If I Had A Million Dollars

I'd pay someone to take my morning sickness away. Or if that was impossible I'd pay them to stay here and take care of me, my husband, my children and my house until I felt "normal" again. I just puked in the office garbage can. Lovely visual, huh? Now I need to go clean it out and make lunch and clean up all the birthday toys that are scattered everywhere, because I just found out we have bible study here tonight. All I really want to do is go back to bed. Sigh...sorry for all the negativity today, hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Dear Ayla,

Today you are four years old. Four! It's so hard to believe it's been four years already. You are so happy today. This seems like the first birthday you've been really, really excited about. Uncle Seth, Eric and Grandpa Mike came for the weekend, so you've already opened lots of presents. Grandma Tina, Auntie Tonia and Lexie are here right now. Last weekend you went on your first trip without us. You went to Sioux Falls with Uncle Mike (aka "Uncle Mike Daddy") and "Jojo". You visited Auntie Jenny and Uncle Walter and Auntie Julie were there too. This morning you came downstairs with your new purple lipstuff spread all over your lips and around your mouth. You also had on your pink sunglasses with rhinestones. You were bouncing around, staring at yourself in the mirror and singing, "I'm big, I'm four, I can go to pre-school!" over and over again. At this age you are equal parts delightful and exasperating. You are a funny, funny girl. I don't know how else to describe you. Sometimes you are so outgoing it makes me want to hide somewhere. Like recently when I took you to the dentist and you wouldn't stop talking to the people trying to do their office work. You told them EVERYTHING. You told them daddy was at home with diarrhea and that you threw up on your pillow in Chicago. I finally had to call you aside and tell you to let the ladies do their work. Other times you are frumpy and grumpy for no reason at all. People try to talk to you and your response is a big fat "Humph, I'm not talking to nobody." They look questioningly at me and all I can do is shrug my shoulders and say, "She's funny, she's either happy or she's not and we usually don't know why." You are very lovable and huggable and you still have a fat squeezable bottom. You love shoes, clothes, tights, lipstuff, hairstuff and dollys. You are still in the princess phase and love to dress up like one. You have food allergies and you are so good about knowing what you can and can't eat. Sometimes you are sneaky though. Yesterday while I was gone you told Auntie Tonia that it was OK to have a Popsicle. You ate the whole thing and then tearfully declared that you weren't supposed to eat it. When I questioned you about it you simply shrugged your shoulders and said you forgot! You are Ailya, Queen Bee & The Booty-Butt Babe and everyone loves you! Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mom

A Confession

I don't really have the flu.

A Minute In The Life

From our sick household to yours.

From laughing

To crying

To screaming

Oh, and it's 2 below zero today so don't ask me why the Queen Bee likes to run around with next to nothing on.

On a lighter note, aren't these the best shoes ever? They are an early birthday present from me to her. OK, it's back to bed I go. Writing this post took up a surprising amount of energy.

An International Move

This is what you look like the day before the big move.

Just kidding. I told them to look insane for that picture.

Good luck. We love you and we'll miss, miss, miss you. In fact, we already do.

I'm Dreaming Of A Green Garden

My amaryllis is blooming and I got my first seed catalog in the mail. This afternoon I will ignore all that white stuff outside and start planning my best garden yet.

Too Big For Mom

Ayla took a bath after lunch today. She informed me beforehand that I couldn't be upstairs with her. In fact, after I got her water ready she demanded that I go downstairs because, "I don't need help from Mommies!" I did go downstairs for a little bit, but I came back up and snuck a few pictures until she noticed and insisted on no more.

Drying her hair.

Trying to somehow get that towel wrapped around her buddha belly.

Snow Advisory

There is the distinct possiblility that we'll have 6 inches of fresh snow by tomorrow morning!

Skippyjon Jones

His ears ees too beeg for his head. His head ees too beeg for his body. He is not a Siamese cat, he is a CHIHUAHUA!!! A big thanks to Auntie Shari for introducing us to El Skippito. We love the Skippyjon books by Judy Schachner. Seriously, they are books that I don't mind reading over and over and over again. I'm so excited for the book fair at school next week. I discovered that I can buy the books there much, much cheaper than from a bookstore. So, if you're looking for something fun to read to your kids go to your library and check out the one and only Skippyjon Jones!

Bacon, It's What's For Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner

After reading another blogger's ode to bacon all I've been able to think about is getting my next fix.

Oh bacon, how I love you! I love your saliva inducing smell. I love your satisfying crunch. I love the delicious flavor your fat imparts. I took many photos of you, but this is the only one that turned out. My daughter's fat, dimpled hand blocked your beauty in all the other's. It was all I could do to keep her from crumbling you apart and stuffing you into her mouth.