Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! This year, Megan was excited to make a Valentine to give to her daddy. She worked so hard to create it (with a little help), and couldn't wait to give it to John. While he was getting ready for work the next morning, Megan woke up much earlier than normal. I gave her the valentine and told her to give it to daddy. She ran down the hall and gave it to him with a big smile on her face. I think it made his whole day! What a great way to begin Valentine's Day.

What a little artist!

We enjoyed a special candlelit "dinner for two" after Megan went to bed. I got dressed and put makeup on like we were really going somewhere. It made it feel more like a date than a dinner at home. We ate, drank wine, and chatted. It is amazing how quiet the dinner table is without little Maggie Moo!


On a different note, I wanted to take a chance to congratulate John. He just completed his first year with Quick Solutions and was given a PROMOTION!! His official title is now "Senior Software Architect." He will begin a new project working with a company in Dublin, Ohio to create software for their business. Very exciting!

Megan is a Goldfish!

Megan started swim lessons a couple weeks ago. Her class is called the "Goldfish." She swims on Saturday mornings and seems to really like it. My sister's son Colin is in her class and it is so cute to watch them together. So far, John has gone into the pool with her and I've served as the paparazzi. Megan's swim teacher is Miss Justine. She is blonde and wears a Baywatch-type, red lifeguard bathing suit. I told John, "I can't believe Megan's swim teacher is HOT!" With a giant grin on his face, he replied, "I hadn't noticed." Smell the sarcasm? Needless to say, John really seems to look forward to Megan's swim lessons. Considering she is only 19 months old, we're not expecting her to swan dive or anything. (Well, John might be.) We just want her to be comfortable in the water and spend time with other kids. John is a little concerned that Megan won't put her face in the water. After her first swim lesson he said, "I'm worried Megan's gonna fail. She won't blow bubbles." ha, ha, ha. I promised John we could practice with her in the bathtub at home. He is such an overachiever! (Either that or he is worried about impressing Justine!)

Miss Justine is trying to convince Megan to jump into John's arms. She won't do it.

Sweet Colin takes Megan's hand and tells her they can jump together.

There they go!!!

Megan thanks Colin for the encouragement with a great big hug. They are the best of friends.

John and Megan, preparing for the Olympics.

A Little Bathroom Humor

Megan has been really cracking us up lately. She is really starting to say more and more words. We have to be really careful since it always seems like there is an ECHO in the room repeating anything we have said.



Her newest word is "poopie." This one is totally my fault . . . "Megan, did you go poopie?" (As if the stench isn't obvious enough.) She has started to scream, "No poopie! No poopie momma!" when I try to change her diaper.



Today that word proved a little embarassing. John, Megan, and I went out to lunch after her swim lesson. I took Megan into the restroom with me. I was doing what people do in the restroom when Megan started saying, very loudly by the way, "POOPIES! Mommy poopies! Stinky poopies!" I kept trying to quiet her down but she wouldn't stop. I said, "No Megan, Mommy just tinkles." I was not pooping, not that it really matters. It was embarassing, none the less. People in the restroom were giggling. Isn't having a toddler great!

Playing in the Snow

Here are some pictures from Megan's first time playing in the snow.

They are from 12/7/2007 (sorry for the delay.)

I love this picture. It is the first time she was outside to see all the snow.

Don't you just love the look on her face???

Megan was really afraid of the snow at first, but started playing after a while.

Lulu, the snowgirl we built.

This picture looks like I got the perfect shot of Megan placing the carrot nose. In reality, Megan is not putting the carrot in.......she is removing it (over and over and over) and trying to eat it. She just couldn't understand why we were wasting good food on a snowgirl!!!!

My 2007 Christmas List

Dear Santa ,
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled Megan on demand, gone to the library, park, zoo, and science museum. I’ve endured multiple, public temper tantrums and my daughter throwing my food out of the shopping cart. I was hoping you could bring me just a few
small things, since I’ve been so good AND had to write this letter with Megan’s red crayon, on the back of a receipt, in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple,which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to push my screaming child into her car seat when she doesn’t want to leave the park/playdate/library/etc.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint and (dog nose) resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes Mommy" to boost my parental confidence - one that doesn’t fart loudly in the library or run away from me in the store. As long as we’re being unreasonable here, may I please have three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools?

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Stop playing in the toilet" and "Ahhhh, quit throwing your applesauce all over the floor" and “Stop eating the dog’s food!” because my voice seems to be just out of Megan’s hearing range and can only be heard by the Mocha (who just ignores me anyway.)

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or take a shower without a toddler trying to climb in (fully clothed). I’d really appreciate the chance to actually go to the bathroom ALONE or without rushing through the process worried that one, Megan isn’t in here (very strange) and two, it is way too quiet out there. (This scenario is typically followed by a loud shriek, a dog yelp, a crashing noise, and me running out the bathroom with my pants around my ankles hoping TODAY isn’t the day Columbia gas is outside the kitchen window reading the meter.)
Seriously.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and Megan just saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think she wants her crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. (Twenty-five dollar co-pays can really add up.)

Help yourself to the organic milk and flaxseed cookies on the table.

Merry Christmas,
Lisa

P.S. You can cancel all my requests if you're able to convince Weight Watchers (and my thighs) that chocolate and whipped cream are on the "free foods" list.

Wildlights at the Zoo - 11/30/07

John's company had another event for the employees and their families. This time it was at the zoo, which was decorated with millions of lights for Christmas. It really was quite a beautiful display, even if it was freezing cold outside! John's company took care of everyone's admission to the zoo and provided a banquet room where everyone could warm up and eat snacks. They even gave out insulated mugs of hot chocolate to sip while walking around the zoo.

We bundled Megan up like a little eskimo. We ended up taking off the snowpants when we realized she couldn't bend at the waist, which was a requirement for sitting upright in the wagon. (Perhaps it was overkill to put her in two pairs of regular pants with snowpants on top. I was worried she would get cold.) Luckily we brought along a blanket to keep her legs warm! I should have thought to make sure my husband dressed for the weather. There he was, pulling the wagon with no gloves! The poor guy's hands must have been freezing but he insisted on pulling his little girl around the zoo like a proud papa.

Sesame Street Live - 11/24/07

We took Megan to see Sesame Street Live!!!! We were afraid she might be too young to really enjoy it. I had horrible visions of a tantruming (is that even a word?) toddler in the dark at a giant arena . . . yikes. My mom and Nana were going with Katie, Justin, and Colin and I really didn't want to be left out. I was really wrong........Megan absolutely loved it! She sat on our laps for some of the show, then moved to the floor where she could dance to the music. She clapped her hands and didn't take her eyes off the show for a second (except to look for crackers in her diaper bag - she calls them crack-crack.) Posing for a quick picture.

Having a great time watching the show from Daddy's lap.

Playing around with the balloon Nana bought. (Seriously, only a great-grandma would pay $8.50 for a BALLOON!!!!! I feel like we should send a thank you note or something.)