Big's Big!

I can't express to you how excited I am as I type this post! After ages and ages of Big saying to me as he shuts the door to a room, "Excuse me, I need some privacy so I can go in my pants.", I am happy to report that Big did it! He went somewhere other than in his pants, and it was even in the approved receptacle we call the potty! Wahoo! 


It has been driving me nuts that I have a two year old who can use the word "privacy" properly in a sentence, but yet had no yearning to be potty-trained. Maybe now that he sees how easy it is, we'll be on our way to the land of the diaper-free! I am buying a one-way ticket, and when we get there I'm setting up house and never coming back! 


Way to go, Big! 

All About Ginger!

Yesterday we celebrated Ginger's birthday yet again, but this time it was with her friends. HOLY COW! I never would have guessed at the amount of giggling 6 pre-teen girls could produce. 


Mind-boggling. Seriously.


I just take it to mean the party was a grand success!


One of Ginger's friends arrived a few minutes early, so the two of them waited together impatiently for the other girls to arrive.

I took a few pictures of the decorations while they were waiting..

Once all of the girls had arrived (the giggling increasing ten-fold as each came in the door), we got the party started. 


The first activity was a huge hit! We printed out a bunch of black and white photos of Ginger from the series I took a while back. Each girl chose a photo and I dumped a pile of Sharpies in the middle of the table and told them to go to town, decorating and defacing the photos of Ginger in any way they'd like. 


At first the girls seemed a little hesitant, but once they got going there was no holding back! They all had a little wicked gleam in their eyes as they went at it. Let's hope I didn't just breed a whole new generation of yearbook-photo-defacers! 

Next, using a big poster-sized picture, we played "Pin the Mustache on Ginger". Judging by the giggling, I'd say the girls liked this activity as well. 


Call it a giggle-based-guess.

After a pause to open presents...

...it was on to another fun game! We played BINGO, only we used Ginger's nickname instead of the word bingo and characteristics and likes of Ginger's rather than numbers. It was a fun way to have the girls learn more about Ginger, and they got to win some prizes to boot!


This is what the card looked like..

These were the prizes..

The girls got to sit around munching on cake pops and m 'n m "beans", yelling out Ginger's nickname when they filled a row on their card. 

You may have noticed that even though this is Ginger's party, there aren't very many photos of her in this post. Um... yeah. That would be because the girl was so totally bouncing off the walls with excitement that pretty much every photo of her is so blurry as to bug the eyes. 


I should have used the sports setting on my camera.


To finish the party off, while awaiting the arrival of the parents, I let the girls decorate the big "Pin the Mustache on Ginger" poster with the Sharpies. Now Ginger will have a great memento of the party to hang on her wall. 


Ginger told me it was "the best party EVER!" Good. I'm glad. Happy Birthday, again, Ginger! We love you!

Nine!

Ginger celebrated her birthday on Tuesday. Nine. It's really hard to believe for some reason. We had a family dinner with her grandparents and Auntie and Uncle Art last Sunday-- her requested favorite of salmon. It was a lot of good food and company. Then, on Tuesday, we just hung out as a family and had another meal of her request. Company casserole (don't ask). 


After dinner on Tuesday she opened her gifts. 

Big was hilarious, saying stuff like, "What's in this one? .... She's taking too long..... Just rip the paper.... Open it, Ginger!" He hovered over her shoulder the entire time. 

I must have annoyed her a little, too. I caught her mid-eye-roll after something I said. Oh, well. It's my job and I think I excel at it. 

Then, of course, came dessert. Since I knew I'd be making some cake pops for Ginger's friend party later in the week, and we had loads of brownies left over from Sunday night's family dinner, I opted for a fancy cupcake for Ginger. Leftovers for everyone else. 


Just ignore the fact that you can see my flash in the window behind her. I told everyone that would happen. 

Here's another shot after I convinced her to move away from the window. 

It was fun, she liked her meal and her presents, and the cupcake was a hit. Happy Birthday, Ginger!

What They Said

The boys have managed to spout off a few funnies over the past few days. I don't know that they've been as funny as usual lately, though. Or maybe it's just my humor that has been lacking.


Last Friday, Big and I were talking about our plan to go bowling as a family and he kept informing me that he was going to win. A little while later, while picking up the girls from school, we had this conversation-- 


Big: "Mom? Can I gloat?"


Me (just assuming he was still referring to his future bowling victory): "Well, I guess you could, but it's really not nice."


Me (after a few seconds to think about it): "Do you even know what it means to gloat?!?" (I mean, I know he has an impressive vocabulary... but gloat?!)


Big: "It means to fly up into the sky!"


Me (a little disappointed): "Oh. That's floating, Big, not gloating. You meant to ask if you can float."


(I then gave him the definition of 'gloat'. Maybe a 2-year-old doesn't need it, but I gave it to him anyway)


Big: "Oh."


Me: "And... you can't float, because people can't do that, and you shouldn't gloat because it isn't being a good sport and isn't nice."


Big: "Oh."


That'll teach him.

*     *     *     *     *

Then, on our way to dinner after bowling (Big did beat several of the attendees, by the way) we went over a stomach-dropping bump. We all kind of said "Woah!" and Bud exclaimed, "That made my penis wiggle!" 


Indeed.

*     *     *     *     *

Yesterday, Rophone played a game of Memory with Bud. Playing Memory with Bud is not for the faint of heart. Or for those who hate to lose. Bud rocks at Memory.


At one point in the game Rophone got a couple of matches in a row and began to feel hopeful, only to have Bud look down at his much larger pile and crow, "You can't beat me! I'm the GREATEST!" He was so sweet in his cockiness, and was speaking the truth, so we could do nothing but agree. 

*     *     *     *     *

Rophone played a little hoop with the two boys yesterday, too. As they came into the room where I was when they were done, Big gave me a little head nod and said, "Hey, Mom. The six of us were playing some hoop."

He's smart. I swear. Maybe he was counting arms. 

Or legs. Or something.

I'm Photo Challenged

I'm still participating in the photo challenge, believe it or not. It has been a struggle. I'm not going to lie. I'm a really bad liar, so I generally don't even try. (Hey! That rhymes!)


Things have been a lot rougher the last few months-- my telephoto lens, which I relied on heavily, died (may it rest in peace) and life seems to have gotten in the way. Not to mention that 365 days is a long time to take a photo a day. Really, it is. I promise. My motivation just hasn't been there.


I have been more unhappy than happy with my pictures as of late. It's a sad state of affairs. It has even been making me rethink wether or not I should print a book of my photos when the challenge is over. 


Regardless, I have managed to take a few photos I feel may be worthy enough to share with you. If I weren't too lazy to pull photos off my other hard drive, I could give you more. But, as one of my friends always says to her kids, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." Plus, if I leave you in suspense over what you're missing, you might be more likely to want a copy of my book.


If I print it. 


Okay, here goes...


Life has been a bit nuts lately, and the loss of my telephoto lens has meant a complete change in how and of what I am able to take photos. My creative mojo has not been reacting well. But, somehow, I have still managed to find opportunities. Even on the go.

Cooking dinner with one hand, taking photos with the other...

Even a funeral can produce something fantastic if you look.

Some people have found this next photo a little creepy. I think that's why I like it. I am quite happy that she sleeps in a room far from mine, however.

She seems to prefer eating grapefruit, anyway.

He sleeps quite close, though... ack.

Now this one... well, she won't be able to find me even if I'm standing right in front of her. I don't know if you can tell, but she has some trouble with her eyesight. Just a wee bit.

This kid lures you in with sweetness and light...

...but don't let that fool you. Eeeeek!

On the go again. Desperate. But I kind of like it. And at least the kids were buckled into their car seats where they couldn't get me.

Even though I've been struggling lately, I'll keep on truckin'. It's hard to believe that I have less than 65 days to go. I can make it. I'll keep taking photos, even when the thought of doing so makes me say "ICK".

Life Gave Me Whiplash

I have heard throughout my existence, from various sources, that life is like a roller coaster ride with all of its highs and lows. I have also heard, from Forrest Gump, that life is like a box of chocolates because you never know what you're going to get. I happen to think that these analogies are inaccurate. 


I mean, unless you're riding a roller coaster in the dark (like Space Mountain) you can pretty much see what's coming your way. Not only that, but you've been checking out what you're getting yourself into as you await your turn. Once you're buckled into the ride and the car you're in clickety-clacks it's way slowly to the top, the anticipation and fear build because you know what lies ahead. As you reach the crest of that first roller coaster mountain, knowing of the rapid descent that awaits,  you begin to clench your abdomen to prevent your stomach from rising into your throat and clench your legs to prevent something else... 


All I'm saying, is that you know what's coming. Not only that, but you stood in line for it!


As far as the box of chocolates thing goes-- it's not that tough to figure out what's inside, you know. Just ask a frequent partaker of chocolates from a box. In case you weren't aware, I'll let you in on something-- the shapes and little swirlies on top indicate what each little chocolate morsel contains. So, if you're smart and observant you should be able to figure it out. 


But, the good thing about chocolates is that if you still happen to make a wrong choice, the situation you find yourself in can quickly be remedied by just spitting out your chocolate mistake. Whether you do it grandly into a trash can with a loud "PITOOEY!" or discretely into a napkin is up to you. 


Either way, the fact remains that you don't have to live with your choice. Not only that, but you can custom order a box of chocolates so it contains only the pieces you like. That means no surprises, no consequences, no harsh reality.... and it's not like chocolates just happen to you. Not so much like life, huh, Forrest? (I mean, I like him and all, and he's really good at ping pong... but he's just wrong on this one)


Bumper Cars. 


That's what life is like. It's like riding on the bumper cars. I don't know about you, but as a kid I didn't really ride the bumper cars for the bashing and slamming. I rode the bumper cars because I wanted to DRIVE! I tried to avoid all the other cars, hoping to pick up speed and do a few laps before our time was up. I liked to cruise along, minding my own business, just enjoying the ride.


But, eventually,inevitably, I was bashed and slammed. Usually from behind so I had no idea what was coming, or maybe from the side so my peripheral vision had just barely registered the future jolt before it was upon me. Oh, there were the head on crashes, too. Not all things in bumper cars, or life, are unexpected and surprising. 


My least favorite bumper car experiences were those where I was hit from all sides at once, trapping me, making me unable to progress in any direction. I think life feels like that sometimes, too. 


And even though I hated the crashing and bashing that came along with riding the bumper cars, I always rode again the next time I had the chance, hoping to get just a few moments of freedom to drive and make some unimpeded forward progress. That's all we have to do in life-- just keep trying to make forward progress despite all the crashes and bashes that come our way.


Feel free to ride a few roller coasters for fun and eat some chocolate for comfort as you go. Just wear your seat belt.

Quoting Big

(The experience I am about to relate to you actually happened quite a while back-- a month or more. I have been debating over whether to share it or not, since I have a few younger readers and the story contains the "P" word. But, it's just a body part, right?)


Anyway, as I was getting Big ready for the bath one day, he looked down at himself and said:


"When my little penis gets big, it's going to be HUGE!!"


I love an optimist.