Sunday, July 27, 2008

New Friends - Good Neighbors - Lots of Little Girls!

We moved to the town we live in now just this past February - it was one of the best moves we've ever made (minus the steep driveway, all the stairs and the heavy as hell furniture that I seem to love). Over the past 2 years, we spent more time in this area than the little neighborhood we used to live in - Ms. J went to gymnastics here, was up here 2 days a week for daycare with Grammy, good restaurants and just a quieter way of life - oh yeah, and did I mention that my brother and SIL have lived here for almost 4 years. Now we live 9 miles from them versus the 42 miles it was before. Need I say more?
One Saturday as we were sitting down to dinner, I noticed a cute little family walking down our street, Mom, Dad and 2 little girls. Then I realized that I knew the mom and the little girls - the oldest had been in Ms. J's gymnastics class. I ran out to the deck to yell hello and we reconnected. We hadn't been to gymnastics since January, as it was an expense that we just couldn't justify given where we lived and the fact that I wasn't working. BUT, the great thing was that all 4 Littles remembered each other and we promised to exchange information and get together for playdates and such. Fast forward 3 months, and one lazy Saturday afternoon...and there is a knock on our door, 2 wee little girls and their Mommy standing outside with a note for us saying they wanted to play. We had an impromptu playdate right there (our playroom was already destroyed, what could 2 more Littles to do it?) with great conversation and promises of more time together to come.
I knew that I liked her for the year or so that we talked at gymnastics- but those were very short, non-personal conversations in between spotting our girls on the ladders and trampoline. Now that we were sitting in my house, at my table having a great conversation I was so happy that I had found another great lady to talk to and that lived right down the street! We have quite a few things in common, besides each having 2 daughters...we've worked in the same field for years and have similar life experiences. Now I'm just sad that it took me so long to really get start getting to know her. Here's to new friends, for both my girls and me and to good neighbors that we can look forward to seeing out at the mailbox!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Little G gets it, she really gets it.....

As it is very early in my "blog life", I still have many things to talk about and to share about my family and what they are all about. What happened yesterday kind of shocked me and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it - I even dreamt about it last night. But, let me back up and tell you the history on the event before I share the current tidbit.
Our oldest daughter (almost 4) J, was diagnosed as a Type 1 Diabetic 2 years ago at 22 months old. We had just found out that we were preggers with little G, who's now almost 18 months. We had a rough few days in the hospital, but the educators and nurses and endocrinologists that we came to know took phenomenal care of all of us, not just Miss J. Throughout these past 2 years, there have been many adjustments to her insulin, changes in her testing times, and equipment (insulin pen, testers, finger pokers and such) - we have incorporated diabetes into our life fairly well I believe.
As in any household, mornings are pretty crazy around here - testing blood sugar, breakfast, taking shots, getting dressed, teeth brushed, faces washed and all that jazz. We don't hide testing J or doing her shots, especially when we're in our own home. Which brings me to what happened yesterday.
The girls and I were up at my brother's house and they were playing with their cousins - Big K and Little K. The 4 of them are so close in age and spend so much time together that they're almost like siblings. Anywho....fast forward to lunchtime and we're testing Ms. J's blood sugar. Lunch is had, plates are cleaned and carbs are calculated for Ms. J's shot - Little G comes to me with a fake syringe from the doctor kit in the playroom, pulls up her shirt and pokes her little Buddha belly with the syringe and then says "all done", puts her shirt down and runs back to play. I sat there stunned.....I had no idea that she was taking all of this in and really got what was going on with her sister. One of the other things about that moment that brought it all home for me was that when Ms. J was in the hospital initially they were putting an IV in her arm and she was screaming "ALL DONE" while 5 adults held her down to do it. That phrase apparently is something that I use when I finish Ms. J's shots now as well.
From the mouth of babes

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Where is the light at the end of this darn tunnel?

So I've been a SAHM for the past 7 months.....my last real office job was for a company that is a mess on a good day with an owner that has more personalities than a soap opera. I opened my mouth when I shouldn't have and my resignation was accepted that very day - I didn't shed a tear or even acknowledge the relief I felt until I was in my car leaving that day. I have never regretted leaving that Godforsaken company and no matter what happens I never will. I am ready to go to work again out in the office world and now have to figure out what will make me happy AND help support my family so that my husband isn't bearing it all on his shoulders. I have loved every day home with my 2 girls and really have treasured my time with them - but the rest of the homemaker role is just not something I'm good at. My house isn't organized or tidy, but it is clean at least and I do cook every night. I was home to see my littlest one take her first step and then again when she was running like a mad woman 2 weeks later. I have been able to get my oldest ready for pre-school and go to all of their appointments. Money as always is a stress factor for me - I stress when I'm bringing home a paycheck and I stress when I'm not. Large purchases are something I stew about for days on end and I rarely buy anything for myself. I have a list of personal wants, like everyone does, but mine is for very specific things.....like the exact digital camera I would give my eye teeth for....but that's pretty much where my personal wants end. I want to feel good about my role on this planet, the kind of wife and mother I am - but is it too much to ask that I get paid good money to support my family?

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Early Evening Gown GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

Look at this darling little evening gown - the pictures of the little girl are like something out of one of those Disney commercials....very very sweet -

Early Evening Gown GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Photos are one of my favorite things.....

I have boxes and boxes of pictures that I've been going through this week - and all I can say is that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them all! Sure some of them are not particularly good or even flattering, but every single one tells a story and holds a special memory. I started going through them all because it didn't seem like we had any pictures in our house of my husband and I - we've been together for 15 years and I have 3 pictures of us together? That simply cannot be right....so I started going through my boxes and guess what I have realized? In 15 years, aside from our wedding - I've counted only about 10 pictures of us taken together. I'm sure this is not that surprising to many shutterbugs out there....but apparently I've spent a whole lot more time behind the camera than in front of it. I'm making a vow to start handing my camera to others so that I can actually be part of the fun and so that my girls will actually remember that I was part of their special days or just their average days captured in pictures.