Jump Start Your Day!

There's nothing like a good hearty breakfast to start you off on the right foot in the morning. And for Maeve, there's nothing like mooching her Dad's entire bowl of cereal off of him...

The Bond Between Mother and Child...

OK, so to clue everyone in, I couldn't be more facetious than I am right now in titling this blog. Getting any 15-month-old child to sit still on my lap is a challenge but it's a real killer when your own 15-month-old child doesn't want to be there. I decided to endure the wrath of Maeve for this brief photo shoot and although I abhor such close-ups of myself, I'm indulging you for the (I think) priceless expressions on my daughter's face:

Quiet Time With Gramp

At some point during almost every visit to her Grandparents' Home (Providence OR Hanson), Maeve begins to "crank out" as I like to call it and exhibit signs of needing to slow down and, in most cases, take a nap. In Hanson, we employ the old Pack-N-Play set up in my parents' bedroom. But in Providence, Maeve likes to employ her Grandfather who has a 100% success rate of either pacifying her beyond our wildest dreams or rocking her to sleep completely. During our latest visits to Providence, Maeve and Gramp like to steal away to the back porch. And on Father's Day, I stole away to the back porch as well...

Great Expectations

Sunday, June 10th marked the opportunity for family and friends to shower both Brian and Michelle and their baby (still in utero, of course) who is expected to captivate all of us in late September. The event was beautifully organized by Michelle's mother and sister and the atmosphere was warm and charged with big love for the couple of the hour. Michelle played the part of a svelt pregnant woman better than anyone and Brian had a continuous smile on his face as he slowly began to drown in pink, pink and more pink. Here are some shots of the day for you to enjoy. We wish Bri and Michelle smooth sailing all the way through and can't wait for them to realize that the love they will experience for each other on the day their child is born will far exceed the love shared by them on their wedding day. Ah, life is beautiful!

A Graber Social Call and a Chow Down Show-Down

Two weeks ago, Maeve and I indulged in a visit with the Grabers (minus hard-working Dad, Steve who was on a business trip in NY). We had hoped to incorporate a nice walk on the Boulevard in Providence, but mother nature wasn't in on the plan and instead, we watched the rain drops from our table for five at the Garden Grille, where the sun shone bright inside. A lovely dinner was had by all and then it was back to Seekonk to unwind a bit. Much earlier that day, at about 7:30 AM to be more precise, I had carefully and lovingly prepared some fresh strawberries for Maeve to round out her shredded mini wheat breakfast. I thought, as I rinsed and cored them, "what kid doesn't like strawberries?" Apparently, my kid doesn't like them. She put one piece in her mouth and made the most god-awful gagging sound as it came sliding out. And I figured, that was the end of that. Fast forward twelve hours later. Enter Josie and TJ Graber. Two kids with an insatiable appetite for ANYTHING that is good for you. I placed my tupperware of prepared strawberries in the middle of the coffee table. I watched Josie and TJ lunge for the gorgeous red berries and sat in awe as they began to devour them with sheer delight. Then I looked to my right to find Maeve carefully surveying the feeding frenzy, the wheels of her mind picking up speed. No sooner had I acknowledged her examining the kids enjoying the fruit, when she marched over to the table, selected the largest strawberry in the bunch and shoved it whole, right into her mouth. Then she whipped around to shoot me a look realizing she had barely any room to actually chew the fruit. It took her a minute or two but she downed the strawberry in triumph. And wouldn't you know? She hasn't had a strawberry since.

Ahhh...Memorial Day

While I was off logging some hours at work, Maeve and her Dad decided to make a day of it at Nana & Gramp McNamara's in Providence. As much as I'd like to believe Maeve enjoyed all the attention and love from her grandparents and Aunts and Uncle, I regret to write that what she probably delighted in most was repeatedly walking up and down the ramp which is positioned at the back door. This is Maeve's latest and perhaps greatest obsession (some close seconds being, shoes, hats, jackets, black beans, her new plastic ball, cowboy boots, etc.). What I subsequently delighted in, however, was the outfit that Maeve's Dad picked for her to wear while I was at work to commemorate the day: a camouflage skort with a Grateful Dead one-sie. Where are the fashion police when you need them?! This video is on the longer side of things, but if you can stick with it, Chris and I think the end is pretty darn funny...

Opa!

Well, the weekend we'd all been waiting for finally came and now it's over and boy am I bummed. Amy (aka Hydro) and Kevin tied the knot last Saturday, the 26th, thus my blog title. That's one more Chatham Chickadee officially spoken for. And the weekend certainly met all of my expectations and more. Not so much Chris' however as he was saddled with a killer cough (you know the kind that goes on and on and isn't the least bit productive...) most of the night. The final straw for him was when our good friend Kevin Shea, being very compassionate and solicitous, sat with Chris (while I busted a move and a couple of ribs on the dance floor) but each time Chris opened his mouth to speak to Kevin, a cough would come out instead. Anyway, Chris stuck it out the best he could and I had a rip-roaring time with my girls (and their dates). It was a night we won't soon forget and here are a few photos to commemorate the evening...

Dave and Dave reviewing all the moves to the Macarena in case the DJ decides to spin it:



Proof that Meg, Jodi and Becky really do clean up when they put their minds to it:



Jodi and Kevin, thinking to themselves, "if this guy coughs one more time, we're out of here..."



I've just told Meg, Dave, Dave & Beck that if they pose for this picture, they can take turns sitting on the shuttle bus driver's lap on the way to the reception:



The newlyweds obliging my request for a couple of photos so that I'll scram and they can eat their well-earned dinner!




The Maid of Honor, Jen and her Best Man, Marco:



Picture perfect...



The usual suspects, Kevin, Kevin, Dave, Dave, Dave...and Chris!



Anne, Donny, Dana and Larissa, relishing in the idea that the rowdy table is positioned in the back:



The wonderful duo that is Amy and Kevin is off to Greece! We wish them a lifetime of hearty laughter and big love...