Proud Mommy!

I could not have been more proud of Rory- I know most moms feel this way (as they should) but I just can’t even begin to explain how much I love my daughter!  I was thinking back to last year, and how far she has come in her development.  She has learned to scoot, then crawl, then walk, and now she is running.  Our days went from being just me and Rory and now we have such great friends.  

Just the other day Rory got her 2nd certificate from the Winter Reading Program at the Virginia Beach Public Library.  Last year, we read so many books, and she liked to look at the pictures and would touch some of the pictures.  She now grabs the books, runs to my lap and loves to point and sign at every animal in the book.  

I am just so lucky to have her, and be able to stay home with her!

Cousin Love!

Sometimes, something so wonderful happens that it leaves you completely speechless.  


The other day, I was left completely wordless; just silent, but with a huge smile on my face.  My uncle John and Aunt Melissa sent Rory a package today.  It was as if they knew everything she liked because they sent her a puzzle, a stuffed dog, those goofy glasses with the mustache and big nose, a bee bubble blower, and some stickers.  It was like Christmas morning for Rory.  

Rory loves the puzzle, she makes animal noises as she puts the animals in their spots.

The package made me smile from ear to ear.  It just reinforced what I already knew: I have the best family ever.   While Rory was putting stickers on me, Jon and the Dogs, I opened up the cards that were inside; and that is when I went speechless.

Inside was a card from my cousin Jack, who I haven’t seen in a long time.   Jack is older now, and in his pictures he looks like a bundle of energy.  (I have a few favorite memories of Jack; see below.)  

I love how he wrote her name at the top of the card.  Rory kisses the puppy on it too!

Jack wrote a sweet note to Rory about how he knows she will be OK at the Doctor’s, because he was in the doctor and they took care of him.  I am by far not a crier, but this brought tears to my eyes!  It was the cutest thing ever.  

It makes me wish that we were closer so Rory could play with her cousins all the time, but until then; Rory will be sending Jack some mail ;).  No one can argue with me, I do have the best family ever!

Favorite Jack Memories

The day after my wedding, all of our family went over to my moms house and we went swimming, had a bbq, and opened presents.  Jon adn I were outside with Jack adn he was very curious about our cat.  He kept touching its tail and then letting go, adn he asked us, “What happens if you pull his tail?”  (Little did he know, Jon and I say that all the time when ever we see a cat or when Rory yanks on their tails!).  This is my favorite memory #1.

My second favorite memory of Jack happened at my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary.   It was towards the end of the night when all the kids were all hopped up on cake, candies and soda.  My cousin Jack was running around with my other cousins, and you know how little boys run- their arms flail at that magical height for men.  Yep thats right, in an instant jon had his head between his legs and informed me he felt like throwing 

Great Grandparents Visit!

So, Rory and I had a great trip to St. Louis, however, on our flight back home- we both got sick sick sick!  I was sick in the airport and Rory was sick in the airplane and on the car on the way home.  It was the worst way to end a great trip!  One of the highlights of the trip was Rory getting to see her great grandparents- Both Sets!!!  

My Grandma and Grandpa Murphy live very close to my parents, so Rory and I frequented their house- which was nice because Rory and my Grandpa have very smiliar nap schedules ;)  

My Grandma and Grandpa LaGue live in Kansas City and drove in 4 hours to see us.  It was SO wonderful!  It was just great to see both of them, and Rory was so good with them, she didn’t hesitate to go to either set of Great Grandparents!

It really meant a lot for them to drive in and see her, because we have no idea when we will be able to make it back to St. Louis again.  I was very fortunate to get a great deal on my flight where it was 50% off, so it was a miracle I was able to come in for a visit!  I almost didn’t book the flight because I was fearful of Rory on the airplane, she does not like to sit down in the airplane, she just wants to move all around (things were so bad- in Chicago they let me and Rory on the airplane first because she was so crazy!)  But with our upcoming trips to Florida for Rory’s surgeries, and the one and four month recovery in Florida, I doubt we will be back in St. Louis for a few years.  

It really meant so much to see my Great Grandparents, I know Rory and I loved seeing you and can’t wait to see you all again!

Dont’ worry- More St. Louis Pictures will come!  

Happy birthday Mom!

Yesterday was a very important day for me and Rory- It was my mother’s (Rory’s Mimi) birthday.  I just wanted to write a few things about why yesterday was so special for me.   I never really knew what being a mom was until I became one.  I never gave my mom enough credit, knew how hard she worked, or even really understood all she did for us until I became a mom.  Once I held my little Rory in my arms, my whole life changed, I immediately got those motherly instincts that I was afraid I wasn’t going to get.  I bonded with Rory on a completely different level- and I understand now how a mother feels about her child.

My mother had four of us girls; when she was 22 years old she had a 3 year old, a 2 year old, and me- a newborn.   Then a few years later she had my baby sister.  Perhaps being a mother and getting my motherly instincts came to me so easily because I had my mother as an example growing up.  She always put us girls before herself- she was always teaching us right from wrong, and how to be a good person.  She would get up with us in the morning, make us breakfast, make our lunches, drive us to school, she always had baked goods in our lunches, she was a room mom for all of us, helped out with our sports teams, and somehow managed to get dinner on the table every night.  She is truly a supermom.   

Our mom was never a “friend mom,” she was always a normal mother who loved her children more than herself- our happiness came before anything else in her life.  She put up with all of us when we gave her a hard time (not me of course ;), and even when times were hard, never stopped hugging us or telling us she loved us.  She seriously hugged and kissed us multiple times a day, even when we were older and too cool for her.    To this day she sends me “Goodnight, I love you” text messages. 

I learned so much from my mom, and I can only hope that one day I am half the mother she was to us.  It is no wonder Rory loves her so much- how could anyone not! 

I wish we lived closer so Rory and I could still get hugs every day.  We love you so much- Happy Birthday!