I would like to apologize

to my cousin Caitlin, who may or may not have had nightmares about the post below, after she realized they were real people and not wax figures.

Caitilin, I'm taking this as you do not want to go to Lips for your bachelorette party someday?

Could Benny be any cuter?

Seriously, could my best friend Kelly's 7-month-old son be any more adorable?

I will answer my own question. No, no, he could not.

We were so happy a few days ago when Kelly surprised us with an unexpected visit from New York! It was a gorgeous day, so we went to the park next to my neighborhood.

Do you think Benny liked his first ride on the swings?









Brenna thought she was cute, too, and since I'm her mother, I'll agree. She could be straight off the boat from Ireland, but she lacks the awesome red hair Benny has (along with the exotic 1/4 Asian heritage). But, she is pretty cute.






Brenna tried to physically hurt poor Benny often (by actually trying to rip his head off of his body), but by the end of the trip, we felt safe enough to put them near each other for five seconds.

It was Bobby's first ride on the swings, too!

And, Brenna's first trip head-first down the slide.

pink ladies

The sippy cup

Brenna is at the age now where she should be transitioning from a bottle to a sippy cup.

Only, like most things involving change with her, it's not going so well.

11 months old

One more month until the big ONE!

I can't believe a year ago I was a huge preggo wondering who our little baby girl might be, as she kicked the crap out of me everyday.

Now I know.

Brenna is:

smart
determined
funny... very funny
beautiful
sweet
loving
strong
curious
impatient
bossy
physically advanced
a great night sleeper
a bad napper
an animal lover
a water lover
a lover of the color blue
a lover of photos and pictures
a hater of diaper changes
a hater of being strapped down
a temper tantrum thrower
an intentional snot wiper
a climber
a ham
a runner
a jumper
a dancer
a lover of music
a smiler
a laugher
a hater of baby food
a lover of table food
a dare devil
distrusting of strangers
trusting of loved ones
a hugger
a cuddler
a hard-to-please/frustrated infant
a joy of a baby/toddler
a Mommy's girl
a Daddy look-alike
a big kid
our baby, no matter her age

We're going Green.... a little bit!

Yesterday was Earth Day, and I realized we don't really do enough in our family to help protect this wonderful place. I'm sorry, as eco-friendly as it is, I can't go to cloth diapers just yet. I just can't. However, I thought I'd at least start by making some smarter moves and buy natural household cleaning products from now on.

Not just for the Earth, but for Brenna's health. She has already been on a nebulizer once so far, and Carolyn's kids both use their nebulizers regularly - poor little Ava gets daily meds for her asthma. Cleaning products are a serious health concern these days.

So, for Earth Day, Brenna helped display our committment to natural products:







I'm happy with this change, however, they should put labels on the biodegradable hand soap bags: VERY SLIPPERY. Idiots like Meghan are sure to spill it all over the place!

Our next step is to get re-usable bags instead of using plastic bags at Target/the grocery store. But, since I usually forget to bring my Bonus Card with me, remembering to bring the bags will be my biggest issue. One step at a time.

Carolyn's Cheese Curl Cutie

I've said before that my two good friends, Jen and Carolyn, had baby boys born the same day in early February of 2007. Both girls were ahead of me during our pregnancies, and I was so jealous when they were home with their newborns, and I still had almost four months to go! Then another friend, Christine, had a boy four months after me.

These boys - Shea, Andrew and Joseph - are all A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. I happen to hang out with people who make really good looking babies (no pressure to Michelle, Andrea, Kelly, Jackie and Stephanie who are all due in the next three months, of course).

On Sunday morning, I met Carolyn to go walking. She left her 4-year-old comedian, Ava, home, and only brought Andrew with her. I have not seen him since Brenna's Christening, and he has become such a little boy! At 14 months, he is already a few inches taller than Brenna. And, oh, soooo cute.

I asked her if I could be a weirdo and take some pictures of him alone, and being weird herself, she said sure!




I think Brenna was very confused that the camera was pointed at someone other than her, so I took one or two to make her happy.


Andrew and Brenna were total Mama's Babies around each other, and only cared about their respective mothers, but he did share his cheese curls with her, which is a sure way to most women's hearts.

He must get his sensitivity and giving nature from his great mom, who was not as cool with me taking any pictures of her, but I didn't care because Carolyn can't ever look bad, even first thing in the morning on a Sunday.

P.S. Our other friend, Michelle, couldn't make it to walk with us because she was too busy finishing up her masters, moving into a new house and being almost 9 months pregnant (talk about stress).

Our friends make such cute boys, as Andrew proves, but Brenna and I were thinking it's time for another girl, Michelle!

Bobby at three months

Seriously, man, where is the time going?!
And, when will I be getting a neck, and grow out of this little porkchop/Ed Asner look?