Frances has learned a lot more cool things lately. She can kick a ball, blow kisses and beg for ice cream. After church she likes to run up and down the wheelchair ramp (I have to pick her up when people need to use it).
We got some snow the other day. Frances and I went into the backyard and played a bit. We bundled her up quite well with her snow pants, coat, stocking cap and grocery bags on her feet (we hadn't yet bought her real boots). She brushed her hands in the snow a little but she really seemed to like walking in fresh snow. I don't know if she liked making tracks or just thought the untrampled snow was neat. The grocery bags worked out really well and her shoes nice and dry when we came in.
For Arial's birthday a while back, I got her the first season of Veronica Mars. (It's a really good show, you should check it out.) During the theme song we dance. When Frances hears the beginning, she gets a big smile and runs out into the middle of the room and then we all dance. The song is by the Dandy Warhols who I like a lot. (Buffy's theme song was by Nerf Herder who I also like quite a bit. People who work on really good TV shows must have really good taste in music.) I only wish the theme song was longer. The fun stops way to soon.
mwz
216
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Friday, October 21, 2005
Frances is Growing Up
It's been a while since I've posted about Frances (or anything if you don't count the tooth brush post that I just did). I thought I would catch up on some of the stuff that Frances has been doing.
She has sort of said her first word. When you give her a ball, she can say "ball" (or "baw" if you want to get technical). I don't know if that really is her first word because a few weeks ago she may have said (and meant) "mama".
I had gotten up with her early on Saturday morning. Frances had her breakfast and was playing. I left the TV off so she could play in peace. She gave me the remote at one point. A little bit later, she started touching the TV screen. Then, she just turned and said "mamamamamamama" as she ran to the stairs (the stairs that led to where Arial was.
I later found out that she was trying to tell me that she wanted to watch cartoons. I was just missing the signs.
---
On a related note, we play this game (well, it's sort of a game) where we run back in forth in the living room (as much as you can actually run in a living room). She loves seeing us run and she runs too. When I'm running, I always say "Run run run". I don't know why. I think it comes from playing with the cats. But now when she wants to play that, she runs (well she mostly walks quickly) and says what sort of sounds like "Run run run" (but is probably actually "Ra ra ra". It is super cute.
---
Frances can now stack blocks on her own. She can stack those peek-a-blocks somewhere around 5 or 6 tall. She has these other plastic things that are sorta like Lego's but with much looser couplings and she can stack those around 8 pieces tall.
---
She loves to dance. In "Clap Clap Bow", she can do the bowing and the turn yourself around. She will also make the spout in "I'm a little tea cup".
But most of all, Frances likes the theme song to Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. We have been watching the series on DVD a lot lately and when the theme song comes on (both opening and closing credits), she runs to the middle of the room and dances (kind of runs in place and claps). She gets really excited. It is really cool to see.
Well, that's all I have for now.
mwz
215
She has sort of said her first word. When you give her a ball, she can say "ball" (or "baw" if you want to get technical). I don't know if that really is her first word because a few weeks ago she may have said (and meant) "mama".
I had gotten up with her early on Saturday morning. Frances had her breakfast and was playing. I left the TV off so she could play in peace. She gave me the remote at one point. A little bit later, she started touching the TV screen. Then, she just turned and said "mamamamamamama" as she ran to the stairs (the stairs that led to where Arial was.
I later found out that she was trying to tell me that she wanted to watch cartoons. I was just missing the signs.
---
On a related note, we play this game (well, it's sort of a game) where we run back in forth in the living room (as much as you can actually run in a living room). She loves seeing us run and she runs too. When I'm running, I always say "Run run run". I don't know why. I think it comes from playing with the cats. But now when she wants to play that, she runs (well she mostly walks quickly) and says what sort of sounds like "Run run run" (but is probably actually "Ra ra ra". It is super cute.
---
Frances can now stack blocks on her own. She can stack those peek-a-blocks somewhere around 5 or 6 tall. She has these other plastic things that are sorta like Lego's but with much looser couplings and she can stack those around 8 pieces tall.
---
She loves to dance. In "Clap Clap Bow", she can do the bowing and the turn yourself around. She will also make the spout in "I'm a little tea cup".
But most of all, Frances likes the theme song to Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. We have been watching the series on DVD a lot lately and when the theme song comes on (both opening and closing credits), she runs to the middle of the room and dances (kind of runs in place and claps). She gets really excited. It is really cool to see.
Well, that's all I have for now.
mwz
215
Tooth Brush
I'm not terribly into oral hygiene. I brush everyday to keep my breath fresh (I hope) and floss occasionally but I haven't been to a dentist in years. I say this because I am about to gush over a tooth brush and I don't want you to think that I am obsessed with my mouth.
My toothbrush was getting old and we had some coupons for some Oral B CrossAction Vitalizer tooth brushes. We got to the store and looked at them and they looked freaky. They have different types of bristles and weird rubber tendrils. I was skeptical but we had a coupon and you can't argue with a coupon.
When I tried it though, I was immediately won over. The crazy looking tooth brush works really well. Each stoke feels like it's doing the work of five. The experience was sort of how I imagine an automatic car wash would feel in your mouth (but without the yucky water).
My teeth still feel clean even 12 hours after I last brushed. And I'm looking forward to brushing again tonight.
That's a powerful tooth brush.
mwz
215
My toothbrush was getting old and we had some coupons for some Oral B CrossAction Vitalizer tooth brushes. We got to the store and looked at them and they looked freaky. They have different types of bristles and weird rubber tendrils. I was skeptical but we had a coupon and you can't argue with a coupon.
When I tried it though, I was immediately won over. The crazy looking tooth brush works really well. Each stoke feels like it's doing the work of five. The experience was sort of how I imagine an automatic car wash would feel in your mouth (but without the yucky water).
My teeth still feel clean even 12 hours after I last brushed. And I'm looking forward to brushing again tonight.
That's a powerful tooth brush.
mwz
215
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Family Stuff
Two hours before her bedtime tonight, Frances was quite crabby. Two hours is a long time in tired toddler minutes. To keep her mildly amused (and therefor happy), we decided to take a walk.
I lugged the large stroller outside but then when it was time to put her in it... well... she just seemed like she would be happier walking. We pushed the stroller for when she got tired but we let her walk. (It only seemed right to let her walk on our walk).
And walk she did. She fell down a couple times but managed pretty well over the occasionally rough terrain of the our side walks. For a while we let her walk on her own. She moved at a surprising speed (almost jogging for her) and pretty much stayed on the side walk. We kept her from venturing near the street by pushing the stroller between her and it
We walked around our block (our block is quite large) and Frances nearly walked it all. (We didn't let her walk on the portion with the busy street.) I was really impressed.
BTW, the nice thing about Arial being pregnant is that we get to have ice cream everyday. I gained ~25 pounds when during the first pregnancy, I'm hoping that I don't repeat that performance.
mwz
I lugged the large stroller outside but then when it was time to put her in it... well... she just seemed like she would be happier walking. We pushed the stroller for when she got tired but we let her walk. (It only seemed right to let her walk on our walk).
And walk she did. She fell down a couple times but managed pretty well over the occasionally rough terrain of the our side walks. For a while we let her walk on her own. She moved at a surprising speed (almost jogging for her) and pretty much stayed on the side walk. We kept her from venturing near the street by pushing the stroller between her and it
We walked around our block (our block is quite large) and Frances nearly walked it all. (We didn't let her walk on the portion with the busy street.) I was really impressed.
BTW, the nice thing about Arial being pregnant is that we get to have ice cream everyday. I gained ~25 pounds when during the first pregnancy, I'm hoping that I don't repeat that performance.
mwz
Friday, September 16, 2005
Limon
Today, we saw the heartbeat of the newest member of our family whose pre-release name is Limon. After release, Limon's name will change... to a different pseudonym.
I guess Frances will no longer be the sole focus of this blog.
mwz
I guess Frances will no longer be the sole focus of this blog.
mwz
Friday, September 09, 2005
No Longer Reading Atrios
I haven't felt like blogging in a while. I don't know why. Lately, I just haven't felt like writing.
But I have to finally write this post because I've stopped reading Eschaton. Atrios has grown increasingly rabid (which is the trait that drove me from daily Kos) but he finally went over the line for me by basically saying it was justice that Michelle Malkin be called racial slurs. In my book that makes him an apologist for racism.
Here's a little background, Michelle Malkin wrote a book called "In Defense of Internment". In the book, she supports the decision to intern the Japanese Americans during WWII using the information that they had at the time. If it makes any difference to you, she is Philippino (I think), so her arguments are not as easily dismissed using the race card.
I haven't read the book, mostly because I don't have any interest in the subject. So I'm not going to debate the book.
Because of this book though, the left hates her. There was a spat in August where the left was really riled about her discussion on Cindy Sheehan. In one of many posts (link) attacking Ms. Malkin, Atrios finally killed my interest in reading his... um... work.
So what he is saying is that someone who holds an opinion different than his, on something he feels strongly about, should just suck it up when facing racism. It's what she deserves right?
Of course he starts his post with " I certainly don't approve of racist comments of any kind, and people who make them should be ashamed of themselves, but" which he feels absolves him of his later remarks.
It just reminds me of the They Might be Giants lyric "Can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding".
So Atrios no longer.
mwz
But I have to finally write this post because I've stopped reading Eschaton. Atrios has grown increasingly rabid (which is the trait that drove me from daily Kos) but he finally went over the line for me by basically saying it was justice that Michelle Malkin be called racial slurs. In my book that makes him an apologist for racism.
Here's a little background, Michelle Malkin wrote a book called "In Defense of Internment". In the book, she supports the decision to intern the Japanese Americans during WWII using the information that they had at the time. If it makes any difference to you, she is Philippino (I think), so her arguments are not as easily dismissed using the race card.
I haven't read the book, mostly because I don't have any interest in the subject. So I'm not going to debate the book.
Because of this book though, the left hates her. There was a spat in August where the left was really riled about her discussion on Cindy Sheehan. In one of many posts (link) attacking Ms. Malkin, Atrios finally killed my interest in reading his... um... work.
[Michelle Malkin who wrote ] a highly misleading and historically innacurate (sic) tract which defends the mass arrest and internment of American citizens based on nothing more than who their ancestors were has pretty much given up any right to complain about such comments.Emphasis his.
So what he is saying is that someone who holds an opinion different than his, on something he feels strongly about, should just suck it up when facing racism. It's what she deserves right?
Of course he starts his post with " I certainly don't approve of racist comments of any kind, and people who make them should be ashamed of themselves, but" which he feels absolves him of his later remarks.
It just reminds me of the They Might be Giants lyric "Can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding".
So Atrios no longer.
mwz
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Frances and a Pen
We've been on vacation and I might get a vacation post up in the next couple days but sometimes it gets kind of daunting. I couldn't let this pass without a post.
Frances loves to carry around pens (she also likes to collect sticks when she is outside but there are no sticks inside, so she is stuck with pens). So today, it didn't come as much of a shock to see her with a pen.
The really cool thing was that she was able to put the cap back on (and that she realized this was something that could be done). She repeatedly took the cap off and put it back on. It was fun to see her do it and then look proud when I cheered for her.
Arial also says that she has started figuring out the shape sorter but I haven't seen it so I'm not going to blog about it... Not that I don't believe Arial... I just have nothing to say on the topic.
mwz
Frances loves to carry around pens (she also likes to collect sticks when she is outside but there are no sticks inside, so she is stuck with pens). So today, it didn't come as much of a shock to see her with a pen.
The really cool thing was that she was able to put the cap back on (and that she realized this was something that could be done). She repeatedly took the cap off and put it back on. It was fun to see her do it and then look proud when I cheered for her.
Arial also says that she has started figuring out the shape sorter but I haven't seen it so I'm not going to blog about it... Not that I don't believe Arial... I just have nothing to say on the topic.
mwz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)