Baby Log: 1 Year and 33 Weeks Old

Marlie was on a Charlie Sheen bender this week. She was all over the place, saying and doing things to get a rise out of me, getting into trouble and had me questioning her sanity, but she's a charmer so we can't stay mad at her for long:

• She is becoming expert at stringing words together. Her latest gag is to sit on your lap and pass gas then yell, "I farted!" and laugh. Other word combos: "I'm Marlie," "that's daddy's" (if she catches me using his coffee cup for my tea), "that's mine" (she is very possessive), "more milk," "move dog" "stop dog" "get dog"
  
• This might sounds harsh, but she has the energy of a crackhead. The first thing this girl wants to do after she wakes up is dance. We turn on Pandora and she just goes berserk. I love to watch her dance. Her moves are a combination of Elaine's spastic jerks and video vixen. My girl can shake her rump, but she is also goofy. Her favorite music right now is Punjabi.
• You'd think she'd be tired after all that dancing, but nope. She moves on to climbing, tumbling and running full speed into furniture. She received no less that four bumps, cuts, and bruises to her forehead this week. I guess it's because her forehead sticks out like Tyra's so it's the first thing to get injured when she falls. I see lots of ER visits in our future.
• She had her first nosebleed this week (unrelated to her multiple falls). I would be lying if I said I did not panic and check WebMD to see if it was a sign of a brain tumor or something else serious. Turns out she probably has allergies.
• Marlie's temper can go from zero to 60 in no time flat. I continue not to acknowledge her until she's calmed down. I say "bring it down to a five" and then we'll talk, but it's hard sometimes to do that above the screaming. I also try to model the correct way to express frustration, but I do lapse with the occasional shout and bad word. Marlie will also shout or cry when she needs help with something. I'll hear her screeching and think she's badly hurt only to find her trying to put a sock on. I keep telling her about the boy who cried wolf. She is also very mischievous. When she gets that twinkle in her eye you know she's plotting something. She keeps me on my toes, but I am going to age prematurely running behind her all day.
• Speaking of aging...some stupid, rude, craggy-faced cashier had the gall to ask me if Marlie is my grandchild! When I told her that she was in fact my daughter, she responded with disbelief, really? she's your baby? Talk about pouring salt on a wound! I know I'll never get carded again, but I don't think I look like a grandmother...come on! This is all I needed to hear a month before my 35th birthday. Thanks, craggy-faced cashier. Some people have no tact. Ugh!
• On a positive note, we have an official potty trainer! At bath time she removed her diaper, grabbed her potty and went pee pee all by herself and unprompted! We showered her with praise and she was beaming with pride. She has used the potty at bath time almost every day this week. On Friday, she attempted a poo but stood up too quickly and the turd dropped on the floor.
• Another super-fabulous happening, Marlie and me had our first bloggy-buddy play date! Krissy from Musings of Me and her adorable daughter Jasmine were intown so we met up. The girls were shy around each other at first, but then became instant buds. We went for lunch, then hit the play area at the mall, had some ice cream and shopped for shoes at Payless. They were pooped afterward. Krissy is my kind of chick...cool and spunky and just down-to-earth. It was so wonderful to spend time with a cyber friend IRL. We had so much fun!

• Giveaway wins: $15 Juice in the City credit from One Mama's Daily Drama and an EcoTools Travel Set from Closet of Free Samples.