I Hardly Recognized the Child

What a difference a haircut of a few inches and some curlers will make! Ella Grace went to school this morning as happy as a clam with her hair. And while she was getting dressed she kept asking 'Is my hair still curly? What about after I put my shirt on? Still?' I assured her that yes, her hair was still curly, and I promptly put all kinds of hair products and sprays in it. Because a) I can and b) I'm like that.

The Official Fete

Ashley wasn't officially One until we had the requisite cake and presents on Saturday. It was a low key affair that got started with me trying my best to write with icing. Damn you, Betty Crocker with your 'It's easy!' decorator icing tips!

Using the wrong tip meant that just eeking this out took FOREVER. (Yes, the AK was an afterthought. She didn't care! And no, you don't ever want to do lowercase letters. Trust me.)

Ashley's birthday was important enough for some royalty to stop by.

AK with the AK afterthought corner. Perfect!

I think you've got a little something on your face...

Mother Nature does not take appointments, so when she calls, Ashley Kate answers.

After a little diaper refreshing, on to the gifts!

Later that night with a clean face and a clean shirt. (And a not so clean seat!)

Pretending to use a spoon is The. Best.

The Big One

Happy 1st Birthday, Ashley Kate!

Goodness gracious, I can hardly believe it's been a whole year. Time flies when you're having fun, and that's the honest truth. It has been so interesting to watch you grow and develop and sometimes remind me so much of your sister, yet wholly becoming your own person. I love it.




A few things to note:

*Ella Grace is the Best Big Sister Ever

*You can kick your feet unlike anything I have ever seen, and it makes me laugh, laugh, laugh, unless I happen to be bent over you and catch a few of those blows to my person. Then it's not so funny. But still kind of.

*You drink milk like you haven't had it in days, days people!, when in reality, it's only been about two hours.

*Lilly had earned herself a home for life (again) with what she puts up with from you. Big, floppy dog ears are SO. FUNNY. So is pulling them. And chasing down the dog who may have tried to escape.

*Those big teeth? That, ahem, rather large head? The Crazy? They are all genetic, my dear, so while you may try to escape them, they will hunt you down. Especially The Crazy. Just take a look at your sister. And mother.

*Walking isn't at the top of your priority list, which is fine. I know, I know, you've got other stuff to do, like eat things off the floor, open cabinets and pretty much make a mess of my huge pile of paperwork 'to do'.

*That furious feet kicking mentioned above applies to bath time too. I'm pretty sure I need to invest in a head to toe rain suit to protect myself from all of the water that your wild feet kick up. The wall may need a suit too, while I'm at it.

* You are showing some slight tendencies to being a bit sadistic. I mean, if a baby can be sadistic, I don't know, but sometimes it doesn't turn out well for your daddy. Like if he happens to be wearing a wild rag that you handily grab the end of, pull, and laugh a wee bit maniacally about it.

* In true horse girl fashion, clucking is now in your bag of tricks. Lots and lots of clucking.

Baby girl, it only gets better from here. And we absolutely can not wait. (Me, your daddy, Ella Grace and The Crazy)

It's the Best I Could Do

I really seem quite incapable of composing a real post at the moment, so lucky for me I found these pictures that I need to share!

Oh, man, would you get a load of the blue eyes on this one?! (Click on the photo to enlarge.) These kids are KILLING me!

This is what happens when Ella Grace helps knead the dough for our pizza the other night. I have no idea when all of the flour went flying, but up to her head it went.

When Ella got sent home from preschool on Monday for being sick, we veered off to the grocery store for some Tylenol, juice, and anything, anything she would agree to eat. Because I was throwing out some of the super good, super 'sometimes' foods and she was turning them down FLAT. The child needed nutrition and I needed some ammo, so look who I found to help the cause... Why, it's the Disney princesses in noodle form! She agreed to that soup in an instant. This is probably the first time I have been thankful for those damn princesses being on every. living. thing.

This right here is super cool, super sleek new camera that we at the McClure house were given by our super cool, super sleek friends Angie and Scott. For no reason other than the fact that they are very, very generous and love us a bunch. I hope that you all are as lucky as us to have friends like that. It is a remarkable, awesome thing.

I Voted

I tried to wear a red shirt today because, well, that's how I am, but it just didn't go. That's not to say that I went all green party and voted Nader, though...

I'm kind of excited to watch the results roll in tonight! Maybe even to the point of making a little celebration out of it, even. You know, it's really too bad I don't think my candidate is going to win. I suppose tomorrow's wardrobe choice will include black, for mourning. :)

This Year's Pumpkin, part 2

The first pumpkin was Ella's choice, this pumpkin design was mine. And I hear that it was every bit the pain in the rear that it looks like it would be. (We bought a pumpkin carving kit that comes with designs and carving tools. David's got carving skills, but he's not THAT talented!)