watching the opening ceremonies

• Bob Costas brought the funny
• I think the guy who made the video just got back from Disney and rode Soarin
• why or why don't some of these countries import crappy athletes from other nations to bulk up their chances?
• I'm looking a sport to get Grant involved in now to get him a chance at the Olympics
• This brings me to my lifelong statement that I believe everyone has the ability to be an Olympian. How do I know that I wouldn't be good on the half pipe? curling? skiing and shooting? I've never tried-maybe this will be the year I find my sport (but I'm guessing it is white water kayaking)
• Glad that Visa got Morgan Freeman. James Earl Jones must have been busy
• Poor Georgian guy
• Remember Jimmy, from the Olympics in 1998 (I think). He did skeleton. He and his dad and grandfather did the cell phone commercial with the ring tone of the song, "who's calling Jimmy"? No, that's okay. Call me and I'll sing you the jingle.
• The Queen couldn't come and she couldn't even send one of the princes? terrible
• Lots of Winter White this year
• You know what they say about Vancouver...
• Iceland can only bring 4 people? And one of them is about 60? come on now
• Never mind Iceland, India is only sporting 3 athletes. Now that's ridiculous!
• I miss Jodi whenever I watch the Olympics
• Be honest, you couldn't locate Kazakhstan on a map before Borat
• Has completely lost her voice in the past few hours. totally fine at lunch, no voice by 2. I feel like Jeniffer!
• I wonder where Macadamia is
• Not a fan of the new We are the World. Terrible. Just terrible.
• there is snow in 49 of the 50 states. cool.
• Norway! The all time winter games medal winner. and the makers of a cool ride.
• Taylor is mean. He's making fun of my voice. Jerk-a-saur!
• Boy, those dancers must be getting tired-we're all the way to R!
• I want to visit South Africa
• Wonders if Robin Sparkles will sing later tonight
• If I were running this event, there would be mandatory flag carrier training. you've got to learn how to hold that thing-this is your moment to shine for most nations and boy are some of them blowing it!
• Lindsey Jacob-Ellis should get a hair straightener and some better lip stick
• Love the US hats-and Love Shawn White (don't know if that is how he spells Shawn, but it is how he should spell it!)
• O Canada!
• So many flip cameras!
• I hate Nellie F. But who doesn't love Bryan Adams?
• Grant gave out temporary tattoos with his valentine cards. I am the most hated mother in daycare.
• wonders why they are all putting on ponchos
• Still holding out for a Denver Olympics.
• I want to go on my own parade of nations-in Epcot!
• You know, I'm basically from Canada. Maine is pretty close! It's where we grocery shop! My canned corn has a label in French and English.
• Donald Sutherland is Canadian? Does that Jack Bauer is Canadian? He runs the US Counter Terrorism Unit. This seems odd.
• This is my song with Grant! Ordinary Miracle-It's from Charlotte's Web. I love it. And, in case there was any question, I love Grant-my little miracle. We fell in love with this song on the day he was born and if I have my wish, this will be the song we dance together to at his wedding, sometime around the 2038 Olympic Games.

Bye Tai Shen! It has been fun watching you grow into a fine young panda man!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/04/pandas/index.html?iref=allsearch

I am thankful for the many wonderful Christmas presents I received this year. I got a great new coffee maker that I love love love because it makes it possible for me to enjoy a real cup of coffee in my home without being wasteful or compromising on taste, which is a real treat for me and something I very much enjoy. I got beautiful jewelry from my husband and the sweetest of gifts, the trash fleece. So many nice things from so many nice people and I am truly grateful (but if you are immediate family, you won't get a thank you note from me-I don't believe in it for you and you know that about me by now!).

Right now I am most grateful for a gift from Alex and Em. It is almost a silly gift, as it some something I will consume in the matter of two weeks and then will move past. And it is silly as it is a gift designed for the teen set and I am eating it up like a 14 year old. Yes, I'm talking about the Twilight series. I have read the first three books this week and I have really enjoyed getting lost in the series. I love to read, I mean LOVE to read and hardly read books without pictures these days. I love that we have already instilled a love of reading in Grant and I'm happy to give up my time with books to share my time with him and his books. But reading this series has given me the escape I've desperately needed over the last month. It has been hard-I won't lie. I've felt bad and more than bad, I've felt lost. Something that is so natural was so difficult and ended so suddenly and shook the one thing in this world that I thought I was designed to do. So, finding me a little me time and a chance to escape into someone elses world and someone elses problem has been nice. Especially because it is a world of fantasy-these aren't problems I will ever face, being tracked by a vampire and fearing for my life in that way. I've been in a world where I was torn between my Edward and my Jacob so I can relate, but it is easier to get lost in the story. Last night I finished book three and I'm sad and not looking forward to book four. I've always been like this when I read. I can't stand the end. I've been known to be consumed with a book and then walk away for weeks so I can hold off on the climax and ending. It is like losing a friend to say goodbye like that. It makes me sad and that makes me a dork on a normal day, but these haven't been what I would call normal days for me, so I worry that I will lose this nice cocoon I have created for myself this week. And in a world without Glee to fall back on...

Time to take the Christmas tree down. Okay, it was time to take it down over the weekend, but I really just wanted to let it go another week. Now that I've been home for two bonus days this week with a sick Grant, I'm more than ready for the damn tree to go. It's hard to believe how much life has changed since we put that thing up at the beginning of December. Maybe putting it away will be a good omen for 2010, which has sucked so far.

Looking forward to going back to work again tomorrow. I was back for about 5 hours before Grant got sent home sick. It is a busy time for me. Lots of pre-planning for Reunion. Under 150 days, it will be here. Lots of meetings squished into the next two days and of course another doctors appointment. I guess more than going back to work, I'm looking forward to the weekend!

I am the Champion of the World-or the fantasy football world. While the Colts tried to screw me over, I pulled out the win by two points over my lovely husband, the Dr. Peppers. The Moon Pies are unstoppable with an incredible 15-1 record. I wish we played for money!

I love the Gilmore Girls. Just in general, but also because they just used the word doppelganger.

I have to wake up Grant or he won't sleep tonight. His schedule is so screwed up between all the holiday travel, trying to give up one nap, and the fever of 102.5. There is no earthly way he should be sleeping at 5:00 pm, and yet he was sleeping at this very time yesterday. Oh sweet boy how I love you!

Oh my gosh...Jackie Chan, Billy Rae Cyrus and George Lopez in a movie. Could there be a more washed up group? Maybe if you add Jim from According to Jim...wow...

Must either wake the baby, put away the cookies, or start dinner. Here I go!!!

Today, I consider myself incredibly lucky for the gifts in my life. Amazing family, friends, support staff, and most importantly a great husband with unconditional support and the worlds best little boy. Thanks to Grant, Taylor, Pam and Laura for keeping me going this weekend. Without these four people, I wouldn't be here. There will never be words to express my feelings of gratitude.

Lots of questions on what Grant might like for late birthday presents/holiday gifts. Please don't spoil him. He mostly wants your love and hugs! But, if you want to get him physical gifts, here are some tips. He wears a size 24 months/2T and will be in that for about a year. He could use some socks. He also has a list on amazon (search for Taylor and then look under other lists). The thing on his list that he could use most is the booster seat. He also would like some new hooded towels, but make sure they are toddler size, not for infants. And, being Grant, his very favorite thing is a book.

Grant is a lucky little boy who has lots of love and attention for the people in his life, so he really doesn't need much. We welcome the idea of you sharing a toy with a child who won't be getting a present at Christmas instead of giving something to Grant. As someone who received these presents on more than one holiday, having a new game or doll to open under the tree means the world. It can easily be a child's only present. Grant will be making a gift to Toys for Tots and welcomes you to do the same!

Enjoy Grant's newest obsession (excluding Elmo of course). We watch a minimum of three times a night...

Me and my boys love some football!

Hope you all enjoyed the game too.

Go Patriots!

Because Taylor requested a retraction-and because I love him a lot of the time, I will publicly state that Taylor is not looking for a new job and that we are not really moving to Bermuda. I would however really like to go visit Bermuda where there are no snakes and I don't' have to be afraid to go outside. Perhaps instead of being concerned about his coworkers reading my blog, Taylor could become concerned with taking his beautiful wife, the mother of his amazing son, on a vacation!

Broadcasting live from somewhere on the way to NYC-84 I think, around Hard Hitten' New Britian! I'm on my way to the city for work today and we decided the way to travel this time was by way of something called Limoliner. Totally the coolest! so, i'm in big leather seat. there are tvs every few feet and they just started a movie. I've got my own plug for my precious laptop and most important, free wifi for the trip! sadly, this means I'll be working for my few hour ride, but I guess all things considrered that isn't so bad! I've already been offered breakfast (I had the muffin) and when the move started we all got snacks. I could get used to this!

Sadly, I think I woke up sick this morning:( I had a headache all day yesterday, but wrote it off to some chemicals in the office and dehydration (we have mice where I work and I found evidence that overnight the little shit had been all over my desk-so I had to clean like hell and refused to drink from my water bottle or coffee cup because they had been there overnight so needed to be sanitized before I could use them). But, this morning it is still here and drinking some caffine and taking some tylenol hasn't seemed to help at all and i've got a stuffy nose and a cough. Leave it to me to manage to get sick on my big night in the city and my last weekend of summer. Oh well, if I ignore it, perhaps it will go away.

And yes, while I know this is fairly ridiculous, I miss Grant already. Morning time is usually just the two of us. It is often a fire fight to get ready and out the door but we have our routine and do the same things morning after morning. I wonder how he and Dad did. I'm sure they were fine, but did he like the way Taylor cut up the fruit in his yogart? Did Taylor let him point to the picture of the boat and the sandcastle before he got him dressed? I'm sure Grant required him to put lotion on his boo-boos before he was able to move on. I'll be fine, and to be perfectly honest, I'm totally looking forard to sleeping in tomorrow and not getting up at 6:00 because that is what time my littlest alarm clock decided it was time to wake. My return trip on the limoliner isn't until 9:30 and this bad boy picks me up at my hotel, so I'll get to stay in bed until at least 8 and still have time to meet my collegues for breakfast. 8:00 am, I can't even fathum what that feels like. I was up super early this morning too, so it will feel all the greater. I've only traveled for work overnight without Grant once before and so I know the key is to be exhausted when I go to sleep so I don't stay away missing him. We're doing a bar event, so I'm sure I won't him my bed until midnight, so that plus the cold that i'm igorning should be enough for me to pass out without beeling sad. I wonder if this every goes away? He's almost two! It's hardly 24 hours and he's with dad. I go plenty of crazy work days without getting to see him at all (like last Thursday when I had a two event day and missed him waking up and going to bed) but I guess that because I sneak in and check on him and tell him i've missed him and I love him it somehow feels different. Oh well-three day weekend coming for snuggles!

Sorry that my blog has turned into all about Grant. See, I try to think about other clever fun things to write about like i did in a world before kids, but I don't really remember what that world feels like. I love this world and at all times at least 12% of my thoughts are about Grant. When I have the time to sit down and blog, which is obviously rare, my mind gets to think about all the things I don't have time to think about otherwise, which in this and most cases is Grant. I'll work on being funny again, I promise!

Taylor is drafting for my all girls fantasy football league tonight while i'm at the bar. I know, it doesn't really seem fair because he's virtually a FF professional (and has the tee-shirt to prove it) but I couldn't set the auto draft to really hit my preferences. Besides, we aren't playing for money and i only know one of these people (all the rest work at Disney) so I don't mind if I have a slight advantage. We went over my list and how I wanted to draft, so I'm sure he'll do a super awesome job. I'm bummed to be missing my first "live" draft, but am more excited to sleep in tomorrow, so it all evens out in the end!

Being on this bus reminds me of the story that my friend told me in college. Her parents were on their way to Wheaton to visit her with her little brother and sister in the back seat. they must have been about 9 and 11 or so. They came to a light and her sister looked up and into the bus they were next to as to try to see what movie they were watching. They were watching porn. Yes, porn. How random is that? And how much does it suck to have to try to explain that to your 9 and 11 year old kids? everytime i go by a bus now (and a minivan witha dvd player) I now try to play name that film and hope against hope that someday I too will find a bus watching porn. hilarious!

I've just discovered that Bermuda doesn't have snakes and Taylor and I are considereing a move. Turns out they don't just let anyone more to the island, you need a reason/connection. Lucily for me, Bermuda is the reinsurance capital of the world and my adorable husband is the reinsurance master. i knew all of this insurance nonsense would someday work out for us! I know I know, it is really important for me that Grant grow up near family and see our country before he sees the rest of the world, but it is such a quick little flight from Boston...and we're a sailing family by nature so he could see Auntie Krissy and her fam once a year when they do their race to the island and it might just be the insperation that Papa needs to get back involved...okay, so it probably won't happen but it is nice to have a dream. Just like the dream Krissy and I have about our powerball winnings...

okay-time to work on my studid HTML project. I so hate HTML! I don't really know why this is part of what I do-I'm not very good at it-and we all know it! Oh well. I guess I could check facebook just one more time before I get started...

Heather's ready for some football! Loving the Hall of Fame Game tonight. First touchdown of the season (okay-preseason) is a trick play-a fake punt that the back up punter who will almost certainly get cut before the season starts, takes the ball 35 yards for a touchdown. Missing Madden a little, but who can complain when Sunday Night Football is back! Get out the lucky underwear and Bring on the Patriots on Thursday night!

Captain G's Big Adventure

G wanted to share the love while taking Mama, Dada, Ahh-tee (Auntie), Swalley (Uncle Awesome) and Big Daddy out for a boat ride. Luckily, he's got boating in his blood and loved every moment of his ride. He steered, he found the horn, waved to all the other boats, loved going fat and of course, being "The People's Baby", shared some love with the camera. Hope you all enjoy!

I just got back from my nightly run/walk adventure. It is amazing to me how the neighborhood quiets down so quickly on a Sunday evening. I go our after we put Grant to sleep at night and chase the final rays of sunshine around the neighborhood, though I seem to be losing that battle as it is darker and darker every night. At 7:30 there are still families outside playing-kids as far as the eye can see, dogs playing fetch in the street, the twins out for a walk. When I head out at 8:30 it is near silence. Lights are on upstairs in nearly every home as little ones take baths and head "night-night" (Grant's newest word!). It is a nice part of my nightly routine.

Yes, Emilie, I'll put of pictures of the furniture soon. I'm just being lazy. I also really want to upload some of the picture of Grant and friends having a watermelon eating contest. In case anyone was wondering-Grant kicked ass. We're so proud!

Addendum to the previous post: Grant also says Duck, Quack, Moo, and Water. Still only minivan once. bummer.

Welcome to our newest family member, baby Parker (Parker was on my list of names for Grant-it was destined to be in the family)! Born on the 3rd of July, he's Grants 5th cousin (Alessandra, Robert, Rebecca, Samuel, and now Parker). The family seems to keep growing every day! Grant also got to meet his Uncle Robert this weekend when he, Alessandra, and Robert stopped in on their way through the state. It was great to see them and the kids, as we so rarely get the chance to be together. Miles seem to get further and further each year.

We can hear the 4th of July fireworks very clearly from our house right now, but can just see the tinyest peaks of color through the trees. I'm glad we decided not to go to the show. Grant was worn out, as he has been all week, so early to bed was a smart move. We did go for "Goat Ice Cream" this evening. Grant wasn't at all interested in ice cream but was very excited to feed the goats and play on the slide. We're in trouble-this kid is fearless!

Dudek is getting married tomorrow. I'll admit, I never thought I would see the day! We really like his fiance and think the two make a sweet match. I'm looking forward to the night out. Thanks to Papa for babysitting duties. It will be hard adjusting to work again this week. I've been in and out for the last two weeks with Grant being on vacation and have rather enjoyed playing and relaxing. It is a quiet time in the office for me (but not for long-August is a beast!) so it has been nice to spend some soft time at home with my sweet little boy.

Our new family room furniture came yesterday. It is awesome! we've already begun fighting over the recliner. Grant is not a fan however, as it is higher than the old stuff and he can't climb up by himself. the good new for him is we just moved the old stuff into the playroom, so he can still climb at will.

Taylor thought you might be interested to know some of the little dude's favorite words-as he is talking more and more every day. Right now he says, Mama, Dada, Hi, Bye, Baby, Kitty, Bubble, No (and shakes his head yes, but won't say it out loud), Ball, Please, Papa, Ben, Eve, Laura, and one time only, but crystal clear, minivan. He says more than this, but this is what I've got off the top of my head. it's pretty amazing when you think where he was a year ago!

So much celebrity death!
Ed McMahon-sorry dude. you were cool in your day.
Michael Jackson-I was never really a fan. yes, someone once bought me the Thriller record player when i was really little, but he just wasn't for me. I mean, who doesn't love a little ABC, but that's about where it ends for me. I have enjoyed watching people's facebook statues in the last week as they battle about MJ good or evil.
Farrah-Sorry you got Mother Theresa-ed. Mother Theresa-ed? That's when your awesome and you die and it should really be all about you, but someone more famous for less good dies and you lose all your time. A little death of Princess Diana and suddenly all we remember from Mother Theresa's death is a fly being on her head during the service and the nun bun. oh the nun bun...that was a fun night in college with Chris and Christine!
Billy Mayes-bought a big tub of Oxiclean yesterday in your honor. Pitch it in heaven baby! Favorite Billy Mayes joke "deaths usually come in threes. Leave it to Billy Mayes to through one in for FREE!" Terrible, but funny!

Enjoying my time off this week with my little Grant man. Friday and Monday were "Mommy Days". I've also got this Wednesday and Friday. I could literally spend every day snuggling on the couch and watching Super Y with that little bug. He's a disaster this week with falling down. Took two nice digs off the outside steps over the weekend and totally wiped-out in the driveway sunday night. Of course, he had a doctor's appointment yesterday and I was sure I was going to get questioned on the bruise on his head and cut on his nose. turns out, this is what little boys look like-they didn't even blink an eye!

been feeling nostalgic for Machias recently. My brother is there this week with my parents for the first time in a million years. and, a prom picture of me has appeared on facebook this week. has had me thinking about the fun time. don't get me wrong, i wouldn't go back to high school if you offered me 10 million dollars, but i did have so real friends and we did have some good laughs. far from Laguna Beach, but fun times all the same. I'll have to dig out some of my own pictures for a few laughs. at least by junior year I had lost the glasses...or maybe that was the prom i just decided to be blind at...it is amazing how time blurs the edges of memories and makes everything a little sweeter and softer.

Welcome Samuel Horatio!

My sweet new nephew is just a peanut! 6 pounds 2.5 ounces and just a hint shorter than baby Grant at 18.5 inches. Jenny and Brian are truly blessed. Nothing is more amazing than a little boy. I sure thought Moxy was a girl, but Grant couldn't be happier for a little boy to play with. I can see the two of them, barely 18 months apart, growing together and getting into all kinds of trouble! Tormenting their sisters, frogs in beds, running around the beach house each summer, riding space mountain, Popsicle faces, chasing girls, the list goes on and on! I'm so proud of JJ-she's going to be the most amazing mother and I can't wait to share this amazing ride with her!

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes! I slept through much of the first birthday, even forgetting a few times it was my birthday in all of the post reunion exhaustion. I took a mulligan and decided to actually celebrate Friday as my birthday. Taylor took the day off (I already had the day off), so we sent Grant to daycare and headed out to do a multitude of errands. We hit 4 different furniture stores in search of a new family room set. We had one picked out and hit a quick lunch at "Red Robin". I know, Red Robin isn't all that fancy, but I do love a really good burger, so it was my birthday treat of choice. Then, we did the unthinkable-we saw a movie! It was awesome! Second time since Grant has been born-so this was a very special birthday treat. We saw Star Trek-yup-I'm a geek and loving it! Sadly, with about 15 minutes left we got the phone call every parent dreads-Daycare calling to tell you to come pick up your sick kid. Grant spiked a fever of 102 and this has been the way of life for the past 5 days. I'm home with him again today but the fever is finally gone and he's just at the cranky phase. I think he'll be able to go back to Laura's tomorrow and I'll be able to hit work again. The good news is, it wasn't last week when I couldn't be out. The bad news is, having a baby with a high temperature is so sad! Poor kiddo didn't want to do much of anything, so we just laid low all weekend. Grant discovered a Jon and Kate Plus 8 marathon on TLC and fell in love with "the babies". Every time it came on, he would cheer and yell baby! baby! it was adorable though 4 days of this can get old fast. He's not usually a tv kid at all, but this weekend he really wanted a few breaks to just sit and be still. we took the cuddle time when we could, but are happy to be getting our little guy back to his little busy self. Oh-and we did get to go out and get a new family room set on Monday morning. 4 to 6 weeks before it gets here-yeah comfy couch!

Happy Birthday Julie!

And a Happy Mother's Day to all! Hug a mommy today-even if it isn't yours!

Hi Friends,

I've been a very bad blogger lately. I'll simply remind you that it is May. If you know me, you'll know that means I disappear for a length of time because it is Reunion. I'm about two weeks behind where I would like to be, a combination of a vacation in February and an illness that took the fam down for 10 days and an awesome wedding last weekend that took me away at the most inopportune of times. If you think I'm being a bad blogger, know I'm being an even worse mother. I missed putting G to bed the last two nights, tonight by mere minutes. I have so much mommy guilt when I'm away and so much work guilt when i'm here. Somewhere out there, I assume there is a balance-I hope someone teaches me all about it someday. I'm sure there was a memo about it I was too busy to read or a mommy and me class that I had to miss for work!

More in June!