A Letter To Connor On His 1st Day Of School

Dear Connor-

You were born on a Wednesday afternoon in mid-October.  But you had made your presence known way before that!!!  Once you started kicking, you never stopped.  Your brother was stubborn with his kicks.  He wouldn’t kick for the doctor, he wouldn’t kick when friends wanted to feel my belly, and he would never kick for your father.   But you kicked and kicked and kicked.  Even after you were born, I could still feel my belly being kicked.  I started physical therapy in July because I had sciatica pain so bad into my right leg that I could barely walk. And in August I started having contractions.  One night they were so bad that it warranted an overnight stay in the hospital complete with all kinds of shots to get your lungs developing and to stop the contractions.  I returned home the next day completely exhausted but thankful that you decided to stay put. 

The day you were born I wanted to remember every detail.  It was a planned c-section so I was alert to what was going on around me.  What I remember most was when the nurses were getting ready to roll me into recovery.  They laid you alongside of me.  You looked up at me with the most handsome, alert face.  I couldn’t stop staring at you.  Eventually the nurses had to take you into the nursery for all the important evaluations they do but I couldn’t wait for the moment you were able to return to my arms. 

Those first days, Daddy had to go home at night to be with Aidan and so I slept with you in bed with me.  It was easier than having to maneuver getting out of bed to reach you.  This was very against hospital policies but a few of the nurses were really nice about it and cushioned you into the bed along with me.  Not much changed when we returned home.  I preferred to have you in bed with me then in your own bassinet.  And you preferred it to.  When we weren’t together you cried and cried and cried.  Daddy & I quickly realized that if you were upset then it was mommy who you wanted.  No one else would do!!  This was fine with me.  You were my very special “Boo.” 

When my maternity leave was close to being over, daddy & I had a conversation about moving back to Pittsfield.  It seemed like a logical plan for our family.  I could continue staying home with you & Aidan for a bit while I looked for a new job.  You went to daycare with Aidan for a couple months while I finished up my job in Boston & while we waited for daddy’s work transfer to be approved.  We moved at the end of March.  I looked for a new job for a bit but I really decided it was better for me to be home with you.  You had some stomach issues and were pretty fussy.  I knew how to console you. I knew how you liked to be held.  And no one could ever love you & care for you the way that I could.  We confirmed that decision when I was offered an opportunity to work for The Key Program. I could work evenings after daddy came home.  And so it was you & me! 

And today you started kindergarten.  Never will I forget the way you clutched my hand this morning while waiting to go into your new classroom.  Never will I forget the way you smiled at friend’s that you already knew.  Never will I forget the look of excitement on your face this morning when you were getting ready.  Never will I forget watching you make a train with your new classmates and chugging off down the hallway to your classroom.  Never will I forget holding back tears and wearing my biggest smile to show you how to be brave.  Never will I forget seeing you wear your biggest smile.

I love you very much my little cuddle bug!!!  I know you are going to love Kindergarten. I know that you are going to make so many new friends.  And I know that every day when I pick you up, you & I will be wearing our biggest smiles!!

Outdoor Movies!!

Joe and the boys love to watch movies.  Me....well I could leave it or take it.  I most often leave it!!!  But I do love to plan parties!  I keep thinking about organizing an outdoor movie party.  How much fun to have the boys invite their best friends over to watch a fun movie!?!?!  I would set up a little concession stand behind the kids where they could get popcorn, M&M's, and soda!!   I was searching online and stumbled across the website  notjustahousewife.net.  She showed a picture of cardboard box cars that her kids made particularly for an outdoor movie.  So I had to enter the contest she's running to win a Target gift card to purchase a projector.  Not just any projector but one that plays through your ipad!

http://www.notjustahousewife.net/2012/05/3m-projector-review-and-150-target-giftcard-giveaway.html#comment-22975

Christmas Is Over?!?!

Anyone else shocked by this?!?

I swear that yesterday it was Thanksgiving and somehow time warped and now it's 2 days past Christmas!

The boys declared this to be the best Christmas yet. Pretty spectacular words for a mom to hear. Especially a mom that had knee surgery 2 weeks prior. A mom who still cannot drive. A mom who gave her husband a 2 page list of things to purchase on Christmas Eve! Joe gets the win for best husband/father ever!!

Traditions are important for both Joe & I. Last year we took the boys on the our first annual NYC Christmas trip. We decided this trip would occur on the first Friday of each December. Ehh.....except for year #2. Tough to walk around NYC with a fully torn ACL & MCL.

Then on December 9th I had surgery. It made it beyond difficult to finish any shopping or to do any of the fun extra things that I wanted to do. The boys didn't notice the lack of holiday spirit. And next year we'll be right back into the full swing of things! It's amazing how difficult we mom's are on ourselves!!!!

Having this injury taught me that the best Christmas isn't one that is determined by the number of presents under the tree. It isn't determined by all the extra Christmas related activities that you do. But it is determined by the number of times you tell your kids you love them, by the number of hugs you give, by the number of times you watch Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer while cuddling on the couch.

And this is what I will remember most about this Christmas!

Date Night

I had such a wonderful night. The kind of night that can make a girl giddy. Tonight was date night with my two favorite boys, Aidan & Connor.

Joe had plans with some co-workers. It included him attending a Lia Sophia party. Oh the money I would have paid to see my husband at a jewelry party!

The boys & I went to the mall. It's been a long time since I've been to the mall on Friday night! We played some games at the arcade. Aidan beat me at air hockey. And then Connor beat me at air hockey. The boys turned in their tickets and collected their prizes. Then we went to Target to pick out a birthday present for Neeeee-Oooooo (as Connor affectionately calls him!)

We headed over to Friendly's for dinner after. We were seated next to a group of 4 older women. Ages 72 +. They never stopped laughing. Not even for a minute. It made me smile. A lot!!! I know that someday myself, Merrie, Sharon, and Kelly will be those women. It makes my heart happy to have friends like them! It makes my heart smile to know that 40 years from now we'll still laugh at the same jokes.

Each lady hugged me goodbye and told me how lucky I am to have such wonderful children. I couldn't agree more.

I love date nights with my boys!!!

Favorite time of the year!

When I started this blog I had every intent on updating it frequently. I had not expected to tear both my ACL and MCL. I wish I could say I tore these ligaments by jumping over fire while climbing some bad ass mountain. But it's a work related injury. An injury I never expected and still makes me fume with anger! But I'm trying not to let myself get so angry over the things I have no control.

So with a torn ACL and MCL I'm really limited in what I can do. This is where my anger really kicks in! Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. Decorating, apple picking, baking, pumpkin picking, long walks in the woods, jumping in leaves, trick or treating, hay rides, the list goes on and on. This year there have been no long walks, no jumping in leaves, no hay rides. I have to be grateful for the things I can do and know that next year I'll enjoy these activities so much more!!

Joe, the boys, and I had a busy weekend. Or as busy as my knee would allow. We were able to go apple picking. I couldn't do much of it, but fully enjoyed what I could do. We also picked out our pumpkins. It's still too soon to carve them but we gave them fun masks in the meantime. I would highly recommend trying this to anyone. It was super easy, super inexpensive, and the pumpkins are super cute.

Yup- I just used the word "super" 3 times in that sentence. I promise that I won't ever do that again....(unless I find another super idea......ha ha ha!!! )

Yellow Winton Flyer

The boys and I had a busy weekend. It started off on Friday when we went school shopping and out to dinner with some wonderful friends. We went to this great little British place in Bennington VT. One of our closest friends is from Wales. She introduced us to mushy peas, HP sauce, chocolate buttons, and Chip Butty.

Yes I was hesitant to taste but everything was delicious. Aidan is a particular fan of the Chip Butty. French fries on a buttered roll. It's a 7 year old's dinner dream!!!

Saturday we set off to Tanglewood with some more fabulous friends for movie night with John Williams and the Boston Pops. I had been looking forward to this performance all summer. I worked at Tanglewood while I was in college and it's one of my favorite places in the Berkshires. We had a wonderful night. The sky was clear and the stars were shining bright. Thankfully the people sitting in front of us had a huge candelabra. It made finding our spot, after trips to the bathroom, a lot less difficult!!

Morgan Freeman was the guest speaker. I could listen to his voice all day. Especially with the Boston Pops accompanying it.

Mr. Freeman began telling a story. A story that I now realize is from a book, The Rievers, by William Faulkner. The story, which I will not tell as well, talks of a boy living in Mississippi in the early 1900's. His grandfather buys a beautiful yellow car. This car is the desire of the people living in the small town. The grandfather entrusts the young boy to watch his car and make sure it is safe. The boy is filled with temptation and ends up taking the car for a drive. This car is a yellow Winton Flyer.

I cried while I listened to the story. I cried because I was happy and because I was sad. I cried because my grandfather is Winton. I cried because Joe knew and quietly told our kids the story of the car and my grandfather.

My Papa was named after this obscure car. His father was friends with the man who designed and made the Winton. Connor is named after his great-grandfather. His full name is Connor Winton. I can only hope that tradition will carry on and Connor will give a future child the name Winton.

Listening to Morgan Freeman brought me great joy. I'm a skeptic at a lot of things but especially thinking that loved ones in heaven watch over us. In my extended family I am the minority. I have aunts that see butterflies and think it's the presence of my Papa. Other relatives see pennies lying on the ground and immediately think they are pennies from heaven. But in that moment I knew that my grandfather continues to be with us.

I suppose I will never look at pennies on the ground or butterflies quite the same way. But I feel a great reassurance in knowing that my Papa has "met" his great-grandsons!

Tanglewood at dusk

Me and my wonderful boys!

Little Blue & Little Yellow

Connor's favorite color is yellow. When we go to the library to pick out books, we try to find books that are yellow. Our new favorite author is Leo Lionni. When I saw he wrote a book titled, "Little Blue And Little Yellow" I knew we had to read it. It was an awesome read!! The kids loved it!!! And it taught Connor that we can mix colors to make new ones.

We sat outside this afternoon mixing together blue paint and yellow paint. The proof is all over Connor's hands, arms, and legs. Yellow & blue does make green!!