The little lady is under the weather. Her little facial orifices were dripping but now they're just sealed shut. Her puppy and Sesame Street are keeping her cozy this morning as I've taken the day off from work to wait on her hand and foot. There's probably nothing that a parent wouldn't do to help their little baby to feel better.

Shane is away again. Today, New York City welcomed the first Noreaster of the season. It brought with it icy rains and howling winds.

I combat the mundaneness of my Mommy life with a green stripe in my hair. On the train I see a young woman with a nice nose piercing and I contemplate doing that to my own nose again. Mahalia chatters and chatters and never stops chattering. I pick out new words like, please and alright. Somehow her chattering makes me a little lonely for Shane.

We are ready for Ohio.

Thank you, Santa for this early Christmas present. We love it.

Baby Mahalia rocking out on her baby djembe

Mahalia's been exercising her right to choose. She's learned a handy phrase, "I want the other one," which she uses to let us know she'd actually prefer one sippy cup over another one or a different type of food. After insisting on wearing Shane's hat during lunch, she then asked for, "the other one" and pointed at Mommy's hat. She's unbearably cute in both of them. We also had her mullet chopped off today. She looks like a big, big girl with her new bob.