Grandpas and Babies

I've long maintained that there are many similarities between babies and grandpas and now having a little babe, I see even more. So, in honor of Grandpa Enderle's upcoming birthday, here are my Top Ten Reasons Babies are Like Grandpas:

10.Bedtime is strictly at 7:00pm (dinner at 4:30).
9. They both sport soft sparse hair.
8. They toot when they walk (or roll over, stand up or sneeze).
7. And may need some assistance walking.
6. They're enamored with the weather.
5. They both love grandma.
4. They're content to sit and simply enjoy your company.
3. If they miss a nap, they can get fussy.
2. They look handsome in elastic-waisted pants and velcro shoes.
1. Their gummy grins melt your heart.



We love you Grandpa and we're wishing you a very happy birthday!

An Active Listener

Chuck has a special knack for ignoring me. I don't think he does it maliciously, I truly believe he really can only do one thing at a time. For instance, he can't chew a tasty pork chop and think "Yum, this chop is delicious." and hear me say, "Chuck, Sharkey's eating your mashed potatoes."

But last night he surprised me. Chuck is getting ready for an interview and brushing up on some possible questions. One question asked "What makes someone a good communicator?" With only a few seconds of thought, Chuck said, "Really a good communicator is probably an active listener - someone who allows the other person to speak without interrupting and then reiterates that person's comments in their own words to ensure understanding."

What?! Where did you read that? I didn't even know Chuck knew "Active Listeners" existed let alone knew what it takes to be one. As I listened to this, I fired off the accusations: Who gave you that answer? Do you do all your listening at work and then you're all tuckered out when I get home? Are you the same person who snoozes on the couch ever Sunday and can't hear me say, "Chuck, would you like chili or tacos?" but pops up at the first "TOUCHDOWN!" from the commentator?

While Chuck is great at ignoring me - he seriously can't turn left and hear me say, "This isn't our turn." He'll complete the turn and ask, "What?" - talking to him is generally like playing a word association game. I'll say something like, "Would you like grape jelly on your toast?" and if I'm lucky he'll say peanut butter. If I'm not so lucky, he'll sing and dance to Bootylicious. Why Chuck knows all the words to every Destiny's Child song is beyond me, but that's probably another post.

When Sharkey Met Gary

We continue to add to our family and there is some confusion regarding our latest additions. We adopted a kitten...



...and couldn't settle on a name. We tried Leon, Miles, Linc and lots of others, but nothing fit. While we were trying to name him, we discovered he's the worst kitten ever. He spent most of his waking hours biting me, Brandy, Ben and Chuck in that order.

So, we finally named him Sharkey and he's truly like his final namesake. He's a skilled predator - a vicious killer - and we're all scared of him.



Discouraged by the biting, I asked my mom what to do and she said, "Your kitten needs a kitten." So, I brought home a beautiful yellow tabby my brother caught outside his house. Chuck is absolutely against a two-cat household so I told him we were just fostering the yellow kitty until my brother was ready to take him.



Well, things started going badly right from the beginning. Sharkey started spraying near the litter boxes. Yellow kitty had coccidia making his poop really smelly. Chuck pretty much wanted to divorce me and probably would have had he known things like our savings account number and our lawyer's name.

I ended up coming clean with Chuck who said, "I'm glad you decided to tell me the truth, but I'm disappointed that you lied." What?! That's totally out of character. Chuck likes the yellow kitty and Sharkey really did need a kitten - the biting has subsided substantially! He still bites me, but at least he's not biting Ben.

We decided to name the yellow kitty Gary after Spongebob's pet snail. So now we have Sharkey and Gary and they're mostly best friends, although they spend most of their waking hours attacking each other or planning their next attacks.



Please look forward to The Adventures of Sharkey and Gary as they come along.

Garden Update

It's almost October and I'm pretty sure everyone else has prepared their garden for the winter. We don't know how to do that so our sad little garden is still plugging along.

We've harvested several zucchinis, four green bell peppers and one tomato. Truly, that was the best tomato I've ever eaten - it was juicy and fresh and had the very best flavor! I think I'm ruined for all other tomatoes.

I've been finding new recipes for our zucchinis. Since the first zucchini was hard and tasteless, Chuck's been asking, "Is this from our garden?" and sniffing it suspiciously. Chuck always smells his food before he eats it. I don't know how that helps, but I guess he's done it since he was little. I've been around him so much now, I can hear him do it even if I'm not looking at him. It's always the same routine:

Chuck: "What is this?"
Jackie: "It's mashed sweet potatoes."
Chuck: "Is it good?"
Jackie: "I think so."
Chuck: "Sniiiffff....(bite and chewing)....humm....."

Here are two delicious zucchini recipes.

End of Summer Chili by Rachael Ray
http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=2857

Although Chuck firmly believes all chili should consist of meat and beans only, he still ate this. There are lots of veggies and it's really good for you.

Mini Meatball Stoup by Rachael Ray
I don't have a recipe for this, it's not on her Web site, but I saw DeAmbra make it so I tried to replicate and mine came out more like Italian Jambalaya.

Basically you saute any veggies you have on hand (I used carrots, onion, zucchini, green pepper, celery, and three cloves of garlic) in olive oil. Add about two quarts of chicken stock and Italian seasonings (I used thyme and oregano- about two teaspoons). Make mini meatballs and drop them into the boiling soup and then add a cup of small pasta. I didn't have any small pasta on hand so I added orzo (rice-shaped pasta) and it soaked up all the broth and my meal really did look like jambalaya with meatballs instead of sausage.

Jason, our brother-in-law, said, "Wow, this is delicious. I don't know what it is, but it's good." I don't know what it is either.

Give it a try and send me your suggestions. I think this meal has potential.

Ben is a Puppy

We've always joked about Ben being more like a puppy than a baby. Coming from a family immersed in veterinary medicine it seemed like an advantage. But now Ben's proven he's more canine than human.

Yesterday, I was combing his hair and I found a flea! I was horrified and screamed for Chuck to hold the wiggling baby (Chuck didn't find this to be near the emergency I did)I caught and killed that little parasite and a half hour later all the pets had a healthy dose of Frontline! Dad said, "Please don't use this on your baby. It's for dogs and cats only."

Later, we were freeding Brandy her dinner and Ben crawled right over to her bowl, took out his pacifier, picked up a piece of dog between his tiny little thumb and methodically brought it to his open mouth. He looked like a Carp at the lake.

I barely intercepted the food. He only has two bottom teeth and I didn't want him choking on dog food. To her credit, Brandy didn't make a sound. She didn't growl, bristle or even stop eating.

And this morning. Ben needed his diaper changed so I called him and called him. Just like most little boys (and big boys) he ignored me. So I got out a can of Gerber Puffs and shook the can calling, "Come here Baby. Come get a cookie." He and Brandy both came over at top speed and sat expectantly in front of me.

Looking at my dog and my baby, I realized the similarities. Pretty soon were going to teach Ben to roll over and play dead.

First Harvest

It's awfully late in the season for a first harvest, but this is our first opportunity. We planted four little plants last spring - one zucchini, one tomato and two green peppers - and since then we've lost two bell peppers and two tomatoes. We have however harvested one giant zucchini.

It was huge. We were out of town for a few days and it seemed to have exploded while we were gone. It also housed a Mama spider and her 300 babies. I picked it up and dozens of baby spiders scampered. Then when I thought it was safe, Mama spun down just a few inches from my hand. This is dangerous work!

Despite the spiders, Ben and I celebrated our harvest. He was so excited, he bit the zucchini with his only teeth - two on the bottom.



Here are his little teeth marks.



I have to say, this zucchini was not tasty. I added it to shrimp fettuccine and it was so wooden, Chuck asked, "What is this, cucumber?" If it weren't for that little tag in the ground by the plant, I would wonder too.

Maybe the next one will be better...I see it growing out there.

The Kitten has a New Name

We changed the kitten's name. Leon simply didn't have enough nickname opportunities. Other than Peon - thank you for that suggestion Sarah - there weren't a lot of options. Mom, stated calling him Link referencing the Mod Squad. She kept saying "One black, one white, one blonde." Having never seen an episode of the Mod Squad, I looked them up and found out Link was actually Linc short for special agent Lincoln Hayes. The name stuck. Linc's new namesake is the man on the left.




Now we have "One black, one brown, one blonde".

Top 10 Reasons Cecilee's Bachelorette Party Rocked

Cecilee and Jason are tying the knot New Year's Eve and this past weekend we celebrated Cecilee's bachelorette party Lake of the Ozarks style. That includes spending most of the day in your swim suit and wearing your "dressy" flip flops out.

Here are the Top 10 Reason why Cecilee's party was awesome.

10. Fashion Show! We hit the outlet malls Saturday morning and Arti and Melissa put on one heck of a fashion show in Lane Bryant. Sarah and I worked the dressing room managing traffic and suggesting sale items to all patrons. This is doubly awesome because Arti is fun to shop with and she came all the way from Hoboken "no jokin" NJ.

9. We discovered that the mini van is an excellent road trip vehicle. On the way home, Melissa and Sarah enjoyed "The Hangover" listening through wireless headphones while Arti and I visited.



8. A chubby little kid scolded me for stealing his tube. We were told it was abandoned and did lots of awesome tricks until an eight-year-old who looked a lot like Chunk from "Goonies" said, "Um...can we have our tube back?" The "What kind of a person steals a child's pool toy" was implied.



7. Even though Cory's flight was canceled on Thursday morning, he drove 24 hours round trip to make Cecilee's party. We're glad he was there to accidentally drop cigarette butts on other condo tenants, take surprise pictures with Sarah's camera and keep us in line with his signature phrase "get a grip" and the "What kind of a person (fill in the blank here)" was implied.



6. Willy made an appearance. I think he's been hibernating in Sarah's attic, but he's free again and ready to be passed on to the next Bearcat walking down the isle...Melissa?



5. Our cab driver also delivers pizzas. Although his car smelled like anchovies, I have to tip my hat to such a hard-working person. I love living in the mid-wast and encountering an honest work ethic.

4. I left Ben for the very first time. Ben is very cute and it was hard to go, but he had a great time with Chuck, Nanny Barbra and Papa Curtis. I don't think he even missed me, which is a little sad, but also means that he's a happy independent, trusting person and I'm thankful for that.



3. Other bachelor/bachelorette parties made the night memorable. We met some bachelors who shared pictures of their kids with me and we met a bachelorette who jealously pawed at Cecilee's engagement ring. She also had some awesome dance moves, tambourines, invited her mom and future mother-in-law and a blow up doll named Pedro to her party. This girl was a whole lot of fun.



2. Danielle created a game that kept us laughing through dinner. She asked Jason questions about Cecilee and their relationship and Cecilee had to answer the questions exactly how Jason answered them. We found out that Cecilee and Jason both remember their first date vividly (which is really sweet) and that Jason thinks Cecilee is most attracted to his rear end. Despite some set backs, it appears Cecilee got more than 60 percent minimum correct and is still free to marry Jason (Cory's rules).

1. Cecilee had a great time! She hit the outlet malls, soaked up some sun, danced the night away and told someone grilling hotdogs that she was a Wiener Auditor. Cec, we hope you know we love you and hope you really did have a great weekend!



Although we had a great time, this weekend was not without obstacles. At times it seemed as if even mother nature was against us. An unseasonable cold front came through and the sky was peppered with "panda-jerk" clouds as Sarah calls them. Only Katie, who opted for SPF 8, got any sun.

We also had a heck of a time getting a cab Saturday night. Apparently, there's a super secret spot to hail cabs near Toad Cove. I cannot disclose the exact coordinates of this location, but suffice to say it's a hike.

Katie and I failed to successfully channel Victoria Beckham and look beautifully angry in pictures. Even after practicing in the bathroom mirror, I only managed to look confused and Katie looks like she's scolding someone for stealing a pool toy.



So, Katie and Danielle thank you for planning an excellent weekend. Arti and Cory, thank you for traveling so far to celebrate. Sarah, thank you for the pictures (all photo credits by Sarah Gravlin). Melissa thanks for the most inappropriate gift (as this blog is G-rated I cannot describe it, but it was funny). And Cecilee, thanks for getting married! We really hope you had the best time!

The Kitten has a Name

Well, we finally named the kitten and true to form, we opted for a name that wasn't even on the short list. The kitten's name is Leon Phelps after the Ladies Man. I think I'll call him Sweet Leon. Do you think he favors his namesake?

Chuck's Surprise Birthday Party

Well, we successfully pulled off surprising Chuck with a super galactic bowing birthday blowout. It wasn't easy, but he was genuinely surprised and so grateful everyone came out to celebrate. He also bowled a 174 on one of his several lanes so that was pretty good too.

I was a nervous wreck yesterday and wasn't sure that I could even get Chuck to his party. He kept saying, "I don't really want to go bowling." What?! And Adam kept alluding to a fake (although enticing) birthday surprise at Power & Light.

But we made it (only 15 minutes late) and Chuck had the time of his life! Gladstone Bowl was one of Chuck's favorite places to bowl and eat growing up. He raves that the diner has the best onion rings in three counties. I'm not sure which three, but they're pretty good.

I'd like to thank some of the people who helped make this party happen.

Christi & Adam: Thank you for coming down from Omaha, taking us to dinner and vigilantly throwing Chuck off the scent.

Sarah: Thanks for picking up the cake and balloons.

Ethan: Thanks for fibbing to the birthday boy and getting him to the alley.

KP: Thank you for your awesome commentary. My favorite, "TG's up again and oh no another gutter ball. For those of you keeping score at home, that's number three."

Mom and Connie: Thank you for babysitting Ben, Austin and Jack so we could go out and celebrate.

Party Goers: Thanks for making Chuck's birthday so specail and displaying really animated victory dances.

We're so glad everyone could come. Tell us your favorite part of the party.

My Life With Chuck

My husband is kind of like a cartoon. He often manages to get himself into sticky situations and he generally misunderstands what other people say.

Years ago, my friend Jess suggested I write a sitcom called My Life With Chuck. This is my answer to her suggestion. Look for Chuck to star in lots of entertaining stories.

Today he read my post and said, "I didn't know we named Ben after your great-grandfather." I'm not sure why he doesn't know this because of the following:

1. I told him that's what I wanted to do.
2. My parents thanked us.

This is part of why I love him. I can always count on him for a surprise.

New Arrival

This post marks two new beginnings - the start of my blog and a new addition to our family. We adopted a kitten!

Because my parents own a veterinary hospital, we are always coming across kittens in need of a home. A pregnant cat wondered into their technician's yard and had five kittens in her window well. Last night we took a little black and white tuxedo cat and he's seems to be right at home.

He loves Brandy and slept with her last night. He doesn't mind Ben's yelling or pounding and always comes back for more after getting his tale pulled or ear crunched. He likes to cuddle and nap with Chuck and purrs all the time.

We are having a hard time naming him, though. Here are some of the front runner choices. Let us know what you think.

Spaghetti Cat: The cat eating spaghetti that stole our hearts on "The Soup". If we go with Spaghetti Cat, we'd like to call him a good mafia nickname like Fat Tony or Rocco.



Curtis Dee: Curtis, Chuck's mom's husband, asked us to name Ben after him. Although, we opted to name Ben after my great-granddad, we'd still like to honor Curtis.



Harry Houdini: We lost the kitten for a couple of hours and turned the house upside down looking for him. He had crawled under the dishwasher. When the door is open there is a two-inch space between the dishwasher and cabinets, he squeezed in and was catting around under the cabinets. We think we'll call him Harry...maybe spell it Hairy.



Earl J. Hickey: Because this kitten has a sweet mustache, we thought about naming him after someone else with a sweet stache - Earl Hickey. Earl found karma through Carson Daily and lives by the mantra "Do good things and good things happen." He also has a pretty incredible mustache that drives women crazy.



Please tell us what we should name our kitten. It's sad calling him "kitten" all the time. Here are some other pictures too.