Si Oui

August and early September are providing quite a few baby getaways for me and Chris. We started the month out in Galena, and this weekend Chris' parents are coming in town and have requested the pleasure of babysitting Maya nearly round-the-clock for three days.

In addition, a few weeks ago Chris and I took advantage of some free babysitting (thanks sis!) and went out with another couple for some roller derby and dinner. This is a big deal for us. I could probably count on one hand the number of times we've gone out for a nice dinner, sans baby, in the past two years.

The restaurant was Mexique, a French-Mexican spot. The food was incredible, as was the wine—which I consumed after having two beers at derby. Needless to say, a trip to the bathroom was in order, and I had my camera ready:

Mexique Chicago, IL

From Peed to Meet You

Potty mouth, continued

We have another mispronunciation to add to Maya's vocabulary.

When asked: "Maya, what city do you live in?"
Her response: "Fish Taco."

Time out

Let's just pretend the last three weeks didn't happen. Here I am, blogging away, keeping to my schedule. Wee!!

Since my last post (which was mere days ago, right?), Chris and I went to Galena for a little getaway. It was the first time in Maya's nearly two-year history that we've both spent more than 12 hours away from her. And I have to admit that it. was. awesome.

The most amazing part was breakfast Saturday morning. We ate at a leisurely pace, never had to pick up food or utensils thrown on the floor, and even had time to read the paper. All the while, these lovely people kept coming to our table, refilling our coffee and water.

Other highlights include the drive there and back, which didn't contain screaming, crying or shoe throwing, shopping at places featuring breakable objects, and the excessive consumption of alcohol with no fear of being awoken the next day at 6 am by a cranky, poopy toddler.

I cannot express how long overdue this weekend was. If you had told me in the September 2009 that it would be almost two years until Chris and I spent more than a few hours baby-free, I probably wouldn't have believed you. Because really, no two sane adults should ever go that long without a little break.

No dumping

Three years ago, Chris, Rosie and I went camping in eastern Kentucky. We did "primitive" camping, meaning there aren't any campgrounds, RV hook ups, running water, etc. Instead, there's a parking lot and a trail. You hike out to a good-looking spot, clear out some space, and set up camp. We loved it, and Rosie was in doggie heaven.

As you might expect with primitive camping, there aren't really any bathrooms. Just a latrine near the parking lot (which was a 10-minute hike from the campsite.) So, most bathroom trips involved a flashlight and a tree.

Still, this latrine was one of the best I've ever visited. Not for the toilet, but for the decor:

Daniel Boone National Forest Pine Ridge, KY

From Peed to Meet You

Best sign ever. Here's a closer look:

Daniel Boone National Forest Pine Ridge, KY

From Peed to Meet You

Don't you want this sign in your bathroom, too?

Potty mouth

In a little less than two months, Maya will be two. On one hand, I can't believe she's so big already. On the other, I feel like she's already been two for months. She's running and talking and becoming opinionated. We can almost have little conversations with her. It's pretty incredible.

She's at the age, though, that sometimes only Chris and I know what she's saying or what she means. "Choo choo," for example, means she wants to watch Thomas the Engine. "Gaga" means she wants to listen to music (the kid likes Lady Gaga. I have no idea how that happened). And "beer" is what she calls anything adults drink, be it coffee, tea, wine, whatever. To her, it's all "beer" (we are awesome parents).

And then there are the even more troublesome mispronunciations, especially these three: Spoon, which she pronounces "poon"; Grape, which she pronounces "rape"; and fork, which she pronounces as, well... I assume you can figure that one out.

I know this will pass. But until then, please accept my apologies for my foul-mouthed little lady. She can't help it. She takes after her mother. And her father.