All of a sudden, she has become an eating machine. She eats three squares a day, and lots of snacks in between. She’s still nursing a couple times a night, but I think it’s more for comfort than anything else.

Kind of crazy. There was definitely a time when I felt like I would never stop being a milk machine. Amazing how quickly things change… Need to remember that the next time I’m in the depths of self-pity.

Now, my biggest problem is getting a square meal! I usually end up eating whatever’s left on her tray and whatever else I can stuff in my mouth in between cutting, cooking, chopping, and coercing food into baby M.’s mouth.

I made this today (took about 7 minutes to prep… super easy and really amazingly tasty):

1 large sweet potato

1 yellow squash

2 carrots

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

Olive oil

Salt

Slice the veggies into French fry-style strips. Toss with veggies with crushed garlic and olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

It’s really all her own doing… she would rather have a bottle so she can be on the move (like creeping, crawling, climbing on everything) than spend 10 minutes staring at my chest, nursing.

I’m actually fine with that, especially since she started biting me after her first tooth sprouted. Not really all that fun.

So, I was on a journey for a few days, trying to figure out a good milk substitute. I finally decided on homemade almond milk. I wrote a guest post on my friend Amy’s blog about that whole process, so check it out here.

But sometimes, I do feel way too self-conscious about my social decisions, and I start to wonder: is there a better/less awkward way to go about doing something?

The one scenario that comes to mind is when someone gives you a gift, outside of a birthday party or Christmas.
Picture this. You are meeting a friend for a drink. She shows up with a super fru-fru gift bag, all coordinated and ribboned, etc. She hands it to you, beaming.

What do you do?

Do you open it there? Right then?
Do you wait until you get home?

But then all sorts of other questions arise.

If you open it there, and you hate it, can you fake  your delight well enough to not hurt your friends feelings?

Or do you just tell them it sucks? (Note: the answer to this question must take into consideration how many drinks you have each had already).

What if they didn’t include a gift receipt, and you want one?

What if there is a card with a cheezy message that you have to read while slightly intoxicated? If you start getting teary-eyed, will you have remembered to wear waterproof mascara?

If you wait, how long is too long? Do you open it in your car and text them photos of yourself holding the gift while driving? (Note: Driving while texting is illegal in some states. Avoid cops.)

Or do you wait until you get home? Then, do you have to call them to thank them? Is a text enough? Or would taking a photo of yourself with the gift and using it as your profile pic on Facebook be thanks enough?

Just writing this is making my blood pressure rise. I’m very curious to know if I’m the only tard on the planet who asks these questions. And, I’m also curious to hear from my more socially-appropriate friends, who probably know the exact way to properly accept a gift.

Comment and set me straight, you guys! (Sorry… still never going to say ya’ll, even if it is the proper thing to do).

(BTW, Emily Post has a website. Who knew? Turns out you don’t even have to be alive to manage your online presence!)

My advice? Don’t click on “view images.” You will regret it.

Like most parents, I happen to think my child is the most brilliant, beautiful, and downright perfect kid out there. Unlike other parents, though, I’m actually right.

Lately, baby M. has been trying to tarnish her image of perfection. She drew crayon on my desk. She ate dog hair. She, purposely threw food on the floor. And she learned that dreaded word: “no!”

I naively hoped she would never learn it…or at least not for a long time. But, of course, she is her own person and she has every right to say no.

I’m starting to realize that parenting is a journey of giving up control, over a life we feel entitled to control. If I can figure.that out, I think she and I will be okay.

Seriously, though… I still think she’s perfect. I mean how can you not?!

It’s, official. Mae is learning how to walk. And I’m not ready! But I suppose it’s her right as a human. Plus, once she walks she can dance! And, I am ready for that! The picture is her at an outdoor concert by New Ballet Ensemble.

What about YOU? When do you know it’s time to shave? Comment below.

It’s amazing how fast time flies by. A new year. A new start. It feels good.

I’m looking forward to the next year: baby learning how to crawl, growing some teeth, learning how to walk. It’s amazing how quickly and profoundly her world changes. It makes me have glimpses of memory of my childhood, and how imagination colored my world in such a beautiful way. I miss that. I miss just doing creative things and being creative.

I’m determined to do a creativity 365 project. I want to do one creative thing every single day… whether it’s writing a poem, taking a photograph, choreographing a movement, etc.

Pretty hilarious… but is it wrong? I guess it’s the least we can ask from her, since she does get around-the-clock, free slave labor out of us.

I think she forgot all about her traumatic experience, though, when she opened her first of many Christmas presents from her Marmee (my mom). She made a handmade Pooh Bear stocking and  bought her a “baby’s first Christmas” ornament. So super cute! Now, if I can just avoid giving her my Christmas presents early, she’ll have an awesome first holiday!

Which was awesome (REALLY awesome, actually)… until we finished and E. remembered that he wasn’t wearing a condom.

Can I just say SHIT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He went out and bought the Next Choice morning after pill, but I waited until yesterday (Thursday) to take it because I was all paranoid about getting sick. So, now I’m taking it and I feel like dog turd and there is a chance that it won’t work, if on the crazy chance I had already ovulated.

My temperatures say I haven’t ovulated yet, but I’m at like day 29 in my cycle, and usually I’m about to start my period by now.

Joy. I can say one thing: This will freakin’ never happen again. I’m NOT ready to have baby number 2 anytime soon. AT ALL.

Next Choice...after the really dumb choice of no birth control.