Charleston

Where should we stay? Where should we eat? Does need to be downtown, and does not need to be kid-friendly!

Reflections on motherhood

Motherhood has humbled me. I remember rolling my eyes when friends said they couldn't meet us for dinner after 7PM because it was bedtime. Couldn't they keep the kid out later? Now I understand. Childless coworkers were complaining recently about moms who block grocery store aisles with the giant racecar shopping carts. Childless me would have complained, too. Now I understand. You can't push the cart next to the food, or your child will grab everything. I no longer judge women scolding their children in Target, because I have no idea when they last slept longer than 5 hours in a row, whether they have eaten in the last 24 hours, or when they last got to go to the bathroom alone. I've become more empathetic and sympathetic and learned some lessons.

As soon as you cross the doctor's office threshold with your sick child, she will begin smiling, waving, and laughing, and the fever will disappear.

If you need your child to take a nap, she will not. If you need your child to wake up from a nap, she will not.

Avoid wearing dark colors when your child has a cold.

People who tell you their babies slept through the night at 8 weeks old are lying...or they slept through the crying, or they drugged their babies.

Roll up your child's sleeves before you let her feed herself blueberry pancakes. Really, just roll up her sleeves before you let her feed herself anything. Or, just take off her shirt.

The farther in advance you make the plans, the sicker your child will be when the event rolls around.

In hindsight, having a plan is funny.

Everything stains. Water stains.

Just throw away the really dirty clothes.

You will never find the missing baby sock, so stop looking.

Don't spend much on toys.

A bath will turn around even the worst day.

What would you add to this list?

One

The day in pictures . . .

Waking up. The singing maybe was too much.

Strawberry muffins for birthday breakfast

Photo shoot before school
Going home from school
Visiting the neighbors who made her a happy birthday sign
and gave her a cute outfit
Out for a birthday pizza dinner--turned around to watch everyone and wave

Eggplant, sausage, spinach pizza--yum!
Back home for cake. Her own little cake.
Happy birthday to you...
Your singing was superb!
Goodnight

Letter to the sweetest girl in the world

Dear Mary Lawton,

I remember waiting and waiting and waiting for you to get here, talking to you in my belly, telling you that we were ready to meet you, and being so excited that you were joining the family.

Now 365 days with you have passed and I'm overwhelmed with joy and love. My heart feels full to bursting. I can't imagine life without you.

You are so spunky, funny, and sweet. You give the sweetest hugs and share the most heart-warming smiles. You are such a friendly girl, and I hope you always remember that a smile and a wave go a long way. You already make so many friends wherever you go.

Know how much you are loved. Find happiness in every day. Be true to yourself. Be kind to others.

Happy birthday.

Interview with a one-year-old

What is your favorite toy? Anything that's not a toy, like boxes, bags, bowls, cups, spoons, remotes, phones, watches, shampoo bottles, socks, paper, etc.

What is your favorite food? That's tough, but probably cheese. I like it on a grilled sandwich, melted on toast, on pizza, and just plain. I've had lots of different kinds and like them all.

What is your favorite book? Time for Bed, My Big Cuddly Book of Animals, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, and Babies: God's Precious Gifts

Would you say you're a mama's girl or daddy's girl? Mama's girl

What are some things you like to do? Ride in the stroller, wave at people, take a bath, push the buttons on the microwave, push anything that looks like it might be a button, flip light switches, touch Coqui and Moe, try to catch Moe, crawl very fast to the refrigerator when it's open and pull things out, open drawers, and swing at the park

Who is your favorite teacher? Miss Sonia

What are some of your greatest skills? Crawling, pulling up, cruising, walking while holding on to a toy or person, clapping my hands, playing peek-a-boo, opening and closing things, following simple instructions from Mama and Daddy, pulling all the toilet paper off the roll, pointing at things I want, and moving my hands to "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

What has been your best day so far? Probably the day I got to swing at the park for the first time. Also, I really liked when we went to the beach and I got to crawl in the sand. That was fun. My first day was pretty good, too.

What a weekend

Mary Lawton's birthday bash was supposed to be Saturday. At 10 AM we decided to cancel, since we really weren't sure how bad the roads would be later. I was very disappointed--mainly because there was a pretty adorable, homemade, large birthday cake that would be wasted.
We decided to reschedule for next Saturday. We went for a long morning walk, watched the neighbors make a snowman, ate huge bowls of homemade and really delicious macaroni and cheese, which also was for the party, and (finally) laughed over having to cancel Mary Lawton's first birthday party due to snow. I never guessed that would happen.

A pinkeye/ear infection combo was going around daycare last week, and we thought she'd been spared...but we were wrong. The eye gunk appeared Saturday afternoon, and the middle-of-the-night ear infection screaming came Saturday night. So, it was good that we canceled the party. To celebrate Valentine's day, we exchanged cards, candy (to Sweet LJ), and running shorts (from Sweet LJ); went out for breakfast and dinner; and in-between we got in to see the doctor during their super-secret Sunday hours. Mary Lawton is on an antibiotic and already seems so much better.

We're looking forward to Tuesday and to another try on Saturday.

Nudie

Ah, how liberating it is to play without clothes.

February 6: 11 months, 3 weeks old

Snow day

It snowed about 4 inches today. It is beautiful. We went for a walk in the snow, since it's not too often we get to walk in the snow. And yes, we still have white lights in our cherry tree. We haven't turned them on since Christmas, but we did today because it looked so magical.

11 months, 2 weeks, 1 day old

11 months, 1 week, 5 days old

New year, new me

I haven't had a real haircut since February 2008. I had it cut very short then, which I liked ok for awhile, then I didn't like it and let it grow. Then I had a baby and couldn't seem to find the time to take a shower, much less get a haircut. One time I went for a trim at GreatClips, and it was terrifying.

So, last night I went back to my old, fabulous salon where they give you a glass of wine to sip while you wait. The stylist listened to me and cut it exactly how I wanted.

I got bangs!

I just saved $360 on my car insurance (annually).

Seriously, and all I did was call my current agent and tell him I was looking to save some $. Don't just renew like I always do! Call your agent and ask how you can save some cash!

We have a screamer.

Someone please tell me all this recent screaming/shrieking is a just a phase and she does it because she likes making new sounds. It's hurting my ears.

Love it!

Dear Biffy and Granddaddy,
Thank you for my new car. I love it. I really enjoy using it as a push toy more than riding it. I can push it very fast. Can't wait to see you next month!

11 months, 4 days old

Love always,
Mary Lawton

One tooth closer to corn on the cob

A second tooth finally poked through today at 11 months, 1 week old. It's the bottom-center-right one.

11 months old

I just mailed the 1st birthday invitations. How can this be happening so soon?
Mary Lawton's 11th month was exciting--first Christmas, visits with family, our first nuclear family vacation, lots of exploring, lots of investigating. We have a busy girl.

reaching for the cat's tail

She is getting feistier by the day. She would like it her way, thank you very much, and quickly, so get it together. She already has started pitching small fits--she will lie on the ground face-down and just wail. I hate to admit it, but it's pretty funny.
She's doing much better about not putting every tiny bit of something she finds on the floor in her mouth. Now she holds it up and will hand it to us very proudly. I'm sure she still sneaks a few bites, too.
She is funny and happy (most of the time). Probably the thing that makes her laugh the loudest is hearing Sweet LJ laugh. When he laughs, she cracks up. When she's excited she flaps her hands around, and when she's really excited she holds her hands up in the air, eyes and mouth wide open.She's still a good eater. She loves to dine out--for the people watching, not necessarily the food. She waves to every person who enters the restaurant, everyone sitting around us, and to the server on each visit to our table.

munching on half a banana

Her daycare teachers call her the classroom greeter. They tell me she waves to everyone coming and going.

Still she has only one tooth. She will brush her hair if I ask her too, and she will brush my hair.
She gives us hugs and kisses. She usually kisses us by touching her forehead to ours. She also kisses children in books by touching the book to her forehead. I love this.

Her favorite book is one with little poems and sayings about babies that includes lots of photos of babies. We read it A LOT. We have our favorite babies. We don't even have to read it--sometimes we just slowly go through it and look at all the babies. Again. And. Again.

She crawls fast and pulls up and cruises on everything but I don't think she'll be walking anytime soon. She does great with her walking toys, though.

Fun with plastic bags (under close supervision)

People tell you babyhood goes by quickly, and they're not lying. This has been the fastest 11 months of my life. I wish I could have held on to it a bit longer.
We are so crazy in love with you, Mary Lawton. Thank you for all the sunshine you bring to our days.

Merry Christmas!

Our sweet girl woke us up around 6:30, and we proceeded directly to the den to see what Santa had left. I put her down to discover the treasures on her own. She was a little unsure at first what she was going after, but then...TOYS! She grabbed her new phone first.

We had a great morning opening gifts, digging into stockings, and eating my traditional homemade cinnamon buns. I got some fabulous gifts. My husband really knows how to shop.

Then we packed up for St. M to see Biffy, Granddaddy, and the Braces. I was so busy helping Mary Lawton open her gifts, that I didn't take any pictures. Trust me, though, she had a lot of fun playing with her cousins, trying to eat tinsel off the tree, and playing with her new toys.

After a couple of days being spoiled by Biffy and Granddaddy, we headed to the beach.

The last week of 2009: New Smyrna Beach, FL