Water Babies

Rylan and his cousin Ava on vacation in Naragansett RI

HAPPY 2 year anniversary to US

In honor of our 2 years of being married (july 31)...I'd thought I would post a few of our past pre-baby pics!

What makes my heart pump anyway?

In the magical land of marriage and motherhood my heart only beats for my two boys/men in my life! (I know you are probably gagging and choking right now right?) It is true though...they really are what keeps me happy to be alive day to day and thankful....very thankful for all that I have.
Turning 30 was BIG for me this year. I am not the best person for follow through when it comes to routine physicals and such. In fact I can not remember my last one to be honest! (sad I know) A few of my dear mommy friends told me how physicals have saved either themselves or loved ones...and this inspired me to go. Plus I think being 30, and having given birth last year, it might be a good idea to make sure I am in good shape. I use this term "good shape" loosely. Quite honestly I haven't been in "good shape" since living in NYC. NYC forced me to walk miles upon miles at a fast rate per day...Then I got married and moved the the burbs...got knocked up..and not I weigh an ungodly number I do not wish to disclose. The days when my stomach sunk and you could see my ribs and I ate everything and tranced around in a bikini are LONNNNGGGGGGGGG GONE! (No I am trance around in my MOO MOO) And it got 1000000 times worse after having Rylan. I love that guy but man did he give me "gifts" from living in my belly that aren't so great. One being what the Dr found at my physical the other day. My heart isn't pumping right. The main aorta pump isn't working correctly and my heart is being mostly pumped by the "back up" pumps. After looking this up online Pete and I found out that this can be caused by pregnancy! I am off to the cardiologist next week when we get back from vacation! Hopefully it will be minor things I have to do...like diet and exercise. (which to the average person sounds minor but for me HUGE challenges..since I never had to do either before the age of 29--But I must take the challenge because Pete says he needs me "around" and I gotta take care of myself).So hopefully in a future posting I will have good news!
In other family news...we put a bid on a HOUSE! This happened VERY quick...in a matter of a day or two because it is SUCH a great deal (steal really) so we are keeping our fingers crossed! Will keep you all posted in later posts! Say a little prayer for us!
We are off to Rhode Island for a week of vacation with my family!

Don't forget to VOTE

I added a new feature on the blog that you will find at the bottom of the page! Every now and then I will have a poll to see what you think! Make sure to VOTE!

What's wrong with my kid?

Today was a difficult day. I woke up and it was down pouring and thundering and just for a moment I envisioned how delightful it would be to spend the day in bed...drifting between sleep, tv, and ice cream...then reality came when I heard Elmo was over and my dear son was calling me. We had a day of activities planned and I needed to get on the go. Rylan has been strange lately...he is sleeping and eating excessively...like he never has before. This has thrown quite a large monkey wrench into the very strict schedule he has been on for months. Now I have been feeling like I am putting him down after he has only been up an hour or two. What gives?
So today we went to his little friends birthday gathering. I am thinking it will keep him occupied and merry...YEAH RIGHT. We only got to stay for about a half an hour...Rylan was literally inconsolable...which he NEVER IS and was hitting me nonstop. He can whine and scream for a few moments but never non-stop...nothing gets his attention or keeps him from sobbing. It caught me off guard. I didn't know what to do, or what was the matter. I also noticed people really couldn't talk over my sobbing kid...so we left. As soon as we got in the car he went to sleep and I cried...and cried all the way home. I guess there is a part of my as a mommy that thinks I should know how to soothe him automatically at all times, that somehow even though he can't speak ...I should almost telepathically know what he is thinking and feeling...after all he is a part of me. I was also a bit embarrassed about having to leave...even though I was in the best of company as all the fellow moms understood. I am still not sure why he cried so much, or why he ate like I have never fed him today at each meal. Kids...they keep you guessing and not only in their teen years! I feel bad that I somehow frustrated him because he wanted me to get it and fix it...but how frustrating for ME not knowing what it is and how? Let's hope it is "fixed" by tomorrow...or mommy is going to need a STIFF drink or a really great couselor :-)

Vanity Smurf

Look at me I can STAND!

Bath time Happiness

Get out your dancing shoes....Momma's going out!

SOBERING UP

So I did it! I made it out for girls night out...or mom's night out..whatever you'd like to call it! I felt like a gitty little teenager as I waited for my friend down the street to pick me up. When we got to the restaurant we all could not stop smiling! 8 out of 9 invited showed up! It was GREAT! Finally we sat there talking adult talk, with adult beverages, looking all stylish, and not worrying about nap times, high chairs, or whining! AHHHHHHHH...we all felt alive again! Yes we did in fact have a life before having kids...but we needed a little bit of a reminder.
So we only made it to 10ish before heading home...but hey WE WENT OUT! It gave me time to get home and upload photos, and update my blogs, and well....get down from my high of teenage gitty and drinks..to go to bed. So as I am sobering up...I am going to list the top ten things we talked about tonight that we would not have in front of our babies or spouses or both...(ohhh this should be FUN!)Ready...

1. What happened to my BOOBS after pregnancy (shrank, drooped, engorged)
2. Husbands and Sex ---You want to do what after 9pm?
3. Child birth issues and concerns
4. The in laws
5. how good it feels to be out without husband or baby
6. The importance of owning cute shoes
7. When do you plan on going back to work
8. How often do we want to have these nights out
9. sex drive--what is that?
10. WHEN ARE WE HAVING BABIES NEXT (the husbands don't even know the evil plan :-)

Ok now I can sleep peacefully! :-)

Ry checks out Elmo

Checking out the lake!

US time-ME time-And STARBUCKS!

I remember a few months after Rylan was born I was in a wedding(Emily's) and discussing parenting with Emily's soon to be mother in law while getting our hair done. She was telling me how important it is to have "alone time"---as this was the very first weekend Pete and I was away from him. I cringed when she first said it..because although I was enjoying my freedom that weekend without him...I missed him SOOOOOOO much and worried all the time...eventhough he was is GREAT hands with my mom. Em's MIL went on to make a VERY good point that has stuck with me since! She said..."When your child is 18 and move out of your house...who is left?...it is you and your husband again. If you haven;t spent time alone as a couple, and had made everything about your kids....you will end up living with a stranger". It was one of those moments in life that just clicked and made so much sense to me....from that day forward I value you that thought and make the time and effort for my marriage...even while missing Rylan...SOOOOO much.

This weekend my mother in law offered to take Rylan overnight (without us even asking---yipeeee). So Rylan went to grandma's last night for a little sleepover (which I personally think he also likes a little break from us too every now and then...eventhough he misses us SOOO much :-)), and Pete and I went out.I put on a "going out" outfit that I NEVER get use out of anymore. We went to a great local resturant called Seasame Seed which is VERY healthy eating..but you wouldn't guess it to be healthy because it is so tastey! (in my book...usually if it is healthy it is=to eating cardboard). Then we went for a drive, contemplated mini golf or going to a bar..but ended up at home which I used the time to clean out our linen closet at 11pm because I COULD without waking a baby, and it was one of those TO DO things you NEVER get to. ALl and all...minus the linen closet...it was great "us" time that is well needed after this past month being birthday centered!

Then today (SUNDAY) Pete had his usual "ME" time which is soccer 2 a week. Usually I have the baby...but today he is still at grandmas. WHAT DO I DO WITH TIME ON MY HANDS NOW...what else...I go to Starbucks. Everyone that knows me best knows my two favorite places I live for are Starbucks and Ann Taylor (which by the way I got two fantastic shirts on sale this week there!). A great day starts with Starbucks. I took advatage of this when I lived in NYC...not knowing how much of a beauty it is to sit in a cozy corner there and ENJOY a drink and little something something to eat. Today mine was the carmel Frap and the bannana and chip low fat coffee cake (low fat that didn't taste low fat that is). I have a few more errands to run today (the ones that are so much easier without dragging a toddler through), and then maybe a pedi! I realized today how lucky Pete is to have a few hours to do something he loves without his wife or child. I need to start doing this more often. Even if it is a car ride with blaring music, singing loud, all the way to Starbucks and back for an hour or so! I feel like I got a tune up today and I am ready for another great week with my kids and hubby!

So take it from me...if you are a parent and have yet to have some "us" and/or "me" time....GET SOME...you will feel amazed and grateful for it everytime!

What mom's do on a hot day

Rylan and Christian in 4th of July gear

Happy 4th!! (eventhough the rain really fizzles the firecrackers!)

Our little terminator first year stats

Well it happened.....we finally came to a holiday that was indeed NOT Rylan's first. All of his holiday first's are over. BOOOOooOOOoOO... sniffle..blow...where has the time gone? Last 4th of July he was just about a week old and about the size of half my arm. Now he is 23.6 lbs, and 32 inches long!(his 1 year stats)They grow up so quick I tell ya!

At his one year appointment the Dr. had advised me that I must rid him of the paci by 15months (YEAH RIGHT,,,she can come over and try!), and that he needs to be using a sippycup ....which he flats out refuses every single time I got to give it to him! (again I would love to see her try with my little hot headed baby). The good news is his allergies to animal protiens (from formula and breast milk) are no longer. He drinks and loves whole milk! YEY Also while at the Dr. he had his 12 month shots. Our little terminator thought he didn;t like the first one and literally reached over and took it out. The Dr. was stunned,,she said this has never happened to her and that our son had monkey limbs and was STRONG! So our little terminator had to be held down by TWO people in order to keep him from curltailing his vaccines.

So next time you see Rylan make sure you say one of these two lines to him:
"I want to pump you up"
or
"It is not a tumor"
Hey maybe he will be govenor of California some day too.

Birthday Friends

YEP I am 1

The RI Luau party!

Go Shorty...It's your birthday...

It is official...the little man has turned ONE! Yes ONE! I (along with my loving hubby) have kept our child alive, and thriving for an entire year! It is funny how I have taken care of so many children in my day...but they were OTHER PEOPLES children. When it is your own suddenly you 2nd guess yourself on everything and it is scarey to think you are responsibe for how this child will turn on! I can remember being scared to be alone with him the first day I took him home. Who would have thought I would be such a nervous nelly?!

Looking back I have no regrets about how Rylan's birth played out. I know the movie and story book way is to push a baby out in 2 pushes with makeup on and your hair primped, and then KABAM the baby is clean and in your arms cooing! And of course you and your husband break out into tears yet your first picture as a family is seemingly perfect. NOT exactly the way it turned out. An emergency c-section 16 hours after being induced and a very bloated, unattractive picture later...and we called it a day. I was so fearful while pregant about having a c-section...but really it wasn's so bad at all. Infact I have come to peace with the fact that I will have another in the future! Hey I still get handed a clean baby and the best part is...my whoo haa doesn't ache from pushing a baby out!

Rylan is such a toddler now. He looks nothing like the baby he was. His long hair is on the brink of needing a cut ...and he knows what he wants and likes. He said his 2nd word the day after his birthday...which we all thought would be da da....but infact was Daisy...the Dos Santos family dog! (or what I like to call her Auntie Daisy...because it is my inlaws only daughter!). He celebrated his birthday with 3 parties. The first was in Rhode Island hosted by his Aunt, uncle and cousin, the 2nd was at his house on his birthday with all of his little friends and their mommies, and the last was this weekend at my inlaws in Bethel. All in all Rylan slept about 90% of all of his parties and enjoyed all the loot he got. We are so happy that most of you got to share in one of those days, if not two! THANKS!

Lazy Aimee

I know I have been so neglectful of this poor blog. I am not sure if you all are blog addicts...but I am becoming one. Once I know of one I am on it often looking up updates and reading up. So I am sorry if this one happens to be on your hit list and you get disappointed every time because lazy Aimee hasn't gotten to it. I often check out other mom's blog that is almost a daily grind of every move their child makes. Granted I think that is a bit over the top for me---but I am going to at least try to give this site alittle TLC!

I also started another blog for our mom's group that meets up every week. Check it out at: CTmommas.blogspot.com