As I’m putzing away on the computer, I hear the sounds of frolic behind me. Clay is play-bowing at Maya, and she’s giggling at him while he tries to get the “slower” human puppy to play with him.

I WANT THIS ON VIDEO.

But, of course, the instant I turn around, Clay sees me and comes over asking, “Food? Do you have food? You looked my way — that means you have food to share, right, right, right?” The moment is gone.

If, as you live your life, you find yourself mentally composing blog entries about it, post this exact same sentence in your weblog.

via Margi

Scene: Bathtime.

Maya’s in her tub playing. I’m sitting next to the tub on the floor, sipping a glass of wine and browsing a magazine. A grunty noise alerts me to move Maya from peripheral vision to my direct sights, and I see that she’s about to push. Quick! To the toilet! Maybe she can poop there!

She was done so fast, I didn’t even get the lid up.

Observation #1: She poops MUCH faster without a diaper providing counterpressure.

Observation #2: Boy, she eats a lot of peas and corn. I wonder: does she actually get nutrients from them, considering they seem to go through intact?

Maya sings for her supper.

That’s not as in singing to receive her supper, that’s as in SERANADING her supper. Tonight, her performance was to rice noodles, lemongrass beef, and cucumber (Mama had Vietnamese).

She cracks me up!

Linked to this quiz on a blog whose owner commented on my blog (not sure how she stumbled on me, tho)…loved the quiz; now I think I should probably figure out what the heck “Cooking to Hook Up” is!

Read the description. It sounds eerily on target…well, as on target as “all over the map” can be, anyway.

Moderation in all things, excess in nothing.
— Epicurus

Imagine that the Girl Next Door moved to the big city. Think of Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. She’s America’s sweetheart with an urban sensibility. She’s a post-Christian spiritualist, a pre-Monica Clintonite, and a dues-paying member of at least one social-change organization like NOW, Planned Parenthood, or the Sierra Club. You won’t find her at an Earth First or PETA meeting, though. Those are the Granola Girl’s stomping grounds. Progressive Girls want the world to be a better place, but they live out their politics in a moderate, left-of-center way.

If you are going to date a Progressive Girl, the one sin you can commit is to be a chameleon. Molding your opinions to fit hers will lose her respect. One very positive thing you can do is offer her new experiences — the Progressive Girl is fearless about trying new things. Whether it’s pluralism, skydiving, Asian peanut sauce, or this book, the Progressive Girl is always looking for new ideas.

She Might Be a Progressive Girl if:

1. She drives: a small SUV but really wishes it got better mileage; once she can get a good hybrid, she will.
2. She can talk for more than ten minutes about: just about anything.
3. She begins her sentences with: “Susan Sarandon says…”
4. She’d never: pass up the chance for a new experience.
5. She owns any of the following: a water filter, a tabletop fountain, an acre of rain forest, a mutt from the pound.

Just the same, blogthings said that Boston best fits me. How ’bout we just skip down to option #4 and go with San Francisco?

As usual, Maya is dead-on time with her progress. Not ahead, not behind. Here’s something from the BabyCenter email newsletter I received (your six-month-old, fourth week):

The lengths you’ll go to to make your baby laugh can be surprising. This month, for instance, you might find yourself quacking like a duck and barking like a dog. Why? Six-month-olds love turn-taking games, especially those that involve sounds and language. Let your baby go first, and mimic the sounds she makes. When it’s your turn to lead, you can teach your child — and make her laugh at the same time — with animal noises (”quack-quack,” “bow-wow,” and so on).

Considering this post, um…yup. Two days ago, it was monkey noises (I’m skilled at those to a questionable degree). Yesterday, it was kittycat meow noises when we stopped into the Humane Society on a task for Basenji Rescue of Colorado. Today, it’s been all about the cow.

Of course EVERY day is doggie/puppy day.

Welcome to my barnyard. Or zoo…whichever your prefer.

…naming this tasty in-flight snack.

(thanks Davezilla for the heads up!)

Try it yourself.