Thanks for the Compliment?

So I got a new haircut. Most of you know that this is certainly nothing new for me. I change my hairstyle all the time, operating under the philosophy that it's just hair and it always grows back so why not mix it up and have some fun? Some cuts have, admittedly, been less successful than others. But some have been genuinely great hairstyles. This past Saturday, I had bangs cut for the first time since I was 15 years old. It's an obvious nod to Katie Holmes (who picks weird husbands but great hairdo's) and is only slightly on the shag side of pixie. I love it. I think it's one of the best haircuts I've ever had, and I feel genuinely confident, at ease, and (dare I say) sexy sporting it. I've received really positive feedback from most of the people in my life, both personal and professional. But some comments have been a little, um, awkward. One woman at work today greeted me enthusiastically and proclaimed "You cut your hair!" and after I affirmed her observation, she just continued smiling and said nothing else. Hmm. A couple of other people have gone on and on--profusely--about how fantastic I look..."like a whole new person!" Which begs the question: "Was the old look that bad?"

You all can judge for yourself:

Things I Learned About My Daughter In Just This Day Alone

1. Madelyn is a true Portlander. While riding in the car this afternoon, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and shone, gloriously I might add, right in her face. She fussed and wiggled around until it went back behind the clouds. Where it evidently belongs.

2. To my utter delight, Maddie seems to really like African music. We were listening to the radio while riding in the car and a South African song came on complete with choir and drums. It was the only point in the car ride when she stopped jibber-jabbering to pay acute attention.

3. Madelyn will no longer be wearing the color white. Or any light color. Actually, now that ketchup is a mainstay at every meal, we are purchasing an entirely new wardrobe for her made up of nothing but red garments. Either that or I need to start purchasing BacOut in the 5-gallon buckets.

4. Maddie may have an imaginary friend that only visits her in her crib at bedtime (we've actually known this for awhile, not just today). She has full conversations, complete with laughter, after we turn out the light and say goodnight, sometimes lasting up to 30 minutes. Given that she's always reaching through the slats to pull the lid off her wicker clothes hamper, maybe that's where he/she lives...

5. She becomes measurably more adorable every day :)

Madelyn and Her Ketchup: A Love Story

Kurt and I have become "those parents..." You know: the ones who are willing to do (nearly) whatever it takes to get their kid to eat? Our adventurous little eater has taken a sharp turn toward finicky these past few weeks, and against our pre-baby pledge that our children will simply learn to love foods of all flavors and textures and that is that, we brought out the ketchup (I just had a thought for a future post: "Mmm, yummy: Words We've Eaten Since Becoming Parents.") Maddie still has her sure-fire foods. Fruit, of course, and I can mix anything into a pancake and she'll eat it. Blueberries, squash, pumpkin, etc. Good nutrition, and with a hint of maple syrup, she'll gobble it right up. But meat seams to be a problem for her (and I just can't quite bring myself to mix pureed meat into a pancake, even with the promise of maple syrup). So alas. Ketchup. I seriously think her first official word might end up being "ketchup." Bites of beautifully marinated chicken or tender, juicy pork can sit on her tray, untouched, for 30 minutes, but as soon as we bring out the ketchup bottle and douse 'em up, her face lights up and she becomes an eager carnivore. She'll ask for more at least four times throughout a meal, so we've learned to put the ketchup bottle out of her view (as if that really works...blast the whole "object permanence" phenomenon). Oh well. Suffice to say, no need to "BYOK" to the Olmsted residence--we have plenty. Just don't wear white :)