My mother and I have shopped on “Black Friday” for years.  This year she was not up to it.  Since I had the weekend off,  Saturday was all about the girls.  Newschannel 5’s Paul Kiska’s wife and daughter along with Camille and me had a “girls day”.  It was such a beautiful day, we strolled around Crocker Park.  

The decorations were up, Santa was there, and lots of people were out and about.  We tried to do a little shopping, although we didn’t get much done with 2 toddlers Crocker Park did a nice job decorating the path that leads to Santa.  Plenty of lights and lots of decorations for the little ones to take in and for us to enjoy watching them

xoxo,

Tracy

Thanksgiving is just days away! As I think about the holiday, I think about how it has changed for me over the years.   How the meaning of the holiday is so much clearer now than it was when I was a kid.   I suspect I am not the only one who feels this way. Back then, it was just a party, a day to watch the parade on television, a day to visit with all of my relatives.  Now, it is a day to truly be grateful.  For me,  it’s  about  the people in my life. My family and my friends. People who obviously can’t be replaced. May you all have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving

xoxo,

Tracy

Although we have had some nice weather  the past couple of days, you know IT is  coming!   The leaves are off the trees and there is a cool wind of change blowing in.  With the cooler weather outside, that means more inside time.  I’m looking for ideas of things to do with Camille at home.   We try to limit tv time, but when Camille is not busy, the first thing that she wants to do is turn on the television.  (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against tv, afterall, I make my living because of it )  Keeping any toddler entertained for longer than a few minutes is a challenge, so if any of you seasoned parents know the secret,  I’m all ears  

xoxo,

Tracy

I can’t believe it is nearly the end of the year.  The first of the big  fall/winter holidays is already behind us.

 Halloween is over. Thanksgiving is now just a couple of weeks away.  And, well, you know what isn’t far behind    I have vowed this year, as I do every year,  to slow down and enjoy the season (LOL)!   It just seems that with every passing day, my list of things to do  only grows bigger.  I start mapping out how I will tackle the holidays EARLY!  Just ask anyone who knows me.  I always think that I have a handle on the holidays, then comes Thanksgiving and all my organization goes out the window!  Before you know it, I’m rushing around and forgetting to take in the season.  Well, not this year, I say with a chuck.  At least, this year, I am going to make the effort.  I’ll let you know how that goes

xoxo,

Tracy

I hope you all had a howling Halloween!  This is the first year that Camille kind of got the whole idea of “Trick or Treat.”  She wasn’t, however, crazy about the costume at first.  In fact, she screamed for the first 5 minutes of wearing it.  We even dressed her four-legged brother up to help get her in the spirit.   No luck.  They both dressed up as hot dogs.

It wasn’t until she saw her little friends dressed up that she calmed down. Then after just a few minutes she got the hang of it!   We did not go very far, but by the end she said ”I like this trick or treat thing!”  She definitely liked the candy that she brought home  Send your pictures of your little ghosts and goblins to our website, newsnet5.com, we’d love to see them!

xoxo,

Tracy

You can’t watch the news, read the paper, or surf the internet without seeing h1n1 or swine flu stories.  When the outbreak first started I wasn’t sure that I would get Camille vaccinated.  Now, I am positive that when we do finally get the vaccinations in our area that she will get one.  The CDC  says the swine flu has killed more than 90 children since the outbreak  started last spring.   Some of those kids were healthy, they had no underlying health issues and that is what is so unnerving to me.  So, until the vaccine comes in, I am doing all that I can to keep everyone in our house flu-fee.  I’ve become the hand-washing, hand-sanitizing, anti-bacterial wiping police.  I’m sure some of you seasoned parents think, perhaps, I might be overreacting a tad.  I’m the first to admit that as I get older I am becoming a bit of a germaphobe! I certainly know that I can’t  protect my child from every germ and illness,  but you better believe I will give it my best shot   And this time of year that means a shot to protect her.  My friend and co-worker Paul Kiska coined a phrase that he wants to put on a bumper sticker….”Paranoid parent and proud of it!”  I’ll be first in line to stick one on my bumper.

xoxo,

Tracy

Many of my loyal blog readers, thank you, know that on the day we found out I was pregnant with Camille my mother was diagnosed with  multiple myeloma.  A blood cancer.  I have been at almost all of my mother’s doctors appointments and Camille has been there too.  She is very used to his office.  In fact, when she sees the building, she knows that we are going to see GaGa.  Well, she’s picked up a thing or two at those appointments.   

Poor Oliver.  She bandaged him up.  She took his blood pressure. She listened to his heart.  He is so patient with his big sister.  I love this age!  However, her four legged patient might be running out of patience  

xoxo,

Tracy

When Camille was an infant she was a perfect angel in church, she slept right through mass! Then once she learned to walk, we all walked right into the cry room and we’ve been there ever since.  Well, this week we ventured into the  “Big People’s Section “.  We sat in the last row for a quick escape if needed.  I admit it, I bribed her with a treat if she was a good girl.  I had to whisper that bribe in her ear every so often during mass.  We did, however, leave after communion. I suppose I can’t expect perfection all at once.  All in all, she did pretty well.  As we were walking to the car, she saw a statue of Mary, she went over, touched her hand and said “See you next week Mary!”  They are pretty cute at this age

xoxo,

Tracy

My  husband and I were married  a while  before we were blessed with Camille.  Even before she came along, we were not “out on the town” people. We like spending time at home.  So, when she arrived, staying at home wasn’t something new.  Instead of the two of us, it was the three of us.   When we do venture out, Camille comes with us wherever we go And we love our family time together.

With that said,  the other night, my husband took me out on a date.  (He was trying to get out of the “doghouse”.)  We had a nice day with Camille, we went to a pumpkin patch, so I didn’t feel guilty about leaving  that evening.  It was nice.  We were only gone a few hours but it was nice to spend time with each other and talk .  

This is new to me.  When I was growing up, my parents very rarely went anywhere without us.  Actually, I can only think of a handful of times during my entire childhood they went out alone. 

I don’t think we will make dates weekly, but I do think we will go out alone a little more often. Over the past couple of years of motherhood, I’ve learned that parents need time for themselves and for each other.  Even if it’s only a few hours a month.  I think it makes me a better mother.   I hope so anyway

xoxo,

Tracy

I was thinking the other day of all the things the people in my life, who are mothers, never told me when I was pregnant.  Why is that? Why do mothers not tell mothers-to-be what it’s like to be a mom?  I decided I’m going to share some secrets.  Here we go, in no particular order. 

You will never go to the bathroom alone again, at least for the foreseeable future.  You can pick out the sound of your child’s cry in a room full of kids.  Hearing your child say “I Love You” evokes emotions that you never knew you had.  You answer the same question over and over again and it’s okay.   You’ll sing lullabies that you thought you forgot.  You will do anything to protect your  child.  You worry from the minute your baby is born.  You’ll never get a good night’s sleep again.   You  become a kid again, only this time it’s better The love you feel for your child can’t be put into words and maybe that’s why nobody spills the secrets. Words don’t do motherhood justice

xoxo,

Tracy