The fun just never stops.

Bucket finally came home on Wednesday. I deliberately did not make it clear to Llama that he would be picking her up, because I didn't want her to be crying for him all day. (And superstitiously, I didn't want to be a jinx and make something happen.)

From what he said, she was so excited when he arrived that she could not stop running in circles and squealing. I don't have the right words, but I got a little teary when he told me that. She missed him so much and is so happy that he's home.

That said, though, a sick girl wants her mama. And on Friday afternoon of my much-anticipated weekend of having a second parent with whom to share all the fun and work, daycare called me and said, "Heather, can you come get Llama? She just threw up. A lot." In the 10 minutes between when they called me and when I arrived (it is only a few buildings away), she had thrown up again. And we made it almost all the way home before she threw up in her carseat. The vomit comet kept rocketing around until late yesterday morning, when my poor Llama passed out on top of me in what was (for me) a very uncomfortable position. But I was afraid to move because I didn't want to wake her or make her puke on me again, so I just laid in this contorted, hunched position for two hours in the corner of the couch.

Until Bucket walked in the door (very quietly) and Llama's Daddy radar went off and she popped up. I was both grateful and irritated. Grateful because God, thank you that I can move now. And irritated because she was finally effing sleeping and then she was not.

But we went to Target to drop $200 on random household items and diapers and all was well.

Whoa, two posts in two days? This hasn't happened in MONTHS!

I was looking at my friend's photoblog and thinking that I should do the same thing. Daily photos. As long as I don't lose the USB cord (ha!), I might be better able to keep up with it. Here's the catch, though. My schedule right now is as follows:

• Monday: Field Experience 8:45a-3:40p, Class 4:00p-6:45p
• Tuesday: Work 8:00a-12:00p, Meeting 12:30p-1:30p, Class 7:00p-9:45p
• Wednesday: Field Experience 8:45a-3:40p, Class 4:00p-6:45p
• Thursday: Work 8:00a-4:00p
• Friday: Work 8:00a-4:00p
• Saturday: Housework, homework, shopping (for food and other necessities, of course)
• Sunday: Church and family dinner

So the photos would be of various things I see as the day goes by. And my camera is not that good. But I do carry it all the time and take photos of lots of random crap. I mean stuff.

I'm thinking of starting it on Llama's birthday, which is April 17. Leave me a comment indicating if you think I'd neglect a photoblog as sadly as I neglect this blog, or if you think it's a good idea.

Thanks!

Some photos and some quotes from Llama.

Disney World was super fun. There were moments where it was super cold. Llama fell on her face so many times because she just could not contain her excitement. Please note the scraped nose. But also the excitement.


The Army Guy thought he was going to have jambalaya for dinner. He was wrong. He got The Wang Platter.


And not Disney, but a rare family shot. Bonus that we're all facing the same direction and appear to be happy! (We were, in fact, happy.)

Now, the quotes.

• Upon entering the water floor at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum: "Swim! Swim!" (While taking off her shoes.)
• While driving home from the museum: "Daddy has a hamma." He does have a hammer, that is true. I'm just not sure why it was relevant.
• In the grocery store: "Monkey! Monkey! Mama, ho ho ho all gone." Good call, kiddo. Christmas has been over for a while. That's why I'm not sure why they still have a Santa Claus overlooking the produce department.
• In church, to a lady who had crutches and a leg brace: "You get up! Stand up!" Llama is the church enforcer.
• Same Sunday, also in church, to the Priest: "Snacky time!" He didn't appreciate it the way I did.
• And finally, tonight, when I asked her if she could say "armadillo": "Arm-a-dildo!"
  

Well, welcome back. To myself.

Long story, no excuses. I haven't been here because life got out of hand. Since I last wrote:

• I went to the funeral of the kid I wrote about last.
• I turned 28.
• I finished my semester with a 4.0.
• Bucket's grandma died.
• Christmas happened. Santa was good to us.
• New Year's happened. Aunt Dots slept over with Llama and Bucket and I went out as a couple for the first time in forevah.
• We went to Disney World with The Army Guy, Frenchy, and Z-man.
• I went to my oldest friend's baby shower. And by oldest, I don't mean she's the oldest person I know. I mean I've been friends with her since we were 15.

Obviously I have a lot of photos and a lot of stories and a lot of things to talk about. I'm only going to tell the happy or funny ones here.

I start back to school in two short days, and I go back to work this afternoon. Somehow having things to do makes me more motivated than NOT having scheduled things to do.

Pictures coming either later today or tomorrow. Some of them. There are so many that I can't do it all at once!

A Fun Day at Target with Llama

On Wednesday, Llama and I went to Target for a few last minute purchases (we hosted Thanksgiving dinner for 17 people). It was mostly successful, until I realized that I'd forgotten the very important Wii accessories that were actually the real (and secret) reason for the trip. I mean, how would I entertain people if I only had one wheel for MarioKart and one motion thingy for the Sports Resort game? So I took the stuff that I remembered to the car and we went back in. I got distracted when I noticed Yankee Candles. (Sidenote: I'm often distracted, in case that's news to you.)

So I stopped to investigate these candles and sniff them to see if I wanted anything new, because I'm ridiculous in the candle-buying department. I dropped a lid, and Llama said... FUCK. And my first response was to laugh, but I managed to keep a straight face as I came up from the ground, and I looked at her and said, "That is not a nice word. I'd like you to use a better one." Yeah, yeah, she's 19 months old and she doesn't understand logic. Well, whatever, she'll never understand if I don't work with her.

So she again says, "Fuck." And I repeat that it's not a nice word. She starts pulling at the buckle on the strap keeping her in the seat, and yelling, "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" I hustled out of Target with no candles. I got the Wii accessories later.

And do you know what Bucket pointed out to me yesterday? She was saying "STUCK." She does not like to be strapped in anywhere, and she proclaims that she is "stuck" all over the place. In the car, when she's being held against her will in places like church or time out... and in Target.

Good thing he translates for me.

Contemplating mortality

My brothers lost a really, really good friend last night. He was only my friend by extension - I didn't talk to him regularly, his number was not in my cell phone, and we didn't email. We weren't Facebook friends. But he was family to my brothers, and so I grieve for him, his mother, and my brothers.

He was the first guy to talk to my youngest brother when we moved to a tiny little town. He was the kind of guy who literally would do anything for you. As I've mentioned a couple times, we didn't have the best childhood, and we cobbled together our own families as we could. This guy was part of theirs.

I'm comforted by believing that there is a Heaven and that he is there. I'm comforted by believing that God will bring his mother and my brothers and all of his other friends and family strength and peace. I believe that there are people who are too good for this world and they get called home too early, and that he is one of them.

Vaya con Dios.

Part Two: It's all fun and games until a random guy tries to convince you to get B12 shots

This is the second part of the story of our trip to Great Wolf Lodge. Part One is here.

Okay, so Llama was bathed and ensconced in bed with Bucket, all nice and snuggly warm, so my brothers and I went to the Meijer store next door to find laundry detergent. I'd never been in a Meijer. It's like a super Wal-Mart, with food, car parts, clothes and all, but with the added benefit of having beer, wine, and liquor because it's not in Pennsylvania.

So we found the laundry detergent and I thought we were in business, but then Wolfman decided that he wanted to check out the alcohol selection. It was not great. It was the kind of liquor that poor, underage college students without any good friends drink. I'm talking about a gallon of vodka for $5. Even Vladimir costs $13 for a gallon - I should know, I drank enough of it. The Army Guy and I were just poking fun at the knock-off names, like John Danvers and Admiral Nelson (but there was no Jack Daniels or Captain Morgan), while Wolfman inspected the offerings.

Wolfman made the mistake of saying that he wanted Red Bull. A nearby man took that as an invitation to start telling us about his brother, the ER doctor, who regularly takes shots of B12 in order to stay awake. He talked at length about vitamins and how mega-doses of vitamins will provide energy and stamina. He also told us he had been awake for "days." Wolfman just kept nodding and providing more and more personal information, like "We're not from here," and "We're staying right over there."

At one point, I looked at The Army Guy and said, "Is this really happening?" and he nodded, so I guess it was.

Finally, I said, "We have to go, thanks for your time!" and started walking away. The Army Guy followed, and eventually Wolfman did, too. I guess I wasn't clear enough when we were little - you do not talk to strangers! You certainly don't tell them you're traveling! And so we laughed about it because nothing bad happened to us.

Part Three: It's all fun and games until your daughter sticks her hand in a strawberry margarita will follow soon.