Jenny's in the Backseat of the Car and Other Fun Things

My melodious voice singing 'Jenny's in the Backseat of the Car', trademark CR/09, as requested by Aunt N.;


Some photos of Princess VonFattybottom taken during a photo shoot yesterday morning. The trick for good toddler pics? Cheerios, plain and simple.
I got nothing done this weekend around the house, but threw a few tasty items into the freezer (Chicken Enchiladas, made with a chicken I roasted especially for the dish, stuffed with garlic and covered in a chipotle rub, because you know how I am). The 5-hour Energy shots do not seem to help any longer. I guess I'm just too energy-resistant lately.

It rained a lot, but since it stayed warm, that meant - free splashpad in our driveway! Jelly and I spent some time outside this weekend playing in the mud, which she thought was pretty awesome (video available in the sidebar if interested in cute, dirty baby).

It's crazy to see her push herself up to standing and walk. One of the most bizarre effects of motherhood is that every phase feels like it's going to last forever, good or bad, and when it's gone it seems like it was a blink of an eye. Late nights awake with a newborn, baby baldness, teething, crawling - you feel like they'll never end, that you'll always have a child that exact age doing those exact things, but then the next day you wake up and she's a whole different person. I broke one of my Before I Had a Baby, Ha Ha rules yesterday and made Jellybean a peanut butter sammich, because she had refused the last 3 meals I'd put in front of her. I had always vowed I would NEVER OMG NEVER be the mother who made their child something separate from what I was having or because they didn't like it, because CHILDREN WON'T STARVE THEMSELVES, DARNIT! But, uh, it's a little different when your eater won't eat. So yes, Jellybean's tastebuds are changing (pasta is so disgusting! why would I give that to a baby?! enchiladas are the best thing ever! why have you been hiding them from me?!). She likes different toys now. She thinks her new shoes are the best thing ever (yeah, I'm in trouble there). She likes to pick out her own clothes (and makes some very good choices). I'm constantly adapting. Flexibility is my new mantra.

She's also hitting some other cool milestones, a few of them a little early. She can pick out and point to certain objects in books when asked (like, 'Where's the teddy?'), an 18-mo concept. She's trying to create her own signs if I don't understand what she wants. She applies previous knowledge to new things. She's incredible. I like her, but don't tell anyone.