I hate them. Hopefully, she never asks for one. Their boobs scare me. And I think it’s weird that you have to “become” the Barbie to play with her. I won’t refuse one if she wants one…I’ll just use every tactic I know to distract her away from them. Don’t get me wrong…I know plenty of girls who played with Barbies that turned out lovely…it’s just a personal thing.

…but I LOVE baby dolls. With baby dolls, you still get to be you, but you get to be a mommy version of you. I bought her first baby doll when she was two months old. And I have dreamed of playing baby dolls with her for years…little doll clothes, strollers, bottles, the whole nine yards. I think it makes little girls nurturing and loving and motherly, and I love that. (not that I won’t love her just the same if she chooses to be a liberal non-child-producing Mattel CEO).

Today, the lightbulb went off. Out of the blue, she became a baby doll mommy. Kisses them, feeds them, holds them. For the first time, she even took her pacifier out of her mouth, put it in her baby’s mouth and made little sucking noises. I can’t get over how much fun it’s been today to see her as a mommy.

I love this pic…just peekin’ over the cradle tendin’ to her baby… oh, this dolly thing is heaven.

…and we had our 12 month appointment today…big saddies with 2 shots and 2 vials of blood drawn. Two words: Heart. Wrenching. I hate that she doesn’t know why this is all happening, but Lainey Love is a trooper and was smiling in no time! We love our pediatrician too…so loving and caring and always pushes the natural route. We’ve been through so much with her! Why I love her today: not pushing me to switch to a sippy. “It’ll come when it comes.” Lainey thanks you. She loves her ba-ba.

1. Apologize to Baby Gap staff for rearranging their displays for our photo op (you have to admit…it is pretty darn cute) …thank you Kelly for this lovely idea…and for being the one to take it down. Even if I would have taken it down, I would have still blamed it on you if we got in trouble.

2. Remember to thank God (again) for giving my friend a baby girl too…because I can’t get over how special it is that these two lovies get to grow up together.

3. Teach Lainey where fingers go…and where fingers don’t go.

…oh, and babies in kerchiefs? Hello. Precious.

In her pink baby book, tucked somewhere between the “bringing baby home” page and the immunization chart is “The Page of Firsts,” a special place reserved for careful documentation of all the miraculous things littles do in their first year. I remember being somewhat intimidated by it when I first saw it…laden with blank lines under all the things my little newborn was supposed to do. First smile. First solid foods. First word. First tooth. First Laugh. First time she sits up alone. Everything seemed so far away.

…but, slowly the lines filled. Every month has gifted us another first be it the first time her pudgy little hands could clap out the beat of “Patty Cake” to her first crawl.

At first glace, the page looks complete, full of neat handwriting that curls around the pages in places there wasn’t enough room. There are dates, explanations, and far more details than anyone (besides a slightly neurotic over-documenting first time mommy) would care to read.

But, take a closer look, and there’s one little line that hasn’t been filled, way at the bottom….

…My First Steps…


…hasn’t been filled, that is….until tonight.

Ladies and Gentlemen, a very special thing happened in our home tonight. There were cheers and tears as Cubby finished her final task for her Page of Firsts.

Houston, we have a walker.



*The above photo is a reenactment based on actual events that occured in the Hampton home this evening. The official first steps could not be recorded due to a Mommy and Daddy preoccupied with cheering.
…oh, but the official steps WERE to her daddy…and I’m so happy he got to have that moment!

…more to come on Cubby’s new feat!

…and in other enjoyment today…

an absolutely delicious afternoon thunderstorm sent Cubby and I to my bed where we read books, cuddled under covers and watched t.v.

…and upon Daddy’s return from work, watching him teach Cubby how to blow bubbles

…and then just this face, which reminds me of this recent conversation between B and I:

Brett: You know what?

Me: What?

Brett: If we didn’t have any kids and Lainey was someone else’s baby, and I saw her, I would SOOOO point her out to you and say, “Now that’s the baby I want.”

Me: Me too, Brett. Me too. (Smile)

She ain’t just fabulous ‘cuz she’s ours…she’s fabulous ‘cuz she’s Lainey Love.

…enjoying the small things. ~k