Translating Abby

Abby and I were sharing a plate of tortilla chips. She took a bite from the middle leaving two sharp edges of the chip on either side of her mouth.

She giggles at me and says, "Mom, look, I'm an evening."

"You're a what?!"

"I'm a good evening."

I stare at her and realize much quicker than a normal person should...

In "10 Trick or Treaters" (A Halloween counting book) 10 trick or treating children start out the night and on each page another child is scared away when..
"A bat flew by" or
"A toad hopped near" or (pay attention)
"A Vampire croons, 'Good Evening'"

Feeling Boxed In?

Abby knows how you feel...

Hard Day's Night

Hey, it's not even 2am quite... yet... that's sort of positive. That explains why my eyes are heavy - though I still know while laying in bed that sleep is nowhere near me.

What does Hard Day's Night mean? Does it mean the workday extends into Night?

Hmm. Despite a very nice beginning, it was a horrible terrible no good very bad day. While Pearl's visit went great, dropping Pearl off - specifically prying Abby away from Pearl's house was miserable.

Abby was inconsolable for a few minutes then was just emotionally sensitive for quite a while afterwards. Which, despite the rational part of my mind knowing has no reflection on me, ends up making me feel just crappy - I assume it's how men feel when they want to 'fix' something and women tell them they just need to feel or something.

Things were picking up as Abby entertained herself happily until Daddy came home and took her to Jamba Juice for an Orange Bleeng Machine, but as timing would have it, they got back just as Zoozie was picking me up for a girl's Wicked night. Abby was absolutely convinced Zoozie surely was there to save her from the monotony of home and parents and just stared forelornly at us as we left her standing there in the driveway as Daddy tried to coax her inside.

Now I can't sleep - completely handicapped by my twitchy limbs which consume my sanity. I already tried a shower and crying and push ups and so far, still just as bad as it can be.

On a nice note - leaping lizard is happy as a clam around this time of morning.

Oh, and I'm out of milk. And now I'm whining. Whine Whine.

Abby's Logic

Miss Janet says it's important for Abby to dress herself and it's important for us to let her.

I'd like to point out Abby's brilliance with zippers. She wanted to wear her pretty blue dress that zips in the back, she did not want assistance in the matter, so what is a girl to do?

Well, obviously just what Abby did (and I actually like this color combo by the way):

Bye-Bye Swim Lessons

Bitter-Sweet Good-bye

Itsy Bitsy Spider

How HAPPY was this girl? (Excuse the nudity - this was the first summer in this house without A/C)

Video feature, Abby memories, Abby sick

A little background: I have all these cute little Abby videos from my little digital camera. However, until now I haven't figured out a good way to share them. I tried uploading them onto our mac website but space was an issue AND I can only update from Steve's work computer which makes no sense because the files are all on my computer.

SO once I saw Blogger had come out with a 'add video' link like the 'add picture' I got excited and started looking not only on my normal laptop but on the two other computers in the house for videos that are, in some sense, in danger of being completely lost if any of these computers crash and burn.

Anyway, this caused me not only to be excited, but annoyed and frustrated when it wasn't working from blogger due to any little tiny glitch that could happen; but also it caused me to look back and be sentimental etc.

The rant:

So, in my almost three year quest to get these stupid commercials up on the internet where more than myself can see them, I am now possibly required to sit here and type for a half hour because I think - I am not sure - but I think this time the problem was that the video took so long to upload that blogger signed me out. I'm glad I can do all this testing for y'all by the way! lol Of course I could probably do this a whole heck of a lot easier on youtube and you're all laughing at me right now, aren't you?
I thought you might be.
SIGH.
Because obviously youtube has all it's kink's worked out unlike this video thing that was released JUST TODAY on blogger.

How long do you suppose before it logs me out. SO after this one I want to upload a couple cute Abby one's that perhaps I could upload to youtube WHILE i was waiting for this one but then I'd be afraid that by navigating in another tab this sensitive blogger thing is going to explode or otherwise fail. I am on the old old laptop now. the one that outlived the one I got when Abby was born. So there is quite a delay as I type. Sheesh... I should at least test the youtube thing before going through all this pain and frustration right? right? but I'm already a third of the way done with this... and it will be the true test only if I don't mess around with other sites etc. this is going a bit faster than it seemed to be going I am not quite half way through in less than ten minutes.

I am amazed how little and how much Abby has changed in a year ... two years even. Because you know that first year a few months was the difference between sitting and walking or babbling and talking. And Abby has always been so very incredibly clear - especially once she had any words at all at her disposal. So, to an extent, I can understand her about as well now as I could at 18 months. She was just so verbal and so expressive.

It's also shocking how much time really has passed since I took a lot of these videos - some I could swear were only a few months ago are actually a year old.

It's the reason it's odd to see Abby interacting with younger and older kids - there is so little difference and so very much. This is apparently the oxymoron blog post.

At the moment Abby is taking a long nap to try to sleep off a fever. There is nothing more pathetic than a sick child. She wanted me there but not in the way of her feet and she didn't want me to play with her hair. When I got her out of the car this afternoon she had her head in her hands and said, "Goodness gracious, I don't feel good." I couldn't figure out if it was gas or car sick or what while we were driving because all she would say was that it was "the car is making me cry and cry and cry."

She took a nap and still woke up with a fever so I helped her back into bed and she just wanted me to be there. I got up to get her a tissue and she said 'but then you can come right back' and she grasped onto my hand for as long as humanly possible asking me to stay...

(update: she woke up at 1am needing to throw up. After which she asked me very kindly, "after youre done cleaning me, will you cuddle with me?" and once she was settled back down she said, "Holy cow, I feel yucky." I know it's probably difficult to communicate how much sadder/more pathetic it is when your child is sick AND polite. I was saying, just to say, "I'm right here" and she said, "Thanks.")

Ah, the other most pathetic thing is a sad child as Abby was when we had our last day of swim class. I hadn't realized she was sad until I opened the door when we'd got to the office and I laughed a little and said 'you look so sad' and she said 'yes, momma, thats the thing, I'm sad because I lost my friends'

And the other saddest thing is the dang video refreshed when it was about to finsh - I'm working on youtube now dammit... because you know even if it gets all the way to the end this time it's going to have an error because it restarted itself. Now Trying to do upload to both - though at least I'm remembering to upload different videos just in case this one doesn't work which is completely ridiculous to expect. I have a whole lot more faith in youtube I cannot believe I hadn't thought of that before.

I even feel comfortable leaving youtube loading while I do other things. Unlike this. blah - bitter much? yes, yes I am. Here we are back at almost there...still says uploading which is bad i think- i think it needs to be saying processing if its working. It's a race... and youtube wins hands down.

The only issue with youtube is besides sheer volume out there on youtube to help make me invisible - I can't set the videos to private AND share them here.

Anyway, I'm totally bombarding you with videos tonight - to make it easier you can go to my youtube 'page' to see all the videos I've uploaded so far to save them for posterity: http://www.youtube.com/adalynxcat

Cruise Commercials DEC 2005

What do you do when you're on a big ship, late at night, playing cards, drinking booze with your in-laws, and your toddler is happily being entertained by a group of kids and professional Cruise staff? Why, you produce Disaronno commercials, what else?

I am told by my mother (who does not watch tv and therefore doesn't know the liquor commercial we are making fun of) that this makes no sense. SO here is the original:



and this is our version

Testing again

These are Abby's first steps captured sideways and in a dark room. Ah, can anything dim the wonder? Besides the darkness and the other thing?

Once Upon A Dream

The beginning of Abby's love of Disney Princesses... and why I couldn't have stopped it if I wanted to - she was just so darn cute about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBHOn1FBdYI

Parenting Checklist: Make Child Feel Loved

Check!

As per usual, Poppa dropped Abby off at Gramma's house yesterday. Gramma said she loved Abby and Poppa chimed in that he loved Abby too and possibly more or some such idea. Abby patiently replied, "I know, I know, everyone loves me but you have to share."

A Case for Optimism...

My mom and I both believe we are basically optimistic people though everyone we've ever known or met would scoff and laugh in our faces.

SO I think it's time to define our terms here.

Hmm.

Dictionary.com's definition: 1.disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.

Hmm.

This is complicated.

Perhaps what my mom and I are are closet optimists.

Here is the line I'm drawing between what we (by we I mean all of you who think I'm not optimistic) normally accept as optimism and what my mom and I practice: it's not as if we see people and circumstances with rose - colored glasses.

We don't do that at all, well, I don't do that. (Though my mom is a bit more traditional in her optimism believing in the best of people as a philosophy even though she doesn't actually believe in the best of people even though she thinks she does.) We don't cross the street without looking both ways and we don't think murderers are redeemed because they were once abused children. Nope, we just happen to know that bad things can and do happen to good people and they can happen unexpectedly.

However, we don't assume those bad thing will happen to us, in fact, we assume they won't - we are simply aware of the different possibilities out there, what's so negative about that?

We would say it prepares us just in case the worst were to happen, but we don't actually expect it! We actually expect everything to go... pretty medium. But we are not surprised when things go spectacular. And we do not fall apart if things go to crap.

This is all stemming from an Oprah repeat today on Happiness in which I scored 34.5 out of a 35 perfect happy points (I could probably say 35 out of 35 but I didn't want to sound Pollyannaish). And I don't think a pessimistic person would feel that way about their life.

The quiz for determination was (from Oprah.com):

How satisfied are you? To find out, read the following five statements. Then, use the 1–7 scale to rate your level of agreement and add your answers together. 1 = Not at all true 4 = Moderately True 7 = Absolutely True In most ways, my life is close to ideal. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The conditions of my life are excellent. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I am satisfied with my life. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 So far I have gotten the important things I want in life. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Ha. If you do the above quiz and click submit it will take you to the little Oprah blurb about it.

My point being - whatever we are - (or I'll start speaking for myself now even though I'd guess my mom would score the same - except for her job), I am totally satisfied with my daily life, my general life, my choices in life, and uh the conditions I live in. I think a classic pessimist wouldn't be. Of course money uncertainties are the only thing that pushed my perfect satisfaction down a notch and it's only a notch because our money issues, though scary, aren't bad, just uncertain.

And whatever WE are - uncertainty is not something we are fond of.

SO, after some research I don't think I can say I'm an optimist with a straight face. However, I'm certainly not a pessimist! I might not be positive, but I'm not exactly not positive.

I mean, I don't actually think the mountain is going to fall down on our house... but I think about if it did, would there be anything I could do... You know? Sigh.

Why does this sound so familiar? I've just put this in a blog somewhere haven't I? Oh well. You all probably weren't paying enough attention *snort* *chuckle*

Cravings Log...

First Trimester:

• To be knocked unconscious until the end of it
• NOT sugar - however, oxymoron though it is, oreos was one of the only things that sounded all right.
• Spinach Artichoke dip and breadstix from Olive Garden
• Guacamole (week 1-4)
• Candy Corn (week 1-4)
• Salt and Vinegar Chips (one day)
• Pizza
  
• Peanuts - however was quickly repressed by Aaron due to some problem with the way they are prepared.
• Watching tv
  

Second Trimester:

• MILK! I ate massive amounts of cheerios as an excuse to have more milk
• Chocolate Ice Cream (sorta goes along with the milk idea)
• Pizza
• Bananas
• Brownies
• Chocolate Chip muffins
• Sugar just recently - like Lik-a-stick sugar sticks - like the ones I never threw out from Valentine's Day...
  

Third Trimester (begins tomorrow):

• ?
  

August Adventures

Just a few random pictures of some of what has made up our break from pre-school. And though, I'm counting the hours until we're no longer on break from pre-school, Abby's certainly had a rich time.

Abby graduated to the big pool for a week of advanced Tiny Tots with not a tremor...

Had some friends (this is Henry playing 'Harry Potter' with Abby who was 'Hermoney') over...

& went to Disneyland with Auntie Samantha, Grandpa and Zoozy (I believe here they are saying 'Hi' to a passing princess in parade)

MooOOOoo

(abby hugging her cow)

Abby is going to be a cow this Halloween...

And after that she wants to be (in this very specific order):
A fish,
A treatstore,
A butterfly,
A dragon,
A letter,
A princess...

Premature...

So, she isn't quite four yet, but most of these pictures were taken in the couple weeks prior to her birthdays... I had such an awful time originally taking her to get her picture taken that I don't have a good zero year picture and these aren't necessarily my favorite - but it seemed cohesive to have the white backgrounds. For years two and three there are two photo sessions to choose from (I still go back and forth between Picture People and JCPenny.) So, for consistency sake these are all Picture People.

Picture People in Santa Anita has only recently been making much effort to help Abby when she's unsure. The Picture People in Santa Clarita is awesome and always has been. JCPenny locally was the first studio to get Abby to have a decent time for her picture, but I have found their lighting doesn't always work right. I feel like there is a subtle subtle difference between the types of non-luxury studio pictures that I accept as still being great professional photos and those that really make one look ten times worse than in lucky candid shots.

It comes down to lighting to me and Picture People always seems to have the sort of lighting I like. And, since Abby doesn't detest the process anymore it is almost always worth it for me to go to Picture People... except... you know... there's always that 1 out of 3 time that JC Penny delivered such a better product - with just a little extra spark...

But anyway, if you hadn't figured it out...

This is 9/2004 (Poppa's low voice was used to distract Abby enough to let me scoot out of the frame)

Next came 9/2005 (note the "treasures" we brought with us in an effort to make it fun!)
9/2006 (a pro at understanding Mommy bribes with sugar plus - I think she was starting to secretly enjoy the attention)
almost 9/2007 (I couldn't resist going a little early. I was thinking before their birthdays Sarah and I could get a "September Baby" Picture People shoot for Abby and Micaiah).

Mysteries of the Universes...

Abby insists on wearing socks to bed. Every morning she wakes up wearing only one. Where does the other one go? Does she take it off in her sleep? Does one foot shrink temporarily and it slides off?

Some recent Abby quotes for my memories:
"Momma, I just don't think I'm the kind of girl that is good at sleeping"
(calling me in after she's been in bed for twenty minutes) "Mom, I don't like having these three pictures on my wall."
(time for bed) "But then I'll be alone! I don't want to be alone!"

Does anyone else get the idea she's just made for a southern accent? I think she's a southern belle trapped in a California family...

The Children around Us...

I'd forgotten I'd taken a few more of Joshua after uploading - and this of course is my Nephew challenging me to a little game of peekaboo.

Practice

Braving the Bridge

High School Musical 2 - WORLD PREMIERE

Guess where it was? And when it was? Could it have been at Disneyland... today? Why yes, yes it could.

I walked into Disneyland (hot, summer day) not too surprised that it was like navigating through a moving wall of people. Except then about halfway down Main Street something changed. Disneyland rather quickly became almost deserted. Apparently the crowd was following the celebrities from the movie.

SO it was still exhausting even though it was blissfully not that crowded. Dumbo was working, the Tortilla factory was using the flour side - it was all good.

As we left the parking structure Abby said, "Bye, bye Disneyland. I know. I know you want to see us, but you can't. We'll come back tomorrow." Then, speaking to me she sighed, "Boy, that Disneyland sure did tire me out!" None the less, she didn't sleep on the way home, but sang lovingly to her new lollipop instead.

p.s. it may be that disorder wherein the hostages start to relate to the kidnappers but I'll have you know it was ABBY'S idea for me to take her picture in the A in the California Adventure sign.

Princess Shoot

Trying to get together Abby's 4th Birthday Party invitation and had the thought of having a picture of her (which will be a very subtle princess theme - subtle in deference to the two little boys and two baby boys we are inviting). However, I didn't get one that would really work - so here are the artsy "invitation rejects" (rejects because I wasn't going for artsy and artsy is a bit pretentious for a child's birthday party!).




This is actually one of my favorites - it is her telling me she isn't going to be 4 years old, she's going to be 100 years old... actually that may end up being the invitation...

Hazel's Errands...

So, I was enjoying my free Friday afternoon (thanks to Poppa and Gramma) and asked Hazel if she had lunch plans and she told me she'd been planning to do a bunch of errands.

This didn't phase me (still doesn't) but then, two days later, as I was getting ready for bed, something struck me as odd. And it wasn't that someone would save a bunch of errands until Friday and be hoping to get them done during lunch... it was that someone would do that who's only other option was not to do said errands with a child on their hip.

Hey, don't get me wrong. It still makes perfect sense. Getting these errands done at lunch is almost like a free hour in the day - Hazel (for example) now does not have to sacrifice personal, familiar, or social time (that she'll certainly have to sacrifice anyway for her other twelve commitments) in order to get these things done and yet - yippee they are done.

In both Hazel and my case there is no free time to do errands - only borrowed time. For me, the borrowed time is babysat time. And if I don't have babysat time, I have to be thinking of whether the need of the errand weighs against getting Abby in and out of proper clothes, in and out of the car, in and out of the cart, will there be a line? a wait? Will there be bribery easily available? Will there be bathrooms easily available? Will there be a risk at all for Abby to run into the street or for a horrible person to distract her away...

I just find it funny how phases of life change the oddest things. I remember in fifth grade shaking my head at the third graders thinking, "They have no idea the sorts of pressures that are coming." (I was an odd child, yes)

Then in college, of course, no one understood how thinly I was stretched.

And once I started working I could not imagine what I had done with my time before I'd given my life over to 'the man' (not Steve).

And then I got married and wondered how I had managed to squander all my "free" time when I was independent (answer: mostly wonderingly crankily why Steve wasn't trying to take said free time).

Then, of course, the child came along and I didn't just wonder what I/we had wasted all of our precious time on, I was shocked and appalled at the amount of free time just being bandied about by the crazy people of the world not nursing every hour and forty minutes of their day (then my hormones sort of settled down and it was still shocking, but not quite as appalling).

And here I am knowing full well that by 2008 I will believe that I never knew the definition of busy or stretched or lack of personal time... and yet, at least this time when I think "what did I do with my time?!" I'll be able to answer, "Used it up however the heck I wanted because I knew it was about to run out!"

So to all you out there in different phases of life - this blog was not intended to imply I am appalled by your use of time. As I often find by speaking with you - your "freedom" tends to translate to "obligation" a lot of the time. In other words, I don't think the grass is greener - I'm just amazed that grass that isn't so far away from me seems so alien now.

Risking a Broken Arm...

To pat myself on the back:
took care of water order
decreased satellite bill
took care of trash bin issues
did two loads of laundry
remembered to get dip
made appt for referred adviser
answered questions from mortgage people
paid bills
Calling doctor now and trying to get geared up to do more laundry...

Sorry but it makes me feel good to write it down and it's my blog and I'll pat myself on the back if I want to!

Abby loves people...

Not just boys... that's another problem altogether we might get to later.

She just enjoys connecting with people. Again, I think she's an extrovert.

So we're driving to swim class and I stop at a stop sign and out of the corner of my eye I notice a woman stopped at the bus stop. Abby laughs:

That Lady waved at me.
(Did you wave back?)
Yeah. (giggle) She was nice.
a few moments later.
And pretty. She was nice and pretty.
a few more moments pass.
I wonder if I could play at her house.
a pause
I wonder if she has any kids I could play with...


And the boys... how did I do this? Believe it or not, Abby was not witness to me flirting up dozens of men during her formative four years on this Earth. And yet, it is obvious, clearly obvious that she is a total flirt. Today in swim class was the first day Steve came by to watch and the first thing Abby does when a new little boy entered the pool was slide up to him with an encouraging smile and a friendly little back pat.

This doesn't actually worry me because (paranoia alert) though I know perverts and the like think kids flirt with them etc, I also think Abby is much too centered to seem like the right target. I mean OBVIOUSLY no one is totally safe - but what I am saying is that I'm not bringing this up because I'm afraid of that factor as much as because it's just... okay, well now that I've brought that up it worries me.

But the MAIN reason I bring it up is because even though I think it is totally sweet and funny I do feel like wearing a shirt that somehow defends, "I didn't coach my daughter to go after boys" even though obviously if I have it would have been through unconscious ways. But REALLY!!! I haven't!!! And I don't protest too much either!!

The funniest thing of all, besides the somewhat dumbstruck look on some of the boys faces, is the look on Steve's face. Which, as you may expect, is a mixture of helplessness and acceptance that his life from here on out is going to be protecting this girl from the boys she most certainly is going to reel in throughout her life.

I really do love that she loves people and I even love that she loves boys (yes yes I see you two with the psychology degrees nodding knowingly - pshaw I love it because she does it on her own, I do not encourage her!! even simply by thinking its sweet and funny). It can obviously be terribly heart wrenching when she's rejected by little friends but its also very heart warming to see her connect with someone. Of course then it goes back to heart wrenching when she is parted from that someone. Oh geez. Parenthood.

Abby and the Swim Lessons

So Abby is doing great in her swim lessons. I have no idea if she'll be "water safe" after this tiny tots session - I know there is also advanced tiny tots... but it's all good. She's the only one in the class excited to be there. She does everything the teacher asks - from putting her face in the water, to making dinosaur noises as they practice dinosaur arm scoops.

Of course she doesn't want to leave... and is only comforted when she is promised we can go to Zoozys pool... with one further caveat. She doesn't want to be wearing a swimsuit.

Verdugo Hills, it is...

Okay, so you know when we were struggling with the whole insurance thing and it was a big pain, but then it ended so nicely?

Well, while at my last ob appointment they kept telling us insurance wouldn't cover the hospital we wanted. After much running around of my insurance adviser it turns out my ob is not connected to the primary who referred me to him therefore though the primary is the right insurance with the 'right' hospital my ob is not. So, in order to keep my ob I have to change both primary doctor (3rd time) and hospital and POSSIBLY my pediatrician so for at least a short amount of time I will have two different pediatricians for my two children.

SO basically I am grudgingly accepting here that God is TRYING to get me to do something that will be nicer for me. New OB I like 300 times more than my last OB. The conversation I just had with the relations person at the new hospital was nicer than anyone I met at old hospital combined.

If you notice the title of this post should be a link to the new hospital - there is a virtual nursery for those of you who won't be actually here, there is free wireless for those of you who will be actually there at the hospital... they are totally fine with rooming in (baby doesn't have to go to nursery unless necessary) - Steve gets to go to the nursery and all that stuff. Get your directions now!

NOW that I have accepted this, I just have to find a new primary physician and work out the pediatrician stuff.

Paranoia, Greed, or just plain Smart?

I'm signed up for one of those email alerts from a pregnancy website that emails me every week with the development of the baby and what to expect and changes in the mom and all that stuff. Every week they have a cute little suggestion of something to concentrate on for that week - like names or cribs or this week... (well next week - I looked ahead, is ANYONE here surprised?) it suggests taking off your wedding rings just in case you can't get them off later.

Well I never did have to take them off when I was pregnant with Abby, in fact, I know I had to take them off in the hospital?? Did I just put them in the big plastic bag with the rest of my clothes?? Odd. I don't remember. Anyway, point being my fingers didn't swell last time and so far I'm not gaining weight like I did with Abby, so there is no reason to think I'll have a problem this time.

HOWEVER ever since I read that little suggestion I feel like my fingers are getting claustrophobic.

So... I'm thinking of getting just a simple band (we're talking under 3o dollars here) to wear in the meantime so I don't have to worry about it.

I dislike my own guts...

being squished up like they are currently being due to very happily expected baby. I get a sort of acid reflux - except not really - every time I eat a full meal because I assume my stomach (the organ not the abdomen) is ironically getting thinner as it gets squashed. I remember this and it's all good - actually it's fantastic compared to the first three months of sensations.

I seem to have some energy back, though it does already feel like I am more easily exerted.

Also, feeling the leaping lizard quite a bit and he is still living up to his nickname. In fact, I think all those feelings of kicking and pressing were too new for me to think about it when I was pregnant with Abby, but did anyone else carry the misconception before they got pregnant that a baby sort of had it's own space and stayed there? I am struck this time around with how I seem to be just in the way for the kid at the moment. He keeps pushing and pressing like he's annoyed with his confines... that or he's an adventurer wondering what will happen if he just stretches like so... He gave me a nudge with an elbow or knee last night so distinct I thought Steve had reached over and poked me. I looked over indignantly and Steve was innocently setting his alarm clock.

I have got the impression with both pregnancies that the babies have taken it into their minds that it is up to them to get themselves out of this odd purgatory they are stuck in. Pshaw they seem to say to trusting in modern medicine and don't even get them started on letting nature take it's course. So they wriggle and push and stretch until they get results... two and a half weeks early in Abby's case. Not bad, all things considered.

Oh boy. Trouble's coming... (lovable, cute squirmy trouble... but trouble all the same)

Dodgers, Daddy, Daughter

Because trust me, if it had been up to Mommy, we wouldn't have been there.

Mommy likes games.

She does.


But she doesn't like steep stair inclines that Abby doesn't mind at all and (consequently) rushes down to give Mommy a heart attack. Mommy doesn't like having to walk up and down the stairs constantly for toddler potty breaks. However, Daddy has some say in the family and here we were and it was fun - especially since one of Abby's friends from school was there and they spent inning 4-7 being the absolute most silliest girls in the stadium. Their twin ceramic Russell Martin bobbleheads miraculously survived the silly adventure and it was all good (it helped that Abby's friend happens to have amazing manners).


Bonds neither tied nor surpassed the home run record he's currently chasing, but it made for a sellout hyped up crowd... who filed out rather quickly as soon as they started walking him...

They're Baaaaack...

Chicken Fajitas are back on the menu. Fun fun. No, Steve may still not want them every night - but I can have them everyday for lunch. Theres no rule against that!

Also, apparently you can take the weird - eating away from the weird eater but you can't take the weird eater away from weird - eating.

I made cookies last night because I have been craving them for a week and decided I deserved a treat for putting together all our financial records for our meeting Monday.

Only one problem. I am used to living in a freezing cold house. I have gotten accustomed to food that is left on the counter (fruit, dessert, bread, crackers) being fridge temperature after being left out for more than fifteen minutes. SO cookies are totally unappetizing... unless of course I stick them in the fridge... which I have...

Sun-Kissed

Luckily it looks like Abby got the Italian skin...




And the German sillies...

For those keeping score we're hoping for:
Steve's sight
Steve's straight teeth with my teeth strength

Not a Nice Mommy

Abby's going through a difficult stage. Granted, it's only been about two days, but boy is the difference clear. It didn't take long for me to be very serious about nipping the behavior in the bud, but here are some of the comments made by Abby when Mommy (for no valuable reason she could see) would not let her get her way:

You are not being nice, Mommy, don't you want to be nice to me? You have to be nice to me.
Momma, you can't do this, you're not listening to me, you're not understanding.
No, you can't be smiles, because I don't like you to be smiles.
Momma, don't be proud of me. I don't want you to.

and, after being sure none of these pleas will work:

Momma, I'm not going to ever go to danger again.
Today, I am gonna show you I can get in the car by myself and I'm not gonna run away.
Momma, I brought my purse and my phone just in case I was wanting to cry.

Have I mentioned I love it when the technique of leading her to her room works? And works like magic?

edited 8/9/07 to add:
It's one thing to be not a nice mommy when I know I'm socializing Abby or just being a good mom, a good disciplinarian or what have you. It's another when I make a bad decision and can't take it back easily. Abby was at Steve's parents and made a bead necklace as she does fairly often except she wanted to keep it and my first reaction was no because we don't take any toys from anyone else's house - it's a generally bad habit because they often never get back there. But in this case it was a gray area if not a totally clear area that I came down on the wrong side. And there is just - I don't know if anyone but that child's parent can tell the difference between a tantrum and a true injustice cry, but I felt awful, still feel awful. More so because in her hiccuping way from the car she said Zoozy had said it was okay. Ugh, insert self-flagellating swear word here. As soon as she said that I knelt down and asked if that is what Zoozy had said and when Abby nodded I told her I was sorry, I didn't know Zoozy had said it was okay and that we would get the necklace (I didn't specify when). As soon as I said it - righted the injustice - Abby reached out and hugged me and said thank you. GEEZ the heartache of screwing up but OH how sweet my daughter is and how awful the responsibility that she trusts me so implicitly not to make these mistakes... She was perfectly happy then, deliriously so when Daddy put her princess sheets on her bed - telling him thanks and how strong he was and how cozy this was and how she loved it (simultaneously repeating she was sorry she peed on the bed earlier today with total sincerity but without shame). Purely for my own selfishness I retrieved the necklace ten minutes later while she was still going to sleep so that I could have it off my conscience/heart. She said, "Oh, thank you," in this soft, sincere whisper. It's impossible to parent without one's heart breaking at least once a day. Sigh. At least I can sleep now.