The one with Ashlynn

OKay... here's what happens when you are sick. You lay down. on the couch. and want to die. Ugh. The sickness has been exhausting. It started the end of January and it has been all consuming. Eleanor has been better about clearing the runny nosey than I have. Matt and I managed to pick up strep and somehow were lucky enough to keep it out of Eleanor. I then managed to get another bout of something that knocked me really far down that if I could have thought, I might have had Matt measure me for a casket. 

So let's have a month review rundown.... 

At the beginning of the month, we made a quick trip up to Lansford to meet baby Ashlynn - Brendan and Claudia's little girl. The difference between how Matt handled Ashlynn from when he met Jackson makes me chuckle as we've come so far. It was nice to see their new house and them settling into a new life with the house and two kids. Matt was also excited to tell them about our addition. He's been waiting to tell them in person and has been so excited. 

Getting into the car

MJR: She was so little.
ALR: Yes, she is. 
MJR: I just don't remember Eleanor being that little.
ALR: Well, she was and she wasn't. Eleanor has a few ounces and inches on her but yes, she was teeny a long long time ago.
EER: AHHHHHHHHHHH. BLAWKK.
MJR looking in rearview mirror: A long time ago.

Afterwards, we spent the afternoon with Michele and Randy catching up and enjoying pizza. When we left town, Eleanor and I dropped Matt off for the UMAS Conference.

By mid week, we were both missing him pretty badly (and all of us were feeling like crap). Was nice to have him home... in time for the weekend and the snow. I'm hoping it was Mother Nature's last real showing for the winter, we may not be that lucky, we'll see. But We thought it may be a good time to bundle someone up and see what she thinks. Much to my surprise, she was more like her mother than her father. She bundled and then pouted. We set her in the snow, she fell over, got it on her face and proceeded to cry. She was not having any of it. Any of it. Matt and I cleared the driveway and paths and when someone lost her boot and any final shreds of amusement, I took her in.

After the snow removal (and a nap), we headed out to the farm for Mom's birthday. I had made a cranberry bread pudding with a vanilla bean butter sauce... not your traditional birthday cake but one recipe that made me think of my mother when I saw it.

Best meal: That night, Matt and I tried our first Blue Apron meal, Shrimp Ettoufee. We haven't been going out to eat and I miss the sharing of food and fun that is a regular tradition in our marriage. So I thought we could try this out to see if it would scratch that itch. It was fun... to cook, enjoy new flavors, and fun food. The sleeping baby in her room was an added bonus.

MJR: How do you say it, again?
ALR: ET
MJR: ET
ALR: TWO
MJR: TWO
ALR: FAY
MJR: FAY
ALR: Ettoufee
MJR: ehtutfale
ALR: I know how Phoebe feels.