Hanging With Mollie

Dear Laney,

Yesterday, we went over to your friend Mollie's house and had your picture taken together. Mollie let you borrow a barrette for the photo shoot, which was very nice...but also unnecessary, since you don't have much hair on your head. Mollie's mom Virginia had to work hard to make that clip stay up there. It was mostly a pity barrette.

Mollie seems to be a little better at holding her head up, but that's to be expected since you're dealing with a heavier load.

You both looked beautiful, and I know you'll have a full head of hair someday.

I promise.

Love,
Mom

Things That Have Made Their Way To Your Mouth:

A bottle. A binky.

A blue teething ring.

Your big right toe.

The straps on your swing.

Your fingers. Your thumbs.

A banana (just half).

A small pink spoon.

A rubber giraffe.

Your jammies. Your hat.

A clump of Mom’s hair.

A Tupperware lid.

A teaspoon of pear.

But we're not concerned -

It's a source of great pride...

That you approach life

With your mouth open wide.

Oh, I Give Up

Dear Laney,

Apparently, you want to skip the part of your development where somebody else feeds you, and skip right to the part where you feed yourself.

Fine.

Gus, you can bat clean up.

Love,

Mom

Good Morning To You. I Live In a Zoo.

Dear Laney,

I am starting to suspect that you are 95% beautiful baby and 5% howler monkey.

click here

But you're my favorite good morning monkey.

Love,

Mom

Hamtastic

Dear Laney,

Every day, you're becoming more of a little grown-up - which is great - but it doesn't mean I'm not going to miss so many things about your little baby body.

In fact, if I had to pick the thing I'll miss the most, it would be your feet. They are pink and perfect and deliciously chubby. I say "delicious," because they look like little hams. I could put them between two slices of bread and eat them up.

But instead, I settle for kissing them 8000 times a day. Hope you don't mind.

Love,

Mom

Cheese Fries, Please

Dear Laney,

Tonight, we had dinner at Outback Steakhouse with your Aunt Brynn and Uncle Nate.

I had the crab cakes. You had four pacifiers, two teething toys, a box of crayons, our undivided attention, three teaspoons of sweet potatoes, a crying jag, and a walk around the parking lot with Nate.

I took you to the bathroom for a diaper change and while you were crying, a 3 year old girl walked in and asked you, "WHAT HAPPENED?!?"

Preach, sister.

Love,

Mom

Laney & Sophie

Dear Laney,

Here is something I shouldn't admit to you...in fact, if you ever ask me about it, I'll deny I ever wrote it, but here goes: When you don't feel good, I'm willing to throw money at the problem.

This is why you're now in possession of an $18 specially-formulated rubber giraffe from a small factory in France. Sophie the Teething Giraffe even has a little squeaker inside her, and she makes Ella NUTS. But you love her, and that's what's important.

In fact, if you could talk, I bet you'd say "Hey, Mom, thanks for going out of your way to find me such an AWESOME teething toy."

And I bet if Sophie could talk, she'd say "Ow! Quit chewing on my leg! That HURTS!"

Just kidding.

Love,

Mom

Your Big Round Head: Full Disclosure

Dear Laney,

When I wrote yesterday that your round head was my fault, you were only getting half the story. I got MY round head from my father, so really you should blame him. Or thank him, because you're awfully cute.

My grandmother (Philip's mother) was called "Mama Lee," and she had this photo of Philip hanging up in her front room for decades. Mama Lee was quite a character, and I hate you won't get to meet her. When we were little and our parents did something we didn't like, my cousin Heidi and I could tattle to Mama Lee, and she would head off to give them a spanking with her little cutting board, even though they were in their forties.

Mama Lee wasn't big on hygiene, but her food was so good no one cared. To this day, when I smell chicken grease, I get nostalgic for Mama Lee's kitchen.

After my parents got married, Mama Lee would ask Peg all the time, "When are you going to have a baby?" And Peg would say "As soon as you take down that picture of Philip with the huge head." Mama Lee never took down the picture, and Peg eventually had me anyway...

So that I could grow up and have you...

and pass on the tradition of the big Lee head.

You're welcome.

Love,

Mom

One Whole Branch Of Your Family Tree

Dear Laney,

Remember a few days ago when Peg Peg wrote a note on here about how there was once a picture taken of the four generations before you? If not, you should be paying better attention to this blog.

Anyhoo, here's the picture she was talking about. You can learn a few things from this image:

1) You come from a long line of amazing women.

2) Your big round head is 100% my fault.

3) Your grandmother used to have TERRIBLE taste in shorts.

Love,

Mom

Not-So-Tough Guy

Dear Laney,

Last night we were watching a not-so-good movie about a man trying to make it to his daughter's wedding. While we were watching it, I said, "You know, Laney will probably get married one day." Your dad responded: "And I will cry."

This is saying a lot because, on average, your dad cries once every three years (and then it's only if we've lost a loved one or had a baby.)

I think it's going to take your dad a long time to get used to the idea that you might grow up one day, so you might want to hold off on getting married until you're at least twenty five.

thirty.

thirty five.

forty.

Love,

Mom

A Birthday Shout Out

...But Sweet Potatoes Are Heaven

Teething is Hell

There once was a baby named Laney
Who wasn't just pretty, but brainy!
She said to her gums
As they gnawed on her thumbs,
"This teething could drive me insaney."

Business in Front, Party In The Back

Dear Laney,

You have been accused by some people - including your Aunt Brynn last night - of sporting the hairstyle known as "The Mullet."

In case you don't know, a "Mullet" is a hairdo preferred by fans of NASCAR, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Alabama Crimson Tide football. And this does NOT describe you.

At least not yet.

Love,

Mom

A New Year, A New Us

Dear Laney,

Happy New Year!

This year, you and I celebrated by going to bed at 6pm. We are PARTY ANIMALS. Your dad at least stayed up until 9 watching football, which makes him slightly cooler than us. About 3 hours cooler.

Your dad and I have decided that we're going to get in shape in 2010, so we busted out the Baby Jogger and took you for a long walk. I'm glad you like it in that thing, because it's going to take a lot of walks to burn off all the deep-fried goodness I've fed your dad over the past few years.

Love,

Mom