Shhhhh is one of Maya’s current favorite sounds (good thing I don’t curse too often anymore, huh?). New “hot” words:
That last one was repeated as a mantra over and over as Maya tried to wear Mike’s runners…but just couldn’t quite get them both on at one time.
After struggling for months, hoping that I wouldn’t have to cut Maya’s hair into bangs, I finally did it. And you know what? It’s pretty darned cute.
And now, I don’t have to fight her each and EVERY DAY to get her hair into either a barrette or a rubber band so it’ll stay out of her eyes!
Maya explains to her new friend the secrets of the trees.
This was after greeting her friend with a kiss, of course. Maya’s in the habit of kissing statues.
From It’s Not All Mary Poppins:
Nigel has all kinds of words, and we hear them a lot. All except ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Hmm. Now, I usually have more success with ‘please’, so I’ll often start with it. (Why is please easier? It’s all in the motivation. “Want this cookie? Say ‘please’!” You can see how it’s easier to get out a ‘please’ than a ‘thank you’ - he’s got that cookie stuffed into his mouth to the tonsils: why is further communication necessary?)
Yup. Exactly. I DO hear please, all day, every day. Thank you is still rare, but we work on it. Every freakin’ day.
Little Miss has decided that the computer is something I should share with her. She asks up onto my lap, then says over and over again, “Baby! Please? Baby!” This means — what else? — that she wants to see her own blog, especially the videos.
While I’m delighted she likes the blog, her determination makes it a little difficult to get any real work done — without letting her cry, that is. Eh, sorry kid. Those’re the breaks.
For those of you whom I haven’t had a chance to tell…I’m getting married!
Huh? Whaaaaa? But…but…but…you barely told us you’re dating someone!
It’s true. This has been nothing if not fast. As one friend told me, “Alli, you’re not a rash person. I’m going to have to trust you here.” He’s right. I’m not one to make decisions quite this quickly, especially since Maya’s arrival nearly two years ago. But here we are, and Mike and I will marry in November.
.
Lately, I’ve watched Maya’s imagination come to life. She talks to her stuffed animals, has selected a few favorites (she loves her giraffe and cow, especially — plus a bear that Mike’s housemate left for her), and she runs them around the house, clearly acting out some sort of mini-drama.
From necessity, Maya’s learned well to play alone, and I’m thankful for that. It should, I think, serve her well, even when she’s finally in a daycare/preschool situation with other kids!
Seriously snotty noses seem to be the malady du jour in our home.
As I removed Maya’s pj top for a bath, she let a big “flow” release, and it pulled the excess upward. You’ll understand that I *had* to take a photo before washing her hair for this one.
Here’s to bodily-fluid hair gel!
You know, Maya looks so happy sitting up at a higher altitude (Mike’s 6′0″ compared to my puny 5′3″) that I might develop a complex. That, or I’ll start to reassure myself that she’s happier because she can actually see more of me than the back of my head.
Mike and I explored Waldo Canyon over the weekend, and it was a picture perfect day for a “family” hike. I’ve always envied the families I’ve seen hiking together, and now I find myself becoming part of one. Ah, bliss.
With the removed weight of the backpack, I found myself suddenly light on my feet, and I even *ran* down a good portion of the trail approaching the trailhead at Hwy 24. Man, I forgot how good it feels to run!
As I mentioned before, Maya and I recently took a roadtrip through the Southwest to return Clay to his breeder in Tucson. The exchange went very well, and when I left the dog park, Clay was racing in circles with a large group of other basenjis. It was a sweet (if bittersweet) parting vision.
Maya and I also picked up a travel companion along the way, Mike, who is now the “man in my life.” Cute couple, no? “Inseparable” would be the best way to describe how we are with each other, and that’s a happy, happy thing.
Driving home from a hike at Templeton yesterday, Maya gave him the sort of adoring looks she usually reserves for her grandfather, and I knew instantly that I’m in trouble. At least it’s a good kind of trouble.
Anyway, before I left Santa Fe, Mike, Maya, his dog Bonnie, and I got to wander through a portion of the Santa Fe National Forest on a 4-1/2 mile trek that took us on some pretty soggy trail. Since I was wearing trail runners (rather than hiking boots), I searched for a means of crossing the first big water without getting wet. Those attempts fell flat, and I resigned myself to a soggy final 2 miles. As it turned out, we crossed unavoidable water perhaps a dozen more times before the trail dried out, and it was great to not worry about getting wet — I already was. My new trail runners (3 weeks old, maybe) have already had their first washing. Ah, well.
Maya has a thing for Bonnie. Well, honestly, Maya has a thing for all things furry and four-legged. It just happens that Bonnie enjoys (tolerates, at least) Maya’s attention, and they’ve quickly become friends. After our hike, Bonnie curled up on the seat against Maya’s carseat and allowed Maya to catalog her face:
Eyes. (accompanied by a poke)
Ears. (with a sharp tug and Maya! Gentle! from me)
Nose. (with a kiss from Bonnie)
Awwwwwww.
