My Toy

I know, I know, I'm supposed to write about our wonderful Christmas, and I will later. But first I'm playing with my toy! I got a new video camera that is much easier to upload, etc...to the computer. Sooooo....here. Let's see if this works. It's a little shot of the white Christmas we enjoyed.

The Mall

What was I thinking?! The Mall? A few days before Christmas? I even had a friend ask me that when I told where I had been most of the day. Surprisingly, it wasn't as awful as I thought it could have been. I generally avoid the mall during Christmas. I seriously can't tell you the last time I bought a Christmas gift at the mall. With so many other options (uh, and online), it's just not necessary. And I'm confused as to why so many other people feel like they have to do their Christmas shopping at the mall.

So, you may ask, as I am obviously opposed to the mall, what I was doing there. Well, as you know, I'm pregnant. And also a mother of a young child. And every once in a while, there is something Inside Me that switches on and I simply MUST accomplish/do/see fill-in-the-blank. It's crazy, and I even feel crazy when this happens. Hormones? Maybe. Who knows. Anyway. This time it was Northpark Santa. And if you Know, then, you Know, about Northpark Santa. This is Baby's 3rd Christmas. I've known Northpark Santa exists for all 3 years, and year 1 and 2 Half-Price-Books santa with no line and the cheap fake beard was fine for us, thank-you-very-much. But starting a week ago, I got the feeling that HPB wasn't going to cut it this time. We had to see the REAL Santa. Check out the photo. See? He's real!

It actually worked out quite nicely. Turns out there are many fabulous children's things to do at The Mall (which I've also known about, just didn't want to make the effort). We were meeting a friend for story time with Santa and a puppet show, so I figured, why not get there a little early and see what this whole Santa thing is about? OK, so how it works...you arrive as the door opens if you even want a chance to see Santa. You get a number. Then you wait (wherever you want...mall, home, China) for hours until you check back and get to get in the short line (15-20 mins) to see Santa. We arrived at 9:15. We got number 77. Yes. 76 people were there before us starting at 9. And after we saw the shows and had lunch, it was time for us to get in line (about 1PM by now). Not bad. As I was in line they were handing out number 148. Yikes.

Something I noted while not even yet AT the mall. I was cruising for a parking space (which are ample at this early time of day), and saw several people LEAVING with packages! The mall had only been open for 15 minutes! My kinda shopping.

Although this post is getting long, I do have other news to share. Poor Little Baby. Always gets the last paragraph. I wonder if that's how it always is with the 2nd, 3rd, etc... child? I mean, we used the Dollar Tree test to learn I was pregnant this time. Of course the high dollar EPT told us the first time. The second time? Spent 1 dollar. Works for me! Anyway...the big fun news is...that we are having a BOY! Yes, yes. Now we'll have one of each. Baby is excited about her little baby brother. We took her to the sonogram and have started talking about it, and I think she gets it, somewhat anyway. Aside from the fact we learned that it's a boy, we also got to see 4 little heat chambers working away, the brain, 2 arms, 2 legs, even fingers and toes. God is so good to us.

I probably won't post again before Christmas, sooooo....a big Merry Christmas to you!

Haircut, ballet, and other random things

Yeah, I know I know. I keep going a long time between posts. I thought I would keep it up better even after Hubby came home because I enjoy writing. But it seems that I don't have much to say. I think the world wide web got a look at the casual family chatter that would have happened had Hubby been home all last year. Now since he gets the real thing, I don't feel like I have much to say, ya know? But I know there are a few others who like to keep updated about the routine family things, so here I go again.

Baby finally got her first haircut! And she loved it. I took her to one of those ridiculous kiddie haircut places, which is actually a pretty good idea, but a lot more pricey than me whipping out my scissors. I think now she's gotten a "real" cut I can probably do a bit of trimming. Anyway. Back to the cut. This place has a whole play land for the kids while we wait, which is a good thing since we waited quite awhile. But when she got in the chair she was ready from watching all the other kids. Then they put a movie on and even pump them up with suckers so they sit still. Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. Oh, and one more thing, they get this token to put into a machine that spits out a toy when they are finished. Crazy! I remember my mom putting my hair up in like a thousand rubber bands and then just cutting the tops off of all the tiny pony tails. I wonder what that looked like? Mmmm. Maybe I'll try that next.

Other things we've been up to is Christmas tree shopping! It was nice and cold which put us in the spirit, but made picking a tree a quick job. We already have it up and Baby had fun decorating it. You can pretty much tell a 2 year old decorated it, but who cares. It was fun.

And...dudndudu! Ballet parent observance was today! I think we all know that Baby takes ballet because I want her to, not because she does. She even ran up to her teacher not too long ago and said, "I don't want to do to ballet today." Oh well. I keep taking her anyway. And today we got to see her "perform"! So fun. All these little 2 and 3 year olds sorta following directions but all looking adorable in their little ballet outfits. Loved it. Can't wait for the recital in May. And the mother/daughter princess party!

A final story. Today I had a parent conference with Baby's teachers at school. She's 2, are you serious?! Anyway. They just confirmed that she is advanced and wonderful. She is even promoting into the preschool room 2 months early. Can you hear the pride in my writing?! A few posts back I wrote about the need to discipline, and well, I must say that she has made quite a bit of progress since then. Maybe it was a stage? Maybe the discipline actually worked? I dunno. But we are having fun. And I am full. Full of happiness.

False Alarm

So, I'm not one of those gals who just loves to be pregnant. I don't mind it so much, but I'm not wild about it either. I do particularly love one thing, tho, and that's feeling that little tiny baby bee bop around inside my belly. That's the best! So I've been waiting and anticipating when I can finally feel this little thing a movin' around, and what better day than Thanksgiving?! Hubby and I were on the couch just hangin' and relaxing after our big 'ole huge Thanksgiving dinner, and I thought I felt a kick! Hubby did too! We were sure! What fun! Then later one we were reading the weekly pregnant update and read, "It's still too early to feel your baby move...." Ba! Guess it was just that Thanksgiving diner since I haven't felt it since. Maybe in a few weeks.

Speaking of the weekly update...isn't the whole thing just wild? I mean, I hate to be cliche' about it, but it is a miracle, huh? You read these crazy things like by week 10 the heart is formed and functions and all organs are basically created and now (week 14) the baby can respond to pokes and prods. It's just wild. Sometimes I get a big head about it...wow, I'm creating a PERSON! But really, no, I'm just the hostess. God does all of this! Seriously...so complicated. So delicate. I wonder why this way? Such a process. You know it's God. It really blows the mind if you think about it too much. At least it does mine.

A big day!

What a big day we had today! Grandparents got tickets for Baby to go to Curious George Live, and don't you know she just loved it. It wasn't bad for Momma and Daddy, either. After a quick nap we took Baby for a birthday party...3rd weekend in a row. Man, fall is a big time for babies! She had a great time at the bounce house and playing with her friends, and now she is just wiped out and already in bed. Momma and Daddy are gonna watch a movie. Thank You for Smoking. It was my pic. We'll see. I tend to choose some pretty bad ones fairly often.

Other news of note. I got stuck with the swine flu vaccine today. "They" say pregnant women die from it for no unexplainable reason. Kinda makes a pregnant woman uneasy. Although I wasn't too keen on getting it, I actually found a place that would vaccinate someone with insurance (not that the insurance paid for it or anything. And on that note...they got it free...why am I paying for it?!). So, I got stuck.

Movie time!

Can't you just suck that in?

Uh, huh. Right. Today I was having a bit of trouble getting into some pants. I'm in no-woman's land in this pregnancy business. Maternity clothes too big, regular clothes too small. So out comes the whole handy rubber band trick. And I was having problems with it so I asked Hubby for assistance. Which. Was. A. Mistake. After little success of his own he says, "Can't you just suck that in a little bit?" Wow. It's not a little extra cake and ice cream around the midsection, people! It's a tiny human growing in there!! So, no. I can't just suck it in. Ah...it's gonna be awhile until I let him forget this one! At least I haven't lost my sense of humor. Still so good to have him home!

Poison Control/I don't like my mommy

I wasn't sure what would be a more interesting title, so I decided to go with both. Since poison control sounds more exciting, I'll write about that first. I was in my room getting ready while Baby watched a little TV (you know me, never one to hide my lazy parenting techniques), when I hear her start screaming and crying. I really must be desensitized by now, because I actually finished brushing my teeth before checking on her. She's been such a drama queen lately, seriously, that I wasn't that concerned. So, I mosey on over to where she is comfortably sitting on the couch with a WHOLE jug of hand sanitizer ALL over her. Hands, face, arms, just swimming in the stuff. So I ask, "Baby, do you have stuff in your mouth?" For some reason I've always called hand sanitizer "stuff" to her. Dunno why. Just do. Anyway, she says, "yeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssss." Of course I didn't know how much and the bottle says to call poison control, so I make a call. Mind you this is not my first call. I probably have written about the others. Anyway, they take my name, my child's name, zip code. I start wondering...if I call enough are they gonna get suspicious? I figure a few calls within nearly 3 years is allowed. Turns out you have to drink several ounces of the stuff for it to really affect ya, so all's well. She probably won't be putting it in her mouth again, tho. Sounds good to me!

Now let's back up to first thing in the morning. Hubby got Baby outta bed and put her in bed with me because, well, I have problems getting out of the bed. I'm just so cozy! So, I'm trying to make Baby cuddle with me, but she wants to go hang out with Daddy. Well, I'm dumb, and I say, "What, you don't like Mommy?" and she says (you guessed it), "I don't like my mommy! I like my Daddy!" Aggg. Dagger. Straight to the heart. I got over it tho. She is such a fair weather gal. Just a few minutes later she announced she didn't like Daddy. Ah, to live in the moment!

One more story. We've recently had some (a lot) of the terrible two behavior. Not a joy. Such a drag. So, I'm trying to figure out a way to raise a decent human being. We're trying something new today and it is SO working! She has a problem with obeying. I mean, I would rather do what I want to do instead of what someone else tells me to. I get it. But I AM THE MOMMY. And she's gotta do what we say. Baby really loves cards...playing cards and such. So I have this stack of Winnie the Pooh number cards. I gave her 5 this morning. When she obeys, she gets another card. When she doesn't, I take a card. I have NEVER seen such motivation! She loves her cards. I've taken a few away today, and she immediately starts saying (screaming) she wants to obey so she can earn it back. I hope this sticks! She has 9 cards right now. Not bad!

Trapped on the elevator

Poor Baby! Today we went to church for Mops, and Baby had a solo ride on the elevator! It has a happy ending, but it was a little scary for both of us for awhile. As we were getting on the elevator together, someone offered to take some boxes I was carrying. As I turned to give them to my friend, Baby got on the elevator and I didn't...and the doors closed! At first I thought it was no big deal...I thought we would just push the button and the doors would open. That happens all the time, ya know? The elevator is full, the doors close, and someone pushes the call button before it leaves and the doors open again. Annoying. But nope, not this time! I could hear her and realized she hadn't pushed any buttons (which is unusual...that is a favorite of hers; she's even pushed the alarm button). Poor little girl...just crying and crying. And no matter how many buttons we pushed, the OTHER two elevators kept arriving. Finally someone must have called an elevator to the first floor because I couldn't hear her anymore. A quick run to the next level, and a nice lady was holding her. Whew! After some special cuddles we were both OK.

She told her teachers that she was crying on the "alligator". And later when I asked her what happened when the doors opened, she said, "The other mommy was holding me." Sweet. I'm glad the "other" mommy was there to greet her.

It smells like hot dogs

So, Baby continues to just grow and grow, as children have a tendency to do. It is so fun to see all the new developments! Recently she has started expressing smells. We walked inside the house this evening, and the first thing Baby said was, "It smells like hot dogs." Which I sorta thought was hilarious. How odd! But then, upon engaging my own nose, I had to agree. It DID smell like hot dogs! We have a wood burning fire place, and with all the rain, the smell sorta seeps into the house (even when we aren't using it). And, well, I had to admit, I could get a hot dog smell outta it.

Other big fun news...we're expecting Baby #2 in May! Quick work, huh? I know you are all counting on fingers...and the math works out, but it was (nearly) shockingly quick. Needless to say, we are both (all) excited. We've even gotten to hear the heart beat twice! So, since I've pretty much gotten on the couch at about 5 every night, I've not had a lot of extra time for writing. I'm hoping to get some energy soon. "They" say that within the next few weeks I'm supposed to feel better. Let's hope so!

We'd hate to get used to any sorta status quo around here, ya know? Hubby's gone for a year, let's spend the next year anticipating a baby, right? Who needs time to settle into a new routine?! I hear that having 2 kids is a whole lot more than 1, which makes me a little nervous, but hey, people do it all the time. That whole "The Iraq" experience kinda gave me some

(false?) sense of invincibility, so bring on a new challenge! We can take it. Besides, it will be tons of fun.

Mmm...I'm kinda wondering what "name" we'll give the new baby. I mean, "Baby" is Baby. Baby 2? Mmmm...I guess we could change "Baby" to "Little Girl", but that doesn't sound quite right. Actually, we currently refer to Baby as "That One" and the new one as "This One." But that is sorta confusing, too. Stay tuned.

It's fall!

Since it I guess the new norm is for me to go quite awhile in between postings, I've got lots to say! Here are a few pics from all the fall fun we've been enjoying:

Hubby and I visited the birthplace of TX (did I already blog about that? mmmm....memory seems to be going all nuts on me). We even did a little boot scootin' in honor.

We've also been to the arboretum like a hundred times, or at least 3 or so. We picked out a pumpkin to carve and Baby had a super time romping all over the pumpkins. Guess what Baby is going to be for Halloween? Cinderella! She loves wearing her costume, and I figured it was ok to let Cinderella go play at the ball (arboretum, that is).

Enough of sitting behind the computer...gonna go out and enjoy this beautiful day!

Whoa

Where I have been?! Hubby comes home and suddenly this whole blog thing seems to fall apart. I guess the intention was to keep him up to date, but I thought I would have kept it going...for...mmmm....myself? Dunno. Anyway. We have been up to all kinds of crazy busy things. I don't really think I can cover it all. Between the army sponsored marriage retreat at the Gaylord, our historical trip to the birthplace of Texas, and of course, The Great State Fair of Texas, man...we're wiped O-U-T!

Guess I'll fill ya in a little on THE greatest fair. The fair is our tradition. We both independently love the fair, and we even go engaged there (on the Ferris wheel, no less). So when I say I love the fair, I mean it! So, for the first time, we decided to let someone else in on our tradition...Baby. And, at the end of the day, we decided that next time we take TWO trips to the fair. One for us, one for family. Is that selfish? Mmm...no answers, please. Momma and Daddy having a "not as perfect time as in years past" did not put a damper on Baby's fun, though, and for this I am glad. I want Baby to love the fair as much as us! And who wouldn't?! A whole saloon scenario made out of butter? Deep fried butter? A sky tram, circus, petting zoo, corney dogs, and musical shows...I ask again, just who wouldn't love the fair?

I've gotta clue you in on some info I learned from the milking demonstration. So, everyone is all organic these days (I too, am a part of this craze, but I've gotten a little on the fence about milk because of the price!). So, I question the 'ole milk expert. I say, "What is the difference between organic milk and other milk." Without missing a beat he says, "Nothing." Nothing?! Nothing? Nothing? I say? Nothing, he repeats. According to him, no one uses hormones in milk anymore. Mmmmm...things are getting interesting. I say, there's gotta be SOME difference. He concedes that an organic farm probably has to sell a cow if it gets sick and they have to treat with an antibiotic. Other farms just wait (can we count on this?) until the drug is out of the system. Interesting, very interesting. I think I'm gonna put my organic dollars towards produce instead of milk.

Anyway. Like I said. Baby had a great time. As Hubby was putting her to bed she asked if we could go to the fair again tomorrow. And then on the way to church she mentioned it again. I just have to remind her the fair is a special treat...only once a year!

Ballerina!

Look at our little ballerina!! What a cutie, huh? She was excited all day about going to ballet lessons. All the little girls looked so cute! I thought I would get to watch the class, but as it turns out, parents have to sit outside and can only look through a tiny window, so no video :( But it was still tons of fun. I'm already looking forward to the Christmas production and the recital in May!

Welcome to the world of dance!

I'm beyond excited. I'm so excited, and I'm not quite sure from where all this excitement comes. Well, I mean, I'm excited because Baby starts ballet lessons on Thursday, but for some reason, I'm ridiculously excited! I can't wait! Baby and I have been talking about it for weeks now, and she's pretty excited about it, too. So, today I took Baby to her first ballet slipper fitting. Oooohhhhh....I wish I woulda taken some pictures. It was so cute seeing her feet measured and and fitted for those slippers! And when I checked out, the lady, sensing my excitement said, "Welcome to the world of dance." And as soon as we got in the car she had to put on her tights and slippers...her idea, not mine, seriously. Stay tuned for pics after Thursday! Who knew that ballet could start as early as 2 1/2?!

My House Husband

Everyone should get one of these. I think back in like 1963 they were called House Wives, but a House Husband is so progressive. Let me tell you...I could get used to this! Today he went grocery shopping, waited on the pest control guy, took the dog to the vet, got quotes for a new fence, and had dinner waiting on us when we got home. Dinner was pizza...with a homemade crust! How did I ever manage without my personal assistant?! Of course a woman would have done all this with at least a toddler in tow, but it's not bad for a man...hee hee. Too bad he goes back to his real job at the end of the month.

We've been up to some fun stuff. We spent the holiday weekend sans Baby with my bestest girlfriends (whoo hoo for the 6 pack!). Hubby and one other token husband were the only guys there. It was nice, tho...they took care of all that boat stuff and anything else we needed. We ate and played silly games that made us laugh so much at least one of us (no names, here!) had some bladder issues. Guess that isn't totally fair since she IS 8 months pregnant. We also got out on the lake and water skied. Ahhh.

Next up is a visit to the folks, closely followed by a B&B getaway. Sure is nice to have him home!

He's home!

Whoo hoo! Guess who is home?!! After a snafu with a bus, Hubby arrived via airplane a few hours earlier than expected. This whole time he was gone I kept hoping he'd come home sooner rather than later. I suppose since he arrived 3 hours earlier than I thought he would, technically my wish came through!

We've not really been doing anything exciting. Even the every day mundane is nice! We've just been hanging out, watching TV, seeing movies, eating. Ya know, regular 'ole stuff. We've got a few low key trips planed, but really we are just enjoying being a family. Baby quite easily welcomed Daddy back into our lives. You sorta wonder how it's gonna be with a 2 year old, but she had no trouble at all.

Well, we've made it. This deployment is over. Wow. I wonder what happens next? Nothing would be fine with me!

I wonder

First the pics:

My favorite photo of the chain!!!! Yes, folks, what you are seeing is ONE LINK to a 400 link chain. We pick Hubby up tomorrow!!!! I could write a whole blog about how I feel about it, and maybe I will sometime, but not tonight.

And, Baby. A 4 AM shot from Friday night. The spots actually got a little worse than that before they started getting better. Today they are a million times better, although still noticeable. I took her to church and mumbled something to the worker about "not being alarmed, she's not contagious" before quickly sprinting down the hall.

So, I wonder. I wonder how I "did" this year. Like I almost want a scorecard. Although not really. A year (or more) ago I started praying that this year wouldn't be wasted. That God's purpose in all of this would be fulfilled and that I would find comfort in His perfect plan. And that someone would benefit. And I think at times I held back and let God do his things, but I know at other times I got all worked up about stuff and forgot to ask for God's help. So, I wonder. I had a hard time accepting that God would WANT a family to be split for a year. My little human mind only sees harm from that. How could that be good? But I must defer to the Bible (Romans 8:28, specifically), that all things work for good (paraphrased). Remember, not that all circumstances ARE good, but that God can use them for His good (my interpretation). So, what was the purpose? Did I let God use it in my life and those around me? I guess we don't always (if ever) know.

I'm excited about Hubby's return, and I'm hopeful for all that is to come...for my family just to be a family. Thanks to all who prayed us through this year; we could NOT have done it without you. Of that I am certain. Amen!

Poor Baby!

Yikes! The past 2 days have been outrageous! I was thinking a few days ago about writing something about the terrible twos setting in. Oooh, Baby has had a mean time this week. So bad in fact that her teachers commented about her being particularly challenging. Yeah, tell me about it. I just chalked it up to the typical two year old behavior you hear so much about. Well, it turns out Baby has an ear infection! No wonder. I hate that! I hate that she has been in pain for a week and I just gave her time outs for bad behavior. That's awful! Once she had her first dose of antibiotic this morning she almost instantly became my sweet little girl again.

It all sorta came to a head last night at oh, I dunno...3 or 4 AM. Baby had been up for hours telling me she was uncomfortable and her feet hurt. I did the awesome motherly thing of yelling at her to go back to sleep instead of turning on a light to see what the problem was. Well, her feet had those awful spots all over them and they were swollen! Poor thing! So we went to the doctor first thing this morning and discovered that the spotty virus thing wasn't really much of a problem (per the doc, I dunno, looks like a problem to me), but that the ear infection was.

So, Baby is already in bed for the night, and I was talking to her about sleeping all night. I told her not to call for Mommy unless she felt sick. And she said, "Don't call Mommy, Mommy screams at you." Holy smokes, can I feel a little smaller, please?!

No he's not home, Baby has a freaky spotty virus rash again, the yard is long gone over grown, and Hubby's truck has vile spray painting on the tailgate thanks to local thugs. Grumpy anyone?!

Hubby's ETA is Monday evening...can't come soon enough!

Standing on my head

So, here's sumthin' for ya. If my blog is quiet, it is quite possibly an indicator that things are not just awesome at the moment. Like I'm too tired, sick, anxious, overwhelmed, or just plain blah to write. As was the case last week. Yeah, yeah. I know it started out all rosy with the "good mother" bit, but shall we say that pride goeth before a fall?

It's not like anything so terrible happened, but man, it was a rough week. Baby decided to get a nasty cold, and then she decided to give it to me. The only thing worse than a sick child, is a sick caregiver. With no relief. As luck would have it, tho, I actually DID get some relief. Thanks Grams and Big Ben! A baby free weekend is just what I needed to recuperate. I feel better already. Who knows, maybe we'll have a repeat of the good mothering bit after all.

Now, for a bit of humor. Today I was standing on my head, and then I fell over, and now my body aches. I realize there is a lot in that sentence. Where shall I begin? Perhaps you may like to know WHY I was standing on my head. And it turns out that I'm actually quite good at it (despite the falling over part). So, you may remember that I'm a (new) yoga gal. Yup...ya just bend down, put your head on the ground, rotate back, and...viola! Now you're on your head. I did it once on my own, but got a little shaken up about it (I'm sorta scared of going backward), so I asked a fellow yogi to spot me. I tried, got scared, looked at her and took a deep breath and said, "OK, I won't be scared, you are right there!" Went into the pose with total abandon and trust...AND SHE LET ME ROLL ON THE FLOOR! Crashed down on my shoulder, rolled over my hip, and landed on my foot. So, my body aches a bit. Dude, she really let me down.

This whole standing on my head made me think that I've been standing on my head for a year now. You know...this upside down balancing act I've been doing. And it's only fitting that I crashed earlier, cause that's how I've been feeling lately. Less than 2 weeks to go? 1 and a half? AAAAGGGHHHH. Gotta get outta this headstand soon!

I Am a Good Mother

Most of the time I'm pretty hard on myself and feel that I fall short in this whole mothering business. But today, ah...today...I was a Good Mother!

I played, I pretended, I served healthy meals. I read, I worked puzzles, and stressed not about the mess. We even went out to our local urban oasis for a bit of nature. The intent was to feed the ducks, but they weren't interested. Baby LOVED feeding the birds, though! And chasing them too. And I guess she thought if the food we brought along (bread) was good enough for the birds, it was good enough for her, too.

Just two cute things (for today)...Baby has started giving ME choices! Both at nap and bedtime she held up 2 books and let me choose which one to read first. That made me chuckle. And at dinner...she opened her full mouth and said, "aaahhhhh". Where did she learn that?! Is it just something deep inside the DNA that makes a child do that? I would normally blame that type of behavior on Hubby, but we know that isn't possible. I had to look away not to laugh out loud!

Maggot-fied

Well, so I like to claim that this blog is more than just "oohhh, look at what my cute baby did now," but well, that might not exactly be the case. So, here is what my cute baby is doing!

She got recently got a magnifying glass, and she says, "maggotfied." Now, that's pretty cute, huh? And take a look at the pic. She got all dressed with her glasses and put her purse on and said she was going to work! She probably thinks work is some great play place grown ups get to go to and have all sorts of fun.

Ahh...so today was circus day! Whoo hoo! We both loved it. You may/may not remember that last year the circus lasted all of 20 minutes before Momma made the wise decision to take the fussy girl home. This year was a different story! I think we both enjoyed the animals the best. I really liked the elephants. They looked so soft! Yes, I have seen an elephant up close and know about their skin. But, oh, I dunno, 100/200 yards up and away, they looked soft. And they were really cute. We both also really liked the acrobats. The greatest show on earth, huh? It was quite the show.

So, the circus got me thinking. I remember last year's circus. I was sad. Hubby had just been gone a couple of weeks, and I was wishing he was with us (well, just like always). And this year, well, I'm not quite as sad, and I did wish that Hubby was with us. But he will be soon! 'Bout 2 weeks is what I've been telling folks. I think that's sorta accurate. I'll let ya know when I know!

We had a swell day today, but all was not well right before bedtime. I hate that! Baby got all sassy with me and I had to give her a choice of putting her toys away to get ready for bed and read stories, or fussing and not reading stories. She sassed me and said, "I NOT!" Ah, it was sad. I like reading her stories, but I don't like a sassy little girl. BTW, "I not" is her common sass phrase. "I not" what exactly? She did get over it, but she was really upset about not getting stories. She kept saying, "I put my toys away, I put my toys away" hoping I'd give her a do-over. Not this time. I've found a renewed sense of strength! (I'm not always that tough...it's a lot easier to give in for sure).

Oh, yeah. 2 more things. Baby helped herself to some apple juice today! I know not to turn my back on a toddler, but I was doing something (getting dressed, cleaning the bathroom, checking email, something...who knows what). Next thing I saw was Baby POURING herself some apple juice. And she did a remarkable job. She got a cup (maybe she already had one?) opened the refrigerator, got out the apple juice, opened it, and POURED a full cup. No spills. Amazing. Why isn't she potty trained? She's like an adult, I swear.

And I broke the coffee pot carafe. Blast! Good thing I have a back up coffee filter cone holder...one cup at a time, but good in a pinch.

First Day of School

Well, it's not really the first day of school. I just sorta declared it the first day of school. Since Baby went all summer, it's no big deal to her, but I felt like we needed to mark the occasion. I went back to work on Tuesday, so since she started going to TCS last year on the first Tuesday of August, I figured that would work. See last year's pic? That little bald Baby? Oh, and really the "first" day back was class photo day, so she had her shirt on (the HUGE blue "dress"), and since that wasn't all that cute, I decided to dress her up in a "back to school" outfit and document it again on Wednesday. So, if you're still with me on all this...check out the pony tail! Or the sprout from her head that we call a pony tail. I realize that most little girls start wearing bows and such at about age 2 months, but we waited 2 years. No hair=no hair embellishments in my world. The other pic is Baby with one of her fav teachers.

Other things of note: Baby continues to love ketchup. In fact, twice this week she has had tomatoes dipped in ketchup for dinner. I figure it could be a lot worse. Oh, she also eats ketchup with a spoon, and if she can't get it all with the spoon, she just goes in with her fingers. Seriously? Ew. I've also seen her dip her strawberries and cherries in in. Gross. Whatever. You know, pretty much nearly anything goes around here.

The Biter

First, The Biter, then the pics. So, Baby's had a problem with biting in the past, but I really thought we got past that almost a year ago. Well, it turns out we haven't. I picked her up from school a little later than I have been because I went back to work today (which I suppose I could muse about, but there wasn't really anything that interesting that happened). And she was just having the biggest fit. Turns out she bit a kid! And SHE was the one crying! She is a bit of a drama queen, which I really noticed yesterday for some reason that I now forget. Anyway. She bit the kid because she wanted the car and so did he. And, well, the teachers put her in a time out, but I'm not really sure how well that was working since she seemed to be wandering about. Or maybe it's because she saw me. So, the process goes (after a bite) that the biter goes in time out and then has to apologize. But she was so worked up the apologizing thing wasn't going to happen. Oh, and get this...teachers can't tell me who she chomped. But the kid's mom came to pick him up in the middle of the drama, so I murmured an embarrassed, "I'm sorry" and skulked outta there. I tried to make it a teachable moment...ya know...Baby, did you hurt your friend today? And so on, but do ya really think I got through to her? No, I say. No. At dinner when I asked her what her favorite part of the day was...she said biting! She even said his name, so I woulda known anyway. I hope this doesn't turn into a problem.

OK, now the pics. Since it just rained cats and dogs over the weekend, we had to skip our planned trip to the zoo, so we had pretend zoo at home, which involved dragging out every single stuffed animal and looking at them. It was pretty fun.

And if you've been with me since the beginning, you know about The Chairs. The Chairs. Oh The Chairs, The Chairs, The Chairs! Enough to almost suck the life outta me. Way back over a year ago when this whole The Iraq came to be, I thought I would have "all this time" to complete projects. Sorta like how I thought I would paint the kitchen and our guest room during my maternity leave. Anywho. I digress. I have these antique (read "old" not so much "nice") chairs that I thought would look better if I recovered and stripped and refinished. A FULL YEAR AND ONE MONTH LATER they actually do look better. Not super great, but they do look better. I can now have a dinner party for 6. Thanks for the help, Mom!

I need the moon

We have been having fun! Last night we went to an outdoor concert and picnic with Grams and some friends. Man, did those girls DANCE! They sure do like to move, and they had a super time. The adults had a good time too. It was quite a walk from the concert area to the parking lot, and even though we left early, the girls had a late night. It got dark on our way back to the car and the girls noticed the moon. Made me wonder if Baby had seen the moon. I know she has, but she isn't often up late enough to see it. Anyway, she was quite taken with it and kept repeating, "I need moon, I need moon, I need moon!" We brainstormed about ways we could reach it...a ladder maybe? An airplane? A lasso? I finally told her that maybe she could ask Daddy when he came home to see what he could do about it. Sorry, Hubby! I may have told her that you might be able to do a few other things when you get home, too. Oops.

I hope I never forget

...all the silly things like

• singing and dancing naked in front of the mirror after bath
• wearing winter boots in the summer
• and rain boots in the sum
• "Mommy, turn around, turn around, dance!"
• "No, I do it"
• "I need James Taylor"
• "Just a little bit more" (milk, crackers, whatever)
• Elmo walks
• "I need game"
• "I need car panties" which are of course little boy underpants
• Fierce hugs and kisses (She loves rough, as I like to say. If a 2 year old hasn't knocked you down when you've picked him/up from school, you're missing out.)
• naming our favorite things from the day
• listening to her talk herself to sleep
• "Hear that noise?"
• "Mommy, you like oatmeal (or whatever)?" Then hearing the inflection in her voice as she is astounded and says, "You do?!"
• "Mommy, you need chocolate candy?" Uh, yes is always the answer to that. Although it's a little more funny than just that, because she asks me that after I visit the ladies room. Ha ha! Don't we all wish we still got chocolate candy for that?

Fun Weekend

So, I took a moment and fell apart and then had to get it back together again. Ah, such is life, huh?

We've had a fun weekend! Friday we had another trip to the sprayground with a friend, and Saturday we spent the day at the in-laws. Nothing like a day at the pool with someone else making all the food and watching Baby to put a little life back in ya!

And today after church we had a fun birthday party for a school friend. I did make a mistake at the party, tho. I can't ever seem to get it right. Whatever I assume about the food situation is ALWAYS wrong. I'll either feed Baby a meal just to take her to the party where there is pizza and burgers (which of course she'll rapidly consume) or I'll tell her to wait for party food and it turns out she'll eat cake and ice cream for lunch. Which was the case today. I guess I shoulda known...12:30 is sorta late for lunch for a bunch of toddlers. She was the next to last kid to leave the table...had to get to the bottom of the ice cream cup before she'd go back and play. I don't blame her. I was starving when we got home!

Well, this is the last week of my "summer". Good thing I've got all sorts of things lined up. 2 play dates, a walk and lunch sans Baby, and a concert in the park. That should keep me busy. Would hate to have a spare moment, ya know?

Falling Apart

Right here, right at the end. I'm falling apart. I'm a mess. It's like the little engine that could got right to the crest of the hill and gave up. What I'm saying is...it's not over yet, folks. I'm running out of steam and I still need your prayers! Today hasn't been that much different from any other day to prompt this writing, it's just that I finally decided to share. I've been feeling like this for a few weeks now. Like the end is in sight, but it's just not here. And it seems so long away. I know that's odd since it's only a few more weeks and we've made it OK for the past year, but I think I've held it together for as long as I can. One more day gone, only 30ish to go?

I just love a 2 year old!

When I'm not fuming or rolling my eyes at how sssssllllllooooowwwwwlllyyyy Baby moves, I'm totally cracking up! She is so silly! I'm not sure if I even have a great example, but I catch myself hundreds of times a day choking back a laugh because I don't want her to know I'm giggling. She's been practicing sitting on the potty (and being fairly successful), but tonight she was having a fit for some reason. Her little tiny pants were around her ankles and she was all but falling in (because she refuses to use the potty insert...just another quirk), so she's griping the sides of the seat, SCREAMING until her face is red, "NO!!!". No, what, is anyone's guess. I wasn't even asking her to do anything, go anywhere, or say something. It was just too silly looking!

Another quirk she has...when she throws a fit I usually just sorta look at her and let her do her thing until she calms down after awhile. As soon as she is finished, she'll look at me and say, "I was crying." Yeah, ya think?

And if I'm not chuckling at Baby, I'm just shaking my head in sheer awe at the level to which I've stooped. For dinner tonight was a serving for each of us of that awful easy mac crap with a side of veggies. Steamed broccoli for Baby, raw carrots for me. Seriously? Easy mac in a microwavable cup?! You open that stuff and it just smells of chemicals. Then you mix that powder in and it gets all gummy. If it wasn't so delicious I don't know how I'd choke it down! I don't think I'll continue buying it, though. I'll at least get the box instead of those cups. Those little white pellet things and that plastic cup have got to cause cancer somehow. They'll tell us in about 15 years.

This morning I set off the alarm. It's good to do that every now and again to make sure they are monitoring it. They are.

Today came real close to how I always envisioned motherhood. Not that it was a extra super fantastic day, or anything. I just always thought that having a young child would be like having a really small pal to bop around with and do all sorts of fun things together. Turns out it is, plus a whole lot of other stuff I never considered. But this morning we actually had a pleasant trip to the mall together including play time and lunch. And this afternoon Baby ran around the yard playing with her toys. The reason both of the activities are significant, is because instead of me being stressed out and trying to get her to sit down, be quiet, run around without me, etc...she did all of those things on her own! Still can't explain why dinner was such a disaster. Mmmm...

News on the Hubby front. Things are happening! By that I mean the long process of returning home is beginning. He'll move into alternate housing (read: tent) within a few days. Then after about 2, maybe 3 weeks he'll get outta dodge (read: The Iraq)! Then after some time (week?) he'll leave wherever it was that he went after leaving The Iraq (read: some US friendly Middle Eastern country). Then he'll get somewhere in Texas (read: Ft. something or other, doesn't matter, family not encouraged to come). He'll be there for awhile...3, 5, 7 days?...before appearing at my door. See, it's all so exact, huh?

No, I have a sister

Baby has some interesting news for me. There are several kids in her class that are getting new siblings in the fall (and for those of you interested, Baby is NOT one of those), so she has been learning about brothers and sisters. I asked her if she had a baby brother, and she said, "No, I have a sister." Very matter of fact like. The sister even has a name, which coincidentally is her own. Could this be an imaginary friend?! I dunno, but it's cute and funny. And it's gone on for several days. I wonder if there is something Hubby needs to tell me...mmmm?!

Speaking of brothers. I actually DO have a brother. Big Brother and C were here visiting for a few days from Denmark (as you may remember). I've heard of toddlers flushing all kinds of crazy things down the toilet, but I did not expect for Big Brother to. We hear from the family room...oh, no! Oh no! Oh no! Big Brother had (accidentally) flushed his sun glasses! Phunny, and gross! We thought they were gone for good (I sorta thought the plumbing was gone for good, too), but he managed to fashion some sorta hook thing from a hanger and grocery bag (?) to fish them out. Ew. You wouldn't catch those on my face again.

Ah, it's cooling off around here...only in the mid 90s! We may even venture outside today.

Yes, I realize

that Baby is wearing suede, fur-lined boots, and it's about one thousand degrees outside. I'm just happy she is wearing shoes! She obviously picked them out and put them on herself, and in true fashion, I just rolled with it.

Her spots are clearing, and so I figured it was about time to get out and about. We've already made a trip to the Y, and we're planning on spending the rest of the day visiting Baby's great grandfather. Whew, I hope we stay cool!

Spots, yikes!

So, Baby had these weird spots yesterday, and I didn't think too much about them until we went outside and they started springing up all over her body. Then I took her inside and gave her a bath and talked to the nurse who didn't seem too concerned. I thought it might have been the skin so soft I slathered all over her the other day to keep mosquitoes off. Anyway. This morning we were on our way into the Y for some much needed yoga for me when I took a good look at her...she was COVERED in these freaky spots! All over! Not a rash, not bites...just spots. Ew. So, I begrudgingly did the responsible thing and didn't take her into the childcare to infect all the other children. Instead we had a Saturday morning trip to the doctor. Ick. It seems that Baby has a freaky virus...just some weird virus that has morphed out of her skin. It sure is a good thing that Baby is normally healthy...I'm no good at this sick business. It slows us down! So we had to cancel our swim date and back outta going to see my brand new nephew (thought we should probably keep our freaky spot virus out of the maternity ward, right?) and likely have to stay home from church tomorrow, too. What are we going to do?! Doc said it should calm down within a day or two. Whew! Stay tuned to see how creative I get with this staying home business.

So grown up

How does it happen? How is it that suddenly Baby starts talking in full grown up sentences? The other day on the way to school Baby told me that, "Only teachers open doors." I would have to say that I think that's a pretty good idea. Speaking of opening doors, Baby is about to start opening ours. She already unlocks the deadbolts and turns the handle, but she just can't quite turn it far enough yet. Yet. I figure by the time Hubby comes home she will.

Here is something cute Baby has been doing for about a month now...feeding the dog! Not the big dog outside (she's been doing that for awhile). The little dog inside. She does the whole thing. Opens the food bin, measures out the correct amount, and pours it into the dish. She also asks me if the dog needs a pill. You may remember the dog being sick last fall. Well, now she is on a daily medication, and Baby knows it! Teaches her responsibility, right?

Other things Baby has learned...the days of the week! She just started singing them the other day. I had no idea she knew that. So smart.

This week we've had just a little outdoor time, but we've mostly been inside because of the heat. She is starting to play with her toys and entertain herself more now, which is both cute and helpful. Tomorrow we're going to the swimming pool! Fun, fun.

Mommy, I kiss it

I hope you all had a nice July 4th! We made a trip down to visit my parents and had a good time. I'm excited that this is the last holiday we'll have to celebrate w/o Hubby. At least the last one for awhile. On the drive home I managed to get a raging headache. We stopped to have lunch and I had to put my head down on the table. I kept telling Baby that my head hurt. And twice she said, "Mommy, I kiss it? I kiss your head?" I know I've said it before, but she is just the SWEETEST thing! Between the kisses and Excedrin, my head did get better. I even managed to ask for some help from one of my friends, so I had someone at home ready to play with Baby while I rested and unloaded the car, etc....It's so nice to have a support network!

Wipe it off!

So, here's another funny from Baby. Often when I kiss Baby (usually when she is already upset), she gets really angry with me and tells me to "Wipe it off, wipe it off, Mommy!". Ha ha. So, I have to wipe my kiss off of her.

And I forgot lazy parenting technique #478...leave dirty breakfast dishes in the refrigerator while running out for the morning so the ants won't get them. Seems like I had a bit of an ant problem. I think the ants are under control now, but I still find myself putting breakfast dishes in the fridge so I don't have to look at them!!!!

OK...off to work on the 6th and FINAL chair!

So over it

You remember the chain, right? Look how far we've come! But with about 50ish days left, let me say, I AM SO OVER IT. I've thought this at least a thousand times, but I'm ready to be part of a two parent home again. I'm over being water logged with swimming lessons. It would be super if Hubby could sweep in and go to the remaining lessons. Ah, pure luxury. One I don't have, but soon! I sure do have a new respect for those who are single parents.

It seems like the closer we get the more anxious I get and the more I think that I can't do this another day! But the key to that is "I". Yes, I suppose that maybe "I" haven't done this at all and it really has been "we". Only the other one is God, not Hubby. I was chatting with some friends today about some spiritual stuff and admitted that I've sorta always been a little afraid of Hubby dying. I think that most wives are. So, I don't want to say that I'm totally over that fear, but God has certainly used this experience for me to give it all up to God. And to totally rely on Him rather than Hubby. It's a tough lesson for sure, but way back in the beginning of this whole thing one of my prayers was that this time wouldn't be wasted. I wanted someone to benefit. I actually wasn't thinking it would be me. I'm not quite sure what I had in mind, but, surprise, surprise...God used this time for ME. I know there have been (way too) many times that I've tried to be the mother/father everything for Baby without asking for His help...bummer. I don't just have to "push on through" these remaining days. I get to rest in the arms of my savior. Rest. Wish I would have realized this earlier. To throw a "thank you" up seems trite and insignificant. Maybe I'll spend some time in reflection about what God has done through this experience...and rest.

Come eat!

Oh, they say your children are your mirror, right? Well, if that's so, I'm spending WAAAAYYY too much time in the kitchen! I was, surprise, in the kitchen making dinner and Baby was in her kitchen making "dinner" when she ran to me and said, "Come eat!" then started muttering under her breath about dinner being ready. I can not even tell you how adorable this was. She had four cups and 1 plate with a fork set out for me and told me to sit down. So, of course I came to dinner! And she was just up and down, up and down, serving me, just like I usually am for her! "Mommy, you want some more? More coffee?" Then she would take my cup and rattle around in the cupboards looking for the kettle then find the faucet and turn on the water (complete with a "whoosh" sound") then bring me my coffee. Later she said, "Mommy, all done?" and took my plate! It was so adorable that I couldn't stand to make her stop playing and come eat dinner for real (which was, by this time, cold). So, I just brought it into her kitchen and we ate on the floor, picnic style. Cutecutecutecutecutecutecute does not do it justice! Give me a two year old any day!

Cookies for breakfast...

and other lazy parenting techniques.

Baby doesn't normally get cookies for breakfast, but she did the day after we returned from Denmark. There was a bag sitting on the table, and Baby said, "I need cookie!" and I thought it was just easier to give it to her than not.

"Baby! Go inside and watch TV! It's too hot to be outside!" Another technique of mine.

"No bath, Mommy! No bath!". OK. Sure, let's just go to bed and skip the bath. Who cares about the pile of sunscreen and sweat she had flooding down her little body today. Not to mention popsicle and Mexican food. Alls I know is she's already asleep, and that's good with me!

I'm kinda in the camp that if it's not going to do long term damage, and if it's not dangerous, why bother?! You want to try my coffee...sure, have a swig. My coke? Ok. Wear my shoes and carry my purse? Fine with me. Put your sunglasses on upside down or swim in the bath like it's the pool? Ok. Pour out all the contents of the backpack and pour your own milk...works for me, too. I'm getting tired, Hubby! You better come home soon or there's gonna be quite a bit of damage control you'll need to do!

Here is something cleaver Baby said:

She burped the other day and said, "I went toot toot from my mouth!"

Poop in the pool :(

So, Baby has really been enjoying her swimming lessons. Today we got there a bit early and we had just barely gotten in and Baby jumped off the side a few times (her favorite), when we heard the lifeguard whistle and an urgent command to get out of the pool. I sorta kinda looked around and wondered what was going on and decided to heed the urgent command and hauled Baby and myself outta the pool. And then I hear the words "poop" and "pool". I decided not to investigate but rather take their word it. Baby, on the other hand, did not get it, and she was NOT happy. I felt sad for her. She was crying and clawing at me trying to get back in the pool. How do you explain that to a 2 year old? She finally calmed down and we drove home and had popsicles outside. That didn't really make up for it, but I thought it would help. I guess they are draining the pool, so we'll try this again tomorrow. Don't forget your swim diapers, folks!

Misc. Stuff

You probably saw my pics on facebook, but here are a few in case you're not part of the facebook crowd:

Phunny photo: they let the babies sleep outside on the street but lock up the buggy so it won't get stolen. I guess the baby is free for the taking!

Baby and I enjoying a hot dog at the hot dog festival

Spoons: extra tiny or extra huge. Only options.

Cool pic of the beach.

The trip back wasn't nearly as stressful as the trip there, although there was about an hour of panic when good 'ole United Airlines couldn't seem to find any record of my tickets for the last flight of the journey. I think I was about *this* close to seriously having an anxiety attack.

Baby and I are still trying to get reacclimated to the time change. The past 2 nights she's been up for a few hours. It's like having a newborn all over again! Luckily the 'rents were here the first night so I could get some rest. Now it's right back to our summer fun just where we left off.

Swimming lessons started yesterday! And Baby just loves it. We've gone twice now, and she is already more adventuresome than the first time. She is putting her head in the water but hasn't really caught on that you're supposed to close your mouth. She sorta licks/drinks the water. mmmm. We'll work on that.

Well, as I mentioned...there is still a bit of jet lag going on around here. It's time to get some rest!

I speak English

I've had to use the above phrase several times the past few days. I guess I just look so Danish that folks speak this giberish to me and I have to stare blankly and dumbly say, "I speak English," and then they kindly speak to me in English. It's really not hard to get around here not speaking the language. Although I was a little concerned about the lunch meat I bought. I was hoping it wasn't something strange like goose liver. Turns out it was just chicken.

We've now added to Metro as another form of transportation. I tell Baby that it's the fast train, not like the choo choo train she road with Grandma. She always tells me about riding the train with Grandma.

Of course we used the train to get to a bit of shopping. Turns out that udsalg is on. "The Sale" that is. And the sale is just about everywhere. And yes, the Visa does work!

Oh, here's a funny Danish thing. These Danes leave their babies outside to sleep! In these huge pram buggy things. Now, that is odd enough, but listen...they lock up the buggy! So, they are concerned some thug will take off with the buggy, but not the baby?! Odd.

Our visit is coming to an end, and we sure have enjoyed it. I think we're taking a bike ride tomorrow to see a palace and have a picnic. Fun!

Tivoli

Mommy, I bump my head! Baby has been sleeping on a mat on the floor, and since she is used to a crib, it has taken some adjustment for both of us. Last night I woke up to Baby exclaiming the phrase above. Seems that she rammed her head into the wall. After a few "hush hushs and there theres" it was back to sleep.

Today was another adventure, of course. Without a chaperon, I was a bit concerned how the day would go. Turns out we are quite the travelers and we had a great day. We took our time in the morning until we finally made it down to the courtyard area where Baby enjoyed playing in the sandbox. Then we went for a short stroller ride and a quick trip to the grocery store. Our total was 42. I'm not quite sure how much that was, but I think it was OK.

Then it was back to the apartment for lunch and a nap. A short nap, but a nap nonetheless. And then the real fun began! We chased down a bus (literally) and managed to tick off the bus driver since I folded the stroller. Apparently you aren't supposed to do that. You are supposed to go IN the EXIT with your stroller and the kid still in it. Oops. We did better the next time, which actually resulted in a free ride. Score. We made it to our stop...Tivoli! The 6 flags of Copenhagen. Big Brother and C met us there after work and we had quite a good time. Baby particularly loved the shows. Which were sorta creepy to me. This huge boom box thing rolled around the audience with giant puppets following after it. Then it was off to the children's area for Baby to romp about and then of course we had to stop for ice cream.

Next we rode a few rides (airplane, carousel, train) and ended our visit with a drink at one of the many restaurants. Whew. Now, here it is, nearly 10 PM and it is still light! I think Baby has finally sung herself to sleep, and I'm about to follow. Nite, nite, folks!

Copenhagen Highlights

Let's see. I haven't really given much detail about what we've been doing. Saturday, after a bit of rest, we took Baby to the courtyard and she played awhile in the sand. There are also lots of toys for her to play with outside, like push cars and such. Then we went for a walk and found an ice cream store giving away ice cream! Yum. After an early dinner that was the night Baby slept for 15 hours.

Sunday we rode bikes out to a suburban type area to Big Brother's girlfriend's mom's house. Let's call her "C". BB's girlfriend, that is. We enjoyed spending the afternoon there and a somewhat typical Danish meal. Baby liked playing with C's niece and running about in the garden. Then we drove out to this arboretum type place...much more natural though. With walking paths and nature stations (like chickens and a tank with tadpoles, etc...) for a bit of cake and juice. Speaking of the car...here are all the types of transportation we've used:

airplane, van, shuttle, taxi, bus, bike, personal car, boat. all without a car seat.

Monday we went out to a former castle that is now used by the military, but the grounds are a public garden. We took a boat ride and learned about the history. Next we found the hot dog festival! The hot dogs were mostly the same except the weenie is much longer than the bun. And some of the toppings are different. And the only choice of drink was chocolate milk, but no one complained. After a stop at a cafe we made it home to prepare for dinner and relax.

Baby has still be sleeping in, so we've been getting a late start. That's a welcomed change! Tuesday we walked (no bikes today!) to this hippie type place called Christianea where I bought a purple scarf to keep my ears warm. Then I hiked up about a hundred million steps to the top of this church, mostly just to say I did. It was a neat view, though. A bit scarey I must admit. We spent the afternoon a Big Brother's place and had friends over for dinner. Tomorrow I'm on my own...I think we'll be able to manage. I'll let ya know!

I love Continental Airlines!

Other possible titles include:

United Airlines Sucks
I will never leave the US again
Awful, just plain awful
God Answers prayers...just not always how you'd like

But I thought I would try to put a positive spin on the 48 hours it took to arrive in Copenhagen. So, pretty much from the time I bought our transatlantic tickets I started losing sleep wondering how this whole thing would work. So, then I started prayers for smooth travels. And let me tell you what...travels were anything but sooth. You may know about the little rain storm we had on Wednesday/Thursday. And you may not be surprised to learn that the airport was WAY backed up. So backed up that not only did I miss my original connection in DC, I missed my back up connection too. Then I got to roam around the airport for nearly 2 hours bouncing around from desk to desk (at the direction of the very unhelpful and unfriendly United Airline associates) until I finally found the correct line to stand in for OVER TWO HOURS after already traveling for half a day with a TWO YEAR OLD WHO HAD NOT NAPPED. Let me tell you. Momma was NOT happy. Baby was VERY good, though...as good as any two year old could ever have been expected in such a situation. So, we ended up in a hotel (didn't even get there until 11 PM after arriving at 6). Then we got to start all over the next morning. This time with the wonderful customer focused Continental Airlines. I will NEVER fly United again. They just did NOT care. I'm still just dumbfounded about how much they did NOT care. Then there was this bit about my luggage. Which was locked in some part of the dungeon of Dulles Airport. And I wasn't allowed to get it. And no airline really wanted to be responsible for it, either (by this time 3 airlines had been involved, with about 5 different tickets...I had to start tearing them up so I wouldn't get confused. Yes, I had real paper tickets). So, God did answer this prayer how I had hoped...my luggage arrived with me. Thanks to the people who cared at Continental and God's answer.

Ah. Now we're having fun! Seriously, we are. We've mostly recovered from jet lag (Baby slept 15 hours the first night!), and we've been bike riding, playing in the park, eating lots of ice cream, and experiencing Danish life. It is a bit chilly. Luckily I have coats, but it's colder than I expected, even when Big Brother told me. I seriously have my winter coat with me, and I'm glad to have it.

Let's see...later on the agenda is a trip to the local amusement park, shopping, and traditional Danish meals. And more bike riding. Which is good with the amount of sweets these folks eat!

Stay tuned for the rest of the adventure...I'm expecting the travel home to be MUCH easier.

Whoa

We better put on the breaks on this summer fun business or else we'll get worn out before we even get started! This morning we took a bicycle ride to "practice" the primary mode of transportation in Denmark. Baby had a great time...I think the best time I can ever recall her having on the bike. Next on the list was a stop at a local children's museum. This was the first time we've ever been, and we'll have to go back for sure! There was so much to do from milking the cow to shopping for vegetables. Oh, and the huge bubbles and the ping pong balls demonstrating gravity and the sand pile for archaeological finds, and...ya get the picture.

After nap there wasn't any time to lallygag around or anything. We were nearly first in line at the local pool. Baby has lessons starting in a couple of weeks, and they can't come soon enough! After she got used to the idea of the water she kept saying, "No Mommy! Sit down! No hold you!". Well, naturally since Baby can't swim I HAD to hold her, but she didn't like that one bit. We tried it for awhile with a life vest, but that wasn't any good either.

We made it home in time for me to throw a very odd dinner together that actually turned out to be pretty tasty. Lemon pepper chicken tenders, pasta and cheese type thing, served on a bed of fresh spinach with crazins and red wine vinaigrette. Well, Baby didn't have the spinach and vinaigrette part. Oh, she also had a pile of fresh cherries. I bought them the other day because I'm a sucker for product placement and suggestive selling, and Baby just carried one around for almost an hour without eating it. So, when she wanted one today I gave her one (basically to keep her busy while I prepared dinner), and I did tell her not to eat the seed, but I don't know why I thought she might understand that command. At any rate, it seems that she ate a cherry pit. I guess that's OK. I mean, my real fear is her choking on it, and since that didn't happen...well...can we count it as extra fiber? I thought it would be a good idea for me to cut out the pit on the other ones I gave her. Mmm. Cherries are good!

So, because of our ridiculously full day, Baby went to bed early. I think Momma might too.

Bathtime

So, I wonder...can playtime with the water hose count as bath time? It did tonight! It's not like Baby was super dirty or anything. She often stays pretty clean on Sunday since we spend all morning in church and she usually takes a long afternoon nap. After nap today Baby spent some
time finger painting, and well...after 2 plus years of this mothering business I have actually learned a thing or two. And one of those things is that Baby finger paints...naked. Yup. Clean up is a lot easier that way. So, we just went on out to the yard for the water hose to perform double duty...play and bath. Sounds like a deal to me!

I probably would have normally put her in the regular bath, but we were meeting the girls for dinner tonight. We had a great time with Baby's three local "aunties"! Baby ate nearly as much pizza and cake as I did. It was good!

Other highlights from the weekend include a trip to the arboretum with friends, plus another dinner out with said friends, plus a trip to the park with again, said friends (do you see a trend?), and a party (just Momma this time). Whew! We've been busy! Guess we'll tie up the weekend and get ready for...more of the same! I just love summer.

She is SO SWEET!

Baby is just the sweetest little thing EVER. I'm not sure where she's learned this, or maybe it's just her nature. She has to hug and kiss EVERYTHING. And by everything, I mean just that. The car door, her ball, me (love that!), flat Daddy, and today it was the sign post outside of school. The sign post? Seriously? Hug and kiss, hug and kiss, full out with the "mmmmaahhh" sound. I mean, sometimes it's borderline making out! I have to turn my head to dodge the open mouth kisses. Cracks me up a little.

I managed to get that 'ole bubble machine working today, and she had a great time with it, although I think it's a piece 'o junk. After bath we spent some time on the couch together. That's always fun, and we don't do that often enough. I told her I was tired, so Baby said, "Go night night, Mommy, close your eyes." So cute! Of course I had to close them after that and she kissed my cheek! Seriously, I just melt around her sometimes.

I'm holding on around here. Keeping it together for a couple more months. We've got big plans...Denmark is next week!

Ants!

Poor Baby stirred up an ant pile at school today. I had just picked her up and we were already outside of the fenced in playground when she saw someone walking dogs. Baby loves dogs so she started walking towards them across the grass and musta walked over a fire ant pile. I didn't even notice anything until her teacher yelled at me to pick her up. Ants all over her poor little feet and legs! We started wiping them off as fast as we could and then they got the water hose out to spray them off...those suckers are strong and mean! Luckily she only got a few bits, but the whole thing sure did frighten her. Poor little girl. She is funny, though...I asked her (as I do every night), what her favorite part of the day was, and she had a new answer for a change. She usually responds, "park" even if we didn't go to one. But today she said, "school". When I asked her which part at school, she said, "bug bites"! So weird. I wonder if she liked the attention?

Anyway. We came home and I got out a new toy for her (given the ant business), and the thing didn't work! Dumb 'ole bubble machine. Guess I'll have to take it back. She liked the Nemo jump rope from the dollar store better anyway. Then we had to make a trip to sonic (half price burger night), and Baby told me she needed to get out of the truck and dance. What a cutie. So, we ate there and she happily danced with her burger to the Beatles and the like. And to pass on a little Sonic freebie...free root beer floats from 8 AM until 12 PM tomorrow (Wed.)! Guess who is going there tomorrow after school?

PS: I remember a year ago I kept wishing it were next year. Well, now it is! Yeah!