Letters For Lucas

Wonders, Mishaps, Blunders and Joy.. commentary on my life as a mom in the form of letters to my son

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Show Me Something I’ve Never Seen Before

Posted on July 14, 2011 Written by Tonya

Show me something I’ve never seen before; a treasured photograph of your grandparents or a handkerchief your father wore in his lapel.

Take me somewhere I’ve never been; a place where the land meets the sea, the breeze is cool and your mind calms.

Introduce me to the friend you’ve known the longest, a dish at your favorite restaurant and a book you stayed up all night reading.

Feed me tales and sweet memories of your childhood.

Walk me through the details of your wedding day right up to the moment, with hope glistening in your eyes and your voice trembling you said, “I do”. 

Sing me the same soothing lullaby night after night; the one that helps ease my fears and dream vividly.

Tell me a secret and I promise to keep it safe in my heart forever.

Let me make mistakes and learn as I go, no matter how difficult it may be for you to witness.

Treat me with kindness and respect all the days of your life.

Read me a page from the journal you kept as a child so that I might have a glimpse of the dreams you had as a young girl.

Bake me oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from a recipe that has been in your family for generations.

Teach me the lyrics to your favorite song and whenever I hear it I’ll feel closer to you even if we are miles apart.

Protect me, as best you can, from negativity, bullies and cars that drive down our street much too fast.

Help me see the good in people, root for the underdog and learn to forgive by building compassion in my heart and in my soul.

Cradle me in your arms while you smooth out my hair and tenderly run your fingers down my back.

Guide me through life as though you were my tour guide, exposing  me to places near and far but always emphasizing the importance of home.

Look me in the eyes when you have bad news to share or we toast to those no longer with us. 

Remind me, despite my flaws, how special I am and I’ll do the same for you.

Comfort me with your words of love, honesty and praise.

Show me something I’ve never seen before, mom.

This post was featured on Natalie’s blog, Mommy of a Monster, in her weekly feature, Monster Likes #26 on Saturday, July 16, 2011.

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Two Weeks From Today

Posted on July 13, 2011 Written by Tonya

I can’t wait! 

Two weeks from today, we are going to be in…

And yes, Lucas is coming too. 

Happy happy! Joy joy!


This post was written for Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop, Prompt 5.) On a piece of paper write down something that makes you happy…take a photo of your paper and voilà…there’s your post.

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In The In Box

Posted on July 13, 2011 Written by Tonya

I spend a lot of time trying to stay staying up on my e-mail. And by that I mean, what we all do: respond, put off responding, organize into files or finding more satisfaction than is probably allowed by hitting the delete button.

If you’re a mom, a blogger and a Twitter addict, like me, I don’t have to tell you how downright daunting a full In Box can be. What with all the newsletters, blog subscriptions, blog comments and back and forth with family and friends, it’s enough to make your eyes pop right out of your head. And now, Twitter e-mails me responses to my Tweets (anyone know how to cancel that, by the way?) It’s all a bit too much for me some days. 

Especially when I’ve neglected it. 

I like for there to be less than 18 e-mails in my In Box, that way with the size I have my browser set to I can still see the very last one. It’s the last e-mail my father ever sent me. 

Beyond 18 and his gets pushed down too far.

It’s not even a great e-mail. 

The subject is sox and addresses but it was sent four days before he and my mother died so I will keep forever.

So strange that I’ll never receive another e-mail from my father, but there he is, in my In Box every day. Right there with Groupon notices, Vlog Talk Weekly Prompts and tips on how to get your  toddler to eat more veggies. 

Just knowing it’s there comforts me somehow. 

Except when I forget about it and then upon discovering it, my brain malfunctions for half a second and leads me to believe it’s a new e-mail from him. 

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Filed Under: e-mail, grief, loss, me time, MSA

Side By Side

Posted on July 12, 2011 Written by Tonya

It wasn’t the sunniest of summer days on Saturday when we spent a few hours as a family at the beach.

Lucas, as aforementioned, LOVES the water, so his dad and I were shocked and amazed when he sat still and played with the sand and watched the waves go back and forth for almost an hour. 

I captured this photo and didn’t even notice that the seagull was in the shot, but I love it.

The seagull and those two boys. 

Sunny or not, it was the perfect day. 

This post is for Wordful Wednesdays and if you want to link up and see some really beautiful photographs, please visit Project Alicia.
 

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Filed Under: love, photos, TBW, wordful wendesdays

Rockin’ The Baby

Posted on July 11, 2011 Written by Tonya

Last month, Shell (Things I Can’t Say) created the Rockin’ The Baby Bump blog hop and this month, she’s at it again with Rockin’ the Baby.

I had so much fun looking through literally thousands of photos of Lucas trying to find the perfect ones to share and while I was at I realized a few things: I have an adorable child whom I adore, I definitely rock the baby and I take entirely TOO MANY PHOTOS!

This photo was taken exactly two years ago today: July 11, 2009 Lucas was one month old.
My parents backyard: October 25, 2009. Lucas was four months old.
Florence, Italy – November 23, 2009. Lucas was five months old.
The night Lucas started crawling: March 25, 2010. Lucas is nine months old.

May 27, 2010 – Lucas is almost one year old!
I’m happy with the toddler/preschooler Lucas is. Beyond happy, but I do miss the baby he once was.
 
Need your baby fix? Go check out the more than 70 (and growing) participates in Rockin’ The Baby! 

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Filed Under: blog hop, photos

Top 10 Things I Don’t Miss About Working

Posted on July 11, 2011 Written by Tonya

It’s hard to believe that I had a life before I became a mother, but I did! I really did.

I worked in marketing in Corporate America for 12 years, which seems like eons ago now.

Some days I miss it and others, you couldn’t pay enough to go back to work.

In no particular order, here are the Top 10 Things I DON’T Miss About Working:

1. The Attire. Coordinates, cardigans, suits, panty hose and shoes that hurt my feet. Daily. 

2. The Meetings/Meetings About Meetings. Generating so many great ideas but having way to implement them due to lack of interest, resources and/or budget, so let’s schedule another meeting! Hours upon hours of time I’ll never get back. Sigh.  

3. Corporate-isms. Annoying phrases such as: think tank, ROI, the bottom line and synergy come to mind. 

4. The commute. No matter how great the stereo system is in your car, sitting in traffic is the worst time-sucker EVER! Way worse than Twitter. 

5. Deadlines. Marketing is a very deadline driven and there are a lot of moving parts and pieces. Herding them all together due to some of the slackers I worked with was no fun. 

6. Corporate Politics. The paperwork, policies and hoops you have to jump through – essentially all the crap that gets in the way of being able to do your job. 

7. Voice Mail. Creating your own greeting, remembering to change it when you’re out of the office, leaving voice mails for others and collecting your own. I cursed that little blinking red light every day. 

8. Water Cooler Talk. While I appreciated the social aspect of office chit chat I often couldn’t help thinking I needed to be back at my desk working. 

9. That One Guy (Or Gal). You know the one I’m talking about, the one that stinks up the break room with their microwavable lunch, the one that has horrendous breath, the one won’t look at your eyes when he talks to you, but your chest, the one that has to compliment you every single day in a really creepy way. Ew. 

10. Stress Level. Um… see above.

If I had to do it all over, I’d definitely find a way to work from home.

Oh, wait… turns out I do report to a three foot boss. And with that, I better get back to work.

This post was inspired by Stasha’s Monday Listicles, a linky right up my alley!

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Ty Alexander Salon

Posted on July 8, 2011 Written by Tonya

A few months ago I mentioned an opportunity that came up while I was on a routine visit to my hair salon. 

I have created a blog for Ty Alexander Salon I am proud to announce that it is now LIVE!

Ty Alexander Salon just celebrated their one year anniversary and they finally have an online presence.

I have followed my colorist, Laura and stylist, Stephany around from salon to salon over the years and I am thrilled that Stephany and her husband, Ty finally opened their own place!

I’m also thrilled that they asked me to help them with their blog. It has been a great experience working with a client again and writing about something other than my two year old.

Please check out the Ty Alexander Salon, share your feedback and if you are in the Southern California/Orange County area, book an appointment.

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Filed Under: internet, work

I’m In A Blog Time Out

Posted on July 8, 2011 Written by Tonya

I haven’t blogged for a few days but that’s not for lack of subject matter, I’ve just really been busy! I think I’m also still recovering from our Fourth of July weekend. Please tell me I’m not alone.

We spent Sunday night at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village en route to Santa Barbara and while I did a lot of this:

Lucas and Daddy did a lot of this:

I think know I got the better deal. 

Nothing makes Lucas happier than being in the water. He has no fear jumping in or being completely submerged. 

And as if all the pool water play wasn’t tiring enough, we both took turns doing this:

Like us, Lucas LOVES hotels, especially running up and down the hallways.

Once we got to Santa Barbara, there was more water, A LOT more water, sun and s’mores!

A big thank you to Paul & Maia for inviting us to share their July 4th! I wish I could have captured a good photo of all the kids together. They had a blast.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

P.S. I’m not really in a time out. For more on what’s been keeping be away from my blog, keep reading…

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Filed Under: friends, holidays, hotels, photos, swimming

Noise Level: An Apology

Posted on July 6, 2011 Written by Tonya

If your house is anything like ours, activity begins early. Typically just right of 6 AM, thanks to a 3 foot tall morning person.

Lucky for me, my husband starts his day then too, allowing me the luxury of sleeping in. And by “sleeping in”, I mean 8:00 most days. I’m spoiled, I know.

Todd wakes up to the sounds of “Daddy!” and repeated beckoning, which leads to forceful demanding pleads to play cars and trains, “eat something”, “Mickey show” and/or “read to me”.

We have a small house with wood floors so noises of all kinds, voices and the sounds of temper tantrums, which inevitably lead to time-outs carry throughout.

I’ve grown accustomed to the daybreak racket and can (for the most part) sleep through it, but I always feel bad when my sister (or any guests for that matter) stay the night.

I’d like to make a public apology here and now to Leah and any and all guests we ever have in our home. If you stay over, I can guarantee you two things: a lovely visit filled with good cheap wine and conversation and in the morning, lots of noise! Consider yourself warned.

We appreciate your understanding. I suppose if we all slept 10+ hours we’d be raring to go with the sun too.

Well, maybe.
 
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Filed Under: aunt leah, me time, TBW

A Strange Encounter

Posted on July 4, 2011 Written by Tonya

Happy Indpendence Day! 

A few weeks ago, I bamboozled Lucas into going to the park by way of the bank, thus taking the very l o n g way to the park so that I could get in some exercise.

While we were standing in line at the bank, he started fussing. In other words, he was on to me and wanted nothing more than to get out of the stroller and create some sort of havoc. To calm him down and keep him put, I gave him my iPhone.

This practice is normally a last resort and used mostly at restaurants so that his dad and I can finish our meal in peace and down our adult beverages with a small amount of dignity.

I have several toddler friendly apps on my phone; Voice Cards, Talking Tom, Toddler Puzzle Shapes and ABC Train, just to name a few. I also have “emergency” episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba and Sesame Street and a playlist devoted to Lucas’ favorite tunes.

At any rate, he knows his way around an iPhone, without too much input or instruction from me. I don’t know how he knows, he just does, so I wasn’t too surprised when the middle aged gentleman in front of us asked me how old Lucas was. After I told him, he responded with shock and awe that someone so young could use the device so well. I laughed it off.

Lucas and I carried on a conversation about the shapes in the puzzle he was working on and I reiterated nine more times that we would eventually make it to the park when the man blurted out the most bizarre thing: “Daycare kid?”

I was a bit taken aback and it took me a good 30 seconds to reply, “No, I stay at home with him”, to which the man had nothing to say. No further insight into his strange question at all.

I’m still confused.

Up until now, I’ve been able to avoid any sort of Mommy vs. Mommy or Mommy vs. stranger who may or may not be a Mommy run-in, not that I would call this a run-in per say, but it was certainly one of the first out in public Mommy moments I’ve had that has stayed with me. I haven’t been able to shake this exchange for some reason. Why is that?

What did he mean by “daycare kid”?

What do you think? I would love to get your take.

P.S. If you have a favorite toddler app, please let me know!

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Filed Under: exercise, holidays, iphone, question, random, SAHM, TV Tagged With: exercise, holidays, iphone, question, random, SAHM, TV

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