...you get what you need

This morning I jogged with music! I had been thinking about asking for an iPod for my birthday, in October. But my dad got himself an iPod a couple weeks ago and gave me his MP3 player. I haven't gotten around to putting my own songs on it yet, but today I decided try it with dad's music selections. I got off to a great start (after forwarding past the entire Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack!) with Smooth by Santana. Wow- what a difference some music makes! Instead of listening to myself huff and puff I can imagine that I'm in my own music video... The only problem is that I feel tempted to start dancing down the alley instead of jogging. And I catch myself "air drumming" and feel a really strong urge to SING along. If my brothers are reading, they are laughing right now- my dad used to always sing along with his walkman while mowing the grass. Dad has a good voice, but you know, with the headphones on you can't really hear yourself and sound pretty off-key.

Anyway, the next song was Angel, by Sarah McLaughlin (I'm too lazy to look up whether that's the right way to spell her name). I skipped through some Beach Boys songs- they weren't really fitting my mood. And then came on the Rolling Stones song from which my post title comes. And I started thinking- I didn't get what I wanted- my own iPod with my own songs on it. But maybe I got something better. Some songs that my dad chose, songs I might not have, but now that they're here I'll keep them.

One question, though: how do you keep the little ear bud things in your ears while jogging? I kept having to adjust them the whole time- is that just how it goes?

Yesterday Henry was in a leopard mood. I think Diego started it all, by saving a baby leopard on Saturday morning cartoons. Henry went and found his "Big Cats" zoobook magazine, and asked me to find the rainforest puzzle (featuring, of course, a leopard.) Here he is working on the puzzle:


Tommy and I were headed out to the back yard. Without prompting, Henry grabbed the puzzle and said "I want to do my puzzle on the back porch!" This seems to be a concession- moving one step closer to actually doing something outside. We call it the "porch", but it's actually sort of a 3-season room. From there I at least feel like he is getting some fresher air, and can hear us playing in the yard. Maybe one day he'll decide we are having so much fun that he wants to join us.

My friend's daughter (T) came over yesterday evening. She is just a few weeks younger than Thomas and they are good buddies. Here they are playing in the sandbox/dumptruck:

It's a good thing my friend had a daughter and I didn't. T is always wearing a dress and looks so cute. I think if I had a daughter now, she would just wear t-shirts and shorts, 'cause I'm used to boys (and I wouldn't want to have to get pizza stains out of that white sundress).

Oh, Tommy said something so funny today. He has been saying "butt" a lot. I've been trying to encourage him to say "bottom" instead, but that may be a losing battle, considering he spends the day with a couple of older boys at the sitter's house. Anyway, today he fell and said "oh, I'm hurt! Mommy, tan you tiss my butt?" While I stifled a laugh, he said "MOMMY TISS IT!"

So I did. Is there something wrong with me?