Happy Birthday.

I don't want to get too mushy here, especially considering next week we have our eighth anniversary.

But Happy Birthday to one of the greatest men I know.

What do you get for the guy who has everything he ever needed and wanted? What do you get for him when you consider that we are getting ready to move across oceans and we don't want to acquire anything else?

It doesn't seem fair that I don't have much to give you this year, especially since it's a year ending in 5/0. You've given me so much. The best thing is our kids, of course. They are so amazing. And they love you like crazy. The past few nights when you've been working late 'attending to be on a ship' as Little Monster would say, they've been cranky and asked for you often. I don't know what we're going to do when you're not pretending anymore. We've been lucky to have you home for two and a half years.

You saved our lives this weekend. And were the master of fun all weekend long. With your campfires and beach swimming, and bike rides.

There is a reason why every single day Little Monster asks "when am i gonna be big wike mine daddy?" It's because you're an amazing person. We're lucky to have you. And I hope we get to keep you around for a few more decades.

Happy Birthday Butterball!!

My baby. My last, sweet, little baby girl is turning one today. Has it already been a year since I was so miserable with pregnancy, unable to move without pain, grateful for the contractions that meant that you were coming? Your birth was so overwhelming that for days, I mistakenly thought you were born on the 28th -- and your Daddy won't let me forget it. But it was so worth it. The past year has been amazing.

My fat little cherub has already blossomed into a bossy, sassy little "monkey" girl. No longer the butterball that she once was. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. She is almost completely weaned, now. Walking, talking a bit. She loves to torture her brother, but mostly they play wonderfully together. Chasing each other around the house, erupting into giggles and squeals. Bath time is her favorite. She comes running to the bathroom anytime she hears the tub going. She knows what she wants, and she can pretty much tell you what it is these days. She's persistent and stubborn. She definitely doesn't like to be told "no." She likes to pretend that she doesn't hear the word half the time. If she hears if often enough, she'll rebel by letting out a rebel war cry, going for the forbidden fun that she's so unfairly being denied.

Her hair is growing in, fine and wavy. She's got the longest lashes I've ever seen (on a girl), and blue-grey eyes. The best part of my day these days is going into her room in the morning, seeing her smiling face standing in her crib waiting for me to get her. Then, when I pick her up, she wraps her arms around my neck, squeezes as hard as she can and gets her fingers all tangled in my hair. Most of the time I don't even mind that she's wiping her snotty nose on my shoulder.

The scowls she gives everyone make me laugh. I don't think anyone escapes the furrowed brow and squinty-eyed once over when they meet her. If she recognizes you, she might skip the scowl, and instead point at you as if to say "HEY! I KNOW YOU! COME HERE AND DO MY BIDDING!" And if you're lucky, you'll get the "AAAAAAHH!!" grunt that actually means she expects you to do her bidding.

I love it when she says "ooooOOOOOO" when she sees something she loves. Namely, bananas, or any kind of sweet treat that she's about to be spoiled with.

We are going to miss the baby that's turned into a toddler who is falling in love with ride-on toys, playing in the mud and wrestling like a big kid. We love you Butterball. Don't grow up too fast.

Recipe for a good party?

Little Monster turns three this week. It seems like time is passing faster than it should. It isn't fair. Between he and his sister, I'm going insane trying to keep up. Butterball can sit up, and she's rolling over and around and over to get to thing she wants, mere seconds from crawling.



We had his birthday party early because the kids and I are planning a trip home for November. I was stressing it a bit. I invited what I thought were a few too many people (the E-vite said 32 people were coming). The house was trashed, its normal state these days, no matter how much I don't want to admit it. I was exhausted from being up all night most nights nursing a hungry little girl. I didn't exactly know when I was going to find the time to get everything done for the party.



Not the Momma's plan was to set the party up in the garage. Mine was for the front yard. I let Not the Momma have his way. It was a good decision. (I refuse to admit he was right. ;) -- I just won't.) After I thought about it, if it was going to be foggy, then it was going to be better if we had a place to warm up, and if it was sunny our horde of babies was going to need a shady place to hang out. I had spent quite a few days thinking about what to serve for food and cake.



I ended up doing everything very simple. We hung some streamers, NTM grilled some hot dogs, and bought some pre-made salads.



For days before the party, Little Monster knew something was going on. We had invited the Fire Truck to come out, but hadn't told him about it, but he knew that his friends were going to come over, there was going to be a bouncy house, and he was going to get a fire truck cake and sprite. What else could he want, right? The night before the poor kid didn't sleep more than an hour at a time. The morning of the party, I brought him with me to pick up the cake. Despite his exhaustion from lack of sleep, he still buzzed around the grocery store like a free electron. He buzzed from the front of the grocery cart, to my leg, to the shelves. The wait at the bakery nearly killed the poor kid.



When the bouncy house showed up, his energy went through the roof. I half expected him to vibrate through the walls of the house, anticipating the fun he was going to have.



And then it began. His friends showed up. They bounced and bounced and bounced. And I kicked everyone out and made them eat some lunch.



As they were finishing up eating, the fire truck arrived. The look on Little Monster's face was priceless. He was a little big confused. And when they began to back the truck into our driveway, we had to restrain him from running into the truck barefoot.

He was so excited to 'drive' the truck and push buttons! All in all the party was a success. I think it was mostly because I didn't try to plan much. We made the kids stop jumping to eat, and let them do whatever the rest of the time. They even had a 'fire' in the playhouse while the truck was here!

With Love,

Happy Birthday Mom! You're the greatest. I can only hope I'm as good at being a mother as you.

Friday Fun! ( a little early)

It's kinda easy this week. We started our "friday fun" on Thursday. It will continue until Saturday at 1:00. When I kick everyone out of the house.

Today was Little Monster's birthday. So we had cake,





opened presents






and Little Monster spent the evening playing with his new toys. Let's just say he had fun making them race around the room. It was a little out of control to see him lining them up as though they were getting ready to race side to side, and then they began to 'race' front to back in a line. He also got "mack" from the movie Cars. We spent a good part of the night loading and unloading Lightning McQueen into and out of the trailer for him. Yeah. Fun.

We also carved pumpkins. After it was over, Not the Momma confessed that he had not been looking forward to it. It was seeming to be more of a chore than a fun family activity. He also confessed that it had been a lot more fun than he thought it would be. And then, I had to tell him that he was a jerk. No. I'm kidding. I felt the same way. I hadn't really wanted to carve pumpkins. We had tossed out the ideas of just painting faces on this year, since Little Monster would be able to do it himself. We did end up carving pumpkins. A pirate for Not the Momma, a goofy face for me, and a cute chubby cheek face for Little Monster. Then, I had fun playing with the camera:



With Flash


First attempt without flash


No flash - sturdier surface.

Yeah. It turned out to be a good night. Little Monster went to bed way late. I managed to eat food and keep it in me. Not the Momma watched a spooky movie. It was a night memories are made of.

What do your pumpkins look like??

Is it possible?

Surely not. It can't be possible that exactly two years ago I was sitting in a hospital bed with an infant. It can't be possible that the 9 lb 10 oz baby boy has turned into a 31 pound child who walks around and has opinions.

Unfortunately, I think it is. After all, two years is a long time in a military family. In the two years since you was born, we've lived in two states and two countries (if you include Not the Momma's Bahrain home), we've lived in three homes, seen the Grand Canyon twice, and been from one coast of the country to the other.

The most amazing thing that has happened, is that we have been able to be a family. you know your Daddy and love him more than anyone else in the world. It was obvious this morning when you came into our bedroom and spent the entire morning climbing on Not the Momma and smashing your head into Daddy's in just the way you do. You love the mornings when you get up and find Daddy still lying in bed.

The first second I saw you, Little Monster, you stole my heart.

You still have it. Especially when you scrunch up your face and do the cheesy family grin, or when your're doing something hilariously naughty.

You're a good kid. I couldn't wish for a better child, with a bigger heart or sense of humor. Little Monster -- Happy Birthday. Your Daddy and I love you more every day, with every hurricane bath time, with every demand to watch meh-mo (Nemo), merman (The Little Mermaid), and Cahs. With every demand for my breakfast toast, or his Peanut Butter M&M's we are happy you are here to share our lives with us. Heck, I think even the dogs like you as long as you're not trying to run you over with your dump trucks.

Happy Birthday. Keep growing, but not too fast, and stay who you are. We love you.