I knew the day would come, I kept telling myself to watch what I say. The more Zoe talks, the closer she is to repeating what I say. Every parent knows about this. Even I knew it was coming. I’m kinda glad it came when I chose to use a word that my friend Jason coined.

I was driving from Costco with the pizza for Zoe’s party, I was feeling aggravated because the lot was full and the lines were long. I finally got out of the madhouse, loaded Zoe into the car and proceeded to the party location. I got behind that guy (you know who you are) who was paying attention all the way up until a micro-second before the light changed when he decided to put his head up his bum. Green light, go! Not for this guy. apparently for him green light means slowly realize that you are driving a car and the first car in a line of ten waiting to go. So I yelled like any other annoyed impatient, on-the-verge-of-road-rage driver would do, I yelled,

“The light is GREEN, CHUCKNUT!”

I finally made it through the light as it was changing just to get stopped by the next red light 30 feet away. Then it happened, Zoe said it. “Cucknut!” She even used the same inflection in her voice, like she was saying, “yeah, ya stupid cucknut, don’t you know how to drive!”

Unfortunaltely for Zoe, she can’t say the C-H sound really well so it comes out “cuck” instead of “chuck”.

I dread the day when she utters back the word that rhymes with “cuck” because I’m sure she’ll pronounce that one just fine!

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Zoe turns two years old today. It has been, literally, the best two years of my life. I have changed so much just having her in my world. Speaking of my world, if you haven’t noticed, my world rotates on the axis of Zoe. She is the center of my universe.

I can hardly put into words how fast these two years have gone by. It seems like yesterday I was complaining about how Nutramigen is the most expensive substance known to man, and now I am bringing Zoe more pizza after she tells me “More pizza, yeah!” She has changed so much, and still has so much change to go through. This has been a great ride and we haven’t even reached the top of the first big hill.

We had a party for her on Saturday. Momma rented a bouncy house that was a huge hit! Thank you to everyone who attended and brought gifts for Zoe. Momma did a TON of hard work to make the party go over without a hitch. Check out these Sesame Street character cupcakes that Kris did by hand!

Zoe laughed and screamed and ran and jumped the whole time. She had so much fun I can’t describe it. Kris put so much hard work into it, and because of her hard work, it went over without a hitch. except when all the balloons accidentally flew away at the end!

Back  to Zoe being … It is amazing how much she has changed, how all the little worries (so far) have just worked themselves out. I know the best is yet to come! I was talking with Kris yesterday about it, about how it was like yesterday she was just a tiny baby and now she runs around and talks and everything!

I had such a good time chasing her around the house the other day. She got out of the shower with Momma and after she dried off, she dropped her towel, announced that she was naked and ran around the house screaming as I chased her. When I finally grabbed her and put her down in her room to get her dressed, I told her “You better not make me chase you!” and she took off screaming again. What a blast I had just playing that game with her.

I love my little bumper so much. I feel like the tape of my life with Zoe is on fast-forward already.

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Check this out…

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1540376058

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Due to Zoe’s innate ability to wake up in the middle of the night, slide out of her bed, and fall asleep in various places around the house, the day bed plan has been nixed…

Let’s list the places we’ve found her passed out asleep…

• on the floor next to our bed
• on the couch
• on the floor in front of the couch
• in the hallway
• in the casino…with my VISA card

And my personal least favorite spot was revealed to me at 2:30 in the morning last Sunday night. I awoke to the sound of Zoe’s blood curdling screams. I ran into he room to find her laying upside down by the foot of her bed. her head was on the floor and her right leg was twisted and caught between the slats of the side rails on the crib section of her bed.

Needless to say, after the immense trauma of it all, Zoe has slept in our bed since…against all better judgment. Can you say problem? spoiled? gonna be a nightmare to fix this sleeping mess? Whatever…

Oh, speaking of slleping in the bed with us, our friend Carrie (I know you are reading this) , when I told her that Zoe was sleeping with us, replied “Oh, there are lots of kinds of people that have their kids sleep with them.” Like we are part of some kind of weird cult group! Some strange subversive group of child raising zealots! NOT TRUE NOT TRUE!

Sorry. Anyway, Momma put the crib back together and Zoe hasn’t spent a night in it yet! She needs to start sleeping in her own bed again.

This week is gonna be painful….

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The only way to travel…if you are almost 2 and heading to the north pole.

We took Zoe up to Williams, AZ to ride on the Polar Express. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this train ride (as was I until Momma educated me), visit The Polar Express website for more information.

Now about the whole experience:

The ride up sucked, the weather was horrible to say the least. pouring rain and lots of fog. I was wondering on the way up if we were going to get to see some snow, but was wishing we could just see 20 feet ahead of the car. Momma took over driving an hour north of Phoenix and did a fantastic job getting us there, while Zoe slept in the back.

We got there a few hours before departure: 8:00 PM We had to stay at the Howard Johnson’s two blocks south of the train station. They have a really nice hotel to stay in if you don’t scarf free tickets last minute like we did. The hotel was crap, and smelled much like it. After check in, Momma went to scope out the train station while Zoe and I destroyed the room. When Momma got back, she not only had the scoop, but tickets to the buffet.

Let me tell you what: They have this whole thing figured out, easy buffet dinner (small but really good Christmas dinner stuff), close hotel, AWESOME ride and neat little gift shop. I overheard the clerk while we were buying tickets for next year (yes, they go that fast) that they have over 1800 people a night ride the train!

Anyway, it was miserably cold and wet all night. We had bundle Zoe up in two jackets, fleece pants, fur boots and mittens. We just forgot to take care of ourselves. My ears felt like they were going to explode in the cold. Momma and I had no head gear, which we were really sorry about when waiting to board in freezing rain/hail/wind/pain!

We got on the train and had a really nice ride, singing songs, drinking hot chocolate and eating chocolate chip cookies. This was not only Zoe’s first time on a train, but mine too. We rolled up to the North Pole and got to see Santa. Then we headed back and got the info that he was on the train. When Santa finally arrived in our car, Zoe’s eye’s lit up with cheer, but she really got a kick when he gave her a jingle bell.

Zoe had a blast! she had a smile on her face from the time we got there until the time we left, except for an occasional yawn. This was her first time in the snow and she loved it! She kept yelling “snow” and “cold” and “slippery” as we walked on the icy sidewalks and streets in the morning. She even made snow angels from the little snow that actually stuck!

We ate a really nice breakfast and a Momma bought a pie in the morning before we headed back home. Before we left, we bought tickets for next year. I think Zoe is gonna have even more fun the older she gets (for the next 5 or so years, anyway).

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Here is how I scored:

73%

Overall, you scored as follows:

26% scored higher (more computer geeky),
1% scored the same, and
73% scored lower (less geeky).

Compared to those in the same age group as you:

39% scored higher (more computer geeky),
1% scored the same, and
60% scored lower (less geeky).

The average score for the gals is 38, while the guy average is 56.

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Zoe ate a crayon, a red one, and showed me the chewed up red crayon in her mouth…she is Brilliant!

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As you know, we recently converted Zoe’s crib to a bed. Well, last night was the first night I was alone with her over night; Momma is working third shift at the hospital. Bummer.

Anyway, I put Zoe to bed in our bed and laid with her for 15 minutes or so, until she fell asleep. The once she was out, I transfered her to her bad an hour later, so I could go to sleep. This is contrary to advice that EVERY child development book on the planet gives on putting a child to bed.

I wrote that so you know that I know. Remember, acceptance is the first step to recovery.

I made sure I put the monitor on before I fell into a peaceful sleep. I awoke at 5:45 and decided to get up to use the bathroom and when I stepped out of bed, I felt her lovey (her blanket) on my foot. I immediately thought “Did I drop her lovey when I transferred her? Oh – My – God! Did she hafta sleep all night with no lovey? I didn’t hear her on the monitor! Poor Zoe, I fell terrible!”

Then I started to walk towards her room to bring her her lovey when my foot bumped into the dog and I looked down, and it wasn’t the dog, IT WAS ZOE! Curled up on the floor around the pedestal of the fan. I FELT HORRIBLE! “How long had she been there? Did she try to wake me up and couldn’t? How long did she try?” I took a picture of her to capture the memory, so she could turn it in to CPS (Child Protective Services) when she gets older.

My poor daughter slept on the floor next to my bed, for how long? hours? days? weeks?

I told Momma the story when she got home from work, and she felt terrible too. I showed her the picture and she was speechless…

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