I'm a big kid now!

Dylan feeding Keesha la Feesha
(our Beta fish that I once again bought the week before pet week at preschool.)

Big kid moment:

Today I just realized that Dylan can stand on my big step stool from Ikea and wash his hands. Easily even. He doesn't even have to stretch and reach or anything!! When did that happen? I have a love/hate relationship with these moments since he could have been washing his hands for a while now without me having to hold him at the same time. It's sad to see him grow up sometimes, but exciting to know he can do new things.

(Just so you know, I have a post ready for our Venice trip, but I thought three downer posts in a row is just about too much to handle. Yes, it was that bad. Beautiful place, bad vacation. I'm over it. Life goes on. Oh and I'll make sure to post some really good pictures. Oh wait, our Canon Rebel was stolen on said vacation. Nevermind.)

World Blogging Drama: On to other things, I want to talk about the blogging world. The blogging world is a HUGE if people haven't figured this out and you can totally be a different person on your blog and no one could know. Scary huh? What if I just lied that I went to Venice and lied that our big camera was stolen so I didn't have to show proof of it? (Well, we still brought our little camera and used it on days that were rainy, so that will help my proof. And it really was stolen. Promise. wink wink.) But who knows??!! It's one thing to lie to someone's face, but then there is another to lie on a blog. It's way too easy! I have noticed this on few blogs lately and it's just nuts.

http://blog.cjanerun.com/2009/04/copy-cats-out-of-bag.html (for example.)

Why deceive? This is more or less a journal for me (and I know some people use the blogging world for many other things) but if you are writing about your life why wouldn't you want to be honest to show your kids what your life was really like? I love many MANY of my friends' blogs who tell it how it is. They give the good with the bad. The ups and downs. And I LOVE that when I have my downs, people are there to mourn with me and give comfort. What a great life, right?

But then I don't get the mocking blogs of a "fake life," sure, it's funny at times, but why pass it off as your own or put down a culture just because they do have a bright perspective? Deceiving people should not be a talent. I get "writing for writing sake" or "storytelling." Just don't pass it on as true.

Then there are the blogs that totally plagerize without giving credit where credit is due. Sad. Then there are the ones that just make up stuff to make their life more interesting. Even sadder. But then you also have to be careful because it is so much easier to be mean and open when writing on your blog, or in my case, sometimes even commenting. Tread carefully, mindfully, and don't believe all that you read. And if you don't like it, stop reading it.

So for all those who read. You get ME. The Monique Chapman that you have always known. And though I might have some rather boring and bummer posts sometimes, thank you for just rolling your eyes or giving support and then celebrating the good parts of my life with me too. Thanks for doing the same. The End. I am off my soap box... for today.

And on to another big kid moment:

Yesterday Haley went into the kitchen and made Maleia a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then put crackers and some other snacks in baggies to share on the way to swimming lessons, put them in her lunch bag, and then proceeded to get both of them ready. Swim suits and all! Just because she is thoughtful and kind and she can DO those things. When did this happen again? And to give Haley even more props, she even put the PB & J away and wiped the counter when she was done!!! Now I really know that this is Carrie Chapman's child that got mixed up somehow because more and more every day she reminds me of my sister-in-law, Carrie... just wait for the Venice post. :) Carrie might be mad at me for thinking that.