Because I'm allowed it.

This is a complete venting session. I know when I marry Mad Dog in less then 2 weeks I will be forever linked to Miss G and in doing so her dreadful mother. Yes, dreadful - got it? Good! This is a woman who has reverted Miss G, who is 6 years old (almost 7) into a scared 4 year old. Due to her Mother's over protectiveness...or whatever you want to call we can't even get Miss G to sleep with the light off much less get her to go to summer camp as we had wanted for her this year. She seems to think the child support paid every two weeks is for her, not for Miss G. I say this because she feels that not only should Mad Dog pay child support, but should pay for half of everything else involving Miss G. She doesn't get it and will never get it. She was too ignorant to read her own divorce agreement and thought she was doing great with her slimy lawyer, which looked like he crawled from underneath a rock.

She demands Mad Dog hold up his end of the agreement, but time & time again she falters on her side. This is not the only issue with this situation. Miss G has been her since early June and I can probably count the number of times she has called Miss G both hands. I'm talking all summer. Miss G is asked each night if she would like to her Mother and each night she doesn't want to. She'll call her Grandmother and Aunt, but not her own Mother. What does that say? I can't imagine a time when my children wouldn't want to talk to me.

Harry Who?

Unless you have been in the deepest darkest jungles of the world you know that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released OFFICIALLY Saturday, July 21, 2007. To celebrate the release of the final book Mad Dog's and my stores held Midnight Magic Parties. Some how we managed to live through the evening, coming out on the other side a little weathered, but in one piece. I'm now fighting a cold and a sore throat from all my yelling Friday night, but I'll be okay.

I wish Little Man was older to have been apart of it. I doubt there will be anything like this every again. Regardless we have the memories.

New Places on the Horizon

It feels like so many things are changing so quickly. Mad Dog says I'm trying to achieve this ultimate stress quad-fecta (Giving Birth, New Job, Marriage and Moving) all at once. Maybe I am without knowing it. With the birth of Little Man I check off the first of the four back in February. Now, I'm I have completed the second with obtaining a new job. I gave my two weeks notice from my current employer today, there was very little reaction to the news (at least from management). I'm going to miss the staff more than anything and even more so with the possibility of future move coming on the heels of me leaving. In about 24 days I'm getting married to Mad Dog - strike number 3. And to put the last nail in my coffin we will be looking to move to Eastern Massachusetts in the next few months.

I feel sorry about moving. I like where we are. It's not the big city, but I like the area and will miss it. Though I'm planning on coming back to visit, because there are friends (and more friends)here I would like to keep. We'll have to find a new Doctor for Little Man, which is really a bummer because I love his Doctor.

Having said that- getting back to the eastern part of the state great too. We'll have Boston no more than 45 minutes away, which means Dim Sum more often, hanging with my friends more, visiting the MFA with Little Man and being near my family.

We're going to take this step by step. Still have to complete # 2 & #3 before even thinking about #4. No matter what we'll do it as a family.

The Hand of God

Today was Little Man's Baptism. Let me start by saying we are not religious and because of this there was great debate prior to coming to the agreement to go through with the sacrament. I guess I never thought I would be questioning baptizing Little Man, but since I'm not his only parent Mad Dog and I had to come to an agreement. I don't know if its because I had it drilled into me or if I just don't want to upset my Grandmother and Mother, but it's just something I knew I wanted have for Little Man. This doesn't mean that I'm going to start going the mass every Sunday with Little Man in tow, but it does mean he has a stepping stone for any future spiritual pursuits. I have faith in God. I don't need to go to church each week or listen to the interpretations of Gods words or the actions of the prophets that walked the earth so long ago. I just have to have faith. I have faith that this was a good decision and can only help Little Man down the road.

He was Baptized at St. Mary's Church, the church where I received Communion and was Confirmed. My family has great history with St. Mary's. As I said I received Communion and was Confirmed there as did my brother's Sean & Kevin who both had been Baptized there. Sean was also married in the church 2 years ago and my Father's funeral was held there. For many years we attended masses and were apart of the church community from teaching CCD to being on the planning committee for the church fair, September Fest. Along with this being our family church, my brothers both stood up as Little Man's Godfathers and Little Man wore the Christening gown that my Mother and her brothers were baptized in, and my brothers and I were baptized in. The fabric came from Italy and is more than 100 years old and was made by my Great Grandmother who I grew-up with.

Though I am exhausted, I have a good feeling about today. I'm happy we made this event apart of Little Man's life.

Time-Out

Today I revert back to having only one child for most of the day. Miss G is going to spend time with her mother who is coming out to pick-up here care that has been rotting her for about a year now. I plan on taking full advantage of this quiet time and getting a few errands done that have to be done TODAY. With Little Man's baptism tomorrow I still haven't picked up little gifts for his two Godfathers. Yes, TWO GodFATHERS. My brothers are standing up for Little Man. As for the rest of my errands, its kind of more about getting back to a routine with Little Man. Most Saturday mornings we would get up and go get coffee, and take a long walk in the mall or something. To just get out and hang. Kind of nice, with no one asking for something, or begging for this or asking why are we here. I think all Mothers should have a time-out chair. Not for kid, but for themselves.

Finding the Glass Slipper

Today I managed to find my second dress for the wedding. Something that I thought might be a hell of a lot harder then it was with Little Man and Miss G in tow. I don't think it's what I originally started looking for, but it is one of the right colors and I do like it. Also managed to find sandals and a headband I might (might) wear.

The dress is chocolate brown as you can see. I'm hoping Mad Dog likes it, though I know he'll say he does no matter what he thinks. I still have so much to do before the wedding. Don't really know how it'll all happen - though I know it will (it kind of has too). Between all this we still have Little Man's Baptism this coming Sunday. Again not too sure how we're getting though it all.

Hope I can run to the finish line in heels.

Why Can't Weeeeeeeeeeee......

Today has been one of those days where the sound of Miss G's voice goes to the spot at the back of my neck and makes my eye twitch. I have no idea what she ate today that make her go from zero to sixty in 1.3 seconds, but whatever it was should be destroyed. I don't think she has stopped talking all day and each answer I give her to one of her questions results in another question which is more annoying then the first. I have taken to answering back with my silver tongue because at least it makes me feel like I'm not taking complete attitude from her. Being six going on 18 isn't something I enjoy especially when the 18 year old can't pour herself a glass of juice. If I didn't know any better I would say she uses a "blonde"-card at least 5 times a day. Stuff she completely is capable of doing becomes completely new in a matter of seconds - she wants it done for her and doesn't want to do it herself.

Mad Dog was a saint and took her to Potter Pandemonium this evening at BN might be the only thing that saved her and me from having a melt down on each other. They're back now and we're 15 minutes from starting bedtime. Sadly that means it should be about 2 hours and 15 calls for "Daddy" before it is peaceful in the house tonight.

Maine - The Way Life Should Be

For the past three days we have been in Alfred, Maine on Shaker Pond, where Stuart (my Mom's fiancé) has a little place. Mad Dog and I took the kids and camped out in the yard. We have to thank Kim our Cafe Manager in Enfield for giving us the most amazing tent ever! She offered it to me at the last minute and we don't know how we would have managed without it. It sleeps 7 people, but for us it slept us, Miss G and Little Man in his pack-n-play perfectly.

We had a great time. It was a full house up there- Sandy, Stuart, Nana and Indiana. Miss G & Mad Dog went swimming across Shaker Pond on kick boards . My Mom & Stuart went fishing.

Little Man had a ton of firsts:

• First time sleeping in a tent.
• First time swimming in something other than the tub.
  
• First time eating sweet potatoes.
• First time eating pears.
• First time eating ICE CREAM!

Though most of the time was keeping the kids amused Mad Dog and I did manage to have fun. I really can't wait until next year when Little Man will be running around up there - granted we will have to keep an eye on him (one wrong step in any direction ends you in Shaker Pond), but everything will be exciting and new.

Little Trouble

I needed to add something about Little Man. He has been so good lately and growing up so fast. He's started eating solid foods in the past week and loving it. Bananas, apple sauce, rice cereal and oatmeal w/ banana. Give it a week and he'll be eating more foods then Miss G.

Finding Your Inner Princess

This week Miss G came up with the idea she wanted to dress like Princess Fiona from Shrek. One of her biggest hang ups was that she doesn't have red hair. Me being me...I said that was easy enough and that we could get the spray in color stuff. It would wash out when she was done being Fiona.

We ran to Sally's yesterday and picked up some temporary color -RED! After explaining to Miss G how it worked she as okay with it, at least I thought. We had dinner with Mad Dog and he started to get Little Man ready for bed when Miss G started to get stomach pains - nervous is what I call them. She asked if we could do it tomorrow. I didn't push things. When Mad Dog came out from putting Little Man to bed, he asked if we had red hair yet. I explained what happened and he went to work.

Mad Dog being the Dad he is took the chair first and had me spray his hair. Before I was even finished with him Miss Gigi was trying to get into the chair for her turn. She found her inner princess with the help of the King himself.