Happy Birthday, Jordan!

I hope you had a fabulous 30th! I am so glad I got to be there to celebrate with you, just like you did with me on my 30th. (Isn't it interesting how much our lives have both changed since then? And it has only been two years!) I'm wondering what on earth you wished for as you blew out those candles... an uninterruped night's sleep, perhaps? Anyway, you don't look a day over 29. (Or anywhere near it, for that matter.)

The Bug Bites!

{Warning...If talk of baby vomit makes you queasy, skip this post.}

As much as I try to keep her out of germ's way, with my trusty Clorox wipes and hearty German breast milk, Willa has gone and gotten sick...again. Only this time, its the stomach bug. Dreadful. The poor baby was uncharacteristically clingy and a tad extra fussy a couple of days ago, and I just assumed it was because she was tired. She was especially whiny at dinner and refused three different meals before I gave up and moved on, to her bath and bedtime ritual. I was rocking her to sleep when disaster struck. Without any warning, she threw up all over the both of us, more than I ever could have imagined. And as soon as it was over, she was talking and pointing and directing Sean to her toys. Little trooper. I wasn't sure if it was something she had eaten or the real deal, until the next day when it happened again. This time, I was at work, standing with her in my arms right outside my office. Again, it was all over us and our cute outfits. I stood there, frozen, holding Willa close, and pondered the meaning of unconditional love. In that moment, soaked in baby vomit, I felt completely maternal. Sick as it sounds, it was kind of neat. Conveniently, Willa and I were able to find some alternative cute outfits just steps away at Root and Beulah's. And Billie Jean, our go-to-girl at the shop swooped in to help with the mess. I really owe her one...really.

So, Willa's been laying low, sleeping a lot, downing fluids and bland foods, and I think she's pretty much over the hump. Oddly, in the midst of all the sickness, she picked up the sign for "milk," and, brace yourselves, she took her first brave steps. I'm the only one who witnessed it, but I'm positive that it was not my imagination, because it happened more than once that evening. She took a couple of single steps first. Then she took two steps! That was last night, and she has shown no interest in stepping today. Oh well.

I took these pictures today at lunch. Willa was having a tummy-friendly feast of applesauce and dry toast. And she thinks phones are the most fun toys ever invented. So she kept pretending that her toast was a phone, putting it up to her ear and inflecting her voice to sound like "hello?" Enjoy!

Christmas Parade '08

Another tradition I'm excited to make ours is attending the Christmas Parade. It was tonight, and we stood out in front of the shop to watch. Willa was in rare form as the marching bands and illuminated floats passed by. She was an observer, for a change, not the star. She worked her flawless parade wave and made a few attempts to say "dog" as the SPCA float rolled by. Other than that, she watched quietly, purely mesmerized. Sean was even impressed. This was his first Christmas Parade, too. He kept talking about how neat it was. So I am pretty confident that this tradition will be a keeper. I've always felt blessed to live in such a charming town, but tonight, I am especially appreciative.

Welcome, Wolfgang!

Wolfang Legend Parsons was born this morning at 1:34 am. He weighed 7 lbs, 14 oz, and was a whopping 21 inches long! I LOVE his name! Its proud and strong, and something the little guy will have to live up to, but I can already tell he will handle it just fine. (The nurses told us about a recent delivery, a baby named Jesus - that's Geez-us, not Hey-seus. Now THAT kid has his work cut out.) Wolfgang belongs to Rebekah of Beulah's (and her husband, Jamie, of course,) so we'll be seeing a lot of him! I had to get some shots of the proud siblings, Camden and Brooklyn, wearing gigantic grins and some cute t-shirts.

My (baby) fever just spiked a couple degrees. Congratulations all of you!

A Big Month Ahead

December is here! That means its time to start preparing for Willa's First Christmas (pause) and also her First Birthday. As tempting and natural as it would be to simply lump them together, these two very significant milestones deserve some individual attention. Willa's birthday may fall only two short days after Christmas, but mark my words, it will not be overshadowed. It'll be a busy week for sure, but I'm a mom on a mission, and I embrace the challenge. I've rounded up some great gift ideas for each occasion. And these are my favorites:

(Clockwise from the top) Kit+Lili Big Red Dot Dress, Wooden Stacking Chicken, Elephant Puzzle and Carrying Case, Monkey-in-the-Box, Eco-friendly Doll Stroller, Madame Alexander Doll (just like Suzy,) Olive Felted Wool Boots, Wooden Puppy Pull Toy, Elmo, Colorful Wooden Building Blocks, Pretty Christmas Stocking, Slipper-fetching Hound

(Clockwise from the Top) Owl Beanie, Mod Teepee, Classic Sit-n-Spin, Plush Bunnies, Designer Denim, Pink Donut Pillow (in lieu of the dog beds,) Wooden Sorting Blocks, Actual Sneakers, Activity Book for the Outdoor-sy Girl, Numero Uno Tee over Long Sleeve Kit+Lili Wave Tee

There Is A Bright Side

Considering the recession, the past weekend went as expected. Black Friday didn't put us in the BLACK. We're making ourselves rather comfortable in the RED, actually, as I've resolved to the fact that its going to take a while to get out of this. Sales have been soft for several months now, and the effects of that have gradually added up. Credit cards and industry factors, which I use to buy merchandise, have imposed new limits on my accounts, so instantly I've become "maxed out" and cut-off. The burn is that I am contractually obligated to orders I placed months ago, so the goods are still being shipped, just as C.O.D's. And as I prepay for this excess merchandise, I in turn, render myself unable to pay down the credit card and factor debt. Its a perpetual downward cycle, and I could make myself sick worrying about it. BUT I'm not. And that's the good news, and the reason for this post. After a mediocre weekend at the shop, I decided to take Sunday off and spend it at home with Sean and Willa. I'm so glad I did because it put things into perspective and cured my bad attitude. Instead of tainting this season with financial woe, I will use my past 7 years of experience to ride the retail rollercoaster with a cool head, even though it is currently more frightening than fun. This week, I will assess the situation, and devise a plan to best salvage the remainder of 2008. I'll just keep doing the best I can. And I certainly won't let it spoil the holidays. Money will be tighter than expected, but luckily, Willa doesn't need much. This has given us a nudge toward the things that matter most, not presents under the tree, but family and holiday tradition. Don't get me wrong, there will be presents, but they will not be the focus. And it will be the best Christmas ever.

Happy Birthday, Jenifer!

We sure are looking forward to seeing you and Reyn next week and celebrating both of your birthdays. I hope today was special. Love and miss you!