Wednesday, June 27, 2012

While She Sleeps

I'm folding laundry while watching her sleep. My iPad sits on my bedside table, a live feed of her crib accompanies me as I fold and fluff. Her perfect fingers grasp her fuzzy blanket close to her cheek. Her little round belly peeks from beneath her monkey pajamas as she stretches her arms over head. She sleeps like her daddy.

With each little move, I fall more in love with her. Each moment that I think I can't possibly love her more, I am wrong.

She is 16 months old. Each month seems shorter than the last. She is growing, changing, learning at warp speed. We spend our days playing and running and giggling. We have tea parties and bake cookies and create masterpieces of crayon, finger paint, and sidewalk chalk. We explore our backyard and I am reminded of the simple beauty of a butterfly or a roly poly or a stray stick.





She is her own person. She knows what she wants and, although her words are few, she gets her point across. She pushes me away when she wants to explore on her own, but squeezes my finger tight with her little hand when she decides she needs me again.


At 16 months, she is a sponge, soaking up everything we say and do. She can tell you what a cow ("mmmm"), sheep ("baba"), and lion say (she actually growls for the lion- it's adorable). She can point to many of her body parts (eyes, nose, mouth, hair, belly, toes). She loves music and loves to dance. She moves to pretty much any music she hears. She will march, spin, and hop when you ask her to...and whenever she just feels like moving! She talks constantly.

She is up around 5:30 each morning and is busy from the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed. She opens and empties every drawer and door that aren't baby proofed, and grabs anything within her reach from every table in the house. She is a climber, balancing on pillows and toys, hopping from one chair to the next, using Husband's recliner as her jungle gym.



She is such a water baby, but only if she has control. She will play in her pool until the sun goes down, but prefers to stand and spray the hose. She loves the lake, but not the float where her legs dangle. She wants to stand on the boat ramp where she can touch or float with everyone in a big float, sitting like a big girl. She would stay in the bathtub all night if I didn't eventually drain the water and pick her up. Bath time is my favorite part of the day.





She is down to one nap most days, though I wish it were longer than an hour. She mostly eats whatever we eat; but, like anyone, has her favorite foods. She is loving peaches right now and is usually happy with chicken, cheese, and peas. She loves chicken and rice soup. She can crush a half gallon of milk in a couple days. She tolerates juice. Crushed ice is her favorite thing.

She is such a Daddy's girl lately. She can't get enough of him and there is nothing sweeter.



She is simply happy. And she makes us happy just by being around her.






While she sleeps, I reflect on the past 16 months and how much she has grown- how much we have grown together as a family. In some ways she is still very much a baby, but in others, she continues to surprise me every day. I am loving every minute of life with this precious girl; and every minute, I love her more.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Mommy

C called me "Mommy" for the first time tonight.

And my heart melted into a puddle right there at the dinner table.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Party Trick

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a climber.

After attempting for what seems like months, Catherine's height and persistence finally prevailed as she climbed into Daddy's chair yesterday.

She then realized she could climb over the back of her fuzzy chair... or use her chair as a stepping stool to reach things she couldn't reach a couple days ago... like Mommy's coffee.

Baby proofing just got real. I'm in trouble.




Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Impulse Buy

Today, it was 115 degrees outside. We attempted a play date at the park this morning at 9:30 and it was so miserably hot in the shade that we lasted all of 20 minutes before deciding to pack it up and take the kids to Steel City Pops.

Unfortunately, Steel City Pops is not on the same schedule as toddlers (or others who want popsicles before lunch) and they don't open until noon.

It was now 10:30 - too early for lunch (again, because nothing was open yet) and dangerously close to nap time. So, with two kids falling asleep in their carseats, we called a day and headed home.

I was so disappointed. I try to plan something fun to do each day with Catherine (even if it's just exploring our own backyard) and today's plan was clearly a bust. So, the only logical solution?

Toys R Us.

We stopped on the way home and bought a baby pool. C woke up from her morning nap to this in our living room:

She was so excited, she got in it immediately.

$30 well spent.



Until it was time to come inside...


Monday, June 18, 2012

Monday

Banks dug a really big hole in the backyard:



C helped by attempting to fill it back in:



Then we needed to give Banks a bath:






Then C needed a bath:



And that's our Monday!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fathers

As I watched our daughter sleep soundly in the backseat, exhausted from a weekend full of lake activities, I found myself so overly grateful for the man behind the wheel. I may have given this man my heart many years ago, but he gave me something much greater in return- a beautiful girl with his olive skin and infectious grin and a penchant for dancing for no reason at all.

I could never thank him enough for giving me the world in the perfect form of our daughter.

Are you ever so unbelievably happy that it almost makes you sad because you think it can't possibly get any better? I'm there. I spent the weekend surrounded by my family, celebrating three great men (and missing my Poppy in Tampa) who have been and continue to be shining examples of what it means to be a dad.

(C got to spend some time with her Poppy while he was in town last weekend)





I watched my Big Daddy snuggle his great granddaughter, the same way he snuggled me 27 years ago.




I watched my dad play endlessly with his first grandchild with the same energy he had for my sister and me.




And I watched Husband, with the glow of new fatherhood still apparent over a year in, as he helped C slide down the elephant slide of my childhood over and over and over again, his complete focus and joy never waning. These are real men.





I consider myself lucky to have grown up surrounded by such honesty, humility, and strength. To have learned how to ride a bike, balance a checkbook, and drive a car from these men. I am grateful to have such high standards by which I measured every boy I ever dated - and to have finally found one who measured up.

One day all too soon, Husband will teach C how to ride a bike, and to balance a checkbook, and to drive a car. And one day, she will look back on those moments fondly, as she watches him rock her own baby to sleep; and she will silently thank him for teaching her how to be strong and kind and careful all at the same time. Because that's the great thing about good fathers- their daughters will never outgrow their Daddy.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Soaking It Up

Y'all, toddlers are so much fun. If you haven't played with a toddler lately, I suggest you find one asap (preferably one that belongs to your family or friends because talking to random kids on the playground is frowned upon). 

I absolutely love this stage. C is ten days shy of 16 months and every day is a new adventure. She is a tiny little sponge, soaking up everything she sees and hears, copying my every move. 

This morning, we played follow-the-leader, marching around the room together, spinning, clapping, rocking, touching our toes, patting our bellies. We sang Ring Around the Rosie and she laughed every time we fell down.  I'm not sure there is anything cuter in the entire world than watching a miniature version of Husband and me dance around the room.
Marching
Entertainment is key to running off some of that endless toddler energy, so we spent the afternoon exploring Aldridge Botanical Gardens. I'm so thankful to live in a city so full of activities - especially those that are free. If you haven't taken advantage of this beautiful public garden in Hoover, you're missing out. 

We were able to stroll through the shaded gardens, looking at hydrangeas, daisies, and lillies, watching squirrels scurry through the leaves and bees buzzing around the summer blooms. I pulled C in a covered wagon, the perfect gift from her Nana and Big Daddy, and she leaned out to touch flowers as we passed by, each a different color and texture, a new scent.




A boat house sits on a small pond within the gardens. As we approached the pond, Catherine clapped with glee as she saw a flock of geese swimming nearby. 



We parked the wagon and went inside the boat house. We peered over the railing and saw tons of turtles and fish swimming among the geese. We walked along the edge of the pond, watching a mother goose and her fuzzy goslings, and picking up pine cones and sticks along the way.


Then we ended our day with bubbles, which Catherine attempted to share with a giant bunny statue.


Some days I can't believe this is my life - soaking up every minute while watching her soak up the world. 






Friday, June 8, 2012

Like Sands Through an Hourglass

It's been a while since C has experienced sand. It was last summer. She was 6 months old and less than thrilled about it, which was awesome because what's more annoying that trying to fish sand out of a six month old's mouth?

Anyway, we were at the SandBar in Montgomery last night (before you ask, yes, we took a baby to a bar; but it is an outdoor bar and there were other babies there because it is adjacent to a splash pad - and i was drinking Diet Coke. I promise I'm not a terrible mother).

I digress.

We were celebrating my cousin's 17th birthday and cooking out with some live music before the Biscuits baseball game. And because it is the "Sand"Bar, there was a huge pile of sand, which I avoided for a long time, but then thought, "I bet she would love the sand!" and then, against my better judgement, I plopped her down on the pile.

And she LOVED it. She picked it up over and over again and let the tiny grains run though her fingers. She was so genuinely excited every single time she got the same outcome. Then, she learned to bury her feet...and my feet...and my legs...and her legs...and her hair...






And there.was.sand.everywhere.



And then I made her get out because it was time to go to the game and it was the end of the world. I was still shaking sand out of her clothes at bedtime.

In other news, she watched her first baseball game last night! I use the term "watched" loosely, but still...



Go Biscuits!

And Happy Birthday, Mason! Thanks for a fun night!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Mommy's Day Off

When you become a parent, whether you are the caregiver or the family provider, there is never a day off. When you're sick, you're still a parent. When you are exhausted from working until 3:00 am with out of town clients, you're still a parent three and a half hours later when little bit wakes up. But in order to keep our sanity, Husband and I try to give each other a "break" every now and then. 

I let him sleep past 6:30. He lets me shower. It's the little things in life.

But, Husband outdid himself for Mother's Day and gave me a day "off." Really, what he gave me was an "Andrew Day." A few years ago, he dubbed the days in which he did whatever he wanted with no schedule and no accountability as "Andrew days." Sometimes, I would go with him. We may get a late lunch and some drinks while watching football on a fall day. We may catch a random movie. But, whatever we did, it was spontaneous - something I find difficult to do these days.

I cashed in my "Andrew Day" this past Sunday. I woke up early with Catherine, mostly because it was 5:30 and Husband was in a coma, but also because I wanted some mommy time before my day "off." We played fetch with Banks in the back yard. We watched some Sesame Street. We read some books. And I rocked her to sleep for her morning nap. Then, it was officially my day!

Because I am a planner, I had to have some sort of schedule for my day and started the day with a late brunch with my sister and my girlfriends. I can't remember the last time we were all together and it was so great catching up with everyone. We celebrated Heather's birthday and talked about new jobs and new houses and important things like the Real Housewives. I love these ladies. They keep me sane.


During brunch, I received this text from Husband: "Is it okay if she eats the yogurt dip by the handful?... Just checking..."
We're going through a dipping stage. She will eat almost anything if she can dip it in this dip, which is plain yogurt, lemon juice, and dill. Ha. Whatever works...

After brunch, a few of us ventured to get mani/pedis. It was much needed and so nice to just relax and talk about nothing in particular. 

Then Ashley and I went to see a chick flick. Husband and I take the occasional movie date night, but I wanted to see something ridiculously cheesy that I knew he would never see with me. So, we went to What to Expect When Expecting. It certainly delivered in the cheesy department, and is probably a renter, but I had so much fun hanging out with Ashley and contemplating buying CKOne and lip gloss from the machine in the bathroom.

I had the best "Andrew day!" I was able to relax, catch up with friends, and enjoy some time to myself. The best part? I came home to dinner, a fridge full of groceries, and was home in time to give C her bubble bath. Time off is needed to keep my sanity, but I'm always happy to come home to my happy little family. 


I have a beautiful life.




Monday, June 4, 2012

National Doughnut Day

Did you know that June 1st is National Doughnut Day? Yeah, me neither.

But when I checked facebook that morning and saw everyone updating about free doughnuts, I called my sister and told her we had to take Catherine!

C has definitely had a taste of a doughnut before, but I've certainly never given her a whole one. But, it was national doughnut day, so I threw caution to the wind...

New Krispy Kreme ad?

Refusing to wear the hat for a pic with Aunt Mallory
We've already marked our calendars for next year.


Down on the Farm

I am constantly searching for fun things to do with C that don't cost tons of money. She is really into farm animals lately. Her favorites are cows and ducks, but all animals make her smile. So, when I found out that Oak Mountain State Park has a petting farm and admission to the entire park is only $3, I was sold.

After her morning nap, we ate lunch and then packed up to head to the farm. We were the only people there. We unlatched the gate and let ourselves in. Goats lounged in the shade of a single tree. A peacock roamed, tail feathers displayed. Partially sheared sheep ran by us. 

I watched her closely, waiting for her to cling to me apprehensively; but instead, she fought to get down and ran straight to this guy...

No fear!

She was having a blast running from one goat to the next and they were so very tame. She touched their ears. She poked their horns. She petted their fur. They hardly acknowledged her presence. Then, we realized we could feed them. 

At the sound of the quarter turning in the machine, we were ambushed by a herd of goats. I wish I had a picture, but I was too busy making sure the swarm of goats didn't trample C. They quickly gobbled up the corn and then followed us the rest of the time we were there. They walked right next to C, occasionally nudging her hand to make sure it was still empty.

So, with our new goat friends in tow, we headed to check out the rest of the animals. We went to see baby ducklings first. They were no longer fuzzy, but were still tiny and were being kept safely in a big red barn. We couldn't pet them, but she loved watching them waddle around and kept saying "duck" over and over again. This was literally the first time I had ever heard her say that! In the same barn there were chickens and rabbits. I was a little sad that she couldn't pet the rabbits, but she did love watching them.

Next, we headed to see the horses. Knowing that horses are a bit unpredictable, I was pretty nervous about letting C touch one, but after watching them for a few minutes, one sweet horse won me over. She came right up to us, lifted her head over the fence, and nuzzled my hand. So, I let C touch her with my hand guiding the way. It was pretty amazing to watch her reaction to touching such a large animal. Before that, she had only seen horses on Baby Einstein or in books and now she was touching this beautiful creature with her tiny little hand. 

Reaching out to our new friend

We walked around the rest of the farm, hand in hand, C toddling through the grass and kicking up dirt with her dusty Keds. We saw donkeys, sheep and pigs. The pigs were covered in mud and wallowing around in mud puddles while snorting. C thought this was hilarious. 

Yes, that sign says "Pig will bite."


Some of the sheep were behind a fence, but a few roamed freely and we were able to pet them before they ran away. They weren't quite as friendly as the goats.

Looking at sheep

and back to the goats!

We ended our day with a trip to the pond to look at ducks. She really wanted to climb the fence to touch them.


All in all, it was a pretty great day. Not bad for $3! I'm quite certain C enjoyed her first trip to the farm...

and certain we'll be back again soon!