A day in the life...

With my favorite season of fall and the glorious months of December and January bringing with it birthdays, new additions to our family and a New Year nearly gone, I find myself stuck in the dead center of what I have aptly named the "dreary days" of the year. This is the time of year, at least for our family, when nothing much is going on- just the monotony of school, work, snow, clouds and cold. This is the time of year when I generally start counting down the days until spring arrives.

However, one of my New Year's resolutions this year is to enjoy every day and not to wish my time away. I always somehow get caught up in the "when" game. For ex. "When summer comes...We'll get out more" or "When my kids are older, I'll have more time for this or that." Well, not this year! I want to enjoy the every day moments that are so precious, that you can so easily look over if you are constantly wishing or waiting for something else.

So, here is a day in the life of Mary...just hanging out at home...making the best of these "dreary days."
Every spare moment I have, has been spent trying to catch up on my scrapbooking-which I have gotten desperately behind on due to a new baby and an untimely surgery...
I have quite a collection of scrapbooks which meticulously document every major event and even many fun, small moments of our lives together!!
Of course, plenty of time is spent cleaning up toys (about 28 different times a day as Jane just pulls them out again), washing bottles, folding laundary etc. etc.
Naturally, there is the daily three hours of office work to be done for the park- and quite often some late nights as well...
And the BEST part of my day is getting to spend time with this crazy, fun girl...
...and this adorable, sweet boy. They are both growing too fast!!

So...that's it!! This is generally how my day goes. It may not seem like much...but ya know...I love all of it and I wouldn't wish any of it away. Soon enough my kids will be grown up, I'll have TOO much time on my hands and I will long for these simple, yet wonderful days again :)

26 years of craziness!!

Happy 26th birthday to my dear husband, Ryan!! His birthday was the 13th of January!!He is the BEST husband and father I could ever have imagined marrying and I am a lucky, lucky woman to have him!! :) Here is the man of the hour with our two adorable kids, Jane (2and 1/2) and Beckham (2 and 1/2 months)!!
We had a very tiny birthday celebration for him this year. He was busy, busy studying for a monster test at school. So, we had to squeeze in a birthday party between studying, working in the office at Crestline and taking care of two kids!! However I worked my butt off to try to make it special!! Here he is showing off his Crimson laser sight for his gun!! I think he was excited!!!
Here is Jane with daddy's birthday bow on her head!! She was the BEST birthday present!!
I made Ryan his traditional (since last year :)) flourless, chocolate torte with raspberry sauce for his birthday!! This little beauty takes like 10 hours overall to make so I had to get creative when trying to manage my two kids and baking for hours on end!!
And here is just an absolutely adorable picture of our little guy, Beckham, smiling and saying happy birthday to his daddy!! And the Best smile award goes to... Beckham Dick!!!
We love you, Ryan!! Thanks for all your hard work in school, at work and at home- you're the BEST!!

Kids say the darndest things...

My daughter Jane is a complete riot!!? She is talking so much and the craziest things manage to escape her lips :) I wanted to share a few of Jane's crazy thoughts:

**When Jane poops she bends over and pushes so hard her face turns bright red and a vein pops out on her forehead. One day Ryan asked Jane if she wanted to go sit on the potty and poop. Jane replied, amidst the pushes, "Poopin's so hard!"

**Jane was in the bath tub and some lint from her clothes managed to make its way into the bathtub somehow. Jane picked up a handful of water containing a piece of lint and said, "Look at these crusties!"

**While making Jane's dinner I was talking to her in a French accent (one has to entertain themselves somehow...:)). Jane looked at me with a puzzled look and said, "What are you talkin' about, mama?"

**Ryan was going to take Jane out to her first movie and she was refusing to go. Ryan whipped out a 20 dollar bill and said I'll give you money. Jane immediately ran to him and said "Real money! I need real money!"....Yikes!!

**Ryan and I were watching "Julie and Julia" while Jane was playing with toys, seemingly uninterested in the movie. However, when Julia Child came on the screen Jane proclaimed excitedly, "Look its Julia!" Who knew Jane was a Julia Child fan?

**The words Bubonic Plague came on the tv and I thought it would be funny to have Jane try to say it. Here is what Jane said, "Poop on it, leg."

**We were driving in the car and the sun happened to be on Jane's side of the car- apparently in her face. Because I heard Jane who sounded annoyed say, "Sun's so bright- shinin' shinin' shinin!"

**Jane was brushing my hair and patting my head so gently and sweetly one morning, so I asked, "Is mama's hair pretty?" Jane looked at my hair, then looked at me in the face while patting my head and replied, "Let's fix it."

Jane is so much fun and It makes my day pretty exciting as I wait to hear what Jane will possibly say next :)

Beckham update:
I sweet little man is doing much better now that we have him on acid reflux medicine and have him on a special formula because of his intolerance to protein. He is such a happy little fella and a good boy too!! He already sleeps 11 hours a night :) Hooray for a full nights sleep!!

Why do we need gall bladders?

It seems that half of the world's population is walking around without a gall bladder? I have discovered this due to the fact that I have joined the other half and am now gall bladder-less!! Before the whole ordeal, I was introduced to about a thousand people who had also had their gall bladders removed...I will never understand why we have organs that we simply can live without. Especially when those seemingly needless organs begin to cause us horrible pain and digestive issues for no apparent reason at all. Anyhoo, my gall bladder experience was one I will never forget- and don't wish to. So, I am going to re-tell the ordeal for my own benefit and if you want to come along for the ride feel free...but I am warning ya...it ain't all pretty

I walked into the surgical center at 5am on December 21st, 2009 after having been up toiling over the fact that my 5 week old baby had decided to get up in the wee hours of the morning and have one of his freakishly CRAZY nights on the day of my surgery. I had to leave my crying baby with my poor angel of a sister who volunteered to stay with my kids (while watching a child of her own) during my surgery...she had no idea what she was getting into. Luckily, she is one of those naturally amazing mothers and managed to survive.

I had gotten up, and amidst the howls of my baby, I showered and diligently did my hair, make-up and put on my new Juicy Couture sweat suit I had gotten as an early birthday gift. This somehow made me feel better since my nerves had finally kicked in and the urge to throw up was relentless as I thought about somehow dying during my surgery. This effort proved to be completely unappreciated by the surgical center staff as they immediately had me strip down, put a gown on, and cover my hair with a surgical cap. At least I looked good for a half hour or so...right? I am sure the one other elderly woman in the waiting room really appreciated it...

"How many other people have worn this gown" I thought as I trudged to my impending doom. As I laid in my coffin...err bed, I was visited my seemingly every member of the surgical center staff since my mother works there and was sure to inform everyone of my coming. Before I knew it, I was being wheeled into the surgery room. I was so scared I was shaking and felt the need to apologize for my uncontrollable wussiness. However, before I had the chance I heard "Here come the Bahamas" from the anesthesiologist and I was out. The surgery commenced. While out, I don't remember being anywhere near the Bahamas. In fact all I remember is immediately waking up and hearing all sorts of panting for breath and whining for pain meds. It took me a while to figure out that it was coming from me...yuck.

It seemed like no time at all before they had me up and walking to another area. This is when the uncontrollable nausea hit. I felt like puking all over my nurse for making me get up as she helped me walk to my lazy boy recliner where I would spend the next five hours trying to get my nausea under control. Though my sweet nurse tried, we were never able to get me feeling good enough to go home early. To prevent blood clots, I was supposed to get up and walk around every hour. This felt like utter torture as I would just fall asleep and be immediately awoken by an entirely too positive nurse wanting me to walk around...which would last about five seconds before I would feel the urge to puke and need to sit down.

Finally, after six hours of being laid out in the surgical center, which was a long time for a gall bladder patient, I was dressed back in my juicy couture sweat suit (a mistake as I realized comfort over cuteness is far more desired after surgery...oh well) and sent home. My nausea was still pretty bad but I couldn't stay at the surgical center any longer. So, I was sent home and puked again...which was dreadful because it hurt the stitches on my stomach so horribly. My dear sweet husband however, came to my rescue with all sorts of remedies to try to control my nausea and pain. Because he is getting a doctorate of pharmacy and is super smart, his remedies worked and I eventually started to feel much better!!

I hated being out of commission for so long- not being able to hold my kids or feed my baby or even vacuum my house was horrendously taunting and unpleasant for me. However, thanks to my wonderful husband who stepped in like a pro and my sweet family, especially my mother-in- law, we managed to survive. And now it has been two and a half weeks and life is slowly getting back to normal and I am feeling great!! I am so glad November and December are over- even though 2009 was a wonderful year!! Thanks to all those people who have been so thoughtful and sweet in bringing meals, offering to help with the kids and for just being supportive- I couldn't have gotten through these past two months without you!!! Love you all!!

Another Christmas come and gone...

Christmas this year was interesting, because not only did I have a new born baby, but I had to get surgery to have my gal bladder out the Monday before Christmas!! Yuck! So I have been somewhat out of commission for a while- but I am on the mend and doing much better :) However, because of me, we have been unable to get out as much as we would have wanted, to enjoy the holiday festivities. Jane did get to see Santa at least...sorry no pics of that though :(

My family was nice enough to come and have Christmas Eve at our house, though!! It was so nice. Here is my gorgeous sister, Christina, and her equally as gorgeous daughter, Mae, enjoying Christmas Eve at my house.
Jane loved dancing to Christmas music with my mom and Beckham...
My cute brother, Bryan, and sister-in-law, Wendy, got Jane an adorable play house for Christmas!! Here are Jane and Bryan setting it up...
Oh how Jane loved it so!! It has been aptly named..."Jane's house" and now takes up half of her tiny room...sooo cute!!
Beckham enjoyed Christmas Eve- though he slept through most of it :) What a handsome guy!!
Here we all are having our traditional Shepherd's dinner- a tradition I remember from my youngest years :) So much fun!!
On Christmas day, after our family Christmas at home, we packed up the kids and ventured out to visit the family...Here we are at Grammy's house where Jane received a very fun piano. "My pino" as Jane Says...Terry and Ryan sporting their new hoodies. Both very handsome!!
Beckham loved looking at his grandpa-although what could he be thinking?!!

Jane, who is completely enamored with everything princess, loved her princess dress, shoes and accessories she got from Santa!! Oh so fun!!Christmas this year, though different, was amazing and we are so blessed. I wonder what fun 2010 will bring to the Dick family?!

Santa Clause is coming to town...

Christmas is drawing near and we, here at the Dick house, are loving it and trying to live up this holiday season despite being somewhat home bound with our new little guy...Here are Ryan and Jane building our ginger bread house
I helped a little, too
Lets be honest...Jane mostly ate the candy while we did all the work :)
And we had my beautiful and talented little sis, Christina, take some Christmas pics of the kids...
they were greatly uncooperative for the most part!!
Beckham liked to try to be like his big sis...so cute!!
My kids are pretty adorable...if I do say so myself :)
Jane really likes "baby brother" (as she calls him)- that was not always the case...yikes!

Cutest little santa ever...

And Jane with her typical camera face- I guess she is boycotting smiling...She is still a doll!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

One crazy month...

Little baby Beckham has been in this world for almost four weeks now and it has been quite a ride. He is finally doing well after having a rough go of things at first. Between sinus infections, a milk allergy, digestion issues, severe constipation and projectile vommiting, Beckham hasn't been the happiest little guy. But we have been working tirelessly to figure out how to make him comfortable and happy and finally, he has been doing much better. He sleeps great at night now and has been eating much better. That's not to say we don't run into a few snags here and there, but overall, things at the Dick house have been calming down!!

But, boy he sure is a cutie and such a sweet, patient little man!!
We think red is really his color!!
Ahhhh, finally a good nights rest...for all of us...
He loves his pappa!!
Jane has really been adjusting well, too!! At least there have been no more sneak attacks on baby Beckham!! In fact, she actually kinda enjoys him :)
Best friends in the making!!!
We love our kids and are loving life...despite the craziness!!