A Freecycling Baby

Gwyneth just learned all about the benefits of freecycle.org. This is an online group that has "chapters" in areas around the country. We're lucky enough to have one in ours. The concept of freecycle is to give away the things that aren't needed to those who do, or get the things needed that others don't. In the United States we all know that we have closets full of stuff that we never use, and never will use again, but don't have the gumption to take it somewhere or do something about it, so in our closets sits stuff. Well, Gwyneth just benefited big time by receiving something that someone no longer needs, and something that we could use a lot - an exersaucer. Not just any exersaucer, but a really, REALLY nice one, and it was all for free! So thanks to someone else's generousity, Gwyneth is now having a blast in her new "play center" as I write this blog in peace, with the occasional squawks of delight (hers, not mine, although I've done my squawking to lots of people I know could benefit from joining freecycle.) When we're done with it, guess what, we're going to pass it along - freecycle style.

To Keep You Hooked

I know the real reason that people check this blog is really for the pictures of Gwyneth, not for my ramblings, so I'd better put some up just to keep you hooked. These are from our trip to Morton, IL over Memorial Day weekend so that Gwyneth could meet a few more members of the family.

Gwyneth in her substitute bathtub

Gwyneth with Grandpa Williams

Auntie Charlotte loves Gwynnie
And Uncle Lewis too..

Déjà vu?

I feel like a pretty innocent person. Or maybe I should make that, “I felt like a pretty innocent person.” That was all until I got pulled over by a police office twice within less that 24 hours. As a busy mom (and speaking for my counterpart – dad), who has time to change a burned out headlight on the car? Yes, we intended to get to it, but changing a poopy diapers for some reason always seemed a little bit more important than changing out a headlight…that, and the deer don’t care if you have one headlight or two, they’ll still run into oncoming traffic.

So, it’s been a couple months, or maybe even more like a few months that we’ve had a burned out headlight (okay and one burned out tail light too). So, the inevitable had to happen eventually. I got pulled over at about 9:45 at night, after a church event, with baby asleep in the back seat a couple miles from home. The police offer was young, and plenty friendly and just let me drive away with a verbal warning and a little bit of guilt for not taking care of the light earlier. Well, about 23.75 hours later, repeat. I’m driving home after another church event with baby asleep in the back seat a couple miles from home, and in almost the same location a police car heading the opposite way turns around, puts the lights on and pulls me over. Well, up walks the policeman and lo and behold it’s the same one! Now I like police officers, I believe that for the most part they’re a pretty good crew, and they keep me and my family safe, and they have a lot of patience for people with burned out headlights, but twice in 24 hrs? I have to admit that he looked like he felt as sheepish as I did when he realized that it was me…again. Perhaps it’s a good sign when all the police officers in Two Harbors have to do is pull unlawful people like me over for burnt out headlights, because it would indicate that there isn’t a whole lot of bad stuff going on in the neighborhood. Anyway, if you’re a Two Harbors police officer reading this and you see a beige ’99 Toyota Camry driving down the road with a burnt out headlight, no need to pull me over again, I’m just on my way to getting it fixed.

Post note: Although driving around with a burnt out headlight isn't really something to be encouraged. I’m sure I’ve provided people with endless hours of the game padiddle.

MN Nice

It wasn’t that long ago that I was dining in a Duluth food establishment with a friend and Gwyneth in tow, and the unexpected occurred. Right as our food arrived, a lady at the neighboring table piped up and said that Gwyneth was a beautiful baby and she would be happy to lend a hand by holding her while my friend and I ate. She looked trustworthy, was part of a happy, well-kept family, didn’t appear to be diseased, was within arm’s reach and wasn’t near an exit, so I figured it was fine. It was, and I was easily able to eat my food in peace while Gwyneth reclined in the arms of a stranger with not a care in the world.

Not too long after, I was talking to my sister in New York, and she said that NO ONE in New York would dare offer a hand, nor would a parent hand their child over to a stranger, EVER. (Of course, every situation would need to be carefully evaluated to keep the adorable babies out of the hands of snatchers.) Sure, that maybe would never happen in New York, but this is Minnesota, where the people are nice…well, sometimes.

Shortly after talking to my sister, Wes took me and Gwyneth out for dinner on Mother’s Day. Guess what, there was another nice lady (who I’m sure was not willing to risk being tackled by Wes lest the idea of taking a sweet, innocent, adorable baby every cross her mind) that offered the same services while we ate. How bizarre. Everyone loves Gwyneth, but that’s no surprise.