We really haven't dropped off the face of the Earth. I have SO much I want to blog about but it's been a little impossible this past week. Work has been busy, we have family in town and oh yeah Mak got 3 more molars in one day and there are a few more just waiting to break through. Yep, I'm being a whiny mama, I have no shame.
Makaela has been having a really hard time with this round of teething. From projectile vomiting, to just general all day whining, and no naps, it's been rough for everyone.
But I promise, we've squeezed in some fun lately and I have the pictures to prove it which I will post as soon as I can pull together a coherent thought/post :)
WTF. I apparently did not hit "publish" when I wrote this Monday. Sigh. Here it is now.
A few weeks ago the mini and I got to go on a girls weekend where we met up with Miss Mel and her mom!
Destination: Fort Walton Beach/Destin/Miramar Beach...I'm not sure I know the difference :)
Mel and her mom were down for a Florida getaway (much needed break from the horrible winter weather they endured!) and they were kind (and brave) enough to invite me and Mak to stay with them for a few nights!
They even tolerated my craziness and allowed me to do THIS to my room to ensure that Makaela would nap. Florida sun is NO JOKE, haha.
Yes, I'm really that crazy. I brought tacks and extra blankets for this reason. Mama loves when baby naps.
Gosh, it was so nice to see those lovely ladies. We enjoyed lots of girl talk, movies (along with drinks, chocolate and kettle corn, of course), tasty meals, REAL STARBUCKS, shopping, and the AMAZING pool and gorgeous beach. Sounds perfect, right? It was.
Mak warmed right up to Mel and her mom (who wouldn't?!). Makaela loved having tea parties (especially when British accents were involved), playing on the balcony with her buddies, splashing them in the pool (when not fixated on that darn abandoned football) and haming it up at restaurants - anything for a laugh.
The beach was perfect and it was the first time Makaela truly warmed up to the whole walking-in-the-sand thing. By the end of the day she was unstoppable - she practically inserted herself into some drunkin' yuppies game of frisbie. I believe they slurred an offer to build sandcastles with her. She threw a tantrum when I made her pick different friends to hang with ;-)
Although we missed Daddy, it was just the girls getaway that we needed. Thank you so much Mel and Mrs. D - can we do it again soon?!
In fact, we loved the beach SO much we decided to drag Daddy down there the following weekend. It's a pretty fantastic day trip!
She was so excited to play at the beach and chase "duck duck duck"s (birds actually) she skipped her nap. That was okay though because she got to kick back in her stroller when we roamed the outlet mall.
Daddy probably could have used a nap though after all the running around he did chasing Makaela up and down the beach. She would have liked to walk directly into the Gulf if we let her. No fear of the waves, none at all. Also, no fear of strangers - she sat right down to a nice lady reading a book. She was ready for story time ;-)
We hit up a yummy pizza spot (I think our pizza weighed 10 pounds) before hitting the road. Mikmak rocked some awesome beach hair. The telltale sign of a successful beach trip, no?
Last weekend Shana came to visit. We were SO excited to see her (We'd been counting down for months) and it was extra special that she was here for Mak's party!! She was such a trooper and flew in after being out of town for workt the whole week. We greeted her at the one-gate airport with rain, a large off-white SUV like everyone else and smiles...and then we made a quick stop at Walgreen's to pick up photos... Oh hey hot mess baby...
After that we hightailed it over to Chili's where we had the BEST TIME. I mean, how do you not have a blast at Chili's? It is delicious.
Makaela enjoyed sorting through the sugar, slurping a fruit pouch and showing Shana just how quick yogurt melts dissolve in one's mouth.
We laughed a ton and giggled awkwardly as Mak stared down some fellow diners until they smiled back at her.
Shana was bombarded greeted by Rocky and Ginger the second she walked through the door. Um why did I not get any photos of them with Auntie Shanerz?! Oh right, maybe because Rocky was too busy licking Ginger's ear and humping her all day. Hmm.
Girl chat continued as we gave Mak a bath. We tried not to laugh as she did some deep squats and attempted to escape from the tub by flinging one leg up and out. She was full of sillies and just loved putting on a show practicing her "uh-oh" (which she mastered the next day). Shana witnessed a milestone, yessssssssssssss.
And then Mak transformed into a mini-Tim. Shana was so right, that face in the picture below is a spitting image of Tim's baseball picture circa 1995.
After putting the nugget to bed we got down to BIZNAS. Shana chopped up some awesome streamers for Mak's party while I shaped a tissue paper ball. We party prepped our little hearts out all night, and by all night I mean until my 9-ish bedtime ;-)
I wouldn't have survived the next morning of party preparations with out Chjanea! A true friend coats everything in sprinkles, and that is precisely what she did. Between the cupcakes from Gigi's we had for breakfast and sampling everything frosting and sprinkle covered we were living high on sugar. Shana's taste buds may or may not have been shocked into inflammation during her hiatus from Shent ;-)
Later that night we ditched the bambino (and Tim) and went out for sushi. We were like two hicks who ain't never had no raw fishes before. Using chopsticks upside down, dropping bites, flinging utensils...you name it, we did it. It was glorious.
Sunday our lady love adventures continued with several more trips to Mcdonald's and some shopping. Auntie Shanerz treated Mak to some ADORABLE blue hair clips (made of sleeping bag, right? haha) and a fun Nemo bath toy. Lucky girrrrrrrrrrl.
When we got home we played games and realized how similar Mak is to a cat. Shana has a Friskies app on her IPad that her cats love to play and what do ya know, Mak ALSO loved it. Hahaha. Animal/baby comparisons are so spot on, I'm telling you!
It was SUCH a great weekend and it went by way too fast. Blah. Please stay forever next timmmmme Shana! We can airdrop all day e'ry day. It would be a dream. Thank you so very, very much for all of the wonderful photos and videos you captured, for traveling cross country to spend time with us, for the sweet gifts, for putting up with my constant nose blowing and for being so easy breezy!! You are a GEM. Loverz ya!!!
On Saturday, March 29th (Mak's due date last year!) we hosted Makaela's Birthday Party! It was full of sprinkles, streamers and sweets. Auntie Shanerz came to visit and was an enormous help, seriously the party would not have happened without her.
The cupcakes and smash cake are Funfetti, of course. But guys, my mom-brain almost messed them up. I was mixing up the batter and glanced at the box to see the ingredients and thought to myself hmmm I don't know if I added water, so I poured in the full amount listed and my mixer started splashing water alllllll over. Maybe I had already added it? Or maybe the timing of when I added it caused the splash? I honestly don't know but the cakes were a hit....phew!
I wanted lots of color and just a playful, homemade vibe and I think we achieved that!
Ummm...all of the decorations may or may not still be up...Moving on...I printed the Instagram photos from Walgreens - they can do them in an hour...super convenient!
We were so happy to be able to celebrate the big day with friends. Makaela had a blast, working the crowd in her birthday crown and tutu.
The first portion of the party was spent socializing and snacking. The weather was a little meh, so we stayed inside but it really wasn't a big deal.
All of the kids got along - no tantrums! If that isn't a successful (lucky) party, I don't know what is! The kiddos were especially digging the sensory bottles. At one point they each had one in hand, haha. It's the little things...
After some serious play time we needed to refuel with sugar, and what better way to do that than to eat everything coated in sprinkles!!!! Haha.
I wasn't sure how receptive Mak would be to the smash cake. I had a feeling she wouldn't be shy about it, but I certainly didn't expect her to practically FINISH OFF THE WHOLE CAKE. She just went for it like a champ and dove right in. Fistfuls of cake!
I love how she looked around the room as we were singing to her and I love how she ate the cake like it was no big deal. I swear cake isn't on the normal dinner menu around here, but mmm wouldn't that be nice.
After the cake smashing, sprinkle eating and birthday song singing, we decided to hand out goodie bags (filled with a light-up ball, a book and goldfish crackers!) and let the little lady open her presents.
Holy guacamole was she EXCITED. It was adorably, funny! I'm not kidding, she walked around and showed off everything - from the cards, to the toys, books and clothes. The girl already likes clothes, uh oh.
Look at what I got guys, isn't it cool?
Oh and don't forget to check all this out...
Thank you to everyone who wished Mak a happy birthday, brought gifts and sent gifts. You all are so thoughtful and it was a wonderful day that we'll never forget!! Alright, I SUPPOSE Mak might not remember it, but I can promise that in the moment she was filled with joy and her smiles are images in my brain I will treasure always.
