I have to upload a few more of these. Camera ran out of juice.
Hello Kitties! Tokyo's Newest Arrivals
1 day ago
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Fourth of July Weekend 2009 Treasure Island
Marley learned swimming independence this weekend. It was awesome.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Marley Scores A Goal
She dribbled down the field so well, I got excited and forgot the camera entirely. Heh, heh, oh well.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Marley's First Soccer Game
Marley had her first soccer game on Saturday. (I'm having trouble uploading the videos, sorry.) She did really well. All the kids did.
I had no idea how clueless these little kids are. After the game, I asked Marley if she likes her coach. She said yes, "and, what about my yellow coach? She's nice too."
Her yellow coach?
Oh, you mean the referee. She's never played in any kind of official game before, so of course she had no idea who the lady with the whistle was. 'Just one more adult, this one in a yellow shirt, telling me what to do.'
Can you imagine being so young and inexperienced, and thrown into a game with all these strange people watching, and other strange people yelling, "Run, Marley run! Kick the ball!" Jesus, I would have run away crying. But she did really well.
I had no idea how clueless these little kids are. After the game, I asked Marley if she likes her coach. She said yes, "and, what about my yellow coach? She's nice too."
Her yellow coach?
Oh, you mean the referee. She's never played in any kind of official game before, so of course she had no idea who the lady with the whistle was. 'Just one more adult, this one in a yellow shirt, telling me what to do.'
Can you imagine being so young and inexperienced, and thrown into a game with all these strange people watching, and other strange people yelling, "Run, Marley run! Kick the ball!" Jesus, I would have run away crying. But she did really well.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Puppy
This little guy is who I'm talking about when I mention Marley's beloved Puppy.
I honestly don't remember how old she was when she "fell in love" with him. She's been carrying him everywhere for two, maybe three years.
You can see that his nose is stitched. It's because Marley's self-discovered, self-soothing technique is to suck her thumb while scratching Puppy's nose. It's quite cute.
This is an old picture. When I saw it I thought, Oh, look how big Puppy's nose used to be. I'm no seamstress, so these days that nose is all puckered inside the green muzzle, held together by an unruly mass of red thread, and, of course, a mother's love. Heh.
When they made her an "Honorary Kindergartener" earlier this school year, Marley was required to give up her naps--which also meant that she had to leave Puppy at home.
I wasn't sure how this was going to go over, but she was ready. She usually brings him along for the ride in the morning, and I leave him in the car, making sure to sit him up in the carseat for when she gets out.
We've had a few "incidents" over the years. We've left him at Mammy's three times. The first two we drove a half hour there and a half hour back again, late at night, to retrieve him. The third time, Corey thought she should deal with the consequences of forgetting him.
But of course, a sentence like that creates instant karma, since WE, the parents, are the only ones around to deal with her dealing with said consequences. It's heartbreaking to see how sad she gets if she has to sleep without him. She literally cries herself to sleep while I rub her back.
During our most recent mini Disney vacation, we got halfway back to our hotel before realizing we'd left him in the biggest Disney store in the world. Nice. I was sick to my stomach thinking, this is it, he's gone forever. Corey wordlessly concurred.
Nevertheless, we hit the ground running. I jumped off the bus and ran to the concierge, asking him to call the store. "You see, we lost her lovey--he's a yellow bear but she calls him Puppy--we think he's in the big Disney store! " I felt like such a... a... parent trying to explain this to some college kid.
Listen, buddy, I know it's just a stuffed animal, but finding this freakin' thing really is a matter of life and death. Are you a parent? No? Well, trust me. When you are a parent you'll understand. When you love a little someone who loves a freakin' doll so much it would BREAK HER HEART to lose it, you'll understand.
Then I soothed an already weepily-exhausted child while Corey took the not-so lightning fast Disney buses back to the store to pick him up. Door to door to door, it added just under three hours to what was a long day to begin with. But, thank the gods! Puppy had been found by a customer, turned in, and was enjoying the scenery (and I can only imagine the staff's loving attention) when Corey arrived.
How do you say "Relief!" ?
I once found an identical Puppy on ebay (they're rare) but, sadly, I did not shop victoriously. Doesn't matter anyway. Even a perfect clone wouldn't be her Puppy. It's a testament to the power a child has over the adults in his or her life. Love is such a circular thing. It's funny how much Puppy has become a part of our family. We love her, she loves Puppy, therefore, we love Puppy too.
I honestly don't remember how old she was when she "fell in love" with him. She's been carrying him everywhere for two, maybe three years.
You can see that his nose is stitched. It's because Marley's self-discovered, self-soothing technique is to suck her thumb while scratching Puppy's nose. It's quite cute.
This is an old picture. When I saw it I thought, Oh, look how big Puppy's nose used to be. I'm no seamstress, so these days that nose is all puckered inside the green muzzle, held together by an unruly mass of red thread, and, of course, a mother's love. Heh.
When they made her an "Honorary Kindergartener" earlier this school year, Marley was required to give up her naps--which also meant that she had to leave Puppy at home.
I wasn't sure how this was going to go over, but she was ready. She usually brings him along for the ride in the morning, and I leave him in the car, making sure to sit him up in the carseat for when she gets out.
We've had a few "incidents" over the years. We've left him at Mammy's three times. The first two we drove a half hour there and a half hour back again, late at night, to retrieve him. The third time, Corey thought she should deal with the consequences of forgetting him.
But of course, a sentence like that creates instant karma, since WE, the parents, are the only ones around to deal with her dealing with said consequences. It's heartbreaking to see how sad she gets if she has to sleep without him. She literally cries herself to sleep while I rub her back.
During our most recent mini Disney vacation, we got halfway back to our hotel before realizing we'd left him in the biggest Disney store in the world. Nice. I was sick to my stomach thinking, this is it, he's gone forever. Corey wordlessly concurred.
Nevertheless, we hit the ground running. I jumped off the bus and ran to the concierge, asking him to call the store. "You see, we lost her lovey--he's a yellow bear but she calls him Puppy--we think he's in the big Disney store! " I felt like such a... a... parent trying to explain this to some college kid.
Listen, buddy, I know it's just a stuffed animal, but finding this freakin' thing really is a matter of life and death. Are you a parent? No? Well, trust me. When you are a parent you'll understand. When you love a little someone who loves a freakin' doll so much it would BREAK HER HEART to lose it, you'll understand.
Then I soothed an already weepily-exhausted child while Corey took the not-so lightning fast Disney buses back to the store to pick him up. Door to door to door, it added just under three hours to what was a long day to begin with. But, thank the gods! Puppy had been found by a customer, turned in, and was enjoying the scenery (and I can only imagine the staff's loving attention) when Corey arrived.
How do you say "Relief!" ?
I once found an identical Puppy on ebay (they're rare) but, sadly, I did not shop victoriously. Doesn't matter anyway. Even a perfect clone wouldn't be her Puppy. It's a testament to the power a child has over the adults in his or her life. Love is such a circular thing. It's funny how much Puppy has become a part of our family. We love her, she loves Puppy, therefore, we love Puppy too.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Quitting Our Vices As a Family
Corey and I announced to Marley that we're going to quit smoking.
She responded by jumping up and down, happier about the news than I anticipated, and saying, "Ok, and I'll quit picking my nose!"
She responded by jumping up and down, happier about the news than I anticipated, and saying, "Ok, and I'll quit picking my nose!"
Friday, November 28, 2008
What's That Called Again?
When asked what Marley would like from the grocery store, she says, "Corn. But not the broken apart corn. The corn that's stuck together. What's that called again?"
It's called "corn on the cob."
It's called "corn on the cob."
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Cats Claws
Explaining to Marley why we can't let our cats fight, because one cat has claws and the other doesn't.
Marley says, "Like you and me and Daddy don't have claws, but Mammy does and she can scratch. She hurts me sometimes with those claws."
Marley says, "Like you and me and Daddy don't have claws, but Mammy does and she can scratch. She hurts me sometimes with those claws."
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Popcorn Garlic or The Logic of a Four-Year-Old
This is Marley's second post. She has become very interested in the editorial content of her blog, but, apparently, was as frustrated by the 17 minute typing session of her last post as I was. So this one she's dictating to me. And it goes:
Doodlebops? Really? WTH? I've got to get off FB & Twitter. Popcorn "garlic" must be what she heard when I said popcorn garland. I didn't have the heart to correct her, it was too cute. The last sentence is typical of the inaneness she insists upon.
The funniest part of the whole morning happened when we were making the garland. It won't make sense without a little background info, so here goes:
Marley's always been interested in China. Although she's too young to understand the implications, she's fascinated that most of the things in our house come from factories in China, especially her beloved Puppy.
Well, while we were stringing popcorn after popcorn onto a thread that stretched half the length of the living room, she muttered, "We're working like Chinese workers." I practically choked on my popcorn laughing.
This morning I watched Doodlebops. Then we made a popcorn garlic to hang on our tree. And love Daddy.
Doodlebops? Really? WTH? I've got to get off FB & Twitter. Popcorn "garlic" must be what she heard when I said popcorn garland. I didn't have the heart to correct her, it was too cute. The last sentence is typical of the inaneness she insists upon.
The funniest part of the whole morning happened when we were making the garland. It won't make sense without a little background info, so here goes:
Marley's always been interested in China. Although she's too young to understand the implications, she's fascinated that most of the things in our house come from factories in China, especially her beloved Puppy.
Well, while we were stringing popcorn after popcorn onto a thread that stretched half the length of the living room, she muttered, "We're working like Chinese workers." I practically choked on my popcorn laughing.
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