Mikey

Michael Timothy came along another 5 1/2 years later. Why does this huge spacing seem to be a pattern? Well, we had some troubles having another baby after Jillian. But just when we were about to give up (seriously...we said if we don't have another by then end of 2006, we're just going to move on-we have 2 great kids anyway!) So, Mikey was born December 10, 2006...just under the wire, right? This pregnancy was great except that I turned 35 during it, which causes all kinds of fuss. Great news for me was that my sister Beth was pregnant too! Never thought that would happen. She had her first baby in 2005. My oldest was 10! Anyway both C.J. and Jill were excited for the baby! We weren't going to find out the sex of our baby, but after numerous ultrasounds due to my age and my history, we finally (sort of) caved. The tech put the info. in a sealed envelope. We stashed it in a kitchen cabinet for months. We decided that maybe the kids would want to open it. We offered, they declined. Well, it was really starting to eat away at us. A few times the envelope fell out of the cabinet, hitting me on the forehead. I don't remember when, but we finally gave in to the curiousity. It was a boy! Later after attending an engagement party for cousin R.J. we asked the kids again if they wanted to know. This time we said yes. C.J. was thrilled, Jillian was not. In fact she really cried her eyes out. Franny felt horrible, as he was the one who actually delivered the news. Fast forward to today and Michael's favorite person in the world is Jillian. She loves him and plays with him and teaches him, very sweetly. Anyway, the pregnancy was reallylong. Who would think you'd go past your due date with your 3rd baby? (C.J. was actually 12 days early, Jilly was born on her due date). Michael was due around Thanksgiving. He arrived on Dec. 10th, the day before they had scheduled induction. The day that our new mattress was being delivered. We left my father in law in charge of that task and dropped the kids with my mom & Bob. Labor for hours and hours with not a lot of progress towards delivery. Well, I was fully dilated and efaced, but he just couldn't get through the birth canal. The wonderful Dr. Dilillo was telling me that we really needed the C-section. Exhausted and feeling defeated I agreed. It was a different experience, but no less amazing. Dr. Ganim, the anesthesiologist took photos. The nurses talked me through what I couldn't see was happening, and then Michael Timothy came into the world with a strong cry! He was a biggie! 9 lbs, 6 oz! I didn't feel so bad that my body couldn't deliver him naturally. I got a big private room at the hospital that had 2 beds in it. When the kids came they would lay in the other bed and watch TV. They were both loving the little baby and holding him and it was so special. Fran, of course, took care of me, always my rock. Today Michael is a real wild child, sweet and affectionate, but a little rascal as well. He's funny little guy who loves basking in all the attention he gets from the rest of us. Ten weeks later my sister gave birth to William Patrick, and these 2 are partners in crime, buddies for life. What a treat for all of us!

My Jilly Girl

Jillian entered our world in July of 2001 about 2 weeks after Fran & my first anniversary. It was an incredibly difficult birth, and I narrowly escaped a C-section thanks to the wonderful Dr. Di Chiara. She was 8lbs 15 ounces, 9 ounces bigger than C.J. was. They were telling me as I was delivering her that she was "bigger than the last one". I immediately concluded that the baby was a boy. But...NO! She was a girl!!! I heard my mouth saying " I really wanted a girl, but I didn't want to say it!". I didn't get to hold her, she was having some slight difficulties and needed to go to Special Care Nursery. The nurse dipped her little face down at mine and I focused really hard on her face wanting to make a memory, and off she went. Fran was an awesome coach. He was overwhelmed with emotion after she was born. Such an incredible experience. The hospital was so packed we had to spend the night in the delivery room. I remember calling my aunt and telling her we hadn't chosen a first name, but that her middle name would be "Alexandria" just as mine is, after my Nana. I glanced up at Fran as I blurted this out realizing I hadn't really talked it over with him...oops! Well, we had never seen eye to eye on any names at that point. Somehow we settled on Jillian, which I loved.Fran tells me now that he named her. I guess I'm a little blurry on the subject. I thought I had suggested it at some point during the pregnancy. Anyway when we brought Jilly home we were living in a very small cottage next to Fran's mom & dad's house. So the little darling was going in our room. I have to say she was pretty much a perfect baby. She slept well, woke up happy, ate well, although she did have a habit of gulping her feedings down, often followed by spitting up. She hardly ever complained and she rarely got sick ( that's even true now, knock on wood...). She is super, super smart. She is artistic and full of imagination and creativity (she gets all of this from Daddy, because I know there are no creative juices flowing on my side...). Jilly is an old soul, wise beyond her years. The days in the cottage when she was small were very happy times for all four of us. C.J. started kindergarten. Fran was coaching football (nothing new here). We'd all go and watch his games together on Sunday. She was a really easy baby. Things were very, very good for us then as a family. I can't recall much stress. We were loving being a growing family.

C.J.

Just to give some background before I really start this blog. C.J. was born in February of '96. I was so completely overwhelmed at the time of his birth.I was alone when I went into labor. My mom & my sister came over at like 3 in the morning to sit with me and time contractions and such. In the delivery room, my sister, my mom, and my friend Jessica helped me deliver this blonde blue eyed little boy who took forever to be born! I was instantly in love with this amazing little creature. I remember holding him and chanting to myself "Remember this moment. Remember this moment!" When I arrived at the postpartum unit I nursed him and ate a bowl of raisin bran. I was alone with my little man. Something that I was just starting to realize might be the way things could be for us everyday. My husband at the time was out fishing and no one could find him. He eventually showed up the next day, apologizing. The marriage didn't make it, but C.J. and I were OK, we really were. He filled my life completely. We were a team. We sold our place in Magnolia and bought a condo in Beverly. Got our finances under control and had a nice life going for ourselves.C.J. brought out the best in me and I felt confident in raising him. C.J. was smart, energetic, and busy as a little guy. I had to put C.J. in preschool shortly after he turned 3. I was working in Gloucester and I looked at several places. I found one I liked called Woodland Place. It was on Gibbs Hill Drive in West Gloucester. There was teenage boy who worked there and I thought to myself "Great! He needs a male influence in his life." The director named Beth told me his name was R.J. and he was her nephew. I was sold. Well, as it turned out lots of Beth's other relatives went to the preschool (neices, nephews, her own children) and the older neices and nephews worked there. Such a strong famil atmosphere. Beth decided she wanted to fix me up with her cousin. His name was Fran and Beth told me he was really super, and at the very least he would never ever treat me badly. Turns out she was 100 percent right. More about him later. In any event we got married when C.J. was about 4 and a half. After we exchanged rings, Fran presented C.J. with a crucifix on a chain and put it around his little neck as a symbol of commitment and fatherhood. It was really amazing. We began the adoption process shortly after we married. On March 5 th, 2002 Fran legally adopted C.J. and made it official. Now we were all legally Gibbs'. C.J. and Fran have an amazing relationship. C.J. will be 13 soon, its hard for me to believe. He is almost as tall as me ( I still have him beat by 1 1/4 inches!). C.J. is still willing to snuggle with Mom or Dad while watching a movie or a football game on TV. He has a lot of friends and plays football, basketball, and baseball He is a good student and a really nice kid who is kind and helpful to others. We are really proud of our son. 2008 was quite a year for Mr. C.J. More on that later....

Why Blog?

I decided to start this blog after reading one created by a mom of a critically ill child. I prayed an I cried as a read about her. I checked for updates on her condition. Actually I am still doing that now. It is really tugging at my heartstrings as a mother. It made me think about my own children and all Fran and I had been through with them. I feel like I still remember everything, but as I read this other mom's blog I remember all of the emotions you go through with a sick or injured child. She documented all of the things that lead up to her child's current hospitalization. You think you will always remember it all, but the truth is you probably won't. Two of my children have been hospitalized for very serious issues in the last two years. They are both doing really well today. But I wish I could have put my feelings down as they were happening. Not just for these really scary times, but for the beautiful times as well. And the small things that happen every day that you easily forget if you're not yanking out their baby books, or they are too old to have them anymore. I want to be able to recall things as they were "in the moment". They grow up so fast. So, I'm hoping I can do this and write about things that are happening and maybe even recall stories of times in the past to get them recorded as I remember them today. I want to create something that I can keep of our life as we move through it together.