Friday, December 15, 2006
Ornament of the (Last Few) Day(s)
It turns out someone missed them. So to catch you up...

Friday - A Mother/Daughter ornament. You can see the words spelled out on the cookie icing. It's a Hallmark Keepsake ornament from, you guess it, my mother.


Thursday - The 2005 White House ornament. It's pretty ornate.


Wednesday - This is a Spode ornament. I'm afraid I can't remember who gave it to us.

Thursday, December 14, 2006
Big day for us
We paid off M's credit card in full. Notwithstanding a few Christmas mail orders, we are now debt free. No debt...I'm letting that sink in. Of course we don't have a house so that helps. So now we can start building a stash in order to achieve some financial goals. Like a house, i.e. going into debt.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Yee Haw!
The truth is...what she's really saying is "Give me back my damned paci!"

For mommies only...
Just about every night now Emma pees in the potty before bath. And twice during the last week she has pooped in the potty. It's become part of her routine now, and she really tries to produce. We give her nothing for it other than praise. Sometimes she makes Daddy wait, too. He's drawing the water while she's sitting there and he can sit for ten minutes while the water cools until she decides she's done.

We're still not potty training. The only time she uses the potty is during nakey baby time before bath and when she asks, which has been twice so far.
Visiting the mini-tree
Every other day or so we have to visit the little tree and name the ornaments. Each time I have to tell her she can touch but not pull. And each time she knocks a ball in the floor. Kids thrive on routine, you know.

This girl cracks me up!
Lately she's been leading us in the blessing at the dinner table. She puts her hands together and says "blessing," whenever it hits her. She loves it when everyone bows their head and holds their hands together. If you watch her she'll be grinning ear to ear. Then she finishes off with a big "Amen."

Tonight when we were standing there looking at the mini-tree she put her hands together and then said "blessing!" It was the first time she'd ever done it away from the table, but I thought what the heck, I hope this doesn't confuse her about when the blessing is appropriate. So I said the blessing (God is great...) and she finished with her usual "Amen." Then she starting miming putting food in her mouth and making chomping sounds. "Supper," she said. I cracked up. My baby is officially pretending now.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Back in the saddle
Yes, I see there is no saddle. Yes, she is actually bareback. Yes, you can be bareback even if everyone is wearing clothes. Sheesh! Lay off, will ya!

She's catching her show as she goes by...


Notice my baby is fully accessorized. Beads, check. Sunglasses, check. Paci, check. Tigger, check.


Emma's hair seems to be growing out more lately. How do you like her righteous rattail?

Ornament of the Day
This sheep was a gift to Emma when she was a newborn. Sheep are representative of the area we live in, where the sheep outnumber the people. Or at least they used to (stupid coyotes).

Monday, December 11, 2006
Anger management
I have anger issues. I know this will come a surprise to some of you. Because online I'm anything but a hothead. But it's been building for a while. I'm quick to anger and easily frustrated. It's not like I throw big fits, I just get pissy, which is a joy to be around, I'm sure.

I've been holding on to a lot of resentment due to at least two big problem situations in my marriage, one going all the way back to the months after Emma was born. I didn't really realize how the growing resentment had a grip on me till last night, when I dumped it. It wasn't a big fight or anything; more like an airing of grievances. But I have to tell you, finally telling the truth about my feelings about both situations really helped me. I literally feel lighter today (notwithstanding the expanding ass).

I will be working on taming the day to day frustrations and my reactions to them. But I have to tell you, a periodic airing of grievances really does help smooth out the long haul. Only in retrospect did I realized that we must have been infused with the spirit of Festivus.
Emma's horsey in her home stable
She was having a grand old time. The dogs were kind of weirded out though.



Ornament of the Day
Emma received this for her second Christmas.

After dinner dough (or doh)
Making Playdoh hot dogs. It's her main Playdoh talent.

Sunday, December 10, 2006
Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. quick oats

Boil butter, milk, sugar and salt for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter, oats and vanilla and stir till well mixed. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper. Let cool thoroughly till cookies harden.
Ornament of the Day - Sunday
This was given to Emma for her first Christmas by someone I know through work. It's a petite little bird that sits at the top of the tree.

Ornament of the Day - Saturday
It's our hero, Elmo! Although I will have to admit, his influence may be fading as Mickey Mouse is rising in her esteem.

Annual Christmas party at the neighbor's
Every year our neighbor up the road has a Christmas open house for about four hours. The food is always good. This year the highlights were crab dip and fried raviolis from St. Louis (said the host). Instead of the usual large array of cookies they were featuring a chocolate fountain. It was a big hit with the kids. In this picture Emma has snagged a seat near the food table.


Upstairs in one of the bedrooms they set up a winter village.


The hostess was showing Emma her little dancing snowman and snowdog.


I believe it's a time-honored tradition for kids to hide out under the food table, isn't it?


She looks pretty pleased with herself.

Finally! Pigtail!
I didn't think we were there yet. But Uncle B. (having much more experience in these matters) found enough hair to make a ponytail. The other advantage he has over me is that she won't sit still for me to even comb her hair, much less style it. Here is her first pitiful pigtail. Or more accurately, her first tuft.