Skype Hype

Saturday night I gathered the kids on my lap in the office and used Skype to talk with Lisa in Houston.  Have you ever used it?  It was my first time, and it was tons of fun!  Emerson immediately started giggling when she saw herself on the screen, and then when Dida put Bella the Chihuahua on her lap, Emerson went nuts.

I could tell Dida was tired, and she also let me know that her grandfather has passed away that morning.  He had been sick for a while, but I know it was still hard news.  Mimi and Julie, if you're reading, I'm thinking about you all and praying for you this week. 

So Dida's first reaction was surprise because neither of my kids had clothes on... well, Emerson had her big-girl panties on, but Jax was sporting his birthday suit with pride.  At one point he started clearing off everything on my desk onto the floor, so I had to lift him up to put him down.  I tried as best I could to shield his boy parts from Dida, but unfortunately Skype doesn't feature a 'blur spot,' so I'm afraid she might've been subjected to more than she wanted/needed to see on a Saturday night.

A funny thing about Skype is the fact that you are forced to deal with any conversational or personal insecurities you may have.  Case in point: at one point I told Lisa I felt really dumb and wasn't really sure what to do with my hands while I was sitting there.  Should I cross my arms?  Put them at my sides?  She made reference to Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights when he's being interviewed and does the hilarious hand gestures around his face.  Yes!  That's exactly how I felt!  I also started touching a sore I have on the corner of my mouth, and she accused me of picking my teeth on Skype.  Unjustly accused, I tell you!

So back to the kids.  Daddy came and grabbed Jax to put him to bed, so Emerson had center stage.  She kept standing up to see herself better, then she tried to tickle Bella through the screen.  At one point Dida asked her if she would count in Spanish, and that's all Emerson needed to hear.  For the next few minutes, no matter what question Dida asked, Emerson would respond by singing, 'Uno, Dos, Tres, Cuatro, Cinco, Seeeeeeis!' in an ascending scale with the facial expressions mostly commonly seen on the Broadway stage.  What made it even funnier was that with each question asked, Em would add on another Spanish number to her reply. 

 













Eventually the little performer had to go to bed, so Daddy came in to get her.  Daddy must've found my Skype behavior comical, because he informed Dida that I was talking and enunciating as if I were ordering fast food from a drive-thru.  Whatev!

The rest of our Skype time consisted of conversations about our current hairstyles and plans for future hairstyles, Dida's job and how time-consuming it is right now (she's doing contract work for BP as they deal with a little thing called the Oil Crisis... maybe you've heard of it??), the Bachelorette premiere tonight, our favorite bloggers, my fertility status, all things Aveda, how she thinks I need to get on Facebook (whatev), and when we'll get to see each other again (hopefully soon)!

Dida, you are loved by the Van Valks!  I am praying that we will know something soon!!!  Love and miss you!!!