A wee bit overwhelmed (this might qualify as a complaining post--you are warned)

Do you ever feel compelled to make a post JUST to get comments and feel connected to the world? I suppose that is this post. I don't have any pictures or videos. I don't even have any exciting news. I just feel... a little overwhelmed with all that is on my plate right now... and why does that make me take time out from what I NEED to be doing to blog? I don't know. Post-poning the inevitable escapism? Giving myself a short mental break? (which this isn't really doing, in all honesty.) I feel like I need to talk, but I have a cold and I talked too much yesterday and now I don't ACTUALLY want to talk to anyone because my throat hurts, but I want to talk...see my dilemma?

I made a big oops on my computer yesterday afternoon and failed to save my week-long progress on my paper. All of this week's efforts are gone. have to start over. Not even an auto-save to recover. believe me, we looked. SOOOOO demoralizing. And frustrating. and I'm soooo mad at myself because I KNOW to be more careful. And now I've got to put in double time because the paper is due next Friday. I wouldn't have to rush if I'd saved properly.

and I'm sick. and tired. and I feel lousy. and maybe just a teensy bit grouchy, can ya tell?. :)

and I've got these weight loss goals that I REALLY want to achieve, but I'm too tired bc of being sick to work out like normal this week. and too mentally tired to be as disciplined as I need to be. and, if I'm honest about what I've got cut out for me next week homework-wise, I need to cut back next week too so I have energy for finishing this paper. So I feel torn between two goals that are very important to me: school and fitness. and I'm annoyed that I even have to make this choice (annoyed at both my computer-oops AND my cold).

and we're in the process of trying to take care of some financial-loan-maybe-we'll-get-a-house kind of things, which is just one more thing to keep me awake at night stewing (as if the non-drowsy decongestant wasn't enough to keep this already-confessed-insomniac awake at night), so I'm definitely not getting enough sleep.

and we're having friends over for dinner tonight. This is a reschedule because last month the girls had the flu. I don't want to have to cancel again, especially because of a stupid cold, so I'm just powering through all the food and cleaning prep. But I'm so tired already--and it is only 9:45 in the morning--and I know it will take energy to be excited and chatty and a good hostess in general. and I'm just a little overwhelmed by all the preparation (we're having Mexican fajitas and I've got to make flan and slice all those peppers and cook Spanish rice etc etc etc) and entertaining today. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to have my friends over... but I just don't want the work that comes with it. At least not today.

and I'm just kind of overwhelmed with it all and want to cry sometimes but even that takes too much energy plus it makes my congestion worse. Sigh.

Thanks for listening. Just one of those days, I guess.

a lil humor for you

Gwen is learning a lot of new words. This often leads to some confusion. When I tell her the rain is "wet" she repeats it back but signs "white". When I tell her the crayon is "blue" she repeats it back but signs "balloon". Can't say that I blame her. They do sound awfully alike.

In sacrament last week, I whispered in Gwen's ear that this is a special time we think about Jesus. She stopped squirming and seemed really happy about that, so I was pretty pleased. I thought maybe she actually understood what I was trying to teach her. I thought she was thinking about Jesus. Then she sat forward in my lap, squished her hands back and forth (that was the correct sign) with the accompanying excited declaration of:

"CHEESE!"

Eric and I tried really hard not to laugh about that during the sacrament. so funny. Well, I guess we'll have to clarify that one. :)

Words, Words, Words

Gwen loves to talk. Not on demand, mind you, so don't expect a performance. But when unsolicited, she fills our ears with so many words!

Body Parts (she'll point to these too):
"a'ye" = eye
"nohz" = nose
"ee" = ears
"mow" = mouth
"toes" = toes
"shat"= hair (she says 'hat')
and she'll also point to her belly, chin, cheeks, knees, and shoulders

Animals:
"gack-gack" = duck (quack quack)
"ki" = kitty (she also signs it and sometimes says "meaw" instead of "ki")
"gi" = doggie (she also signs it and sometimes growls)
"pish-ee" = fishie (also signs it)
she literally 'roars' for lions and bears, moos for cows, chirps for birdies
signs bear, bird, and frog

Outside:
"wow-ah" = flower (she also signs it: it is so cute when she inhales like she is smelling it!)
signs tree, outside, sun, rain, and on rare occasion she'll sign play and dirty.

Clothes:
"go" = coat (accompanied by sign)
"gock" = sock (accompanied by sign)
"shuuuu" = shoes (accompanied by sign)
"shat" = hat (accompanied by sign)

Food:
"mmmmm" = milk (accompanied by the sign)
"cra-koh" = cracker (accompanied by the sign)
"mo" = more (accompanied by the sign)
"all gaah" = all gone, all done (accompanied by the sign)
"kay" or "kin" = candy (usually she just reaches and whines for this one, let's be honest)
signs eat, drink, banana and communicates VERY well whether she wants to eat something or not by emphatic head movements of either yes or no

Inside:
"baa" = bath (accompanied by the sign)
"buh" = bubbles (accompanied by the sign)
"booh" = book (accompanied by the sign, and usually a book thrust in your face)
"beee" = binkie
"gah" = giraffe (her stuffed critter for sleeping)
"peas" = please
"day-doo" = thank you
"poo-poo" = change my diaper
signs for light, upstairs, downstairs, friends, and share

family:
"ma-ma" = mommy (with the sign)
"da-da" = daddy (with the sign)
"ba-bah" = grandpa (with sloppy sign)
"mm-mah" = grandma (sounds a lot like mommy, just watch for the sign)
"bay-bay" = baby (with the sign)
"mmmmmm" = kiss (and she usually does!)

Random Animal Thoughts

Want to know something random that I just thought of? Ever realized that we say:

horsie
piggie
doggie
kitty
teddy
duckie
goosie
birdie
lambie
squirrelie
fishie
froggie
and these don't really count because they don't get a new affectionate name but why not add monkey and turkey since they already have an 'ie' sound

pretty much any small animal or any cute animal can be made into an "ie". You'd never say, 'look, it's the lil lionie.' or 'see the pretty peliconie'. I doubt anyone has ever tried to make a moose into a moosie, an elk into an elkie, a tiger into a tigerie, an elephant into an elephantie, or a whale into a whalie. Also, in general, unattractive animals don't become "ie"s. I don't know how turkeys slipped past that one. The affectionate title seems to be reserved for small and cute, but especially for everyday or farm animals. Things kids might see regularly. That's why even cute and small exotic specimens like penguins might be excluded. Again, I don't know how monkeys made the cut. But, they don't REALLY count because they don't change from their normal name into an affectionate name, they just get lucky with their normal name. So, my thesis is: cute, small, everyday animals can be made 'affectionate' with an "ie" ... EXCLUDING COWS!!! Now, I think cows can be cute. and horses didn't get left out because of their large size... so why don't we say

"Cowie"?

Hilarious and Cute Videos... Mostly for Mama Allan's Baby Fix! :)

Gwen is quite the talker!... :)
Here's the second installation of Gwen's noises:

sorry this next one is so dark. Just enjoy listening to Gwen practicing her Elk calls!

installation number 1 of Gwen 'talking'

Gwen says "happy birthday, Grandma!" :)