aunt leah

Save The Ta-Tas

Posted on September 16, 2010 Written by Tonya

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. – Steven Wright

I am putting all my walking to good use and have signed up for the 2010 Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure.

This will be my third time participating in this event and second time with my sister, Leah.

I walked in LA in 2001, San Diego in 2008 (while 12 weeks pregnant) and this time, I’m tackling San Francisco.

If you’re not familiar with the 3-Day for the Cure, it is an amazing walking event that covers three days and 60 miles. Yes, you read that right, I will be walking 60 miles over the course of three days, sleeping in tents, meeting some incredible people and hearing stories of survival and bravery along the way.

Fortunately my life has not been directly effected by breast cancer, but this is a cause that is very important to me.

In 1990, I found a small lump on my right breast and had it checked out immediately. It was only a cyst. I had it completely removed in 1997 and have been getting yearly mammograms ever since.

I was lucky.

Many are not.

Unbelievably, there is still not a cure for breast cancer and one person is diagnosed with it every three minutes in the United States. That’s why I’m walking, to help do my little part in finding a cure and I don’t believe mailing a check is enough.

Lucas, I hope you find a cause someday that is important to you, and that you do whatever you can in your power to defend and fight for in a bold way.

More Breast Cancer Facts (courtesy of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for a Cure Web site):

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the leading cause of death among women worldwide.

More than 1.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer globally each year.

More than 465,000 die from the disease each year.

A woman dies from breast cancer every 68 seconds.

Incidence rates are increasing five percent annually in low-resource countries.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure partners or funds programs in 50 countries to end suffering from breast cancer.

Komen Founder and CEO Nancy G. Brinker, a Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control for the U.N.’s World Health Organization, is urging global health officials to include cancer in global health agendas.

Each walker is asked to raise at least $2300 and so far I am half way there. This is not a fundraising plea, but if you are feeling generous, please let me know and I can tell you how to donate.
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Labor Day Weekend

Posted on September 7, 2010 Written by Tonya

It was another busy weekend for us and I can’t believe it’s been four days since my last post. My head is now sufficiently bursting with blog ideas!

After training for four months with the Los Angeles AIDS Marathon Training Program and raising almost $1500 for AIDS research, your aunt Leah participated in the Disneyland Half Marathon on Sunday.

I am so very proud of her and thrilled to report that she completed the 13.1 miles in just over 3 hours. When I saw her shortly after she finished running, she not only looked fantastic, but was already talking about running in the LA (full) Marathon in March. I think she can do it!

Other weekend highlights include; you turning 15 months old yesterday (more on that in my next post) and attending your eighth birthday party!

You had a blast playing with all the other children and especially enjoyed the water table, which I have already ordered you one of your own. I didn’t capture any photos of the water fun, but I love this one of you and Ciarra, my friend Lisa’s daughter.

It is so cool to see my friends as mothers. Our children have definitely added a whole new wonderful dimension to our friendships. These are amazing women and mothers.

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Guest Post

Posted on August 24, 2010 Written by Tonya

This Friday marks my one year blogoversary and to celebrate, I have asked my three favorite readers to guest post this week.

The first is your aunt Leah, who shows up here once a month or so and shares her wit and wisdom.

Leah has her own blog, LA ‘n’ LA .

Dear Lucas,

I believe there is one thing that your mom may love more than your daddy, me and even you and that is her beloved blog, Letters for Lucas.

Yes, she sure does love her blog and has surprisingly found the time to post just about every single day. Not to mention, she now has over 100 followers! That’s a lot of people checking up on her (and you) daily. So, where does she find the time to blog? Well, fortunately you occasionally will take a mid-morning nap and of course go to bed delightfully early – around 7:30. This leaves her just enough time to clean up after YOU, catch up on some TV or watch a movie with your dad and then sit down with a glass of wine and blog.

She always has things to say. Sure, it’s not always all about you and what new and fun things you are doing, sometimes, it’s just about her and what she is currently interested in. I really think/hope you are going to absolutely adore reading her blog when you are older. I hope you know how lucky you are to have a mom who is keeping track of your life this way. I wish that your Grandma Adams had done something like this for us when we were growing up but then again, we didn’t have blogs or even the Internet back then. I know, it was a crazy and different world! Ha ha! : )

Your mom has certainly inspired me and my blog. I definitely would not have even started my own if it hadn’t been for her. She is always encouraging me to write. When our parents died, one of the first things we did was go to a bookstore and buy journals. At the time I wasn’t sure how writing would help me deal with my grief, but I took that purple journal and began writing that night. Immediately, it felt so good to put on paper how sad and alone I felt. Then, a couple nights before their memorial service, I read out loud to her what I wrote and that felt even better. I think this is why we both enjoy blogging so much. We get to explain how we feel and share our worlds with strangers, who are now friends, read it. Often times, we learn that we are not alone. I suppose it’s human nature to want to be understood by others.

Your mom is a great writer and really makes you feel connected and interested in her subject matter. She may think that this is a crazy idea but she should really consider being a professional writer. I love how her writing style is just like the way she talks. Seriously, it’s like she is sitting right there next to you having a conversation with you. How many people can really do that?

Congratulations to your mom on her 1 year blogoversary! May she continue her blog with the same excitement and enjoyment that she does today. And in her now famous last words, “the best is yet to be”.

I love you, LMW.

Your Aunt Leah

Thanks, Leah. I do love my blog and I’m glad you are enjoying having one too. Writing is like therapy.

The best is yet to be.

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Aquarium Of The Pacific

Posted on August 8, 2010 Written by Tonya

Last week, Lucas and I visited the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach for the first time with my friends Colleen and Wendi, their two little boys and my sister.

It was not my best mommy day.

I was on day four of Lucas’ dad being away and my patience was shot and nerves were fried. It was hot and very crowded and Lucas refused to eat and proceeded to scream his way through lunch. All he wanted to do was run around and be free of the stroller. Who can blame him, right?

Lucas loved being up close and personal with the sting rays and friendly sharks, but a 13 month old doesn’t quite understand the command “gentle, two fingers only”.

The water-squirting playground was a huge hit with all the boys, but next time, I’ll bring a towel and a change of clothes. For both of us!

It’s a beautiful aquarium and home to over 11,000 ocean animals and I highly recommend it if you are traveling to southern California.

The sea otter exhibit was our favorite. It was a lot of fun and dare I say, soothing to watch the silly energetic otters swim back and forth in their habitat.

The best is yet to be.

Time Heals All Wounds

Posted on July 19, 2010 Written by Tonya

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. – Irish proverb

I haven’t posted in a few days. I have a lot to say, a lot is floating around this brain of mine, but the only thing on my mind is the fact that I’m not pregnant anymore. I couldn’t even get my Friday Flip Offs together, and I live for that!!

Last week went from bad to worse. I will spare you all the details, but it ended last night with a visit to the ER.

I’m on the mend, but sad.

I know it is completely normal for me to feel this way and I know it will pass, but my mind is a litany of negative thoughts and I can’t seem to shake them.

I’m trying to carry on as usual, but it’s easier said than done.

I’m trying to carry on as usual, because I have a 13 month old and he needs me as much as I need him.

Unfortunately, Lucas’ dad had to be out of town for a few days last week, so my sister was here and helped out immensely. She knows me well and is great with Lucas. I don’t know what we would have done without her.

Like most people, when trying to feel better emotionally, I turn to retail therapy, drowning my sorrows in Cabernet, pouring my heart out in my journal or blog, or watching too much bad TV, but sleep has always been my favorite way to escape.

None of it really helps, but crawling under the covers and disappearing for a while is a good place to start.

My son’s smile is another brilliant light at the end of this dark tunnel and lastly, there’s time…. time to heal, time to mourn and eventually time to try again.

Thank you for all of the support, good thoughts and virtual hugs last week and for commenting on my post Miscarried. As usual, I put myself out there in a very real and honest way and the feedback was sincere and heartfelt.

The best is yet to be.

Guest Post

Posted on July 13, 2010 Written by Tonya

It has been over a month since aunt Leah shared any words of wisdom. This time she’s got something to say about dating.

Yikes!! I can’t even imagine my little boy going on a date, but it’s going to happen whether I want it to or not. I just hope he’s at least 20 before the girl craze begins.

Dear Lucas,

I recently started dating someone seriously so I thought that this would be a perfect time for me to tell you about dating and what it means to be the “perfect guy”. It’s kind of funny for me to think about you and dating right now but you are not going to be a little guy forever and will eventually be interested in the ladies. Having said that, there’s no rush at all. You have your whole life to stress about girls and learn what makes women tick. Take your time and enjoy the process of meeting your Ms. Right.

Okay, so there’s no beating around the bush, dating can be tough. In fact, maintaining a solid relationship is tough too. It’s all tough. There, now that I’ve gotten that out of way, we can get to the fun stuff…

While dating can be complicated and frustrating and at times exhausting, it can be incredible too. When you find someone whom you want to spend your time with and whom you have more than just ‘friend’ feelings towards, it can be one of the best feelings in the world. When you are really involved, everything just feels better. Food tastes yummier, colors are brighter and even music sounds more amazing. I can’t explain it but this all really does happen. I can’t wait until you experience all this for the first time. There is nothing like your first love. So, please call your aunt and fill her in!

Of course you have to consider yourself lucky when that person you care for, cares for you right back. Trust me, so far in my dating life, I’ve had numerous crushes but maybe only a couple guys have actually reciprocated those feelings back at me. It can be very sad and certainly a self-esteem killer, but like the saying goes, there are a lot of fish in the sea.

Now I’m sure your mom and dad have already told you all this or you’ve picked it up somewhere else no doubt, but a month or so ago I created the ultimate “Perfect Guy” list, so I thought that I would share a few things I learned from my research. While compiling this list may have been fun, it’s really not that practical. There are really no set characteristics girls need to have in their perfect guy. It’s all feelings and connections. Having a list will ruin all that. We just need to make sure that we are open to love, every kind of love. It’s really not supposed to make sense or fit a mold or a list. Another thing to keep in mind is that most girls just want a guy who can have hot dogs and beers at a baseball game during the day…then wine and dine them at the Met later at night. Personally, I love a guy who can make me laugh. An awesome sense of humor is very important to me. You are already cracking me up at just a year old so I’m sure you’ll be good on that.

Well, kid, stay tuned for my next guest post. I love you very much little Lucas.

Thanks, aunt Leah for the fun and sage advice. And by the way, when do we get to meet your latest someone? Hmmmm???

The best is yet to be.

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How Fab!

Posted on June 7, 2010 Written by Tonya

Leah, my sister and fellow blogger (LA ‘n’ LA) has awarded me with the ‘”Your Blog is Fabulous” award because as one of my three faithful, day-after-day readers and commenter’s she thinks I deserve it.

Most days I do too, if I do say so myself. I’m not a skilled writer by any stretch of the imagination, but this blog has been a very very VERY good thing for me as a new mom (since Lucas just turned one, how long can I get away with calling myself a new mom? More on that later.) and has kept my psyche in check. It is my outlet, I am thankful to have it and appreciate all my readers and their comments. I excited to share this with Lucas someday.

I haven’t even gotten to the fabulous part yet!

Unlike with most blog awards, I don’t have to do a darn thing in order to accept it,(i.e. share seven things about myself with you) aside from pass it along. Easy!

I’ve given my friend Coreen awards before and I feel as though she is still worthy. If you aren’t reading her very funny, very smart and very insightful The Adventures of Captain Fussypants, Little Miss Squeak & Caleb the Wonder Dog, you are missing out! Coreen just added a beautiful new baby girl to her mix and now has even more to share. She also just revamped her blog and it is super cute.

However, if you are still interested in learning some facts about me, check out my previous recognitions here.

Thanks, Leah!

The best is yet to be.

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A Onederful First Year!

Posted on June 6, 2010 Written by Tonya

Today you are one year old! While some days certainly seemed a lot longer than others, one year never went by faster!

One year old. Wow!!

Looking back on all of your monthly milestones, I am in awe. You have grown so much, learned more than I ever thought you would and are becoming your very own little wonderful person full of character and charm.

Like every other month, this was a big one full of lots of firsts; like:

Visiting Legoland
Graduating from your second Kindermusik class
Graduating from wearing the Doc Band (read all about our experience here)
Sitting forward in the car!!
Knowing where your belly, head and toes are
Picking your lovey and a favorite little stuffed monkey out from a pile of several other things
Can follow simple commands like, ‘go get it’ and ‘put this in there’… we are still working on ‘no’ and ‘don’t touch that’
When asked a ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’, or ‘why’ question, shrug your shoulders and turn your hands up. This is the most adorable thing I have ever seen a toddler do!
Developed a love affair with every household appliance we own… hence the reason to learn the word ‘no’!
Attended two more birthday parties (for a grand total of six in just your first year of life!)
Your eyes are still blue and I think it’s safe to say that they are going to stay that way. 🙂

We celebrated your special day yesterday at home with a BBQ, balloons, cupcakes and plenty of gifts. Your two aunts and grandparents came to visit and it was a lot of fun.

I will never forget the day you were born and how I held you in my arms until the sun came up, just staring at you in complete adoration. What a great day. Happy Birthday, son. I love you.

Your destiny is waiting and the best is always yet to be.

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Guest Post

Posted on May 27, 2010 Written by Tonya

It has been a while since we have had a guest post from your aunt Leah or a nice long visit. Luckily, while your dad was out of town this week on a business trip, she came down for a couple of days and with her, she brought this month’s special message to you:

Lucas!

I haven’t seen you in 39 days and it’s killing me…literally! Okay, maybe not literally, but I’m really not happy with it. Sure absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I already adore you, so the time away from you isn‘t changing anything. I understand though, you and your family have been busy little bees the past month and a half. I mean, geez, you all went to Australia! I hope that you remember me when I see you. I’m not too sure what your memory bank is like at (almost) 12 months old, but it would be sweet if you totally recognized me and got all excited to see me. We’ll see…

Fortunately, your mom invited me to come spend two days with you guys in San Diego this week. I am super thrilled to see you and spend some time with your mom. I don’t mean to sound like the doting aunt but you are getting bigger everyday and learning new things about this world so fast, and like your Grandma Adams would say, you are growing older but I’m staying the same age. Right?! 🙂 I cannot believe that you are going to be 1 year old in ten days! This year has flown by! Never before have those words been truer than about this past year.

This week your mom sent me a picture of you sitting in one of my old wicker baby chairs from Pakistan. I brought it for you several months ago when you were much too small to sit in it. I certainly thought it would be a lot longer before you were able to sit comfortably in it. But look at you now; it’s the perfect size for you! It makes me happy to see you in that, that chair is sort of symbol of your family traveling background. Your mom has a lot of neat things around the house from all over the world and I love that this chair is one of them. It’s also fun that I used to sit in it just like you! My parents would have loved to have seen you in it. They would have gotten the biggest kick out of it!

So while I know that living in LA is far closer to you then when I was living in Phoenix, it just isn‘t close enough. I have seriously been considering the possibility of moving to San Diego in a year or so to be nearer to you guys. I want to be able to drop by for dinner once in awhile or take you for the day while your mom and dad hang out. I just can’t do those things now living an hour and a half away. We’ll see about it, but it’s a definite possibility.

Well, precious nephew, that’s all for this guest post. I love you more everyday.

Love always,

Aunt Leah

Thanks, Leah. I have included the photo I texted to you. I love that you kept that chair and passed it on to Lucas. We have a find a photo of you when you were his age sitting in it.

See you next weekend for the big boy’s birthday celebration. 🙂

The best is yet to be.

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