Credit Where Credit is Due

As I was looking through pictures on my phone tonight, it came to my attention that perhaps my brothers and I have been hogging all the attention for doing all the work on my yard. I'm not sure how it slipped my mind, but trust me, there was a 4th worker (not counting Sophie, who supervised from the deck all day). If there is any question what contribution this worker made, I believe this picture tells the whole story...we stood around while they did most of the digging...

Well Put

I can't say it any better myself (well, I might not use as strong a word as 'Awful', but you get the point)

A bad place

Do you know where I am supposed to be right now? In a hot tub at a beach house in Hilton Head. Do you know where I AM right now? Locked away in a tv-less guestroom like a medieval troll who has been thrown in a dungeon. How did I find myself in this situation you ask? ...By being extraordinarily unlucky.

The night before we were supposed to leave for our vacation, I came down with a nasty virus. So, for the last two full days, I have spent the majority of my time sitting by myself quarantined away from my loved ones. We almost made the trip anyways today, but apparently, "nobody wants to be stuck in a car for 4+ hours breathing in the germs of some sweaty guy with a fever, chills, body aches, and a wicked sore throat." Lame, right?

So, while I am completely missing out on an awesome family vacation to the beach, I did have one highlight in my day...getting to spend a little quality time with Amelia...from a germ-safe distance...out the window of my 2nd floor prison.

Quality Time

Now that a few days have passed since we worked on the patio, I have to admit...I kind of miss it. Don't get me wrong, shoveling clay and carrying stones for 10 hours a day isn't fun, but this week was the single best time I've ever had with my brothers. Sure, we've probably done more interesting things together in our lives, but this was just simple, uninterrupted, quality time. I love my new patio and I'm sure the new irrigation system will make the yard look great. That said, neither of those things can come close to matching the memories I'll take with me from this week...for they were worth every drop of sweat. Thank you guys for all your help. I love you.

Done!...for now

The patio and irrigation are finally done...relatively speaking. There are still a few things to do to complete all the finishing touches. But, for now, I think we have done a pretty darn good job.

Good News/Bad News

Good News - The patio and irrigation are almost done

Bad News - Pretty much every muscle I have hurts

Good News - It somewhat helped the long term value of my house

Bad News - It severely hurt the short term value of my wallet

Good News - I got out of working on the patio today because I had to go to my actual job

Bad News - I somehow caught a cold and feel worse than I have in a while

Good News - I had a great time spending the week with my brothers

Bad News - I have no idea how I am going to explain to Amelia and Sophie that the boys aren't staying here. They have both taken quite the liking to them.

It's been better

Today we found out over one ton of the stone we moved yesterday is actually the WRONG STONE. So, we will have to have them bring the correct stone, which we will have to unload by hand...and then load the incorrect stone back on the truck. As if the additional 2 tons of lifting didn't start the day off on the wrong foot, Amelia decided today would be a good day to run a 103.8 degree fever, I drove to one of my favorite restaurants which apparently closed for business, and we cut through my cable wire so I don't have cable or Internet until they fix it. On the bright side, it does not appear that the rapture started today as was predicted by some. So, I have that going for me.

Ouch

If you were ever wondering how you could get more sore than you have ever been in your life...

Step 1 - work an office job 50 hours a week so that you develop absolutely zero of the muscles required to do manual labor.

Step 2 - unload 3.5 tons of stone off a truck by hand.

Step 3 - unload .5 tons of sand off of a truck by hand.

Step 4 - realize that tomorrow is actually going to be harder than today.

Step 5 - cry yourself to sleep.

So far, so good

Last fall, I posted this post outlining a wager I have with a friend. Essentially, I have to finish a first draft of a screenplay before he goes on a mission trip to Africa or else I have to buy him a steak dinner and vice versa. I have been asked several times since that post if either of us has won. While neither of us have completed our tasks yet, I am pleased to announce we have both made significant progress. I currently have 86 pages completed (out of what will likely be 100 pages) and he received all of his immunizations yesterday for a June trip to Malawi. At this point, it seems inevitable that we will both complete our goals and continue to move further beyond anything we ever imagined. Now, about that bet....yeah, I'm still WAY too cheap to lose....especially to a guy who I know is going to run up the bill on me. So, despite spending most of my free time writing a completely different screenplay for school, I guarantee victory.

Where?

Bedtime tonight consisted of screaming, crying, repeated pleas of "mommy daddy's bed", some rocking chair action, and a healthy dose of back rubbing. As Amelia tried everything under the sun to keep from going to bed, I couldn't help but wonder....what happened to this girl...

Talk talk talk talk

Amelia has REALLY started talking more and more. Here are some of the things she said this evening...

"Where is my mommy?" (when I picked her up from school)

"I love you, daddy" (when we were walking to the car)

"No, daddy. Mimi's turn" (when I started singing Muffin Man with her)

"We eat dinner. THEN playground. THEN ice ceem" (when I told her to eat her dinner so we could go to the playground. She threw in the ice cream part on her own)

"Chicken and french fries and apple and fruit snack and juice and milk" (when I asked what she wanted to eat)

"No night night, daddy." (After she yawned and I asked if she was tired)

"Sophie, no lick my daddy!" (when Sophie was so excited that we came home)

"NO NO, bugs. Mimi no like you" (alerting any bugs we may come across on our walk)

"Happy Mother's Day" (When Meggan came home)

"You have good day?" (After hugging Meggan)

"I need some" (when I grabbed the cookies out of the oven"

"thanks" (when she finally got one)

On the Farm

Here are some pictures from our trip to Meggan's parents' house this weekend. Warning: they are not all featuring Amelia.

Onion Festival?...more like FUNion Festival

Amelia and I made our first ever pilgrimages to the annual Onion Festival here in Meggan's hometown. She is still probably a year or two away from enjoying it fully, but we all still really had a good time. There was the usual festival fare - food, music, and crafts...but, we also took a few seconds to enjoy some of the things we don't get to see on a daily basis....

Turtle Races...



Pigs...



and incense crystals ... yep, that's a Micheal Jackson incense holder in the back ....and yep, the scent they were selling is called "monkey farts"...

Ride the Alligators

Amelia has really come a long way in learning new words and speaking more clearly. That said, we still run into a few words that keep us on our toes. Yesterday, while eating in the mall food court, she kept telling us she wanted to "ride the alligators". As she got more and more adamant, we tried harder and harder to remember if there were any alligators on a carousel or playland in the mall. Eventually, after Amelia got tired of seeing us flounder, she simply pointed out the "alligators"....and then I spent the rest of our time in the mall riding up and down the escalators with her.

Empowered

Amelia has reached an age where, apparently, only chumps allow their parents to help them do anything. So, we can either battle her at every turn or simply let her try to do everything on her own and then help her clean up afterwards. Typically, we choose the path of empowerment. I am hoping this helps her grow into a confident, independent woman. In the meantime, I guess we will just watch her learn the hard way.


This is how a 2 year-old does work on a slice of pizza...no cutting, no help from mom, no napkin...no problem.(Problem: about 10 seconds later, this slice of pizza ended up on the floor under the table)

No Option

I really don't think I have much of an option but to absolutely love this girl...




First of all, as Meggan kept saying she was "her Mimi", Amelia kept saying "No, Daddy's Mimi"

Secondly, she had this conversation with the toilet water as she flushed after going potty:

"Bye bye Tee Tee"...."See you later"..."Tee Tee, go to your house"

Then, she came out of the bathroom filled with pride and gave me this big thumbs up...

Happy Mothers' Day

Apparently, Amelia doesn't understand that not all holiday greetings are sung to the tune of Happy Birthday ... and you don't blow out fake candles at the end every time...

1 step forward, 2 steps back

Step forward - successful potty night for the 4th day in a row

Step back #1 - my daughter has begun calling me "Renal" (her version of my name, Randall) on a regular basis.

Step back #2 - a disastrously runny nose and the beginning signs of coughing are really putting Meggan and I on high alert mode. We have just enjoyed a few weeks of health, so we are not ready for another illness!

Cinco de Mayo

Today I...

...had one of those days at work where you are able to solve all the things that have been perplexing you ...



...Submitted an application asking for permission to add a stone patio and irrigation system to my house...



...Took Amelia here...



...Then, stopped for one of these on the way home...



...And before bath time, Amelia used the potty for the 3rd night in a row...



...So, yeah, I feel like this...

1 is an anomaly, 2 is a streak

Well, that settles it...Amelia is officially potty trained. After all, tonight was her second consecutive night of using the potty. Consequently, it was also the second consecutive night I was elated to have installed miniature toilet seats so that she can use the toilet rather than the disgusting, cleaning-required Elmo bucket that stores pass off as a potty. Practicality - 1, Sesame Street Hype - 0.

This girl

Who used the potty tonight like a big girl?!?

This girl...

It's Time

Occasionally, I get the image of me driving Amelia to her first day of Kindergarten. This is normally a prideful, memorable moment in a parent's life. However, in my vision, I still see Amelia sucking her pacifier. Now, this isn't as bad as parents who lug around their kids in Baby Bjorns until they reach puberty. But, she is already far too big to have one. You should hear the sounds coming from her room at night. It sounds like Maggie Simpson on steroids...a lot of steroids. So, recently, with the help of her teachers we have been talking to Amelia about "giving her paci to the baby room". This is apparently a method they use at school to empower the kids rather than make them feel as though you are taking something from them. I think it sounds like a really great plan. Unfortunately, this probably works better before you kid has the ability to negotiate for more time...

What a Difference a Year Makes

We just received Amelia's pictures from school. I can't believe how much older she looks compared to her pictures from last year. I know...I'm her dad...I see her every single day...I SHOULD recognize how old she looks. That said, nothing puts it more into perspective than seeing them side by side.