Miscellaneous May

We are having a heat wave. Here on the coast that means 80 degrees and one billion tourists. It’s going to be even hotter tomorrow—pushing 90—and I was already sweating all afternoon. I have become weak. But Anna can wear her cute sundresses!

I am hoping to finish reading Prince Caspian tonight before we go to the movie tomorrow. Last trip to the movie theater was July 2007 (for Harry Potter V). And we’ve rented exactly one movie since then. What can we say—TV shows are more our after-baby’s-bedtime attention span these days. (Long live David Cook.)

I have new work which is paid at a flat rate instead of by the hour. You’d think this would motivate me to burn right through it, but so far it’s not meshing well with the nice weather and movie plans.

John Edwards made my day yesterday. Love that two Americas spiel ('cuz it's true) and the focus on cutting U.S. poverty in half in ten years. GR is in shock because they weren’t aware there were any Democrats in GR, let alone 15,000+. All my GR people were calling me and bragging. Okay, not all my people. Those who like Obama and/or just get excited when Bland Vapids makes CNN (*cough* Mom).

Next week Aaron is going to Michigan by himself for his brother’s wedding, and then a friend from there is coming back with him to visit (which I keep forgetting about). It’s a horrible time of year for a trip—so much end of the school year stuff going on—so he’s extra busy this week and it will be a short trip. It may feel long for me, depending how much baby girl wears me down. Props to you single parents who do it all the time.

In related news, with the pediatrician’s encouragement, Little Ms. Independence has been introduced to the concept of Time Out. It’s just a minute or two in her crib alone (screaming) for offenses such as malicious destruction of property, attempted injury/dismemberment of self or others, and willful driving of mother to insanity.

Ah yes, the doctor. Anna had a checkup last week and she is officially older, bigger, and more skilled in the arts of growing up. She’s 22.5 pounds and 30 inches tall. She has a big head and six teeth. She has a few new skills (scribbling, kissing, attempted use of spoon) and a few new words (doggie, moo, Obama). She got two shots but only screamed madly for about one minute.

She is certified adorable, but you didn’t need a doctor to tell you that. You only need a photo fix. Here are a few from Mother's Day, which was a normal Sunday—mellow in between busy—but nice. We wore our red clothes for Pentecost. The red shoes were her birthday present and can I just say I stinking love them and that sweater?

In the evening the youth group played a hilarious imitation of softball (90 percent of us having no softball skills whatsoever). Anna demanded, between sippys, to hear some chatter out there.

Today she was my laundry helper, handing me the clothespins one at a time. Later she was happy to take them back and put them in the bag.

And if you think that's adorable . . . wait till you see her discovering she loves the slide at the school!