25 Random Things About Me

This was something I did through Facebook but thought I'd post it here, too since it sums up my life pretty well :) I was only supposed to list 25 but I just couldn't stop....

1. Everyday I hope that I can be as good a Mom to my kids as my Mom was to me.
2. I already feel guilty that there is no way we can pay for all of the kids' college tuitions. My Mom paid for all of mine and looking back on it, not having student loans was a lot nicer than I ever gave it credit for...... Thanks, Mom!
3. I don't play the lottery which rules out any option for #2.
4. I LOVE my kids so much- they are the loves of my life!!!! I do have "favorites" though.....
5. I miss my pre-children days when JP and I lived in Boston within walking distance of everything and had a life of leisure.....
6. My husband treats me like a princess and appreciates all that I do.
6. I regret very few things in life.
7. One regret- I wish I hadn't been so quiet in elementary school. It set me up as the "shy kid" which was a mold I was never able to break out of even through high school.
8. I wish I hadn't been such a goody good in high school- I would have had a lot more fun.
9. I let loose in college :) and had a LOT more fun!
10. I love my husband very much- marriage is a fine balance and we usually get it right.
11. I hate money and wish it wasn't needed in life.
12. I like my career but most days wish that I didn't have to work- I'd still lke to send the kids to daycare a few days a week though.....
13. I have very few complaints about my post-pregnancy body- but I would love to get breast implants someday. It just goes back to that darn money thing..... Maybe when I'm no longer paying so much for preschool ;)
14. I am terrified of the thought of dying young and not seeing my kids grow up and have their own families. I really look forward to being a grandma some day- although there is no rush.
15. Should I die young, I'm afraid of being forgotten by my children or replaced by someone else.
16. I fully expect to remain married to JP for the rest of my life- he may drive me nuts at times- but he is truly amazing.
17. I just heard about the doomsday prophecy for 2012 from another friend's notes and now I'm afraid of that...... Thanks a lot!
18. I am a perfectionist but frankly just don't have the time lately.
19. I love to read just to get lost in the story- especially murder mystery/ romance novels.
20. I miss my grandparents old farm house in Maine.
21. I wish I didn't get so offended that a few old friends no longer want to hang out with us.
22. My feelings get hurt easily.
23. Nobody better mess with my kids- ever!
24. I love my friends but wish I had more really close friends to talk to.
25. I wish I was closer to my Dad and brother.
26. I sometimes get jealous of the bond that all my kids will hopefully have together- but I'm so happy for them :)
27. I picked up and moved to SanDiego after college on somebody else's drunken whim.
28. I love being pregnant and I'm a little bit sad that it won't hapen again- but 5 kids would be a bit much. What would we drive?
29. I love driving a minivan- never thought I'd say that!
30. Oops- I can't seem to stop babbling-sorry! I'm also a wee bit of an overachiever.

Life is Good!

Today is my 36th birthday and I just have to say that life is good. I feel so blessed to have a wonderful husband who treats me like a princess (every little girl's dream come true!), 4 amazing kids who may drive me nuts most of the day but who are truly the loves of my life whose smiles melt my heart, and a beautiful home in a great town filled with friends. My only birthday wish is for a long and healthy life so I can be here for my kids and watch them grow up and have families of their own and so that I can spend more quiet time with JP someday later on in life when the kids have grown up and moved on.

I feel like I have lived two lives- one was pre-children where JP and lived in Boston within walking distance of everything we needed. We could sleep in, wander down the street for a leisurely coffee and breakfast and then walk up to Boston Common to catch a movie. We were never in a rush- our time was own. Our birthdays were special days- we'd go out for a nice dinner and just enjoy spending time with one another.

After we were married, my thoughts were instantly on starting a family. Little did I know that it would be 3 1/2 very long years before that dream would come true- but it was definitely worth the wait. I remember my 32nd birthday like it was yesterday because it was by far my best birthday ever. Ethan, Kaitlyn & Kylie were 7 days old and still at Brigham & Women's Hospital. JP drove me into the city to visit them but first we went to MGH to see Dr Toth- our infertility dr- to say thank you to him for all his help and to show him pictures of our little miracles. I remember thinking how very lucky I was to finally have the family I had dreamt about for so long. At Brigham & Womens- JP placed a birthday card from each of the kids to me on their isolettes :) We spent half the day with the kids- holding them, feeding them, and changing them. It was on that day that I realized that even though it may be my birthday, from now on each and every day would really be all about them- and that was just fine with me.

On my 33rd birthday, JP offered to take the kids out somewhere so I could have some alone time..... I insisted that we all go out together because there wasn't anyone else I'd rather spend my day with. So we spent the afternoon at the mall play area and had a great time.

By my 34th birthday, I was ready to spend some time by myself ;) I don't remember what I did but I do remember that JP took care of the kids for the most part of the day.

Last year, I had a sweet new baby in my arms once again and couldn't have been happier to experience all the wonderful baby firsts once again.

Today, I'm home with Emma just relaxing. There's no place I'd rather be. I am thankful that JP let me stay in bed this morning while he oversaw the kids getting dressed, made their breakfasts and took them to preschool. I was also thrilled to have a chorus of "Happy Birthday" sung to me over and over and over again by our 3 adorable 4 year olds :)

JP, Emma and I are going to the Olive Garden for lunch today with my Dad which should be nice, too. It's not like the elegant dinner we surely would have had pre-kids while living in Boston- but it's what our life is today and I couldn't be happier.

Yes...... life is good!

Enjoying breakfast with Emma:

Birthdays!

The month of January is filled with family birthdays- Aunt Jenn, Mimi, Aunt Natalie and Uncle Steve. Then comes a week long baking fest for Ethan, Kaitkyn & Kylie's birthday. This year the 14th fell on a Wednesday so we sent the kids to school with 5dozen chocolate chip cookies to enjoy with their teachers and friends at snack time. WE then picked them up a bit early and headed to McDonalds to play on the big slide that the kids have been begging to play on for years- I don't know how we've managed to hold them off this long. Kaitlyn knew ahead of time that she wouldn't go on the slide but rather just look at it because it was too big and scary for her ;)
Kylie and Ethan on the other hand couldn't get up to the top fast enough and then we couldn't get them to slow down long enough to eat :)





Then we headed home to open gifts and have cake.....









Then on Saturday we had a big family party which as always was lots of fun. The kids' love getting together with their cousins Ashlyn & Lily and seeing all their aunts, uncles and grandparents.







Of course, Ethan's favorite part of the party was playing Mario Kart:



Emma even got into the act:

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year filled with anticipation of Christmas morning and a peaceful and relaxing time with family. Of course this year it didn't seem quite so peaceful or relaxing with me spending most of the morning and early afternoon cooking and baking but the time Mimi, Papa, and Uncle Steve arrived all was done and we had a wonderful afternoon and a delicious Christmas Eve dinner.

Mimi & Emma:



Papa & Ethan napping:



All Ready for Dinner:





Enjoying some quiet time after dinner:

A Very Merry & Crazy Christmas....

We were all so excited for Christmas this year. The kids especially couldn't wait for Santa to arrive. Christmas morning we fully expected the kids to wake us up at 5am but amazingly they slep until just past 6:30. We all headed down to the kitchen and the kids waited for us to make our coffees before heading out to the family room. Of course, their faces were all pressed against the French doors trying to make out what the presents were under the tree. Sitting on the kitchen counter was a half-eaten pixie stick...... apparently Santa was hungry while putting treats in the kids' stockings and decided to help himself. (Kaitlyn still asks why Santa ate their candy).

The kids punced down the stairs as soon as we opened the doors and they couldn't get to the tree fast enough. The girls' instantky zoned in on some make-up cases sitting on a new vanity and Ethan spotted Spike the Dinosaur under the tree. The race was on..... they happily ripped into one gift after another and their favirite gift was apparentky the next one to be opened (or in Kaitlyn's case, the one that someone else was playing with). Emma was of course more interested in the wrapping paper and the big kid gifts more so than her on but after a while she did sit down and open a few gifts herself.

It was a crazy morning with wrapping paper flying through the air and the assembling of toys...... Why every toy is secured to it's box with 20 twist ties is beyond me!

Pictures to follow soon.

Random Humorous Moments

Yesterday morning when I heard the kids stirring in their bedroom, I called to them to start getting dressed and that their clothes were all laid on their dresser. After a few minutes of shuffling around, it was apparent that Kaitlyn & Ethan had not yet even started taking their jammies off. Determined not to have to get out of bed yet, I called again to them to get dressed and asked if there was a problem. Kaitlyn called back "Well I had my clothes in my arms but then they just hopped away"..... Then Kylie replied "My clothes just went poof and disappeared". JP turned to me and suggested that we stay out of the kids' room because there was obviously something strange happening in there ;) Eventually, Kylie got dressed completely on her own and joined us in the bedroom. Kaitlyn & Ethan continued to complain about not being able to find their clothes. Still not wanting to get up, we bribed Kylie with a cookie before breakfast if she'd go help Kaitlyn find the clothes that hopped away. She did and she returned. Ethan was still having problems so we offered Kylie 2cookies if she'd go help Ethan. She looked at us and said "no that's ok, I only need 1 cookie, thank you". And so I got up to assist.

Last night before dinner, Kaitlyn and Ethan were getting under each other's skin in the play room while JP and I were preparing dinner. At one point Ethan burst into tears and came running into the kitchen saying that Kaitlyn had thrown a toy at him. At this point I was sick and tired of hearing bickering and complaining and fighting so I simply replied "Well, then DUCK" (as in if she throws another toy duck away to avoid it). He left the room and a minute later came in and said "I called Kaitlyn a duck but she still threw another toy at me....." JP and I looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Underwear Stashing?!?!?

Occasionally, I find a pair of underwear under Kaitlyn's pillow at night when I'm tucking her in and she says that she's "saving them for tomorrow". Well, this morning when I was making her bed, I found 3 pairs of underwear under her covers. When she got home from school tonight, I asked her why she had so many undies in her bed and she replied- "Well, they're all kitty undies((Hello Kitty, that is)) and I like kitties. I don't want no one else wearing the kitties". How can one argue with that? Someday Kaitlyn will be one of those little old ladies who stashes away so much food in her pantry in case of an emergency that it all expires before she can use it...... And don't ask her to share any of it with you.