Teach Me How to Mommy

Cute kids- not so cute sleep avoidance I know last week was a long week for you.  It was a long week for me too.  I know this because I can't believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow and also, I didn't really have time to reflect on anything that occurred last week until now (and even this is a squeeze).  What's even more exciting and nerve-wracking is that after tomorrow the Christmas spirit will fill the air we breathe.  I can't wait for it all and I'm on pins and needles all the same.  I am wondering how I'll juggle it all -  I know I am bound to screw up somewhere along the way.  I think that's why I got to thinking about what happened to me last week... I am trying to do a special bulletin board/project in my classroom.  If I ever actually get it done I'll post it - it has potential, but right now it is just under construction (like permanently under construction).  It required a laminator which I don't have and to my knowledge my school...

With the help of two troops of wonderful family Jerry and I left for the weekend to celebrate my beautiful friend's wedding day.  Off to Cape Cod we went while our children were showered with love, gifts, sleepover treats, adventures and cousin time.  After checking in with them a few dozen times, I made some time to have fun.  A lot of it. If you put twelve of your closest high school friends in one house for a weekend there are a couple things that are guaranteed: 1.  You'll get no sleep.  I mean that.  One night I did not sleep.  The last time I did that was, well it was last year when John refused to sleep.  Let's just say it took me the whole week to recover. 2.  You end up reminiscing about the same memories you reminisce every time you see each other.  You also make a lot of promises about getting together again soon (let's make it actually happen). 3.  It's a good thing that snap chats disappear after 24 hours. ...

There's something just so cute about a little girl making a potion of dead leaves, grass and rose petals - isn't there? You know when people say "it goes by so fast" and you want to say "I know" but you really don't.  You're in the thick of it and it doesn't feel like it goes by too fast. Sometimes it feels like I am waiting, waiting, waiting for bedtime just to get a few minutes of quiet. But then there are pictures like this -------> .  My daughter has pink in her hair, she plays pretend games for hours and just today I heard her explaining to her brother why standing while you're eating is dangerous.  Of course things go by fast since just two years ago she was in diapers and just learning to string along a sentence.  She barely had hair - now we go to the salon. Then there's this guy.  We are spending our time finding new ways to get bumps and bruises (or bloody noses).  Not every dance party is safe - at least not in our...

A holiday must be coming up, or maybe report cards are due.  Oh wait, it's both.  Amy and I have been quite quiet recently and it's killing me. Like every other Facebook family on the planet we too have been spending our weekends doing amazing fall/autumn/harvest activities.  I know Christmas is fun because of Santa and the magic and all, but really is there anything better than being outside in the sun collecting leaves, make scare crows and picking pumpkins? Enjoy it now - winter.is.coming. In the weeks between posts I have also become an aunt again which really truly does feel magical.  If you thought pumpkin picking feels good, try holding a sleeping infant for a couple hours.  Right, there is no comparison.  Thanks for going through the whole pregnancy and labor thing sissy - it really worked out for me and everyone else who loves you. And if ever I am so exhausted at the end of the day (ok every day) I can always count on my daughter to leave h...

We all give dads a bit of flack.  Wait, I don't want to speak for you.  I give my own husband a lot of some flack.  He's really awesome at a lot of things, most importantly being a dad.  Yet, you know, he still finds time to watch football, take a quick snooze and drink some beer.  For some strange reason I can't find the time to do that in my life, so I tease him.  He's a good sport, plus I think a few jabs here or there are worth it as long as he still gets what he wants. Sometimes it dawns on me just how great I have it.  He's home every night and when he walks in the door his on "dad time".  There's no time to change, put up his feet or even go to the bathroom - it's time to be dad.  I do it too so I know that it can be hard, but never do I hear a complaint. Many dads do this so I am not ready to give him a gold star.  But not every dad, would do this.... This is my husband's favorite tv.  He researched it forever...

My sister, Laura, has written a few times before .  She is just weeks (perhaps days) away from welcoming my second niece into this world.  I am oozing with excitement, but her recent sentiments have brought me back to the days before I welcomed John into this world.  Those days are riddled with both excitement, fear and dare I say  - doubt.  Anyone who's been through this can relate and those waiting like her well you already know.  Her raw words say it better than I can... I’m now 3 weeks away from my due date with baby number 2.  The anxiety is starting to really set in.  I’ve been really anxious about things my whole pregnancy because I’m not sure I’m really prepared to have a toddler and a newborn (but who is?!) but now that it’s really getting down to the end, my anxiety is higher.  When you are trying to prepare for baby number 2, the anxieties are different than the first time around.  I’m prepared for taking care of a n...

Is there anything better than a Friday night on the verge of a three-day weekend?  Add in a Peapod delivery, a great volleyball game and a movie night with your kids and nope, there's not. September was a busy, trying month, but I suppose a successful one.  Wake ups are easy, the hustle and bustle is still busy, but it's a new normal. Now that we are all in a new routine, I look at my kids, my house and my classroom and I think, what next?  There are always things to do in the house, in fact (I hope like you) I look at walls that could use new paint, bathrooms that could be re-done and of course the daily cleaning that I try but fail to get to.  My classroom is a work in progress always.  My kids?  Well, they were born perfect, but it's time for a few adjustments. Mainly it's time to get haircuts, dentist appointments and it's time for us to think about getting John a big boy bed and not his crib.  And with Lucy?  Jerry and I are still just ...