Oh Yeah!

This is a good one guys! This would be Melody living up to her name. She sat down at the piano, picked out a melody and started jamming. In case you couldn't quite hear it, she kept playing her song and saying, "Oh Yeah!"

Do not adjust the color of your monitor

Yup... see that nice blue lollipop?

Check out this nice blue tongue!!!

The best fair ever!

Last week we went to the Dutchess County Fair, which in my opinion, is the best one! They have a really good mix of animals, exhibits, rides, and most importantly... food! Kerri & Ashley were able to join us which worked out really well since the two girls are carnival junkies. Megg came up too and we were able to meet up with Mema & Papa, and Carol and her gang. What better way to spend the day than with family at a carnival? OK, eating all of the food. I truly mean all of it! We lived up to our reputation and ate our way from one end to the other. Where else but a county fair can you eat in one day a corn dog, caramel apple, pulled pork sandwich, ice cream, fried dough and zeppolis? Oh, and that was just me! (I know you're cringing at the very thought of those foods Rob, but trust me... they were yummy!)

There were many rides to go on, but my favorite was the last one the girls went on. It looked like a little kid scrambler, and when we walked by it the first time around it was spinning very slowly. When we put the girls on, Kerri was very gracious to go on the ride with them and good thing! This thing was fast! The girls loved it to bits, and Kerri's look of panic as she has her arms clinging on to each of the kids as if they were going to go flying off the ride at any moment was priceless! Really they wouldn't have, and it was clearly a kiddie ride, but it was funny all the same. Kerri told me later as they were leaving Ashley pleaded with her and said, "I NEED one more ride!"

Melly & Ashley really loved the sheep

The girls enjoyed strolling through the livestock exhibits holding hands

Megg (aka Emmie), Melly, Ashley & Claire

Baby Emilie enjoying the day

Check out these biker babes!

Where did all the stop signs go?

We have 6 intersections through my development between the main road and my house. Earlier in the summer, I noticed that the stop sign connecting my block to the neighboring block was gone. This was odd, because it was my side that had to stop and let the shwankier block go, so I can't believe for a minute that the fancy pants people liked it any. But all summer long that's how it's been. Each time I drove through that intersection, I still stopped (avoided a few run ins with the expensive cars) and thought it was bizarre that technically, neither direction had to stop or even yield. That's when I started looking around at the other intersections and noticed that all but one of them did not have a stop sign either. Those intersections were T's, so that's really silly. It would seem, that in my neighborhood, it is complete anarchy and any which way can go, or not go, at any time.

It's funny that I decided to write this today, because we just got a nice new shiny stop sign put up between me and the fancy pants' neighborhood. It would have been nice to post this first and think that I had something to do with it.

The dreaded bathing suit search

I received this email from my cousin, and I was laughing so hard I had to share it! Enjoy!

The Bathing Suit When I was a child in the 1950s for the mature figure was boned, trussed and reinforced, not so much sewn as engineered. They were built to hold back and uplift and they did a good job. Today's stretch fabrics are designed for the prepubescent girl with a figure carved from a potato chip. The mature woman has a choice-she can either go up front to the maternity department and try on a floral suit with a skirt, coming away looking like a hippopotamus who escaped from Disney's Fantasia or she can wander around every run of the mill department store trying to make a sensible choice from what amounts to a designer range of florescent rubber bands. What choice did I have? I wandered around, made my sensible choice and entered the chamber of horrors known as the fitting room. The first thing I noticed was the extraordinary tensile strength of the stretch material. The Lycra used in bathing costumes was developed, I believe, by NASA to launch small rockets from a slingshot, which give the added bonus that if you manage to actually lever yourself into one, you are protected from shark attacks as any shark taking a swipe at your passing midriff would immediately suffer whiplash. I fought my way into the bathing suit, but as I twanged the shoulder strap in place, I gasped in horror - my boobs had disappeared! Eventually, I found one boob cowering under my left armpit. It took a while to find the other. At last I located it flattened beside my seventh rib.. The problem is that modern bathing suits have no bra cups. The mature woman is meant to wear her boobs spread across her chest like a speed bump. I realigned my speed bump and lurched toward the mirror to take a full view assessment. The bathing suit fit all right, but unfortunately it only fit those bits of me willing to stay inside it. The rest of me oozed out rebelliously from top, bottom, and sides. I looked like a lump of play dough wearing undersized cling wrap. As I tried to work out where all those extra bits had come from, the prepubescent sales girl popped her head through the curtain, 'Oh, there you are,' she said, admiring the bathing suit. I replied that I wasn't so sure and asked what else she had to show me. I tried on a cream crinkled one that made me look like a lump of masking tape , and a floral two piece which gave the appearance of an oversized napkin in a serving ring. I struggled into a pair of leopard skin bathers with ragged frills and came out looking like Tarzan's Jane, pregnant with triplets and having a rough day. I tried on a black number with a midriff and looked like a jellyfish in mourning. I tried on a bright pink pair with such a high cut leg I thought I would have to wax my eyebrows to wear them. Finally, I found a suit that fit...a two-piece affair with a shorts style bottom and a loose blouse-type top. It was cheap, comfortable, and bulge-friendly, so I bought it. My ridiculous search had a successful outcome, I figured. When I got home, I found a label which read -- 'Material might become transparent in water.' So, if you happen to be on the beach or near any other body of water this year and I'm there too .. I'll be the one in cut off jeans and a t-shirt!

Role playing with a twist

Melody loves role playing. In fact, the phrase I hear most during the day is, "Mommy, you be *fill in the blank*" Some days I'm being the Mommy ducky, or Mickey Mouse, or whichever character she feels like playing with. Today while playing with Mema, she was role playing with her blueberries. No, that is not a typo... she was actually making her blueberries talk to each other. The small blueberry would cry because it was the baby, then it would cry out for its Mommy, and then the Daddy. This went on throughout lunch. But, there's a twist. The baby would easily be eaten, then Mommy, then Daddy, with Melly announcing, "Oh, Daddy, you're in here too!" Apparently they can continue talking to each other while being chewed.

More pictures from Hershey

I love riding on shoulders

Another funny hat!

I can't go anywhere without a tag!

It really wears Melody out, all this amusement park stuff!

Mmmmmm... ice cream!

Hershey Park! (finally!)

OK, so this is really bad. We went to Hershey Park 2 weeks ago, and I'm just now posting this. Rob had a show in PA, so we decided to get the whole family together and do Hershey! Everyone camped, and Rob, Melly & I jumped into Mom & Dad's trailer. We got to PA late Friday night, and braved the park early on Saturday. Melody was in great form and we all had a fabulous time. This is one of the greatest amusement parks there is!

Me & Melly in the park

"I'm an expert on these kiddie rides. Bring on the roller coasters!"

Cousin Claire is always up for joining Melody on a ride!

Look close... this is how Melly feels about waiting on a line for a ride.

Mommy bought a funny hat!!

Sorry Daddy, I'm a Yankees fan!

Potty training Day #4, 5, 6

It is with a very sad heart that I take down the sticker chart and put away the M&M's. After such a great start, my darling Melody decided she was anti potty. Each time I would put her on there, she would sit and play, for as long as I kept her on, not do anything on the potty, then the minute I put a diaper back on her, she would go. We did this for 3 days with the same results and not a single success. Even though she informed me she wanted to go on the potty, clearly she does not want to now. If I have learned anything about my daughter thus far, it is that she will not do any skill until she can master it fully. She walked late, because she didn't want to do it poorly. As soon as she started walking, she hardly ever fell down.

I debated over this all night, asked my supporting Mom's group, asked my own Mom, came up with a lot of different ideas, but none of them really were working. I know it was only a week that we did this, but I feel like it just wasn't a happy scenario. We'll pick it back up in a week or so and see how it goes then. Until then, thanks for bearing with me while I discussed bathroom stuff for a few days.

Potty training Day #3

Let's add a new twist to this task that is a learned experience. Melody will now almost always go pee pee on the potty (I've realized the other type will just take some more time), but now she will go a little bit to get her extra sticker, a treat, then do the whole mother load in her diaper. I keep trying to keep her on the potty a little longer, but she won't do it yet. But, looking back to day 1, I guess we have come a long way so far!

Potty training Day #2

Well, this was better. We actually had some successes (and Rob freaking out about the amount of pull ups that she's going through), but we're making progress!!! This would be part of the reason for my lack of posts. I've added it up, and I think I spend at least 2 hours of the day sitting playing games in the bathroom!

Potty training Day #1

It didn't go so bad.... I guess. We only had one wet spot on the couch because Mommy wanted to see what happened if she went without a diaper, then realized that wasn't going to work at this stage yet. Then we had one poopie land on the floor to which Melly exclaimed "Look Mommy! A dinosaur!" All in all, not a bad day.

Potty training started!

I'm not generally a blogger about bathroom activities, but this one is a big one. Last week, Melody told Rob and I several times that "poopies are coming", and she was right. Unfortunately we were not completely prepared with the whole potty training thing and we caught it too late. But, it made us turn over a new leaf of it's time to start this whole potty thing. In the past, we would put her on the potty just to see what would happen, and she would play on there, sometimes go, sometimes not, but she never minded it. That was the reason that I got her the potty when she was so young, so that she would be used to it and it wouldn't shock her. Well, can you believe that as soon as I decided to "officially start" using the potty with her, she decided that she was "officially" refusing to use it, and wouldn't even go into the bathroom! What a little stinker! So, we had to start the sticker chart. She gets a sticker for every time she sits on the potty. Now, she actually will go in there.

Melly's new afternoon routine

We have an ever so sweet new routine for Melly. As soon as she wakes up from her nap, she goes into the fridge to take a soda out and put it on the counter for when Daddy comes home. Then, as soon as Rob walks in the door, she gets all excited and screams, "Daddy! Here's a soda for youuuuoouuuu!" She has also been very nice about getting Papa Juices for her friends when they come over and visit. There is hope for sharing after all!

Don't yell at the red light!

I was driving home from story time yesterday, and I stopped at the red light at the parking lot exit. I inch forward to see if I can turn right on red, but there were a few cars coming. The car behind me starts leaning on his horn and inching up right on my bumper. I roll my eyes, shake my head some, think to myself how much of a jerk this guy is, and then wait for the traffic to be clear. I go down the road, through another light, and get stopped at the next light which is red. This particular light turns red so that the other direction left turn only people can go, so you really can't go right on red at this point. Well, Mr. Annoying behind me pulls up again, and starts leaning on his horn again. So he's behind me, honking, his window is now rolled down and he's yelling at me to turn. The last time I checked, right turn on red is optional, not mandatory, and especially not a good idea when there are cars driving. Now, I remember that I have a toddler in the car that is often times mistaken for a parrot, so I don't want to curse the guy out, which would have been the best way to make me feel better. But, this guy is really wearing on my nerves, so I stick my arm out of the window, point at the traffic light and yell "the light is red!!!"

So, did this stop Mr. Annoying from honking.... no. Did it make me feel like I at least did something.... sort of.

So, the cars stop coming, the light turns green, we're on our way, and Mr. Annoying turns off somewhere. I drive a little further and get to the next red light. I hear this sweet voice behind me say, "Mommy, please don't yell at the light". I explain to her that the car behind us was yelling at us to go, but you can't drive while the light is red. The next light we get to is red, but I am able to turn right at it, and Melly starts yelling, "Red light! Red light! Mommy don't go!" Is it too early to have a back seat driver?

Duh!

No seriously. I have to make my first ever public apology for mis-information on this blog. I posted the other day that Rob's cousins wedding was a first for Melly. Clearly it was not. My all knowing bestest bud Megg sent me an email today that simply said, ummmm... did you forget about your sisters wedding that Melly went to? And it stopped me in my tracks.

So, first and foremost, Carol, I am truly sorry for blanking out like that! There are a few possibilities on how and why this could have happened. On the top of the list, and probably the most likely reason, is that I'm just a knucklehead with a Swiss cheese Mommy brain and I can't remember a thing. It could also be that you have come so far and done so much over the past couple of years, that I can't believe how quickly it all happened. But, Melly was at your wedding, it was a beautiful event, and we all had fun (in spite of my broken toe).

Congratulations Chrissy & Kyle!

All of our best wishes to the happy couple!

My first wedding

Melody went to her first wedding! Chrissy & Kyle got hitched this weekend, and Melly did us proud. She danced like I've never seen her dance, she ate more than I've ever seen, and she slept like a champ. That's my girl all right... everything is done as much as it can be done!

The day was beautiful (only a little rain during the ceremony, but we were inside so it was OK). Chrissy looked amazing, and the newlyweds had fun, which is the most important part. Everyone was dressed up nice, but once again Rob & I have somehow missed a photo opportunity to get the both of us while we look nice. Please, the next time anyone sees us out, please take a picture of us! I think the only pictures we have of us together are from our wedding. And that's for the past 14 years since we've been together! It was great to see Rob's family, and to watch as all the kids get older, and more of them. Melody had plenty of cousins to play with, but she much preferred to dance.

Melody likes her dress as much as the tag from her guys

Look at the Dancin' Queen!

I even got in a dance with her

Dancing makes her tired...

A day out with Thomas!

Can you believe it? Melody got to hang out with REAL THOMAS! He happened to be not too far away from us, and Melly slept in the car only to wake up and see her favorite train of all. She got to meet Sir Toppham Hatt, jump in a Thomas bouncy moon walk, and go on a train ride with Thomas and his coaches Annie & Clarabelle. It was a fantastic day!

We really lucked out, as we were walking into the train station, the conductor asked us if we had tickets. We had to buy them there, then the nice couple that was walking in front of us said they had extra tickets since some of their family decided last minute not to go. They wouldn't accept money from us, so Rob was extra happy that we didn't have to buy tickets to see Thomas.

Look, here's Thomas!

Sir Toppham Hatt is a little scary up close

I'm going for a ride with Thomas

Where's my shed?