The New Baby is Coming!! (well, she's been here for 2 months...)

This entry was drafted on October 28, 2009, after we heard that little Maddy would be arriving in a couple of days. Yes, it is being published 2 months late! WE'VE BEEN BUSY!!

So, the new baby is almost here. She will be arriving on Friday, October 30- not quite Halloween, but, definitely, she will be our new little pumpkin!

So, I cannot help but remember when our own 2nd baby was almost here 29 years ago:

We were our little family of 3. The mommy, the daddy and our little girl, Kristen who was 3 years old. Life was perfect, as far as I remember. Well, maybe not perfect, but very, very nice.

Why then, I thought, did we decide to have another child, when every thing was going really nicely and things were getting easier as our little girl was getting a bit older?? Well, it was always in our plan to have more than one child. I came from a family of 6 kids and Ed was an only child. I loved having the siblings and Ed wished he had some. So it was natural for us to get pregnant again. And we were very, very excited!

But as time got closer to my expected due date, I began to question my ability to love another child like I loved Kristen. The 3 of us had 3 years together to develop that terrific bond that parents and children should have. And we did. So, would I be able to duplicate that feeling with another child?

I remember feeling like I was going to betray my little girl by bringing a new baby brother or sister home. ( we didn't know, back then, what we would be having)

These were not logical feelings, but my feelings just the same. I remember the tears would flow if I let my emotions go to that line of thinking.

So, what happened?

Kristen's baby brother, Brian, was born and all was ok-

I looked at Brian and fell in love all over again. He was beautiful and he was ours, from the moment I saw him, and I forgot all of those illogical emotions I had felt just days before.

When we brought Brian home, Kristen loved him, too! She never once asked us to take him back to wherever we got him. She was a bit annoyed with me ( because I brought him home, I think) and she did stamp her feet more than she did before (and she could do that very well). It didn't last for long. And Kristen was very loving to Brian. ( she occasionally was a bit TOO loving, if you know what I mean!)

She was the perfect big sister to her baby brother! She was helpful and entertaining with him. Brian loved her, too. There were lots of smiles and laughs to and from all of us!

So, I suppose the point of all of this is that those feelings of doubt are normal. I have spoken to more than a few mothers over the years who had similar feelings. And it is definitely possible to have enough love in your heart to give to more than one child.

I have 2 wonderful children. They are not kids any longer, but adults who are caring and thoughtful and family minded. One is not the same as the other. Their needs are not always the same. But I love each of them with infinite abundance.

So, Kristen, my daughter, tomorrow you will have your little Madison in your arms. If you had any doubts, they will disappear the moment you see her. And any lingering thoughts about how your little Kate will love her new little sister and accept her into the family- well, these thoughts will also disappear. All will fall into place.


AND IT DID! Here is Kristen with her little Madison Grace! (on Christmas Eve)







And here is big sister, Kate with here little sister, Maddy.








Is this love, or what?













My girls, all 3 of them!

Chicken Tortilla Soup- YUMMY!

So, hey there! Haven't posted since last week- Thought I'd share a great recipe that was so simple to make yet so delicious! Got the basic recipe from a coworker- but added to it to "kick it up a notch"

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 - 16 ounce jar of Medium Heat Salsa

2 cups of Chicken Broth

2 cups of shredded, cooked chicken

1 cup of corn niblets, fresh, frozen or canned

1 can of black beans, rinsed

1 avocado, diced

cilantro, chopped

3 tortillas ( I used corn tortillas)

Heat the salsa and chicken broth in a saucepan until it comes to a boil. Add the shredded chicken, cook until returns to a boil. Turn down to low heat just to keep warm. Add the corn and the beans.

After adding the chicken to the soup and while waiting for the soup to reheat,

Cut the tortillas into thin strips ( I use a pizza cutter) and lightly brown them either in a pan with a tiny bit of oil or spray a baking sheet and bake them until lightly brown.

When serving this great soup, top with the chopped avocado, tortilla strips and cilantro to taste.

As I said, "YUMMY" and it looks pretty, too!

A Day in Cold Spring-me and my girl

Perhaps you got here via Cafe Handmade- if so, welcome to my humble blog. I have not been very creative here as there are just so many hours in the day! I do have good intentions to write regularly, but the time just goes!

(that's me with my mom, Kristen and Kate)

I spent part of today with my daughter, Kristen. Kristen is my very beautiful daughter who is expecting her 2nd baby girl in 4 weeks. It was a lovely fall day in Cold Spring, NY where we spent the day. Kate, my grandaughter, would have loved to have been there as there was a dog parade down the main street. Very cute- some dogs were in costume! (Wish I had taken my camera!)



We had lunch outside at the Depot by the RR tracks. They had an Oktoberfest menu, (which I enjoy) and we were entertained by an "Oompah Band". As it turned out, the "Oompah Band" was the Dixieland band during the non-Oktoberfest days of the year! I think they might be an Irish Band for St Patty's Day, as I thought I heard a bit of Irish influence in "Roll out the Barrel"!

We didn't buy anything, just poked around in the little shops and enjoyed the day.


It was really nice to spend the time just with Kristen. We don't often get together, just the 2 of us, as we all work and life is busy. Kristen, Jay and Kate have only the short weeknights and the weekends together. We do see each other often, as we live relatively close and Kristen's home is on my route home from work. This allows me to be available when I am needed. It was always my hope that I would be able to do this for my kids and my grandchildren.


I am lucky. I get to spend a lot of time with them! I cherish the time that I have with my daughter and her family. I love to be such a big part of their lives...

Oh, yes, I forgot that I did buy 2 wool skirts for $1 each- There was at least a yard of plaid wool on each skirt!

Fall Flowers

Why is it that the flowers look the best just before the end of the season? Just look at these Hydrangeas! Even the Geraniums are looking terrific,even though we almost had a frost last night! It won't be long before winter is here.

Almost a year!

My Etsy shop, will be 1 year old in December! This has been quite an interesting year, as I have been trying to juggle my etsy shop with my "real job" and with my family life.

My current "real job" is that I am a registered nurse in NY. I work in a very busy Pediatric Endocrine Practice 4 days each week. It is a very interesting field of medicine. I have been an RN for 35 years.

I watch my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter, Kate, one day each week. I love watching her.

My daughter is expecting her 2nd baby girl in November- coming right up!

My desire is to build up my new business (which includes the Etsy shop) enough to cut back a bit on my "out of the home" job. The dilemma is this: in order to build up my inventory and work on marketing, I need more time available. Less time at the "real job" means less money to make ends meet. Less money to make ends meet means I have to work more at the "real job" And so it goes, round and round....I am fairly certain that there are many Etsians that are in the same pickle!

I have 2 grown up children- Kristen (and her husband, Jay) and Brian ( who has a lovely young lady, Lesley) and let's not forget Kate.

I have an awesome husband, Ed, who has been quite supportive of me and I think he really appreciates most of the items I have made. (that's Ed up there in the corner) I don't think I could spend the amount of time I do sewing with any other husband. It was my birthday last week- can you believe that Ed and Kristen gave me a new sewing machine?? And my son sent me a very generous JoAnn's gift card!

Now that is support!!