Thats the craziest thing I have ever heard

We celebrated our anniversary yesterday. We started out at Jay's parent's church because it was also their anniversary (40 years!!!!) and they had a Jubilee mass for all the milestone anniversaries. So we went and celebrated with them and Jay's brother, sister in law and nephew. We had a nice little snack in the church social hall and we came home to meet my sister Lisa so she could watch the girls while Jay and I went to celebrate on our own.

Everytime we drive thru downtown Rochester I always say how much I would enjoy parking and walking up and down and visiting all the quaint little shops. Being that we had no big plans, thats what we decided to do yesterday. A nice relaxing day. We made reservations for dinner at Kruse and Muer and headed out to Rochester. We go there, parked near the restaurant since we knew we wouldn't feel much like walking after we dined and set out walking. We made it to one end of the block when we realized that none of the shops were open! *shock* It's Sunday afternoon at three o'clock. How can they not be open? Apparently shop owners in Rochester don't do business on Sunday. It was a perfect day and a lot of people were in town, so I thought it was pretty crazy. We ended up going over to the Village of Rochester and had a snack at the Toll house Cafe and shopped a little in Whole Foods. I guess we will have to plan another day in downtown Rochester. This time we'll shoot for a Saturday I suppose.

All in all we had a beautiful day together. I must admit that I do really miss my little boogers when I am not with them. It was pretty nice though to engage in some adult conversation at dinner and have a few drinks. The best part was that I didn't have to cut up any food for anyone. :) Thank you Auntie Lisa for taking such good care of the girls. We apreciate it more than you will ever know.

Money well spent

My sister and her husband have this tradition that for every wedding they go to, they buy a bottle of Dom for the happy couple. We got ours 6 years ago. A 1993 bottle which was weird cause my sister and her husband got married in 1993. We actually offered to give them ours and buy a new bottle.

So then we tried to decide when to drink it. We were going to wait till our tenth anniversary, but everyone said not to wait that long for fear of it going bad. Then we set our sights on our fifth anniversary. Well, that kinda got shot down cause I was nursing a two week old baber. So, last night as we sat and watched The Love Guru and Jay ate his peanuts, I decided we should open it. High class all the way, huh? We had a great giggle about peanuts and Dom.

I was kinda sad to open the bottle, but at the same time I knew we'd better. It was kinda like this little prize that we had and we kept it in the chiller and spun it and spun it again. Now there is nothing left but an empty bottle. Granted, the stuff was really, really good, but now its gone. My guess is that I probably won't see another bottle of it for a good long time. Good thing I enjoyed it as much as I did, huh?

Happy Sweetest Day

This is a big day for us! Technically it's not our anniversary. By date, that's tomorrow, October 19th. But by day, today, Saturday, Sweetest Day, it IS our anniversary. Jay and I got married SIX years ago this very day. Sweetest day was always a BIG deal for us. We never made it the Hallmark holiday everyone else did, but every year since the day we met, we sent Sweetest Day on Mackinac Island. It was the best time to go. Every shop was closing up for the winter and everything was cheap. There was never anyone there, so even the hotels were cheap.

For July 4th 2001, Jay and I had a trip planned to the Upper Peninsula and my friend Amy swore that he was going to propose. I kinda had a feeling, but then I knew it couldn't be because I had packed his whole suitcase (cause I am that kinda girlfriend lol) and I knew he didn't have the time to slip a ring in and I knew that he didn't get together with my dad which was something that was very dear to the both of us- my dad's permission. Anyway, I told my friend Amy that if indeed he did propose while we were on vacation, we would get married on Sweetest Day 2002. Sure enough. He did and WE DID. The rest is history.

Our wedding was THE BEST. It was laid back and fun. There was a lot of liquor flowing and I was barefoot. What more could a girl ask for? I was married to my best friend and I was having a riot. To this day, people still talk about our wedding- how much fun they had, how good the food was, how awesome the band was.....We had it at a K of C hall with a Polish band and an open bar. There were a few more than 400 people there and we all had a great time. One of these days we are going to throw the same kinda shin dig. Yeah, one of these days when I can fit back into my wedding dress. We say we'd like to do it for our 10th anniversary, but I think I'd rather see Europe instead. We'll see. I guess we have 4 years to figure it out. :)

Happy Anniversary Husband! We've made it thru six years. They haven't always been the happiest of times but I would do it again in a heartbeat! I'll take you: the good, the bad and the ugly. :) LOVE YOU! Here's to 66 more!!!!

Playing catch up....again!

Wow! We have been super duper busy these last few weeks again. I swear. It's a good thing all my business involves the kids cause I wouldn't be spending anytime with them if it didn't. We made it thru a first birthday party (of which I have NO pictures- our camera screwed up again and I lost them all- now I am waiting on Jay's sister in law, my parents, and my sister for some shots) We also made a trip up north (again...no pictures- Can ya tell I am a little peeved. We need a new camera with a quickness but my ever-loving husband is draggin' his feet) In between BIG weekends, we had a few playdates, went to the library a few times, put new glass block windows on the back side of the basement, (2 down 2 to go) found Halloween costumes, went to our first Halloween party of the year and I've been working on switching out summer and fall wardrobes....still. Its a lotta work with three kids. I'm also trying to weed out the clothes that we never wear cause they aren't my style and ones that just aren't going to make another kid. Some of our stuff is getting pretty well worn.

So, yes, it's been busy, but all in all fun. I couldn't ask for anything more- well, MAYBE some live in help. A nanny and a housekeeper and maybe a gourmet chef. But thats all. :)

A year ago this very day

I was sitting in my hospital room looking at my beautiful baby and praising God for her safe arrival. This was my first night as a mom of three and I was so very happy. Still in utter disbelief that I was holding a baby girl. My entire pregnancy I was convinced that SHE was a boy. I had a strong intuition and I don't think that you could have told me otherwise. We have never found out the sex of our children until birth, but I KNEW that she was a boy. I guess mothers intuition was way off this time around, huh?

I remember walking the halls at the hospital and in between I sat and listened to my hypnobirthing cds. I was so relaxed and things were going really well. Until the dr wanted to break my water. I panicked and got my epidural. In hindsight, I so could have done it. I just lost faith. Oh well, maybe the next time around. I did go VERY fast and within 20 minutes I dilated from 6 to complete and was ready to push. The nurses didn't believe me until I had Jay running the halls to find them. Must have been quite the sight. The dr was called as I literally sat with my legs crossed. I knew the baby was there and I had to push. Sure enough the dr walked in and I was ready. I was still totally in shock that it was time to have a baby and remember saying as Jay grabbed one leg and the nurse the other, "I can't believe I am having a baby right now." I pushed twice and the dr lifted up a baby. I fully expected him to lift up a baby boy. I looked once and then again and cried out, "It's a girl. Are you kidding me?" I couldn't have been happier at that moment. I felt so blessed to be the mother of THREE girls. I have two sisters and I know how close we are and I was so thrilled to know that my girls would have each other like I have my sisters. Not that brothers aren't cool, but nobody can have the same relationship with you as your sister.

First call was my parents. I told them the news, but made sure that they didn't tell Em and Elle what kind of sibling they had. I wanted them to find out for themselves. My parents brought the girls up to the hospital as soon as they woke up and had breakfast. We have always had a rule that no one was allowed to meet the new baby until the older sibling(s) did. The girls were so excited to have a new sister. I was so proud to show her off and introduce her to the important people in her life. What a glorious day. We had a few visitors, but mostly it was just Jay and I enjoying the first day with our new baby.

I remember feeling very overwhelmed at the thought of having 3 kids in 4 years. I remember thinking, "What was I thinking??" That lasted for such a short time. Cecelia melded right into our family as if she had always been with us. I ventured out quite a it on my own with the three of them and actually had fun. Cecelia just kinda jumped in and went with the flow. She has been a very easy kid from day one. She was the kid who got me into baby wearing hardcore and I swear that she spent the first 5 or 6 months of her life snuggled up next to my boob in the moby wrap. She was also the baby that got momma and daddy on board with co-sleeping (who'da thunk??) I slept for 5 straight months in a rocking chair with her to help with her reflux. She has been cloth diapered since birth (shocking, I know!!)

What a delight! I am so blessed to have Cecelia in my life and thank God everyday for her.

Happy Birthday, Lil Pumpkin. Momma's third little princess and Daddy's Lil Girl! We love you more than you can ever imagine.

This time last year part II

I ran into Emily's preschool teacher while I was at school doing a bulletin board. She asked how the family was and I told her the short version. She asked how the baby was and I told her she was going to be one tomorrow. She couldn't believe it. I said, "Seems like yesterday I was standing outside the classroom waiting for Emily while I was in labor." We had a good laugh.

One year ago at this very moment, I was tying up the lose ends at home while taking breaks in between to walk the stairs or rest on my birth ball. I was crying on the phone with my mom telling her to get home from my uncle's funeral as fast as she could and I was spending the last few hours with my TWO girls before I had THREE kids. At 6:30 pm, Jay's parents came to stay with the girls until my parents got home and we were headed to the hospital.

Seems like yesterday.
Stay tuned for part III...

Happy October!

I love October!
It's my favorite month hands down.
It's not my birth month.
It's not Jay's birth month.

It IS Cecelia's birth month.
It IS our anniversary month.
It IS the month of Halloween.

It's leaves, and pumpkins, and donuts, and cider, and fresh picked apples, and the orchard, and the cool weather, and the hot soups, and hayrides, and costumes, and trips up north, and the pumpkin patch, and snuggly evenings by the fire.

I love October!