First Kiss

We made it to NH Monday evening and it was nice to be in a germ-free house and just relax.  We were visiting my mom and my sister (my dad was on a business trip) and also my friend from high school, C. and her son, H.  We hadn't seen them since Christmas, and even then we only saw them for a few minutes, so we were all really looking forward to spending some time together.

Our week started out with sledding on Tuesday.  Except that it was warm out and the snow was really heavy so it was less sledding and more sticking, which MiniM.E. was NOT a fan of.  It might not have helped that she didn't have a nap.  No problem though because we chose to sled at a school playground, so there were other things for the kids to do.  Like swing.

Then we went home for a snack.

Things didn't seem to be going so well for the kids,

but they soon got over the sharing issue and made up with some hugs.

And then THIS happened!!!

first kiss!

Which is totally cute now, but will not be cute when they're twelve.

We might have encouraged it a little... because how cute is this?

oops! missed a little!

After H. went home MiniM.E. had a blast in the bath with some new bath toys.

tee-hee! baby bum!

love this smile...

and this face... 

Some Catching Up... Or Catching Things...

This past week I've been sick.  Arg.  I feel like I've been sick more this year than I have been in ages.  I wasn't even sick this much when I was teaching elementary art.  I'm talking kids wiping their noses then touching you, or putting something in their mouth and handing it to you, or worse, sneezing right in your face when you're talking to them.  It must be another fantastic perk of being a mom.  Awesome.

Anyway, it was struggle enough to pretend I was having a blast pulling MiniM.E. around in the laundry basket for hours on end while I was really ready to curl up in a ball and die.  Luckily, I pushed through it and am still alive.  I don't think MiniM.E. suffered too much.  Except for maybe the few hours that I totally curled up on the couch in a blanket and watched her watch the "tee" (TV).  Don't judge, it was Baby Songs, a totally ghetto DVD made from a 30 year old VHS tape that actually teaches things and is so slow moving that I don't have to worry about it affecting her attention span.  AND for the record, I can now take a shower without piercing screams echoing in the background.

Fortunately, aside from a hacking cough (which I am praying is not waking up my napping baby), I am better.

UNfortunately, while sick I not only neglected writing blog posts, I also neglected everything else I usually do around the house AND the baby shower I am co-planning and putting on THIS WEEKEND.  So this post will have to be short and sweet.  Starting now.  The beginning was totally procrastination.  But now, I really have to go do stuff.  Unless MiniM.E. wakes up.  Which she might.  If I sit here and keep writing and checking e-mail and shopping for Christmas presents long enough.  Then I won't have to do any of those things.  I'll have to play with a baby...

So, to recap the last week or so, MiniM.E. is super cute, as always

Walking everywhere

Loves to swing

especially the big kid swing

Is learning to help out and clean up

Is finding more and more things we need to baby proof

Is mastering new skills like jumping (almost)

And the magna doodle

Went in her first bounce house

Sat at the park at the grown up table

Likes to play in the dirt

Is having a blast in the big tub

Loves pretending to take naps

And still isn't a very good napper.  Though she definitely is cute when she's sleeping.

Aaannndd... She's up!  Mission avoid housework and baby shower planning: Accomplished.

So Many Changes!

I can't believe how grown up MiniM.E. seems some times.  She's so much more independent (aside from those days when she won't let go of my leg) and she's learning so much so fast.

Two really big transitions we made in the past few weeks were the big-kid carseat and the tub.

We went from this:

To this:

And this:

To this:

Overall, she seems a lot happier with both changes (expressions in the previous photos are not necessarily reflective of this...).  She loves looking out the window in the car and having so much room to play in the tub.  It all makes me a little sad though... *sigh*

But then she does something like this:

And I'm reminded that she's still my little baby.  :)

Happy Birthday H!

MiniM.E.'s NH boyfriend, H. (remember him?  No, check back here, here and here) turned 1 last weekend!  Time really does fly when you have a baby... seems like just yesterday they were meeting for the first time.

We drove to NH for the weekend.  H.'s party was on Sunday, so we had a little bit of time on Saturday to play in the pool and in the backyard.

On Sunday, while we were getting ready for the party, MiniM.E. decided she wanted to take a bath.  Must have been that she wanted to be squeaky clean for her boyfriend.  Unfortunately, she was already dressed for the party...

peek-a-boo!

H. had a great party a park close to my house.  Surprisingly, MiniM.E. was pretty good, considering everyone was paying attention to the birthday boy and there were lots of toys that weren't for her.

Greeting H.

Birthday hand-hold (almost!)

She might have wanted a few things H. had.  Like his hat...

and shoes...

and sit-n-spin. 

H. lost interest... so she had it all to herself.

Both a little confused at all the excitement

MiniM.E. licking some of H.'s new toys

H. wondering why MiniM.E. was on his present opening blanket

MiniM.E. with her favorite of H.'s new toys, the diaper rash cream.

Petting puppy was definitely a highlight.

So was trying grown-up food

HAPPY BIRTHDAY H.!

And, just because I think my baby is the cutest in the world... a couple more pictures from the weekend...