Celine Dion in Raleigh

I learned Celine Dion would be coming to Raleigh for one night only back in April of last year - and how lucky was it that it happened on my birthday!! 

Girl's Night Out!!

Our tickets were Club Level - with a straight-on view of the stage!

She was AMAZING! She hit every note and was just this amazing presence who captured your attention with every song!

Five different costume changes - ALL SHIMMERY and glittery! It felt like we were watching her in Vegas!

Very last encore song - "My Heart Will Go On" (aka the Titanic song). She looked radiant!

Last time I saw Celine Dion was September 1998 with my Mom and Dad at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill. Thought about her that night for sure - she would have loved to see her again.

Two years time

It's been said that we hurt the ones we love the most, and our mother-daughter relationship was no exception. Our relationship was complicated - perhaps because we were more alike than I wanted to believe.

It's amazing the little stories and memories that pop in my head these days. Many now that Brock is getting older. What did my mother do with me at this age? What would my mother do now? How did my mother handle all of this??

And there were three of us!!

Circa August 1991

Oh how'd I love some advice from her on my two.

Beautiful handwriting even at fourteen years old!

I miss my mother and all her caring advice. I miss her wonky two letter texts. I miss her blunt opinions on what my children are eating. I miss her phone calls just because. I miss her giving me updates on our Connecticut family. I miss messages about what crazy thing Mia ate that day. I miss scrambling with her to check in to a stand-by flight on American Airlines. I miss our bickering. I miss all of it because she was my mother and that was our relationship.

It was hard sometimes for me to show you how much I loved you and I wish I did a better job. I'm sure we can all say there are things we could have done better. I'm trying now. One of the last texts I received from her:

You did all you could. You were very helpful to me. You could do only so much with your busy family. I understand. And I'm the only one that matters

Two years is entirely too long without you. I love you and miss you Mom.

Kade's Mini Ear Surgery

One day (while Brent was away in Seattle), Kade's school called me to come pick him up as he was running a fever of 102! He was complaining that his ear and head hurt him, so doctor's appointment made. The pediatrician diagnosed him with an impacted earwax with possible ear infection (as they couldn't see behind it) and referred us to a specialist. 

I promptly called my ENT doctor and got him in that afternoon. Both doctors tried methods in their office, but to hold a 4 year old still enough to try to remove the wax buildup was impossible. 

Surgery scheduled for Wednesday, January 29th - first appointment of the morning!  

He did so well! He was put to sleep with a little sleeping gas - the nurse had him practicing with the balloon beforehand - told him there was a girl last week that *almost* popped it and he'd get a prize if he was able to do it!

The doctor told me it was very impacted and it was the right thing to do to get it all out via surgery. Poor Kade probably hasn't been able to hear anything out of that ear for some time now.

He woke up beautifully (per the nurse) and was immediately treated to a cherry popsicle (yup at 8 o'clock in the morning!!) He especially loved the ride on the bed by the nurses and the ride on the wheelchair back to the car!

Sweet Kade asked me if he popped the balloon when he got in the Highlander.

Brent was home waiting with Kade's favorite for breakfast - Bojangles biscuits and french fries!!

After a mellow day home watching Disney+ with Brent, he was back to his old self and ready to return to school the following day!!

Brock's Lego Birthday Party

Brock's birthday party was held on Saturday, January 25th at the Halle Cultural Center in downtown Apex. Lego themed for my Lego-crazed seven year old!!

I didn't get a photo of Brock doing it, so Kade will have to suffice. This plate spinner was made with a battery-operated Lego contraption!

Brock hanging out with his friends

 Yup, an all boy party!

The boys broke into teams of two to follow the instructions on the battery-operated race car!

As the children completed their cars, they took them down to the carpet for a little spin!

Finally, we raced!!

The boys played more games - like Hot Potato (with a blue duplo!) and pin the mustache on Emmett (from the Lego movie).

Time to eat some cake!! No singing - too much attention for my big guy - just eat the cake and be happy! :) 

 Apparently though, he's okay with the attention given on opening presents.

Super fun whirlwind of a party, but I think a success. He has some really nice friends that really care about him. He was sitting at the one table all alone (because there's something as too much birthday), and all his friends picked up their cake plates and went to go sit with him. I thought that was the sweetest thing. He's already on the count-down to the next birthday! Ha!

Happy 7th Birthday Brock!

Brock's birthday week began with a brand new headboard! Pretty cool custom find from Craig's List!

Monday, or Birthday Eve, poor Brock suffered a major fall from the top of our hardwood stairs. He landed JUST right on just about the same spot above his eye that he hit his dresser almost two years ago. When he finally was able to catch his breath after the fall and told me he couldn't see, I packed everyone up and ran out to Urgent Care to get him checked. It also had to happen the week Brent was working in Seattle!

He woke up the next morning to a very nice scrape, golf-ball size welt on his eyebrow, and PURPLE eyelid he could hardly open - Happy Birthday Brock! At least he was in good spirits!!

Still rocking the medical bracelet!

 All smiles on his birthday after school too!

Brock needed to take it easy after school that day, so out came the video game console. What a treat!

 A brand new bathing-suit from Mommy & Daddy!

More cards and gifts from Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents! One well-loved boy!

Carvel ice cream cake surrounded by the German birthday train from Aunt Katherin.

 .....I think our Carvel ice cream cake had melted at one point..... :(

What a fun birthday week!

Happy Birthday to our amazing 7 year old! 51 inches, 79 pounds - you're a big guy with a sensitive heart. I love how you are always thinking of your brother (After winter break journal entry - wrote that his favorite thing to do was play with his brother). You are doing amazing with your swimming - earning a spot on the Bronze swim team at Lifetime (after only 5 months on the Developmental team). Your reading has come a long way as your confidence builds! You amaze us with your number memory and math skills. Ask Brock how many pieces any Lego set has (or how much it costs) and he'll be your guy! You are doing a great job with so many things and I love watching you learn more! Happy Birthday Brock!

Not bad penmanship for a leftie!! ;)