Dance, Dance, YEAH!

For all of my fellow moms of toddlers out here, just had to post this...

Baby Knives loves her some Sesame Street and since she took her first steps about 2 weeks ago, she's a little ways off from dancing on her own, but she tries so hard!




I especially love her raspberry at the end - that's my girl!

Vacation Days

We were missing my husband's brother and his family, but hopefully they can make it next year!

Last week we went on our first family vacation since Baby Knives was born.  To be honest, we  haven't done a lot of vacationing ourselves due to my husband's crazy work schedule in the medical field, so this was a rare treat.

Every summer my in-laws rent a house on the beach for a week and invite their kids and respective families to come for however many days they can.  We were able to make it from Thurs-Sun this year and hopefully can stay longer next year.  This year the house was in Southern Shores, NC and it was absolutely beautiful.  We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather while we we were there.  We got to enjoy each others company, the beach and a few local restaurants.  Next year we hope we can do more sightseeing and introduce Baby Knives to some of our favorite spots in the Kittyhawk area.  Pretty sure she'll be a big kite fan!

Baby Knives had never seen the ocean before and she greeted it with her usual calm demeanor and would have happily sat on her Mimi's lap letting the waves splash their legs all day long.  I credit her sleeping well the entire trip to her cousins and the beach wearing her out each day!  I can't wait to take her next year when she'll be running all over the sand, it'll be insane but a ton of fun.

Below are a few of our favorite snapshots of our mini-vacation (so thankful we bought a portable DVD player for Baby Knives before we left, it made the 4 hour drive bearable!)

The view from our beachhouse

Baby Knives taking a break from the waves with Mimi & Poppy

Family pic!

Taking on the waves for the first time

She could have done this all day long!

Beach towel playtime with her cousin Lilly

Her cousin, Lance, the surfer dude at age 4 1/2

Not too sure about putting her feet down in the sand!

Attack of the Creepy Crawlies

There is a particular level of "ick" that bugs force me to reach that is exclusive only to their squishy, creepy, crawly little selves.  I've never like insects.  Unlike my younger sister who once went through a fascination with crickets as a child that made us occasionally wonder about her sanity, I have always hated bugs.

That being said, it seems that the insect community is out to get me.  They've caught a whiff of my fear and loathing and have decided to use it against me.

Paranoid?

I think not.

For the past 3 weeks, every time I have walked into the back lobby of our office, there has been a dead beetle-type bug just laying plop in the middle of a shiny, clean tile hallway.

...

First of all, where are they coming from?  This leads me to the disturbing answer that they must be dropping from the ceiling.  Currently stifling the urge to wear one of those umbrella hats whenever I need to use the back lobby.

Second of all, if they aren't falling from the ceiling, what is going on?!  Are they attempting to cross the wide expanse of tile, only to have a tiny heart attack and flip over on their backs to face their demise halfway across the room?

Neither option makes me happy.

 At home the ick factor continues.  We are currently being accosted by spiders.  All kinds!  Thankfully, most of them have been confined to outdoor lurking, but every once in awhile one makes it in.  The other night I was giving our 1-year-old daughter a bath in "her" bathroom and, just as I was drying her off, I spotted movement in the corner of the ceiling. 

Unable to help myself, I looked up and saw a gigantic black spider dangling in the corner over the toilet. 

Note: Always check the ceiling before "using" the bathroom!

So I did what any normal person would do.  I grabbed my daughter, ran out of the room and slammed the door; declaring that the bathroom now belonged to the spider...at least until my husband got home and blasted the damn thing into its composite parts.

I have no problem with bugs and spiders inhabiting the "great" outdoors.  This is largely why I am an "indoorsy" person, along with a hatred of sleeping on the ground, enduring non-air conditioned surroundings and sweating while sitting still.  However, when bugs decide to inhabit my space?  Bring it on - I am buying anti-spider spray and a gas mask.