Comings & Goings

The First 24 Hours

2011-05-08T14:48:00.005-04:00

In honor of Mother's Day I wanted to share a story...

G and I arrived at the hospital bright and early. We were there for the induction of our last child. We were giddy with anticipation and after the last several days we were finally excited to start this new adventure.

The days leading up to the induction had been nothing short of stressful. G had been at the hospital only 48 hours before the arrival of our son. My parents had taken our two oldest to stay with them 3 days prior to our original plan (they took them home on Friday evening when originally it had been scheduled for Monday). G spent the weekend in the hospital trying to recover from a month's long intestinal battle. He underwent blood work and tests to try to determine the problem. I spent the weekend driving between visiting him and my two children. My main concern was the health of my husband and my hope was I wouldn't deliver while he was being evaluated. Lucky for us, he was discharged on Sunday afternoon. My parents opted to keep the kids rather than bring them back to us so G could continue to recover.

He quickly bounced back so as we arrived back at the same hospital he had been treated in with the focus on the arrival of our last bundle of joy. Within a half an hour of arriving I was hooked up to Pitocin and my water was broken. We chatted with the our nurse, threw back and forth some baby names (we are so last minute) and joked with each other about the craziness of the last few days.

My contractions started fast and quick and within half hour of the induction drugs I was asking for my epidural. I was in a waiting line with three other moms. I was told I would have to wait due to one of them giving birth to her fifth child. They felt her labor would be quicker than my own so I waited some more, breathed through the contractions and prayed I wouldn't give birth during the wait. Finally I got relief and G opted for breakfast in the cafeteria. I was comfortable and sent him on his way.

I made a call to my friend and chatted with her for about 15 minutes when I noticed the monitor showing dips in the heart rate of my unborn child. Knowing this meant things were progressing I quickly got off the phone and called the nurse. Within minutes she had the stirrups up, called my OB-GYN and my husband was no where to be found. I made a quick call to him and told him to get his ass up here now the baby was coming.

Thankfully he walked in with the doctor and within 2 minutes the doctor announced, "It's a boy". It was a crazy fast delivery. I beat the lady who was on baby #5 and P was born at 9:10 am.

The nurse made an offhanded comment to our doctor that he looked a little blue in the face. The doctor took a quick look and felt it was bruising for such a quick delivery....

We quickly called my parents who were on their way with our two other children. Once I was moved out of L&D they came to visit us and our latest addition. It was FINALLY the moment I had been waiting for...my family together. Previous births had not worked out as I imagined. My firstborn, my parents had colds and my mom wouldn't hold R in fear of making her sick. Our second birth, my parents kept their distance once again because R had been sick and they didn't want to make E sick. So finally with the last we were all together and healthy and loving on the newest bundle. I was ecstatic.

Move forward 24 hours my mom was on her way to visit us. She had brought our first son over from her home so my husband could take him to his Mom's Day Out Program. She had spent the last 2 hours shopping for her second grandson. She was most likely parking the car as our children's pediatrician gave us the most devastating news. Our son was gravely ill and would need to be moved to the NICU within the hospital. We were told we could go into the nursery (you know the room all the babies go to with the glass window for you to peer in and see all the little bundles of newness). As we exited my room we were greeted by my mom. She was all smiles with a bag of goodies. She had no idea but within seconds of seeing my face she knew something was terribly wrong. I am not sure what I squeaked out but I imagine I said, "something is wrong with P" as tears flowed out of my eyes. She quickly dropped her bags in my room (I think...I don't really remember because I don't think she had them when we were escorted into the nursery).

We walked in and I was weaving back and forth. Only a couple hours before I had asked for some pain medication due to some pain I was having. The medication had set in and I had no real control of my body. My mom held me up with G as we stood in that room with the glass. I was a mess, unable to speak without gasping for air and wondering what was wrong. Our pediatrician made me sit down and she calmly explained who the nurses were looking over P. They ordered a wheelchair for me. The NICU nurses then wheeled P out of the nursery and I just sat in the chair watching him go... my mom held my hand. She listened to what we were being told and remained focused on me.

Finally my transportation arrived and we were allowed to go down to the NICU. We went through the hallways back through L&D where I had been only 24 hours earlier and we were ushered into a world we never imagined as big double doors of the NICU opened. All the while my mom was there.

At some point I gained some of my faculties, the drugs and shock were starting to wear off, and I realized someone needed to go pick up E from MDO. My mom, not knowing where it was but willing to go offered. My husband declined and they kept their original plan. He left the hospital and went to retrieve E while my mom and I watched the NICU continue to do tests on our son. I am not sure if at that point we realized it was heart issue... much of those first few hours were a blur. My mom held my hand and I continued to watch. My husband called once he arrived back in the hospital parking lot with our son. My mom left my side and went back down to resume her grandmother duties of taking care of my two oldest children.

During that time I remember how my mom remained calm, strong and never let on the gravity of the situation. She held my hand, told me to pray, argued with me about standing too much (I was angry about the wheelchair even though I had sea legs). She gave me tissues and never let on how excruciatingly difficult of a scene we were now a part of. She had to leave the bowels of the NICU and back into the sunshine to a car with a little 2 year old. She was going to need to put on a great face and drive 45 minutes home all the while her youngest grandson laid in the NICU. I simply cannot imagine.

My mom was with me on one of the most wonderful days of my life, the birth of my third child. And she was with me during the most horrendous days of my life. In 24 hours we experienced incredible joy and gut wrenching heart ache. All the while she held my hand, told me to be strong and reminded me I would get through this...

Since those events we talk a lot about what took place and our feelings. She is the one person who knows it from my perspective as a mother. Happy Mother's Day mom. Thank you so much for being with me. You were there to make my dream come true of a family hospital picture and you were with me during the most difficult time... all within 24 hours.

I love you!

What's all the fuss about

2011-03-14T13:12:00.009-04:00

Dalai Lama for Halloween?

Today we (G, P and I) went to Nationwide Children's Hospital for P to have a minor procedure to remove a pyogenic granuloma from his right check. This little sucker appeared in September and at first I thought it might be a little baby acne. However after a few weeks I realized it was something else. After the holidays I had it examined by Dr. P who suggested removing it. We got it set up for February however due to an ice storm we postponed till today.

Now the week leading up to this procedure (requiring anesthesia) I started to freak out. What was I thinking putting my baby under for an elective procedure? Was I that vain (my reason for wanting it removed was partially cosmetic)? What if something horrific goes wrong from being put under? You name it I thought it. Lucky for me Dr. P's wife is a good friend of mine so she had him call me to calm my fears. I am sure he was slightly amused by my tangent.

So this morning we got up in the wee hour of the morning to make the trek down 71. Now I have been down this road since P's first surgery (his cardio check ups take place there) but it was surreal to be carrying in P in to be placed under so he could have a lesion cut off his face. G and I were quite calm, much like we were last April Fools Day. We joked with the nurses, no tears were shed and we carried him down to the OR doors (okay last time he was wheeled in a bed). We said our c-ya later and walked down the hall to the waiting area. The same hall and waiting area we went down and sat in 11.5 months ago. We checked in with the same surgery waiting room clerk, dropped our items in the same place and pulled out our electronics. We commented on the construction taking place and the changes. G ran to grab us some drinks and food and I settled into the recliner. I had the same calm feeling as I did when P was undergoing his open heart surgery. It was very much the same minus the time we waited (oh and the fact this was elective and the other was to save his life). After only 30 minutes, Dr. P came out to tell us he was all done, no issues. We hung out for another 20 minutes then we were called back to recovery. It was only 8:45 am! As we walked the hallways of recovery we could hear our screaming boy. No need to look for his room number we could hear him a mile away. He recovered quickly (little apple juice, a nap and we were discharged). And we walked right out as three. It was all good.

Thanks Dr. P for dealing with my antics last week and doing such a wonderful job. It looks great!

Playin' and Waitin'

Changed into something smaller and a pretty blue right before going in

Napping in recovery

Why we wanted it removed (when it bled it would gush)

Lots been going around here

2011-03-14T12:53:00.003-04:00

March has come in like a lion with birthday celebrations, minor procedure for P and G's vacation. It has been a good month and I am so thankful. Just a few days ago G and I were recalling his hospital stay last year and how that kicked started what was the most stressful month of our lives. We are so grateful that this one has been filled with pure joy!

Short Changed

2011-03-03T21:06:00.007-05:00

A favorite photo of one of my favorites!

My middle child just celebrated turning three today. There was no party, no cake, no favorite meal, no presents and no balloons. Instead, he spent it with yucky antibiotic and an inhaler. This comes as no big surprise as this is par for the course when it comes to my sweet blue eyed boy.

Every year he gets the short end of the stick when it comes to his birthday. His first birthday I opted not to have a big party. He had his mom and dad, sister and maternal grandparents bring in his birthday (his older sister had a grand first and his baby brother will be too). Then on the day of his first birthday he spent the second half with his first stomach bug. It was plain awful.

His second birthday wasn't much better although he wasn't sick. Once again he celebrated with his mom and dad, sister and maternal grandparents. However the entire day leading up to his mini celebration his dad spent in bed unable to play with him. His dad is his best buddy.

This year we do have a small party planned with friends and I am praying I won't need to cancel it. I am hoping my big boy starts to feel better so he can have his cake and eat it too, FINALLY.

His first birthday before he got sick!

Celebrating his second birthday!

Right of passage

2011-01-11T21:01:00.004-05:00

Everyone of my kids has sat in these little yellow chairs and had themselves a blast at the water table. This last week was P's first time to sit in the water table. He enjoyed himself and was a soaking mess. I pulled some old pictures of the other two... I just can't believe how fast they grow.

Snip Snip

2011-01-11T20:48:00.003-05:00

Shaggy needed a haircut! So we headed out with both boys to get trimmed up. We had a first-timer on our hands and he did great. We took lots of pictures but I realized once I reviewed them we didn't have one of the finished product. I am so glad we took advantage of their first timer package which included a picture they took when he was done. There were no tears just trying to check out Elmo on the tv screen.

Put a Fork in It

2010-12-31T22:22:00.005-05:00

All pictures: Zoo December 31, 2010

Alas 2010 is almost over and as much as I feel relieve to take the calendar off the wall I can't help but reflect on this past year and all that I went through (or should I say all that went on around me)!
The bookends of this year were quiet not giving way to all the goriness that was in the middle. 2010 started uneventful but by the end of January the stories that were about to unfold felt more like punches to the gut (literally for my husband) that kept coming month after month. I don't need to regurgitate all the negatives but I think before the year is up I need to highlight all the positives for myself otherwise I may always look at 2010 with disdain. So in no particular order...

Our second son, your smile lights up a room. You have completed our family perfectly. You unknowingly taught so many life lessons. To say you are amazing is an understatement.
My incredible husband, you had so many challenges and yet your personality and 1/2 glass full attitude stayed intact. I am inspired by you.
My beautiful daughter, you grew up so much this past year. You still have much of your innocence which I am grateful.
My oldest son who kept the giggles rolling. You too have grown up a lot and you have become more charming.
All my siblings (direct and in-laws) showed us they could roll up their sleeves and help out when the time called. I have never been more proud to be part of this family.
Fantastic parents! My folks went through so much themselves this year but they truly were life support for us in the spring. And although at the end of 2009 and in the spring of 2010 we lost my in-laws we feel we have angels on our shoulders watching over us.
Friends, old and new came out to rally around us. It was an amazing gift to witness.

And then there were the events some big and some seemingly small that brought smiles. The birth of our son, playing games as a family, the love E has for YoGabbaGabba, clown night on our family vacation, Disneyworld, witnessing our nephews wedding, Ry's ever growing hair, the Start! Heart Walk, birthdays... the list goes on.

So as much as I may say 2010 sucked, it really didn't. I got some of the best gifts a girl could ask for this year. My family is complete, a grown appreciation for what really matters and a perspective on life that allows me to enjoy the mundane (although I will still complain about it).

Goodbye 2010 HELLO 2011!

We are all human

2010-12-17T14:44:00.002-05:00

Last night I read a question posted on FB. It was posted from a group I am a member of (It's My Heart) and here it is:

Only someone who is personally dealing with or has dealt with CHD truly knows how it feels. Give insight to people on the outside. What are some things family/friends said or did that were helpful/not helpful, not to hear/hurtful, or any advice for someone wanting to help but doesn't know how.

Now I read through the comments and was somewhat surprised because the typical responses were "think before you speak", "never ask the the mother if she caused it", "don't tell us everything is going to be fine", etc. I wasn't surprised by the comments themselves but how I didn't feel that way or didn't experience it the same. I opted in not posting a comment because I felt I would offend folks.

First let me say that although many of my friends haven't directly experienced something similar however I feel that they all had their own experience with P's diagnosis because of their proximity to me. I sometimes think when you are in the bubble of the hospital that you think those around you aren't grieving along with you (outside of the hospital walls). If they are true friends they too are trying to figure out how to process the information. It affects friends because they care about you and your. If you take yourselves out of your bubble you realize your friends/ family are just trying to be helpful and never intentionally hurtful. If the shoe were on the other foot would you know what to say, how to behave at all times? I think not. You must remember that everyone has their heart in the right place even if they cannot directly relate to your situation.

Recently I had a friend who's child had to undergo elective minor surgery. My friend was filled with worry (as she should be, this is her story happening to her child) and when I tried to reassure her (as any good friend would do) she reminded me that "compared to what you went through this must seem like nothing". Which is true but not really. It's true for the obvious, my son's surgery was to save his life and his situation was dire but the not really stems from the fact that as a mother any surgery is scary for your child. I sometimes think some CHD parents can get wrapped up in their child's health that they simply cannot understand that every parent feels for their child and their health and would give anything to insure their health.

Now I am not naive, I do believe my experience puts me an elite group that only other CHD parents understand. I just don't think we need to be hard on our friends. They have our best interests at heart and if we don't take the time to have an open dialogue you shouldn't assume they know what to do, say or how to behave.

I have been lucky. For the most part everyone I have been in contact with has been great. And if any were offensive at one time so be it. I knew their heart was in the right place even if their approach was not the best. Everyone was respectful. And isn't that all we can really ask for?

She's FIVE!!!

2010-12-14T23:05:00.003-05:00

Time to baby proof

2010-11-14T10:07:00.004-05:00

Well baby #3 is ALL over the place. He is a crawling fool and leaves his trail of spit up for us to find him. So glad we opted not to replace our carpets yet and instead invested in a carpet cleaner. G brings out that sucker once a month and within 2 hours our carpet looks like a bad 70s shag with orange, green and yellow spots.

When we left for Disney last month P was just starting to sit unassisted. He conquered that while we were gone as well as started to move ever so forward on his hands and knees. Since then he is a master of sitting, crawling and pulling himself up on his knees. He is into EVERYTHING. Nothing is safe. His favorite toy: the hideous vertical blinds in our kitchen. He loves pulling on them. He also got a wonderful report from our first home-bound PT appointment (our one and only). He is in the 90 percentile for gross motor skills and he is officially written off of home PT. We are so thankful. We have OT coming this week and I suspect it will go just as well and all early interventions will cease. What a true blessing.

We have been enjoying much of the last 7 months with P home. We are shocked at how fast time is going with #3. It is amazing. It feels like everyday a new skill is learned. The older two are working with P to get his verbal skills rolling. They repeat every noise he makes and he responds by making a new noise. It makes for loud car rides but I love it. I love that my two oldest want to help P become more verbal.

Speaking of the other two...Ry is growing like a weed. It seems overnight she shot up. She is now as tall as her good friend S. Also she is growing her hair out which has completely changed her appearance. She looks like a big girl. I love her to pieces and can't believe she will be entering kindergarten next year.

E is talking up a storm. He's favorite phrase; No Way or Go Away. He is such an even tempered little boy who generally is a gender neutral player. He loves twirling in his sister's dress up gowns and playing with his trains and matchbox cars. I love how happy he is and his favorite place to go is home. He is not much for running around town and needing to constantly go, go, go as my oldest. He loves being home, playing with his toys or his sister's playdates.

I can't believe the holidays are almost upon us. I have started the shopping but now need to go in overdrive this week to get it done due to G's crazy schedule. I am so looking forward to Christmas as a family of five and that we get to spend it all together at home.

The BEST Parts of Me

2010-11-10T13:53:00.004-05:00

Somewhere in the middle

2010-11-08T21:22:00.002-05:00

These past 12 months have been extreme. I have never felt the weight of life and how precious it is as much as I have in the past year. This isn't only from my own experiences the last 12 months although there have been a lot: losing my mother-in-law, hubby spending time in the hospital, a diagnosis of a heart defect in my newborn son, losing my father-in-law while waiting for life saving surgery for my son, etc, etc, etc. Just as we would catch our breath some thing else would happen. Then there are the events outside of my family. Amazingly tragic events happening to people I know or know of...
The whole experience got me thinking about the downside of middle-age. Yes this is admitting that I am there, in the middle of what should be my life expectancy. Gone are the care free days of playing, giggling and learning my ABC's. The excitement stemming from getting to be a year older and that much closer to being a big person. The walks down the hallways of high school with friends, passing notes about what you're going to wear to the football game and getting the answers for the quiz for 4th period class. The carelessness of the college campus life bubble of discovering who you are and what you want to be when you grow up.
Nothing I ever imagined as a child, teen or college kid about being a grown up is exactly true. Sure I get to eat ice cream when ever I feel like it and I don't have to listen to my mother but now that I am here I think it would be nice to just go back.
Adulthood has unimaginable highs and incredible lows. The middle of your life you get the immense pleasure of bringing new life in and such pain to see life taken away.
I now understand the mid-life crisis. The want or need to capture your youth, to hold on to the carefree days and it sounds exquisite. However due to life experience there is really no way to go back and grab a hold of it. You know too much.
So here I sit in the middle watching with doe eyes at how precarious life really is...

Cracks

2010-10-05T11:29:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was one of those days where the weight of P's first month weighs heavy on my heart. Nothing significant occured yesterday but for some reason my mind and heart went back to the hospital, the walks down the polka dot hallway and the enormousness of it all. It is difficult to shake and sets a thought process in motion that can take a few days to rid. I tend to replay certain events in my mind but most striking is the walk going in to see my son. I am not sure why that is the event that replays in my mind, of me staring down at those gigantic blue polka dots.
Over the last several months during these heavy days, I think about the term "Heart Mom" a lot. I hate labels. I hate having this label. I don't want this label and I don't want my son to have it either. And my reasons for not wanting it really has nothing to do with not embracing his once broken heart or his rocky first month. That I can handle. When I think of the term heart mom I think of all the wonderful moms who have turned their tragedy into something positive; who have paid it forward. That is the weight I am not sure I am able to bare at this time.
A couple of months ago I was introduced to a mom who recently found out her son had a CHD. We chatted on the phone and afterward I felt exhausted and realized I wasn't in the right space to offer support, that in fact I was still grieving my own situation. I felt horrible because I don't think I was a help at all and in fact may have made this mom confused or more frightened. This was never my intent when I got the courage to speak to her. However it made me doubt my ability to one day be a true "Heart Mom".
Since the time I spoke to her the dreaded label has faded and I've realized how I wear the label will be determined by me. The definition I had in my head was incorrect. Parents who have children with CHD are Heart Parents but those among us who offer support, pay it forward and strive to give a voice to this community are Heart Warriors.
I am not a Heart Warrior yet and I am not sure if I will ever be... but I am so very thankful and appreciate of those who have the ability to be one.

6 months

2010-09-21T15:04:00.005-04:00

Our littlest had his 6 month well visit today and he is doing great. He weighed in at 16 lbs 3 oz (25%) and was 27 1/2 inches long (75%). He is long and lean but there is no concern for the differences in the percentiles especially since the oldest 2 aren't chunky monkeys themselves.
Everything else checked out well developmentally and he appears on track.

An update of sorts

2010-09-20T15:37:00.006-04:00

My head has been swarming with lots of thoughts over the last few months. I took time away from this blog and closed out writing on our Caring Bridge site over 2 months ago. However it wasn't because I didn't have anything to write but more that I felt I should take a break. The time I spent updating Caring Bridge (almost daily when P was in the hospital) took the wind out of my sails.
The last few months I have let my thoughts sing in my head but opted not to put it down as I was still digesting everything that went on in March and April. I have been struggling to find myself and learning how to parent three children. I will admit going from 2 to 3 was much harder than 1 to 2 (at least for me). There are few free moments if any at all.
We have been living quite a crazed sleep deprived life. We are finally pulling in the reins and working on sleep training. P isn't much of a napper but we are working on that as well as keeping him down at night (he is a snuggler...loves to get me up at 1 or 2 am to sleep next to me till morning... SO BAD). And E has been a mess since we returned from vacation in early August. He was in our room that week in NC and just received the memo this week that HE MUST STAY IN HIS BED. It has been tough but I am determined to get everyone squared away in the next few weeks.
Other than sleep, which is currently the #1 priority in my household, we are getting back into the fall routine of preschool, MDO and getting ready for Disney. The two oldest are being whisked away in mid-October to visit Mickey and the Princesses. A much needed break for them and all they have endured the past 6 months. I am truly excited to be able to take them away to the land of make believe. Our littlest won't be going with us. WOW! He will be off to my girlfriend's home being loved on by a 5 year old girl, 3 year old boy and a "Rascol" (their dog which my oldest son LOVES..he will be so jealous of his baby brother). So life is rolling forward for the kids just as it should.

Over the next few posts I will share where my head has been (outside of wishing for more sleep) but for now I am just letting you know I am back and warming up to blogging again.

Clown Night Family vacation 2010

2010-08-20T15:11:00.005-04:00

I am so excited that in a week my family will be walking to support the American Heart Association in their annual Start! Heart Walk. We formed a great team, Patrick's Pals with family and friends. This is my last plea for you to join or donate.

New Blog

2010-03-21T14:07:00.004-04:00

Life has a way of throwing curve balls at you. G and I got our biggest one the day after our 2nd son was born.

Changes

2010-02-26T19:31:00.005-05:00

Lots of changes are starting in the Sharp Household. The biggest one has yet to make its arrival although the anticipation of finding out the gender is about killing me. I spent one evening taking an online test (with all the wives tales) to see if I could at least have an accurate guess. Came up with nothing (54% girl vs 46% a boy). I don't think those old wives could figure this one out unless they had an ultrasound.
I had my first internal earlier this week and I am sitting at 3 cm dilated. I know it doesn't mean much (I was 2 to 3 with E for weeks). My only wish is that my folks make it back in time from their trip. They should... they arrive back here on Monday.
Our first big change happened early this month with my husband sold his SUV on Craigs List in 2 hours. It was crazy and we never thought it would happen in a matter of hours. Guess we should have asked for more money. That said, we started the process to purchase a minivan. We waited the entire month till my color choice finally arrived. I was getting a little freaked but it happened. As of today I am a minivan driving mom. What an adjustment.
Kids are doing well. Ry is loving preschool and asks everyday if she gets to go (even weekends). If a 7 day a week program existed she would be signed up. E has had more exciting changes. We moved him into a big boy bed at the end of January in his sister's room. The first few weeks were a bit difficult with the nap but he has adjusted (as we all have adjusted to making it quiet so he doesn't think he is missing something). Ry has been a great big sister in the whole matter and due to her brother's arrival in her room she has been sleeping in her bed every night. That has been a huge blessing as I was getting a bit tired of sharing my bed as my belly was expanding. I am a woman who needs space and a snoring 4 year old who doesn't roll over to stop was infringing on my space. I know there will come a point when I look back on her need to sleep with her mama and will miss it. Just not while I am 9 months pregnant!!
The end of this month has been eventful. If you follow on FB you know exactly what I am talking about... hubby is doing a bit better (at least he isn't in the hospital) but he is still having some health issues that remain unanswered. We are just taking it one day at a time and hoping it is all infection related.
I am excited for March to come. My folks return, my baby boy turns 2 and we will have a new addition. All good things.

Cupids

2010-02-14T22:54:00.003-05:00

Here are my two cupids who filled my cup of love today while their daddy was flying back to the states from a 2 day stay in Bermuda!

Attempt #2

2010-01-17T15:09:00.003-05:00

Our friends, Tyler and Melissa have an annual Christmas party with the most authentic Santa I have seen. He is a great guy and tried luring E in and got close to winning him over... maybe next year!

Ry did it!

Trying for the kids together. No such luck!

A peace offering - candy cane wins!

Didn't mind the jolly man helping him unwrap his present!

Going in for the kill... E ran away just after I got this shot.

Fear of Santa

2010-01-17T15:03:00.005-05:00

My kids love the idea of the big guy but they aren't fans of getting too close. This year we opted to skip the mall altogether since we knew we would have at least 2 options to attempt a Santa photo. The first one was horrendous and I was pushed to the floor by my soon to be four year old. Although Ry doesn't looked scared she decided mid-way in the line that she wouldn't sit on his lap then refused to go near him until I was squatting beside Santa with her brother. Then I got pushed down. The pictures (thanks G for shooting rather than helping your poor wife up!) speak for themselves.

First Snow

2010-01-17T14:57:00.004-05:00

Prior to the holidays we had some snow and I took advantage of the outdoor time. I bundled up the kids and they played outside while I cleared the driveway. The best part was watching E play in the snow for the first time!

Ry's Birthday Recap

2010-01-17T14:45:00.005-05:00

It has been a month since I updated this blog so there are lots of updates and pictures. First off, Ry's actual birthday.

She had a party with her friends and had lots of fun. It was princess themed and she seemed to have a good time. The next day, G and I had birthday cake (the cake is made by our wedding cake folks with the same flavors) and her favorite meal - PASTA! My parents came over and she received my old doll house, refurbished by my dear mom. She did a fantastic job!

Finally Feeling Four

2009-12-19T14:47:00.004-05:00

Today my 4 year old announced she FINALLY felt 4. Her birthday was on Monday and all week she told me she didn't feel 4 yet. I told her that mama doesn't feel 36 either and it can some times take weeks to feel your new age. Lucky for her it only took 6 days to feel like a full fledged 4 year old.

She had a princess party last Sunday and a small family party on her birthday (Monday). The pictures say more than I could possible write about how her party went so here goes...

In Memory

2009-12-12T16:43:00.006-05:00

My mother-in-law, Jean, passed away Tuesday. Today her family has gathered for a memorial service. Unfortunately, I was not able to make it due to little ones, colds and a very special birthday party for my oldest. My husband is in Florida celebrating his mother's wonderful life and my heart is with him and his family today.

Bring on the chaos

2009-11-17T13:51:00.005-05:00

Oh how the holidays are fast approaching all of us! As for most, chaos ensues and as much planning as we may try there will be ups & downs this holiday season. I am lucky in that Thanksgiving isn't a big family holiday. My husband ALWAYS works (he leaves the day before) and the kids and I usually enjoy a dinner at my folks. Just the 5 of us! It's nice and we do all the foods but in many ways the only difference between a Sunday dinner at my parents and Thanksgiving is the menu. I am happy that this year I will get to enjoy all the food. I will not being doing my gestational diabetes test till some time in December (which could mean no fun Christmas food).

Speaking of gestational, everything is going well and I am feeling the flutters. I love this part where you can feel the baby but it isn't quite big enough to pack a punch. The second trimester is by far my favorite! The only downside is this one is giving me heart burn. I am chomping on the tums and hoping that if this baby is a boy he doesn't come out with the same amount of hair as his older sister, otherwise we will be getting our first haircut once he can hold up his head.

Ry at 5 weeks with bad hair and bad baby acne (her teenage years will be fun)!

After the fun Turkey feast we will be prepping for Ry 4th birthday. I am so excited because this year we are having a princess party at Studio J! We have never done a party outside of our home but with my pregnancy, Gs hectic schedule and holiday craze we felt it best to lower our stress and have it some place else. The only thing I need to bring is a CAKE! Love it. We are inviting all the girls from her preschool class and a few of her other friends. It should be fun and I am hoping for a good turnout. We will do a small family party on her actual birthday. I am even more excited for that... she will be getting my old dollhouse (my mom refurbished it) . I bought all the furniture (Fisher Price makes some plastic stuff that is fitting for a 4 year old) and my mom saved many of my old furniture that I am cleaning and hoping to give to her over time (depending on how well she handles the plastic). My old dollhouse was by far my most favorite gift I received. I got it for Christmas when I was five and I LOVED IT. I hope she gets as much enjoyment out of it as I did.

E is doing swell. With everything going on for Ry's birthday I realized I forgot my little man. I never made his 1 year birthday video. I hope to spend the next week (evenings, of course) working on it. I told myself I can't start Ry's video till I complete his. I can't believe I let it go for so long but it will be done!

To tie you over till I get E's video done, I give you my kids and an afternoon at Easton watching the train. It's riveting!

Thank you to my vet

2009-11-11T09:32:00.005-05:00

Today we recognize those who have served our country. For me, I am blessed to be able to thank my husband who served during the Iraq War. Prior to the war officially being announced my husband began doing trips into Iraq on the C-141. He was a flight engineer and his unit was responsible (initially) for taking cargo into the war zone. We were just dating at the time but within weeks of his first trip for his reserve unit he was activated. I was quite frightened at the time on what it would mean... would he be gone for a year... would I ever see him...would our relationship survive. We made plans for him to move his personal items to my apartment (essentially moving in with me). We got his finances in order so we could pay all of his bills during his activation. We crossed the t's and dotted the i's.

Once he settled all his items we made a BIG decision to move forward in our relationship and began ring shopping! We knew where we wanted 'us' to go and we were going to move forward. His official active duty began in February 2003. His unit was responsible for leaving from Wright-Patt to Germany. From there they would fly down to Iraq during the night (drop off cargo) and pick-up wounded soldiers to take back to Germany. Then take soldiers from Germany back to the states (wounded). His unit was a flying hospital. I was so proud of the work he was doing and grateful that he was contributing in a positive way to help the men and women on the front line.

His activation was renewed after 1 year and he continued to serve another. During that time he would be home for a couple of weeks then gone for 1 to 2. He was home quite a bit (more than I initially thought) and through that time our relationship flourished. We became engaged in September 2003, bought our first house and got married July 2004, made plans to start our family.

My most fond memory is the night he called me from the plane over Turkey to tell me he was safe! It was his last trip into Iraq. I called his mom and told her the news and she was thrilled to know it was over (at least for Glenn).

Glenn: Thank you for everything you did during your time served as well as your entire military career. I couldn't be more proud!

My husband retired in 2006.

Pictures from Glenn's retirement ceremony:

BOO!

2009-11-01T15:59:00.004-05:00

This year there were 2 new things for our trick-or-treating adventures. First, G was HOME! He hasn't been home since Ry's first trick-or-treat and she was all of 10 months old. That year the three of us sat outside and passed out candy. Second, we added a 2nd trick-or-treater... presenting Mr. Bumblebee. This is Ry's old costume and it is now missing it's head piece. I am sure I will find it by next Halloween! However, tubs won't be wearing it. I will finally deck him out in a BIG Boy outfit. I can't wait.
As usually my parents came over to pass out candy so we could go out as a family of four. E was insistent on pulling the wagon so I stayed between the Running Fairy and the Must Take My Time as I am Pulling a Wagon Bee so I could attempt to enjoy the adventure my children were having. Finally I told G to give the Bee a lollipop and he sat back for the rest of the ride. He didn't even want to get out to say Tick Teet with a lovely of Hank Oww afterward. Ry was kind enough to request a treat for her brother at every house (way to load up on the candy) and even put it in his basket. It was quite sweet.
Today (3 days after the fanfare) Ry and I did a trade-in on the candy. I loathe the treats and the persistence of an almost 4 year old begging all day for a treat. So I offered her a new barbie and she could keep 5 pieces (thank you to my friend Jeanne who told me of such offer...it worked wonders). So now we are down to five (only 1 a day). Ry had her treat at 8:30 this morning...

In Honor of The Girls

2009-10-21T14:09:00.005-04:00

This pregnancy has been fairly typical of my other two in many ways. I am carrying the same, which means I currently look like a fat blob. I am not saying that to be negative it just happens to be the truth. My boobs tend to take over in my pregnancy and although my belly is growing below them, it does not grow at the same rapid pace as my girls.
The girls, ta-tas, my boobs, breasts, whatever you want to call them have a mind of their own. I can go up a zillion sizes while pregnant which suffice to say they each will become as big as my head.
My girls and I have had a love-hate relationship since I was told I needed to purchase my first bra the summer before 6th grade. Boy was I mad when my mother suggested I needed support and we needed to go shopping for one of those sling shots. When we went to the store I was completely mortified at the prospect of owning the two triangles hanging from a string. Why me? And why is there a man in the Ladies Only department. I attempted to hide underneath one of the racks when I spotted THE MAN. How could he come here and be a part of this traumatic day. Didn't he know that a little girl was getting her first bra. The indecency of him.
My mother struggled through the shopping experience and all the ones that followed through my formative years. I still freaked out when men were in the LADIES ONLY department of the store and prayed we wouldn't make eye contact (in fear they would know why I was there)!
My teenage years I was a busty girl and I had my sights on a reduction surgery as soon as I could afford one (having no idea what it might cost). I endured the nickname Maribrest in high school but once I arrived in college I was blessed with a new nickname having nothing to do with my enlarged mammary glands.
Through my twenties I got my weight down and ta-da my boobs shrank. I found the secret and kept myself in shape and within what I considered a normal bra size. Then pregnancy happened and the girls had a mind of their own along with the aches and pains of a growing bosom. This is my third go around at watching them have a mind of their own and you would think I would be okay with it. I would be but for some reason this time brings more pain than I recall with my previous pregnancies. I feel like they are out to prove something this time around. "Look at us, lets see how BIG we can get since this will be our last time to stretch ourselves to the limit!" I am honest fear of what they will look like post-pregnancy/nursing phase when they are at their height of insane size. They may each be the size of a watermelon if they had any say... and lets be honest they have all the say in the world.
I use to tease the girls when I nurse about how I could feed a family of four on what I produced alone. I have a feeling I may be looking at Duggar size this time around!
So as I move forward through this second trimester looking more top heavy and less pregnant I pledge to love the girls more than I have in years past. It maybe because they are causing me such pain in the month of October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) that I have opted to take the higher road in this last growth spurt of my friends. I will cherish them and appreciate all they have done for me and my children.

Silence is Golden

2009-10-07T14:19:00.005-04:00

I can't believe I went 3 months without posting! CRAZY but summer was full of activities and vacations plus I was keeping a secret...
As many of you know we are expecting our third in March and it has taken most of the time away from blogging for me to get excited for this surprise. I feel my plate is pretty full with the two we have but after a few months of adjusting to the news my enthusiasm has caught up with my husband's... THANK GOODNESS. I am about 17 weeks or so (that is a conservative number as I am too busy to keep track, hello it is #3). I am looking forward to feeling the flutters soon and our next ultrasound at the end of the month.

A Day Late

2009-07-18T08:03:00.007-04:00

Yesterday was our Fifth Anniversary!

July 2004

October 2005

August 2006

September 2007

Fall 2008

Spring 2009

I can't believe how much we have done in five short years. I love you and all the blessings you've given me. I am excited to see what the next five years will bring!

Meet My Godson

2009-07-18T07:53:00.002-04:00

Last weekend my family drove down south for the Baptism of Ryan James! I was thrilled that my friends, the Lundy's asked me to be a part of their lives FOREVER or at least their son's. It was a wonderful weekend... okay minus all the items I forgot and the horrendous car ride. But we made it, had a good time visiting with our friends and their family. I hope to go down there again soon (once the ringing in my ears from Evan's screaming stops and I've fully recovered)!

Thank you again Lundy's and next time we will leave early.

Fireworks

2009-07-05T14:16:00.004-04:00

It has been YEARS since I've seen any fireworks and this year I made plans to take the plunge and take the kiddies to see some. I was concerned as I didn't know how either of my children

would react. Ryleigh is known for her fears and Evan is still quite young. And to top it off, Glenn was leaving for work. So I made plans to meet up with my good friend, Jeanne and her family. I felt comfortable knowing I wouldn't be doing it alone. Saturday, we woke up and Glenn had a show at home for work. This meant there was a chance he would be home.

Last night, we packed the kids in the car (notice the WE, yup G was in town) and headed to Jeanne's house. We followed them over to her MIL to park and headed down toward the fireworks. My friend, Melissa and her clan (minus 1 - they didn't bring their 1 year old) met up with all of us. We decided to hit the elementary school playground before finding a spot to sit. We let them burn off some energy and about 45 minutes to an hour later we got a grassy spot to sit.

The kids got to play with sparklers (thanks Jeanne) and eat snacks (thanks Melissa) and WAIT. It felt like we waited forever and then finally they started. Ry was sitting in our double stroller with big eyes but only once did she cover her ears due to the noise (the finale). And Evan was a real trooper. The only thing he wanted was food. We (Melissa & I) were rationing off Cheerios in fear they would run out. 1/2 way through I put Evan in the double next to Ryleigh so Glenn & I could sit back and watch. Sam (Melissa & Mike's ball of energy) sat on our blanket and he completely cracked me up! He made it a real joy to watch especially since Ry wanted to stay in her cocoon in the stroller.

Overall it was a great night. I don't think we (Sharps, Lachers & Jeffers) will forget it since we all had first-timers with us. Driving home, I kept thinking of Ry's expressions as she watched... it was amazing!

Matt turns 1

2009-06-20T14:57:00.006-04:00

Our friend, Matt turned one a week ago! His older bro, Sam is a friend of Ryleigh's (although friend may not be the right term since they act more like siblings...). Also Ryleigh's friend, Grace was there. Sam, Grace and Ry have known each other since before their first birthdays (same playgroup). And we all have one year old boys now too. It's nice to have a group of friends who match up well with age...

Ummm

2009-06-20T14:51:00.003-04:00

Makes me wonder....

Addyson turns 1

2009-06-20T14:22:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago the Sharp clan traveled to Indiana to attend a first birthday for my 2nd cousin, Addyson. Her mom, Leigh-Ann and I are 1st cousins.

Friday night we were able to meet up with the Piasecki clan and walk the streets of Goshen, IN for their First Fridays. It was a nice way to get out some of the energy and enjoy some of the beautiful weather.

Saturday was the party and it was a nice easy going afternoon. Ry and E were well behaved although E does have a tendancy to scream at strangers and there were lots of them there but after a nap he had a nice disposition. It was a nice weekend and we hope to visit again soon.

Long Overdue

2009-05-31T16:52:00.004-04:00

Friday morning we had our favorite twins come over for a visit. The kids played outside for a bit then the queen diva had a small meltdown and decided she needed some space so she went to her room. Andersen was done playing outside too so he came into play with the crazy amounts of toys on our first floor. I decided to check on the kids inside and heard the best laughter ever coming from Ry's room. Andersen, being a good friend, went in to cheer Ryleigh up and they were giggling like crazy. I love catching kids having such a good time with no care in the world.

Thanks for coming over! We need to do it again sooner rather than later.

Lots of good

2009-05-18T19:45:00.007-04:00

Today was a really good day!

Ry had her last day at preschool. She was pretty excited for it to be over and have a summer of fun. Here she is with her favorite teacher, Mrs. Sullivan, giving her a goodbye hug.

Then this afternoon while Ry napped away the excitement of the day E took his first steps BY HIMSELF. He was walking between G & I and did a fantastic job. I am sure in the next few weeks he will be a drunken sailor in our backyard instead of the grass stain knee wearing crawler. I am so proud of both of my kids today for all their accomplishments!

Shhhhhh

2009-05-06T15:28:00.004-04:00

Things are quiet and I don't have much to say... okay that's a total lie but honestly I am not sure what to write about since there are so many things swarming in my mind. I could chat up the spring cleaning (boring but necessary), my husband's absence (frequent and old news, hey he is a pilot), my procrastination (we've been there before) or I can talk about something that makes me uncomfortable (WINNER)!
Lately I haven't been a good mom... actually I am downright ugly horrible mom. Ryleigh and I have been have been having issues with one another. My sweet pea and I aren't seeing eye to eye on a number of things and her way of dealing with me is physical (hit, slap, kick...). And my response is to YELL LOUD. The last 2 nights I have yelled so loud I feel the next sound I will hear are Children's Services knocking at my door to remove my children from my home because no parent should ever yell at their children to the point it sounds as if a physical altercation is about to happen. I am not proud. I just wish I understood where is comes from, how I can let myself get so frustrated with someone so small and unable to truly defend herself.
I admit I have my 'normal' faults as a stay-at-home person... I don't play enough with my kids, I don't attempt to engage them enough in things to keep their minds growing, I don't always listen to them.... but we all falter there from time to time but the yelling...that's a completely different ball of wax.
There is a woman I know (SHAM) who I have watched yell at her children with no regret (or at least it appears that way) when she is discipline them. The kind of yelling you're embarrassed to witness. Now, I am in control in public, at times I may raise my voice, but never do I yell with the phenom I seem to have over the course of the last couple of days. I am worried that I am losing it...my composure, my confidence and the values that I've been trying to teach my children (that clearly I am not following). I don't want to be that other person who can lash out in public or private.
My hope about being public about my missteps in my 'behind closed doors' life is what I need to straighten up my act. Here's to keeping it cool and using my indoor voice.

Snot, snot & more snot

2009-04-23T15:05:00.007-04:00

My little guy is snoring away. He never snores! He is so stuffy, high fever, ear infection, raspy breathing and just plain icky. He's on drugs but due to the amount of mucus he's got going he's regurgitated 2 of the 4 doses he's been given over the last 2 days. My hope is he takes a turn for the better so we can all go out and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

Special Service Announcement

2009-04-22T22:30:00.003-04:00

As you all know by now my old work pal (and her family) are the Ambassador Family for this year's March of Dimes Walk in Central Ohio. If you want to really learn something about them then watch this video.

Alisa & Adam's ability to be so open and honest with their journey with their premature children has always amazed me. To donate go here!

Completely Bummed

2009-04-16T13:48:00.002-04:00

I was suppose to leave for NY today for a fantastic weekend of fun, friends, great weather, parties, pedis, pizza, no kids, no husband... oh the list goes on. However, the Sharp Clan has been stricken with the flu bug.
It started with nasty colds last weekend, then Evan had some vomit in his crib Sunday morning... then some blowouts during the week, then vomit again on Wednesday morning. However I decided to still move forward with the trip... then on my way to taking the kids to my folks Ry vomited all over herself, carseat, my car, etc. So after careful thought I have opted out of my fun filled weekend.
I am so bummed, but mommy-hood calls once again!!!

Continuing the Tradition

2009-04-13T08:40:00.004-04:00

When I was a kid my mom would hide our Easter Baskets. Since having my own children I've continued that tradition into my home although my husband does not get it at all. I told him that all these years later is the one thing about Easter morning I remember and I loved it so much. Since my children are young I knew I would need to find easy spots for the kids baskets.

In the afternoon we went to visit my parents and Ryleigh had her own personal easter egg hunt. Poor Evan was stuck watching from the inside. Next year you will get to dodge the deer poop with your sister!

Spontaneity

2009-03-22T21:41:00.011-04:00

Once you have kids spontaneity seems to come to halt. Prior to my children, I considered myself a spontaneous person and I loved it. This past weekend I decided enough was enough. At 11 am Saturday, with no plans, I asked my husband if he wanted to grab the kids and head to Cincinnati for the weekend. He agreed and within 2 hours we were on our first spur of the moment road trip. I felt free!

We knew we couldn't plan a lot of activities with our little ones so we kept it simple. Our plan was to hit Ikea on Saturday, have some dinner and get the kiddies back to the hotel and settled for the night. The next morning we were going to head to the Newport Aquarium have lunch and head home. The whole trip went off without a hitch! Okay so there was one hiccup... my dear daughter snores like an 80 year old man and my husband and I couldn't fall asleep. Thank goodness we stayed in a Homewood Suites* so there was a separate living room with a pullout couch. So as the princess slept in her bed (E stayed in his pack-n-play) we were sleeping on a pullout couch. All in all a good trip and a great way get a little change of scenery not far from home.

She is so excited about staying in a hotel. She loves hotels!

Someone was in need of a nap. Within minutes of taking he was looking at the back of his eyelids (this was his first time facing forward since turning 1 so it wasn't till we reached the south side of C-Bus that he finally feel asleep...too much to check out).

Having fun at the hotel.

The princess all set up in her kingdom.

The ugliest turtle I have laid eyes on!

Getting a shark on her face, a highlight for her trip (hotel was the big one).

Evan feeling the love from his sister.

A SUCCESSFUL TRIP HOME!!!

*The location of this hotel was quite comical. Glenn and I aren't very familiar with Cincy so we opted for a hotel close to Ikea however we wanted a Suite (as mentioned above, a good option for our family). The hotel was in an industrial park.

Family

2009-03-21T09:46:00.005-04:00

The week we got hit with the terrible flu bug the weather was fantastic and we missed it. Then it got cold again and I thought it maybe weeks before we saw some signs of spring.
Last weekend we made a BIG purchase. We have been preparing for this since last year and we couldn't be more excited. And to make it all the better, spring weather came with it!

Now I will fill you in on all the gory details of this swingset. It took my husband & a friend two days to put up the majority of this set. Then we had to wait for a beam that was missing from the box to get the monkey bars up. How a wooden beam didn't make the box is beyond me but Rainbow was great to deal with and they sent it out right away. Once we received it my lovely husband spent two days putting it together (and making several trips to Lowes and some specialty fastener store due to missing hardware). Now wouldn't it have been easier to account for all the pieces from the beginning?!?! That would be too methodical for my man!

Overall I am excited for the whole thing to be done and we can have a summer of fun in our backyard. As we calculated it, this will be our kids birthday present for the next 8 years at $100 a piece... so excited we won't need to buy birthday presents till Ry is 11 and Evan is 9! However I don't think that will work... damn that would have been sweet!

It's Alive

2009-03-12T23:51:00.003-04:00

Okay, well I'm alive! It's been forever and a day since I posted which is unusual considering my recent steady stream. If you follow me on FB then you know I was on death's door last week (or at least the all mighty stomach viruses door). He came knocking then just charged through the Sharp household last week and it was bad...
Last week was suppose to be a week of celebration and reflecting on my baby boy and his first year but that wasn't how it turned out. Tuesday we went off and got pictures done then Wednesday I wasn't feeling so spiffy. Rarely do I lie on the couch almost an entire day but that is where I stayed. It's a little difficult when little ones are tugging at you begging you to come play on the floor and I tried my best but it was hard. Thursday morning came and so did everything I ingested the evening before (which wasn't much). The call had to be made to my sidekick to come over & watch the kids (my mom). Glenn stuck around for part of the morning before he had to take off for training so I was left to watch the kids for 20 minutes. It was a tough one but I made it till my 3rd in command could take over. Then off to bed for me. The next day my mom came again and spent a chunk of the afternoon with us so I could rest up for what was to come.
Friday night, Ry got the same stomach bug which had plagued me. I was still a little under but my supermommy cape got dusted off and I held a puking child for 24+ hours. She was good through it all and slept in between bouts of vomit. Thank goodness. I also did massive amounts of puke laundry...her linens (twice over), my linens (yes I laid her in my bed at one point), blankets and towels from the couch... all the while watching heaps of regular laundry piling up. So this week has been major catch up and clean up. I still feel way far behind but with a sitter coming Saturday night it will light my fire to get cracking!
Let this be the only stomach bug for 2009!

What E, Ry & I did today

2009-03-03T15:20:00.002-05:00

Check it out here!

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

2009-03-03T08:30:00.005-05:00

Evan's 1st Birthday Cupcake from Maribeth Corby Sharp on Vimeo.

I had no idea G was recording...

Time Flies

2009-02-26T12:40:00.004-05:00

In less than a week my baby boy will have his first birthday. Where has the time gone?!?! I remember with my first feeling such a sense of relieve when she turned one. My feeling was we made it. The feelings aren't the same with my son. I am sad to see my little one growing so quickly. I know my feelings are different because he maybe my last and I wasn't nearly as stressed.

Here is a photo of my big boy sitting at the table. His first adventure out of his high chair at my house and he couldn't have been happier. He ate a whole cheeseburger, the whole bun and some sweet potatoe fries. His appetite is much bigger than his sisters who ate about 2 bites. I can't imagine my future grocery bills!

Sad to see them go

2009-02-25T13:14:00.011-05:00

Today I said goodbye to good friends of mine, the Lundys. They are leaving Ohio tomorrow to head to Kentucky. The moving truck is in front of their home, packing all their belongings and they will spend their last night in the first home they purchased.
For me, it's bittersweet. I am excited for the opportunity they have in Kentucky, but I will miss them. Meredith and I have gone through a lot in the past five years of knowing one another. We got married, bought homes and started our families. Those are huge things that happen in your life and we were there together.
Meredith and I met at work. She and her then boyfriend moved to Ohio. I was engaged and shortly after got married. She and Kevin then became engaged themselves and they started the wedding planning process. It was great to be a witness to all the chaos I had just endured myself. When her time came, I was there to witness them exchange vows. Meredith even wore my veil!
Glenn and I had been in our first home by then and I was pregnant with Ryleigh. They bought their own just one town away and became pregnant themselves. They came to watch Ryleigh when she was a few months old, but being a first time mom, we stuck around and had dinner with them. Kevin hadn't yet been exposed to a baby and there were tons of questions. We helped them as best we could and grew excited for Brendan's arrival. Once they came home, Meredith had her first time mom jitters and called me on Brendan's first night. I went over, calmed her nerves and reminded her she could do it. And she has very well.
Meredith has been here to celebrate birthdays and the homecoming of my second. The past couple of years we've had playdates, sharing stories of mommy woes and the common bond of traveling husbands. I feel blessed that I got to hold her new son today (cute as button and just 4 weeks old). It was my first time and I am sure not the last.
I went through their home today to see all the packed boxes, Brendan's first big boy room and the nursery one last time it became real. I went to say goodbye to Kevin, who gave me an enormous hug and my tears started to surface. I then turned to Meredith to give her my finally Ohio Hug and we were blubbering messes. I walked down the stairs to say goodbye to her mom. And before I left, Brendan came running up to me. I picked him up and he gave me the best hug. I gave him a kiss on the check and reminded him to be good to his mama. At this point, I had to leave because the tears were streaming.
My thoughts are with them today as they pack up to start their new adventure. I know tomorrow I will be excited for them but today I am just sad. Sad to see such a good friend go. I will miss you Meredith and your family. I promise I will see you soon and call you often. You call me when you need me for anything! I promise I will be there in a flash.

My first famous friend

2009-02-21T12:01:00.004-05:00

My friend, Alisa, is in a commercial and as a mom I couldn't be more proud of her. Please check it out here. And while you're there considering dropping a dime or two towards the March of Dimes walk. It's a great cause!

Good Girl

2009-02-20T15:52:00.005-05:00

My mini-me has been getting her haircut on a regular basis since she was 6 months old. She does this mama proud every time she gets her hair trimmed. I sometimes feel I don't give her enough credit on my blog on what a truly wonderful girl she is and what a real pleasure I am having raising her.

That's bad

2009-02-20T10:12:00.003-05:00

Me: Thanks for going to see the movie with me. I know it was a chic flick.

Him: It wasn't that bad there were some 'guy' moments in it.

Me: I really do appreciate it, though.

Him: It isn't the worst chic flick date I've been on...

Me: (Hmmm do I even ask...) What was the worst date?

Him: I went and saw Beaches.

Me: (Uncontrollable laughter) Are you SERIOUS?

Him: Yup

Me: That's BAD!

Buzz Buzz

2009-02-19T14:52:00.007-05:00

Evan had his very first haircut today. The whole family went for this momentous occasion. Ryleigh was scheduled for her haircut too and due to the time (Evan's morning nap) I dragged the husband with me too, to control the chaos. It actually was a pretty easy deal and no tears were shed by the little one. I was apprehensive about getting his hairs trimmed in fear he would start to look more like a little boy and lose his baby charm.

All Done!

Sidebar Note: I just noticed on this pic if you look really close at my nose you can see one of my scars (from pesky basil cell skin cancer... got it removed 4 months before my wedding). It is where the natural line of your nose meets the bridge. Can you see it?

Everything's coming out cream

2009-02-17T21:31:00.002-05:00

Alright I am so tired of being sick. I have been sick almost the entire time since my return from Texas! I had 4 days off of feeling back to myself and I get hit again with this awful cold, flu bug deal. My ears hurt, my sinuses are full and I've got a nice cough to boot! WHY?!?
I know the why, I live with Germ 1 & 2. They are cute and all but I am considering shipping them out of here until the thaw of spring. Isn't there a place where the little germs can run around, play in the sunshine, wipe their noses on something other than my shoulder and sleep through the night? If you're willing to adopt my germs for a short period...say till May let me know. They don't eat much. As you know Germ 2 is fine with Cheerios. Germ 1 loves the all dairy diet: cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs and sticks of butter. She does like the occasional gold fish cracker, her brother's puffs, PBJ, pasta (no sauce as we need to be like our older cousin) and anything else from the grain family. And if she's having a good day she will eat fruit (bananas, grapes, apples, raspberries, blueberries but no peaches). But don't buy one of those fruit items because it will surely go bad because that isn't the fruit she wants that week. And if you ask her what fruit she wants she will lie and it will go bad. They don't clean after themselves unless you make a big to do game over the whole thing. Germ 1 doesn't mind using a tissue but finds her finger easier. Germ 2 hates tissues and will knock you out with his head swinging. They both love to sleep but Germ 2 will only nap if a princess movie is on or if she is being driven around in circles. Make it a big circle because she usually can figure out where she is and it sometimes takes a bit of time. She will ask where you're going so tell her no place special and you just need to look at something (but don't tell her it's her eyelids closing you're looking for). So any takers on the Germs?

Miss you my sweet valentine!

2009-02-14T11:25:00.003-05:00

Here are your 2 youngest valentines missing you too!

Yummy!

2009-02-12T14:44:00.003-05:00

I haven't forgot about my NYR. I just needed to make a slight adjustment. I suspect I will only be able to handle one to two new recipes a month. We were gone and then we were hit with nasty colds (ear infection for Evan) but last week in the midst of feeling horrible I was able to make this tasty recipe my friend Courtney supplied me. It is easy as pie and so good.

Chicken Cacciatore with Cremini Mushrooms (Crock Pot Recipe)

1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces, skin removed (except wings)
8 ounces of cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes in juice, drained, broken up
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup of dry white wine as Sauvignon Blanc
1 celery stalk thinly sliced
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 sprig of rosemary or 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary, crumbled
Coarse salt and pepper

1. In a 5-quart slow cooker stir together chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, wine, celery, onion, rosemary, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
2. Cover; cook on high setting until meat is tender, 4 hours. Do not lift lid of slow cooker while cooking. To serve, discard rosemary sprig.

I didn't take a picture because I was starving when it was finished and was feeling pretty bad. It was very good and my husband gave it a 4.5 out of 5! They suggest serving it with brown rice (which I did and it was good).

Make this one! It is super easy and very tasty! Thanks Courtney!

Hope to make a new recipe next week when Glenn is home.

If all else fails she has a future as a bag lady

2009-02-04T21:07:00.005-05:00

If it is empty (box, bag, suitcase, bowl, etc) it must be filled in Ryleigh's book. We received a delivery today and Ryleigh took it upon herself to take this vast empty space and dump her toy bins into it. The only thing she doesn't fill are her toy bins!

Thank you General Mills

2009-02-04T20:40:00.003-05:00

Evan has found a new love and it is found in this wonderful yellow box. He would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I would allow it. Okay, I do allow it. He enjoys picking those little suckers up and trying to get them in his mouth. He has gotten quite good. He loves them best dry although in the morning I do give him some with milk so it doesn't take over an hour to consume breakfast. The best part is to watch him get the ones that are just a bit out of reach. He struggles and pulls himself up till he can get it. Then he brings that pudgy hand to his mouth in the hope of dropping the little sucker in; he does it with such glee. It just warms this mama's heart! How I love this little guy!

How romantic

2009-02-01T19:08:00.005-05:00

Doesn't this look like a nice romantic thing to do? Then you're held hostage for an hour and half ride through some not-so-nice parts of town lit up like a Christmas tree!

Up, Up & Away We Go

2009-01-21T11:23:00.003-05:00

This will be a quick post. Glenn & I are off to Texas to visit my brother and spend some time alone. I am excited but a little nervous about leaving my babies for an extended period of time (more than 48 hours). I know THEY will be FINE... it's just I will miss them. I also worry about seeing them again... I know kinda of morbid. Anyway this post is a shout out to them.

Mama loves you very much & Daddy too. We will see you soon! Be good for Grandma & Grandpa!

Cookin' #3: Beef Burgundy in Slow Cooker

2009-01-18T20:48:00.005-05:00

Well I don't feel the picture does this rich dish justice. I know the two days I worked on it don't clearly show the labor behind it. Had I known the number of steps pre-slow cooker and the step post pre-cooker I may have not attempted this dish.

This dish was courtesy of Cooks Illustrated Magazine Soups & Stews Winter 2009. My first introduction to Cooks was with my SIL. She is a subscriber and a great cook! This magazine is for those I consider real cooks. I DO NOT fall into this category although I one day hope to. I do enjoy reading it and find helpful hints and they taste test a lot of products to give you what they think is the best in any one category. This issue they discussed Chicken Broth. Anyway, back to the cookin'.

I will not reprint this recipe due to copy write infringement (the law in all). It is a good recipe but for me, a bit time consuming. It required to fry up some bacon, brown some meat, brown up some carrots and onions, put some wine in the bottom of fry pan and scrap the bits.... and that was just yesterday. Today was the slow cooker day (9 HOURS), and I still had to cook some pearl onions, glaze them and the mushrooms, add them to the pot along with the bacon, fresh chopped parsley & a cup of red wine that I had to reduce down in a frying pan before adding.... you get my drift. If I were to make it again I would make it for a dinner party (which I never have) so more adults could enjoy it. Plus from what I read, it may not keep as well because of the alcohol in it. Yup learned a tip after I was mid-way making it that may have stopped me in my tracks from doing this one. Anyway, it was good and although it may not supply us with the same great tasting leftovers I don't think Glenn or my palate is that sophisticated to know the difference (well maybe a little). Anyway I will leave you with a recipe of mine, well my mom's, actually her Great Aunt's (which would be my great great Aunt...).

It's for homemade spaghetti sauce with meatballs. This takes a bit of time to put together but it is sooooo good and it makes plenty to have 4 meals out of it (or maybe 3).

CAROL'S HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE
1 medium to large onion diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 to 4 cloves of garlic minced (I usually use 4 to 5… I like it spicy)
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp oregano
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes – prior to adding to sauce put in blender on puree
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 heaping Tbsp granulated sugar

In 3 quart sauce pan pour oil. Turn heat to medium. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper & oregano. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Then add tomato sauce, tomato puree, tomato paste. Then add blended crushed tomatoes through sieve (this gets out all the seeds). Take empty tomato paste can and fill with water and add to pot (I usually don’t fill it to the brim…I like my sauce with some consistency). Cook 3.5 to 4 hours on low heat. Check sauce half way through cooking. If needed, add 1 Tbsp of granulated sugar (I always add it otherwise it’s too bitter)

Meatballs
1 lb of ground round beef (chuck if you want soft meatballs)
1 piece of fresh bread blended until crumbs
1 large egg
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 Tbsp dried parsley

Combine all ingredients. Roll into 1 inch diameter ball and add to sauce for last hour of cooking.

If you wish to add Italian sausage to sauce: Brown Italian sausage (I use 2 sweet and 2 hot) in a separate pan. After browning cut Italian sausage links into 2 inch pieces and add to pot after adding all tomato products. Keep sausages in sauce the entire duration of the sauce cooking.

Helpful tip: The sauce ALWAYS tastes better the 2nd time around (after it has been in the fridge). I typically make it in the afternoon and then let it cool before I put it in containers to freeze or place in the fridge. I usually don’t eat it the first night but I have but it’s so much better if you wait. Just reheat on the stove. Can take about 15 – 20 minutes so the meatballs and sausage can heat all the way through.

Pushing, Grunting, Sweating

2009-01-18T11:48:00.004-05:00

And I am not talking about labor. I just shoveled our driveway for the 5th time (compared to my husband's 1). I am not sure how I became the snow shoveler. I don't mind it usually but today it was tough. The snow was heavy, there were drifts to deal with and even when it was finished it didn't look finished to me. While I was busy building my muscles my man was washing dishes. So how do you split the chores? Who shovels at your house?

A new first

2009-01-12T11:39:00.003-05:00

This morning started out with a very early wake up call. Ryleigh came to get me up at 6 am. Oh my was that early but someone knew she was having her First Day of Preschool. She was so excited although judging by the picture, I think Evan was more excited to ditch his sister for the morning!

After hours of fielding the question, "Can we go yet?!?!" we were finally on our way. We were loaded and ready to go by 9 am. Class didn't start till 9:30. I opted to make a detour to Starbucks to kill some time.

Finally, we made it to her classroom. She had a wonderful first day. It was only for an hour, Friday will be her full first day. Due to the time, me and a couple of the other moms went and grabbed coffee/tea down the street with our date, Evan! He enjoyed being the center of attention.

Baking #1: Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2009-01-12T11:21:00.003-05:00

YUMMY is all I need to say about this first recipe post. This isn't actually a 'cooking' recipe but I couldn't resist it when I saw it in the coupon section of my paper. It is from the makers of Ocean Spray Craisins but since it was in the coupon section for everyone to see I thought it would be fine for me to post it.
Let's just say there won't be any left by the time Glenn gets home (opps, not good on the hips). Ryleigh liked them too and I feel there is some nutritional value in them, with the cranberries (don't you??!?!)!

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Cookin' Update

2009-01-10T22:28:00.002-05:00

I've received several recipes thus far and I am appreciative of all of them but I must admit there seems to be a common theme. Here's the list of what I got:

Meaty Cheese Manicotti
Baked Mac-N-Cheese
Chicken Noodle Tettrazzini
Califlower Mac-N-Cheese
Lasagna
Barzi Tuno - Tuna/Pasta
Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas
Fiesta Burrito Bake
Taco Bake (which I cannot find but I know I have it somewhere)
Easy Chicken Santa Fe
Baked Pork Chop Casserole
Baked Chicken w/French's Onions
Chicken Pot Pie
Garden Harvest Stuffed Peppers
Turkey Meatloaf
Pizza Rolls
Pumpkin Soup

Do you see it??? Yup we love our pastas & our American-Mexican. I say American Mexican because looking at these recipes, I don't think their authentic (not that I am an expert in this department). Anyway, they all look yummy and I am excited to try some. I did actually do a new recipe this week that my friend, Jeanne gave me. It was from Cooking Light and it was a Raspberry Balsamic Chicken. Now, I had great plans to post it and take pictures but I messed it up a bit. The chicken breasts I use were much larger than what the recipe called for (tisk, tisk, must follow them better) so the chicken wasn't cooked properly which in turn made the sauce a bit overcooked too. My husband & I did see the potential, however our daughter didn't like the sauce. I may revisit this recipe at a later date. So far I've been staying true to doing a new recipe a week. My hope is to try the Turkey Meatloaf this coming week (probably Thursday). I will let you know how it goes!

Did you think I forgot...

2009-01-03T22:32:00.005-05:00

UPDATE 1/6/09
Getting several recipes put together. You folks like your pasta & enchiladas! I am excited to start trying them. My hope is to either post them on this blog or a new blog specific to food. Thanks, and if you haven't sent one to me get on it!

I know, I know... you two readers out there are just dying to know what my New Year Resolution will be so here goes:
I vow to cook 1 meal a week that I've never have made! That's my personal resolution and I NEED your help. I am going to be harassing all of you for recipes. I am hoping I can get a recipe from all my friends/family to try throughout the new year. Now I have tons of cookbooks, and I plan to use them too. Plus I go scouring the web for recipes too. I actually enjoy cooking but I tend to go through spurts. This year I am going to try my best to be more consistent.
So far I have made my resolution stick. Last night I made Stromboli. It is a recipe I found through a friend of a friend's blog. My friend Alisa, is connected to a blog called A Simpler Life and I was checking it out a few days ago and saw this recipe. She had previously posted pictures of her Stromboli in this post and it looked so yummy I just had to try it! It was simple and tasty and something Ryleigh could help with making which always leads to some family fun!
Now the fun part, I am asking you my fellow readers to send me a recipe of your favorite meal even if your a friend, of a friend, of a friend... if you have ever checked in on me please send me your recipe. You can email it to me at mbecorby@yahoo.com!
Happy cooking!

Stats

2008-12-31T14:10:00.004-05:00

She's three now but boy was she little not too long ago. I figured I would share the stats on my firstborn. She is now 37" tall (50%) and 29.4 lbs (40%). When she was born she was fatty tipping the scales at 8 lbs 12.5 ounces but she was only 19.5 " long. I don't see the WNBA in her future but at the rate she plays doctor (multiple times a day) Glenn and I will need to stock pile a ton of money for higher education!

Reflection

2008-12-31T10:43:00.002-05:00

As we part ways with 2008 I am taking time to reflect on this past year. December always brings reflection, especially with my daughter, as I put her annual video together. The video always gives me a couple of evenings early in the month to reflect on all her changes. Then the Christmas Holiday pops up and I am caught up in it and my reflection ceases momentarily. The past few days have brought back reflection as well as the thought of changes.
The best of 2008 came in a small package on March 3rd. The birth of our second child brought a jolt to the Sharp clan and made my family even better. I can't believe how fast he is growing and that we will be celebrating his first year in a couple of months. I am so amazed that I have been blessed with this wonderful family. I can look back & it doesn't seem that long ago when there was no Glenn, no Ryleigh, no Evan....but time is always moving forward and I admit I've enjoyed the ride so far.
Beyond the reflection is the thought of new hope, what will this new year bring to myself, family & friends. I hope it is a good year, with ups and downs. I appreciate the downs because it makes you realize when things are really good, just how good they are...
My resolution post will be tomorrow... I've been really thinking about it and can't wait to share some of it with you (need you to keep me on my toes).
Happy New Year my friends! I hope you're safe and happy.

The best part (for me)

2008-12-30T13:42:00.003-05:00

I have two things this year that made my heart sing this holiday season. The first, was a couple weeks before Christmas when I had the privilege of dropping off items my MOMS Club donated for a family. We Adopt-A-Family every year and this year I had the responsibility of getting the items to the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center. When I dropped them off, I was overcome with the true meaning of Christmas. The entire center was filled to the rafters with items for several Adopt-A-Families. It was truly incredible to see such selfless giving.
My second favorite was being able to play Santa for my own family. Once all the wrapped items were under the tree and everything was set up I admired my handy work. All the wrapping, beautiful tree and the image of seeing my daughter so excited the next morning danced through my head late Christmas Eve.

My little reindeer

2008-12-30T12:59:00.002-05:00

Finally some Christmas Posts

2008-12-30T12:52:00.004-05:00

She did it!!! She finally sat on Santa's lap (after many attempts throughout the season) and requested Cinderella Movie (5 times I might add). However, Santa Grandma had purchased this some time ago and was planning to give it to her at her house the afternoon of Christmas. After much persuasion by friends and husband, I contacted Grandma and told her I NEED THAT MOVIE here so my baby girl can open it on Christmas morning, otherwise all hope in believing in him could be lost at the ripe ole age of three!

It's that time of year again...

2008-12-10T22:29:00.003-05:00

Untitled from Maribeth Sharp on Vimeo.

It's been awhile

2008-12-03T12:58:00.002-05:00

I haven't been posting because I've been sucked into Facebook. I am trying to decide if FB is a good thing or a bad thing. I love seeing old friends, pictures and finding out what everyone is up to. The downside is it can be addicting. And I am a girl with too much time (sort-of)...

Last week was uneventful as far as holidays are concerned. Glenn was gone (what else is new) and so I went it alone with the kids. We did go spend a lot of time at my parents because my sister came in for a night, my cousin was there on Thanksgiving, etc. It was nice to spend sometime with family... but it's hard. It's hard because I am without my best friend. I have a love/hate relationship with the holiday season. Love them, because I just always have, hate them because I am alone more than I like.

The good thing is Glenn will be home for Christmas. I am very happy about this, not only for myself, but our kids. We have lots of stuff coming up this month so I will keep you all posted. If you don't catch me here...you can always find me on Facebook (ugh)!

Evan's new friend

2008-11-29T10:33:00.003-05:00

Addyson & Evan hamming it up for the camera!

Lesson #1042

2008-11-22T22:10:00.007-05:00

I've learned a valuable lesson today. Do you know the saying about anticipation? I can't remember exactly how it goes but something along the lines of...the anticipation can sometimes be the best part. Anyhoo Glenn and I have been siked (if that's possible) about taking Ryleigh to see Elmo Live today. We bought floor tickets when they went on sale in September. We made a plan not to tell Ryleigh at all. Our reasons, she has NO concept of time and we didn't want to be harassed on a daily basis for 2 months. We decided to wait till the night before to drop the bomb. She seemed pretty excited and even told us she needed to go to bed and get a good night's rest (huh?!?).

When we told her we also gave her an Abby shirt to wear to the show. Glenn tried his best to explain exactly what we would be experiencing (that it wasn't COSI). We also told her that Grace (her friend) would be coming with us. She was very excited about this part.

This morning we pulled ourselves together, got Grace and headed to the show. We tried to take pictures but only Grace was willing. This is a new thing with her...NO PICTURES...so as excited as I was to create a moment I let it go (although I snug in few shots and she cooperated enough to take a photo with Grace after much pleading). When the curtain opened it seemed all was going well again. Although Ry wasn't nearly as excited as we had hoped. She was never unruly (okay once) but she didn't want to stomp her feet, try to sit on a lap to see better or point at any of favorite characters.

Grace, on the other hand, had a great time. She is a pretty quiet girl and although she didn't speak more than 10 words the entire time she was with us, her body language and smiles gave me much joy. I was so happy she had a good time. Her parents were smart and told Grace several days prior to the show. Lesson learned here! I will now let my child enjoy her own anticipation as I enjoyed mine.

I don't want my picture taken!

Before the show

A good moment! Glad Glenn caught it on film.

Oh I almost left out the meltdown... we got her and Grace Elmo balloons at intermission. Right before the show started again they asked us to put the balloons under the seats. We obliged but right before the show was to start again Ry accidentally kicked her balloon and it went flying to the rafters. I tried my best to grab it but hey I am only 5' 2" so it wasn't going to happen. Ryleigh erupted in tears and I grab my wallet in the hoped of buying another $8.00 balloon! Call us suckers but what can I say, it was part of the experience. Anyway, I hightailed it to find another one. I found out we could get one after the show. Thank goodness. By the time I arrived back in my seat Ry had settled down (thanks Glenn!).

A Shared Moment

2008-11-19T10:23:00.003-05:00

There are times when I feel I am not the #1 parent. Okay so it shouldn't bother me but with Glenn's comings & goings with work and I being the primary parent most times I should be the apple of my kids eyes. Now I know the naysayers are out there but come on...
Last night, I got to feel the joy of my daughter putting me above her daddy. He had just come back from a four day trip and it was ME she wanted. I couldn't have been more happy...
Except she chose her moment in the middle of the freakin' night. Ry woke up at midnight and Glenn was on it. He went and checked on her. I came running in shortly after and gave her a couple of snuggles and tucked her back into bed. Then 2 hours later the FUN began.
She woke up around 2ish. Came into our room and wanted in our bed. So I grabbed her and put her in between us. Now we don't typically have our kids sleep with us...there just isn't enough room but when you're tired you do what you need to do. She couldn't get comfortable so I offered to grab her little pillow in the hopes she would fall asleep. Well she didn't. She tried but it didn't work...so I took her back to her room and tucked her in. This little dance went on until 3:30 am. She must have been up down at least 1/2 dozen times. I was starting to suspect she would get hungry and she did. So we went downstairs and had a bowl of cereal at 3:30.
The two of us just sat at her little table and ate a bowls of cereal. Silently munching... and for as tired as I was I was really happy because during the past hour and half she wanted her mama!

Guess who couldn't play nice?

2008-11-01T20:21:00.009-04:00

Evan enjoying the infant water table for the first time!

Sam. There is a love/hate relationship with him & Ryleigh

See what I mean...

Grace, cute as a button. Her & Sam could have played hours at the water table...

But SHE would have none of it!

We went to COSI with some friends about a week ago... imagine who couldn't handle it???? Yup, she refused to stay in one spot. It was like she was on speed. She had the 'been there done that' attitude. Needless to say, it sucked!

Trick-or-Treat

2008-11-01T20:09:00.005-04:00

In September Ryleigh & I discussed costume options and she wanted to be a butterfly. I began looking at costumes trying to figure out which direction to go and Ryleigh found her old costume from last year. She put it on and I asked if she wanted to be a bumble bee for Halloween. She told me yes, and so Ryleigh was a bumble bee a second year in a row. HOORAY for that! Although last night will be the last time she gets in that costume...it's starting to get a bit snug.

My folks came over to help with the trick-or-treat festivities again. We had a good time. My mom walked with Evan so I could take Ry around to all the houses. My dad stayed behind and passed out the candy to all the neighborhood kids (and those who drove into our neighborhood to trick-or-treat). Ryleigh was a lot of fun. She was able to walk all the way to the entrance of our neighborhood. She actually ran most of the time. She always greeted neighbors with a "Happy Halloween" then proceed to say "trick-or-treat". I also was very impressed with her thank you. All in all a good night. She didn't seem to notice that I took all of her candy but 5 pieces for her to have over the next 5 days!

Fall is in the air

2008-10-21T21:23:00.009-04:00

This month is flying by and I have not posted much since I caught the facebook bug. Glenn is back to regular traveling and we are settling into our fall routine (MDO, Colds, Halloween, etc). This past weekend was family weekend. Friday we went to COSI to check out the new exhibit, Sesame Street presents the body. Ryleigh really enjoyed it. She played at Mr. Hooper's store, listening to Oscar the Grouch from inside his trash can & took a quiz with Bert & Ernie.

We also went to our local rec center that evening for a Halloween Party with the kids dressed up. It was fun and we kept it short & sweet due to the time.

Saturday we headed to Leeds Farm for some pumpkin fun. We got a late start though and Ryleigh's disposition was in rare form. We stopped at Wendy's She threw a tantrum at Wendy's that lasted through the time we were there, the remainder of the drive home and continued for another 4o minutes at home. It was comical.

Firehouse Fun!

2008-10-06T22:05:00.005-04:00

Sunday was family day in the Sharp Household. Glenn was home and our local fire department had an open house. It was lots of fun and Ryleigh really enjoyed herself. She loves the fire dept (she also went last year for a tour with my moms group). Evan was good as gold and really loved his red balloon.

A new favorite

2008-09-25T22:27:00.000-04:00

The joys of the political season & SNL!

2008-09-14T14:36:00.002-04:00

Are they related?!?

2008-09-12T22:59:00.004-04:00

I am looking at old pics of Ryleigh to see if I see any resemblance between her & Evan. I came across this picture and it was the day of her first haircut. She wasn't even 6 months old yet. It just completely cracked me up. I will have to say that there is little resemblance in the hair department!

Weekly update...

2008-09-12T21:18:00.005-04:00

I always remember coming home from vacation as a kid at the end of August and after a few days home we would start back to school. That is how it has felt around here this past week. The preparation of getting ready for our fall routine and the beginning of fall activities have finally begun!

First, Ry & Evs have started Moms Day Out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay can you tell I am excited. They both attend the program on Wednesdays. I drop them off at 9:30 and I pick them up at 1:00. Glenn played golf and I did some window shopping. It was a nice break to just do my own thing.

Ryleigh also started "Ballerina Enchantment" class. It's just one of those fun rec center classes where Ryleigh can let out some energy. She loves it and followed the teacher around the entire time. I took lots of photos but my actual favorites aren't the best photos but I thought I would share anyway.

It's good to be home! I am looking forward to the weather changing and the upcoming pumpkin season! Ryleigh's already talking about Santa (geesh that's a bit early but at least I can remind her to be good). Hope everyone's autumn is starting well too.

Here I am...Rock ya like a hurricane

2008-09-10T14:12:00.008-04:00

I think I've watched The Weather Channel too much. I have this whole ad campaign in my head with the Scorpions tune in the background and Jim Cantore standing in the pelting rain of the outer bands of a catergory 5 hurricane holding onto a palm tree. Yes, this is how my vacation was spent. I was on the up and up of my HURRICANE AUTHORITY (thanks twc)!

Glenn, the kids and I (plus my folks) went to Hilton Head labor day weekend for what was to be a relaxing 7 day trip of beach, sun & fun! Our days in HH were nice although we cut the trip short due to Tropical Storm Hanna. We made lemonade out of lemons & headed to Crozet, VA (minus my folks...they went home) to visit my sister's family.

And now for pictures....

2008-08-27T20:16:00.003-04:00

My new 'favorite'. He is sitting in the tripod position so not quite sitting up on his own yet. Love that face and expression! He is really a good boy. I am so blessed.

Not the best pic of these two but the eyes... it's all about the eyes!

Feeling Good

2008-08-27T08:25:00.003-04:00

I know I've been a bit absent. As you know from the prior post I have been feeling like a washed up mom for awhile. Well last night I got a new lease on life. I got a new haircut!!!
I have been hating on my hair for awhile and wanted to chop it back however the hubby isn't a big fan of short hair. However my hair looked horrible. It had been cut into layers and there was a disconnect and it was just awful. I made an appointment yesterday because I knew I needed to see myself 'pretty' again or else my self image was going to continue going down the drain. It was fantastic. Lisa did a fantastic job. She gave me a scalp massage, a mini-facial (for free) and cut my hair. I love it!
Now I am off to do it for the first time! Hopefully it will be a breeze (I suspect it will). Also I am back on the horse as far as diet is concerned. I am not going extreme but I hope to do 20 in 20! Just thinking about that makes me feel good! So here's to everyone feeling good and pretty today!!!

Limits

2008-08-12T19:33:00.005-04:00

Okay you know when you reach the point where you physically feel as if you're about to boil over? I am there! I have been there for the past few hours. I've put myself in a time-out & it doesn't seem to be helping. Hubby is out of town, kids are being fairly good but I am just done. Put a fork on me, I am done. I am ready to pack my bags and get in my car and drive away from it all (figuratively speaking). I am not really sure what is going on in my head but here are a few of my complaints:
Tired of the same day in/day out routine. I feel as if I have set my world to revolve around 1 two and half year old. I could go into the ins/outs of our typical day but I just can't... I just feel as if I got lost in the shuffle of 1 demanding & spoiled two year old.
Tired of this post-pregnancy body. You know when you just don't feel pretty... I am there and have been sitting here for oh about 1 year! I think the last time I felt okay with my appearance was at my friend Kim's wedding on 7/7/07.
Tired of being jealous...yup I am incredibly jealous of my husband and his ability to get away from it all & having a life of his own outside of this family. That little green monster gets the best of me when I am down in the dumps and I wish it wouldn't.
So there you go, a washed up mom's pent up angry spewing out on the page of her blog. I KNOW I should be appreciative of the time I have with my children and how it all such a blessing but EVERYONE gets sick of their own life and wants to step out or step back from it. I don't care who you are we all feel this way. I know I don't have 'readership' that comments so I know I won't feel any hate but in case you are out there and are ready to comment think twice because I am breathing fire right now!

Not all is lost

2008-08-02T15:22:00.002-04:00

He is FINALLY taking a nap in his crib! Rejoice!!!

Fancy Nancy

2008-08-01T14:12:00.006-04:00

Last night Ryleigh and I read Fancy Nancy. It's all about a little girl who loves being fancy and how she wants her family to be fancy too. This morning I took Ry to my mom's for an overnight. She decked herself out for the car ride. She now goes by the name Fancy Ryleigh!

It started

2008-07-31T20:50:00.004-04:00

Bedtime procrastination! Got to love it. She's been up twice so far. Once to go potty and then to ask for a tissue... I wonder what is next.
What is your favorite bedtime procrastinator's story?

UPDATE: She just walked out and walked back in to her room and closed the door. No words were spoken... (my favorite thus far)

Thank You

2008-07-21T16:13:00.002-04:00

When we came home there was a package sitting on our front step! We love packages. Thank you so much Mallika for the wonderful bags. Here is our attempt at thanking you...

This is the start of another long friendship

2008-07-21T15:50:00.008-04:00

Clara & Evan July 21, 2008

I went to visit my friend Courtney and her new baby girl Clara. Courtney is my oldest friend in the world. We've known each other since kindergarten. We've floated in and out of each other's lives for 28 years. What makes things interesting is our children.

Clara was born on June 30, 2008. Evan was born March 3, 2008. They are just shy of being 4 months apart by 3 days.

Elliot was born on April 11, 2006. Ryleigh was born December 14, 2005. They are also just shy of being 4 months apart by 3 days.

Elliot & Ryleigh May 2, 2006

Elliot & Ryleigh June 21, 2008

Fruit & Flowers

2008-07-17T15:09:00.004-04:00

I can proudly say I've been married four wondeful years to my best friend. I am so glad we get to hold hands through life together! All my love & hugs - me

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-04T13:24:00.003-04:00

Thank you to the Lundy clan for letting us tag along to the Orange Twp. Parade this morning. Also for the yummy lunch! It was a fun but wet morning. I think the kids loved scooping up all the candy.
Hope you're fourth was just as fun!

First Taste

2008-07-04T13:19:00.003-04:00

Opposites

2008-07-03T15:55:00.003-04:00

She's my hazel eyes brown hair girl...he's my blue eyes possibly blond boy. Love em!

Jersey Wedding!

2008-07-01T21:31:00.003-04:00

My kids got to spend 36 hours alone with their dad! I left on Friday morning for my cousin's wedding in Jersey. I was nervous because since Evan our co-parenting has been divide and conquer method. Glenn takes Ry and I take Evan. Glenn had not really been in charge of both of them except when I would sneak out during nap.
I called Glenn when I landed in Newark at 10:00 am. He told me Evan had 2 oz of milk. "Uh, honey he's suppose to drink more than that. He didn't get to 16 lbs by having only 2 oz." I was freaked. My true concern leaving was Evan. I am the milk supply and he refused to take a bottle 4 days prior to my departure. I knew he wouldn't starve to death and eventually would take a bottle. I just didn't want him to suffer or be upset. Turns out he learned to suck down that bottle. At 11:00 am he had 5 oz. The rest of my time away went well for the 3 of them and Evan drank every last bit of frozen milk I had reserved.

The wedding was incredible. I haven't got to spend a lot of time with Stacey (she's 8 years younger than me) but I was so honored to be able to witness her wedding. She has surrounded herself with great friends and has married a wonderful man. Their wedding song really reflected the entire day: Ben Harper's Happy Everyafter In Your Eyes.

Mr. Blue Eyes

2008-06-30T22:40:00.003-04:00

Big Day: He rolled over for the first time. We almost all missed it too. He was all by himself playing on the floor and I went to check on him and saw he was on his side. I went and got Glenn just in time.