It's That Good.

I saw it twice...

Foo.

Last week Matt, Sarah, George and I went to see the Foo Fighters. One of the finest bands to walk to Earth. It was an amazing concert and as Sarah said in her blog post , it was awesome!! They completely rocked out and Dave Grohl was nothing short of a sexy.
I came to the sudden realization that I have a major thing for rocker guys. The hair the tattoos...when I told my best friend this, she said, "Really? You just realized this?". I guess it has been a lifelong admiration.
If anyone is interested in taking me, Daughtry will be at the State Fair this month. I have been banned from concerts apparently but if someone were to take me... ;)

Kathy Griffin.

I made the mistake of attempting to surprise my husband for our anniversary this year and I got tickets for Kathy Griffin in Toronto for Aug. 8th. I should know better that our lives are not planned for surprises. We can't go. Matt cannot get the time off so we are looking to sell the tickets. If anyone is interested, please let me know. I'm not going to let the tickets go to waste. Either email me or comment on the blog. She is really funny!!!

One Wedding.

One of the weddings we have gone to was Matt's friend Katie's wedding. It was nice because we didn't have to manage children. We always have so much fun at his friends' wedding. I adore Katie! ADORE HER!! It's so nice that his friends are so wonderful and seriously hysterical!

Back Again.

It has been a full 4 months since I last blogged. A busy summer and now that all the weddings and stuff are over I am looking forward to not feeling obligated to do things. I adore summer. It truly is my favorite season. I could live in summer all year round. I would not miss winter. At all. Not not one moment.
Anyway, so far we had three weddings, a third birthday and a 5 anniversary. I wil be posting :)

This is George.

This is George. George is Sarah's boyfriend. George is one of my newest favorite people but George decided he was going to give a birthday present. George made me a black armband with a picture of Heath Ledger on it. George isn't funny. George is a butt-head. I still adore George though.

32.

Someone told me the other day that they wish they were 21 again. I thought about that. 21. I was in college and drunk most of the time. I had no idea who I was nor where I was going. I thought I was smart and thought I knew who I was. I thought I knew what I wanted in a partner but realized I had no idea. There is no way I want to be 21...I love being 32.
32 has brought me two of the most amazing little souls I have ever met in Brenna and Ella. It has brought me a life partner whom I adore and who equally adores me. It has brought me a loyal and loving family and an extended family who I cherish with all my heart.
It has brought me intelligence, passion, determination, love, peace, direction, comfort and confidence. I like 32. I recommend it.

Philadelphia Freedon.

I had a great trip to Philly this past weekend. I had a great trip home. After 16 years it is still home. Matt has told me that he likes that I am "from somewhere". So do I. I love that I have history and memories in this place that I am from. A place where I feel instantly comfortable and familiar, where the food is amazing and the people talk like I think people should talk and I don't have to explain weird sayings...
I loved being home. I went to see Bon Jovi with my best and oldest friend Nikki. One of the most beautiful people I know (seriously, look at her!) ...hence our 24 year friendship. 24 YEARS. Crazy. I adore her so much and I adore her family. Her daughter is a beauty ...so precious. And she has another one on the way.
So there we were at Bon Jovi (no leather pants but he was still breath-taking!). And as he sang lyrics like, "I love this town" and "Feels like summertime"...I understood.
There is a familiar feeling to that place. I adore going home and I too love that I am from somewhere.

Free Funnies.

These episodes are pretty funny...I love Jenny McCarthy and Leah Remini so it is right up my alley...enjoy :)

http://inthemotherhood.msn.com/Default.aspx

Moms Get Sick?

Yes, Moms get sick. As I have posted about before, it's not easy. I recently came down with pneumonia! Of all things! So I have been trying to take it easy and thanks to our families, I have been able to do just that.
Ella is very aware of my wellness or lack there of and frequently asks me if I am okay. Yesterday I had a fit of coughing and she asked, "Mama, you okay?". I said yes. She said, "You need applesauce medicine" and proceeded go into the kitchen open the fridge and say, "I got the applesauce, you get the spoon, I can't reach". So she fed me a teaspoon of applesauce. She may be the cutest child to ever walk the face of the Earth.

Newer Year.

Some thoughts that I am taking away from this past year...

* As with past years I don't make resolutions. I believe that life is ever evolving and I try to move with the ever changing flow which means making changes along the way. Why wait for a 'new year' to make improvements, changes etc.

* I am becoming more comfortable in my mom role. For so long I didn't want to have children. I pictured myself traveling around the world doing something free and hippy like but with the salary of a social worker, it ain't happening people. It feels good to settle down and know that I have blessed with the opportunity to raise two healthy, intelligent, graceful little girls.

* I realized even more so how much I rely and appreciate my family. I adore my immediate family, my mom, dad and brother and I adore my in-law family. With our family growing in the coming year, with Jay getting married, I am excited to extend this even further. I always appreciate the help and support our families provide us.

* Stress can motivate me to make change. It took me 3 months to find peace away from the pace of work. As I am returning on Monday, I am going back with a new outlook and, more importantly, my priorities in order.

* My body likes to exercise and I hope to master the Nordictrac we are inheriting from my parents...if nothing else, it will amusing. Having little/no control over how I felt from day to day for 9 months helped me to realize that I can control some pieces.

* It is incredibly healthy to separate myself from those people who thrive in drama.

* Most important...DO NOT put your social security number on forms in which it is not necessary. I had someone use my social security at work, a fellow employee...well, former employee, to steal thousands of dollars from our employeer. Also from this I was reminded of how the universe provides natural consequence to people who need it and it does not matter how much hate we harbor for some...things will work out.

* I LOVE MY HUSBAND! He has been such a rock to me through this new phase in our lives. He is such a sweet, strong person who works a lot to take care of his family when he would much rather be home.

* And finally - I like General Hospital. Yes, that's right, there it is...I like watching General Hospital.

Happy New Year everyone. Here's to a year full of health, spiritual growth and love

Oldie.

My bro and I when we were wee little ones.

I Love Us.

Do The Hustle.

So yesterday Matt called me and instructed me to take the 3rd and 4th off of March. Excitedly I asked why, even though I had an idea, soooo...he bought tickets for me and my best friend, Nikki, to see Bon Jovi in Philly. OK. Not a big deal to some but I nearly fainted! This will be my third date with Jon (Bon Jovi that is) and it is always a great concert. (I love concerts!)...
Anyway, it got me thinking last night about how fun it was going to be to go with my oldest and best friend. This is not to take away from my past experiences with my mama, which rocked! But this was going to be fun.
So here's Nikki. We have been best friends since 2nd grade! Yes, that's 23 years of tried and true friendship. We have been through break ups, first loves, major losses, me moving to NY, picking out wedding dresses, pregnancy tests, births and parenting and a million other things that I can't mention. Last March when I was down home staying with her and her family, I had a suspicion I was pregnant and in the middle of major snow storm she bought me a test and I found out I was pregnant with Brenna. What a great experience to share with someone...especially her. I adore her.
It is rare to have such a friend. It is a blessing. We often make jokes about how we live parallel lives. We find that so often, we experience similar things in our lives but live a state away.
To have such a friend means picking up where you left off. When I got off the plane last March and was standing outside of the Philadelphia airport (feeling home) it was as if I never left. When she pulled up to pick me up we just picked right up since the last time we had seen each other. No awkward beginning phase of small talk just head first into our lives. That is friendship. I love her.

A Small Request.

My mom forwarded this to me and I think it's cute...Enjoy Moms!

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children
on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor and sold
sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on
the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over
several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red
crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and
who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple,
which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze,
but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle
in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint
resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television
that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a
refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can
hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes,
Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't
fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the
use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the
living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice
seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be
heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough
time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the
luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being
served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten
the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a
vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if
you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding
payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my son saw my feet
under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a
safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in
and dry off so you don't catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave
crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always,

MOM...

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my
children young enough to believe in Santa.

Finding Normalcy.

To say that our lives have been crazy is an understatement! It is amazing how one's routine can become so important to them. Specifically to me. Our lives were so scheduled prior to Brenna's arrival and I don't think I really appreciated it for what it was until now. Of course that is to be expected when a little one comes along.
Brenna is getting better in terms of sleeping through the night. Last night I feel asleep on the couch with her on my chest and we stayed there for about 6 hours! She would have lasted longer but I figured she needed to eat, plus my arm was in pain! She is getting bigger and gaining a lot of weight...she has gained 2 lbs since being home!
I think it's a ridiculous time of the year anyway with the holidays and all. I have never been a fan of the hustle and bustle of the holidays and find it all quite depressing actually. I try to stay away from the malls and giving birth has been a great reason to stay away! It has become so commercialized and it's all about 'more, more, more' in terms of gift giving...I hate all the catalogs I get this time of year.
But I love the holidays and am excited this year to have Ella actually getting it. She has seen Santa, as you all saw. The first time was a couple weeks ago when my mom and I were at the mall. The Santa was completely lame and barely spoke to her but she was so excited and proud of visiting with him. I was a little choked up. I was feeling a little postpartum that day too so that didn't help! (As evidenced by my hysteria when we came upon a group of high schoolers singing Christmas carols. All I could do was hold Ella and cry. They noticed and couple looked concerned...poor kids.)
Anyway, routine. I know it's coming. Maybe that's what I will ask Santa for this year. The misperceived safety of a routine...

Working.

Matt works a lot! He provides for our family and for that I am so grateful. On the other hand, the hand I tend to stand on, it sucks that he is not home more. I know he feels the same. It just leads me to the greater point that so many people I know work to maintain their debt or have their cars etc. It's frustrating for me because I have been feeling like I want to simplify. But how? Do we need so many channels on Direct TV? Do we need cell phones? Certainly there was a time in history when we all got by without these things.
How do people do it? When I go back to work the Keller household will be busy. Ella will go across the street for daycare and we blessed to have my mom be able to watch Brenna.
Sometimes I question my choice of career. Being a social worker means I make little money for a lot of work and a lot of stress. It is fulfilling but I would be more fulfilled having my husband work less.
We'll see. I guess I just wanted to vent. I know a lot of my friend's hubby's work a lot too leaving them with the majority of the house/childcare stuff. It's a tough job that house/childcare stuff. I am just coming to a major realization with the arrival of Brenna. I thought one was difficult - oh boy! It's a blessing but it's tiring. I don't know what I would do without my and Matt's family. Mom's who stay home are saints. And I have a new appreciation for childcare workers!
That was a very multi-topic post...two deep issues I have been struggling with. Thoughts are welcome!

Illness.

As most of you know, Ella goes to daycare. As Brenna has entered our lives, Ella has been home with me but we recently started sending her over one morning a week. This helps her to stay connected to her friends and gets her out of house. It also allows her to be around germs!
The first day we sent her two weeks ago, she came home with a cold. Now it is making it's way through the family. Poor Matt who works 60+ hours a week is home today due to being sick. I am trying to fight it the best I can as I 'can't' get sick taking care of the girls.
I have noticed how anxious I am with Brenna being around us. I just want to put her in a little bubble until this passes and leaves our house. She is a month old and I don't want her to get sick. So I am loading the family, especially Matt and I, up on Vitamin C and wiping surfaces neurotically. On the other hand they say it's okay to be exposed to germs as it builds up our antibodies.
This doesn't help my OCD tendencies regarding germs!

The Past Three Weeks.

Prior to the Surgery...

Our first family picture...


So this time three weeks ago Matt and I were nervous and excited and so many other things. I was nervous mostly about what my body and emotions were about to experience. For those of you who know, my experience in giving birth to Ella was tiring. Recovery was tiring.
I can say that my experience with Ms. Brenna was very different. From the moment we went to the hospital Tuesday morning things moved much faster. Of course, it makes a difference when the c-section is planned. Anyway, the surgery went well and further fell in love with my Ob/Gyn who made herself available to do the surgery prior to her leaving for a conference that morning. If anyone needs a good OB, let me know...she's wonderful!
We were continuously impressed with the staff at Strong. They were WONDERFUL! I give those nurses a lot of credit as they deal with some intense experiences. Anyway, ours wasn't so intense and they were just lovely to us and to our families and friends.
It was nice because I was up and around a lot faster than the last time. My friend told me about a theory...muscle memory where your body sort of remembers what it is supposed to do when you have a repeat procedure like a c-section. I believe that's what goes on.
So there we were being showered with love from friends and family and it felt so nice. It felt right. I said to Matt that it felt like we were complete then. The moment Brenna joined our family we were who we were supposed to be. It's nice feeling.

Cha Cha.

Cha Cha. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...
- You are funny and kind and smart and thoughtful and caring and pretty and nice and adventurous and like to shop and have one of the coolest jobs ever and you buy great presents and you are determined and loyal and loving and have pretty hair and are a great aunt and take care of us and so many other things.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!