TINY LITTLE STATUE?

The title probably should read, “Tiny Little Dancer” as the song goes….. but in this case, we found that statue was more fitting.

A little background…… Reese started taking dance at her school once a week and through the dance company, she was going to be prepping for a recital.  I was sort of hesitant to sign her up for the recital because she had only been attending the dance class for a few weeks but the instructor assured me that Reese was ready.  She also made a good claim that Reese would feel left out while her friends were all getting fitted for costumes and she wasn’t.  OKAY!! Sign me up.

We got a beautiful bright yellow costume which she looked adorable in!! We also got new ballerina shoes and had sparkles all over for the big event!  We invited the entire family.  We were excited! Pre show pictures were taken and I felt pretty confident for our girl.

We dropped her off with her classmates and got seated in the theater to wait for her group to come out. 

Stage fright was evident in the girls who performed before Reese’s class.  One girl bit her nails while the rest of her class danced.  Another girl was waving the whole time at her mom in the audience.  It was very cute.  Next up was the last group of the performances and that would be Reese’s group.  They filed in on the stage and some of them were scared stiff and others were finding their parents and waving. 

I think this shows how interested Reese was in performing in front of all of these people. I’m not even sure the other kids knew what was going on.

Here is a video of the performance if you are interested.

Pin It

FUN PRE-SCHOOL QUESTIONAIRE

Today marks the day that my first born, Ryan graduates from Pre-School.  Just look at that grin and hair!  The days of regretful hair styles begins!  He is especially fond of the faux mohawk.  I can relate as I had a similar style with the crazy fro bangs using Aquanet extra strong hold. 

I was looking all over for a list of questions that I could ask him that we could modify over the years to see how he changes along the way.  I decided to put my own questions together.  Please feel free to use these for your lil’ one and change it up as needed. 


Ryan’s answers:
1.  What is your favorite color?  Orange
2.  Who is your best friend?  Matthew Maguire and Elijah Hannon
3.  Do you have a girlfriend?  NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
4.  What is your favorite thing to do at school?  Play with blocks and cars
5.  If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?  SeaWorld
6.  If you had $100 to spend on anything, what would it be?  a big house
7.  What is your favorite food?  Hot dogs and Cheetos
8.  What is your favorite movie/tv show?  The Incredibles &Avengers movies &Sponge Bob tv show
9.  What is your favorite sport to play? Baseball
10.  What is your favorite sports team?  Pittsburgh Steelers
11.  What do you want to be when you grow up?  A Policeman
12.  What is your favorite thing about Mommy?  I like to sit by her and lay with her and play
13.  What is your favorite thing about Daddy?  His hugs
14.  What is your favorite snack?  Marshmallows or Fruit snacks
15.  What are you most excited about doing this last summer before kindergarten? Playing with my friends

Congrats to our little man for making it this far!! Only 16 years to go!

Pin It

WE ARE SO DRAMATIC

I am not sure who the person was that came up with the phrase “Terrible Two’s” but I would like to put my foot down and stake a claim on the phrase “Dramatic Three’s!”  I’m pretty sure I’m not the first to try to attach my name to that phrase since most Mom’s I know are saying the exact same thing. 

Before I get into many details, I was trying to think back when Ryan was about the two-three age and what crazy things he was up to at the time.  Its amazing how quickly you forget once you survive that stage in life with kids.  I often wonder if that forgetfulness is somehow built in to being a parent or a Mom because I find myself feeling brain dead about a lot of things….. anyway, that’s another story for another day.

When I was thinking back to Ryan in the earlier years, I distinctly remember the following:

* Having major melt downs on the drive home from school every single day.  I had no idea what was causing it other than exhaustion or hunger, so I added goldfish to our route and secured a DVD player in to help appease him.

* On our drives to school or home, Ryan used to lose his mind in the back about which way I would turn the car.  We would pull up to a street sign and he would try to direct me on which way to go and when I would turn the opposite way, all hell broke loose.  I mean seriously, as if he knows the way to get places at the age of 2! 

*Socks.  Socks have always been an issue with Ryan for as long as I can remember.  Is it the thread that goes across his toes? Maybe.  Is it because they are too small or too big?  Maybe. Maybe it’s the cotton fibers that stab his feet.   I don’t think any thing specific about the socks is an actual problem because we have tried every sock that has ever been manufactured to nail it down.  I’ve succumbed to the dreaded socks.

Now there’s Reese who is wrapping up her year of being a 2 year old and she has developed some of her own strange and dramatic habits.  Seems about the same time as Ryan so its definitely “Dramatic Three’s in action (early)”

Occasionally when we pull up to the house it will be raining or maybe very windy and cold.  In this case I have chosen the lazy way of checking the mail and pull up to it in the car.  Its easy just to put the car in reverse and reverse park in the driveway.  Unfortunately, I have a passenger who feels this is the end of the world!  Screams full of tears and throwing herself on the backseat floor as she wails out “I don’t want to go backwards”.  I actually enjoy parking in reverse so that when we leave I can just zoom on out.  Reese does not agree.  This is the meltdown in progress.

The latest travesty has been regarding mother nature and science.  You see, I pick the kids up from school and we have a joyous ride home. 

But then… Reese asks me if the sun is going to go down.  I respond as any normal Mom would and say “Yes”.  Turns out she wanted me to say “No” or perhaps something else, I don’t know.
I JUST DON’T KNOW!
Combine this disappointment with the fact that Reese was taking forever to crawl out of my door while she was buckling her baby into her car seat and now I bring you the additional melt down from closing my door and opening hers.  To subside the drama, I reopened my door for her to exit from. 

This is only 1 month till her 3rd birthday.  I cannot imagine what the full on THREE’s will bring!  Oh gosh, and to think I get to do this again with Rayne! 

 

Pin It

HOW I AM LIKE ANGELINA JOLIE…

I never thought I would find myself comparing to Angelina Jolie but with the recent story released of her decision, I think I am more like her than I thought! 

I’m not sure why I look at Angelina and think that she is so much older than me but she’s only 2 years older!   I guess it could be her accomplishments that seem to have aged her but age is not really the issue.  The main reason I bring up age is because women across the world are probably asking themselves if they would do what she did (assuming they had the funds to do so).  If you don’t keep up with the news, Jolie had a genetic testing done for a specific gene known as BRCA1 which indicates likelihood of developing breast cancer.  Jolie tested positive with an 85% chance of developing cancer and made the decision to reduce her chances by having a double mastectomy.  Usually stories like this aren’t something I can relate to because celebrities sharing their stories in the past haven’t been that personal to me.

This headline though is different.  I try to be very aware of my health and consciously go to the Doctor when I suspect something is wrong.  I don't' want to mislead you to think I am a hypochondriac but lets face it, I don’t want to die. 

My Father’s mother died before I was born at a very early age from a stroke and complications of colitis.  Thankfully medical technology has come as far as it has because now we can surmise that the reason she had a stroke was probably due to a blood mutation she had which has been passed down to my Father, one of his sisters, a cousin and myself.   I got tested and now know how to medically handle it.

My Mother’s Mother died of breast cancer in 2005.  She had a double mastectomy without reconstruction.  She got cancer in her 50’s and it went away and came back and spread.  So, the last time I saw my OB, they offered a test called the Halo Breast Pap Test.  I didn’t hesitate to sign up and do it.  There was no collection so that gave me some relief.  If a test was affordable and available through insurance to have the testing done like Angelina did, I would sign up and likely make the same decision she did. They say the mutation is rare so how can you decide if it’s a path you should take?

The medical field is probably trying to evaluate the story and I am sure there will be an overwhelming increase in women wanting this same test.  Is it necessary?  I guess its up to the individual their convictions.  The only thing that part of me thinks I might not do it is….. what if the ultimate plan God intended for me was to live until I was the age of 76 and cancer was the predestined way for me to go and I removed the odds of getting it…. wouldn’t there still be something in place so that my time ended at the original planned time?  I guess we’ll never know. 

With only 2 years between myself and Angelina Jolie, I think it brings it closer to reality for me and I applaud her for her decision and am thankful she shared her story.  I just hope the medical world can find a way for things like this genetic testing be more affordable so we can all make this decision no matter our income.

What do you think?

Pin It

Family Group Gatherings: A Tradition Worth Preserving {GUEST POST}

Family Group Gatherings: A Tradition Worth Preserving

The family dynamic has changed over time, and where once it was commonplace for extended families to live in the same area and spend time together this is not a situation that exists for most people anymore. More and more people move to different areas for work or study and stay there to start a family away from the towns they grew up in. Families often only all convene at weddings, christenings or when babies are born. It is important therefore to make the most of these gatherings and keep your family unit strong regardless of distance. This is made easier by great deals in group bookings for accommodation for the whole family.

Christenings

The biggest problem most people will have with the Christening, naming ceremony or other celebration of their child is choosing godparents. A common rule seems to be having the same number of friends as family, so if you have chosen two close friends to be godmother and godfather have another two godparents picked from your families. Do not be pressured or guilt tripped into your choices, as it’s an important decision that is yours to make. There is no changing your mind afterwards so make sure you go with people you really trust.

Weddings

Planning a wedding is probably one of the biggest organizational challenges you will ever face, and making sure all the family can be there and commanding the politics of that is just one aspect of this mammoth task. Do make sure to take the time to find out if key family members can attend though before you book a venue as it is just as important to have all your loved ones there to witness your special day as it is to get the right dress. You’d be pretty upset if you booked a date only to find your Nan is having surgery that day or some equally disappointing coincidence. Weddings are about the joining of two people, but also of two families, so to make it a real family occasion think again about having a childfree wedding with just a handful of guests, and make it a family affair.

Births

When babies are born inevitably everyone wants to visit and see the new arrival. With family spread across the country, some of those visitors will inevitably want to stay with you and, whilst friends and family with children of their own are likely to understand that this isn’t possible with a newborn, others might not be quite so understanding. In order to feel like you have some control in an otherwise whirlwind period of your life you may like to arrange a day or few days when you feel ready for visitors for all the family to visit and celebrate the new addition together. Politely let them know that you need your space whilst adapting but suggest local places they can all stay together during their visit – Travelodge is a great budget friendly option with family rooms available.

Families may have changed over the years but the bonds remain that keep drawing them back together to celebrate life’s milestones. Make sure to keep these traditions going even if you can’t all fit in each other’s houses, and travel and stay as a group for special events.

Pin It