Mia swings

Mia loves, loves, loves her birthday presents from Nancy and Grandpa Doug! They gave her a swing that hangs from the big tree in our front yard. She makes hilarious noises, including squeals, growls, grunts and giggles.

OK, OK

OK, so I was having some technical difficulties, but they have all been resolved! Hooray! Apparently I had filled up my Google account with photos for this blog and there was no more room. But don't you worry, trusty readers, I fixed the problem. So there's lots of catching up to do. :)

The smash cake that wasn't smashed

Mia had her first birthday party Sunday and it was absolutely fantastic! It was pretty small - just with a few close friends and family. But it was so fun! She wore her dress that I made her. :) We had cupcakes, and I made a great big one for her. (Apparently mini-cakes for kids to demolish are called "smash cakes." Just FYI in case you're confronted by a super-hip mom who gives you a vocabulary quiz. I would fail.)

Here are the pictures. Get ready, people. There are a million.

Mia is the daintiest cake eater of all time. This was the height of the craziness. Everyone watched her as she sort of pinched off teeny tiny bits of frosting. She didn't even really try the cake part. Oh, well. I ate it for her in the car.

Great-Grandma Sue tries to show her how to do it.

Mia is adorable in her little dress and shoes! These photos document the 2.4 seconds she was actually wearing her cute little Mary Janes.

Escape!

I specifically told everyone no presents. And then everyone got angry with me. Mia received some very, very nice gifts. :) Thank you to everyone!

Our family with my grandparents.

My Grandpa Dean arrives after an extensive tour of Oklahoma City.

Playing with leaves with Aunt Kay.

Mia inspects her hilarious witch hat, which we expect her to wear into adulthood.

Mia checks out her monkey toy. I like this picture because it looks like she has a mullet. Never fear. It's just the hair of the girl holding her. :) 

Falling in love with the Grouchy Ladybug from the Petersons.

Mia started playing with he rtoys within 3.2 seconds of getting home.

If you have any pictures from the party, I'd love to have them. Thanks! :)

Game day!

Once again, the Hogs caused great stress in our home. But sadly, things didn't go as well as last Saturday. I spent most of the game folding laundry and freaking out. My mom eventually went to the kitchen to cut vegetables for Mia's party. Oh, well. At least Mia got to play with Grandma Peggy and PawPaw Bob. 



Mia is ready for some football!

We were Hoggin' it up! BTW, that is just pop in my fabulous Razorback martini glass. So just cool your jets, people. I wasn't boozing it up with Mia. She was boozing it up with me.

Mia teaches PawPaw Bob how to use a toy.



Everybody look right!

I have no idea what we're doing, but I love this picture:

Also, Mia got her birthday present from Nancy and Grandpa Doug: a swing! That will go up in the front yard ASAP. She also got a hilarious birthday card, which she immediately attacked:

When we don't leave soon enough

Mia couldn't wait for us, so she decided to drive herself home.

Mia prepares to take a right-hand turn.

Mia resets the odometer.

Her own limo

Mia's daycare, like lots of daycares, has the most hilarious stroller ever. It's a four-kid stroller that they use to push around the kiddos when they go on outdoor adventures. The babies and toddlers love it. Love it! One time when I was at a daycare for a story, a toddler threw herself against the side of it, wailing with sorrow, when the teacher started to put it away.

The other day, Leigh and I saw Mia getting her own personal ride in this giant stroller limo. She was so happy to be in it, and she was super mad when we took her out to go home. I guess I'd be mad too if I had my own personal chauffeur around the building.

Not 40 yet

Leigh is amazing! Tonight he was named one of Oklahoma City's Forty Under 40 by OKCBiz Magazine. That's because he's one of the most awesome people who's younger than 40. I mean, seriosly. He's not even 30 yet!

Jill and I have to hold this thing because it's so huge!

Look at how cool he looks holding that award!

Watching him accept his award was so great. The emcee talked about his job but also everything he's accomplished with Vilakazi. It was so wonderful! Hooray, Leigh! (And congrats to our other pals who won - Bose' Akadiri, Ike Akinwande, Malek Massad, Andy Rine, Holly Shelton and Kristen Torkelson!)

Two years ago

Two years ago today I married my best friend. Saturday night Leigh and I went to Musashi's, courtesy Mia's hilarity. It was amazingly delicious.

The greatest soup of all time. Really. I think there was an international vote.

What Leigh was really looking forward to about our anniversary: the onion volcano.

All full and happy after dinner.

Monday morning I discovered this note as I shut the front door on my way to work. I cried. Surprising, I know. It was so cool. (We're having the front door painted this weekend, so Leigh didn't randomly decide to write notes on the house in permanent marker.) 

Thinking about the past two years, I've learned so much about Leigh and about myself. Leigh has been an amazing partner, and he has stood by me through so many difficult times. I've learned that he is here for real. He's not leaving. And I'm blessed to be married to someone as smart, kind and hilarious as he is. Thank you, Leigh, for being the best person I know.

Butterfly season

Even though these guys aren't monarch butterflies, they got me all excited about the monarch migration, which comes right through Oklahoma City. They move north out of Mexico in the spring and then south back to Mexico in the fall. These fellas were perched on the side of our garage. I haven't spotted any monarches, yet but I'm super excited to see them!

A near disaster

Saturday we watched the Hogs win - but nearly lose! - in a game against Georgia. Mia wore her new Razorback dress, courtesy Grandma Peggy.

Playing with toys before the game starts.

Everything's going OK.

Wait a minute. What's going on?

How did Georgia tie it? What the heck, Ryan Mallet?!?

Times are desperate. Might as well pour all the water on the floor.

But the Hogs pull it out. Hooray!

Attack of food on a stick!

Friday night we took Mia to her first state fair. We learned that even though she has my genes, she did not inherit my love for food on a stick.

You have to attack food on a stick before it attacks you. And you also have to share. You shouldn't eat something that's the size of your head.

Uncle Chad made Mia giggle all night.

The Jacobs family in front of the big wheel.

Mi'as review: the state fair gets a thumbs up.