Coming to a Mailbox Near You

His announcements are complete - check! The back dons a cute shot of the boys and a romantic saying, but you know how well me and "code"get along for me to actually share that with you. Love us some Shutterfly - got this all done in five minutes at a great cost!

Stationery Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Reasons to Celebrate

1. When taking that trip down grocery lane, you always remember a little chocolate something just for me.

2. You've got moves like...MJ. Particularly after a few adult beverages. He always was my first love you know.

3. For hours you'll toss a ball, throw pillows and play with action figurines (even if at times they are fairies), delighting your son and growing his character and imagination by tenfold.

4. The bed covers? Mine.

5. You're a super smarty pants in more ways than one. I trust you with my finances and to help me become a better person, as well as give me a good laugh when I need it most.

6. Dreams and improvement are important to you and you never stop letting them flow through your soul. May they all come true in your lifetime.

7. It sounds cliche, but you know me better than I know myself. This saves us lots of time and understanding. Phew.

8. Loyalty could be your middle name: to this family, your job, your character and beer.

9. ASPCA commercials make you cry. 

10. You love my mother. Oh, and the rest of the fam - but you know mothers are the hardest.

11. "Sorry" and "love" are not words you shy from in your day to day.

12. Photos that print from your camera are simply remarkable. Your cooking ranks up there too. Talent.

13. Stuff means nothing to you at all - it's like you don't even need or desire any of it. 

14. Time for me and with the girls is something you understand and support.

15. I believe in nearly any type of fight (minus the verbal ones consistently and wisely won by wives), you'd win. Our protector. I don't even know why we have a large dog.

16. Like a man that's lived many years, you know yourself so well and follow your path, never swaying with a lack of confidence or drive. So admirable.

17. We're never lacking impersonations around here that make us laugh just when we need it most.

18. Romance is not forgotten even after 12 years.

19. You're competent in fixing lots of stuff - where did you learn all that anyway?

20. Raps are one of a kind coming out of your mouth - I think JayZ should be aware.

21. Scrambled eggs from your pan are better than any other - as well as your roasted pork. Yum.

22. Regardless of where you've been, you're striving to be the best you can be now, in each moment.

23. Pounds gained, tears shed, priorities wack, crazy ensued - you accept me for who I am at face value. You do this for others too in the most genuine, open and gracious way.

24. You take great care of yourself so you can take care of others, hitting the gym daily and working your mind with growth and strategy.

25. Though spirituality isn't so much in an organized form for you, you believe in the power of kindness, goodness and good old fashioned acceptance and hard work to make it in this world.

26. When ordering at the local food joint, you know to leave pickles off of Little Dude's and go bare bones with my burrito order. Attentive and thoughtful.

27. You put up with me. Period. And this crazy family of four we've created.

28. You're good for a laugh and people adore you for it, one of the many sides of Mike.

29. Despite we can never find keys, shoes, blankets or anything useful in this house, you're never on me about it, because you too know and accept the priorities of playing and raising our children - we'll clean in our next life.

30. Need a trivia answer or sports fact? You're on it - how do you fit all that in your brain?

31. You'll do the hokey pokey at Kindermusik with no holes barred. And carry that neon diaper bag.

32. Selfless - an adjective designed just for you, for the time you sacrifice, the love you give and the character that is yours.

33. Loved - what you are on this special day and always.

Happy 33rd birthday, dear husband. There are thousands of reasons to celebrate you day in and day out, and we plan to do so for a lifetime. Thank you for all you are and do - we are better because of you.

What The Long WEEK Hafta END?

Memorial weekend...

Salon time, girly giggles, helpful hands, boys with brews, nephew bonding and a gut loving meal, all with a family one could only wish for. So grateful, so thankful, so happy. May your long weekend have been filled with life and love!

Monday Momfessions - May 27 Week

1. I've never seen my mother laugh as hard as she did when Squeak woke up screaming, I'm topless in Macy's (to assure you, in a dressing room) and suddenly it was like the fire sprinklers were going off, but this time delivering milk to put out the fire of hunger. I think she was rolling on the floor and her face was crimson. Maybe she really did think it was a drill...

2. A binkie saved my life (potentially a few others) this week. More to come. Seriously - like a bullet proof vest those things are. (PS: I'm apparently talking like Yoda b/c currently Little Dude is obsessed and secretly I think Squeak looks a tad like him).

3. . Weight Watchers becomes my new regimine again tomorrow, so tonight, we dine...apparently on a mexican meal fit for a linebacker. I may have also consumed what seemed like a nine-course meal at Rye last evening as well. DE-lectable. True, true you can eat whatever you want on WW, but not in the portions this lady of substance is used to - gah.

4. Not to bring up "the girls" AGAIN, but as previously mentioned I spend a ridiculous amount of time with them "hanging out," so I'm here to tell you from one nursing mama to another, it's hardly worth it to drink. I mean seriously, don't we have a close enough relationship with our pump? No need to get more intimate. And counting down the hours and having to ride the bitter train when your snoring husband won't wake for the ONE feeding he's responsible for in the month doesn't make for good times. I say go for a whole box of chocolates or something to cope as a temporary vice...then head back to the margaritas. Note: the glass of champagne and three beers I've consumed in the past two weeks were quite tasty though...

5. On a related note: Dear LOFT lady, Nordy designer, DVF or SOMEONE -  please, please design a decent nursing bra under $50. I will buy 10. Please. And thanks.

6. I officially feel on the postpartum downhill slide aesthetics wise: frumpy, fat and nothing fits with two weeks still to go on sign off for anything more vigorous than walking. Swimsuit season? Ha! Try tarp season...

7. I'm completely intrigued by chiropractics and the moms who do it and particularly those that have their newborns and kiddos adjusted - it sounds life changing but also scary town. But a cure for colic and these headaches? I'll take it! Message me your experiences!

8. For the past four weeks plus, we've had one to three visitors daily. This week marks the end of the uber flow of meals and drive bys (though we still welcome a few amazing friends) and I have to admit, I'm a bit terrified. I was already the furthest thing from a domestic diva and spot on with a social butterfly. THIS transition should be interesting. Look for my email requesting plans, likely to restaurants and happy hours, to arrive by midnight in your inbox.

9. I sobbed with understanding when Christina from the show "Parenthood" sat forlorn and defeated in her beautiful red dress as she leaked breast milk at a social function. Can we say #milkmommaproblems?

10. I secretly want a push present that fits on my right hand and contains diamonds and sapphires. At half my salary currently and daycare costs on a more than 50% increase? This doesn't seem like a good idea at all. Potential grounds for divorce even. But I tell you, the desire is still there.

11. Perhaps one of the greatest dates I've been on was with my three-year old son this evening. Handsome, adorable, charming, charismatic, a good eater, great conversationalist and compliant. He didn't pay, but I stills say he's a great candidate for Match.com.

12. This is terrible. Terrible I tell you, but I'll share it anyone: the hubs finally hit rock bottom this week on this whole managing two kids thing. I left him alone with just Squeak for 90 mins and received two picture messages and a text. There may have been a lot of crying, perhaps from both of them. Regardless, he now seems to have a newfound respect for my current role and I received some flowers. Note to self: run more 90-minute errands. Try leaving both kids next time and perhaps the push present will be yours.

13. It makes me slightly nervous that all parties that babysit for us now require two people to get through an evening. Guess we better get to booking early and leaving better tips. Or at least ice in the freezer. Or something for them to snack on. Gah we're terrible people.

14. What's the true story on leaving your baby in a bassinet in your room for X amount of time? How long did you choose to do so and why? I'm not ready to tell you why I'm asking. That would just be selfish...

What's on your mind this week, Mama?

Fairies, Ferns and Fun

"Oh my goodness, look at these - he will absolutely adore them!" I gasp excitedly to the hubs, practically clawing my way past the three elderly women engaging in the same shopping excitement I was on a beautiful Mother's Day at the local gardening store. Snagging Little Dude from nearby, disgruntled he was being asked to leave the puddles of the waterfalls and ropes of the swing sets, he was quickly compensated as he picked out accessories and teeny tiny plants for a fairy garden:

Grateful of his innocence and appreciation of things such as Tinkerbell and her crew (he watches the movie three times per week and we adore it before some boy his age rips away the magical dream with some type of words like "those are for girls,") we were delighted to have him set up his own magical fairy garden, complete with a small chair, bridge and foilage with the anticipation Tink and her friends would visit overnight. 

Each day he wanders up to see if the fairies have moved things around of left flowers nearby, sharing elaborate, imaginative stories that melt our hearts and give us that same feeling one gets from visiting Disney for the first time. Small, no green thumb required, manageable and unique, the fairy garden is a fun and engaging way to bond with your kiddo in the short window of no cell phones, video games or hoards of friends that teaches them to let their mind wander while all the while managing a home...a fairy home...with love, sun and water. 

Simple or elaborate, it's the perfect way to get kiddos started on helping in the yard and taking time to stop from all the discpline, playing, sports and napping to just stop and smell the roses. Or shall I say, frolic with fairies, ferns and fun?

Happy planting!

Mug Shots

Thank you, Bella Baby Photography, for capturing all our little newborn dreams come true. We don't know how you worked your magic in less than eight minutes or convinced us to pose in our gowns and robes, but it was totally worth it to have these memories for a lifetime in these quiet moments. Because there is nothing better than a mug shot...

besides the mug itself.

Keeping Kids Off The Couch

"Mommy, why do I never have two of the same socks at school?" Little Dude asked, his familiar brow furrow a bit deeper with legitimate concern. "Other friends have socks that match."

Crap. He's on to me. And how did I get a kid that cared that his socks matched? Oh that's right, there is some of his father in there. Regardless, the fact I caused him any type of embarrassment caught me turning shamefully red and embarking on this maternity leave project:

A box full of socks that rocks...ok, I just can't compete with Dr. Suess and his fox business. Needless to say, we now have only size three cotton footwear, mostly matched, available for a quick grab and go for the boy on the run.

Yes it took me three years to do it - Lord knows how long Squeak will have to wait, though given this habit of mine I'm determined the second one will only wear footies to avoid this conundrum. To be fair, we have a legitimate sock monster:

And then there is of course the other one we've yet to spot.

Sock drawer organized: check. Keeping kids off the couch one task at a time. Because therapy is getting expensive you know...