val-day.

it's valentine's day.

it's ellie's last "first" thing before she turns one. 

(except presidents day, but that's not a real day. right? right.)

it's our first valentine's day as a family of three. ellie and i are trying to figure out how to get our cute on properly. we're making cafe rio (using her wonderful recipes) and some festive red velvet cake mix cookies (um, yum). we don't have any real plans, except maybe to clean up the house and hopefully sleep sometime tonight . . . since ellie has decided to not sleep more than two hours straight for the past few nights. 

 that's right. i have a grump for a valentine, but i think that teeth might be to blame.

i finally put her in her crib to scream so i could shower and, when the screams suddenly stopped, i went in to check on her. 

i found this: 

needless to say, we're all happy to have each other to love and kiss and cuddle. i don't know what i'd do without my best husband and my best girl. i have to say that i am getting pretty annoyed with all the whiners hating on valentines day, single or not. how can you be so cranky as to hate a day set aside for people to express their love for others a little more than usual? relax.

just enjoy this movie - proof that love of cookies is genetic:

happy grumpsday everyone!

p.s. - it's the first time celebrating my great-grandmother's birthday without her - she would have been 99 today. what a sweet day for a sweet lady.