WiggleSpeak

Now that Wiggle Man is busting out with words and phrases all over the place, I thought it was time for more WiggleSpeak.

Drum: Anything that can be turned over and made into a drum. Any kind of bucket is especially drummerific.

Drum Store: Walmart, thanks to the two "drums" we've purchased there.

Mmmmm, tasty!: Well, that's pretty self explanatory, but it's pretty hysterical when he randomly blurts that out in the grocery store, pointing out what he'd like me to buy.

Ply-0h: Play-Doh, which is Wiggle Man's (current) favourite creative outlet. He especially likes to make pancakes.

Cheese-boos: Wiggle Man can has cheezburger?

In addition to his own dialect, Wiggles has some interesting quirks that I thought would be fun to share. Like the fact that he often "brushes" my hair with a thermometer.

Or how he collects all the pencils from the pews in church. (Amazing what a toddler can get into while he waits for Mommy and the Rev to be ready to go.)

And then there's how he dances when he imitates Mommy exercising. Perhaps one day, if you're good, you'll get a video of that. (The imitation, that is. No one should have to endure a video of me exercising.)

You'll Learn Things You Never Knew You Never Knew

My family is here for Christmas. And, in true Canadian fashion, we headed out to go shopping on Boxing Day.

For my American readers who may not be aware, December 26th is Boxing Day. There's a historical basis for the name, but these days it boils down to the Canadian equivalent of Black Friday.

It's also the beginning of the World Junior Hockey Championships. Which I cannot watch on tv here. At least I can online. 16-0 Canada over Latvia, by the way.

But I digress.

There we were, at Target (of course) because Wiggle Man needed more diapers. My brother looked at me, and in all seriousness asked if the weight range on the box of diapers was the amount of...poo...a diaper could hold.

(Only in he used another word.)

Think of it. 22-27 pounds of poo.

That must be some baby.

Merry Christmas

Emmanuel.





God With Us.

Oh How The Years Go By

Seven years ago today, The Rev gave me this:




And I said yes.

Snow Fairy

I bet you didn't know I had magic powers, did you?

Picture it: Rochester, NY: 1998. A young Canadian girl arrives at college in the fall. A speech is given to the incoming freshmen, warning us not to expect snow days. This is Western NY, after all. They know how to handle snow there. That year, so much snow falls that even the experienced WNY road crews can't stop school from closing three times.

Picture it: South Jersey, 2002. The same young-ish Canadian girl arrives. Everyone says something along these lines: "Canadian, huh. Well, you won't see that kind of snow down here." That winter, a blizzard so intense comes through that our lovely Canadian heroine was trapped in her house for three days.

Picture it: Virginia, 2009. The same, not-as-youngish Canadian girl arrives. The same comments follow: don't expect the kind of snow you're used to up in Canada.

With that, I give you pictures of this morning's snowfall. You're welcome Virginia. (And the rest of the East Coast. Apparently my powers grow stronger.)

Cracker Barrel Conversations

Wiggle Man: Pancakes? Pancakes come?

Me: Yes, honey. The pancakes will be here soon.

WM: Pancakes? PANCAKES?

(curious stares from other patrons)

WM: Pancakes? Pancakes? Pancakes? PANCAKES?????

After the arrival of our waitress, or Bringer Of Pancakes as she surely must appear to Wiggle Man, this was his response:

WM: Pancakes come! YESSSS!

At this point, my job is to cut half of his pancakes into tiny pieces, which Wiggle Man will eat until he bores of the tiny pieces. Then he just picks up half of the pancake and goes to town.

Oh Christmas Tree

Here it is, in all its splendour: (Well, as much splendour as I can capture in a photograph...it doesn't do the lights justice.)



A close-up of an ornament:

Wiggle Man seems to love the tree, too, and lets me know when I need to turn the lights on.

He's Got The Spirit

(Oh yeah)



The Christmas Spirit



(Oh yeah)



C'mon let's hear it:

Nativity

Putting out my nativities (yes, plural) is my favourite part of decorating for Christmas.

I have nativities on my tree:



I have a nativity on my mantle:

I have an Amish nativity. (Straight from Lancaster County, PA, thank you very much.)

I have a nativity from Tanzania, bought when I was in Kenya:

I have a Willow Tree nativity: (minus one Wise Man who perished in an unfortunate incident--Willow Tree people do not do well if they fall down the stairs.)

I have a banana leaf nativity from Kenya. (I didn't actually buy this one in Kenya, but I saw one just like it, and wanted to buy it...but I'd already bought the one you see above. So my mother-in-law bought this for me when some Kenyan friends sent crafts to be sold at a fundraiser at church.)

It's my favourite this year, but really...they're all my favourites.

WiggleSpeak

It's time for yet another installment of WiggleSpeak. This is your chance to learn the nuances of communicating with my two year old. You're welcome.

"Ummmmmm-TAY!" (Ok.)

"Pul-LEASE?" (Please.)

"Das." (Thanks.)

"SEE!" (See you later!)

"Red treat." (Kit Kat. Cuz it's red, and it's a treat.)

"Bickey." (Mickey Mouse. Not to be confused with "bookie" which everyone knows means milk.)

"Pee blankie." (His blankets he sleeps with. When his diaper leaks, they smell like pee. Then we go through the whole washing of the pee blankie ordeal.)

"Hey." (An elaborate game involving our guest bed, pillow throwing, and tickling.)


Hopefully this goes a long way towards helping you converse fluently with toddlers. At least, with Wiggle Man.

Things I Love

It's the simple things, really. Well, mostly. Obviously I love The Rev and Wiggle Man, family and friends. But that's not what tonight's post is about. It's about the smell of my car freshener.

And these things:

I love avocado clay facials. I love the look The Rev gives me when he walks into a room and my face is green.

I love big, fluffy white towels that smell faintly of bleach. In fact, one of my favourite parts of a hotel stay is the fresh towels and sheets every day. Yes, I dutifully read those little notes they leave about saving water. I save water when I re-use my towels at home. When I'm at a hotel, I want fresh towels. In fact, I'd love extra sets.

I love it when Wiggle Man agrees to something. "Ummm-TAY!" So cute.

I love looking forward to sleeping in.

I love picking out a Christmas Tree.

I love Java Chip Frappacinos from Starbucks. Especially the Starbucks at Target.

Iron Chef Wiggle Man

Wiggle Man is easy to amuse. Even watching this video of himself laughing was enough to put him into fits of laughter.

Because why spend money on toys when you already have salt and pepper shakers and a Lazy Susan?

Black and White Cupcakes

Here are my black and white cupcakes that I made for Thanksgiving. These are chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting, topped with white modeling chocolate flowers.


And, since every yin needs its yang, here are vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, topped with semi-sweet modeling chocolate flowers.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the first cake I've made for someone outside my own family. It's far from perfect, I know, but it was so much fun to make.

Happy Lynyrd Skynryd Birthday!

Have Your Cupcakes

And eat them, too.



I like cupcakes.

I like making teeny tiny flowers from modeling chocolate.

I also like to put those teeny tiny flowers on teeny tiny cupcakes. But you'll have to wait for tomorrow to see pictures of my black and white cupcakes.

So, to ease the pang of waiting, I will show you my very first attempt at buttercream "roses." (I put the quotes in so you'd know what they're supposed to be.) Ahem.

My cake obsession this week has taught me a few things. One, consistency. My chocolate buttercream frosting was so thick, I'm telling you I may have gotten carpal tunnel from trying to pipe the icing on. My vanilla buttercream that I used for my roses may have been too thin. At least, that's my explanation for the blobular appearance of my roses.

Aaaannnnnd...I could probably use more practice with buttercream, as opposed to fondant or modeling chocolate. (Not that my modeling skillz rock, just that they're ever so slightly much better than my piping skills.) I'll just have to look for more excuses to bake cake.

Also? I need to learn to just say no to the leftover icing in the bowl. And in the piping bag. And on the knife.

I need help.

Finally!

For the first time in the 6 years the Rev and I have been married, this happened:




That, ladies and gentlemen, is the Rev putting up Christmas lights.

Woo hoo!

Top ten signs you live with a toddler:



10. Your front entryway is permanently transformed into the Island of Sodor.



9. Nap time is golden.



8. You frequently excuse yourself from the company of other adults with the explanation: "Mommy has to go potty now."

7. Your only source of news is the Internet, as your television has been taken over by Mickey, Really Useful Engines, the Movers, Elmo and Handy Manny.

6. Buckets become drums. Shovels become drumsticks.

5. You find trains in your pantry. And your linen closet.

4. You have to check your master bathtub for books before filling it up.

3. The relaxing bath you were planning is accompanied by the following:
"Mama! MAMA!"
"Mommy's in here, Wiggle Man."
"B? BEEEEEE?"
"No, this bath is NOT for baby. This is for MOMMY."
"PulEASE?"
"I'm glad you asked nicely, but the answer is still no."

2. You give up on the "relaxing bath", because getting out is more relaxing than being in.

1. You and your husband no longer quote clever movies to each other; instead you quote from the Thomas The Tank Engine episodes narrated by Alec Baldwin. Alec Baldwin explaining how a jet engine works is hysterical.

Rock Star!

A first here at Rev and The Missus: video! (Oooh! Ahhh!)

Here's Wiggle Man, showing off his "skills" (or is it "skillz"?) for some friends. Notice the authentic rock star finish. (Minus the pyrotechnics, of course. )

Puggies!

Yep. Wiggle Man loves his "puggies". Especially a whole patch of "puggies."



"Puggy", for the uninitiated, is Wiggle Speak for "pumpkin".



Of course, teeny pumpkins work so well on top of cupcakes.

Especially when they're teeny tiny fondant pumpkins.

Yum!

Thanks to The Frosted Cake 'n Cookie for the how-to on the cupcake toppers!

Like Mommy

Wiggle Man continues to enjoy the same culinary delights as I do:

That, my friends, is how grilled cheese sandwiches should be served. With ketchup. Yup, I've got my son hooked on the red stuff, just like me.

Besides, what's cuter than a toddler with a ketchup beard?

Cutting your sandwich in quarters makes dipping so much better. And it lets you arrange your sandwich around your big blob of ketchup.

In other news, further confirmation that I am, indeed, the mother of a toddler:

Yes, our little Picasso has taken to decorating our walls. We had a nice, long, civilized discussion last night on why we don't draw on the walls. Yeeeeeeeeeeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. That lasted until this morning, when I caught him at it again.

Sigh.