Every now and then, the Manager has to moonlight in order to please our tyrant CFO. Now is one of these times, and keeping the company files updated as usual is more of a challenge. Here is a little bit of catch-up:

• Lately on the way home from the Outsourcer (or even on the way to the Outsourcer, just before 9AM), K.Lo requests French fries from Old McDonald’s. The request is repeatedly deflected or denied, as Management does not want to set precedent for all future trips to and from the Outsourcer. Today, I tried to convince K.Lo that fries were an every-now-and-then treat, rather than an everyday snack, because they aren’t the healthiest. She said, “Yes they are.” Hmmm. And, just when I thought the subject had been dropped, we passed the sign for Cruisers Car Wash, which K.Lo looked at thoughtfully and said, “Those are fries.” She kind of had a point, but I’m not sure she believed that they only do car washes at Cruisers.
• N.Lo has a few new cute, recurring phrases that never fail to get a laugh at the Lo.Co. One is, “I have gas!” or “Have. GAS!” followed by a lot of giggling. And preceded by having gas. Charming. The other is, “I dun-no!” said in such a sweet, cheerful voice and usually in response to the question, “What are you doing?” or “Where is it [whatever you’re looking for]?” He somehow employs an impressive level of comedic timing for someone who claims not to know what he’s doing.
• We put up a bunch more ornaments on the tree today during N.Lo’s Afternoon Break, and though mostly unbreakable, still managed to have a few casualties. It happens every year, regardless, but it’s nice now to be able to blame employees for excessive klutziness, rather than oneself.
• K.Lo continues to push buttons. When receiving a talking-to from Management, she occasionally dials up the drama another notch and professes to, for instance, not want presents for Christmas and not care if Santa is sad because she did not behave. Also, just before the Night Shift yesterday, she said in a tiny voice, “Mommy, I don’t like yelling sometimes.” Meaning, she does not like to hear me yell. Which immediately broke my heart into a million tiny, guilty pieces as I reassured her that while I may get frustrated sometimes, I love her tons regardless. The next day, however, she brought up the issue of yelling a lot, saying things like, “Don’t yell at me!” and “You yelled at N.Lo!” when, in fact, I came nowhere close to yelling at all. Her definition of yelling is apparently much more liberal than originally thought. Apparently, the employee does not like hearing the rules told to her in a stern voice, to which I say, hmm, who does?
• N.Lo’s collection of crib friends has grown, and by crib friends, I mean the stuffed animals he insists on carrying each morning in addition to his two blankies. Several more stay in the crib. The Carry List now includes the turtle, the kitty cat, Cookie Monster (who is referred to as Oscar), Christmas Elf Elmo and a stuffed dog with a Santa hat.
• Picture Day at the Outsourcer was ultimately a success. Last year, both employees were photographed together on a non-school day. This year, K.Lo went it alone, and the picture was a head-and-shoulders shot rather then head-to-toe (sitting on the block). So, K.Lo’s secondhand Christmas shirt actually looked great on camera, and the rest of her outfit didn’t matter. (Now, can anyone scan them for me, so I don’t have to pay exorbitant prices to keep them? Just wondering.)
• When putting up the ornaments today, K.Lo pointed out Harry Potter’s “boo-boo” on his forehead. Hee. I told her it was called a scar, and she said, “No no, that’s a boo-boo. And he doesn’t have a band-aid.” N.Lo, too, is quite concerned with boo-boos these days and requires kisses for apparently invisible injuries. 
• N.Lo’s current favorite game is to climb the chair in the Conference Room, sit on the arm and say, “Push me!” Which you must. He slides down onto his own little couch below. Weee!
• In spite of earlier claims regarding Santa, K.Lo says to N.Lo each night before bed, “Sleep tight, N.Lo, before Santa comes!” Aw.