Sunday Morning

"Mom, can you read me the Bible?"

"The whole thing?"

"Yeah."

"Now?"

"Uh-huh."

"Hmmm. Let's finish getting ready for Sunday school and then see what kind of time we have left."

Newsweek came yesterday

"Mom, who is that lady?"

"Her name is Michelle Obama. Who do you think her husband is?"

"Barack Obama!"

"That's right. She's on the front of the magazine because she is helping her husband run for president."

"That is SO nice of her. Mom? When are you going to help Daddy run for president?"

"Well, Daddy isn't going to run for president."

"I am. Will you help me run for president when I'm 35?"

"Of course! I'll be right there, doing everything I can to help you."

"Then YOU'LL be on the magazine!"

Q is for Diva

Today was Ainslie's Leader Day, which meant she got to bring the snack, bring an item for Show & Tell (her camera), change the numbers on the calendar, and be the Weather Lady. Big Day!

Today's theme was "Q is for Questions." We thought and thought (and polled the HS board) for semi-nutritious snacks that could be dropped off 2 hours before snack time that began with Q. All I could find was Quaker Quakes, which are flavored rice cakes, and since I want Ainslie's friends to like me, we went with Cheezits and apple slices.

At pick-up, she told me she was "exhausted." Mrs. L mentioned that may be because during Center Time, Ainslie sang and danced every song from Annie. Who knew they had a Musical Theatre center? So much for painting!

Little Girls

The Annie obsession continues...

"Mom, do you know why Miss Hannigan wants a man to nibble on her ear?"

"Why?"

"She wants someone to eat her ear off so she can't hear the orphans anymore."

I like it.

When Mommy Needs Help...

Everyone knows how I feel about cats.

Joe, the evil (notice how "evil" is an anagram of "vile?") feline strikes again. Honestly, that animal's days in this house are numbered. Friday night, I made the most beautiful, succulent pork chops of my life. Craig was coming home late from being in Chicago and I had put aside a great dinner for him--2 chops, rice, and broccoli, covered with plastic wrap.

I read Ainslie two stories.

I heard something in the kitchen. Joe had eaten the ENTIRE plate of food. This is not the first time he's done something like this. One night we accidentally left the pantry door open a crack when we went out and he ate an entire loaf of bread. He routinely gets the trash can out and spreads coffee grounds around the kitchen. I loathe and despise this animal.

So anyway, after the pork chop incident, I lost it. I started just screaming unintelligibly, to avoid using words I'd have to explain about later. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to call Craig to tell him he would not, after all, have dinner waiting for him, when Ainslie got all wide-eyed.

"Mommy! Are you calling...GOD?"

Get out there!

Did YOU?

In a nutshell

December 20 was a long time ago.

I still believe cats are vile. With every fiber of my being.

Other than vile cats, things have been busy! Christmas was wonderful and the 26th, Ainslie and I took off to LS to "bring the mountain to Mohammad." Besides a great visit with Grammie and Grampie, I got to see/meet Cathy, Tammy, and their cute kiddos AND play with my friend since dirt, Heater Mo Has. It was almost like Christmas break during college, except that now I'm old.

Two weeks later, Ainslie got to go back to Grammie and Grampie's while Craig and I went on a cruise. Bliss. Warm, sunny bliss. The only dark cloud was that we missed Ainslie--she would have LOVED this cruise. There was a parade every night with dancing in the 'street.' We are planning to take her next year.

Back home, it was nice to get back into our routine--until--Ainslie and I got a nasty stomach virus. I have not been this sick since 1986. I think Craig was a little freaked out, since he has never known me to really be sick. Thankfully (and miraculously), he didn't catch it, and was able to take care of us.

In Ainslie news, she is obsessed with Annie. She wants to be Annie, and "sing on a stage--not just steps like at school and church--a really big (dramatic pause) ... STAGE." I love this kid. She may look more like Craig, but on the inside, she has her mommy's dramatic heart.

While in LS, she gave my very Republican parents a civics lesson. "We vote for Barack Obama because he's the good guy. Did you know I'm going to be President when I grow up? Well, I'm going to be *everything* when I grow up, you know."

This went over much better than the time she informed my Bushie dad that "George Bush is mean and he tells lies." It may be the truth, but diplomacy, Kiddo, diplomacy.

Speaking of voting, I am all atwitter for Super Tuesday tomorrow. I have taken Ainslie to vote with me every time since she's been here. It gets me all choked up to explain the process to her. She is looking forward to going tomorrow also. We'll go before preschool and I'll get her her own sticker. We'll wear red, white and blue. (Of course I'll be wearing my "January 20, 2009" shirt. It's getting close!) We got books about voting and the Statue of Liberty at the library today. I forgot the Super Bowl was on this weekend, but I'll be tuned in to the results tomorrow!

That's about it for us. Go vote tomorrow!

Cats are Vile

If only I'd faked an allergy when Craig and I first started dating.

Spelling is easy, it's the TH sound that's hard.

I was getting coats out of the closet to take Ainslie to school and she comes running to me, yelling, "Mommy, Mommy, I spelled a real word on the 'frigerator! Come see! I spelled Fot! F-O-T! I sounded it out all by myself! F-O-T! Fot!"

So, I go running to see, and sure enough, there it is, "Fot."

I had to ask.

After getting all excited and telling her how proud I was of her sounding out words all by herself--I HAD to know.

"What's "Fot" Honey?"

"FOT--you know, a fot!"
"Fart?"

(giggle) "No, Mom, not fawt. Fot. Like when I'm finking about somefing."

So, all the way to school, I tell her how smart she is and what a good speller she is--she spelled it JUST like it sounds!

Then, I have to push it."Ainslie--what would you change if you wanted to spell, "got?"

(giggle) "Oh, Mom, that's not a real word!"

Gloria In Excelsis Deo! Again!

Ainslie's antics today in Penney's made me think of this post from 2 years ago.

I was returning some curtains and buying some window hardware, and she was running from curtain display "house" to house. She was also shouting, "Glory to God in the Highest! Glory to God in the Highest!"

Now, there is a screaming three-year old moment that nobody in these parts is going to give a withering stare!

I can't wait to see the preschool Christmas program next week!

Cart Ride

While grocery shopping yesterday, I was unabashedly singing along with the Christmas music. (Does anyone else do this?) Oooh, oooh, one of my favorites--Sleigh Ride!

10 minutes later, while perusing the frozen foods, Ainslie added a new verse.

Giddyup, Giddyup, my leg is cold!

I'm still giggling about it.

Catching my breath

Today was my last day of teaching for the quarter, and I'm not teaching next quarter--YAY! Of course, I still have a zillion papers to grade, but I'm breathing a nice sigh of relief.

Still lots of work on the other project, plus, you know, hosting Christmas and all, but whoohoo--what freedom to not have to be somewhere, dressed up, in the middle of my other jobs.

Amazing how much better I feel!

I've also been trying to let more things go--and finding just a tiny bit of success. When did I develop a Bree complex? New picture for the Christmas card? Nah--I'm using one from the Gap contest that I liked. Letter for the Christmas card? Nah--most people know what's going on with me anyway. Make my own cards? Not this year!

Anyway, I'm just rambling. I should be reading a zillion gb file to discuss with the client on Thursday, but, you know, I'm trying to slow down a bit.

Profound thoughts of my little diplomat

"Mom, what does it mean to crash a party?"

"It means that you go to a party that you were not invited to--it's very rude."

"Like when Maleficent showed up at the party and put a spell on the baby?"

"Yes! Exactly like that."

"Mom? Do you think that if the king and queen would have invited Maleficent, maybe she wouldn't have been so mean?"

No More Thursdays and Something is Wrong With Me

Two titles for two posts, but they are related.

I'm done with Thursdays. No more class on Thursday, thanks to Thanksgiving and finals week. No more small group on Thursdays. This one is over, and really, I can't do another one for awhile.

That's where the other title comes in. I've had the nagging feeling for the past couple weeks that something is not right. I sometimes have trouble breathing. I've had insomnia for the first times in my life. I can't focus on one thing very long. Stress. I know it is, but I can't relax. I get even more stressed at the thought of nothing to do--which is really weird, because I could really use a break.

In my head, I'm at least a month ahead. I'm all but finished Christmas shopping, and the gifts are wrapped.

The Project That Won't End (or Begin) is in constant Hurry Up and Wait Mode, so I get all worked up, thinking that I have to get going on what I can, as quickly as possible, then, while we wait--I think that the house needs to be immaculate, all laundry done, meals planned and made ahead, etc.

Ridiculous.

I know I'm being ridiculous, but physiologically, something is off.

Two more weeks of class on Mondays and Tuesdays, and then we'll see. I know I need to be still. I know I need to listen. I know I need to chill.

Efficiency has always been something I've valued. As we were taking a final look at our values last night in LifeKeys, I had a mini-epiphany. Maybe I need to change my values? Maybe doing things quickly and ahead is not what is best for me, my personality, my passions, and most importantly, my child. Am I teaching Ainslie to never be still? (At the moment we're ok--she's chilled in front of Little Einsteins,) but it seems like we are always doing something, because I can't just Be.

In the group last night, we were also talking about when we felt we might put what we've discovered about ourselves to use, and that God doesn't necessarily mean for us to make changes Right This Minute. I said that I felt like changes are coming, and that I see things I want to do, maybe in a year.

My answer was by far the farthest away. Most people said within weeks. To me, a year doesn't seem that far away, and that scares me a little.

I don't feel sad. Or angry. Or hopeless, desperate or despondent. Just tense and frazzled. Think hummingbird on steroids.

We are planning on taking a vacation in January. Of course, besides thinking how nice it will be and how much we need to take a break, I get all tense thinking about where I will be on The Project by then.

Thank You, Lord, for my Daughter

4:30 AM.

A: Mom, I need to snuggle with you.
Me: Ok. You'll need to take off your wings and crown.


Somehow, it was necessary for her to change into a fairy costume, complete with tights, for the long trek to our bedroom.

Chewing and chewing and chewing

Week 4 of 10 of this quarter teaching...
Week 4 of 8 of the LifeKeys class at church (that I volunteered to help with a looong time ago, not knowing when it was actually happening)
Week ? of ? of a nice juicy project
Preschool, dance, and gymnastics (oh, my!)

I've taken a big ol' bite.

Right now, Monday night Ainslie goes to dance, I go to teach.
Tuesday, we have preschool, then Ainslie has lunch with Grampa while I teach, then I go back to teach at night.
Wednesday morning we have gymnastics.
Thursday is a repeat of Tuesday, except that we have LifeKeys and Ainslie plays with her beloved Ms. L in the church nursery--then we race home to try to catch The Office. :-)

Meanwhile, I'm working (training) more than usual, and next week it's going to start being a lot more.

It's good. I like being busy. I like that Christmas and the dining room furniture are covered.
It's too much. I hate grading 80 papers a week. Craig is pitching in, but the house is...not up to anybody's standards.
It's only 10 weeks (at least for teaching these three sections), and it's nearly half over. A person can do anything for 6 weeks, right?

Go Ask Alice

My mom finished Ainslie's Alice in Wonderland costume, and it is adorable.

When Ainslie tried it on, she gasped at her reflection and said, "oh, Mommy, I am Alice!"

But--

Every time--every time--she talks to someone about it, you know, random people in public who ask her what she's dressing up as for Halloween, it goes something like this:

Random Person: What are you going to be for Halloween?
A: Alice in Wonderland
RP: Oh, that will be so pretty. Did your mommy make your costume?
A: Oh, no! Mommy can't sew! Not at all. Grammie made it.

I've accepted the fact that activities that require precision and attention to detail are not in the cards for me, but really, does she have to announce it like that?

I love this kid

After a harrowing no-nap day with my husband in Chicago and no break from the constant chatter, Ainslie and were finally snuggled together in her bed, and she wanted to read.

She can read a few words. I wouldn't say she'll be into War and Peace any time soon, but she can read a few words and I just love that electric spark that goes through us both when she really, really reads a new word. It's just magical!

Anyway, you know how those 'learn-to-read' books have rhymes and pictures so the kids can figure out what the words are? Well, this page was different. It said,
"Some kids play music and
some kids play sports."

She's getting "kids" and "play" out of all of this, and yes, this is largely because of the repetition within the book, BUT--she asked, "Mom, what's a sport?"

My response was that a sport is a game or activity where you use your body, like soccer, gymnastics, baseball...

"...or quidditch?"

YES, like quidditch! I love my daughter!

Apparently

I am the sort of person who can hate a little kitten. I really, really detest Joe the Kitten. Yearning for a pet-free existance...

Sophie, the kitten, is a boy (m )

Yes. Apparently Craig and I are unable discern between male and female cats. Fortunately, the vet can.

When I told Ainslie, her first response was that, "maybe we should call her Joe instead." On further reflection, she has slipped into the Denial Stage.

I guess the spaying appt will have to be reworded.