They seemed like a good idea at the time...

This is for anyone getting ready to go to China. If you are getting ready to go, undoubtedly other families have told you that you MUST buy mass quantities of squeaky shoes. "If you don't buy enough to last your child until they are 18 you will regret it!" "They are precious and if you don't buy them, your child will not grow up happy and well adjusted!"

Let me fill you in on a little secret. The only reason those parents tell you that is because they were dumb enough to fall for it too. Yes, the squeaky shoes are cute. But just remember, soon your child will be walking all on their own and this is what you will have to listen to....ALL. DAY. LONG. So before you buy 30 pairs and try to find the luggage space to cart them all home, put this video on a loop for AT LEAST an hour and then decide how long you want to listen to them. THIS is our last pair, and I can safely say that I have no regrets about that.

My mom...

Today is my mom's birthday. Since a lady never tells her age, I won't divulge it. (You're welcome, mom!)














I just wanted to thank her for being such a great mom to me and bringing me up right (with some help from dad, too). If I'm any good at being a mom it's because of you.

I love watching you be a grandmumsy, although you are a lot easier on The Kid than you were on us. But we can discuss that later....

Happy Birthday, Mom/Grandmumsy!!! We love you.


And here is a bonus picture of The Kid in her hoochie-koochie outfit, just because it's cute.

Corny

After deciding that eating it off the end wasn't the best idea, R managed to eat her first ear of sweet corn. She even sported Ellie Mae Clampett pigtails to celebrate the occasion!


 

Some Like It HOT

The Kid and I had a nice (although it was UNGODLY hot) weekend. Saturday was our Agency picnic (Sorry...no pics. I forgot the camera. Heat does things to my brain.). Outdoors. In the summer time. I hate outdoors and summer, because it usually involves two things I hate. Bugs and heat. But, I just have to get over it, because my kid likes outside. It actually ended up being a pretty nice afternoon (other than the heat). We got to see Sherri and Aaron, who are almost DTC after a loooooooooooong paperchase. (HOORAY!) And we met Kim and Mike who are also getting close to being done with their paperchase.

The funniest thing....we get to the picnic and all the kids are running around playing on stuff and being squirrely, like kids will do. Auntie J gets there and all the kids just flock to her. I swear, she has some kind of voodoo hold over kids. She's amazing like that.

We all so got to spend some time with Uncle Mark. He read "I Love You Like Crazy Cakes" to The Kid. It's been a few days since I read that one, but I guess I forgot how much farting goes on in that book Funny that.

Sunday was much more of the same....except much hotter and no picnic or Uncle Mark. But, it was just a nice day. Check back in a day or so for The Kid's first corn on the cob. Too dang cute.

Two Little Girls

My sister, Auntie J, and I were talking the other day about Old School Sesame Street. They used to have lots of cool little videos and stuff (like the kid with the loaf of bread, the gallon of milk and the stick of butter). Now it's all just Elmo and that annoying Journey to Ernie crap. Don't get me wrong....The Kid LOVES Elmo, and I still loves me some Sesame Street, but I have so many fond memories of the videos they had when I was a kid. One video, though, used to make me cry and cry and cry (and I think also has something to do with my hatred of cats). My sisters used to sing the song to me just to get me to cry for the hell of it, I think. Anyway, I did some digging and wanted to share it with you. The only thing I could really remember was the tiny little plates and spoons and then the cats had to come in and ruin everything. Stupid cats.

The Best Kid

I wondered a lot this past weekend about my ability to be a parent. The Kid was in rare form all weekend and everything was a struggle. If we went somewhere, she wanted to be carried. If I picked her up she wanted to walk and as soon as I would set her down she would throw a tantrum because she wanted to be carried. She would let me know she was thirsty, so I would get her some water. NO! She wanted MILK, damnit! Typical 2-year old stuff, or so I'm told. But it just seemed like it was EVERYTHING. And when we have these little bouts of 'the naughties' I can't help but think "Maybe I'm not a good mom and I'm not doing the best job for The Kid."

But then, just as I'm about to yank that last clump of hair out of my head, something like this will happen.













This was right after I asked her if she wanted to take a bath (I overheard some other moms saying that it was a great mood stabilizer for babies). She tried to pull her shirt off and it got stuck on her head. But did that stop her from prancing around home like it was the latest fashion craze sweeping the nation? NO! But she did throw a fit when I took it off her and put her in the tub.

So, I do have the nagging stinkin' thinkin' thoughts from time to time...but then I think about when I put her to bed tonight and put Towelie in her left arm and Bunny Bear in her right arm. I wrapped her up like a tortilla in the fuzzy pink blanket, rubbed her tummy, kissed her forehead and told her I loved her and that I would see her in the morning. If she had some other mom, they might not know to do all that!

As I'm standing by her crib, and looking down at that sweet little face, pretending to snore and keep her eyes shut, all the while giggling, I can't help but think that I AM the best mom for her. Because she is The Best Kid for me.

Independence Day

The Kid says "Have a safe and happy 4th....or me and my gang, The Little Rascals, will come and bite your ankles!"

A letter

Dear Coby and Devon's mother,

I enjoyed sitting next to you at the mall play area yesterday. I always find it fascinating to meet new and different people. I was very interested in the fact that you have two large Amazonian children. Although the precious angels were clearly much taller than the posted height of 42 inches to play in the play area, you clearly wanted to teach your kids that rules are made to be broken. And for that, I say BRAVO! I also thought it was great parenting on your part to not pay ANY attention to the little rascals as they jumped from the tops of one piece of play equipment to another. Don't worry about all the little kids your adult sized 7 and 8 year old boys could have crushed if they fell. I totally agree. That's not your problem. And I also thought it was a great idea to let them run around as fast as they could, knocking little children in their path over. Boys need their exercise. And, as a mom, I know how hard it can be to find time to keep in touch with your friends. So, I totally understood you calling up one of your gal pals and telling her all about your drunken weekend exploits and how much you hated that 'b*tch' who thought she was so hot. From your accurate and very descriptive account, I can't see why anyone would care for her. And I'm sure none of the kids within earshot heard what you were saying. Kids don't pay any attention to what grownups say or do.

Well, I do hope we meet again sometime, because I would like to deliver this letter to you in person.

Take care!
Wendy