Here's that movie I was talking about! It's kind of dark...

What does the dog say?

After a harrowing 10 days of traveling (both to Boston and Nashville), all-nighters on labor and delivery, and mounds of paperwork at the office, this Doctor Mom was ready for a few days (really only about 24h) of R&R. Or, should I say, E&D (eating and drinking). And playing of course.

Elizabeth continues to win friends and influence people at all points, including the 4 Bridges Art Festival here in Chattanooga this weekend. This is a venue where we were quite happy of her immobility, as stroller confinement at least prevents expensive "oopsies".

Her newest trick is animal sounds. She especially likes cat and dog, but is getting better with duck and cow. She's also started spearing food with her baby fork, which, for our lazy eater, who would rather smear with her fingers, is quite an accomplishment.

(Of note, I've been trying to upload a video clip since last night, and after the third failed attempt I'm giving up. It was a really good clip, too.)

Time to head to work!

More milestones, more tears

Dr. Mom went to Boston last weekend for a big doctor conference (that wasn't the least bit boring - how geeky of me), and Elizabeth and Daddy got to stay at home and play. While I was away, she had her first official PT visit, and miraculously started moving around more. (maybe the mean physical therapist scared her into not being afraid of her push-along lion anymore)

Since Saturday she's been making laps around the house and up and down the hallway pushing Mr. Lion and looking totally cute, giggling when he plays a little song. Tonight, she cruised for a mere three steps around her Neurosmith activity block. Now we're cooking with gas! And when she fell down, she actually caught herself!

Little Lizzy Beth has also become quite the scat master. No, not that which comes out the backside of wild animals. Music. She's been making up her own little songs, they go like this: ba-ba-bum-bum-daa, da-da-da. Or something similar. With a melody and little dance to go along. It's hysterical.

She's also continued to sit herself up in bed, get stuck in the bedposts, and scream bloody murder. Sunday night, it lasted for at least 2 hours. Tonight, not so bad - only 30 minutes. Hopefully her next milestone will be laying back down.

Off to write a lecture for tomorrow on the wonders of the IUD. We'll call it, "how not to procreate like rabbits 101"

Up on her own

Usually, Elizabeth goes to bed without so much as a peep. 20 seconds of "no, please, mommy not bed not now" crying and she's done. Tonight, she screamed bloody murder for nearly a half hour.

When I went into her room, presuming I would find a teething not-quite-toddler seriously pissed off about bedtime, I was more than abruptly surprised to find her sitting up in the corner of her crib, straddle-legged, with one leg stuck out one side of the crib, and the other stuck out the back. She was stuck - and apparently had something to cry about. You see, Elizabeth is a wee bit slow in the movement department, and has only once before, in 18 months, been found upright in her crib. So we had a little celebration in her room (after I carefully removed her poor ankles from between the crib rungs) about what a big girl she is.

I don't think she understood the significance of our little celebration, but it made her daddy and I think she may move on her own after all. She just enjoyed the attention, the Tylenol, and the cup of "wahwah" she doesn't usually get at such a late hour.

Fork? I don't need no stinking fork!

18 month olds don't like veggies. But they DO like pasta sauce. And they WILL eat veggies disguised as spaghetti smothered in sauce and cheese.

My 18 month old eschews manners and utensils, in favor of a more visceral food satisfaction. It's full contact dinner. It tastes much better when she's up to her elbows in it.