Life and Stuff

Days like today with Lucy Bella are the very best ones. We just did our little routine, but today was special. Lucy Bella is becoming a whole little person, and it makes my ears warm to think of how much I love her.

We began our day early, about 7:00 am, with nursing and breakfast. Then I bundled her into the new jogging stroller for our three-mile wog (walk-jog….YOU try pushing 25 pounds of baby and stroller while running.) This is a rite of passage for both of us; I’d been wearing her in the Snugli for our walks, but my shoulders couldn’t hold Miss-Longer-than-Many-One-Year-Olds anymore. I felt lucky to have exercised with her as long as I did, but this pinched nerve in my shoulder finally did me in. Today’s weather was perfect: cool and sunny. I played some music on the Blackberry for the both of us, and she talked periodically to me and Grover as we strolled along.

We got home in time to finish some chores, then sit down and watch “Sesame Street” together. She got so excited when she saw Grover and Cookie Monster on today’s episode. I guess they wore her out with the letter S and the number 10, because she ended up napping for 2 and 1/2 hours.

Lucy Bella and I happened upon something new a couple of weeks ago. Years ago, before our little family came about, I had read about how primitive tribes toilet train their children. It was in the New York Times or something, but I remember thinking how sensible it was that kids were not kept in diapers until they were nearly four. The article wrote of simply watching your child’s bathroom cues, and then taking them in to do their business.

It made sense because, really, what kid wants to sit in their own mess–even for a short time? So, at the moment Lucy Bella shows me her Winston Churchill face:

I take her into the bathroom and let her sit on her Sesame Street seat. Within five minutes, mission accomplished with big smiles. She seems a lot more comfortable with this than she does the alternative. It’s not quite what you’d call “training,” since she still wets the diapers and can’t get herself there alone. I guess you’d call it “acclimating,” but she seems pretty excited to take this little step toward independence.

So, you know, did that a couple of times today.

Then, an errand. I had to return a pair of too-big pants to the store, having overestimated my postpartum girth after all this clean living and intensive exercise. Lucy Bella is fun to take places. I never put her in the stroller; I usually just carry her in so we can talk and she can see stuff better. But today was special, because she’s started to grab my face and do her version of kisses. Most observers would call it gnawing, but it’s sloppy and affectionate so we’re going with kissing. She made some new acquaintances; people are always stopping her to marvel at how alert she is with those big, bright eyes. Such an expressive little flirt.

Back home, and Daddy’s home so that she can play on her belly some more and tell him about her day. I let her watch in the kitchen as I prepare and freeze some new batches of food for her. This week, I’m introducing her to fresh, locally-grown green beans and zucchini. She watches as I prep, steam, puree, and then pour her food into the ice cube trays. In two short hours, I can usually make about a month-and-a-half of fresh food for her that she has enjoyed very much so far. We don’t have anything against prepared baby food, but we wanted her from the beginning to fully taste real food. I’ve tasted baby food, and it’s so bland. We want her to know how robust food can be, and that it has different textures even when it’s pureed. Believe it or not, preparing her food has saved us tons of time and money. When I get down to a week or two of food, I take a couple of hours and prepare some more.

The only thing she’s not wild about is peas. She’ll eat them if I mix with squash or yams. I can’t say I blame her…not a fan of peas myself. The green beans went over a little better tonight.

I clean up, and hear more laughing with Daddy in the living room. He heads off to his softball game, and we have bathtime, which is always preceded by her naked baby dance to one of a few favorites on the Ipod. Spash, wash, baby massage and one more trip to the potty.

Nurse, back pats, cuddle and grab face for more gnawing kissing.

She’ll likely sleep through the night. It’s been a big day. Tomorrow, off to get a vaccination. She’s got a face for that, too.