About My Brilliant Ball Pit

I've had several people asking me where I got the ball pit balls to fill the pool. I got mine at WalMart (yes, yes, yes, I'm feeding evil). Here are a list of other places you can find them (an inflatable pool, of course, can be purchased just about anywhere).

eBay (the search is done for you)
Toys R Us
TinkerTots
Ball Pit Balls

Happy Hunting! I want to see pictures!

I Aim To Please!

Pictures of Miss K at the cookout yesterday


Eating lunch (she was getting fussy and tired)












Hanging out















Look how tall she is!




















I think she looks more like him every day

What Every Mother Needs, And Doesn't Even Know It

Two-Ring Inflatable Swimming Pool: $4.88
3 Bags of 100 Balls: $9.88 ea
Hours Of Phun: Unknown Quantity

Kristen LOVES this thing. We blow it up, play, and then pop the balls and deflated pool back in the bags.







She loves jumping in and swishing balls around. She'll stand up, look at me, wait until I yell, "go PLOP!" and fall back down, laughing hysterically.





She and I both get in (okay, my limbs are hanging out, but it's relaxing) and she spreads out beside me and we both start giggling.






Seriously. Most fun EVER. I loved ball pits when I was little. When I was actually using my Early Childhood degree and taught a classroom of two-year-olds, the center had a ball pit big enough for my 5'10" frame to swim in it, I loved playing with the kids in it. I am so happy that my daughter loves them too!

Tailypo

I was bopping around with Kristen when the doorbell rang. I went to go get it (pushing dogs and cats back).

It was an acquaintance who had stopped to drop something off. She looked nervous and said, "You know, I SWEAR I hear a cat!" I heard a mad yowling. I looked under the stroller and there was poor spazzy Ghost, who must have snuck out when I was out getting mail. He was hiding under the stroller, drooling, eyes glowing, and screaming at her.

As usual, the SHUTUPSHUTUP portion of my brain was not working, and I said, "Oh, we thought it'd be best to keep him outside until the rabies test comes back!"

She almost fell off the porch. I sighed and said, "Get your spastic butt in this house" and he went shooting across her feet and into the house, where he promptly got scooped up by Caden, who went tearing through the house with Ghost in his mouth (don't worry, the cats like it). Kristen screamed, "MOOOOOOMMMMMmamamamamaohhhhhkay!"

Sharpie a beard on me, give me a cane, and call me Noah.

A Communication Breakthrough

And no, NOT elimination communication - I may be neurotic, anal, and crazy...but I still don't get you people.

Kristen has started picking up on sign language. She is starting to use 'more'. I am thrilled - life has been a storm of screams, slaps, and temper tantrums lately. She's getting to that stage where she is highly frustrated, on the brink of independence, and unable to do it completely herself and tell us what she wants. I am THRILLED that we are opening up ways to communicate!

And no...no pictures. As soon as she sees me thinking about getting the camera, the hands drop and she just stares at me. She'd starve before asking for more WHILE THE CAMERA IS OUT.

My baby is so sweet.

We took her to the viewing last night (she helped everyone perk up). I kept her away from the coffin...I didn't know if it would upset her or not. At the very end, Jason took her up to the casket so he could say goodbye. Kristen stared at her great grandmother solemly for a few seconds, no expression on her face, and then waved.

I cried all the way home.

Picture Post

Mothers Day
One Year Ago



















Mother's Day This Year

















We'll miss you, Norma.
1931-2008