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Saturday, May 21, 2016

JO JO TURNS TWO TODAY!

Another spotlight blog as Mumsie celebrates here the
birth of our spitfire, JoJo, Tuts and all those other names
we call her.
Jolee Claire Riera is Two today!
Not the best picture of the Mumsie, but captures so
much of what this child has done for me over the last two
years. 
She came to us at the same time I found myself ending a season
of my life, thirty years of marriage. Although the separation
and divorce was needed and wanted by both of us, its
just never a pleasant experience. JoJo helped that cycle of life.
She is not her sister, Bean in any way, funny, and likes
to make others laugh. She gets a joke, for instance,
she and I do this little thing,
I say, "I love you, JoJo"
and she repeats "I love you Muzie"
no matter how many times I say it, her comeback always 
"I love you Muzie!"
So the other day when he Daddy came to pic her up,
I said my usual "I love you JoJo"
She gave that impish little smile she possesses and said,
"I love you DaDA" and began to laugh. At the young
age of 2, she knew she was pulling my leg and she understood 
she was. I repeated it and so did she,
"I love you DaDa"
Lil fart....lol.
She has finally found her love for the cottage and can
have a JoJo/Mumsie day.
Napping was always hard anywhere for her because
she so loves her crib and puts herself to sleep in it.
I just could not get a nap here, then the magic round
library chair came in and it is not only my happy place but hers 
as well!
      
She loves her Bae, the blank you will most often see her with.
Sucks the two fingers her Daddy and her Auntie Jew (gypsy baby)
did.  Being with Tuts brings back lots of memories
of my Mothering days as she is the child who reminds
me the most of my adult children when they were that  
age as she has the most of their mannerisms. 
Another thing about Tuts, she has a quality of playing and
entertaining herself, something her big Sissy never really learned
having been the first one.  Although she began the "terrible two"
stage a few weeks early, "NO!" becoming her favorite word,
said with emphasis, she is a sweet heart, loves giving and 
receiving love, loves dancing, not a big fan of her
baby sis yet but I know in time those two will be each others
best friends. Today she and her little family head
to Chucky Cheese then toys R Us for a bike for
the birthday party then we will gather this eve for traditional
Happy Birthday cake and singing.
Thank you JoJo, for making these last two years easier
because you have been in it. Thank you for always making me
smile and laugh, even when its because you are messing up.
When you leave the cottage I walk around and there are traces of you 
everywhere and I smile.
So as I close with the typed words,
"I love you, JoJo"
My heart hears now and always,
"I love you, Muzie" 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Friday, May 20, 2016

GRADUATIONS ABOUND....

Today is our Bean's last day of PreK,
a small little graduation, then off to Kindergarten,
Yet, it is my great nephew, Hugh Plaisance that
I would like to spot light today as he also
graduates, from HIGHSCHOOL!
An EDW graduation tonight.
Today, the spotlight belongs to him on 
Lilbitofmyworld blog.....

This little tyke,
Hugh John Plaisance was born in March,
way too soon, three months earlier than his
Mom's due date. 
First born to his two amazing parents, 
Rebecca and Glenn "Mikie" Plaisance.
He was under two pounds and
I will never forget the day we all gathered at 
Ochsner hospital when his Mom could no longer
keep him in her womb.
The doctors had warned us, he would not come out
crying and he would be going straight to the NICU
at birth, all those who loved his Mom and Dad,
who were so young at the time of their first born birth,
gathered around the birthing room, so nervous for all
as my niece was also not well by this time.
As we waited, tears overflowed when we heard this
very faint but definitely there..... CRY!
We all Cried! But it was not an easy road for them.
Hugh's first three months were spent in the NICU
of Ocshner hospital. His mother, refused to leave,
so she moved in to the Brent House and there she stayed
until it was time for her to bring her baby home.
I am not going to go through all the specifics of this
childs life and the things he had to overcome over the last
18 years, but I will say, He was born to the best parents for him.
When he became overwhelmed his Mother knew what to do,
she took him out the situation calmly and tried it again
the next time. Now, to see him being so social with his
peers, well for those of us who know where he
started from, all he accomplished, well it makes
us all so very proud. Now this child, always so smart,
when I say smart, I mean, scary smart.
I can bring out the one incident that I remember 
and will never forget. It was Christmas time and he
was two. His Mother, like myself,  loves to decorate
for the holidays. I went to visit and Hugh brought
me to his manger where he played out the birth
of Christ. I looked at one of the men and said,
"Oh, look at that wise man"
and he, at two years old looked me straight in the eye,
like I was a crazy grown up and said in the clearest voice,
"Aunt Lil that is not a wise man, do you see him bearing gifts?
Do you see him carrying Frankincense or Mere?"
Since that day, many moons ago, I have never tested his
knowledge. If you asked Hugh, 
"Want to bring something to do in the car for the ride?"
He grabbed a dictionary. He taught himself to read and his
Mom figured this out when at the age of 3, they
passed the sign of a local Pharmacy and he said,
"Mom that sign says Bird all"
he was close, Birdsall's. 
There are so many other times like this that I could just 
fill this blog up with them but I want to jump to
the special night of tonight,
this boy, now a young adult, over 6 feet tall,
remains one of those who can carry a conversation with any age.
Being the oldest of four children, there were times he wished
he was an only child but when his baby sis, Ellen came,
that changed, the bond those two shared started from the day
she was born and continues today.
These four children have the best, family oriented life.
I remember a conversation I had with their Mom,
Rebecca who has always been like my baby doll,
born when I was 10. Hugh was starting EDW in Thibodaux
and I was still living in Thibodaux and they were still living
in Golden Meadow. I offered to have Hugh move in with me
a few days a week to make it easier than she driving him
to Thibodaux daily. Her answer was what I expected but 
still melted me.
"I am not ready to have my family not together
every night."
and they never did. They sold their GM home and 
all moved to Thibodaux.
Now, in August, our little Hugh will be moving to 
the same college both his parents graduated from in
Monroe and for the first time, they will be separated
for the first time and I believe this part will be hardest
part for the parentals. As I absorb this fact
that our Baby Hugh is graduating from High School,
I realize that our Bean will so quickly be in that same spot.
Slow down world!
So I say to my dear, great nephew Hugh,
Congrats, my love!
You have brought all of us so much love and laughter
over the last 18 years. Be smart in your decisions
as you continue to grow into an adult in this world
and know that those two people you call Mom and Dad,
well they will forever be your biggest fans, there is nothing
you cannot share with those two that they will freak out
or not help you with. Go into this big beautiful world
and shine your awesomeness all over.
Never forget you have an Auntie here that will forever
be a silent cheerleader, always routing for you.
Remember that there are no such thing as mistakes as all
positive and negative things in your life
are learning experiences. It will be an adjustment leaving home
for the first time, but I have no doubt you will do fine.
You are our miracle child and never did a day go by
that I have not been appreciative the the Big Man 
allowed you to stay in our world.
I love you my dear Hughskee Doo.
Your are an amazing teen, one who has not just had his nose
in electronics but who knows and actually loves having 
conversations with adults of any age.
I love lots about you but one of my favorite parts is
how you understand the importance of family.
I have always adored the fact that no matter how old you were,
you always wanted to spend time with your old auntie Lil.
I love you, Hugh,
Pure and Simple, love you!

Thursday, May 19, 2016

TLC Reality TV....

I am a big reality tv finatic.
I love exploring others peoples lives via
these shows. 
TlC is my favorite channel for these shows.
There is LITTLE PEOPLE BIG WORLD,
Where Amy and her little hubby are separated,
I can relate to so much she says.
There is SISTER WIVES
that is so different from any marriage I have known
but I find it interesting...
there are others and I like them all.
Yet there is one I am struggling with,
starting this Fall..
I am Jazz, a young teen who is transgender.
This child I believe was born a boy
and is being raised as a girl.
On the commercials she speaks of
having to be on hormones to stop her body
from male hormones taking over.
She is beautiful, and talented.
I know their reason for possibly accepting
the offer is not so much for money but to 
open the door for others like her.
I have a problem with one commercial however.
When her Dad makes the comment,
"I have to protect our family, our child"
and I wonder, how is coming forward on a tv
show going to help protect his family.
Not meaning to judge their decision as everyone has
their reasons but it is a statement that to me,
seems completely different from  a reality show
protecting his family. 
I guess, if I were in the same place,
I would move somewhere where my daughter
would be known as nothing buy a girl and
raise her in that way with out people knowing
what her daily struggles may be.
Of course, this is just my opinion and I wish
this teen a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle
and I hope her parents, when they say,
" We need to protect our family"
find that even when they have signed up for 
a reality tv show.

Friday, May 13, 2016

SHE CALLS ME MUMSIE

Since Bean had her dance recital, I have been
thinking about writing this blog, after
getting her parents permission, I am so happy to 
write this Blog about this beautiful tyke, 
Elizabeth, known as Lizzie to us.
Lizzie is Kd's godchild but also her little niece,
her brothers child who was born just weeks after
our own Bean. She and Bean are more like sisters than
cousins but this blog is not about that,
This writing is about how much I love this 
dear one and a talent she has, bug whisperer....
I will explain that in a few.
She and I are pretty close, she calls me Mumsie
and each time she is with her Dad and she sees me,
she runs to hug and kiss me.
A  few weeks ago, Cathy, the girls MawMaw and
I were on grandma duty and were happy to also
have Lizzie with us,
That day I realized even more so, just 
how special this child is.
Its the dayI gave her the name "bug whisperer"
As we played outside, all she wanted was bugs,
We searched for bugs, and I was a hit with her
when I found some slugs,
Bean, she wanted a slug but she wanted me to put
it in her bug box but Lizzie had to hold hers.
I finally had her put it in a old butter tub with holes
in it so she would not kill it.
Then she really surprised me.
AS Cathy and I swung and played with the
younger girls she and Bean tried to catch
dragon flys. If you have never, in your childhood
tried to catch these fast flying things,
then you may not understand how special this trait is.
I call her the bug whisperer because
after about 5 minutes Lizzie came with her hands cupped
and said, "Mumsie I caught one"
I thought surely she caught a love bug,
but no, in her little hand was none other than
a Dragon fly, I was so impressed, I showed her
how to hold it by the wings without hurting it.
We continued to play, I believing it was a fluke,
she caught the slowest dragon fly, but Nooooo,
A few minutes later I hear,
"Mumsie, have another"
And she did!!!!! she caught another
holding it in the way I taught her! 
I swear this child is definitely a bug whisperer.
Bean would not have it in her hand, only
in her bug box, Tuts, she screamed just to have it around her
but Lizzie, lizzie could not have enough.
WE placed them in another butter dish.
She really wanted a lizard but we just could not catch
it where it was but she tried.
At the end of the day,
I explained to her if we did not let all the "catch of the day"
go, they would die because they were meant to fly in the wild.
She began to cry in my lap,
"but I don't want them to die, Mumise, I love them"
At the end of the day we let them go.
Her Daddy helped explain this so she could let them
go without tears.
My reason for thinking about this blog, however,
began at Bean's dance recital.
At the recital, there was a time during the dancing that
she seemed to be getting bored.
I brought up the subject bugs, well
she had to come to my lap and discuss this.
I explained how I think of her as a bug expert 
and how bugs just love her.
"They love me???"
"Oh yes, Lizzie, they all love you and I need 
you to help me because I have lizards in my shed"
"Lizards, Mumsie??"
and she was on my lap in a second,
giving me orders on what we will need,
"Okay, we gunna need a net, and a bug box, and...."
I have no doubt that next time she is with her
Dad who also lives in my garden district,
she will beg to come to MUmsie's shed,
She has a  job to do!
I love this baby, like my own and I would
like to thank her parents for allowing me
to be an important part of her life.
Love you, Lizzie!
Thanks, Frankie and Rachel.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

A MOTHERS DAY SURPRISE!

I Can now post the story of this chalk board I was
honored to make for my niece, Toya.
Toya is my brother, Peter's daughter.
Three days prior to Mothers Day, my high school bud, David
who happens to be Toya's youngest sons dad
contacted me to see if I could make a gift for Toya.
He explained how he usually buys a plant for Dayne to
give his Mom but Dayne wanted something special
 this year so they hired me for the job.
This is what I made, minus Alanis Morisette CD lol.
I wanted her to have one of my chalkboards that came
from my own cottage kitchen cabinet.
I had it started but was saving this one for someone special.
The other went to my gypsy baby and Kayshara, shara.
I personalized it for Dayne and his mom.
Placing on the top,
MOST CALL HER TOYA
I AM BLESSED TO CALL HER MOM
LOVE, DAYNE.
My little niece, her life has not always been easy,
I am so very happy to have found out this gift
from her baby and his Dad
turned her Mothers Day around.
I will forever be grateful that David asked me to
be involved and that no matter where Toya
goes in her life a part of her Aunt Lil will
follow her.
You guys did good, Dayne and David! 
Love to you all!

Saturday, May 7, 2016

MUMSIE'S COTTAGE IS BACK IN ORDER...

...and because of that,
dedicating today's blog to
Orders,
visit 
www.mumsiescottage.blogspot.com
to read my card blog.
Time to get this little business back in business!
Thanks for visiting!