Six months old, and cloth diapering, finally

First, let me apologize to my friend Erin for not posting about my cloth diapering system like I promised. She has a cult following on her blog and put out in cyberspace that I helped introduce her to cloth, but I've yet to find the time or energy to sit down and explain my system.

But before I get to that, let me introduce you to our SIX MONTH OLD baby girl. I think the internet gods played a trick on me, and I learned my lesson - never blog about your baby sleeping through the night. It only backfires, and they begin waking you at ridiculous hours once again. In her defense, our Meg is dealing with new foods in her belly, a runny nose, and us trying desperately to get her to take a bottle to give this mama a break. No luck so far on that one.

Without further adieu:






The one word to describe this baby is "alive." She is so alert, taking everything in, not wanting to miss anything. The other day I met my dear friend Toni for coffee in Asheville b/c we hadn't seen each other's babies yet. Her daughter Abby is about 2 weeks younger than Meg, and that peaceful, chubby kid just sat in her stroller smiling at everyone. Then there's Meg. She only wants to stand on my lap, practically bouncing out of my arms. She squeals like a teradactyl at random intervals, much to the dismay of some of the patrons. She claws at my face, mouth, hair, clothes, whatever she can get her hands on. She is very much a mama's girl, perfectly peaceful with Eric UNTIL she sees me out of those big old eyes, and then it's like he is physically abusing her simply by holding her. Drama.

Don't take this description as a negative one, though. Yes, she wears us out, but she is such a joy too. She is sweet and cuddly, loves her big sister, loves being outside and loves real food. It is surreal that six full months (and a few days) have passed since she came into our lives. It feels like she's been here all the while.

Now, onto cloth diapering. We used cloth with Stella for the typical reasons - wanted to be more environmentally friendly, also wanted to save money, and liked the idea of natural material close to her bum. It worked out great for her. I would say with Stella we used cloth 75% of the time, and disposables at night or when we were on longer outings. With Meg, we are using a bit more disposables, I think b/c Meg of course is dragged along whenever we do things with Stella out of the house.

We use two kinds of cloth, the prefolds and the fitted. I love the fitted ones. They function just like disposables, with velcro tabs for fastening. I have no link (for one reason, I forget the brand we have and they are all dirty in the pail right now, so I'm not digging one out!) but if you do any search on google for cloth fitted diapers, you'll find tons of choices. Then we just use the plastic covers, again can't remember the brand. (This is the lamest description ever, sorry.) Most of those were hand-me-downs from a friend whose kid was a year older than Stella. They are still working just fine, four years later.

Prefolds are also fine, just a little more work. With those we use snappis to fasten them, which are basically Y-shaped rubber things with Ace bandage teeth on the three ends. They just hook into the cloth and keep the diaper in place.

Now for washing - We have a big rubbermaid tub that sits next to the changing table. We pour a little baking soda in there every now and then to counteract the odor. When we take a wet or poopy diaper off of her, we just toss it in the pail. Then when we're down to 5 or 6 diapers, I just dump the diapers into the washer and do a rinse cycle on cold, then wash hot with detergent, then dry really well. I wash the covers but don't dry them.

I wish we were the family that used strictly cloth, but after one repulsive cloth diaper that I ended up throwing away in public b/c I couldn't bear to put it in my bag, I decided that was that. That was way more expense, and possibly worse for the environment, than just tossing a disposable. So we're more of a half and half family.

That's it from here, baby's crying...sorry this seemed rushed but hopefully got the job done. bye!

Ten on Tuesday - becoming a tradition!

Hey! First, photos of the kiddos:


Here are Stells and her best friend Noa lounging on our floor.




Meg has the most intense stare. We think that in 13 years or so, Stella will be the back-talker and Meg will just glare at us.



Getting ready for her first bite of real food. She felt like such a big girl in her booster seat.



The child wailed when we took it away. Even better, she's been sleeping much better with a little more food in her belly. Maybe it's coincidence, but I'm not taking any chances. Eat on, little sis!



And she does love her big sis. Which leads me into my ten random thoughts:

1. Stella said the funniest thing the other day. We were taking a walk with my friend Brittain around our neighborhood when she said, "Meg loves her some big sister." Where does she get this slang verbage? I'm afraid it's from me, not her intellectual father.

2. The night prior to this walk, Brittain spent the night with me. We proceeded to drink 2 bottles of wine, and then one beer each b/c the wine obviously wasn't enough. Keep in mind, I haven't drank anywhere near that much since before getting pregnant - with Stella! I thought I was literally going to die the whole next day. Take it from me, it's not worth it.

3. I have to hurry now b/c I just realized only 8 more minutes until American Idol, my favorite show ever.

4. Meg slept through the night for the first time a few nights ago - 11 hours worth without a peep. She is changing so much, turning into such a bonafide grabbing at everything, squealing happy baby.

5. It was almost 70 degrees here today, in the mountains of NC in February. The weather in these mountains is so weird and unpredictable. I think the worst snowstorm in history here - the storm of 1993 as the locals call it - was late March.

6. Sometimes I dream of going back to school for nutrition. Then I remember that there's science I'd have to take. Maybe I just want to study food. But then I don't want the pressure of someone screaming at me for cutting my carrots wrong. Oh well.

7. Someone asked me today if we thought we'd have any more kids. When I said yes, she acted like I was insane. Reassure me that it's not insane to want three kids.

8. Stella fed a horse today straight from her hand.

9. We're going to participate in a huge street-wide yard sale on March 1st. We're hoping it motivates us to clean out some of our junk, I mean treasures.

10. Only 3 more minutes until AI! Gotta go!

A Real Ten on Tuesday post

Wow, I got 6 comments on that last post - I think that may be a record for us. Am I that interesting? I guess so.

Here's the real thing, a true 10 on Tuesday post:

1. When Stella has a runny nose, she wipes her nose with both sleeves so often and so hard that it looks like she has a bright red smile going from cheek to cheek and under her nose. It looks terrible.

2. Eric is headed to Durham this weekend to attend a weekend of events honoring Reynolds Price, the author he worked for and lived with back in 1998. Fine food and drink, interesting people to meet and reunite with, and best of all (what I'm most jealous about) - Toni Morrison is doing a reading in Duke Chapel. I will be at home, breastfeeding.

3. We're considering putting our house back on the market in the spring. The real estate market sucks so badly right now that we don't know if we're getting our hopes up, but we may give it another shot.

4. I bought a jogging stroller and am loving it. I'm trying to get back into running, and Eric and I want to do a 10K together in July. Really, I want to do it with him, but to be honest, he is way faster than me so he probably doesn't want to do it with me. I pushed Meg first in it - no sweat. Then the other day Stella wanted to come, and all I did was walk and it about killed me. That child is about 35 pounds.

5. I got an invitation to join a book club and am not sure if I want to do it. I mean, I want to, but I seriously doubt I'll read the books, and I don't want to be lame. But I think the group of people are pretty chill, more just looking for an excuse to get together once a month. If it's like that, I'll probably give it a shot.

6. I'll probably be starting Meg on solid food here shortly.

7. I cannot belive how boring this list is.

Let me end there, but include a few photos of the girls instead. They're way more exciting to look at, at least to me!

My first "Ten On" anyday

So let's admit it, we all read our friends' friends blogs. I know I do. And I've noticed this trend, "Ten on Tuesday," where people will reflect about 10 things going on with them. I'm so unconventional that I'm doing it on Thursday. So here goes:

1. Our Kindermusik class started back after a long holiday break today. We had a blast. Hands down, that's been the best money spent on any kids' activity for this family. It is both great quality time with Stells and great social time for her too. And I've made some of my best friends here through it as well.

2. After trying for 3 long, harried, horrific nights to have Stella and Meg share a room, we decided it just wasn't working. We've spent the last several days re-arranging the house so that Meg has our old room, and we moved into the guest room. So far, it's been MUCH better for us all.

3. I joined Weight Watchers online on Jan 1st and have lost 13 pounds. And Eric has lost 8 just by eating my cooking. We are gonna be the DILF and MILF of the world! Email me if you need an explanation of those acronyms.

4. I'm getting more excited about the upcoming addition to the Jones side of the family - we've got another niece coming in April! Lily Therese Jones will be here before we know it. I cannot wait to hold her. I wish she didn't live in California.

5. It's a good thing Meg is cute, because she sure is needy. But I do think she's teething, so I can't be too mad at her.

6. Eric joined the local Kiwanis club and spearheaded a big fundraiser for them last month. It was an auction where people bid on services instead of items, things such as "pet sitting for a week" or "help around the house for 5 hours" etc. Well, we bid on a few things, and one that we won was vegetable soup for eight, brought to your house ready to eat! So this Sunday, friends Sheila and Max are coming over and we're gonna have the soup.

7. We're both reading a book called "The Nature-Deficit Disorder" about the lack of fresh air and unstructured outdoor play that kids have today. I tell Eric sometimes that I just want to pack up these kids and move to some cliffside town in freaking New Zealand or Portugal or somewhere that I imagine life being much simpler and more romantic. Of course those places have their problems too, I know. What I mean is that I want Meg and Stella to be able to explore freely, be able to play outside safely and just to be kids.

8. I don't think #7 made much sense but I'm too lazy to re-word it right now. You get my drift.

9. Our businesses are keeping us incredibly busy, and it's not even the end of January yet. It's a good problem to have!

10. My favorite food in the world is cheese. Why is it also one of the most fattening?

No, look at me!

Got one to look at us...


Then the other...


And finally, a good shot of both!


We've gotten lots of snow over the past few days, and it has been BITTERLY cold, like 5-7 degrees in the mornings when we've woken up. Needless to say, we're all a little stir crazy around here, but today it warmed up to mid-40s so we got out for a while.

Did anyone hear that Heath Ledger the actor died today? That upsets me, I really liked him.

Gotta run, only 8 more minutes until American Idol comes on, one of my secret addictions. I can't reveal the others or else they wouldn't be secret now, would they?

Hettie

stella & great grandma
another stella & great grandma
meg with her great-grandma
hettie mae andrews parrott 1920-2008


I've been bad about blogging lately, especially since Saturday the 5th, when we got the news that my beloved grandma Hettie had passed away. She hadn't been well for years, but the past few months had been especially rough. When I saw her at Christmas, I just knew she wasn't long for this world. And ten days later, she lost her life to complications from pneumonia.

I almost feel guilty at how little I seem to be grieving. I can only believe that her not suffering any longer, unable to breathe, walk, or do much for herself, is a blessing. The grandma that I miss isn't the one that's been for the past few years, but the one that I had when I was growing up.

My parents separated when I was 11, and my mom and I moved into a house right across the street from Hettie. We spent a good deal of time together even before that, but when we moved there, I was at her house every day. As any good Southern grandma should, she was constantly pressuring me to eat, eat, eat. There was no calorie counting in that house, let me tell you - some things I remember VERY FONDLY include chocolate pie, homemade cheese biscuits, and this dish that now sounds so nasty to me, but at the time it was sooooo good - it was basically a chicken baked in a sour cream sauce wrapped in bacon. Yuck - and yum.

She was about 5 feet tall in heels but still somehow played basketball on her highschool team. I think she also won some yodeling award - don't ask - and at age 16, she left the family farm in Eastern NC for nursing school. Before that, she had never even seen a telephone! She worked as a nurse, primarily an ER nurse, for something like 45 or 50 years. The hospital in my hometown honored her on several occasions for her service to the community.

She had four kids (in 5 years, can you imagine?) and 5 grandkids, and now she has 5 great-grandkids. Out of all the grandkids, I was definitely the closest to her. We spent countless hours just hanging out, sitting on her porch or around the island in her kitchen (in which I so tackily carved "marian wuz here" when I was old enough to know better) eating Werther's Originals candies. Sometimes we'd just get in the car and ride around. She'd even meet me and my friends for lunch when I was in highschool and treat us all to the meal.

I remember once going out to dinner with her at the local pizza place, and as we were backing out of the parking space, she bumped into the car parked beside her. She decided to just drive away, quickly, all the while telling me I should never do that. Of course she didn't even leave a mark, but that still makes me laugh, because it was so out of character for her.

She was just a great lady, and I will miss her dearly. love you grandma.

And if this wasn't downer enough, today is 4 years since my dad died. Lord, get me out of January!

Fun Winter Activity

Whether it's playing inside or outside, or helping to cook, there's always reason to take a break from one's Sunlight Deficit Disorder clinical depression to love the mountains in the winter!

When Stella kisses, it always makes a loud "smack."

One word: "Framable!"

"Hello, are you guys coming or what?"

Just call Stella, "Child Julia." (Get it?)

eBay, and Why Coke Makes Me Want to Pee - "It's Hydrating!"

Judging by a lack of response to my initial blog about eBaying Original Snow Village collectibles (come-on, doesn't this excite you?!) few will care to hear my final report, but here it is: I sold all nine pieces and, even after paying eBay those "nickle-and-dime fees that really add up" I cleared about $75. Now, was $75 worth the time I spent taking all those photos and packaging the pieces so they wouldn't break in the mail? Uh, no. But it was fun to an extent, and I learned how to use eBay.

I was delighted to see the Starbucks piece go for $152. The Coca-Cola piece only went for $50 -- I was a bit surprised, because some people spent more than that for Coke sweatshirts in the 1980s. Incidentally, Coke really gets on my nerves. 1. They have language on their cartons that "hydration" is provided by their sodas -- they even have a webpage dedication to touting the hydration virtues of their drinks. Talk about spin. It reminded me of ... 2. ...when I actually paid to spend time in the Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta years ago. Now, we all know that Coke was called Coke because in 1900 or so cocaine was one of the minute ingredients. Ah, but that's not mentioned at all in the museum. Instead, the man who founded the company "just liked the look and sound of 'Coca-cola.' " (Perhaps this is why we should not have private companies owning and managing public libraries - the newest rage?) Please join me for a boycott of Coca-Cola, the unapologetic Evil Ministers of Disinformation.

Reflections on 2007

Just a few photos here - I had typed a poignant post but accidentally lost it, and now I'm pissed. So just enjoy the pics!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

"Jesus, Make the Wheeel!"

I am notorious for getting words wrong in popular songs. For a long time, I though that Eagles song was "You can't hide those lion (lyin') eyes." I could name twenty more instances.

Our daughter Stella may prove to be just as bad. Her favorite song is "Jesus, Take the Wheel." Make the wheel, that is. Not only was Jesus a carpenter, he may have had a degree in mechanical engineering. Roll over, Archimedes!

Help Me Prove I'm Not an Idiot - Buy My ----!

So my buddy at the charity auction says, "You really need to bid on some of these collectibles. I mean, they are going for a fraction of what they are selling for on eBay!" So I talked to Marian and she said, "Go for it." We went a little over our budget: I ended up buying 9 of the things.

What are these things? ORIGINAL SNOW VILLAGE COLLECTIBLES!

Here's one:



This is the Starbucks Cafe. It's pretty neat. But I don't drink coffee anymore. This is a stinging reminder of that fact. Do I really want it lighting up my holidays?

So I put them all on eBay - all 9. No one has bid on them (though a few are watching the bidding and might just jump in at the last minute...?)

Please prove I was not an idiot. Go on eBay and buy these things. They are in great shape, with original slip covers. They will light up the lives of all your collecting friends and family this holiday season. I promise!

Giving Up "Koobe"

Koobe (sounds like "co-pay") is the Gilbertese word for "coffee." When we found our dog on our island, we named him Koobe (spelling it Kope) because of his coffee-colored coat. Kope is a terrific dog and most people who like dogs and meet him agree. He has his moments, but all-in-all he's very obedient and loving - and clean. He's had, oh, one accident in his 6-year life.

When my uncle died in the States unexpectedly, he was there for me to hug on. He's a great running companion and stellar watchdog. He's tolerant of our girls, though he does snap at Stella when she pulls his tail (I don't blame him!)

Perfect dog. And as recently as three weeks ago, we were looking to give him away.



I've always been allergic to dogs - Kope included. So I naturally looked to him as part of the cause for me coughing and choking through much of 2007. Dusty buildings, yes. Mold in the basement. Certainly. An area of the country known for the largest diversity of flora in North America. Of course. But the only thing I could change easily was to find a new home for the dog.

And I did feel terrible. Choking on your own phlegm a few dozen times a day is a terrible way to exist. It wears you out - and it sounds really gross. I was reminded of my grandfather, a chain smoker most of his life. I've never smoked, ever.

It was strange that this should happen NOW. I mean, we've lived here over 4 years. Why now? I chalked it up to cumulative allergies. My body just couldn't take it anymore. My doctor prescribed a nasal spray - expensive, and not very effective. My worst coughing happened in the morning, right after using the spray.

So we identified several potential homes for Kope within our circle of family and friends. None panned out. We were having to consider strangers. Terrible.

And then something happened. I did one thing, and everything immediately got better.

I stopped drinking coffee. Not just regular, but decaf, too. I did it on a whim after a road trip in which I drank a lot of coffee and felt really terrible.

The coughing and choking stopped. After a couple of weeks, I thought I'd try to drink decaf -- big mistake. And on my birthday I tried half a cup of the real stuff - to almost immediate disasterous reaction.

It's too bad, because I really love coffee. I only started drinking it with any regularily about two years ago - which might account for that delayed reaction.

But I'd rather give up coffee than the dog named for coffee. I'll live without it. But Kope is here to stay.

20 (boring) tidbits about me

So I secretly read all of my friends' friends' blogs, and one that I checked recently had this post. Even though I don't know this person, it was still fun to read, so I thought I'd do one too - and I've been having major blog writer's block lately. Or maybe just major sleep deprivation.

So here goes:

1. I always thought I would get married when I was 29 and not have kids until mid-thirties or so. I've been married 7 years now, have 2 kids, and just turned 30 this year.

2. When we were Peace Corps volunteers in the Gilbert Islands, we listened to various animals (chickens and pigs, primarily) being killed daily. It quickly became just part of our lives there.

3. I have had salmonella and dengue fever, and when I came home from overseas, I had five parasites living in my gut.

4. My dad died of cancer just four years ago. I found out I was pregnant with Stella 2 weeks after he died.

5. I love cloudy, rainy days in the mountains.

6. I don't think either of my daughters look like me.

7. I hate birds.

8. I also hate animals like guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets especially - anything vermin-y like that.

9. I am a complete OCD neat freak - everything must have its place, which doesn't happen much with two little kids in the house. I've really had to dig deep to embrace the chaos.

10. Some of my best friends are from elementary school.

11. I dream of building a green-built home with environmentally friendly features - solar panels, radiant floor heating, bamboo floors, etc. etc.

12. If I could go anywhere in the world, it would be New Zealand.

13. I love country music. I also love hip-hop. Stella and I have our own rendition of SexyBack by Justin Timberlake - I've GOT to get that on videotape.

14. I love to cook.

15. I look forward to working for our company when these kids start school.

16. I want another baby. Yes, Meg's not even 4 months old.

17. My favorite clothing store is Old Navy.

18. I HATE hot weather. I wouldn't want to live anywhere warmer than here. Summer temps around here hover around 80 degrees.

19. Swimming laps is my favorite exercise. Not that I've done it in a while, but I love to do it.

20. I don't really like holiday decorating.

So there. Send me yours too!

Best of Stells Bells

I felt guilty that I put my favorite recent photo of Meg up but hadn't done the same for Stella. So here it is:



Is she so grown up or what? I have to give a shout out to Stella's godmother, our dear friend Kristen, for taking this and many other great fall shots of the girls a few weeks ago.

I think my friend Erin's latest blog post (see Princess Pigbear link on the right side) has made me emotional today. She is having her 2nd baby tonight, and the post was a letter to her daughter that made me weep! Literally weep. You should go read it, it is really a beautiful piece of writing.

Not much else - time is flying around here. I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving. Just to get through a day, have the kids in bed - I breathe a sigh of relief. But then I feel a twinge of sadness, because the day flew by, like most days, and these little girls aren't going to be little forever...so I'm trying to not take it for granted.

So what am I thankful for?

Stella and her Daddy



Meg and her Daddy



Just Daddy

Out of touch

I think about blogging all the time - does that count?

It's the sick bay around here. Stella's fighting another, or more likely, the same ear infection from a month ago, and now I've got it too - so we're both on antibiotics. Eric is swamped with work, along with caring for us, and Meg, well, thank God she's a peaceful and pretty easy baby. We're on the mend, so hopefully more frequent blog posts will resume. But no promises.

Last week Meg and I did take an overnight trip to Charlotte to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew who were in town for a night. We had a blast. I hadn't seen Jay since April, and he's such a little man now. I love him so much! Check him out:



And here are the cousins, taking a bath together:



My big brother with Jay and Meggles:



We're gearing up for Eric's 37th (DAMN! He really robbed the cradle when he got me!) on the 24th. I can't believe that when I met him, he was 27. November is a big month for his family. His mom, dad, and brother were also born in November, and his parents anniversary is on Thanksgiving this year. Then his sister had to go screw things up by arriving in June. I know she reads this blog, so it's not like I'm talking about her behind her back or anything.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

meg's best

I can't stop looking at this picture. This is our smiley baby girl at her best!

Over the hump

Hope I'm not speaking too soon, but I think we are finally over the hellatious newborn hump with Meg. It seems like overnight she has turned into a bubbly, kicking, smiling, squealing little baby. She's sleeping much better, 4 or 5 hour stretches at night, and we are all feeling SO much better. More back to normal every day.

As many of you well know, when you're in the thick of that new baby chaos, you feel like it's never going to end. You're never going to sleep again. You'll never have another moment to yourself. You'll never have energy to exercise, or cook a decent meal again, much less pay bills or do any semblance of work.

And then, it all begins to come together, and you can't believe your tiny baby is already figuring out this world.

Business is good too. We're getting more custom video jobs all the time with Stellar Media, and Wedding Bell Videos is set to film 70 plus weddings in 2007. We've moved out of our Waynesville office and now only have office space in Candler, at the local community college small business center. We've got about 18 more months there, and then we're hoping to relocate our headquarters to Asheville, finances permitting.

It's really hard to put into words, but we're just so happy right now. I don't think I'm putting words in Eric's mouth when I say that this feels like the best our lives could get. I try so hard to remember that when things are nuts around here. We did a video life story of an elderly couple in our neighborhood, and the 80 something year old husband said that the happiest time in their lives was when their kids were little. I think he was probably right.

So if you wondered if Meg and Stella look much alike, check these out. My friend Kristen emailed this to me, with the subject line "all your kids look exactly the same!" See for yourself. Meg is the first photo.

Great Minds Think Alike

So neither Eric nor I blog for three weeks, and we both decide to post something today!

So like he said below, we are slowly coming out of our fog and adjusting to the two kids thing. We just got back from a week in Alabama so Meg could meet her namesake, Eric's grandmother Margie (who was born Marjorie, like our Meg). Here they are, assuming the finger-as-a-pacifier position that Meg loves so much:



She also had good time with other family members. Here she is with Eric's sister Katy and his dad Keith:




Poor Stella, on the other hand, spent the week at her grandparents house sick as a dog. She had a cold, which turned into a nasty cough, fever, and eventual ear infection. But she's on the mend now, back to her JAR (acronym for Just Ain't Right, thanks to my sister in law Katy) self.

Fall is FINALLY here in the mountains, and it's beautiful. Weather still isn't that cold yet, but the leaves are beginning to change. Here are a few shots from our neighborhood:





We also had our 7th anniversary on Sunday. We decided to pretend like it wasn't that day, though, as we were driving two kids back from Alabama to NC that day, which quite possibly is the least romantic event on earth. Hopefully we'll be able to do something together this weekend.

Here are a few final shots of our girls and their tummy time. As you can tell, Meg despises it.




That's it for tonight - gotta grab sleep when I can. Love!

A Country Long Heard From

We've had some decent sleep of late, but not so decent that we're finding the time to blog that we'd like.

Stella is saying some funny things - "you had to be there" kinds of things, so they are hard to write about. I'm just glad I'm "there."

Meg is about as cute a baby as one will ever find. And she has a smile that is exaggerated on the right side of her face, a lot like her late grandpa Carl. If she's anything like him, she is going to be a fun-loving person, to be sure!

Marian is such a trooper when it comes to breast-feeding. I admire her more every day.

Me? Who cares! I'm working hard but having fun, too. That's all one can ask, right?

WNBA, here we come

Stella had her 3 year old well-kid doc visit today, and he predicts that this child will be 5'11'' when she's grown! She is in the 96th percentile in height, taller than most 4 year olds.

Now I know what Eric and I will live off of in our old age. Her professional basketball salary.

Happy Birthday, Stella!

Could it have been three whole years since I held her for the first time? I'm already crying, and I've only typed that one line. Sheesh.

Her birthday spirit is dampened this year, a little, by a cold that started about three hours before her party yesterday. Needless to say, the pool portion of her party was cancelled, but we still had a little picnic with four of her friends, complete with Happy Meals and cupcakes. The kids were happy to be outside in this beautiful fall weather, and Stella seemed to enjoy herself too, despite the raucous amounts of snot pouring from her nose at all times, like this:



Here are a few other photos from her party too. Look at this little cutie:



And the whole gang eating cupcakes:



Today we opened a few presents just as a family. You can tell by her watery eyes and overall expression she doesn't feel so good, but we had to record this birthday like the others!



And one of her favorite presents, play makeup:



There are so many things I love about Stella. She is curious, interested, entertaining, and entertained by most anything. She is adventurous without being too reckless, compassionate and empathetic, and really, she's just fun. I couldn't have asked for a better child to break me in to this parenting thing. I can't wait to see what she becomes in this next year and more years to come.

I love you, Stella.

The Big 3-0

Yes, that's right. I'm no longer in my 20s...today is my 30th birthday!

And what a great one I had. It began with a little bit of sleeping in, followed by a hot breakfast cooked by my husband and daughters. A big sign hung in the living room that says "happy birthday mommy! we love you!" And tonight, our first night out since Meg was born, dinner at a great little restaurant in downtown Waynesville.

I never imagined that by the time I turned 30 I would have so much to love. I can't believe my life is this full! I feel like the luckiest person on earth.

Three more days, and my baby turns three. That one is killing me way more than me turning 30!

Pics from her b-day party Saturday to follow. Good night!

too tired to think of a title

here are a few photos from the last few weeks - we are great, surviving life as a family of four. more news later, but for now, a few pics:



stella at botanical gardens - unc-asheville campus



meg not too impressed with those gardens




picnic at waterrock knob - highest point on blue ridge parkway




pretty stairs at waterrock knob




meg with crazy wet hair


will write more later!

She Said What?

Stella has really been making us laugh lately with the things that come out of her mouth. And I'm not talking about the food she chews for 10 minutes before deciding, "Don't like it!" and spits it out. (That actually isn't very funny.)

It was a gorgeous day. The birds were singing, and Stella was playing in her sandbox in the backyard when she paused and screamed: "Stop tweeting, Birds! Or you're going on the Naughty Towel!" The Naughty Towel is our version of the time-out corner. She laughed; she was just kidding. But darned if those birds didn't stop. (Buoyed by this, she may one day attempt to steal Christmas.)

It was bath-time, not exactly my favorite time of day anyway. And it's become even more loathed as Stella screams and hollers worried she's going to get water and soap in her eyes. Never mind she's received a hair rinsing every day of her 1000-plus-day life. All of a sudden these days she can't deal with it, and it's wailing and gnashing of teeth every night at 6:30. So after about 10 minutes of tears and sobbing I say: "Fine, we won't wash your hair again. Ever. It will get dirty and greasy and smelly and stinky and sticky and yucky."

Stella actually listens to me as I tell her this. Then her scowl reappears: "THAT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD!" And continues to sob.

Finally, the other day Marian asked Stella, "You want to go downstairs with me and help me with the laundry?"

Stella responds: "No, you can do it, Mommy." Even more encouraging, she adds: "I know you can do it, Mommy! You can do it all by yourself!"

And it's true. Marian really CAN do it all by herself.

Using cuteness to get out of chores. That's our daughter!

Am I Dead, or Just Out of Touch?

This happens to me all too often. I'm watching TV and think, "I thought he was dead!"

Mike Wallace. I thought he was dead!

Andy Rooney. I REALLY thought HE was dead.

So ... either I'm just out of touch, or ... I'm dead, and the afterlife is a parallel universe where the same old people hold the same jobs.

Can you imagine Mauri Povitch NEVER going off the air? If that's the way that heaven is, then I don't want to die!