Chicago Triathlon '09

Patrick completing the swim portion.

MVP waiting to see Daddy run by.

Enjoying Grandpa & Grandma P.!

Lonnie, Patrick & The Bone.

Today was the Chicago Triathlon and despite the fact that he trained VERY little this season, Patrick went right ahead and completed it anyway! It was a chilly start this morning and it was rather windy, but it turned out to be a beautiful day. Patrick struggled a bit and didn't do as well as last year, but he accomplished what he set out to do, which was just to finish. Back to business next year!!! Lonnie brought Joanne to spend the week and so it was nice that they were able to cheer him on with Margaux and I. I have an ulcer on my cornea/pupil and so the last few days have been very painful and difficult for me, I am thankful to have Joanne here this week to help me out with MVP so that I can get my eye healed and accomplish some household tasks. I think pedicures and the zoo are also on the agenda!

Camera Face

Our little girl knows exactly what a camera is and she knows what to do when it's pointed at her! She has been taking it to the extreme lately and cheeses it up by getting all hunched up and giggly! Such a little ham bone.

Ree's Lady Bike

Trek 7.2 FX WSD

I used to be quite a biker back in college when I had my pimped-out Specialized Rockhopper mountain bike that I ACTUALLY rode on the mountains and trails. When I moved to Chicago back in 1996 I assumed that I would use my bike to get about town. Nope! It only took a few rides on the streets downtown for me to feel like I was risking my life and I haven't had a bike since then. Until tonite. Patrick has been riding a lot since last year when he started participating in triathlons and then this year he got a Burley bike trailor for MVP and she digs it! He has been nagging me all summer to get a bike and so today I looked at a few and ended up with the Trek hybrid pictured above. It's built ergonomically specific for women and it's pretty and rides like a dream and best of all...it has a cute lil' bell!!! Unlike my old bike, this one will not have Grateful Dead, Nine Inch Nails or sorority stickers all over it! I am excited about riding with my family on the Chicagoland trails/paths and in MI and WI. I wonder how Jasper would do in a Burley???

10 months!

8/24/09: 10 months old

How quickly another month has gone by! She is becoming more and more verbal and finds many things belly-laughing HILARIOUS and constantly flashes us her 8 little pearly whites! She's so cool.

Let Me Hold You Longer

Long ago you came to me,

a miracle of firsts:

First smiles and teeth and baby steps,

a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away

and leave to me your past,

And I will be left thinking of

a lifetime of your lasts...

There was a book sale in the cafeteria at work yesterday and my friend Glenda and I were browsing. We came across this book called Let Me Hold You Longer by Karen Kingsbury and Glenda's face lit up. She plans to slip it in with her son's belongings when he leaves for college next year. So I picked it up and began to skim it and sure enough, I was blinking back the tears! It's true that we tend to get very caught up in our children's firsts but not so much their lasts...those just tend to slip by. This book is beautifully illustrated and chronicles the growing up of a mom's little boy into manhood. It's true that I have been completely enthralled with MVP's firsts and after reading this book I can better understand why the current transition from co-sleeping to her crib has been kind of tough for me...it's the end of a little era! MVP is not quite crawling yet and I hold her pretty much all the time. And you know what? I don't give a hoot! She will crawl soon, and then walk for the rest of her life. I am going to cherish these dwindling days of her itty-bitty babyhood. This seems silly, I know. Unless you're a mommy. Anyway, after lunch was over Glenda came up and handed me the book. Thank you Glenda!

A Nice Little Weekend

Lifted from Bex's blog...dining in Little Italy.

Heather & Bex

~Conversation~wine & cheese~laughter~chocolate fondue~memories~secrets~shopping~lunching~Francesca's~more vino~Mario's Italian Ice~The Village Tap~retro singalong~Grandma Sally's~more Target!~

Cooling Off

Getting a mouthful of teeth...the two top front teeth have just broken though!

Splashing first!

Whatchu lookin' at Mama???

And she's IN...and likes it!

So we are at August 10th and it feels like summer has just arrived this past weekend in all of it's hot & humid glory! Our central air is kind of touchy but since the summer has been uncommonly cool, we decided to limp through another year before investing in a new system. Of course today it decided it needed a rest and it got quite stuffy so I pulled out the little pool and we enjoyed a nice day outside playing. MVP had a blast splashing and she even got in the pool this time and really enjoyed it! We have been sick in our house the past few weeks and Patrick was the last to get the bug, hopefully he'll be all better soon. Thankfully, the air is back on providing us with comfort this evening. Happy Birthday to my mom yesterday!!! :-)