Untitled...because I am too sleep deprived to come up with a clever title right now.

Mini ninja Noah is already 10 months old! He will be 11 months old before Halloween! Crazy. I'm so amazed at just how fast time is flying by. The dog days of summer are gone & it's now the season of cinnamon apple scented candles, pumpkins, autumn leaves, Halloween-ween, cider, Christmas shopping, Turkey Day, football & now my sweet son's birthday.

With regards to Noah's 1st birthday, we still can't decide on whether to throw a party or just go out to dinner with family. I was originally thinking abou making it a huge shin-dig with family & friends. Of course, trying to stay within a budget + the idea of entertaining several people seemed a bit overwhelming. A nice pre-Turkey day lunch party sounded like a good idea. However, his birthday falls on a Saturday & my parents refuse to close their store for the day. So...now I am leaning towards the idea of going to one of our favorite seafood restaurants with just family & bringing a small "smash" cupcake for Noah. We shall see.

On another note, the not-so-little cousin is back at work after the scary shooting incident in DC. He had a few work-from-home days & was without his vehicle for awhile. He told me that any other Monday, he would have been in the building where it happened, getting breakfast with a co-worker. However, on this particular Monday, he was running behind schedule because he was training a newbie. Relieved that he is okay, but still sad for all the friends & families of victims. Seriously, what is with all the random mass shootings these days?"

So, after many months of diligent research, comparisons & test drives, I finally said "goodbye" to my beloved VW Beetle LuLu & "hello" to my 1st "mom" vehicle. Don't worry, it's not a minivan. I was torn between a 2010 red Toyota Rav4 Sport & a 2010 silver Mazda CX-7 (Touring, I think). I test drove both & went home to "sleep on it" + make my pros & cons lists. I returned 3 days later, with my mother, with one vehicle as the front runner. However, after test driving both vehicles again, viewing the Carfax for both & getting my mother's opinion, I actually changed my mind. I chose the Mazda & was pleasantly surprised to discover additional features once I returned home. I did not notice the sweet backup camera. It also has Bluetooth & a few other bells that the Toyota did not have + it was less pricier. I love that I no longer have to climb into a backseat & maneuver getting Noah in & out of the car. I love that there is plenty of cargo space. I love that the windows are tinted & the sun no longer bothers my sweet baby's eyes. I love that there is now room for a passenger (or me, if I ever let Lane drive) to sit up front or in back comfortably. Overall, I am very satisfied.

Any ways, time to get out of bed & get stuff accomplished, now that Noah is finally down for his morning nap. (:

XoXo - HMBC

Lazy day = staying in pjs all day long