kaleidoscope

The following random tidbits from our recent life are in no particular order of importance, humor or time.

- We are HARD CORE in potty training mode. I think Bit's been ready for awhile, but it took me about a month to realize that when she was saying "poot," she actually meant "pee." (Note: "poop" is "poop" for her, so that's why I didn't think it meant "poop.") And when you're a potty training family, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, translates to potty training -- from the cat going "potty" in the litter box, to the child clapping excitedly and yelling "Yay Mommy! Yaaay!" when I walk out of the bathroom after doing my business.

- While we're on the subject of potty training, I also discovered that the swirling water of a flushing toilet looks very enticing to a toddler. Enticing enough to stick her hands in, then wipe all over her face. Um . . . EUW!

(I have a few pictures of Allie sitting on the pot that I sent to a few family members, and as always, she is SUPER adorable, but I won't embarrass the poor child by posting them, here or on Facebook). :)

- Allie has somehow learned how to fake sleep/snore. She also knows that we can see her through the monitor camera above her crib. So when she goes to bed, I'll hear a loud, fake "hoooonk....shoooooo" followed by fake snoring, followed by her glancing up at the camera and waving to me before starting the whole process again.

- Her vocabulary and communication skills have really blossomed over the past few weeks. She says "danks!" (thanks) when I hand her something, "beh-boo" (bless you) when she hears someone sneezing, both without being prompted! She also signs "Jesus" every night before we say bedtime prayers. My aunt had taught her this sign once when we were up in New York last month, and she remembers it and uses it in context.

- I've decided on this year's Halloween costumes for our family. Allie will be Boo from Monsters Inc., I'll be Mike Wazowski, and Justin will be Sully. I think we can definitely pull it off!

- Our cats find sick pleasure in sitting in 1) my laundry basket full of clean clothes, or 2) the piles of clean clothes that I've already folded. I was folding laundry the other day, and had already kicked Olive out of the basket several times. Wem sauntered over, and I warned him to not sit in my laundry.

Clearly, he didn't listen.

- I double French braided Bit's hair this weekend. It turned out pretty nice, if I do say so myself. :)

- There's just something so precious and innocent about a sleeping child.

- A few weeks ago when we got home from daycare, I turned around to tell her that we were home, and found her in this pose, looking bored as heck.

- When I collapsed at work and went to the ER, Mrs. Amber sent me this picture, with the caption: "Blowing mommy a kiss. Praying for you!" Made my heart smile.

- I told my 4 year old stepson, Davis, that he looked spiffy. He tugged on his pant legs and said, "Yeah, these are 4T."

- Mrs. Amber took the kiddos on a field trip to Giggle Bugs Bounce House. The last time we were at Monkey Joe's, Allie refused to go in any of the giant blow-up bounce houses or slides, but attempted to crawl up the ski ball machine in the arcade area. She seemed to have fun at Giggle Bugs though.

And that's all for now.