Maddie faces

Tongue curling.

Kansas City Zoo

This past weekend we braved the first 'Hot' day of the year. Even though it was only the high 80's my poor body was not use to the high humidity and sudden temperature change. It was an extremely busy day at the zoo, as it was the first weekend in a month that was dry. Maddie loves animals and was very excited to see them up close and personal. She really enjoyed the sea lions, hippos, elephants, and lions. Some of her least favorites were the Canadian geese walking around the zoo, at least when they walked towards her, and the chimps. Apparently staring hairy humanoid creatures in cages are scary. I don't see it. Unfortunately we were not able to see the zoo in its entirety but look forward to a return trip to see the brand new polar bear park later on this summer. Here are few pictures I captured on my phone camera, we left the other at home, go figure.

Maddie faces

Number 3

Maddie faces

Number 2

Maddie faces

Number 1

Slide pictures

Maddie loves slides. Here she is trying to master going up instead of down.

Slide cont.

Another

Maddie Video

Maddie being Maddie.

Maddie Fashion

Eyewear for kids. Just trying on, she doesn't need correction yet.

Placeholder: The Home Improvement Edition

So, as promised, here is the long list of lame excuses as to why, up until two days ago, there had been a month's-plus silence on the blog. First, I've been super-duper, very, especially, completely, overwhelmingly busy with work--more than usually so, in case you didn't catch my meaning there. See, twice a year, all six journals for which I manage the edit, publish within a month and a half time span. It's a bit insane for while, and so everything else slides a bit. It's all I can do it keep up with work, the kid, and the house. Plus, in light of said craziness at work, there hasn't been too much of note going on at home. I know you all miss my rambling (and the pictures, yes, the pictures), but trust me; you missed nothing.

What have we been doing? Well, Jon and I (okay, mostly Jon) have started in full-tilt on the upstairs bathroom again. His dad is available to help with tiling tomorrow, so we needed to have the bathroom "tile-ready" before Nana and Pa (or NanaPa as Maddie used to refer to them) arrive. Therefore, Jon cut and is currently laying down the last of the backerboard for the shower, the floor, and the odd 80s-style step in front of our tub. Wednesday and Thursday night were spent painting, which is one of the few remodeling projects I can help with. Dear readers, I am so sore! The bathroom is the only room in the house with vaulted ceilings, so painting it involved screwing a roller onto a broom handle and seeing how high I can make it go. Also, I'm not tall. (Chris Stoppel, I want you to note that I just said I wasn't tall. I am not short. Average height! Anyway...) Tonight we went and bought about three tons of tile, so by tomorrow, I'm hoping the floor and shower wall will be taking shape.

On the Maddie front, she's still talking up a storm. Yesterday, she said what I think has got to be her longest complete sentence to date: I saw a man walking a doggy. Not the most scintillating material, I'll grant you, but still, long. Sadly, she's continuing her streak of getting up ridiculously early. It seems like once a week, she sleeps in until about 7:30, and the rest of the week, we're lucky if she's still in bed at 6 a.m. Luckily, she's cute, or we might have to sell her. (What? Maybe there are some people who'd like an adorable, curly-headed alarm clock. People who like to get up really early all the time.)

All right, lovelies, I'm going to wrap this up and enjoy what's left of my evening off, but I promise some pictures or videos or something soon. Have a good weekend! --A

Tete-a-Toddler: Conversations with a Budding Linguist

Time: Weekday evening

Place: Kitchen

Maddie: Dadeeee, whew ah ooo?

Jon (who is standing right next to Maddie): Maddie, where do you think Daddy is? Where is Daddy?

Maddie (grinning): Daddy ah wuk! (giggles)


Time: Weekday evening

Place: Kitchen

Setting: I'm cooking, and Maddie is watching me and "helping." I've given her a set of measuring spoons and an empty measuring cup.

Me: Maddie, are you cooking with Mommy? Are you cooking?

Maddie (fiercely stirring an invisible substance of some sort): Yeah!

Me: What are you cooking?

Maddie: Salt.


Time: Weekday morning

Place: Maddie's bedroom

Me: Maddie, let's get you dressed so you can go to daycare. Do you want to go see Miss Laura?

Maddie: Yeah!

Me: Who else will you see at daycare?

Maddie: a Miss Wawa, a Yandon, a Spehcer, a Caityen

Me: Yep, you'll see all your friends at daycare.

Maddie: a Pa?

Me: No, Pa won't be at daycare.

Maddie: a Nana??

Me: No, Nana won't be at daycare either.

Maddie: a Unca Chiss???

Me: What? No. Maddie, none of those people have ever been to your daycare!


Time: Sunday morning

Place: Church

Setting: At the end of our church service, the congregation stands around the outer edges of the sanctuary, holds hands, and sings a closing song. Last Sunday, my parent were visiting, so they attended the service with us. I was holding Maddie, and my dad was standing next to us. My dad tried to hold Maddie's hand.

Maddie: Nooo! (Wrinkles up her forehead, nose, and mouth, and pulls her hand away.)

Grandpa: All right. I won't touch you (puts his hand on my shoulder).

Maddie (pushing his hand away somewhat violently): Noooo! No a toucha Mommy!


Time: Weekday evening

Place: Neighborhood playground

Jon: All right, Maddie, one more time down the slide, and then we need to finish our walk and go home.

(Maddie goes down the slide.)

Me: Okay, time to go. Let's go get in your stroller.

Maddie: Nooo. A mo' sa-yide. A mo' sa-yide!

Me: No, it's time to go.

Jon: Say bye-bye, slide. Say bye-bye.

Maddie: Bye-bye, sa-yide. See ta-ma-oh.

*My apologies for the length between this post and the last. I'll be posting again in the next couple of days with some lame excuses for the delay, pictures, and general updates. I appreciate your patience!