…celebrating Brandyn’s 10th Birthday today in Mexican style… their mom did a wonderful job creating a fun fiesta-themed pool party. Could not stop laughing at Brett in a moustache though. …and a bunch of moustached 10-year old boys that looked like testosterone gone wrong.

Happy Birthday, Brandyn!

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.