Another wordy update...

Um, hi! Did I mention that Michael is walking? Yes? Well he is walking FAST and getting into all kinds of trouble, one of which is stealing the wireless keyboard and mouse and taking them places. So, yea, blogging is kind of on the back burner.

Also? He likes to take things from the recycling bin and carry them around. I found him doing laps around the house holding a milk jug and grinning like an idiot the other day. He also loves to throw things away...so far I've found Andrew's discarded pj's and underwear, a baby doll bottle, Matchbox cars, a pot lid. Heaven only knows what I HAVEN'T found...soon I'm sure I'll tear the house apart looking for something, while Michael is busy throwing something else away. Where am I when all this is going on? I am undoubtedly making food for someone or playing Care Bears or trying to hide in a corner to avoid playing Care Bears.

Also? He is so close to talking. He has a new word, "Go", which he uses throughout the day...while hanging onto the door knob of the basement...while banging on the door to the great outdoors...when I pick him up from his crib. He is emphatic in its usage and angry when his request is not immediately complied with. He apparently has yet to learn that just because you can SAY something, it does not become reality. Words are powerful, but not THAT powerful.

Lily is...insane. She is belligerent and rude and annoying and horrible. She repeats requests over and over and over, getting louder and louder and louder...not listening at all. She does not bargain, like Andrew...it is her way or she will just keep screaming. She has not learned that I do not give in...even at playgroup...even in the grocery...even if she hasn't eaten all day long. She has gained some attractive new phrases like, "You can't make me." and "I won't". Lovely. I am pretty good at just ignoring her, but the near constant screaming grates on my nerves. It all started when she was sick, and was allowed to drink juice and eat crackers all day. Now that she is back to crackers just once a day and juice once a day, she is fighting the good fight to get back El Sicko diet. There is cuteness scattered in the crazies...like when she stops screaming and tells me in a pitiful voice, "My tummy is sooooo sick. I need cwackers. And peanut butter." Or the one time she was whining for 15 minutes that she didn't want hotdogs, she wanted crackers...and she suddenly said, "What do you say, Mommy?"

She is also randomly coming up to me and kissing me and telling me she loves me. Melt melt. And she is unfortunately corrupted by her brother, which makes her shake her tail feathers at me and say, "Do you like my bootie? It's a cutie!" Which is cute and all, until we are at playgroup, and she is making her dolls say it. Oops...looks like Lily will be corrupting all those first borns at school this fall.

Andrew is so stinking excited about football season, it is sad. I signed him up for soccer, after pleading with the head of the soccer association...who knew that registration for fall soccer closed almost a month ago!?! Andrew was sad...only because it isn't football. They actually have a tackle football league for 5 year olds in town...but I haven't let him know that. I am uncomfortable with him playing football in high school...much less when no one has any coordination or physical skills. I think I'd like his brain to develop more before we start down Concussion Street. Jeff has told him that he can help with his fantasy football team...Andrew is lit up with excitement. Too bad his draft is at 8 pm...I don't think Andrew can stay up for the whole thing. Seriously, he is my child. He CANNOT stay up late (except at that sleepover party...?). We had some friends over for dinner last Saturday, and at 8:30, Andrew disappeared into his bedroom without a word to us. I guess he was done. ;)

We also got his kindergarten information. At least his teacher's name and that he is in the afternoon. No supply list or anything else. Whatev. I'm just glad I know definitively that he will be in the afternoon. Which is what I anticipated. I looked online at his teacher's page. She still had up the newsletter from the last week of school...it is very nicely done, with notes about what they did each day and what curriculum they covered that week. Needless to say, Andrew already has mastered the curriculum. That they did in June. But I just keep thinking that this cannot be unusual...there are lots of kids who enter Kindergarten reading and doing math...they will know what to do with him.

Jeff's job is going well. He is commuting on the train 4 days a week and traveling to another site on the 5th day. The latest he's gotten home so far is 6-ish...which is totally do-able and manageable. Much better than I anticipated. Plus, he gets 2 hours a day all to himself to read his magazines. Now I just need to get him an I-Pod and Kindle. ;) He finished his 6 week exercise challenge...which he named The Giselle Memorial Exercise Challenge. Ha ha ha. Soon (?) I will start my challenge up again, and he is forbidden from telling me how much weight he has lost and how much exercise he has done. As if that will make a difference. I just won't have anyone to blame but myself again.

Me? I don't know...in a summer funk. I hate heat. It depresses my entire system. It makes me lazy and grumpy and irritated with life in general. I'm really enjoying the kids lately...well as much as can be expected. I've started cross-stitching instead of reading. I'm am Thrilling, with a capital T. ;)

And...someone is awake. Catch ya later!