The End of Birthday Palooza (I Promise)

Ssssshhhhhhh . . . . what is that I hear? Wait -- can you hear it, too? Listen.



Silence.



Pure, uninterrupted silence.



My house is quiet. After two complete weeks of people in the house, tonight there is nobody here by me, Meg, and Kate. And Meg and Kate are sound asleep as I type. With the exception of the dryer humming and my keyboard clicking, the house is silent.

(Contented) Sigh.

Don't get me wrong: having company is great. I'm alone often, so having somebody here when I come down the stairs after bedtime routines is usually a treat for me. But, after a couple weeks of schedules being disrupted, routines tossed aside, and a hint of general chaos, having nobody here is kinda great, too.

The Birthday Palooza 2009 is officially in the books. We all enjoyed the excitement, though at times it was a bit of a struggle. I think I overbooked us, quite honestly. From the time that Jim's family arrived until Jim's mom said goodbye at lunchtime today, we were go-go-go. At times, it felt nearly nonstop. From the Aquarium to a bbq dinner . . . from dance class to a Costco run to Target shopping . . . from birthday party to present opening . . . from purple birthday pancakes to another bbq to a movie in the basement . . . from the pool to naps to more presents to bed to the doctor to lunch with Grandaddy. It was probably the busiest seven days I've lived since before Meg and Kate were born.

The girls loved every minute, and the first and third birthdays were certainly celebrated to their fullest. I think Meg will be sad tomorrow when she does not have a present to open -- she's opened at least one treat every day since June 18th. And Kate, she'll miss the hub-bub of activity. And I think she is already resentful of the fact that Great Grandma's departure meant that the gates had to go back up in the halls to keep her from her beloved staircase. Back to normal around our house.

Jim left yesterday for his week, and the girls and I have no real plans (except dance class) for the rest of the week. It's nice. We'll see where each day takes us.

Enjoy some (all found on our Picasa site) of the party highlights below. And I promise -- no more birthday posts. I know enough is enough. I've already vowed that next year we will go on a beach vacation for the birthdays . . . Birthday Palooza 2010 might be a little lower key, but that is OKAY with me.

Oh -- and I would be remiss if I did not thank EVERYONE for helping to make the past week so much fun. Paulette and Stan (my inlaws) were fantastic and helpful in every way possible. No task was too extravagant or too silly. Jim was my knight in shining armor, as usual . . . always swooping in to fix a problem or diffuse me if I got too wound up. Julie and Greg were great to give me a night off and host dinner at their house Sunday. And even my friends Keisha and Tricia were awesome to help so much at Meg's Pool Party Monday morning. I could not have done it without everyone -- so a million thanks all around.

And if you want to know how I was really feeling at the end of the day yesterday, check out the picture Jim must have taken of me as we were opening the last round of gifts and I was making the 'thank yous' list . . .

Happy Birtthday to Meg

Dear Meg-a-loo,

Today you are three amazing years old. Three years ago tonight, your dad and I were probably just sitting in the hospital room staring at you, so amazed at the gift God had given to us. Three years later, we tucked you in to bed on your birthday, dancing in and out of your doorway while saying our good nights with you giggling at our silliness. We can't believe how fast these three years have gone by.

In this third year of your life, you went from a little babbling toddler to a darling and talkative little girl. You were potty trained . . . and in one short year can now go to the bathroom all on your own. You can help me with things around the house, you can put on your own clothes, and you can get yourself out of the car without assistance. You go to preschool and dance class and leave me in the dust . . . never worring about Mom or even glacing to see if I'm still there. You are a very independent little girl . . . if I were to list all the things you do without me, it would probably bring tears to my eyes. You are growing so fast.

I think that your language explosion this year has been your biggest achievement. When Kate was born at your second birthday, you could barely say "Kate" or "Baby" or even "Mommy." I remember how little you could say and how I could not wait for you to become a chatterbox. It happened in just 12 months time. Now you say things like, "Kate won't cooperate with me!" and "Mommy, I wuv you so much." You and I have fantastic chats . . . my favorites usually taking place either in the car or in your bed at bedtime. You tell me how you feel about things, what you think, what you like and don't like. It is simply wonderful. And your memory never, ever ceases to amaze me (or anyone who knows you). You make connections between things that are happening now to something you've experienced in the past; you connect stories and books to real life occurrances. We don't dare mention something that we might not want you to think of later . . . you will always remember what we say. Your intellect is growing by leaps and bounds each and every day. I couldn't tell you how many times your dad and I have raised our eyebrows at each other in awe of something you knew, something you said.

You are so sweet and kind to that sister of yours . . . most of the time. I know you love Kate with every ounce of your body, though at times your might express it in some non-traditional ways. Your love for her is so natural and so true that even when you might find yourself jealous or unhappy with her, you can still turn around and give her a hug or a genuine "Sorry, Kate." You two adore each other. I'm one lucky mom to be able to watch your love grow.

Your third birthday was quite 'purple' -- you had purple pancakes for breakfast (at your request, of course) and wanted to wear your purple Tinkerbell dress with purple hairclips and purple flip flops. We had a bbq at Aunt Julies and then came home to snuggle up with popcorn and a movie in the basement. You went to bed dreaming of your big third birthday party which will take place at our neighborhood pool tomorrow. It was a good day -- you said so yourself.

Happy Birthday to my big girl. Meg-a-loo. My monkey. Meg-delicious. Your daddy and I love you very much, and we can't wait to see you hold those "4" fingers up this time next year. (Well, maybe we can wait a little -- like I said, you are growing up so fast!)

With love --

Mommy

A Deep Breath . . .

The week has been a total blur because we've had so much going on including birthdays birthdays birthdays galore that started on Thursday with our trip to the Aquarium and the cake for Kate and is still going on today with Kate's first birthday party which was a total success and a lot of fun for everyone involved including my Grandmother (what a treat to have her here!) and a lot of close friends and family. Speaking of family the Dahlbys have been here for several days now and we are really enjoying their visit and all the celebrating we've been doing not only for Kate and Meg but also for Aunt JuJu and Uncle Greg and all their wedding stuff by the way we went and watched Julie try on wedding dresses Friday afternoon and what a great time that was of course there were tears and lots of smiles on that occassion. Meg's birthday is next and should be great because she is finally at the age where she understands what is going on and knows that she can request special things like purple pancakes on her big day which I'm glad is finally here because she has done a pretty good job of taking a back seat to Kate over the last few days as we celebrated little sister. Tomorrow we are going to JuJu's house to party it up with a birthday bbq and cake then Monday is the pool party that Meg has been soooo looking forward to with her Ariel cake and the Ariel party supplies that have been taking up space in my dining room for about two weeks now.

It's been a whirlwind. Birthday Palloza 2009 in full force here!

Happy Birthday to Kate

Happy Birthday, Dear Kate, Happy Birthday to You.

You are my baby girl . . . though you are not quite such a baby anymore. Still somehow, even if you have a little sister or brother in the future, I'm going to think of you as my baby firl for a long, long time. You are my peanut, my itty bitty. My little Katy-did.

I've loved watching you grow in this first year of your life. From wailing in the car and crazy insane spit-up incidences . . . to your sweet, sweet smiles before 6 weeks of age . . . to giggling at your sister when you were so tiny . . . to sitting up so early and then army crawling a month or so later . . . to those first precious steps at Aunt Julie's house . . . it's been an amazing year. What a first year you've had.

I'll admit: your arrival blindsided me. I wanted to have you in our family so, so badly, I never stopped to think about what exactly a little sister would mean to us. At times, this was by far the toughest year of my own life . . . and I'm sure it was hard for you at times, too. But it was worth every single second. I would do it all over again exactly the same way in an instant.

There are so many priceless things you do that make every day of my life that much more special. When you are tired, you snuggle into my neck with that lovey and pop your first 2 fingers right in your mouth. When you are done eating a meal, you play with your food and give me the most devlish grin to see if I notice. You do 'Touchdown!" and clap your hands with such avengence, I can't help but laugh at you. You can huff and puff on a pinwheel with the best of them, which I think is your cutest trick to date. You proudly show "1" on your fingers when asked your age, and you waive bye bye to nearly everyone that passes by you. You simply ADORE your sister, which is one of the most amazing gifts of all. I could go on and on, but each little thing you learn makes you that much more adorably special to me.

Your first birthday was a treat for everyone. We took you to the Aquarium, and you 'ooohed' and 'ahhhed' and pointed at dozens and dozens of fish. You got a new swing for the backyard, and you were overjoyed to take the first ride on your first birthday afternoon. After dinner, cake was your big treat . . . and BOY did you go to town! It was a day all about celebrating you, little sister. And, if I'm not mistaken, you soaked it up like a sponge.

Happy Birthday, Kate. I look forward to sharing many, many more candle-blowings with you, Buga Buga.

It's Come to My Attention

I've noticed a few things lately.



How much I miss my dad's voice. The new electro larynx is working great . . . we can communicate without problem. We talk on the phone easily these days, and he's graduated from using the 'straw' piece in his mouth to just pressing the device to his throat for speech. It's really been a smooth transition. But, I miss his voice. If I call him on his cell phone and he misses the call, I can still hear his voice on his old voicemail. That always spooks me out . . . catches me off guard each time it happens. The funniest thing is that I think I'm still hearing his voice when he talks. I don't notice the monotone, robot-like sound of his new speech. When we are together, I think I just hear his old voice in my head . . . the way he used to inflect his speech, the sound of his 'accent'. I really do think that my brain is just processing it as if he were actually talking to me . . . like he used to.



But when he's not talking to me but someone else . . . and I really listen . . . I can hear the robot. And that's when I really miss his voice the most.



How much food we eat. I've always said I wanted a big family . . . and now that we have 2 growing girls both eating breakfast/lunch/dinner, I am starting to get a grip on the amount of food a big family requires. We are eating a LOT more food these days.



For example: a box of Eggos has 10 waffles. In the past, I could get one box and it would last about 2 weeks . . . we don't eat waffles every day, and when we did, it was just one or maybe two at a time for Meg. The Eggos lasted a while in our freezer. Now when we have waffles, we use up about half the box in one sitting. Meg now eats 2 waffles, and Kate will eat 1. And, since they are eating waffles and it's just easier, I usually eat 1 or 2. So that's like 4 or 5 waffles at one meal. A box of Eggos now lasts about 2 breakfasts. Juice and milk are the same deal . . . now that Kate is on the food train, we go through both a whole lot faster than we once did. Fresh fruit, too . . . 2 bananas each time, so a bunch does not go as far as it used to.



At least I don't have boys. I hear that they eat you out of house and home as they grow up.



How jealous Meg is of her little sister. Now that Kate is walking, Meg has started to really show her true colors. And the brightest color right now is GREEN . . . the kid is so jealous of the attention Kate is getting. Meg does all kinds of things to divert any Kate-attention her way . . . pushes Kate down, sits on her, fights her for my lap, acts out at the kitchen table.

I had not really noticed the amount of jealous big had for little until recently. I mean, I knew it was there . . . but now it is totally in my face all the time. "Meg, please get off Kate." "If she cries, that means she does NOT like it!" "You know that sitting on her is not the best choice you could make." It's constant.

The best of friends, the worst of enemies. That's what I've heard about sisters. Who knew it started with they were so young?



Side note: I'm really tired of people saying that their older kid is not jealous of their younger sibling. C'mon, people. The big kid is jealous -- it's totally natural -- and it does not make him/her a bad kid OR make you a bad parent. Maybe big sibling is not pushing little sibling out of the crib when you first bring new baby, but they are still jealous. And, if it's anything like our house, the jealousy does not really set in until the baby becomes a toddler with a personality of her own. There IS jealousy between siblings -- stop kidding yourself.


How much I love our house. Seriously, I love this place. With each little project we tackle, the house is becoming more and more our own. Two years in, and this place is getting better and better. And it's impossible for me to imagine moving from here ever. It's a great house. We fit so well here. I'm home a lot . . . that's what having 2 young kids so close in age will do to you . . . but I don't mind. I've become quite a homebody because I freakin' love our house.

Why my dad always took me everywhere with him. When I was growing up, I always went along with my dad on pretty much any errand he had. I have vivid memories of him appearing in my bedroom doorway and saying, "You want to go along with me?" to which I would pop up and answer, "Of course!" The grocery store was our playground -- we'd bring a calculator to record our purchases and see if we could get within $2 of the final total of our bill. Just for fun. As I got older, I can remember having arguments with my dad because I did not want to go along with him to the store or to the movies or to the post office. I was just 'too cool' or 'too busy' at times. I didn't know why that bothered him -- but I'm understanding it more now. I also remember fighting with him in those teenage years because a trip to the store required a full shower and hair washing on my part . . . heaven forbid I be seen out in public in a state of disarray. Even though we might have quibbled as I aged, I'll always remember all the errands we ran together and how much we had fun doing it. For me and my dad, it was just what we did.

And then, just last Sunday, Meg and I were out together . . .and I realized in one quick instant why my dad always invited me along. Meg and I ran to the mall for a Father's Day present for Jim, just me and my big girl. As we were walking together through the mall, Meg pulled in close to me and slipped her little hand into mind. There we were, hand in hand, and it hit me: I will forever have a buddy. I will always have someone to take along and keep me company as I shop, and run my errands. I realized quickly that I'd brought Meg along with me that afternoon as my companion and not my obligation . . . I didn't have to bring her with me (as is sometimes the case), I wanted to. I had more fun with her tagging along than I would have had by myself. Meg was my buddy. And that is why my dad always took me along . . . he loved to have a buddy.

But dad only had one buddy -- me. I am so lucky that I already have two.


How little privacy we have. I guess I've started to notice this in the past week or two, since my visit to the Gyno and the meeting with Ms. Mirena. We just don't get a lot of privacy around our house. Meg is in our bed each morning at about 7am, saying her good mornings and asking to watch Super Why! while mommy (and daddy on weekends) get a few minutes to stretch and wake up. Meg is in the bathroom with me all the time . . . especially in public. It's a rare occasion when I can visit a public restroom without my shadow right behind me. Meg and Kate are both under foot as I move around the house all day long . . . following me from room to room, playing with toys and books I have stashed in corners all over the house. And keeping a secret? You'd better be careful what you say out loud when Meg is around. If she hears anything -- even if it's beyond her comprehension or not meant for her to hear at all -- she will almost always repeat it in some way later to someone.

Secrets and privacy: not happening much around here these days.

How fast time goes. People say that all the time -- especially once kids are around. But as I sit her and type, the party paraphernalia for my daughter's first and third birthdays is strew about the dining room, and my 'to do' list for party planning is getting shorter and shorter. My babies are about to have birthdays . . . one more year in the books. One more year gone. I can't believe it.

Spaghetti Sunday

My parents are staying with us . . . it's a long story that I (quite honestly) don't feel like explaining. It has to do with my dad's health, their proximity to the hospital should something go wrong. The 'rents are here through Tuesday, and we are enjoying our time with them very much. It's keeping us busy . . . mostly because, while they are here, I feel the need to tackle any and every odd job I've been wanting to do around the house. Might as well take advantage of free babysitting, as I see it.>

In between projects, we've been enjoying our time together . . . particularly around the kitchen table. We all come together to eat. My dad has commented on how 'alive' our house is, beginning first thing every morning with breakfast. Meal times are pretty lively around here. Probably because BOTH of my kids won't miss a meal. When it's time to eat, the girls are ready and waiting.

When my mom volunteered to make spaghetti for us all tonight, I knew it would be a perfect meal for us. A perfect dinner to end our weekend and our long, long week. And -- I also knew Kate had yet to experience the lovely mess that is spaghetti -- so I thought we'd all get a kick out of seeing her go at it.

Who would I be if I did not have my camera right there to document such a milestone?

Before

During

After

Straight to bath for Kate, after an initial hosing down in the sink. When we talked about 'hosing' Kate down before bath, Meg became very upset that we would not hose her down, too. She wanted me to literally take her outside and spray her with the green garden hose. Though it might be tempting to hose her at times when that angel of mine is not being so angelic, tonight it was just plain funny. Need-less-to-say, Meg did not get 'hosed down' after her meal.

The week started with Mirena Monday and ended with Spaghetti Sunday. It was a long week. A few good things happened, a few not so good things. But it's over.

And now it is officially here: Birthday Palooza 2009. Commencing Wednesday. Here we go!

Favorite Photo(s) Friday

It's been a while since I did a 'Favorite Photo Friday' -- but our week has been so busy, it's about all I have time for today.

This week:

Kate REALLY started walking. It's official: she prefers walking to crawling. It started on Tuesday . . . she totally took off. Jim has been gone since Monday, so he's going to be floored when he comes home tonight to a totally walking Kate.

Meg had her first dance class. She LOVED it. She came home and showed me all the stuff she learned. Safe to say: dance is already going better than swimming.

New lanscaping. A big 'ole bush that was an anchor in our landscaping died iver the winter, and we decided to have a few things freshened up as a result. It looks awesome. I always hated the landscaping (or lack thereof) at our old house, but I LOVE the landscaping here. The new curb appeal (landscaping and trim painting both done this spring) of the house certainly makes me happy!

And last, but not least, my dad's battle with cancer continues. There was an ER trip last weekend which resulted in a necessary biopsy on Thursday. All day was spent at the hosptial . . . ambulatory surgery, PET scan, CT scan. We will have the results next week . . . but the doctor used the word 'suspicious' several times in relaying the procedure prognosis to me, so we are all holding our breath big time.

Fwimming Lessons

Meg had her first Swimming Lesson last week -- or 'fwimming wesson' as she calls it. Gotta love that 3 yr old 'accent' of hers.

I was all excited for her . . . we'd talked it up, as we tend to do for new experiences. Meg is the kind of kid that does very, very well in pretty much any situation if she knows what to expect. And what is expected of her. So, with a new endeavor like swim lessons, I had already begun preparing her for what she would be doing in the pool. without mom. for days before the lesson. I really want this kid to learn to swim on her own so that she won't cling to me or the side . . . so she can have as much fun in the pool as I did as a kid.

Funny, it wasn't the 'without mom' part of the whole thing that seemed to bother her. She just flat out, no joke, did NOT want to participate.

I've signed Meg up to learn the very basics of swimming from a neighborhood college girl who teaches lessons out of our neighborhood pool. Her lessons are one-on-one, take place in our pool, and last 30 minutes. Nothing too high stress, nothing fancy. And nothing terrible expensive. (Thank goodness for that last one.) I would love for Meg to be able to hold her head up in the water and not fear swimming without a vest by the summer's end. But -- quite honestly -- I really have very low expectations of this whole thing. If it's just one step closer to actual swimming, that will work for me.

Ms. Alli had Meg in the pool at 4pm last Tuesday, and off they went. They sat on the steps, talked (they had actually already met in the days prior to the lesson), blew bubbles. Meg put on her goggles and put her face in the water. As a mom watching from the out-of-sight sidelines, I was stoked.

Then, it all came to a screaching halt. Meg just was not going to do anything else. She kept telling Alli, "I don't want to," and I could see her eyes wandering for something else to do. Meg said she was "afraid of the water" -- which was nothing more than a dramatic plea for ME to get her out of her lesson. That kid is about as afraid of water as Janice Dickenson is of plastic surgery. She freakin' LOVES it.

The lesson, which was halted before about 4:15pm, continued for a little while more. . . but then even poor Alli, the instructor, gave up hope after about 10 more minutes. I gave Meg my 'stink eye' as I dried her off, all the while questioning her refusal to participate. I paid Alli for her time, and we scheduled another lesson. I'm chalking this one up to a $15.00 'get to know you' session, and I'm still holding out hopes that this week will go better.

As you can imagine . . . we've been talking up her lesson even MORE this week. We spent the weekend swimming with our buddies in Florida, and we totally played the 'look how big THEY are to swim by themselves!' game. Peer pressure -- I'll take it when it's helpful. If that doesn't work, maybe we'll just throw her in and see if she can swim. Lots of kids rise to the occassion when they are forced to do something new, don't they?

Okay, so maybe we won't do that. At a public pool, that might be cause for some really nasty looks and possibly a call to DFACS. I guess we'll just take it one lesson at a time and hope for the best.

(At least Kate had fun on the sidelines, as seen on the right!)

Mirena Monday

Parental Advisory -- if you don't want to know about our contraceptive life, don't read this.

Just had to post it . . . I got an IUD today. That's an Intra-Uterine Device, for those of you who are not in the baby-preventing mindset. It's supposed to last about 5 years, being pretty much maintenance free, and prevent something just short of 100% of pregnancies.

I really cannot believe that I'm even using contraception. It seemed like something that I would never ever consider, once we finally had a baby. Just 4 short years ago, I was lost in the sea of infertility, trying so desperately to get pregnant. Jim and I were beside ourselves . . . wondering if we would ever have a baby of our own. Obviously things worked in our favor at long last, and Meg was born in June 2006. Fast forward to just 2 years ago, and I was desperate once again for a baby because we had miscarried our first pregnancy following Meg. I had no idea of that miscarriage was a sign that Meg was a 'fluke' pregnancy or if it meant we'd be headed back to the RE for another IUI or two. Safe to say, contraception was something I never thought would be needed again.

Hindsight is 20/20, as they say. I can look back now and know that it was a lot of drama all for nothing . . . now that we have 2 beautiful girls. And I'm fairly certain we cured the infertility . . . which my doctor said happens quite often for couples that take a while to conceive baby # 1. We got pregnant with both Baby 2 and Kate on first tries, no help from meds or doctors. I never thought THAT would happen, but it did. So . . . we've run the gamut . . . we've been infertile and super-fertile. And now we had to decide what to do if we did not want to have another baby just yet.

Now that Ms. Mirena is (hopefully) doing her job, we are just holding off that new-found fertility for a while. "Family Planning" is in full swing around here. Yes, we will have another baby. The 'plan' -- and I use that word as loosely as humanly possibly because I know it's impossible to plan -- is to wait until next summer to get pregnant again. That would put Baby 4 being born about the time Meg goes off to Kindergarten. Great timing, we think. We'll see. Time will tell . . . and I'll look back at this post one day with that 20/20 hindsight and a totally new perspective, I'm sure.

Here's to Mirena. May she and I (and Jim, I guess) become true buddies over the next year . . . and may she take her eviction well when the time is right.

On the Road Again

Does it feel like we've been traveling a lot lately? It does to me. And I've enjoyed it all VERY much.

Like I said last week . . . I feel like I have been house bound for a while now. The past three summers have been filled with baby, moving, more baby. This summer, we are taking full advantage of not being pregnant (and when I say WE, I mean ME) . . . we've been hopping all over the place already, and it's barely June.

Last week's destination of choice: Destin, Florida. Beautiful, beachy, sunny, sandy Destin. Home to Jim's great college friend, where he and his family live just ONE BLOCK from the beach. They've been inviting us to visit for -- oh, just about forever -- and we've not been able to go. But this summer -- Summer 2009, now known as the Summer of No Baby -- we were sure to take them up on the offer to come stay for a while.

We arrived Thursday, and the trip was a hit from the very beginning. Our host family has 2 daughters -- ages 5 and 4 -- so Meg was totally ready to party with her girlfriends from the moment we got out of the car. She handed them treats we'd brought, checked out the play room, then promptly put on her suit and jumped right in to their swimming pool. The first evening was fantastic . . . the girls played, the parents caught up, and we all talked a little about what we were going to do with our time together.

The rest of the trip just fell into place. Friday morning: beach bound, of course. Four adults, four girls, and a whole LOT of beach gear headed out to the Emerald Coast . . . I had forgotten how beautiful the beaches in that area are! WOW! It was a cloudy-but-PERFECT morning, followed by some pool action in the afternoon. Dinner was at Camille's -- a local's favorite -- and the girls were in bed by 9pm.

Saturday we decided to hit the Gulfarium (and I did not object b/c I'd gotten a bit too much sun on Friday). We visited with our host family's family, who Jim knew from his college days of having Thanksgiving with them. We even managed to find two perfect Adirondack chairs for our yard . . . something we'd been searching for and found happily in beachy Florida.

On Sunday, we didn't want to leave. We went back to the beach, back to the pool, then finally . . . and sadly . . . packed up and came home. Back to the land-locked city of Marietta.

What a great trip it was . . . long enough to leave us wanting MORE. Maybe we will have to find a way to get back to those beautiful beaches again. The girls had a BLAST -- Meg and her buddies did not stop playing together except for bed times and meal times. Those three little girls got along sooo well . . . it was truly a vacation for me to have Meg entertained like that for so long! Kate was happy to follow along when she could . . . and the rest of the time she was showered with affection by any adult that came her way.

Jim and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in Florida. We left saying what a great trip it was, how great it will be for our two families to grow up together like this, and trying to think of a time we can go back later this year.

Now that we are home, I think that is it for our traveling for a while. Jim has a BIG 'go-live' on a project in a month or so . . . and we have Birthday Palooza coming to town in just over a week . . . so we'll keep busy here in Northampton for a while. Ahhh, our neighborhood, Northampton. Maybe I can pretend we are in the 'hamptons while we are out at our pool this week.

(Okay, so it's nothing like the beach . . . but I can dream, can't I?)

Destin 2009

Guest Lists

Birthday Party Planning is in phase 2 around here: plans are made, and I'm putting them into action. Making signs, banners, tying ribbons, collecting party favors.

I've mentioned that we are doing 2 parties this year -- because Kate absolutely deserves her own first birthday party. So, the 1st Birthday Bash is here at our house, family and a few (mostly kid-less) friends. That's on a Saturday. Then, on the following Monday, Meg will celebrate her big third birthday. At the pool. With her friends. Her party was supposed to be the 'small' one . . . but it's quickly gotten out of hand.

It's so very hard to create a party guest list and NOT hurt feelings. This year, that is times TWO for us. When I sat down to make the list for Kate's party, it was not hard. Family. A few friends that would probably not be able to make it to a Monday afternoon pool party. A few friends that we wanted to invite to BOTH parties. You'd think that would be easy . . . but then I remembered that families can be tricky sometimes. You love them all, but they might not all love each other. In the end, I just invited them all . . . and I hope they all can make it. That was the easiest solution.

Meg's list was harder. I started with just the kids SHE spends time with. She is a regular kid now, and she has her own friends that she would like to party with. The list, originally, was about a dozen. Throw in a few other friends that we might not see that often but would be sorely missed at the celebration. And, since the party IS in our neighborhood, I added a few families we know and see often around the 'hampton. Now her party -- which I honestly wanted to be SMALL -- is up to 27 kids. That is the opposite of small.

And the sad part -- there are still kids I would like to invite. I feel bad that I've had to leave people out. There are friends we see when we hang out with other groups, preschool friends (I didn't invite even ONE from her class!), old buddies from mom-and-me classes, and some other random people that I just could not invite. I wanted to . . . but for the sake of keeping the party small (ha!), I just didn't. And there are even a few friends who were invited to Meg's party or Kate's party who I think would really have liked to come to both.

I can't please everyone, but it doesn't stop me from trying. Or for feeling bad about not pleasing the entire crowd. If you are reading this and are upset about the invite/not invite, don't hate me. I'm sorry in advance, and I can just ask for understanding.

Then again -- some people might be relieved NOT to be invited. Why should I assume so many people would want to celebrate with us? See? I can't win.

I'll just go about my party planning -- see pics below -- and look forward to some rockin' celebrations around here in a few weeks. I'll keep you updated as the plans fall in place.

Party junk that is taking over our dining room.

Stuff for the decor/signs I'm finishing up . . . and the party plates/colors for Kate's party.

Kate's party attire -- I made the tutu. SO easy -- if you have girls, don't ever buy one! I just tied tulle in knots on a piece of ribbon. Ta da! Custom Tutu to match the party shirt.

I Love the Summer

I don't know how much blogging I'll be doing this summer. There is so much stuff going on to enjoy during the day that I find myself exhausted and unwilling to think hard enough to write a half-way interesting post in the evenings (when I most often write).

At least, that's what the past few days have been like. We've been at the pool, the park, bbqs, our own backyard . . . and all the time, I find myself thinking, "I LOVE summer."

I love a summer schedule. The girls have naturally fallen into a different rhythm, now that the days are longer and our normal school schedule has been tossed to the side. We are eating dinner a little later and going to bed around 8:00 pm . . . which is no problem. We have been so busy during our days, that naps are more than two hours (for BOTH girls!), making our afternoons start and end later than usual. And nobody cares -- which is the best part. They aren't exactly sleeping IN, but they aren't beating my door down before 7am, so I'll take it. Really, I'm enjoying it . . . the flexibility, the different routine. Some of it, I'm sure, is related to Kate's move from a baby-baby to more of a toddler-baby (she's kind of a hybrid right now, I'd say). She's becoming so much more flexible about eating, sleeping, etc. And some of it is because I'm more relaxed and enjoying this time of year with our family. However it is composed, it's a great time at our house.

I love summer weather and summer clothes. Each day, we dress in shorts or sun dresses -- or bathing suits. Sandals, of course -- and Meg is old enough for flip-flops this summer. SO adorable. The hot weather bothers me in August, but right now it's welcome and warm. Yummy. The weather and the clothing that comes with summer would probably be my favorites for the entire year. So easy and carefree. (And it helps that I'm pretty much back to a pre-baby size, so I can't complain about how things fit anymore!)

I love summer activities. THE POOL, in particular. I'm totally a pool junkie . . . and I have not been able to feed my habit for a few years now. Summer 2006: pregnant, then brand new baby Meg. Summer 2007: we moved, right in the middle of the summer, and we had a one-yr old, and I was pregnant in July and August. Summer 2008: pregnant, then brand new baby Kate. For three years now, I really have not had the time or the means to just lounge by the pool. This year, I (kinda) do. I wouldn't exactly say that chasing my three year old and one year old around the pool deck is lounging . . . but you know what I mean. We are out, poolside, in the sun. And the kids can't get enough. Three days of nothing but POOL so far -- now that the rain finally stopped -- and I'm LOVING it. Maybe one of these weekends I can escape to the pool sans kids for a few hours and really soak up the sun.

I just like the way summer feels. Everyone seems relaxed. There is lighter traffic on the roads. You can eat on the deck. There are fun outdoor activities -- concerts, festivals, theme parks. People go on vacation and come back tan and ready to tell you about the cool beaches they visited. YOU go on vacation and spend a week or so anticipating it, a week or so enjoying it, and a week or so recovering. It's a great time of year.

So, I'll blog as much as I can . . . and I probably will find more time in July, after Birthday Palooza 2009 and all that the birthday celebrations are going to bring to our house here in a few weeks.

For now, I'm just enjoying summer. I hope you are, too.

Kate the Great

Oh that Kate, she's been so very busy lately . . . she is DEFINITELY busier than Meg was at this age. She's busier than Meg ever was as a baby. She is a monkey, a climber, and into everything.

I love that Kate.

And, her debut as a biped . . .

(forgive me -- I cannot for the life of me figure out how to reorient the second half of the video -- so turn your head to the left and enjoy!)

The Home Stretch

In just a few short weeks, my itty bitty baby . . . my tiny little gem . . . will turn one. ONE. We have rounded the corner and are headed fast toward that one year marker. And it feels good.



The milestones are flying fast. Kate's gotten her first tooth, said her first word(s), and took her first steps all in the last month. The teeth you knew about . . . but yes, you heard me right: Kate has started walking and talking.



Her first word? "Uh oh" Loud and clear, plain as day, and used in correct context. As a matter of fact, dropping her cup from her high chair and exclaiming, "Uh oh!" is officially one of Kate's favorite games. She can also say a very breathy "Hi" while waiving, but it's not quite as consistent as "Uh oh." Still, it counts.



The first steps? That milestone occurred just this past weekend. On Sunday, as we all attempted to bbq in the rain at Aunt JuJu's new place in the Virginia Highlands, Kate took her first shaky 4-5 step pass with a crowd of about 8 people watching. We cheered! We clapped! And now when you place her firm on her little feet and try to get her to walk, she starts out with a big smile and a few claps. As if to say, "Look at me! I need my praise now, please!"



Since Sunday, her steps have gotten better and better. And she's even managed to stand herself up from falling in the middle of the room, which shows her balance it getting there. I have to tell you . . . Kate looks like a little doll walking. My grandma said she would, and boy -- she was right. All 28 inches of her just toddling along is the cutest thing I've seen in a while. I can't wait until she really takes off and uses her legs as her primary form of mobility. She's still dropping to her knees to crawl (because it's faster), but certainly that won't last long. I'm about to have TWO totally mobile kids around here.

The milestones have come and gone so quickly. Wasn't it just last week I was detailing all of the effort it took to bathe both girls? Now I pretty much throw the both in the tub, and we're done in no time. And remember when Kate could not sit up . . . or when she was wanting to crawl so badly? Those days are long gone. She's accomplished so much this year.

The "first birthday party" invitations were mailed today. To me, that means we are officially in the home stretch . . . the first year is nearly done. With Meg, the party and the first year celebration was truly all about her. It was a BIG to do, bigger than I had originally planned. It was quite an event for our family. Kate's will also be a big production, though it feels a little different the second time around.

I'm not taking anything away from Kate in saying this -- but I do have to admit -- I feel like sharing a little in Kate's first year celebration. She made it a whole year . . . and so did I. This year has been one of the hardest I will probably endure (at least I can hope life doesn't get too much harder), with all the changes and the blindsiding that the second baby brought to our home. This time last year, I had NO idea what Kate's first year would hold. Now, a year later, I actually feel like I'VE accomplished something by making it from June '08 to June '09.

Like I said, I'm not taking anything away from Kate. She is going to have a first birthday party all to herself . . . I'm not even sharing her party with Meg, though their birthdays are just 3 days apart. Meg will have a pool party with HER friends, and Kate is going to have a party with our family and close family friends. Two parties in 3 days time means a lot of work for mommy, but it's worth it. Birthdays are totally for celebrating.

My calendar amazes me . . . just about 3 weeks until Kate is a year old. ONE. Time certainly flies. It flies when you are having fun . . . and as hard as this year has been, it's been amazingly fun at the same time.

Here we go . . . we've rounded the corner, and I can see the finish line ahead. We've almost made it, Kate! The one year milestone is straight ahead. And we're going to WALK across it together!

(I have pictures of Kate walking, but the computer is on the fritz so I can't get them downloaded -- I'll post some later this week for sure.)

When Last We Met . . .

Meg was about to send me to the looney bin, and Kate was about to pop her 2 front teeth. We were about to leave for our family vacation in Iowa and Kansas, and I felt like I was about to lose my mind in preparation for it.

Fast forward more than a week, and here we are.


The trip was awesome. The girls were angels. We had a wonderful visit with extended family, followed by some great days with just the Grandparents.

Nobody was sick. Meg was really a GREAT kid -- the great kid she usually is, prior to the week of hellish behavior we had right before the trip. Kate popped her two front teeth on the last day of our trip, but she really didn't complain about it at all in the days leading up to their big debut. Both girls were a true pleasure to be around. As you can imagine, the grandparents ate them up.

I can't even begin to describe all of the things we did while away in the midwest. We had just a fantastic time . . . both at the big 90th birthday celebration for Jim's grandma and in the week that followed, when we just hung out with the family.

In Iowa, this is prime crop planting season. The crop? Corn, of course. Corn and some soybeans, though most everything we saw planted or being planted was corn. There was a little divine intervention on our trip . . . we were at Great Grandma Moen's farm (that would be Jim's Mom's Mom) on the day that they planted the corn on her land. We got to see the BIG tractors till the land one evening, then they returned with the planters and planted the corn seeds the following morning. For a suburban kid like me (and Meg and Kate), it was a real treat. They only do the planting once a year -- one day a year -- and we just happened to time it right. That was certainly the highlight of the trip for me and Meg.

We also went to the little town cafe and had breakfast in Emmons, MN. We went to the Elks Lodge for 'Taco Tuesday' and had a ball. We shopped, we drove the 5+ hours back to Kansas, we saw family friends, and we visited our favorite local petting zoo in Jim's hometown of Overland Park, KS.

It was a great trip.

And now we are home, and after nearly 3 days, I think just about everything is back to where it belongs. The girls went to bed at 7:30pm tonight -- eastern time, that is. Back to our schedule. We've (selfishly) kept them on central time for the past couple of days to enjoy a few holiday weekend evening activities and the late morning sleep that follows when your kids body clocks are about an hour behind 'real' time. Tonight, though, it was a return to normalcy.

I'm just so glad we had a great trip . . . and now I'm so glad to be back home. Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett O'hara says. Tomorrow we'll get back on track. (And yes, for those of you that missed me, I'll get back to blogging!)

Enjoy the photos in the albums linked -- I've added a lot of stuff, including trip pictures and just general pictures of our lives in the "May 2009" album.

Iowa/Kansas May 2009

Because I Know Many of You Can Relate

Kate seemed hot when she woke up bright and early this morning. She was a little cranky. I now know -- thanks to the pediatrician visit yesterday -- that teeth are eminent, so I gave her some Motrin.

Meg woke up her usual cranky crabby self. The morning was not fun, by any means. By 10:30am, she had a temperature of 100.0, so I gave her Motrin.

I gave Kate her second dose of Motrin before afternoon nap, which was about 6 hours after her first dose. The doctor recommended pre-nap and pre-bedtime Motrin to help her sleep better as those teeth push their way through.

Meg's fever was gone after her first dose of meds, and it stayed away most of the day. Dare it say it . . . she was tolerable to be around once she seemed to feel better. At about 3:30pm, the whining returned and I noticed she was hot . . . and then discovered the fever was back slightly at 99.3. I waited, and at 4:30pm it was 101.7. Dose two of Motrin for Meg.

Before bed, I gave a cranky Kate her 3 allowance of Motrin. Meg can't have any more until at least 10:30pm, but I have the bottle in her room ready to go if she wakes up needing it.

If you are a mom out there, I know you can relate to this. Of course the doctors said nothing was wrong with these girls on our visit yesterday . . . yet they both are still feverish and moderately miserable today. Oh well. When it doubt, load them up with Motrin and hope it helps.

Of course . . .

Everyone is fine.

Now, can someone help explain the horrible behavior? Kate -- okay, I get it. She's teething. The dr said all of her congestion (and they did agree it's pretty bad) could be teeth-related. She is just about to pop the top two front teeth, that much was confirmed. Kate's behavior has a reason.

But Meg? UGH. They said maybe she is fighting something . . . maybe the pollen is bothering her, maybe she has a touch of a cold that is making her crabby. Still, no solid diagnosis that would give me a real reason for her acting out these last few days.

This sounds awful, but I almost wish there HAD been something wrong with Meg. At least then I could point to that something as the cause for her terrible behavior. I would never wish my kid sick, don't get me wrong. If you are mom out there reading this, I think you know what I mean. I just want a reason so that I can attack the problem with more confidence! I've been wondering for days if I was arguing with a sick kid . . . but she's not sick . . . so I'm just arguing with a terrible two-yr old, I guess.

Anyway, please keep your fingers crossed that Meg and Kate make it through the evening and night without forcing me to jump off of our roof top.

Oh -- and where is Jim during all of this, you ask? Charlotte, NC. Enjoy your next few good night's sleeps and your mornings in peace, hubby . . . when we meet you in Iowa on Friday, I'm on vacation.

Tuesday's Child . . .

I'm taking both children to the pediatirican today. Meg is just horribly behaved again today, and I can't help but wonder if something is physcially wrong that could cause that kind of attitude. Kate was up for quite a while early in the am coughing and whining, which makes me think possibly an ear infection for her. Both girls have been feverish on and off for the past several days . . . I just can't take it any more.

It's worth the $30 in co-pays to hear the doctor say, "Nope, they are perfectly healthy . . ." At least then when we leave for Iowa on Friday, I'll know I just have one brat and one teether . . . not 2 sick kids.

I'll keep you posted . . .

Dear Ms. Anne and Ms. Keisha

Dear Ms. Anne and Ms. Keisha,

My mom would like me to apologize for how I behaved at our lunch playdate this morning. Really, I think I shocked my own mother with my horrible fits and incessant whining during our visit. I've never really acted like that before . . . at least not out in public. My mom hopes that this will be my one and only display for a crowd . . . it was a pretty miserable ride home, so I know I must have done something really wrong.

I was even a little shocked at my own behavior. I guess I'm just testing my boundaries . . . seeing if my mom really means what she says. And, I'm learning that she does. I had no birthday cake today to celebrate your birthday, Ms. Anne. I wish I had acted better so I could have enjoyed the yummy ice cream cake. And, Ms. Keisha, I didn't even get a chance to tell you THANKS for having us over and for all the special treats you gave me. My mom rushed us all out the door so fast at 1 o'clock because she just couldn't deal with me for one more second. I'm sorry I caused such a problem, and I'm sorry that I missed out on a really good time. My mom is even MORE sorry that she didn't get to spend even a few minutes talking to her friends because she was so busy dealing with her kids. I made it a pretty miserable morning for everyone involved. I'm sorry for that.

My poor mother . . . she's been dealing with some real attitude from me lately. I guess that turning 3 means that the 'terrible twos' are over, but it appears that I am only just beginning. I wasn't a bad two year old, honestly. However, if being 3 continues to be as bad as it's been the past few weeks (and -- actually -- I'm technically still 2 until June), my mom might need some heavy medication. Or she might become an alcoholic. I'm not sure exactly what either of those things mean, but I don't think it's good.

To top it all off -- my little sister is working on some new teeth. She's a classic 'baby teether' . . . runny nose, poopy pants, cranky attitude, drooly, sleep interruptions. We know the teeth are coming, it's just a matter of when. I guess my terrible attitude and my sister's teeth related fussiness has created the Perfect Storm of misery around here for my mom.

My mother really did intend on having a good time today. She was looking forward to it all weekend . . . she even made a special trip to TCBY for the yummy cake I didn't get to eat. She wanted to talk to you, Ms. Anne, about how life is with baby, how you like staying at home . . . and she wanted to talk to you, Ms. Keisha, about your summer plans and when we could all play together again. I kinda ruined it all . . . I kept having to be sent to Time Out and I kept complaining about everything . . . my mom pretty much talked to nobody and then had to leave because she couldn't take it any more.

Yes, I was tired. For whatever reason, I was up for about 2 HOURS in the middle of the night last night. My parents were NOT happy about that. And yes, I'm only 2. I am learning what my mom will and won't tolerate, and I'm still a little kid at times. But even still . . . there is no excuse for my behavior. Believe me, my mom has been telling me that over and over since we left your house.

My mom called my dad at 1:30 pm to see how early he could come home from work. She needs the relief. As I mentioned, I've been quite a pill for SEVERAL days now, so I think Mom is reaching her limit. Dad can't come home early, so my mom is just going to have to deal with me (and Kate) for the afternoon and pray that the traffic doesn't keep Daddy away any longer than absolutely necessary. It's been a long day already, and it's only nap time.

Anyway, sorry again for how I behaved. I hope I only ruined my mom's visit, not everyone else's, too. Hopefully the next time you are in town, Ms. Anne, my mom can take you out WITHOUT me. She'd really like that . . . she has found that outings sans children are better for her if she actually wants to enjoy adult time.

Thanks for having us, Ms. Keisha. Please tell Kendall and Tanner I'm sorry and that I hope to see them again soon. Let's go to the pool here in a few weeks . . . maybe then I'll be preoccupied and you and my mom can do a little more visiting. And Ms. Anne . . . my mom said next time she sees you and Jack, she wants to HOLD that cute little boy . . . she didn't even have a chance to today!

With many apologies and much love,

Meg Dahlby

Happy Mother's Day

I love Mother's Day. Around here, I affectionately refer to it as 'Employee Appreciation Day' -- since I don't have a job or an annual review, Mother's Day fills the role as the day I get appreciated for all that I do. I take FULL advantage of the holiday. I don't care if it was created by Hallmark or not . . . I just love that I get a day of appreciation for being a mom.

Mother's Day 2009 started with Jim bringing me some coffee in bed . . . a very nice gesture, which I thanked him for as I rolled over and promptly went back to sleep. Sleeping in was the real present. I drank the coffee a while later when I woke up.

A little before 9am, Meg, Jim, and Kate brought me breakfast in bed. Meg had been so very excited about this -- I think she has been looking forward to it since the last time we had breakfast in bed, which was last Mother's Day.

"Happy Birthday!" Meg said with excitement, as she kissed my cheek to wake me up.

I laughed -- close enough, Meg. I'll take a 'Happy Birthday' wish on Mother's Day. I know what she meant.

Unfortunately, even the glory and thrill of Mother's Day could not stop Meg from being . . . well, Meg. She's only 2.9 years old (I'm constantly reminding myself). The terrible twos are still hanging on around here . . . and they seem to have really flared up lately. So -- when her caterpillar shaped pancake fell to pieces as she picked it up to eat it -- prompting Meg to immediately fall to pieces herself -- I wasn't that surprised. She began to throw quite a fit about the disintegrating pancake (a fit that included some flying syrup), which ended the breakfast in bed treat before it really even began. I ate my breakfast in bed, she went to her room.

And Kate? She came into the room with the breakfast tray but was not really 'into' the whole breakfast idea. She had already eaten her breakfast at that point, and she was ready for a morning nap. Or at least that's what we we thought . . . Jim went ahead and put her down for a nap a little earlier than her usual time, and she proceeded to cry and protest for about 45 minutes.

Oh well. So much for my breakfast in bed. Maybe we'll try again next year. :)

I did get to run out and do a little shopping . . . Jim gave me a Victoria's Secret gift card to spend. The gift was really from Kate. After nursing her for nearly a year, I was in serious need of some new (non-nursing!) bras. I got some lovely ones . . . now just about a month or so more of nursing, and then I can wear them every day.

Getting to shop alone was another awesome present. See? I'm not high maintenance . . . some extra sleep and some time to myself are the things I have treasured most this Mother's Day.

Of course, Mother's Day also makes me stop, think about, and appreciate the two lovely ladies that allow me to celebrate this holiday in the first place. Really, those are the things I treasure most on Mother's Day.

Those girls . . . I love them to bits. As they get bigger, I know they will learn to love Mother's Day, too. Right now, they are only babies, so I can't really expect them to act any differently than they normally do just because its the second Sunday in May.

I won't expect to much . . . I'll just hug them and love on them today. They don't have to express their appreciation for me just yet. I'll hug and love on Jim, too . . . I know he appreciates the day. I know he appreciates the job I do as the mother to our girls. I really do feel appreciated this Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone . . . I hope you feel appreciated at your house, too. In our own ways, we are ALL fantastic mothers. Don't ever tell yourself anything different!

Favorite Photo Friday -- Beach Babies Edition

Kate Allison, Charleson SC, May 2 2009

Totally unedited -- totally unframable -- but so, so funny. THIS is what it is like to try and take pictures of a 10 month old at the beach.

Oh, and here is what you get when you take a nearly-3 yr old and let her play in the sand . . .

Happy Weekend! Happy Mother's Day!!

Babies Babies Babies

What is it about this time of year that makes it a favorite time of year to have a baby? It seems like there are always a million birthday parties and new births each spring. We are in the thick of it here at our house, that is for sure.



What was going on 10 months ago? Summer? Heat and exhaustion? Not even a big holiday or occasion to pin down the baby making bonanza that leads to so many springtime babies. Maybe it's anniversaries . . . there are a lot of weddings in the summer, so that must be it.


We've been to at least a half-dozen birthday parties since early April . . . all of which were fun celebrations to attend. And now we are in an official baby boom . . . three babies born in the last 3 weeks, and several more to come as May turns into June.


I hold these tiny creatures . . . snuggle them close to me, watch them sleep . . . and know in my heart of hearts that there is at least ONE more Baby Dahlby out there for us. The babies make me want another of my own, they truly do. BUT not so fast . . . they don't make me want to get pregnant right away, don't worry. They actually make me want to go get an IUD so that I can be assured no surprise babies will be born at our house next spring.


Anyway . . . here are some debuts of new babies for our friends. Meet Bridget Francis, Walker Robert, and Connor Brittan (2 photos of each). . .

Ahhh . . . those sleepy newborns. Such a dream. Expect to see more baby pictures as the boom continues. We still have lots of newbies coming our way! (Robinsons -- you are next!!)

Great Weekend Getaway

We had a great weekend . . . and we had wonderful, fabulous hosts in Charleston that made our stay perfectly awesome. Seriously, the hosts MADE the weekend great. Great weather and great friends in a great location . . . it was bound to be a great weekend.

Incidentally, nobody got carsick -- on the ride to or from SC -- so, like I said, I'm a happy Mommy as far as the travel is concerned. I was so worried about vomit, I think I made myself nauseous for at least the first half of the trip on Friday. When we arrived, I took a deep breath and finally was able to relax about our car travel.

Then, after we unloaded, ate dinner, and were just about to chill out with our friends, I made Meg take some children's Claritin for her puffy, allergy eyes. Almost immediately, she vomited all over the kitchen floor. Isn't that my luck? No puke in the car, but a whole kitchen floor covered because I forced her to take medicine she told me she did not like and did not want to take. Go figure. (At least it was easy clean up.)

The rest of the weekend went off without a hitch. We went to a Dragon Boat race, shopped, went to the beach for some pictures, went out to dinner . . . and just enjoyed time with friends we wish we could see more often. Sunday we left our friends to enjoy their day, and we hit downtown Charleston for just a little looking around and lunch. We were home by bedtime, tired and happy from our weekend away.

Jim said we should do this more often -- just get away for a day or so to places somewhat close to home. I agree . . . but then I think about the work involved in a weekend away . . . and I sometimes shy away from these trips. I look forward to the days when these types of getaways are a little easier. Even if there was some work involved in getting us all (and all of our stuff) to Charleston, it was totally worth it. And Jim is right -- we should do this more often. I always have a lovely time.

Thank you to the Smith Family for having us. We know your lives are so busy -- and we are very grateful that you had ALL of us for the weekend! We hope to see you again soon, and we can't wait to host you here on your next visit to Atlanta.

A few of the beach pictures . . . which I've not edited, but they are cute enough the way they are.

Now back to reality and the life here at home. LOTS of HD Portraits to do this week due to a baby explosion among our friends and neighbors. Three newborn shoots and two family shoots in about 2 weeks time, so I have some catching up (and keeping up) to do.

This upcoming weekend is Mother's Day . . . or, what I call "employee appreciation" day at the Dahlby house. It's a chance for me to be appreciated for the work I do :) Jim and I have chatted about a new pocket camera for Mom as a treat. I'm excited -- another camera for me -- the girls and Jim know me too well. I'm sure some work will go into the decision on that gift as this week goes on.

Back to regular life for me . . . with visions of sunny Charleston dancing in my head.