Lemon Creek Part IIII

Sarah says:  Although I'm eager to get into the next bottle of wine, I'm going to miss this one.  I'm savoring every last sip tonight because I know it's going to be the last one of this kind for awhile.  I would definitely get it again though!  

So, a few days ago I was encouraged to watch a Ricki Lake episode "The Business of Being Born".  So, I did.  It really doesn't take much to convince me to give something a try.  Apparently, Ricki Lake created an entire movie called "The Business of Being Born", and the theme of that movie was to educate women about their child birthing options - without having seen the movie, I get the impression from the talk show that the movie really centers around promoting at home births.  

I'm torn about what to think about all this.  I am exactly the type of woman who drives them nuts.  My birth plan research took all of 20 seconds.  Dr. (the same OB I've had forever) to me "I deliver at Huron Valley Hospital" Me "Ok".  End of research.  I asked for drugs early on, and was given them.  I was told I needed an emergency C-section - I didn't question it.  When I became pregnant with Mary I was told it would be easiest to have another C - I didn't question it.  

Ricki and the other doctors in this movie/talk show can't stand stories like that.  They wonder was a C-section really necessary the first time.  They would argue that someone should have tried to get a better guesstimate of Liam's weight before he become too big for me to deliver.  They would argue that I could have easily delivered Mary - I was young and low risk - it wasn't necessarily a definite that I wouldn't be able to deliver her.  Here's the thing that will also drive all of them crazy... it doesn't matter to me at all.  I have no issues with the fact that I wasn't able to deliver either of my kids the "natural way".  I have no issues with having had 2 C-sections.  In fact, I love that Mary was born that way - it was awesome to know exactly when I was having her - I'm a woman with a schedule - and her birthday was on my calendar months in advance - I loved that.  I love that I got to avoid that awful labor stuff the second time around.  I recovered easily both times - I got 2 extra weeks of Short Term Disability pay because of it - I love that I didn't have loads of doctors with their heads between my legs.  

I honestly don't really get it all.  Having a baby is a pretty personal thing - so why are we so judgmental when someone says they are having a home birth?  If that is what you want - go for it!  If you want a hospital delivery - go for it!  Why should anyone else care that I had C-sections?   If I'm ok with it - that's all that matters.  The scars really aren't that bad - I'll even show them to you if you ask.  Why are we always asking people what hospital they are going to - or how long they waited for their epidural.  I can't tell you how often I hear people talk about "those crazy people that did it without any drugs".  Who freaking cares?!  What matters is, at the end of the day, did we all end up with beautiful, healthy kids?  Yup.  Then whatever the delivery method, I'd call it a success. 

Speaking of success - it's  9:45 and I have successfully gotten 4 kids to sleep.  I'm babysitting my 2 nieces and am convinced now more than ever that I don't need anymore kids.  More than 2 is a lot of work!  Thank god I have my wine to get me through it!  :-)

Lemon Creek Part III

Sorry about the lack of wine reviewing - I don't like to open another bottle of wine before I've completed one that is already started.  So, tonight I'm enjoying yet another glass of the Lemon Creek Silver Beach Sauterne.  And it's still good.

Today during my lunch hour I was stalking looking around on Facebook and noticed a friend has posted a link to this article.  I relate to this author a lot - she loves her kids to bits and pieces, but isn't in love with the baby stage - just like me!  Babies are a freaking ton of work with very little reward in the beginning.  It gets so much better when they are 1+.  I have no desire to have another infant.

Anyways - this particular article was all about savoring parenting moments, because at some point they will end.  And they will probably end without you even realizing it.  She starts listing these last moments that are eventually going to come:  "But for today I'm focusing on the last times still to come, even though I won't know that they're the last chapters until long after they've gone. The last snuggle. The last time Little Dude asks me to bring him chocolate milk. The last time we play fire trucks. The last time he falls down and comes crying to me with his entire body shaking, tears streaming down his face, believing with childish certainty that a kiss from me will make his skinned knee better. The last time he asks to marry me. The last time he believes in my omniscience. The last time we color together at the kitchen table. I'm not naïve enough to believe that this moment of reflection will stop me from becoming irritated, impatient, frustrated, bored or upset tomorrow when my son whines, spills spaghetti sauce on the rug or throws a fit because I won't let him stay up late. Maybe, though, I'll temper my response if I can remember how fleeting this all is. That for every moment I've prayed would end, there is something I miss." - Devon Corneal

Next thing I know - I'm crying at work!  I've been at this job less than 2 months - crying isn't a good idea yet.  I quickly pull it together and try to finish reading the article, but start crying again!  I don't know what it was that she wrote that opened up the water-gates - probably just the knowledge that everything she said is true!  These things are going to come to an end, and I'm not even going to realize it until long after it's ended and I'm craving it to come back just for a little while.  I highly encourage you to read her whole blog - Mom's get some tissues ready - it's quite good.

So, I did what any Mom would do after reading that.  Tonight for dinner - I had a little extra patience when Mary didn't want to eat (and gave her dessert anyways!) - I let Liam ride his bike for 5 extra minutes - we read one of those longer books that I try to avoid because I'm too sleepy to get through the whole thing - I gave them each a few extra kisses.  It's so easy to get caught up in life and sticking to the schedule, that sometimes I forget that what my kids want the most is my love.  Especially on Fridays!  We're all usually exhausted from the week - Liam is still adjusting to full day Kindergarten, Liam has karate one night and Mary has dance another night - so come Friday we are dead tired!  And this week the elementary school had their Scholastic Book Fair one night that we just had to go to (Liam was going to loose his mind if he didn't get the Captain Underpants book!)  Rushing through things on Friday so we can all just get to bed and put a lid on the week has become the normal.  Today I needed the reminder to just slow down and enjoy my munchkins - because before I know it, these crazy filled weeks are going to be gone.

How do you remind yourself to slow down when things get a little crazy?

Memory Lane Photo Album!

That's what 11 days overdue with a 10 lb kid looks like

Last moment kid-free!

Liam's first look at the world - notice - he's giving everyone the finger!

 

Mary joins us 21 months later!

First Mommy kiss

My world

Had to enlarge this one - there is a joy in both their faces that is just irresistible!

Preschool 2011

I need to put down my wine and go hug my kids tight!  I'm the luckiest Mom in the world!

Lemon Creek Part II

Sarah says:

Tonight I enjoyed another glass of delicious Lemon Creek wine.  In our new apartment our living room didn't have the same amount of space as our old house, so we ended up with a big extra chair (actually 2, but we only brought 1 with us), and that chair ended up in our bedroom.  I've always like the idea of having a reading chair in the bedroom.  1) Because if I read in bed, I fall asleep - while good sometimes, sometimes I really want to read!  2) Because if I read on the couch I end up being distracted by everything else going on in the living room.  Honestly, I think I would have preferred the other big chair to become my reading chair because it's a bit bigger, so two people could read and snuggle at the same time, and it has an ottoman to sprawl out on - but that chair was too big for the apartment too!  And in reality, I think I like the idea of two people snuggling on that big chair, but our schedules never really allowed it.  I still ended up with a comfy chair in my bedroom, I placed a lamp behind it, and it's right next to the dresser - it's the perfect distance to place a glass of wine.  Far enough away that I'm not afraid I'm going to knock it over, but close enough to reach it without straining.  Perfect.

So, tonight I grabbed my Lemon Creek wine, and a book.  I've mentioned before that I enjoy reading cheesy romance books - so this book should come as no surprise.  It's called "Between the Sheets" - here's the book description:  How do you have a life when everyone in America thinks you gave the president-elect a fatal heart attack during an illicit sex romp?  Emma Jamison never thought she'd have to answer that question, but here she is, smack dab in the middle of a political scandal that would make Monica Lewinsky blush. Trouble is, nobody believes that Emma wasn't the call-girl who killed the president-to-be with her, uh, carnal skills.  So Emma packs up and moves to small-town Chartreuse, LA, to escape her infamy and to start over. But when her grandmother starts dating the grandfather of district attorney Max Duval, the quiet life she was seeking blows up in smoke. 

It's everything I love about a cheesy romance novel - predictable, fast paced, easy to read, steamy, and funny.  It's one of that books that if you get sleepy and start to zone out, that you don't miss too much, but it's good enough to keep you intrigued and coming back for more.  While it has the basic story of a typical romance story - it talks about a bigger issue.  It's all about this woman who ended up with a bad reputation (simply by being at the wrong place at the wrong time) and the struggles she went through trying to rebuild that reputation.  That got me thinking - once you've developed a reputation, is it ever possible to change how people think of you?  Seems to me that no matter how much you try to change about yourself, there is always going to be that person that remembers the old you and talks about it.  Sure, you can ignore the bad comments, make changes slowly and be patient so people don't even realize it's happening, you can be honest and own up to previous bad mistakes - but at the end of the day, does that ever really change your reputation?  I feel like people would just think you are being fake, or being someone your not if you try to change ways - but at the same time, embracing the bad reputation and taking the "if they are saying it, it might as well be true" approach doesn't seem like the best idea either!  

I have no answers here - ugh, cheesy romance novel!  You are supposed to help me clear my mind of stress so I can sleep - not make me think!  Anyone have any suggestions - can you really rebuild a reputation?

On a completely unrelated note - the second thing that I can't stop thinking about is how much time I've just wasted using my regular old keyboard - thanks Gerrit!  http://www.ergonomicguy.com/

Lemon Creek Silver Beach Sauterne

Description on the bottle:  The Lemon Creek Winery original was inspired by the past glory of Silver Beach in historic St. Joseph, MI.  The picture on the label depicts a familiar scene that could have been observed during the 1930's.  The wine like the beach is truly classic.  This late harvest wine is a wonderful meld of two French hybrid grape varieties, Vidal Blanc & Vignoles.  Its crisp, fruity taste is a treat to be enjoyed anytime.

Sarah says:  I couldn't think of the appropriate word to describe this wine until I read the bottle - crisp it is.  It's fruity and tart, but oddly isn't all that sweet.  It's crisp taste has a little bite that will definitely wake you up if you are in a wine lull - but it's a delicious bite that you will welcome.

Overall rating:  Thumbs up!

It was cold and raining - we look good considering!

Sarah says:  So, Jon and I went on a little anniversary trip this weekend and did some winery tasting.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I love my kids to death, but sometimes you just need a break!  We stayed in a lovely B&B in Union Pier called Garden Grove.  I actually wish we would have gone a little earlier in the year - this B&B had tons of outside sitting areas that looked like it would have been lovely to just sit and enjoy the scenery.  Unfortunately, it was cold and rainy while we were there, so we didn't really get the chance to explore the grounds.  Maybe we'll have to go back?  The beds were comfortable and the breakfast was delicious!  Pumpkin pancakes the first day, and veggie quiche the second - yummo!  We met our friends Amanda & James there (Amanda was also with me on my Chicago trip earlier this year), and had a low key first evening, first going out to dinner, then went out for some delicious ice cream at Oinks.  It was a nice dinner, we talked, we laughed, we didn't have to deal with chicken nuggets and potty breaks.  It was everything we needed to start a great weekend.  

The amazing chocolates at the Chocolate Garden

After breakfast Saturday morning, we headed out for the winery portion of the trip.  Poor Amanda, she doesn't even like wine that much, but she was such a good sport about it all!  She willingly participated in every tasting, and even found a few she enjoyed!  We visited 3 wineries right off the bat (yes, bottles were bought) - then decided to take a break to taste some chocolate and cider (apparently the west side of the state specializes in tastings!), then had some lunch and did a little antique shopping.  We stopped at a 4th winery too - but only stayed for a minute - they were busy and we were hungry.  Anyone who knows me well knows that when I get hungry my patience fly's out the window - none of us were really feeling another tasting at that particular moment.  We did end the day with two additional wineries, which was by far my two favorites.  I bought two bottles at one and a third at the second.  These two were directly next to each other - and we showed up about 20 min before they both closed.  So, our tastings earlier in the day were taking about 30 min each - we squeezed two tastings into 20 min time AND the lady at the last place was being pretty generous AND these were the only two, and oddly they both had it, had vodka as well as wine.  Let's just say - we were feeling pretty happy after these two.  Oddly, I was insanely sleepy after that and couldn't seem to make a single decision if my life depended on it.  Jon and I couldn't seem to agree or decide on what to do for dinner - we ended up going to a Mexican place (seemed appropriate for our anniversary since we honeymooned in Mexico!) while Amanda & James went to a fancier Italian place.  It gave us that alone anniversary time - both of us had great food and wonderful conversation.

We left after breakfast the second day - but Jon and I ended up stopping at two more wineries on the way.  We had no choice - they were right off the freeway - and right next to each other!  If my calculations are correct, and I do numbers so they are probably correct, we tasted 37 wines and 2 vodkas over the weekend.  We visited 8 wineries, bought 8 bottles of wine (no, we didn't buy a bottle at each place - some we didn't buy any, and some we bought 2!), and ended up with 5 new wine glasses (most places charge you $5 for the tasting, but let you keep the cup).  I can't wait to write about all of them - although it going to be fairly predictable - I like them all or else I wouldn't have bought them!  It was fun to do so much tasting!  I learned more about what I like and don't like - saves me from buying a whole bottle and having to suffer through it here.  I love white wines, dry and semi-dry.  Once it gets sweet - it's really iffy.  I'll drink chilled red wine, but if it has the words spicy, meaty, or "good with red meat" in the description - I'm not going to like it.  

Jon felt the need to smell the wine with his whole nose in the cup!

This particular wine came from the Lemon Creek Winery - it was the first winery we visited - since we were all wine tasting virgins we weren't sure what to expect.  We paid our $5 and tasted 5 wines.  I really liked their Riesling and this Silver Beach one.  We, obviously, decided to buy the Silver Beach since it was more unique.  I liked the wine - but the tasting setup wasn't that great.  It didn't help that a bachelorette party of 20+ women arrived on a bus at almost the same time we did, and they only had one lady working the tastings, so it took a LOOOONNNGGG time.  But even beyond that, it was kind of dark and they didn't have any of the delicious crackers that the other places had.  A few places had these crackers that I expected to be fairly bland, but ended up being these awesome buttery crackers - I probably ate a few more of those than was absolutely necessary to clear the taste from my mouth.

Anyways - it was a great trip!  I'm so glad we were able to get away!  I'm so grateful for my family members that are so graciously willing to help out with my crazy children.  My awesome cousin Shayna not only picked up Liam from the bus stop and Mary from preschool, but she took them to their swimming lessons the next day.  And then my cousins Tara & Gerrit taught Liam to ride a bike without training wheels and dealt with Mary locking them out of the apartment.  These people rock.  I'm so lucky!  If there is anything better than getting away for the weekend with the hubby, it's having great family to support you.  I have both!  And I have 8 bottles of wine to enjoy and write about!  Life is great right now.

I didn't even notice the great background when we took this!

Speaking of Gerrit - totally not related to wine - he lives a lifestyle that I'm not sure I will ever really understand.  I highly encourage you to check out his blog http://www.ergonomicguy.com/

Beringer White Zinfandel

Description on the bottle:  It's one of those little bottles that I love so much, but unfortunately there is no description.

Sarah says:  It's pretty much a given that I'm going to enjoy any White Zinfandel - and this is no exception.  It's light, fruity, easy to drink, goodness.  I would drink again... and again... and again.  :-)

Overall rating:  Thumbs up

Sarah says:  Other things I would do again?  Marry Jon.  As we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this week (and our 12th year together!) I got to thinking about what makes marriage work.  Per Wikipedia, we live in time when the average marriage is separated by 7 years and divorced by 8.  Jon and I aren't perfect by any means, we've had some serious fights, but we're not headed down the separation road either.  So, what is the secret?  What advice would I give to someone just starting out?  I've thought about this a lot and I've decided the best advice to give is: don't listen to anyone's advice on marriage.  No one knows your marriage better than you and your spouse, so the only people that should be working through your issues are you and your spouse!  If you are really feeling like you need to talk something through with someone - go to a counselor.  These people are trained to help you solve your problems together - whereas a friend, as well meaning as they might be, are not.  Bringing outside opinions into your marriage just creates drama and tension that no one really needs.  If people spent as much time working on their marriages as they do complaining about them to their friends, I bet they'd have a little more luck staying married. 

I'm not saying that anyone that is or was divorced didn't have good reasons for it, or is at fault in anyway.  I just think it's sad how common divorce is these days.  Sometimes it seems like an easy way out - but other times it seems so lonely.  Even though all the work Jon and I put into our marriage can be exhausting, and sometimes makes you question why you bother - it's worth it every time we get an evening where we find the time to talk, laugh, flirt and connect.  People have this wrong idea that marriage is supposed to be easy and fun all the time.  I disagree with that.  I think it's work - and like most work - you have to put in the effort to get the promotions and raises and good fortune at the end of the day.  I'm going to keep taking my own advice of not taking others advice - it keeps my marriage strong.

What's your secret to a successful marriage?

Kahlua & Strawberry Ice Cream

Jon & Sarah's Kahlua & Strawberry Ice Cream Drink
5 cups strawberry ice cream (any brand will do - but the better the quality, the better the flavor!)
2/3 cups milk
4 shots Kahlua
2 big cups with 2 thick straws (McDonald's straws work well)
Blender

We created these last night and they are freaking delicious.  They are fairly thick - so make sure you have a good straw, but I didn't want to add anymore milk for fear that it would ruin the perfect flavor blast that was happening in my mouth.  I basically couldn't decide last night if I wanted ice cream or if I wanted a drink - so we decided to do both.  

I'm just recently getting into Kahlua.  Every year at the Christmas party at my old job, someone always brought a bottle of Kahlua to the secret gift exchange we did, and everyone always fought over it.  I didn't really understand it, but I do now!  My first glimpse was about a month ago, I had a delicious coffee & Kahlua drink the last time Jon and I went out, it was tasty!  And now, after last night, I'm hooked!

The description on the bottle says:  From the high mountains of Verazruz, Mexico, comes Kahlua, a flavor as rich and distinct as the region.  100% arabica coffee grown in the protected shade or orange trees blends with pure sugarcane rum to create a dark intensity enriched by notes of vanilla and caramel.

Yes, please!  That sounds amazing, why didn't anyone force me to try this lovely drink sooner?!  Oh course, I'm a bit concerned about my ice cream habit, now that I realize how delicious these two are mixed together, I might become a little dangerous with it.  Lately, all I've wanted to do is eat like crap, and this isn't going to help the issue!

I think I've been eating because I was stressed last week about school starting.  I tend to stress eat.  Now that we are getting used to school and our daily routine - I'm hoping I'll get back into my routine of eating better and working out again.  I SHOULD go to be early tonight, so I have the energy to wake up early for a morning run.  We shall see!

Speaking of school and stress - remember how I was so worried about the bus?  So, on Monday morning, Liam got on the bus in the morning the way he always does, but his 1st grader friend that he's been riding with wasn't there.  No biggie - but then around 9:00 I get a phone call from the school, an automated message telling me I needed to call the school and report Liam absent.  I immediately freaked out - he shouldn't be marked absent - he got on the bus!  I tried calling a few times but it was busy over and over.  I decided to just drive up to the school and find out what was going on (thank God I live & work so close together now!).  Of course, the whole way there I'm thinking that something happened because his friend wasn't there to show him the way, so he got lost, or never got off the bus, or just wandered off.  Luckily, it was some sort of glitch with a new attendance system, where the whole school (and several other schools within the district) got that same call.  The office at the elementary school was packed with parents freaking out!  My heart was racing for the next hour.

And you wonder why I need to drink to relax... ugh, so terrifying!

Turning Leaf Part IV

Sarah says:

I'm finally finishing this bottle of wine!  I think 4 days on the same bottle is a record, I usually finish one in 3.  It's delicious.  I'm glad I got to enjoy it for almost a whole week.  This week needed something good about it.  It was a long week.  Between Liam and Mary's school adventures (which Liam has his first full day tomorrow - so I'm totally worried about that!), and this cat that I'm about to tell you about - it's been a stressful week.

We have a pet again!  Ever since Oscar's death in December (RIP sweet Oscar, I still miss you!), we've been tossing around the idea of getting a kitty.  We decided waiting until after the move made the most sense.  Well, we moved, so the time for Kitty Clay was here!  And here she is folks!  Meet Havanah, a two year old, 7 pound, short haired, white and grey, love bug. (please note - I am aware the Havana the city doesn't have an h at the end - and when we adopted her her name was Havana - I've added the h because I think it looks better!  Plus - she's mine now, I can do whatever I want with her name  :-)  But think the name Havanah is really pretty.

Nothing in my life is ever easy - I always have a story, and this is no different.  Miss Havanah has been quite difficult to get my hands on.  It all started last Saturday - it was free cat adoption day at the Michigan Humane Society.  So, I browsed their website and found this sweet looking kitty.  I called the MHS to see if she was still available - knowing how busy it can be on free cat day, I knew it was quite possible she was already adopted.  But, I was told she was there and waiting for a home.  So, I rushed myself and the kids over there.  We arrived about 20 min after making the phone call - I looked around and couldn't find my Havanah.  So, I asked if she was adopted in the past 20 min, and was told over and over that if I didn't see her there, that she was adopted.  No one could confirm that she had actually been adopted, but since we couldn't find her, we assumed she had been.  It was crazy busy there, so we just figured some things got lost in the madness.

Come Tuesday (note:  MHS was closed Sun & Mon for the holiday weekend), I'm browsing their listings again and see Havanah still listed.  My Mom decides to give them a call on my behalf to see what they know about her - she's a MHS volunteer and has more connections than I do!  (Thanks Mom for all the help over the past 2 days!!)  She's told they aren't really sure where she is.  Everything in their system says she's there, but they also don't see her anywhere.  They tell us to give a call back in a few hours while they see what they can find - but if they do find her, they'll honor the free cat special, since I was there on Saturday.  Mid afternoon on Tuesday, we find out that Havanah was in foster care over the weekend and was back in the building.  We're also told that since she was in foster care, she wasn't supposed to be on the free listings at all, so they won't give her to us with payment. Grrrr....

Wednesday, 12:30, I go to MHS on my lunch break - and guess who isn't there?!  Yup, no Havanah.  She had been sent to Pet Smart in West Bloomfield that morning!!  What?!  I'm so mad.  Apparently, I only had 1 hour to get there on Tuesday, and I missed that chance.  Pet Smart won't hold her for me, unless someone is physically at the location.  Oh and by the way - the fee at Pet Smart is $65.  Not expensive, but not free either!  I don't exactly live right next to West Bloomfield - BUT once again my Mom comes to the rescue.  She works just a few miles away!  She goes there at 5:00, meets her, and fills out all the paperwork to hold her for me.  She tells them I'll be there in a few hours - seems to be no problem.  I drive all the way out there, through the horrible 275 construction, through the horrible Orchard Lake construction, during rush hour.  I get there at 7:30 and tell them I'm here to get Havanah.  I'm told no.  Not only is it after their adoption hours, but since she's a MHS cat, the MHS has to approve my adoption application.  I'm mad,  but figure, well I might as well meet her and make sure she really is all that.  Nope - not allowed to hold her, it's past their adoption hours.  Why did no one mention that I wouldn't be able to do anything when I got there?!  I ask if I can pay for her, so that maybe my Mom can pick her up tomorrow, but won't have to deal with that part... Nope.  I couldn't do anything - I drove there for no reason.  If you're a counting person such as myself - that makes 3 times I tried to pick up that cat, and 3 times I went home empty handed.  If I was into fate - I would say this wasn't meant to be.  At the same time, at this point, I'd put so much time and thought into her, that I was dead set on getting her.  Maybe I'm just extra emotional this week - but I cried leaving that store without her.  My heart just started to ache for her - she should have come home on Saturday - but instead it was Wednesday and she was spending yet another night in a cage.  I write and send a letter of complaint to the MHS. 

Thursday, 11 am.  I call MHS to see if the approval has been given, and to see if my Mom can actually pick her up for me.  My application hasn't been reviewed yet, but she starts taking a look at it on the phone.  She says something along the lines of "So, you've met with Havanah and liked her?", so I tell her no, I haven't actually met with her yet.  I tell her the saga.  She's appalled.  Finally, someone that seems to feel bad about this!  She also informs me that my Mom won't be able to pick her up, that I have to be the one to sign for her.  So, we talk about getting her transferred back to the MHS closer to my home.  She says she's going to make a few phone calls and get that to happen.  At 3:30 on Thursday, I get the phone call that Havanah is back at the MHS and they can only hold her until 4:30.  I arrive at 4:29.  They still won't give her up for free, but since she's back at the MHS, I get their rate plus at $10 discount.  I paid $35.  Not bad.

I was so excited to finally get her home, that I left all of her paperwork there, so I will be making yet another trip there tomorrow to pick it up.  But, so far she's been worth it.  She's a huge sweetheart.  She just loves, loves, and loves me some more for bringing her home.  She's been nothing but sweet and snuggly and playful.  She's been quite patient with the kids.  Here they are playing legos with her.

She's made herself at home.  She's laying all over the furniture.  She's eaten, peed, and pooped already.  She was fairly active around the kids, but she's chilling out in my lap right now. She tested out all of the toys that the kids picked out for her, and loved us when we gave her a good brushing.  She keeps giving me little noises of happiness.  I sort of forgot how cats can get into things.  I was used to Oscar being so low to the ground, he couldn't really get up on much.  Havanah has already jumped on my dresser and knocked a few pictures down, and jumped on the kitchen counter and helped herself to the glass of milk that was waiting for Mary.  So, maybe we have a few rules to teach her, but overall, she was worth the hassle!  

Welcome home, Havanah!  Glad we finally got you here!

Turning Leaf Part III

Sarah says:

No picture today - at this point, you already know what this wine looks like.  While I drank a few glasses the first night, now I'm just savoring it, because it's so delicious I want it to last!

Day 1 on the bus went fine.  All 4 of us walked out there and waited together.  I chit-chatted with another Mom, while Liam buddied up with a 1st grader who was going to "show him how it's done".  Liam was excited when the bus rolled up, he climbed on board, sat next to his bud, and waived good bye.  No worries, meanwhile I walked back to the apartment with tears in my eyes.  Jon went to the school and waited for the bus and watched to make sure he got there ok.

Liam is doing great.  Meanwhile, I had a big parent fail today.  We have to send a morning snack for our kid each day - they only allow fruit or veggies.  While I understand that they was it to be healthy - I think a cheese stick, yogurt, or some crackers could be just as good.  However, I'm the type of person that follows the rules.  So, I cut up an apple, labeled it the way I was instructed, and put it in the fridge.  After Liam caught the bus, I was grabbing my stuff to go to work, I opened the fridge for my lunch, and still sitting there were his apples!  Arg.  So I grabbed my stuff, and rushed to the school and dropped them off at the office.  Day 2 of school and I already forgot to pack something.  What is going to happen when I have to send a lunch?!  Speaking of those apples - I just realized that the container I sent them in didn't come back home... hmmm... I'll have to ask Liam about that in the morning.

Anyways.... Mary!  I've been so focused on Liam, I haven't posted much about my Mary lately.  Mostly, because I have a lot less to worry about with her.  She is Miss Independent.  The chances of her getting her feelings hurt or not making friends is slim.  Plus - I probably shouldn't say this - but I don't have the same bond with her that I do with Liam.  She's Daddy's girl and Liam is a Mama's boy.  It's a little bit sad because as much as I wanted a little girl, she doesn't really like me.  However, I did have an awesome time with her over the weekend.  We share the same passion for shoes.  We went to DSW together and she tried on at least 40 pairs of heels, if not more.  She has a passion for fashion too!  I stick with the blacks and browns, but she was trying on blue, red, flowery, and cheetah print shoes!  It was awesome fun.  Words cannot describe the joy on her face everytime I let her go shoe crazy.  She is the one that talked me into some awesome knee high black boots.  Yup, my three year old is giving me shoe/fashion advice.  Check her out!

I

I apologize for the quality of the pictures.  My old fashioned flip phone just isn't cutting it anymore.  We just got cable and a DVR a few weeks ago - I'm sure I'll eventually get an updated cell phone.  I'm slowly entering this century.

Back to Mary.  She started a new preschool this week too!  I took her to her school on Friday to make sure all of her paperwork was complete (because I registered her months ago, back when moving was just a hope, and not a reality!).  Her class was having circle time when we visited.  She walked in, sat down in the middle of the circle, and said "Hi guys".  Yup, no fear for that one.  On Tuesday when I dropped her off, she gave me a hug, ran over to a bin of trains, and never looked back.  When I picked her up, she pointed to the whole class and told me they were all her friends (Liam on the other hand told me he hasn't made any friends yet).  She is doing fine.  She loves her new class and I'm happy with the teachers so far!  Even though we don't bond like I do with my oldest - I love this girl!  It's a relief not having to worry so much.  I'll drink to that!

Preschool!

Turning Leaf Part II

 Sarah says:

Wine update:  Still amazing!

School update:  Well, we survived the first day of school.  Of course Liam loved it, loved his teacher, and is looking forward to going back tomorrow.  It’s not like I expected anything else to happen – but still, we mom’s are made to worry.  Today was a day for tears – between the rainy weather and the first day of school, I just felt teary.  I started thinking about the past 5 years of Liam’s life – today was definitely not the first time tears were shed for him. 

April 19, 2007 - my due date… not the date Liam was born.  I specifically remember my boss going on vacation a few days earlier and telling me he’d see me in 3 months, then coming back a week later and saying “what the **** are you still doing here?”  I’m not sure exactly what date the tears started flowing, but at some point they did.  I was so overdue and ready for Liam to be born!  I was huge and emotional.  That’s a scary combination.

April 29, 2007 – I finally went into labor!  I had never been so happy to be in that amount of pain!  The happiness quickly turned into “omg, that freaking hurts!” ... tears flowed.

April 30, 2007 – After 12 hours of labor and an emergency C-section, Liam was born.  The only emotion possible when you hear that first cry from your baby is to cry yourself.  I cried, Jon cried, Liam cried, we were just a big mess.

The entire first year – holy cow did I do a lot of crying.  I cry pretty easily – but this was insane, especially this first few months.  I could just be looking at him and start crying.  The first smiles, giggles, words, rolling, crawling, walking.  The breastfeeding, the colic, the first solids, the bottles, the sippy cups.  The first leaving him with a babysitter, the move to a crib, the first teeth, the first fever, the first day of daycare, first haircut.  Tears – lots of tears.

October 30, 2008 – By this time, Liam had had a ton of ear infections.  I don’t even know how many he had, it was ear infection after ear infection after double ear infection.  I’m convinced he just had one big ear infection for months that never fully went away.  Every time we went back for a follow up appointment, (you know, those kind that are supposed to be super fast, just so the doc can tell you everything is fine) we went home with another ear infection and another dose of antibiotics.  This was the day he got the tubes put in.   Please keep in mind, I was pregnant with Mary at this time, so I was probably even more emotional than normal, but there is nothing quite as terrifying as standing in a hospital waiting room, watching your 1 year old, wearing his one piece footie jammies, being rolled away on a hospital bed so they can put him under anesthesia, so they can cut little holes in his ears and insert tubes, while you just stand there holding his little tiny 18 month size jacket.  Tears – lots and lots of tears will flow.  It doesn’t matter that ear tubes is the easiest, fastest surgery known to man.  That moment that they take him away from you is terrifying.  I remember pouring myself a cup of coffee from the complimentary waiting room pot and setting it aside so it would cool for a few minutes.  I never even got to take a sip of that coffee, because the doc was back out telling me it was successful before it had time to cool.  It was that fast.  And yet, there were loads of tears.  The good news is, Liam has never had another infection!  He’s had other ear issues, but that's another story, see below.

January 30, 2009 – Liam becomes a big brother!  Tears.

April 25, 2010 – That horrible day.  Tears.

June 2010 – Liam was 3, I was ready for him to be potty trained, he was not.  At this point, I had 2 in diapers for over a year.  I remember him sitting on the potty and he actually went!  So I clapped and cheered and danced, and he cried.  Going in the potty was terrifying for him, and he wanted nothing to do with it, (although now he thinks he’s a hot shot because he can do it standing up and Mommy can’t).  After days of this awful scene I decided to give up on my diaper free dreams for a few months.  Tears.

First day of Kindergarten!

April 2011 – Liam, like all kids, can tell their parents they love them.  But at some point they begin to actually understand it.  Liam has always been kind of quiet and shows his love through hugs and actions more than words.  Somewhere around his birthday, we were talking about something that he was just so excited about.  He held my face with both hands and said loud and clear, “Mommy, I love you.”  Tears.  Don't get me wrong, I'll take a tight Liam squeeze any day - but those words on that particular day just got me going.

April 27, 2012 – Popcorn in the ear.  Tears.

 September 4, 2012 – Liam’s first day of Kindergarten.  Tears.

There are so many other tearful days of a kids life.  And I know there are more to come.  Here’s to hoping tomorrow is a little less drippy.  (Note:  I'm raising my wine glass and taking a sip, feel free to join me!)

Even with today's success - I'm still terrified for tomorrow and the bus ride.  One of my facebook friends kids bus got into an accident with a car this morning, and another one had her kid get lost for almost two hours.  I cannot imagine waiting at the bus stop for Liam and not have him get off.  I truly admire her ability to keep her cool, and hope that I am never in the same situation.  My nerves are completely on edge!  Tears.  While I won't be following the bus tomorrow (I have to get Mary to preschool, kind of forgot about here, huh?), Jon agreed to go to the elementary school and wait there until the bus shows up to make sure Liam gets off it and into the proper door.

Once I get through this - I get to look forward to the first full day (ie. bringing a lunch!) on Friday.  Here come the tears!

Turning Leaf Pinot Grigio

Description on the bottle:  As you uncork this bottle of our Pinot Grigio, we invite you to enjoy the aromas of ripe apples and lingering hints of pear in this Turning Leaf Pinot Grigio.

Sarah says:  Yummy yum yummo!  This is freaking delicious.  I might go as far as saying I have a new favorite wine!  I've mentioned plenty of times before that I prefer white wine over red, so I'm no stranger to Pinot Grigio.  But I've never had this particular winery before tonight and I'm absolutely loving it!  I had intended to drink one glass (to ease the night before school jitters), but I'm headed into glass 3.  It's everything I love about a wine, tastes delicious, fruity, sweet but not to sweet, leaves a clean taste in my mouth, not a dry one, and is easy to drink.   After some of the wine experimenting I've done lately, I really needed a good familiar wine, and this is exceeding all my expectations.  I will definitely purchase this again, and I will probably put in on my "get this wine when we have company" list.

Overall rating:  2 Thumbs Up!

Sarah says:  I can't believe it's September!  While the leaves aren't officially changing to fall colors yet, one of Liam's new friends declared today that it's fall now.  Summer is over, and his family celebrates the beginning of fall by eating caramel apples the night before school starts.  (Thanks kid, now I really want a caramel apple!)  But the reality is, things are changing.  Liam, my sweet baby boy, is no longer a baby.  He starts Kindergarten tomorrow!  KINDERGARTEN!!!!  What?!   How did that even happen.  I apologize in advance to anyone who sees me tomorrow, or at all this week for that matter, the probability of me randomly bursting into tears is high.

That kid is going to Kindergarten?!

What it is about Kindergarten?  He's been in pre-school for 2 years, and daycare before that, so it's not like being away from home is going to be a change for him.  Kindergarten just sounds so... mature.  It's real school.  Less playtime, more learning.  Mingling with the bigger kids.  Being in a class of 21 - instead of 16.  Calling your teachers Mrs. SoAndSo instead of Miss FirstName.  Taking your lunch instead of having it provided, which means having to be able to open all of the packages that were packed.  But for me, the ultimate terror, is riding the bus.  Liam will be a buser (I don't think that's actually a word, but when I was in school that's what we called them.  There were the walkers and the busers).  You expect me to put my 5 year old on a bus, full of kids that range in age from 5-10, without me?!  Ahhhh!!!  I might lose my mind.  Yes, I will probably be the parent that follows the bus on the first day to make sure Liam gets there safely.  I'm assuming like everything else, it will just take some time to get used to - I hope that happens sooner, rather than later.  I'm not sure how long I can take this going crazy feeling. 

We've done everything we're supposed to do before starting school.  Talked about the school, went to the open house, met the teacher, saw the key rooms - the classroom, the cafeteria, the gym, the music room, the library, and of course, the playground.  Practiced eating lunch, talked about making new friends, talked about the change in routine, talked about asking for help, picked out the first day of school outfit, practiced counting, practiced writing his name, etc etc.  And yet, I feel that he is totally unprepared.  Maybe I want him to be my baby just a little longer, but I don't want him to go!!  I'm so terrified that he's not going to fit in, or it's going to be too much change too fast, or he won't make new friends, or he won't learn fast enough, or be too shy to ask for help at lunch time if he can't get his juice box open, and he's going to die of dehydration!  Ok, maybe that is taking it a bit too far, but still, I'm worried.  I was really hoping we'd get a chance to meet a few people before starting school, but everyone we've met is in a different grade.  I feel like Liam is going to be completely alone and baffled at this new school.  

I'm jealous of Jon, he gets to go to Kindergarten the first day for the first 1 1/2 hours with him.  I so want to be there!! But, new job, have to be responsible.  Plus, Jon is available, there is really no need to have both of us there.  But, I've stressed to Jon, that he needs to make an effort to meet some parents during that time so we can make some friends.  I hope it goes well for them!  Since tomorrow is a half day, I'm going to meet them for lunch - I can't wait to hear all about it!  

On a great note - I might have happened to meet a particular important someone at our pool today who happens to live in the same apartment complex.  The principal!  I take comfort in knowing that the principal now knows who Liam is and where he lives.  Sure, she met me with hair that was soaking wet, in a bathing suit, with no make up on - but it's the day before Kindergarten starts - the principal wasn't spending it freaking out - she was spending it swimming with her curly haired, two year old daughter.  Love it and love her.

Ok... it's just like I keep telling Liam, take a deep breath, speak clearly and calmly, it's going to be a great day.

OH MY GOD!  No it's not - my baby is going to school!!!  I need more wine to get me through this.