Run Froggy...run!

New Shoes
Froggy has never had new shoes. We've always received hand-me-downs, but this week we went to the mall, had her tootsies measured, and bought new tennies! Froggy could not hide her enthusiasm. She giggled the entire time, and charmed everyone at the store. She always runs fast, but now she runs with purpose...new shoes purpose. It's adorable and worth the thirty bucks. Yikes!

Culver City Carnival

Firefighter Froggy

Seizure Update

I spoke with the neurologist and we're going to increase her Keppra dosage. She's at a high dose, so we'll check her blood levels on her next Clinic visit. But hopefully this will do the trick, atleast for a little while.

Seizures again

Froggy is definitely having eye deviations again. It's nap time, but she couldn't fall asleep, because everytime she'd start to close her eyes, they'd roll up into her head, and it would wake her up.

I'm so discouraged. I've called and emailed the neurologist. Now I'm just waiting to find out about yet a new medication. She's on two so far. So we'll introduce a third, I guess. I know our lives will never be perfect, but it would be nice to have a few less obstacles. If only to catch our breath.

Froggydadda said that when he was rocking Froggy to sleep tonight, she had some eye deviations. Please send out good thoughts, prayers, chants, happy dances, that her seizures are NOT returning. Thanks everyone!

Froggy Family Facation

Waterfall at Pfeiffer State Beach

Big Sur

Big Sur

Froggy has learned to "Say Cheese!" for the camera. So from now on, she'll be posing this ridiculous expression.

Cheese!

Danger, or Anger keep out?

Remnants of the Big Sur fires.

Daddy, do we have to see another waterfall or spectacular view???

Tree hugger.

Redwoods, the only trees taller than FD.

Moonstone beach.

Moonstone beach and Buddy.

Checking out rocks at the beach.

Froggy wanted a "facation" so off we went to Cambria...

Monday evening, we loaded up the Saturn and drove 240 miles to San Simeon, just North of Cambria. And since we're big spenders, we stayed at the five star resort "Motel 6." To avoid traffic and take advantage of the sleeping toddler, we escaped after rush hour, and didn't arrive at our destination til 1am. Because I'm an anal planner, I called three times last weekend to assure our room would have a refrigerator and microwave in the room, only to find our room without either! I had a mini freak out on our mini vacation and an hour later, they cleaned up a room equipped with our demanding needs. Traveling light is not our thing, with meds, the vest, nebulizer and high fat foods, we showed up to town like a traveling circus -train cars full of elephants, meds, and a little car full of clowns, and of course Buddy the dog.

Cambria was an adorable town, with adorable little shops that we couldn't really go into because we have a toddler and one can only take so much "don't touch that, stop it, let go of that, and It's breakable!," so we opted for lots of hikes and beach time.

The highlights were San Simeon State Park Beach (not pictured). Owned by the Hearst family, the land is amazing and if you hop the fence (which we did), there's an incredible hike on a peninsula overlooking a cliff that would make any mom with a toddler nervous. It was gorgeous.

We also drove up to Big Sur and hiked in Pfeiffer State Park where we saw a waterfall, then drove up to a red woods park where we hiked some more. Beautiful!!!

On our last day, we stopped at Moonstone Beach where we found some great rocks, then drove to San Luis Obispo, where they have a petting zoo/farm, where Froggy fed the goats, sheep, cows, chickens, peacocks and ponies. She was in heaven. Even Buddy loved the farm animals. And I picked up some sweet corn, and you know I'm from Iowa, so I love me some sweet corn.

We drove back Thursday evening and even though it was near 1am, FD got online to look up Respiratory Therapist jobs in San Luis Obispo. It was an incredible town. Everyone was laid back, the town and beaches were dog-friendly (which Buddy LOVED) and there was noooo traffic. Thursday nights, they have a huge farmers market that basically closes down the main street. Froggy was delighted to watch a puppet show, and danced like a maniac to the marching band. Anything for a laugh.

We had a great time. This was a vacation or facation that we truly needed. It's nice being home, but San Luis Obispo is on our minds...

We're Back from our Mini Vacation

Our little fam took a mini-trip to San Luis Obispo, Cambria, and Big Sur!

We're unpacking and busy getting settled, but I'll post pictures tonight.

More Froggyisms... Because She's Just too Stinkin' Funny

I have few luxuries these days. One of the only things I splurge on is my Aveda hair product. It's $18 and lasts a good six months. Today, I stopped at the salon and picked up a jar. While checking emails tonight, Froggy grabbed it out of my purse, opened the jar and smeared HALF of it all over her head. She rubbed it in like shampoo and said, "ooohhh, smells good!" I grabbed the jar away and said, "No Froggy. You may NOT play with this." Froggy, with her greasy 1950's Outsider's hairdo, said, "But Mommy, it's organic." I couldn't believe it. All the anger I had about losing $9 in two seconds was gone. I burst into laughter and threw the little tadpole in the tub.

Froggy doesn't listen well. She's two, so when I ask her a question, she's busy doing...everything else. To solve the listening crisis, I now ask questions like this, "Froggy, do you want a milk, yes or no." It's the only way to get an answer. So today while pulling into the Target parking lot, Froggy asks in an authoritative manner, from the backseat, "Are we here? Yes, or no!?"

Froggy talks to herself. It's adorable. She has an incredible imagination and I try so hard not to laugh, when her index fingers have a disagreement. Yes, her hands talk to each other. Today in the car, her right hand said, "No, those are MY pants!" The other hand replied, "No, those are MYYYY pants!" Where are the finger puppets when we need them?

One more Froggyism and then I'm done gushing about my funny kiddo. On the drive home, Froggy said (to herself, of course) "Are we there yet?" And then she answered herself (of course) NOOOO, we're not stinkin' there yet!"

Wait, just one more...

Froggy: Mommy, what does the sun say?

Froggymama: I don't know, what do you think it says?
Froggy: Hmmm.

(long pause)

Froggy: Mesky, Poosky, Mooooo!

Froggymama: What do the stars say?
Froggy: Chunka neena nuuuuuu!.....Mama, what do the clouds say?
Froggymama: What do you think they say?
Froggy: Poof, shhhoooof, shhooop.

Froggymama: Exactly.

"The Continuous Life"
by Mark Strand

What of the neighborhood homes awash
In a silver light, of children hunched in the bushes,
Watching the grown-ups for signs of surrender,
Signs that the irregular pleasures of moving
From day to day, of being adrift on the swell of duty,
Have run their course? O parents, confess
To your little ones the night is a long way off
And your taste for the mundane grows; tell them
Your worship of household chores has barely begun;
Describe the beauty of shovels and rakes, brooms and mops;
Say there will always be cooking and cleaning to do,
That one thing leads to another, which leads to another;
Explain that you live between two great darks, the first
With an ending, the second without one, that the luckiest
Thing is having been born, that you live in a blur
Of hours and days, months and years, and believe
It has meaning, despite the occasional fear
You are slipping away with nothing completed, nothing
To prove you existed. Tell the children to come inside,
That your search goes on for something you lost—a name,
A family album that fell from its own small matter
Into another, a piece of the dark that might have been yours,
You don't really know. Say that each of you tries
To keep busy, learning to lean down close and hear
The careless breathing of earth and feel its available
Languor come over you, wave after wave, sending
Small tremors of love through your brief,
Undeniable selves, into your days, and beyond.

Pillow Talk

Froggy: I want to see the moon!

Froggy tears open the blinds.

Froggy: Where is it? I don't see it!

Froggymama: I don't know. Where do you think it is?

Froggy: At the store.

Froggymama: Oh.

Froggy: Does the moon talk?

Froggymama: I don't think so.

Froggy: Does it have a mouth?

Froggymama: Probably not.

Froggy: And a nose, and ears, and hair, and ...

Froggymama: Goodnight honey.

Froggy: Wait, I have to do my back exercises.

Froggy jumps up, stretching her back in a downward dog pose, leaping back and forth.

Froggymama: Goodnight honey.

Froggy: Night mama.

The Garden of Froggy Delights

Turtles

Fishies

Saturday we had a lovely day at Descanso Gardens. It was a very laid back weekend.

The turtles in the pond all gathered around Froggy. They swam up to her, stuck their necks out, and tried to get as close as they could. I had to hold Froggy back from grabbing them. She was in love. Froggies, turtles and fishies, oh my.

Having an ice cream cone on her Elmo Chair. And yes, that's laundry in the background. There is never a moment at our house where there isn't laundry sitting somewhere, just waiting to be put away.

Froggy wears this hat and says she's a puppy. A very colorful puppy.

Just Froggyisms

Scene one. A long talk with the dog

Froggy and Buddy walk down the sidewalk together.

Froggy: Buddy, you're such a weirdo.


Buddy sniffs a bush, pees, keeps on walking, seemingly undaunted by the comment.

Froggy: What a weirdo.



Scene Two. In the kitchen with Mommy

Froggy finds a little black bug, picks it up, examines it, then wipes it on the refrigerator.

Froggy: Ewwwy. I don't like bugs.

Long pause while she examines the gnat's carcass.

Froggy: I like ladybugs. Those are the only bugs I like.

Another long pause, in deep thought.

Froggy: Ladybugs are red and have black spots. (pause) Or...black, with red spots.

Froggymama: You're a genius.

Scene Three. While Climbing the Rope at the Park

Froggy: I am just like a lemur.

Froggymama: You're a smart cookie.

Froggy: I am.

Scene Five. Doodlebop, Nipis, Schneke

Froggy: Achhoooooo!

Froggymama: Did you sneeze?

Froggy: No, I'm just trying to.

Froggymama: Why are you trying to sneeze?

Froggy: Cause I wanna get my nipis. (nipis, being a made-up word).

Froggy is really into making up her own words. When I ask her what the imaginary word means, she answers with an imaginary explanation. For example:

Froggy: This is a schneke.

Froggymama: What's a schneke?

Froggy: It's like a goodlebir. (Like, duh)

Another example:

Froggydadda has mastered a new way of getting Froggy to eat peanut butter. He puts five big spoonfuls of peanut butter on spoons in a dish. Froggy has to eat a spoonful, and then FD takes her for a horsey ride around the house. This was their conversation the other day.

Froggydadda: Froggy, eat a spoonful, and we'll go for a horsey ride.

Froggy eats the peanut butter, hops on his back and they ride to her bedroom. She jumps onto the bed, saying,

Froggy: I fell on my doodlebop. (Pause) Wait, does that even make sense?

Scene Six. From the Mouths of Froggybabes

Froggy is lying on the bed. FM and FD stand over her.

Froggy is elated that both parents are home. And adding to her elation is the fact that both parents are giving her their undivided attention, at the SAME time.

Froggy: Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!

FD and FM change a poo diaper together (sometimes it's a two-man job)

Froggy points to Froggydadda

Froggy: You're the biggest!

Froggy points to Froggymama

Froggy: You're the boss!

Froggy ponders this for a moment.

Froggy: And I'm the boss with mommy.

Oh dear.

Scene Seven. Bovine Sign Language

I'm trying to teach Froggy sign language. She's really picking it up fast. Tonight I asked her how you say "Milk" in sign. The sign is a squeeze of the hand like you're milking a cow. Froggy makes the sign and says...

Froggy: Like cows boobs!