Happy Thanksgiving!

Rings on fingers
Rings on thumb.

Drum drum
Drum drum
Drum drum drum

- Al Perkins, "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb"

This is one of Addie's favorite books given to her by Cap's cousin, Nicholas and Alisabeth, who recently gave birth to their own gorgeous baby girl, Octavia Lucia. Congratulations!

And Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Cloudy with a chance of showers

The weather report is in and we have showers.

For a year we've had a potty in our bathroom. Nada. I know she understands the concept, but there was mental hurdle to overcome. I asked another Mom for advice, and she said we need to upgrade our simple, unobtrusive potty for something with more fanfare. So, we went out about 6 months ago and got 2 more - one elmo potty that sits on the toilet and one blinky, singing, fake-flushing, sticker dispensing one. Addie immediately learned how to trigger the potty so it would think she had peed and she'd demand a "sticker for her chart" like the singing potty lady said she deserved. I always think about the singing voice back story. She is an aspiring singer and actress trying to get a gig and ends being the voice across America that coaxes and rewards children towards a diaper free world. A hero to us all.

But back to Addie. This is how it went down The First Time:

We were getting ready to put on her pjs and the poor girl had to pee something fierce. You could just tell, you know?
"Do you want to go pee-pee in the potty?" She has been known to sit on it, then jump up a second later and demand a reward. "You can have candy!"
"I want candy! Show me all the candy!" We have her leftover halloween candy and some scored from a recent pinata in a bowl high on a shelf.
"You can only have the candy after you go pee pee in your potty."
Addie sits down. Nada.
Plan B. Maybe if I can I distract her on the potty she might relax enough.
What do I resort to? My old trusty stand-by. Nailpolish!
So, I painted her nails a ruby red and then blow-dried them while she relaxed on her plastic throne. The girl is getting some
serous high-end service here.
Sure enough, with a few more words of encouragement, we have pee! Not much but some.
Woohoo. Dancing in the streets and of course candy.
Hmm, the girl still has to pee something might fierce.
Back on the potty. More showers, not much rain. But more candy.

Darn it if the girl hasn't realized she can do a minimum amount of work and still get the same reward.
She's crafty!

The First Picture Show

Saturday morning we took Addie to her first movie in a theater - BOLT, and in 3D no less. Well, technically it's not her first. Her first first movie was another Disney flick, Cars, which I took her to when she was 3 or 4 weeks old.

This time, she sat on Cap's lap and didn't move an inch until the credits ran. We had popcorn, drank Sprite and all three of us had to get "wanded" going through security. You should have seen Addie's confusion at having a stranger ask her to stand with her arms out while they wafted a baton 2 inches from her person. In line I overheard other parents explaining why their kids were being subjected to The Wand. "They are making sure that people don't bring in anything they shouldn't." When I was a kid that meant sneaking in candy from the 7-Eleven not a handgun. Tonight, Addie busted out her two silver baby rattles and "wanded" Cap and I before we could proceed with book time. She'll make a fine TSA agent.

I'm wondering why I feel proud that Addie can sit through a feature length like a zombie, but really I'm excited that I get to go to the movies too.



That afternoon, I wanted to get a pet hamster in a ball just like Rhino in the movie, but Cap said I'd just be allergic. Probably true. Instead, we went to the Aquatic Outlet by the airport and got a saltwater tank. I don't know if it was our trip to Hawaii or the one hundredth viewing of Finding Nemo, but we now have a tank with rocks and sand and water. No fish, yet. I guess you have to wait at least 2 weeks before you can bring in the swimmers and the anemones. Addie went bananas when we told her we could get a clown fish just like Nemo.

Maybe Santa will bring us a sea cucumber!

All in a Row

Okay maybe she's a tiny bit obsessive-compulsive.

At a recent birthday party while the other kids swarmed the play equipment, Addie took a break to play with the plastic animals. She would get one out of the bin and bring it over to a clear, flat space she found and line them up. Back and forth she went lining up her animals in a neat row. The parents were fascinated. What would happen if we moved one of the animals? Someone would move the blue brontosaurus 6 inches back. Sure enough when Addie returned with her new animal, she'd immediately move the brontosaurus back to his place in the row. Not once but 3 times. Nice and neat. and neurotic. I like that.

My parents used to tell me I liked to line up their shoes, heel to toe, out of the closet and down the hall. You'd think I would be more organized now.

Cute as a Button

Cap doesn't approve of this outfit, but I snuck it on her when he went off to work this morning. Daycare is closed for the holiday so we are each working half days and I have the morning shift with Miss A. We received two of this corduroy style jumpers from the rummage sale at my Dad's church. Twice each year we get a 20 lb bag of clothes and other goodies shipped to us. We've scored tons of great clothes for her (thanks Nana and Pop-Pop!).

Apparently Addie is siding with Cap on this choice of apparel, but I think she looks cute as a button. Wanna make a bet that she's wearing something different by the time I get home from work tonight?

Eggcellent?

How cute are these little egg cups?

We had a soft boiled egg and toast feast this morning. I had imagined a civilized, Anglicized egg tapping breakfast. I'm sure there is an art to eating an egg out of dainty cup, because my barbaric attempts didn't live up to my expectations. I had to pick shards of micro shell pieces off my egg and then my first attempt delving in for a a bite, resulted in an egg yolk lava flow. I hadn't eaten anything yet, but my plate looked like the set from Cloverfield. So much for civilized.

Election Day

My day went a little like this:

Told Addie I was going to dress her in blue in honor of Election Day.
She tells me she wants to wear red.
I frown and dress her in blue.
Cap dropped Addie off at daycare and we waited in line for an hour to vote.
Voted for The President along with way too many propositions and measures (fingers crossed on No on 8).
Have nostalgic feelings about voting in person and getting my I Voted sticker,
but am thinking next time I'll just vote by mail.
Rear-ended an Obama look-a-like with a matching I Voted Sticker (no damage thank goodness).
Worked.
Picked up Addie and told her we were going to watch Obama on TV.
Cap, Addie and I ate frozen pizza and watched election results.
Drank champagne, Addie dipped her finger in it a few times.
Election called.
History made.
Finish off the champagne.
We try to get Addie to say "Go Obama!"
She mumbles something that sound disturbingly like "Palin."
Addie toots in Cap's face.
And we know it's going to be a good 4 years.

Trick-or-Treat!

Score!

An Addie dinosaur (dragon), 3 little monkeys, Pumpkin Boy
and a little purple butterfly went trick-or-treating on Halloween night
along with Darth Pone and a Republican.
Addie had been looking forward to this night all week although we couldn't
get to her to say trick-or-treat (or thank you as often as I would have liked).
"Go to Mady, Kylie and Ethan's house!"
"I can share!"
"I'm a dinosaur! Rawwwwwrrrr!"
"I am happy!"
Sugarly loot was scored by all. Hurrah for me!
I've already eaten all of the hot tamales and laffy taffy.
Addie ate a tootsie roll (with wrapper) and 2 lollipops on Halloween and
now we're holding the candy ransom in hopes she might, for the first time ever,
actually use on of her 2 potties we have available. I am desperately trying not
to, well, seem too desperate. No pressure, right?

After our romp around the block, we all came back to the 3 little monkeys' house to continue the party
while the kids spazzed out from sugar, then zoned out to Finding Nemo
while the adults drank beer on the front porch
and handed out the last of the candy.

I'll admit that Halloween hasn't been my favorite holiday in the past,
but getting to enjoy it again with Addie has gotten me in the spirit.
I even want to Target today to score some half-off decorations
including a "fall wreath" which I plan to spray paint black next year.

Boo!

Check out the final installment of Halloween photos from Friday night
on the left side bar.