Katie Beth Reid

Kate is turning into quite the interesting character these days! Her favorite things to do always seem to involve turning various items into hats, singing songs of original composition, dancing like noone is watching, being very attentive to babies and saying the word "Mama" in 10 different ways to mean 10 different things.

She knows what she wants, how things should be, how to manage people, when to be shy so that it's cute and the basics of a clean house. Kate is such a good girl, very patient with everyone around her and so loving of all people, cats and stuffed men named Albert. She is a great eater, snuggler and conversationalist. She comforts the weaker personalities and leads the way for them. All she wants in life is to kiss and hug everything along with thinking Buddy the Cat is the greatest thing in the world. (She actually was reading to him and asking our cat to "point to the circle" in her book today.)

Katherine thinks bubbles are the most amazing invention ever, loves to talk with Angelique on the phone and wishes she could jump higher off the ground. (I know she does from the frustrated look she seems to have as her hands reach up and her feet don't move.) She can throw a greatly aimed ball just as well as a naughty tantrum complete with kicking and screaming.

Can you believe Kate can pull Ashton uphill in a radio flyer wagon? She can't seem to get enough of different types of food and will try absolutely anything we put on her plate. She always makes me smile after a tough night with her first laugh in the morning and I love her more than words can say.

I love you Katie Beth for being everything I never knew I wanted in a daughter!

He that thinks himself the happiest man is really so...

Here is a list of things that just flow out of Ashton's mouth these days:

• Buddy (our cat) has sharks teeth on his feet. (meaning his claws)


• Please close window, the frogs wake me up when they sing the ribbits.


• I go candy store and toy store when I get 5 quarters and spend them.


• I love you today mommy.
  
• Happy Daddy's Day Mr. Jimmy. You a daddy so I give you a hug.(Our neighbor and it's not even Father's Day yet!)
  
• Clean up or the pigs will come. Lock the door so the pigs can't come.
  
• That's not a monster truck, it's a green truck.
• I'm not Curious George mommy, I Ashton.


• Kate! Turns. My turns, Kate's turns, my turns.


• Grandma come to our house in 2 days. No, 5 days. No... 2 months, yes Mommy, 2 months. (She came to visit the next day)


• Mommy, today is not Monday, today is Sunday. Sun-day, because the sun is out.


• I put rainbow in my hand and give it to Daddy. Here Daddy! I share a rainbow with you!


• I can do it! Look!....Uh oh, sorry Mommy. I make a mess.

"He that thinks himself the happiest man is really so; but he that thinks
himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool."

YES! Soliciting

Help! Does anyone who reads this have any ideas on the following situation at hand? (Feel free to post a comment or email ANY responses.)
Ashton doesn't sleep much for a 3 year-old anyways, but as of late he is in the habit of waking up at 6am, coming into my room and waking me up to get him a drink. After dragging myself out of bed and getting the much needed drink I can then settle him down for another 20-30 minutes. He then proceeds to wake me up again and again until I get frustrated at him and yell "MOMMY NEEDS HER SLEEP ASHTON!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!", which quickly after I am racked with guilt because deep down I know that he just wants the pleasure of my company during his best time of day. I can't expect him to understand that, because of my part time job, I go to sleep most nights around 1-2am and am just sooooooooooo sleep deprived.
I've tried locking him in his room until I am ready to wake up, but he's figured out how to take his night time diaper off and, well, it just doesn't pay to wake up to the messes I've seen a few times. He also will kick and bang on his door until he wakes up little Kate and YOU TRY TO SLEEP through not one but two "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"s.
ANY SUGGESTIONS? Help!
Sincerely,
Haven't Slept Since Feb. 2007

We Picked In Fields of Gold

Today was such a lovely day outside, High of 78*F without a cloud in the sky, that we just simply had to go pick our own strawberries! We headed over to Hill Family Farm, which was located in right outside the bustling area of Ballantyne (check them out at: http://www.hallfamilyfarm.com/about_strawberries.htm). We rode over in the Honda van, each child holding on to their own basket. (By the way Brian, Ashton still remembered that the yellow easter basket I pulled out to use once belonged to you!) Kate actually thought hers would make a more suitable hat/helmet and wore it proudly on her head.
While we picked 4 lbs, we took home 2 lbs (between Ashton throwing the "mushy ones" and Kate eating every 2nd berry).
It was a beautiful day and a wonderful experience. I really enjoyed slowing down and taking in the sights, scents and sounds of a little country farm, right in the middle of a bustling city! Who would have thought you could have it all!

Listen Closely to the Minds of Children

Today, for reasons that are an even longer story than I'd like to get into, Ashton told me today..."Mommy, I don't want to go to school." Raising an eyebrow and looking closer at him, I asked why not. This is what followed in the perfect three-year-old speech I am adjusting to, "Mommy, I eat my vegetables and fruit and grow big and strong so I can go work to get money to pay puppy and kitty doctors for Buddy so his teeth will not hurt him."
I love this stream of ideas about our day's worth of activities. It was interesting how he connected everything into one sentence, however long and drawn out it was. Ashton is demonstrating that he is becoming less and less of an observer in my life and more of a participant. Welcome to the world Ashton!


And little Miss Kate, well, she is just a world of personality all balled up into one amazing red-head! She was doodling today with a random pen and paper she found when she suddenly busted out into a garbled song coupled with motions toward the paper and a huge smile. I realized she had come very close to what I can only assume was an accidental almost perfect "A" and was singing "A,B,C,C,D,la,la,T,W,la,la,now,I,la,la,Yea!" She really understands and comprehends so much more than Paul & I give her credit for. She is on the verge of conversing and I simply cannot wait to hear what she has to say!

Daddy's Little MVP

What could make Paul happier than a child that L-O-V-E-S to watch basketball games? You see, the playoffs are on and every night Paul tries his hardest to watch any game he can. But, in this house the children rule the roost, and by roost, I mean remote control. So, you can imagine, Blue's Clue's always seems to make it's way on to the screen. But there has been a recent development that almost brings a tear to a dad's eye. Tonight, while Paul was stealing a look at a game's score Kate grabbed the nearest floor pillow, dragged it over right next to her Daddy and quickly plopped down while pointing and saying "Baket-ball daddy! Baket-ball! Yea!". She was very much into watching the game saying, "Hurray!" during either team's baskets and "Uh-oh!" when they missed. (This was a little unexpected as it was all done on Kate's own accord.)

While Paul is somewhat sad that neither Ashton nor I are ones to spend time watching sports on TV (although both Ashton and Kate REALLY enjoyed checking out a Steeplechase on tv the other day), I'd like to believe that his heart has been lifted when he realized he will have a Reid as a couch buddy when the sports seasons start.

Kate is very interested in and already VERY good at kicking balls, bouncing balls, throwing balls...but don't count Ashton out when it comes to athletics. My guess is he may shy away from team sports like soccer or baseball, but I anticipate we may have one heck of a golfer, swimmer or maybe even tennis player on our hands. Only time will tell!

Fly Me To the Moon

Fly Me To the Moon and Let Me Play Among the Stars...

Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars In other words hold my hand. In other words darling kiss me!

Fill my life with song And let me sing forevermore. You are all I hope for, all I worship and adore! In other words please be true. In other words I love you!

Join us on the moon! (Ashton, Kate, Angelique and I are already on board!)

Click here for NASA's http://lro.jhuapl.edu/NameToMoon/index.php

Send Your Name to the Moon Aboard LRO! NASA invites people of all ages to join the lunar exploration journey with an opportunity to send their names to the moon aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, spacecraft. The Send Your Name to the Moon Web site enables everyone to participate in the lunar adventure and place their names in orbit around the moon for years to come. Participants can submit their information at http://lro.jhuapl.edu/NameToMoon/ print a certificate and have their name entered into a database. The database will be placed on a microchip that will be integrated onto the spacecraft. The deadline for submitting names is June 27, 2008."Everyone who sends their name to the moon, like I'm doing, becomes part of the next wave of lunar explorers," said Cathy Peddie, deputy project manager for LRO at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "The LRO mission is the first step in NASA's plans to return humans to the moon by 2020, and your name can reach there first. How cool is that?"The orbiter, comprised of six instruments and one technology demonstration, will provide the most comprehensive data set ever returned from the moon. The mission will focus on the selection of safe landing sites and identification of lunar resources. It also will study how the lunar radiation environment could affect humans. NASA/GSFC LRO will also create a comprehensive atlas of the moon's features and resources that will be needed as NASA designs and builds a planned lunar outpost. The mission will support future human exploration while providing a foundation for upcoming science missions. LRO is scheduled for launch in late 2008. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is being built at Goddard. The mission also will be managed at the center for NASA's Explorations Systems Mission Directorate in Washington.Send Your Name to the Moon is a collaborative effort among NASA, the Planetary Society in Pasadena, Calif., and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

F-U-N-achusetts - Part I

Where do I start? In the 4 days we spent visiting with my family in Massachusetts, we saw and did more things than we do in a month at home. (When Buddy heard the words "family" and "vacation", as evidenced by the photo, he tried desperately to join. I had to sadly explain that his 7.4lbs would tip us over the baggage weight limit but there's always next time.)

4/23/08 - Arriving
We departed for the airport at a very early hour of 4am to make a 6:40am flight. The kids were surprisingly well behaved, perhaps because they were half scared/half asleep. They loved taking the shuttle bus from long-term parking to the terminal and insisted, much to the dismay of our drowsy and under-caffeinated business traveling companions, on singing "The Wheels of the Bus". The plane ride went well, and both children were surprised when, upon boarding the plane, I whipped out child-sized backpacks stuffed full of Dollar Store finds and Wal-Mart treasures I had hidden from them. Our saving grace during the long boarding and taxi was a packet of truck/boat stickers that Ashton happily used to decorate a special green sippy cup. (I just didn't think he'd use all 100 and make layers on layers!) Kate enjoyed playing with her bumble ball for most of the way and loved the vibrations that happened with the pull of a string! (Thanks Auntie Neeker for introducing us to the Bumble Ball!)

Upon arrival for our connection in Philadelphia, we accidentally waited at THE WRONG GATE (it was a flight departing for Montego Bay, Jamaica) before realizing our mistake and rushing towards the correct gate. Now, if you've never been to the PHL, all I can say is the caterpillar layout, with it's endless gate "legs" is just insane. I don't care how many moving sidewalks that have, it was nuts. We finally arrived at our gate, red-faced and out of breath to then sheepishly discover we had an hour to kill. Thank goodness for the kid's area with all the great play structures! There was a huge kid-sized plane, baggage-car (the type you see on the runways zipping around delivering bags to cargo-holds) and all sorts of rocking chairs and benches for parents! This made the layover awesome and were actually sad to leave!

The 2nd leg of our journey was uneventful and our arrival in Hartford was great! The stars aligned in our favor when our luggage was the 2nd on the carousel and Dad was waiting right out side the door for us! Ashton gave him a great big hug with a "Hey Grandpa-pa!". I admit I was concerned Ashton would not remember him due to all the time that's passed between visits, but should have known better with that steel trap of a memory he's got! They were old pals in no time!

Kate was shy at first, hiding behind her Daddy's long legs, quietly emerging and obliging Grandpa-pa with a hug when he asked. She perked up quickly when she realized that in her vacation car seat, she could see clearly out the window that rolled all the way down! (In our van, the window rolls 2/3s of the way down only and she sits low in her seat.) Kate cracked us all up as we drove the back way to West Springfield, passing many CT farms, when she suddenly let out a VERY LOUD "Neigh!" when she saw a group of horses grazing in a field. I didn't even know she knew what sounds horses made! Quickly though, she began to tire and become inconsolable and so we requested to be dropped off at our hotel.

Kate fell asleep as we drove up to check-in and Grandpa-pa volunteered to lay down and keep an eye on her. After a VERY long morning, with stomachs growling, Paul, Ashton & I made a dash for Friendly's! For those of you who don't know it, Friendly's is always the 1st place any of the Southern branch of my family hits up when in New England. Man, I love the Cone Head!!

After Kate's quick nap in the room it was off to visit with Great-Grandma R! Kate had never met the 94 year old GGR and I was very excited she would get to. (See video of it here! http://uncutvideo.aol.com/users/dawnelizabeth8i/ec1d4ecb35b1576fbba3fce86977bab0?index=2 ) I think it was love at first sight for Kate, as she lay in my arms staring at GG and quietly pondering what we discussed, enjoying "girl time" that spanned almost a century of experience! I am looking forward to sharing these memories with Katherine as she grows up, providing her with family roots that go deep to keep her firmly grounded as she grows towards the sky.

Ashton greeted GGR like an old friend, saying he loves her and giving her a hug and a kiss. My hope is that he remembered his previous visits and he and Kate will keep GGR close in his heart. You see, both of my children are Rossmeisls, true and true - proud, intelligent, stubborn and leaders. They are not afraid of speaking their minds, having an opinion or being independent. I cannot speak for the Reid side to them, as I am still figuring out what qualities Ashton & Kate carry from their father's side, but I can say that while they may look like spittin' images of their father, they act more and more like their mother every day.

Someday, But Hopefully Not Soon

Someday they will both take turns taking care of me, but hopefully not soon.

Someday my house will stay spotless, free of tiny hand prints on windows and doors, but hopefully not soon.

Someday I will have quiet mornings where I sleep in missing the
sound of "Hey Momma! Your awake!", but hopefully not soon.

Someday I will have more money in my bank account at the cost of less time with my children, but hopefully not soon.

Someday I will hear deeper voices discussing everything from politics
to music in place of higher pitched giggles and sequels of delight,
but hopefully not soon.

Someday there will be no toys to pick up because there is no one to
play with them, but hopefully not soon.

Someday they will not be constant interruptions, wanting to cuddle and read books or look at new discoveries, but hopefully not soon.

Someday they will be potty-trained and off to school and I will be sad that I don't have any little ones to buy diapers for, but hopefully not soon.

Someday I will have to let them go, free to live their own lives that will be
full of hard lessons learned, tearful times when I cannot console, boo-boo's I
cannot kiss away, and decisions I cannot make for them, but hopefully not
soon.

Someday I will look for my babies but find adults standing proudly in their places, but hopefully not soon.