Uncluttering
So you may have noticed that I have been absent for a month or so. There are several very valid reasons for that (work, vacation, overall overloadedness), but the one I can readily fix has to do with the often rabid need I have for fairness. you see, I started this Blog at the same time as another blog, which was meant to be for the adult side of me- maily focusing on Design and beautiful/useful things I found around the internet. What seemed to be happening way too often was that I would have something to write about on one blog, but not the other, and then I would either go ahead and post something on just one and then feel guilty for ignoring the gaping chasm of silence I felt in the other blog, or just not post anything anywhere and pout into my white russian. So, I have decided to simplify. I am moving all posting to the other blog, and hope you will join me there at least once a week for new stories of my life and my inspirations. So I'm a mommy- I can't apologize for having alot to say about what may be the most lasting impression I leave on this earth (my daughter) and I won't spend any more time trying to section myself into more labelable compartments for public consumption. so join me at Costumista and watch me thrash!
More big-girl moments
So the girl has just finished her first official "swimming class" and I find myself feeling proud and nostalgic all at the same time. My girl is utterly fearless. This fearlessness combined with the mental capacity of an amlost-three-year-old resulted in my fully-clothed dive into the pool last summer at the beach house- she was at least actually wearing her bathing suit. After I grabbed her from the chlorinated depths of the shallow-end, I vowed that she would not see another summer without swimming lessons. I hoped that the least she would learn in a "Preschool Water Adjustment class" would be that you NEVER JUMP IN A POOL WHEN NO ADULT IS PRESENT!! and I was certainly satisfied in that respect. I did hope that she would learn to actually swim- so if she took a running jump into an unoccupied pool, at least she would be able to keep herself above water long enough to get to the wall again.
True to form, the girl was kamikaze-esque in her pursuit of water borne fun, and had the two highschool age instructors chasing her back to the wall constantly. If my daughter were a character in a play, her costume would consist of some type of overalls or other mess-repellent bib. She just goes for everything at breakneck pace and really uses her whole body in it. By the end of the four night a week, two week class, she was independently going underwater without holding her nose, then swimming to the nearest kid/instructor, and also true to form- these attempts at swimming looked more like a thrashing fight underwater with a crocodile than it did swimming. Nonetheless, I cheered her on every time she surfaced, gasping and pink-faced, and I hope I get to take her to the pool once or twice before we get to the beach house. Then once we get there, the first thing I will have to teach her is that the shallow end at the beach house has a good two feet more in it than at the park-pool. AND NO SWIMMING ALONE!!
True to form, the girl was kamikaze-esque in her pursuit of water borne fun, and had the two highschool age instructors chasing her back to the wall constantly. If my daughter were a character in a play, her costume would consist of some type of overalls or other mess-repellent bib. She just goes for everything at breakneck pace and really uses her whole body in it. By the end of the four night a week, two week class, she was independently going underwater without holding her nose, then swimming to the nearest kid/instructor, and also true to form- these attempts at swimming looked more like a thrashing fight underwater with a crocodile than it did swimming. Nonetheless, I cheered her on every time she surfaced, gasping and pink-faced, and I hope I get to take her to the pool once or twice before we get to the beach house. Then once we get there, the first thing I will have to teach her is that the shallow end at the beach house has a good two feet more in it than at the park-pool. AND NO SWIMMING ALONE!!
Old but not Moldy
Lately my three-year old has gotten into playing webkins online. First she got hooked on the games at PBSkids, now she's gotten into Webkins, largely due to a clever marketing scheme where we got a free webkins for buying $10.00 of candy at one of those bins-full-of-candy stores. (Is there anyone out there who buys just enough candy at those places? 'Cause I always seem to come out with pounds and pounds of candy, when I really only wanted a few pieces...)
So the girl wants to play webkins all day, and I'm usually pretty successful at distracting her into doing other things. Usually we skip a day or three in between visits to the Webkinz site, and I feel rather victorious when the girl is tucked neatly into her bed before I realize she hasn't gotten online to do her daily wishes at the WebKinz wishing well, or Spun the Wheel Of WOW, or gone to do her daily Gem hunt...
So, instead of sitting on my comfy couch and having a glass of wine and settling in for a good read, I will often find myself going online to do these daily activities for her on Webkinz. Then of course, I'll notice that Pinky, our little pink Webkinz pig is hungry or low on Kinzcash, and I find myself in the Arcade playing Webkins games until midnight, telling myself that I'm really just trying to help the girl out by getting her some more Kinzcash in her account.
And then I did it- I actually suggested that Hubby should maybe get me my own Webkinz for my upcoming birthday. My 34th birthday. I want a Webkinz and I am 34 years old.
I can't figure out if that's scary or normal or just a mid-thirties crisis. Although I did go to two of the N'Sync concerts in my mid-twenties- and yes, I really do still like them!!
So perhaps I should just chalk this up as one more way that my daughter is going to keep me young- or immature? Maybe I should just be thankful that I'm immature enough to be interested in "what the kids are up to"- at least just to shut my "adult" side up.
So the girl wants to play webkins all day, and I'm usually pretty successful at distracting her into doing other things. Usually we skip a day or three in between visits to the Webkinz site, and I feel rather victorious when the girl is tucked neatly into her bed before I realize she hasn't gotten online to do her daily wishes at the WebKinz wishing well, or Spun the Wheel Of WOW, or gone to do her daily Gem hunt...
So, instead of sitting on my comfy couch and having a glass of wine and settling in for a good read, I will often find myself going online to do these daily activities for her on Webkinz. Then of course, I'll notice that Pinky, our little pink Webkinz pig is hungry or low on Kinzcash, and I find myself in the Arcade playing Webkins games until midnight, telling myself that I'm really just trying to help the girl out by getting her some more Kinzcash in her account.
And then I did it- I actually suggested that Hubby should maybe get me my own Webkinz for my upcoming birthday. My 34th birthday. I want a Webkinz and I am 34 years old.
I can't figure out if that's scary or normal or just a mid-thirties crisis. Although I did go to two of the N'Sync concerts in my mid-twenties- and yes, I really do still like them!!
So perhaps I should just chalk this up as one more way that my daughter is going to keep me young- or immature? Maybe I should just be thankful that I'm immature enough to be interested in "what the kids are up to"- at least just to shut my "adult" side up.
Job Description
What it takes to be Samantha's Mom:
1) A willingness to sing any song containing the phrase "Jingle Bells" at any time throughout the year upon request, usually in repeat-mode.
2) Ablilty to draw circle-face portraits of any known person upon command.
3) Affinity for Dress-up play and Fruit Leather snacks.
4) Affinity for Hamburger Helper's Tuna Alfredo.
5) Possession and (ocasionally) successful use of Stain-removal liquids/gels.
6) Powers of Persusasion, Distraction.
7) Posession of Wet-wipes Funding, possibly for 18+ years.
8)Willingness to use said wet-wipes on hands, face, legs, clothes, couches, televisions, carpet etc.
1) A willingness to sing any song containing the phrase "Jingle Bells" at any time throughout the year upon request, usually in repeat-mode.
2) Ablilty to draw circle-face portraits of any known person upon command.
3) Affinity for Dress-up play and Fruit Leather snacks.
4) Affinity for Hamburger Helper's Tuna Alfredo.
5) Possession and (ocasionally) successful use of Stain-removal liquids/gels.
6) Powers of Persusasion, Distraction.
7) Posession of Wet-wipes Funding, possibly for 18+ years.
8)Willingness to use said wet-wipes on hands, face, legs, clothes, couches, televisions, carpet etc.
Epiphanies
Starbuck's Coffee smells exactly like the first few whiffs of Skunk-aroma. I swear to god! We were driving down the road and I thought I smelled Starbuck's. I began to look around the truck, trying to figure out how Hubby got Starbuck's out of thin air, and realized... It was skunk spray, getting stronger by the second. I still drink Starbuck's occasionally, but I try to drive through so I don't smell like baby skunk for an hour afterwards. Blecch.
I am crazy, and my family is why. I went home to my parents' house last week, and within 48 hours of arriving, I was going ballistic at random unexpected moments. Screaming at them that "I WANT to go to CVS BY MYSELF!!! NO ONE IS COMING WITH ME!!" I am not like this at home (at least not since I was pregnant with Samantha) but somehow I'm Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when I am surrounded by those with whom I have a genetic connection.
I am crazy, and my family is why. I went home to my parents' house last week, and within 48 hours of arriving, I was going ballistic at random unexpected moments. Screaming at them that "I WANT to go to CVS BY MYSELF!!! NO ONE IS COMING WITH ME!!" I am not like this at home (at least not since I was pregnant with Samantha) but somehow I'm Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when I am surrounded by those with whom I have a genetic connection.
Its beginning to look a lot like naptime
Scene: A half-eaten box of Valentine's chocolate sits open beside two slightly dried-up hands typing on a black keyboard. The hands belong to a 30-something woman, wearing jeans and a big wool sweater. She wears no makeup and her hair is tucked back in a headband. She is obviously not planning to leave the house anytime soon.
She types:
Hello, I am a mom of a 2 1/2 year old, a wife to a PhD student, and the second of four daughters whose parents are still married to each other- for the first time. I admit it, this is not my first foray into the world of Blogging- it is, in fact, my third blog. The first blog, written in conjunction with my big sis, petered out after about a year due to the continuing distraction of life as mommies, and the second blog is alive and well on Myspace. I am starting this as a way to test myself to see if I can keep it up- I really love to write, and I have been told that what I write is amusing and truthful, so time and readers will prove me right or wrong here.
I actually hate the need I feel to "Introduce" myself in my first entry. It is so predictable and boring, but "needs" must be met, and so here I am. And on that note, I hope you enjoy what will (hopefully) follow. I will attempt to be funny, and to use proper grammar and spelling and punctuation, and I will most definitely be truthful and hopefully courageous. Again, time and blogs will tell...
So read on, dear readers, and remember to keep another important-looking page open to maximize onto your screen when the boss walks by!
Amanda
She types:
Hello, I am a mom of a 2 1/2 year old, a wife to a PhD student, and the second of four daughters whose parents are still married to each other- for the first time. I admit it, this is not my first foray into the world of Blogging- it is, in fact, my third blog. The first blog, written in conjunction with my big sis, petered out after about a year due to the continuing distraction of life as mommies, and the second blog is alive and well on Myspace. I am starting this as a way to test myself to see if I can keep it up- I really love to write, and I have been told that what I write is amusing and truthful, so time and readers will prove me right or wrong here.
I actually hate the need I feel to "Introduce" myself in my first entry. It is so predictable and boring, but "needs" must be met, and so here I am. And on that note, I hope you enjoy what will (hopefully) follow. I will attempt to be funny, and to use proper grammar and spelling and punctuation, and I will most definitely be truthful and hopefully courageous. Again, time and blogs will tell...
So read on, dear readers, and remember to keep another important-looking page open to maximize onto your screen when the boss walks by!
Amanda
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