a little something...

...i found on my memory card...
It really cracks me up!

wrong side of the bed

You know how some days, you and your kid wake up and you know immediately that you would like to hit the reset button? This is one of those days. Eleanor woke up and had 19 fits, 98 warnings, 22 time outs, and 17 spankings...all by 8:30. Okay, maybe that's a tiny exaggeration, but it was pretty bad.

We had scheduled a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's with Nana, Ryder, Aunt Jen, and Chloe...I thought for sure this would be just the thing to turn our day around. Not so much. We had been at Chuck's place less than two minutes before me and Little Bitty were taking a trip to the bathroom...and not because either of us had to potty.

I present you with Exhibits A and B of Miss Grumpypants having a less than splendid time at the happiest place on earth...well, the happiest place in Longview, TX:
And here are Ryder and Chloe who know how to party like rock stars:

Napa

So, when we initially discussed what this year would look like, we planned for a European rendezvous (just Mommy and Daddy) at about the six-month mark. Well, plans have changed based on the fact that a certain Daddy absolutely cannot pass up an opportunity to see his little girl even if it means spending a couple of weeks gallivanting around England. I can't honestly say that I blame him...although, at this point, I'd take the European-gallivanting trip solo since the little peanut and I are pretty much in each other's company 24/7. I hope that doesn't sound awful...she really is a joy these days, but one can have too much joy, right?! Okay, it's not really that bad...she does go to Mother's Day Out once a week and in recent weeks has spent at least one night with either Nana or Mimi. Anyway, I digress...

My point here is to tell you how excited I am about the fact that Jared and I will be taking a trip to Napa Valley while he is visiting in March. Woo-hoo! We're staying Friday through Wednesday, which is the longest amount of time I could convince the love of my life to be apart from his littlest girl (who will be in the loving care of her grandparents while we are away.) We're going to stay at the Marriott in Napa. We know that we want to do at least one wine-tasting shuttle (which means you just taste your little heart out and they drive your tipsy tail around!) and Jared mentioned wanting to take a hot-air balloon ride. I'm ecstatic!! If anyone has been to Napa and has tips or suggestions, lay them on me please!

Playing the reading card...

When all else fails, post the reading videos, right?! :) I just recorded these tonight. (Sidenote: Yes, she is still in diapers 100 percent of the time, and yes, she does own pants.)

We are in fact alive. Man, I knew I hadn't blogged in a while, but didn't realize it had been quite this long...

I'll try to manufacture some sort of photo opportunity and/or story to post here soon...

Hope everyone is doing well!

cuh-yute.

At the lakehouse

On Saturday, Eleanor and I returned from a little vacation (this is where Eleanor says, 'Roadchip...woohoo!!') in Alabama at Laura's parents' lakehouse. Eleanor was amazing on the ten-hour trip over (and back) and was remarkably well-behaved while we were there. She even took naps and went to bed by herself. (She didn't stay in bed by herself, but most nights didn't make her way into my bed until 2AM or so.)

The house was gorgeous!!! Eleanor and I had our own bedroom and bathroom, which together were larger than our whole apartment. (Sigh.) Everything about our stay there was incredibly relaxing, and each day was topped off by a good night's sleep in the. most. comfortable bed. EVER.

It was so great spending time with Laura and the fam who I miss tremendously and can't wait to see again! Eleanor loved being reunited with her long-lost friends Jordan and Cyrus, and they all played together very well! Laura and I got to venture into town on our own (twice!) while the kids stayed home with Laura's hubbie and parents, which was such a fun treat.

And, of course, there are pictures...

If this little guy were mine, he'd never be in trouble!! Look at that face!!

Sweet Jordan.

This was a surprisingly popular activity with the kids.

A little "Ring Around the Rosies" action.

And these three together crack me up because I happen to know that Eleanor was singing "The Hot Dog Song" (from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) and doing her very own hot dog dance!