Parenting Definitions...

1. AMNESIA: condition that enables a woman who has gone through labor to have kids again.
2. DEFENSE: what you'd better have around the yard if you're going to let the children play outside.
3. DROOLING: how teething babies wash their chins.
4. DUMB WAITER: one who asks if the kids would care to order dessert.
5. FAMILY PLANNING: the art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you from falling into financial disaster.
6. FEEDBACK: the inevitable result when a baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots.
7. FULL NAME: what you call your child when you're mad at him.
8. GRANDPARENTS: the people who think your children are wonderful even though they're sure you're not raising them right.
9. HEARSAY: what toddlers do when anyone mutters a dirty word.
10. INDEPENDENT: how we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.
11. LOOK OUT!: what it's too late for your child to do by the time you scream it.
12. OWWW: the first word spoken by children with older siblings.
13. PRENATAL: when your life was still somewhat your own.
14. PREPARED CHILDBIRTH: a contradiction in terms.
15. PUDDLE: a small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes.
16. SHOW OFF: a child who is more talented than yours.
17. STERILIZE: what you do to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and to your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it.
18. STOREROOM: the distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children in shopping carts can't quite reach anything.
19. TEMPER TANTRUMS: what you should keep to a minimum so as to not upset the children.
20. TOP BUNK: where you should never put a child wearing Superman jammies.
21. TWO-MINUTE WARNING: when the baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.
22. WHOOPS: an exclamation that translates roughly into "get a sponge".

Matt's new word: Buckle - said just like that, too. LOL! So cute! The poor kid is going stir-crazy though, with all this rain lately. There's only so many books to be read, cars and trains to push, crayons to draw with (or eat, as the case may be), songs to be sung... before a 17 month old (yes, he turned 17 months today!!) starts going nutso. His outlet is throwing - yes, throwing - his toys while yelling "OHH!!!" I'm starting to teach him that there are consequences to his actions. If he throws something, he gets one warning and then I take the toy away. He does. not. like. that. LOL! Oh well! Hopefully he'll learn real quick that I mean business. ;-) Same thing with the TV. He likes to push buttons on the TV and/or try to run away with the Tivo sensor thingy... if he touches either of those, the TV goes off, too bad if he's watching Thomas the Tank Engine! Now, I just need to figure out how to handle it if the TV isn't on! LOL!

And *knock on wood* things are getting better at suppertime, too! Last night he ate about a heaping tablespoon of mixed veggies (peas, greenbeans and corn. Wouldn't touch the carrots, but that's okay), some squash, about a tablespoon of pasta roni, a slice of wheat bread and a couple of cubes of cheese. AND he ate some grapes for dessert! No meat still, but hey, gotta give him credit for eating his veggies!!

Tonight he ate 2 whole cubes of chicken (which is HUGE for him), some stuffing, some mixed veggies, a half a slice of wheat bread and a couple of cheese cubes. YAY! Mumma was happy! ;-)

I washed all of Jillian's clothes and bedding today. YIKES!! Less than 6 weeks to go!