A Popular Phrase I Could Do Without

I seem to be hearing it all the time now from friends - "Welcome to my world!" - in response to whatever I just shared about my life. Am I the only one, or does this phrase rub some of you in the wrong way? When someone says it to me, I wish I had not opened up my heart and shared what was going on in my life. To me it is the same thing as "So what?" or "Been there, done that."

It is not that I expect someone to say "Oh, poor Katie" when I have relayed a story about Katelynn's antics, a bad day, etc. I'm just sharing life with friends, not complaining or looking for major condolences. But, personally I think Miss Manners would say that a simple response like "I know how you feel" would convey a much nicer sentiment than "Welcome to my world."

I think it is the fad phrase of the moment, and I hope its moment passes quickly!

Random Things Katie Recommends

• Financial Peace University: www.daveramsey.com ..."where debt is dumb, cash is king, and the paid off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice"


• The Grocery Game: www.thegrocerygame.com ...save money on groceries and have fun doing it


• Recipes Galore: www.allrecipes.com ... the detailed reviews help you know you will have a winner ahead of time! I have found so many new "keeper" recipes this past year with this site.


• Shoe Shopping: www.zappos.com .... buy shoes; return them for free when they don't fit (which they almost never do on my 11AAA foot)


• Travel Tips & Trip Reports: www.flyertalk.com ... ultimate frequent flyer nerd community. Figure out which room is the best, which hotel manager to talk to to get upgrades, etc.
• Teva Olowahu flip flops: http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?g=w&categoryID=38&productID=6840&model=Olowahuz ... always have to get at least one new pair every summer. SO comfortable, and cute too!


• Bargains, bargains: www.ebay.com .... Check ebay for nearly anything you normally buy at the store. In the past several months I have purchased the following on ebay: labels for my label maker (yes I use it - all the time), makeup, hair products, and a hard to find diaper bag.
• Billy Blanks Tae Bo: http://www.billyblanks.com/ .... This will kick your butt, not to mention make it very tight.

Katelynn's Blanket Obsession

Katelynn has officially chosen her comfort/ security object - a large, extremely soft blanket that has been in our living room for years. She has started throwing hissy fits if she sees it go into the wash. We actually have two, which is a source of great confusion for her. She only wants whichever one she has, even though she can't tell the difference. :-)

She loves to throw herself onto the blanket and roll around on the floor. She is becoming more and more demanding about bringing it in the car, into her high chair, outside on a walk, etc. We try to appease her as much as possible, but I draw the line at letting her eat on top of it!

Paradise

Gene and I spent a week in Hawaii in January, and Katelynn spent a week of vacation with Nanna and Grandpa. This picture is at the Nakelele blowhole on Maui. Another wonderful moment of the trip was seeing an 80,000 pound humpback whale breach 4 times in a row, only 50 yards from the boat we were riding. (That is when they do a full-body leap out of the water; Gene calls it "flipping.") We will continue to dream about living there someday. Sigh.

Blackberries (The Real Kind)

Apparently Katelynn loves blackberries. She refused to eat anything else for breakfast, even her beloved bagel and cream cheese, after getting her first taste of blackberries today. It was all flung to the floor when she realized mommy was done giving her blackberries. (A little worried about what would happen to her digestive track if she ate an entire tub of them - and she would have!) Oh, the fun of a 14 month old...

Katie's Personal Version of "Hush Little Baby"

When I spent SOOO much time nursing Katelynn I needed something to do. So I kept expanding the "hush little baby" song. Tonight I was singing it to her again and I still remember all the verses I made up. Now, here I go posting it on the internet... so I'd better not see Hillary on TV tomorrow talking about the made up song she sang to Chelsea as a baby. :-)

Now, here is a really nice version of the original that I just found on youtube, featuring none other than Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GczSTQ2nv94

Hush Little Baby don't say a word

Mama's gonna' buy you a mockingbird

If that mockingbird won't sing

Mama's gonna' buy you a diamond ring

If that diamond ring won't shine

Mama's gonna' buy you some fishing line

If that fishing line won't cast

Mama's gonna' buy you a sailboat mast

If that sailboat mast won't fly

Mama's gonna' buy you an apple pie

If that applie pie tastes rotten

Mama's gonna' buy you a bail of cotton

If that bail of cotton's not soft

DADDY's gonna' buy you a New York loft

If that New York loft's too small

Mama's gonna' buy you a volleyball

If that volleyball won't spike

Mama's gonna' buy you a brand new bike

If that brand new bike's too slow

Mama's gonna' buy you some pizza dough

If that pizza dough won't roll

Mama's gonna' buy you a totem pole

If that totem pole's too tall

Mama's gonna' buy you a china doll

If that china doll wears a frown

You'll still be the cutest little baby in town!

Katelynn Starts 2008 Right!

Katelynn decided to take her first official steps on December 31, 2007 while at the home of our friends the Clarks. Too bad poor daddy was at home laid out with severe back pain, so only Mommy and the Clarks got to experience her glee of walking around their living room. However, at least Daddy got to see her take a few little steps a few days before. We're counting the 31st as the official date though due to the quantity and quality of steps. And because that is when mommy saw it.