Happy birthday to me!

March (and my birthday) snuck up on us again this year!  

We started the celebration a few days early because Matt was traveling on my actual birthday.  He and the kids surprised me with a cookie cake and presents one night before he left town.  They did good - new jacket, hat and bath bomb!

On my actual birthday, Olivia was off school because it was Parent-Teacher Conference Day.  Our conference was scheduled for early that morning, so our sitter arrived and I started my birthday with a big cup of coffee gushing with Olivia's teacher over what a dream she is.  Matt and I were joking that there is no better adult birthday present than having someone else being forced to talk about how amazing your child is for 20 minutes! 

After that, Olivia and I took poor Eric to school while we celebrated my birthday enjoying a beautiful Houston day shopping, enjoying a delicious cheese plate lunch, and generally pampering ourselves.  I think its safe to say Olivia really enjoyed my birthday ;)

 

On Saturday we did brunch with my parents.  Unfortunately we didn't get a group pic, but my dad did snap this one showing hard proof of my obsession with baby E.

This little guy is similarly smitten with Mamma.  His favorite thing to do is "Milk Rock!" which means I want my mamma to rock me with some milk.  He is just the cutest little guy that we are all still so obsessed with.  And he just loves the attention.  I have been telling him lately that he's almost 2 and getting big.  He will make a sad face and say "No!  Rheric yittle!  Rheric baby!  Mamma's baby."  And...how can I argue with that?!

One story for the memory book: Eric's eating (or lack thereof) is really off the charts.  I'm not sure how one can survive on such little food and am anxiously awaiting his 2 year well-visit to see how his growth/weight is.  We have tried ALL the tricks/tactics to get him to eat.  None of them work.

Our latest idea was the other night when I noticed that he was pretty obsessed with the chairs we all sit in at dinner (as opposed to his high chair).  So I asked him if he wanted to sit next to Olivia in a white chair.  He got SO happy and immediately said yes.  You could tell he was pretty thrilled to be at the big table.  We were having tacos that night for dinner which of course Eric was refusing to eat.  So Matt told him he should try it because he might like it.  And, just like that, in unison, Olivia, Matt and I spontaneously and harmoniously started singing the Daniel Tiger song about trying new foods because they might taste good.  ERIC LOVED IT.  You would have thought he was at a rock concert --- eyes bright, huge smile, big clap at the end, followed by wildly signing and yelling "More! More!"  After about 10 rounds of singing (with, to be clear, absolutely NO trying of the food) we called it quits.  In a desperate attempt to get us to continue singing, he picked up a single strand of shredded cheddar cheese from his taco and put it in his mouth.  Again, we immediately broke into song.  And as the first words came from our mouth, that little stinker opened his own mouth and spat out that piece of cheese!

After brunch, Mimi and Grandpa joined us for Olivia's last basketball game.  She scored 2 goals and got a medal.  It was a great way to end a wonderful season!

That night, however, was the BEST.  My wonderful husband got us tickets to MICHELLE OBAMA.  It was such an uplifting night that filled me with hope and made me wanna be a better mamma, wife and person!