Mr. Griswold....

My folks had a Christmas party to go to with a fun theme--Griswold family Christmas. My dad looks EXACTLY like Clark Griswold.... crazed squirrel and all.

Audrey thought the squirrel was awesome. She's pretty sure everyone should always have a fun toy attached to their back at all times.....

Mom is dressed as the boss' wife from the movie. And here they are with Genny!

AND today is my parents' wedding anniversary--Happy Anniversary to you!

Audrey says hello

Santa pics...

Pictures with Santa went rather well this year. See, Genny's (almost) smiling and Audrey.... well, she understands that the less she fusses, the faster that mommy will come back and retrieve her. Not that she's thrilled here. So while we're here, I thought it would be fun to put in the progression of Christmas pictures of years past. This one's last year when she was 2. Notice the iron bars of mom and dad's arms to keep Gen in this picture..... Robert looks a little tense.
And here is 2007, when she was 1. Notice the protective layer of green blankie.

And here we are at 3 months old, Christmas 2006.

Mice are Nice

Genny was given a book called "Mice are Nice." It's a cute little book about all the ways mice make wonderful pets. The pictures are cute. It rhymes. It's from her sweet cousin. But oh wait... it advocates mice as PETS!

So I didn't realize the danger of this book until yesterday. Genny announces....

Mommy! I want to get a mouse for our house!
Um, no sweetie.
But I waaaaaaaaant one. Mice are nice! {this is where I realized my huge mistake... the book!}
No, baby. Mommy doesn't allow mice to be in her house.

{Thinks intently for a while}

I KNOW! Let's build a little mouse house and put it in the backyard for the mouse!
And where would the mouse live?
Outside! In the mouse house! And.... I KNOW! We can get it some mouse toys and a mouse bed!
And what will it do?
{exasperated} It will PLAY with the mouse toys and SLEEP in the mouse bed, mommy!
What will it eat?
{extremely exasperated} MOUSE FOOD, mommy! I will get it a little bowl and fill it full of mouse food!
{thinks}
It will need water too. It can come and knock on Daisy's dog door and I will fill its little mouse water bowl.

But how will a mouse know to come live in our mouse house?
He will come knock on the front door and you will answer it and say "Hello, mouse! Come live in our mouse house."
But I might be scared. I might open the door and say "EEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKK!"
No you won't Mommy. You won't be scary. You will be nice.

Dog discipline...

Today Daisy decided to be a dog thief while I was gone. Here's what stopped her. The car seat cover that wouldn't fit through the dog door. But she did try......She knew she was in trouble.
And so when we got home, she promptly put herself in time out.

she's a girl....

I bought Audrey this really cute blue sweater and hat set. So cute. And very delicate ... put it on her today. And everywhere we went people assumed she was a boy. How could anyone look at that face and think she's a boy? seriously..... but she looks fabulous in blue, I think.....

Audrey Kate is 9 months old!

Dear Audrey Kate, this week you are 9 months old!

It's not today. Mommy's a little behind. Sorry.

In your picture you are wearing your friend's clothes because you barfed everywhere at Pizza Hut. It's ok. You're so cute that no one even minded. And you have the wildest hair.... well, almost ever. Your sister's hair was weirder, but I think you win the wild department. It's almost magentic... everyone seems to want to pat your crazy hairdo!

You're quite the amazing crawler. Boy are you mobile! I think you are plotting to escape your crib. In the past 24 hours you have shredded the ties holding your crib bumper on, and when I put you in there for a nap, you crawled to the side and attempted to fit through the rails. I think you are really, really clever, little one. I'm not sure how I'm going to keep up with you!

You've started copying what we do, and so you've learned to wave at us. Or bang on your high chair when Genny shows you how to. Sister loves you so much! She wants to teach you all the cool things that big girls get to do. If it were up to her, you'd get to share all her meals and sit next to her at all times, and always hold her hand. And she's sneak you chocolate ice cream if she could open the freezer by herself.

Today we had a milestone that I didn't really think we'd have... ever. At least not for a while. You had a checkup today, and the prognosis was "she looks great. no concerns!" Good job, little tater tot.