Lucy had a dinner party this afternoon. All those red cups are wine glasses, because "a lot of girls are coming over." I wonder where she learned that.
Also Worth Noting
An additional note on my previous post: I am happy. We are so rich in health and love and stuff (and parties and commitments and welcome obligations), that sometimes our life zooms by too fast for me to feel it.
I felt it today. While Lucy colored her snowflake ornaments and mixed the baking soda and the flour for our cookies. While we watched the butter and sugar in the mixer, and she patted my shoulder. I want to hang this day on our tree.
It's Beginning to Feel A Lot Like...
Today we made Christmas ornaments and chocolate chip cookies. A cold front came in. I finally, belatedly, feel like Christmas.
Tiny!
Ben and Mary Ellen are parents! Madeleine was born at 1:30 Tuesday morning, and we were lucky enough to meet her this evening. She is perfect in every way, with almond-shaped dark blue eyes that look like they'll turn brown, olive skin and a head of brown hair with a golden cast that I am guessing will turn blonde. She looks a lot like Mary Ellen, and she gazed docilely at me as I held her, then fell asleep. No trace of Ben...yet.
Thankful
Thanksgiving was a Major family affair at Bruce's lakehouse in Nocona. While the food was great as always, this year's highlight was the celebration of every holiday, all at once, on Wednesday night — including Easter, Halloween, Mardi Gras, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day and the Fourth of July. Now we can say we were together for all holidays this year.
As part of our Thanksgiving grace, all 20 or so of us went around and said what we were most thankful for. Blake, who is almost six, said he was thankful that we were having another party. Aunt Helen, who is 94, was thankful we could all be together. Lucy was thankful for her mom. I am thankful for all of it.
Lord Help Us
She and Jason are negotiating about whether we are going to watch Noggin or football on the living room TV. She says, "I am warning you. I want to watch my show." Jason won, but I could tell he was momentarily afraid of what she would do.
Makes Own Jokes
This morning I lost my keys and said, "DADGUMMIT," which is a routine I repeat most mornings. From her carseat, Lu said, "Mom, you say, 'dadgummit' and Dad says, 'momgummit.' Isn't that funny?" Well, yes, it is. And it's better than the poop jokes she normally tells.
p.s. My keys were in the trash, where I'd just tossed a bunch of junk from my car.
Bee Movie, A-Plus Kiddo
We took Lucy to the movies with Nini and the Websters yesterday. She made it all the way through (with the help of her thumb and duck). She seemed to enjoy it, although she laughed at inappropriate times.
Space Chat
I just called Maggie and said, "What are you doing?" And she said, "Laney and Lucy are having a video chat."
?
I can hear two tiny, animated voices in the background. What are they talking about? Riding in space cars? BABIES THAT VIDEO CHAT. That is too much future for me.
Maggie's comment: "This is the best thing ever. It's like they're babysittting each other and I don't have to do anything."
I guess I like the future if it involves less parenting.
Priceless
Lucy thinks the word "expensive" means "very special and fabulous and private and don't touch that please, it's mine." Which it does and doesn't. The other day she told Jason her Lego castle was "expensive." He inquired about how much it costs, and she said, "It doesn't cost anything. But it's very expensive." Then when I intruded on a moment of pretend ballet class, she complained, "Mom, ballet class is expensive," and shooed me away.
"Expensive." The highest honor she can bestow on something. I'm so proud.