Birthday Pool Parties

This weekend was a busy one in Fairfield where we went to two different birthday pool parties! First, we celebrated my niece, Avi's, 8th birthday. I can't believe she's already so old!!

Her Mommy, Coco, made the cake which was covered in sharks, life preservers, and a buoy! I got to help a little - putting stripes on life preservers, mouths on sharks, sugaring the buoy, and I did Avi's name!

Mira had fun spending time with all the family. Here she is with her Aunt Coco.

Mira loves the water and was so content bobbing along in her float that she fell asleep! Listen to the noise in the background - she can sleep through that, but not through the night!!! Maybe we should get her a water bed...(do they still make those?). I'm sure that would be approved by the APA...right?

After Avi's party, we got back into cake decorating mode. I got to help Coco with her second cake of the day - a big fish cake!

Then we were off to party #2!! This was a birthday party for a friend's little boy. More swimming and more sugar...yay!!! We had a great time playing "water volleyball" and Kenny and my brother did some "Wipe Out" stunts on the slide.

Kenny spent most of the day horsing around with my nieces - having splash wars, throwing them around, and otherwise starting mischief - they loved it! This is a rare moment of peace and cooperation; Olivia and Kenny must have made some kind of pact.

Mira stayed awake this time and enjoyed riding "Shamu" (no worries - Kenny is hiding behind the whale and has a hand on her). Later, she got in another float and stayed there perfectly happy for about two hours!! The adults got tired and hungry before she did, so we finally had to pull her out of her floaty and go eat!


On Sunday, we had a more restful day at the house. After a scrumptious breakfast of homemade waffles and butter pecan apples, Aunt Coco, Olivia, and Mira played hairdresser. Olivia did Coco's hair and Coco did Mira's hair - they both looked like total rock stars!

But, all this fun finally took its toll...Mira crashed while sitting up in my lap (she has to be REALLY tired to do this!). She also slept the entire drive home which she has NEVER done!!

We had so much fun (and so much sugar)!! =)

A couple of random tidbits...

Mira's hair has finally gotten so long that it falls in her eyes, so she is often seen sporting a bow these days. I know many baby girls are wearing giant bows from the day they leave the hospital, but this is a first for Mirabelle.

She doesn't seem to mind either way, but smiles so big when she sees herself in the mirror when she has one in her hair! This is a picture of the first day she wore a bow - she looks awfully proud! =)






Mira doesn't watch a whole lot of television. We haven't started Baby Einstein videos or any of that yet. But, I often mention how much Mira loves Jeopardy. We usually start a DVR-ed show when I give her her afternoon bottle, and then we watch the rest while she plays in the livingroom (fast forwarding through all the commercials). She loves Alex, and she always whips her head around to see the T.V. when she hears the "Daily Double" sound and at the end when the "Think Music" comes on. It cracks me up - she often claps when the audience claps, too. =) Here she is watching her favorite game show host:

Mira's New Favorite Game

9 Month Well Baby Check-Up

Mira was a champ today at the doctor's office. In usual fashion, I was fully prepared to bawl my eyes out since a CBC is routine for the 9 month visit (no shots, though - yay!). I knew she would scream in horror and cry huge crocodile tears once they pricked her little finger and started milking it for blood. I was on the verge of tears just waiting for our turn in the lab...

Mira was sitting infront of me on a desk (blocking my view of the procedure) looking at a stack of stickers so calmly that I was secretly cursing the nurse for not hurrying up and starting already! I craned my neck to see what the hold-up was and, to my surprise, saw a tube already half-full of my daughter's blood!

She didn't even bat an eye!! Not one single tear! Nothing! No grimace! No pout! NOTHING!!

I was shocked!! Very relieved, but SHOCKED!

We chatted about Mira's crawling, cruising, and standing (for 1-2 seconds), and after she stood for Dr. Crittell holding only one of her hands for balance, Dr. Crittell was convinced that Mira will be walking early - before her 1st birthday. Oh boy! :

She now weighs 19 pounds 12 ounces and is 26 1/2 inches long! Her blood work came back perfectly normal, so she is, as always, PERFECT! =)

Her next Well Baby Check-Up is in 3 months on her birthday, and she gets 3 shots! Poor baby...but, it just worked out that that was the best day for the appointment. Oh well, we'll make it up to her the rest of the day, I'm sure!!

We're so happy to have such a beautiful, healthy, happy baby girl - couldn't wish for anything more!!!

Happy Birthday to Kenny!!

Kenny's birthday weekend started when the Admin group surprised Kenny with balloons, a card, and a sweet "Daddy's Girl" frame - how nice!

Friday was a half-day - it was TCD's annual office party at the LA Downs race track. We had fun losing a few dollars on the ponies. Mira is looking through the program and deciding on her next bet.

When we got home, Kenny had a package on the front porch. The Hughes' sent homemade chocolate butterscotch pecan cupcakes and beautiful, original artworks! The artwork arrived intact...can't say as much about the cupcakes. But, they were still delicious!! Kenny is stuffing his mouth here, not gagging - just in case it isn't clear...we had polished these babies off by Saturday night!

Mira and I made Kenny a surprise - homemade carrot cake with cream cheese icing! He's been wanting some for months! I made sure and put all 28 candles on there! Hope your wish comes true, Sweetie! Mira is helping and practicing for her birthday which is coming soon!

On Saturday, our friend April, came over and hung out with Mira while Kenny and I went to the Horseshoe to celebrate his birthday together. We were all pumped about our first visit to the casino since we moved out here!

We were both looking forward to playing blackjack, but ended up only playing three hands. I lost all three - Kenny won 2 out of the 3 rounds, so he did pretty good there. We played a lot of roulette; it was fun learning all the different ways to place a bet and the odds of different bets. Fun, but I still lost all but $10 of my money.

I blew the last $10 on slots which was the most boring, mindless way I have ever spent $10. Losing it in the washing machine would have been more thought-provoking!! Losing it in a vending machine would have been more thrilling! Accidentally dropping it into a shredder would have been more interesting! Ugh! Slots are SO boring and such a waste of time as far as I'm concerned!!!!

Kenny did a little better than I did - he still had about $30 or $40 left by the time I ran out of money completely. Afterwards, we headed over to the Boardwalk and grabbed a pretzel and lemonade at Auntie Ann's - YUM!!

It was a lot of fun hanging out with my BFF while Mira was playing happily and napping soundly at home. =)

Just when Kenny might have thought all the birthday celebrations were over...the office threw him and Matthew a surprise party today! The CFO and President's birthdays are only a few days apart - can you believe they're both only 28?

They both got these beautifully framed photos of the first well drilled in TCD's AMI. They really liked the gifts and were totally surprised about the party. Kenny found out a little earlier than planned, but was surprised when he did find out! Matthew was surprised when he was supposed to be. (Good job, Matthew)
Happy 28th Sweetie!! I hope it was a good one!

August Supper Club

Kenny & I hosted Supper Club at our house this month. We decided to do a potato and salad bar with all the trimmings.

It seemed a little loud and chaotic to me, but maybe that was because I had a cranky 8 1/2 month old clinging to me for most of the night!!?

Here is the Baby Tornado that swept through our living room! =)

Bennett discovered the leather loop on our coffee table...well, just so happens that that is Mira's favorite thing to chew on!! A mini battle ensued...

Maddie was so super-sweet and content all night!

It was time to get our traditional shot of all the Supper Club babies together - it was quite the circus this month since most of them are crawling now!! Kenny threw Mira down there and ran!

Parents dash in and out of the shot trying to keep babies in their spots...

Look at Bennett - he's about to make a break for it! Maddie and Georgia are too cute checking each other out.

Most of them are looking in this one - you should see the line of parents opposite of them making a huge spectacle: clapping, waving, hooting, etc!! No wonder the babies are looking at us like we're a bunch of crazies - they were stunned for a second! =)

Mira loses it and Bennett is out of there!! Look at sweet Mason sitting like he's suppose to - eyes on the camera!

Well, it was fun despite the noise and utter chaos! Can't imagine the tricks we'll have to pull to get them (and keep them) together next month!!!

5+ Years and Still Silly in Love!!

Well, after uploading all those pics and writing captions...I forgot to share how Kenny and I (& Mira) celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary!

We have always taken a trip the week of our anniversary and we always go out for a special dinner on the 30th - Kenny picks the restaurant and it's a secret until we arrive!

Well, this year, it wasn't a secret, but it was very special! We ate at Blue Mesa - "our" restaurant! Kenny took me there for our very first date. We had our wedding rehearsal dinner there. We announced our pregnancy to Sheila & Jim there (Kenny's parents). And so, it seemed a great place to celebrate our first anniversary with our newly improved family!

It was delicious, as always! We started with their delicious tortilla chips and sweet potato chips with queso. Then Kenny & I both had the Painted Desert Soup (half black bean soup, half corn chowder) - YUM!!! I had black bean and cheese nachos and he had goat cheese enchiladas! We both had amazing margaritas, too!!

Mira did pretty good considering it was getting pretty late and she was quite worn out! Thankfully, we had a small, cozy dining room all to ourselves! Since Blue Mesa does not have our idea of great desserts (mostly flan - ick!), we decided to find dessert somewhere else and take it back to the hotel to enjoy after Mira was down for the night. We stopped by a Corner Bakery on the way back, and I ran in and got us a mini chocolate bundt and a peanut butter whoopee pie (Kenny is a pb fanatic).

There was a pull-out sofa that we used as Mira's "crib" for the week - worked out great! So, after putting her down for the night, Kenny and I turned on a low lamp and dove into the desserts together! We were so stuffed from dinner, and even more stuffed after we cleaned our dessert plate!

With our bellies over-full and feeling giddy from all the sugar, we laid down on the bed and began to reminisce about the past 5 (almost 6) years that we've been together. We laughed until our stomachs ached, but quietly - trying not to wake Mira! We've had so many crazy adventures together! I realized we should document it all as best we can before we can't remember it all or we're not here to tell it! That's a BIG project...

Well, we weren't quiet enough because during one laughing fit, we hear a tiny peep out of our darling daughter. We look over (still chuckling a bit) and she has rolled over and gotten up on all fours to stare at us with this look of severe castigation! We couldn't help ourselves, being in such a state of the giggles, and laughed louder when we saw her sweet little face in such a scolding expression - this made her drop her precious head and cry... =(

So, of course, our smiles got flipped upside down, and we both hopped up in a flash and cuddled her and soothed her - convinced her we would put a lid on it and go to bed ASAP. She went happily back to sleep in no time. =)

We had a lot of fun and felt like we really got to celebrate "Us" even with an 8 month old in tow! Of course, we look forward to having our couple's trip back next year, but it felt right to have Mira there for this one, and she brought a lot of fun and joy to the trip.

Kenny's already talking Paris for next year's trip...oh, geez!

A Week in DFW

We had tons of fun in DFW! We visited all our old favorite hang-outs - introducing Mira to the DFW we know and love! We went to the Aquarium, the Zoo, the Botanic Gardens, Central Market, and did a ton of eating and shopping! Mira really worked at perfecting four fun activities: crawling, clapping, splashing, and waving!

I won't write too much - mostly for lack of time! But here are a few pics from the week:

Dallas World Aquarium - Mira really loved watching the fish and trying to grab them. Can we say "future diver?" =)

Nice Kitty...Mira is practicing her wave while a lazy jaguar lounges behind her. She's been waving at people left and right (totally un-prompted) for the past few days. I think it's adorable when she waves at other babies, but it's the cutest when she waves at her own reflection in the mirror!!

Hanging out at the hotel - Mira is "getting" me (she thinks this is hilarious)! I took a large bedsheet to lay down, so she would have a place to crawl around and play.

A portrait with the gorillas at the Fort Worth Zoo.

This orangutang was totally working the camera!!! Look at him pose - I took a lot of shots (way more than I'm posting)!!!

I was enthralled!!

Work it! Work it!!

...and Vogue!

Daddy points out the cheetah so Mira is sure to see!

One of our faves...the meerkats.

Headed to the pool - can't wait!! Who's got Daddy wrapped around her little finger??

Daddy is so silly - he goes under the water then comes up shaking and splashing!! Makes me laugh every time! I really perfected my splashing technique this week - soaked Mommy, Daddy, and myself!!! What fun!!!

Sitting with Mommy in the Japanese Garden at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens.

Um...Mommy....I don't know about this reflection pool thing...you're close, right?? (Of course, I am - great cropping job!)

Feeding the koi.

Kenny got a great shot of this crane that hangs out at the gardens!

Mira looks so big standing up there all by herself - again, I am very, very close!

Such a cutie! She has to wear shoes more often now, because she wants to be down and standing! Looks like such a big girl!

Yay for the Rangers!! Or, maybe it's "Yay for Daddy!" Anyways, she was clapping up a storm all week and loved when everyone in the crowd would start clapping - as if she had started this huge reaction!

Just hand over the water bottle and everybody will have a good time. She was really good at the game - enjoyed the crowd and the noise and even the fireworks! Notice how bright the sky is in the background...

Just a little while later, a huge storm rolled in and the sky turned black! The wind was blowing hard and thunder and lightning were headed our way! We ended up leaving in the 6th inning and making it to the car right as big raindrops started crashing down!!

Not sure about this guy...a frog at the Rainforest Cafe.