2009 good bye, see ya, so long...

Exactly one year ago today, we took a couple Aunts and drove to our ultrasound. I was SO SURE I was pregnant with a girl, but nervous, after Jackie had just delivered the 5th consecutive grand-daughter.
Afterwards, we celebrated our wonderful news, with friends, while ringing in 2009.
One year later, I admit 2009 was not the best year. It has been tough on me, our little family and my large extended family. Illness, heartbreak, turmoil, stitches and stress.
Given all that, this was still a year in my children's life. And I can find happiness, in that.
I do not believe in New Year's Resolutions.
Instead, I have made a life resolution.
I would like to smile more, focus on the positive and project a belief, in a better life.
2010 feels like the perfect year to start that.
I will kick off my warm fuzzies, by remembering a few great moments of 2009.

The Double Shower Head. Yea, baby. During our remodel, we replaced the shower and followed very sound advice from Ditta, to install a double shower head. I will keep this PG13 and confess, this shower has yet to contain double occupancy (unless you count me and the little girls.) Still, it is the single most awesome thing to happen to our home! Warmth and happiness surrounds you! Now, if I could just ignore Tink, chatting on the other side of the curtain....


This is my favorite 2009 photo of my Tink. It captures her beautiful eyes, crazy hair, my T-shirt as her pajamas and almost loving her sister, while still making life about herself.


I spent the majority of my summer exhausted, in a baby haze. My children, however, filled our summer with smiles. This is the most perfect picture of The Kid, full of life. He swam, at our pool, the town pool, the beach, trips with both sets of grandparents...etc. He was tanned, tired and smelling of chlorine every day. I always love him, the most, that way.


We gained another god child. My count: one beautiful god-daughter, one handsome god-son. Two, perfect reminders, of how lucky I am. (I am not resting him on a giant bag of pink cotton candy....that is me, 8 1/2 months pregnant. Somebody could have told me, big girls, should not wear pastels.)

Bringing me to the best, 5 minutes of my year....
I had a very rough, second half of my pregnancy. I was not well physically, which made me not so well emotionally. Growing my Coco, took much out of me. When I view the first half of 2009, I see it from my self-imposed cave. I can remember thinking, God is giving me one heck of a bad time now....but He will reward me with the sweetest baby yet....He just HAD too.
And He did. This photo may look staged, our faces may look too posed, too movie-ish. It was not. A nurse grabbed our camera and randomly snapped this, as I held Coco for the very first time. That look of awe, amazement and love, is real. At that very moment, I am feeling a wash of relief, as I fall in love. That moment, was easily, the best five minutes of my year. I have barely let her go since.
While this year, was a challenge, it will forever be the year my 'Baby' was born.
Making 2009, one of the best, of our lives.

Now...2010...we are waiting and more than ready for you.

Please bring us and our extended family members, much:
Joy, laughs, love, resolution, good health, forgiveness, dancing, hugging, surprises, faith, growth and memories.

Things I am not proud to admit.

After years of resistance, I found myself hooked on a 'Keeping Up with the Kardashian's marathon the other night.
This is my first time and I am not proud.
I realize this program is not real and the girls are spoiled brats with no redeeming qualities.
That said, I feel like the show has taught me a few valuable lessons.
#1. If you are going to date an athlete, find a Professional. They may be gone at practice longer, yet you miss them less in your 6 million dollar house.
#2. I think I should wear more black eyeliner. It seems to work for them.
#3. Large rear ends, are cool and should be embraced with very tight jeans.

Shopping list:
several tubes of eyeliner
tight jeans (oh wait, after the last 2 months, I already have plenty of those)

**I am also drawn to Bruce Jenner's face. What happened and can his wife not see that?
That other boyfriend is a very lucky tool. He hit the jackpot after pollinating that egg.

Darth Vadar...the morning after.

Saturday night, one of our guests made a spiced rum concoction. They were drinking out of The Kid's Darth Vadar mug. When The Kid arrived home the following morning and saw the remaining drink in his mug, he yelled (very disgusted)...
"Who peed in my cup at the party?"
It was all I could do, not to reply...
"Can't say, got pretty wild, up in here!"

My Christmas Wrap Up

(Get it, wrap up? Wrapping paper? Funny.)

Of the 12 memories of Christmas, that my life gave to me.....
12. On the 23rd my life gave to me....a party at the in-laws farm. So many people, so many presents, so many buckeyes and an ice storm to nearly trap us all there.

11. On Christmas Eve, my life gave to me...The Elf on the Shelf, carefully guarding The Kid's stocking holder (for one last day of threats). And a Tink in her beautiful dress, at Christmas Eve Mass...with a refusal to do her hair and candy cane all around her mouth.
10. A Grammy and a Pop-pop to drive the children around looking at Christmas lights, while Santa finished her last minute wrapping. And the best gifts, Coach has ever given me.

9. On Christmas morning, my life gave to me....easily, one of the greatest memories of my life. Santa was forced to hide the presents on the kitchen table, due to Desmond's love for candy. The Kid woke up, ran to the tree, ran around to the other tree, ran to his room...no presents. He did not see them on the table, became convinced he really was bad and Santa didn't come. He put himself back to bed and cried for Coco 'because she was good this year'. I love that he knew him and Tink, really weren't that deserving!

8. On that same morning, life gave to me....A Tink, who repeated the phrase "I so exsited" and "Merry Cristmes" so many times, my heart nearly burst.

7. My life also gave to me....Coco and her smile, and her love for her present of wrapping paper.

6. On Christmas afternoon, my life gave to me....a not very successful attempt at a picture of 25 of GG's 30 great-grandchildren. I would not consider the attempt much of a present, but having my children included in such a group...most definitely a gift.

5. On Christmas Evening, my life gave to me...a mellow evening at Grammy's. A try at a picture with my Tink, an awesome charm bracelet and our favorite broccoli/cauliflower casserole.

4. On the day after Christmas, my life gave to me. An adult gathering at our home, a frantic clean-up of Christmas, a few too many drinks, tons and tons of laughing and a night cap at the local bar.

3. On the 2nd day after Christmas, my life gave to me. Coach home all day with our family, taking the kids out in the snow, an alone cuddle with my Coco.

2. Tink's first long play in the snow, her subsequent need to take a warm bath with her new mermaid, and a snuggle up with the girls on the couch.

1. Last night, my Christmas gave to me...3 tired babies, a Harry Potter Family Movie Night and a very grateful mother for my life....

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas, filled with all the love, I felt.

December 26th, just hit hard.

If this picture does not summarize the let down...I don't know what could.
There was exactly ONE present remaining under the tree this morning, for Coach's Godson.
Late this afternoon, I heard paper ripping. After an easy search, I found Tink, hidden in a corner of her room, unwrapping the last present.
She knew this was not hers. We had discussed it several times.
You'll note, she is refusing to look at the camera, has crossed her hands while playing possum.
And yes, that is a chocolate candy ring around her mouth.
And yes, again...she is still wearing pajamas late this afternoon.

More tape, mom??

My in-law's Christmas is tonight, and we are buzzing with excitement. (Sweet description of hyperactive children on the brink of a meltdown.) Tonight will kick off, three days of non-stop presents, cookies and fun.
I feel the community would benefit from knowing:
If you open a present from this house, and it looks like it was wrapped by a 5 year old boy, with illegible cursive handwriting and a 'thing' for tape....Tink and I had tons of fun wrapping the gifts together.
If you unwrap a present labeled From Coach, that looks like a 5 year old boy wrapped it...chances are pretty good, he actually wrapped that himself.
Present wrapping, does not appear to be, on his long list of talents.

Shopping blows.

Go ahead. Go shopping. Go find clothes for yourself...sure, have that fun.
Drop the girls off to relatives, drive out of town with Coach, The Kid and yourself.
Part ways with your men.
Skip into a given shop.
Grab an armful of clothing, note that it is "Tis the Season for Puffy Cowl Neck Sweaters"....ignore those.
Grab your size, confident in post baby body.
Waltz into dressing room, undress to try on head to toe, new ensemble.
Stop. Turn. Stare. O.M.G.
No matter how great you may have felt, prior to the dressing room, nothing really prepares you, for the sucker punch to the gut.
Ok, immediately try to get past the dimples, the new addition of back fat, the belly that will never be the same after the 8 1/2 pound baby...
Address a few smaller issues.
Why am I so pale? Like beyond pale, translucent pale?
Really, how much truth is to that whole skin cancer thing? Can I just go back to tanning? Beauty Rule #248...tan chub is cuter chub.
I think I may be getting paler with age. Can that happen?
I am very much able to see the color of my skin, thanks entirely to the neon, fluorescent lights in the dressing room. What is the deal with that?
Here is an idea.
Light the dressing rooms with A. Candles or B. a string of Christmas lights.
Every person looks exponentially better in either lighting. I am positive they would sell more clothes that way.
With the room lit, brighter than the sun, I then wondered:
When did I start beating my upper thighs with a hammer. Why do I suddenly have 37 bruises? This has to be blamed on my children. I am sure of it.
As the body, morphing disorder reaches it's peak, I tried to focus on the clothing. Get past the near nakedness.
Except then, I noticed...hey, how about some cuter bra and panties, Grandma? When did we stop matching those?
Skip right into Victoria's....
and skip out after I realized She is apparently, only telling her Secret to 19 year old girls. All in matching PINK sweats, that they did not wear to the gym. (why would they need to, they haven't had babies?)
They may have worn the sweats to go tanning.
None were pale.
I should, confidently stride past them, wishing them luck with the age spots and wrinkles.
And yet, I was jealous of the tan.
Decide to order undergarments online.
Back to clothing.
Ok, I picked out dress pants. Not too bad.
Moved onto tops.
I now see the appeal for the bulky sweaters. Thick, warm, hides things...fine..two sweaters in the bag.
Began to quickly walk around the mall, pretending I was not 'mall walking'...wishing it would just once occur to me to eat at the food court AFTER standing exposed in the dressing room.
I may consider installing the same lights and mirrors in my closet. Kinda, like a scary personal trainer to insult me every morning. Only the insult, would be my own image glowing back at me.
While waiting in front of Sears for the boys, I began to peruse the racks. When did Sears get cute? Or is this the first step to 'Mom Jeans'? If I need an intervention...stage it!
My husband, pranced up, smiling "How was shopping? Did you find anything."
His voice dripping with kindness and joy.
I hate him.
And his same size jeans, as when he was 17. I hope he chokes on them.
I should have gone shopping at Old Navy for the girls. Toddler clothes are cuter and way more fun.

While the boys were bonding and loving not being female. Coach decides to reward his son with a small gift. The Chipmunks Squeckquel Soundtrack.
That purchase makes, complete sense for the parent that is absent for a minimum 11 hours each day.
Bonus, he promised The Kid we would listen to the CD for the 30 minute ride home.
After 27 minutes, I demanded Coach play somethings else to cleanse our music palette.
Our choice:

You heard a lot about a brother gaining mo ground
Being low down I do the showdown wit any little ho round, no!
I wanna know who youre believing through youre funny reasons
Even when Im sleeping you think Im cheatin
You said I know youre mr. o.p.p. man yo pp man wont only see me man
You shouldve known that I was wit if a bit when I aint hit it
And step not to consider the rep heck!
I did your partner cause shes hot as a baker cause Im naughty by nature
Not cause I hate cha!
You put your heart in a part of a part that spreads apart
Even though I forgave ya when you had a spark.

Oh Naughty, it does seem to be in your Nature, to make this old lady feel better.
Thanks.

Just another Monday

*Why, on my morning to sleep in....did Coach snuggle up to Coco. Allowing Tink to wander the house, until she found me. Why was she the sweetest thing ever when she snuggled, fell back asleep and proceeded to sweat and kick all over me?

*Now that my Christmas shopping is done, why do I have the overwhelming urge to go shopping, for myself?

*Why can't yoga teach itself this morning? Can't people just buy Yoga DVD's so I can go to the mall? Or is that maybe, not good for business?

*4 days out until Christmas and both girls are becoming congested. Of course.

*The problem with having a super HUGE tree....all the presents look very tiny under it. Daring me to ...yes, go shopping again.

*Why did people ever bake cookies, before they were pre-packaged in break-off form?

**What if, I did go to yoga, yet while teaching the class, I am thinking how badly I would love to go to the mall and eat Sbarro food court. How zen would the ancient yogis consider that?

*Can we start opening a few presents today? I'm bored.