Becky Thatcher

I had originally wanted Mary to be a lamb for Halloween. However, I wasn't interested in buying or making a costume, and I was unable to find one to borrow, so we had decided on the classic costume for babies: the pumpkin. Someone lent me an adorable handmade costume,and we were all set to use it, until this. We stumbled upon a really sweet bonnet while in Mark Twain's hometown of Hannibal, MO. And thus, the scramble for an ensemble began. Charlie was Tom Sawyer, Sam was Huck Finn (of course) and Mary? Well Mary was Becky Thatcher~
We bought the bonnet, and found the dress, and all I had to make were the bloomers. Not too bad!

Mary liked Trick or Treating, and Scott gave her a tiny bit of chocolate.

Tomorrow is Mary's birthday!

Pumpkin

I 'think' this was Mary's first trip to Cosley. We were trying to get over there before Halloween, to buy pumpkins.

Here Mary is eating a chicken nugget, while watching the chickens~

She likes the piggies~

The hot shot, watching the fox~

Look at my sunny, almost 1 year old~

Climbing the hay-stack~

She had a lot of fun here - and took a nice long nap to get ready for Trick-or-Treating~

A happy heart makes a cheerful face.

~Proverbs 15:13

Behind Closed Doors

I found this picture on my camera tonight. Apparently Charlie and Sam are indoctrinating Mary into the love of all things LEGO, when I'm not looking. This little girl adores her big brothers!

There's Just Something About Carrie

We had a very special visitor this evening. Carrie, the surgical nurse from Loyola, came for dinner. She is the amazing person who (literally) held our hands through Mary's first surgery, and then came back to Loyola (after she had taken a position with another hospital), just for Mary's second surgery! I really can't express how much Carrie means to our family. She was the person who walked us through everything that would be happening with the surgery, and then acted as a liaison between us and the operating room during the actual event. But what really endeared her to me, were the days in the hospital during Mary's first recovery. Six days post-partum for me + major surgery for brand new baby girl = emotional roller coaster. Multiply that by several medical professionals with different opinions, with poor Carrie being the most approachable of them all, and that means she got to deal with me, mama bear, in all my hormonal, breast-milk pumping glory :) Carrie really does an exceptionally good job - she is clear without being overly explicit, and is reassuring while still being realistic. She is such a blessing to all of the families she works with - and now we are so lucky to also call her our friend!

Although Mary wasn't interested in a photo shoot - in her heart, she loves Carrie, too :)
Of course, Sam, the ladies man, had to get in on the action, as well~

Isn't she sweet?

So Big!

The boys taught Mary "so big". She's gotten really good at it, too~

Someone must have gotten a strike at bowling today~

And here she is, having an opinion on how to pick up that tough spare~

Hold on Tight to Your Dreams

This weekend, Mary made it to her 4th state (other than Illinois). That's pretty impressive for just under a year old, considering that she also squeezed in two major surgeries :) Grandpa and Pam had the fun idea to check out the City Museum in St. Louis, and so we decided to take a little road trip.

First stop - Lenny's, erm...I mean, Denny's. Mary shared my grand slam~

With Daddy~

She's just started the whole "putting her food in your mouth" business. We love it!

Here is Mary Ruth, on the steps of my grandma's (Ruth Stafford Kovacs) (former) house, in Jacksonville~

We had a (not-so) quick detour in Hannibal, MO. Checking out the Mighty Mississippi~

And finally, to the coolest place on earth - The City Museum~

Mary loved the slide! This was easily her most favorite section~

Where's Mary?

We had beautiful weather~

And back at the slides~

The Grandparazzi~

We don't yet have a pianist in the family - perhaps she'll be the first to master it?

What a trooper she was, spending over 12 hours in the car, over two short days~