Sign??

Before I forget about this...I have to post it.

On our last day in Florida, Rich and I went to the Green Turtle Inn, one of our favorite Islamorada restaurants, for breakfast.

If any of you know me well...you know I'm always looking for "signs." I'm a very superstitious person and always trying to look for hidden meaning in something.

Anyway...we walk into the restaurant for a delicious breakfast, and as we sit down, I realize the "Somewhere over the Raibow" Hawaiian song is on. We all know this song has meaning to me...

So, my eyes and ears perk up, and I try to find meaning as to why this song is on, and what it all means. The last time I had heard this song was on our way home from the hospital with TEN.

So, I look around and straight ahead of us was a huge wall of wine bottles. I zeroed in on one bottle that caught my attention and there it was: NORA wine. Now, why is this relevant? Had Tommy been a girl, his name would have been Nora. This is the girl name I've loved since the first time I was pregnant in 2004. I just think it goes well with Novak, and it's a 4 letter Irish name just like Erin is, plus Rich's Grandma's name is Norma, so it's sort of a shout out to her.

So...what did that all mean? I guess nothing really...it just gave me hope that one day I may be visiting that restaurant with both Tommy and Nora...and that made me smile. But, if God chooses to give us another boy sometime in the future, I'd be just as happy! It was just one of those little "signs" that I love.

***side note, a friend from high school recently had a baby girl and named her Norah...she's a beautiful little girl with the prettiest smile and wears the name well! I was hoping Tommy was going to be a boy so there wouldn't have been a Nora and Norah in the same classroom someday! Life just works itself out sometimes. Yes, I'm this much of a dork and think/worry about these things....***

SOOOOO precious!

Honestly, does it get much cuter than this?

He was giggling when I took this. It was the first time he really laughed. He's been making laughing sounds recently, but tonight was a full blown chuckle and laugh. I was biting (not really) his stinky piggies and making chewing sounds and he thought I was the funniest thing around.

I just love this little boy!

Randoms

I know I'm behind on posting...I still need to add some vacation pictures, and those will be coming soon...I promise!

But, to keep you occupied, here are some recent Tommy photos. The famous "lower lip" shot, and a few I've caught of him smiling.

As for me, I've survived my first week back to work, and I'm surviving!!

Happy Birthday Tommy!

Confused by the title of this post?

Let me explain...

No, tommy is not one yet...or is he? It was around this time (or possibly earlier) last year that little Tommy was conceived. I can't ever begin to explain just how miraculous that day was when I found out I was pregnant.

It was the Tuesday after Superbowl Sunday when I finally gave in and took a pregnancy test. I was refusing to take one up to that point because I was so sick and tired of seeing negative pregnancy tests. However, as I was standing outside my classroom that particular morning on "hallway duty," I about barfed. That had never happened to me before, so it spurred me into taking a test.

I stopped at Walgreens on my way home from work, picked up a generic test (because I figured why waste good money on expensive ones...since it was bound to be negative again) and went home and took the test.

FYI...I'm about to get personal here....

I peed on the stick and placed it on the floor in front of me. In the meantime, I read the carton and made sure I knew what I was looking for...a + in one of the "windows." The control window darkened its line like it should and then there it was...the test window had a very dark + staring at me. I jumped up (not even sure I pulled my pants back on) and ran through the house SCREAMING, laughing, and crying at the same time. I remember Winnie running after me howling through the house...almost like she knew what just happened. It was so surreal. I couldn't believe that it had finally happened.

I called Rich at work and told him the news. He had been wanting me to take a test for a few days before, but I refused. He was so shocked and came home that night with 4 more tests to be taken. They all changed + immediately, and our dream started to become a reality.

Here we are, a year later, and we're the parents of a beautiful baby boy. He's the most intelligent, funny, loving, snuggly little guy you could ever want! We're so in love with him and can't believe that our lives before him ever existed.

It's certainly amazing what can happen in just one short year! So, Happy Birthday Tommy! Thanks for making us happier than we could ever be!

Babies truly are miracles.

15 and 16 weeks

Tommy, tomorrow is a big day for both of us!

You will be 16 weeks old tomorrow which means you are entering your fourth month! I know I've said it 1,000 times, but I can't believe how fast time has flown! The other big thing that is happening tomorrow is mommy going back to work. It's going to be rough leaving you, but Gammie will be watching you, and I'm not really leaving you...I'm just going to work for a few hours. Mommy is usually home by 2:45 so we have ALL afternoon and evening together!

You have had some pretty big events in these past few weeks. Last week you went for your 3.5 months portraits. They turned out SOOO cute! You wore the cutest outfit from Auntie Jenny and Andrew with your corduroy pants and hat, and sweater vest. Absolutely precious. You took some great pictures.

We were busy cleaning the house and organizing lately before mommy goes back to work and before we left for your first vacation! Yes, that's right, you took your first vacation and flew on an airplane for the very first time! And to make it even more exciting, we took off in a pure blizzard. Chicago got 12 inches of snow that day, and we sat on the plane for SEVEN hours. You were soooo good, and never even fussed. We went to the Florida Keys and stayed in a townhouse at the Lime Tree Bay Resort with Grandma and Grandpa. You went to a beach, explored the Florida Keys, dipped your piggies in the ocean (you screamed), and in the pool (you peed). You also took a venture to Bahia Honda State Park with G&G. Overall, you had a great time, you were well behaved, and you picked 2 restaurants to have MASSIVE poops in that both did not have changing tables. Lovely. But, with the grace of God, we got you changed and we all recovered nicely.

So, that's a very quick summary for two very eventful weeks. It was nice to end my maternity leave with a trip to tropical weather and avoid the arctic tundra that blew through here. It was a special week being with you and enjoying your first vacation. I hope you enjoyed it too, because we love to travel and hope to take you to many corners of the world to help you learn and discover the world you live in!

14 Weeks Old - Stinky Piggies

Tommy is 3.5 months old! He's a big boy...probably about 17 pounds or so and is just the love of our lives. I knew I would love my baby when he finally arrived, but I was never aware of how intense that love can be and just how enamored I would be by his every sound, smile, gesture, movement, etc.

He's so amazing, and is developing right on track with everything I read in his baby book. He is smiling and I heard a distinct laugh this week. I haven't heard it since, but it was the sweetest sound I have ever heard. He's just so precious.

He is doing very well with nursing and we are having to use less and less formula as supplements, but that's all going to go down the drain when I start working again in about 10 days. But, I'll be happy as long as he has at least 2 good feedings of breast milk until we hit the summer...we'll see how good we can be. I'm just going to have to put on my red cape and be supermom for a few months. It should be interesting pumping in my classroom during lunch and plan hours...Rich is convinced I'm going to forget to lock the door. I told him, "When I am sitting bare-breasted in my classroom with suction cups on my breasts, I think the lightbulb will go off in my head to lock the door." God bless the poor student who walks in if I don't. I'm sure it will work out just fine!

He has hit the spit-up stage. He spits up constantly now. Tonight, we have changed clothes 4 times. He has to perpetually have a bib tied around him, but somehow he's mastered the art of spitting up under, over, and all around it. Supposedly, 4 months is the primes age for this to happen to babies, so it's nothing out of the ordinary, or anything to be concerned about. It's just yucky. He managed to actually get some in my mouth on Friday. Probably got ticked that I said he had stinky piggies.

Anyway...to get Tommy to laugh, I nibble on his "piggies." I ask him "Whose stinky piggies are these?" And he gets a big smile on his face. His feet don't smell...don't worry, I just love teasing him about his stinky piggies. He smiles like he knows I'm kidding with him and smirks like he has some dark secret about his piggies.

Enjoy the photos of those little piggies! You just have to nibble on those! There's also one of him finally sucking his thumb!

Tommy's Playmat

Tommy loves to play on his "gym." He can be entertained by this thing for hours, and he talks away to all the little critters floating above him. We tried it when he was just a few weeks old, and he didn't seem too interested in doing anything but sleeping under it. However, as time has progressed, he has grown to love this. It's also a great set of extra hands for mommy. I have had him on it when I'm upstairs cleaning his room and our room, downstairs while we're eating dinner, etc. He LOVES it! (Thanks Aunt Pat, Jen and Mindy!!) Winnie also loves it, as she has become a permanent fixture next to it when her baby brother is on it.

There's also a pic of Winnie trying to claim ownership of Tommy's moses basket. She knew she shouldn't be in there...but gave me enough time to get her picture before she jumped out.

30th Birthday!

"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you, and everything you do."

30 years old.

Holy cow. Am I really 30 years old? I've lived through 3 decades so far, and it's hard to believe that it's already here. I'm 30 years old. According to my high school students, "I'm like, totally old."

I'm ok with turning 30. I didn't freak out. I am not thinking that my life is over or that I'm "old." I consider myself to be young, but experienced. And heck, I'm only 30...I'm not THAT experienced.

I think I'm ok with turning 30 because I am exactly where I thought I would be. I was not on some competition to get married and have kids by a certain age...but having done many of these things; I'm very proud of everything I have accomplished.

Recently, I read an article that stated you should make a list of things you are most proud of in your life, or your greatest accomplishments...so here goes my top ten:

1. Thomas Edward Novak.
2. Winnie Novak. Yes, she's my baby too. And she should share #1 with Tommy.
3. Marrying a man who treats me well, puts up with my crap, spoils me, and knows when I need that extra hug and never lets me go to sleep upset.
4. Obtaining my masters degree
5. Building a brand new house to raise our family in
6. Being a teacher that students write letters to thanking me for doing something right and good for them.
7. Have been on 13 cruises...and counting
8. Have traveled to over 90% of the major Caribbean islands, plus France, Spain, and Morocco, and must we not forget Hawaii and many different parts of Mexico.
9. Have stood on 4 continents.
10. I always try to be a good friend and family member.

So, to summarize, I have many things to be thankful for. I don't have many regrets, and I think that pretty much means that I'm a happy, satisfied YOUNG woman. The first 30 years of my life have been wonderful and I hope the next thirty years are even better. The way I see it...I spent the first thirty years growing up, and now I get to watch my child grow up, and hopefully I'll see him grow to see his grandchildren.

But for now, I'm going to take that sweet baby up to bed, have pleasant dreams, and look forward to many new adventures in the future.

30 feels great so far!

The picture above is my little angel asleep on my birthday night. What a wonderful sight! (and yes, he scratched himself across the cheek. He slept 12 hours at night, never napped during the day, was very crabby and irritable and scratched himself in a fit of hunger...you can tell he's hardly ever fed by his size.)

2008

It's 9:45 on New Year's night, and while I just finished Tommy's bedtime feeding, I couldn't help but think about the past year.

First of all, I woke up this morning and glanced down at Tommy in his bassinet next to our bed. We're going to put Tommy in his big boy crib this week. I think I'm emotionally ready to do it (honestly, I'd let him sleep next to my bed for the next 18 years if I could). He sleeps at least 9 hours a night (usually a solid 10 hours uninterrupted). And, I wanted to do it before I went back to work...and it's a new year, so I think it's the right time to do it. We just have to set up our monitors...that will be the weekend project.

Anyway, I looked at him sleeping, drifted off back to sleep and woke up to him letting out a cry that I swear to god sounded like he was saying something. He's definitely "talking." It wasn't a cry that sounded whiny or anything like that; it sounded more like speech.

I was changing him this morning and it hit me as I was "nibbling" on his chunky thighs. This is MY baby. I waited so long for him, and here he is. Did I really just change MY baby's diaper? Did I really just nurse my son? Is it really 2009? Holy cow! So much happened in one year!!! 2008 was such a wonderful year for us. Most of the year (ok...all of it) was dedicated to Tommy. I found out in early 2008 that I was pregnant, and spent the last 3 months of 2008 learning the role of mommy. It's been wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Being a mommy is so intense; but it's the greatest feeling in the world.

So, I came up with some new year's resolutions. Here it goes: (they say it's more effective if you write down your goals...so I'm blogging them in hopes that is even more effective.)

After watching "Half-ton Teen and Dad" on TLC...

1. Eat Healthy and start cooking healthy meals for Rich and I...and Tommy eventually.

2. Go to the gym at least 3 times a week, even if it's just for the 30 min. of cardio.

3. Do at least 30 crunches a day. I just did them and it took me about 3 minutes. It doesn't sound like a lot, but 30 x 365 = 10,950. So, by this time next year, my tummy will have attempted to flatten out 10,950 times. It's gotta make some kind of an improvement, right?

Non Weight Loss Goals:

4. Be the best mommy I can be. Even if it means staying up when I'm tired or getting out of bed extra early, nothing is more important than giving Tommy my love and attention. And giving Winnie her own time and attention also. After all, she is my baby too. And Willbur.

So, that's about it. I'm also going to try to just "let things go." Life's too short to worry about everything. If the laundry piles higher, and the dishes sit in the sink, and dust is an inch thick...none of it matters if we all end the day together and happy.

Here's hoping 2009 is even better! I really don't know how that is possible, but I never thought last year that my life would be what it is today. It's time to take that sweet baby up to his bed.

Cheers to 2009!

Happy New Year!

We had a pretty quiet New Year's Eve. Mommy and Daddy wanted to stay in and take it easy and celebrate the new year with our little man. We invited over some family and friends and Tommy even stayed up late, but crashed before midnight. It was a great evening and so wonderful to have Tommy here with us this year.

We hope all of your New Years Eve wishes come true and that 2009 is a year of health and happiness for everyone.

Cheers to 2009!!