It's hard to be THIS beautiful!

It's a tough job...being this beautiful...

Brooke and Marlee at Zoe's graduation!

Zebra jommies after breakfast!

"If I could just get passed this Mommy-lady..."

Walking on a sunny afternoon with Mommy!

Big-Mouth Brookie!

....but, someone's gotta do it!

Steps...

Up steps.

Down steps.

Big steps.

Small steps.

Just call me Dr. Seuss...

No, really... there's meaning to it all...

Brooke is attempting to travel up the steps.

She has zero fear of falling down the steps.

It seems that crawling has come so easily to her and she literally gets faster by the hour - big steps towards 'big girl' status!

And finally, Brooke actually was taking small steps BY HERSELF last night as she hung onto the lion from Aunt Meg! That lion was like magic for Josh as he started to travel around his house hanging onto it! Brooke must want to be just like her cousin - she was hanging on to the lion and pushing it away, then making her feet catch up! Zig and I watched in amazement as it all happened! She just kept stepping, squealing and laughing at herself!

I'm telling you - I'm going to have my hands full with this little girl!

We enjoyed such a wonderful holiday weekend, together, as a family!

~Friday night, Zig grilled us delicious steaks and potatoes on the grill. We relaxed on the patio and had an early night...

~Saturday, after Zig and the boys finished golfing, we had a small get-together at Amanda and Brandon's! Summer has truly arrived when we're cooking mountain pies on the deck! Brooke was such a trooper! She hadn't napped well that day, and she was awake from 3pm until we got home and tubbed at 10:30! She was out by 11 and slept until 8:30 the next morning -without a peep! We all needed a good night's sleep - and we were very thankful to get one!

~Sunday, Brooke and I went to church while Daddy worked at camp. After he returned, we spent the entire afternoon at Nana and Pap's, visiting with them and my Grandma Shirley, Bill, and Aunt Pat. Brooke rode in the wagon for most of the afternoon and probably would still be riding in it if I didn't make her get out! She loves that thing!

~Monday, Grammy Kathy came to visit! While Uncle Scub was helping Daddy with some projects around the house, we visited with Aunt Kim, Aunt Stephanie and cousins Zoe and Marlee on the patio. We took a walk with the babies in the wagon down to Grammy Joyce's, and then enjoyed a cook-out with them for supper!

Pap and Brooke on Ruby! (Zig's future 'mistress!')

Our holiday weekend was so full - but to be honest, Brooke has been sleeping like a champ for the past few days! I swear, she's still getting caught up after such a busy weekend!

We are so thankful and so truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends around us to share our little girl! She is loved!

Trying to get the last of Mommy's milk shake!

She loves her Daddy so much!

Not much happening this week -

My house is finally decorated for summer and we've got some outside yard work to do - if it ever stops raining...

Happy Rainy Week to all!

Exhausted...

When will that Daddy-guy get home?

So tired...I can't even burp!

Pooped!

Happy Monday, everyone!

We survived the crazy weekend, but I gotta tell ya, I'm exhausted!

It's hard work to host two large parties in 24 hours!

2nd Annual Cousins Day was even more fabulous than I had hoped!

The food was fantastic and the company couldn't have been better!

My cousins are my favorite people in the world - and it's the coolest thing, just sitting and laughing together!

Everyone was so complimentary of my house, the hard work I had put into the day, and they were full of thanks for having this day just to be us!

We barely escaped a late afternoon thunderstorm, but the rest of the day was spent on the patio, chasing Josh around my yard (explaining why a rain spout does what it does...?) and watching Brooke bounce in her 'saucer!'

We ate, relaxed, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company! Can it get any better than that?

2nd Annual Cousins Day!
(Meg and Josh, Me and Brooke, Abby, Neen, Stephy, Danaca, and Stacie!

Thanks, Christine, for taking the picture!)

After the craziness of Cousins Day was cleaned up, we enjoyed a quick evening at Nan and Pap's with Meg and Josh.

Meg and I made the first attempt to bath the kids together, but between Josh's sore butt and Brooke's fear of a HUGE tub, they both screamed for the entire 10 minute tub - leaving us zero chance at a cute bath tub picture! Geesh! Maybe next time!

Sunday morning began party responsibilities round 2!

I met up with the clan at the firehouse to prepare for Stacie's baby shower!

It went so smoothly and we so enjoyed pampering Stacie and celebrating the coming of baby Anna!

Isn't it a shame that I look as big as she does?? She hardly looks pregnant!

Aunt Meg and Nana took care of Brooke for most of the shower - thank goodness for family!

This is what Josh thinks of baby showers! Right, Meg?

Hawaiian style -Brookie!

Aunt Meg brought lots of Josh's old baby toys for Brooke to use until my niece is old enough to use them! She is too funny on this lion!

Coming up this week...

Grammy Kathy arrives tomorrow afternoon to spend some time with us! Later tomorrow evening, cousin Zoe graduates from pre-school, so we're hoping to be a part of that special event!

A special HAPPY BIRTHDAY wish to Halle Bug - Tomorrow, she turns 3! How is that happening?? Who told her to grow??

Wednesday, Leah and Caleb are coming for a playdate and hopefully a walk outside!

Thursday, Stacie and I are heading to the outlets to do some last-minute shopping for baby Anna! They are quickly running out of time before she comes!

That's it for now!

Have a great week, everyone!

Hurry Up, Weekend!!!

Pink-polka dot-wrapped gift for Stacie's baby shower on Sunday...check!

Ground beef for the huge crock pot of Bar-B-Que...check!

Candles ready to burn and make my house smell yummy for my cousins...check!

Pretty flowers outside to celebrate our spring weather...check!

Paper goods from my Mom's 'store' ready for use...check!

Confirmation of what treat each cousin will bring to make our 2nd Annual Cousins Day a success...check!

The rest of the housework completed before their arrival...che...well, that can wait until tomorrow!!

Come on, weekend! HURRY UP!
This weekend is going to be so much fun, and I can hardly wait for the festivities to begin!

Saturday, I am hosting the 2nd Annual Cousins day for my family! Last year, we surprised my sister in early July with a birthday party unlike any other! We fulfilled her wish of wanting one whole day with all of the Richard cousins together - just us - just being us!
Since her birthday was right around the corner, we decorated our cousins day with '30's' and birthday balloons for my 30 year old sister! (sorry Meg!) What fun we had! I had spent the day driving around town with Meg and Josh, while all of the cousins gathered back at her house, secretly preparing for our arrival! She was so surprised and so excited to spend the entire day with all of us - yet another masterpiece pulled off my me and my brother-in-law! YESS!!

1st Annual Cousins Day!

(Danaca, me (with Brooke in my belly!), Neen, Meg and Josh, Stephy, and Stacie! We were missing Abby, Kacy, and Cory's wife Shannon! No boys allowed!)

We had so much fun last year, and we promised to make it a tradition -
When Stacie was planning her baby shower for this coming weekend, we decided that, since everyone would already be in town, we should squeeze Cousins Day in if we could! I offered to host, and the rest of history...well, almost!

What's my plan for Saturday's event? EAT, laugh, share stories, share my daughter with my favorite people, EAT, laugh some more, marvel over Meg and Stacie's prego bellies, EAT, EAT, and EAT! My mouth is already watering - dreaming about Danaca's chocolate chip cookies! HURRY UP, WEEKEND!!!

Not only do we get to celebrate Cousins Day, Stacie's baby shower is Sunday afternoon!
I still can't wrap my brain around the fact that Stacie is about to be a Mom, and that Brookie will have a new cousin to love... but I can't wait to celebrate with Stacie and the rest of the family!

I'll be back next week with lots of pictures!
Have a great weekend, everyone!

P.S.
Things are great in the world of Brooke!
She's inches away from a crawl, spunky as ever, and possibly working on tooth #4! (Little brat won't eat or sleep...jeesh...)

100... and 1 year ago...

I just have to ask...

HOW did THIS happen???

(Brookie at 6 days old, and then again just last week...Same outfit in Newborn and 9 months! WHAT!!!????)

What a way to start today's post, huh!!??

I continue to be in shock over the sheer growth of this little girl! She is seriously SO BIG and I can't believe how fast this 'growing up' stuff is happening!

It seems that, suddenly, Brooke has taken off - in more ways that one!

She has really been working hard at crawling! As you can see from the picture below, she gets from her butt to her hands and knees, but only rocks back and forth! She reaches out for things that I place conveniently out of reach, but eventually she just gives up and falls to her belly... It won't be long, though! We'll soon have a crawler!

The joke in Zig's family has always been that I should prepare myself for having his baby - since he was the wildest of children and quite the 'character!' For anyone who has met my husband, you already know that he has the best personality! He's the life of every party and has the craziest sense of humor! He loves to make people laugh and he enjoys (unfortunately) being the center of attention.

Well, I'm beginning to see that wack of a husband in our daughter! She's a ham! It's so hard to explain in words - so you'll just have to spend some time with her to really see her little personality! She's a true performer! Maybe a future in acting?? Who knows!

Bubble Gum Girl - Aunt Meggie bought her this outfit for Easter! Look at those chubby legs!

A quick stop at Pap's office to see the girls! It was close to 95 degrees that day, and I loved her little tank top romper!

There aren't nearly enough pictures of me and my girl together - so I love these!

Last night, we had a great visit with Uncle Scub, Aunt Stephanie and cousins Zoe and Marlee!

I never knew how much I would love seeing Brooke interact with other kids - especially family! She just sits back and watches - she checks everyone out! She watched and Zoe and Marlee enjoyed her toys and never got jealous - she already knows how to share!

Uncle Scub and the little girls...

Our gorgeous niece, Zoe

The title of this post?

This is officially post #100!

I remember when my sister's blog hit 100...and here we are! Way cool!

And 1 year ago...

It was on this day, May 4, 2008 that we found out a LITTLE GIRL was on her way!

We had a whirl-wind of a day in Harrisburg, at our gender ultrasound at "Womb With A View," followed by trip to Babies R Us to buy lots of pink and purple, AND pick out the nursery furniture! Then, a wonderful supper at Red Lobster with Nana, Grammy Kathy and John to celebrate our precious bundle of pink, who we already knew as Brookie! (Or Beam!)

Unfortunately, May 4 also began the worst week of Zig's life. It was his last week with his Dad who was losing his battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

On the day we found out Brooke was a girl, we hurried through those events listed above to get home to Shanty who had gone to the hospital. From that night until the very end, Zig spent every day and every night by his Dad's side.

I'm sure we'll spend lots of time this week remembering Zig's Dad. And wishing that he could be here to enjoy these precious girls who call him Pappy.

So -

We'll go on enjoying our baby girl - and remain thankful for every day we have with her! Even if she's just like her Daddy!

P.S.

Zig is healing very well! His chain saw wounds are almost healed and we've almost forgotten about the tree accident...proof that he would make a very bad monkey!

Happy rainy days, everyone!