her best dustin hoffman imitation...

...and that would be from Midnight Cowboy, not Tootsie or Meet the Fockers. Little Mary Beth said "I'M WALKING HERE! I'M WALKING HERE!" Well, with the help if her walker/car, but still damn cute! Two videos because it was twice the fun!

what's up?

No reason for the post, except to show the cutest little redhead EVER! :-)

all the mothers cry...

Dear Mary Beth,

I don't think it's just the mothers. I think anyone with a heart has felt the tears starting to swell this past week. A horrific, unimaginable earthquake shattered the already poverty-stricken Haiti. When we lived in Florida, we knew a lot of people either originally from Haiti or that had family members there. People who went through their own horrors to get to the United States so they could work and send money back to their family so they could eat, drink and have shelter. But that shelter has failed when the earth opened up last Tuesday.

I'm a news junkie and can't stop watching the news or reading it on the computer. But I've also spent a lot of time walking away from it lately because it truly is heartbreaking. In a country that already was the poorest in the western hemisphere, and had an outrageous number of orphans, the photos of torn families are unspeakable.

So if you actually can remember your tenth month and wonder why you suddenly were showered with even more hugs and kisses, it's because of this tragedy. I just don't want to let you go. I'm even typing this while watching you sleep on the monitor. And in the morning I'll race to your room to watch you smile and stand up in your crib.

I've never been one to hide my emotions, and a tragedy of this magnitude would always affect me. But now that I'm a mom I think it's different. To see other moms crying in pain because their children are gone, or babies in orphanages or hospitals while their parents didn't make it... it's just unbearable. So don't roll your eyes at me when I sneak in your room later tonight to give you your 498th kiss of the day. Just keep sleeping soundly and dream of a time when all is right in the world again.

Love, Mom

purple people eaters

It was a dangerous day here in Texas. There was this adorably cute, redheaded 10 month old girl who was continuing her late Grandpa's love and desire for the Vikings to win a SuperBowl. So she was dressed in all purple (sorry Rob, no helmet) and she cheered whenever Brett scored a touchdown. Well, she missed the first few since she was napping, but still...  And then once the nap was over and the score was quite favorable for Grandpa's team, much to the dismay of her father, this adorable little munchkin did the most blasphemous thing.

SHE WENT OUT IN PUBLIC IN THE DALLAS METROPLEX WITH HER PURPLE ON!!!

The nerve. But seeing as how it was to Target, whose headquarters is in Minnesota, her mom thought it was safe.

And she'll be wearing purple again next weekend.  :-)

happy 10 months!

Dear Mary Beth,

Ten months? Really? Wow.

So lately you have taken up "speed crawling" and can make it across the room in 3.4 seconds. Or something close to that. And you also like to pull yourself up. On tables, chairs, pant legs, etc. You name it, you'll climb it. And you like to push buttons on the computer too, making interesting emails go out early sometimes!

You're teething like crazy, too. The doc said "any day now," but that was a month ago. Oh well. Eventually you'll get one! Until then you'll just keep drooling on and biting down on everything imaginable.

So happy 10 months! We love you!

Love, Mom and Dad

giggle monster

Mary Beth and I had most of the day alone together. And you know what happens when girls get together... someone always gets tickled!!!

happy 2010

Dear Mary Beth,

You're SO unconscious right now, enjoying your little baby girl dreams of milk bottles, shiny mirrors and visiting grandparents. You entertained us earlier tonight as "Princess Mary Beth," jumping up and down and laughing with your crown on. I'll make you a better one next time.

It's officially a new year, and I promise to make it unforgettable. Well, you probably won't remember it seeing as how you're an infant, but hopefully you'll have a blast. You'll learn to walk, eat new foods, say mama and dada (and actually mean it as a name for us) and so much more. The world is out there for you to explore, and your dad and I will love showing it to you.

For your first video of the year, here's you enjoying the Care Bear book that Nana gave you for Christmas. I've never seen you attack one of your toys like this before, and it was too good to pass up. So thanks, Nana!

Love, Mom