spring break

Since so many of her cousins were out of school last week for spring break, we decided it would be a good time for Stella to get some extended family time. She and Stephen left for Montgomery the previous Wednesday, and I came down for the weekend. They were having so much fun, they stayed the whole next week and I went down again for the weekend - but this time there was no way I was coming home without them! 

They did all kinds of fun things, and Stella learned a lot about being heard in a crowd. She had a ball - I think it was kid heaven. Me, on the other hand - I worked late a lot. I don't like being home without them. 

Whenever they leave town without me I think I'm going to get all these things done - this time I thought I would:

• build Stephen a dream desk for his home office (and no, I've never built a desk before, I'm just pathologically optimistic)
• paint a diamond pattern on the dining room walls
• catch up with friends
• clean the whole house 
• work out every day
• get a pedicure

In reality, I: 

• uploaded my cd collection to my mac (takes forever!!)
• completed the transition of what was formerly known as our guest room/tv room/home office into just a guest/tv room
• did all the laundry
• organized all kinds of random stuff (that I'm sure will only be noticed by me)
  
• saw a couple of friends
• got two bike rides in

I'm pretty darn thrilled with that. I also got some good time trying to figure out just what this mac can do. Stella is also very interested in it, she put this video together about her adventures:

more arboretum pics

I realize that not everyone wants to plow through the bajillion photos on our Flickr page, so here are my favorites:

baby daddy

Stephen, circa 1972:




















Stella Rose, circa last weekend:
















Somehow I don't think anyone is going to be asking for paternity tests anytime soon. :)

stella jonas?

We had a great weekend. Picnic yesterday at the arboretum with the Thomhousers - weather was spectacular and it was so refreshing to just be outside for a few hours. I think that may be one of our new favorite places. We got a membership so now we can go hang out there any time we like. The place is so beautiful - we got lots of great pictures. You can see them on our Flickr site and on Becca & Chris' Flickr site too.

Stella's hair is getting pretty cute. It's starting to curl a bit at the ends - kind of flips out like a little baby hipster. Very curly when it is wet. We haven't cut it or anything, so it is of course longer on top than anywhere else. She and I had lunch with our friend JP on Saturday, and I think he hit the nail on the head when he pronounced it "boy band hair":

we've gone mac! and other updates after our hiatus

Our home PC succumbed to a particularly nasty virus, providing just one more reason to get us into the Apple store. My new macbook is my first-ever personal computer, if you don't count my old 386 hand-me-down in college that was great for papers and solitaire but didn't even have a modem. And I don't count that. :)

Speaking of viruses, we have been hit hard lately. Yesterday was the worst with all three of us down for the count. OH MAN I was starting to panic. Stella had been so miserable Sunday night, she just whimpered in our arms until about midnight. Fever around 102. Couldn't sleep, just would lay on us as we rocked her. Jenny had the brilliant idea to put on some music to distract her. There was a CD of czech polkas in her stereo, so we put that on. She loved it. Picture this sad little girl who can't bear to even hold her head up, but then she hears that music and her little arm goes out waving like a conductor. Then around midnight, it was like someone flipped a switch - she was ready to play like her old self. Healing power of polka? Could be. 

Anyway we took her to the doctor Monday, she's ok, just got some kind of bug with a sore throat. Then early Tuesday morning Stephen came down with some kind of intestinal flu. As I was telling my boss that I needed to be home, I heard this awful thud. He had passed out in the bathroom. So yeah, I needed to be home. I spent yesterday trying to keep the two of them away from each other and properly medicated, then I got a fever and felt very faint in the afternoon. Why do we live so far away from grandparents again? I really can't remember!

Stephen and Stella took an extended weekend at his parents' house a few weeks ago. Gotta love the sink baths.

Stella in the fresh country air.

We had a nice visit from my Dad & Jenny last weekend, unfortunately Stella was getting sicker and sicker and was not her usual self. I guess they will just have to come back for another visit. And unfortunately for them, we seem to have sent them home with the same bug that has us down.

Today Stella is doing much better, she seems to have her mojo back. She has also found her first hiding place. I heard her in the bathroom but could not find her, then I looked in here:

This evening Stella and I ran out to get something for dinner. We were finally up for eating but could not quite muster the will to cook. I got this picture of the flowering pear tree in our front yard. It is in bloom - the weather has been lovely lately and the plants are quite confused and think it is springtime. I love this tree - when in bloom it has the most lovely perfume that just floats in the air. So it's not all bad news around here.