Music and lyrics by Mary Lawton

This morning Mary Lawton made up her first song. We were in the car, and I could kick myself for not pulling over to record it. It was a nice little tune.

How do we get to the farmy farm?
How do we get to the farmy farm?
How do we get to the farmy farm?
[repeat]

I love this kid.

Marching band

In the car on the drive home from work/school: "Mommy, when we get home I'm going outside to do marching band and you're going to take my picture."

And that's just what happened, except Daddy took the pictures.

Sara y Raul

Mary Lawton was invited to the wedding of our friends Sara and Raul in July--her first wedding invitation! Some highlights . . .

Pals

Sara y Raul. Theirs was probably the most personal ceremony I've ever witnessed. It was amazing. (Sad I missed a little due to restless 2-year-old.)

Cake

CAKE!

Dancing

Adorableness

Love

Finally . . .Cake!!!

Congratulations, Sara and Raul. Thank you so much for inviting us to be a part of your wonderful day. xo

Doing her crunches

Outside on the deck, alone, in her panties and swim shoes, "doing my crunches." I guess it's good she's picking up healthy habits from us. (But we don't do crunches on the deck in our underwear. Really.)

Practicing her skills

I love the protective mom hand out in this one...100% reflexive.

Curious

Recent questions from the short person:

Can dogs eat grass?

Can dogs eat leaves?

Can dogs eat napkins?

Do ducks have toes?

Summertime fun

I had a gardening helper this summer! Mary Lawton enjoyed helping me tend the tomato plants on the deck. She watered and picked and was really good about not picking until they were red.

Her aunt Sissy must have had a feeling ML was into gardening, because she sent ML her very own seed-starting kit with bag and tools. Miss OCD got to work sorting everything.

We planted radishes and tomatoes in the peat pots, but I forgot to water and transplant them, and they dried out. This happened twice. oops...

First King of Pops pop (catching up)

Mary Lawton tried her first King of Pops peach pop at the Decatur Arts Festival way back during Memorial Day weekend. She did not like it. Don't worry--it didn't go to waste.

Tantrum

Because I wouldn't let her wear this pink/pink/blue combination. Notice the allowable options crumpled on the floor.

Halfway there

August 16 was Mary Lawton's half birthday. When I told her it was her half birthday and she was 2 1/2, she got a bit upset and told me that she was 3. I explained she was half way to 3. She was fine after a minute.

She got to pick out a Cookie Studio cupcake as her half birthday treat. She chose the one with the purple dot. The woman working the counter was so charmed by Mary Lawton and her technique of ordering by color that she poured about 1/2 cup of purple candy dots into a bag for Mary Lawton to take home. The girl's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

Mary Lawton is full of ideas of what life will be like when she turns 3. Some examples:

• When I turn 3 I won't have to sit in the carseat anymore.
• When I turn 3 I'll be the driver and you'll be the passenger.
• When I turn 3 I'll be a big sister. [not true]
  
• When I turn 3 I'll go to preschool.
• When I turn 3 I'll learn to surf.
• When I turn 3 I'll drink coffee.
• When I turn 3 I can cut things with the big knife.
  

And when will she be 3? "First Santa Claus will come and then it will be my birthday and I'll be 3 years old."

Happy half, my sweet monkey face.

A trip to St. Matthews! (catching up)

Way back in May, Mary Lawton and I spent a long weekend with Biffy and Grandaddy in St. Matthews, with special guests Jay and Georgia!

The girls were so excited to see each other and got along pretty well. I had to remind Mary Lawton a few times to use her words instead of screaming over some perceived 4-year-old versus 2-year-old injustice.

We ate bbq; got to see Emily S. B.!; fed the ducks, geese, and turtles at the "rose gardens"

played, played, played

read books with Biffy

and got lots of hugs and kisses.

A belated thanks, Biffy and Grandaddy, for a wonderful weekend!

Happy Birthday, Biffy!

We love you!

Car conversations

Continuing the series, although this wasn't really a conversation--just an observation by my girl as a commuter train passed us.

ML: When I was boing, we rode the Martha train.

Translation: When I was born, we rode the Marta train.

More translation: When you were pregnant with me, we rode Marta every day.

Full of suggestions

Lately Mary Lawton's thing is to preface everything with "maybe." "Maybe I'll wear my pink shoes." "Maybe I'll have milk." This was today's morning chat over breakfast.

ML: I want some more French toast.

Me: The French toast is all gone. We don't even have any bread that I can use to make more French toast.

ML: Maybe you can buy some more at Publix.

Me: [biting cheeks] That's a good idea. I can buy more bread at Publix.

ML: Maybe I can go with you.

Me: [trying to contain laughter] That would be fun. You do like going to Publix.

ML: Maybe I'll wear panties.

Me: [not even trying] Maybe you will.

Car conversations

Continuing the series . . .

ML: What's that, Mommy?

Me: A garbage truck.

ML: It's not a garbage truck!

Me: It's not? What is it?

ML: A dump truck.

Me: Ok.

ML: It's not a dump truck! It's a garbage truck!

Obsolescence

We were getting ready for electronics recycling day, and I came across this box of 3.5" floppies. I made Mary Lawton pose with them.

I think she thought they were coasters.

Another story

A story she told me on our ride home yesterday.

Mary Lawton: I rode the bus to school.

Me: Oh, you rode the bus to school. What color was the bus?

ML: Pink.

Me: Who drove the bus?

ML: Daddy.

Me: Were any of your friends on the bus?

ML: Eleanor, Devon, and Gavin.

A great day at the park

The "purple playground"

Sweet LJ was the pied piper that day. Some girls there asked him to push the merry-go-round. Mary Lawton was in heaven riding with the big girls.

Storyteller

Saturday, May 7, 2011, at the breakfast table:

ML: I saw a baby!

Me: You saw a baby? Where did you see a baby?

ML: In the sky!

Me: Wow! In the sky? What was the baby doing in the sky?

ML: Flying!

Me: You saw a baby flying in the sky? That's amazing. What was the flying baby wearing?

ML: Pink!

Me: Where was the baby going?

ML: I don't know.

Easter's on its way . . .

The first Easter egg hunt of the season was at church on April 17. They had hunts for different ages all over the property, so the little ones didn't have to compete with/get trampled on by the big ones--yay! Mary Lawton was mildly interested . . . a little more interested when she realized there was candy in the eggs.
The next Saturday we dyed eggs-our first egg dye! I made Mary Lawton take off her shirt and wear an apron when I thought I might let her dip eggs in the dye, then I had a change of heart and let her color and put stickers on the already dyed eggs. That was just fine with her.