Quirks

The Bean has a few Quirks. I would like to talk about them. Now I read the Internet and I read other Mommy Blogs and I am very certain that my kid is far from the "quirkiest" kid but she is still fun sometimes.

For instance the talking. I know, you get it, she talks- alot. But here's the thing. If, for some reason she must be stopped mid-sentence- either for an imminent emergency or because my brain is melting...she can NOT just STOP. She has to finish her sentence - even if it is a barely audible whisper, even if it means Mama's head might pop off- she MUST finish the thought.

"I beg to difference"- this is a speech quirk. One time I said to her " I beg to differ" and she has morphed it and made it her own. She says this phrase even when it doesn't make any sense to use it. Like " I beg to difference Papa is home!"

She must have three open beverages in the fridge at all times. There must be milk, a juice and a water available- or she thinks she is dying.

She is still in to paper. Though she has stopped handing it out, the heartbreak of the recipients not understanding the value of the paper bits was too much for her. Now she just finds small containers and fills them up with paper and hides them under her bed.

Everytime we get her into the new jogging stroller we have for our walks- she has to verbally recite the way that she will fit into said stroller with her brother or sister- complete with a strap demo and how she won't have to be strapped but the baby will because babes don't understand to not stand up in a moving stroller. Every day. The same dialog- said in the same way with the same facial expressions. Even if we say "ok honey we know this and you will be a great big sister and a big help to us..." she just keeps talking her spiel until it's complete. Then she sighs and we can move on conversationally.

I recently had to talk about her new vitamins for about three days. The same 5 conversations about the vitamins- eighty times a day. Really. They were NEW and DIFFERENT and HATED.

She is WAAAAYYYY in to Harry Potter right now- so we get to talk about that ALOT. How she wants to play "spinach" and have a "secret possibility cloak"

See? It could be much worse.

Stop The Ride.

I have done that the past two days. I have stopped the craziness. I have allowed the house to fall apart. I have just been, well, I have been with Evelyn. That's it. No one but us. Coloring. Doing Math. Playing crazy games in the basement. Cooking together. There has been hugging and giggling and oh so many smiles. I love this girl. I needed some time with her. I think she needed time with me.

I always say to her as I squeeze her "in all the world YOU are my daughter and that is cool".

Pretty damn cool if you ask me.

Bizzy and Da-zosted

The Bean got to go to Cedar Point for the very first time this weekend. Cedar Point is an Amusement Park- with roller coasters and dodge em cars and spinny rides and Icees and soft pretzels and well, you get the picture. We went with MOST of the D Clan. This means that Ev was one of 5 kids and she was the smallest but, also the most gung ho. This kid wanted to ride ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. Huge roller coaster of spinning death? No problem- she wanted it. (much to her dismay- she had to be contained to the kiddie rides as she is only 36 inches tall in tennis shoes)

I have never seen her have such a day. I believe that when your 5 year old runs up to you, with her lips stained blue from an Icee, her hair sticking to her face, dripping in sweat, cheeks beet red and every single muscle in her body quivering and in the middle of a crowd leans forward and yells- YELLS at the top of her voice "MAMA THAT WAS FREAKIN" AWESOME!!!!!!!"...well I believe that it was a good day. That is all I have to say about that.

We also spent a portion of Saturday with the whole gang (well Bean and Les did Jodi and I embarked on our own adventure that night - more on that later). Then on Sunday we ALL went to eat at a great local Chinese place and then we ALL went to see the second Night at The Museum movie.

Great weekend.

As Evelyn says we are "bizzy and da-zosted". (ummm, that would be dizzy and exhausted)

Screensaver

The screensaver that we have on our computer is that one called "My Picture Slideshow". You know the one, that one that takes all of the pictures on your computers memory and randomly cycles through them. We have, I am being literal here, thousands of pictures on this thing.
Thousands of moments caught to be remembered.
I love the randomness of it. I love that sometimes I come in here to do chores or turn the computer off and that Screensaver will be cycling and I will end up sitting down to watch a fe minutes. Then Ev wanders in and climbs up on my lap to watch and ask questions. Then Leslie will find us. Eventually Billy Bones comes in too. And then there we are all of us, piled up and watching pictures of ourselves. I love it.
The pictures go from a China shot, to Ev yesterday. From an Alaska shot to the flooded yard of our white house in NC. You can see pictures of Grinch and Stella, faithful friends who were with us for so many years. Billy, all ears and toes high up in a Live Oak. Pictures of Ev rolling about on the ground laughing. Ev rolling about on the ground throwing a fit. Some pictures are terrible, all flashed out and some are nearly magazine quality. Pictures of friends. Family is there too. Lots of family.
Lots of memories.
It always makes me feel good to see these flashes of my life. The life I share with Leslie and Evelyn.
Both from where I sit and from the slideshow- it looks like a great life to be living.

What to say?????

I haven't posted in a bit because the summer is ticking right along with no consideration for me. I mean, I would like this summer in my life to last another few months at least. I keep thinking "oh it's so pretty I can't go sit in that computer room right now" or "oh that dang computer.....cuss word cuss word" or I will think " oh I'll just play with Ev and then Blog" and then just play with Ev. I am sure that no one really minds anyway- there are like 3 of you that read this thing and I know that every one of you would prefer that I am playing with Ev anyway....
So.
Yes.
It has been a great summer. A great time in my life. I am very thankful to my Mom for telling me "these are the best years in your life, your happiest times will be now. When your children are young and you can bring them in the house and close the doors at night and know that they are safe and that you are all together". I have a sneaking suspicion that she is completely right and I am trying to live every day knowing that.

We are gearing up for a big weekend. A weekend that includes the entire D clan (that's Leslie's family- well us and his two sisters -his 2 brothers are in NC) and a trip to Cedar Point. Then more family fun such as grilling, eating talking and staying up way too late.
I am going to go awol form the D Festivities for a bit and attend a big screen viewing of "The Lost Boys" with Jodi. The Lost Boys. You know the greatest Vampire movie - ever. I hope I am one of the first 100 folks so I can get my pair of free fangs!!!!! (just file this last bit under delusional fan girl and move on).

I am continuing to make myself and my health a priority. I have continued my walking and am adding in some Yoga. I also just went to the Dr. today to get put back on Avandia- yes that's a Diabetic med- why do you ask? OK. I'll tell you- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. I have it, it creates insulin resistance and wreaks havoc on your Endocrine System. I have also taken a few, how shall I say it..... Mental Health Moments this week. They usually involved just sitting in the truck somewhere listening to NPR while not sharing a small tray of sushi with anyone.....divine.

Tried another new recipe. Again from Everyday Foods, this one was a Southwestern Steak Salad and man, was that good. I liked it better than the pork chops and we will definitely have that again.

Sisters and Cousins

Mother and Daughter:Mother and Son

Bullets-Again

• I really prefer to write out blog entries like stories or updates- sometimes though it is just easy to do this. So I do.
• I haven't wanted to say anything and jinx myself but I think I will say something now. I have spent many years battling my weight. I have made excuse after excuse and put off the work of weight loss for another time. One Monday three weeks ago, I woke up and had had enough. I started walking. Then I started to pay REAL and CLOSE attention to the things that I was eating. I have lost 5 pounds. Not much in the long run, but it is the FIRST FIVE and I am happy.
• Evelyn's face has changed. Just some subtle maturity changes but I can see a difference. I just keep looking at her. She seems so grown up and so beautiful that it takes my breath away. Sometimes I will be looking at her and she will say "What? Mama? Why are you looking at me like that?"
• I tried a new recipe this week. Spice Rubbed Pork Chops- they are well, pork chops that you rub with spices and then grill. We all really loved them and we will have them again as it was very easy and quite good.
• My sister and Brevin were here the past 2 days for a visit. It was so nice having them. Brevin is so very funny- both intentionally and un-intentionally. My favorite part of this visit was when Lissa was struggling to strap Brev into his booster seat in my truck, and she was all hunched over in the back and that truck was as hot as the 9th level of hell and Brev was trying to color on the Magnadoodle and he was flapping it about - it hit Ev and she shoved his arm so the Magnadoodle whacked Melissa on the head- she got mad and tried to stand up but couldn't and then she "accidentally" lost a grip on the seat belt strap and that whacked Brevin on the head, then Ev and I laughed and Brev got mad and started hitting Evelyn and Melissa was just trying to back out of the truck but her feet kept getting tangled in the plastic bag that had Brevin's pee soaked shorts in them and Evelyn was lecturing Brevin on how to behave while getting strapped into a Booster Seat and did he want to be punished?
• I keep noticing Asian boys while out in public. Every time I see one, my heart just aches and I get all nervous feeling and anxious. I think that I want a boy. A son. Bad. Real bad.
• We have a boy's name and a girl's name picked out. Well 2 boy's names and 1 girl's name. The Adoption Petition that we had notarized requested either boy or girl under 18 mos. of age so we had to prepare.
• I haven't had a decent conversation with either of my parents in what feels like weeks and it is starting to make me twitchy. Same goes for Leslie. It seems that we can't get 5 minutes together to just talk.
• Les just finished building a new book shelf for Ev's room. I love it and will post pictures after it's all painted.
• Evelyn is so exhausted that I put her to bed at 8 pm tonight.

Watermelon

Is there anything better than a big slab of ice cold watermelon on a hot day?







This particular slab was eaten while sitting in a pool of cool water after getting all hot and sweaty at the park.

She Went There

Tonight The Bean got a bit mad at her Papa. She was being a bit....how shall we say it?...ummmm... nutty (to put it mildly). Leslie and I were actually scratching our heads and wondering why she was so out of control and then it dawned on us. It was after 9 pm and she hasn't napped since Christ was a Mess Cook and well, she was sent to bed.
It must have felt abrupt and akin to punishment because she got mad. Like a bit huffy and "don't I just feel so sorry for myself" mad. He sent her up to her room by saying , "Hey Ev go on up and get into your bed, take a few minutes to calm down, look at some books and Mama and I will be up in a few minutes"
She went up.
She got into bed.
But she sat in the dark- mad- for about 15 minutes.
Les hugged her and asked why she didn't read any. She replied " I did NOT feel like it".
Then I moved in for my hug and kiss and she looked at me, with brimming eyes and whispered, "I didn't read because I am mad, so mad, at Papa"
I asked her why and she said it was because she was sent to bed. We talked for a few minutes, I called Leslie back in and he apologized for hurting her feelings. There was much hugging and talking and explaining.
Then she dropped her big Atom Bomb.
She pulled back, away from us, and in the most pathetic voice that she could muster she said " If you were my REAL parents then you would understand"
Yes. She went there. She's five!
We just looked at her and said, " of course we are your real parents and we DO understand. Good night we love you."
She giggled then, hugged us again and admitted that she had no idea why she said that. Go figure.

Now I am not hurt by this. I think it's kind of funny in a way. She sat up in her room, mad and tried to think up ways to feel sorry for herself and ways to make us feel really bad about sending her to bed nicely when she was tired. I think that it is good that she can admit that she is mad and tell us why. I think that she will try the whole "real parents" thing again- probably many times. I hope that I can handle it the same way each time- with humor and love.

Medieval Faire

Over the weekend we attended the Great lakes Medieval Faire. It was awesome!!!
Some of you may know that Leslie and I are geeks. Well, okay we are not GEEKS per se. I mean we can't afford all of the costuming and collecting that goes on to really be a geek. It's like if Geekdom were a city, it would be New York and so then Leslie and I would live in Queens. We have running jokes about Star Trek Voyager and I am not afraid to pull out a little "So Say We All" (if you don't get that last one - it's okay, it's really geeky to know what that is from) (Battlestar Gallactica since you so desperately want to know), and Leslie is not above ordering tea like this "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot" (that one is STNG) ( oh Heaven's that's Star Trek Next Generation).
So off we went to the MF. I was totally bummed at our lack of finery. I so wanted all of my fellow geeks to know that I was like them. Maybe they got it. I mean I only requested a photo from about every other person that we saw.....
You could even get a Leg O' Mutton if you wanted! It was in the woods and full of great little shops and music and food and we even saw a joust. Ev took a pony ride and saw a fella dressed up as Dark Link so I bet you can guess her favorites.
Jodi came along and all I will say is, that by then end of the day I KNOW that she too was longing for some black leather boots and a bodice-y dress.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Put Put

Thursday was my sister's Birthday- Happy Birthday Sis!

Thursday she and Brevin came up form The Burg to see us. We all decided to go have lunch and then have a rousing game of put put (Leslie won of course)

We also took a bumper boat ride and had a carosel ride. It was a nice afternoon.

My favorite part though? My favorite part was watching Brevin golf! He is a sort of slapdash clumzy golfer which makes for lots of fun for Aunt Del Del.

The Bean's Summer So Far

It's been a pretty big summer for the kidnick around here. We have had lots of activities and she has learned lots of new things.

One thing that has helped her is having Aden and Kate here through the week. She has learned how to share HER things, she has learned how to show excitement from them, and her imagination has gotten a huge boost from hanging around constantly with 2 kids older than she is.

We have been swimming about 3 times a week- either at the pool or at the lake. I am astonished at the things this kid can do in the water now! She started the summer being a bit of a chicken- just a bit, she has grown up at the beach so she has a higher level of confidence than some kids her age but somewhere she had picked up this thing about water on her face. Well- no more! I think the biggest help of all with the swimming was Lissa buying her a pair of goggles to use. She cannonballs, regular jumps off the side of the pool, she "dives", she floats, she does all kinds of silly little tricks and she just started swimming a small distance- under water! It has been so fun watching her.

She has been to a Festival with Aunt Jenny, Aden and Kate. She rode many rides and learned how to just go along and be excited and giggly.

She has been to the Aquarium in Newport,KY.

We just went to play put put golf with Lissa and Brevin.

She went to her first drive-in with Grandma.

She rode in a convertible.

She went to a Hot Air Ballon Festival.

She has discovered Harry Potter and Leslie is reading the Sorcerer's Stone aloud to her.

She has also been on a huge learning kick. She can count to at least 120 with no errors. She knows her abc's and how to write each letter- she can even spell a few simple words and write them out herself. She can recognize numbers and is starting to write them.

Her sense of humor has also shown growth and Leslie and I are always laughing at something she just said.

She is all tan- quite brown actually. Her hair is finally growing and I can now get pig tails in her hair - at the sides now, not the top only anymore!! This is huge for me as I have had literally hundreds of hair doodads waiting for this.

Her legs are bruised and bug bitten.

She gets filthy dirty on a regular basis.

She has had more than her fair share of cotton candy.

She has had her fair share of chips, cookies and other summer treats.

We still have some things planned to wind down the summer. Tomorrow we are going to a Medieval Festival with Jodi. Later this month we will hit Cedar Point with the family form Leslie's side and eventually we will go visit Uncle Mike in North Carolina!!!!!

I hope that she remembers this summer as a great one. I hope this summer is the benchmark for all of the others to come. Lord only knows that I have been having the time of my life.

Butter Bean