Playdough

There was dried up playdough under my shift key...

There was dried up playdough under Kellie's fingernails...

There is probably dried up playdough in some other random nook or cranny in our home...

Ya know why? Because Kellie is a toddler! That's right! She's taking steps, playing with playdough, coloring with crayons (nibbling on them, too), and scolding the dog.

Where have the past 14 months gone?

On recommendation from my Dad, I'd like to recount some of Kellie's quirks and funnies.

Pretties
Kellie wears miniature hair barrettes. She loves them. She calls them "pretties."

Mom - Do you want a pretty in your hair?
Kellie - PRETTY!! Pretty! Pretty! Sits absolutely still while Mom clips in the barrette.

Fell Down
When Kellie fell out of her bed a few nights ago (Don't panic. She sleeps on a mattress on the floor.) I went to tend to her and shoosh her back to sleep. When I got to her room, this is how our conversation went -

Mom - Oh no! Did you get an owie?
Kellie - Fell down... Sob.
Mom - You got an owie when you fell out of bed?
Kellie - Fell down! Sob and whimper.
Mom - MaMa will kiss it better. Kisses kisses kisses. There we go, all better!

More
When Kellie learns a new sign from her Signing Time DVDs, she wants to use it all day long. I think she's experimenting to see what it will get her. When she learned the sign for "more," she used it relentlessly! Brian and I were so happy she'd learned a new sign that we'd praise and clap and ask what she'd like more of. Of course, she doesn't know what she would like more of. She just likes that we're reacting so exuberantly. So she waits until we start listing off things she could possibly be asking for.

Kellie - Signs "more"
Mom - Oh! You'd like more? What would you like more of?
Kellie - Concentrates on her fingers and signs "more" again
Mom - Would you like more kisses?
Kellie - Signs more.
Mom - Showers Kellie in kisses

Thirty seconds later

Kellie - Signs "more"
Mom - Good job! You signed more! What would you like more of?
Kellie - Signs "more"
Mom - Would you like more snuggles?
Kellie - Snuggles up to Mom and signs "more"

This really did go on for several days. When the novelty wore off, she learned a new sign and started over. Her current favorite sign is "ouch" or "hurt." I think she likes the kisses that are a direct result of telling Mom she has an owie.

Thanks for sharing in my candid Kellie recap!

Tag - My Husband

Well Em, thanks for the comment. :) I've been neck-deep in an Alaskan funk. I'm hoping the visit from my mom will perk me up. She'll be here on Thursday!!! Yay!

And now, a tag from Emily-

What’s his name? Brian Christopher

How long have you been together? 6 years 1 month

How long did you date? 2 years

How old is he? 23

Who eats more? Me. Definitely me.

Who said I love you first? I did. It freaked Brian out. Ever the man to avoid emotional conflict, he devised ways to make me mad enough to break up with him. He didn't want to admit he had feelings for me. He later told me that he thought that if we broke up, he wouldn't have to deal with the mushy love stuff.

Who is taller? Brian by 13 inches

Who is smarter? Brian has book smarts. I've got life skills. Brian is the more likely of us to obtain a degree in higher education. He'd also be the first to paint himself into a corner.

Who does laundry? I wash. Brian folds when an avalanche of clean laundry topples him over. He has been known to wash his work clothing and Kellie's diapers. But my laundry is off limits. When we were dating, he made a joke about how bleach is a good boost of cleaning power for every load...

Who does the dishes? I do. Unless I let it go so long that Brian is using plastic plates from our newlywed days.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? When we're both in bed, Brian is on my right.

Who pays the bills? I do. I joke all the time about how when I die, Brian won't know that an account is delinquent until a representative of the company knocks on our door. He's got a built-in accountant and has never had reason to doubt my judgement. I think the past five years have made him relax about money. When we met, he was a super saver and kept a close eye on his finances. Now, I doubt he could tell you how much the minimum payment on our car loan is.

Who mows the lawn? Me, mostly. I like the exercise and alone time. I crank up my iPod and go to town. I have five brothers, so mowing the lawn was a fun chore that was highly sought after. It probably helped that our Pops would give us a little pocket money.

Who cooks dinner? Most nights, I'm the cook. But Brian doesn't hesitate to pick up the responsibility if Kellie and I have had an off-day.

Who drives when you are together? Brian. Kellie doesn't do well with car rides so I sit in back with her to keep the peace.

Who is more stubborn? Me. Brian will dig his heels in on matters of importance. But I have a hard time letting go of most things.

Who kissed who first? Brian kissed me. He took me to the faculty parking lot outside our high school ROTC room. He said he needed to ask me a question in private. As soon as the door closed, he kissed me. I said, "What was the question?"

Who asked out who first? I asked Brian to a girls' choice dance He went with me on short notice since my date had bailed on me. We joke that it was a pity-date.

Who proposed? Brian. He woke me up with a ring and asked me to marry him. I responded with, "I can't kiss you because I have morning breath!" He said, "Is that a yes?"

Who has more siblings? I do. I have five brothers and a sister. Brian has one brother.

Who wears the pants in the family? Brian. Being a stay-at-home Mom, there are days I forget to put on pants.