What We've Been Up To: M's Birthday

I feel like I've been running around looking like this woman so far this week, 

which is just fine and dandy if you are a Picasso.  If you are a lowly English teacher, however, nobody wants to hang you on the walls of museums to admire your misplaced nose and runny eyes.  Imagine me hanging on the wall of the MFA by the back of my shirt collar croaking, "Hand in your papers in time or you get detention!  Take off that headset!  Is class ovah yet? I need to peeeee...."  How's that for modern art?  

Anyhow, as you try to erase that image from your mind, let's discuss Madeline's birthday weekend.

Since we just threw a hootenanny for our wedding a month ago, we decided to keep the celebration minimal this year.  Mimi and Bob came over for dinner and cake on Friday night, while Nana and Pop drove up from New York to spend the weekend visiting their favorite grandchild.  

Madeline opened presents...

 and tried out her new tricycle...
(Yes, I make my daughter wear a helmet while riding a tricycle.  I'm part of the T-ball generation as Bob would say.)

and played with Mimi and Bob...

and played with Little Mimi and Little Bob...

and ate all the pink frosting, but none of her actual cake...

 and took her first spin around the block on her tricycle....

 And swung to new heights at the playground with Nana...

 And Pop too...

She also got to go out to eat, see some puppies, and generally run around the house like a maniac.  All in all, it was a fantastic birthday weekend.  Thanks for celebrating with us, grandparents!

Ohmigosh...She's so big!!