31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 17

What is your most proud moment?

This one is easy. My proudest moment was the first time I really got to hold my little boy. Most people might say when they were born but for me I barely remember it and it wasn't exactly a proud moment for me. One I will never forget but still.

The first really good memory I have of my little boy though that when I really got to let it sink in. It was a few days after he was born. During the day they had made me get out of bed which had been really rough on me. My night nurse though found out that I had not really gotten to seen my son yet, aside from being wheeled by him when I was still in a haze right after he was born. She arranged for me in my bed to be taken up to the NICU to see him. Chris was still staying with me at the time so he came up with me it was around Midnight. I'm not sure how often they do that. I felt really special.

I made a promise to my little man that night that I would keep getting stronger and he would too. He was so small and fragile in that incubator but he was mine and I made him. So yes at that very moment, in that SICU bed having been snuck up to the NICU in the middle of the night to see a tiny little baby. My pride grew as the days went on. It still does every day when I see that smiling face and see him learning more about his world I can't help but beam with pride.

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 16

What is on top of your bucket list?

I really should write down my bucket list somewhere so that I can really reflect on it. I would say that the top of that list would be to see the World. I've never left this side of the world and I would love to go to everywhere really so it is hard to narrow it down to someplace specific.

So here is the top four places I'd like to see before I die.

First, I would love to go to Ireland. Genetically I am part Irish and my parents (who adopted me) are both part irish. My husband is part irish and his family is very proud of their irish roots. We want to see Dublin but more than that we want to take a tour of the countryside and stay in bed and breakfasts and the likes.

Second, I really want to take a railway tour of Europe. I want to go everywhere so I figure that would be a great way to do it. You can get those eurorail passes that will take you all over. To spend a day or so in one city in one country and then ride the train and wake up the next morning somewhere completely new. That would be amazing.

Third, I would like to go to Sweden. I'm personally not swedish but my mom's family is from there. A few months ago Chris and I were working on our family tree and I was able to find out a little bit of information about my great grandparents and when they became legal citizens of the US and everything. I just think the whole thing would be a lot of fun.

Finally, Japan!!! I really want to go to Tokyo. I mean I'd love to see it all but Tokyo just looks like a lot of fun and so crazy. I have wanted to go there since I was a little girl. 

World Prematurity Day

The March of Dimes World Prematurity Day is November 17th. 

Before Flynn was born I did not know this day existed. Now I just wish I could do more to help the cause.

Flynn is my miracle baby. He always will be and I know that we were lucky. If we lived somewhere else or did not have the health care we did when I was pregnant things could have been so different.

"Knowledge is Power"

That takes on a new meaning when it comes to not only your health but the health of a little one who hasn't even had a chance to see the world yet. It isn't just about the health care but the education required to keep you and your little one happy and healthy. That is what World Prematurity Day is for awareness and support to get those who need help the help they need.

My Doodlebug and I were lucky. Both of us could have turned out a lot worse than we did. I could still be on dialsys. He could have stayed in the NICU longer than 6 weeks, his eyes could have not developed right, same with his lungs, he could have required a lot my physical therapy.. the list goes on and on.

My husband and brother-in-law (they are fraternal twins) were preemies. My husband had to have surgery because his body wasn't able to drain the fluids off his brain. He still has part of that experimental surgery they gave him in his head (kinda crazy but it isn't hurting anything). My brother-in-law had multiple surgeries after he was born and I think was clinically dead for a bit when he was born. They are both okay now but this was 30 years ago so they are miracle babies too.

I know every child is a miracle but I'd like to see more happy and healthy ones and less tragedies. While Flynn was in the NICU I saw at least 2 others who were not as lucky and did get to take a bundle of joy home.

If you can please support them!

March of Dimes

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 15

A Typical Day In My Life:

Weekend Edition

I used last Sunday as my example..

Approx. 5:00 AM I wake up for the day. Have about 2 cups of coffee and catch up on the goings on of the week online on blogger, twitter, facebook and anything else I might peek at.

7:30 AM Doodle gets up and we get him breakfast.

8:00 AM Time to clean up the house. I talk to my mom and confirm what time we are going to be leaving for the day.

9:30 AM head out to Denver to see my parents.

10:30 AM we arrive at my parents house for a nice family visit. We start the visit off by taking a walk before lunch.

11:30 AM  Lunch time! Delicious!

12:30 PM pile back in the car and head home. Flynn passes out in the car for a nap.

1:30 PM home to pick up the dog and a few things. Flynn is is still napping in the car.

2:00 PM arrive at the Mother-in-law's to watch the Bronco game.

2:25 PM Bronco game starts - all of us are hanging out in the basement playing pool and watching the game.

4:30 PM - Pizza arrives!

6:00 PM - back home to wind down from a busy day.

8:00 PM - Put Flynn to bed. While I get him ready Chris reads to him. We are currently working on the Chronicles of Narnia books. Reading them in story order, we are still on the first book The Magician's Nephew

9:00 PM Time for bed another early work day coming up tomorrow.

..This is a pretty standard weekend day for us if Chris is not working. 

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 14

If You Won the Lottery...

This is actually a really easy topic for me because my husband and I always say "If we won the lottery..." or "When we win the lotto we will.." 

We even play the powerball on occasion because you never will win if you don't play. We were talking to my dad about it this past weekend and he said he did it for years before he finally gave up. We have set up a pretty simple list for if we won. It goes in order of priority so depending on how much we'd win we'd do what we can.

First, We would pay off all our debt. We are still paying off hospital bills and student loans. When you add other things like the mortgage and everything else we are penny pinching like crazy and to be able to pay off all those debts. If we can take care of that then not only can we breath easy again but I can leave me job and stay home with my son. We could even maybe look at expanding our family. Not to mention the money we'd save on daycare, I saw something from the Washington Post that said Colorado was one of the more expensive states for Daycare these days.

Secondly if we could afford to we'd help out our immediate family. They have always been there for us so anything we could give back would be amazing. We limited that to immediate family because that is already a lot of people and we would want to try and help each of them out.

Third we would love to join the Disney Vacation Club. We love Disney and we want to travel so that would put them both together for us. I am sure we would travel without it as well but I love having the trip every 2 years to Breckenridge and so this would be a similar option for the years we don't go to the mountains.

Finally we would donate to charity. I would want to give back if I could to the hospital that was so amazing for myself and my little doodle. Specifically I'd donate to the NICU and the Women's Clinic. If we had enough money I would also donate to the Renal Department there as well. Also I'd give money to the March of Dimes because they are working towards lowering the number of preemies born every year.

Oh! I forgot we'd also try and buy our dream house. We were playing with that idea last night. We'd move up into the mountains most likely. Either we'd build a house or we'd buy one if we found one that already had everything we wanted.

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 13

What is your earliest memory?

This is hard, my memories tend to come and go (I guess I'm getting old!) but I guess a very early memory is playing with my Dad. He would lay on the floor on his back and scoop me up with his legs so my belly was on his shins and I would soar. 

I loved it not only because I was pretending to fly through the clouds but it was something special that I did with him.

It seemed so easy and fun that I try to do it with Flynn. I love to see him laugh and smile the same way I probably did with my dad. I can appreciate those kinds of memories now as I create them with my little boy. Not only for the happiness it gives my little doodle but it also is a great memories for me to look back on when he becomes a teenager and starts rebelling against mommy time.

I know there are bigger memories like going to the zoo, or when we take him to Breckenridge next summer but I like to look back at those special times that are just myself and my parents and so I hope Flynn will feel the same when he is my age. ^_^

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 12

What's inside your fridge?

I would count my fridge as family typical. We have a brita for water, the traditional condiments such as low sodium soy sauce, salad dressing, and mustard.. soooo much mustard!! The mustard is due to unforeseen circumstances that require us to hold on to someone else's belongings. You get the idea, our fridge is pretty typical. 

We also carry two kinds of milk, whole milk for the Hubbie and Doodle and 2% for me. I grew up on skim milk so I just can't do whole milk it tastes like cream to me. We also will typically have half and half and some kind of flavored creamer in there. The half and half is mine it is actually Fat Free. I use half and half because I don't like sugar in my coffee but Chris likes sugar or sweet flavors at least so he gets creamer. Although I like creamer occasionally, for example we had pumpkin spice around Halloween and that was tasty!

Leftovers are also are a guarantee find in our fridge as well. Currently we have pasta and some chicken. Chris takes them for lunch through out the week and if they get out of hand we will do a Leftover Night for dinner. 

So there you have that that is what is in my fridge. No sode, no sweets thats just not our style. Oh and I have no clue what is in the freezer haha.

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 11

List 15 of Your Favorite Things:

1. Family: I love spending time with my family and watching them expand and be happy. So of course they would come up on the top of my list.
2. Friends: Similar to the Family I really see my friends as part of my family and can't imagine my life without them.
3. Photography: Still very much an amatuer this is one of my favorite hobbies. I especially love taking photos of my family.
4. History: World history, American History.. you name it I am fascinated by it. 
5. Disney: I love the movies, the characters, the parks all of it is just enough imagination and fantasy that I feel a kid. 
6. Coffee: My one true addiction although I have learned I can go off it I prefer not to. (I am drinking it even now as I type this)
7. Books: I love to read! I also love to collect the physical books. I dream of having a library in my house some day.
8. Music: I have always loved music. Now a days it is more joyful for me to teach my son about music and watch him dance with me and smile and laugh.
9. Chocolate: I have a sweet tooth. 
10. Animals: I love animals, not just cats and dogs and such but all creatures on this planet of ours. My favorite is the Red Panda.
11. Movies: My favorite film is the Princess Bride. In the same sense as books I love the fantasy world and being transported somewhere else even if it is only for an 90 minutes. (although these days movies tend to run closer to 2 1/2 hours)
12. College Football: While I prefer watching my Penn State play I really do enjoy watching any game if its a really good one. I get bored if one team is destroying the other but a good game of back and forth edge of your seat excitement is what I really look for.
13. Theatre: This is for both musical and just stage. I saw a local theater preform Dracula when I was growing up in NJ and I was enthralled. I also so a Broadway production of Wait Until Dark that had some big names in it and I thought was brilliant. As a child my parents took me to Broadway for musicals such as Cats, Grease, The Scarlet Pimpernel and my favorite - The Phantom of the Opera. Since moving to Colorado I have tried to keep up my theater goings and hope to be able to instill the same enjoyment to my son as he gets older. 
14. Halloween: I love scary movies and I love the playful and scary aspects of dressing up. Getting to play make believe at any age! Also there is the fall with the leaves changing and everything pumpkin spice. Last but not lease by far it is my Wedding Anniversary so it holds a special place in my heart.
15. Paranormal: I believe in the unknown. I love to hear about and read about it. Both in the non-fiction aspects such as Ghost Hunters and the fictitious telling such as Paranormal Witness. I believe that we do not know everything and that there could be a veil we do not see that separates us from something other. The brilliance of it being "unknown" is that there is always that possibility. 

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 10

What's your best physical feature?

I am my worst critic so this one is a tough one. I guess I would have to say my smile. I get a lot of compliments on it. I think it also helps put people at ease because I've been told I can have a scary face if I am focused or tired, I tend to look pissed off I guess?

I really love to laugh and I have a huge smile. It is by no means perfect. It is in fact big and crooked. When I was a kid my teeth were crowding and so I had some removed but only on one side so they are slightly off. 

When I was a teenager someone said I'd have a pretty smile if my teeth weren't crooked. Gee thanks, but I take pride in my smile and its imperfections because honestly most people don't realize my smile is crooked. I am at an age where a lot of what I used to worry about doesn't matter anymore. I realize everyone is insecure about something and the little quirks are nothing to freak out about and are what make us unique. Also when I smile big enough I squint. Chris says my eyes are like upside down smiley faces when I squint because of the way they are shaped with just adds to my smile.

I say to all of you embrace your uniqueness!

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 9

What are your worst habits?

My worst habits? Hmm well I pick at my nails so they break a lot but I think my worst habit is tied to being lazy. I tend to make a lists of things I need to do but I never get them done. I might get two or three items ticked off and then I slowly lose my productivity and motivation. 

This is one of my habits I hope to not pass down to my son. I am trying really hard to change. I think being a morning person is a blessing and a negative when it comes to motivation. I start off strong and quickly go downhill. Typically by noon if it hasn't been accomplished yet it probably won't. 

In an attempt to change this habit I have been trying to use nap time on the weekends as another time to get things done and I've been getting better and better at that. 

I believe in continuing to improve myself so I take pride in not having a lot of bad habits. Although I am sure I have more than I am mentioning here.

My other bad habit would be returning phone calls. I tend to miss a call and either call back a few days later or not get around to returning the call and finally who ever was trying to call me gives up and just calls me back. Yet another thing I am working to try and change about myself.

Hopefully if I ever look back and do this challenge again I can say that these have changed but for now they are my worst habits.

Proud Moments..

My little doodle said Please this morning. Granted I did prompt it from him but he did it for me. I was making french toast and bananas for breakfast. Yum! 

Doodle: "Nana?"

Me: "Say Please."

Doodle: "Pease?" (including sign for please)

I was so proud of him. That was a proper little conversation. They have been working on things like that at his daycare. He is learning sign language and how to say please and thank you. I think manners are really important and starting early is the way to go. We are till working on the Thank You bit but I was so excited that he understands please. 

He is really good using sign language when eating to ask for more too. He impressed his great grandparents the other night at dinner when he would ask for more. I was just happy he was so well behaved at the restaurant. I just couldn't help but beam with pride. When I sit back and think about the past year I am amazed at how quickly he is growing up and how much I really cannot imagine my life without that little doodle. I will never be the same.

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 8

What's In Your Handbag?

In my handbag huh? Hmm well on a normal day that would include my wallet. Which really needs to be replaced as the clasp is starting to fall off. I always have chapstick, earbuds (although to be honest I never use them, I just have them just in case), my checkbook, random change, and my kindle.

If not my kindle I have an actual book. My bag is not very big but that is how I keep myself entertained on breaks and lunch at work. Work is the only place I really get to read these days.

My hand bag is nice but I have been jonesing for a new one. The one I use now was a gift from my mom last Christmas. It is a Thirty-One Bag and it is small. Big enough for a book and my wallet but not much else. It also doesn't really close up which means if I throw it in the seat next to me when I get in the car it tends to spill stuff all over the place (which probably is how I keep losing my chapstick). I really like the Thirty One bags so maybe I'll order a new one for my birthday. My cousins sells them. They are like Avon and those other Candle companies. I have 4 bags from them currently counting my lunch bag and purse. The other two bags are a big colorful tote and the PSU Little Lion bag my cousin gave us for Flynn. 

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 7

Your Pet Hates...

Higgins is easier to come up with things for this list. Higgins hates it when you touch him if he doesn't want to be touched which is normal with cats but he will curl up in your lap and then will try and bite you if you try and touch him. I think that is the only thing he really hates. I guess you can count Achilles but he tends to egg that bit on so it seems to be more play than hate. Higgins doesn't like people. I am do not really think that is hate. I think he just doesn't trust strangers at all and that is also something cats tend to do I notice.

Achilles hates being trapped in the house when things are going on outside and he doesn't like being left home alone without the rest of us. Anytime we go out in the garage he feels it has to be done too.Other than that I'm not sure. He is too happy of a dog and he is so patient. He loves Flynn and will let him do pretty much anything he wants to him.

I also have a tank of Fish but I really can't imagine that they hate anything at all.

**on a side note this marks 100 posts! I feel like dancing**

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 6

Your Five Senses Right Now

Sight: My little doodle bug playing with his toys by putting them away and taking them out of his toy chest over and over

Sound: Mr. Potato head talking in the original Toy Story Film playing on the tv because Flynn picked it out for us to watch.

Taste: Cool and refreshing water. Simple but my favorite thing to drink regularly.

Smell: The Pork Tenderloin slow roasting in the crock pot upstairs. Yummy!

Feel: Soft and cozy from the fuzzy fleece blanket wrapped around my legs.

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 5

10 Songs You Love Right Now:

(not in any order)

1. If Ever I Stray - Frank Turner
2. I Still Believe  - Frank Turner
3. Recovery - Frank Turner
4. She's Everything - Brad Paisley
5. Yesterday - The Beatles
6. Same Love - Macklemore
7. Royals - Lorde
8. I Am the Walrus - The Beatles
9. I'll Be - Edwin McCain
10. Shipping up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys

So I just like most of these songs but some have special meaning to me. First off I discovered Frank Turner last year after I came home from the hospital. The lyrics to If Ever I Stray spoke to me in so many ways it became my anthem for 2012. The song spoke to me about how life put us through hell last year but we kept each other going. "If ever I stray from the the path I follow, take me down to the english channel through me in where the water is shallow and drag me back to shore"

Frank Turner (from video for If Ever I Stray)

The Edwin McCain song is our wedding song. So that will always hold a special place and since our 3rd Anniversary just past its been stuck in my head that past few days. In the same thoughts you have Shipping Up to Boston which is the song we were introduced to at our reception.

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 4

What Are You Afraid Of?

Well the simple answers are that I am afraid of  Spiders and Clowns.

Eww, Just Eww!!

I know that spiders are an essential part of the ecosystem but I just can't get past the creepy factor. I can't even explain the fear. Haha they freak me out so much I can't even be in the same room as them! On the same side I can't kill them either. If I am brave enough to catch one I'll let it go back outside. Otherwise I will make my husband or someone else deal with them so I don't have to. Silly I know.

Now for Clowns, I can't recall when I started being afraid of them . When I was little kid though my mom told me even then I didn't like them. They would take me to the Circus and I liked everything about it but them. I think its the makeup the painted on faces. As much as others see them as comical and amusing. I see it as menacing and just don't feel comfortable at all.

Creeeeeepy

Then of course you throw in Stephen King's IT which simply amplifies the whole mess and anything else about killer clowns. At least I'm not alone!

A friend of mine had a clown statue growing up and I would not go in her room if it was out where I could see it. That may be a little irrational but at least if it was covered or hidden I knew it was there but I was ok so I figure I'm not that bad really!

Now the not so simple.. I'm afraid of being alone.

I think a lot of people have this fear. I don't mean being by myself I'm fine with that, I mean being alone in life. Not having the family and friends to support me and that I can help support. That social bonding that is so important to everything great about life. That is another reason I moved to Colorado. My parents were planning to move with or without me but I couldn't imagine being without my family. 

Now of course I have my own family and I can't imagine being able to go on if they weren't part of my life. 

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 3

My Favourite Quote:

"Dream as if you'll live forever, Live as if you'll die today"

~James Dean

My favourite quote and I have tried to live by it but lately I've been slacking a lot. I think its a great quote to remind you that life is short and if you don't reach for the stars you aren't really living.  Life is just one big adventure. There are other quotes I like too that go hand in hand with this one. 

"Do something worth remembering"

~Elvis Presley

This one is why I moved to Colorado and got married on my favourite holiday, Halloween. It may not be memorable to others but I don't think that it has to be. The point is to have a memorable life something to look back and smile. 

Mainly my view is that no matter how simple and small you may feel your life is it is in your hands to make it as amazing and wonderful as you want. Everything about your life is in your hands and you better grab it by the horns or you have no one to blame but yourself for how it turns out. So go out there and do something amazing! Whether its have a great day with your family or do something for your community or even just do something to indulge yourself. You have to go out and make your own happiness and your own great memories to look back at in your golden years. ^_^

Naptime is my savior..

Over the past year I've learned one thing. Naptime is my time. Thank you daycare for training my little man to sleep nearly on command. His little internal clock goes off between 11:30 and 12pm and suddenly he goes from happy hyper 16 month old to a sleepy doodle.

Flynn is down to 1 nap a day and it ranges from 2 to 3 hours. It gives me a nice amount of time to get things done around the house. I can clean and do the dishes and still have time to watch some good ole tv such as Dawson's Creek and catch up on my computer things.

This morning before his naptime alarm went off I had a lot of fun having a little photo shoot of Flynn playing in his toy chest. I hope to have a post to share with you soon.

Last weekend we had our first night without Flynn. He slept over his Grandma's house so the hubby and I could celebrate our third anniversary. We went to Red Lobster and it was delicious! Not to mention it was great to be able to not have a little boy to handle in a restaurant or worry about getting home before it was too late. Although we were home by 7:30 so we could watch a scary movie together. We also stopped and picked up dessert and some more pumpkin spice blue moon to enjoy.

I do have to be honest though I didn't stop worrying about him till it was about 9pm. Grandma said she'd call if there was any issues getting him to bed. He apparently had no issues and slept for a whole 12 hours that night. I think it helped to have lots of family around him. His cousin's and his Uncle and Aunt were all over that night so he had lots of people to keep him company and make him happy and loved.

Sunday we spent all morning at Grandma's because it was fun. I have to admit I wanted to rush over there as soon as I was up but it was too early. So we waited until after we knew he was awake. This means we have a new option and I hope for many more date nights in the future.

The anniversary also cues the holiday season beginning. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We've been invited to multiple events so now we have to figure out which one to go to. Then there is planning Christmas. Chris always wants to ear mark Christmas Eve for his Mom's house but that is the night my family all goes to my Aunt's so we have to compromise and offer to host on Christmas day which I don't really want to do but will probably do anyway.

My Mom and I were talking about Christmas photos so its also time to book a session to get photos taken for Christmas cards, which leads also to christmas shopping. I keep seeing things I would love to get Flynn. I hope we can have a kick ass Christmas on a budget this year. We shall see!

Oh and it is great to be back!

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 2

20 Facts About Me:

1. I am terrified of spiders.
2. I am 5 foot 3 1/2 inches tall and have not grown since I was 12 years old.
3. When I am really tired or pissed off I sound like I am from Long Island.
4. I was on the color guard in high school.
5. I didn't get interested in football till I was in college.
6. My favorite book is Jane Eyre.
7. My nicknames are Squeaks and Ling Ling. Both were given to me by people I used to work with.
8. When I start laughing really hard my laugh gets all crazy and I start squeaking. It is almost like snorting but through my mouth instead of my nose.. haha.. it is really contagious and makes others laugh more.
9. I have one tattoo of an Ankh but I want more
10. I am a big nerd.
11. I love horror movies and anything supernatural.
12. I believe in ghosts
13. I have a degree in International Politics that I don't use.
14. I would love to go back to school for photography or to be a pastry chef.
15. Someday I'd like to own my own business.
16. I live in Colorado but I've never gone skiing in my life.
17. I have an irrational fear of clowns.
18. I love Disney. Seriously, Disney Movies, Disney World.. the Disney Store.. you name it I love it..haha
19. If you bribe me with chocolate I will pretty much do anything you want.
20. I am adopted and my birth mother reached out to me after 9/11 but I wasn't ready to meet her at the time. I did learn though that I have a half brother and half sister that are a lot younger than me.

So there you have have it a snippet of me in 20 facts.

2013 so far..

 If I am getting back into this blog I should post about things! 

The last year has truly been a blur.  So here is a quick summary through photos of the past year..

Christmas Eve 2012

First St Patrick's Day - 2013

Flynn and Uncle Mikey - March 27th 2013

Memorial Day 2013 - With Grandpa Green

Yummy!

Happy 1st Birthday!

FIrst Game of the Year  - Labor Day Weekend 2013

Football Season!

Waiting for Trick or Treaters - Halloween 2013

Lil Biker Dude - Halloween 2013

And there you have it. That is this year pretty much summed up.

We had lots of firsts this year. Including the Aquarium, Zoo, Birthday, Dentist ..and so many more..everyday is still an adventure with my little munchkin!

31 Day Blog Challenge - Day 1

01. Introduction & A Recent Photo Of You

Happy Halloween!

Hi! Its been ages so I thought this would be a great way to get in the swing of things again! My name is Leah. I am 30 years old (I know I can't believe it either!). I am married to a wonderful man named Chris. We just celebrated our 3rd Wedding Anniversary on Halloween. ^_^ We also have a handsome little boy named Flynn who is just over 16th months. If you've read any of the other parts of my page you'll know he was 2 months premature and is our amazing little miracle baby.  We live in Colorado but I am originally from NJ and sometimes the Jersey Girl attitude still shows up. I work in Customer Support at a big name tech company in support of another big name company's computers. My favorite color is pink, I love horror movies. I can't live without coffee and I am a chocoholic. I also really love to laugh! I think that all sums me up pretty well ^_^