Who Needs A Ball Pit At Chucky Cheese?

When you can get the same effect on an unmade bed-better yet if Daddy is still in it!

Birthday Party Planning

Andrina is almost 10 months old and I am now busy planning for her first birthday party. Wow, she has gone from tiny newborn to and active older baby! So much growth and development in such a short time. I have several long lists of things to do, including the list for the handyman who I have to hire to do things like drill two holes in the brick above my fireplace to hang up pictures of Andrina. Tom said he'd handle getting someone out to stain our deck. I need to arrange for the dogs to be boarded during that and the party. I need to get someone out to clean up the doggy poop out of the yard before the party (we do do that but I want to make sure it's all gone with all of our guests out there, plus I'll be super busy and who really wants to do that anyways?). There are decorations to buy and hang, but I have bought most of them. I need to order m&m's, put together party favors and treat bags for the kids, invitations need to be mailed, plan the menu, buy the food, order a cake, and on and on.

But, I am actaully excited about all of it. I know Andrina won't remember any of it but it will be such a special day for her and I want to make it as special as possible. And I am excited that I got two big things done today for it-I ordered the photo invitations and I reserved a moon jump and the tables and chairs we'll need. The invitations are super cute and I can't wait to get those mailed out to everyone once they arrive. Come Monday I'll need to get back to calling and continuing with the party plans.

One Of My Favorite Things

Is when Andrina wants to be picked up and she lifts her arms up to me. I just love it! I love it how she tells me in this way she wants to be held or taken away from where she is. I'm sure I'll get to the point where it will happen all the time and my back will be killing me but for now, it's only a few times a day and I love it!

Say Cheese!

Happy Birthday Anne!

Dear Anne,
Thanks for inviting me to your birthday party! I had a lot of fun! I loved eating birthday cake and playing with your toys! I hope you like the presents I got you!
Love your cousin,
Andrina

Smart Baby!

Every mom thinks her baby is either very smart or a genius. And I certainly fall in that catagory. Tonight after Andrina drank her before-bed bottle, she took the burp cloth off of my shoulder and wiped my mouth with it while laughing! Really laughing, like how an adult would laugh in response to a good stand-up comic. I was so impressed! I want to say that she knows that's what it is for and was playing a game with me (hence wiping my mouth instead of hers and the laughing while she was doing it). It is also noteworthy how happy and full of joy she was while playing this little game with me that she repeated several times, laughing each time!

Andrina and Teenie

Here's another pic and post about Andrina and our dog Teenie (who we always call Puggie but her official name is Teenie-when we adopted her and she already had that name).

I'm so happy to see my baby enjoying the doggie. And I love how great Teenie is with the baby. Teenie loves to lick Andrina's face and follows her around. And now that Andrina can crawl, she will crawl after Teenie. It is so cute! How perfect of a picture, a baby with her first friend-her doggie!