If You Don't Think a Baby in Sunglasses is Cute...

...well, then, I am pretty sure you don't have a soul.

2003 Was Good, Though

So I went out the other night. This was remarkable not only because I don’t often go out at night anymore, but also because I am hardly ever without the baby, period. I guess that is weird. It doesn’t feel weird until I say it in a sentence like that – we are always together. I used to think people who were never apart from their kids were definitely strange. That it was sad they didn’t understand the need for time alone, for time with their spouses, for the time to take care of themselves so that they would be in shape to take care of the kids. But here I am. Intellectually I understand the need for all these things – and I do get all them, not in big doses, but I do - but when it comes down to it, in a nutshell, I find her hard to leave.

One explanation for this is that she is just such an insanely easy baby. She is happy all the damn time! Good sleeper, good eater, so friendly and good-natured. People really do stop me all the time to say what a happy baby I have. But beyond all that…before she was born, I just think I didn’t expect to like being around her quite so much. I knew I would love her more than anything I had ever laid eyes on, but I guess I didn’t know how much I would just plain like her, too. She is fun. She makes other things more fun when she is there. So leaving her behind – even for a few hours – isn’t easy. Especially when she is bawling her eyes out and reaching for the door when you leave, like the other night.

All that said, it was delicious being out in the world by myself. Old friends, cold beer and live music is pretty much always a home run, and this night didn’t disappoint. There was a definite air of going back in time. As my friend TaggyLee put it, “Tonight we are partying like it’s 2003!” And we did, and we made the most of being out, and we came home too late and paid the price the next day. But it was worth it. Fun to step back into my old life for the evening but I wouldn’t trade my new life for anything. I mean, look – this little face didn’t exist in 2003 – why go back??

Well, At Least it Will Be Easy to Pick Out Christmas Gifts For Her

Everyone knows the old adage about kids liking packaging more than the actual gifts they receive, yadda yadda yadda. I have always just kind of thought it was a silly/cute thing people say but the other night I saw the idea in action and it truly is a wonder. *Anything* can be a toy. Case in point: Isota got into Joe's laundry and bonded with a particular pair of (clean) underwear. She spent at least twenty minutes with this pair of shorts, just walking all over the house putting them on her head and then taking them off. Fitting her head through the leg holes. Walking around with them covering her face. Laughing her underwear-covered-head off. Etc. It was a little bit weird but a lot bit funny.

Green Day

Isota partied hard for St. Pat's Day. Did you?

I Simply Cannot Get Anything Done Before My Morning Caffeine Fix

Happiness is Living Close to a Good Park

The insanely beautiful weather yesterday necessitated a walk down to the park for us. And now that Isota is a card-carrying member of the Walking Upright Society, she has waaaaay more fun at the park than she ever did before. Mastering her balance on the sand, following other kids around, picking up little bits of nature (and sometimes trash, ick) off the ground: it all has become a very big deal. She beams with happiness. Which means we do, too.

Moving, Walking, Settling In

So, obviously, a lot has been going on at Baby Finlaw HQ but I haven't found a lot of time to properly document it all. I do believe a few posts back I said I would report on the difficulty of a move with a newborn vs. a one year old...and I am going to officially say it is harder with a one year old. For the simple fact that one year olds MOVE. We were lucky enough to have friends and family pitching in a lot to help us out - and my parents watched Isota a lot as well - so the actual physical part of moving tons of boxes from one city to another was smoother this time, actually. After all, we are sort of becoming pros at this move-every-year thing (unfortunately) so we can get it down to a science. The hard part came after all the boxes were in, everything waiting to be unpacked, everything stacked weirdly and perched precariously on top of each other, everything threatening to be a danger to a toddler on the move. And as anyone with a one year old can attest to - it is very difficult to get anything productive done while they are awake. Slowly but surely it is all shaping up to look like a home, though. We will get there.

But! Amidst all the hubbub of moving, Isota managed to hit a huge milestone: she started walking. Literally, like, the day after we moved in, she just kind of walked off away from me across the room like it was no big deal. Up to that point she had been doing little steps here and there, maybe three at a time, but that day was it. And ever since she just keeps practicing and getting better and seems to love being so mobile. The crawl has been left in the dust, friends. And it's insanely cute to see the stumbly little walk in action. I could watch it forever.

Unfortunately I didn't really get any good walking pictures yet (took some video but it's sideways so I don't think you want to tilt your head and watch it that way) so you just get some recent random stuff. Settling in. Happy times.






...except for the colds we caught...

A Question

So Sody, what do you think of our new neighborhood so far?



Yep, that about sums it up.

Happy Anniversary, Doo

This post is dedicated to my spectacular husband on our 2nd wedding anniversary. One these years, Joe, we won't move anywhere near March 1 and thus have the energy to celebrate. Next year, maybe?