Happy Halloween 2008

We had a good time this past Halloween. The weekend before Halloween we carved pumpkins. The local library had a "Spooky Storytime" where all the kids wore their costumes. Finally the big day! Meghan wore a cute little strawberry costume and trick-or-treated at a few neighbors' houses. She didn't mind her costume at all and wore it the whole night to hand out candy. She also had her first taste of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. As you can see in the video, she liked it. Would you expect otherwise?

Home Again, for now at least.

Its been a busy month. After Kevin got home we flew up to Maryland for a few days. We got to meet Baby Andrew, Stacy's brother's youngest. Stacy's dad also does a big fundraiser every year, with a good portion of the donations going towards Children's Hospital. It was the same weekend that we flew up to Maryland. It was good seeing the family. Meghan had fun playing with her cousins.

The following weekend Kevin was in our friend's wedding in Maine. It was gorgeous. Our friends, Shane and Nicki, got married outside on a hillside next to an apple orchard. The leaves were at their color peak and the weather could not have been any better. Meghan, of course, was a hit at the wedding. When they were announcing the wedding party, she clapped right along with the rest of the crowd.

While we were up there we drove down to Rhode Island to visit Stacy's grandma and uncle. Meghan took right to Great Grandma, but wasn't too sure about Uncle Dickey. By the end of the night everyone got kisses and good-bye hugs.

It was a great couple weeks but now we're getting back to normal. Meghan is having some trouble sleeping through the night. We're hoping she gets back into her routine very soon.

Bubbles Bubbles Everywhere

Meghan's new favorite word: bubbles. The first thing she says when she wakes up is "bubbles" or when she's taking a bath, eating breakfast. You name it. If she hears the word, she can't stop saying it over and over. Its pretty cute. We've become those parents that actually blow bubbles in the house. But Meghan absolutely loves it. We had to go to 2 different stores to find more bubbles because we used all of ours up. (You'd be surprised how hard it is to find bubbles after Labor Day.) Take a quick look at the video and you'll understand our daughter's new found love of bubbles.

Sleeping Beauty

Here are a couple random pictures of Meghan napping. The other day she fell asleep reading (albeit upside down) a card I received recently. Poor thing. The other one (at the bottom) is a picture of Meghan sleeping on the chair in the living room with her little bum up in the air.

Playing at the Playground

Meghan and I went to the little neighborhood playground to get some fresh air. (This was also the morning that Meghan woke up at 6:30AM and was ready to start her day. Unfortunately I was not.) I didn't realize until after I had taken a few pictures that my camera lens was completely fogged up. Oh well. I got a couple cute ones anyways. She had fun going down the slide. And she liked the swing- as long as she could swing by herself. I had her on my lap but she wanted nothing of it. She wanted to sit in it like a big girl. (The video is pretty short because I was afraid she was going to fall off the swing when I was recording.)

In The Driver's Seat

Meghan decided she likes sitting in the front seat better than her carseat. Maybe that's how the A/C broke in Kevin's Jeep (twice). Here she's caught driving without a seat belt. Busted!

Speaking of Meghan's carseat. She really enjoys sitting forward so she can see the world. When the in-laws were visiting we had to transfer the seat from car to car. I brought it into the foyer when they were packing up to head home and Meghan thought it was the neatest thing just sitting in her carseat in the house.

Hilton Head Island

Kevin's dad and stepmom drove down from Chicago last week to bring Michelle everything that wouldn't fit in her car. (Michelle's 4 door was packed to the max as she drove from Chicago to South Carolina with clothes and teaching materials.) We helped Michelle get her classroom ready and still managed to squeeze in some time at the beach.



Meghan absolutely loves the beach. This was the 2nd time in 2 weeks that we went to Hilton Head. She cannot get enough of the water. She loves it! Of course I'm a bad mom and didn't put enough suncreeen on her face. The sides of her nose and under both eyes got a little sunburned. It made her look like she had bags under her eyes for about 3 days. Poor thing.

Backyard Fun

I bought Meghan a water toy that is essentially a soaker hose, only more fun for kids. It took Meghan a few minutes to figure out that she was supposed to play in the water and not just run away from it.

Here is a video from my brother's house last week. Meghan decided that she was jealous of her cousin Maddie. Meghan got mad when Cindy was holding Maddie. Meghan also pulled on Maddie's shirt when Maddie was playing with a toy that she wanted. And she's only 13 months!

Here's a picture of Meghan with her cousins. My sister-in-law Danielle is due with Baby #3 next month (September).

More Pictures for the Fun Of It

Here is a hodge podge of pictures from the past few weeks.



Meghan and her Aunt Michelle

Just call me chompers!

Sleepy Baby

You don't get those cankles from not eating.

July 4th, 2008 in downtown Beaufort

Spiggy & Friends Fundraiser Kickoff Party

Every year my dad does a big fundraiser involving a golf tournament and Redskins party. This year he decided to do a kick-off dinner to officially start the raffle sales, thank the supporters, etc.. I think my parents had over 100 people at the house. They had a pig roast and a pseudo "last comic standing." My 9 year old nephew, Walter, won the "overall" joke contest.


His prize: My dad will take him to the Redskins game of his choice.
Walter's choice: "I want to go to an away game."


And Saturday was also my parents' 39th wedding anniversary.

Here are some pictures of Meghan with her cousin Gini from the party.

Don't Invite Me To Your House

This past April when Meghan and I went to my parents house in Maryland the heater went out upstairs. My parents keep the upstairs a little bit cooler so I didn't think too much of it. Until the next night when it was about 60 degrees in the bedrooms. I was freezing with 2 blankets and a sweatshirt. I know Meghan had to be cold. My parents got the heat fixed and all was well.

Fast forward to this weekend. We notice Saturday night that it seems warm upstairs. By Sunday afternoon it was over 80 degrees upstairs in the bedrooms. We have all the windows open and poor Meghan is sleeping in her diaper. About the same time that I wake up to go downstairs, Mom and Dad are both heading down to the living room to sleep. It was like one big slumber party. Mom on the couch. Dad in the lazy boy. Meghan in the pack-n-play. And me in a sleeping bag on the floor. Thankfully the A/C is n ow fixed.

Apparently everytime I visit my parents something with the HVAC goes bad. If this keeps up, my parents aren't going to let me visit anymore.

Trainwreck Coming Through

Funny story from last week... with help from my sister Cindy, I decided to surprise my parents and fly up to Maryland this past Thursday with Meghan. It was their 39th anniversary and the kick-off party for Dad's annual fundraiser. I'd planned on spending a week with my parents and returning the following weekend. Michelle is flying home to Chicago (from Bluffton) the same weekend that I fly back. Perfect- Michelle will drive Kevin's car to the airport, leave it, and then I'll drive it home. I digress...

Michelle dropped me off at the Savannah airport a little after 7AM. (Yes, I was running late as usual. And to make matters worse, we were in Kevin's Jeep and the gas light came on during the drive to the airport. That normally means you have about 3 seconds until you are out of gas.) We parked near the curbside check so Michelle could help me with the suitcase, car seat, and Meghan. I keep the car keys with the key fob and Michelle has the extra key that was made at the dealership last year. As I go through security Michelle calls to tell me the car won't start. I cannot believe that we actually ran out of gas! My initial thought is for her to ask one of the valets for assistance, and maybe they can get one of the maintenance guys to help. I have to get to my plane so Michelle is left to deal with this all by herself.

As my plane is taxiing away, my cell phone rings. Its Michelle... no, the car was not out of gas. She has the wrong key. The key she has will not work in the ignition. She needs the one with the computer chip- that I have with me! So now when I land in Atlanta, I have to give my key to a Delta Rep that will give it to the flight attendant on the next flight back to Savannah (which isn't until noon. Its only 9AM at this point.) Meanwhile back at the Savannah Airport, the security will not let Michelle leave the Jeep parked along the curb so they call a TOW TRUCK to TOW THE JEEP (thankfully only to the employee parking.)

My flight is late getting into Atlanta. Meghan's dirty diaper is leaking on my shirt and her bloomers. I get the car key handed over, change Meghan's diaper, and rush to my gate. I was the last person to get on the flight. I am sweating and both Meghan and I smell like poop. I try calling Michelle when I get seated but the flight attendants shushed me and made me turn off my cell.

When I get to BWI I call Michelle. The key made it back to Savannah and Michelle is on her way home. Hopefully she doesn't second guess her decision to move in with us! I felt so bad... I had no idea the other key wouldn't work. Learn something new everyday.

I finally changed out of my poopy shirt about 11PM that night.

Popeye The Sailorman

Here is Meghan's best Popeye impersonation. You be the judge.

Bad Hair Day

Meghan FINALLY has some hair growing. No, its not quite enough to put in a bow or ribbon (Auntie D), but its coming in. This has led to some bad hair days lately. These pictures show the worst day yet.

What better way to deal with a bad hair day than to cover it up with a pretty hat! Here is Meghan rolling around in her new car that she got from her Grandma for her bithday.