Dear Monday,

Dear Centennial Park.

I think I love you.

Dear Maryland,

Thank you for giving me one day of glorious weather. The temperature was so pleasant that I didn't even notice your incessant humidity. And that crisp, early autumn breeze! I wanted to spend all day outside...and if you know me, you know that doesn't happen. Can everyday of fall be as nice as this one? Pretty please?

Dearest Jesse,

Thanks for making bread, loading/unloading the dishwasher, and watching Supernatural with me. Also, I'm sorry for not listening to you when you suggested that I take the camera to the park and when you advised that I let sleeping dragons lie. You were right on both accounts. But I'm right more often, so you can see why I would have been hesitant to listen. *wink*

Darlingest Bree,

I thought of you a lot today when I made curtains and pillows and spray painted things. Why do we live so far apart? Remember that time you came to visit me? Yeah, I loved it. Also, Oliver is STILL asking for Travis and talking about trucks.

Dear Supernatural,

Thank you for making a Gilmore Girls joke. It was perfect.

Dear Monday,

You were a great one! Keep up the great work.

Escalator Kisses

Photo taken at the National Museum of American History

 



I changed Oliver J.'s diaper this morning and then asked him to take it to the bathroom garbage. I watched him walk into the bathroom and few seconds later I heard a big SPLASH. It became immediately necessary for me to have a very specific talk with Mr. Ollivander about what sorts of things belong in the toilet. Diapers did not make that list.



I had to count at Oliver today, which is not different from any other day of the week...I got all the way to three and that got Oliver all the way to the kitchen corner for two minutes. Halfway through, Jesse called him out for some reason or another. I was so frustrated that I threatened to put Jesse in the corner for 27 minutes. The threat sounded so ridiculous flying out of my mouth that I had to walk away before I busted up laughing.

Tonight we read scriptures and said prayers with Oliver in the living room and then, jokingly, told him to put himself to bed. "Ok, sure" he said. Then on his way up the stairs he said "Have fun!" and "See you tomorrow!" He walked into his room and shut the door.  We followed him up shortly after to tuck him in for real and found him in bed with his binky in his mouth and his blanket pulled up to his chin.



Later, I peeked in to check on him and found him still awake. I walked in, laid my head on his pillow, and told him I would love him forever and ever. He just smiled. Then he told me a secret..."I love you, Dewa," he whispered in my ear. I gave him a big squeeze and rubbed his nose with mine before I left. On my way out the door I heard him say "You give me a escawator kiss, mom?"

There is not a single thing in this world that makes me happier than he does.

This morning came far too early for me...

So instead of getting right up and being productive, Ollie and I snuggled up on the couch for a little Thomas the Train action.

 

Before I knew it, Oliver was demanding that I shower him with kisses.

 

"GIMME KISS"

 

I tried to oblige, but when I did he squirmed and pushed me away.

 

Then he clarified:

 

"KISS MY CHEEK!"

 

so I did.

 

Afterward, he turned his face and said,

 

"KISS MY 'NOTHER CHEEK!"

 

All I could do was laugh out loud...

 

And then plant a good one right one his face and ask for my own!

Today, for the first time in weeks, Ollivander agreed that maybe he did, in fact, need a bath and hopped in the tub willingly...no screaming or jumping or splashing or throwing!

 

And there was much rejoicing in the land! 

 

 

Pirate Duck (Aaarrr Quack Quack) and Super Duck (Quack Quack-a-QUACK)

 

"Wook Mom!"

A comprehensive list of everything Ollie Pop imagined himself to be on his bike ride around the building:

 

 

"Wook Mom! I be a semi truck!"

 

"Wook Mom! I be a motorcycle!"

 

"Wook Mom! I be a car! Zoom zoom!"

 

"Wook Mom! I go fast!"

 

(and his little legs pushed him as fast as he could go)

 

"Wook Mom! I be a truck! I be a big one!"

Going Postal

My favorite postman from the Severn post office is Steve.

He is friendly.

He remembers people.

He always makes sure I'm paying the lowest price possible.

He doesn't even roll his eyes when Oliver escapes my clutches and starts a self guided perusal of the customer area of the post office, forcing me to weave through a crowd of postal patrons with a precarious stack of parcels perched on one arm while trying to regain parental power.

We've been reading a lot of Dr. Seuss lately, can you tell?

Well, the other day, we were at the post office and I asked for some stamps...I just wanted to be the cool mom with the Nemo stamps, OK...

Steve said, "We don't have the "Mail a Smile" stamps right now but we have last year's "Send a Hello" stamps if you want." (Which I suppose are still OK because they have "Wightning A Queen" but I digress...)

This had happened the last time I asked for the Nemo stamps, so I declined. I'd just try again another time.

And then it happened.

I think I meant it to be a little bit funny.

I wasn't thinking clearly though.

It just popped out.

Honest!

I said,

 

"I guess I could just send some emails this time."

As soon as I said it, I had visions of Steve going postal...

I mean, you just don't talk to a post person about email.

But he didn't.

He didn't even grimace. He took it in stride. He even joked back a little...

However, I've felt a little bit guilty about it ever since.

And remember how I told you that Steve remembers people?

Now I'll forever be filed away in his brain as that girl that talks about email in a post office.

...I wonder if Steve likes cookies?