Why yes, that is Eli sticking his tongue out at a seagull.

After a great visit with the Granade clan we’re back at home and happy to be sleeping in our own bed tonight. I’ll post photos and stories later. Boy, do I have a story to tell about a mouse!

Aqua: Cartoon Heroes (2000)

If you know Aqua, it’s probably because of the lawsuit between them and Mattel over Aqua’s song “Barbie Girl”. But if you haven’t seen this video…. There is no part of this it that isn’t like a foam-covered steel bat to the head. Lene’s hair? René’s growling lyrics? Aqua as cartoon heroes that have to stop off at an intergalactic Gas ‘n Sip while Earth’s cities are being destroyed? The band swimming around in “zero-g”? Lene’s sexy sexy zipping up of her futuristic speedsuit? The entire song?

Britney Spears: Toxic (2004)

How do you follow up something as goofily over-the-top as “Cartoon Heroes”? Why, with Britney Spears as an internationaly super-spy/cat-burglar/whatever, that’s how! You’d better thank your lucky stars: I was tempted to hit you with the Spice Girls’ “Spice Up Your Life”.

Eli has informed us that the word “Smickle” is actually “Shiggle”. We apologize for the confusion.

Eli has this toy that is sort of a little dude looking thing (it has feet and eyes) but it’s made out of all kinds of colored rubber pieces that jiggle when you shake it. It’s ugly as all get out and something that my mom bought for him at the dollar store. So Eli, of course, loves it.

When he carries it around the house, he shakes it and calls it his Smickle. Hence, Smickle: the noun.

But if Eli starts dancing around he also calls that Smickle. That’s Smickle: the verb.

Stephen and I have taken to using Smickle as the replacement curse word for shit. As in, “Smickle! I didn’t mean to drop that!” It’s perfect for a curse word in that it has nice percussive sounds. The added bonus is we don’t care if Eli repeats it after us because it’s his made up word.

I just looked up Smickle on that there computer internet and unbelievably there are a fair number of people with the last name Smickle. I guess I should apologize for taking their name in vain.

The yearly interactive fiction competition I help run ended last night. Congratulations to Emily Short, whose game Floatpoint took top honors, and to all of the authors! If you’re looking for some short entertainment, head on over — you can finish each game in two hours or less, plus you now can see which games were ranked the highest.

You can tell by this photo that it’s morning time because of the OJ in the front row. (No, I didn’t let Eli stay up all night playing with his marbles.) His first words this morning upon exiting his room and espying the marble tower were, “Oh, my TOY!” in his gleeful little boy voice.

I can tell I’m tired and depressed, because I’m not able to ignore TV’s stupid statements about scientific topics right now. Tonight’s offender is Bones.

Booth: …God does not make mistakes.

Angela: I dunno. Putting testicles on the outside didn’t seem like such a good idea.

It’s not up there with “we only use ten percent of our brains” (I’m looking at you, Eureka!), but gah!

Some friends from church cleaned out their son’s room recently. Eli inherited a bunch of cool stuff. Tonight we put a toy together to see what he would do.

Verdict: Best Toy Ever!

I wrote an entry last week. It was complainy and boring, so just now I deleted it.

I’d like to say that after my first trimester, this pregnancy has magically gotten easier. It hasn’t. I’m still throwing up regularly. The bright spot is that the constant accompanying nausea and/or indigestion seems to have taken a vacation. Hallelujah for small favors.

Today I’ve started a cold.

So, my internet friends, I am not ignoring you. I’m quite sure that I have something to say. But I’m tired, so I’m going to take a nap and maybe this afternoon I’ll be able to recall all the amusing stories that are worth telling here. Meanwhile, here are the Eli headlines…

He’s done better in school this week.

He’s back to taking regular naps.

He seems to have made it through this last cold withOUT an ear infection.

He’s learning how to pronounce “hieroglyphics” and “sphinx.” It’s charming the way he attempts to wrap his mouth around those two words.