Week 7 100th day of School

This year has marked a great transition in our lives as our oldest daughter Maya has begun her school career. While anticipation was high, and Maya in general has enjoyed her days at school, this year has proven to be an adjustment for us all. Kindergarten is not what it used to be a mere twenty years ago, and I am continually blown away by the amount of work and learning expected of today's five year old. This February marked a major day in their year as they celebrated the 100th day of school!!! Wow!! Already halfway to being a first grader and despite my attempts at slowing her childhood down, Maya is continuing to blossom right before our eyes.

A few weeks ago I happened to catch Maya in deep conversation (with my mother) for now.... and it struck me at just how mature she seemed....and while she still has many years of being a child ahead, I know they will go by in a blink of an eye and I will long for these simpler days in her childhood.

Signs of Spring

Anyone who has experienced a New England winter, knows that this year has been particularly long, cold and very snowy. Most can not survive happily in such a climate, and at times can be very trying, and just when you think you can't take anymore, nature reveals signs of hope, and just like that new life appears. It is with this new life every year I am in awe of nature, and it's cyclical ways. Yesterday I happened to glance down and see this poking through our little garden, a brave and welcome sign of what is to come.

New Friends Week 5

Eden received a beautiful Japanese fighting fish for her second birthday, and was absolutely thrilled by her very own pet. Needless to say it did not take long for Suzy to notice the newest member of the house. I walked into the living room to see her like this......moments later her innocent, harmless curiosity turned into aggressive pawing (almost successful) aiming to knock the vase onto the floor. Today Suzy spends most of her day trying to figure out how to get the fish.

Just two images I thought of sharing as part one of week 5.

Week 4 sister love

Eden patiently waiting for her best friend and sister to come home from school. Standing on the ottoman gives her the perfect perch to see the bus on a cold, snowy, windy day. Wings upside down and all, capture her warm, silly, loving personality. The love between Maya and Eden is indescribable, but as they say a pictures worth a thousand words.

Snow Baby week 3

Snow Baby

It's hard to believe that two years ago this week we welcomed Eden Clair Messina into our lives, on a snowy Sunday morning two days before my predicted due date. I was awoken with very painful contractions around 5am and to my surprise Maya and Aaron were both already awake. Sure enough my water broke shortly after and the contractions came hard and strong, much faster then with the first. Despite our best efforts to call family and request childcare for Maya no one was answering and we were running out of time to get to the hospital to meet our midwife. I quickly made the decision that Maya was coming along, and off we went to the hospital. Tom Cruise would have been less then thrilled with my laboring sounds and all I can remember is Maya holding her hands over her ears yelling at me to be quiet. She was happy to join the nurses upon our arrival and off she went to color until family arrived to care for her while we welcomed Eden, her little sister, into the world. Eden Clair arrived within two hours, enough time for my mom and close family friend to arrive for the swift and "easy" birth. I say easy because comparatively to Maya it was a piece of cake.

So here we are two years later, graced with an enormous blizzard that we coined Eden's blizzard and am amazed at how much and how little everything has changed.

Reflections of winter week 2

When it snows you have two choices, shovel or make snow angels

I was able to catch my oldest daughter Maya, and my youngest daughter Eden making snow angels together after the first snow of the season. Maya is five and Eden will be two this month, snow is new all over again for her.