Time away, for a few reasons...

The holidays have had me very busy and a cold, a horrible one, the week before didn't help.  I was feeling run down and needed a break.  I am feeling better, still exhausted, but that is how the holidays always work.  It was a fantastic Christmas.  We had a blast with JP even though he really didn't know what was going on.  I received some very thoughtful gifts and so much appreciate them.  I saw family and friends from near and far and my house feels like it has been a revolving door of people in and out.  It has been great but tiring.  It has also been a good diversion as this time of year is bittersweet for me.  I think that is why I am finding the need to write.

Today marks two years from the doctor's appointment that may have altered my life completely.  Today was the day that I went to the doctor at 17.5 weeks pregnant and was told by the doctor that was in that day that I was fine, round ligament pain was causing my discomfort.  I was naive, I left the office saying, this is normal, no sonogram to check anything out.  I know better now, I know to trust my instincts.  Two days later I was admitted into the hospital because of a degenerating fibroid that caused the loss of Lia Rose.  I picture her in my mind growing up as I watch my friends daughters who would be so close to her age.  It is hard, but she sent the most perfect little boy for us.  He would not be here if she was and now I cannot imagine life without him.

This Christmas I was able to put her ornament on the tree along with his.  I have a pregnant bear ornament that I received as a gift the Christmas I was pregnant with her.  It upset me too much last year to put it up, but this year, I took it out and wrote her name and birthday on the back and hung it right in front of the tree.  It is another step.  Then I thought about the fact that I don't have one for JP and realized that I was glad, it is something I have just for her.  He will have many more ornaments to come, but that one, is hers.

Black and White

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

It's that time again!  Ashley Sisk from Ramblings and Photos does a scavenger hunt each week and it is so much fun to participate.  It's always great to see the different interpretations of the photo prompts.  I hope you enjoy my photos.

1. Black & White

 

 He wasn't quite sure of what to make of the drum stick.  We just had to do it.

2.  I ate this

 My husband makes the most delicious popcorn with sage brown butter and seasoned salt.  Yum!

3. Historic

 This is from my archive.  It is a picture of the light house at Montauk Point.  It could actually work for 

The End as well as that is what we call it, but I have a different picture for that.

4.  Off Center

5.  The End

 This is THE END of my day.  I had some other ideas for the end, but none of them came to fruition.  That's ok though, I'll keep them tucked inside my head until they do.

So blessed

I didn't have the opportunity yesterday to post about all the thankfulness that I have.  I don't think that thankful really cuts it at this point.  My husband and I haven't had the easiest two two years, there have been a lot of ups and downs.  For a while it was mostly downs that just seemed to keep coming at as.  I am thankful that through it all we were able to support one another and grow into our new perspective.  I am thankful that two years ago (almost)  I was able to hold a perfect little angel who opened up our hearts more than we knew they could be opened.  She left us raw and exposed and cracked our hearts opened in a way that I really can't explain.  I am so thankful for the little guy in our lives right now who, cracked us opened even more.  I am thankful for his health and his happiness his smiles and his laughter.  I am thankful that I am seeing the world through his eyes everyday.  I am thankful for my husband who is my rock.  He is truly amazing, always there to help me with whatever I need, even when it means putting his own things aside.  I am often blown away by how thoughtful and perceptive he is.  I think our little one may be following in his daddy's footsteps.  I am thankful for my parents who watch my little guy everyday while I go to work.  I know that he is getting the best care aside from us watching him.  I am also thankful for fantastic friends who have been there for us when we've needed them.  All in all, although the past two years have been tough, I am so grateful to have what I do right now.

Another Photo Challenge

I found this photo challenge on The Paper Mama blog and thought it might be fun to enter.  The challenge was eyes.  His eyes are the coolest color right now.  So hard to describe, the are maybe best described as steel blue, but there's a ring of greenish right around his pupil.  I wonder what color they will be????

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

It's that time again, Scavenger Hunt Sunday.  I really do enjoy taking the pictures even if I don't get them all.  It keeps me thinking of pictures and different shots.  I gave it my best effort!  That's all that I can do right???  It isn't easy with working full-time and being a new mom.  I get the weekends to take pictures.  Here are this weeks for me...

 1.  The View Above (OK, so I thought it was the view from above)

Between my feet the rock looks like a heart!  

2.  Something Hot
This was in the greenhouse at a nursery we love to go to.

3. Something Cold 

(Snowflakes are cold although not this one, could go for sparkle too)

4. Electronic (missed this one)

5.  Sparkle

It was sparkly in the store, but doesn't seem so now.

I always have fun taking the pictures.  I usually don't have much time for editing before I post them so these are all straight out of the camera.  I have been playing around with some editing when I have the time, so hopefully I'll get something on here.  Maybe over the four day vacation for Thanksgiving, which really is my favorite.

Next weeks photos are

1. Black and White (next week's Paper Mama theme)
2. I Ate This... (November 2010 Photo Hunt)
3. Historic (Dina's Suggestion)
4. Off-Center (Dina's Suggestion)
5. The End (Dina's Suggestion)

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

I haven't done Scavenger Hunt Sunday in a few weeks.  Things have just been a bit hectic in our house.  I realized that I barely even took pictures of the little guy the past two weeks.  I broke the camera out this weekend and got some pictures of him and two for the Scavenger Hunt.  I like to get them all, but I figured the effort was worth it.

Handmade

I made this journal this weekend.  The inspiration came from The Creative Mama Blog.  I saw it and thought that I would make a wish book.  My husband and I are always thinking of things that we would like for ourselves, the house and now the baby, but often we don't have the means to get it at the time.  I thought that by writing down some of our "wishes" it may help us to make some of them come true.  For example, my husband wants to create storage space in the garage, and I would like a new color printer.  We can have a goal and it will hopefully help us to reach it.  I also thought it would be nice to put some of the really big wishes we have too such as trips etc. that we would both like to do one day.  It may seem silly, but putting it down on paper helps sometimes. 

Candle

That's all I have for this week, but I have to say that I was excited to make my little journal.  I think it came out pretty nicely.  I have some thoughts on how I might do the next one that I make. 

We had such a fabulous weekend here!  The weather was very mild for the middle of November and we spent a lot of time outdoors.  We have a huge pot of sauce on the stove and the house smells wonderful.  Our chore list has paid off because this weekend we didn't spend so much time doing household things, we did some, but we really were able to enjoy each other.  The best part is that we are all caught up with pretty much everything!  Oh and I have exercised for 4 out of 6 days this week.  I am on a roll and hope I can keep it up.