Ten Things

I've learned from Squirms.

1. Dancing makes your day better.

2. Drinking water when you're consistently without sleep leaves you feeling better than drinking coffee.

3. Trees are worth staring at.

4. Music is fun to listen to while you clean the kitchen. Dancing also helps.

5. Avocados are delicious.

6. Naps make babies, and moms, happy. And dads. And aunts.

7. Lotion is good for your skin.

8. Some people look good in hats. Like Squirms.

9. Writing notes to others is a nice way to spend an afternoon.

10. God's ways are higher than my ways. His thoughts, higher than my thoughts. (Isaiah also mentions something about this. 55:9.)

I've learned from R.

1. It's okay to be a girl. I can watch football games, or I can watch a romantic comedy with Miley Cyrus.

2. My hair looks better long.

3. Music is a better alternative to having the TV on in the background.

4. It's sexy when a man knows how to dance.
I mean, actually dance, like the waltz and swing dancing. Sorry, H, L, and C for using the word sexy.

5. Puzzles are fun.

6. How to properly carry a canoe.
Although, technically, my arms are so weak I can't hold our canoe over my head. I almost ended up with a concussion. Maybe I should be lifting weights right now instead of writing this.

7. An apron is useful.

8. Men smell better without cologne.

9. Star Trek episodes aren't completely horrible.

10. Unconditional love exists.

I've learned from our sisters.

1. I should wear real clothes on a daily basis. Stretch pants and XXL t-shirts do not count as a wardrobe.

2. Painting your nails can be fun.

3. I should be less critical about things that do not matter.

4. My phone case makes me look like a "redneck". 
While that is true, I do kind of like it. And, I am from rural Alabama....

5. How to position your arms in a photo to minimize how flabby they look.

6. Jumping pictures are the best.

7. I can eat a salad.

8. Skinny jeans are okay to wear, even if you're curvy.

9. A girl should own a pair of wedges.

10. Being younger doesn't mean they aren't more spiritually mature than you.

The Park, and The Park

Today the Squirms and I went to Trophy Wife's Park. Some people refer to this place as Target. And, as if she was helping me justify the name Trophy Wife's Park, we passed a woman in the children's book section asking if they carried the Sophia Grace and Rosie book. If you don't know who Sophia Grace and Rosie are, that means you have a job. 

The Squirms thinks that the safety strap in a buggy is a hammock and likes to find different ways to lounge and lay down as we shop. She's very lady like and enjoys putting both feet, spread apart of course, on the railing. We no longer wear dresses or skirts to stores.

And now for the important part of the post - photos from her party. Please allow me to explain that I love Winnie-the-Pooh stories and we have been reading A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh to Squirms. Chapter Six of this book is about Eeyore's birthday and I attempted to have a simple party based on this chapter. Which really means that we had red balloons and pink icing. Oh, and of course, hunny.

The weather was beautiful, lots of friends and our families came, and I drank a lot of vanilla milk. It was a great party. (and I promise kids were there, but I don't post pictures of other people's children without asking and I didn't want to ask everyone)

He can fix TV's, build antennas, handle a canoe, and ice cupcakes - what more could a girl want?

Our empty vase and busted red balloon. Oh, and I promise you'll understand the card if you read the story.

Yes, these were delicious.

Local "hunny" and of course, we gave away books.

My mother-in-law brought paper, coloring books, colors, and even red tins for our "coloring table".

I was peer pressured by my sisters into buying a piñata. L: this party is for children. You are too OCD. Kids like candy. H: let me live vicariously through Squirm's party. We never had a piñata as kids.
They were right. The kids Loved it.

Tanner had more fun than anyone. And R let him off his leash so he could go swimming escaped after the party to swim in the pond.

We are so grateful to all our friends who came to celebrate with us! We've been bothering these two since 2001.

The milk, which was really for me. Fruit, because we are pretending to be healthy. Water bottles, for Mrs. MHJ - she made the labels!

Interesting.....

And good!

Grandpa trying to steal cake from a baby!!

Guess how much sugar I've had mom....

What do we do now?

Yes. He did.
He also tried to cut out the bottom so it would fit completely on his head. But, we have giant skulls so it didn't work.

Our families were so helpful getting ready for and cleaning up after the party. We are grateful they all wanted to come and spend time with us and celebrate the girl who has stolen all our hearts. It's especially wonderful for R and me to watch our sisters and parents interact with Squirms. She makes everyone smile.

I really enjoyed getting to see friends and watch the kids play with Tanner and Shelby Ann. 

Plus, with a one year old, I got to open all the presents. 

Cake!

So.

Our baby girl turned one year old.

Oddly enough, I haven't had a mental and emotional breakdown yet.

Maybe it hasn't sank in....baby girl is one. 

The tiny creature we brought home last year is now a one year old child.

Enough of that. Let's see her eat some cake!

The most blessed parents ever. And fire.

Auntie L decorated our cake! C for Cake. Or for our high school. Or for Squirms.

Super proud grandparents! And a confused granddaughter....why am I getting cake for dinner?

I should explain. We had cake on Squirm's actual birthday. And we had cake at her party.
We took an abnormal amount of photos. And ate a lot of cake.
These photos are from her birthday. I'll add party photos later.

What is this? I'm concerned. It won't come off my hand.

No, really! It won't come off my hand!

Interesting....

She is discerning.....especially about cake.....

Milk! My first milk! Most exciting moment for my mom!

My smile is the best.

I guess I'm okay with cake.

One. Year. Old.
Oh. My.

Can I still call her baby girl?

Ten Things

that have made me happy this week....

1. My husband understanding that I wanted to see my granny this weekend. And then driving me to Alabama.

2. My Great Uncle H giving Squirms a kiss. And learning Great Uncle H and Great Aunt P had been married 58 years. And having the memory of Great Aunt P trying to give Squirms sweet tea when she was only six months old.

2. Spending the afternoon at my granny's house with L and my mom, not looking at a clock.

3. Wearing Hats.

4. Having dinner with old friends in Auburn. We felt refreshed after spending an hour with our former campus pastor and his fun wife.

5. Overhearing L ask R how to get a Bible app on her phone.

6. Going outside to see the "Okra Pizza" that WAC and OKC had made using dried corn stalks; and watching as they added "good herbs", or random leaves, as toppings.

7. Hearing Uncle M's story about being an eight year old and one of their aunts rolling rabbit tabacco for them to smoke because she liked the smell.

8. Having dinner with my grandpa and grandma. And Grandma's new hair style.

9. How nice the nurses and doctor were on Wednesday morning when the Squirms had tubes put in. And how they understood I was more of a risk for crying than Squirms.

10. Polishing my silver this morning. I was patient and I felt so productive when done. Plus, it's pretty.

The Book Review II

The Squirms and I have been very busy reading. We finished John Adams and have memorized all of her touch-and-feel books. One of my favorite things about being a trophy wife is that I can visit Barnes and Noble and the library whenever I want!

I'm super excited about Squirm's growing excitement over her books. Although last week I had to make up a song called Don't Eat The Book. It's really more of a chant....consisting of me saying Don't Eat The Book again and again. She eventually stopped eating the book to dance. If there is one thing she loves more than eating books it's dancing.

Poor Squirms. She doesn't get to chew and eat books like normal kids.
Someday I'll tell her all about my days in the basement of the Auburn Library; repairing books, building boxes for special collection items, rebinding books.

Read John Adams by David McCullough: LOVE. This book is excellently written, fascinating, and will make you think and act more like the person you want to be. I have only wonderful adjectives to use. David McCullough has become my favorite writer (I've read three of this, and just bought a fourth this week).

Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Henry Holt: This is Squirm's favorite book so far. She waves her arms wildly in the air when she sees it and gets angry when it is finished. I like it because I think it will help her with colors and animals.

Maybe Read The Honourable Schoolboy by John le Carre: I had to know more about George. I may have a crush on George. I'm glad I read this, but it is rather slow, and I do not prefer stories with sentences like If he'd known what would happen next, he wouldn't have left his friend with harsh words. Still, this author is very, very good at making each character real and different.

Read Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey: Lovely, lovely book. This is my favorite of Squirm's collection. I want to walk on a hill in Maine. She will sit in my lap and actually let me finish this one.

Maybe Read 11/22/1963 by Stephen King: It's a difficult book to put down with a very cool plot. I really liked this book, but also felt like it gave me anxiety problems. Stephen King is a great storyteller. This was my second book to read by him, and although I liked The Stand better, I'm very impressed with his story telling skills.

I've started reading Washington: a life to the Squirms, and Laura Bush's memoir for me at night so I don't watch TV right before bed. I like a bit of fiction though and started Game of Thrones (which several people have suggested). I had trouble being interested, I feel like it's trying very hard, so I'm now part way through Patriot Games. Normally I'm a one book kind of girl, but I'm trying this arrangement out for now. I can't read Tom Clancy before bed because I'll just stay up all night reading. MMD - I'll go back and try the Game of Thrones later as suggested.