Last night a sweaty, sleepy Baba O’Riley woke up crying and sobbing, so after Hubby tried to soothe him, I sat down in the chair in Baba’s room, held him, told him to put his head down on my shoulder, and I’d sing him a song. He’d probably had a nightmare or something, because he kept hiccuping and crying before settling down finally, and after 2 verses of “The Wheels on the Bus,” he sighed and went back to sleep on my shoulder.

There’s nothing like that moment when a baby gives a big sigh and snuggles into your neck and shoulder, falling back asleep. Perfect. 

Things I am happy about:

Obama today signs a presidential memorandum extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal workers.

I slept really really well.

Freebird talked to me this morning about school, and told me he is good at hugging his friends and his friends like him. He was very proud for being a good hugger. I told him this is an important thing to be good at, and good hugs are wonderful.

Freebird really is good at hugging.

Baba O’Riley came to greet me at school when I picked him up yesterday, and grabbed my keys. Then he said, “Look, I have keys!”
Me: “You going to drive?”
Baba: “Yes. Drive.”

That is excellent news for everyone in the household. I call shotgun.

I am listening to Hubby explaining to Freebird that the reason Darby from My Friends Tigger and Pooh isn’t in any of his older Pooh book is because Pooh and Tigger hadn’t met Darby yet. She’s a new friend.

Neither is Lumpy, the oddly British-sounding elephant (not that being British is odd), in the older books. Freebird is very confused about this absence of characters.

Baba, meanwhile, is singing the alphabet. But only through “G.”

I had a thing after work last night - a reading of romance fiction at Lady Jane’s Salon in SoHo - and as a result I got home after the boys went to bed. And I left before they woke up. So I haven’t seen Freebird or Baba since Sunday night. In my mind, that is a long ass time.

I miss my dudes!

Traveling this year for book promotion and the like is going to be tough. 

Friday was awesome. I ordered balloons (in GIRL colors - which I never get to do with two dudes) and we brought in Boston Market and we feasted. There was also cake, and thus Baba O’Riley has a new favorite food.

Saturday was errands and house hanging.

Sunday was awesome. We decided to each spend some time solo with each boy and allow Freebird to skip his nap. He was exhausted at the end of the day but he was SO much fun. He’s so good at playing by himself and becoming absorbed in his activities that I forget he would probably love time with just one of his parents - and he did. He and I went to fetch our grocery order (order online, pick up at the store, save about 90 minutes and pay $10 extra, or $5 with the coupon in the mail = LOVE) and then to CVS to pick out a new toothbrush for him. He insisted on carrying the basket through the store for me. Then he and I cleaned out Mommy’s Car and Daddy’s Car. He was so into crawling all over the car and deciding whether something was trash (very likely) or a toy to be saved for later car rides. I would have taken him to get a car wash and interior vacuum, but it was raining and would have been a waste of money. Maybe in next month’s budget we’ll wash Mommy’s car and watch it go through the car wash.

I also took time both days to work out and am profoundly proud of myself for that.

While I always have piles and piles of work to do, I have to make myself stop and put the computer down and away, and let myself cross stitch quietly, or hang out with my dudes one at a time or together. Yesterday was wonderful. Note to self: do it again. 

Enough about my acne, though, I will say: when I was the Accutane a bunch of years ago, name brand or generic didn’t make a difference for my insurance. I paid $5. Now? Accutane would be nearly $1700 a month, with $700 of that cost falling to me. Generic: not so much a problem. 100% covered. Holy shitecrackers.

But this is more about Baba O’Reilly. Really? No, O’Reilly. He’s 16 months old, and entirely, extremely, hugely verbal. And I take for granted all the things he can say. So I figured I’d try to write down all his words so I don’t forget them when he’s older.

His brother’s name (first said that at about 7 or 8 months, though it came out without the final consonant)
Mommy
Daddy
Logan
Kitty
Meow
Moon
Chicken
Nom
Please
Thank you
Bless you
Here you go
Up Please
Shoes
Feet
This
TV
Wiggles
Dora (said as DORADORADORADORADORA!)
Diego
I did it! (said both as accompaniment to “Dora the Explorer” and also independent of the show. “Did you finish your dinner?” Baba: “I did it!")
That’s Not Nice! (Said whenever we say no to him)
Don’t want it.
Bottle
Jacket
Milk
Hello
Bye bye
Grandpa (Pee-pa, actually)
Grammy
Jess
Bear
Color
Book
Poop
Super Why!
Hot dog (hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog!)
Doggy
Carrot
Cheese (said when I hold up my iPhone to take a picture)
Car
Elmo

Two nights ago, I had a mellow, perfect evening with the boys. Both were happy to be home, ate their dinner, went to bed quietly, and were very peaceful and friendly. I was so pleased and so relaxed by the time they were both in bed.

Last night? Not so much. I’m guessing that Freebird didn’t have a nap, because the minute I arrived he was in melt-down mode, and didn’t stop having a tantrum until we got home. Holy shit. And when he finally went to bed? He was asleep within minutes.

If he’s about to drop a nap, only to suffer for it at the end of the day, I want to talk to whomever decided this developmental milestone was a good idea. No nap dropping. Period.