Open Sesame Street

Reilly felt that this would open the roof of my Mom's mini-van, he thought it was a convertible.

#2

Kate is so different from Reilly and I attribute a lot of that to being #2 vs #1. He is conservative and cautious and so thoughtful. His perception is amazing and at almost 4 he is so aware of other peoples feelings. She is crazy with not a care in the world. If she wants something, she takes it, if she wants to do something she does it and she walks circles around the house just checking things out.

The things that inspire her to have an outburst are: food and well.... food. In that way, she is like her Dad. :-)

Where's Kate?

Ahhh, that would be hiding under the bathroom sink in the cabinet playing with the bath toys.

Oops

Mom, I just fluffed out my mouth.

Lesson of the Day

Do not drive wind-up cars, specifically monster trucks, in Kate's hair.

Thanks Greg.

Farley

I have given Kate a new nickname... Farley - as in Chris. When she dances to music now she raises her shoulders up to her ears, which gives her a couple new chins, and she puts her hands on the area that would have a belt buckle. Once she's in position she rocks to the music in a circular way as I saw Chris do a number of times on SNL - when he was a motivational speaker and lived in a van down by the river.

Bad Words

Reilly: "Mom, is whattheheck a bad word?"
Me: "No, it's okay to say here and there."
Reilly: "Shit is a bad word though."
Me: "Yes, Reilly, shit is a bad word."

Foothill College

As we passed Foothill College today Shad told Reilly, Kate and I he took a couple classes there. Reilly inquired "Did your Dad drive you to your classes Dad?"

Cake?

Reilly and I were talking this morning and I told him that yesterday, while I was playing soccer, a bug flew in my ear. He said "Really, to have some cake?" I replied "Cake? I don't understand." He said "yah, Mom, potato cake".

Ick.

What it's like to be a Power Ranger

As I was taking a shower in the early morning the other day Reilly awoke and came into my bathroom in his Power Ranger pajamas that appear to be 2 sizes too small - or just super trendy since his mid section is exposed. He was frustrated that a pacifier he was using for one of his dolls (that was Kates) was no longer in his bed. I explained that when he was asleep the night before I removed the pacifier and put it on the shelf and when I got out of the shower I would get it for him. Relieved, he agreed and went away. A few minutes later he returned, stood outside the shower and enthusiastically told me that he climbed up on the stool and the shelves and got the pacifier himself. I said, wow, I'm glad that you're okay, I told you I would get it for you when I was done. He then ripped open the shower curtain and said "Mom, I wont' get hurt, I'm a POWER RANGER, see?".

Of course, how did I not know....

Walking around

Kate is walking around - finally. She tentatively steps across the room although she still knows it's much quicker in her world to crawl from one thing to the next.

Todays Question

Why do we have a sister?

Why does that truck

have 2 doors instead of 4? Is it because they don't have kids like us?

Rye-yeeeeeeeeee

Kate is in love with her brother. She constantly calls him by his name, her version of it anyway. It's amazing that after all he does to her - take away her toys, sit on her, lecture her, etc that she is still so INTO him. It's so cool.

Her words right now are:
Rye-yeeeee
Naneeeeee
NO (of course)
Hi
Bye
Wow
Da
Ma (yes in that order)
Kak Kak
Nigh Nigh

Jack's Place

My sister Kate and her husband Mike did such a cool thing this past weekend. They lost their 18mos old son suddenly 4 years ago this month. Over time, as part of the healing, they continue to do positive things for other people and just in general. I think the giving of themselves is true to who they are, and I also think it helps remind them that they were not put on this earth to be punished in some cruel way. I think the path they lead is a path of giving and of sharing, giving an ear, giving an opinion, sharing a story, or a laugh, cry or smile. They meet this path with enthusiasm.

This past weekend was the gift of a playground in the memory of their son, Jack. It's the most amazing playground - not really because of what you see when you cross through the gate but more because of what you don't see. You don't see that 4 women put their heads together with the help of a few outsiders whose job it was to have a playground. You don't see that dozens of friends and family got together on one of the worst days this year to build this amazing place and you don't see the people who showed up with their children in the rain to be part of the dedication. This symbol and this story have reached so far and touched so many - Kate and Mike should be so proud of themselves. From an amazing little boy, to an amazing playground from an amazing family.

Swing High, Slide Fast and Play Hard. It's as simple as that.

Bulemia is not the answer...

Kate is constantly chewing her fingers these days because she is teething. While driving the other night she was chomping away and then Shad and I heard her gag reflex kick in. We were certain there was digorge given the noise, I turned around to find that she was just sitting there - although it was dark, there was no sign of residual. Shad and I continued talking and then it wafted my way - the stench was an overwhelming smell of vomit. I turned on the car light only to find Kate covered in half chewed, somewhat processed Annies pasta shells. I looked at her and she had this huge grin that said "ahhhh, I feel so much better."

Shad and I bargained for the vomit cleaning or the putting kids to bed - I dry heaved for the next 20 minutes as I cleaned the carseat.

5K is a LOT of ppl

We got news that Sun is going to layoff 5000 people by fall. We are a company of about 37,000, so it's roughly 13% of the organization. The CMO who I fall underneath sent a communication that my group would indeed be impacted by this change. It's an uncomfortable time - I could be effected by this change which is quite unsettling to think about. If I am not the one it will likely be a friend of mine. We're praying that it is not me, and that Sun does not have to make any more drastic changes like this. The ripple effect is so significant...

Cherry Tomatoes or Humps

My friend Jen calls her husbands butt his cherry tomatoes. Reilly patted me on the butt yesterday and remarked "Mom, I felt your humps".

The mouths of Babes

can still lead to embarrassment....

Shad went to the grocery store with Reilly last night. A man, about 50, walked out the store and passed them. He was on the larger side and had his shirt tucked in under his round stomach and a baseball hat. Reilly took a look at him and turned to Shad and said "that man looks like he has a baby in his belly".

Ahhhhh, what do you say about that - he wasn't wrong.

Humpass

Reilly got a "humpass" today. Well you and I know it as a compass - but he thinks it's a "humpass". When he was asked if he knew how to use a compass, he replied "yes, you just shake it really hard and it moves."

I don't want to navigate with him, we'll certainly get lost. Then again, he shouldn't want to navigate with me, we would certainly get lost.