefit #FansForTrinity

(Handsome Fireman not included:)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Shut Up and LISTEN!



How many times do you really listen? Do you interrupt thinking you know what someone is about to say? With friends, with family, with staff, as a customer, as a human.

Just shut up and listen.

No, that’s not what I was going to say. I was going to say listen to me. Really LISTEN to me.

I am important. I am intelligent. I am free to say what I WANT to say.

So, 
       SHUT UP 
             AND 
                 LISTEN.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Name Five Things


That fall from the sky. That you make with snow. In your refrigerator. Mommy says all the time. You like to play.

The new Mommy Made Up Game we play in the car (or anywhere else the kiddos get bored easily) is a favorite of JP’s. So much so that the answer to that last one, Name Five Things you like to play, includes “Name Five Things.”

It’s adorable. The things my kiddos come up with as answers crack me up. How about “Dead Birds” for things that fall from the sky? Or “Calm Down” for one of the things Mommy says all the time. <snort>

At this point, I don’t even know where I got this idea. I know most of the time we play this in the car. I also know I am having a hard time coming up with new categories. We have done so so many! From clothes in your drawer, to things you pack for school, to PopPop’s favorite pastimes. The categories are all over the place.

The great thing is that as the kiddos are answering I’m thinking of things I think they should/would say and they almost never do. They surprise me with their out of the box ideas that I wouldn’t have even guessed. They are very creative and imaginative. We end up (constructively) arguing some of their answers and why they do (or do not) fit the category. It ends up being quite the conversation to listen to.

Try it in your car next time the kiddos ask you “are we there yet?”

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I Followed the Bus to School One Day


Today, actually. I had to stop at our friend’s house a few streets over. I took Madi with me so she could just get on the bus there. Our kiddos ride the same bus anyway.

After our kiddos got on the bus we finished our chat on her front lawn and I left for work. Probably a good five minutes after the bus had pulled away. As I turned left off her street I noticed our bus sitting to the side of the road without the lights on. I stopped behind it and waited. I think I saw Madi wave to me down the middle of the bus.

The bus turned left and I followed. At what I thought was the next stop, a kid was dropped OFF the bus, crossed the street and ran into his home. The bus waited (maybe 30 seconds) and then continued on. Weird.

Mommy Brain took over: was the kid on the wrong bus, was the kid sick, was the kid a trouble maker, was there something I wasn’t thinking of, how was my kiddo, is everything ok, can I pull up and ask the driver, should I follow???

I called my friend and explained what had just happened and asked her if I was paranoid. She basically said yes, and she is too. Follow the bus. And report back to her.

At the exit from our ‘hood the bus driver was nice enough to try to wave me around the bus. I said no and to go on. I ended up at school, parking, and taking my paranoid Mommy Brain into the office to ask questions.

Thankfully, the wonderful secretary at Madi’s school didn’t laugh in my face. She picked up her two way radio, called out back to the teacher on bus duty, and asked him to check on Bus #13 (seriously, do you think I’d put the real bus # here?) as she had a concerned Parent that witnessed a kid being dropped off. “Concerned Parent.” I like that. Much better than Paranoid Mommy.

Turns out the kid was sick, our driver called transportation, transportation called the parents, the parents said bring him home since you’re right here. Pheww. Sounds good to me.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Thirteen

Thirteen years ago tonight I married my best friend.

Thank you, Nick, for 13+ beautiful years and here's to 1300 more.

I love you.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

This! See? This!



This is why I don’t care for Gymnastics.

This is why I stay at every Karate lesson.

This is why she’s even in Karate!

This is why I Coach her basketball team myself.

This is why I stay at the field for Soccer practice.

This is why there aren’t sleepovers at classmates houses.

This is why we all enter the car from the same side.

This is why I am at every Doctor’s visit.

This is why her bus ride to school scares me to death.

This is why I ask so many questions.

This is why I escort them to the restroom.

This is why they stay within arm’s reach at the store.

This is why I have such a hard time having a sitter.

This is why we get bathed and dressed in Private.  

This is why I hug and kiss and love my kids.

This is why I’m paranoid, a worry wart, a hoverer.

THIS. IS. WHY.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Forgive Me Bloggers

Forgive me Bloggers, for I have sinned. It has been 9 days since my last post.

In that time I have had a stomach bug, a sore throat, played hooky with my kiddos, held a fundraiser, skipped a basketball game as the Coach (for the fundraiser, it’s all good), watched the Superbowl (Madonna, Baby!), worked, done some laundry, cooked a meal or two, and slept (not enough). I’m sure there is more to confess to but at that moment, that’s what I come up with.

I promise to be more faithful to writing going forward.

What’s my penance?

I’m A Planner


I know, shocker, right?

I’ve had JP’s Birthday Party planned in my head since before Christmas. His Birthday is March 28.

Hubs and my 13th Anniversary is Monday. I have Mondays off so I asked Hubs if he would take it off too. After much prodding and even me bringing it up at the Holiday Manager’s Dinner to his Boss, he has it off.

Guess what we’ve got planned. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

We talked of spending a night at the Beach. But it would involve a school night sleepover for the kiddos.

We talked of taking a day trip. But it would still involve school and day care. Oh, and basketball practice.

So, it’s beginning to look like we may just have to settle for another random Monday.

It’s just another day, right?

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

And All Was Right With the World (At Least JP's World)

Poor Hubs has been laid up at home the past 3 days with a humungous, crazy, unfair Gout Flare Up to the hip. Unfortunately, as he can barely walk, the package that was delivered to the front door waited until Mommy arrived home to be noticed. Well, fortunately for Mommy though as I got to see it with my own eyes. 

Miss Gail from Just Play Products in Florida sent me an email Friday: 
Hey Juli!
I thought about you guys today. Hope all is well, and that your son is feeling better! I sent you out another box =)  Just a treat for him. Send me an e-mail when you get it!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Gail


We just opened this "treat for him."
 


And JP unpacked it to find Lightening, Mater, Woody, & Buzz from Miss Gail, the wonderful toy company lady.... 









The last thing he grabbed from the box took us all by COMPLETE surprise.



 





Jumping for joy, SURPRISE! 











Taking my picture is useless right now, SURPRISE!











Mommy is beside herself watching this, SURPRISE! 




Miss Gail, our Hero, found our New Pluto!!! I don't know how, or when she did, but SHE DID! She found him! (And the Heavens sang with Praise) 

Miss Gail, you are the nicest, kindest, most thoughtful, (ex) stranger I have met in a long long time. You are in this Family's hearts forever and ever. 


Poor Poor Pluto will now take his spot high on a shelf, while New Pluto takes his rightful place with JP carrying him by his tail.





And all is right in his world.