First nap on the mat

Mary Lawton's teacher just emailed me this photo. Today is her first time napping on a mat (instead of in the crib). I can't believe she'll be graduating to the toddler classroom soon.

Favorite book

Today the daycare teachers told me Mary Lawton's favorite book is a Care Bears book. They showed it to me--it's filled with hearts, rainbows, balloons, and lollipops. I wonder if it's because we talk about hearts and balloons a lot...or maybe she's just a sweet girlie girl.

Earth Day a little early

The church we've been attending encouraged everyone to bike or walk to church today in observance of Earth Day, so we did.
About 4 miles there, then we rode to lunch, and then home. We were hoping many people would bike to church, so that we wouldn't be the only ones underdressed. We saw one other family and another guy by himself. Oh well--we had lots of fun.

14 months old

Walking: At the end of March Mary Lawton started taking a few steps occasionally, when she felt like it. Now there's no stopping her. She even can lean over, pick something up, and keep on going. She already has had her first skinned knee from taking a fall outside.
Words:

• dada
• mama (very occasionally. She usually calls me dada, too.)
• uhoh
• hi
• bye-bye
• ball ("baw")
  
• eye
• cheese ("sheese")
  
• yes ("yeshhh")
  
• outside ("ahsah")
  
• fish ("ish")
• shoe ("shh")
• banana ("nana")

She loves:

• hats
• walking
  
• shoes
• being outside
• climbing the steps
  
• exploring
• pointing to eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, hair, belly, belly button, ears, shirt, pants, socks, shoes
• sitting in chairs by herself
• doing everything by herself
• cheese

I'm amazed by how much she seems to learn every day. On our way to work/school on Tuesday morning, I heard her say fish and, in the rearview mirror, saw her pointing. I said, "where do you see a fish?", thinking that surely there was no fish. But there was, on the Captain D's sign: a big red fish. Ah, the learning moments that come from fast food.

Mary Lawton, you are a sweet, loving girl . . . and also stubborn and feisty. Your willfulness exhausts us already, but we love it--we love how you're figuring everything out. We especially love your sweet hugs and kisses and hope you never get too big or old or cool to hug us and kiss us.

Love you, little monkey.

4th tooth

Mary Lawton's fourth tooth popped through yesterday--the top-right one. At this rate, she might have a full grill by 1st grade.

She's officially a walker.

The cutover date was Thursday, April 8.

Her 4th state

Mary Lawton visited her 4th state over the weekend: North Carolina. One of Sweet LJ's clients has a house in Highlands and invited us to stay there over the weekend. It was beautiful. Things were just starting to bloom and there was no pollen. We ate some delicious meals, played on the park playground, walked around the town, and sat outside on the porch. Mary Lawton was in heaven, because the house was 2-story. She climbed up and down, up and down.
A great getaway.

So loved

Mary Lawton is a lucky, lucky girl and had many Easter Bunnies visit her this year. I just had to take a picture of the love. Thank you, everyone!

Accidents will happen.

The scene: Thursday night. Bath time. Mary Lawton told me she was "all done," which was a little surprising, because she never wants to get out of the tub. I got her out, put the hooded towel on her head, and turned around to empty the water. When I turned back around, she was standing in a little puddle. At first I thought it was bath water, but it was too much to be bath water.

Me: Did you pee-pee on the floor? Did you pee-pee?

Mary Lawton, looking at the puddle, whispering: peeeeeeeeeee...

Every day she makes me laugh more and more.

Happy Easter!

We had a lovely day.The Easter Bunny brought Mary Lawton an outfit, a beach towel, and her very own bunny ears.


After church, we went to Joe, Alisa, and Lilly's house. Mary Lawton had so much fun playing with Lilly's toys, and Lilly was so sweet to share.

Alisa planned an Easter egg hunt for Lilly and Mary Lawton--Mary Lawton's first hunt! Her daddy helped her find eggs, and she filled up the egg hunt basket Biffy and Granddaddy sent her.

What a great day! Happy Easter.

Pizza night

Business in the front

Party in the back

Cutest pjs ever

I love these pajamas--love them! I think my baby girl is making me more girlie, because now I love hearts and purple.

First popscicle

On March 26, Mary Lawton had her first popscicle. I'd offered her one a few days before, but she wasn't interested. When she saw me and Sweet LJ eating them, however, she changed her tune.
She liked it. She needs some practice not putting it on the floor, though.

And then, she bit off a chunk. She panicked. So cold! Brain freeze! She spit it into my hand but still cried. Poor kid. She didn't want any more after that.

And yes, it was hilarious and we laughed and laughed. Notice in the photo above that she's crying but still holding the popscicle.

Bittersweet

My 13.5-months-old daughter told me "bye-bye" for the first time this morning when I dropped her off at daycare. I love that she loves it and doesn't mind seeing me go, but, well...you know.

Washing kids' clothes

I used to be pretty good at laundry, I thought. Things came out clean! Whites were white! Brights were bright! All of Mary Lawton's clothes are stained. Why is this? Does whole milk, in particular, stain? Advice, please.

Little clown

This is what happens when you send your child to daycare wearing a striped shirt, and she has an accident and has to wear the emergency cupcakes pants in her daycare cubby.

She is trying to get her pacifier, which "sleeps" in her crib all day and isn't allowed to get out until it's her bedtime.

Hats

Lately Mary Lawton wants to wear a hat all the time--one of her sun hats, one of her Daddy's knit winter caps, a baseball cap, it doesn't matter. Sometimes she wants everyone else to wear a hat, too.

Charleston

Sweet LJ and I dropped Mary Lawton off with Biffy and Granddaddy the weekend of March 6 and escaped to Charleston. Thanks for the recommendations, Rebecca, Melissa, and Nicole. We planned this so last-minute, that I had to take a chance on another place. We stayed at the Vendue Inn about a block from Waterfront Park. It was wonderful.
This was my first time ever spending the night away from Mary Lawton. I think I did pretty well, but I was definitely ready to go home after only one night! Maybe 2 nights next time...
I forgot all about red dot stores! No red dots in Atlanta.

Thanks so much, Biffy and Granddaddy. We're glad you had fun, and we know Mary Lawton had a great time. She's still talking about it.

What's better than brownies for breakfast?

Nothing. Thanks, Sweet LJ.

Let's get this party started

Mary Lawton's birthday party was on February 20--a week later than scheduled due to snow. What a fun day! Our little house was filled with family, the weather was gorgeous, and the food was quite tasty (if I do say so myself). We were very lucky that Andrew came and took some amazing pictures. The good photos are Andrew's!

We decorated with Mary Lawton's monthly pictures and lots of hearts, since we're so in love and it was close to Valentine's Day.
We ate lunch. I admit that I didn't make everything. Fox Bros. made the pulled pork and ribs. we opened gifts,
we went on a wagon ride and walk,
We sang, we ate cake. I made another cake, but this one was icing free. Mary Lawton got to use my 1st birthday cake topper.
We also sang to Olivia. She was kind enough to share her birthday with Mary Lawton on the 20th.We played,
and after all the guests went home, we went on another wagon ride.

Thanks, everyone, for celebrating with us. It was a sweet day we will never forget.