Mid-month.

Things are still sad around here over our Lulu-girl. I find myself looking for her, or expecting to hear her meow at me. Telling the kids that she'd been put to sleep was brutal - Ellie sobbed and wanted her back and tried to bargain with us, and Adam said he was sad and didn't want Lulu to be dead. Me either, buddy, me either. I also caught myself calling Ellie by Lulu's name today, trying to get her to come and get her hair brushed before a birthday party. Tim and I spent some time looking at picture of Lulu from when we first got her, and it really throws into relief how much has changed for us since 2004, looking at our tiny apartment with the hand me down furniture, and how our mean old lady cat was once a young thing too.

But, life goes on. We had a really nice birthday party for Tim on Tuesday night - Lulu was able to lay in my reading chair and be a part of the disco dance party. Grizz, as always, kept things lively.

This can only end well.

Tim turned 38, and I accidentally but quite proudly put a 3 and a 7 candle on his pie, thinking I'd nailed it in terms of having the right number candles. Remind me in October to buy both an 8 and a 9.

Last weekend Ellie had her first ever sleep over. We went with Judd and Lexi to watch the boat parade in Dana Point harbor, and when they got sick of the boats, we took Adam home and left Ellie with her friends. I thought Adam would be upset because he wasn't getting a sleepover with Judd, but he was sadder that his sister wasn't coming with us, and that night told us he couldn't wear his matching jammies without Ellie. He's also taken to taking off his shirt in the morning and running around in just the pajama bottoms, for what it's worth.

Ellie had a great time, and while there was part of me that was nervous about her being away from us and with a non-family member, I then remembered that Kristen and Jeff have known her since she was a few weeks old, probably changed some of her diapers along the way - if there's anyone who can handle Ellie even though she's not their actual flesh and blood, it's them. Thankfully, she was the very best guest and had the very best time.

One of the funniest moments was on our drive from dinner down to the Harbor - we'd split up with boys in one car and girls in the other, and funnily enough, Girls Just Want To Have Fun was playing when we started the car. Ellie and Lexi were in the backseat, and Ellie showed Lexi the bracelet that her "boyfriend" Preston picked out for her during a visit to Disneyland, and Lexi, like she was a 20-something lady, asks "oh, where did you meet him?" Thankfully, she met him through school and isn't using dating apps quite yet.

Mom and I went to see a show at the House of Blues on Wednesday night - always nice to take Saint Gigi out for an evening. Plus we got the Hat, which was exactly the salty mix of grease that my sad feelings needed.

Ellie helped me wrap all of my Christmas caramels on Thursday afternoon, which was a good job done. I can't believe Christmas Day is just around the corner. The last few presents are rolling in from Amazon (Ellie needed Santa to get her a stuffed animal that looks like Lulu, and a locket with a picture of her and Lulu, and a cat on the front. Thankfully Santa has Amazon prime.)