birthday week!

My birthday week has arrived!  Last year, when I was pregnant, I didn't feel like celebrating at all.  I was far too excited about the tiny person inside of me to even think about myself.  It may have been, historically speaking, the lamest birthday ever.  But this year I'm planning multiple festivities, and it's going to last for at least 2 weeks.  Party on!

An early present from my sister just arrived in the mail.  This mug!  It makes me so happy.  Yes, Lionel Richie, I WAS looking for tea.  I opened it just in time for my afternoon cuppa, which has become a daily ritual during Audrey's final nap of the day.

Left: before.  Right: after!  So much lighter, up or down!

I also treated myself to an overdue haircut this past weekend.  And when I say "treated," yes, I do mean that I used a $6.99 coupon and went to Great Clips!  My hair is so unruly that you can never tell the difference.  I don't know why I get tricked into trying to grow my hair out every once in a while.  It's usually just a bad idea, and especially so now that I have a tiny person who loves to rip hair out of my head!  It just wasn't working out. This shorter style is a HUGE improvement!

Now, back to my tea...

best weekend ever

Sometimes the unplanned things are the best things.  It's been ridiculously hot and humid this summer, so we took notice when we felt a cool breeze this past Saturday morning.  Our weekly trip to the farmer's market wasn't as uncomfortable as usual; in fact, it was gorgeous outside!  Robert was planning to grill all afternoon anyway, so I decided that Audrey and I would join him in the backyard.  

I grabbed her laundry basket (who needs a baby pool?), some towels, the sunscreen and the camera -- we were ready to party.  She actually got cold sitting in the water, so we mostly played on the towels and occasionally dabbled in the "pool".

These pictures make me ridiculously happy.  Robert snapped a few for me, and when I saw these I just thought they were the most perfect thing that's ever happened. We're going to need prints of these photos for sure... to be enlarged, framed, and mailed to grandparents!

I love our giant tree and how it shades most of our backyard.   It's nice to stand under and look up at during any season.  So many branches!

Robert was also working on tuning up his bike, and decided to take it for a little spin around the backyard.  It only added to the surreal quality of the afternoon!

It was so nice to just be outside.  I'm glad that the weather gave us a bit of a break!  I'm hoping that this bit of coolness will stick around and we can wallow in the end of the summer with plenty of walks and time spent in the back yard.  We don't get out there enough!

Stray observations: I need a haircut pretty badly.  This is getting ridiculous.  And Audrey has nearly outgrown this bathing suit, even though it's for 9 months!  She isn't quite there yet, but I could barely get it on her.  I don't think it will fit next time we need it.  Oh NO, I need to pick out another adorable baby swimsuit?  Absolute torture. :)