Riddle me this...

1) Why are text books so expensive? Regular books cost only a fraction of what textbooks cost, and they are infinitely more enjoyable.

2) How many times am I expected to vacuum the living room on any given day? I swear, since Annalise has started walking, I have to clean the living room 4-5 times a day. Sure, I could just leave it until...I don't know...she goes to bed? But then I'd have a living room littered with the detritus of a toddler's good time.

3) Why are there so many articles ranting about SAHMs who wear yoga pants and tank tops during the day (everyday)?  I wonder if the people writing these articles have actually stayed at home with a very active child, or if they a) are just writing to be controversial. B) have strange sedentary children who don't run, climb, jump, and want to play on the ground. or C) have very very neat children who don't spill yogurt with granola over their mother's clothes.
I'll be the first to admit that I wear black yoga pants Every. Single. Day.
I don't wear them out and about. OK, maybe I have once or twice. But generally speaking, when I venture "out there" I wear big girl clothes.
It's just very frustrating to see such unnecessary criticism. Trendon doesn't care that I wear black yoga pants everyday. He comes home and immediately changes out of his ACU's into pj pants (unless we're going somewhere).

OK, my rant is over.
In the land of Annalise, things are going very well. She's been reading her books like crazy. She LOVES the Priddy Books (thank you, Kelley, for turning me on to them).          

She'll point to pictures and ask,
"That?" and I'll tell her what it is. The things she does know, she'll point and say the name.
She's also been playing with her Leapfrog dog, Violet, a WHOLE bunch (and thank you, Amanda, for introducing me to that wonderworld). She'll carry Violet around and hug her and pat her on the back. SO cute.

The third picture is Annalise singing "If You're Happy and You Know It."



















Also, I have to admit, I am a bad bad mother.
I let Annalise have ice cream sometimes. It's the Skinny Cow Chocolate Truffle bars. They're 100 calories each and incredibly delicious. I have them because dieting and exercising have led to a sweet tooth. Maybe it's psychological? I know I "shouldn't" have sweets, so I want them? Who knows?
Anyway, I let Annalise have the last 1/4 of the bar (assuming she has eaten well the rest of the day).
She loves me for it.

And finally, here's a picture of Annalise being a completely silly goose. She's got a tea towel wrapped around her shoulders. She was emulating me. I dyed my hair the other day and I walk around with a towel wrapped around my shoulders to protect my skin and clothes from the dye. She's so perceptive. I guess it probably seems an obvious thing to imitate, but there were days in between the original event and this one.

What can I say? I'm her mom and I'm very often impressed by her developing abilities.