Happy 21st Mal!!!

My little sister turns 21 today! I remember the day she was born!

See:


I was (and am) such a happy, proud sister!

You can see it:



From our wedding day...a day before she turned 16:


Graduating high school:


Holding her beloved niece!



She's a beautiful, funny woman!

I love you, Sist!

Happy Birthday!

'Versary

Five years ago today started the best of the rest of my life!

I could tell you lots and lots of things that happened that day...fantastic things - silly speeches from our siblings, a few things that didn't quite go as planned, lots of happy tears and laughter...it was all such a whirlwind!

And one of the best days of my life...I'd do it all over again and again...these five years have flown by. I hope for 50 million more!

I love!





P.S. Happy future 'Versary to our friends Lori and Jim!!! We wish you all the best!!

My daughter has a first name...

it's B-I-L-D-A...

I've hesitated using Matilda's nickname on here...and sometimes in casual conversation because it's just a little off (like me!)

Of course, I do often call her Matilda, but I always liked the name Mattie...and I really thought that would be what I called her...but, as nicknames tend to do, it just morphed on it's own.

I think it stems from our kitties' nicknames: Tuffy-Buffy, Lucky-Bucky, Aggie-Baggie...

I.e., Matilda-Bilda-Banana-Fana-Fo-Filda! BILDA. (And many, many variations thereof: Bil-der, Bil-dini, Bil-dooni, Bil-day, Bilda Bear - - another cat thing - - because Mike calls our little black kitties "bears"...and I like to joke that someday we will build Bilda a Build-A-Bear....oh, it could just go on forever...)

So, as I remember it, I called her Bilda just a couple of times as a teeny baby. Mike adopted it also and it has stuck. (Mike's nicknames have morphed, too. From: Hubband, Hubbo, Bubbo - now, Bubby - I never call him "Mike" unless I am talking about him and he never says "Marcy" - - it is always something else. And though I am a very sentimental person, I don't see it as really mushy - maybe it is, but it's just me - - - it's just us.)

I wonder if we will always call her "Bilda"...she has many other nicknames as well: Darling girl, Pie Pie (short for sweetie pie - - who shortens a nickname??? I do.)...I wouldn't be surprised if it changed or morphed again...and I wonder if she will someday be Mattie...or if maybe that's a nickname for someone else to give her...

The 4th

This was probably the first 4th we didn't visit friends or family...and it was Matilda's first 4th so we wanted to see how she would enjoy fireworks!

Our neighboring town had a little festival with fireworks on Friday night, so we went downtown, had dinner and decided to hang out and wait for the show! Matilda met a new friend...we have been curious to see what her interaction with other kids would be like and it was sooo cute for us to watch!



The fireworks started promptly at 9:00 and Matilda really liked them. Unfortunately, all the waiting around prior to the start of the show had taken it's toll and we skidaddled outta there before it ended. I LOVE fireworks and was reluctant to leave...but our little one was done.

I always seem to get a little sentimental watching fireworks...I love my country...plus I had some young wives behind me with their tiny babies and I'm pretty sure their husbands are probably in Iraq now...I heard one of them singing along with the accompanying music and got misty eyed...

I was also moved to be sharing the fireworks with Matilda for the first time. It is a wonderful way to mark the passing of another year...AND I always, always think of my very favorite place to watch fireworks - - downtown St. Louis - - and couldn't help but wish that I was there.

The next day we were out and about again to New Bern, a favorite place of ours that has a cozy downtown area with shops to visit. Mike likes walking around a verrry old church there...it has some extremely old gravestones...we weren't sure of the name of the church so Mike went over to the the plaque out front and read that George Washington and James Monroe worshiped there while in town...I found it difficult to wrap my brain around that one!

Matilda enjoyed the freedom of walking around and exploring...as we go for our daily walks, I hand her pieces of "nature" as little ways of entertaining her...she loves to explore a pine needle, or a leaf...all new and exciting to her...





We ordered our second coffee of the day, and I realized I needed a picture of my little cafe goers since I took a similar one several months back there...

(Feb '08)

These days, Matilda wants anything and everything we are eating or drinking and she demands it that very instant!!!! I used to really frown upon seeing mothers giving their children caffeine....what could they be thinking?!?!?!? How dare they????? And now, I can entirely understand, I give up and offer my daughter a taste of sweet coffee goodness. She loves it, of course...and as long as Mike can shovel the whip cream in her mouth - - she is contented.





We headed over to a little art park across the street before starting for home...




Our darling little baby has turned into a toddler overnight it seems...she's walking...climbing and starting to have temper tantrums...






All-in-all, another fun-filled weekend for the Woofs!!!!