Yesterday Sunny and I ventured to the DJ park with her friends Teddy and Fia and Corey.

Looking at the other children play with the toys, standing up, and pushing the buttons, seeing who gets to ride which train; I was struck watching Sunny play by the frogs foot with hundreds of leaves in her own world. My friend Courtney remarked how maybe one day Sunny would grow up to be a scientist.

I have thought of Sunny as many things on various occasions. When I was pregnant with her I imagined this sassy little ballerina. I imagined a girly girl who carried a purse and sang songs loudly and could throw a tantrum that would outdo all of the other tantrums in the world. I imagined a pageant child, who would one day practice dance in NYC, and study cooking at the French Institute and spend long lunches entertaining me and her uncles with stories of her incredible successes in the arts. However, I could have never imagined my Sunny.

My girl is something so much more special than the limited vision I once assigned to her. She is in fact thoughtful and selfless. She is poised and studied, soft and content. She is curious and a natural explorer. She is more Columbia than NYU, more Hepburn than Monroe, more Oak tree than Willow, more Willoughby than Statham.

So when Courtney suggested that one day she might spend her working time in a lab I thought to myself, yes she might. She like her Grandfather might  become  a rocket scientist, or like her aunts a doctor or a special ed teacher, or like her father a therapist and leader. I hope, somewhere under all that Matt there is a little bit of me. I see it when she starts to dance the second she hears any music (random tv commercials included). I see me in Sunny when she has the slightest injury and looks immediately for a shoulder to lean on. I see it when she screams at the top of her lungs for no reason at all, and when she is afraid to get down when she has climbed higher than she meant to. I see a little bit of me in her laughter, the way she holds her face when she doesn't understand something, and in her insatiable appetite. I see the me in her, when she giggles at strangers, stays in the corner with one really really good friend and seems to talk their ear off.

I don't know who Sunny will be or what she will choose to become, in truth as long as she's happy it doesn't matter to me. It is though, amazing to see Gods work on display. I have not done everything in this life correctly but I can with all certainty tell you that this portion of my life is my favorite so far and my own evolution is attributed to my daughters existence.

So if you do one day become a scientist my Sunshine then be the best little scientist there  ever was, but don't ever deprive yourself of this part.  I can tell you now, that this part is the best part. You are really, truly, just incredible.

Right, yes, she turned 10 months about….2 weeks ago. But Im just now getting around to posting these photos. Please don't judge me I'm a woman on the edge.

Sunny can:

Talk, her new favorite phrase is "Hi Daddy." Uh huh it makes me sick to my stomach. Has she EVER said "Hi Mama," NO!

Climb stairs, wave, clap, blow kisses, and identify her ball and other toys. She can do so many wonderful things…when she wants to… She's such a woman, all woman, I kind of love it! We're working on "pretty feet", walking, and turning. She will never make it to Miss America if she doesn't get this walking thing down.

Someone should call child protective services.

This is Sunny before the crash of '10.

This is Sunny after the crash of '10.

Yes, she is in the stroller on the ground…I'm a bit overwhelmed today. One Mama, one VERY active 10.5 month old, and just two hands…plus a new website ( more on that later) , some edits to finish ( more on that later), and a husband who called to let me know that tomorrow just happens to be potluck at the school and he promised two trays of pasta and sausage.

Somewhere between the grocery store and opening the front door Sunny's stroller got so heavy she tipped over.

Sorry lil' Mama.

This weekend while Auntie Erin was visiting, Matt had the pleasure of escorting Sunny to the Queens County Farm, where they would spend the day with 6 of my Sunshine's closet friends.

We are in a playgroup full of December 09' Babies and honestly what is cuter than babies in costume at a pumpkin patch? I'll answer that for you, nothing. Nothing is cuter than babies in costumes at a pumpkin patch.

Just so happens that Gavin's Mommy, Mary is an amazing professional photographer. I will not lie to y'all, I was tempted to let Matt skip the patch but when I remembered that Mary would be there (camera in hand) Sunny just had to go.

The moral of this story is that I was right, and Mary took some AWESOME photos of my baby in costume and we are so grateful to have them. Please visit Mary's site http://www.tearsofjoyphotography.com/ 

It's worth noting that not only is Mary an amazing photographer but she's a fantastic Mother too. So if you are in the NY/NJ area take advantage of her services.

As you can see Sunny is looking more and more like me and less and less like her Daddy…you just need a very trained eye to see the difference….my very trained eye.

Sunny had a meltdown in the middle of Trader Joes. We were going toward checkout when all of a sudden I heard a scream. I looked around thinking, some poor Mama is in trouble! That's when out of the mouth of my precious lil Angel a yelp, followed by a scream  emerged. What's a Mama to do? I shoveled through my cart and found some strawberries. I stood in the 189,832 person line and bit off the stem of 3 strawberries while cutting them in half with my teeth and feeding them to Sunny. Single men everywhere nearly threw up.

When we finally paid and left the store I opened up the whole wheat bread and "yogurt" cheese and of course…more strawberries, and by the time we got back to the car this is what my Sunshine looked like.

 
No Mama's were harmed in this this meltdown.

My friend Jill emailed this to me today….

Monday, October 25, 2010 New York

View Deal $159 61% $97 value discount you save The Company | Halo Air Salt Rooms 133 West 22nd Street New York, NY 10011

5% of your purchase will be donated to the school or preschool of your choice. Earn more money for your school by getting other parents in on the deal – let them know by just forwarding this email! | And now there’s a new way to earn even more points for your school: Get Started Now!

No, no, you read that correctly. It's a salt room, promising to create a fresh air environment for children of NYC…because apparently the air here is gross. Proving that once again, you can make money doing anything!

And because I love all of you faithful readers I would like to share some pictures of what I would like my living room to look like.

And then, my brother sent me this picture…

And I would REALLY LOVE THIS for our living room. Of course I'll need two…Matt are you listening?

I will be back later with a weekend update. Aunty Erin was in town, Sunny went to playgroup in her halloween costume, and we spent the whole weekend with the Taylor family. It was fun, fun, FUN…I miss Erin so much and of course cry whenever she leaves

On October 26th Matt and I will be married for one year! Yes, yes bust out the champagne and strawberries. ( Just don't do the math)

I am worried that I will forget this very significant date, as my days fill so quickly with thoughts of spit up, talking, crawling, and play dates. It is pathetic, but I honestly am afraid I will forget to tell him how much I appreciate him.

Being married to Matthew is a pleasure and an honer.

He is good, he is kind, he is  fair, and he is patient. He is smart ( way to smart for me), honest, disciplined, and gentle hearted.

He see's the good in every single human being, loves people he's never met, and has dedicated his life to being a voice for the voiceless. 

He is the Wizard in our Story of Oz.Behind the scenes he works tiredlessly so that I can work from home and spend my days with Sunny.

He has gifted me my greatest joy, my reason for waking, my dream come true; my Sunny.

There is no love like the love he has shown me, and a long long time from now when Sunny is grown and out of the house it will be me and my Matthew once again.

We only had 3 months together before her, but as it turns out that's all you need to reach forever. 

I would like to  now to thank you Matthew Willoughby for choosing me, choosing this crazy life, and always reminding me that I am special, smart, and influential in your eyes.

I love you with all of my heart and I thank God every single day for you. You who came after the storm. You who stood with me at every doctors appointment for 10 months. You who married me on a mountain top in Vermont with a Shaman as our host and witness. You who breathed life into me when I thought life had escaped me…. You, who bought the worlds worst manufactured couch with me  You, who I adore and love and above all respect. (You, who never reads this blog and will probably see this a day or two late.)

You are my ticket to heaven, my baby daddy, my best buddy, and my first line of defense.

I am better because you love me.  I love our little love story.

Stephanie

PS. Please accept this small public note in lue of a card and gift.

I heart him.

He's right.

The rent is too damn high!

You can't write this stuff. It's just good tv.

The Story of You
When I was pregnant with my daughter, every parent I came across offered me one simple warning… they grow up so fast. Shortly after she was born, I realized they were right. Time was not going to stop and she will not remain little forever. Only eight months into her life, I could hardly remember her as a newborn. Along the way, we captured memories in bits and pieces; sometimes on the family camcorder, but mostly in clips on our digital cameras and cell phones. Allow us to edit all your video memories and permanently capture them on DVD. Together, these memories tell a story you can share with your little one as they grow – The Story of You.

This weekend we ventured out of Brooklyn, to upstate New York were we spent the weekend with my brother-in-law-to-be JC's family. I love The Powell family sooo stinkin' much and I am so appreciative that they invited myself and Sunny to enjoy the fall weather in their beautiful town.

The Powell's have over 3 acres of fresh green land complete with mountain views and a creek behind their home. Sunny would have been happy to just stay in the cozy house with all of the Da-hee's (doggies) but Beck-Beck and Don-Don had a very special pumpkin outing planned for her.

Sunny has an obsession with her Guncles, but her heart this weekend belonged to JC's sister, Jo-Jo. Jo-Jo is a teacher and has more energy than any woman I've ever met. She chased Sunny around, causing laughing fits and high powered crawling. My daughter was looking for her, pointing at her, and reaching for her. I think Jo-Jo could make a living here in Brooklyn as a baby wrangler. Mama's would flock to her and beg her to take their children and play with them and make them laugh till their belly hurt.

We spent much of the weekend dancing in their kitchen, eating some yummy foods, and hanging out in the warmth of freshly fallen leaves.

 
In short their home is a lot like a country post-card, a fact that had all of us wishing NYC was a little bit closer to NY State.

It is wonderful to watch our family grow. I love my Brother and JC so much, and I can honestly say that their relationship has expanded my heart and given my daughter a larger extended family. How blessed are Matt and I to have a child who is so welcomed and loved by so many. A million thank you's the Powell family for inviting us into their home and going out of their way to entertain Sunny and make us feel so at home.

Sunny and I have had many adventures in her 10 months on this Earth. Life was very good before her, BUT  I didn't really live until her.

Mama can I get married here like Chelsea Clinton when I get big?