Thoughts On Stuff

Making dinner last night. “Crab-stuffed grouper with polenta and spinach in a spicy cream sauce” sounds way better than “two frozen things from Trader Joes”, and yet they are the same.

Buying a DARPA-created, algorithmically constructed hoodie = love for Jason

Paying the extra $5 for three-day delivery = irrational love for Jason

Brushing teeth, originally uploaded by sundaykofax.

Abby came to visit, and spent one glorious, shining day. 80 took to her right away, naturally. Between the two of them, the amount of effervescence and happy-go-luckiness is more than the state of Nevada.

Via Flickr:
80 was thrilled to find out Abby also brushes her teeth in the morning, and insisted on helping.

80 and I are having an early breakfast out. I love breakfast, and one tiny upside to an early rising toddler is getting a prized seat at the Deluxe Town Diner.

Out to breakfast, originally uploaded by sundaykofax.

You know you’re a toddler’s mom when you have to wash your hands (and arms) before going to the bathroom at a restaurant.

80 likes to clutch my arm with her crumby, sticky hands to get my attention so I can get her more food.

Where is it the coolest?, originally uploaded by sundaykofax.

Tempcat: It’s like having a bloodhound or truffle pig.

Another milestone our baby book makes us note: 80′s first haircut.

Before:

It wasn’t so much a haircut as a trimming of a few wispies in front of her eyes. I was hoping they’d grow long enough to sweep to the side (thus giving us the same haircut), but that never happened. They’re so thin and sparse that a barrette (which fits into the choking hazard category) slowly slides down her head.

After:

See how much more passive and docile she is with a haircut? It’s just like wild animals. Oh, you didn’t know that? Oh yeah, you just have to wrestle a fox down to the ground and give it a trim.

On diaper strike, originally uploaded by sundaykofax.

This is what I came upon when I got 80 up from her nap.

Last week was rough, and I took Mary and Laura’s offer (in the comments of the last post — reason enough to blog right there) to come down to Fairhaven and New Bedford to visit. There are no photos to commemorate the event, but it was a great day. Here’s 80, all dressed up in the romper my aunt Sharon made her*, before we got in the car.

We left at 9:30, and 80 napped in the car the whole way there. We met up with Laura for a walk to the library (my former workplace) and lunch at Elizabeth’s**. We talked birth and babies, as Laura is going to be giving birth in the next few weeks.

Then 80 and I drove to New Beige to visit Mary and her fabulous family. I’m not using superlatives lightly. Jason and I agree that Mary and KC are the best parents we know. We channel them when we are stuck on a parenting decision. I made several covert observations while I was there, for future use. If 80 turns out like any of her children, I’ll be delighted. Mary’s youngest and 80 are very close in age, and got to meet for the first time. They mostly did the year-old thing of playing around each other, but not really with each other. 80 napped while I hung out with the family and ate various delicious crackers.

80 and I drove home after her nap, which I was nervous about. She’s in a rear-facing carseat, and I was driving alone, so it’s a long hour if something is bothering her. At first she was kind of cranky, but after I started feeding her a steady stream of snacks, she was happy the whole way home.

We ate dinner, Jason came home, we played on the porch. 80 was in such a great mood, fun and funny and …

I can hear 80 right now, awake in her crib, and I hear velcro. She’s wearing just a diaper so you’ll have to excuse me.

*YES, THAT’S HOMEMADE. My aunt Sharon is a fabric whisperer.
**I had pesto and almond encrusted haddock, for you foodies.