A letter to my daughter on her 5th birthday...

NOTE:  This is not my letter, nor my article.  This was written by someone else, and I'm using it because, over all, I felt the message was heartfelt and appropriate.

"Today, you are 5. They said it would go by quickly. They were right. As I look upon you on this day, I am filled with awe.

And while it may seem trite, it really is true: my love for you grows stronger with each passing day. I am prouder than words can possibly express to call myself your mom. You are amazing, and I want to take this opportunity to tell you -- and the world -- why.

You are strong.

In your young life you have faced more than your fair share of adversity. You handle it all with such fortitude and grace it blows me away. You never let a challenge or difficulty get in your way. You refuse to allow limitations to stop you. Through it all you keep a positive, can-do attitude.

You are brave.

So very brave, my sweet girl. I hate the things you have had to overcome. Apraxia. Epilepsy. The hard lessons you have learned so young. Death. Dementia. But instead of letting them get you down, you have risen above. Stood tall and stared them down. You take those difficulties, internalize their lessons and continue on a stronger, better person.

You are smart.

I don't just mean you know things. Although you do. Many things. But you also exhibit a wisdom and wit far beyond your years. An understanding of the world that seems uncommon for one so young. You teach me things. And help others see the world from a much needed perspective.

You are inquisitive.

You have a strong desire to learn. The question "Why?" is not enough for you. You don't settle for simple answers. You dig deeper; want to know more. You are constantly on a quest for knowledge. You aspire to make the world a better place, and understand awareness to be the path that will take you there.

You are beautiful.

Some people don't believe in telling young girls they are pretty. I do. But as I often explain, you are also beautiful where it counts the most -- on the inside. Or, as my mom told me growing up, "Beauty is as beauty does." In that respect you are gorgeous, my child. Kind and thoughtful. Compassionate. You display deep empathy for people, animals and the world we live in.

You are loving.

We call you the Hug Monkey. You love to give hugs, and do so freely. You make friends wherever you go. Your compassion and empathy drive you to share love with those who need it most. Family, friends, strangers benefit from your caring. You show others what a difference unconditional love can make.

You are silly.

You love to tell jokes. They don't make much sense, but cause you to dissolve into great fits of laughter. And your laugh is the Single. Greatest. Sound. On. This. Earth. You also remind us of the importance of laughter. And how being silly can make the difficult stuff easier.

You are passionate.

You have intense interests. Strong emotions. An energetic personality that can sometimes overwhelm people. You are fiery and feisty. This will serve you well in life. Strive to learn how to balance your passionate side with your softer one and focus your intensity to make a positive difference.

Next year you will enter kindergarten. And a process will begin that will be ongoing your whole life. You will be bombarded with walls. Boundaries. Stereotypes. The world will try to change you. Shape you into what it thinks you should be. Mold you to be "more like."

Don't let it.

At times, you may feel an internal drive to change in order to fit in. To be pleasing to other people. Meet their expectations. Receive their approval.

Stay true to who you are.

In these early, formative years, you have grown into an exceptional person. Yes, you still have a lot of growing and learning to do. Even with everything you have already faced, your most challenging times are ahead of you. But you have established a very strong foundation.

Hold onto it. Build upon it. Don't let it crumble. Trust in it, and yourself. Use it to steady you as you spread your wings and fly. I love to watch you soar.

Be you, my sweet girl. Always. Just keep on being you."

Elizabeth Flora Ross
Freelance writer, blogger, aspiring author
1/08/2014

2013 -- A Year In Review

One of this year's resolutions is going to be attempting to maintain my blog better than I have been in the past.... year.  I checked in today, and found this post I started writing around this time last year, or something like that.  So I'm just going to go ahead and post this unfinished piece as a poetic attempt to start anew... out with the old, in with the new, eh?  Here goes...

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Where did 2013 go, huh?  One second it's just beginning and the next thing you know -- poof! -- it's all gone!

I will admit, I've been a very bad blogger in 2013, and I'd be lying if I said that being a better blogger in 2014 was one of my New Year's resolutions.  Because it's not.  But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try harder.  I swear.

So let's start this year off right with a decent recap of 2013, month by month, shall we?  It's going to be a long one, so bear with me... you will be reward with witty quips and adorable Samma pictures!


JANUARY:

We brought Samantha to the Boston Children's Museum for the very first time.  I think she and I had as much fun as any other kid there.  We spent most of the time in the very first ball room, and of course playing with the water experiments was her favorite.

We also experienced our first HouseParty - Pull-Ups Potty Training at its finest!  Here we have the kiddles tossing their diapers away into the potty.... I don't think they really understood the significance, but at least they had fun doing it!

Chris also turned 30, the temperature dipped below 4-degrees, and I met Bobby Flay!


FEBRUARY:

February brought is the 2' Snowpocalypse, so of course we needed to bring Samma sledding once we could dig ourselves out!

And we celebrated Mardis Gras!  I believe I taught her how to say "Throw me something, Mister!" but we weren't able to collaborate the shirt-lift.  Next year.... this year?


MARCH:

Sam was sick.  A lot.  This picture is probably from the one weekend during March where she actually felt well enough to go out and attend a birthday party.

And of course, there was St. Patrick's Day!  The family went to the annual parade in Southie, so not only was it Sam's first time there, but mine as well!  I remember it being very, very cold.

PAX EAST!!!  Sam went once before when she was a wee little baby, then we skipped a year, and then Chris brought her this year because I was home sick.  I think she had fun there in her little Captain America shirt, and she wasn't really afraid of the PvZ Zombie either!

Easter... and with it, candy, egg hunts,and adorable dresses!

Did I mention the Easter Egg hunts?  And the cute dresses?


APRIL:

Many things happened in April, and more of them don't need to be discussed further in my blog dedicated to my daughter.  I'll just leave those events where they are, and note that I never held my child closer than during that horrific time.

We enjoyed our first park day of the season....

... and we shared our first Dairy Queen of the season!

On my birthday we went into Boston, so we took a ride on the carousel...

... and visited the Make Way For Ducklings statues.  Some might think it odd, wanting to go into Boston days after the Marathon tragedy, but honestly -- no one is going us away from our city.  And Samma knows that.  She loves going into Boston, and I couldn't be prouder.


MAY:

I finally graduated and received my undergrad.  What's so important to me was that I was able to finally finish my 13-year journey while working full-time and being a mom to my little girl.  And I hope, though she was younger, that she could see I did it not only for myself, but to show her that no matter what life throws at you, you can always achieve your goals and follow your dreams, even if it takes you a little longer than expected.  Nothing made me happier than finishing my degree and getting this hug from my daughter afterwards.

   

I then decided to hang up Sam's Disney Princess decals one random night at 10pm.  There's also a Snow White one and a Belle, but they are still chillin' in the laundry room until I find the motivation to finish what I started.

We also brought Sam to Castle Island and she flew her first kite!


JUNE:

Having a lot of ice cream at the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl.

Sam started drawing faces.  She said this one was of me!

Nothing beats beautiful days when we can walk around Pond Meadow.  And the odd occasion when Loki actually lets Sam hold his leash.

First beach day of the year, and more likely the first watermelon as well!

Samantha successfully completed her first year of gymnastics and the year-end recital was adorable!

Braintree's 4th of July parade and new friends!


JULY:

Trick or Treat!

Another Halloween over, another night of candy complete, another night of fun is done!

But for a moment, lets reflect upon Halloweens past...

Crazy how time flies, no?

And last night, we were Rapunzel:

You wouldn't know she was on amoxicillin for pneumonia now, would you?

At least it was humid and 65 degrees out last night!

That all being said, I hope everyone had a fantastic Halloween!

Now... bring on the Holiday season!

Bucket List

I'm blatantly stealing this from Alpha Mom, but this list is just too good to forget, so I'm re-posting it here to share with all of you, as well as a reminder to myself that we need to do more than we already have... and who knows, it might give me motivation to write more as as cross things off the list!

1. Splash in the outdoor fountain at The Frog Pond in Boston Common. Bring a picnic lunch and, when the kids tire of The Frog Pond, bring them to the adjacent playground to climb and slide. Oh, yeah, they can get wet there too.

2. Grab a blanket and watch a movie under the stars at the Hatch Shell’s Free Friday Flicks, running from June through August.

3. Hit all the best ice cream hot spots around town: Christina’s, J.P. Licks, Emack & Bolio’s, Herrell’s, Toscanini’s (and don’t forget the suburbs!).

4. One sweet word: Scooperbowl .

5. Experience Castle Island in South Boston. Grab cheap eats at Sully’s, run around the playground and then search for cool rocks and shells on the beach. Every minute or so, pause to watch planes fly directly overhead.

6. Grab a ferry to the Boston Harbor Islands. Go fly a kite at Spectacle Island, see Boston Children’s Theatre at Georges Island, or even camp out overnight on Grape, Bumpkin or Lovells Islands in a little patch of secluded heaven.

7. Visit the new and improved Boston Children’s Museum (renovated in ’07), and watch your kids climb three stories up a funky enclosed staircase. When hunger strikes, walk behind the Children’s Museum and grab lunch at Flour Bakery. Their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a (kid) connoisseur’s dream.

8. Visit Canton’s Blue Hills Reservation and hike to the Observatory. You can also swim, ski, ice skate or hike, depending on the season.

9. Take a ride over the Zakim bridge at night and see the most visually stunning aspect of the massive Big Dig project. Tell the kids that they are riding on the widest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

10. Indulge your child’s inner actor and bring the family to one of the ImProv’s Family Nights held Saturdays at 6pm.

11. Take the elevator to the top of the Prudential Tower (“The Pru”) and get a high-flying bird’s eye view of the city.

12. Catch a ride on a Duck Tour and lose all dignity as you quack your way through the city.

13. Take them out to the ballpark with a Fenway Park Tour.

14. Explore the Museum of Fine Art, using their guides and activity sheets just for kids.

15. Stroll through the North End, stopping for a lobster tail or cannoli from both Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry. Debate the relative merits of each before succumbing to the sweetness of it all.

16. Salem for the month of Halloween. ‘Nuff said.

17. Read Make Way for Ducklings and then go meet Mrs. Mallard and her ‘acks in Boston Public Garden. Especially cute is the Duckling Day Parade on Mother’s Day.

18. Watch your kids on stage at the Lyric Stage Company’s Once Upon a Stage with Kidstock.

19. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it among the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo.

20. Attend the annual Christmas Tree lighting in the Boston Common with music, food and, of course, Santa Claus.

21. Listen to E.B. White read The Trumpet of the Swan on audio book and then head down to the Public Garden for a ride on the Swan Boats. Do you hear Louie?

22. If Red Sox tickets are out of reach, take a drive to one of the family-friendly Minor League parks to see the Lowell Spinners or Pawtucket (RI) Red Sox.

23. Baby Loves Disco! A monthly kid party at Revolution Rock Bar.

24. History doesn’t have to be boring: let the kids reenact the Boston Tea Party with the Freedom Trail Players on the Liberty Clipper tall ship.

25. Pick your own berries, apples or pumpkins at Belkin Family Lookout Farm, just 30 minutes from Boston. Let the kids loose in their large play area featuring pony rides and a burlap maze.

26. Visit the Museum of Science Boston for hands-on exhibits, Butterfly Garden and the Planetarium. The Discover Center gives the littlest ones a space of their own.

27. Head up to Arlington for Robbins Farm Playground (aka Skyline Park) for not only the fun playground, but also the gorgeous view of Boston.

28. Attend First Night Boston and ring in the New Year with their 7pm Family Fireworks.

29. Check out a different kind of New Year’s celebration: Chinese New Year.

30. Bundle up and go Ice Skating at The Frog Pond in Boston Common.

31. When you absolutely must have some water fun, hit CoCo Keys in Danvers.

32. Find a spot and park yourself on the Esplanade for the Head of the Charles for a fun mix of families, college students and crew enthusiasts.

33. Catch a Boston Harbor Cruise shuttle from Long Wharf to Charlestown Navy Yard to see the famous USS Constitution.

34. Animals, cotton candy and midway rides all at the Topsfield Fair, less than an hour north of the city.

35. Grab a lobster roll at Jasper White’s colorful Summer Shack and then knock down some pins downstairs at the uber-cool Kings Bowling.

36. Wild and fast: Snowtubing at nearby Amesbury Snow Park, for kids over 4.

37. Immerse yourself in nature without leaving the city at the Arnold Arboretum.

38. Plan a day at Canobie Lake Park in nearby Salem, New Hampshire, where there is a ride for everyone, a wet play area for hot days and even a serene boat ride around Canobie Lake.

39. The chowder really is tops at Legal Sea Foods. Plus, the bustling Prudential location is perfect for chatty kids.

40. See the Boston Ballet’s annual performance of The Nutcracker.

41. Almost an hour south in Carver, the holiday lights and music will put you in the mood at Edaville Railroad. Take a warm train ride after dark and then brave the (cold) amusement park rides if you dare.

42. Got Chocolate? Yeah, it’s fancy and decadent at the Langham Hotel’s Chocolate Brunch, and your kids will think you are the best parent ever.

43. Go sledding at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline.

44. The Boston Sports Museum, for the next generation of Boston sports fanatics.

45. At least once, brave the crowds to see runners in the Boston Marathon whiz by. The Newton Hills provide loads of drama with a teeny bit more elbowroom.

46. Lie on the soft, white sands of Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester. Go at low tide so the kids can climb on the rocks and splash in the shallow water.

47. The New England Aquarium‘s penguin exhibit enthralls and amuses all. Try to catch a feeding.

48. Fly through the air with the greatest of ease: yes, you can ride a trapeze at Jordan Furniture’s Reading location (it’s pricey but also fun to just watch). There is also a jellybean town, food at FuddRuckers, an IMAX theater and random water fireworks (of course, they have furniture too).

49. The DeCordova Sculpture Park allows kids to experience art over acres and acres of green lawns and woods.

50. Spend a day on the high seas looking for whales with a Boston Harbor Whale Watch.

Long Time, No Post

It's been a while, eh?

I guess we can thank this posting for an empty work email inbox and my want to leave in 45 minutes to get ready for the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl.

Anyway, how have things been??

I, for one, have been a busy mama.  Looking back at the blog post where I listed all those things I wanted to talk about?  Yeah, I could add about 10 more at this point in time.  And probably for no other reason and I just love talking about my daughter.

For a brief overview, Sam is officially in preschool now.  We're starting to get really close to potty training for realz, and I think I'm going to attempt the 3-day boot camp because I know she's ready as opposed to me wanting her out of diapers.  She absolutely loves swimming and dancing (I should post the video) and though gymnastics is almost over for the year, she's been given the thumbs-up to move up to the next class come September!

Other than that, just getting through one day after another.  Most are better than others, but what can really be expected in the life of a toddler?  If my kid was an angel, I'd think something was wrong!

With a month left until my final undergrad class starts, I'm going to make a conscientious effort to post more, maybe once a night to whittle that list down.

And with that, I leave you with a picture of Samma flying a kite at Castle Island.

A day late, but....

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

For the first time in our lives, Samma and I attended Southie's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Boston yesterday!  Yes, for 30 years I have lived in Massachusetts (with the exception of those 4-5 years spent in Maryland) and I never went to the world-famous celebration.  And it IS world-famous, because just yesterday we met a couple of guys from Germany who came over here to see the Dropkick Murphys, the Celtics, and the parade, in that order!

With a husband who's 75% Irish and myself weighing in at at least 50%, it's pretty hard to avoid a weekend-long celebration between our two families.

Sam's school had their St. Paddy's Day celebration on Friday, so we had to be sure we sent her in something green.  Represent!

We had our annual boiled dinner with my immediate family Saturday evening -- Guinness was had, smoked shoulder was devoured, and the Irish bread had raisins in it so I didn't eat it (blegh).

Sunday morning brought us to the parade, and despite being cold and windy, it was a pretty good time.  We found a spot right at the beginning of the route, and we were lucky enough to be on the sunny side of the street... at least until the sun ducked behind the buildings, which was pretty much when we decided to call it quits.

After the parade we went back to my in-laws house for more partying with the extended family.  We were also working with a 20-minute napped Samma, so staying until 5pm was a decent task.

It was a decent weekend, but I've come to realize exactly how old I'm getting -- there's no way I could have fathomed going out Sunday night, let alone Saturday... do "real" adults have St Paddy's Day house parties?  I think we need to get on this...

Happy New Year!

Better late than never, right?

So far this year has been one big roller coaster, but nothing says it's a bad thing.  We've been well- or as well as one can be when raising a two year old that exemplifies the essence of the Terrible Twos.  But she's cute, and that makes it all better.

My Resolution was to be a better blogger... three months later, I still don't know if I can hold myself to this, but I shall try.

Allow this to be a preview of what I have in store for the masses one I have the time (and motivation) to regularly blog again -- read: once school finishes and I can breath!

• Milestones at 2yo
• Toddler Must-Haves
• Mommy Must-Haves!
• First Dentist Visit?
• A Good Night's Sleep
• Big Girl School
• Potty Training
• Taming the Tantrums
• Hair Care
• Meals
• Terrible Tonsils :(
• Things To Do:
• The Children's Museum
• Imagine That!
• Animal Adventures

And anything else I can think of as the time comes.  It looks like a lot to take on, but I'll do it, promise!

Anyway, I hope everyone's been well in 2013 so far!

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From my family to yours, 

I hope your Turkey Day was as awesome as it could be!

Sam's 2nd Year Photos

Thanks to yet another Groupon deal, we were able to get Sam's 2nd-year photos done on the cheaper side of awesome.  Granted, I feel like every year is a gamble when it comes to snatching up these deals.  Kiddie Kandids' was the first deal to pop up this time around, and uncertain about the availability of coupons for the other studios in the area (such as Portrait People and Portrait Simple) I grabbed this one as soon as I could.

The deal had two options - we paid $35 for the Deluxe Portrait Package (and $184.91 value) which included:

• A studio photo shoot, with session fee included
• A single-image portrait CD
• Six natural-color portrait sheets of up to six different poses, each of which is available as one 8"x10", two 5"x7"s, four 3.5"x5"s or eight wallet-size prints
• One enhanced 10"x13" print
• 50% off all regular-priced items, including additional prints, enhancements, collages, portrait CDs, and framed art created at time of session

We arrived at our appointment on time, and they took us right away.  You would think this would be commonplace, arriving on time, however not so much.  While we were there, there was a family who arrived over an hour late for their appointment and still expected to be squeezed in once they arrived.  The studio was down a camera and already running an hour behind as it was, so they had to turn them away - not that I blame them - but it just floors me the entitlement of some individuals.

The session was pretty straight-forward.  Sam was having a day and just coming off having a cold and napping horribly, but she did well enough for what it was.  Unfortunately, she had scratched her face so bad the day before that it created a scab which is clearly evident in her pictures.  There was a slight debate as to whether or not we should reschedule for a later time after it healed, but we decided against it 1) because the Groupon was expiring and I wanted to get the pictures done on or around her actual birthday, and 2) she's a toddler - these bumps and bruises and scratches happen, and if it wasn't this one in particular, it could very well be something else later on.  So we went with it.

The pictures came out well.  I had chosen two outfit for the occasion - one dress and then a more casual outfit afterwards.  I like variety, and we were able to get both in within our session's time constraint.  The dress I bought at Kohls (I tried finding it on the website, but their stock overturns so often of course it's not there now that I need it).  The casual outfit consisted of a tshirt and shorts I bought at Old Navy:

(Just like this without the long sleeves)

I gave the 10x13" to my mother because intially I thought she would want it more than we would.  Of course, once I got home my husband asked me about the "big" picture... sigh.  Luckily with each sessions, we were given an "online studio" and on our paid receipt there was a coupon code for... what?  A free 10x13"  Problem solved!

With the 6 sheets available to me thanks to the Groupon, I picked a variety of poses that I thought people would like the most for gifts, etc.  I ended up paying an additional $60 for a full version of the CD since it was half off, and I'd rather a disc containing ALL of the session's portraits rather than just the one that was included in the package.

But without further ado, I give you now a sampling of Samma's 2nd year photos! 

 

These were some of the more "touched-up" versions of the session.  The whole lot of them can be found here on my Facebook page.  Thanks for checking them out! :)

Why I love the fall:

"done" taking a walk with her dad at Pond Meadow Park in Braintree, MA

That time Samma had a birthday party!

 
Last Saturday was Samantha's 2nd birthday party, and though smaller than the prior year, I think she had a fantastic time.  The day started out cool and cloudy while we were running errands and prepping, but right before party time the sky cleared up and the sun started shining.

I really didn't do much by way of decorations.  Balloons and that was pretty much it.  I had even purchased purple and blue streamers but ended up returning them because I didn't know how the weather was going to turn out.  Plus, I was getting lazy.

We spent the night before making chocolate cupcakes for everyone!

 

... I wonder where they are!

And they were enjoyed by all, especially the birthday girl!

 Friends were there, from both daycare and other walks of life, and everyone played well together!

And it wasn't 5 minutes into the party until the sandbox was discovered!  But hey, at least they were content.

Samma even got a birthday kiss from her best forced-friend Coley!

And there was much rejoicing!

And then it was present time.

We loved present time.

 Especially the big ones!

She got so much - a play kitchen, a table and chair set, an art easel and art supplies, clothes, puzzles, the Little People dollhouse, and a teeball set!  But Chris and I had to save the "best" for last, so we asked Samma to close her eyes...

... and when we told her to open them...

... she discovered the had a brand new bike!

Unfortunately, she's still just a little bit small for it, but that didn't stop us from pushing her around.  And it wasn't long before she asked for her helmet so she could really ride!

I think she enjoyed herself, and I hope we did right by her for it this year.  Next year I think we're going to try something different and have it at a more open location so more people can come if they want to.  But then again, we have another whole year to figure those plans out!

That all being said, there's only one thing left to do!

A HUGE Thank You to everyone who helped make Samantha's birthday such a special day!  We couldn't have done it without you... and yes, thank you notes are soon-to-be in the mail!