You Know You Have a Boy When.....

What oh what was Preston up to this past week? Well let me tell you a little about Preston's adventures. In his quest for unwavering independence, Preston and I were walking to the car on Thursday morning when I turned to put our bags in the front seat. Upon turning around, in slow motion, I watched as my son stuck his finger in his mouth. No big deal right? Well my brain processed as quick as it could, a mere millisecond prior to him actually sticking his finger in the mouth. You know how you know what he did, but you cannot get the words out yet because you saw it, but language cannot process that fast? Well it was that quick. And what appetizer did he fancy? He stuck his finger in spit on the sidewalk-and not his spit either. So beyond disgusting! I mean maybe he thought it was his since I constantly am suctioning him and sometimes if we are in public the "collection" in the aspirator goes into streets or bushes. I tried wiping out his mouth with a wipe, but reassured myself (with that fake medical degree I have) that any illness would have been killed upon being exposed to the sidewalk. Ew gross.

Fast forward to Friday night. We are in the car in the parking lot of daycare when I go to suction him before our ride out to the Island and I see a flash of green. Upon further inspection I realize that Preston has wedged a pea from lunch into the nether regions of his left nostril. When I asked him if he stuck a pea up his nose he started to cry. I felt so bad-poor thing has had it up there since lunch-but I mean why did he even think to do this in the first place? I went back into the daycare and with a small audience of everyone consoling him and the promise of chocolate Munchkins, (he was super calm and did not utter a peep though), mommy performed emergency pea evacuation surgery with a very sharp tweezer. No need for another hospital co-pay. I really hope he never attempts this again. My sister stuck a bead up her nose when she was younger (last year....no just kidding she was a toddler too) and my mother assures me she never attempted putting stuff up her nose again. Even during those college years...go Katie!

After those two escapades, the weekend was normal. My brother Charlie got married civilly two months ago, so this weekend was the wedding reception. I have a wonderful new sister-in-law Patricia and a five year old step-niece Nicole who is very camera shy, which is a shame since she is gorgeous. Here is our family picture-my dress in this picture makes me look wavy, but hey it was a good family shot! Have a great week everyone!

Sorry to my dad that he looks like a floating head in the picture!

Calling all the Ladies

Ok girls, so after reading through Tonya and Cat's blog everyone seems to really want to start saving for your 2009 convention. Ladies-it's in New York and that is my CITY! I am super excited even though we are not LPA members, that you all are thinking of coming here, but I must lay some ground rules...

1. We will have to take the kids to see the fireworks

2. We should take in a baseball game (both our baseball teams are in new stadiums starting 2009)

3. If you come, we must plan for a babysitter for each of the kiddos-preferably the men so we can take one night out and party NYC style! Nice dinner, maybe a wine bar-etc. Maybe even start in early afternoon for a pedicure and some retail therapy!!!! What do you all think?

I am getting so excited just knowing that I could be meeting all of you and the cute patoots! Yay!

Oh and for good measure, I am throwing in a picture of Preston.

Maybe if you Took a Nap....

Preston refused his nap yesterday. He normally loves his nap and is quite pissed if you rouse him prior to when he is ready to get up. At 5:30 last night I fed him his dinner and he asked for applesauce. I turned to take the top off the applesauce and this is what I saw...

He slept straight until a little before 6:00 am this morning. (Not in the chair-I did carry him upstairs to bed). He was just a little peach too-that's what 12 hours of good sleep can do for the body! He was full of smiles and hugs this morning!

Here are just some poses from the weekend as well. Enjoy!

Back to Typical Preston

My son honestly just cracks me up. His words are flowing, his personality is just amazing and everyday there is something new. He is also trying to get down the whole potty training thing. It's not going too well. He'll go if I happen to sit him on the toilet when he has to go, but he is not yet independently asking me to go in the potty (unless of course it is a way to prolong bedtime)! He is very proud of his pull ups too! When he does go he beams and says "Oh Mommy! Pee pee Potty-I big boy!" Then he promptly asks for a prize. Lately everything is "I big boy." He loves validation that he is no longer a baby and he is growing up. Especially if he walks up steps-remember those legs are a good 2 inches shorter than other kids his age so that is quite an accomplishment! Of course being a big boy means longer wait times in the morning. He has to climb into the stroller himself or walk somewhere himself, belt his own car seat, etc. It is very cute though to watch how happy he gets.

Here are some new pictures of the dude. He is not on the phone here with anyone other than the dial tone, but once the lady comes on to tell him to hang up and try his call again, he does have conversations with her! The second is him in his cute sheep hat I got in Ireland. Preston is into sheep because of the show Jakers! The sheep have slap stick humor, they fall down and get into trouble so he thinks "seep" are pretty cool.

A Letter to Preston

Dear Preston,

Today was Father's Day. This is a hard day for me, not as a daughter, but as your mommy. As I watched you today I felt so sad. I was such a lucky girl growing up. Pa-Pa was my daddy and Preston, he was such a wonderful daddy. He epitomized the word. He is always there for the four of us, mommy, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Tinka and Uncle Chris. He is such a great husband to Ba. Sure they have had ups and downs, but they get through it together. Their marriage has endured the good and bad-exactly the words they vowed in front of God and their family and friends thirty two years ago. Pa-Pa never shirked a responsibility. Even when Pa-Pa had cancer and underwent radiation. Even when Pa-Pa had quadruple bypass surgery two days before your father left. Even after going through stent operations! Now he has you too! You are such a special little guy for him.

It's been two years since it became just Mommy and Preston. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that it is just Mommy and Preston because I get to raise you and teach you the right and proper values, steer you on the path of goodness and rightness and give you every chance to be loved by such an amazing family and my wonderful circle of friends.

It was hard when you were first born Preston. Mommy was scared-so scared that you may not stay with us. That the doctors could still have been right. I had a new diagnosis that I had to learn that only six weeks earlier I had never heard of defined medically and could not even spell or pronounce it! I had a general understanding of orthopedics and ENTs and geneticists, but I never thought I would know them with you. I asked God why me? Why YOU? I surely could not handle it! There were better parents out there to watch you. After all, what if I went into your nursery and you were not breathing? I don't know how I could handle this. But I did. I believe you were sent to me from God. I believe you were sent because I needed someone to complete my life, to show me that there was perfection in every child brought into the world. You made me a better person. You taught me how to be strong! I was the lucky one. I was chosen to be your mom-one in 15,000-40,000 and it was me! How lucky was I?

Two and a half years later I watch you in amazement. We went out to breakfast this morning and the waitresses all know you and really want to steal you because you capture their hearts. They put in a rush order on your pancakes. Your personality is unreal. Tonight you had such a smile on your face running behind your new cousin Nicole, or "Cole" as you call her. Tonight before going to bed gave me a big kiss and said, "I love you."

Oh Preston. I love being your mom. I also feel as if I have to be your daddy too. And sometimes that is hard. I know you see the other daddies pick up your friends at school. I know you see daddies at the playground and at restaurants with their kids. I just don't understand it either sometimes Preston. I know you don't understand the word divorce now, but someday you will. The first Father's Day you were here for was four days prior to your father leaving. He has not been around the past two years. This year I cannot even write the reason it makes mommy so angry. I wish you had my last name. I have watched your eyes turn from your father's green to hazel to almost a light brown-lighter than mine, but in the brown family. I see your hair, just a tad bit more strawberry in it than mine was at your age. I see your determination and your drive to succeed and I know I have paved that way for you.

I love that we are a team. We have our jokes, our special songs in the car, our moments when you just hug mommy so tight (hugs with arms). But I hope one day too Preston I can find someone for the both of us. Someone like Pa-Pa. Someone who will go to the ends of the earth for us, or work fifteen jobs to support you if that is what it took to make you happy and give you everything you need. Someone who will put you before anything else in the world. Someone who will love both of us so unconditionally.

Just know I love you more than life. I am trying so hard baby. I hope I will never let you down. You are the coolest kid on the planet and I am the luckiest person in the world.

Love, Mommy

P.S. Here are some pictures of you and Pa-Pa at the Father's Day Celebration at your school. You colored with Pa-Pa and then he made ice cream sundaes. He loved your had painted gift box filled with tootsie rolls and a chocolate lollipop you made!

The Ants Go Marching One By One

Preston found an ant colony outside our apartment. There are about 100 to 200 ants marching back and forth. Occasionally he tries to "touch" an ant and that poor unfortunate soul marches up to ant heaven. He does try to jump over them but once again there are a few foot soldiers who fall victim to the bottom of his size 6 Stride Rite. Here is Preston super excited about his ants!

Here Comes the Heat

Lord was it hot this weekend! I swear I jammed more things into about 36 hours than I thought possible. Friday Mel and I went to the Yankee game where I ate like a man (2 hot dogs, peanuts, pretzel-yum)! Saturday we were off to get Preston's mop cut yet again and he was oh so cooperative this time (LOL). I then decided to work off some of the 1000 consumed calories from the previous evening (well I sweat off a few) so Preston and I washed my car. Well actually I washed my car and Preston played in the water and covered himself with soap.

Then off to a nap went Preston while Katie and I took in some pool time and I burned a little bit. Which prompted every Captain Obvious in my office today to ask if I was outside over the weekend. I really didn't even respond to half of them. I mean if they passed the bar exam I think they can deduce red shoulders equals sunburn. The good thing is I tan up pretty easily. Katie and I then went into the city for dinner and The Little Mermaid on Broadway. It was EXCELLENT! The scenery, the costumes, the dancing. It was really amazing. Preston had a great night with Ba and Papa-he went to Friendly's and played with Play Doh.

Sunday consisted of a trip to Costco, a trip to Kohl's, a trip to the grocery store while my pedicure was drying and after they burned my eyelids with eyebrow wax, a visit to Aunt Mel's with Preston and two loads of laundry! I also started a major project at work today so my life is on hold for the remainder of the week!

Hope everyone is staying cool-especially our little sweat boxes (hee hee, I mean our cute kids)!

Professor Preston says "Try to Cut Costs!"

This pic was taken after bath. Preston was sitting on the potty and took my glasses off and put them on. I hate to take a picture on the potty but he really wanted to see himself in the glasses. Silly goose.

Renay and Mandy wrote blogs about trying to cut costs in this lovely economy we have here. I am one of those people who takes gas prices personally. Cheryl and I were discussing this recently how going to the pump makes me rage. I just take it so personally. Apparently this is a syndrome (I heard on news radio). People do become psychologically affected by the sticker shock, but doctors say that we should try to think of happier thoughts. Like what-when I was in college in Albany paying $.98 to fill my Chevy Cavalier? I get so angered as I watch the gas stations literally raise their prices nightly even though no gas has been friggin delivered! New York right now is between $4.21 to $4.59 for a gallon of regular. REGULAR!

I only buy regular. I am of the belief that there is no such thing as super or Plus. Reason? Well when a truck happens to pull up to fill at the station, there is ONE main tank on the truck, not three. So where is the plus and the super? I also think it is going into one big hole underground and this is all a big scam. I also lease my car so if I needed plus (which I don't), but if I did, by the time my engine started to supposedly break down, it would be returned. And with plus and super twenty to forty cents more, I would not care about making the car run better.

What gets me about the gas is I tried to Google why prices are so high and there is really no concrete answer. I understand the principles of supply and demand. There is no drought of gas. It's politicians and Wall Street brokers short trading and the states making HUGE profits. If there truly is a drought is there any reason we are not drilling in Alaska? I for one am ready to sacrifice the caribou. I mean I am sure they are nice animals and all,but truly I care more about my wallet. I wish I could commute by public transportation, but working in the 'burbs just does not afford me the opportunity. So I tried to think of how I could costs.

Land Line-I could get rid of my land line. I never use it. Only my grandmother calls on it the three times a year my grandmother actually picks up the phone because she still thinks she gets charged long distance from Queens to Westchester. Yet there are those nights that I forget my cell phone in my car. It does not happen often, but I cannot bear to not have a phone for even one night. So that is about $35 I am not going to save.

Cell Phone-People are downgrading their plan. My phone is a fifth appendage. Literally-I live on it. I have a great plan though and the lowest I can pay is $99 before taxes and fees. If I go any lower, I'll talk over the allotted minutes, thus paying like triple what I pay now. Besides I love my phone about as much as I love my IPod.

Cable-Can't cut it. Truly I cannot. I love my TV. Come to think of it, I love my TV,IPod and cell phone a lot. If I had to have an affair though with one of the objects I guess it would be the TV. (Although the cell phone loses by a very small margin). I watch so much television and in the summer I need to catch up on movies since I just do not have time during the main season. (This Renay is why I don't have any summer commentary. I could comment on movies I have seen though). Second, the Yankees are on cable. They have their own network that is only on cable. It is not even an option to not watch the Yankees. And watching Derek Jeter in HD right now is as satisfying as a McDonald's large fries when you are famished. Pretty darn satisfying! I could get rid of the premium channels but I like watching movies. I then thought I'll call my mom and ask her how I can cut costs and I say-ok I'll get rid of HBO On Demand. She laughs. It's $4.95 a month. I mean really. Might as well just keep it. So the cable bill would go from $170 a month to $165. (Please be advised the Internet and phone are also included on the cable bill). Besides if I get a hankering for Curb Your Enthusiasm I can get Larry at my fingertips. Also Preston loves Disney and I just cannot takehim away from Little Einsteins.

Food-Here is where I do try. I do go through the circulars and buy on sale. I also don't cook that often. In fact Mel told me my eating habits are deplorable. She is right. I eat like crap. I am also now 30 so I do worry it is only a matter of time that I have to start eating healthy. I usually splurge on a good lunch about three times a week with the girls and I cannot eat three huge meals a day, so I eat a pop-tart for dinner on those nights. I know, I know. I just don't like cooking after a long day. Preston has two prepared meals a day and I pack him a dinner. I guess as he gets older I will have to cook but for now who says M&Ms are not a meal? Although since I skipped lunch today since I had a deposition, I did cook dinner for myself.

Retail-You all know my obsession for sales. I think I am a great shopper. I'll always use coupons too and scour sale racks!

So basically nothing is changing. I am paying more for gas and food (prices on the rise), but I have not changed my ways. I am not going out spending money like a drunken sailor though, so I guess I am making a change. No major purchases like a new bag since I tend to use the same two over and over while the others collect dust. Probably because I pay a designer bag's worth of tuition every month to the day care Preston attends. Let's not even begin with my rent that could buy me a five bedroom home on three acres in another state. Oh well. I do save though. Especially for Preston. Knowing his account is growing for college even despite this cruddy economy makes me happy.

I am bending over and taking it I know. But after a long day at work I still have my vices...and my tank is almost empty again. *Sigh*

A Day Out With Thomas!!!!

This weekend was such a blast! Last month Emily told me about a Day out with Thomas. My aunt had touted this outing since she had taken my cousin twice during his Thomas phase. Seeing that Preston gets as ga-ga over Thomas as I do Patrick Dempsey in scrubs, I thought what the hay-let's go! We first met up at Emily and Devon's house on Saturday for a sleepover. Emily was my first friend from POLP! We always try to get together twice a year and I really wish we lived closer because the boys get along so great! Seamus will be three in July so he and Preston are five months apart. Preston was also very into Grace (who is absolutely precious I might add). Grace is Seamus' little sister who is sixteen months. The power of peer pressure also worked as this weekend Preston went pee-pee on the potty! Seamus has the Baby Bjorn potty. Devon and Emily were told in Delaware that achon kids feel more secure learning to toilet with their feet on the floor and this potty chair is great for that. Well Preston was so proud of himself!

Sunday morning the boys were decked in their Thomas finery and off to North Creek with Emily's parents we went. The boys were fascinated with "Big Thomas." Preston was in no mood to take pictures and was a big sourpuss and ruined them all (just kidding).

The train ride was really cute-about twenty minutes, just long enough to hold their interest. Not long enough to hold off Preston's appetite and thank God Emily had goldfish packed in her bag before he morphed into mutant child. They also had their pictures taken with Sir Topham Hatt who Preston was a little unsure of, but Seamus ate it up! They were also very happy with their Thomas tattoos that they got on their hands. Here is Preston in his conductor hat. It was mighty big because I had to buy an adult size since the child one did not fit :-)

It was a really great weekend. Seamus is having his tonsils and adenoids removed on Thursday so let's all keep him in our thoughts that he bounces back into his big boy self in no time!