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Quick Takes

30 August 2013

Linking up with Jen!


1. When do concrete memories kick in? Three or four years of age, I think? Was I a late bloomer? Who cares. I'm wondering if the kids are going to remember the hospital visits to see Simon that have probably hit one hundo at the very least by now...


Don't get me wrong ... I'd like if they did because they are always fun ... unless we don't get to see Simon at all but that hasn't happened in a while and if I'm jinxing myself here would you go rap on some wood for me? Thank you. 

2. We are mere hours away from finishing the first week of night float. It hasn't been the worst week ever. We will survive. Whatever.

3. Okay so the Katy Perry documentary was really good. I don't have the greatest taste in literature/music/tv/movies/anything so take my endorsement with a grain of your favorite seasoning but I really enjoyed it. I did cry which is one step below mortifying but I Googled what happened with her and her then husband and he sounds like a real doll. Not. He does not. Basically I'm now emotionally invested in her happiness and I hope she stays far away from "broken bird" (her words, not mine) John Mayer because he is not worthy of my new favorite singer/song writer. Stopping. Oh! But if her Prism tour hits St. Louis I'm going. I'll cry with the teeny boppers and everythang.

4. So clearly I know nothing about potty training as lots of you (kindly, oh so kindly) commented or emailed yesterday that your kids didn't potty train until around 3 or a little after etc. I don't know why I thought it was potty train before your third birthday or be a life failure. Oh, because I read a book stating that if you train your child after 30 months of age .... they'll be wearing diapers to kindergarten. No ... that was an exaggerated summary but I'm glad I didn't take the author's words to heart and make everyone miserable by forcing the issue at the age of 18 months. I nodded off typing all of that - let's move on.

5. um ... another picture.


maybe this should induce some sort of mom guilt but it doesn't. Not this month. I'm kind of happy Sebastian will watch whatever Julia wants in the evenings while I clean up and get Theo down and whatever else I need to do ... stare at the wall, usually.

6. Simon very seriously told the mobile kids recently that if they run into the street that a car will squash them like a bug. Well then. This has had a profound effect on Julia and she told a gentleman climbing into his car next to us in the grocery store parking lot yesterday, "please don't squash me wike a bug!!!"

Simon says and it works. I guess.

7. And here's what I'm running to these days. (If you're reading this on a phone - you fancy!! and it should open up and keep playing as you browse/click/whatever around -- a little background music is always nice, right?) It's definitely my favorite playlist to date. What rock have I been living under that I justjust heard song number one for the first time yesterday?? I've made up for lost time though as even Theo doesn't blink anymore when I bump it in the kitchen ......... yet again!! And if you hate it ... I don't understand you.


Happy Holiday.


43 comments:

  1. #5, it's the only way to get things done around here too. And I thought that was Theo on the table :) Have a great weekend Grace.

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  2. I only have maybe one or two very, very vague memories from before my brother was born and I think that they might have been more reconstructed from stories I heard than real memories. My first real memory was the night my brother was born - my mom's water breaking and her crying scared, staying at my grandparents, throwing up Cheetos at the hospital (because I was so nervous), but none of my actual brother. It was 9 days before I turned 5. I definitely was late in that aspect, but I have very few memories of my elementary/middle school years too. It bugs me, but I guess I'm just don't have a great long-term memory overall.

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  3. I opened up your playlist and listened to Roar (I am pathetically out of touch with pop music...we're a country music house) and my kid said "That was weird...that was silly music." He's not a fan, I guess. And maybe you finally like a Sara Bareilles song (Brave) because it sounds eerily similar to Roar? Or is that just me?! Totally possible....

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  4. Ha- I just discovered Wake Me Up too (thanks to "Today's Top Hits" on Pandora...trendsetter am I) and played it for Mark last night...surprisingly he did not have the inspired response that I did to the song. I added Pompeii yesterday too- anything new that makes me keep running!

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  5. I got into a conversation with a lady with 6 kids and one in the oven after Mass about potty training a few months back. She said that she did the whole potty-train-in-three-days thing with her first and did everything according to the books. It was a complete failure despite her consistency. Since then she pretty much doesn't potty train. She says every single kid (both boys and girls) doesn't want to crap in their pants any more at some point and it's never been 4 years old. With her first, he was age 3 and 3 months, and it's varied by a few months with each kid after him. I have a 2 and 3/4 year old and a 6 month old. My oldest is no where near being ready. It was so great to hear from this mom who's been-there-done-that tell me what I needed to hear. I don't like stressing, so I'm choosing not to stress about it. Julia will eventually want to even if you don't do a dern thing. If you want to do something about it that is fine but know that everything will. be. fine. Whatever you do or don't do. You're an awesome mom.

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  6. I'm with Liz. I have 3 kids (7, 5.5, almost 4) and my mantra is "start at 2, end at 3. Start at 3, end at 3." Not meaning 3rd birthday but somewhere between 3 & 3.5 for us. It got waaaaaay too serious with our first, so we backed off. Our 2nd makes "strong-willed" a laughable word, so we let her do it all (and she did in 2 or 3 days flat). Last little guy has been so great even though it took him a bit longer. One word though: make your boys SIT for everything! Otherwise you'll be cleaning pee off everything high and low. Good luck!!!

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  7. When I was 2 or 3, my Dad told me that if I fed a squirrel the squirrel wouldn't know where the food ended and my hand began so the squirrel would keep eating and eat my hand off and I would probably get rabies. I still never feed squirrels. I don't like them (I may even be a tad afraid of them) they are rodents with fluffy tails. It worked and I turned out fine (well sort of). Have a great weekend!

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  8. A million years ago my older brother was a ER resident (Doctor). My friends and I were cool and hip teenagers talking about "when we get our first wheels" One friend said she was saving up for a motorcycle, and oh the places she would go. My brother casually mentioned how many of the victim's of motorcycle accidents need 2 or 3 ambulances to bring the parts of one body to the hospital :-(

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  9. I had the EXACT same reaction after watching the Katy Perry doc. Before watching, I had no feelings towards her, negative or positive. But AFTER watching, oh my gosh, it's like I know her, you know? I googled and maaaaaybe stalked her twitter feed all the way back as far as it would let me. Glad to know I'm not the only one emotionally invested in her love life.

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  10. I cried so hard at that documentary, my husband thought I had a serious problem! Also loving the playlist, it's the first I've heard number one. My Harry might end up with the same Mr. Theo :P

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  11. As Mr. Theo. **
    I make many dumb typing errors on my phone

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  12. My kids have NEVER EVER EVER recreated #5. I also always have perfectly folded laundry and gourmet meals.

    I also never lie. Ever.

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  13. I just saw Katy Perry's movie this weekend and I looooooooooooved it! I didn't think I'd enjoy it so much but it was so entertaining. And I basically cried, too. The entire part with her divorce is heartbreaking.

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  14. My mother had me potty trained at 18 months. My brother that was a different story. She said if she would of had me first she would have killed my brother when it came to potty training. :)

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  15. Has anybody related this little gem to you? From a pediatrician: "You know what they say: start potty training at 2, finish at 3. Start potty training at 3, finish at...3."

    My daughter was one of those "potty trained herself" types, but for my boys, this was totally true. I started our firstborn early, and he took for. ever. I waited with boy 2, when he was like three and a few months, and it was done with no problem.

    It's all trial and error, though. Every child is different, so having a bunch doesn't necessarily help you get it down pat.

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  16. So you definitely just introduced me to Wake Me Up. Feel a little more in touch with pop culture now? What I did hear is that there's some sort of lawsuit between Roar and Brave because they sound so similar! Oh, the drama!!

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  17. All mine were different ages when they potty trained. One was just turning 3 and the others were a little younger. Some were easy and some took FOREVER before they were independent. It's really based on the child. Don't stress. No one ever went to kindergarten in a diaper.

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  18. Loooooove the pictures!!

    Oh, potty training. I remember when my brother (kid #5) refused to be potty trained, and only became so when my sister (kid #6) was being potty trained. And thus began their childhood rivalry! :)

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  19. #1 (Autistic Son)started around three, finished around 4. I say he was trained by the temper tantrum method--I'm the one who had the tantrum. His sister was about 6 months old. I was ready to walk out of the house in the morning for work/daycare and I smelled it. Not only that, it was running down his leg. We had been working on potty training for some time and I just lost it. I screamed and fussed and put him in the shower, which he hated and hosed him off. Then I put him in underware, not a pull-up and took him to daycare. I told them they only had to change his clothes once but that we had been fooling with the pullups for way too long and something had to change. Honestly, that was the beginning of the end.
    #2 Girl: At a little over 2 the sitter said she thought she was ready, and I should send her in a dress, she'd remove the pants after she got there. Two days of accidents later, she said to return to diapers. A few months later we tried again. At 10 the first day the sitter called me and said it was done, she had asked to go. We might have had an accident or two after that, but basically she was done
    #3 Girl (hardheaded). Close to 3, same sitter, same technique. Urinating went fine, but she kept deficating in her pants. We fussed, we punished etc. One night I could tell she was about to, and picked her up and put her on the toilet. She cried, she tried to move, but it was too late, she couldn't stop herself and I wasn't letting her up. After it was over, she said "it didn't hurt". I guess at some point it must have and she was afraid to do it again. After that, no more problems. I love my sitter!

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  20. My sister was born when I was 2.5 yrs old. I have zero memories of my mom being pregnant but I have vivid memories of my grandparents coming to watch us when she went into labor and visiting the hospital where they wanted me to wear a gown and a head covering cap thing that I wasn't putting on to save my life. The hospital room was a hospital green and my mom's bed was to the left side of the room. Most impressive was the fact that there was a bathroom in the room.

    I really thought the text and divorce was crappy and I boycotted anything Brand for a long time and then I read http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/8857821/fixing-a-hole/ It changed they way I thought about him completely.

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  21. Sometimes, I wonder if my kids will remember going to visit my husband on his lunch breaks, but the other day we passed by a place my husband used to work and my daughter was only 2 when he worked there and she mentioned how we haven't been there in a long time to see Papa. I was really surprised she even remembered because she is 3.5 now and he hasn't worked there in over a year. Even if they don't remember, I know it means a lot to our husbands for us to take the time and effort to go see them.

    I love the picture of Simon reading Dora to Julia. Too precious!

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  22. i was pretty bummed about russell brand being so douchey because i REALLY like him. if you've read my blog long enough then you'll remember the post about how the two of them are my dream double date. guess it wont happen nowwwww or ever.

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  23. Love love love the "Wake Me Up" song. It might not be new to anyone but me, but now I have it on repeat!

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  24. Ryan needs to get his act together ... he is sitting on my lap, saw the first picture and said, "Bash!" He also says Chris is a girl all the time so obviously pigtails aren't a clue to him.

    I think Julia will remember the hospital visits!

    Hope you guys get to watch the game today!

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  25. Loooooved Katy Perry. I made my husband take me. In the theater. In 3D. He still never lets me forget.

    I've still got the bright pink Buddy Holly 3Ds!! Super dork. :0)

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  26. I love the Avicci song! It's on my "morning with the babies dance list" :)

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  27. !!! I had to comment, perhaps to thank you for [or obsess about you] reminding me of "Fight Test." I haven't listened to that album in years but i.love.it. And I kinda wish i was as cool[looking] as LDR...secrets.

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  28. I watched the doc on Katy too... And while she is very likeable I was sad that she grew up in a Christian house and even sang Christian music before shifting gears and signing "I kissed a girl." Of course, it's catchy and all but I'm praying she finds The Lord again. It was also a reminder to me as a parent ... Give your children appropriate freedom or they are gonna go buck wild!

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  29. I was thinking the same thing the other...I remember hearing 5! It's sad to think that my son (who's 2) won't remember a thing about this time, let alone his four month vacation in Italy this year! ;-)

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  30. Love love LOVE love running to/driving to/existing to the song Fight Test.

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  31. I told my oldest cars would squish her like a bug too, and it worked. My little one does not care. Maybe she likes being squished?

    My oldest trained at 2 1/2 and my little one pretty much trained herself at two. We're still fine tuning and having occasional accidents a few months later, but the whole thing was her idea. She wanted to be like everyone else in the family and use the potty so here we are. I guess my point is..if I have one...is that it depends on the kid and they are all different. And also I hate potty training.

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  32. 1. Potty training...my worst parenting moments and break downs. Everytime. I swear I'll hire out next time...every time.

    2. You would be my music soul mate with that playlist.

    3. katy perry is weirdly intriguing...maybe because she was raised in a missionary/christian home that makes her case so disturbing. idk...but she is curious.

    4. i love that it's been like 4 days since you did a post...makes my every week or two posts feel better hee.

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  33. I also cried at the Katy Perry movie! And was weirdly moved and became a big ol' fan. Then Netflix tried to show me the Taylor Swift documentary next and I was like "TOTall...pass."

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  34. I also cried at the Katy Perry movie! And was weirdly moved and became a big ol' fan. Then Netflix tried to show me the Taylor Swift documentary next and I was like "TOTall...pass."

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  35. Ok, now I'm mucho curious about the Katy doc. Will have to check it out, I suppose

    Secondly, I do not agree with above commenter in that I am not happy that you haven't posted in a million, I mean, 5 days. Me misses the stories from The Camp.

    Love,
    Your Stalker

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  36. There needs to be a warning when you are gonna be gone for this long.

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  37. Missing your posts! I need your witty parenting humor to get me through these long days!

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  38. Grace! I am in Patton withdrawal! That is all.

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  39. Hope everything is okay at camppatton!

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  40. I keep looking for new posts..I feel like a stalker. And I've come to the realization that I may also need to get a life.

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  41. Oh gosh, I love "please don't squash me like a bug."

    I fear I'm never going to know anything about potty training. It scares me a lot as a parent!

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  42. I have yet to see the documentary but want to.

    When/if she comes can I come with you?

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