Lost in Translation

You know I completely forgot about this experience until today while I was looking on the Bark! the dog photographer's website... While I was in Moscow I happened to look over and saw two women walking towards the red square beside us. One of the women was some sort of (amateur?) photographer and the other was clearly some sort of model wannabe (you know, stick thin, not enough clothes for the weather). I didn't notice all this at first, in fact, the only reason I looked up because the woman with the camera gestured to me and asked (in Russian) Can I? or maybe Can You? I thought she wanted me to take a picture of her and the other woman, but then she put the camera to her eye, so then I thought she wanted to take a picture of Babes. Which I have no problem with, I'm not sure if I should or not, but lots of people like taking pictures of Babes, I mean after all she is the cutest baby in the whole wide world. And I always prefer when people ask me as opposed to sneaking pictures in with their phones (YES I SEE YOU!). BUT NO. This woman wanted me to keep walking and pushing Babes up the hill. I am super curious what kind of pictures she took, and for what reason. I am sure I was looking mean, after all it was cold, the child was crying or complaining, and I probably also looked suspicious. I wonder if she published them somewhere or if they are just on a blog or in a photo album as strange things I saw in Moscow. Unfortunately I'll never know.

Naptime

It's naptime and the apartment is as quiet as it ever gets. Babes is down, sleeping peacefully with only a brief cry in the beginning as protest, Honey is in her cage contemplating the wonders of dogdom and even Brick our four legged house guest is dozing peacefully in his cage.
As I sit here in the office enjoying this unusual moment of calm, I take a moment to breathe in, relax my back, and my voice and enjoy a brief moment of Zen. It's weird how becoming a mother adds significance to seemingly minute things. I'd heard it before, all the moms talk about it, but I really do like having both hands to do something with, or the ability to drink a cup of juice without sitting it down and forgetting about it, or better yet, the brief times during the day when I can go to the bathroom by myself.
On the flip side, I have gotten used to the constant companionship. When Babes is down sleeping I often cast about for things to do, or rather I can't focus on which of the million of things that I want to do should I do first, and in this manner squander her nap. Sometimes I'm just paralyzed by indecision, loneliness, or something so that I want to go wake her up even as I sit enjoying the peace.
She's gotten so big too. I looked at her the other day and caught a glimpse of the child she will soon be. It seemed like her first six months went by so slowly, and then as her growing slowed, time sped up. It does seem like just yesterday that she turned six months and now she is only a month away from her year. (of course, the time thing could be caused by the extraordinary amount of traveling we've been doing in the last 5 months: Ukraine, Vegas, Philly, NY, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Richmond, Capetown, Moscow...)
Ah well, I'd better go enjoy my solitude while it lasts... I've got less than half an hour left!