There's an Alligator in Here

OK...so I tell people all the time that Josey talks all the time. And I mean seriously all the time. But it really is the "worst", actually the best, when we are in the car. We went to a short string quartet concert today at the public library. Here is the conversation that we had. Keep up...and don't worry about my punctuation....:) This will also be written in "Josey speak" I will do my best to write it as she says it.

Josey: where we going?

Mommy: to the library to listen to some music.

Josey: to listen to music?

M: yes

J: ok. I have to be quiet.

M: yes you should be quiet.

J: ok. sounds good. (pause) we go to library to listen to story?

M: no not today. just music. Ms. Laura and your buddy Ben will be there.

J: Laura and Ben? ok

We now stop to get gas.

J: what we doing Mommy? Get gas?

M: yes we are getting gas.

J: ok.

Then we get on the road to go to the library. Make note here that she has her stuffed tiger with us today.

J: I hold tiger real tight mommy. he cold.

M: that is nice, it is cold outside today isn't it?

J: uh-huh. I hold him. I no drop him. We going to listen to music?

M: yep.

J: ok. I be quiet. Sounds good.

a brief moment of silence.

J: we go play with Gracie? see Bonnie and Chris?

M: no. not today maybe later. (later is my response to most everything.)

J: ok. maybe later. we go see Ben and Laura. Listen to music at library. ok.

J: Mommy what the car doing?

M: driving somewhere.

J: driving?

M: yep driving.

J: ok. Mommy what are you doing?

M: I am driving sweetie. What are you doing?

J: I am going to listen to music. I be quiet. Sound good?

M: yep. sounds good.

Then on the way home.

J: I hear music. I quiet too.

M: yes you were quiet. good job.

J: mommy I go see Grandma Bucky.

M: well not today honey. maybe later.

J: maybe later. ok.

M: we are going to go home to eat lunch and then take a nap. Sound good?

J: Sounds good Mommy.

A few moments of quiet...some conversation then....

J: Mommy, there's an alligator in here.

M: really. That is interesting.

J: uh-huh.

M: is he nice?

J: uh-huh. he nice.

This went on for a few more minutes. She has the wildest imagination that is beginning to really show its' face. She is so funny too. Very matter of fact about the alligator in the van with us. This is what I remember of the conversation to and from the library. there was more....so much more but that is a basic sampling of what we do whenever we go somewhere. If her music CD, The Wiggles, is on she will sing and then talk over the music. I have started just leaving it quiet because as tiresome(I am not a bad mommy! she just really talks alot!) as the constant chatter gets I love it at the same time. It is really fun to hear what she has to say. I hate the repetition the most. Sometimes she asks the same things over and over. That is when I get a little frustrated. But oh well. She is growing so fast that I know even these days are numbered. And I mean to cherish every last moment that I can. It will be gone before we know it!

Chicken Butt

OK....Flog me. I have not posted for a couple of weeks and I feel terrible about that. Sorry to those of you who actually look at this and hope to see updates about my beautiful wonderful baby girl.

What is she up to these days? Hmm.....that may be best answered by telling you what she is not up to. :)

Josey is such a joy to us. She is a constant talker. Conversations with her are just hilarious. She is so intuitive and very smart. I think that we are in a lot of trouble because it is quite possible she will be able to outsmart us both.

Lately she is very inquisitive, of course she is 2, and her favorite question is, "Why Not?" You can tell her that she cannot have another glass of milk before bed and she says, "Why Not?" When she asks to go play with one of her friends and I tell her no not today she counters with "Why Not?" Just about everything we tell her she says "Why Not?" It is actually pretty cute because it is not obnoxious in any way she is just genuinely curious about her world.

Her and her daddy get to spend every Monday night together because I have another commitment. On that night they apparently have a blast together. She is always coming up with new and funny things to tell me about their time together. The newest thing that Daddy has taught her is a little silly rhyme him and I have had for years now. One of says, "You know what?" and the other will say "Chicken butt." The response is then, "and you know why?" to which the chicken butt one responds, "Cow pie." Not a real crazy deal but just what we have done for years, since we were dating. Josey has now learned this and let me tell you she is so cute saying, "Chicken butt." If only I knew how to put an audio clip on here. It is seriously adorable. I try to be irritated that he taught her to say something like that but I figure there are worse things she could be saying. I had funny little things like that with my dad and I cherish those memories; I want her to have the same thing.

She loves to help me cook these days. We made Snow cream the other day. That is ice cream with snow. Basically milk, sugar and some flavoring. We made banana flavored snow cream with green coloring in it because she thought that green would be good. The stuff tasted really good too! We have been making muffins these past couple of mornings and she also helps make lunch too. I want to nurture her to love to be in the kitchen like I do. She may not when she gets older i guess but I will show her what fun cooking can be and she can make up her mind later.

We have been working on pottying lately and when she is "on" she is really "on". What a test of mommy's patience though. I hate to admit that but there it is. Potty training is probably the single most thing I have not looked forward to but really once I let it go and kind of take her lead things have gone pretty good. We have had a potty chair in the bathroom for a couple of months now just to get her used to it. She would sit on it every once in a while. She finally started to actually "go" on it when she would sit there. Now we ask her if she needs to "pee in potty" and she will tell us yes if she needs to go and no if not. And most times this is pretty accurate. Now there have been some times when she will want to sit on the potty for EVER it seems but overall those times are getting fewer. She is pretty productive when she goes. The other funny thing that has happened is that she has totally changed her bowel habits. I have read about this and heard about it too, pooping is hardest supposedly. She now goes when she wakes up and does not call me until she is done. Often times she may go again in the afternoon and does that when she is awake from nap and again does not call me to get her up until she is done. I think this is her way of letting us know that she is not ready to poop in the potty yet so we will just continue to let her do what she is comfortable with. I am in no hurry, she has time yet.

She continues to be a compassionate little girl always worried about others when they are crying or hurt. The funny thing about this is that she can ask if someone is OK and then go up and push another child off of the "toy" she wants to climb on herself. I find this to be hilarious; a little frustrating as a mommy because I would rather that she not push others but funny that she can have this contrasting sense of compassion.

Anyway....it is time for us to go play with a friend so I am going to wrap up now. I hope that this helps to show you all what she is up to these days....here are a few pictures too. Here is her in some of her birthday clothes and shoes....and her after helping make lunch just yesterday!

Two already!!

So today was Josey's two year birthday. I cannot believe that she is already two! A good friend of mine called this morning around eleven and reminded me that just two years ago I was sitting in the hospital getting ready for my c-section. Seems like yesterday in some respects and seems like years ago in other ways.


She has grown up so much and is becoming such a beautiful little girl. Inside and out. She is definitely a two year old, some days everything out of her mouth is "No!" or "Mine!". But she is also compassionate and caring. She will hit sometimes, as two year old will, but will come and say, "Mommy I hit Daddy. Daddy Crying. I say sorry." and she will proceed to apologize to Brad and give him a hug. Whenever she hears another child crying she asks me if they are ok. She is so sweet.


And so independent. She will be getting a new pair of shoes for her birthday, Pedoodles. I love them because they are good for growing feet bu also because they are velcro so she can put them on herself. I quit trying to put tie shoes on her until she can learn to tie them herself because she had a fit when I would not let her do it herself. "My turn." she will yell at me when she wants to do it herself. And these can turn into all out wars if not handled appropriately.


She is such a joy though. I often tell her she is my Joy. I am so blessed. Here are some pictures from today. We kept her birthday simple. Her and I made some little loaf cakes, this way I could freeze some since we would never get a cake eaten. She was so excited to make them with me. It was precious. Then we sang Happy Birthday to her three or fours times. She had to have her candles re-lit repeatedly since she was having so much fun blowing them out. It was just such a blast.


I hope that everyone is having a good year so far....more later. I am tired and ready to hit the hay!

Happy New Year!

Not too much to post today. I just wanted to say Happy New Year. Josey is napping right now after playing at the park with Daddy this morning. He has to go back to work tomorrow and I know that they are both a little sad about that. Well Josey may not be yet but she will be tomorrow. She is going to miss him.

Wanted to post this adorable picture of the little "pincess" as she calls herself. There is a wand that goes with it but she tends to beat the dog with it so....I have that put away for now. :) This was taken last night so she looks as though she is ready to ring in the NewYear huh?