Almost identical pic of Matthew taken with Easter Bunny that was in the local newspaper

Almost identical pic of Matthew taken with Easter Bunny that was in the local newspaper_cropped
Originally uploaded by Matthewsmom.

Almost identical pic of Matthew taken with Easter Bunny that was in the local newspaper with N-Cinderella cropped out for for safety's sake (April 7, 2007)

I would love to publish the actual shot from the paper, but then that would give away too much info on where we live and for legality sake I can't do it without giving credit to the newspaper and photographer.

So this is the pic that Mommy took at the same time with his beautiful girlfriend unfortunately cropped out to hide her identity.

The newspaper captioned it "A WALK WITH THE BUNNY"

DADDY.....YOU DON'T BLOWDRY THE EGGS....

DADDY.....YOU DON'T BLOWDRY THE EGGS....
Originally uploaded by Matthewsmom.

DADDY.....YOU DON'T BLOWDRY THE EGGS....

MATTTHEW MADE THE PAPER & RECIPE FOR MATTHEW'S COOKIES FOR DADDY TO TAKE TO NJ

Well I was going to hold off blogging about my baby today, until I got a copy of the newspaper. I am hoping to show everyone (with some alterations for safety's sake), that he made the paper today!!! I am waiting for my online version so I can share it all with you. It is a picture of him and his little sweetheart with the Easter Bunny during an Easter Bunny stroll in our town.

The weekend started for us on Friday night when we got an unexpected visitor from Matthew's little girlfriend (to be known as N-Cinderella). They were born 4 months apart and basically it has been love since then. She is my neighbor's granddaughter and we used to get to see her when she would visit about two weekends a month, but they were recently cut down to one weekend a month and so it's been hard on him. She lives out in western MA and is a little bit of a drive for us to visit. I am also much closer to her grandmother than her mom. We used to be close when she lived next door, but she is busy, like us all now, with her life so we just don't talk the way we used to.

Matthew and her have been married in my house. In the summer she'll pick my fake flowers out of a pot and propose to him and then they walk down a little path in my living room into my living room. She is ALL Girl and such a sweetheart. They have there lover's quarrels, but mostly they are just such good friends. It is so awesome to watch them grow up and how funny they are together. Matthew jumps for her (Mommy has to talk to him about that one). I won't be putting up any pictures of her though other than my favorite black and white one from last week.

On Friday night, N-Cinderella showed up at my door and I didn't think with the holiday we would get to see her this weekend. It made Matthew's and our night. To see him so happy all weekend, having his playmate right next door to come over and play all day. We were planning on taking him to see the Easter Bunny in the center of our town on Saturday morning. When she showed up she mentioned that she was going and was all excited because she had a new dress just for the occasion and she was going with her Grammy and maybe we could go too? We decided we would. Saturday morning, Matthew all dressed up and her in her new dress with their Easter Baskets was like another "first date" for them. Every time they do something they have never experienced before with each other, it is literally like a first date. She holds his hand and he walks around with a silly grin on his face.

We went up to the center of town and as soon as we started walking toward the shoppes, the Easter Bunny was out on the sidewalk walking around. Matthew couldn't believe it. He is so shy with guys and an 8 foot bunny wasn't going to get him to look at him either. He looked at him smiling, but kind of out of the corner of his eye, like if I look you in the eye, I might just melt. I know N-Cinderella holding his hand, definitely was a big help. She has no fear and will walk up to anyone smiling and saying hello. Even walking into each of the shops to pick up Easter Treats for their Easter baskets, Matthew's head was down as if saying "You're letting me take candy out of this basket?" By the time we were done though he was an old pro, just like Halloween. It takes him a few tries to come around and then look out, he was running up to every shop that had balloons outside saying "They have CANDY!!!"

When they were with the Easter Bunny, I took pictures and a man next to me asked their names and where they were from. I told him and asked where he was from. He mentioned the newspaper and I really thought his picture would be in yesterday for the actual holiday.

I was so bummed. I really felt like, whose kid is cuter than mine to put in that paper (I'm not afraid to say it). Then this afternoon, my neighbor calls me and said it was in today's paper. I emailed my whole mom's club and all of my neighbors asking for copies. I am SO PROUD.
I am going to get it from the paper into a larger size and my neighbor is going to scan it tomorrow and send it to me.

So until then, I will just close this post with one final funny moments...ok...two..

1. When I showed Matthew his picture in the paper, I said "Honey!!! Mommy is so proud of you, your famous, not everyone has there picture in the paper!! "He said, "Why don't you put your picture there?" I said, "Well, no paper thinks Mommy is as cute as you are!!" He said "YEAH, and look at the Easter Bunny...HE IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EASTERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
2. This morning, we were talking about his Dad going to NJ tomorrow for the whole week. I thought I would have time to make him something from Matthew to take with him like a scrapbook or a homemade card. Matthew suggested we make cookies....! Not just any cookies...these are the ingredients for Matthew's Cookies:

EGGS, FLOUR, YOGURT, MACARONI (Mommy said Macaroni? He said MACARONI IN COOKIES YUMMY MOMMY), SAP (NO THAT IS NOT SHORT ABBREVIATION FOR SOMETHING THAT IS THE WORD - SAP), OJ, HONEY, SOUR CREAM, MILK, COFFEE, A1 STEAK SAUCE (BECAUSE DADDY LIKES STEAK MOMMY!!), SOME FLOWERS INSIDE THE COOKIES AND CARAMEL SYRUP.

I said "caramel syrup in all of that" HE SAID ... NO MOMMY....NOT IN IT..ON TOP SPRINKLED WITH SPRINKLES...............................................

SO LICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mommy has the afternoon OFF???

Well, I am so excited to have some hours just for me. I wasn't going to spend it on the computer blogging, but just one small one before I head out into the beautiful blue sky day.

Eric had to work last Sunday. He wound up going in at 5 pm (because I had a bellyache) and worked until 3 am. He had mentioned that he was taking Friday off, but I never get my hopes up because he has so many things going on at his work, or with the yard, the house that it very rarely means Mommy has time off. The few times it happens, I don't even know it is happening until he is heading out the door to the playground with Matthew, and then it's like...Hey!! HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE? DO I HAVE AN HOUR? DO I HAVE TWO? SHOULD I BLOG? SHOULD I TAKE A BUBBLE BATH? SHOULD I SING REALLY LOUD ON MY MICROPHONE OR JUST BLAST SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER AND CLEAN REALLY FAST WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTIONS?

Eric is going away on business next week for 5-6 days to NJ. He also mentioned to me the other night, that he was going to Philly a few weeks later.

In my ideal world, I like to use the time that Eric is out of state, keeping Matthew occupied for those 5-6 (24 hours) each day. It is a long time for a little boy. He doesn't understand weeks yet, it is a long time for just Mommy to keep him happy and entertained and going to PA during that time is a way for me to fill that void in both of us. Matthew has an appointment this week, that we can not miss , so we can't make this time.

When we do go we try and visit my Aunt, My Godmother, other family, friends, Uncle J and Matthew's cousins. Each day is a little adventure for us, seeing the cows in the country, the mountains - sitting with Grandpa on the porch in the summer or going out for breakfast in the morning. It winds up becoming Matthew's memories and I've got him to eat really good at that restaurant we go to. An inexpensive restaurant, with good quality and large portions. We had the luncheon after my mother's funeral there.

It is hard to do being a stay at home mom though, on one income. The time I spend visiting does get costly when you consider I like to go home at least every two months, either with Matthew for a few days/week or by myself for a weekend. In the 17 years I have lived in MA, I have never had the money to fly. The area I'm from intermittently has direct flights to Boston, like once every ten years and there are extremely expensive, then I'd have to rent a car.

Even though I limit our dinners to inexpensive eating establishments, buying food to eat just staying at Grandpa's house (essentials for Matthew - whole wheat, baby shampoo, peanut butter & jelly, OJ) gas for the car, and occasionally in the summer time trips to amusement parks, it can still be expensive for one income when you add up the amount of days. It's not like we are living the high life. I don't have to pay a hotel fee and the host is the most hospitable guy in the world, who after all of the time coming in now knows enough to stock up on OJ with calcium and no pulp, whole wheat bread etc..and he does it out of love. I will show up and he will have lasagna waiting or spaghetti and meatballs. He tries to help the most he can and he is so thoughtful and a wonderful father and grandfather.

The answer to our money problems is a simple one. My getting a job for the hours when Eric is home at night with Matthew.

I've mentioned to him that I am open to customer serivce, data entry, doctor's office help, receptionist, waitress, hostess etc. That regardless, no matter what job I take, he needs to tell me weeks in advance about future out of town trips or changes in his daily schedule so that I then could tell my potential employer.

So, until we work out our commitment issues between us for whose job/scheduling etc and how it can all work, my trips to PA are on a limited time basis.

I found a guitarist position yesterday looking for a vocalist for duo acts in a lounge. It looked like if I had the time to rehearse it might be up my alley. Eric doesn't think my schedule can make that commitment.

I think my schedule now that Matthew is getting older, would work perfectly with a wedding band. A band that only works maybe one day a month in the winter, but rehearse a few nights a week and then in the summer months maybe two - three weddings a month. I think I can handle that considering Eric is home most Saturday's and the money would then help us with our town taxes, car expenses and trips to PA not to mention daily living expenses and Mommy would be singing...make everyone happy. And then next time Matthew says Mommy did you go out with your band? I can say "YES!"

Anyway, I do have to get off the computer and get out. I think I might just take a walk in a state forest and breathe the rusteling of the leaves. I haven't seen the ocean in a long time, but gas is expensive.

Eric's sister in Boston is moving this weekend and so Eric has taken Matthew in to visit with his cousins and help with them moving. Due to all of the chaos, we are now going into Boston for Easter. Less cleaning for Mommy...hehe

Tomorrow we will be visiting with the Easter Bunny and coloring our eggs.

Matthew proudly showing off his trophies

Matthew proudly showing off his trophies
Originally uploaded by Matthewsmom.

Matthew proudly showing off his" trophies" that he made with platforms made out of playdoh (april 2007) using his little animals and giving each one seperately to Mommy as my AWARD!! For something, I don't know what :-)