The next Julie Andrews?

Charlotte is all about making up songs and singing them to us. They are hilarious. A lot of it we don't understand, but last week she found out we were having chicken and rice for dinner and started running in circles around me, singing some silly song about "chicken and rice". Catchy tune, I tell you. She had another one a couple of days ago in the bath when she laid down in the bathtub and starting singing a song about the "bubbles in my tummy". It was too cute. Last night, when I told her to put on her jammy pants, the song was all about "my jammy pants" and "I love my jammy pants" and "they so comfy". She's awesome. Now you may ask, Linda, why are there no videos? Well, dear readers, it is because whenever the camera is pointed at her, my daughter stops doing whatever amazingly cute activity I'd like to preserve for posterity and runs up to me, "I wanna see. I wanna see." We have a lot of video of Charlotte trying to turn the camera around so she can see herself doing nothing. Fun times.

A Sweet Little Charlotte-ism

A couple of days ago, Matt had to buy a bunch of helium filled balloons for a class experiment. He bought an extra purple one for Charlotte. She loves this balloon and last night wanted to take it up to bed with her. Being the responsible Daddy Matt is, he wouldn't let her go to sleep with a balloon that had a long string attached to it, but instead told her that it would stay right above her bed.

When I woke her up this morning, she noticed the balloon, smiled, and told me, "Daddy loves me." Yes, little girl. He sure does.

Making Pancakes

My little chef loves to be in the kitchen. A few weekends ago she helped her Daddy with his pancake duties.

Ready to cook!

Measuring the oil.

"Dump it in!"

Breaking the eggs.

Beating them before dumping them in.

Mixing it up.

And our pretty little chef.

Isn't she the cutest?

Helping Out Gigi

Last month we headed out to El Dorado, KS to help Matt's grandmother spruce up her house a little. We (and I use the term "we" very loosely) put in a new floor in her kitchen and painted and cleaned her bathroom. She was very opposed to doing anything nice for herself, but we forced her into it. Matt's mom, step-dad, brother, and sister-in-law joined in the fun.

Laying down the new sub floor after scraping up the old linoleum. Fun work, I tell you.

Andrew helping?

Charlotte helping put down the primer before putting down the floor tiles. We bought stick on tiles. They work beautifully and look nice. They were the same style of tiles we used in our sunroom. We've been quite happy with them.

Doesn't she look like a big helper?

Putting the floor down. The men folk were done with the floor that evening.

Charlotte supervising before bed.

The next morning we painted the bathroom a lovely purple color. Charlotte was again a big help.

Great job, Freemans!

L-A-Z-Y

Miss Audrey is LAZY. The girl won't put weight on her legs. It kind of concerned me, so like an idiot mom, I searched the internet and became convinced she had cerebral palsy. Have you heard of anything more ridiculous? Dumb mom confession of the day.

After seeing her bounce away in the bouncers at school and then more so at home in the bouncer we stole from my parents, I have come to the conclusion she is just lazy. Why should she walk or crawl? Charlotte brings her whatever she wants (as long as Charlotte doesn't want it at the same time), gives her food (including peanuts which we have since discussed with Charlotte as a big no-no), and entertains her (by jumping, dancing, and falling quite close to her feet, arms, legs and head). What motivation does she have to move? She has decided to just sit there (with perfect balance and posture, by the way, which most definitely contradicts my CP diagnosis- good thing I went to medical school, right? Oh, wait...) and let Charlotte do the hard work, which as the doting and dutiful big sister, she is more than happy to oblige.

I'm not sure why I want her to move. The two get into enough trouble now. Both of them mobile? On second thought, Audrey, keep up the good work sitting. Charlotte will bring you everything you need for the next 15 years.

A budding superstar

Audrey made her theatrical debut this past week as the baby elephant bird in "Suessical" at Fox High School. Charlotte was supposed to perform the role, but she wouldn't let Gertrude McFuzz (AKA Hannah) hold her. It made more sense for Audrey to it anyway, you know, being a baby and all. The original plan was for the kiddo to actually hatch out of an egg, but the teacher behind the concept has lots of big ideas but very little follow through. The curse of a creative mind, I suppose. Since the elephant bird no longer needed to hatch, Audrey stepped in. I made the costume for Audrey in the couple of hours before dress rehearsal. I'm pretty darn proud of it. :)

Right before leaving for closing night. She performed 4 times- once at dress rehearsal, then three shows after that. She would tug at the hat when she wore it at home, but she never once touched it on stage. A future thespian, maybe?

Just after she "hatched". Gertrude is carrying her in front of Horton the Elephant. She became a little mascot for the kids in the show. They loved her! Yertle the Turtle was playing with her during the final curtain call. They did something for the seniors, so Gertrude and Yertle (who are not seniors) entertained Audrey during the extended curtain call. At least half a dozen of the cast members came to us after the show to ask if they could take a picture with her. Too cute!

On stage after the show. Have you ever seen a cuter elephant bird? No? Didn't think so.

Big sis got in on the fun. She was so proud of her little sister. When Audrey came out on stage for the curtain call (carried by Gertrude, of course), she yelled "Yay, Audrey!" It was ADORABLE.

Audrey and "Horton" AKA Josh, minus the ears. For some reason he took them off fairly quickly. Go figure.

"Gertrude" and Audrey. Audrey was the first baby Hannah had ever held, so she was nervous at first, but after the first show, it was hard to take her away from her!

It was an extremely successful show on Audrey's end. She only cried for a brief moment opening night, but then just looked around at the stage and the audience. Nothing seems to bother this kid. It was amazing. One of the other kids told me that Hannah took Audrey off the stage opening night and told her "Now, you cried on stage and that's ok, but now that you've done it, lets not do it again." And she didn't! Way to take direction, Audrey! What show will she be in next? Do the Muny Kids take babies? :)

"So, tell me about yourself."

10 years. A decade. A lifetime.

10 years ago today, I met my best friend, my husband, my Matthew. (Ten years?! Where did the time go?) We met after one of my friends from high school arranged a reunion of sorts at a Columbia College basketball game. My friends Meredith and Courtney were at Mizzou, another friend Krista was at Columbia and another friend, Trisha, was a cheerleader for McKendree College, Columbia's opponent that night. Meredith, her now-husband Eric, Courtney, Krista and I went to the basketball game to watch Trish and have a EHS mini-reunion. Matthew had just ended a relationship, so Meredith, who lived on his floor, invited him along to set him up with Trish.

Long story short, Matthew didn't make it to Trish. Eric was asked to leave the game during the national anthem so Meredith followed, leaving Matt with a group of girls he had never met. I felt bad for him, so I went up to him and said, "So, tell me about yourself." We talked the rest of the night. And the rest is history.

We started dating almost immediately and were "official" a week later. He was my first kiss, my first boyfriend and my first love.

Excuse the poor picture quality- this was taken on my first digital camera in a basement apartment circa April 2001. It's the first picture I have of the two of us.

We dated all through college and he proposed in April of 2004, the same week I found out I was accepted to Washington University School of Law.

Our engagement picture

We had a long distance relationship for the next two years, me in St. Louis, him in Columbia and Kansas City, until we were married May 27, 2006.

Our first dance to "Moonlight Serenade", the first song we danced to while watching Sabrina in my parents basement

We rented a great apartment in South City, right next to Uncle Bill's Pancake House. Together we explored the city and began our life together. We traveled when we could and somehow survived on almost nothing. Our monthly grocery budget was $150. I'm still amazed we were able to do that. We went to San Diego for our honeymoon and stayed in our apartment until I graduated in 2007.

On our honeymoon at Hotel Del

Right after I graduated, we bought our house, a wonderful first anniversary present. I spent the summer studying for the bar and then right after I took it, we went on a two week trip, first to Clearwater, FL with my family and then on our own backpacking adventure in the Smoky Mountains. Amazing.

In October of 2007, a month or so after I was sworn in as an attorney, we received one of the biggest (and most exciting) surprises of our life- we were going to parents! Charlotte joined our family July 22, 2008.

Our first family picture

Life was good. Charlotte changed our relationship in a way I never expected. I watched my husband become a father and there is nothing more amazing than that. In September of 2009, we received another unexpected but pleasant surprise- another child was on the way! Audrey was born June 15, 2010 and added even more to our little family.

Our most recent family photo

And now here we are. 10 years later. A beautiful family, a home, jobs. Life moved quickly and had many unexpected turns, but what a great place to be. I love this family. I love my family. 10 years? That's nothing. Here's to 50 more.