Please, if you are my friend, remain my friend after reading this. If you are in my family, there is nothing you can do about it. I have so many darn quirks its hard to choose six, but I will try to share the ones that my husband probably considers the most odd.
1. Top sheet? No thank you. I never, ever sleep with a top sheet. They are incredibly uncomfortable, scratchy and cold. I do, and have for about 18 years, slept with the blanket that my Gramma Dearden made for me. Is it big enough for Eric? No. He has to fend for himself.
2. Disgust of dishrags. Dishrags stink, smell, odorize my home and make me ill. After I touch them, my hands smell nasty for hours afterward. How do I wipe my counters, etc? Sanitizing wipes. Thank you modern conveniences.
3. Crossword Adoration. I would pretty much prefer to sit down and do a crossword to anything else. I have a huge omnibus of Sunday-sized ones and they keep me busy. If Ethan takes a nap or Eric is watching a game I bust out my CW book.
4. Cheap, cheap, cheap. I am cheap, what more can I say? I don't remember the last time I didn't buy the cheapest thing available in the selection. This is very rarely not the case. The only shoes I own are from Good Will. I do not spend more than $3.50 on a shirt. My kid plays with hangers and rocks. GreatValue and generic brands are my friend. I'm just a dadgum tightwad I guess! (My husband tries to balance me out.)
5. Fingernail Freak. My nails are nothing to write home about, but if one of them gets a snag, I can't cope. I always have a file with me. If I don't, I pretty much chew the whole thing off. Bleck!!
6. Newspaper Refusal. I will not touch newspapers because they get my hands black. Its disgusting. Plus I think they are a waste of trees and setup for paper cuts. Eric just started getting the Wall Street Journal...this will take some getting used to. Just as long as I never have to pick it up and it gets recycled....
Like I say, if these aforementioned items happen to distress you, please try to forget about them. I don't think they will cause any of you harm, but let me know if they do. Also, if you have stuck with it and read this, consider yourself tagged. That means YOU, Darrell, Loralee, Camille, Shark, and all my other blogging chums!
These videos are so cute and funny, I have to share them! I just love Ethan!
Age: 21.5 monthsEye color: hazelishHeight: shortHair color: light brownFavorite toy: cars, go go truckFavorite movie: Thomas the Tank Engine, of courseFavorite food: cookie! (high pitched) also noodles (newas), milk (meck), friesFavorite person: mommy, daddy and elmoEthan is really an excellent talker, a very tough jose, and a non nap taker (sad). He loves trucks and cars of all kinds, playing at the park or the mall play place, eating french fries, riding in the car, messing with electronics, helping get the mail, pushing laundry baskets around the house, etc. I think he is very funny and energetic. He also drives me crazy!
Okay, so the footage is not really that great, but it was the best I could do. This little lady has all the necessary parts to be a girl, and a human being for that matter. Eric and I are just too excited to have a little girlie. Eric thinks 
she will be very mellow. I can only pray he is correct. Hilariously enough, Ethan is confused. He thinks there is a baby in his tummy too. We've told him several times that there is a baby in mommy's tummy and he seemed to sort of vaguely follow. But now, he always pulls up his shirt and points at his cute little tummy and says, "Baby!" Who knows! I tried to correct him a few times, but whatever. I'm sure every big brother/sister that age gets a little baffled with the baby-in-the-tummy info. Anyway, see you around January 8 next year, little friend!
The fact is: jaywalkers are bugging the tarnation out of me! I didn't notice it being a huge problem in Utah, or the other places I've lived/visited, but here in Durham it is out of control! People around here are always wandering out onto a busy city street like its no biggie. Half the time it is multiple persons, more concerned about their cigarette or soda than the fact they are about to become hamburger. The reason this bugs me so bad is that I'm afraid that it is going to be me that hits one of these buggers! My gosh, can you imagine how awful that would be?! Oh, the carnage! And then I'd have to live with it the rest of my life, despite the fact that I hit a black person wearing black in the black of the night. Yeah, its not like you just rationalize that kind of thing. So next time you are about to dash across a parkway without using a crosswalk, think better of it! (Also, don't ride your bike in the middle of the street! Thank you all.)
Ethan is 21 months at this point and he is still having a devil of a time with nursery. I teach primary, so Eric drops him off and has to leave him bawling his head off every week. If one of us glances in during the block he is sitting on a workers lap sobbing. It is so sad, but we don't know what to do! Our nursery is awesome, thank heaven. Our church is from 1-4, so of course he doesn't get a nap beforehand and he is so tired. When we go to pick him up he has always cried himself to sleep in a workers arms. Agh! I don't know what to do with this baby! Does anyone else have these issues? Can children become stable enough to not bawl through nursery?
After finally getting back to Carolina and getting the insurance worked out, getting an appointment for an ultrasound, etc, we found out that we are going to have a GIRL! Yay! It was so funny, the little tyke would not open her legs during the ultrasound. After shaking my tummy many times, turning over, and being prodded not too softly, I thought I was gonna have to go home without knowing the sex. At last, thank goodness, she moved her little thighs a tiny bit and we got a peek. Eric and I are so excited. We have to admit that we wanted a girl really bad. January 8th was the due date the ultrasound provided...nice to have a better idea of when the little person will arrive. Anyway, I am feeling fine, except for a little insomnia and your basic pregnancy cramps. Now its just deciding a name, the fun part...
