Pacifier Update!

So, some of you may remember my previous post lamenting KK's addiction to her pacifier. She was getting worse as she developed because she learned how to ask for it ALL the time!

I knew it had to stop. So I took my mom's advice and a couple of weeks ago restricted it to "night night" time only. I was actually amazed how quickly she caught on to and accepted the new rules. It was almost immediate! I think sometimes we parents worry too much; our kids are pretty adaptable.

Now every morning she puts it in her dresser drawer after her diaper change and we clap and say "bye bye piepie" (her nickname for it). And I have quit bringing it out and about - not even to the church nursery. YAY! I guess eventually I will have to deal with getting it away from her at night too, but I am not going to worry about that for a long time.

At What Age Do You....

...stop saying your child's age in months?

I think that once Katelynn hits two years old I will say "she is two", then "two and a half"...etc. Heck in the next few months I may even switch to "almost two."

I have had people tell me their child is 28 months, or 32 months... but I find that a bit confusing. Too much addition in my head. ;-)

What do my dear readers think?

Lost... Yes I'm Lost

So, Gene and I continued to endure the beating that is "Lost" (the TV show that is) with last night's season finale. I found it to be frustrating and confusing. For every one mystery that they resolve on that show, they create at least three new, more complicated mysteries.

I am not sure if any of you have ever visited http://www.lostpedia.com/ It is just like Wikipedia, but dedicated solely to this blasted TV show. They boast" "currently 4,106 articles dedicated to ABC's hit TV show". People, that is a little scary. A TV show that can generate that much published information is powerful! And I also must say that while I enjoy doing my own little blog about my own life, it seems a little sad to spend hours of one's life adding material to a website about a TV show. To each his own, though! Admittedly, it is a good resource to help with my confusion. For that I am thankful to those lostpedia bloggers.

I have decided that Lost is like a very bad relationship. I keep thinking "it will change", or "this time it will all come together." And then it's just more of the same. And yet I keep going back for more.

Already One and a Half!

KK had her 18 month "well check" at the doctor today. She is still hanging around in the 90th percentile for length. Looks like she is taking after her mom so far!

She really took to Dr. K this time. She kept saying "MOI Doctuh" after she left the room. (Moi = More)


However she was not too fond of the nurse who gave her a shot. The BEST THING about this appointment was that she doesn't need any more shots until she is four years old. This made me very happy. I hate seeing her get so upset and it gets worse the older she is. She was pretty excited about having a "booboo" like her Nanna though. (Nanna has a "booboo knee" from her surgery.) Her bandaid disappeared during naptime... I think it may have ended up in her tummy. Ewwww.

Celebrity Likeness

Will and Griff (Griff is the white dude!)

So, to any of you out there that read this blog and know my brother Griff well.... have you ever felt an eery sense that he is like Will Smith? There are a few similarities in looks, but it is more than that. I just saw an interview with him (Will, that is, not my brother!) on the Ellen show yesterday. There is some "essence of Griff" that is just like him.... the facial expressions and mannerisms or something. Will was acting like a huge goofball throughout the interview, and that is just like my brother when he is around people he knows really well. Griff says "it's just the ears" but I'm telling you... they are long lost brothers or something!

The 2008 Summer Dress

I love cute little summer dresses. I usually have to get at least one or two every year when the weather hits the sweltering point (which it officially has...) Even though I have plenty in my closet, of course those pesky designers are coming up with new things all the time, and one feels overwhelmingly compelled by the "gimmees". Gene and I both really liked this one and so I even - GASP - paid full price at my favorite store of all time, Ann Taylor Loft. (I used up the rest of my Christmas money from my parents...I made that money stretch a long time this year!) The other great thing is that I had to keep exchanging it because it was too big until I finally hit size 4. I think it is safe to say it is the only size 4 in my closet though, so it must be a fluke.


Anyway, I thought I would put a picture on my blog so that you can all contemplate how cute I must look in it... and so that we can all make fun of the ridiculous style in 10 years.

Is That Italian?

Katelynn's vocabulary has exploded and we now have a constant chatterbox...from the time she wakes up in the morning till the time she goes to sleep at night. She even chatters to herself in her crib. She has a funny tendency to put the emphasis on the second syllable.

So, we are continually entertained with very loud and enthusiastic run-downs that go something like:

Ma-MA
Da-DA
Na-NA
Pop-POP
OCKY! (for Rocky the dog)
Boo-BOO
Thank-YOU!
Bless-YOU!
(Repeat above list 14 times...)

It sounds like English words with an Italian accent. So I have been calling her our little Italian girl.
Maybe I need to get this book:

She also has some Texan in there though. "OK" is pronounced "Oh-KAI" with a heavy southern belle accent.

Growing Feet!

I am finding fitting the growing feet of a toddler to be a big annoyance. Not to mention - they are pretty darn expensive for something that will only be worn for a few months! $15 for a basic Target shoe... on up to $40+ for the premium Stride Rite shoe- yikes!

I find myself constantly trying to find Katelynn's toes in her shoes. Of course she can't really verbalize whether a shoe is comfortable, so it is a pretty big guessing game.

She has been wearing her size 4.5 Keds a lot lately (hand-me-downs from Kelly and her daughter Lindsay... free shoes are definitely the BEST!) They are nice and sturdy, which is good since she is pretty much running everywhere now. I thought her toe was getting close to the end, but they still seemed ok. So I took her to Stride Rite to have her foot measured. She is pushing past a size 6!! Poor girl has been getting her toes squished.




Anyway, she will soon outgrow her Teva hand-me-downs (pictured) which I LOVE. I may have to break down and buy those in the next size up pretty soon.

Tagged Again

My friend Jessica DeMotte tagged me with another questionnaire.

Almost simultaneously I had tagged her with mine! This one is shorter so here goes...

What were you doing ten years ago?

Finishing up last minute details for my WEDDING! And celebrating being done with college.

What are 5 things on your to-do list?

1. Buy a Father's Day gift for Gene.

2. Do touch up paint in my living room, and paint another wall red.

3. Store Katelynn's high chair in a better location.

4. Schedule Katelynn's 18 month pictures.

5. Finish our "home inventory" in Quicken...blecch.

What are 5 snacks you enjoy?

1. Chocolate chip lovers Tollhouse cookies; I pop a few in the oven at least a few times a week!

2. Peppermint ice cream from Braum's

3. S'mores made in the microwave

4. A really good orange

5. A big glass of Ibis Moon mango iced tea (does that count as a snack??)

What would you do if you were a millionaire?

1. Move to Hawaii and pay cash for whatever dwelling we bought there

2. Fully fund retirement

3. Fully fund Katelynn's college

4. Give more away - to church, missions, family, etc.

5. Hire a chef to keep healthy delicious meals and snacks around

Name some of the places you’ve called home.

1. 1501 Timberline Drive, Benbrook, Texas from 6 months till leaving for college!

2. College Station Texas - I loved the dorms and lived in them for 3.5 years. I will always have many fun memories of living on campus.

3. My current home... Gene and I have been here over 6 years now which is the longest we have lived in any one place.

What are some of your bad habits?

1. Being very anal/perfectionist

2. Having too many/too high expectations of other people

3. Stressing out

4. My sweet tooth

What are some jobs you’ve held?

1. My first job (besides babysitting) was to stand outside the Domino's pizza with a big banner advertising a carry-out special, and wave at people.

2. Lifeguarding - loved it! Did it 60+ hours per week for a couple of summers.

3. Summer internships at Lockheed during college. Boring but incredible $$ for a college student.

4. Audit staff/senior/manager at Deloitte - 7+ years total

5. Chief accounting officer at Hanover - small real estate company

6. THE MOST IMPORTANT - MOM!!!

And now let me add my commentary that teenagers today do not work enough! At least not the ones that we have encountered since being married. I learned so much about life from my early jobs.

Who are you tagging?

OK, I am getting Cheree back... you have to do this one now too, girl.

And I am tagging my mom and sister-in-law Jen to email me the answers even though they don't have blogs. :-)

Email Forwards

My brother just sent me this one... it made me laugh out loud.

--------------------------------------------
I hate it when people forward bogus warnings, and I have even done it myself a couple times unintentionally...but this one is real, and it's important.
So please send this warning to everyone on your e-mail list.

If someone comes to your front door saying they are checking for ticks due to the warm weather and asks you to take your clothes off and dance around with your arms up,

DO NOT DO IT!! THIS IS A SCAM!!

They only want to see you naked. I wish I'd gotten this yesterday. I feel so stupid.

Happy 10th Anniversary to Me!

Well, the 10th anniversary is still a couple of weeks away, but Gene and I had our celebration this past weekend in San Antonio. The resort (Westin La Cantera) is so beautiful, and we were upgraded to a "casita suite". It was a cluster of rooms made to look more like houses, and they were away from the hotel. We had a golf cart to drive around the property which was lots of fun! We ate at some good places, wandered the river walk, spent time at the awesome resort pools, and slept 10 hours a night!!!! We even "slept in" till about 8 am every morning - no toddler alarm clock. :-)

The peanut spent a couple of nights bonding with her grandparents. They let her run around in the sprinklers in her diaper every night, which she thought was pretty great.

"KK"

I did not think Katelynn would ever have a nickname because we won't call her Kate or Katie. (Despite the similarities, we didn't name her after me. :-) )

However, Katelynn calls herself "KK" now. It is pretty cute without being ditzy (I think?!), and it works well since those are also her initials. So I call her KK about 50% of the time now. We will see if it sticks.

Happy Mother's Day!

Well, I must say that Katelynn out-did herself for her 2nd Mother's Day gift. She told me to order some custom jeans from www.makeyourownjeans.com and I am pretty excited about it (even though she isn't offering to pay... darn.) They are not even accepting orders right now due to "overwhelming response" but should be in the next couple of weeks. I have been browsing so that I will be ready. I plan to order a stretch jean in a "slim straight fit". They will be as long as possible without dragging the floor. I'm tired of turning jeans into capri pants because they shrink up and look stupid. And they will have the cute little pocket shown in the picture... yes you can even choose your own pocket!

I will not be ordering the Brazilian jean as my hubby suggested. I think/hope he was joking. They are pretty scary looking. When the jeans don't cover your butt crack even when you are standing up, there is a problem...

Too Much Information about Me

Cheree "tagged" me on her blog with this Q&A, which means I am supposed to answer it now. Kind of like a chain letter, I guess, but without all the warnings of impending doom if I don't do it. Well, I have had "blogger's block" this week, so I might as well use it to get another post up. :-) Cheree, it was WAY too obnoxiously long though so I cut some of the sections!
Now I tag Becky and Jessica.

ARE YOU:

1. A Cuddler? Yes but Gene is much more so than me.

2. A morning person? YES. My parents might not agree since they get up at 5 am every day. But I am definitely at my best in the morning hours.

3. A perfectionist? Yes, but having a kid has helped me relax my standards a little.

4. An only child? No. "Little" bro Griff is 6'6" and nearly 32 years old now!

5. Catholic? No, Evangelical Christian

6. In your pajamas? Yes, my cami and lounge pants!

7. Currently suffering from a broken heart? No

8. Okay styling other people's hair? Not at all. Not too great at my own either.

9. Left handed? No

10. Addicted to MySpace? No, only have time for one internet addiction and I choose blogging.

11. Shy around the opposite gender? No



DO YOU:
12. Bite your nails? No. But I might as well, they break off all the time.

13. Get paranoid at times? Nah.

14. Currently regret something that you have said? Not currently, but definitely in the past.

15. Curse frequently when you get mad? Only in traffic. I try to stick to "idiot" but sometimes slip. But I need to stop even "idiot" now that there are little ears listening!

16. Enjoy country music? Yes, if the radio is on, it's either country, Christian, or talk radio.

17. Enjoy jazz music? It's ok. Not my fave.

18. Enjoy smoothies? Not really. Give me ice cream any day.

19. Enjoy talking on the phone? Yes sometimes... usually my long chats are to catch up with Tanya which I love.

20. Have a lot to learn? More every day.

21. Have a pet? No, not even plants anymore.

22. Have a tendency to fall for the "wrong" person? Not any more

23. Have all your grandparents? None, for years now. :-(

24. Have at least one sibling? Yeah, I think I covered that earlier!

25. Have been told that you are smart? My whole life. Especially my elementary teachers. :-) Oh that was the day, to be the smartest kid in the class.

26. Have a broken bone? No

27. Have Caller I.D. on your phone? Yes, now that we switched to VOIP and it's free. Too cheap to buy it before.



HAVE YOU:

28. Changed a diaper? WAY too many

29. Changed a lot over the past year? A lot of diapers? Or changed in personality? Well I guess it is yes to both because I think that having a kid has changed me.

30. Had friends who have never seen your natural hair color? It was mostly natural during my pregnancy, so most everyone has seen it that way.

31. Had surgery? Nope...unless you count gum surgery.

32. Killed another person? I really can't believe this is a question on this thing.

33. Had your hair cut within the last week? No

34. Had the cops called on you? No

DO YOU PREFER. .

35. Flowers or candy? It's a tie as long as no one spent too much money. (I.e. get the flowers from the grocery store, not the florist!)

36. Grey or black? Black

37. Color or Black and white photos? Both

38. Lust or love? Love

39. Sunrise or sunset? Sunset in Hawaii

40. M&Ms or Skittles? M&Ms, Skittles make my mouth hurt.

41. Staying up late or waking up early? Waking up early.

42. Sun or moon? Am I on the beach? Then the sun. Am I in my car in the middle of the Texas summer? Then the moon.

43. Winter or Fall? Fall.

44. 10 acquaintances or having two best friends? Two best friends

45. Sun or rain? I do love the rain. I think I would be fine if it rained half the year.

46. Vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream? Neither. Only coffee or peppermint for me.

47. Vodka or Jack? Neither. A nice girly frou-frou drink is about all I drink from time to time.


ABOUT YOU!

48. What time is it? 8:49 pm.

49. Name? Katie

50. Nickname(s): Katie, Mama

51. Where are you? My house

52. What is your birthdate? January

53. What do you want? Currently, a covered back porch with some comfy chairs. It will be awhile though...

54. Where do you want to live? HAWAII

55. How many kids do you want? 2 or 3

56. What would you want to name a girl? Another name that is really two names in one.

57. What would you want to name a boy? Ty


More . .

58. Nervous Habits: Twirling hair

59. Are you double jointed? No

60. Can you roll your tongue? Yes

61. Can you raise one eyebrow? No, and that's really annoying.

62. Can you cross your eyes? Yes

63. Do you make your bed daily? Yes

64. Which shoe goes on first? Whichever I pick up first.

65. What jewelry do you wear? Wedding ring, aggie ring, watch. That's usually about it these days. Sometimes my really cool blown glass pendant.

Jellies

Sometimes raising a little girl is a great way to re-live your own girl-hood memories. Remember JELLIES? I loved those things. And they have so many cute versions of jellies for toddler girls these days. I couldn't resist getting a pair for Katelynn the other day at Baby Gap. When I showed them to her, she got very excited and had to put them on immediately and admire them. She is already showing signs of loving shoes like any proper woman should. Maybe her foot won't be as expensive to fit as my 11AAA foot was for my mom!

Creative Housework

Katelynn loves to get into the hiking backpack. I discovered that she is a content little girl to sit back there for 1 or 2 hours while mommy does housework! So this has become our new method for vacuuming, picking up around the house, etc. The only problem is that I can only do a limited amount of deep squats before those extra 25 pounds on my back are a little too much for my quads - so no chores that involve getting things off the floor like laundry.

(Note: Picture is old - from our Colorado trip when she was only 10 wee months old! And I don't use the sunshade in the house of course...but you get the idea.)

Crazy Aggies!

OK, don't get me wrong. I love my Alma Mater (Texas A&M University) and I "bleed maroon". (My husband might disagree since I don't even watch the football games with him, but...whatever... I did at least bleed maroon while I was there.)

I had to giggle at the Aggie culture though when I read the exhaustive criteria for selecting a new mascot. And I do mean exhaustive. And there is a 16 person committee to make this new selection! A&M has had a collie as our mascot for a long time and she is very revered to put it mildly. Apparently they are considering - gasp - switching to a different breed due to all the issues they have had with the collies (health issues, high strung personalities not so great for being in huge crowds of people all the time, etc. - no hate mail from collie breeders please!) Below is the formal announcement about the committee and the criteria. It speaks for itself - we Aggies are in fact crazy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

MEMORANDUM

TO: Texas A&M Students, Faculty & Staff

FROM: Dr. Dean L. Bresciani, Vice President for Student Affairs


Reveille VII, the current keeper of Texas A&M’s decades old mascot tradition, will formally retire later this month at the conclusion of the spring semester. As many of you know, shortly after her retirement plans were announced, a 16-person study committee was formed with the support of President Elsa A. Murano to make recommendations on the type of dog that might best serve as the university’s new mascot. Those invited to participate in the committee included students, faculty, staff, former students and representatives of the Corps of Cadets, Athletics and the Federation of Texas A&M Mothers’ Clubs. The committee also included a Texas A&M veterinarian who is a nationally known animal behavior expert.

The group’s first and foremost charge: ensure that we responsibly continue the long-standing tradition of having an official mascot that is an integral part of the Aggie Family – attending classes and living in a home-like environment on campus where the mascot will be loved and nurtured. The committee recently completed its work, and after further consultation with President Murano and a broad spectrum of senior campus leaders and advisors, I am pleased to share with you our plans on how we will proceed:

Essential Characteristics

First, regardless of the type of dog selected to serve as the University mascot, she should possess the following characteristics:

1. Medium to large size – This body type is more consistent with the symbolism of a University mascot and is more suitable to her ability to perform the duties associated with the role.
2. Healthy – Even at a reduced level of activity, the demands of the position require that the mascot be in good physical condition. Furthermore, any genetically related health concerns should be properly prescreened by a veterinarian.
3. Outgoing personality (upbeat) – One of the endearing qualities of a mascot is its approachability and positive demeanor.
4. Likes people and is at ease in crowds – It is important that the University mascot portrays a genuine affection for people of varying ages in one-on-one and large group settings.
5. Not afraid of noise – Loud and frequent sounds are associated with a number of the University’s traditions; therefore, it is critical that the mascot be at ease in these environments.
6. Not highly reactive – Given the nature and frequency of interaction with the mascot, it is important that she not respond in a defensive or aggressive manner when faced with quick movements or sudden motion.
7. Positively motivated – The mascot should respond to instruction based on affirmation and encouragement.

Recommended Mascot

Second, in order to prescreen for essential characteristics, establish an appropriate level of training, and maintain the important symbolism of a University mascot, Reveille should be either:

(1) A mature (approximately 1½ years of age or older) female with a Collie-like appearance (not unlike Reveille II), service dog training and the essential characteristics noted above.
OR

(2) A mature female (approximately 1½ years of age or older) with service dog training, essential characteristics noted above, and the physical attributes and noble appearance consistent with the role of the University mascot (not unlike a Golden Retriever).

We are not inclined to consider a puppy at this point due to the following factors: 1) the length of time it takes to properly train and transition a puppy into this role – approximately 18 months; 2) the inherent uncertainties of the personality of a puppy; and 3) past experiences with this approach not achieving desired results.

Training and Oversight

Third, we recognize that steps have been taken to better manage the environment in which Reveille functions; however, given ongoing concerns for her health and behavior, other changes may be needed. Therefore, we will ask that additional professional training protocols and oversight be established, implemented and periodically evaluated, including a transition period to help Reveille successfully acclimate to and carry out her role as the mascot of Texas A&M University. The Vice President for Student Affairs will have responsibility for assuring that these protocols are developed and monitored.

As we move forward in our effort to select a new mascot, we will immediately begin an extensive nationwide effort to identify and evaluate potential canine mascots, using the guidelines detailed above and with assistance from Texas A&M veterinarians. I anticipate that we will identify the best suitable mascot and put forward a recommendation by the end of the summer. Therefore, I am hopeful that we will introduce the new mascot to the Aggie Family this fall.

President Murano and I would like to commend the members of the committee for a job well-done and thank them for their tireless efforts while serving in this important capacity.

We look forward to introducing Reveille VIII to the Aggie Family!