This afternoon, I was sitting on my parents’ front porch nursing Elliora and watching Annalie blow bubbles when we spotted cat in the neighbor’s yard. I heeeeere-kitty-kitty-kittied her, as I always do when I see a cat. To my surprise she turned and immediately trotted up to us, dropping to the ground and offering her belly to scratch. My mom said she thought the cat belonged to their neighbor on the other side, as she’d seen it around a lot. We spent the next few minutes exclaiming what a pretty kitty she was with her calico-tabby coat, and petting her as she walked back and forth between us, rubbing up against our hands and purring.

Annalie thought the cat might like to chase some bubbles, so at some point she picked up the bubble wand and blew a stream of bubbles in the cat’s direction. It startled the cat, who jumped and then wandered off to the other side of the yard.

Annalie said, “Huh. I thought all cats liked to chase bubbles!”

I replied that clearly that was not the case, since this cat didn’t want to.

Annalie said, “I think maybe she lives with a family that has a child who was OBSESSED with bubbles. And that child has blown bubbles in her cute little face so many times that it was like torture.”

We tried not to laugh, but couldn’t help it. As we cracked up, Annalie—dignity intact—said, “What? It could happen!”

My mom shook her head and said, “Annalie, you have so many stories in that head of yours!”

“She’s as happy as a clam…actually, I’m not sure if clams can even BE happy.”
9:51 AM Feb 1st

Singing, “So I came to Alabama with a banjo on my knee, a banjo on my knee, a banjo on my knee, oh I came to Alabama with a banjo on my knee!”
3:06 PM Feb 3rd

“Mom, if you gave Elliora that bracelet when she’s older, then she would have an accessory that was her birthstone.”
1:33 AM Feb 5th

“Glab is a secret word, meaning GLAMOROUS.”
12:17 PM Feb 6th

“You might not be aware of this, but throwing up when you have no food in your stomach really HURTS.”
4:03 PM Feb 8th

“I really am a complex girl, because I’m an American.”
5:22 PM Feb 9th

“Ooh! Stunning flavor on my tongue.”
8:31 PM Feb 12th

“Who can resist the cheesy goodness of a cheese puff!? I certainly can’t.”
11:32 AM Feb 14th

“You know what they say: that dry-erase board ain’t gonna erase itself!”
10:47 AM Feb 15th

“Huh. My pine-cone-wild-onion air freshener didn’t work out the way I thought it would.”
1:10 PM Feb 16th

“Aw, that chicken joke is a cluck-sic. Get it? Instead of ‘classic’ I said ‘CLUCK-sic, because it’s about a chicken! Hahahaha!”
12:12 PM Feb 17th

“Ah. Nothing like eating some dry toast in your Snuggie.”
10:52 AM Feb 18th

RT @bethanyactually: “Mom, can I borrow your camera, go outside & take pictures?” http://twitpic.com/41633o
12:54 PM Feb 18th

(after going into the men’s room with Troy to wash her hands) “It smelled like a zoo in there!”
1:57 PM Feb 20th

“Oh dear. My dolphin has red eyes, a fever of 100, and tired tail. She’s going to need bandages, lots of rest, and ice cream.”
2:45 PM Feb 22nd

“You know, for an Australian, Lauren is pretty all right.”
10:56 AM Feb 23rd

“I think I better have Joe-Joe’s for lunch, because the cans are stacking up!”
9:15 AM Feb 24th

doing modern dance in my pj’s with a four-foot plush dolphin
4:32 PM Feb 24th

“I’m an everywhere veterinarian. That’s a vet who travels around the world to help animals.”
4:34 PM Feb 27th

“Elliora, will you be my sister FOR LIFE?”
12:43 PM Feb 28th

“I’m a pretty big nerd about a lot of things.”
2 Jan

“I used to play with my dolls and pretend they were my little sisters. But now I don’t hafta pretend because I have a sister!”
3 Jan

“Ooh, that’s a cool machine. Is it hand-cranked?”
4 Jan

“I love hula-hooping. It’s good exercise!”
5 Jan

“Ugh, a popcorn kernel was inside my shirt. Trust me, that was not pleasant.”
6 Jan

“Dad, I wonder why the birds are angry. And why are they trying to kill the pigs!? It makes no sense at all.”
7 Jan

“Baby, the rainbow mountain hi-i-gher, the rainbow valley lo-o-wer…”
8 Jan

“I brought snacks! May I offer you some popcorn, or a mini candy bar?”
11 Jan

“Hey Dad, wanna play Gimme-Five-In-The-Middle-Too-Slow?”
13 Jan

“I’m going to build a house for my Littlest Pet Shops. It’ll have everything they ever wanted, including bathrooms.”
14 Jan

>

“Whoa, the stuffing is falling out of this bag like meteorites in a meteor shower!”
15 Jan

“Mom, Dad, I think you’ll be pleased to hear this: I hung up my towel.”
16 Jan

“We’re havin’ some major cookie fun now!”
16 Jan

“Wait just a darn minute…you know what would go good with these cookies? Some milk.”
16 Jan

“Here’s my plan: here’s the spotting scope, and then here is where a bird swoops in, then another, then another. It’s foolproof!”
17 Jan

(singing) “She’s gonna nurse now and forever, whoa-oh-oh…my sister’s gonna nurse as long as she wa-a-ants…”
19 Jan

“You like my necklace? I’ve had it for years, but it was tucked away in my jewelry box and I forgot I even had it.”
20 Jan

“Darn-ding-DANGIT! Whew, glad I got that out of my system.”
22 Jan

“Without a husband, having two kids can be difficult…or in this case, Build-A-Bears.”
24 Jan

“Chocolate? I’m in.”
26 Jan

“As soon as we get home, I’m gonna go outside and play, but there’s one thing: NO snowballs TODAY. Capisce!?”
31 Jan

p.s. New banner! Thanks, B.