Daddy's Girl

Little One, now that She's all big and One and everything, has developed a very impressive memory. Which means that I better stop all my deviant behaviors now that She can be used as a witness. It also means that She remembers us, even when we're gone, and can miss us. Aww. This is sometimes very not-cute. Like when it's nap time and She can't possibly sleep, She misses me so much, and must howl "mmmaaaaaamamaaaa!" as if She has been abandoned forever. Until I peep in the door. Then She breaks into the Glorious Sunshine smile, holds Her chubby arms out, reaching through the crib slats till Her cheeks smoosh between them, and screams, "Mama!!! MAma!!!" Bouncing with excitement on the crib mattress.
Only to dissolve into death throes when I pop back out again.
BUT! Sometimes, it is pretty darn cute. Like when She hears the sound of a car door slamming. And then She flings Her toy over Her shoulder, hits the deck (because She still travels fastest that way), and slithers in fast-forward to the front door, to pound on it screaming, "DaDA! DaDA! DADA!" Sometimes it is Dada! And the dogs follow suit, and J gets one heck of a welcoming committee. Sometimes it's someone else's car door. In which case the pounding and squealing slowly taper off, and then She just stands there, waiting. Occasionally asking, "Dada?" And then sits. Waiting. "Dada??......dada?" And finally gives up and goes to find a toy basket to overturn. Oh my. There are many mysteries in life. But one thing J will never, never have to wonder, is whether anyone loves him.

Life Lessons from Little One

Little One and I spend our days learning.
Much of our time is filled with me showing Her how to do things- practicing with the fork, helping Her pull the zipper, annunciating and repeating the "g" at the end of "dog", encouraging those shaky penguin-like steps. I'm the mom. I'm the teacher. Demonstrating life's little practicalities as we go. But what's really lucky and wonderful for me is that as She learns about the small things in life like zippers and flatwear, She always has a moment to teach me about the Big things.

Like how to try. Like how to be undaunted, and just try.

No matter the scale of the challenge.

Excorcism at Luray

Think heat. Misery. Shrieking and gnashing of tooth. Writhing. Flailing. Screami....you get the picture. Little One with a fever. We figured, hey, as long as we've got the sound effects and the degrees on hand, might as well add some fitting scenery and call it complete. So we loaded up the little gremlin and headed towards the core of the earth.

Hauling a sick baby out to southern Virginia for a hike may not seem like the most compassionate way to coddle Her, but in fact it turned out to be just the thing. The two hour car ride lulled Her, finally, into a nice long nap. The cool, damp air soothed Her hot little goblin body, and the crazy stalactites and stalagmites provided ample distraction.

The best part, in Her estimation, was that the cave people had thoughtfully placed this railing along the trail for Her to cruise along.

It led Her to all sorts of fascinating sights.


There was also a performance by an organ, which some guy actually made out of the hollow stalactites by scampering about with a tuning fork banging on them, and then attaching little hammers on them and linking them up to a piano. It was hauntingly beautiful, so much so that even Little One held still to listen.

There was also this. Maybe money does not grow on trees, Peanuts, but apparently it does accumulate in the groundwater and form little pools of affluence in the bottom of caverns.

We did not get to dredge the moneypit for our next mortgage payment (it goes to charity), but we did have a really good time, and Little One even got another nap on the way back. I guess sometimes the best way to cast out a demon is to set it free in it's natural habitat.

Oh and Little One is feeling much better. She's ready to go exploring more caverns looking for Her own moneypit! (All that gnashing can lead to expensive orthodontics).

Shoes to Fill

The Cuddle Huddle

Sometimes, you have one of those days when you just need a hug.
What's amazing about kids, even wee baby ones, is that they are really, really good at psychically knowing when people need hugs. When do grown-ups lose this emotional spidey-sense? Today I had a hug-needing day. And Little One, She knew.
I put on my best cheerful tone of voice, and smiled all big with teeth showing and everything, but She looked at me for a really long time. And then She hugged me, and pat-patted my back, like I do for Her when She falls and bonks Her head.
Later, after J got home, I was still doing the happy-mom show. But Little One, She still knew. She crawled over and gave me the "up" arms. I picked Her up and She gave me a big, big hug. Then, with Her head still draped on my shoulder, She held out one arm and said, "dada! dada!"
So J came over, and She grabbed his T-shirt and tugged him in reeaaaaly close. No, closer! Closer!
She pulled me in with Her left arm, pulled J in with Her right, and rested Her forehead between our chins, and closed Her eyes. The dog came over and leaned up against my leg. (Dogs have huggy-sense too, you know.)
Family Group Hug!
Thanks Little One. And J, and Doggie. Some people just know when you're a little down. And, lucky for me, they know just how to make it right. What a great day.

You Know Your Husband's in MED SCHOOL When...

...you go to a family function and a relative asks you-in all seriousness- about your divorce and how you are holding up as a single mom. Because, you know, no one ever actually sees the guy.

And you know the gathering is in Jersey when the conversation starts out like this:

Relative: So....I have to ask you something. It's out of love that I ask you this.

C: Sure! Ask away.

Relative: Ok. So. (looking at Little One) What's up with the kid's father? He's no good? He's some kind of a deadbeat? What?

Ha! No, no no. Not to worry relatives and friends. He does actually exist. Really! And we are not separated by divorce.
Just by med school.

wine and (say) cheese

You know what goes well with parenting? Drinking!
J and I know all about great combinations. I mean, hullo, we are one. So just before fall crept in we took Little One out for a wine tasting! While we were at it we explored the rolling picturesque beauty of the Fox Meadow vineyards in southern Virginia, and had a picnic. I was afraid you might not realize that vineyards provide family oriented fun. So here you go. Proof!

Party, Baby

What, you think I'd let my baby turn a whole two half years old without a party? Mmmno.
Any reason to fly my mom and sister out here and work them like indentured servants is a good one. Plus there is not much I like better than a nice, clean, house. But one thing that is better is a messy, squishy-stuff-on-the-floor, piles-of-dishes-in-the-kitchen, handprints-on-the-sofa, all-ashambles house that is full of giggly children and people that we heart.
So that is what we gave Little One for Her birthday.
There was food

and games

and guests.


And a nice, non-allergenic, peanut/tree nut/egg/milk/soy/citrus/sugar free cake. Which thanks to the internet, a little creativity, and the fact that Little One is physically incapable of saying, "icky" quite yet, turned out very well thank you, if I do say so.

At any rate, it was a perfectly adequate candle holder.


And, despite all the stuff left out of it, Little One liked it just fine.


Must have been the singing. Or the Mamalove. I left plenty of that in the recipe.


One thing I can say about Little One. Girl knows how to party!

Ye-ah!