Halloween Tea

Sundays are usually fun in our house. Whether it's church and swimming or brunch and the park, we try to make each Sunday special; yesterday was one to remember! We went to the St. Paul Hotel for their annual Halloween high tea event with Baba, Eva's best friend Sadie, Sadie's mom and Sadie's grandma. Three generations of girls + costumes + yummy, fun food + the best tea I've ever tasted + a magician... it was lovely!

Eva went as Dorothy, Baba was the wicked witch and I was Glinda. Baba really pulled out all the stops for Eva's costume, painting her shoes red by hand and driving to 4 different locations to get the dress. So naturally, Eva was the cutest Dorothy ever. We were leaving the hotel as the Chicago Blackhawks NHL team was checking in for their game tonight against the Wild and 3 different big, burly professional hockey players stopped and commented.  When a man who probably has no real teeth of his own left and gets paid to punch people on the ice stops and says, "oh man, she's darling" it makes this a smile :)

We all had a blast; hopefully this becomes an annual tradition!

Jax the Cat

This is where I have found him the last 3 mornings in a row. So cute!

 

Bedhead Eva loves her Jaxie-Boy

 

First Real Sleepover

Eva has her first legitimate sleepover 2 weeks ago. Meaning no mommy staying the night with her and just sleeping in another room like before :-)

She spent the night at her best friend Sadie's house and other than 2 smaller girlie meltdowns, Sadie's mom said the girls had a blast.  Pillow fights, movies, popcorn, Barbies, brand new matching PJs- it was a 5 year old girls paradise! The next day I took the girls for the day and we had lunch and went swimming. I cannot put into words how happy I am that Eva has found a best friend who is so kind and smart and has parents that I am so comfortable with. I know best friends come and go (although don't tell them that, Eva is already talking about rooming with Sadie in college lol) but I'm hoping Eva always has such quality girls in her life.

 

My Baby Boys

So it's no secret that Jason and I are done having kids. What might be a secret to many of you is how bad I wanted Eva to be a boy. I was convinced I was having a boy during the early part of my pregnancy, so much so that when the ultrasound showed she was a girl (after Jason made the nurse check twice just to be sure there was no hope it was a boy) I cried. I cried a lot. I called my mom, sobbing, and she assured me that having a girl is the greatest joy a mom can have... but I was still unconvinced. I came to accept that I was having a girl, getting excited when we picked out names and started painting her room pink. Even so, when Eva was born, in my drug induced stupor, the first few moments after she was born I still lifted her little leg to see if she truly was a girl.

Fast forward: I have come to know that having a daughter is the most utterly amazing blessing I could have ever hoped for. I don't know why I ever doubted my mom, wise as she is, that having a little mini me would be anything short of perfection.

There is a part of me that always wonders what it would have been like to have a son but thankfully two of my best friends both had boys, and I am able to love them up often enough to hold my son-wanting urges at bay :)  We got all 3 bebes together for the first time every today. 5 1/2 years, 11 months and 3 weeks and they all just make my heart smile!

Holy Crap- 20,000 Views!

It snuck up on me! I feel so unprepared! I was going to have an awesome tribute or photo selection or video or something... I have totally dropped the ball! 

Well, I suppose that's what happens on the interwebz. We have now hit 20,000 blog views. I still have no idea where half you crazy people come from but I am grateful for the milestone nonetheless. 

Happier

My best friend Maria turned me on to this new app called Happier. It's sort of like Facebook and Instagram in that you share mundane things about your daily life, upload photos, "like" other people's stuff and have followers/friends but the whole concept of Happier is based on being just that, happier. The app reminds you throughout the to stop and think about the goods things in your life, to be grateful and joyful; it's just all around happy vibes. I can use it and not feel like I'm overloading my Facebook page with too many rainbows and butterflies. I highly recommend it to anyone who'd like to remember on a daily basis how utterly beautiful life is!

 

p.s. love you bia- I am so happy to see you smiling again!