It's been exciting around here

We took off a long weekend to spend some much needed alone time together and then Mother Nature decided that five days wasn't enough.  With the exception of a one day break we spent 11 days in each other's company 24/7.  It was great, it was fun and it was super exhausting.  I think we all benefit from Lucy's outings to "school".  She certainly likes her friends. When I left her this morning she and Connor, a fellow 'I can't quite walk yet' classmate were laughing at each other while handing a drum back and forth.  I think she likes the diversity of activities that they plan at 'school'.  Sometimes they do art, sometimes they play with shredded paper, sometimes it is peek-a-boo time.  At home, my entertainment skills are heavily reliant on the toy box and   books.   I don't get creative with arts and crafts.  I hope to be that kind of mom who can manage a rainy day with art, but at almost 11 months, it's a challenge.

We're happy that the weather has warmed up, but we had a major wind storm last night and it kept me awake. I could hear all the vents on the house being blown around and I just knew that all the trash bins that were outside were being strewn about our already messy street.  The big snow day was our trash day and for some odd reason (hills?) United Waste didn't pick up the trash.  We managed to bring our bins in for the week( it's called shoveling your walkway) but many of our dip shit neighbors couldn't get it together to do it.  If there's a reason why I won't be friends with many of the neighbors it is their complete lack of pride in keeping our street clean.  I understand why everyone (but us) has bins and extra bags out today, but they also have their recycling out as if some miracle will occur and the Recycle truck will come too, even though it's not recycle week.

Today the wind is gone, but we have what I like to call "big rain" and all the bins that have had their lids blown off are filing with water.  Could the neighbors bring in their now super soggy cardboard piles?  Hell no.  I called to confirm that there will only be trash pick up today and now I'm tempted to run around outside and put a sign on every pile that says "TRASH" so that the garbage people will just pick all that junk up.  I'm happy to recycle and it would be sad to have all that product go to the landfill, but I want it off the streets.



In Lucy news, we finally have top front teeth budding.  I noticed them last night after her bath.  She was singing and singing and I caught a glimpse of white in the upper palate.  She's still right on time with the teeth, because these teeth are expected anywhere between 8-12 months.  She'll hit 11 months on the 1st so she's fine.  I guess I just felt that because Jordan's teeth came in all at once that Lucy's would too.  Lesson:  different kid, different rules.

Both Jason and I got a little emotional (not tears or anything like that) when we saw the teeth.  We are excited but I, for one, am going to miss that gummy smile.  This year has gone by so fast.  She's such a little girl these days and I'm sure walking is right around the corner.   She doesn't quite have words yet but we occasionally hear "mama-mama" and "da" and the ever embarrassing "die die die".  Sometimes she sounds really sweet when she's babbling and other times it sounds kind of expressive, so the difference between cute 'dai, dai, dai' and demonic  "die! die! die!" is remarkable.  She does growl at us, but most to express displeasure and I'm sure it will go away when she has the word 'no'.  She already knows what shaking her head no means and we get hand signals to let us know when she's done eating.  It looks like a grand two handed wave, but it is the sign language move for "all done".  She knows what "more" looks like (pinch your fingers together and touch the tips of both hands) but an outstretched arm, the gimmie hand grab and an expressive grunt works too.

This weekend is Jason's birthday and he and I will be going out to dinner.  Lucy will be staying home with Rico and Mrs. Rico but just so it feels like she's with us in spirit we'll be scattering a handful of Cheerio's on the floor around our table. I'm sure the staff at El Gaucho will see the humor in that.