Elefant

On Sunday I took Lauren to the Strong Museum of Play for their Halloween festivities. She looked so cute in her "Leetle Elefant" costume. For the first couple videos I forgot to turn the camera, but this one's too funny not to share - because she was an Elefant on the go. I'm not sure where she was going, and I don't think SHE was sure where she was going, but she was determined to GO.



I also think she was intrigued by the fact that she suddenly had much more belly than normal.

She also did some shopping at the Mini Wegs and obviously already has the hang of it. Went right for the pasta like a good little Italian girl.



Her favorite part was seeing the "Elmos" - both the displays at the museum and the other kids dressed as Elmo. I find this funny because she barely watches any tv yet learned about Elmo at daycare (and via the decor on her diapers) and just LOVES him!

Finally bought the Jessica Seinfeld book, Deceptively Delicious, with recipes for sneaking veggies into your kids food. I got one for my sis too as my niece refuses anything that might possibly be remotely healthy.

As for me, Lauren is good about eating her veggies - I, however, am not. Which means I am not good at planning food that includes veggies. And while we're being honest here, I'm really not good at planning food period.

So I need to get on the stick, get organized, have recipes, make meals ahead of time - all the things I worried about as to why I'd be a bad parent (that and the not sleeping in part - but it turns out Lauren is a late sleeper - thank you God).

I'm really good at loving her until she (or I) can't breathe. I'm really good at outfitting her in cute clothes. I'm really good about making sure she is warm and safe. I'm really good about reading her books, limiting tv to about nothing (hence the reason I have to squeeze my tv watching in to the hours after 8pm) and singing to her. I am patient, nurturing, encouraging, and calm...

but the food thing is needing work, and soon - she grows so damn fast...

I am, so far, good about getting her fruit and veggies in the form of pureed baby food or cooked frozen veggies, but I now need to get good at family meals. Hubby needs to get good too. I am hoping this book will help - if nothing else, the cover is adorable and just looking at it will inspire me to do better.

Dancing at the Pumpkin Patch

Finally got some video uploaded. Lauren can't resist shaking her hips as soon as she hears music. The waving arms thing is something they do at Daycare. (Sorry the video is sideways, I wasn't thinking when I was recording.)

Recently, when something leaves her sight, she puts her hands out and says, "where'd X go? where'd X go?" Apparently the songs verse, "whoops there goes another rubber tree" begged her to ask the question, "where'd it go? where'd it go?".

This Metal is Dee-licious

This Metal is Dee-licious
Originally uploaded by tostina.

We went to two pumpkin patches this weekend. Quite fun. On Saturday Lauren got a fake tattoo of a ghost put on her arm. She LOVES tattoos and has spent the days since either saying, "tattoo, tattoo, ghost, boo" or crying and saying "tattoo? tattoo? sleeve" because her shirt is covering her tattoo. I don't think I can wash it off without having a replacement ready.

On a related note, I read about some new tattoo inks - one that fades over time - TLTs - Time Limited Tattoos, and one that gives you a permanent but easily "erasable" tattoo - with Freedom-2 ink.

I like this idea and this technological breakthrough might also save Hubby's life one day - the day Lauren comes home and declares, "I got a REAL tattoo, Dad!"

Oh my Aching Feet - but maybe not

Ok, even if I could afford them, I don't think I'd buy a pair of Christian Louboutins (which I think are GORGEOUS) because I would never get enough wear out of them to make it worth it - because I am not ready to suffer so much for fashion. If I am going to suffer, I will do it with a $40 pair of shoes that I won't feel bad throwing away after they cause multiple blisters and intense pain, not a $700 pair of shoes (though I could put them on a little shelf on my wall and call them art!).

I've had my feet kill me after walking in a pair of Crocs, so the idea of walking any amount of distance on a non-carpeted substance in spikey heels makes me wince in pain.



I've tried many inserts, but they don't really seem to help that much. But MAYBE, JUST MAYBE - help is here. I saw an ad for these Insolia insoles that were developed in conjunction with Rocket Scientists at MIT. If they can't figure out how to make heels comfortable, then basically, we're screwed (we meaning the collective group of women and transvestites who love to wear high shoes).

I am going to buy a pair as soon as I can get my butt to the store! I will let you know what I think!

BYE JERRY!

Ignore the video, but listen to the audio. As we were leaving Jenny & Aaron's house (already in the car, someone needs to learn the concept of - if you can't see them anymore, they probably can't hear you), Lauren started yelling, "BYE JERRY".

Could you get me some more crackers, Jerry?

When hubby and I were on our honeymoon cruise (back 16 years ago!!), there were basically two types of people - young, newly married couples and old married couples. Not much in between (except for the two young ladies just out of high school who, looking for romance, made a very unfortunate choice of ships... as the only young, cute, single men were the Czechoslovakian waiters who had to work about 18 hours a day).

Each night at dinner we sat with the same people and had the same waiter - Jerry. He was so nice, very funny, and very attentive. We sat with other newlywed couples and the two young girls. It was a very fun time. Jerry also had a few other tables made up of mostly old couples, with one lady in particular who would always be shouting for Jerry, in a thick New York accent, "Jarry, could you get me some more craaackers, Jarry?!"

Sooo... in talking up a storm, as Lauren does these days, she started to say "Jenny", except it comes out as "Jarry". And when asked to say "Aaron", she does, except it comes out as "Jarry". So Jenny and Aaron are Jerry 1 and Jerry 2. I think Lauren even called them, collectively, "Jerries" the other day, "Jerries go bye bye?".

So we are waiting for her to yell out, "Jarry, could you get me some more craaaackers, Jarry?!"

--> more apple picking pics from Jenny

Jenny & Aaron & Bumble Ink

In looking at their adorable stationary, I also checked out the daily comics at bumble ink... OMG, I think they know Jenny & Aaron very well because these comics couldn't be more like the two of them!! Jenny even wears her hair exactly like that, and I bet a dozen dollars that Aaron owns a helicopter hat.

Ikea Dreaming

We really need to take a drive up to Ikea. Here are some things I want to get for Lauren:

This seesaw, which she will have to share with a very heavy stuffed animal or wait for her cousins to come over.



And this set with the bed, wardrobe and dresser to make for a very cute room: