In an instant...

My "baby" will be turning 13 in a couple weeks. It has gone by so quickly.

I can remember finding out about him and how scared I was. (I wasn't married to his father and had just turned 21 years old).

Then I remember feeling like every single person around me was unhappy and that regardless of the circumstances I was going to be a mom and I had a little person depending on me.

When I went through all the health scares with him and thought I might lose him and it was decided to deliver him early...

When he was finally born after such a long, long day and so many scares...

When they handed me a little 4 pound bundle and he was the smallest thing I had ever seen but he had these little gray eyes that were wide open...

When I knew it was just me and him on our own and that I would do anything I could to protect and keep him from hurt...

When he went around telling EVERYBODY that "My Mommy and My John and me...we're all going to get married and live together."

Telling him he was going to be a big brother for the first time. "Really? I wanted a puppy!"

Watching him look at Josh for the first time, "He's a keeper, Mom."

Telling him he was going to be a big brother for the second time. "Are you serious, Mom? A BABY? Aren't you too old for that?"

He is my firstborn, strong willed, smart as a whip, addicted to the History Channel, girl crazy, handsome, blue eyed boy that drives me up the wall some times but breaks my heart with pride at other times.

And he'll be 13 soon. And I'm not ready for that.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

No pictures uploaded yet but we had such a good time.

Flew out on Friday and Colin was a champ on the plane.

Got in around lunch time and went to check in at the Polynesian.

Was upgraded to concierge level which meant we wouldn't be spending $35--$40 a day on breakfasts. Huge plus! It was a beautiful resort with such neat extra touches. We will stay here again for sure.

Hit Disney Studios on Friday and everybody was thrilled to be back at WDW. Stayed until around 5PM then John took Colin back to the resort and I took the big boys to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This is their favorite part of the entire trip I think.

Saturday morning we got up around 8AM and hit EPCOT. Spent the majority of the day there. I took Colin back for a nap after lunch and then John and the boys headed back a little later and spent some time at the pool.

Sunday we did Magic Kingdom all day and everybody had a great time. Colin got his first haircut at the Barber Shop on Main Street and they gave him Mickey ears with "First Haircut" embroidered on the back. SO CUTE.

Monday we hit Magic Kingdom one last time for everybody to do their favorite rides again before our flight left.

We never made it to Animal Kingdom but nobody seemed too disappointed except me. :o)

Flew back home Monday afternoon around 5PM and Colin slept all but 15 minutes of the flight.

Now John and I are considering spending a long weekend back at Disney in March/April/May sometime for our 10 year anniversary. I'm already excited about it!

So far behind...

On laundry.

On posting pictures.

On cleaning up the house.

On returning phone calls and emails.

On buying groceries and menu planning.

But...I have had so much fun with friends in the last couple weeks. Consignment sale preparations. Beach trip. CR. Lunches. Playing outside.

One of my closest friends lost her father this past week. He was only 60 and far too young to die. He lived a hard life here in the end and made some choices that sealed his fate and I wish it could have been different. He was a good man that was caught up in his illness but he loved his family the best way he knew how. I keep telling her to cling to that.

I also have had a couple ladies drop out of CR due to relapse or their codependency and their partner relapsing. It is very frustrating and makes me sad but you can't force someone to get better. They have to want it. It's like we keep saying in group....maybe they just need a little more pain.

This weekend is dinner with friends, visiting inlaws and getting Direct TV installed. Why I'm not exactly sure since we don't really watch television. Kind of interesting but we want DVR capability to record the few things we are ever interested in seeing. The kids watch their cartoons but John and I...not so much.

8 more days until Walt Disney World. Cannot wait!