Brainwashing My Child

Saturday, as Nebraska was scoring the winning touchdown against Michigan State, I was jumping up and down cheering like an idiot.  Much to my surprise my child started jumping up and down cheering as well.  She even gave me a hug she was so excited.  I'm pretending that she gives a crap about football.  She did pull herself away from controlling the ipad in order to cheer with her father.  Granted she went right back to the ipad afterwards and I think she forgot the jumping up and down ever happened.  

Oh that reminds me.  Lea has taken over our ipad.  She can work it, find her apps, play her games, watch Disney online, all without any help.  She's claimed it as her own.  Still a little thief.

She's also obsessed with coral.  One of her books has some drawings of coral.  Started out as her being scared of the little drawings.  She would start in on the coral and three pages later she would still be rambling about it.  "What's that?  Coral scary.  Oh nooooo! Coral."   Now the coral is cute and little and sometimes it's baby coral.  Still obsessing.  

Here are some pics from the last few months of not posting on the blog.

Lea enjoying skylab.  Not as much as her Aunt Joy though.

Lea being a monster. Mid-Rowr.

Lea and her best buddy Trevin.  We all went to a pumpkin patch.  Trevin had fun. Lea acted like a two year old.  I am not a fan of two year old behavior.  

This what two year old behavior looks like.

Twist your head in order to read this.  This was my favorite thing from my first round of conferences.

Lea monster. Again.

Lea and the gorillas.  She commented on how cool evolution is. Or she giggled and said, "Monkey!" I didn't have the heart to corrects.  Okay I did correct her, to which she still said, "Monkey!" 

Halloween. Minnie Mouse.  You can imagine how hard it was getting Lea out of this costume.  It was worse than you think.

Tricked Lea into wearing an Adrian Peterson shirt.  (She's just started crying upstairs, I should wrap this up)

You get this picture right? No need to explain.

All very tired today.  We stayed up watching the election results.  Turns out that Ted Nuggent thinks that we're soulless. So we have that going for us. 

News and Notes

The posting I was going to do following the Michigan vacation didn't so much happen as I planned. Lea was able to push bed time throughout summer back to the point in which my motivation had waned.  Thus a short and not exactly comprehensive list of items I was thinking of writing about over the course of the last 5 weeks. (BTW We are watching Dick Tracy. Yes, we are super cool and own the DVD. I don't think I've seen this movie straight through since it was in the theater.  I feel 9 years old again. I really want a Dick Tracy t-shirt now.  The Rocketeer is next on our list.  Is there anything better than intentionally campy early '90s movies. I say no.)

First off a little current event.

Scene: Lea and I downstairs. Lea has a dirty diaper.

Steve: Kate, can you throw down a diaper and wipes.

Diapers and wipes appear as if from no where.

Lea: Mommmmmm! BUTT CREAM!

Steve: Yeah. Send down the butt cream.

End.

In regards to the President Ford Museum and Library in Michigan-

I was thoroughly disappointed that the following clip was not playing as I entered the museum, let alone anywhere for that matter.  Please take the five minutes to watch the whole thing.  Comic gold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkhwiuRbOEE

First trip to the Altoona Pool (Aquatic Center for you snobs out there).  Women must instinctively know how to lay out.  That's the only explanation for this picture. I refuse to accept any other reasoning.

We went to the pool several times in late July.  She was always mad that we couldn't ride down the big slide.  I was mad too. 

Macaroni and cheese (Easy-Mac style, a staple of my college roommate Adam) is a perfectly acceptable option for breakfast (She's eating reheated Easy-Mac right now, second supper).  Even for Minnie Mouse.  Yes, I had to warm up the Mac and Cheese.  Sit Minnie down, put a bib on her and get her milk.  I wish that one of those were my idea. I can add 'take's orders well' to my resume.

Lea Grace Sand, Class of 2028.

Ducks walked through our yard.  Thought you should know.

This is my rendition of the folks over at the Castle of Van de Walle blog. Kelly has the golf club.  Similar to my works of Aunt Joy and Uncle Chris, all grandparent, as well as Mom and Dad.  Lea misses these people and Magna-doodle is the best technology I have to locate a picture of them.

Foto Fest!

Hi all!  This is Kate...I thought I'd post some of the vacation photos in fear that Steve would forget and in fear that my nagging abilities have slipped lately.  So please take a photo tour of our vacation below:

The view of Silver Beach and Lake Michigan from our hotel:

The great thing about this location was that we were within two blocks of the beach, a playground, fountains to run through, a carousel, two children's museums and an ice cream shop! What more could a two year old want?  

The Beach!

  

The fountain!

Cannon Balls!

 

Museum fun!

The carousel ride!

Steve & I were still able to fit in some nerdy fun as well.  We ran up to the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids.  

Out of State

So I'm attempting to blog via iPad while in the foreign land of Michigan. So on one hand I'm attempting to type with a touch screen, which is interesting. College would have take much longer if I had to type every paper via touch rather than a physical key board. The nice part is apple is checking my spelling automatically. God bless you Steve Jobs where ever you are. So the trip is going better than expected. I honestly thought that we would be driving back the first night. I consider the fact that we've made it over 24 hours a complete success. The drive was easy, for which we have the DVD player to thank. Not sure how people traveled with two year olds before the invention of the portable DVD player. I think I would have left lea in a boarding house or kennel if we didn't have that beautiful piece of technology. We made it to Michigan around 3ish our time, which is 4ish here. Bizarre. Lea was super excited on the way here. We had her chanting 'Michigan' since leaving Altoona. A couple of stops and we landed. We've discovered the locals to be quite friendly. Lea thought swimming was the best thing ever, which is a major step forward from last year. The roughest patch of rough so far was the first night. Going to bed was met with a rounding chorus of "I go home. I go hooooooome." But we made it to sleep, all of us, and she is currently out for a nap after being awake too long and wearing grumpy pants that are a little too tight. I am attempting to drink decaf coffee because it's 4:30 and I don't need more caffeine. Decaf is awful. Until tomorrow.

A Dress, a Boat, the Science Center, and My Toes

Not in that order though.  I'm sorry if I'm a little distracted while writing this post we have The Grey on and I enjoy me some Liam Neeson. Hard to complain about the guy, he's even good in bad movies.  Annnnnnnnnd he just survived a plain crash.  Can't kill this Irishmen.

To the point I suppose.

Let us start with the Science Center.  Not an exciting story to be honest.  We took Lea to the Science Center. She didn't cry. See. I told you it wasn't very exciting.  Kinda surprised you've kept reading.  You must be assuming there's some pictures coming.  You'd be right.  Not of the Science Center though.  We forget things like taking pictures of an excited 2 year old running though several exhibits.  (Why is there an h in exhibits. I always spell it like this exibits. Who pronounces that h by the way? English majors I guess, them and Xzibit ironically enough.  Bonus points for those of you who remember who Xzibit is.)

Lea did have fun at the Science Center.  If I had pictures I would show you her playing in the bubble room. I would paint a word picture, but it's 9 pm on a Sunday and I'm usually sleeping right now.  She also interrupted a presentation in the sky lab, which was fun.  The narrator was telling his story about the universe or something trivial like that, and Lea felt he was not focusing on the "STARRRRss" enough. That lasted about two minutes.

This was our, 'oops we forgot to take a picture, picture.'

There is also a room with an egg drop simulation.  It allowed her to push a button and watch an "egg" go really high in the air and then come crashing down to earth.  With a loud thud.  That was entertaining enough for several minutes.  I learned that it matters what color your egg is.  And pink is the best.

We also visited the snake room.  I know that Aunt Joy is reading this and I know she hates snakes more than Liam Neeson hates terrorists who kidnap his daughter. (Taken. See it. It's fantastic.) (Well I guess they weren't terrorists as much as they were international kidnappers. Terrorists sound more dangerous.)

We shall move to the boat.  A row boat to be exact.  This row boat doesn't actually exist.  It is apart of Lea's ever growing imagination.  She will have Kate, or myself, sit behind her.  She then takes a flag (the kind the grass people stick in your yard after they treat it. Yeah, we're great parents) and rows.  All the while singing her rendition of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."  Granted those are the only lyrics of the song she knows, so they get sung over and over and over and over.  Funny thing, kids like to do the same thing many times in a row without getting board.  Incredible. I think 2 year old's would be great on an assembly line.  Henry Ford was on to something.

My toes.  Kate was gone.  I was alone with Lea.  We both ended up with our toe nails painted purple.  You can connect the dots yourself.

Squint and you can see I have purple toes.

Removing the evidence. So it was one for a week, we won't talk about that.

The dress.  This just happened today.  Kinda like breaking news.  Kate picked up a couple dresses from Target today.  She was trying one on when Lea brought the other.  She, being Lea, then insisted on wearing the dress not being tried on by Kate.  She, once again being Lea, then wore the dress for about three hours this evening.  It appeared to was dressed up to go out on the night, or, as Kate put it, she was doing a mean Obi Wan Kenobi impression. Or Liam Neeson in Phantom Menace, who was also a Jedi. 

Lea in her evening gown.

Extra Pic's: 

Finally, Kate and I saw the Avengers.  Everything about the Hulk made me happy to be alive.  BTW, people just got eaten by wolves.  Liam Neeson was not one of them.  In the time I posted and moved the pictures, another guy was eaten.  By wolves, of course.  Liam still lives.

Big Girl

In missing a few days that I was supposed to post, I can honestly say not much interesting happened.  At least nothing worth posting about.  That's what I'm telling myself.   I actually have to go back to work in a few days for the home stretch of the school year and I'm hoping to keep myself motivated to blog.

Enough excuses, on to the fun stuff.

Big occurrence here at the Sand household.  Now I need to get some details out of the way first.  I took Lea to daycare during this two week break, and I don't care who is judging me right now.  Have you ever tried to get anything done with a two year old being helpful the whole day.  That's what I thought.  Now, this past Wednesday I got the bright idea to finally move Lea's twin bed into her room.  Kate and I had been discussing this for about two or three weeks now, and we have been putting off just doing it.  In the process of moving the new bed up stairs and the crib out of Lea's room, I discovered that the crib didn't fit through the door.  I was forced to remove the safety net and it was big girl bed or no sleep for Lea.

It's been three nights and the child has slept through the night without pounding on the door once.  We had to have a discussion about nap time yesterday, which invoked crying and results (i.e. she napped).  

Someone in a book, movie or T.V. show said this parenting this was tough, whatever. On too potty training! (okay, sarcasm doesn't come across well, but that was sarcastic.  I'm dreading potty training.  I want to leaver her in diapers until she comes to feel shame for not being potty trained herself, and she just does it.  That's should work. Right?)

UPDATE: In reference from the "Come'on Man" video I posted.  I'm kicking myself for teaching Lea "Come'on man."  Anytime she hears "come on" she starts repeating "come'on maaaaaan."  Over and over and over and over and over.  At least she's not swearing I guess.

Here's the new look Lea room.

  

MENSA

Quick post and then some pictures from Easter.

Kate was reading about the youngest member of Mensa (if you don't know Mensa please look it up otherwise the story is not as funny...waiting...waiting...done? We back? Continuing).  This little girl was accepted to Mensa at age 2 and she just turned 3.  The story said she understands concepts such as mitosis and meiosis (This one's a free-bee. First please place your mature hats on.  If you don't remember 7th-10th grade biology this concept is sexual vs asexual cell reproduction. Giggles all done? Continuing again.)  As Kate is reading about this gifted little girl, who I'm guessing is not going to have the normal life per se, Lea is grabbing handfuls of coins and putting them down her dress.  Multiple handfuls mind you, not just one.  I swear to God this happened.  If nothing else, our daughter has great timing.

Best, Present, EVER!  The piggy bank has been the most oft played with "toy" in the house since Easter.

Lea insisted to wear the ears, so I took the incriminating photo.  Hello graduation.

 The following pictures, including the above, are from the Easter egg hunt at Uncle Greg and Aunt Sue's in Omaha.

Lea give's herself showers using her watering can in the bathtub.  The watering can is the second most oft played with "toy" in the house.