Wordless Wednesday

This picture is so funny. Peter found her sleeping like this. Can you see her hands are covering her eyes? I wonder what she was thinking? It looks like she was wishing "would everyone just go away and let me sleep"! And yes, we flipped her over.





No reason for this one except her smile. Sorry it's so fuzzy, I must have the camera on the wrong setting.

Thankful Sunday...Late again

Busy, Busy weekend we had. Olivia had her friends sleepover Saturday night for her birthday. Yes we are still celebrating. As you can see above it was wall to wall girls, literally! Right now I'm somewhere in between completely exhausted but not quite dead. The weather is awesome and hopefully some time soon Emilia and I will be able to enjoy some quality time together inhaling the scents of fall.

I am thankful for some leaves that decided to fall from the trees. This made Andrew happy, since that is what they are supposed to do when it's fall

I am thankful Emilia did well at both her eye doctor and audiology appointments.

I am also thankful her speech therapy is improving. Emilia is able to chew and swallow anything clumpy. She still can't manage anything smooth unless it's dipped in a cracker. She is completely off baby food and eating everything mashed.

I am very thankful for a good friend who didn't mind that I totally blew off lunch duty at school on Friday. So Sorry!

I'm thankful for the apple pie that's in my oven.


I'm eternally thankful that when I went to hang a blanket outside this morning I noticed this "little guy" who made his home right in front of, my back door. Had I opened the door I just might have swallowed him, guess he should be thankful too. He was promptly relocated by Peter. Even with a blurry picture you can see he's not very friendly looking




I'm thankful for Aniela, my sweet step- daughter who moved to LA to pursue a career in dance.
I'm thankful that she is OK, and checks in on a regular basis. I am so thankful that she has had the courage to stick it out so far from home. She has been there for a whole year. I'm thankful for the life lessons she is learning, if nothing else she will be a stronger and much wiser person when this experience is over.

No Baby Was Harmed In The Taking Of This Picture

This is how Emilia usually plays with this toy. However today she fell and I think she forgot to let go and took the toy with her. There should have been some loud crying, but Em decided to just keep on playing. So what if she was pinned to the ground by a huge toy. Andrew on the other hand was nearing a panic attack.Poor kid wasn't sure what to do, lift the toy or leave it. He new she should be crying, common sense told him that much. Seriously look at the picture below. Emilia's guardian angel was on the ball.


Her hand is blurry because she is reaching for the lights on top. She wasn't even startled. She did do this once before and was upset and crying. I really believe her angel caught her, or actually caught the toy. Anyway her angel saved the day and my baby.

Emmie's Play Date

This is as good as it gets. We really need to get Em some more lively friends. At least they don't fight over toys and sharing is a breeze with this bunch.
Actually Bella did this little set up. She was pretending the blond was Ella, the smallest doll was Zoey, the boy doll was Jax How cute is that, so actually Emmie had a lovely play date.

Wordless Wednesday, Good Morning

Eleven Months!

Here we are on the first day of Autumn and Miss Emilia is eleven months old. one more month and a whole year will have gone by, amazing! Here's the little Monkey Doddle in her car. going no where fast but having a good time.

Here's something funny. Andrew has been waiting and waiting for the first day of autumn to arrive. This morning I told him , it's finally here. He runs to the window , comes back and announces(quite upset)" The leaves are not falling. It's fall the leaves are supposed to fall today ". Sorry buddy maybe tomorrow.

Thankful Sunday

What a busy birthday weekend we had. Friday night we had cake and presents for Olivia. Saturday was my b-day. I didn't get up until 9:30 in the morning!!!! That was awesome! And today we went apple picking, that was my choice and we had Olivia's birthday dinner, her choice. It's always the same, chicken wings and ravioli. But tonight the cake was for me. And it was extra special. Keep reading and you'll find out why.

I'm thankful for Olivia and the wonderful twelve years she has been in our lives

I'm thankful that she let me blow the candles out with her.

I'm thankful that not only did my family let me sleep in late, but my Sophia made me breakfast in bed. Sophia makes the best scramble eggs on the east coast, SERIOUSLY. She gave me the royal treatment.

Absolutely thankful for this face.

And, thankful for this face too. He ate a tiny cherry apple, very sour.

Thankful for little Emilia

She was trying to get a bite of that apple. Upper teeth would help.

Thankful for this beautiful weather and apple orchard.

Thankful for these wonderful apple trees so heavy with delicious apples. I can almost taste the pies.(click to enlarge the pic above)

Thankful for a special picture with Sophia.

Thankful she didn't fall out of the tree. You never know with Soph.

I guess this thankful should be from Olivia. Thankful Dad won the battle with the grill and the chicken wings were delicious.


I'm thankful for everyone who signed this card, don't know who felt the need to remind me of my age, like I could forget. And thankful for the yummy box of candy that went along with it.

Now, here's why this cake was so special. Sophia asked me a couple of days ago when I was making Olivia's cake if I was going to make my own birthday cake. I said no, I would share Olivia's. Sophia wasn't happy with that so she asked if she could make me a birthday cake. And that perfect double layer chocolate cake above is it. Isn't it beautiful! And it tasted great!!! She decorated it all by herself too. I am so thankful she thought to do that for me.

Happy Birthday Livie

My Olivia through the years.

Twelve years ago you came into this world. Right on your due date, the exact weight my doctor estimated , and you were the little girl I was dreaming about, and you were my birthday present too. Born one day before mine. Not a bad start. You have continued to grow and amaze me every day. I had never really come into contact with a baby before you. I had to learn as I went. Learn about diapers and feedings and even learn that it was OK to put you down , (occasionally). You were terribly over protected, I hovered over you day and night , warned everyone to disinfect themselves before touching you. I didn't even let Daddy drive anywhere alone with you. I felt I always had to be there to take care of you. Thank goodness for you , I loosened the reigns a little when Sophie was born, and realized a little help could come in handy.

You are blossoming into a beautiful young lady. And although I miss that sweet baby, and that giggly little girl, I love the young adult you are becoming. I enjoy laughing with you and talking to you on a more "grown up " level. Not so sure I like the fact that you can fit into my clothes and shoes, but some how I can't fit into yours.

I so enjoy watching you dance. The look of complete joy on your face. The excitement in your voice after a hard ballet class, or nailing a pirouette on pointe. I love that you want to tell me these things.

This is your last year as a tween! Next year a full blown teen you will become! No doubt it will be a struggle at times, but when you're not hating me, I'm sure it will be another wonderful step we can take together. I value our closeness so much as I see all to often families who are not close to each other.

Enjoy this year, my dear. Enjoy being twelve, I know I will enjoy watching you be twelve, as I have delighted in watching you grow and learn every day since you were born.

.

Love Mommy,

.

P. S. I Love You More!

Wordless Wednesday

Emmie is getting the hang of holding her bottle. I think she's had the hang of it for a while. Just chooses not to.

And, has the hang of it with no hands too. Wait until I give her a sippy. She'll have to over exert herself. Little Princess.

Thankful Sunday on Monday

Well, I'm a day late and a dollar short, but I'm posting my Thankful Sunday anyway. Yesterday I sat and tried to post, but couldn't find anything to be thankful for. I could have easily posted a Truly feeling Sorry for Myself post with the greatest of ease. I know tsk, tsk, tsk. Let's see if I can counteract doom and gloom with something a little brighter. Sort of try to think of my cup as half full, instead of about to spill all over the carpet.

I have spondoylolisthesis, it's a miserable back condition, chronic and painful. What breaks my heart is when Andrew asks me to play trains with him. I know if I sit on the floor with him I'm going to feel like I was hit by a train. He is always asking me if my back feels better. Not a very thankful situation. But, I'm going to a sport and spine specialist who I feel really cares. He has had me tested for just about everything under the sun(results not in yet), just in case there are any other issues causing me so much pain. I now have pain in my hips and legs. I am THANKFUL that I will hopefully get to the bottom of a 30 year problem ... yes I just wrote 30 year problem... since I was a kid. And I am also THANKFUL for the meds that he prescribed for me. I can actually sleep through the night, without waking up in pain.

My hubby is a real estate broker, in this economy it's kind of like selling hot cocoa in the desert.Needless to say our well is more than a little dry right now. The constant stress has taken it's toll on the two of us. I don't remember the last time he actually went to bed. He's up all night working literally until he passes out . What I'm THANKFUL for is that real estate is constantly changing and eventually it will get better. I'm also THANKFUL that Peter is on top of things. He's good at what he does.

And I'm THANKFUL for being reminded by Peter last night that whatever happens we have each other. We are together, the kids are healthy. That's all that really matters.

And I am THANKFUL that on these gloomy days, God puts people in my path that brighten my day with just a simple word or two or a kind gesture. Today at the grocery store a sweet man made a fuss over Emilia and said" God Bless You". And another women did the same. A double blessing, I'll take it.

I know I've posted that picture before but it was very suiting for today's post.

The Fastest Pibble Popper

Tuesday night, actually the wee hours of Wednesday morning, my little man woke up complaining that he couldn't breathe. He's had a cough for a few days and I was blaming it on allergies. So I told him to climb into bed with me and breathe through his mouth. OK not the most mothering advice, but I new that alarm clock was going to sound soon and getting medicine into him is not an easy job. A decongestant in a couple of hours would be fine.
Well we both drifted off to sleep, and then the alarm clock went off... Emilia was up. As I leaned over Andrew to lower the monitor I heard his breathing. Not good, quick, short breaths with a pretty loud wheeze. After dropping the girls at school and Andrew not being any better we headed to the ER. We went to the one close to home not the hospital because I would never be out in time to get the girls.
After two breathing treatments and exrays which showed clear lungs, the little man still couldn't breath very well. My thoughts ,as they kept taking his oxygen levels, shaking their heads and walking out, were , we're going to the hospital, if his oxygen level doesn't go up.
Finally and I believe on their last attempt before sending us to Hasbro Childrens , his level was in the acceptable range. They sent him home with an inhaler and Prednisone.
The doctor gave him one pill before we left. Andrew stinks at taking medicine. He gets himself so nervous and upset that he gags and immediately throws up. I did warn the doctor. Andrew took the pill and did rather well untill it started to disolve on his tongue. Here comes the panic. The doc kept telling him to drink some more water to wash the pill away. andrew told the doc it tasted like pee, (does he know what pee tastes like)? Then and this is why we talk in codes in our house, Andrew announces that it tastes like Donkey too. Donkey is our code word for poop. So basically Andrew just told the doc it tastes like ---- .... exactly. The doc looked at me slightly confused, I mean he understood it tasting like pee, but donkey? Does donkey taste that bad?
Finally the pill was down and Andrew promised the doc to take the rest so he would get better.Yesterday I had to give Andrew his pill. What a trooper!!!!! I had to cut it into crumbs but he put it on his tongue and one by one they went down. Every time he swallowed one he would say it's invisable. The pibble is invisable! Pibble = pill, now we have another code word. It was just too cute to correct. We'll see how the pibble goes down today. Hopfully there is no donkey involved.


I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to remember today. To say a prayer for the lives lost, for the heros, for a country changed forever.

Wordless Wednesday

Peek A Boo.

I forgot to unbutton the back of her shirt before I took it off.

A cute pic from the beach.

Our Last Hoorah!

Happy Beach Baby

Five Little Monkey's

Four Little Ducks


Emmie Lou Who

Almost all my girls... one had to take the picture.

One Cool Chick

Even the cows posed

Gimme a smooch

He was a very sweet Bull.

Poor Daddy, but he asked for it.



We said good- bye to summer yesterday. We went to one of the prettiest places in RI. Little Compton, Goosewing Beach. It's how RI is supposed to look. The epitome of a small New England town.Time has been kept at arms length in Little Compton. Right on the water, well kept older homes, surrounded by fields and wild flowers, small farms. As you ride by homes they sell their fruits and veggies at roadside stands. Most are unattended and rely on the honor system. Yesterday we bought a 2 pound bag of apples for $1.00. They even had an apple and knife set aside so you could sample before you buy.Our dollar went into a cleaned out butter container(which was quite full). Can you imagine that.

We had fun on one of the cleanest beaches anywhere, collected shells to make ornaments out of at Christmas time, and had to stop at best ice cream place on the East Coast.

All in all a perfect ending to a great summer. And may I add it was all Peter's idea. I didn't really feel like going... but again, when he's right he's right.

BTW, we didn't put the baby near that bull( I think it's a bull, a boy cow?) until we saw another family let him lick their kid.YUCK! At least we new he was a friendly bull ,we even gave him a couple of our apple cores.