Drawing to a close.

BirthMONTH, Day 30:


This is it. BirthMONTH 2008 is drawing to a close. It's been a whirlwind month filled with so many new things and many of the same old-same old things too.

This month I celebrated my 35th birthday. I went into November feeling rather pessimistic, my life essentially being half over. I'm leaving November actually feeling optimistic, like perhaps this 2nd half has the potential to be even far better than the 1st.

This month I met some new local girlfriends. I'm excited to see what comes of this new group that welcomed me in with open arms. I look forward to having some new girlfriends to hang out with, play date with, go shopping with and get to know better. One lives super close to me, we've really hit it off and I hope only good things come from it.

This month we had parent-teacher conferences where it was yet again reaffirmed that my kids rock the casbah. I'm so proud of them all, even the one that doesn't yet attend school.

This month I attended a Post Secret seminar, something I've always wanted to do, and shared the night with Ellisa & Rachel, both of whom I adore. Our 4th partner in crime, Tiffany, also shares her birthMONTH with me (so does another friend Anisa), Tiffany's actual birthday being today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIFFANY!! We hope to get the 4 of us together as soon as humanly possible to celebrate not only our birthdays but the friendship that we share. I love my WRMDY girls.

This month I was in the ER with both Garth & Brenden, only 1 day apart. Neither issue was life threatening, thank God, but both caused great pain to my boys. I'm so thankful they are both now on the mend though Garth still does have a marble rolling around somewhere in his bladder. Good luck with that, babe.

This month my friendships with my Creepbitches only continued to grow. I am so grateful I met and was pulled into this group of women. Scattered across the US (and 1 in Argentina too!), I have yet to meet a group of such loving, kind, selfless people. Brought together by tragedy, but found blooming friendships by fate, each of these women make me feel incredibly blessed and more determined to do random acts of kindness & not so random acts of kindness for others. There really still is good in this world and this group of people show it to me continuously.

This month I received the much desired SLR digital camera I've longed for. I look forward to learning all its settings and taking much better quality pictures from here on out.

This month Everly started potty training. All on her own and its going quite well. She's excited to become a big girl and I'm excited for her. Having our last child on the cusp of giving up diapers is not bittersweet; its AWESOME.

This month we started the process of orthodontics on Brenden. I know how elated he is to finally be rid of all of his baby teeth and move forward with brightening & straightening his smile. I'm elated for him, I know how much self-confidence I gained after my own teeth were straightened.

This month I attended a fundraiser ball and had an absolute blast. I met some new friends and reconnected with an old one. Seeing my old friend was rather awkward, we'd parted on not great terms but as awkward as it was it also felt great to see him. We chatted for only but a few minutes but I felt the air was cleared, we were letting bygones be bygones and I walked away finally feeling a sense of peace between the 2 of us after all these years.

This month I spent time with immediate family & extended and it always feels great to feel so loved by so many. My family continues to teach me about unconditional love, something that feels absolutely irreplaceable.

This month I spent time with Garth. I love spending time with Garth. Each time we do something, just the two of us, I want more. more. more. We need to stay on top of this one-on-one thing.

This month I spent time with so many of my friends in one way or another. I feel like I've packed so many fun activities into this past month, usually on weekends, and while its been fun & exciting, its also a little exhausting!

In this season of Thanksgiving, I recognize I have so much to be thankful for. I am in good health, my family is too, we have a warm house, cars that run and food in our cupboards. I have a wonderful family & great friends, new and old, who add such positive things to my life. It's been an awesome birthMONTH. I send out the most sincere THANK YOU & gratitude to all who helped make it that way.

Thanksgiving 2008

BirthMONTH, Day 27:

Just a small sampling of things I hold most dear and give many thanks for today, and every day:

(the next should actually be plural)

Demure. I do know that word.

BirthMONTH, Day 26:

My sister in law invited me to a fundraiser ball this past weekend. Tickets were $100 each, she managed to score 2 and asked me to be her date. Sweeeeeet.

We had so much fun. I was on "good, grown up behavior" and managed to keep it together for the entire 4 hours, not dropping the F bomb once. Shocker.

I so hope she invites me again next year. Shoot, I'd be willing to pay for my ticket, it was that much fun. It was so nice to get all dressed up and attend a festive, semi-formal event. As a stay-at-home mom, these types of evenings just don't happen very often anymore. There was such great food & (unlimited) liquor, wine, beer & a martini bar. Even with an open bar, I still completely behaved. Demure that!

I ran into people I knew and met even more great people that I didn't. Had I needed it to be, it would have been some seriously awesome local networking. Instead I just got to have fun with it.

I was sent a few pics today with more to follow. I looked pretty dang fine if I do say so myself.

I heart my new camera.

BirthMONTH, Day 22:

Birthday Gifts.

BirthMONTH, Day 21:

I received so many wonderful birthday gifts this year. Really, really great ones. I want to write them all down so I don't forget but if I forget one, I'm sorry. Nothing I received wasn't noteworthy, its just that I'm getting old, the memory ain't so good anymore.

Many of my Creeptastic friends sent cards, each one making me smile and relish in these blooming friendships. In some of the cards were chocolates, cookbooks and even a Target gift card to which I promptly went and bought myself a preppy little argyle cardigan sweater that I love.

Ellisa bought me a tree. So amazing and I LOVE it.

Rachel sat up late one night and nominated me for TLC's What Not To Wear, knowing how badly I want to be on that show. Trust me when I say she didn't let the cat out of the bag, I'll be surprised as SHIT if Stacy & Clinton actually show up at my door.

My in-law's and my dad & step mom gave me cash. Cash is always appreciated!

My BFF Anisa gave me a Kohl's gift card. She & I both love us some Kohl's!!

From Christina I got a bottle of wine; from Kristy & Gloria a bottle of champagne. Oh yeahhhh.

My sister gave me a game from our childhood that is hard to find in stores. We've looked for it, knowing we could find it online but what's the fun in that? She found it in a store in Detroit and knew she had to buy it. Many, many hours were spent playing Mastermind in my childhood. We both loved it and can't wait to play it on Thanksgiving. She also bought me a new mascara to try (that's our thang, mascara) and some more Bed Head After Hours hair product. I love that stuff but refuse to pay the ridiculous retail price - she gets it for me with her hairstylist hookup. Lastly, a ziploc baggie full of DumDum suckers in coconut flavor. I love these things. She gives kids suckers after their haircuts and I wanted all the coconut ones out of the bag. She didn't have any left so she went and bought enough bags of DumDums so that I could have a whole slew of coconuts ones. Mmm Mmm good.

Brenden got me 2 t-shirts with our school districts name on it. He knows I love to wear them to his sports activities. One of them is pink and proceeds went to breast cancer research and they sold out fast. He knew I wanted one so he tracked one down for me. What a great, loving boy!

Jackson & Wilson got me the Aqua Globes they talk so much about. I can finally say I own an Aqua Globe. They also got me a really cool plant for the Aqua Globe to water. I can't lie, it is a neat little gadget that really appears to work well!

From Everly I received a PedEgg. My sister said they get great reviews. I laughed when I opened it and realized my kids watch far too much As Seen On TV commercials.

Garth gave me the last 2 boxes. My reaction when I opened the first one? It was morning, forgive the hair & pajamas:


That box contained a Canon Rebel XSi SLR digital camera. Oh.My.Goodness. !!!!

The 2nd box contained a zoom lens. Oh.My.Goodness. !!!!

Garth always has a way of outdoing himself with gifts. This year he did it again. I've wanted this camera so badly for so long. I am having so much fun with it and want to take a class on how to use it to its full potential. I.LOVE.IT.

Lastly, my mom gave me her gift last so as to not ruin the surprise. I got a rockin' camera bag that will fit all of my goods. It's uber-padded and a really nice bag. She also crocheted me a sweater just like the one she made my sister that I loved so much.

What an awesome way to ring in my 35th year. So many people did such wonderful, thoughtful things to help me celebrate and I feel so very loved by so many people. Thank you doesn't even begin to express the gratitude for not just the gifts, but for the love I felt behind each & every one of them. Thank you, sincerely.

GO EVERLY!!!

BirthMONTH, Day 19:

I was going to post birthday pictures today or about the really fun PostSecret event I went to on Monday with Rachel & Ellisa but something even more exciting is happening in our household this week that takes precedence.

Everly is potty training. On her own. Completely of her own free will.

It had to be this way. My daughter is a diva, a true princess in her own mind. There is no 'training' to be had that isn't her very own idea. I knew this diaper to underpants transition was going to be a battle of wills. A battle she'd win.

We have been encouraging. Praising, not pushing, encouraging her to find the potty a great place to find relief, rather than in her diaper. Being a mom for the past 14 years, with 4 children total, adds up to a lot of dang diaper changes. I'm over it. Cloth diapering for most of that time, I'm really over it and them. Treehugging be damned, I'm ready to move on.

Yesterday we came home from story time at the library and Evie had a dry diaper. Wow! She then told me she had to pee and we raced off for our first successful potty trip of the day.

She then insisted on being naked. Hey, no problem. I wish I could be naked all the time too.

Everly spent the entire day, minus her nap, naked. She pee'd in her potty on her own, emptying it in the toilet, washing her hands and then giving me a high 5.

Then the test. It was time to poop.

On her own she brought me that potty and yup, there was poop in it. Sweet mother, child, I'm so proud of you! Only a mother can be so proud of a turd.

An entirely successful potty day has lead to yet another successful potty day so far. Fingers crossed we're started something great. I'm ready and I'm pleased as toast she appears to be ready too.

back to the grind.

BirthMONTH, Day 18:

I'm off to toddler time with Everly at the library. They're having a special sign language day today and I know she'll really enjoy it. We get to take Wilson with us since Kindergarten was canceled due to the snow & ice on the roads. Winter anyone?

I may edit this post later with a few pictures from my birthday or maybe tomorrow instead. I've been busy busy busy this week and busy is good.

7am: my OLDER sister woke me up to tell me today is...

My Birth MONTH DAY:

It's here.
I'm officially 35 today.
Oh the insanity of it all.
Unfrickinbelievable.

mmm sushi.

BirthMONTH, Day 14:

Photos from my birthday dinner with family at our local japanese hibachi restaurant last night. Mmm mmm good.