What I love about you

Unfortunately, and for whatever reason, my patience seems to be dwindling as each year passes (thank you Mom, I am pretty sure that trait comes from you- you know I love ya).  This has to be true because I KNOW, once upon a time, my patience was so much greater than it is now. Focusing on that is something I strive for daily. Yet, in my worst moments, when I think I just cannot take one more thing, one of my wonderful children does something that melts my heart and puts a smile on my face.  I wanted to take some time and share some of those heart melting, you make me smile, I love you moments....
~ everynight when I am putting Gavin down for the night, I lay his favorite hand knitted blanket (thank you Grandma, he loves it!) over my shoulder, he puts his little face right in it and lays there, on my shoulder so sweetly and we have a quiet few minutes there just the two of us.  I lay him down and put the blanket over his entire body, face and all. He loves it that way! Same thing every night. I picture him as Linus from Charlie Brown one day dangling his blanket behind him as he walks everywhere. Love it!
~ how my daughter cried the other night after Sean was dressed for prom. When I asked her what was wrong, she answered "Sean and Gavin are just growing up so fast, Mom!" You may not know it, but that little girl can be so tender hearted. Love it!
~ still at nearly 15 yrs. old my son hugs, kisses and tells me sweet dreams everynight before he goes to bed.  Love it!
~ I can start singing a song, any song and my entire family will chime in to hold our very own opera! We can be so silly that way. Love it
~ my daughter orchestrated an entire surprise birthday party for me. Cake, decorations, friends and all. She did this all on her own, just for me. Love it
~ Sean asks me everyday "How was your day Mom?" and texts me everyday around the same time "What's for din din?" Because you know that is important stuff.  Love it
~ Sean will still ask me sometimes "rub my hair, Mom" like I use to do every night when he was smaller.  Gives me a glimpse into the sweet, not so teenage like boy, that I know.
~ how Gavin can hear music coming from anywhere, anytime and break out in a dance! Makes us all laugh, everytime. Love it
~ dinner time with the family and how each of them, every once in a while, will open up to give me a glimpse into their world and what is important to them. Love it

So everyday, when I might be on the verge of a huge meltdown thinking I have had all I can take, one of them makes me laugh, melts my heart and puts everything into perspective.

o

Prom 10'!?! Happy & Sad.....

Sean is seriously old enough to go to Prom? I promise you, it seems like just the other day, he was a little boy telling us elaborate make believe stories or constantly asking "how come?" Following his daddy everywhere and saying "up the hill" everytime we drove up to the house in New York. I know Mooma and Poopa remember that well! So I have very mixed emotions about all of this. So very happy for him and a little sad for us.....time is just going by so quickly.

When he was asked to go to prom, he told Dana that she would have to ask his Mom which she did ( I don't know what that says about my son, but I thought it was the sweetest, funniest thing).  We, of course went over date etiquette and I hope he listened! You know the boy is only 14 so he obviously does not drive,  I drove him to Danas house, snapped a few photos and SHE drove them away! You gotta love high school!

He had another big moment the same week....his Letterman jacket. He lettered in both basketball and baseball and was invited to join Beta as well.  His freshman year has proven to be very eventful ....

I just wish someone would have told me how pricey it was going to be!

WHEW!

  Do you ever have those moments, days, maybe even weeks where enough is just enough?  Pardon me while I rant, however the past couple of days have been exactly that for me. It started when a very close friend of mine called to let me know that she has a very rare form of cancer that may require multiple surgeries.  This wonderful friend and mother of four said it very matter of factly as though not to give me the chance to have a moment of sadness. Not that I expect the worse by any means, however when you hear/say that word there are a flood of emotions that come over you. What am I talking about, I am not the one that had to hear them coming from their doctor or the one that explains it to her kids. Please pray for my friend that the first surgery will take care of it all and that she and her family are given all the strength in the world.  

They deserve many blessings!

On a lighter note...

  I often feel, as most mothers do, as though I am being pulled in 12 different directions.  Typically I am perfectly okay with that, happy even, because I thrive in orderly chaos. I really do...i love going in several different directions at once, racing from one thing to the next...as long as I have scheduled MYSELF that way.  Please do not take it upon yourself to throw a kink in MY CHAOS! I am not interested in going into detail, however it really does do something to my psyche when a wrench is thrown into my weekly activities....i am not sure what that says about me...but boy o boy it does not take much to get my blood pumping.  Please ask people before you decide to make plans FOR them. 

I also often feel like I need just a couple of more hours in my day -  to use with more one on one time with the kids, maybe to have lunch with my Mom, sit and have a conversation with my husband without being interrupted,  read a book! 

    Later I  really wanted to discuss my misfortunes about this particular day with my husband, however he was more interested in ranting about his dilemmas (apparently his day was not much better).  So of course, I listened, ranted for a bit, than I hung up the phone and thought of how ridiculous I was being....

seriously Julie!

upset because your activities for the day did not go as you would have liked or planned, wishing for more time in a day (uh, not going to happen!) What are you, TWO?!?!

....Be GRATEFUL, THANKFUL....

every once in a while I need a good swift kick in the hi-nee!!

 Thank goodness I can give it to myself!

  

Than & Now...love, Gavin

                                                        My Birthday!

                                                        3 days old...

                                                              3 mths.

                                                              15mths.

                                                          I'm trying!

It was a very short 15 mths ago that I came into this world kicking and screaming (actually I was not kicking & screaming at all) and whew this life stuff is pretty darn fun! According to me (my Mom says she totally agrees) I have been the best baby ever. As you can see from the pictures I was a small little peanut upon arrrival, however I am growing by leaps and bounds these days. I now weigh 23 lbs and the circumference of my head is 46"! Well you know I need a large space for this brain of mine! I sit in a BIG carseat....thank goodenss I can look at something other than the back of a seat. I am trying to walk on my own, not really very hard,  I figure what is the point if someone will pick me up and carry me! I do not like to talk much either (again the point is what?) which is why I think my Mom is meeting with a speech therapist. I can hear her talking about my lack of communication skills. She doesn't need to worry one day here very soon I will be asking her "Why? and How come?" so much that she'll be begging for some peace and quiet. I LOVE being a little brother- ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION! need I say more? All of Sean and Raegans friends just want to play with me- can't say that I blame them- have you looked at my pictures! CUTIE! I love all sorts of different foods and the folks give me a fork/spoon to eat with, however I find that the fingers really are much more effective. I mean you really cannot get as much food onto those things. Plus there is a bonus in watching my Mom clean up my MESS! I am a great sleeper at night and I really only give everyone a hard time if I am hungry or I need my diaper changed- seriously you would be cranky too.   I must tell you my all time most favorite thing to do is.....dance! If there is music playing than I will stop whatever I am doing and start moving! My family must love it too because everyones stops what they are doing so that they can watch ME!   I must go now because it is time for my morning snooze, but I will stop in every so often to give you my latest news! Gavin