As many of you know, we are moving back to Bryan this weekend. Friday or Saturday, we are not yet sure which. At any rate, the unloading will take place on Saturday. (Feel free to stop by if you are so inclined...) I'm so excited to move back home. Not just to Bryan, but to OUR house. I have lived the past 2 years in apartments, and it's kind of hard to do after living in a house, especially when we still own said house. Anyway, I'm sure it will take me a while to realize that I don't have to be quiet because of neighbors and that I can do whatever I want to my house. (We painted pretty much every room last weekend, so it looks pretty amazing right now. All but the yard, but that's not my fault, and that's another story anyhow.) So, whatever. I've been keeping a list of fun things Riv has done, so that I could actually write them down, and now that I'm packing like a madwoman, I felt it was time to write them for real just so I could throw out this index card. Here goes.
I don't know if you know this or not, but Chisum was in the Corps of Cadets. His Senior Boots have long been an installment of decor in our home, and they have been present here too. Rivers likes to point at them and say, "Daddy's boots." She also, lately, has been intent on getting her feet in every pair of shoes we own. I guess it's just a thing kids do. So, I walked into the living room a couple of weeks ago, to find Rivers trying her darndest to get into those boots. There was, however, a problem with the physics of this situation. The length of Riv's legs from her heel to her hip is about 15 inches. The length of Chisum's boots from heel to top is roughly 18 inches. So, as Riv has one foot in one boot, and is leaning over slightly, her trying to get the other foot into the other boot was flat out comical. She never did get both legs in both boots simultaneously, but she didn't give up trying for a long time.
If we ever lack sufficient funds for anything, Rivers will be an amazing pickpocket. Dickens would be proud to write her into Oliver Twist, whom I kind of picture her to look like anyway. Last week, when Chisum came home from his trip, Rivers was so happy to see him. While he and I were hugging, she was trying to get his phone out of his pocket. She got it; he noticed; he put it back, and that was it....so we thought. About one minute later, there she was walking around, pushing buttons on his phone.
The last few times we have gotten in the car to go anywhere, just Riv and me, she has told me that when driving, I'm sitting in "Daddy's chair." So I ask her, "If I'm in Daddy's chair, where is my chair?" She points to the passenger seat and says, "Mommy's chair." So I shrug and say, "OK."
Recently, Chisum has been on a Star Trek kick. He's been watching the movies and some of the series, and Riv has been watching with him. It really is amazing how, no matter what is on, if she's in Daddy's lap, it must be worth watching. I, on the other hand, have introduced her to the Shrek movies. A week or two ago, Rivers told Chisum she wanted to watch "Star Shrek." I'm not sure which she meant, but I think she's onto something. Star Shrek would make a great film indeed.
Rivers is currently fascinated with cameras. My actual camera, my phone, Chisum's phone, my mom's tablet thingy. Everything that has a camera is fair game. Rivers will pick up one of these devices, bring it to me (or whomever), and say, "Take your picture." What she really wants is for us to take her picture, but whatever, she's 22 months old, and she already understands plurals and most possessives. So, we are currently doing a ton of picture-taking. It's so cool how I can take her picture and immediately show it to her. But I also feel bad that she's going to miss out on the delayed gratification, that anticipation of seeing whether or not a picture came out well or didn't after you took your film to the store, waited a week, and raced back to see how good (or not good) the pictures were. And if you were in a hurry, paid a little extra for one-hour service. I bet this is how that whole immediate gratification thing got started...
Ok, so that's my list for now. I've got tons of packing to do, and I think we are losing our internet tomorrow, so I guess next time I remember to blog, I'll be back HOME!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
3/7/12
So, Rivers likes my Tension Tamer hot tea. (Don't worry; it's caffeine free, and I used Splenda.) This afternoon, after her nap, I was having a cup of tea while we were on the balcony blowing bubbles and playing with her "bike." Rivers kept demanding a "sip" of my tea. Before she took a huge gulp, I told her it was warm, but it wasn't hot. She said, "Warm?", and I nodded. So she got a big gulp, and then looked at me and loudly said, "HOT!" I asked if she thought it was too hot, and her reply was, "Yes, hot." So as I was putting the cup on top of the shelf and out of the way, she said, "More!" I said, "You thought that was too hot, but you want more?" She said, "Yes," and that "yes" was loaded with an incredible amount of "duh." I guess I should have known.
Rivers got in trouble this afternoon. There were stubborn cries and screams and a couple of tiny swats on her rear and more stubborn screams. It was absolutely ridiculous. In hindsight, the whole thing was stupid, but I had already passed the point of backing down and clearly, she wasn't going to either. After all was said and done, I had a sweet, clingy, little girl with a tear-stained face sitting in my lap. I was explaining to her why she had gotten in trouble. As I was talking to her, I think I was saying something like, "It really breaks my heart when you choose not to mind me. When I ask you to do something..." And I never finished the sentence. Because just then, Rivers reached up with both of her hands, pulled my head down and kissed my forehead. She knew I loved her and had already forgiven her behavior...either that or she knew I'd quit talking. I have my doubts which. She's that smart.
Rivers got in trouble this afternoon. There were stubborn cries and screams and a couple of tiny swats on her rear and more stubborn screams. It was absolutely ridiculous. In hindsight, the whole thing was stupid, but I had already passed the point of backing down and clearly, she wasn't going to either. After all was said and done, I had a sweet, clingy, little girl with a tear-stained face sitting in my lap. I was explaining to her why she had gotten in trouble. As I was talking to her, I think I was saying something like, "It really breaks my heart when you choose not to mind me. When I ask you to do something..." And I never finished the sentence. Because just then, Rivers reached up with both of her hands, pulled my head down and kissed my forehead. She knew I loved her and had already forgiven her behavior...either that or she knew I'd quit talking. I have my doubts which. She's that smart.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
3/6/12
Today in the car, Rivers asked me for "'Vana." I told her that I didn't think I had any Nirvana in the car, but that she would also like what was on. Then, she listened for a second and said, "Foo Fighters?" like it was a question. (Yep, that girl is awesome.) Anyway, I told her that it was, in fact, Foo Fighters. A couple of minutes went by, and I heard her making sounds in the backseat which was nothing new, so I didn't say anything. I guess I should have acknowledged it because about a minute later she very impatiently shouted, "SINGING! Hear me?"
We had a new game at bedtime tonight. Rivers has learned how to make a kiss sound when she kisses someone or something. So, during Bible stories and prayers, she kept turning my head with both of her hands so she could kiss my cheek and make the sound. I guess it helped her that every time she did that, I laughed uncontrollably and then, of course, so did she. We played that game for at least 15 minutes. I think we'll have to teach that one to Chisum when he gets back.
Another fun thing about Rivers is her incredible ability to name her stuffed animals. All of them reside in her crib except for two: a very large penguin and a very large black bear. Rivers started off with Monkey. I received it as a gift at a shower for her, and it was the first stuffed animal she ever had. We called it Monkey because, well, what else were we going to call it? We also determined Monkey was male for who knows what reason. Anyway, I tried to push that thing on her for a long time, and she just wasn't having it. So, when she was having such a hard time sleeping through the night, I took her to the store to let her pick out her own stuffed animal in the hopes that it would be a special bedtime friend she could keep around and love on. She chose a little gray goofy-looking cat, and I named her KitKat. And KitKat worked. And, of course, KitKat was a girl. Why not? So then there were other animals collected--some from garage sales, some as gifts, some we just got her because they were cute. Now, Rivers has the following collection of animals with names of her own choosing:
1. a gray cat she picked up at a garage sale that she would not let go of until we got back home and only then to let it be washed (She named her Mabel. I have NO IDEA where she heard that or where it came from.) 2. a brown dog also from a garage sale (His name used to be Red, but she randomly changed it to Blackie.) 3. a teddy bear from when I was a little younger (She named him Money Bear...by this time, I stopped questioning her logic.)
4. her ladybug pillowpet, which she calls Lagabug
5. Gobo Fraggle (She just calls him Gobo.)
6. the black bear whose name is Alex and is a girl (I found out when I asked her earlier today.), and
7. a 3 foot upright penguin she calls Eric (though for a couple of days his name was Alec, and I'm not even kidding.)
Rivers chose those names all by herself, and I'm already anticipating the day when she is grown and asks me why I gave her animals such crazy names.
P.S. A few days ago, I was informed by Rivers that Monkey is a girl, not a boy...Who knew?
We had a new game at bedtime tonight. Rivers has learned how to make a kiss sound when she kisses someone or something. So, during Bible stories and prayers, she kept turning my head with both of her hands so she could kiss my cheek and make the sound. I guess it helped her that every time she did that, I laughed uncontrollably and then, of course, so did she. We played that game for at least 15 minutes. I think we'll have to teach that one to Chisum when he gets back.
Another fun thing about Rivers is her incredible ability to name her stuffed animals. All of them reside in her crib except for two: a very large penguin and a very large black bear. Rivers started off with Monkey. I received it as a gift at a shower for her, and it was the first stuffed animal she ever had. We called it Monkey because, well, what else were we going to call it? We also determined Monkey was male for who knows what reason. Anyway, I tried to push that thing on her for a long time, and she just wasn't having it. So, when she was having such a hard time sleeping through the night, I took her to the store to let her pick out her own stuffed animal in the hopes that it would be a special bedtime friend she could keep around and love on. She chose a little gray goofy-looking cat, and I named her KitKat. And KitKat worked. And, of course, KitKat was a girl. Why not? So then there were other animals collected--some from garage sales, some as gifts, some we just got her because they were cute. Now, Rivers has the following collection of animals with names of her own choosing:
1. a gray cat she picked up at a garage sale that she would not let go of until we got back home and only then to let it be washed (She named her Mabel. I have NO IDEA where she heard that or where it came from.) 2. a brown dog also from a garage sale (His name used to be Red, but she randomly changed it to Blackie.) 3. a teddy bear from when I was a little younger (She named him Money Bear...by this time, I stopped questioning her logic.)
4. her ladybug pillowpet, which she calls Lagabug
5. Gobo Fraggle (She just calls him Gobo.)
6. the black bear whose name is Alex and is a girl (I found out when I asked her earlier today.), and
7. a 3 foot upright penguin she calls Eric (though for a couple of days his name was Alec, and I'm not even kidding.)
Rivers chose those names all by herself, and I'm already anticipating the day when she is grown and asks me why I gave her animals such crazy names.
P.S. A few days ago, I was informed by Rivers that Monkey is a girl, not a boy...Who knew?
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