Happy 10th Birthday Jake

10 years?!! Are you kidding me? I can't believe how time has flown! Jake was the most incredible baby, always happy and smiling. Speaking in full sentences at one year old and curious about everything starting at 11 months, when he decided to finger paint with a gallon of latex paint on the kitchen floor. So curious, outgoing and fun from day one and I am so lucky to be his mom. I have never met a child that is so completely sure of who they are, a child that is completely unwilling to fall into line with other kids just because. Jake is independent, confident, sensitive, loving and so much fun. He has this incredibly annoying ability to make me laugh even when I am angry.

Jake you are definitely one of a kind and even though you are wise beyond your years and sometimes I think you are the one that should be the parent, I am so unbelievably grateful to be your mom! Thanks for being such an incredible son and big and little brother and thanks for all of the laughs!

Happy Birthday sweet boy! I love you with my whole heart!

xoxox Mom

Happy 4th Birthday Sophie

Four years ago today, Sophie came into our world. My labor was intense.... really intense and I was in so much pain, I literally told Jay that I just wanted to die. Then Sophie was finally born and all of the pain just disappeared. I looked at this beautiful baby girl in my arms and immediately pictured the tea parties, dolls, and mother-daughter talks that our future now held and the tears started flowing.

Sophie has been all girl since day one. She loves everything pink, frilly and fancy. She loves to sing, dance and pretend. She is such a happy, outgoing, loving little girl.

I can't believe that she is four.. she will be starting preschool this year, making new friends, learning to write and slowly but surely starting to pull away from me. It is natural and it is expected but I have spent four years spending almost every single waking moment with this incredible child and it is going to be extremely hard to see her becoming so independent. But although I am scared for her to grow up, I am so unbelievably excited for the new experiences that getting older brings.

Sophie thank you for giving me the chance to experience mothering a little girl. Thank you for showing me that life isn't just about tractors, dirt and skateboards. Thank you for letting me play barbies, giving me a new love and appreciation for dandelions and teaching me that every girl is a princess at heart.

I love you more than you will ever understand, here's to another year of adventures!

Happy 4th Birthday sweet girl!

Love,

Mama

Did I mention clowns?

My irrational fears:

-clowns (I know this sounds stupid but I have a reason for it thanks to the movie Poltergeist, my brother and a stuffed clown I had as a child.. but that is all I'm going to say about that.)

-heights... especially when children are near a ledge of some sort. It doesn't even matter if it is a balcony with a rail. If children are near it, I will vomit.

-the dark (have you seen Paranormal Activity?) I rest my case and I am secretly glad that my daughter has to sleep with the hall light on. I don't know what I will do when she grows out of that one. I think I'll have to get a nightlight for my bedroom.

-hurting feelings. This is the worst thing about me hands down! I will obsess non-stop about a conversation if I feel like I said something that might have been taken wrong. I overthink EVERYTHING and I am trying to come to terms with it. Also- it drives my husband insane.

-public speaking. I will seriously take extreme measures to get out of having to speak in front of a crowd. I have taken an F in a class to avoid doing an oral report and faked sickness to get out of speaking in front of large groups. I'm not kidding.

-Sophie running down the driveway, walking down the stairs, touching the tv stand, running in socks etc.. pretty much if Sophie moves quickly anywhere I have an anxiety attack. I just picture her falling on the driveway and skinning her face, falling head over heels down the stairs, the tv falling on her or slipping on the hardwood floor. I know. I did mention these were "irrational" fears right?

-and did I mention clowns?

Trust me this list could go on for pages and there are so many more that are just totally ridiculous but I will spare you (and myself from the embarrassment) because I think you get the point. The reason I am telling you this is because the first step is admitting you have a problem right? My biggest concern is that my stupid fears are going to rub off on my children. I don't want them growing up being an anxious ball of nerves like their mother. My goal this year is to try really hard to relax and stop overthinking things.

There you have it... #1 of 57 of my New Year's Resolutions in a nutshell. Not.

I know... That was three minutes of your lives you will never get back huh?

A New Decade

What a crazy, busy year 2009 was....



-The boys started at a new school and it has been an incredible experience so far, they are both developing a love of education that I never thought they would have.



-Isaac scored his first touchdown and discovered a new love (some might call it an obsession) of football.



-Jake realized that he LOVES gymnastics. He started lessons several months ago and was doing back handsprings in his second class.



-Sophie is potty trained! WOOHOO!



-We gave our bathroom a makeover with the help of Jay's mom and it looks wonderful.



-Jay started a new job in December.



-We went through the loss of my Grandma on Christmas day. She was one of the most amazing women I know. She was always gentle, kind, generous and loving and Sophie and I had the privilage of staying with her for a week while my mom and dad were out of town. I am so glad that I had that opportunity to spend some quality time with her. We will always remember her sweet smile and will miss her terribly.





The beginning of 2010 was sort of a wake up call for me because on January 2, Isaac turned 13. I cannot believe he is thirteen years old and that my little boy that came into this world weighing just 5lbs 9oz is now a big football playing, teenager. What an amazing kid he has grown up to be!