Everyday is Start of Something Beautiful

(Part III)

Erika and I find a place to park not too far from the lovely Bluebird Theatre. I think I saw Duran Duran here back in 99 but it didn't look at all familiar so maybe not. It was about 10 minutes until the show actually started. There was only one door open, they were checking IDs and so there were a few people in a line just to get in. They opened a new door, we went in it. We headed inside and were able to get right up front and off to stage right. A got a call on my phone and listened to the voice mail, it was about the single ticket for the next night. I wondered what I should do. The Break and Repair Method would come on with only us standing there for 5 minutes. Their set was just as excellent as the night before, but the sound was better. Every time they started another song, Erika and I would smile at each other because we remembered it and how awesome it was. Then we would also just look at each other and smile because, holy crap, we're in freaking Colorado at the Matt Nathanson concert that we didn't think we'd be getting into! During their set, Erika and I decided we needed to get their CD, no question, I would have bought it in Salt Lake, but Trish needed the rest of my cash so she could get a shirt too. After they were done I decided that since Erika wanted to spend time with her family, if she would let me borrow her car, I would take the single ticket, but not for the $60 I was willing to pay thinking that the Boulder show would be do or die and so I was willing only to pay $45 (for the $20 ticket) so after Erika agreed that she could go see a movie with her brother that night and I could take her car, I sent the person a text. We texted throughout the set of the next opener (since she sucks so much I'm not even going to write her name) and finally she decided that it was not fair that I agreed to pay more earlier and was only willing to pay as much as someone else had already agreed to pay. I told her to go ahead and give the other girl the ticket. I think she was disappoint to lose the extra $15, but now I had already paid for one ticket, I needed to make sure I didn't spent too much money on another one. But Erika and I decided that was the plan: get me a ticket and she'd hang out with her family.

Matt opened with the same song but it's a great opener, mostly the beginning of the set was the same, except for he played Sad Songs instead Weight of it All, then when he got to Sing Me Sweet, which he had played in Salt Lake, but he played the Letter to Elise bridge! We actually listened to a show from 2005 when he did that and I never thought he would play it! If you don't know, Letter to Elise is my favorite Cure song, it's the song that really got me into the Cure. So Yeah! I screamed like a maniac. There was a lot of people talking and being drunk in general, and Matt spent some time trying to get people to at least be respectful. If Matt can hear you onstage while he's playing, it's a bit much. Matt always handles it in a funny way, but still.

It was so weird because the crowd was so different from the Salt Lake crowd. People were singing, but no one was bopping around, people looked a little bored and/or drunk. They just didn't seem as into it, while the people in Utah we're obviously really into the show and having a good time.


He played Amazing Again (again), which is funny to me, because when I listen to that album, I always listen to that song twice before listening to the rest of the album, so hearing it twice was actually perfect for me. he did Suspended solo again and then brought the opener out to help him with Loud, which is from my favorite as well, and it was so fun watching him while she sang the other part of the duet. He mouthed the words and smiled like crazy, I loved it.

The band came back to All we Are which was a nice mellow transition back to the band. We did the Take on Me sing along again, and my side lost again! Maybe I'm bad luck! But it was still fun and I figured out some of the words from the second verse.

Ended with Detroit Waves again, but minus the Eminem bit. Similar banter about how they were going to pretend it was their last song, we would yell and clap and they would come and do the songs already listed on the set list but only because they loved us so much.

When they came back (after being already on the helicopter) and played a cover of All I have to Do is Dream, which we all know. I have a little clip of it posted on Youtube, since I thought it was so cool, but at the same time the trip and the lateness of the hour was catching up to us. I remember that i wanted to be really excited, but I couldn't muster enough energy, so I could only be moderately excited. It was also almost midnight and the concert, which could be the only one was coming to a close, now the only song left was Come On Get Higher, which we had heard several times that day already, even though it's a great song, the mystery for the evening was gone. But we still grooved to it and appreciated that we never planned on being here, so we were lucky. We also decided that we needed to send a thank you note to the person who sold us their tickets.

After the show the band members were breaking down the set, and John Thomasson jumped down and talked to us. I had snagged a poster from the front door and so I had him sign that. We told him about our adventure and he was impressed. We wanted to talk to the rest of the band (and of course Matt) and so we hung out while the venue people tried to kick us out again. There was a tiny entrance room outside the stage area, and I was hoping that Matt would show up there to sign and meet people. At first we pretended with were with the band and so didn't have to leave, but we could only fake that for so long, then we hung out at the little bar area for a bit, but it was obvious that they wanted us out. So we saw some of the first band The Break and Repair Method outside and there were also buses and people moving equipment, so we figured that couldn't be too bad. Outside we met the drummer (Mr Smiley) and the guitar player and I got a picture with the drummer, whose name is Ryan. We told them how much we loved them and that we show them in Utah. I told Ryan he was my favorite new drummer and I hugged him. He in turn invited Erika and I to the after party which was at a bar called Streets of London, and as fun as hat would be, it was late and we were exhausted. We told him about our plight for a ticket for the next night, but said that since they were the opening band, they didn't really have any tickets they could give to people. I accosted each other member of Matt's band and got signatures and photos. I was glad to get a photo with Konrad. He seemed very impressed with our tale of driving all day and getting tickets last minute. He shook my hand several times and was very sweet. I had Aaron pause in his work of getting everyone's stuff onto the bus (seriously, everyone else is standing around and working intermittently, but Aaron, he's always working) and he took a very serious looking picture with me.

We asked if Matt was coming out, since there weren't really any other fans left, it was band members and roadies. Aaron said that he was with friends but would probably be coming out. There were 2 other girls waiting for Matt, that was it. At this point we felt a bit stalker-ish, but we'd come so far and it could be our last chance to see Matt, and they didn't say he wouldn't come out, so we waited. The other girl had a tattoo on her foot which we learned was her name in Hebrew.

Matt popped out of the tour bus, which means there must have been another door to that things that we couldn't see, we'd been guarding it closely. He talked to the other girls and we took their picture for them. He recognised the Hebrew writing on the girl's foot right away, which was neat. He saw us and smiled. He gave us hugs and we took a picture together. He asked how we'd been and Erika asked him if he really wanted to know. He was all sorts of intrigued. Erika related our story about tickets and the drive. He was really impressed. I apologized for my annoying behavior 2 nights prior. I explained that I felt like anything I wanted to say to him needed to be said soon, since he probably wouldn't be able to do meet and greets with fans anymore since he was getting to be a bigger artist. He told me that he was the master of his own destiny. I said that he would have to be more like Tori Amos and have the fans behind the cattle fences and he laughed and said that he loved Tori, but that Tori also loved Tori and the myth that surrounds her, which sounds weird, but I totally get was he was saying. I thanked him fro playing Letter to Elise and that we had been listening to a show from 2005 that day where he'd done the same thing. He said he's played it a few time this tour and talked about the new Cure record. We were both apprehensive about it. I told him that my favorite album was Still Waiting For Spring and he said I must have been glad to hear Loud, I said that I was and also Amazing Again two concerts in a row and I explained the way I listen to that album and song over and over. I told him that while Disintegration may have been the best album ever at the time, Still Waiting for Spring was my pick for only album on a deserted island. Erika took a photo of us, but thinking she wanted us to pose he got distracted and we then faked an action shot while I got to say "Okay,act like I totally just said something funny."

He asked if we were headed to see them in Boulder, I told him that we were going to try, but we'd have to see how things went. He told us to try and get tickets, but if we couldn't just to find one of his people. Now I've given thought to this kind of situation when things have not gone well for me at concerts, so I asked him how that would work, how I would find his people. And he said "No, you know what, you've come too far. Don't worry about it. I'll put you on my guest list." Then he wrote my name (first and last!) on his hand and wrote +1. Matt Nathanson had my FULL name written on his HAND. The one he holds the guitar neck and microphone with. I rock. We said thank you and that we wouldn't keep him any longer, we'd just see him the next night, and he said bye, and as we were taking off his manager yelled "Bye Willow!" and we yelled bye in return and giggled our way back to car. I finally looked at what Matt had written on my poster and it made me giggle even harder "I need Willow" How awesome is that? It was about 2 am now and even though we were insanely tired we still had to drive and find Erika's brother's house. So we didn't get into bed until 2:30 and much giggled happened after that. We were too excited to sleep. I had visions of getting backstage, being let in first before anyone else to the show and things like that. It took a while for my brain to shut down.

Making the Tough Calls

These are going in chronological order, so start at the bottom and work you're way up if you are so inclined.
When I got home from the Salt Lake show I was just still so jazzed, that I hopped right online and found that disappointingly, the Denver show was sold out, but the Boulder show didn't say and when i tried to get tickets, they just said unavailable. There was still hope. I texted Erika and we went back and forth on how we could get tickets and if they were really sold out, and what we would do if they were. Erika was excited to see her family and also to see Matt again. The show was so amazing, it was a ride we didn't want to end so soon.
We decided to try for tickets tomorrow and finalize our plans.
Soon enough it was Sunday and I was trying to get my lesson figured out and still talked to Erika at least twice before church. Tickets for Boulder were also sold out, but the box office said that if there were unclaimed tickets, we might be able to get some. They also recommended Craig's list, which i had never thought of. I spent so much time googling tickets and looking at ticket brokers who didn't even have tickets, but every time someone posted on Craig's list that they had an extra ticket or two, they were gone in minutes. There were only single tickets that we could possibly get. We decided that we needed to get 2 or there was no deal, since it would be terrible if only one of us got to go to a show.
We decided that Boulder was our best bet. It hadn't been sold out as long as Denver and was a smaller town. We were hopefully but not overly optimistic. There was a real possibility that we wouldn't get into either show. Erika posted on Craig's list that we were looking for tickets and gave out her cell number so people could reach us while we traveled. We decided to both head into work on Monday, make our excuses, take care of a few essentials and come home on Wednesday. We would leave late Monday, probably noon, and make it to Erika's brother's house around 8, which is when the Denver show would be starting, so we had pretty much written off that concert all together. I had written to someone on Craig's list and told them that if they wanted to make some extra cash on their $20 ticket, I might be willing to pay $60 for it, since if we had one ticket, it would be easier to get just one more, I reasoned. They said they would get back to me if they were interested.
Erika showed up just before 11 to get me. She was too excited to stay at work, I took almost every Matt CD I owned and we were off after getting gas and snacks.
After we'd been the road about an hour and after we'd been keeping in touch with her brother via texting we got a call from a Colorado number. Thinking it was Erika's bro, we told him to call us back. After a few minutes I noticed that their was a voice mail. I checked it and it was someone from Craig's list about tickets for Matt! I called them back, but since 15 minutes had passed the tickets were gone. We were bummed and decided that since Erika's number was online, I should hang onto her phone to make sure we heard (or felt it) it with the music on. We listened to Matt, I had 2 live CDs and all the albums that I own. We listened to every one of them before we turned on some 80's tunes. The weather was a bit crap in Wyoming and about 3:30 it seemed like the sun had set. It got dark and then we hit Colorado. The scenery was much nicer from what I could tell while there was some residual daylight left. About 45 minutes away from Denver there's another phone call that i answered. I thought it was Erika's sister in law at first, so I didn't quite catch what was going on and it was hard to hear in the car. It was someone else calling about our Craig's list posting. They had tickets for tonight's show and they would give them to us for face value or $25 each. Erika and I decided to go for it, we were going to just make it in time to get the tickets and go. We were lucky that she lived close to the venue so we had Enough time to pick them up since we still had to finish driving to Denver!
We got a little lost on our way to her house, but not too bad, our gas light also came on, so we ended up paying way too much for gas since it was 20 cents cheaper just one block farther, but you can't chance those things. The girl whose tickets we were getting was so nice. She was a med student and had to study that night. It was a Monday, even if it felt like a weekend to us.
It was such a cute neighborhood, all little older houses with no driveways or garages.
We flew to the Walgreen's and got dressed and put on new deodorant and make up since we'd been sitting in a gross car for 8 hours. Then it was on to the show!!!!

First of the Gang

Wow, it's been a whirlwind adventure, but now I'm here to catch my breath.
First off the Salt Lake show, be patient with me, I've been to 3 shows in 4 days and sat in a car for over 18 hours to do it.

Salt Lake! What a show! Let's get started.

I spent time figuring out what I wanted to wear and trying not to get too excited. Around 3 pm I left my house and headed over to Erika's to help her finish get ready and for a final opinion about my choice of outfits. I wanted to be there at 4:30 and that's when Magen got to the venue. and called us while we were on our way there. She could hear Matt sound checking, he was playing Car Crash! So we drove fast and got there to hear some more songs. Mostly he played covers, things I didn't recognize that weren't Matt songs. We were standing by the stage door so we could hear, but then we saw other people heading up to the main door, so I sent my friends to go and stand by the door so that I could keep listening. But they let us into the front door, so I had to leave my little spot and go stand just inside the venue and so we could hear the rest of the sound check and then the other band started their sound check and I mostly didn't pay attention. There was a poster up for some band called Aiden that had a picture of Morrissey and Michael Jackson photoshopped onto a picture of 2 people boxing and that formed enough of a conundrum to keep me thinking until Trish got there with our food. Mmm Arbys! They kicked us outside to wait in the cold for a little while and then we got to finally and officially go inside. It sucked though because the people who had gotten tickets through the pre-sale were all will-call, and so they had to line up in a different line with the people who didn't have tickets at all. But Trish was the only mega fan to buy her tickets early enough, so she had to go stand all by herself. So lame.

They opened the doors and we ran in and right up front. I was just stage left of the center monitor that Matt would be standing in front of, so it was a good place to be. The opening band came out. They had a lovely little electrical piano set up on stage and when the singer came in, he was wearing Elvis Costello glasses, argyle socks, converse sneakers and suit pants that were cut off at the bottom. I was sold and they didn't need to play anything! Then they started. And I was completely blown away. They were so amazing! Up front where we were the sound was rather muddy, but I could still tell how incredible they were. The singer pounding out the melody on the piano and singing with his gravely, raspy voice and the drummer! He was Mr. Smiley. He was singing along and smiling and rocking out. They are called The Break and Repair Method and I highly recommend them to anyone who likes good music. You can listen to 3 songs at their myspace http://www.myspace.com/thebreakandrepairmethod and make them your friend or you can go their website http://www.thebreakandrepairmethod.com/ and listen to the whole awesome album. Then you will know what greatness truly is.

They played an untitled song and asked what they should call just after they had told a story about playing the night before in Boise. So someone yelled that they should call it Boise, but that's not what he heard. Let's just say it was a pretty dirty word that he heard, so he was shocked that us Mormons would say something like that. But then it got all figured out. These songs rock, really you need to see them live to really get it so here's a youtube of a concert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtpx7BejYe4 it even shows the drummer a bit, so that you get what I'm trying to tell you.

It was during the break between Break and Matt that we heard that David Archeleta was there, up in the sound booth. We couldn't see him very well from where we were, but there were definitely a bunch of people up in that booth. He even vlogged about it! David Archeleta's vlog

He doesn't say too much about it, but it's cool that he was there.

The manager brought out the setlists and while there was one right in front of me I tried not to look at it, I wanted to be surprised. I did see the first song and I also saw that he was going to play "Amazing Again" which, I can tell you that I squealed like a little girl. That's not only my favorite Matt song, it's probably my favorite song ever. But I was getting nervous, the lame guy next to me that kept trying to push me so he could get more in the center was eying it and asked the strange hand if he could have the setlist and they told him he could take it after the concert was over. But then Matt came out, to a Queen song, I'm not sure which one. He came right out and spit his gum onto the setlist by his microphone. The guy didn't look pleased. I was ecstatic! How cool would that be to get matt's gum? Okay I'm a freak, I'm aware of this.

He started off with "Gone" which is really rockin and so much fun. Before "Princess" he of course said how he stole some of the song from Rick Springfield and discovered that "Ghostbusters" And "I Want a New Drug" are pretty much the same song, and played "Living on a Prayer" with "Heaven is a place on Earth" to show that they were also the same song and then said that Rick had nothing on him if those songs could do that.

The crowd was so into his set. The screaming was deafening, after every song, and people were singing along to all the songs, not just the new ones. Before Falling Apart he played the beginning of "In A Big Country" and the original artists have nothing on Matt here, it was beautiful.

I, of course, screamed when he started playing "Amazing Again." I knew it was coming, but still hearing those opening notes I didn't know if I was going to cry or pass out, but it was a totally happy kind of cry. I'd never heard this song live, only on CD or a live recording. He sang the beginning of Losing My Religion during the instrumental part, just like I like it.

For the solo songs he played "Suspended" and during the sing along for the chorus, he said we sounded like we belonged in the tabernacle. He then played "Romeo and Juliet" which is a cover song that I don't love. It's fine, but I would have rather had a Matt song. He was suppose to play Sooner Surrender, but it was nice to get a cover that he doesn't play all he time.

The band came back with "To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts" which is one of my favorite songs from the new album, so fun. Someone called out for "Come on Get Higher" which is really his "hit single" and he said that somethings in life are guaranteed, death, taxes and that he would play that song.

They did a sing along for Ah-Ha's Take on Me, which was fun, it was a totally lounge version and he had each side of the room take turns on the chorus and then judged who was the winner. It wasn't my side! Oh well, it was really fun. Detroit Waves was the last song of the main set which incorporated Kids in America and I think Eminem's 8 mile too, but only a little bit of that. Then he told us that it was the last song in the main set, but we all knew that they had an encore to play but to scream and clap loud anyway.

They came back with Answering Machine which also has a sing along part and is just an incredible song. Finished up with Come on Get Higher. That's right, make the people wait for it, that's makes the night finish on a positive note. I had my buds help me grab the setlist because that guy didn't even want it! Ha!

Now for the after stuff!

Trish and I bought shirts and Erika finally decided on a hoodie and then we got kicked out of the venue. I was a bit concerned that we weren't going to be able to see Matt. Outside we saw little David Archeleta, he was cute and twee, but I didn't take his picture, he had a small crowd around him posing for pictures and autographs, so good for him, it was nice that he came.

We walked to the back of the venue, security was trying to make us believe we needed to leave, but there was a pretty big crowd. I talked to all of Matt's band and got their signatures on my setlist. I felt dumb because I got a hug from the drummer Konrad, but didn't get a picture with him or any other band member. Some guy saw me and said "This girl is a super Matt Nathanson fan!" I asked him how he knew that and he told me that he was the person that I followed backstage after the Park City show 2 years ago. I can't believe he remembered me, I sure didn't remember him.

We were a bit concerned that Matt wasn't going to some out. It was chilly and they were packing up. Erika and I started talking about how much fun it would be to go and see him in Colorado. A Matt road trip had occurred to me, but more for the Boise show the night before since Boise is only a 6 hour drive, but Colorado never crossed my mind. Erika's brother lives there so we could crash with him. My mind was racing, I totally wanted to go! We had so much fun this night, I wanted it to last.

Matt finally popped out from behind all the vehicles and came over to sign stuff and take pictures. He seemed to recognise us (or maybe at least me and Trish since we had seen him and stalked him so many times) and he signed my set list, we took a few pictures, I told him that I was so excited to hear Amazing Again. And he didn't even know who David Archeleta was! Apparently he doesn't watch crap TV. Except for Gossip Girl. We asked if the Denver or Boulder shows were sold out and he didn't know, but said if they weren't, we should totally come and see them again.

Don't I look so blissful?

We got our pictures and Trish said goodnight. Erika asked me if I wanted to get another picture and of course I did! I also had more stuff in my purse that he could sign, and after the first Boulder show, Trish and I went back and talked to him 3 times! It was nuts! So we hoped back in line. The girls in front of us had Matt call their friend and he sang them the first part of Journey's Don't Stop Believing, and I was so flustered that I didn't get it recorded on my cell phone, but it was lovely. We got up there and posed again for pictures, and I was totally bossing him around, I handed him my CD and told him not to write "willow is the bomb" since I had that on at least 2 other things that were signed at different times. And he was all "Geez, you're giving me orders!" and I told him that I was being so annoying that he would remember me if we got to see him in Colorado. It was weird. I could tell how annoying I was, but it was something I was not able to control. Like when you're really angry and you can tell you are being unreasonable but you can't seem to help it. It was like that. We went back to Erika's and picked up my car, the whole while talking about how fun it would be to go to Colorado and that if it's not sold out we should totally go...

I Must Be A Sight to See

So remember when I said a road trip might be in order? I guess I have the world's best husband, because he's totally fine with me taking off for 2 days. And that's why I love this man. He totally gets me and that I do weird and crazy things. So I may have to report on 2 concerts! Sorry, not a full review tonight, Sundays are a weird day for me, but I'm working on it kids! It will be epic!

I got the gum!!!

He played "Amazing Again"!!!!!! More later on how I annoy rock stars, right now I'm deciding if a road trip is in order....

Fabulous Friday!

I almost forgot to post today! That's how crazy it's been today, what with watching last night's Grey's Anatomy and yoga and lunch and dancing. Work is hard!
So I'm actually touching the computer at home!
Yoga today was hard! It's not a real yoga class, it's a class for students to learn how to be yoga teachers, so today the chick leading us was having us listen to orchestra versions of Metalica. It was a little weird, but it was also tough, and that's what I'm looking for in my yoga. Also, I don't know what all these people are talking about with the farting and yoga. I have yet to pass gas in the yoga setting, maybe because we're doing a more "power" yoga kind of thing. But I thought there would be people breaking wind every which way, and so far (about 2 months in) this has yet to happen. But there's only 2 more weeks of yoga. Sad face! I like it and it gives me something to look forward to during work on a Friday, when usually all I can look forward to is coming home again.
So gas prices, huh? I filled up my tiny car for just over 20 bucks and I was still kicking myself when I saw gas for 4 cents less somewhere else! I could have save 36 cents! Curses! But I'm glad that gas isn't so crazy. (Not the gas for my house, for some reason the rates only go one way for that) but I'm crossing my fingers for under $2 a gallon. Suck on that Europe! (please note that I love Europe and all it's diverse cultures. Except the French, they're just rude { except that guy I met at DisneyWorld, here's looking at you Olivier!}) I love ellipses. They rock my socks. I must be slowly getting into a great mode here at home with all the work stuff slipping away. And the fact that it's just barely over 24 hours until Matt. I've been waiting for this since March! Which was the last time I saw him! But really, if you saw him, you would also be excited for the next time you could see him. So go and see him! www.mattnathanson.com It's a crappy site to maneuver, but that's not Matt's fault, he just plays the rock and leaves the websites for the other people who are less awesome to dealt with it.
Since the concert is starting fairly early I want to just post that tomorrow but my brain could be mush until the next morning, so we'll see how things pan out. But it might just be a picture. But that's a post and that counts!

Gets the Blade

Today actually didn't drag on. It could be due to that work thing that I did for all those hours or the long lunch. But it's almost over my friends! Too bad I'm still full from lunch. And that eclair. Oh man, today has not been the best eating day. I mean, it's been the best, just not for my thighs. Those hot wings, I will never forget thee, O wings of hotness! But it's Thursday, which means great TV opportunities tonight and also some girl time. Which is fun with Hayley, but she's not so good at painting my nails, and her foot rubs? Well the word pathetic comes to mind, but she'll learn, these are the tools to help her be an esthetician after all, I'm teaching her a life skill. Which is more then I can say that school has done for me. I'm ready to pack it all in and go live in the woods. But then the squirrels would sue me because I stole their nuts and I don't even know a good lawyer.
But Thursdays also mean that tomorrow is Friday, the second best day of the week. If I could just sleep in an extra hour on Fridays, it would be the best day of the week. Because there are chores to be on Saturday, but not on Friday! No one cleans the bathrooms on a Friday! That's ridiculous! Of course this Saturday is something that I'm trying not to think about too hard. It's Matt Nathanson day! And while I'm formulating questions in my head, I don't want to think it'll be the "best day ever!" because I don't want to jinx it (but it totally will be!) so oh! look over there! It's something shiny! I think it's the beautiful packaging that Thursdays come in. Yes, new and improved Thursdays. Now with extra lunch hours!

Falling Down Gently Down

So the first real snowfall and it's still snowing!

And my vehicle is the one that sits in the drive way since the garage is full of tools. So even though I am certain to have to drive somewhere every day of the week, I am also the one who will scrap the snow off my car while the other car rests warmly in the garage and may or may not be driven around. But! If I force my hand and get the garage spot for myself, my little one will be forced to get into a freezing car and wait while the snow id shoveled off of it. Winter is full of conundrums. Like why snow is okay in December but it's rather annoying any other time of the year.

The snow is currently "misting" which is a term I just made up, but it's when the snow is so tiny that it's barely anything at all, but yet it's still perceived as snowing. The kind of snow that melts the second it touches your face and leaves a tiny damp mark, like a fairy kiss! Yes! If we connect the snow with happy things, it will be so much easier to drive through.

I think that in spite of the snow, I will actually go workout today. I'm not pleased at having to walk outside, as I've been at work for 5 hours and my toes are still mostly frozen.

But after a workout everything will look better.

Oddly enough Christmas songs have been just popping up on my music player today. Maybe it's time to get out those lights and celebrate the snow!

PS Niki's husband is having surgery tomorrow, so send them some happy thoughts!

Whither the Way?

So I don't want to post about the elections, because that's lame and I'm a totally uninformed voter (for the most part) but I don't want to pretend like it's not there. The big elephant in the room. Who Poops! So just go vote, okay? if more people voted the world would be more awesomer? Okay? Good.
Now that that is out of the way, I will tell you something that I have done some research on. And that's people who blog. Or have websites. This is more then just a blog, it's full on craZy! http://thepioneerwoman.com/ Niki introduced me, but today I really got into this site. Spending the better part of my day there. Not only do I like to read about what she cooks, she wrote the whole story of her meeting and falling in love and marrying her husband. Well, I thought it was the whole story. After getting to last post listed the story just ends! After the couples first real fight! I have to know! Obviously they get married, but what was the aftermath? It's like reading the third book in the Eragon trilogy only to find out that book isn't the end. Except that I haven't read that yet, but I plan on it!
Anyway, as you may have guess from my posting I'm participating in NaBloPoMo, which means something that amounts to Post on your Blog every Freaking day in November.
http://nablopomo.ning.com/profile/willowkist So here we are. I'm going to try it. Although i already cheated by posting Saturdays and Sundays on Monday, but I'm trying, and I think I get points for that.
So I'm out to go vote! Just like a stoat! Come on, you get that reference, right?

Lazy Daze

My boss is gone today. Which means as soon as I hit "publish" I'm outta here. It also means that the letters I finished writing this morning have waited all day for me to print them, and may not get folded until tomorrow. Watching TV on the Internet is the best invention ever! And I'm not just saying that because I'm taking a mass communication class and media convergence is something we talk about a lot (ad nauseum) but because it's been my truest friend today.

Dear readers, let me warn you though. It's the TV/Internet that is making our brains turn to mush and reduced our will power to conduct things called "activities." Case in point, I always work out Monday's on my lunch. Today I was too lazy and instead just printed some web sudoku and worked on those away from my desk. Even when I'm not at the computer, I'm really still at the computer. The fact that it's overcast today makes me want to get out a pile of bacon and just roll around on it. Is that so wrong? Other then just having piles of bacon lying around. Bacon gets a bad rap, but really as Jim Gaffegan says, to make good foods better, just wrap it in bacon. Look at cream cheese, your about to get hit with some bacon! Bam! Anyway, I think I've obviously worked too hard today and now need to leave and make better use of my time.

And apparently "bam" is not a word, so says my spell check. Now you know.

November? Are you sure?

Wow. It's freaking November. Saturday was so nice that it almost didn't seem like it was Fall. Then Sunday comes, with the storms and the rain. But Sunday also brought daylight savings. Which is good and also not so good. It meant an extra hour of sleep, even though Hayley tried to get us up at the normal time. With that extra hour and we were still almost late to church! Honestly, I think it'll be easier when church is at 9 am instead of 1 pm so that we can just get up and get it over with. Then nap time might actually happen on a Sunday. I know I'll be cursing those early Sunday mornings when they actually happen, but now they are a golden fantasy where we get home from church at noon and everyone takes a family nap and we have party hogies for lunch! I don't know where these hogies come from, but they are a wonderful part of this dream.

It's going to snow soon, and while Magen will curse me for using the "S" word, it's true, it happens every year. We were lucky to have a warm Halloween, but we can only be lucky so long, and the longer the cold weather waits, the longer it will last into our spring. That's always the way it goes. We don't get any less winter for wishing, and I for one would rather have snow in December than April!

Boo! It's Halloween!

Or it was at least. The day stared off pretty good for me. I spent the day rockin' out as a teen from the 80s. Side pony tail? Check! legging? Check! Awesome and totally vintage Cure shirt? Check! (Technically it's not 80s vintage, but it's old man!)

At work I spent about 2 hours making a Halloween mix for my party and then headed over to my friend Erika's office for a 2 hour lunch and going away party for her assistant. We played my new awesome Halloween mix throughout. I was pleased as I ate my way through all the treats.

After the party I cut out of work early to go home and clean. We were hosting the Halloween party that night and I wanted to take Hayley out trick or treating for a bit before hand.

She refused to where the unicorn costume at any point, but she was such a cute Care Bear, that it didn't even matter. She loved going to houses and knocking on the door. She would only whisper "Trick or Treat" but it was still cute. She was also too shy to say thank you, she would just wave. But she made out like a bandit. The thing about going early, people are more likely to give you more than one piece of candy and be happy about it. We hit a few houses around ours and Husband freaked everyone out by being the worlds ugliest woman. I did what I could, but he still looked like a dead Indian woman in a really ugly dress and bad shoes.

After about an hour of walking around we headed home. I thought I had bought enough candy since the last few years we've had so much left over. Boy was I wrong! We were out in about 30 minutes, but we were lucky that my party guests had brought candy too! Thank you Magen for the dum-dums! Otherwise my house would have been egged and probably your cars too! Trish was the most excellent door-answerer and all I had to do was help eat the food! We watched Poltergeist. That movie is still freaky! I know I've seen it a ton, but it was the first time watching it as a mother, and believe me, I would totally walk into the spirit world if my little girl needed me. It was fun, having good friends over and eating good food and have great conversation. Thanks for the awesome Halloween you guys!

25 Months and Counting

How long will I try to send you monthly newsletters? I don't know, until I give up or get bored, so enjoy it while you can.
It's been a month since the zoo and you still shriek out "Elephant poops!" at odd times. Like yesterday when you were running in circles around the chair in the living room. You do that a lot, run around that chair, and ask that I chase you, but if I do you veer off towards the kitchen to escape. You're a weird kid, you know that? We've started to put you in your 2T clothes, which are adorable, but your legs are short. You have been cursed with my genes and so that means your jeans will always be a bit long. But you have a long torso, so what this means most of the time is that you have a little plumber's crack. Your shirt is too short and your pants are slipping down, it's cute, but let's not try to make this a habit.
You are very opinionated about what you want to eat. I did get you to eat spaghetti-Os, but not before I almost had to ground you just to make you taste it. I promise I'm not trying to poison you! You call spaghetti-Os "beans." You also call skittles, m&ms and most small candy "beans," so if I try and offer you "beans" you are sadly disappointed.
It's so fun to watch you try and converse with us. I have no doubt that you know exactly what you are trying to say, but since you're not super great with all the consonants, sometimes I have no idea what you are taking about. Mostly you ask to watch different movies. Your father just showed you The Incredibles and you rather liked that, but "simon, dore" are the old stand bys. That means The Chipmunk's Adventure. If you want to watch the live action chipmunks, you call that "munkicks."
Potty training is slow going. You sit on the potty once to twice a day. Since you're home with dad, I don't want to give him too many things to forget to do, so potty time is right before bed. But it doesn't matter how long we sit and sing songs and read books, nor how many stickers I promise you, you don't really want to use the potty for what it was intended. This makes me sad. I really want you to be this brilliant child who no longer needs a diaper change. Please, please learn to use the potty! Not even Elmo has convinced you of the potty's merits!
I am so excited for Halloween that you have 2 costumes purchased from eBay. You like the care bear costume, but I did also buy that unicorn costume, so you will be wearing that at some point too, so help me! We're going to taking you treat or treating again, but hopefully this time you'll be able to manage the short walk between houses. Last year it was us holding you to walk up to the door and we would ask for candy for you. It works out well for us, because we give you a little candy and we can eat the rest after you go to bed! It's a win-win situation.
You are definitely two and we are reaping the repercussions of that, both good and bad, but I guess you're pretty cute still.

Here's to us!

Love,
Mommy

Concurring the Mountain

AKA My Butt Crack is Frozen

So my dad and (great) Uncle Roger have been hiking the 2nd tallest mountain in the state every autumn for about the last 30 years. I have gone on this expedition a total of twice before this year. One year I was so out of shape and unprepared for the trek that I couldn't make it all the way to the top and had to wait about an hour for my group to finish their journey to the top and make it back. But the next year in 2005, before I had this kid, I made it all the top. It's supposedly only a 15 mile hike, but I think it's closer to 20 since it takes roughly 11 hours to get up and back.

This year I was worried about the weather. My father is no longer the young adventurer without weather information that he used to be and said if it was going to be raining, we wouldn't be going on the planned weekend and it could prove doubtful to plan for another weekend after that. That = no hike this year. I checked every weather forecast available on the interweb and sent my dad daily weather updates. I saw positive results and on Friday it was decided we'd try and if it got too wet, we'd just turn back. So I was excited. It's been 3 years since my last trek up the mountain and I felt prepared. Mostly. I didn't go on any mini hikes this year and so I was freaked out that I wouldn't make it up again.

So after waking up at 4:30 am (yes! On purpose! What is wrong with me?) and getting my crap put together and stressing about the forgotten knee brace, I took my junk to the meeting place of my parents garage. After more getting organized then should be going on at this hour we hopped into the car and headed to the wilderness. We're lucky that this deep wilderness is only about 40 minutes away. We met my brother Troy and our surprise guest hiker. My nephew Caleb, who is not yet 6. We worried because my dad and Uncle would never let any of "the kids" go on this crazy hike until they were at least 12. But Troy and Caleb couldn't hike for the whole day anyway, so they would just turn back after they felt they had hiked sufficiently. We started off in the dark with our flash lights and we definitely were not the first people headed up the mountain on this Saturday. My dad started to set the pace and our pattern for the day began. Caleb was excited to be hiking and wanted to either run and sit and eat lunch. At 8 AM. But he helped to set a pace that everyone could maintain. My brother Tee and Uncle Roger started in their discussions which ranged from politics, to history to songs half remembered that need to be sung at other's funerals, but always with a bend towards humorous. This is one of the reasons I want to go on this hike. The conversations that take place while you have nothing but time are priceless and my Uncle Roger is someone I that rarely see and every time I do, I'm struck again but his wit and intelligence. He was an elementary school teacher for more years then I've been alive and just recently retired. We all thought he would work forever. I wish I had a teacher who seems to encourage this kind of free thinking. He would pose hypothetical questions that could never be answered, only pondered and discussed. after hiking for about 4 hours and making into the Meadow section of the hike, Troy and Caleb turned around for home. Nest comes the crossing of the Lose Rock Fields. These can be treacherous and difficult to cross as the rock keeps falling away each year and can leave holes in the trail that have to be jumped over for those of us without a really long stride. We made it to the Saddle without incident. It was here that my first trek ended due to ankles that couldn't take the assault from walking over miles of loose rock. It's only half a mile to the top now, but this part of journey makes the rest seem tame. Now we past the point where plant like beyond linchins can't survive. If possible the landscape turns even rockier, but now we're also climbing a steep incline which is more in line with Rock climbing then hiking and trails are hard to follow since it's all just rocky out cropping and loose stone. Trails are narrow and it's only a slip and your going down the mountain faster then you wanted to. This part I've only done once before it scared the crap out of me, as someone who hates heights. The only way for me to make it is for me to be mentally prepared that it's physically possible and the proof is in all the people making their way down the mountain past us.

Oh and did I mention the wind? Coming up to the top of the Saddle I almost lost my ball cap, and others have also lost hats to the fierce wind. The whole hike up we are sheltered from the wind as we're climbing the leeward side, protected from the harsh wind, the Saddle is where you crest this ridge and start climbing on the OTHER side of the mountain, where you're exposed to the bitter winds. The wind chill must have been at least -20 degrees and probably more like -30. Add that onto the thin chill air and you have a runny nose, my friend. We all sniffed our way over the path, trying to stay close, but Tee has the longest legs and was the leader showing us the trail when it was difficult to find. Luckily I had packed a warm jacket (not wind breaker mind you) and a warm beenie cap. I had forgotten gloves and you need to use your hands or at least have them out at all times to steady yourself due to the wind and loose rock. I think my contacts froze on my eyes. That was how windy and cold it was. true, it could have been I had a speck of dust on my eye, but it sure seemed like my contact had frozen on my eye. But having to keep my hands at ready to climb rock and steady myself, this meant I couldn't keep pulling down my t-shirt and up my jeans. I just had to accept that if you could see my backside, so be it. But this also lead to my Frozen butt crack.

Okay, there wasn't that much skin showing I'm sure, but let's just say, I'm for sure wearing a belt next time. And gloves. And a wind breaker. And ear muffs or a hockey mask.

At the tippy top there is a metal shack that over looks both valleys, but the wind still gets you. We opt to have our lunch (since our 6 hours of hiking have only brought us to noon) on the leeward side that can only be reached from the top. The wind drops away and it feels about 30 degrees warmer, but still cool as we're sitting atop the 2nd highest peak in the state. While we lunched we could hear the harsh whistle of the wind over the peak, but not feel it very much.

We were also in the middle of clouds. The clouds would form as the wind pushed the cold air higher on the mountain and then, as it reached the top, pour over us in a chilly mist and head into the valley below us. That is another cool thing. We were looking DOWN on the tops of other mountains. We could see Emerald Lake below us and lots of mountain sheep on Robert's Horn. Everything was so tiny, but we could see the bomb shelter by Emerald Lake. Why would you hike for 5 hours to get to a bomb shelter? Are we really going to have that much notice? Anyway, lunch was a cold affair and while my sandwich was smashed into a little corner of my backpack, I wasn't that hungry. I'd been snacking my my home made trail mix full of nuts and m&ms and drinking water, but not too much as there is only a bathroom stop on the trail for us not happy with using the trees as cover. And that's gross, trust me.

Before we left, I picked out my souvenir rock. This is only my second one, but I agree with my uncle's philosophy that if every year we take home a rock, the mountain will be that much shorter the next year. I picked mine and we headed back down the mountain. Unfortunately we were not accident free. My Uncle Roger tripped on a loose rock and was hanging onto the trail when my brother helped him back to his feet. He had cuts and a nasty already evil looking bruise on his leg. As he commented, that after all these years, "The Mountain has drawn first blood." After we'd patched him up as best we could with our emergency kits, there was nothing else to be done but try and make it back.
Now, I was worried before the outset of the hike that my joints weren't going to make it, but when we made it to the top, I made a mental check up on my knees and ankles and they felt okay. Worked, but not painful. But after only 5 minutes of heading down the trail my ankles were very unhappy, my knees were quick to follow. That's the thing about hiking in, you then still have to hike out before you're finished.

It's insane how the trail gets so much longer on the way back down. About halfway back my feet felt like they were on fire and that I should count my pinky toes as gone. I finally used the change of shoes I had brought with me, but while they were slightly better, the damage was done and it didn't magically make me feel better about all the miles left to hike. Tee and I chatted and hiked down, I think it was mostly to take our minds off hurt of continuing to move. We stopped and waited for the older guys, to make sure they didn't get eaten by bears. Tee told a little white lie to make me appreciate him more. He told me there were 4 meadows to go past before we got the car. Luckily it was only 2, which was much better.

Most of the cars that had been in the heavily used parking lot were gone, as we took our 11 hours to make it up and down the mountain. We are obviously a worn out group, but Dad was able to manage a smile, while Tee almost passed out. I was very glad that I wasn't driving, as I was so sore and would have told everyone to just call a cab. That night I took my shoes off and didn't put them on again. My feet were so painful every step was pure pain. I limped around like an old lady. I soaked my feet for about an hour before bed. Which helped I think. The next day my feet were fine and it only took about 2 days before I could walk without feeling sore. And now that I'm all rested, I can't wait for next year!

2 Years Passes Like 24 Months

I'm sorry that your birthday was not spent doing the most fun things ever. We got your pictures taken and then went to lunch with daddy and you were way too into coloring to eat your sandwich or your fries. Then it was off to the doctors office, Ouch! On your birthday? Sorry, we were going to go to the zoo but it was rainy on your birthday. So yeah, sorry.
But the next day we went to the zoo! And you really loved the monkeys, feeding the swans and the pooping elephants. Aside from the animals, you loved the play ground more then anything else and watching other kids was an added bonus.

I look at your pictures from a year ago and can hardly believe your the same little person. You didn't even have much curly hair to speak of and now it's all over the place.

You're speaking in fairly complete sentences now and can usually get across most of your ideas to me. You know more then I even think you do, naming things I never taught you. That's what is so nice about all the people that watch you. Your not limited to just my meager knowledge, so at least you have that going for you.

It's so fun to come home from work and when i walk through the door to hear your little shrieks of "Mommy! Mommy's home!" It's nice to know that you missed me, or at least that you want me to sit and watch Go Diego, Go with you.

We're starting the whole "potty training thing" and so far it's just getting comfortable with the potty. We bought you a book! It has Elmo in it and it makes noise! I'm sure that'll teach you everything you need to know. Please?

I've gone a little nuts buying you things. Tell me how it is that I can withhold buying things for myself that are much needed, like pants that fit and shoes that are 2+ years old to wear to work, but when it comes to you, I can't hold back any amount of money? Trust me, if you don't look good, it's not because I didn't buy you nice clothes, it's because your father never changed your outfits from one day to the next so you're always encrusted in peanut butter goo and filth. You don't mind. You would rather not be able to see then sit still for the 2 minutes it would take to comb your hair. So tragic, but it's not my fault! I tried to teach your father how to work a pony tail, but his boy fingers can't figure it out.

So far 2's temperament is not chipper. 2 is fairly surly and has wide mood swings and pouts for no real reason. But 2 is also filled with giggles and dancing and smiles that I'm sure would melt six feet of snow. So I guess we'll wait and see how this thing pans out.

Love,

Mama

News of the Weird

Okay, I've barely left my office today, but in the total of 3 minutes I've headed to the bathroom a few times, I have seen a girl with one leg and another girl singing at full volume to her iPod. I like that think that I appreciate people who appreciate music (and also people missing limbs) but I can't think that someone who walks around singing is a bit touched in the head. But me, I'm going to walk home. I'm saving all that fossil fuel!

More to Life then Books You Know

So wait. It's September? Holy crap, where did the summer go? We had one really big storm this weekend and apparently it's now autumn. The weather has not recovered and neither have I. I'm sitting here in my hoodie. Isn't it a bit early for hoodies? And I'm still cold anyway so it's not really that helpful, I do have both hoodies here at the office, I could go nuts and wear both of them-at the same time!

Work is slowing down, so I'm thankful for a bit of respite, but the cool breezes are blowing in thoughts of snow. I'm not excited for the winter, but usually here in our region we have a short but lovely fall season. I'm already tasting the candy corn from Halloween. I must be crazy!

It feels like the summer past in flash. No trips, no real summery activities besides the required trip to the local amusement park. Husband was gone for the whole month of July and I think that caused me to not look for anything fun to do outdoors. Still, there were many years I found things to do all summer long.

I remember endless golden summers filled with soccer practices and running through sprinklers. Pictures of me as a little nut brown thing with spindly arms and stringy hair remind me of what it was like having a whole summer to do whatever I wanted. There were berries and cherries to be picked and eaten and games to play. Why can't it be that way again? You know what I miss as well? I miss that going back to school, first day excitement. You had your outfit picked out for weeks and it was brand new, never worn before, because the first day of school was a special day. Finding out who your teacher was and who would be in your class. The butterflies in your stomach the night before trying and failing to fall asleep in the normal amount of time.

Now school starts (taking that one internet class!) and I could care less. I'm not excited, I don't buy new clothes and I don't care who is in my class. Matter of fact, I'm just hoping none of those idiots talk to me. It's not fun anymore. I don't have a clear sense of direction as to what I want to make a career at, I just know it's not this. It's hard to pick a career based on not wanting to do certain things.

But that's not at all a requiem for the lost summer, is it? I need to take some time of and spend it with my family making memories. I hope years from now I don't remember the stupid crap that happens at this job, but I have better things to remember from this time. The smiles on Hayley's face and the time with Husband. I hope those things stay and keep me excited for the next season.

23 Months Now with Sentences

This month has been lots of fun! And I mean that, mostly. The past few months have held leaps in vocabulary, but this month is the month of sentences. You can say things that can be expressed in 2-3 words. Black cat. There daddy. Tummy full, etc. Sometimes I expect you to politely ask for what you want. But that's not the case quite yet, since not everything you feel you want is easily expressed, but we're getting there. And of course you are the smartest child in the whole world.

I just bought you some new clothes for your upcoming birthday and pictures and you don't even want to know how much trouble it was to find a dress that met all my criteria. It had to be less than $25 (I'm cheap, blame your grandfather) and not be too overtly holiday themed or summery, as this should hopefully be your nice dress for a year or however long it fits you. It's really hard to find a toddlers dress that isn't very summery or made or red or black velvet for under $50, believe me, I scoured the entire world wide web, I know. But I'm a bargain shopper and found a really cute dress on clearance for $8! And while it's sort of spring/summery it's so totally cute I don't even care!

I'm more excited for your upcoming birthday then I probably should be. I've had the theme all worked out in my head for months. Let's just say I'm excited. I'm excited for you to really be done with this whole "baby" thing and be a real bona fide toddler. Of course you've been in your terrible twos for a while now. But I hear that's what happens to the smart kids who just really want to communicate, and I want to believe that.

Just the other day you counted from 4 all the way to 10! By yourself! of course you wouldn't do a repeat performance since usually 9 follows 4 or 6 and 7 are left out entirely, but this time you did it! I was so proud.

Just a few days ago, you ate a chicken nugget! You cannot believe how happy this made me. Hurray! My child will eat processed and fried meat products! Of course you only ate one cut-up dinosaur shaped nugget, but it was your first time eating more than one accidental bite of meat! I have been worried about your protein intake since there's no way I'm getting you to eat beans or soy, meat does provide some essential nutrients, or something like that. All I know is that I'm getting burned out on the 3 things besides candy and ice cream you will actually eat.

You get put in time out quite often when I'm home (daddy's a softie) mostly for trying to kill the cats or throwing food on the floor. It's so cute even though I'm irritated to see your chubby little face pucker up for the "I'm sorry" kiss when I come to dismiss you from the "naughty step."

We're trying to fill up your time with play rather than TV, but you are already on your way to being a junkie. I'm sorry, this is mostly my fault. I also have a TV addiction. It's something I deal with everyday, but I'm working hard and trying to take small steps towards being independent from my electronic master, and I hope that you can also live free from this, but it's hard. it's so much easier to let to watch Ducktales or Finding Nemo because you want it and it'll totally engross you for 20 minutes to 2 hours where I can get things done or just have quiet time. But I'm trying. We'll see how it goes. We can only take this one day at a time.

This month has been full of kisses and bliss and tantrums and frustration, but someday we'll look back on it and laugh. Or be in lots of therapy.

Love ya,

Mama

Random acts of Monkeys

I'm not just a mommy blogger, I'm not! I swear! As cute as my little girl is, I do have thoughts independent from her. Juts not that many.
Here at work I've been doing a "summer" schedule where I work 4 ten hour days and get a nice long weekend. Well my peoples, summer is over. It's my last week working the longer but infinitely more awesome schedule. And it's killing me. I would really like to do this all the time, and when things slow down, maybe I can, but things aren't slow right now and that makes me want to poke out my eyes and scramble my brain with a fork. Is that excessive? You don't even want to know.
I'm considering going back to school to get out of this mess. It took me like, 7 years to get my associates degree people. How am I suppose to want to go back to never sleeping or working out because there's no time! and that was all pre-child! I don't think I can handle it. I also don't want to take any lame classes, but it turns out to get accounting degrees you have to take a ton of lame classes, where the only reading requirements aren't going to be page turners. They are going to be text books. I would be cool getting an English degree. But to get one, I also have to have a 3000 level understanding of a foreign language. I thought I could do that with Spanish, I finished up to beginning the 2000 levels, but the whole last month of that class I didn't understand a thing of what was going on and only passed because I had a very lenient teacher who liked me. So I can't get an English degree without knowing a foreign language. Who thought that was a good idea? So I'm screwed the only classes I want to take won't help me get a degree unless I can overcome this language block. Maybe I should try German again, I seemed okay with that in school, but this is freaking college, I don't think I'll be able to get by just because I'm good at homework and tests.
If I could pass Spanish I could study Shakespeare or medieval poetry or women's literature or something cool like that, but then what would I do with it? I wish my idea to be a rockologist is nice, but not something that would probably pay the bills. Maybe Journalism. I'm actually thinking about that right now. So I have to go and think some more.

22 Months of Crazy!

This month has definitely been interesting. There was the development of you calling me “honey” whenever you wanted something and the spatial relations that you can move things like people on your whims. You have taken to trying to grab people’s hands and lead them to where you feel they will be most advantageous to you, or push people to where they should head to maybe get you something, or turn on a movie for you.
I’m trying to control how much TV you watch (again) and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. According to the doctors (what do they know?) you shouldn’t watch any TV at all. But the doctors aren’t probably as concerned as I am, to whether or not our dishes ever get done. So I will cave in and let you watch an episode of Ducktales which you ask for by name: “Ducks. Woohoo.” Which is hilarious and adorable until the one millionth time that day.

You are one crazy little toddler and have transitioned from being around one cat, to two. You love Nemo, even though he barely tolerates your presence. He’s used to your kind. You sit in cats and swat at them when you feel waspish and he won’t have any of that. But you still sing his praises and whenever I ask you about the kitties, you are all about Nemo. Link sometime, but it’s mostly Nemo. Probably because his name nicely coincides with one of your favorite cartoon fish’s name. But it’s cute when you say the cats names as its Memo and Ink.

You had a really real and official hair trim just a few days ago. I of course missed it but now you wake up with more manageable hair and mostly I don’t see much of a difference in length and your grandmother assures me she only took off tiny bits to even things out.

You can say your own name! Kind of. It’s Hey-Bee when you say it, but you know it’s your name. I was worried you would think your name was baby or something like that, but making a conscious effort to use your name lately has paid off.

The summer months are being spent mostly indoors. Our backyard is a field of noxious and pokey weeds, so we don’t go out there much, and of course in the front yard you could run into the street at any moment, so that’s a no go either, but we have gone to the park a handful of times, but even you know it’s too hot to keep playing and give up and don’t throw any tantrums when it’s time to go.

We have a weekend ritual. You generally wake up before I'm ready to, or at least before I'm done being lazy, so I'll get you out of your crib and put you in bed with me. You never go back to sleep, but you will roll around and punch me in the face but also sometimes you'll give me hugs and kisses when you're in a super duper mood. That's why I keep doing it, the bruises are worth it for a little cuddle time before we start our day.

This month has been full of ups and downs, but mostly it's been fun to be with you. I hope it's fun to be with me too.

Kisses,

Mama