No TV Before 2...

I guess this is why that recommendation is there!

From Maxine Month 14

I don't think I'm frying Max's brain by letting her watch Sesame Street, but I can see how it could get easy to stick your kid in front of something captivating so you can get a few things done.

The summer of contests!

Here's yet another amazing one I found!

Win a Bum Genius 3.0 Starter Kit from Nature's Child - Wholesome Goods for Mothers and Babies

Holy Babywearing!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

50 Foot Trees

A couple of nights ago during one of the terrential downpours that is apparently quite common during the North Carolina summer, the wind started picking up and the trees started swaying.

Now, these aren't just 'trees'. These are Trees. They are very tall, very thin, well, there is a forest behind our house! So the fifty foot tall trees are swaying back and forth during the thunderstorm, and I'm watching them in awe wondering how they stay up. Then in a flash I see one fly over and crash down - right on top of the playset!! Upon further inspection it was a near miss to the playset, thank goodness, and it landed about 5' to the right, probably missing it by just inches.

Now the one a couple feet to the left of the fallen tree has a big chunk missing from the trunk, presumably where it started to break during the storm. Guess we're rolling the dice on that one!

She's getting so big!

I thought it was time for a Maxine update so here goes.

She's been crawling now for about 3 weeks. She learned to pull up about a week ago and she's been slowly and carefully cruising the furniture. Her favorite activity is walking with mom or dad, and she's getting enough courage to let go with one hand. She's gotten super fast at crawling too so there's no more leaving her for just a second while I do something. She's off before I know it!

She's got 6 teeth now, 4 on top and 2 on the bottom. Hopefully those teeth will take a break for awhile, 6 weeks ago she had NO teeth. wz`

She's EXTREMELY social and grunts hello at everyone who passes by. If they don't turn and talk to her, she grunts again, louder! Hey!! Lookit me!! She continues to get a ton of attention, primarily because of her big blue eyes that everyone asks about since mom and dad are both brown eyed.

She's sweet natured and rarely gets upset. If she's hungry she tells you, but otherwise she's a quiet kid who just watches the world.

She's learning to dance and loves to jump and rock on her legs. She loves to swing on the playset and could it for hours.

The hundred degree heat isn't phasing her, she doesn't make a peep!

Finally, here are some Max photos over the last month.

Ignore the bad grammar...

But enjoy the photos: http://icanhascheezburger.com/category/invisible/

The Bachelorette

I've never watched The Bachelor OR The Bachelorette before, but for whatever reason (probably the lack of Tivo the last week or so) I was drawn into the previews. So here I am, it's nearly midnight on a Tuesday and I'm finishing the second episode of The Bachelorette. It's so odd, this artificial environment where 15 men are trying to fall in 'love' with one woman they have never met, yet just know she is The One. Seeing the testosterone come out (particularly with several of professional athletes - one being a mullet-loving shiny-suit-wearing martial artist), the competitive nature of the show is I imagine more pronounced than in the shows where 15 women are after one man (though I have no doubts the catfights abound there too).

It's weird, and I sit and judge these people for trying to find love in this 21st century way, but I am still watching. I wonder what that says about me...

I am just sad the oyster farmer didn't make the cut.