A very happy baby playing with her toys

 Yo. What up. This be my ride.

Don't mess with me or I'll drop a bomb.

Look deeeeeep into my eyes.

You will buy me more toys. More. Toys. Because all I have to play with is this...

Oh, and this.

And um. Ok, ok, look AWAY from my stockpile of toys. Who's counting anyway?

But all my toys sure do make me happy!

ROCK ON!

A quick fix

Here's a few photos to tie you over!

Our little family all dressed up!

And here's the cuteness in my living room! Mara snuggling with Daddy.

 Mara waving to Mommy.

Bah Bah

So Zack informed me that he couldn't hear much of her Bah Bah noise because Mommy got too excited and loud. But hopefully you can make it out! And I keep staring at the camera to make sure it's pointed semi in our direction. :)

9 Months and Polka Dotted AGAIN!

Well, I've been trying for the last 15 minutes to upload a video of Mara waving and saying Ba Ba... but it is too big and refuses to load. :( I was so surprised when she did it. She's had the whole arm wave for a few weeks but she said Ba ba with it. Incredible!

Our little Mara has kept us quite busy this past week. Starting Wednesday, she had a fever... we had to pick her up from daycare an hour after we dropped her off. Zack stayed home with her on Thursday, and we both stayed home on Friday since Zack wasn't feeling well enough to watch her. Friday night, I left for a weekend with the girls - Liz's bachelorette weekend. I came home to this:

She was so weak, and felt much lighter than when I'd left her. She weighed 16 pounds 7 ounces (with clothes) on Wednesday at the doctor, and today for her 9 month appointment she was 15 pounds 9 ounces no clothes. She didn't eat solid foods all weekend and apparently was a limp noodle. My poor poor baby. Can you see all her spots?

They were all over her body. Face, arms, torso.

They got redder when she cried. Her cry was so weak. Everything about her was weak. And that was apparently progress from how she was while I was gone.

She barely even noticed I'd returned. I finally got a few smiles before I put her to bed on Sunday.

Too pitiful.

(Paw-Paw, I see a little of you in this face!)

Anyway, she's on the mend - had some sort of virus with a 5 day fever and now the rash. But she went back to daycare after her appointment today. She's still right on track for her height/weight.

I managed to take a few 9 month photos... although I may try again tomorrow. She had enough energy today to make some noises and play a little. 

She was SO happy to get to daycare - she gave her teacher, Ms. Candace, the biggest smiles I've seen in awhile (broke my heart a little, I admit... but at least she enjoys going).

She wasn't too happy about taking the photos, even when she got to gnaw on the card.

She's now older outside in the world than the length of time she was baking inside me! I can't believe this time last year I was HUGE.

Here's what Mara thinks of Mother Nature using her as a polka dotted viral canvas!

Take that!

Sick Baby

Here's what she looked like when we picked her up from daycare at 10:00...

She was running a 101.4 fever and felt hot to the touch.

The doctor says it's just a bad cold.

Bleh to this cold!

See how yucky she feels?

Little Drummer Girl

Here's my sweet baby working on her mad drumming skills:

And if that doesn't crack you up... this one will. Get a load of her war face while she waves the "sword" at me!!! That, combined with her threatening screams, is making me think twice about this whole parenting thing. She scares me.

In other news, Mara enjoys the typical Darden evening routine. Sofa time.

Taking charge of the remote...

And causing trouble in general. She isn't QUITE crawling around yet... but that doesn't mean she isn't into everything in the worst ways...

What's under here?

What happens if I pull on this?

How about if I just stand here like this...

Endo sighs.

And last but not least, my favorite picture!

That's right. I sent her to daycare today with leg warmers. Aren't they SUPER CUTE?!? Apparently, they were the hot topic at daycare. Love love love them.

Does this count?

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile - Mara and I had a busy girls' weekend! We hosted a Swap Party and I cleaned the house like a mad woman. She also woke up many times throughout the night and has a runny nose and some congestion. My poor girl. But this video is proof of progress, right?