Say Cheeeeese? Ok, say whatever you want. You will anyway.

Gimp-O-Rama Urban Dad is so upset. He got the MRI results, and they show an ACL tear. So it's off to the orthopedic surgeon on Monday afternoon to find out if some sort of surgery is required. And when. Poor thing.

But Now, The Real Post

Can I brag now? Really? 'Cause you can't always want to come here to hear me whine about how much I can't stand winter and how crazy my MIL is (oooo boy, that story is developing lately too!). So since it's my little corner of the blogoverse, I'm gonna brag today.

Our Christmas cards are totally bitchin'.

We took the U-Kids to The Picture People at Old Orchard Mall last night (any locals here? call them and ask for Trinity...she's wonderful!). U-Kid 1 knows this drill. Sit, smile, say something cute, smile some more, allow everyone to oooo and ahhhh, soak in U-Dad's dopey adoring smiles from behind the camera.....

U-Kid 2 is a different story. She's wonderful and affectionate, don't get me wrong. But wow, can she muster up an attitude! She can look you straight in the eye and, without blinking, pitch a wad of food across the room. She knows she's going to get in trouble. She doesn't care. She wants you to go in a particular direction? She will grab you at the thighs, turn you around and push you along -- the only way you can avoid tripping is to go along. You don't want her to stand on the kitchen chair? She'll climb up there, stand as tall as she can muster and call out in a sing-song voice her own little version of "nah nah!" U-Kid 1 is annoying her? U-Kid 2 has a hell of a wind-up before putting the smack-down on her.

(On the up-side, when U-Kid 1 is upset and crying about something, U-Kid 2 promptly and directly brings her a blanket. 'Cause that's what makes you feel better when you cry, right?)

And so while I don't condone her behavior, as I'm scolding her, I secretly kind of like it. I like that she has a certain amount of independence from authority, that she has her own mind, and that -- with a little honing -- she'll learn when to apologize later rather than ask permission first. My biggest prayer is that she will be like the Pink Power Ranger (all of these personality traits are bizarrely similar to her anyway) and use her powers for The Forces of Good.

Even U-Kid 2 came around and posed for some excellent shots.

Yes, she did it on her own terms. She didn't sit nicely on the stool. She grabbed it, put it where she wanted it, turned it upside-down and sat in it. But it worked out beautifully. She looks exactly and perfectly natural. And beautiful.

We opted for a version that has three pictures on the card. One of U-Kid 1 looking all cute and adorable. One of U-Kid 2 sitting in her upside-down stool. And one in the middle of the two of them together. It's a perfect, sweet embrace with them both smiling. And U-Kid 2 has stuck out her tongue.

I'm actually looking forward to addressing them all!