It's great to be eight!

Eight years ago, around 5:30 in the A.M., this little round-faced, blue-eyed, rosy cheeked bundle joined our family. And we have never been the same. She is full of spunk, laughter, sass, and sweetness--our Avery Jane. We love her so!




(If you zoom in, you can catch a greedy little vampire skeeter in the act of sucking some fresh Avery blood...on her neck!)






(can you just hear her saying, "my cheeks hurt real bad" in a Napoleon voice?!?)

Her Baptism will be this Saturday, September 18th at 10 am. Wish you could all join us!!

Guess "Whoo" Turned 1!?!

Our little Parker Peanut, that's whoo-whoo!!



As you may recall, my back went out just in time for this momentous occasion...probably WHY it went out quite frankly. I was stressing and worrying myself into a tizzy. I wanted everything to be cute and perfect, and wasn't getting enough sleep...too busy dreaming of owl-themed cupcakes and tablecloths I guess. ANY-WHOOOO, after the party got cancelled my mind was able to rest a bit, but I still couldn't just give up on celebrating Miss P's big day!! I mean come on!!



So we forged ahead. The girls actually put together the decorations and arranged the cute table-scape. I was so impressed.



I was able to stand long enough to decorate her owl-riffic birthday cake. (That's her little hand reaching up to snag either the tablecloth or the cake...I'm telling you, this girl cannot be stopped!)



We all sang "oh somebody's had a birthday" and watched as she studied that owl's face like it was a long-lost friend.

She hated the cake...even after Daddy and Avery plunged her little fist into it over and over again. She wanted nothing to do with it.

But the ice cream...now that was another story...she LOVED it!! So much so, that she stuck the entire scoop into her mouth and gave not only the biggest brain freeze of all time, but almost choked on her day of birth!! That was a surreal moment, and not something we need to dwell on for very long. After a finger sweep and some water, she was back to normal again.

A quick dip in the tub, fresh jammies, and our little birthday girl opened her presents--a pink purse filled with lipstick and mirror, bracelet, and keys. Oh and a toy phone...all the essentials for a girl on the go, you know.

And that she IS!! A girl on the G-O!!! She is so busy these days. Taking 3-4 steps at a time. Sick of crawling, she hops everywhere on her knees. We have to gate, close doors, arrange blockades, put things up high--all day long. She's a whirlwind. But so cute...how have we managed without her all these years? She brings us all so much happiness and light. We are so happy to be celebrating a whole year of Parker!!

(Painful) Reality Settles In

This morning I woke up with a sore back. It was kind of twingey and a little stiff, but I figured once I got up and movin' it would warm up, the kinks would work themselves out, and by noon I'd be fit as a fiddle. (Not sayin' I'm fit as a fiddle in the least, but you get my drift, right?)

Nope, not so much.

As the day has progressed, I have become more and more uncomfortable. I really knew I was in for trouble when I picked up Parker at one point and felt something stretch a little too far...can you say hyper extension? Yikes...OUCH!!

So here I am...on the couch. Had to call in "sick" to work at the Writing Center. Luckily Mark is here to watch baby as I should be at work. But no, I'm on the couch...flat on my back...wondering what went wrong and what to do next.

I've taken a big fat Motrin 600 (left over from c-section, which as of this Saturday was exactly 1 year ago :-) and am hoping for the best. But I already know what's going to happen. From past experience I am looking at at least 3 days of hobbling around, gripping walls and steady surfaces, wincing and moaning in twingey back pain...it's a pretty picture isn't it?

Sad thing is I just had to send out a group email cancelling Parker's 1st birthday shin-dig on Saturday. I already know there's no way I can pull it off...it makes me choke up a little just thinking about it. Don't get me started. Pity party for 1, please.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted. I seem to be really good at keeping people posted online when I'm quarantined to the couch and all. :-)