Hot to Hot

November 26th, 2009

Our visit to Florida last week was truly an enjoyable one. A LOT of travel, but it was worth it to be together with Vibble’s great-grandparents. We relaxed at LVT, where my grandparents live, and had some fun outings to Umatilla, Eustice, and Alexander Springs. Nice, hot weather (just like we’ve been having here in L.A.—November is swimsuit weather this year), and some computer time in Grandad’s office. Vibble was the hit of the dining hall, and we played it up by letting her have her own bowl of pudding one day and her own plate of cake the next. Haz-mat suits were in order.

For more, here are photos of the trip. A Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Where The Wild Things Are Sleeping

November 9th, 2009

Last night Vibble slept in her crib for a couple of hours. Sometimes this happens. We heard a lot of banging in there—like legs and a little skull hitting the sides of the crib quite hard. I went in twice to comfort her; both times, I found her crying in her sleep. Steve went in a couple of times, I think, and finally brought her into our bed. She commenced her usual routine there: Refusing with exaggerated kicking motions to have any body parts under the covers, and insisting on positioning herself horizontally across the bed, presumably to be in the best position to kick Steve in the head all night long. But last night there was an added twist. Three times she woke me up chatting away in her Vibblese, touching my arm and face, and tilting her head side to side as she talked. All three of these times I found her to be STILL ASLEEP. Each time she wound down the session by flailing and flopping around the bed and finally sighing and being still/quiet. Now we know why some nights when she has ended up in our bed we find her asleep on the floor NEXT TO the bed, or, once, all the way over by the bathroom vanity. Nothing unusual about yesterday evening—no extra sugar, TV, nothing. Just a normal day, with a crazy toddler night.

Halloween was so sickening cute this year I was literally holding back the puke. We went to Corvallis, Oregon, and spent the holiday with Steve’s sister Debi, Debi’s son, Sam, and Mike. Friday afternoon there was trick-or-treating in downtown Corvallis at the businesses there; as a college town, Corvallis still has a thriving little downtown commerce area. We dressed the kid as a sheep this year, and Holy Sheep Poo she was C-U-T-E. By the third business, she had observed enough to know what to do … she walked up to the candy person and opened her bag with an expectant look.

Saturday I took Sam and his friend trick-or-treating, and Vibble hung back with Steve, Debi, and Mike to pass out candy. Sam was a wizard, and we had a nice walk around the cul de sacs of their neighborhood. By the time we got back, Violet was an Old Pro at the candy giveaway concept. Doorbell would ring, she’d pick up the giant bowl of candy, kids would say, “Aw!” when they saw her, then “Trick or treat!” Violet would reply, “Teet teet!” and dole out the candy, to which the kids would say, “Thank you!” and she would reply, “Thank you!” Barfously adorable, no?

We were able to bait-and-switch fruit roll-ups for candy with her, though we could see it would certainly be the last year for THAT. We had gorgeous weather in Corvallis, with the leaves turning and the sun shining a lot, and we enjoyed the visit immensely.

Oh, what’s that? You want to see what? Oh! PHOTOS! Here ya’ go. Oh, and I posted a few more recently over here, too.

Other Baby

November 6th, 2009

The iPhone app Steve made a while back has been getting such wonderful P.R., and with absolutely no help from anyone; it’s just gone out into the world and sincerely impressed the hell out of people. If you’re not playing, you’re missing out. And if you are playing, but you’re not registered to receive online challenges from your friends—and from THIS GIRL—you’re missing out on so damn much I can’t even TELL you.

Anyways, here’s the latest

And here’s even more!