Picture proofs

They put the proofs for our family photos up on the website.

I think you can see them by going to this link: http://www.walzstudio.com/photocart/index.php?login=y

Then, use my e-mail address (kate_dicks@yahoo.com) with the password "david".

Overall, I was very pleased with them, especially since Elizabeth is so bad at staying still and looking at the camera for pictures. But, he managed to still get some good pictures of her - much better than any of our previous attempts.

Now the hard part - deciding which ones to order!

Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby

Elizabeth absolutely loves cats. She has since she was a baby:



Although my old cat, Scarlet, was never that fond of her:



That may be why Scarlet ran away about 2 years ago.

I was really saddened by Scarlet's sudden departure, however we quickly realized it was one less thing to worry about (and clean up after) in our very busy household. So, David and I decided we didn't want to get another indoor cat to replace her. Instead, we kept our outdoor cat, Scar, and even picked up another stray outdoor cat, Smokey, hoping it would satisfy Elizabeth's yearning for the feline species.

It didn't work. Elizabeth sleeps with her favorite stuffed animals, or "friends" every night. And that collection has slowly grown to a pile of stuffed cats (and a few dogs) that is bigger than she is. Here's a picture of the current gang:



And, though she loves her stuffed cat friends, they still haven't successfully substituted for the real thing. Elizabeth has kept asking for an indoor cat for some time. This week, David and I each confided to each other that Elizabeth had sweetly, and sadly, told us that she wished one of her stuffed cats, Mittens, was real. I have to admit, I caved first. I reminded David that Jonathan has his own indoor pet (our dog, Lyra), and suggested that perhaps if we caved on the indoor cat desire, she might drop the other one she occasionally mentions as well (a sister, which is NOT going to happen).

So, this morning, we told her we were going to take her to look for a kitten. I have to tell you, the excitement on that little girl's face was absolutely priceless. After breakfast, we headed to the Humane Society's adoption center at our local mega pet store, and she immediately latched onto a sweet little orange and white kitten, who does bear a striking resemblance to Mittens, her stuffed cat. In keeping with our family tradition of unimaginative names, our new real live, indoor kitten's name is....you got it...Mittens.

Here are some pictures:





And, of course, Mittens with her namesake:



The surprising part of the day is that Jonathan also seems to be really enjoying having the new kitten in the house. In fact, he actually got out of bed before noon on a Saturday to meet her. And, the kitten is now down watching Jonathan play videogames while Elizabeth sleeps. Shhh...don't tell Elizabeth!

The first step to recovery

I've just ventured into our attic for a few things, and it's time for me to face the facts. I have an addiction. It's something I keep fairly well hidden, and my wonderful husband humors it, but it's still an addiction nonetheless. So, here's my dirty little confession: I am addicted to buying books for Elizabeth. Her bookshelf in her room attests to the fact. And, almost all of those many books I have given to her were specifically purchased because I remembered loving each story myself.

But, my addiction is so strong that keeping her currently stocked with books is not enough. I have boxes of brand new books up in our attic, just waiting for her to get old enough to read them. I mean, seriously. Why on earth did I feel the need to go ahead and buy Charlotte's Web, A Wrinkle in Time, Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Encyclopedia Brown, Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, and oh so many other books for much older children when my daughter is still so young? I know exactly why. Because each of those books was a treasure that I can still remember opening for the first time. Each holds an old friend that I'm looking forward to introducing her to. And the excitement I feel at just the thought of the future introduction makes me go ahead and purchase yet another book for my attic library each time I run across an old favorite.

I was addicted to reading when I was a child. It started when I was 4 years old. I still remember the afternoon I learned to read very clearly. My older sister came home from 1st grade and taunted me because she had learned to read and I couldn't. That afternoon, I pulled out The Cat in the Hat and slowly and methodically taught myself to read. My mother will attest to the fact, as she was the one who spent the afternoon answering questions like, "Mommy, what does C-A-T spell?" From that point on, there was no turning back. I read everything I could get my hands on.

My mother continued to support my addiction throughout my childhood, by taking me on countless trips to the library and bookstores (both used and new). She even sent me new books in my care packages at camp, because she knew I would have already finished the stack of books I took with me. But, I'm not sure even she ever understood the extent of my addiction. I don't think she knew how many sleepless nights I spent reading books under my covers with a flashlight, or how when I wasn't reading, I spent a lot of the time just daydreaming about the story that had been interrupted by the other more mundane things in life. I can even remember feigning illness at summer camp so I could spend a few hours in the infirmary poring over a book that was too good to wait until the next rest hour. I was always a very fast student, so I quickly learned to bring books to school to me to read during class when I had finished my schoolwork. That was back in the days when we still had the old-style desks with openings in them, and the teachers still let us face the openings toward us, so I could easily hide a book in there and read most of the day. And, my summer reading lists were always finished in the first week after school was out. In fact, I remember in the summer before my 11th grade year, our teacher sent us a list of almost 20 books (wonderful old classics!) and asked us each to pick 2 to read that summer. I read them all before we started class in August. (Of course, I never told anyone, because that was just a little too nerdy, don't you think?)

Why do I think I loved reading so much? As I was growing up, I might have told you that it was because a good book could transport me to a different time and place. It put me right into the mind and story of someone else - often in a time when I desperately wanted to be anywhere else than where I was. Let's face it, I spent most of my childhood as an awkward, nerdy girl who didn't have many friends and who lived with an older sister who hated me and a household that was too often full of fighting. Reading was a excellent distraction from my real life.

But, now I'll tell you that wasn't all of it. Because I'm now a confident, mature (most of the time) adult, who truly loves the life God has blessed me with. And, I still love to read a good book - even if I don't have nearly as much time to do it now as I would like. But, part of the answer is still the same - a good book can transport you. It can make you experience feelings you've never had and immerse yourself in the fascinating stories of places, people, and things you'll never have the chance to know in real life. Reading truly opens all sorts of new worlds to you.

So, that is why on every gift-giving occasion, I scour through the large stash of books waiting in my attic to find all the ones I think Elizabeth is ready for. And, I love watching her eyes as I read them to her for the first time. Because it reminds me of how I felt the first time I "met" the character and heard their story for the first time.

And, now, Elizabeth is starting to ask us to teach her how to read. Before we know it, she'll be able to experience all those new worlds on her own. I have to admit I'm a little sad that I won't be able to continue on the journey with her, as I have up to this point.

So, now you know my dirty little secret. They say the first step to recovery is admitting that you have no power over your addiction. So, I'm at the first step. And, that's probably where I'll stay. I have no desire to recover from this addiction. I want to expose Elizabeth to every character I fell in love with. I guess I secretly hope she'll love the same ones I do (and I'm already excited every time she does!). But, more than that, I hope she'll learn to love reading. To experience the exhiliration that comes from reading a good book, getting lost in the story and becoming unable to put it down. And, based on her reaction so far, I may have to start stocking up on batteries for her flashlight soon.

Video killed the radio star

Yes, our blog is getting more and more neglected lately. There is a distinct reason for that - I joined Facebook in January, and it's just a lot easier to post things on there. Especially since almost all my loyal blog readers are also on Facebook. The blog took another big hit today, when my best friend Carolyn finally joined the FB trend and got an account there. Now, I think it's just my Dad and Pat left out in the dark. So, I'll blog as the urge hits. But, if you really want an up to the minute fix on cute pictures of Elizabeth (which I realize is the main reason people read this blog), I suggest you friend me on Facebook. (Yes, this is a not-so-subtle hint, Dad...)

But, for old times sake, I decided to blog about the fun-filled weekend we just had. We spent yesterday morning trading out beds in Elizabeth's room. She had finally outgrown her toddler bed, so we set up a twin bed in her room. That, along with the more grown-up bedding and moving some of her toys downstairs to make room for the new bed makes her room look like she's so much older now. Sigh...I still get a little sad when I look in there!

The Bluegrass fair was a big hit with Elizabeth. We've taken her every year, but she really hasn't gotten into it that much until this year. Now, she is a fearless 4-year-old, and she wanted to go on every ride she was tall enough to qualify for - more than once! She spent hours sliding, getting twisted and turned, and going on the mini-roller coasters. She just kept begging for more. I never would have believed that our timid little girl would turn into such a thrill-seeker, but it was great! We even topped the night off with a delicious funnel cake, complete with powdered sugar and chocolate and caramel sauce. All that, plus a ferris wheel and some live baby pig racing made it a perfect trip to the fair!







Then, today, we had the kick-off party for our vacation bible school at church. David valiantly volunteered for a stint in the dunking booth. It wouldn't have been so bad, except we had a cold snap this weekend, so it was a little chilly out and the water was freezing. Plus, he got the very first turn in the booth, so the kids were all a little over-anxious to dunk him. Those who didn't succeed by throwing often ran up to just hit the target, so he went in a bunch. Not to mention the fact that SOMEONE donated enough money for the kids to get unlimited turns....I'm not sure who that could have been, of course...

The kids lined up:



Before:



During:



After:



And Elizabeth's reaction - hysterical laughter:



Add in a big inflatable bouncyhouse and obstacle course, Sno-Cones, and popcorn, and a fun time was had by all!

Hiking

David and I took Elizabeth and Mary Grace (a friend from church) hiking today. We went to the Tom Dorman Nature Preserve, which overlooks the Palisades at the Kentucky River. It was a fun 2-mile hike (other than the steep hill with lots and lots of stairs...) and a great way to spend the morning!







We were also glad to get a little more use out of our hiking backpack. As you can see, Elizabeth has grown a little bit since we first got it:



We figure she'll still be under the maximum weight restriction (40 pounds) for about 4 more years, but her height will probably outgrow it much sooner than that!

Slip sliding away

I took today off work to spend some time with Elizabeth while David is out of town. We had a really fun day together. This afternoon, I introduced her to a staple of childhood - the slip 'n' slide.

Those who know Elizabeth will know what a monumental task this was for me. Elizabeth is not the adventurous type, plus she *hates* to get water in her face. But, when we were at the store last weekend, she saw the "water slide" and decided she just had to have it. So, I figured we'd give it a whirl.

I didn't realize the inherent problem with my plan until this afternoon, after she and I had pulled it out of the box and set it up in the backyard. Elizabeth had never seen anyone use a slip 'n' slide before (at least that she could remember). That meant she needed someone to demonstrate it for her. I quickly regretted the decision to try this childhood lesson while both David and Jonathan were out of town. I also started wondering if any of my friends would let me rent their older children for the afternoon.

But, with nobody else readily available, I assumed the task. I have to say, the design of the slide has improved dramatically since our childhood. The slide stays a lot wetter,and there's a pool of water to splash in at the end. Plus, the top end of the slide is now held in place with circular plastic stakes (instead of the large metal staples our old one used, which I recall contributing greatly to my sister's broken wrist one summer...) And, I think I did pretty well, if I do say so myself. Especially since it had been 20+ years since I'd tried it before. I was just glad it was a work day, so most of my neighbors were gone!

After my inaugural slide, Elizabeth was geared up and ready to give it a whirl. She lined up, yelled "On your mark, get set, go!" and proceeded to run onto the slide and fall on her bottom. We were not off to a good start. But, it was so hilarious, I ran to the house to grab the camera. (Yes, a little twisted, but I figured the world needed to see it.)

So, I demonstrated again, gave her a few pointers, then off she went to try to slide again. Here's what the second try looked like:



Notice how crisp and clear that action shot is? That's because she wasn't moving. She just sat down at the top of the slide and expected to end up at the bottom. Once I stopped howling with laughter, I realized that video would be required to properly demonstrate to everyone the hilarity of the afternoon.

Here's the next attempt:



But, I have to say, she was persistent. And, as the afternoon went on, her technique did improve. Especially considering she weighs less than 30 pounds, so she doesn't have a lot of mass to help with momentum. Here she is with improved form:



And, this was about as good as she got:



In case you couldn't understand it, at the end of that clip, she's telling me I won't be able to take a picture of her because she was going too fast. Yeah, right! :)

As I said before, Elizabeth has always hated to get water in her face. So, she insisted that all of her initial slides be done with the water off, and just re-wetting the plastic after each attempt. But, to my amazement, she later decided she wanted to turn the water back on, which resulted in streams of water falling onto the slide as she want down. And she LOVED it! By the end of the day, she was running through the water to get to the top of the slide, then splashing her way down the slide to the splash pool at the bottom:



(Not to mention having me pull her down the slide about 50 times.)

So, we had a great time, and Elizabeth ended up getting over her fear of water on her face. Yeah! The only downside is my back is killing me now, from pulling a 30 pound sack of potatoes halfway down the slide about 50 times. But, that's a small price to pay for an afternoon of fun with my little girl!

Surviving

I'm now officially halfway through David's weeklong absence, and I'm....surviving. Until I went to work today, I would have told you it was going really well. Elizabeth and I had a great 3-day weekend together. We had fun, shopped, cooked, played, laughed, and did all sorts of other great mother-daughter things together. She really acted like an angel most of the time, and she even slept through the first 2 nights without waking me up. I was thinking we had it made.

Until...I had to work today. Elizabeth must have sensed it, because she was pretty much awake from 3am to 5am last night with "bad dreams" (aka "I can't sleep, but I'll tell you it's a bad dream so you won't get mad.") That meant I started the day exhausted, and she slept late this morning (at least for her), so we really had to rush around to get her to school on time. Then, I rushed to the office to work for a few hours, before it was time to pick her up from school and take her to Gran's house. Then, back home to work some more, until Gran brought her back over in the evening. Throw in a few annoying work issues, and it was a very stressful and not very productive day for me. Before I knew it, it was time to heat up something for dinner (yes, I only had energy for leftovers at that point), take the dog for a walk, play for a little while, then snack, bath, and bed. I also got 2 loads of laundry done somewhere in there. Whew. I'm exhausted! How on earth do people stay on top of everything and keep their sanity without one person home everyday? Hats off to all you single parents and dual working parent households out there!

I truly don't know how I would make it without David around to do everything he does for us on a daily basis. I am spoiled rotten. He cleans the house, does the laundry, runs the errands, takes care of the kids and the animals, cooks dinner, does the lawn...the list is endless. As I've said before, leaving for a week is the best thing he could do to truly make me appreciate him.

It really has made me appreciate having my mom around as well. Unfortunately for her (in some ways), she got laid off a few months ago. But, it has been such a blessing for us. This week, she's watching Elizabeth each of the 3 afternoons I'll be working. They had a great time this afternoon - making milkshakes, watching a movie, reading books, and playing games. Tomorrow, they're going to make jam together. I'm so thankful that Elizabeth gets to experience all of that with her. I know they are making wonderful memories that she'll cherish forever.

I'm also thankful that Gran is so terribly understanding of my little momma's girl. That when I came up from work tonight, she didn't take it personally when Elizabeth looked at her and told her she was ready for her to go. After all, she'd had Mommy non-stop, all to herself, for 3 days in a row before today, then I was gone for the entire day.

David and his team are having a wonderful week in Arizona. I'm so thankful that he's able to go and get the break he needs from his hectic life that centers around taking care of us. It's also awesome to see how God uses him and the other volunteers in the Apache community. But, I'm also thankful that he'll be home on Saturday. I can't keep doing it without him for long!