Miscellaneous Things That Don't Fit Into Other Blog Posts

Another hodge podge entry is due... it's been awhile since I've had a busy week like this, and at the end of it, let whatever's in the brain (however unrelated) just kind of hiccup out and onto the screen in a big pile. Here we go with no real plan or outline... we'll see what happens.

First and foremost, Emma started saying "Mama" recently. At first we were very excited, and I was secretly thrilled as "Dada" typically comes first. "Yeah, meee!" So yeah, I felt pretty important.

Aaaaand then it seemed evident that Emma's "mama" was just her babble talk, referring to nothing in particular. "Mama" as she crawled around on the floor. "Mama" as she sat in her walker. "Mama" as she talked to her toys. You get it.

Aaaaand then I felt pretty stupid as we realized that "Mama" could actually be her word for "I despise the current state of things, Moron. Do something about it." We hear it now when she cries. We hear it when she has bumped her head. You might say that "mama" has shifted into the baby profanity category.

And since we are talking about profanity... Jack turns out to have inherited the gene that causes one to sling your first bad word (like you mean it) toward a video game. Once upon a time, I remember calling Frogger a "bastard" just as he missed his passing log under my control. I was mortified when my mother stopped in her tracks, and I learned that I'd just said something completely unacceptable. She was sympathetic enough not to punish me, observing that I was three shades deeper red in the cheeks and terribly embarrassed. I never said it again as a young person. (Remind me, sometime, and I'll tell you about the day that I first sang Madonna's, "Like a Virgin" around the house.)

A couple of nights ago, Jim and Jack were enjoying the old-school Super Mario Brothers 3, and Jack's character hit one of those ugly turtles - the ones that look like they have a turkey waddle on the chin. (Who designed these things?) He shouted out with exasperation, "What the Hell?" Jim immediately paused the game, and we looked at each other as if to say, "What the Hell did he just say?" Now Jack knows better. He heard it on a show, but he's very sorry. He'll never say it again. The teariness has subsided, and his cheeks are no longer bright red. Poor little guy.

New topic. I bought Jim a shirt recently. Backstory: Jim hates the very existence of croc shoes. In fact, he banned them from Jack's closet for the longest time. But, as you know by now... crocs don't ever seem to go away. They don't die. (Jack does own a pair now by the way... they make great pool shoes.) So I saw the following shirt on the internet, and purchased it for Jim, laughing hysterically the entire time. And now, the shirt has arrived. Jim has opened it and given me a little chuckle.

And now Jim has folded it up and put it on the floor beside his chair to return to working. Ahhh, well... it seemed funny at the time.

Unexpected subject change.. (coaxing Daddy out of his office - the Emma way.)

And last... I think I'm about ready to dust my hands of classroom preparation. The grunt work is about done. What do you think?