Happy birthday ladies!!!

"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together"- Woodrow Wilson

Pics from our playdate

One of Acadia's favorite things

She absolutely LOVES bouncing up and down on people's knees making that sound

TFT

Yes, I am doing Thoughts for Thursday again, but this time I'm going to try to stick with it!

This week's thoughts: pre-mammahood (Yes, I know I just made that word up - what of it??)

Before I had Acadia, my days consisted of: sleeping, romantic dinners, drinking, coming and going as I pleased, Matt and I having dinner at the same time (not in turns), adult conversation, work outside the home, freedom to come and go as I pleased, and lots lots more - too much to type, really.

Before we had Acadia, we owned a duplex - we lived on the bottom floor and Miche and Jimmy upstairs from us. A typical day for me would go like this: I would wake up around 6:45, shower for as long as I wanted (heck - I could even shave both my legs at the same time back then!), do my make-up and hair, go into the office for 8 hours, come home and bbq/drink in the back yard with Matti, Jimmy and Miche. Almost every day. On the days I didn't do this, I would go out with one of my friends after work to a bar downtown, then go home and have drinks with Miche, Jimmy and Matti. Do you see a pattern here? Yes. Mostly just working a bit, then hanging out and having some beers with friends. I'm sure there was more to life than that, but this is how I remember my life pre-Acadia. And it was FUN. At the time, I felt like I was soooo busy and had soo much responsibility, and kind of laugh at that now. I really didn't have any responsibility besides paying our mortgage.

I am constantly shocked at how hard it can be to be a parent . Now our lives are filled with diapers, lunches, cleaning sticky hands, cleaning up boo boos, laundry, etc, etc., etc.

But what I am most amazed about - above all else - is how FUN it is to be a parent. Acadia has brought more joy, happiness and love than I ever thought was possible. She makes us laugh now, gives us hugs and kisses, has a sense of humor, can talk and play with other children.

So, no matter how hard it can get....becoming a mommy is the most wonderful that has ever happened to me...

TFT: What was your life like before becoming a mom?

Wordless Wednesday

A girl from my mommy board said that she saw somewhere "Wordless Wednesday", where you just post a picture without any words...hence - Wordless Wednesday ;-) I love this idea, so am going to try to stick with it on Wednesdays.

Peek a boo!!

We went to the Sandbar yesterday with out friends Jamie, Cole and little Sawyer. Sawyer is only a few weeks old and is the cutest baby in the whole world!! Oh my gosh - he has the bluest eyes and is such a sweet little baby! As always, we had so much fun with them - Acadia and Cole haven't been able to play together since Acadia started walking, because of our time in Chicago, and so this was the first time they actually played. Before, it was more Cole wanting to play with Cadi and Cadi just crawling and drooling all over the place! lol! They both ate really well and (of course!) each wanted the other person's food.

Jamie is an awesome mom and makes having two children look like a breeze! I can't wait for the next time we get the kiddos together :)

Here is a video of the kids playing together...

Boston

This past weekend, we had our very first weekend away without Acadia! For my 30th birthday, Matt's present to me was a trip to Boston and tickets to see a Red Sox game with Miche and Jimmy. We left on Friday mid day and came home on Sunday evening. My cousin Kim watched Cadi for the weekend and my other cousin Kirstin picked Cadi up on Friday and watched her until Kim got out of work. I knew I didn't have to worry a bit about Cadi because she was in the best hands!

The first night we got there, we went to the hotel bar for a couple of drinks, then to Maggiano's for dinner - YUM! So good there.

One happy, babyless couple!



The bartender at the hotel bar was SO funny. She took our picture, then said - OK! Now we need a funny picture! Make silly faces!



Dinner

Best advice EVER

Last night we went to my inlaws house to celebrate my sister in law's birthday, then to our friends Ross and Lindsey's house to celebrate Ross's birthday - happy birthday guys!!!


Ross's mom and dad were visiting and were at their house last night. His mom and I started talking about having children, how quickly time flies, how hard it can be to be a mom, etc. and I told her that I am really trying to appreciate each and every day, because I know it flies by. I said that that was probably the most offered advice from other moms - to enjoy the time you have with your child, because it flies by. Ross's mom told me that the best advice she can give to any new mom is......


wait for it.....


To not feel guilty when you feel like throwing your child out the window! LOL!!!!! Notice that she didn't say if you feel like throwing your child out the window, but when. I love it!!! Who hasn't felt that way?!?! And then felt like the very worst mommy ever for feeling that way?!

We all have moments as parents when we just need to walk away because we are feeling frustrated with the crying, whining, tantrums, etc. and I think we all suffer from the guilt because of how we feel when we just can't take another minute of our child. We're human! Of course we're going to get frustrated; it's only natural.

So. The next time you feel yourself getting frustrated with your child, just remember her advice - don't feel guilty for losing your patience; we all do it!

Intervale

Here are some more images from the Intervale...

Uncle Sammy

We are very fortunate to have some amazing friends in our lives...friends who are way more than just friends and mean as much to us as family does...seeing them with our daughter reminds us even more of how lucky we are! They will always be known as Aunts and Uncles to Acadia, and although Cadi is too young to realize it, she is SO loved by so many people!! We are truly blessed!

Here are a couple pictures of Uncle Sammy showing Acadia how to fix a sink and grill...

My sweet, English friend

This past weekend, Miche, Jimmy, Matt and I met my friend Tasha for dinner at Sweetwaters. I used to work with Tasha at a law firm and she moved back to England about 2 years ago. She and I became friends quickly at work and it was pretty routine for us to go downtown after work for drinks, since we worked right downtown. We had a lot of fun together and I miss her a ton! I'm glad she was able to meet Acadia for the first time, even if Acadia turned into the devil child two minutes before we got to the restaurant. Poor Matti did a LOT of walking up and down Church Street with Cadi to give us a chance to catch up.

That's my girl!

Why use a spoon....


When you can get ice cream so much faster this way?!

Summertime is here!

I love Vermont in the summer. Corn on the cob, watermelon, the Chew Chew, farmer's markets, berry picking, swimming in the lake, concerts in the park; I could go on and on!

But there is nothing like spending a warm summer evening running your hands through the earth with your family. Acadia reminds me day in and day out to let go of my instinct to be clean. Dirt? Play in it! Strawberry juice? Let it drip down your face! That's my girl - a constant reminder that she is the teacher and I am the student...



Helping daddy pick snap peas






In the play area









And we ended just the way you should after picking veggies - dirty and tired with a strawberry-stained-face...

New hat

Here's a question - Why wouldn't you wear your shorts as a hat?

She's looking very proud of her fashion statement...

Wet

Although we are nowhere near potty training, the past couple of weeks, I have introduced the word "wet". Every time I notice she has a dirty diaper, I make a process out of telling her we have to change her, because she's wet, and repeat it over and over when I'm changing her diaper. Today, she was walking around in the living room, and pulled on her diaper and said "wet", and sure enough, she was! I am hoping that this is the first step in her being able to tell me when she has a dirty diaper.

Dinner at the beach

Last week, Cadi and I went to the beach with some of our favorite ladies - Auntie Miche, Grandma, Auntie Brenda and Bonnie. It was Acadia's first time at the beach in Vermont this year and she loved it!! I was so surprised at how far she went into the water - up to her neck! That kid has no fear of the water :-)