I LOVE NY

Today, June 24th, 2011, New York became the 6th state to legalize gay marriage. My hope is by the time June Apple is ready to be married, more celebrations like the one happening right now in New York will be a part of history, and she will be free to mary whomever she wants, where ever she wants.

Summer Lovin'

My 85 year-old Grandma Marianne came to Louisville recently to meet Ms. June Apple. Grandma Marianne is an awesome lady. She taught me about the important things in life, like fondue and seeting charts. i definitely gleaned my love of entertaining from her. I mean she makes homemade fortune cookies with personalized fortunes in each one, for God's sake!

It was so awesome to have both my mom and my grandma here, 4 generations under one roof. Of course, June Apple was her normal charming self. We had a great weekend, making zuchinni bread, going to the Douglass Loop farmer's market, and eating breakfast at North End Cafe and, even more deliciously, 732 Social. If any of you in Louisville, RUN, don't walk to 732 Social. The best meal I've had in a long, long, time. I first went there for my 30th birthday at the end of May. Holy Smokes. The cocktails. The locally sourced, seasonally based menu. The friendly chef/owner who comes out and thanks me for bringing June Apple. For him, he encourages children at the restuarant as part of his sustainability mission. Okay, I'll support that, especially in a town where some of the restaurants which cater to the local foodie culture seem to take themselves too seriously and I think June Apple might just cramp their style. Some of my favorite dishes include macaroni and cheese and roasted brussel sprouts with candied walnuts. Mmmmm....I'm salivating just thinking about it. If you ever want to go and need someone to go with, you know who to call!

The Douglass Loop farmer's market is hands down the best market that I have been to here in Louisville. There's plenty of great vendors with room to hang out, live music, several yummy food trucks and Lucy Anne. Lucy Anne is 7 years old. She is one of June's biggest fans. She and her sister Martha Rose come with their family to sell fresh beef, eggs and buffalo skulls. Lucy Anne gets up at 3 in the morning on Saturdays so she has time to do her chores before they leave for Louisville at 5am. Her mother braids her hair in two pigtails in the night before. She loves June Apple and makes goo goo eyes at her and scrunches up her nose to try and make her laugh. She reminds me of myself when I was little. Babies were like magnets for me. Lucy Anne really wanted to hold June and I was more than willing to encoruage a baby obsession. Of course, my grandma almost dieD of a heart attack when Lucy Anne began throwing June Apple up in the air (much to June's delight). I was cool as a cucumber about it all, when she was jostling her, while standing on the grass. I mean, the girl is only 4 feet tall, how far would June really fall? Grandma was gripping my arm and freaking out, while I said to her under my breath, "Its okay, she's okay, she's not going to drop her." I'm trying, you see, not to be one of those over-reactive parents that doesn't let their kid come within 500 yards of a potential choking hazard. But then Lucy Anne took her jostling to the concrete. Okay, Lucy Anne, every parent, even one as cool and laid back as me has her breaking point. I rescued June and mumbled some excuse to a bewildered Lucy Anne, that it was time for June's lunch. Hours later, while I lay with June for our afternoon snooze, I thought about what a terrible mother I was, risking June's life like that. How could I have been so careless?! I let Lucy Anne's cute little scrunched up nose and darling braids lead me down the path of negligent parent temptation. NEVER again, I said. Until next time.

5 months!

Another month older, already?! Can it be?! You just delight us more and more every day. You favorite activities include singing with Papa, playing on the floor, taking baths and squealing and screeching. You can roll from your tummy to your back and from your back to your tummy, but you don't do it very often. Sometimes when you are on your tummy, its like you forget that you know how to roll over and you just put your head on your arm in frustration. You can do it! You already know how! You'll figure it out. If I was learning and figuring out as much as you are every day, I'd have my PhD by now! Your brain amazes me! It must be tiring learning that much. No wonder you sleep as much as you do.

When I took you to the doctor's office to get a shot (yuck), all the nurses were arguing over which one you liked the best. You have charmed them all, for sure. One of the nurses told me that her boyfriend, who happened to be at the office the last time we were there still talks about how you smiled at him. You better harness those powers and use them for good. Trust me. Even though this wasn't a normal check up, we did weigh you, albeit with your clothes on, and you weighed 13 pounds 1 ounce! Holy Moly! Thats nearly 3 pounds in a month! Which means that you have TRIPLED your birth weight! Most babies haven't doubled their birth weights by your age. I knew you'd catch up!

Tina says it best...

A Mother's Prayer for Its Daughter by Tina Fey from "Bossypants" (2011)

"First Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,”she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.”

-Tina Fey

A New Paradise

Amos, June Apple and I went on our first family vacation together to Long Boat Key, Florida a few weeks ago. I was really looking forward to it, so I could get a little r and r before my maternity leave ended. I had visions of all three of us, days spent lying lazily on the beach, sleeping under umbrellas for hours at a time, frolicking in the gentle waves. Nights would be spent with Juju blissfully asleep, while Amos and I dined on local seafood and drank frozen daiquiris under the stars. I brought two thick novels and a binder of work I needed to catch up on.

Within a day I understood why people bring nannies (or grandparents) on vacation.

So, it was sunny. really sunny. And hot. Hello! Its Florida! What was I expecting? Regardless of my expectations, it was so hot and sunny that I was wary of having June Apple outside for too long during the day, for fear of burning and over-heating. You can't put sunscreen on a 3 month old (you have to wait until 6 months). We spent a little bit of time under the umbrellas, but I didn't want to overheat her.

So while Amos enjoyed the above mentioned relaxing activities on the beach, we stayed inside and watched Oprah. We had a nice view though. June didn't want to nap for longer than 30 minutes in unfamiliar surroundings, which meant those novels that I dreamt of getting to sat, uncracked.

And the binder of work? Hah! At one point a few days in, I was feeling really disappointed about my unmet expectations in the face of my new reality. To that, I now say- boo hoo, welcome to parenthood. So I got over it. Because, in truth, I like the new reality- a true FAMILY vacation. Maybe not as relaxing, but fun none-the-less.


And, one of the best things about the condo was that there was a bath tub! We only have a shower at home, and I knew June Apple would love a bath- which she did, every night! She was quite the little water bug, the ocean, the pool, the bath. I can't wait to get her into swim lessons!


I hope that these beach vacations turn into a family tradition. Amos and I both grew up going to the beach (either at a lake or ocean) with our families and I hope we can help create those some cherished memories with our kids. This year was the first of many!

4 months

Whew! Is my baby girl 4 months already?! I cannot believe the time has flown and she has grown, grown, grown, into a long string bean. Our squirrel girl. Now she thinks everything is hilarious (because life IS absurd), sleeps through the night (mostly) and is just starting to roll over.

See hows she's grown?


Here are the stats from her 4 month check-up:
Weight: 10 pounds, 4 ounces
Height: 23 inches
Head Circumference: 15.5 inches

Oh, and if you ever needed proof that life (and breast milk) is a miracle, look at the difference between June Apple at 3 weeks and 3 1/2 months, nearly double the weight:


Oh, and did I mention that she is THE CUTEST BABY I have ever seen? I've seen a lot, so that makes me an expert on the subject. I feel sorry for all my friends and family who have had babies. They must look at June Apple and think, "Huh. I'm kinda disappointed my kid wasn't that cute." Its hard to face the truth, I know. But there it is. The truth. Do you not agree?! Case in point:
she is cute when she sleeps..
cute when she wakes up,
cute when she dances,
cute in Chinese restaurants,
and very cute when she is annoyed with Papa at the grocery store...

I would have written more in the past 4 months, but I was on maternity leave...from the world. Yes, I still had to take two classes, but I was BLESSED with the opportunity to spend most of the past 4 months at home with June Apple and Amos. Since Amos works mostly at night, we got to spend so much of these precious first months all together, and we are so lucky! In the early weeks we watched all 6 seasons of The Sopranos and I started to channel Carmela Soprano, which was not so good. And we ate lots of yummy food brought to us by loving family and friends. There was a lot of dog licks and cat purrs. And we smiled at each other, because this. is. the. LIFE.

3 months old

The best thing about this month is your personality is starting to show! You love to laugh and kick kick kick! At night when I am in the middle of you and Papa, I've got you kicking me in the tummy and Papa kicking me in the shins! You kick your legs even in your sleep. You've got so much energy in your bones, just like Papa! I do hope you have better sleep habits than him. We are trying to get you on some sort of sleep schedule. The best thing is, you have started falling asleep around ten at night and sleeping until 5 in the morning to eat and then you fall right back asleep until 9 or 10! I can't believe it. I am pretty sure your sleep habits will probably change, but I will cherish my-I mean- your sleep, while I can!

Your Aunties Mimi, Margaret and Katy came from NY and LA to meet you. You got so so many kisses that weekend. We took you on your first bourbon distillery tour, which you found fascinating. You slept in the MOBY wrap the whole time, while Mama ate bourbon balls. Mimi brought you a blue seersucker garden party dress that will be perfect for your first Kentucky Derby in a few weeks. Katy brought you a pair of red TOM shoes that won't fit your for another year or so, but they are so sweet! Together the shoes and dress reminded us all of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Hopefully you will always remember, there is no place like home!
Auntie Katy even sang you a special song, because you were crying and the sound of Grams playing the conga and Katy singing seemed to help:



We didn't have a visit to the doctor this month, so we don't know how big you are, but you are definitely outgrowing your newborn clothes and are finally in 0-3 months. even though you are still so tiny, you are a big girl to us!