Cousin Sophie's visit!!!!

Yesterday we had some very special guests at our house. Matthew's Aunt Hayden, Uncle Duncan and cousin Sophie came to visit. Here are some pictures of all of the fun.











Here we are trying to get a picture of the two moms with the babies. Ahh...the joys of multi-tasking found in motherhood.















Between holding the squirming babies and trying to look at 3 cameras I don't think we ever got it all coordinated.

Thank you for visiting Aunt Hayden, Uncle Dunk, and Sophie. We hope you visit again very soon!!!

Another Ear Infection

So I knew Matthew wasn't feeling well this past weekend...he had a runny nose and was coughing pretty bad. I wasn't that concerned since we had his 15 month appointment today so I decided to wait. Well, today we learned that he had ANOTHER EAR INFECTION!!!! He hasn't been pulling at his ear so I thought that maybe he had what I have and have been battling for the past month or so with this stupid cough.

In any event, he did grow in length but he lost about an ounce. I suspect that is because he hasn't been eating very well the last couple of days. Dr. Goosby gave him the antibiotic shot for 3 days in a row to help him feel better faster since we visit Ohio on Thursday to see Matthew's grandma, great-grandma, and great uncle.

Matthew at 15 months

Matthew at 3 months (1 year ago)

Have a great night!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last day to be 14 months

Today was Matthew's last day as a 14 month old. Tomorrow we will go to the doctor for him to get his 15 month shots. Yes, I said 15 MONTHS!!!! I can't believe that this time a year ago he was only 3 months old....that seems like a month ago. In any event, I got some great pictures of him this afternoon. When you look at these pictures it is hard to believe that he has a pretty harsh cold.





























I have started another blog called Miami Educators In Action to put all of the information about Miami educators and how we are fighting to save public education in the State of Florida since this blog is supposed to be about Matthew. Please check it out to find out about what is going on.

Check back tomorrow for Matthew's 15 month update!!!

A devestation and travisty in public education

I have been on a hiatus the last week or so because of a very busy schedule. The state of Florida is raising an attack on teachers across the state. Our legislatures are trying to pass into law an education reform unlike any state has ever seen.

If passed into law (as the bill most likely will) teachers in the state of Florida will no longer be paid extra if they have a Masters, Specialists, or Doctorate in education.

Teachers will also not longer have the protection of the Professional Service Contract. If the students do not make learning gains that teacher can be fired without warning.

Teachers will also be paid based on the learning gains their students make. These learning gains will be based ONLY on the FCAT (the Florida Standardized Test)

I am honestly SOOOOO stressed out about this crazy bill. As part of my job as UTD (United Teachers of Dade) steward I have to keep everyone informed on this issue and it has been hard to sleep because this is going to affect not only Seth and me but all of my friends at school.

If I could ask all of my readers to do 2 things!!!

1. Pray, pray, pray that this injustice on teachers will not pass.

2. Call these numbers and people below and tell them that you Oppose House Bill 7189

Estaban Bovo--850-487-2197
Anitere Flores--850-488-2831
Erik Fresen--850-488-4092
Marcelo Llorente--850-488-5047
Carlos Lopez-Cantera--850-488-4208
J.C. Planas--850-488-3616
Juan Zapata--850-488-9550

You can also call the speaker of the house and say you oppose the bill. He is taking a list of those who oppose the bill and those who are for the bill.

Larry Cretul--850-488-1450 (Speaker of the house)

Thanks in advance if you call these numbers. It is really important that you urge the representatives to VOTE NO on House Bill 7189!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

What a sweet baby and a sweet way to wish you a Happy St. Patty's Day!!!!

This is Matthew 1 year ago today



I can't believe that he was ever that little!!!

Matthew's new piano

I know...2 posts in 2 days...ya'll are gonna think I have way to much time on my hands. Not really, tomorrow night I start a new college class...Wednesday is choir, Thursday night is our UTD meeting...and Tuesday through Thursday is the run-off election for the UTD executive board of which Seth is running for one of the 6 positions for vice president of elementary schools. Not to mention that Tuesday and Wednesday is the continuation of FCAT for 5th grade and SATs for 1st and 2nd. We have 2 more weeks til spring break!!! Only two...I think we can make it.

Now on to the topic of the post. On Friday evening, we received a piano. My FIL and step-MIL have had a piano that they never really use that often and they decided to let us "store" it. It is actually my step-MIL's piano and will eventually be her daughter Hayden's. All we had to do is pay for the moving expenses to have it shipped from Naples to Homestead. I am so excited because I hope to start teaching piano lessons again and now I can teach out of my own house instead of going to peoples homes or having a music store take a percentage to use a room in their store.

Here are a couple of pictures of the piano. We need to get it tuned but other than that it is perfect!!!





I couldn't get my camera out without taking some pictures of this little man!!! Here he is becoming an expert at a sippy cup!!!







Have a great week everyone!!!

Matthew and a Picnic

Today was the UTD (United Teachers of Dade) picnic. Matthew had a blast walking around...but in true form I forgot to take ANY pictures of that.

Here is Matthew, Seth and I with the Secretary/Treasurer of UTD.


Last year when we went to the UTD picnic, Matthew was only about 2 1/2 months old. We got a picture with him, Karen Aronowitz, and Artie Leichner our President and Vice-president.


Matthew was a trooper today. He was having a great time but around his typical naptime he kinda started to crash.











As you can see in the pictures above he was very tired!!! Then he got a second wind and wouldn't stop running around everywhere. Then we decided to get new cell phones (we had been needing to upgrade for some time now). AT&T was offering great deals on blackberries and phone service through UTD so we decided to upgrade and change from T-Mobile to AT&T.

Anyway, I am getting tired so I will go for now.

Where in the world I have been???

Hi everyone,

I wish I could keep my promises...I can't find time to post pictures or even take any for that matter. Things have been crazy busy the past few weeks and I don't see it slowing down any time soon. Tomorrow I am taking the day off to go to the doctor to hopefully get rid of this stupid cough that has been plagueing me for a couple of weeks. We have some exciting things happening this weekend so hopefully I will find some time to blog about it.

HAND (Have A Nice Day)!!!

I hate the numbers 13, 23, not 33, 43, 53...you get the picture

I just realized that I hate any number ending with three. The number three is great...in fact I kinda like that number, but put a number in front of three and it just looks funny. Tonight when I looked at my blog postings I realized that this is post 153 and just had to write something just to get the 3 off the end of the post number. I have never really felt strong about that before now so I wonder what is up.

One other thing I realized is that 33 is actually OK (I guess because I don't have a problem with the single 3). Maybe it is because the other three's numbers are prime numbers...because...come to think of it 63 is kinda ok too. Wow...I need some sleep.

Anyway, I have had the horrible cough for about a week now. I can't seem to shake this cold. To make matters worse...Matthew is getting a little cold now. Seth took him to see Dr. Goosby yesterday and the doc said his ears were CLEAR this time...yea!!!!! But he still has a little bit of a runny nose and is getting my stupid cough. At least his ears are clear for now though...I just knew for sure that he was getting another ear infection.

At the doctor he weighed in at 20 pounds 5.4 ounces!!!! He is getting very big now. I am so happy that he is finally catching up.

Sorry, no pictures tonight. I will post some new ones soon!!

Good Night!!!

A year later at 14 months....

Look how little my baby boy was a year ago!!!







What a difference a year makes...

I love you Matthew Wayne!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally 14 Months post

Yesterday Matthew turned 14 months old. Well...actually...he turned 14 months on Feb. 29...but since there wasn't a 29th of February we called yesterday his 14 month birthday. He is now officially walking...all...over...the...place and getting......into.....EVERYTHING!!!!! Right now he is weighing in at around 20 pounds and is about 29 inches tall. He is still eating baby food but we are slowly starting to give him some Gerber step up meals.











He has also developed a strange habit of putting his hand down his shirt a playing with his belly button....that is why the shirt is so stretched out around the neck.