Lost Tooth

Abby lost a tooth this morning.
I mean she really lost it.
Down the drain (we think).
Either that or she swallowed it!
I didn't even know it was that loose.
But as she was brushing her teeth before school this morning, out it fell.
In the chaos of her running into my room with toothpaste & blood dripping out of her mouth and me telling her to go rinse her mouth out with cold water - we realized we couldn't actually find the tooth.
So after a thorough search of the bathroom & bedroom floors, with no luck, we think it went down the drain.
Oops!

"Will the tooth-fairy still come if I can't find my tooth?"
"Sure she will, we'll just leave her a note, she'll understand."

Here's the note she wrote before going to bed:

It is now tucked safely into her tooth pillow waiting for the tooth-fairy's arrival.

Ice Ice Baby

The ice storm we woke up to yesterday morning was so beautiful I just had to get outside to get some photos.  So Abby and I took our cameras and went out for a walk around the neighborhood.  Here's a few of my favorites.

my partner in crime - my budding photographer 

Hip Hip Hooray!!

I'm so proud of my little Tiger Girl who scored her first goal yesterday (in her last game of the season!).  Yay Abby!  Way to patiently wait for the perfect pass & the perfect opportunity to shoot on the goal!

Sweet Abby

Abby: When I'm a mom, can I still call you Mommy?

Me: You sure can...

((Smile)) This girl makes my heart melt!

Back By Popular Demand...

I'm baaack!

Ok ok - so I've read the commentary on my blog (& my sister's blog!) wondering where I've been and when I'm going to start updating my blog again.

Well...here I am. I have no good reason as to where I've been, no excuses this time. Hopefully you will show your love & let me know that you're back following along with me.

Now back to business...


Abby started 1st grade this week. This is her first experience with all-day school and she was very nervous about it for the week or so leading up to her first day. She cried herself to sleep most nights and would spontaneously burst into tears throughout each day. So I was really expecting a horrible first day for her! Much to my surprise on Monday morning, she woke up in a great mood & started getting very excited as she got dressed & ready to go. By the time we got to the bus stop she was fine and got on the bus with no tears or fears! She lasted the whole day without tears and ran off the bus in the afternoon shouting "I love first grade!". (Mommy - on the other hand has teared up at various points throughout each day missing my sweet Abby.)

I absolutely love her teacher so far and so does Abby. On her first day she was given a homework assignment to bring in her 'forever' book to share with the class. A Forever book is a book that may not mean or look like much to someone else, but it is a book that is special to you. A book that whenever you read it or are reminded of it, you will forever recall special memories about it. Abby had 2 Forever books - "Bear Snores On" by Karma Wilson and "Disney Bear's Magical Day at the Magic Kingdom" - (a book we got in Disney). She took "Bear Snores On" into school with her and tomorrow she has to present it to the class and explain why it is special to her.

I just love this concept!!

My forever book(s) are the Little House on the Prairie series. I remember my sisters and I squishing together on one of our little twin beds every night to listen to my mom or dad read us a chapter or two. I can still picture the blue flowered wallpaper and my Holly Hobbie sheets.

So my question for you is this....What is your Forever Book & why?

I can't wait to hear from you all!

God Bless America!

Nothing beats spending July 4th at the shore. It is the epitome of small town America celebrating independence day, embracing our freedom and celbrating our amazing country.

We were blessed to spend an extended (4 day) holiday weekend in OCNJ. We started out the day by walking in the bike parade, well Abby rode her bike (decorated by Nana), and Jim & I walked while pushing Chris & Alex in the double stroller. It was a pretty long parade route, I was so proud of Abby who rode the entire way! It was so fun to walk down the streets lined with spectators cheering everyone on, especially when we passed Grandma & Pop-pop (my parents) & Uncle Michael & Aunt Kim. After the parade, we headed to the beach and spent a great day on the beach with my parents & Michael & Kim. Then we topped the day off with a BBQ at Jim's Aunt & Uncle's house and a walk to the beach to watch the fireworks. There's just something about sitting on the beach in the dark and watching the fireworks. The kids loved it, especially Alex who squealed with excitement at the ones that he liked.

Nags Head '09

Once again this year, we headed down to Nags Head, NC to spend a week at the beach with my whole family...all 17 of us. We were blessed with great weather and had a blast relaxing on the beach just about every day. I think I can speak for us all when I say that I wish I was still there...I'm still experiencing a bit of the post-vacation blues - made worse by the fact that it seems like it has been raining since we got home 2 1/2 weeks ago!!!

Muffins with Mommy

On Thursday I went into Abby & Chris's school for Muffins with Mommy (and yes, the "hole" in my head was gone!)  We had a great morning together - Chris & I got to 'hatch' his butterfly from the cacoon & then decorate it.  Abby & I got to make her graduation cap (!) for her graduation next week.  Her class also performed a few songs for the mommies - so cute!  Oh yeah - and we also got to enjoy yummy muffins together!

Classic Conversations

This conversation took place in the car as we were waiting to drop Abby & Chris off at preschool this week:

Christopher: Mommy, you have a hole in your head!

Me: I do?! Where?

Christopher: Here. (pointing to a zit I have in the middle of my forehead). :)

Me: Oh - that's not a hole, that's a boo-boo.

Abby: I hope it's not there for Muffins with Mom next week.

Me: Yeah, me too.



Today Jim worked from home, but had a conference call he had to make this afternoon. So rather than try to talk over the kids, he decided to go out to the car to make the call...

Abby: Where's Daddy going?

Me: He has to make a phone call for work so he went for a drive.

Abby: Why'd he go for a drive?

Me: Because he needs peace & quiet & silence.

Abby: What's silence?

Enough said.

Princess Powder Puff

This weekend we went out & bought Abby a brand-new bicycle (with training wheels).  We had wanted to get one for her birthday in January, but decided to wait until the spring when she could actually use it.  So we went to Toys-R-Us and let her pick out the one she wanted...and it is all girl!  

Pink & Purple, with streamers on the handlebars, and glittery stars on the spokes.

 

                                       

We definitely won't be able to hand this one down to the boys!  She even got to pick out a new helmet - Princesses, of course.  She is in heaven with this bike.  Everyday she asks to go outside & ride it.  Yes, even in the un-springlike weather (40s) we've been having this week.  She looks so big riding her new bike, makes me a little sad to think of how big she is getting.  I guess the next thing will be removing the training wheels - but no need to rush things!!!

I Heart You!

I think Valentine's Day shouldn't be just once a year...it should be everyday.  Wouldn't it be nice if everyday we went so out of the way to show our loved ones just how much we love & care about them!?  I think we'd all be happier people.  

Here are the loves of my life...

My Peanut Alex

My Buddy Christopher

My Princess Abby

My Man Jimmy

I am SO blessed!

When I'm a Mommy...

Abby has been fascinated lately with growing up & being a Mommy & who she will marry, or as she puts it, who will be her "daddy".

Right now she wants to marry Christopher or her cousin Evan and wants to have a baby girl named "Aunt Donna" and a baby boy named "Christopher".

Tonight as I was tucking her into bed she asked me, "When I'm a Mommy, I'll want to talk to you...but I don't know your phone number!"

After assuring her that I would give her my phone number, she finally went to bed.

Lighter Notes

Chris-isms:

While on vacation in San Diego a few weeks ago, Chris kept saying he wanted to go back to the SHOW-AND-TELL and ride the ALLIGATOR. We finally figured out that he wanted to go back to the HOTEL and ride the ELEVATOR.

"Mommy, I like you better than a dog."
Gee thanks, Chris. That means alot coming from you, you're deathly afraid of dogs and run & cry every time you see one! :)

Abby-isms:

Abby came home from school after her halloween party last week with a treat bag full of halloween things. She pulled out a little finger puppet of Frankenstein and kept calling him "Franklin Steinmetz" (My sister Amy's married name is Steinmetz) So apparently Amy has another little monster in her brood. :)

As we were leaving Nathan's 2nd birthday party last night, Evan accidentally let go of his balloon and was upset about it. So the WHOLE way home Ab was trying to figure out a way to get it back:

"Mommy, can we leave the window open in case we see Evan's balloon so that we can grab it?"

"I don't think that will work, Ab. It floated way up high in the sky."

"Then maybe we can build a rocket ship and go up to the moon to get it."

"That's a great idea, Ab."

"How 'bout while I'm at school tomorrow morning you & Chris & Alex can build the rocket ship and test it out and then when I get home we can go to the moon and get Evan's balloon."

"Sure, I'll get right on it..."

"I know...when you talk to Daddy (who is in Hong Kong for work) you can ask him to look out for Evan's balloon, because maybe it floated all the way to China."

"Yeah, maybe...I'll ask Daddy"

So when Jim called this morning - Ab & Chris both asked him to look for Evan's balloon.

And then this afternoon Abby said to me, "Mommy - how come you & Chris didn't build the rocket ship while I was at school?"

"Uhhh...." :)

My Sweet Baby Girl...

Abby has just been full of cuteness lately. Here's what she said the other day when I was buckling her into the car.

"Mommy, I love you so much it makes my heart smile!"

I just can't get enough of this little girl! She makes my heart smile everyday!

Summer Fun with Friends & Family

We have been having some beautiful (dare I say it) FALL-like weather up here. Beautiful warm days of low humidity & cool nights perfect for sleeping. The kids & I have been loving this weather and have been spending our days playing outside here at our house or at the park with friends. We have also been enjoying our weekends on the beach.

Five o'clock shadow? Nope - just a chocolate ice cream beard...is this what he will look like if he forgets to shave in highschool?

Alex at the beach - isn't he adorable?
Practicing his surfing moves.

I absolutely love this picture of Abby & Chris hanging out in the backyard.
Jim holding our "shark" Alex.
My 3 cuties on the beach in Ocean City.
Our family under the umbrella.
Me & my cutiepie Christopher - trying to warm up after a swim.

Ab, Chris, Jack & Noah - the foursome cooling off in the shade at the park.
All the cousins (except Alex) eating lunch on our deck.
Abby & Tess at the park.
Alex - the future football player in action.
Abby & Alex had so much fun yesterday as she pushed him around on his little scooter. I have video which I will try to post later.