Spaghetti + Watermelon

= long, deserved bath
I forgot to take her shirt off before I strapped her into her chair, and I didn't feel like starting over. This was definitely a no-shirt, no-pants, no bib meal best eaten in the bathtub.

June 24: 16 months, 1 week, 1 day old

Decatur Beach Party

What do landlocked city kids do in summer? They go play in a street full of sand and pretend it's a beach. On June 18 we went to the Decatur Beach Party. In addition to the street filled with sand, there were games, food, beer, jump castles, and bands. Mary Lawton had a blast, but the sweet girl needs to learn not to try to rub the sand out of her eyes with sandy hands.

Each side of the street was shady, but it was too hot in the middle!

Digging

Sandy love

Checking things out

Just the cutest girl in the world!

"Hoppee"

She likes to go shopping or "hoppee." Sometimes she runs over her own feet. She might be checking the damage in this photo.

Dress #4

It's getting more and more difficult to take this girl's picture! She seems to like this dress. She wanted to put it on when I showed it to her.

Father's Day

A little late saying we had a fun Father's Day weekend, and I think the father in our house enjoyed his day! Church, breakfast out, swimming, a bike computer, lots of hugs and kisses...what more could a father want?

Love you, Daddy!

Box rides

Please stop taking my picture and push me around some more.

I could listen to this all day.

15 months, 1 week, 5 days old (May 28, 2010)

Baby porcupine

15 months, 4 weeks old

We went to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

On June 5 we went to the zoo with Mary Lawton's class as their year-end activity. This was Mary Lawton's first visit to the zoo, and she was wilder than the zoo animals. She just wanted to run around--she didn't want to ride in her stroller or hold our hands and walk. She wanted to be free! We had a good time overall, but Mary Lawton wasn't really into the animals. Maybe next year...

Look at the meercats!

Watching a big bird

She seemed most interested in the kangaroos.

A birthday party

We were invited to Miss Nell's 80th birthday party on Saturday and had a blast. Mary Lawton was in heaven--new toys, lots of space to run around, a little pool just her size, and bubbles.
She even got to meet Yoda.
And on the way home--tired, dress-less because it got all wet and I didn't bring other clothes, just chillin' with her baby.

Dress #3

I just finished the bloomers (pink and white fabric) today. Mary Lawton is not excited about this dress. I forced her try it on yesterday, and as soon as it was on, she announced she was, "all done!" I think the bows are freaking her out a bit.

Dress #2

with matching bloomers! If you were to turn it inside out, you would see that I did much better on this one than on the first one. I did not do the monogramming myself. I'm nearly finished with dress #3 in a different pattern. Stay tuned...

Passed out

15 months, 6 days old

Dusting off the cobwebs

A lot has been going on, so much so, that I had to choose between living it and blogging about it. As I slip back into my blogging shoes, here's a photo to hold you over: Mary Lawton in the 1st dress I made.

A new hobby

When I was little, my grandmother sewed clothes for me. When we would visit her in Florida, I remember going to fabric stores with her and picking out fabric and patterns. She would sew some outfits, and mail them to me at home when she was finished. Then she moved next door, and it was like having a personal tailor. She made me pants, shorts, dresses, and skirts. I loved them. I still have two of the dresses she made for me--one I wore for May Day in 5th grade, and the other I wore in my 6th grade graduation.

She taught me some basic sewing. She taught me to thread the sewing machine and fill the bobbin. She would have taught me more, but I wasn't patient enough. I didn't want to learn to read a pattern, cut it out, cut out the fabric, etc. I just wanted to sit down and sew. I sewed a lot of drawstring bags. I made everyone I knew a drawstring bag. I still use the safety pin trick to pull the drawstring back through my pajama pants when I accidentally pull it out.

My grandmother passed away in 2008. My mom asked me if I wanted her sewing machine. I said yes, of course. I tried it out. I remembered how to thread the machine. It seemed to need a little repair. It sat for awhile. For my birthday this year, I asked Sweet LJ to get it repaired for me. He did, and it sat for another month or so. Then, finally, I went to the fabric store and picked out 2 patterns and 2 fabrics. Then I started.

And it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Granted, my pattern was a baby dress for Mary Lawton with only 4 pieces (6 counting interfacing). I'm not saying it turned out perfectly. The facings are a total mess, and my seams are crooked, but it's wearable and it was fun. Maybe Gran is guiding my fingers. Thanks, Gran. I miss you.

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.