Friday, February 28, 2014

Octimus Prime & friends

My husband and I were on a vacation in Maui a month after we got engaged (Dec 2011). While there, we went to the aquarium. Now, let me preface this with.. anyone that knows me, knows that my favorite color in the world is baby blue. Back to Maui... While walking through the gift shop of the Maui aquarium, I came across the most adorable stuffed octopus. They had baby pink and baby blue. Knowing that some day we'd have children, it made my heart melt. It was the cutest little thing I've ever seen. I picked up the last baby blue one and showed it to Brad. Even though I always wanted a little girl and prayed that my first child would be such, I had to have the blue one (and it was the last blue one - totally meant to be). Brad thought it was super adorable too (or "gangster" as he would say LOL). We decided we had to get it for our future child. Regardless of if we had a boy or girl first, we'd give this little baby blue octopus to our first born child. 

Brad thought for sure we'd have a boy first, so he thought it would work out anyway HAHA
Brad also had a stuffed animal as a baby. His name is Spike. To this day, he still has Spike and he even lets Adriana play with him from time to time. Now, Adriana has a first stuffed animal. Her little baby blue octopus. I don't care that it's not pink. I love that her official baby stuffie is baby blue and not a typical stuffed animal for a baby (i.e. dog, cat, bunny, etc..).

Knowing that this little octopus needed a name, one day, Brad called him Octi. I was like, "oh, is that the Octopuses name?" He said yeah! And then I asked, "Why did you name him that?" And he said, "yeah, it's short for octopus." I then said, "but Octo would be short for Octopus, not Octi. Why not have Octi be short for Octimus Prime? LOL" And ever since then, the little baby blue octopus has been known as Octimus Prime (AKA "Octi").

Brad and I name a lot of Adriana's toys... She has a little lion rattle guy that we named Lionel. And a rattle elephant we call Elephante. And her yellow duck binky, we call him Ducky. I know, so original sounding right? HAHA We are funny. ;-)

I'm just so happy that Adriana gets to have a baby stuffed animal to grow up with, like her daddy did. I never really had a stuffed toy that came through with me for my whole life.. Makes me smile to see her love for Octi :-D


Adriana & her stuffie Octi
Pictured from left to right: Elephante, Octi & Lionel
The first time she ever held Ducky
Fell asleep with Lionel in her hand <3
She LOVES Octi!

Thursday, February 27, 2014

SAHM?? Yes please!

Sooooooooo, I made a huge decision yesterday. I wrote a letter of resignation and will be resigning from my job, effective March 27th. The choice did not come lightly, but after long and careful consideration, it is time for me to be a stay-at-home mom. It makes the most sense for my family right now. Especially after losing my mom, it has just hit me hard how precious life is and that my baby girl will only be little for so long. I cannot be more thrilled about my new adventure with Adriana; watching her grow up, teaching her everything in life and just plainly getting to spend every moment possible with her!! I need to soak this all in while I can. 

My mom was a stay at home mom. Brad's mom was a stay at home mom. I only feel it's fair to Adriana and fair to me that I be the one to raise her and not a stranger. And on top of that, to pay a stranger to raise my kid while I work to pay them to raise my daughter and be left with not a lot after that from my paycheck, just isn't worth it. Brad is also extremely happy and excited that I will be raising our daughter. It's honestly the best decision of my life, that is, aside from wanting to have a baby and becoming lucky enough to have the most amazing child in the world!

That brings us to today... I turned in my letter and sat down with my bosses and let them know the news! ...and it felt sooooo good! A huge sensation of relief and complete happiness overcame me afterwards. Will I miss working? A little bit. Will I miss adult interaction on a mostly daily basis? Sure. Will I miss the people I work with? Most definitely! But, spending this time with my daughter is worth so much more than all of that... One happy and excited mama over here :-)

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Parentless

-I am parentless- is something I never thought I would say at the age of 31. It's something no one should have to say at the age of 31. From a very young age, I knew my dad would not be around to see much of my adult milestones, but never did I imagine, that my mother (17 years younger than my dad) would be gone while I was still in my early 30's. Then again, my brother is parentless at the age of 28. Something just doesn't sit right with me about that, when I see plenty of people in their 50's whose parents are still alive.. Yes, life isn't fair.. and I understand that. It doesn't make it any easier though.

My dad lived until he was 80. He lived a long and full life. My mom passed away at 68 years old. Doesn't seem long enough.. Her mom lived until she was 89 - that's a whole 21 years longer than my mom. It may sound selfish, but I feel like I was cheated of many more years of happy times with my mom. I miss her more than words can even say. It's upsetting that Adriana will never get to know her gramma Iannone. I want her back.

I also know that I need to focus on all good times we shared: the memories, the happiness, the fun family vacations, the laughter we shared, the tears we cried together, the bond we had, our special shared hobbies... It's just so damned hard to focus on that when I miss her so badly. 

I'm a fatherless daughter.
I'm a motherless daughter.
I'm a parentless parent.

Hard to move passed these statements. Somehow, someday I will get passed them.. but for now, it's still too fresh to get out of my mind.


RIP - Rudy Luigi Iannone    1/1/1928 - 10/03/2008
RIP - Margaret Mary Iannone    9/10/1945 - 10/13/2013





Sunday, February 2, 2014

Ahhhhhh!!! Seahawks are SUPERBOWL Champions!!!


My dream has officially come true! The Seahawks have won the Superbowl!!! I am just so happy right now, words cannot even begin to explain it! But I shall try!!! Even after all the crap said about my team all season, we were able to pull it off! And not just pull it off, but annihilate the Broncos. It almost seemed too good to be true. Not only did we win, but we won by THAT much? I was beginning to think I was literally in a dream and that I was going to wake up shortly. I mean, 43-8? For real?? That's a serious ass whooping!!! 
I am just so beyond thrilled and happy for my team. They, along with all of Seattle fans everywhere deserve this so much. More than anyone! Our first Superbowl win! AMAZING. HOORAY. YES! YES! YES!

I could go on and on and on!!!

There is going to be some major celebrating ALL week! Even downtown is crazy as shit right now (from what I can see on tv... you couldn't pay me money to live in a city downtown. I'm a suburb girl through and through. I like trees, and grass and acreage and shit. LOL)
Can't wait to go to work tomorrow and wear some more of my Seahawks gear loud and proud!
12TH MAN FOR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And what's up with that bogus "fan" map below they showed on the pregame stuff.. I call major bullshit on that! Seriously. Ridiculous! 


My sexy bitch and I getting ready to cheer on our team!
Momma and Baby Girl
Baby Girl and daddy enjoying Bruno Mars LOL
SUPERBOWL 2014 CHAMPS!