Come Out & Play Baby!

I am ready to meet Karis. I think we are going to be besties!

Given the twin's and David's baby pics, I think she may look like this...

Or if we are lucky, she will look like this!

Whatever she ends up looking like, or acting like or smelling like...I will LOVE her to bits.

I am so excited for you twin!

Stella's Home

Yesterday we went up to Valencia to pick up Stella. It was quite a day...she is pretty much the cutest thing you have ever laid eyes on. After picking her up we headed for Dink's to get some breakfast burritos. Kirk suggested we leave he in the truck while we went in and ordered the food. I suggested I stay with her...Kirk said not to worry about it. Well, I should have stayed. She had a mild panic attack with being left alone and shat on both the driver's side and passenger side floor boards. At'll teach me to ignore my maternal impulses.

"Please don't leave me alone in the truck!"

We then went to go pick up Candie to kidnap her for the weekend. Stella loved her some Auntie Treats and pretty much slept on her the whole way down south.

She likes to stretch out in the car. Trying to stay with Candie,
but get close to Kirk at the same time.

About to fall asleep.

  And...she's out!



I heart my Auntie Treats!

  Once we got her home she settled in really quickly. Running and playing and sniffing everything in sight. Thankfully all shoes were put behind closed doors.

We tried crating her for the night, but she cried a lot so Kirk went and put her in the kitchen and shut the door. She continued to cry, then bark...loudly! Because we had and overnighter and that noise would have kept everyone awake, Kirk pulled out the trusty sleeping bag and slept out in the living room with her. She was in heaven. This is what I walked out to in the morning.

It's been 24 hours since we have been home with her and things are going great. She has had some accidents, but we expected that. She loves to play, bite feet and shoes and is pretty athletic for a tiny one. Oh, and it's official...I am in love!

Me

I don't make my bed.

I can't stand when people slow down to change lanes or merge onto the freeway.

I love mushrooms, bell peppers and hummus...all of which I used to hate.

I wish I could take naps, but there is something my body can't accept about sleeping when it's light out.

I do my best, but am not great with the concept of "God's perfect timing."

I have a weird competing desire for things to stay exactly the same and then also for things to change at the same time.

I could eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for the rest of my life and be fine.

I have one of the most selfless, compassionate families of all time.

I hate the sound of people blowing their noses.

I get nauseous when I see people brawl, even boxing makes me sick.

I have regrets, even though they shaped who I am today.

I could not imagine my life without certain long-time amazing friends.

I fell in love with my step-brother...and love to tell the story to people...Kirk does not.

I think being a twin is better than just being a sister or brother...bias? Yes! Don't Care, still true.

I have no shame in wearing the same pair of jeans 8-10 times before washing them.

I love WHAM! and don't know how anyone ever thought George Michael was straight.

I cry EVERY time I watch Steel Magnolias and The Notebook...and The Lion King.

I will not let my kids watch Pinocchio. It's creepy.

I am a control freak at work, but could care less about control in non-work life.

I wish the Martin's and Caruana's lived in Cali!

I think we will be surprised who we see in Heaven.

I interrupt people, but I am working on it.

I will do my best to give my kids what my parents so generously gave me.

Winner Winner Twinner Dinner

Today the twin and I went to a tea & silent auction to support the awesome school that Sarah's munchie attends.  It was great to get to spend some twin on one time with Sarah. The twin had to leave early for a wedding, so I stuck around to see if either of our raffle tickets we bought were winners. Before she left, she said "Thanks for staying twin. If I win I will give you $100 of the gift card!"

She and I both had raffle tickets. I put mine all in the $500 Costco Gift Card box and the twin put hers in the Costco box and the $500 Nordy's box. Low and behold - they called the number from the Costco box and I had that ticket!!! And then I turned it over, written on the back "W.W." One of the twin's tickets...she was the winner. BUT...did anyone have to know that? I mean we both bought raffle tickets for that prize...I put more tickets in the Costco box than she did...I stuck around long enough to hear the number be called. I could be $500 richer! But, then I would be a chump. And a liar. So instead, I am $100 richer on my next trip to Costco.

Thanks for being a lucky twinner, twinner!

Showering the Twin

This past month has been extra busy for me because I have been planning the baby shower to end all baby showers for the twin. It was on Saturday and it was EPIC! Before I post the pics and get into the details, I have to give the biggest Shout Out to my PYE! One of the best friends I have (Mariah) was the co-hostess for the shower and it would not have been the same without her. She is hands down my most creative friend and has talent beyond words. She listened to my ideas and not only made them come to life, but made them better. I love you PYE!

The shower went so well and even though it was a lot of work, I would do it all over again for the twin! But only the twin...I will not be going into the party planning business any time soon.

There was more than one preggo in attendance.
Kimi is due 2 1/2 weeks after the twin.

Dessert Yumminess!

Ladies enjoying game time.

Candid Game Time

Bonding with Karis

Gorgeous Ladies, Candie & Allee

Pye, Twin & Me

Instead of a guestbook, we bought some of Wendy's favorite baby books and set them out for people to sign little notes to Karis in.

Present Time

Desserts included Wendy's Favorite - Root Beer Floats

Wendy telling a story during one of the games about how David once murdered innocent goldfish while being abandoned at his house while his whole family was at a church carnival.

Shower Decor

Playing some Baby Karis Jeopardy!

Sister Laughs

The game board...Took me 4 hours to complete...I am not proud of that.

I asked the ladies to fill Karis' Eiffel Tower with advise or fun memories from their childhoods.

Everyone loves a good party favor!

Pye & Kel getting the desserts ready. Kellie was a life-saver helping us pull this sucker off! Thanks Kel!

Mariah baked all of the desserts from scratch. I asked her to make desserts to top the regular, chocolate and strawberry milk shooters.

The sugar cookies were amazing...an old family recipe from Mariah's mom, who also helped with the baking.

The shower was extra special because Aunt Suzi was able to make it for pretty much the whole time. It would not have been the same without her there to celebrate. A big thanks to her for being up to the outing and for Lo & Mom for helping her get ready for the day!



The food consisted of Wendy's favorites: Soft Pretzels with Cheese Sauce, Fruit Salad, Cranberry Chicken Walnut Salad Sandwiches, Broccoli Sun-Dried Tomato Fusilli, Spinach Dip...



...and a Mashed Potato Bar!!!



My gifts for Wendy & David for the shower were some personalized onesies.
For David - Bono!
For Wendy - Macaroni + Cheese = LOVE

Now that the shower is over...come on Karis. Keep cookin' in there...but come out to play soon. I want to meet you!!!

Sisters & Momma

Wedding Perks

Jerry, Anita, Me, Husbro

If there was ever a perk to picking a wedding date, it was for sure getting married on Anita's birthday! The night after our anniversary, Anita & Jerry invited us to Anita's birthday dinner with the the Anita G gang. We had a private room at Stone Hill Tavern at the Laguna Beach St Regis Hotel...and it was awesome!

It was a 5 course meal with a wine pairing for each course. Anita is so sweet! She had the menus list mine and Kirk's anniversary as well as her birthday.

Heirloom Baby Beet & Burrata Cheese Salad with Arugula & Hazelnuts

Scallops with Celery Root Puree, Fennel & Blood Orange

Squab, Baby Turnips, Wild Arugula, Forelle Pear & Truffle

Wild Mushroom Risotto
A little extra course we ordered for the table...we LOVE risotto!

Nebraska Steak, Shortrib Ragout, Black Garlic Potato Puree,
Pearl Onion Confit & Wild Mushrooms



Milk Chocolate Custard, Red Velvet Cake, Candied Pecans
& Cocoa Nib Ice Cream

And have to end with a pic of me and the Twinner.
Who can resist the baby bump!!!