Helen turns 6 months--almost a month ago

May this post be a tribute to my "somewhat forgetful mother" style. Before I launch into just how exactly forgetful and mindless I can be, let me just say that I love my family and my home dearly. I can give you a thousand reasons why I neglect each particular thing, but in the end I have to admit it's all just a plateful of excuses. (That's what I told them at the health department when I took 6-1/2-month-old Helen in for her 2-month shots. Yes, well, YOU do it then--was the glaring thought I blared toward the raised eyebrows that I could just hear over the phone. Take two children in at the same time, both to get shots. Yes ma'am, that was a fun day.)

My current dumbest forgetful moment involves my range. How can you roast your son's new sandals in your own kitchen? Well, it's complicated, but take a woman in maddening motion and combine her with two fussy, hungry children, all coming home from town. Toss Owen's shoes on the counter without noticing them tumbling onto the stove. Throw on a pot of green beans and turn on the WRONG burner (again) without noticing. Sit down to feed Helen. Give husband a totally blank stare when he comes in for lunch and asks what the smoking rubber is all about. The stupidest thing is that even when I corrected the burner problem, I still ended up burning the beans. And though you would think I could learn my little burner schematic-diagram thingie by now, yet even still today I did the same thing again, and my stove was busily boiling away at nothing, while a pot of water looked hopelessly on. But I DID graduate from college, folks!

I guess that has really been the worst of it. If I wrote down every forgetful thing I did, I wouldn't have time to do the really important things, like weed the garden. (Hey if it weren't for the weeds, nothing much would be growing!) Or work on Owen's 1st year baby book. (Still not done, and he's 2 1/2. Oh well, it'll happen some time.) Or buy Helen's baby book. (Hmmm, this can wait.) Or schedule Helen's 4-month shots. (It's on the calendar to call.) Or schedule Owen's cardiologist appointment. (Uhh...no excuse except that I know everything's OK.) Or clean the stinkin' bathrooms. (Didn't I just do that 2 or 3 weeks ago?) Or take Helen's 6-month pictures. (Did it yesterday!!)

I am posting various hilarious-but-failed poses from Helen's photo sessions yesterday. I started out with her on the floor in our bedroom, but she was very keenly interested in the outlet, wanting to help it feel like a welcome member of the family. We progressed to the back porch and then the yard, where she wasn't too happy about the grass giving her backside a scratchy welcome. I ended up getting several cute shots, throughout our many and varied sittings, but she was a little weary of the camera by the end.

And also to balance out my forgetfulness, I did actually sew something for my own flesh and blood child this week! Helen is the proud owner of a new romper. She was thrilled about its cute little halter tie and the neat little pin tucks I inserted into the bodice--just for fun. And she loved the old-fashioned fabric. She has such good taste.