Funny Tales of Mr Happy as of Late

This is more for me to remember than anything, but I have found Happy exceptionally humorous as of late. I do realize that people often think their kid is funnier, smarter, cuter, etc than other kids and fully acknowledge that tendency.

But, Happy?  He truly is.  To me, anyways.

Here's a sampling of recent funtivities.

Today, we were at the store and the kids were on the brink of a meltdown.  In a panic, I gave Happy my phone to keep him occupied for the last 3 minutes while I paid for our items.  He started laughing hysterically.  He likes to laugh (hence, his pen name), so I didn't think too much of it at first.  But when he starting practically falling out of the shopping cart laughing, I finally looked to see what he was doing on my phone.

He had found his way into my photo/video library and was repeatedly watching a video I had taped of him dancing to music.  His "dancing" includes spinning in circles until he is so dizzy he just collapses.

I just love that he found himself hilarious.  It's a gift to not take yourself too seriously.

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Another funny (and smart, I think) thing happened last night.  I was pushing him and Lil Miss on the swing.  Happy likes to do the following while he swings: He says the ABC's, counts to 20, and then lists everyone important in his immediate circle.  In that order.  Always.  Much like the Pavlov Dog Cookie Monster happenings.

The list of important people includes family members, family pets, friends, and some key characters in his life.  You know, Elmo, Thomas the Train, Lightning McQueen, etc.

I have two brother-in-laws. Or is it brotherS-in-law?  Anyways, one of them is named Jay.  When Happy got to the part where he lists Jay in his important people list, he got a slightly confused look on his face and then said, "K, L, M" ? He appeared to be confused as to why a letter ("J") was someone's name.

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Happy tends to be loud.  What 2 year old isn't, I guess?  Whenever Lil Miss is sleeping and we are near her room, I quietly tell him, "Shhh..." and put my index finger over my mouth, training him to be respectful when others are sleeping and need quiet.

Well, that has evolved into him letting me know when she is asleep in the car or in her infant carrier at the store by saying, "Shhh..." and putting his index finger over his mouth.  It starts out with a quiet and simple enough "Shhh..." and, if I am not watchful, turns very quickly into an ever-increasingingly loud, "SSSSSHHHHHHHH" and then rocking her violently in her car seat.  The whole purpose of the "Shhh" becomes null and void when he is so loud and violent with her when he wakes her up.  He is attempting to be sweet, but I don't think it always sweet for her to be abruptly woken up.

Happy Tuesday, my friends!

'licious

Wednesday Hodgepodge

I'm having one of those days (or weeks...maybe even months?) where I am just tired and worn out and overwhelmed.  By nothing and everything. And anything in-between.

So, I decided to take some time to link to Joyce's hodgepodge.  To distract myself.

It's a question and answer kind of thing.  Her questions. My answers.  For kicks and grins, I guess.



1. If you could work for any one government agency which would you choose and why?


Well, my able-bodied neighbor Roger collects disability.  So, that sounds like something I would be interested in.  


Do nothing, get something?  Sure.  Sign me up.

2. How difficult is it for you to forgive someone who refuses to apologize?

Well, I am human and quite sinful.  So, it can be challenging. But I know God calls us to forgive. I can forgive by His grace and because of His forgiveness of my own sin.  He who has been forgiven much forgives much.

3. What is your favorite meatless supper?

I am a vegetarian, so everything I eat is meat-free.  Lately I have been a touch obsessed with brussels sprouts, collard greens, broccoli, and sauteed tofu and garlic.

Fun fact: My husband is very much NOT a vegetarian.  When we got married, he ate the following items: bread, meat, cheese, and dessert.  He would only eat spinach if it was in spinach artichoke dip or lettuce if it was drenched with caesar dressing.  That was pretty much the extent of his diet.  

I don't buy or cook dead things meat.  And I am QUITE intolerant and allergic to cheese and milk. I get sick.  Like, I had to go to the hospital on our honeymoon because I apparently ate something with cheese in it.  And I couldn't stop throwing up.  That was super fun.

So, it has been quite a challenge making food that I eat and that my husband would like.  Hubs has been a trooper and is willing to try new foods, for the most part.  

One of his most hated foods is mushrooms.  One of my most beloved?  Also mushrooms.  Portabella mushrooms.  Yum.

4. Wednesday, August 10th is National Lazy Day...will you be celebrating? If so tell us how so we can be lazy too. 

I am sitting down to type this.  That is probably the extent of the lazy for my day. 

Lazy would be one of the last words I think anyone would use to describe me.  Though, I am gifted in procrastination.  But I view the two as very different.  My type-A readers would disagree.  To their scoffing, I would say that I get overwhelmed (see beginning of blog for reference) with mentally harder tasks and just kind of shut down in regards to those tasks all the while rapidly doing the more mentally manageable tasks.

5. As a child did you have any special back to school traditions and if so, what were they? If you're a parent have you continued those traditions with your own children?

My sweet mom would take me to buy some new clothes and school supplies.  We particularly enjoyed shopping for those things together.  It's probably part of where my school-supply weakness originated.

My kids are not of school-age yet, but I would like to homeschool them if possible.  So, I am not yet sure what traditions we may instill.

6. Write a summer tongue twister.

Um, this would be one of those places where I procrastinate.  More mental bandwidth is required for this than I currently have.

7. Would you be interested in observing a surgery or do you turn away when the nurse pulls out the needle?

No. Thank. You.  Never.

The nurse and needle isn't a problem for me.  But guts?  Yuck.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We need to replace our washer and dryer.  So I have been shopping around and researching it.  The one thing I really want is a large capacity washer.  Without the agitator thing in the middle of the basin.

Because I have been looking around and seeing the (wonderfully huge) models available, our current washer looks super tiny now.  I am dreaming of days to come with that larger capacity washer.  I honestly think I could easily fit my whole body in some of the larger capacity basins.  Our current washer?  I don't even think my legs could fit.

And, yes, I feel like a total dork being excited about the aforementioned larger basins.  And I'm more than ok with that.

Hot Tea and Plaid Blankets

Sweet Hubs and I went out tonight.   It was fun to have time just with him. I ordered hot tea with my dinner.  Which is caffeine overload for me. (Sonic sodas just don't pack the same caffeine punch.) I am still riding on that wave of caffeine many hours later. I fear I won't be falling asleep for hours and am not even sure Benadryl could knock me out at this point.  Even a double-dose.

And Hubs broke out the much-hated plaid blanket.  Because it is only mid 90s with like 85% humidity. So, you know, frigid. And ever-so necessary.

On another note, we are finally getting our privacy fence installed tomorrow!

How do you know when you are old?  When you are excited about a fence, my friends.

More what I am excited about it keeping the weird behavior of neighborhood kids (and adults) out of our yard.  I have seen many disturbing things in our yard over the years.

Recently, I have come across barbie's leg, barbie's shaved head, spiderman's leg, and garfield's head. We have had clogged gutters with (toy) car parts.  I have witnessed a young man running shirtless through our yard as if he was running from something (like the law!).

It's time to keep the crazy out, people.

Or at least the crazy that doesn't live here. And for that, I am ecstatic.

'Fess Up Friday

Well.

It is going to be an interesting day.

I have an unrelenting migraine.  And I am due to go to one of those local kids indoor jumping/play places with the kids and some friends.  I think today is the last weekday before all the local kids go back to school, so I can only assume it will be extra insane with parents and kids wanting one last fun outing.

Because of said migraine and the trip to the local crazy house jumping/play place, I took my magic elixir.

Yes, the same one that made me fall asleep in church.  2 benadryl and 2 tylenol.  I am not sure who I am more concerned for-the kids or myself.

Speaking of my magical elixir, let me tell you something that was happening to me when Happy was about 9 months old.

I was having a season of migraines (they typically appear when the weather is changing or extra wacky or lots of atmospheric pressure changes) and I was just totally worn out from them.  I was nursing Happy at the time, so again, I was limited in what pain medicines I could take.

Because I was in such unrelenting pain for about a week or two, I was taking the benadryl and tylenol combo at times.

(For those who err on the side of worry-I only take both of those when absolute necessary.  It's not just a willy nilly thing.)

Now that we have that cleared up, let's move on, shall we? Ok.

So, I was super tired from the migraine but I was also just insanely exhausted.  Like I could hardly walk.

Yes.

And, I had made sure I wasn't pregnant (you know me and my love for pregnancy tests!  I'll jump on any excuse to take one).

I wasn't sure what was wrong, but I just pushed through it.  What else could I do, really?

A week or so later, I was at Target buying some more pain medicine and then it all became crystal clear.

It appears that previously, I had accidentally bought generic Tylenol PM.  So, when I was taking both my tylenol and benadryl, I was double dosing myself on benadryl!

Can you imagine what a double dose of benadryl is like?

I can.

It's not pretty. Trust me.

Read the label carefully, my friends.  Very Carefully.

Randomness as of Late

1. I missed our exit off of the interstate today.  Like, the exit to our house.  The exit I take pretty much daily.  The exit to the house I have lived at for almost 5 years.

I know.

I am still unclear as to what happened.

2. A few weeks ago, Hubs asked me to cut down on my caffeine/soda intake.  I have no idea why.  None whatsoever.

3. It's not going super well.

Well, it was going well but the stress of the possible job change for Hubs made me fall off the wagon.

4. Job change is official.  Good news!

5. I decided I am just high maintenance on fluids, anyways.  I had 64 ounces of water before noon today. Plus a gatorade.

6. It was 99 degrees today. That is not counting the insane humidity that makes it feel like 119 degrees. I saw a lady at the park, very pregnant and wearing jeans.  At the park. With her kid.  Playing on the playground.  At noon.  In jeans.  Pregnant.

Absolute Insanity.

7. Lil Miss LOVES swinging.  Hubs can get her to fall asleep every time he swings her. I do not posses such superpowers.  But I can make her laugh.

I think she's pretty cute.

Snuffaluffacow?

The other day, I took the kids to a local farm to feed the goats.  We have gone several times before.  And we have only seen and fed goats. No other creatures.

The land is fairly flat and the fenced in area is rather small.  In other words, you can pretty much see all of the area and all of the animals in the fenced in area.

After we had been there for about 30 minutes and were running low on stale tortilla chips food for the goats, I turned around to the car to get some stale veggie chips more food for the goats.  I kid you not, when I turned around 4 seconds later, this curious creature had appeared out of nowhere.

Seriously, out of NOWHERE!

And what the heck is it?  

As you can see, Happy is perplexed as well.

It kind of looked like a cross between snuffaluffagus and a cow. 

I guess it is a cow?  I have no idea. And I feel like I should know.  I googled "Hairy Cow" and didn't find much.  The most I can gather is that it is a long-haired cow?  

Regardless, it made for an interesting morning.  

Happy is telling Hairy Cow about the plane overhead.
Hairy Cow just wants the food.

And the cow graced me with a big lick when I was bending down trying to help Happy.  He was so strange looking that he was endearing.  

Has anyone else seen such a creature?

Our Very Own Pavlov's Dog

You guys are familiar with Pavlov's Dog, right?  The whole conditioned response thing?

My husband was unfamiliar with the term, but once I referenced an Office episode which illustrated the concept, he realized he knew of it.

Speak their language, my friends.  Speak their language.


The Office - Pavlov's dog from Rauno Villberg on Vimeo.

Please watch the embedded video for reference and for your viewing pleasure.  It is delightful.

Anyways, a couple of months ago, on a Saturday morning when Hubs and I were particularly tired, and the kids were up and ready to party eat breakfast, Hubs decided to just bring Happy into our bedroom, plop him on our bed, turn on a video and give Happy some cheerios.

At the time, that seemed like a brilliant thing to do, given how tired we were.

On that particular day, Hubs just grabbed the closest DVD, which happened to be a Cookie Monster one.  It was wonderful.  Hubs and I could try wake up while still giving Happy some semblance of breakfast.

We liked the system so much that we did it the following few Saturdays.

Well, now any time Happy goes into our bedroom, he says, "coooooo-key" and turns the TV on, hands me the DVD remote to play the video, climbs onto our bed and requests cheerios.  In that order.

Every. Single. Time.

Multiple. Times. A. Day.

No video substitutions are allowed, nor are any snack substitutions.

It has to be Cookie Monster and it has to be Cheerios.

Exhibit A

Please note the green cover.  NO PLAID BLANKET that day!

And usually I am trying to get ready or put laundry away or something, so I oblige him.  The video is less than 20 minutes.

I have teased him saying that he is Pavlov's dog.

(Like he knows what I am talking about.)

(Or maybe he does.)

(He has taught himself the alphabet letters and their sounds. He knows how to work our tv better than I do. I am afraid I have taught him he has already taught himself everything I know.)

Exhibit B

Just today, we walked into our bedroom and before I even realized what happened, I had the cheerios in hand to give him.

I guess I am really the one who is Pavlov's dog, huh?