Seven Quick Takes- I'm having mini strokes

1. I told my mother today that I keep forgetting things that have recently happened, like putting my debit card back into my wallet or putting sugar in my coffee. It's like I'm having mini strokes.

2. I decided Juliette had grown out of 18 month clothing so I stored all of it in a box in the basement and got her 24 month clothing out of storage and washed it. Then I realized that the 24 month clothing is way too big for her. I am having a hard time motivating myself to rectify my mistake... don't pant legs just roll up?

3. I am spending the weekend at my parent's house because my dad is on retreat and my husband is working a double tomorrow. GIRLS WEEKEND! Therefore my mom and I will be renting every chick flick our husbands refuse to watch with us, eating Italian food, drinking wine, and of course, shopping.

4. In our absence Kyle spent the afternoon assembling the wooden train table that the girl's train set will on at Christmas. There is a 90 percent chance that he will spend tomorrow setting up the tracks and acting as conductor. Sometimes I wonder how I would do with a son but then I remember that often times it wouldn't be much different than how I deal with Kyle.

5. Some days I wish I could exist exclusively off nachos, brownie batter, and coffee. If I could do that and not become the fattest person ever... or you know, die.... I would totally do it.

6. I realized why I have such a massive crush on Dr Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds. It's because he is Kyle but with guns. Kyle's specialty is knowing random facts about random things and then telling you them whether you want to hear them or not. I find him very interesting. I will say that I'm glad he knows about planes and Catholic teaching instead of the behavioral characteristics of phycopaths. But still, intelligence and nerdiness is a type of hotness that I cannot deny. So Kyle, my crush on a fictional character is a tribute to my love for you. Be proud!

7. Thanksgiving is next weekend. I have plans to visit with my crazy extended family, have a sleepover and watch the sparkly vampires with my sisters, drink with my friends that I graduated high school with, and dominate family games night. This means hopefully hilarious blog posts for my readers. And Juliette's 1st birthday is next week! That means I'll be throwing some super cute pictures at you as well! Stay tuned!

For more fun visit http://www.conversiondiary.com/.

This town is our town, it is so glamorous

Points to the people who know that song and regularly rock out to that group.

But TALK about glamorous towns! You know by now I grew up in small town Connecticut. So basically there was a town green, a white church, random historical sites that no one ever visits, about seven Chinese restaurants, ten pizza places, and we now proudly boast a Starbucks. BIG TIME! Also, like Cheers, everybody knows your name... and not just your name but who you dated in high school and how you wrecked your first car.

It's the kind of town that has car shows on the green during the week and concerts on the green during summer weekends. It's the kind of town that was named "57th Best Town in America" by Money Magazine almost ten years ago and although has since been bumped entirely off the list celebrates a "57 Fest" every year. Complete with fire works.

So small town Connecticut, it's everything you ever imagined it to be.

We visit my parents pretty often, about every other week or so. It's only an hour and a half away and visiting means FREE BABYSITTERS so it's really an offer we cannot refuse. Plus, I'm really pretty fond of my parents and sisters.

We were planning on staying home for Kyle's days off this week but it's been a stressful couple of weeks and they offered to watch the girls so we could go out on a date. Amazing! Bask in our love for each other and eat good food and whatnot.

We got hear at about 4:30 and Madeleine was asking to go outside and play on the swings. My mom made a suggestion-

"Don't let Madeleine go outside by herself because there was a mountain lion spotted one street over."

WKHDH!LDSKLSK!KDJKJSJHS??!?!!KKJDSJKH?!

I AM NOT LETTING THIS KID OUT OF THE HOUSE WHILE THERE IS A MOUNTAIN LION ON THE LOOSE!

I mean, Madeleine would be an appetizer for the big kitty. Juliette, on the other hand, would either end up scaring it off for good or riding it like a pony. Either way I am not letting the kids out of the house. I know for a fact that they are absolutely delicious (or at least their cheeks are) so I am not taking any chances.

Anyway, the date was amazing and I love my husband and blah blah blah. Perfect evening.

But there is a MOUNTAIN LION loose on my parent's street!!!!!!!

Is that not amazingly exciting? Who ever said small towns had nothing going on?

An Interesting Weekend

This weekend I visited my parents in "Stars Hollow, Connecticut". I am leaving to go back home today. Why am I here? Glad you asked! My little sister is in town!

Hannah, as well as LAUNNICK (Madeleine believes them to be one person making her understanding of the sacrament of marriage greater than most Americans), arrived early Friday morning, we are talking like 3:30, so we didn't get to see them until we woke up.

Still, the girls and I got in Thursday night waaaaay before the newlyweds and the curly blonde head so we had to find ways to entertain ourselves.

Carly had been working at a Halloween event in town and had come back with a bunch of temporary tattoos. Naturally, Carly thought it would be an awesome idea to use them on the girls so now Madeleine has a butterfly in her chubby belly and Juliette has a panda bear tramp stamp. Madeleine is very proud of her tattoo and lifts up her shirt to show it to us every ten minutes or so. And when we really tell her how pretty it looks on her she goes up to her sister and lifts up her shirt as well.

In typical fashion we spent half of Friday eating and the other half trying to figure out what to do in the evening because "Trunk or Treating" on the Town Green had been canceled due to weather. Now, I know what you are thinking. "Why were you going to something called 'Trunk or 'Treating' to begin with. That sounds like you would be walking around taking candy from strangers cars and isn't that the opposite of what we try to teach our children?" I don't know. And yes.

Saturday is when the real snowfall began. I had told my old nemisis SNOW that I refused to be put down by it this year. That it could do it's worst and I would still go out. So naturally, when the one inch it had dumped in the morning coated the street and we were trying to figure out if we should all still go shopping I laughed in the face of danger.

We got halfway there, turned around, and came home. You win this round SNOW but I will win the war.

I found out on Sunday that my power had gone out back in Massachusetts so I decided to stay the extra night here. Kyle was going to be picking up an extra shift anyway to help with the havoc the SNOW had unleashed on the airport (or more like the crazy-a people who go to the airport in the snow when their flights have been delayed or canceled just to scream at the people who work there. mess with my husband and the next time I am pregnant I WILL sit on you).

Since I was staying the extra night my mom asked if I wanted to lead Mafia at the Life Night. Since I am obsessed with crime shows (current fav, Criminal Minds. Dr. Spencer Reid. I've got a thing for tall, awkward, nerd types) I got reeeeeaaaaally into it. When it was my turn to play and someone else to lead I picked out who was in the Mafia correctly by the end of the second "night". Either I am a brilliant detective or I played waaay too much in college. I'm kind of betting the latter.

But today I am taking Elmo and Cookie Monster (or Cookie Hat as Madeleine calls the character) home to go Trick or Treating with their daddy. We miss him like CRAZY and are so excited to see him! It should be lots of fun, lots of candy, and wicked cold.

And a warning to SNOW... I'll get you next time.

Rain Suited Up

Well, the Behrend ladies are heading to Connecticut this weekend to wait out Irene. As in the storm, not the song or person. Kyle has to spend a couple of days at the airport doing damage control so he feels much safer if he knows it isn't just me, the babies, and a few flashlights.

I went out to pick up some disposable diapers to bring with me since it's not easy to use cloth with no power and "rain suited up". This meant my knee high rain boots, my water proof North Face jacket, and my rain hat. I looked adorable according the hubby but it was only drizzling at the time. I really wanted to be safe rather than sorry.

When I walked into Starbucks I got a few looks. I was the crazy girl who "rain suited up" way too early. They were all smug in their shorts and t-shirts and flip flops. Then I went into Rite Aid and by the time I got out five minutes later the sky had opened up and it was freaking pouring.

Guess who's smug now SUCKERS!

Well right now Kyle is bringing in the play house and the sand table and tying down the rocking chairs. Which really won't make too much of a difference when we get projectile pelted from all the crap on our neighbor's porch. But it really is adorable how concerned Kyle is about his girls and our little Behr cave.

I'm not looking forward to driving out to Connecticut in the rain but I am really looking forward to seeing my parents and my sister, Carly. They are heading back from dropping Hannah (the one with the awesome hair) off at Franciscan University and are really missing her. A baby Behr fix will make them feel so much better.

And if anyone is wondering, Hannah is doing very well. She made the tennis team and there are boys following her to and fro. So she is doing an excellent job of continuing the legacy. Get it girl! (And by "it" I mean your MRS degree)

That's about all I've got for today. I am praying hard for all of you who are also getting caught in the storm.

The day I gave birth. In Pictures. Part 2.

Okay, so these are from the couple of days after I gave birth but still. Adorableness.



Juliette has always loved to be swaddled. Madeleine broke out of her swaddle at about one month, ready to sleep with her arms free. To this day, nearly five months later, Juliette will only sleep swaddled. I am beginning to become convinced that we are going to have to teach her future college roommate how to swaddle her.



Juliette in her going home outfit. I mean, could she be an cuter? No.



My sister and Godmother to Juliette meeting her niece/goddaughter for the first time. It was total love.



Madeleine with Bitty Baby in the new Bitty Baby crib we got her as her "big sister" gift. Apparently unclear on how it is used.



Is anything more wonderful than a grandmother with her grandbaby? I remember when my parents used to get excited about seeing me. Now I'm just that woman who drives the grandkids to our house!

So this was my experience of birthing and bringing home my little Juliette in ten little pictures. Words can't do justice to how happy we are and just how wonderful she is. We love you Juliette our Pet.