Kickin’ It Park Style
Wow. You guys have given me a lot to think about. It’s going to take me a while to process everything. I appreciate all your comments, even the ones from old friends asking me to talk about something else besides the baby for once. I’m sorry to say this (’cause I remember those days when I got bored to tears listening to my friends with kids talk about their kid) but I’m afraid this baby obsession is here to stay. I will make a little effort to broaden my horizons but don’t hold your breath. In the meantime, let me recommend some of my favorite blogs over there in the left hand column. Lots of good non-baby stuff there.
So anyway, we might not have the work/baby thing figured out but we definitely have the leisure time/baby time down. An afternoon in the park is delightful. (Can I pass you a crumpet Miss Moppet?) I really enjoy the park. Before the baby I couldn’t be bothered with taking the time to sit in the dappled shade of a tree unless I was there to do something else too. Like read a book or draw or write in my journal or at least wait for a friend or something. Not that those things are bad, they aren’t. They are delightful as well. But I’ve always had trouble just sitting and not doing something else too. I am a multi-tasker to the core. At least do your kegles if you must just sit.
But now I just sit for the sake of sitting. For the sake of getting out of the house. And though I may find my life frustrating, I do appreciate these moments where the world seems to stop turning for a few minutes.
Note: no harm was done to the baby while wearing the headband. I put that on her because I dressed her like a boy and even when she’s covered in head to toe pink, people still ask me how old my “son” is. I thought the bow might help. Plus, my mom has been on my case to put all the pretty girly hair things she gave me in Baby Bug’s hair. So I did. And then when I got home and showed Toby all the pictures we took at the park… he said, “You’re going to have to photoshop that garter-belt-panty-hose-thing off her head.” Whatever.
25 Comments
Aunt Jaynette
You might as well find a drawer to store all the “girlie” hair things right now. Pink foam curlers, ponies, elastic bands, barretts and all those plastic headbands with sharp little teeth. At least you didn’t glue a ribbon bow on her head like so many people do.
There is absolutely nothing like a day at the park. Most of this week-end we spent at ball field soaking up the sun and too many UV rays. During the summer we follow the “parks mobile” from park to park sometimes being gone for 5 hours. The park and the library- the best places to hang out.
lauren
sometimes my husband will ask me what i’m thinking about … but i’m not thinking about anything … i’m doing kegels and counting in my head.
that’s a secret .. i prefer he thinks i’m thinking deep thoughts.. ;)
Ninotchka
I took an almost identical picture of the tree in my front yard from the same perspective (lying on a blanket on the grass looking up). I’ll upload it soon so that you can see. Even the SKY looks the same color. How cool.
I, too, am enjoying lying around doing nothing immensely. It’s the best part of being a parent, I think. Being forced in to the great outdoors, playing, lying around, blowing bubbles for no other reason than it just being fun and relaxing. We should all do more of it, I think.
:)
BeachMama
I would have “J” in head to toe blue and people would say what a cute little girl! I almost cried the first time, after that I just laughed at them. He looked more like his Dad when he was a baby and there is no mistaking Hubby for a girl. She looks adorable and I envy you enjoying the park. I still don’t like going there alone, I have to meet up with someone. Hopefully it’s a good kiddie park for when Baby Bug is a bit older.
NAT
How could anybody mistake her for a boy she looks like a girl no matter what put on her you can tell a boy’s face from a girls face at least I can. She is adorable B. I want to see her one of these days, I wish you could meet up for lunch or something.
Karoni
She is adorable and in no way looks like a boy. Silly people and Toby needs to get used to the girlie hair things. It’s what make little girls so darn cute. I love my two boys, but I would love a little girl to dress us and put little hair clips in, however two kids is enough for me.
Leah
I think you should Photoshop a bow onto Toby’s head! :)
Sara
Ha, ha Leah! Those park shots are so great — refreshing — and I agree, Bug is not boyish at all.
Felix
Yeah, Rob won’t let me put any of those headbands on Baby Felix either. He just doesn’t understand how annoying it is when people ask how old “he is”. One day a woman with a daughter the same age asked how old “he” was and when I said SHE was 3 months, she went “oh, that explains the pink blaket”…duh…here’s your sign.
Liane
Keep up the baby stories…I’m a fan!
aunt kathy
Believe it or not, I really enjoy Toby’s sense of humor. Or is it your expression of it? Anyway, humor helps. A Lot.
Doing my three girls’ hair was one of the things I really enjoyed about their girlhood. With long hair on all of them it was a major task everyday. But I had fun putting in bows and ribbons to match their outfits. Now they won’t let me near it but to cut more off!
(Heidi just told me that she likes me to braid her hair but I never do it. Go figure).
josephine
No, it’s definitely Toby’s sense of humor. He’s very dry. Half the time I don’t even know he’s making fun of me.
Katrina
I love your blog about your life and your family. Of course Baby Bug is your whole world right now, and will be for a long time to come. When she was born, I told everyone that “my friend Brenda” was in labor, and then I made them look at all the pictures of the Bug. My kids are 13 and 15, and I miss those baby years so much! Thanks for letting me live vicariously, and keep recording every minute. You’ll love to look back at how sweet she is, especially after the first time she screams “I hate you” and sulks in her room for the week.
Carrie
What is it with people not knowing the blue/pink cues? I am constantly told what a beautiful little girl I have even when he is wearing a dark blue shirt that says he likes frogs and mud and bugs. He always looks boyish to me. It is weird.
I’m glad you got the leisure time figured out. I hope you get everything else figured out. And I’m glad Toby read your blog, even if it upset him. He needs to know what you are thinking and that should help him understand that you need a little downtime away from the baby. Intentions before the baby are all well and good but I’ve found they all went flying out the window when reality slapped me in the face.
I love reading your Baby Bug stories. That’s your life now and I think I would love reading it even if I didn ‘t have my own. Your writing style is very inviting and I would love to read about anything you do.
Jamie
I didn’t think I’d be one of those moms who constantly talked about her kids but I was wrong. I can’t even be alone with the hubby for more than a few minutes without talking about “the stinks.” So you write baby bug fodder all you want! Love the photo essay. I can’t get my 3-year-old to wear anything girly in her hair at all so do it while you get no protests. :)
Jamie
p.s. your blog always makes me smile and it’s because of the Bug stories! :)
Becky Z
I like the picture in the first set with baby bug’s feet in the air. That is so cute. It looks like a beautiful day to be at the park.
lastewie
Oooh! Oooh! Ooh!
OK, the quip Toby made? Absolutely funny as he-yul!
I wonder what good comebacks you could make when someone thinks she’s a boy. I think I’d probably revel in other peoples’ social gaffes.
Yes, his name is Susan. (no matter what Bug’s name actually is)
Yes, he’s cute isn’t he? He whispered to me yesterday that he wants to be a daaaancer when he grows up.
I adore dressing him in girl’s clothes. It makes so much sense to me not to encourage gendered marketing.
You might end up sounding crazy, but? How much fun!!!
Unless you know the person. Then you have the world’s permission to go all “Oh no, you di’int!!” on their ass.
Beckik
I don’t ever mind you talking about the babe all the time. That’s why I always come back everyday to read.
Kyla's Mama
The days in the park chilling with your girl is what you will remember and cherish… I know I do. How funny about the headband… My husband holds the same little regard for them. We went to get some portraits done last weekend and I packed a cute little white hat for her, and 2 headbands. Well she wore the hat for a couple of poses and when she cried, Daddy took it off promptly. I put a headband on… Daddy took it off the next pose. So I put on yet another one and it only lasted one pose again. So the rest of the pics we have with her bald head (literarilly because she started to loose hair on top of her head!). So she looked like a boy once we got her down to a onesie outfit. Oh well…
PS I LOVE YOUR BLOG and I really enjoy following BabyBug’s progress. I also found myself talking about poo and diapers to my friends and I can see the boredom on my child-free-friends’ faces. But oh well, that’s what my life is about and they just can’t relate just like I could not before I had my little angel. Now we are in the “motherhood-club” and it’s an exclusive club that child-free people just can’t relate to. Sorry for them.
marley
honey, not to be so bothered with “all baby story” on ur blog lately. As a mom, I understand how you feel, having a cute baby, seeing her growing up everyday, watching new “capability” of her day by day. Last but not least, it’s ur blog, it’s ur own e-diary. Dont bother with what other people commented. Be yourself. Feel free to write anything you want to. Go ..tiger..go!…Have a nice day! Great to see baby bug grow bigger and bigger everyday. b d way, did you shave her hair? Cheers..
t
I love hearing about your baby, and if you are still looking for some design help email me at travelingsistertms@hotmail.com
Kristina
“Garter-belt-panty-hose-thing” made me laugh right out loud. I love it! :)
Nila
The feet in the air. Too cute. You’re lucky that baby bug is so photogenic. She just gets cuter and cuter. When my boys were babies, people would think they were girls. Eventhough they’d be dressed in navy blue from head to toe. It’s as if they do it on purpose.
Katherine
what a lovely way to spend an afternoon. My sisters were always being mistaken for boys because my mum liked to dress them up in bright colours and we couldn’t afford lots of new clothes, plus they basically had no hair until they were about a year old!
Great to read that the meeting went well, good on you and Baby Bug!