Getting Picky

I am sitting here at lunchtime trying to feed Mira a healthy lunch. I gave her a half of a mini bagel with butter on each of the sides. She did ok with them. She started off by eating it from the bagel and then started to pick little pieces with her fingers and putting them in her mouth. I gave her 2 raspberries and I don't think she liked that. She just stuck her thumb in them and mushed them all over the high chair tray. Then I went safe and gave her cut up grapes and some honeydew which she did well with. I started to make myself a sandwich and attempted to give her a slice of munster cheese. I even rolled it up so she can hold it as she bites into it. Nope. I actually didn't know that cheese can be made into so many pieces and they stick to the floor (and your foot) once you accidentally step on it. Yuck. Last, but not least, I gave her a strawberry for the first time today. She inspected it as if something was going to pop out of it. Then she tried to get all the seeds off of it. She touched it to her mouth and gave me a grimace. OK, so it was a little sour. I gave her another one and cut it up this time. Those all went on the floor, too. Just know that strawberries stain old wallpaper. At this point, I gave up. I think she got enough and I am sure I'll give her a snack of goldfish or grahm crackers later. I forget that I was baking cookies and I get them out of the oven. They cool off as I am eating my sandwich and trying to get Mira to drink milk. I figured, why not? Whats the harm in a mini cookie? So I give her one. She grabbed it out of my hand and recognized it. She ate it before I could sit down. She starts to point and squeal like the cookies were being stolen out her very hands. She doesn't let up until I give her another. Yup, thats what she wanted. She scarfed that one down and now I am trying to hide the rest of the batch. She certainly knows what she wants!

Mira's 1st Year Video

Its official, Mira is ONE!

This past weekend we had her first birthday party. Mira is officially one now that she had dug into a birthday cake and opened presents. A year ago I couldn't even imagine that I would be planning a party for her. Now, I can't even fathom her turning 2, or 16, or 21 OH MY!
Here are a few pics from the special day. 

The birthday girl:




This was her cake. It was so georgeous and perfect, I started to cry when I picked it up.



Our little piggie couldn't even wait till after the candles were blown out (or lit) before she started to pick everything off of it and eating them. (notice her hand is on the cake here)

"Look Mama, I'm almost done! Gimme more!"


"There has got to be more here somewhere!"


"That's MY toy Daddy! Give it back!"


And here is big brother Jory recruiting his 2 girlfriends to help him catch butterflies.


Stay tuned. Mira's 1st year video will be posted soon!

Happy Birthday baby girl!

Well, here it is. Today our baby girl is now, officially, ONE full year old! She is no longer in the class of 'baby' and is now considered a 'toddler' even though she isn't toddling yet. This year had to have been the quickest, most tiring and most rewarding year I have ever had. I always thought it was tough being a parent to one child. To have 2 in the mix, makes it that much harder. Different ages require different demands. It got easier as the year went by, but in turn, the year went so quickly. 

Mira was born a tiny little baby with scrawny legs and arms. Itty bitty fingers and toes. It didn't take her very long to beef up and turn into the biggest mush I would ever know. She has rolls after rolls on those beautiful thighs. She is very huggable and I always call her my juicy.

She has the most gorgeous eyes that no matter where we are or what we are doing, someone tells me how stunning they are and how beautiful my baby girl is. Her smile is still filled with only two bottom teeth. The others are coming and I thought they would appear by her birthday, but they have proven me wrong.

Mira has a great personality and is a very big people person. She smiles at almost everyone however, she is starting to show signs of stranger anxiety. She loves to play games like peek-a-boo and 'Where is Mira?' When her big brother does anything that she finds exciting, she will clap. If she hears someone else clap, she will clap. If she wants your attention, she will blow you lots of raspberries. If you ask her to put her hands on her head, she will. She likes to blow kisses and when I have hair dangling in front of my face she will try to blow them away. When she is tired and hungry she will climb up on her Mama and snuggle and suck her thumb.

Mira has brought so much to our family and we could never ask for anything more. She is a sister to the most loving brother. Jory loves to make her laugh whether he makes silly faces and/or noises or rubbing his nose into her belly. He gets silly and tries to place things on her that shouldn't be there like a matchbox car or his t-shirts. When I give them a bath together he always likes to help me wash her.

To me, Mira has helped fill a space in my heart that has been there for a few years. She is my mothers namesake. There will be moments where I will be sitting with her playing and I just feel my mom watching us and give out a big sigh. Although mom will never be able to meet this wonderful gift, she will be there with us always. On occasion when I feel like I really would like my mom there, I'll just pick up my baby girl and give her a great big squeeze and I know mom feels it too.

Ryan has met another that has made him even more complete. After stressful days he finds calm playing with her. She always has a way to make him smile and keep him amazed. She giggles at his kisses when he says goodbye in the morning before he leaves for work. Sometimes I think his beard tickles, but I know she loves the kisses.

One year has passed and she has grown so much. I can never imagine my life without her, just like I could never imagine it without Jory. I wonder what I will be writing about her next year on this very same day. It seems so far away, but I know it will be here in no time.


Please check back for Mira's First Year Video.

A day at the Zoo

Yesterday we went to the zoo with friends of Ryans and we really had a great time. It was a bit hot and sticky, but when you have so many cool animals to see, it doesn't phase you. I think Jory's favorite part was the Butterfly Pavilion. Lately he has been almost obsessed with catch caterpillars and butterflies that this was right up his alley. Of course the 'zoo' we have at home doesn't compare to a whole roomful of hundreds of beautiful butterflies. 






Jory really liked going to the badger holes (or whatever animal it was) and looking out of the ground.

and here he is watching a male peacock with his open tail feathers. Jory wanted to feed him so badly but the bird just didnt like what Jory had to offer.

Hello? Helloooooo?

It's about 4:30 or so on Friday and I received a strange call at work.  The caller id showed that the call was from Randi's cell.  I answer but hear nothing in response.  Then I am able to make out some grunting, perhaps some fiddling around with the phone.  Oh, she must have accidentally redialed her last call, and she's in the car.  With nothing better to do on a Friday afternoon, I listen in a for a while.  I figure she'll eventually notice and apologize and we'll both go about our day.  Then I hear more voices, but not really words.  OH, ok, Mira must have grabbed mommys phone and hit talk.  I can see that happening.  I try and get a response.  "Mira! Mira, it's daddy!".  Nothing.  Then I hear "Daddy?".  OK, so it's the other one...  The conversation continues.

"Jory, wheres mommy?"

"She's upstairs with Mira"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm watching Little Bill"

"How did you get mommys phone?"

That last question was ignored, as were countless others.  The conversation went back and forth for five or ten minutes with me interrogating Jory, trying to understand the scene unfolding at home.  Then I hear Randi in the distance..

"Jory, who are you talking to?"

"I just called daddy at work because I had to ask him a question."

Randi heard him talking but assumed he was talking to the TV, unaware that he could have been having a conversation with anyone in her address book!  Jory was very proud of his accomplishment.  I'll expect more phone calls in the future.

A photo story

Today we went to Aunt Amy and Uncle Mitch's for Cousin Kate's Masters Graduation Party. We all had lots of fun hanging out and relaxing by the pool. We got Jory a safety vest and he was super excited that he could swim without someone holding him at all times. He was more excited about all the worms and caterpillars he found, and of course, brought home with him. Here he is showing me he beautiful new friends.Mira had her first dip in a pool and wasn't too thrilled. But her experience of the day was a chocolate chip cookie! Yum Yum!!"Oh, man, this is so good! What is it?""A COOOOOOKIE!!!!!!!!!""Hey! Where did my cookie go? It was right here!""That was so good. I need a nap now."