Wednesday, September 23, 2009

back..from outer space...

I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face....

Miss me??? Ugh, I stink. Not literally (wait..*checking* ...no, not literally) but yes, I'm aware of my stinkage. And I'm sorry.
On to better things? I suppose I should use this post as a big-giant-conglomerated-hodge-podge of catch-up. Try to keep up ;)
So, our two and a half year old is now wearing big girl panties, sleeping in a big girl bed, and going to big-girl school. Waaaah! Sigh, but really. I'm so proud of this munchkin. Potty training is going well (isn't it interesting how mothers of toddlers assume that EVERYONE is just as interested in their child's bathroom habits as they are??? And I'm no exception.) She still has occasional accidents, but we're doing pretty good. As long as we don't go to her friend Julia's house, which seems to be an accident trigger...hmm, or Leif's....or the beach...sigh. But really, she's doing very well! We use a book each time we go pee-pee, and Kenz has learned to "read" it along with me. A video:



Pretty cute, huh?
A few nights ago, she began informing us that her toddler bed was too small- "I too big for this bed. I need big-girl bed!" I'm not sure where she got this from, but she succeeded in coercing convincing us to make the new-bed purchase. We actually got her a bunk bed, but we've only put together the bottom bunk for now. She really likes it, and we think she just looks so cute and little when laying on it. The quilt is her big-girl quilt that I started back when I had free-time. It's VERY undone, but you won't tell, right? ;) (And really, a finished quilt? How Un-doMESStic..)
Storytime... Daddy does the best voices....
Btw, yes, she's half nekkid. We do live in Hawaii, afterall...
Her new preschool meets once a week and is a co-op, meaning all the parents take turns being there/teaching. For us, it's a bit of a prep for the real deal when she's 4. Preschool here in Hi is UNGODLY expensive, and we are sooo thankful to have found a group of ladies with similar mindsets and drive to make this happen. Kenz is retaining information from class, too, which is so exciting for us. For instance, when she sees letters, she'll say, "that the letter O" or "that Q Mama!!". Buuut, when she sees "B" she states, "I learned B in school! Julia's mama told me..."
She also keeps mentioning that she fell in school and hurt herself...not sure what that's all about, but she seems to have survived it??? Anyway, here is the obligatory "first day of" pic....

BTW, no, I did not cry, because I was in fact teaching that first day. Kinda anti-climatic, actually. Sadly, she doesn't remember much of what we learned when I was in charge....

And now it's time for the cute and random Mackenzie "story"...drum roll please....
Kenzi is a bit of a whiner. When I say a bit, I really mean she's got more wine than Robert Mondavi, but we're attempting this new "power of positivity" BS mindset, so we'll stick with "a bit." We try many many things to try to get her to speak without crying/whining, and Hubby's new thing is to tell her a bee will sting her if she's got her whiney-voice on. (Yaya, we're evil, abusive parents. We know. Moving on.) When she starts up, we bzzzzzzzz and it's actually quite funny and remarkably effective. So, just the two of us were in the car the other day, and Kenz starting whining, but caught herself.
She said, "Oh, I not crying. No bee, you no get me!"
Me: "That's right, honey. 'Cuz you don't want a bee to sting you."
She: "No Mommy. That's what Daddy says. You can't say a bee will get me, only Daddy says that." (This admonishment actually went on much longer, but I'll spare you the full transcript.)
Well.
Poll on what my anti-whining tactic should now be, as I'm NOT ALLOWED to use my husband's?

Speaking of my husband, he's also well. He has yet another position with his work, and with it another schedule change. But, it works out fairly well, and if I keep the girl up a little late "accidentally" then I can continue to weasel my way out of bedtime-responsibilities. Go me! I think he may be getting a bit bored with his current lifestyle though- he keeps picking up these new hobbies that don't seem too "long-and-injury-free-life" conducive. Nothing too dangerous, but stuff that makes me briefly envision full-body casts. Be careful stud-muffin!

Ps- I love all the girls in the left side of this photo. They have these expressions on their faces, like "OMG, I TOTALLY can't believe he just did that!"

We haven't been surfing as much, and I think it's bringing him down. But for my birthday, we were able to go out together, as a friend watched Mackenzie for a few hours for us. (Thanks Dawn!!)
And, so, on to me. I've been quite busy with sewing lately. Or, maybe I mean, even busier. There's a craft fair (really a mini-craft fair) coming up soon that I've, in a moment of insanity, agreed to be part of. I've been making tutus and obi belts and gift bags and headbands and appliqued shirts and ribbon wands, and and and and..... It's been 'fun', but it's hard to put so much work into something to sell. A gift- you know who it's going to, and you know it will be appreciated. But "goods"- you're always worried about whether it will sell and price-points and streamlining the process in order to make that two-dollars-an-hour hopefully turn into three or four ;) Ha, sorry for the tangent... I have "created" an etsy site to help find a home for anything that doesn't sell. Vitruvian.etsy.com Right now, it's just a banner, but hey, I made that myself and it's kinda pretty, no? But check back in a few days and I'll have some stuff up. Hopefully.
Just kinda hoping to find a way to support this growing habit of mine.
No, not that, I kicked that yeaaaars ago ;) Fabric-retail-therapy, duh!
My next post will likely be a show-and-tell of new projects. And from there we should be back in business with no more excessive boring catch-up posts. Hip hip and all that...
Oh, yea, for those of you that don't get the email, or aren't on my facebook (do such people exist??) I've also updated flickr. Now's your chance to over-indulge in MacKenzie cuteness... Kenzie's flickr page
See ya! (or write atcha, I suppose....)