Thanks for the cute dress, Aunt Lindsey!

It even has Lola's name on it... look at the bottom right. Too cute!

Lola's nannies

We are blessed to have three women in our lives who are helping us with Miss Lola during our busy season. Chris Hoefle started watching Lola around the first of March. She's a neighbor and a dock customer. She and her husband, Milt, moved to Pontiac from St. Louis about 10 years ago. Milt passed away two summers ago. Chris is retired and decided she wanted a part-time job. In addition to watching Lola, Chris has also been working at the dock. She has been an all-around BIG help to me.

Anna Reynolds is Matt's first cousin. She's from El Dorado, Arkansas. She graduated from Harding University a year ago, and she is about to complete her first year of teaching (food and nutrition) at Bentonville High School in Bentonville, Arkansas. Anna has spent a few weekends with us already. She also met us in Kansas City for Caldwell and Kate's wedding to help us with Lola on the wedding day. Anna will be staying with us for part of the summer, starting around the third week of June.

Katelyn Phelps is the daughter of our friends, Craig and Stephanie. Katelyn is 17 years old and is graduating from Edwardsville High School in Edwardsville, Illinois on Saturday. She came down with her family last Friday and babysat Lola Friday night and Saturday morning and all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. She is back in Illinois now, getting ready for her graduation. She'll be back on Sunday and will be staying with us for about a month.

I'll post pictures soon!

Mommy brain...

...is a real thing. I always heard women talk about it before, and I'd secretly roll my eyes, like, oh whatever. But, now that I'm a mom, I can attest that mommy brain is real, and I am suffering from it.

I completely forgot to pick up our dogs from the groomer today.

Granted, it was a Monday, and I had a billion other things to do - like work, spend time with our new nanny, Katelyn, who is going to be staying with us for part of the summer, and write a column for the paper (which I'm still working on right now at 9:05 p.m.)

First of all, I thought their appointment with the groomer was at 9 a.m. I got to work this morning and looked at my calendar to see that it was actually at 11. No big deal, but I had to rearrange a few things.

When I dropped them off I chatted with Ruby (the groomer) for a few minutes, then as I was leaving I said, "Pick them up around 3?" She said yes and that she herself had a hair appointment this afternoon after she was done with Honey and Oscar, and she was looking forward to it.

I ran to town to the bank then back to work. At about 12:30 I noted the time and thought to myself: "I have plenty of time before they have to be picked up." Next thing I know my cell phone is ringing, and it's Ruby. My heart sank as I looked at the clock and saw that it was 3:20. Where had the day gone? Luckily Matt was there, so he ran out the door to go get them. Poor dogs. They have certainly taken a backseat since Miss Lola arrived.

Sigh. I'm really not a dumb blonde. Really. I'm not.

Bath time!

Okay, I know Lola will cringe when she looks at these pictures as a teenager (especially that last one!)... but, they're too cute not to post. She LOVES taking a bath. She recently discovered the water coming out of the faucet, and she tries to 'grab' it with her hands.

I'm a big girl now...

The wedding pictures are fixed! See below...

Just Dance

Caldwell and Kate's reception was by far one of the most fun we have ever been to, (and we have been to a lot of fun wedding receptions!) It was a great crowd, good dinner and toasts (Matt and I gave a best man and 'best sister' toast - ha), and the band rocked. It was the kind of party that kept everyone on the dance floor all night long. We kept pushing tables and chairs out of the way to make the dance floor bigger. Caldwell's fraternity brothers were the life of the party. There were about a dozen of them there, along with their significant others, and they danced their booties off. One guy was on another guy's shoulders. Another was break-dancing. There was a whole choreographed routine that involved dancing over a mimed jump rope. It was hilarious. It was entertaining. I hear there is some video footage floating around, and I can't wait to see it. (And I'm a little scared to see it.)

Caldwell + Kate = MARRIED!

We spent four days and nights in Kansas City last week getting Caldwell and Kate married once and for all. It was an awesome weekend. Even Lola traveled well. We drove up Wednesday evening and spent the night with Kate and Betsy. Rehearsal and rehearsal dinner were on Thursday. Dad and Matt smoked ribs, chicken and pork tenderloin for about 40 people at rehearsal dinner.



It was also Kate's birthday, so we had cake for dessert!


Mom, me and my wonderful new sister-in-law!


Just a couple more days 'til the BIG day - eeeeek!


On Friday we spent most of the day at Lake of the Forest (where Kate grew up), setting up for the reception. There were soooo many beautiful flowers...


...and a lot of time was spent agonizing over the seating chart! About 70 people were supposed to be seated on the porch, but the chilly and windy weather forced us to move them all inside. Challenge!


It came together beautifully...


...even Lola helped! (Well, she supervised.)


The big day arrived, and Kate looked stunning...


...Lola was a pretty cute flower girl, too.


Taking a walk...


...and saying 'I do.'


The wedding party took a trolley to the reception...


...with a stop at Kauffman Gardens for pictures!


I got to see some good friends...


...and then we danced the night away.


Click below to see all the pictures!

Update soon!

I promise! I have pictures from Jimmy Buffett, lots of pictures from Cal and Kate's wedding... and stories! Just trying to find the time to post. Stay tuned.

Check out those bottom teeth!

Click the picture to enlarge it, and you can really see them.

How She Moves

Pulling up...


Look, Mom, one hand!


Telling a story...


Downward Dog (a yoga master in the making?)


Up and down the stairs, oh my!

May 3 = 8 Months!!!

Happy two-thirds of a year, Miss Lola "Bean" Morgan Wade. I cannot believe we are already here. I really do need to start planning her first birthday party because it really will be here before we know it. Her first birthday will fall on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, which means her dad and I will be working. (She will, too, if she can count to 12 by then. You know, so she can dip minnows.) Therefore, we will likely have her party the weekend before - Aug. 27-28. Matt said it's going to be a real shin-dig... he's even going to fire up the smoker!

So, what does an 8-month-old do? The question is, what doesn't she do? She. Is. Everywhere. We absolutely cannot take our eyes off of her for one second. She crawls. She pulls up on everything and STANDS. She babbles. She squeals. She sputters and blows bubbles. She tries really hard to say "mama." She puts everything in her mouth (including Oscar's tongue when we aren't looking). She loves to talk on the phone. She has TWO teeth. Both bottom front teeth have broken through. So far she has been a good teether. We've had a couple of unhappy moments that we didn't realize until later (when the tooth came in) were probably caused by teething pain. She is still nursing, and she is trying all kinds of new foods. She LOVES plums and pears. She recently tried white-flesh sweet potatoes and devoured those, too. She's also eating oatmeal now, in addition to rice. There isn't much she doesn't like to eat. (Except orange and green foods mixed together. Remember, that combo = brown, which = yuck.)

In her eight months, Lola has been to a Mizzou Homecoming football tailgate and a Mizzou basketball game. She spent Thanksgiving weekend in Kansas City and recently spent a week in Islamorada, to which she took her first plane ride. She has been back to the Cox maternity floor twice to welcome new babies - her cousin, Jackson Wade, and her best buddy, Regan Blackburn. She has spent two nights away from me - once with Granny and Grandpa Tim, and once with Nana and Grandpa Dan. Next weekend she'll be in her first wedding. Uncle Caldwell and Aunt Kate are FINALLY tying the knot, and Lola is the flower girl. Matt and I are also in the wedding - Matt is the best man, and I'm a bridesmaid.

Life is crazy, but good. Cheers.