Home From the Hospital, Minus My Thyroid

It has been a tough week. Thankfully everything came together and my surgery is now over. I am glad to be home. Mimi is the best. She kept the kids while Kevin took care of me at the hospital. Now the recovery can begin. I am hoping to get a lot done this week. Rest..taxes..rest..shopping..fun with the kids and mom..rest..watch movies..and more rest. Hopefully I will take it easy. That is not something I do very well. Right now, I don't feel like doing anything, but taking it easy and enjoying my family.

Ahhhh! Mimi Has Landed!

Ahhhh! Mimi has landed! Not enough to just title this post, but I truly mean it. This has been a wild week. Department audit, meetings, and my upcoming surgery. Too many things going on. Mimi has flown in to help get us through this busy time. Mimi is awesome. The kids adore her and she is so helpful to us. Dylan has been counting down the days until her arrival. Mimi always bring surprises. Dylan decided to make a present for Mimi. My sweet boy put all of the books in his backpack that he wanted Mimi to read and told me he was going to surprise her. She loved it. Mimi brought all kinds of homemade goodies for the kids...hats, purses, bows. Mimi we love having you come visit. You are the best!

Not Your Normal Holiday

This weekend was Valentines Day. Today was President's Day. Usually we do something special over the holidays. My definition of special is probably different than other people. Special for some people is an exotic vacation, but special for me is just doing something with my family or by being patriotic and boosting the economy by shopping. This was not your normal holiday. Dylan and Ally were both sick. Ally had a high fever, ear infection, and a reaction to her vaccinations and medication for her ear infection. Dylan didn't want to feel left out so he ran a fever and was exhausted fighting it. We stayed home and spent time together taking care of the kids. We are at the point that we don't need a fancy outing to enjoy our time together. It is just nice to have a quiet moment for the two of us. We did stay up late and watch a movie once the kids were asleep. The kids were thrilled to have a day of with mom and a break from school. Finally on Monday they were feeling better and ready to open their Valentine presents. Dylan is feeling much better. He was definitely stubborn today which is a good sign he is back to normal. Ally no longer has fever and soon her rash and yucky diapers will be gone. Defintely I would have done without the stress of the kids being sick, but other than that, I don't know if I would have changed anything about the weekend.

Fun With Allyson

I'm always looking for ways to find more time with my kids. It is one regret I have in this game called life. I am a self described workaholic...married to a workaholic. It always saddens me when my kids are sick, but it opens an opportunity to have some much needed individual time with them. I enjoy having individual time with each of the kids. Their personalities can be so different when they have time own their own with their parent. Allyson is home sick with a minor reaction from her 12 month vaccinations. I try not to be an overreactive parent, but I still get nervous when they are sick. This morning Kevin had some time with Allyson before he went to work and then I took the afternoon off to be with her. She has discovered how to use her finger to point at things that she wants us to see. It is amazing to see a child's development and how different two children raised in the same house, with the same parents can be. Allyson's moter skills are amazing, whereas Dylan had no interest in walking, but he could hold a conversation with me at 13 months. Allyson still hasn't grasped the gift of much gab. She has the essential mama, dada, and baba down. My sweet girl doesn't feel up to doing much today, but she found a burst of energy when she found her red car and her red purse. The extra time with her tody was precious.

A New School

Three weeks ago, I received notification that Dylan and Allyson's school was closing down. First, I panicked and then I worried. I started the endless phone calls to find a center that would take both of our children. We decided on the first center that I called. If you haven't ever spent time looking at childcare centers, it is eye opening how different and expensive they are. The one we have found is fabulous and ridiculously expensive. I literally should have my head examined for not quitting my job when Allyson was born, let alone now when the tuition has increased. We both know that it is best for me to continue working while we live in Maryland. We are very excited about the curriculum the kids will be learning at their new school. We know our children are priceless and worth every penny. Plus I will be taking advantage of all the perks they offer...breakfast and lunch daily, dinner on Monday, a snack for the mommy on the go. This place has the marketing down pat. I am so nervous for the kids. I can't imagine how nervous I will be on the first day of kindergarten for the kids. I hope they love their new school.

P.S. They love it and so do we!!!!

The Big 34

Today is my birthday. I love birthdays! It doesn't bother me at all to grow a year older. I have the world at my feet and I'm happy with where I am in life. Did I mention I have two adorable kids and a husband I adore? Life could not be better. My day started out great with sleeping a bit later than usual. That was a gift in itself. I had planned a little bit of time for myself. I took myself to one of my favorite places..the mall. I needed a haircut and I did my part to boost the economy. I told the kids that they were invited to my birthday party. Dylan was so excited! The weather was unusual for a February day. It was sunny and 55 degrees. That doesn't sound warm, but we are use to 20 degree temperatures. We took advantage of the unusual warmth. The kids and I played in the yard with our neighbor's granddaughters Caroline and Lauren. We had take out dinner from Carrabba's and double chocolate cupcakes from Starbuck's. Daddy and I are planning a movie tonight. Here's to #34. May it be the best yet!