From time to time...

...when I get done doing the dishes, I say, "Dishes are done, man," as if I am Kenny in the movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.  I did so tonight.  I got the girl into bed by 8 (which is funny because I can hear her playing her musical giraffe as I type this, so I know full well she has been sitting in there for almost an hour awake), then I put away the laundry, picked up toys from the living room floor, and did the dishes.  This is a pretty typical evening routine for me, but today, MY HEAD HURTS.  I've had a really horrible headache for most of today.  I had coffee this morning (caffeine usually helps), went to Aerofit for about an hour to "workout" (getting back into the habit again, so I can't really call it an actual workout yet), took Riv to the "park" (the tiny little playground in our neighborhood), went to both animal shelters and looked at the cats and dogs, ate lunch, did some laundry, had a cup of tea, worked outside for a bit, watered the yard, had dinner, and began the nightly routine of putting Rivers to bed.  I suppose I thought that if I kept busy, it would go away.  At no point has this headache diminished EXCEPT for when Rivers made me laugh.  Here are a few of the funny/interesting/incredibly silly/charming things she did today:

When Rivers wakes up, either in the morning or from a nap, she is usually pretty chill.  She lies there talking and singing, just waiting for someone to come get her.  Today after her nap, when I opened her door, she pointed to the poster on her wall and said, "That's Nirvana.  I like Nirvana.  There's Kurt Cobain.  I like Kurt Cobain.  And there's Dave Grohl.  I like Dave Grohl.  And there's Mommy.  I like you too, Mommy."  So I laughed and said, "Thanks, Rivers, I like you too."

There is a large framed portrait of John Wayne in my garage.  It used to hang in Chisum's room, but I have yet to re-hang it, so it is sitting in the garage.  Today, on our way to the gym, Rivers says, "That's John Wayne; I like The Duke."   So apparently, Chisum has taught her that. 

During dinner, Rivers was playing on her Leaptop and pushing the music buttons.  She danced and danced for me and then, since of course we were watching Elf, the song "You Make Me Feel So Young" came on, and Rivers gave me a serenade.  She also narrated everything Buddy was doing for me:  "Buddy's spinning and yelling!  Buddy's running!  Buddy's dancing!"  I guess you get the picture.  Chisum thinks it will be funny for us to encourage this activity so that she will do it until she is like 16 or so.  It would be pretty funny...

When the bath was over tonight, she was not ready to get out.  I got her out anyway, so she started a "temper tantrum."  Her tantrums are pretty funny because she doesn't really cry....BUT she always tells me she is.  So she was hollering, "I don't wanna get out yet!  I'm crying!"  I laughed at her and said, "No, you're not crying."  Then she looked at me like she thought I must be onto her and gave it up.  That's the general extent of her tantrums.  I guess I'm pretty lucky for that.  At least for now.  She's not technically two yet.

Those have been my highlights from today.  Those and talking to Chisum on the phone.  Now, it's time to rest my eyes and my brain and perhaps have a glass of wine...or two.  And at least I can go to bed knowing the dishes are done, man.

Back in Aggieland!

It's been a crazy couple of months in the Womack household.  We have moved back to Bryan, and we are finally (mostly) settled back into our house.  It feels wonderful to be HOME.

Rivers seems to have handled the move well.  Before we moved here, I kept telling her we were going to live in the "big house."  Luckily, she has no frame of reference for that other than a house that is large. Otherwise, she might have been hesitant... I know our house isn't huge, but it's sure is bigger than either of the apartments we lived in most recently.  If you ask her how she likes her room, she'll tell you "Cousin Lindsey painted it!" She also LOVES playing outside.  We go out every day to check on our plants and to play on the deck.  I bought an outdoor rug for the deck, and it's green, so if I'm in the backyard, Rivers sits on it and hollers to me every now and then that she is still on the "green rug."

Chisum and I are really glad to be back here too.  It's nice to be able to paint our walls and hang up all of our pictures and really live somewhere again.  Also, I have missed my kitchen SO much.  Both of our apartments had the tiniest galley kitchens I have ever seen, and I'm pretty sure that I had to leave at least 10 boxes of kitchen stuff in storage.  I don't know how I managed to actually cook for us, but I know that often, the kitchen table was employed in the task.  Unpacking here was like opening gifts on Christmas morning.  I found things I had forgotten I ever had.  Now I can COOK again too!  (So if you ever want to come for dinner, just let me know.  I'll be happy to accommodate!)

Chisum is working pretty hard at his job these days.  He spends 3-4 days a week on the road.  Rivers and I get to read, play, watch movies, go for walks, have tea parties, and run around town together, and it is a blessing for me to get to spend so much time with her.  But we really do miss Chisum so much when he is away.  One of my favorite sights is watching Rivers run out of the garage into the driveway to greet him when we hear him pull up after having been gone all week.

Right now, we are just continuing to settle back into things.  Rivers and I are going to get a schedule down for activities.  We are going to have a park/playground day, a walking day, a library day, swimming when we can, and once we join a gym again, we'll have some of that too.  If you have any suggestions of things to add to our list, please send them my way.

I'm hoping to get back into listing my good stuff from each day here, so I'm sure I'll be posting more often.  But for now, it's off to bed to fall asleep to the sound of all of this wonderful rain.  Our lives are really and truly blessed right now, and we could ask for nothing more.

This one might be long, and it might have to last for a while...

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!

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.

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?

Literal Baby

So...we have known for a while that Rivers is a pretty literal kid.  Today, I learned more about that.

We were looking at her Wonder Woman book, and at the end is a picture of lots of DC superheroes including Batman, Superman, and of course, Wonder Woman (Rivers calls her Woman.)  Anyway, she pointed at WW and said, "panties."  Then she did the same to Superman, Batman, and everyone else on the page who looked like they were in their undies.

Rivers is also very fond of being told "secrets."  If I say to Rivers that I want to tell her a secret, she runs over immediately, climbs up on me, and puts her ear to my mouth.  Usually I tell her I love her or to go tickle Daddy, but it's always something that's not really a secret.  After I told her the secret today, I said, "Rivers, now it's your turn to tell me one."  She looked me square in the face, then put her mouth to my ear and said, "Secret."  Having done what I asked of her, she climbed down and went to play.  Nice, huh?

Another instance is when I need to fix her hair or get to her back for something, I tell her to "come here and turn around."  She walks over in front of me and does a complete 360.  Then she looks at me like, "What?  You said turn around."

I love this kid.  I hope this literal thing is a phase because if you know me, you know that I'm NOT so much literal.  My favorite jokes all involve puns.

2/28/12

Today had some real highlights.

1.  Rivers and I went to the park to meet our friends, Katy and her daughter Sara.  The whole way there, Rivers sat in her chair in the backseat and said, "My friend Sara," over and over.  I said, "Rivers, we are also going to see Sara's momma.  Do you remember her name?"  She said, "Katy," in such a manner that I instantly felt ridiculous for having asked.  Once at the park, Rivers played on the slides and swing, and she had so much fun.  It really is amazing to me what she is able (and willing) to do on her own.

2.  A couple of weeks ago, we went to Grand Prairie for my Aunt LeAnn's birthday party.  (I'm pretty sure there's a video of Rivers with some balloons on Chisum's fb page.)  Anyway, I think Rivers has developed a little crush on my cousin JP.  All the way home and for days after the party, she asked about him.  This Saturday is a party for my Mammaw's 82nd birthday.  I told Rivers we were going and who we would see there, including my Aunt LeAnn and Uncle Jeff.  Rivers immediately looked me right in the face and asked, "And JP?"  I told her I don't know if he will be there, but I sure hope he is able to make it because I think my little girl will be disappointed if he isn't.

3.  We Skyped with Daddy tonight.  Not just me this time.  Rivers said she wanted to "call Daddy, call Chisum," so I told her we could call him AND see him.  I sat her in my lap at the desk, and once he was in front of her, she said "Kiss!" and went for the screen.  (Here's where I have to tell you that my computer is kind of ghetto.  I broke the screen on our laptop, so it is on the desk but hooked up to a different monitor.  So, when Skyping, I am actually not looking at the camera because it is on the laptop and the monitor is about a foot to the left.)  Once I showed the camera lens to Rivers, she proceeded to climb up on the desk and kiss the lens for Daddy at least 10 times.  It was adorable.

4.  I have been trying some new recipes for Chisum and me so that we can eat a little healthier.  He bought me a low GI cookbook for my birthday or Christmas, and I skimmed through it and thought the recipes would all be gross and not taste good.  So far I have only tried two of them, but they are, without a doubt, two of the best things I have ever cooked for myself.  If all the rest are comparable, I think I can handle this low GI stuff.

5.  Our tax refund is here!  That means painting and new carpet for the house!  Yay!  (Chisum is not as thrilled about this as I am, but I hope that he likes it when it's done.)

Anyway, that's all for today, but I am indeed looking forward to Chisum getting home tomorrow and our visit to Grandmother and Granddaddy's on Friday.  That should give me some happy things to write about.