And Now It's Time for Some Bragging

So we are playing with one of our many new wooden puzzles from Christmas. It was an alphabet one.

Oh sure, he knows the A and the M and the K and a few others. We always do those first as the ol' self-esteem builder. And naturally we whip that out like a parlor trick around company and family every chance we get.

But tonight he shows me he knows X. O.
The W, for God's sake, the W!!

Where is he getting this?

We do have these great foam alphabet letters for the bathtub, and we practice them a lot. But I swear I don't remember an X ever coming up. And he knows it. I assume that means Libby or Mike taught him - but still - wow, my baby, knowing letters, just like I know letters.

Kids
are
AMAZING!

Our 2007 Christmas So Far

Well, Christmas has kicked off. We opened presents at my parents last night and it was GREAT.

We finally stuck to our promises to dial it down with the gifts - a little - which no one but us can probably tell.

Cousins Conner, Morgan and Logan are THE best thing Matthew's gotten since he's been here, though.

Hanging with Morgan and Logan learning Webkins was the best gift he could get.

Though of course we're missing our Muldrow family and STL friends ... we're having a great time, especially watching Matthew have a blast with so many toys, kids and COOKIES (thanks, Aunt Erika).

Merry Christmas, everyone!

My God What Have I Been Thinking

Anyone who knows me knows get stressed. About work. Constantly. Just can't shut down, not worry, let it go.

It's more my problem than anything probably. Maybe. But regardless I've found a new solution.

When you come home late and just have time to put read 1/2 a story and then put your baby to bed and you're feeling a little bummed about that...and you're having to wait 20 min for your stupid stupid frozen pizza...

And your husband offers you white wine...

You say YES!

I am not a big weekday drinker. Between wake ups, headaches, chores and Points, it's just not been my thing. Until now.

Two glasses in (yup) I feel better than I have in days. Weeks. After a hellaciously stupidly long day, I'm now happily blogging with no cares in the world. Sure they'll be there tomorrow and probably double from whatever I'm neglecting tonight.

But right now - all's right with the world - Merry Christmas to all, and to all a helluva good night.

Anyone else have this? (Libby I'm talking to you here)

I'm getting a little work done. It's quiet (Mike's doing the same and Matt's in bed and dogs are having a snow party outside).

And all I can hear ringing in my head is...
uppee uppee uppee UPPEEEEEE!
uppee UPPEE!
UPPEEEEEEEEEEE!

We taught him cutesy words like "uppey" for getting picked up and "milkies" for, well, milk.

But my how the too cute luster fades when screamed 800 times a day in your general direction. Not sure what's going on with him but all of a sudden - and all weekend long - he is all "I NEED UPPEEES and I need them NOW. NOW being EVERY 10 SECONDS. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DOING THE DISHES OR PULLING HOT THINGS OUT OF THE OVEN. Like, NOW MOMMY!"

For one brief moment, I'll admit the quiet peace of my office is not sounding too bad tomorrow.

Humpfh

Not to steal Erin's thunder from her likely impending Weather Off post ...

But 4 - 6 inches, my butt!

YESSSS

Just ordered my Christmas cards. The level of accomplishment and relief I feel is paramount to getting a raise and going on vacation all at once. My pride is as though I hand painted the damn things myself.

I gotta get a grip. It's CHEAP PRINTED PHOTO CARDS not the Mona Lisa.

Holidays make us ladiez go crazeeee.

Well It's About Time for Some Holiday Cheer

It's been a long time between posts and tonight doesn't hold much more promise for a meaningful update as I need to stop soon and pack for my trip tomorrow.

(Side note: thought I'd catch up on my posting while I traveled last week but somehow between catching up on e-mail and dinnner each night, I just ran out of steam around 9 every night. Somehow just being out of town took it out of me. I think my body sensed there's no baby husband or dogs around to need anything ... and just shuts down ... and demands that I self-soothe (being away sucks) by laying in the hotel bed in my p.j.'s eating ice cream from the hotel shop while watching HBO movies.)

Anyway, since I returned it's been a flurry of holiday fun before I left again. Including a visit to Santa (photo, tears and all TO COME once I figure out my scanner), a pre-Christmas visit with Grama LeBaige and not one but TWO trips to Toys R Us (and I know I'm not done) for various kid gifts.

And then - da da da DA - we got our TREE!


Matthew was pretty interested for a while. "Ball, ball!" and liked to shake them. And two broken as a result.
He got most excited about hanging his little teddy bear ... which was actually MINE when I was a kid. Ah, does it get any better than that?
Must have taken 20 photos to get one showing the lighting decently. A photographer, I ain't.
One cheery holiday task down, 892 to go!

Mack Truck

That's what I feel like hit me tonight. I know there's lots of stuff going around, including whatever Matthew, Mike and Libby are all fighting in various degrees. Matt's coughing, Michael's got a sore throat and Libby's got a little dose of everything.

Maybe I'm next? Because it took alllllll my energy tonight to order two Christmas gifts online and now, to get ready to roll into bed. I feel FINE but this has gotta be a flu coming (no, it's nothing more interesting than that making me tired, I assure you).

Sure is GREAT TIMING, hope it hits just in time for my biz trip next week. Or wait - better stil! just in time for my weekend BEFORE my biz trip. YES - that'll be it.

Kinda pessimistic I know but ... really, I feel like one of you came over and took all the bones out of my body today.

Off to ooze to bed...

A Great Little Thanksgiving

A little ping pong

A little fun in Grama's new tub

A lot of photo shoots in matching outfits
And a lot of cousinly love. Matthew and Danny hope it was a happy Thanksgiving for you, too!

GoooooOOOOO, ME!

Not even Turkey Day, and I've ordered seven, count 'em, gifts online AND started an obnoxious but functional Christmas spreadsheet.

Maybe all my years of project management in the workplace have finally sunk into some legitimate part of my brain. Because I am determined to be organized and ahead (or at least, on) time with holiday stuff this year.

And by God, there will be a finely decorated Christmas tree in my front window within seven business days after Thanksgiving this year. (Or else my project tracker will turn "red" and mark the tree "at risk" for non-completion.)

MMMMmmmm

There's a first time for everything with a toddler...
Tonight it was spaghetti!

Why I Hate the Internet and Technology in General

Because somehow it's taken me one hour and 15 minutes of my precious Sunday to:
Call Shutterfly and alert them that my picture order had an odd white border that I didn't order.
Learn they recommend that I upload them again but direct to Shutterfly this time vs. through Picasa.
Upload them.
Wait.
Wait.
For 28 minutes.
Finally review photos and fix red eye on several. Wait for that. (The little hamster in my laptop is running super slow today, it seems).
Painstakingly make decisions on the ones I want/don't want.
Get error screen.
Get back to main screen - AH.
See "O" in the Halloween 2007 photo folder - oh no!.
Realize all pics are unexplainably gone.
Get cursing mad ... realize must start all over.

THIS is why I never get anything done like, oh, print photos from the last 10 months. Two weeks ago I boldly decided that I'm going to order pictures as I take them! And I will start with Halloween, YES! Only to get the technology smackdown.

Next on my to do list was checking our online bank statements but ... God forbid that system's down ... my laptop screen might not survive it.

What a Week Can Do

I was out of town this week and I swear my son grew. He also turned 19 months (Michael had to correct me when I said 18 last night).

He also learned how to initiate patty cake. Started doing it himself during my Welcome Back, Mommy dinner at Chevy's last night.

He has gotten even better at building with blocks.

And he's more regularly asking for the dogs by names - if their names are Body and Miphy.

AND he's sitting still on the changing pad now ... IF you let him pull it out from under the bed, and also let him open the cabinet to pull out the diapers and wipes.

And, finally, he was even more full of overgrown blond cowlicks than when I left, I swear. So off we went to Cool Cuts today.


This ideallyic scene belies the chaos that is about to ensue upon Ms. Nikki's first snip.



Does he look like he's plotting a giant struggling fit?

I couldn't get any photos of the main event because I was too busy pinning his arms down.

After much screaming and many giant crocodile tears, Ms. Nikki accomplished her goal and my son's head is tidy again. Followed by new, equally pathetic tears when I tore him from the Thomas the Tank train playset in their waiting area.


We left the shop with me leading him reluctantly by the hand, through the parking lot, him bawling and telling me "No, no, no, NO!" like I was tearing his little 19 month old heart right out.


NOW I get why kids are spoiled. Because, especially after work pulls you away more than you like, you just want to make them happy. And you'd do anything to avoid a face like THIS.

Anyone Else Hate This?

I love it when nice older ladies call me hon, or babe. I feel cared for, in good hands, like they know wordly things and they'll just handle whatever comes our way. Hey Babe, how you doing? Love it, love it.

But for some reason, when women my age or - gag - younger than me call me Honey, it makes me want to punch something.

I guess I take that back. If you are my very good friend and we are having a deep heart to heart and out of sheer concern you say, Oh, I'm so sorry you're having a hard time, Honey. Well, I can appreciate that.

But calling me Honey or Sweetie, multiple times in one passing conversation, when discussing non-personal - and in fact, business-related - matters, and when I suspect that I was in second grade on the day you were born ... well now, come on, that is just a little bit MUCH.

And Now for Something Lighter (sort of)

Profanity aside, my God, this "dramatic reading of a real break-up letter from a real person" made me laugh.

Post-Halloween High

We've been having a pretty good fall week here at the Muldrows, starting with Halloween and through this weekend. On Wednesday, I got home just in time for a marathon pumpkin carving session.

We also found time to admire our handiwork ...

Oh yeah, did anyone see my chicken around here?

Then, per tradition, we packed up said chicken and met the gang at Trainwreck like we do every year. (Note to self: why would we EVER question the location? We always say expensive beer and bad service. But there are two other much more important words: Mexican ravioli).

And we had new friends join us this year - Mike's friend Brad and his girlfriend Dawn, who are both big Matthew fans, and vice versa.

AND we got some very awesome incredible and just so amazing news ... that I maybe shouldn't share here - but to the readers who know who they are - YAHOOOO!!!!

We had a great time, and you'd have thought it was Valentine's not All Hallow's Eve, the way the love was in the air that night between our oh so coordinated former lion (beautiful Bridget) and former chicken.

(Hey Matthew, her eyes are up here, buddy).

So it was a great Halloween, and through this weekend, we've been on a post-Halloween high ... could it be the weather? The pumpkins still on the porch? The crisp golden leaves decorating our lawn? Or perhaps, might it be the vast soup pot full of Halloween candy we're been stuffing ourselvevs with whenever we pass through the kitchen?

I think the number "six" was involved when counting up chocolate bars yesterday. Those mini Kit Kats just TAUNT me so.

p.s. For the complete Muldrow 2007 Halloween EXPERIENCE, check out our Picasa album (to the right). Grandmas, you can easily download high resolution copies for printing or screen shots - neat trick with Picasa you can't do with Shutterfly, so it's worth the free software download.

Fabulous Fall Fun

After a long week of Work, we finally let our hair down at the Pumpkin Patch this weekend. The boys stomped around the patch.

Matthew toted his "laloon."

And of course we were lovin' the punkins ...

... Punkins ...

...Punkins ...And more punkins!

We had a wonderful day - blue sky, nice crisp weather, and a fabulous funnel cake. It was a happy day to be a Muldrow.


Happy Halloween week, everyone!

P.S. Here's the very giant album of all our fall fun last weekend.

Time to Make the Donuts

That's how I've felt and that's why I haven't posted. For two weeks or more I've been in to work 1 1/2 early, staying 2 hours late - and sometimes bringing more home for a night shift. It's productive, and appreciated by my team, and lots of great opportunities and responsibilities right now. Just, ya know, a sh--load of work. And no so much on the balance.

I can't believe it's been three weeks since I've posted. In that time we've attended Danny's first birthday party and celebrated our annivesary. And Matthew spent the weekend with Aunt Kim and Uncle Mark. AND we had dinnner with Don, Rosanne and Morgan (my brother's family), which involved trying a new restaurant - one of those cool Japanese places where they cook it right in front of you.

So it's been busy, and I can't even get into it all here. But suffice to say blogging has been lower down on the list past showing up for work, sleeping, feeding Matthew and washing my hair - not always in that order. And sometimes not that hair part.

Erin commented on her blog how hard it is to jump in once you've not posted and there's mountains to talk about. I agree. So I will pull the plug on this post - Hey, I posted! And just add the link to Danny's bday pictures once its available. On that note: At 122 photos long, it's voluminous. But you gotta at least see the two cousins in their PJ's. Our sweet little angel boys.

In the photos are Fernanda, my sis in law and Danny's mom, Scott her husband and Mike's brother, Fernanda's parents Maria Lucia and Fernando - up from Brazil no less - and to that end, a number of Brazilian friends they have in Chicago. I don't think I snapped one of Carole, Fernanda's sister. They are Matthew's third family and such a blessing in our lives since Fe and Scott got married. If it weren't for that whole, on another continent across two oceans thing, we'd love to see them more often.

Grandpa Bob and Grandma Dale, who flew in from Colorado for Danny's day and our visit. Due to travel schedules, we only got to cross paths briefly, so we're really looking forward to big fun over Turkey Day out at their place.

And if you can't wade through the pics - and I really don't blame you - these are more for the two mommies than anyone - here's just ONE capturing the spirit of that cousins weekend: Danny's in love with Matthew, and up for a friendly cousins cuddle (or wrestling match?) anytime. And Matthew is studiously, like, soooo over caring.

I'm Not Superstitious, Just a Little Stitious

Obviously, I'm posting post-Office premier. And what a perfect entre Mr. Michael Scott gave me.

Although I'll also share my alternative name, "Whew! Parts 1 and 2."

Because I am happy to report that I am finally on the other side of several doctors visits and basically two rounds of tests, and have a clean bill of health. Well, more or less. Okay all that sounds worse than it really is.... but hey, this is the dramatic build-up, savor it.

So I know now that I don't have diabetes, after two rounds of blood tests. My first results "tested high" so my doctor asked that I come back after fasting 12 hours. It was apparently totally fine the next time. I think my first results were affected because I hadn't eaten all that day (a rarity) and had just downed a protein bar on the way to my appointment. So maybe that spikes your blood sugar (nurses???) Thank goodness, because I was all prepared to be totally outraged that I'm at the healthiest weight in 15 years and NOW I'd have it? Anyway - Whew #1.

For #2 ... the reason I had the first blood test was so my doctor could make sure nothing was wrong systemically, after I went in about my Dead Leg. Kinda like a peg leg, and I enjoy saying it and feeling like a pirate. Anyway, my Dead Leg is the combo of the left side of my left calf, which is basically numb all the time now - ditto for the right side of my left foot. It (the numb spot) runs down and crosses over my ankle and foot and up my toe. Since June. I noticed it just before vacation. By late August, and two months of the peg leg, I thought, hmmmm, maybe we just better see what's up doc.

Multiple sources guessed - and I believed - that it was probably just a pinched nerve. But it didn't go away and so I finally thought, well, just WHAT IF it's not. And knowing that if something was wrong, it's with your nerves, well, it's just not a comfortable situation.

After visiting my nice new doctor (thanks, Cara!) he said right away it probably wasn't anything serious and immediately agreed with the pinched nerve vote. However, he referred me To A Neurologist Just To Be Safe. Umm, scary!?

That appointment was Tuesday. It's been over a month since I got the referral and made the first available appointment. A looong month. With my mind going to the worst case scenarios the whole time. Naturally. I practically had Matthew an orphan by the time she finally walked in to the exam room Tuesday.

She administered "a full panel of neurological tests" which apparently means wiggling my piggies, playing pattycake and giving me a drunk test (follow my finger with your eyes...). Not exactly the technological breakthrough I'd wanted to confirm I was fine. But she ultimately did not disappoint. Today I went back for follow-up tests: electromyopathy and a nerve conduction study. Which consisted of little pokey needles and electric shocks.

So from about 9 to 10 a.m. today, first she buzzed me, then she poked me. I totally prefer the buzz - seeing your leg kick up is pretty cool, and it's an uncomfortable feeling but not bad. Needles, however, are needles. Plus she has to not just stick it in there but WIGGLE it around, and sometimes it makes that muscle cramp (YES SHE WAS TOUCHING MY MUSCLE, EWW) . But it's neat. She could see with the electric shocks where the "blockage" was, and with the needles, she learned that my left foot and toes were a little weak due to having the blockage for a while, but my leg muscles were not weak at all and overall, there's not really any damage.

So I no longer have a Dead Leg, I have a "perineal obstruction at the fibular head." Or to you lay people, a pinched nerve on my left outer knee. And I need surgery on it.... (insert violins).

I suspect it will be orthoscopic and I know that it's outpatient, with very minimal recovery time needed. My doc said it was "no big deal." Naturally I am disappointed that I have to deal with it, but ... I know I'm lucky there's nothing really wrong with me. I am officially very very grateful it wasn't anything serious which for whatever reason I was worried it was. (Hence why I didn't post about it before, hence I wanted to feel reassured first and now I do ... hence, I am apparently a little stitious.)

I am a Lean Cuisine Commercial (subtitle: Stouffer's owes me)

My original post idea was to point out how I'm just like, on the Lean Cuisine commercials, the "other" women. The ones eating 32 jellybeans or half a tomato with a can of creamed corn for dinner.

Because, with me on Weight Watchers, our cooking has become practically non existent. And our dinners are things like:

Me: 1/2 cup of leftover tortellini from last Tuesday night. Hummus and pita. Hostess light cupcake.
Mike: 2 pieces of pizza from last Thursday night. Refried beans.

Last night was a step up: orange chicken from Trader Joe's on a big pile of spinch. (No not a wrap - just the chicken sitting there on the spinach.) All-Bran crackers.

It's not unhealthy I guess, and it's doing the trick, diet wise. But I wouldn't say we're into "healthy cooking" since we've started dieting. Unless you count Trader Joe's heat and eats as cooking. (Which incidentally I do. Because, hello, they are sooooo good. Every time we try a new one and it's better than the last, we are so eternally grateful for that place. How could I have ever thought I did NOT have time for an extra stop for TJ's in addition to Schnuck's? Given most of the meals we buy there take under 7 minutes to cook, over the course of a week it is sooo worth the extra maybe 40 minutes to drive there, shop - in small friendly little carts, with Matthew pushing his baby one along side - pay the always nice hippiesh check out people and come home with our cute mini-brown bags of frozen deliciousness.)

So I was going to compare myself to the "I at 3 bowls of cereal with no milk" girls on the Lean Cuisine commercials when I realized I am actually the ying AND the yang of the commercials. I eat Lean Cuisines EVERY DAY. Every day. (Buy stock in Stouffer's today people, I won't let you down). Every couple weeks of course I realize I simply canNOT eat one again - and then Bread Co. gets to see my smiling face. But in general, it's a bonanza of Four-Cheese Mannicotti, Southwestern Chicken Panera, Chicken with Veggies (only 4 points for weigh in day, whoo whoo!) and, my new fav, Butternut Squash Ravioli.

I know I'm probably getting pickled slowly from the inside out. All that salt and those preservatives can't be something you should eat, like, for 30 years, five times a week. But let's hope 10 years in your 20's and early 30's won't kill you. Because I've been scarfing these babies down since day one at work out of college - and even IN college when I wanted to lose weight. They are fast, easy, and HOT (hate cold smushed turkey sandwich in the middle of winter for lunch when you work so hard all morning and are starving and then blech, smushed sandwich). And they put the WW Points ON the box, pretty much giving me no excuse not to eat healthy all week long.

Course, I avoid them like the plague on the weekends. Such as this last one ... it was a Red Robin - biscuits and gravy - kettle corn - delight of a weekend.

No worries, LC stock holders. It'll go back up, starting today.

GOD I LOVE TV (and fall)

Watching re-runs of The Office on TBS is the BOMB. Not only do they run them back to back with NO breaks and no I'm-not-watching-The-Office-sadness for even one minute. But the first night I discover they run them ... it's the put-Dwight's-stuff-in-Jello-episode. Love it!

AND NOW I WANT TO SEE THE NEW SEASON RIGHT NOW!

Thankfully I don't have to wait much longer. The new TV season is a-comin'. Yet another reason I LOVE this time of year.

Here are a few others:
Talking walks is finally a habit I can sustain during fall. I love how it smells, how it feels. I have so much more energy. Tonight the Fam took a walk together. I was practically sprint-walking. It almost feel like I could have RUN (don't get crazy people, I did NOT). Mike and the dogs were eating Matthew's and my dust.

Fantasy football's in full swing. I am already more into it now that my first week was solid and I am a (very close) fifth behind my better half.

We are coming up on October which brings Danny's first birthday and our anniversary. For the former, it'll mean another road trip to Chi town and seeing friends and family. For the latter, it'll mean at least a few hours out on the town for Mikey and Aimee to take in a nice dinner and a few toddler-free (love you, honey!) hours as Aunt Kim's already graciously volunteered to do a Matthew night.

It also means probably a few fun friend outings, like the balloon race at Forest Park this weekend, or next month maybe the wineries, or a trip to the Jones lake house. It also hopefully means at least one traditional fall golf outing to Wolf Hollow. I HOPE!

(And it means the end of one and eventuallye two of my giant projects. So I've got THAT going for me, which is nice ...)

Basically, despite working crazy hours and never having enough time to do half these things I'm dreaming about, just walking outside into crisp weather this morning, and legitimately wearing a cute fallish sweater instead of scraping together another summer outfit, made me very happy this morning. In fall, that's all it takes!

Yes I Still Have a Son

It's been a while since I've done a general Matthew update since, well, work doesn't pay me to. So Grandma Dale, here's your grandson's latest ...

LIKES:

Snuggling the kitty by putting his big noggin on her and smiling and quieting saying "Awwww." Then pulling her tail hard and repeatedly.

Vacuuming. With the REAL vacuum.

Playing with his toy barn and farm animals and sometimes making the proper animal noises. Don't you know ducks say "Neigh"?)

Running through the house at top speed with absolutely adorable big diaper bottom wiggle.

Pointing and saying "Ga ga!" when he wants something/more of it.

Cuddling his stuffed animals.

Repeating parts of his books to us, like the "Shhhh" part of Pajama Time or "Oh no no no" part of Moo Ba La La La.

Pointing out and yelling out "Truck!" when we're driving or really when we're anywhere and even sense there MIGHT be a truck nearby. Only it's "Crock!"

Repeating almost any word we really work with him on. Which mostly all sound like "Cruck!"

Spinning on his sit and spin.

Using a spoon to feed himself oatmeal, yogurt and rice.

Coloring outside with his sidewalk chalk. After letting us know by walking to the door with the box of chalk and pointing at it "Aeuugh! Aeughh!"

Hitting golf balls (and our armoire and the walls and as I'm sure time will tell, any living thing within striking distance) with his REAL metal golf club from the Joneses.

Screaming "NOOOoooooo" at just about anything we want him to do. Minus above items.

DISLIKES:

Horses. Tonight he got scared of a photo (of himself with Grandma's horse mind you) as well as the embroidered horse on his quilt.

Eating. Lately it's only on his schedule, the amount he wants and what he wants. And pretty much that's just yogurt, aka "Go-go!"

Sitting on his bottom in the bathtub.

Being on the changing table for longer than four seconds.

Having anyone else use a spoon to feed him oatmeal, yogurt and rice, or eating these without getting them on the floor, (as Grandma LeBaige found out.)

Not vaccuming when dammit, he wants to vacuum!

He has been alternately a toddler monster (oh GOD what happens to their tempers when they turn two?) and the most fun he's ever been. He will do stuff lately that just makes you roll laughing, not that I can think of any one thing right now. The constant obsession with putting on giant shoes and walking around (this weekend it was Grandpa's, OVER his own) doesn't hurt.

But in general it's just his delight with everything. Peek a boo is suddenly ten times more exciting as he can really pull the blankey totally over his own head. And he will WAIT. When you finally say "Where's Matthew?" and he pulls it off and you yell "There he is!" he just goes crazy and lets out this screech of pure delight that is so genuine and adorable it makes me laugh out loud, so then he laughts, and it just goes from there. For months I've been jealous of the cat's singular ability to get this much animation out of him.

And so, here are some recent photos capturing life with Matthew in late summer 2007.

Big boy spoon!

You gotta love that cheese face.

Last day for the pool (you can tell he's heart broken?

Two shots on his 15 month visit, ouchee!

At work.

At play.

It WAS a Happy Birthday!

I am very late in wishing Miss Bridget a happy birthday out here. HAPPY WEEK AFTER YOU TURN ONE, BRIDGEY!

I can't believe I didn't blog this weekend when all I could think about was how a short year ago, we went from no extra Delantys to ONE EXTRA DELANTY NAMED BRIDGET AINSLEY!

Miss Bridget, when you arrived, I was nearly as over the moon excited as I was for Matthew. Now our little "St. Louis family" had a matched set - boy and girl - and naturally you would be best friends (I'll stay out of the arranged marriage territory until you're three.)

And now your parents' heads could be spinning from your arrival - just like ours.

Getting to know you and watching you with your family has just been amazing. You are a beautiful, sweet, funny, wonderful little girl.

We are so happy to be part of your life to witness the cutest moments in the world, like this. Love you, girlie!

p.s. Matthew says thanks again and no hard feeling about that cake?

He's One Going on Thirty-One (Year Old Woman)

Isn't it funny when kids want to start dressing themselves? They just get their own tastes and well, just demand that they MUST wear the orange shirt with the purple socks.

Impressively, Matthew's fashion demands are quite high brow.

It's called Mommy, circa 2005 black squared toe heels.

We think they're quite fetching. DON'T YOU?

(Note: The editors would like to point out that he walked from our bedroom to the living room and yes almost down the steps. In the heels.)