iMOTHER 2.0

fairie kite

2010-05-13T12:36:00.003-05:00

Mia, you got a mini fairie kite from the easter bunny last month, and have been patiently waiting to fly it. The other morning, before school, you asked if you could fly it. I told you there wasn't even a slight breeze outside. You said, 'don't worry mama, i'll run REALLY FAST!'. Still in your pj's you got your kite and we went out to the back yard. We got her all ready and you zoomed zoomed zoomed around that tree and got it flying! Every time you'd stop to look if it was in the air, it would float down. Running at top speed and looking back while not hitting the tree, a chair or the playscape proved difficult. After stopping to feel your fast beating heart, you looked at me and asked me to get my camera....'mama, if you take pictures of me running, later i can see the kite flying!'. Here you are, my sweetness, flying your fairie kite! Love, Mama :)

Fairie Festival Spring 2010

2010-04-12T12:42:00.002-05:00

It's Spring! Time for the annual Fairie Festival at the Greenwood School! We went last year and this year was just as much fun...except that we got there a little late and the face painting table was closed :( Mia still had loads of fun decorating a basket that she later used in the egg hunt. She blew bubbles, had a red Popsicle...red is her favorite color, ya know. Mia danced and played music with Mr Michael and had a cookie and tea at the Fairie Queen's Tea Party. At the end, Mia found 10 hidden eggs...some cascarones and some hard boiled. She ate a hard boiled on the spot. Lily chewed on her fairie wings, swiped a cookie, found an egg...that went straight to her mouth and ate a lot of grass. I think Daryl enjoys when his girls get dressed up and frolic around. He had a smile on his face the whole time. Oh, I finally got a chance to wear my huge blue butterfly wings....happiness. It was a lovely day.

my nose is now pierced & sparkly

2010-03-30T12:49:00.006-05:00

i've been wanting to do this for a while, and actually tried a couple of weeks ago, but the place of choice was closed. finally, it worked out. i hooked up with my lovely friend Krista, and we hit Diablo Rojo...the Guadalupe location. Paul, the piercer, was FABULOUS! incredibly professional and kind. he said he felt it was an honor to participate in this rite of passage. i have tattoos and had other areas pierced, but they've been flesh, not cartilage, so i wasn't sure what to expect on the pain scale. i will say, that i was nervous, but oh so ready. after i picked my jewelry (a super small pink stone), Paul sterilized everything in the autoclave, cleaned up my nose, marked it and we were ready. i put my hands underneath me...not wanting to flail about (Krista got a shot of the marks my hands left on the table) and relaxed...did some deep breathing. there was pressure...a LOT of it...and some moderate pain, the surge of fabulous endorphins, then it was done! he popped my jewelry in, cleaned me up and there was my nose in all it's sparkly glory! i'll always cherish the experience, my dear friend, Krista, and Paul...piercer extraordinaire :)

*all the pics of me, Paul and some of the place were taken by Krista...and i am incredibly grateful!

Paul and Diablo Rojo Piercing Studio

getting my nose cleaned up & marked

piercing

i LOVE it!

self-portrait via cell phone minutes later

let's go fly a kite!

2010-03-29T13:12:00.003-05:00

Austin, Texas has a kite festival every Spring. We've never been because we've heard it's a freakin ZOO! Too many peeps, kites...diving down and almost decapitating small children, long lines...blah blah blah. Well Sharon and I co-hosted an O'Mama kite festival one morning at a local park. Mia, Lily and I got there kinda early to put together Mia's super cool ladybug kite that she got from her Nana and Pawpaw for Valentine's Day. The wind was sporadic, but it was there! The kite was UP and Mia was THRILLED. She ran round with it, was disappointed when the wind died and the kite fell, but beyond thrilled again when her kite rose up into the air. She sang a little song (included in the video after all these pics). Lily had a fun time squealing and watching her sister...and eating some grass.

When all our friends go there, it got even better. It's super cute how they all wanted to stand next to each other and fly their kites...um, kites and their string need space, but I don't think any really got tangled. Along with Mia's ladybug, flew a crazy orange octopus, butterfly, fish and some super heroes. Jenni and kids has never flown before...the looks on their faces were priceless! They went that day to go buy their own kites...LOVE that!

After flying for a while, the kids hit the playscapes and snacks. It was a super fun morning, and a perfect day for kite flying with friends.

here's the video... her song at the end is the sweetest ever!

her little ways

2010-03-14T18:02:00.004-05:00

There are somethings that are soooo Mia. Needing four mini marshmallows in her hot chocolate every morning...because she's four years old. Napping with her mama on days she's not in school and always stealing her mama's pillow :) Having to climb up and jump into the tub. When her hoodie is on, it must be zipped up. Every school morning, while I'm getting Lily into the car, Mia runs around a tree over and over again until she's breathing hard. She stops and says, 'I've run around my tree. Now I'm ready for school'. We LOVE her little ways.

Fishin down in POC

2010-03-10T14:41:00.004-06:00

We spent last weekend in Port O'Connor....FISHING!!!!! While I am usually the most badass fisher woman EVERRRR....this trip, i didn't score at all. Remind me to NOT fish with my BIL, Joe, everrrr again! He caught up all the reds before we got there!

Traveling 3 hrs with two small kids is rarely fun, but Lily slept almost the whole way and Mia chatted us up telling us the silliest jokes a 4 yr old could make up. When we got to Nana and Pawpaw's beach house, Pawpaw, Uncle Joe and Vinny were already on the water (catching ALL the fish). I hung out on the balcony with a beer in one hand and my camera in the other. Nana blew bubbles while Mia and Lily tried to pop them. Lily was actually just totally mesmerized by her big sis cavorting around like a crazy girl.

Mia doing her 'i've got to move it, move it' dance

Lily finally got her Pawpaw

ohhh that creepy Nana!

Uncle Joe showing off a pic of his big fish...to anyone....

....and everyone!

Pawpaw found a new shirt...um, that's was Auntie M's sleep shirt

my new fave pic of me and my man (taken by Joe)

UGH! the ONLY shot i got of Vinny fishing!!

after a Saturday morning of catching not a single fish, we decided to head back in for lunch...Pawpaw, daddy and I took Mia out for a spin and some fishing...she got lucky in the slip.FIVE piggy perch...um, that's one MORE than Joe had caught...I made sure Mia rubbed it in a little ;)

Nana sugar

Lily helps her Uncle Joe deflate the air mattress

here's Vinny!

He took all our $$ on Sat night...Poker.

Nana hooked Mia up with a new Cinderella toy :)

Vinny hooked Mia up with a couple of oranges...fundamental fun on the drive home

but wait! there's video!

Thank You (too cute to not post)

2010-03-08T13:28:00.004-06:00

Thank You!

Thank you for all the animal puppy and kitty gifts. Mama and lily and me all went to take the gifts to the dogs and cats. There was a LOT of stuff! We needed help! I helped carry a LOT of stuff! We gave them to the lady who helps take care of all the animals. We saw the kitties and then the dogs. Some of the dogs were barking loud and their room was very stinky. They had nice music aaaaand TRAMPOLINES! (cots) :)

My party was soooooo FUNNNNN! All my friends had cake AND cupcakes with me. I’m FOUR years old now! We were all cute puppies and kitties. I was a puppy with a red tongue! Miss Yvonne painted my mama, too! She was a kitty. My Nana pushed me and Gwen on the swings….all the boys played in the sandbox that my daddy built me. I want some more cake and cupcakes….please?

Snow Day 2010!!!

2010-02-28T11:33:00.003-06:00

We live in Austin, Tx...known for The University of Texas (Hook 'em!), Whole Foods, SXSW, ACL, Dell...and soooo much more. What we are NOT known for is SNOW! Last week it snowed for a whole day! Mia said...'mama, i decided to stay home from school today...to make a snowman'. 'nuff said. We got what winter gear we had on and played in the snow. Even Lily dug it...once she was up off of it and in her swing. Daddy got home early and had a nice snowball fight with Mia. I sure am glad Mia decided to stay home :)

(the following 11 shots were taken w/ my phone)

Mia telling Lily all about snow

Snow Mia & Snow Lily

Mia bowling...knocking the snowpeeps over

( ahhh the rest are taken with my dslr)

Daddy came home early!!!

Lily kept trying to make a break for outside...i stuck her in an ottoman ;)

it worked for a little bit

There's video, too!

in the loft

2010-02-23T11:03:00.004-06:00

LOVING all this play between the girls. THIS is what we've been waiting for...I know Mia has.

Mia coaxes little sis with a balloon

it works!

what a tease!

a tease who can share, too :) Mia reminds me of a little kitten itching to play
hello. yes. i am aware that i'm about to eat my snot. what?
mom, feel free to put the camera down....really
my how her smile melts my heart!
more meeeeeelting
i just love this simple happy shot
orale!
THIS is my daddy's knee
and i'm totally devoted to it!
i. will. not. be. stopped.
see :)
flirty girl
ride 'em daddy! give the baby a squeeze, too! he so loves his girls!

play!

2010-02-16T19:48:00.004-06:00

when Lily gets up in the morning or from a nap, she is ready. ready to PLAY! it starts with peek-a-boo around her bedroom door...

and it keeps going downstairs with her choice of toys...she plays!

it usually ends with Lily stalking her daddy...ahhh full circle because they end the day with peek-a-boo!

sometimes, Mia finds it hard when the play isn't centered around her...she'll roll with it, or demand some time all to herself. either way, there is much much much play! it fills the house with there fabulous giggles and laughter...i can hear it in the photos.

talkin' bout my girls

2010-02-09T11:51:00.004-06:00

they play! they play TOGETHER!!!!! there's something so sweet about two little sisters playing together...ok, it's more parallel play, but they're totally interacting with each other. Mia shakes, jumps, peek-a-boo's her little heart out to get her little Lily to laugh. Lily will crawl right on top of Mia, if she's let her. they are in love with each other...as long as Lily doesn't get one of Mia's coveted toys or get in her space..."mamaaaaaa, Lily is in my spaaaaaaaace!!!!" Lily is as happy as a clam until Mia pushes her off. they're learning how to work it out, but in the mean time...yes, there is a lot of lovely playing going on :)

Lily had fun exploring her diaper box & it's contents

the train table has become quite the hit lately

i ADORE how Mia used her tiara to wrangle her dinosaur!

Lily had a super fab time teething on her sisters Curly Q Cutie...until Mia ripped it away and hid it in her room...for the record, Lily has her own that she equally covets ;)

Lily now has FOUR teef and is working on another as you can see

baby loves her some cords and cables...it's hard holding her back

Lily often puts something between her teeth and takes it to-go

Mia found a blank page in my journal to draw some of her fave characters

these two shots make me smile...so precious she is

Parivaar

2010-02-02T11:15:00.002-06:00

Parivaar means family in Hindi. This is my Indian family...just missing one sweet sister, Priya, who's in Bombay. They have welcomed me with open loving arms. I honestly can't say enough, so I will say no more....except that I already miss Nana and Nani so very much.

big day for the birthday girl

2010-01-29T13:04:00.004-06:00

the night before her birthday, Mia helped me bake up some yummy vegan gluten free cupcakes....the eggs and gluten were missing, but not the moist chocolate flavor! we were going to take them to school the next day. Mia spent extra time making sure each friend had a cupcake, then she concentrated on licking the spatula and beaters...a HUGE plus for vegan baking...no salmonella ;)

i had fun covering her birthday breakfast cupcake with bananas, strawberries and a touch of whipped cream. Mia had fun eating it!

after school, we hit Snip-its. Mia was well over due for a haircut. her fave stylist, Britny, wasn't there, but her mama was! Ms. Lisa hooked Mia up with a super cute cute, birthday braids, ribbons, gems and glitter! then we hopped over to Dr. Harry's for her birthday adjustment. Mia had been falling a lot lately...a good adjustment always sets her straight ;)

then we met up with Daddy at Chuck E Cheese's for a birthday dinner. Mia wanted her friend, Izzy to join us. we had a wonderful time watching the girls run off with tokens...they were very into getting tickets. the carousel was a big hit, too. Courtney sweetly took our family photos while Mia blew out her candle. one of the funnies thing i've ever seen was how lil Emmy eats her pizza...she dips it in cupcake icing first. my point n shoot wasn't fast enough to capture her in action, though. Mia had the best time and even got a big birthday hug from Chuck E!

at home, once we put Lily down to bed...she was beyond done...Mia opened up a few little gift we gave her....Daryl built her 'big gift'...her own personal sand box. one night last week, Mia asked for a night light like Lilly the mouse for her birthday. i love how something so small makes her so happy. 'MAMAAAAA!!!! DADDYYYYYYY a NIGHTLIGHT!!! just like Lily the MOUUUUUUSE!!!!'

♥ Hope you had a wonderful birthday, sweet Snapper ♥

♥ we love you so very much ♥

another fab Mia photo

2010-01-21T19:00:00.004-06:00

since birthdays around here end up being a week long birthdaypaloozafest, i'm adding another one of my faves from this past year.

Mia, at times you can be on shy side, and also incredibly fearless!

a year in the life of Mia...her third year

2010-01-20T12:01:00.005-06:00

dearest snapper,

today, you turn FOUR years old! you're daddy and i just can't believe how lucky we are that we get you. you're smiles make our world spin. you love your hot chocolate with three...now four marshmallows, sunny eggs, chocolate cereal bars, mac n cheese n peas...and when we're on the way to a friends birthday party, you always want to know what kind of party will it be....a cupcake or cake party :) you lovingly feed your dog, Niles every morning and evening. you're working on replacing the toy to take from your sister with an equally valued toy. you never complain about delivering dirty diapers to the trash. you still look for coins to put in your piggy 'tank'. we love how you love school and your friends. you are loving, demonstrative and incredibly empathetic. you LOVE afternoon walks around the neighborhood...and if i make a 'scabenger' hunt out of them, even better. you love to smell any and every flower you pass. you and your daddy love to kick the soccer ball around, climb trees, play board games (candyland is still your favorite) and put puzzles together....he really loves when you snuggle in his lap and watch football together. oh, one of daddy's favorite things you say is 'my daddy'...as in 'my daddy, can you turn me upside down...' you still spend quite a bit of time out with your Nana and Pawpaw...following Pawpaw around, caring for the animals....when your work is done, you swing or play in the sand box for as long as possible. Nana loves when you help her make dinner....a fave spot for you is sitting on top of her kitchen island tasting all the fresh stuff that comes out of their garden. whenever you see an animal or baby, the first words that uncontrollably pop out of your mouth are 'may i pet your baby/dog/cat....' i love having you in the kitchen helping me cut mushrooms & calavasita, stirring and tasting, and licking every spoon you can. darling, you never have met a stranger and can strike up a conversation with anyone....and you do! you've taught me a lot about myself, too. i'm a better person for knowing you. we love you dearly and can't wait to see what this year brings.

all of our love,
mama, daddy....and your lily

ice cream makes it better

2010-01-18T12:07:00.004-06:00

Daryl took this sweet shot of Mia...sitting on a curb savoring her last bit of ice cream. what this photo doesn't show are the minutes before we headed for Maggie Moo's.

we were at Home Depot getting wood for the sand box daddy's building for her fourth birthday. as we were getting in the car, she tripped over my foot (why was it my foot? i feel so horrible thinking about it) and hit her chin on the floor board of the car. it looked bad. it sounded bad. it was bad. her chin began to swell instantly and there was blood. lots of blood coming from her mouth. she had bit her lip and i don't know...but there was lot's of blood and she was crying. daddy comforted her immediately, while I put Lily in her carseat. but the time i got back around the car, Mia had relaxed a bit and was talking about ice cream daddy had promised her for the swelling. i laughed at my tear faced daughter and her hero of a father and told her that she didn't need to try to break herself to get ice cream. we all ended up with ice cream...Lily with ice cream covered banana chunks from mine.

when our children hurt, we hurt...ice cream definitely makes it better, though.

Sweetness...and lots of it!

2010-01-17T13:17:00.003-06:00

to say i'm behind in blogging would be putting it mildly. i still want to post about my birthday...that was in August!

this post is all about sweet sweet baked goods and a super fab baked goods and craft sale i went to before the holidays. Yvonne hosted the affair. i always love being in her company and her home. we used to carpool to drum class together...chatting, stopping for a beer en route...good times. friends and family came out with their yummies and homemade wares. i baked my chocolate chip banana bread, and came home with a plate full of delish goodies and a bag full of charming gift tags (made by Jeanne, Yvonne's mama), luscious soaps (by Yvonne) and knit wear (Anjalika's mama...Anjun's grandma...Nani). happy holidays to me! :)

i had the most fun chatting, eating and shopping with some wonderful peeps...hope it's a yearly event ;)

my heart breaks that baby Arjun is crying, but this is one of my fave shots i've taken in a while...just holding on to his Nani's pearls....sweetness.

when the cat's away

2010-01-09T14:51:00.003-06:00

her little sister will play! Mia's back in school after her winter break, and it's been rather quiet around these parts. Lily's been having playdates with the pretty baby in the mirror and being the boss of all the toys. Lily found a picture of her big sis and after looking at her for a long while, decided to give her a chomp or two. Niles enjoys napping his days away.

menorah, latkes, dreidels...oh my!

2009-12-29T19:01:00.003-06:00

Stephanie and her son C had us over for a little Chanukah playdate. I regret not having any photos of Stephanie...she spent most of the time in her kitchen frying up the tastiest latkes I've EVER had! The kids played and mamas visited while she cooked, then we were invited into the kitchen to eat up all the golden potato goodness. Mia devoured hers. I devoured mine...and Lily's ;) She also had dreidels and gelt coins for the kids. Stephanie had their menorahs out...so lovely. Mia thought we were at an Anika celebration...Anika is one of her dear friends. Stephanie explained what the Festival of Lights is all about. We talked a little more about it on the way home. Lily, actually played with the big kids. She liked the play barn and all the kids kept bringing her toys to play with (read: put in her mouth). We LOVE learning about and experiences other cultures...Thank you Stephanie and C A sheynem dank :)

following photo of Mia and Anika playing was taken by Anja

Believe in magic....

2009-12-25T17:10:00.005-06:00

“Believe in love. Believe in magic. Hell, believe in Santa Clause. Believe in others. Believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams. If you don't, who will?” - Jon Bon Jovi

One of my favorite holiday traditions is the visit to the mall for the Santa photo op. Through the years (hit the link...it's worth the look), we've had some pretty fabulous ones....this year is no exception.

The not so long wait...it helps getting there at 10am ;)

checkin' for a fake

the baby messes with the santa

The Official Shot

LOVE Mia's fake smile and Lil looks like a gangsta baby!

Merry Christmas

Peacock Picnic Party

2009-12-19T10:26:00.004-06:00

This is Jalie

Jalie is one of Mia's beloved classmates and buddies. Jalie turned 3 years old and had a fabulous peacock picnic at Mayfield Park. It was a perfect day to celebrate this sweet little girl, and man was it a celebration! There was gorgeous face painting by Yvonne, peacock crowns and wands to be made...dancing, exploring the extensive grounds and the cupcakes...ohhhhh the cupcakes! Al in the presence of regal peacocks!! Here are more than a few shots....and this is because I really tried to narrow my favorites down ;)

the E family

2009-12-15T19:42:00.004-06:00

a few weeks ago, i had the pleasure of photographing one of my bffs and her lovely family. it started off rocky, but after the mention of stinky cheese...well, that got the giggles and the ball rolling. here are some of my faves.

shtuff

2009-12-09T12:52:00.004-06:00

a couple of months ago.... halloween time..... mia painted a pumpkin and herself. she also created a hand print thank you card for a dear friend. i've always loved how she applies 'makeup'...lips, nail polish.... and maybe a little hair color for good measure.

ahhh my sous chef helping make mac n cheese...so thick the spoon stood up on it's own. mia thought it was quite tasty.

ohhh the beautiful salwar kameez from the lovely Anjalika. Mia wore it to the Diwali celebration at Terra Luz. lovely. lovely. lovely.

Lily is a crawler!

2009-12-03T13:01:00.002-06:00

Just about a month ago she sat up for the first time...now she's CRAWLING! I tried using some toys as bait, but she went for the shoes. That's mah girl :)

lagniappes for Mia

2009-11-23T22:22:00.003-06:00

Daryl and I went on a long weekend getaway to New Orleans. Spending some time in a fabulous city with my darling husband was beyond perfection, and so much needed. I'll write all about that later. This post is about the little gifts we brought home to Mia. I KNEW I wanted to get her a feather boa, but then I saw those feather covered hats...Mia's favorite was this little doll I picked up at the end, and I'm so glad I did. Oh, she dug her feather mardi gras mask (mama, i'm soooo FANCYYYY)...even wore it to school the next day. That reminds me of how all her friends at school LOVED her little doll, too. The funniest gift was the DVD of the Dragon Master Showcase...they were some b boys that performed right across from Jackson Square. They were great, so we bought their DVD. What she ended up spending the most time with, and still does, were the three New Orleans post cards. She was fascinated and wanted to know when she could go :)

Lily, how are you 6 months old?!

2009-11-18T12:40:00.006-06:00

Darling Lily,

You're 6 months old today! Both daddy and I think you're growing up entirely too fast...your sister, however, would like you to speed it up so she can play with you. You do your fair share of playing together, but Mia has some big plans for the two of you. Until then, she'll stick to pat-a-cake and just making you laught with her funny faces or dancing all crazy ;)

You got your first and only two teeth right about 4 months. Since then, you've been working on a couple, but they haven't popped out yet. Since you're busy teething, that pretty much means you're usually soaked with drool...and your daddy and I are usually soaked, too! You talk a LOT and love to sing. Oh, and you screech at the top of your lungs just to hear yourself, then you start laughing.

Rolling to your side is how you like to hang. It was perfect this Halloween...you were a mermaid, and you just relaxed like one. Too cute. You get on your hands and knees thrusting yourself forward pretty regularly, but your primary mode of locomotion is rolling or spinning or pivoting...I'm not exactly sure what you do. I can put you down on the floor and within seconds you're facing the other direction and 5 feet away! You love pushing yourself along with your arms. That means you go backwards a lot. We often find you stuck under the sofa with a big smile on your face.

You've insisted on eating food. Mia LOVES feeding you! (you've got an awesome big sister there!) You can eat a whole bowl full. Yes, you do get super messy...a messy mutt is what Mia calls you. Mealtime buys you a ticket to the tub. You and Mia love to bathe together. You in your bumbo and Mia trying hard to resist pouring water on your head. Water is your friend. Splashing and squealing are your thing.

You spent you first long weekend with your Nana and Pawpaw a couple of days ago. Daddy and I hit New Orleans for a little vacation, while you and Mia lived it up with your grandparents. You did great and were so happy to see us. We missed you so much!

Lily, you're a happy kid who's always ready to play...or eat ;) We love you so much!

Love,
Mama

an early Sunday morn

2009-11-12T17:36:00.006-06:00

daddy, can you jump over me?!

leap frogs

daddy time

2009-11-11T11:09:00.003-06:00

i can't get enough of the pure joy in these pictures. i loved watching them play. they were so into each other. her laughter made us all laugh. sometimes i wish this would happen more often. it does happen, and that's all that matters. life is fast. it's fun to slow down and enjoy what we have. moments like this make my heart smile.

Cole's costume birthday party

2009-11-10T13:40:00.003-06:00

Mia's pal, Cole, turned 4 years old and celebrated with a costume party playdate. Mia was her Super Ballerina Kitty, Lily wore her sisters kitty ears, Cole was a Spiderman, we had a mummy and Shaun the Sheep! The kids, and mamas, had a fabulous time...the cupcakes were super fab, too!!! Jenni, our entirely too pregnant pal, hula hooped....and so did I ;)

Happy Birthday Cole!

just now

2009-11-09T19:59:00.003-06:00

i received an email from my sweet husband who's upstairs putting our Mia to bed. this is what it said with an attached photo:

Happy birthday mama

I'm thankful for breakfast

And ummm. Fooood

I love u momma

Thank u for the new house

p.s. we moved into our new house in July and my birthday was in August...i do make a fabulous breakfast ;)

halloween '09

2009-11-07T21:22:00.005-06:00

Mia and I started Halloween off with creepy pancakes. She told me what to make, and I...um...made them? cat, jack-o-lantern, bat, witch, web & spider. Flipping that web over took some engineering! Then I piled them high. I never do that, so her eyes were a big as her plate. She ate the web and 1/2 of the spider :)

The whole fam piled in the car for a spookacular playdate. Oh this year, Mia was a Super Ballerina Kitty, Lily was a merbaby, I was the cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland....daddy? He was a Longhorn fan. I prompted Mia to say 'daddy punked out' when asked about her daddy's costume or lack there of. The party was rockin! We whipped up some creepy meat 'n worms as an our offering to the snacks. I started them, but then had to get ready, so Daryl finished them up. He did a ghoulish job. Sorry. I won't do add in any halloweenisms anymore.

Did I tell you they had a pinata?! Full of.....wait for it.......CANDY! It was too much fun. Really, Lily had too much fun and she was done. Home for a nap. Then.....

We hopped on over to see our Auntie M, Uncle Joe & cousin Gwen. They hosted a super fun Halloween Open House. It was fun to see more friends all dressed up. The kids had a blast running around....chasing or being chased by Melissa. Where she gets all that energy, I'll never know. The kids LOVED it! Then she sat down for storytime. Where the Wild Things Are was super appropriate and Lily was glued glued glued to the book. So super cute. We hung out until it was time to head home for trick or treating in our hood.

Our Super Ballerina Kitty was all decked out in her cape, mask, tutu, ballet leotard, tights, shoes and leg warmers..aaaand kitty nose & whiskers, ready to hit the pavement. I'm still so amazed how shy she is not. Not only did she do the door to door thing by herself, she asked if she could pick and choose the candy she wanted!...they actually let her. You never know till you ask! I would have never done that when I was little. She's a bold brave one! A neighbor decks out their whole house in haunted house fashion. There's usually a line down the block to waiting to get in! We passed on it this year, but their boat full of pirates got me to sing a pirate song for a beer ;) I'm starting to totally dig this neighborhood! Once we did the rounds, Mia picked out 5 pieces to keep (Dots where the ones to eat on the spot)...the rest was left out for the candy fairy to come get and replace with the new Ice Age movie...she calls the 'Buck Movie' because her fav character is Buck, a crazy ass weasel! Yay candy fairy!!

***a note to our neighbors: feel free to fill up my child's bag with peanut butter cups...I...she only got one!

the photos are small...feel free to hit my flickr

Nishan at 9 months

2009-11-02T22:33:00.004-06:00

Yes, it's been 3 months since my last Nishan installment :) I've truly loved watching this lil boy grow from a new to the world infant, to a rolling over baby, pulling up & cruisin' and now crawling! The next time I'll see him, he'll be ONE YEAR OLD!!! This was a hilarious shoot. Not only has Nishan grown physically, but man does he let his feelings be known. He did NOT want to wear the poncho a relative sent him from Peru, and you can tell :)

punkins

2009-10-26T13:47:00.002-05:00

Out of Nana & Pawpaws' garden this year, came two ginormous pumpkins! Perfect for what I had in mind :) A few years ago, a super friend, Sara, stuck her little girl in a hollowed out pumpkin...I saw that picture too late to stick Mia in one. This year, we've got a little babe. She got the honors.

this one HAS to be my best shot! :)

click on over to Tracey's for more bests

Diwali

2009-10-24T12:38:00.005-05:00

Anika, Mia's friend, brought her whole family to school last week to share how they celebrated Diwali. Many of us wore our Indian party wear....it was sooo festive. The kids painted their diyas, ran and danced to the fun Indian music. It was a fun celebration....we are so very thankful Anika and her family shared something so special with us.

patiently waiting to apply glitter

Krista, a very shy teaching guide...and fabulous friend

what Lily did most of the celebration

Anika's loving Nani...embracing my Mia

that radiant woman looking at the camera is Anjalika..Anika's mama...and a lovely friend

She's beaming because her whole family was there...from California and Bombay!

baby Arjun, in Terra Luz style...donning glitter and a bit of metallic paint on his hand

Anjalika wrote all the children's names in Hindi

Mia dancing with wild abandon

they ran out of bindis, so Kellyann gave the kids dino stickers to wear

from left: Andrea, Mala, me, Priya (photo taken by Anja)

Mala and Priya are Anjalika's sisters...she calls us her Western sisters

Anika

Tanya masi

2009-10-14T14:43:00.004-05:00

The day after her son, Arjun was born, Anjalika turned my camera on me. I'm so grateful she did. This photo of me with darling Arjun is now my fav. It may seem very ordinary to Anja when she refers to me as 'Tanya masi' to her children, but this means the world to me and makes me feel so incredibly special and a part of her loving family. In Hindi, masi means mother-sister...kind of like our 'aunt'. I answer to 'Tanya, honey, mama, comadre and Tanya masi' :)

what's in a name?

2009-10-12T12:56:00.004-05:00

On a rainy Friday afternoon, Mia and I made Mind Jars...meditation jars with sparkles. Shake up all your worries, anger, frustration, sadness...breathe and watch it all settle down. We had the most fun making these together and I'll post all about it later, but today I'm in awe of my 3 1/2 year old daughter...she can write her NAME! Where did my baby go? Mia was beaming when she said, 'I can write my name just like you, Mama'. Then she pushed our two jars together and smiled. My best shot is of one of the most beautiful names in the world written by an extraordinary child...she even dotted her 'i'...the little details :)

for more little details, visit Tracey

sleep pretty darling, do not cry

2009-10-07T06:46:00.003-05:00

more Wordless Wednesday pretties Here & Here

mama & her baby

2009-10-06T17:28:00.005-05:00

My husband picked up my camera!!!!...and I'm thrilled to actually be in some shots with my babe. LOVE that he caught us at play. I just cropped and added a touch of sepia to help focus on the super sweet moment.

fiddleheads

2009-10-05T13:35:00.004-05:00

Years ago, my mother gave me a few starters from her own garden. Since I've been renting pretty much my adult life, the ferns have been stuck in pots. What's special about these ferns besides being from my mom, is that for some reason, I just can't kill them. Not that I've been trying! I just forget them out in the icy winters...don't remember to water them in the droughts of summers. I end up having to cut them back to almost nothing. They keep coming back..more beautiful and lush than before. This past summer was one of the hardest, but they survived and are now thriving again, because we've been getting rain, rain, RAIN! There's been a LOT going on in my life lately, and like these ferns, I seem to be able to weather it all and keep thriving.

Mia went catching!

2009-10-03T18:00:00.004-05:00

Some folks go fishing. We go catching ;) Mia's been going on Pawpaw's boat since she was little. We tool around checking out the birds, water, dolphin.... This was, however, her first trip out with the purpose of fishing. After a LOOOOONG rough 5 hr car ride, she jumped into her new fishing short, donned her fishing cap, grabbed her shades and life jacket and was set. "come on Pawpaw! let's go catchin!"

Pawpaw had her little pink rod & reel all ready. They hooked up some bait (frozen shrimp) and cast into the bay. A few little nuggets she threw out as well were: 'i wanna catcha KEEPER', 'here fishy fishy fishy', 'fishy, get on my hook', 'fishy fishy come get your bait' It was cute and worked! Mia caught 4 fish! A piggy perch and 3 hard heads..all perfect and just about her size. She fished with her Pawpaw, daddy and mama...we all helped her get those fish off her line and threw them back in the water to finish growing up. It was the most perfect fishing trip ever!

This morning, Pawpaw, Daryl & I went out to some rough waters, so Mia stayed home with Nana and Lily. We missed out good luck charm...the HUGE red snapper I hooked ran under the boat and broke free before we could get it in the net. The rest of our catch were small. I did get a few moments to just chillax and enjoy being out on the water.

Both shots taken by Daryl via cell phone camera.

For more posts of our fun at Nana's & Pawpaw's place in Port O'Connor go Here, Here, Here & Here

mac n cheese, please

2009-10-02T08:01:00.003-05:00

Totally love this series of Mia fiending for mac n cheese. She got the fridge open by saying, 'Quick mama, grab around my waist and PULL'...I did...it worked. Then using an ice cream scoop from her play kitchen....perfection :)

What's been going on in her world:

She's outgrown all of her clothes, which is fine b/c winter is coming up...and she LOVES shopping ;)

She's being trying to narrow her halloween costume choices down. Last week she asked if she could be a squirrel, a cracker, a house, a horse, a set of chop sticks, a blanket....for halloween :)

We're heading for the coast today, and all she talks about is going fishing. A new thing, b/c all she's cared about before was "driving Pawpaw's boat...FAST"

About a month ago she transitioned from her big girl toddler bed into her big big girl bed...a queen on a platform. LOVES it...sleeps diagonally and has chosen to skip the pull-ups and go to sleep in her undies. She even gets up out of bed to 'go'.

Mia started her dance class last month...ballet & tap combo and she just loves her Miss Michelle to pieces...almost as much as her leotard and ballet skirt. She spins and jetés all around the house for her daddy.

On our walks, she picks up EVERYTHING...we have a nice collection of acorns, twigs and leaves.

Yesterday, Mia dubbed me Mama Duck, she was Big Girl Duck and Lily was Baby Duck...we stayed in character all day.

She's also very into her babies. She didn't really dig them before Lily was born. Since then, she nurses them, feeds them, hugs them and loves them....then leaves them on the floor for days :)

I ♥ my bald baby & her baby blues

2009-09-30T14:46:00.003-05:00

For more Wordless Wednesday shots, go HERE & HERE

less than a day

2009-09-28T16:51:00.003-05:00

here is Anja with her newborn son, Arjun

i love them both more than i can say

hello there, teddy bear

2009-09-27T17:27:00.003-05:00

This sweet shot came straight out of my cell phone camera, and I just love it to pieces. Pretty much EVERYTHING is new to Lily, so watching her 'meet' new things is always fun to watch.

sweet dreams my heart

2009-09-26T22:01:00.004-05:00

Dearest Lily,

Sometimes, at night, you have the hardest time letting go. You cry and wail like you're feelings or body have been so hurt. Only when you're exhausted...spent...do you let go. I don't feel your circadian rhythms are off. You fight sleep...just like your mama and your sister. We're so afraid we'll miss something.

Sleep is good. Sleep helps your body, mind & spirit recover from the day and get ready for the next. Sleep helps your body stay well and happy. Sleep helps you grow. Sleep helps you be happy and content when you're awake. So baby girl, let yourself restore and replenish.
Let go, and have sweet dreams my angel.

Love,
Mama

p.s. sleep long & sleep hard...like your daddy...but please don't snore ;)

Mia & her Chompers

2009-09-25T16:15:00.003-05:00

Today Mia had a nice visit with the Dentist. Mia told her that she wanted to be a dentist and would be one when she was 7 because when she was 8 she'll be scuba diving with her mama & daddy :) Mia was AWESOME! x-rays...check, checking out and poking around in her mouth...check, flossing, brushing, polishing, flouriding...check. The only prob Mia had was trying not to talk with all that stuff in her mouth. She had a comment for everything...we just couldn't understand her :) She got all sorts of swag, too...new brush, paste, coupon for something..and a pink rubber dolphin as a prize. Then she didn't want to leave the office b/c their toys and books in the waiting room were so rad! Here's my girl sporting a fake smile and C.L.E.A.N. teeth!

Princess Isabelle's Princess Party

2009-09-23T10:38:00.004-05:00

for more pretty wordless wednesday shots go here and here

O'Mama Love

2009-09-22T10:49:00.002-05:00

I was just found this...I meant to post it over a YEAR ago, but for some reason it was still my my Drafts. What a blast from the past!

08.06.2008
The O'Mamas (Other Mothers) are a mother's group I've belonged to for about a year. Mia and I spend many mornings, afternoons and some evenings with this wonderful women and their children. We're a family. There's a little drama here and there, but we get through it all so gracefully and lovingly. There are many many many things why I'm so very much in love with these fab women, but today they moved me.

Sara hosted a playdate, there were mamas, toddlers and babies oh my! The beautiful thing was that whenever a child or mama needed something, there was a mama on the scene. Babies were passed around so their mamas could tend to their other kiddo or actually go pee by herself...in privacy with the door shut! Children were pushed on swings, read to, fed, comforted and tickled. Now, this is pretty much how it always is, but something about this playdate that struck me as super loving, super nurturing....super.

I'm diggin on Courtney's lil Emmy (photo taken by Anjalika)

Sara, lovin her turn with Emmy

Courtney helping Sara's Leilani with a snack

Anjalika cuddling and reading with Leilani

Courtney with her Emmy (right) and Sarah's Kristopher (left)

grace & love

2009-09-21T10:19:00.004-05:00

Last Friday, on Lily's 4 month birthday, the girls and I had an impromptu photo shoot. It started off with me NEEDING a shot of Lily chewing on her play mat, but then Mia wanted to get in the act and started loving up on her sister. I know that Lily is smack in the middle of this shot, but it's Mia who draws my attention. The remnants of a glittery tattoo that used to be a dolphin frolicking in the waves, flower on her thumb from her last mani-pedi with her mama, slight bits of peanut butter on her nose and around her mouth...whispering in her little sister's ear. This photo makes me flash forward in my mind to nights of staying up late, doing each other's nails and whispering into the night. Sisters. The birth of her little sister sure has rocked Mia's world, but she's handled it with such grace and love. The way she just 'is' in the world is my idea of perfection.

for more perfection, head on over to Tracey's

really Lily?

2009-09-18T20:06:00.005-05:00

HOW could you possibly four months old all ready?!

You, my darling are sooooo very different from your sister. You have an actual temper...and don't mind letting it fly without a seconds notice. You're a good sleeper, but you wake up screaming and scare the crap out of your dad and me! You are one of the smiliest babies that there ever was. All someone has to do is get your attention and smile at you to get you to turn your high beam smile on. Lily, you are also very bald! Well, you have a little fuzz, but the back of your head is as bald as a cue ball...it's from all that scooting around you do on your back. It's actually quite cute when you get a little red road rash spot. We got you a Sophie giraffe and you shove it in your mouth until you make yourself cry...it's as if you think someone else is trying to smother you...you're so silly. Rolling over and over is something you're now proficient at, but it still pisses you off when you think you're stuck.

I love to just hang out in bed watching you wiggle your fingers in front of your face. Nana says your daddy used to do that, too. You're getting so good at grabbing and holding on to things. I love your perserverence when you want to hold something...you try and try and try until you get it...if you don't get it, you just SCREAM! :) You ride around in the car facing backwards. We put up a mirror in front of you so I can see you through my rear view mirror. I love looking up and seeing you sleeping like an angel, sucking on your blankie, looking at your sister or staring straight back at me...when you notice I'm looking back, you smile so sweetly. You, my little love have me and my heart wrapped around your little finger.

Let's move on to the drool. I swear you were an old hound dog in a previous life. You drool soooo much. I know you're working on cutting your first teeth, but baby! So, everything you touch, including my hair, is usually soaking wet. That's ok, because if you're chewing on something, then you aren't screaming :)

Your daddy just informed me that you just tried to CRAWL!!! Your top half was swaddled and you rolled on to your tummy and dug your feet into the bed and pushed one at at time...you actually moved forward approx 6 inches. We really don't encourage mobility in this house young lady :)

you kickin it with your Daddy at Might Fine Burgers this evening

ohmmmmm

2009-09-16T12:54:00.003-05:00

yoga with Ita

go here & here for more Wordless Wednesday shots

still as air

2009-09-14T11:15:00.004-05:00

Mia (in the party hat) and one of her best buddies, Izzy. Together, they can tear a house apart or be as still as air. Amidst the chaoticness of a kids' birthday party, they chose the latter.

More Best Shots at Tracey's

"mama, i sneaked up on the peanut butter"

2009-09-09T14:01:00.003-05:00

I found her IN the storage ottoman!

More Wordless Wednesday yummies Here & Here

Hanging with Nana & Pawpaw

2009-09-08T14:19:00.006-05:00

Mia spent this past weekend with her Nana & Pawpaw. It's such a win win win situation. She gets them, they get her, Daryl and I...used to get to be alone...now we get to be alone with Lily. Mia always has the best time out there. She follows her Pawpaw around and helps feed the dogs, fish, ducks, chicken and even some deer. She helps tend their huge garden. This time, she took us out to see 'My Pumpkin Patch'. There are oodles and they'll be fabulous for Halloween! Daryl and I usually go out there on the Sunday afternoon and hang out, have dinner before we grab our girls and head back to the rest of the world. Time actually seems to go by slower out there.

I'm so glad I had my little point and shoot camera..I've fallen in love with it again. Video to follow...stay tuned.

Mia's baby had a owie and needed a band-aid...one of several she applied to baby and self

don't all Nana's make silly faces?

Got her Pawpaw and her paci...life is good.

the girls riding their horsies...Nana's legs :)

Mia needing so snack on her sister's arm

playing ball & still hanging on to his glass of wine

Mia helps prep food...including shucking corn

taking a break to scratch an itch

brushing Bug the pug

surrounded by furry love

checking out the cool wind chime they got on one of their many worldly adventures

my heart swells

Mmmmmm beer

sillies

something about a wind up fish in a bucket of water

Nana, can I have your attention, please?

Bubba...of the duo Bug & Bubba

beering...watering the seedlings

Pawpaw some how makes beer with this stuff

as Nana would say, 'Beep'

Lily must me HOT...Mia's hugging her with a potholder :)

Corbin is THREE!

2009-09-04T14:06:00.004-05:00

Corbin is a dear friend and classmate of Mia. We've known him for a while and just love him to pieces. He can be a little on the quiet side, but he has a huge and quite silly personality. We had such a blast at Corbin's birthday party. The cake was delish. Corbin's mama, Sharon made it herself...I think Mia ate the frosting of one piece before it fell on the ground, then it happened again...poor girl ended up with a super yummy cupcake...that she ate licked the icing off. It's the simple things, ya know. The kids were totally entertained by trying to blow up balloons on their own, the kazoos even mystified some parents...then there was the sprinkler park. It sure was a hot day, but the kids didn't notice a bit with all their frolicking under the spray of cool water. Dawn, Ava's mama, brought out a bunch of buckets...another hit. Ohhhh can't forget the beach balls or the super cool Cars piñata! The darn thing kept coming off the rope. Brad, Corbin's daddy, even tried to just give it to a kid, but it was strung up again and beat until the loot came pouring out. Mia scored 2 lollipops and a noisemaker. She's easy to please. It was a super fun time.

Happy Birthday Corbin!

Corbin's new baby bro, Shepard...watch out girls, Lily's got dibs!

After working with us this summer, Miss M saved up for a cell phone :)
I'm in total love with this woman and her ripe belly

Thomas & Runi

2009-09-02T14:32:00.003-05:00

I was honored when Thomas & Runi (Nishan's aunt) asked me to photograph the happenings at their rehearsal dinner. I fell in love with the bride, groom and their fabulous family and friends.

much love to you both

Lily 3.5 months

2009-08-31T01:20:00.002-05:00

Oh Lily, how are you already 3 1/2 months old? You've already grown from a newborn to infant and on the way to baby. Teething has started early for you...just like your sister who cut her first tooth at 4 months. No teeth yet from you, but we're sure one will pop out soon. Until then, we'll just enjoy our drooling little girl who's fingers are always in her mouth!

A couple of days ago, you actually started scooting along on your back. You moved right on off your mat and today almost went under the sofa...glad you've got a big head :) You'd pretty much rather be anywhere but your tummy. You've thrown yourself over so violently, that you've scared yourself and made yourself cry.

Ahhh you and your sister already have fun relationship. Mia LOVES to pet you and is always in your face giving you kisses. I pretty much spend all day telling her to give you some space.

Your temper...my have you got a temper! You can be perfectly happy or even asleep and all of a sudden a loud shrieking alarm starts blaring..nope...it's just Lily :)

The Greatest Show on Earth!

2009-08-26T16:08:00.004-05:00

I'm going to start off by saying I'm a SUCKER! When it comes to the circus, it happened twice. Last week, some friends of ours went to the circus...kind of a mama and daughter date. I thought it was a great idea. Since Lily's birth, Mia's gotten the palo, the shaft... Mia nor I have been to the circus...Perfect date! While purchasing the tix online, there was that 'best available seating' option. $$$ !!!! Here comes the first sucker moment. Well, I'd never been to the circus, so I had NO idea what tix went for...I though this was the norm. I called Daryl to see what he thought...he gave me the go-ahead.

Ok...so Sunday evening came and Mia and I drove towards the CIRCUS! I was soooo excited. Mia was mildly excited. Here comes the sucker part 2...as we were walking up, there was the 'come get your Program, Program, Program' chick. She said, 'with the purchase of a $14 program, it's your ticket to the preshow fun on the floor...meet the clowns, get up and personal with an elephant....' Well, I wanted us to have the full circus experience. One $14 program, please. We got in, and they were letting EVERYONE down there, program or not. Sucker, just stamp it on my forehead already!

We did have super fab seats in the FIRST row, all close and no one blocking the tots line of sight. I think Mia was more into her pretzel than meeting the sparkly lady or checking out the clowns or elephants :) Right when the show started, a clown ran up to us and gave us necklaces that had a 'back stage pass' sort of feel. For some reason we were Circus Celebrities! Ahhhh the $80 a ticket thang. Cool. We were close and got a necklace. Nope, that was NOT all. During the first half of the show, when the motorcycles dared to ride in a steel cage, we were escorted on the circus floor and on a tram thing and we were suddenly IN the circus. I was FLOORED and THRILLED. I think Mia just thought that this was everyone's circus experience :) A motorcycle dude gave me a high five...Yes, I am 10 years old! It was an amazing experience that I'll remember forever.

We returned to our seats to watch contortionist, tigers, elephants, clowns....Greatest Show on Earth, indeed! It was a super fabulous first date with my daughter. We experienced it together...mother and daughter..no baby, just us.

Friends

2009-08-19T13:27:00.004-05:00

C & R having a blast in the little pool

Jenni & her Ray Bans

ADORE how Townsend looks bothered by me...I do always have my camera in his face!

my camera LOVES Layla

C and his gorgeous eyes

Mia the photographer...NEED to upload her shots!

Photo of Miss M taken by her lil bro C

Ballerina en pointe....sort of

2009-08-17T20:20:00.004-05:00

Mia's been on a dance kick lately. We watched So You Think You Can Dance together, and she was blown away...dancing, in front of the tv, with the other dancers. She has several books on dancing that she loves to read. Then there's 12 Dancing Princesses Mia was turned on to by her pal, Izzy. When I signed her up for gymnastics again, she said, 'ok, can we know sign up for dancing class?' I looked into a few local programs and ended up picking ballet & tap combo at Round Rock Repertory. When we went to sign up, Mia was THRILLED to meet a 'real ballerina'! She starts the first Tues in Sept. You know I'll keep you posted. In the mean time, here are some shots playing with her ballerina from her jewelry box. I'm just glad it's as easy to fix as it was to take out. My fave shot was the last one where the ballerina isn't really en pointe...on her toes...more in between Mia's :)

Bonus shot: Nap time

The 286 Birthday!

2009-08-14T07:47:00.004-05:00

We all got together in Dripping Springs last weekend to celebrate Memaw, Tom, Darlene and my birthdays! Tom guesstimated the total of our ages were about 286...so that's the candle number that went on the cake :)

It was a lovely birthday party, but it ended up pretty much a baby love fest. Darlene and Richard were up from San Antonio...Darlene has a way with babies. Janice and Warren were down from Lubbock...to say that Janice is in LOVE with Lily would be a HUGE understatement! Gwen and Mia both played 'Mama' to their baby dolls...and well, everyone loved on baby Lily.

the love fest begins with Aunt Janice and Lily

I'm in love with this shot that Daryl took!

such a treat to hang with Uncle Warren

Lovely Laura....Memaw

Mia literally pulling Lily's leg!

poor Lily...poor Gwen!

there...all better

Mia playing Mama

'I need to swaddle my baby so she'll be safe, warm and happy'

Darlene does love her pictures :)

The 286 cake!

'cake does NOT hurt my tummy'

LOVE
My Mia is under there somewhere!
everybody needs an Unca Joe!

Nana & her girls...'riding their horses'
Mia teaching someone about Hook 'em Horns
Lily has found her hand and not letting it out of her sight
suckin on Aunt Janice's finger....hope it's hunger and not teething!

glass of wine, llama on foot and bunny eared Pawpaw...what else do you need?

Point & Shoot Randomness

2009-08-08T20:48:00.005-05:00

Emptied out my point & shoot today, and look what I found! Oh, I feel I need to explain why there are so many food pics...Daryl and I assembled my new grill and I've been grilling away almost every night :) Another quick thing...the pics are in backwards order. I lost my brain.

Mia nursing her baby

Asian chicken, squash & watermelon

Lily unhappy

Lily happy

Pork chops & asparagus

story time with Queen Mama...since the move, Mia's pulled out some of her fave books

both story time shots taken by Daryl...who else?!

Mia swinging with her Ita...so fast they're blurry...love the funness

Mia with her little friend, Janderi

I thought it was a little too quiet around the house..tearing up and LICKING Styrofoam

I scared the CRAP out of this little girl...it was AWESOME!

ahhh shrimp & tomatoes

BBQ ribs & corn on the cob

obviously the assemble directions called for 2 beers :)

before the move...you're looking at my kitchen

creepy ass possum...opossum....whatever! still creepy!

Daryl striking the Heisman Trophy pose with his sleeping daughter Lily ...all swaddled and cute...Mia made a great football, too. I have to find that picture!

and lastly, the tortilla bib...not to be confused with the tortilla mask!

Nishan is Six Months Old!

2009-08-07T17:14:00.004-05:00

Time flies while you're moving, unpacking and taking care of a preschooler and infant! I can't believe it's been THREE months since the last time I meet up with Lil Nishan and his super cool parents. Both newborn & 3 month shots were taken at their home. This time, we hit Mayfield Park right before sunset. I had the BEST time hanging with this super cutie...his parents are pretty awesome, too! Nishan's smile warms my heart and his eyes melt it. Thank you Nick & Gayani for reminding me it was time to hook up again :)

Summer Blessingway

2009-08-05T20:52:00.004-05:00

Oh, those O'Mamas love their Blessing Ways! You can read all about what a Blessing Way is on my post about mine :) This time, we celebrated Anjalika, Karen & Gabriel (they are all due within the next couple of months!) with henna belly painting by Nisha and the traditional birthing bracelets. A couple of nursling came out to party with their mamas, but my Lily was at home with her Daddy :) It was such a fun and warm evening with loving focus on three extraordinary women....and their blessed bellies.

I'm actually in a pic..in the middle with pals Stephanie & Anja...THANKs Melanie!

Lovely Anja, Gabriel & Karen

1, 2, 3, 4 Birthdays!

2009-07-30T21:12:00.002-05:00

Lovely Courtney celebrated her birthday at Interstate Lanes...super cool bowling party! We had BLAST gutter balls and all! The cake I got at Russell's Bakery for the birthday girl was so dense it broke the plastic cutting knife...so, we all just dug in! Happy Happy Birthday, Dear Courtney :)

Andrea celebrated her big 35th with friends at Yvonne's pad...coloring mandalas, chatting...the evening was so very relaxing...very Zen. Oh and the red velvet cake was gorgeous and soooo tasty...another creation by Russell. Yvonne's pond out back was hoppin with frogs calling to each other....loudly! :) It was a lovely evening with some fabulous women. Feliz Cumpleaños, Comadre!

The following two shots were taken by Yvonne...thank YOU amiga!

Then Unca Joe had his big 30 blowout! Family all got together to celebrate his departure from his 20's. Melissa made a YUMMMY pineapple upside down cake. All Mia could say was 'Uncle Peeete...uncle Peeeete' She's a HUGE fan of Melissa's brother...he's beyond fab with kids. Everyone adored baby Lily, especially Gwen. Gwen pretty much took over the roll of Mama...such sweetness :)

Ahhhhh then there was lil Anika's third birthday at Acrotex. The kids...and parents...all had a super fun time running around, jumping on the trampolines, jumping into the huge foam pit and just being monkeys. It was INSANE! I must admit that I look forward to Anika's parties because her parents score some fab samosas...I had a hard time not eating more than one. I found out the Indian grocery/restaurant is about a mile from our house. Sorry, back to the party! LOVE LOVE LOVE Anika and her sweet smile...hope you had the best time sweetness!

This and That

2009-07-24T10:01:00.002-05:00

For Mia's first birthday, I ordered a plush from Etsy named Toothy Snake Bone. While packing up all her stuffed animals for the big move into our new house, Toothy Snake Bone was rediscovered...Mia proceeded to stick it in her mouth and shake it wildly about like Niles goes with his doggie toys!

More fun with Miss M.... this day, Miss M shot Mia with the bubble gun...much to Mia's delight. Mia chose to combat the bubbles with a light saber made from pipe cleaners, naturally. Miss M made a beautiful sun that Mia claimed as her Big Sister gift from Miss M :)

Then out came the makeup! Mia has a super cool pink glittery makeup box filled with lip balms and now she's added some pastel eye shadows. She's so girl...when she's not jumping in the mud! Mia applied sparkly eyeshadow to everything (toes) and everyone (Miss M).

While dancing around, Mia hit her hand. HARD. She cried and I held out my arms for her to come to me...she sobbed, 'no...I want my Miss M' awwwww

Here's your Lily fix

July 4th...Finally!

2009-07-13T20:55:00.004-05:00

We were thrilled to spend the July 4th holiday with our friends Courtney & Harry + kids...and Erica & Dave + kids. Harry BBQ'd up some super tasty burgers and dogs. Then we all hit the HUGEMONGOUS water slide. Even Lily got her suit on and hung out in the pool with me. The last time we were over there, Mia had a rough go with the slide...got stuck at the top and it took Harry rolling with her to get her down. This time, she conquered the slide and was oh so proud of herself.

There was much chillaxin' going on...we all hung out while the kids ran themselves exhausted. The moon came out and so did the fireworks. Harry hooked Mia up with her first sparkler! She LOVED it! The guys tried to blow stuff up in the street...but never fear! Erica was there...with fire extinguisher and all :)

We had the best 4th, and we hope you did, too!

Pie, hydrant & tights

2009-07-11T16:42:00.004-05:00

More fun with Miss M yesterday. We went over to the new house to meet the AC guy..he fixed it and it wasn't too expensive...that's always nice. Then we hit the 620 Cafe & Bakery. It's super close to the house and has tasty homecookin'. We're in soooo much trouble when we move in. We've already eaten there two Sunday's in a row :) The great thing about their bakery is all their fresh, well, baked goods. Including PIE! Miss M told me that in her 16 years, she's only had apple pie. WHAT?!...but there are soooo many lovely pies out there. Well, after brunch, Mia and Miss M sauntered over to the bakery counter and picked themselves their slices...and both ended up with chocolate cream pie! Did they want to share a piece? Hell no! Below are some shots with my pos camera phone...I LOVE the one a few down of Mia begging for two more bites...oh, the thing is that yes, you can have pie, but just a few bites...it's a LOT and tasting food is wonderful and the ability to put your fork down and walk away without finishing something just to finish it is something I'm still working on. Plus, that slice o' pie was bigger than her HEAD! :)

In our cul-de-sac, there's a fire hydrant that gets opened up every month or so just to let the chlorine levels rise...don't ask. All it means to us is a good time. We all hung out in the spray until Lily cried from the sidelines...Miss M and Mia hung out for a while. When they came in the house, Mia was SOAKED, and oh so happy :) What's funny is that after getting out of her wet dress, she opted for some colorful tights...yes, it's July in Texas, but the girl wanted her tights :)

The Hotdog

2009-07-08T20:35:00.004-05:00

This evening Lily, Mia and I hit Costco...Daddy was working late. After shopping, I had a slice of pizza and Mia opted for a GINORMOUS 'big sister' hotdog. I'm glad I had my cell phone...needed pictures of this.

Conversation with her hotdog:

Mia: Wow! You're a BIIIIIG hotdog. Don't worry, hotdog, I'll eat you all up.

Happy Birthday Nana!

2009-07-08T11:20:00.004-05:00

We all (Pawpaw, Unca Joe, Auntie M, cousin Gwen, Daryl, Mia Lily and I) got together out in Dripping Springs to celebrate our favorite Nana's birthday. It was Lily's first time out there...an hour drive each way is a daunting thought when you have a newborn and preschooler...but with some planning and alignment of planets, we made it...and it was soooo worth it. Nana was beyond happy :) Pawpaw fixed up some yummy brisket, sausage and fixins. Then came the cake! To say that the girls were beyond happy would be a HUGE understatement...we all sang and they helped their Nana blow out her candles. After cake, Joe and his crew had to hit the trail, but we stayed behind for a fun afternoon in the pool. No pictures of pool fun...I was lounging, but I did manage a shot of Pawpaw and Lily getting some snuggle time in. Mia was like Dori from Finding Nemo...'just keep swimming..' She swam and swam and swam. After swimming, we were all exhausted and ready to head home, but not before Nana got her snuggle time in with her Mia and Lily :)

Happy Birthday Nana!

Miss M

2009-07-07T08:25:00.003-05:00

Since school is out, Mia's at home every day. It's wonderful, but with the new baby, getting the new house ready and trying to purge and organize in the old house...she hasn't been getting the attention she's used to at school. So, I hired a mother's helper for the summer...Miss M. She's my dear friend Stephanie's 16 year old daughter, and since she has two little brothers at home, she's FABULOUS with Mia. Basically, they play all morning. Do their nails, play with lip gloss and eye shadows...paint, play dough, read books, blow bubbles...all things fun.

Every night, Mia asks if Miss M will be here the next day. I wish! Only three mornings a week :) Mia is forever calling Miss M her best friend.

Conversation while coloring:

Mia: Miss M?
Miss M: yes, Mia
Mia: I love you
Miss M: I love you, too, Mia

Painting....Blindfolded?!?!

2009-07-02T14:25:00.004-05:00

Super Fab O'Mama Sara opened up her mother's home (no kids in it...well, only the nurslings that came along) for a Mama's Night In of painting. Some opted to be blindfolded. HILARIOUS...but a LOT of fabulous art was produced! Others sat around and drank and chatted a little while searching for their muse. Wee nurslings Caleb and Shepard were incredibly adorable and were lovingly passed around so their mama's could take a much deserved break. I personally think this should be a monthly event...hint. hint. :)