Mysterious lump in the bed....

Yesterday afternoon I went into my bedroom to discover a strange looking lump in the middle of my bed underneath the covers. : )

Aimee and I were both curious about this mysterious little lump....

But as we investigated further, we were not surprised to find snuggle-butt Oliver cuddling up on a chilly Autumn day. : )

New Ink!

So after 2 years in the making, my beautiful 1/2 sleeve is finally completed! I sat for 2 hours yesterday to finish the mermaid, starfish, and the light blue color to complete the water background. I am SO HAPPY with the final product, and I feel so complete now! : )

Lol...

One unhappy kitty!

My little Libra....

I have never been big into astrology, but I am always intrigued by the associated characteristics of the different signs and how they are usually pretty accurate! Since Zoey was born over 3 weeks early, she is a Libra instead of a Scorpio like she would have been if she'd arrived on her due date. Nothing against the Scorpio sign, but I am so glad she ended up as a Libra! I think maybe she decided to arrive early just because she KNEW she was destined for this to be her sign!


Libra Baby
The Libra baby will revel in the attention of others from the get-go. That baby whom everyone is cooing over at the doctor's office? Yes, it's a Libra. Passive yet charming, people can't help fawning all over this sun-kissed child. Perhaps it's the way a Libra baby smiles when others swoon. Whatever the case may be, this child is possessed of the most endearing qualities. Even-tempered and sweet in disposition, the Libra baby loves to have others around and would much rather be with company than alone. In a group, this child will mix quite well with others, displaying the very Libran qualities of sociability and diplomacy. The Libra tot is a born mediator, perhaps prepping early on for a career as a lawyer or judge. Loving fancy touches, the Libra child is not likely to take well to hand-me-downs, especially girls! These are kids who love to feel pretty, and the best clothes are a big step in that direction. Comfort is also important to this child, so clean, pressed clothes and a snappy room are an added plus. Sense a bit of control here? Well, the Libra child does know how to be manipulative, although they manage to do it in the nicest way. To sum up, the Libra baby likes to talk, loves to socialize, and is a splendid (and even-handed) addition to any play group. Let the games begin!

Grandma Backes comes to visit

My mom came to stay with us for a few days to help me with Zoey as David transitioned back to work. It was such a huge help and so much fun to spend lots of quality time with grandma! Today is my first day all on my own and so far things are going great - I feel very confident in my mothering skills, but I'll definitely miss having a second set of loving hands around to help me.

Big Top Cupcake

I am oddly fascinated and intrigued by this product....and mildly amused by this ad too!

Halloween with the family

Leah, Lukasz and Hayden came over to visit and have pizza with us last night. Although our Halloween didn't involve costume parties or trick-or-treating, we still had a blast hanging out together as a family. And Hayden just loves her baby cousin Zoey - she even says "baby", when you ask her "who's Zoey?"....too cute!