Pumpkin Patch?

Uhhhh, yeaahh, the pumpkin patch thing didn't happen today. It wasn't that we didn't want to go. It was that we didn't want to go enough. We had quite a bit of yard work to do and our friends we were going with were tied up as well. So, I am sad to admit, I have no pumpkin patch pictures for you tonight. However, we did uncover two very important facts tonight...

1) Amelia has no concept of what a costume is. She simply snuggles her Elmo costume as if it actually Elmo's limp, lifeless body.



2) Amelia's friend, Connor (the lion from last Halloween), had a very interesting idea for his costume this year....Elmo

Pumpkin Patch Redux

If all goes according to plan, we are taking Amelia to the pumpkin patch. I really have no idea what to expect. She has an amazing knack for really going the extra mile when it comes to breaking down crying during memory making moments. Hopefully, we will have some photos of the event to post tomorrow night. In the meantime, here is a little stroll down memory lane from last year's trip to the patch...

Fun with Crayons

Tonight, Mia decided it was a pretty good idea to go ahead and start coloring on the hardwood floors. I'm not sure if she got bored with her coloring book or just thought perhaps they needed a little pizazz. Also tonight, Sophie ate several crayons, leaving only wrappers on the floor and skittle-colored turds in the backyard. I am certain neither of these met with my approval. What I can't figure out, though, is who I am more upset with. Is it Amelia for coloring my floor like subway graffiti? Is it Sophie for tasting the rainbow? Or is it me for somehow not stopping both of those things before they happened? Hmm, probably the last one. But, just in case, I think I'll put all of us in the time out chair for a while.

Happy to see her

I made it home tonight not only in time to see Amelia, but in time to play with her for an hour or so. It's a funny thing how frustrating it can normally be when she doesn't feel well or is acting out. Yet, on days like today where I haven't seen her much lately, I just enjoy her company regardless of mood, health, or the fact that she ignores me for Sesame Street. The simple things like chasing her around the house and tickling her into relentless laughter can completely erase the funk of a long workday, work week, or even work month. Tonight was a night that I badly needed....even if our conversation on the couch went like this... "are you glad daddy's home to see you tonight?" "Noooo". "You're not? That hurts daddy's feelings. Do you care that you hurt daddy's feelings?" "Noooooo" and then she proceeded to smack me in the mouth. Ahhhh, love.

Know when to say when

I have been working for 14 hours straight. I did not make it home in time for dinner or to see Amelia before she went to bed. Unfortunately, this kind of work schedule has been pretty common the last week or two. I'm grateful to have my job and am thankful for the opportunities it provides. However, roughly 5 minutes ago, my computer locked up and I lost about 2 hours worth of work. So, I am now faced with only a few options considering I have a deliverable due at noon tomorrow that is now WAAAY behind schedule. 1) Stay up for the next several hours rebuilding what I had done and finishing the remainder of the analysis. 2) Light this P.O.S. laptop on fire and joyfully watch it melt away years of torment. or 3)Shut down, go upstairs and watch Amelia sleep for a little while and then peacefully join Meggan and Sophie in bed. My head says #1, my heart says #3, and yet, a small part of me is leaning towards the pure catharsis of #2. I'm pretty sure I'll end up in bed soon, but let's just say this laptop is lucky it houses too many pictures of Amelia and the only copy of the screenplay I've been working on. As for the work due tomorrow, I'll just have Sophie make up some numbers in the morning.

Nutritious AND Delicious

This is a picture, albeit a terrible cell phone picture, of Amelia at lunch today. Now, ordinarily I would not be proud of the fact that we are feeding her grilled cheese and fries. However, today, I would have preferred to be saying she cleared her plate than to tell you what she is actually doing in this picture...Yes, that is crayon in her hand. Yes, she is using it as a fork. And, yes, she is spearing Fruit Loops with it and eating them.

The REAL fun

Meggan took Amelia to a story time event today where she got to sit back, eat fruit loops, and listen to a great story. I'm sure Meggan felt like this made her the most fun parent today. Little does she know, I don't need any events to maintain that title. This is the scene moments before they left while I was outside loading her into the car...


Here she is laughing while chasing me...



Here she appears to be trying to growl at, or perhaps, eat me