Simple minds, simple pleasures...
This is how we entertain ourselves in the mountains...picking on our kids:

Noni visited us today
She was kind enough to give us her Saturday so that I could concentrate on cleaning a "problem" room. It's a room where all of our homeless items end up. It becomes a de facto junk room. I want to reclaim half of it as my office since I've ordered a new computer (woo hoo!). Someday it will have a dining room table in it, but I'm not holding my breath. The good news is that the room is largely clean now.

Emma and Noni had a good time playing and I got stuff done, sounds like a great day. I took everyone to lunch for a treat. It was a nice lunch, other than the fact that I was seething because Emma's booster seat was already broken and we couldn't use the tray portion. I know those stupid-ass dogs knocked it on the floor yesterday but I didnt' realize they'd broken it. Did I mention I can never have anything nice? Thankfully when we got home Daddy and Noni were able to fix it. Since we've only been able to use it three times now I'm glad that it's not ruined. Thanks Noni and Daddy!
Time passages...
The "baby" stuff goes into storage. Today we packed away the swing, the pack n'play bassinet, the bouncy seat toy and the bumbo. We need the room and she's outgrown it all. The fact that we're keeping it shows that we're thinking about another one. Or not wanting to spend that money twice!
Tiny milestone
Today we ordered Emma her first menu item at a restaurant, her very own grilled cheese sandwich. She even ate some ;)
Friday, September 23, 2005
Rita...what can I say?
I read an article on Fox Health News today about something they called compassion fatigue. They address different feelings people have had after Katrina and how they are dealing with them. It was pretty intense there for a while. I was absorbed in the coverage and did identify with those displaced families. I opened my wallet and gave what I could. Then I thought about giving again because of an overwhelming feeling to do more.

Now Rita is coming, and along with it the dread. I find myself hoping it will be a big psyche-out like most hurricanes are. That is the best that we can pray for because there are some very vulnerable areas in Rita's path. It is already down to a Category 3 from a Category 5; we can be thankful for that. But 3's are bad too. In all honesty this time I'd like to just pretend it's not happening and go about my routine; bury my head in the sand. Do you suppose I could get a prescription for that?
Walking highlights (200th Post!)
Here she is! Taking...ah...baby steps?

Thursday, September 22, 2005
Spelling pet peeve #1
When someone is a reliable, uncomplaining, often hardworking person they are a "trouper" not a "trooper." Thank you. Now tell all your friends.

P.S. Yes I do live in a glass house. I will go to my grave never having solved the mystery of lie vs. lay and affect vs. effect. But this is my pet peeve.

P.P.S. This post was not prompted by BIO, I could link you to the post that prompted it but A. It's a political website and B. It's a very bizarre and profane political website. You'd want to kick my butt. Trust me.
Ode to Autumn
My favorite season is here. I love the cool, crisp falls days when the atmosphere is so clear you think you can see the individual shadow of every leaf on every tree. I love the overcast and blustery fall day with the leaves blowing around you, dancing in the wind. I love the first scent of burning wood as the woodstoves are pressed into service again. I love football season, be it Redskins, Tech, high school or Pee Wee football. I love the colors of fall, the yellows, oranges, reds and browns found in nature. I love the maples that turn fluorescent and attract every eye that passes within a mile. I love the freshly harvested apples, the plump decorative pumpkins and the mulled cider warming on the stove. I love being a birthday girl again. I love Halloween, the silly holiday which seems to take on more Christmas-like proportions every year. I love all the pseudo-holidays the federal government starts doling out, starting with Columbus Day.

Some people find Autumn to be depressing because everything is dying. I don't see it that way. I see Autumn as a final orgiastic spectacle and celebration of life.

Finally, to make Autumn the best season for all time, it's the time when I received the greatest gift I've ever received, my beautiful baby Emma.
Banshee Attack
This morning when I was dressing Emma she turned into a crazed banshee. It was out of control; she was screaming, twisting, kicking and bucking. But the worst is when she dug her claws into my arms to try to bring my arm to her mouth so she could bite it. I have scratch marks on my arm like I was attacked by a cat. Methinks Little Missy has a temper.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
What a miserable day
She's got a cold or is teething. She crabbed at me most all day. Frankly I'm frazzled. I was wiping her nose all day while fighting my own sinus headache. I assume sinus because it's fairly localized to one place in my head. But it added extra strain I didn't need. I'm sorry if this hurts anyone's feelings, but I was damned glad to get her into bed tonight. I could do nothing to please her.

On the good news front, she's doing a lot more walking on her own. And it's the funny monkey walk where she raises her arms over her head for balance and lifts her knees.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
How my baby is like our dogs
If you leave them you will be punished. They are oh-so-happy to see you return, but sometime in the next 24 hours your punishment will be meted out. For the dogs it might be along the lines of puking on the carpet or some other equally gross event. For Emma it was being clingy, weepy and hysterical. This is after being an angel for Daddy while I was gone.

In truth I think she's teething again, she's had a runny nose for two days and was crying real tears with her weeping jags. She keeps poking a finger in her mouth and trying to bite everything. But why did she maintain her composure for her dad all that time and then lay it all on me? Huh? Why is that? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Another thing I learned on my trip...
Target rocks! I am soooo going to be emptying my wallet in that place when it opens in my hometown. I went to two, count'em two different Targets yesterday and spent money at both of them. Their baby clothes are just adorable. Noni, you'll see, it's trouble comin' round the bend...
To whom it may concern...
Damn, people! I leave for a day and a half and the s*** hits the fan. You KNOW I hate to miss anything, you know that! You are not allowed to do anything interesting, dramatic or controversial while I am gone. Are we clear on that? OK, just making sure. ;)
Oh Happy Day!
The Redskins beat the Cowboys! FINALLY!

As far as I'm concerned last night Joe Gibbs justified every penny that was paid to bring him back to Washington. This is all we asked, it wasn't much. Just, please, please, beat the Dallas Cowboys.
What I learned on my trip away from home...
It wasn't that big a deal. Yes, I thought about her, but I didn't obsess or pine for her. I missed her...um...maturely ;) I am still fully capable of functioning as an individual who is not responsible for someone else's well-being 24/7. I wasn't lost being "off duty." I guess being a working mom helped. I'm used to being away from her, this was just an extended working day(s).

OTOH, the A$$hats in my way on the trip home were lucky I didn't run them over trying to get home to my baby!
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Will you miss me? ;)
I'll be out of town on business tomorrow night. Sadly, this will be my first night without Emma. I procrastinated about this trip for four weeks, until all the good hotels were booked. I finally decided Friday that I needed to go. Daddy will be on duty all by himself for the first time. A milestone for the family. I'm not taking the laptop along so there'll be no update tomorrow. Wish me luck in surviving without my sunshine.
Pizza, yummy!
Emma tried pizza last night. She was enjoying it a lot. I had cut it into small pieces and she was eating it from my plate. She grabbed a piece that was two stuck together and shoved it in her mouth. "Honey, that's an awfully big piece for you." Five seconds later, gag, gag, raaaaaalf! She gagged on it a puked everything up. Fun.
My hoarder-in-training
This weekend one of the tasks I had set for myself was to put the Exersaucer into storage. It's been forever since we actually put her in it. She's just been using it to cruise and occasionally plays with the toys. I figured it had served it's purpose.

Then on Friday she found a new use for it. It's now storage for her stuff. She collects her junk and "found" items and deposits them in the bottom. Here is her collection:

So the exersaucer gets a reprieve.