Hair and menus and the little pill

Can someone tell me where the heck all the hair floating around the bathroom floor is coming from? I used to mop our old bathroom several times a week and I don't remember seeing this much hair on the floor.

Maybe it's not really more hair (she says in denial). Maybe it's because the bathroom floor and counters are so light that I'm noticing the hair more.

Or maybe my hair is in shock from the Virginia humidity and it's dropping in exhaustion.

Maybe it's Karen's hair and it's falling out because of the wonderful cooking I've been doing. Her system is in shock.

In Portland, I had a large pantry and a big freezer in the garage and I kept them both stocked. And I pretty much went from meal to meal figuring out what we would eat next. I would either be preparing meals for all three of us all day long--breakfast, lunch, dinner. And the sheer volume of that kept me from planning anything. Or Karen would be on a trip and I would fix stuff for Kylie but only eat Lean Cuisines for myself.

But now we are settling into a nice family routine with Karen home for dinner at night. Take that with a smaller food storage space, and I now find myself planning menus for us and incorporating more variety into our meals. I found this free and helpful menu planner and have actually sat down and planned out a week's worth of dinners.
I've prepared two new dishes that I've seen from the Barefoot Contessa's show on the Food Network Channel. Anyway, perhaps Karen's system is going into shock from not eating the same five things all the time.

Or perhaps it is my hair falling out after all. Kylie has been quite the pill the past few days. She's entered a stage where she doesn't want me to initiate play with her. In the past, I would say something like, "Let's get out the ponies and feed them some hay" and reach into her toy bin and pull out a horse.

Now if I do that she screams--and I mean screams--"No, don't touch it! That's my horse! I don't want to play! Put it down!".

Gessh.

Asking her if she wants to color is paramount to a full Kylie shriek. Same goes for suggesting just about anything.

In addition to hearing, "No it's mine and don't touch it", I'm also hearing a lot of "I can't" which really means, "I don't want to". For example, I'll say, "Let's put on our shoes and go for a walk outside". Kylie replies, "I can't". And I'll say, "I'll help you" and she'll start the "No, don't touch it" stuff again.

Yikes.

Of course, she doesn't want me to do anything that takes my attention from her either. Laundry, housework, cooking are allowed according to Kylie's strange criteria. But sitting at my computer is strictly forbidden. The little tyrant freaks out.

So for now, we are in the strange phase where I don't initiate much play with her and she sort of wanders about.

Obviously she's going through a phase. But goodness, this chicka can be intense. Doesn't she look more intense?



Still cute as a button though.

I love this little nut. Now excuse me while I go find where I packed my hair conditioner.