A Day of Firsts…
So, we got back to the ranch on Monday afternoon from California. On Tuesday, I spent the day in Little Cowboy City at the pediatrician’s, trying to figure out why The Bee has a rash all over her face. Our pediatrician doesn’t think it’s food allergies, although she took us off all dairy and eggs for a full month, just to be sure. Somehow, someway, The Bee has eczema on her face and ears, so it’s a Cortaid week.
On Wednesday, R. had his first-ever colonoscopy scheduled. For some reason I can’t figure out, these are conducted several mountain ranges/valleys over, in a town not particularly known for its stellar medical care. It takes two hours to get there. We dropped Papa off, and then The Bee and I made for the Old Town section of this alter-valley town, where it was 102 in the shade…but there WAS shade. We strolled the downtown arcade:
And there was grass. Oh, yes, glorious grass. About 200 square feet of it, under a locust tree. Beautifully groomed, kelly-green, verdant grass.
We came unshorn. There she was for the first time, barefoot in summertime, on luxurious, glorious grass…The Bee was, um, a bit confused. Here are some still shots of her initial amusement, as she stared at her feet with not just a little perplexity:
And, if this works, a little motion picture of said experience–please note that these videos were taken with my very ordinary digital camera, not with a camcorder, so I apologize for the lack of picture quality:
After the procedure was over (and R. declared colon-fit), we went up to the old-time mining town on the side of the mountain. I like to call it stilt-town, ’cause it’s literally hanging by its shakey moorings on the side of a hill, with incredible views of red rock country in the distance–and note the sacred peaks in the very distance of this image:
We ate at a stilt-supported burger joint, and then headed to the playground, for The Bee’s first swing experience. Here is the still:
Here is the motion (assuming this works–I’m just copying and pasting the embedding code from YouTube, but it didn’t work for me in China, so I’m not sure this will work here…):
If it does work, enjoy!
It’s not only the video of her swinging, it’s the sound of her SQUEALS that make my heart flutter. Thank you thank you for posting the videos. These are the highlights of Motherhood that I long for - the simple but priceless joys. xo
Comment by: walternatives - 07.20.2007 - 6.07 pm
OOOOOOoooooooo! And, I was just excited about pictures of Bee. But MOTION pictures? What luck. I’ll bet that her wee tootsies felt soooo gooood! Aww!
Comment by: wzgirl - 07.20.2007 - 6.15 pm
Good god in heaven………. that squeal. I’m more in love with that girl than I was before.
Comment by: Jacquie - 07.20.2007 - 7.31 pm
What squealing fun!
Comment by: Cavatica - 07.20.2007 - 7.42 pm
Oh, she is having so much fun! Great videos, SBird!
Comment by: OmegaMom - 07.20.2007 - 9.06 pm
I love her laugh!!!! Thank you for sharing!
Comment by: Mrs. Vandertramp - 07.21.2007 - 5.15 am
Oh, the best part of that was when your husband stopped the swing for a moment and she went, “Wha?” and then he let go and she went into peals of laughter! SO cute!
Comment by: Maia - 07.21.2007 - 1.51 pm
Oh, the squealing! Did you have a hard time getting her away from the swing? Too cute!
Comment by: Project Ni Hao - 07.22.2007 - 10.08 am
Oh man, her voice and her laugh are just too much not to mention the tootsies in the grass. Sooo sweet. A really great day.
Comment by: Anne Marie - 07.22.2007 - 10.12 am
That is so freaking sweet! I think I love best the one picture of Emme looking down at her feet, as if she’s thinking “…the &@#% is this stuff?” What a terrific little girl you two are raising!
Comment by: FDChief - 07.23.2007 - 5.22 am
Don’t you just love the giggles and squeals of a toddler! I’m loving it every time Oscar laughs for us! The photo of Emme Lu walking barefoot in the grass is absolutely precious.
Comment by: melissa - 07.23.2007 - 6.57 am
Hee! That laugh is AWESOME. And I loooove the grass photo too. She’s all WTF? Except she wouldn’t say that because she is a sweet and innocent child instead of being jaded and foul-mouthed like I am.
Comment by: Mrs Figby - 07.23.2007 - 3.59 pm
I adore the videos. And good medical exam results are nothing to sneeze at, either!
Comment by: atomic mama - 07.23.2007 - 7.03 pm