Are we back in Australia???

It is going to be 71 degrees tomorrow! It should be snowing and freezing cold but if all goes to plan, we will be at the zoo - without the need for jackets, scarves and gloves! It's either going to be a very mild winter...or it will be hitting us really hard later in the season! In the meantime, I will be taking advantage as much as possible!!!


***Update: The severe wind warnings in Cincinnati scared us away from the zoo I'm afraid, but we did head out to Easton in Columbus and score some incredible deals at Gymboree, Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma!!! Not a wasted day by any means...

Merry Christmas to all!

Extra Extra!! Read all about it...

You can say that I am corny all you want, but Wondertime paid me $75 for this submission!! Yeah, baby!!!

Read all about it!!!!  Wondertime - January 2009

Those were the days, my friend...

Pop, you are forever in our hearts and memories. You lived an incredible life. You were loved for a lifetime by one of the kindest women on earth. You have a large, wonderful family and I have the honour of being your first grandchild. I have a life full of memories of time spent with you. Sean will hear stories throughout his life of the things you accomplished and of the memories I have. You will always be loved. You will always be missed.

Such a sad sight

Isn't this just the saddest picture? Poor little Seany sleeping off his surgery. It has been a very rough recovery for him (and me!). I would not recommend the surgery to anyone unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary...the pain my little boy has been in is unbearable to see. On Sunday I thought I was going to have to take him back to hospital as he would not eat or drink anything. His first 'good' afternoon was Monday (yesterday), 5 full days after his surgery. And, his night was still terrible. I went back to work today while he stayed with his Dad. When i visited after work (he will stay with him for a couple of days) he fell asleep in my arms. I can't tell you how many times I have cried in the past week! It is so very difficult to watch your child writhing in pain, full body shaking at the thought of taking a drink of water. I have never wanted anything more than for my son to be free of this pain. As much as I thought I had prepared myself, I had no idea it would be this hard for him.

Maybe this will cheer him up...

Meet Lucy.....

Tomorrow, tomorrow...

Last night, I (finally) told Sean about his surgery...you know...since it's tomorrow and all! We had a couple of errands to run then we ate a healthy dinner and I told him we had to have a chat before bed. We ran upstairs, got him all snuggly in his jammies, brushed his teeth, grabbed Jellie (his beloved elephant) and snuggled in the rocking chair. I explained about how his doctor (that we had seen earlier in the day) had decided that the only way to make his throat feel better all the time, was to take out the "things he uses the light to look at in your throat". He understood that much! We talked about the hospital, about how he will be asleep and they will take them out and how his throat will hurt when he wakes up but we will give him medicine to make him feel better, how we will be staying there for one night, and that Mummy will be with him the whole time...

How I didn't burst into tears myself is beyond me! He seemed to grasp the concept and told me that he wasn't afraid of the doctor, "just the hospital a little bit". He was so sweet all snuggled up in my lap, curled up with his head on my chest and looking up at me with trusting eyes. He was excited when I told him that I was making some special cupcakes that looked like turkeys so he and his friends at daycare could have a little party before he went to hospital. Sure enough, when we got to daycare he proudly showed off his little turkeys and said "I am going to hospital". I hope he handles it this well tomorrow...