Monday(n) Thoughts

"The cyberest of cyber Mondays" is not $15 off an order of $75, Urban Outfitters.  That's the scammiest of cyber Mondays because we're still forced to pay $50 to get a deal.  Then again, your catalogs are creepy.  So, I'm over you.

Alice is in her room "sleeping."  Today "sleeping" sounds like this, "Ayesh, ah-no-no-no, MMMMMM, Mama-mom, whoa! wha! wha!, ah-bd-bd-bd-bd, bawsh? bawsh?, aaaw, ah-no-no-no-no."

Day 13 of Project Cure Sinus Infection (it was a top-secret FBI project that is now open to the public's knowledge) is in progress, and I'm feeling like I can do things.  Just a few days ago I thought that the land of the living had passed me by, and I would be forever bound to a couch, forced to watch happiness from afar.  But here I am.  Back in the land where dishes can be washed, babies can be cared for, beds can be made, floors can be swept.  I forgot how exhilarating the land of the living can be.

Some might think the Christmas season is here, but in this house we're holding out for advent.  This means that, come yon Saturday, our house will be filled with grand reminders that 'tis the season.  ...even though advent is not a festive time, and really a time of contemplation.  We're not making much sense.  But we live in a culture that doesn't make sense.  So.  There's that.

Alice would like you to know, "Ah-no-no-no-no."

Alice would also like you to know that we will find out the sex of our baby this week!  What do you think it is?  Your options are: a boy or a girl.

Let's all take a moment of pause to appreciate grammar.  Let's all think about the statement, "Well, u new what I ment to say so y does splling matter...................?????"
That's what cave men used to say. Well, at least, that's what they used to grunt.

Thus concludes the thoughts from my head.  Merry Christmas.

Updates on our lives, questions for your life.

What's goin' down in the Roberts' home?  So much.  Are you even ready for this?  Fasten your seat belts.

- Alice has a cold.  :(  She drank out of a snotty-nosed kid's sippy cup on Tuesday, and by Thursday morning had snot running down her poor face.  Would you like to wake up with snot running down your face?

- This was Alice's morning yesterday after breakfast: epsom salt bath, coconut oil massage, comfy clothes, blanket snuggles, warm milk, tucked into the crib for her nap.  Does this sound at all amazing to you?

- I saw my midwife on Wednesday and heard the baby's sweet, quick little heartbeat!  Alice said "whoa" when she heard it.  You would be surprised how popular Alice was in that office.  I felt like I was toting around a little famous person with all the stops we had to make to talk about Alice's age, her cuteness, her smirk, and her cuteness... and her cuteness.  I have no problem with such stops.  Are you as famous as Alice?

- Though I'm 16 weeks along, I'm still a big tired-head, which makes for an untidy house and a general feeling of light chaos.  Hopefully the fountain of blood the doctor took out of me will tell us why I've been tired, and some magic supplement of some sort will give me the boost I'd so love to have.  Do you love getting your blood drawn?

-  I am so glad the election is over!  ...I could say more.  Do you wish you could stand in line to vote again?

- I will always vote the same as my husband votes -- if we as a couple should always be on the same page as one another and value the same principles, we can't see a reason why voting should be an exception.  But I've found that not all couples do this... what do you do and why?

- Alice, being the needy baby she was yesterday (and still is today), just wanted to be held.  So we sat down and watched Mary Poppins together.  Little Alice isn't much of a cuddler (such a busy baby), but when she's sick, that changes.  It was the sweetest and the best (see cuddle photos above).  How do you feel about baby snuggles?  How do you feel about classy nannies who are magical and sing like angels?

This has been the Roberts' family update.  What a wild ride.

It's breakin' my heart, baby!

That's my sweetheart.  She is the most precious sweetie in the world.  And she would never do anything wrong, right?  I.wish.

Alice has developed a new habit: dropping food off her tray.  She drops food off her tray with great intention, grabbing a piece of cheese in her fist, stretching out her arm past the little tray, opening that hand, and letting the cheese faaaall to the floor.  One piece after the other.  We have worked on this food-wasting, disobedient habit, but not much has come of it. I'll sit with her as she stretches out her arm, about to do the dirty deed, and take her wrist, saying "No," then bring her hand back to the tray.  There came a day when I could see it in her eyes -- something clicked.  I said, "No," and Alice stared at me, then shook her head.  "That's right, no-no.  Don't drop your food, Alice.  Keep it here, on your tray."

Since this recognition of "no," Alice has decided to test the power of this word.  Does mom really mean it? She repeats the food-dropping ritual, and I repeat the "no" ritual -- and it has become just that: a ritual!  I knew the day would come and I was dreading it... today happened to be the day that "no" was not enough.

Alice had a tray full of sweet potato chunks smothered in coconut oil.  After a few bites, she decided that dropping them would be more fun.  The ritual ensued and I took her wrist, put it back to the tray, told her no, and offered up the food to her lips.  She shook her head.  Then she eyed me with those knowing eyes, reached out her arm, I gave a "No, Alice," and just as she opened her hand to let that little potato drop, I hit her hand.  It was really more of a firm tap, but it was enough to send the message.  She looked confused and brought her hand up and looked at it, then looked at me.  She didn't look sad, but her eyes were watery -- she was one confused baby and I was one crushed mommy.  Before my heart burst into a million pieces, I brought her face to my lips, kissed her forehead, and said, "I love you."  I took another piece of sweet potato and asked if she was all done.  Her confusion disappeared and she ate the potato, then signed that she was all done.

It was only a few seconds of a first and most mild discipline, and it took seconds for Alice to move on.  She got the picture, didn't drop her food, and was done.  But, my goodness, talk about the worst.

I know that enforcing our words and protecting Alice is one of the most profound ways to show Alice we love her, but that doesn't make it any easier.  Seeing her obey her parents in the Lord will be the greatest reward.

Love you, babsies!  Quit dropping your food, mmkay?