-
early morning beach walk
It’s been so hot lately that I can’t take Baby Bug on the long walks I like to. Firstly, because the sling is sweaty and I can’t stand sweat rolling down my back! And secondly, because I’m trying really hard not to let her get a tan. It’s tough. She’s taking after me and tanning easily. Next month we’ll be able to use sunscreen but secretly between you and me, I hate the stuff. I know, I know, I’m going to die of skin cancer. I probably will. But I never wear anything on my skin (no make up, no sunscreen) and I hate the feeling of lotion on my face. But I will suck up my discomfort for Baby Bug’s health and start slathering the stuff on her and myself next month. Until then we are stuck taking walks at sunset and at the crack of dawn.
Usually, I can’t get my act together at the crack of dawn. I used to be able to, in those olden days before I had a baby. Now it’s usually noon before I’ve had a shower, gotten dressed, done the dishes, made some coffee and fed the cats. So walking on the beach gets postponed until after sunset, which is a real drag because both Baby Bug and I get bored of the house by noon AND morning is the best time to be taking pictures at the beach. Sunset is nice too but you know how the evening goes, time to make dinner, time to rock the baby to sleep etc. etc. etc. zzzzzzzzz.
So this morning I was determined. It’s been hotter than dog’s breath and for once when I opened the sliding glass door I felt a refreshing breeze. Without even changing out of my pajamas (cut off sweats and a tank top) I hopped into the sling, strapped the baby on and jumped out the door. Then I walked straight across the street and ordered myself a medium half decaf latte. What a treat!
Except I forgot a few things about going to the coffee shop across the street early in the morning. There are lots of people there. Lots of people who haven’t seen me since those days I used to be pregnant and take walks every day at the crack of dawn. Lots of people who haven’t seen the baby. And guess what? I forgot to wipe the green eye goop out of her eyes. She has clogged tear ducts (the doctor said this is normal and she’ll grow out of it in a year) and her eyes were all goopy and gross. What a horrible mom I am! Not to mention my hair looks like a raccoon washed it and I’m wearing the slob shorts. Oh me oh my. See what happens when you leave the house without your act together? You want to seep into the waxed concrete floor and become invisible.
Oh well. At least I got some good pictures for you. I think I’ll make some of them into desktops over the next few days.
-
5 month movie!
Baby Bug turned five months yesterday. She’s been learning a lot of new tricks lately but I wasn’t able to capture any of them on digital film. So we will have to be content to remember this time as the time she was a summer baby who liked to blow raspberries and eat her toes.
You’ll just have to imagine her squealing in delight over the cats as they brush by her exersaucer within inches of her wiggling fingers. She longs to sink them into their soft fuzzy tempting fur. You’ll have to imagine her little bird mouth opening and closing in desire as she watches me drink from a water bottle. When I give her a sip, half of the water comes right back out of her mouth and dribbles down her shirt but she wants more. She loves to drink water. She doesn’t want a sippy cup. She prefers to drink out of the bottle or out of a cup like mommy. Because she’s a “big girl” like that. She chases her lidless sippy cup around the tray of her exersaucer with sweeping gestures until it finally rides up over the lip and lands on the floor. Then she shrieks at it until I come and pick it up for her. It is a game that she is just beginning to see the fun in.
She’s also getting big. I watch her toes and then knees fly up over the edge of her bassinet. Soon she’ll figure out how to sit up and then I’ll have to grow up a little myself and give into the fact that I can’t keep her right next to me every minute of the day. I’ll have to learn to listen to the baby monitor and let her sleep in her crib like a proper baby. She needs room to stretch and roll about. But I’m just not ready. I’ve tried to put away the bassinet part of her stroller about forty-seven times and replace it with the toddler seat but it is in vain because I can’t stand her being alone in her room without me. So over and over I release all the velcro straps and assemble the bassinet all over again.
It’s hard to imagine that I’m going to be feeling this way for the next twenty years. I just don’t want her to grow up so quick. I think she’ll always grow a little faster than my heart can keep up.
And now the movie (2.17 megs, quicktime)
