We've been cloth-diapering for a whole week now! Woo hoo! The transition was not as scary as I imagined. I think I was most worried about the odor of dirty diapers waiting to be washed. But I swear, the cloth diapers are less stinky than disposable ones sitting in the diaper pail. I think it's because disposables still contain the "business" when you throw them out. With cloth, you flush the junk and then toss them in the pail. (TMI?)
So far, the pros of cloth diapering are definitely, 1) no more spending money on diapers, 2) no more running OUT of diapers, 3) our trash output has decreased dramatically, and 4) the diaper covers are just too darn cute.
Jonah brought his Exo-Bonz bucket into the nursery the other day and proceeded to build a "Blaster Bug" with the parts. He was so focused and having so much fun making blaster noises (I don't even know how to spell that noise. KpoiKSHH?), he didn't notice me taking pictures. Gracie was totally content to chew on the bug eyes and explore the hallway.
We just made THE BIG SWITCH. The switch from point and shoot to an SLR digital camera. There's a bit of a learning curve, so we'll be snapping away all weekend, trying to figure this thing out.
As I'm reviewing the photos we've taken so far, I noticed that we're missing some real life details by constantly looking through a view finder. For example, Jonah got in big trouble this morning for kicking Gracie.
Looking at these pictures now, I see clearly what happened. Gracie (also known as Miss Puddin' Mouth) was making a bee-line for Jonah with mischief in her eyes. She proceeded to pull his hair, and give him a wedgie. Then she whacked him over and over on the back. FINALLY, he kicked her. And he was the one who got in trouble. Somebody's not as sweet and innocent as she seems.
Jonah keeps cracking me up with his toddler slang. Here's a few more conversations I don't want to forget...
Conversation with Meemaw:
Jonah: K.C. says potty words at school, an' he gets in trouble. Meemaw: Do you say potty words, Jonah? Jonah: No. I jes pick my nose.
Conversation with Dalton (a friend from playgroup) while they played "house":
Jonah: Dalton, you wanna go to Trader Joe's wif me? Dalton: Um. No, I fink I wanna go to Starbucks.
Note from Becky: Can't tell where their Moms hang out, can ya?
Conversation with Mama:
Jonah: Mama, you please wind up the TV? Mama: What, Jonah? Wind up the TV? Jonah: Yes, please. Mama: I can't wind the TV up. What are you asking for? Jonah: I jes want to watch Roary the Racin' Car again. Mama: You mean, you want me to REWIND the TV? Jonah: Yes! Please.
Snowbirds are annoying to share the road with. They cut you off and then drive 15 mph under the speed limit. They drive side by side on a 3 lane road, so there's no passing them when they're driving 15 mph under the speed limit. They congest Bell Road, and double park their Cadillacs at Walmart.
Despite that, I have a soft spot for Snowbirds. Because they love my children. They give Jonah dollar bills in the parking lot of Safeway and tell him not to spend it all in one place. They make Trader Joe's a pleasure at 10am on Tuesday morning, cooing and fussing over Gracie. And the main reason I love Snowbirds this summer? They've left for Minnesota (or whevever they go) for 5 months, and left the key to their backyard gate with Meemaw and Papaw SO WE CAN USE THEIR POOL WHENEVER WE WANT.
You are getting close to your first birthday and we love you more every day. I watch your brother light up each time you come in the room. And Daddy wears his heart on his sleeve every time he holds you. I can see that they're madly, deeply, in love with you. You delight me each and every day.You're a smiley, curly-haired, STRONG, determined girl. And you're fast! Since you took your solo-steps last weekend, you've been cruising around the furniture at lightening speeds. As soon as you let go to try and walk on your own, you face-plant into the carpet, then get up squealing and giggling to try again.
You're a stalker of table food. There is no eating a snack or plate of food without Gracie crawling all over it. You want what WE are eating. You don't need no stinkin' Cheerios.
You don't discriminate when you smile at people. Everyone is deserving. I love watching people at the grocery store light up when they see you peeking and smiling at them around my arm. It's precious to know you can change a stranger's mood from grumpy to giddy just by waving at them from the shopping cart. We sing silly songs to you. All of us! Even Bubba. Custom lyrics just for you. Will you ever know that the words to Twinkle Theme are not "Gracie, Gracie, Grace Florine. She's the cutest thing I've ever seen"? I hear Jonah in the back seat of the car, singing his sweet songs to you. "Gracie's a cutie. She's my little baby. She's my little sister. Grace Florine!" You love playing Peek-a-boo with your Nannie blanket. Sometimes I don't pay attention and then look over to find you holding the blanket up in front of your face. Who knows how long you've been holding that blanket up waiting for someone to say, "where's Gracie"?! You won't make a peep, though. You'll just sit there quietly behind the blanket, waiting. And your new favorite game is "I'm gonna git ya!". Oh the squeals! I can hear them now. You're so much fun!
I feel so incredibly blessed. It was such a sweet Mother's Day weekend.
The moments started as early as Thursday with this... And, then we met Meemaw and Papaw for dinner that night, and my exhausted Jonah-Bear did his best to hold it together at the restaurant. The crawling under the booth and messing with the hair of people behind us was minimal. Thank you, J-Bear. He ate all his dinner. Thank you again. He mostly used his inside voice. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
On the drive home, Jonah was asleep in less than 2 minutes. So asleep, in fact, that he was completely crumpled and snoring in his booster seat. So asleep, I was able to carry him from the car to his bed and change him into pj's without waking him up. Oh, how I love him. Happy Mother's Day to me.
Friday was business as usual and then Saturday stole my heart...
If you didn't watch the video, Gracie decided to start walking on Saturday. She looks like a drunk Frankentsien and falls over frequently, but she's a-walkin'.
Jonah finished off the day with a bang when he came out of his room, 15 minutes after we put him to bed, like this. That's the scotch tape I accidentally left in his room (after taping a well-loved book back together). Hope the laughing and picture-taking of this incident didn't re-enforce any bad habits!
p.s. Sunday was good too! Delicious breakfast (that I didn't prepare), long naps, and an afternoon of swimming. Plus many a "Happy Mother's Day" from my sweet family, and Skyping with the McGrandparents and Nannie. Wonderful, wonderful weekend.
Jonah is getting exceptionally good at asking questions. His curiosity often extends FAR beyond my area of expertise. I mean, I know nothing about gas meters. The constant asking of "why" can be overwhelming at times, but for the most part, his questions fascinate me.
Some of our conversations this week have seriously cracked me up because it's obvious there's a a little something lost in translation.
Conversation #1: Jonah: Mama, I got somethin' sticky on my arm!!! An' it smells BLECK! What is it?!?!?! Mama: Let me sniff it.....Jonah, that's teriyaki sauce. Did you touch the bag on the kitchen counter? Jonah: YEEESSSS. OOOOOAAAH! Why is it yucky sauce?!?!!!!!! Mama: Not yucky sauce, baby. TeriYAKI sauce.
Conversation #2: We went to Lester's birthday party at the White Tank Regional Park last Saturday. On the way home from the party, Jonah and I had a 15 minute conversation about why mountain lions and coyotes need to stay in the park. The main reason being, so Lucy and Dixie (our dogs) will not get eaten. Jonah decided that Dixie would lose in a fight with a mountain lion, and Lucy would win since she is big and has thick fur.
Sunday morning on the way to church, Jonah randomly started telling Daddy about how Lucy would win in a fight against power lines. I wonder if the whole time we were discussing mountains lions he was picturing Lucy in a fight with a power line?!
Conversation #3: I decided to have a fire safety day at the house. Jonah and I discussed, then practiced, all the things Mikey does here. Finally, I began to walk him to each of the smoke alarms to help me test the batteries. Jonah flippedout before I could press the first button. I mean, full on tears and panic. After I calmed him down, I realized that he firmly believed that pressing that button would MAKE smoke and fire.
Conversation #4: Jonah told me his throat was hurting last night. I asked him if it was scratchy, or if it was stinging. He swallowed, and then thought before saying, "it feels like I ate too much food an' it's stuck in my phroat under my cheek." I felt his neck, and sure enough, one of his tonsils was swollen!
David Shannon is one of our favorite authors of books for children. Alice the Fairy is a personal favorite. Especially now that I have a Stinker Bell of my own.
Alice teaches us about the daily goings-on in the life of a fairy. For example, a fairy's wand is very useful. It can change your brother's lollipop into YOUR lollipop.
and wands are great for changing big brothers into frogs. Ribbit. Important information to know.
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