The Sweetest Sound...

"Mama"

and Caroline just started saying it! :)

I have to admit that hearing it for the first time is just as sweet the second time around. Anna Cate's first word was "daddy" so this makes it even more special for Caroline's first word to be for me.

The first time I heard it was when I put her down for her afternoon nap last Wednesday. I walked out of their room and heard "Mama ma" but I had to do a double take because it sounded just like Anna Cate's voice. I poked my head back in the door and asked Anna Cate if she had called me and she said, "No ma' am that was Pluffy!"

I took this picture of her last night in the tub and then remembered one I had similar of Anna Cate at this age. When I found it on the computer, I realized it was literally taken at almost the exact same time (age wise) because they are 2 years and 10 days apart.

Caroline - February 1, 2010

Anna Cate - January 18, 2008

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Changing gears, a sore throat we all had last Tuesday morning turned into a week-long yucky cold that we are still fighting off. All I can say is it is hard to take care of everybody when we are all sick at the same time, especially if you have Anna Cate living in your house with a runny nose. Anybody who has been around her when she is sick can empathize, because she walks around all day saying "Me nose, me nose!" But in the most whiny, drawn out voice you can possibly imagine. More like this:

"Me Noooose, Meeeee nooooooose Mama!"

Thankfully, Will picked these babies up at the store on his way home from work one afternoon and it has helped her nose significantly. I highly recommend them to anyone with a runny nose.

Puffs + lotion + Vicks = RELIEF!

Being sick and at home for a full week has also wreaked havoc on our house. No matter how fast I can pick up the messes, another one is made somewhere else in the house. I've all but given up:

Their room was spotless when I put them down for a nap, aka rest time, for Anna Cate. This is what I found when I went to get them up.

Does it look like she was resting to you????

Disaster Area #2 is the playroom. Now that Caroline is crawling, I've got double the trouble trying to keep things picked up and put away.

We did venture out of the house yesterday morning to run to the grocery store. I saw these yellow tulips and splurged! Having been stuck inside for 6 days will give you the worst case of cabin fever. They were just the pick-me-up I needed and made me long for spring and warmer weather. (as you can see we also made the heart garland from the tutorial I shared last week. It took about 30 minutes total and looks cheering hanging on the china hutch in the kitchen (that I have still yet to paint!) Definitely a project worth trying. Fun & Easy.)

While we were at the store I also saw these cute valentine mini muffin cups.

We brought them home and tried them out with this recipe for homemade

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

image via My First Kitchen

They are sooooooo yummy that you can't eat just three. ;) More like six or seven. I had intended for Will to take them to work to share, but he left them on the counter this morning and sadly they are now all gone. Guess I'll just have to make another batch. They would make the perfect Valentine for somebody special!

Click HERE for the recipe

And this afternoon, the messes continue as my kitchen table looks like this:

I am trying to get things together for the first sewing workshop scheduled for this weekend. I'm a little nervous and a lot excited so hopefully things will come together in time!

We had to have a lunch picnic in the den today because of everything on the kitchen table. You can see how upset Caroline is that Anna Cate won't share her lunch. :) Oh how I love these moments that occur about 567 times a day around here!