Aol.com came out with a list of the top "hottest" celebrity dads. They are:
1. Brad Pitt
2. David Beckham
3. Johnny Depp
4. Will Smith
5. Matt Damon
6. John D'Alessandro
7. Ryan Phillipe
8. Ben Affleck
9. Joel Madden
10. Seal
11. Patrick Dempsey
12. Barack Obama
13. Gavin Rossdale
14. Tom Cruise
15. Tobey Maguire
16. Mark Consuelos
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Picture of the Father's Day Weekend
Because time best spent on the lawn should not entail a mower.
Send your favorite kid pictures to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
Friday, June 13, 2008
Sadness
News outlets are reporting that one of the few journalists I have always admired, Tim Russert, passed away today from a sudden heart attack.
He was only 58.
Guess Who?
We have a winner!!! Beckee has successfully identified this week's mystery guest as one of my favorite sitcom sidekicks, Josh Saviano...or "Paul", Kevin's awkward and endearing best friend on The Wonder Years.
Not only does this little installment serve as a reminder of how great television used to be, it also welcomes Beckee into the elite club of useless knowledge mongers. Since I have also known Beckee since I was in the 5th grade, this poem is going to take some time.
Until next week.....
The Week In Review
The Top Five Things I Learned This Week
5) Southerners are crazy and I must find a way to move my family down there.
4) When constructing a Father's Day gift list, actually asking a man his opinion helps tremendously.
3) Apparently, Blue Eyes has high chairs.
2) An Adoption Day isn't really a celebration of some judge deciding that your new family is being legally recognized; it's about recognizing that your blessings are far greater than your biology.
1) Just when I thought the smell of spilled milk was the best way to stink up a car, I discovered something worse: urine.
Amen.
5) Southerners are crazy and I must find a way to move my family down there.
4) When constructing a Father's Day gift list, actually asking a man his opinion helps tremendously.
3) Apparently, Blue Eyes has high chairs.
2) An Adoption Day isn't really a celebration of some judge deciding that your new family is being legally recognized; it's about recognizing that your blessings are far greater than your biology.
1) Just when I thought the smell of spilled milk was the best way to stink up a car, I discovered something worse: urine.
Amen.
I Couldn't Make This Stuff Up
Today started out so perfectly.
1) My little man took a wonderful morning nap, allowing for endless crafts, muffin making, and some quality one on one time with my daughter...all while a contractor worked dilligently to complete a job for us (and he arrived right on time!).
2) We headed to Kohls for the Father's Day tie (I can't bring myself to spend dolla-dolla bills on a tie he may only wear once). Upon arrival, my munchkins not only behaved perfectly, O actually had a great time sorting through the endless piles of dad ties. She finally settled on an unoffensive one, despite my best attempts at bringing a pink tie with blue lobsters to her attention.
3) We headed to the park for a picnic and some quality time. The weather was perfect (unlike the suffocating heat we've been having in our area of late), the park was not at all crowded, and my cherubs quietly chomped away on their lunches as we sat beneath the cooling shade of a happy old elm.
--After a week of extreme teething (he's getting his eye teeth before his front two?), and some pretty extraordinary tantrums (it's just a phase, it's just a phase, it's just a phase), for the first time in too long I was actually able to sit still and completely enjoy a moment. It was heaven.
O went on to play for a bit while I sat with the mister, naming everything I could and watching his wonderment. It was pure happiness.
And then, it was time for a potty break.
Genius am I, I purchased the "potette" from One Step Ahead when my little cupcake first started on the potty. I know this may generate some ire, but she actually trained herself almost completely in one weekend...the whole sha-bang-a-bang-a. I am not saying this to brag, and if you think so, I'll be happy to send you the catalog of "challenges" you probably do not have to worry about with your own child. (If you have ever shared a meal with my daughter, you know exactly what I am talking about too).
Anyway, the "potette" is a little collapsable potty that you easily store in your car. When the occasion of need arises, you simply pop it open, place a baggie over it, and the bag catches whatever may come its way. This has been an awesome thing for us to use, especially during those long trips to Virginia when stopping to potty would mean waking the baby.
This little device is also good if, like me, the thought of using a public restroom has you ready to don foul weather gear and toss bottles of Purell into the facilities like grenades before entering. (On a side note, my mother has made it her life's mission to seek out all the acceptable restroom facilities in every state, as well as some areas of England, Italy, and Belgium....when in doubt, find a Nordstrom).
SO here's what happened:
"Mommy, I have to use the potty."
Taking her hand, I usher her and her little brother to the trunk of my SUV where our ritual begins.
The baby goes in first. He is placed in the far corner where two distractions/toys are waiting for him. She hops in after him and I set up the potette and respective baggie.
If it is a very private place, I'll leave the back door aloft, but I once made the mistake of doing that off a less private road and she spent her personal time yelling at cars to slow down.
Since we were practically the only ones there, I left the door open and she went about her business. My first mistake was just tossing the keys wherever. It took my son seconds to retrieve them and languish in a rare moment of unapproved play. Until I was done with her, I had to let him go....but, oh, how I hate germy keys!
After she finished, she stood up to arrange her clothes appropriately while I went to apprehend the hostage keys. Before I could even begin to extend my arm, my little man looked up, smiled, and tossed them....
into the potette.
Forget the germs that were on it, I now had set soaked in urine with no clear means of removal. I had a baby tentatively corned in the, well, corner, and a half-naked damsel naming all the princesses on her big girl panties, and I had one overwhelming feeling of nausea as expectoration slowly crept up my throat.
I had to get them.
Gross. Awful. Repugnance.
In an instant, I pinched them and hurled them into the grass below. With the toxified two fingers aloft in the air, I used my other hand to search for the Sani-wipes in my diaper bag.
And that's when I saw him out of the corner of my eye.
My little one, recognizing a window of opportunity when it presented itself, was headed on all fours for the bubbling bowl of yellow.
Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!
I swoop down with my sterile arm to grab him and prevent certain disgust, and though that mission was quickly accomplished, I also managed to knock the entire contents of the potette onto the floor of my car.
As both children waited in their car seats, slurping away on water, I scrubbed the car with an old towel and the thoughts of Father's Day running through my head.
Out of the Mouths of Babes
While driving past a very well known dining establishment on Egg Harbor Road in Washington Township, NJ, my daughter noticed the iron bars that fence in the outdoor eating area.
She remarked, "Mommy, is that the zoo?"
How could I resist?
I whispered to myself, "Only if you're single."
Guess Who?
This week's installment is pretty obscure, which means your ability to identify this person will not only assert your status as a useless knowledge monger, but also keep you in good company with other pulp addicts (shout out to Chris, Melissa, and Shirley).
Post your best guess in the Comments section.
Quote of the Day
"You know your children are growing up when they stop asking you where they came from and refuse to tell you where they're going." ~P. J. O'Rourke
Picture of the Day
No fun captions today: Just sweet little Julia
Send your favorite pictures to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Mother of All Father's Day Gifts...
Hands down, the perfect gift for any father, from the mother of his children.
Ode to Shirley
As many of you know, famed photographer and friend, Shirley Magilton, spends one day each June (the birth month of both of my children) taking pictures of my little darlings. Three years in, my home is a gallery of redheads.
That being said, I just got the pictures back and, beyond comprehension, they are the best yet. I laughed, I cried, and I got an anxiety attack trying to figure out how I would choose which ones to order. Needless to say, the girl has a talent.
As I mentioned in the past, Shirley is also running a contest through her blog in which readers can nominate someone they think would really love the opportunity to have their loved ones captured through film. The session would be free and a credit will also be applied to the price of pictures. This is not only a wonderful chance to capture this moment in a life, but also a great example of someone choosing to share their talent and generous heart.
If you think you'd like to nominate someone, visit Shirley's blog at:
Entries are due Monday...so put this weekend to good use!
And now, as a reward for Shirley's correct identification of Anna Chlumsky in last week's Guess Who?, a poem:
When we first met,
We were the girlfriends of guys,
Who'd grown up together,
Oh, the ties that bind.
She spoke fluent Spanish,
And harbored a creative spark,
That was wasted on mortgages,
Not yet honing her art.
With the passage of time,
Our meetings were rare,
Weddings and kid parties,
Meant no time to share.
But then came my O,
My oxygen, my air,
And I didn't want to miss moments,
Time's a tease when you suddenly care,
So I tracked down Shirley,
Who I'd heard found her knack,
For creating an art form,
Through the smallest of the pack.
And there it was:
A magician whose wand was a lens,
And I was instantly a devoted customer,
And now, finally, a devoted friend.
***Be on the lookout tomorrow for the next installment of Guess Who?
The Ultimate Father's Day Gift List (Part II)
To continue with our search for the ultimate Father's Day gift, I will begin by saying that it is okay to go with some of the old standards, so long as you attempt to present them with a twist.
The Tie: I cannot think of a more conventional gift for a father, but if you are the parents of small children do not rule this hackneyed choice out all together. Last year my daughter and I started a tradition of Father's Day tie giving, but the tie would only be something she (a then 2 year old picked out). We went to a reasonable store (no way am I letting my little Fashionista loose at Boyd's) and I let her run free through all the ties. As she flipped the ties, spun the circular tie stands, and shouted out the myriad colors, I secretly hoped she'd select the most heinous, egregious, repugnant excuse for men's fashion ever to be conceived just to see her father head into the office with his "gift".
Of course, she picked a conservative navy and gold tie, with a diagonal stripe that was far from horrible.
With hope, this year she's find something that integrates fiberoptic lights.
Cologne/ Soap on a Rope: Again, standard and predictable but not if you incorporate one of those unbelievabel shower heads that mimic falling rain or a car wash. Not only will it upgrade their shower experience, many dads I know would get excited over the challenge of installation.
DVDs: Trust me, no one would love the History Channel's special DVD set that spends 12 days following Hitler's invasion of Poland more than my Dad. But again, DVDs are predicatable. I actually did get my own father the DVD series of Man vs. Wild because it is the most amazing thing I have ever watched on TV in a long time, and I knew he would love all the wacky survival strategies this crazy guy has to offer. But, how can you make it even more creative? Look into his cable programming and see if there are any bonus channels that he may love but would never pay for himself. From sports packages to special science and history channels, you could systematically change his television entertainment for an entire year.
Look For Inspiration:
The following are a list of websites that offer unique gift ideas, along with shipping guaranteed to get it there on time.
Red Envelope: From cuff links and pens made from materials from his favorite ballpark, to a digital brag book that mimics the size of a business card holder, this is one of my favorite resources for gift giving.
The Discovery Channel Store: For that little McGuyver (sp?) in every man, this site has everything from awesome DVD sets and a portable hammock, to personal ATMs and possibly the most awesome gift ever: actual, personally scheduled helicopter and biplane rides through Discovery Channel experiences (really!). Other experiences include shark feeding and swimming, first flight lessons, and "be a paleontologist for a day" (shout out to Ross Gellar).
The potential to be creative is really out there...just try to think outside the tie box.
I'm sorry, that last line was almost as awful as the tie I hope my daughter finds.
***Stay tuned for the epic Father's Day gift (which is really only directed towards the wives of the celebrated fathers).
The Tie: I cannot think of a more conventional gift for a father, but if you are the parents of small children do not rule this hackneyed choice out all together. Last year my daughter and I started a tradition of Father's Day tie giving, but the tie would only be something she (a then 2 year old picked out). We went to a reasonable store (no way am I letting my little Fashionista loose at Boyd's) and I let her run free through all the ties. As she flipped the ties, spun the circular tie stands, and shouted out the myriad colors, I secretly hoped she'd select the most heinous, egregious, repugnant excuse for men's fashion ever to be conceived just to see her father head into the office with his "gift".
Of course, she picked a conservative navy and gold tie, with a diagonal stripe that was far from horrible.
With hope, this year she's find something that integrates fiberoptic lights.
Cologne/ Soap on a Rope: Again, standard and predictable but not if you incorporate one of those unbelievabel shower heads that mimic falling rain or a car wash. Not only will it upgrade their shower experience, many dads I know would get excited over the challenge of installation.
DVDs: Trust me, no one would love the History Channel's special DVD set that spends 12 days following Hitler's invasion of Poland more than my Dad. But again, DVDs are predicatable. I actually did get my own father the DVD series of Man vs. Wild because it is the most amazing thing I have ever watched on TV in a long time, and I knew he would love all the wacky survival strategies this crazy guy has to offer. But, how can you make it even more creative? Look into his cable programming and see if there are any bonus channels that he may love but would never pay for himself. From sports packages to special science and history channels, you could systematically change his television entertainment for an entire year.
Look For Inspiration:
The following are a list of websites that offer unique gift ideas, along with shipping guaranteed to get it there on time.
Red Envelope: From cuff links and pens made from materials from his favorite ballpark, to a digital brag book that mimics the size of a business card holder, this is one of my favorite resources for gift giving.
The Discovery Channel Store: For that little McGuyver (sp?) in every man, this site has everything from awesome DVD sets and a portable hammock, to personal ATMs and possibly the most awesome gift ever: actual, personally scheduled helicopter and biplane rides through Discovery Channel experiences (really!). Other experiences include shark feeding and swimming, first flight lessons, and "be a paleontologist for a day" (shout out to Ross Gellar).
The potential to be creative is really out there...just try to think outside the tie box.
I'm sorry, that last line was almost as awful as the tie I hope my daughter finds.
***Stay tuned for the epic Father's Day gift (which is really only directed towards the wives of the celebrated fathers).
The Ultimate Father's Day Gift List
In celebration of all of the dads, the yearly observation of Father's Day offers up an opportunity to express our love, sing their praises, and refill their supply of Old Spice.
In hopes of ensuring that this year's Father's Day is unlike any other, consider this self-proclaimed list of "The Greatest Father's Day Gifts Ever". I have divided the list into the 3 typical male categories, but if your husband does really fit into any of these "types", know that mac daddy grills, televisions, and promises of uninterrupted dad time are usually safe bets.
And now the list....(PART I)
The High-Tech / Gadget Dad:
In Keeping with the Budget- Swiss Memory USB Army Knife, Portable Satelite Radio (XM for O&A or Baseball; Sirius for NFL and Howard Stern)
Siding with the Splurge- IPhone, Virtual Keyboard, GPS System
MegaGift - The MacBook Air, Ginormous Flat Screen TV (but let him pick it out...that is almost as fun as watching it).
The Sports Fan Father:
In Keeping with the Budget- Wii Sports Games, Rookie Cards of his favorite players, Sports Memorabilia a la eBay, A promise of uninterrupted viewing of one NFL team a week
Siding with the Splurge- Tickets to a game (especially an away one), The MLB Sports Package(for baseball lovers)
MegaGift- Dreamweek, Luxury Box Seats, Can you say Super Bowl?
The Weekend Warrior:
In Keeping with the Budget- Gift card to Home Depot
Siding with the Splurge- Gift Card to Home Depot
MegaGift- Allowing him to work part-time at Home Depot
**Of course, gift cards are always good for techies and sports nuts too. Think Apple or Best Buy, or Dick's or Modell's respectively.
Finally, if you are not excited by any of these gifts, stay tuned for the only guaranteed, wife-of-the-year worthy present.
Lessons in Futility
Spending an hour folding laundry, only to have two, very small and agile people make a game of throwing it all over the family room in the minute I allot myself to use the bathroom.
Picture of the Day
After months of patient waiting, the appearance of the bathing beauty's new teeth meant
biting into watermelon was no longer a thing of her dreams.
Send your favorite kid pictures to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
A Way With Words
Special thanks to the one and only Kristine Wylie for submitting this next interchange. According to her, she was shopping at Babys R' Us when a woman who also had a baby inquired about the age of Kristine's adorable little 6 month old, Logan. When Kristine told her that he was 18 pounds, she gasped and then, unable to conceal her appalled alarm, responded:
Comment: Oh my God! My son will be one this month and he also weighs 18 lbs!
What You Want To Say: Oh, I'm so sorry. But really, please know that his poor eating habits only partially reflect your abilities as a mother. Have you considered cooking classes?
What You Could Say: Really? Is your husband undersized too?
What You Should Say: I know! He is so healthy! And I am sure your little guy will catch up in no time!
*For the record: My "little guy" will be one in two weeks and he is weighing it at an astounding 24 lbs....and I would want him any other way!
Comment: Oh my God! My son will be one this month and he also weighs 18 lbs!
What You Want To Say: Oh, I'm so sorry. But really, please know that his poor eating habits only partially reflect your abilities as a mother. Have you considered cooking classes?
What You Could Say: Really? Is your husband undersized too?
What You Should Say: I know! He is so healthy! And I am sure your little guy will catch up in no time!
*For the record: My "little guy" will be one in two weeks and he is weighing it at an astounding 24 lbs....and I would want him any other way!
A Nightmare
A woman from Troy, NY was visiting her parents in Long Island when she had the horrifying experience of finding her 7 month old daughter sharing her nap with a constricting snake.
A mother in Brentwood checked on her sleeping daughter to find a real-life
urban legend come true: There was a snake in her baby's crib, she said.
Cari Abatemarco, 32, of upstate Troy, was visiting family in Brentwood late last week when she awoke after 1 a.m. Thursday to the sound of her 7-month-old daughter's cries and responded as any mother would. She said she found a live snake coiled around baby Isabella's leg."Once I lifted her up and the snake fell off of her, she stopped crying. But then I was the one crying all night," Abatemarco said.
Abatemarco's uncle Charlie Vecchiarelli eventually pried the hissing
snake from Isabella's crib with a back-scratcher and placed it in a bucket,
according to Joyce Abatemarco, the baby's grandmother. Animal control officers
said they picked it up later Thursday and brought it to the Town of Islip animal
shelter in Bay Shore.Though no one in the home can imagine how the snake got there, there are a few theories.
(1) The grandparents had recently bought the crib for the visit from a local vendor and they remember the box being slightly opened. They hypothesize that the snake may have been living in the mattress.
(2) Animal control officers surmise that, given the horrible heat that has been suffocating the East Coast, everyone (including snakes and other unwelcome visitors) is looking for shade.
OR
(3) Having successfully escaped from the local zoo, the wayward snake found himself longing for the confines of a barred habitat.
Congratulations!
Introducing the newest Friel,
ever so content in her father's arms.
What a proud father...
and what adorable little footprints on his shirt!!
Wishing you all the best!
The Father's Day Gift List:
As I posted yesterday, I am creating the greatest list of Father's Day gifts ever assembled. In the interest of ensuring that this collection of ideas surpasses all others, I am soliciting ideas from fathers who have received, witnessed the receipt of, or want to receive certain gifts.
As much as women think we know what men want (or shoud want), this one is best left to the male persuasion.
Also, if I may be so bold as to throw down the proverbial gauntlet, I have stumbled upon the PERFECT Father's Day gift.
This gift, along with the entire list, will be posted some time tomorrow.
Send your ideas to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
As much as women think we know what men want (or shoud want), this one is best left to the male persuasion.
Also, if I may be so bold as to throw down the proverbial gauntlet, I have stumbled upon the PERFECT Father's Day gift.
This gift, along with the entire list, will be posted some time tomorrow.
Send your ideas to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
Quote of the Day
"God's interest in the human race is nowhere better evinced than in obstetrics." ~Martin H. Fischer
Picture of the Day
Ever the quintessence of grace and beauty,
Princess Reilly even went so far as to allow
the commoners to gaze upon her.
Send your favorite kid pictures to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Gotta Love the South
In keeping with the Bayou flavor that has turned into today's theme, meet Hunter Hayes. Though Hunter was 5 when this was taped, he actually made his first musical debut at the age of 3 when CNN featured him as a performer at the “Le Cajun” Awards in Lafayette, LA. He is now 16, writing and singing his own songs, and on his way to certain stardom. I have to admit how I love the Cajun sound and I now have a serious hankering for some Shrimp Creole.
To learn more about him, visit his website at: www.hunterhayes.com
Father's Day
Based on a certain earlier, humorous debacle involving gift giving, I decided I'd defer the list for the best Father's Day gifts to the people who know best: fathers.
No soap-on-a-rope this year; if you're a dad, send me a description of the best gift you've ever received, heard of someone receiving, or wished you'd receive. The magical list will be posted this Thursday for all to peruse.
Send the gift ideas to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
No soap-on-a-rope this year; if you're a dad, send me a description of the best gift you've ever received, heard of someone receiving, or wished you'd receive. The magical list will be posted this Thursday for all to peruse.
Send the gift ideas to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
Happy Birthday!!!
Happy 1st Birthday to the sweetest little southern belle
who's sure to have some Jersey roots eventually
(at least, if her aunts have anything to say about it).
The Votes Are In...
Last week's poll addressed the challenges of the typical day in the life of a parent. Whether you find yourself overwhelmed with the trials of getting them dressed in the morning, or you grapple with the daily juggle that is laundry, vacuuming, and keeping your home looking like a place someone might like to live in, parenting can be a tough job.
But what is the hardest part?
According to the votes, the resounding majority would rather do without the completely human experience that is the tantrum. Though these bursts of irrational, unreasonable behavior (by the kids, not the parents) vary in length and degree, they are all as frustrating as they are typical. The worst tend to occur in public and involve high volumes of screaming, wild displays of flailing limbs, and a ready audience to enhance the moment. The best reaction is usually no reaction, but that doesn't exactly work when you are standing in line with a cart full of groceries or trying to argue with the cell phone salesman about your current contract.
Coming in second with five votes is the common struggle of trying to keep up with the household chores, while also trying to feed, clean, stimulate, teach, and positively reinforce your charges. For all of this, there is really only one sane solution: the government needs to consider lengthening the hours in a day and we all need to start drinking more caffeine.
Third place goes to my own vote: just getting everyone out the door. Between hair clips, brushing teeth, cleaning up the dishes, and getting the supplies for the day ready, I am breathless by 9 AM. I don't know if my daily stress has to do with my need to be both organized and punctual, or my daughter's delight in making every task a game of tag, but I have yet to master a sure-fire system of departure.
Coming in at a tie for 4th are the trials of diapers and/or potty training and the business of napping. If you are in the process of potty training, it is safe to say you think about little else. Monitoring juice intake, frequency of bathroom visits, and the timing of a trip away from the home are all-consuming and certainly a daily stress. However, if you also have a resistant napper, chances are you spend most of the early afternoon looking for signs of the sleepies, trying to capitalize on that window of time after extreme energy, before they get overtired, and making for damn sure they don't fall asleep in the car.
Finally, a daily difficulty that earned no votes is the nightime routine of going to bed. Though I know some of us struggle with this area as well, we also usually have the help of a second party to share the frustration and (if you are like my house) the reading of 17 books in one sitting.
No one ever said parenting was easy, but it is the hardest, best job we'll ever have.
And on to the next vote.....
But what is the hardest part?
According to the votes, the resounding majority would rather do without the completely human experience that is the tantrum. Though these bursts of irrational, unreasonable behavior (by the kids, not the parents) vary in length and degree, they are all as frustrating as they are typical. The worst tend to occur in public and involve high volumes of screaming, wild displays of flailing limbs, and a ready audience to enhance the moment. The best reaction is usually no reaction, but that doesn't exactly work when you are standing in line with a cart full of groceries or trying to argue with the cell phone salesman about your current contract.
Coming in second with five votes is the common struggle of trying to keep up with the household chores, while also trying to feed, clean, stimulate, teach, and positively reinforce your charges. For all of this, there is really only one sane solution: the government needs to consider lengthening the hours in a day and we all need to start drinking more caffeine.
Third place goes to my own vote: just getting everyone out the door. Between hair clips, brushing teeth, cleaning up the dishes, and getting the supplies for the day ready, I am breathless by 9 AM. I don't know if my daily stress has to do with my need to be both organized and punctual, or my daughter's delight in making every task a game of tag, but I have yet to master a sure-fire system of departure.
Coming in at a tie for 4th are the trials of diapers and/or potty training and the business of napping. If you are in the process of potty training, it is safe to say you think about little else. Monitoring juice intake, frequency of bathroom visits, and the timing of a trip away from the home are all-consuming and certainly a daily stress. However, if you also have a resistant napper, chances are you spend most of the early afternoon looking for signs of the sleepies, trying to capitalize on that window of time after extreme energy, before they get overtired, and making for damn sure they don't fall asleep in the car.
Finally, a daily difficulty that earned no votes is the nightime routine of going to bed. Though I know some of us struggle with this area as well, we also usually have the help of a second party to share the frustration and (if you are like my house) the reading of 17 books in one sitting.
No one ever said parenting was easy, but it is the hardest, best job we'll ever have.
And on to the next vote.....
Celebrity Mommies
Tori Spelling gave birth to her second child, a girl, whom she named "Stella Doreen".
In other news, the annual New Orleans Literary Festival came to a close with the yearly tradition of the "Stella Shouting Contest". Competitors shout "Stella!" three consecutive times a la Tennesse Williams in the hopes of winning the Golden Stella stauette, as well as bowling passes to the New Orlean's famed Rock n' Bowl.
Picture of the Day
After months of careful planning, their great escape had finally come to fruition.
Unfortunately, both apparent fugitives underestimated the perimeter of the doggie door
in relation to a large, wet nose and a robust diaper.
Send your favorite kid pictures: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
Monday, June 9, 2008
A Mother's Story
June 9th is an important day in our family. It’s Adoption Day. What does that mean? Well, for us, it’s a celebration of the day my husband, my son and I sat before a judge as she finalized our adoption process. It’s a reminder of the day we legally became a family. And it’s a day when I take a moment to remember our story.
For us, the decision to adopt was not easy. Like a lot of couples, we’d struggled with infertility and spent months trying to conceive with fertility drugs. But the process was tough; financially, emotionally, even physically, and eventually we decided to stop. It took months for me to grieve the loss of the biological children I would never have. Months to move past the guilt that my body had failed me and months to get past the rage I felt about my situation. But the day came when I realized we could still have the family we’d always wanted. We just had to come up with Plan B.
Plan B turned out to be adoption. After finding an agency we felt comfortable with, we waited 8 long months for a birthmother to select us. And in March 2005, it finally happened. A young, single woman picked us. Over the next few months there were e-mails and awkward phone conversations as we slowly got to know each other. She was just 20 years old, in college and already raising a two year old. And she was quite sure she could not financially or emotionally handle another child. Her family disagreed, but supported her. We all anxiously awaited her due date.
July 19, 2005 was the day our son was born. My memories from that day are a blur of joy, panic, gratitude and heartbreak. I’d developed an incredible respect for my son’s birthmother. Her selfless love for him deeply impressed me and her family’s genuine concern for my husband and I just touched my heart. For 24 hours we were one big happy family, taking turns with the baby, shuffling between hospital rooms and sharing visitors. But then it was time to go our separate ways.
When it was time to say goodbye, I stood in front of this young woman I’d come to admire, not quite sure what to do. We hugged, she looked me in the eyes, and with tears streaming down both our faces, she handed me her baby. I leaned in to take him as she whispered, “take good care of him”, and she turned and walked out. I stood holding my new son, both overjoyed to have him and absolutely devastated that my wish for a child had brought such pain to someone else. It didn’t matter to me that she’d made the decision to put him up for adoption. Watching her walk out of the room was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and one of the bravest things I’ve ever witnessed.
Now that baby boy is about to turn three. He’s a charming and content little boy who knows he’s adopted and, more importantly, knows he’s loved.
As for his biological family, I still send them pictures and updates every few months, as I will for years to come. And I hope one day my son will want to meet the woman who loved him enough to walk away.
I am still amazed how such a heartbreaking start turned into such a beautiful experience. That’s the magic of adoption.
For us, the decision to adopt was not easy. Like a lot of couples, we’d struggled with infertility and spent months trying to conceive with fertility drugs. But the process was tough; financially, emotionally, even physically, and eventually we decided to stop. It took months for me to grieve the loss of the biological children I would never have. Months to move past the guilt that my body had failed me and months to get past the rage I felt about my situation. But the day came when I realized we could still have the family we’d always wanted. We just had to come up with Plan B.
Plan B turned out to be adoption. After finding an agency we felt comfortable with, we waited 8 long months for a birthmother to select us. And in March 2005, it finally happened. A young, single woman picked us. Over the next few months there were e-mails and awkward phone conversations as we slowly got to know each other. She was just 20 years old, in college and already raising a two year old. And she was quite sure she could not financially or emotionally handle another child. Her family disagreed, but supported her. We all anxiously awaited her due date.
July 19, 2005 was the day our son was born. My memories from that day are a blur of joy, panic, gratitude and heartbreak. I’d developed an incredible respect for my son’s birthmother. Her selfless love for him deeply impressed me and her family’s genuine concern for my husband and I just touched my heart. For 24 hours we were one big happy family, taking turns with the baby, shuffling between hospital rooms and sharing visitors. But then it was time to go our separate ways.
When it was time to say goodbye, I stood in front of this young woman I’d come to admire, not quite sure what to do. We hugged, she looked me in the eyes, and with tears streaming down both our faces, she handed me her baby. I leaned in to take him as she whispered, “take good care of him”, and she turned and walked out. I stood holding my new son, both overjoyed to have him and absolutely devastated that my wish for a child had brought such pain to someone else. It didn’t matter to me that she’d made the decision to put him up for adoption. Watching her walk out of the room was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and one of the bravest things I’ve ever witnessed.
Now that baby boy is about to turn three. He’s a charming and content little boy who knows he’s adopted and, more importantly, knows he’s loved.
As for his biological family, I still send them pictures and updates every few months, as I will for years to come. And I hope one day my son will want to meet the woman who loved him enough to walk away.
I am still amazed how such a heartbreaking start turned into such a beautiful experience. That’s the magic of adoption.
Not Too Shabby
The following list of famous people were all adopted.
Babe Ruth
Bo Diddley
Dave Thomas
Robert Weaver
Deborah Harry
Malcolm X
Steve Jobs
Scott Hamilton
Marilyn Monroe
Melissa Gilbert
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Harry Carray
Faith Hill
My favorite Connecticut lawyer
Jamie Foxx
Babe Ruth
Bo Diddley
Dave Thomas
Robert Weaver
Deborah Harry
Malcolm X
Steve Jobs
Scott Hamilton
Marilyn Monroe
Melissa Gilbert
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Harry Carray
Faith Hill
My favorite Connecticut lawyer
Jamie Foxx
Interesting Fact
There are 1.5 million adopted children in the United States, over 2% of all U.S. children.
That sounds like a lot of fortunate families to me.
That sounds like a lot of fortunate families to me.
Celebrity Mommies
It is being reported that actress Jessica Alba had a baby girl this weekend, and she has chosen the name Honor Marie.
Now, I don't know what it is about her, but I am just not a Jessica Alba fan. She seems to come off as condescending and arrogant, always feigning exhaustion over fame and people wanting to take her picture.
But here's the kicker. I actually like the name. I know, I know...I can hear the groans simultaneously coming through my laptop, but I think in an age of Heaven, Pilot, and Banjo, there is something about the meaning of the word and then bestowing it on a girl that strikes me as beautiful.
I used to write for a super high end realtor who works out of Chicago's Gold Coast. She'd have me do copy for her Christie's and Sotheby's brochures as I drooled over homes I'd probably never be able to afford. She is strong, successful, confident, and valued integrity over all other business qualities. She never tells her clients what they want to hear, but rather, what they nee to hear. She has a reputation unparalleled by her peers and her name is Honore.
I really wanted to dislike the name, but I don't. Thoughts?
Another Quote for Today
"I have four children. Two are adopted. I forget which two.”-Bob Constantine
A Very Special Day
One of my closest friends also happens to be an unbelievable mother. I first met her when I stumbled into our very first Music Together class. My daughter was just about 15 months and I was in a panic about being late, finding the right classroom, and trying to keep the clip in her hair that kept slipping out.
As I rushed in with just a minute to spare, I did a quick scan of the classroom to assess my potential position. The room was filled with moms and small children, seated in a circle on a brightly colored mat, headed by an overly enthusiastic teacher and her electro-harp.
My eyes settled on a brunette with an adorable, blue eyed sweetheart who seemed completely secure (if not attached) to his mother's lap.
She looked normal. So I sat next to her that day, and every Wednesday after that.
We slowly made acquaintances as she laughed when I made jokes at the music teacher's deserving expense. Our children also happened to be polar opposites. My little social butterfly was always dancing in the middle while her little man rarely left the comfort of her lap. He was too cute for words, and my girl seemed to adore him too.
When the 10 week session came to a close, the two of us, along with two other fabulous mothers decided to form a playgroup in order to capitilze on our mutual compatibility. This decision led to the first real friendships for our children, and a tremendous bond between us mothers.
Weeks into our playgroups, my friend revealed something that completely shocked me, though I am not sure why.
She told us that Zachary was adopted.
I had no idea. Their bond was so apparent, so conclusive, and so natural. I know that there should not be a way to tell when children have been adopted, but this mother and child seemed so completely connected, I never would have guessed....
And that is exactly the point. From the moment he was born, a mother had found her son and this son never knew anything other than complete, unconditional, maternal love. They were each other's greatest blessing...and Zachary's father, Dave, happened to be blessed too.
The family was complete. Not because of blood, biology, or labor....but because of one simple, perfect miracle.
And today is his adoption day. Zachary's parents decided from the beginning that his adoption will never be a secret that they will someday reveal; it will always be a celebration of their life as a family. And so today, June 8th, marks the celebration of Zachary's adoption day: the day a judge made it official what his parents had already known in their hearts and minds.
And, because she is so completely wonderful, my friend Debbie will provide an account of their experience in her own words later today on this blog.
Happy Adoption Day, little buddy!
You have been chosen by your parents and you are adored by your friends.
*Special thanks, as always, to Shirley Magilton, for capturing him as I first remember him: completely happy in his mother's arms.
Quote of the Day
"Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy's heart instead of her tummy." ~Author Unknown
Picture of the Day
After an intense Freddo workout of abs, chests, and tris, the small wonder decided to cool things down a bit by partaking in a little sprinkler action, much to the delight of all the little ladies in the neighborhood under the age of 12 months.
Send your favorite kid pictures to: dalessandrochristine@gmail.com
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