Every morning of my young life I would smell freshly brewed coffee wafting from our kitchen.  My parents’ bathrobes always smelled like it.  Like most children I thought it tasted bad.  I guess I was about 15 when all that changed.  I fell, and fell hard.

The old logo.  They debuted the new one this week.  Oh that wily lady!  How she beckons me!

There’s the new logo.

She did it!  She rolled over!  She’s been trying for awhile now, but couldn’t quite make it over that pesky shoulder.  Charlotte did the tummy-to-back-falling-over-roll weeks ago, but this was the real deal back-to-tummy.

I envisioned this day.  Greyson and I on a warm spring day in the park.  The sun shines down on Charlotte giggling on a vintage quilt when she rolls over.  We film and applaud.  The angels break out in song over this infant milestone.

Yeah, that’s not what happened.  Sadly, we missed her first moments of mobility.  I’m not sure who these mothers are who have the camera at-the-ready and constantly document every first, but I need lessons from them.  Last night I laid her on her play mat in the living room and told Greyson I was going to take a shower.  He was nearby in the kitchen and said he’d be in there in a minute.  I stripped down and waited for the water to heat up. I may or may not have been picking a zit in the mirror when I heard a surprised and slightly panicked voice shout “Amy!”

I ran out to the living room.  Greyson’s eyes were wide as he asked, “Did you put her down on her tummy?!”  “What?!  No,” I said.  He pointed down to her, and there she was, on her little milk filled belly, looking very surprised.

I jumped up and down, squealing and laughing.  I clapped with pride.  I scooped up my little roller and kissed her, congratulating her on her big achievement.  Greyson looks out the back door at Ginger.  “She’s pooping, let me get a bag to pick it up.”  He plays the responsible neighbor and cleans the dog’s deposit from the back yard.

He did leave the door open while doing this.  Remember I said I had “stripped down”?  Yep, there I was, naked as the day I was born, with the back door open, singing to my baby as Greyson picked up dog crap.

And that’s the story of Charlotte rolling over.  Can’t wait to put that one in the baby book.

Okay, so this is a little late, but I’ve been kind of swamped.  Here ya go…

Dear Charlotte,
I took you to your 4 month checkup today.  We’ve gotten into a groove over at your pediatrician’s office and know the routine now.  I stripped you down to your diaper and took you over to the scale.  12 lbs. on the nose! You are hardly a heavyweight, only in the 17% percentile, but the doctor is really happy with your rate of growth.

You got more shots and all that.  But, what I’ll remember most from this appointment is when I left you with the nurse because I needed to use the bathroom.  We were still waiting for the doctor.  I finished up and went back to our exam room.  You and the nurse were nowhere to be found.  I turned the corner.  No nurse.  No you.

My mama bear alarm started to go off a little.  Where was my cub?!  When I rounded the next corner to the nurses station I found you, and I should have known.  There you were, wearing only your diaper, entertaining a group of 5 or 6 nurses.  You smiled at them, and giggled.  Every one of them wanted to hold you and told me how sweet you were.

They’re right.  You are.

Your teachers at school love you.  They say you are the easiest baby in the class.  They say you smile all the time and describe you as “very social” as you chatter away.  I gotta tell you kid, you get that honest.  Daddy and I were never wallflowers.

I’m so proud to take you everywhere and show off my cute little cub to the world.  I love you, my darling, darling girl.

Love,
Mama

My little cub rocking her signature bow, a little askew, but still awesome.

One year ago today I took a test.  It wasn’t a hard test, mind you, but I was proud to have passed with flying colors pink lines.

I know.  I peed on this.  That’s gross.  I’m sorry.

Our junk works!- February 28, 2010

I felt funny.  I just knew.  I really just knew.  I was going to wait until March 1, a new month to find out such big news.  The First Response insert said to wait.  Then it would be 99.9% accurate.  I can’t compete with those odds.

But, after Greyson and I came home from watching the USA/Canada Gold Medal hockey game in the Olympics, I had to. We ate chicken wings and chips with our best friends Dave and Trish.  I had to have a Ginger Ale afterwards.  I played off the Ginger Ale by telling Trish I went to “the bad place.”  (This is Trish’s euphamism for eating so much you regret it.)  It was the end of my work week.  I couldn’t wait anymore.  

So after falling asleep for the end of the game.  (I know, it was a buzzer beater Gold Medal game, but I was pregnant…even just barely so.)  My hockey lover came home later, a little deflated the US team lost.  I stared through him, hearing just parts of his rambling, “….Ryan Miller named Olympic MVP,” and “I just don’t think Crosby is the best guy in the league….”  

At this point, I got up off the couch.  “Okay, I was gonna wait until tomorrow, but I’m doing it now.”  This got Barry Melrose’s attention.  “A pregnancy test?  Is it time?” he asked.  “Yep,” I said.  

So I grabbed the remaining stick in the package in the bathroom.  I took the other about two months ago.  This was the fourth month sans birth control.  I was shocked at how quickly both pink lines popped up.  I gave it a minute, okay, like 15 seconds and I peeked around the corner of the bedroom into the living room and grinned.

He smiled back.  I showed him the test.  “See, two lines.  I mean, I know it’s gross ’cause I peed on it,” I said.  “One line isn’t as dark as the other.  Is that okay?” Greyson asked.  “Yeah, it’s okay,” I said.  (I confirmed this with a quick look-up in What to Expect Before You’re Expecting a little later.)  

We looked at each other a little bewildered, not sure what to say.  He grabbed me and held me among hugs and kisses.  He even got on his knees and kissed my flat (ish) belly.  

We talked about being careful and not too excited.  It’s so early.  But, I said, “At least we know our Junk works.”  We high fived.  

Before we fell asleep we laid in the bed and said a prayer for strength and help.  We were both too tired to realize what changes were ahead and how we should appreciate any nights left alone.  

Isn’t this cuter than a stick I peed on?  Isn’t amazing one leads to another?