6.25.2009

End of the Affair

June 25, 2009

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Dear Dr. Brown:

You’ve been there for me since the beginning. Just the sight of you never failed to put a twinkle in my eyes.

You’ve been with me through thick and thin. You’ve nourished my soul (and my belly) and you provided me with good old fashioned comfort for the asking.

You calmed me, soothed me and lulled me to sleep nap after nap, night after night; in sickness and in health.

I’m growing and changing every day and, well, I’m about to hit the big 21 (months, that is!) and I need my independence.

Look, there’s no easy way to say this so here goes….IT’S OVER, that thing we had.

I’m branching out in different directions. I’m spreading my wings, broadening my horizons and, well, you’ve been replaced.

I’m a Sippy Girl now. Yes, it’s true, so don’t try to change my mind.

I will remember you fondly but I need you to know that I haven’t shed a tear over letting you go yet and I’m not coming back so don’t hold your breath. You need to move on too.

It was great while it lasted.

Thanks for the memories.

Very truly,
Sweetie Pie

P.S.
Papa had to peel my mother’s fingers off of you one by one as he prepared to walk you out to the recyclables.

He kept telling her “Babe, it's time, it's TIME.”

It really is somethin’ watching a grown woman refuse to let her baby grow up.

I wonder if Papa will be so nonchalant in 14 years when my junior prom date shows up at the door.

Perhaps Mama will be doing the peeling off of fingers then…

6.23.2009

It's Official....School is OUT!

Introducing.....
my brand spankin' new FIFTH grader!
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6.21.2009

Happy Father's Day

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Wonderful Man, Wonderful Father
We love you, JR!

6.17.2009

Back in the Saddle Again


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Well, we've been back from vacation for 4 days now and I'm still trying to get my land legs on. The older I get the longer it takes for them to return. It's been a whirlwind and although my intentions were good to get my pictures processed and posted right away that just didn't happen so I'll have to find the time over the next few weeks to work on them and get them posted.

WonderBoy cried 3 times the day we left our resort, and I mean he cried, he sobbed and begged not to leave. He just broke my heart! I was cryin' on the inside right there with him because we just have the best time when we go there.
Everyone knows WonderBoy there and they treat him just like royalty. I have become comfortable with the staff over the years and as WonderBoy has matured I am finding that even I, the completely ridiculously overprotective mother, have given him many freedoms there to be on his own with the Kids' Zone folks.
When we left he cried saying goodbye to the friends he made, saying goodbye to our favorite Kids Zone director, pulling out of the hotel and of course, when we got on the plane and they closed that door.......oh, and once more when we got home. That was actually 5, not 3 times, wasn't it?!
Me and my now mushy brain!

Well, we're back to business as usual. Apparently we missed an ENTIRE week of pouring rain and dreary skies here...woohoo!
WonderBoy is STILL in school, can you believe that? He doesn't finish until next Tuesday. He has 3 half days just to completely throw the parents who work into tailspins right before Summer Camps begin. He has lots and lots of activities to keep him busy this summer. He's doing several one week camps including soccer camp, multi-sport camp, basketball camp and a general rec center camp with his classmates, along with a month of morning summer enrichment classes at the new middle school he's headed to in the Fall. He's sure gonna keep us hoppin' with the schedule I planned. The color-coded calendar that I created noting all of the activites, pick-ups and drop offs is like a work of art. However, it looks much more Jackson Pollock than it does Rembrandt!

Sweetie Pie goes to a brand new interactive daycare 3 days a week that has lots of activites for the kids, especially outdoors in the Summer. The other 2 days she'll spend with her beloved Nana, as usual.
Now that my sister's daughter is much more woman than child (she's 17 going on 27) and she's driving...my sister is also planning on getting her share of lovin' in from her goddaughter, Sweetie Pie this summer. I fully expect she'll be spoiled to bits before July is even halfway over. (Sweetie Pie, that is....my big sister is already completely spoiled! )

We have several daytrips planned as a family to museums and a couple of funparks (yikes!).
We also plan on taking WonderBoy up to West Point because we never actually made it there for his birthday as we planned.
We're also planning on going to the Intrepid in New York City to see the jets and we'll see our favorite little friends there, who we affectionately know as The NYC Trio.
Our weekends have already begun to fill up with summer BBQ plans with friends, birthday celebrations and graduations. WonderBoy has informed me that he intends to spend as much time in the pool as a tadpole. And I know his sister is not far behind!
With all these outdoor goings on, who knows, even I might get some color this summer! The family takes bets because I generally have two shades...Summer white and Winter green!

6.11.2009

If Only Every Day Could Be This Much Fun!

My Darlings have been very busy here! No one can keep their eyes open past 10pm...that includes the parents! The weather has been gorgeous. It rains in the evening and sometimes a passing shower during the day but we hunker down under a palapa until it passes and the sun shines again. This is my kinda weather!

We have been eating and drinking to our hearts' content. It's so nice not to have to plan the menu, cook and clean up after dinner! My mom and my girlfriend joined us this time so I have lots of extra hands (and feet!) to chase after my lovelies!

Here are lots of photos.......

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6.10.2009

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary.
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JR
Thank you for teaching me that although I CAN do it all;
I don’t HAVE to if I share the load with you.

Thank you for giving me a front row seat, every day, to witness the power of your patience
Thank you for rising to every occasion
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Thank you for entering my crazy, wild life and not walking running away
Thank you for greeting me at the door with a kiss every evening when I get home, whether I’m being , ahem, “difficult” or not
Thank you for filling up my gas tank so that its one less thing for me to worry about
Thank you for treating our children as the precious treasures they are
Thank you for not being an “I told you so” even when I deserve it
Thank you for emptying the dishwasher every morning before I get up
Thank you for your smiling face, lively spirit and your funny dancing
Thank you for being open to new things, new people and new experiences
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Thank you for putting toothpaste on my toothbrush every night
Thank you for being a gentleman
Thank you for finding humor in the things that I, at first glance, find hopeless…and for showing me that laughter really is the only way out of it

Thank you for dropping whatever you're doing to ride bikes, fly a kite or throw the ball with our son when he asks you to play...no matter how tired you are

Thank you for being so kind to our neighbors, your coworkers, the gas station attendant and everyone you meet
Thank you for your gentle nudging as I learn to loosen the reigns on all that I thought only I could do (right) and slowly allow you to be my partner and do them your (right) way
Thank you for supporting me in each and every endeavor I embark upon

Thank you for telling me that my dreams are important
Thank you for crawling around the floor on your knees and hiding in plain sight just to hear our daughter squeal in delight when she “finds” you
Thank you for making me feel secure that you will always be by my side
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Thank you for loving me
Thank you for being a wonderful son-in-law to my parents
Thank you for our daughter and for being the very best father our son could have ever hoped for
Thank you for being so good to your mother
Thank you for letting me love you
Thank you for the honor of being able to call you my husband
Thank you for being my partner
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Thank you for sharing our days together
I never knew what equal meant before I met you

I never knew I would love being married.
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Happy 3rd Anniversary, JR!

6.08.2009

My Darlings in Paradise

Day 2
It's hard to stay away from here for too long

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6.05.2009

We're Off....

to "Paradise".....to relax, regroup and spend a few days just enjoying the ocean blues, the wind, the sun, the sand and most importantly...one another.

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6.02.2009

He Calls Me Hon...

Yes he does. All the time. Wherever we are. Without a second thought.
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In a restaurant, at a parent/teacher conference, with my mother, in front of his friends, at the doctor's office, in front of his baseball coach, at the supermarket, at the carwash, on the telephone and the list goes on. He calls me Hon, everywhere.

Yes, that Hon, as in short for "Honey".

Heads turn. Little secret smiles appear on complete strangers' faces out of nowhere upon hearing this little BIG man call his mother "Hon." It's just so sweet, so endearing, so lovingly spoken without a thought in his head that he ought call me anything other than Hon.

Hon is easily uttered at least 10 to 1 over Mom.
And it makes my heart smile everytime he says it.

When his father hears him call me Hon he quickly says, "Hey, that's MY Hon, not yours!" However, WonderBoy is quick to remind him I was his Hon long before I was JR's Hon.
JR smiles big, nods his head and with a wink to WonderBoy says "Touche!"

Then they agree that they'll share me as their Hon!
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I'm sure someday someone else will replace me as his Hon, at least out in public...
but for now, I'll just enjoy this special little pleasure
and remember that these are the good ol' days!