birthday part 3!

Autumn the cool cat with her Aunt Lindsay and Aunt Lauren.


This is Madeleine, my boss/aikido teacher/friend Stephan's daughter.


Can you see the terror on Autumn's poor chubby face?


Once Autumn got over the shock of the cold water, she was pretty happy again.


Sophia played herself out :)


Cathy, Eric, and Donnie declined to participate in the very wet and cold fun.


So did BC and Stephanie although Aedin played a little in the water.


Autumn made out like a bandit with the gifts. I hope everyone got their thank you notes! She sent them out late last week.


And, after it was all over, Autumn topped off her day by bothering Tyler.


All in all, an awesome first birthday!

The Saddest Monkey in the World

We've been the house of sickness off and on all year. Twice it's been Mike and Autumn but the last week it has been all three of us. I'm still kicking off the dregs of what might have been a cold or sinus infection and Mike is just about completely well. Autumn is doing better than she was but she's had a really phlegmy cough and some wheezing. She has to use a nebulizer for five days and is exceedingly unhappy about it. Poor Miss Autumn did better with the treatment the second time than she did the first time in the doctor's office. Part of that was probably having both of us there to reassure her but part of it was probably the super awesome Baby Einstein video she got for her birthday. It helped distract her a bit.

Anyway, funny thing, whenever anyone sees Autumn when I think she is sick, they tend to think I am crazy unless it's the doctor and he's listening to her lungs or something. She just goes on flirting and giggling and making friends up until she passes out or just can't go on anymore. Ha. Funny kid. Here she is in a happier moment.

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