tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16390394552583789842024-03-14T02:15:50.227-07:00The Czar and IGrown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupèrywebbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-42410661433994976412010-03-27T11:52:00.000-07:002010-03-27T12:08:44.738-07:00This is the face of a biter.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_G-0b0_bLCGDk-N5AuaOMTn-yWrbKWB20YdLAbUquXpLePdbh_ptlzOUsOwKqA4odJTNCUD1N5IKqBrWaE7TqPzpd0bFuWHBlJPQmvQaQ6Y0Cs9uSCjO_S_I5InMxrlZ2sWcUNAf7X-c/s1600/IMG_3525.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_G-0b0_bLCGDk-N5AuaOMTn-yWrbKWB20YdLAbUquXpLePdbh_ptlzOUsOwKqA4odJTNCUD1N5IKqBrWaE7TqPzpd0bFuWHBlJPQmvQaQ6Y0Cs9uSCjO_S_I5InMxrlZ2sWcUNAf7X-c/s320/IMG_3525.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453392316522405570" /></a><br />Innocent, no?<br /><br />No.<br /><br />This darling nephew of mine is a psychotic biter demon. I love him desperately, but he's going through a rather unpleasant phase - specifically he bites Ivan ALL. The. Time.<br /><br />Apparently the biting is perfectly normal; especially for a second child (which is, for all intents and purposes, what Max is). In fact, the Android says his sister was a biter when they were young. Still, it's disturbing.<br /><br />Max's M.O. goes something like this: 1) creep up behind Ivan with his teeth bared and his fingers in the air like Dracula, 2) Grab Ivan's shoulders, 3) Bite. Hard. It's not just the back biting, Max also has a taste for chubby wrists and the occasional forehead.<br /><br />Poor Ivan has a bit of a complex now. Anytime Max comes up behind him, even for a hug or a playful pat, Ivan arches his back and whimpers. So sad.<br /><br />Getting Max to stop is slow going. I'm teaching the Czar to use his words and say "NO!" but I fear the only way this will be resolved is if someone whacks someone else across the head in retaliation. <br /><br /><br /><br />Not that I would condone this.<br /><br /><br />My ECFE teacher says he'll grow out of it, and one of the other moms in the class gave me this helpful piece of advice: if he won't let go just pinch his nostrils together so he has to open his mouth to take a breath. She sounded like she had experience in these matters so I think perhaps I've got it easy for the moment.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-62131637011137616302010-03-22T11:02:00.000-07:002010-03-22T11:49:16.226-07:00Three WeeksIt's been over three weeks since the boy has had a pacifier. <br /><br />He was super-addicted. Like, alarmingly so. He would giggle uncontrollably if he saw one across the room. He would scream and beg for one if he knew there was one in my pocket.<br /><br />He started calling them "Thum". I don't know where he got that since we've never called them anything other than "Nuk", but whatever.<br /><br />We finally decided it was time. Time to say goodbye to the thing our child loved most in the world because his dentist threatened my life if it wasn't gone by the next appointment. Time to give our kid a shot at straight teeth and no speech impediment. <br /><br />(On a more selfish note, I didn't want to have a four year old with a pacifier in his mouth. That's just weird.)<br /><br />After researching the best way to do it I ended up doing what made the most sense to me; I snipped the tip. I cut the tip off of each of his Nuks and let him use them. This angered the Czar, but he quickly lost interest. Then we threw them away. For the next few days he asked for is "thum" but I told him they were broken and that he had thrown them in the garbage. <br /><br />You know what? It totally worked. He finally got the fact that they were gone - no more.<br /><br /><br />In Memorium<br />Nuk<br />July 2008-February 2010<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHFhxcZUD8vmk21LCtS03yRSJjWJm6tMVQAEmkuTqje70GDcZZAyIIJDcU_1Na923eP2A4pq6xhIP6KoTeCzkuXlEQY37Xf-onR0YCLyTY9QJ9wscA-S31_xtpPY0HIIuEWZU_frQXiEB/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHFhxcZUD8vmk21LCtS03yRSJjWJm6tMVQAEmkuTqje70GDcZZAyIIJDcU_1Na923eP2A4pq6xhIP6KoTeCzkuXlEQY37Xf-onR0YCLyTY9QJ9wscA-S31_xtpPY0HIIuEWZU_frQXiEB/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451531948870689106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqB6k6YeZwp9DLDQSTmacHZ-1w8V59OikX9_O4g-3nLp9JcfH72NJeoX4cLoANJJ4nzVscCK3Vb6uOZ-vMF8FVmYBi_bSGzfA5YzZX9B-Vzbn-JgjQSwblgC1qbOkuU3MWbX2thZJTM8l/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqB6k6YeZwp9DLDQSTmacHZ-1w8V59OikX9_O4g-3nLp9JcfH72NJeoX4cLoANJJ4nzVscCK3Vb6uOZ-vMF8FVmYBi_bSGzfA5YzZX9B-Vzbn-JgjQSwblgC1qbOkuU3MWbX2thZJTM8l/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+03.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451531938341577362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMjOBHPSd_9nmNIe36QjwnHB6e6kWHHLLTz9XKyv_aIDV3_UJsyCnrKhTUWiHEPzM-OTW9V2W2rmAoChzQHNa8ZNSwGL9IsIesN0X8Fy4ROCbzPo_ULXWu7Tz2Inu3kWztIDO2Uswml5w/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMjOBHPSd_9nmNIe36QjwnHB6e6kWHHLLTz9XKyv_aIDV3_UJsyCnrKhTUWiHEPzM-OTW9V2W2rmAoChzQHNa8ZNSwGL9IsIesN0X8Fy4ROCbzPo_ULXWu7Tz2Inu3kWztIDO2Uswml5w/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+04.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451531933088934834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibg8-2STjXo3-klXUvjrDy5r99pTqtc0PcHjqg-oTQoeHoCnGW-z8tB7IMCJESMpvm_7RmEORKD5UKTW6vB_15QvwXtcZFvj-D4wZj89bJ68konKw41DUUos3c7f8oYwMCXfNEmQQMmgWS/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibg8-2STjXo3-klXUvjrDy5r99pTqtc0PcHjqg-oTQoeHoCnGW-z8tB7IMCJESMpvm_7RmEORKD5UKTW6vB_15QvwXtcZFvj-D4wZj89bJ68konKw41DUUos3c7f8oYwMCXfNEmQQMmgWS/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+05.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451531924952514578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTFRQcKsclGWi2UzK0zKFCgq7WkIqJi6chL9hm6FVSBixf1oA07Rffjm_bc6jHdrQLpUHBPXF7b5XVS9ELy10GfUSy4MmSKKB82WnnQPV5t4xveOxlINMAEMziYUpTQQmwuVLbuKjiWEm/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTFRQcKsclGWi2UzK0zKFCgq7WkIqJi6chL9hm6FVSBixf1oA07Rffjm_bc6jHdrQLpUHBPXF7b5XVS9ELy10GfUSy4MmSKKB82WnnQPV5t4xveOxlINMAEMziYUpTQQmwuVLbuKjiWEm/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+06.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451531914591325554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxAfiCEneCa18kw0vbdPH4N-5GecRMWy7d9C_G8G5-xH6ExsC6t4P2JDbhGIJ1-aR4bFB0sJ6pKMkzKbKBw2ZfsIKcoYLtM5jKEd7h1KVC-EW5oQkghDI3Z4VU7c9R4JP90sIdx3cuc7t/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxAfiCEneCa18kw0vbdPH4N-5GecRMWy7d9C_G8G5-xH6ExsC6t4P2JDbhGIJ1-aR4bFB0sJ6pKMkzKbKBw2ZfsIKcoYLtM5jKEd7h1KVC-EW5oQkghDI3Z4VU7c9R4JP90sIdx3cuc7t/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+07.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451530027962848098" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaVhl0xds4ALxLOMmyrhv5xw7xrsVyrYb63VFlkXkmmxOTMlDyFJ-kY0N09wgM1yTKdu1NnixPE67d63-qT3XHlKvCIKvgvDmfUzCvdFTILiYUOQtrQkvlIRZ-v1aqBIlAgWOsd5K3b1t/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaVhl0xds4ALxLOMmyrhv5xw7xrsVyrYb63VFlkXkmmxOTMlDyFJ-kY0N09wgM1yTKdu1NnixPE67d63-qT3XHlKvCIKvgvDmfUzCvdFTILiYUOQtrQkvlIRZ-v1aqBIlAgWOsd5K3b1t/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+08.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451530016831547234" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVie0JxKFjSQzS7elpyzuneHVUOUbaBEYpjGUl1TE2EeuNTy2eYVe47jHj3ni3lah-l_JzE8Hamuowz1M_dveVnCPs3YUyQ8Md6IoJdy00dGOB-BTunNYFxxqww1TEelNZE3PSF6FaNnZI/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVie0JxKFjSQzS7elpyzuneHVUOUbaBEYpjGUl1TE2EeuNTy2eYVe47jHj3ni3lah-l_JzE8Hamuowz1M_dveVnCPs3YUyQ8Md6IoJdy00dGOB-BTunNYFxxqww1TEelNZE3PSF6FaNnZI/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+09.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451530009060756258" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIqF36HyC-zSIkgWmqyxPWFIQNa2Oz43z6Vqxgto8xr31nM4pbxUZuNmjziohhj-2A_xpVHDbIB7lxDs9IVwTreU8dQFe6ZOtGJluUoWQEIeUeWcW33NL-Y5sHLD0Ows18WvPFNam_JmS/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIqF36HyC-zSIkgWmqyxPWFIQNa2Oz43z6Vqxgto8xr31nM4pbxUZuNmjziohhj-2A_xpVHDbIB7lxDs9IVwTreU8dQFe6ZOtGJluUoWQEIeUeWcW33NL-Y5sHLD0Ows18WvPFNam_JmS/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451529998785197346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiXksNrmp2W1atXwAA5HIoLRcDuAEu90ZcNqxXlfdKkRkJCtWxWXin3E_XG7FjgaF5J4ZfSmQumXzd0lK8rAyCXjxo6dNqdmQsGDqvyp4JnXo8c5DNpsZS8k2LiEnQN4WOzCA3iJKL0pP/s1600-h/Ivan+Nuk+-+11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiXksNrmp2W1atXwAA5HIoLRcDuAEu90ZcNqxXlfdKkRkJCtWxWXin3E_XG7FjgaF5J4ZfSmQumXzd0lK8rAyCXjxo6dNqdmQsGDqvyp4JnXo8c5DNpsZS8k2LiEnQN4WOzCA3iJKL0pP/s320/Ivan+Nuk+-+11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451529986145321906" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-59357958652243929252010-03-19T11:08:00.000-07:002010-03-19T11:35:10.620-07:00Confession.My kid is getting older now. He's nearly 20 months old and he's becoming a <span style="font-style:italic;">person</span>. Like, a real person with likes and dislikes. He throws tantrums. He whines. I don't know what he needs about 75% of the time.<br /><br />I don't feel like a good mother anymore. For the first year I thought I had it in the bag. I was balancing motherhood, marriage, and having a grown-up LIFE just fine. I have this amazing husband and a partnership that I'm sure other people are jealous of (in my head). I wasn't always "together" - my house is generally messy and there wasn't a lot of home cooking happening, but everyone was clean and slept fairly well. Then suddenly at about 18 months my baby wasn't a baby anymore.<br /><br />I have to think about parenting now. I have to watch my mouth. I have to think about things like separation anxiety and time-out and all the crap we learn about in ECFE. I'm starting to realize that this kid isn't just going to magically become a well-adjusted cool kid. And frankly, if we're relying on ME to make him that way it will never happen.<br /><br />We are both so frustrated so much of the time right now. He doesn't know how to tell me what he wants and I have no idea what he's grunting about. There are some words, but they generally fly out the window when the real frustration strikes. I think he's going through a growth spurt right now and he wants to eat CONSTANTLY. He desperately points to his mouth and I bring him Teddy Grahams or a string cheese or Goldfish, or an apple slice and I'm either rewarded with a grin or punished for the wrong choice by a shriek and a few tears.<br /><br />He hates his bed. First I just thought he hated his crib. Since he was working on escaping from it we turned it into a toddler bed. He still refused to sleep in it. Finally, one desperate night I dragged the mattress off the bed and set up shop on the floor. This seems to have worked, though now it looks like we have a teeny tiny college student living upstairs. I'm willing to let him sleep on a mattress on the floor if it means he won't be sleeping between Android and me. That was the first mistake we ever made - we had a co-sleeper so I could nurse without having to get up. Big stupid mistake. I loved having a sweet little baby next to me in the middle of the night, but that sweet little baby turned into a thrashing, long-legged beast. I want my bed back. I want him to just SLEEP. Like a normal person. And when he gets up he'll maybe make Mommy a pot of coffee.<br /><br />I try to tell myself that this too, shall pass; unfortunately the Terrible Twos are just around the corner (if this isn't the beginning of them already). I'm beginning to think I bit off more than I can chew with this whole "raising a child" thing.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-31126718166010294192009-11-03T20:16:00.000-08:002009-11-03T20:26:18.597-08:00It would be nice to have a prodigy...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOZqANdz0apZvaQlj83mmDOQ8e_RPjf66GThGOKM6UENJrVZpOPUAqKr6_3klF0L43HoDRacEk0yKk5uvdULzI-QSRWEK76fa3PDW_QBfEHikR7fFG2epOgLdSxWoq_sgbrXNqE0iU6lj/s1600-h/Ivan+Piano.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOZqANdz0apZvaQlj83mmDOQ8e_RPjf66GThGOKM6UENJrVZpOPUAqKr6_3klF0L43HoDRacEk0yKk5uvdULzI-QSRWEK76fa3PDW_QBfEHikR7fFG2epOgLdSxWoq_sgbrXNqE0iU6lj/s320/Ivan+Piano.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400099129480814578" /></a><br />The boy likes music a lot. Since I don't have that much experience with little kids I don't know if this is run of the mill or sort of special.<br /><br />He particularly likes the piano a his Auntie Zosia's house, and Android's drum kit that is set up in our basement. I really need to get video of their little jam sessions. The boy will sit on the stool with his feet hooked under the snare drum to keep him steady. He'll hold a drumstick in each fist and will wave them around gleefully and bang each drum or cymbal in turn.<br /><br />Android always said he'd never push his kid into playing the drums but he'd be supportive if they wanted to. And as he said the other night "Do you know how <span style="font-style:italic;">convenient</span> it would be if he wanted to be a drummer?"<br /><br />He also said "All he needs is a little sister on upright bass."<br /><br />Ha! I'm totally holding him to that.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-29589590870484037712009-11-02T19:55:00.000-08:002009-11-02T20:08:36.194-08:00Old baby learning new tricks.I never really thought of a baby being a bit like a dog until one day I called him by making kissing noises. "C'mere bud! *Smoochsmooch* C'mere!!".<br /><br />He came, too. What a good boy.<br /><br />We've started teaching him tricks. He points to his belly and his nose, he plays "fetch" pretty well, and he knows "No" even if he doesn't abide by it.<br /><br />He's not really talking which doesn't concern me... yet. "Mama" "Noooooononono" and "Ya. Yayaya." are in his repertoire at the moment. Not a huge vocabulary, but he has a good handle on what things are and what to do with them.<br /><br />I read somewhere that 15-18 months is chock full of milestones - looking forward to that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmJVZw9s7sQaqtQe7Yua-IaZxcDQ4N7rAzw8OOENZyiZVdEGRtgnhYmEyVlvZsql5H3K8HnEAVCndJ0_1Y_rHMmaJO35G56XYqqE7L5GxibGm9HasSDJ4qT8cztXtJj9R5bSfQnxlHk5d/s1600-h/IMG_2501.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmJVZw9s7sQaqtQe7Yua-IaZxcDQ4N7rAzw8OOENZyiZVdEGRtgnhYmEyVlvZsql5H3K8HnEAVCndJ0_1Y_rHMmaJO35G56XYqqE7L5GxibGm9HasSDJ4qT8cztXtJj9R5bSfQnxlHk5d/s320/IMG_2501.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399723727951637170" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-78283840698010562692009-11-01T11:33:00.001-08:002009-11-01T11:41:51.454-08:00The Deviled Egg made me do it.Thanks to Amanda for the idea, and to Amy for the hat.<br />This was the ultimate last minute costume - I was whipstitching away two hours before we went out for the evening.<br /><br />I may put more thought into it next year, but I guarantee nothing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlOp8zmc6RNjq-h6eONdnYu7HkaiiO866W96ozZSad_6_LcrGKFToYgeSdS8UtUVEID4_8ongegbm1wWC2MGvqiZJ9bi0vMAsvsVjJAgmShbwkZZHKTH0lzlpdAeusNvIAK2hnq3T54rU/s1600-h/IMG_2559.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlOp8zmc6RNjq-h6eONdnYu7HkaiiO866W96ozZSad_6_LcrGKFToYgeSdS8UtUVEID4_8ongegbm1wWC2MGvqiZJ9bi0vMAsvsVjJAgmShbwkZZHKTH0lzlpdAeusNvIAK2hnq3T54rU/s320/IMG_2559.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399221454925070338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxvPzfT1D4g5tIYDR6Mmm_FX-_8TsBMn9rFuRxCeDxgJERbhE3rdToi4ivq6zjAGad89b_RuaEPTAh43lHNvVNaz91qai_OFQ9ItCLDShoxc8bUCzv9DpPXR87z_TyyWqP0tG_zipGudA/s1600-h/IMG_2556.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxvPzfT1D4g5tIYDR6Mmm_FX-_8TsBMn9rFuRxCeDxgJERbhE3rdToi4ivq6zjAGad89b_RuaEPTAh43lHNvVNaz91qai_OFQ9ItCLDShoxc8bUCzv9DpPXR87z_TyyWqP0tG_zipGudA/s320/IMG_2556.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399221450011788834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvWS_J0kfU2EkJoAGFY5l1FrX0jWopcDkErfqjLfw0Bh0QiShExyz1XRm57_P7Wt7HBLDgV7SUBHrh2lM18aYqU75DCgVvww1GrT1duVCT0nyho_EM9RoPWAbl8SA5pm7NnYHa62DJ5NO/s1600-h/IMG_2519.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvWS_J0kfU2EkJoAGFY5l1FrX0jWopcDkErfqjLfw0Bh0QiShExyz1XRm57_P7Wt7HBLDgV7SUBHrh2lM18aYqU75DCgVvww1GrT1duVCT0nyho_EM9RoPWAbl8SA5pm7NnYHa62DJ5NO/s320/IMG_2519.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399221445675686802" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnX-MU3LVeSCbtDEqnfsLa5QMZVeSssmT1Mdzjy9u6gJ3Ae8MyvtuBkvKbyb9Sra5o-AWm5p4XW9xVSCgpwDp0jIj7I9zKfiuFzIyD5LGXI54CIXK1LzG-T1G59pUPvuIM_vMt7JHh6fvn/s1600-h/IMG_2515.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnX-MU3LVeSCbtDEqnfsLa5QMZVeSssmT1Mdzjy9u6gJ3Ae8MyvtuBkvKbyb9Sra5o-AWm5p4XW9xVSCgpwDp0jIj7I9zKfiuFzIyD5LGXI54CIXK1LzG-T1G59pUPvuIM_vMt7JHh6fvn/s320/IMG_2515.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399221436723207474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshFcvA2O8wfTZaQRP0wozzFu82Yr75pNFGAARNTKCtSMQh_HKKWYlPG1iZLgYZxMgUhUWqJhDtDdCJ0DFTDvkyjzLYToUkhZBRKzYxGfnhJMTSVlfn2FANhzsms_tVv557jg-gscavyTj/s1600-h/IMG_2524.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgshFcvA2O8wfTZaQRP0wozzFu82Yr75pNFGAARNTKCtSMQh_HKKWYlPG1iZLgYZxMgUhUWqJhDtDdCJ0DFTDvkyjzLYToUkhZBRKzYxGfnhJMTSVlfn2FANhzsms_tVv557jg-gscavyTj/s320/IMG_2524.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399221434868851522" /></a><br /><br /><br />And yes - I have every intention of <a href="http://www.nablopomo.com/">NaBloPoMo</a>-ing it this year. Don't hold your breath, though. I rarely finish what I start.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-3243474176852188392009-10-05T13:02:00.000-07:002009-10-05T13:12:54.841-07:00Blocked.The only thing I write these days are Facebook updates. Anything longer than ten words starts looking a bit like a long-overdue thesis paper to me.<br /><br />I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things eventually - for now here are some pics:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ytpb9g4CEP9CHqM9gWF11_g1SzoVnu611t9-LnF1t51QVODOM9Cg1WZKUr5IOcvqtuuswp-28DKyScVMnCFtrxEf0eMm8kuXWCXUjF_AmiBVm6IAGsUg0vq0-oCB0Pb0Sb8Qw7yFZ6E6/s1600-h/IMG_1607.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ytpb9g4CEP9CHqM9gWF11_g1SzoVnu611t9-LnF1t51QVODOM9Cg1WZKUr5IOcvqtuuswp-28DKyScVMnCFtrxEf0eMm8kuXWCXUjF_AmiBVm6IAGsUg0vq0-oCB0Pb0Sb8Qw7yFZ6E6/s320/IMG_1607.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389211104493465250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0G-aYx6U8tAWddKz1l_O7Hq9-aTi6P2KJsin-Z089mJLCJUnUcLD9nZx-gWT-98Vq4WgLfSE2U21Lq1C1ol72YbvSF7VUJNhtBfaZ78lq-QivO-ZaJjKjrAR50ms5MpRSI71hbjw3Bpx2/s1600-h/IMG_1532.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0G-aYx6U8tAWddKz1l_O7Hq9-aTi6P2KJsin-Z089mJLCJUnUcLD9nZx-gWT-98Vq4WgLfSE2U21Lq1C1ol72YbvSF7VUJNhtBfaZ78lq-QivO-ZaJjKjrAR50ms5MpRSI71hbjw3Bpx2/s320/IMG_1532.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389211095220686978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUej759JTRcLTbqnjKzlyio6N6Kmkys71VqHI_nm4YRZNpqJX9b4_gtDTJcsNoIIkkaYMPdyA7MI6nfNgHvSL7bSq5CgvP2xVUmQmY1-E2ruITjcO6Mig0cwXjyzoRwPMoRwEm0A71dvG/s1600-h/IMG_2057.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUej759JTRcLTbqnjKzlyio6N6Kmkys71VqHI_nm4YRZNpqJX9b4_gtDTJcsNoIIkkaYMPdyA7MI6nfNgHvSL7bSq5CgvP2xVUmQmY1-E2ruITjcO6Mig0cwXjyzoRwPMoRwEm0A71dvG/s320/IMG_2057.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389211089918625778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLMStSkeRLW1ZZwzv9TcL2o2If-Va06PJogKUaMLHRWVrBV1kbbb_Q0ZDU8sUQPsa-rnBR9KHHPwCwNu8lXRiPKJdfSkgM2dyIkzVpRuwmPdZus3bHxM4QoWwdy6mECZnAMUYXrVeEwk1/s1600-h/IMG_1926.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLMStSkeRLW1ZZwzv9TcL2o2If-Va06PJogKUaMLHRWVrBV1kbbb_Q0ZDU8sUQPsa-rnBR9KHHPwCwNu8lXRiPKJdfSkgM2dyIkzVpRuwmPdZus3bHxM4QoWwdy6mECZnAMUYXrVeEwk1/s320/IMG_1926.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389211078162602786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWa7s-vwnlA2NrC7Dec50UEbjVWA9MESaYZN6P_OaxQELNaN0oZoM8H_DQFC5yDAVY3o6Pvbs5givXy4oNrmpGMLakzVy1U9wT5ej6lFqlwznzG1b1y9lMzWcav-Q2wf5MnKkM2axdv4i/s1600-h/IMG_1852.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWa7s-vwnlA2NrC7Dec50UEbjVWA9MESaYZN6P_OaxQELNaN0oZoM8H_DQFC5yDAVY3o6Pvbs5givXy4oNrmpGMLakzVy1U9wT5ej6lFqlwznzG1b1y9lMzWcav-Q2wf5MnKkM2axdv4i/s320/IMG_1852.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389211072029270338" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-52975509586397513392009-08-03T21:11:00.000-07:002009-08-03T21:23:58.383-07:00Party time, excellent.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorDXSsC5K__9kuwKrv9YWpIvsWJ9z8NAygmTeIT0AMpnsi1z3qpP-yMC7chhYeOvIoFJgZceAZdAEBMP2SCk5dwnQrjDHLyp8-q3eErUTssS0Tof-Kbldo9JidNFrHMFNz4zYRxYmMi-V/s1600-h/Ivan+Party+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorDXSsC5K__9kuwKrv9YWpIvsWJ9z8NAygmTeIT0AMpnsi1z3qpP-yMC7chhYeOvIoFJgZceAZdAEBMP2SCk5dwnQrjDHLyp8-q3eErUTssS0Tof-Kbldo9JidNFrHMFNz4zYRxYmMi-V/s320/Ivan+Party+5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365958002034427682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHj9IfvvGzlcAY-1QYTwDfraZsC1KE7E4Y5Roe8ez40Pr6bGG2VHP9xfR9e6TBSlFgKzz8eNnIE5kDyzTntf4ftcT9IAVdnGUFu07ZL5HjOKe1z7YUB_9iO_xi5f54MVOdxksKHdSgeJg/s1600-h/Ivan+Party+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHj9IfvvGzlcAY-1QYTwDfraZsC1KE7E4Y5Roe8ez40Pr6bGG2VHP9xfR9e6TBSlFgKzz8eNnIE5kDyzTntf4ftcT9IAVdnGUFu07ZL5HjOKe1z7YUB_9iO_xi5f54MVOdxksKHdSgeJg/s320/Ivan+Party+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365958000097206722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1JWrpHny0fvdoOaUcRnRh4_7AjwnubBlSaqw-YWIUV3bRRj2UAmzn-ZfECdN8FG0mtt3CeZ2uYMZVufXwpQqXbL5HRJVVJAflRBSe6U56FWGqfOXqUo0odLpR5Eu0nj0T3_HnHUkRfnJ/s1600-h/Ivan+party+8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1JWrpHny0fvdoOaUcRnRh4_7AjwnubBlSaqw-YWIUV3bRRj2UAmzn-ZfECdN8FG0mtt3CeZ2uYMZVufXwpQqXbL5HRJVVJAflRBSe6U56FWGqfOXqUo0odLpR5Eu0nj0T3_HnHUkRfnJ/s320/Ivan+party+8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365957987325466434" /></a><br /><br />Photos by Jenn W.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-39628199516766713342009-07-30T03:52:00.000-07:002009-07-30T18:26:12.846-07:00To my Butter on your first birthday,Last night I told your Dad that I wanted to set my alarm for 1:16am so I could go in and kiss you Happy Birthday at the exact time you came into this world. I didn't do it because I figured I'd end up waking you up and no one likes to miss out on birthday sleep.<br /><br />Then the weirdest thing happened: you woke me up at 1:15. You were crying in your crib and I went to get you and bring you back to bed with us. You fell asleep as soon as I picked you up. I probably could have put you back in the crib for a few hours, but instead I woke Papa up and he kissed your forehead and wished you a very happy birthday.<br /><br />The last year has been like that, kid - every moment has been a little odd, a new adventure, or leaves us completely floundering in a sea of parenthood.<br /><br />We love you more than you can possibly know.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99D745Ccrykd0KJvKc_qL55l4zsK26PAj1PFpg0_lUp9gM_e3ymbWhnr6xek6TU4ClF_UM9v_sZxnbO2rfJY6w8YCkwGYVkWwxo5MyI8AZpbcOfGXcPB18LB0alUQJlsVvUCosqTa2x1n/s1600-h/DSC00047.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99D745Ccrykd0KJvKc_qL55l4zsK26PAj1PFpg0_lUp9gM_e3ymbWhnr6xek6TU4ClF_UM9v_sZxnbO2rfJY6w8YCkwGYVkWwxo5MyI8AZpbcOfGXcPB18LB0alUQJlsVvUCosqTa2x1n/s320/DSC00047.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364209001436426018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCyz7VHzJ4wYTSxgLrKTf6IBWZPSY1kAr9JddZWxPJn1vIXqkgrIo90wp7PxKekh98kzrq7JfiOMmoiMvoZNfQo3nu7edlETaZqNrYrZYPCPXpW4T3R4vzm8oyJSI3T8clFsi9s9WyHUi/s1600-h/DSC00182.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCyz7VHzJ4wYTSxgLrKTf6IBWZPSY1kAr9JddZWxPJn1vIXqkgrIo90wp7PxKekh98kzrq7JfiOMmoiMvoZNfQo3nu7edlETaZqNrYrZYPCPXpW4T3R4vzm8oyJSI3T8clFsi9s9WyHUi/s320/DSC00182.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364209005757817954" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0yz4YJbEaevmbQSpWok2kTXvuZ4CgRaPNH4eKjgWCDImQ6rQJYYEOUxb9wjYu-uYbexYNLDoymv7K4xdgQLckXl7LYhKZzkcsEFy9KKTTN7V9YFcSB1SCyzm6jzxW-u2kyViPUGxFV_G/s1600-h/IMG_0524.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0yz4YJbEaevmbQSpWok2kTXvuZ4CgRaPNH4eKjgWCDImQ6rQJYYEOUxb9wjYu-uYbexYNLDoymv7K4xdgQLckXl7LYhKZzkcsEFy9KKTTN7V9YFcSB1SCyzm6jzxW-u2kyViPUGxFV_G/s320/IMG_0524.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364208999077043874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmFhRl32L3jIGjRDnBbu1g5Nd9lBqTjDKg_8tN-5qeWKVq0vqMZgi4btrylseDqjxbhMZXSdJ6U2Q4K1odDPxTZXK5aDtkBRXq_QQiPj9FVC30O5WszCSqO_MQrxTkiHlk1R_OcljJvLk/s1600-h/IMG_0468.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmFhRl32L3jIGjRDnBbu1g5Nd9lBqTjDKg_8tN-5qeWKVq0vqMZgi4btrylseDqjxbhMZXSdJ6U2Q4K1odDPxTZXK5aDtkBRXq_QQiPj9FVC30O5WszCSqO_MQrxTkiHlk1R_OcljJvLk/s320/IMG_0468.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364208988364898850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxXtj5LvWOErx9tOWrmGyYLLn_fIzYW8-SNbgYymeAMO-yKxY-We6SJqRSVO0rgccIvc13cUAmSipIEDyQZ_mWrR-U4Z8eXx7YfXZNscejgubK3ZAQ16DyEXxYQ1yScLZ_QZQlyVbm7ZX/s1600-h/IMG_0635.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxXtj5LvWOErx9tOWrmGyYLLn_fIzYW8-SNbgYymeAMO-yKxY-We6SJqRSVO0rgccIvc13cUAmSipIEDyQZ_mWrR-U4Z8eXx7YfXZNscejgubK3ZAQ16DyEXxYQ1yScLZ_QZQlyVbm7ZX/s320/IMG_0635.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364208985362606530" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-78706856468009899272009-07-19T20:13:00.000-07:002009-07-19T20:24:40.535-07:00Safety First.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAZd83B-ABi0aXciI9cyAQ10HGYImEnNa63UXSZFxj-V3biTVB23Y0WbwCMreI48-9m6TkNkKtLmxAueItYXGF5NN_6s5SKkGjWd2DyEeYzLeJ-9VcJrh3qT4YbviI69qBOLoVfamrGRM/s1600-h/IMG_0192.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAZd83B-ABi0aXciI9cyAQ10HGYImEnNa63UXSZFxj-V3biTVB23Y0WbwCMreI48-9m6TkNkKtLmxAueItYXGF5NN_6s5SKkGjWd2DyEeYzLeJ-9VcJrh3qT4YbviI69qBOLoVfamrGRM/s320/IMG_0192.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360376699473023506" /></a><br />This is the baby gate we have been living with for two and a half months. We call it the Ghetto Baby Gate. It is, in fact, the bathroom door held open by a Rubbermaid filled with books and blankets and spare sheets.<br /><br />It worked fine - he never went tumbling down the stairs. However, he managed to wreak havoc on our bathroom by opening the shower door (usually with one of us in there), unfurling entire rolls of toilet paper, and splashing about in the toilet bowl.<br /><br />Now we have a beautifully installed real baby gate. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmvwYMg415PTJNRTLILLS6M2jiOQYihSIoRtiu3_r95eQXJc3giPadAS9IeLFJWQXnK6BhZApX452tCvBwHa5woe286jU2Fy-QG3wLKebrcG9j3QQ3cEBjyZwJe641toHOkdi6m6si1WT/s1600-h/IMG_0188.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmvwYMg415PTJNRTLILLS6M2jiOQYihSIoRtiu3_r95eQXJc3giPadAS9IeLFJWQXnK6BhZApX452tCvBwHa5woe286jU2Fy-QG3wLKebrcG9j3QQ3cEBjyZwJe641toHOkdi6m6si1WT/s320/IMG_0188.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360376697321242962" /></a><br />I'm thrilled to bits. We actually live here now.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-65537731776703045402009-07-12T20:25:00.000-07:002009-07-12T20:35:38.353-07:00Walker, Texas Baby.He is officially a walker now. Until today he took some steps, he could pivot while standing, but the falling would ensue.<br /><br />Today he walks* -with purpose and with glee. Today he crouched to pick up a toy and stood back up. Today he stood up without any help from a parent or a piece of furniture.<br /><br />The weirdest thing happened: I was reading a book on the couch and I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I swear to Pete is was like that scene in <span style="font-style:italic;">Signs</span> when you see the alien for the first time and it's walking past an alley and you only glimpse it for a few seconds but that is enough to <span style="font-style:italic;">freak you the hell out.</span><br /><br />Know what I mean?<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">*I probably could have gotten video, but the demon child sucked on the end of the USB cable that uploads pics to my computer. Nothing works now. I'm researching a new camera and he will not be allowed within 100 yards of it. I shall buy a telephoto lens.</span>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-33155842108401486862009-07-09T21:05:00.000-07:002009-07-09T21:21:45.260-07:00Not a baby.A lot of parents say they miss the infant stage. The innocence, the baby smell, the general smallness. The immobility.<br /><br />I remember the infant stage. They can have it.<br /><br />I don't miss the infant stage because it made me uncomfortable to have someone depend on me so completely. I can't be everything to this small person, are you kidding?<br /><br />So now, when he spends 45 minutes on the sun porch talking to himself and the cats and watching the buses pass, I can relax. He's going to be okay - at least until he bonks his head and wants Mom to kiss it.<br /><br />He's not little anymore. I can see the four, five, ten-year-old boy he will be. All legs and blond hair and a smile that will break a thousand hearts.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-45843419838208522992009-07-08T21:12:00.000-07:002009-07-08T22:12:23.746-07:00The Leather Anniversary.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmtjyoBpmjsnMrHWrU_gph2hfpZbxc0XPKjMAKFsaYC_ZDJsMWWw23ns9JWY9qc3ntYA4cNvR37VuZkV4Cq6e7XAp4SYEIfpVz6DkoapDgh4E-nhSlrIfSriPcndR0qFLSAvH1G-NmcZW/s1600-h/VB_wedding049.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmtjyoBpmjsnMrHWrU_gph2hfpZbxc0XPKjMAKFsaYC_ZDJsMWWw23ns9JWY9qc3ntYA4cNvR37VuZkV4Cq6e7XAp4SYEIfpVz6DkoapDgh4E-nhSlrIfSriPcndR0qFLSAvH1G-NmcZW/s320/VB_wedding049.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356309123308346146" /></a><br />Three years ago today I married my best friend in a beautiful garden. There was an upright bass and an acoustic guitar and a whole mess of people around who were deliriously happy for us.<br /><br />It was a nearly perfect day, but the best part was going home to our apartment after the whole damn thing was over. We were married, and life continued on pretty much as it had for the five years prior.<br /><br />Since then we've had a baby, bought a house and gotten a joint bank account. <br />Still, we're basically the same kids who fell in love in Duluth.<br /><br /><br />I guess all I can say is: I would do anything for you, Love. But I won't do that.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-67021674947018513662009-07-03T20:11:00.001-07:002009-07-03T20:37:50.934-07:00Slow News DayI dyed my kid's hair with Kool-aid today. It was supposed to be red on one side and blue on the other (with the white blonde 'hawk in between) but I got impatient and annoyed that my fingers were getting stained, and then I was worried he would look like Massive Head Wound Harry, so I put him in the tub before the "dye" really took.<br /><br />Now he's kind of tinted pink and baby blue. Maybe I'll give him a patriotic tattoo as well.<br /><br />Perhaps I will try again for Bastille day.<br /><br /><br /><br />What else? Oh, he is <span style="font-style:italic;">so</span> close to walking. He can even go a good three or four feet before he starts overthinking things and collapses to the ground.<br /><br /><br />Oh, and my computer and my camera aren't on speaking terms right now. No idea why. Until they work things out there will be no pictures.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">And</span> I deleted both my Myspace and Twitter accounts. I only ever used MySpace to stalk people, and I only signed up for Twitter so I could follow my friend's account of her labor and delivery. Cate is now several months old and I haven't used it since. Time for me to let go. I'm just not cool enough to be so connected. I'm contemplating weeding out my Facebook friends, but that seems kind of ruthless.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-6987933211024573202009-06-27T06:25:00.000-07:002009-06-27T06:43:54.574-07:00Must have been a good snack.My kid choked on a piece of pear yesterday. At first I thought he was playing - sometimes he sticks his tongue out at me while he's eating, so I thought he was flirting with me until his face started turning red and he gave me the crazy eyes.<br /><br />Anyway, I stayed totally calm and did exactly what I remember from CPR class - I took the tray off his highchair, unbuckled him, flipped him over and whacked him on the back. When the piece of pear emerged from his throat hooked it and swept it out with my finger.<br /><br />The boy was scared and sad, but I gave him a sippy of water and put him on the couch. He kept glaring at me like this whole ordeal was my fault. Then he rolled off the couch and crawled over to the discarded highchair tray and finished his snack. It was a good snack, I guess - yogurt melts, graham crackers and (of course) pears.<br /><br /><br /><br />I did everything exactly right, but all I could think of was that I'm not certified in infant and child CPR anymore and <span style="font-style:italic;">that</span> scared the living shit out of me.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-7256189775864033242009-06-24T12:17:00.001-07:002009-06-24T12:26:18.118-07:00Peekaboo!Okay, so he's been doing this for a couple of weeks now, but it took some time to get photographic evidence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-Q555ggHPms5xkSgDRrzSTSMRqu6A3BJga9dUofGpc20qm-1-q4geA-KBqSPnb9VD5kbOGfR5KACsJY6mwU7eshpDQr9mk2nMUj1yMXWfjaVPHZk2xi1zhXHjkm8cwa5Zg73GlxCYaa0/s1600-h/DSC01942.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-Q555ggHPms5xkSgDRrzSTSMRqu6A3BJga9dUofGpc20qm-1-q4geA-KBqSPnb9VD5kbOGfR5KACsJY6mwU7eshpDQr9mk2nMUj1yMXWfjaVPHZk2xi1zhXHjkm8cwa5Zg73GlxCYaa0/s320/DSC01942.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350977403371581234" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEW1whtIHm2LXjd5d7wqCfZz0tzHaJ6-xc-_qF0OciyTZdJr3q4Uzz1FQOsYXX0oGSJdBPAWwPub_GFGjTcxks1J3tOdgYJ72kZIClFdg6LcEOdgkY9-sciCNwBpjguyBtdYOS-iN0Dmv/s1600-h/DSC01937.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEW1whtIHm2LXjd5d7wqCfZz0tzHaJ6-xc-_qF0OciyTZdJr3q4Uzz1FQOsYXX0oGSJdBPAWwPub_GFGjTcxks1J3tOdgYJ72kZIClFdg6LcEOdgkY9-sciCNwBpjguyBtdYOS-iN0Dmv/s320/DSC01937.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350977411190354626" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-23425821479677398422009-06-23T21:24:00.000-07:002009-06-23T21:30:25.089-07:00The Zen of Sippy CupLet's say you're trying to transition your child to a sippy cup. Let's say he hasn't quite grasped the mechanics of holding it up <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> tipping his head back <span style="font-style:italic;">and</span> swallowing all at the same time.<br /><br />And, just for fun, let's say you've bought six different brands of sippy cups.<br /><br />Want to bypass all that? Put your baby in a car seat on a sweltering June day in a vehicle with marginal (at best) air conditioning. Hand him a cup filled with cold water and a few ice cubes. See how fast he figures it out.<br /><br /><br /><br />You're welcome.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-58809525485740402032009-06-22T08:26:00.000-07:002009-06-22T08:31:39.379-07:00Happy Father's Day! (belated)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPq_KYjCXwipMbb1NI2SJ8WFIs-UteUJM7l-dA-m5blPsV_7WZBzqjmzxwKcwPM98mPdUx6GYdxBprxgde4Jd6wKCIA3QgAhaPCoNYj4649YCbG-pZOshqqSPrTokKTw3DJobgpc5qMPt/s1600-h/AbbeyFinals.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPq_KYjCXwipMbb1NI2SJ8WFIs-UteUJM7l-dA-m5blPsV_7WZBzqjmzxwKcwPM98mPdUx6GYdxBprxgde4Jd6wKCIA3QgAhaPCoNYj4649YCbG-pZOshqqSPrTokKTw3DJobgpc5qMPt/s320/AbbeyFinals.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350174900638230914" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.marionvitus.com/">http://www.marionvitus.com/</a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-75479906881474143682009-06-09T07:36:00.000-07:002009-06-09T07:47:50.447-07:00Here we go."Mom. Mama. Ma. Ma. Mommmma. Mom."<br /><br />Today my kid called me "Mama" because he needed something. He's said it a hundred times before, but mainly in terror (f I leave for the store without him), exasperation (if I dare to wipe his hands and face after a meal), and general babbling (cruising around the coffee table with a spoon in hand). <br /><br />Today I was feeding Max and the Czar was at my elbow. I heard him talking, but I was busy and he had to wait. A few minutes later the "Mama" was coupled with rhythmic jabs to my side. He was <span style="font-style:italic;">poking</span> me! <br /><br />He's brilliant and annoying at the same time!webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-34457884654301228612009-06-05T08:40:00.000-07:002009-06-05T08:46:06.598-07:00Teddy? Blankie? Nope.Lest you think the <a href="http://theczarandi.blogspot.com/2009/04/boy-and-his-spoon.html">spoon thing</a> was a fleeting phase:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v8E3chiWu1hx4RKNq2Gucs75yF3mBuevdCyZmxb_o_d4X6SDQd6NhHcUSXWwkv9ohkc-nlW59amSLd1tvp9d4hALwe33Cp4EvYFGksBgqcnfgZD6ThQ_f0dNM_segyHd7Q2zmnLUX4fb/s1600-h/DSC01683.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v8E3chiWu1hx4RKNq2Gucs75yF3mBuevdCyZmxb_o_d4X6SDQd6NhHcUSXWwkv9ohkc-nlW59amSLd1tvp9d4hALwe33Cp4EvYFGksBgqcnfgZD6ThQ_f0dNM_segyHd7Q2zmnLUX4fb/s320/DSC01683.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343869290178275746" /></a><br /><br /><br />He rediscovered this <a href="http://theczarandi.blogspot.com/2009/03/peace-is-in-air.html">cat toy</a> yesterday. It gives him much joy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9v-hsrZ19mw_yd3XJIi_dmDGLrMYL6RJLKE_VF9GbnA8RO8_ZLlqYX5vinzikDc1TTMVGElSKDOqM7lEs_VE0tAyOEblpuQdysEdTsjIaTEIxMKRYh9SM-hdcbL9ctQVj5BycjVRNDN1/s1600-h/DSC01684.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9v-hsrZ19mw_yd3XJIi_dmDGLrMYL6RJLKE_VF9GbnA8RO8_ZLlqYX5vinzikDc1TTMVGElSKDOqM7lEs_VE0tAyOEblpuQdysEdTsjIaTEIxMKRYh9SM-hdcbL9ctQVj5BycjVRNDN1/s320/DSC01684.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343869296446174594" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-80670843174841755742009-05-28T09:15:00.001-07:002009-05-28T09:17:54.007-07:00For my very subtle mother.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRzYRH7Km3CwUM6FCO6Jr4EU4uJ9iprA_jWvFJCztn7Bw68W0J_FvexetEbwuAmaYSTEwSJ74YQROw3cgJMIg8iO9yl-dEdCInYVmU41Y1BqgR30s3BRDVsO8fvHFDM6_-0_NdpEL5gqY/s1600-h/DSC01521.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRzYRH7Km3CwUM6FCO6Jr4EU4uJ9iprA_jWvFJCztn7Bw68W0J_FvexetEbwuAmaYSTEwSJ74YQROw3cgJMIg8iO9yl-dEdCInYVmU41Y1BqgR30s3BRDVsO8fvHFDM6_-0_NdpEL5gqY/s320/DSC01521.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340909801164961762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszWQmL_-ymycDC3bQtWJRTPRKnNZJaNzLSxTPfpG2svTApRuNDkTXvG6lKy7di7AiaIVDoHh2NkBo4ytI-EHBwhERe9Fbhki6k2jwA5bGr6SkBTYrgaQaOBV5XTN4gF6pRqdamJ_xYGon/s1600-h/DSC01456.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszWQmL_-ymycDC3bQtWJRTPRKnNZJaNzLSxTPfpG2svTApRuNDkTXvG6lKy7di7AiaIVDoHh2NkBo4ytI-EHBwhERe9Fbhki6k2jwA5bGr6SkBTYrgaQaOBV5XTN4gF6pRqdamJ_xYGon/s320/DSC01456.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340909797681417810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYV9s5TgaX027zDdM1K1W7lWkkPG6fWHKdRBYe5ofHBHUKU0gYpXf3dACvq_MwqGAe4xWDnxeh4Nmm3LwbuUkj1deTKnZCXFpevQAp28DR7wp-dtiLD0kyssQHxQUW0sVUciBI3nqrI9Wa/s1600-h/DSC01447.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYV9s5TgaX027zDdM1K1W7lWkkPG6fWHKdRBYe5ofHBHUKU0gYpXf3dACvq_MwqGAe4xWDnxeh4Nmm3LwbuUkj1deTKnZCXFpevQAp28DR7wp-dtiLD0kyssQHxQUW0sVUciBI3nqrI9Wa/s320/DSC01447.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340909792196518242" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-86648284763809075232009-05-27T20:04:00.001-07:002009-05-27T20:08:51.197-07:00Real Hawk.I know my many millions of readers are wondering where I've been lately - I'm here. I'm just not terribly poetic lately.<br /><br />However, I shaved my kid's head, AND I took pictures.<br /><br /><br />(MamaGrouch - this is the one where I think he looks like a blond Creep)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JutH_cEglf9vCr5CqunvxeL9P61TXYwh_9yZPeF8NEFodgf7wn3AhrFRFwMu95wTIaU7gcvDhYh0wEsO6OVvJdmbQu7wnIMS1TrbJmB5C7CwSCcwWn_U_HSp6VT2R1lMViJ8Go7XZ_2t/s1600-h/DSC01504.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JutH_cEglf9vCr5CqunvxeL9P61TXYwh_9yZPeF8NEFodgf7wn3AhrFRFwMu95wTIaU7gcvDhYh0wEsO6OVvJdmbQu7wnIMS1TrbJmB5C7CwSCcwWn_U_HSp6VT2R1lMViJ8Go7XZ_2t/s320/DSC01504.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340706122743773730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpWToduaaRxhXV6vzgOId8jVg9fD3jaf2LbuhlQ7GyTZ3EmaepjGSNsKgVGMvSzXj2iIx4cx-LCWfbZ8moKmEQbZ5lPiOiZ_hlUPgxshTTurwEaexKSk2eklCURyTfw7PXZBNWgLmpa2W/s1600-h/DSC01502.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpWToduaaRxhXV6vzgOId8jVg9fD3jaf2LbuhlQ7GyTZ3EmaepjGSNsKgVGMvSzXj2iIx4cx-LCWfbZ8moKmEQbZ5lPiOiZ_hlUPgxshTTurwEaexKSk2eklCURyTfw7PXZBNWgLmpa2W/s320/DSC01502.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340706121033990722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc89PLgHVSGsJijfndTew812boiakZwCUBBs2cJ5pUHHS_rkr4sjscF6MDKJH63S5XxfC4h4UycOpUYae8xEpiT2CNJYfwmEjNxlIR7ZG0fkBakcC3SUrg3qyfqb1SF_4Zu_u6ew4R39i/s1600-h/DSC01513.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc89PLgHVSGsJijfndTew812boiakZwCUBBs2cJ5pUHHS_rkr4sjscF6MDKJH63S5XxfC4h4UycOpUYae8xEpiT2CNJYfwmEjNxlIR7ZG0fkBakcC3SUrg3qyfqb1SF_4Zu_u6ew4R39i/s320/DSC01513.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340706117381441650" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLJ1Ck2BwovghbckXVV9Zzx6V6mZ6eKl8UAtgJtVxsLeWsM2TepcgaOUpdXcVE1VCEiD0cmxduNIHcPn4AESUFiRcnUEPXuKWopa0CRfWFAvMBxNRTw0TrarH6envGEN-1-8OGVgtXW9Y/s1600-h/DSC01512.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLJ1Ck2BwovghbckXVV9Zzx6V6mZ6eKl8UAtgJtVxsLeWsM2TepcgaOUpdXcVE1VCEiD0cmxduNIHcPn4AESUFiRcnUEPXuKWopa0CRfWFAvMBxNRTw0TrarH6envGEN-1-8OGVgtXW9Y/s320/DSC01512.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340706109421006962" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-59891335918914448842009-05-15T12:27:00.000-07:002009-05-16T09:08:24.883-07:00Early Aversion To Housework.I vacuumed the living room rug today. The Russian Mafia (My new nickname for the Czar and my nephew Max - clever, nyet?) were displeased by this. Max objected by lying stock still on his play gym and hoping the monster would go away.<br /><br />The Czar was <span style="font-style:italic;">pissed</span>. He immediately burst into tears and started flapping his hands at the wrists in a totally panicked way. Then, instead of running away, he started crawling toward the vacuum. I think he was trying to get to me and he was really mad at the mean loud thing that was in the way.<br /><br />Poor baby.<br /><br />I was doubled over laughing. I actually kept vacuuming a little longer than necessary because I was laughing so much. I'm such a bad mom.<br /><br /><br />There may be a dearth of pictures for the foreseeable future. I think the camera has kicked the bucket and I need to convince Android that we need a new one. Shouldn't take too long as I am not above throwing a full-on temper tantrum.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-71543405116380889202009-05-10T11:05:00.000-07:002009-05-10T11:16:44.242-07:00Happy Mother's Day!I'm exhausted and overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done before we are officially "moved in". That pretty much wraps up the last two weeks.<br /><br />The kid has a cold, and the rivulets of snot that cover his upper lip totally gross me out.<br /><br />It's a good thing I still have birthdays because Mother's Day ain't what it's cracked up to be.<br /><br />Still, the kid is cute.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCjnLa-r5aymzI_Ye01InMeZjmo66J65u_Cgn7UsTcVBn-tPnZYaMHmFICpdS3bxqU5PBEzSC37Z5JzmKFIBulunuVLBA1GueYYiVfD-Fd8SGpTD1vCQL3ew_64bqxU3H78qaGRFXqbt2/s1600-h/DSC03917.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCjnLa-r5aymzI_Ye01InMeZjmo66J65u_Cgn7UsTcVBn-tPnZYaMHmFICpdS3bxqU5PBEzSC37Z5JzmKFIBulunuVLBA1GueYYiVfD-Fd8SGpTD1vCQL3ew_64bqxU3H78qaGRFXqbt2/s320/DSC03917.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334260163368492482" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAdpfxS5PBoEQRiFn5FbydUaNhR0oi4SJV7102VuSf3rNo_3KjVb9AXedHwCJvB85wuSb07qzqZCZtbSm29EDywyG1Ujj4PSVH4c4oQsmyfg4zroMYbEXYJjOYtb5QlVdYsJeKtRz-1ro/s1600-h/DSC03916.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAdpfxS5PBoEQRiFn5FbydUaNhR0oi4SJV7102VuSf3rNo_3KjVb9AXedHwCJvB85wuSb07qzqZCZtbSm29EDywyG1Ujj4PSVH4c4oQsmyfg4zroMYbEXYJjOYtb5QlVdYsJeKtRz-1ro/s320/DSC03916.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334260160922127762" /></a>webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1639039455258378984.post-72157365578410601802009-05-02T18:29:00.000-07:002009-05-02T18:36:48.740-07:00Rough day.We moved out of our apartment and into our house today. The house, once spacious and echo-y is now crammed full of boxes and mismatched furniture. Still, it feels like home.<br /><br />We're strangely split between the two houses for a while, though. For example, as we have no internet at the house, our computer is still in the apartment. All of our dishes, utensils and other kitchen paraphernalia are in the apartment. I imagine we'll be snagging things as needed for at least a week.<br /><br />The cats are confused, but we're leaving them here at least until after the housewarming party tomorrow. Poor things don't have anything soft to sit on. Finn is sleeping on a cardboard box. Sad.<br /><br />I'm so very very tired. There is too much to do and not nearly enough hours to do it in.webbithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05530028982248211026noreply@blogger.com1