i'd rather be camping: January 2011

Defying Gravity

1/17/2011 - Posted by Allison - 0 comments

While we earthlings are obviously bound by the laws of gravity for good reason, that doesn't stop us from trying to find ways around it (or taking advantage of it - Mike has quite a skydiving record). Julie and I once spent a good hour leaping around in an empty bouncy castle after a charity event had concluded, but before the company came to retrieve it. I think we were 24 at the time.

Nora's latest hobby is to determine what is and what isn't a Johnny Jump Up. It results in a great deal of stomping and some head banging (of the rock fan, not football player, variety). "High chair, are you a Johnny Jump Up? No? Boo." "Exersaucer? Are you a Johnny Jump Up? No? Boo." "Daddy, are YOU a Johnny Jump Up? Well, this is just frustrating?!" "PUT ME IN MY JOHNNY JUMP UP!" Yes, ma'am.

How dog ownership has prepared me for parenthood.

1/07/2011 - Posted by Allison - 0 comments

At this exact moment, Nora is shouting extremely loudly from her bedroom, hoping somebody will rescue her. If we go in to check on her, she greets us with a big smile and a giggle, which is a little hard to resist. So we're ignoring her (she should have been asleep an hour ago). I've heard many new parents say it is incredibly difficult* to listen to their children cry out for them. However, after almost seven years of papillon ownership, the shouts of the-baby-who-does-not-want-to-go-to-sleep are, frankly, soothing in comparison to the noises Gatsby can generate. Indefinitely, as far as we can tell. If he is somewhere he doesn't want to be (his crate in the basement, for example, after he's decided he wants out) he will bark. Without ceasing. For up to six hours. And I say "up to" six hours, because that was as long as we lasted. And then we let him out. Nora has yet to scream for six hours straight.

Gatsby is not a morning dog.

Bodi would prefer to do this. All day.

A coworker recently mentioned that she couldn't believe how much her life changed with the birth of her children. She remarked that once they were born all she and her husband did was sit around and stare at the baby and she couldn't believe that was something she was doing for fun, and was actually enjoying. I resisted the urge to tell her that we've been sitting around staring at the DOGS for fun for years, and when Nora the biggest change on that end was just the fact that there was a new being to ogle.

*Nora has one particularly awful cry that involves whimpering that I cannot handle. I always rescue her.

Virginia

1/03/2011 - Posted by Allison - 0 comments

Miss Nora and I headed east to Virginia on a short trip to visit my mom's side of the family. Although we only had a few days, we had a relaxing time, went out to eat with the entire family currently in the NOVA area on Wednesday, took some lovely walks in the ridiculous 50-60 degree weather, and generally enjoyed ourselves. Here are a few photo highlights (travel details may come later in another post next time I'm in an ornery mood).

Nora and "Auntie" Brooke listening to Daft Punk/chewing on an iPhone. (Daddy approves of her musical "taste".)