Why?

I wouldn't change a single thing about her and she is designed perfectly to specifications and lovingly created. So... I'm not questioning the design or anything.

But every once in awhile, I do kind of wonder why oh WHY is Hank's arm just long enough to reach out and grab my nose while nursing? No matter how I try to move my head away, that little grabbin' Han is just right there.
I also question why the baby has such strength that once she has my nose, I can't wrench it from her grasp. And while we're asking questions... why does she think it's so ridiculously funny!?

Not among my questions: "am I making enough milk?" They say you can tell by looking at the corners of a baby's mouth to see if she is getting anything. With Han, you just make her laugh and see if any comes out her nose.

Hannah the Sunday School Teacher

Oh that Hank! She is so very sweet-spirited and inclusive. She's such a sweet little hostess, friend, helper and teacher.

Today she was sitting, reading her book out loud and Clark was concerned because she wasn't reading it right. So without getting her little feelings hurt or anything, in her most Sunday School teacher-ish way, she turned the book around and showed me the chair in the picture.

"See?"

"See "Lahkie?"

"hmm... something's not quite right since I read to you guys."

"See? You messed it all up."


"Class is over. =)"

Lost In Translation

Dear Daddy,

I know I'm only 1 year old so I don't communicate everything I want perfectly yet. I feel like we had a little issue at post nap snack today that I wanted to clear up. When I say "all done," it means I am all done sitting at my high chair, not nescessary that I am all done eating. I am perfectly happy to eat any food someone may offer me or drop on the floor. That being said, in the future, would you mind waiting until you set me free to consider my leftovers fair game? I enjoyed watching you eat and all... but I prefer to watch from the floor.

Thanks for your kind consideration :)

Hank

Hey Everybody, Come See How Good I Look...

Meet my latest little work :) I am pretty proud of her since she is completely my own design. She even has fat rolls on her little legs and I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more realistic crochet doll :) She sucks her own thumb, holds hands with other dolls like her, and grabs anything metal. Her favorite toy is jingle bells and this marvelous tin tea set that my mom has. She's just like Hank though... She likes to grab things from people and everything she grabs, she puts directly into her mouth. And like my little baby Clark, this crazy baby bites the spoon whenever you try to feed her and you have to fight with her to make her let go! The 1st one I made has been a favorite of every little mommy who has played with her (even Clark gives her a massive vote of approval!), so I can't wait to send this baby off to her very own mommy!

The little girl I made her for has lots of pretty blonde hair. I wish I could have found blue eyes to match hers.

You can almost see the fat rolls on the back of her knees. Note the belly button and the cowlick on top of her head. I am very pleased with her little feet, so notice them too....

and the sideswept bangs =)

Okay, I'm done tooting my own horn. :) Isn't she a doll?? ;p

Think Pink

Hank was very exuberantly loquacious this afternoon because the back of her little kitchen is pink. I was amazed that she recognized it at her tender young age. I wasn't amazed to know she likes pink. She was asking for pink chuckies before she was ever born.
I have redesigned the blog in her cute little honor. It matches the blanket and bib her ever-loving Grandma made for her. (Love that ever-lovin' Grandma!) What do you think? Doesn't it just scream Hannah?

What a Nice Niece!

Ever have one of those days where you just miss your niece? Yeah... I have them a lot. I got to spend the whole day with her yesterday!!

So today was brutal. Knowing all that cuteness was being hogged by her mommy. Selfish sister. Naughty chess-winning sister. Uber-cute-baby-having sister. If only I were better at scooping up the camera instead of the niece, you all could see how stunningly cute she is.

It must be brutal for you. Knowing all that cuteness is out there, but it's being hogged by me. Selfish Susie. Naughty chess-losing Susie. Uber-non-picture-taking Susie. If Melanie just weren't so distractingly cute, maybe I'd remember cameras exist.

It must be brutal for her. Being so cute and hogging it all to herself. Selfish sweety. Chess-piece-slobbering on bugface. Darling goldfish-drooling baby. Uber-huge-stride-taking-wobble-walking duckie. If only you weren't so absurdly cute maybe I would be getting something done instead of blogging about you.

COME BACK HERE YOU MELANIE!

It's Like Talking to a 3 Year Old

Enjoy these quotes and conversations from Clark.

A conversation on the way back from my parents' house. Thankfully, it's a short drive ;)

"I was yellin' at Aunt Bee and she was sayin' "no" to me."

"Why were you yelling? Why was she saying "no?"

"Cause I couldn't have that thing and I was telling her "NO! Don't say 'no' to me Aunt Bee!"

"Y'know, God wants us to get along with each other and be kind to each other. It's not very kind to be yelling and fighting."

"Yeah and Aunt Bee shouldn't have been yelling at me and saying no to me."

"Clark, you shouldn't have been yelling at Aunt Bee. You need to be kind and sweet. It makes God sad when we're rude to people and we want to make him happy by being kind."

"Yeah."

"Are you sorry you weren't kind to Aunt Bee?"

"No. Just that she was sayin' no to me. And she shouldn't do that and I was tellin' her "NO! DON'T YOU SAY 'NO' TO ME, AUNT BEE!"

"Okay, enough."

Various and random quotes.

"Hey, come here and put my jacket on me you woman!"

"Happy birthday you old man!"

"Yeah, I've been tootin' up a STORM!"

"Tell mom not to say no to me Dad."

"I need more syrup. I don't see any on my plate."

"Okay, I suppose you can give me my truck now Hannah."

"Can I give this toy to Hannah?" (interpret as "can I go take Hannah's toy?)

"No sank you. I just did/had one."

"Okay, I ______... can I go see Grandma now?" This is especially funny when I've already said for the 10th time that we are not going to see grandma today and he repeats it after each and everthing he does. I ate my carrot... I found my shoes... I went potty... I picked up that toy... etc. It's extra cute because whenever he says the "can I go see Grandma now" part, he does a little hop and tilts his head and just holds it there looking up with this goofy expression on his face waiting for a YES! LET'S DROP EVERYTHING AND GO SEE GRANDMA! Someday, I'm going to do it just because I think his joy and rapture would be uncontained.

Another conversation

"Can I help you water those plants?"

"Nope, sorry. We tried that and got water all over the place. I think that will be a 5-year old job."

"Then can I water those plants?"

"Yes, when you're 5. Right now you're 3 years old. When you're a 5-year old, it will be your job."

"I'm a 3 year old. Then can I water those plants?"

"When you're 5. Then you may. But not 'til then."

"Okay, when I ten. Ten I water those plants. But not 'til 10."

"or 5..."

And a song

Remember "concrete girl" by Switchfoot? Clark sings it a lot now and was singing it while playing outside. Until he saw a squirrel. It received a lovely serenade, his concrete squirrell. "Concrete squirrel, don't fall down in this broken world, my concrete squirrel. Don't be robbin' you concrete squirrel."

Design Style

Okay, taking quizzes and posting them isn't exactly my style, but...
... I thought you might all be interested in what a magazine designed to appeal to the uber-organized and orderly folks like Emily (http://langness.blogspot.com/) has to say to a misfit like me!

Here is the quiz if you want to take it yourself. http://www.homegoods.com/hghq_quiz.asp It says the same thing to everybody really. If you are organizationally challenged and forget to do laundry until you finally end up going to the grocery store in a formal because that's all you had left that was clean... you, like me, might be amused when you get a result saying "you value order."

Okay, so I'm a "Bohemian Eclectic." Just so happens that I DO happen to actually be Bohemian! and we all know I'm eclectic. Good job quiz!

Here is how I'm defined... with my notes in parenthesis.

You have wide-ranging interests (that all take precidence over cleaning) and influences (named Clark and Hank) and so appreciate a mix of styles (of clothes laying on the floor), cultures (of bacteria), periods, and objects (toys... I get them from my influences). You would never use (afford) a matching suite of furniture (and when you finally do, you would buy stupid papasans, that not only break in 3 months, but aren't comfortable ... but don't they look nice?) or want a home that seemed cookie-cutter (unless cookie cutter becomes one of my wide-ranging interests I guess...). You have an artist's eye (or lack thereof) that enables you to mix the old or the unusual with the new and modern (or just appreciate the beauty of bare white walls). When traveling (by stroller...), you seek out unique objects (weeds) that reflect what you love (weeds), and you use them in a sophisticated way (eat them). Your home is visually intriguing and comfortable (I think so!), with a delightful mix of cozy chairs (back-crippling papasans, the perfect antique rocker and my old office chair from Compassion!!), ethnic fabrics, elegant pieces (Hank), hand-made items (tissues the kids used once and then threw on the floor), even a little touch of quirk or humor (I've always thought of Ian as a big comfy piece of furniture laying on the floor. I think the rest of the furniture actually moves around a little more frequently!), all of which gives your place a laid-back, Bohemian feel.

You value order (no, but I value it looking like I do... ). You feel happiest if your home is well organized (Just not the closets and anything else you have to open to look into. I like those to explode at me when I peek in). You understand that when your house is in order, your mind feels clearer. (unless I concentrate and inhale too much cleaner...) Rather than a lot of meaningless objects or overly-designed items, you are happier with a few well-placed things. (like that toy RIGHT on the last step...) Your home is your respite from a busy life. (are you assuming I have one?... you nice magazine.) Try to avoid letting things into your home that you don't really love. (and maybe turning on the porch light for the ones you do ;))

okay, I joke a lot about being messy. And I am, deep down. But I do have a clean, cute, tidy living space.
It's mostly my beautiful home's fault. It's extremly special and cute to begin with. Especially to me and I'm so blessed to be living here. I want to keep it super clean just becuase I'm so thankful that at least for a season, it is mine. sighs. Don't open any closets, end tables, trunks, garage doors, or cabinets though. They take the brunt of my lack of organizational talents and are all defensive tackles ready to stop any attemp to get anything else past them :)

YUMMM!!!!!

"Steaks and stroganoff have driven me away.

Had my mother cooked spaghetti squash, I'd have opted to stay."

-not old german folk song

It Started With Lo

When Laura and I were young, we bit our finger nails. I really enjoyed biting mine... not nearly so much as she enjoyed biting hers... but it was fun. We both used to grow ours out just for a nice, SATISFYING nail-bite.

She took it to a whole new level when she started eyeballing mom's fingernails ("unbitten territory!!!") and would try to bite them. She was in her teens...

She left levels behind when she started using fake nails just so she wouldn't have to grow her own out for a satisfying bite.

Somewhere, somehow, Brenda (littlest sister...) picked it up. Can't think of where she might have learned this habit since Laura was still living there... hmmm...

Now Clark is biting his nails. ...I'm assuming because Aunt Bee does all the time and everything is y'know... always her fault ;p

And now, Hank, in an effort to be like her big brother, is pretending to bite her nails. She doesn't really get it quite yet. But she does enjoy snacking on mine.

THANKS A LOT LO! You should be banished from impressionable young children for the rest of your days!

If you need someone to watch Mel while you work on your disgusting habit, I'm here for you!!!! Who wouldn't be!?!?

A Few of My Favorite (and Least Favorite) Things

Like: Nap Time
Dislike: People "opting out" of naptime
Happy Compromise: Kids in bed by 8

Like: Eating watermelons by myself (I read a food-combining rule that melons should always be eaten "alone")
Dislike: Seeding watermelons
Happy Compromise: Those seeds were quite crunchy and tasty! Now you all know how this happened... http://campbellschunkysoup.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html#7780908602773186845

Like: The satisfaction of eating the WHOLE melon! (it was a personal melon...)
Dislike: Fruitflies

Like: Killing fruitflies
Dislike: Being unable to catch them... even though they are right in my face... trying to get to all the melon juice covering my chin and arms.

Like: Working up a sweat to discourage the fruitflies from being my visual aura.
Dislike: Houseflies

Like: Killing houseflies (or should I say houseWIFE flies?)
Dislike: They won't LAND!

Like: Long showers! With happy fruity scented shampoos and lotions!!!
Dislike: Fruit flies.

Lending a Housekeeping Han

There are way too many words, so unless you know HER... you'll never know. All I know is that life is beautiful just because she is in it. She is the sweetest, most lovely, joyful, obedient, trusting, most special person I've ever met and I can't believe she is my beautiful little girl! We named her well when we named her Happy Hannah! My little Hankie-pie. If you have a single flaw, or have ever had a less than lovely moment, you've never let me in on the secret.

"OOH! It makes noise!
...I think even more noise than yours!"

"My own apron? In my size!?!? YOU'RE KIDDING!"

Airing Our Dirty Laundry

I just had a brilliant idea!
I'm going to get rid of all but one laundry-load of my clothes.
And then I'll throw out my dresser and my hamper!

When the dryer is empty from me wearing all my clothes straight out of it, I'll simply start the wash cycle on my new "hamper" and then throw them all in my new "dresser" to dry!

Anybody know where I can get another Dresser/Hamper set so Ian and the kids won't keep throwing all my clothes on the couch so they can wash theirs? (yeah right... Ian or the kids do their own laundry? That should tip you off this whole post is just a silly way for me to avoid doing any more loads during naptime today.)

Phonics for Hungry 3-year Olds and Lessons for Young Ladies of Good Taste

Okay, this is one super hard to type post! Instead of typing out the phonetics when they were said, I am just going to have you say the sounds of the letters instead of the actual letter themselves when they are in quotation marks. Example: A says "A" as in apple. B says "B" as in bike.
Here is a practice sentence! When Hank wants a bite of food she says "A" like Apple, not "O" like Octopus... or most people for that matter!

Got the hang of it? Good! Here is the story!

We were sitting at a lonely dinner, just the kids and I, and to make conversation, I picked up a hard-boiled egg and asked Clark "what letter do you think egg starts with?"
Clark: I don't know.
Me: Egg starts with E! E says "e" like egg! Egg is spelled E-G-G. E says "e," G says "g."
"E" -- "G" ... "E" - "G," "E" "G" ... EGG!
Clark: And E says "e" like CLARK-TOMATO!
Me: Laughs. No, Tomato is spelled T-O-M-A-T-O. (sound it out like I did above... you get the idea :))
Clark: How about Banana Chip!
Me: (thinking... do I dare start on blends or do I go through another long word??!?)
"B" "A" "N" "A" "N" "A"...

At this point, HANK starts to join in! I'm still looking at Clark helping him through it, but every time I say "A," she's right there with me! "A!" "A!" "A!"
I looked over to congratulate her on being so-o-o smart, and the poor dear is leaning as far as she can over the table, pointing to more banana chips (her new favorite), begging for more!

So, here is what I learned from the session:

E says "e" as in Clark-tomato

A says "a" as in FEED ME!

That Old Dishwasher!

I've heard it said that if you spend a lot of time with someone, you start to look like them, talk like them, and yes... act like them.

Apparently my mom has spent WAY to much time with her old broken down dishwasher, because she's starting to act just like it. Noisy, splashly, takes forever...

Thankfully she doesn't look like a massive square and sit under the counter sulking about how broken she is all day.

...yet.

Hannah LIKE!

Hank tried chocolate for the first time tonight.
It's official. She is a girl!

Yertle the Squirtle-Penguin

Lately I have been reading the kids an alphabet book and working on the sounds with them...
...and a Laura Ingalls Wilder book and showed Clark the word "Ma" and was making him read it whenever I pointed to it...
...and Grandma C (thanks Grandma!) has been reading him Yertle the Turtle...
...and we see a lot of Squirrells.

So, Clark was looking at a book that was a little old for him with a picture of a penguin and reading it to me.

I don't remember all that he was 'reading,' but the main points were:

Ma says Ma like Squirtle!
And dat's Yertle da Squirtle-Penguin!

Anyway, it loses a bit in translation, but it was just about the funniest thing I had ever heard.

She's THROUGH!

Hank has NO interest in talking. She thinks her cuteness quotient will go down significantly the second she starts and she wants nothing to do with it. So... she's learning some signs. She learned "all done" incredibly quickly and is a huge fan. She figured out all on her own that it can be used at various and random other times than just in the highchair. Hating being still as she does, and having a diaper change requiring so much being still, she jumped up the second it was done and ran off waving her little hands, announcing she was through with that ordeal.
It's her favorite sign ever because it's like a double princess wave =) and it means she gets to run away! run away!!!

Hanky Tonk

Han's new hat for her birthday.

From the front:

From the back:

From the cheeks:

From sitting innocently still:

From up close grabbin':

Howdy Marm!

From the floor!

Mrs. Walk-to-Grab?

...just doesn't have that magical ring, does it. So while I think we'll keep calling her Mrs. Crawl'n'grab, the truth is, about 2 % of her grabs today have been walk-to-grabs. --- Which means that out of the 100 things she's grabbed in the last 10 minutes, she's walked to 2 of them. Maybe I'll just call her Mrs. Grab-grab-n-grab. I took her to an antique store today! She did GREAT! Of course, it was drizzly and cold, so she couldn't move her arms in her great big bulky jacket, so that helped a bit. Almost pulled over a plant though. If there's a way, she has the will.

Mrs. Crawl'n'grab

Mrs. Crawl-

and-

grab

is now Mrs. Stand-

and-

grab

Aww...

really?

I could have gone for the baby phase a little

while

longer.

This girl scoots fast enough crawling! I don't think I'll be able to catch her when she starts walking!

Thankfully, I have Clark and he's got this emergency coverred :)

Roomba

I realized today with some sadness that I am no longer Hannah's primary source of nourishment. Even though we're nowhere near ready to start weaning, it was still kind of a sad day for me. I guess I could take heart in the fact that she LOVES raw green veggies, fruits and healthful foods, but that is not her primary source of nourishment either. Nope. It's stuff she finds on the floor. Sad sad day.