Happy IndependenceDayLaborDayHalloweenThanksgivingChristmasNewYear!

It's been a while since I've written anything other than emails to coworkers, reports for clients, and checks for school lunch tickets.  But I'm thinking it might be time to start writing for me again.  I stopped writing because I worried about people judging my personal life.  But why should I care about that? A blog is meant to be a story, and this story is about M. about E. about E. about S. and about Matthew. 

And so it begins.

Again.

Hi. My name is Erin.

In case you forgot what I look like, here is a picture of me at my finest.  My parents must be so proud.

This is Mark (and most of me).

And these are our kids.

They're perfect angels all the time.

On Tuesdays.

During Leap Year.

Sydney had a ballet recital last weekend, and it was one of the cutest and funniest things I have ever seen.  Little girls running all over the stage, doing these jumping things that look more like stomping than dainty ballet moves. But they had tutus on, so what more can a mother really ask for?

The last time we went to a ballet recital, Elisabeth was about Sydney's age.  Mark was in the hospital recovering from his heart attack. None of us were in a good place, and Syd's recital brought back a flood of memories.  I remember picking up Elisabeth after the recital and taking a picture of her and her classmates.  Elisabeth's face was so puffy and red.  She was miserably upset about her daddy being in the hospital.  It was scary, and emotions were high for all of us.  What a big girl she was, going through the entire recital while she was so worried about Mark.  She's grown so much over the past few years.  She's outgrown her potty "issues" (A word that makes me cringe based on how it was once used to label my child. And yet I just used it. Go figure.) and while she's still strong-willed, it's not as difficult to communicate and reason with Elisabeth. Phew!

She is a huge help around the house (who knew?!) and takes good care of her brother.  Actually both girls take care of Matthew (when they're not smothering him).  They even play tea party, Barbies, and dress-up with him.

Matthew loves every minute of it.

How could you not, when kitty ears are involved?!  Matthew will certainly be in touch with his feminine side throughout his life, that's for sure.

That's it for now.  Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things.  I miss this!

xoxo
-erin