Grape Did It

1.31.10

1.30.10

Pretty sure we're related

Ella had a fajita for dinner last night (well, a fajita/burrito/quesadilla. Am I wrong when I ask what is truly the difference between those three?), but looked at it kind of disappointed before Summer rolled it up to make it look less like a fajita and more like a burrito (SEE MY POINT?)

Ella: I could, like, you know (these are her two favorite phrases right now) eat a burrito for dinner every night.

Me: Me too. Totally.

Ella: I could eat one for lunch too. And one for breakfast.

Me: NO WAY. ME TOO. When you come to visit I'll take you to Chipotle and we'll get you a burrito.

Ella: I would want two.

Me: They're pretty big. I think you could have one and then maybe a second if you were still hungry.

Ella: I would want two.

Me: Yeah.

1.29.10

1.28.10

A worthy cause

For the last year I lived in Blacksburg I worked at the Graduate School of Virginia Tech. My main chore job was to make sure the academics I worked for felt important. I took copious notes on things like whether or not a committee should be established in addition to the standing committee to decide whether a new committee needed to be created. I exaggerate, but only a little. 

But this is totally besides the point. So totally, bitterly besides the point.

The point is that there is now a woman who works there, a woman I only know through a friend, who has been trying for the past 2.5 years to adopt a little girl from Haiti. You can read about her family's story here. 

For the past week or so I, along with a steadily growing group, have been reading and receiving updates on Elizabeth's work and progress in Haiti. She is actually there, on the ground, witnessing the hands-on effects of the catastrophe. And trying to bring her little girl home all at the same time. 

She is staying with a woman named Mona, who is caring for a large number of orphaned children and she passed along the message that they are in dire need of supplies. Largely diapers and wipes. Can you imagine? I told Ella this morning that there were babies who didn't even have diapers and wipes and she offered to send them M&M's, but only the new ones at the store, not the ones in the cupboard that were hers. Fair enough.

The awesome part in all of this is that through grass-roots, word of mouth and social and local media, this couple has surpassed an initial call for help of $2,000 and is approaching the new goal of $4,000. 

So. If you'd like to help maybe even blow that number out of the water, you can do so here. That would also be awesome. 

1.27.10

1.26.10

Because there weren't enough bleeding hearts in the house

So, let's see. Saturday? Sadie began carrying around this little rubber bear she got for Christmas in her stocking. 

Here it is, though you should know it was pretty difficult getting this picture, what with her whining, frantically, the entire time I held it up for the camera. 

And yes, I felt guilty. Still, I think this needs to be documented and who doesn't appreciate a visual?

Anyway, I was quick about it.

But right, she begins carrying this bear around in her mouth and, if I'd been listening to my instincts, I would have acknowledged that this was no ordinary squeaky toy. But instead I took it and threw it. Threw it across the room like A COMMON TOY. BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHE WAS PLAYING.

Copper ran to grab it and that is when I knew something had just gone terribly wrong. Sadie ran frantically from me to Copper, no wait, from HER BABY to me, crying piteously, begging for help. Friends, I may be a tad dramatic and all, but as a new mother I UNDERSTOOD. I suddenly got it. Oh good God I just threw her baby to a dog who's sole intent with any squeaky toy is to DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY.

I rescued it. Him, her, I don't know. Sadie's baby, as we are now calling it. She carries it gently in her mouth, moaning and whining until she's found a safe place to curl herself around her little rubber baby and then she settles in, not even wanting to eat table scraps. I am not kidding. 

Yesterday I drove to Virginia to visit Summer and kids and ALSO NOT KIDDING, Truett woke up at 4:30 this morning, soaked through his diaper. Fun stuff. I took the opportunity to do some good old Googling and found out that this attachment to a toy is pretty common with female dogs and most advice just said to let it run its course. Once the "baby" has "matured" (STILL NOT KIDDING) she will abandon it. Which is probably when I will swoop in and adopt it, as I must, for anything abandoned, but whatever. 

One jackass did recommend removing the baby from her but warned that this might also necessitate doggie tranquilizers. DOGGIE. TRANQUILIZERS. Hey, jackass, I have an idea! How about just letting her mother the toy until she is ready to give it up? No? Best we put her in a straight jacket and lock her away for "hysterical nerves"? What is with old school, bastard advice?

But I digress. For now, there are two babies in the house. 

Looking at our new Sims game cover

Otherwise known as This Will Not End Well.

"Which girl on that cover do I most look like?"

"Uh. Umm." (Otherwise known as Buying Time)

"That one?"

"Which one?"

"That one?"

"WHAT?!"

"Oh my GOD she has a fat face! Are you being serious?"

Silence.

"Come on, really? Here, let me look."

"Oh, wait, she's not that bad looking from this angle."