We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers. - I Thessalonians 1:2


Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers

Lilypie Second Birthday tickers

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Daddy Daughter Date . . . and more

So, Friday morning, I took Cate away from the house and out of mommy's hair for a while, so we started our day getting coffee and cinn-a-melts from McDonald's. Cate seemed to be happy to be out wherever we happened to be. From there we trekked to Target and picked up a few essentials such as charcoal, and baby wipes. Daddy wanted to treat Cate to a toy though, so he picked one out, and her teeth loved it. :)
After that, we ventured to Meijer to look around and get mommy a new pair of slippers. Cate helped pick those out too. We came home and surprised mommy and she had gotten rest and some work done so, Daddy's date was fun and productive.
Later that night she tried her first pears which she ate without any grumbling. All in all, it was a good day. Till next time...
- Papa E

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Sessions with Papa E and Cate

Here is a video of Eric and Cate's first jam session. Eric is getting great at playing kids' music on his guitar (we already knew he was a great guitar player, he's just getting into a new genre now) and Cate shakes her little soft-sided tambourine (or eats it).

Hope you enjoy!

~Melody :-)

PS...Remember, if you're reading this as an imported note on Facebook, you'll have to actually come to our website in order to watch the video.



Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Roll Over...Roll Over

Yup, you guessed it...Miss Cate can now roll from her back to her tummy. Somewhere around 4 this morning we heard her quietly cooing on the monitor and we knew that she had lost her pacifier (which sometimes she wakes up as a result of this). Eric went in to stick it back in her mouth and realized Cate was on her stomach! As a concerned Daddy, he gently rolled her back over onto her back. We've been putting her on her back since birth at the recommendation of the hospital doctors and our pediatrician. The "Back to Sleep" campaign was started to help reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), which is also known as crib death. And since the shift has been made to put infants to bed on their backs, the number of SIDS deaths has decreased (although no one still really knows what causes it). However, when I went to check on her this morning (since she's still sleeping at 8am), she was back on her tummy, dreaming her sweet baby dreams. I guess she's going to be a tummy sleeper like her mom. Besides, once babies can roll over and get comfortable on their own, there usually isn't a problem with them sleeping on their tummies. They're just going to go right back onto their tummies (or wake up grumpy) if you roll them back over. Cate is just growing up and learning new things so fast. We're also hoping this will help with the plagiosephaly that Cate has developed (basically a flat spot on her head). Our appointment with the specialist isn't until August and our pediatrician said it's really only a mild case and may even correct itself, but urged us to make the appointment just in case. Hopefully we won't end up needing it.

Yesterday afternoon, we spent some time outside. Cate was content to look around and play with her toys on a blanket while mommy snapped pictures and read a little bit. It was time well spent in the shade. Then last night we went to say goodbye to my cousins. Ben, who is actually my 3rd cousin, his wife Sherry, and their two kids, Calvin and Mary Katherine, have been living in Cincinnati since before Eric and I got married while Ben completed his residency. They are now off to Charlottesville, Virginia where he'll be doing a plastic surgery fellowship. We'll miss them a lot and wish them the best of luck.
(Sherry is a wonderful Mary Kay consultant if you need one...we (my grandmother, Cate, and I) stopped by her last meeting to say goodbye to her and then headed to the park to say goodbye to Ben and the kiddos)

~Melody :-)

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Picnic, Pool, and Applesauce :-)

The best girls really are from Cincinnati :-) But maybe I'm just biased since I was born here too. :-)
Our summer in Cincinnati adventures continue! Tonight we packed a picnic basket full of yummy Panera treats (I had giftcards from my students to use) and headed up the street to the park and community center. Cate napped the whole way up there and through all of dinner. We were afraid at first that she might sleep through our real objective though...the pool. I wanted to make sure that Daddy was there for her first swimming experience...and she did wake up. So here are some of our favorite pictures from the evening.
Seeing as her head circumference is in the 90th percentile (can you say future valedictorian...just kidding), her swim top didn't fit. So we'll probably be buying a new swimsuit this week since she only has one other one. Thankfully Cate has no modesty and has a preference for being naked anyway.
The little handle on the front of Cate's float made a perfect teether too.

When we were done swimming, it was time to feed Cate. At the advice of our pediatrician, we can start giving her some yellow fruits (applesauce, bananas, pears), introducing one new one every week or so to make sure there are no allergies. Cate and I had stopped at Whole Foods earlier to pick up some applesauce (since the doc. recommended organic stuff), so that's what we're doing for this week. Eric and I want to make our own baby food, and our task for the weekend will be to read up on how to do that...so for now, this seems to work. Cate stuck out her tongue and made a face at the new taste...but otherwise didn't complain. Hopefully she won't have an allergy because I love apples and can't wait to introduce her to the winning apples/peanut butter combination when she's older :-)
We headed home tired and sun-kissed. :-) The pool is awesome. If you're interested in joining, it's only $10/family member for the whole summer. And you can get into any of the CRC pools. Keep in mind though that these are your basic neighborhood pools...there aren't lounge chairs for sunbathing or anything like that...but with a kiddo in tow (accompanied by the fact that I'm paranoid about skin cancer and wish I would've been more careful when I use to fry myself as a high school and college student), those sunbathing days are over anyway.

~Melody :-)

PS...I wanted to post a picture of Cate in the totally adorable shirt she had on today (thanks Andrea). I love that Pottery Barn makes clothes for babies too (as if I didn't already have enough stuff that I want from there).

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Shots and Giggles

So, Cate had her 4 month check up today, and all things are looking good. She is still above the 75th percentile in all charts, and is very healthy. She may have to have a look at the "flat head" or plagiosephaly specialist because her head is not quite rounding out, but the doctor said it was nothing to be concerned about. Then she had to haver her shots. Mommy gave Daddy the pleasure of holding Cate's little quivering hands as she screamed and wailed on the doctor's table with 4 more booster shots. It's rough, experiencing your child's pain empathetically. I didn't know how much I'd be affected, but I was nervous for her, just sitting in the waiting room. Thankfully, she slept for about an hour after the
shot, and pretty much forgot it ever happened. In fact, mommy had some fun with her before she headed to bed, and Cate let out the cutest little giggle. She's only done it a few times, but it made me melt. Here's to living our lives as a worship to God.

- Papa E

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The LLL Experience

Tonight Cate and I went to our first La Leche League meeting over in Hyde Park. I know it may seem kind of late in the game to be going since Cate is already 4 and a half months old, but I had a few reasons for wanting to go.

One, Eric had an info. meeting in Dayton to work, so Cate and I needed something to do and long, long walks that we're prone to taking are on hold due to the cicada infestation (we still walk, just not as long or as often).

Two, I've been feeling discouraged lately on the nursing front and have been thinking how much easier it would be if we just switched to formula (she'd feel fuller, I wouldn't have to worry about nursing in public, I could go back to running long distances, etc.) In the end of the to quit or not to quit debate in my head, I always realize my reasons for wanting to stop are purely selfish ones and that Cate gets more benefits from continuing to nurse. So what if my body has like ZERO estrogen (no joke, this is what the doctor told me)? So what if I can't seem to shake those last few pounds? So what if my shirts just don't fit right? Cate is healthy and happy and doing well because of it. So I guess I just needed some re-affirmation that I'm not crazy to want to continue to nurse until her first birthday.

And finally, I guess I also went to meet some other moms. I've also been struggling on the mom-friend front. My closest friends (you know, the ones that will tell Cate all the crazy stories about her mommy growing up) all live out of town and most do not have children. And now that I'm out of school and home with Cate all day, I'm craving some other grown up company (and maybe Cate will gain a friend or two out of the deal when she's old enough to really play with other kiddos). I've been praying about this a lot too and thankfully ended up meeting some neighbors up the street who both work in schools (so they're off for the summer) who have a 1 year old daughter and preschool age son. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them this summer for sure.

Anyway, I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive about going at first. I was afraid that the meeting would be full of women who advocate natural childbirth (whereas I wanted to take the epidural man home with me), or parents that follow the baby wearing or co-sleeping or any number of other philosophies that we really don't (we're all about keeping Cate on as regular of a routine as possible), or something like that. But I was pleasantly surprised to simply find a variety of women, with all different parenting styles, who all happen to believe in the benefits of breastfeeding. There were pregnant women there, as well as women whose children are long past breastfeeding, but who come to support those of us who still are. Unfortunately, Cate got a little sleepy (read "fussy") towards the end, so we couldn't stick around to socialize for too long afterwards. I am looking forward to next month's meeting (they're free if any other mommies are interested) and hopefully then I can get to know some of the other moms a little better. It was definitely time well spent and enough encouragement to keep me nursing for awhile (or at least until next month).

I'll leave you with a cute picture I managed to snap of Cate today. Tomorrow she gets to meet my friend, Jane, from Miami. Jane currently lives in Tacoma but is relocating this summer to Tucson (big yay since I have family there too).
~Melody :-)

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day

To my wonderful husband (and Cate's awesome Daddy), to my dad, Eric's dad, Eric's stepdad, and all the dads out there: Happy Father's Day!

I am blessed to watch Eric grow in his role as a father every day. He strives to set a wonderful example for Cate and to be a positive male role model in her life. He prays with her and plays with her. He cooks and he cleans. He is passionate about his "girls".

I couldn't have asked for a better man to be married to and to parent with.

~Melody :-)

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Saturday . . . In the Park . . . I think it was the 14th of June

Several things have happened since the last time I wrote on our page. My grandfather passed away on Monday, and I drove back to Illinois to visit with family and attend his funeral. It was sad, but very encouraging to know that my grandfather was such a strong Christian. He touched the lives of so many people and had a simple but profound faith that left on impact on even the hardest family members. I got to see his life in pictures and heard it through stories, and became even more thankful for my family, but more importantly for my Lord and the relationship I have with him. To know that I will get to share eternity with my grandfather and other relatives who have passed as well as my own family and Jesus himself is enough to inspire me to live out my faith as much as I humanly can.

So after a few days of reflection and visiting, I was extremely grateful to get to spend time with my wife and daughter. We started off the day with a trip to Findlay Market and enjoyed some of the local farmers (tomatoes, strawberries, oranges, blueberries, and some local honey) as well as some delicious southern style chicken wings, waffle fries and eclairs.


After our fun at the market, we came home and got ready to go to a birthday party. We met two couples at Crossroads about 4 months ago and have been getting together with them about once a month since then. Today was Jack's first birthday party (son of Justin and Jessica) and he had a construction theme. Cate got to don a cone hat for the occasion.


After all the festivities we ended the day with some browsing at Half Price Books and some Starbucks. All in all, it was time well spent with the fam.

I needed to add a quick note about a recent facebook status I used. I quoted a certain character from Sex in the City (Harry, husband of Charlotte) who said "I am destined to be surrounded by beautiful women." I think I identify with that because of historical circumstances (our first pet was a female cat, our second was a female dog, and our first child was a beautiful baby girl) and my vision of the future (in the short term, it would be convenient to have another girl to use a lot of hand-me-downs, but in the long term, it might be a little rough with two weddings. . . I will not be like Steve Martin in father of the bride). In either case, I am blessed, and will always thank God for the beauty that surrounds me.

- Papa E

It's Official

My parents' home- the home I lived the longest in (summer between 5th and 6th grade until just before I got married) is on the market. It's weird to think that soon they'll be living in a home that I'll have never lived in. And it's weird to think about not going back to Hudson as often. I love Hudson...it's a great town (though I'll admit that I hated it and had some trouble adjusting at first). I still have friends that live in town or nearby, my aunt and uncle live a couple of towns away, and there are always class reunions. Plus, Eric still hasn't made it to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame or Jacobs' Field to watch the Tribe!

As many of you know, my dad decided to take a new job in Atlanta late last summer. It wasn't an easy decision for him as he and several people he had worked with for 20+ years were all working together at a company called Dealers Supply North. And my parents were actually planning a move back to Cincinnati. However, this job will allow my parents to save a little more for retirement and will allow my mom to essentially retire (though she says she's going to look for a part time job doing something in Atlanta to keep her busy). In fact, I'll probably even see a little more of my parents because of their flexibility.

Please pray that their home sells quickly. My dad has been working in Atlanta and flying home every weekend (since it was a pretty big year athletics-wise for my sister and since he and my mom were trying to get the house ready). Now that Catherine has graduated, his trips home aren't going to be quite as frequent since the plane tickets are so much. I know how hard of a time I have when Eric is away for only a few days, so I can't imagine how my mom must feel with my dad gone for 2 week stretches now and her with a house to sell (which means keeping it spotless, mowing the lawn, etc.). At least she has my brother and sister to keep her company and help out (yeah right).

We're also hoping they get moved to Atlanta by the end of the summer so we can take a mini-vacation (or at least Cate and I can) to go visit. I know that's a little selfish though. But,it will be nice to have some place a little warmer to escape to when the snow starts falling here this winter as well.

~Melody :-)

More Mommy/Daughter Time

Thursday was way too hot and humid (above 90) for Cate and I to do any outdoor exploring and when Friday ended up being hot and then stormy, we decided that a culinary adventure in our kitchen was in order. Those of you that know me, know that I can cook- it's just a matter of wanting to cook. Usually Eric does most of our cooking as he enjoys figuring out what random things go together and creating his own dishes. Lately though, I've been more inspired to try some new things. One of the things I appreciated growing up was that my family always sat down to dinner together- even when we got older and one of us might be missing because of work or practice or something- dinner was always put on the table and we always sat down to eat.

Eric and I have pretty much been in this habit for awhile, only occasionally trading in our sit-down dinners to quick and easy things we eat while we watch TV in the living room. Now that Cate is here, we're incorporating her into the routine, even though she doesn't eat at the table yet (she just sits in her Bumbo or her Papasan seat and joins us while we eat). I guess my sort-of goal for the summer is to figure out some new things I can make and that are fairly simple, but yummy, so that we have a variety of things to choose from when we shop each week for dinner. Earlier this week I followed my Aunt Lisa's recipe for meatloaf and then used a recipe out of "Kiwi" magazine for Caulitato mash (it's essentially potatoes and cauliflower mashed together. Yum! It all turned out great, and the meatloaf made for yummy sandwiches the next day.

Anyway...yesterday while Eric was gone, Cate and I made strawberry lemonade (simple, but wonderful for summer- though I'm not giving up my sweet iced tea):
I read a lot of random blogs- people I don't even know- and this particular idea came from the blog Flip Flops and Applesauce (linked at right). We're hoping to head to Findlay Market later this morning to get some more fresh strawberries since Eric and I have already downed about half of the pitcher. It's really easy to make- one can of frozen lemonade, 4 cans of cold water, and as many strawberry slices as you can fit in your pitcher. Let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to soak in that strawberry flavor, and there you have it.

We (and I use this loosely since Cate's role consisted of jabbering away in either her exersaucer or bouncy seat while I cooked) also made banana bread with some over-ripe bananas we had sitting on the counter:
It turned out great and is super moist! Perfect for breakfast (or anytime really).

Finally, we spent all day making black bean soup. It really wasn't hard and is probably the healthiest thing I've ever made. Black beans are really high in fiber and if you're a Weight Watchers person, most black bean soups are only 1 or 2 points or serving because of all the fiber. I found a recipe online that essentially cooked everything in a crockpot (versus 5+ hours on a stove). This works out way better when you have a 4 month old who also wants attention and needs feeding, etc. It was a lot of chopping (but I'm a little OCD when it comes to how I chop veggies, usually avoid recipes with a lot of chopping, and know that this will go quicker as I continue to hone my chopping skills). Besides the black beans, there are tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, green peppers, carrots, brown rice and various spices in the soup. Serve it with sour cream and a garnish of green onions and it's delicious.
The soup also made enough to have it 4 more times, so we loaded it up in freezer bags to enjoy later on. :-)

If you're interested in the recipes for anything, let me know and I'll send them your way. And I'll try to post them on Emily's "For the Love of Cooking" Facebook group later this weekend.

I have to say, our culinary adventure was a success!

~Melody

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Single Mommy Again

Eric left this morning to go to Illinois to be with his family. His grandfather passed away sometime Sunday night/Monday morning in his sleep. They believe it was a heart attack as he had been complaining about chest pains for 3 weeks or so, but never went to the doctor to take care of it. I know he and his family appreciate your thoughts and prayers. He'll be back late tomorrow night, which is why Cate and I decided to stay home. 12 hours of driving round trip in 36 hours, plus sleeping in a new place and meeting a ton of new people does not a happy baby make. So we're on our own again. Thankfully it's just for the one night.

It's hot out today, so we're really not going adventuring anywhere (except maybe to Panera for dinner since I got a lot of gift cards for there from my students at the end of the year). We're also meeting up with another mom who is buying our gently used cloth diapers. We loved the BumGenius! and gave it a good go, but no matter how eco-convicted we are, the fact remains that they really don't fit too well into our busy lives. They were a great idea and are a wonderfully made product. If I could stay home with Cate all the time, we may have taken the plunge to convert. Our original intent was to use them all summer and then at nights and on the weekends once school started. However, after giving it the trial run, we realized that you have to wash them every couple of days (or the diaper pail smells horrible) which means the whole night/weekend thing wouldn't really work out. And it's not worth the investment of our money to buy enough just to use full time for the summer.

So...luckily I had someone respond to a Craigslist posting after about 30 minutes and she wanted them. She's got a whole system down and is just looking for some extras. We're not really taking a loss since none of them stained and we bought them in bulk. It was worth the investment to give it a try, but in the long run we'll stick with our eco-friendly rated Pampers or maybe try out gDiapers to see if our 100 year old house's plumbing can handle it (these were rated the most eco-friendly diapers since you flush them). The diaper debate still rages on in the news, with people pointing out that while disposables take years to break down (yes, even the organic ones you buy at Whole Foods take a while since the odor/wetness absorbing part is the same), cloth diapers take a lot of water to wash. We're definitely concerned about our carbon footprint, and as we mentioned in an earlier post, are doing things to help reduce our waste and energy costs in hopes that the planet Cate inherits will still be a great and healthy place to be. Cloth diapers just aren't in the blueprints for us.

I don't have any new pictures to post right now as all we've done so far today is play inside and take some naps. Hopefully our attempt to make our own baby food will be more successful when we start that in a couple of months (and easier to keep up with).

~Melody :-)

Monday, June 9, 2008

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!

I'm really considering today my first official day of summer vacation. I realize that my students finished last Tuesday and I finished last Wednesday, but we left on Wednesday to head to Hudson for my sister's graduation and didn't get home until late Saturday night. Now that we're back at our house with a big pitcher of sweet tea, a stack of library books, fresh strawberries (grown locally), and Cate is settling back into her routine, summer vacation can finally begin. Our trip to Hudson served as sort of a mini-vacation for us. We decided to forgo the trip to Hilton Head this summer since Cate is so little and we didn't really think we'd get our money's worth. Plus, my parents are in the process of selling their house and moving to Atlanta- so if they get moved before school starts again, we'll be heading that way for another mini-vacation later on.

Anyway, here are some of the highlights from our trip:
My sister, Catherine (Cate is named after her), graduated from Hudson High School Wednesday night. It's weird to think that all 3 White children are now HHS graduates. She'll be heading to Akron University in the fall to study athletic training and is thinking about walking on to their track team, which would be really cool...we'd love to cheer her on at the collegiate level!
On Thursday we got together with my friend, Jenn (who was in town because her younger brother was also graduating). Cate met Jenn before (at Easter), but we forgot to take pictures. Jenn has been my best friend since middle school and was maid of honor in our wedding. We both share a love of books (I check her iRead on Facebook frequently looking for possibilities since she reads way more than I do right now) and have been through a lot since we first met in middle school. It was great to see her and catch up.

Cate also got to meet another friend of mine, Melisa, and her adorable son, Logan, who is only a couple of weeks older than Cate. We walked around Hudson Springs Park, but forgot to take a picture...next time.

Cate turned 4 months old while we were in Hudson, so above is her 4 month picture. She's in her little pop-up tent here (which is our new favorite thing so that we can get her outside, but out of the sun! And in honor of her 4 moth birthday, we gave her her first taste of cereal.
She's actually gotten the hang of it more since being in Hudson. We're only giving it to her once a day for now as Cate (and I) both still prefer to primarily nurse. But the cereal helps her feel full in the evenings and sleep a little sounder at night (she's always slept through the night just fine, but usually wakes up wanting her pacifier at about 3 in the morning....she hasn't been waking up for the pacifier the last couple of nights though).

My mom held my sister's graduation party on Saturday, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to take some new pics of our little family. Daddy was playing around with the camera on the first one.

So now we're home and hiding in the AC since it's a typical Cincinnati summer- hot, hazy, and humid. I'm starting to work towards my +15 at school (15 graduate credits beyond my Master's to get the next bump on the payscale) and found a great distance program that's actually affordable. My materials for my first class should come in this week and I'm hoping to wrap up all 15 hours by January (in time to get the bump midway through the year). Once the weather cools down a little later this week, Cate and I are hoping to head to the zoo. Eric was super-excited to bike to work this morning since he doesn't have to worry about dropping Cate off at a sitter for the next 10 weeks. And since Cate is taking a great nap right now, I think some sweet tea and a book are in order. :-)

~Melody :-)

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

A Family of 3 Again!

I have been dreaming of this the last couple of nights....

We are thankful that Eric made it home safely today and is with us. He brought Cate back a cute hat (but it really won't fit her for another year or so).
Today was my last day of school. I have a 3 hour teacher work day tomorrow and then I'm home free. We're kicking off summer vacation with a trip to Hudson for my sister's graduation. And then I'm looking forward to zoo trips, the pool, and exploring more of Cincinnati with Cate during the day and with Eric in the evenings and on the weekends. It's the first summer that I don't have a job or grad school (or both). :-)

~Melody :-)

Monday, June 2, 2008

Mommy/Daughter Weekend (Part Four)

Eric comes home tomorrow and we couldn't be happier! I think today I kind of hit my solo-parenting wall...probably because I had to go to work. I'm completely exhausted and worn out (but it was also field day at school today). But- tomorrow is also the last day of school :-) And then I'm home for several weeks with Cate :-)

On Wednesday we'll be heading up to Hudson for my sister's graduation. It's hard to believe the youngest of the three White kids is joining her brother and sister as a Hudson alum. I remember more about her being a baby and growing up than I do my brother- mostly because she's 7 and a half years younger than me. So it's weird to see her coming into adulthood, but also cool. Growing up we were as close as you can be with the age difference, but as we continue to get older, we continue to grow closer.

Eric, Cate, and I wish her all the best as she starts her studies in Athletic Training at Akron University in the fall!

For now, I will leave you with this picture. A week or so ago, Eric and I decided to put Cate in her high chair to see how she'd do since she'll be starting cereal and baby food soon. Her balance still isn't all that great, so we had to prop up her sides, but otherwise she looked like a natural.

~Melody :-)

Ready to come home

So, After a pretty long weekend with expansive views, sheer cliffs, exhaustion and sunburn and a smattering of emotin, I am ready to come home. The team did very well. Overall, the Society raised about 7.5 million for this one event, and brought about 1800 riders from across the country. When I was driving yesterday, I was kind of worried about some of the climbs for our participants, but after the hills of Lebanon and Wilmington, they had no problems with Emerald Bay and Spooner. And I was thinking that I would be out a little longer but everyone from TNT came in within about 13 hours. In Tucson they were out for closer to 16. But after talking with Ryan and talking to mel everyday, and hearing Cate's little cries in the background for almost 4 days now, I am ready to come home, and enjoy some time off with the fam.





I will admit, however, that even a long weekend away is still a better work arrangement than when I worked in retail. At most stores I worked, I would have at least 2, if not 3 or 4 night shifts a week, and there would be some weeks where I would only get to see Mel for 30 minutes in the morning. Now I am working for something that is a great cause, and I get to see my family a lot!! God has blessed me and my family.






For now, I will leave you with some pictures from the lake. They can't really do justice to the breathtaking expansiveness of it all, but they look great, just the same.



- Papa E

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Mommy/Daughter Weekend (Part Three)

Today was the most laid back of our days together. We had a relaxing morning with Cate jabbering away while we watched the Today Show in bed. The BumGenius! was a hit! It didn't leaked (though the liner was pretty soaked, so we'll have to use a doubler for the overnights) and it cleaned well this morning in the washing machine (I washed it with all of her yucky burp cloths, which are actually the old-fashioned cloth diapers that you fold and pin). It looks and smells brand new. So we're excited for Eric to get home and to head back down to Park and Vine to get more. I want to try to use them as often as I can this summer and then like I said, we're hoping to be cloth at night and on the weekends once I go back to work.

Then it was off to church. Cate had on an especially cute outfit that my dad's boss and his wife picked out for Cate. It's totally cute!
After church, we went out to lunch with my grandma and Uncle , then headed up to my in-laws to visit and have dinner. I didn't take any other pictures today ...in my single mommy state I forgot to pack the camera.

All in all, the last 3 days haven't been too bad. Cate has been unbelievably good...no crying...just a little bit of whining every once in a while. She's amazing. She amused herself when I needed to get things done and was a happy eater and napper and go-anywhere-er all weekend. But I really miss Eric and I think Cate misses her daddy. We're kind of done with our Tour de Cincinnati and hanging out and are ready to be a family of 3 again. Eric gets home on Tuesday night...we can't wait! I know I'll look back on this weekend in the future as time very well spent and I may even wish for it again. I'm savoring all of the time I'm getting to spend with Miss Cate, but like I said, nothing beats it when daddy's home.

Tomorrow and Tuesday are my last two days with students and then I'm free for the summer! Woo hoo!

~Melody :-)