Huh? What?

Chandler just walked into the room wearing an old Halloween costume...

Halloween 2006
3 Years Old

C: "Mom? Does this dress make me look skinny?"
J: "Yep. It sure does Chan."
C: "Yeah. I thought so. That's why you shouldn't give it to me"
J: "What? Why?"
C: "Because it makes me look skinny."
J: "Oh. Well what's wrong with that?"
C: "MOM!" (said like I had just totally offended her!)
J: "What? What's wrong with it? Do you think I'm skinny?"
C: "Uh... No."
J: "Well what am I then?" (cringing and waiting for her response...)
C: "You are... nice... and smooth."

HUH? WHAT?

Then she ran off to change into another costume.

Strange child!

Meet Annie

Here is the newest member of our family...

Annie is 8 weeks old.
She is a Black Lab mix (possibly some Chow)

I picked her up yesterday before I got Chandler from school.
Riley loved her right away!

She likes to nip quite a bit, but we're working on that.

We decided to go to a park at the University last night for a picnic dinner.
Annie went along for the ride...

She travels in the car VERY well.

When the girls crashed between 9:30 and 10 last night... so did Annie.
She claimed a spot on the bathroom floor and passed out!

Riley's favorite new thing is to come into the room and say, "where annie?"
or "there annie! she sweeping" (sleeping... no, i haven't trained her to sweep the kitchen... YET!)
or "NO NO Annie! NO NO!"
or "Mama! Annie!"

Basically anything to do with Annie...

Chandler is doing well with Annie.
She has taken her out to go potty a few times.
When she took her out this morning, Annie pooped. Here's our conversation...
C: "Mom. I need a napkin."
J: "Why Chan?"
C: "Annie pooped in the grass."
J: "That's ok. We are trying to teach her to go potty outside."
C: "But someone might step in it. I need to pick it up."
J: "Ummm... ok Chan. If you really want to."
C: "I do."

Uh... what? She WANTED to pick up dog poop!

She isn't my kid!! :)

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY ANNIE!

The truth comes out...

This morning over breakfast, I was telling Brandon about my post last night (Chick Chatter).

Chandler chimed in with this little nugget of truth:

C: "Hey Mom. In a little while, when Riley is bigger (translation: in a few years), and I say 'Hey Riley. I'm going to the zoo!', she will say, 'HEY! NO FAIR!!', because she will want to go to and she can't!" (followed with a smug grin)

That's my girl! :)

Chick Chatter...

Conversation between Chandler and Riley on the way to school this morning:

C: "Hey Riley! Guess what!"
R: "Wha Channer?"
C: "I'm going to the zoo today."
R: "Oooo. Cool."
C: "Yeah. It will be so much fun."
R: "Ok Channer."
C: "A LOT of fun."
R: "Ok Channer."

Obviously Riley was either
A) unimpressed with Chandler's field trip to the zoo.
B) didn't understand that Chandler was going to the zoo.
C) Wanted to see if she could irritate "Channer".

:) I'm kinda putting my money on a combo of B and C!

not back... just yet...

i'm not really back to blogging just yet, but i had to share the conversation i just heard in the car:

Chandler needed a new school folder so she gave Riley her old school folder. While we were in teh carpool line, Riley thought it was funny to drop it and laugh then call for me to pick it up.

C: "Riley. Stop dropping that folder."
R: giggling "Mommy. Up"
C: "Riley. Stop it. I really mean it."
R: giggling "Mommy. Up"
C: "Riley. Look at my eyebrows! They are not happy!"
R: hysterical laughter!!!

I admit I started cracking up too!

J: "Chan? What did you just say?
C: "I said, 'look at my eyebrows. they are not happy!'"
J: "That's what I thought you said. You are a funny kid."
C: "I know!"

Off to a pretty good start...

*Sigh* Today is the day... my 29th birthday.

I woke up feeling OLD. I didn't sleep well last night. I tossed and turned all night long... I had a lot on my mind.

Anyway... this morning Brandon told me happy birthday before he headed off to work... more like told the back of my head happy birthday... I had a hard time dragging myself out of bed!

Chandler and I had this conversation as we passed in the hallway:

J: "You know what today is?"
C: "Ummmm... your birthday?"
J: "Yep. I'm old Chan."
C: "No you're not. You don't have grey hair."
J: "Oh I have some."
C: "Lemme see." She careful examines my horrible bed head hair. "I don't see any."
J: "Thanks Chan."
C: "You're welcome."
J: "Did you get me a present?"
C: Worried look on her face "Ummmm... I don't think so. But maybe Daddy did."
J: "Oh. Ok. That's alright. Do you have something you want to say to me?"
C: "Ummmmm... Happy Birthday?"
J: "Thanks Chan. Go grab your shoes so we can leave for school."
C: "Ok. Hey Mom?"
J: "Yeah?"
C: "You're not as old as Grammy."

I took Chandler to school. I came home. I checked my e-mail. I had all kinds of wonderful birthday wishes from friends and family (mostly on my facebook account).

I checked the blogs that I read daily and came across this post from Kristy.

Thanks Kristy! You have absolutely NO IDEA how much that meant to me!

Your post made me think about this...

Last year a few things happened (or didn't happen) that had me a little anxious about today... it doesn't really matter what those things were... and now, a year later, on my actual birthday, I realize that I wasted time last year being worried, frustrated and disappointed over people and things that really shouldn't matter.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Does that mean I'm growing up AND getting old?? UGH!

**Maybe Riley will make me another cake this year!

The most sad girl in the world...

Chandler was SO excited about taking cupcakes to school tomorrow to celebrate her birthday... the big number 6!! The plan was for me to bring cupcakes and our lunch to school tomorrow at 10:30 to have a little birthday party with her school friends... because heaven knows I can't afford to take all 20 of them bowling!

I got a call tonight from my neighbor (and wonderful friend) Becky... she was going to keep Riley tomorrow so I could actually enjoy lunch... not chase Riley around the cafeteria... I could hear the dread in Becky's voice...

B: Hey Jen. I just a call about school being closed tomorrow.

J: WHAT!?!?! WHY!?!?!

B: Something about the rain.

UGH! Only here would they close school on my child's birthday because it rained TODAY!

Now, it did rain a WHOLE LOT, but come on! Canceling school!?!?

So I broke the news to Chandler...

J: Hey Chan? I need to tell you something and it's not very good news.
C: Ok.
J: There's not going to be an school tomorrow.
C: WHAT! (tears already in her eyes)
J: Yeah. It rained so hard today that they canceled school.
C: BUT (sob) NOW I (sob) WON'T GET TO WEAR (sob) THE BIRTHDAY (sob) CROWN! (sob)
J: I'll call Mrs. _______ tomorrow and ask her if you can wear it on Thursday.
C: But she'll say NO because Thursday is NOT my birthday! January 7 is!
J: I'm sure she will understand.
C: It's just not fair.
J: I know Chan. You're right it's not fair.

**Her teacher knew we were planning to bring cupcakes and have lunch together so I'm sure she will be very understanding about the whole birthday crown situation.

6/365

1st Monday Mumblings of 2009

1. Tomorrow Chandler goes back to school. I have mixed feelings about it. I've enjoyed having her around over the Christmas break and she and Riley have been getting along really well the last few days. Riley will miss her while she's off at school... and probably be bored to death with me!

2. Chandler will be 6 on Wednesday. She's excited about taking cupcakes to her class.

3. We are taking her bowling for her birthday. She is excited!

4. Over the past week Riley has ended up in our bed several nights. She just starts SCREAMING out after being asleep for several hours. I think it's her ears again... *sigh*

5. Last night she slept across me... yes, across... her head and neck were draped over my neck. Not comfortable for either of us. Brandon tried to help me out by moving her once... actually it was probably more because she had her feet in his face... but she ended up right back where she started!

6. She probably didn't get the best night's sleep, but I'm sure it was better than the sleep that Brandon and I got!

7. Since starting this list I have been interrupted 6 times...

1st it was Riley:
R: "Bebe? Bebe?"
J: "Looking for your baby?"
R: "Uh huh."
J: "Let's find the baby."

Then she came back...
R: "Bebe nigh nigh."
J: "Does the baby need a blanky to go night night?"
R: "Uh huh."
J: "Let's go find the blanket."

Then she came back...
R: "Bebe! Bebe!" Pointing her the baby's mouth
J: "Does the baby need a bottle?"
R: "Uh huh."
J: "Let's go find the baby's bottle."

We found 2 baby bottles!

Then it was Chandler:
C: "I need a baby."
J: "You know where they are."
C: "I want the one just like Riley's" (thanks to Aunt Amanda we have TWIN babies! it saves us a lot of fights!)
J: "You had it yesterday. Where did you put it?"
C: "Oh yeah! Thanks mom!"

Then she came back...

C: "Riley won't share a baby bottle with me."
J: "Did you ask her?"
C: "Yes. She won't."
J: "Let's go ask again."

Riley is sitting happily on the sofa watching cartoons and feeding her baby from TWO bottles!

J: "Riley? Can Chandler's baby have a bottle?
R: Silence
J: "Riley? Chandler's baby is hungry. Can she have a bottle?"
R: Silence
J: "Riley? I think Chandler's baby is crying. Can Chandler have a bottle to feed the baby?"
R: "Bebe cry?"
J: "Yeah. Can she have a bottle."
R: "No."
C: "MOM!"
J: "Hey Chan. Why don't you feed your baby cereal?" (She was having frosted mini wheats for breakfast)
C: "She doesn't like them. I think she's allergic!"

*sigh*

8. I downloaded a new ring tone on my phone. Super Massive Black Hole by Muse... more commonly known as "the song during the baseball scene in Twilight!"

9. Now I'm just waiting for someone to call me so I can hear it...

10. Maybe the nice guys from Lowe's will be the 1st to call me! :) That will be 2 reasons to smile... my cool new ringtone and a new front door!!

Haaaaaappy Monday!

Riding in the car with girls...

We are currently visiting Brandon's parents in Georiga for the weekend. We are celebrating an early Thanksgiving in combination with Brandon's birthday (11/18) and our nephew, Colten's, 2nd birthday (11/8).

On the way down last night, I was reading (Ecilpse. Yes, it's the 3rd book in the Twilight series and yes, I am reading it AGAIN!), Brandon was driving, and the girls were watching a movie.

Suddenly...
C: "Mom. I know what the ocean is."
J: "Really? What is it?"
C: "It's a large stomach of salt water."
J: "Huh?"

Brandon and I exchange puzzled looks

B: "Chan? Do you mean a large BODY of salt water?"
C: "Oh. Yeah. That's what I mean."

Free kid to a good home!

Yeah, that's right... I thought about advertising a low asking price, but now she's just free.
Only serious inquiries please.

This was one of THOSE days!

Yeah, this picture is from this past January when Riley tried to bake me a birthday cake, but you get the idea!

The first time I attempted to make dinner was at 3:00...
I rounded the corner in the kitchen to find Riley ankle deep in grits... yes, grits!
I tried to sweep them, but that just wasn't working.... so I pulled out my vacuum cleaner.

The second time was about 3:30...
I went to pull the chicken out of the microwave and hear, "MOM! Riley's pouring milk out!"
I round the corner into the living room to find Riley had managed to unscrew the lid on her sippy cup and has poured her milk on their coloring table.
I soaked up the milk and disinfected the table.

The third time was about 4:00...
I again tried to get the chicken out of the microwave when I heard the toilet lid in our back bathroom...
I RAN to the bathroom to find that Riley had dumped an entire box of feminine products all over the floor.
I started towards her and FELL! Why did I fall? BECAUSE THE FLOOR WAS WET!
Apparently she was using Chandler's brand new knit beanie hat (with silver tinsel on it) to soak up all of the water in the toilet and transport it to my bedside table!!!
It was only 20 minutes later when I discovered the hat laying on my bed... still soaked!

From 4:30 till Brandon got home just after 5:00 I sat on my bed and then on the floor in my room using a hair dryer to dry the mattress and the carpet... not because I was overly worried about our old crappy carpet, but because if I didn't do something I was afraid my head would explode!!!

In 2 hours, Riley managed to destroy my house!!!

However, over dinner we had a lovely chat with Chandler about the current happenings in the love life of kindergarteners.

C: "I have another boyfriend now."
B: "Oh yeah? What's his name?"
C: "I don't know."
J: "Is he in your class?"
C: "Yes."
B: "Then you should know his name!"
C: "Ethan."
J: "Ethan C. or Ethan M.?"
C: "The one with the yellow hair that sticks up like this." (As she pulls her bangs straight out from her forehead)
J: "C or M?"
C: "C."
B: "Is he the one that eats breakfast with you in the mornings?"
C: "Yes."
B: "Does he go to church?"
C: "Not to my church."
B: "Does he go to another church?"
C: "Yes, but he didn't tell me which one."
B: "Chandler. I forbid you to see him again!"
C: With big round eyes "I always see him at school!"

We just died laughing...

As she was saying all of these things I grabbed a coloring book (don't you have coloring books laying on your table at dinner time?) and started writing down everything she said.

C: "Um. Are you writing down everything I'm saying?"
J: "Yes."
C: "Why?"
B: "Because you are funny."

A few minutes later...
C: "I want to marry Ethan C."
J: "Chandler don't ever get married."
C: "Look at my eyes! I'm so mad at you that you won't let me marry him!"

Looks at me...
C: "Are you gonna write that down mom?"

She cracks me up!

Today I ran to Wal-Mart to pick up a few miscellaneous things. Here's a real life conversation I had with Chandler when I got home...

C: "Mom! Did you get me anything?"
J: "Nope. Not this time."
C: Eying the Wal-Mart bags, "Mom! What did you get me?"
J: "Nothing Chandler unless you count icecube trays."
C: "Ok. Let me count them."

Let that one sink in for a minute!

OK.... hee hee!

I don't have a creative title!

6:45 this morning I went and sat on the edge of Chandler's bed to wake her for school. She sat up and leaned against me... obviously VERY tired.

She looks up at me, points to her nose, and says very casually, "Mom. This side of my nose isn't breathing."

Happy Wednesday morning! :)

Please mom!

So, getting ready for school the other morning...

The girls are laying on my bed watching TV and a commercial comes on.

It's a commercial for a Shirley Temple DVD box set. They are showing clips of her most well-known song and dance routines.

Conversation with Chandler begins:

C: "Mom?"
J: "Yeah?"
C: "Please don't ever make me watch THAT!"
J: Trying not to laugh "That's Shirley Temple, Chandler."
C: "Yeah. Just don't ever make me watch it, ok?"
J: "Not a problem!"

I know some people may hate me for this... they may even stop reading my blog, but I have never cared for Shirley Temple.
Once again proving that Chandler is most definitely MY daughter! :)

Apparently he's an assassin...

Real life conversation between Brandon and Chandler at the dinner table...

C: "Dad, Jesus died for us."
B: "I know."
C: "Why did Jesus die?"
B: "So that we can go to heaven."
C: "When will I go to heaven?"
B: "Not for a long time."
C: "Like when someone shoots or kills me?"
B: "What?"
C: "When someone shoots or kill me?"
B: "No one is going to shoot or kill you."
C: "Why not?"
B: "Because I'm here to keep you safe."
C: "How will you keep me safe?"
B: "You probably don't know this, but I'm a highly trained assassin."
C: "Why are you a trained assassin?"
B: "To keep you and Mom and Riley safe."
C: "Do you have big muscles?"
B: "Yes."
C: "Where will you put the bad guys?"
B: "On the ground until the police come."
C: "Okay."

We all survived...

Kindergarten Jump Start day has come and gone.

Some of you asked how the day went for me...
Emotionally, I was fine. I think it helped that it was only a 1/2 day. Plus, she wasn't walking away from me with her backpack full of school supplies and her little lunch box in her hand.

I'm sure that will be a much harder day. :)

Here's what I learned on Monday... Even though I RARELY get out of my house before noon, the world actually still goes on without me! I WAS AMAZED! :)
I left Chandler's school about 8:15 and headed over to the post office. Much to my surprise, the post office wasn't even open yet! I've never had that happen before!!!
I ran by Starbucks on my way to Amy's house and got myself a Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino (yumm-o)... Yes, I offered to get something for Amy, but she declined my offer.

Amy and I went to Michael's, Target, Wal-mart and Bi-Lo. As we were walking into Michael's I told Amy of my awe at being out of my house this early in the morning. She laughed at me... I don't think she thought I was serious!! :)
It's like a whole new world out there just waiting for me!

Back when I had a job outside of my home, I was up and out of the house early, but then I was chained to a desk all day so I still didn't see much of the world.

So when I picked Chandler up from school she immediately asked for a juice box before she would give me any details of her day... priorities. :)
After she finished her juice she told me about coloring, the playground, the tour around the school, and having popsicles. That's about all I got out of her on the way home.
Later she told me
**The monkey bars were small enough for her to do them all by herself.
**The swings were close to the ground so the teachers didn't have to help her.
**They had popsicles outside.
**Her favorite of the teachers was the one wearing black pants and a white shirt.
**She doesn't know the names of any of the kids.


Apparently, the teachers asked her lots of questions and she answered them... all except, "When is your birthday?"
Chandler knows that January 7th is her birthday. She reminds us on a regular basis.

J: "Did they ask you questions?"
C: "Yes."
J: "What did they ask you?"
C: "Just questions."
J: "Did they ask you about your colors?"
C: "Yes."
J: "Did they ask you about your numbers?"
C: "Yes."
J: "Did they ask you to count?"
C: "Yes."
J: "How high did you count?"
C: "To 20."
J: "Did they ask you anything else?"
C: "Yes. My name and when is my birthday."
J: "What did you tell them?"
C: "Chandler Brooke Miles."
J: "And your birthday?"
C: "No."
J: "What? Why didn't you tell them your birthday?"
C: "I don't know my birthday."
J: "Yes you do."
C: "Well, I didn't want to tell them because my throat was scratchy."

UGH!!!! :)

Not really Independance Day related...

On Tuesday we were traveling from Ocala, FL to Jacksonville, FL. There is pretty much NOTHING between those two places! :) There isn't an interestate between those two locations so we travel "the road less taken" because it is the most direct route... apparently it had become more like, "the road most recently discovered and more heavily taken". :)

Chandler, being Chandler, HAD to go to the bathroom. We had not passed anything for at least the last 15 minutes and she was beginning to get pretty antsy.

Brandon looks over at me...
B: "Do you think she can go on the side of the road?"
J: "Seriously?"
B: "Yeah. We can just open the doors to help hide her."
J: "I guess if we HAVE to."

I look at Chandler...
J: "Chan? I don't think we are going to find a bathroom. How bad do you have to go?"
C: "Really bad, mom!"

Brandon decides to make his suggestion...
B: "Chandler?"
C: "Yeah?"
B: "Can you go outside in the grass??"
C: "WHAT?!?!"
B: "Yeah. Just right outside the car in the grass."
C: "DAD! THAT'S FOR DOGS!!"

Her tone of voice suggested that this was possibily the most ridiculous idea she had EVER heard!

Talk me some questions...

My family has heard this quite often.
Chandler will get on the phone and say, "Grammy? (Squire?) (Erin?) Will you talk me some questions?"

Basically she is requesting that someone ask her questions about a particular topic (selected by Chandler) and she will give the answers. OR... she'll ask you questions about a preselected topic.

**You need a little background before my story.... Chandler likes for me to tell her stories about Granny (my great grandmother) and Paw Paw (my grandfather). Both of them have passed away. I believe I was 8 when Granny died and I was 12 when my Paw Paw died.
Her 2 favorite stories are about Granny's red car and her magic "red light changing powers" and about Paw Paw's enjoyment of Pickled Pig's Feet! I showed her some pig's feet at Wal-mart last week. She was pretty grossed out and repeatedly asked, "Why would your Paw Paw want to eat pig's feet??"

Today on the way to the Y she says to me...
C: "Mom? Can you talk me some questions about dying?"
J: "Why?"
C: "Just please!"
J: "OK. Any particular dead person you want to talk about?"
C: "No, just talk me some questions."
J: "Well, lots of people have died. You know my Paw Paw died. My Granny died. My Gran and Pa died."
C: "I wish I could meet your Paw Paw." (Actually she calls him Pa Pa)
J: "Well, you will get to meet him in heaven."
C: "But he doesn't know me."
J: "Well, he knows me and he will be excited to find out that you are my little girl."
C: "What will he say when he sees me in heaven?"
J: "He'll probably say, 'Chandler. I've been waiting here a long time and I'm so glad you have come to see me.'"
C: "What else?"
J: "He might say, 'Chandler. Let's go fishing.'"
C: "Ooooo. I love fishing!! What else?"
J: "Oh! Maybe he'll say, 'Chandler. Come over to my house for lunch and we'll have pig's feet!'"
SILENCE from Chandler
J: "You know all about how Paw Paw loved pig's feet."
C: "Mom?"
J: "Yeah?"
C: "Could you pack me a hot dog instead??"

I DIED LAUGHING!!

J: "Sure Chan. If they have hot dogs in heaven I'll be sure to pack you one!"

Real Life

Conversation with Chandler...

J: "We have to leave for VBS in a few minutes."
C: "Huh?"
J: "We have to leave for VBS in a few minutes."
C: "Now?"
J: "In a few minutes."
C: "Tonight?"
J: "Yes, in a few minutes. Chandler?"
C: "Huh?"
J: "Do you listen to me when I talk?"
C: "A little."

At least she's honest about it!

She makes me proud...

This is a blog that my sister will especially enjoy. :)

Chandler woke up about 10 minutes ago. She came shuffling into the bonus room to let me know that Riley is awake and that she is going to get her Polly Pocket Princesses and go watch cartoons.

She comes back only moments later and we have this conversation...

C: "Mom. You know what day is today?" (Translation: Do you know what day it is?)
J: "What day is it?"
C: "Saturday." Said with a huge grin... I thought she was going to say, "Softball party day!"
J: "Wow! How did you know that?"
C: "There's new cartoons on today." :)

We don't have cable or satellite so her only cartoon options are what our antenna will pick up. During the week all she is able to watch is PBS so on Saturday when all of the network channels have cartoons on she's in hog-heaven!

So there you go, Erin. A little flash back to the early to mid 80s! :)

Pillow Talk

In my excitement to go scrub the bathroom floor I forgot to tell you about a conversation Chandler and I had as she was laying in bed just before our prayers.

C: "Mommy? Were you proud of my good swimming today?"
J: "Of course Chandler! I was very proud of you! You did so good."
C: "Remember when I jumped off of that thing?"
J: "Yep. I remember. How many times did you jump?"
C: "Only three times. Did you miss it?"
J: "No, I saw you, but I just couldn't remember how many times."
C: "I saw you looking at me."
J: "Really? I gave you a thumbs up after you jumped the first time, but I didn't think you saw me. You were really good at jumping."
C: "I saw you. I gave you a thumbs up because you were really good at watching me."

Awww... It almost made me cry! ;)