Me and the Old Ladies

My new favorite store is Walmart these days. Me and the old ladies love those motorized handicapped carts with the little basket out front. Molly likes them too and has learned how to drive when my attention wavers for a second. She prefers to navigate the store with one hand on the wheel (is she a backseat driver already?). Tucker isn't as enthusiastic as expected, perhaps because he kept falling off. Surprisingly, those carts probably weren't designed for three people. I really should take a picture of the three of us whipping through the aisles. It definitely beats grocery shopping on crutches. (Two more weeks to go!)

Happy Birthday, Molly!

Molly turned one on Saturday, and we celebrated up in Annapolis with a last trip to the Blue House.

When I think of Molly, I think of what a force she is. She is like a whirlwind, so intense and ACTIVE. I joke that she can levitate by sheer force of will. I think of unsuccessfully pinning her down for diaper changes--I really cannot change her diaper alone sometimes. Of crawling up the stairs as fast as she can, while looking back to make sure we're chasing her. Have I mentioned she is fast? Tucker never liked being outside before he could walk, Molly doesn't let a little grass stand in her way. Every pair of pants she owns have dirt stains on the knees. She loves the sandbox, driving the Cozy Coupe car, and crawling as fast as she can to the electric fence near the chicken coup (after all, what's better than electronics?). She has never fallen back to sleep in bed after nursing--not once this whole year--and instead prefers to shout at us until we get up. We are not going to get lazy on her watch.

I think of her huge smiles, and the best laugh ever. Of giving her kisses on the soft part of her neck which gets her every time. I think of her perched in Austin's arms, supervising the meal-making process (because it's always better to be in someone's arms than down on the ground).

I think of ridiculously early bedtimes, cheese as a separate food group, and sucking on bunny's ears as a pacifier. Three words: "Mama" "Dada" and "Baby" (for her bunny lovey). I think of her watching Tucker in the car, and looking at him like he walks on water. Of putting things on and off (like beads), in and out of containers, puzzle pieces--all with focused intensity and a pause to make sure she has an audience. I also think of leaving a swath of destruction... taking every plastic bag out of the sandwich bag box, and the ziplock boxes, and unrolling the foil and the plastic wrap... and then moving on to the CD drawer to chuck every CD on the ground.

I think of screaming during loud car trips, crawling up to the piano to bang on it, meals that last 30 seconds in her highchair because it's more fun to eat in our arms, and every mealtime ending by chucking everything she can find off her tray with as much force as possible.

I love you, my baby bug. I just hope we can keep up! Happy first birthday!

Mushroom Walk

September had 20+ days of at least a trace amount of rain here in Virginia, which means our mushroom population enjoyed a renaissance. Tucker loves to find mushrooms and show me (it is always urgent that I drop whatever I am doing to look). I proactively addressed the situation by taking the camera and searching for every mushroom I could find with him in the yard. We got a lot. (Note, this was a couple weeks ago, the crutches have put a damper on these kind of activities for the moment!)

Quote of the Day

"I want to play golfball!" -Tucker

(Any real sport apparently needs to end in "ball")

Bye Bye Marathon, Hello Crutches

Well, my plans for the Richmond marathon are done. I did a little 10k race two and a half weeks ago, and noticed a little groin pain about mile 3. That's odd, I had thought, and continued to run. After all, the pain wasn't so bad. Until I stopped. Fast forward to now: the MRI yesterday confirmed a pelvic stress fracture, which are "notoriously difficult to heal." Hmmm... not what I like to hear from my doctor.

I am the proud new owner of a set of crutches. Gee, thanks.

Thankfully I am physically able to walk in a pinch, but I've learned enough about these fractures to have great respect for how long they take to heal if not treated well. Based on the internet forums I spent copious amounts of time last night perusing, it seems pretty common for people to report being out of running for a year. I'm hoping for three months.

Right now I can't even really pool run. I actually was pool running for the past two weeks, and that was what convinced me that I couldn't possibly have a stress fracture. Stress fractures are only supposed to hurt after doing weight bearing activities, but somehow mine hurts after I pool run... so it HAD to be muscular....

It is a little tricky navigating the world with a baby on the hip and crutches. The pic is of me looking particularly svelt this morning trying out the front pack-crutch combo.

Quotes of the Day

Tucker: We're animals too, right, because we're camels?
Austin: You mean mammals?
Tucker: Yep, mammals.

*******************************

Tucker: What are you going to do with all this basil?
Me: I'm going to make pesto.
Tucker: No, let's make pie with it.

Quote of the Day - the Facts of Life

"Did Benny come out of Mommy's tummy?"
-Tucker

Quote of the Day

Tucker: Let's go ask Daddy! He knows EVERYTHING.
Me: He does?
Tucker: Yes, I think he does.