This post is dedicated to Macie.  Macie is merging closer and closer towards 2. I love this stage because their little personalities come alive.  She can say a few words and has more control over her body which means she is constantly doing hilarious things  This stage is also hard because she is exerting her independence more and more and thus she is trying to gain control of everything that she can.  And thus begins the power struggle, the hardest part of parenting. 
She has been making me laugh a lot lately:
1. she loves to dance.  she takes my hand and leads me to the piano where she jibber jabbers that she wants me to turn the piano music on so she can dance.  When the music starts, she puts her arms up in the air and twirls around.
2. She only wants to wear summer dresses.  She puts up a fight when I try to put leggings on underneath or when I insist she wears a jacket.  She throws a tantrum for 10 minutes.  note:  I DO NOT enjoy the tantrum part of this stage. 
3.  I noticed the other day that she has started singing to herself.  Randomly I heard her going around singing what sounded like Jingle Bells, minus the words.  I thought maybe it was just by chance that she was making tones that sounded like Jingle Bells.  But no, she is definitely singing Jingle Bells. 
4. She waves hi and bye to everyone, even strangers.  she is also very good at saying "bye."

We really enjoy Macie. I am so glad she is part of our family.

Scripture says, that in the last days, mens hearts shall fail them.  Well, my heart is failing me today.  It has failed me other times in the past too-I hear about unspeakable crimes, and I think to myself-why...how...how could someone be so morally corupt to do that to another soul? 

But the crimes that get to me most, always involve the victimization and harm to the most innocent and defenseless members of our society. Any crime affecting a child or a person with special needs, gives me the most awful pit in my stomach and lump in my throat.  I put myself in those parent's shoes, and try to imagine what it must be like to be told my precious, perfect, joy of my life, will not be coming home, and they won't be opening those Christmas presents that I so excitedly thought long and hard about, because I wanted to make their Christmas as special as they are.  The horror of it is too much for me to comprehend. 

An entire kindergarten class unaccounted for.
I cannot imagine my darling Chloe having to endure such terror, and without me being there to hold her close and shield her from harm. 
Not that I could have done anything, but at least I would know she wasn't alone.
Those poor, poor children. 
Those poor, poor parents and siblings.
Those poor, poor classmates to have their innocence snatched away at such a tender age.

Dr. Ablow, a psychiatrist said this concerning the event:
"The limits, which even the most violent (or violently ill) among us would seemingly never violate, continue to be violated. The shooting of 5-year-olds would have seemed to be one such limit. But something has gone terribly wrong in the American psyche—perhaps a dulling of real-life emotions via reality TV and Facebook and iPhones. The needle measuring what someone must do to shock us has moved further into the red zone, faster than most would have imagined possible."

I don't know what causes people to become so morally corrupt.  I am not a psychiatrist.  I don't know if it can be blamed on facebook or iphones.  But I do know that our senses are constantly being dulled by the filth, hate, and violent acts we hear about every day.  And I do know that people mock religion and faith and God.  And I think our society suffers for that lack of spiritual compass.
I am tired of the limits of violence being surpassed.  And unfortunately , I am certain that this won't be the last time that I am surprised by a person's absolute wickedness.
I am tired of my heart failing me because of the violence in this world.
God help us.

This had me laughing so hard I wad crying. And by the way, the little boy wanted to share the video on youtube, so I think it is ok to think it is funny. The kids are so cute, they kill me.

Chloe.

Chloe told us last night that she didn't want to go to school because she wouldn't get to play at recess today.  She has to sit by the wall for punishment because she was climbing on top of the monkey bars.  She repeated these sentiments this morning.  We told her she had to face the consequences.  I hope it all went okay.  She told me that she gets " so thirsty just sitting by the wall."  Kindergarten life is sure rough. I feel kind of sorry for her thinking about her just sitting there by the wall.  I know how much she likes recess.

On the way to school today I let her pick the radio station.  She picked the station playing "Highway to Hell."  And she sang along.
By the way, we do not like classic rock around here.
Correction.  I do not like classic rock.
Don does, kind of.
But not ones with the H-word.

 After living here for a year and a half, we finally replaced the dead microwave.  Or as I like to call it, my extra pantry. I guess I will have to find a new place in the cabinets for my oatmeal and flour.

And, my dreams came true.  I now own a working dishwasher. 

Chloe asked me today if I knew who was on the naughty list.
I asked her if she knew and she told me:
"Yes.  Tristan, and bad guys.  And bad Dads. and bad Moms."
I am sure the 5 year old in her class would be happy to know that she has been put in the same category as criminals and degenerate parents. 

My Christmas List.
AKA The things that I will "hint" to Don that I want, but will in the end, buy them for myself instead.
Just being honest.
I just feel like making a list, okay?

Well, I know that I will never cough up $300+ smackeroos for the original Kate Spade purse.  That's just ridiculous.  

Buuuuuuuuuuut, this girl told me that she could make me a knock off for much, much, MUCH less!

So I think that my new favorite thing is bows.  I still love ruffles.  But I think I might love bows more.  

What comes after the bows?... I just don't know.  I can't think of anything as girly or as pretty that I am going to like better.  Maybe scrunchies will come back after the bows.  

Friends, if I ever start wearing things like this, will you please take me aside and set me straight?

I also want an apple slicing contraption.  

Cause Macie chokes on the peels of the apples.  And I can make a whole lot more apple cobbler.  

And I need some measuring spoons because the last of mine were swallowed up whole by my garbage disposal.  Which is pretty great because I still haven't gotten it unstuck from the jaws of death down in my sink.  So that coupled with my lack of dishwasher...and you can imagine what my kitchen looks (and smells like) right now.

Speaking of, I also would really, really like a dishwasher. That would be pretty great.  I won't ever complain about doing the dishes again once I have one again...well at least for a week.  I probably will start complaining about doing the dishes again.  Because I still hate dishes.  I thought that I hated putting them away the most. But no, I have since learned that in fact, the part that I hate the most is washing them...followed by putting them away.  I just didn't realize how much I hated washing them because in the past I have had little men in a box and very hot water do that for me.  Don bought me a dishwand a little bit ago- he told me he bought me a "dishwasher."   It brought back memories of college, and how one wand lasted an entire school year, and by the way, how does a sponge used more than once, and not bleached after every use, count as a sanitizing tool?

Oh, and I also need some bowls because mine are all broken.  Hence I need unbreakable bowls.  

Well that is my really exciting Christmas list for the year.  

I hope Santa brings me a dishwasher.  

That is my Christmas wish.

Oh, and peace on earth.