Just because we aren't catholic doesn't mean we can't join in on the fun. Today I tried to make a King Cake. One half of it has cherry pie filling and the other half has the brown sugar/butter with pecan filling. I did two glazes -- one a butter cream and the other a plain water/vanilla mix. Behold!

I forgot to add the baby though. I mean, I didn't forget. We don't have a plastic teeny baby and putting a plastic zebra in it would just be too much work. :P

Morella's 15 month appointment was today. She weighed 18 pounds and 3 ounces and is 31 1/2 inches long. So she is off the charts for weight, but 68% for height. Her molars are seconds away from coming in. Apparently she has a small head because they checked the head measurements four times...She SEEMS okay to me. Anyway. It was emphasized to me over and over that she is growing on her own growth chart. She is healthy. However, no more juice. Only soymilk all day everyday day. Gah. You know when we do this stuff, Morella just regulates then how much she eats. She then had shots (shots I wasn't prepared for) followed immediately by a blood draw for her iron and lead levels. They took two attempts at it, and told me afterward to say that her left arm is the one go to one. After we left, I just felt...terrible. IT was a terrible experience. Poor Morella. I felt just so sick about it that I wanted to cheer her up (okay, me too) that we went to Cubs to get her equivalent of a tasty treat -- rotisserie chicken (full of protein).

While I was there I shamelessly stacked up on extra goody supply for myself because I am sick and tired of there not being anything at night when the "hunger" hits. So I got candied malted eggs (yuck too sugary), jolly rancher jelly beans (yum), mixed bag of candy, twix candy bars (2), hostess cupcakes, spiced sweet potato chips, toaster strudels, whip cream (for Morella), and a peach juice. Gah! I also got fruit, salad fixings and frozen chicken, along with cheese, yogurt and more vanilla soy milk. Anyway. I totally splurged. It should last me a while though! Oh yeah, I also had to buy another bottle of Tylenol. If my liver makes it through this pregnancy, I'll be shocked. No, I am not over doing it -- well within the recommended dosages, but still I would rather the headaches start to abate soon.

After dinner, I suggested we take Pluto and Morella for a walk because it was a mild night. I survived it, even though I had stabby jab pain in on my stomach after three houses. It eventually went away and just turned into exhaustion by the end of the walk. Then Morella had a warm bath to help with her shots, we gave her some motrin because she ALWAYS has a reaction to the big immunizations, Tim read her bed time books and put her to bed.

I worked on some pictures. I am so far behind on them. I'm sorry. It's because I used to do them when Morella was napping, but these days I am still napping during those precious times too! I did pick through a few though and convert them.

Morella and her cousin Zeland came over for a visit on Valentine's Day.

Scout, Henry and Morella look out the window onto a windy Chicago Street.

Kate and Eric, apparently borrowed the camera to take a picture. :D Thanks! It's makes it easier so I don't have to make you pose. Seriously, whenever you are in Chicago you should stay with them. Best bed and breakfast ever.

Henry, Morella, Kate and Eric

Cullen and Morella

Tim and Morella face the high winds.

Messy haired baby.