Me 'N Ree... An Accidential Country Girl meets an Accidental City Girl

So last night a co-worker and I went to the Brookline Booksmith/Coolidge Corner Theater to see Ree Drummond.... better known as the Pioneer Woman. It was fabulous. I kept my car at the office and the co-worker (who works part time) picked me up and off we went.... the mile down the road to the bookstore and the theater.


Prior to the book signing, we had tickets to hear her speak about her life on the ranch at the Coolidge Corner Theater. She talked about sun in and meeting the Marlboro Man and her lovely children. She even sang "Endless Love" to photos of her adorable pup Charlie. She was as down home, lovely and funny as we thought. And... She is GORGEOUS. I want to look that fabulous after having four kids. It ended to crazy applause and people beelined for the door.


Since the book signing was open to the public, they were lining up in the store while she was talking, which meant we had a wait in front of us. I went into the store while my co-worker held our place in line. I got 2 copies of the new cookbook (one for each of us) and her autobiography "High Heels and Tractor Wheels" for me. I got back in line with my friend and we waited... and waited... The line stretched around the corner and down the street. Finally we made it inside the store. It had been about an hour and a half at that time. The line in the store was up the center aisle and around and back down to the back. She took a moment to meet everyone and she chatted with people. We got up there after another hour and twenty minutes or so. By then my phone died but the sainted co-worker took a picture with her phone. Me 'n Ree. A moment trapped in time.

I talked with her a little about kids and about Monkey. I told her that I read her whole blog while on bed rest awaiting the birth of my son. To which she replied, "You must have been sick of me!" My response: "I was sick of my bed!"

After my co-worker saw her and got her book signed, we waived goodbye to Ree and left the bookstore, not envying the people behind us in line. We had waited almost 3 hours and every moment of that was worth it.

After that we went and grabbed a slice at Upper Crust and I was returned to my car at work. I made my way home talking with Mr. the whole ride. I would have loved to read the book all night, but the alarm rings early on Fridays and I was back in Mommy mode - making bottles and getting ready for the next day.

Today, despite being exhausted, I am in a super cheerful mood. Last night was much needed and super fun.

Memories...

A good friend of ours went into labor yesterday and all the memories of my own labor and birth come back to me. All the pain, panic and the delight and pure honest love a mother has for her new baby. I suppose it is the same for every mother.

Last night while Monkey slept, I crept into his room (as I often do) to watch my little man sleep. It seems like yesterday I was laying his small body on my chest and covering him (and I) in a blanket post surgery. Now he is 30 inches or so and sprawled across his bed in his sleepsack that he is growing out of faster than I can replace it. He is active and smiles when I walk in the room. Now he tries to blow me kisses. He never needed to smile to tell me he loved me, that love connection was made the first moments we saw each other.

That friend had her baby this morning, and what a cutie he is. I can't divulge names right now, but I know that her heart is bursting with one of the greatest loves a person can have. And that makes me happy.

I am so happy for these friends.... We got married a month apart and we live down the road from each other, so hopefully, our boys become friends. I know they are going to be amazing parents.

Daycare just called...

Apparently Monkey really coveted the Ritz crackers that his friends were having. The teacher asked if he could have one.

"Of course" I said and hung up the phone.

Then I realized it... Slowly my baby is growing into a little boy.

It made me want to cry.

Maybe it is just the lack of sleep...

So, I was on my way to work this morning and I heard it again...an argument about banning children from restaurants.

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand the desire to have a nice quiet meal and that SOME children mess that up. But when I tell you this whole "kid free" thing pisses me off, it is the understatement of the year. We take our son to restaurants to teach him how to act. And he acts well or we go. It is as simple as that. But people seem to want to punish good families for what bad kids have done. And that is not acceptable and not fair.

When we go to a restaurant, we bring baby food, milk, and something for him to play with. When we walk in it always happens... we get a dirty look from someone in the restaurant. A look that says "how dare you bring your child here?" We ignore it and sit down and our son happily eats his puffs and plays with his toys. Occasionally he will look around and flirt with the table behind us. He is good as gold and if the dirty look people leave before us, I will shoot them a dirty look of my own.

I also don't appreciate going to a restaurant and being seated as far away from everyone as possible. We don't have a disease, we have a kid. Kids happen. If they didn't then there would be no one to leave the world to when we go. Exposure to social situations need to happen; otherwise we will potentially be left with a generation of socially awkward kids.

I am going to go on the record here. If a restaurant we go to EVER institutes a kid free rule, then it is the last time we step foot there ever. I shouldn't have to call a babysitter last minute or have to plan when we want to go to a restaurant instead of cooking.

Sorry, just the entitlement of people sometimes really gets to me. It is a PUBLIC place, and like it or not, my family is part of said public. Institute your kid free policies if you don't like it, I guarantee you that there are many parents like us who won't give your restaurant our hard earned money anymore.

My Sleep Apnea Journey...

In December I was in the hospital with Pneumonia, and it was there that the nurses thought I was sleeping oddly. My follow up with the pulminologist touched upon my sleeping problems that I have had since I was pregnant. (Getting 8 hours and feeling like I got no sleep at all, feeling sucked of all energy, stuff like that.)He suggested I get a sleep study done, because all my issues seem to lean toward sleep apnea.

So I set up the appointment, and I started to notice more about how I slept, as well as how I was feeling. When I met with the doctor, he said he was 99.99% I had sleep apnea, but we needed to do the sleep study. Two weeks later, I did the sleep study and now I wait for my follow up appointment next week.

I just have to say - I am sick of having no energy. I am sick of not feeling like I am getting any sleep. It is very frustrating when I am too tired to play with my son. Today I feel like I am dragging and I felt completely zapped of energy after the zoo. Last night Mr. followed me to the bedroom because "I looked drunk".

The treatment:

1) I could have that lap band surgery and that will help me lose weight and that may fix things. -- First off, I am not super overweight. Second, that is MAJOR surgery. Not something I really want to do. Also if I have another child, I would have to have surgery to have the band adjusted/taken off.

2) C-Pap machine~ This is the reasonable one of the two. I would have to sleep with a machine helping me to keep my airways open. This would give me a better nights sleep, and that would give me more energy to exercise, and that would give me some weight loss. Sure it would take longer, but this way definitely works.

I will chronicle my journey here... besides the pictures of the cute baby.

The Big 30 - The day the frozen earth melted!

My Birthday was yesterday and for the first time in my life it was warm. As a kid, I can't even begin to tell you how much I hated a winter birthday. In fact now, Mr. and I are going to aim all of our kids for that Spring/Summer Birthday. No kid deserves a blizzard ruining their birthday.

So weeks ago I earned a comp day at work, and decided to take the day off. I figured that I would take Monkey to the Children's Museum and we would go to lunch or something.

Then I saw the weather report... 60 degrees? I instantly thought that we should do something fun and outdoorsy.

Then it hit me. This winter birthday gal wants to go to the zoo!

And zoo we did my fair readers. There is a little zoo in Attleboro Massachusetts called Capron Park Zoo, and it is perfect to go through if you have a 8.5 month old. It took about an hour to travel through (not rushing) and had a petting zoo with llamas and goats!




Monkey gets up close and personal with the goat.

They also had a big run through sprinkler area for the summer and a bunch of swing sets. They also had a little area with those rides that you would see outside of Roche Brothers or Stop and Shop. The ones that cost $.50. Monkey loved the jeep with the giant ape sitting in the passengers seat.



So needless to say, the trip was successful, and a great and memorable birthday was had.

I even made a white cake with homemade strawberry frosting... I just need to work on that frosting technique....cause it came out all soupy! But Mr., Monkey and myself sat around it and sang happy birthday. Mikey was fascinated by the candles and the hats and the blowers! And as usual, My boys spoiled me rotten.

Dear Monkey....

Dear Monkey,

It is hard to believe that you are 7 months old! You astonish me everyday with how much you have grown and how smart you are getting.

All I have to do is sing "Good morning to you" and you wake up all smiles. And at night, once the long day is over; all you need is a snuggle, story, and the good night song to set you off to the new adventures in your sweet dreams. I love watching you. It is crazy, but every move you make fascinates me. I am still in awe that your daddy and I created something so insanely wonderful.

I don't get to spend every day with you like I want to, but sending you to school and letting Grandma watch you two days a week was one of the smartest things I have done for you. Watching you play well with others and trying to share toys is so cool at such a young age, and it makes me one proud Mommy.

Someday, when you are older, I will yearn for these days back. I always wish I had more time with you when you were a newborn. I love each and every moment and memory we make. That is why I always have a camera and I am always taking pictures. Your smile is infectious and your belly laugh is adorable... especially when I copy your movements. For some reason you find that so funny!

This weekend we are going to family movie day for daycare. It is your favorite tow truck in Cars 2. You think Mater is so funny and you lie on the floor and laugh at him when we show you a short. I don't know if we can last a movie, but the money goes to the school and your little girlfriend and your buddy are going to be there, so worst case you guys can roll around and play. We are also going to do some finger painting, which you are great at. It is supposed to snow, so we may go out to see the snow.

Life with you is amazing. It is all your daddy and I could have hoped for. We hope you know what a blessing you are, and how incredible our life is because you are in it.

Love,

Mommy