August 28, 2008
The three of us were walking on the sidewalk towards one of the side entrances of our church. Katie dashed ahead of us several yards and approached the greeter, who was manning his post at the door. Melissa and I were too far from them to hear a single word between them. But their conversation looked like this:
Katie: [Inaudible]
Greeter: [Inaudible]
Katie: [Inaudible]
Greeter: [Inaudible]
Katie: Inaudible.....but then "...can I give you a high five?"
Greeter: Sure! Give me a high five. (Which was actually just a standard "low five.")
Then, Greeter to Melissa and me: "She's articulate!"
While we'll never know what conversation took place between them, it's just amusing to know that whatever was said between Katie and the Greeter made quite the impression on him. She's a charmer, that Katie.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Video Game Wizard
August 10, 2008
Taking it easy after a big day at the water park the day before, Katie and I were relaxing and playing one of the head-to-head Sonic games on the GameCube. One of the games she selected involves each player controlling an on-screen character and finding jewels in the game environment.
In the game she selected, the characters are running around a small planet, and the jewels are possibly located in the planet's crust, which means the characters must dig down to explore. I'm watching Katie's character, and it's running around and digging all over the surface. Meanwhile, I'm unable to make my character dig down, regardless of any button configurations I attempted.
Finally, I look over at her...
Me: How do you make your character dig?
Katie (monotone with just a hint of annoyance in her reply): Press "A," then "B"
There she sat - at four-and-a-half - showing me up at video games. One day, when it may mean something to her, I'll have to tell her how I was the PacMan champion in my little hometown when I was a kiddo.
Taking it easy after a big day at the water park the day before, Katie and I were relaxing and playing one of the head-to-head Sonic games on the GameCube. One of the games she selected involves each player controlling an on-screen character and finding jewels in the game environment.
In the game she selected, the characters are running around a small planet, and the jewels are possibly located in the planet's crust, which means the characters must dig down to explore. I'm watching Katie's character, and it's running around and digging all over the surface. Meanwhile, I'm unable to make my character dig down, regardless of any button configurations I attempted.
Finally, I look over at her...
Me: How do you make your character dig?
Katie (monotone with just a hint of annoyance in her reply): Press "A," then "B"
There she sat - at four-and-a-half - showing me up at video games. One day, when it may mean something to her, I'll have to tell her how I was the PacMan champion in my little hometown when I was a kiddo.
Half Birthday
August 9, 2008
For Katie's second annual Half Birthday celebration, we went to what will be the tradition until she tells us otherwise: Emerald Pointe water park in Greensboro. Last year, the temperature was a sweltering 113 degrees. This year, it might have reached 85 degrees at the hottest point in the day. By evening, it was feeling a bit chilly.
I had anticipated that Katie had grown enough over the past year that we'd all be able to ride more than we were able to ride last year, which was just a large raft ride. But she was still several inches too small, so we spent most of our time in the various pools, the lazy river, or the Cyclone.
The day went quickly and Katie seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself. After the park, we stopped by the Cracker Barrel in Burlington and enjoyed a relaxing dinner.
On the long trip home, she fell asleep in the van. Without asking permission to do so. She was THAT tuckered out.
For Katie's second annual Half Birthday celebration, we went to what will be the tradition until she tells us otherwise: Emerald Pointe water park in Greensboro. Last year, the temperature was a sweltering 113 degrees. This year, it might have reached 85 degrees at the hottest point in the day. By evening, it was feeling a bit chilly.
I had anticipated that Katie had grown enough over the past year that we'd all be able to ride more than we were able to ride last year, which was just a large raft ride. But she was still several inches too small, so we spent most of our time in the various pools, the lazy river, or the Cyclone.
The day went quickly and Katie seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself. After the park, we stopped by the Cracker Barrel in Burlington and enjoyed a relaxing dinner.
On the long trip home, she fell asleep in the van. Without asking permission to do so. She was THAT tuckered out.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Copycat
August 7, 2008
Katie recently has been enjoying playing "copycat," a game where she repeats the last thing uttered by the other "player."
While preparing for dinner, Melissa made a snide - but funny - comment about me.
Me (To Melissa): You're hysterical.
Katie (Also to Melissa): Yeah, you're a scarecrow.
Melissa (To Katie): You're a hysterical scarecrow.
Me: That's going in the blog.
Katie recently has been enjoying playing "copycat," a game where she repeats the last thing uttered by the other "player."
While preparing for dinner, Melissa made a snide - but funny - comment about me.
Me (To Melissa): You're hysterical.
Katie (Also to Melissa): Yeah, you're a scarecrow.
Melissa (To Katie): You're a hysterical scarecrow.
Me: That's going in the blog.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Handling Disappointment
August 6, 2008
After dinner tonight, I proposed to Katie that we go to the neighborhood swimming pool. She liked the idea, so we changed into our swim clothes and headed up to the pool. On the walk up to the gate, I noticed the far off storm clouds and wondered if they'd present any problems.
They did.
As I was attempting to unlock the pool area door, the attendant stopped me and informed me that she had heard thunder. I would then learn that pool policy mandates that everyone exit the water for 30 minutes from the moment that the thunder booms. Since the attendant had just heard the thunder, we'd have to wait the entire 30 minutes. BOOOOO!
I looked down at Katie standing there in her green floatie, and gave her the bad news. I could see the sad face forming. Doing the time calculations in my head, I determined that even with the 30 minute wait, we'd have a good bit of time to swim if we just waited out the time by watching a movie in the van. Katie liked that idea.
In the van, we watched a Beatrix Potter animation. The 30 minutes nearly ended, I opened her door and we proceeded to return to the pool, which was now vacant. I saw another couple with their son leaving the pool area and asked if we'd be able to swim. Nope. The attendant had heard more thunder.
Katie's disappointment would now be unavoidable.
As she prepared to leave the van, I had to tell her that we couldn't go swimming. Again, the sad face replaced her eager face. But since she had her swimsuit on, I suggested that she and I could play in the sprinkler in our yard. It wasn't the pool, but it was something wet to do on a hot summer night. She was still disappointed, but she handled it much better than I anticipated.
We had a fine time jumping through the sprinkler.
After dinner tonight, I proposed to Katie that we go to the neighborhood swimming pool. She liked the idea, so we changed into our swim clothes and headed up to the pool. On the walk up to the gate, I noticed the far off storm clouds and wondered if they'd present any problems.
They did.
As I was attempting to unlock the pool area door, the attendant stopped me and informed me that she had heard thunder. I would then learn that pool policy mandates that everyone exit the water for 30 minutes from the moment that the thunder booms. Since the attendant had just heard the thunder, we'd have to wait the entire 30 minutes. BOOOOO!
I looked down at Katie standing there in her green floatie, and gave her the bad news. I could see the sad face forming. Doing the time calculations in my head, I determined that even with the 30 minute wait, we'd have a good bit of time to swim if we just waited out the time by watching a movie in the van. Katie liked that idea.
In the van, we watched a Beatrix Potter animation. The 30 minutes nearly ended, I opened her door and we proceeded to return to the pool, which was now vacant. I saw another couple with their son leaving the pool area and asked if we'd be able to swim. Nope. The attendant had heard more thunder.
Katie's disappointment would now be unavoidable.
As she prepared to leave the van, I had to tell her that we couldn't go swimming. Again, the sad face replaced her eager face. But since she had her swimsuit on, I suggested that she and I could play in the sprinkler in our yard. It wasn't the pool, but it was something wet to do on a hot summer night. She was still disappointed, but she handled it much better than I anticipated.
We had a fine time jumping through the sprinkler.
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