10 on Tuesdays - 9/16/08

1) The other day I was groggily making coffee and didn't notice that I had coffee grounds on my finger tips. Well because I was groggy... I rubbed my eyes. {Note: don't apply caffeine directly to the eyes for a quick pick-me-up... it is only annoying to have granules floating around your eye, it messes with your contacts and then you just have red eyes the rest of the day... it doesn't get you the quick fix you might think!}

2) I'm a TV junkie, so I'm excited that this is premiere week! I am devoted to a ton of shows and it wasn't a problem in the past when I could stay up super-late or watch them in the middle of the afternoon, but now that I have Roman, it will be a challenge. I already canceled Netflix because I don't have time, so let's see how I keep up with 11 hours of TV a week. Usually I make rules; this year's rules are: I can't watch Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty unless I'm on the treadmill and I can't watch Lipstick Jungle unless I'm ironing or folding laundry. I have to watch Grey's Anatomy on the computer on ABC.com because my DVR already has too many conflicts at that timeslot. Jason and I watch all 3 CSI's together, in addition to the Thursday night line-up on NBC {except I suspect Jason won't be tuning in to Kath & Kim}.


3) Roman had a verbal explosion this past week. He is really communicating his little heart out. When I ask him a question, you can almost see his little brain working to find the right word for the answer. He still strings 2 words together for a 1-word combo "Pon" is "Put on"{as in shoes}, "Inah" is "In there", etc... When we were in St. Louis last week, we saw several hot air balloons practicing for the Forest Park Race {I've got to see that some year, don't think I EVER have!}. I forget that we don't get many hot air balloons in our area of KC because we're too close to the airport, so Roman hadn't seen one before. He saw one and said "Balloon! High! Reach!".

4) My mom has a new name... it is Nini {sounds like NeeNee}. And it isn't just Nini, it is Nini with a hand-motion chin-wave like the 3 Stooges do {kind of like Prince had a symbol for a name... my mom has a hand-motion for a name}. It all started because I realized that Roman called my dad "Popo" {trying to say Grandpa}, he calls Jason's mom "Nana" and Jason's dad "Pop", but Roman didn't call my mom anything. I'd try and annunciate grandma, but he wasn't getting it. So we kind of played around with names and came up with Nini {spelling is still up in the air}. Seconds later, Roman was going to bed and I had him give his usual hug/kiss/high-five/knuckles combo to Nini & Popo. My mom mentioned that was quite the repertoire of affection and thought we could add one more and jokingly did the 3 Stooges chin-wave. Roman now associates that wave with the word Nini. The other day I asked Roman to point to certain body parts. I asked him to point to his knee and did the wave and said "Nini!" and I laughed and then he pointed to his knee. He has been doing it ever since!


5) My niece Megan & nephew Zachary {twins - almost 5} are in town this week while their parents are in Italy. This is the second time they've met Roman, the first time being 16 hours after we arrived home with Roman from Russia. The kids have been great together. Megan's maternal instincts have kicked in full-swing and she is so sweet with Roman. Zachary and Roman are wrestling and playing really rough {and the funny part is that Zachary is annoyed with how rough Roman is playing! Instead of the other-way-around!} We went to a high-school football game last night to watch cousin Heather cheer-lead and then we went to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner. Today, they came over to play on our swing-set and for a picnic in the backyard. Tonight is another dinner out and tomorrow is professional pix for Nana's Christmas cards! Wish us luck! {Click on the pic to see it larger}

6) Roman & I had a successful trip to St. Louis last week. We went to a local park with Aunt Leah, cousin Eli & Nini and saw horses and monkeyed around on the playground; went to the Botanical Gardens to see the Niki exhibit with Leah/Eli and my friend Janine, her kids Taryn & Christopher and her mom, Nancy; and then we went to the Transportation Museum with Nini. Nini & Popo even babysat Roman while I had dinner with my college friends. {Knock on wood} Roman is an angel to take on trips!

Pix on Shutterfly site----> link in the right column

7) My fave part of the STL trip had to be Roman's romp through a fountain at the Botanical Gardens. It started out innocently with a finger and ended up with his entire body saturated & soaked from laying down pretending to nap on top of the spouts {I don't have a pic of that... just him sitting on it among others}. I think my friend Janine, her mom & kids and various other on-lookers thought I was nuts for letting this happen & carry-on, but A) we were on vacation and B) That was me "relaxing my standards". No harm was done... it wasn't like he was romping through a fountain of red wine while juggling jagged glass and swords in the middle of a tornado!

Pix of the "Fountain Fun" are on Shutterfly site----> link in the right column

8) I didn't raise quite the amount of funds I had hoped for in my attempt to buy a lap-top, so I'll try it again this week and we'll see how much I get... So to contribute, please click below.9) Roman went to his first circus with Nana & Pop last week. He was scared at first when they turned out the lights {which is strange 'cuz this kid only sleeps in pitch-black darkness}, and he kept telling us he wanted to go home. But then he really got into it and enjoyed himself. I think it would be fun to get a group to go next year {or is that too much to ask?}

Pix on Shutterfly site----> link in the right column

10) I always knew this was a "small world", but Facebook is emphasizing the fact even more. If you haven't joined, you really should! I am loving connecting with old friends and finding out new things about current friends. It is like cyber-high school {but there aren't any gangs, wedgies, detentions, food-fights or pop quizzes... well there are quizzes but only if you want to take them}