More Birthday Fun

Watts family birthday tradition states that whenever it's your birthday (or half-birthday), regardless of what other parties may be going on, there will be one night set apart just for our imidiate family, and on said night the birthday person may choose where they would like to eat. So, a couple of weeks ago we began discussing with Ruth where she might like to go. For the past three years, she has choosen Chuck E. Cheese, and Jeff and I just felt obligated to make her aware of some other choices this year--for her own good, of course, and not from any contempt for the aforementioned eating establishment. In the course of one of our conversations, the Old San Fancisco Steakhouse came up, and we started talking to her about this girl that swings inside the restuarant and this big block of cheese that is delivered to your table before the meal. She bought it, and decided to give it a try this year. And it turned out to be just the kind of place for such a big girl to have her birthday party. She loved it! We got to see the swinging girl do her thing...twice! The pianist played and everyone sang "Happy Birthday." Ruth got to go up on the stage, sit in the swing and even give it a go! And at the end of the meal they brought her a big piece of cake with a candle in it. She was absolutely thrilled with every single thing! It was a really fun night...and a great victory for Jeff and I. Unfortunately, we found out that the place will be closing for good on Sunday, so next year we'll have to come up with something else I guess.

Birthday Party

Ruth's birthday party was so much fun! Thanks to all Ruth's friends who came to celebrate with her and who helped make her day special!

NI Picnic

NI had their anual company picninc today, and Ruth really had a blast. Her favorite thing was the giant blow-up slip-n-slide, with the inflatable obstacle course coming in at a close second. It was a fun time for all of us.

Better Home and Garden

We had an ugly, mostly dead tree removed from our front yard yesterday and several other unsightly parts of other trees trimmed. Today, we had the boy down the street mow the grass, and we got the inside of the house all spiffed up. It looks like a place I'd like to live! And it looks like a place where a party will be taking place in just 48 hours. Funny thing about that: we've got everything looking just so, and we've invited 24 (yes, I said 24) 3 and 4-year-olds over for a party. If that isn't an exercise in futility, I'd like to know what is?! But for now, I'm just enjoying the clean house and the beautiful yard. And on Sunday, I will enjoy watching my little (big) girl and her friends having a wonderful time!

All Ms

Ruth got a "report card" at school today and she got all Ms. That means she has Mastered all of the skills on the Developmental Checklist for 3-year-olds. The categories were: Fine Motor, Language Arts, Math, Science, Arts and Crafts, Music and Gross Motor. We are so very proud of her!

Keep Austin Weird

Austin has its fair share of panhandlers. They are all interesting characters, with their own styles and creativity. Most of them have signs with various versions of a similar sad story. Most of them smoke. Some of them have tried to come up some unique gimmick--jokes or music or something. But I saw a guy today that may be the most unique of the bunch...and probably the least prosperous. He was sitting on the corner, smoking up a storm, and instead of following proper panhandler protocol, which states that when the light turns red you hop up with your sign and pace back about six cars holding up your sign and trying to get people to feel sorry for you before the light turns green, he just sat there. I mean, he couldn't really hop up and leave the conversation he was so engrossed in...with no one. Whatever he was talking about had him had him very animated. He did have his sign there handy in case anyone should glance his way. Unfortunately, he forgot to write anything on it. This, folks, is what makes Austin special (read: weird).

Flip-Flop Exchange

Ruth and I are participating in a "flip-flop exchange," and I got my first pair today! They are pink and green with little whales on them. So cute! And so much fun! If anyone out there is interested in participating, let me know and I'll send you the letter.

Ruth's Mom and UsterBob

When I picked Ruth up from preschool yesterday, one of her little friends met me at the door with somthing very improtant to say: "Ruth's Mom! Ruth's Mom! I will be at Ruth's birthday party, but I have soooo many swimsuits that I'll just have to decide which one to wear."

And speaking of funny things to call someone, my in-laws have a neighbor whom my father-in-law refers to as UsterBob (pronounced "You-ster"). Actually for a while I just thought this was his name, but then I found out that this man earned this title because he "uster do this and he uster do that." I wonder if he has a daughter called "Fixinta Jane?"

And while we're on the subject of what we call people, I think Weston is trying to say "Ruth." It's just the "th," but since he doesn't have any teeth it comes out as this adorable little sound, which I can't qutie describe, but which I really love. And besides that, it's just nice to have a little variety from the high-pitched, oh-so-manly squeal he normally gives us.

All Wet

We walked to the park this morning, and we hadn't been there too terribly long, when the landscaping company who maintains the lawn there showed up. Apparently, they were installing a new sprinkler system. After a while, they decided it was time to test the sprinklers...without letting anyone know. It just so happened that I had parked the stroller near one of the sprinkler heads and I was sitting on a cement ledge nearby. So, on come the sprinklers, drenching me and Weston (who was sitting in the stroller). But the worst part was that Weston, up to this point, was very soundly asleep. You can imagine how much fun he thought it was to be awakened in such a way. We both survived the incident, but we were certainly wet and cold, as there happened to be a nice breeze blowing. Not long after that, Ruth had a bit of a behavior melt-down, so the whole trip to the park turned out to be one of the least fun I can ever remember--and the walk home wasn't much fun either. Some days I guess it's just better to stay home!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to me...and all the other mothers out there. What a lovely day, it was! We went out for breakfast this morning, chai and dessert this afternoon and dinner this evening. We all had a nap, and I got a beautiful homemade card from Ruth. Plus, Jeff and the kids gave me a homemade gift certificate for a landscaping project for the front yard. I can't think of anything I'd rather be than Ruth and Weston's Mommy!

10 Fun Things We Did Today

1. Visited with Mimi, Grandpa and Uncle Alan
2. Attended Mayfest in Marble Falls--which meant fun carnival rides and "diva hair" for Ruth
3. Took a spin on an old-school merry-go-round
4. Had lunch at Pizza Hut
5. Got to see super-jumbo blueblonnets in Burnet
6. Swam in the lake
7. Discovered and killed a nest of water moccasin snakes
8. Had Mother's Day celebration
9. Ate yummy Mexican food in Llano
10. Watched Mad TV

Macaroni and Queso

At lunchtime today, Ruth requested macaroni and cheese. We had a large amount of queso leftover from our appetizer party on Sunday, so I suggested that we have macaroni and queso instead. And it was very yummy, if I do say so myself. The take-home is never be afraid to try new things.

CarMax Redeemed

You may remember my rant about CarMax after my alleged parking ticket in Ohio. Well, they have redeemed themselves this week. After I had my little problem with the "check engine" light, we took Minnie into the dealership to have her checked out. There were several things that were in need of repair, and the dealership came back with a quote near $3000 to fix everything. When the shock of that wore off, we decided to take the van into CarMax, just for a second opinion. Well, they came back with a quote that was a little more in line with our budget--around $650. I really don't know how dealerships can get away with charging so much. Minnie should be back with us tomorrow. We've missed her this week.

Silence Is Golden

There was a time in my life when silence was an enemy to be warded off with all diligence--blaring radios, hours spent on the phone, having the TV on "just for noise." Silence represented bordom or lonliness or some other undesirable feeling I just didn't want to deal with. But I have realized, with the help of my children, just how wonderful silence can be. How nice I think it would be for just one day to have no noise whatsoever--no whining, no crying, no annoying children's music, no videos-we've-seen-a-hundred-times, no questions, no noisy toys. Just silence, glorious silence.

Well, Weston is crying, so I'll have to continue this dream another day.

Music To My Ears

At bedtime tonight, Ruth prayed, "Lord, please help Weston to sleep tonight so that Mommy doesn't have to be up with him and she can get some rest." I'll second that!

Free Hot Tub

A few weeks ago I was looking around on Craig's List and came across a free hot tub. I immediately replied to the ad. Unfortunately, I never got a response, so I have to assume someone else got it first. Since then I have probably come across close to ten free hot tubs listed on Craig's List. I've checked into all of them--and I've actually become sort of addicted to checking the ads every night. I'm certain that someday soon, I'll be the proud owner of either a working or non-working free hot tub, and that will be a fun day indeed!

Weston's Dedication Service

Tonight we had a dedication service for Weston at our church. We had a time of prayer during the service asking the Lord to help Weston to have experiences with the Lord and blessings as he grows, and to help Jeff and I to raise him with wisdom. Many friends and family members were able to join us for this service, and it was so special to us for them to be there to share this time with us. Thanks to all who came! We appreciate you all!

Bizzare Beverages

Yes, that milk is purple, and it's not a camera trick. That is something my husband mixed up, for what reason I'm not quite sure. It's blueberry juice mixed into milk. The other drink is a new one by Coca-Cola. It's regular Coke with coffee mixed in. And here's where it gets really bizzare: I actually like it. That's how we spent our Saturday night. How about you?

Cinco De Mayo

We aren't really Mexicans, but this is a holiday we just can't pass up. I think for the Mexicans, this holiday has something to do with a defeat of the French a long, long time ago. Here in the Watts house, Cinco De Mayo means one thing: Mexican Food! We had Mexican food for lunch, Mexican food for dinner and then ended the evening with Mexican Vanilla ice cream from Amy's. Now, that is what I call a good holiday!

5-Month Slump

Weston has always been a pretty good sleeper. He has even been sleeping through the night somewhat consistantly for a while. We've always swaddled him, and we really believe that has helped him sleep so well. But all that changed on the day he turned 5-months old last week. On that day, he decided that swaddling was for babies and that big boys sleep on their tummies. So, he began fighting against the swaddling until he could get free and immediately flipping over to his belly. Unfortunately, he's still a baby (shh--he doesn't know) and he's just not good at sleeping on his tummy. He just can't quite get comfortable and he loses his pacifier when he moves his head around. So, last night he and I were up every 1 1/2-2 hours. No surprise how I feel about that. Tonight, our goal was to find a blanket big enough to wrap him up tight enough to prevent him from escaping. We're all about bringing back the good old days. I certainly hope our little plan works. I can't take too many nights in a row like last night.

Little Hawaii

Some of the plants I brought back from Hawaii are enjoying our unseasonably warm weather and are putting on leaves. I have one leaf of red ginger, a leafy orchid and an itty bitty papaya tree. I even have my own hula girl. Now if I can just figure out a way to get waves to crash at the sandbox, I'll really have it all!

Sweet Pea

Weston got to try his first vegetable today: peas. This picture doesn't acturately capture how he actually felt about the peas--he was not that interested and made some pretty terrible faces that we weren't able to capture on camera. I was surprised. I figured he just gobble them right up. Oh well. We'll try again another time. Ruth, on the other hand, loved the peas. (I think she felt like she was missing out on something since Weston was eating "special" food, so I gave her a bite. She would have eaten all of them if I would have let her)!

Mayday!

It's May Day, everyone...but that is not the inspiration for the title of this blog. It was inspired by a true story associated with an also-named cry for help. So, Jeff was in Toronto this past week for work. He was slated to return yestereday evening. Since he was going to be gone over the weekend, I decided to take the kids to Haskell to visit my grandparents. We had a really wonderful visit with them and then headed home yesterday afternoon. Our trip took us through a quaint little place known as "The Middle of Nowhere," and just as we got there, my "check engine light" came on. I have exactly no knowledge of the workings of a car, so this was quite conerning to me. Even more concerning was the fact that I was alone with two small children. But what really tipped the scale for me was when I reached for my cell phone and realized that I not only didn't have service, but my phone was practically mocking me by putting up a picture of a phone with a slash through it. There was literally not a building in sight, so I just kept driving. Finally, I arrived in the metropolis of Goldthwaite and whipped into the first gas station I saw, after checking to see if they had a payphone. It was then that I realized that I had almost no change. I did get off a call to my dad (I knew Jeff should be on a plane about then) to ask him if this light was something I should really be concerned about. He tried to talk me through a series of things to check under the hood. Long story short, after dealing with a couple of high school boys who really wanted to be helpful but weren't, a truck driver who didn't have a clue about anything, a police officer who delivered a message that wasn't quite right, and after writing a check in the store in order to get more change for the payphone, several more phone calls to my dad and a phone call to Jeff (where I found out things were going none too well for him either), I made arrangements for my parents to just come and get me and the kids and take us to their house. Then I proceeded to wait in the fairly dark parking lot of the now-closed convenient store while my nerves became more and more frayed. Finally my parents arrived, my dad checked out the situation and decided it was best to just leave the van there overnight. So, we unloaded everything from my van into his truck and headed to Belton. When we finally got to a place where my cell phone worked, I found out that Jeff was having his own run of bad luck and wouldn't be arriving back in Austin until around 1:00 am--he should have been back in Austin at 8:30 pm. Then, when I talked to him this morning, I found out that when he finally got here and left the airport, he ran into some kind of road obstruction and took a detour which had him driving in circles for 45 minutes. We were finally all reunited this afternoon and were able to get my van back over to Austin. Ruth's take on all this: "This is such an adventure. First, Granny and Grandaddy's house, then Nana and Papa's house! Wow! What a bonus!" At least someone was having a good time! Never a dull moment, I tell you!

The Cleaning Game

Ruth loves playing with her toys, but she certainly doesn't get too excited about clean-up time. So, in an effort to make it a bit more fun, I decided to make it a race. She thought that was a pretty neat idea, and she got right to work on cleaning up her room, without complaining or making a fuss. We both worked really hard, and in the end it came out a tie. Of course, Ruth just did her room (most of it, anyway) and I did pretty much every other room in the house. Ruth employed the work-a-little-play-a-little method, which I remember making use of as a kid myself. I'm just glad she got the clutter under control in there, without the whining, and that she was occupied while I took care of the rest of the house.

One Of Life's Little Pleasures

I made a birthday cake for my mom this past weekend and I had a little of the cream cheese frosting left over. And since no sweet thing goes unnoticed or untouched in my presence, I've been experimenting. Turns out this stuff is great with just about everything--spread on ("healthy") blueberry breakfast bars, mixed into (no fat-no sugar) pudding, sandwiched between (low-fat) chocolate rice cakes, straight off the (calorie-free) knife. I'm almost like a junkie that needs a fix every so often...and the cream cheese frosting is calling to me from the refrigerator. And worse yet, is that I keep telling myself the sooner I eat all of it, the sooner the temptation will be gone. Obviously, this new little addiction isn't doing anything for my weight-loss program. Unfortunately, I have found that I can't work off the extra calories by pushing Weston in the stroller while Ruth rides her tricycle to the park. At least I don't think arerobic exercise is taking place unless you are taking more than ten steps every thirty minutes and unless there is more moving time than standing still, calling-over-your-shoulder-to-hurry-up time. I may have better luck with my baby-wants-to-sleep-on-tummy-but-can't-keep-the-pacifier-in-his-mouth-so-mommy-has-to-go-back-upstairs exercise plan.

As a side note about our walk to the park, I was glad to know that at least some of the parental scare-tactics I spout at Ruth actually stick. I was not happy to learn that the fear is so deep as to cause my child to practically fall off her tricycle in the middle of the street while crying and screaming that the car was going to hit her, even though I was trying with all my might to hold her up and explain to her that the car had to stop at the stop sign. Yeah, that's good parenting, right there. My kid definitely won't be running out into the street or inadvertantly stepping off the curb without holding my hand.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream

Ben and Jerry's was giving away a free scoop of ice cream today to anyone who came in their store--no purchase necessary! I'm not really sure what their reason for doing this was, all I know is that Ruth and I had a very enjoyable, if unhealthy, afternoon snack!

A Place For Mandi

Tonight I finally got around to creating a scrapbook desk just for me! Everything is nicely labeled and organized and easily accessible. It is to be my haven, my refuge. Here, great bursts of creativity will take place and beautiful scrapbooks will be created. Ideally, of course. I now feel inspired to start on Weston's scrapbook, and I will certainly do that very soon. I do not delude myself into thinking it will be as grand as Ruth's, but I do hope it will be something he and I can both be proud of.

For The Woman Who Has Everything

Several years ago, I gave my mom a special pair of shoes, because I know how much she loves fun footwear. Nevermind that the shoes came off the clearance table at the Dollar Store, and they are not very attractive, and they are probably the most uncomfortable things you've ever put on your feet. A few years later, when I had completely forgotten about them, she gave them back to me, with some nice additions (tacky hippy flower thingies hot-glued all over). So, Saturday was Mom's birthday, and really, what do you give the woman who has everything? You give her the latest in accessory fashion, of course. The fashion trend I'm reffering to is the cockroach jewelry fad. I despise roaches, so live ones were out of the question, but keychain-flashlight ones from the party store were absolutely perfect. I hot-glued a couple of those babies to the shoes along with some of the hippy flowers and presto! I knew Mom would be thrilled and, boy, was I ever right! Nothing really lets your mom know you care like two huge bugs glued to the top of a pair of already-ugly high heels. But what makes me feel better about it is that I know I will get them back in a few years and they will have undergone yet another facelift and will certainly be awful.

Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!

Giggle Pants

Jeff and I went to a very funny, FREE improv show at UT last night. (Yes, that's 2 dates for us in two weeks--woohoo)! Unfortunately, this was their last show of the semester, but we will definitely be going again when they start up next semester. If you like improv, you can check them out at gigglepantsimprov.com

It All Adds Up To A Flip-Flop Hiatus

Poor Arch Support + Lots of Walking + Uneven and Rocky Ground = Bruised Arch on Left Foot

Open Toed Shoes + One Rogue Twig = Cut Between the First Two Toes on Right Foot

Bruised Arch + Cut = Flip-Flop Hiatus

For a person whose shoe selection is mostly flip-flops this is an equation for diaster!

Parking Ticket Revisited

So, you all remember that I got a parking ticket in Ohio--having never been to Ohio and having sold the car in question. Well, when I called them to tell them how silly this all was, they told me the thing to do was write a letter stating that I sold the car and to whom, get it notorized (for a$5 fee), mail it back to them and everything would be taken care of. WRONG! They sent me another nasty-gram today stating that what they really needed was a copy of the title transfer or a notorized copy of the bill of sale. Their letter went on to claim that this little incident was actually my fault for not removing the tags from my vehicle when I sold it--which is, in fact, the rule in Ohio, but NOT in Texas (where I live and where I sold the car, lest we forget). Immediately, I thought, "I'll just call CarMax and they'll take care of this, since I sold them the car and they were so helpful in that process." WRONG! First of all, they told me I needed the VIN for the car I sold (over a year ago). That meant emptying my filing cabinet to find some shred of information pertaining to said car, which was hard to come by because I NO LONGER OWN THIS VEHICLE! Finally, I found an old insurance slip with the information and called Kayla at CarMax back. After giving her this information, she tells me really the only thing I can do is go by the DMV and fill out a form and pay a fee to tell the state of Texas that I no longer own the car. That's when I began to demand that CarMax step up to the plate here, and that's also when I got transferred to Kayla's manager. Kayla's manager also suggested that I go by the DMV, but I finally also got her to say she would call the City of Cincinnati and get the ticket taken care of if I would mail her a copy of the ticket. There is apparently nothing they can do for me about possible future tickets which Thunder's new irresponsible driver may acrue...unless I go by the DMV...
I really don't know whether I'm more upset with CarMax for not taking care of business in the first place or with the City of Cincinnati for flat-out lying to me about the way to resolve this mess. I just hope the problem goes away soon. I also hope it's very hot in Ohio because Thunder has never been one to keep her cool.

Fun Day At The Zoo

We visited the Austin Zoo today and had a really wonderful time, not counting the heat! (See yesterday's post for a rant on that topic)! The Austin Zoo is small, but it's about the right size for an almost 4-year-old. They do have lots of really neat animals, and even a petting zoo and a train. The tigers put on a spectacular show for us--frolicking in the water, sparring with each other and just generally having a good time. They were my favorite. Ruth liked the lions, which we heard roaring at one point. It was a fun day, and if summer ever ends, maybe we'll go back.

The Heat Is On

My friend, Katie, mentioned in her blog the arrival of Spring in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sounds lovely. In Austin, Texas, however, we have skipped Spring entirely and landed smack-dab in the middle of summer! It's hot--around 100 the last three days--and it's only April! I cringe to think what August will bring. I guess the one good thing about the heat is that the water park at Ruth's school has re-opened and Ruth got to play in the water today, which she loved.

flip4™

Jeff is in the process of inventing a new card game, and this weekend we tested it out with a group for the first time. We were pleasantly surprised at how well it worked and how much fun it was. There are still some things that need to be tweaked, but overall it's great. We had several other groups testing it this weekend as well, so we hope to get some good feedback this coming week. If all goes well, maybe we'll all be playing flip4™ in the not-so-distant future on family game night!

New Toy

Passover Seder

We attended our first Seder dinner tonight, and it was fun. We got to try some new things and experience another culture, and I think I drank more wine than I've ever had in my life (not that it was so much; it's just that I don't care for wine so I don't normally drink any). Thanks to the Sebas for including us!

Join the Revolution

I just finished a fascinating book by George Barna called "Revolution," which I highly reccomend. It is a quick but profound read. It addresses a research-shown shift in the way America "does church," and it challenges the reader to embrace a new religious mentality. It's all about living a redeemed life in the fullest sense and not just playing church. It's about lives that bear fruit for the Kingdom of God, regardless of what speech or activities the individual is involved in. It addresses forsaking dead religious practices but not forsaking the assembling together of true bleievers--in a universal sense and not just in a local sense. Based on what I read, I consider myself a so-called "revolutionary." And I am desperately interested in meeting and mingling with others who feel the same way. In these last days before the Lord returns to rapture His faithful church, it is imperative that believers step up to the plate and come out of our comfort zone. We need to be living lives that are completely committed to the project of God. And God's project is salvation--salvation for our own lives and salvation for others. Just because things have generally been done a certain way in the past, doesn't mean that they don't need to change. My invitation to you is to join the revolution, whether you've gone to church your whole life or you've never even heard of this project of which I speak. Refuse to bow to the status quo. Realize that you are not alone in your quest to know the Lord in a more intimate way. And start living the life God intends for you.

"I am a Revolutionary in the service of God Almighty. My life is not my own; I exist as a free person but have voluntarily become a slave to God. My role on earth is to live as a Revolutionary, committed to love, holiness, and advancing God's Kingdom. My life is not about me and my natural desires; it is all about knowing, loving, and serving God with all my heart, mind, strength and soul."--George Barna

My Kiddos

A World Beyond Ruth

Three-year-olds are selfish like fish are wet. Like grass is green. Like...well, you get the picture. Selfishness is just a part of what makes a kid a kid. They just think everything is about them--all the time. Jeff and I have had many a talk with Ruth on this subject, but still she doesn't seem to get it. Today, though, I think I finally made some progress--at least I like to tell myself that I made some progress. I was cleaning out some old magazines when I had one of my best parenting ideas to date. I decided to have Ruth to do a project, which involved sissors and glue, so Ruth was instantly hooked. I gave her the old magazines and I wrote family members names on separate pieces of construction paper. Then I told her she could cut out any pictures she wanted from the magazines and glue them to the paper as long as they were things that the particular person would like. She really had to put herself in the place of the other person to come up with "approved" items. At first, she was only finding things she liked, but after a while I didn't even have to supervise and she was able to fill the paper, front and back, with items she thought the person would like. And she really did a great job. (Plus, it kept her busy pretty much all afternoon)! And tonight when we were discussing where we'd like to go for dinner, she actually asked Jeff where he'd like to go, instead of just blurting out her favorite place and assuming that's where we'd go. I'm certain we still have a long way to go to get the selfishness completely under control, but I feel like we at least took a significant baby step forward! And any forward motion in this arena is a very good thing!

Fun Times

Jeff and I went on a date last night with two other couples to a Mystery Dinner Theater at the Jewish Community Association of Austin. It was lots of fun! The food was terrific and our table figured out whodunit, but unfortunately we didn't figure out all the details until after it was time to turn in our "crime report." After the performance, Jeff and I went by ourselves to my favortie Chai Latte spot. Thanks to Mimi and Grandpa for watching the kids so we could go out!

After church this morning we had breakfast with Mimi and Grandpa here at the house. Jeff cooked, which was super exciting for me! This afternoon we had our first official picnic of Spring. We met our friends, the Hoffmans, at the Arboretum, ate some lunch, played on the cows, had Amy's ice cream and fed the geese down at the pond. The weather was so beautiful--it was an absolutely perfect day!

This weekend I also got Weston set up with all kinds of new seating arrangements. I brought in the high chair from the garage and got it all cleaned up; I put the convertable car seat back together and now have it ready to go; and I bought a portable little seat for helping Weston to sit up in a shopping cart as well as other places he might desire to take a load off.

It was a very fun weekend...and now I'm tired and I'm going to bed!

Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, both my kids slept all through the night, and all is right with the world! Ruth went to bed at 7:30 last night and woke up this morning at 7:00, feeling much, much better than yesterday. I could tell she was feeling better because the first thing she said was, "Mom, I'm really hungry!" That's definitely the Ruth I'm used to having around. Weston went to bed around 9:00 and didn't wake up until 6:30, giving me a perfect six hours of rejuvination! Plus, it's Saturday, and there is always something special about Saturday morning! Only good things can come of such a day!

Yesterday's Nap Explained

We all know Ruth isn't one to just lay down and take a nap, so when she woke up twice in the middle of the night crying and complaining of a headache, I began to clue in. Today she added complete loss of appetite, sore throat, fever and whininess to the list of symptoms. She also asked me twice today if she could just go to bed--and she did go to bed both times without putting up any fight whatsoever! Not only that, but her nap this afternoon was 3 1/2 hours long and she was ready to go to bed at 7:30 this evening! It is completely heart-breaking to see your child like this, especially when it is so completely out of the ordinary. I'm hoping that with a good night's sleep and with the dose of Tylenol I gave her, she'll feel much better tomorrow.

Rare Moment

This doesn't happen very often. It's hard enough to get Ruth to go to sleep at bedtime. It almost never happens at other times, especially not in the middle of the living room with Weston crying in the background. I was so glad I captured it with my camera. What a cutie!

Austin Burned Beans

Everyone's heard of Boston Baked Beans, right? Well, what we had at our house tonight was nothing like that. We made a big pot of beans in our new pressure cooker last night--an experiment that failed to meet expectations and didn't really go at all according to plan. (The claim in the instruction sheet being that you could make a pot of unsoaked beans in 29 minutes. But after about twice that long, with the beans still relatively hard, we decided to eat something else and let the beans cook a while longer). So, needless to say, we had beans on the menu for tonight. I decided to warm them up on the stove, hoping for more thorough heating than the microwave could provide. Unfortunately, I got them started, and then I think both of my children demanded my attention seperately for several minutes each. (It's all kind of a blurr--oh, wait, that's just the smoke). By the time I finished up with the kids there was a stench coming from the kitchen and the house was quickly filling with smoke. The beans ended up in the trash (we couldn't possibly go for three strikes in this case!) and the smell lingers still. It's a disgusting reminder of my failure as a domestic engineer. Thank goodness Jeff had better luck out on the grill and not one of us went hungry!

Parking Infraction

It's true: I got a parking ticket today. And to make matters worse, it came in the mail. And to make matters worse still, the violation took place a month ago...in Cleveland, Ohio! I've never even been to Cleveland, Ohio. I don't think I even know anyone who has been there. How could I possibly have gotten a parking ticket there?! Well, apparently Thunder Button (my old Sentra) found the gumption to get herself up to Ohio after we traded her at CarMax a year ago. (A woman scorned...)? And apparently her new owner has not registered her, so I guess I am still her legal guardian. Unbelievable!! I intend to talk to the (hopefully) nice folks in the Cleveland Parking Violations Bureau ASAP to get this taken care of. I love Thunder, but it's time for her to start taking responsibility for her reckless ways. And it's time for her new owner to wake up and get her registered!

Let Him Eat Cereal

Weston got to try cereal for the first time today. He wasn't too sure about it at first, but then he really seemed to like it. And Ruth was a great helper!

Quotable Ruth

Ruth was full of wonderful sayings today, so here you go.

Ruth and I had the following conversation at the library today, after she refused to even try to read a word I asked her to sound out.

Ruth: I'm not going to read that word. It's too hard for me.

Me: How do you know? You haven't even tried to sound it out.

Ruth: I can't read grown-up words.

Me: Well, I understand that some words are hard and that you don't know how to read every word, but I do expect you to at least try. If you don't try, you will never be able to read.

Ruth: When I'm 5, I'll be able to read lots of words.

Me: Not if you don't try.

Ruth: Well...I guess that's true.

She spent the rest of the day attempting to read everything she could!
_________

We picked up something to eat at the food court at the mall today while we were out and about. I ordered Ruth's pizza for her, but she stepped up and odered her drink.

Ruth: May I please have a Sprite to drink?

Clerk: Wow! What good manners!

Ruth: Thank you.

Clerk: You are just so cute!

Ruth: Yeah, I know.

So much for the good manners!
__________

Ruth was not interested in going down for a nap today and was doing everything she could to keep from it. She would go into her room for a few minutes and then pop out and try to negotiate with me to get out of her nap. I fianlly told her that I would let her know when she could come out. So, she went to her room and screamed over her shoulder, "Even if you come in to get me, I won't ever come out of my room!" That would really show me! Shortly after that she fell asleep, and slept for about an hour.
_________

And finally: During dinner we told Ruth that we would be going out on a date on Saturday night and that Mimi and Grandpa would be coming over to stay with her and Weston. She replied, "Well, I think you can just take Weston with you!"

Sitting Pretty

Weston is getting so good at sitting up on his own. He can sit up now for quite a while, even without the Boppy or a hand there to support him. He was really having a blast sitting up today, and he thought it was hilarious when he would start to fall over. It's like we can literally see him growing up--everyday brings something new and exciting.

Weekend

It's been a really fun weekend so far. We had some friends over last night for dinner who have a daughter Ruth's age and a daughter Weston's age, and the kids had a great time together, and we enjoyed our visit with our friends as well. Ruth and I went to a birthday party today while the guys stayed home for some male bonding. Weston rolled around all over the living room and worked on his crawling some. He's getting there. We made chocolate chip cookie dough after dinner, and even turned some of it into cookies! And we played two rounds of Mexican Train with Ruth before she went to bed. She's such a good game player, although at one point she did get a little sad when someone else played on her train, but got over it quickly when she saw that it worked to her advantage. I'm so thankful for my family and the fun we have together!

Hey, Crazy Lady-with-the-cell-phone-pressed-to-your-ear, You Are Not Allowed To Touch My Baby Under Any Circumstances

Weston and I were in Wal-Mart today. He was strapped into the carseat, riding in the front of the shopping cart--I was, of course, pushing the cart. At one point, I stopped to look at something, as one is prone to do when shopping, and I took a little step away from the shopping cart. Weston began to fuss just a little, really just "talk," and a passer-by stopped to talk back to him, which happens all the time when we're shopping. I turned away from what I was looking at only to see that this woman (obviously torn between talking to Weston and talking on her cell phone) was reaching into the carseat, grabbing a toy and trying to stick it in his mouth, which he was not excited about. Then she commented either to me or herself, or more likely, the person on the phone, "Well, I don't know why he's crying...!" That's when I completely forgot about whatever I had been looking at, moved into the pushing position and took off without looking back. I'm flattered anytime someone looks at Weston or chats with him, but I am not the least bit interested in strange people reaching into my baby's carseat or trying to put things (even his own things) into my baby's mouth. Ick!

Big Baby

Weston had his 4-month check-up today, and as suspected, he's getting big! He weighs 15 lbs. 3 oz. (putting him in the 55th percentile) and he's 25 1/2 in. long (75th percentile). The word the nurse practioner used was "perfect." She said she has absolutely no concerns, and she is impressed with his skills. He had to get some shots today, but he only cried for a minute. Now he's sleeping it off in a Tylenol-induced stupor. Can't wait to see what the next couple of months hold!

Favorite Fancy Restaurant

The other day Jeff asked Ruth what her favorite restaurant was and she answered, "Cici's...But my favortite fancy restaurant is home." So, it wasn't too surprising tonight when Ruth set the table and wrapped the forks up in the napkins, just like they do in fancy restaurants. It was very cute!

Early Birthday

Ruth got an early birthday gift today, and she's so excited about it! Heck, I'm pretty excited about it myself--although I tried out the slide today and I have to say it definitely isn't very accomodating to "mom hips." Thanks so much Nana and Papa!!

Communication Breakdown

Last night after dinner, I asked Ruth to clean up the playroom. She did, and did a very good job, so we all decided to go out for ice cream. At the door, the following conversation took place:

Jeff: You worked hard, so you deserve a treat.

Ruth: I wasn't tired.

Jeff: I didn't say you were.

Ruth: Well, what does "tard" mean, then? (Because, of course, she thought Jeff said, "You were tired (tard)," instead of "You worked hard.")

Very funny, if you ask me.

Another Milestone

Weston finally got the hang of rolling over from his back to his tummy. He's been working on it for a few days and finally got it today. You can tell he's proud of himself and he just keeps going back and forth. It's a major step toward real mobility. Tomorrow I'll probably find him halfway across the room if I turn my back. Better not turn my back. Now the real fun begins!

Speaking of Bugs...

I happened to hear last night about an up-and-coming fashion trend in which some people (crazy, sick, demented people) are wearing live, bejeweled, 2-inch-long roaches on chains around their waists. That's right, I said live! The mental image alone is enough to send shivers down my spine and make me want to throw up. In fact, I think I might just rather have someone put a bullet in my head than wear such a thing! And let me just say as a word of warning: If anyone comes near me wearing this disgusting piece of jewerly, I reserve the right to empty a can of Raid on you...and your little roach, too!

Bag of Bugs

That's right, friends, today I got my daughter a bag of bugs--somewhere between 1500 and 1800 of them--and she couldn't have been more excited. Yesterday I got a flyer in the mail saying that if we would come by Red Barn Nursery in the next week we would receive a free package of ladybugs to release in our yard. When I read the ad out loud, Ruth perked up and said, "I really want those!" So, I told her if she had a good day at school today we would go by and get them this afternoon. The first thing she said to me when I got to her school was, "Can we go get my ladybugs now?" On the way to the nursery I was setting her expectations that the ladybugs wouldn't really be pets in the typical sense (which she was certainly expecting) and I was explaining to her that the labybugs would help take care of our yard and our plants because they would eat some of the bad bugs. When we got to the nursery, Ruth marched right up to the check-out counter and presented her coupon, and when she received her ladybugs she handled them with such care. Then, on the way home, as she held them gently, she looked at them and said, "Thank you, ladybugs, for taking care of our yard." She's very proud of her new friends, and I hope that when we put them out in the yard tomorrow they will see fit to make an appearance from time to time so she can enjoy them.

Fun, Fun, Fun

We got out the exersaucer today and Weston really loves it. I'm sure it is just such a huge relief for him to be in an upright postion--and to be somewhat independent. He was spinning around, checking out all the features, and in no time at all he had figured out how to manipulate them. He just had so much fun, and he was just smiling and laughing. It was so much fun that Ruth was jealous. She asked me if she could get in it.

Later, we were able to find an activity that fit her skill set a bit better. Jeff installed webcams on both our laptops, so Ruth was able to dance and be crazy and see herself realtime. She really loved that. I just don't know if things can get anymore fun around here.

Fun at the Dentist

I had to go in and get my teeth cleaned today--always a fun activity. While I was there the following conversation ensued.

(Scrape, scrape, scrape)

Hygenist: Hmm. Looks like you have some bleeding here.

(Scrape, scrape, scrape).

Hygenist: Do you floss? (This asked while she has both of her hands and two pieces of equipment crammed in my mouth).

Me (finally): Occasionally.

Hygenist: The bleeding may be caused by gingivitis--and it may be made worse by hormones since you just had a baby.

Me (Not really what I said, but definitely what I thought): Yeah. Maybe. But isn't it just possible that the bleeding could be casued by you poking me with an evil-looking, pointed hook thing.

Yes, yes. It's always fun to go to the dentist. And luckily I get to go back in four months and do it all over again.

Moving Out

Weston has moved out of our room and into his very own room. He has outgrown the cradle and seems to be much happier with the extra space he has in the crib. It's a little bit weird not to hear him snorting over there in the corner, and I sometimes catch myself glancing in that direction to check on him. I suspect we will all sleep better now, although there are certainly more opportunities for me to stump my toe or otherwise injure myself when I have to get up and feed him in the middle of the night.

Pictures from Hawaii

Here are some pictures from our Hawaiian vacation, if you want to check them out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53668126@N00/?saved=1

Days Eight and Nine: Hawaiian Vacation

We saw the sun yesterday morning just before we checked out of the hotel. But by the time we were ready to put the luggage in the car, the rain had returned. Fortunately, it hadn't rained all night on Thursday, so there was still one road open going in the direction of the airport. Our flight wasn't until late so we just kind of piddled around all day in the intermittent rain and sun. After lots and lots of flying and waiting around in airports, we finally made it home this afternoon, safe and sound. We had a wonderful trip, but we are also glad to be home. We've got lots of pictures we'll post soon.

Day Seven: Hawaiian Vacation

Kauai is having more rain than they've had in ten years, as you may have seen on the news. There is severe flooding all over the island. Many roads are closed. In fact, we heard on the news tonight that the roads leading out of the little town where we are staying are all closed, so we'll see what tomorrow brings. The rain has let up for now, so hopefully some of the water will have a chance to recede. There was a brief break in the rain today that allowed us to go down to the beach and check out the tidepools for treasures. We saw another beached seal, which was really cool. When the rain started back up, we went for a drive--down the few passable roads--and saw a waterfall. We played lots of games today and read our books and did some shopping. The plan is for us to go home tomorrow. Hopefully, the rains won't prevent that. Despite the weather, it has been a very fun trip! (The picture here is of the picnic tables just outside our room. The lagoon is supposed to stop just down below where you can see the bushes sticking up).

Day Six: Hawaiian Vacation

Today was lots of fun. We played at the beach and found some cool tidal pools that were full of neat creatures, like pretty fish, itty bitty hermit crabs and some large horseshoe crabs. We did a little shopping and we also got to attend a really neat luau. Now we're all tired and ready for bed.

Day Five: Hawaiian Vacation

It rained all night last night and most of the day today. So much so that there has been much flooding on the island. Several roads have been closed and a few people have even been swept away in the running water. Other bummers of the day were that my dad got sick and had to go to the ER, and Ruth had such a bad headache at one point that she opted to go to bed rather than play on the beach. I think they are both going to be fine, but it certainly livened up our afternoon. We made the most of our rainy day by doing a little shopping, and in the breaks in the rain we would change quickly into our swimsuits and dash out to the beach. Jeff and Ruth even got in the hottub in the rain. One of our trips to the beach yielded a lovely sand pig sculpture at the hands of Jeff and Jodi. They are truly and astoundingly talented!

Day Four: Hawaiian Vacation

Ruth got to feed the Koi at our hotel this morning. And this afternoon we discovered this really cool, secluded beach. Following the advice of the guide book, we passed a couple of "No Trespassing" signs and then ended up in this wonderful place. We practically had the beach to ourselves. There was a kite surfer there, which was neat to watch. We also found lots of treasures--beautiful pieces of coral and the most humongous coconut I've ever seen!

Day Three: Hawaiian Vacation

I'm just now getting this posted because of some problems with the internet connections here the last few days. We had a wonderful time on Day Three--Sunday. We vistited Spouting Horn, a neat place where the water shoots up like Old Faithful. We also visited the Kauai Coffee Plantation and a cool swinging pedestrian bridge, and we took a wonderful drive up through the Wiamea Canyon--The Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Everything is absolutely beautiful!

Day Two: Hawaiian Vacation

We all hopped up at five this morning (that's 9:00 am Texas-time) and began a very fun day. We played in the ocean and in the sand. We got to see a beached Monk Seal and some incredible scenery. And maybe most important, I got my pedicure problem taken care of by purchasing some fingernail/toenail glue. All toenails are back in their rightful places now.

Day One: Hawaiian Vacation

Well, I felt pretty. Then we spent an entire day traveling. We left our house at 8:00 in the morning yesterday (Mar. 10) and went to bed at 2:00 am (Texas-time) this morning. It was a long day, and my toes got stepped on and shuffled under the carry on bags until two of my beutifully pedicured press-on toenails popped off. Classic case of you get what you pay for, I guess. Ruth and Weston were fabulous travellers and we are all certainly glad to finally be here. Stay tuned for more updates from our trip.

I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty

We are off to Hawaii tomorrow with my parents, my grandparents and my sister. And in the course of our back-and-forth conversations about the trip, it has been mentioned that several in the group would be getting manicures and/or pedicures. Wasn't going to happen for me, with two kiddos under foot--no pun intended. But as I looked at my ugly toes and fingers, I wished it could be so. So, I took advantage of Ruth's school time today and went by Walgreens to purchase a matching set of press-on fingernails and toenails--the French manicure kind--and they actually look kind of pretty. It may well be the best $8 I've ever spent.

"Dad is Great; He Gives Us Chocolate Cake"

Jeff swooped into the house after work yesterday and had two little girls (Ruth and a friend) squealing like, well, little girls, as he tried to "get" them. Then, he suggested that we all go to CiCi's Pizza for dinner, which was obviously met with much applause. After dinner, he brought them a plate full of desserts to choose from--including chocolate cake. And when we got home, he played hide-and-seek with the girls. After the friend had gone home and Ruth was tucked in bed, Jeff was down on the floor with Weston, playing and making Weston laugh. He is such a good daddy, and we are all very thankful for him!

Sleeping Through the Night

Weston slept through the night last night (from 9:30 to 5:30) and we are all happy about that! (Actually, I think I'm the only one that really cares, since Jeff can sleep through pretty much anything and hasn't even noticed there have been interrupted nights, and Ruth hasn't ever seemed to be bothered by Weston's and my middle-of-the-night-get-togethers--but I'm happy about it and from my perspective, that's really all that matters)! He slept through the night on Saturday as well, so I'm beginning to get my hopes up that we might be entering a new phase--a very wonderful, happy phase that makes me feel more like a person!

Just A Swingin'

Weston discovered the swing at the park yesterday, and he loves it!

15 Miliseconds of Fame

Here's Jeff on the Late Show. Select the clip for March 1, and then pause it right after the guys in suits walk in the back door. Jeff will be at the bottom of the screen. He's the second person in from the aisle.

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/dave_tv/ls_dtv_big_show_highlights.shtml

Bargain Funhouse Adventure

I was a woman on a mission today. I needed some new workout clothes and I was determined not to spend much money on them. So, I decided to try the new Goodwill Outlet Store that just opened near our house. That's right, I said Goodwill Outlet Store, and I wasn't being redundant. There is actually a store where you can get Goodwill items at a lower price than Goodwill. The catch is everything is just piled up in these huge bins and you have to dig through. Some of the items are damaged, some are dirty, and some are almost brand new. It's truly a unique experience. It's really the same feeling as being in a funhouse: somewhat terrifying (like when you come across a pair of questionably clean underwear) and somewhat exhillerating (like when you find a pair of Polo slacks in perfect condition in your husband's size). All in all I came out pretty good: nine pieces of clothing, including the workout clothes I went in for, a dress and a pair of shorts for Ruth, and two pairs of shorts, a swimsuit and a pair of slacks for Jeff all for only $13. To be sure, I grabbed up the hand sanitizer before I even got in the van, and I immediately put my treasures in the washer when I got home, but I kind of felt like I was getting away with something when it was all said and done.

Let's Play Nail Salon

Ruth and I gave each other manicures and pedicures today. For herself, Ruth selected a very femine shimmery light pink for her fingers and subtle silver glitter for her toes. For me, she selected neon orange for my toes and dull silver for my fingers. The pictures really don't do justice to the colors or quality of the services I received. On my fingers she just kind of glooped the polish out on them and said, "Oooh. Look at how fancy that is!" I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it! Ruth really wanted to get her brother in on the action, but I had to draw the line somewhere. He was limited in his participation to spectator, but he seemed to enjoy that role quite well. We had a really good time and, since we set up our nail salon on the back deck, we also had the benefit of enjoying this incredible day.

Jeff's "Business" Trip

I talked to Jeff tonight, and I have to say I'm very jealous of this so-called business trip. He has been doing all kinds of neat things, though he claims he really is working "very hard." Today at his conference he met with an "image consultant," who had been hired by someone there and was dishing out advice for free. Normally, her services go for $200/hour! Now that's a lot of money to pay someone to tell you that your hairstyle is out-of-date!

After all that very hard work, Jeff was able to enjoy some time to himself. So, he chose to attend an off-Broadway performance, which he said was hillarious...and he didn't even get all the jokes. And if that weren't enough, while he was getting his ticket for that performance, he somehow managed to score free tickets to the Letterman Show for tomorrow night!

And on top of all that, he said he's gotten to eat some fabulous cheesecake. Unbelievable!

There's really just one major factor that's keeping me from being completely green: the weather. He said it's just been miserably cold there, with the temperature hoovering right around 32 and off-and-on rain. Jealousy abated!! I'll just be happy with what I've got: 85 and sunny!

Missing Jeff

Jeff left on Saturday morning for New York City. He'll be back Thursday night, and we all miss him. On Saturday night, when we were getting ready for bed, we called him to say good-night. On the third ring I began to prepare Ruth for the fact that Daddy might not answer and she might just have to talk to the voicemail, which she seemed o.k. with. Sure enough, the voicemail picked up and Ruth left her message. Then I took the phone from her and hung up. She immediately began bawling--"But, he didn't answer me!!" Fortunately, he called back before the she could get too hysterical. Every morning she says, "I wish Daddy could come back today, but I know he won't be back until late Thursday night...and then I'll see him on Friday." I think he cheered her up a bit last night when he told her he bought her a surprise yesterday. I haven't been quite as emotional about Jeff's absence, but I miss him too. We'll all be glad when he gets home!

Big Day

It was a big day in the Watts house. First of all, Weston had his three-month birthday! Secondly, we had a visit from Mother Patience, which allowed Ruth to accomplish two really big feats.

Ruth read her first book today (Swing Otto Swing)! Of course, I helped her a bit along the way, but she sounded out or remembered every word in the book herself. I was so proud of her, and I could tell she was very proud of herself as well. Previously, she has just read a few words in a book, but this time she read the whole thing. On Friday, we went to the library and together and found books that we thought she could read herself, so that she "can read to Weston when he's sad."

Ruth also rode her tricycle to the park today for the very first time...and not the park that's closest to our house. She rode to the one that is a little over a mile away, and she did a great job. She had excellent control of the trike most of the time and she navigated some slightly difficult sidewalk obstacles without any problems. The whole trip (approximately 2 and half miles) took us right around three hours--and by the end Mother Patience was about ready to hit the road--but it was worth it to see how excited Ruth was with her accomplishment. She declared at bedtime that she wants to do it again tomorrow. I gave her a firm "maybe." We'll see if Mother Patience shows up again.

I'm so proud of both of my kiddos. They are just growing up so nicely, and they are so smart and strong and funny. We have much to be thankful for around here!

Mr. Big

Yes, this is my little bitty baby boy (3 months old tomorrow) sitting up all by himself, with only minor frontal aid from the Boppy. He's just growing up too fast! It won't be long before he's on the move and my job becomes all the more fun!

When Gluttony Comes Back to Bite You...Literally

Nothing good can come of being a glutton. I know this from first-hand experience. I had a major ice cream craving today, so I indulged. And everything would have been fine if I had just been satisfied with the big bowl of ice cream I served myself, but noooo, I just had to lick the scoop...the metal scoop. That's when tragedy struck...or rather stuck. My lip stuck to the scoop in the instant it took lick the thing and when I pulled it away, part of my lip pulled away too. Now I'm paying for my gluttony, and I write this as a warning to those of you who also may be tempted to give in to a gluttonous urge.

A Picture Ruth Colored At School Today

Bringing the Outdoors In

Well, it was still raining this morning, and there are just so many days in a row that a twenty-eight, er, three-year-old can take. We needed to get out of the house in the worst way, and the park wasn't really an option... but the indoor playground was. So we took all our wiggles over to RadiJazz and ran and jumped and ran and jumped and ran and jumped until we were completely exhausted. (Actually, Ruth did all the running and jumping, but I was exhausted just watching her). This place is really great. It costs $6 for kids over one (free for adults) for the whole day, and you can even come and go as you please. They have a "lava" pit (foam blocks) to jump in, slides, things to climb, hills to roll down, balls to throw and bounce, etc., etc. It certainly helped Ruth get out some pent up energy and put a smile on her face, as you can see from the picture. (And, a smile on Ruth's face is a smile on my face)!

If one is good, two is better

I think Ruth is looking for a bigger challenge in the sisterhood department. Today she said to me, "Mom, when you have another baby, could you have two at the same time, so I can be the big sister for two." ("And if you could just make them girls, that would be great").

Low-Down Cold and Rainy Blues

It's cold...and it's rainy...and it's been this way for several days. But, it is winter, and that's probably to be expected. (Although, I do live in Texas for a reason). The problem really isn't the weather here. The problem is the weather in Brazil. To go from sunny Brazil to this is just almost unbearable! And it would probably be completely unbearable if I didn't get to bundle Weston up like this. Thankfully, this little cutie has the power to chase away the low-down winter blues.

Getting Big

Weston is getting so strong. He is no longer content to just lay around. He loves to stand up and I think he would really like to take off running. He is pretty sure he's going to be as big as Daddy any day now and as you can see, he's getting close.

Working through a Grumpy Funk

I am not a morning person. This I know and readily admit. I really can't even function until I've had my shower and my breakfast, and I'm worse when I've been up several times during the night. I'm also a person that needs a little time to myself during the day, especially the early part of the day. So, I certainly don't want to start my day being awakened with crying and incessant talking. But, unfortunately, in my line of work there is a needy newborn and a chatterbox, whose mouth opens at the same time her eyes do. So, I got up a bit grumpy this morning and I'm trying to work through that now. I just keep reminding myself that the kids aren't really trying to get on my nerves. They're just kids, and they are just doing what kids do. I keep telling myself that these days are short and that someday I will wish for the noise that completely fills my house right now. But at the same time, I'm selfishly hoping that both kids nap at the same time today and give me a little me time.

Sad State of Affairs

It's really pathetic when your three-year-old says to you as she is finishing up breakfast, "Mom, do you think when you drop me off at school you could go by the grocery store and get some cereal and some juice because that's really what I've been wanting?" I mean, really, is that too much to ask?!

This came on the hills of other breakfast trauma which was this:

Ruth was downstairs having breakfast. I was upstairs feeding Weston. I hear Ruth whimpering, so I call out, "Ruth, what's the matter?" No answer. "Ruth, what's wrong?" Only footsteps on the stairs in response. Ruth appears in my room and I ask again what's going on. Ruth replies with a slight tremble in her voice, "I just bless-youed, and I got snot down to here" (pointing to her chin). That's enough to make anyone want to cry.

AhRoi, My Laptop Friend

AhRoi (pronounced "Ahoy) is my new laptop. Yes, that's his name--something we brought back from Brazil (the name, not the laptop). Anyway, he an I are getting along famously. We have set up a station for him in our breakfast room, though he is, of course, still mobile when we need him to be. He plays tunes for us from "Mandi Radio, " shows us a continuous slideshow of our snapshots, provides a quick way to get new recipes into the kitchen and allows Ruth to watch her morning video without getting crumbs all over the living room or almost falling out of her chair trying to lean over and see the TV in the living room. Now, if I can just get him to do a little cleaning up around the house, we'll really be set! Buying a laptop was a big step for me, but I'm glad I did it. AhRoi is helping me acheive new levels of cool-geekiness.

Spring

We all went for a walk this afternoon, and we saw Mountain Laurels in bloom and the first Bluebonnets of the season. Yippee! Springtime is my very favorite time of the year.

Funny Weston

Weston has developed a new skill: laughing out loud. He has only done it a few times so far, but it is just the cutest thing. The funniest thing in his world, apparetnly, is the mobile over the changing table. It cracks him up everytime. And today, he laughed in his sleep. I guess he was dreaming of that panda bear going around and around. Another skill he has developed is that he can get his thumb in his mouth pretty much at will. At one point today he actually had both thumbs in his mouth at the same time, and he was sucking on them like he had just won the lottery. He's a funny boy and it's fun to see him learning all these new things and starting to interact with the world around him.

Pictures from Brazil

We've put together an album of pictures from our trip for those of you who might be interested. Here's a link to the website where they are posted: http://flickr.com/photos/53668126@N00/

Back in the USA

We returned from Brazil today (on this, my half-birthday). We had an absolutely wonderful time! The kids were really great travelers, and we got to see and do so many neat things. We went to the beach, we went to the mountains, we visited with old friends and made some new ones. But the best part about our trip was the spiritual blessings we received while attending a seminar with our church and also visitng several of the churches in the area. The Lord spoke many things to us and we have come home not only physically renewed, but also spiritually renewed. We are glad to be back, and we look forward to visiting with all our friends and family soon. I am posting one picture here, but I will be creating an album soon so you can all experience our trip in pictures, if you so desire.

Watts in Brazil