Saturday, April 20, 2013
How can you tell it's Spring in North Alabama?
You spend part of your evening hanging out like this:
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Whoosh
I kind of didn't have a March. Instead, a coworker and I spent 23 days working on a single monstrous project. Starting on March 5th, we created a report format from scratch describing the efforts of eight different municipalities. On March 28th, we submitted the 791-page behemoth to ADEM.
Somewhere in the middle of the month, we also squeezed in a bit of watershed monitoring, which was good since the results had to be included in the report.
What would normally take three months or so, we squeezed into three weeks. I'm not exactly sure how, I just know I never want to do that ever again.
Of course, in the meantime I've missed birthdays and friends and all kinds of news. But I'm back in the world now and although I'm having trouble remembering what month it is, I plan to be here for a while.
Somewhere in the middle of the month, we also squeezed in a bit of watershed monitoring, which was good since the results had to be included in the report.
What would normally take three months or so, we squeezed into three weeks. I'm not exactly sure how, I just know I never want to do that ever again.
Of course, in the meantime I've missed birthdays and friends and all kinds of news. But I'm back in the world now and although I'm having trouble remembering what month it is, I plan to be here for a while.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Welp, it's definitely March
We got our usual March 1st to 3rd dusting of snow again this weekend.
Every year about this time, I get the overwhelming urge to make paper flowers. In 2011, it was cardstock daisies. Last year, it was tiny crepe paper things.
That never actually happens. They end up collecting dust in a crystal bowl in the china cabinet on top of the previous year's obsession. It's just my way of coping with the last few weeks of winter (and this year, of recovering from the norovirus from hell).
Spring will be here to stay by the end of the week. And 2.5 seconds later, it will be summer and approximately 100 billion degrees and I'll be dreaming of the time when I could go outside and not stick to everything. Turn turn turn.
Every year about this time, I get the overwhelming urge to make paper flowers. In 2011, it was cardstock daisies. Last year, it was tiny crepe paper things.
That never actually happens. They end up collecting dust in a crystal bowl in the china cabinet on top of the previous year's obsession. It's just my way of coping with the last few weeks of winter (and this year, of recovering from the norovirus from hell).
Spring will be here to stay by the end of the week. And 2.5 seconds later, it will be summer and approximately 100 billion degrees and I'll be dreaming of the time when I could go outside and not stick to everything. Turn turn turn.
Friday, March 1, 2013
20 Months
She puts everything to bed by laying it down on its face, forcefully patting its back, and loudly saying “Nigh-nigh! Nigh-nigh!” To date, I have observed her do this to baby dolls, her two mini-Barbie dolls, stuffed animals, hard plastic animals, robots, and the little plastic men from Micah’s fighter planes.
She still only makes the sign for please and refuses to say the actual word.
She says “tan-too” whenever you hand her or when she hands you something.
She can make her way up and down the stairs so well, we’ve pretty much stopped supervising her. This means she can go upstairs and play with her brother, all by herself, while we sit downstairs and marvel at the quiet.
She loves to watch people draw. She is less keen on using crayons herself, and will only scribble for 30 seconds or so before demanding someone else draw her a picture.
She calls clocks “tih-toh” and is always excited when she sees one.
She calls socks “cock.”
She has never managed to say that without one or both of her (clearly immature) parents giggling.
She has perfected the whining “nooooooooo.” I’m pretty sure two will be a trying age.
She rarely says “yes” and prefers to answer with “uh-huh” while nodding vigorously.
She sings the clean-up song as “nee-nah, nee-nah.”
She asks for “Wheels on the Bus” by saying “bee-bee” and making a honking motion with her hand.
She asks for “Row Row Row Your Boat” by repeatedly pushing both arms out and saying “roh-roh-roh?”
She asks for “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by holding up both hands and opening and closing her fingers and saying “kanko-kanko?”
Often she asks for all three at once. “Bee-bee roh-roh kanko-kanko?”
When singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” she shouts “oo-ray!”
She hates having her hair brushed by me, no matter how gentle I try to be. But if Todd’s doing it, she’s fine.
She decided last week that she likes brushing her teeth. Twice now, she's stolen Micah’s toothbrush off the sink where I’d left it with the toothpaste already on.
She LOVES putting on lotion all by herself.
She is obsessed with everyone’s shoes and loves to clomp around in whatever she can dig out of our closet. I can’t find the mate to at least three pairs of my shoes.
She still loves books and asks every day to “Ree ree? Ree ree?”
Two weeks ago, she learned to climb the ladder on the playstructure to get up to the slide platform. She’s slipped twice and bruised herself, but she’s determined. She refuses help, so I just hover behind her with my hands out to catch her if she slips. It’s horrifying for me to watch, but also kind of amazing. My brave, stubborn girl.
Her obsession with Micah’s dirty underwear has finally declined. I’m not sure the last time I caught her with a pair on her head. (Good thing I took a blackmail picture before she stopped.)
She loves Micah so much, and wants to be with him wherever he goes. Oh! You’re playing with that? I AM TOO. Oh! You’re coloring with that pencil! I AM TOO. Oh! You’re reading this book? I AM TOO!
He mostly puts up with it, bless him.
Best of all, ten months after she decided she wanted absolutely nothing to do with me, my girl has finally decided she likes me after all. There's nothing better than hearing her shout "Mommy!" as she barrels towards me with that toddler run, all arms and legs and crazy wobbles.
So, that's Aerin right now. Loving, stubborn, fearless, irrational, sweet, and maddening.
She still only makes the sign for please and refuses to say the actual word.
She says “tan-too” whenever you hand her or when she hands you something.
She can make her way up and down the stairs so well, we’ve pretty much stopped supervising her. This means she can go upstairs and play with her brother, all by herself, while we sit downstairs and marvel at the quiet.
She loves to watch people draw. She is less keen on using crayons herself, and will only scribble for 30 seconds or so before demanding someone else draw her a picture.
She calls clocks “tih-toh” and is always excited when she sees one.
She calls socks “cock.”
She has never managed to say that without one or both of her (clearly immature) parents giggling.
She has perfected the whining “nooooooooo.” I’m pretty sure two will be a trying age.
She rarely says “yes” and prefers to answer with “uh-huh” while nodding vigorously.
She sings the clean-up song as “nee-nah, nee-nah.”
She asks for “Wheels on the Bus” by saying “bee-bee” and making a honking motion with her hand.
She asks for “Row Row Row Your Boat” by repeatedly pushing both arms out and saying “roh-roh-roh?”
She asks for “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by holding up both hands and opening and closing her fingers and saying “kanko-kanko?”
Often she asks for all three at once. “Bee-bee roh-roh kanko-kanko?”
When singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” she shouts “oo-ray!”
She hates having her hair brushed by me, no matter how gentle I try to be. But if Todd’s doing it, she’s fine.
She decided last week that she likes brushing her teeth. Twice now, she's stolen Micah’s toothbrush off the sink where I’d left it with the toothpaste already on.
She LOVES putting on lotion all by herself.
She is obsessed with everyone’s shoes and loves to clomp around in whatever she can dig out of our closet. I can’t find the mate to at least three pairs of my shoes.
She still loves books and asks every day to “Ree ree? Ree ree?”
Two weeks ago, she learned to climb the ladder on the playstructure to get up to the slide platform. She’s slipped twice and bruised herself, but she’s determined. She refuses help, so I just hover behind her with my hands out to catch her if she slips. It’s horrifying for me to watch, but also kind of amazing. My brave, stubborn girl.
Her obsession with Micah’s dirty underwear has finally declined. I’m not sure the last time I caught her with a pair on her head. (Good thing I took a blackmail picture before she stopped.)
She loves Micah so much, and wants to be with him wherever he goes. Oh! You’re playing with that? I AM TOO. Oh! You’re coloring with that pencil! I AM TOO. Oh! You’re reading this book? I AM TOO!
He mostly puts up with it, bless him.
Best of all, ten months after she decided she wanted absolutely nothing to do with me, my girl has finally decided she likes me after all. There's nothing better than hearing her shout "Mommy!" as she barrels towards me with that toddler run, all arms and legs and crazy wobbles.
So, that's Aerin right now. Loving, stubborn, fearless, irrational, sweet, and maddening.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Cabin Fever
After a day and a half of non-stop whining, defiance, and desperate Internet searches for choloroform distributors, we decided everyone would benefit from some time outside in the sun. Apparently the neighbors felt the same way, because it wasn't long before their kids showed up to play too.
I loathe Alabama in the summer, but I admit, our winters do have their perks.
The 4-wheeler belongs to the two little boys next door, but they've pretty much outgrown it. These days, they just keep it charged for Aerin. She loves the thing, and finds new ways to endanger herself every time she's on it, whether by climbing a curb, or running into a mailbox, or sitting on it backwards. Naturally, the one day I decide she can skip the helmet is the day she decides to go all "Look, Ma! No feet!"
It's been a rough couple of weeks, what with a toddler who appears to be working on her two-year molars and a four-year-old who appears to be working on his 15-year attitude. We're surviving, but man...I'm ready for Spring.
I loathe Alabama in the summer, but I admit, our winters do have their perks.
The 4-wheeler belongs to the two little boys next door, but they've pretty much outgrown it. These days, they just keep it charged for Aerin. She loves the thing, and finds new ways to endanger herself every time she's on it, whether by climbing a curb, or running into a mailbox, or sitting on it backwards. Naturally, the one day I decide she can skip the helmet is the day she decides to go all "Look, Ma! No feet!"
It's been a rough couple of weeks, what with a toddler who appears to be working on her two-year molars and a four-year-old who appears to be working on his 15-year attitude. We're surviving, but man...I'm ready for Spring.
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