The Details

There is so much I want to remember about our life right this moment.

I want to remember how much Katy loves all things pink and princess.

I want to remember her sense of humor. The girl gets sarcasm at 3 years old.

I want to remember what Patrick's kisses are like, wet and slobbery and oh, so sweet!

I want to remember his side eye face, and the way he sizes up strangers and once he is comfortable he gives them his shy smile.

I want to remember how much Patrick loves helping his daddy with EVERYTHING. Cooking cleaning, fixing, yard work!

I want to remember Mike being such an amazing husband and father. Always doing that little extra to make our days great. Going to the grocery store at 7AM on St. Patrick's Day because I forgot Lucky Charms.

I want to remember the sacrifices I have made going to school nearly every Saturday to finally finish my degree, and the support from Mike, K & P and my parents. I COULDN'T and probably wouldn't of done it without them.

I want to remember the way that Patrick adores his Papa... I love watching my dad with my kids.

I want to remember my mom and Tracy always helping out cleaning and watching Patrick during our long days at Children's with Katy.

I want to remember how Kate sleeps with her hands placed perfecting under her face...s sweet.

I want to remember how kind and caring Patrick and Katy are to each other.

I want to remember when Katy declares herself as Kathryn today and NOT Katy Girl.

I want to remember Patrick's LAUGH my gosh he still has the same belly laugh he had at 6 months old.

I want to remember how a hug from Mike at the end of a long bad day, can rejuvenate me, and remind me to keep on plugging.

I want to remember my living room resembling a tornado at Toys R Us

I want to remember painting Katy's toes because she wants them to look "Just like Mommy's"

I want to remember snuggling kids in my bed, some time's slipping into their room and bringing them back to my room just because I want to snuggle them.

I want to remember Mike encouraging me to that.

I want to remember that no matter how hard I try and how many people buy Katy American Girl Dolls... she just will not budge.

I want to remember Katy singing the McDonald's Hamburger tween your toes song... makes me laugh and and every time.

I want to remember how much Katy loves TARGET and proclaims it as her favorite store. (I wonder if it will still be her favorite store when she is 13)

I want to remember the days when we are dashing off to birthdays and play dates as much as the days we spend in our jammies.

I want to remember Katy singing FIRE like it's her job.

I want to remember sitting on the couch reading the same stories.

I want to remember how creative Katy and Patrick are making boats out of laundry baskets and their elaborate tales.

I want to remember how trying this chapter of our life is as we wait for Katy's heart.

I want to remember how we got through this and remember that we can survive anything.

I want to remember the details.

Dreams do come true…

Sometimes I get so caught up in the… what should have been.

The this wasn’t my plan.

That I forget, that right now in this very moment I am LIVING the Dream!

The exact dream…

I am married to a wonderful man. A man that loves me unconditionally, and still treats me like the princess I was so many years ago.

I am a mom, to two beautiful kids. That brighten even my darkest days. Seriously… they are AWESOME! My dream was always to be a mom. I am thankful each and every day that my dream came true. ( I still remember the years we struggled to have a family, and I thought that my most important dream wouldn’t come true, and then I was happily blessed with a sweet baby girl, and the most wonderful little boy…Dreams do come true.)

I dreamed since I was maybe 8 years old that I would have a little “girly” girl who loves dressing up, having her hair done, and GASP! Playing with mommy’s make up!! (As you can see from the photo’s above… that dream came true)

Embracing this life…

How could I not…

The only thing better than beach pictures are….

Snow Pictures!

Boy, did we get hammered with some snow this week! Which is fine by me.  I think if we are going to have to suffer through the bitter cold, we should at least have some snow to enjoy.

Even daddy had some fun in the snow!

Did you embrace the snow?

New Years Resolutions

Do you make them?! I always have and they have always included big, long overwhelming lists of how I was going to change myself into something I am never going to be.  Skinny, more organized, neat, perfect wife and mother.  I am sure lots of people make the same kind of resolutions and if you ask them by March how they are doing on those resolutions, they can’t even remember making them. 

I know a lot of people who have just decided to give up the tradition of making resolutions.  For me, I like traditions, I like to follow the trend, I like to celebrate.  For instance… we have heart pancakes on Valentine’s Day, Green Milk in March, Dye Easter Eggs… no one eats, Love on mom in May complete with breakfast (or at least coffee in bed) followed by a day loving on me! June…Tell/Show Daddy what a Rock Star he is to our family, July, Fireworks and seafood at Browns, August lots and lots of beach days and cold lemonade, September, New Shoes, and new school  home office supplies, soon to be school supplies. October, Pumpkin Picking and Trick Or Treating. November… Stuffing and reminding everyone what we are thankful for.  December…. baking cookies, singing Christmas Carols, CHRISMAS CARDS! and of course January …New Years Resolutions.

So for me my New Year’s Resolution is to:

sim·pli·fy

verb \ˈsim-plə-ˌfī\

sim·pli·fiedsim·pli·fy·ing

Definition of SIMPLIFY

transitive verb

: to make simple or simpler: as a : to reduce to basic essentials b : to diminish in scope or complexity : streamline <was urged to simplify management procedures> c : to make more intelligible : clarify

This life is precious, my days are busy and I have a lot I want to accomplish.  My goal this year is to prioritize and take time to enjoy my husband, Kathryn and Patrick. 

I want our home to be neat and tidy and comfortable…. we deserve it.  Our home should be our haven not our shrine of things.

Meals should be easy and healthy so that we eat more of them at home.

There are many ways I can simplify.  I am looking forward to this clean slate that for some reason the New Year just pops in my lap.

2010 in Review

Oh, 2010 I am so happy to pack you up and KICK you out the door!

2010 wasn’t all horrible, it actually had some pretty awesome moments. I grew as a person, wife, mother, friend and daughter. I was challenged and faced with obstacles I NEVER thought I would face. I rewrote my hopes and dreams. I prioritized what was really important, and what was not. I learned that I am a fighter and I can and will do whatever it takes. I learned to rely on others and accept help. My faith in humanity was renewed. I learned who my true friends are and those who were not. ( I need another word for learned)

I met some amazing people, some of who I never physically met, but who have prayed for us and got me through some dark times. I reconnected with some family, that have proven to be a huge source of comfort and support. I loved my family more than I thought was humanly possible. I stopped to soak in the moment…be it bath time, story time, dinner, or late night cuddles with my husband. I ‘ve learned that sometimes I just need a day to cry and be off, and that its OK for those days to happen, but not to let them consume me.

So really I have a love/hate relationship with 2010. I think 2011 is going to prove to be just as trying, in a whole new way. Regardless, 2010 has given me the knowledge and strength to take whatever 2011 has in store.

January

Patrick turned one!

February

We took Katy to Disney on Ice on Valentine’s Day

Mike and I celebrated 8 years of marriage

March

Katy started drop off play group with early intervention

We visited our cousins in NH for St. Patrick’s Day

Patrick had his 1st hair cut

April

Katy fell at the playground and ended up with 1 staple in her head.

May

We celebrated Logan’s Birthday Party

Another wonderful Mother’s Day

Mike surprised me with a trip to visit my Auntie Cheryl

Patrick and I headed to North Carolina

Lots of Bbq’s for Memorial Day

June

6/1/10 Our world was rocked to it’s core. Kathryn has a Cardiac Cath and MRI on the 1st and the results showed that her special heart was failing and her care was passed on to the Transplant team at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Mike celebrated his 52nd birthday with family and lobsters!

Katy fell and needed stitches.

July

Patrick said Katy!!!

Katy had an NG Feeding Tube placed

Katy was listed for a heart, status 1b on the 29th of July

August

Keys for Katy benefit at The Shannon Door was a great success! Still so very Thankful!

Make A Wish came out to grant Katy’s wish to go to Disney!

Back to NH to visit with Cousins and celebrate our newest cousin Nia’s Christening.

We celebrated Sierra’s 1st Birthday

Katy had G Tube Surgery

Patrick fell and ended up needing 5 staples in his head.

1 month on transplant list

September

Katy’s story is airing on local radio stations and in many newspapers

Amiee celebrated her 30th BIRTHDAY

Katy’s Make A Wish trip to Walt Disney Word

2 months on transplant list

October

WBZ 4 did a story on Katy

Our cousins hosted another benefit for Kate! Great to have so much support and love!

Katy gets G Tube infection

We lost one of our favorite aunties! RIP Auntie Cheryl

Katy and Patrick were Mickey and Minnie for Halloween!

3 months on transplant list

November

Quite month

Thanksgiving celebrated with family and friends!

4 months on transplant list

December

Katy had G tube surgery again… peg to Mic Key NO ADDMISSION

Katy turned 3 and had just as many birthday celebrations!

Katy’s tube infected AGAIN!

Christmas was AWESOME!

Blizzard of 2010 was spent at Auntie Krissie’s complete with sleepover!

Disney Princess’ on Ice

5 months on transplant list.

Our year in photos:

Customize your own free digital slideshow

From our family to yours I hope that the new year makes all your dreams come true ( or a few anyway)

Much Love,

Amiee, Mike, Katy & Patrick

What we do when we are not at Children’s…

I know a lot of my updates are in regards to Katy’s special heart and our days at Children’s, for obvious reasons. But, when we aren’t at Children’s we do things like:

We hang at the beach…

We jump off of rocks into the Saco River:

We relax and enjoy the sunshine:

We snuggle late at night…

We hang poolside… well past our afternoon nap time!…

We eat cupcakes…Chocolate cupcakes with LOTS of frosting!…

We play at the park…

and sometimes we pout, when we don’t get our own way…

But through it all we are loving each and every minute of our lives!!! Making good days the BEST days and trying to keep our bad days, in check.