Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus Giveaway!!

Recently, I had written about the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, the Greatest Show on Earth!

Now, thanks to Mom Central, I am so pleased to be able to give one lucky reader a family pack of tickets to see The Greatest Show on Earth on opening night, Oct. 14th, in Boston, MA!!

To enter this giveaway:

1. Comment on this post, telling me what your favorite act in the show is.

For additional entries:

1. Tweet about this giveaway.

2. Link to this giveaway, either in your blog or in your facebook status. (send me the link in a separate comment).

3. Help me spread the word about this fantastic show. I have a flyer that I can email you that you can pass out at mom's groups, playdates, etc. Just leave me a comment with your email address and I will send the flyer out.

I will choose the winner on Wednesday, October 7th. The winner will have two days to respond before I choose another winner. The winner will pick up their tickets at the will call window the night of the show; picture ID will be required!! For obvious reasons, this giveaway is only open to readers who reside in the Boston area and is only valid for the Oct. 14th show.

Here is a recap of the fabulous show and the current available ticket offers:

This year, The Greatest Show On Earth is providing the chance to create even more amazing memories with their All-Access Pre-Show, which begins an hour before the show starts live on the circus floor. Your kids will have the chance to meet the performers, try on costumes, and get close and personal with the circus! The All-Access Pre-Show is FREE to all ticket holders and is a must see!

Best of all, The Greatest Show on Earth is joining up with Mom Central to offer families discounts on their tickets. There are three offers to choose from; just look for the box marked MC Promotion when purchasing your tickets. The offers are:

*Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all weekday performances, which includes all weekday evening and Friday matinee performances; minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each.

*Offer #2: All weekend performance tickets will be $4 off the original price.

Offer #3: Get the best Circus Celebrity, Front Row and VIP seats available – We have reserved seats in these sections just for you! Enter the code MOM. No discounts available on these sections.

* Not valid on Circus CelebritySM, Front Row or VIP seats and may not be combined with other offers including special Opening Night pricing. Other fees may apply.

Hope to see the lucky winner there!!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus Giveaway!!

Wearing Them Close To My Heart.

This week is International Babywearing Week. In honor of the occasion, I'd like to share some of my favorite babywearing posts.

I started babywearing when the Mermaid was eight months old. I started out with an Ellaroo Wrap, then started using pouches, slings, and finally, a Mei Tai

I have a favorite type of sling for each age, each occasion, each hold. I generally start out wearing my babies when they are little in ring sling or pouches and wraps, then generally switch to MT's when they get older. In fact, the MT's are the carriers that I tend to reach for the most.
Babywearing has made my life so much easier. Not only is it really convenient, but to be able to hold my babies close to my heart, to be able to bend my neck and kiss the top of their soft heads, to know that they feel safe and secure in my arms, is truly a blessing.

You can check out my babywearing stash here.

You should also read my Top 10 Things I Love About Babywearing.

What are your favorite carriers? What do you love most about babywearing?

Wearing Them Close To My Heart.

Trying to Crawl Out From Under This Mess

This Saturday was the girls' birthday party. Good friends, good food, and the girls got loaded up with presents. Of course, my camera wasn't working, so I wasn't able to capture the adorable and bright smiles on their faces. But trust me, they were there.

Saturday was also The Mermaid's first soccer game of the season. I was so proud watching her play out on the field. Her team won, she was so excited!

Sunday, instead of cleaning up from the party like I planned, the girls and I went out with some friends and spent the day doing various things. Then we got home and both girls said their tummy hurt and both got sick. I am thinking it was from all the sugary food they had, but who knows?

I have a house that desperately needs cleaning, diapers that need washing, laundry that needs folding, and toys that need to be opened and organized and put away.

I have 568 emails to get through and I am so far behind on my Google reader that I think I am going to mark all read.

Most importantly, I have to figure out how to get back on schedule with my studying. I am really behind in my CBE certification and want to fix that now.

So, this week is looking pretty busy. But, I don't mind. Morning Sickness is leaving me breathless with nausea sometimes and an little sick, but I am still functioning. And considering my past pregnancies, I consider that a true blessing.

I'd love to hear how your weekend went.

Trying to Crawl Out From Under This Mess

Moms And College.

I am addicted to learning. No, really. I find it hard to believe that there will ever come a time in my life where I will not be taking some sort of class or teaching myself something from a book.

Right now I am studying to become a Childbirth Educator. And for the first time since becoming a mom, my mom duties and studying have come to an impasse.

I am so close to finishing. But, having two kids and a house and all my other activities keep getting in the way, more than ever before. I need to start scheduling some time in, time where I will leave the house and go somewhere quiet and do nothing but study.

I know that I can do this, I have in the past. When I got pregnant with the Mermaid, I was a junior in college. It was hard. Puking in between classes, fighting for seats near the door so I wouldn't be as disruptive when I left to pee every two minutes during class, trying to sit in those hard chairs while literally feeling my legs and hands swell up.

Not to mention that I was the new poster child on campus for safe sex. The bigger my belly got, the bigger the eyes of the girls who would stare at me as I waddled down the hall. The freshmen girls were the worst, they would actually whisper behind their hands to each other as I walked by. I was a freak on campus.

And this was in college. COLLEGE!! All you ladies who had to do this in high school, where the maturity level I'm sure barely existed, I feel for you.

Junior year ended (finally) and I waddled my way through the rest of summer, giving birth to the Mermaid a week before the fall semester started. I took a semester off so I could stay home with her for a little bit before jumping back into studying.

When I went back to finish my senior year, the Mermaid was six months old. I was lucky, I had very supportive family who not only encouraged (and threatened) me to finish college, but were more than willing to watch the Mermaid as I made the 1.5 hour drive each way to campus and back. That's 3 hours of driving a day. But I did it.

I did it despite the fact that I was still a bit of a freak, because OMG she has a baby? (Again, this really bothered me because I was in COLLEGE. I was 21. I wasn't 15, I was 21! Get over it, people!). I did it even thought it meant long drives and long nights, with the Mermaid nursing in one arm and an open textbook in my other arm. I did it, even though it meant lots of pumping, pumping that I had to do IN THE BATHROOM, while being STARED AT by girls who still believed that the purpose of breasts were to win wet T-shirt contests and flash crowds on Mardi Gras!

I'm not trying to whine about what I had to go through, because I know that lots of other girls did it too. I remember one time walking into the bathroom carrying my pump, turning the corner, and bumping into another girl walking out who was carrying the same pump. We locked eyes, and without a single word, gave each other a hug. It is do-able, and I was lucky I had the support and resources I needed to go back and finish school.

I'm just trying to re-iterate how I did it through even more trying circumstances than I am facing now, and yet I am having more trouble now than I did back then. And I can't figure out why.

So, to all moms who are juggling school work with being a mom to young children: I'd love to hear from you. I'd love to hear your advice and tips. But more importantly, remembering back to my college days and how tough some days were, I'd like to hear: How are you? How was your day? Because sometimes, it just takes a small conversation (or even a moment of locking eyes) with someone who totally gets it to keep you going.

Moms And College.

Wordless Wednesday: I Miss This

She hasn't nursed in over 25 days. I'm thankful for the break before the new baby arrives, but oh how I miss it.

Wordless Wednesday: I Miss This

Sweet, Sweet Repetition.

Lately I've found myself without a lot to write about.

Wait, that's not true. I have a lot to write about. But when my life is full of such joy and hope and euphoria, how do I write the words to adequately describe that?

I just can't.

Yesterday I spent all day doing laundry. I played with the girls and folded laundry, played with them again and folded more laundry, and so on. A day full of repetition.

Sounds dull, doesn't it?

But it wasn't. Because in between the folded shirts and pants, love filled the room. And so did laughter.

Hope bloomed, and it is beautiful.

This life inside me? It causes smiles all around. Like when the Guppy lifted up my shirt and shouted at my belly, "What are you doing in there, baby?" Or the Mermaid tried to guess how many hours a day the baby was "sleeping".

Sometimes, it is those days full of repetition, those days designated by those who don't understand as dull or boring, those are the days that I treasure the most.

Sweet, Sweet Repetition.

Baby's Bliss Nipple Cream Winner!!

I know I am late with announcing the winner, so sorry.

The winner of the Baby's Bliss Nipple Cream for Mommies, chosen by a random number generator, is:

Andrea from Good Girl Gone Redneck!

Congrats, Andrea!

You have three days to contact me with your address before I pick another winner. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Baby's Bliss Nipple Cream Winner!!

Staycation, Continued

Our third day of Staycation was also the Mermaid's birthday. We took the girls to Roger Williams Zoo, and the Mermaid wore her birthday crown the entire day. The girls loved seeing all the different animals and they both got to pick out a little present from the gift store. Afterwards, we went to Roger Williams Park and had a picnic and family walk before heading home. For all the pictures from the zoo, click on the picture below.
For the rest of Staycation, we went to the Woodstock Fair (where I forgot my camera) and then relaxed at home. The Knight is taking a second Staycation in October and we can't wait!

Staycation, Continued

Reason 101 Why I Shouldn't Be Left Alone Anymore.

Saturday night, the girls spent the night at their grandparent's and The Knight went out of town to visit with some friends, so I was left alone. My mom invited me to come eat dinner at her house. We ate in front of the TV, joked and laughed. It was fun.

My mom has Verizon Fios, the 1,000 channel option, or something like that. I just know that she has so many channels that after four months of having Fios she is still finding new channels that she didn't know she had. So after we finished eating, she tells me that she found a really cool channel that is horror movies all day, every day.

Did I mention that I DO NOT do horror movies? I used to do horror movies, in fact I used to LOVE horror movies. I even saw Dawn of the Dead while pregnant, and was totally unfazed while watching that woman turn into a zombie and die right before giving birth to a zombie baby. Did I mention I was pregnant at the time?

Then came along the movie The Grudge. I know that most horror film connoisseurs thought that The Grudge was stupid, but let me tell you, for some reason that I haven't figured out yet, that movie SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME. I couldn't sleep for two weeks, and then for the following two weeks I could only sleep if I didn't have any blankets on. I am freaking myself out right now just thinking about it. Since seeing The Grudge I have refused to watch any more horror movies, for fear of not getting any sleep for two weeks again.

But, my mom loves horror movies and was obviously very proud of her discover so I didn't object when she flipped to the movie One Missed Call. For those who never saw the movie, the basic premise is that a group of friends get a missed call from a future date and time and when they listen to the voicemail it is the sound of themselves dying. And then they go on to die at the predicted date and time, blah blah blah. The whole scary effects, creepy ring tone, etc. I was so proud of myself, I got through the movie and only jumped out of my skin and covered my eyes twice.

The movie ended and I said goodbye and went home. That's when I realized that A) I had just watched a scary movie and B) I was going to home to an empty house.

Smart, Shelly. Real smart.

I walk into the house and flip the switch to the living room light...and nothing. The living room lights are out. So I stumble across to the kitchen and hit the switch and...nothing.

Great.

Luckily the hallway light works and right after I turn it on I hear a BANG behind me and I spin around just in time to see the cat run away. And instead of feeling relieved that it was just the cat, I start freaking out because EVERYONE KNOWS that if you investigate a strange noise that ends up just being a cat, YOU DIE!

So what happens next? MY CELL PHONE RINGS!!

Seeing as the movie I saw was entitled One Missed Call, you can imagine how I reacted. I actually screamed out loud. And I'm too afraid to answer it and IT RINGS AGAIN! So I finally pick it up and its my sister and she says Hey is the girls' birthday party next weekend or the weekend after? and I am all BITCH DON'T CALL AND SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???

And she says You watched a scary movie, didn't you. and so I have to hate her for both scaring me and for being so smart. Or maybe I am just that predictable.

I spent the rest of the night with the TV on way too loud and all the lights on. The ones that were working, anyway. And a reminder of why I am so not a horror movie person.

Reason 101 Why I Shouldn't Be Left Alone Anymore.

Disney On Ice!!!

Have you taken your kids to see Disney on Ice yet? The Knight and I haven't, but it looks like a fantastic show!

The excitement, drama, and thrill of Disney On Ice sweeps in this fall along with the new school year! Feld Entertainment's Disney On Ice live spectaculars feature iconic Disney stories, characters, music, and world-class skating; providing families with a unique entertainment experience to which they can look forward to this fall and winter.

Your kids will be wowed by the opportunity to locally experience their favorite Disney characters live, right in front of their eyes. With spectacular ice shows featuring the magical Disney characters: such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Cinderella and Tinker Bell to favorites from Disney's Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, and the new film, The Princess and The Frog; there is a performance to delight everyone—big and small alike. These action-packed shows will certainly be a family treat, and will create childhood memories of special times together.

Best of all, Disney on Ice is teaming up with Mom Central to offer great discounts on tickets! Just look for the box labeled MC Promotion when purchasing your tickets. The following three offers are available:

*Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all weekday performances, which includes all weekday evening and Friday matinee performances; minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each.

*Offer #2: All weekend performance tickets will be $4 off the original price

Offer #3: Get the best Front Row and VIP seats available – We have reserved seats in the Front Row and VIP sections just for you! No discounts available on these seats. Use the code MOM.

*Not valid on Front Row or VIP seats or combinable with other offers including opening night offers. Other fees may apply.

The above offers are good in the following cities:

St. Louis: September 3-6, 2009
Chicago: September 8-13, 2009
Sunrise: September 17-20, 2009
Dayton/Cincinnati: September 17-27, 2009
Miami: September 23-27, 2009
Auburn Hills: September 30 – October 4, 2009
Charlotte: October 8-11, 2009
Philadelphia: October 14-18, 2009
Atlanta: October 14-18, 2009
Oakland/San Jose: October 14-25, 2009
Fairfax: October 21-25, 2009
Sacramento: October 28 – November 1, 2009
Baltimore: October 28 – November 1, 2009
Uniondale: November 10-15, 2009
Houston: November 11-15, 2009
NYC: November 17-22, 2009
East Rutherford: November 24-29, 2009
Denver/Broomfield: December 3-13, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/12/09
St. Paul: December 9-13, 2009
Los Angeles: December 17-20, 2009
Toronto: December 18-27, 2009
Anaheim: December 22-27, 2009
Philadelphia: December 23 – January 3, 2010 *available for purchase on 10/12/09
Boston: December 26-29, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/3/09
Ontario: December 30 – January 3, 2010
Cleveland: January 8 -18, 2009 *available for presale on 10/2/09

This year Disney on Ice is running three shows:

Disney On Ice presents Celebrations! It's one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Enjoy a winter wonderland with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains, a Very Merry Unbirthday Party, a Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe.

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy: Rev up for non-stop fun with four of your favorite Disney stories at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy. Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar's CARS race across the ice. Dive into The Little Mermaid's enchanting undersea kingdom and experience the 'Circle of Life' with The Lion King. Then enter the mystical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies as they reveal the magic that lies within!

Special Bonus! Come see a Disney princess and a dazzling display of gorgeous gowns at the Disney Princess Pre-Show starting one hour before show time! Complimentary to all ticket holders.

Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic: Join the celebration as 65 of Disney's unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic! You'll be captivated by the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and all the Disney Princesses. Be thrilled by exciting moments from The Lion King; Mulan; and Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story films; in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments you'll remember forever as Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic!

Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics: Dreams really do come true! Disney On Ice is proud to bring you a dazzling tale of hope, heart, heroism and hilarity as Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics. This stunning spectacle is an awe-inspiring and fun-filled journey to the magical lands of Disney's classic fairy tales. Travel to a kingdom under the sea, an enchanted palace in France, an Arabian castle and more! Enter the fantasy worlds of your favorite Disney princesses – Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and Snow White – as they bring magic to your city in this royal skating extravaganza.

The Knight and I are definitely taking the girls. Now we just have to decide which show! If you've taken your family to Disney on Ice, I'd love to hear from you!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Feld Entertainment. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Disney On Ice!!!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus

Last year the Knight and I had the chance to take the girls to the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus in Boston. What a treat!! The girls loved the elephants, tigers, trapeze artists, and of course, the clowns!

This year, The Greatest Show On Earth is providing the chance to create even more amazing memories with their All-Access Pre-Show, which begins an hour before the show starts live on the circus floor. Your kids will have the chance to meet the performers, try on costumes, and get close and personal with the circus! The All-Access Pre-Show is FREE to all ticket holders and is a must see!

Best of all, The Greatest Show on Earth is joining up with Mom Central to offer families discounts on their tickets. There are three offers to choose from; just look for the box marked MC Promotion when purchasing your tickets. The offers are:

*Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all weekday performances, which includes all weekday evening and Friday matinee performances; minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each.

*Offer #2: All weekend performance tickets will be $4 off the original price.

Offer #3: Get the best Circus Celebrity, Front Row and VIP seats available – We have reserved seats in these sections just for you! Enter the code MOM. No discounts available on these sections.

* Not valid on Circus CelebritySM, Front Row or VIP seats and may not be combined with other offers including special Opening Night pricing. Other fees may apply.

The above offers are good in the following cities:

Denver: September 30 – October 11, 2009
Boston: October 14-18, 2009
St. Louis: October 15-18, 2009
Cleveland: October 21-26, 2009
Rosemont/Chicago: November 5 – 29, 2009 *available for purchase on Sept. 8. 2009
Auburn Hills: November 18-22, 2009
Charlotte: January 27-31, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 12, 2009
Atlanta: February 12-21, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 12, 2009
Cincinnati: March 10-14, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 21, 2009
Dayton: April 29 – May 2, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 21, 2009

Have you taken your family to see the circus? What is your favorite part?

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Feld Entertainment. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus

Staycation, Day 2

For day two of our Staycation, we took the girls to the Ecotarium. Since we have a family pass, the girls and I go there almost every week already. But this time, the girls were so excited to be able to show daddy all the fun stuff they get to do!

They started off with craft time, making skunk puppets.

Craft time was followed by story time, where they got two meet two real adorable skunks!!

Next we headed over to visit Kenda, the polar bear. We then visited all the other animals outside and played on the playground.

Then we headed back inside to play and learn about biospheres, air, etc.

The Ecotarium is such a wonderful place for children to have fun while learning, we love going there. I highly recommend the family pass to anyone who lives in the area!

Staycation, Day 2

The Good News

As some of you may know, the Knight and I have been trying to conceive another child since April.

Month after month was spent trying trying trying and then testing testing testing and having my heart crushed after each negative test.

Finally I decided to start charting using the methods described in Your Fertility Signals. And we tried on the days that my chart indicated were my fertile days.

If you haven't tried charting yet, I HIGHLY recommend you do. It took so much pressure and effort off our shoulders. We were able to spend our energy on the days where it really counted, and the amount of pressure we felt was so much less, it was such a relief. Plus, I found it amazing to get to know my body and how it works and keep track of the changes it goes through.

But I digress.

Last Thursday, even before my period was due, I felt a sense of calm and joy settle over me. I coudn't figure it out. And even though my period wasn't due until Saturday, I decided to take a pregnancy test.

It came out negative.

But the cool thing? The cool thing was that the negative result didn't phase me at all. I think that was the moment when I realized that I knew I was not alone, that I was carrying life. I talked with a few friends via a private forum and they encouraged me to try testing again on Sunday.

Sunday morning came and I felt so at peace and ready to accept any result the test gave me. I knew that if I wasn't pregnant, I would still feel confident and happy, thanks to knowing through charting that I am actually ovulating and that things are working fine. I took the test, waited the two minutes, and picked it up. I saw nothing and thought Oh well, maybe next mo-HOLY CRAP IS THAT A LINE?

Even though I knew deep down that I was pregnant, the past months of having my heart crushed wouldn't allow me to fully accept the positive test.

At this point it was 4 AM, and I ran downstairs and woke up my mom, who had crashed on our couch after a late night of babysitting. She sat up groggily and I waved the stick at her and said IS THIS A LINE? DO YOU SEE A LINE? And she is only half awake and she squints and says I don't see anything and I say WHY AM I EVEN ASKING YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR GLASSES ON!!

We both run into the kitchen where the light is better and I look and think I see a VERY faint line, but she is still squinting and trying to look when she clearly can't see anything. And now I know at this point she is afraid to tell me that there is no line so she just looks at me sheepishly.

A couple hours later my cousin comes to visit and she ends up looking and says Well it is very faint but I think I see it. And I say I THINK I SEE IT TOO, I NEED SOMEONE TO GIVE ME A DEFINITE YES OR NO, NOT I THINK!!

At this point I am wondering if the line is really there or if I want to be pregnant so badly that I am seeing what I want to see.

So I run downstairs and go back onto the private forum I was on the other day and put up a picture of the test. See, a lot of these ladies on the forum are pee stick professionals, they have tons of experience posting over at fertility friend or Two Week Wait and looking at pictures of tests over there, and in LBK (life before kids) I might have laughed at them but not now, no now I bow down to these fertility goddesses and they look at the pictures and say YUP THAT IS A LINE!!

And I run upstairs and hug the Knight and jump up and down because even though I knew it all along deep down, hearing it from these ladies is like getting a positive blood test from a doctor and NOW IT IS OFFICIAL!!

I take two more tests over the next two days just for the fun of watching the line get darker...and it does.

So that's THE GOOD NEWS. We are so happy and so excited, and a tad bit anxious. I am "four weeks" along and my due date is May 13th, and I know that this time, I will get to hold my wiggling bundle of joy.

The Good News

Back.

I'm back.

Our staycation was glorious, fun, wonderful, exciting, etc.

I will be posting pictures of our adventures. Plus, we got some other good news that I will be sharing shortly as well.

I'm looking forward getting back into the groove of daily life. I've got a lot of emails, blogs, housecleaning, studying, etc. to catch up on and I'm loving it.

Life is glorious.

Back.

The Ride of Your Life

My Dearest Mermaid,

Earlier today, you made a decision. Mommy, I want to ride the roller coaster.

I hesitated. Last time you had tried to ride the roller coaster, you got frightened and cried the entire ride. You must have sensed my hesitation, because you quickly reassured me.

Don't worry Mommy, I won't be scared. I'm five now, I'm a big girl.

You head up the steps and to my surprise, immediately head to the front car. You wiggle anxiously while the others are loaded in, and then grip the handlebars tight as the cars start moving.

The cars go around the tracks three times...up and down, up and down. The first time, you cling tight to the handle bars and your eyes open wide...but you don't cry. The second time, you smile slightly and tentatively raise one arm in the air. By the third trip around, you have both arms straight up in the air and your face is beaming with joy and exhilaration.

You come bounding off the platform and jump into my arms. Mommy, I did it!! I didn't get scared, I really am a big girl!!

You skip ahead of me the rest of the night, too old to hold my hand as we weave through the busy crowd. It starts getting dark, and when we ask what other rides you want to go on, you clutch my hand, pull me close and whisper in my ear.

I know I'm a big girl now, Mommy. But, I am getting really tired. Can we go home so you can tuck me in?

I realize then that watching you grow and become independent is like being on my own personal roller coaster with you. It has its ups and downs, and we don't throw our arms up in the air all at once. We take our time and wait until we are ready for the next step...ready to put one arm up and then the other...

...ready to let go.

And when we do, its a moment filled with joy and exhilaration.

Happy Birthday, my Mermaid. I love you so much.

The Ride of Your Life

Staycation, Day 1

The Knight has taken this week off from work and we are on Staycation. Our first trip was yesterday to Boston. We visited Quincy Market, walked around the harbor, and then went to the Children's Museum. We decided to take the train because the Mermaid LOVES trains and keeps begging us to go on one. It was a loonnggg ride.

Here are some pictures:

Staycation, Day 1