Birthday dinner at Josh's favorite restaurant--Wildfire!
Josh & Brandon at the bar....

Kristin and I

What a fun, crazy night!

Gay dancers.....

OLD and passed out, while the rest of us played Rockband!

HAPPY 32nd BIRTHDAY, Josh!!!

This has been a fantastic year for you--each year makes me more proud of you! I am so proud of who you have made yourself become (Josh got great news this week), and I can't wait to see what this year brings for you!

I can't wait for our night out on the town tonight with great friends!

I love you!

Spring Vacation!

Emma and I baking cookies at Moo-Moo's house!
Caite sleeping with her little man.....she works nights and is always sleeping. :(

One of many "dance parties!"

Night out with my college roomies!

My favorite naked girls! ;)

Shopping trip with my sister-in-law, Megan!

Look at all of our purchases!

My girls loved Great Uncle Arthur! We stayed with my aunt and uncle while we visited my grandparents!

I went hunting on my grandparents' land for these Morel mushrooms! These were going for over $200 a pound while we were there....

Last time I went hunting, my aunt and I found several bags full, this trip, I found THREE mushrooms. :(

Emma performing on stage!

Hannah Montana, "Haniah Mueed" stage! Hand-crafted by my uncle!

Crazy Squish!

Playing on the playground in Springfield, IL.

We ALL love GrandMommy!

My cousins kids: Carlton, Emma, Haniah, Vivian, Aunt Jone (GrandMommy)

My cousin Melanie and I!

My Grandpa & Grandma Nickel!

"My Grandpa's 'Great'!"

She will LOVE this picture someday!

Aunt Jone on the drums!Car. Again.

The girls playing outside!

Emma feeding the ducks.

My cousins' kids.

Eva playing outside at Moo-Moo's!

Emma!

The girls and I left 10 days ago to meet my Mom and go visit my family that lives in Central IL. After a long weekend, we headed back to my parents' house in Milwaukee and spent the week there. Josh joined us Friday, after a trip on the Megabus (Thanks, Erin and Richard!), and we drove home yesterday! We had a blast touring the family!

Old Couple?!?

So.

It occurred to me today that Josh and I are becoming "more alike." Let me explain.

We like similar things. We order the same meals. We know what the other wants.

We go to bed at the same time (usually). We can figure what the other is thinking.

We have the same routine--wings on Tuesdays, pizza on Fridays, popcorn on Sundays.

We are getting old.

We figured it out today--we have been together for almost TEN years. Oh. My. Gorsh.

I will really FREAK out if people start telling us we look alike.

I guess we are growing old together.....

Squishy=Skinny

On our trip home this past weekend, Eva decided that it might be fun and exciting to not want to eat or sleep. I thought she wasn't feeling well until my Mom described how I was a baby--unadaptable, routine-oriented and demanding. However, Josh and I like to make up our own plausible explanations as to why our kids are "special." Josh decided that perhaps Eva has gotten a complex because we started calling her "Squishy" at such an early age, and suggested that it has gotten to her head. So, we decided that to prevent further eating disorders, that we should change her name from "Squishy" to "Skinny." She immediately started eating normally again when we got home. Glad we nipped that one in the butt.....

This is Josh. He is a Metrosexual.

He is Risen, He is Risen, Indeed!

13-Month Update

Eva is now past the 1-year mark, and I think it is time for an update on our cupcake for her "baby book."

~Eva is now walking! She had been taking a few steps here and there, but decided to walk across the room Monday night while Mommy was at the gym. :( She now walks everywhere!
~Eva jabbers all the time, but we can make sense of these words at the appropriate times: "Momma, Dadda, Em-ma, done."
~She is experimenting with organic 2% cow's milk, but still prefers Mommy's boob juice in a bottle.
~Eva is sleeping about 12-14 hours at night, and about 3 hours during the day!
~Eva's personality is really surmounting. She is not as laid back as we originally thought.....

Favorites!
Food: Bananas--she eats a whole one most mornings, also ANY fruit--we have to give her proteins and dairiy BEFORE the fruit or she won't eat anything else!
Drink: Mommy's boob juice, and WATER--she drinks it so fast that she is out of breath!
Activity: Reading books--she brings us books and plops on our laps
Cartoon with Emma: Dora--she loves to dance to the theme song!

Emma's favorite things about Squish: knocking her down, jumping on her tummy, and listening to her laugh--all at the same time!
Daddy's favorite thing about Squish: Her "squish-factor" and her giant blue eyes.
Mommy's favorite thing about her cupcake: The way she completes us, and makes every day another day that I cherish.....