Throw me something, Mister!

On Saturday, Maison experienced about 5 minutes of her very first Mardi Gras parade. It was freezing cold, so we did not stand on the street for the parade, but we did have lunch at a restaurant on the parade route. We were lucky and got a seat in front at the window, so we could watch the parade going down the street. After lunch, we stood on the street for a couple of minutes to let her get a small taste of bead catching and also to appease the inner child in my mother. Who ever saw a grown woman get so excited about moon pies, little plastic beads and the slight chance you might get a cheap stuffed animal? Maison was a champ for about 2 floats. She was waving her little hands and picking the beads up from the ground and putting them around her neck. I decided gathering the beads up from the street was unsanitary so I picked her up. I am sure the drunk dude that threw them to her washed his hands after he used the float's Porta-Potty, right? I was holding her when a float with some very enthusiastic (translation: drunk) float riders came by and beamed Maison and I both right in the face with a wad of about twenty beads. That was the end of that for the baby girl! Hysterics commenced and it was time to head to the house. My poor Mom... she had to leave without her stuffed bear.

That night, Maison reenacted the parade for Uncle Scott in our living room. She forced him to sit on the living room floor while she gathered her beads and threw them up in the air. He was a great sport about it and now I think she loves him even more.

Daddy's Juice

Last week, I went grocery shopping and somehow, when I got home, the steaks I purchased were not in the bag. I checked the receipt and I did in fact pay for them. After making sure they were not under the car seat or laying in the floorboard, I called the g-store and they said to just bring in the receipt and they would replace them. The next day, Maison and I headed to the store and on the way there, I called Trey to see if he needed anything. Duh! We always need a 12 pack of Michelob Ultra. So after choosing my replacement steaks, I throw a 12-pack into the buggy and head to the customer service desk to check-out. I put the beer up on the counter as the cashier is making small talk with Maison about her Minnie Mouse doll that seems to have to go wherever we go lately. Mid-conversation, Maison stops, looks at the cashier with what I call her "serious business to discuss face", points at the 12-pack and says "Daddy's juice" in the most matter-of-fact tone you can imagine coming from a 2 year old. The cashier just laughed and said "That's right, baby... Daddy gets thirsty too!" Satisfied with the cashier's response, Maison nodded her head, wrapped one arm around Minnie and picked up her cell phone to talk to Cinderella.

Her vocabulary expanded over the weekend:

Pancakes: panny-cake
Aunt Liz: Wiz
Coffee: Caw-key

Potty Training for Dummies...

I need to Google "Potty Training for Dummies" and see if they make a book. She has the whole concept, sit on the toilet, wipe, flush, wash hands. She just leaves out the pee-ing part. It's like we are "pretend" potty-ing... We were fortunate with the scheduled eating and sleeping all night at 8 weeks. Looks like conquering the commode is going to be our struggle.

Any helpful hints, suggested reading, etc. would be appreciated.

Denture Update...

Wahoo! I have been notified by "my mother" that the Mystery of the Lost Teeth has been solved. They were in the pocket of Nana's sweater. And the real kicker is that Aunt Liz saw her put them there, but did not know Nana could not find them all week until she came over this past Sunday! Way to go, St. Anthony!

Our house still looks like a bomb went off from Christmas. Liz and Mom are coming Friday. Maybe they can throw away some of my stuff too... But I am keeping them out of the bathroom... I can't afford to spend another $600 to replace the mouthpiece that keeps me from grinding my teeth at night.

Lost and not yet found...

Those of you that know me, know how much I adore my Nana. I make an effort to talk to her at least 2 or 3 times a week. Most weeks, at least one of those talks makes for a funny story... Here is a conversation we had last week:

Me: Hey Nana! How are you?
Nana: Well, I lost my teeth.
Me: You lost your teeth? (holding in a chuckle)
Nana: Yes. My bottom teeth. I don't know where they are. And your mother and Aunt Liz threw away my spare set. (Very angry tone with mom and Aunt Liz)
Me: They threw away your spare teeth?
Nana: Yes! When they cleaned out the bathroom and a lot of other good stuff too! (Translation: her collection of hotel shampoos, soaps and plastic shower caps are now in a landfill.)
Me: Well, I hope you find them soon.
Nana: When your mother gets home, I am going to make her look under the bed.

The next day, I talk to my mom and learn that said teeth were not under the bed and that the disposed of spare teeth were probably 30 years old and would not have fit her. I don't even bring up the other treasures they chunked in the trash.

Conversation with Nana yesterday:

Me: Hey Nana! Find your teeth yet?
Nana: No, but I am praying to St. Anthony all the time. (Turns out St. Anthony is the patron saint of the Lost & Found)
Me: (attempting not to chuckle yet again) I hope he hears you soon.
Nana: Grandpa told me to just make an appointment to get them replaced. I still can't believe your mother and Aunt Liz threw my spare set away.

I must say that I love how my mom is "your mother" when she is in a little trouble. I have two predictions regarding the Mystery of the Lost Teeth:

1. St. Anthony will reveal the location of the teeth about 2 days after Grandpa shells out the cash for the new set.
2. Mom and Liz will NEVER live down the fact that they threw away perfectly good 30 year old dentures.

Stay tuned...

Back and Forth

Conversation between Maison and Mommy, night before last:

MAE: Want baa-tur! (peanut butter)
Me: How about a fruit snack?
MAE: Baa-tur!
Me: Fruit Snack!
MAE: Baa-tur!
Me: Fruit Snack!
MAE: BAAAAA-TUR, MOMMY!
Me: Baa-tur, it is!
MAE: FRUIT SNACK!

Seriously, child... Cut me some slack.

Speaking Maisonese

One of my main purposes for starting this "journal" was to keep from forgetting all the little things that make being a mommy so rewarding. I was telling my co-worker about the "Hemi" story and he said I need to write down all the pronunciations of words she has now so I don't forget them. So I started a list. Some of the words on the list are pronounced correctly now, but it makes me smile to think back at her pronunciation while she is learning.

Lotion: so-shee
Dora: Wee-wa
Cinderella’s castle: innerella sassle
Snow White: no kite
Bama: Bee-ma (our dog and favorite football team)
Roll Tide: Oooo Tie
Sissy: Pissy (my sister)
Joey: Do Do (my brother-in-law)
Rachel: Ray-sh (my sister-in-law)
Chad: Bubbie (Trey's bro)
Be-Be: Trey's Mom
Poppa: Trey's Dad
Bella: my mom
Morgan: Morgie (our friend's little girl)
Santa Clause: Hee Ta Caws
Reindeer: ray neer
Christmas stocking: ho ho sock
Brush Teeth: bus tee
Cookie: cocky
Oatmeal: Aaaa meal
Cheeseburger: bog-er
Booger: Bou-ber
Love you: Wu ou
Come hear: meer
Hear me: Hemi
Ashley: Assie (my good friend and the name of one of her baby dolls)
Down: noun
Milk: miwlk
Juice: juuuuuuuuuuuu
Water: Wa-wee
Raisins: Saisins
Dave & Patsy: Day & Papsy (her godparents)
Tractor: ta-tur
4-wheeler: Wheeler
Phone: Poan
Cow: Dow
Wiggles: Diddles
Choo choo train: tu tu hain
Elbow: e-bow
Outside: ow-sigh
Andy: Annie (our good friend)
French Fry: Fin fie
Tickle: tittle
Stinky: tinky
Spicy: picy
Pillow: Pee-low
Blanket: bank-it
Elephant: epp-ant
Diaper: Die-ter
Peanut Butter: baaaa- tur
Dog: Dawg
Miller: Mee-mer (our cat)
Beer: Daddy juice (juuu)
Stroller: Scroller
Open it: Openenenen it
Color: Collar
Flip Flop: fee fop
Cindy: Sinny (the lady that owns the daycare)
Paula: Paw-duh (her favorite teacher)
Nicole: Cole (another teacher)
Denise: Nee Nee (her teacher when she was in the baby nursery)
Farrah: Wee wa (her current teacher)
Connor: She says Connor, but always follows it with "buddy" ~ he is Miss Farrah's 3 year old and I think her first puppy love crush
Devyn: Deddy (her BFF at school)

My favorite of course is "wu ou, mommy" but the close runner's up are "innerella sassle", "picy" and "ta-tur". Every piece of heavy equipment we see is Daddy's "ta-tur". And she gets so excited about it. Daddy of course loves to hear her say "Oooo Tie" and if she sees Auburn on the TV, she will say "no no aubun"! She called LSU the "poo poo Tigers" during the BCS championship the other night. And we did not even prompt her! Such a Daddy's girl!

She is developing quite the vocabulary and seems to add new words every day. We still have those spurts of what I like to call Baby Chinese... They are most entertaining. "Schmada pada umpta sno wee wa, Mommy!" She is probably cursing me out, but it is still cute!

I always figured one of her first few words would be Bama, especially since we are constantly saying things like "No, Bama!", "Lay down, Bama", etc. But it was just about a month ago that she finally quit replying "Dawg" when I said "say Bama". And I think she was really confused when we were screaming "Go Bama!" at the TV instead of at the dog.

Her little brain is a sponge and I am surprised daily at all she is learning. Of course according to MawMaw she is not only the cutest thing, but smarter than any of the rest of us when we were that age. I have to admit, I think MawMaw is on to something...

"Hemi, Mommy!"

Been a while since my last update. Didn't have computer access over the holidays. Hope everyone had as great of a time as we did. Christmas was so fun this year watching Maison enjoy her loot from Santa... and the grandparents... and the great-grandparents... and the aunts and uncles... and cousins... and mommy & daddy... Needless to say, our house now looks like Toys R Us exploded in our living room. I spent my Christmas cash from my grandpa on a toy chest to provide shelter to the gazillion baby dolls and 14 pairs of princess shoes our daughter now owns. At least we are not into Barbie's yet... I dread the days of stepping on those pointy little high heels.

I have to say, my favorite part of Christmas was watching Maison interact with my Grandpa and Nana and Trey's MawMaw. It is hard to describe the love you see on her face and our grandparents faces when she walks in their houses. It melts my heart.

We take her to see MawMaw a couple of times a week and she starts hollering "MawMaw!" as soon as we approach the driveway. Then she will run up to the door and I have to let her knock herself or she gets angry. Then the fireworks start. MawMaw's face lights up like a Christmas tree and so does Maison's. She'll climb up in the kitchen chair and grab the Jif jar or a sleeve of Ritz crackers and she is a happy camper. I guess peanut butter and Ritz crackers taste better at MawMaw's table. She got her first dollhouse from MawMaw for Christmas. It stays there so she will have toys when we visit. Last Friday we were on our way home and as I passed MawMaw's, she started screaming "DOLLHOUSE! MAWMAW! DOLLHOUSE!" So I did a U-turn and made both their days!

We spent 5 days in Birmingham between Christmas and New Year's Eve and it spoiled my grandparents rotten. I remember not so long ago that I was the Golden Granddaughter with the Golden Husband. Then we reproduced and got slap knocked off our pedestal... or my Nana's walker... She's got one of those walkers on wheels with the little seat in case she gets tired. Maison thinks the seat is her own personal amusement park ride. She will bring the walker over and say "Ride!". And the first one to jump up to push her is my sweet little 88 year old grandmother. I think she would push that child to the ends of the earth on that walker if it kept a smile on Maison's face. And my grandpa just sits back and smiles at the whole scene. I think the sweetest thing he ever said to me was when he leaned over to me and said "Don't break the mold!"

It sure is special to be able to witness these interactions between the eldest and youngest generations of our families. Trey and I got so much joy out of our grandparents and it makes our world happier to see Maison give it back to them.

OK! Enough sentimental stuff! On to the the funny business...

Maison never ceases to amaze me. About a week ago, she was standing on the sofa and I could tell by the look on her face she was attempting to muster up the courage to jump off. So I sternly told her to sit down on her goula (Italian for your hind parts ~ I learned it from my Nana when I was little). She looked me straight in the face, furrowed her brow and pointed that little finger and said "Hemi, Mommy! Hemi!" Trey and I exchanged a confused stare for about 4 seconds before we realized what she was saying. "Hear me, Mommy! Hear me!" So I guess she is actually listening when I scold her and finish the lecture with "Do you hear me?" Maybe I should have her audition for a Dodge commercial.