Thursday, January 31, 2008
AAAAARGGGG!!!
E has learned that funny sounds from her parents is usually their attempt to get her to laugh. So, she returns the favor and makes a funny sound back at us, usually in the form of sticking out her tounge to give us raspberries.
This has backfired (for good) on us. Like when I managed to haul two big boxes, a baby, and her diaper bag up three flights of stairs to my apartment unassisted, keys dangling out of my mouth. At the top of the stairs, outside my apartment door, I released the boxes and reached for the keys to unlock the door. As soon as the keys were out of my mouth, I let out an exasperated breath, "puhbuppbppppphhhhhhh." E got a HUGE grin on her face, looked up at me to show that she got the joke, and let out her OWN raspberrry "blrrrrrrblrrrrrb" she said, with all the excitement she could muster.
Another example:
My husband has been getting frusturated or impatient (or both) at the job market as of late. Sometimes it borders on mad even. The stress of applying to thousands (or so it feels) of jobs, and then the wait game. He just wants it all to be done so that he could get back to finishing his dissertation (a prereq for employment, afterall). A low point in this frustrating process was earlier this week when he was found in the living room flailing his arms and legs and letting out a loud "AAARGGGG!!!!" -- At the flailing of the arms E (watching from her highchair perch) looked a little concerned. But as soon as the "AAAARGGG!!!" came out of daddy's mouth, she smiled. Suddenly she understood. She threw HER arms up and let out a soft squeel "ARRRR!!!!" as if to say "Ok, daddy. See? I'm playing now, too!"
Ah, the delights of little ones.
This has backfired (for good) on us. Like when I managed to haul two big boxes, a baby, and her diaper bag up three flights of stairs to my apartment unassisted, keys dangling out of my mouth. At the top of the stairs, outside my apartment door, I released the boxes and reached for the keys to unlock the door. As soon as the keys were out of my mouth, I let out an exasperated breath, "puhbuppbppppphhhhhhh." E got a HUGE grin on her face, looked up at me to show that she got the joke, and let out her OWN raspberrry "blrrrrrrblrrrrrb" she said, with all the excitement she could muster.
Another example:
My husband has been getting frusturated or impatient (or both) at the job market as of late. Sometimes it borders on mad even. The stress of applying to thousands (or so it feels) of jobs, and then the wait game. He just wants it all to be done so that he could get back to finishing his dissertation (a prereq for employment, afterall). A low point in this frustrating process was earlier this week when he was found in the living room flailing his arms and legs and letting out a loud "AAARGGGG!!!!" -- At the flailing of the arms E (watching from her highchair perch) looked a little concerned. But as soon as the "AAAARGGG!!!" came out of daddy's mouth, she smiled. Suddenly she understood. She threw HER arms up and let out a soft squeel "ARRRR!!!!" as if to say "Ok, daddy. See? I'm playing now, too!"
Ah, the delights of little ones.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Things to try while sitting at your desk at work...
If you are reading this blog while at work, you're obviously too bored.
Here's something to entertain you.
First, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles with your foot.
Now, while continuing with the circles, use your right hand to draw the number "6" in the air.
Your foot will change directions, and there's nothing you can do about it!!! Mwahaha.
Ok, so if you are able to keep the direction of your foot going clockwise, let me know.
(I was able to do it once, but only by moving my foot and hand VEERY slowly in opposite directions. Keep trying! And if all else fails, don't get frusturated. Just put the shapes through the elephant's nose.)
Special thanks to Sarah for the content of this blog.
Here's something to entertain you.
First, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles with your foot.
Now, while continuing with the circles, use your right hand to draw the number "6" in the air.
Your foot will change directions, and there's nothing you can do about it!!! Mwahaha.
Ok, so if you are able to keep the direction of your foot going clockwise, let me know.
(I was able to do it once, but only by moving my foot and hand VEERY slowly in opposite directions. Keep trying! And if all else fails, don't get frusturated. Just put the shapes through the elephant's nose.)
Special thanks to Sarah for the content of this blog.
Elephant Shape Sorter Solutions
For Christmas E got this Elephant Shape Sorter.
She's about the right age for it. But turning the elephant's tail to get the right shape hole facing up... that'll take a little time yet. Usually daddy or I help her with that.
This morning as I went off to exercise, she was holding two shapes in her hand. Many more were scattered on the floor. "Now, sort those into the elephant while I'm gone," I instructed her.
When I came back, all the shapes were sorted. Daddy confessed he helped her with the first one. Then he decided she should do the rest herself.
She tried, he reports, for a couple of minutes, to get the shapes into the holes on the back of the elephant. Then she got smart, and put all the shapes into the elephant's trunk. Thus, completing the task that mama set before her. Ingenious! [Go E, go! Where there's a will, there's a way.]
Friday, January 18, 2008
Winter weather and cheap breakfasts
I predict that the city of Raleigh will shut down tomorrow. It did last time it snowed on the 19th of January, three years ago.
In other news, my favorite breakfast joint is having its 35th anniversary celebration today. In celebration, they are dropping their prices down to the original 1973 prices. WOOT! To celebrate, E, her Ndoi (namesake) and I are going out to eat waffles and eggs and hashbrowns. Mmm...
P.S. Exended family -- As you know, E's named after my cousin, an American who went to high school in Africa. She also has a nickname ndoi, my good friend E, an African who went to high school in America. :) I will be consuming pancakes with the later. :)
In other news, my favorite breakfast joint is having its 35th anniversary celebration today. In celebration, they are dropping their prices down to the original 1973 prices. WOOT! To celebrate, E, her Ndoi (namesake) and I are going out to eat waffles and eggs and hashbrowns. Mmm...
P.S. Exended family -- As you know, E's named after my cousin, an American who went to high school in Africa. She also has a nickname ndoi, my good friend E, an African who went to high school in America. :) I will be consuming pancakes with the later. :)
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Final "Catching up on Blogging" Post
Today we've seen L's new 'do, that E can pose in pictures with other kids, and finally, to conclude today's adventure...
E's most recent photoshoot.
Thanks, "Aunt" E, for the Christmas dress!!!
Now, if only she'd gotten it before Christmas. :)
Big bright eyes and a silly grin -- reminds me of her Uncle David. :)
"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!"
E's Friends
E and other kids shots. She's hung out with a lot of people since Christmas! Here are some photos. 
She likes playing next to kids. With them? Well, that will have to wait. Sometimes she takes their toys and then hands them back. Other times she like poking them in their eyes and noses as if to say, "look, you have a face, too. Here it is." But that's about the extent of it at this point.
Catching up on Blogging, part I
Before pictures of A and me.
Locks of love
Afterwards
A's cut and more afterwards shots
Afterwards, E and I went to Chipotle, where the nice folks there gave Ella this great bib. "When I get teef take me to Chipotle."
For the record, E's first taste of guac was at Chipotle. She loved it. It was the first "real" food that she really liked.
Daddy, forever the Chipotle fan, was more excited about the bib than the new 'do, but such is life.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Poetic.
Ten years ago I was a senior in high school
Hard to believe.
Then, (and many of you don't know this)
My hair started falling out.
In large clumps
Until two noticeable (half-dollar and dime-size) bald spots got me in to the doctor.
She diagnosed me with alopecia areata.
I was a little freaked, but as long as I could hide the bald spots by wearing my hair in a half-pony tail, I was okay. I wondered, though, when the loss of hair would stop.
Thankfully, the topical drug she prescribed did the trick,
within six months the hair had grown back and (despite the fact she cautioned that it might fall out again five to ten years down the road) it has been fine since.
Many people aren't as lucky as me. They don't get their hair back as quickly as I did.
They may not get it back at all.
Others suffer from hair loss from chemotherapy.
Now I find myself with more hair than I need.
So I've decided to do the obvious thing,
when blessed with much, you give to those who have need.
Goodbye hair.
There's something poetic about sending extra hair off to a high school (or younger) kid
ten years after I was in their shoes.
At least, that's what I have to keep telling myself, and must keep telling S.
Because when he gets back from his conference, he's in for a surprise.
He loved my hair.
Pictures to come. (And, thanks, dear friend A-, for doing this with me!)
Hard to believe.
Then, (and many of you don't know this)
My hair started falling out.
In large clumps
Until two noticeable (half-dollar and dime-size) bald spots got me in to the doctor.
She diagnosed me with alopecia areata.
I was a little freaked, but as long as I could hide the bald spots by wearing my hair in a half-pony tail, I was okay. I wondered, though, when the loss of hair would stop.
Thankfully, the topical drug she prescribed did the trick,
within six months the hair had grown back and (despite the fact she cautioned that it might fall out again five to ten years down the road) it has been fine since.
Many people aren't as lucky as me. They don't get their hair back as quickly as I did.
They may not get it back at all.
Others suffer from hair loss from chemotherapy.
Now I find myself with more hair than I need.
So I've decided to do the obvious thing,
when blessed with much, you give to those who have need.
Goodbye hair.
There's something poetic about sending extra hair off to a high school (or younger) kid
ten years after I was in their shoes.
At least, that's what I have to keep telling myself, and must keep telling S.
Because when he gets back from his conference, he's in for a surprise.
He loved my hair.
Pictures to come. (And, thanks, dear friend A-, for doing this with me!)
"Sar-aa-a-a-ah, Sar-ah..."
This morning
Bad 80s music playing in the background.
Happy baby standing in the pack and play
Dancing.
Flash-back to 20-some years ago.
"Hip" 80s music playing in the background.
Happy baby standing in the pack and play
Dancing.
After all, the musician was singing her name.
I thought of you this morning, Sarah.
I love you and miss you.
I can't believe you're getting married!
The pack-n-play baby has grown up.
Thanks for all the lessons you taught me.
Thanks to you, I've learned many things.
Like not to try to teach E algebra at age 8,
or she'll forever think x=3.
And that making up stories before bed is much more fun than
reading stories before bed.
And that if the lower bunk on the new bed is cooler
than the upper bunk on the old bed,
I can just make you think that you are privileged to get the upper bunk
and everyone is happy.
And, finally, you taught me
that the wisdom of a 12-year-old should never be overlooked.
You got me through many a bad day when I was a teen.
In many ways, you were wiser than I.
I love ya, sis!
Bad 80s music playing in the background.
Happy baby standing in the pack and play
Dancing.
Flash-back to 20-some years ago.
"Hip" 80s music playing in the background.
Happy baby standing in the pack and play
Dancing.
After all, the musician was singing her name.
I thought of you this morning, Sarah.
I love you and miss you.
I can't believe you're getting married!
The pack-n-play baby has grown up.
Thanks for all the lessons you taught me.
Thanks to you, I've learned many things.
Like not to try to teach E algebra at age 8,
or she'll forever think x=3.
And that making up stories before bed is much more fun than
reading stories before bed.
And that if the lower bunk on the new bed is cooler
than the upper bunk on the old bed,
I can just make you think that you are privileged to get the upper bunk
and everyone is happy.
And, finally, you taught me
that the wisdom of a 12-year-old should never be overlooked.
You got me through many a bad day when I was a teen.
In many ways, you were wiser than I.
I love ya, sis!
