Dear Dan,

Jen and I want to take a second to apologize to you. Through a few emails today Jen had a flicker of a memory of us squirting mustard in your mouth and wondered why.

I laughed as the memory came flooding back. I believe it to be one of those days when we were home alone (school break of some kind) and we thought it'd be a great idea to play "Taste Tester" with you. I remember you being unsure about it, but agreed to play.

You sat in front of the refrigerator and Jen and I picked out what we wanted you to guess next. Then I pulled out the mustard. I knew you didn't like it. I remember Jen's face as I showed her what was coming. I'd like to believe it was still a fun game at that point and not the sibling mean-ness that rears its head in all families.

You didn't like the mustard. You got so mad, in fact, that you quit and never played that game with us again. Smart move.

So - from Jen and I, we're sorry.

Christmas: Seckman Style

We had our first Christmas celebration last weekend with the Seckmans down in Tecumseh - what a hoot to see Elliot tearing through presents. That instant look of wow - holy crap - is this for me - this is cool - this makes noise - are you seeing this was priceless.

Even better? When he woke up from his nap on Sunday back in Lincoln only to find the presents CAME HOME WITH HIM. Whoa.

His favorite thing was a plastic recorder that he had broken in 2 pieces before 24 hours had even passed. Funny how a two year old sees that as a weapon, who would've guessed?

Tonight Fred created some new ... what to call them ... traditions? for the Seckmans on Christmas Eve: Arby's for dinner and then Anna's Kitchen Haircuts for the boys followed by baths. Check back in '09 - I bet we go all out crazy and include toe nail clipping to the festivities.

A Visit from Nate

Elliot's friend Nate M. (not to be confused with Daddy's friend Nate M.) came for a visit on Saturday. The two boys really play together well, although Elliot is starting to show a few signs of possessiveness, which I think is normal...right? Anyway, here is some of the video of the play time, we got lots of good pictures and video as they really had a blast.

Big News!

Elliot pottied on the potty today!!! Wooo hoo!

I asked him if he wanted to go since I was going - and he said yep. Down went the pants, down went his bottom and out came tinkle. I'm so proud!

It's just nice that he's not terrified of it anymore. I'm in no hurry, but it was fun. He was so proud of himself that he started singing and clapping.

I suppose it's my proud-ness that is letting him stand on the ottoman right now, rocking it back and forth and will likely break his neck in a matter of seconds. Oop - he just jumped. I better go kiss that owie.

Funny Follow-up

I was leaving for work this morning with Elliot dawdling behind me on the stairs. We're almost outside when Fred yells "Hey - See you out there!"

So funny...

Idiots on Winter Roads...

I'm heading down 52nd Street, nearing Old Cheney and am sliding to a stop noting that indeed, 4x4 doesn't do anything for you on ice.

I'm sitting. And sitting. And sitting, wondering when this ugly old car is going to grow a pair and finally pull out so the rest of us can get on our way. And Elliot is continually asking "Where Daddy go? Home?" and I'm continually saying that yes, Daddy is at home but he's going to work. "Yep" is all I hear from the backseat.

In my rear view I see this total tool cruising down the street as though its car has superbrakes and is somehow able to not slide stopping down a hill. The car gets closer. I'm watching its every move and realizing I have no where to go. I'm likely heading for an accident.

E: Momma. Where Daddy go?
A: Daddy is at ho---- Elliot this guy needs to slow down!
E: Yep. Daddy home.
A: Well, son, Daddy almost rear-ended mommy. So if you look to your left, Daddy is right over there in that guy's driveway.

Yep. It was Fred in the giant Grand Prix barrelling down 52nd Street and narrowly missed slamming the back end of my car before veering into a driveway. We gave each other a look. Mine said Seriously? What the hell? and his was something like Gee, I'm a dumbass.

Nothing more dramatic happens and I get to work. This was our exchange, via email:

A: Did we about have a little accident this a.m.? I think our State Farm agent would've laughed at us...
F: Yeah it was 80% me going too fast and 20% the crappy tires on my car. And then when I saw it was you I really panicked, because then we would have had 2 deductibles to meet, I saw $ signs flashing before my eyes. So even though I might have been able to stop in time I just turned off anyway. Then I thought it was funny.
A: I need to blog this. And, you're an idiot.

Christmas Cards, Revisited

About this time last year I blogged about not getting Christmas cards done for yet another season. Things haven't changed much this year.

You see, some special folks will be getting cards. It's an art project I worked on with Elliot and, as you can imagine, the attention span of a not-quite-2 year old isn't very long.

For those of you that do get a card, please be polite and not rub it in to those around you that didn't get one of his spectacular each-is-an-original works. It's just not nice.

For those of you that don't get a card, it's not that we don't love you, it's more that he refused to work without consulting with his lawyer, Fluter vonBuug after only completing 15 cards. He was babbling on and on about child labor laws and the cruelty of being forced to create art so his mom would finally have something to send out. Oh, the humanity. (His words, not mine, although it did sound more like Down? Milk? Daddy? as I was saying 'hold on, honey, just one more for mommy.')

Getting to Know Me...

Note - I am yanking some b/c this is just too long....

1. What's your favorite book at the present time?
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

4. Where is the place you want to go the most?
Australia - just to explore for a few weeks.

5. If you have one dream to come true, what would it be?
Lunch with Amelia Earhart.

6. Do you believe in seeing a rainbow after the rain?
Absolutely - I've seen some very pretty ones in my day.

8. If you win $1 million, what would you do?
Invest most of it and then donate the rest.

10. Do you prefer to fly or drive?
Fly - it's faster. If you don't mind losing your bag, paying to park and running through O'Hare.

11. Which type of person do you hate the most?
One-Uppers. You know who you are because you already thought of how you could better answered this.

12. What is your ambition?
To raise a socially responsible and respectable human being. I already have him, now I need to get to work.

16. What is the one thing you like about your country?
Freedom that I all to often take for granted.

17. If you have a chance, which part of your character you would like to change?
The paranoid part of me.

Seriously.

If they can make a fake Christmas tree that literally pops out of the box with hinged, pre-lit branches that open right up, why can't they make a tree that is already adorned with your family's ornaments too?

A Recap of This Week's Events

1. At lunch on Tuesday, my coworkers and I talked about the book we would someday like to write. My answer was simple and hard - I would love to write a biography on my Grandpa Wenciker. I don't know a whole lot about him, and he's not here any longer to tell me, but the parts I know are intriguing. I know he was one of many children in a depression-era household and was actually given up because they couldn't afford him. I know he was in the army and was dreamy enough to catch the attention of my sassy French Grandma. I just love the story of their meeting and marrying.

2. I got my mole removed. Elliot's been trying to do it for months but he's not medically certified. Yet. I've hated that thing for all of my life. Fun Fact? It even got airbrushed from some of my Senior Pictures because the photog thought it was dirt.

3. I had a party on Wednesday. It was a Signature Homestyles Party - and I invited everyone to come whenever they wanted. I tell ya, I haven't had that much fun in a long, long time. I should consider having get togethers more often. I think Aunt B tried to call me - but it was loud and I missed the call. I had no way to call her back - so if that was you Aunt B, I'm sorry!

4. We made Christmas plans to visit the Missouri Morrissey's. Christmas day will be a traditional ham type of dinner but the next day will be a Nebraska type of dinner: Valentino's Pizza. I can hardly wait.

5. Went to Nate M.'s birthday party on Tuesday at Lost in Fun. It's a fantastic place for a party, really. I just can't get over the fact that he's 2. That means - eek - that my nephew will be 2 next followed by my own son. YIKES.

6. I made robes for the boys' birthdays. They are the cutest little robes ever. And I just now realized that I forgot to get fabric scraps for my mom - Sorry Mom!

Not So Much...

Fred and I are home-bodies. Ask us and we'll tell you that our ideal weekend is loafing around the house in pajamas. Ask Elliot and he'll look up at you, cock his head to the side and say "bye bye?" in his most pathetic almost-whining voice.

Alright, alright. I get it. You don't want to stay home all day, every day.

He only had to say it 17 times before we got the picture: being home Thursday night through Saturday was too much. Bye bye? Shoos? Coat? Bye bye? Saturday night we went grocery shopping.

Around 3 on Sunday he started in again. Bye bye? Bye bye? Coat? Go? Bye bye? I headed to the gym and Fred took Elliot to Wal-Mart to cruise the aisles.

For two distinct reasons this is a bad place to be: 1) Elliot thinks he always gets his way and 2) We come home with extra stuff we didn't "need" but wanted because we were there like cookies and Christmas decorations.

To emphasize his point, he took off running at daycare this morning, yelling "Hayeeee" (Haley). Found her, hugged her, kissed her and plopped in her lap. He then gave me that snooty little look as if you to say Oh, Mom, you're still here? Aren't you supposed to be gone?

Again, son, I get it.