Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

I can't believe that 8 years have passed since my girl was born. I still remember the elation I felt when I found out she was a girl - some of you may recall that I didn't find out that fact until she was born because she was shy and crossed her legs during my ultrasounds. Today while I watched her listen to my iPod at the swim meet her legs up in the air and her underwear showing to the world I couldn't help but reflect upon that memory with fondness.

We spent the majority of the day at a swim meet at the University of Minnesota. This venue is AWESOME!!! It's an indoor 50 meter pool, and it was both kids first time swimming in a pool this size.



Brent and Caden joined us down there later in the day, and there was lots of room for him to run around and get in trouble. It was mostly uneventful, only one scare where he fell down several cement bleacher stairs, but the nice lady in the front row broke his fall. There were a few tears (mostly my own), but a few minutes of cuddle time with Daddy and he lived to give me a heart attack another day.

Both kids did well today. William added another C time under his belt in the 400 Meter freestyle. He was very close in the 100 back, and I'm not convinced that he threw that one on purpose - he was heard saying that he didn't WANT to get a C time in anything backstroke because that would mean he'd have to swim it again. No doubting that he's my son, I felt the same way when I swam, backstroke stinks!

Madison did really well - she got a best time in her 100 Free, and had some fun with the 50 Breast, though she ran up to me when it was done and said she think she "got DQ'd'ed" - but she said it with a smile and was on her merry way.

Here's some pictures from the meet:





















The meet ran late, so we had an impromptu present opening in the car - Madison got a new toy called "My Life" - a little handheld game... Up until 3 days ago she wanted an iPod, and then changed her mind... I wonder if she'll realize when she's older that the iPod was about 3 times as much money... we sure ain't complaining! She did get some new clothes too, which evened the score:













Then we headed to Old Country Buffet for dinner, although William tried his best to convince her to choose Khan's Mongolian BBQ instead... But all you can eat stirfry up against all you can eat ice cream??? Forget about it!

At OCB, Caden gave us yet ANOTHER classic moment. He went to pick up a slice of pizza, and got a gob of pizza sauce on his hand. "Puck", says Caden. Except the Puck really started with an "F". Unfortunately, this has happened with him before, so I was not entirely shocked, and knew from experience that reacting strongly would only make it worse. I simply and sternly told him that was not a nice word, and to please not use it again.

Not 15 seconds later, he was taking a bite out of a corn on the cob, and corn juice squirted in his face. "Dammit", says Caden.

I'm sorry, this time I could NOT help it. Brent and I both turned our faces to silently laugh. Then we told him that was a naughty word too and to please not say ANY naughty words. His next exclamation awhile later was "Holy Cow", so hopefully he got the message this time.

I know it's not funny, and that a toddler with a potty mouth may be hysterical, but a child with a potty mouth is annoying. I know that we need to nip this in the bud. I know that the fact that he can use naughty words like these in context is a poor reflection on our parenting skills. But, it was too damn darn funny.

I'm exhausted and need to get myself to bed. We've got another day down at the U of M tomorrow!