Baby Mama Photo Dramas!

Okay, so I realize that it has been 4 months since I've blogged. I am a delinquent blogger! The summer just kept getting busier. We traveled to Florida twice, New Orleans, St. Louis, and Maine this summer. We also renovated our kitchen, painted the outside of house and did some other home improvements. It was kind of crazy to say the least! Then the fall has been even busier, but fortunately with lots of fun fall events. This summer was hot and sunny every day, and the fall was warm and bright as well. We have had the best weather, and lots of fun times to enjoy it. Winter is arriving fast, however, so I should have more time to blog. While I have been terrible at finding time to write, I have kept up with taking pictures. For the next little while, I am going to try to do more photoblogging and see how that goes. Here is our weekend in pictures! Emmy went to her first UK footbal game (Go Hats!), we did some bike riding, painted and played with lots of play-do. This was our first weekend spent mostly around the house in a while and we really enjoyed it!

That's Right! The Women Are Smarter!

The women are smarter, that's right, that's right! If you don't already know, this is a great Grateful Dead song (Man Smart, Woman Smarter), and this is me singing through the keyboard! It's a peppy little catchy little number, and seems appropriate (at least tangentially) to my brief topic of the day. This morning, my little gal figured something out that neither her dad or I could. On one of our recent road trips, we stopped at Cracker Barrel (of course, about the only place you can get away with taking a wild 1 year old on the road) and we ended up buying BG this groovy little fire truck. We thought it was cool because it is the kind that you pull backwards, then it propels quite a distance on its own. This morning she was playing with it in her car seat and I suddenly hear sirens and see lights flashing. We had no idea the toy could do that! She figured out what we could not, I'm embarrassed to say. Might have to change the song to Man Smart, Baby Smarter!

Little Ms. Firecracker

The 4th of July is a family favorite, and we had a great holiday. We spent the 3rd downtown with some of our dearest friends and their baby who is also super-awesome. Baby J and Em seemed to enjoy the parade and the downtown spectacle, and they didn't even complain about the heat! To top it off, we decided to have a late lunch at Dudley's and the toddlers acted like they ate in nice restaurants every day of the week. They are both superstars, I tell ya. Then, on the actual 4th (don't know why Lexington decided to celebrate on the 3rd instead, rather odd really), we enjoyed a street party with our neighbors. Em ran around like a crazy girl, and loved every minute of it! She was so happy that she just ran around squealing in delight. She liked the fireworks too, which thankfully weren't very loud. She didn't even wake up for the big fireworks that went off in the night. G and I were grateful for that!

One last thing, I can put Em's hair up in pigtails now! It is silly, I know, but her little piggies make me so happy! She looks very cute in them. I put her hair up in two messy little buns, which my friend Rach said looked like fireworks on her head! This pleased me to no end, as that was actually the intended effect! So cute...

Excuses of a Delinquent Blogger

Hello, my name is Adrienne and I am a delinquent blogger and poor documentarian of my baby's life. I can't believe it has been 6 weeks since my last post, but this spring/summer has been off with a bang! Also, BG keeps me hopping and requires quite a bit of my physical and mental energy these days, leaving me with little stamina for hobbies such as writing or anything beyond survival for that matter. Here is a typical day in my/our life:

Toddlerville: A Day in the Life...

• Wake at 7
• Shower very quietly so as to not wake up Sleeping Beauty
• Dress self, dress BG
• Feed her breakfast while trying to finish getting ready and fending off dog from eating baby's breakfast (this is hard because she is always attempting to feed the dog, which makes her giggle uncontrollably)
• Try to get out the door by 8 without burning self or baby with necessary travel-vat of coffee, or dropping self or baby to the ground
• Drive delightful BG to school while singing Old MacDonald and pointing out favorite points of interest along the way (i.e. trees, men on the street who remind BG of Daddy, the horse or "neigh neigh" statue in front of the Chase building, firetrucks, trucks that aren't firetrucks but we pretend they are, etc.)
• Bring BG into her classroom, give her teachers copious notes on what I perceive to be her special needs and/or issues of the day
• Try to simultaneously reassure her that I will return for her later while also disappearing without her noticing because separation brings much anxiety at this time
• Drive to work like a maniac without harming pedestrians or other drivers
• Work hard at saving the children for 8 hrs while running errands to help save my own children on my lunch break
• Leave at 4ish to go pick up BG
• Go home, take care of Bobby and then have outside play time, which she demands by crying at the door, screaming "outshide! outshide!")
• Cook dinner while fending off dog and keeping an eye on the BG
• Then, around 6:15 or so, Daddy mercifully arrives home and we all sit down for dinner
• I then alternate between feeding myself and BG, which usually goes pretty well though sometimes takes some wrangling, coaxing and bribing with animal crackers
• Then, we have a little more playtime, a walk or family bike ride (we love this! just got Em a seat for the back of G's bike and it totally rocks!)
• Then it's time for playing with "bubbles" otherwise known as bathtime
• Then a book and some milk, real quick, then time for "night nights"
• By now, it is 8:30-9:00 and I always have big ideas about exercising, cleaning, reading, writing, etc. I manage to fit some of these things in here and there, but never as much as I hope to.

As you can see, blogging and nearly everything else gets a bit neglected in my rush to keep up with Ms. Em! It's hectic and may sound awful to others, but I love it all! My only regret is that being this busy makes time go by so fast...

Developmental Update:

• Em sings along with or sings parts of songs (Old MacDonald- obsessively!, Wheels on the Bus, Down in the Jungle)
• Is saying probably 50 words or more (hard to keep up because there are new ones everyday! My current favorite is her frequent, and correct, use of the word "happy." Por ejemplo, yesterday when we arrived at the pool, Em stopped and got a little grin on her face and whispered to me, "happy!")
• Can practically sprint, tries like crazy to swim (wants to go underwater, which is definitely off limits since we've already had 2 sets of ear tubes!)
• Knows and names most body parts (favorite is "bellybutton"), animals, animal sounds, articles of clothing, modes of transportation (bike, truck, car, choo choo, boat, etc.)
• Walks up stairs while holding the rail, rather than climbing up
• Can feed herself with utensils somewhat- it is pretty messy and we have some more progress to make, but she really wants to and tries very hard
• Recognizes all of her family members in pictures and seems to have a longer ability to remember people that she doesn't see every day (this makes Granny and Papa very happy!)

Working Model

For the last 11 years, I have spent my working life evaluating families and trying to understand the complexities of the parent child relationship. One of the procedures that we do at our clinic to help us understand these relationships a little better is called the Working Model of the Child Interview. I just did one with a mom this afternoon that made me think of what I would say about Emmy. One part of the interview involves picking 5 words to describe your child's personality. Another part has the parent select 5 words to describe the relationship. These likely change all the time. Here are mine, right now, about my little 14 month old darling:

Personality:

1. Big- as in you have a big personality for such a tiny girl and you are already a force to be reckoned with; you also think you are so big already and can do things on your own (you will be getting your own apartment next week)
2. Fun- you love to have fun and you make everyone around you have fun; you have a very playful nature
3. Busy- you give your old Mom and Dad a good run for their money! you are definitely on the active end of the spectrum and you get the most out of every moment
4. Curious- you are so smart, curious and interested in everything; like your father, you want to know what everything is and how it works; you are fairly patient in your attempts to figure things out for being such a little one
5. Free spirited- you laugh like a hyena and as your Tiny Tots teacher says, you really like to "shake your stuff!" You will get up and dance in front of a crowd or just to yourself and sometimes the music is only in your head!

Honorable mentions: intense, joyful, beautiful, loving, nature lover, animal lover, feisty, smart, confident, generally awesome:)

Relationship:

1. Bliss- our relationship is characterized by such happiness right now with the hard times being so small
2. Entertaining- I think we both entertain each other quite well! It could just be me and you in a room and we would find ways to have fun and laugh for quite a while!
3. Loving or affectionate- I kiss you so much that you probably think I am trying to eat you and you give wonderful hugs, kisses that often resemble nibbles, and snuggle like none other!
4. Constant-we are together a lot and you definitely are my girl. This mother-daughter thing is 24-7 and I wouldn't have it any other way.
5. Intense- the mother daughter bond is everything they say, with intensity being a 10 out of 10! (or as they say in Spinal Tap, "these ones here go to 11!"). What a close and wonderful relationship- I'm so glad I get to experience it, especially with you.

Tiny Tater Tots

Emmy has moved into the one year old room, where she is now a scrapper. There has been an incident report every day. Every day she bops herself on the head with a toy, walks into a door, gets bitten or bites someone. Every day she leaves home looking like a living doll and comes home with filthy black clothes (from playing on the play ground), with multiple food stains on her shirt, adorning a new minor injury, sticky with sunscreen (which leaves her smelling like the beach, mmm....), and with Sweaty Betty dreadlocks where her curls and hairbows used to be. I must say that she seems happier in the Tiny Tots (one year old) room, and she seems like such a big kid. She walks with authority, talks more, uses her paci less and seems like a kid on a mission. When I arrived to pick her up yesterday, she was standing on top of some toys, with a sensory-play scarf flapping in each hand, squealing with glee and wearing a huge smile on her face! The tater tots teacher said Emmy is spunky, happy and isn't intimidated at all by the older kids. Little Ms. Firecracker. Should've been born on the 4th of July!

A note to 1 year old Emmy:

Dear Ms. Emmy,
You are funny! You crack Mommy up with your constant talk of dogs, babies, balls and "wha dis?" questions. You are absolutely too fun. Please, however, stop growing up so fast. You are breaking your old Mom's heart. Seriously, what have you done with my tiny little baby girl? Ah, scratch all that. You keep up the good work, kiddo! You are doing great and my heart bursts with pride. Just one thing, please don't bite your cousin Lucas anymore at school. I know you little tater tots are into the biting thing, but just don't bite your cousin! He is such a sweet boy! I love you, munchkin.

Love always,
Mommy

Blackbird

I have been a delinquent blogger and documentarian of the life of Em. This month has been super-duper busy, which is way more intense than just super busy. Birthdays, work, the seemingly endless dragging on of the legislative session, spring outings, Easter planning, vacation planning etc. The list goes on and on! Things have been busy but good. Em has literally learned to run in the last few weeks. We went for her one year old check-up and the doc said, "Well, Mom, I don't have to ask if she has started taking her first steps yet," as she ran circles around him like the Tasmanian Devil. We're still speaking mostly space language (actually, Em has about 10 real words she says with consistency, though she prefers to loudly babble on like an alien), but her motor skills are advanced, I think. Actually, her "motor" is a highly revved machine! She is a whirlwind of activity, which is great, except her nearly middle-aged parents can hardly keep up! Em is curious and into everything. She is so excited about the world around her, which is delightful to witness. In the evenings, we have been having trouble settling down for bedtime because there is just too much to see and do. My current secret weapon is singing. I've always loved to sing and was in choirs and choral groups throughout my youth, though I am no soloist. Em doesn't seem to mind. The soothing song of choice these days is Blackbird by none other than the Beatles. She also is partial to (G, don't laugh) a "Bret song" by the Grateful Dead called I Will Take You Home. The music of my college years is all I can actually remember the lyrics to, so I try to pick what seems most appropriate. Oh how I love singing to that sweet little girl!

Emotional Rescue

Today is a very, very special day. Emmy is 1 year old! What a sweet year with our sweet little girl. I've loved it all (with the exception of a few sleepless nights), and it is hard to believe the first year is over. Every day is a new adventure with her, and she is so much fun. I hope she is having a good day and I think she is. We had a big time this morning riding her new wagon around in the house (there were lots of "oohs" and "ahs" when she saw it), and I had lunch with her at school (Em had fried chicken for the first time- there may be no going back now!). This evening we are meeting Daddy at Monkey Joe's to check out the toddler play area and then go home to have spaghetti (Em's favorite) and some giant cupcakes. The real party will be Saturday, though and we can't wait to visit with family and friends. We are having a Dr. Seuss-themed party to celebrate Em's love of her bookies, her favorite "toys." What a glorious, spring day it has been, which seems fitting . I know it's not all about me today, but this day means more than my own birthday now (which is exactly 4 weeks from today- argh, I'm getting old fast!) and I've enjoyed it too. Good times... great memories...

By the way, Em loves the Stones. I mean, of course she does, right? She has good taste in music. She, like her mama, has a nice appreciation for the 80's disco-pop Stones, too. I love Emotional Rescue and she loves to bop along to it to. She/we also love She's So Cold, but note to parents out there that you need to kill the volume at the 2:38 mark, unless you want your kid going to school or church telling everybody they learned to say bad words while listening to Mommy or Daddy's Stones records. We might have to work in a little retro, birthday dance party this evening as well.

Well, cheers to Emmy! She has been a champion of babies this year. Happy birthday, my sweet girl! And many more...

The Talking Tree

It has been a while since my last post, but I have been too busy chasing a fully walking baby to do much writing! The girl is walking so well now and as a result, needs some new shoes. She has been wearing the soft, baby Roby shoes, which are great for learning to walk. However, these shoes are not moisture proof at all, and Em is ready to walk (and practically run) outside. Given that we are in a constant state of slushy and/or frozenness in KY these days, we need some real shoes! I have to warn you that this post is anti-climatic, but it is a memory nonetheless so I feel compelled to document.

Yesterday, I was sooooo excited to take Emmy to the Howard Curry shoe store to buy her first pair of real shoes. This is the store where my first shoes were purchased, though it recently relocated. For all locals, you know that the highlight of the Howard Curry experience is the talking tree (that always knew your name, just like Cheers), which I had been informed had made the move to the new store. So we go to Howard Curry's yesterday, ready to lay down $45 for a pair of baby shoes that Em will wear for 2 months (can anyone spell "highway robbery?"). We come in and the new store is quite nice; it is brightly colored and kid friendly. Nothing at all like the drab, 70's version of the old store, which I must say I still prefer, but there was the blessed talking tree just as promised! Em had a ball running around, while I looked for the perfect shoe. Now I must admit that my girl has some petite feet, but would you believe they had only one pair of baby girl shoes in her size??? They were cute and fit her well. Little navy t-straps, but I was kind of hoping for something more casual and in the brown/pink range. We may go back, but we left without making a purchase. Worst part of all- they did not have the talking tree say goodbye to Emmy!!! Perhaps you have to actually buy something to obtain a farewell from the tree? I should have at least bought her some socks so she could get a shout out. Well, we will be back. For now, we're off to Stride Rite to find some tiny shoes for the tiny princess!

Emerson, Pearl Jam & Nirvana

As I have mentioned before, we are serious Sirious satellite radio jammers in our house. Em seems to love music as much as we do. G and I thought we were majoring in music with a minor in slacking in college, which is why we collectively saw a half-million concerts but took 80 years to graduate. I hope Em doesn't love music quite that much, but actually... on second thought I think I do. As long as she eventually leads a productive life, that is.

Our music listening has been making me feel a little old of late. Em and I had an awesome, leisurely breakfast and morning together because today was a snow day for the local school district. This means our daycare is on a delay, therefore, Mommy is on a delay to stay home with our homegirl. So we took our time eating breakfast, turned the music up and jammed out. Good times all around! I love these moments, and I remember them when I am super tired and the runaround business that is life leaves me exhausted. Ah, so sweet! Then the Pearl Jam tune Santa Cruz came on. I love this song but seriously how old are we that Eddie Vedder is now waxing poetic about having kids and remembering being 17??? Even sadder that I can totally relate. Are we officially middle-aged? Who cares. Too tired to get wrapped up in the "I'm so old" self-pity party. I laughed out loud this morning when I remembered that the theme song for my senior prom was Pearl Jam's Alive. Isn't that funny? Good song but what about that song says prom? Maybe we should have picked Jeremy instead. At least it has a school oriented theme.

Another old-school music moment happened on Friday. G and I were looking through some old cd's (remember those? precursor to mp-3 files? round, shiny...), and we found Nirvana's Nevermind. Em got to rock it out to some grunge-masters who never grew old, well at least Kurt Cobain didn't. She seemed to like it for a while, though after a few songs she began to take on this surly, semi-depressed attitude and when she asked for a flannel shirt and some dirty sneakers we thought we better turn it off.

Well, we finished off our morning by jamming out to the Replacements. Em seemed to dig this, too. All in all, I think she has pretty good taste in music, but I'm reserving judgment until she is in high school.

Walkerson, the Gym Rat

Big week in Woosleyville! Ms. Em is a walker- woo hoo!!! Just call her Walkerson. Walkie-talkie. Walker, Texas Ranger. Whatever, the girl can walk! All weekend long she was walking quite well, but she still insisted upon holding onto one of my fingers. On Monday, I guess no one at daycare was touring her around all day, so she decided to walk. I picked her up on Monday afternoon and she just walked on over to me like, "Hey Mom! What's the big fuss? Walking? Of course, I can walk... been doin' it for years!" I reminded her that this was not actually possible since she is not quite one year old, but she continued to argue with me and assure me that she could practically run. That girl sure has an argumentative nature! Not sure where she got that... couldn't be from her attorney father or her generally disagreeable mother. Well, the point of this whole mini-drama is that the girl can walk. She has been walking, at-will, ever since. She isn't traveling any far distance, but can take as many as 10 steps at a time. Funny how fast it happens. Now, let's see if she ever talks in any intelligible language!

Another major event occurred last night. Ms. Em made her first trip to Rupp Arena, and the girl seemed to love it! Of course, she comes from a long line of gym rats in this family. Just ask her Aunt Polly what her favorite meal is and she is likely to tell ya it's a hot dog/popcorn combo from Memorial Gym. I don't know who started the whole gym rat tradition, but I'd guess it came from the Cox boys (Uncle Johnny, All American and his bro, Uncle Cokie- both players!). I know my mom loved watching Cokie play amongst others. I learned to love the sights, smells (yes, oddly enough!) and sounds of a basketball gymnasium by spending years of my life watching my brother in action. I may have complained on occasion, but I loved it! Em seems to love basketball, too. She really could not take her eyes off of the court, but she also seemed to enjoy the band. Great memories! Thanks to G's wonderful colleague for the great seats!

Van Morrison, Foo Fighters & Pele

You are thinking, what in the heck do these cats have in common? Nada! Except an afternoon of lovely memories with my little gal. Yesterday, we were singing and dancing to Van Morrison's Caravan. She was so cool! I swear she was bouncing along and trying her best to sing! The next song that caught her attention during our little mid-week dance party was Foo Fighters' Wheels (gotta love Sirius' The Spectrum- keepin' it real, keepin' it random, keepin' it really random!). Em's got some moves, of course, she always looks like she's bouncing along to Snoop Dogg or some old school funk tune. I don't know where she got it, but Little Sister's got some soul!

The next highlight of our evening was Emmy's interest in kicking around her ball. She now walks pretty well while holding onto one of our hands for light support. She can actually get up some speed and practically run. Apparently, Daddy had been teaching her about kicking without my knowing it, and last night she was dribbling her big green ball around our house like she was Pele, or perhaps the next Mia Hamm! It was impressive, and I have hope that she may not be as athletically challenged as her mother. Fine, fun evening!

Unrelated

Unless you believe that everything is related (and it probably all is), this blog entry has little to do with parenting or babies. It's just a blah, wintry afternoon and I wanted to list some things that make me happy. They are not in any sort of order. They are random. Unless, of course, you believe that nothing really is random (and it probably isn't).

1. Emmy when she wakes up laughing and/or smiling.
2. Emmy in her bathrobe- don't know why but a baby in bathrobe cracks me up.
3. Emmy walking- it's a zombie-like gait for now, but oh-so cool.

10 Non-Emmy 'Things'
1. Bird Nest by Charlie Parker
2. Mobiles
3. Bob Dylan & Woody Guthrie
4. God, though He/She probably doesn't recognize me anymore- I've been making too little time for spiritual reflection. Yet another parenting adjustment to make...
5. Trees
6. Mountains with their tops intact
7. Post-it notes & the fact that UK supplies me with all I need (xo, UK! One of your finest features:)
8. yogurt- Emmy loves it, too. Inexplicably, G hates it.
9. Old pictures
10. My dining room table. A little shabby now, but it was my grandmothers. I often think of my whole family crowded around it back in the day.

Legislative Effects on Childrearing

We have now survived two weeks of the legislative session in our household, which may not seem to be a big deal to most, but is to us. G, being a small part of the legislative machine, now departs early, early in the mornings which leaves me to get Em up, dressed, to school, me to work, me to pick her up, me to care for crazy bird dog while simultaneously suppressing desires to turn him loose while simultaneously cooking dinner all before my loyal and talented co-parent is released back into the wild and is able to assist me again. I will admit that there have been a few moments that brought tears to my eyes, but all in all it has gone pretty well. I like having the extra time with Emmy in the mornings, so that is a nice bonus, and she has been such a kind and pleasant baby of late. It sure does make my job easier, but she still fights me every morning when I put her coat and hat on! She hates it! Yesterday, I was able to make this process pain free by singing to her, but today that did not work at all. I need a better distraction or at least some better songs.

Hey, does anyone remember that educational cartoon from way back with the song "I'm just a bill, up on Capitol Hill..?" It gets stuck in my head all the time whenever G is talking about his work. Maybe I should sing that one to Emmy next time we are putting on our coats!

Dylan

Most of you who know us know that G and I both have a slight obsession with Bob Dylan. Because of this I have always loved the name Dylan, and I had hoped to someday use this name for one of our offspring. In the meantime, the name Dylan exploded in popularity. I guess we have Beverly Hills 90210 to thank for this (and as a closet 90210 fan, I figure it's a small price to pay). In my career as a social worker, I have known literally hundreds of kids named Dylan, Dillon, etc. Alas, we did not use this name, but geeze I still love Bobby D! Maybe we'll name a fish or a cat after him someday. I was listening to a random Dylan mix this morning on my way to work when I heard him croon in that endearingly, nasal and croaky voice of his, "She has a face that shines like the sun in the sky." Of course, I thought of my girl. We haven't had too much sun lately, but I've hardly noticed. That is is a big statement coming from me because I am usually sun-starved by this point in the season (yes, I know it is still early winter!), but lately I have been having too much fun to care that we are stuck inside and it is nearly always dark and freezing cold. Em is clearly feeling better (thank you, Dr. Van Metre!), and we have had a great deal of fun so far this cold and blustery winter. I want to take her out in her new snow suit, but it hasn't really been warm enough yet. Hopefully we will have a balmy, 20 degree day soon and we can get out and play in the snow for just a minute at least. Maybe we'll even build a snow girl! And name her Dylan...

The New Adventures of Young Emerson

It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't."
-- Barbara Kingsolver

Emmy is on the move for real now! She can take a couple of independent steps before falling into our arms, she cruises with ease and stands on her own. She can bend down to pick things up and sits down from a stand rather than falling down. Little BG is going to be walking before you know it! I am amazed and proud of her, but those little snuggly baby days are just slipping away so fast. We only have two months left until her birthday, which seems unbelievable. G and I were talking about taking down the co-sleeper last night because it hasn't been used in 6 weeks or so, and I realized that it has been taking up all of the space in our tiny bedroom for a whole year- crazy! It is a little nuts that it is still there, but Em slept in our room until she was about 8 months old, not because she wasn't ready to move on but because I wasn't. She transitioned to her room no problem, heck she was probably relieved to have some quiet and privacy! I'm a nut. Anywho, the girl is also talking more and more as well. Today she said "book" several times, which is no surprise because she has been book-obsessed for months now. They are still (in spite of the awesome toys she received at Christmas) her favorite play-things and we read at least 20 of them a day. While she likes to read, she loves to look at them, play with them and chew on them just as much. It's funny to watch her and wonder what she is thinking about. I wonder if she is making up her own stories about the characters. It is even more fun to watch her kiss several of the characters or pictures in her favorite books. Current kissable favs include Mr. Brown, a gorilla, a baby, and a picture of her Dada in a photo book about her. She babbles more and tries to say words now when we are reading, which is a rather new development that I attribute to a recent improvement in her hearing since receiving ear tubes over the holidays. I hope this continues and her speech begins to take off. Little baby voices are too sweet!

Holiday Update 2009

I was thinking a little holiday update was in order and I received some encouragement from a fellow blog-sister, so here it goes! I feel like so much has happened since I last wrote that I hardly know where to begin. It has been since last year, you know! I am 33 years old and I still love making lame, completely humorless new year's jokes. Sad. Anyway, we had a great holiday! It was so nice for G and I both to have two weeks off to spend with Emmy. We had a lot of different functions in the evenings, but we spent nearly all day every day just hanging out with each other. She is so close to walking and actually talking that this time was invaluable. We could practically see her developing into a toddler over the break she was changing so fast. Spending time with her and being in church with my beautiful little family on Christmas eve were the best parts of this holiday for me, but there were many other highlights. I will try to recount them in list form. Happy 2010 everybody! xoxo- A



Top 10 Things About Christmas Break 2009 (the highlight reel, sports fans)

10. All three of us staying in pj's nearly all day long

9. Watching UK beat UofL- we're back baby!

8. Enjoying "wine-thirty" a few times thanks to my brother-in-law who brought us a case of "two buck chuck" from the Trader Joes in St. Louis

7. Watching Emmy chew all of her new toys and clothes and realizing we could've just given her sticks

6. Enjoying excessive use of red and green hairbows on my child in spite of her having limited hair (hey, she was in costume as a present!)

5. Bowling with the fam- I got a strike!!

4. Spending nearly all day in our jammies... did I mention that I enjoyed this?

3. Playing elfen helpers to Santa Clause for the first time

2. Watching Emmy's face light up when she got her new baby doll from Granny and Papa

1. Being thankful to have the chance to see most (though not all) of the people I love most around the holidays, and for us all having pretty good health and situations for the upcoming new year. God bless us, every one!

Honorable mention: Eating 2 lbs of the awesome beer cheese that my father-in-law made and all of the breads, cookies and candies given to us by our dear, sweet friends. You all made me fatter, but I love ya for it! Peace out and enjoy 2010!!!