I'm so excited

I've been a bit cranky today and so I've decided that it would be a good idea for me to make a list of all the things that I am excited about. So here it goes.

1. Madeleine's new words.
For the longest time I was worried about Madeleine speaking. She's always had a perfect understanding (for her age) of what Kyle and I were saying to her but she was not a vocal child. Things started to pick up right before Juliette was born but the new baby set her back a bit and she stopped talking almost all together. It freaked me out in a big way. She is my first baby and so I have no sense of what is normal for a child of her age but the pediatrician kept assuring me that she was fine. Boy was he right.
She said her first sentence almost a month ago, "Baby nom-nom Mama." and since then has definitely fallen into the "new word a day" phase. Sometimes more. She has a few two word sentences "Oh wow." "No way." "Show watch." "Good girl." And is constantly surprising me with what she comes up with. For example, today she learned, "What?" I was telling her something and she blurted out, "WHAT?!?!" It made me laugh so she continued saying it. Kyle told me one of my jokes was not funny and she walked up to him and said, "WHAT?!?!" It was awesome. She used to just repeat but now she says all her words on her own. "Eat." when she is hungry. "Go out." when she is bored of being inside. She brought me her book Baby Come to Church and said, "Jesus." I am a happy Momma.

2. My new heels.
Is there anything hotter than a pair of heels? The things they do for your legs and butt are awesome and I need that confidence after having birthed two babies. I've lost 25 lbs and I feel like the smaller I get, the larger my belly is. I know it takes a while for your body to get back to normal but come. on. I just want it to go away.

3. Tax refunds.
We are fixing my lap top and possibly getting a new couch. Plus, Kyle wants to take me out for a fancy dinner in my hot new dress and my hot new heels. I am pumped.

4. Traveling.
I get the shakes when I've been in one place for too long and so I am so excited to go to Houston and New Orleans in two weeks. We are visiting my in-laws and then heading for our good friend's ordination. We may not take the babies on Bourbon Street but tempt me with spicy food and a Hurricane and I may not be able to visit.

5. Warm Weather.
We just got our new rocking chairs in the mail and Madeleine's play house will be in any day. I see lots of sunny days outside with a coffee or a glass of wine watching the kids play. Just another reason I am glad we moved.

6. Not being Frumptastic.
When I am in Houston I will be getting my hair cut and my nails done. No man could ever understand just how wonderful that makes a girl feel. It's like taking a shower after you've been rolling around in dirt. I just feel like a whole new person, refreshed and perrrrty.

7. Sports.
The Yankees are winning. The red sox are losing. And the Celtics are set to take down the heat. Life is as it should be.

8. The Beatification of JPII
I was at his wake and it was the most incredible thing in the world to see him knowing his soul was probably in heaven. I love John Paul the Great and this has been a long time coming. What a wonderful thing for such a holy and inspiring shepherd. I wonder if there is anyone who's life was not touched by him

9. Bed time.
The kids and Kyle are asleep and dreaming and I will crawl in bed next to my husband and join them soon.

My life is pretty darn wonderful. This is why I decided to make this list. In life you can either dwell on the negative or comfort yourself with all of the joys and gifts from God. The latter is a much better way to live.

Praise God!

Rest in Peace Boss

Today a friend told me his dad laughed upon finding out that George Steinbrenner, principal owner of the New York Yankees, had died of a heart attack.

What the frick?

Love him or hate him, love the Yankees or hate them, he was a person with a soul and a family. It's a tragedy. It's sad that sports have become what they are now. People selling themselves for money and an hour long press conference (I'm looking at you LeBron), refusing to retire because it keeps them in the headlines (Farve...), and fans laughing about a death on the rival team (Red Sox Nation). I look at clips of the good old days of sports. You've got men in suits and women in hats enjoying a day at the ball park, Larry Bird in his short shorts, team pride, sportsmanship, lack of steroids. Can't go back too far because them you'll get racism and sexism but I swear there was a time in between those times, a golden age of sports. At least that's what I've read.

So Rest in Peace Human Decency. Feel free to make a mockery of the games I love. I will be here, rooting for Derek Jeter and praying I never find out he took steroids.

Also, Rest in Peace Boss. I'm praying you make it to heaven.