Hey, NEMO!

Did I mention that Katie LOVES her Nemo costume?

She wears it just about every day.

See below for an example.....

Santa Spoiler Part Two

Okay, so I just realized that if there's no Santa that means there's no Easter Bunny and no Tooth Fairy.

Bummer.

Here's something really deep. 

Why did the Peanuts kids make fun of Linus for believing in the Great Pumpkin?  Santa is okay, but the Great Pumpkin is not?  What kind of message does that send?  Those kids are completely intolerant of people with different belief systems.  It's not right, I tell ya. 

I have more thinking to do.

Sorry, no videos or photos in this one.

Just me blabbing.

I made the worst tacos ever last night.  I have no idea what I did.  I admit that I did rubberize the chicken by overcooking.  But, I've done that before and have been able to salvage.  I put chili pepper in there.  I put some cumin in there.  They tasted like, um, nothing.  Nothing.  The avocado had more taste than the chicken taco meat.  They were horrible.

Last week, I managed to make instant mashed potatoes from scratch.  Yep.  You read that right. I must have overcooked the potatoes and then added way too much moisture.  It tasted like it was prepared fresh out of the box.  I am so talented.

Katie had Flamingo (a recently acquired 'guy') on her potty yesterday.  He was busy going poopy.  Then I hear this, "Flamingo is taking a dump."  I wonder who she picked that up from?

GmaF came for a visit this weekend.  We did lots of fun stuff and even went to see 'Lucy', a famous australiopithecus afarensis, who was visiting town.  Do you know that she's 3.2 million years old?  Anyways, Katie had three huge temper tantrums in one day.  That, my friends, is a record.  Kicking, screaming, crying.  I think we were the hit of the museum.  We certainly put on a show exiting the building.  They'll be talking about us for weeks.

**SANTA SPOILER AHEAD**

I am seriously considering whether or not to get Katie into the whole Santa Claus thing.  First of all, there's the whole lying thing.  Then there is the consumerism, the commercialism, the 'big-brother is watching you' aspect....

That said, I don't remember having much trouble getting over the Santa thing.  I had fun perpetuating the myth for my younger sisters.  I know that I got excited about getting presents from him every year and I'm sure that my parents had a good time sneaking presents under the tree and eating the cookies we left out each year.

But, then I think about all the presents that I got from SANTA over the years.  Instead of thinking to myself, "Wow.  Santa is one real cool dude for getting me that Caveman video game!"  I shoulda been thinking, "My parents rock."  After I found out about the Santa myth as a kid, I didn't go back and thank my parents for all the hard work.  Okay, so no kid would say thanks out loud.  But, I could've thought about it.  You see, I didn't even think twice about it until JUST NOW.  How lame is that?  Sigh.  Sorry, Mom & Dad.

Now that I wrote that paragraph up there, it seems like as a parent I want to get all the thanks. It seems a bit selfish.  Sigh.

Katie is too young NOT to think that Santa is real.  She has created a whole world in which Lightning McQueen gets a flat tire and then needs a hug.  A world in which she and Mickey Mouse catch Big Red Gooey Fish for Mr. Pettibone.

So, I'm not quite sure if these guys really exist for her.  They're invisible to me but she can tell me exactly where they are sitting in the room.  It's hard to know if she comprehends make believe yet or if she is just doing it.

That last sentence, like, totally doesn't make sense.   

I don't know.  Maybe we'll just celebrate Festivus.

So, I thought to myself, "Self, there are way too many videos of Katie on this here website!  I think it's time that I share some of the spotlight with other deserving folks."

Here's a guest spot from Uncle Nick.

He so craaaaaazeeeeee!

Throwin' a fist-bump your way, Big Guy.

"Orange Pumpkins on Halloween Night!"

Halloween was awesome this year.  Katie really got into it.  See that title up above?  Well, Katie made that up.  It's her Halloween song (it only has that one line, but it's still totally cool).  

She's actually been talking about pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and all things Halloween since the beginning of September.  Here are some of the Halloween festivities.....

Last weekend we went to a Halloween Carnival/Fundraiser.

Katie had a great time participating in such classic games as:

Ring Around The Bat, Spooky Golf and the ever popular, Bean Bag Toss.

This was one of her favorites.  Magnetic Fishing.

This week, one of the playgroup Mom's hosted

a Halloween party for the kiddies.  There were turkey hotdogs,

cheese sticks, watermelon chunks and Halloween cookies.  

Ah.  Could there be a better lunch menu for a toddler?

Now, when have you ever seen Batman, a cheerleader and a fish sit down

together for a nice story?  Never, huh.  Now you can say you have.

On Thursday night, we carved out Katie's pumpkin.

At first she was reluctant to stick her hands into the goopies.

But, she overcame that aversion very quickly.

Halloween day was dedicated to pumpkins.  Katie and I made

pumpkin bread together.  She helped me use the hand mixer, stir up the

ingredients, and also taste tested everything.  Including the flour.

Here is Katie's patented 'Double Spoon Stirring Technique'.

Please, do NOT try this at home.

We decided to attend a downtown Trick-or-Treat festival.

The bakery handed out cookies and the donut shop handed out, what else,

donuts!!!

Hey, look!  I found Nemo!

As soon as we got home, Katie wanted to start in

on her candy.  Because of the allergies, I took out ALL the

candy in her bowl and replaced it with four dum-dum lollipops and

some Smarties.  She didn't care for the Smarties, but loved the lollipops.  

She loved them so much, she felt the need to share

the joy with Daddy.

And so, Halloween is over.  Katie is already prepping for the

next big holiday.  We've got our Thanksgiving library books

out on the table for her to peruse.  It's time to let go of the

pumpkins and embrace the turkey.

But for now, it's good night from

Halloween town!

Happy Halloweenie!!!

 (Don't worry, I'll post some costume pictures soon!)

What're You Eating?

An Instructional Video by Katie

Leaves

Katie was looking out the sliding glass door onto the deck the other day.  She was just standing there lost in thought.

All of a sudden, we heard a sob followed by, "LEEEAAAVVVEEESSS!!!!!" Then, she began to cry.

We figured out that she wanted to go outside and get some leaves. Since it was dark, rainy and cold, Huzbend went outside and picked one up for her.  I patted it dry and gave it to her.  She carried it around with her for about ten minutes (a long time for a toddler to carry a leaf) before dropping it on the living room floor.  Our guess is that she wanted to save it.

She's noticed the leaves falling out of the trees.  I've explained to her a few times that the leaves change color and fall out of the trees when it gets colder.  They go Bye-Bye for the winter and then grow back in the Spring.  She'll see that when it gets warmer they'll start out as Baby Leaves (buds) and then grow and grow and grow until they are great big green leaves again.

I think that she is sad that the leaves are falling off the trees.  Maybe she thinks it hurts them somehow.  Her little heart is breaking for the leaves.

Yesterday, before a car trip she had to pick up two leaves to take on the trip with us.

Now, how am I going to explain when we pack all the leaves up into the yard waste bin to be taken away by the garbage truck?  Sigh.

I guess we'll know we're really in trouble when she starts naming them.

The Pumpkin Patch

Today we visited a pumpkin patch

with our preschool class.

 

Katie was not impressed with the

displays of pumpkin-headed people.

"No.  No like dat......"

She did, however, like the orange pumpkin 

cookie she got during storytime.

Yummy.

"Dis one!  You take it home and make

it jack-o-lantern!"

Hmmmmmmm?  Whaaaaat'ssssss thissssss?

A lonely ole' mud puddle?

Here, Mr. Mud Puddle, let me give you a nice, big....

......SPLASH!!

A preschool buddy also took pity on Mr. Mud Puddle.

At the end of 15 minutes of muck-splashing mayhem, he was a well

loved Mr. Mud Puddle indeed.

Here's the final product.

Nowadays, the only way I can get Katie to look at the camera and smile is to

call her one of the characters from the movie "Cars".  

The other parents milling about must have thought I was absolutely nuts.

(The preschool parents already know me.  I think.)  

Not only was Katie covered in smelly farm mud, but here I was yelling out

like some sort of freakish paparazzi......   

HEY!  LIGHTNING MCQUEEN!  LIGHTNING MCQUEEN!

LOOK!  LOOK HERE!

LOOK AT MOMMY!  TOW MATER!

Man.  Two year olds are awesome.

You busy girl.

Katie has a allergy.  Mommy Daddy eat something.  There's no soy in that, noooooooo.  Squirl eat nuts.  Katie eat nuts, no.

What's Joooey doing?

Katie went to the ospital!  Doctor gave you medicine.  You get ice fream too.  And Nemo too. All Katie's pals get medicine at Katie's house.  Thomas.  Rosie. Percy.  Billy.  All sick.  Sometimes everybody get ice fream too.  But, no Nemo.

Mr. Pettibone a kitten.  Mr. Pettibone is walking with us.  He likes to eat big red gooey fish.  Mr. Pettibone came in the car to preschool.  It smells like big red gooey fish in here.

Katie get up on chair in kitchen.  You do work on the pewter, like Daddy.  You typed on it.

Katie Mommy go to beach in kitchen.  Sit on blankit and cook marshmello.  It's dark in here. No ghosts come in to house to say hi, noooooooo.  Mommy say no ghosts.

Katie like punkins.  Punkins orange.  Punkins make jack-o-lantern.  Smiley face punkin. Punkins at Halloween!

Lightnin McQueen is chasing us.  Watch out!

Naked Baby go on slide with Katie.  One.....two.....free.....RACE!  Fall down into the seal poopies. Naked Baby slip on the seal poopie.  I got a Baby Whale.  Baby Whale is hungry.  He wants something to eat.

You want a cheese stick....one more time. 

You a Dancin Queen!  You a Dancin Tow Mater!  Put music on to dance in living room!  Look at Katie gooooooooo!  Get down, Katie! 

Bye-bye.