I would post about the line going to my washing machine bursting and flooding the garage, but my wife won't relinquish her phone. My cell wasn't handy, so I grabbed hers to document the damage. My memory is pretty good, but it's hard to beat digital. It's easier to upload to YouTube, too.
I'll have to post that story tomorrow.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Mission Accomplished.
You did your duty, Rocket ship. It's time for you to rest now.
Shane had so much fun with it I may try to assemble a 'newer' model out of old Amazon boxes.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Comfort Toy
Shane has a buddy at night. He simply calls him, "my turtle!"
Turtle has been with us before Shane started vaulting out of his crib. Now, he hangs out in the race car bed all day until Shane needs to lay down. Shane's quite attached. He rarely takes Turtle out of bed or plays with him outside of nap and bedtime, but Shane knows how to make him light up and make music. Sometimes I hear Shane wake up and turn the music on in the middle of the night. There's a timer on it, so when the music stops and Shane doesn't reset it I know that he's snoozing securely again.
It's a cute toy.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Inaccurate Toddler Books
Shane received a book on Marvel Super Heroes from Nana for Christmas.
It's horribly (and hilariously) inaccurate.
See for yourself!
If my son is going to read about fictional character, he needs to read the facts about them. Never mind they were made up to begin with!
The book went out with the recycling.
Name Change
Carrie picked up on something.
Shane has started calling us "Mom" and "Dad" instead of "Mommy" and "Daddy."
Also, he's changed Pop's name from "Pop Pop" to "Poppy."
I have not a clue what it signifies. Kudos to Carrie for noticing! It seems like one of those obvious things that anyone would catch, but I certainly didn't.
Another reason parenting is a team sport.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Another Roxy Update
Carrie and I had to drop Roxy off with my parents to take Shane to visit Grandma and Grandma.*
Roxy loved her time with Nana and Pop, though. The cousins were in town and there were lots of people to play with and shower her with attention.
She eats it up.
Roxy loved her time with Nana and Pop, though. The cousins were in town and there were lots of people to play with and shower her with attention.
She eats it up.
That's not all she's eating up lately either.
Roxy has discovered a taste for dirt.
She may have done it before, but I've really noticed it since we got back in town. If I leave her out for longer than it takes her to do her business, she starts munching. Her tongue will be black and there will be mud in her teeth. There's no doubt that she is chomping soil.
It could be that she's done it before. Before we got our fence, Roxy was always on the leash or supervised in our neighbor's backyard (they let us "borrow" it).
There are other potential factors, as well. A good experiment would isolate variables, but that rarely happens in real life.
Roxy acts like she's starving 24/7. She loves treats, she loves food, and she tries to eat chew toys and anything else she thinks may be food. She was starved, so it's likely to be psychological. Roxy had to have surgery to remove some sort of plastic disc she tried to eat before we adopted her.
Is Roxy eating dirt, because she thinks she's hungry and starving?
Roxy came to us skin and bones. She's filled out well enough that we recently cut back on fattening her up. She switched three cup and a half meals a day to two meals of two cups. She gets treats in between, but the switch in meals could be why she's acquired her mud-philia (the taste at least...she's always liked jumping in it).
Is Roxy eating dirt, because we changed her meal times and worried she'll go without? Or did that just make her hungry and starving or at least think she is?
Roxy's always been a compulsive drinker. She drinks her bowl dry and then drools half of it back out. We've taken to only filling her bowl part way. She'll drink what's in it, lick the bowl dry, and swallows before she walks away. The skies poured buckets on us this past month and Roxy's mini-pool is still full with no lifeguard on duty.
Is the mud eating linked to Roxy visiting her pool? Is it something compulsive she learned when she was locked up?
A quick internet search yielded a name for dogs eating things they're not supposed to: pica. It mentions that it can be caused by all sorts of things: typical puppy behavior, boredom, anxiety, lack of minerals, behavioral, or even parasites.
Did going away for the weekend scare Roxy? Does she need to see a vet? Or is she bored and getting into mischief as puppies (and kids) are bound to do?
All things to think of. Roxy seems healthy as a horse to me and she didn't eat any mud when Shane and I threw the ball for her. She did try to eat some rotted berries (prevented!) and there was something under the porch I didn't get to identify in time (not prevented!), but that's typical dog in my experience.
For now, it's something I'm going to monitor. If it keeps happening, I'll get worried. For now, it's an annoyance and hopefully a semi-exciting blog post.
I can't always write "Things are good!" It'd get boring! The truth is there's always some problem or some situation to deal with.
Roxy has discovered a taste for dirt.
She may have done it before, but I've really noticed it since we got back in town. If I leave her out for longer than it takes her to do her business, she starts munching. Her tongue will be black and there will be mud in her teeth. There's no doubt that she is chomping soil.
It could be that she's done it before. Before we got our fence, Roxy was always on the leash or supervised in our neighbor's backyard (they let us "borrow" it).
There are other potential factors, as well. A good experiment would isolate variables, but that rarely happens in real life.
Roxy acts like she's starving 24/7. She loves treats, she loves food, and she tries to eat chew toys and anything else she thinks may be food. She was starved, so it's likely to be psychological. Roxy had to have surgery to remove some sort of plastic disc she tried to eat before we adopted her.
Is Roxy eating dirt, because she thinks she's hungry and starving?
Roxy came to us skin and bones. She's filled out well enough that we recently cut back on fattening her up. She switched three cup and a half meals a day to two meals of two cups. She gets treats in between, but the switch in meals could be why she's acquired her mud-philia (the taste at least...she's always liked jumping in it).
Is Roxy eating dirt, because we changed her meal times and worried she'll go without? Or did that just make her hungry and starving or at least think she is?
Roxy's always been a compulsive drinker. She drinks her bowl dry and then drools half of it back out. We've taken to only filling her bowl part way. She'll drink what's in it, lick the bowl dry, and swallows before she walks away. The skies poured buckets on us this past month and Roxy's mini-pool is still full with no lifeguard on duty.
Is the mud eating linked to Roxy visiting her pool? Is it something compulsive she learned when she was locked up?
A quick internet search yielded a name for dogs eating things they're not supposed to: pica. It mentions that it can be caused by all sorts of things: typical puppy behavior, boredom, anxiety, lack of minerals, behavioral, or even parasites.
Did going away for the weekend scare Roxy? Does she need to see a vet? Or is she bored and getting into mischief as puppies (and kids) are bound to do?
All things to think of. Roxy seems healthy as a horse to me and she didn't eat any mud when Shane and I threw the ball for her. She did try to eat some rotted berries (prevented!) and there was something under the porch I didn't get to identify in time (not prevented!), but that's typical dog in my experience.
For now, it's something I'm going to monitor. If it keeps happening, I'll get worried. For now, it's an annoyance and hopefully a semi-exciting blog post.
I can't always write "Things are good!" It'd get boring! The truth is there's always some problem or some situation to deal with.
Goals for 2014
A new year means new goals.
Yes, I still think it's important to come up with them. It's easy to get lost in the day to day and the week to week. Taking a moment to come up with some goals can be really helpful for making sure that I'm not wandering through the year aimlessly.
Plus, I like checklists.
Well, really I like checking things off checklists, but you have to have a checklist to do that.
Goals for 2014
1. Make a list so I can check this off. Sweet.
2. Keep reading - I read the Bible this past year, and I'm glad I did it. What's the next step? To keep reading, of course! I was thinking I'd work on re-reading parts of the Bible, but adding in some Tozer, C.S. Lewis and maybe some Strobel or the like.
3. Start writing again - I don't mean on my blog either. Waaaaaaaaaaay back when, I started this blog as an attempt to become more serious about writing. I spelled it out then! I had a private LiveJournal before that I started shortly before finding out Carrie was pregnant that was for much the same purpose.
Shane took over. Even from when Carrie was still pregnant, he started exerting his importance and taking over. I archived some of my early writing attempts and I've never gone back to it.
Years later, I'm still blogging. It's funny having so much of my old thoughts in writing to look at. In 2011, I mentioned a goal of posting "once a week!" Then my goal for 2013 started me on a Bible reading regimen. It got me in the habit of reading again, and with reading came the next thought: "Why couldn't I start trying to write something again?"
I always thought it would be neat to have a job I could do anywhere and at any time, and I have always enjoyed telling stories. Writing this blog has been good for me. Sometimes it helps me organize my own fragmented thoughts and forces me to reflect on things in a more disciplined/less-scattered manner. These goal posts are a prime example.
I have many reasons to write; maybe it's time to take a stab at writing fiction again.
4. Exercise - Here's your typical aging male goal. It doesn't make it less true. I'm not as in shape as I used to be and I'd like to get a little bit of it back. I haven't gone to fat or anything. Wrestling has made me eternally aware of my weight, but I'm not as strong as I used to be. Maybe I'd have more energy around Shane if I didn't run out of breath and my muscle didn't protest so quickly.
5. Proactively prioritize my family - I like to think I already prioritize my family, but I threw in that "proactive" word. I'd like to plan to take part in my trips/vacations to see family, keep re-connecting with my old friends who I consider family, and plan ahead on activities/opportunities for Shane. I am more reactive than proactive now. Actually, with my personality I will probably forever be more reactive than a sit and think months in advance planner, but I'm open-minded about working for some improvement.
6. Find an opportunity to serve - Faith without service is fruitless. You can't earn your way into God's good graces, but it should be a normal sign of inward change. Frankly, it's good for you, too! I used to do a lot of different volunteer work and church service before moving out, working full time, getting married and having a kid. It'd be nice to find a local opportunity that I felt called into/connected to. Stacking chairs at the end of the last service on Sunday is a small start, but I feel the need to look for something more.
Yes, I still think it's important to come up with them. It's easy to get lost in the day to day and the week to week. Taking a moment to come up with some goals can be really helpful for making sure that I'm not wandering through the year aimlessly.
Plus, I like checklists.
Well, really I like checking things off checklists, but you have to have a checklist to do that.
Goals for 2014
2. Keep reading - I read the Bible this past year, and I'm glad I did it. What's the next step? To keep reading, of course! I was thinking I'd work on re-reading parts of the Bible, but adding in some Tozer, C.S. Lewis and maybe some Strobel or the like.
3. Start writing again - I don't mean on my blog either. Waaaaaaaaaaay back when, I started this blog as an attempt to become more serious about writing. I spelled it out then! I had a private LiveJournal before that I started shortly before finding out Carrie was pregnant that was for much the same purpose.
Shane took over. Even from when Carrie was still pregnant, he started exerting his importance and taking over. I archived some of my early writing attempts and I've never gone back to it.
Years later, I'm still blogging. It's funny having so much of my old thoughts in writing to look at. In 2011, I mentioned a goal of posting "once a week!" Then my goal for 2013 started me on a Bible reading regimen. It got me in the habit of reading again, and with reading came the next thought: "Why couldn't I start trying to write something again?"
I always thought it would be neat to have a job I could do anywhere and at any time, and I have always enjoyed telling stories. Writing this blog has been good for me. Sometimes it helps me organize my own fragmented thoughts and forces me to reflect on things in a more disciplined/less-scattered manner. These goal posts are a prime example.
I have many reasons to write; maybe it's time to take a stab at writing fiction again.
4. Exercise - Here's your typical aging male goal. It doesn't make it less true. I'm not as in shape as I used to be and I'd like to get a little bit of it back. I haven't gone to fat or anything. Wrestling has made me eternally aware of my weight, but I'm not as strong as I used to be. Maybe I'd have more energy around Shane if I didn't run out of breath and my muscle didn't protest so quickly.
5. Proactively prioritize my family - I like to think I already prioritize my family, but I threw in that "proactive" word. I'd like to plan to take part in my trips/vacations to see family, keep re-connecting with my old friends who I consider family, and plan ahead on activities/opportunities for Shane. I am more reactive than proactive now. Actually, with my personality I will probably forever be more reactive than a sit and think months in advance planner, but I'm open-minded about working for some improvement.
6. Find an opportunity to serve - Faith without service is fruitless. You can't earn your way into God's good graces, but it should be a normal sign of inward change. Frankly, it's good for you, too! I used to do a lot of different volunteer work and church service before moving out, working full time, getting married and having a kid. It'd be nice to find a local opportunity that I felt called into/connected to. Stacking chairs at the end of the last service on Sunday is a small start, but I feel the need to look for something more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)