Carrie's Birthday Ice Cream Special

After missing the official day of Carrie's birthday, we made up for it with a fun-filled afternoon and evening of hanging out, pizza eating, gifts and ice cream cones shaped like clowns. Adrienne was more than willing to help with the ice cream eating part. (This is post-baby bath, that's why she's all wet.)

Easter with the Cousins

For Adrienne's first Easter where she kind of knew what was going on, Adrienne got all dressed up like a real girl (her mother couldn't resist) and we headed over to her cousin Samantha's house for a bunch of playtime, good eats, an Easter egg hunt and even a late evening rally into a bouncy house.

It was pretty stinkin' adorable, so watch out.

We started the morning off by opening gifts from grandma. The hit was the pink grass, as one would expect.

Adrienne spent the day playing with Sammy and comparing hats.

And Sammy's friendly dogs who love having food-dropping babies around.

Then there was cuteness.
Then there was more cuteness.

Then the world's easiest Easter egg hunt.

There were so many eggs, Adrienne even shared.

From the video, you can tell Adrienne had a great time with her cousin.

I'm Going to Disneyland!

Adrienne got her first taste of Disneyland and The Mouse when we went there for Maura's birthday with Rowan and Andrea. Even though Mickey still ranks second in Adrienne's heart to Elmo, she went nuts for the place.

We went on It's a Small World (awesome--both times), Pirates of the Caribbean (not so awesome), Winnie the Pooh ride (kinda freaked Adrienne out), the Dumbo ride (it was a blast once she got used to it) and just generally walked around and looked at stuff. The highlights (aka the pictures we remembered to take):

One of the two pictures you must take when entering Disneyland for the first time. Hey, we didn't make the rules.

Here is what it feels like to ride It's a Small World for the first time.

Adrienne rocked this high-fashion combo at the park.

Disneyland regular and baby companion of the day, Rowan, had fun also.

This cup is full of...nothing. We just thought it was a funny picture.

Texting/blogging breaks for the moms.

It rained, but it didn't matter. Always go to Disneyland on a rainy Monday. The lines just wash away.

Totally rocking Dumbo with dad.

Since it was Maura's birthday we picked up dinner from a place we've had our eye on for a long time--the La Palma Chicken Pie Shop!

As you can see it was totally worth it.

Inappropriate Adventures with Baby: Weiner Genie (or The Day We Went to Rhode Island for Hot Dogs with Meat Sauce on Them)

While back East, we took a trip with Iris, Marc and baby Zoey to one of Marc's favorite hot dog joints: Weiner Genie. Now celebrating 30 years apparently, they've been wowing Rhode Island customers with their specialty dogs, which you have to order "all the way" (aka the "gagga").

Adrienne didn't know what to order, so she stuck with meatballs and peas. Her usual.

But the adults got the dogs: complete with mustard, meat sauce, onions and celery salt. Yum! The dogs were definitely worth the trip.

More Sunglasses (Plus Cake Maybe)

Adrienne's two latest obsessions: pumpkin-date bread (which is basically cake) and her sunglasses. She loves eating that bread and she "loved" her sunglasses to much they're all bent and broken now. But here are some classic moments.

You there. Woman. Go get me some cake!

"I said 'GET ME CAKE!'"

"What if I just looked cute--would I get cake then?"

Adrienne Goes Pumpkin Patching

We went to a Pumpkin Festival thingy at Kidspace with Rowan and Declan and their parents.

Technically, is was the park next to Kidspace, but that just means there was more room for animals, pumpkins, kid-friendly bands, games and room for the now-moible Adrienne to roam. Some highlights (and outtakes from an attempted kid pic).

Adrienne got as close to a pony as her mom would let her.

She dug for (plastic) bones during some kid games. Scaaaary!

She walked by pumpkins with the gross sides showing.

Then we got the kids together for a picture on some hay. It ain't easy, as the past has shown. But we did get them kind of facing the same way all at once for a split second. Oh, the outtakes:

What is Declan thinking?

Feel my Blue Steel!

Adrienne's First Birthday Party

September has been a pretty celebratory month, so what better way to end it than with a huge (and we mean huge) birthday party? With a Hawaiian theme, we made sure to have plenty of Spam-etizers and aloha to go around.

If you've every survived through a kid's birthday party, you know that we're waaaay too tired for witty commentary, so just look at the pictures. Slideshow of all the action is also below.

There was cake.

We blew out the candles.

Adrienne took a ride on Uncle Jeff.

She even enjoyed hanging out in the baby octagon.

And practiced standing up.

She played with friends like Jeremy.

Parents stood around.

There was an inflatable pool. It was a big hit with everyone (not just the b-day girl).

One Day Adrienne Will Eat Chocolate...

...but until then she will only pretend to eat chocolate out of a giant novelty-size container.

Self-feeding Meatballs, Yes! Self-feeding Applesauce, No!

Our adventures with trying to get Adrienne to "self-feed" (as they call it in the books), continues. Needless to say, she's not a vegetarian.

The meatball experiment:

"Hi, I'm a cute baby. What's for lunch?"

"What's this thing? A meatball you say?"

"Hey, not bad. I kind of like these."

"Let me change that! I'm totally into these things you call meatballs!"

"How dare you try to sneak in apple sauce! I will get you! Just you wait until you go to sleep! I will get yooooouuuu!"

Look Ma, All Hands

There comes a time in every baby's life when they have to start eating with their hands. It's not all that easy--or clean--for anyone involved (who wouldn't want to go through life being spoon-fed, if you really think about it).

It's that time for Adrienne. And it's going, uh well, it's going...



There was a spoon involved at some point, but who knows where that went.