Random Musings
I love you THIS much
Fiona has been on a serious quantifying kick lately. She loves to talk about how much she loves steph (currently infinity plus something) and me (currently 100, up greatly from 4 last week when I didn't get her enough yogurt milk). Yesterday afternoon we were on the deck and I was teasing her a little with mushy kisses. I got a good one right on her forehead causing her to exclaim "You don't even know how many points of love you just lost!!!"Apr 28th 08 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 5 years & 1 months Fiona Quote
Recent Fiona Quote-Apr 25th 08 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 5 years & 1 months I forget. . .
"Whenever we say the English language, our language, it makes me think of an English muffin and I want one."
She has been watching
Peep and the Big Wide World: Peep Floats
in Spanish - and sometimes she asks us to rewind and then switch to English
How easy it is to post. Seriously, little tidbits like this take a minute, maybe less.Apr 24th 08 | General News | Update for YOU!
So Fiona is already thinking about halloween, says she might want to be a skeleton. I think it might have something to do with the lego skeletons that she has been super into. Did you all see our lego time-lapse movie?
Enjoy!
So as you can see I rarely (what is less than rarely?) post here. Apologies for that but busy work/life and only dial-up at home are barriers to frequent updates. I do however take lots of photos and you can find all of those hereApr 23rd 08 | General News | Henry's Words
All my Photos - 49GBs at this time
My best shots, considerably less than 49GBs worth
Just a quick update (very quick)Apr 23rd 08 | Henry's Blog | | Henry's age at posting: 1 years & 5 months Yearly Photo
Henry says "Momma" "Dadda" and "cracker". He also lets us know he wants to see the neighbor cows by mooing and pointing at the door!
Each spring, starting the spring when Fiona was born, we have taken a photo in front of our azalea bush - here they are - the first time in one place! WOwzers!Jun 18th 07 | General News | First Barbie
Spring 07
Spring 06
Spring 05
Spring 04
Spring 03
So, Fiona has her first Barbie. She made some money from our yard sale (she selected quite a few toys that she was ready to find a new home for, especially *gasp* stuffed animals, which incidentally, no one wanted, but we donated so we are rid of them anyhow), and we took her to ToysRUs to pick out a new toy with her money. Fiona chose a baby doll, who within literally moments of arriving home was decried as unacceptable because she did not like her eyes (they were a bit creepy, but Toby and I noticed that in the store!!!). Anyway, dolly went back to the store, and Fiona chose a Barbie with pet dog (more on that in a minute). A little later in the day, Fiona said to me, "If Barbie was chocolate, she would probably be very yummy, wouldn't she?" Umm, yep. I guess?Jun 14th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 3 months New Song
OK--so back to the Barbie toy set. Comes with Tanner, a lab-looking pooch, and mostly the expected dog accessories: food bowl, mat for said bowl, ball, chew toy, rawhide-looking bone. Tanner's mouth opens when you push his tail up (his ears perk up a bit, too), and he/she can hold the toy or bone in his/her mouth. Also, comes with a box of food, a trash can, and a magnetic pooper scooper! And magnetic turds to be picked up with scooper. Tanner poops when you push his/her tail down. Got it? True to life enough, if not a bit unexpected in a Barbie toy, but here's where it gets REALLY good. The food box attaches to the back of the trash can--there is a hole in the trash can and in the box. So, when you dump the turds into the trash can, they automatically go right into the food box, so lucky Tanner gets to eat his own poop!!!!
So I was a little iffy about buying Fiona her first Barbie. OK, truth be told, I would bet money that at some point I swore I would never buy her one, the words "over my dead body" might even have been uttered, but you know...things change. Anyway, I wasn't TOTALLY PSYCHED about it, BUT if I had known the twisted oogy nature of it, I would have signed on a whole lot quicker!!! So gross!! I love thinking about the Mattel board meeting, or whatever it is where these ideas get hatched or vetted or whatever, and someone describing this toy. It reminds me of a skit on SNL.
Fiona's song, to be sung slowly and somberly:Jun 11th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 2 months First Happy Meal
When the leaves blow of the trees
It's not very pretty
And it's sad
But they grow back
In the springtime
They grow back
Fiona had her first happy meal a few days ago. . well technically it was a kids meal from Taco Bell. Steph and I joked that when we did our giant cross country trip years and years ago [ http://gelstoncafe.com/content/webdesign/flash/xtrip.html ] that you could track our journey through Taco Bell receipts, we ate there at least once a week. Fiona has a fondness for bean burritos too and we recently found ourselves hungry and near a Taco Bell - the kids meal had a bean burrito and the toy was actually a book, surprisingly the book was a decent little story and the whole experience just helped to increase that little warm spot in my heart for Taco Bell. So for all the Taco Bell executives reading this, Thank you for being vegetarian friendly, for being cheap, and providing a wholesome "toy" in your kids meal.May 29th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 2 months Chomp Chomp!
Henry has a tooth!May 29th 07 | Henry's Blog | | Henry's age at posting: 0 years & 6 months Henry Wants to Crawl
In other news he had a little pool-time on Saturday - we set up Fiona's old baby pool while we did some yard work. Henry alternated between eating fistfuls of sand/leaves/sticks and watching us work. What a goon! Looking at Henry sitting in that little pool made us realize just how much larger he is. I will check with Steph and see if we can get some hard numbers up here about those differences in height and weight.
He is close. . . but not quite there. . .May 23rd 07 | Henry's Blog | | Henry's age at posting: 0 years & 6 months Fiona Joke
Soon. . . so soon. I guess this means we better dust of the baby gate
What is the difference between an Ant and an Anteater?May 14th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 2 months If you grow it. . .
.
...
.....
Ants are easier to pick up. And then she laughs her little silly laugh.
They will eat it. Pretty Cool study out of Missouri. "Children who ate the most fruits and vegetables were those in families that always or almost always ate homegrown produce. Those children averaged 5.2 daily servings of fruits and vegetables." Veggie Study Bring back those victory gardens. Maybe we can call them health gardens or something else that is a little more catchy. And since I added the ability to include pics, I thought I might as well include this one of a nine month old Fiona going for the veggies. She is still pretty good about eating her veggies. Some days better than others.May 2nd 07 | General News | Henry Can. . .
Henry can. . well. . just watch theApr 29th 07 | Henry's Blog | | Henry's age at posting: 0 years & 5 months Happy Earth Day!
video
Did you know that energy efficiency-wise a bicycle gets 650 mpg.Apr 22nd 07 | General News | I spy with my eye. . .
Fiona says that bees take care of the earth because they take care of the flowers. I asked if she wanted to say anything about Earth day and that was her response.
Fiona and I were playing a little Eye Spy while waiting for Steph to pick up a few extra bits for our picnic dinner.Apr 21st 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 1 months 100 and 50 Strong
Fiona: I spy with my eye something cute.
Me: hmmmmmmm
Fiona: It's not me because I can't see myself in the mirror.
Me: Henry?
Fiona: Yupppppp!
We had a nice little picnic dinner at Black Hills SP. Photos Here and Here
So Fiona and I(Dad) were watching Charlotte's Web last night and Charlotte had already written "some pig" and "terrific." The animals in the barn are discussing other possible words. Fiona looks at me and says "I know what she could write, she could write unbelievable." "Yes she could sweetie, yes she could I said." Eat your heart out you 4 year olds that memorize the presidents.Apr 10th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 27 days Easter Video
In other news Fiona has been into quantifying lately. Today she told me that she was "one hundred and fifty strong" and near lunch time she told me that she was "one thousand hungry" I guess we better feed her more often.
Just posted an Easter video and lots of photos of Henry and Fiona.Apr 9th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 26 days Henry Gets a Photo Too
Enjoy!
Just a quick post to test the new blog image system. As I type this Henry is squealing and wiggling around on the floor. Yes, it is 11pm!Apr 1st 07 | Henry's Blog | | Henry's age at posting: 0 years & 5 months Bad Parents
Another Test post for formatting of the image machineApr 1st 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 18 days Image Test
This is an image test of Fiona's Blog. Testing testing!Apr 1st 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 18 days Wiggles Fan
Fiona just told me she likes the Wiggle in the yellow shirt because he is cute. I told her he was my favorite, too. And she likes Murray, too, because his jokes are funny. Phew, thank god she doesn't like Jeff!!Mar 19th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 4 years & 5 days Henry at Four Months
16 pounds even, 25.25 inches long (same as Fiona!)as of March 5.Mar 19th 07 | Henry's Blog | | Henry's age at posting: 0 years & 4 months Right Store for Organizing
Henry smiled and flirted his way through the check-up, right up until he got JABBED in his porky little thigh, at which he point he screamed, and Fiona dissolved into sympathy tears. He got jabbed two more times, poor babe.
Today he squirmed his little bod 180 degrees when I left him on the floor (on his back) for just a few minutes, and then all the way back again while I watched.
He cannot be still, except when he is almost passed out asleep. And he wants to eat my food. Guess we will start that good ol' rice cereal soon...
Fiona and I were at IKEA and she was frolicking about in the blueberry basket, which is always good for creating massive amounts of static electricity in her hair. When it was time to get out, she came over to me and said in a sort of distressed way, "Mama, I need you to organize my hair."Mar 2nd 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 3 years & 11 months Here comes the bride?
Sitting on the floor with Fiona and Henry, with Henry being cute and googly, Fiona says "When I get older I want to get married to Henry." So sweet. To which I say, "Do you say that because you love Henry so much?" and she nods her head. I think most normal people would have left it at that, no? But me? I have to ruin the moment by telling her that brothers and sisters can't get married to each other. Which of course provokes the question, "Why not?" Which of course then I have to try to answer...which makes the girl cry. Brilliant!Feb 20th 07 | Fiona's Blog | | Fiona's age at posting: 3 years & 11 months