tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38263292011-08-01T18:31:03.557-04:00A journey into every new unknown of motherhood.Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.comBlogger3121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-74776048182596314812008-04-09T12:52:00.002-04:002008-04-09T12:56:16.821-04:00

Sometimes Veronica has a slightly different take on life than the rest of us. Case in point:A stray tomcat has been hanging about our door, and we've fed him once. He's quite friendly and Veronica is absolutely beside herself when he arrives. So yesterday morning, I ask her what she'd like to name the kitty. And she said:"I wanna call him Person, 'cas he doesn't know what he is!" And then

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-76362389807267182602008-03-19T15:23:00.002-04:002008-03-19T15:33:18.476-04:00

One thing I never expected about parenthood is how those little milestones can sneak up on you...how your child uses a potty just once and then it seems she's been doing it for years...how one step so quickly turns into hundreds...And now that I expect this slow, steady crawl towards maturity, it surprises me when it comes all at once.Case in point:Two nights ago, Veronica and I were at Target,

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-16959547394801354482008-02-11T22:12:00.000-05:002008-02-11T22:21:21.309-05:00

There's a certain phrase that I believe all parents will utter at some point or another. I got my chance about a week ago.Veronica heads upstairs to go potty. If it's just peeing, she doesn't need my help for any reason; she's big enough to handle the process on her own, thanks. So when she hollers for me, I can't understand why:"Mommy! I need you!""What?""I need you! Come up here!""What for

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-67520227513823740822007-11-05T14:42:00.000-05:002007-11-05T14:55:44.329-05:00

Veronica strikes again.First off, Veronica's favorite band right now is Shiny Toy Guns. While she was with Jason this weekend, he was not surprised to hear her singing along with their music as she sat in the backseat. However, he WAS surprised when he looked back and saw that she was sound asleep, eyes closed, slack-jawed, and singing along in her sleep. Told you she likes them!Secondly,

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-85511836395825883112007-10-09T13:39:00.000-04:002007-10-09T13:45:53.609-04:00

I have to record one of the games we play.After Veronica's bath or shower, I wrap her up in a hooded towel and sit her on my lap. Most of the time, as I'm drying her off this way, she says something along the lines of "Let's play hide and you don't know!" She's usually so excited that the request never comes out right, but I know exactly what she means.She covers her face by pulling both sides

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-35320934561402406612007-10-07T10:49:00.000-04:002007-10-07T10:50:42.752-04:00

Jason picked up Veronica from my apartment yesterday morning. As I started to go back inside the apartment, Veronica gleefully shouted, in only the way a four-year-old can,"Bye, Mommy! Have fun being alone all by yourself!"*sigh*

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-86862592550836054812007-09-24T15:50:00.001-04:002008-12-09T19:35:30.696-05:00

I know, it's been forever since the last post. We've been busy.Notes on Veronica:She is a natural born storyteller. She makes up elaborate tales involving her toys, and her dreams, and what's happening in picture books that have not yet been read to her...and even the ones that have. If she doesn't know the reason for something, she tries to come up with one. It's amazing.Veronica has resumed

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-23237313876773558962007-07-17T11:40:00.000-04:002007-07-17T11:57:16.213-04:00

Veronica, age 4, has entered a new stage of development:Scheming.A couple mornings ago, Veronica said she wanted to go to her friend Caleb's house to play. As it's rude to invite yourself to a playdate, I asked if she would like it if Caleb came to her house to play. She replied, "No, I'm afraid he'll be mean to me." Which of course, led me to ask, "Then why do you want to go to his house?" And

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-69940538916782157212007-06-11T13:43:00.000-04:002007-06-11T13:47:51.774-04:00

One evening last week, I told Veronica it was bedtime, after several warnings that it was imminent. Although she had promised to go to bed without fuss, naturally she instead threw a fit and started kicking the floor. Then she decided to play her game called "Family":"No, I'm the mommy and you're the kid!" she shouted. "You go to bed and I stay up!"I decided to play along."I'm the kid and

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-17278883915733577822007-06-03T21:06:00.000-04:002007-06-03T21:29:50.617-04:00

I know, it's been too long. I shall correct by listing Veronica bon mots over the past month or so:At school one day, she tells Miss Bryce that something is "stupid":Bryce: You shouldn't say "stupid," Miss V. Where did you hear that word?Veronica: Daddy.Bryce: OK...do you even know what that means?Veronica: It means people who can't drive right.Jason sits on the sofa where Veronica was

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-38941583608146013622007-05-08T10:06:00.000-04:002007-05-08T10:18:44.525-04:00

Better late than never to mention that Veronica turned 4 on April 28. Wow. I cannot believe how fast she is growing up.Her birthday celebration started out with her opening presents at our place with Jason present. Then we all went to Red Robin for lunch and to eat her cake, a beautiful confection made by my friend Michael from work. The day was capped off by a trip to the zoo, where we got to

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-68967377519067186362007-04-17T10:41:00.000-04:002007-04-17T10:48:38.456-04:00

Veronica has started asking the tough questions. Like where is Pita, and what does it mean she died? Is she in another house? Is she on another planet? Listening to Regina Spektor and wondering why she keeps saying "it breaks my heart". Asking why she may never have the baby brother she wants. And so on, and so forth.But the worst has to be her recent re-viewings of the movie "Ice Age."

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-62122128727781061452007-04-04T11:14:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:35:31.340-05:00

On Saturday Veronica and I headed to the local community center, as Jason had told me there would be free fingerprinting and DNA kits for the first 100 kids there. Morbid to think about, but I definitely wanted to take advantage of the offer.It turns out it was part of a big Easter festival there, with games for the kids and a few food and raffle booths. And one large room with four Easter

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-25304213165941129562007-04-04T11:09:00.000-04:002007-04-04T11:11:44.961-04:00

Never underestimate a preschooler's memory...A few days ago, Jason took Veronica to Barnes & Noble. While they were walking past the books Veronica stopped, looked at the cover of one, and said "Mommy likes that. She read it on the plane. She says it's a good book."The book she was pointing at? "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama...which I was, indeed, reading on the planes to and from

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-69814969095399845702007-03-27T13:49:00.000-04:002007-03-27T13:58:09.953-04:00

Last night Veronica and I were playing together. Oh my, did I ever hear some interesting things.Veronica is coloring and telling me about kids in her class. "Caleb's the boss," she said. "Oh, Caleb's the boss?" I asked. "Yeah, he's the boss, and then I'M the boss of Caleb." He he he....Then we're playing dolls on the kitchen floor (the "dolls" being two Littlest Pet Workshop animals and the

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-6842246141457733622007-03-16T14:36:00.000-04:002007-03-16T14:49:24.382-04:00

The other night Veronica was being quite silly while we were reading a Dora book before bedtime. When asked where something or someone was on the page, she would point to ANYTHING that was NOT what was requested. And grinned in an ornery fashion. Hence, I said "Veronica, you're so ornery!"And she replied, "Yeah, I just don't know what they're gonna do with me." I had a hard time finishing the

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-11310916617658371002007-02-12T12:28:00.000-05:002007-02-07T21:43:41.728-05:00

As Jason's car wasn't running this weekend, we ran a few errands together. At one point, he dropped me off at Kroger to turn in a prescription, and then drove Veronica to Tim Horton's for a snack.At some point during their sojourn, Veronica uttered "Oh, dammit!" Which is one I haven't heard from her before, and neither has he. Jason told her, "Veronica, you can't say that word yet. That's a

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-23499575619610661482007-02-07T21:39:00.000-05:002007-02-04T02:29:05.020-05:00

Veronica is working on a puzzle of the United States. As she's been playing this game frequently (well, she sits on my lap and I place the states), she's beginning to learn some of the states. Ohio is where we live! Grandma and Grandpa live in West Virginia! Debbie's in Arizona! And so on and so forth, including places where we know no one, such as Kentucky. So on her puzzle tonight, she

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-83823829047645745612007-02-03T16:07:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:35:33.533-05:00

OK, a pictorial of our trip to Arizona.First off, Veronica quickly adapted to airline travel, simply adoring the rush of take-off and the "bumps" of landing. Debbie was there when we landed in Tucson. Our first stop was even before we'd gotten to her house, at the nearby Mission San Xavier de Bac. It was beautiful, and Veronica enjoyed the artwork, especially posing by a statue of Our Lady of

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-61730912068738749402007-01-13T22:02:00.000-05:002007-01-13T22:08:06.758-05:00

Veronica just walked up to me and said, appropo of nothing, "Pita thought I was a kitty cat.""Really?" I said with a grin. "Why do you think that?""'Cas she licked me an'...an'....I was de mommy.""Oh, so she thought you were the mommy kitty cat?""Yeah," Veronica said, and added rather vehemently, "I'm not the mommy! I'm not a kitty cat, I human!"I'm about to bust out laughing at this point, and

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-61380612454057751882007-01-13T17:42:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:35:34.753-05:00

Veronica reached a milestone I never did: Her first Easy-Bake Oven cake. Yeah, I did most of the work, but she stirred the batter and decorated it with colored sugar. Then we ate it. It tasted like a cookie, not a cake, but she was so proud. And frankly, so was I:Then last week, Jason had Veronica a couple evenings, resulting in a haircut and a trip to the bead shop. When Veronica got home, she

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-23313183518986060702007-01-02T15:26:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:35:35.485-05:00

My little Veronica can be so sweet. Like when I showed her that I purchased new bath paints for her over the weekend, she exclaimed, "Oh, thank you, Mommy!" so sincerely that you'd think I gave her the world instead.Which makes last night's session of diva poses, all done with a giggle, even funnier: These are the best of the 14 or so pictures taken. After every one or two, she wanted to see

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1166922672907515002006-12-23T20:10:00.000-05:002006-12-23T20:11:12.923-05:00

The latest?Veronica wishing everyone a "Fleece Nobby-Dob."He he he...

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1166674457480553902006-12-20T23:06:00.000-05:002006-12-20T23:14:17.496-05:00

I know, it's been a while. The holidays and all the chaos surrounding them are at least partly to blame. But here are a few notes:Veronica's favorite excuses for not doing something:"I'm too busy.""I'm scared. Of monsters.""In a few mimetts."She loves making the Christmas ornaments "talk" to one another. Sometimes they ask each other what they want for Christmas. Did you know the baby Jesus

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1163706111183670862006-11-16T14:39:00.000-05:002006-11-16T14:41:51.200-05:00

I think they need to mix up the media for the kids' artwork at Veronica's preschool.Last night Jason stopped by for a visit and was telling Veronica about DNA and life and whatnot. She was fascinated ("De ABC's are alive?!") as much as she could be. At one point, Jason said that all life is here to make new life. "You know, Mommy and Daddy made you," he said, without going into unnecessary

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1162679511441059652006-11-04T17:25:00.000-05:002006-11-04T17:31:51.456-05:00

It's a long set-up, so I'll just cut to the chase:A few days ago, Veronica was sobbing as if her heart would break, because I'm not an astronaut and can't take her to the moon.{sigh}It's hard being three years old.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1162572775852257612006-11-03T11:39:00.000-05:002006-11-03T11:52:55.870-05:00

Um, at what point did my daughter become a rock star?When Veronica walks into her classroom at school most days, a gaggle of other little kids tend to drop their toys and run over to greet her. They make over anything she shows them, even if it's just a rock (and that's no exagerration, btw.) Some of them try to hug and even kiss her good-bye in the evenings, to which she pushes them away

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1161705543515004682006-10-24T11:57:00.000-04:002006-10-24T11:59:03.536-04:00

A frog is an animal that hops. It says, "ribbit ribbit."So according to Veronica logic, as a bunny is an animal that hops, it says..........."rabbit rabbit."I'm totally not making this up. And yes, I lose it about every time I hear it.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1161392970343422642006-10-20T21:08:00.000-04:002006-10-20T21:09:30.360-04:00

Veronica has started coloring inside the lines! At 3 and a half! Hell, I didn't even get this skill down until...um, probably about a year ago. ;-) So, so proud of her.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1160594133646626182006-10-11T15:07:00.000-04:002006-10-11T15:15:33.670-04:00

A month has passed, almost, since the last post, and within this time frame Veronica has a couple more interesting moments:A few nights ago I was trying to get her to go to bed, and she was insisting I leave the lamp on the nightstand turned on. I refused. "Your body will get confused and think it's daylight, and you won't go to sleep." "But I want the light on!" she whined."Look, if you want,

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1158116451848352282006-09-12T22:57:00.000-04:002006-09-12T23:00:51.860-04:00

Veronica is very good at stalling for bedtime, but a couple nights ago, she was honestly trying to get some sleep when she got the hiccups. Frustrated, she called me upstairs and asked me to make them stop. I gave her a cup of water and then, when that effort naturally proved fruitless, I racked my brain trying to think of how to get a three-year-old to relax and get rid of this problem, or at

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1156823132027744362006-08-28T23:39:00.000-04:002006-08-28T23:45:32.043-04:00

Veronica was upstairs playing tonight and told me to go downstairs. I started checking my e-mail. Sometimes she just likes playing by herself.Minutes later, she starts down the stairs and says "Mommy! I have a surprise for you!" So I close my eyes and tell her to let me know when I can open them - oh, and be careful going down those stairs. (I AM a mom, you know.)When she said "you can open

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1156451494593441782006-08-24T16:25:00.000-04:002006-08-24T16:31:34.606-04:00

Now that Veronica and I are getting settled into our new apartment and new routinue, there are some things that she has taken to doing:First off, our next-door neighbor has a very beat-up van with a huge dent in the front passenger-side grill. Veronica likes looking at the "broke truck" and asks why it's broke. "He probably hit another car or something else with it," I answer. To which she

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1154879021179950342006-08-06T11:40:00.000-04:002006-08-06T11:43:41.190-04:00

Well, Veronica and I have moved into our own apartment. So far, she's adjusting rather well - some issues with getting her to take her bath and go to bed, but I think she's just testing the waters in a new locale, trying to see what rules apply in the new house.You know she's stalling bedtime, though, when this happens:I am downstairs, her bedroom is upstairs. I have already come up there

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1153767499610658942006-07-24T14:52:00.000-04:002006-07-24T14:58:19.623-04:00

At some point, some day, your child will say or do something to really embarrass you in public. Every parent knows it.Well, my day has come. Veronica now refers to all adults she sees, and whose names she doesn't know, as either "old man" or "old woman." Let's give a prime example on our way back from West Virginia yesterday: We stop at a rest area. We're alone in the vending machine building

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1153013424660091592006-07-15T21:26:00.000-04:002006-07-15T21:30:24.673-04:00

Veronica loves taking baths right now, not for the actual bathing so much as the playing with toys in the water that follows. Here's the exchange that took place tonight about 20 minutes after the actual washing was done:Me: You're cold, honey. Time to get out.Veronica: No! I not cold!Me: Yes you are, you're shivering. Shivering means you're cold.Veronica: I not shiv'ring.Me: Yes you are

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1152737460942516602006-07-12T16:43:00.000-04:002006-07-12T16:51:00.953-04:00

Bad news, good news.Bad news: Poor little Veronica is having bowel issues. She's constipated to the point I had to take her to the doctor yesterday. She has a prescription laxative now but she's still not in great shape, still crying about her butt and her tummy hurting. I feel awful for her and just want to give her a hug right now.Good news: Her imagination is quite...odd. Pretend play is

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1152547322076922282006-07-10T11:56:00.000-04:002006-07-10T12:02:02.086-04:00

Janus the cat has been running around and tripping us now for over a year. You go to pet him, and he bites you. He scratches every surface of the house except, of course, for his scratching post. He chews on Veronica's toys. And starting last week, he's been pooping in the master bedroom. And no, that's not where the litter box is located.So yesterday, after some discussion, we took him to

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1151609164909929462006-06-29T15:21:00.000-04:002006-06-29T15:26:04.920-04:00

As Veronica is three years old, she is prone to the (not-so-)occasional meltdown. And usually, said meltdown will be caused by the most trivial of matters, such as her desire to see "The Wiggles" when it is not on TV and we do not have it on DVD or video. Or, her desire to wear a certain shirt or pair of jammies that are in the dirty laundry. Or her inability to open the screen door by herself

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1150991946041723962006-06-22T11:57:00.000-04:002006-06-23T12:07:53.446-04:00

Veronica loves to sing. She has a very limited repertoire, but I love her wording on the songs she does know. Especially since she cannot start a word with the letter “S” yet.And now, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” as sung by Veronica:Tween-kull tween-kull widdle tarHow I wun-ner what you areBuppabove de whorl so highWike a die-mun in de kieTween-full tween-kull widdle tarHow I wun-ner what you

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1149800185972033252006-06-08T16:48:00.000-04:002006-06-08T16:56:25.990-04:00

Veronica and I were playing last night with her toys, and the subject of her upcoming visit to her grandparents came up in conversation. She confirmed that Janus the cat wasn't going.Then she said, "Pita died." "Yes," I said, "Pita died. I used to take her to your grandma and grandpa's house, though. She was allowed to go."Veronica got excited. "Pita at Grandma and Grandpa house!" she said."

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1149282938642778892006-06-02T17:14:00.000-04:002006-06-02T17:15:38.653-04:00

I'm in sort of a slump, but wanted to let everybody reading this know that Veronica is doing well, and is growing up a bit more every day.And here, a picture fix of her wearing a rain hat belonging to my friend Sara's husband Jay. Too cute.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1148494166913946202006-05-24T14:06:00.000-04:002006-05-24T14:09:26.923-04:00

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.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1148393072530278742006-05-23T10:03:00.000-04:002006-05-23T10:04:32.546-04:00

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.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1147377765175966442006-05-11T15:55:00.000-04:002006-05-11T16:07:18.306-04:00

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. "

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1146845399355779782006-05-05T12:05:00.000-04:002006-05-05T12:09:59.366-04:00

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

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1146775817171099592006-05-04T16:37:00.000-04:002006-05-04T16:50:17.183-04:00

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 CobyA blue skirt and shirt outfit

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1146251382612244312006-04-28T15:04:00.000-04:002006-04-28T15:09:42.626-04:00

Happy third birthday, Veronica!So far she's opened up her box with two Disney t-shirts, preferring the Buzz Lightyear one over the Tinkerbell one. That's my girl. ;-) She also liked her Disney princess bracelet and loved the polished rocks Jason and I bought her at COSI. More presents and cupcakes tonight. :-)Last week I told her that her birthday was soon. "I get flowers!" she said. I was

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1146156998406641442006-04-27T12:49:00.000-04:002006-04-27T12:56:38.416-04:00

Last night I was chasing Veronica around the house as "the tickle monster" when she stopped abruptly and announced that she wanted to sit on the potty and pee. Of course I took her in there, where she pulled down her little yellow shorts and I helped her out of her diaper. But here's the amazing part: She actually peed!!! A LOT, actually. Jason measured it. She peed over a cup. How can she

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1145841134658792222006-04-23T21:03:00.000-04:002006-04-23T21:12:14.670-04:00

Veronica's recital with her tumbling class was this weekend, and oh boy. We didn't know what to expect. Just standing there, or trying to run offstage, or even tears - we were expecting the worst.What we got, however, was Veronica marching up the steps up the stage with Audri, standing right next to her right in the middle of the stage, and following the instructions to a T. The first thing

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1145564660086505052006-04-20T16:13:00.000-04:002006-04-20T16:24:20.096-04:00

Happy 31st Birthday, Jason!Being that we are low on funds at the moment, a birthday celebration was not planned. However, last night Veronica and I headed to the mall, JCPenney gift card in hand (left over from Christmas), while Jason mowed the lawn. After purchasing Veronica two sets of spring pajamas, we had $6.76 left on the gift card. I was determined to use it to get Jason something.So

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1145301250987855632006-04-17T15:08:00.000-04:002006-04-17T15:14:10.996-04:00

Just a quick rund0wn, before I forget, about our weekend:Saturday had Anne, Ben, and Zane visiting with us. The kids loved playing with each other. We went to The Great Indoors and Veronica and Zane walked through the store with us, holding each other's hands and trying to cause mischief by dashing in and out of the rugs hanging from the walls. We went out to eat and played at a park with them

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1145237298852015132006-04-16T21:25:00.000-04:002006-04-16T21:28:18.863-04:00

Veronica's take on halitosis on this fine Easter Sunday:Veronica was watching Jason apply deodorant and asked what he was doing. Jason explained that as you get older, certain parts of your body get stinky, like your underarms. "Your mouth can even get stinky, here, smell," he said, and as he hadn't brushed his teeth yet, he blew some breath in her face. Then he said, "Did you smell that?"

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1145148306865940992006-04-15T20:41:00.000-04:002006-04-15T20:45:06.876-04:00

A few days ago, Veronica was vexed that her favorite hat was in the backseat, near the door, far out of her reach from the carseat. I was sitting next to her on the other side, and it an attempt to divert her attention, I started asking her about the stamps on her hands. (They're rewards for participating in her weekly tumbling class.) I said, "What's on your hands, Veronica? Are those stars?

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1145062961681508882006-04-14T21:00:00.000-04:002006-04-14T21:02:41.690-04:00

Yay!Veronica pooped on her potty tonight!Time to log off and call Grandma and Grandpa.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1144957431382678872006-04-13T15:43:00.000-04:002006-04-13T15:43:51.393-04:00

A phrase Jason probably never thought he'd say:"Bad girls wipe boogers on the sofa. Good girls wipe boogers on the tissue."He he he....

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1144891964277752252006-04-12T21:22:00.000-04:002006-04-12T21:32:44.286-04:00

One post at a time for the events of the past few days. Right now, a post about last night.Veronica has quite the knack for stalling her bedtime. Every night she comes up with new and more clever ways of doing so. Last night she sat up in bed, still wearing the little sun hat she'd been wearing most of the day and holding her yellow bear, and wove a story before me. It went a little something

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1144714932656870982006-04-10T20:15:00.000-04:002006-04-10T20:22:12.670-04:00

More potty training fun. I've been putting Veronica in "big-girl underwear" in the evenings, whenever we get the chance. Tonight she was playing in the living room and peed. So off we go to the bathroom, where Veronica is sitting on her potty, I'm using the toilet as a makeshift chair, and Jason's standing in the doorway should we need anything. The wet clothes are off of Veronica, and she's

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1144510037594054522006-04-08T11:25:00.000-04:002006-04-08T11:50:03.626-04:00

So as Veronica likes to dance and hear music, Jason came up with the bright idea last night to play our Spike Jonze video collection on DVD. For the most part, she loved it.Her favorites, and the references will make sense if you've ever seen the video:"California" by Wax ("Wanna see de guy wif de fire! He a firebender?")"Feel the Pain" by Dinosaur Jr. ("Wanna see de ball in de water!")"Weapon of

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1144419370686878582006-04-07T10:11:00.000-04:002006-04-07T10:16:10.700-04:00

Some things you just don't expect to hear as a parent. Take, for instance, my conversation with Veronica yesterday after preschool:Me: How was your day, Veronica? Did you go outside today?Veronice: Max put rocks in my diaper.Me: What? Max put rocks in your diaper?Veronica: Yeah. Max put rocks in my diaper. They COLD.Me: They were cold?Veronica: Yeah. An' Michelle changed me. I said

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1144376489421411542006-04-06T21:53:00.000-04:002006-04-06T22:21:29.450-04:00

Of course, Veronica's vocabulary is growing. But every now and again, you get some bizarre little words and phrases that pop up.The one that came up tonight was Veronica telling me "you a silly woman!" What? Yeah, the whole "you silly!" has come up several times, but where the hell did she learn to call me "woman"? Cute, accurate, and disconcerting all at the same time.The other is her use

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1144106299406984772006-04-03T19:12:00.000-04:002006-04-03T19:18:19.420-04:00

Poor Veronica. It stormed last night, pretty hard as a matter of fact, and she was terrified of the thunder. I've never quite seen her that scared of something, most likely because she just couldn't explain it.So something happened last night that has never happened before in her almost 3 years:She slept in bed with us.It wasn't idyllic; I had to take off my CPAP mask eventually, unable to get

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1143566624820206272006-03-28T12:13:00.000-05:002006-03-28T12:23:44.836-05:00

Veronica's current favorite movie is Chicken Little, which didn't get very good reviews but I actually like it. It has a good story and the voice casting was excellent; the animation could've been better, but I've been spoiled by Pixar.She's learned two things as a result of this film that just melt my heart (too long to explain if you haven't seen the film, just go rent it if you want to figure

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1143426423895255932006-03-26T21:25:00.000-05:002006-03-26T21:27:03.906-05:00

Today Veronica decided that her rock collection would best be stored in the left-side sofa cushions. Tonight when I tried to clean them up, she vehemently protested. So I guess that's where they belong now. At least, until she goes to bed.Oooooo-kay, then.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1143322468493872152006-03-25T16:33:00.000-05:002006-03-25T16:34:28.506-05:00

Jason figured out a solution to our medicine woes: He mixes the amoxicillin into her lemonade. It takes her a while, but she always finishes it.*whew*

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1143252569363864752006-03-24T20:55:00.000-05:002006-03-24T21:09:29.376-05:00

You know, it's good to have a child who has her own mind. Except when you're trying to medicate her.She's on amoxicillin for her strep throat but hates the taste. So every time we need to give it to her, a battle ensues. All the following elements are present: Screaming, flailing, more glass-shattering screaming, going limp, going stiff, protests of "I no wike dat! Let me go! Not 'til

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1143059329244047712006-03-22T15:22:00.000-05:002006-03-22T15:28:49.256-05:00

OK, I can't believe I forgot this:You like to think your kid is special, that she's way different than others her age. But some things are a constant:1. Irrational fears;2. Lack of inborn empathy; and3. Amusment at bodily functions.And I can sum up all three of these observations in one story.Last night Veronica was too afraid to go to bed, claiming monsters would get her. The monsters live in

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1143048793637059422006-03-22T12:28:00.000-05:002006-03-22T12:33:13.646-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, but we've been...stressed.Saturday saw a play date at our house for Veronica and Audri. They had a very good time. Probably the cutest was when they said monsters were after them and ran around the house shrieking. I know, sounds awful, but I guess you just had to be there.Veronica woke up at 4:30 a.m. Monday morning, though, with a fever and complaining of a

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1142300796003089622006-03-13T20:34:00.000-05:002006-03-13T20:46:36.016-05:00

Well, we had a couple strange phrases spoken in Chez Warren today, and both of them involved bodily functions. Wheeee...First off, we're upping the potty ante, as Veronica's beloved friend Audri got moved up to the next preschool class today, because (1) she is three and (2) she is potty-trained. Veronica is now quite anxious to become a "Polar Bear" so we had some potty time this evening.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1142144595390549552006-03-12T01:16:00.000-05:002006-03-12T01:25:29.513-05:00

It's late but I wanted to take note of Veronica's temper. When she approves of something, she's pretty nonchalant about it. But when she disapproves, she's downright vehement.Let's say she's playing with her Fisher Price Little People - which she calls her "peoples" - and you tell her it's time for bed. This is something you might hear:NO! I no want to! Not 'til waiter! Not yet! I pway peoples!

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1141697498840534832006-03-06T21:06:00.000-05:002006-03-06T21:11:38.850-05:00

Veronica has two little phrases that Jason and I each find adorable. I had to note them for posterity.First, my favorite: Veronica will look through photo albums, and she has the same moniker for both her first birthday party and a rather posh wedding we attending over a year ago: Cake party. "Dat a cake party!" she'll exclaim. Where on Earth she heard that, I don't know, but to know that,

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1141522457355945502006-03-04T20:28:00.000-05:002006-03-04T20:44:48.486-05:00

This is totally a Jason thing:Veronica has some rubber duckies - a big one in a Santa hat, and two babies, one with a pink pin on its diaper, the other with a blue one. She also has this toy octopus that has tentacles you can detatch and reattatch. Trust me, this is all coming together momentarily:While playing with her toys tonight, she had one tentacle become a "monster" that was trying to eat

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1141322749835655152006-03-02T12:58:00.000-05:002006-03-02T13:05:49.846-05:00

Veronica has pinkeye again, and still has a nasty cough. She hates her eyedrops, even though she loves the blown-up photo of bacteria that now serves as the wallpaper on our computer. She sees the picture and says "Dat what eye drops kill!", proving that she's listened to Jason's little science lesson but hasn't exactly put it into theory. Or maybe she LIKES the idea of little creatures living

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1141001753028742542006-02-26T19:52:00.000-05:002006-02-26T19:57:30.620-05:00

Not much to say, just a great day. Went to Easton, where Veronica was enthralled by the fountain, where we sat and observed while eating Chinese food. Then we hit Barnes N' Noble, where Veronica found a Dora book and a Teen Titans coloring book. In between, she held Jason's hand and ran with him - her favorite thing to do. And now she's playing with her crayons and watching Teen Titans.Nothing

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1140918791746006732006-02-25T20:50:00.000-05:002006-02-25T20:53:11.756-05:00

Well, this is new:Veronica is in her bedroom with Jason, playing with her Fisher Price Little People and assorted other little toys. She is making her toy talk to Jason's toy, which is nothing new. What IS new is that she's using different voices now for the toys she's playing with.Huh.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1140494075329081862006-02-20T22:38:00.000-05:002006-02-20T22:56:40.656-05:00

We finally found out the meaning of Veronica's hilarious fascination with the door in the bathroom. I was walking in the other night while Jason was giving her a bath, and managed to hit my arm on the door so hard that I almost yelled a very foul profanity right there in front of her. The door reverberated and Veronica laughed, but for some reason she thought I had ran into it with my rear end

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1140395299633901092006-02-19T19:23:00.000-05:002006-02-19T19:28:19.646-05:00

Um, our kid's been giving us some head scratchers lately.Tonight, after a good round of her hiding under her blankets and urging us to find her, Veronica started giggling uncontrollably and saying that the following things were funny: The bathroom door, Mommy's pee-pee, and Mommy's butt. Aw gee, what every woman wants to hear. :-P She kept running in and out of the bathroom, laughing so hard

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1139937880309611342006-02-14T12:17:00.000-05:002006-02-14T12:24:40.320-05:00

Well, Veronica had some synapses firing last night.We're in the car and Jason and I are in mid-conversation when Veronica pipes up from the backseat with this query:"What you thinking about, Mommy? My bear?"I stifled a laugh. "No, Veronica, I wasn't thinking about your bear."She then goes on to describe said bear to me, mostly using the word "yellow" as that's what color said bear is.We stop to

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1139707043790512122006-02-11T20:11:00.000-05:002006-02-11T20:17:23.800-05:00

So tomorrow is Veronica's friend Audri's third birthday. Audri's parents decided to have their parents and other family members come in today for a little party. Being that they didn't want a big party with a houseful of little kids, they told Audri she could have one friend come over to play. And who did Audri say she wanted to visit? You guessed it. Veronica.So Alicia and Ryanan (Audri's

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1139246040495697082006-02-06T12:05:00.000-05:002006-02-06T21:31:20.500-05:00

I cannot believe what Veronica said yesterday.Jason had given her one of her gummy-candy vitamins, which she normally scarfs down immediately. Yesterday, however, she just held it in her hands and licked it. As this is a prime set-up for a gooey mess, Jason and I told her repeatedly to either eat it or throw it away.Jason then says "Last time, kid: Eat it or throw it away, or I'm taking it away."

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1139120277712029712006-02-05T01:04:00.000-05:002006-02-05T01:17:57.723-05:00

I know, it's late. But I wanted to just take time to note that Veronica is growing up so much lately, and it's in the oddest way to try and describe. She just seems to understand so much more now.One of the most heartwrenching examples recently was when we were trying to get her tucked into bed the other night. She hates being covered up, but it's been cold at night recently and she's been

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1138852943892294272006-02-01T22:53:00.000-05:002006-02-01T23:02:23.903-05:00

Thank god for Bambi.Mom played the DVD for Veronica last week. Now, she'd never found it very interesting before, but apparently she changed her mind. Maybe Mom suggested it, and trust me, my mom can be very persuasive to the toddler set. Don't ask me how she does it.Now Veronica's watched Bambi about a dozen times at least. Her favorite character is Thumper. She calls one of her toy rabbits

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1138764592151626982006-01-31T22:24:00.000-05:002006-01-31T22:33:49.616-05:00

So, Veronica is a spirited kid. That's putting it politely, actually. She's the most stubborn human being I've ever met. I thought I was the child of the most stubborn people. I thought I dated them or even married them (he he he...Love you Jason!) but as it turns out, I was wrong on all counts. I gave birth to the most stubborn person, and she is quickly approaching the age of three.Now, a lot

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1138248495183155872006-01-25T22:59:00.000-05:002006-01-25T23:20:52.123-05:00

Veronica is now on antibiotics. Her trip to the doctor's office today resulted in the vague diagnosis of "probably a sinus infection, maybe allergies." It's so hard to diagnose such a little kid.At any rate, she seems to be doing better now during her week off from school. She and my mom have been watching DVD's and playing. Mom's got her watching "Bambi" now and eating quite a bit, neither of

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1138121737420194882006-01-24T11:49:00.000-05:002006-01-24T11:55:37.433-05:00

My mom's in town for a few days, at our request, and we're really glad she's around to help out. Veronica's cold - the cough, the runny nose, the goopy eyes and the intermitent fever - has yet to fully go away. Jason had a good idea, and that was to keep her out of preschool for this week so she can rest up, get some individual care, and hopefully get better. And of course my mom's not going

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1137799507183532572006-01-20T18:21:00.000-05:002006-01-20T18:25:07.196-05:00

Jason came up with the most ingenious idea to get Veronica's toenails clipped. Normally she hates this. Why? Because she's two. But she loves playing "This Little Piggy". So one evening Jason grabbed the clippers and said "we need to cut the piggies' hair." Then when he needed to file the rough edges, he said "now it's time to comb the piggies' hair." Veronica doesn't mind now. In fact, she

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1137549350907850342006-01-17T20:52:00.000-05:002006-01-17T20:55:50.920-05:00

Some little tidbits of joy from life with Veronica:1. A few weeks ago, we were at Wal-Mart, and since Veronica had been good, we let her look at the toys. She had grabbed a $13 toy - more than we would splurge on - and were looking for something to distract her when I saw a bunch of little Batman masks for two dollars apiece. I held one up to her face, thinking she'd push it away actually, but

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1137440788892358042006-01-16T14:37:00.000-05:002006-01-16T14:46:28.906-05:00

So around 3:30 this morning, I was awakened by the sound of sobs coming through the baby monitor. They sounded like they'd been going on for a while, but Jason was in deep sleep and I hadn't heard them previously with my CPAP turned on. I got up and instantly dashed to Veronica's room, where she was sitting up in bed and sadly crying. I asked her if she had a bad dream, and she nodded. I

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1137346717267909642006-01-15T12:32:00.000-05:002006-01-15T12:38:37.276-05:00

Yesterday we took a day trip to see Jason's family. The sole intention was for Jason to spend some time with his grandfather, who's in his 80's and whose health is quickly failing. Jason did get to spend some time with him, and he was amused by Veronica, of course.After that we went to Anne and Ben's house so Veronica could play with Zane. And that's where this post originates from, as they

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1136936931939179032006-01-10T18:41:00.000-05:002006-01-10T18:48:51.953-05:00

OK, now onto Words of Wisdom from Veronica. (Just note that I'm spelling them as they're meant to be spelled, and not how they're pronounced. If you're that curious about the translation into Veronica-ese, write me and I'll get right on it.)The Meaning of Death:Veronica: Where Janus?Jason: I don't know, he's probably in the other room.Veronica: Where Pita?Jason: Pita's dead.Veronica: Pita

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1136850340266329462006-01-09T18:35:00.000-05:002006-01-09T18:45:40.276-05:00

A lot to catch up on, but right now I just want to congratulate my friend Colleen on the birth of her first child, a daughter! It sounds like mother and daughter are doing fine, and I can't wait to find out more! Congratulations, Colleen! Here's hoping you'll head to Ohio someday, sooner rather than later, so I can meet your little girl and see you again! :-)As there's been some e-mail issues

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1136258899606149672006-01-02T22:21:00.000-05:002006-01-02T22:28:19.616-05:00

So here it is, another new year. We rang it in with Susan, Heather, Carlos, and a lot of booze. Then Darren hung out with us and Carlos last night. It's been a party all weekend, and we've had a wonderful time. It's good to have good company. And Susan and Heather presented me with one of the best gifts I've gotten all year - a coupon for a free evening of babysitting, coupled with a giftcard

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1136051850193222092005-12-31T12:49:00.000-05:002005-12-31T12:57:30.206-05:00

So here another year comes to an end. I usually make some comment about the years' previous events and trends. So here goes: Katrina, gas prices at $3 a gallon, Gov. Taft's corruption staining my whole state, more dead in Iraq and no end in sight. Tweed shoes and chocolate brown clothing. Brangelina and TomKat (and if I have to ask years later what the hell those words mean, thank god, that

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1135915117592448302005-12-29T22:36:00.000-05:002005-12-29T22:58:37.603-05:00

Well, Christmas has ended. Thanks to my new job, Veronica ended up with a pretty impressive amount of toys, as well as an Imaginarium train table. Her favorite items thus far, however? The Dora playset from my mom and dad, and this Littlest Pet Shop pack with a cat and a hamster (which she also thinks is a kitty) that set me back about $6.00. Of course.She also learned what Santa Claus says,

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1135315080028289712005-12-23T00:04:00.000-05:002005-12-23T00:18:00.040-05:00

I know, it's late, but something happened earlier today (technically, yesterday) that has really upset me: Veronica was bitten by one of her classmates. On the face. HARD. Her preschool wrote up an accident report, complete with how they treated it and what was going on at the time (a transition between activities, apparently.) But I actually got the name of the kid from Veronica herself,

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1135050067763769792005-12-19T22:18:00.000-05:002005-12-19T22:41:07.776-05:00

Anyone who's spent a decent amount of time around me (especially in the month of December) knows how stressed out I get over the holidays. And on top of the usual stress is Jason's stomach flu, which has been coming and going now for over two weeks and is just awful. I'm worried about him and, frankly, exhausted because I'm pretty much caring for Veronica myself (and him a little too.) I had

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1134647970209734952005-12-15T06:59:00.000-05:002005-12-15T06:59:30.220-05:00

My family is home. Jason has gone to get a prescription; as soon as he's home, I'm going to work. Veronica is finally sleeping. They just have a stomach bug, but it's really hitting them. Just didn't want anyone to worry.

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1134635723815390272005-12-15T03:32:00.000-05:002005-12-15T03:35:23.840-05:00

This middle-of-the-night link is courtesy of one stressed-out mom.Veronica woke up soon after her bedtime by vomitting. Have you ever heard your child throw up? What a horrible noise. Jason stayed up with her, and then HE ended up vomitting too. So now both of them have headed out, just minutes ago, to the emergency room so he can stop throwing up long enough to take care of her. And I'm a

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1134616979766153692005-12-14T22:16:00.000-05:002005-12-14T22:22:59.776-05:00

The post that makes me feel like an idiot, but I can't think of any other way to go about this:SARA:I can't find the e-mail with your new address, I think I accidentally deleted it. Your old e-mail address is kaput. And I can't leave comments on your husband's blog for some reason or another. So PLEASE write me when you get a chance, and I understand if that takes a while, being that you just

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3826329.post-1133758489488984962005-12-04T23:49:00.000-05:002005-12-04T23:54:49.496-05:00

Need to get to bed. It's been a busy few weeks. Thanksgiving was spent in the Marietta area with Jason's family, and this past weekend was spent with my family and friends in WV. Veronica's been full of energy, both when she's having fun and when she's having a tantrum. Jason's been under the weather, and was full-out sick on Saturday night to the point where I was very worried about him and

Maraniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15424011948023399039noreply@blogger.com3