Just Another Day in Paradise

John has a trombone sitting in the corner of the foyer all the time, and the other day he got it out and played it for Cecilia. Disregard the pile of clothes on the coffee table. This is our life, the trombone playing, clothes folding everyday part of our life. It's even better than I dreamt it could be.

17 months old

My Mullet

Put It On Your Head!

We went from this to this video in 9 short months.

She'll put almost anything on her head now when John asks. He's a natural born teacher. She's holding the coaster in this video. Almost everytime she plays with the coaster now she puts it on her head, usually without us even asking. We have found, however, she isn't much of a performer, and we end up looking like liars when we try to get her to show off her trick to others.

Going Once, Going Twice

I have two houseplants over here that are on their deathbed. I repotted them before I brought them inside for the winter and two of them are very unhappy with either their new pot of their new spot in our house. Lately the cats are lucky to be fed and watered. The plants are very low on the totem pole. Anybody want to come over the rescue them? They aren't as cute as a rescued puppy, but they require less maintenance.

A Few Walnuts Still Hanging On

Super busy over here. Relatively annoying to be so busy. NaBloPoMo is out the window. Movie of the little one coming soon, along with pictures of my mullet.

Who Has The Mullet Now?

This morning we were in the farmhouse and I found some baby pictures of myself. John said it looked like I had a mullet in the picture taken when I was 17 months old.

You're Everywhere To Me

literally

I'm loving the look (and warmth) of this sweater set from Aunt Linda.

Hat or Not Hat?

This is what happens when I get a hold of a couple old pictures. Isn't he handsome in his prom tux? This makes me want to have 10 more babies with this cutie, and I hope they all turn out looking just like him.

I blew it.

I was once again participating in NaBloPoMo but I missed yesterday. I had Cecilia all day yesterday by myself, and went we to lunch with Christy and went to Louise's birthday party, and I meant to do it when I got home, but I didn't. Crap. I thought it was an unreasonable goal this year, given my lack of energy and responsibilities, but I gave it a good try. I'll try to do the rest of the month, but I'm out of the drawing for any of the prizes. Last year I posted everyday and didn't win anything anyway.

So, in an effort to make up for the lack of posting yesterday, here is a video of Cecilia dancing to these dancing flowers that Aunt Linda gave her. The song is In the Mood. She dances to everything now. She danced this morning in the highchair to God Bless America on the tv. She's a big fan of the 5 Dollar Footlong commercials for Subway.

as gangsta as you can get for a little white boy at a hometown football game

This is mom and I at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant in Monterrey California in February 1997. On the wall behind us is a mural of Forest and Jenny sitting in the tree. She had my sweater on because it's cold in Monterrey, whether it's February or July. Dad took the picture.

Sometimes I still can't believe she's gone, can't believe she'll never meet Cecilia, can't believe I'm raising a baby without the advice and counsel of my mom. Can't believe it's been 8 years.

Helping Mommy

Anticipation

John woke up at 4:45 a.m. to get ready to go vote. Cecilia woke me up at 5 a.m. John went to vote and at 5:05 a.m. there were already 25 people in front of him. I hung out with C, got her ready, John came back at 6:30 a.m. and picked her up and headed south. I took a shower, and headed to the polls at 7:25 a.m. At 8:40 a.m. I left the polls without voting because I had a doctor's appointment. =( Sat in traffic on Hwy 270, went to the doctor, heard the heartbeat, everything's fine, head to work. Bottle Christmas Plum, pick up Cecilia from day care, and stress the whole way home about standing in line again, only this time with Cecilia with me. How am I going to feed her dinner? How am I going to entertain her for hours in the stroller? Do I really need to vote? Yes, I do need to vote, it is important to me and Cecilia. We are fortunate to live in a country where we can choose our elected officials, and I want to pass that respect and gratitude on to Cecilia. When she's older I can tell her how she and I stood in line for hours in one of the most important days in our country's history. 4:20 p.m. arrive home, put the stroller in the trunk, run inside, grab as many toys and snacks as I can carry in my purse, make a bottle, run back out to the car, and drive us to the polls. At 4:40 p.m. I get her out of the car and into the stroller weighted down with a years supply of food and non annoying toys, walk quickly to the polls to get in line where I see that there is no line. Take the stroller up the stairs, sign the notebook thing, Cecilia and I get stickers, I vote, cast my ballot, and we are back home by 5 p.m. I almost cried because I had worked myself into a frenzy about waiting that long with her.

For me, this evening, "voting" spells relief.

Pictures like this fill me with glee.

Not sure how old John is here, but he might be close to Cecilia's age now, maybe a little younger because he was born in early January and he has shorts on, so it probably wasn't November in this picture.

They both have plaid pants on; how cute.

bam-bean-o

There is no limit to what we'll let her chew on for a minute or two to entertain her, even if it is a raw green bean.

Happy Halloween!

The cutest, fattest, practically bald cheerleader you ever did see