Letter to Delaney (part 2)

During your first year of life, you got to experience so much.  When you were only three weeks old, your Nana, Grandpa, Auntie Katie and Uncle Dan rented a house close to Scoodic Point for a full week.  We all stayed at the house that overlooked the ocean and you got to spend a lot of time getting to know your grandparents, aunt and uncle from New York.  You seemed to really enjoy this time, cuddling with everyone, smiling and cooing.  The week flew by and before we knew it we were heading back home.

Looking back, it seems as though the first year flew by.  You experienced your first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.  You took your first trip to Cape Cod and New York to visit with relatives.  We experienced your first smile, cutting teeth, crawling, walking and your first words.  Your first word was Dada and you would say it over and over; of course, your Dad had to rub this in because I wanted your first word to be Mama!  We were very lucky because for the most part, you were a great sleeper.  I don’t remember how old you were when you slept through the night for the first time, but I remember waking up and running into your room.  I was nervous that something had happened, but there you were just sound asleep.

Before I knew it, I was planning your first birthday.  We decided to keep it very simple.  Your party was at your grandparents’ house with a jungle animals theme.  Friends and family attended, you got tons of new toys and you made a mess with your cake!  Everyone had a wonderful time, but I still couldn’t believe that it had been a full year with you in our lives.

Some memorable moments during the second year of your life are Auntie Katie’s and Uncle Dan’s wedding, our trip to Cape Cod with friends for Columbus weekend, apple picking, and celebrating all of the holidays with family.  It amazes me how much you change every day; saying more words and putting a few together, getting taller and taller, and growing into a toddler instead of a baby.  You love to dance, sing, climb and run around outside.  I honestly think that you would live outside if we let you!  You do not like to cuddle much because you are so active, but there are times when you will run over, hug my leg, give me a kiss and say, “I love you.”  The first time that you did this, I melted and even now, it makes me get all emotional.  Everyday, you surprise me with something new and it is exciting to see the world in the eyes of an almost two year old.  

I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for our family and watching you grow up.

Love,

Mama

Letter to Delaney

*This is the start to the letter to Delaney.  I will continue in another post and finish it by tomorrow.  This is the piece that I plan on turning in, so any feedback would be great!  Thanks!

Dear Delaney,

As I sit here thinking about your second birthday, I can’t believe that it was two years ago when we welcomed you into the world.  For 10 months, I was able to bond with you while you were tucked away in my body; selfishly, I wanted to keep you there forever.  While in my belly you never stopped, especially when I was trying to go to sleep; I would feel you rolling around, kicking and even hiccuping.  I had a feeling that you would be a very active little girl and boy, was I right!  Soon, you will be turing two, but it seems like yesterday when we found out I was pregnant, you made your entrance, and we started creating memories as a family of three.

It was Veteran’s Day 2007 when I found out I was pregnant.  At first, I didn’t believe what the home pregnancy test was telling me because we had been trying to conceive for over a year, without any success.  I remember looking at the test, smiling, and feeling overwhelmed with emotion.  Then, I had your Dad look at the test to make sure that I was reading it correctly, which I was.  This was the first day that I started loving you.

Looking back now, I loved being pregnant. I loved hearing your heartbeat for the first time.  I loved seeing your little heart, fingers, toes, hair and all of your qualities on the ultrasound. I loved feeling you move around and I loved watching my belly grow.  There were also some things that I didn’t love about being pregnant.  I didn’t love how big and swollen my ankles got.  I didn’t love the heartburn that I got every day.  I didn’t love the three hour glucose test and I didn’t love the sleepless nights.  Even though there were a few things that I didn’t love about being pregnant, I loved knowing that someday I was going to meet you.

That day came on July 11, 2008, one week before your original due date.  I ended up being induced because my blood pressure was a little high when I went to the doctors on July 9th.  Dr. Hughes wanted to play it safe, so she scheduled me for an induction on the 11th.  I had to call the hospital that morning to see if they had room for us, but they didn’t.  So, the waiting game started.  This was one of the longest days because I was anxious to meet you, but nervous about having you!  After waiting all morning, I finally got a call around 2pm from labor and delivery saying they had a room for us. 

After checking in and getting settled in our room, they started the potosin (which was going to start contractions) around 3:30pm.  After a few hours of contracting and less than an hour of pushing, you joined the world at 9:06pm weighing in at 6 pounds 13 ounces and 20.5 inches long.  Emotion instantly took over me and with tears falling down my cheeks, I held you for the first time.  You were wide-eyed, screaming and perfect.

Softball

Softball season is officially over.  At the end of our last game, Friday, I was surprised at how emotional I was.  Let's start back at the beginning of the season.  I didn't really know what to expect going into the season.  I knew that I would have four returning players, one being a pitcher, but other than that, it was all up in the air going into tryouts.  We had close to forty girls try out for the 'A' and 'B' team this year, so our decisions were not going to be easy.  

After three days of grueling tryouts, our teams were made.  The 'A' team, that I coach, would have thirteen girls; eight 8th graders, four 7th graders and one 6th grader.  The 'B' team also had thirteen girls; two 8th graders, nine 7th graders and two 6th graders.  I was excited about my team because individually they are good kids and very talented; however, as I discovered over time, they had a difficult time becoming a team.  

I knew that the girls had the skills to be very good, but if they were not willing to support, encourage and respect one another it was going to be a long season.  We started off the year losing our first two games and the girls were getting very frustrated with one another and I could sense that some girls were upset by the way their teammates treated them.  When this happened, I scheduled a practice in my classroom.  During the hour in my classroom, we talked about what the word team meant and created a plan for us to become a true team.  Over the course of the next few weeks, they came together as a strong and supportive team.  

We started winning games and I noticed that the girls seemed to be having more fun.  This is what the middle school softball experience is all about.  Some girls will go on and play in high school, while others play for the social side of it.  So, when we had our last game of the season Friday, it was bitter sweet.  We ended up losing the game, but I am so proud of the growth of the individual girls on the team.  I had my doubts, at the beginning of the season, with this group of girls becoming a team, but they did it.  I am going to miss the everyday practices and spending time with them because they truly became a second family to me.  I care about every single one of them and hope that they continue to grow as leaders on and off the field.

The BIG 3-0

Thirty years ago today, I entered the world.  I was the first child and I took my parents by surprise.  My original due date was July 4th, 1980 but I came a month early on June 6th.  My Mom didn't even have a baby shower because it was planned for the following weekend, but they still had it without her.  My Aunt opened the presents and delivered them to my parent's house before we arrived home.  When I was born, I only weighed four pounds seven ounces and was 19.5 inches long; I weighed less than a five pound bag of sugar!  Even though I made my entrance a month early, I was relatively healthy.  I ended up staying in the hospital for two weeks because I was jaundice and needed to be under the light.  However, my Mom would make her way to the hospital every three hours to give me my bottle.  According to her, she only missed one feeding while I was there for the two weeks!  After the two weeks in the hospital, I was finally able to go home.  My Mom would put me in front of the big window in the living room to get sunlight to keep my jaundice at bay.  I ended up being fine, gaining weight and growing normally.  

When I look back over the past thirty years, I am proud at what I have accomplished.  In high school, I participated in sports all three seasons and was part of a state championship cross-country and indoor track team (we were also state runner-ups another year).  I was part of the National Honor Society and just missed graduating with honors by tenths of a point.  I graduated from the University of Maine-Farmington in 2002 and was a marshall in the graduation ceremony.  I got a teaching job right out of college, where I taught for two years before getting a job in my home town teaching.  I met my wonderful husband, got married, bought a house and had a beautiful baby girl.  And most recently, I started my journey getting my masters degree through the University of New England.  What more could I ask for in thirty years?

At first, I had a difficult time with turning thirty because it sounds grown-up to me.  I enjoyed being twenty-something, but I guess it is just a number, right?  I have a feeling that I will get use to being thirty-something, just in time to turn forty!!  Ugh!

Brainstorming

As I sit here trying to think of something to blog, I am going to brainstorm some ideas that I could write about.  Then, when I can't think of something, I can pull from the list!

1) softball season
2) school year coming to an end
3) potty training Delaney this summer
4) letter to Delaney for her 2nd birthday
5) remodeling the bathroom
6) turning 30
7) getting organized
8) new school in 2011
9) Cape Cod, MA trips
10) getting organized

I guess that is it for now!  Until next time....

Wedding Weekend

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g40525-Boothbay_Harbor_Maine.html#1344686

This past weekend, I was part of my best friend's wedding.  I have known Mandy (the bride) since fifth grade, when we first met out on the playground.  She soon became one of my closest friends.  Over the past 20 years, we have created many memories: playing middle school sports, sleepovers, high school softball,  and prom (to name a few).  There are a few other special memories as well:  she was the maid of honor in my wedding, she held my hand as I was getting an epidural when I was in labor (my husband had to leave the room!!), and now her wedding.

Mandy decided that she wanted to get married in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.  I hate to say it, but I had never been to Boothbay Harbor before this past weekend and I grew up in Maine.  For those who have not been to Boothbay Harbor, it is beautiful. The resort that we stayed at overlooked the ocean, with a gorgeous garden area, hiking trails, heated pools and a spa.  Although I did not get to experience all of what the resort had to offer because we were busy with wedding stuff, I enjoyed being around this beautiful scenery.  The weather was perfect, not too hot or cold, and besides a few minor instances, the day went great!  The church was beautiful, Mandy was stunning and the reception was a blast...what more could you ask for??

I feel very fortunate to have a true friend like Mandy and I know that we will continue to build memories together.  I can see us now when we are 70 years old, still getting together for coffee, reminiscing about all the experiences that we create.

Congratulations Mandy and Rich!  I know that you will build a great life together and I am honored to have been part of your special day.

Half-Marathon

In about four months I will be running my first half-marathon in Portland, ME.  In middle school and high school I ran cross-country and indoor track.  I enjoyed being part of the team, but I never really LOVED running; however, it was a great outlet for me.  When I needed time to think, I would run; when I needed time to get frustration out, I would run; and when I just needed to be alone, I would run.  There is something about putting the headphones in and running.  

So, why a half-marathon?  I am a very goal-oriented person and I needed something to work towards to lose the rest of my "baby weight" and I also wanted to get back into running again.  With so much going on, I needed to start making time for myself and get back into shape.  One day I mentioned to a fellow teacher (who happens to be a runner) that I was thinking about running a half-marathon.  After a few conversations, we decided that we would do it together along with his wife, another colleague and my husband.  It all worked out perfectly; not only am I going to get back into shape and run a half-marathon, I have people around me that I trust to hold me accountable and push me to meet my goal!  

With only four months to go, I am a little nervous about completing the half-marathon.  For the past couple of months, I have not had a lot of time to run.  I am looking forward to this summer when I don't have as many commitments to start a training program.  We just purchased a jogging stroller, which will be perfect this summer when I am home with Delaney. At this point, I am just looking to RUN the whole 13 miles, without a time in mind.  Maybe as the race gets closer, I will be able to set a mile average and a total time for the race.  Ahhh, what did I get myself into??  :o)