Spring Snow, Playdate & A Midnight Snack

Saturday afternoon’s forecast was 1-5″ of snow for Madison. As you see here, we got a trace. On Sunday morning before church, we headed out for Lauren’s last sled ride of the season. By the time we left the church, it was melted and water streamed down the street. My daffodil sprouts reemerged. We thought Lauren would nap during the service after the adventure, but she was a wound-up wiggle worm; 60 minutes spent wrestling!

Friday night, Lauren woke up screaming, tears rolling down her cheeks. Usually she needs more covers, but if she’s persistant, we grab a cup of milk and rock. Nothing worked, until Nick said, “Maybe she’s hungry.” We had a midnight snack of grapes and Goldfish. Due to her latest cold, Lauren is resisting supper, especially meat.

We watched Andra from next door for a few hours. Andra was fascinated by our walk-through bathroom and played with Lauren’s xylophone. Lauren was appalled at the idea of sharing her toys. But we had a rousing game of “point-to-your-eyes, point-to-your-nose”, etc, with both girls, and a storytime with the book “Moo, Baa, La-la-la.”

Today, Lauren learned “nose”, finally getting past the fascination with “eyes”. And she’s walking up a storm: step, step, thunk, down, up, step, step, step, repeat.

Teeth

Another day, another Lauren/animal shot: She was so excited to see Grandma and Grandpa’s cat!

One tooth became five so quickly; three on top, two on the bottom. We have to start a toothbrushing ritual – I’m hoping that if I brush my teeth at the same time for Lauren, she’ll see me and open her mouth for her own brush. I should have been wiping her gums with gauze the entire time. At Grandma and Grandpa’s this weekend, Lauren chased the cat and tried feeding her baby doll Goldfish crackers in church. She also took eight steps towards me. We joined a musical playgroup at the rec center on Mondays, where every kid walks besides her, and I’m hoping it will influence her! At the group they blow bubbles, play with bean bags and sing songs, but Lauren loves playing with the parachute best. The kids got to take a “ride” on it and then sat underneath it, and she shrieked aloud in excitement.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa & The Run

Picture 1: My dad’s birthday party. Picture 2: Lauren enjoying sunlight and beads at the St. Pat’s Shamrock Shuffle. Picture 3: Nick and me, before running.

I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately. I gave up soda for Lent, therefore upping my coffee intake to get through the day, and the afternoon dosage is messing me up. (Yes, I realize this resolution was like robbing Peter to pay Paul.) But on one of those sleepless nights, for which I cannot even blame Lauren, I thought, “I wish my dad had something to look forward to on his birthday, besides getting his Medicare card.” I know when you get older, 65 is not so happy, especially when he told me at 60 he was “done celebrating birthdays.” But I decided to throw him a birthday party at Chili’s, his new favorite restaurant since they built a location near him a year ago.

I called management for food options. I gathered most of his brothers and sisters and their spouses, and combed our wedding invite list for addresses for his closest friends. I ordered a cake from Walmart Supercenter, conveniently in the same complex as the Chili’s. I told my father Nick, Lauren and I would treat him to lunch and he should meet us at noon. One of my brothers bailed because my nephew had pneumonia (poor guy). My other brother didn’t respond. And then Dad entered, surprised. It was so fantastic to see everyone, and I think everyone was impressed. Except Dad. He downplayed it in his usual fashion. But he was thrilled to catch up with Lauren and everyone else.

After the last crumb was picked up and the waitress was tipped, Nick, Lauren and I set off to visit my grandmother at her rehabilitation center. After a fall in her art class over the winter, my aunts placed her in a center in their hometown. My uncle says it will be another month, a month and a half, and then she will go to stay with him and my aunt. Grandma says, “By the end of March!” in faux optimism. She misses her freedom. We tried to coax her outside, but she offered a long explanation of how hard it would be to put her coat on, check out, etc. Lauren entertained herself for 30 minutes with Grandma’s walker, humorous, and enjoyed Grandma’s tickles and songs for her.

Sunday, back in Madison, Nick and I joined up with some friends for St. Pat’s festivities. It was a glorious day, I think about 55 degrees. The 5K: I was trying to break 30 minutes in my training, but I did 31, and I’m happy with that. Nick did 25 or 26 minutes. Lunch at Brocach pub, and then the annual parade. Lauren tried to stay awake through the parade, but by the end, she was asleep in the stroller. She was pretty thrilled by a green balloon and multiple strands of green beads.

Today, she learned how to point to her eyes and say, “Eyes!” And, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but her favorite song is “Row Row Row Your Boat,” and so she’ll say “row-row-row” when you sing it. Perfection.

15 Months

Lauren, in pajamas, feeding her baby a bottle, and walking with her walker.

Lauren took her first steps on Monday this week. Now that she’s confident standing, “steps” are just little foot shuffles, and not many; two here, three there. She did it first at daycare, but Nick and I made her recreate it at home, and unexplicably, tears came to my eyes.

Her vocabulary is also increasing. I made a mental note of words she knows for her 15 month doctor appointment tomorrow. They are: Mama, Dada, Mommy, Papa (also Dad), baby, uh-oh, hi, bye, up (to be held), cup, boom (when she falls on her butt after standing), and my favorite, “Wow Wow Wubbsy!” Thankfully, “No!” has not come yet. I can’t wait to see how much she’s grown since the 12 month visit, and we are bringing our updated immunization records to every visit after the big mix-up.

Another funny thing: Lauren’s scared of Nick when he has shaving cream on his face! Her face just crumples and her lip sticks out before wailing. He tries to talk her down, but she comes to me for comfort. My face has been breaking out from training for our 5K run this Sunday, so I put on a mud mask tonight to fix it. Same deal – Mommy is a scary swamp creature in Lauren’s eyes!

Yes, it’s unofficially St. Patrick’s Day in Madison this weekend! We’re doing the usual run at 10 a.m., grabbing lunch at a downtown Irish pub, and viewing the parade at 1 p.m. Our friend M is watching Lauren (I told her, “Half an hour, it’s the easiest baby-sitting gig ever!”) and our friend C is also running. Forecast is 46 degrees, so we are keeping our fingers crossed for a clear day!

Birthday Party Fun

Sharing toys with Owen. (Lauren had just had a snack, but is still wearing her bib).

We headed down the street to S&K’s house for a first birthday party for their son Owen today. Check out the shirt! Neighbors C&G also came with daughter Andra. They are expecting another child in August. Lauren took a liking to one of Owen’s grandpas – he even wiped up her spit-up before I noticed it was there! The kids were all about playing together. Owen wasn’t into opening his presents, but when something new would come out, he’d say, “Oooh,” in the cutest little squeek. And adorable when the cake came out; the messy frosting flustered him, and he didn’t want to take a bite! He waved his hands violently in the air, like “Stop this nonsense!” (I think he was tired.)

Ash Wednesday, Lauren squirmed her way through church. We were sitting by our friend J, who I know from being confirmed, and his little boy W. W loves babies, and he grabbed Lauren’s hands throughout the service, and made her clap and smile. She made him laugh. W has three older sisters, so when I joke with J about getting W a little sister, he says, “NO. We’re done.”

Lauren got her first tooth on Thursday. She was on her back after getting changed, and I pulled her legs up in the air, making her laugh. I noticed a flash of white on the top of her mouth. Indeed. “Sweetie,” I said, “I think you were supposed to get your bottom ones first!”

We are doing better without Daddy than last time because Lauren is not sick. Nick came home for a few hours last night, then left to go back this morning. His company was hosting a booth at the Midwinter Dental Show in Chicago, so they set up a booth complete with a dental chair, TVs, X-rays, etc. We enjoyed having Nick home for a short while.

I also received good news today. Congrats go out to Nick’s cousin S and her husband R. They are expecting their first child. May peace and love follow them throughout their pregnancy!