Saturday, December 20, 2008

Oh my, how time is creeping up on me

So lately my back has been hurting. My lower back. It hurts when I sleep and when I am sitting. It especially hurt today as I was sitting on the living room floor trying to wrap my in-laws' Christmas presents. I got to thinking about why it is hurting and Matthew and I have come up with a reason. Well, several reasons. I'm old. I'm overweight. I'm out-of-shape. I'm sedentary. Well, if that's not enough to squelch the Christmas spirit, I don't know what is. But it's sadly true. And so I started looking for some pictures to see how much I've changed over the years. It's kind of sad, really. Because not only am I heavier now, I'm just plain older. Even just a few years ago I look younger. Because I was. Having kids takes its toll and not just on your stomach and hips. The stress of having a Down syndrome baby and his having open-heart surgery takes its toll, too, even more than I had thought. Because now I just feel old and tired, frumpy and lazy. I know, I know. The solution is easy but implementing it is not. At least let me wait until the new year. Then I'll guilt myself into it. For now, some pictures.

Look at me approximately ten years ago. Woah, check out those furry eyebrows. But so young. This was toward the end of my college days on a statue in Coolidge Park. It had just been built, and we were having fun as kids do.



This was late November 2001 at Tavern on the Green in NYC. Even seven years ago I still looked like a kid. This was our one-year anniversary trip. Little did Matthew know when he planned it months before that NYC would be much different post 9-11. Still a great trip, though. It started my love affair with the city.



I took this picture, as if you couldn't tell from my outstretched arm. If we look tired it's because we were. We were in some random arcade in Japan. I like my eyebrows in this picture. But I think I look quite a bit younger here. Probably because I was. And about 30 pounds thinner. That might have something to do with it. This was 3 1/2 years ago in the summer of 2005, right before I got pregnant with Andrew.



Okay. Enough nostalgia. On with real life. Here are Matthew, Andrew, and Benjamin just this morning. Matthew is reading a book to Andrew about the first Christmas so that Andrew can put some stickers on a nativity scene.



Benjamin is really into it. LOL
Matthew let Andrew put the stickers wherever he wanted to.



Check out B's side pose. I mentioned this in my last post. He likes to hang out on his side. Silly baby.



Who knew it would be so darn hard to get a toddler to stand still and hold up a piece of paper so that his father could take a picture of it? ARG!!



Mommy knew what to do. Lie down on the couch!





Check out the crazy manger scene. I'll bet you didn't picture the first Christmas quite like this. All the stars piled on top of each other. Not to mention the people. Looks more like a frat party than the birth of Christ. Gotta love the flying cow.



Ooh, ooh, here are a few pictures of our new dining room table and chairs!! It's funny. I told Andrew we were getting a new dining room table and he said, "Where's the old one?" I had to remind him that we didn't have an old one. We do have a small kitchen table with four chairs in our eat-in kitchen, but we've never, in our eight years of marriage, had a real dining room table. But now we do! Pardon the mess and clutter of the room. A lot of this stuff will be moved into the "formal living room" once the Christmas tree is put away. I bought this table and eight chairs at JCPenney on Black Friday for a great deal. Then we ordered a piece of glass for the top. Yay!! (Laurie, you and Ben will be the first people to eat on it next Friday!! We haven't even eaten on it yet!)





Tonight after his bath, Andrew wanted to say goodnight to Namma (my mom). They were having a heart-to-heart conversation.
"Namma, what are you doing?"
"I'm wrapping presents."
"What are you going to do after you wrap presents?"
"I'm going to go to bed."
"What are you going to do after you go to bed?"
"I'm going to get up and go to church."
"What are you going to do after you go to church?"
"I'm going to eat lunch."
At which point he turned to me and asked, "Are we eating lunch with Namma tomorrow?"

Sorry, bub. Not tomorrow. :)







A few days ago eating ice cream with Yampa at their house.





Sorting shells this afternoon in Namma's window seat. Mom has taught him five categories: extra small, small, medium, large, and extra large. They have sorted potatoes and shells recently. My mom said that when she first looked at buying this house she could just see her grandchildren sitting in this window seat. She didn't even have any yet. (I was seven months pregnant with Andrew and Michael hadn't even started dating Edie yet.)



Benjamin on the floor of Namma's house tonight. He looks older to me here! But it could just be because he's working on a poopy diaper. The first one in about a week. Way to go, Benji! :)



That's all from this house. I am looking forward to next week! Matthew is only working 1/2 day all week. YAY!!!! I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.
LEAVE ME A COMMENT! Let me know you're reading. :)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Couple of comments...first, the nativity is great. Believe it or not much more organized than Matthew's. Matt put Baby Jesus on first (mommy's suggestion so we'd be sure to have the most important person in there) but then everyone else is piled on top. He wanted EVERY sticker to be "inside". Only the stars are not crammed in. When I told him some were presents for baby Jesus, the wise men couldn't hold the gifts, they had to be given to Jesus who was already buried below animals and visitors. Secondly...I LOVE Benjamin's side pose. I don't check the blog too often (sorry...) so I hadn't heard about it before but I think it's SO cute! Last but not least...I saw you called him Benji : ) SO there IS a little room for nick-names, huh : )
If we don't talk before...MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Marina

Unknown said...

You don't look older to me :). I think you are beautiful! I myself have aged the equivalent of ten years for every one year with children. Not only do I feel old, I look old too. I am actually thinner than when Paul and I got married, but things are exactly where the use to be if you know what I mean. My low back has been killing me wrapping presents and I am not overweight or truly "old" so go figure? I love the pics of Andrew and Benjamin they both are looking so grown up! I think I will offically call B's side pose his model shot! "eat your heart out baby!" I had Emma semi-arrange her nativity scene correctly. I told her where to stick things and it now hangs on our wall. Emma is tight with Jesus LOL! She is always calling him a sweet little baby, I am still trying to explain he is grown up now. Love you guys! Merrrrrrry Christmas! Please tell you parents the Applebys wish them a wonderful Christmas and give big hugs to those kiddos!

Anonymous said...

Hey, Angela! I read your blog too :) Your family is so sweet and kind. I love looking at the pics of the boys and "hearing" about your life. You give me happiness when I read your posts. They are so filled with love that it pours out in your words and pics. God Bless you and your family during this holiday season. ( Try Midol for the back. Its not just for PMS)

Anonymous said...

Yes, I'm here and i am reading!! Now leave me alone...you know i like to be a "silent blog stalker".

Melissa C.

Tina said...

Hey Angela, I've never commented on here before but I wanted to let you know I do read your blog.
I wanted to tell you that from what I've seen in your pictures I love your house. How do you keep it so clean? Are you constantly cleaning? It just looks a lot better than mine! :)

Tina C.

Megan said...

1. You look great.
2. Think of the AMAZING things your body has done since those photos were taken....and cut yourself some slack!

:-)

Jennifer Talley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jennifer Talley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jennifer Talley said...

Girl....I can relate with the pounds and the stress of being a mom, but you are doing a wonderful job and think how lucky you are to be able to have children and precious ones at that! God is with you and your husband loves you unconditionally as do A and B. You inspire me to be the best mom! Thank you for your blogs and inspirational stories! You are beautiful from one mom to another! Your family is lucky to have you by their side forever!

Anonymous said...

I'm leaving a comment, since I read and you asked for comments :)

Where did you get that nativity scene? Amelia would love that! She loves to play with the nativity sets we have. You can let me know on Facebook if you would, please!

Benjamin is sooo cute and I loved all your pics!!

I think you look just as young. It's hard gaining weight and having a changing body after kids, but it's life unfortunately. Maybe you and I could kick eachother into gear and keep eachother in check. I need to lose some weight.

Merry Christmas week!

Anonymous said...

Hey look who finally decided to give us a freaking blog update. :)

You do not look old or tired or haggard. But, I know what you are saying. I am not putting myself together as well as I could each day and it is starting to make an impact. I need to get back in the gym and I need a nice hair cut and an eyebrow wax. I need to put makeup on every morning again, instead of 3x per year.

Sara

Lora Leigh said...

I don't think you look old at all! But I totally understand where you are coming from with the stress and how it ages you...I found out I was pregnant with Raeleigh, graduated high school, had Raeleigh, dealt with heart surgery and issues of DS, and got a four year degree all in exactly 4 years..my birth certificate says I'm only 21...I am pretty sure I am 30 :)

Kristen said...

I'm reading Angela. And boy, I can SO relate to feeling older, fatter, and worn out. I'm not saying you are... I didn't know you until recently, and we've never met in person. :) But yeah. I feel it. I turned 31 this year and am all of the sudden noticing lines on my face I haven't seen before... And in fact, this morning I found a gray hair on my head and literally felt sick to my stomach. So I feel your pain.

I LOVE your new dining room table and chairs. We bought a table about 6 months ago at a furniture clearance but STILL no chairs to go with it, so we have ugly folding ones. I am jealous of your ensemble.

The pictures are too cute. As always, your boys are adorable and "Benji" is stealing my heart as usual! :) I wish we lived closer so that he and Milo could play!

Merry Christmas!!

Stephanie said...

I love the NOW you!!! You look great.