Wow, was this week a busy one! It was such a crazy, chaotic, busy week that I wasn't sure we'd make it through. But we did! At the end of the week after much of the craziness, we had Greg and Kirsten's wedding Friday evening. What a phenomenal time I had! Love being witness to two people who are so truly in love! I was in the photographer role and I am hoping I did a good job. I haven't had but a second to upload the pictures on my computer and begin to edit. Fingers crossed that I did my job well and captured the gorgeousness of these two love birds! Saturday was Layla's Preschool Open House. She really enjoyed playing with all the new, fun and exciting toys. From there we headed home to get ready for cousin Jillian's wedding. Another gorgeous bride and a fun evening amongst family. We headed to 1149 in between the ceremony and reception and had ourselves a little party! LOL We don't get to do this often enough and it was a great time. The reception was a lot of fun and it was so great to see the family I don't often get to see. I hope both Greg and Kirsten and Jillian and Ronnie have wonderful, exciting, loving and healthy lives. May they always see the stars in each other's eyes. Hopefully I will have some pictures of the weddings edited and up soon! :)
Yesterday, well yesterday came good ol' Irene. Not my mother, but the hurricane. We were prepared for the worst at our house and somehow we skimmed by with just a few broken tree limbs. Our power stayed on and the one tree we have left, did not fall through our living room like we thought it would. We were lucky. Many people were not. My parents are still without power. There are trees and electrical wires down everywhere. I have seen a lot of cars crushed by uprooted trees. I can't imagine what would have happened had we gotten the storm like they once broadcasted it to come. As a category 3 hurricane, this would have been devastating. Thankfully, she was downgraded to a tropical storm by the time she reached us. Family out on Long Island didn't fare so well. I am praying that the flood waters recede and that they can get back to some sort of normalcy in the near future. Most importantly, I am just glad that everyone is safe. These pictures below are of my brother in law's parent's house out on Long Island. They live right on a canal. Devastating!
The word on the beach house is that it is a mess down there, but it looks as though our little piece of RCB will survive Irene. THANK YOU! I have to send kisses to heaven and thank Jay for that one. I don't know how on God's earth the ocean didn't take the Coop on this one! We can clean up messes, but we can't replace the Chicken Coop and I am grateful that we will at least have another summer to make memories. You can see some great shots of the beach if you go on http://www.RoyCarpenters.com.
So after weathering out the storm most of the day and finally having a chance to be nothing but LAZY, I began to prepare for Layla's big day. Packed her lunch, backpack, extra clothes, epi pen, etc. Labeled everything. Found and old dress in the attic that was Hannah's for her to wear on the first day (Who had time to shop for first day of school supplies? NOT ME!) The dress was perfect and exactly something that Layla would wear. We complimented it with one of our favorite Cha Cha Headbands, found closed toe sparkly pink sneakers and she was set to go. I kept my emotions in check all day and did not lose it once. I laid down with the girls for bedtime and all three of us fell asleep easily. I awoke an hour later and got up to finish some last minute preparations and that's when the tears began to stream down my face.
I'm nuts. Crazy. I get it. I know. I can't explain it though. I remember when Hannah began Preschool. She was tired and bored of being in the office with me. She was all over the place and needed some other children her age to be around. At the time, she was the only baby on both sides of our families. She was also going to a Preschool run by someone who is considered family. It was a smooth transition and I knew she would get special care. This is different. Layla is perfectly content to be with me here at the office. She loves it actually. We watch movies and play toys, sing and dance around like crazy monkeys. She gives me kisses and hugs the entire day and makes me laugh at her silly antics. While Hannah was restless at the office at this age, Layla is not. She loves being here with me and is truly like my little buddy. I just cant believe that we are at this stage with her where she is ready and able to go to Preschool. How did almost 4 years fly by so quickly? How are we at this point already? What I wouldn't do to keep this little love bug in my arms and cuddled up forever. I just pray that we can all get through these first few weeks without much to do. I pray that her environment there is safe and that she never gets her precious little hands into any peanut butter! Breath in breath out. UGH!
That being said, I cried myself to sleep last night. I woke up this morning and put my game face on. Got her ready for school, packed the car and headed out at 8 AM. Until... ta da!!! The Preschool was CLOSED! I was so consumed with her going, that I never even thought to check the news before I went to bed last night to see if it was closed due to the hurricane. They had said at the open house, that the school never closes, to be prepared for it to be open. I checked my email a few times during the day and nothing came through, so I just figured it was open. WRONG! LOL I am thrilled! LOL It gives me another 2 days to spend with my princess and another 2 days for her to get this cold and asthma flare up out of her system. THANK YOU GOD! I needed that! Two more days to wrap my arms my cuddle bug and soak every last bit of her up! xo
Five days and counting. Five days til my sweet baby Layla enters preschool. I'm a wreck. It hit me on the way home from our New Hampshire vacation Sunday night. We were in the car and one second I was fine, the next I was a sobbing mess. The realization of being back into the daily grind and entering my hell week was a little too much for me to bare. This happens to be the busiest week of my summer and yet, it is the last week I have to be with my girls before they begin school. To be home was the last thing I wanted.
We had such an amazing time up north. New Hampshire in the fall is always my favorite but the time we had there last week was second to none. All of the kids truly enjoyed themselves and it felt so good to "check out" of reality and just be. With no worries, no responsibilities and no anxiety. We took the kids to Six Gun City, Story Land, up Loon Mountain, Sugar Hill, Harman's Cheese Store... you name it, we did it. Billy and I even found time to take a Moose Tour. Something I had been dying to do since meeting him 8 years ago. Every time we head up to my in laws house in Lincoln, we pass the little booth that has the tours. Every year I say I want to do it. We finally did. We signed up for the 10:45PM tour and headed out loaded up on coffee. I was so excited, it felt like Christmas to me. I have always wanted to see a moose. I know it's strange, but it's just this thing I have. I want to see a moose. Up close. I just think they are so cute. People think I'm nuts but I don't care. The tour has 100% sightings. Do you think we saw a freakin moose? NOOOOOOO! (Well not really anyhow) Within the first ten minutes of the bus ride, we pulled over and the spotlight outside the bus came on. Apparently out in the distance there was a moose between the trees. I jumped out of my seat and to the opposite side of the bus to peer out the window and in that split second the moose turned and was out of sight. Seriously? The rest of the night.. NOTHING! We went to all the popular moose spots and still nothing. The bus pulled off the road and made moose mating sounds on a loud speaker...but no moose. Darnit! I was so dead set on seeing a darn moose that I made Billy take me out again at dusk the following night to search again. We sat at a famous moose spot with the kids for over a half hour with binoculars. NOTHING. Blech. I'm going to see one... I tell you. One of these days!!!!
I also got to see the Mount Washington Hotel for the first time ever. All the years of going up north and never have I ever seen such a beautiful place! It was hands down gorgeous. Mom Murphy, Leanne and I headed up to have some cocktails on the back porch. I was mystified at the beauty and serenity of the place. It was like the New Hampshire version of the Spring House Hotel on Block Island. I was in love! There were fresh colorful hydrangea arrangements all over the lobby. Beautiful chandeliers and of course, a moose head. (LOL) It was such a gorgeous night and we very much enjoyed our girl time surrounded by the beauty of the mountains with our cocktails in hand! I'm making a mental note to someday have enough money to go back there and stay with both my parents and my in laws. Putting it on my Bucket List.
Back to the whole "Moose" thing. I know I am being redundant but we also got to see an exhibit at the Flume Gorge called, "Forever Locked." It was something else. Two bull moose got their antlers stuck together during a fight. One moose's antler literally pierced the other moose's. The antlers were so stuck that neither could escape. The moose died this way. They were stuffed and they now go on display all over the country. So glad we got to see it especially since that was as close as I was getting to a moose this trip.
As you can see, we just had such a great time together as a family while enjoying my in laws and nieces as well. It's so difficult to get back in the swing of things especially during such a crazy week. I seem to be okay with Hannah going to 2nd grade. Does it bother me, yes, but I am also use to her routine because we have done it for 2 years. It's comfortable to me. I know what to expect. Plus she is my independent one. Would I love to keep her home forever? Uh YES! Hands down YES! However, not having my Layla three days a week is making my heart ache. I know you all probably think I am stupid for feeling this way, but I cant help it. She is my baby girl. (Yes Thank God I still have Cameron at home) It's just such a different feeling. I remember feeling this way with Hannah when it was time to let go a bit. But Hannah was so strong and by this point I knew with all my heart that she was healthy. That she'd be okay. Wise beyond her years. Han always seemed advanced to me, even at a young age. With Layla, I just worry so much. With all of her food allergies and peanut allergy. The peanut allergy freaks me out. Her asthma. How she likes to rest often during the day and doesn't have to be doing something all the time. She always gets so sick with everything that I am so afraid exposing her to all the germs that come along with school is really going to do her in. She has no immune system and gets everything ten times worse than everyone else. I am a worried mess. Moreover, she is 3 and a half, but yet, she is a young 3. I feel like she still needs me so much. I'm afraid that what I am about to learn is the exact opposite. That I need her more than she needs me. She's where I get all of my cuddles and love from. She never goes an hour without telling me she loves me. She constantly tells me I look like a princess and she is constantly wanting to wrap her arms around me and be as close as possible. She still says, "Mommy, hold you," when she wants to be held. I hope she says it that way for the rest of her life! She still sometimes wakes in the night and yells out for me, wanting to be cuddled by me. Last night she couldn't fall asleep until I put her in my bed and we cuddled ourselves to sleep. In my eyes, she's still my baby. I am just not ready for her to be.. well to be out there... exposed. Exposed to kids who may be mean to her or may hurt her feelings. I just want to protect her, like all my kids, from hurt. I want to keep her little, just a little bit longer.
That being said and now that you all think I have flipped my lid, I know I have to let go... just a smidge though. I know preschool is where she belongs and where she will thrive. I am putting her first by doing this, since technically she doesn't have to go until next year with her late birthday. I know that this is what is best for her and she needs to be surrounded by other children and learn the age appropriate things. I know this is right, but it doesn't make it easy for me. I know that this is something she is excited about and even though I vent my feelings here, I wont do it in front of her. That's not to say that I will skip the mascara and eye makeup on Monday, because I know they will be of no use due to my tears. I am hopeful that once we are in a routine, I will get use to not having her little face smiling up at me in my office. No.. sorry.. there is no way that I am not going to miss that. Though I will put my game face on and see this through.
I always hate this part of year when summer ends. It always seems to be a tough transition for me. For the kids too. I am looking on the brighter side and very much looking ahead towards the Fall. There is so much to look forward to and it is my favorite season of all. I am going to try and remain positive about all of this and just plug on forward. As I always say, I am blessed. Blessed to have this life that I have and blessed to have these three angels to dance around in my life.
It seems like over the past several months there has been an abundance of really sad news. Sad news all over the world and sad news here at home. Most recently my hometown has been hit hard with some very sad news and I am praying that the loved ones of Justin Ruotolo can somehow find peace amongst this tragedy. Surely a life gone too soon. May your family and friends find the strength to endure the pain of their loss. May you feel the love of those around you and know that you are thought of and prayed for....http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/providence/obituary.aspx?n=justin-ruotolo&pid=153027514
That being said, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to talk about something HAPPY! I found out some really great news a few weeks back. Upon hearing the news, I immediately said to myself, "HOORAAYYYY FINALLY SOME HAPPY, AWESOME, EXCITING NEWS!" So I will start with this. Skip has been my best friend for almost twenty years. I have had many dear friends throughout my lifetime, but Skip takes the cake when it comes to being there for it all. We've been there for each other through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. Part of the definition of a "friend" is someone you can count on. I can always count on Skip. There hasn't ever been a time when he hasn't been there for me. He's even been there for me, when he didn't know he was there for me. Like the times my Dad would find cigarette butts on the lawn and beer bottle caps in the driveway and he would question us. We would always give him the same answer. A shrug of the shoulders and a reply of "It was Skip." Somehow Skip never got in trouble with my Dad (except for that one time at work .. but we wont get into details here. We'll just say that it ended with a slap upside the head) Dad always had the ability to know when a person is good. Inside and out. Therefore, he always would cut Skip some slack. It probably helped that Skip usually greeted him with a big, dramatic, wet kiss on the mouth...(Grab your face and smooch kinda stuff) enough to make my Dad keel over in shock.. and then laughter. How could he be mad? The shock value of Skip's innocent actions always kept my Dad at bay with him. LOL! I honestly don't know what I would do without Skip's support in my life. He tells me how it is. If I am being stupid about an argument I am having with Billy, he'll tell me. "Ker, you're being stupid. I'm with Billy on this one," and vice versa. It's brutal honesty with us, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Who needs a friend to sugar coat everything? Give it to me straight. Tell me like it is!
So after twenty years of knowing someone, you get to know their family quite well. I have always said, "You can't choose your family, (Even though I got lucky in that department), but you CAN choose your chosen family!" Upon meeting Skip, I knew he had a younger brother whom my sister had dated in Junior High School (Can you even call it dating then? We use to say "going out" but yet, we never went anywhere! LOL) It lasted only a few weeks before his mother made him break up with my sister because it was Christmas and she didn't want to buy some little girl a gift. (I can totally say this because they will all laugh) Julie had already conned my mother into buying him a baseball cap... and she wasn't too pleased upon hearing the break up news. Yet, Greg didn't have the heart to break up with Julie, so he made his best friend Mikey break up with her. Best part, Julie and Mikey have been married for 5 years and have two gorgeous daughters! Long story short, through the years all of our friendship's flourished and somehow we even got our parents in on the mix. The Calamari Club was born and all the parents use to go out to dinner every Friday night. (They totally owe us for that one! If it weren't for us, they'd never had met!) I've touched on this a bit in older posts, but it's not too often that you find people in this world that have the same family values as we do. Somehow we have managed to surround ourselves with a circle of people who share our same belief, that family is a gift. To treasure it with your whole heart. The Youngs are such a family.
Through the years we all met our significant others and got married. I married Billy. Skip married Jane. Julie married Mikey. We were all part of each other's celebrations. As you may have noticed, Greg isn't mentioned here. It just took him just a little longer to realize that he was dating ALL the wrong women! LOL I'm not sure if I've emphasized that enough.... ALL the wrong, way too young, girls! We chosen family have this unspoken test. If you can bring a significant other to our Block Island vacation and they fit in, well then they are golden. Thumbs up. Until two years ago, all of Greg's girls failed miserably! But then there was Block Island two years ago when this gorgeous beauty accompanied him. Kirsten. I think we all began to see quite quickly that this was it. This was Greg's girl. This was the one! Not only is she beautiful on the outside, she's beautiful on the inside. There is no one better to compliment "my little brother" Greg. You see Greg is such a gentle soul. A laid back, I've got your back, type of guy. He doesn't get caught up in rumors or gossip. When he loves, he loves with his whole heart. He has one of the best smiles and his laugh is utterly contagious. He's kind and he's loyal. He's gentle and he is caring. He is true and he is honest. I have always said that he is a diamond in the rough. Now I say that he is a diamond in the rough and Kirsten is his gem. Together, they are a perfect pair.
Greg and Kirsten bought a house recently. The first step in beginning their lives together. Yet a few short weeks ago I got a phone call from Skip on a Sunday morning. I hesitated to answer because a phone call from Skip on a Sunday morning either meant good news, or bad news. I answered. Good news was an understatement! Kirsten and Greg had just found out they were pregnant with TWINS! To say that I was over the moon excited just doesn't even cut it. Amidst all the horrible things that have been happening lately, THIS is what now shines through. The GOOD in this world. The true BLESSINGS in life. THANK YOU GOD for putting Greg and Kirsten on this path. Every bone in my body knows that this is the right path for them and I am so excited to now see them have their chance to truly enjoy what I like to call, God's greatest gift.
So Greg, Kirsten, I wish you nothing short of all the happiness in this world. May your love for each other continue to grow stronger as you enter parenthood. May you always have the stars in your eyes and the smiles on your face. May you always be reminded of how very much you are loved and lastly... "May God bless and keep you always, May your wishes all come true, May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay forever YOUNG!"
All my love....
PS: Greg... when do you want to meet for a cup of coffee?
I have somehow found myself childless at work and it feels so very strange. Hannah is off gallivanting with Grammy and may even take a dip in the pool with her cousins over at their club. Billy's Quonset job finished up and there was no work today so he is home with the Layla bug and Cameroni. I thought it would be a refreshing change to have the solace at work and actually be able to get my work done in a timely manner. Truth be told, I hate it. I feel so weird being here alone without them. It's almost like I feel naked or like I forgot to put on an accessory. I feel it foreshadowing what's to come in a few weeks when Layla enters preschool and I am getting really sad about it. I want her here with me and Cam everyday. She is my little buddy and I don't know how I'm going to handle not having her here with me giving me squeeze hugs every five minutes. I know I will get use to it, but I don't want to. I want her here, with me. There is just something about her that exudes love and innocence and I don't want to spend a day without the Ravioli. The child just gets me. There is something so special about her. It's like an unspoken bond between us. God I wish I could just keep them little forever. Safe and protected. How lonely Cam and I are going to be in a few short weeks without our girls here to make us laugh on our work days. Today leaving, she held on to me with a big squeeze hug and begged me to stay home with her. How I so wanted to just sit there, with my arms wrapped around her while we watched Scooby Doo together on the couch and told jokes. How I wanted to spend the day with her making me pretend meals in her toy kitchen and doing all the silly things she likes to do during the day. I posted on facebook this weekend that after I win the lottery and first donated money to finding a cure for childhood cancer, I would then hire a house cleaner. I was wrong. I lied. Instead, after I donate money to childhood cancer research, I want to just be a stay at home MOM! I'll be a cleaning, stay at home MOM!
Lately, I can't sleep either which isn't helping my sensitivity. No sleep makes Mama a gushy mess. I have been taking my sleeping pill yet for some reason, the past week it seems to have lost it's affect. I know I can take up to two a night, but I really don't want to get in the habit of taking pills to sleep. I don't want to go there. I don't want to feel like a pill popper to get through life. But where in the Sam heck is my sleep? I am so tired. Exhausted and yet it wont come. I can't settle my mind and ease the stress long enough to drift off. Last night I just laid there for hours begging my eyes to shut so I could just SLEEP. I was so tired and yet nothing would settle me down. No sooner did I fall asleep, I would wake up and not be able to settle myself back down. Cameron was also up quite a bit with a belly ache from the antibiotics. I feel so bad that they are really bugging his belly but we need that ear to get better! Sunday night's sleep was dreadful. At least Billy was up with me this time though. We sat in bed talking and playing with aps on our iphones. (Sheer stupidity, I know) Yet, it felt good not to be alone in my sleepless world. I finally drifted off somewhere between 1:00AM and 2:00AM only to have the alarm go off at 5:00AM to remind me to take my parents to the airport. I spent most of yesterday walking around in zombieland, although I did thoroughly enjoy our trip to the Providence Children's Museum. The kids had a blast and I was thrilled with the fact that all three, at all different ages, remained occupied and excited about the activities there. It was truly a great place to take them on such a steamy, hot day. However,I've got to get a grip on this sleep thing. I can't function in Zombie mode much longer. I've got to get my butt in action and start eating healthy and somehow fitting some exercise in. I always have the best intentions and then I fall off the wagon. I go full throttle for a week or two and then slack right back into my old routine. Maybe if I get my act together and jump back on the horse, my sleep will come. Maybe.
We took Mom to go see Hairspray at Theater by the Sea on Saturday. A fun little getaway for us to spend some time with her. Hands down, this was the best production I had ever seen at TBTS. Phenomenal! It was the most hilarious live theater I have ever seen. It kept us all thoroughly entertained and Mom spent the evening tapping her feet through the entire thing. What an amazing cast and crew filled with so much talent. Tom Gleadow played Edna Turnblad and he was PHENOMENAL! If you ever have a chance to see him in this production, it's a MUST SEE! We are so completely thankful for an evening full of laughs! After the play we headed back to the beach house. Billy had the kids and I was about to head out to meet him back home but then I realized that it was the first time I was in my niece, Reanna's company without my kids. I decided to stay a bit and share some time with her. My little spunky 2 year old Goddaughter. She is a riot beyond belief and kept us keeled over in laughter with her actions. Obsessed with my jewelry, she kept putting my bracelets on her ears (hanging over her ears). She thought it was great that she had earrings and kept asking us if "they" were in the holes. God I could spend a trillion hours with her and I would be laughing the entire time! LOVE HER!
Well it wouldn't be a normal week in the Murphy household if we didn't have at least one of these munchkins sick! OYE! I could tell that Layla bug was beginning to have some breathing issues early in the week. It surprised me because she has not had any problems since May. Yet, I do remember as a child, that the Fall was one of the toughest times for my asthma. August is a little soon but I put her back on the Singulair to help her get some relief. By Wednesday night she was up coughing and gasping for breaths. At the same time, Mr. Cam was up all night crying. I had been riding out his restlessness thinking it could be teething, but Wednesday night I knew it had to be his ears. When I went to get him from the crib in the middle of the night because he was screaming, I also noticed this big lump on the side of his head. It certainly was not there when I put him down. There was no way I wouldn't have noticed it. Needless to say it freaked me out. Off to the doctors we went. Layla is definitely having asthma issues and the doctor thought she was very tight in the chest. We upped her inhalers and are keeping our fingers crossed that we don't have to put her on steroids. The Singulair makes her have very restless nights, but the steroids compound them by a gazillion. We have to keep a close watch that she doesn't develop a fever and have it turn into pneumonia.
Mr. Cam certainly has an ear infection and apparently it had been brewing for a bit. The poor bean. No wonder why he couldn't sleep. This time we are skipping all the puny antibiotics and going straight to the strong stuff! We have his ear tube surgery on the 29th but I have to move it back because low and behold, that is Layla's first day of Preschool. Hopefully I can get something the following week so that this cannelloni can start getting relief from these pesky ears! The lump on his head? Spider bite. Nasty spider! Leave my little man alone! I swear there is a nest somewhere in the attic. We have always had so many darn spiders upstairs! I am constantly killing them. Three doses of the antibiotic and I think he is starting to feel better. I'm also hoping they will help this nasty cough he started this morning. He slept so much better last night which is more like the love! I only had to get up twice with Layla, so all in all, it was a good night. Only my kids would continue to get sick through the summer. YES MOM AND DAD... I AM GETTING IT BACK TEN FOLD. So when you said to me, "I hope your kids do to you, what you've done to me." YOU FREAKING JINXED ME! LOL
Hannah seems to be the only healthy one! She spent the first part of the week up in New Hampshire with Grammy, Auntie Le Le and her cousins. It was the longest I spent apart from her. I hate doing it but I also know the meatball is seven and I have to start letting go from time to time. Plus I knew she would have a blast with her cousins. She did just that! From Santa's Village to swimming to pizza with her cousins, she was one content banana. This being said, when they began their decent home Wednesday evening, she called me saying she wanted to come home instead of sleeping at her cousins. I was quite shocked. Turns out she is a softy and missed me as much as I missed her! I sooo did not mind running up to Auntie's to get her at 10:30 at night. I think I squeezed her a trillion times. Saying that I am glad to have her home is an understatement!
Hoping we can get everyone better for the weekend. I think this is our last laid back weekend for the rest of the month! We are bombarded with weddings for the next three weeks! Happy Friday!
