Sylvie Sue is 18 months old!!

I swear I didn't set this up, and I also swear I just turned my back for a split second. This is not what I had in mind when I asked her to help with the chores.

Saying "cheese" for the camera...not a real smile at all.

Playing at church.

Mama & Sylvie at church nursery.

I feel like I'm the new kid on the blog...

...since I haven't written in sooo long. I have been reprimanded by many folks for my lack of blogging since February. I know, I know. But we've been a little busy/exhausted at night/playing all the time/sick/you get the point.

The main thing we've been focusing on for the past few weeks was the Red Garter Revue, my woman's service club's annual fundraiser. This is a community variety show that the club has put on for 28 years. I was co-chair this year, and Parrish graciously accepted the task to be one of the dancers in the men's group, a la Vanilla Ice. They did the Evolution of Dance this year...please YouTube it to get the full effect. I've had so many people tell me it was the best act of the show...of course I agree. Hilarious. We've had meetings, dance practices and rehearsals what seems like every day for the past month. The show was definitely a success, but I am glad it's over! I now have a year to get ready for next March...I get to chair the event! This of course is right up my alley...love, love, love stage performances of any kind!

Those crazy/sweet men who volunteer their time and dance moves for us.

Parrish and I also recently celebrated our 5th year of marriage on March 4th. We are taking a weekend trip to New Orleans in a couple of weeks, but actually hosted several friends that evening for dinner at our house. We also treated ourselves to a new grown-up canopy bed, something I've always wanted and Parrish is always so sweet to indulge me. I love it and it really sleeps a lot better than what we had before!

We got a visit from Mimi (Parrish's mom) last week. This was such a blessing since we needed some help with the munchkin while we prepared for Red Garter. After she left, my parents came to finish with tactical support. Unfortunately, my dad got sick and they had to leave early, missing the show. They never miss my shows! But I'm pretty sure Red Garter is cursed since last year I had my gallbladder out that same weekend. The theater will probably down next year since I'm in charge!

Today is the munchkin's 18-month birthday!!! She has her 18-month well check on Friday complete with shots, so I'm hoping that goes well. She is too much...I need an entire post just to regale you with her newest tricks.

We are headed to Fairhope this weekend for the arts and crafts show, and then will head to New Orleans the following weekend. Mimi is so sweet to keep baby for us so we can have a fancy dinner and spa time by ourselves. I think she and the munchkin are getting the better deal...they love to play together! It is so funny to hear Sylvie say "Mimi." She sounds a little tipsy when she says it, veeery slowly. So cute.

Hope you're all enjoying our time change and warm spring weather...I have to bribe Sylvie to come back inside after playing in the backyard. I may pitch a tent for her out there!

God Bless,
Katie

Turn up your volume for the full effect...

Happy Love Day!

Happy mid-February to you! We are currently enjoying some unseasonably warm weather, and I have to say that it has boosted my mood exponentially. Flip flops on, baby's on the porch, mama's feeling good.

Playing on the tractor at Nana & Papa's.

Sylvie is a mess. She has discovered that dirty word "no" and uses it with a vehement shake of her head, even whilst doing exactly what she's denying. So funny, but please don't laugh and encourage the munchkin. I have not perfected this skill, and she thinks it's great when I crack up. She loves to play pretend, from feeding her baby and Harry, to faking getting her hand stuck in the door and doing a little drama queen crying until I run to the rescue. End scene.

She is getting smarter every day, which is worrying me since I'm no brainiac and she'll eventually surpass my intelligence and start rolling her eyes at me. Oh the fear! She does know all of her animal sounds, my favorite being a worm wiggling. I will have to try to catch this on film. Words include Mama, Dada, no, hot, out, off, on, cookie, please, up, thank you, bye, hi, hello, cat, ball, baby, Papa, boon (balloon), bowl and I'm sure there's more if I'd listen harder.

Daddy's vest might be just a tad too big...

Graduated, finally, to a big girl carseat.

Brush, brush, brush your teeth every single day!

We attended our first session of MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) at the Presbyterian Church. Sylvie went to the nursery, sans tears, while I got to socialize/lament/laugh with other moms. I think it's going to be great! We continue trying to get Sylvie to acclimate quickly to "no mom present" situations, like church nursery and Mother's Day Out. I give her an A for effort lately, and if I could relax and enjoy that time by myself, we'd be doing great.

Parrish and I have been enjoying all the things a small town has to offer in the form of the annual Booster Ball that serves as a fundraiser for high school athletics...otherwise known as the "prom" for adults. So funny to watch everyone dance to booty music in their floor-length sequins. A great excuse to wear something pretty and see friends. On a side note, "booty" is Sylvie's new favorite word and she is quick to point mine out when requested.

Thanks to Durell for my pretty green dress, and Suzanne for showing me how to do my hair. It's fun to play dress-up!

We are currently preparing for Red Garter Revue, my service club's annual variety show. Parrish is kind to volunteer to dance as part of the men's group (eight local celebrities), and this year I'm helping choreograph. For a sneak peak, YouTube "Evolution of Dance." It promises to be hilarious. These guys are great to volunteer but even better to take the laughs that the audience heaps upon them each year.

We had a wonderful Valentine's weekend, dining at the historic Rawls Hotel in Enterprise. Sweet Halle came to play with Sylvie, and I'm hoping we've found a wonderful babysitter (she is so nice to her own mother and I'm hoping she can teach this FABULOUS trait to the munchkin). Parrish was so sweet to have tulips (for me) and a balloon (for Sylvie) delivered on Saturday. All I hear now is "Boooooon!" Thanks, Daddy.

Yummy dinner, best part being French press coffee with dessert. So good.

We celebrated with Sylvie tonight, complete with chocolate covered strawberries and lots of goodies from the grandparents. She has a party at Mother's Day Out tomorrow...giving out her first Valentine's to her friends! So cute...I'll try to remember to take some pictures.

Parrish is getting a much-needed boy's weekend this week as Sylvie and I travel to the lake for a visit while he quail hunts and plays golf. He certainly deserves it, since he's either working or entertaining two females. Sweet man.

Hope your day of love was sweet!

God Bless, hugs & kisses,
Katie

Beginning the month of love...

Praise the Lord January is over! I kind of feel bad for the poor month for hating its guts so much, but that's the breaks.

I'm happy to report that today the munchkin made it through the entire morning at Mother's Day Out without fussing AT ALL. Granted, we were 15 minutes late, I stayed 30 minutes and picked her up 30 minutes early, but still, I think we are on the way up! Perseverance is the key...this will be the first life lesson that I wisely impart to my child. A good one, I think. She is currently sleeping off her big morning, also another blessing for mommy (God invented nap time just for me, I think).

This is also a great day for our good friends, Daniel and Laura Wells, who welcomed Lacey Jane today. She took her sweet time getting here (she was about five days late) and joined her proud big brother, Grover. I think she looks just like him! So cute and we can't wait to meet her. A new friend is always reason for celebration.

We had a long weekend in Birmingham, attending Parrish's annual dental alumni meeting. We decided to make it a "big kids" weekend, leaving the munchkin with my parents at the lake. Mom wisely called in reinforcements in the form of my sister and her baby, Bailey. My dad was on a retreat all weekend, and as cute as she may be, Sylvie is a handful, as in she never stops moving, talking, running, squealing, unless she's passed out. I'm pretty sure they had more fun than we did, and I think Bailey did a better job as Sylvie's teacher than I'll ever be. She is quite the talker, and I hope Sylvie picked up some lingo...I could do without the whole pointing/whining big that she has perfected. I'll try to get a video up of the girls later...

I had a great time stuffing my face for three days, as though I act like I never get to eat good food. Honestly, I planned my portion of the trip based on food alone. I really like to eat, and although I truly love Andalusia, the dining options leave much to be desired. So I embarked on a one-woman-gastronomy-tour, starting at Starbucks, PF Chang's, then on to Surin, room service, Flip Burger, Highland's, Chuy's, Starbucks, California Pizza Kitchen, Yogurt Mountain, more room service, and topping it all off with lunch at the ever-famous and world-renowned Bates House of Turkey. Yes, I feel sick even as I write this.

I can honestly say that the meal I had at Highland's was probably the best I've ever had, save all the meals we had on our honeymoon in Cabo, but being a newlywed makes your tastebuds think even cardboard is a delicacy, so that might not count. Seriously, it was divine. I didn't talk much throughout the entire meal. I would love to be able to have a career in food somehow, but our neck of the woods offers little in the high end food genre, unfortunately. Anyone want to hire me to be a private chef, let me know. I'd be so happy cooking fancy stuff and then talking about it. My dream job!

I did do other things besides eat, I'll have you know. I shopped, spent time with my bff Whit (who I miss more than I can say), went to the spa and watched "The Green Hornet" in IMAX 3D. Dorky to wear glasses during a movie, but definitely a worthwhile futuristic moment. I have put my foot down to a 3D TV...I just think I'd feel like Michael J. Fox every time I watched Dora with Sylvie, and besides, do they even make munchkin-sized glasses? I do think we'll take Sylvie with us next year...we can take her to the zoo and the McWane Center, and maybe, if she's lucky, introduce her to haute cuisine...

We are back in the real world now and have a fairly busy month ahead...mainly Mary Kay parties and getting ready for my service club's annual Red Garter Revue in March. We're also going to start researching potty and booster seats for Sylvie...any suggestions? And no, I'm not starting to potty train yet, but a girl can dream, right? And by girl, I mean Sylvie, not me...she loves to sit on the big potty. It's fun for her. Weird. And we may hit 2o pounds soon and she'll finally be able to face forward in the car. She's so small!! I don't want her to get a complex about still being in the car seat that she came home from in the hospital, so hopefully we'll get to make the move soon.

Hope everyone is doing well and don't forget Valentine's Day...I can make a beautiful Mary Kay gift basket for any of the special people you love!

God Bless,
Katie

January blues...

We are in the middle of the most boring month of the year! I have always hated January. I think I'll plan a party just to have something to do. It has been really cold here lately, trapping me and the munchkin inside. I know by March I'll be dying in the Alabama heat and complaining about that, but for now, I'd love to be able to run off some of this 16-month-old energy I've got brewing in my house! I was able to do a clean-out for Goodwill...the most productive thing I've done in a while! We're also finally over the cold Sylvie and I shared for the better part of two weeks. I may have another sicky on my hands now, though...Parrish is taking prophylactic Tamiflu and steering clear of the baby...praying he doesn't actually have flu and is just feeling icky.

We did host some friends for the National Championship game on January 10th...my compromise for not letting my husband take me to Arizona (I know, I know...what was I thinking?). I'm glad now that we chose to stay home, since the whole event would've thrown our world into complete chaos what with the ticket/travel drama so many of our friends had to deal with. Regardless of where we were, we were so happy to get to cheer our Tigers to victory over the Oregon Ducks! I knew it was going to happen, but I was literally sick to my stomach during the entire game and Parrish didn't sleep after the game he was so excited! I can't believe I didn't take any pictures that night...I guess we'll have to rely on our memories of such a great night for Auburn. I was truly sad, but not surprised, that my boyfriend Cam decided to hightail it to the NFL. I will religiously watch whatever NFL team he plays for and cross your fingers that Parrish can draft him for his Fantasy team!

Sylvie did turn 16 months old yesterday. She is getting so big. I'm not able to list all of her "tricks" because there are just too many. She is a little sponge, and is quite the mimic (note to self...quit using any and all choice four letter words in her presence). Today she heard a dog barking outside and paused to say, "Dog bark!" No lie, followed by an enthusiastic "arf." So funny. She also likes to play tea party (feeding Harry from her spoon), play dress up (with my underwear) and rock her baby doll (then throw it dramatically to the floor).

Next highlight? American Idol starts this week. WOO HOO! You can always count on Fox to liven up the worst month of the year!

Happy January to you all!
Katie

Hello, 2011!

Happy New Year! We had a very low-key (lame) New Year's Eve, as Sylvie and I are sharing a cold. We grilled steaks on the new Egg and had a mini fireworks show in the backyard. After dosing Sylvie with a little Benadryl (more on this in a minute), we watched a movie and had delicious homemade lava cakes. Since I was exhausted (we haven't had a full night's sleep since before we went skiing), I was planning a bedtime before midnight.

Ha, ha, but the munchkin had other plans. Benadryl is SUPPOSED to knock out your tot, allowing them to sleep peacefully through the night. Not so for our little one, who was up until...get this...5:15 am. Seriously, it was like watching Munchkin on Drugs, complete with a midnight guzzling of milk. I will NEVER repeat this incident, mark my words. It was bizarre to experience...her little body just couldn't relax. We tried everything, but ultimately had to wait it out. Of course this would happen to her...she defies all theory and logic. I think we'll stick to Tylenol and other milder concoctions from now on.

We're having peas and greens for supper, and hopefully a less eventful night. I'm certainly ready for this cold to pass.

I'll leave you with a funny picture progression. Say CHEESE (she sure did).



Happy New Year!
Katie