Happy Leap Day!

We went to watch Clifford's Really Big Movie at the theater today. It's cute. Better, it kept Joaquin's attention. At the end, there was a message that said "For John." Made me sad. Now, Joaquin wants the "Cwifford's moowie DED." Remember when he used to call Clifford, Lolo? Now it's "Cwifford, not Lolo, Mommy."

When we were walking out around 12:30, there was a line forming for a 1:15 showing of The Passion of Christ. I can't say that I know a lot about the movie, I've been missing all the controversy, but I really don't have the time to wait in line an hour to see a movie. And, we were talking about how the story has been told many times already. Here's what I really want to see: Jesus Christ's childhood and teenaged years, you know, when Joseph and Mary are dismayed that Jesus just cut his hair short because all the other kids are doing it. No, seriously, I'd like to know what kind of child he was, was he unselfish or selfish as most kids are. Was he precocious? Did he get into trouble? Did he do well in school? Now that's a movie I would wait in line to see.

As for Joaquin, he's trying to go to sleep right now and I'm here typing, trying to keep from laughing because all I hear in the other room is "Hoo, hoo, hoo..." he's talking too, not at all ready to sleep.

Joaquin got his hair cut today. He sat in the chair ALL BY HIMSELF! He didn't cry, he didn't have a tantrum. He still bobbled his head a lot but it was basically problem-free. I was shocked!

Now I'm thinking WE were the one's causing all of his anxiety about the barber. (Daddy says he's a boy so he goes to a BARBER.) We used to hold him in our laps. Tightly. Mainly because he would thrash around wildly and slide off of us and the chair. While wailing, of course. The other parent would hold his head straight. This time, he sat on a little bench placed across the arms of the barber chair. ALL BY HIMSELF! And we only had to hold his head straight occasionally.

My child is maturing. S'cuse me while wipe the tears from my eyes.

Can You Hear Me Now?
The other day when we were at the library, Joaquin heard a phone that sounded like mine. "Phone!" He exclaimed as he ran to my purse and pulled out the cellphone with his sticky little fingers. I don't really like him to play with it, but I didn't want a scene, so I told him he could use it if he sat down. I said it very authoritatively so people would think it was actually me, not Joaquin, in control of the situation. He went and sat down on a row of chairs with the phone in hand. Not only was I shocked because he actually listened to me, but I was highly amused because he started pretending to talk on the phone, saying, no kidding, "Hello. Now can you hear me? Hellllooo." over and over again. Just like those commercials! It was hilarious! Only thing not funny is that I DO have Sprint PCS and DO still have that problem, so I'm sure he learned it from me and not the commercials.

Now Let This Be A Lesson
Joaquin really knows his colors. We ask him what color something is and he can usually quickly give the answer. He likes to be quizzed and will say something like, "What color's Mommy's car?" so that we can ask him and he can give us the answer. "What color is Percy, Thomas, Donald, Mommy, etc...?" That is all we hear.

One day, bored with this game, Mommy thought it'd be funny if she would say "Purple" whenever Joaquin would ask the color question. Well, he liked that game so much that he's started playing it too. "What color is the sky?" "PURPLE!" "No, what color is the sky, really?" "PURPLE!"

Yikes, I hope this doesn't prevent him from getting into kindergarten. They'll know he's kidding, right?

Getting Normal
Finally getting back to normal, sort of. Joaquin went to daycare and I went to work for a few hours. Good thing too, because there was a farmer's market today and for the next four weeks at Wesley Bolin Plaza. Nice.

After work, took Joaquin to the library. Found some books for me too. Here's how I browse the library stacks now that I have a kid:
Chase kid down aisle through book stacks while occasionally glancing in the direction of the books.
Catch kid just as book catches my eye.
Oh, Deepak Chopra,The Seven Spiritual Laws of Parents. Grab it.
Take off after kid again as another book catches my eye.
Oh, what's this?Technical Traders Guide to Computer Analysis of the Futures Markets. Put book back.
Take off after kid again.
Repeat as necessary.

When you have a kid, you also get to explore previously unventured places like, the mens room on the fifth floor, west side, the "take a breather"--or something like that--room (I never knew the library had this. I'll have to get a picture of the sign, it's pretty funny; I think it is for employees though).

When I got home, I discovered that I'd checked out the Deepak Chopra book before.

Alrighty, here's a picture taken a few days ago, of Joaquin and his trains. He's becoming quite the collector. Please excuse the mess in the background and the kid with his hand in his diaper; he's fascinated with it. (Click image to see bigger.)

You know what? 2004 is really starting to piss me off!
Joaquin has RSV. This upsets me to no end. We've done so much to try to keep him and his lungs healthy, we avoided some restaurants when he was an infant because of it. Neither of us smoke...He got it anyway and, since it is viral, we can just treat the symptoms. That's why the breathing treatments. Plus, the doctor wants him to take another antibiotic because the infection is still festering in the sinuses. He has been sick far too long.

Also, last night, he was having a fit and banged his head so hard on the foot of the bed, I heard it in the kitchen. He got a huge knot about the size of a golf ball on the back of his head. We put ice on it, gave him some Tylenol and watched his behavior. Still watching for signs of nausea, vomiting, etc. today, but he still seems ok.

I hadn't written about it, but in late January, Grandma was in an accident with Joaquin in the car. The car was totaled. Grandma injured her neck and arm and is still in physical therapy. Joaquin was shaken, but not stirred; no physical injuries, but some emotional stuff. He still thinks about the crash and will tell you that a truck hit Grandma's car and he makes the "irt" sound of the screeching tires. He also remembers it whenever he hears tires screeching. He got to ride in a "cop car" as he called it and to meet a real live "cop." (I really shouldn't let him watch that program.)

So, as you can see, I've got good reason to be annoyed with 2004 and don't think I've forgotten about the end of 2003 either!

Okay, too many words! Here's a picture from early January, 2004 when we went to Zoolights! Joaquin's favorite thing was music area they set out for the kids to play with. The xylophone was a special favorite. Remember, he's not generally a cooperative subject, so it is the best I can do. (Click image to see bigger.)

Another rainy day here.
We like rain in the desert even though the weeds seem to pop up right after it stops. They're out there, right now, breathing a sigh of relief, stretching, getting ready to pop out of the earth. Little do they know that they are easiest to pull out when the ground is soft...mwah, ha, ha ha!

Joaquin needs to take albuterol via nebulizer to try to eliminate his cough. (This should be interesting...) Also, another round of antibiotics. Daycare called to find out what happened to him. I think they're gonna send the truant officer out next.

Dear Joaquin,
Daddy thinks you're playing sick so you can get more Thomas trains. What made him suspicious? Today, when he told you that you were going to the doctor, the first thing you asked was "Go get James?"
Love,
Mommy

Yes, Joaquin still has the cough. Not as bad, but it is still there. Daddy is taking him to the Doctor today. By the way, I like the Blogger post interface on Windows.

Just Breathe Deeply
We had to visit the Doctor's office again today again. Joaquin had a breathing treatment. He didn't like the nurse practitioner. She was just a little too hyper for 9:30 on a Saturday. He was a trooper though, scared because of her hyperness and the mask they had to use for the treatment, he cried a little but kept his eye on the prize, which was a Henry engine from Thomas and Friends that he was going to get at Target.

Now about that breathing treatment. I have Asthma and I was so happy Joaquin got through infancy without needing one of those. He didn't get RSV or any of the other illnesses that afflict so many other babies. I thought I was doing everything right, that he would be alright. Now, I wonder. He's been sick so often since starting at daycare. Everyone tells me that it will help his resistance in the future, but what if it contributes to an asthmatic condition? I mean, how clean are daycare centers anyway? I don't know, may have nothing to do with it, but then again, it may. It is a scary thought.

I've got a prescription for albuterol syrup that needs to be filled. I don't know if I want to do it. But I know I will. What is this demon-germ that won't leave my baby?

Right now, he's watching his new James and the Red Balloon tape and is happy as can be. He doesn't seem to be letting being sick get him down, so why should I?

I think we're going to do yoga together.

Top Reasons Why We Don't Have Cable TV
This post is so when Joaquin gets to school and his public school schoolmates ask him, or tease him, about why he doesn't have cable TV or TIVO, he has something to say.

8) His Momma doesn't agree with having to pay $40 extra for TV that was supposed to be commercial-free.
7) She doesn't like her viewing habits recorded, like TIVO does, unless they send her a dollar first, like those Nielsen ratings people.
6) Then what would the family watch on DVD?
5) What would we do at Grandma and Tia's houses? Visit?
4) He's going to college.
3) TV cuts into computer, video and party time.
2) Daddy can't decide if satellite is better.

The number one reason Joaquin doesn't have cable:
1) His parents are Amish.

And Today Is...Vomit day!
We've had cough day, fever day(s) and now, vomit day. Joaquin is coughing so hard he's puking his little guts out. Since he hasn't wanted to eat much, there's nothing but liquid, but it is still gross. And, trying to get him to stay in one place so that if he vomits, it won't be on the carpet or unprotected part of the couch is difficult.

His antibiotic is finished. The nurse thought it was a secondary viral infection that he might have gotten to give him the fever, not necessarily a reaction to the Zithromax. Viral infections just need to pass, antibiotics do nothing to them. I think she's right, but if he's not better this weekend, I'm taking him back in.

There are few sentences your child can say that can make a parent as proud as...
"Mommy, I farted." Said loudly in your local Target.

Being Mommy and Stuff
I'm suspecting Joaquin may be having a reaction to Zithromax. He hadn't had a fever when I took him to Dr. on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, he'd developed a 101 degree fever (I'm gonna have to learn how to make that degree sign in html). He's hovering around 102.4 and his little heart is beating like he's just come in from running at the park. He's got one more dose. The nurse is supposed to call me back. He seems to feel okay though, at least okay enough to want to go out, but he's not eating. I'm telling you, one of the hardest things to do as a parent is to determine when someone else is not feeling well. You're there, doing what you think you're supposed to do to get them healthy, then something like this comes up. Surprise! It's not that easy.

Since Mommy has been home, I've been baking. Made blueberry muffins on Tuesday and yesterday, I made oatmeal cookies. I've tasted better blueberry muffins, but the cookies were excellent. I changed the recipe just a little from the one I found on this site. And, although I don't bake too often, I had all the stuff on hand. They are very crisp (hard to some) cookies. I like to dip in milk. If you like slightly softer cookies, bake a couple of minutes less.

Crisp Oatmeal Cookies
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup rasins, dried cranberries, or combination
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2 Cream together the shortening, butter and the sugars. Mix in the egg and vanilla and mix well.
3 Stir in dry ingredients to mixture, stirring until well blended. Mix in oatmeal. Add in dried fruit and nuts.
4 Roll dough into small balls and put on greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with hand. Bake;for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Once again, with more coughs
Joaquin is sickie again. He never really got to 100 percent with the last round of antibiotics. He's coughing just like before, but Dr. said that it looks like the ear infection cleared up, just need to work on the sinus. So, he's on antibiotics again. Zithromax this time. I like this stuff. I took it once. You take it for three days, but it stays in your system for ten. Beautiful stuff. But, tell me, why can I find it online for something like eight cents a pill but it cost me $25 at the local Walgreens WITH insurance? No wonder people go to Mexico to get their drugs.

We went to Red Lobster the other night. Joaquin doesn't like Red Lobster. The service is too slow and the place is too dim for his taste. He didn't care for his food, either. We had to do tag-team and take him outside constantly.

We have to be really careful where we take him. As much as childless people hate being disturbed, we hate our child disturbing them, probably even more. So, there are some restaurants we may visit once with child in tow, but never again, while there are others that are just boisterous enough to go to again and again. There is a restaurant called the Coronado Cafe (Note: link contains popups.) that I love, but it is a little place in an old house with everything close together and everytime I've had Joaquin, we've had to wait for the back room. Although that is my favorite room, it is hard for a kid to wait. The food is not really kid-friendly either, so I've vowed not to take him there again until he's older.

Fazoli's is a good place to take kids. I don't like McDonalds, so we usually only drive through there, but he LOVES that place just like any other kid. There's a bar near our house that is also a hamburger joint. That's a good place because everyone's too drunk to notice the kid that just threw himself on the floor in a rage. To them, he just looks like another passed-out drunk.

As much as Mommy likes to think she doesn't need the chocolate and the flowers, she really LIKES to get the chocolate and the flowers. And not just on Valentine's or Mother's day: Really, any old day will do.

Pi Is Kaput
Finally finished reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Now, I'm thinking, huh? There's a line that is probably key and I just don't understand: "Which is the better story, the one with the animals or the one without the animals?" To which the response is "The one with the animals." "And so it goes with God." What does that mean? Pi's going to remember the better story because when it happens with animals, it doesn't seem as bad as when you put people in those animals' roles? Or does it mean that God put the animals in these roles because God wouldn't want humans to act like animals?

Someone, please read the book and let me know what you think! I don't know if I can wait until Yann Martel comes to the book festival in April to ask. And I'm wondering if it is a dumb question to ask anyway. Is the meaning obvious to others and I'm just obtuse?

Earlier, I wrote about having a hard time getting past page 49, which happens to be Chapter 16. Eventually, I just pushed through, thinking that it probably wasn't that important anyway. Was that A pivitol part of the book that would answer the questions I have now? This is going to kill me.

Update: I've been searching the web for some answers. Here are some that I got from this site. Here are a couple of quotes from the author that helped a little:

"Pi makes a parallel between the two stories and religion. His argument (and mine) is that a vision of life that has a transcendental element is better than one that is purely secular and materialist. A story with God ("God" defined in the broadest sense) is the better story, I argue, just as I think the story with animals is the better story."

"But I hope that when readers get to Part Three of the novel and read the other story, the one without animals, that their revulsion at that story will be such that they, like the investigators, will choose the first story as the BETTER story. But I wanted that better story to have something unbelievable about it. I wanted it to get beyond the reasonable and the plausible. BECAUSE every great thing in life — be it religion, love, any ideal — has an element of the unreasonable to it. We are not computers. We need the pull of the unreasonable to get us through life. The island represents that unreasonable element in the first story."

Gotta say, this is EXACTLY how I felt.

Happy Valentine's Day
Almost forgot Valentine's Day. Also, it is Arizona's Birthday AND yoga day!


[Via Mariko. Make your own candy heart.]

As you can see, I don't get out much.
Okay, everyone's doing this already, but I want to play too. States visited in red.

Arizona -- This is my everyday hell but the northern cities, including Flagstaff, Sedona and the Grand Canyon are bearable and quite nice during the summer. The town of Jerome, which sits on the north side of a mountain actually gets pretty cold.
California -- This is my heaven and they have Disneyland, Sea World, Knotts Berry Farm San Francisco and San Diego and beaches!
Colorado -- Via "The Four Corners," you know, where you can visit 4 states at once. There's a marker and everything.
Florida -- Hot and muggy in Summer. I thought it was hotter here than Arizona. At least it was more stifling. Enjoyed cruising Miami's trendy spot, but wouldn't dare get down because I AM NOT A SUPERMODEL. Orlando has Disneyworld.
Georgia -- Okay, I only had a plane transfer to New York there so I didn't see anything but the airport, but I was still there.
Nevada -- Eh, s'okay, but is there really much more to do than play poker or watch that French circus? It's too hot in summer. I walked across the entry to the PhoencianVenitian hotel and thought I was in Egypt. Reminded me a lot of home. I did really enjoy those French people and, I won a hundred dollars with ten, but I lost $50 with a quarter.
New Mexico -- A rest stop on the way to hell. Also, when I was little, I went to a LULAC convention with my parents there. I could swear I could see the lights all the way home AND I stayed in a fancy hotel. Also visited via "The Four Corners."
New York -- Nice to visit, but overall, a dirty place, hot in the summer and my feet blistered from walking so much. I think I'd have to have lots of money to live there. That said, I'd go again because I did enjoy it. We saw David Letterman, Santana and Bill and Hillary Clinton in a Presidential motorcade. One more warning...Don't eat mexican food there.
Texas -- I should've called THIS my hell. Cockroaches as big as a size eight shoe and THEY FLY. Austin wasn't so bad, very green, and at least Corpus Christi has a beach. Taft and Lubbock, where my people are, ARE truly rest stops on the way to hell. Wow, I've been to a lot of places in hell.
Utah -- Again via "The Four Corners." If it wasn't for the four corners, I'd have gone no place.

I hope to add places like Connecticut, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, New Orleans, Illinois, DC and North Carolina to my list one day and properly visit places like Georgia and New Mexico.

[Via Pete Beck. Create your own visited states map.]

An Artist's Eye
The other day, when we toured houses, we were struck by how many artists and decorators owned houses in the Willo District. Many of the objects on display were unusual and, we often times asked, "Who'd of thought?" Like, who'd of thought those two colors went so well together, who'd of thought of using scarves as window dressings, who'd of thought of hanging that old rusty iron door on the kitchen window because when the sun shone through, it made a neat design on the wall? Who'd of thought?

I mentioned to my sister that I believed artists saw things slightly differently than regular folk. She wondered aloud if Joseph, her son, saw things like that. I told her, no, because he hasn't had any training yet. I always believed an artist's eye is best developed through training. I don't know why, but I never really thought about the practice part of it. I just read an article by Maureen Bloomfield in the April, 2004 Artist's Sketchbook magazine in which the author passes along artist Chris Van Winkle's suggestion to sketch simple things that don't matter everyday to develop your skill, "draw what you see, not what you know." Everybody's favorite artist blogger, LoobyLu, even wrote about practice the other day.

I've always thought I had some artistic talent; others have commented on it from time to time, but I've never had any real training, so while I can put some pleasing stuff on paper, I don't have an "artist's eye." I don't know what stopped me before, maybe I didn't think I was really any good, but I pretty much stopped drawing many years ago. Now, perhaps newly inspired by the artist bloggers that I've come across recently on the web, I'm itching to do it again. At the very least, I think I'm going to do as the article suggests and buy a 70-page spiral-bound book and fill it with everyday sketches, just to see what develops.

KIT, KIT, KIT*
Today was a "you're a bad mother/wife/daughter" day. I didn't dare call a sibling or friend for fear I'd have to add those to the list. I just had no more to give. ALL of my patience resources are used up right now.

First, I've been trying to keep it together to deal with Joaquin and his constant "No's," whines and cries of frustration. "No, I don't want to go inside." "No, I want to go to Target." "No, I don't want to take a bath." "No!" Then I get the negativity from Daddy, with, "I think you and your Mom planned this just to make me mad," but the last straw came when Grandma called and again said "No" to the best plan I could come up with to help her. I exploded.

Why can't anybody just do as I ask? Why must I constantly be challenged? With Joaquin it is frustrating, but understandable, I mean, he is only three, so cut him some slack. With the others, it is just frustrating. It wasn't enough. I wasn't enough.

It's a full moon, isn't it.

*"Keep It Together." From the Eddie Murphy/Steve Martin movie, Bowfinger. Oooh, change of subject, I love that movie.

Looky Lu's
Mommy had a lovely day with Tia looking at other people's houses. (Shh, Joaquin thinks we went to the moowies.) We went on another home tour. This is getting to be a habit.

Some of the houses were really nicely decorated and we noted the lack of clutter. In one house, however, one was struck by the Egyptian motif, including an 8 foot King Tut coffin thingy, gold walls and lots of candles. This house also had a wall display of blue Tiffany boxes, which they noted had been full at the time they had been received, la de da. I think I was too shocked because I forgot to take pictures! The mom was also a Scottsdale Jaycee in the fifties and had a wall of pictures of herself during that time lining the hallway. Interesting house, to say the least. It struck me that you never know what's going on behind the front door of a house until you have a chance to tour. You can quote me on that.

I did take some pictures (below) with my new credit card camera though. I'm slowly starting to get used to it. One was a picture of a cool gecko sculpture, a picture of a little girl's room that I fell in love with, a picture of an arbor I liked and a picture of me and Tia in a bathroom mirror (check out that sconce).





I have my list of things that need to be done to the house:
Purge. Most of the houses we saw were refreshingly sparse; unless they hid clutter for the tour.
Arbor next to back patio. Similar to the one in the picture above.
Landscaping both front and back. This should actually be higher on the list.
New kitchen countertops. I don't know if it is marble, Corian, or what. It is just beautiful, shiny, thick stuff.

We also met a dog named Scooby today, who looked like one of these, except puppy, and a bulldog named Ricky Martin, with his companion, who's name fails me, in pearls. My sister informed me that she's thinking of naming her next dog, Sarah Jessica Barker. I also found out that I needed to correct a previous post. It seems that my sister named Lad-A-Dog, not my brother. And, she said that she named it after a dog she'd seen in a movie, not the book. Amazing the things you learn when you WALK. FOR. FOUR. HOURS. Oy! My feet hurt.

This is going to be totally yawn to most people, but it is important.
I don't usually watch the news so I was sad to hear about the girl in Florida found dead after being kidnapped earlier this week. Our local newapaper did a story about it and included some guidelines to teach our children. I wanted to write them out here so that I wouldn't forget:
--Avoid being alone and don't take shortcuts.
--Never walk over to a car for any reason.
--Don't help an adult you don't know.
--"911" calls at pay phones are free.
--Scream loudly for help or run to another adult and grab onto that person
--If you are shown a gun, run.

They also included age-appropriate words of caution:
Infant to age 3: 24-hour supervision.
Ages 4-5: Don't talk to strangers.
Ages 6-8: Make sure Mom and Dad always know who you are with.
Ages 9-11: Don't believe everything you are told. There are dangerous people in the world.
Ages 12-14: Think before you act.
Ages 15-18: Be careful in choosing your friends.

The article even suggests acting out what they should do in an abduction situation. Our parents never talked to us about stuff like this when we were young.

I remember walking home from school one afternoon with a girlfriend. We always stayed late at school, so it must have been around four or half-past. I wasn't driving so I must have been around fourteen or fifteen. A car with two spanish-speaking men inside approached us, following us from behind. I remember we were terrified, didn't know what to do. We conferred for a moment and decided that if we entered a house nearby, they might think we lived there and go away.

We entered a fence to a house close to us. We knocked on the door, while pretending to be fiddling with a key, and a lady answered. We were ecstatic! We tried explain our situation and ask if she would let us in to use her telephone. "Como?" She asked. She didn't speak english! The car was still there! "Telefono, por favor!" We said desperately and PUSHED the door open.

The lady looked scared. Her husband came running in asking what was going on in spanish. "Un caro a fuera!" We said desperately, using the few spanish words we knew, while again trying to explain the situation in english. We looked out the door. The car was still there. Then I saw it! A phone on the counter! "Por favor?" I asked once again, pointing to the phone. Both of them just stood there, staring at us. The man nodded.

Blasted! No one was home at either house. We continued to peer out the window and decided we would stay there for a few minutes until the car was gone. We waited, and waited, for what seemed like forever. All the while, the man stood behind the lady with is arms on her shoulders. Both of them just staring at the two crazy girls. We didn't care, we just stood peering out the corner of the window like we were taking cover in a shootout.

As we started to calm down, we started to feel funny in the situation. When convinced the car had left, we decided to leave instead of using the phone again. "Gracias!" We said as we opened to door and high-tailed it home to my house, finally able to laugh at what happened and how stupid we sounded trying to speak spanish. What must've the man and woman been thinking, or saying, for that matter!

I think we handled it okay. I mean we were alive and physically unharmed. I am glad I was with a friend though, because I wonder if I would have done any of that had I been alone. Of course, since my friend was much more, ahem, developed, than I, they probably would not have bothered me had I been alone. But happily, we will never know.

There's something about big fluffy clouds that makes me believe in God.
The weather has been beautiful. Hovering betweek sixty and seventy degrees during the day. I love the wind and rainclouds that look menacing but aren't. I like the park on a day like today. Sometimes I ask myself, why to I live here? It is a hot, dusty and dirty place. Then I remember, this is why.

Mommy Even Skips Oprah For This
I'm really into this show called, Starting Over. The show is about empowering women to reach their goals in a reality TV format. They have six women living in a house at any given time. These women have specific goals they want to reach and "Life Coaches" guide them, while the other women in the house support them. They are put in touch with experts as needed to try to help them reach their goals. They sometimes get bitchy and cry and scream and laugh and bond in the process. Sometimes it is kind of sappy, with all this talk about feelings and loving yourself, but it kind of reminds me of my time as a Campfire girl with all the female bonding stuff. I think I would like to do this. I just wish I had one specific goal. Maybe that could be my goal, to focus on a single goal.

Do Be Do Be Do
Joaquin appears to be having a little problem pronouncing the letter v. He just started calling DVDs, DDDs, sometimes DBDBD, which is a big change from just plain old CD which is what he called DVDs before. I tried to get him just to say movie, but nooo. He also calls the TV, TD. I try to emphasize vee and make him look at me and I've even tried to squeeze his little cheekies in when he says it, but he just winks both eyes at me when staring directly at me. Obviously it's not working. He just asked me for the shrewdrider.

He Locked Me Out!
Rotten little kid. He locked me out back when I went to throw laundry in the washer. I had to pickup George's poop while he sat on the couch with his wicked little smile watching his Thomas & Friends Best of Percy video. I'm taking my keys next time!

More Silliness From Tio Danny
Recent picture from Mars.

Just Tracking Stuff
Doctor's visit today. Joaquin has another "slight" ear/sinus infection. He's going to be taking antibiotics for the next 10 days. He's coughing like crazy. Cannot sleep/lay down well. Oy vey!

There's something to be said for being married seven years. I just can't think of it right now (*rimshot* Thank you!).
Of course, Joaquin wouldn't have been born had Mommy and Daddy not gotten married. He COULD have been, but WOULD NOT have been. Mommy always knew there would have been no way she could have done it herself--if you haven't noticed yet, not exactly a Type-A personality. If she were, Joaquin might have had hazel eyes and thick dark eyelashes, with a name like Hakim, or maybe dark skin and dimples, with a name like, uh, Joaquin or maybe he'd have been a Jacqueline instead. Who knows? One thing's for sure, Joaquin would not have been Joaquin had Daddy not been Daddy and Mommy not been Mommy, so Happy Anniversary, folks, laissez les bon temps roulette (get jiggy wid it)!

Tia offered to watch Joaquin so Mommy and Daddy could do something. We had four hours alone and you know what we did? We went to watch LOTR Return of the King, of course. Mommy thinks Daddy is in love with Legolas (Mommy's favorite) because every time he made a screen appearance, Daddy would giggle like a little girl. He said it was because he just couldn't imagine him being tough with his smooth, clear skin and gleaming blue eyes (Okay, Daddy didn't really say anything about skin or eyes). Tio Danny fessed up to giggling like a girl whenever he sees Aragorn. Then Tio made us steaks and drank beer. I think he burped too.

We had a very nice day. Thank you verrry much.