5 am

Middle of the night tantrums demanding impossible items are my favorite.  (Tonight's requests: Grammy, a "different protein bar", "to see the sun now" and a pirate ship.)  (Also Cecily is up.)

Last bit of Christmas

But it was a hit!!!

Santa's favorite

Does he know this guy or what?!

Littlest elf

Can you believe it, Santa came and I'm still awake?!?!

Merry Christmas from Noodle

He came!

All that petitioning by Arthur's grandparents must have worked.  There are a lot of gifts under this tree!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Five years.

It has been five years since our Stitchy cat was called away from this world.  Our lives look so different now it is sometimes hard to remember the days when it was just the three of us - me, Art and sweet Stitch.  But I do know that those were the first days of our family - my very first experiences of being a "Mama," my first chance to get a glimpse of the father my then-boyfriend would someday become.  I will always be thankful that little cat decided to be ours... He was truly one of the greatest blessings of my life.

We love you, Stitchy-cat, and still miss you so.  Hope you and Compy are together, and that you're being nice to him.  It is Christmas, after all.

Nursing a 6 month old

She is lying on her belly on the floor.  Still eating.

A happy good morning

Full bed = Full heart

My best girls

A year ago almost to the day I threw up in the Homegoods parking lot.  Today I took my B-B-Cuties (see what I did there?) into my office where they charmed everyone they met and napped while I worked.  Then after an hour in traffic we finished our Christmas shopping at that same Homegoods.  What a difference a year makes... They are the best girls in the world.  (I have mostly forgiven them for all the vomit.)

"Are they always happy?"

Sometimes not.

From the backseat

Mama, I need to listen to the Santa songs!  (He is his father's son.)

Somebody's excited!

to see Aunt Emmie and Auntie Hannie!  And Panda Santa!

Arthur Says

Mama, Santa Claus is comin' to town!  He's comin' to town REAL SOON.  I so cited!

In the backseat...

A: I see fireworks!  Big ones!!  Blue!  Red!  Fireworks and the castle!  And I see Jingle Bell!  And Peter Pan!

M: Oh, Arthur, I think you mean Tinkerbell!

A: No Mama!  I see FIREWORKS and JINGLE BELL!

Chef

At least I dont have to worry about cooking.

(He is making noodles and protein bars.)

Another day

Another dollar.

Goofballs.

That is all.

Half full

It certainly is a crazy life, but when the day ends with this, it's impossible not to see the glass half full...  Our cup runneth over.

View from here

If we have any more kids, I'm going to need a wide angle lens.   And a bigger bed.

Singing in the rain

For our next adventure, we will cut down a tree!  In the rain!  While singing Christmas Carols!  

(Actually not our tree.  After much deliberation this is the tree we picked.  It had a double trunk.  Of course.)

Starting Solids

Starting Solids with Baby #1: Research for weeks.  Make numerous trips to Buy Buy Baby and Whole Foods.  Buy organic   brown rice.  Rinse and let dry overnight.  Blend to a fine powder and cook on the stovetop.  Film entire process with "real" videocamera.  Starting Solids with Baby #2: Shit, she's 6 and a half months old.  Grab one of Arthur's old sippy cups and  give that girl some water!  Starting Solids with Baby #3: ....  (We only have one sippy with handles.)  Glad we captured this moment for the baby book.

King Arthur Says

On the airplane at midnight: We gonna fly like Peter Pan!

Mo get down!  Mama!  Mo didn't yisten!  Mo go to time out!

Oh hi Mo!  You want play with me?  We play blocks!

Mama!  Go get my iPad, I stay here with my yittle girls.