Diamonds and Rust

I sometimes feel like I have lived two separate lives.  The one I know now and the one I grew up to.  The one I know now is filled with family and friends...not unlike the one I grew up to.  Now, some of the family is gone and so are some friends.

I had a wonderful childhood growing up.  I like to say that I was an only child with 4 siblings.  Reason being because there is a great age difference between me and my siblings.  I am 9 years younger than the second youngest and 16 years younger than the oldest.  I grew up in a house filled with teenagers and their friends.  Loving family all around me...on a street where 1/2 of the residents were relatives and the other 1/2 wished that they were and sometimes they even felt like it.

I was only 10 when my brother and my sister each got married in the same year.  This changed our house.  They no longer lived with us and my childhood changed.  I often feel very far removed from those days so very long ago...and sometimes it hurts to think about when we were all together.  Of course we had our share of differences, but I cannot seem to remember them anymore.

Today as I listened to my Pandora radio, I put on my Joan Baez station.  The only reason I know of her is because of my sister.  I was little and she was a teenager listening to Joan with her long straight hair and her bell bottoms on.  She would listen to the album in our brothers room because they had the stereo and I never paid so much attention to the music...so I thought until I am reminded with a song that now plays in my kitchen on this very day today...the song is "fountain of sorrow".   I facebook my sister to tell her about my feelings and memories but I write that the song is "mountain of sorrow" and we end up having such a laugh I know it is now a permanent joke in my life and it continues to bring me tremendous joy.

Thanks Joan.

INSIGNIFICANT...

...the most beautiful word coming out of the ER Dr.'s mouth about Mannys cuts on the back of his mouth/throat from his fall with the recorder in his mouth.

Time for a huge glass of wine now followed by an oversized chocolate chip cookie chaser.

Chocolate Chip cookies

Yesterday I went to Shaws in the pouring rain with the two kids in tow, diaper bag slung over my shoulder...I got out of the car and had Manny in my arms...I twisted my ankle and went flying...all I could think of was protect the baby and by some miracle we did not fall...although in my mind we came just inches from the ground.  It was quite an aerial trick to see.  A woman who was driving by screamed so loud in her car watching us trip that I actually heard her from 100+ feet away.  We were all ok.  thank god...and remarkably so as well.  I wasn't even shaking.  LOVE those motherly instincts and glad mine are well in place and can be used at a moments notice.

Then we went to Shaws and spent way too much money for way too little food.

But, I came home and made HUGE chocolate chip cookies.  All was good in the world...again.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies...

Ahhh...today is Thursday.  One of my favorite days of the week.  Why Thursday?...a couple of things happen on Thursdays...I take Manny to music class...he LOVES it and sings along.  Today because of vacation, Ava joined us.  She hadn't been since she was a little over 3, maybe even 4 and I had had my run of music classes with her...we had started when she was 4 months old and went faithfully every session for years.

I almost dreaded taking Manny and going to class but once I was there how could I not fall in love with it all over again?  Today when Ava was with us, so many good memories came back.  I was so happy to be there with both of them and now I think I may sign us up for a summer session with them as well.  It was so much fun!!

When Ava was little and we would be in class, she had many friends in her class which was great and not so great.  The not so great part was that she would spend the class running around the room and trying to play with her friends.  I would spend the entire class trying to get her to come and sit down or join in with the playing of the instruments or something...after a while I ended up sitting in the class thinking that I was the only one getting anything musical out of it.

Now when I take Manny, he walks around the room, roaming...coming back to me occasionally to check in with a little snuggle and hug and then he is on his way again singing and exploring.  I am not as frantic as I was the first time around with the participation part because I know that he is participating in his own way.

When we went today, it was amazing to me to see the difference in my two children.  For the most part, I had always known the experience to be me following a child around the room...today, Ava came in, sat right next to me, sang the songs, did the movements, danced with the class and behaved as I had always wanted when she was a baby...that time has passed and I didn't see it go.  She no longer travels around the room looking and exploring....like her brother.  It made me really hold on to the moment of the class and truly enjoy it.  I was bursting.  :-)

I bet you are curious about the title of todays post!...well, it was a great day today...a favorite day...a Thursday.  One of my favorite cookies are Oatmeal Raisin cookies...I came home and made them.  Favorite day, favorite music class, favorite cookies.  See...there was a reason for the title.  :-)

Chub

Oh, and I keep forgetting to mention that at the new Market Basket in NB, they sell "chubs".  Imagine this about a yardstick long...it is ground beef....AND I actually saw someone with one in their basket.  Why? Why? Why?

Y-M-C-A!

Can I just say what a fan I am of our YMCA in Wareham?  Today they held open swim from 2-4 and we met another friend at the pool to swim.  I was quite impressed with my finely tuned mom of 2 skills now.  I have the two bags...diaper and swim...we all arrive with our suits on, ava is quite sufficient at getting changed and hanging up all her clothing in her own locker (thanks Jose for teaching her that skill) and Manny is in the umbrella stroller which nicely fits in the locker.  (we are not allowed to bring strollers onto the pool deck).

We went into the pool area and it was so busy with a zillion children on February vacation.  Honestly, it didn't bother me because every other day things are really peaceful here and I was happy to see people out. At one point we heard the one of 6 life guards blow the whistle three times loud and strong...that means someone is drowning.  The child could not get their footing and had a bubble on (I am not a fan of bubbles...and here is why) because of the bubble, the child could not turn over to get his head above the water.  The mom quickly whisked the child out and all was safe and calm.  It did put us all on alert with our children though and I told the life guards what a good job they were doing.  Excellent facility.

Today was another day of kick fit...my legs and arms are officially sore already...last night I had little sleep...not because of the kids, but my own doing.  Then I had bad dreams about lions...I couldn't be worried about anything...lol.  I don't know what though.  Everything seems really good right now.

I am happy to have some good energy back where I can get my butt to the gym, take the two kids anywhere (for the most part) even after a crummy nights sleep.  25 days until spring!!  I cannot wait!

Working out

So, like I said before in my other post, I have started a work out routine.  Today is the first day of February vacation for Ava and we have sent her off to gymnastics camp for the day (9-3)...she is also signed up for Friday as well.  I think she will really like it.  My excersize class is MWF and like I said, Manny cries just about the whole time.  Today I have decided not to go to the class, but to do a work out at home instead.  Manny is taking a nap and I feel a little tired and run down.  I made a pact with myself to not work out unless I felt like it.  I don't want to push myself to do something I don't want to do so that I don't end up hating it.  I do really enjoy the class but am happy to have a day home to do it while it snows outside and my son can have a nice rest in his crib.  :-)



Yesterday I had a great day.  Jose took Manny to my moms while Ava, my mom, and my nieces went to see Mary Poppins.  I was home to work and do photos.  It was so nice to have the house to myself.  My space is really big and I have beautiful light that comes through my windows...ok, sliding doors.  My backdrop is nice and big so it allows for adults to be in the photos with children.  It was nice to make my house into the "studio" and have the quiet so I could give some great attention to my clients.

The shoot was a success...enjoy some photos from it!

Febrrrrrrrrrruary

Oh my goodness...February has teased us with a little glimpse of spring.  Now the cold wind and air are back.  Looking forward to spring!!!

I have started taking a kick-fit class to beat the winter blues.  The class was so hard...I am so out of shape.  I have several friends in the class who have been raving about it for a while and trying to get me to go...so, I finally gave in and went.  They have babysitting while you work out so that was a plus...although Manny did not like it.  It was hard to leave him with someone for a little hour, but I have to do this and get myself back in shape.  The benefits are so great...working out always makes me happy.  So, I drop Manny off to babysitting and then proceed upstairs to the class.  The stairs to the class are 1/2 of the workout...they are STEEP and about 100 of them. LOL...I get in the class and this nice Asian man teaches it.  We start right into a kick boxing routine...I have no idea what I am doing and am stepping in the wrong directions, kicking my legs when I shouldn't be, and turning when I am supposed to be kicking.  I look ridiculous...but am having fun.  I am thinking that this doesn't seem right because we didn't warm up...then, I realize...this IS the warm up.  Oh.  We then switch routine and get some boxing gloves and a paddle...the instructor is my partner because I have never done this before.  GREAT!...then I realize...oh, no...not great...he pushes me to work hard and does not give in.  This is good though...my arms and legs are screaming in pain.  We finish up and then do some leg work with lunges...I used to do these in my sleep.  My legs are mad at me...why am I making them work so hard?  lol  I finally make it to the end of the class for the floor work on our abs.

At the end of the class, the instructor points me out and says how great I did and for everyone to give me a hand.  It was nice and I felt included.  :-)

I can already feel my muscles hurting and everyone is saying that I should come back next week and let my body rest.  I think, ok, not a big deal...I will just stretch and work out the sore muscles.

The next day I can feel the pain.  I stretch and make myself use my muscles.  At night I cannot sit down...my legs hurt so much.  Friday, I return to the class to warm up my body again.  I made it through the hardest part.  To start.

I have signed myself up for 14 more classes.  The class was fun and my friends were super supportive.  I am lucky to have them in the class with me.

March is right around the corner...February vacation is this week and then we are that much closer to March break where Jose gets a good chunk of time off.

Enjoy your February vacation week...if you get one!

Skating!

Today we went ice skating with Ava's school.  One of her classmates father is an Olympic figure skater and so graciously offered to show us some of his moves and skate with the kids.  It was so fun to see him jump and spin on the ice...quite incredible.

We met at the ice and got our skates on.  He skated around us and then took Ava and held her facing forward while he skated really fast around the ice.  She LOVED it!  He does this with his own daughter and Ava asked if she could do this too.  He gave Ava some tips on how to stand up when she falls and how to skate better.  He was incredible.  His instructions were so good she picked up what he said immediately and put it to use like she had been doing this forever.  How incredible to have her get pointers from an Olympian.

I don't have photos because I didn't take my camera.  I did skate on the ice with Avie and it was a blast.  What a great opportunity.

Here is a link to the classmates dad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8dRMMThnYQ

When your one...

anWhen your one, the world is still new...













When your one, you learn how to walk...

but crawling is still more fun...




















when your one, surprises are happening all the time...

and no matter how small one seems....

...ONE is really big after all!




Happy 1st Birthday to our beautiful boy,
we love you.

Manny!

Oh my boy, your one on Monday.  Last year at this time I was having false labor pains and was anticipating your arrival with every minute that passed.  You are so special and so loved.  I could not imagine who you would be or how our family would change, but you have always been a part of us and I cannot imagine what our lives were like before you were here.  To watch you and Ava together makes me filled with so much happiness it is about to burst out of me.  Your my guy, my boyfriend, my snugga-man, our man-man, or "mister" as Ava has nick named you.

We are so very very lucky to have you and Ava.  Our little family...more than I ever imagined in love and happiness.

We love you!

Love,
mama, ada, and dud