Trip to NOLA with Mike & Liz

We miss our friend Mike & Liz dearly. Our memories of NYC include many nights of sitting out in the "lobby" (the open area on the roof between our two apartments in Queens) and talking about life's greatest mysteries. Since Liz & Mike were blessed with the birth of Olivia last summer, we've all been very busy. This was the first time for us all to get away. We planned a destination getaway in New Orleans. I can't tell you how much fun we had despite all the rain. We just hung out and talked about our kids and the good times. I won't tell you what time we went to bed but lets just say it was a little earlier than our late nights in Queens. I think we've all been affected by the kiddos bedtimes.

Watch the video of Mike & Dan doing the washboards here.

8 Years Ago The World Ended As You Know It. Happy Anniversary!

8 Years ago on June 1st, 2002, the music played "It's the end of the world as we know it" as Dan and I entered the John Knox Pavillion for our wedding reception. At the time I thought the song was a little edgey/dark for the occasion but it really was true. After we married, everything changed. We're so much closer now and our love has grown so much more than I could've ever imagined. I know that sounds ooey-gooey but it's true. We know more about each other and can anticipate each other's movements.

Since we were busy this past weekend attending the marriage of Kelly & Kevin McCormick (yay), we chose to go to lunch instead at our regular anniversary spot, Capital Grille. LOVE that place. They always go out of their way to make you feel special.

Attending a wedding is the perfect way to remember your own wedding. I watched Kevin & Kelly take their vows to promise to honor each other for the rest of their lives and remembered doing it myself. I had NO idea what I was in store for when I married Dan but I can honestly say everything we've gone through has made our relationship stronger. I wouldn't trade any of the moments for anything.

We toasted a glass of champagne to our 8 year marriage and promised to enjoy that moment every year for the next 80 years together. I told him I could only be married to him for 90 years, after that I think I'll have to go sow my oats.

11 Months!

The Shepard Family has been crazy busy this month. Laina has entered her last month of this first year. The invitations are out for her first birthday. Can't believe it's getting so close!

She is very active and working off some of her baby chub lately. She stands on her own but once she wants to go somewhere she sits down and crawls there. I think the walking thing will be here before we know it.

Laina's Swimming Lessons

Laina has started taking swimming lessons at our local community center. She was not sure about it the first time but now she really likes it. There were a few moments that I was pretty nervous, especially when we dunked her under water the first time but now she really has the hang of it. Can't wait for the lake this summer! Here's a few pics and a video!Video of Laina at Swim Lessons

Kentucky Derby 2010!

This year we attended the first race of the triple crown, the Kentucky Derby. We drove down and also attended the Kentucky Oaks, the race for the fillies the day prior to the Derby. As luck would have it, the weather was gorgeous for the Kentucky Oaks and crappy for the Derby. Luckily I had made hats for both days so we were able to dress up for the Pink Out (benefiting breast cancer research) and then wore our very fashionable ponchos for the second day.

My New Nephew: Truman Forest Aitkens

Last Friday we welcomed a new addition to our family. My sister, Julie, after a very long and hard pregnancy gave birth with 2 pushes (TWO!!!) to the new little man, Truman Forest. Julie was actually preparing to take a nap when she said to the nurse "i think my epidural may be wearing off, I feel something". After I convinced her to let them check her, we discovered that she was about to have the baby! I mean what would have happened if I hadn't told her to just let them check... "Uh, nurse, why is my crotch crying?"

We didn't know the name beforehand which is something my husband and I did as well. I mean who wants to hear other people's opinions on the name you've carefully chosen for your child? I don't! It also adds to the excitement of the day since we already knew he was a boy. Truman is such a good, unique but traditional name.

The best picture, in my opinion, is the one of all the cell phones taking pictures. It is very representative of the times we live in.

proud Grandparents

Happy Easter!

This past weekend was our first official family Easter celebration. Neither Dan or I are involved in organized religion so while we did not attend the obligatory Church service (which Laina would NOT have done well with since she's a squirmy-wormy lately) but we did go to my aunt's house and enjoyed the food, of course.

I keep saying Laina is about to crawl (for about a month now), well this weekend she actually took her first few crawling"steps". She still hasn't mastered it but she definitely knows how to get from A to B if she really wants something. She made her way over to the fireplace and pulled up... I can feel the days of a stationary kid slipping away...

We've really been excited with the warm weather lately and I've tried to get Laina out into the sun as much as possible since she really hasn't been able to be outside most of her life. We've been over at the neighbor's house playing with their twins who are so great with Laina. She loves playing with the big kids.

Dan can't wait until she's big enough to play basketball with him. I have a feeling I may have a little tom boy in the making. :)

Hope you're enjoying your spring!

Guest Post on BabyCheapskate

One of my favorite blogs did a series on Budget Nurseries and I got the opportunity to guest post. You can read it here: http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/2010/03/decoupage-dresser-tutorial.html

Enjoy and please refrain from making fun of me for being a nerd.

Spring is coming...

I am so ready for Spring to be here I can hardly stand it. Besides the weather factor, it means I can finally get my first garden started. I've always wanted to do a garden and I've never had the space (NYC apartments are too conducive). Dad has agreed to let me use a small spot of land on his property since Stepford won't allow any kind of garden that isn't semi-landscaping. After all, I'm Vice President of the Social Committe... can't go pissing the community people off.

So this past weekend I started my tomato seedlings with the help of my expert resource Pat, my mother in law. Besides having majored in horticulture, she has been a gardening fool her entire life. She gave me the confidence that I can really do this. We'll see if I live up to her expectation. I've decided to start the tomato plants in a little greenhouse type of tray inside the house. I have 36 plants here. I am actually hoping not all of them survive because holy cow that's a lot of tomatoes Batman.

The latest on Lainabug

Laina has been doing so many new things lately. I find myself excited for the crawling stage that she is about to enter but also cringing. Lately when I put her down in the living room to do something in the kitchen, I return to a child who is on the other side of the room. Right now she just rolls and scoots her way around but she's figuring out very quickly that on all 4's is where it is at.

Happy Valentine's Day (I made this horrible shirt but she didn't seem to mind that I made her wear it)

The biggest difference is that she really has a personality. She LOVES to play and what most moms warned me would happen has started, she doesn't want to snuggle... she wants down so she can play. I love it but also will miss having her be such a snuggle bug.

Dan's favorite game to play with her is blocks... and boy do we have plenty.

She watches as Dan puts something together and as soon as he hands it over, she proceeds in systematically taking it a part until it's one big pile of blocks. I wonder where she gets that...

Laina and Cousin Tristan. He likes to show her how to work the toys and then moves on to play with his own matchbox cars.

Laina "exploring the sound of her voice" as the doctor would put it. Mostly we call it yelling.

With Dan, headed to daycare. She LOVES to stand now. In fact if you're near her and she seems to be reaching for you, she's not. She wants your hands to pull her up to the standing position like this.