What's for dinner?

I normally try to keep this blog focused on kid-related stuff, but I had to share a photo of this really great dinner Joe grilled up for us tonight.



Mmmmm, fiber. Notice the handy sand shovels? They're currently the hippest grill tool around.

So a squirrel apparently made a nest in our grill. It appears as though we haven't used the grill for a year, but in reality it was probably a week. Industrious little bugger.

High Style

Sometimes a girl just has to go for the glamour.

The best part about this photo is that Jia just finished taking a mud bath. That is, she sat in a pile of dirt and rubbed it all over her face, arms and legs. That's my girl - a complicated individual full of contradictions. Oh, the men she'll confound someday...

More Two Antics

In true two-year-old fashion, Jia woke us up five times the other night because she was loudly shouting, "MINE!"

I thought, what is she protecting at this hour, and more importantly, from whom?

Intended purpose?

We were playing with Mr. Potato Head and I asked Jia where to put the tongue. She knew exactly what to do with it.

Tagged again.

So I've been tagged again. I'm supposed to share my middle name and provide a fact or quality relevant to my life for each letter.

I won't be tagging anyone else, but I will respond to sweet Melanie's request (she spiffed up Jia's photos in this post).

My middle name is Erin. I was named after Jane Eyre, hence Jane Erin. In fact, I was initially called Jane Erin, you know, like Mary Katherine, but it didn't stick.

E - Effective. I take pride in fixing problems. I don't always do it in the most usual way, thus Joe has coined for me the following phrase: unconventional yet effective. I'm not nearly as clever as MacGyver but I have great appreciation for his efforts.

R - Roams. I have been having trouble staying put since getting Jia. I have, however, found that lack of sleep dampens wanderlust dramatically. Plus after our last trip I vowed that we're not flying as a family again anytime soon...

I - Inventive. I'm big on using what you have around you, and creating things to suit yourself. Kitchen example: I'm pretty good at slapdash cooking, making for some creative meals. Home decor example: I couldn't find the clock I wanted so I made one out of a decorative tin tile, some Mexican beads and a clock kit (which I doctored up even further, of course).

N - Nice. I'm from Minnesota. Enough said.

Legwarmers

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not a shopper. When I saw these legwarmers, however, I knew they were perfect for Jia. She absolutely loves them. I love them because they make diaper changes easier. Thanks to baby Zoe for the tip.


Yes, it was actually cool enough here for legwarmers one morning.

Toddler Tactics

Jia has added a new technique to her repertoire. Major repetition. The other day in the car we were talking about sharing, and she said, "I have Baby Joe!" on and on. I started counting and she said it, in fact, forty-four times. At first, I responded and said, "Yes, you are holding Baby Joe." And then, "yep, that's your baby." Then just "Yes" and then nothing. Then I attempted to change the subject or otherwise distract her. Didn't work. Words that come to mind are "single-minded" and "stubborn." I felt like saying, "push the stop button - she's stuck!"

We were eating dinner the other night and she politely said "More tofu please mama" repeatedly. At her first request I got up for more and she just kept repeating it until I had finished the task. I think she said it about thirty times. It's hard because I don't feel that this is time-out worthy, especially as she's saying please, and as she wanted more tofu of all things. One of my parenting books calls this badgering. Whatever it is, it drives me nuts. Has anyone experienced this? What do you do?