Everybody's Talkin'!

Well, how fun is this? It is early evening and the kids are taking their THIRD bath in as many days. They love to play in the water and I can be on the computer and close enough to know what's happening in there. Currently, Nora is saying "Jaaaack, a T-Rex is bigger than a Triceratops. That is because he is a meat eater." Some other fun things overheard between the kiddos recently include:

• Lemamame (Lemonade)
• Rootbeer and Lemamame do not have caffeine. Coffee and ice tea do have caffeine, so we don't get to have those. Only Mamas and Daddys. *yes, exactly right*
  
• Hippo-mot-o-mus (Hippopotamus)
  
• Help me shister!
  
• No-wa (Nora)
  
• er-A-tops (Triceratops)
• Ank-oo (Thank you)
• *crying* Why are you sad, Nora? A: Jack said 'no' in a mean way to me
• Budder, peez (asking for Peanut butter)
  

Earlier this week, Geoff walked into Jack's toddler classroom and watched in surprise as their teacher had 6 two-year-olds, quiet as could be, each on their own mat doing yoga. No kidding! I asked Jack what he did at school and he yelled "O-ga!" Isn't that adorable? Ha, I only wish I could have seen it myself.

It loses a bit when you can't hear it for yourself, but whenever I ask Jack to do something, he says "OK, Mama." in the sweetest little boy voice. He is still so much a baby, but he is growing so very fast into a boy. He and I wandered around a Target the other day and one lady stopped me after sharing an aisle with us for a few minutes and said, "He is so polite!" Yes, well thank you, he is. (Ha! That was public Jack, but I didn't mind the peez and ank-oos being noticed by a complete stranger, so I cheerfully smiled at her and beamed motherly pride).

Winter has us all acting a little nutty, especially as the temps here in central Ohio have hit 3 degrees (that what this morning's temp). The kids just decide they are puppy dogs or kittens or, more recently, babies (who need rocking and a song). It's all so imaginative. Add that to our never-ending play with dinosaurs and it makes for a household full of kids-as-animals!

In my non-Mommy world, I am taking a class. Strategic Leadership in Public Health at the Center for Public Health Practice at Ohio State University. It has been sort of fun, but if I were thinking about it at all, I don't think I would have added the extra reading and time onto an already-chaotic work life. Seriously, am I not busy enough? Why didn't that occur to me? But, I am learning some things and it is interesting. I did write my first actual paper in five years (I have been DONE with school for FIVE years! That is incredible in itself after 13 years of college/grad school). The paper was both hard (who really uses AMA for citations?) and easy (I really did write it pretty fast). The hard part now comes in that three classmates have to read and evaluate my paper. Really? I hate that peer-evaluation crap. It is a nice diverse group of people: a few MDs, Pharmacists, PhD Epidemiologists, Health Commissioners, and a few of us from work. The differing perspectives are nice. So, are there stimulating opportunities for self-reflection? yes. Will I learn something applicable to my real job? yes. I'll keep you posted on how the peer-to-peer learning is going (ugh)....and there is a GROUP assignment. double ugh.