What's New, Brown Cow

Addie has a rock collection. You might think that a collection of this kind wouldn't need any maintenance but you, my friend, are unaware of the daily sorting and size comparing that it takes to keep a box of rocks in order. Fortunately Addie knows about these things and is dedicated to the proper care of her collection.

Addie and I played dress-ups yesterday. Addie is just starting to get into pretending and its a ball of fun. I realize the hat is over her face, but she is still smiling so there is no need to be alarmed. She's so darn wiggly...mostly because she tries to climb on me during photos.

I was doing my hair the other morning (or most likely trying to not do it but spending just as much time as I would have if I had just done it) when I peeked into Addie's room to see what she was up to. This is what I saw: She lined up all nine of her animals (and one doll) and then put a blanket over the top of them all so they could have a nap. I put the blanket on Addie per her command and then she rolled over and pretended to sleep.

We are selling the motorcycle. If you happen to be interested in purchasing a wild machine of speed and freedom then please contact us by the appropriate numbers. Addie is not, however, for sell. She is simply the model for this bike that makes it seem child-friendly to possible buyers. It is not child-friendly. I have the scar to prove it. We'll miss our dear bike, but we hardly ever ride it anymore due to the lack of an infant seat.

We had a baby last week. Okay, we just babysat one. This is my cousin's little girl, Gretchen. It was fun to watch Addie play with her. She would put her binky back in when it fell out, and she would lay with her on the floor and be so gentle. She even decided she wanted to hold her at one point so we put her on the couch and helped her hold the baby. Pretty cute. Then the last twenty minutes of our babysitting time Addie grew tired of her and decided to run dangerously close by the baby repeatedly and then tackle me while I'm holding Gretchen. The lesson learned here is: yes, we could have another child in this family, but only for two hours.

Cami, Caitie, Grandma and Grandpa came up for the weekend a few weekends ago. It was, as always, a blast of a weekend! Addie really loves her two aunts and probably thinks they are her own personal servants.

Addie and I were at the store the other day looking at earrings (I got tired of the two pairs I own) and bracelets (that was Addie, mostly). I purchased a razzle-dazzle pair of earrings and then we headed out the door. I didn't get more than a sparrows' width through the door when the theft detector went off. The manager approached me and rechecked my purchase for inventory control tags and then I went through the door again. I buzzed again but the manager told me I could just go. So I did. We went home, had lunch, and then I put Addie down for a nap. I started pulling stuff out of my purse when I discovered a bracelet I had never seen before. And it had a price tag on it. And it was from the store I was just at. Putting two and two together I came to this conclusion: my daughter was a shoplifter. And not just a petty one, either, considering she swiped a $25 bracelet for her first (or known first) theft. I took the above picture before we returned the bracelet to the store. I wanted her to put it on, but as you can see she was too disgusted with her crime to enjoy it. I hope she learned her lesson, as I'm sure she didn't since she's 1 1/2. (Note: I'm sure she didn't intend to steal it but was just seeing where it could fit...or was she? Bum BUm BUM!)

Stickers are a great way to entertain toddlers. This toddler happens to be very opinionated about where stickers should go: on the leg and only on the leg. And all on the same leg, too. It's only an issue if she's wearing pants, in which case one pant leg gets rolled up gangsta-style.

I didn't ask her to pose, the scenery just demanded it.


We also are the proud owners of a vending machine. When I took this photo I said, "J, you look so serious." And he said, "I am serious. I'm a serious business man." So there you have it: Business Man Jason. We had high hopes of retiring early on the profit from it but I don't think $6/month will cover all of our expenses. Especially when you consider the amount of time it will take just to pay itself off. ( Note: it is not really a retirement plan, just a whim-kind-of-plan....which is not really a plan at all.) It's located in the office at Jason's place of employment so not a lot of traffic is going on by the machine. It's fun anyhow. Ask yourself this: what's cooler? Buying a drink at the store and drinking it OR buying a vending machine and a box of drinks and then paying YOURSELF to have a drink?