Blog family please welcome Michael Joseph to our little reading group, he is the son of my friends Susan and TJ.

My friend Susan went into labor two weeks early after getting off of the phone with me- it seems to be a pattern. Want a baby in 38 weeks or less? Call me on the phone, hang up, then call me back when your water breaks or the doctor sends you rushing to the hospital.  Susan, has spent her entire life wanting to be a Mommy. When we were 13 she was all about romance novels, true love, and babies. I wanted girls, she wanted boys- and it seems as though most dreams do come true- because here we are now. And because she knows me so well (and loves me in spite of it) she called when her water broke, texted every new centimeter, and texted one last time to let me know that she was at 10 and would be pushing soon. She sent 16 photos of Michael right away and promises more. If you call her she’ll pick up and if you blog about her- she’ll probably read it. She’s the most “with it” new Mom I’ve ever encountered and I’m sure I’ll now start calling her for advice on my nearly 2 year old

In other news, guess whose not a baby? That’s right- she’s tall ( off the charts according to the doctor), she’s talking in 3 word sentences, and has re-discovered a new love of all things tu-tu.

In the past year we have seen the arrival of some pretty important people Rory, Jack, and Michael. They won’t be wearing tu-tu’s any time soon, but if they come to visit us they may be forced to play tea party, dollies, and/or “I’m the queen of the universe you better do everything I say.”

This week we are enjoying our vacation. Be back soon with new pics!

This past week we had a much needed break from the summer heat with the arrival of Auntie Erin.

(That shadowy figure is Erin waiting for the subway)

Erin and I have been best friends since we were 6 years old- and along with Nora the three of us are quite a team.

Through the years we have gone form 3 little girls to 3 grown women, a feat I pray Sunny is blessed with in this life. Though Erin now lives in the second city- she makes HUGE efforts to be here in NY a few times a year to spend time with our little people and growing families. She is the Auntie who gets on the floor to play, chases the toddlers around the park, cuddles the baby,  and teaches Sunny to stick out her tongue and how to dance like a ballerina! In her week -o- fun she joined us at Sesame Place (Lord help her), went to  music class,  and attempted a disastrous  lunch at Shake Shack ( why do we try to eat publicly with these tiny humans?).  Erin also spent lots of time indulging in gossip, wine, and cheese with me- I really love her for that.

Erin took me out for a night in the city on the lower east side and I literally didn’t recognize a place I use to frequent back when I was a single lady waiting for somebody to put a ring on it. ***Side note- that song came out when I was already married with a baby- I would have TOTALLY ROCKED THAT SONG as a single girl…now I pull Sunny’s hands over her head and teach her how to shake her fingers and tush while making a “That’s right boy???!!!” face.

Moving on… we love Auntie Erin and even though Sunny can’t seem to say Auntie Erin, she does ask minute to minute, “Where is her?” She walks into the guest room and says “Hi you!!!” Then upon realizing “her” is not there- she turns to me and ask “Where go?” I explained that people like Auntie Erin are mythical creatures who come to help us have lots of fun and then must go back to their world where adults have a good time,  the song Single Ladies still has meaning, and text messages from a new friend still gives you tiny butterflies. One day I’ll tell her how her Auntie Erin is the smartest woman I know, has read every book you can imagine, touched the lives of thousands of her students, and has never once let me down. I’ll tell her how great friends are born and live in your heart even if they are hundreds of miles away, and how she is the only reason Sunny hasn’t been featured on Toddlers and Tiaras, yet.

In truth I keep looking at the guest bedroom too- where her? I miss her so much, it’s as simple and complicated as that.

Saw this with Erin on the side of a building in Soho- Thought you guys would like it as much as I do.

I thought I’d share a little unedited video from Sunny’s music class, I think you’ll know why once you hear the song.

I finally got Sunny back in the chair for a few quick shots last week- marking her 19th month on this Earth.

But first, a look back at 13 months old- when she was a better model and I was a better photographer.

As she has aged, so have our chair pics- which seem a lot less like a fun little project and a lot more like a chore I am trying to get through.

Doesn’t she look like she hunted her stuffed animal and is holding him up as if to say “Dinner?”

At 19 months Sunny is speaking in two or three word sentences, considering the use of her potty, and being her usual independent self. The other day I noticed something about the Earth- since the day she was born I think the sun has shined brighter…could just be me but I think the world feels the effects of her presence on this Earth.

Sunny got a bad boo-boo when she went to the park with her Dad.

Of course when she is with me she NEVER gets hurt

We’re not sure which was worse the boo-boo or the bandage- but now that Sunny knows you get a bandage for a boo-boo she’s all about throwing her arms and legs toward the concrete for injury.

In other news we decided to make a vanilla cake last night, and this is what it looked like when I frosted it and pulled it out of the oven.

Why the hell can’t I bake? Good God! If there was a contest for the worst baker on Earth I assure you I would win.

Do you see the beads of sweat on my babies head? Right that’s because it was 100 degrees outside and 400 in our house. Maybe that’s why the cake didn’t rise?  Do you also see her Billy Crystal mullet? It’s awesome- especially in the heat and humidity!

***It should be noted that this was a cake baked form a box- yeah! Now you’re like- is she dumb? ***

This was supposed to be a post about Sunny’s new boo-boo, but tonight a little intruder intruded on our evening. HUMPH! (see pic below)

Yep that’s her alright. Her name is Moos’ Baby and she is 100% available for adoption.

Back this winter there was a giant fat black and white cat who Sunny and I called Moo- because she looked like small cow with her hanging belly. But Moo had babies, and now one of them IE: Moos’ Baby has come back to her mother’s  old stomping ground.

She lives in Sunny’s princess castle in the backyard ( can you see it in the background of the above pic?) and she comes out in the mornings walks right up to my kitchen window and peers in. I honestly thought nothing of it, but tonight Matt and Sunny went outside and who comes  out to play but Moos’ Baby! She climbed in Matt’s lap, where he let my daughter pet her, and gave kisses to them both. I instructed Sunny to stay back, but her father, who I sometimes call Little Jesus was all too happy to pet the kitty, love the kitty, take pictures of my baby petting the kitty!

Meanwhile I’m standing in the back doorway blocking her from literally trying to run into my house. I can not believe this cat! I mean really? Do you know me? I’m not an animal person Moo. I’ve had a cat- I gave her away. Furthermore I own a dog who lives with my parents and the dog that lived here ran to her grave after spending 6 months with me.

I’m not kidding- I don’t like shedding animals, people, or children. Grosses me out- but that’s just me.

But here’s the thing I really feel so sorry for Moos’ Baby. She’s clearly friendly and sweet and really really needs a good home.

Now I’m not the “Bring a stray animal into your house and then explain to your child why said animal had to be brought to a shelter” type- but I’m really feeling like a sweet little kitty needs a sweet little home- just not this home.

So if you have a home that could use a friendly kitten- grown and raised in Brooklyn NY inbox me- I’ll have Matt capture the little critter and deliver her to your home. Seriously no charge. I’ll even pay for her flight to your place- she just can’t continue to live in my backyard- it makes me feel like a bad person and if you read this blog you know I have enough guilt on my plate.

Remember a few weeks ago when I posted about Sunny’s PASSION? This holiday weekend we got a little taste of all that passion. Thank you Lord for a good camera and a fast trigger finger. Watch the magic unfold before you’re eyes and just imagine all of this PASSION with high pitched screaming….

I really think the second to last pic should be this years Christmas card- what do you think?

Happy Holiday’s!!! Love the Willoughby’s

*It should be noted that this was the day that all of her adoring fans Grandparents left town and the adjustment was just too much.*

The past 2 weeks have been filled with visitors. First Matt’s parents, then mine.

It was wonderful to have family around to love on Sunny; to share stories, and laughs, and exhaustion with.

We live nowhere near our families, this a fact, and will remain a fact for most of our lifetime I would assume. It’s a little sad- in that Sunny only knows her Grandparents through visits and not by everyday drop ins. That’s how I grew up and this is how she will grow up- that’s the way it is. That being said I think she is blessed to have memories with her Grandparents at all, and more so becuase they are so different form one another.

Matt’s parents are calm and easy. They’re only request included seeing the giant two story Costco I spoke to them about and spending time with Sunny. They wake up at a reasonable hour, enjoy their days without tv, and for whatever reason enjoy talking with me and answering my most pressing questions.

My parents are busy. They wake up early (4:30am), make their own coffee, and MUST excercise daily. They want to see everything, go everywhere, and always with Sunny. We enjoy impromptu dance parties ( at this point Sunny believes that her Nana is a professional party starter) and my father ( who NEVER cooked dinner once in his entire life) happens to be an awesome BBQ-er.

The point is that they are complete oppisties and it kind of works. It’s interesting becuase Sunny carries the charactristics of both. She wakes up a bit late (8:00am) but MUST get out of the house immediatly. She HAS to go somewhere every single day and would like to see everything and everyone. She is brilliant but loves to dance. She doesn’t watch tv ( believe me I try), enjoys quite conversation and “reading” her  books, but can not stand to sit still.

I have said over and over again that I honestly think living away from our parents is a good thing. It gives us a chance to formulate our own family without to much influence, but who we are, is a collection of who they are and even hundreds of miles away we are a part of them and they are a part of us and it took all 6 of us to create one totally amazing kid.