I don't always do mornings...

I read a funny blog this morning about morning routines and how she sees that they can destroy a marriage. It got me to thinking. Am I a morning person? Why am I not a morning person?

"It's about the havoc mornings can wreak on a marriage. Who knew the mere act of waking up could make or break a successful union between man and wife?" ~ Lindsay Ferrier

I have to admit, like a lot of people in this world I am not a morning person; not always anyway- I guess it depends on what time I got to bed and who bothered me once I finally got there.
Did I sleep peacefully or did I spend the evening fighting off advances? Did the midget migrate to my bed and kick me every single time I FINALLY got to sleep? Did the dog decide to lay her fat body next to me and breathe on me all night?

Most nights- depending on my day and what time I get into bed are great. Except lately with the whole sleep sitting up thing we have going on due to baby girl never wanting to sleep when I want to sleep. Her nightly acrobatics are refreshing, but when you're exhausted they're less than thrilling.

My mood for the day can also depend upon the manner in which I was woken.

If hubby wakes me when he is in a well rested rammy mood the morning is destined to be a "get out of my way until the sun comes up fully" kind of morning. Said mornings are born of the annoying way in which my pillows are snatched from beneath my head and my comfy warm down comforter is taken and thrown to the floor out of my reach. Said mornings are the mornings when I seriously contemplate living by myself.

Then there are the mornings when I am greeted nicely. A kiss, and a "good morning beautiful". These mornings are my favorites and I live for these mornings. These are the mornings where I forget about the whole living by myself thing and wonder what I must have been thinking!

Then there is the way the midget wakes me. Imagine being in a deep sleep when a little person with clammy hands and feet jumps on top of you and pushes your eyelids open to say "It's not sleepy time, it's morning time WAAAAAAKE UP!!!!!!!" I guess those are the mornings that depend on quality of sleep over quantity. If I have had a rough night I need time to let the fog lift before I can function properly.

Occasionally I am woken with a smile "Good morning Mama. How was your nap?" This is going to be a good morning.

I should add... as long as I wake up on my own, in my own time... I love mornings. Just so long as there is at least a 1/2 hour of calm before the storm that is a typical day in my household :)

I guess when all is said and done, I should be happy to wake up at all right?

Are you a morning person? Why or why not?

Until next time...

Thankful just doesn't cut it...

The word thankful can not even begin to encompass how I feel today. Thankful is a great word, really- I just do not feel it completely grasps all that I have felt when I sat down this afternoon to look over the few pictures we took Thanksgiving day.


First I am thankful for great hair.
Seriously fab-u-lous hair.
At least I can say that my hair looks great even if the rest of me appears as if aliens abducted the real me and this is their Picasso rendition of my body double :)










Then there is this beautiful man to my right.
This hard working, loving man is my soul mate, father of my babies and my very best friend. We have almost spent more of our lives together than we have apart, and each new day brings more laughter and love. We have our differences just like anyone else, but at the end of the day its just him and me. I am more thankful for my husband than words can ever express. Someday we will bounce grand kids on our knees and bicker like that old married couple you see at the diner, for now we create our future one day at a time. I love you baby!


And now my beautiful mini me. A day without you is like a day without sunshine. Your intelligence is astounding, your smile and laughter are truly infectious. The love you have to give is the greatest gift anyone has ever given me. I am thankful for your wondering eyes. Through them I see the world much differently than I ever have. You have taught me to really look at what is around me and have given me a new found appreciation of all things great and small that I am sure I once had but overlooked in my travels. I love your silly jokes, your never ending questions and your loquaciousness. You are flamboyant and proud of who you are and I really truly hope these are qualities you carry with you always. I love to watch you grow and marvel in your accomplishments. I am thoroughly enjoying this journey with you and can not wait to see what tomorrow brings. I love you baby girl!

You are my love, my life, my world.
"A Happy Family Is But An Earlier Heaven"
~ John Bowring














Finally- I am thankful for this ever growing bump. I may complain daily that I don't look like me and how uncomfortable I am, but I would not trade one second for a size 6 pair of jeans and one less chin. There was a time where I thought I may never get the chance to experience this again. With every kick I get more excited about your impending arrival. I've waited a long time to meet you and long for the day I get to cradle you in my arms and look into your eyes. You have a fantastic Daddy, an amazing big sister and a great big wonderful family anxiously waiting to say hello. Take your time, but know that there have been few arrivals so greatly anticipated.




I truly have much to be thankful for; my health, my family and friends, my home. Life right now despite all of the bad in the world is still pretty good.

I hope that all of you are equally blessed. Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time...

Apologies...

Consider this a public apology for my blatant bitchiness over the course of the last week. Not that it is a valid or even acceptable excuse, but I think my hormones are in overdrive causing me to be more irrational and quick to jump on the crazy train than I usually would be.

That said my apologies to the following:

To my washing machine. I guess it was not entirely your fault my laundry turned blue. After all, I did load the wash into the machine, That kick was clearly not warranted.

To the lady at the check out counter in the giant last week who balked over a coupon that expired yesterday and wondered why it did not work. I apologise for rudely stating that they had expiration dates for a reason. I really need to learn when to not open my mouth.

To the lady in accounts receivable today whom I yelled at and then promptly hung up on. You may or may not have sent notices, I did not receive them, but in my defense it should not take 3 separate calls to get account numbers for 3 separate incidences filed under the same patient. However- I am sorry you did not feel it necessary to give me all of the aforementioned information one Month ago when we embarked on this process, and I am sorry I may have ruined your day today by becoming irate and curt with you on the telephone.

To my husband who has undoubtedly most of the time caught the brunt of my irritability and chose to meet that irritability with a hug rather than backlash of the hell I unleashed upon his ears.

To my mother in law who caught much of my imbalance this morning. I forwarded something which needed faxing, followed with a complaint filled phone call, then a flurry of email as new updates unfolded.

To my sister who is feeling awful today and still called to see how we were, she instead got an earful and at one point had to ask me not to yell in her ear.


I promise to try to be less of a monster to those around me.
I promise to not hang up on anyone else today.

I think I may just not answer the phone, look at the news or leave my home as we may end up with a disaster on our hands.

The latest on baby girl....

This morning I had another pre-natal visit to check on the baby girl.

To date My blood pressure is great and I have gained 16lbs. 16lbs is apparently pretty good. I do however officially hate that thing they call a scale. With any luck the extra weight will melt away once my healthy little girl is here, for now- getting her here healthy is all that matters to me, so what is a few extra pounds anyway right?

Baby girl's heart rate sounds fabulous!

We have our next appointment in 3 weeks where they will do my glucose screening. Fun! (insert sarcastic overtone here) Just what I want to do... Fast, drink something gross, hope it stays where it is supposed to then drive to the doctors with an empty stomach, and no coffee only to step on the scale and confirm I am indeed a few pounds heavier, then get poked at to give blood and wait.

Sounds like a FABULOUS day dontcha think?

In all seriousness and complete honesty though- I really am elated that all is well and that both Sophia and I are OK.

the next 15 weeks are going to fly by. So much to do- so little time!

Until next time...

Their first "Moment" as sisters...

Tonight I experienced the greatest moment yet in this journey called motherhood.

The midget was sitting on my lap watching my ever growing belly move with baby girl's jabs and kicks. Then she placed her tiny hand on my belly and pushed a little...

Suddenly Midget yelled "SHE PUSHED BACK!"

Her face had the biggest smile I have ever seen! This was a different smile than those I am used to seeing. Excitement, anticipation, bewilderment, pure amazement all bundled into one three year old toothy grin. This grin was better than Christmas!

She spent the next few minutes "playing" with her baby sister.

I spent the next few minutes fighting back tears of joy.

At the end of today all of my worries about how My Midget will handle the impending arrival of our second child, her little sister were put to rest at least for a little while.

It appears she is just as excited about things as we are- at least for the moment. God knows things can change in an instant.

"A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life" ~Isadora James

Until next time...

The first real punishment & Feeling like a dumb dumb...

We are presently in the midst of our first real punishment in our household and I truly think Mama is taking it worse than the midget.

No Television for four whole days.

GASP! No TV???? What ever will I do without my babysitter? Just kidding. Seriously- for those of you who know me, you know how I am when it comes to the mind of the Midget and the "boob tube"

She watches little to no television all day long, and is allotted about 1/2 hour to an hour max in the evening to "unwind"

She is only permitted to watch programs on PBS, the Sprout Network and some of The Disney Channel.

At any rate, 4 days sans evening television when this is what your routine is used to makes for one cranky Mama and a child who has nothing better to do than ask "Can I watch something on TV PULLLLLEEEASE?" every 5 seconds of the night. I find myself asking what the time is more often than I would on a "normal" evening.

Her bartering and flattery skills are a thing of amazement to me.

Yesterday after her punishment had been doled out she said:

"Yanno Mama- You and Daddy do not have to take me to see Madagascar on Saturday if you let me watch TV"

It took every thing in me not to laugh. She was actually willing to give up a trip to the movies in exchange for a few evening programs?? I did not give in.

This evening after stating that I feel like a dumb dumb for dying a load of white laundry powder blue for the 3rd time today...

Go ahead take a moment and laugh! I used a whitener in some whites and missed a few pair of white socks that had thin blue tops. the tops are now a dull ugly blue and my whites are powder blue.

Doing it once was just not fun.
the second time irritated me beyond all reason.
The third time I kicked the washer.

In my defense there were 2 pair of these socks. I missed one when I discovered the first oops, and did the same when I went looking for the stray sock when I washed the clothing a second time, (I forgot I owned 2 pair of these socks) so the Third time was just because I thought maybe the dye needed a second cycle to wash out.

Now do you see why I was so irritated?? To add insult to injury- mine was not the only laundry in this washer. Hubby & the Midget had items in there as well, yet MY laundry was the only stuff that turned blue! Clearly my washer HATES me!

BUT I DIGRESS- Back to the Midget- her punishment and the skills she possesses in flattery...
I just finished telling my husband that I was feeling like quite a "dumb dumb" and she runs over, gives me a hug and says "You're not a dumb dumb you're amazing!" "Now can I watch something on TV?"

After I was done giving her a hug and saying thank you for the ego boost I said no, you're being punished.

Something tells me my point was well received and the Midget will not be kicking me again any time soon!

Rendered Speechless...

I am rendered speechless. Last night history was made, and I am thrilled to have participated and witnessed all that I saw unfold on my TV screen.

The people have spoken, loud and clear. Change is on the way. A part of me can not help but to feel a slight (and I do mean slight) slice of empathy for our outgoing President as I would imagine it really feels pretty lousy to turn on your television set and see the streets of our nation and nations around the world teeming with people dancing and cheering for a new Presidential elect. I do not believe such a thing has ever happened before. Philadelphia looked like it did when the Phillies took the world series last week, and Times Square looked like they were waiting for the ball to drop on New Years Eve.



For those of you who missed his acceptance speech last night, here is a transcript I found on an ABC news site. Grace and Poise do not even begin to encompass the way in which this speech was delivered. Powerful, articulate and in this girls humble opinion exactly what this mess of a nation needs right now.


"Text of President-elect Barack Obama's Chicago victory speech; Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008:
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.
I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:
Yes We Can.
Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America."