Horn Tootin'

And just because I've had a couple of snarky comments from people for not updating for awhile.....

I made The Kid this ultra hip and cool poncho. Isn't it neat? I did such a good job. Yay me!!
Too bad it's about 3 years from fitting! 

Say Something with a Hat Day

We went to the *Ultimate Party Superstore* this weekend to try and find the perfect Halloween costume. I have it narrowed down to two choices, but I didn't find quite what I wanted. Anyway, while we were there we took the time to try on a few of the more entertaining hats.

**And I'll give a "Shout Out" to anyone who knows what movie today's title is from.** (Auntie J...you are not eligible.)

That's a chicken hat.

Land ho, mateys! Arrrrr.
It was great when it all began.
I was a regular Frankie fan.... 

9/11

 

At the 9/11 memorial

 

Just after her bath

 

Crocs

Auntie J wearing The Kid's crocs 

Heavens Yes!

My crown MUST be straight. 

The Little Pumpkin Princess

Note the mess behind her....it was a rainy, rainy weekend 

Couple of weekend pics

Auntie J got her this shirt for her birthday. "Nothing to wear" couldn't be farther from the truth.
Ahhhh....this is the life.
Forgot I had this on the camera. This was after we got home from the state fair. She got a bath immediately after this picture. 9 of her 10 tattoos came off that night. 

A bittersweet anniversary

Two years ago today, my daughter was left outside a medical clinic. Try as I might, I can't pretend to know what transpired in my daughter's first eleven days of life. Sometimes late at night, I think about those first eleven days and then try to think about what that next day must have been like for my little girl. Did they leave in the wee small hours of the morning? Had they traveled all night to get there? That's about as far as I get because then the weepy floodgates open so I have to shove it to the back of my brain. I have heard the way my little girl cries when she is hurt or scared or sad. My heart breaks every time I think about her birth mother (in my mind, it's always her birth mom who took her to the clinic) walking away from those cries. While I can't comprehend the decisions that were made that day, I am grateful to her birth mother because it led my daughter and I to each other.

I know very little about her first year and I know that one day soon, she will start to ask questions. Unfortunately, there aren't very many answers. I can make lots of guesses, but I have nothing concrete for her. I will tell her the facts as I believe them to be. I will show her the earliest picture I have of her.


The text beside her picture is her birthdate, the date and the location that she was found and that she has a small face and single eyelids.




In a way, it almost seems like a cruel irony that the picture is grainy. Maybe that's why I try so hard to document all the little happenings in her life, no matter how mundane they may seem. I want as much of her past to be clear and in focus as possible. My baby book is still encased in plastic, preserved for all eternity with nary a milestone in it. And as the youngest of three kids, there aren't very many baby pictures of me. But, my family can fill in the gaps for me. I just want to make sure that she doesn't have anymore gaps.

GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY KID!

We went to the State Fair yesterday. Fun times were had by all. Please don't expect any pictures, because I didn't bring the camera. I didn't want to have to worry about losing it all day. As it was, I ended up without diapers and/or wipes for the entirety of the day. Thank goodness for the nice baby changing stations that had diapers and wipes available.

Anyway, at some point in the afternoon, we were walking through the building that houses all the vendors. The people who sell organs, ladders, windows, etc. The Kid was riding along happily in her stroller. She and I had moved off to an empty area to wait for Grandmumsy, who was probably trying to score some free pens or notepads or something. We were standing there waiting, just watching the people and minding our own business when this OLD BAT (and NO. I don't mean that nicely.) walked over to us. At first, I thought she was just coming over to say "Well, isn't she a pretty little thing!" or something like that. But she kept getting closer and bent down and was reaching out her hands. I thought she was going to pat her on the leg or something 'sweet old lady-like'. NO!! She grabs her legs, which she had swung out to the sides of her stroller, and put her feet on the footrest. She, then looked at me and said, "She needs to sit like a lady!" I just stood there looking at her with what had to be the most dumbfounded expression ever. I guess she must have seen my face turning red with anger and she added "But she's a cutie!" and walked off. I was so furious!!!

I will admit that The Kid likes to sit with her legs all sprawled out. And you know what? I Don't Care! She's a freakin' baby! If that makes her comfortable when it's hot and humid out and she's wearing a big ol' diaper that is just generating more heat, so what? Yes, we will someday get to a point where we have to talk about sitting like a lady, but right now, that's not even on my radar.

Why, oh why, do some people feel that it is acceptable to touch children? I don't get it. I would never dream of putting one hand on a stranger's child. You teach kids to ask a dog's owner before petting it, just in case it might bite. How did that OLD BAT know that I wasn't just going to run her over with the stroller for touching my kid, or that The Kid hadn't been programmed to bite old ladies wearing ruffled blouses? Now that I think about it, I'm mad that I didn't knock her over.

Just watch it, Old Bat. If I ever see you again, you are goin' DOWN.

2nd Birthday pictures

Look at me! I'm 2.
Okay. I'm smiling. Take the picture and leave me alone.
Barney, I love you.
Care for a spot of tea? 

More birthday pics

Quite possibly the most annoying toy on the face of the planet. (Thanks, Auntie J!)
Birthdays are tiring.
Here's The Kid all ready for a luau, RAGBRAI and a dance recital.
Uhhhh....get that flamin' thing away from me.

And the final 3.

You see, mom, this is what I like to call 'A MESS'.
A ton of new toys and what does she want? A diaper. On her head. (YES! It's clean.)
My big 2 year old sweetie. Happy Birthday, Pumpkin!!

525,600 minutes

This song has been running through my mind all weekend and everytime I get to the part about "In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights In cups of coffee, In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife" I get all choked up. I think about how much has changed this past year for The Kid, and even myself, and I am just amazed. I spend a lot of time thinking about how all the circumstances that had to be just so for you and I to be together. Everything just seemed to fall into place. It's hard for me to even put into words as I sit here typing without getting teary eyed. I love you so much, sweetie, and I am so happy to be your mama. Here's to the next year. May it be filled with more music and laughter and hugs and kisses (and if we're lucky, maybe even a drum playing drag queen).

SEASONS OF LOVE (Rent Soundtrack)

Then and Now

One year ago













Today - I give it two more years until it fits properly.














(Notice the spelling on her shirt?? I'm guessing it's not licensed apparel.)
 

It seemed like a good idea Part 2

Auntie J always comes up with the coolest ideas...

Anniversaries

So many important anniversaries coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Today - MTV debuted 25 years ago....also the same day The Quick family got cable, complete with the push button cable box that was attached to the tv. Ain't technology grand??

August 3, 2005 - Our first attempt at leaving the US for China. Many tears were shed and mass hysteria ensued.

August 4, 2005 - Our second attempt. We made it as far as Los Angeles....lovely airport. We spent a great deal of time there.

August 5, 2005 - Leaving the US for CHINA! FINALLY! And because of the mix up, we get to fly first class! (For the small nominal fee of $900....per person)

August 6, 2005 - In a freak mystery of the space time continuum, this day never happened.

August 7, 2005 - The Kid and I finally got to meet face-to-face. I just can't quite believe that it's already been a year. It's gone so fast and yet, I feel like I've always known the little goober.

August 8, 2005 - First poop. May not celebrate that anniversary.

August 12, 2005 - The Kid's 1st birthday. I was so thrilled to be able to be there with her on her first birthday....and now it's time for her first birthday at HOME. You thought Raisin Bran boxes and a rattle were the bomb last year???? Sweetie, you have NO IDEA what is in store for you this year.

Thanks to all of you who have tuned in this past year.

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