Self Sufficient Mom

MoTiVaTiOn!

2013-02-08T14:28:00.002-08:00

This was me less than a year before I got pregnant with Roisin (so about 1 1/2 years ago)... This size is my goal for the day that I walk down the isle to say, "I do."

I'll write more later but I wanted to post MY motivational pictures since I just found them.

What motivates YOU?

Carousel of Progress

2013-01-17T14:25:00.000-08:00

I guess I didn't realize how many people actually read my blog until I stopped writing in it. Thank you all for your support!

Over time I've been asked by a few different people about my progress since the last blog. Yes, I did intend to keep this up to date more often but then LIFE happened:

*Roisin caught meningitis and spent a week in ICU (thank the Lord she is happy and healthy and almost 6 months old, now!)

*Our home got flooded and we had to stay at my parent's house while that got taken care of

*Immediately after we moved back in, we found mold in our home and again, we had to stay at my parent's house while that got taken care of

*Our family got hit with a flu bug that put all four of us in bed for a week

*We spent Christmas (2 weeks) in Ireland

*I accumulated 3 jobs to help supplement income

*I quit one of those jobs after only getting 2 hours of sleep each night

So … How has my progress been with the weight loss, you ask?

GOOD!

Of course, I wish I could say it's been excellent but that trip to Ireland did challenge me just a bit.

In December I did a boot camp, which was really great and I highly recommend it to any woman who lives local. Sue, the trainer, finds fun and creative ways to make working out at 5:30am something to look forward to! If you are interested in learning more, check out her web site:

http://www.fortmyersadventurebootcamp.com/

I did really great with the boot camp. I lost a few pounds, lost even more inches, dropped a pant size and most importantly, improved mentally!

Immediately following boot camp came our trip to Ireland which, I repeat, was a bit of a challenge for me. I had said that I would keep working out while I was there, including running a mile down the lane each morning. Well I did keep up with my crunches and push ups every day but as far as the running went, it was cold and wet and windy every day that we were there (Surprise! Surprise!). Let me just tell you, Guinness, curried chips, and lack of cardio are not a very nice combo. By the time we arrived back in Florida I was back to my starting weight, prior to boot camp. Thankfully, though, I didn't gain any extra weight.

Unfortunately, I can't afford to do boot camp every month. I was a little bummed about that when we first got back from vacation, but I wasn't going to let it stop me. I have had to get creative but I have succeeded and since January 1, 2013 I am happy to say that have already lost 10 inches altogether!! I haven't really lost any weight yet, but losing those inches are more important to me because it is a sign that I am replacing fat with muscle!

How am I doing it? Eating healthy and working out, of course!

I am not dieting. I hate diets; I don't have the patience for them. However, I have changed my eating habbits simply to eat healthier. Let me rephrase that: the whole family has changed our eating habbits!

We have more fruits and veggies in the house to snack on. Instead of a lot of pasta for dinner, we are focusing more on meals with protein and whole grains. We have stopped drinking our calories. With the exception of an occasional beer, we have eliminated all sodas from the house and stick to water, or crystal light if we need some flavoring.

Another good tip for anyone that is local: I hate diet sodas, but Publix has a great Diet Orange soda that doesn't taste diety at all. My dad turned me on to that drink. Thanks, daddy-o!

Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, I have been doing 5 small meals and then dinner with the family (we are also placing a lot of emphasis on portion control). Although I'm not “dieting,” typically two of my “meals” are a slim fast protein shake. Some other favorite small meals that I like are:

*Turkey bacon lettuce wraps

*Celery dipped in buffalo wing sauce made out of hot sauce and spray butter (another trick I learned from my dad!)

*Cucumber, diced up and mixed with poppy seeds and low-sodium soy sauce

*A couple handfuls of low-fat cheez-its

*Small-sized bag of pop corn (Before you gasp, check out the calorie chart on the back of the box. Just don't eat it unpopped and don't eat a full size to yourself.)

If anyone has some other healthy snacks/small meals they'd like to share, please do! Even though I'm a picky eater, I love trying new, creative ideas.

So that's my progress thus far. Stay tuned, because I am also in the process of putting together a work out entry, showing the exercizes I've been doing. I promise I will try to keep you updated a little more often than I have!

Until the next time …

As you can see, not a lot of weight loss yet but definitely toning up!

Getting Naked

2012-10-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

For a while I've been tip toeing around the idea of posting a "Getting Healthy" entry. I didn't want people to get the wrong idea; to think I'm being vain or that I need attention in order to get myself motivated. For those very reasons I decided against putting anything up.

Yesterday a friend on facebook posted the video below and I was appalled by the responses it received.

Men, including one who called himself a Personal Trainer, started commenting that she was a "Fat B*tch," that it was time for her to put the cheeseburgers and soda down, and that her eating habits finally caught up with her brain cells. One man even went as far as to post a pre-pregnant photo of Jessica Simpson and say, "I'd take this dumb blonde back over that fatty in the video any day!"

Myself and a couple of other mothers replied to their comments, explaining how Jessica had a baby and it isn't always easy to lose pregnancy weight. Their response to us was very offensive. We were called animals, we were accused of hiding our bodies in our profile pictures because we "must be" fat, and we were told to stop using our innocent children as an excuse to be obese.

...........................................Wow.

I do believe there is no excuse to let yourself go and continue putting on pounds, but there is a difference between a mother who struggles with her weight and a woman or man who just enjoys their fast food and La-Z Boy a little too much. Even still, you should never judge a book by its cover if you haven't read the story. I would rather weigh 800 lbs and be big all around than weigh 105 and be top heavy from just a big head.

No wonder women struggle with self esteem. It's shocking to see how many men lack respect for women! Yes, I'm sure it goes both ways but in this case I'm focusing specifically on the men I came across yesterday... sorry, I mean to say BOYS. These boys made it very clear through their comments yesterday that they view women as... well... as "animals," and that clearly our only purpose in life should be to keep our appearances sexy for their viewing pleasure.

This almost made me pull out every buttery, sugary, high-caloried item in my kitchen and start packing the pounds on just to retaliate. But I didn't.

Instead I got to thinking...

I've never been the kind to follow celebrities closely and to be honest, I was never a fan of Jessica Simpson. I find Hollywood to be very fake and people who invest their time idolizing celebrities end up developing a twisted view on the real world (e.g. those boys from yesterday). However, when a celebrity is capable of humbling herself and coming forward with real down-to-earth issues, whether there's money involved or not, I earn more respect for her. In this case I have a lot of respect for Jessica Simpson who, not too long ago, was well known for her beauty. Of course she is still beautiful. In fact, it is my personal opinion that she is even more beautiful now than before. She has a mommy glow about her and is down to earth, not afraid to show her real side and weaknesses. I don't know about any other woman reading this but I personally felt it was a breath of fresh air to know that I could relate to a "Hollywood Beauty" without having to starve myself, drink and/or party. Finally, a positive influence! Yet look at how the world responds to it.

Well Jessica Simpson, you have inspired me. I no longer care what the rest of the world thinks about me, I'm getting naked. Not literally, don't worry. I'm getting naked in the sense that I'm exposing my true side and hopefully in the process I will inspire others to do the same!

This is me now:

Yes, I had a baby 2 months ago and no, I don't consider myself obese or anything remotely close to it. However, I know personally how hard it can be to lose weight the longer you put it off. So I am motivated and dedicated to getting myself back into shape sooner than later and I intend to record my progress on my blog. This includes success stories as well as any mess-ups I may experience. I'm standing up for other women like Jessica Simpson and putting myself out there, despite the opinions of any shallow person that may be reading this.

I'm not doing this because Richie wants me to. He tells me every day, usually more than once, how beautiful he thinks I am.

I'm not doing this for the satisfaction of any man's viewing pleasure. I could care less if anybody outside of Richie found me beautiful or not.

I'm certainly not doing this to make anyone envy me; I'm hoping for the opposite reaction!

I'm doing this first and foremost for me. I'm doing this secondly for my health. Last but not least, I'm doing this for other moms.

Unfortunately, I don't have a scale OR tape measure at my house so I have no way of telling my current size but I can give you these facts: I was 164 only a couple weeks ago and I know I've already lost at least a couple pounds. My pre-pregnancy weight was 156 and my goal is to get down to at least 145. I'm also currently wearing between size 12/13, my pre-pregnancy size was 9/10 and I want to get to 7/9.

I'm not really doing any specific diet, I'm just going to be eating healthy and exercising. I will share more details in upcoming posts.

And so begins my voyage!


Look at those fat arms!!!

I admit, I'm sucking in my gut and yet you can still see it!

If anyone feels inspired, I would really enjoy hearing from you about your "Getting Naked" experience, even if it isn't specifically related to weight loss or dieting. Anything motivational, send me your pictures and stories and I will share them in future posts! It's always easier to climb a mountain together than to forge it all alone.

The BEST Birthday EVER!

2012-08-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

So today is my birthday, and just like everyone else in the world I have been bombarded with birthday wishes on my facebook all day long...

Yes, I realize this doesn't make me special or popular because it happens to everybody.

Yes, I know that 98% of the people who wished me a happy birthday only did it because a notification popped up on their screen, not because they really had my birthday memorized by heart.

Yes, I realize that my boyfriend could even be one of those in the 98 percentile who remembered today was my birthday thanks to facebook.

...Okay, I take that last part back. Richie wished me a happy birthday at midnight last night so he MUST really love me.

With my friends Terri (top picture), Darien & Santa on my birthday last year, 2011

However...

I received one very different birthday wish on facebook today. One that was quite lengthy and went beyond your usual "Happy b day, hope you have a great one!" comment. One that seemed very well thought out, heartfelt, and extremely touching. One that I would not have necessarily expected to see from my best friend, Jenn Blosser.

And it goes like this:

"Well, it's that time again. Time to dust off the old trick candles and stick them in another cake, 27 of them this time. You'll go through the birthday motions, accepting gifts and dishing out gratitude, and while it might all feel familiar, this time will be different. This time you're holding an infant daughter in your arms, with a first-grader to cheer you on, and a strong man at your side. This time, celebrating another year in your life is more valuable as your world isn't the same one you lived in last year, it's become more vibrant and more challenging. The true beauty of it, is that the change in your life was brought on by love, and not just anyone's love, but your own. The choices you've made, the relationships you've dedicated yourself to, and of course, the family you're continually building - you lose sight of the momentousness of these things in the daily bustle of life, no matter how grateful you are for them. So today, consider all you have struggled for, all you have sacrificed, and all you have gained... and then celebrate not just another year behind you, but the promise of the future you have built ahead of you. Life is a magical experience, and one that can so quickly slip through our fingers, but birthdays offer us a time to pause and truly take stock of where we have been and what we have done, where we are and what we have the power to do, and where we are going and what limitless possibilities lie ahead. Happy birthday, April. I love you ♥"

Naturally, when I read this I felt all warm and fuzzy inside, possibly with a tear or two forming just at the corners of my eye sockets. But more than crying, Jenn's letter provoked me to think about what she wrote all day long.

And she was right.

She is right!

First of all, she's right that life has come so far just since my last birthday! Details aren't necessary but without saying much, Richie and I were not celebrating my birthday together last year. As much as we both wanted to be together deep inside, we had important things to sort out first. If someone had told me a year ago today that by my next birthday I would be holding a beautiful little girl whom both Richie and I called our daughter, and that all four of us were one big happy family, I would have quietly wished that were true but I would have never believed it in a million years.

From the time he and I met it was obvious that there was an instant attraction between us. But it also became obvious that the both of us still very much had walls up due to the heartache from our previous relationships. Neither of us wanted to trust another human with our hearts again And so, we spent the first two years of our relationship with many highs and lows; sincere love but only to be hidden behind the bricks we still had stacked between us. You could imagine what a roller coaster life was for us, and the friends that spent those two years by our sides can testify, including Jenn. Which is what makes her birthday wish so special.

I thought for sure, despite the fact that we genuinely loved each other--were drawn to each other--were more compatible for each other than anyone else, we just wouldn't last.

To be honest, I don't think one person had hope for us including ourselves.

And then came along one perfect little surprise that changed our whole life forever. A perfect gift that very easily and gently broke down those walls between us. A miraculous gift that brought out the old "us" that we had both kept buried deep inside for so long. The man I love today is not the same man I loved before, not even last year. But I am so much more in love with this man that now I know why something inside me always told me to keep fighting for him. This is the man I could see hiding behind that tough act he would always put on.

For all of the other times I gave up throughout the years, holding on to this one challenging part of my life paid off and made up for it all.

Finally, for the first birthday in my life I sit here, holding an infant daughter in my arms, with a first-grader to cheer me on, and a strong man at my side. For the first birthday in my life I feel true happiness and blessings all around me. For the first birthday in my life I feel the support and joy from all of my loved ones around me.

And so...

For the first birthday in my life I know I made the right choice.

His name is Richard Treacy.

Mediocre Mom

2012-08-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

I discovered something at 3:45am this morning, during one of Roisin's many (many, many, many) feedings....
I am NOT Super Mom!

Okay, admittedly I already knew this about myself. However, this is the first time I am coming forward publicly with my confession. Now that the cat's out of the bag I guess you'll all be looking at me a little differently; perhaps not taking my blog as seriously as you did before.

The first 2 weeks of Roisin's birth seemed to go so smoothly, and then I "recovered" from my cesarean. I'm kind of kicking myself in the butt for recovering so quickly. If I were smart I would have acted like this was the worst c-section ever and that it would take me the full 3 months of my maternity leave to recover. But no, instead I had to be hard headed and determined to heal quickly so I could jump on the Super Mom bandwagon as soon as possible. Well as much and as wonderfully as I have healed I keep trying to conjure up some really great excuses to be able to lock myself in the room and sleep all day.. if only for one day!

"One of my stitches came loose and oh, the pain! The agony!" ...Nah, that won't work. They were dissolvable stitches and had all dissolved before I even left the hospital.

"My incision is badly infected!" ...No, I just saw the doctor on Tuesday and she told us she couldn't even see the incision because it healed so well.

"I'm sick?" ...if you're not running a fever the family still needs you.

"My back went out on me?" ...take some of your leftover pain killers and suck it up!

"I'm tired?" ...Nope.

"The dog ate my homework!" ...WHAT??!

"I'm dead." ...............................................................................Liar.

I guess there's no way around it, I am officially an ACTIVE member of the Mommy club again, and this time I've been promoted to Level 2 (as in, I now have two children instead of just 1). This is much more challenging than Level 1. I have so much more respect than I ever did before for my friends who keep spitting out a boat load of children. Now these women are ingenious! They have it all figured out: the more kids you have, the more "help" you have (the term slaves would be politically incorrect). Also, the more recovery time you get! DUH! It's almost worth the 9 months of hormonal roller coasters, followed by the worst pain you've ever had to go through in your life.

If I could have some extra hands to delegate my daily obligations to I'd say that would bring me very close to being Super Mom:

"Thing #1 (of course, one downfall to having a lot of children is keeping track of their names), you are cooking dinner tonight. I'd like some 3-cheese pasta with steamed garden vegetables drizzled in a sweet balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a side of garlic bread sticks. Thing #2, here is the mop and vacuum cleaner... you missed a spot. Thing #3, hop online and pay all of the bills for me. Thing #4... Thing #5... Thing #6... blah blah blah... Hey Thing #12, your sister's hungry! While you're at it, pump another bottle for me! Oh wait....."

I guess I got carried away, daydreaming. Back to reality, Mediocre Mom!

I'll get there some day.

Daddy's Little Girl

2012-08-08T20:48:00.002-07:00

The second eye opener I've had with Roisin's birth is the power of love between a daddy and his little girl. I've understood clearly the strength in a bond between mommy and son as I've lived it with Gabe, but I only could understand "Daddy's Little Girl" from my own point of view growing up with my wonderful dad. I have recently witnessed the other side and have been deeply touched by the love that has already fully bloomed between Richie and Roisin. I can honestly tell you she knew her daddy from the moment she was born. He is the only one she spends forever staring at, focusing on his face. She turns his way as soon as she hears his voice. She fusses for me but coos for him and even gives the closest to a smile that we've seen so far... to Richie. Sometimes it seems like I'm the milk maid while daddy is the knight in shining armor.

I'm not saying this to complain because I wouldn't trade it for the world. And yes, of course, Roisin and I do have our own precious bond. First of all, I can understand the love between them because my daddy has always been my hero too. Likewise, I know the opposite end of the spectrum; the love between me and my son. There are no favorites in this household, that's clear. It is evident we all love each other equally and even Richie has explained to Gabe how he loves him just as much as he loves Roisin. But just as I guessed, this little princess has both of the boys wrapped around her finger. Well played, my darling Rosie!

I've heard of some women getting jealous over their husband's love for their daughter and (unless the husband is truly unfair with the way he treats his wife) I don't understand it. Seeing the pair get twinkles in their eyes when they're together puts a smile in my own heart and makes me fall in love with them even more. And to be honest, I don't see it getting in the way of my relationship with either of them. If anything, it has brought Richie and I that much closer to each other.

More than discovering the special bond between these two, it has made me reflect on my own relationship between me and my dad. I have always known how blessed I am with the two amazing parents God gave me, and I have always cherished them. But I sit here tonight specifically counting myself lucky for the relationship I always had with my daddy. From the quality time he spent with me as a child, playing games with me and my brother that encouraged us to broaden our imaginations, to the time he spent helping me with homework and practicing my lines for plays and songs I would perform. He has always been my biggest fan. After a hard days work, he wouldn't just come home and plop himself in front of the television expecting everyone to let him rest for the evening. Even though my dad has always had "his chair" in the living room, he didn't rest in it until he knew he gave his family enough attention and love first and foremost. Whenever we needed him he was there. In the middle of the night if something scared me he would be in my room by my side before I even had time to finish crying for him. When I went through my divorce he took the time to talk to me, cry with me, and even get on his knees and pray with me for direction and strength. Even after some of the hard times I put my parents through (it's true, believe it or not, I haven't always been perfect ;) both of my parents have never stopped loving me.

My dad's wisdom and advice, whether I wanted to hear it at the time or not, has always made a greater impact on me than anyone else in this world, with the acception of my mom. I may not have always taken his advice when I should have but what I discovered is no matter what choices or mistakes I have made, my daddy has always been by my side.

I was watching the beautiful video my best friend Jenn made for me of the day Roisin was born, and something stuck out to me. Everyone was there to see me and the baby, and I got plenty of attention from the whole gang but while most of them were dying to catch a glimpse of our littlest addition my dad was anxiously waiting to be by my side. He wanted to make sure his grand baby was okay, definitely, but he also wanted to make sure his baby girl was safe and sound. And that is evident in the video.

My friend has the youtube video listed for only friends invited so I can't post the video but I encourage you to follow this link and watch it. It has been known to make grown men cry: Roisin Ruby's Arrival .

Seeing Richie's love for Roisin has shown me firsthand the love my dad felt for me from the moment he laid eyes on me. And knowing what an incredible daddy I've had since the day I was born assures me of what a wonderful daddy Richie will always be to his very own "Daddy's Girl."

Me & My Daddy at the Tallulah Gorge in GA when I was 7 yrs old -- 1992

The Missing Puzzle Piece

2012-08-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, July 29, 2012 we celebrated Gabe's 6th birthday. We had friends and family over to swim in the pool with us both Saturday and Sunday, and we took him to dinner both nights as well (I guess it's safe to say he isn't deprived of love!). While we were out dining for Gabe's birthday with our friend's Pete & Kristin I felt my first "real" contraction (or at least the first one that I noticed) but I still thought nothing of it. The following morning we went out on our boat to do some fishing with Gabe and again our friend's Pete and Kristin, which is nothing out of the ordinary for us. But this time around I started swelling up like a balloon, getting overheated and nauseous, and the sun had not even begun to truly beat down on us yet. I knew something wasn't right and made Richie take me home, but I still was in denial that the baby was actually coming because according to my due date (August 24) and my scheduled c-section (August 17) I still had at least three weeks to go. Well I am very pleased to tell you that I was wrong.

On Monday, July 30th, 2012 at 5:15pm we gave birth to our newest little miracle, Roisin ("Rosheen") Ruby Treacy. Of course we, along with the rest of the world, knew she would come a bit early simply based on how huge I had gotten. However, I didn't really accept the fact that she was planning on making her entrance into this world that very day until we were already in the hospital for a "checkup" where the nurse looked me in the eye and said, "you're in early labor and we are doing an emergency c-section as quickly as possible!" Since that very moment life has been a bit hazy, filled with wonderful, unforgettable moments mixed with a tad bit of painful, also unforgettable moments. But every piece of it has been well worth the arrival of our beautiful little girl.

I'd love to sit here all day and share every detail about the day of Roisin's birth (don't worry, I'd leave the gross parts out). I would start by giving my version of the story, and follow it up with Richie's version which is more comical since he remembers the goofy parts during my anesthesia. But this is the first chance I've had to even focus on writing the blog I've been dying to write all week long so perhaps I'll save the elaborated story for another time.

In order to share this experience I must first go back in time. As I mentioned at the beginning of this entry, we celebrated Gabe's 6th birthday--that's six years that I have spent already as a mother to my handsome boy, who has always been my world from the moment HE came into my life. Our bond was a little different and dare I say stronger than your usual parent/child bond because it was just the two of us pretty much from the time he was born. Even though his father and I were still married when Gabe was born his father was shipped off to Iraq when he was only 3 months old. By the time he returned a year later, we were already discussing divorce so life as Gabe and I knew it remained the same: just the two of us. Nobody can take credit for raising that child except for me, and that's the brutal but honest truth.

The point is Gabe was my angel sent from God since the day he was born. He got me through all of the hard times. He was my strength when I felt like getting depressed and giving up. He was the light at the end of the tunnel when I felt lost. He taught me to become more independent and to take care of him and myself on my own. All I cared about was making sure that Gabe had a good life and was happy. We were two peas in a pod, even for a while after Richie came into our lives because we still had our own home and our own lives together apart from my relationship with Richie (Gabe was 3 years old when Richie and I met). But it took no time for Richie and Gabe to form their own bond, and eventually for Gabe to finally have the man that he needed in his life--to help with things that I could not do on my own.

No, it wasn't quite expected when we found out we were pregnant with Roisin but it was never taken as a bad surprise either. All three of us embraced the news with full excitement for the littlest addition, but there was still a lot of nervousness, anxiety, and fear of the unknown. Up until the day she was born, I lived with a concern that we were not ready for this. And by "we" I don't mean Richie and I as much as I mean Gabe and I; the two peas in the pod. My focus was still on him and him alone--how would this affect him? What if he doesn't think I love him as much as I used to? What if he hates his baby brother or sister? These were just a few of the thoughts that bounced around in my head quite often. And to be perfectly honest, I was also afraid that I myself could never love another child as much as I have loved Gabe. It was just too hard to get past the last six years of my life where I depended on my son's happiness for my own happiness almost as much as he depended on me. Loving another human being as much as I loved Gabe, even with her swimming around in my tummy, literally seemed impossible.

The moment I heard her first cry, and saw the tears fill Richie's eyes as he choked out, "It's a girl! It's a girl! I love you so much," I knew... I knew I was wrong. It wasn't impossible. It's like I immediately grew a second heart; the first one had "Gabe" tattooed across it, and the second now had "Roisin." I can't explain why or how but at 5:15pm I experienced a second miracle in my life, just as powerful as the first one. As Richie's mum perfectly worded it, "they are the closest we come to God on this earth."

Immediately, even with the morphine drip hooked up to me, it became very clear. Roisin was the missing puzzle piece in our lives; the piece that brought all three of us (Richie, Gabe, and myself) closer as a family. She is the "baby brother or sister" that Gabe had always begged me for even before Richie was a part of the picture. She is the answer to Richie's prayers--the baby that officially made him the dad he always dreamed of becoming. In a lot of ways, she is the closure for any pain still lingering from both Richie and I's past. Finally, she is the little girl I never knew I needed and wanted until I held her in my arms for the first time.

I suddenly find myself looking at pink things (I always HATED pink!), dresses, tights and diaper ruffles...... things I could have cared less about two weeks ago. I get excited at the thought of us doing girly things together as she gets older, talking to her about boys and teaching her the same important lessons in life that my mom always taught me.

Yes, Roisin Ruby Treacy, without any warning you came waltzing into this world and stole the hearts of three people who promise to love you and take care of you for the rest of your life. Thank you for being our little miracle.

This song was dedicated to me from my mom, and I now pass it on to you. I can now understand and appreciate the meaning behind it much better...

And for Gabe, my FIRST angel. Don't think mommy has forgot about you. I have a song for you too, my handsome little love.

Our Wee Baby Shower

2012-07-16T11:41:00.004-07:00

I had such a lovely baby shower, thank you very much to my cousin Heather and my mom for making it possible. The amount of work, heart and soul they poured into it was evident by the decorations, food, and the smiles on everyone's face.

The theme was Ireland, considering our baby will be 50% American & 50% Irish (daddy was born and raised in Ireland). It just seemed appropriate and all of the decorations were perfect!


A perfect cake for the Irish shower!


The cutest diaper cake I've seen, hand-crafted by my cousin Heather!

Even the bathroom was decorated for my Irish party!

Also, I want to say a special thank you to everyone who came to my shower. Because of the wonderful gifts we received I was finally able to put the baby's nursery room together! I spent all of the following day (Monday, 7/2/12) fixing things up. Poor Richie and Gabe did not see much of this nesting mother while she worked away at the room. Of course, I'm still not quite finished but as soon as I have the time to invite my life-long, crafty friend Heather over she has been patiently waiting to help me paint and put some finishing touches on the room! In the mean time, take a look at what I have so far:

We are going with neutral colors because we aren't finding out what we're having!

Note the "Kiss Me: I'm Irish" onesie; that will be the baby's first outfit!

A lot of reused things and hand-me-downs that have come in handy!

As you can tell, I'm unable to part with my diaper cake still

Instead of a regular dresser I chose to go with the baskets; a very convenient way to get to diapers as well as to store bibs, toys, pacifiers, etc!

I hung all of the cards that we've received so far on a line with bobby pins, and centered them with a drawing that Gabe made for his "baby brother" (both daddy and him are set on it being a boy)!

The whole day and this whole experience has been truly a blessing for us. Even though I've been through a pregnancy before with Gabe, unfortunately my experience was nothing like this. I lived miles away from all of our friends and family and the support I was getting was nothing compared to the love and support I have received this second time around. You could easily say I was on my own for most of my pregnancy. But now I can honestly say the man I am raising my children with has been a blessing from God above (he is currently cooking me lunch right now on his day off -- one of my favorite pregnancy meals: fried egg sandwich with french fries and curry dipping sauce -- Mmm!). I am thankful every day for my best friend, which may seem funny to some who are reading this and know our history. But I've often believed what doesn't break you, makes you. There is no doubt God has tested our love and our strength but only in order to prove to our own selves that we could and will survive!

My song for my love, my best friend...

One again, thank you to everyone including those who could not attend the shower, for all of your gifts, encouragement, support, and love. We would not be where we are today if it wasn't for all of our wonderful friends and family, far and near.

Who Am I?

2012-07-01T07:18:00.002-07:00

MY FAMILY

Let me begin this journey by giving you a little more background on myself. I am a very proud mother to a handsome 5-year-old boy who has encompassed my life and turned me into a puddle of liquid in his hands. In other words, he has me twisted around his finger I love him so much.

For most of our time together, I was a single mom to my son Gabe. I don't pity myself; I look back on all of that time with pride and joy in my heart for all of the valuable lessons it taught me. Each stepping stone is what made me who I am today, and most importantly the devoted mother that I am.

A turn of events changed our life entirely almost 8 months ago when my boyfriend of 3 years and I received the news that we were expecting a little one. Of course it was unexpected, but all three of us (Gabe included) embraced the news with pure excitement. Now, what was once a household of two (just me and my little one) has grown into a home of 3 and one more on the way -- all of us couldn't be happier. This unexpected bundle of joy has helped bring a family together officially.

Gabe has begged for years to have a baby brother or sister, not understanding what all it entailed for me. But he is finally getting his wish. Because Richie and I have dated for more than half of Gabe's life they already had a pretty good bond which helped tremendously with our transition into becoming an official family. Their relationship is more like a father and son, or step-dad and step-son if you prefer. I couldn't ask for a better man to raise both of my children with. His dedication to our family is 100% and his love is pure and genuine; he loves my son like his own. He is a hard worker and he doesn't stop when he gets home -- he is very tentative to both me and Gabe even after a hard day's work. That is something that has taken a lot of getting used to for Gabe and I since we never experienced it before. Richie is a wonderful person and truly my best friend.

My boys doing what they love most - fishing and driving boats!

As you can see, I am a very blessed woman. I have two wonderful "boys" in my life and another addition due to make his or her appearance in only 7 more weeks! We aren't finding out the sex so it will be a surprise as to whether Gabe is getting a baby brother or sister.

MY AGENDA

I'm sure there will be times that I will write more about my personal experiences as a mother but my main goal for this blog is to help promote my plans to earn money while staying home after the baby arrives. I will have worked full time up until the little one is born but Richie and I decided we didn't want me returning to a full-time job after. It is time for me to devote more of my attention to my family, which is where my heart belongs anyway.

But of course, raising a family in today's economy is next to impossible based off one income. So I can't just sit home all day, doing nothing to contribute to our income. That is where this blog will hopefully become useful. I have always loved to write and I found a great web site where I can finally pursue that passion on my own by writing articles! Likewise, I a;ready took a job online earning money for typing up transcriptions. I haven't had much time to invest into either quite yet because I am still working a full time job and growing a rather large baby in my belly, on top of making sure I spend enough time with my guys when I finally make it home.

However, my plan is to pursue these transcriptions and articles to the fullest within a few weeks of the baby's arrival. Meanwhile, you will see me add posts, articles, etc. as often as I can get around to them; in order to get my feet wet before the day comes that I really need to dive in!

I also intend to help with any side work I can accumulate. If anyone local knows someone that is wanting a house-cleaner, let me know! In a few months I will be willing and able to babysit for people from time to time. I may also check into Personal Assistant work online, since I have many years of experience in the clerical field.

My main focus here is to prove to myself that I can generate as much income while spending more time with my children than I was before. So say a prayer that this works for me and please feel free to share any advice and tips you may have. The more the better! This is a complete learning experience for me and I plan to take you along for the ride. Perhaps I can also be an inspiration to other parents who are interested in pursuing the same goals.

STAY TUNED!

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