A Word (and Pictures) from the Headless Chicken

Yes, I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Want to know why? Because we are moving across the country in two weeks. TWO WEEKS. And somehow, I've got to help with and attend my sister's wedding (!!!), pack up my house, clean it, get utilities worked out, and deal with the emotional trauma of living a jillion miles away, all while not neglecting my children or starving to death . . . or letting them starve to death, either. That would be also bad. (Although, really? Katie eats almost constantly and I regularly have to clean dried up drool and lint out of the boys' fat creases. No danger here.)

So that's why I haven't blogged recently. The good news is that we do have a contract signed for a place to live, and many family members who are willing to come with and help us get settled before Mike's school starts, and also it's almost my birthday. That's always good news, right? (At least while I'm still in my 20s . . .)

But, since I should really be emailing my new landlord and calling the power company and continuing to box up my kitchen, I'm just going to give you the sticky-note of recent Katie-isms and post our recent family pictures. Deal? Deal.

• Remember when I told you about making my belly good? Now it's, "Want to do Pilates? I'll get the maps out!"
  
• When I was folding clean laundry, she would grab a shirt, run around the room with it, wad it up on top of a pile of clothes, and declare, "I'm a genius!"
  
• She stopped one day at the threshold of the living room, and shouted, "Okay! I'm here! It's the Katie!" And cleared her throat.
  
• Katie: No! Don't wash my hair! I don't like it! . . . Oh, did you get the sunscreen out?
  Me: Yes, I washed your hair to get the sunscreen and pool water out.
  Katie: (In her pitiful voice) Oh, thank you, mom. You're the best!
  
• (Whenever she starts over singing any song at all) "Okay, here we go, kids!"
  
• "There's a powerful monster in my closet!"
  
• Me: Do you know why we have fireworks? It's because we live in a country called America.
  Katie: No, we live in our house.
  Me: Yes, but our house is in a country.
  Katie: No, it's right here! Not in a country!
  
• "Look, Mom, I have a cute, little bummy. And you have a great, big, huge bummy!"
  
• Me: Who were your new friends in nursery today? What was the girl's name?
  Katie: Her name was Hazel and she was very nice!
  Me: What was the little boy's name?
  Katie: Oh, he was just a boy.
  

And now, we commence the list of song adaptations by Katie. See if you can recognize them.

• "Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. If you see a lion, don't forget to roar!"
  
• "Old McDonald had a potty, Potty Song! Potty Song!"
  
• (Five minutes later) "The potty song is dead now."
  
• "I'm pretending to be like Jesus!"
  
• "Do you know the Mustard Man?"

Yeah, she's the coolest kid ever.

Now for our family pictures. Happy Fourth of July!