One year ago today, my little Jessalyn was born.

It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I’m looking forward to what the future holds for my “baby.”

Taken just a few weeks ago. My, my how she’s grown.

Happy birthday my love, happy birthday.

Now, LET’S GO TO DISNEYLAND!

Dearest Jason,

Thank you for being such an important part of my life. I love you more than anything. Happy 31st birthday my love. You mean the world to me.

And now for something completely different!

25 Things

(Times 5 and a day early)

It’s like the Friday 5, only BIGGER!

So there’s a meme going around Facebook and my girlfriend Kelly tagged me. I thought I’d go ahead and post it here since I haven’t had much to say lately.

25 Things You May Or May Not Know About Me

1. I’m obsessed with the entire Twilight Saga and unlike Kelly, I actually liked the movie, a lot.
2. I love brussel sprouts.
3. I haven’t maintained contact with any of my past boyfriends. (ex husband excluded because we have kids together)
4. I have over 40 shot glasses in my collection, and I won’t display any that I didn’t pick out myself.
5. Halloween is my favorite holiday and not because it’s my birthday.
6. I don’t have any tattoos.
7. American Idol makes me want to stab my ears with red hot pokers.
8. I drive a luxury vehicle and got it without the luxury sticker price
9. When we’re finally ready and able to buy a house, we hope to settle on the west coast of Washington State.
10. My oldest daughter has reached the point that I struggle when it comes to helping her with homework.
11. My favorite class in high school was Biology.
12. People say I have Flintstone feet, meaning they’re pretty squared off.
13. I’m 3 years and 3 months older than my husband.
14. I’m not a “let’s go to the movies” kind of girl.
15. I have something like 6 email addresses.
16. Out of every reading assignment I was given in high school, the only books I read cover to cover were The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck and Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger.
17. I’ve never made zucchini bread even though it’s one of Jason’s favorite quick breads.
18. I can’t stand vanilla or cream cheese frosting.
19. Orange “flavored” (as in artificially flavored) drinks as well as orange creamcicles  totally gross me out.
20. I’d rather scrub toilets with a toothbrush (no, not MY toothbrush) than wash the dishes.
21. I’m a morning person. I wake up and it’s instant on.
22. I much prefer taking a bath over a shower.
23. Penguins are my favorite animal.
24. I used to want to be an astronaut until I discovered you had to be good at complex math.
25. My oldest child is attending the same Jr. High my mom and I both attended, and come September she’ll be at the same high school I went to.

Oh my gosh! That was crazy hard. I started it last night around 8 and gave up for the night after #7. Then I started it again around 6:30 and it’s now just after 8 a.m. Who knew it was so hard trying to come up with 25 things about me you may or may not know. Of course I tried to keep it interesting, but I know some of those probably fell short.

PLEASE please please feel free to leave a comment and let me know how many of those you already knew about me. I think *that* would be interesting. Also, were there any you didn’t know that surprised you? If so, do tell!

Wow, to say time flies would be an understatement! My first born is turning fourteen today. It’s hard for me to think back to the day I had her. It seems ages ago. But I’ll give it a shot.

As I sit here typing, it’s just after 7 a.m. Caitlin was overdue as my due date was November 26. It was a Tuesday morning; I was nervous and excited at the same time. Because she was late, I was being induced. Being my first child, her father and I had decided we wanted to be surprised so we didn’t know if we were having a boy or a girl. Either was fine with me of course, but in my heart of hearts, I wanted a little girl.

The nurses hooked me up to an IV and got the drip going that would start labor and bring my little one into the world. By 7 p.m. it was clear that things weren’t progressing well and we ultimately decided on a c-section. I won’t lie, I was bummed. They wheeled me into the operating room and shortly after, her father joined me. Now I have no idea why, but rather than giving me an epidural, thus allowing me to move a good portion of my body, they gave me a spinal so I could move only my head. Looking back, I can’t help but feel cheated because I couldn’t hold my newborn for several hours due to lack of bodily control.

Anyhow, I’ll never forget this. As they were operating, the Dr. asked me if I had names picked out. We did. If the baby was a boy, he would be Timothy, a girl would be Caitlin, obviously. So I’m there on the table and being pushed, pulled and generally turned inside out. Next thing I know I hear a baby crying and all I’m thinking is. “Would someone shut that kid up? I’m trying to have a baby here!!!” Then from somewhere behind the curtain I only sort of hear the Dr. say, “It’s a Caitlin!” My brain didn’t make the connection. Baby crying and “It’s a Caitlin” didn’t make any sense to me. I didn’t say anything, and her dad had to make me understand we had a baby girl.  In my defense, I was young, drugged up and exhausted.

I had no idea what trials and tribulations that child would put me through. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s really hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that she’s 14 now. My little baby girl isn’t a little baby girl anymore. She’s a beautiful, outgoing, independent, stubborn, amazing young lady. She makes me as happy as she makes me completely nuts, but I love her and I wouldn’t trade her for all the riches in the world.

I love you Caitlin. I really do.

Tiff, I’m so glad we’ve become such good friends. I’m lucky to have a friend as wonderful as you in my life.

Love you!