Another year older and wiser.

We celebrated two birthdays this week in the Ophoff household, both of them on the 24th.  Yes, Cortney is now a year older, bringing her within one year of the big three-o (but let's not try to remind her), and Moose also added another notch to his birthday belt on the same day, making him a whole six years old.  For Cortney's birthday, mom and dad Hiller took us all (themselves, Jon, Cortney, Curtis, and Patty, not Moose) out to eat at Real Seafood Co.  We had a delightful time, and a delightful dinner (Cortney even pulled rank and had the waiter crack her lobster for her, though Jon and Patty cracked theirs by themselves).  Of course, birthdays in our house don't get celebrated in just one day!  This weekend we were also treated to a dinner for two at Olive Garden by mom and dad Ophoff, which was also a delightful evening, and we went to see The Chronicles of Narnia, a delightful movie.  Not to mention that we will be celebrating for many evenings to come with the "Just for Dinner" breadmaker that Cortney got from Jon (mmm...fresh, warm dinner sized breads with every meal, or even for dessert!).  And, while Cortney feels threatened as the big three-o looms,  it is comforting to realize that  Moose is now over thirty in human years.  Just don't tell him, it might make him even more certain that he should be setting the house rules!

Thank you very much to mom and dad Hiller and to mom and dad Ophoff for two wonderful dinners! 

Kicking...It's not just for mothers anymore!

While Cortney has been feeling Raspberry doing all kinds of tricks for the past week or two, Jon has been left widely in the dark (except for when Cortney jumps up mid-TV show and exclaims "I'm being kicked," the first occasion of which greatly confused Jon, whose feet were firmly planted on the ground).  Well, all of that changed about an hour ago.  Evidently Raspberry has gained enough strength and size to make his or her presence known to the outside world.  Raspberry's kicks are now not only visible, but are also externally tangible, making it possible for Jon to take part in all the fun (although the fun doesn't wake Jon up in the middle of the night).  Raspberry has also gotten a little more regular, acting up every hour or two throughout the day (and night).  And, Raspberry likes church - he or she was very active during the middle of the service this morning (or, at least that is Cortney's excuse for not having paid more attention to the sermon).

Cookie's having a ball...

More effective than a dog whistle, and nearly as effective as the sound of a can opener, we have a new cat calling technique.  In doing some spring cleaning this weekend (hey, it might be January, but it was over fifty degrees) we found a package of unopened cat toys.  They don't look interesting (they are pink and yellow plastic balls with small bells inside) but there is just something about these balls.  Cortney took one from the package, preparing to toss the rest of them, and dropped it on the ground on her way to the kitchen trash.  There was a rumble somewhere in the basement, followed by a stampede and the emergence of a cream colored whirlwind that, for the following minute or so, engaged itself in play with said ball.  And it works every time - drop the ball from a standing position and no matter where in the house she is hiding Cookie will be there in a matter of seconds.  She may not play with it for long after that, but at least now we know we have a fail proof way of locating our cat.

Mexican jumping... Raspberries?

Raspberry is now nearly 19 weeks in, well, prenatal age, and it is generally around this time that a baby begins to make his or her presence known.  Cortney has been feeling "butterfly tickles" ever since the new year, but it has been, for all intents and purposes, a little anti-climactic.  Then finally this week - real kicks!  They are still not strong enough for Jon to feel them, or to be noticeable externally, but we are pretty sure that is what all those little pops, pulls, and pushes are.  In fact, Raspberry evidently prefers to be on the move, so whenever Cortney is still for too long she ends up getting prodded.  Right now she is able to ignore those little pokes, but we think nervously of the day that they will become too strong to ignore!  Ah well, since we have no other real sign of Raspberry's health, the kickes are a reassuring daily reminder of his or her presence.

Yes, year-old cake can be good

Happy anniversary to Kristin and Matt!

They have been married for a year now and, in celebratioin, we shared dinner, champagne, sparkling grape juice (for Cortney and Raspberry), and... year old cake.  It is a tradition, possibly a more recent one, to freeze the top layer of one's wedding cake for the celebration of the first anniversary, so that is what they had done and they were kind enough to invite us to share in the moment with them.  Perhaps the real reason they invited us was because they were afraid to try said piece of newly thawed cake themselves (okay, the real reason is because even just the top layer of a wedding cake is a lot of cake and a lot of frosting for just two people - even for four).  But all jesting aside, the cake was very good, and we want to thank them for sharing their time (and their TiVo) with us.  So, again, happy anniversary to Kristin and Matt!