Where is the time going?

I can't believe July is just around the corner! I am so inctedibly excited for Independance Day. (Those of you who know me know it's my FAVE holiday) I absolutely love getting dressed up and spending the day outdoors celebrating our wonderful nation. I am super patriotic and enjoy passing down my love for the US of A to my beautiful children.
Updates: Emily will be 8 in a few days. (!?!?!) I'm plannig a pretty cool party with a few of her closest friends. We're going to get makeovers, go to the movies and then have a sleepover. Fun, right! :)
Leanna is going to get to try gymnastics this year. I think I'll start her at the Little Gym; Emily started there and had a great experience. My littlest girly-girl is coming into her own and deciding on what she wants to do, outide of big sis's shadow.
Andrew: BIG NEWS!!! No MD!!! Yay! He is still seeing his physical therapist each week and is getting stronger every day. My little man has some serious attitude and some serious snugglies. He's such a funny combination of gruff and fluff. Lol.

The Thomas crew is getting ready for a cross-country flight to celebrate my sister's wedding in July. This shoukd be pretty crazy, considering my Mom isn't going to be flying with me to help. Bless the people sitting close to us. :)

Things are going well for us. I'm busy but confident. I'm running but coasting. I'm crazy but comfortable. I'm happy.

Xoxo
A

Happy May Day!

I've had such a busy weekend. My mom took all 3 babies to Pensacola for our family reunion and I have had enjoyed some quiet time as well as some wild time. :)
Friday night I was cordially invited to a tea party celebrating Prince William and Kate M's nuptuals. It was such a nice party and I really enjoyed getting to know a few ladies with similar interests. Hopefully I'll be able to keep in touch.
I've been fighting some serious funk for a week now, but I pushed through and went to Maverick's Friday night after the tea. One word: Wow! Lol. Tons of fun, but those line dances were FAST! Super nice people, again, though. Another activity to add to my list of cheer-ups.
Saturday I went out to the beach for most of the day. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and I can always use some Vitamin D. :)
Saturday evening my dance studio attended the White Salsa Party at Bolero's Ballroom. Such a fun event. I'm loving Salsa so much and it's nice to dance with so many wonderful dancers.
Cap off the evening with a trip to a friend's house where we caught the end of his roommates graduation bash. Dinner/Breakfast at 3rd Street Diner. (Delish) Home and crashed out in bed.
Now it's Sunday and I am happily spending the day cleaning, relaxing and getting ready for those sweet babies to get home.

Hope you all had as much fun as I did...
Xoxo

My Little Prince

I'm so many things right now. I can't decide between angry, sad, upset, scared, confused... I'm so sad for the things he may never experience. I'm hesitantly hopeful that this is all some big misunderstanding. Mostly I'm numb.

Andrew saw his physical therapist today for the first time and she confirmed what his pediatrician already suspected: muscular dystrophy is a real possibility. So I of course go online (big mistake) and discover that his symptoms ares spot-on with Duschenne's Muscular Dystrophy. The most common, most children need assistance walking by age 10, are wheelchair-bound by 12 and are dead by late teens or early 20's. I want to scream. How can this be happenening? He is my perfect little angel. He is smiles and laughter and a total pain-in-the butt. He throws temper tantrums and licks yogurt off his highchair with no hands. He throws a ball better than most grown men and crawls around the house with his shoes on his hands. He's so perfectly perfect and I can't do anything to "fix" him. He's my BOY, my son.

How do I DO this?

Reflections on the Past Year

I can't believe 2010 is almost over. What an amazing year this has turned out to be. Andrew is 13 months old today!
I want to take a few minutes to remind myself of all the things I've had to be thankful for this year. Hope you enjoy. Some are serious, some are fun, some are thoughtful, but I'm thankful for all.

I'm thankful for my beautiful children. Without them I would fall apart.
I'm thankful for donut holes; letting me sleep an extra 20 minutes every Sat morning.
I'm thankful for baby wipes. They clean up a multitude of spills, drop and splatters.
I'm thankful for great friends.
I'm thankful for movie-night, where no one watches a movie.
I'm thankful for long talks at McAllister's. I heart Tuesdays with Valarie. :)
I'm thankful for Ballroom dancing! Who knew it could be SO MUCH FUN!!!
I'm thankful for the health of my family. This year has had too many scares.
I'm especially thankful for the word "benign". This may be my favorite word of 2010.
I'm thankful for Cara. She is such a blessing. I can't imagine anyone more perfect to be with my best friend and sister.
I'm thankful for baby gates. Without them I would chase Andrew EVERYWHERE!
I'm thankful for my wonderful MOM. She is an amazing Nana and great friend to me.
I'm thankful to Kleenex brand for inventing a tissue that won't rub my nose raw. This year has seen alot of tears.
I'm thankful for Skype. Without it my son wouldn't know his father.
I'm thankful for dress-up clothes. They have given me and Leanna some amazing memories, a lot of laughs, and a few stitches. :/
I'm thankful for dermabond. Making those previously mentioned sticthes a lot less dramatic!
I'm thankful for MJSOD. Emily has a wonderful group of friends and some amazing teachers to help her reach new points in her dancing.
I'm thankful for Marshall's. Where else can you get so much for so little!?!?!
Finally I'm thankful for my extended family. I have a backbone given to me by a long line of strong women. They have taught me that when things get tough I can always, ALWAYS get tougher.

I hope your year has been as amazing as mine. Let's see what 2011 has in store!

A

Stronger

I know my heart will never be the same, but I tell my self I'll be okay.
Even on my weakest days I get a little bit stronger.

I was driving home from work tonight exhausted, frustrated and just feeling kind of crappy when this song same on by Sara Evans. I just love her. Her music always makes me smile. I know that I have a hard road ahead of me but I also know that I can do it.

My legs are burning!

I just got back from a 7 mile bike ride with the boy and my legs/butt are on fire! Aaah! Who would've known Fleming Island could be so full of hills. Ok, so maybe there's only 1 hill... but it's a doozy! Lol.

September is almost over and as usual the Thomas household is in full spin. Emily and Leanna are dancing all week, and on Saturdays they are practising for the Nutcracker. The boy is on the move constantly. He no longer crawls like a Marine; he's up on hands and knees like a rock star! :)

The season is trying it's hardest to change. I can feel a smidge of cool air outside and it's invigorating. With each month that passes I get stronger and more grounded in my new life. There are times when I crave a man; someone to hold and laugh with. I really miss the physical aspects of a relationship. Not sex, but those daily meaningfull touches that I used to take for granted. :/
Other times I'm really happy with my solitude. I enjoy my own company. I am quiet more these days than I ever remember being and it's amazing what you hear when you stop to listen.

Until next time,
A

Catch Up!

Oh my goodness, it's been so long since I've posted anything on here. Where to start, where to start.

My little baby, Andrew, is not so little anymore. He's a huge 8 month old! He pulls himself to standing, eats with his own fingers and best of all: he says "Momma"! :D I love that little guy. He makes me swoon.

Leanna is starting ballet and tap combo class next week and preschool the week after that. She's stretching out and not looking like my little roly poly so much anymore. Her smile is still the one thing in my day I can count on no matter how bad things get, so I'm blessed by that. Pictures soon of her new adventures.

Emily is starting the 2nd grade! Wow! She is getting her own bedroom and now has an ipod and a cell phone. Drama. She is starting dance back up next week and this year she will take ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop. I'm super excited about her hip-hopping. Maybe she can teach me some moves. :)

We are moving at the start of September into a townhouse. The space couldn't come soon enough as we are bursting out of our little apartment. Emily will benefit from having a big girl space of her own, and Leanna will get to be the big sister sharing her room with Andrew.

The newest member of our family is Isabella (Bella) the kitten. She is the cutest and tiniest little thing, ever! The kids all love her, but run screamin when she gets frisky. :)

That's all for now. I'll try to maintain this better from here on out.
Love you all!
Alicia

Running

This has been the busiest 5 weeks, ever!
First there was my trip to Houston, then last week I was in NYC. (!?!?) It was the most amazing experience. I saw ABT perform at the Met. I got to hang out with some really awesome people and spend some nights being a care-free 25 year old. It was so much fun, but I missed my crazy, hectic life. Sunday I was happy to be Mommy again.

This past weekend I learned to Salsa! So, so, so much fun. My feet are absolutely killing me and I have butt muscles hurting that I didn't know existed. It was the best work out ever and I'm proud to report that I've lost 6 lbs this week. : D

I am out of sorts personally right now and I need to find my center. I have been juggling a few projects lately and now it's time to choose and focus on one. I like to give 110% and I've been stretched too thin to do any good latey. Wish me luck that I make the right choice.

Updates soon!
A

6 months old.

Andrew is now a 6 month old. That is huge! I'm so proud of myself, but also a little sad that I am not sharing this milestone with Nigel. Enough sadness, though; onto better updates.

On the tooth front, Andrew is still toothless, and so is Emily! :) She is now missing her two bottom teeth. I love the cheesy grin. Haha.

I'm still on the job search, so if you hear of anything let me know. I am in love with my job at the dance studio. Never before have I been so excited to get up and go to work, but each day brings a new adventure. I know I sometimes whine about the stress level, but really I'm just lying. I thrive under pressure. And what better way to spend my time then in an enviroment that I love with good people and smiling children. : D

Leanna is my biggest achievment recently. She is officially potty trained! *happy dance* We have been in big-girl panties for 3 weeks now and we've gone enough days without an accident to finally break and say we are trained! Now I need to find some wood to knock on.

Bye for now!
Xoxo

Mother's Day

This morning at 6:45 I had my Mother's Day surprise. The girls woke me up with breakfast in bed and cards and presents. This was a real shocker, because they didn't have Dad around to prompt them. It just let me know that they are aware and appreciate the things that I do. It made my heart smile.

Teeth

I have to take Emily to the Dentist.



I just needed to pause for dramatic effect there. My 6 year old is going to freak out. I've scheduled a babysitter so that I can focus entirely on coaxing Emily into the office and then further more into the chair. I picture screaming, clawing, crying and maybe a little teeth gnashing. I hope it is over with and there aren't any permanent scars.
Here's the problem: She has been wiggling her teeth, but only one has fallen out. Now the one that is loosest has a tooth growing in behind it. Yikes!
Wish me luck!

On a similar teeth note, I think Andrew may be getting 2. : D I can see little blisters on the bottom gum and he is drooling like a machine! I don't remember the girls' teeth coming in this soon, but so far everything about my boy has been different. We'll just add this to the list.

Dental appt tomorrow morning at 8am. I've decided to take the sneak approach and not tell her until we are actually in the parking lot.
Fingers crossed we all come out alive........

Summer is Coming!

I can feel it in the air. That suffocating, sticky hot air outside that can only mean one thing: summertime in Florida!
I absolutely love the summer. Lots of people (ie. my sister) can't stand the humidity and heat, but to me it's the best time of year. When else can you sit outside with a popsicle that you have to slurp off your fingers as it melts faster than you can lick it? The smell of suntan lotion on little sticky baby bodies and laughter as they run through the sprinklers.
My kids and I are true beach bums. We spend most evry day in our swimsuits, and get up early to beat the crowds to the ocean. I love to pack sandwiches and lemonade and fresh watermelon. It brings back a feeling of nostaglia to my childhood growing up. Except I always remember cheese balls. :) I want to teach my children to watch and wait as homemade ice cream churns in a bucket, and smell the salt coming off the ice. I want them to drop paper plates because they buckle under the weight of burgers, mac and cheese and potato salad. Then I want them to chase the ice cream truck through the neighborhood to get a gumball at the bottom of their cone.

If you're looking for the Thomas clan for the next 4 months you'll know where to find us: beach, pool, lake or sprinklers. Bring your towel and join us!

Little Monsters

Things 1, 2 & 3; otherwise known as Emily, Leanna and Andrew have descended upon this Friday like 3 bats out of hell. As I write Andrew is staring at me from his jumper in the door way. He shifts between jumping happily, licking his seat and growling at me to be picked up. Emily and Leanna have been locked in their bedroom as a punishment. The crime: Emily wouldn't help Leanna onto the swing and Leanna hit her because of it. The punishment: You must play together, in your room with no television. Only a box of Barbies between them. If Leanna needs help, Emily must help her. Emily is not to get frustrated when she can't do it "just right", and Leanna is not to scream when Emily tries to show her how to do something.
Am I crazy for wanting my daughters to have a little less animosity toward each other? Emily groans anytime she has to include Leanna in a game, and Leanna screams anytime Emily steps too close to her space. I know they are capable of playing really well together, but maybe the close proximity of sharing a room is starting to wear on them. I know it's beginning to wear on me. It would be so nice to have an area where each could go and have private time. Emily really needs more privacy as she is getting older and more embaressed by her sister seeing her change. Also, she deserves to stay up a little later than the 3 year old. At the same time, Leanna is very territorial over her things. She will very intricately lay out a scene with her animals, each in their own bed or crate. She will feed each in turn and seperate those who don't play well together. When Emily comes in and disrupts the balance there are usually blows thrown. I'm very close to giving up my own space, moving Andrew in with me, and letting the girls each have a bedroom. Am I insane?

Meanwhile my darling little Andy-Pandy is going to be the death of me. He really is the sweetest little boy. I swear. That being said I will hurt him very soon unless he learns to sleep past 5:45am. 3 mornings in a row he starts crying before the sun comes up. I walk into his bedroom and peek over his crib and he gets this big doopey grin and grabs his toes. Like, "Hey Mom!" I need to make him understand how much more pleasant I am when I've had a full eight hours of sleep. Of course, I could go to bed at 7:45 when I get the kids to sleep. That would fix all my problems...

I'm trying to figure out how to upload some pictures to this so that you may all see Things 1, 2 and 3. Wish me luck!

-A

Just Dance

I woke up this morning feeling a little down. I'm not really sure what in general made my morning tough, but I just felt like I had a cloud hanging over my head.
First things first I had to get breakfast for the kids and Emily off to school. What would mornings be without an argument over clothes. I honestly dread the teenage years with my over dramatic Emily. She is only 6 and already in full meltdown mode over my trying to ruin her life and make her the eternal dweeb when I choose an outfit that isn't "in". I contemplate going to the gym, but shrug that off and step into my flip-flops. Out the door right on time we join the masses moving through the parent drop-off lane.
Fast forward 30 minutes and we are finally walking up the stairs to our apartment. I feel so tired and run down and the clock reads 8:45am. Enough of this, I need to DO something. I put on some feel good tunes and crank up the volume and let the music move me. Leanna laughs a little, but Andrew is staring at me like I'm crazy. Oh well, go with it. Maybe I am a little crazy. I spin him around with me moving my hips to the beat and soon we are all having a blast. This is just what I needed; my children's laughter fills my home and all is good with the world.

A while later the house is quiet and I have time to think about my life and the choices I'm making. I feel so much pressure to make every decision just right. I want my kids to look back on their childhood and to remember it as a wonderful, perfect experience. Then I think, hey, cut yourself some slack. No one in the history of humans has had a picture perfect childhood. Trials and tribulations are part of life. Yes they are a sucky part of life, but a significant part just the same. A more realistic goal to set for myself is to aim for happiness. If they think back and remember happiness and love I will have done a good job.

Now it's the end of the day and I'm feeling so much different then I did this morning. There are still dishes in my sink and laundry to be folded. I still have too many bills and too little money. On the other hand I have 3 little angels that love me unconditionally; flaws and all. I have an amazing family and fabulous friends. What more could a girl ask for?

Turn your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. - Helen Keller

Xoxo

Welcome to My World

Alot has been changing around the Thomas household recently. After many hours of soul searching, and even more hours of second-guessing, tears and hair-pulling I have decided to continue on as a single parent. Hence the name of this blog: Survival of the Fittest. As of yet I think I am winning, but the tables could turn at any moment and the children could take over. If they ever realize how scared I truly am they will rise and conquer. Fingers crossed I can maintain my look of complete control. You know what they say; thinking positive is half the battle. But what do "they" know? I'm the one up to my eyeballs in diapers, potty-training and ballet rehearsals! Send help! Fast!

Back to the trenches,
Alicia