Tidbit Time

Usually, my blog postings have a specific topic or at least a creative summation. However, some things I need to write down don't always fit into a cohesive post. Here are a small collection of random Hailey thoughts...

Pears

Hailey loves pears...she really LOVES pears! She is so passionate about the Pyrus communis that when she sees it cut up into chunks, she will stuff every single last piece into her mouth until she can't chew. We don't like that, chewing is good, chewing is our friend. IF you are brave enough to withhold the delicious morsels from the ravenous Hailey until she chews what is in her cheeks, you will get an earful! She will cry and scream and drool half chewed pear chunks down her chin until you put the pears away. Then she will cry some more. Uneaten pear chunks go bad quickly - now I know why people usually encase them in Jello.

A.D.D. Dog

As most of us probably know A.D.D ( Attention Deficit Disorder) is a disorder which people may have great difficulty getting or staying focused on a task or activity. Hailey has a specific toy which we call A.D.D. Dog. It is a stuffed electronic dog which says (or sings) a rather large variety of phrases depending on the part of its body you press. The stupid toy is so sensitive that even the slightest touch will send it off on another topic. It rarely finishes a phrase - let alone sings the entire alphabet song. Sometimes just walking past it will be enough for it to ask for a hug. We are constantly barraged with "If You're Happy and You Know It....Green Hand...That Tic....A B C D E...Blue Ear...Let's Sing the...I Love You..." ADD Dog is one of the many things that seemed like a good idea in the store.

The Giggles

Hailey has four distinct types of giggles:

The Chuckle - The Chuckle is a small giggle that is (usually) only one short exhale. This giggle is short, sweet and often the precursor to one of the other three giggles (notably the belly laugh). The Chuckle is distinctive by its pauses - which means she is waiting for you to do something else funny. You most often hear this giggle at the beginning of a game of PEEK!

The Belly Laugh - The Belly Laugh is a long and extended series of chuckles with a very throaty quality. The Belly Laugh incorporates a big, open mouthed smile, nose wrinkling and various arm and leg movements. The Belly Laugh can be produced by a good game of tickle or when Daddy plays airplane.

The Pterodactyl - Be a guest in our home for 15 minutes and Hailey may regale you with The Pterodactyl [also known as The Screech]. While The Pterodactyl is often preceded by The Chuckle, it is not unusual for this distinctive giggle to come out without warning. The Screech is an ear splitting exclamation of pure toddler joy. Occasionally this screech is heard while dining at Applebee's and that will always result in her mother turning bright red. The Pterodactyl will almost always follow immediately after the words "I'm gonna get you". The Screech is done best at a full run.

Evil Giggle - This particular giggle is my favorite giggle. Evil Giggle is the most elusive of the giggle family. Evil Giggle has the deepest tone and a cinematic 'Heh, Heh, Heh' quality to it. Evil giggle is always done in combination with something she shouldn't be doing. The best way to evoke the Evil Giggle is to say "Hailey...NO!" This particular giggle always provokes laughter from adults (although admittedly nervous laughter). It has been heard during the waving of stick like objects. Evil giggle can make you very wary if you are the type of person that enjoys Stephan King novels.

Bug -a -'BOOOoooooo'

O.K. I made some Halloween observations this year

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First off, my friend Jodi, is absolutely correct - Halloween candy has a very particular smell to it (like wax paper and really cheap gum).

When I was young, we used to actually Trick-or-Treat at people's houses. Now kids Trick-or-Treat at the mall or out of the trunks of cars. Really..? 'Mmmm candy and car exhaust! '

Parents used to WALK around their neighborhood with their kids. I get really irritated watching people inch down the kid-packed street in their cars. It's called exercise folks...it's one night a year, you'll survive.

When we got older we went without our parents - now I wish the older kids had parents with them, because some of those kids are just rude! I don't EVER remember asking someone how many pieces of candy I could take.

The big difference in Halloween from my youth is this:

Say, that as a child, you wanted to be Scooby Doo for Halloween...in the 70's this is what you would get: a plastic mask, and a plastic poncho - done. The mask would never stay tight on your face because the elastic holding it up would either stretch or break. In fact, the only reason the mask would stay on at all is because you couldn't help but stick your tongue through the little oval breathing hole. The poncho was normally worn over a winter jacket and would flap in the wind (because the side ties would always break as well). The sad thing is, that as a kid, this was the ultimate Halloween costume!

Fast forward 30 years and $45.00 more and this is the Scooby Doo of Halloween present -

Are you kidding me?!? No mask...how dare they make Halloween more safe! This Scooby Doo actually has a tail, and a collar....and is... brown! Of course you audience has to be a little more actively engaged in your costume presentation since SCOOBY DOO isn't spelled out in glorious plastic. Even so...Jeepers Shaggy!

Kid's costume's are so much cooler now.

Case in point - Hailey was a ladybug for Halloween.

Hailey's second shot at Halloween went very well. We stayed at home and answered the door for most of the evening (at least for all the cute little kids) then we hit the road and went to Uncle Kevin's and Aunt Linda's house. Her Aunt Linda wasn't able to make the Carve and the ladybug outfit was too cute to keep in the confines of our living room.

Hailey had a great time chasing Kevin and Linda's dog Elvis around the couch and giggling up a storm! she even learned how to stand on a chair (sorry Linda).

I just love this little outfit. We call her Bug (or Bug-A-Boo) anyway, so it just kinda fit. Plus (added bonus) the wings were soft, so if her walking got a little too wobbly, she wouldn't get hurt.

In my day the wings would have been wire, covered in flammable material and stapled to the costume with cheap pointy metal.

Of course, being a mom, I think Hailey would look cute if she were head-to-toe in plastic. Maybe next year I can convince her to be a retro Scooby Doo.