Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more commonplace than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. –Calvin Coolidge
He has a big heart. He sings to his sister and can’t give her enough kisses. He kisses my head when I casually complain of a headache to my hubby. He promises he will call me each day when he is away at college, then he asks me what college is. He is the first to ask why someone is sad and he always asks me what is wrong when I don’t have on “my happy face.”
Last week we loaded up the car and headed for New York City with the sole mission of taking baby Madelyn to see vascular specialist Dr. Milton Waner for her hemangioma–a type of vascular birthmark–on her arm.
To add to the difficulty…I mean fun, we decided to take the kiddos to see a few of the sites while we were there. We started in Times Square and craned our necks upwards as we pointed out all the skyscrapers to my little guy. He kept asking, “Are these real skyscrapers?” We assured him that were.
Just a little tip–a carrier is a much better option than a stroller in New York. Plus, it is oh-so snuggly. Next we ventured to the Empire State Building. The wait was excruciating, but nothing some Dum Dum suckers, Nemo fruit snacks and a juice box couldn’t cure. The view from the top was worth it.
I just love the little boy posing next to me in the picture.
On Day Two we headed off to visit Dr. Waner. Baby girl was a candidate for laser surgery, so the office arranged for us to get in the next day. Hemangiomas grow fast, so time is of the essence. We snapped a quick pic of Dr. Waner with Madelyn. (The picture of my guy with Dr. Waner on the day of his surgery is up on the Vascular Birthmark Institute’s website).
Miss Madelyn did great and both kids were so worn out from our days-o-fun that they slept the whole way home. Whew!
We’re about a week out of surgery and my hubby and I both think it looks like the hemangioma is still growing. Boo. We will watch it for two more weeks, then consult with Dr. Waner about the need for another surgery. Hopefully it will start fading this week. Send good thoughts our way!
I’d rather be a mother than anyone on earth
Bring up a child or two of unpretentious birth…
I’d rather tuck a little child all safe and sound in bed
Than twine a chain or diamonds about my [carefree] head.
I’d rather wash a smudgy face with round, bright baby eyes
Than paint the pageantry of fame or walk among the wise.
– Meredith Gray, from The Beauty of Motherhood
Let us, then, be up and doing
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
I didn’t intend to let this little blog languish for almost a whole month, but, well…things got busy around here! We have been “up and doing,” which has taken every ounce of energy I can muster.
I had (somewhat) perfected the art of juggling a toddler, a freelance career and a household. Adding baby girl into the mix has meant I needed to adjust my stance and find my footing again. It is important to know how many balls you can juggle at once and which ones you can sit down from time to time. The blog is one I had to sit down. Now that I’m finding my stride, I’m ready to pick it back up again.
Regular posts will resume again next week. I have lots of ideas and can’t wait to share a few stories. Thanks for reading!
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal." –Henry Ford
In addition to adoring my newborn baby girl, there are several things I am loving this week. Here are just a few:
All the spoiling my little guy received from his grandma. Tic Tacs, new toys and some extra love have helped ease the pain of sharing his mama’s time.
Hearing my guy sing to his sister.
Feeling like this is the exact place in my life that I am supposed to be right now and savoring the moments–even when both kids are crying.
The Vascular Birthmark Institute in New York and Dr. Milton Waner. Dr. Waner gave us answers and comfort when we treated my little guy’s hemangioma three years ago and we are turning to him again now that baby girl has one too. If you want to learn about a truly amazing person, watch the segment on Dr. Waner on MSNBC’s documentary Changing Face:
Baby girl’s new tutu courtesy of her Uncle Duane and Aunt Maria.
I also loved getting to spend some time with my big brother and I am grateful he didn’t share any "big brother horror stories" with my little guy.
My mini Kenney Chesney and the happiness bubbles can bring.
Each year my hubby takes part in the Bike MS: Beyond the Beltway bike ride. This year, there is a good change (fingers crossed) that we will have a newborn by the time the ride arrives, so Bryan may not actually ride. However, he still has fundraising responsibilities. I checked in on his progress today and realized he has yet to secure any funds. So, I thought I’d help him spread the word. It is such a great cause! If you’d like to donate, you can make a contribution online here.
"You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there." — Yogi Berra
