Thursday, October 27, 2005

AS HAPPY AS MOM


Michayla is as happy as her mom to be on the east coast in autumn.

NATURAL BEAUTY


The Empress bathes in jasmine water as she prepares for a night on the town to greet her adoring public.

ON THE TOWN



Dahling, you look fabulous!

CHLOROPHYLL, CAROTENE, AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS





The falling leaves drift by my window
The falling leaves of red and gold

WAYNESBORO



This week we drove out to Waynesboro, PA, where Nicki went to high school. Waynesboro is quintessential Small Town, U.S.A. in the middle of rolling farm country. We were escorted around town by one of Nicki's best friends, Maria, (For some reason, everyone over the age of 60 refers to her as "Marie.") and we only visited people named Joanne.

LACTOSE INTOLERANT



Oh sure, Marty was all smiles before we went to Antietam Dairy for ice cream, but it was a different story when he realized he's lactose intolerant.

UNCLE STEVE



We stopped in Lancaster, PA (Home of the Mighty Mennonites football team)to visit Mark's best friend, Steve Myers. Steve continues to be a Ladies Man.

WORKING ON THAT SCHOLARSHIP



Michayla learns the opening to Jungleland.

Friday, October 21, 2005

RIGHT IN THE KISSAH



Hello, you've reached the Cute Department, may I help you?


P.U.




Thursday afternoon we went to Princeton and Michayla's future alma mater, Princeton University. We ate lunch at PJ's Pancake House (Not on the list of 1000 Places to See Before You Die, but should be). Next we did a little shopping, had ice cream at Thomas Sweets (again, not on the list of 1000 Places to See Before You Die, but should be) and then we showed Michayla the campus. Here's Michayla celebrating being valedictorian of the graduating class of 2027.

WHERE'S MY IZOD?



If Marty wants to blend in with the Princeton crowd, he's got to get an Izod shirt.

BMOC



Big Marty On Campus

MICHAYLA-O-LANTERN



On Oct. 20th we went to Terhune Orchards to pick pumpkins, drink apple cider, see farm animals, and eat apple cider doughnuts...mmm...doughnuts.

Now where's our little pumpkin?

DEERE JOHN...



Michayla fit right in as she hopped on the mower and got right to work.

OUT OF HER GOURD



How much for that cute one in the middle?

OUR LITTLE STALKER



I'll tell you how tall you are...tall enough to stand (with a little help from dad)!!!

OLD MCMARTY HAD A FARM...




And on that farm he had...yipes.

THE GREAT PUMPKIN



And on All Hallow's Eve, the Great Pumpkin rises from the pumpkin patch...!

JACKPOT



Michayla told Pop that he just won the NJ State Lottery Jackpot!

DRAT!



But then he realized that not only was Michayla pulling his leg, but she can't talk either.

CASA BUBBE



Michayla entertaining Bubbe.

TICKLE TORTURE



On the 17th, we drove over to Willow Grove, PA (Home of the fabulous but long gone Willow Grove Amusement Park) to see Nicki's parents, Bubbe and Grampa G. Michayla was forced to endure Grampa G's famous Tickle Torture, but she never divulged the secret information.

NJ BOUND



On October 14th, we flew into NJ. Michayla was carried through the airport, into the limo, and then into Nini and Pop's (Mark's parents) house. So the next morning was the first time Michayla set foot on Jersey soil.

I'M IN LOVE WITH A JERSEY GIRL



Michayla seems pretty happy to be in the Garden State.

NINI AND MICHAYLA



Michayla and Nini, Mark's mom...perfect together.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

PUMA PLUSH



If you're a Hollywood baby, you can't come back to your old man's stomping ground in just any old car seat. So the Empress had this new Puma print car seat flown in for the trip. She looks fabulous!

DOO WOP NIGHT SANS THE DOO



October 15th, Mark's dad celebrated his 80th birthday! As if seeing his new grandchild wasn't enough, we all piled into the car and went to an Italian dinner at the Saint James Catholic Church. Oy with the pasta sauce. Mark's mom was beside herself as she worked the room, showing off Michayla.

UNCLE MIKE



On Sunday the 16th, Mark's brother, Mike, and Mike's son, Patrick, came over to pay homage to the Empress. Here the Empress demands her uncle carry her for his entire visit.

COUSINS



Michayla meets her cousin, Patrick, for the first time. One cousin won over, six more to go!

Thursday, October 06, 2005

IF I COULD KEEP TIME IN A BOTTLE


It’s really true what they say about kids: they grow up so fast. Here’s the latest picture of Michayla.

PENSIVE MONKEY

BUBBE AND GRAMPA G


We barely had time to sing God Save the Queen when Nicki's parents, Bubbe and Grampa G, arrived on Sunday the 18th. Both Bubbe and G.G. were ecstatic to meet their first granddaughter.

STRAIGHT UP


Here Bubbe feeds Michayla a gin and tonic.

PARTY ON!


On Monday night, we had a small party with our amazing circle of good friends we’ve met through the adoption process. The evening concluded with a killer game of strip mahjong.

DEAR DOCTOR


On Tuesday the 20th of Sept. we took Michayla for her first visit to her very own doctor, Dr. Pang. We all celebrated by taking 5 vials of Michayla’s blood and scooping out 5 stool samples from her stanky-poo diaper. All of the tests came back A-Okay. Yea! Michayla celebrates by doing the Bottle Dance from Fiddler on the Roof.

EBBETS AND MICHAYLA


Tuesday night was the first meeting between Michayla and Ebbets. Ebbets was a little confused at first (ah hell, she’s still confused) but they’re getting along swimmingly and when Michayla goes to bed, Ebbets lays by her crib.
Marty, of course, sleeps in the crib.

WELCOME HOME!



Sunday the 25th was Michayla’s Welcome Home Party, hosted by the ever glamorous Michelle and Paul Mirkovich. It was really wonderful to see a ton of our friends come out to pay their respects to the Empress.

EVERY BODILY FUNCTION


On the 28th of September, Michayla peed, pooed, spit-up, and snotted on Nicki’s shirt. All within a 5 minute time frame. That’s our girl! We don't have a picture of it, but this is how Michayla felt when she was done.

ROSHA-SHANANA AND TASHLIC


Oct. 4 Michayla, along with her mom and old man, attended her first kid’s Roshashana service. Michayla loved bouncing to the music and dad loved that it was only an hour long.

Then it was off to Santa Monica for Tashlic on the Beach, where we cast away our sins on the water. Tashlic is really special to us, because 2 years ago at Tashlic, our friends Richard and Susan recommended Norman to us. And now look at us. Here’s Michayla on the beach doing her best Corporal Agarn impression.

TASHLIC DINNER


After Taschlic, we had dinner with our good friends Enid, Buddy, and Ariel. Here Enid and Ariel can't feed Michayla fast enough.

WAIT FOR IT...

TADA! LOOK MA, NO HANDS!


Michayla's new party trick.