I called it...

Yep, I got to spend the day with my Monkey!!!  Her mom called me while I was at the gym.  (More about that in a second.)  She's just so damn cute, it almost makes me want to cry.  We had a very busy day.

Magnum and I cut our visit to the gym short after finding out Monkey was ours for the day.  I dropped him off at the house, and headed off to pick her up.  After picking her up from her mommy, we rushed back to my house and had just enough time to change her out of her jammies and into her clothes before my sister and niece showed up.  We drove them to the train, so they could head downtown for work, then headed out to Sam's Club.  It was time to get Monkey a Big Girl car seat!  She definitely outgrew the one I had.  We were at Sam's for over an hour, and she was an angel the entire time.  It never ceases to amaze me when perfect strangers go out of their way to come over and tell me how beautiful she is.  And, she's just so darn friendly, saying "Hi!" to anyone and everyone.  Ugh, I just LOVE her!!!!

From Sam's we headed to my in-laws' to drop off the Ensure I picked up for my FIL.  Monkey has been spending lots of time there lately, since Magnum is there 7 days a week now, taking care of his father.  My MIL gets such a kick out of my Monkey.  Duh, who doesn't!?

Unfortunately for me, Monkey's mommy decided to leave work early today.  (We were supposed to have a MAJOR storm hit around 3pm this afternoon)  I ended up having her about an hour and a half less than I usually do.  Poop.

By the way, we're still waiting for the storm.  After breaking a record for the longest time without a measurable snowfall here in Chicago (a snow drought, if you will) we were promised today was going to be the day.  Like I said, they kept predicting the snow would start around 3, and we were going to get 3-4 inches.  Well, it's now 8pm, and not a flake in sight.  Guess who's one pissed off penguin.

You didn't think I was going to leave without some pictures, now did you?  Not a chance!

So, this morning, when I picked her up, Monkey had on her fleecy, footie pajamas, as usual.  However, she was also wearing her boots on her feet.  They are her newest obsession.  Her mom said she wouldn't leave the house without putting them on over her pjs.

When it was time to get dressed, I put these two choices in front of her, and asked her which ones she wanted to wear.  Surprise, surprise, she grabbed her boots, and tried to put them on all by her big self.

 A couple of weeks ago, Magnum and I picked up this cute shirt for her.  Turns out, someone had given her mom the same one.  She actually wore this when she went to take her picture with Santa.  (Stay tuned for that disaster!)

 I was trying to get her dressed to leave the house so we could head to the train station, but she wanted to dance instead.  Of course, by the time I figured out how the hell to get the video going on my phone, most of the cutest stuff was over.

 Ok, so she went to see Santa the other day with her mommy and daddy.  Um, I don't think she liked him.  What do you think?

 I promise you, this baby NEVER cries!!  She is seriously the happiest baby you'd ever want to meet.  When my brother sent me this, I literally almost started crying.  I hate it, but I know when she's a teenager, we'll all be laughing about it.

I thought I had shared these, but I see I didn't.  My brother and I went to lunch the other day with Monkey, who was being her usual cute self. 

At one point, while I was sharing my lunch with her, she reached up and took my glasses off my face, and put them on.  Cutest little nerd I've ever seen!!!

About two seconds after this, her mom sent my brother a text, asking what the baby was up to.  My brother sent her one of these pictures, and wrote, "She doing my taxes."  I thought it was funny, as did Monkey, who laughs like a hyena anytime someone laughs.  Her mommy, however, did NOT think it was funny.  She immediately sent back a text saying, "That not good for her eyes!!"  Yikes, we were in the doghouse. 

I didn't forget about the gym thing.  The short story is that Magnum and I joined a new gym that just opened near our house.  I couldn't pass up the super deal ($10 a month!) and I figured, what the hell else do I have to do all day?  So far, I've only taken advantage of the fancy treadmills they have.  I've been doing an hour a day (well, 65 minutes, including cool down.  Every minute counts!!).  I'm contemplating documenting what I do at the gym publicly, to hold myself more accountable, but I know none of you want to read that crap.  I'm thinking maybe I'll start another blog solely for this purpose.  What do you think?

I'm trying not to be annoyed by the fact that I seem to have hit a wall for some reason.  Today was the first time in about a week and half that I was able to update my ticker, and it's only by 1 measly pound.  I know I shouldn't be discouraged, but it's hard not to be, especially now that I've been hitting the gym every freakin' morning.  I'm going to have to make a concerted effort to get in a Tae Bo tape later in the day, I think.

Whew, I don't think I've done a post this long in ages.  I'm exhausted!  Ok, not really, but I need to go empty the dishwasher.  Hopefully, the world won't end tomorrow, and I'll be able to check in on all of you!  Good night. =)