...and the world...spins madly...on.

As I sit here, surrounded by boxes stacks of things waiting on the movers to pack,  I’m getting a bit nostalgic about a house…a town…a state that I thought I hated.  It’s our last week in New Jersey and I can’t help but be flooded with all the memories we’ve made here.  Afterall, this is where the best thing that ever happened to us entered the world slightly unexpectedly that "normal" Friday evening.  And whether we argue that he’s a “Florida boy” or a “Jersey boy” – I brought him home *here* -- in this house, in this neighborhood next to awesome neighbors and near his New Jersey family.  He slept all alone in his crib that very first night in his room upstairs.  I secretly slept on the floor next to the crib, checking his breathing every 15 minutes.

We have so often felt like our life was on hold while we were here…but now I’m not sure why we felt that way.  We have been LIVING it all this time!  Watching and enjoying Jack grow up with all sorts of crazy experiences…traveling…teaching Jack about seasons, wild bunnies in the yard, golf, planes overhead, Valley Forge, golf, how to hate the Philadelphia Eagles, insane traffic, shipyards, the Yankees, NYC, the Liberty Bell, golf, cheesesteaks, "real bagels," and everything that NJ, NYC and Philly had to offer.  We tried to take it all in while we were here.

Jack took his first steps here…in this house…that I swore I hated.

His first birthday party was in that dining room where the light hangs too low and I hit my head.

And, while he’s been all over the place (even to multiple countries, y’all!)…his entire existence so far is wrapped up in this house….in this town…in this state…that I thought I hated.

This place…is where I created, fostered and enjoyed relationships with *my* New Jersey family.

….it’s where we made GREAT friends right next door. You know those types of friends – the kind that are more than just “can I borrow some sugar” friends – but lifetime friends that you can always relate to (“oh your kid has dirt all over her face/body/hair too?  Excellent.  So does Jack.”)

…it’s the place where *I* learned about seasons.  I do love a good brisk fall morning where I can wear my skinnies and boots and a big, comfy sweater.  There’ll be none of that in Florida.

…it’s the place where I learned about *NOT* traveling…and how there’s a balance to EVERYTHING we do in life.

…it’s the place where Matt got bitten by a dog (that is SO for another blog).

…it’s where I learned that I really do just prefer a manual shift car over a big SUV.  (Sorry, X3…but I’m getting back to my 335, but will opt for the 4 door this time.)

…it’s where Lucky learned to love the boarders as we traveled all over to see family and friends during our two years here.

This place…that I thought I hated…has become to mean so much to me….as I face leaving it. 

This is where Jack first learned to swim and love the pool and ocean.

It's where we learned that Jack LOVES "big kids" and all that they represent...fast running, fancy soccer footwork and swinging very high on the swingset!

He said his first words here...duck, hat, truck, doggie ("ruff ruff!").

We discovered here that Jack was a hugger – like his Southern family roots suggest….and has hugged his neighbor/big sister Rosie every time he has seen her since he started crawling.

I will miss my sister in law, Christine….and how she’ll drop everything to hang with Jack or meet me at the mall.

I’ll miss the Jersey Shore.

Jack is going to miss Loudy (Loudon)…his 6 year old neighbor/big brother….who he absolutely cries for every day when we get home (“see Loudy”… “Loudy” … “LOUDY!”)

I am sad that Jack’s Fridays with Grandma are coming to an end.

I know Matt will miss being so close to his Dad and seeing him so often.

We will all miss the Turning Point…our favorite brunch place, where we always have a seat.

We’ll miss how close Haddonfield is to our house…and walking down “main street USA” on a nice 

Saturday morning.

I will miss my mother-in-law and all of her amazingly sweet friends.

Jack will definitely miss the “choo choo” train (aka, the PATCO train).

I will not miss how I need to remember to bring a bottle of wine out to dinner. 

I will not miss the potholes that go to the core of the Earth or so it seems.

I will not miss the NJ turnpike.  I don’t know how anyone gets anywhere in a timely manner by using that roadway.

I will not miss the horrifying vortex that is Wegman’s.  It’s the store that is busy no matter what time of day 

or day of the week.

I will not miss the cold winter.  I just…will not.  And, since I’ll still be traveling here a little….I’ll get to experience your winter and scrape ice from my rental car windows. 

And, while there are some things we won’t miss – we appreciated our time here and the opportunity that it provided for me to be home with Jack and Matt.   

Thank you for being so nice to us, New Jersey.  You’ve grown on me…and not many things do.

Please, Thank You and ... Peace Out?

We've got a lot going on around these parts!

We are in the middle of closing on our home in St. Pete....

We are super excited!!  Come visit!!

....in the middle of a major project at work (what else is new?)....

....and learning our pleases, thank yous and...well, our "peace outs" - which really sounds more like:

"peeeeaaassse"

"tank koooo"

and 

"peese awww"

What's funnier than a 19 month old throwing up a (half) peace sign with a "peese awww" ??  Come on, that's way better than your run of the mill "bye bye" !!  The kid has a serious personality.

We've also discovered our love of Bruno Mars:

When the music comes on, he just starts to wiggle his arm a little bit and then it's like the music takes over his whole body section by section.  He has this special dance move....where he drags his left leg like it's his bum leg.  We've been trying to get it on video but I'm sure you can imagine what that's like.  

Since our last update, we've been on a few airplanes (shocking), did a few stints as single parents (each), visited the Jersey Shore, went to the US Open and saw the Yankees play the Rays at Yankee Stadium!

My two most favorite Yankees.

Jack managed to sit through the entire game as long as we kept feeding him.  Yep.  He's still a great eater and a great sleeper.  I'm nervous to have another child as I'm unclear on how to handle a child that won't do one of those things....or neither.  (you can't be serious....you have to eat OR sleep...you can't be hate both, can you??)

There have been occasions where Jack has eaten more than me at mealtime.  This concerns me and my (in)ability to cook.  Someone has to feed this kid...and it's all fun and games until he's wanting steak and potatoes every night.

   

Jack also experienced Pensacola and all that it has to offer....complete with boats, beaches and a kiddie pool big enough for adults!

 

  

You know what's NOT as cool as it seems?  Touching a fish....as evidenced by this horrible face:

 

Granddaddy B even showed Jack how to jump in mud puddles and enjoy a little downpour:

As if it wasn't enough that we live and die by the game of golf in our house, we spent Father's Day Sunday at the US Open.  I swear the kid has golf in his blood.  It just comes natural to him.  All he wants is that golf club and a ball.  And if I can get him to stop hitting me in the shins with that plastic club by the time he's using a real club, this will all work out.

 

 

And while I know he loves golf (almost?) more than me, he also is my child....and loves the beach.  This is really how I know he's 51% Matt...and 49% me.  Matt hates the beach, but Jack and I - we love it.  Although, I'll be honest - the beach is not what it used to be for me.  I used to be able to roll out of bed, into my swimmie and my flip flops, grab a towel and some chapstick and GO.  I'd then proceed to sleep on the beach for 2 hours until I was crispy...take a dip in the water and "air dry" on the ride home with the windows down.

Let me tell you how different THIS TRIP was....OMG.  Do you know how much crap I drug out to the beach??  I was up super early cutting fruit, packing snacks and juice boxes, making sure we had shovels and dump trucks and buckets, finding tiny folding chairs, locating and maneuvering toddler sized flip flops onto feet that never stand still and loading this massive amount of stuff into the car.  Oh, and don't forget the regular stuff you need...diapers, wipes, the iPad for Mickey Mouse Club in the car and the 1 binky allowed.

You can't be surprised that golf made it to the beach can you?

  

 

Baby Powder.  Don't forget the baby powder.  It's the only thing that will clean off a sandy little butt.  Well, unless you're Jack and you love to hang out naked under the public outdoor shower.

(yes, he will HATE ME for this when he's 16)

Next stop....ST. PETERSBURG.

Peeeese Awwww!

Jack Has Found Himself

I have heard that boys get to a stage where it's all about the penis.  And, with three boys in this house....there's a whole lotta penis talk.

We don't have to discuss the details, but just know that Jack has found "himself" and figured out that Dada has the same parts. 

He has also decided that the toothbrush, the comb, the binky everything should touch the penis.

"No Jack - We don't put the toothbrush on the pee pee.  Thank you."

I'm not gonna lie, I used to worry a lot about milestones.  What if he doesn't roll over, sit up, crawl, walk, talk, eat, grow, blah, blah, blah.  Now I know (and finally believe) that all children are different.  They all move at their own pace and they will all "get there."  In fact, I surprisingly turned into one of those moms that's less about pushing (I know! me?!) and more about letting him be little.  I found that I was ok with him NOT walking because now he runs!  I found that I was ok with him not knowing how to use a fork because he tries to stab my fingers with it as I'm putting food on his plate.  And, I'm quite ok with diapers for now.  We DID purchase the potty and he likes to use it as a seat in the living room while he's eating or watch the bird (Big Bird, that is) - or he likes to stand over it like "Dada pee pee" .... oh man.

We are a bit away from potty training.

We are closer, but NOT quite there yet, to wanting another child.  We honestly get SO MUCH joy out of Jack....that I just wonder if I have enough love for #2.  I know that must sound CRAZY, but what if #2 doesn't like Jack?  Will I hold that against #2?  Jack is my most favorite person to ever exist - ever - and I can't imagine someone not liking him....so if #2 doesn't, then what does that mean for #2?

All that this confirms is that I'm crazy.

Note to self:  Do not refer to second child as #2.

What's awesome about having a toddler is that you sometimes take on their personality.  For example, Matt and I immediately say "ball!" every single time we see a baseball, football, basketball, golf ball.  Or, we "woof woof woof" at dogs passing by.  Or we say "ny ny" now before we go to bed:

We are desperately looking forward to a week or so in FL in early August.  We need the humidity and all that comes with FL - friends, family and southern accents (at least my hometown).  Jack is so pumped about being in the pool every weekend so I know it's going to be a busy summer!  I just hope he waits on us to get to the pool before he hurls himself off the ledge into the pool.  He has been getting in and out of the pool by himself....apparently, he's a regular Michael Phelps.

 

We know that he found "himself" recently...but he really IS so many different little people lately....

A golfer, because well -- it's in his blood:

  

He goes NOWHERE without a golf club....

  

A sk8r dude:



A football player:

A hockey player:

 

A baseball player/bunny chaser ala Elmer Fudd:

A tennis player:



A lacrosse player like his buddy Loudy:

An intellectual:

 

An outdoorsman:

 

A swinger:
no, wait...that's not right....

A basketball player:

A future President!

And, he desperately wants you to know where his belly button is....or he's working on removing the lint that is accumulating in there.  Oh come on...of course I bathe him.  Geez.

 

He's a lover...and let's me take selfies with him....

 

And, he's SUCH a lover lately....he's a hugger, he's a kisser (he'll even blow you one if you make a request) and he's even vocal about his emotions.  ("Ilushyou" turned into "Ilughyou" but it's all the same in my book!)

He's really my kind of man.

 We did had the joy of experiencing teething again - but I'm happy to report that, while a mouthful of teeth are apparent - it was MUCH EASIER than his first round of teething.  He whined a little, but ultimately just got a little clingy.  I only had to sleep in the crib with him once.  LOL.  We remember that first teething experience right?  When a small terrorist took over his body during the first week of December...and he cried 24 hours a day for a WEEK?  He cried SO MUCH that we took him to the doctor because we were certain that he had broken some bone in his body or that some virus/food/bacteria/disease was plaguing him to the point of misery.

Oh you blocked that out of your mind too?

Dear First 6 Teeth - Thank you for that unforgettable experience.

  

I worry a lot.  I know that must be shocking to y'all.  And, while Jack has certainly found HIMSELF...I'm still getting comfortable in my own parenting skin.  I was telling my mom that I just worry about something new about every 2 weeks....first it was him being born, milestones, now it's daycare/preschool stuff...before I know it I'll be stressing about college applications.  It's just exhausting...all that worrying.

I asked her:  "It seems like we should get to a stage where I'm not worried about the next milestone, heartache, skinned knee, knot on the head, college application.  When will I stop worrying about him?"

She replied:

"I'll let you know."