"What You Do Today, Mom?"

"What you do today, Mom?
What you do today?
What you do today?
Mom, what you do today?"

After answering every way I could, I finally said, "NO."
Ami giggled after that.


Here's a close up of Larry's Christmas shoes...

So many things have gone on this week so far.

The weather has been comfortable so we've been playing outside a bunch.

I really feel like I am understanding ...  
I don't want to say 'life.'
I don't want to say 'the world.'
Maybe I'm just understanding my being.

I feel like I just learned to sign water for the first time... shit is connecting.

Of course I'm not 5 or however young age Helen Keller was.  I'm old and now just getting comfortable.
I'm learning and being productive.

Last night I went to Karaoke and sang a Pearl Jam song for the first time ever.   Even Flow was in the know and dude... I want to perform.
I know being Eddie Vedder is not the way to go, but it did feel good to sing a song I'm so comfortable with.
I was telling Jenna, I was thinking at one point that my derby name should straight up be "Eddie Vedder" (it shouldn't).

Before Karaoke, Ami, Ollie, and I went caroling with Billy, Trish, Jolie, Gabby, Larry, Bean, Moo, and Alix.
We went to the Heritage Houses and sang.
I got to see my art students.
Ami got into it the very last house out of the 4 or so that we went to... Here, she is reading the lyrics as she's singing (trying to repeat the words I'm singing).

After caroling we went back to Trish's work to take pictures:

We also had band practice for the first time since Ollie was born. I played guitar. Larry learned a few songs on keys.

I think this will be good. I think it'll be very good.

Ollie also had her 2 month check up. She is doing really well!  Her statistics are:
Head: 5th percentile (this is ok since I have a small head, apparently)
Weight: 30th percentile (10.8 lbs)
Length: 80th percentile (Wha!!!!!!   My tall ass baby, wha??!!)

The doctor said she is a very chill baby while she examined Ollie. Ollie didn't cry or fuss until she got her shots.  She calmed down quickly, though.

We also went to Story Time at the library; again, Santa came.
And Craig was there as Santa's helper.

She didn't want to talk to Santa or get near him...
Ami was just like, Yeah, that's my Santa, he's here.

Craig gave her a stamp and Miss Pat was the Story Time librarian.

Ahhh.  I love that kid.

It's Almost Christmas, Dude.

I got Ger tattooed!!!! 

Now Mike and I can power up!

He's working at Jack Brown's now and loves it. Loves it.  I am so happy for him.  

His first day was Ami's Superstar Celebration day.

I still need to post pictures.

I've been working w Ami on her reading.  

I've been having her point out A's (her first letter she knew was 'W' and she learned that on her own, haha)

She circles 'A's...

We've had some PJ days.... 

Saturday was the derby holiday party. I had been looking forward to it for a few weeks now.
Ami met the ladies and she had such a good time.
Before the party, she helped me make pumpkin bread pudding and a baked noodle casserole.

We then watched Oskar get ready for his photo shoot for Gramma...

(I only posted photos of him not crying!  He was not happy being in that Santa suit).

We got ready for the party and Ami put on one of Ollie's 3-6 month outfits.  It was a snap up romperish type thing. Right on, Ami, haha. She wore that for the party.

I wish I had taken pictures.  I didn't want to feel like a goober taking pictures of everything, haha. It was only the 2nd time I had met the ladies outside of practice.  I need to break myself in a little...

Everyone is so nice.  Ami had such a great time running around and playing with the other kids. Chesty's husband and I played Monster with the kids. We were running around... It was a really good time.

There were sugar cookie skates decorated with every lady's name on each skate. Ami helped me eat mine.

Sunday's practice was canceled and I think it was because a lot of the ladies were hung over.

It was fine cuz it was cold and Ami, Ollie, and I had to get ready for the Nutcracker with Nina.

Ami was so excited and well behaved.

Ami hasn't been wanting her picture taken.  The photo at the ballet and this outside photo kind of proves her attitude...

Today we chilled at home in the morning and afternoon. 

I made a doctor's appointment for Ami and confirmed Ollie's appointment for Wednesday.

Ami's room is all cleaned up and gorgeous and I think she is going to try hard to keep it picked up.

She played and painted and made thank you/Christmas cards while I swept and picked up.

Then we went to Nina's house.  She made us dinner.  Ami had whole wheat cheese tortellini and Nina and I had some brown rice rolled sushi from Wegmans (of course mine didn't have meat).

Ami cut out some cookies. Right after they got out of the oven, we left for story time at the library where we met Kenzie...

Mike made Larry's shoes. I like em.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!!

I went for a quick little run this morning.  Last night I dreamed about exercising w a man named Sylvio in a small room at what I remember of the Howard County Y.
I need to get more exercise. I have only been going to derby once a week and my walks w Ami and Ollie are very slow.

I also need to focus more on drinking water.

I also need to not have stupid ear worms in my head, haha.
There have been two songs that have been driving me crazy. I think the run this morning cleared them out because right now I can't think of what they are, phew.

I've also kind of swept my brain a little bit so it has more patience and can function a little better and be on top of my day- it makes multi-tasking a lot easier.

Yesterday was pretty fun.

My mom took Ami, Ollie and I to the train show. Ami studied one train set up for probably half an hour. We watched Wile E Coyote chase the Roadrunner around one car... we saw one car dump logs, the engine whistle, smoke, and emerge from a tunnel over and over. She loved it. Ollie slept through it all.

Then we went to the gingerbread house contest display.  There were tons of really great entries. I think the house should make one next year.

Then we went for P-I-Z-Z-A...

We got home from our adventure and Moo and Alix were at our house playing Trivial Pursuit w Gabby and Larry.  It was fun.

I love where we are.

Last night, Ami also learned the word, "Zoo."
We were reading, "Put Me In The Zoo."

This morning, I wrote on her dry erase board a capital A and a lowercase a. I also drew an ant and an apple.
When she saw it, she thanked me and we talked about what was on the board.

:)   She makes me smile.

The First Week of December Medley.

I went to Open mic last Monday.

I totally messed up and blanked.  I got very self conscious about my finger all of a sudden.

Starting guitar back up has been very hard.  By February I really was starting to be comfortable playing and grooving... solo-ish stuff and now I am only comfortable playing open chords.... except for D.  For some reason, my pinky over reaches the correct note onto the next string.

So...  I've written two songs since then and again, have decided to practice covers. 

Last Monday was going to be my make-up for the Monday before but there was  such a dissonance between me and the guitar... my ears just weren't working and my voice couldn't fall into place.

I practiced today and am relieved that I sound and feel better.

I've been working on Corduroy, Not For You, and In My Tree.  I thought it'd be beneficial to do a little Vitalogy exploration.

Ami said, "Don't cook it, Mom."   Um.. Ok.  She's eating a frozen waffle..

As we speak, salt and pepper ice cream ... batter?... is being chilled and getting ready for the ice cream maker. I got ahead of myself and didn't follow directions exactly... we'll see how it turns out.  

I'm gonna get on that right now...

Painting And Tree Decorating.

I was/am obsessed with her Christmas ball clumps

Naked swinging Beanie!!!