Adventures in Being Myself

Yes, we still bathe him in the kitchen sink. But, our kitchen sink is large enough to bath a 5-year-old, so this practice does not qualify me for Worst Mama points . Besides, see that kid-stuff drainboard in the background that is chock-full of bath toys? Yeah, he loves them. Zane at 8-1/2 months. The bath toys are great, Pop, but what I REALLY want is that camera! He has a crooked smile like his Mama. Such a sweet face!

A longer update about our Z is in order, but these shots can't wait for my writer's block to subside. These are some of my favorite current pictures of my baby: Sitting up like a big boy, playing with his favorite toy. Oh, please don't ever stop doing this... Silly Mama Silly Baby Adapt-a-Baby asleep in the rented infant seat traveling through Canada

When Ashley and I were growing up, we spent a lot of time in the Florida Keys. Our dad spent his high school years in Homestead and loved everything about the Keys: boating, fishing, spearfishing, snorkeling, diving, lobstering, drinking green-bottled beer after a great day on the water, everything. Our mom fell in love with the Keys, too, after going there with our dad. Our parents are really cool people. They took us pretty much everywhere, including most vacations. Every summer, after returning from our annual 6-week stay with Grandmama and Grandaddy in Fort Deposit, we headed to Marathon for three weeks of swimming with angel fish and sargent majors; tickling lobsters from their lairs; eating cuban crackers topped with squeeze cheese; drinking ice-cold Chek-brand flavored soda from Winn-Dixie; boating; lots of sun; fish, dirty rice and beans for supper; one day-trip to Key West; and always one night at Pizza Hut. Until our parents built the house at Quiet Water in 1985, we spent ...

I don't buy into the idea that summer ends on Labor Day. It must be a by-product of living in Southwest Florida where daily high temperatures remain solidly in the 90's until mid-October. Even so, tomorrow is the autumnal equinox (the forecast high in Fort Myers is 90 degrees...) that marks the official end of "summer." This summer has been really special for me because I vowed to do nothing this summer except spend time with Zane and PG. It was a lesson in letting go. Pre-baby and, to a great extent, during Zane's third - fifth months, my life was a whirlwind of Junior League, work, Session, travel...Always more "stuff" and always go-go-go. Last summer and fall, despite being pregnant, I worked my tail off. I kept a regular schedule at work, and I filled every spare minute with coordinating the largest fundraiser of the year for the Junior League. I was managing everything pretty well, but I was not spending any time on ME, or basking in the wondrous pr...

One of the most fun adventures of the summer was getting Zane to eat. Compared to stories we had heard, we think he is a very good eater. However, at first, we tried very, um, creative , strategies for getting food into his mouth (read: using a pacifier as a spoon) In these photos, Zane was soooooooo tired and he was a hot mess; but, he ate!

PG's first OFFICIAL Father's Day This photograph makes me smile. Zane at 6 months. PG at 42 years.

My first OFFICIAL Mother's Day* PG and Zane treated me to the most excellent Mother's Day ever. PG let me sleep in while he and Zane made my favorite blueberry pancakes for breakfast in bed. We spent the remainder of the day chilling on our back porch and enjoying the pool and jacuzzi. Mother's Day 2008 was also Zane's 5-month birthday. After we enjoyed blueberry pancakes, Zane wowed us with his rice-cereal-eating prowess. He ate like a champion from the very first bite of solid food! Zane at five months. Paige at 37 years. *( yeah, we're not going there about last year...when I didn't KNOW I was pregnant...and was recovering from bronchitis...and enjoying MANY pina coladas with Myers floaters at the pool at Useppa...no, no, we're not going there...)