Uh, okay...

An awkward "kids (continue to) say the darndest things"...

Today, in speech class:

Four-year-old girl: May I please shut the door?
Me: Is it too loud outside?
Four-year-old girl: Yes.
Me: Okay, go ahead.
Four-year-old boy: Now the door is closed, no one can come and shoot us.

(Comment from husband: "Boy, is that a sign of the times or what?")

What I'm listening to: "Hang Me Out to Dry" - Cold War Kids
I just: Checked out how much it would cost to buy the PLS-4 because I haven't used the Battelle and I just want to get rid of it
Now I'm gonna: Go watch TiVo!

Kids say the darndest things - Thanksgiving edition

Four-year-old boy discusses Thanksgiving with me.

Me: What did the Native Americans teach the Pilgrims to do?
Student: Eat!
Me: Okay, eat, but first they taught the Pilgrims how to grow the food. What did they teach the Pilgrims to grow?
Student: Pizza!


What I'm listening to: Nothing (I'm at work)
I just: Finished working with a group
Now I'm gonna: Go see a private client

No, I didn't forget!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEFF!!!!

Wish we had a chance to see what else you could do....

The Official Jeff Buckley Website

The hilarity continues...

Upon walking out of day care, after sunset.
Colin: Dark.
Me: Yeah, it's a little dark.
Colin: No, Mommy, BIIIIG dark.


A four-year-old student opens his mouth like he's going to say something, then shuts it.
Me: Brian, were you going to say something?
Student: Oh, I just forgot that you have a baby in your tummy, then I remembered.
Me: Yes, I do! Good job - you remembered.
Student: Yeah, my mom's getting fat too, but she doesn't have a baby in her tummy.
Me: Okay, I'm not going to tell your mom you said that, but thanks for sharing!


Another four-year-old student, who just saw the "Transformers" movie. If you know the theme song from the cartoon, you'll get this!
Student: C'mon trucks - let's go meet the eye!


My five-year-old student, seeing another student crying.
Student: My daddy said I could only cry if I was bleeding or dying.


What I'm listening to: The washer and dryer
I just: Swiffered the floor
Now I'm gonna: Take a nap!

Fun With Kids

Working with preschoolers can, occasionally, be fun!


While testing a student to see if he can describe others accurately:

Me: How do I look? Tell me about my clothes, my hair, stuff like that.

Little boy: Pretty!


While our group matches up "cold" things with the snowman picture and "hot" things with the sun picture:

Little boy, pointing to the snowman picture: It's cold in winter.

Little girl: Ohhhhh! I've never BEEN to winter before!


Little boy telling his mom about another little boy, who is on the autistic spectrum and usually doesn't communicate well:

Little boy: Mom! He talks! I said, "Do you want to come to circle time?" and he said, "No!"


What I'm listening to: Colin talking to me
I just: Called a store about glider rockers
Now I'm gonna: Go outside to play!

Still pickin' on whiners

Poor, poor Ryan Adams. Dude puts out, like, six albums per year, and still he can't get a decent sound system at a concert? So what does he do? He throws a fit. Boo hoo: what a baby! Of course, in this month's SPIN Magazine, he also insists that the Grateful Dead are a punk band. Uh-huh.

Now, for the anti-whiner: have you checked out the Swedish TV host who threw up on-air because of menstrual cramps? Now THAT is a pro. THAT is someone with balls. Ryan Adams, you could take a lesson from Miss Eva Nazemson.

(If you're feeling strong, check out the video here, with English subtitles.

What I'm listening to: Colin singing the Alphabet Song
I just: Ate lunch, read the news on CNN.com
Now I'm gonna: Play with Colin before naptime

For shame, for shame

Part 1: Vanessa Hudgens
So, she took cheescake photos. And, apparently, she did the same thing as a 15-16 year old (sending the pics to a co-star in a TV show). The girl's judgement is not spot-on. But I'm sure MANY of these tsk-tsking moms who are quoted as saying, "Well, my eight-year-old daughter is NOT going to be a fan anymore," pr'y have their own Naked Photo Past. But they're not famous, and no one wants to see them naked. Plus, just tell your kid, "She took naked photos, and someone found them. That's why you don't take naked photos. We all learned something here today!"

Part 2: Britney Spears
This is where the real shame comes in. Her VMA performance was just.... sad. Her outfit was too skimpy for her current figure. She could barely keep her balance in those boots. And her dancing - well, it wasn't really dancing now, was it. It was Brit-Brit, looking uncomfortable, shifting her weight from foot to foot, letting the backup dancers do all of the work. Ouch. Where is her management? This could have been a golden moment! And the pained looks of other entertainers in the audience were too much. (My favorite: 50 Cent. Some talking head made the comment later to the effect that "50 Cent got shot nine times, and even HE thought this was more painful.") Oh, oh, Britney. Lament!

Right now I'm listening to: The pro football game audio from the living room
I just: Finished Photoshopping clip art for my students tomorrow (first day!)
Now I'm gonna: Eat some ice cream!

And now, in other news...

Ever wanted to drive a Daihatsu? Ever felt like a closeted gay man ready for some annoyingly repetitive guitar work? Work your way over to the German Daihatsu Trevis website and test-drive a shirtless cowboy, a possibly WWII-era airman... partially undressed, or a Great Gatsby-esque, um, baseball player-type who is... uh... again, half-naked. Watch them dance! Watch them pose! Wonder exactly to whom the Trevis is being targeted! (Not soccer moms. Or just very, very naive soccer moms.)

Click "go" under each gentleman to enjoy some awkward dancing.

Hmmm.

iPhone, waaa waaa waaa, pfthhhhhhhhhhhh!

So, apparently, angry first-generation iPhone users (should I say version 1.0?) are blasting Steve Jobs, threatening to rip him a new one, because they bought the iPhone before its price cut. Thus begins my multi-point post:

Why These iPhone Users Are Whiny Little Bitches

(1) They were early adopters. Many things are much more expensive in their early iterations. You don't see my parents begging for money back on their big honkin' microwave they bought back in 1980, now, do you? They got use out of it and enjoyed it! (For many, many years, actually.)

(2) They just HAD to have the iPhone. Now! Yesterday! Be the first ones in line! They wanted to walk around with their iPhones, show everyone their iPhones, brag about their iPhones, blog about the iPhones. They wanted to be hip! In-the-know! So... they paid full price and got the attention and "cool credit". Now they're complaining?

(3) Want that latest outfit at your favorite store? Buy it now, full price, and wear it before anyone else. Wait a month, and it will go on sale for 20% off. Wait another two weeks, and it's 40% off. It's your choice. It's a free country. If you paid full price for the iPhone, flaws and all, because you needed it FIRST, you weren't going to get it at a discount.

I'm surprised that Steve Jobs is offering a $100 credit. He's known for being stubborn, controlling, and kind of a freak (living in Silicon Valley, I know people who know him). Live it and breathe it, Steve! You're going easy on these people! They're your slaves, and they'll keep crawling back for the Next Best Thing that you create!

Some people just need to GROW UP.

Right now I'm listening to: "What Goes Around Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake (wow, the irony)
I just: Read the news online (of course!)
Now I'm gonna: Go get my chai tea latte out of the microwave... that will be replaced as SOON AS THERE'S A SALE, DAMMIT!

That's not what I meant

Scene: I was reading the picture book "Out and About" with Colin before his nap today. On the food page, there is a partially unwrapped bar of chocolate.

Me: Look!

Colin: Whadat?

Me: A bar of chocolate. Daddy likes that.

Colin: (pointing down hallway, toward the computer) Chokit Wain!

Yes, the hubby must stop enjoying the YouTube sensation "Chocolate Rain" with Colin. Immediately.

Right now I'm listening to: Nothing at the moment
I just: Read my e-mail
Now I'm gonna: Take a nap!

More "reunion" weekend photos

We LOVED going up to Bellevue for Will and Nichole's wedding. Here are more pics from the weekend.
The magnificent newlyweds. I can't believe Will is married - I remember when he was born! And it was such a joy to meet Nichole - she is a lovely, lovely girl. Looking forward to getting to know her better!
No babies were harmed in the making of this photo - no matter what Matthew's face says!

Colin and Matthew chatting away.

Right now I'm listening to: The a/c unit. Again.
I just: Came back from job #1.
Now I'm gonna: See a private client. Ciao!

The White House and someonesmom

Here we are! Two bloggers/cousins with our boys. My family had a great time visiting Bellevue for Cousin Will's wedding. More pics forthcoming.

Right now I'm listening to: The a/c unit (that's not a new band)
I just: Finished a webinar on accent modification
Now I'm gonna: Walk over to daycare to get the little guy

Welcoming Audrey

Congrats to Ben and Casey on their new addition!

Seriously, smiling already? WOW!

My picky, picky music lover

Colin and his uncle rocking out, Debussy-style



On the way to day care this morning, Colin and I were listening to the radio. Upon arrival, I turned off the car. Colin utter a cry of dismay. I said, "What's wrong?" He started tapping his hands on his thighs. "Oh, you wanted to finish listening to the song?" He smiled and nodded. I turned the radio back on and he got right back to grooving.

The song? "Hand in Pocket" by Alanis Morissette.

Right now I'm listening to: "Plowed" by Sponge
I just: Came back from seeing a client
Now I'm gonna: Eat lunch

"New" Jeff Buckley video

Right now I'm listening to: "Grey in L.A." by Loudon Wainwright III
I just: Read "Les deux pieds sur Terre"
Now I'm gonna: Check my e-mail

Countdown

Baby #2 is on the way!

And in no way do the stories coming out of my moms' group freak me out.

Most women are having their second kids with three pushes, while the nurse screams, "Don't push - the doctor isn't here! He's at Chevy's having taquitos and a margarita!"

We've had one get in the shower when her contractions started, only to deliver the baby in the tub with her husband.

We've had another deliver in her living room with her husband, her mother, her mother-in-law, and two firefighters. One firefighter kept telling her to get into the "proper birthing position, on your back," while she screamed, "That's not the proper birthing position!!!" So when her son shot out into the firefighter's hands, the baby immediately sprayed everyone in attendance with pee... including into the firefighter's mouth. Aw.

And yet, I'm still remaining positive. No pun intended.

Meanwhile, Colin has been practicing his counting and alphabet.

Colin, counting Cheerios: Two, fee, five, sick, seben, eight, nine, ten... eight, nine, X, Y, Z!

Colin, doing his alphabet puzzle: "R, T, double-oo, X, Y, Z!"

It's a start.

So over it

What's up with emo girls doing that weird thing with their lips when they have their pictures taken?

Just wondering.

I was looking at scene hair and started feeling pissed off.

A list: Music videos

Music Videos That Nearly Make Me Hate the Songs I Adore (So I Try To Not Watch Them)

-Secret Smile (Semisonic)
-My Happiness (Powderfinger)
-Crank (Catherine Wheel)

(I'm sure there are more here - I'll just have to add them as I remember them. Perhaps I'm blocking them out in order to protect my psyche....)



Videos That Make Me Love the Songs I Adore Even More

-Closer (Nine Inch Nails)
-Sabotage (Beastie Boys)
-Human Behavior (Bjork)
-Soul Meets Body (Death Cab for Cutie)
-Take On Me (A-Ha)
-Cry Me a River (Justin Timberlake)
-Imagine (John Lennon)
-Natural Blues (Moby)



Videos That Are So Bad, They Make Bad Songs Even More Laughable

-Any song by R. Kelly
-Stars Are Blind (Paris Hilton)
-I'm Too Sexy (Right Said Fred)

Big changes

So much has happened in the last month... no time to blog it all! Here are some highlights:

(1) I quit my job with the Deaf/HOH program. I don't have another job yet. I should say, actually, that I haven't SELECTED another job yet. There are quite a few from which to choose, but I haven't made up my mind. That's what's so great about being an SLP - lots of work!

(2) Lots of parties and get-togethers.... and still more are coming up!

(3) Travelling.

(4) As pertaining to (1), I had to pack up my entire office, the speech closet, etc., as well as finish up end-of-the-year things, such as report cards, IEPs, etc. That was soooooo much work.

More changes to come!

In addition, Colin's speech has just *exploded*. (And he's still using sign, which more and more people are noticing - they're like, "Wow, he signs?" and then they tell me a story about how someone else they know signs and how cool it is.) Today, he shocked me by pointing to the Valentine hearts in the book "Max's Valentine" and saying, "Heart," pointing to his heart, and then, "Two heart." He pointed to the purple one and said, "Mama, mama," and I said, "Purple. Purple heart." He repeated it. Then he pointed to the red one and said, "Red heart." He's doing great!

Turns out he's also a golf prodigy. On our friend Ben's last trip up here about three months ago, we went to the golf store. Colin started trying to putt the ball into the hole, and then once he figured that out, he started handicapping himself by placing the ball further and further away from the hole!

Since then, he's tried to use a landscaping stake and a small ball to practice. So on our recent trip down south, I bought him a plastic kid-sized putting set. He said, "Big putt-putt!" He was really excited.

He's also upped his dance moves. He does some pretty crazy dances, including using pointing fingers, and some yoga-like floor rolling that would make Mia Michaels proud.

What a kid!

Kids are (still) funny

Two of my students, girls aged about nine, were wearing Warriors jerseys to school on Thursday (due to a talent show performance). Names changed to protect the innocent. :)

Me: Oh, you've got Warriors jerseys on!

Rose: Yeah, we wore them for the talent show. Do you know the Warriors?

Me: Of COURSE I know the Warriors!

Anjali: I love Warriors! I love Warriors!

Me: You do?

Anjali: Yes! They win win win. They play basketball and win. Many time. Lose a little bit, but okay.

Rose: But they didn't go to the championships.

Anjali: No championship. No. Little bit lose. But I love Warriors!

At this age, I was like, "I love books! I love music!" Was I even aware of professional basketball?