People in My Neighborhood

For the vast majority of the time - and I do mean VAST majority, no one in my neighborhood bothers me. Sure, the people across the street with their dead dead dead tree that they haven't cut down are causing some visual twitching but that's OKAY. Really. siiiiiiigh.

But lately, there have been some new people in the mix. The first is the most annoying, as he walks by every day with his small yappy dog. Small yappy dog is uncontrolled on leash and runs into our yard, yapping. Snow, being a dog, hears yappy, and either starts barking at it, or if it's outside, barking and flipping out a bit more. Snow does not particularly like other dogs. She would prefer everyone just keep on moving. But not only is Yappy jumping, barking, and running at our fence (set well back from the sidewalk), Yappy's owner likes to then STOP and let Yappy run about making Snow flip out further.

MOVE ALONG, MY DOG IS NOT HAPPY.

The second was a one time incident and she freaked me out right good. Last week sometime, the kids and cat went out back to play, and I popped in to grab a pump for the constantly deflating play balls. Give me time gone at 10 seconds - ON THE HIGH END. I walked back outside to find a woman with a German shephard on leash staring over my fence.

My fence, that is, as I just said, set well back from the sidewalk. So, she's in my yard. WELL in my yard.

"I was just looking at your cat!" She said. "He's big!" Er, yes, he is. Please go now.

CREEEEEEEPY.

Wrap it Up

Okay, I'm pretty well done with summer. Not that we did a tremendous amount of summery things, but we've swum, we've boated, we grilled and even ate otuside a few times (giving the neighbors an unwelcome glimpse into This American Life With A Preschooler and A Toddler). I'm good, bring on the fall and the holidays and such. I don't know what crafts and activities to do with the kids anymore, I would like some clearly defined Seasonal Activities. Pumpkin carving, turkey eating, present opening and the like.

Also, I would like preschool to start. Now. I knew August was going to be a giant PITA, what with the no PDO once a week, but holy crap I am exhausted and pretty much tired of my kids around me all the time. COME UP WITH YOUR OWN AMUSEMENTS. That are not destructive, messy, loud, smelly, sticky, hairy, ET-CET-ERA. Learn how to read already, GAWD, you're THREE AND A HALF.

Also, I've decided that we should attend church more just for the stories. We scuttled our butts out the door at 7:45 to make it to the 8 AM service, during which Luke admonished Esposo for not rising fast "Stand Up, Daddy!" and also proclaimed with a laugh (remember Luke's big fake sounding laugh? Yeah, that one.) "You can't drink your BODY!" Hey, at least he's paying attention.

Stress Be Gone

Just looking at these pictures makes me happier.

Two Weeks, Four Days

The countdown to the start of Three Year Old preschool has begun - or as Luke prefers to call it "Three and a Half Preschool". What would he say if he knew they let in mere THREE year olds!??!

We received a packet from the school asking us about our kids and their home lives, which I filled out and brought in late (good impression maker = me). It asked us what we hoped the kids would get out of preschool - I dunno, how about BEING AWAY FROM ME FOR AWHILE?

We received another letter from the teachers, clearly meant to be read to the kids, about how much fun they would have in preschool. This was accompanied by a letter for the parents, warning us not to tell the kids that they would be scared or cry when they went to preschool.

Seriously, what kind of fricking moron of a parent does this? "You'll probably cry your eyes out when Mommy LEAVES you ALL ALONE in the STRANGE ROOM with a lot of MEAN KIDS and BROKEN TOYS. And when you CRY, the teacher will BEAT YOU!"

Not Speaking the Same Language

The dynamics of two children is a wonderful thing, even if there is screaming about her taking a puzzle piece or him ripping a toy out of her hands, even if heads bonk and we have to learn NOT TO WRESTLE WITH A ONE YEAR OLD. I love love love having two children and could not vaguely imagine only one. Which is really good, because dude, am totally stuck with two kids, there's no return policy.

Courtney seems a bit slower to talk than Luke, but is much more frequent about generally babbling nonsensical phrases. Well, maybe they mean something to her, but to the rest of us, it's just "Aahbadadeeeeeee!!" This is very reflective of personality, because Luke talked more when he could actually say words, there wasn't much babbling, and he has only started drawing a bit more because he can make the pictures look like something. Courtney is content to scribble a mess and then hand it to me as art.

We've been checking out Spanish DVDs for Luke to watch (and Courtney, as she passes in and out of the TV area, she is not nearly as enthralled with television - GOD these KIDS and their DISTINCT PERSONALITIES!) so he's starting to pick up a bit and ask what this is in Spanish, or that, or tell me that he has a primo, Brendan.

They sat in the desk chair this morning, happily together side by side, and Courtney said "Aah ba bee doooooo!!"

Luke looked at her quizzically and asked me "What did she say in baby Spanish?"