like mommy and daddy, like daughter?

When I was little, I couldn't go to sleep until my room was completely clean. And the house has to be clean BEFORE we leave for vacation because it will drive me insane knowing we're coming home to a dirty house.

It drives Bob crazy when rooms or hallways that have two light switches are in different positions - like one flipped up and the other flipped down.

So it really didn't come as a surprise tonight when we saw, well, our own little future OCD'er. She has a box of 26 books - one for each letter of the alphabet. At first we thought it was just a coincidence that the books were all put away in order. Not alphabetical or anything - because then I'd be screaming WE'RE RICH - OUR 20 MONTH OLD IS A GENIUS!! No, they were all facing the same direction. Color binding on the left. Letter with animal facing out.

Once again, karma hits. This is going to be interesting.

Don't believe us? Watch for yourselves...

putting mary beth to work...

... well, sort of.

Last weekend we attacked the front yard and all of the kazillion leaves. And when I say "we," I really mean Bob. And Mary Beth. As you can see from the video below, she wanted to help! And then the pictures were too dang cute to pass up. Daddy's rake was too big so we found her mini-me rake. Special thanks to Grandma-ish Rosemarie for the green and pink outfit. It took a while, but she finally fit in it. Of course I had to add a pink barn coat. (I have a toddler clothing shopping problem...) Enjoy!

tale of two costumes

So all the munchkins came up to the office on Friday afternoon for trick-or-treating. So much fun. So much work. Mary Beth is a handful, especially with decorations and candy all over the place. Oh but she wasn't even eating the candy - that will make it FAR worse later, right?! No, she just liked taking the candy out of the bowls and putting it in her pink Disney Princess pumpkin. In fact, she even would trade candy with some people. You know, just to be fair. You give me some M&Ms and I'll give you this Baby Ruth in return. So cute!

But then on Sunday for the neighborhood Halloween get-together, she took on her other persona: Devil Child. Complete with the pink bow barrett and checkered vans.

But I guess the two costume thing really shouldn't come as a surprise to you. Last year she was a lady bug and then a tiger. I see a trend...

video from horseback ride!

Videos finally uploaded! Enjoy!

go horsey, go!!

This past weekend was Alumni Weekend back at Trinity, so we loaded up the Pilot and headed Southbound 35. The alumni soccer team LOVED the aspiring soccer player, even if she picked up the ball more than kicked it. (And they all told her not to be a goalie -- sorry Kim!) She even was asked to join in on the team photo. When I get it, I'll post it here. I can't wait to see it!

The other big event of the weekend was Mary Beth's first horsey ride! And we're talking real horse - not the wooden rocker or merry-go-round, though she's getting to be a pro at both of those. Her Uncle Andy took her out to ride his horse. To no surprise, she loved it as well. I kow there are a couple of people in Kansas waiting for these photos so I'll stop rambling and let you enjoy...

I have video too, but the computer isn't cooperating and it's late. So I'll post this weekend. Until then, enjoy Mary Beth and her post-ride celebration.

 

what we've been up to lately...

Two weekends ago (what can I say, Mary Beth keeps us busy), we went to Grapevine Mills for a few things. Three hours later... That place can suck you in. Especially when you pass this and Mary Beth jumps up and down and MUST go on a ride with her Daddy!!

Tuesday we got Kim's Save the Date magnet in the mail and there was a note about it being an "Adults Only Affair." Though Auntie Kim has assured Mary Beth that she's invited to the wedding and beginning of the reception, she didn't take it well. And goodness - I've seen that look before in all our childhood photos. I'd love to say it's on Kim's face, but well, she's definitely my daughter.

Late Wednesday night I went to go check on the sleeping beauty. I'm not sure how she sleeps like this:

Thursday night Bob went to ride in Austin so Mary Beth and I had our Girls' Night dinner at Kinkaids. They LOVE her there. And what's not to love?

Saturday morning the munchkin and I went to Bed Bath & Beyond. She went postal until I placed her on this bed that she fell in love with. I'm not sure if it's because of the bright colors or the softness, but if she actually had a bed I would have had to buy all of it for her. It was painful (for everyone in the store too) when I had to take her off of it.

And then Sunday afternoon we took a family trip to the grocery store. She was NOT having the whole "ride in the cart" thing, so she took over driving duties. No groceries were harmed in the filming of this video.

Have a great week!

my shiny new(ish) shoes!

I don't remember when, but a while back Kim was here and bought Mary Beth shiny, glittery, pink shoes from Target. They were too big and we had to wait for MB to fit in size 5.

But I should have known.

Disney size 5 shoes are not the same as Circo size 5 shoes, and once we finally sat down one morning to put them on THEY WERE TOO SMALL!!! And I'm not kidding when I tell you that she threw a FIT when she couldn't walk in them and we had to change shoes. I mean, threw herself down on the floor and cried to the heavens WHY MUST YOU TEASE ME SO?!?! I can hear my Dad laughing.

So this weekend I took them back and got size 6. I'm her hero now. See photo and video below when she put them on for the first time! She was so happy she had to come sit in my lap. She's a cute goober.

video from grapefest

Yeah, yeah, I'm a busy Mom. Just sat down and downloaded photos and videos from my iPhone to post. Sorry! So first post here in a video from Grapefest once Mary Beth was done with the spinning horsies. She was sitting in my lap yesterday looking at photos and videos on the phone and waved back to her daddy's voice from this video. Stinkin' cute. Enjoy:

big weekend for the little lady!

It was GrapeFest here in Grapevine this weekend. And once I saw "Petting Zoo" on the list of activities, Bob jumped up and got ready to go! We couldn't wait to see how she would love it, since we know she loves animals. Little lady is fearless! So off we went! You be the judge on how she liked it:

She said she's ready to visit Uncle Rob and the goats. And then before we left, she had another treat - now she says she's ready to visit Uncle Andy, too!!



Of course there is video as well, but it's late and it's not cooperating with me. So you'll get it, and a message for Nana, later this week!



first haircut!!!

So, her hair is soooo cute when we pull it up or back. But the days when she lets us do that are few and far between. And it was getting just unruly. So we had to get it cut. But we didn't get too much chopped. Just enough to make her not look like Justin Bieber. And she handled it like a pro!

this is what we do in texas when it's hot

Bob was watering the lawn.
Mary Beth thought YAY, WATER!!!!
What happened next, well, is just hilarous. Enjoy the pictures and videos. You MUST watch the videos!

The facial expression at :56 is priceless.

And don't worry, nobody got hurt. But it was close.

opening/closing doors...

Yeah. We're so screwed.

in daddy's footsteps...literally

um... close?

This is what happens when Mary Beth tries to put her sunglasses on by herself. I'll give her an E for Effort.

yee haw

That's right. She's a native Texan.

she's not picking favorites or anything...

Now I understand why people blog less as their children get older. It's impossible to get time to sit down and do it! I just downloaded a TON of photos from my camera (making room for the camping trip later this week!) and have some cute ones.

Mary Beth is taking swim lessons every week. She LOVES the water and smiles non-stop. Except when she's leaning over and trying to drink the water. This will come to no surprise to Rob and Kim. Like mother like daughter.

And apparently last week when I was at a going away party, Mary Beth entertained Bob by running through the living room giggling. She's hours of entertainment, people.

Last, on Sunday morning when Bob and I went in her room to get her up, Mary Beth proceeded to point and grab her "Tugga." That's Tigger, for those of you who don't speak Mary Beth-ese. Only thing is, she's got THREE Tuggas. One was my mom's, that I gave her back in the 80s, eventually went to me, and then I gave MB; a baby Tugga that I just couldn't resist when she was a few months old; and then Bob's mom sent a third one. Because you can never have enough Tuggas. Anyway, she wanted ALL of them. At once. And tried to carry all of them. I may be biased, but this picture and video are adorable.