What's New With Two

A post for all the Holden fans out there.  If you are not a Holden fan, feel free to skip this one.  Then again, if you are not a Holden fan, you probably quit my blog a long time ago.
Holden is two and a half now, and it is quite clear that the best part of two and a half year olds (besides the tantrums, which are awesome) is the funny things they say.  Here are some gems as of late...

Best Caught Being Naughty Moment--
Reo:  Holden, did you spit your drink all over the floor?
Holden:  Yes.
Reo:  Why did you do that?
Holden:  Well, there is just one reason that I can't really think about right now.

Best Bedtime Stall Tactic--
"After bath, I am going to go to Sea World and Kindergarten!"

Best Break Your Heart Moment--
Holden:  I need something to make me feel better.
Me:  What do you need?
Holden:  Some medicine.
Me:  What hurts?
Holden:  My Feelings.

Best Diet Coke Related Moment--
Yelling into the opening of a vending machine:  "Can I please get a large Diet Coke please?"

Best Cat's in the Cradle Moment--
Holden:  I am going to Disneyland when I am three. 
Reo:  With who?
Holden: Mommy, and Grandma and Grandpa.
Reo:  Can I come too?
Holden:  No, you will be at school.

Best Example of My Parenting Fails--
Holden:  "Seriously, Holden?  Are you kidding me right now?" (to himself, after doing something that he was not satisfied with)

Best One Liners--
"First things first..."
"Are you calling me a liar?"
"Is this mine, yes or no?"
"I think I will just stand here and be happy."

Seriously, where does he come up with this stuff? 

My Thoughts on Indiana

1. No offense, Indiana, as I am sure you are a delightful place to live, but as far as visiting goes, you are pretty much dullsville.  Since tourist attractions not involving racecars or steakhouses were not abundant, I made do with my own personal tourist attractions (meaning: Utah doesn't have them yet)-- H&M, Trader Joes, and Panera Bread (3 times, by the way, we are hardcore like that.)  We also got doughnuts at pretty much the best--if not scariest--doughnut shop ever. 

That's Reo chowing down...Okay, so I guess maybe Indiana isn't SO dullsville, since it contains so many of my favorites.

2.  Another plus?  While strolling through the local Borders, what should I stumble across but this...

That is my sister, Emily Wing Smith's, brand new book, called Back When You Were Easier To Love.  Clearly I thought this was pretty fancy. and I recommend you stumble across it yourself at your local bookstore.  Or Amazon... I told you, fancy.

3. The speed limit in Indiana seemed to max out at 55 miles per hour.  This irritated Reo to no end.  Regardless of the fact that we were usually being led astray by a faulty GPS, through major construction zones, usually while raining, driving the bohemeth the 18 year old boy at the rental car place thought it would be funny to give us, and we really had no business going any faster than 55 MPH anyways, he would have none of it...

Also, if we had been going faster, we wouldn't have seen this random/inappropriate license plate.

4.  I will say, Indiana, you can throw a mean graduation celebration, making all the other craziness well worth it.

Reo was so excited to graduate he turned into some sort of cross between The Flash and a vampire in the Twilight movies while getting his diploma...Hopefully the professional photographer fared a little better than I did.

5. Despite the fact that I can count on no hands the amount of time longer than 4 hours that Holden and I have spent apart in about 2 years, he didn't miss me at all (most likely because he had an entire household of aunts, uncles and grandparents catering to his every whim).  This enabled me to not feel one bit of guilt at leaving him behind and soaking up all the Reo-time I could (we even saw a movie, the first we saw in the theatre together since Wall-E.  That's 2008, people.)  I forgot how easy it is to kill a whole day when you aren't running on a two year old's schedule.

Oh, and before you get too excited for me, the graduation celebration was a bit premature for the Manning household, as Reo still has an entire quarter of school left.  But the end is in sight and soon I will get to remember what Reo looks like in the daylight!