Smurfs and Birthdays!

I cringed as I signed into the blog tonight, because yet again, I've been negligent in updating it. I'll blame it on my ADHD, which incidentally has being rearing it's h

yper head quite frequently!

Since it's been (yet again!) a couple months since an update, I'll hit all the high points on what's been going on in the Merrifield household. Then hopefully I'll be able to delve into each issue with hilarity sooner rather than later :)

Mimsey, Daddy Jim, and Uncle Robin joined us for Thanksgiving

this year! It was the first Thanksgiving we've spent as a family and it was filled with blessings and sweet memories. (I'm sure I've spent a few thanksgiving with Chris, but since he was married to someone else back then, that doesn't really count. I'm so bad!)

We flew to COLD cold cold cold (etc) Colorado to spend an incredible Christmas with Chris's family. Ok, it really wasn't that cold, I'm just spoiled. There is a reason I've lived my entire life in the south. I'm a fan of shorts, not puffer jackets. Although, precious Baby Ben looked pretty cute in a red puffer jacket his Meme had ready for him!

I enjoyed spending time with my sweet in-laws, and being called "Aunt Mary Kathryn" for the first time by my newly acquired nephews. Baby Ben also felt the need to commemorate the trip by cutting his first TWO teeth. I'm not sure who was in the most pain, Baby and his sore gums, or Mommy and the Daddy-man with sleep deprivation. We'll call it a tie.

January flew by, but was extra special because Mimsey came to visit. Baby B rewarded her for visiting by crawling for the first time while at New Smyrna Beach.

I'm amazed every day by how blessed our little family is by all the support and prayers we've received from our parents. The extra blessing is that my Momma makes the effort to come and see us nearly every six weeks. It never fails, right when Chris and I are exhausted, and need a break, Mimsey comes into town and scoops up our little snuggle Benny and gives us time to relax and catch up on anything we've been needing to do.

February is suddenly here, and we didn't even notice. My favorite thing about the month of February, is Chris's birthday on Feb.2. We celebrated earlier in late January with a dinner and a movie date. But for his actual birthday weekend, we enjoyed red velvet Star Wars cupcakes and a day at the beach. Welcome to 34 Bunny!! (Just a reminder, I'm 23. That means you're still ELEVEN years older than me. Just wanted to remind you :)

I'm always amazed when I look back at how different life was two years ago, and Chris's birthday this year served as a reminder of how far we've come as a couple, and as a family.

I adore Chris more and more each day we spend together. He's such an incredible husband, father, and best friend.

A couple things have happened in the past week, that I feel are worth mentioning.

First, last week, I took my laundry issues to a "whole nother level". I washed Chris's uniform pants with a blue pen on accident. It seems like such a small issue. Or rather, quite laughable. which is what I was doing when he pulled them out. I also think I made reference to "Poppa Smurf".

Looking back now, neither laughing, or referencing the smurfs helped the situation get any less frustrating for Chris, but we made it through it, and we laugh about it now. Well, I laugh about it, Chris still gets nervous whenever I do laundry.

Second, Baby Ben is now not just crawling, he is pulling up, and hanging onto (for dear life I might add) every chair, couch, bed, etc he can get to. He's also started to figure out he can reach for other things to "Walk along side" everything to stay elevated. I cannot believe in less than a month and a half, he will be one year old! Our sweet precious little preemie baby has come such a long way.

Well, that's all for now folks! Hopefully I'll be back here soon to update everyone on Merrifield craziness

Second,