Things I'd like to do someday...

1. Climb Mt. Katahdin.
2. Climb Mt. Ranier.
3. Club Mt St. Helens
4. See the Red wood forests out west.
5. Visit a place with hot springs.
6. Write a book that people would actually want to read. (No, I have not written one yet that people do not want to read...)
7. Have a small farm that provides lots of different things: chickens, eggs, honey, milk, wool, cheese, yogurt, candles, mums....
8. Become a volunteer that works at the hospital rocking babies that do not have anyone to hold them.
9. Learn to ski.
10. Go scuba diving at the Great Barrier reef...have to learn to scuba dive first...I learned that SCUBA stands for self contained underwater breathing apparatus from watching Family Ties.
11. Blog more often

Those are not in any particular order...just as they popped into my head. Guess I have a lot of traveling to do but I need someone to watch the farm while I do it :)

My little cutey!

Better late than never!

Ok - I know I have not written in so long it is almost silly of me to start up again. But, it's my blog so I will if I want to :)

A few quick updates...

I have a daughter now - her name is Anika Rose. She is absolutly beautiful and sweet and perfect in every way. Wanna see? (sorry to all those on facebook - these pics will all be repeats...)

I think Facebook is why I hardly blog anymore...but, I like blogging better - facebook is just quicker. Mental note - spend more time blogging and less time on facebook.

Sam is now a sasssy 2 year old. However, he is also still perfect and wonderful :)

And the dynamic duo...

I am still trying to regain my former thinner figure...and trying to learn to like the one I have now. So far, no success on either front...

Still working at home and praying to not be laid off.

Just finished The Friday Night Knitting Club and now plan to knit Sam a scarf using the pattern from the book.

I know I am not up on much that is current but, exactly what did Obama do to get the Nobel Peace prize?

And why is it that the guy who's commercial I hear on the radio who's running for something (don't remember what) is for gay marriage but also for gun control? Can't we have a politician who wants to hunt in rainbow colored camo's???? Dammit - I wanna see my gay friends get married and wanna go shoot with with them too! (not that they all shoot but, one does! :)

Ok - that's it for now. Hopefully I will go back to being a more regular blogger...which reminds me, what exactly does it mean to be irregular? Anyone know? I see those Activia commercials with Jamie Lee Curtis and I have no freakin clue what she's talking about...too lazy to google it though...

Wonderful Day at the Park

Today we had a wonderful day at the park (hence - the title) and I just wanted to write about it so I didn't forget it. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at home so do not have any pictures.

It was the first really nice sunny day that fell on playgroup day. We met up at Humbolt park on the East Side of Providence. Sam and I hadn't been there since last Fall so it was great to be back. We also hadn't seen some of our playgroup friends in so long so that was nice too to see mostly everyone again.

Sam had such a good time!!! He started off slow playing with some toys he played with last year. But then, he was off to the climby thing with stairs and slides! He was doing really good for a while going up the stairs and down the slides. Then, he decided to go down the big slide on his belly face first. Wump - nose digger right into the wood chips! He was not happy - poor little guy. And, low and behold, the first bloody nose!!! Is this cruel of me, I thought it was an exciting milestone? :) He was great though, cried for a little bit but let me wipe the blood off and then he was his normal happy self. He ended up with a little cut on his lip too. One other little fall of a plastic climbing thing was the extent of his mishaps for the day. The rest of the time, he was having fun fun fun!!! He didn't even get upset when a couple of older kids used him for target practice with sand. Parents intervened and Sam decided to seek out enjoyment somewhere else other than the sand box. Sam mostly played by himself but did have some moments of nice interaction with the other kids. He certainly never felt the need to stay near Mommy! He wandered all over the place while I watched from our blankets like a momma hawk.

The big moment for me was when it was time to go. I was dreading this. I always hate to dissapoint him but I had to be home for work and it was his nap time. I gathered up all of our stuff and walked over to where he was playing. I bravely mustered up my courage and told him we had to go. He said, "no." I asked him if he would walk with me to the gate. He said, "ok." Hmmmm, maybe this will be good after all? So, we get to the gate, I open it and he walks through out onto the side walk. I'm thinking, "wow! he left the park without doing the kicking tantrum thing - sweet!!!" Now we are on the sidewalk on a semi-busy street. I would really feel more comfortable if he was holding my hand but I know Sam, he never - ever - holds hands. Even when he was learning to walk. Very independant. But, I'm a sucker for punishment, so I ask anyway. Wouldn't you know it - he put one of his cute pudgy little hands in mine!!! He walked with me that way all the way to the truck! At one point, we became disconnected and he held out his and and said, "hand!" I was so excited! I had been getting worried that I'd never be able to teach him the whole holding hands thing when walking near traffic and crossing the street. Plus, it was just so sweet to walk with him that way. :) I plopped him in the truck and got him strapped in and headed home. He was asleep about 5 minutes later. All in all - a very pleasant leave taking of the park.

I sure do love my little man!!!

Since I don't have a picture from today, here are a couple from last year...

Miracle!!!

Sam has managed to accomplish something that neither I nor my husband can seem to do on a regular basis. I gave him a cup that had a little bit of juice on the bottom. He finished the juice and then toddled over to the dishwasher, opened it up, put the cup in and shut the door. I am now giving him the rest of the dirty dishes scattered throughout the house to put in the dishwasher. That boy is going to make someone a fine husband some day! He even put the cups in the right way!!

Webster! We need more words!

One thing that has annoyed me since Sam was born is that there are no words to describe the love for a child. I love my husband. I love lobster. I love a good BM. So, love doesn't seem like an adequate word. We need a new one. I know in other languages there are all different kinds of words for love. We seem to be lacking.

But, what would such a word sound like? What combination of constinents and vowels could capture such an emotion? I don't even have any idea how to describe such a love. I just wish there was a word I could use.

Wanna see some pictures?

Since my recent posts have had a lack of pictures, I thought I would post a few here:



Before we had Sam, we liked to ride our motorcycles. We each had one since I refused to ride on the back. We sold the bikes when I got pregnant since we didn't want to risk leaving our babe an orphan. We used the money we got from the sale of the bikes to buy a camper since that seemed a much more family friendly activity :)

In June of 2005, we went on an amazing trip to the Grand Canyon. We did a white water rafting trip down the Colorado River. We spent the nights on the banks of the river. During the day, we were either travelling on the river or doing day hikes up and down the sides of the canyon. We went with my Dad and my little brother. It was a trip I will never forget!

Sam was born on 8/5/07 around 4pm. Here is a picture of the two of us shortly after we were brought into the recovery room.

A couple of cute random Sam shots:

Sam on Halloween:

Recent pic:

Anika's first u/s: