cleaning, Chucky Cheese, and visit with Grandma
So we finally got all the crap put away this weekend. I spent Saturday morning organizing and finding places for a bunch of the stuff that got displaced last weekend. We went for a drive around 2 to give Ally a chance to sleep, and return the flooring samples we looked at. The stupid store closed at 2 though, and we didn't make it, so I have to do that today still.

When we got home, Rob did some homework, and we finally got our car ad written up and put on CarSoup. Cross your fingers for me. Ally woke up kinda cranky, so I took her upstairs and held her a bit. She seemed to want to go back to sleep, so I tried to lay her down a bazillion different ways, but every time she lost contact with me, she'd start fussing again. Finally, I gave her to Rob the hold and went back downstairs for something. When I came back up a half hour later, they were both sleeping together on the couch. It was so cute. I took pictures, but since the USB ports on the computer still aren't working, I can't download them yet.

Marley's 4th birthday party was at 6 at Chucky Cheese's. What a crazy time it was. People everywhere and kids running around. They were packed. Ally refused to sit still. She followed the girls into the shoeless kid-tunnels, but they didn't stay there long, so she went on to something new. She found out that she could put tokens ("tickets") into the rides and games ALL BY HERSELF and was thrilled. She rode a couple of the little cars and played the little kids version of whack-a-mole and just generally had a great time. We kept trying to get her back to the table occasionally so we could eat, but she was having none of that. We had to take shifts. Rob took most of them. He's always so helpful when family is around. I think it's to that he doesn't have to socialize.

Ally went home with Mom afterward. She went to church* with her Sunday, and I picked her up from there to take her to my nieces baby shower after. Mom says that she never shut up all the way home for the 40 minute drive. Within 5 minutes, Bamako had fallen asleep. That's my daughter. Takes after me. I remember wondering if she was ever going to talk and being worried. but, as soon as she got those tubes, it all went quick. She could talk your ears off.

Ruth sent home 3 big bags of clothes Marley has outgrown that Ally will grow into soon. So Sunday morning, I went through them all and sorted them by season. I love having Marley at Ruth's. Ruth is a shop-a-holic, and buys nice clothes. She has great taste, which I don't. This means Ally gets nice clothes, and I don't have to buy them, which means the next kid will have 2x hand-me-downs. The greatest part is that there are so many clothes, Ally doesn't even wear them out. She probably has 10 pair of jeans, alone - not to mention all the other outfits and such. We don't use the pajamas though. Ally has decided that she only really likes to sleep in flannel pants and a onsie.**

She did lots of cute things, but this has gone on long enough, and I'm tired. I'll come back later and finish up. Here's a sneak preview.

Ally needs permission to fall asleep

Ally has too many grandmas

Ally plays with Lane

"Life jackets" and socks are fun

* Yes, we let the kid go to church. This was a huge issue between Rob and I once upon a time. Rob thinks that sending kids to Sunday school is akin to indoctrinating them in the church/religion before they have a chance to make their own decisions and therefore a form of brainwashing. (Yes, he's a little psychotic over dramatic extreme.) He's very against it. I'm fine with that. Whatever makes him happy. But while I was pregnant, we discussed it occasionally, and he didn't even ever want to let Ally go to Mom's house on a Saturday night to avoid the issue with her. I don't think playing in the church nursery or Sunday school or whatever is going to scar the child at the rate she's going (once in over 2 years). We butted heads. I got him to grudgingly admit that he overreacted based on the fact that he was dragged to church all the time growing up (??? His mom and dad say this wasn't so. Rob has a horrible memory, so I'm betting on them. The only ones that went to church all the time were the grandparents, and so it couldn't have been more than the summers that Rob was forced to go. But I can't argue with him). he still isn't thrilled with the idea, but we tabled the discussion. So when I agreed to let Ally go to Mom's I conveniently left that little detail out of the picture. Rob happily didn't think about it, and life was grand. Then Christy brought it up in front of Rob at the party. Rat-fink sister! She didn't even take a hint and shut up about it when I gave her "the look". He didn't get upset by it though. We both would have been happier if he hadn't had to know, (He said this himself) but oh well. Ally had a good time and it won't happen again for a couple months most likely. Rob can put his head back in the sand by then.

**exception to this rule is another story for later.

(I remembered )