3 month rambling.

It's been three months since we were a family of three point five (Netster the fish included). Life in those three months has been great. I'll admit at first I was overwhelmed. How was I going to wake up so often to feed?  Was the swaddle gonna go over his face? Was Jake jealous? So many questions. While  nursing went well, it wasn't as easy as it was with Jake. I'll spare the details but I literally thought about quitting in those first few weeks. Thankfully, we are over any issues and I have a grip on it all. It's an awesome bond that we share and it's comforting to know I'm doing ok - he's growing.
He loves his big brother and as soon as he hears him talking he lights up and smiles. Same goes for Jake. If he's away from Brody for anytime he always checks back to him and kisses him. He giggles when Brody sits in for story time or enjoys tummy time. It's amazing to see the bond that is forming.



The weeks fly by and Brody and Jake are both sprouting. Picking Jake up is like lifting half my body weight it feels!  He's an eating machine at times and will be as big as his dad in no time!  Brody is growing but it doesn't seem that he is as big as Jake was. At Brody's 2 month checkup he was 12 lbs. while Jake at that age was almost 14 lbs.   as I type that I'm thinking - stop comparing them. Let them be their own individual. I guess that's the twin in me!




What will Brody look like? What's his voice going to sound like?  Will he have the crazy cowlicks like J man?   These questions run through my head a lot but I'm ok in waiting for the answers... This stage is all too fleeting. I'm trying to soak him up as much as I can and not rush him to milestones. With the first I felt like he had to be on time for everything - rolling, babbling, reaching for toys etc. With number two I'd like to sit back and enjoy the ride!


Here are a few of cute Jake sayings in the past few weeks:

JAKE: Is Brody sleeping?
ALEX:  yes, and you should be too
Jake:  I am, my eyes were closed when I asked.


"It's a catastrophe... That means OH NO in French"


While sitting with his parents who were watching jeopardy:

You are always wrong, they say different things than you.

My dad stopped by this week on his way home from the casino bearing gifts for the boys and he asked Jake if he had gotten a hair cut recently.. Jake responded with ". Ya..but there's just one problem.."  He pointed to his oh so cute cowlick. ;)

While my dad was telling a story about Owls and seeing one the other night in a tree and being shocked that the owl was awake Jake explained to him that owls were nocturnal and slept during the day and were awake at night.  :). He's one smart cookie.


Ok. Enough typing on an iPad again. Photos to Come.

2013

2013! So I've been slacking here in blogger land. We all k ow, Brody is here. That leaves much less time for writing anything up. I am working on his birth story. It's long. It's up and down. I'm only writing it on here to have it saved as details will fail me years from now.

We are adjusting to life as a family of four. Brody is a great baby and his big brother is still in love. Kisses, kisses and more kisses he showers his brother with love all day long.
Alex and I are in love as well. I look at him in wonder most days. He was well worth the wait and the often struggle it was to get to this point. Love is as understatement. He just completes our family more so than I ever thought possible.

We are 12 weeks into my maternity leave and I can honestly say I never want to go back to work. Ever. I could stay home with these two boys forever. Unfortunately, we need my income and benefits and jake and Brody need more than just their mom. We have until March together and I'm trying to enjoy every day. Story time, the playgrounds, the YMCA, barnes and noble. We are on the go a lot.


Typing on an iPad is difficult so that's my excuse for being a crappy blogger.


I'll get back to it...for now..I. Enjoying my boyS.

October!

October! Jake is very excited for this month because he LOVES Halloween! He talks about it a lot and can't wait to dress up as an Astronaut this year. Yaya found the perfect costume for him and he is excited to wear it! Lately, that is what he wants to be when he grows up..an astronaut and a Daddy. Of course, he plans to marry Sidney still..and she seems to still be on board with this plan as well. After a wedding on Saturnday night she told her grandfather she was marrying Jake in just two days! Yowsa!

We are also excited for October because it brings the arrival of our new baby! Jake still calls the baby a girl and hopes for a sister..but we continue to tell him it could be a girl..or a boy! Either way, I am confident he is going to be a great big brother. I took him to a sibling class last month and he loved changing the baby dolls diaper and feeding the baby. He also held the doll by it's leg..but we can work on that. We saw the nursery and he loved the view from the hospital room.

He spent this past weekend at Papa's house and was spoiled rotten, as always. It's been tough getting him up for school each morning this week.. On Tuesday I said "Time to wake up Jake, it's morning".. he said "why does morning have to come so quickly?" My thoughts exactly buddy!

There is no baby news.. as of yesterday at one week to my due date there is nothing going on and the baby is very happy where he/she is. Next Wednesday, 10/17 my actual due date, they will do an Ultra Sound to see how big the baby is. This is exciting and also frightening for me! With Jake I never knew how big he was going to be, besides the nurses in Labor and Delivery telling me he was going to be huge. Thankfully, they were wrong..7 lbs was just enough baby!

In other news.. we have had an addition to the family this month. Jake had 10 good days at school and was rewarded with a pet. He chose a very cute Orange Gold fish he named "Netster" (no idea where that came from). Jake and Daddy have had a great time creating a little aquarium for him and Jake loves to feed the little guy. Of course, my idea of a great home was a square vase for the little guy.. Daddy promptly upgraded him to a suite that would improve his quality of life. Smart decision I suppose. Let's hope Netster doesn't end up at the farm with Zak any time soon.

Happy October!

Falling behind

Its almost fall. I have not blogged since early summer. In a nutshell.. Jake turned 4 and we had a dinosaur roar party. It was a great day filled with lots of family, friends, presents, slip and slide action and donut cake. We spent his actual birthday at the. Children's Musuem in Boston, great times. Alex and I went to Florida courtesy of my Dad as a graduation present. We highly recommend Lago Mar Resort in Ft Lauderdale! Beach time, naps daily, great food and great company made it a fabulous trip. There was a trip to Ogunquit, Maine to celebrate and walk for Christian, trips to the beach with Mimi and fun at spray park, the zoo and playgrounds. August brought out annual trip to Lake George with the Conlin family. Once again, it was a fabulous time spent with lots of family..I will blog that soon. At the moment we are getting the house ready- did I mention we remodeled the kitchen.. We are still finishing up the little things and will hopefully be ready by the time Jake's sibling arrives. Let's hope he/she is late like Jake was. Thats it in a nutshell... I will hopefully get pictures up in time.

Hot Hot Hot

The heat is on! July is in full swing and so are the AC's! It's been a trying month for the Gregson family as our kitchen is in the midst of a much needed and much anticipated remodel. We are dealing as best we can, but are truly sick of take out food!! We are hoping the floors are in by next week and that our home is more operational very soon.
What have we been doing all summer? We hit the beach on the weekends when we can (and to get out of the contractors hair), the spray park at the YMCA is a hit for Jake (and Daddy), we just purchased a Zoo pass and hope to use it on sub 90 degree days! We try to get out to the back yard to his water table and pool as much as possible too. This past week has just been unbearable with the heat and humidity. Alex and Jake have had a few days a week together and love hanging out. Jake can't get enough of his Daddy..it's really cute and awesome to see how much he adores his Daddy..and vice versa.
With the heat and the start of my third trimester this week (add the remodel) I can get a tad irritable. I am trying not to let it all get to me and am enjoying the pregnancy as much as possible. Which, I have to say is flying by! 27 weeks today and only 13 to go. I really thought Jake would be more antsy about it and the babies arrival but he never asks when it will be here. He did feel lots of movement today by placing his hand on my stomach and he lit up when he felt the kicks and movement. I wish I could have captured his smile on film, he was ecstatic! He is very excited to be a big brother! He still insists on a sister.. time will tell. Maybe if this is a boy we will have to try again for him? :)

My Dad

June.. the month of many special days but one of the most important to me this year is Father's Day. Growing up I always knew my Dad was a great father. There was never a special occasion, athletic event or any other day that my Dad wasn't readily available to us and there to support us. We may not have lived with him in the same home all those years but we knew he was only a phone call away or a short car ride over if we did need him. For example..the many times I forgot to set my TV to record Days of Our Lives..one phone call and my Dad was on his way to set my VCR plus recording. Or the countless times I forgot my glasses in high school and was forbidden in center field or up to bat if I wasn't wearing them..he came to the rescue with those ugly green glasses. He's the go to guy that you want on the other end of the phone. Always.there.

I had a day in February that I got excellent news, February 14th to be exact. I had learned that morning via email that I had passed my Master's comprehensive exam..the dreaded 3 day exam I had taken weeks before and needed to pass in order to finally graduate. I called my dad on my way in to work and shared the news..he was just as happy as I was. That day was just a fabulous day, not because it was Valentine's Day..but because things were just finally looking up for me and Alex.

That night the mood of the day shifted. While out for dinner, my Dad called. I walked outside of the restaurant to take his call and will forever remember it. He prefaced the conversation with "Listen. I have to tell you something and I don't want you to be upset. Ok? Don't get upset." Ugh. My mind raced. What could he be telling me right now, and how can I keep my emotions in check when I have no idea what he is about to lay out. He went on to tell me that he was at Lowell General Hospital and that they did a biopsy that morning on him..and they found cancer in his throat and tongue. "But don't get upset, everything will be fine."

Cancer. The god awful word you never want to be faced with. In true fashion, my Dad went on to tell me things in an effort to calm my fears.. chuckling: "I'm OK, I just ate a Quarter Pounder from McDonald's." "I feel fine." "Just don't worry and don't cry." "The Dr seems to think it's very curable." The crying was inevitable..it was just a blow to the gut that I wasn't expecting. But really, do we ever expect or want this type of news?

I let the news sink in and I'm not going to lie..it scared the daylights out of me. My Dad is my rock. Ironically, I had been talking to my Mom on the way in to work that morning and she was mentioning how much she missed her own mother and felt guilty about not mourning her father as badly as she did her mom. My exact words to her were: "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you mom..and I really can't even fathom losing Dad either". It's life.. I know it. I have since had the same talk with my Dad since February and he's laid it out there..there is nothing we can do about death..it happens and we will survive. It still doesn't make it any easier.

That night I went home and as word started to spread within our immediate family, it became more real. I'd like to say I took the news the way my Dad wanted me to and I didn't get upset or cry.. but I cried like a baby. As I sat alone in my bedroom it all came out especially when I thought about the worst case scenario of this ugly disease.

I talked to my dad a few more times that night and the conversation that I will never forget is what makes my Dad who he is. I started to cry and again, he told me not to cry because everything was going to be OK..my response was: "It's been a day with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows". As he always is..he remained upbeat at that moment and turned it on his daughter's accomplishment and said "I know, but I'm so proud of you for passing your exam"..it wasn't the exam that was the high.."I found out today..I'm pregnant, Dad." He could not have been happier..and I could hear how excited he was in his voice. He never agreed with me, which he could have and said "ya i know, cancer sucks and this sucks." Instead, he chose to focus on the positive things the day brought and not the diagnosis that just rocked his and our world.

Of the course of the next few months there were Dr appointments and a surgery and chemo and radiation. Again, he never bitched about it (outwardly anyhow)..his goal was to get the treatments done and put this behind him. Sure, he didn't like the feeding tube they put in just in case he stopped eating, or the fact that he lost his taste buds or the dreaded hose they put down his nose and he swatted out. His focus was getting better and getting to our family vacation in August. He has not let cancer get in the way of the things he enjoys most..time with his family, time at the race track or time shooting craps at Foxwoods. Just days after finishing his treatments he sat for hours at my graduation. He's one tough guy!

A friend texted me in April asking how he was doing and how treatments were going..and I was happy to write back that he was handling his treatments well, even doubling up radiation treatments to get done faster and while he lost weight he was still looking good..and he never did lose much of that full head of hair he has. While I wrote about his progress with a smile on my face it hit me when I finished the sentence.. "I'm proud of him". I truly am proud of the person that he is. Again, I have always thought of my Dad as a super dad..there is nothing that he wouldn't do for his kids and his family and for anyone else for that matter. Nothing. But, it's the way he handled his diagnosis and battled through the treatments, the way he worried about everyone else and how we reacted to the news that makes him the man that he is. He's one heck of a role model, not only for his own children but his grandchildren as well. I'm just so proud to call him Dad and I hope he knows on Father's Day and every other day he's the most amazing man I know.

May...

May brings lots of celebrations..Mother's Day..Mimi's birthday..Papa's birthday..lots of friends birthdays and it's graduation season! We all got together this past weekend to celebrate a certain someone's graduation. Finally.

Routine

Jake loves him some night time routine! Alex normally puts Jake to bed but on the off night that it is my turn, Jake isn't too happy. They have songs and books and stories..and I .. can read books..but I don't tell the stories that Alex does..nor do I know the song routine. I know it starts with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and ends with the Wonder Pet's theme song.. but the order in between is where I fail. As Jake always says "Daddy doesn't ever ask 'whats next' like you do." Well exxxcccuuuuseee me!
What I do love to do is to listen to them upstairs going through the routine. Lately it has been tough to get Jake to buy into the fact that it is bedtime.. at 7:45 its still not dark.. he is hardly convinced that it is bedtime when it's light out.
What is this little guy up to these days.. well at 3.11 years old he has learned that he can climb the small tree in our backyard. Thankfully, it is not a tall tree, nor is the part that he climbs very high off the ground. It does reiterate the fact that he is ALL boy. Alex had to sign a copy of Jake's progress report at school.. and while he is not a genius his teacher did state he is "very smart". I chalk this up to his curiosity, his love of books and stories and using his imagination.. he is into numbers as well. He loves adding and loves when we quiz him on 2 plus 2, 3 plus 3..etc. He loves to learn, and we love teaching him.. left and right is what he is working on now. It's really cute that he loves to learn. His mother, on the other hand.. is fed up with learning.. I happily pass the torch on to him.
This morning I asked Jake if knew that it was Mothers day this weekend and if he was going to take me to lunch for Mothers day.. he flat out looked at me and said "No"..shocked at my sweet boys response I asked why not.. "I don't know how to drive, Mommy!" Good point..
Happy Mothers day to all the fabulous moms that we have in our lives..

Hey now..

Back in the blogging game! It's been a wacky two months since we have written anything. Those two months have been Cah-razy with a capitol C! I barely touch my laptop at night..well, unless its to write that damn research paper that has finally been submitted and I can finally stop complaining about..until about a week and a half from now when I have to "defend" it. Defend it I will.. I may just start with "I have been working on this G D degree since Fall of 2007 and if you don't pass me I will QUIT." Wahhhh Wahhh Wahh! The quest for this degree actually started in the Spring of 07 when they allowed me to take classes without being in the program to see if I would fit in (aka it had been almost 10 years since my BA, so i'm sure they wanted to see if I could hang with the young crowd again). Fall 07 I was officially in the program..gung ho and ready to conquer this College Student Personnel program..and then and awesome thing happened.. I got pregnant. The first semester felt like an eternity but it was completed and I took a year off to survive pregnancy and to begin to raise my baby. Well..I am happy to report that I ended my quest for that degree the same way in which i began it..pregnant! Yet another semester that feels like forever and I can honestly say that I will never ever take another class as long as I live. Never. Ever. Ironic as it is..being that my career is in Higher Education. I am very happy to sit back and help others take classes and help them figure out how to afford it and juggle all that comes along with it. I'll never enter the classroom as a student again. That's how over school I am.. way over it. So this semester has been busy..raising Jake..battling my paper.. battling nasseou..(you'd think i'd be able to spell that word by now..but i cannot!). It's been so long since I have blogged, the page looks different! I cannot even find spell check! Off on a trip to Savannah tomorrow..gonna miss my boys but the thought of a King sized bed and the remote to myself..wow. How will I ever stop myself from checking out what is on Disney and Nick Jr? I'm sure I'll find a way...

Soccer

Jake: I have never played soccer, but I want to.
Me: Ok, Jake maybe we can get you on a team?
Jake: Ok
Jake: Wait mommy, what does that mean?
Me: We can get you on a team and you can play soccer.
Jake: I would like to play on a team like Mommy.
Me: ok
Jake: Yes, I would like to play on a little kids team and a mommies team. I will bring my squishy soccer ball.

Sign him up!

For Auntie Kim..

Last night as we left the gym Jake looked out and said "look, the moon was fixed!". :)

Don't cry..

and I didn't.

Jake and I took a much needed little get away to Yaya's house this weekend. It was great to see my mom and to also get out of RI for a couple of days. Jake and I slept in the same bed for two nights..let me rephrase - he slept, I kept pulling him off of me and moving him over. The second night I smartened up and put a body pillow in the middle of us. We both slept much better. He did however, yell in the middle of the night "GOOOO Tom Brady" It was really cute! Also, the second night he yelled for me..only for me to pull the blanket off my head and reveil to him that I was, in fact, laying right next to him.


On Sunday as we were leaving I got a text from Alex that said "Don't cry" with a picture of a big boy bed in Jake's room. Yes, a bed. Yes my 3.7 year old has been sleeping in a crib this whole time. Let me tell you why..he has never complained about it, it keeps him contained, and it is the same mattress we would use for his bed. In other words: "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it!" SO. We waited. I have to admit as well, I thought about upgrading him months ago but I was too worried what it would do to his sleep. This kid loves sleep as much as his parents, and I didn't want to ruin that for any of us! He also had told us that when he got his "big boy bed" he wanted it to go in Mommy and Daddy's room. You slept with us in a bassinet for 6 months kid, remember?

We came home Sunday and he was very excited to get into his bed and jump of it! He laid down, pretended to sleep and brought his Alvin, Simon & Theodore animals in bed with him. Did I cry? NO. I am proud of my little man..and while at times I am sad that he is growing up (5T pants already!) so fast, I am very proud of the little boy he is becoming. Yes, he does push our buttons at times and loves to get hungry at bedtime or have to pee the minute we walk about of his bedroom after putting him to sleep. But, he is also a sweet cuddle bug who loves to play games, tell us we are his "best friends in the whole world", kiss randomly, hugs often and is never afraid to say "I love you" at any given moment. I'm proud that he has 100% mastered the peeing on the potty thing..and I know he'll get the # 2 part real soon. Although, he did tell us last week that the reason why he was pooping in his pants was because "My poop doesn't like our toilet". Ok. That's not to say he isn't successful at it, he has been about 50% with it. Progress.

Progress. We are all making it. Im trying to look at Jake and look at all he has accomplished and not worrying about how old he is getting or getting sad at the fact that he is hitting these awesome milestones. There are only more milestones for him to hit and for all of us to rejoice in them.

The day came...

Jake has "girlfriends"..he has Sidney and he has Lilly and he has other older woman who just find him adorable too. I know that he expresses that Sid & Lil at various times are his girlfriends and I am ok with that. In fact, we encourage it! Its cute..they have all been friends from day one and of course we joke about who is going to pay for the weddings years (MANY) from now.
Today was a different day. I dropped Jake off at school and a cute little girl asked Jake about 3-4 times as I was getting his coat off to sit with her and color. She set both of them up with pages to color and put a seat right next to hers and patted it and said "sit here". She was aggressive in a cute 3 year old way. I really didn't think too much of this exchange until tonight..as I was kissing Jake good night before bed he said to me "Kayleigh asked me to kiss her". "ok..so what did you tell her bud?" Jake replied that he told her no and walked to the other side of the classroom. I thought this was a good idea in my oh so protective mom way and I asked him how come. " There is no kissing in school. Papa told me no kissing in school" The first part I like, the second part I do not buy! Papa? Kissing at school? In any case..he has an admirer! HOw can I say I am surprised? I am his mom, of course I think he's the cutest thing since Tom Brady..

2012

Half way through January already...yowsa! The new year started with a night of dinner..

Just had to put the computer down because Jake walked over and announced he wanted to cuddle with me while he watched his last TV show before bed. How could I resist? If there is one thing that has been consistent for him it's that he is still a cuddlebug...kisses and hugs are some of his favorite things to do too. He's one lovey boy.

Where was i? Ok..so New Years was spent low key with a dinner for the 3 of us at the 99 and then it was bed time for Jake and Alex and I watched the ball drop. Uneventful but just how we wanted it. Last weekend was spent up in Lowell celebrating my brother Tim and his 40th birthday. I couldn't tell Jake that we left him at Mimi & Grampy's to head to Uncle Timmy's birthday party..I didn't want to bum him out that he was not going to be in attendance. It was, after all, at a bar..Jake has so grown out of that stage. The night was fun but I am still a tad shocked that my big bro is 40.

January is action research month for me..research starts for the fabulous capstone of mine on Tuesday..I just want it over with! Comprehensive exam at the end of the month.. what a way to start 2012. Not going to let it get me down though..in 4 short months I should be done and graduated.

2012..what will it have in store for us all? Can't wait to find out!
Happpy New Year!

Wow! Christmas!

Turn your volume all the way up to hear him whisper..








In the photo below with Jake standing on a chair it had just started snowing for a minute or so when he said "This is the most wonderful Christmas"... yes..it was.

Christmas Pics..

Christmas 11

Christmas was spent as it has been in the past..all over New England. This year we were determined to make the most of it, get organized from the beginning and just enjoy our families and not worry about all the travel. Mission Accomplished.

It started Christmas Eve at Alex's moms.. Jake had a blast at Mimi and Grampy's - having people tickle him, chasing his older cousins, opening presents, helping everyone open their Yankee Swap gift, etc. We came home that night, left the trail mix on the lawn for the Reindeer and a cookie for Santa. Lo and behold, Santa left tons of presents that night. We woke Jake up at 7:15 am and the began! Each present he opened he exclaimed "I dont have this toy!", it was really cute. He was spoiled by Santa with puzzles, a large dinosaur, tons of games, soccer apparel, Croc boots and toys, toys and more toys. His favorite toy was the Ham from Toy Story.

We then went over to Mimi's and Grampy's house for breakfast and to see what Santa had left there. We exchanged there, ate awesome Egg's Benedict and Jake played with his new work bench. From there we went to Papa's house and opened up with the girls and his aunt and uncle. The kids were spoiled rotten by Papa..actually, we all were.
From there we headed to the final stop, cousin Annabelle and Olivers house. This was where we hung out with all of the Conlin side and even Yaya. The Yankee swap was fun this year..but more fun was the dance of with the Wii and the gymnastic mat. Jake seems to have his break dancing moves down pat.

Hitting the road again, we headed back to RI. Jake really wanted to play with his work bench which was left at Mimi's house. Alex promised him that if he was still awake when we got home we would head to pick it up. Jake's response: "I'm going to stay awake guys!". Three minutes into the 90 minute ride and he was passed out. Needless to say, we got the playbench the next day.

Speaking of the next day..Jake woke up yelling "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas Mommy!" the day after Christmas. We got him out of his crib (yes, a crib. still. If it's not broken, why try to fix it?") and asked if he want to watch a show in our room (a weekend routine) and he was having no part of that..he wanted to head downstairs to play with all his toys. He finally got to stay home and open each and ever present..and that he did! The house was trashed but it was so worth it!

In all, we had a fabulous Christmas weekend. Sure, it was tiring..but we wouldn't trade being able to see all of our family. Ninety minutes one way to MA is nothing..the memories made are priceless.

Pics will come once I get back to my computer..at the moment Jake has taken it hostage. He now loves to play on my Mac on the nickelodeon website. It is amazing to watch him play on it.

We are on the verge of 2012 and it's safe to say we are ready for it! Praying Alex gets a job soon, in the teaching field we hope. I will finish up my degree this Spring and cannot wait to walk across that stage! For my undergraduate degree I wasn't that enthused to walk across stage..this time I cannot wait! I just want to be done!!

Bring on 2012!!

3 days!

We are full swing into Christmas mode! School is over for the semester and that means one thing - Family time!!

We are hoping Jake enjoys this Christmas season - seems he really gets the whole Santa thing this year. Elfie has been moving around the house, watching him everywhere..in the bathroom, in his playroom, on the tree, in his stocking, etc. Saturday night he flies back to the North Pole with Santa..we sure will miss him! It has been really fun to wake up each morning and look for him with Jake..he loves it. The Advent calendar is a huge hit too.. every morning he opens a door and gets a small piece of chocolate. After naps he will say "Its the next day" and run to the calendar hoping for more chocolate. Nice try, Jake.

We will be spending time with lot's of family this weekend and look forward to it! What's better than all your family together for the holidays? Nothing.

If there is anyone out there who still reads this..we wish you a very Merry Christmas! May you be surrounded by as much love and happiness as we are on Christmas!

J, A & K

Photo Card

Sweet Little Label Christmas

Customize your Christmas cards this season at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Jake's list this year...

When asked what to get each person for Christmas this year..this was his response...

Yaya- a sock
Mimi- a shoe
Rudolph - mimi
Santa - cookies
Daddy - a christmas tree ( a toy one)
Mommy - a Rudolph
Auntie Courtney - toys for Mia & Aubrey & Ashlyn
Auntie Shelley - a camera
Dana - jingle bells
Uncle Timmy -a star
Grampy - a light
Auntie Kaylin - shoes
Papa - some more toys for him
Rara- a computer
Cherly - some toys, power rangers & my big big friend. "we can both have those, cheryl and me"
Mia -toys
Bella -squeeky toys
Miss Pam - a lot of cats
Max (friend at school) - some toys
Miss Jeanie - one cat
Gramma Louise - two cats
Kayley -toys
Miss Adrienne - a box of toys
Jake - power rangers, my big big friend

Fa la la

15 days till the big guy leaves a boatload of toys for Jake-man. Today we got our tree and Jake got to see Santa not once but twice. He went to the movies with MiMi this morning and Santa was there. We then trecked to get our tree. We picked out a great one and Jake said "nope" .. we proceeded to look for more and the next two he said "nope" We then went around in a circle and made a big deal over the first one that we liked but he didn't..he didnt realize it was the first one and said "yes" to it. Ahh..the joys of trickery. Jake helped put the tree on the car and off we went home to decorate it. Not before another trip to see Santa though. The YMcA had him visit and we got some pics. He asked for Power Rangers. WE have no idea why he keeps saying he wants them...he doesn't even watch the show.

Alex is done with school. Done. No more studetn teeaching, no more classes. No more ! Well..not for high school..but if he wants to be middle school certified, he will take a few more classes. I am elated for him and can't wait for his certification to come in. I, on the other hand, am done for another week at least. So.over.it. So so so!

Our tree looks beautiful..it so fun to go through all the old ornaments and think about the memories attached to each of them. Tonight Jake pulled out his first Christmas picture with Santa..he pointed out that it was daddy dressed as Santa and not the real guy. We told him that Daddy was asked by Santa to dress up and visit with children..he told us he knew it was Daddy because "he has a big nose, and i saw it in the picture". Can't fool that kid all the time! ;)

We can't wait to celebrate the holiday season with lots of friends and family!!

Thank ya.

We had a great THanksgiving! We celebrated early this year with the Conlin side which made travel on Thanksgiving so wonderful. The 5 mile drive to Mimi and Grampy's house was way less stressful than the years past in which we drive to NH/MA and back. I think this may start a tradition~

The weather has been just beautiful..can you believe it? It was actually nice to get outside this weekend and rake leaves in the sun! We also got to take Jake out to play and take walks on rides on his bike.

Jake has been coming up with some cute sayings.. when I asked him one morning last week to come to me so that I could put his shoes and socks on he looked at me dead serisouly and said "I'm not playing this game" How could I not laugh at that?

We have a visitor for the next month..he arrived the morning after Thanksgiving..Elf on the Shelf..otherwise known as "Elfie". He watches Jake and reports to Santa each night. The first morning he told us that "he looks like a statue, he is fake". Oh boy. We then read the book to him and explained who/what this Elf is all about. He then got it. After he ate some of his breakfast he turned to the Elf with his empty bowl and said "look elfie, I ate all my strawberries". Too cute. He has told Elfie every night that he wants a bicycle for Mommdy, Daddy and Jake.. ONE bicycle for the THREE of us. That would be a trip!

Jake is still in a crib. Its something I find myself feeling guilty about a lot lately. BUT, he sleeps in it happily and doesn't get out of it at all. What's that saying "if its not broken why try to fix it?". Ya..thats exactly how I feel. But..we will put him in his toddler bed soon. I am thinking after Christmas. We are so busy lately with finishing up the semester and various parties we have to attend in December..it can wait one month. ;)

Thankful..that is us once again this November. I can probably recite the same list I did last year..home, family, education, love, cars, friends, food etc. We have a good life and a great family..what is there to complain about? Not a whole lot..in the grand scheme of things we have it pretty good. :) Hope you all feel as blessed.

Hide and Seek

One of Jake's favorite games these days is Hide And Seek. He loves to hide but usually picks the same spots over and over..under the dining room table, next to a door, in the bathtub, etc. Last night we were playing and as I was counting and he was suppose to be hiding he ran up to me and said "Mommy, can you put the light on in the bathroom..I am going to hide in there". Welll Jake..how much fun is that for me to find you? lol. Or, if he does hide somewhere new he giggles until we find him. Another favorite game of his is Memory..but he doesn't like to flip the cards over. He likes them upright so you can see the pictures and make matches. Hopefully Santa will bring him a few new games for Christmas!

We are headed to MA on Saturday for lunch with The Conlin clan and will be in RI for Thanksgiving. Looking forward to a great holiday with family!

Slacking..

We've been clowning around...




One of Jake's new favorite pastimes is to take the camera and take pics of everyone..he is getting pretty good at it!


We have been slacking on the blog! November 1st! This is the month of Thanksgiving which means next month is the C word! How did Christmas sneak up so quickly?

California came and went..Alex and I had a great time. It was nice to be on that coast..but we did miss our little man. It was odd to walk down to Downtown Disney and see all the families and not have Jake with us. The park is open until 12 midnight and wow do people take advantage of the late night hours! There were kids passed out left and right on the shuttles coming back at night. Those were the moments we were happy not to have a child with us. But..we do hope to get Jake to Disney world someday soon.

Alex at the hotel..



Me at the Anaheim Garden Walk..


Halloween! Jake looked adorable in his Mickey outfit..on Sat afternoon we strolled downtown East Greenwich and practiced trick or treated. jake had a blast and even got to sit in the EG firetruck. He loved it..and then asked the fireman for candy. :)






On Monday we had a great time in Coventry trick or treating for real. Jake was so cute with his "trick or treat" or "Do you have a dog?" and then.. "Thank you...Happy Halloween". So cute!







One of his favorite parts of the night was when he got to give out candy..






Happy November!!

October

Boy do we have a busy month ahead..Apple Picking outing this weekend with Auntie Courtney and crew..a wedding next weekend.. a trip to CA at the end of the month. Whohoo! Oh.. and Halloween! A week or so ago, Jake wanted to be Super Why (Wyatt) from the Super Readers..until we went shopping at Target and he saw a million other possible outfits. He then wanted to be be everything he could get his hands on in the store..but I resisted to buy him the Darth Vader,Monkey, Banana, Mr Potato Head or Spider Man costumes to name a few. I then told him this past weekend that his friend Sidney will be Minnie Mouse..he is now on a Mickey Mouse kick. Our daily conversations go like this:

Me: Jake, what do you want to be for Halloween this year?
Jake: Mickey Mouse, because I love Mickey Mouse.
Me: Are you sure?
Jake: Yes, I was just joking when I said I wanted to be Super Why. It was just a joke.

Cute.

Ahh October. It's a great month, kicking off fall and all the fun things it brings. October 1st always reminds me of Tahoe and our beginnings out there. When Alex and I packed up his Pathfinder and trekked out to the West Coast in September of 2001, it was quite a journey. We raced out there in just 4 days and lived with his dad in Reno before we found our place in South Lake Tahoe. I remember finding it mid- September and being SO excited to move in on Oct 1st!
We drove the jam packed Pathfinder through the Sierra Mountains and settled into Linda Avenue with nothing but our snowboards, winter clothes and an air mattress and over time turned it into a cute 2 bedroom apartment. Those were the days.. we were gypsies as my dad liked to call us..not a care in the world, quitting our jobs in Ogunquit and following our hearts and dreams of West Coast living.
At times it was stressful but most of the time it was very laid back. I didn't even have a bank account out there (no need for it when you are making $7 an hour!), no car of my own for the majority of the time I was out there and I relied on public transportation..season passes were dirt cheap - $199 was a steal! That's pretty much what it costs for a family of 3 to snowboard one day now a days. I love looking back at those days and am proud we did it..it definitely made me get outside my comfort zone which I never realized how badly I needed. Our relationship was tested at times (like the summer I had to go home because I was so homesick, but then couldn't wait to get back to Tahoe) but it made us stronger and allowed us to see that there is nothing the two of us can't do.
Some day Jake may come to us and tell us he needs to get out of New England. When the time comes I will fully support him, as our parents did for 3 years. Worst case..we will just have to move with him.....

Fall has arrived!

Well..with the 61 degree weather..fall is surely here! The layering of clothing has begun. No one is more happy about that than I..i LOVE to layer! However, with fall comes school and with school comes work. No one is more unhappy about that than I! Alex is settling into his role at his school with his school work and loving it (minus the school work part, im sure)..Jake is settling back into a routine with being back at Pre School and we are loving that as well. What hasn't been great are the colds, sniffles and coughs that have come about. Jake and Alex are battling a cough..with Alex feeling a tad worse I think. It's amazing the germs that reside in classrooms. Yuck. Let's hope this is the last of it..although I know that's probably impossible.

Next month Alex and I head out to CA at the end of the month for some R & R. We are only going for a long weekend really..but it will be nice to get away. Hopefully we get all of our school work done before we leave, so that we can really enjoy the time. We haven't been in California since May of 2003 when we left Lake Tahoe for good. Seems like yesterday, in a way! I miss the west coast and it's laid back attitude..but I dont miss the paychecks we got as minimum wage ski bums. ;) October will be a usy month with apple pickng outings, weddings, birthdays and get aways..oh..did i mention school work too. This will hopefully be the last of me dreading a fall semester (until the one when Jake starts college!)..but Alex is thinking about his Masters. Good luck, buddy. That's all I have to say! ;) Of course, i will 100% support him..but I know it's not easy..especially with a family.

Happy Fall all!!!

August is almost over..

This summer honestly feels like the quickest one EVA! Possibly it is because of what looms ahead..my last year of grad school. I couldn't be more stressed about it and it hasnt even started yet. Alex is hoping to complete some coursework this semester as well..it should be an interesting fall! Also, Jake starts preschool.. how crazy is that?

This summer has had it's ups and downs.. the ups were definitely the trips we took. There were a couple to Ogunquit and WElls Maine.... weekends full of lobster, beach and time with good friends is always a great way to celebrate the 4th of July weekend and Jake's 3rd birthday. Jake being potty trained has been a plus as well..although he has "acdidents" here and there, he has certainly mastered the art of peeing and pooping in true 3 year old style. Our trip to Lake George was a fun family filled time..A day at Saratoga, The Great Escape, The water park, and a few days at the beach made up a fabulous vacation. We spent tons of time with family and friends and cherish all the memories made!
While Alex was laid off at the end of July..it was a down.. but we have hopefully found a way to turn it into a plus..if he can finish his certificate this fall it will all be worthwhile. He certainly doesn't miss the long hours and the trip to Newport daily!
Each of the Gregson's had a birthday this summer...a trip to Ogunquit for Jake's, Daddy's day was spent at the beach and Mommy's was spent at the Red Sox game.. I hope we continue to celebrate in style in the summers to come.

With YaYa's birthday tomorrow, we want to wish her a VERY happy ##th birthday! You are the best Mom and Yaya we could ask for and we all love you more than words can say!!!! We also can't wait to see you this weekend to celebrate YOU!!



We love you!!

VACA...