what are my intentions?

Blake drew me a picture at preschool last week! He's such a nice boy. In the picture, he gave me lipstick, as in "hot lips," as in whenever I put on lipstick, he asks, "Mom, do you got hot lips? Can I feel them?" Then I give him a kiss. I swear I didn't teach that (lipstick = hot lips) to him - maybe my mother did?

He also gave me jeans and reddish hair. I'm serious... it's pretty good for a three-year-old, but I am admittedly biased. He is next to me, smaller, and all in black: arms, legs, head, etc. Below him is a black creature. The teacher helpfully labeled everything: Blake, Mom, my cat.

Excuse me?

I asked him what it was, and he explained:

B: "Mom, that's just our cat, Olive."
A: "We don't have a cat."
B: "I know. We need to go to kitty store to buy one. And we will name him Olive."
A: "Olive?"
B: "Yeah! You know, the little round black things on pizza? Olive! I love Olive."
*****
The other day, Blake was busily not napping while I was busily working. At one point, I came into his room for what would be the last time ("If I have to come in here again because you are not sleeping, I will have to discipline you.") and saw his Pull-Up on the floor.

I whipped the covers back to see that he had a fresh one on, so I asked, ticked, why he had taken the first one off. Then I picked it up. It was VERY wet. Mollified (he'd put a new on one, after all), I told him that Pull-Ups do not belong on the floor.

A, still annoyed: "Blake, why did you take your Pull-Up off and leave it there? Pull-Ups belong in the garbage." (pointing to the lidded garbage in the corner)
B, slightly worried: "Well, I didn't want to put it in there because it makes noise and then you'd come in here."

Um, well, that's true. He's so smart, it scares me.
*****
I have weird neighbors. The ones immediately west of me (we share the kitchen wall) keep their A/C running ALL THE TIME. They had it going in April, when there was snow on the ground. They have it going when it's 65 F outside. They have it going at night, when it gets nice and cool. I'm not sure what's going on - marijuana operations keep it warm, right? - but I'm wondering if they don't have a meat locker over there.

The neighbors across the street have a condo that MIGHT be 500 square feet more than mine. 1500 square feet, possibly. They have a Great Dane, and she's beautiful and huge. They just got a puppy, a black Lab, and from the looks of this pup's feet and head, they will have two 100+ pound dogs in 1500 square feet. The amount of poop alone makes me faint, and does anyone else think that scenario is CRAZY?
*****
Joy: thank you for the accountability! I did a brief cardio routine today, did my weights on Monday, and hope to go on a good walk or two while in Spokane this weekend. So I'm on track... and I haven't had any ice cream this week. Woo hoo!
*****
After three and a half weeks apart, I get to see Rob this weekend (Blake and I are going there). I'm practically levitating with anticipation and excitement, and the friends who've encountered me recently have noted a visible difference in my countenance. It is nice to be unabashedly happy.