About Our Katie » June 2006 Journal Entries » AboutMyBaby - online baby scrapbooks, photo albums, videos, birth and pregnancy announcements

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Thu, Jun 29, 2006 9:30 AM
Yesterday Katie reached a new millennium-style milestone. After putting her to bed, I returned to my desk to do an editing project. When I sat down, I was proud to see that she'd executed her very first Internet search. The search term: /mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Considering that her search returned an overwhelming 1,910 hits, I think it's time to teach her about Boolean logic. That way, when she's a teenager, Katie will be FAR more effective in finding tips about coping with a dorky mother! :-D

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Mon, Jun 26, 2006 8:30 PM
A couple of quick ones:

* As I think I've mentioned, Katie LOVES shoes. She loves moving them around, putting them on her own feet, and even putting them on us. Her latest hijinks involve putting Steve's big sneakers on my feet and my sneakers on his. Katie considers this to be the *pinnacle* of comedy!

* Katie now identifies our various moles as either "poop" or a "boo-boo."

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Thu, Jun 22, 2006 12:15 PM
My parents say that the summer after kindergarten, I was consumed by worry and anxiety about becoming a first-grader. After enduring three long months of my stewing, my father was eager to hear how the actual first day of school went. According to his report, the dinner conversation went something like this:

Dad: So, Susan, how was the BIG FIRST GRADE? Did everything go OK? Do you think you'll be able to do it?

Me: Oh, first grade's going to be easy. But now I'm worried about second.

In truth, not much has changed. I like new challenges, but I like to tackle them in my own way--taking plenty of time to digest and prepare for them. And I still don't like change, or at least the IDEA of it.

So when, a couple of weeks back, Elbow Lane sent home a letter about summer changes--in the teaching staff, the daily routine, and the parking arrangements--I'll admit I felt a twinge of, "But, wait! I like things just the way they are!"

Apparently I'm not the only one who feels that way. Although Katie has been perfectly happy at drop-off and pick-up this week, at home she's been even more prone to outbursts and bad moods. I'm starting to think she's feeling the effects of the changes to her school routine. (If you think that sounds like bunk, remember that she's the one who demands we adhere to assigned seating in the kitchen and family room and assigned BLANKETS while watching TV.)

Thanks to the letter, I already knew that her assistant teacher, Miss Jo, was moving to the infant room and Miss Martha was going to take her place. But this morning I learned from Miss Sue that Nikki, Brett, AND Colin have all been promoted out of Tiny Tots and into Twos. Those three have been with Katie from Day One, so I strongly suspect she's missing them (along with Miss "Doe").

I'm sure that the little Queen of Routine will eventually adjust to these changes. In the meantime, I have something new to think about: how Katie will react when SHE gets promoted to a whole new classroom. Oy vey.

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Tue, Jun 20, 2006 9:30 PM
Ever since the BJ's Wholesale Club opened up just around the corner, we haven't been making weekly runs to Costco anymore. But there's one thing I can't get anywhere but Costco: the Kirkland's Signature baby wipes. (I recommend these over any other wipe out there!) So tonight--as our big "outing"--we took a drive to Costco to get wipes and numerous oh-so-exciting paper products.

Anyway, at first Katie rode in the cart while I pushed it and Steve went off in search of his favorite shorts. Then she insisted on getting down and exploring a bit. Next she wanted to push the cart herself (and she really did push it; I just steered). But when she bumped into her daddy, she wanted to go with him, so I continued meandering through the store.

That's a very longwinded set-up for what I discovered when I made my way to the health and beauty section. Lo and behold, there was Katie (barefoot, I might add!) *pushing* Steve around in circles in a display model of this walker contraption: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11097064&whse=&topnav=&browse=&s=1

When I suggested that perhaps he shouldn't allow her to do that, he laughed and said, "It's OK--she's PRACTICING!" Sigh.

Tonight reminded me of another recent incident, but it was actually at BJ's. That evening, I ran into the store while those two waited in Steve's car. When I came out, they were right at the entrance with Baby wedged in the sunroof and Eminem playing (loud!) on the stereo. I'm sure you can guess who's "The Heavy" in our house. Double sigh.

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Mon, Jun 19, 2006 9:00 PM
Several months back, Danielle and her friend, Angela, predicted that Katie would be a cheerleader. I'm starting to think they might be right. Tonight, while Steve was sitting in his big chair, Katie held his hands and scaled his legs, stomach, chest, and shoulders and then balanced literally on top of his head. I went to get the camera, but once she saw it, she wouldn't do a repeat performance. In fact, rather than posing for a picture, she enjoyed looking at them on the camera's tiny viewer. She spent a lot of time identifying people and waving nostagically at "Dee" and "Meh" in the Florida shots. (And, somehow she figured out how to move through the various photos.)

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Mon, Jun 19, 2006 9:00 PM
Katie had an action-packed day on Saturday.

After submitting applications as "Team Fanelli," Mimi, Andrea, and I were selected to audition for a new game show. So we headed to King of Prussia for our written exam and on-camera interview. While we were there, Katie spent an hour with our neighbors and then the rest of the day with her dad and Uncle Gary. The three of them were trying to watch the planes in the annual Willow Grove Air Show, but unfortunately they didn't see too many!

While outside on the front lawn, Uncle Gary did the unthinkable: He bought Katie a popsicle from the ice-cream man who is continually cruising our street. As Steve said, "Until that moment, she just thought it was a goofy-looking truck that played goofy-sounding music." Leave it to an uncle to spoil a niece! ;-)

Once Team Fanelli returned to our house, we just took it easy the rest of the day. Or, rather, MOST of us took it easy. Katie had Aunt Mimi coming and going, and Katie was loving every minute of it. (Check out the June album and Mimi's comment to see what I mean!)

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Thu, Jun 15, 2006 8:45 AM
Katie demonstrates at least a rote ability to use good manners. Upon receiving something, she will sometimes say "dane-dew." But, even more frequently, when she presents us with something, she announces it as "gay-go" followed almost immediately by "wek-uh." Sometimes she's saying "you're welcome" even before you've had a chance to thank her!

This morning, she insisted on bringing me my "djew" (shoe). I put the right one on and reminded her that I still needed the other. After bringing out the left shoe, she said "gay-go." Then she paused, turned her head in a "what-are-you-forgetting" sort of way, and said "wek-uh?" Which reminded me to say: "Oh! THANK YOU, Katie."

* * *

The last day of Katie's spring-semester "Little Gym" class is this Saturday. I'm somewhat torn about whether or not to sign up for the summer term.

On the one hand, it'd be really nice not to have to be there by 9 a.m. for the next 21 Saturdays--or to shell out another chunk of tuition, which is no bargain.

But, on the other, I see how much she enjoys it and how much it's helping her strength and coordination. I really like the teacher and the approach. And, it's only in the last few weeks that she's started "asking" for gym throughout the week--usually by tapping her knees and singing the "Bye-Bye Song" or by mentioning "ztimp" (the stamps she gets on her belly, feet, and hands at the end of each class).

I suppose I just answered my own dilemma. Now, where's my checkbook...?

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Wed, Jun 14, 2006 11:00 AM
Early this morning, Steve brought Katie in to our room. And the first thing she did (after announcing "Mommy! Daddy!" as part of her perpetual roll call) was point to her arm and say something that started with a "B" sound. We thought she was asking for her bracelet, but she corrected us in a very somber, halted manner: "Buy-ut. Vee-oh. Buy-ut. Kite-ee."

Steve still didn't get it, but I immediately knew what she was talking about. A couple of weeks ago, Katie and Vito were both in the backyard with me. Despite numerous admonitions by yours truly, Katie simply wouldn't back off and leave the cat alone. So he gave her a (completely deserved!) warning nip. He didn't even break the skin, but she reacted as if he'd severed a major artery. Apparently "Kite-ee" is still contemplating the pain and suffering of that single "buy-ut."

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Tue, Jun 13, 2006 1:30 PM
Last night there was a moment of extreme cuteness on Harvard Drive. While out for an after-dinner walk, the three of us bumped into our neighbor, Kevin, and his son, Tyler, who was driving his (toy) John Deere Gator. Katie was very interested in the Gator and seemed to want a ride. We had a few false starts before we figured out what she wanted: to "inspect" the vehicle and sit in the driver's seat. Only after she did those two things would she sit down in the passenger seat for a real ride with Tyler.

With strict instructions to stay in first gear, Tyler drove about 50 or 60 feet. Katie had a look of sheer delight the entire time. When he stopped, we saw Katie giving him an earful (perhaps she was criticizing his driving...LOL). Tyler looked at us with a hilarious facial expression rougly equivalent to "I don't know what the heck this woman's talking about!"

We asked him to bring her back--and he was eager to do so, since it meant he could resume driving at a greater speed. (He really is quite good at shifting and maneuvering the Gator.) Katie, of course, wasn't so eager for the fun to end, so we had to quickly head in for a bath!

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Thu, Jun 8, 2006 9:00 AM
We're more than midway through Gran and Paw-Paw's visit, so I figured I should provide a quick update.

For a week before my parents arrived, I was talking to Katie about how Gran and Paw-Paw would be coming to see her. After getting her bath on Sunday night, she and I perched at the windows in our guest room, waiting for their arrival. When they pulled in and got out of their car, Katie transformed into a human pinball, squealing and bouncing off of everything!

Although she wouldn't go to Paw-Paw, she practically dove to Gran. It's funny -- she still won't go to him as much as she does to Gran. But whenever she sees him in the other room or at a distance (for instance, while we were waiting in the car for him to walk back), Katie laughs while pointing and saying "Paw-Paw! Paw-Paw!"

Last night the four of us went for water ice while Steve had a late conference call. We made the mistake of getting only three, assuming that Gran and Katie could share one. Wrong. Katie ended up taking over that cup and let Gran have just a couple of bites. When Paw-Paw finished his, Gran asked for his spoon and tried to serve herself from Katie's cup. Wrong again. Katie shook her head, said "no," and promptly called for Paw-Paw so he would take his spoon back. (After he did, he went back to the window and ordered a new cup for poor Gran.)

P.S. Happy Birthday, Gran/Mom!

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Fri, Jun 2, 2006 12:00 PM
On Tuesday evening, Steve casually asked me whether or not he had a haircut appointment this week. Apparently Katie was listening, because she responded by touching her own hair and saying, "Mine." When we asked if SHE wanted a haircut, too, she said "Cut!" while nodding enthusiastically.

It wasn't a fluke. The appointment was last night, and you've never seen someone so excited to get into that salon chair. She sat there on her dad's lap like the Queen of Sheba--loving every minute of it. (The only thing she didn't like was when Steve's stylist, Gina, whipped out the dryer and diffuser. Katie clearly objected to that, so she went home with a wet head full of "moo.")

Last night's episode reminded me of a larger issue/question I've been contemplating lately. Considering how infrequently Katie sees me apply makeup or style my hair, it's amazing how interested she is in anything related to beauty. For example, she loves to apply lotions (baby lotion, sunblock, and sometimes even imaginary creams!) to herself and her baby. She also loves to get her hands on my makeup and jewelry (and her own accessories, too, for that matter). The other day as she was sitting on my bathroom sink, she pulled out a big makeup brush and started "applying powder" to her face. The really scary part was that she was looking at herself in the mirror as she was doing it--just like a grown-up would.

As a kid, I liked all this stuff, too. In fact, I used to desperately wish my mother would be more "girly." Other ladies at our church had fancy clothes, lots of makeup, and manicured nails--but not my mom. I always swore I'd be like those other ladies. Ironically, now that I'm an adult--and especially now that I'm a working-from-home mom--I find most of it falls to the bottom of my list of priorities, too.

Yet, despite my own lack of attention to the girly realm, my daughter exhibits this apparently in-born love of what my dad would call "foo foo." Not that it really matters, but I sometimes wonder: Will she be fascinated with this stuff as a kid and frustrated with me for being too plain--yet end up being just as plain herself when she grows up...?

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