The evolution of Mommy.

I've been summoned by quite a few names since Payne started verbalizing his needs.

The first was "Da!", generally screamed from his crib and roughly translated to "Nearest competent adult! I'm in need of assistance!"

Then came "Ma!". Hooray! He loves me and put forth the supreme effort of the "mm" sound to tell me so!

"Mom Mom" followed, which I loved. The most frequently uttered phrase for awhile was "Dee doo Mom Mom" meaning "Here you go Mom". It was cute enough that I didn't mind I was constantly being handed crumbs, shreds of paper, or bits of dog toy stuffing.

Now I've graduated to "Mommy" (throws cap in air), but Payne says it more like "Mah-mee!". I generally like it, but I had my first experience with what Dan and I call the "Lois" (Family Guy Reference. Sorry Mom.).


Payne: " Mah-me! Mah-me! Mah-me!....Maaaaah-me! Maaaah-me! Maaaaah-meeeeee!"

Me: "WHAT! What is it Payne?!"

Payne: "Um"....(profuse gibberish)


Since alcohol is out, this may drive me to increased consumption of caffeine and artificial sweeteners. It's a good thing he's cute.

Funny stuff of the day.

Today Payne and I stayed in for the most part. It's cold and I wasn't feeling motivated to run around, so I had a cleaning day instead.

What is a boy to do when his Mom is vacuuming and he doesn't have a mini-vacuum? Why, a golf bag looks strikingly similar...





Yep. He followed me around the entire house "vacuuming" right behind me. He even knows to yell at the dogs to be quiet throughout the process. They enjoy barking at and occasionally attempting to bite the vacuum. Payne was periodically stopping his vacuum and yelling "Dewwa! Eddow! Noooo!". I'm such an awesome role model.

I was folding laundry and Payne was puttering around. He stopped for a second to look in on me, saw I was folding a receiving blanket, gasped loudly and said in what can only be described as a tone of complete reverence "nigh nigh!". Little addict.

We went on a short trip to the grocery store and I saw a coloring book based on his favorite cartoon (Dinosaur Train), so I grabbed it. He was looking at it as we left the store and pointed at one of the Pterosaurs on the main cover and said "Tiny!". Um, that's the very specific name of that very specific character! There are FIVE of them on the show and they all look almost exactly the same! So, err, how early can one qualify for MENSA membership? (cough, cough).

I end this disorganized post with a random photo. Ta-Da!


A Tupperware top hat? Awesome! Or, as Payne would say "D'ass coo!"


See ya later!

Oh My Cute...

Is there anything more adorable than two pajama'd toddler boys immensely enjoying the company of one another, while sharing two identical stuffed rabbits?

I think not.


Right before this they were pointing out the different designs on their jammies to each other. I died.


The "artfully distressed" rabbit is the one J.P. loves the most. Go figure.

Why did we not better capture the cuteness, you ask? Well, as Dan so aptly put it: Getting a photo of two busy little boys that are hopped up on Super Bowl junk food in which both are looking at the camera and no one is moving at mach 5 speed to blur the image, is the domestic equivalent of getting video footage of the rare snow leopard taking down a mountain goat...in a blizzard.

I'm dedicated, but not so dedicated as to camp out in Aimee and Jason's living room for months, living on freeze dried chili, while aiming my camera at all juvenile life form activity from behind a potted plant.

I'll happily take my blurry memento of these two buddies. They were so much fun to watch!

Haaaaa ha ha ha! (deep breath...snort)

Nice gams, kid.

I may or may not have laughed until I drooled when Payne clicked out of my closet in my ballet wedges.

We took pictures, and then we got him some more manly shoes to play with because Dan and I were both getting a little weirded out. Heh heh.

Cartoons are best watched

while completely engulfed in a sofa cushion, didn't you know?

Hell, after seeing this, I want a giant pillow under which to watch t.v.

From the mouths of babes...

So I was talking about the dogs in the car on the way home from dinner tonight.

A wee little voice piped in from the carseat with this:

"Bad dogs poop."

Wise words Son. Wise words...

Happy Birthday to Daddy!

You know you've become completely enveloped in parenthood when you're singing Happy Birthday to your husband, and the two of you are looking at your son for his reaction. And of course, the beloved progeny must help to blow out the candle. Then the real Birthday Boy cheers for HIM!




Dan polished off this fabulous celebration by filing for our tax return. Ha!

I tried to teach Payne to say "Happy Birthday Daddy!" and it came out more like "Abby Budnudah DaddEEE!". Fortunately Dan still appreciated the effort.


P.S. I had to share this awesome photo that Dan snapped of Payne while I was at work the other night. The blogger uploader recognizes when a human face is flipped sideways and will correct it automatically. Um, I had to manually correct this one. heh heh.


It's good to see "the face" on film again.