It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!

Since 2008 is hours away, I thought I would list of favorite and least favorite years of my life, there are lots of years in between that were just so/so!

Best....

2007-Although I lost my job, Jenna found her way to us and we could not be happier!

2003-Just 7 days in to the New Year and Jacqueline was finally born-healthy!

1992-The year we got married. The wedding was great, the planning was fun and the honeymoon was a blast!

1987-I met my husband senior year of High School. Senior year was great, I had a boyfriend, a car, was headed to college and really enjoyed myself that year!

1998-Lost 55 pounds in 6 months at Weight Watchers and was "On top of the world"

1999-Loved being thin and was very happy that year! We bought the house we live in that summer! Turned 30 to a surprise party and looked great!

1983-Graduated from 8th grade with all kinds of honors and was accepted at the prestigous Bronx High School of Science in NYC.

1996-A year I was at goal weight! Looked great as matron of honor in my sisters wedding-thanks again to Weight Watchers! Had a nice 30th birthday for my husband!

Worst...

2006-By far!!! Back to back miscarriages. Not being picked to be godmother to my best friend's daughter. The smartest thing I did was start the adoption process in November 2006!

2002-I lost my job at IBM, a job I really loved. I was pregnant with Jacqueline but it was a risky pregnancy and the baby was diagnosed with a rare heart problem. I was a nervous wreck. My husband's grandfather died.

2000-Just not a good year. I found out I had lyme disease and gained a lot of weight! Just was unhappy and depressed. We spent all of 2000 hoping to get pregnant-no luck!

2001-Not a good year at all. I nearly died in April of a combination of pnuemonia, pleurisy and a rare bacterial infection. Had a chest tube put in and spent 9 days in the hospital. Spent the rest of the year still trying to get pregnant.

1994-Totaled my car in July and ruined my back. Lots of pain and physical therapy were in store for me.

I have no idea what 2008 has in store for me-hopefully weight loss and a new career where I can make money and spend time with my kids. I wish for happiness, good health and good times with family and friends. I am so thankful for 2007 and the wonderful year it has been for our family!

It was a Merry Christmas!

Although I have no idea where all these new toys are going, and it's two days after Christmas, I have to say it was a great Christmas! We celebrated with my husband's family on Christmas Eve and my family on Christmas Day. My older daughter loved her gifts, especially the new digital Fisher Price camera! The baby surprised us by trying to rip some of the wrapping paper off at 7 months. She loves her new toys too! She got a cool jumperoo that goes over the door frame.

I got some great pictures of the kids and our families. It was nice since people in our families usually don't want to be pictures. I love having pictures as memories. We got our nieces a big karaoke machine. Needless to say, we hooked it up and all started to sing into it. We had also bought a CD of new songs that's compatible with the karoake machine. My husband taped me and my brother horribly singing "How to Save A Life" for the entire song. I swear we were not even drinking! I haven't seen the tape, but it should-it must be good for a few laughs.

So a Merry Christmas was had by all! Jenna's first Christmas was wonderful and we feel so thankful to have her in our lives. We are a very fortunate family! I think 2008 is going to be a great year as well!

Tidbits.....

Just had to blog some randome thoughts of mine....

I hope Jamie Lynn Spears is let go from her Nickelodeon show. As a teenager and public figure looked up to by millions of kids, she has an obligation to her fans to be more responsible. In her case, getting pregnant at 16 is just a cry for attention. Supposedly she had a pregnancy scare this summer. Doesn't sound like an accident to me. Was she worried dysfunctional Britney was getting ALL the attention lately. If child stars had to sign contracts promising to live up to certain moral standards, including not drinking, getting arrested or getting pregnant, our kids role models would be a little more upstanding. I do have a small amount of respect for her in that she did not choose abortion. Very very small amount of respect. She should have been enjoying the benefits of being a teen star and enjoyed life, now she will be raising another troubled Spears offspring for the next 18 plus years. Since her boyfriend is said to be 19, isn't that statuatory rape? Shouldn't they be investigating him!

The Hollywood writers strike is getting out of hand. With Survivor and the Biggest Loser wrapping up this week, I am really at a loss. I watch Nip/Tuck, but am really missing Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. Enough already-settle this and start writing or get other writers!

I must go back on my diet. I have been "off the wagon" for a month now. I really feel like crap. Back's hurting again, stomach is upset, and I just feel horrible. I haven't gotten on the scale and have no idea how much of the 28 pounds I gained back. My guess is 7-10. UGH! I want to start my diet again January 2nd, but my daughter's birthday is the 7th. I know-it's another excuse! Summer will be here before I know it. I can do a lot of good in 6 months!!!!

All I want for Christmas is my two BOTTOM teeth...

Last week, I thought I saw (as I call it), one "big ass" tooth coming in on the bottom of my baby's mouth. She's been a little cranky lately and I know teething is starting! Turns out it was TWO little bottom teeth. Yesterday they were enough out of the gums to see the distinction of two little teeth! So cute!!!

Our little princess also turned 7 months yesterday! I can't believe it! Where has the time gone? She's doing so much and growing up right before our eyes. She rolls over, crawls 90 miles an hour, tries to stand up, walks when you hold her hands, smiles and laughs at family members she recognizes. Every day, she's doing and learning something new! She's such a good baby too! I know she will keep me on my toes when she starts walking-no grass will grow under this little girl's feet!!! She already won't sit still for pictures!!!


Here's a picture of her two adorable teeth and a picture from her 7 month birthday yesterday!

The Christmas Crunch

OK with one week to go, Christmas is almost upon us. I have so much to do and feel like I am running out of time. A Christmas party tonight. I just starting wrapping gifts today (I wrapped 10, I have about 50 more to go!). I have more shopping to do, ran out of tape and wrapping paper. I really need groceries, but that's another story. I feel like the clock is ticking quickly and it's going to be a mad dash to the finish. I would love to find time to get my nails done in the next week and desperately need a haircut! I am rather lucky in that I don't have to cook for the holidays and I am not working. Still I feel maxed out.

My older daughter is now old enough that I have to hide presents from her and even hide the wrapping paper. Luckily, I don't have to worry about presents with the baby-she has no idea yet! I'm sure my older daughter will be keep a close eye on her sister's presents, the wrapping paper and even the labels used, so I still have to be careful with the baby's presents. I wish I had more places to hide presents in my house! I mean really good hiding places!

Once we recover from Christmas and New Years, we go straight into our older daughter's birthday! Then after that I get a little break. Time just flies. I don't know where it goes. I hate winter and can't wait till Spring. Winter is not yet officially here and we already got a few snowstorms! UGH!

Ok now that I vented-I am very grateful to have family and children to shop for and hide presents from. I am lucky that I can afford to buy the things we need and just need to find time to get out. I am blessed to have family to have holidays with and thankful for the house we have, even thought the driveway is a b*tch to shovel LOL! In spite of my last minute holiday panic I am very very grateful-2007 has been a wonderful year! I will survive my Christmas Crunch-I do every year!

Just call me Mom....

I hope that when my younger daughter someday introduces me to her friends, she introduces me as "Mom" not "my adoptive Mom". It sounds silly to worry about it now, but I do think about it. I just want to be her Mom, with no other distinction.

I am determined to raise and treat my two girls equally in every way. I would never introduce them based on how they came into our family. I often use "my older daughter" and "my younger daughter", but I think that's fine. I can see how people forget a child is adopted after being in their family so long. I don't think of my younger daughter as adopted, I just think of her as mine. After not even seven months of having her, I can't imagine life without her.

So sweetheart, it will make me happy, if you simply introduce me as Mom! Nothing would make me happier!

Mamacita, Donde esta Santa Claus??

I LOVE that song from Augie Rios. My mother used to sing it to my older daughter all the time. So much so, that she has always called her Mamacita. Not Grandma, not Grammy, not Nana, just Mamacita.

Back in August, I was surfing youtube and found a video of a young boy lipsynching to this song. It was great-cute kid, good editing. My daughter and I loved it. I did catch that the man referred to his son as "late". I was intrigued and did a a little research. This father lost his son earlier in 2007 in a car accident. This little boy who was grinning and singing on my computer, was no more. I did not want to tell my four year old and upset her, so we just watch it and sing. I did email the father who posted the video and tell him I was sorry for his loss, how much we enjoy his son's video and how special that song is to my daughter. I sent him that note in August.

Yesterday he responded. He says it makes him happy to know people watch the video. Him and Jason had a great time making it. He says my note meant a lot to him and that my daughter should keep on singing Mamacita! How humbling!!

What's amazing is how two strangers can reach out to each other. Words of kindness exchange. We had nothing in common expect we were both parents and both loved this one song. It just goes to show how strangers can make a small difference in each other's lives. Words of kindness do make a difference!

Also remember not to take your children for granted. Treasure them every single day. We never know what life his in store for our loved ones. I am sure this father never thought he would be spending Christmas 2007 without his son!

Enjoy the video!

Finally-Finalization day!

Today was a wonderful day for our family. We finalized the adoption of our daughter in county court this morning! We are officially her parents-forever! No longer a family of three-we are officially, legally a family of four! It's an indescribable feeling only an adoptive parent would truly understand!

It was almost one year ago to the day that I was stressing over our first homestudy visit and cleaning our house from top to bottom. We've come full circle in a year! We've had our daughter for 6 1/2 months already!

The judge was so nice. They asked our permission if two law students from Italy that are interning in the court can witness it and we said yes. Our file has always been in surrogates court and not family court since the get-go. To finalize an adoption is a rare thing for surrogates court and I think everyone involved enjoyed the rare opportunity! The judge joked how the baby was sticking her tongue out at the judge. Then he asked our older daughter if she officially wanted a little sister, because this would make it legal-she said very loudly and proudly "Yes I do!". We were so proud of her too!

We had a big family turnout for the event. My sister came. My parents, DH's parents and my grandparents-who are 80 and 90!!! I can't believe they traveled to witness this. My grandmother attended a finalization 55 years or so ago for her niece. How many people can say they witnessed two finalizations in their lifetime! Here's a wonderful picture of our entire family in the judge's chambers! Too bad the little lady of honor was the only one not looking at the camera!!! We had a nice lunch with our families afterward!

For everyone who is adopting domestically (especially those going the independent adoption route)-please know that it's all worth it 1000 times over. All the ups and downs, waiting, worrying, disappointments, the scams, the cost, etc. DO NOT GIVE UP. If you persist and do everything in your power to put yourselves in front of potential birthmothers-it will happen!!! And when it does, you are left with a precious new life and a lifetime of happiness!!

Rip off at the local car dealer!

My husband has a 2001 Nissan Altima, which he loves. We never had problems with the car and want it to last as long as possible, since we are really not in a position to buy another car. Anyway, last week I went to drive his car and could not move the seat forward. The power seat would move up and down and the back adjusted, but not forwards or backwards.

Since I am 6 inches shorter then he is, there is no way I could reach the pedal. His car greats great mileage and I was really bummed that I would not be able to drive it. We brought it to our local dealer that services Nissans-Curry automall in Cortlandt Manor, NY. They call us a few hours later and tell us it's going to be (hold on to your seat) $1700 to repair! They have to remove the seat, the frame, replace the whole mechanism etc. I was expected $300, even $400. I was so upset.

I went online and started to research the problem and other people reported the same problem with 2001 Pathfinders. They had luck by taking a wrench or screwdriver and hitting the motor under the driver's seat. I tried that yesterday with a hammer. I hit it a few times, harder each time. The seat moved a bit forward, but then stopped. I didn't think I was successful. I got in my husband's car today with a pillow to attempt to try to reach the pedals. I pressed the power button seat forward just for the hell of it. It worked!!! I moved it forward and backwards a few times today and it worked!!! I can't tell you how happy I am to not have to have the car repaired!

I am also very disappointed at how ridiculous the car dealer was when it came to estimating the repair and damage. Maybe they were going to hit the motor box with a hammer and charge me $1700 or maybe they are just stupid. Shame on you Curry Automall!