i’m feeling completely criminal for posting on top of my birth story. ‘cuz i could have left that up forever…because i think it’s my favorite post ever…in the history of mankind. and just very, very dear to me. i still can’t believe it’s taken me this long to write it. and since i wrote it, i find myself rereading it…and still crying…and then going back and adding more and more…like the little purple crown that someone put on her head in the warming bed. or the craving for a bottle of coke i had seconds after she came out…and the way i savagely sucked it down in three seconds flat when i finally got my hands on it…and reached for a basin straight after. or how she sounded like a baby pterodactyl with her little newbie screeches when katie welcomed her with her first bath in the tub next to me. or reaching for the phone minutes after she was born to call our family…and hoping she’d give a little cry so they could hear her, and–what i really want to say is this: if you haven’t taken the time to write your birth story…no matter how old your babies are, or how long you’ve waited. just do it. for them.
i suppose i’m going to have to move away from this birth story thing eventually…
so…some little sumthin’s we’ve been doin’ round here:
my friend leah and her family raised $7200 for the american cancer society last year, and they’re trying to beat their goal this year. her boy adrey is a cutie…but i haven’t edited his pics yet! so, in the meantime, here’s her sweet little nieces…helpin’ them with some advertising.
…and then gracie & ellie today: peace & love, baby.
…and another one of my beloved sister & her girls from last week…
…and, finally, tisha…i won’t let you down. a post without lainey is just no post at all, is it?
…from our walk last friday…at my dad’s place down here…this beautiful boardwalk trails into this serengeti-looking field and then ends at a tiki hut hangin’ right over the gulf. beautiful. and while we were on our walk, this little old man and this little old lady were ridin’ their bikes in opposite directions…we were smack in the middle and, to avoid hitting us, they both swerved their bikes and like majorly crashed into each other…we’re talking, tangled handlebars and loud bang/crash noises. no one was hurt…promise…which is why i can guiltlessly tell you i (waited until they pedaled out of view and then) bent over and laughed ’til i cried.
oh, and see that last bottom-right picture? yup. she skips. skips, i tell you. she doesn’t talk much, but she skips…and holds a pencil like we do. that’s right. tightly gripped above her ring finger and perfectly held into place with her middle and thumb. and yesterday, she drew an “n.” not kidding. in fact, this picture proves, she not only drew an “n” but, if you look closely, a “y” and a “c” as well. swear, this was all her. hello? the girl quite obviously wants to go to new york.
so we might not be verbal until five, but her her fine motor skills are on fire. i’m thinkin’ artist. or maybe writer. a little right-brained mini-me, perhaps. which would suit my fancy just fine. (though i would love an analytical little thinker just as much).
…enjoying the birth-stories-still-trump-every-post things.
oh…and lastly…singalong junk is such a great song. i’m just sayin’.
screw verbal.
you know that little one is gonna just start talking and never stop at some point here.
enjoy the peace while you have it.
n. y. c.
you must take that girl to new york city. she’s practically begging for the big apple.
love every picture and moment you capture. you know that right? someday … you must take a picture of the girls and i on a beach. and i promise to make it big and hang it over my fireplace. mmm-k?
and your music choices? everytime i’m here … i find another cd i need.
Love that sweet pic of your sis and her girls.
And, New York City is my favorite. Lainey, you are brilliant.
And, so funny that you laughed at the bike crash. Guiltlessly laughed.
And, so she isn’t talking. She has amazing teeth. I wonder if Margot will ever get her teeth. Speaking of talking, bug looks at me intently about eleventy hundred times a day and says nawh whay. Kinda sounds like no way but that isn’t it. I am dying to know what it is.
Oh, goodness. I am tired.
Good Night.
some are all talk and some are all acti8on. LL is all action! She’s on fire! She’ll probably start talking all at once. One day it’s nothing the next day she’ll be reciting the books you read. You did say you wanted her to be creative and one doesnt need verbal skill to show creativity, but one does need fine motor skills. 🙂
Jonah still has problems getting the fork into his mouth properly. lol, he’s a barbarian that usually resorts to using his hands…and sometimes whole face to eat (he lifts the bowl to his face and dives in). I tell myself it’s a boy thing not a lack of motor skills thing…makes me feel better. haha!
We need to get these 2 together just imagine the things they would teach each other!
Maybe Lainey would wink and say to Jonah, “Shake it baby, Shake it baby…one, two, three…” Remember, with Kelle, there are no secrets.
ha. oh, whatever! that was tasha, not tisha, and that was what? twenty years ago? i think the cat’s out-of-the-bag by now.
oh i hope lainey teaches jonah her best moves!!
the black and white tights with red shoes are so wizard of oz.
ooh, Wizard of Oz was exactly what I was thinking! Love the picture of your girl skipping! Mine is six, and I don’t think SHE knows how to skip.
always love me some hippie love….those are great pics.
love you
singalong junk…knew i loved it and stayed up in bed not able to sleep until i placed the scene. i knew someone was gettting loved on…counldn’t rememeber who.
damn, sam…i wanted to sleep…
woo hoo…jerry maguire lickin’ up renee’s shoulder!!!!!!
pics are lovely!
Skipping?! oh my …. too cute. Great pictures!
NYC is too dangerous for her! Please teach her to write Mayberry stat! Might be longer, but it’s a lot safer there!
I love how you treat her outfits like a blank canvas and dabble in all the different colors and textures!!
Love all the pictures! There will be several people happy and surprised at the pictures and cards you are making.
Loved Lainey’s letters. The ones that don’t talk are the deep thinkers.
Just re-read this post out of the blue. Do you think she wrote “n” and “c” for Nella Cordelia? Spooky, but beautiful. 🙂 🙂