Happy Birthday MaMa Ellen

My grandparents live in a small whitewashed house with green shutters and a porch with two rocking chairs where my MaMa Ellen and I sit hours on end singing silly children’s songs and playing simple little games. There is a tree in the front yard, and it is perfect for climbing. It has sturdy branches and a place in the center where my PaPa Drew puts me and lets me climb around, and when I get tired, I just sit there until someone comes and gets me down. When I go in the house, I head to the kitchen where my ma ma is fixing me coffee milk and a black sandwich, a concoction of chocolate and peanut butter. After I finish eating, I help her hand wash and dry the dishes. I then go into the back room to visit my great-grandmother, who is bedridden. I climb into her bed and sit next to her, hold her hand, and talk to her about my day. My grandmother asks me, “Sarah, when I get old will you take care of me? ”

Always thinking ahead, I respond, “Of course, Mama, but I will have to ask my husband first. ”

When evening falls, I situate myself on a little pallet next to my grandparent’s bed and drift off to sleep with the events of the day still fresh in my memory. The next morning we are awakened by the ringing of the phone. It is my mom calling to see if I am ready to go home. I am not, so I stay another day and another until I run out of clothes or my parents make me go home. I go home for a few days and then come back, and the cycle continues until I grow up.

I become too old to play games, and the tree rots and has to be cut down until nothing is left, but a small stump. My great grandmother dies, and black sandwiches become to fattening to eat. My visits become scarce. I call as often as I can, and I still love to visit. Although my childhood cannot be relived, my grandmother is still my best friend.

I wrote this paper about my grandmother during my junior year of high school.  I am pretty sure I made an A on the paper for my touching tribute, but I do remember getting a comment about my weak ending (although, I can promise that my grandmother loved it).  Well, much more has changed since I wrote this paper.   

The white washed house with the green shutters is sold, and my grandmother moves next door to my parents.  My grandfather passes away, and my grandmother lives alone.  A fact which makes me extremely proud of here.  My visits become way more than scarce due to proximity, and I call, I hope, a bit more than I used to.  And, today my MaMa Ellen celebrates her 85th birthday.  And, just the same as when I was a child, I can still count on her for a kind word, a great story from my childhood, a bit of chocolate, a flying novena, complete faith that I can do no wrong, and a lot of love.

I love you Mama Ellen!  Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday!

Five Things Friday 02.25.10 - School Notes

It is always a little tricky for Noah going back to school after a vacation. He tends to be a little bit more active and all over the place. This week when I dropped him off Mrs. K and I shared a look. "Welcome back," she said. "Thanks we had a good trip," I replied. The look said what our words didn't. "Hope today is a good day." "We expect him to be pretty active, but he'll be fine." "See you soon." And, to both our surprises, this week was a great week! Here are a couple stories I got from the teachers about this week at school.

1. Mrs. J was playing "tickle monster" with the kids. Noah came right up to Mrs. J to be tickled and then went to the other kids who were tickling each other. He went to two friends and hugged them and tickled them.

2. During lunch time, Ms. A was sitting with Noah. One of the little girls at his table was playing peekaboo. Mrs. A tried to draw Noah's attention over to the girl. After a couple attempts, Mrs. A finally got Noah to look at the girl. Noah grabbed the little girls hands, started to move them back and forth over her eyes. He was laughing and saying boo.

3. On the playground, Mrs. C was playing chase with Noah. He was laughing and very interested in the game. Another little boy joined in the game. Mrs. C reported that Noah was very aware that the boy was playing chase with him, and Noah was definitely participating.

4. Noah loves music at school. During music this week, he was dancing and when the teachers said "freeze," he was listening and stopped dancing just like all the other kids.  He has also picked up on several of the songs, and during lunchtime later in the day, he was singing and doing the motions for the teachers. 

5.  I think the teachers are as excited as Dean and I about all the great things Noah did at school this week.  The notes sent home in his folder said, "Big day!" "Noah had a very good day!" "Noah had a great day!" I am so proud of you my little man.

Future Conductor

And, I don't mean trains!

We spent the week at Disney with our good friends Eddie and Kristie and their family. They are big Disney goers, and we've stayed with them on our Disney vacation several times. They have a cute little girl named Alexis who loves Winnie the Pooh, and their trips to Disney usually start with the Magic Kingdom and multiple rides on The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Dean and I always laughed thinking why don't they go on any other rides? Well, this trip, we figured it out... when your kid loves something that much, you will gladly take them to it over and over and over again, just to see the joy on their face. Noah's favorite thing at Disney. The Playhouse Disney show at Hollywood Studios. We saw it four times this trip, and he loved it every time. Plus, it was totally worth sitting through to see this.

Disney Wrap-Up

Disney vacations are tiring and busy, but to me, a trip to Disney is a vacation in the truest sense of the word.  You spend so much time thinking about park hours and fast passes, parade schedules and lunch spots, the quickest route from Adventureland to Toon Town that whatever is on your to-do list back home gets completely forgotten.  So, now we are back to reality where laundry and therapy and a major grocery run are top of my things to do.  Here are some highlights from our trip. 

The Main Street/Fantasyland Philharmonic band. Noah loved them. Have I mentioned that my child loves music and really has so much rhythm?  He wanted to get up and dance, and I tried to let him, but he took of running into the band.  Sorry guys... next time we will watch from our stroller.  Here Noah and Daddy are following the band down the street. 

Chef Mickey at the Contemporary

Playhouse Disney Play 'N Dine at Hollywood Studios

Noah loved all the characters at Disney.  We had breakfast at Chef Mickey where he pulled Goofy's whiskers, tried to grab Mickey's nose and take off Minnie's shoes. Definitely not intimidated by the characters at all. We also had lunch at Playhouse Disney Play'N Dine where Noah met Leo, June, Goliath and JoJo.  The characters must be used to little ones grabbing at them.  Leo easily deflected Noah's grab at his glasses, and June lifted her head far enough away to not get sticky fingers on her earrings.

Momma and Noah outside Nemo and Friends at EPCOT

During our trip to EPCOT, Noah loved the Nemo and Friends pavilion.  Waiting in line with Daddy, he was laughing at and mimicking the seagulls saying, "Mine. Mine. Mine."

Noah's favorite snack at the park was the popcorn.  Here I am asking him to share a bite with Momma.  His response was "No.  Mine."  Gotta love good communication.

The Boneyard at Animal Kingdom

Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground at Hollywood Studios

Daddy loved hanging out with Noah this week and was more than happy to go down any slide, on any ride, and watch any show as many times as Noah wanted.  Momma loved it too, but she does what Noah wants everyday, so having Daddy join in the fun was a major bonus.

Our last day at Magic Kingdom ran much more smoothly than the first.  The crowds had thinned and we were able to go on every ride we wanted.  I am also happy to report that there was no crying on It's a Small World round two.  It is also worth noting that on our Buzz Lightyear adventure, I trounced Daddy's score thanks to the tip about the bonus target on top the volcano.  Way to go Momma!

What a great family trip to Disney!  So, Daddy... when are we going again?

Yes... We Are Having Fun

We are totally immersed in the Wonderful World of Disney over here.  I finally touched base with my mom today.  She said that based on my last blog post, I didn't make it sound like Noah was having that much fun.  Well, he is having fun, but I do have to say that this trip to Disney was a little different than the previous five. Yes, I said five. If you're new to the blog, last year we lived only four hours away, and after our first one day visit with Noah, I was so on board for any and every trip to the happiest place on Earth.  That added up to five times last year.  This was our first time.  And, this time, then this time and this time.  And, this was our most recent trip. 

But, I digress. Back to this trip... A little different. Remember that jump in cognition I mentioned a while back? Well, that jump includes some strong opinions by Noah. This Disney trip he is really not that interested in the rides.  He is fine with waiting in line, but once we make it to the front, he resists getting on the actual ride.  Not really sure exactly how he is feeling about it.  If it is just the transition to the ride or if he is actually afraid of the ride itself.   This trip Noah is really enjoying the shows and parades and musical entertainment much more.

 

And today... today was a REALLY fun day.  We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios, and we had no doubt Noah had a blast today.  Here is a quick run through of all the activities we managed to cram into our 7-hour day.

A pink princess pen purchased while Daddy's was procuring our Toy Story Mania Fast Pass.

Muppet 3D.  No 3D glasses were worn in the viewing. 

A visit with Leo and Annie from Little Einsteins.  Noah was super excited to see the Little Einsteins.  There was lots of jumping involved. 

Toy Story Mania.  Not sure if it is worth the 100+ minute wait that the sign shows all day, but I will say it is one of the best rides at Disney.  Here is a tip.  Get to the park right when it opens, make a beeline for the fast pass, and wait in line.  Or, send your husband.  That's what I did.  Noah actually wore his 3D glasses for about 2 minutes in line.  Dean and I have decided that he thinks he will miss the show if he wears the glasses. 

Voyage of the Little Mermaid.  This is a great show.  I do remember the misting rain being very pleasant during hot weather.  In this 40 degree temps in Orlando this week, not so much. 

Lunch at Backlot Express.  Noah ate a hamburger.  He may be seriously tired of eating chicken nuggets. 

Playhouse Disney Live.  Noah LOVED the show, and I think we may have to catch it again before we head home.

The Block Party Parade on Hollywood Boulevard.  Noah was so excited for the parade.  He especially loved the cast members that were jumping and dancing.  By the time, he got on Daddy's shoulders, he had calmed down a bit, but while I had him on my shoulders there was tons of bouncing and arm waving.  I'm happy he enjoyed it, but ouch!

We made it as far as taking our seats in the auditorium for Beauty and Beast before Noah fell asleep.  We left Hollywood Studios feeling pretty good about our fun day at the park. 

A Day at Disney

8:13AM ET Noah's internal alarm clock goes off, and we're up and at 'em.

10:30AM Happiest place on Earth... here we come.

11:35AM Between parking and the will call line, not feeling very happy, we finally walk through the Magic Kingdom gates. Insider tip from friends to use the resort monorail saved us some time.

12:15PM First ride of the day. Its a Small World. Noah cried during the second half of the ride. Does this mean he's scared, and it's not really his favorite ride. Momma wondering if one day Noah will ask why I brought him to this place over and over again.

1:20PM Lunch in Liberty Square. Noah was such a good eater, probably because Disney serves all his favorite foods - chicken nuggets, hot dogs, French fries and applesauce.

3:07PM Disney is crowded today. Only three rides down (It's a Small World, Peter Pan, and Aladdin's Magic Carpets). Getting a snack from Main Street Bakery while Noah and Daddy watch the parade.

3:50PM Wandering aimlessly through the crowds hoping for a nap.

4:50PM Acquire Fast Pass for Jungle Cruise and waiting in line at Tiki Room. No nap yet.

5:48PM Mickey's Philharmagic. One of my favorites. Noah refused 3D glasses. I wonder if it is because he remembers things jumping out at him.

6:00PM The elusive nap finds Noah. Dean and I find a cozy, dark and warm corner in Frontierland and split some cheese fries.

8:10PM After staking out a spot for 30 minutes, chowing down on a hot dog and popcorn, and enjoying two new swirly light toys (thanks Daddy), Noah can check Magic Kingdom fireworks off his to do list. We're headed home.

Whew, what a day. Ready to do it again tomorrow. Hoping for warmer weather and less crowds.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sesame Street Live

True to our word, Dean and I got tickets to take Noah to see Sesame Street Live.  I refuse to spend another post bemoaning the lack of adequate photography, so without further ado... here are 10 random thoughts/memories/photos on our recent trip to Sesame Street Live:

10. As ordered by Daddy, Sesame Street Live required good seats.  Here is the view of the stage from our seats.  Great seats? Check.

9. . Noah insisted on taking a walk around the arena before hitting our seats. It seemed like he was on the hunt for something, and he was... POPCORN. He got his very own box and munched on it for most of the show.

8. Dean was pretty concerned about Noah's reaction to seeing Big Bird live on stage. Apparently, there was some traumatizing moment in Dean's childhood involving Big Bird and a boat show at the Superdome. To Daddy's relief, Noah did just fine.

7. I wonder if Billy Joel knows that Sesame Street Live opens their show with his prelude to Angry Young Man.  If I could play the piano well, I would so want to play this piece. 

6. Since we had an aisle seat, several of the characters walked right up to Noah.  He gave Bert a high-five, and when Rosita passed by he tried to five her as well.  But she was too fast.  Here is the shot I got of Noah giving Bert five.  No further comment.

5. Those Sesame Street people.  They are so smart.  The show had a brief 15 minute intermission during which they turned up the lights, and a man holding about a hundred Elmo balloons came walking into the arena.  We got lucky, and Noah wasn't interested in one, but most parents forked over the 10 bucks for the balloon that then had to be placed under the seat for the remainder of the show.  Tricky!

4. We ended up sitting right in front of a friend from my mom's group and her family.  It was fun to share the show with our friends.  Her family was an unfortunate victim of #5.

3.  Noah dressed out for the show in his super cute Elmo t-shirt.

2. What a fun outing for our family. Noah really enjoyed the show, and by the end, he was dancing along. He especially loved the big finish with the Mardi Gras flair.

1.  After the show, a nice man offered to take our picture in front of the stage. Thanks Dude.

W.D.

Unless you live under a rock, you may have heard the Saints won Superbowl 44. We are pretty excited over here.  And, we were cheering for the hometeam.  Although, I am sure it was no surprise that I had a little trouble cheering against Peyton Manning. Remember this and even this.  But in the end, how could I not get behind something like this.

                                          Photo taken from NOLA.com

I love this post from the Motherlode.

"Who Dat" has been the word on the street all season.  And, for Dean, it's one of those longstanding, irrational, football fan superstitions that he holds firm. "I don't say 'W.D.?'" he tells me mid season.

"W.D.? You mean Who Dat?," I ask.

"Shh... not in this house.  Never ever." he says giving me the evil eye for my utterance.

Well, Internets you know what they say about saying never. Last night as the Vince Lombardi trophy was carried through the crowd of Saints players, each reverently touching the silver football perched atop, Dean looked over at me and whispered, "Who Dat?

Congratulations Saints! Way to make your state proud!

My dad forwarded me some pictures of the kids from hometown celebrations.  Now these are some true members of the Who Dat Nation!  Miss you guys!!

Morgan

Seth

Katie

Brooke

Zack

Five Things Friday 02.05.10 - IPhone Photos

I haven't been the best blogger lately.  I also haven't been the best family photographer lately either.  In fact, it's highly possible that the second half of Noah's second year may pass me by with only a blur of IPhone photos with which to remember it.  But, at least it's something.  And, seriously, it's just one more thing to seal my devotion to the greatest invention ever.  Here are my five favorite recent photos from my IPhone. 

1. How easily I forget the weather in Texas. We were blessed with about a week and a half of the most gorgeous weather ever only to be blindsided by 40 degree temps and rain for the last week. I am sure the weatherman did give us advance warning, but I don't watch the news, so BLINDSIDED.  At least we got to enjoy it while it lasted.

2.  Since Christmas decorations have come down, I am slowly, but surely getting back into the decorating of our new home.  I found these chairs at Homegoods, and I love them.  Who doesn't need a little animal print in there living room.  I think Noah likes them too.

3.  With all the rain outside, we've been looking for indoor activites that get us out of the house.  One of my favorites... shopping.  Noah is such a good boy during our shopping adventures, as long as he is seated in a shopping cart and he has a snack for the duration.  I really think that Target has the best popcorn, and this bag... well, it can probably last the entire trip.

4. Grammy and Ma Ellen and Ma Gladys came to visit this week.  It was so nice to have a house full of people, and I loved having Noah get to spend time with family.  At lunch, he went around the table and was able to name everyone.  I was pretty excited about that.  This is a picture of him and Grammy.  Grammy sings to him "if you're happy and you know it, give Gram a kiss."  This is how Noah kisses sometimes.  It a cross between a real kiss and blowing a kiss.  I'll give him one thing... it's definitely original. 

5.  The sun peeked out a bit today, and we went for a quick stroll to a nearby park.  I do believe this is the largest stick Noah has brought home.  TGIF!