For the record: we don't condone giving junk to our kiddo. But it's bright and sunny outside, everyone's cheerful and happy, and Carter ate all of her "hot gog," fruit and peas (PEAS! She ate PEAS!!). I think that warrants a nice, delicious cookie, right?!?
I'm fixing to eat you!
So good and so messy! It's a cookie, for crying out loud! It should be this messy!!!
Another one bites the dust ... I mean congratulations go Adam and Heather! They were married Saturday. It was a beautiful day, a wonderful ceremony, and a fun reception. It couldn't have gone any better, and it couldn't have happened to any cuter, more meant to be love birds! Congratulations, guys!
All dolled up: Carter and Daddy
Totally cute: Carter and Mommy
Andy & I
A very special, and super cute, Daddy/Daughter moment!
And an adorable first dance for the newlyweds!
Carter and her new-found friend cut a rug!
Once again, a dance floor full of kids! But note that Carter is the only one flashing on-lookers!
While dancing, she found a new, cooler Mommy. The flower girl, on the floor, was not happy with the new switch!
New friends, new adventures, and a new male admirer! Just another day in the life of Carter Kay!
Flashing boys the goods! That's how you keep 'em!!
All she wants to do is DANCE, DANCE, DANCE!
For real: Fazoli's Spaghetti should be a main component of the food pyramid!
SKETTY!
MESSY SKETTY! YUMMY SKETTY!!!
When she's really excited, she always yells things in triplicate: "A Kite! A Kite! A Kite!"
I know ... "Gosh! I wonder where that trait came from???" Yeah, I get it. For weeks, after ever song I heard on the radio, my first comment was, "They played that at the piano bar." And, for days now, I've been obsessed with the upcoming garage sale. So, "excitable" is an adorable family trait!
Andy put a kite, a kite, a kite together this windy afternoon. It's balance isn't quite right, but it still got a great giggle out of Carter!
I'll hold the string, you put it together! What a team!
"That's my kite!"
When Andy would fly the kite, it dove in circles and Carter scurried away, yelling and giggling! She's really afraid of bugs; she's only pretend-afraid of kites!
Tonight was Andy's monthly poker night. Lance and his wife Stephanie hosted, which means I got invited, too. Apparently, I have a "reputation" of being "fun" and "wicked," and Andy's team likes me. I know, shocking, huh?
There were 12 players, so Lance set up two tables. My table consisted of Lance, Eric and Nick, who I've played with before, and Matt, a newbie to the monthly games. I'm not the best poker player - these guys know all of my 3 tricks! - but they were all a little scared of me. "Loose cannon" and "what are you doing?!" were directed my way a few times! My first hand was pocket aces (had I been at Dan's table, I would have gone all in!), and I got lucky most of the night at our small table.
Andy's luck, not so great. But we both made it to "the final table," complete with comfy seats (yeah!).
I got snaked a couple times, but then remembered the things Andy had told me about poker. Then, slowly, Charlie was taken out, Dan was ran over by Andy, and Nick got knocked out. With a 10 and 6, and a 3, 6, and 10 on the river, I went all in against Eric (who I heart, but hate losing to!!). Andy and Eric didn't see my two pair, and Eric thought it had it! Sorry :( Then Stephanie was busted, and I'd made my initial $20 buy in back!
I only come to poker with two goals: #1, don't go out before Dan and #2, try and break even! So when it came down to Matt, Andy and I, and Andy busted Matt, it was all good! Andy and I split the profits of the evening: Andy getting $80 and giving me the first place pot of $100!
I'm officially retired from poker! I'm quitting on a high .. until next month!
Blueberry and chocolate chip muffins Monday morning! I promised my kids muffins if I won, and they all wished me luck!!
Finally, a beautiful, sunny (but breezy!) afternoon where we could break out the scooter!
Uncle Kevin and Aunt Katie got Carter a scooter for Christmas. Too hard to ride in the snow, but today was perfect!
Elbow and knee pads, helmet and shades - let's roll!
It's Speed Racer on a scooter!
It didn't take her long to figure out her balance, and push her little self down the road! All was good until we turned her around to head home. She refused, we walked off towards home, she turned herself back around and headed to the neighbors! We had to haul her home!
Today, it's "NO," tomorrow, it'll be "CRAP" or "SHUT UP!" her recent vocabulary additions!
Swaddling never goes out of style!
Carter, April 2008, 2 1/2 years old Carter, September 2005, 1 month old
Our good friends Shawn and Kelly are officially hitched! They were married last week, had their reception Saturday, and they're headed to somewhere sunny and warm (Mexico? Sorry, we can't remember!) this week!
We were all lucky enough to help celebrate and ring in their wedding with some fun! Congrats, guys!
Rory, Andy and Carter ... and the first of a few glasses of wine!
Daddy, Carter and Mommy
Rory and Andy ... note the afore mentioned glass of wine is empty!
After Kelly and Shawn greeted guests, and we all had super-yummy food (and a few beverages!), Carter hit the dance floor! Shake it, girl!
Get down with your bad self! She got all her rhythm from her Daddy!
Groovin' gingers!
At the first note of music, children swarmed the dance floor. Carter was one of the first! Initially, many children were accompanied with their parents: a couple dads, a few moms, and some older siblings danced along. The DJ cued The Chicken Dance and asked us all to make a circle. Instantly, everyone over 10 years old disappeared, and there was only me, with a dozen kiddo's.
What would bath night be without bubbles and foam?!?
It's a foam-crown for our Princess!
And a full-foam suit! CUTE!
As always, I had a wonderfully cute and super-sweet kitchen helper this afternoon!
We made pizza, from scraps!, and even a dessert!
Yummy!
Note to Self: it's always better to use the flour, not to wear the flour!
Roll it, pat it, and mark it with a B!
Enjoying our hard work! After some mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate brownie, Carter was a mess!
Kelsey came up this afternoon before an evening out to the piano bar. We did our Texas research (yes, we're going in June!), and we did a bit of shopping for girly things and such.
Then we met Andy and Rory and headed to the East Village to the Grand Piano Bar, my favorite! The food was great, the company was wonderful, and the music was fun, fun, fun! Good times!
Carter got to do a lot of "big girl" things with us this afternoon, and she thought she was going to get to go out with us, too. She had her jewelry and shoes on, and she was ready to go ... unfortunately ...
Rory and Andy, and me and Kelsey, enjoying dinner and silliness!
After Rory and Kelsey had finished off bottle number one, and the Piano Man (well, "Men," but "Piano Man" is more fitting!) came out, it was singing and goofiness and awesome!
"Pianopolooza" was a great evening ... that we'll be paying for for awhile! But worth every penny to hang out with these guys!
Okay, so it's not really time for tulips, but we got a totally sweet deal (20 for a buck!), and we figured it'd be fun to just play in the dirt!
So Carter and I worked on our little garden, then we planted tulips. Amazingly, they've done well this chilly, windy week!
Digging the holes
Our pretty flowers!
Our cutie-patootie with her tulips
We worked so hard, Carter got her first gardening injury, which HAD TO HAVE a band-aid!
The sister of a boss of a friend (of Kevin Bacon?!!) is a super-crafty and very nice woman who makes the cutest stools! She made our stool, now named "The Carter: Princess in Training," and Carter loves it! She "carts" that thing everywhere!
Her stool and her "apple bottom jeans"
She's so cute, and I swear: I didn't pose her! She did it herself!
If you're as in love with stools and I am, I'm happy to share our stool-maker's contact info with you! Just email!
A concert, for our loved ones, from Carter.
Enjoy!!
Love ~ Carter Kay
Carter said it best: "It's not too cold outside, Mommy!"
It's not, so we took advantage, breaking out all the spring toys!
The kite went well ... but was short lived when Carter couldn't get it off the ground
Onto bubbles ... or a soapy bath for Mommy!
The finale: chalking! We made a little chalk Carter!
