Wuv, Twue Wuv

The funny thing about the kids getting older and interacting more is that they fight a lot more.  I find myself saying things like, "Sammy, stop sitting on Jubee's head!" or "Jubee, stop scratching Sam!" quite a bit.  Jubee's nails are Wolverine-like claws, and the more I cut them, the more razor blade-like they become.

The good news is, as they fight more, they also become exponentially more affectionate.  I have proof:

When we walk down the sidewalk, anytime Jubee gets within 10 feet of the corner, Sammy runs in front of her and bodily blocks the path so she can't walk in the street.  That's good-brotherness.

Sometimes, they are playing different games at the park and realize they are far away from each other.  One will yell to the other, and they both take off running.  Embrace.  And scene.

In my head, it's in slow motion, with that bit from Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet" playing in the background.  In reality, Sammy knocks her over 50% of the time and she cries.

And sometimes I can even get in on this action.  Nice.

Social Awkwardness in a New Town: Part 2

You want to hear something awful?  I haven't even met anyone else in our building yet.  We live on the top floor of a building that has 4 other apartments.  I just can't think of a good way to go downstairs and say, "hi, I'm the person whose kids stand on the floor above your bedroom and jump up and down every morning at 6am.  Oh, and that I'm-being-murdered shriek you hear every day at 1pm?  That's just me trying to convince my 4-year old to take a nap, I swear I'm not beating him.  Please don't call the police...here's some cookies."  On second thought, I should probably start baking.

A few weeks ago, we decided to drive to Denver.  It's a 2-2.5 hour drive from here, so manageable, though I wouldn't want to do it every day.  The Pioneer Woman was supposed to have a book signing from 4-7pm there, and we wanted to visit Ikea and jump on couches.  The last book signing I went to was Orson Scott Card at a library years ago, so I didn't realize I should be there hours early.  We showed up only a half hour early, and they gave me a number, 581, so we didn't have to stand in line until the last hour and a half or so.


At 4pm, I was standing on the outskirts of the crowd when the Pioneer Woman walked in, and passed right next to me.  She said, "hi!"  I froze.  The people around me all yelled, "hi Ree!" in unison.  I said, "um, mmm, ah."


At nearly 10pm, I had my book signed.  So here's how the conversation with the Pioneer Woman went:  


I said, "hi!"  I'd been practicing that "hi" for the last 6 hours, since I flopped on the first one.


She said, "hi."


I panicked and said, "I bet you're hungry, huh?  I mean, since you've been here for so long and haven't had anything to eat for pretty much ever, you know, right?" 


She said she was too distracted to be hungry immediately, but would be when she was done.   


Then I asked if I could get a picture, and she said sure, and then I waved over Cam, explaining to her that he had a better "phone on his camera.  I mean, camera on his phone.  I mean, whatever, ack!" which is why I'm laughing like a moron in this picture.  

And then Sam announced he was a "baby" and started crawling on his hands and knees across the filthy floor.  And then I picked up my book, muttered "thanks," and ran.  Haha.  Well, I guess it could've been worse, Orson Scott Card made fun of my tshirt when he signed my copy of Ender's Game.

Don't believe it, though, it's a lie.

My sister Katie later told me I should've said, "Hey, Ree, what's up? What, you don't remember me?  I'm CarlyW, I've won, like, two of your Word Nerd quizzes, for realz, but whatever."  Well, there's always a next time.

P.S. I realize how dorky mentioning going to Orson Scott Card's book signing, at the Public Library, makes me seem.  Just keep in mind, I was the only one there without a copy of his Iron Man graphic novel, so that makes me the coolest person in that room.  So there.

Social Awkwardness in a New Town: Part 1

So, a little over a month ago we moved to Laramie, Wyoming for Cam's work.  I had never been totally convinced Wyoming was even a real place, since I had never met anyone actually from Wyoming...instead it seemed just like a black hole in the US, a big square "state" invented so we'd be at an even 50.  Well, if you've ever found yourself thinking similar thoughts, be rest assured, Wyoming is indeed a real place.


The hardest thing about moving here is that we don't know anyone within a 400 mile radius, so I've spent much of my time trying to "make friends."  The tots and I been going to Pre-K gym day at the Civic Center, read-along time at the Library, and the park nearly every day it's warm and sunny enough to go (and even a few days that weren't).

Which brings me to my first story.  A couple of weeks ago, on a fine sunny day, I spent over an hour talking to this funny hippie lady from San Diego while at the park with the tots.  It was going just fine until we started talking about the lack of good restaurants in Laramie, and I said, "well, at least I made a decent curry at home," and she said jokingly, "that's great...when are we coming over?"


I totally froze in the most super awkward way possible; for what seemed like a very long time, I was thinking, "we don't have a table and chairs yet.  I don't have my pots and pans here.  What if her husband and Cam don't get along?  What if she's really just joking and doesn't actually want to come over?  I don't want to seem too eager to make friends."  Panic, long pause, nervous giggle, then, "heh, yeah, um, yeah, sure, I mean, maybe."  In retrospect, I realize all I had to say was, "anytime!" or something vague like that, or just make a real plan, but instead I panicked, I was embarrassed, she was embarrassed.  Conversation over.


When I got home, I realized I was totally sunburnt.

That's right, I looked like a mouldy strawberry for a week, a painful reminder of my horrible embarrassment at the park every time I looked in the mirror...or brushed up against something.

It's okay.  At least I have this one...

...and one of these...

...to keep me company while Cam is at work.  Who needs friends anyway, right?


Stay tuned for my embarrassing story about when I met the Pioneer Woman a few of weeks ago, coming soon, and after that a blog post about love.