I still DO really love my husband...

This blog is long overdue, but time is something I don't have lots of...

In light of our 10 year anniversary coming up, I have been thinking about this a lot. Nick and I have been together for 13 years... that is a LONG time and I, guess I am feeling very fortunate that I still DO REALLY love him. Not only do I love him, but I even like him a lot. I don't say this to be silly or weird, I really do think that we are fortunate in our marriage, that 13 years in, we are still going strong. We are not two peas in a pod, nor are we complete opposites - I guess that is what makes us work. Yes, sometimes I wish his idea of a dream vacation would be to sit on the beach in the sun for hours and hours, or that he would want to go on long hikes and bike rides with me and stroll hand-n-hand down the street, but I guess I have come to a full realization, that we work completely well, having the differences that we do, yet appreciating each other fully. All this mushy love, love stuff came to my attention over our Spring Break. Earlier this month, we had 10 days off from school together and for those 10 days, we spent every moment with each other and our kids. Outside of the trip to NJ and the Bronx Zoo, we really just hung around the house, Nick wasn't busy with a project and I wasn't off and about with the kids... and after those 10 full days together, I realize how much I liked just being with him. I didn't need to be doing anything or part of a big vacation, just laughing with him and parenting with him made me happy. I feel lucky in love!

A couple days after Spring Break was over and I was feeling all warm in the heart, we were playing in the driveway with the kids. Sidewalk chalk was out and Natalie was writing in the driveway all the people she loved....being a copy cater, I wrote down "I love Nick." Well, Nick came up after me, and wrote "I love Kerry," in the other direction. How sweet is that?! He might not wear a wedding ring or buy me flowers every week, but that was about the most romantic thing I think he could have done. Had to take a picture...

Happy Birthday Colin!

Happy 2nd Birthday Colin!

Our dear, sweet Colin... what a wonderful little boy you are. So happy to celebrate your "Happy Birthday," today with you. You have done a lot of growing and changing in the last year. I am sad to no longer have my baby and I already miss holding and cuddling you, however, the things that do now bring such love and laughter into our days and your increasing independence is amazing. You have such curiosity and courage that we have not seen in toddlers before. It is hysterical to watch you walk around the house with your little step stool so that you can figure out how to get into and be party of anything you want. However, at the same time, you need your routine and don't seem to fight or challenge the aspects of your life as long as it is part of your routine. For example, you clearly could crawl out of your crib, but you don't... because you know that when you are in your crib, you sleep. You know on daycare days that you have a breakfast bar, and you never seem to question that or demand something different. You know that you get to watch, "Wiggles," before bed, and you never fight bedtime, as long as it comes after some Wiggles.

Some fun highlights of recent times... it seems as if you are left handed (something you must get from your Poppy), the moment you figured out how to use a fork and spoon, you have chosen your left, you love to high five and POUND it with your left, and have recently found the love of sports and enjoy basketball and baseball with your left hand. You love diggers and tractors, you love talking about your Nannie and Poppy, you always want to be outside and have just recently learned to ride your tricycle.

The love you have for your Daddy makes me so happy and yet, so jealous. You light up everytime you see him and it is as if, you know, that the two of you will forever have a special bond as the "men" of this house. You already love doing, "work," with Dad and can point out a digger or tractor from a distance. I knew I was 2nd rate for sure, when Nick mowed the law for the first time this season, and you acted as if it was on the verge of child abuse that you did not get to go and help Dad. Seeing Daddy and the "tractor" out working on the yard... was more then you could handle. I know that you want to be with him and part of the work whenever possible. I can't wait to watch you continue to grow and share special projects and times with Dad.

The true sibling relationship with your sisters is beginning to emerge. You have figured out what you want and how to advocate for yourself. You no longer just let your sisters do whatever they want with you... you have an opinion and it doesn't necessarily always match theirs! Pretty funny to watch from the outside. Currently, you can relate better to Sadie and you have a harder time figuring Natalie out. I think that will change and go back and forth many times over the next many years and in the end, I hope you value and love your sisters for who they are.... your FOREVER friends.

Me... I just simply love you. There are a many day, that I wonder if I was really meant to have three kids. I can get so flustered by the chaos and time commitment of all three of you, that I fear it gets the best of me. However, waking up to your smile and your sweet silly words, makes me know that no matter what, our family is just the way it is suppose to be. I thank you for your cuddles, your sweet smile, your desire to be goofy, the times you are sensitive, the little boy that you are and will always be....

Happy day to you, Colin!

Bronx Zoo... a story I never want to forget!

Because I never want to forget this story, I figured I must blog about it... that is what this blog is suppose to be about, right. Creating and storing memories from the Giumarra Family! On Monday, we went to the Bronx Zoo. It was a good trip, it was a typically family adventure (not like the bliss I explained in my last blog), but good times. The highlight of the trip for me, and what I want to remember FOREVER, is when we saw the camels. They were doing camel rides (which cost extra, so of course, we were not doing them) and we were watching and looking at the camels. Nick commented to the kids what a large belly that one of the camels had. I think his exact words were, "Wow, look at the big belly!" and Sadie replied regarding the same camel (and said so matter of factly), "Wow, look at his big penis!"

Gotta love the innocence of kids! Keeps me happy!

We can do it!

Lately (as in the past 7 years), the vision of doing family activities has alway been easier than it actually turns out to be. I tend to make grand plans in my head to go apple picking, or bike riding, or a walk around the park and it seems like such a good idea and I think that we would all have so much fun... however, typically it turns into immediatlyneeding to find the bathroom, instantly hearing about how hungry my kids are and that they need snacks, or someone being so tired that they are cranky the whole time and my vision of a perfect family activity is shattered.

This has happened so many times, that I have actually re-designed what "a perfect family activity," actually means... as long as some of us have fun and no one gets sick or terribly hurt, I considered it a success. Now, I think about at what age will the kids been when they are old enough so that we can have a good time together without complaining, but then I worry by the time that Colin is old enough to make that possible, then Natalie probably won't want to hang out with us anymore!

Well... this past Saturday, we beat the impossible and had a delightful family activity!! With beyond perfect April weather, friends invited us on a family hike up the Pilot Knob Nature preserve. Since they have small children, I figured it was going to be more like a walk, than a hike... but I was mis-taken again. With Colin on Nick's back, the girls were troopers. Up the mountain we all hiked and no one complained and everyone seemed to have a good time. The temperature was perfect, the view was beautiful and although the hike was long, it was the perfect distance. The success of this trip made me realize that we CAN do it. We CAN have successful family outings and they aren't necessarily going to just be a figments of my imagination, but something we can pull off. Now, I am a realist, and I understand that it won't be perfect bliss from here on out, but at least I have felt the taste of it!

Colin loving his daddy and enjoying his ride. Nick said that the whole time they were hiking together, Colin kept saying, "I'm up here!"

My awesome kids (and they are actually loving each other).

The proof that we all made it to the top!