I guess I can share Veronica's latest accomplishment:

She has been using the potty exclusively now for almost three weeks, only using diapers for overnight and the occasional nap. She just woke up one morning wanting to wear panties instead of a diaper, and other than a few accidents, she hasn't looked back since. She really acts like it's no big deal and that she's been doing it for ages. Huh. It's just like walking: She wasn't serious about it until she had it all figured out. (sigh).

Of course, what would a Veronica accomplishment be without an accompanying anecdote? Here it goes:

We were at a restaurant last night and I told her that if she needed to go potty, to let me know.

"Dey have a potty here?" she asked.

"Yes. Do you have to go?" I asked.

"No." Cranes her neck. "Where de potty?"

"It's WAY in the back, Veronica. It's not, like, over at the next table and out in the open."

"I wanna see."

So I took her back to the restroom. It was empty and had two stalls. I opened each door and showed her the potties. She was satisfied. We immediately went back to our booth.

Next stop: Target. First question asked upon entering the store: "Dey have potties in here?"

She waited until she got home to actually pee. But man, she was fascinated by the thought of potties in various places. Potties at home: old and busted. Toilets in public is the new hotness, apparently. ;-)

I just had to post this. Jason and I are trying to do this amicably, and I don't see why such cute memories should be lost just because I'm sad over other things.

Hello all,

I'm sorry, but there probably won't be any fun updates anytime soon about the cute, wonderful things Veronica does. Jason and I are separating, for good this time, and things are very stressful at home right now. My apologies, and I hope things are running smoothly - at least for Veronica - very soon.

I unwittingly taught Veronica a new phrase recently.

A few nights ago, Veronica pointed to the cover of her Chicken Little DVD box and asked me what one of the characters was doing. I was tired. The character was just standing there, but that wasn't a sufficient response. So "I don't know, I guess he's just hanging out" was my reply.

"Hanging out?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, hanging out," I answered. "It's, um, it's like, when you're standing around talking with your friends and spending time with them and waiting to see what happens. That's hanging out."

And wouldn't you know it: The phrase has now entered her lexicon to hilarious results. Now she'll ask what any sedentary item is doing, and come to the same conclusion. This morning, while Jason got her dressed, was a prime example:

"Where bear?"

"Your bear's on your sofa, Veronica."

"What he doing there? He just hanging out?"

"Yes, Veronica. He's just hanging out."

Veronica then gave him a knowing look, as if to say Yes, that's the conclusion I reached as well.

Somehow, though, she added a modifier. I have no idea where she learned it, but it makes things even more comical. Now a conversation may go like this:

"What dat, Mommy?"

"That's a trash can, Veronica."

"What it doing? It just hanging out someplace?"

And how can I answer that without laughing? Simple. I can't. :-)

Flashing back to the Lamaze class reunion last Sunday:

Catherine (the hostess) has a mini-Moonwalk in the basement for her kids. It's one of those inflatable pits that kids can jump around in. The other kids took to it like fish to water. Veronica, not so much. I asked her if she wanted to go in "the jumping room" and she said no. Later, the conversation went something like this, as she continued playing with Melanie's toy kitchen:

Me: Do you want to go into the jumping room now?

Veronica: No.

M: Are you sure? Looks like a lot of fun...

V: No.

M: It's just like jumping on the bed, Veronica! You like jumping on the bed, don't you?

V: No.

M: Yes you do! You jump on the bed all the time!

V: No. Beds are for sleeping, not for jumping.

And that was the end of THAT. Good lord.

And no, she never went into "the jumping room." (sigh)

Veronica had a wonderful birthday weekend. How do I even begin to describe it?

Friday night: Cupcakes and presents galore from me and Jason, my parents, Coby and Chad, Aunt Cathy, and Debbie. Cards from Jason's family and one from Jeannie holding money for her piggy bank. She liked her presents, every single one, but some favorites emerged:

Orange socks from Coby
A blue skirt and shirt outfit with green trim from Coby
Slipper socks from Coby
The "Finding Nemo" book as part of the LeapFrog system from Debbie
The kitty-cat card from Nanny (my grandmother)

And the two biggies:

The birthday bear from my folks, made just like her ever-present yellow bear; and
A Dora DVD with her face super-imposed over a cartoon body, with Dora saying her name repeatedly, and with all the characters celebrating her birthday, also from my folks. (You can buy these sorts of things from here.)

Saturday she played with Audri and had a great time. They went outside with sidewalk chalk and bubble soap, and Audri got her a Dora and Boots for the bathtub that she will not take a bath without. When the girls were outside, we had them run around in their "bare feet," which they of course heard as "bear feet" and ran around giggling at the state of their tootsies.

Sunday had Veronica and I attending the next Lamaze class reunion, where she befriended Catherine's daughter Melanie and had a good time, albeit playing on her own more than playing with the other kids. They offered cupcakes with plastic rings on them, some adorned with Hello Kitty, some with Batman. Veronica, of course, picked out the Batman ring.

Veronica is probably under the impression that birthday celebrations last three days. And why wouldn't she? Especially when Dora keeps telling her it's her birthday almost every day on the TV.

We finally got Veronica off the Dora kick for a few minutes last night, as Jason, noting her affection for monsters (she adores Monsters, Inc.), put the first LOTR movie in the DVD player for her to view. Lest you think the basic plot went over her head, she started referring to the center of the action as "de monster ring" and giggled gleefully whenever someone turned ghoulish in trying to get it (especially Bilbo's grab for it in Rivendall, we watched that five times.) She yelled "oopsy-daisy!" during the rock troll battle and pointed out every time an Orc was onscreen. She was excited by Galadriel, "de queen!" In short, she loved it. We may view Part II tonight. Good lord, that's Jason's kid to a tee....

That's it for now, and I'd say that's enough. More later, though, as I still think of cute quotes and things happening over the past view days.