Where are they now? {And an MLK tribute}

So it's probably been long enough since my last post for that title to make sense.

Little md is cutting his very first tooth. I think it's about time!! He'll be nine months in a week. It's the bottom right and I caught sight of it when D was changing his diaper last night. It's funny because people (okay-my mother in law) will always say that 'ohhhh {he}'s cutting teeth' as soon as they hit that four month old drooling period. Because it seems to me every baby starts drooling at four months, whether they are cutting teeth or not, I look for other signs. Anyway I just told my mom yesterday, I think he may actually be starting to cut a tooth. Ahh behold--he is!

He's also tooling around like nobody's business. He 'walks' along the couch. He can stand and sit on his own, and he loves making a beeline for something he's not supposed to get into. He's eating (baby) fruits and veggies and even likes (baby) ham. He's still drinking an insane amount of formula--taking three bottles during the night. Ehhh-whatareyagonnado? He'll sleep through the night when he sleeps through the night.

Little m. I've said it before, and I'll say it again--that child is hard headed. And yet to be potty trained. But I'll give her this...she knows what she wants. And if it's the pink cup after you already poured the milk into the green cup. Too damn bad for you. And she loves to change clothes. Every so often during the day she will make the proclamation "I need to change". And off she goes to dress herself. She's so tiny too. And she looks just like a little garden fairy when she runs around the house with her summer dress, bare feet and feathery hair framing her pink cheeks and impish smile.

Little d. Ahh. She's so smart. She's reading a little now--on target for kinder. She still is not a fan of school, but she comes home in a good mood and I'll take that! We had the best discussion Friday night at bedtime about race relations.

I should give you a little background. I've made it a point to not identify people as black, white, etc. I mean if I want to point out a black person on TV or something I'll say 'it's the guy in the green shirt' or something. In fact, Little d usually identifies people by their hair color. I remember watching the inauguration and Little d asked if his (Obama's) wife had already walked down the stairs and I told her yes. She said 'oh the black girl'. I said 'what do you mean?' Because I was shocked to hear her identify Mrs. Obama as black. And she said 'you know, mom, the one with the black hair.' Ah yes, that cleared it up.

Another time Little d said, 'wouldn't it be neat if we could color our skin different colors?' I asked her what she meant and she said, 'like pink or brown or something.' 'That would be cool,' I said. 'I only know one brown person,' she said. 'Who's that?' I asked. 'Pawpaw.' She said. I stifled a laugh. Pawpaw is very dark tan because he's worked outside all his life but to her I said, 'oh yeah.'

SO back to Friday night. With her being in school and this being the MLK holiday, they read a book about his life.

She said, "Mom today we read a book about King Luther or something."

"Martin Luther King?" I offered.

"Yes! That's it. Do you know him?"

"I know his story."

"Oh. Did you know he got killed? Not in the bomb, but later. Do you know how he got killed?"

"Someone shot him, right?" I said.

"Yes! He just wanted people to get along. Like the blacks and the whites." She said it like they were sports teams. She continued, "and Mrs. H knew him. Well like she heard about him when she was little. And you know mom it doesn't matter if you are a black or a white, it's about your character."

I was grinning. "Yes."

"I didn't know that there was, like a difference, like a black or a white." She looked a little confused.

"Well a long time ago people used to think if you were different, you weren't as smart or as... good." I tried to clarify.

"Yes and they had to sit in the back of the bus." She remembered more of the story.

"Yes. What does character mean?" I asked.

"It's like how you act."

Well done, Little d, well done.

So know I'm feeling all proud of myself that Little d had absolutely no idea that there would be any reason people would judge other people based on their skin color. Of course now, she thinks Pawpaw is a blackish. (Her words not mine.) I just love the innocence of childhood.

In other news, I started Weight Watchers. I have to get rid of this baby weight. Nine months is long enough!