tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33996932024-03-08T10:43:01.553-05:00E-PressionZorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.comBlogger3015125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-66906989422325541312008-02-10T03:09:00.000-05:002008-02-10T03:38:46.529-05:00Ok so now you need to hear about Girl VGirl V turned 3 on Jan. 20. She gets so many presents from her paternal grandparents that I have not given her any of the things I bought for Christmas OR Birthday lest she be totally spoiled.<br />She is very interested in words and letters and we are really hoping she will learn to read this year. She knows the words "up" and "go," we are working on sounding out words. I KNOW that if she could read she would self-amuse a lot more by reading. That's why we are so hot on it. <br />She likes to look at her Bible story picture books. I got a little worried recently because she was talking about "the three men who went in the hot hot fire but didn't get burned because of God." I worried that she was getting confused about whether or not fire really burns you, since the drawing of Shadrach, Meschach and Abednago in the fire shows that they are just fine! I also had a hard time explaining why David gets to hit Goliath in the head with a rock, when we have a no-hitting rule in our house. Basically, it's like those word games in which you have to get your teammates to guess a concept without using key words that most people would use to explain that concept - since Girl V doesn't get ideas like "Chosen people" or "miracle."<br />We are thinking about pre-school for next year. Really we should have done it this year but she was not really reliably toilet trained and I would not have been willing to commit in Feb. of last year, which is when you have to sign up. There are 2 options, one is 5 days a week at the Montessori school, which seems like a lot, and of course costs more. The other is only 2 days a week, which might be better, although I am wary because it is a Protestant outfit, and I need that crap like I need a hole in the head. I have not gotten the info for the 2-day option. I just know she was so lonely this winter and was crying that she had no friends, and that made me feel sad.<br />This week she is excited about finding treasure. One of her babysitters made a treasure map with her and hunted for treasure in our house, and I dug out a book that was about finding treasure, and she thinks it is very exciting. She even made up a little song about it. The lyrics are "I love to find treasure all day! I love to find treasure all day!" and she jumps around singing it. She has no idea that treasure is valuable or what she would do with it once she got it, or why it would be hidden in the first place. But she likes the adventure of finding it.<br />In the 2 months since I last posted, we also got rid of her remaining nap in favor of her sleeping from about 7 pm to about 8 am (and also being completely cranky after about 5:30 pm). It is not perfect but it gives me some time in the evenings to unwind.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-42069975652721588712008-02-10T02:46:00.000-05:002008-02-10T03:07:38.727-05:00McCain: crazy as hell, statist, interventionist. Like George Bush, but with rabies. But you know, we've only got 300 million people in this country, so I'm sure he is the best possible choice for one of the two options we will have.<br /><br />The only good thing that has come out of the campaigns is that I have been able to get in a word with my mother about abortion. She is pro-choice because, basically, everyone else in her area is, and my mother thinks any extremism must be wrong, because it is after all so extreme! She defends abortion based on rape and life of the mother cases, though I have explained to her that her view puts her in the position of restricting abortions to 1% of their current rate. She doesn't want to think about it, because she doesn't want to become an extremist or hold an unpopular view. <br />It is pretty distressing to me that my own mother holds this view. When I was about 13, she told me that if I got pregnant as a teenager, she would make me have an abortion. She was clearly quite proud of herself for having arrived at such a noble and clear-headed view of how such situations should be handled. I told her I didn't think I could go through with something like that. As was (and sometimes IS) typical, it did not occur to her that I might, you know, need to be consulted for my view in such a situation. Frankly, I think the conversation woke me up a little to the reality of sex (that it makes babies) that at that age I had not really thought much about. The idea of being pressured by my own mother to kill my child was pretty terrifying.<br />Anyway, I mentioned, offhand, that one of the things that is so upsetting about Obama is that he opposed the "Born Alive" bill that aimed to prevent babies surviving abortion from being suffocated or just exposed in the hallway of a hospital until they die. Mom just gasped and said "Oh my God!" So, maybe she will reflect on this a little more. Unfortunately, though, I don't think she will.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-5375504604229513632007-12-04T23:51:00.000-05:002007-12-05T00:02:30.149-05:00This evening O.O. entertained Girl V by watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with her on the TV. She was scared of the Abominable Snowman (AKA the White Monster) and did not want to go to bed. So we had to talk her down.<br /><br />V: "Where's the monster go? I want to say hi to him!"<br />O.O. looks and points out the window in the direction of the college where he teaches. "See that light waaaaaaay over there? The monster is waaaay over there."<br />V: "He's in him office at (College!) Him's working! Him's working at (College!)"<br />This idea seems to relieve her and she submits to going upstairs to get ready for bed. Then more consoling:<br /><br />Me: "Do you know who's in charge of the house?"<br />V: "Daddy!"<br />Me: "Yes. Daddy and Mommy are in charge." (In an effort to tell her we would keep out the monsters.)<br />V: "And me too!"<br /><br />Daddy: "Do you know who can make the monsters go away? Your guardian angel can make the monsters go away."<br />V: "And Baby Jesus too!"<br />Daddy: "That's right."<br />V, rethinking: "No. Him's just a baby. Him can't say 'Go away monsters.' Him just says hi to them."<br />Daddy: "No, even though Baby Jesus is just a baby, he can make the monsters go away. He is very powerful."<br /><br />Then we said our goodnight prayer and went to bed peacefully, though wanting more stories.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-16991181864866457452007-12-03T22:27:00.000-05:002007-12-03T22:29:31.695-05:00Today Girl V asked "Why" for the first time.Wanted to know why she had to finish all the food on her plate. She likes to eat just enough to quell the immediate hunger and then LET'S GO WUN AWOUND!!!Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-21974625262277105542007-12-03T11:15:00.000-05:002007-12-03T11:22:45.210-05:00Music liked by Girl VThe Wall, Pt. 3<br />The Ghostbusters Theme Song<br />Jingle Bells<br />Old MacDonald<br />That Hi-Ho-The-Dairio Song<br />Bach<br />Hark the Herald Angels SingZorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-85523835861848069272007-11-08T00:11:00.001-05:002007-11-08T00:12:25.643-05:00O.O. says, "This also gives me the opportunity to make a poultice, about which I am most pleased."Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-74147398171772902592007-11-07T23:51:00.000-05:002007-11-08T00:10:56.847-05:00Girl V, 33 monthsTaking a bubble bath. Daddy put his feet in the tub once and now she insists I do it every bath. It is nice to soak my feet so I don't mind. <br /><br />Me: "Do you know what's inside a bubble?"<br />V.: "No."<br />Me: "Air. A bubble is soap with air inside."<br />V.: "Oh!....What else, inside?"<br />Me: "Nothing else is inside. Just air."<br />V.: "What about bunnies?"<br />Me: "Nope, no bunnies. Just air."<br />V.: "And bunnies too!"<br /><br />When she cries, she now narrates how sad she is. "Mommy, I'm sad. Not happy, no! I got tiny little tears dripping on me! I'm really sad! Don't make me happy! I not gonna be happy, I'm really sad! I'm crying, Mommy, I'm crying!"<br /><br />Also, today, slipped and fell (no injuries.) "Mommy, I dropped myself!"<br /><br />Now understands the concept of preference. "Mommy, which one you like?" She doesn't like it if we both like the same thing sometimes, and tells me that I like a different one so that she can be the only one who likes the item.<br /><br />V.: "Mommy, I want to get married."<br />Me: "Who do you want to get married to?"<br />V.: "To you, Mommy!"<br />Me: "You can't marry me. You have to find a boy to marry."<br />V.: "A boy? Where's a boy?"<br />Me: "You have to go find one that you like."<br />V.: "Oh Mommy, when you grow up, you('ll) be a boy."Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-76957227966898145302007-11-02T16:39:00.000-04:002007-11-02T16:39:36.424-04:00<a href="http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2007/11/whats-hymn-for.html">Standing on My Head: What's a Hymn For?</a> Excellent analysis of the problems with a lot of modern hymns.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-11666485809605207272007-10-26T21:05:00.000-04:002007-10-26T21:05:16.909-04:00<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/10/26/mf.drinking.storries/index.html">Drinking stories that put yours to shame - CNN.com</a>: "The record for history's largest cocktail belongs to British Lord Admiral Edward Russell. In 1694, he threw an officer's party that employed a garden's fountain as the punch bowl. The concoction? A mixture that included 250 gallons of brandy, 125 gallons of Malaga wine, 1,400 pounds of sugar, 2,500 lemons, 20 gallons of lime juice, and 5 pounds of nutmeg. A series of bartenders actually paddled around in a small wooden canoe, filling up guests' cups. Not only that, but they had to work in 15-minute shifts to avoid being overcome by the fumes and falling overboard."Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-39592864701716082602007-10-23T20:36:00.000-04:002007-10-23T20:36:05.717-04:00YouTube - Chihuahua Halloween Costume<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrpiDW2CVTg">YouTube - Chihuahua Halloween Costume</a>Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-14792123801652964022007-10-21T22:21:00.000-04:002007-11-08T00:20:26.088-05:00Hi thereSorry, I forgot my password and did not have time to go hunt around and find it. Today we made jack-o-lanterns (just drew on them, no carving) and Girl V named them Chaneylaney, Taskalaskas, and Tikkitootot. She feeds them sand. She is very interested in skeletons, ghosts, cats, bats, pumpkins, trick or treating and of course CANDY.<br /><br />She remains super cute and is the center of attention everywhere she goes. This is compounded by her friendliness, she walks down rows of people smiling and waving "Hello everybody! My dress is so prettiful!"<br /><br />She has recently done something very unusual. She read a book about a little boy who goes to the doctor and gets a checkup, and as part of the checkup he gets a shot. So Girl V wanted a shot too. We were driving around one day and she said "Mommy, I want to go to the doctor and get a shot," totally out of the blue. I remembered that she was scheduled for the flu shot the next week so I said, "Ok, if you are really really good, we can go get one next week." I figured this request was because of the book and that once she got there she would not want the shot but hey, milk it for all it's worth while she still wants to go. The day before her appointment we took her with us while we got our flu shots so she could see what that was all about. Both of us bled but she did not care. Still excited about getting her shot the next day. So we went to her shot and she was still happy to go and happy to wait for the shot. Then we took her in to actually get it, waiting to see when she would finally figure out what was going on and start to cry. Well, she grimaced a little during the shot but did not cry. Then she went out and said "I want to get ANOTHER shot!" Later on in the week when she got frustrated she would cry and say "I want to go to the doctor and get another shot!" in the same tone that she uses for "I want to go to the circus!" So we officially have the weirdest kid in the world, but I am not complaining.<br /><br />Our theory is that she is just very bored and constantly wants new and different experiences, and that's why she liked the shot. Who knows. <br /><br />She is very well spoken these days and very interested in the alphabet and words. She seems to understand that letters make words and words convey information and likes to read baby dictionaries. So maybe she will start reading soon. It would not surprise me. <br /><br />My horrible work situation is for now "in abeyance." It may blow up again later but I think it is basically okay. Waiting to see...<br /><br />There is a big meeting on Thursday that is stressing me out a lot. If anyone wants to pray for that, and for Stephanie, Betty, Anita, Karen, Phil, and Joseph that would be great. I am just figuring all my readers must like praying for me if they are still reading this blog because it is just kid updates and prayer requests at this point. <br /><br />Please pray also for Sara F who needs to find a job at which she can succeed.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-24475378756224489192007-09-11T22:30:00.000-04:002007-11-08T00:20:26.088-05:00Girl V now 31 months oldKnows her right from her left and tries to tell me where to go in the car - gives directions to the park.<br />Can ride a baby trike if I push the handle to help her along.<br />Uses the potty about 90 percent of the time during the day for "both" needs.<br />Talks a lot, says things like "Daddy, you stay here in Mommy's office, I go downstairs and get some toys for you. Stay here!" (LOVES telling Daddy and Mommy what to do as you can see.)<br />Amuses herself with books and toys for 10-15 minutes or so, when asked.<br />Waits patiently while Mommy talks on the phone.<br />Comes inside the church for Mass, does not talk but does not sit still either.<br />Knows lots of songs and likes to sing and dance. Makes up her own songs.<br />When I come in to wake her up she says, "Mommy, have any dreams?" Which means she wants me to ask her if she had any dreams. So I do, and she invariably says "I dream about clowns Mommy!" <br />She likes to read books especailly new books!Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-41603028400465591252007-09-11T22:29:00.000-04:002007-09-11T22:30:45.404-04:00Thanks for your prayersWe are not going to attempt to resolve the situation until after the 18th, so you still have time to pray!!!!Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-29717958861394317102007-08-29T23:02:00.000-04:002007-08-29T23:02:39.691-04:00Please pray for me.I have to deal with a major, major problem. Work-related personnel issue. If anyone is still reading this pitiful blog, I could use your prayers. Even my atheist readers, come on, help a brutha out.<br /><br />Please pray that I can relax - I do NOT deal with stress well. And that a solution amenable to everyone involved presents itself.<br /><br />THANKS.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-90290011162862252512007-08-26T00:57:00.000-04:002007-08-26T00:57:08.212-04:00<a href="http://www.am-i-dumb.com" title="How smart am I?"><img src="http://www.am-i-dumb.com/images/stamps/92-2.gif" width=200 height=100 border=0 alt="How smart are you?"></a><span style="text-align: center;">Am-I-Dumb.com - <a href="http://www.am-i-dumb.com">Are you dumb?</a></span>Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-71716647897712935192007-08-11T21:47:00.000-04:002007-08-11T21:47:55.755-04:00<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070811/us_nm/religion_lutherans_dc;_ylt=AmFl8RB9uCXcBe9HVFXDGCUDW7oF">Lutherans to allow pastors in gay relationships - Yahoo! News</a><br />My poor grandfather, God rest his soul, who was a Lutheran pastor as was his own father before him, is not happy about this. He saw this coming ...Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-48238456807936514432007-07-22T23:29:00.001-04:002007-07-22T23:44:20.652-04:00How I would have ended the Harry Potter series, because I am a very bad personThen Hermione handed the book to Harry. "The Bible?" he asked, puzzled.<br />"It's the only perfect book, Harry. A complete handbook for life," she answered.<br />Harry opened the pages and read for a moment. Then he stopped and looked Hermione right in the eyes. "You're right," he said. "This magic stuff is all washed up."<br />"Harry," Hermione asked, "won't you make a commitment to Christ?"<br />"You mean---my personal Lord and Saviour?" Harry smiled. "Absolutely. But let's do it up right. Isn't there a Baptist Church up the street with a full immersion baptismal pool?" <br />Hermione nodded. She couldn't wait to tell the Hogwarts for Christ prayer team.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-77220574119342027182007-07-15T23:41:00.000-04:002007-07-15T23:55:15.893-04:00Girl V, almost 2 & 1/2She is so busy that I get overwhelmed even trying to think about writing an update. So here are some free form thoughts, best I can do. <br />She wants to sleep on my lap "like a tiny little baby" or in my pouch the way Roo sleeps in Kanga's pouch (Winnie the Pooh, for those of you not living in Kidworld.) <br />Has been pretending to be various things. Started by saying, "Name's Gentle Dog!" Then she was Gentle Dog for several days and ran around the house panting and sometimes with a pretend bone in her mouth. Sometimes would cooperate with requests if Gentle Dog was asked to do them, even if Girl V was not cooperating. Since then has been pretending to be just about anything - lion, parrot, penguin, pigeon, prince, cowboy, Christopher Robin, Miss Piggy, butterfly, even several things at once, by saying "Pigeon is a lady cowboy!" Also assigns identities to Mommy and Daddy, so I have been Mommy Tigger, Mommy Cinderella, Mommy Frog, etc. Daddy was Scary Tiger but then she actually got scared so he had to stop that one. <br />She was "a little bit scared" of the noisy fireworks but did like looking at them. The loud bangs were what scared her. She was very brave and preferred to watch them from inside the car or under a blanket. <br />I took her to DC briefly and she liked the escalators and even got on them by herself (as opposed to being carried) after riding them a few times. She liked seeing all the statues in Union Station.<br />She also saw Daddy riding a bike and freaked out. Then she calmed down after seeing it again. We are hoping she will ride in one of those bike seats with him so he can get some exercise. Her head is way to big for the baby helmet though.<br />Ok, there's your update. Also I have been mowing the lawn since O.O. threw his back out. Who is the patron saint for backs?Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-88374524086807849482007-07-09T08:53:00.000-04:002007-07-09T08:53:34.523-04:00Shaya Rochester in the news<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2007-07-08-kids-parents-religion_N.htm?csp=15">Children get holier than thou - USATODAY.com</a>Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-17902943367494088992007-06-29T22:08:00.000-04:002007-06-29T22:09:59.011-04:00In case you're wondering, "Is the MPAA ratings system irreparably broken?"The new Transformers movie is rated PG-13, in part for "brief sexual humor."Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-69407789332970819982007-06-28T01:41:00.000-04:002007-06-28T01:41:51.735-04:00a comment on Mark Shea's blog<a href="http://www.haloscan.com/comments/chezami/4931804045650415679/#889256">Comments</a>: "Dr Bernard Nathanson, the ex-abortionist, suggests that pro-lifers could use the expression 'right to live' because it makes it plain that the person we are talking about already has a life, rather than having a 'potential' life."Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-31313247769025040972007-06-28T01:19:00.002-04:002007-06-28T01:32:23.272-04:00What the V can do: age 29 monthsShe can say: <br />"I hear a mourning dove."<br />"I did it!"<br />"I like that book."<br />Lots of pronoun use. Some confusion like "There is her." and "Where is she?" said of non-female objects. <br /><br />Also: "Thomas is crying! Baby's crying!"<br />Dad: "Yes, Thomas was crying. Is Thomas a baby?"<br />V: "No."<br />Dad: "What is Thomas?"<br />V: "A boy."<br />Dad: "And what is (Girl V)?"<br />V: "A GIRL!"<br /><br />So she finally knows she is a girl. She is starting to understand and answer "or" questions "Is your hair straight or curly?" instead of just repeating the last option. <br /><br />Likes to pretend that she is scaring me, or a toy is scaring me, or scaring her. Very interested in scariness generally. Also LOVES to pretend that Daddy is "Daddy Cat" and then order the cat around.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-89128996388984322792007-06-28T01:19:00.001-04:002007-06-28T01:19:36.982-04:00"Mortification is the spice of life." - Fr. Edward HathawayZorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-6208138926546270642007-06-16T22:46:00.000-04:002007-06-16T22:50:13.005-04:00BoovsGirl V has noticed that ladies have "boovs," and has asked if she can "have boovs too?" (I told her "Yes. Later.") She also wants to get married, drive a car, and use a sword and shield.Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3399693.post-67285889063240810252007-06-13T22:13:00.000-04:002007-06-13T22:13:07.641-04:00<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20070613/cm_usatoday/alawyersguidetofatherhood;_ylt=AtKB2tTaD.IBe0OoAZkhDOIDW7oF">A lawyer's guide to fatherhood</a>Zorakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07411945910499314306noreply@blogger.com1