Itchy Today...
Last night, I couldn't sleep from a bad case of "fretful-itis". This is where all of the competing demands of our lives collide...in the dark at midnight. Poor Aaron. Because I usually want to talk about what is bothering me in order to purge it from my nervous system. And guess who is right there with a sympathetic ear? My very patient spouse.
So, when did this hyperventilation-fest begin? I can tell you the exact moment.
This weekend, we headed to Minneapolis to introduce Grace to Great-Grandpa Keith and Great-Grandma Kathy. We were relaxing in their lovely home, Grace was on a blanket on the floor playing with her rattle, the adults were enjoying a fierce game of dominoes. All was right with the world.
And then Grace rolled across the floor. When I say rolled, I don't mean she just flipped over. Our feisty little four month old rolled over and over and over from one end of her blanket to the other, trailing drool out of her mouth the entire way. A moan that sounded a lot like "Nooooo...." welled up in my chest. And one thought kept running through my mind.
"How am I going to keep her safe in that house?!"
I thought I had more time. I thought she was, you know, going to stay put for awhile. I thought this was still the bouncy seat stage. The "you can strap me in and I'll tolerate it because I have no where else to go" stage. The "I'll play with the toys you give me instead of the powertools because I have no ability to get into anything that you cannot control" stage.
I thought wrong obviously. I'm an idiot. Here she is. She is saying, "Sucka! You lose Mommy!"
Real life renovation with baby. New shopping list:
- More cleaning supplies.
- New vacuum with HEPA filter
- Lots and lots of aspirin.
- Possibly some valium as well.
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Comments
I was originally going to express my sympathy, especially since we have a hard enough time keeping our two busybody CATS out of our tools and projects, let alone a baby, but then I saw the picture and I was overwhelmed by the way awesomely awesome cuteness OMG.
Seriously.
Posted by: Brittney | May 24, 2006 2:40 PM
that photo is priceless! you tell 'er, grace!!! ;)
Posted by: amo | May 24, 2006 3:03 PM
the jolly jumper works well too!
Posted by: deb | May 24, 2006 3:37 PM
One word--exersaucer! Keeps 'em in one place, but gives 'em lots to do.
Posted by: Carol | May 24, 2006 4:45 PM
I'm with Brittney- the overwhelming cuteness got me too. When I see pictures like that, I understand why people want kids so much. Oh, I know they are alot of work, but so cute. She looks like a mini-Jeanie-Aaron too I swear- I see both of you- do other people say that?
Posted by: Jocelyn | May 24, 2006 7:51 PM
What a sweetie.
My sweet ones have entered the larval teenage years so I still have baby pictures about to remember the sweetnesss.
The jolly jumper was my salvation years ago-I can't believe they are still on the market
Just remember:you and Aaron can always bang away at your renovation,she'll be larval before you know it,so cuddle the Gracie.
Posted by: jo | May 24, 2006 9:10 PM
What a cutie-pie! I second the exersaucer idea. We went out to look at one last night because our little one just rolled over (both ways) on Monday. I also thought we had some more time before she was ripping around the house - ours is only 3 1/2 months old!
Posted by: Alli from Vancouver, BC | May 24, 2006 9:43 PM
Oh my goodness! She! is! adorable! : ) (not to mention the fact that she does indeed look ready to get busy - good luck!)
Posted by: Lisa | May 24, 2006 9:50 PM
I agree on the exersaucer...our daughter was in one throughout most of our kitchen demolishing (although now in horrid guilt I figure the floor had asbestos in it...she's now 5 and seems fine tho! ;-)). However, she was thrilled to sit there and watch us! We'd get her a sippy cup and snacks and set her just out of the chaos.
When our Kitchen was being remodeled, I washed bottles in a bathroom sink and she learned how to walk on the nasty concrete floor in our basement! So, your prediciment brings back memories!
Posted by: Mary-Frances Main | May 25, 2006 7:48 AM
ok. there are lots of things to comment on in that post, but i'm COMPLETELY distracted by the unbelievable cuteness of that kid!!!
Posted by: merideth | May 25, 2006 2:26 PM
I say you get one of those leashes, like people use in Walmart, and strap her to something heavy. That way you only have to childproof a 5ft radius.
Kidding, obviously, but this does work well for the dogs when we're sick of them stepping through wet paint.....
Posted by: mindy | May 25, 2006 2:50 PM
Dr. Tully Monster's suggestion at times like these is for a radio collar. Or a giant hamster ball. He has taken the trouble to sketch out plans for these inventions on a cocktail napkin.
Of course, that's one major reason why Dr. Tully Monster probably should never be entrusted with the care of a small child. Like the Tully monster itself, we have agreed that he will be the only one of his kind.
Seriously, yay for Grace! Today the floor, tomorrow...the coffee table!
Posted by: tully monster | June 2, 2006 11:15 AM