Fun Friday

This week for "Mommy Friday" we went to a park to play, then went into Salt Lake to have lunch with Toby. Robbie quite enjoyed himself at the park and was very adventurous and daring about what he wanted to try (basically, everything). He wanted me to "spot" him on the ladders but didn't actually want any hands-on help.

He's getting so much bigger and more imaginative. He's started having a lot more imaginary conversations on imaginary phones with his Daddy, Grumpy and Grummy. A typical conversation - which he had in the car right after we left the park...went like this:

"Hello Grumpy."
"You at home?"
"Grummy at work."
"Yea, Mommy at Work"
"Ok"
"Bye!"


The funniest part of this was that halfway through the one-sided conversation, he put down his "phone" (my iPod) and put his had on my arm and said "You quiet, ok? I'm on the phone."

It's interesting how having a toddler is like having a mirror pointed back at you showing your behaviors. He was mimicking me and in that moment I was very happy that I am normally pretty patient and reasonable when I ask him to be quiet while I'm on the phone.

We're not always so lucky when he repeats back our behaviors for us.

A Reason to Scrapbook

Before we had Robbie, my main hobby was scrapbooking. Once Robbie was born this came to a screeching halt; first because I didn't have time - and then because the only time I had were his naps. Anyone with a napping newborn can understand why I was reluctant to pick up a hammer and start pounding brads into paper. The other probem was that by the time I dragged out all my stuff and decided what to do - nap time was over.

In the last 2.5 years, exactly 0 scrapbooking has taken place. Recently though, I've had a renewed interest and I have Robbie to thank for it.

He's started looking through my old scrapbooks (there are only two) and takes great delight in all that he sees there. For example, he finds it amazing (his word, not mine) that his mom is friends with Buzz Lightyear. There is a picture of me with the character from our honeymoon trip to D-land.

Whenever he asks to pull down a scrapbook he looks at the whole thing front to back and then back to front, naming everyone he sees as he goes. He's starting to ask why there aren't any pictures of him.....so I guess I better catch up on some album making!

More Conversations in a Car

"Hey did I tell you how proud I am of you? You kept your hands in your pockets just like Mom asked. That was really great."

"Thanks Mommy."

"You're Welcome!"

"I want french fries."

He cracks me up. He's so grown up sometimes and then alternately so toddler-ish with that ultra-short attention span.

The conversation above happened after we went to Homebodies - a boutique in Tooele where we were going to pick up a coffee table. Like I told him, he was such a good boy even thought he was just itching to touch all the cute little curiosities in that shop.

Rest in Pieces, Rosie

My neighbor came to my door this afternoon to tell me that his dog had gotten into my backyard and had himself a snack. You guessed it - chicken nuggets. Apparently, his dog brought one of my chickens (Rosie) home in his mouth - quite proud of himself.

I can't find the other missing chicken. I keep finding black feathers Rosie must have lost in her struggle but no sign of Giblet or her (blond) feathers. I keep seeing this image of Robbie stumbling upon an eviscerated chicken some time in the next week and that sends me out looking again to see if I can find it.

I am just so glad this happened while Robbie was at his cousin's house and not while we were playing in the back yard.

There are just so many things I want to rant about - my neighborhood's lax policy of letting their dogs run wild being number one. All the time and effort spent on raising them from day old chicks being washed away without a single egg is number two. My neighbor wants to pay me for them. A chick costs $2.79 at IFA. When you factor in the time and effort spent to raise them to date, three bucks is a joke.

Mostly I am just really bummed. I know they aren't as cuddly as kittens and most people don't see the attraction, but I am really fond of my chickens. Robbie and I have had a lot of fun looking after them.

I Won't Quit My Day Job

I've recently had to add another item to my repertoire; voice over work. Don't worry I won't be hosting my own morning radio show anytime soon - but the client that keeps asking me to do this doesn't mind the sounds so I suppose I'll be doing it every week for a while.

I also do the photography and video editing that makes this little "episode" possible. So do me a favor, if you have a YouTube account, leave a comment on the video. Some suggestions are;

1. Wow - great video editing! Who do you use?
2. Wow - that narrator has a sexy voice!
3. Wow - that product sounds really cool. Do you give quantity discounts?

In case you didn't know - number two was a joke. Please don't say that!

Mommy Friday #3

Since today is another "Mommy Friday" when I don't work, we had a field trip.

First we had a little mommy-son breakfast date at - where else - McDonalds! Robbie was very excited to get some "McCancakes" as he kept calling them. After eating he played in the PlayPlace and actually climbed up the platform stairs about 15 feet - something he's never tried to do before. When he got to the top he pressed his face up against the mesh and yelled "Hi Mommeeee!" in his standard I-only-know-one-volume voice.

After breakfast we went to the new children's book store in Tooele called the Purple Cow. The world has fewer and fewer independent bookstores every week so I was very happy one was opening in Tooele. The staff was incredibly sweet and helpful, bringing over books he might like and saying how cute he was. They were the grandmotherly sort - as opposed to the high school sort you get at a chain store.

We had a hard time deciding but eventually came away with these keepers.




When we got home we played "hide and seek" Robbie style. This means he tells me where to hide, then runs away - counts - and comes and finds me. When he finds me he shrieks with glee and excitement as if he didn't expect to find me there. I can't help but get excited too.

However, one time he was counting, he went all the way to nine without missing any numbers...so I might have saved my money on the "Olivia Counts" book. Doesn't seem like he needs it!