Family Vacation

We took a family vacation in July. It started out by leaving RI and arriving in NYC for the night. The kids were in awe of the bright lights and all the different people. They loved the toys stores and the candy stores... of course. Then in the next day we did a stroll through Central Park where they were able to play at a playground/sprinkler park. They just loved that. After a morning of running around we decided it was off to PA to check into our hotel. They kids went in the pool and just relaxed to get ready for the next days adventure.
On Wednesday morning we got up bright and early and headed to Sesame Place. It was a world that Eric loved. He got to see all the characters that he knew. And meet the real Big Bird... much bigger than the stinky one that he sleeps with now. It was such a joy to see the kids faces as they got to ride rollercoasters and go down water slides and be KIDS.
I had been to Sesame Place when I was Emily's age and I remember it was so much fun. It was a bit sureal to see my child doing the same things that I did at the same age.
For Eric it was not only about the characters, but it was a place where he too could ride all the rides. A parent had to go with him, but he didnt know the difference, he liked having us there to share in the fun with. Emily got to be the big kid and do some water slides that Eric didnt want to go on. She is just a fun loving kid that is up for anything.
On the way home from PA we stopped in NJ for a side trip to Advendure Aquarium. There were a lot of touch pools and HUGE tanks to look in. Eric was a big surprised at the size of the waterlife. It was a great time and a bit educational... even if the kids didnt know that they were learning. They saw sharks, hippos, stingrays, and millions of fish.
I think that the best part of the trip was not the rides, the fish, the bright lights, or the parks. The best part was making family memories. These are memories that the kids will remember. If they dont remember them in their heads memory, I know they will remember them in their hearts memory. I want them to grow up and remember the feeling they had of a "Family Vacation" and know that it was a great time. Even if they dont remember riding the rollercoaster 500 times. It was a memory that they can carry in their hearts and know that we had fun times together wtih love.

Eric loves his women

Eric has always loved women of all nationalities. The first woman that he was in aww with was a daycare worker, Yesenia. She was from the Dominican Republic and was as dark as can be. He was just an infant and he would watch her all day. When he could crawl, he would crawl right to her. He would just listen to her talk with her accent all day. Then he moved up to the next classroom and he met his Spanish teacher, Maria. Again he would always be around her. He would talk about "Ria" all the time. When either Maria or Yesenia would call his name or talk to him.. he would light up. Well, then it was on to the big kid daycare. His first friend (we call her his girlfriend) was Lily. She is a beautiful girl, older than him by 2 years, from China. He would tell me all the time that he loves Lily and he kisses her. She felt the same away, because everytime I saw her she would ask if Eric could come over for a playdate. She would take care of him when he was new. They are very cute together.
Well, today Eric was at school and says to the teacher "yeah, Hun", after being asked a question. You can guess it... she is Spanish (I think, but she might be a light skinned black lady). He just loves Ms. Milagros.
It is so funny that he is colorblind to all his ladies. I love it! I was not exposed to different nationalities until I was much older, simply because there werent any variations in NH. I think it is great that he can befriend all different people and really not see them any different than he is. He is so cute that he always gravitates to these ladies. Too cute

New Babies

I just love new babies. I love the way they feel, look, and sometimes even smell. I love the way that they are trying to figure you out just as much as you are trying to figure them out. I love watching them grow and learn each new milestone. They really are amazing creatures. It has been said the infant brain grows and learn more in the first year than it does at any other time in its whole life. I totally believe that to be true. From learning how to breath to talk, to walk, it is all just amazing.
I also love the way my family has grown with each new child. They all bring so much to the family. They change the family in so many ways. But, I can also say that I love that my family is complete. I knew that I wanted more than 1 child, and yet I never knew just how many more. Well, my husband decided that number to be 2 kids.
As I held my friends new baby girl tonight I thought... was I meant to have only 2 kids? I just love babies so much, was I really meant to have only 2 kids? Then I came home to my 2 kids.. 3 and 6 years old.. not babies anymore. As I tuck them in for the night and give them their kisses, I realize that I have the right family. I dont know how another baby would fit into this mix. And I wont ever know (and if we do find out then Dans doctor has some serious explaining to do). But I am ok with that. I love babies, but I am also in love with the 2 kids I have and the joy they bring me. It is great to be done with the baby phase and on to the kid years. I love seeing their faces when they try to figure out this world we live in and where they fit. I just know that they fit right here in my arms, even if they overflow my arms and dont fit in the crook of my elbow any more. As much as I love babies, I am so happy with the 2 kids I have now.

Night time giggles

I just love those times at night before bed, during "quiet time", that the kids get all giggly. The day has ended and there is nothing left to do, or at least nothing that cant wait, and you get to sit and enjoy family time. These are the moments that my kids may not remember in their exact memory, but they will always have it in their hearts memory.
Eric woke up very happy and in a great mood this morning. He has kept that happy attitude all day. And tonight during "quiet time" Eric, Dan, and I had a great laugh. (Emily was in her room watching HSM 3 and only come out to give me hugs and kisses at times). I was watching Eric "beat" up Dan. He was laughing and giving it his all... Dan of course played along. Just watching these boys play had me in stitches. Eric was everything from a monster, to a boxer, to a sneaky stealth attacker. It always makes me smile when I see my men bond... even if it is over fighting. It is something that I cant quite explain with out you seeing it. But it always leaves me with a smile and a warm feeling of love duing the night time giggle.

A boy and his dog

The other night Eric didnt want to sleep in his own bed, so I let him sleep in mine. Well, in went Eric, in went myself, and next in went Lucy (our little dog). I am not a fan of children or dogs in my bed, but it is what it is. As I was falling asleep I was watching Eric fall asleep. He was lying down with his arm wrapped around Lucy and petting her. He just seemed so calm and at ease. It was just a calming, loving kind of moment for him... and Lucy too. He really looked like a hallmark card. Just a boy and his dog....

I am big fan of having animals in the house when you have kids. It teaches them so much about respect for animals and for other things that have feelings. Like you cant hit people or pets with a bat, because it will hurt them (just another lesson Eric learned at the misfortune of our big dog). It teaches them responsiblity. And it is another way to show them unconditional love. Because even though our dogs have been put through the a lot of "misfortunes" due to these kids... both dogs love the kids completely and unconditionally. And it is moments like the other night, watching my boy with his dog that make all the headaches of having a dog worth it.

Anniversary

On Saturday I decided to surprise Dan with a trip up to South Boston for our anniversary. I know Southie doesnt sound like a romantic place to go for your anniversary, however it has always been "our place". When I met Dan I was living in NH and had only seen him 3 times before leaving for Europe for the summer. When I can back from abroad, I moved to Southie. This is when our relationship really began to blossom. He was still living in Providence, RI and we would get together 1-2 times a week. It was often during these times together we would take walks around Southie. The place that we always went was a beautiful area called Castle Island. It is a one mile loop that goes out and around the bay. We would go there and walk around, talk, and just be together.
So, I thought what a great place to go back to after 5 years of marriage. He did not know where we were going so he was pleasantly surprised when we ended up at Castle Island on a beautiful 75 degree day. I am sure it was not what he had expected, but he also understood why we were there. I still believe that Castle Island is where our relationship truly began.
I remember walking around and sitting out on the bay, under the stars with him. His arm around me, watching the stars reflect off the water. There was no place I had rather had been. We would talk about all the years to come and all our hopes and dreams. It seemed like a place where we could be honest and talk about anything. The topics usually led to marriage and kids and our future together. I can still remember talking about my dreams of growing old together.
So, here we are 9 years later, 5 years of marriage later... many ups and downs along the way. But there we are, walking around Castle Island again. All the conversations we had 9 years ago.. had come true. We had gotten married, had kids, and are growing old together (31 is not old, but we met when i was 22, so it is growing old). It was almost a surreal moment, sitting down, watching the waves, with his arms around me again. Still the same people, but yet completely different too. Even though there were times when I didnt think we would ever make it to this point and we have changed so much from those 2 people... I am still so happy that all those conversations came true. It just showed to me that hard work in a relationship, a relationship that has dreams and hopes, and a lot of love... can really be all you ever wanted.
I know that we dont have a fairy tale relationship, but I will take US over any fairy tale anyday.

Our Laughter

I believe it has been since I was born, but it has been atleast as far back as I can remember, my mother and I have always been able to laugh together. It always seems to be jokes that nobody else understands and nobody else ever laughs at. The jokes are never inside jokes, they are just ones that nobody else wants to join in on. I have always loved our all out belly-aching, cant breath, tears in out eyes jokes. The jokes are usually about topics that "normal" people would find to be unamusing and usually repulsive. However, it is our humor that we share in our own way. It is a bond that we have that has always been there. When times between us have been hard or distant, it is usually our "jokes" that will bring us back together.
I write about this because since Emily has been born we have had that same bond over jokes. They are never knock-knock jokes or the "a monkey, a sheep, and a man walk into a bar...." kind of jokes. It is the little songs we sing, the way we can twist something sad or disturbing into something that we can laugh about, or just look at something and start to laugh. There doesn't even need to be words spoken, sometimes we can just laugh and know what the other one is laughing about. I can feel and see the same bond with Emily that my mother must have always felt with me.
I truly believe that laughter can be the best medicine. I take care of many patients dying of many aliments and you can tell that they never feel as good on medication as they feel when they have a good belly laugh. I am just so happy that I have this bond with not only my mother but also with my daughter. I can tell that our laughter will lead to many years of great memories about nothing at all... except laughing about something... whatever that may be.

Where did this weird kid come from?

I have this small male that lives in my house and I dont know where he came from. He is short and skinny, the size of a 2 year old.... yet he tells me he is 3 1/2 years old. He is cranky a real lot and yells when he doesnt get his way. Although I have noticed over time that the yelling has become a little less and he is becoming less cranky. He likes to play sports, usually in the house. He throws footballs, hits baseballs, and swings at golf balls; not to mention riding skateboards around the living room. I dont know where he came from because he doesnt look quite like anyone in the house. He hardly acts like anyone else in the house. And last time I checked I had a little baby boy... not this big kid in a little body. He is growing up fast and I cant believe how time flies. He makes us laugh with his quirkly little dances. He can drive any sane person to the brink of insanity and bring them back to loving him in just a moments time. He knows just the things to do to make you smile and melt your heart. He is one of the best at cuddling that I have ever met. So, I dont know where this strange kid came from, but I am thinking that I will keep him. He may be weird but he is an amazing little kid that fills my heart.

My daughter believes in GOD!!!

As I was kissing my kids goodnight last night I see Emily doing the sign of the cross. You know the one that goes from your forehead to your belly to your right and then left shoulder, finished with a kiss on the thumb knuckle. I asked her what she was doing and she said "I thought I would pray". Of course since I didn't teach her this I was curious as to wear she learned it. My first thought was that my lovable, well meaning bible thumbing 8 year old niece taught her. But I was wrong. She said that the day that Eric had his surgery "Daddy showed me how to pray and do the cross, so that Eric would be safe in surgery." Now, Emily has had some experience with religion and God. Not much and not on my account. She says that she believes in God and that he is good and protects us, but doesn't know why she believes. I have asked Eric if he believes in God... he looks at me like I am crazy and says "who?"
I do think that it is good that Emily believes in God, even if she doesn't know why. I think that it is great that my husband shares his views on religion with the kids. Why do I think it is good when I am atheist? Because for one it cant hurt. Even though I think religion of all different types are great and interesting, I still believe that it is great stories when people had nothing else to believe in due to horrible times, and they needed to have faith in a higher power. These stories were passed down for generations and because they are usually based on good things that come to you if you do believe, why won't people want to continue to believe. But I give my kids the option to learn about all different types of religion.. and if they want to believe in any of them, then good for them. I have also told my kids that even though Daddy believes in God, Mommy does not. But I follow that up with "you can believe in anything you want" and Yes I do mean that.
Now, I write this because even though I am a strong believer in Karma... I do not believe in any devine interventions. I have seen too many good people die and too many bad people live for me to believe that any person or thing or spirit could have choosen for it to be that way. I think that when your time is up, your time is up. When you are dead, you are dead. If you got hit by a bus, it was because you were not looking when you crossed the road, not because some higher being decided that it was your time to go. With all that being said... I did make a phone call when I was at the hospital waiting for Eric to come out of surgery to a very good, yet HIGHLY religious friend of mine. She told me that she had been praying for Eric. I do like when people pray for my family. I believe that it cant hurt and if the day ever comes where I am proven wrong about God (not that I am ever expecting that) I will be glad that people prayed for us. Although I do not believe in the power of prayer per say... I do believe that the power of positive thought can be very helpful. So pray away. When I talked to my friend I said "it is days like this that I wish I believed in God. I hate having to put all my trust into just one person (the doctor), to take care of my son."
So, even though I am not religious, I am glad that Emily, and perhaps even Eric one day, believes in God. I dont want her to ever feel like she is alone or helpless when she needs to put her trust into someone or something. Even if I cant make myself believe in magical spirits or all mighty creators.... I am glad that my daughter can, so that if nothing else, she will always have the comfort of her faith.

A long week

It was 6 days ago that Eric and I packed up and went to the hospital. He had his tonsills out and it has been a long week. He needed them out because they were HUGE!! He was having a hard time breathing and has recently started getting strep throat easily. I was told it would be a 1-2 week recovery. It is looking like it will be closer to 2 weeks for Eric. The codeine is not lasting as long as it should and he is frequently in pain. But I can see that things are getting better. He was able to play outside this weekend and he needs less medication during the day. I just hate seeing him in pain like this. I know that it is for the best for him, but in the here and now, it sucks. I can tell a difference in his breathing and his voice already. They say that once the swelling goes down in 2 weeks, he will be like a new kid. I cant wait to see him better and these 2 weeks cant come fast enough. I hate seeing him in pain, just holding his mouth and crying, knowing that there is nothing I can do. As a nurse, I want to give him something to ease the pain. As a mom, I want to take the pain away from him and give it to me, so that I dont have to have my baby suffer. There is no words of frustration that I can use that can explain the look in his eyes when he just looks at you and is silently begging you to make him better. Eric has had more than his fair share of illnesses, but I think now that he is older it is harder on me. When he was a baby I could use my nursing skills to give medication, give him nebulizer treatments, listen to his lungs and then like magic, he would be better. This time, because it was surgery it is harder because I cant do anything except count down the days with him until he should feel better. I am seeing improvements each day, but it is never fast enough when it is your little guy lying there.
I do have to add that Emily has been a huge help. She knows when to help Eric and when to put herself second, when I have to deal with just him. She is wise beyond her years and has a maternal instinct that some people never develop. I tell her all the time that she is the best big sister that anyone could have, and I truely mean that. Not only is Eric lucky to have her as a big sister, Dan and I are so blessed to have her as a wonderful daughter and an amazing helper.
I knew my whole life that I wanted to be a mom and a nurse. I just never imagined just how much these rolls would be combined into one. Im so glad to be both, even if there are many thankless moments, painful moments, and joyful moments.

A Whitlock Family Blog

So, I decided after reading one of my good friends blogs, that I would start one of my own. Actually, it was after reading some old emails and my seeing my friends blog, that made me want to start my own blog. I guess that things in my life seem so "normal" to me and yet so hilariously abnormal to others. I take all the things in my life for what they are... my life as I know it now; Even if it is always in 10 different directions and always crazy. But I do know that it is full of love, laughter, and excitement (perhaps not the same excitement that was my life before kids, like skydiving and backpacking through Europe, but still excitement). I hope that this blog will keep the readers up to date on the life of the Whitlock family but also perhaps some laughter mixed in. Because I know that if I didnt laugh, I'm sure I would end up crying... haha. I hope you enjoy the posts to follow.