๐ป๐‘œ๐“Œโ€™๐“ˆ ๐’พ๐“‰ ๐‘”๐‘œ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ?

โ€ฆ itโ€™s a question you ask in parenthood the moment your child leaves your arms, exits your home, or quite frankly does anything outside of your presence for more than just a few hours. Your partner takes the baby for a while: you find yourself checking in, โ€œHowโ€™s it going?โ€ Date night with your spouse:Continue reading “๐ป๐‘œ๐“Œโ€™๐“ˆ ๐’พ๐“‰ ๐‘”๐‘œ๐’พ๐“ƒ๐‘” ?”

๐Ÿงธ๐Ÿญ๐—ฆ๐—ง โ€œ๐—ง๐—˜๐——๐——๐—ฌโ€ ๐—•๐—˜๐—”๐—ฅ ๐—š๐—œ๐—ฉ๐—˜-๐—•๐—”๐—–๐—ž ๐—˜๐—ฉ๐—˜๐—ก๐—ง๐Ÿงธ

This past weekend, we officially made our first trip back to Pittsburgh, PA since Theodore passed away in April, 2020.ย  Along with providing a catered lunch for the Ronald McDonald House Facility, attached to UPMC Childrenโ€™s Hospital, our intention was to โ€œfill the (coffee) cupsโ€ of as many parents as possibleโ€ฆ However, it was definitelyContinue reading “๐Ÿงธ๐Ÿญ๐—ฆ๐—ง โ€œ๐—ง๐—˜๐——๐——๐—ฌโ€ ๐—•๐—˜๐—”๐—ฅ ๐—š๐—œ๐—ฉ๐—˜-๐—•๐—”๐—–๐—ž ๐—˜๐—ฉ๐—˜๐—ก๐—ง๐Ÿงธ”

๐—Ÿ๐—œ๐—ง๐—ง๐—Ÿ๐—˜ ๐—›๐—˜๐—Ÿ๐—Ÿ๐—ข๐—ฆ ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿผย 

When your child dies before you, itโ€™s what you live forโ€ฆ the โ€˜little hellosโ€™ that take you by surprise; the โ€˜little hellosโ€™ that keep you going for the next hour, the next day, the next year without them… Itโ€™s the โ€˜little helloโ€™ from the red cardinal that swoops down in front of your car. Itโ€™sContinue reading “๐—Ÿ๐—œ๐—ง๐—ง๐—Ÿ๐—˜ ๐—›๐—˜๐—Ÿ๐—Ÿ๐—ข๐—ฆ ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿผย “

๐—›๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐˜†ย ๐Ÿฐ๐˜๐—ตย ๐—•๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†ย 

๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ  August 30, 2023 Here I am again at the waterโ€™s edge.  I find myself chasing the coast line to feel closer to you. You seem bigger here; maybe because I feel so minuscule compared to the enormous crashing waves at my feet. The fierce waters roar, yet somehow their tonic pulse is calming to myContinue reading “๐—›๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐˜†ย ๐Ÿฐ๐˜๐—ตย ๐—•๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†ย “

You Better Not Pout, You Better Not Cry… ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ

โ€œYou better not pout, you better not cry, you better not shoutโ€ฆโ€ ย โ€ฆ scratch that, because actually, sometimes itโ€™s okay! Youโ€™d be wearing your 3T Christmas Tree Sweater that matches perfectly with MacKenna and Arthur.  I imagine you in a brand new phase of โ€˜fascination with Santaโ€™, showing your little brother that heโ€™s really notContinue reading “You Better Not Pout, You Better Not Cry… ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿผ”

ARTHUR IS โž“ ๐— ๐—ข๐—ก๐—ง๐—›๐—ฆ!

โซธ ๐•‹๐• ๐•ก ๐•‹๐•–๐•Ÿ ๐•‹๐•š๐••๐•“๐•š๐•ฅ๐•ค โซทโ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โž™ 18 pounds 13 ounceโž™ 28.75 inches longโž™ new words: โ€œGa-Ga!โ€ & โ€œMaaaa!โ€โž™ got 4 new teeth on top all at onceโž™ โ€œMr. Open-Mouth Slobbery Smoocherโ€โž™ smacks lips and signs for โ€œmoreโ€ foodโž™ favorite: swinging fast at the parkโž™ only drinks from special 360-rim sippy cupโž™ lowered crib since strong boyContinue reading “ARTHUR IS โž“ ๐— ๐—ข๐—ก๐—ง๐—›๐—ฆ!”

Seeing The Unseen

๐—ฆ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ดย ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒย ๐—จ๐—ป๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ป Itโ€™s such a blessing and a curse.  The hard truth is when I look at a picture of my children, I instantly see the one that is missing.  It is my broken heart that sometimes has the 20/20 vision, while my regular eyesight takes a backseat. I see the unseen. I see the empty spaceContinue reading “Seeing The Unseen”