Happy Colintine's Day

When Colin was born,

a day known for flowers and candy, 

instantly morphed into 

a day of balloons and cake.🎈🎂

Valentine's Day

heartily became 

Colintine's Day.

On that early February 14th morning...

with a cuddle and a kiss,

Colin 

(all 8 pounds 15 ounces of him)

had

stolen my heart…

which is why the song “Stolen” by Dashboard Confessional 

was an easy pick for our mother/son dance at his wedding reception.

I'm remembering... 

middle school Colin

 listening to

Dashboard Confessional in his room

of posters and banners

and 

this Kat, 

sitting there listening with him...

never thinking that one day "Stolen" would be our 

Mother/Son song at his wedding. 

And this memory snapshot:

Colin and I are

at Westfarms Mall in West Hartford, CT 

when Colin looks over the 2nd floor railing and 

sees Chris Carraba -

emo Dashboard Confessional himself.

Colin excitedly asks me for a pen and paper to get his autograph.  

After quickly digging around my purse 

all I come up with 

is a promotion for a Macy’s credit card…

(which apparently works in a pinch)

he grabs it, runs down the escalator and 

nabs Chris Carabba’s treasured autograph.  

"Hands Down "

best day ever.

Dancing to Chris Carraba’s song “Stolen” at his reception…

was a 

full circle moment…

for both of us.

I can't help but feel ultra emo-tional today

thinking about my little boy

who has grown into

the amazing young man and loving son he is today.

Anywhoooo…

Colin turns 33 today

and just like the 

33 records

I used to play in my hey day...

he's got grooves

@ctgrooves.

Memories of Colin through the years

play like a soundtrack in my head...

playing all the hits.

I wanna go on record 

that Colin has been the best son

a mom could ever ask for.

What hits will Colin be playing on his next 

33?

May they be

music to his ears.

Drop the needle 

and

let's celebrate.

Happy Birthday Colin

I hope 

33

is a 

record

year for you.

The Handwriting is on the Wall

 Happy Belated 

National Handwriting Day. 

Shame on me for missing the big day last Saturday.

Who handwrites a letter anymore? 

That would have been my late grandmother. 

I used to love reading letters from her.

She had the most beautiful penmanship; 

right up until age 94 ¾ . 

Are young kids even familiar with the word “penmanship?"

Penmanship is seriously going to hell in a 

handwriting basket.

The handwriting is on the wall...

penmanship,

 like the word itself,

is becoming extinct.

They say your handwriting is a window  

(not sure if it's double hung or bay)

into your personality traits or mental traits…

uh oh.

"They" say writers who use

large letters = more likely to be outgoing, people-oriented, and outspoken

small letters=  more shy and withdrawn

rounded letters = creative and artistic 

pointed letters = intelligent and curious

Big loops = open-minded, the need for adventure 

narrow loops = correlate to skepticism or restriction.

I'm afraid to have my handwriting analyzed...

Maybe I’m….

outspokenly withdrawn with a creative skepticism for adventure?

Anywhoooo….

The extent of my handwriting these days is 

signing an occasional electronic signature pad, 

which by the way, we know isn’t easy.

My signature ends up looking like a 2 year-old’s scribble 

so often that

I just scribble on purpose. 

Or I'll write

 “Kat was here”  

to see if anyone is really paying attention.

Apparently no one is

because  

I’ve also written 

“John Hancock”

on a signature pad.

I'm pretty sure18th century 

John Hancock would not be proud.

Discontent 

for using his signature is

handwritten all over his face.

Happy Birthday Chelsea

 Sakes Alive,

when did 

Chelsea get to be thirty five?

ummm...today

I’m remembering 35 years ago…

 Paul drivin' full throttle to the hospital 

with me ridin' shotgun

breathin' in and out during contractions, 

gettin' pulled over for speeding and 

the police escortin' us the rest of the way.

And cherub Chelsea makin' us 

happy, 

wide-eyed,

what do we do next?

first-time parents.

In a blink 

of a baby…

PaulA and I learned that 

loitering in Neverland 

was not an option.

Not that we didn’t want to grow up, 

but 

a newborn baby magnifies RESPONSIBILITY.

The Real world becomes extra Real...

Real fast.

And now 

BLINK 

here’s Chelsea at 35, 

with her own family...

a wife and a mother of 

2 kids

who will certainly help to keep that

inner Peter Pan alive.

Seeing the magic and wonder of life 

through Ansley and Presley's eyes…

should keep Chelsea young..

and on her toes.

 Hopefully Chelsea always keeps that 

playful spirit

in her heart...

no matter how old she gets.

Peter Pan may be able to fly

but

young-at-heart 

Chelsea 

can still jump.

Anywhoooo…..

 

Over the years Chelsea has taken many photos,  

She particularly enjoys taking 

shadow shots.

Chelsea's own shadow has two heads...

following her around

watching and learning...

job shadowing 

their mama every day.

Ansley & Presley will one day learn they shadowed

 the very best.

I'm confident they will grow up to be 

loving, accepting, nurturing and fun people

cuz you learn what you live.

If I could give young Peter Pan some advice….

I would tell him 

"don't be afraid to grow up…

responsibility can be rewarding 

and hang onto your shadow.

Take it from Chelsea…

growing older is a fulfilling adventure

and

Shadows

make 

fun pictures.

Happy Birthday Chelsea💃

Without a shadow of a doubt,

you are loved by the lot of us...

Lots and Lots.

Sign My Yearbook

 Remember your high school yearbook? 

Before school let out for the summer, 

we would pass our yearbooks around so our friends could sign them... 

“Stay Sweet Always” 

"Never Change"

“Friends 4 ever.” 

"HAGS" 

(Have a good summer)

I found my high school yearbook 

after cleaning out our basement and 

read..

"Don't give up the clarinet, 

there is always a little hope.

band girl encouragement?

"You're really a cute and sweet girl, 

a little short, 

so do a little growing this summer."

haha

As for Jenny G. who wrote in the upper left corner: 

Friends 4 ever….

who are you again?

Remember the quotes 

written 

underneath your Senior class picture? 

Colin had a friend who quoted him in his yearbook. 

No kidding. 

A Colin quote smack dab under Alex K’s senior photo read: 

“Keep it Fresh.”

Over the years we’ve heard many Colin lines, 

but we hadn’t considered any to live in infamy 

under a senior class photo. 

My Senior Photo

"Has anyone seen my glasses?"

I've certainly changed over the years, 

but I hope I've stayed sweet.

Anywhooooo……

Superlatives in the yearbook were always fun.

Most Likely To....

Being new to town my sophomore year, 

this Kat crawled under the radar

so I didn't receive 

a superlative in high school.

If 

I had received one 

it would have been:

  “most likely to 

be a blogger.”😀

Alas, I did get a superlative my freshman year in college 

from my Patterson dormmates…

 “Most likely to trip going up the stairs.”

These seniors....

most likely to...

                                      be loved by their mama.

As for the tradition of 

parents writing 

sweet and encouraging send-offs 

to their graduating high school seniors...

like 

"follow your dreams"

"you will accomplish great things"

that was not done back in my day.

If it was, 

I'm pretty sure most parent send-offs would have read:

"get a job/college education 

and

find a place to live."

Love, mom and dad

I wonder how kids these days are signing yearbooks?

I'm guessing for 2020/2021 

there's a good chance it's:

SCFA

Stay Covid Free Always