It's in her blood

We took Keeley to Gainesville for the first time this weekend. What a perfect weekend for us to make the trip. Gorgeous weather and a big win. What could be better? She was a true tailgater (I would write tail-gator there, but that would be way too cheesey).

We hung out with my parents before the game at their tailgate spot and then Donald and I went to the game. Keeley stayed with my mom - Mimi. Apparently, Keeley really wanted to go to the game with us because she wasn't in a good mood after everyone left. Of course, after we got back to the game someone woke up and was ready to celebrate. So, being the responsible parents we are, we got her up and let her hang out with us - at 10pm. She was all snuggled up with Donald under a blanket and was happy to sit there for a while.

The next day we took her on her first visit to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field and showed her all the important sights. Donald was full of, "This is where your Uncle Jeremy..." and "This is where we used to sit and they weren't good seats, but your Uncle Trey thought they were the best seats in the world" and "This is where Unlce Hani..." (Insert any number of college gameday stories in the ...)

It was so much fun telling her all the great college stories. Especially since we couldn't possibly bore her AND we didn't even have to edit out the inapproprite parts!

We walked all over and around the stadium. Many a photo-op was taken advantage of. All in all, we had a great day and Keeley got her first dose of Gainesville Greatness.

The first Thanksgiving

Well, we survived our first Thanksgiving as official hosts. And it was good. I really enjoyed myself. I was worried that I would be frantically cleaning and cooking up and rushing all over the place and just totally not taking any time to enjoy the day. But I didn't. I did as much as possible before hand and everyone that came brought food. Grammy Lu and Papa practically brought a Thanksgiving dinner themselves. Of course, I was up until 2am the night before cleaning, but it was worth it. We had 10 people, which was nice because it wasn't too many to prepare for and we could handle seating that number. Plus, everyone that came had already seen our house a mess, so if I didn't get it all cleaned up it wasn't too big a deal. It was a perfect first Thanksgiving.

I used our fancy stuff and set the table and everything. Of course, like everything that is me, the fancy crystal and china was set on a table with 2 resin chairs. That's just how I roll. Likewise, I was dressed in black pants, a nice brown top and slippers. (My feet HURT, people.)





I think Keeley enjoyed herself as well. Of course, she had quite the audience, which she loves. She also had her own little Thanksgiving dinner. She had turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and ham. She ate it all. Food and people - the perfect day.

As I was busy cooking and cleaning the day before the big event while Keeley was visiting Grammy, I couldn't help but wonder what mothers did in the past. I know that women were expected to do so much more house-wise in those days. What with the cooking and cleaning and such. What did they do with the babies? Sheesh, my grandmother and Donald's grandmother both had 5 kids. It's hard for me to be in the kitchen more than minutes some days before Keeley decided she does NOT want to be in the kitchen ANY LONGER thankyouverymuch, mom. What did they do in The Olden Days when the babies were all over the place and wanting to be picked up and just fussy all over? Nowadays, we just pick up the babies and to hell with the cooking and cleaning and whatnot. Well, at least that's what I do. But no one is on my case about dinner being on the table and the house being perfectly picked up and the ironing done. Ha - that would be funny. I mean this is how Donald irons his clothes. Seriously.

Anyhoo, I truly enjoyed myself today and I'm glad we hosted Thanksgiving. I can't wait until next year. Of course, I need a serious break now. We're all cleaned up and I'm exhausted.



I think I will have a glass of wine in my fancy glass and look at the sale papers for tomorrow.

And the Bad Parent of the Year Award goes to...

Me.

I debated over posting this because, well, it's just more evidence of how bad of a parent I am. But I just decided to be completely honest:

Keeley fell off the bed this morning. Off the end of the bed. Head first. That's a little over three feet. Three feet. And I was right there. I watched it happen.

Thank goodness she is okay.

We were snuggling in the bed with her morning bottle and, after she finishes, she crawls on Donald and I and looks for Buddy and plays in the bed a bit. Well, this morning Donald went to work early and Buddy was outside so it was just Keeley and I in the bed. Things were going as normal and we were playing in the bed. She crawled down towards the end of the bed and was playing with the comforter which was thrown over the end of the bed. She started crawling up on the footboard and I started to go down there to make sure she didn't fall off the bed. Before I got there she started jumping like she does and she jumped right over the end of the bed. I saw her go right over. And there was nothing I could do.

I'll admit I wasn't moving as fast as I should have. I really didn't think she would go over the end. Of course, I knew it was a possibility, but I just didn't think it would happen. And it did. And I should have been there. It's my JOB. The whole point of my job is to keep her safe. I feel absolutely awful. I mean, I know things happen and in a few weeks all will be back to normal and I might not think about it so much, but right now it's still fresh. I can still see her go over the end of the bed and hear her cry. It breaks my heart.

Thank you to those of you today who said nice things to me and shared stories of how your children fell off the bed or rolled out of your arms as you tripped and how those kids are just fine today. It really helped me feel a little better. Really. I am hoping this will just be another story I will share with Keeley when she has a new baby.

All in all, she's okay. I've called the doctor and I know what to look for and, so far, I haven't seen any of the warning signs that something might be wrong. She has a knot on her head and she was a little fussy after it happened. But I would be worried if she wasn't fussy after that happened. I am going to check on her every 2 hours tonight to watch her breathing and just to make sure all is okay. Speaking of, it's about that time and I wouldn't want to win Bad Parent of the Year twice in a row.

It's Not Just Bananas Anymore

Keeley now claps for green beans, oatmeal, and applesauce. Vegetable Beef gets a few claps now and then, too, but it's no bananas.

Busy

I am exhausted. You know, I think of my day and I know other people think, "Man, what does she do all day? Just at home with a baby? That must be great." Hell, I think it, too. What DO I do all day? Somehow at the end of the day I'm exhausted and I feel like I've been playing Beat the Clock all day, just rushing around getting this done and that done. But then I think, "Wasn't I laying around while the baby took a nap? I so should have been folding those clothes." And at the end of the day when there's still piles of folded laundry on the couch, dirty dishes in the sink, and a kitchen floor that HAS to be mopped I think, "Wow. I should have done this earlier in the day." But when? It's only when I think of the things I actually DID that I realize I've accomplished something during the day. I DID make three meals for Keeley, a meal for dinner, and feed the animals. I DID think ahead (for once) and brown the hamburger for tomorrow night. I DID clean up after each of those meals. I DID fold the laundry (that is still on the couch). I DID make sure we were home for Keeley to take her naps and eat her meals. I DID unload the dishwasher. I DID make it to the gym to work out. I DID go to the grocery store. I DID clean out the track of the sliding glass doors. I DID take a shower. I even made time to go over to a friend's house for Girl's Night. And, most importantly, I have loved, played, and cared for my baby girl. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. I love my job.

Snapshots (Well, Video) Of Our Day

First of all, I'd like to note that I DO know that Keeley does not match in these videos, but we had quite the doo-doo disaster earlier in the day, which involved the disposal of yet another onesie. (Lucky for you, no video of THAT experience.) AND I know that she has on a Halloween onesie and yes, it is November. But I would like it noted that no, I do not dress her in white shoes after Labor Day. Sheesh, I wasn't raised in a barn or anything.

We got this toy from friends of ours with older kids who didn't need it anymore. After the complete wash, bleach, rinse cycle, it was ready for Keeley. This is the first morning she used it and I'd say she's figured out the main idea.

I think we might have a future One-Hit Wonder on our hands. Perhaps she, too, will destroy an MTV set thereby frightening Janeane Garofalo, et al -- but I hope not.

Apparently, the best lunch ever. She would clap her hands after every bite of banana. I guess it is worthy of applause after Vegetable Turkey.

Not surprisingly, the battery in the camera died. But that was our day until lunch.

Month Eight? Where did it go?

Dear Keeley,

This month has held many ups and downs. Both you and I are fitting into our roles as baby and mama quite nicely now. Of course, you got your first cold this month. Wow. It made me appreciate the happy, content baby you usually are. You wanted to be held, but then you didn’t want to be held. You wanted to eat, but not THAT CEREAL. Or those sweet potatoes that were entirely too chunky for your sensitive palate. Honestly though, I felt so bad for you. I could tell you didn’t feel well. You could hardly breathe at times – no wonder it was hard to sleep. We finally wised up to use the humidifier in your room. You were like, “DUH, PARENTS.” I even took you to the doctor – though I was pretty sure it was just a cold. But, as a first time mom, I’m allowed to be extra cautious, right? You were fine. And, since people were using them to put their babies to sleep instead of for the correct reason, infant cold medicines were pulled from the shelves. Perfect timing. There was so little I could do for you to help you feel better. I did hold you as much as you wanted to be held. Although, you are usually much too busy to be held for too long.

Also this month, you got three more teeth. At one time. Yes, three. Yes, at one time. Once again, a reason for some fussiness. You now have eight teeth. Eight. I’m pretty sure that’s a lot for your age. Your father and I like to say you’re advanced, dentally. You like to use your teeth to chew on everything. The sides of your crib are all chewed up. That’s because you wake up and entertain yourself in your crib before you call out or start babbling and mama doesn’t know you’re awake yet. Love it. You just wake up and play and entertain yourself. Even when you do start making noises, it’s just to babble and talk to yourself. You just play and play, happy as a little clam. Then, when someone comes to get you? You’re even happier. You are just the best.

You have really mastered the art of using your thumb and index finger to pick up bits of food – and other things you find. (The Official Baby Instruction Books call that “the pincer grasp”.) One of your favorite things to do is feed yourself. Cheerios, pieces of banana, beans, macaroni, lint – all good things to you. You are still such a wonderful eater. You eat almost everything. I’ve been giving you chunkier foods and you aren’t too thrilled about it, but you eat it. I discovered how to make chicken and rice and since your father and I like it, I’ve thrown some in the food processor and gave some to you. You even spent a lunch time picking it up with your fingers, feeding it to yourself. Obviously, a family favorite.

You are such an interesting being. I love to watch you play. You get so interested in so many different things. Whenever I make the penguin toy sing “Ice Ice Baby” you start to bounce and clap your hands. How cute is that? I also think you’ve been saying “dada”. Not positive on that one, but you do say it and look right at him. So I’m inclined to think you know what you’re saying, but then you don’t do it all the time so who knows? I also think you say “mama”, but it’s when I’ve left you by yourself (just for a second – sheesh, mama needs to go to the potty!) and you stand at the safety gate and cry, “mama, mama.” At least that’s what it sounds like to me. AND I think (yes, I think) you say “ki” for kitty. Whenever you look for kitty, you go “ki, ki, ki” and I truly think you’re trying to say “kitty”.

Oh my, we’ve done so much – and I haven’t even talked about how you’ve started to give kisses. Big, open-mouth, wet, droobly kisses. And that’s one of my favorite things you do. Of course, you have to be in the right mood – but that goes without saying. Anyone who knows you knows that you do NOT do anything you’re not in the mood for. Seriously. Wherever do you get that from?

Love you, Mommy