So glad there were no knives!

Okay, what made me think that I could invite a few of Grace's friends over today for a pumpkin carving party? What about 2 - 3 year olds and knives sounded like a good idea??? Wheew, bullet dodged! Instead I pulled out the bounce house - prepared a few blank pumpkins out of craft foam for decorating - and braced to appease the kids with glue, pipe cleaners, chenille pom-poms and any other manner of craft making objects that might keep them entertained. All unnecessary! Once the kids got outside the landscape rocks won out and they all sat down with big kitchen spoons and dug in the dirt. Here are a few pictures of our little picnic today.

The Vagina Monologue

I know, I know... I am way behind in my posting. I have not talked about the trip back east - Boston - The Aquarium - The wedding - being back home - all our friends - or our reunion with Mike and Alissa and how hard it was to say goodbye again... I have almost decided to move on and simply say that it was a great trip! It was filled with fun things, the kids were amazing little travelers as always. I had Joe's three times!!! - was amazed at Boston's transformation since the "Big Dig" - Once again just picked up where I left off with Muffy, which always seems to mean drinking Champagne - reconnected with long lost friends - thoroughly beamed with pleasure at Grace & Lily's sheer joy at having friends to play with for 10 days and shared in their heartbreak when it all came to an end -- And as much as I have fought the possibility of a return to New England, must admit that more than ever it felt like 'home' to be among a bunch of tree hugging liberals again. I forgot in all the 'Everything's bigger in Texas' lifestyle in Texas and the glitz and Glamor of Hollywood, what it was like not to feel the need to keep up with the Jones'. Simple felt good. Wide open spaces felt good. Being able to just be whatever felt good. It was a great trip and let's just leave it at that...

Now, for the "Vagina Monologue"

We returned home on Saturday and tried to simply decompress. Our home, our yard (Which is greener than Ireland at the moment) just us... Breathe... Then, Grace started acting a little odd - She'd grab her crotch and hop up and down and say "My Vagina! My Vagina!" She did this randomly a few times through out the day. Honestly, I did not think much of it. Granted it was odd, but it was only a second and then nothing for a few hours then she'd do it again. Frankly I thought she was doing it because I had laughed the first time she did it and she thought it was fun to repeat the performance. Then Sunday this performance seemed to increase in frequency, but she did not have an issue when on the potty. So Urinary Tract Infection crossed my mind, but she did not appear to have any discomfort while going to the bathroom. By Monday morning she had gone from some discomfort to extreme pain. She was doubling over, grabbing herself and screaming "My Vagina!! My Vagina!!" So, I called the doctor.

Now to back track a bit... Grace is in Pull-ups... Something she was NEVER in because we had potty trained right into underpants. But the ability to get her into a restroom while flying in a timely manner is always a big risk. So Brian and I decided that Pull-ups would be the best way to get to Colorado and back and to Massachusetts and back without wetting pants, car seat, etc... Grace kicked and screamed and cried the first time we put her in Pull-ups. She wanted her big girl pants!!! She did not take long to realize that Pull-ups were easier than being potty trained and make a complete 180 back to un-potty trained. Knowing that this was going to be a long month and that we could get Grace back to potty trained in a day after we returned home, we did not fight this and let it be what it was...

Back Monday - Our doctor was not in, but the Nurse Practitioner could see Grace within the hour, so off we go. Grace whimpered in the backseat a few times, but not the screaming pain she'd had all morning, so I start to think... "This is going to be one of those times - You rush to the doctor and nothing is wrong. Or you take your car to the mechanic because it's making a noise, but when you get to the mechanic the car won't make the noise" WRONG... In the waiting room Grace has a fall on the floor episode of pain. Then on our way to the exam room Grace is doubled over walking down the hallway holding her crotch and crying "Oh, my vagina..... oh, my vagina..." My heart is breaking but a few nurses at the nurses station are almost laughing. As I am about to boil over at their insensitivity to my little girl's pain, Grace stops at the station, looks up at the nurses and asks "Is the doctor going to fix my vagina??" Okay, I cannot contain my laughter, though I did try to stifle it. One of the nurses about falls off her chair and asks me "Did she just say what I think she did?" To which I replied. "Yes, she asked if the doctor was going to fix her vagina." We all laughed, Grace laughed, they called her adorable and we were on our way into the exam room.

No fever... This is not good.... Wouldn't and infection be joined with a fever? Well, something is wrong and I am not letting the N.P. off the hook until she figures out how to help my baby. If I thought her writhing in pain in the waiting room was heartbreaking it's about to get worse. When the N.P. took Grace's diaper off to examine her Grace pee'd. They need a urine sample and the office is JAM PACKED with flu, fever, gross sick kids. So as quickly as I want the visit to be due to germs and creepy crawlies, the N.P. has a waiting room overflowing with kids that need her attention too. She says I have a few minutes to try to get a urine sample from Grace but after that she is going to have to catheterize her for a sample. I know that there is no way to get Grace to pee in a cup. Even if she needed to go - Holding her, holding the cup, balancing... I knew it would be an exercise in futility, but hoping against hope... I took the few minutes to no avail. Grace has been catheterized twice in her life already. Once when she was a baby for a severe viral infection. She fussed but was a baby and it was not overly traumatic for either of us. Last August in Massachusetts when Grace had a bad virus, the hospital tried THREE times to Cath her for a sample, all with no success and all with her screaming "NO! STOP!" it was heartbreaking!! This was worse! They had to Cath her, I had to hold her hands, big tears rolling, Grace crying "Mommy.... Mommmy???" looking at me for help, as I am holding her down and letting them do this to her - Awful doesn't even begin...

Long story short and I know, "too late"... Grace has a bad URI and is on antibiotics.

It got even worse for me when the N.P. backed me into a corner over the H1N1 vaccine. I was NOT going to vaccinate the kids, or Grace, for the Flu or H1N1. If my doc was the one we were seeing and he said she had to have the Seasonal Flu, I'd consider it, but NOT the H1N1. My kids cannot get the Seasonal Flu shot at our doctors office, because we have private insurance and only the kids on the state funded insurance plans are eligible at our Pediatricians office for the shot. Lily is not old enough by about a year for the H1N1 shot, so I said (To a medical professional I do not know from a hole in the wall) "Wouldn't it stand to reason, that if my 1 year old cannot get the H1N1 vaccine, that I would not be bringing my children to public places this Flu season??" Apparently this was 'crack pot reasoning', because as my 2 year old is SCREAMING in pain and as my 1 year old is SCREAMING in hunger and we all just need to leave I am berated for not taking every possible precaution...blah, blah, blah... and healthy kids Grace's age are dying daily from H1N1, and Blah Blah Blah... So I try one last time... "If Grace is sick then wouldn't it be better to wait??" She argued that she would be getting the mist vs. the injection... the kids are screaming and I am feeling backed into a corner and I gave in... I know, I gave in. I have been waiting for some horrible side effect ever since. Grace fell asleep in the car half way home and I pulled off the highway to be sure she was still alive. I hate that I let myself be bullied.

But Grace's horrible pain aside, I can't help but giggle a bit every time I think of Grace asking the nurses if the doctor was going to fix her vagina!!

Lily's Christening

Baptism and Butterflies

It has been quite a whirlwind trip, but it's not over yet... Boston, Northampton, Amherst and next up Canton, CT. But we have certainly packed a lot in! Today was Lily's baptism. She, Like Grace was baptized at St. Joe's in Hatfield. Father Coonan (Still there!!) was the officiant. It was a small simple ceremony, I cannot imagine why the whole world would attend a christening anyway. This time was the Hurley family; last the O'Connell. Aunt Dot and Uncle Fran mad the trip up from Agawam to witness -- and Muffy made the long drive west from Boston to be at the altar for Lily as God Mother (Thank's Muff! YOU ARE THE BEST!!) Grampie stood in for Uncle Mike and Grace helped out as photographer and official "Amen!" sayer. Grace's baptism was a hoot because she was old enough to speak and kept saying "Amen!" Lily's was a hoot because she wiggled and fussed until Father pored the holy water on her head. Then she closed her eyes and relaxed into what she thought was going to be a bath. When she realized the "bath" was over, dissapointment and wiggles took over and she was fussy again.

After the Christening we had lunch all together then Grammie, Grampie, Brian and I took the girls to "Magic Wings" a butterfly conservatory. It-was-amazing!!! over 3,000 butterflies all flying around, landing on you, words simply cannot describe! Grace is determined to fill her bedroom with butterlies like they had at the "Butterfly farm". All in all it was a full good day. I hope to have pictures to post soon. A sleeping Lily was a perch to a giant blue betterfly for about 5 minutes. She woke to the most amazing site! I would spend hours there if I could...Muffy, the girls, the wedding, the aquarium... Fingers crossed that there are a few pictures!

A line in the sand!

I decided about a month and a half ago that Lily's getting up 3 times a night had to come to an end! She was nearing a year old and there was no need to get up and have a bottle 3 times a night every night. So, I moved her from 'The Girls Room' back in to the guest room and decided to simply try ignoring her crying. Lily has been putting herself to sleep every night for months... So she can got to bed awake and manage to fall asleep, she clearly knows how to put herself to sleep... Right?

I was not able to do it -- Fearful of Grace waking up and having 2 kids up in the middle of the night - and partly because I am a wimp and after 20 minutes of crying I knew a bottle would just make it stop and I could go back to sleep... I'd give in every night and things were not getting any better.

As a birthday gift to me, Memaw spent 3 nights on the couch. She put Lily in her pack n play in the living room and she slept next to her on the couch. Bound and determined to teach Lily that night time was sleep time she laid the ground work. The first night Lily was up 3 times and Memaw simply told her lay down and go to sleep. The second night she said nothing and the third night Lily only cried out once. Since Grampa and Memaw were here I have not gotten out of bed once to get Lily. Usually after a few minutes of fussing she lays back down and goes to sleep. She has been waking about one time a night for the last few weeks and making noise, but is getting better and better about going right back to sleep. I thought it was a miracle that even though Lily was waking me up one time a night still, I was not getting out of bed. That was truly a HUGE improvement!!

Last night... Well, last night Lily slept 10 straight hours! No waking, no fussing, no waking Mommy! Praise Memaw! You are a miracle worker! THANK YOU!!!! I might actually get a full nights sleep on a regular basis, AND Lily and Grace can go back to being roommates!!

God I love sleep!

Colorado Videos

Home for a minute

Wheew! One trip down and one to go. We are all back from Colorado and we are only here for a minute. We repack and head back out on Wednesday. We had an AMAZING time in Ft. Collins with Auntie Whitney (and "Uncle Josh" -hehe!) It sounds like Brian, Uncle Mike and "Uncle Jimmy" had a great time celebrating Mike's 4oth despite the Sox loss to the Angels and the Pat's loss to the Broncos.

Too much happened, too much was funny, most probably only funny to Whit, the girls and me, but.... I'll post a few videos. All short and most go with the snow pictures posted on Saturday.

Highlights.... The CSU (Colorado State Univ) homecoming parade was too much fun! The girls got a kick out of the Greek floats and loved all the dogs and "hippies" on bikes. On a side note, I now understand why my cousins (all of them save 1) have at one point or do currently live in Ft Collins. These are my people... Birkenstock wearing, earthy crunchy, earth conscious, just plain old down to earth people. I could be so happy there. I have some kick ass friends here, but I get it now... Small town, college town - It was sort of the west coast version of Northampton... - - -Grace, except for the snow in October... We might have to revisit our plan ;) - - - But I digress

The parade... The girls loved it, but the hit was the CSU marching band... Now who doesn't love a marching band? But they were pretty awesome and my girls sat slack jawed and loved the band the best! Too damn cute!

The snow... We took Grace to the "Winter Wonderland" here at Vistancia last year, but I was thoroughly disappointed. I grew up in snow, so the small pile they trucked in for the kids, while entertaining was no "Wonderland" so this was both girls very first snow experience. It did not disappoint. There was enough to sled in, make snow angels in, have a snow ball fight in, but too dry to make a snow man with. Not only did they get to play in it, they got to play with it falling. As bummed as Whit and I were to not be able to take them Pumpkin picking, this was way better! Grace thinks she's a snowboarder. Much to Whitney's joy since she is and to Brian's and my chagrin since we're skiers...

The Pats vs. Broncos game... Okay, so the Patriots lost... And I had to eat a few words (Sorry Josh, you were right.) But Whitney and Josh managed to make a football game so exciting for Grace that I was astonished. They did however have her yelling "Go Broncos!" all day which went over like a lead balloon with Brian and me, but... She was so happy and really, that's all that matters. Josh, Whit and I took the girls to a sports grille for the 2nd half of the game and Grace was the HIT OF THE BAR! She'd yell "Go Broncos!" and the entire bar would cheer for her. Strangers were coming up to our table to hi-5 her... It was insane. I tried to get her to turn it around and yell "Go Patriots!" but she'd have none of it...

Whit put her in a Broncos jersey this morning as a little jab at Brian. When we arrived at the airport to meet Daddy Grace promptly greeted him with a Go Broncos!... Thanks Whit!

It was a great trip! Now I have to repack for Mass and we are off on Wednesday morning! Oy Vey!

Pictures from Shelbi

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The McDonalds Birthday Party

I don't know if you had to be a child of the 80's to have had a McDonald's birthday party or to have attended a McDonald's birthday party, but I remember them. To be honest, I am pretty sure that I never had one, but I know I have attended at least one. This one did not have balloons and Ronald McDonald was not there, nor were Grimace, The Hamburglar, or The Fry Guys, but some of my dear buddies and their kiddos were - and it was perfect!

Now that we all have small, active children the options were to pack a picnic and go to one of the handful of playgrounds in the neighborhood (the weather today would have been perfect for it) or to go to McDonald's playland so that the kids could run around like crazy people in a safe, fun, environment. The general consensus was McDonald's; And since I have an insatiable addiction to McDonald's fries, you would never hear a word of protest from me about going to McDonald's.

I wish I had remembered my camera or better still the video camera; but my madness and disorganization around trying to pack for 2 trips spanning close to 3 weeks and only a day between the 2 had bested me. Even with the aid of Concerta I am still a disorganized mess. But the need for either a stronger dose or a different medication is a story for another time... Anyhow - the video camera would have been best since Lily decided that Katie, Grace and a number of other strangers were the perfect sleigh horses. She'd waddle up behind them and grab onto any loose article of clothing and laugh HYSTERICALLY as the pulled her around the playland. She climbed after them up slides and down stairs and for her part played the longest most fun game of tag I have ever witnessed. She did tackle poor Abby a few times and even though Abby has about 3 weeks on Lily in age Lily has the heft and height on her side. Abby's older sister Katie, a year older than Grace, turned out the be the perfect playmate for Lily. Perfect video moment number 1 missed...

Charlotte at the ripe old age now of 5 months is not old enough to be down on the dirty ground with the kids, let alone climbing all over the dirty, germy, play structures, but Lily did manage to steal her stuffed animal blanket a few times. In Lily's defense she did offer to share her fries and chicken nuggets in exchange! Charlotte would have gladly accepted, but "Mommy Kelli" and I were quick to intervene! Only after showering Lily with immense praise for "Good Sharing!!"

Vincent was with us for a while but was not too sure about the chaos and strange kids running about. That coupled with the fact that 'Big Grace' had to wake him from his nap to bring him to my little birthday celebration, meant he was not with us much past lunch. When Grace finally noticed that her boyfriend was gone she was really sad... Thankfully her old pal Katie was there to get her mind off it with a rousing game of hide 'n go seek! This is not something we've ever played with Grace before so she did not quite grasp the concept. First Katie closed her eyes and counted to 16 while Grace stood right behind her (Lily was off in a cubby with a little boy who was also playing hide 'n go seek - Yeah, Brian and I are going to have to sit down with Lily and explain that we don't go off into cubbys with boys...) Katie tagged Grace, said "I found you!" and told Grace it was her turn to count. So Grace proceeded to follow Katie around the playland counting "1-2-3-4...........14-15-16!" Katie tried to explain what Grace was doing wrong but she just stared blankly at Katie! I tried to then explain that she has to stand still - close her eyes - count to 16 - then go find Katie... Further blank stares -Another priceless moment that would have been awesome on video...

It was a really nice little birthday celebration. I know a few of my oldest and dearest friends are saying... "Seriously?? You had your 33rd birthday at McDonald's??" But it was just exactly how I wanted to celebrate!

Thanks Girls! You really are the best!!

Have a good few weeks and I'll see you all just before Halloween!

CHALLENGE: I challenge you to "Boo" your neighbors!!

BOO!

The air is cool the season fall
Soon Halloween will come to all
The spooks are after things to do
In Fact, a spook brought this to you
“BOO” is a shield from witching hour
Just hang it up and watch it’s power
On your front door is where it hangs
It wards off spooks and bats with fangs
The treats that came with crypted note
Are yours to keep, enjoy them both
The power comes when friends like you
Will copy this and make it TWO
Then others here among our friends
Will give warm fuzzies that do not end
We’ll all have smiles upon our faces
No one will know who “BOO”ed whose places
And don’t forget a nifty treat,
Like something cute or something sweet
Please join the fun, Let’s really hear it
And spread some “BOO”s and Halloween Spirit!
~ “ BOO! ” ~

“ You’ve been Boo’d ”
* Now it’s your turn to “BOO” two other people in the neighborhood
* You should “BOO” these people within two (2) days of receiving your treat
* Hang the ghost on your front door so that everyone can see that you have been Boo’d and will not BOO you again
This will also let you know who you can BOO
* Fill 2 bags with candy or treats. Copy this letter and Ghost twice – Include the treats, letter and ghost in your bag of
Goodies for the neighbors you choose
* After dark, and only with an adult, “BOO” two (2) of your neighbors. Do not let the person that you are “BOO-ing” see
You, for it adds to the fun of it all. – Place the treat on the doorstep, ring the doorbell and RUN!
* It will be fun to see how many ghosts will appear in our neighborhood by Halloween.

PLEASE KEEP IT SAFE AND ENJOY!

Pictures from Shelbi

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~ 33 ~

Inflation continues to be a problem around the world. Concorde enters service and cuts transatlantic flying time to 3 1/2 hours. One year after Microsoft is formed Apple is formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. In South Africa Riots in Soweto mark the beginning of the end of apartheid. In music the first of the Punk Bands appear

Average Cost of new house: $43,400.00

Average Income per year: $16,000.00

Average Monthly Rent: $220.00

Cost of a gallon of Gas: 59 cents

Plymouth Arrow: $3,175.00

Polaroid Camera: $28.00

In New York City, the "Son of Sam" begins a series of attacks that terrorized the city for the next year.

Eccentric American billionaire Howard Hughes who had been a recluse for 20 years dies at the age of 70

Fidel Castro becomes The President of Cuba

NASA Unveils first space shuttle, the Enterprise

The nation celebrates it's Bicentennial

And I was born!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I celebrated my 33rd birthday today. This week of looking back was kicked off by my realization that my passport has expired. If my passport has expired that means I got it 10 years ago - If I got my passport 10 years ago then that means I became a flight attendant 10 years ago... A decade!? A whole decade has passed since I became a flight attendant!? I am not sure that is possible. It seems like just yesterday I was on my way to Houston...

Then my iPod, on shuffle, started playing 'The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' and 'Sublime' and all of a sudden Megan, Delia, Kathy and I were running around the woods - playing 'beer pong' - driving my Altima all over creation with no destination or purpose. I was 19 years old again and life was carefree! There is no way that was 14 years ago! It was only a moment I swear! Where did 14 years go??

So I wondered... What was going on in 1976? (other than my entering the world!) I remember the 80's (yikes!!) and I was in High School, College and "The Real World" in the 90's. And here we are in the new millennium... So, what was the world like when I was born?

It's been a great 33 years. I have had some awesome adventures. Traveled and moved around. I've had some really fun jobs and lived in some great places (some scary ones too!). I got married and had my two girls... I know not long from now I will look back on this phase fondly and wonder where the time went? What's next?

Our Halloween Luminaries

I am behind by about a week on my blog since Grampa and Memaw have been here with us. We did our letter of the week on Monday as usual, but I haven't had a minute (until now) to post the pictures and words. We had so so so much fun with Grampa and Memaw. (and you too Whit!) Lots of painting, drawing, cluing and messy fun with Memaw. Here is my new favorite project. It is a bit old for Grace. She did not last long with the "creating" part of the project but will tell you that she made them, all of them, all by herself!

We had such a great time making these... The battery operated tea lights make them absolutely adorable at night. With the camera flash the photos of them lit up does not show up, but trust me... this is a cute, cute craft!

Usually on October 1st I am prattling on and on about how... it's my birthday... and my friends and family are bracing for a 30 day "It's my birthday" fest. But honestly my birthday snuck up on me this year and for once I am more excited about Halloween than October 3rd. So I am going to turn over a new leaf, and for the weeks that we are home this month (2), I'll concede my birthday and spend October prepping for Halloween.

We have a neighbor who, like me, would prefer to set up a table and hang out in their driveway greeting trick-o-treaters. Last year we sat in our driveway and did just that and it was the best way to celebrate with little little ones. I can't wait to do the same thing this year and to set up the luminaries and greet all the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins... How come kids don't dress as ghosts, ghouls and goblins anymore??