Wednesday, September 30, 2009

It's the Yittle Fings: Part Eight

The other day, we were riding peacefully along in the car, and a light turned yellow. The truck in front of me, who was way too close to make this decision, decided that he should stop. I had to slam on my brakes really fast and swerve to miss him.

Ali immediately piped up in a worried and judgmental voice: "What did you DO?!!?!?"

"I had to slow down really quickly."

"Was there a policeman behind you?"

Honestly - I DO NOT remember teaching her that. Yeesh.
When she and Chris came to pick me up from the airport, there was a black man also waiting. As they passed him, Ali asked Chris, "Was that Barack Obama?"

When I got in the car, Ali told me, "Barack Obama was at the airport too, Mommy!!!"
Ali and Chris also had a conversation about some cows while I was gone. Chris asked her, "Were they boy cows or girl cows?"

Ali answered, "They're just cows."

Obviously, we still have some gender explanations to work out.
On Saturday, we were watching the football game on television - Ali and I stayed home so as to not get soaking wet. Ali was observing the game and reminiscing about the week before when she went to the football game.

Then she told me, matter-of-factly, "I'm going to go to football another day. I'm going to go into the TV another day."
I took Ali to tee-tee in the potty the other day, and she informed me, "When Gramamma was a little girl, I took HER to the potty."
We have a bedtime routine of telling each other how much we love each other. It started out with the spreading of the arms and the typical "I love you THIS much!!". But somewhere along the way, Ali's learning about states got involved also. She typically tells us "I love you to Alabama and Tennessee!!". Sometimes she'll branch out, but those are her standbys.

When I got home from New York, I told her, "I love you to New York!!"

She thought, and said, "I don't love you to New York. But I love you to Alabama." (long pause) "And Tennessee."

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Orphaned Pictures of the Week, Episode Two.

AJ’s THIRD Birthday Party was last week, and as my camera battery was dying a very quick and painful death, so I got hardly any pictures.

(Which, for me, means approximately five times more pictures than a normal person with a full battery would have taken.)

But I did manage to get the gorgeous birthday girl:

IMG_3774Who is quite grown up compared to her birthday last year:

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Ali and AJ shared their customary swing ride,IMG_3781

And Luke and Ali chatted quite a bit:IMG_3756
In fact, from the way they were acting, I’m suspicious that they might have been at AJ’s birthday party – you know – together.

On their second date.IMG_3758

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Of course, everyone got a little messy:

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AND everyone got party favors. Which meant that you could see Moms all over the pavilion trying to teach their kids how to eat pixy sticks without licking the wrapper and jamming it up:

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Friday night, we went to the Annual Greek Festival. The only downside to going to New York last week was that it cut my typical number of visits to the Greek Festival from four down to one.

But we had a delicious meal, and Ali was mesmerized by the dancers: IMG_3786
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She watched and she begged to get on stage:

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But I had to explain to her that since I wasn’t sending her to Greek School, she couldn’t dance with the other, “more Greek” kids.

However, the vendors WERE selling the Greek Jingly Dancing Skirts, so guess what Ali’s souvenir was???IMG_3791 She was QUITE thrilled. She jingled and jangled all the way home.

And she also found a new use for the bracelet in her party favor baggy:

IMG_3793 Ahhh yes, the good old days of The Choker. Reminds me of High School.

When we got home, Ali showed off her New Greek Dancing Skillz:IMG_3796 IMG_3797 IMG_3801

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This year: Gymnastics.

Next year: Greek School.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Yittle Fings – Part Six (Usually comes BEFORE Seven, unless you can’t count).

So Gina pointed out on the last Yittle Fings that I skipped part six. Oops. And I’m an accountant. Luckily, it appears that I taught Gina everything I know…and then some.

So. On to Yittle Fings.

Ali has said a bunch of random, bizarre things this week that are really pushing my theory that everything she says can be traced to some sort of reference point…so she may be growing past that point and coming up with original thought now. Which should make life VERY interesting…


The other day, she randomly looked at me lovingly and said, “I am the Pink Honey and you are the Bread!!”
At the ballgame Saturday, as I told you, she told me that her future plans were to become a flag girl. On our way home, though, she saw the University Medical Training facilities, and for some reason found it fascinating. I explained to her that it was where they trained doctors.

I then asked her, “Do you want to be a flag girl or a doctor when you are a big girl?”

She said, “I want to be a flag girl…"

And then a few minutes later, she decided, "..no, I want to be medium.”


When we were coming back from Tuscaloosa, there of course weren’t many bathroom breaks taken. Ali was bemoaning that she needed to tee-tee, and she whined, “I don’t want to tee-tee on my Alabama A!!!”

And then, later, announced sadly, “Alabama caught my poop.”

(She didn’t poop in her diaper, but apparently it sure felt like she had.)


We were driving yesterday, and apparently I took a curve too tightly for her taste. She reprimanded me and said, “Are you being careful so you don’t fall out of the road and hit your head?”

Then she asked, “Are you doing a schwip and shwide? One of my friends did a schwip and shwide in Sunday School.”

“Really? Which one of your friends?”

“Umm, I don’t know.”

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Orphaned Pictures of the Week

I always end up with a few pictures that I don’t have a blog post that goes with them. So, in addition to the B-Sides series of Yittle Fings, I’m going to add a series called “Orphaned Pictures of the Week”….

Ali had an especially wild and curly hair day a little while back, a couple pictures of which already made it to the main blog, but here are the rest: IMG_2645 IMG_2646 IMG_2648 IMG_2649 IMG_2652 IMG_2660 IMG_2663 IMG_2668 IMG_2669

Ali learned a new trick this week on the Gymnastics buggy: IMG_2674

I know, I’m all about safety.

Ali and I made a collage for Daddy’s office the other day, and a while after we finished making it, I found Ali back here: IMG_2729

There’s nothing like looking at yourself…

At the mall the other day, Ali was biting her crackers to make it into letters. So I helped her with the sandwich, and we spelled her name:IMG_3088

After that, she had to finish our artwork with a rainbow of french fries:IMG_3090

Ashley kept Ali for me for a little while last week. I dropped her off in a dress and pink polka dot shoes, and I came back to her like this:

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Yes, the days of dress-up have begun.

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And speaking of Ali and AJ and dress-up, here are two bonus pictures from the Princess Party:IMG_3160

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Sunday, September 13, 2009

It's the Yittle Fings: Part Seven

Ali, to Chris: "Are you a boy like God is a boy?"

"Ummmm....yes, and no..."

Heard from the backseat... "Where is Pop? I bet he's at Gramamma's house..."

Ali always tries to stall bedtime with a request to "play rosies" (Ring Around the Rosies). The other day, she got her timing mixed up and said, "When we get home, can I play rosies for just a couple of hours?"

I started laughing, and said, "You're so funny."

In a whiny, whiny, voice, she replied, "I knooooow it."

Since potty-training is going fabulously well at the moment, Ali is rather obsessed with her own, and other people's bodily functions. We were at work the other day, and a guy that I don't know that well came out of the bathroom.

Ali asked loudly, "Was he tee-teeing in the potty?"

"Yes, probably.."

Then, "Was he POO-POOING in the potty?"

(I'm really hoping he was out of earshot, but if he wasn't, he politely pretended to be.)

Speaking of Potty-training, the first day that Ali wore "Big girl panties" all day, I told her to be sure and tell Daddy when he got home (he actually really didn't know).

When he walked in the door, she ran over to him and squealed with glee, "I tooted in my big girl panties!!!!!"

We were at the gas station the other day waiting for the gas to pump, and Ali had noticed a life-sized Big Al and Aubie at the door. She asked what they were, and I explained that they were "Roll Tide Elephants and War Eagle Tigers."

I went on to explain that we liked Roll Tide Elephants, and that David at work liked War Eagle Tigers.

She got all academic on me and said, "mm hmm. So we like Roll Tide Elephants, David likes War Eagle Tigers, and I like kitty cats!!!"

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Passionista Video Coverage

This is the final Dragon*Con installment - a video for those of you who find yourself yearning for more coverage of the event...although this video may offer LESS coverage of the attendees.

Watch at your own risk, and enjoy!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Cutting Edge Social Media News Reporting!

I found my calling in football at the first game this year via tweeting. I really did pay more attention to the game and enjoyed it all the more by pretending to be a cutting edge reporter. Here are my tweets from the game, for those who can't wait to get your hands on the view of the game from a (not-too-footbally) girl's perspective:


Headed to the game! Will try hard not to fall asleep.;) (reference: http://tinyurl.com/kt7agl)Glad I understand football better these days!
There are a lot of hokey cheers around here...
You know how when you're at a dam, its fun to refer to everything as the dam bridge, the dam water, the dam opening? I shall use hokey. from txt

There are a lot of hokey people wearing hokey colors. Cheering for a hokey team. Hopefully none are hokily reading over my shoulder.
Two hokey sorority girls literally just hauled into me from the back and knocked me nearly down. Hokey.
What's that playground game where you all hold hands and someone tries to break thru? We r apparently playing that in line for cokes. Hokey.
In our non-hokey seats!! I've never been in an upper deck and were in the very last row..i like it! I adore heights.
Plus, if you're in the highest row, its a guarantee that no one above you can spill their beer on you. Now the people in front of you, maybe
Hokey team takes the field! What a hokey run! Whoo hoo! If I tweet this whole game to stay entertained, will anyone fuss?
We rock. Hokeys hoke.


















Monday, September 7, 2009

Dragon*Con: Extended Edition!

For the whole story and the best pictures, check out my main blog. Here are the rest of the good ones that I just had to share. Caution: view at your own risk – there may be a few that you wish you had NEVER let burn your retinas.

These girls had very authentic, un-zombiefied, and even modest outfits. They were definitely part of the minority:IMG_2784

One of Chris’ favorites: Contra Dude. He even had the super secret 20 lives code on the back of his spread weapon symbol:IMG_2865

Sometimes, Dragon*Con can be a bit rough on the wings:

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I’m sadly afraid that this would be Ali’s dream outfit. If only the hair and tail were pink, that is:

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Apparently, the price per yard of Plether is too high for an ENTIRE top these days:

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Hurry! to forget about that image, check out the hair band:

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MULTIPLE ambulances were standing by outside all of the Dragon*Con hotels Friday night. I wonder why?

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More Parade pics:

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You have to love a costume that is a spoof of a spoof of a popular movie. A La Space Balls:IMG_2890

More Superheros…including that all-famous regular guy in a sage and white striped shirt superhero:

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There were characters from all versions of shows, including original Batman:

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The Harry Potter costumes were especially authentic. Mad Eye Moody, Tonk, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Ron…

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Delores Umbridge (I think), Professor Trelawney, another Tonk…

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Snape, Sirius, and what is with the CAT right in the middle of the Harry Potter parade? Am I forgetting some cartoonish character?!

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And finally, the Harpies:

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After all of the Harry Potter crowd came Princess Buttercup escorted by TWO Westleys, which made it very hard to photograph Buttercup herself:

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And finally, here are a few that didn’t make the main post simply because I couldn’t come up with a caption good enough for them. Feel free to choose your own caption and share with the rest of us:

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Still to come: Video Coverage of the Friday Night Festivities.