Where Were You???

Alright, in preparation for the big game this weekend, I have been reflecting on previous NCAA tournaments...Last night, Cedric looked over at me and asked me what the heck I was doing...I had my earphones plugged into the computer and had tears in my eyes...I was watching the videos for "One Shining Moment" for the 1993 and 2005 NCAA tournaments on YouTube. For those of you who don't know, this song is played every year on the final game Monday night; one year it was Luther Vandross singing it and it was especially good. They have clips from the entire tournament, especially of the two teams playing for the title. I know I am a big SAP, but it makes me cry every year, even when UNC isn't even playing in the game!!! I also watched the 2 press conferences before and after the Louisville game, one was 50 minutes long...can you tell I take this basketball stuff pretty seriously???? Cedric thinks I am out of my mind, but I LOVE Carolina basketball and that love gets even stronger year by year.

So far the Tarheels have won 5 National Championships, but only 3 have been in my lifetime, those in 1982, 1993, and 2005. In 1982, I had just turned 4 years old and was at home with mom, dad, and Zach, who was only 6 months old. In 1993, I was 15 and had just received my driving permit. I watched the game at home with my parents and Zach again. Mom and dad let me stay home from school the next day and I watched and recorded all the stuff on the news about the championship. In 2005, I watched the game on Franklin Street at BW3s, a wing restaurant/bar with Cedric, Cynthia, and lots of other friends. We went up there around noon, and the game didn't start until 9:30 or so...long, long day at the bar and we ate a lot of wings! It was awesome to be right there and storm onto the streets after the game. It was one of the craziest things I have ever seen, right up there with Cancun over spring break! When we won, people slung beer and drinks up into the air and everyone got soaked. Cynthia's hubby Jody even got hit in the head with a shot glass. I will never ever forget it and I plan on returning to Franklin Street with Cynthia to watch the game again this year if we play on Monday night. Not sure where from yet, because BW3 has closed. It will be especially special to me this year because Cynthia is moving to Texas to be with Jody in about a month. I don't know that we will be able to make it to Franklin Street as easily next time we play for a national championship, but I know that I promise to be there if she will :)

I will be watching the Final Four games this Saturday night with lots of friends and family at my 30th birthday party, hosted by my brother Zach and his wife Nicole. Cynthia will be there, along with Laura and Travis. Go Heels! I wasn't sure what I was going to wear to the party, but the Heels playing makes it easy, Game Day outfit. That means a UNC tee, (I have a new one with the old ram on it), jeans or capris, UNC earrings, my Turn it Blue Bracelet (bought on the day we won the championship in 2005), my tarheel foot necklace, and UNC purse. I will also be toting along a bottle opener that plays the UNC fight song when you use it! I had a UNC koozie, but it is missing in action, I may have to go and buy a new one.

For all of you who haven't seen it, here is "One Shining Moment" from 2005--enjoy and hope it makes you cry too!!!:

Final Four, Here We Come!

The Heels did it last night and are headed to San Antonio to play Kansas on Saturday night! Lucky Cedric got to go to the game with my Uncle Gene. It was his first live UNC basketball game, and boy was it a good one! We will be watching the game Saturday night over at Zach and Nicole's. They are having a 30th birthday party for me, so now it will be a birthday party/Final Four party, even more fun! I am also working on plans for a trip to Franklin Street to watch the Heels play for the national championship next Monday. Now if we can just win on Saturday.....Not sure where we will watch it though...We watched the last one in 2005 at BW3's, but we found out that it has closed :(

The Twenties Are Done

Well it is official, I am thirty years old as of yesterday. Man, I can't believe it. When you are a kid, thirty sounds seems so old, but not anymore. I am in my thirties I had a great birthday week. Mom and I took Gabriel to Myrtle Beach on Tuesday and we came back yesterday. We did a lot of shopping and just relaxing, which was nice. The weather was pretty, but it was very windy, so we did not take little man down to the beach. We will save that for summer when we go down with the whole family. I got 3 new pairs of shoes for my birthday (blue Rainbows, Sperry Topsiders, and tennis shoes). You know I love shoes! Plus, I am still not back down to my pre-pregnancy weight and I refuse to buy clothes in a bigger size, so what's a girl to do but buy shoes! I also got an awesome UNC Fossil watch. Cedric brought me beautiful lilies, my present from him did not arrive on time, so I will get it later. We went to dinner last night with mom, dad, Zach, Lucy, and Martin at Kyoto, and I got to have sushi and Sapporo for the first time since being pregnant. Let me tell you, it was the best meal I think I have eaten in a year! After that, we came back to our house and built a fire in Cedric's fire pit and just sat around outside and hung out. Very fun night. Today, it is noon and we are all still in our PJs. I may just stay in mine all day long, it is rainy and yucky here and I really don't feel like getting out. Cedric is off this weekend, yeah! We will be watching basketball tonight, GO HEELS!

Here are my 2 favorite Tarheel fans:

Happy Late Easter!

Happy Birthday Mom and Dad!

I just wanted to wish both my mom and dad a very Happy Birthday. My mom turns 55 today and my dad turns 58. They are coming over tonight for a special birthday dinner. I love you guys very very much!!!

ACC CHAMPIONS!!!!

The Faces of Gabriel

Sleepy Gabriel...

Happy Gabriel....

Mad Gabriel....

Just Chillin' Gabriel...

Thankfulness....

for the fact that these last few days are over! Gabriel gave us quite a scare last Friday morning. This is honestly the first time I have been able to even think about it without getting upset. To make a VERY long story short, he choked in his sleep around 2:30 a.m.... Cedric had him breathing by the time EMS arrived and over the course of the last few days and one swallowing study later, he has been diagnosed with reflux. Doctors believe he choked on his own spit-up/stomach acid. He is now taking Zantac, just like what grown-ups take for reflux, and honestly, we are seeing changes in him already! Over the last 2 weeks or so, he had been extremely fussy after eating and seemed in pain each time. Also he was spitting up like crazy which was making a mess on him and me! From the time he was born, he has HATED being placed on his back and never would stay asleep when you placed him that way, he also has the hiccups constantly....all these things are symptoms of reflux. He started his meds yesterday and last night he slept from midnight until 8 a.m. THis is the first time he has ever made it longer than 4 hours or so!!! Today, he has not pitched a horrible fit after eating and seems to be a happy boy!!! So that has been our last few days and why I have such thankfulness that they are over!

My Big News...

is that I am taking a leave of absence from work for April and May!!! I will return to finish up the year in June (just 8 days I think) and then it will be time for summer break!!!! This will keep us from having to worry about childcare for Gabriel until August when he will be 7 months old. Plus, I honestly can say that I just want to be home with him desperately! The thought of leaving him for 8-9 hours a day, 5 days a week right now just makes me feel sick. I never really knew before how someone feels about their child, it has really just changed my whole outlook, my schedule, my priorities...it has changed my whole LIFE! Thanks to my hubby Cedric for being so supportive of me for wanting to take these additional 2 months off from work. I feel bad for him because he works such long hours while I am here at home enjoying our sweet baby boy.

What else is going on??

I did get my hair cut really short and I LOVE it....I don't know why every so often I feel the need to try and grow it out...I think I am just supposed to be a short-hair person! I just get bored with it and am always feeling the urge for change.

Gabriel is smiling now at people on a regular basis...I think it is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen...That boy has got everyone he comes into contact with wrapped around his little fingers!

Cedric and I are getting out alone this Saturday night...we are going to my cousin's house to watch the UNC/Duke game with the Lake Norman Carolina Club. GO HEELS!!!! Mom is babysitting baby G for us.

The countdown to my 30th birthday is on...I can't believe I am that old!!!! I don't think I have ever dreaded a birthday before. March 28th, take your time in getting here, I want to savor these last few weeks of my 20s! On the bright side of things, Nicole and Zach are throwing me a 30th birthday bash at their new house on April 5th...I will be at Myrtle Beach with Gabriel and Ceddy on my actual birthday!

Take care and have a great rest of the week!