This week was nice. For the first time, I actually enjoyed working. H and Marissa have been getting along so well lately, and they just get cuter and cuter together every day. They offer each other toys, they take turns so well, they kiss each other's boo-boos, they help each other put shoes on, they help each other stand up after they've been playing "night-night", they roll cars back and forth and back and forth - they really are good buddies. H is still a little rough with her, but he's SO much better than he started out. And now Marissa can take it too. The baby (who I might sometimes call "M" - but that might get confusing since Marissa is an "M" too) is turning into such a happy girl, and is almost on the move. Boy, things will sure change when she starts crawling! She's finally taking good naps for me, so the "big kids" aren't always annoyed by our playing limitations when she's awake. But when she's awake, she's just a smiley, giggly girl!

This afternoon, Rissa and I left work and drove straight to the Newport Aquarium to meet Laureann (college roommate), her hubby, and their son "Baby Carter". Marissa had been talking about going to see the "pish and Baby Carter" allllllllllllllll week. For the first 15 minutes or so, she didn't even notice the fish, she was too excited to see Carter, see his stroller, kiss him, walk to him, etc. Lol. It was so cute to watch her, and he grinned the cutest grin at her every time. She LOVED the fish too, and every time we walked around a corner to see more fish, she would scream "MORE PISH!!!!!" and all the veins in her neck would pop out because she was so excited! She made her fishy face a lot too. I took my camera, but it was basically impossible to take any pictures of her, since I was her only adult - and we went STROLLER-FREE! But I think Laureann got a few good ones, so hopefully she'll be able to send them to me soon (HINT, HINT). I debated long and hard about the stroller. For some reason, she gets so excited to ride in a stroller these days. But I thought it would be difficult for her to see the fish in it, and I didn't think she'd last the whole way in it, and then I'd be left pushing it AND trying to hold her hand. So I took the risk - and she was INCREDIBLE! She held my hand the whole time! I ended up picking her up for every exhibit window because they all started just above her head. But the signs (telling what the fish were called) were the perfect height for her to stand on, so she could see perfectly. I definitely got my workout though, by picking her up and putting her down, over and over and over and over again! But it was so much fun! She even held a tiny cup for a bird to drink out of! And then we got peed on! Lol. We all went out to dinner after, and Marissa didn't eat much, and was "all doh (done) me" before we even got our food. But she was still VERY well behaved considering the circumstances. I'm so proud of my big girl!

Well, I will probably go to bed early. I'm wiped! And since Dan is gone, I have to wake up early with Marissa all weekend, instead of taking turns sleeping in.

*EDIT* I almost forgot to mention: I filled out an application and had an interview for a part-time evening receptionist at a massage therapy center in the area. Rach knew someone at work who said they were looking, so it all happened really fast. It was the most relaxing, soothing environment I can ever imagine working in. I'll know Tuesday if I get the job or not. It would only be a few nights a week, and alternating Saturdays. But it would be nice to have some extra spending money. And it would be awesome to have some quiet time doing something different in the evenings. I'm still not sure how I'll feel about leaving Marissa for a few evenings, but I know she'll be fine with Daddy. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that the longest - and only - time I've been away from her for more than grocery shopping was when I went to a Josh Groban concert when she was 10 months old, and I was gone for 12 hours, most of which she was sleeping. I've just always taken her everywhere with me, but I guess sooner or later she'll need her space anyway! And I guess I need mine too.