A girl's view of her daddy

To understand this conversation, you need to know two things.

1. Joe plays on a non-competitive basketball league through our church. In Madeline's eyes, he's a white LeBron James in a blue t-shirt.

2. Caleb is going to stay overnight in the hospital tomorrow for a sleep study and I'm staying with him the whole time.

Madeline: "I'm going to miss you. I wish you could stay home with me."

Me: "I know, honey but I'll be back before you wake up. Plus you get to stay home with Daddy!"

Madeline (whispers): "Wow. The basketball guy."

P.S. Sometimes I think Joe and I are practically one person, our interests and passions aligning and merging into one goal, one future. 

Other times, I remember we are drastically two very different people.

Friday mail falls into the latter category.

I could eat this weekend with a spoon

We had a weekend that my dreams are made of. It was so perfect that I'm not even going to correct my flawed preposition.

Madeline spent Friday night with her Uncle Jon and Aunt Janna. Their Christmas presents are experiences instead of things and this year, they took her to Disney on Ice. Janna texted me this photo.

The jury is still out if she had fun or not.

Then it was back to their house for a sleepover. Or, more specifically, a sleepover in their bed. Because this little girl loves to cuddle and they have a hard time saying no even if their niece thrashes in her sleep like a killer whale chasing a minnow.

Joe and I remembered how life was with just one kid, specifically just one baby. We picked up Boogie Burger and cream soda and hopped in bed to catch up on Project Runway, Top Chef, It's a Brad, Brad World and The Soup. Caleb slept the whole time and never once asked for a fifth glass of water.

Have you had Boogie Burger? I dream about those fries.

On Saturday, we did nothing but relax and lounge around and then relaxed some more. Joe and Madeline watched "This Old House" while I finished "Peace Like a River." 

You guys. I can't wait until January 2013 to tell you that this book is awesome. As I was reading this novel, I really really liked it. But then I read the last six pages and, oh my, I cried and fell IN LOVE with this book. Oh yes I did.

Back to Saturday. I spent the whole day in my pjs until I decided to shower at 5 p.m. I only did this because I needed to enter the World of Other People to grab the third season of Parks and Recreation before the library closed at 6 p.m.

Even though it was late, I felt like cooking a big meal and made a rare weekend feast of Caribbean jerk chicken, roasted asparagus, rice and French bread. (We normally eat sandwiches or quesadillas for dinner. Or cereal.) Even though we ate at 8 p.m., it was worth the wait. Madeline insisted on putting candles on the table and turning off the lights which just bumped the meal up to complete awesomeness.

All four of us went to her room to read another chapter of "Little House on the Prairie." I would love to see a Pa versus Jason Bourne match-up.

Then there was today. Before 7:15 a.m., I had already fed a baby, fed a 4 year old, started spicy pop pulled pork cooking in my slow-cooker and finished my BSF study for the day while Madeline read her library books next to me. It was one of those mornings when everything went perfectly and I felt like a woman who had it all together. 

It lasted 45 minutes but I'll still claim it.

We even made it to the 9 a.m. service and walked in JUST AS THE MUSIC STARTED. You guys. We always, always walk in at least one song late, even when we go to the 11 a.m. service. More proof that this weekend was perfection on a stick.

We came home and exercised our right as parents to make our baby lip-sync to Louis Armstrong.

Handsome doesn't even touch these two.

 We spent the day reading, watching football, eating pulled pork and napping.

Then Joe made popcorn on the stove and we had a dance party.

I so badly wanted to pick up the messy room before I took photos but hey. This is real life and I think I should captured it how it is, not how I want it to be.

Because real life is pretty sweet.

Even with a yellow plastic bag hanging on the swing.

And what did the other male our house think of all this hullabaloo? Well, he was thoroughly entertained.

Wouldn't you be amused too?

So Caleb got in on the action while Joe apparently wanted to wish world peace upon everyone.

They were dancing to a Seeds CD. We bought all six volumes as one of Madeline's Christmas gifts and I just love them. All the lyrics are taken directly from the Bible. One of my favorite songs is Psalm 46:1-2.

God is our refuge and strength

an ever-present help in trouble

Therefore we will not fear,

though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

I love hearing Madeline sing these songs, knowing she's memorizing Scripture. I love singing them, knowing I'm repeating God's Word. I can't recommend these CDs enough.

They also make for some pretty killer dance parties.

Now Madeline's in bed, Caleb's about to wake up to eat one last time and there's still more pulled pork and sweet rolls and I'm waiting for this overtime game to end so I can watch a "Sherlock" episode with my husband.

Perfection on a stick. 

Monday, you're gonna be rough.

We got smiles and almond milk over here

The only way I can think of starting this post is by sharing that I have discovered the joy that is "Parks and Recreation" and it's currently making my life complete.

Which is good because my life does not have cream cheese and butter so it was slightly lacking before Leslie Knope waltzed into my television screen.

I'm still going dairy-free because Caleb is doing much, much better and we're getting lots of smiles like this.

You know the phrase "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels?" Well, that is a lie because peppermint hot chocolates, salt and vinegar chips and double-stuffed Oreos are DELICIOUS. But I discovered that "nothing tastes as good as a non-screaming baby sounds" is an absolute truth.

Also, I'm pretty sure eliminating dairy will bode very well for my New Year's goal of losing weight. I had no idea how much I snack and graze during the day until now because I can't eat my favorite foods. Or basically anything in the cupboards.

It really hasn't been as bad as I thought. (Although watching Leslie constantly eat the whipped cream off her coffees makes me weak in the knees.) I do miss dairy but my personality has always been better at "elimination" than "moderation."

Tell me I can't have any dairy and I'll whine but be fine.

Tell me I can only have three crackers with a cream cheese-based dip and I'll lose complete control and end up licking the bowl.

But enough about me and my love affair with all things dairy.

Have you ever seen anything this cute? 

What about now?

I know. The adorableness factor is out of control.

4 years and 2 months

(I looked back through my draft posts and saw this little gem back in July, hence the title even though Madeline is much closer to 5 than 4 now. I don't know why I didn't publish it; I think it has to be shared.)

Me: "What do you want for breakfast?"

Madeline: "Toast, pie and pickles."

Me: "No. That's not a good breakfast. What do you want?"

Madeline: "OK. Pie and pickles."