Fixing my eyes... finally

Next Friday, 11/7, I am getting Lasik. I can't imagine what "life beyond lenses" will be like, but I am ready to embrace my future existence! If the kids smash into my glasses one more time... it makes me insane, I tell you. The glasses have become quite a hindrance, and contacts make my eyes dry as all get out.

I decided to get Lasik because I signed up to have pre-tax dollars taken out of my paycheck for health care, and I still have $2700 left in my account. This money goes POOF at the end of the year, so I debated whether to get Lasik or buy $2700 worth of infant Tylenol, and Lasik won!

I started wearing glasses in 5th grade. My dad and I were at a Hartford Whalers game, and I leaned over to him and said, "What is that player's name?" because the name on the back of the jersey was blurry. He looked at me (we had good seats, mind you, maybe 14 rows off the ice), and said, "You can't read that?" And it was off to the eye doctor we went.

Anyway, I am very excited and a bit nervous, too. And on 11/14, I will see my first glasses/contacts-free hockey game since 5th grade.

Can't wait!

Grandma comes to town!

There is lots of excitement in the house because Grandma just flew in from Arizona (and boy are her arms... well, you get the idea). Both girls are thrilled to have yet another fun grandmother spending time in the abode. Lots of new books, toys, and art supplies arrived with Grandma, and I am sure they will be put to good use during her visit.

Wheeeeeee!

Fall Family Photo Shoot, 2008

It's that time of year again! Time for us to choose lovely outfits, and to drive to Meadowlark Gardens to spend time with our photographer, Hope Reynolds, to snap some lovely leaf-encrusted photos in the late afternoon sunshine. Last year, it was nearly 90 degrees during the shoot, and I thought I would melt. This time, it was a perfectly Fall-glorious 62! How exciting. I packed a bag filled with little pumpkins, blankets to sit on, and of course, snacks. Nana came along for the ride, and we met Craig and Hope at the Gardens, full of excitement and ready to go.

To say the evening was challenging would be a dramatic understatement. Fiona was teething (canines), and was in a horrible frame of mind. Everything irritated her--the leaves, being in the wagon, being out of the wagon, being held, being put down. It was a lose/lose with her from the get-go. Rory was very cooperative for the first 45 minutes, but as one would expect, lost interest in the shoot and gained interest in running around like a lunatic (it is a big park, after all).

I am not sure if poor Hope was able to capture all four of us in one frame (looking civilized) at all - we shall see!

Maybe the pick of the litter (impending pun intended) will be the shot of Fiona on my shoulders, reaching around to stick her finger up my left nostril. Another classic Mayhew photo!!

I will post a few shots as soon as we get them back. =>

Kiwi weekend wrap-up

I had a wonderful weekend with Kiwi and Augusto. We laughed a lot, got pedicures (in the hood, aka Asbury Park), told outrageous stories (how unlike us), ate (how unlike us), slept in (I slept until after 8:00 both days!), and relaxed.

I also took a chilly walk on the windy Jersey shore (alone), and collected a few small rocks and shells for the girls. I didn't collect anything noteworthy, sad to say. All visible beach detritus was pulverized; I wondered if they had conducted their seasonal rebuild of the beach via dumping "used" sand all over the place. Bits and bits and bits.

Anyway, Kee F'n Wee (pet name) and I decided to make this visit bi-annual, so look for another riveting Jersey Shore post next March or so!

Off to visit Kiwi!

This afternoon, I am driving to New Jersey to visit my dear friend from college, Kiwi. For those of you who know her, Kiwi makes me look boring and calm. She is an amazingly fun, silly, kind, generous person, and I can't WAIT to visit with her and her darling husband, Augusto.

Craig, the girls, and Nana are holding down the fort in Virginia, and won't it feel weird for me to a) not have to wake up at a certain time for TWO mornings in a row, b) drive a long distance alone, and c) hang with college friends as though we were 20 again. => Should be a blast!!!

GO SOX!!!

Fiona can open doors

And our lives will never be the same.

Pumpkin picking!

Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I love both Fall and Halloween. I am not a crazy decorator, but as a kid, I came to really love this holiday... mostly for the fact that you had to conceive of a costume, you got to carve pumpkins and roast the seeds, and because you got to essentially steal candy from your neighbors, even the ones you never talked to normally. Candy carte blanche!

Yesterday, we took the girls to buy pumpkins, and had a nice little visit to a local pumpkin joint. Soon we'll carve!!

Caps and Sox and Nana, oh my!

What a amalgamation of events today holds! The Caps start their 2008-2009 season with an away game in Atlanta, the Red Sox play Game 1 of the ALCS against Tampa Bay (in TB), and Nana arrives for a nice, long visit. The girls are in orbit about item 3, but less so for items 1 and 2. I am excited for all three, personally, and Nana herself is jazzed up for 2 and 3. => Craig is probably excited only for Nana, though I have faith that the entire house will be Sox-rooting before too long!

C-A-P-S Caps, Caps, Caps!

Let's Go Sox!

Welcome, Nana!

Rory's 3-year stats

So for weeks, we were SO excited to go see Dr. Powers, who Rory adores. To say Rory was lethargic during her 9/17 appointment would be an understatement, and of course that afternoon her plague hit (followed by my personal version of it). In and amidst all the illness coursing through our house, I neglected to post Rory's official 3-year stats.

Dr. Powers looked at me during the visit and said, "So, I see her head is still ginormous," and we howled. True dat. Both girls (as well as Craig and I) have huge gourds. Melons. Squashes. Whatever word you choose, there you go. Rory is 39.5" tall, which is 95th percentile. She weighs 39 pounds (does that make her a square?), which is also 95th percentile. I don't recall the exact number of cm her head measured out to, but it was 98th percentile.

I sense a hockey goalie future!!

Two girls and a baby snake

A bazillion topics on which to write

And not enough time to post them in. Since Rory and I were ill, I haven't been much for posting. I have loads of things to share: Rory's 3-year stats, a wonderful wedding I attended, Craig being in NC on a bike trip, and more!

But right now, I need to celebrate (?) the passing of the bailout bill by consuming some dark chocolate M&Ms.