Pictures

I've just spent FOREVER loading pictures into Shutterfly to try them out. So far I don't like them. Then I find out I can't get the great deal I thought I could on 4X6 prints. Now I Like them even less. So I am sharing my album, but not buying prints from them at this time. Anyway, I have enough photos to scrapbook right now without getting more sent to my house and clogging up my creative processes. So here's the darn link if you want to see the pics: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/share/view?i=EeBNWzFm4ZOXBQ&open=1&x=1&sm=1&sl=0

I'm going to bed now.

Happy Birthday, my Mary Lee

2:03 PM slipped by without notice this year. At 4:53 I noticed the time and realized that uncomfortable memories of last year at that time were foggy at best, thank heavens. Mary turned one while she was sleeping and I didn't even notice. She was perfectly adorable and sweet today, like most days. I loved her more than ever just for being here. We didn't do anything of note today except sing 'Happy Baby Birthday' a dozen or so times. She swayed back and forth the minute we started and smiled all the way through. She let me rock her for about 15 minutes tonight, and I told her all sorts of things you want to tell somebody you really love: about what it was like the first time I saw her, felt her, heard her; the sweetest times I've ever had with her; the sounds I love; (the sounds I don't love); how her hair curls in back and is turning coarse; how all 10 of her toes are absolutely perfect and kissable (and what has she been doing with them since they've gotten so big?!); and on and on. She patiently listened to me and smiled and cooed when she should. Then she got impatient and began trying to tear my face off via the corner of my mouth with her pointy index finger. So I laid her down in her crib - in the middle of the nest of blankets she has made - gave her her blankie and her pacifier and said good night to my precious 1 year old baby as I said goodbye to my helpless infant.

Directly after that, I chased down my naked 2 year old and wrestled her pajamas over her head while she screamed that is was morning, not that evil time called night. Then I sat down and locked her on my lap with my leg to comb the tangles out of her wet hair while she squirmed with amazing strength. She then pleaded for me to find her rainboots (no rain here) and she found her 'purse'. With Disney Princess nightgown, tulip rainboots, and electric blue bag, she announced she was going 'bye-bye' and climbed into the pedal car that Jim got for the girls. Good-bye, dear toddler - until tomorrow.

Blog, Blog, Blog....

You wouldn't believe it if I told you. I blog constantly. Really, I do. Almost every minute of the day, I have a constant monologue accompanying me, making spectacular and witty observations. Imagine my surprise when I review my blog and find none of it there. Some day the need to come up with software that will type what you are thinking when you need it. That would make my life a lot more interesting - and documented. Aside from talking to myself in my head all day, I have been filling every spare moment with crafts. It has been in the 90's here with humidity that makes trees wilt from the weight of it, so I have been spending a lot of time in the basement with the kids and the craft area. I recently bought a climbing/slide toy to put down here so that Emma (and soon Mary) can expend some energy on days we cannot, or do not want to go out. We also put down some of those colorful foam floor mats that interlock like a puzzle to extend the play area. There are two bound remnants that measure about 8 x 10 and 10 x 14 feet, and then the 8 x 8 area of playmats. We brought down our old TV from our bedroom (a little 9" screen with a video player built in) and hooked up a small DVD player to it as well. It doesn't get any reception, but it does play Dora and that is all that matters in this house right now! So the girls have plenty of toys (most of the noisy ones) and things to do downstairs. The idea was that I could scrapbook or do crafty things while they played nearby. WELL, LET ME TELL YOU - that was laughable! When I walk off of the designated play area, Emma suddenly cannot manage the Jack-in-the-Box by herself. Then she cannot climb up the little rock wall alone. Her shape sorter is suddenly out of sorts and can only be righted by me. In other words, she is glued to me. So what ends up happening is I spend short 5 minute bouts of time pulling out everything and really WANTING to craft, but end up playing with the pop-on blocks instead. Then when they go down for a nap, I can't get to my craft area fast enough to do everything I have been wanting to do all morning. Likewise for when they go to bed. So, consequently, I do not spend too much time on the computer. Hence the lack of reliable blogging. I would be surprised by now if anyone besides my loyal Lochmoor Mom even checks this any more.

I would go on, but now it is late and I am tired. I still must pick up the toys and put sheets on our bed. We had Mary's first birthday party this past weekend. I cannot believe she is going to be one on Thursday. My little ball of love is walking occasionally and speaking quite a few words, both of which shock me every time they occur. I will get some pictures up soon, as well as an account of the festivities.

Quick Summary

We had a faboo Fourth of July weekend, doing everything that makes summertime great for kids. Diane and Derek came in Friday night with their girls, and we had an awesome time together! We took the kids to Jungle Java, the Spray scape park (think giant sprinklers), Chuck E. Cheese's (where a birthday girl can be a kid), went out to dinner (for the adults!), saw the parade in Northville, and walked to the ice cream store together (Cold Stone's - where else?!). On Monday, Jim and I escaped to go see Star Wars Episode III, which was awesome, and the kids played together before they went to bed. In the span of3 full days, the kids got to eat birthday cake, hot dogs, ice cream, pizza, more pizza, and brownies. Now, tell me that isn't a good summer weekend for them.

I know you wouldn't believe we had a great weekend if you heard the other side of the coin first, but I will only say that in spite of leaking, explosive diapers and broken glass (not caused by the diapers in any way, shape, or form), it was a fantastic time with our very dearest friends. And, as we mentioned in regards to the glass: at least it wasn't a deer in our house. This is a true story, folks - they had a deer jump through their front window and create havoc and wreckage for 45 minutes one morning while they were out. Caused a h*ll of a lot of damage and left a lot of blood in it's wake. See? The poop and broken glass wasn't that bad. Needless to say, the Ruckers are doing some minor redecorating. We are just ordering a new oven door.

Nothing else to write about right now, except that we are going to sit down and watch the original Star Wars episode so that I can remember the rest of the story - right now, as a matter of fact. We left off last night where Hans Solo and the gang get stuck in the trash compactor - sure hope they make it out!

Potty Language

"So, why haven't you blogged?" Lochmoor Mom asked.

Two words, my friend: POTTY TRAINING.

"So, blog about that."

This one I actually thought about for a millisecond. Besides using up huge time blocks where I spend an inordinate amount of time sitting in front of Emma on the 'potty', singing songs, reading books to her, or making up Dora stories, I am, when she goes to bed, pooped.

Not pooped in the sense of "poots" (Emma speak), or as in "pee-pee", which I actually used in a sentence when speaking to my husband yesterday. Pooped as in so flippin' tired and sucked dry of any patience I ever had that I really want to burrow into the farthest reaches of my house and twitch. Barring that availability, eating more Birthday Cake Remix will work, too.

I meant to go to Meijer tonight and pick up more Feel and Learn diapers ("Dora Diapers"), Kan-Doo flushable wipes ("Purple-green paper towel"), and some pull-ups for night and nap times, since Emma likes to remove the regular velcro tabbed diapers for sleeping purposes. However, the minute the girls went to their cribs (they are still chatting at each other right now) I put on my PJ's. I know a lot of people go to all sorts of places in their pajamas, but I am not and will not become one of them. So that will be first on the docket tomorrow morning. Oh, and we are out of milk. Better put that on the list, too.

All in all, potty training is everything I feared and expected. I just didn't foresee the potty-themed songs or the made up Dora adventure stories, where Dora eats a lot and drinks a lot and then has to.... Well, I am sure you can guess that ending.

Status Quo

Well my dear husband made it home today, safe and sound, thank God. He came in just as I was coming downstairs with both girls after Mary's morning nap. They girls were all dressed in pretty yellow dresses, although I myself was only in shorts. Emma sported little pigtails, which are as darling as any 2-year-old can get. She cinched that category when she saw Jim and ran into his arms at full speed, yelling,"Daddy!" with the exuberance only a child can display. Mary got all excited and laughed (in happiness) and waited until Emma was done and Jim looked right at her to say, "DADA!!!!". It was a great homecoming and so wonderful to see my children so happy and animated at Jim's return. Jim looked blissful. So for the afternoon, things returned to normal and it seemed like he was never gone. We went to lunch (Wendy's), and Mary and Emma kept alternating calling Dada and Daddy for him to respond on the drive there. We came home, put the girls down for their naps, and I collapsed from exhaustion while Jim, wired with caffeine, put together the behemoth climbing toy I bought almost 2 weeks ago. When Emma saw it, she loved it. We had pizza for dinner - that is a Wednesday night tradition, so nobody better get on me for not cooking a meal for him. Jim was glad to eat some good food and said that lunch was the most expensive meal he's had in 3 weeks. Well, it is 8:15 and the whole of my family is in bed and I am by myself. It is nice, in a way, to catch my breath, clean up the kitchen and the girls' toys, and sit down to a quiet house. I did finish off my bucket-o-calories today and I hope to not see that dreaded ice cream again for a long time. I am going to go spend some time with my Stampin' Up! orders and catalog and possibly make a few cards to send to people. I have been trying to do that for 3 weeks now and haven't made it yet, so we'll see. BTW, I'd like to welcome my friend in Jackson to the blogging world. You can check out her blog at www.lochmoorlife.blogspot.com . Enjoy!

A Bedtime Story at 11:38 PM

Once upon a time, and not so very far away, lived a perfectly beautiful little baby. Her name was Mary Leona. She was very wonderful and her mother and father loved her very much. Her father traveled far and wide so that he could provide for his little Mary and her sister. Her mother spent sleepless night hours comforting the mewling baby. She would hold Mary and sit in her magical sleepy chair, and she would rock....

back and forth

back and forth

back and forth

And little precious baby Mary would hold on tight to her Momma and snuggle into her warmth and familiar smell. Mary's Momma would say, "My darling baby, you must sleep now, for all of the world is sleeping and you should be, too. Listen to how the magical sleepy chair creaks....

squeak and creak

squeak and creak

squeak and creak

And then her Momma would quietly sing a soft and comforting song. Little Mary Leona would burrow in to her Momma's arms and listen to the whispering melody. And the magic sleepy chair would rock in time to the music....

back and forth

back and forth

back and forth

All of this time Mary's Momma was losing herself in the sweet infant smell, the grasp of tiny hands, and the roly poly legs nestled in her arms. She would think that there is nothing better than a sleeping baby in her arms, if that baby could only sleep. And she counted with the creaks and squeaks...

one and two

one and two

one and two

and she silently asked her baby to sleep. Very soon, the perfectly beautiful baby relaxed her tenseness and sighed into slumber. Her Momma rocked a little longer and desperately tried to memorize everything about that moment. She kissed her baby on her head, right where her hairline met her skin which is the softest and sweetest spot on a baby's head, and took her into her crib to lay her down. And the perfectly beautiful Mary Leona slept, and they all lived happily ever after.

Barring that, there is always letting the baby cry it out.

Dust, Camels and Carrier Pigeons

Well, I'm still here in Saudi and the dust has begun to pickup. I have been reassured that I missed the worst of it when the dust is as thick as snow in the winter. The dust however fills the air and puts a light coat on everything. if you stay outside too long you can swear you smell and taste the dust. It comes in from the northwest usually after a day of windy weather and everything outside is just coated in it. It reminds me of home for the past few years with all the construction dust!

I have neglected to mention that I saw a herd of camels in caravan the other day. It was pretty cool! There is this long stretch of highway where the land on either side is interspersed with random garbage dumps, camel camps and hilly, varied terrain with portions of what were once structures. I haven't figured out the structures yet. They aren't completely demolished but 4/5th of them are gone. Or you see what looks like bridge supports without trusses. All of this terrain is fenced off and you can see rocky outcroppings, ponds and other natural features. One of the people I road with speculated it was a military training camp but that doesn't make sense to me because it is not hidden from public view. The rest of the land is a mixture of areas that have been filled with new sand, areas that are untouched and look like the military camps and areas that are somewhere in between. The land is covered by a mixture of sagebush and a spindlly grass with occasional palm trees. The towns are filled with topiary, trees, gardens and buildings in various states of occupation or construction.

Unlike Abu Dhabi, I see a lot of birds and cats with an occasional dog. I have seen about four of five different types of bird. But the most impressive sight by far has been the camels. I have seen yellow, red, black and even a couple of white camels roaming the hills along the highway. You know you are not in Michigan when you see the camels...

My host is returning home today to the States today. I will be following in the coming days and still I do not have the long awaited software. Apparently it was send by carrier pigeon because it has been two weeks and it has not arrived. I found out they sent it standard mail instead of something sensable like FedEx or DHL. Most of the locals agree with me that even carrier pigeons might have been faster. I have decided to start working on anything I can over these coming days. I have scheduled meetings, meetings, meetings... It almost seems like home!

Speaking of home, I spoke to Ann and she is eagerly awaiting my return as too am I. She told me of a conversation (yes, an actual conversation) with Emma in teh car that went something like this...

Emma: Emma blanky go b-bye Mum's house.
Ann: Yes, Emma's blanky is going b-bye to Mum's house.
Emma: Emma b-bye Mum's house
Ann: Yes, Emma is going b-bye to Mum's house.
Emma: (Insert name of random Emma associated object) go b-bye Mum's house.
Ann: Yes, (repeat named object) is going b-bye to Mum's house.
Emma: Dada b-bye Dada's purple car... Dada airplane go b-bye far away... Emma miss Dada!
Ann:
Emma: Blanky miss Dada
Ann: Yes, blanky misses Dada, too.
Emma: Neeny miss Dada...
Ann: Yes, Neeny...

Well, I miss you too Emma and I look forward to holding you can getting Emma kisses (or not, because somehow my daughter thinks I should be the one kissing her and not the other way around). But she does give great big hugs and she'll say, "Dov you, Dada." I really love that! I can't wait to get Mary hugs and slobbery baby kisses. And I certainly can't wait to be home with and hold my Wife again. As someone who has travelled frequently I think I can say that the two best parts of travelling are the anticipation of going and actually coming home. Of the two, it is a close call as to which is the headier experience but there is nothing like the relief of being in your own house, sleeping in your own bed, using your own shower and basking in the warmth of your family. I know that the girls will probably be bursting with excitement and I'll be lucky to get much sleep for the first couple of days. Even the dog will be glad to see me and he'll be all pathetic and want me to pet him endlessly... I do look forward to that!

Counting Calories

Another bucket of Birthday Cake Remix entered the house this evening. I am obsessed with this ice cream. Out of curiosity, I checked the nutritional information.....

*****880 CALORIES***** per serving. That was before the candy sprinkles and the fudge syrup got added in. I think my recommended daily caloric intake is supposed to be 1200 or 1500. So if I eat, say, a banana for breakfast and have a couple of glasses of iced tea, I can eat 1 bowl of ice cream and not worry about the consequences. That is assuming I go the whole day without eating anything else. The ice cream is too darn tasty and way too fattening. I need to form a Cold Stone Creamery Anonymous group and do it fast, before I weigh considerably more than I did last month. All I can say is Jim better get home soon or I am going to be twice my normal size. Somebody STOP me! (but not until this bucket is empty.....)

And Time Goes Marching On

So I haven't posted in a few days. Mostly I am dumbfounded that Jim will have to go back to Saudi 10 days after he gets home next week. I am wandering around, not picking things up, not wearing makeup, and letting the kids run around in nothing but diapers. I even laid in bed while Mary napped and Emma bumped around my room, surreptitiously watching AristoCats. I just can't seem to care about it. It? Well, that would be trying to make it until Jim gets home and keep up the facade that I can maintain everything even though he is traveling. I really just want him to be home now and have my normal day back. Not this muddled repetition of sleeping and waking with all of the days running together. It doesn't seem to matter how many people I see during the day, the evenings and the housework are still oppressive and dark. That's all I will say now. I don't want to do the single Mom thing any more, and certainly not for 3 weeks at a time.

Damn Hot and Disconnected Ramblings

Well, for those of you interested in knowing, I did actually make some "progress" yesterday. I worked on editing processes, I got my server restarted, downloaded an update to another peice of software I have been trying to get and fixed some things I broke on Saturday. I still haven't successfully seen data moving to my database and I am still waiting for software from Germany (this makes it 1 week now). So I start the day a little, ever so little, less irritated than yesterday.

I just want to mention how hot it is here. Each day at lunch the temperature is about 110. This might not seem bad in Phoenix where the humidity is low but I can reassure you that the humidity here is picking up. I have begun to see the summer exodus from Saudi as the expats families all pack up and go to cooler climates. Soon the upper class Saudis will start leaving on vacation too so that only the expats and the rest of the Saudis are here keeping things going. I have seen the humidity in Bahrain already. A think haze hanging in the air... I know it is coming this way although I have been told that it is not as bad here as in Bahrain. In the end it is just damn hot. You can't enjoy a swim in the pool because it feels like bath water and it doesn't evaporate and cool you down because of the humidity. The wind as started blowing too, kicking up the sand so the sky turns tan on the horizon. All that just adds to my desire to finish up...

At dinner last night I sat with a German, Dutchman, and a Scotsman. The conversation was still relatively quiet filled with large pockets of quiet contemplation. I think it is because there is no alcohol allowed. Interesting enough the Dutchman did ponder aloud why some people in the US seem to obsess about individual players' statistics. I hopothesized that it might have something to do with the 12 year old boy discussion about which comic book hero would be superior to the other. This brought some brief explanation but didn't really seem to break the silence... This is not typical as I mentioned before, most of the conversations involve work.

I did want to mention that last week I week Mohamed came to get me at about 930am and said, "Come, breakfast." The guys pitched in and bought a large amount of sweets and Lebanese food and served Arabic coffee and ate and talked. The food was good and I ate so much I thought I was going to be able to skip dinner (but I didn't). There were pastries filled with yogurts and cheeses and so many other foods... The coffee was made of greener beans that were roasted and made into a type of light tea and served in a very small cup. It was good and not nearly as strong as the coffee we drink.

I still miss everyone and I can't beleive I have only been here for 12 days. It seems like much longer than that! I called Ann last night and she was getting ready to take Mary for her nap. She told Mary that "Dada is on the phone" and I said "Hello, Mary". Mary responded with the cutest "Da-DA?" Followed by many more calls for me. Mary tried to hug the phone and Ann pulled it away as Mary was busy chewing on it. Ann reported that Mary was cross at her for taking away the phone. The time before last when I called and caught Emma there she was more petulant. She wanted to tell me things (about monies and bubbles, Mum and Mary) but only by speaking in the opposite direction of the phone making it difficult to hear her. Its hard to say if these glimpses from afar trends for the future but it is funny to watch they develop their personalities! It seems like years since I last bounced them on my knee and watched them make silly, happy faces...

Stranded in Saudi

I am working on a project that has taken me to Saudi. I won't talk about details but as my wife mentioned, things could be going better. It is really, really, really frustrating to have made a lengthy trip to a far away land and find out: 1) one of the main pieces of software need to be replaced, which has to come from another country and the person there doesn't seem to show any signs of urgency 2) the person you have to train is going out of country right when you would be training them 3) your equipment doesn't work and your colleagues back home really don't seem to understand this 4) it looks like you'll be stranded forever...

I too sleep alone (I know my wife is glad to hear this). The air conditioning is constantly running and drowning out any other sounds. My house mate is my main client. He is a good host and roommate but I still try to minimize my interruptions to his daily patterns. Work is a constant topic. We talk about many other things but it is obviously something that is on top of each of our minds. Breakfast - work, ride in to the office - work, the office - work [mostly - on some occasions I take time to discuss pressing social issues with Mohammed or the other guys I see and work along side while we work], ride back to the compound - work, quiet time before dinner - break from work to excersize or make initial calls to the office back home, dinner - work, after dinner - work summary, more calls and preparation for the next day of the same. Sounds like fun, huh? I really feel for the guys here. That is all many of them have unless their families are here with them. The evening is time for calls to family and friends and meetings with the office back home. I am really surprised how late some of those meetings go...

I have four outfits so every three days I do laundry. One outfit is shorts and a tee shirt that I only wear in the compound. What is a compound? It is a walled, gated enclosure where the expats stay. Think of it as a bunch of connected condos with a shop and restaurant in the middle. It is the only place you see children playing or women outside. It is "home" and is clean and neat inside. It feels like a gated community with barbed wire.

The facility is protected by guards, military and barb/razor wire. Inside life is, well, cabin fever on steroids! You read, watch TV, work, eat, exercise but don't go outside of the compound. Really, this is the daily habit. You don't go to town because there might be one person who doesn't want you there and decides to take advantage of the opportunity. I am assured by my non-western colleagues that it is not likely but yet... I have seen too many pictures of those poor folks paraded on TV and executed. It's just not worth it and all my colleagues seem to share that opinion!

Each night I lay there, too hot or too cold from the constant blowing of the a/c. I miss my wife and kids. You can't help but... I don't get the the tickle bugs or the kisses or the hugs or anything. I really miss it! There is no sound of my wife's breathing at night only the constant drone of the a/c. And during the day, I have more disappointment. It would all be more bearable if I was making headway and at least knew I was being productive and could see an end-date. That would really help make the time pass or bouy my spirits. At the moment however I can only hope that "tomorrow will be better".

Ann sent me with pictures in a small album of our daughters and of our family and that at least helps when the homesickness is really bad. I can close my eyes and remember their hugs and laughter. I can remember and hectic evenings, the cries in the night, and I can remember why I want to finish all this darned work and go home. That is my only solice. Well, that and hope for tomorrow to be better. These are some of what I think about at night when I miss the smells of my wife and kids... The sounds of the dog roaming from the bathroom to the sitting room... The air from the ceiling fan and the quiet frustration of life in suburbia (come on folks, am I the only one that thinks about the trim paint, yard and other frustrations at night when everyone is asleep?). Like Ann said, I'm not whining but I am trying to get some of this down and to remember...

Well, I just received an e-mail I have been waiting for and it is time to call Germany and find out where my software is. "Today I will get something of this work done." I will be one day closer to home...

Well it is Sunday night and all of the tornados have made their way north of my house without cause for concern here. Some 90,000 homes are without power from Ann Arbor to Lake Orion. Here we just lost some planters and the kiddie pool. The girls are in bed and the TV is on, not that I am really watching it. My parents left this evening after a rushed dinner eaten standing at my counter (my Dad was eager to beat the storms). The toys in the family room are lightly scattered about and the heating pad my Mom was using is crumpled in the corner of the couch. A half eaten cake is calling my name on the counter, left over from my limp attempt at a birthday celebration. I am tired and yet do not want to go to bed. Why? Because it is empty upstairs in my bedroom. There is nobody else breathing next to me. There is no smell of Old Spice and soap. I made the mistake of washing the sheets right after Jim left and now the pillows smell like Tide. Going to bed does not signify the end of one day and the start of a new, fresh day with possibilities, but the continuation of a prolonged emptiness. I don't mean to whine, especially since Jim is really having an awful time on his trip. I am only trying to alleviate some of my loneliness by writing it out. 10 days gone by and at least 10 more to go, if not more. And I really miss scrapbooking time. I could do that during naps or after the girls go to bed, but it is better when I go to the nearby store and have other people there to talk to and ask opinions. I am restless and reluctant at the same time, wanting to get out with the kids and dreading leaving the house with them. I have no idea how to approach this, or which strategy will get me by until Jim gets home. Surely I will make it through, but I just wish it wasn't so lonely, especially at night. I would like to be able to go to bed when Emma and Mary do, and sleep until they get up. Instead, I drag around until I am falling ove tired and drag myself up to bed. Then I drag in the morning and scowl at the day. I spend a lot of time directly interacting and watching the girls on their level so that I don't feel alone. It is wonderful to get down on the floor and have the girls drop anything to come and join me. They laugh and climb on me and we wrestle around for a bit. Emma's hair smells like lavender soap and Mary still retains the precious baby smell that is so fleeting. Mary has long, curving eyelashes and likes to give kisses, and Emma likes to look straight into my eyes and ask me questions or point out 'boo-boos' on my face. Then she inevitable finds tickle bugs under my chin and gets a devilish grin. These are the things that I can get lost in. Well, one of them is awake and screaming, so I must run.

Garage Sale

Well it has been a BUSY week. I spent just about every spare minute etting prepared for a garage sale. I must first apologize to my friend Paula, who probably thinks I have forgotten who she is - I will call you this week! Aside from that, my Mom came over Thursday so I could set up and stayed until this morning to help with the kids while I wheeled and dealed and generally sold my junk. I made out pretty well, taking in $240 and getting rid of some items that were just darn bulky. Then I sent the books I didn't sell to the library, the clothes are packed up for Purple Heart (scheduled for Thursday), and a neighbor graciously agreed to include a few more boxes in the load she was hauling to the Salvation Army. At the end of the day I only had tables, 1 box of hardcover books I couldn't part with, and a container filled with fabric left. This morning I found someone who offered to take the fabric. I am really pleased! I am going to buy a climbing yard toy for the girls with the money and put it in the basement for rainy days. I can't wait!

Mary stood on her own the other day for quite a while while, so I don't think it will be long before she is trying to walk. She already cruises around while holding on to furniture, which Emma never did. Pretty much, she can get anywhere she wants. She is also a climber which makes life oh so interesting. And this morning she pointed to something she wanted - also a new thing. She is progressing by leaps and bounds and it is bittersweet.

Jim is still in Saudi Arabia and the trip is becoming pretty hard for him. I think we will both be glad when it is over.

Emma has been using her little pool and bubble machine endlessly - a new obsession. The only problem is that she thinks she should be naked when playing with water. She actually said, "No diaper, Mamma, NAKED." My mom and I could hardly keep straight faces. She has also decided that she is really tired of diapers and wants to use the potty like everyone else. So potty training has begun despite my reluctance. Next week I may actually make a concerted effort to make the big change. Until then, we are playing it by ear.

Today I am going to sit around and do nothing. Well, as much nothing as one can do with 2 children around. We are expecting severe thunderstorms with hail and tornados later in the day, so we may all be in the basement for a while. As long as the power doesn't go out it won't be a problem. Oh, it is my Dad's birthday, which makes him a Very Old Person of some unknown age. Happy Birthday, Dad. I also want to say a belated Happy Birthday to Jim's Mom, whose birthday was Friday and our call got cut very short by more garage sale things. Sorry it was so short - I had not intended that!

Well Emma just climbed into her booster seat, buckled herself in and started demanding candy. I have to go figure out something creative.

Bubbles Unbound

Well the Bubble Generator got cranky today and I spent the better part of the evening trying to get it to work again. I kept at it only because I would not be bested by a $10 bubble machine. I finally discovered that the 'fall' it took from Emma resulted in tiny rocks getting jammed in the gears, which then would not turn. I felt much better after that, although cleaning up residue from bubble solution is a true test of perseverance. But then, what isn't with toddlers?

Today was a beautiful summer-like day, so I pulled out the mini kiddie pool and repeated the tradition my parents and many others have performed numerous times during the warmer months: ran the hose into the pool and let the sun warm the water up. Emma was more than enthralled with the new development and took the opportunity to strip down to her diaper (well, you see, my little anal retentive daughter will not tolerate a mess, even if it is just pool water on her clothes). Surprisingly, I let it go. So after being slathered with sun block, she spent a glorious morning jumping in, splashing in, laying in and transferring to the grass the water in her little pool. Mary sat on the outside and generally benefited from Emma's splashing, while capturing the toys from the pool and sucking any water off of them. Again, the whole tasting thing. When it was time to go in for lunch and naps, Emma threw a FIT. That's how the bubble generator ended up on it's side in the gravel with the motor running. She was so mad she didn't even eat lunch. After naps, my neighbor friend Tricia came over with her 14 month old daughter Zoe and she and Emma ignored each other completely while playing in the yard, and Mary took up sucking on the pool toys again. It was a nice afternoon.

I am baffled, however, how it can be that a day spent playing with water ends up in the dire need for baths that evening. Aside from the sun block - I just can't figure it out. You would think that splashing and jumping and sitting and laying in water would mostly keep off the dirt, but my toddler proved that theory WRONG. And since the pool was in the middle of the lawn, apparently the dirt from the grass is really pervasive.

My house is a mess. The oddest thing of it is that my bed is made up (which it NEVER is), and the guest room bed is not. My walk-in closet has been straightened and the pile of cast off cooler weather clothes has been folded and neatly put away (I like to have an ongoing pile of clothes- it saves on time when you are freezing in the middle of the night and trying to respond to an infant - plus, it is my own little rebellion against the natzi neatness I try to impose on the rest of the house), but my laundry room is buried under things that are not laundry. Now you would only have to have been in my house a few times to realize that any part of the house some one might casually see must always be museum perfect. So the closet vs. The laundry room is in direct violation of Annland policies and procedures. Don't even talk to me about the family room - where Emma and Mary sorted through the media cabinet full of DVD's, videos, CD's and Leap Pad books. And during all of this, the most shocking thing yet, I let someone else into the mayhem. I did not even apologize for the disarray. I don't think it is a progression or even a growing experience. I think I am wholly unapologetic for what occurs while I am doing the single Mom thing with two demanding, very young children.

On that note, I got to talk to Jim today and it sounds like his trip is becoming more challenging than he would like. This indicates a later home bound date, which I am sure he is just as unhappy about as I am.

The Amazing Emma Story for the day involves the television. While Sesame Street was on during breakfast this morning, they panned across a beach on one of the US's coasts. Emma said, "Mumma, oh-tin". I stopped, looked, thought about it, and said, 'What, Emma?'. I got a sigh and, "Mumma, oh-tin water there - look, there!". She was telling me it was an ocean. An Ocean? When and where would my daughter learn THAT word? I don't recall talking about oceans and she has never seen one in person. Honest to God I think she is reading things behind my back just to see that shocked look on my face. She proves to me every day, it seems, that assuming she doesn't understand EVERYTHING she sees and hears is seriously short-selling my child. She is amazing.

Memorial Day

Well today was very nice, actually. My parents came over so my Dad could shift the vast amount of crap that is not being used and is going to be sold in the garage sale this coming weekend. It all filled one side of my 2 car section of the garage. Poor guy had to haul things from the 3rd floor, 2nd floor, and up from the basement. My Mom brought some buns and baked beans and we grilled (well, I grilled) a couple of burgers, a few hot dogs, and some corn on the cob that I had frozen. Yesterday I made potato salad and it turned out great, despite the fact that I could not find Jim's famous recipe from his Mom. I should have put more bacon in, though. What was great was that I didn't have to buy anything for today - since there is usually 2 adults and this was 3 adults, everything was covered by 2 hamburgers, 4 hot dogs, and5 ears of corn. Then my friend Suzze (soo-zee) came over and we had a fun time comparing recent stamp and scrap projects. She has 2 grandsons that are 4 and 2 and she enjoys seeing the differences between them and my girls. We both get a kick out of some of the things that are common in every sibling situation. For dinner we ate leftovers from lunch, knocking off the hot dogs and the corn and making a sizable dent in the potato salad. Emma played with her new bubble generator a few times today while the adults sat on the patio chatting. It was amazing to actually sit for 10 minutes or more! The only downside to the day was that Emma was overtired and cranky all afternoon. She also gets VERY anal when she is tired, so doors must be shut and windows closed, as well as all items that are currently on the floor remain on the floor. If not, you seriously risk nuclear meltdown. Oh, and Mary is not allowed to eat pudding, and her response the what she wants for dinner is 'yellow foods'. I cannot figure that one out. So I put both girls down at 7 (an hour early for Emma) and it is 8:45 and they are still crying about it. With the sunlight lasting until 9:30 I have a hard time getting them to sleep anytime before 9. But I will tell you, I could not tolerate them one minute longer if they stayed up. They are ready for sleep, they just don't realize it.

Suzze left about 8, after I ran up to Cold Stone and got some Ice Cream. I was really glad to have some people over as one day runs into another when Jim is gone. And it is hard to remain patient with the kids when it is just me all day and evening long. Tonight I plan to go to bed early (which I cannot seem to do) and get a solid night's sleep. I just hope the girls will do the same.

On a side note, when I went to the ice cream store, I did not run in to one neighbor. This is strange because it is the only open store to walk to in our new 'downtown' area, and whenever we go we see at least 3 or 5 neighbors we know. Then there are others that obviously walked, too, that we aren't familiar with. So tonight was odd. The line was out the door, and believe it or not, packed with tourists. Tourists to Cherry Hill Village. One lady was standing in line with her mini cam filming the streetscape. Another person in a SLOW moving car was taking pictures of the prettier (read:bigger) houses. Yep, we got tourists. I just couldn't believe it. In addition to that they all brought their families and friends, making each 'group' 5-7 people that were getting ice cream. I thought I was never going to get through the line. It went pretty fast in the end, and I bought some extra to freeze for later this week. I can't get enough of that Birthday Cake Remix they make.

Now everybody is gone and the girls have finally quieted down (9:01), although I don't begin to suppose they are asleep. I have some picking up of toys to do and nothing else of import. And for those of you who are wondering, Jim left for Saudi Arabia last week and will be gone anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. Yep, it's just me and the babies here for up to 28 days, give or take. I think I have every right to indulge in some really fattening, sweet, and tasty ice cream. As a matter of fact, I am going to have a second serving while I anxiously wait to win an eBay bid.

Tastey

Mary is just a little past 10 months old. She is crawling everywhere, pulling to standing on everything (including Emma, if she stands still long enough), and reaching as far as she can to get into whatever trouble might be available. The other notable thing she does is put everything in her mouth. Now, Emma was not like that. She did not explore her world through her tastebuds. So I am trying to figure out the thought process behind this. If I were to the same, would I come upon something new and stick my mouth on it? Would I think, 'hey, here's a new Chrysler car design I haven't seen before, I wonder how it tastes'?. Shopping for a new outfit - would a red dress taste better than some kitchy capri pants? I am afraid to think what would happen if I went to the petting zoo. What I really want to understand is, how does the taste affect her assimilation of the new object? Do round things that taste like metal go in the same category as square things that taste like metal? I just can't figure it out. She does seem to have a proclivity for magazine taste. Anything papery is great snacking material. Coupons and magazine pages are something akin to gourmet meals, while green beans remain in the inedible category. Let's not even get into the green vegetable category. I am sure she would rather eat the glass jars they come in.

Reset Worked

So yesterday reset itself after naptimes (for everyone). Emma still needed to get out and run, but it was cold and rainy out, so we packed up and went to the mall. She had a good time running around and playing on in the kid's area. Daddy bought her some candy, which was the best part for her. I snuck into Janie and Jack to check their sale racks (LOVE THESE CLOTHES) and found some very pretty things. I came back out and Jim offered to go in and see what I liked - AND THEN HE BOUGHT IT. Yes, My husband bought dresses for his little girls. I was so excited - check out a new Mary dress ( #2) and a new Emma dress ( #2). The girls are going to be very dressy today.....

I would talk about other aspects, but there is nothing to say on the other fronts, really. Jim is leaving Thursday for a business trip, I am doing a garage sale the first weekend of June, Mary has learned she can pull Emma's hair in the double stroller, and Emma has learned the pushing Mary in the face will knock her over. That's about all.

Terrible Two's

My toddler is a wreck of emotion and defiance today. She is bent on doing ANYTHING that will get her into trouble, including bashing her baby sister on the head with various large, not so blunt objects. She went directly past time-outs and straight to crib time sessions. I tried to go for a walk to run out some of her energy and the whole ordeal ended up with her in her crib (screaming) and me downstairs (fuming) and playing with Mary. In addition to all of this, Mary was up a lot last night (STILL TEETHING) and I have no patience to start with. I'm pretty sure that toddlers can sense this and choose it as the time to be the most horrible. SO it is 12:30 and Emma is down for a nap 1/2 hour early (screaming) and I am waiting for Mary to look tired so the I can put her down and take a nap. This day needs a restart button.

Dinner

I made corned Beef Brisket tonight with carrots and potatoes. It was incredibly easy and I don't know why I hadn't done it before. I remember eating it when I was a kid and didn't really care for it, but tonight it was great. The potatoes and carrots were so soft Mary could eat them, and both kids liked it. I left out the cabbage, because I hate how it smells (and I didn't have any on hand). So it was good and I feel like a culinary discovery has been made. I think even Derek could make this dish.