Car conversations

Part 3 in the series...

The scene: Passing the turn off that we take once a week to go out for a pizza dinner.

ML, in a singsong voice: da uddah way! da uddah way!
Me: What happens if we go the other way? What will be there?
ML: Pizza.

Just walking down the street, wearing her hat

Mary Lawton is mildly obsessed with bikes, most likely because Sweet LJ is mildly obsessed with bikes. She even likes her bike helmet, which she calls a "hat." This morning, ML and Sweet LJ were playing outside before we left for work and school. This is what I found when I went outside.

Car conversations

Part 2 in the series...

Tuesday, September 21
The scene: Mary Lawton and I are in the car driving away from daycare.
Me: We're going home now.
ML: No home!
Me: You don't want to go home?
ML: No.
Me: Where do you want to go?
ML: da uddah way

College football

Sweet LJ and I went to see the newest local football team, the Georgia State University Panthers, play on September 11. We had great third row, 50-yard-line seats (behind the visitors' bench, but still). Unfortunately, the Panthers lost to Lambuth State.

Mary Lawton got to stay home and play with one of her best pals while we went to the game. We tailgated. Literally. We opened the tailgate and hung out, ate, people-watched, and listened to music. It was awesome.

There were a lot of empty seats, but they're trying to fill the Georgia Dome. Tricky. It was exciting to be at a college game, and--perhaps because I wasn't watching--my mighty South Carolina Gamecocks beat the Georgia Bulldogs while we were at the Dome watching Georgia State. Go 'Cocks!

Labor Day

Last Labor Day, Mary Lawton and I ran our first race together. We planned to run the same race this year, and I even recruited cousins Alisa and Lilly to run with us. As we were walking to the start, I realized I was having trouble controlling Bob. He was pulling hard to the right. The right rear tire was completely flat. Poor Bob.

I registered, anyway, while I considered my options. I could try to run on the flat--it was only 3.1 miles. We could cheer for Alisa and Lilly in their first race together. I could call Sweet LJ and tell him to try to get there asap to fix the tire or stay with Mary Lawton. I could ask a race worker if he had any duct tape to tape the flat tire around the rim, so at least the rim would have a little protection.

Sliding down is for babies

In the end, the nice race worker found me some duct tape and taped the tire to the rim. Soon after, Sweet LJ met us at the race after his bike ride--which he'd planned to do all along--and bravely tried to patch and pump the tube using his bike supplies. The tube was completely blown out, though, and too big for all his patches. I ran with Alisa and Lilly while Mary Lawton played with her dad on the playground, and they cheered us on as we finished.

Post race

A couple of clowns

It was a lot of fun, although I did miss running with my little Shorty. Thanks for the good times, Alisa and Lilly!

19 months old

Things she does:

• Looks for the moon
• Points out airplanes, trucks, and trains
  
• Climbs in the rocking chair with all of her babies and "wocky, wocky"
• Wants to be outside all the time
• Continues to be obsessed with bikes
  
• Tries to distract us if she knows she's in trouble. Last night she was holding a Tide stain pen she took from my purse, and I asked her if she took it out of my purse. She froze. Then she waved at me and said, "hi, Mommy! Hi, Daddy!" and tried to show me some pictures on the table.
• Says "thank you" with more and more regularity.
• Wakes up wanting to read books.
• Sings. Here she is eating breakfast this morning. She didn't want to wear a bib--she wanted to lay a napkin over her shirt.
  

Mary Lawton, every day with you brings more laughter, smiles, and love. So much love. We are totally, 100%, head-over-heels in love.

A dinner for Daddy

A couple of weeks ago, Mary Lawton and I took Sweet LJ out to dinner to congratulate him on his new job and to celebrate his successful run as an entrepreneur.

I was worried how she might behave in a decent restaurant, because it's so hit or miss with her. She was perfect. She even ate some calamari.

Then when we got home, she was just really, really cute.

Congratulations, Sweet LJ. We know you'll do great.

Dressing up

Lately Mary Lawton is loving her hooded baby towels. She calls them her "hats" and wants to put on her hat as soon as she gets out of the tub. She wears it around the house until bedtime, walking very slowly so as not to step on the edge of the towel.

A few nights ago she also wanted to wear her firefighter's hat.

She took a break to pat Coqui.

and p.s. to all the haters - She is allowed her paci only at bedtime and usually only in her room. This night must have been an exception.