Dancing in the Dairy Aisle

I had been sad. R came home from work and the three of us went to the grocery store. Our house had no milk and no contact solution - both necessities considering we have a one year old and are both blind without lenses.

I went to the store dressed in old jeans and one of R's t-shirts. And my glasses, because last night there had only been enough contact solution for one of us, and my glasses are more stylish (and the lenses are much thinner) than R's. I'm afraid even other engineers would have made fun of the thickness of R's glasses.

R had fun seeing how the Squirms likes to point and try to grab items on the shelves. And how she makes friends with everyone who makes eye contact with her. I told him that during the weekdays we usually end up shopping with a random elderly couple that she befriends and talks to as we go up and down each aisle.

Where is the Coleman's mustard?

Eggs, milk, and yogurt were on our list. And by this point I had decided to try coconut water (of course I bought a chocolate flavored one). I was looking at the coconut water options when R called my name from the milk refrigerator. Whitney was singing and the Squirms was dancing. If you've met my daughter you know that she loves to dance. And that you can't see her dance and not dance along. She just makes you smile, and dance.

She made the sternest man I know put a used Winnie-the-Pooh piñata on his head so she would laugh. She made a grouchy old man in the doctor's office waiting room have a lengthy conversation with a one year old, pointing at fake plants and saying "tree" (he had been trying to take a nap). She made a doctor's wife interrupt the consult just to see how beautiful she is and to talk about adoption.

She made her mom dance to Whitney Houston in the dairy aisle of Publix tonight.

There were people around, but not really - it was just the Squirms and me, moving with Whitney and the music, coconut water in my hand and smiles on our faces.  

Bird Watching

The Blue Heron Inn

We may have a new hobby. Not a full time hobby mind you, but just something to help exercise curiosity and make me feel like I'm paying attention to the world around me. R and I embarked on the loveliest of wonderful weekends this past, well, weekend. I'm sure I'm a selfish person because when he asked, months ago, what I wanted for my birthday this year, my immediate answer was a weekend away, with you, no child, away. R planned, and executed said weekend and my generous in-laws traveled down to central Florida to hang out with the Squirms.

I might have teared up a bit when it actually came time for us to leave, and drive away without the Squirms. But, overall we both did really well being adults together. We ate gourmet breakfasts on china and drank coffee from tiny china cups. Bed and Breakfasts are the best. We went kayaking, walking in the rain, book shopping, and found the best local pizza place. I also took at least one, if not more, long hot baths each day. Bed and Breakfasts are the best.



While kayaking a river through what I'm going to classify as marshland we noticed a lot of birds. So we thought, how pretty, what is that one's name? that duck has been under the water for a long time. oh, what kind of bird is that. is that bird circling us? And we decided to buy a book, about birds. When you go on a walk, or car ride, with my grandparents, they can name most trees, flowers, and birds. I would like to be able to tell the Squirms the names of birds. And trees and flowers. But, we're starting with birds.

So we bought a field guide and a child's bird storybook. And then we sat in a coffee shop and figured out what bird (Great Egret) had showcased it's hunting abilities next to the porch at our bed and breakfast the day before. I can hear AnniePants laughing.

1. The Blue Heron Inn was lovely. And the hosts were even lovelier.
2. Kayaking with R is fun.
3. Our house was cleaner when we returned; my in-laws deep cleaned!
4. Squirms also now has a mini treehouse with a periscope. And several more outfits.
5. We are hoping for our homestudy update visit to occur this week. Our scheduled meeting for yesterday had to be canceled; but we should have another appointment soon.
6. I've been working on our adoption profile book!

Snippets

Hi. My name is Squirms. Yesterday I brushed my mullet with a piece of mulch I found in the front yard.

I also like to pretend to snort saline solution from the closed saline solution bottle. Then, I like to offer it to my mom. 

I push any buttons that I can reach. I'm not picky - remote control, sound system, mom's phone. Yesterday I tried to ask Siri a question. And I know to hold the phone to my ear and say "Hiiiii". Maybe my mom carries her phone around too much.

The 20's

I'm going to say I'm 29 a lot today. It was a great decade.

I learned the art of book repair from a wonderful 93 year old lady, Ms J.

This guy took me to dinner:

R, 2002

I graduated from a university I had only imagined being able to attend.

My first job included riding Polaris off road vehicles, bucket trucks, and going outside during thunderstorms.

R and I committed to marriage before our God. And honeymooned in Canada.

My sisters and I visited Aunt M and Uncle R in Wales:

My second job included working on hardware that's now orbiting the earth (or, as R likes to say, you have hardware in space!).

I took ballet lessons.

R and I had Disney World season passes for two years. This alone made living in central Florida acceptable.

ALM, MM, R and I visited Ireland, Aunt M and Uncle R in Wales, and Scotland. And we climbed a mountain.

Only picture from the summit - eyes closed.

The Auburn University football team won a BCS national championship. And we watched:

War Eagle

R and I visited, and hiked a bit in, the Grand Canyon:

I met other Christians and taught in a Bible school in Nicaragua:

I watched Discovery STS-133 with my parents and grandparents from across the river; and Endeavour STS-134 launch from the Kennedy Space Center Complex.

I enjoyed numerous family camping trips, eating too much, hiking, and impromptu swimming adventures.

I became a mother.

And I'm now having technical difficulties accessing photos. Ah well. My twenties were wonderful - mainly because of my wonderful family, friends, and coworkers. Oh, and natural wonders and football.

And Good Morning

I shouldn't be surprised that it happened. I should be surprised that it took this long to happen. 
My hair caught fire this morning. And, yes, the smell is as bad as people say.

I have a habit of lighting a candle when I'm cleaning the kitchen; I feel like a candle makes it more pleasant. This said candle is on the counter top, above where the pots are stored. I also have a habit of starting with unloading the dishwasher when I begin the seemingly unsurmountable task of cleaning the kitchen. I was bent at the waist, putting pots away in the lower cabinet when I heard a crackling sound.

hmmmm....
my hair is on fire. step away from the candle....
how much is on fire? 
should i run to the kitchen sink, or roll on the ground?
are flames about to engulf my entire head of hair?

I just stood there, bent, trying to discern if, and how fast, it was spreading. Then it stopped. Thankfully, it just stopped burning. I put in contacts and then used the bathroom mirror to assess the damage, and laugh.

after four years of trying to grow my hair out, am i going to have to cut it off again?
this smells horrible.
this is the excuse i needed to justify spending money this week on a hair trim.
your face and shoulder are fine. you're not burned. the house isn't on fire.

I'm not sure what it says about me, that I was first concerned with the length of my hair before I was grateful that I wasn't hurt. Probably nothing good. I could barely tell R when I called to share my abnormal morning news; I was laughing too hard - saying it aloud just sounded so ridiculous. 

The kitchen is still not clean. And now it smells like burned hair. 
This is why I cannot in good conscience call myself a housewife, homemaker, or martha.

Games

I'm not a big fan of playing with children. I'm not great at playing pretend and I don't like to let small children win games just because they are children.

However. Squirms the Toddler has come up with several fun games that even I will play. Mainly because it makes her laugh. And she has the most wonderful laugh.

Read Magazines with Mom: This game involves the Squirms going through my stack of magazines and tearing the front covers into small shreds. Then, she carries a shred around the house as a toy. She especially likes to tear pages when I'm actually trying to read the magazine. One positive side effect: today she removed a Dior perfume add and I left it in her room to cover up the smell of two horrendous diapers from this morning.

The Ostrich: She loves, loves, loves, to bury her head into a stuffed animal, my leg, my hand, my arm. Make that three horrendous diapers. And just giggle. I'm not sure I'll ever understand why it brings such joy, but it's amazing to see. Today we spent six minutes on the floor of her room playing Squirms-puts-her-face-in-mom's-hand-and-laughs.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk: Pretend to drink milk. Hold in mouth. Spit milk out. Laugh. Repeat. I'm not encouraging this game, but it's still pretty funny to watch.

Uh-Oh: She likes to drop items from the changing pad and her high-chair and say uh-oh. Technically, I did teach her to say uh-oh when she drops something, but I didn't suspect she would turn to dropping things just to say uh-oh and smile as big as she can.

Chase the Roomba: She has learned how to turn on the Roomba. She likes to "help" clean the kitchen by turning it on and then carefully chasing it around the room.

Squirms the Toddler is inquisitive, silly, and affectionate. It is taking me a bit longer to adjust to this phase than her (but that's been true of each phase), but I'm slowly getting there. Everyone says they grow so fast. I wish someone had said and that means you must too!

Back to the games.

Easter Weekend.

From her first Easter Egg Hunt:

(basket courtesy of R rushing home and back to the church because I forgot to bring her basket with us....to an Easter egg hunt. he made it back 15 seconds before the start.)

Thanks Gran and Grandpa for my seersucker dress!

Eggs! (one of these made it to the basket)

A shiny coin! (once she had the coin, she ignored the other eggs and just ate leaves)

 From Sunday, Easter, afternoon:

A real egg! Thanks AWR.

Bothering our lunch guests.

Can I eat this grass?

Happy Easter!

A bunny!

My basket.

Another hunt.

She's been watching Shelby Ann stalk lizards.

Victory.

MMD brought me fun bunny ears. Actually, I stole the ears from MMD.

Aren't I adorable? And look like a lamb with my bunny ears.

Also. Since it was Easter. I should mention we studied Matthew 28: 1-10 on Sunday. Happy Easter!