Questions to ask your mother

A friend was telling about these awhile back, and I just found her email again. I plan to ask my mother these in person during our family vacation next week--so get ready, Mom!

1. What's the one thing you would have done differently as a mom?

2. Why did you choose to be with my father?

3. In what ways do you think I'm like you? And not like you?

4. Which one of us kids did you like the best?

5. Is there anything you have always wanted to tell me but never have?

6. Do you think it's easier or harder to be a mother now than when you were raising our family?

7. Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents?

8. What's the best thing I can do for you right now?

9. Is there anything that you wish had been different between us -- or that you would still like to change?

10. When did you realize you were no longer a child?

What we've been up to

I've been on accidental hiatus for over a week. What's been going on:

• Mary Lawton made her first trip to Benihana for Erin's birthday. Mary Lawton didn't catch a shrimp in her mouth.
• We went to Stone Mountain two weekends in a row. Mary Lawton and I ran around the mountain, and Sweet LJ biked. He can bike around the mountain twice in the time it takes me to run around once. We've now visited enough to pay for our annual pass.
  
• Mary Lawton has added sweet potatoes to her diet. I steamed and pureed organic garnet sweet potatoes, scooped tiny portions on a pan, froze the scoops, stored them in a bag, and she eats a scoop every night or so. She seems to like cereal more than sweet potatoes.
• Lots of playing. Tons.
  
• We are soooo ready to go to the beach next week.

Greetings from the couch

Well, 9 years in, we finally entered the 21st century and have wireless Internet access in our home. I'm blogging from the couch. Over a year ago, Sweet LJ gave me a laptop (minus a network card). I kept thinking and reading about building a wireless network but didn't think I knew enough. This weekend I finally went out and bought a network card and a wireless router, and it was all so easy that I'm embarrassed I thought I couldn't do it. Now the desktop and laptop are sharing an Internet connection, and I have one more thing to do before I can print wirelessly from the laptop. hooray!

From your girls

We miss you, Dad/Sweet LJ, and hope you're having a good week.

What's been going on:

• Finally seeing the bird that lives in the house outside Mary Lawton's window
• Getting a delicious homemade chocolate cupcake from a nice neighbor
• Borrowing a Johnny Jump-Up from the same nice neighbor
  
• Watching Mary Lawton figure out how to creep forward on her belly
• Finding a big dead rat in the backyard
  
• Waking up at 6:30 AM when I usually wake up at 5:30 AM [gulp!]
• Regular rice cereal dinners
• Loading up everything and everyone and finding out the car battery is dead
• Eating too many peanut M&Ms
• Trying to hold a squirming baby and get a good picture
  

Can't wait to see you this weekend! xoxo

5 months old

Our girl is wide open every day. Now that she can roll over in both directions, we can't leave her alone for a minute. She logrolls herself wherever she wants to go. Recently I heard a "thunk," and turned to see she had rolled herself into a wall and clocked herself on the head (she was fine), and another time I left her playing on the floor of her room for 2 minutes and came back to find her with her head under the crib, feet kicking the little wooden rocking chair, looking like she was trying to chew on the crib leg. No, I'm not making any of this up, and yes, I'm starting to learn my lesson.
Mary Lawton is loud, funny, smiley, and constantly in motion. Did I mention loud? She screams, squeals, yelps, and chirps nonstop--especially when she has an audience. Her daycare teachers laugh as they tell me stories about Mary Lawton chatting with them all day. We laugh a lot a home, too.Everything goes in Mary Lawton's mouth--the usual (toys, her hands, her feet) and anything else within licking distance--my watch while I'm wearing it; the edges of the Bumbo, which she leans over to chew; the straps of the stoller and highchair; the arm of whomever is holding her. Sweet LJ was sitting on the floor next to her one day, and she was eyeing his foot. I made him move it.
She can't sit up on her own yet, and I "coach" her by sitting her down and putting her hands out in front of her to hold herself up. She seems to like being able to sit up and look around, but she likes falling over even more. So much fun! She also likes playing ride the horse on her dad's leg and playing flying baby with me. We play peek-a-boo a lot, too, and she can pull a cloth off my face and her own--mainly because she wants to chew on it. She's obsessed with Coqui and watches him constantly. She's also started to roll toward him to get closer, because she likes touching him.
Mary Lawton seems to grow an inch and gain a pound every night. I think if I stared long enough I could watch her getting longer.
You are so much fun, Mary Lawton! You keep us laughing and rolling our eyes and wondering what's coming next. Keeping up with you is going to be a challenge, but we're ready. Love you like crazy.

Food pyramid, 6-12 months

Andrew sent me this.

Adventures in cereal

Mary Lawton has been giving us the stink eye when we eat, following every forkful with her eyes, looking left out and curious. We decided to let her try some cereal last Wednesday night (July 8). It was a bust. She was either shocked or not quite ready to pull it back into her mouth and swallow it--or both. The bright side is that she was interested and seemed to like it fine.

First try. Looking terrified.

We tried again Saturday night. She ate bite after bite, opening her mouth for more, then finally let us know she was finished by spitting it out and fussing. Great culinary adventures lie ahead.

More, please.

Savoring every bite

The Squealer

Enjoying a milk popscicle

4 months, 2 weeks, 6 days old

Happy Independence Day!

What a great day. I started the day by running the Peachtree Road Race. I was in time group 2. Hooray! Hopefully next year I'll run a good qualifying time and get back into 1-B or 1-A. My fab husband dropped me off about 1/4 mile from the start so I wouldn't have to take MARTA, which meant we left the house at 6:45 AM for the 7:30 race. For the past 4-5 Peachtrees I've had the good fortune to start near the front, right in front of the Ritz-Carlton. Let me tell you the best-kept secret of the Peachtree Road Race: The Ritz-Carlton restrooms. Why wait in line for a port-a-john when you can enter the Ritz-Carlton (door held open for you by a bellman), go directly to the ladies' room (no line), and enjoy marble-tiled facilities with TP and paper towels? I love you, Ritz-Carlton.

There's always a lot to see and hear during the race. Some highlights:

• Seeing the man dressed in a Spiderman costume--full-length lycra unitard. He was walking and carrying his mask at mile 2, probably because his spidey senses were tingling, telling him he had heatstroke.
• Hearing Axel F and thinking how I haven't heard it since 1985 when my brother used to play it on his keyboard.
  
• Getting very excited when I realized it was a club remix version of Axel F! I love a remix!!!
  
• Liking the "Thanks to all our veterans" sign a spectator was holding up.
  
• Seeing three spectators dressed like Chippendales dancers (They were reminiscent of Chris in the Chris Farley/Patrick Swayze Chippendales SNL sketch.)
  
• Getting to mile 4 and realizing I wasn't going to break 60 minutes and not feeling bad about it at all.
• Thinking about my Sweets LJ and MLJ and feeling so peaceful knowing her daddy was taking good care of her.
  
• Happy to get to Midtown because that's where good shade starts.
• Hearing Chariots of Fire blaring as soon as I hit Midtown, which was exciting by itself, and then being SOOO excited because it was a club remix version of Chariots of Fire!!!
• Thinking about running the race last year while about 7 weeks pregnant and not remembering much about it except being very nervous I'd get overheated, and also that Sweet LJ was holding up a poster that said, "Valdosta loves you!"
  
• Getting to mile 6 and realizing I was going to break 60 minutes! yee ha.
• Finishing in 58:36 (official chip time).
  
• Getting a mist in the face by a volunteer who brought along her personal misting fan.
• Not hating the t-shirt for a change (first one on the left).
• Meeting my biggest fans under the big balloon.

All the times I've run this race, I've never stayed for the awards. We did this year because I had a chance to win a trip to London (didn't win).

Unofficial time

When we got home, Mary Lawton showed us how she can roll off her mat.

That afternoon we headed to Jan and Bruce's for a cookout. I planned to take lots of photos, but I only got one of Gail and Mary Lawton.
We had a wonderful day and hope you did, too. Happy birthday, America!

Hello, ladies!

In case you're taking time out from sunning yourselves and eating tasty snacks to read blogs, hello to all the ladies at Folly Beach! Mary Lawton hopes to cruise the washout when she gets a little older.

Milestones!

Mary Lawton is rolling over from back to tummy! She did it for the first time Friday morning for Sweet LJ (I missed it), and all weekend. I still haven't seen her do it--I just see her on her tummy after I know I've put her down on her back.

The other milestone, if you want to call it that, is that she can blow raspberries (you know, spit bubbles). This is her new favorite activity. The drool faucet by itself just wasn't enough; now she wants to spread it everywhere.

Every day is a little more fun.

Happy baby

First run with BOB

We ran together, BOB, Mary Lawton, and I, yesterday for the first time and again this morning. She did great and fell asleep both times after about 20 minutes.
First ride: Sunglasses for obvious reasons, bib so she won't chew on the harness straps, toys just in case. She didn't really need the toys, and today she just cruised and watched the world go by.

What I see when I run: Chubby legs, ankles crossed

p.s.- In case anyone is freaking out, yes, technically she's a little young for a jogging stroller. Her pediatrician said it was fine, though, because she has good head control.

Just practicing

Oh my

Cutest girl in the world woke up fussing 3 times last night. This part is not unusual. What is unusual is that each time she'd had a diaper leak, and pee was everywhere. Poor girl. You'd think I would've learned my lesson the 1st time, but it was only after the 3rd time did I put 2 diapers on her. The diapers aren't too small. They were taped. She hadn't chugged a gallon of water before bed. I really don't know what happened. Wish us a drier night tonight, please.

One more thing: My ab fab husband stripped the crib and remade it the first time, and I almost cried with happiness. You're the best, LJ! (The next time I was able just to replace the pee pad. The third time was a total bust.) Some of you recommended the ultimate crib sheet way back when, and I never got any. On my list now, after filling up the washing machine with one night's worth of pee sheets, pads, and baby t-shirts.

At least it was just pee.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to the most wonderful dad! We love you.

Mary Lawton, Coqui, and Moe

I got some love on Father's Day, too.

Four months check-up

Weight: 13 pounds (25th-50th percentile)
Length: 25 inches (75th percentile)

Mary Lawton had her 4 months visit on Wednesday. I was a little worried about her weight (when I found out she's in the 25th-50th percentile), but Dr. M said not to worry--she's still just long and lean. She's very healthy all around. She got 2 shots and one oral vaccine, and they didn't go over well. There was a lot of heart-wrenching wailing. I remembered to give her Tylenol before the shots, because she was very irritable and sore after the vaccines at her 2 months appointment. It seemed to help; at daycare that afternoon she took at 2.5-hour nap, was very happy that evening, and slept well that night.

Feeling sooo fortunate to have a healthy girl.

4 months old

How can the little bluebird be 4 months old already? This really has been a fun month with Mary Lawton.She is very mobile for someone who can't sit up, crawl, or walk yet. She is great at rolling over from tummy to back and doesn't realize how close she is to rolling from back to tummy. She spins around on her back easily and quickly when she's on a play mat. We put her down in one direction, and find that she has scooted all the way around in minutes--sometimes off the mat. We put her down to sleep in one direction, and later she's in some other spot in the crib. She usually sleeps on her side now. In fact, she usually curls over on her side whenever we put her on her back, whether it's play or sleep.
Speaking of sleep, I hesitate to say she's a poor sleeper or a good sleeper. She sleeps like a 4-month-old--sometimes it's good for her parents and sometimes not so good for her parents. But, it's always good for her. She successfully can put herself to sleep, which is really nice. She'll play and talk herself to sleep, often without a pacifier.
She is a very funny girl, and I think she knows it. She cackles at everything, even herself. Her laughter makes her laugh even more. She lights up when I present her with a toy and positively glows when she gets to stand on a lap. Sweet LJ holds her up and "walks" her every day, and she thinks that's big fun. Her favorite game is when I eat her belly with loud chomping noises. She squeals and laughs nonstop.
Mary Lawton is the noisiest baby I've ever been around, but admittedly I haven't been around tons of babies. She chatters constantly, stopping only to eat, sleep, and when she's distracted by something and has to take a look. A few days ago she made a "muh" sound for the first time, and I know, "Mama, I love you," is just a few weeks away. She talks to her toys, very seriously, and talks to us, and sometimes when I sing to her she will start singing along.

Last week one of her daycare teachers, Miss Ambrosia (real name), told me that everyone loves Mary Lawton. They love her "pretty eyes," and she went on about how sweet and good natured Mary Lawton is (which I know but is always nice to hear:). My heart still hurts over having to leave her in daycare, but as the youngest child in the whole center right now, she gets lots of attention. When I went by one day there were 4 children and 5 workers in her class, so the ratio is really good. Oh, and yes, I can go by--she's only 4 blocks from my workplace.
Mary Lawton is a good eater most of the time. She gets most of her eating done at daycare, I guess, because she's healthy and would just rather socialize with me. When I feed her, she eats for a second, then pulls back to smile at me and chat. This will go on and on until I finally just give up.
Mary Lawton, we hardly remember life before you (except that there was a lot more sleep). You're a great little buddy, and we appreciate how sweet and good you are. Your dad often remarks that you're the perfect baby. I don't know what we did to deserve the perfect baby, but we know how fortunate we are! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The End