And the winner is...

We hadn't gotten all the results in for Anna's Halloween costume. But I was still pulling hard for the little Dragonfly. Every time someone would vote for the cliche' girly ones, I would scoff! (C'mon people, we KNOW she's a girl. Do we have to brand it all over her body?) THEN, we made the mistake of going to Octoberfest in Jefferson City. You know, one of those things where the smell of bratwurst, popcorn, and suckers intoxicate you to the point where you think handmade hunting-themed quilts and weird realistic looking pets frozen in life-like poses are worth looking at.

Well, somewhere between taking Anna to hear and dance to good German polkas and watching the wiener dog races (quite popular, actually) we rounded the corner to see a booth spewing PINK. The entire booth was hand-made girl costumes and dress up clothes. There were wings, dresses, crowns, sceptures, more crowns, more wings.

With a lump in my throat and my heart beating madly, I stumbling forward, and against what I thought was my will, my shaky hand came up and began pointing...

We walked away with the ULTIMATE in girly costumes. It looks a little something like this:

but with more pink! We of course got her a matching heart-topped wand because.... well because.... the is no stopping new parents when bombarded with such a mirage as that darned pink booth.

And won't she look so cute???!!!!!!

First Steps!!!

Today Anna took her first step in this wide, wide world. She had all the grace and bravery that a ten month and two day old can have!

This evening, she decided she was going to stand unassisted a few times. I was sitting on the floor brushing my hair and Anna just HAD to come get the brush. I gave it to her and backed away from her while she was standing. I leaned forward and told her to brush Momma's hair. She couldn't reach me with the brush so she reached out with the brush, lifted her little foot, and planted it forward one step. Course, she then began to weeble and wobble so Momma had to come to the rescue. But she did it! My little one!

March on, Anna!

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Again stealing from a friend's blog....
Found out it is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Here's a site to see what your pirate name would be.

Mine: Sassy Sally The Bloody
C: Cap'n Kidd Kilpatrick (Love it!)
A: Savvy Ann Blackwater

Did my niece and nephew too!
B: Black Bart Cutthroat
M: Fishbait Bonnie Cutthroat

Did mom and Dad's too for fun!
R: Queen Grace Dread (How fitting!)
D: Lt. John Anderson (Not Piratey AT ALL!)

Conversations...

On the phone with a guy we are meeting with for financial planning...
Me: "Hi Mr. _____. I was referred to you by Sean, who is good friends with my husband."

Him: "Yes, is your husband C____ _____?"

Me: "Yes - he knows your family."

Him: "Yep, I believe I sent you guys a wedding present..."

Me: "Yyyyyyyyeeeessssss....." (Thinking - "What do you say to that? Also - "Oh God, what was the present? Does he expect me to know after 5 1/2 years?")
Me: "Thanks a lot - that was thoughtful. Anyway........."


-------------------------------------------------------------
I was talking to Anna while she was eating a being super cute and told her if she got reincarnated, she'd come back as something wonderful.

Curt pipes up loudly from the other room:
"YES ANNA - You'd come back as a UNICORN!!!!!!!"
(In his manliest voice - of course :-)

Went swimming...

Did my laps again this morning...

Missed Kayla terribly...

Walked into the Y daycare to see Anna smiling, jabbering, and bonking some poor baby boy on the head.

Sigh.

And my day goes on.

More Anna Banana!

Since I'm on a video roll!

Long overdue vacation videos!

Here are some videos from family vacation this past July!

Annamazing

There are many reasons why Anna rocks.

The latest: she loves everyone and she is so easy!

I am contemplating a return to work (boo hiss) which I am EX-TREM-ELY ambivalent about. (I'll blog more on that later). Anyhoo. I decided to try switching my exercise class from Wednesday evenings to Wednesday mornings since there's a good chance I'll be working Wednesday evenings.

Anna had never been to the YMCA daycare at THIS particular daycare and she was used to the ladies at the OTHER Y daycare so I was unsure if I could finish the hour long spin class.

Which for those ignorant about spinning class, looks like this:


Not this:


Not only was I able to complete the class with her safely tucked away upstairs with some new friends, I stayed ten minutes after and talked to the instructor. So after class, I bounded up the stairs, washed my hands (I'd NEVER touch my daughter without washing off the spin-class nasties) and waltzed into the nursery.

Anna was HAPPILY playing on the floor with a toy (again, she had been there OVER an hour at this point) and when she saw me, she did a little "Cousin Molly Jiggle" and laughed with excitement. I melted into a puddle on the floor. Did you? Just now? Reading this? Melt?

I love you Anna!

SHE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!

Oh Anna...
How you bring us such joy!
No wakings last night
Please, please one million more!

Either the flu shot
or the Motrin that followed.
Something left you
Cuddled and mellow.

I used to lie there
Heart beating...
mirroring...
Great-Grandfather's clock...

WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?
WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?
WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?
WHEN?........will she?.......WAKE?

But last night,
To bed on time...
One short peep at five
and up bright eyed!

So let's raise our glasses
Let's have a toast!
No more "Mommy's night walking,
stumbling grumbling ghost."



(Aunt Emily - don't hate us :-)

Halloween Contest!!!!!

Here are the pics of Anna's potential costumes. Vote for your favorite either by commenting on the blog, or emailing me! May the best costume win!

Wii Fit: Fun for all ages!

I think Grandma had a crush on the trainer.
(He is pretty cute!)



Maria can't hula hoop worth a darn. She needs to go back to second grade.