Ball! BALL BALL BALL!
You want it?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Angst
For someone who essentially looks like a Dr. Seuss character, Dylan has been one unhappy customer for the past couple weeks.
I guess the Grinch was a Dr. Seuss character and he wasn't that happy until he had that cardiac thing, and I never thought the North- and South-going Zaxes ever resolved things that well, so maybe there is some precedent. In any case, we have no idea what's wrong, but I would like to summarize her state of mind thusly:
(ie anger with a hint of rage, some growling, a bit of anxiety, and a great sense of injustice)
She is a Clingy McClingerston and has gone back to all mama all the time mode, thus inspiring my own mother to pen the classic, What's So Great About Mama? She has not been in such an anxious state since she became more verbal, which has come down on the side of Less rather than More helpful, since any additional communication we may get from her is more than balanced out by 1) words we don't yet understand, in particular this one unintelligible word she's been unhappily yelling for days, and 2) her anguished wails for Mama when Aaron takes her, even though she calms down quickly once he gets his mitts on her. He has had some success with winning her over through matching outfits.
We didn't start counting the minutes to bedtime until a little later in the day than when we were all sick, but getting from 5:30pm to bedtime at 7pm today took like three hours. Actually, bedtime has been sneaking earlier and earlier because none of us, including Dylan, can stand to have her be awake for even one more second at that time of day. I believe this led directly to a 5am wakeup yesterday, and that got ugly. I usually can plan on getting a few tasks done when she is awake, like washing some dishes or putting on pants, but that hasn't happened lately. Relatedly, you may want to call before stopping by our house.
I dunno, she's still cute, but this is pushing it. She has to learn sooner or later that she won't be able to get by on those elfin ears forever.
I guess the Grinch was a Dr. Seuss character and he wasn't that happy until he had that cardiac thing, and I never thought the North- and South-going Zaxes ever resolved things that well, so maybe there is some precedent. In any case, we have no idea what's wrong, but I would like to summarize her state of mind thusly:
(ie anger with a hint of rage, some growling, a bit of anxiety, and a great sense of injustice)She is a Clingy McClingerston and has gone back to all mama all the time mode, thus inspiring my own mother to pen the classic, What's So Great About Mama? She has not been in such an anxious state since she became more verbal, which has come down on the side of Less rather than More helpful, since any additional communication we may get from her is more than balanced out by 1) words we don't yet understand, in particular this one unintelligible word she's been unhappily yelling for days, and 2) her anguished wails for Mama when Aaron takes her, even though she calms down quickly once he gets his mitts on her. He has had some success with winning her over through matching outfits.
We didn't start counting the minutes to bedtime until a little later in the day than when we were all sick, but getting from 5:30pm to bedtime at 7pm today took like three hours. Actually, bedtime has been sneaking earlier and earlier because none of us, including Dylan, can stand to have her be awake for even one more second at that time of day. I believe this led directly to a 5am wakeup yesterday, and that got ugly. I usually can plan on getting a few tasks done when she is awake, like washing some dishes or putting on pants, but that hasn't happened lately. Relatedly, you may want to call before stopping by our house.
I dunno, she's still cute, but this is pushing it. She has to learn sooner or later that she won't be able to get by on those elfin ears forever.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Questions that came up in the past week
1) Why is Snuffy's stomach so upset?
2) What is this half-eaten plastic bag doing here on the floor?
3) Where did that bag of yummy Hamantashen go?
Oh.
2) What is this half-eaten plastic bag doing here on the floor?
3) Where did that bag of yummy Hamantashen go?
Oh.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Cruel irony
I went to work for an hour this evening. I walked in the house at 9:30pm, daydreaming of bed, turned the corner, and BLAH! It really WAS Dylan. **gnashes teeth**
MAMA writes a blog post
I think it's safe to say that Aaron's favorite pastime is to trick me, then tell me I got punk'd. Here is an example that I thought of because it just happened. Dylan is drifting off to sleep, I am downstairs on the computer, and Aaron was upstairs doing whatever it is that he does all the time. He came downstairs, and, just before stepping into view said, "do you want to go see mama?" Then I killed him. The End.
I worked on editing a paper for ten hours yesterday. Ten. That is a lot of hours, almost too many to count on your fingers.
Dylan. Is teething. Again. Could explain some of the last couple weeks.
Snuffy. Got me up at 2am. Just for the heck of it, as it turned out.
Aaron. Dead on the couch. See: above. Also, possibly watching an airline safety video online?
Mama. Is getting used to referring to herself in a throaty voice as MAMA. As in, MAMA needs a drink. MAMA has had to resist the urge to keep talking like this after Dylan is in bed. MAMA see you later.
I worked on editing a paper for ten hours yesterday. Ten. That is a lot of hours, almost too many to count on your fingers.
Dylan. Is teething. Again. Could explain some of the last couple weeks.
Snuffy. Got me up at 2am. Just for the heck of it, as it turned out.
Aaron. Dead on the couch. See: above. Also, possibly watching an airline safety video online?
Mama. Is getting used to referring to herself in a throaty voice as MAMA. As in, MAMA needs a drink. MAMA has had to resist the urge to keep talking like this after Dylan is in bed. MAMA see you later.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
She is eighteen...months
I always find it annoying when people compare their babies to teenagers. And yet...
This morning I came upon Dylan hanging out on her stomach with her arms propped up on a pillow while she pushed buttons on the cell phone.
Then when I picked her up at daycare I saw her sneaking up to a chair, presumably en route to climbing on the table. Her teacher said earlier in the day she had turned around to find Dylan and a boy in the class dancing on the table and laughing. I didn't hear about any lampshades, but I assume they were involved.
This morning I came upon Dylan hanging out on her stomach with her arms propped up on a pillow while she pushed buttons on the cell phone.
Then when I picked her up at daycare I saw her sneaking up to a chair, presumably en route to climbing on the table. Her teacher said earlier in the day she had turned around to find Dylan and a boy in the class dancing on the table and laughing. I didn't hear about any lampshades, but I assume they were involved.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Misc
We celebrated Easter yesterday by hiding eggs in all the grandparents' homes. Surprise!
We got through one of the rougher sections of car ride using JC and dried apples. If we can get a video of Dylan Sings Johnny Cash, I bet that would get some hits on YouTube.
You have got to be kidding me.
I bet you didn't know I run a shadow organization.
And now, since we did it for Dylan, a game of Where's Snuffy? (aka The Ground Was Frozen When We Put Them Out There)
We got through one of the rougher sections of car ride using JC and dried apples. If we can get a video of Dylan Sings Johnny Cash, I bet that would get some hits on YouTube.
You have got to be kidding me.
I bet you didn't know I run a shadow organization.
And now, since we did it for Dylan, a game of Where's Snuffy? (aka The Ground Was Frozen When We Put Them Out There)
In transit
Last night we got an estimated six hours of sleep between the three of us. It makes travel feel like some weird kind of hazing. We do all these fun things during the day, but to earn them we must pay with our souls at night. I think in the future we'll just board Dylan when we go away. I keep skulking off in the corner to rock while I count up all the times we'll be out of town with Dylan the rest of this year (3 weddings, high school reunion, various holidays)
Despite the exhaustion and intensive intervention, Dylan could not sleep in the car and whimpered the whole way from New York to Ithaca, although she did try to doze off when we were three minutes from arriving (in Collegetown, for those in the know).
Every time we looked up this weekend there was a different member of Aaron's family to play with. It was even more like a traveling circus than our trips usually are. Dylan is the most popular of us, so Aaron and I compete for second.
My theory is that the grumpiness peaks on the second day after a bad night, so watch out for us tomorrow. Although with three nights in a row I think we may be looking at a full week. Hey! Come hang out with us!
Despite the exhaustion and intensive intervention, Dylan could not sleep in the car and whimpered the whole way from New York to Ithaca, although she did try to doze off when we were three minutes from arriving (in Collegetown, for those in the know).
Every time we looked up this weekend there was a different member of Aaron's family to play with. It was even more like a traveling circus than our trips usually are. Dylan is the most popular of us, so Aaron and I compete for second.
My theory is that the grumpiness peaks on the second day after a bad night, so watch out for us tomorrow. Although with three nights in a row I think we may be looking at a full week. Hey! Come hang out with us!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Live From New York!
That's right, we're traveling again. I CANNOT GET ENOUGH SLEEP DEPRIVATION. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW ME TO SLEEP, LEST I MAINTAIN AN AGREEABLE MOOD FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR. Dylan slept the whole way here, which made the trip nice, but was only made possible by sheer exhaustion from being up the night before.
I removed the bandage from CYST 2008. It was like one of those joke...things that keep going and going for a hilariously long time, yet I found it less than hilarious. The culture from it was negative, but thanks to all who suggested it was MRSA.
I'm up to 35 (out of 50) enrolled kids.
Snuffy's going to be three in a couple weeks. Maybe he would like a surprise party?
Over and out.
I removed the bandage from CYST 2008. It was like one of those joke...things that keep going and going for a hilariously long time, yet I found it less than hilarious. The culture from it was negative, but thanks to all who suggested it was MRSA.
I'm up to 35 (out of 50) enrolled kids.
Snuffy's going to be three in a couple weeks. Maybe he would like a surprise party?
Over and out.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
It's ALIVE
Our DSL, that is. Joey kindly showed up at 8:15 this morning, frowned for a bit, and it's been working ever since. Actually he just replaced a cable. Aaron tried a similar thing, except he replaced the phone cord with the cord from a phone that Dylan uses as a toy, and I don't think he frowned at it quite right. It also made the phone not work.
Snuffy was a hair too involved in the frowning process, and had to be banished upstairs. This is not a dog who takes kindly to being on a different floor from the rest of us.
********************
I just noticed that my Stupid Baby Tricks video on YouTube from last summer has 5,000 views. Why did I let it go on for five minutes? That is a lot of minutes. Dylan is smaller and fatter, but mostly the same. It's like on The Simpsons when they show young Marge and her hair is just smaller.
Snuffy was a hair too involved in the frowning process, and had to be banished upstairs. This is not a dog who takes kindly to being on a different floor from the rest of us.
********************
I just noticed that my Stupid Baby Tricks video on YouTube from last summer has 5,000 views. Why did I let it go on for five minutes? That is a lot of minutes. Dylan is smaller and fatter, but mostly the same. It's like on The Simpsons when they show young Marge and her hair is just smaller.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Bleisenbergs Without Internet, A Social Experiment: Week 2
Sequence of Events in the Quest for the World Wide Web Saga
1) Six weeks of “Hey, isn’t the Internet going really slowly? Why? WHY?”
2) One week of conspiracy theories
3) One phone call to the company
4) Prompt, although creepy, next-day service, as Kate gets home from work to find the guy sitting in a van in the driveway. He rolls down the window and demands to know a) Do you live here? and b) How old are you?
5) The modem is replaced, joy ensues
6) The modem cuts in and out in unpredictable cycles
7) Aaron works on the problem. All access to the outside world ceases
8) For like a week. Or more
9) Our computers are nothing more than expensive card decks for playing solitaire
10) **Late breaking news** Tonight: Aaron restores the settings to the factory default
11) It works, joy!
12) But still cruelly cuts out without warning. Sorrow!
13) Phone call #4 to the company: SOS
14) …to be continued
………………………
In other, non-DSL service-related updates, Dylan had some kind of developmental breakthrough over the course of like 24 hours last week. She is talking a lot more (when Others aren’t present, of course) and able to say a lot more sounds. She is grumpy as all get out though, and really clingy. Unfortunately, she also had a fattening-up breakthrough and is now too heavy to be lugged around all the time. She’s still on the mend form her latest 3-weekly ear infection, so that may be a part of it. The past few days aside, she’s actually been so happy and playful lately, and sleeping really well. And dog and dada now sound like different words.
………………………
Snuffy has some kind of gastrointestinal distress, which contributed to him and Dylan tagteaming us for much of last night. I think he’s getting better now as well, but that was ugly. Aaron is currently at the laundromat dealing with the fallout. Let us all take a moment now to thank Aaron.
………………………
My cyst continued to participate in the tagteaming as well, and finally had to be drained today. This was not the kind of draining where you put in a needle and draw out the fluid. Oh no. It was more the kind where you cut my neck open with a scalpel and manually squeeze all the grossness out. Let us all take a moment now to shudder.
………………………
Cysts aside, we had a really nice weekend. Just the right mix of friends and eating. Except Sunday, when Dylan was starting to get better and Aaron and I were both really starting to get sick. We all passed out at noon (naptime means naptime, you know), then Dylan woke us all up after an hour and Aaron and I both independently started counting the long hours until bedtime. Six.
1) Six weeks of “Hey, isn’t the Internet going really slowly? Why? WHY?”
2) One week of conspiracy theories
3) One phone call to the company
4) Prompt, although creepy, next-day service, as Kate gets home from work to find the guy sitting in a van in the driveway. He rolls down the window and demands to know a) Do you live here? and b) How old are you?
5) The modem is replaced, joy ensues
6) The modem cuts in and out in unpredictable cycles
7) Aaron works on the problem. All access to the outside world ceases
8) For like a week. Or more
9) Our computers are nothing more than expensive card decks for playing solitaire
10) **Late breaking news** Tonight: Aaron restores the settings to the factory default
11) It works, joy!
12) But still cruelly cuts out without warning. Sorrow!
13) Phone call #4 to the company: SOS
14) …to be continued
………………………
In other, non-DSL service-related updates, Dylan had some kind of developmental breakthrough over the course of like 24 hours last week. She is talking a lot more (when Others aren’t present, of course) and able to say a lot more sounds. She is grumpy as all get out though, and really clingy. Unfortunately, she also had a fattening-up breakthrough and is now too heavy to be lugged around all the time. She’s still on the mend form her latest 3-weekly ear infection, so that may be a part of it. The past few days aside, she’s actually been so happy and playful lately, and sleeping really well. And dog and dada now sound like different words.
………………………
Snuffy has some kind of gastrointestinal distress, which contributed to him and Dylan tagteaming us for much of last night. I think he’s getting better now as well, but that was ugly. Aaron is currently at the laundromat dealing with the fallout. Let us all take a moment now to thank Aaron.
………………………
My cyst continued to participate in the tagteaming as well, and finally had to be drained today. This was not the kind of draining where you put in a needle and draw out the fluid. Oh no. It was more the kind where you cut my neck open with a scalpel and manually squeeze all the grossness out. Let us all take a moment now to shudder.
………………………
Cysts aside, we had a really nice weekend. Just the right mix of friends and eating. Except Sunday, when Dylan was starting to get better and Aaron and I were both really starting to get sick. We all passed out at noon (naptime means naptime, you know), then Dylan woke us all up after an hour and Aaron and I both independently started counting the long hours until bedtime. Six.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Dispatch from the Other Side
Life without the Internet...so dreary and desolate. We still don't know when it will be fixed, so keep us in your thoughts.
So, what else is new lately?
There is a snowman chopping off another snowman's head with an axe across the street from us. They're both melting now, so I'm not sure where the execution got anyone.
I'm writing from my office with Dylan, who, coincidentally, is also melting down, so I'm afraid this brief fling with connectivity to the outside world will be brief.
2 out of 3 words out of Dylan's mouth are no. no. The third, rotating, word gets more intelligible and varied every day though.
Whoops, she's really done now. I'm off.
So, what else is new lately?
There is a snowman chopping off another snowman's head with an axe across the street from us. They're both melting now, so I'm not sure where the execution got anyone.
I'm writing from my office with Dylan, who, coincidentally, is also melting down, so I'm afraid this brief fling with connectivity to the outside world will be brief.
2 out of 3 words out of Dylan's mouth are no. no. The third, rotating, word gets more intelligible and varied every day though.
Whoops, she's really done now. I'm off.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Other notes on our trip
Crossing the border. Sucks.
Toronto is a nice city, but not too great at prompt snow removal.
Swimming in an outdoor pool in a blizzard is really cool, although an outdoor heated pool in winter is fairly painful because of the amount of energy it must waste.
We learned that Dylan, like Snuffy, is scared to go swimming. Both of them also pouted when left to be tended by others, Snuffy for the weekend and Dylan for about 45 minutes. Aaron came upon Dylan sitting sullenly on the bed watching TV with Uncle Tom, who only managed to calm her down when she woke up from her nap by taking her into a darkened bathroom.
This picture is inaccurate in so many ways.
1) The restaurant does not really serve stuffed Bear Bear.
2) It was taken before going up in the tower with a blue screen behind us. Fancy.
3) It was actually a stormy blizzard when we went up. Visibility was about one foot.
4) It does not really capture the shade of green that I was from being motion sick because of the alarmingly fast rotating.
5) Dylan is actually the best looking of the bunch, despite her stunned expression here.
Toronto is a nice city, but not too great at prompt snow removal.
Swimming in an outdoor pool in a blizzard is really cool, although an outdoor heated pool in winter is fairly painful because of the amount of energy it must waste.
We learned that Dylan, like Snuffy, is scared to go swimming. Both of them also pouted when left to be tended by others, Snuffy for the weekend and Dylan for about 45 minutes. Aaron came upon Dylan sitting sullenly on the bed watching TV with Uncle Tom, who only managed to calm her down when she woke up from her nap by taking her into a darkened bathroom.
This picture is inaccurate in so many ways.
1) The restaurant does not really serve stuffed Bear Bear.
2) It was taken before going up in the tower with a blue screen behind us. Fancy.
3) It was actually a stormy blizzard when we went up. Visibility was about one foot.
4) It does not really capture the shade of green that I was from being motion sick because of the alarmingly fast rotating.
5) Dylan is actually the best looking of the bunch, despite her stunned expression here.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Toronto (aka Aaron's ongoing birthday celebration yes his birthday was in February)
Sorry for the absence. Our internet has been out in the house for two days. I thought I was texting posts from the phone, but apparently I was not.
Saturday
Sunday
Shoe model
Saturday
Sunday
Shoe model
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Good Ideas, 3/6 - 3/8/08
1. Entrust Aaron with the care and tracking of his wallet. And keys.
2. See Avenue Q; spend the next day at work humming "The Internet is for Porn."
3. Plan a getaway weekend in Toronto. In March. Leave town at 4pm, which, coincidentally, is the same time the winter weather advisory starts. 4.5 hours and 40cm of snow later, arrive in Toronto.
4. Develop an enormous cyst that requires multiple steroid injections and now looks like a hickey right in the middle of your neck.
5. Don't post for two days; send Dylan's grandparents of all stripes into a panic.
6. Travel with your daughter, who has been sleeping like a dream. Welcome to 4am!
7. Check your passport expiration date the day before going to another country. Hey, that's next Tuesday!
2. See Avenue Q; spend the next day at work humming "The Internet is for Porn."
3. Plan a getaway weekend in Toronto. In March. Leave town at 4pm, which, coincidentally, is the same time the winter weather advisory starts. 4.5 hours and 40cm of snow later, arrive in Toronto.
4. Develop an enormous cyst that requires multiple steroid injections and now looks like a hickey right in the middle of your neck.
5. Don't post for two days; send Dylan's grandparents of all stripes into a panic.
6. Travel with your daughter, who has been sleeping like a dream. Welcome to 4am!
7. Check your passport expiration date the day before going to another country. Hey, that's next Tuesday!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
More Links And Stuff
We recently watched Ratatouille, and I feel it has some key flaws. For example, the plot and the characters are really annoying. Aaron argues: the colors, look at the pretty colors.
*************
Avenue Q is in town! I would have gotten to see it on Broadway, but when we got to the theater there was a note on the door that one of the muppeteers had broken her leg and the performance was canceled. Tragic.
*************
I enjoyed this quite a bit. I have always HATED Garfield, and I think this makes it better.
*************
Here is a Kate's eye view of Dylan making a break for the kitchen (and, irritatingly, being foiled) at our second favorite pizza place. (Here is #1)
*************
Caution: Ew.
The reason I was sick earlier this week was that a tiny cyst I've had in my neck for years became possessed by evil spirits and blew up to the size of a ping pong ball. One of the caring medical professionals I saw took one look at it and (apparently) maliciously gave it a good hard squeeze, which did nothing to help it and still hurt 20 minutes later. Then she injected it with steroids and kept saying, "you'll walk out of here feeling better," which I most decidedly did not. I do feel better now, but I would still rate it as good-sized-marble size. I have been walking around with a giant hot water bottle attached to my neck to try to make it go down more, but it's not really working. Tomorrow I go back for Round 2: The Squeezening.
*************
Avenue Q is in town! I would have gotten to see it on Broadway, but when we got to the theater there was a note on the door that one of the muppeteers had broken her leg and the performance was canceled. Tragic.
*************
I enjoyed this quite a bit. I have always HATED Garfield, and I think this makes it better.
*************
Here is a Kate's eye view of Dylan making a break for the kitchen (and, irritatingly, being foiled) at our second favorite pizza place. (Here is #1)
*************
Caution: Ew.
The reason I was sick earlier this week was that a tiny cyst I've had in my neck for years became possessed by evil spirits and blew up to the size of a ping pong ball. One of the caring medical professionals I saw took one look at it and (apparently) maliciously gave it a good hard squeeze, which did nothing to help it and still hurt 20 minutes later. Then she injected it with steroids and kept saying, "you'll walk out of here feeling better," which I most decidedly did not. I do feel better now, but I would still rate it as good-sized-marble size. I have been walking around with a giant hot water bottle attached to my neck to try to make it go down more, but it's not really working. Tomorrow I go back for Round 2: The Squeezening.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Links 'N' Things
Weather forecast for tonight: "Sleet and freezing rain this evening then becoming heavy at times late. Sleet accumulation 1 to 3 inches. Ice accumulation of up to one half inch. Near steady temperatures in the mid 20s. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph becoming north. Gusts up to 35 mph. Chance of precipitation 100 percent." Unpleasant, no? Really, whoever heard of SLEET accumulation? This winter has been nothing but ice, and Dylan's always slipping and falling on her little noggin. That is, when she's not forcing me to take her joyriding on her trike in the freezing cold.
**********
Aren't these quilts cool? I want all of them.
**********
We watched Hot Fuzz last night. It was surprisingly clever and funny, if you like that sort of thing.
**********
I am still enjoying a plunge into the world of vegan cooking and baking. I had great success with corn muffins yesterday, we had scrambled tofu for dinner, and I am working on a chocolate cake right now. The scrambled tofu is great because scrambled eggs are one of Dylan's favorite foods and I wanted a good substitute for it. She loved it, even though it doesn't really taste the same and is seasoned with thyme, paprika, garlic, and cumin. Unfortunately it takes like 25 minutes to make instead of the four that the real eggs do. I am still trying to find a yogurt replacement, because that is really her favorite food. All the soy yogurts either have milk or rice ingredients in them.
**********
Any Survivorman fans? Check this out.
**********
I'm better today, sort of. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.
**********
Where's Dylan?
**********
Aren't these quilts cool? I want all of them.
**********
We watched Hot Fuzz last night. It was surprisingly clever and funny, if you like that sort of thing.
**********
I am still enjoying a plunge into the world of vegan cooking and baking. I had great success with corn muffins yesterday, we had scrambled tofu for dinner, and I am working on a chocolate cake right now. The scrambled tofu is great because scrambled eggs are one of Dylan's favorite foods and I wanted a good substitute for it. She loved it, even though it doesn't really taste the same and is seasoned with thyme, paprika, garlic, and cumin. Unfortunately it takes like 25 minutes to make instead of the four that the real eggs do. I am still trying to find a yogurt replacement, because that is really her favorite food. All the soy yogurts either have milk or rice ingredients in them.
**********
Any Survivorman fans? Check this out.
**********
I'm better today, sort of. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.
**********
Where's Dylan?
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