What it's like watching movies with Hattie

I don't know why we thought this was so funny. She stayed up there for a long time watching Nemo (by the way, we haven't watched it in quite a few days since the sick episode). She loves the step stool and runs toward it whenever she sees it out.

Table saw = kitchen table

After much debate, research, time, and consideration, I realized that if Paul is ever going to be able to build the furniture that he would like for us, we would need a table saw. Gratefully, for Christmas Paul received most of the carpentry tools he needed to start building. But as he tried (and failed) to survive without a table saw, it became apparent that we'd need one if he was going to continue his hobby (and so that we can finally have a kitchen table!) So while I was off in Virginia, his new toy arrived. He has spent the last few weekends getting it put together, since school doesn't really allow too much spare time. We finished it up this weekend, but he hasn't tried it out yet since I made him promise to read the entire instruction manual before he start :)

(you can see the food storage shelves he built for me in the background...but right now they just have his tools and gardening stuff :)

Hattie loved being out in the garage all day helping us. She would crawl on her belly back and forth under the table saw. And she loved helping Paul turn the wheel to raise the blade. Hopefully I'll be posting pictures of our new dinner table in a few weeks!

In her cuteness

A month after absent-minded Melanie misplaced our camera, I finally found it. Phew! So now I can thrill you with some cute pictures of Hattie recently.

She loves to sit at the piano. She looked particularly cute this day because it was one of the first times we did her hair...it's been a little too short til now. And amazingly it lasted all through church without her pulling it off.

Hattie LOVES being in the kitchen and "helping" Mom and Dad. We are having to be more and more creative in how she can help without destroying.

We went to the pool for the first time in a while. After about 20 minutes she realized that it was fun.

One of her favorite things is to play on Mom and Dad's bed, especially since we have no box spring or bed frame and the mattress sits on the ground, providing easy access for the kiddo.

She loves climbing in, out, over, through, and under this stool. I remember having a stool similar to this one growing up and it was one of my favorite toys. My sisters and I would climb between the rails and walk around like we were a train.

Caught up

After three days worth of naps and a few hours last night, I'm finally caught up. I logged on to Google Reader the other day only to discover that I had just under 300 new posts to read. For the last few months, whenever I get online, I only have time for email and maybe reading my sisters and sister-in-laws blog. So I quickly got behind. And being the perfectionist that I am, I feel that I have to read all of them...or at least skim through them for important highlights. I admit...when my friends had 10+ new posts to read, I would do a really fast skim. As it was, it took me a long time to get through it all. Is anyone else weird like that, or do you just click "Mark all as read" when you get behind? Or do you somehow never get 100+ posts behind?

Now I just hope to stay on top of it...because this is the second time I've been this far behind in the last 6 months. And blogging, for me, goes both ways. If I hope and expect others to read my blog, I had better read theirs. And post an occasional comment just so that they know that their words aren't wasted. So now that I'm back into it, hopefully I'll be leaving more comments for ya'll.

Oh, and I rediscovered a favorite blog of an elder I taught at the MTC about 4 years ago. This may appeal to you if you are single, or remember being single at BYU or anywhere. If you are one who enjoys witty and amusing writing, I think you'll enjoy it. Or maybe I just like it because I know him. Who knows?

Nemo Mania

Where was I at 6:00 this morning? Wal-Mart. Buying Gatorade. You're probably thinking, "Wow, Paul and Melanie really must be addicted," but sadly we have a house full of sickies. Trust me, Gatorade is something we NEVER buy. Hattie starting throwing up Saturday morning, and Paul had his turn last night. So we haven't slept much and have a great need for electrolyte replenishment. Oddly enough, this is the second time this year that both Paul and Hattie have had the flu and I have escaped unharmed. So I am the nurse while Paul and Hattie hang out in "sick bay" or the couch, watching "Finding Nemo" over and over. This is how we have spent the weekend:

We watched it 5 times yesterday. She refuses to watch anything else. If we try another movie she just says, "Me-mo, Me-mo, Me-mo." Once she's feeling better, we're locking it away for a solid month.

Reflections

Hattie and I got home from Virginia on Monday...pictures and stories will come soon. But today I'd just like to write about my thoughts on coming home after being gone 11 days.

- Hats off to any single parents out there. After so long being on my own with her, it's been so nice having Paul to help me care for Hattie...just doing the basics of bathing, feeding, and changing. Of course my friends helped out while we were on the road, but it's different than when it's her own father.

- I love my husband so much. I don't usually express my love and appreciation for him in such a public place, but I am grateful to have a husband who cares so much for me and who is so compatible with me.

- There's something to be said for home. Even though Lubbock is certainly less beautiful than Richmond, Washington DC, and Dallas, it is the place that I want to be the most.

A dream come true

Randomly one day Paul and I started searching for pianos on Craigslist...and we found one! It needed a good turning, as well as a billion odor-eaters to kill the smoke smell. Gratefully the smell is almost gone and it sounds great. Now the trick is finding time to practice, since Hattie is always right by my side ready to play.



In other news, Hattie and I are heading out to Richmond, Virginia tomorrow for a getaway! I'm meeting up with two of my college roommates to spend the long weekend, and then I'll head to DC for a while to be with Paul's sister, Erika. I'm excited to get out of town, but dreading the 3 hour flight on a completely booked plane. Any suggestions for keeping an 18-month old on your lap for that long?!?