Stay-cation!

So this is my last day of work before my week long vacation! I am so excited. I've been dreaming of this moment since I came back to work after Ava was born. I get to spend the WHOLE WEEK at home with my kids. I even get to pretend I'm a SAHM for a whole week. Whoo hoo! I'm just sad that Stephen doesn't have the week off too...

Here's some things that are on the agenda for this next week:

• Ava's 6 month pictures
• Ava's 6 month check-up (eek, shots!)
• Go through Ava's clothes and wash the next size...6-9mo. WOW!
• Playing LOTS of games with Ryan (SORRY! is our favorite)
• Take the kids somewhere to go swimming. (Ava's first time!)
• Maybe go to the zoo/movies/water park with family and/or friends
• Lunch with friends, maybe?
• Get my hair done on Friday to get ready for my 10 year high school reunion on Saturday. yikes.
• Stay in my pjs for as long as possible.
• Enjoy my kids and soak up as much time with them as I can.

I absolutely cannot wait to spend some quality time with them, and not have to worry about the stress of work. It's been a rough few months since I've been back to work. I miss my little sweet pea more than anything, and I constantly think about her. I swear when I go pick her up after work, she's grown a few sizes. Ryan is a little more self-sufficient. He doesn't need his mommy as much as he used to. He enjoys his friends more right now. But guess what buddy, you're ALL MINE this next week. Muahahaha.

Ok, so I'm T-minus 4 hours and 45 minutes away from vacation bliss!!

I had a dream...and I have no idea what it means.

So last night, I had a dream that after having it, I know I've had before. So here's the gist:

I die.

God presents me with two choices:

1) Go in "Door Number One". Go back to my life, to see if I died of something from which I can recover. I won't know if I can or not (recover) until I go in that door. If I choose that door and go back, if I DO recover, then I will have 9 more years of life with my family and friends, etc. If I don't recover, then I die for good, and I can never go back and check on my family or watch over them.

2) Go in "Door Number Two". I don't get to go back. But I will always be able to watch over my friends and family, etc.

What in the world does this mean? Maybe God is trying to speak to me about something. It's so weird that the dream is so specific, that I remember it, and that I know now that this is a recurring dream.

Ryan-isms

So Ryan says the funniest stuff. I started a quote book a while back, so I'm going to be putting some of that stuff up so you all can have a laugh or two. Here's a little nugget from a few days ago:

We are playing SORRY! and Ryan drew an 11, changing his mind of which pawn to move, or which one of mine to switch with. He kept going back and forth on his decision.

Me: "Argh! Ryan! You drive me nuts!

Ryan: "Yeah, I drive myself nuts."

CLASSIC.

Here's the Cheeser:

My sweet, sick little baby

Uh oh. So begins the sicknesses...Ava has her first ear infection, TWO in fact. One in each ear. This is her first real illness, if you don't count her congestion in early babyhood. She is so miserable. See?

I hate seeing her like this!! It reminds me of when Ryan was sick for the first two years of his life. I just hope that doesn't rub off on her. I have to say though, she is STILL a happy baby, even with a touch of fussiness and not feeling like eating much. I truly am blessed with what my friend Tiffany would call an "easy button baby".  I just hope she feels better, and soon. Little Princess, there's plenty of snuggling in your future for this afternoon!

All the little things

I had forgotten all the little things that a baby does that make life worth living:

• The sparkle in their eyes when they smile at you.

• The look they give you when you go to get them from their crib in the morning, as if to say, "The sun rises and sets in your face, Mommy."

• The way they "talk" to you- I swear some of the best conversations I have all day are with her.

• The way they shake when you can't get the baby food in their mouth fast enough. It's like she hasn't eaten all day!

• The stubbornness when changing their diaper-they would roll right off that changing table if we let them!

• The unconditional love. It goes both ways.

All of this stuff and more. I'm so in love with Ava, and our lives together have just barely begun.

On the Road Again...

So here I am. On a new journey, with one more kid in tow! To be completely honest, I couldn't imagine life without my children. I even worried how I would love Ava as much as I love Ryan. But I didn't need to. The rumors are true! You DO have enough love to go around, and some to spare!

I'm a twenty-eight year old wife and mom. I do have a career, but my heart is at home with my family. That's why I moved and renamed my blog. As many different facets as there are to me, I will always be "mau loa mama" or for those of you that don't share my fascination with all things Hawaii (yet!) that would be "forever mama."

That's me.