Frances has started pre-school. Well, she had her pre-pre-school orientation. But it's all down hill from here. Next thing you know, she'll be in high school and I'll have to beat up some guy with a baseball bat for breaking her heart.
Scratch that.
She's never dating.
mwz
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Ding Dong
Today, Frances invented her first imaginary friend.
This afternoon I was working in my office and Frances came down. She said she had friend named Ding Dong. I asked the following questions.
Q: Where did you meet Ding Dong?
A: Outside.
Q: Is Ding Dong a boy or a girl?
A: A girl.
Q: What color is her hair?
A: Umm... yellow.
Q: Is she nice?
A: Yes, she always shares her toys. (I later learned that Ding Dong also shares her books.)
We then went upstairs and told Arial about Ding Dong. She and Johann were outside with a bunch of purple flowers in her lap. They had been pretending the flowers were bells, hence the name Ding Dong. I actually think I may have misunderstood Frances at first.
She may have meant to tell me that they were playing with the flowers and saying "ding dong". But I heard something like "I was playing with Ding Dong". Based on my questions, Frances may have picked up on what I meant and ran with it.
Later, I was downstairs and I heard Frances yell "Surprise!" from upstairs. I hollered back "I was surprised." I was then informed that the surprise was for Ding Dong and not me. It turns out that today is Ding Dongs birthday. So, she was getting a birthday surprise.
As an aside, Frances gives interesting names. She has three toy horses. One is named Comet (because that is what the box said). One is named Boy and the other is named Biggie (it's bigger than the others).
mwz
This afternoon I was working in my office and Frances came down. She said she had friend named Ding Dong. I asked the following questions.
Q: Where did you meet Ding Dong?
A: Outside.
Q: Is Ding Dong a boy or a girl?
A: A girl.
Q: What color is her hair?
A: Umm... yellow.
Q: Is she nice?
A: Yes, she always shares her toys. (I later learned that Ding Dong also shares her books.)
We then went upstairs and told Arial about Ding Dong. She and Johann were outside with a bunch of purple flowers in her lap. They had been pretending the flowers were bells, hence the name Ding Dong. I actually think I may have misunderstood Frances at first.
She may have meant to tell me that they were playing with the flowers and saying "ding dong". But I heard something like "I was playing with Ding Dong". Based on my questions, Frances may have picked up on what I meant and ran with it.
Later, I was downstairs and I heard Frances yell "Surprise!" from upstairs. I hollered back "I was surprised." I was then informed that the surprise was for Ding Dong and not me. It turns out that today is Ding Dongs birthday. So, she was getting a birthday surprise.
As an aside, Frances gives interesting names. She has three toy horses. One is named Comet (because that is what the box said). One is named Boy and the other is named Biggie (it's bigger than the others).
mwz
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Night Run
This evening, I ran almost 5.5 miles. It has been a while since I have run at night. I still enjoy it.
I like that it is cooler and it is somewhat peaceful. Plus, in some ways, being outside at night feels like being inside.
However, if I do run at night again, I am going to take a different route.
Tonight, I ran on a bike path that goes out of town into less developed land. There are patches of near-wilderness (I say near because it is really close to the city, so it shouldn't be able to support large predators) and it can get pretty dark. It didn't give me the creeps or anything, I am simply aware that a deer would beat me in a fight if it thought that it needed to.
I saw three deer during the run (lest you think I am just being paranoid). The first was off in the distance but the second encounter was with a pair just off the path. They were in a well lit area so I could see them for a while.
In order to let them know I was coming, I stomped my feet. That got their attention but it wasn't until I started waving my arms that they ran away. Even though that took some energy, I was glad that they didn't decide to start their violent rebellion against man at that moment.
That was when I decided to stick to city streets on any subsequent night runs. But to punctuate the point, I had an encounter with a dog.
With a mile left on my run, on a straight stretch of path, I heard a loud bark (from a large sounding dog). I could barely make out the shape of a fairly big dog about 50 yards away, right in the middle of the path.
I was not pleased about the prospects of being mauled and exhausted on a dark patch of bike path. There was a row of houses whose backyards lined the path. So, I figured that the odds were good that this was a pet. But I didn't really want to take many chances.
So I slowed to a walk (actually I did that immediately when I hear the bark) and just kept going. I saw the dog shape move off the path and into a back yard. That was either good or it was trying to flank me.
Shortly afterword, I think I heard a doggy door open/close at the house the dog was closest to. I'm pretty sure it went in because I didn't see it again.
I walked for a little while passed the house (I didn't want to look like prey) and then started running again.
The run was good but I'm going to stay out of the country (-ish areas) at night.
mwz
I like that it is cooler and it is somewhat peaceful. Plus, in some ways, being outside at night feels like being inside.
However, if I do run at night again, I am going to take a different route.
Tonight, I ran on a bike path that goes out of town into less developed land. There are patches of near-wilderness (I say near because it is really close to the city, so it shouldn't be able to support large predators) and it can get pretty dark. It didn't give me the creeps or anything, I am simply aware that a deer would beat me in a fight if it thought that it needed to.
I saw three deer during the run (lest you think I am just being paranoid). The first was off in the distance but the second encounter was with a pair just off the path. They were in a well lit area so I could see them for a while.
In order to let them know I was coming, I stomped my feet. That got their attention but it wasn't until I started waving my arms that they ran away. Even though that took some energy, I was glad that they didn't decide to start their violent rebellion against man at that moment.
That was when I decided to stick to city streets on any subsequent night runs. But to punctuate the point, I had an encounter with a dog.
With a mile left on my run, on a straight stretch of path, I heard a loud bark (from a large sounding dog). I could barely make out the shape of a fairly big dog about 50 yards away, right in the middle of the path.
I was not pleased about the prospects of being mauled and exhausted on a dark patch of bike path. There was a row of houses whose backyards lined the path. So, I figured that the odds were good that this was a pet. But I didn't really want to take many chances.
So I slowed to a walk (actually I did that immediately when I hear the bark) and just kept going. I saw the dog shape move off the path and into a back yard. That was either good or it was trying to flank me.
Shortly afterword, I think I heard a doggy door open/close at the house the dog was closest to. I'm pretty sure it went in because I didn't see it again.
I walked for a little while passed the house (I didn't want to look like prey) and then started running again.
The run was good but I'm going to stay out of the country (-ish areas) at night.
mwz
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Mama and Dada
At Target today, I checked out and Arial pushed the cart (with the kids) back to the cart area. As they went away, Johann reached towards me and yelled "Momma". Arial said "No, that's Dada".
The guy behind me said, "When they learn a word, they use it for everything."
That was when I had to say "No, he really calls me 'Momma' and her 'Dada'".
He laughed and said that I would have to tell him about that when he gets older. I almost said "that's what I have a blog for" but I just left.
But it's true. Johann thinks I'm called "Momma". I think it is because when he is in distress either one of us responds (whoever is the closest and/or the least weary). So sometimes he cries "Mommy! Momma!" and I will respond. I think that is what has confused him.
He will occationally call me "Daddy". Hopefully, he will eventually stick with that.
mwz
The guy behind me said, "When they learn a word, they use it for everything."
That was when I had to say "No, he really calls me 'Momma' and her 'Dada'".
He laughed and said that I would have to tell him about that when he gets older. I almost said "that's what I have a blog for" but I just left.
But it's true. Johann thinks I'm called "Momma". I think it is because when he is in distress either one of us responds (whoever is the closest and/or the least weary). So sometimes he cries "Mommy! Momma!" and I will respond. I think that is what has confused him.
He will occationally call me "Daddy". Hopefully, he will eventually stick with that.
mwz
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
We're Sick
Our family has been run through a wringer with this last cold.
Johann started with a cough a month ago. Then, he and Frances got runny noses. Two weeks ago, I came down with runny nose, cough and just general tiredness. Arial was still healthy.
I thought I was getting better. We ran the Bix (7 miles). The cold reactivated. This time it added a soar throat and a bit of muffling in my ears.
When Johann had a really bad day on Sunday (he was really cranky) and I was having a hard time swallowing, we decided to go to the doctor. I hate going to the doctor for a cold but Arial convinced me that it could be strep and she was starting to come down with symptoms. So for the sake of the family, we went.
They told us that both Johann and I had ear infections. I didn't know that adults could get ear infections. But that was the cause of my hearing loss.
We got scripts for antibiotics which I feel a little guilty taking since we don't know if it's bacterial. But I've been knocked out by this thing for 2 weeks and I need to get better. So with a heavy heart, I started the treatment.
Two days after starting the treatment, I feel a lot better. Which makes me think that the antibiotics weren't needed (although there is something to be said for the placebo effect. I'm still going to finish the regimen because stopping early is a good way to develop drug resistant bacteria.
mwz
Johann started with a cough a month ago. Then, he and Frances got runny noses. Two weeks ago, I came down with runny nose, cough and just general tiredness. Arial was still healthy.
I thought I was getting better. We ran the Bix (7 miles). The cold reactivated. This time it added a soar throat and a bit of muffling in my ears.
When Johann had a really bad day on Sunday (he was really cranky) and I was having a hard time swallowing, we decided to go to the doctor. I hate going to the doctor for a cold but Arial convinced me that it could be strep and she was starting to come down with symptoms. So for the sake of the family, we went.
They told us that both Johann and I had ear infections. I didn't know that adults could get ear infections. But that was the cause of my hearing loss.
We got scripts for antibiotics which I feel a little guilty taking since we don't know if it's bacterial. But I've been knocked out by this thing for 2 weeks and I need to get better. So with a heavy heart, I started the treatment.
Two days after starting the treatment, I feel a lot better. Which makes me think that the antibiotics weren't needed (although there is something to be said for the placebo effect. I'm still going to finish the regimen because stopping early is a good way to develop drug resistant bacteria.
mwz
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