Happy Mother's Day

Billy likes picnics, red wagons, anything I am eating, beer (no, I do not give him beer--but he does try to take it), and chocolate ice cream. Which I know he probably shouldn't eat for a lot of reasons. Oh well.

Wait--it's May? Where did April Go?

Okay, I feel like I lost April.

Brief recap: after my parents left, Ace came home to rest for a few days in between tour dates. He came down with the flu from hell, ended up canceling the New Orleans part of the tour, and stayed in bed for more than a week. At the same time, our babysitter was in Mexico with another family, and a dear friend who often saves the day with babysitting was struck down with the same flu.

So we were screwed.

Here's the thing, parents to be: have a backup. Have 20 backups. Don't think you can flit along like I did. Billy's girlfriend, the beautiful four-month-old Annaliese, invited him over for one day, which totally rocked, for me and for him. But for the rest, we were pretty much on our own to work full time and take care of the little man full time.

We made it. Just barely. Helped along by the fact that although he is a handful during the day--one of the most active eight-month-olds in the history of eight-month-olds--he is blessedly easier at night than before. I guess that's the tradeoff as they get older. That and beauteousness.




So the week from hell without childcare drove home something I had been flirting with for a while: it's time to do daycare. Can't justify the expense of a full-time nanny, though that would be nice; and working is a good thing.

In my pre-child naivete, I really really believed that I could work from home and be a full-time caregiver. It's just not possible. We tried for a long time, and I think we did an okay job, and I wouldn't trade my one on one Billy time for anything in the universe. When he was younger, it made sense for a lot of reasons, but I really underestimated how quickly babies grow up and need more than you can give them while checking your email and doing a conference call.

So, parents to be, even if you think you won't do daycare, go ahead and get on a list somewhere. Because that crap is more competitive than the Ivy League. At the best place in Oxford, babies are on the waiting list that haven't even been conceived yet.

Ace is finally back and well, so we gussied ourselves up Tuesday afternoon and went around throwing ourselves on the mercy of daycare ladies all over Oxford. We won't get our first choice, but we did okay, I think. So in a couple of weeks, Billy starts daycare. I'll go at lunch to feed him and will probably go home a little early and work late from home, but I know I will still cry like a baby when I drop him off. We're buds.
The family celebrated Cinco de Mayo at our favorite Water Valley Mexican joint. Billy models his new Guayabera shirt. Too bad dad's not wearing his.

When he doesn't notice he's doing it, he stands up on his own. As soon as he looks around and realizes he's not holding on to anything, you can see "Oh, crap," cross into his head and he immediately sits down. But if you distract him, he'll even take a step or two toward you. Give it a week. He'll be trucking.

And I think he's saying mama. When he wants me, he lifts his arms and says "Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma." Which I'm claiming as mama. He doesn't call Ace mamamamama, so I think he does know the difference.

Another milestone: first swimming pool!

After Ace did a book event in south Alabama, we met him at Ty and Charlie's house in Orange Beach. Billy got to hang with his grandmother and go swimming in her pool. I knew he would love it, because bath time is his favorite thing. He did indeed.

I wasn't sure how to handle the incredibly waterlogged diaper, so I just took it off poolside and let everything air. You know I like any excuse for nekkid baby pictures:


ETA: oh, and thanks to Gran and Grandpa Jack for the totally perfect Radio Flyer classic red wagon in the first picture, which they picked out old school style at our hardware store in Water Valley. Awesome.