Photo Tales - Week 4

On Monday my darling little one had a fever, and with daycare involved there are firm rules about that. Sniffles are okay, whining is okay, but fevers end the conversation about whether or not to send a child to daycare. I totally get that - better to keep any illness in the house of one instead of passing around the whole group!

After a morning of taking Abby to my office to get some Monday-essential work done, we went home and just vegged. By the time dinner rolled around I jumped at the chance to make it, because it was more exciting than reading another Caillou book. After dinner I insisted on doing something, anything, outside of the apartment, so we settled on blowing bubbles!

I don't know anyone who does not enjoy blowing bubbles - it's simple and amusing, both of which are right up my alley. In the past we have even bought bubble machines so that we could all enjoy without the "work" of blowing? I have never felt as lazy as when I bought a second bubble blowing machine in two years.

Someone on Facebook commented that the reflection is cool - the sun was beginning to set on a beautiful day and the two apartment buildings behind us lit up beautifully. Well, as beautifully as three-story brick buildings can look. Turned out really great for the reflection, though!

Follow the link below if you want to participate in this fun Meme! No word requirement, just a picture and a story to go along with it!

A Square Meal

Funny thing again coming from the difference between what we do at home and school, and both sides actually being in the dark because Abby is the one with the creativity...

Yesterday morning when Abby sat down for breakfast, she asked for a good, square breakfast.  Bing the good dad that I am, I brought her two eggs (whites only), whole wheat toast, a bowl of Cheerio's and orange juice.  What, that is the way it is pictured on the box, right?

Kidding, of course.  While she does sometimes eat better than I do, I am also aware that she gets second-breakfast at school, so breakfast at home is small and simple - a granola bar, a cutie or some yogurt.  Makes life simpler for all of us, and gets something healthy in before the day starts.

Anny and I could not figure out what a "square breakfast" meant for Abby, so we kept probing.  I suggested square cut pancakes. No. I suggested the regular granola bar, cut into squares.  Nope. We realized that bread is (mostly) square, so maybe she meant PB&J!  No way to PB or J. 

After giving up on us, Abby settled for half of a yogurt and we went on our merry way.

At preschool she asked for the same thing!  I had not thought to mention it to Karen because I thought it was just Abby being Abby.  Ms Karen, having known what they regularly eat at her house was still a little stumped!  She offered the range of stuff for breakfast that they usually have, with no luck.  She had a bagel for second-breakfast.  Pretty much the furthest thing from a SQUARE meal is a ROUND bagel!

Snack time changed the game when she again asked for a square meal and that is when it clicked for Karen.  She shared with Anny at the end of the day what Abby believes is a good, square meal.

A graham cracker. 

Yes, she had all of us scratching our heads over a graham cracker for breakfast. 

We need to expand this girls vocabulary a bit more, I guess! 

End note will point out that Anny went to Target last night after dinner for other stuff and ended up getting a big box of graham crackers.  Abby was elated this morning to have that as a part of her own healthy breakfast. And we taught her the phrase "graham crackers" to ease confusion later!

Our Non-Traditional Christmas "Tree"

Best Christmas Tree - potted and in the house for a few weeks, planted in the yard following the holidays
Great Christmas Tree A- Fresh, locally cut pine
Great Christmas Tree B- Fake tree, bells and whistles, kept for many years to balance out environmental impacts and such
Good Christmas Tree - Real tree, imported across hundreds of miles - but at least it gets composted.


Yes, that is a camera tripod decked out with tree lights!  We thought long and hard, but here are realities in our house:
1 - We don't have a yard to plant a potted Christmas tree
2 - We had three fake trees that we gave away this summer, buying a new one now sounds really awful
3 - Anny is allergic to cut pines - not occasional contact, but the last time we had a cut tree she had hives. When we have a real wreath, she had issues again.  (Worry not, Sarahlynn, she's only had issues when it is in our living quarters!)
4 - We wanted to do something a little... different.  This year has been all about creativity and, well, different.

Ladies (are there any guys that read my blog? Is this thing on?) I present to you our Tripod Christmas "Tree"

One neat thing is that we have a ball in the dead-center of the thing, so it kind of pushes the light around:

Abby is completely nonplussed about the whole thing - she takes pretty much everything in stride these days! 

Now to figure out those last few boxes from the move - might just put them in storage and ignore them!

Grace Fight!

This evening on the way home from the grocery store Abby was singing in the backseat. She was mostly practicing her songs for tomorrows Father's Day program at daycare.  Too cute.

But then she pulled out the grace that she sings when she is in Sunday School.  It's fast, it's easy and it fun:

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - Thank You God for feeding me!

I told her that when we move to Saint Louis next month to live with her cousins she will be learning a new grace that their family sings before dinner. They sing Johnny Appleseed, so I sang that for her.

I'm not typing out lyrics, but here is a video example of other people doing it:



We then proceeded to have a Grace Battle - she would sing hers and then demand that I sang mine!  "Sing The Things I Need Song, Daddy!" 

This went on for about five minutes - and was awesomely fun.  I can't wait to teach her some of the Summer Camp graces that are so engrained into my brain from years at Camp Glenkirk!

Wordless Wednesday: Snow Day!

From SNOWpocalypse!

Look at other people's takes on WW at www.wordlesswednesday.com

Pretend Play

As you can guess since Abby will be two in less than two weeks she is a handful. I swear it's a good handful 98% of the time and we're elated to be having the handfuls that we have compared to other parents out there.

One of the times that Abby is most stubborn is at lunch or dinner time.  (For the record, she's an angel in the morning at breakfast...)  We often find ourselves reminding her that it's time to eat, not time to throw things on the floor or watch Elmo or Signing Time on the computer.  Meal time is for meals.

On Monday while Anny and I were in the kitchen cleaning up and getting things ready for dinner prep we could hear Abby quietly playing in the living room.  She was playing with her castle toy, complete with people and a huge dining table.

The one-sided, aimed-at-toys conversation we overheard was:

"Sit down."
"Dinner, sit down."
"Sit, Eat."
"SIT."
"SitSitSitSit!"

I'm not quite sure where she has heard that before...

All of her meal time troubles go away if you give her a cookie:

Play Kitchen Build

It's finally here - the blog post about Abby's new play kitchen!

I was inspired by a blog post I found HERE that did something similar, but I kept parts of their idea and added some of my own.  As an added bonus, my brothers' scroll saw is in storage, so I got to buy myself a new one!

I started with the Ikea RAST end table.  At $15 it was probably cheaper than if I went out and got nicely finished wood and cut it myself, plus it was a great, square starting point.  (Cost so far: $15)

Then I cut a hole out to put in a metal bowl from our kitchen.  We have too many bowls as it is, so giving this one to the project made sense to us.  I added a piece across the middle to support any weight Abby might apply, as well as to divide the box in half - one is the "oven" and the other side is currently non-purposed.  This is also the point that I had to buy a new scroll saw, which was both fun and awesome at the same time!  (Cost so far: $15 for project, $29.99 for saw)



The tricky part, and the part that required the most thinking, was the faucet.  I scoured Ebay and Craigslist for a real kitchen or bathroom faucet, new or used, for several days before giving up.  I looked at prices in stores, but the cheapest was about $30.  I could not justify that in my head.  I decided to make something out of PVC pipe, and I think it turned out well.  It's two pieces, a p-trap and a part that fits into the p-trap.  I had to cut the bottom piece to get it into the tight space, but that was easy.  The two pieces cost me a total of $3.  (Cost so far: $18)



I had a random piece of nice, finished wood laying around the house that is only about 1/4 of an inch off of fitting perfectly with the table, so I used it.  I'm not much on perfection - it gives me nothing to complain about later if there are no flaws!  We think the wood was a shelf to an old entertainment center.  Cost: free.  (Cost so far: $18)



Since I have about a dozen mouse pads at my office that do not get used (they come with new computers, and we've gotten ten new ones in the last four years) I decided to put them to use in my project.  I cut circles out of the mouse pads to make burners.  They are not attached for two reasons - we might paint it so they would be in the way, and I don't know how we would attach them properly.  Oh well.
I added stove top knobs that are actually casters from tables at my office that were on their way to the trash.  They were screwed into a 1x2 across the top at the same time that I put a kickplate (1x4) on the bottom to keep toys from sliding under the kitchen.  (Cost so far: $18)



I added an oven door and Abby immediately knew what the whole project was!  You will notice that the knobs here are pink - it's because the casters from the previous picture were too large with the door on the oven - it would not open!  I ran out to Target and picked up some dresser knobs for $5.  Ended up at Ikea the next day and could have gotten better looking knobs for less money, but what's done is done.  (Cost so far: $23)



And that's the whole thing!  If we had bought a wooden play kitchen in a store we would have spent at least $125, and the cost for one can go up to numbers that I'm too embarassed to type!  I spent $23 and about four total hours on this project by using mostly scrap wood from around the house.  You can also check with your local hardware store (or Ikea!) for scrap wood to save on the cost.

Here's Abby enjoying her newest toy!

It's Only a Word, Right?

Anny and I have been in conversation for about six years now about the use of a word.  Turns out that the dictionary supports both of us (Stupid Websters, won't pick a side!) so that was of no use. 

The word causing such great debate?  Cuddle.

You can imagine how many times the word "cuddle" gets used when you have the most adorable toddler in the world, so it drives one of us crazy when it is used in an alternative fashion.  I will not say which way I think is right and which side Anny falls on, so that I don't skew the results. 

So, using the poll feature on the right, please choose which of the following is correct in your opinion:

1. Abby's napping, so I'm going to go cuddle her.
2. Abby's napping, so I'm going to go cuddle with her.

I know that the only correct one would be "Abby's napping, leave her the heck alone," but that's not an option! 

So, please vote on the right.

10,000!

Here is #10,000 on my SiteMeter Page

Okay - so I had not payed attention to my statcounter for more than a week, but I am proud to say that this morning I received my 10,000th hit!  I know it's not as big as a lot of other places, but it's big for me! 

So, whoever checks the blog from in/around Towson and came over from Abby's site - show yourself!  I'll send you something to celebrate.  It might be something expensive (probably not) or something in the form of home made from Abby.  (since you checked her site first, I'm guessing that whoever you are you're okay with it!)

(This also counts as my second posting for today!  Woo Hoo!)

The Expectant Dog

Much is made about being prepared to be parents.  There are thousands of books for mom-to-be's, and good handful for dad-to-be's.  The reality is that it might be helpful for your family pet to have some good reading time. 

Cats are not welcome in my home, but the following can be adapted to most common family pets.  Might not work for a fish, because they are so low-key, but you get the point.

I submit for your dog's sake: The Expectant Dog, a letter to read to your pet about your future.

Dear Only-Child-Dog,
Our time together as a family of three has been wonderful, hasn't it?  I remember fondly our first walk in the park, the first time you woke me up way too early to be fed, and how you snuggled close to me in the storms.  Don't get me wrong, we'll still have fun together, but things are about to change.

Really, things have already begun to change.  You see, the lady of the house has a growing human-child inside.  This is great news for us as a family, I promise.  It does mean, though, that our relationship needs to change.  Here are some things to be aware of:

• Since we have a fenced yard, there will be no more walks.  Not for a long time anyway.
• The smell of the house will change, a lot.  Now you will smell poop indoors as well as outside!  
• For a while all of our attention will be focused on this human-child.  Soon enough, though, attention will turn back to you.  Out of your own safety, but it will be attention.
• You know how you like to eat right at 6 am and 6 pm?  That's going to change, too.  Heck, on occasion you will go to bed without food because I just plain forgot.  Sorry in advance.
• When the human-child is older it will follow you around, and probably pull your tail, poke at your teeth and maybe even bite a little. Be a good dog and don't bite back.
  

You see, friend, change happens.  We are all learning a new way of life, and eventually everything will seem "normal" again because it will be the new normal.  Eventually the human-child will be exciting and nice and take you for walks again.  Hopefully you will still be up for walking then, too!

Sincerely,
Your Friendly Owner

My Thoughts, Bottled and Packaged for You

Anny asked me yesterday, very honestly:

"Do you just sit around and think this stuff up all day?"

She knows better! I was with her all day! There was very little "just sitting around" on Saturday when we helped to host a surprise birthday party for our friend Charlene. We did the farmers market, breakfast, and some cleaning house before leaving at 10:30 ish to get to their house. The only time for thinking was in the car, when we were talking.

(insert joke about Rob choosing between thinking and talking, and rarely doing both at the same time.)

So, what was she so baffled about? A picture concept in my head*.

As I've taken up the Project 365 Challenge over on our Flickr account (HERE). Project 365 is where you take a picture a day for a year. In our case, we're taking our 365 days of pictures of Abby. We have missed a couple of days already, but have made up for it in other days. Our project is the 365 days between Abby's First Birthday and her Second.

The real reason that I began the project is that I want to take better pictures of Abby, not just more pictures. (If I kept all of the pictures that I have taken in the last 13 months, there would be no room for any more on the three computers in our house) I was tired of taking the same picture over and over. Right now, Abby is still gaining toys like it's going out of style, but she's also gaining personality and style.

I've got a ton of ideas from other people, and scenes that are in my head for pictures of Abby. She's always game for a camera and I'm always game to take pictures. We're perfect for each other.

Feel free to pop by Abby's Project 365 anytime. I'll link to it on the sidebar starting today.

*The particular picture-idea I had just come up with was using all of her foam bath-time letters for a picture of "alphabet soup." I'll do it one evening when I think about it. My proble is that I think of them at odd times when I can't follow through....

Abby Getting Some Web Attention!

We put the best-of-the-best pictures up on our Flickr page (HERE) and on occasion I tag a couple to the ParentDish group. Well, turns out they really liked on this week!

Click HERE for the ParentDish post of our little girl! Since she was chosen for a picture-of-the-day she is eligible for the picture-of-the-month!

5 Things Meme

Amy at PrettyBabies tagged me for a Meme...

5 things I was doing 10 years ago:
Attending Community College
Reconnecting with Dave H
Dating a good friend, whom I'm glad to say is still a good friend.
Working retail, and loving it!
Watching the Capitals play in the Stanley Cup Finals (the only time they have)

5 things on my to do list:
Clean the attic
Get enough together for this weekend's yard sale to make it worth our time
Leave work early to hang out with my ladies.....
Cut my neighbors grass as a repayment for when he cut mine a few weeks back
Remember to water the garden daily

5 favorite snacks/food:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

5 things I would do if I was a billionaire:
Tear down and re-build my home church
Build/Buy a compound for our extended family somewhere fun
Fund research for MS and Kidney Disease
Buy a matching set of Power Wheels for my kid and her friends
Pay off our debt and the debt of others close to us.

5 bad habits:
Biting my nails (better than it was before)
Crop Dusting my wife
Speeding when there is no need
Cussing around the baby
*Not using a turn signal
(*starred are not bad habits that I have, but they are bad habits that others have)

5 Places I've lived:
San Diego, CA (okay, I was an infant, but I lived there!)
Various North Carolina Cities
Current home
Manassas, VA
Current home (back to, obviously)

Tagging 5 people:
Sorry, folks, I don't tag. If you would like to play along, post it on your blog and comment below!

Give is to Us Straight

I understand "teasers" and I know why TV and radio channels use them for movies, concert promos and regular TV programs. I do not understand, though, holding certain information "hostage." Silly things, really.

"Is the heat going to linger or is there a hurricane on its' way? Find out tonight at 11."

'Two women robbed in a local neighborhood by chipmunks wielding sparklers. Find out where these furry-killers are tomorrow on Next Day News at 5."

Okay, I might have embellished the second one there, but I bet I'm not far off!

I believe that this is a sign that the industries have not realized that human beings are smart enough to find out the information in other ways. A sign of the "old" times of media, in a way. With our new programming I can get my local, updated weather and traffic with the touch of a button on the remote. Oh yeah, and there is the whole internet thing.

Teasers are of no use to you anymore, Newspeople. Do they really think that I will change from my regular morning news because you didn't give me information that they didn't give me?

What I really want from a news commercial is a summary of things that are important, maybe with a "find out more at 11." Try these on for size:

"Hot as hell today, but tomorrow will be nicer. I'll have a full forecast at 11."

"Rodents have mugged two women in Springfield, but we're working on details. We will have more in the morning."

I guess what I'm saying is that you have no power over me local weather-person or anchor-person. I will get my information, even if you won't give it to me. Why don't we save us both a little time and you give me more information rather than try to tease me.

Oh yeah, and promise me that those darned chipmunks can not cross state lines!

Yes, I Made Abby Watch

I did not make Abby stay up for the game, and honestly I missed most of it because of a meeting and sleep. Thanks to our new HD DVR, Abby and I watched the game this morning to watch the Red Wings win the Cup. I explained the Cup and the Conn Smythe (MVP) trophy.

Honestly, she was glued to the TV. I think that I am raising her right! Hopefully next season we will get to GO to a game during the finals...

Ready to Set My TiVo

Watch and comment below.



I can't find the commercial we saw on the TV, but it seems that over the course of three weeks they will have infants, toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers and even elderly people. Should make for some good TV!

Maybe I should make my friend from last weeks post watch it with me!

Your thoughts?

Wordless Wednesday V2

From May 2008

My Second Wordless Wednesday Entry. See more at http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/.

The Text Debate

What do you do when you get a Text Message from a stranger? In the past I've simply ignored them. Something was different on Saturday, though. Maybe it was the weather or just my chipper mood from doing manual labor, but I thought that I should reply.

(Anny would say "only you would do that" and I think she might be right!)

I just didn't want someone to think they were being ignored by a lover, friend, child or parent. If they sent the message into cyber-space, they surely expected that it was received by the intended person. I could not let someone feel down on a nice day.

Here's the text from said message:

Some Guy: Whats up with u?
Me: Who is this?
SG: Dis ur boy rell..who dis?
Me: Wrong number.
Rell: Wrong number.what u talking bout? who is this?
Me: Rob.
Rell: My fault son
Me: No problem. Have a good day.
Rell: Same 2 u sir.

Yes, instead of doing the "sorry, we're not interested" I decided to be nice to a stranger. Okay, I was bored at a traffic light, but what's the difference?

What do you do when a text message is mis-directed and ends up on your phone?

I HATE Secrets

I know too much. It's not even that I know too much, really, I just know too much about one specific thing:

Mother's Day Gifts.

Yep. I have pre-shopped for Mother's Day. This means that I have several items that are stashed all over the place so that I don't ruin Anny's First MD.

Here is the reason that I'm a terrible gift giver. I can't keep gifts to myself. I never should have ordered things three weeks in advance. It will be really hard to keep things out of her hands for another six days.

The reason that I'm a great gift giver is that I am creative about it. I know what Anny wants, even before she does.

Take last years Anniversary Gift as an example. I gave her a nice necklace that goes with more outfits than she could have imagined. I could not leave it at that, when there was a nice pair of earrings to match. Solution? I know, grab the earrings for her "push present" in June. It's only a couple of months from March to June.

Nope. I gave her everything - all at once. When it came time for the big birth day in June I found myself just gently reminding her that she would get nothing to celebrate, as she had already gotten them months earlier.

So here I sit. Something in my bag. Something in my desk at work. Something in my night stand. Just hoping that I can keep myself together enough to not ruin her special day.

One guy I know has bought his wife a potted plant online. It arrived last week, so now he has to keep it watered enough not to die, but keep it hidden from the sun enough to not bloom too early. Wow. One rule I have is to not give live things if I have to keep them a surprise.

**So as to not give you mothers out there any ammunition against your significant other, while there are several gifts, they are all small and not expensive.

Wordless Wednesday

Participating in WordlessWednesday for the first time.