Birthday Part 2 of probably 3

The birthday girl...


I made a monkey cake! This was totally for me since Autumn didn't particularly care. A couple of people told me that I should send the cake in to Martha Stewart or something and I will just state now that this was absolutely not my idea. I got it from Martha.


I'm really annoyed at two things. The first is that I didn't get ANY photos of Andi, me, and the girls together and the second is that this is the only photo of the three of us.


I thought about giving Autumn a fruit tart or sugar free cupcake since I haven't been giving her sweets or juice but then I decided that we can't do a first birthday without real cake.


Autumn wasn't too into the cupcake. I'm glad. Maybe she'll avoid being a sugar addict like me. Ha.


I've got more but they are all outside pics. I will do another post with those later. Sooner than later. :P

Birthday Party of Awesomeness

I have some photos to post. The party was awesome...mostly because Mike's dad is insane. I'll get up some more photos and stories and a video but this'll do for now.

Sooooo....this is why Mike's dad is insane. He bought this:


Seriously, Mike played on this with the kids for like 2 hours. I haven't seen him move that much in months. I am wondering if he's going to be completely crippled by muscle aches tomorrow! Ha!

Me and Mike on the big slide...


Most of the kids had a go. Autumn:


Aedin:


Sophia:


Madeleine:


Mike did a surprise dunk to me. Meanie Mike.


And then, after the girls got tired and I got cold, we took a break in the sun while Mike frolicked with the kids. It was so cute!


Addison with Autumn and Mike:


The end! For now!

You've come a long way baby girl!

Man, I really can't believe it's happened but it has. Autumn turned one year old today! We've gone from this little sub-5 pound teeny tiny baby that I could hold in one hand:


To this chubby 17 pound super awesome girl who is growing up too fast:


Many MANY loves to you baby girl from your mama and papa!!

Crazy Laughing Monkey

I used to think videos of laughing babies were creepy. At the time, I wondered if the problem was that I lacked context for the laughter or if I was going to be doomed to being creeped out by my kid's laughter. Happily, it appears that I just needed context for hysterical laughter...anyway, the point is: hopefully this makes you laugh and doesn't creep you out. :P

our daughter has personal space issues.

I think everyone knows that I have a personal bubble that's about 3 feet around...people don't often feel the urge to hug me and, really, I'm cool with that. However, even I need affection on occasion and Molly the Anti-Social Cat and Mike the Anti-Social Husband don't exactly deliver very often. So, when I found out we were having a baby, I prayed for a snuggly baby. Yeah. I got it. Now, I'm not complaining because she is really sweet and I'd rather have super-snuggles the baby rather than the alternative but Autumn's "I LOVE THE WORLD!"-ness can be a little disconcerting to others.

Poor Sophia. I really think she spent the week trying to avoid Autumn's clutches. Autumn kept trying to suck her own thumb while holding Sophia's ear. Sophia kinda didn't like it.


And again:


The day I took Autumn to the doctor, she was very pitiful. And snuggly.


We were just sitting there when Autumn sat up, turned around, and waddled over to Andi and Sophia (look how appalled Sophia is! I love it!).


And then she plopped herself down and snuggled right up. Hahaha.


Autumn did find a kindred spirit (I've been rereading Anne of Green Gables) in Kit the dog. Kit loves everyone. LOVES EVERYONE. She's the happiest, friendliest dog ever. Ha. The only bad thing about kit being so friendly and letting Autumn pet her and stuff is that Autumn wants to pet Molly now. Which really can't go anywhere but bad. Anyway, Kit sat in Autumn's lap and Autumn was all, "yay!"


Slightly related: I call Autumn nosy baby because she has to be where the action is. In front of the car seat:


Watching the news:


Playing video games:


And so on. She's pretty entertaining if nothing else. :P

A public service announcement

Don't know if any of you guys have heard, but Kroger is offering this deal where if you buy a Kroger gift card worth either $300, $600, or $1200 they will add another 10% extra money onto it for free. The idea is that folks will bring their economic stimulus money to Kroger and this is just a way to entice folks to do that. The good news for us direct deposit folks is that you don't even have to show the paper check. Just go to customer service and ask for this offer. You're limited to a max amount of $1200. Here's a couple of links with info on it. Feel free to pass it on if you like.

fivecentnickel.com


thekrogerco.com

Mountain Monkey

Well, we're in Colorado! Actually, we're only here a couple more days, it's just that I'm a slacker and haven't been posting. But! All is not lost. I have photos from Sunday...

After arriving in Denver (btw, Autumn was AWESOME on the plane), we had lunch and headed out to Rocky Mountain National Park. These photos were taken at Many Parks Curve really way up high. The whole cliff thing kind of freaked me out. I don't do so hot looking out over a 5000+ foot drop.


Yeah, so, Mike and Autumn appeared to be much more physically equipped to handle the cold than I am. T_T I was freezing and these crazies were all, oh, what? Cold? No! It is refreshing!


Grandparents, don't freak out. Haha. This isn't as high up and scary as it looks. Well, it's pretty high up...but it's a lookout so Mike isn't just being a terrible father.


Wow, I was looking rough. haha. Planes will do that to you. Andi just got over pneumonia so I can't believe she's been up to doing so much this week.


Again, not as dangerous as it looks. :P I still didn't watch him do this, though.


This one is a little random, really. On the way back to Boulder from the Park, we stopped and looked around the Stanley Hotel. That's the place that Stephen King based The Shining on. It was pretty cool and seriously beautiful. We didn't see any ghosts and, for this I am quite grateful, there aren't any ghosts in any of our photos. Ha!


I have more to post later! We've had a busy week full of snowboarding, yoga-ing, shopping, sight-seeing and, yes, a trip to the doctor. Poor Miss Autumn has a sore throat and a teeeeeny ear infection. She's fine though. Just a little snugglier than usual and we're giving her tylenol and, occasionally, some benadryl. I am just hoping Miss Sophia doesn't catch anything--the girls are adorable together and have been trading pacifiers all week. Ha!