Thursday, January 31, 2008

Extra Dramatic Anyone?

I think there's a chance Linus is a drama queen. ;) I'll let you be the judge...



When I picked her up from preschool today, she got in the car, but refused to get in her carseat. Once we finally got her all buckled up, she was very quiet. That in itself is quite unusual! I began to ask her questions about her day, the usual who did you play with? What did you do? What letter did you talk about? etc. All of a sudden she freaks out about a Dora mask:



Linus: Mommy, whyyyyyyy did you throw away my Dora mask?

Me: What Dora mask?

Linus: The one you throwed away.

Me: Linus, I didn't throw away a Dora mask. You don't even have a Dora mask.

Linus: I know I don't have one. You throwed it away.

Me: No, you never had one.

Linus: Yes, the purple Dora mask. The one you throwed away.

Me: I never threw away a Dora mask. You never had one.

Linus: Uh-huh, it was purple. You threw it away. I loved it. It was my favorite mask.

Me: Are you sure you didn't dream this?

Linus: Well, yeah it was a dream, but still, you threw it away and I loved it.

Me: Linus, it was a dream. I didn't really throw anything away.

Linus: Uh-huh, you threw away my Dora mask.

Me: Not really though, it was just a dream.

Linus: But it crushed me that you do it. Crushed. Me. I was crushed. Crushed! How could you do that to me? Crushed, I tell ya. Crushed.



Seriously! What 4 y/o talks like this?



Drama. Queen!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Extra Birthday Wishes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little sister. It's a big one for her! :)

And that's it for me tonight. I'm entirely too drunk to write. No, not drunk drunk. Benedryl drunk. Stupid ant with a death wish bit the heck out of my side. I look like I've been in a fight...and I lost. I had no idea a little ant could pack so much punch into a bite. Seriously, it's like FOUR inches across and TWO inches high.

How does Linus do it? The ONE time she's had benedryl she was 18 months old. She had a sinus infection, so the doctor prescribed some meds. She had an allergic reaction to the meds, and they made us take her straight to Children's. At Children's they freaked out because her fever was close to 106. They stripped her down and dosed her up with Motrin. Linus hates Motrin. Yeah, who wants to guess how much fun that was. After the Motrin, they sent us back into the waiting room. I had a naked (well, diaper only) baby who had NO idea she was so sick. She had huge polka dots all over herself (hives) and she wasn't too happy because they made her take Motrin AND they took her temp in her hiney. Who would be happy after that? Then they came out and made her take Tylenol too. We finally got a room, and she had an accident while we waited for the doctor. Not a diaper accident, a TRUE accident. She fell and hit her head. If you ever want to know how to get the doctor to come in and check on you quickly, fall. Hard. She got skull x-rays, more meds, tons of eye checks, the works. And her body was covered in chrushed ice...that she tried her hardest to eat.

Anyway, before we finally went home, they dosed her up with some Benedryl, and sent us on our way with the warning that Linus would be knocked out by the medicine. Whatever. THE CHILD WAS STILL BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS AT THREE IN THE MORNING!!! Army and I were using toothpicks to prop our eyelids open, she was singing and dancing.

HOW does she do it? I'm dragging.

Sheesh, I thought I wasn't going to write tonight. Apparently it makes me tired and it makes me ramble on and on and on and....

An Extra Huh?

After my shower this morning, Linus came over to me and smelled my arm (note: arm not underarm).


Linus: You're squeaky clean, Mommy.

Me: I sure am!

Linus: (sniff, sniff) You smell, um, (sniff).....distinguished.



Then she ran off to play while I was left wondering if that was a compliment or insult.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

An Extra Meme

How long have you been blogging?
I started one blog back in 2006. The only reason I started it was to be able to record things that Linus said and did. I was awful about keeping up with it. I decided to give it another try, so I started this one in late July of 07.



What inspired you to start a blog and who are your mentors?
A few other people who have children the same age as Linus really inspired me. Two of them have private blogs, and the others I haven't asked permission to link, so they'll go nameless, but they were inspirational.

Kristie also got me thinking about blogging the first time. Katie did the second time. Kim inspired me to comment! :)

Thanks y'all! :)



Are you trying to make money online, or just doing it for fun?
Money? Haha!

What 3 things do you love about being online?
1) Making "friends" which really wasn't what I set out to do.

2) I'm FAR more likely to update on the computer than I am with pen and paper, so this gets it done.

3) I love links to new blogs. I've laughed hysterically reading some, I've discovered some great recipes, and I've learned some great ideas and activities for Linus.


What 3 things do you struggle with online?
1)Sharing too much information

2) I'm scared to death to get outed. I get people from all over N.O. and I always wonder if I know them. Not that it'd be awful to be found, but I want to know if I'm found, not have it be their little secret, ya know?

3) My wording---depending on the subject. I find myself weighing my words carefully on occasion.

Friday, January 25, 2008

An Extra 100 Things You Never Wanted to Know About Me

Katie and Kim tagged me. I'll do the meme for my next post, but I'm rather anal, so my 100 has to be on my 100th post, not my 101st.

Since it's my 100th post, here's 100 things you never wanted to know about me. Obviously they are not in order of importance...

100 I love my family dearly, and I'd do anything for them.
99 Ditto for Linus's birthfamily.
98 I'm right handed, but I do most things with my left hand.
97 I can write very legibly with my left hand.
96 I shave my legs with both hands--right for the right side of my legs, left for the left side of each leg.
95 Diet drinks make me sick. Literally.
94 Linus is left handed. I knew very early in her life that she was, but most people argued with me about it.
93 I was in a car accident when I was 20. The paramedics were shocked I was alive.
92 I went to a ball the night of the above accident. I looked pretty bad, but I made it!
91 I have no feeling in part of my head as a result of the accident.
90 I was so swollen from the accident that I looked like an alien--some of my good friends did not recognize me days later.
89 I miss my grandparents. I was very close to all of them.
88 I miss the phone calls and emails I used to get from my dad.
87 I have the last email he sent me saved on my computer.
86 Deep down, I don't expect that he'll ever email me again. :(
85 I worry tremendously about my mom. I'm worried my dad's accident is really taking its toll on her.
84 Some days I miss teaching; others I can't imagine going back.
83 I'm a bit of a control freak.
82 I'm a perfectionist.
81 Sometimes I miss the carefree life of college.
80 I have a toxic friend. I don't know why I let the friendship continue, but I do.
79 One of my best friends in the world (not the toxic one!) has been a part of my life since I was 12.
78 Our 'babies' are 3 weeks apart.
77 They love each other dearly.
76 I desperately want another baby. Linus wants a sibling just as badly.
75 I miss New Orleans.
74 I love the color green.
73 I function better when my house is really clean.
72 I drive an SUV.
71 Despite how these sounds so far, I'm a rather optimistic person.
70 So many people I know say they'd elope if they had it to do all over again. I wouldn't! I loved my wedding.
69 I want a china cabinet.
68 We're going back to our honeymoon spot for our 10th anniversary. Actually it will be a little early, but it will be so much fun.
67 We're taking Linus with us, and we're both happy about it!
66 I have three requirements for a house. I have to have a desk in my kitchen, a sink in my laundry room, and a double oven.
65 I still get goosebumps looking into Army's eyes.
64 I was always curious what our children would look like---whose nose they'd get, whose eyes, etc.
63 The second Linus was born, I stopped caring about all that.
62 My aunt and I have nearly identical birthmarks.
61 Oddly enough, Linus has the same birthmark. What are the chances?
60 Army and I had the same first word.
59 I was Raggedy Ann, he was Raggedy Andy in an elementary production (not same school).
58 We lived in different states growing up, but I knew his best friend.
57 I saw him at a high school soccer game. I thought he was hot.
56 We didn't realize we were the ones that saw each other (something very specific happened) until after we'd been dating for years.
55 We didn't technically meet until 2 1/2 years after we saw each other at that game.
54 I'm short.
55 My eyes appear brown, but they really have yellow, yes yellow, rings around them.
54 I hate going to a new eye doctor because they always comment on how unique my eyes are and spend forever looking at them.
53 My mom and I taught school together for 5 years. It was wonderful!
52 One of my students brought a gun to school. I cried and cried when he got expelled. It truly was an accident, it was my first year teaching, and I loved him to death. His parents had to pay for private school, and I knew they couldn't afford it. I know what he did was wrong, he knew what he did was wrong, his parents knew what he did was wrong. It was just so sad.
51 I taught one class in three different grades. I loved that class!
50 I don't eat red meat. Usually.
49 I love ranch dressing.
48 I love Barq's rootbeer and red creme soda
47 I'd love a slice of King Cake from McKenzie's right now.
46 I'd love some of their holiday cookies too. Too bad McKenzie's closed in 2001 or so.
45 I don't eat fried foods. Ever.
44 I just realized I'm not putting periods after the numbers. That's odd for me.
43 Three of my grandparents died on the 23rd of the month. One just barely made it to a different day.
42 I'm looking at a picture of my little sister and me right now from when we were MUCH younger. Linus looks so much like my sister. It's incredible.
41 My last dog was a border collie. Smartest dog I've ever met.
40 He could unlock doors with his teeth.
39 My current dog is not too smart. And that might be somewhat of an understatement.
38 I'm scared I'll be one of those parents that annoy teachers. Scary since I was a teacher.
37 I was super athletic in school: gymnastics, volleyball, softball, track, etc
36 Army was HUGE in to soccer and football.
35 I tried soccer, but I sucked.
34 I suck at basketball too.
33 I did 7 miles 3-4 times a week two years ago. Now? A mile if I'm lucky.
32 I'm angry with myself for not keeping my mileage up.
31 I'm freakishly strong when I do arm machines at the gym, but I don't look strong at all.
30 I suck at free weights though.
29 I can kick hiney with abs exercises, but the appearance of my abs sucks. Badly. Very badly.
28 I LOVE to box (bags), but I'd get my bum kicked if I were ever in a street fight.
27 I'd NEVER be in a street fight. It's not my personality.
26 I'm incredibly non-confrontational.
25 I have asthma in the winter. It sucks, but it only bothers me in cold weather.
24 I love coffee, especially chicory coffee.
23 I love iced coffee as much as hot coffee.
22 I hate cancer, but I believe it makes survivors see things differently, and that can be a good thing.
21 My favorite cereal is Honey Bunches of Oats with almonds.
20 I love almonds.
19 My favorite candies are M&Ms and mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
18 I'm allergic to jalapenos. How odd!
17 I love real French bread, but I abhor impostors.
16 Growing up, I had a summer house an hour away at the beach. I wish that was available to Linus.
15 That house doesn't exist anymore, thanks to Katrina.
14 I used to write reports the day they were due in college. Army would start them before that. I always did better than he did on them. He hated that. I didn't always read the material either. I've just got the gift of b.s.
13 I can't cook rice. I've tried every kind out there, but I just can't do it.
12 Linus makes me outgoing. By nature I'm shy but pretty social. That's not exactly possible with Linus around.
11 Army and I wonder what we did before Linus. We know life had to be boring!
10 I still check on Linus several times a night. I could watch her sleep for hours.
9 Linus and I have a secret hug for when she can see me, but can't get to me. It helped the first day of preschool, and she gave me our 'hug' when she was on the stage in December. :)
8 I have said the same thing to her each and every night of her entire life. Now I start it, and she finishes it.
7 I made up a song when she was 3 months old for her. We were at dinner, and she got super fussy. I took her to the car and rocked her and made up the song. She stopped crying when I sang it, but if I stopped, she started crying again. Now when she's sad, she asks me to sing her song to her.
6 I love to bake with Linus. She's so proud of her results.
5 I loved the first house Army and I bought. LOVED it. Sometimes I wish we had kept it as rental property.
4 I don't deal well with suspense.
3 Shopping for Linus is almost an addiction for me.
2 I have an appliance in my mouth that was not meant to be permanent. It's been there since 1989. I'm paranoid about having it removed. Katie Couric has the same one.
1 I'm curious which of these, if any, you identify with.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Extra Scary!

Ack! Waahhhhh! Heeheehee! Waahhhhh!

I'm not really sure whether to laugh or cry.

Linus came home from preschool with a WEDDING RING!

Linus: Close your eyes, Mommy.
Me: I can't. I'm driving.
Linus: Please? I have a surprise.
Me: I really can't close my eyes while I'm driving. It's not safe.
Linus: You're no fun.
Me: Why don't you tell me about it instead.
Linus: It's really special. I want you to see it.

She grabbed her lunchbox and pulled out something silver-ish.

Linus: Look what Matthew gave me, Mommy. He made it for me. Nobody else got one. It's a wedding band. He put it on a necklace that way I can wear it and it will be near my heart.

Me: {GULP!}

Linus: Isn't it perfect, Mommy! Can I wear it in to the store and show the ladies?

Me: Um, uh...

Linus: How 'bout I just put it on, but I won't tell other people the story 'til I tell Daddy.

Me: That's a great idea, Linus!

When we got to the store, I asked her to hand it to me so I could take a closer look. Sure enough, it really is a plain silver-ish band on a silver-ish necklace.

Linus: Don't worry Mommy! We're not married yet. We're going to wait a little while. We're still pretty young you know.

Me: Hey, I thought Matthew was old news.

Linus: Not anymore!

Me: Really? Don't you think you should know somebody you marry really well? Like for a really long time?

Linus: MOM! I have known him for a long time. I've known him since I was almost two. That's over half my life! Have you known Daddy over half your life?

Um, no actually. Freaking great! My four year old has out-smarted me again!

An Extra Theory

This morning as I got ready, I noticed lip gloss all over some other make-up that I have.


Me: Linus, have you been playing in my make-up?

Linus: No.

Me: Are you sure?

Linus (devilish grin): Why?

Me: There's lip gloss on this container. I didn't do it. Did you? Did you play with my make-up?

Linus: I didn't play with your lip color.

Me: Then how did it get there? I think you played with it.

Linus: Well, here's my theory....



I'm in so much trouble when she hits the teenage years!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

An Extra Tree Hugger in the World

There's an extra tree hugger in the world. She's four years old, and she's rather out-spoken about her beliefs!


Linus loves trees. She thinks they are a gift from God to us and that we should take care of them and enjoy them. I don't disagree, but I'm not as vocal about it as she is.


Everytime she sees trees being cut down, she expresses her disappointment. She's furious with Target because they cut down acres and acres of trees so that they can build a new store. She was so sad when they began clearing the land. "Bye trees." and "Mommy, all the pretty is gone from the area since they cut the trees down."



Our subdivision has some natural tree growth, but not in the front of any of the houses, and they are mainly only in easement areas. Each house has one tree in the front yard, but they were planted when the subdivision was developed, so the ones on our street are only 3 or so years old. We've planted a new tree to satisfy her, but she's made it clear that when we purchase a new house, we better get one with trees. Lots of trees!



Today as we were driving down the street, Linus noticed a guy getting ready to cut a tree down. She started in immediately: "Mommy, if I could have any dream, it would be that no trees are cut down. I don't understand why people cut them down. They are pretty. People shouldn't get rid of them. That's just not a good idea. They should let them grow and be pretty. That makes me sad."



One of these days she's going to realize that a tree has to be cut down for us to have a Christmas tree. I guess we'll have to get a fake one!

Monday, January 21, 2008

An Extra Smoking PSA

Nobody in my family smokes cigarettes. My father used to enjoy a good pipe or cigar years ago, but he no longer does, and he certainly would not do it in front of his grandchildren. I actually don't have any big hang-ups with smoking. My grandmother smoked back in the day. I think many people who grew up when she did smoked.



Because Army and I don't smoke, Linus has had very little exposure it. I didn't realize until today just how little.



As we walked back to our car after running an errand, there was a smoker parked next to us who was also making her way to her car. If you're going to smoke, fine, that's your decision, but please don't blow it directly on me or my child. Apparently the smoker didn't feel this way. She blew her smoke right on Linus. I attempted to get Linus in the car as quickly as possible, but that wasn't before she let the smoker have it in a very innocent manner.



With a look of total disgust on her face, Linus said, "EWWW! What IS that smell? That's awful. Something stinks in the air. It's so bad, I think something's wrong with the air. That's just stinky. What could smell that bad, Mommy? Ewww, it's just gross!"



How did the lovely smoker respond? The witch tossed her cigarette at us. Classy, I tell ya!



*To be fair, most smokers around here go out of their way to keep smoke away from non-smokers. On more than one occasion, I've had smokers cross the street so that Linus wasn't exposed to the smoke. I'm very thankful for people who are so considerate. It's the ones with sticks up their hineys that make me want to stick a cigarette up there too!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

An Extra Word for Yesterday's Post

I'm beginning to wonder if I need to take Linus in to see her pediatrician. Without fail, I can tell when she has an ear infection based on her hearing. It is very rare that she complains of ear pain, though when she does, it's really bad. Since I can usually tell by her hearing, or lack of, I'd prefer to go ahead and knock it out before it becomes excessively painful for her.

Here's our conversation from the dinner table tonight.

Linus: Wanna know what will happen when I eat this?
Me: What?
Linus: It will activate my taste bugs.
Me: Oh, your taste buds?
Army: Did she say bugs or buds?
Linus: Bugs. Aren't they taste bugs?
Me: I love taste bugs, but they are actually taste buds.
Linus: Well, at least I was close. Bugs go buzz.
I gave a completely confused look to Army.
Army: What are they called Linus?
Linus: Well, y'all just said they are taste buzz. Do you think it's because when you eat something really good they buzz around and tell the other ones, or do you think it's because once upon a time they were really called taste bugs like I said?
Army: They are taste buDS, but I really like your idea!
Me: Me too. Good thinking Linus!
Linus: Wha??? They aren't bugs, and they aren't buzz?
Me: Nope, they are taste buDs, but I think your words are cuter.
Linus: This is NOT my week!

Friday, January 18, 2008

An Extra Peek at Life in Lannyland

Try to contain yourselves. I know I'm about to make you jealous. Yeah, that's it, my life is soooo exciting!

I just had an argument with my child about the word "lightbulb." On occasion, she gets words wrong, but most of the time I find them cute. Lightball, however, drives me up the wall. Instead of flat out correcting her, I simply said lightbulb when I answered her question. She looked at me funny, so I knew she picked up on it. Again, I used lightbulb when referring to it.

Linus: Why do you keep saying that? It's shaped like a ball. It's lightBALL.
Me: Actually it is lightBULB.
Linus: You're silly Mommy. It DOES have a ball on the end. It's lightBALL.
Me: No, really it's lightBULB.
Linus: Yeah? Then why do they put a ball on the end of one? It's lightBALL.
Me: Honestly, it's lightBULB.
Linus: So why is a lightBALL shaped like a BALL?
Me: I don't know. Maybe it gives off more light that way.
Linus: Maybe because it's a lightBALL.
Me: Army, please tell your daughter it's called a lightBULB.
::Army snores on the couch::
Linus: Mommy, you're making Daddy so bored he's snoring!
Me: No I'm not, he's asleep.
Linus: 'Cause he's bored.
::I think my head started spinning at this point::
Linus: AND it's a lightBALL.
Me: No it's not. It's a lightBULB.
Linus: Well, you can have whatever you want in the kitchen. In MY room, I have lightBALLS. I like balls, Mommy. I want BALLS in. My. Room.

All of a sudden it dawned on me: I'm arguing with a four year old over a lightball. BULB. Whatever. That's not as concerning anymore. I'm far more freaked out by her last sentence!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Extra Extra Extra Embarrassed

I'm a part of a great organization that volunteers our time and services mainly through Children's Hospital. I'm proud to be a part of this organization because we truly do make a difference in lives of children (and their parents too).

I was asked to mentor one of the new members. Unfortunately I wasn't able to chat with her much before the meeting. When the meeting ended, we made some small talk to get to know each other better. She has a new baby, so we spent some time discussing working out of the home after children are born. I mentioned that I think it is truly a very personal thing. I believe some people make very good stay-at-home mothers, and I believe some people are better mothers for working. Take my sister and me for example. I stay home. I know I absolutely do not have it together enough to work a full time job outside the home, keep my home tidy and clean, feed my family, and make time for Linus. My sister, on the other hand, is able to do all of that and work full time. She loves her children more than imaginable, yet she'd go nuts at home full time. I don't go nuts (most of the time, at least). She's better suited for working; I'm better suited staying at home.

Anyway, the person I'm mentoring and I were discussing returning to work. She's recently returned, but she's giving herself a few months to decide whether or not being a working parent is for her. I was telling her that the year Linus was born, I'd managed to convince my principal that she needed me part time, not full time. Thankfully, she was able to work such a situation out. It ended up that I was very sick the first part of the year, and Linus was born the second part of the school year. Our principal retired during that year, and a new principal replaced her. When contract time came, I was offered a full time position because he was not able to budget my part time position.

I was explaining the situation of full time vs part time to the lady. Unfortunately, that's not exactly what I announced (loudly). I said, "I decided to stay home because I really did not want to work full time. I wanted a fart time position, but he couldn't budget it." We don't even use that word in our house! I wanted to crawl under a table once I realized what I said. Here she is still professionally dressed from her work day, and I'm in jeans (as were other members, I wasn't under dressed) telling her I wanted to work fart time.

The worst part is I didn't even realize what I said until she got this funny look on her face. I'm just blabbing away. Ugh!

Unfortunately, that's not the first time I've embarrassed myself with such verbal stupidity. My other two were SO BAD though, that I won't even write them here. I guess I talk too quickly and my brain can't keep up with my mouth. Sad!

Extra Talkative

I don't know if I've shared it before, but Linus loves to talk. She talks a lot. A whole lot. I'm constantly asked if there is ever a time when she doesn't talk. Well, no, there really isn't. My mom jokes that she was vaccinated with a phonograph needle. She even talks in her sleep. In fact, it's rare that a night goes by with no talking in her sleep.

Some of our (Army and me) favorite things she's said in her sleep include:


*Green! Up! (said while looking at her headboard)


*E-I-E-I-O (sung at the top of her lungs, then not another word)


*(howling like a dog)


*giggling uncontrollably---so hard she was holding her tummy

*"No. NO! I DON'T LIKE GREEN PEAS!"

*"Tee hee hee. Now that was funny!"


"Dude!"

:)

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Extra Curious, Extra Proud

A friend is busy potty training her son right now. It's so nice to be on the other end of this! It's my turn to sit back and laugh about the things her son is doing. Actually, she has a daughter a few months older than Linus, so she knows there's and end to it all, but she certainly doesn't feel that way right now. Linus has been potty trained for a few years now, but I remember the other side so well!



Linus was both proud and curious when she was potty trained. I'm a believer in waiting until the child is 1000% ready.



My mother reminded me on a regular basis that I was in panties at 17 months. Linus became interested in the potty when she was 15 months, unfortunately she didn't have an interest in actually using it herself. She loved to give a play-by-play of what somebody else was doing. At 17 months, she ran to her little potty, pulled her pants down, yanked off her diaper, and actually went in the potty. I hadn't forced the issue at that point (we simply had the potty in the bathroom, but she didn't really sit on it save for when she'd 'read' a book before getting in the tub), but since I felt like she was now showing interest, I went ahead and tried to potty train. That lasted next to no time. She clearly wasn't interested.



By the time Linus turned two, my mom was getting a little panicky that she was still in diapers. She kept insisting it would be easier to teach her young rather than wait until she was in a "no" stage. Even my friends who had children close in age to Linus were telling me that the "no" stage would make it impossible. I still just let Linus take the lead though.



I knew we were in for some rough times when her Mom's Morning Out teacher kept commenting on how well Linus was doing on the potty. I'd think to myself, well that's nice, but I think you're confusing her with another child. Linus doesn't use the potty yet. Yet they never requested more diapers. It finally dawned on me that she was going there, but not at home. I suggested getting some new panties and giving it a shot. "No, Mommy. I like diapers." There's something about your child speaking in a sentence and telling you that she likes diapers that just doesn't sit all that well. I'd suggest panties once or twice a month, but I didn't push the issue...



UNTIL one day she pooped in her diaper. I was in the kitchen on the phone with her pediatrician's office and I kept hearing the drawers in her room open and shut. I walked into her room to find poop everywhere. Wipes everywhere. As my eyes got huge, Linus smiled and said, "I clean it up myself, Mommy. I do good job. High five!" Um, no! No high five with poopy hands! Usually I'd handle something like that without blowing up, but as she ran to me and wrapped her poopy self around me giving me a huge hug, I lost it. "THAT'S IT! NO MORE DIAPERS!"



And that was it. No more diapers during the day from that day forward. But that's when the hard part began. No, the hard part wasn't training---it took none, she literally put on panties and never had an accident---it was keeping her dress down and her curiosity in check.



The first day (the poopy day, but all cleaned up and in panties) we went for a walk. She stopped my neighbor with, "Hi, S. I've got panties. Wanna see? Do you wear panties? (by the way, S is a guy, I'm sure he was thrilled with that question) Can I see them?" Then she saw somebody walking in our neighborhood that we'd never seen before. "Hi, I Linus. I got panties on. Do you? I got a princess. Do you? Can I see?" As we made our way back to our house, Linus and I had a little talk about keeping our panties status to ourselves. I thought she at least knew not to talk about it with others.



I was wrong. Oh so wrong. We went out to dinner that night to celebrate, and all went so smoothly...until she turned to the guy behind us and said, "I not s'posed to tell I got panties on. Can I pease see yours? I got princess. Here, look." ACK!



That's also the night her public potty obsession began. If there's a public restroom in sight, she has to check it out. YUCK! She still does tries to check them out. Luckily the child has a bladder the size of Texas. She can hold gallons in her little body. At least 80% of the time we can make it home without having to use a public potty. But still, yuck!



Now, at close to five, she no longer discusses her panties in public. She has, however, asked her dad if he wears panties. When he told her men don't wear panties, she asked him if he wears manties! Hahaha!

Monday, January 14, 2008

Extra Yikes!

Last night after I put Linus to bed, I logged on to check my email. Linus was singing in her bed, which is nothing unusual. Then she began reading books, followed by singing the words to her books. Again, nothing unusual in the life of Linus. After she had been in bed a while, she finally said, "Goodnight Mommy. Goodnight Daddy. I love you Mommy; I love you Daddy. Ok, I'm going to sleep now." Usually she settles in immediately after her announcement and falls asleep. Last night she was quiet for about 15 minutes, but apparently she was not asleep. The neighbor on the bedroom side of the house is able to hear things from our house if he's outside. I'm SO hoping he wasn't last night! All of a sudden, at the top of her lungs, Linus asked, "Mommy are you in bed with my daddy?" Yikes! She meant it innocently, as in have y'all gone to bed yet, but I'm not so sure it sounded so innocent to our neighbor.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Extra Cautious

No idea why I'm sharing this...

Today Linus was in the bathroom taking care of business. When she's in her bathroom, she's all about closing the door for privacy, but when she's in our bathroom, she rarely closes the door. She started complaining about the Kandoo wipes (flushable wipes for those of you without children). She usually uses her bathroom, so the container of wipes in our bathroom doesn't get used as often as hers. Her use of the wipes let me know that she was pooping. ::apologies now to those of you without children--poop talk just goes along with kids:: She seemed to be taking forever, so I suggested she hurry up.

This big dramatic sigh comes from the bathroom followed by, "If you want me to do it correctly, it takes time!"

Hey, at least she can do it by herself!

Extra Embarrassed!

I stole this from Katie. Although my score isn't bad, it's still embarrassing. I *may* have taught science to one class for one year. I hated every minute of it. I usually taught a different subject, and it was not related to science by any stretch of the imagination. Anyway, what makes it even more embarrassing is I *might* have taught eighth grade science! You'd think I'd have gotten an A! It was 10 years ago, it was only one block out of eight, and it wasn't related to my subject area, but still! Ack!

(oh, and I may have taken it twice)
JustSayHi - Science Quiz
Looking for payday loans?




How'd you do?

Friday, January 11, 2008

Extra BLAH!

Ugh! I've had a bad day! Two things we were really looking forward to (Leia, you were right about one of them) came crashing down. The door slammed shut on one of them; it just gently closed on the other.

Thankfully we didn't tell Linus about either one. She had a general idea about each, but she didn't know any specifics. I'll be forever grateful that we didn't let her in on the specifics~she really would have been crushed. :(

So that's my whine for the day. Here's to a better one tomorrow!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Extra Funny

This afternoon we were expecting some pretty horrible weather. All the schools let out early (our state has had more than our fair share of children becoming victims of tornadoes, so they tend to release early if possible). About an hour before it was supposed to hit our area, I suggested Linus take a nap. She asked if I'd lie down with her, so we snuggled up in my bed. After about 45 minutes, my cell phone rang. I've got some dorky ringtone. It's not any song that I recognize, and it's not particularly good either. Linus was asleep when it rang, but she sat part way up, eyes still closed, and said, "That's good music!" Within seconds the weather radio alarm began to beep, but I'm rather certain it was my loud snort from laughing at her comment that woke her up. :)

Later, we ran to Krystal (nutritious, I know) to pick up dinner. I had planned to make some chicken cordon bleu that had been frozen a while ago, but it didn't defrost in time. At Krystal, Linus asked for a tongue presser stick. Any guess what that is? It's a corn dog. The stick it comes on reminds her of a tongue depressor at the doctor's office.

While we were in line at Krystal, it began pouring. Linus commented that a giant monster was crying. Army reminded her that it was just rain. Without pause, Linus said, "Um, I think that's waayyyy more than rain. For the tears to be that big, it just has to be a giant monster." Hard to argue with four year old logic.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Extra Info

There's actually nothing of interest to any of you in this post. I'm just typing it here until I write it down in her baby book. Sorry!

Linus can:
*recite & write our phone number
*recite & write my cell number
*tell her birthday, my birthday, and Army's birthday
*identify and draw circles, diamonds, squares, rectangles, hearts, stars, triangles, crescents, pentagons, octagons, ovals, etc
*write her first and last names without help
*write her middle name if we give her hints for spelling it (she's almost there)
*recognize all letters (capital and lower case), tell what sound they make, and write them (for quite a while)
*give the beginning, middle, and ending sounds of words
*sound out simple words
*spell one grandmother's name; she's working on the other grandparents
*jump, hop, skip, run, do a split with left leg forward, center split, almost there with the right leg forward, forward roll, handstand, working on cartwheel, crab walk, balance beam forward and backward, tuck/scissors/split jump
*make rhyming words
*count to at least 50 (she gets bored)
*recognize numbers through at least 50 (bored again)
*write 0-20 with no help (claims boredom beyond 20)
*count by 5s to 50
*give the hour when telling time (minutes are still a bit much for her, but she really wants to learn to tell time---she probably could do it if using a digital clock)

Now I'm Extra Sorry!

What are the chances? After my happy post last night about the LSU game, I've had a record number of Ohio visitors. Seriously, I've had like a gazillion (you'd never guess I was NOT a math major, would you?) Ohio visitors today.
So, my apologies to the Ohio visitors. I'm still super happy that LSU won, but we've been on the losing end before (triple over-time anyone?), so I know how it feels.

Monday, January 7, 2008

I'm Extra Happy!

It may not be over time-wise on the clock, but the game is oh so over! :)

Yippee!

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!

Some Extra Congrats!

Congratulations to the winner of the Paula Deen 2008 Weekly Calendar:







Cynthia Matzat!!!



Thanks so much to all who shared recipes. I can't wait to try them all---they sound so delicious! As I try them, I'll let you all know how they turn out.

I've got another give-away for February. I've got the prize already, and I'm trying ot figure out a fun little contest for it. I think most poeple will really like the prize.

An Extra MEME

Month Meme

I got tagged for this Meme by Katie.

Here's how it works:
1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (look down...more...more...).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you .
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

I'm a March baby, so here goes:
MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved (depends on the situation--I'm either shy and reserved or way too outgoing). Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic (probably to a fault, though I'd never hurt somebody's feelings with honesty). Loves peace and serenity (I love a good time too though!). Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered (again, completely situational; I can be a real Mama Bear if you even think about hurting my Linus, otherwise I'm rather mellow). Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody (hello? PMS anyone?).

Now I'm going to completely cheese and not tag anybody. If you want to do participate, please do. Since I'm not tagging, I'll do Linus too.

She's another March baby.
MARCH: Attractive personality (Kim, agree? ;) ). Sexy. Affectionate (Her hugs and kisses are the best!). Shy and reserved (not even an ounce of her is shy or reserved, though she did play shy with our priest today). Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity (though she is rather hyper and loves a good time) Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered (I think she's been angry a total of .03 seconds in her entire life. The child just does not get angry. Ever.). Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful (not even a thought for her). Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention (who Linus?). Hasty decisions in choosing partners (No, but she did tell me "Matthew is so before Christmas, Mommy. I'm all about William now. NOT as a boyfriend though---she just is a tomboy in princess clothing). Loves home decors. Musically talented (she makes life musical). Loves special things (EVERYTHING is special to her. "This is my special book, Mommy." or "These are my special shoes." and so on). Moody (Nope, she's ALWAYS happy!).

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Extra Yummy!

***GIVE-AWAY INFO AT THE END***

Our 2008 started out with a very mellow day at home. It is exactly what we all needed. The first half of every year is filled with various celebrations, so it always feels like we don't even sit down until the end of May when we're able to enjoy a relaxed but fun summer. This year will be no different. I came to the realization that my baby will be starting kindergarten this year, and that's rattled me a bit. While I have absolutely loved watching her grow, I've truly cherished having her home with me for the bulk of the day. I do realize this is an important step for her, but it will be a big step for me too!



Every year I start out well. I do very well with menu planning, I do well watching what I eat, I do well with hitting the gym, etc, but every year I fall off the wagon. I try to jump back on, but rarely do I accomplish all I set out to do in any given year. So this year I'll try again, but I'll allow myself to slip without looking at it as a failure.



One of the key aspects of menu planning for me is a weekly calendar. For years I have used this one, and I absolutely love it. This year, I'm giving Paula Deen's a try. It helps to see what our week looks like: Army has a meeting one day, so there's no point in planning an elaborate meal, or Linus has a dentist appointment (she HATES the dentist), so I know we'll eat out that evening and let her pick the restaurant, etc. I'm a calendar person anyway. I have a dry erase one on the fridge, a small magnetic one on the fridge, the school calendar for Linus (yes that makes three!), my weekly planner, and yet another calendar. Each serves its purpose, but my weekly planner serves as my master calendar for the year. I could not make it without one. Plain and simple.



So, to start the year off right, and to help me get ideas for menu planning, I've got a little give-away for you. To participate, all you need to do is give your favorite recipe in the comments section. Linus will pick the winner. You have from now until 11:59 pm January 6th. I will announce the winner January 7th. The prize is one of Paula Deen's 2008 weekly calendars. It's filled with yummy recipes (appropriate, huh?) and pictures. Please be kind and share the contest with others. The more people enter, the more recipes available for everybody! :) See, you can't lose!



I'll have several give-aways throughout the year, and even if you win one, you're still eligible for the others. :)

GOOD LUCK!!!



Speaking of give-aways, LEEANN over at Is It Morning Already? has one up now too!



HAPPY NEW YEAR! May it be your best year yet!!!