Lilia

I swear I'm trying to be more active than usual on here....It's not easy, though....Not with the studying to re-take the insurance producer exam (that thing is HARD) and playing with my toddler....So! I've decided that I'll carve an hour out each morning to reply to my RP partners and possibly even set up some open RPs with my characters. None are retired--yet--so the list is still quite long. I promise, I want to do my very best posts for everypony I'm in RPs with, you'll have to bear with the slow-to-no reply thing for just a bit longer. I'll be back up to normal standards and doing decent posts here soon!

Charming shook his head at Applejack's question, grateful for his dark pelt to hide the blush rising. "No, I...I've never done something like this...and I've n...never k....kissed anypony...." He stammered, wishing he would stop soon. When the princess addressed him, he nodded his head and bowed. He was grateful to be acknowledged, even if in a brief meeting. He couldn't speak as she left, the brief chance to speak with their noble ruler over.

Summer's here, and my boy has himself a little pool! So we put him in it, and wouldn't you know....He loves being in the water. Granted, after a while, he tried to drink his pool water....but it was tap water so it really shouldn't have hurt him. He had fun getting in and out of his pool, splashing and making a HUGE mess....thank goodness we put it outside! On a side note--Never let a toddler go swimming in anything short of swim diapers. They will pull themselves off.

Charming blinked in surprise when he made it to the front of the line. He had tried numerous times to talk himself out of this endeavor, but his mother's request hung over him in an almost perceptible black cloud. He didn't want to dissapoint her, and he certainly didn't like the idea of her going without her favorite snack. He hesitated at the stand, calculating how much he'd need. "I....I'd like two bushels, please....an assortment will be fine...." he stammered, once again mentally muzzlehoofing in embarassment. Why didn't he just speak plainly around ponies? He highly doubted anypony would tease him as a serious attempt at his self-esteem with two princesses in line.

Adorable he is! I wish sometimes he'd stop growing just so I can savor these days....he's getting big fast.

My Peanut has now become my Monkey. He figured out how to climb on to a chair....and from the chair to the dinner table. I was hoping---no, PRAYING---that he'd not be a climber like his uncle....I'm just waiting for him to figure out how to climb his playpen fence now and then he'll be wherever he wants at any given time--with Mommy here in tow. He's also pushing open doors closed now. So, when Daddy goes to the fridge, he's there....shutting it to tell Daddy 'No'. It's adorable and silly and sometimes frustrating, but that is pretty much my son in a nutshell...Adorable, silly and sometimes frustrating.

Spoiler free! It was amazing! I actually out loud asked "What the actual holy Celestia is going on?!?!?" near the end of part 2. Those who've seen it'll know EXACTLY where I said it at and (hopefully) will understand why I said it. That said, I am slightly disappointed that there weren't as many lovely songs as before. Any bets on new baddies/recurring characters/new Princesses for S5???? New baddies: Yes! Recurring Characters: CHEESE SANDWICH! Oh please, please, please! Princesses: .....What if Cadence actually does have a filly or colt of her own??? That counts!

Oh, yes! My baby is now actually RUNNING around. He's fast, too, for such short little legs. He can open up doors, so thank goodness for putting those doorknob cover-thingies (technical term) out early. Cabinets? Not safe, either. Grandma Lorrie found that out when Johnathan comes from her kitchen to the living room of her home toting a large-ish Crisco shortening container (the lidded cylinder canister thingies), on the verge of being opened. I kinda wanted to see his reaction to tasting raw shortening, just because he'll learn eventually. And he's now saying the following list: Dada, Mom, Uh-oh, No, Yay, Eat, Food, Nom and Hi. Not too sure about I love you from him, hopefully soon. He'll also randomly start crowing like a rooster....that's Grandpa Kenny's fault though!

I have tempted fate. Oh yes. At the start of this month, I was still taking allergy tabs with every southern dish that I have ever made. However, my other half and I began to take risks, to test the limits of my allergy to peppers. We started small--a single sloppy joe sandwich with small pieces of bell pepper inside, then we went up to Zatarain's breaded Catfish...neither of which made me feel like I was suffocating. Then we moved to the big guns. I ate a stuffed bell pepper. Without the medicine. I'm still alive! For the first time in my life, I finally feel like I'm actually starting to pull myself out of this rut that has become my life. I was considering grabbing some crawfish at easter, but had to come home early to send the other half off to work. But it's ok. There's another big holiday coming up soon, one that'll get everyone surprised! We don't celebrate Mother's Day or Father's Day here...so my birthday (in August) will be where that bombshell is dropped. I'm starting to think that I'll want some Shrimp Gumbo or Crawfish Etouffee for my birthday meal, instead of my usual spaghetti.

Charming swallowed nervously. He could see the front of the line now, his mind racing while the Princess spoke with the mare before her. Wait...Princess?!? The unicorn stallion gulped in nervous excitement. He had never been so close to one of Equestria's rulers before! He was about to approach when he noticed the little filly directly ahead of him. He smiled at her, kindness shining in his eyes. She had been brave to speak to Celestia in greeting. He steeled his nerves, forcing himself to not hide within his mane. "Greetings, Your Majesty. It is an honor to finally meet the great Princess herself...I am Charming Masquerade....and...Thank you, for allowing all ponies to follow their passions..." He said, his courage wavering as his finished speaking. He muzzlehoofed in embarrassment. Why had he thanked her for allowing ponies to follow their hearts? He couldn't thank her for raising the sun which brought life to the herbs and berries he used in his potions or done something more...befitting his name? It was no small wonder that he had such trouble with being social when his brain so obviously switched off when his courage to speak fled. Some Potions Maker he was!

So, Tuesday morning, my other half went off for work to a place 6 hrs away to help that branch of his job. Needless to say, I'm rather sleep deprived. After three years of sharing a bed and sleeping comfortably together, sleeping apart has become rather...difficult to say the least. Now, I have come close to passing out from the sheer exhaustion that is hanging on me but my beloved son pulled that away. Not that I'm mad at him, just at myself for the rather horrid timing of the desire to pass out. So, as part of my new found sleeplessness, I have taken to watching Twitch Plays Pokemon Crystal. I keep giggling at the chaos that is going on, and of course the chat scrolls so fast that it doesn't matter what's going on. However... It is fun to watch, and even participate in occasionally. Being sleep deprived as long as I have, I find myself with too much free time on my hooves...so, I have a new pony (Cotton Candy), and have decided that after the 100 Country Kisses that I am retiring Charming Masquerade, as well as Hope Locket, and Dusk Flower. I have been considering retiring Lilia and Cherry, but I can't seem to bring myself to do so...after the topics involving Cosmopolitan and Sandy are done I will retire them, seeing as they are rarely used. So...I'm trimming down my characters in an attempt to open up more room for the rest to get some interaction. Lilia and Cherry Bloom will stay, as well as Shadowe Flare. I'm not down and out yet, so please bear with me while I deal with real life... I apologize to those that actually want to play with the retiring characters, but I have too many to play with as it stands and I just can't seem to overcome my giant writer's block involving them...I'm sorry. I can't force a decent post, and I don't want you to feel like I'm making a bad post if you are involved!

It's hard to believe that Johnathan is a year old! He began walking about a week ago, taking tentative steps every day. He still prefers to crawl. He has demonstrated his cleverness, too...after cleaning his room and rearranging it (for the fourth or fifth time this year) my Mommy alarm went off...and I found him climbed on top of his dresser. He had moved a rocking chair foot rest over to the dresser and climbed up it. Now, onto his birthday party! He dislikes frosting, but loves cake. How did we find this out? He tried the frosting his cousin put on his peanut-shaped 'smash' cake....and pulled a gross-face for it. He loved all his new toys, and can't figure out which ones he wants to play with first. He got a pool for the summer, too! Yay, pools! He wore his first pair of shoes that day, too. I am so very proud of how far my sweet boy has come in a year! Let's hope for another year of great memories! Yes, all of that up there...is why I haven't been on as much. I'm trying to be on as often as possible, but Peanut comes first!

Before anyone asks, I didn't lose a family member. I have been on-and-off due to the recent death of my beloved DINOSAUR computer. It was made when Windows 2000 was the main Operating System and it had been running Windows XP for some time. I have owned it for four years, and prior to that it was an ex's for--he never said. He received it from his father whom had received it from his boss. It was a loyal, dedicated computer, albeit slow as frozen molasses in December. My son now has a new toy to play with, as he loved to smack the ever-loving daylights out of this tower. So, I bid farewell to my old-as-dirt Dell Desktop...and eagerly await the arrival of a high-end laptop for my husband so I may have the lightning-fast Windows 7 running Lenovo tower. I will NOT miss fighting my computer.

So, yesterday, during my carved out chunk of time with my sweet son, I tried to get him to say Mama. Nope, not him. Our exchange: Me: Say Mama. Him: *looks at me and smiles* Dada. Me: No, I'm not Dada...I'm Mama. Him: Dada! Me: Mama. Him: Hi, Dad. Me: *giggling* No, say Mama. Him: Hi, Dad. Me: *trying not to fall over from laughter* Mom. Him: Dada. Me: Oh, I give up. I'm Mama and one day you'll say it. Him: Hi, Dad! Dada! He then proceeded to play with his toys and fling them EVERYWHERE. So, everyone is Dada...and as hilarious as it is, I'm sure some people would prefer to not be called Dad. He'll get it though, hopefully soon! On a different note: We found some music that the baby doesn't like! Playing Wrath of Ashardalon with the other half with VEVO playing on the xbox in the background and Miley Cyrus comes on. Pre-hair butchering and all that other gross **** she's doing. Baby was fine with the metal, the hardcore, even the classic rock...but as soon as she came on, insta-scream! Switched songs and he calmed down again. That's right, folks! My son is a music critic...and he dislikes Miley Cyrus.