Mother's Day...and the week before it. ha

Guess what I am signing below....

Happy....

You probably cant guess based on my smiling face....But I was actually executing My WILL! ha. I had them take pictures since it is kind of like a milestone...part of being an adult!

I had a will, but I decided to make sure it was LOCK tight...so I had it witnessed and notarized at the firm. With the passing of my uncle, my mom wanted me to make sure Andrew and I had our wills taken care of.  I guess my uncle's will was done in another state and was a Pain in the ass to work with.

Anika outside playing while I was doing dishes in the kitchen. THe girl LOVES to be outside, so I just let her go out and I watch from the window. Our back yard is big and I don't let her out of my sight.

I wanted to do an entire post for Piri's "birthday" last week, but I didnt. Poor Piri.  Anyway, Wednesday marked 3 years since we rescued her.  Here she is posing with her gifts. Homemade treats form Foxy Treats...and the stuff in the baggy is not Pot for Piri- it is doggy detox tea my friend made for her. She also sent the bottle of neem oil because it is used to help keep ticks and other bugs away.  We have so many ticks around here. yuck.

Last week, I heard Anika talking and talking in her room...I walked in and she was "reading" her books. I love to see her "reading" to herself.

This weekend, we had a funeral Saturday for my Uncle. We got to see a lot of family. It was a nice service. We went back to my Gram and Grampa's after for a while. We left and went down to MA for My friend's daughter's first Birthday party.  The party started at noon, but we didn't get there until 5.  It was 2 hours away, but I really wanted to be there for my friend and I love to see her family.  Andrew was such a sport about the jam packed day and he drove us all over. HE was obviously good during the funeral and took anika out when she got a bit restless. Probably for the best since I started crying my eyes out when people got up to talk, including my mom.
We got home at 10:30 Saturday night and I slept in Sunday (Mother's Day).

When Anika and Andrew thought I had slept in enough, they came up to get me.
I asked them what they had been up to and Andrew said they were playing outside ...and then Andrew added "and playing with dog poop" as a joke because I tell him to watch her around dog poop.

As soon as he said dog poop, Anika said clear as day, "Dog poo" so we laughed. AND, then SHE SAID it again. ANd then I said it all day so she would say it. lol. I know, bad, but It sounds so funny. My mom wasn't impressed.

Before brunch

 I thought my dad and Grampa were coming to brunch, but they didnt! So, ANdrew was the only dude!

 Yes, it was the same place we went for Easter.  We dont have a TON of choices around here. ha

 So, after brunch and out little photo shoot, we all went to leave. My mom and Gram had come in my mom's car. Andrew, ANika and I went in Andrew's truck because we went to the dump first. 
Andrew left his keys in the truck and used the key pad on the door. He put in the combo and it wouldn't work!! We tried several times and it was dead. The lights wouldn't even light up.  Where are the spare keys? At home...in OUR House. How do we get in the house? With the garage door opener...one was in Andrew's truck and the other was in my car...IN THE locked garage.  THe house was all locked- we have a spare key for the front door but the dead bolt was locked and we didn't have a key for that!  CRAP. 
We started to panic. My mom drives a 2 door bmw convertible. She did have Anika's seat in it, but it was HARD to get ANika in her car seat, ME, Andrew and Gram in the car. Andrew's knees were on the dash and Gram sat in my lap! haha

Gram kept laughing the whole way to our house. She was on my bladder. I had a martini at brunch by the way :) At 10 AM :) I dont like bloody mary's and not a huge fan of Orange juice for a mimosa, so...mom and I had antioxidant martinis. They didn't even have the stuff to make them down in the function hall where they had brunch, but we usually get them in the main restaurant. I guess they thought we were lushes.

SO, when we got home, we were trying to find a way to get in the house.
Eventually, Andrew had to move a picnic table over near the house and put a ladder ON TOP of that and got it up close to Anika's room window...and then hopped in from there. I twas the ONLY window in the House not locked...but it usually is- he had opened it that morning. Every other door aND Window in our house was locked up like fort knox!  I wish I got a photo of Andrew getting in the window. My gram said she will NEVER forget this Mother's day! ha. IT was exciting I guess...even if Andrew and I were blaming each other  a bit :)
After we got in the house, we went BACK to the restaurant with the truck keys.  On the way home, we stopped at the beach house to check it out...it was just opened this weekend (For the season) and we looked around to figure out how we are going to set it up for the party.

I was SOOO tired. Anika had fallen asleep in the car. I brought her in and put her to bed and then I laid down. I NEVER DO that. I NEVER nap.  She woke up soon after I fell asleep. Andrew was out dong the lawn so I brought her in my room...and fell back to sleep. I woke up to her Reading parenting books. Too bad she cant give me a summary since I have never read them, and probably never will! She was actually flipping the pages...and there are no pics! lol.

I made a couple videos for something else and decided to post them here for you guys. The last one is actually from a while ago...Andrew reading Anika's favorite book, but he talked over her making the owl sound. Then she was all done ...haha. Anyway, watch if you would like :) 

3 Years!!

Can you believe I have been blogging for THREE YEARS!? Yup, this past Saturday marked 3 years.

My very first post is on the old blog.  I will copy and paste it at the end of this entry.

I think it goes without saying how much blogging has brought to my life.  So many great friends!
I used to write a lot more often...but you know, life gets busy!

You know what else I love (besides imaginary friends?)   SPRING!!
I LOVE when everything COMES ALIVE!

Here are a few things in bloom in my yard right now..

 Daffodils. These are kind of in the woods and they are about to die anyway.  This Saturday I slept in a bit and Andrew had Anika outside.  I was just waking up and they came up to my room and Andrew was holding Anika. She was holding a daffodil and started to hand it to me...so I started to take it and say Thank you, and then she SNAPPED it back, put it under her Arm, and looked at me with stern eyes and said "no. No." ...nice, huh? I thought she was giving it to me, but I guess not!

 Forsythia

Oh, these are not alive in my yard, but they made it in the iphone dump of photos. ha.
Anika calls all 3 of these bananas. Spaghetti squash, summer squash and a banana. She gets all excited over bananas ...and other yellow veggies!

THIS Tree in my front yard. The cherry tree. I love it. I really want one with pink blossoms, but this white one will do!

 So pretty!
And now for something not so pretty....
Last week my uncle died. My gram found him at his house, dead.  That was Tuesday. Wednesday, I brought dinner to my grandparents house after work.   Anika was a doll. She was putting on a show being all sweet and smart. My Grampa was even so impressed and happy to have her.   I was glad to help get my Gram's mind off of things.
THen, on the ride home, I heard something...it sounded like choking...I reached my hand around and felt the yuck. I pulled over and I found this!

I had put Anika's Jammies on before we left my Gram's...you know, so she would be ready for bed! Something I have NEVER done before! YUP!  She had one avocado and lentils for dinner. BOTH foods she eats all the time.

 IT WAS EVERYWHERE. ALl over my new car. All over her seat and her...I had to take the whole convertible seat in the house with her in it.  We both took a shower. I put her to bed and took the monitor down with me to take apart the seat to clean it.  ANd, then I heard it again- I ran up and she puked ALL over her bed.  I just put a blanket down because I still had to clean up downstairs.   I ran up when I heard her gettins sick again. The poor thing.  I was afraid to let her sleep alone in case she choked, so I brought her in bed with me and laid her on towels. Yup, she puked more and more. I was awoken quite a few times with vomit (by then it was clear, not green) splashing my face.  That lasted until 3 AM.   She nursed between it all so she didn't get dehydrated, but she was dry heaving and the sound of it was so sad. I felt so bad for her.   I thought she had a bug so I called into work and we slept until 8:30.  She woke up HAPPY as a clam and never got sick again! No more symptoms- nada.  That was a week ago and no one else got sick...and My Gram and I had been kissing A's mouth...so I think it must have been something she ate....OR again, I have an awesome immune system and my milk has super healing powers and cures the bug in 7 hours. Who knows.

It was definitely the sickest she has been since we've had her. 

This was her- EVEN CUDDLING with me. That is RARE!! She will never sleep like that with me. I covered my face because although she was the sick one, I looked like death in this photo.

I had another gift card to Saks. Two years ago I got a pair of Jack Rogers sandals with a gift card. I have WORN Them into the ground. I used the gift card to get the blue pair this year....I didnt know how dirty and worn my old ones were until I got the new pair!

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AND HERE IS my first POST COPY and PASTED...HAPPY 3 YEARS TO ME!

MY First! So, I have been saying for a while, I wanted to start a blog! I read so many of my friends' blogs…and the blogs of people I want to be my friends! Haha. I was hesitant because I am self conscious of my writing abilities…and my life is not very interesting… But today, I decided we have a lot of exciting things going on, and I wanted to document our exciting happenings! We bought our first house (First house together, anyway) and we just adopted a DOGGY that we will meet on Saturday and bring home! I think our move and new addition will provide me with many exciting stories! I actually decided to finally start a blog about….1 hour ago- while I was the gym! I emailed one of my Bestests, Erin, http://adventure986.blogspot.com/, from my Blackberry, while on the elliptical, asking what she thought a good name for my blog would be! I had Kiwi Lover in the air… due to the fact, my husband is from New Zealand (and New Zealanders are called Kiwis, for those of you who do not know!). Well, Erin suggested the Kiwis and Cocktails! She is always on top of what I love most! I mean, My husband is definitely my first love, but Cocktails are definitely high on the list too!  I will write more about meeting my husband in New Zealand, Our wedding TWO years ago, and being a newlywed in later posts. I just needed to start something ASAP before I changed my mind again!

There were wedding photos in that First post, but they wont copy over. AND, WOW- this month will be 5 years of being married...and this Wednesday is Piri's "Birthday"...the day she came to us. 

Excuse ME!?

 Anika -1 Week Old- I put her in the crib all swaddled while I did stuff in her room. This is back when she slept all the time! New babies...they do that! ha.   She looked so small in there.

Anika tonight in her crib. UM-WHO IS THIS HUGE CHILD IN MY Baby's crib???

Make it stop. Make the time stop!

And, here is a video of Anika eating with her fork for the first time a couple weeks ago.  I didn't start taping her until after the good parts of course, but when she would stab her food, she would reach her arm in the air and scram in delight- and one time when THROWING her arm up in the air, the food went flying...RIGHT at my face! LOL.  Of course I missed that part on video!

My Little China Doll

We have been busy around here!  We sold a car (private sale). We then bought a car.  Last week I took Anika to the Boston Children's museum and the Boston Aquarium.  I have TONS of photos from that day. It was one of my Best days, Ever. Watching my little girl experience that was truly amazing! And, as a mom I could NOT have been More proud of her!  She just amazes me. We had lunch with my old boss and coworker between the 2 main events...and well, Anika wasn't on her best behavior at the restaurant!! I wASNT proud of that! My coworkers kept saying how I must have my hands full with her energy! ha. Thank God my mom was with us and was able to watch her, so I could at least socialize and catch up with my old work mates.   Full post on that day to come. IM still smiling ear to ear from that day though. One big thing was missing from the perfect day- Daddy :((  He was working.

My old roommate and very dear friend, Erin went to China last month. She brought back something for Anika and it arrived in the mail last week!
Anika now has her own little silk China outfit!  (I washed it well first, don't worry :))

Erin went to China with Ally, who has a blog here!!  I know Ally through Erin.

Why yes, that is Anika's placenta tree! Growing along nicely, huh?

It kind of looks like silk PJ's.

Mummy was in her cleaning clothes :)

This yellow tree is called a forsythia. My mom was named after it! Her name is Cynthia....she was born in the winter and my Gram likes spring in summer. The forsythia is one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring up here, so my Gram was thinking SPRING! ha.

That is all for today folks. Hope to be back soon!

Easter Weekend Recap

Here is ANika the day before Easter wearing my old dress. She wore it as a shirt, but I wore this dress my very first Easter. I was a little over a month old. I would have put it on her last year, but I just got the boxes of old clothes from my mom a few months ago.  And, yes there is a big wet spot on it- she spilled her water.

 The Easter Bunny brought Anika a bubble maker, empty plastic eggs and a book!  HA.  The Easter Bunny is saving all her pennies for Anika's birthday party!

On Easter morning, Anika fed herself breakfast with a spoon! She did pretty well!  Not too much of a mess. But,  The more we go out to eat, the more I realize JUST HOW important Piri really is!! THANK GOd for Piri. Ugh, I always have to get on my hands and knees and pick food up off the floor at restaurants and at friends houses before we leave. I mean, she does an ok job, but she does seem to get a lot on the floor, I guess.

 Grampa came by in the morning to start fixing the closet!! He brought some goodies from Bunny Nona!  LOTS OF BOOKS and this adorable hat and matching slippers.

We were supposed to go to Church to watch my niece (K) sing, but it was RIGHT  at Anika's nap time, and we had brunch reservations too. I just didnt think she could do both...so we only went to brunch. We went with with Nona, Grampa, K and my brother.

 She wore a bow from Danielle. 

 Eating her green beans! She also ate a bunch of fish at brunch. Girl loves fish, chicken and meat! ha

The flower on her dress fell apart, but we fixed it later. Dress from Nona.

Taking a stroll outside of brunch with cousin K. Anika ADORES her big cousin!! She gets so excited to see her.

 I dont know WHY I have major fat face in all these.  I didn't even drink the night before! ha

Back home, we did our Easter Egg hunt outside.

I used regular dye to do the eggs, but NEXT year, I am going to use natural dyes to color them...I have some friends who did that. Like, use beat juice  for red (We love beats).  Spinach juice for green, Coffee for brown, etc. I think that will make a bigger project out of it, but still kind of neat!  I saw it in the farmer's almanac. Anika got a kid's farmers almanac in her goody bag from Nona.

Looking at the bubbles.  You can make your own bubbles with water and dawn soap! This machine isnt as cool as I thought it would be. I had to keep dipping the wand in.

Had to put this on her because I did last year when she was a month old. ha

HOLY GINGER, huh???   I keep thinking its changing but NOPE, this picture is all red.

Remember how my closet fell down....

This was after it fell and AFTER I finally got the doors unjammed and pulled most of the stuff out!

 And this is the stuff all over the room!

 ANd this is THE NEW closet. My dad could do pull ups on the new clothes rail and the shelf is separate than the rail so the weight wont all be on one thing. Anika tested it out.

And, all put away makes a happy Ashley. The closet goes a few feet to the right and left (more than what you can see).

And, that sums that up! I have a post to do about A attending birthday parites-We went to 2 in the past 2 weeks and have 6 more coming up. She has a grand time.  

Anika is funny. She calls summer squash, bananas and spaghetti squash all banana. She gets the yellow, I guess.  She also started saying key and she always wants my keys, but I tend to not let her.
She was super hyper tonight. I was afraid she wouldnt go to sleep, but luckily she did. SIlly girl LOVES her dada. Geeze!