a few things, again

oh baby, it's cold outside. isn't she adorable in her new hat?!

we buy our kids used coats but new hats b/c hats can make or break an outfit, right? right. & they have to be lined...i wish they made a hat this warm & soft for adults. even with the hearts on it, i would wear it. darn it.
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light pollution

so you've read about our woes with the whole new light pole situation. well, the new one is installed & working. so does the one across the street & down a bit. & then the other 2 dozen or so. BUT WHY ARE THE OLD ONES STILL ON? not only is this light pollution but it's also a waste of electricity. don't worry, i've already written the president of our subdivision & if they're both still on next week, i plan to also call the westerville electrical division to post a complaint (the subdivision president said i made good points & he would look into this situation. but if the lights aren't off soon...it will hit the fan).

i've talked to a few other annehurst resident (our subdivision) who find the *new* light poles to be a bit odd & one lady specifically was like 'it's day light in at night!' & it's true. with both lights on it sort of looks like dusk. our blinds can't even keep all the light out! it lights up our *backyard* partially. ridiculous.

in idaho we went to this star gazing event in the middle of nowhere, the place with sand dunes...what is that called?! but anyway, they had these pictures of light pollution from space. it was amazing & sad. that place in idaho, well, it didn't really have any lights on at night & the stars were breath taking. when i really allow myself to divulge in thinking about things like this, i literally feel sick. not b/c we can't see stars (except the few bright ones) from our back yard but b/c columbus isn't even the worst off city--nor was the united states. i understand the reason for lighting at night--safety--but...what are we doing to the earth as the need for light snowballs to more use of electricity & global warming (yes, i believe them).

there are things that get my feathers ruffled & i'm finding that talking politics isn't the main "ruffler" anymore (not b/c i feel more middle of the spectrum but b/c i will just tune you out, lol) but i think the desire to keep the earth enjoyable & for the human race to make less of an impact...well, that's my main ruffler. call me a hippy or whatever you will, but what we do with our waste & electricity & pollution has effects/ it's naive to think we don't have an impact.

i was telling some ladies last weekend how easy it was to feel jesus in idaho b/c every time i went outdoors, i could see the mountains looming & for an ohioan, that was *impressive*...in ohio, there's just not that WHAM of a natural beauty around us. but in autumn ohio is beautiful with the array of color next to the gray or sometimes blue sky. so this is the time in ohio when god is in the leaves & i get all sappy & think about the seasons of life & weather. & then i miss idaho even more... & to think, i was so concerned that wes would send me packing back to ohio without him (that was a near possibility) & here i am the one admitting that i wish we could still live there (but how to get all of our family & ohio friends there as well? we just can't have it all, eh?).
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anyway.
adeline has been snuggly with me the past week. i like it, really i do. especially when amelia holds her arms out to her daddy when i'm holding her. *smile*

amelia post oreo. what is this, animal? vegetable? miracle? (miracle)

wes loves this picture b/c the sippy cup is about 1/3 the height of amelia herself. & she has on that orange ribbon that kept her occupied for nearly an hour the other day. she is does *not* have a cranky disposition, this one.

adeline dancing to the curious george opening song. it's a ritual in our house. we dance & adeline jumps & it's great fun. then i have approximately 30 minutes of time to GO GO GO, usually carrying amelia around, but still...GO GO GO.

i don't even know what we're doing this weekend; isn't that marvelous?!

uuuhhh, what?

that's what i thought this morning as i sat amelia on my lap, "uuhh, what?" as in, why is my lap soaking wet? all morning i have been noticing these spots of wetness on the floor. they are smeared a bit, so i just assumed they were griswold's spots where he lovingly licked the floor of something dog-worthy. but this wet spot on my lap was unavoidable & odd. i then assumed that amelia had again peed out of her diaper & started to wonder if we were giving her too much liquids b/c she keeps peeing her diaper full, then peeing her pants totally wet, etc. so i put her on the floor to investigate the diaper situation & this is what i find:

yes, that would be amelia WITHOUT a diaper! lmao!! my dear hubby is a great daddy & husband. he got up with amelia this morning just a few minutes before 6 a.m. (her wake up time for the past week) & i'm not sure when the diaper change took place, but when i checked this is what nearly 9 a.m. amelia was soaked, from toes to her chin. even her bib smelled like pee! poor kid!
i then called wes & told him & as he was cracking up laughing i also told him that he should expect the mop to be waiting for him at lunch time (b/c all those 'griswold lick spots' are actually 'amelia pee spots'), yes just another day in paradise with another story to chuckle over.

wait, another milestone amelia has hit: pulling herself up! she did it for wes this morning, bright & early. then she did it again for me on the ottoman (right before i discovered the no diaper morning), & then she nearly rocketed herself out of the crib. thankfully i was near the door & my memory was instantly attuned to the sound of a baby rattling the crib, ready to launch from addy's days in the crib. sure enough, i open the door to see amelia trying desperately to pull herself over the crib rail (she was standing & the railing hit her about waist high). egads! she is growing up like lightning. addy took forever to grow up & amelia seems to be on the fast track...i think i'm ready for it. below is a picture wes took right after amelia pulled herself up to explore the slide.

addy reading her new favorite book (garage sale find for $.25!!) "going on a bear hunt" & when we read it the story is usually accompanied with a beat of slapping our hands on our legs. i remember doing this in preschool, actually, & have sung this to addy before. but now, NOW we have the book! & it's her favorite this week.

amelia, learning from her friendly dog, griswold ("amelia, if you are using all 4 paws, just stick it in your mouth to carry something. mouths are so useful"). if you look closely, you just might see some pee streaks trailing behind amelia. lol.

adeline, the brave one, sticking her fingers in amelia's mouth to feel her new tooth. i can see it now: CHOMP! crying. "addy has a boo-boo".

self explanatory.

what other news? addy has somehow managed to get 4 boo-boos in the past two days, including her first splinter. i am not about to dig it out quite yet...i remember the first time i dug out my own splinter for the first time. i was so proud & ran to tell my dad "i pulled out my own splinter!" & he responded with an appropriate amount of enthusiasm (maybe b/c he didn't have to sit there & dig it out for me, as i cried & writhed around?). anyway, addy & boo-boos don't go well together. it seems just this week she has discovered that these boo-boos hurt & blood trickling down your leg/arm/etc isn't necessarily a funny thing anymore.

& i need a hair cut something fierce!