I'm starting to feel a real connection with Tina Fey, or at least her daughter. Not only is there a picture of the mini-Fey dressed in Emmylou's same peacock costume at the end credits of each "30 Rock" episode, Tina is also on a first name basis with the Wonder Pets. Emily said she saw Tina interviewed on the red carpet before the SAG awards Sunday night and when asked what her daughter's favorite show is, she replied, "Oh, The Wonder Pets! And if you don't know who they are, you will." Wow, who knew that one of the funniest women in show business and I were leading such parallel lives? Scary.

It finally stopped raining long enough for Emmylou to enjoy some outside playtime! She loves "hiding" in the bamboo (standing really close to the stalks) and we also got the sidewalk chalk out and initiated the sidewalk. Here are some pics, even though I'm still not such a great photographer (there's so much pressure now that I have a real camera!).

Things have been pretty quiet around here with the bad weather and Emmylou's been busy giving it her all to become a world-class whiner, so I haven't had much to post lately.

Around the house, when she's not busy demanding or watching Ming-Ming the Wonder Pet (I'm starting to think we might have to have an intervention-- does A&E help with this type of thing?), she's still really into shoes. She can't seem to keep her own on (her teacher says this is her only problem) but makes a mad dash to try on anyone else's if they come into sight. Today while she was at school I went shopping for purple, green and gold Mardi Gras garb (we leave one week from today!) and I found these fancy things, which, of course, she could not resist:

Emmylou had fun the other day checking out Em's new iPhone:

Dear Emmylou,

I started writing you this letter to celebrate your 22 month birthday on Monday, and here it is Thursday and I still haven't finished it! Let me explain why. In addition to having the most severe cedar allergies I have ever had in my life (and that's really saying something- I can only hope you haven't inherited any half as bad), most of my body, at least my entire arms and legs, have been covered with the itchiest rash- some kind of unknown allergic reaction- that feels like I've been bitten my millions of mosquitoes. It is, however, getting a little better, but then you were sick yesterday and the night before with a fever and a horribly runny, stuffed-up nose that caused you to wake up every fifteen minutes. Thank goodness your daddy got home from Dallas yesterday and was able to take good care of us. Anyway, it hasn't been a fun few days in our house, but I think you and I are both almost back to normal or at least on the mend.

Before all this happened, you and I had a great day on Monday celebrating your 22 month birthday. We played and watched TV and made cookies in the afternoon. We made the best cookies in the whole wide world, and I think I'm going to rename them after you because we decided to add a little twist to the recipe.* When Daddy got home I thought he might be upset that we added chocolate chips to them (I know, it sounds ridiculous that he would be upset about adding chocolate to anything, but he's a purist) but he even thought they might be better than ever.

Your favorite part of making cookies:


Over the past few days while you were sick and I was busy applying liters of calamine lotion and Benedryl cream to 80% of my body, you and I watched a lot of TV. You love Maisy, Max and Ruby and Elmo, of course, but your favorite show right now is the Wonder Pets. Linny, the guinea pig, Tuck the turtle and your favorite, Ming-Ming the duckling are always off on new adventures saving various baby animals in exotic locales. Today we saw them save a caterpillar in Greece next to the Parthenon (you've been there!), a kangaroo in Australia and a unicorn in some fantasy-land. It's kind of like watching a 30 minute Cute Overload musical, so I really don't mind it too much.



This past month you've been busy talking to us and really getting into pretend play. You love your new kitchen and make us food all the time in it and even tell us when we should ask you for more. You've also decided you like pretending to be a baby and get us to rock you in our arms and make goo-goo gaa-gaa sounds. While you're definitely talking more and probably could not be more expressive, we've figured out that you're not up for saying new words until you're really sure you can do it. Mimi says your daddy was like that, too.

I can't tell you how much we enjoyed the holidays over the past month with you. It was such an amazing, incredible and hilarious time. But I guess it always is with you! You are just always funny and usually pretty happy and sweet, sweet, sweet. To say you are a social child would be an understatement. I can't take you anywhere without you saying "hi" and "bye" to everyone we pass. Lately we've been working on only saying it once to each person.

Emmylou, you're the best! You're growing up so fast but I'm thrilled we have so much time together. I love cheering you on and watching you change and grow each and every day. I'm savoring every moment- I couldn't be a luckier or happier mom.

Love you,
Your Chronically-Late Monthly Letter-Writing Mommy

*Emmylou Cookies

Beat together until creamy:
2 sticks softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add and mix in:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Then add and mix in:
1 1/2 cups Quaker oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chocolate chips (!)

Lastly, add and mix in:
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

Place spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Should I be concerned? This is bringing up memories of that weird kid in Parenthood:





And here's Emmylou, the Spice Baby! Alex got her this bib at the Spice Girls concert and sent it to Emmylou for Christmas. Doesn't she look sassy in it?



Thanks, Alex! She's pointing to the "e" because she's obsessed with learning letters these days. So far she already knows all the letters in "emmylou" plus several others.

Okay! Here they are! Photos from Christmas morning:

All the presents and everything Santa left...



"These are all for me?!"



Emmylou's new kitchen...



Where she made a cupcake for Elmo...



Tearing into the paper!



Ooh! A sushi set!



Thanking Lizzie for her giant Ugly Doll Ice Bat...



Cuddling with the fam...



Getting a kiss from Mimi (who drove in from San Antonio to get here at 7 am!)...



And getting a Christmas squeeze from Grammie...



Trying out her tricycle...



Gnawing on a bit of her candy necklace...



We all dove into our stockings to see what treats were inside (we started a new tradition this year decorating supplemental paper bags since the stockings themselves are always overflowing)...



Later we had a yummy dinner of Gary's signature filet mignon and risotto...



Yay! We love Christmas!

Em brought over the photo card with the pics from early Christmas morning, but unfortunately they were in the wrong format for posting, so here are just a few from Christmas Eve (notice the crappy photo quality since I hadn't received my miraculous camera yet):


After going to church, Emmylou stood among the many presents...



Then got to open one: her father's worst nightmare!



After putting on her jammies, we watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas (my all-time Christmas favorite) together...



Then we poured some milk to go with Santa's cookies...



And Emmylou made sure they passed the taste test...



Hopefully I can add Christmas morning soon!

Contrary to how it may seem, my number one New Year's resolution is not to quit blogging! It's actually to blog more, which will be difficult to do amongst all my other time-consuming resolutions such as learning French and Italian, running a half marathon and learning to like oatmeal, but I'll give it a try.

It's been a nice little break for me, though, as I've barely even opened up my computer in the last two weeks, but mostly that was because I've been afraid that it's about to crash. I think I maxed out the storage capacity when I uploaded my 5,394th picture (not kidding) to iPhoto, so I had to do a little damage control and transfer everything to an external hard drive to make some new space. New space for what?

Photos from my new Canon Rebel XTi that Gary surprised me with for Christmas! So, dear reader, not only should you have more photos and posts from me in 2008, but the photos should be much better! Although I only know how to shoot in the auto mode at the moment (learning how to use the manual settings is another resolution), the photos are of unbelievably better quality than my little point and shoot, so I'm very excited.

This afternoon or evening I'm planning on making my first upload off the camera, and that, of course, includes a few photos from Christmas. Emily took most of the early morning ones-- which I haven't gotten yet-- but I do have a couple from a little later after opening presents that I'll post.

Speaking of presents, I'll just tell you now Emmylou's two favorites (of the millions): one, a candy necklace and two, a Hello Kitty pez dispenser (which she held up to her ear like a phone when I told her its name was "Hello Kitty"). Surprising? I think not.

More to come this evening...