The Magic of Writing it Down

While driving around last weekend doing some last minute shopping, I heard a story on NPR about making lists. It featured Sasha Cagen, who has written, To-Do List: From Buying Milk to Finding a Soulmate, What Our Lists Reveal About Us (based on her To-Do List blog).

Jenny does this alot (writes lists but not about finding her soul mate - she found him years ago!). She writes lists in her hipster-pda -> gifts given, gifts received, movies to see, appointments, etc. She also collects "found" grocery lists, which I never realized could be so fascinating!

My Mom used to write lists alot - mostly little quick notes on tiny pieces of paper. I saved many of these notes, I love looking back and imagining what she was thinking. One of particular note, she carried around with her a list of animal baby names - kangaroo - joey, skunk - kit.

I've done lists in fits and spurts, but in '08, I'm going to be all about the lists.

I am going to start with lists of major things to do:

- plan (and make) meals
- finalize the decor of Lauren's room
- donate 50% of my wardrobe
- use reusable bags more often than not
- eat more vegetables
- clean the basement
- blog more
- write lists

Well, this one was a little rough. I won't go in to it because I will sound too much like Debby Downer. Suffice it to say - illness was the name of the game for many people (shingles, bleeding ulcer, bad colds... and one passing... my Step-Grandmother).

Little L had a blast though and dug her new retro kitchen. She sang Jingle Bells alot - or at least this much of it - "jingle bells, jingle bells... HEY", though it sounded a little like, "Stinky butt, stinky butt... HEY!". And she also learned a little bit of the Miser songs - or at least this much of them - "I'm mister, I'm mister, I'm mister".

Though she says most of her words very clearly, she's definitely at the stage where Mommy has to interpret.

Oh, and she's been counting to 10 and saying "later alligator".

I want her to stay little and cute forever.

Merry Christmas!

Visit with Santa

Saw Santa this weekend. She didn't freak out, but she wasn't thrilled either. She didn't manage to tell him that baby wants a new pair of shoes. She just looked a bit petrified and said, "Mommy? Mommy?" as I tried to snap a pic with my cellphone because I didn't have my camera with me.

"Santa" did, however, get her a new pair of shoes. Turns out she needed a size and a half bigger than what she was wearing. As the sales clerk was trying on a new pair, she commented that Lauren was "curling her toes because her other shoes were so small." Nice. So I replied, "Thank You. Would you also like to point out that her ears are dirty and her nails need clipping? OK, SO I'M A CRAPPY MOM - but I'm awesome where it really counts - like loving her and teaching her new things - BeeAtch!"*

*I didn't really say this. I just looked away in embarrassment.

Got bebe a pair of boots too. They were on sale (so were the shoes) and were too cute to pass up. Both pairs were on sale in the store, but not on sale online. I hate when they do that!

Just Friends

As I'm checking out the latest sales online, I am also watching Just Friends on tv. I was 5 months pregnant and confined to bedrest when this movie came out in theaters (in nov 2005), so I don't really remember it then, but I've seen it on cable many times now and it is one of my favorites. I love the use of comedic screaming throughout the movie. Ryan Reynolds is hilarous, along with Anna Farris, Chris Klein and Chris Marquette who plays the younger brother who's constantly having slapping matches with Ryan.

In looking for some video, I found that Chris Marquette's next movie is Fanboys - about "Star Wars" fans who travel to Skywalker Ranch to steal an early copy of "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" for their dying friend. Seth Rogan is in it too. It looks pretty funny and I think I know a few Star Wars nuts who are likely looking forward to seeing this movie.

So if you need some laughs, I found a youtube video with some of the funniest moments from Just Friends:

What a Girl Wants

Yep, ordered this KidKraft Pink Retro Kitchen for Lauren. I think it might possibly be the cutest non-human, non-animal (stuffed or real) thing that I've ever seen. Even if she doesn't love it (though I'm sure she will), I will enjoy looking at it.

I ordered it from Costco.com - it was $179 including s&h (+tax and a 5% non-member fee) - pretty awesome since I saw the exact one on another site for $249 plus $43 shipping!! And similar ones from Pottery Barn Kids are also crazy expensive. I am just praying that I don't get a "sorry, we're actually out of stock on that" email, which will then ruin Christmas - because an almost 2 year old is SOOO aware of gifts.

I am being sarcastic of course, because at this point I could wrap up her shoes (yes, the ones she's been wearing for months), some of our pots and pans, and the sleeve to the Shrek DVD and she'd be the happiest little camper ever.

Elfed Lauren

While playing on my in-laws laptop over the new wireless I had just set up, I got an email from my brother with his "elfed" family, so I elfed Lauren. This pic had her head just the perfect size - she makes a darn good elf.

Still in Florida - at The Villages - a golfer's dream retirement city.

We went to The Christmas Parade yesterday - drove over in the golf cart, which Lauren loved as much as I do (they are so damn fun!). The parade consisted mainly of golf carts and many of the various clubs they have here - including the Belly Dancer club and the Village Cheerleaders! The retirees here are not usually sitting around watching tv, they do more in a day than most people do in a week. Lauren loved the parade, she waved and waved and waved. She would make a good parade marshall.

We got her the little piggy backpack / leash for the trip (I used to think leashes on kids was cruel, then I realized how fast they can run away from you in a crowded place) - it is wonderful. She loves having it on - I say, "let's put your piggie on" and she puts her arms out. She would be Gone, Baby, Gone without it!!

We've gone to a few stores here - Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx - I can't get over how nice, neat and organized they all are. Even Walmart was enjoyable - and they had the CUTEST line of organic baby clothes (George baby), but only in itty bitty baby sizes (including preemie, which reminded me that Lauren was once too tiny even for that size - which now is hard to believe she was so SMALL!!).

Grandparents are just reveling in Lauren - and her in them. It will be hard to leave. Luckily they will be up for Christmas this year.

The weather here is gorgeous, actually "hot" - low 80's each day. But we will be happy to have a white Christmas.

Off we go!

We made it to Florida. Lauren did very well on her first plane trip, though she did very much try to kick the seat in front of us (which was actually first class), so we had to hold her legs down a bit, but other than that, she did very well. Watched some Shrek, pushed the radio buttons, no ear problems, all good. She didn't sleep at all though and was awake until midnight!

Hug, Mommy?

The little one has been quite the handful. Her new thing is to kick or hit at me, then immediately ask, "hug, Mommy? hug, Mommy?" (she's very actively requests hugs these days). It's pretty slick of her, I mean how can I stay mad that she just cracked my kneecap with her size 5 stride rites when she's asking me for a hug? I am trying to teach her that she doesn't have to pop me one to get a hug, but I think she knows it and just finds it all entertaining.

Off We Go

Thursday we fly to Florida. First time flying for Lauren. I have been soliciting and looking up advice. I found this piece of advice very amusing:

Wear spunky clothes and dark glasses so that other passengers think you are someone famous enjoying quality time with your kids.

As if.

Besides, even if I were on a flight with Julia Roberts and Hazel was kicking my seat, I'd still be highly annoyed.

Other than that, lots of other good advice - like lollipops, crayons, portable dvd (we MUST have Shrek), colorful band aids, valium (for me, not Lauren)...

When we got the tickets, Lauren was a couple months younger, we didn't get her a seat, figured she'd be fine on our laps... in this short span she has become more defiant, more vocal, doing that "I will straighten out and stiffen up like a board so you cannot strap me in to my carseat" thing... so we got scared... and bought her a seat... but we are still scared. I may need to be medicated, since Daddy won't let me give Little L Benadryl for no good reason.

More advice is welcome!

PMS

+
= purchase of a 3lb box of 600lb Gorilla Frozen Cookie Dough

Mac Happy

The Black Friday sale at Apple seduced us and Christmas came early - we finally got an iMac (though I've been using a Mac at work for years, I had a pc at home). I LOVE it. I barely want to leave the house, I just want to play with my Mac. It was so ridiculously easy to set up. I mean RIDICULOUS! It found our wireless router and I was on the internet within 5 minutes. Just TRY to do that with a PC! Our PC takes 10 minutes just to boot up!

Someone else loves it too. As I brought her downstairs Saturday morning and she saw it (set up on the kitchen table) she said, "oooh, Mommy, pretty!" That's my girl! We spent most of the weekend on Shrek.com - her favorite thing at the moment. Though I held it off for 22 months, I now have a child who just constantly wants to watch "baby Shrek", so as of now, I've watched Shrek 2 and 3 about 20 times each. She wakes up saying "baby Shrek", then says all the names, "Shrek, Donkey, eeona, puss". I downloaded the wallpaper and she can barely pull herself away from the screen, she just wants to stare into Shrek's eyes.

We also listened to the theme from Spiderman - another one of her favorite things since her class made a Spidey scarecrow for Halloween. I always sing, "Spiderman, Spiderman" and then can never remember the rest (Lauren shortens it and sings "spider, spider" as she sways) . So now I am reminded of the rest and she can learn more than two words to the song.

Now I have to pull myself away from the screen and get ready for bed!

I fear that my child is showing "unique" tendencies. Really I don't fear it, I revel in it. I want her to be unique, creative, funny.

The other night, just after I got home and peeled off my high heeled boots and put them in to the closet, she walked over to the closet and said, "Mommy, boots" as she pulled them back out. I said, "no, honey, Mommy doesn't want to put on her boots now", but as she repeated, "boots", I realized - she didn't want me to put them on - SHE wanted to put them on.

She's been pretty obsessed with shoes since she was very young - it was one of her first words. If I start saving now, maybe I can buy her a pair of Christian Louboutins for her high school graduation.

Here is video of her after she had just put on one of my shoes.

Vegas Baby!

Had a great trip to Vegas last week with Jenny. Celebrated my Brother's birthday. Shopped alot. Saw, "Menopause, the Musical" (thanks to free tix from bro - it was cute).

Also went to In-N-Out Burger. If there were an In-N-Out Burger here in Rochester, I would be FAT. Not PHAT, but straight up FAT. And I wouldn't care, because those burgers are soul food and I'd rather have a happy soul than a small ass.

We met my brother there and as we stood just inside the door, couldn't find him anywhere. Finally, after about 5 minutes, we saw this - just the top half of his beanie'd head peeking over a seat - as he wondered why we weren't coming over to him. For some reason, this was hilarious.

So, about my brother. He is not your average person. He is different in so many ways, I can't even begin to explain. For starters, he is a CHARACTER. Always telling stories, always making people laugh (when he's not violently angry and beating someone up). Always having weird things happen to him (like the time he got robbed at gunpoint but still "swooped" the guy, then kicked him and almost got shot).

He drives a cab in Vegas - which to me is one of the coolest jobs - and perfect for him - because he's such a people person and racks up the stories. He told Jenny and I one summarization of his experiences. He says that "married women from 25-35 are the worst"... "I have a pulse. I say in shape. they're tipsy. It's 4am, it's a little dark, does me a little justice..." in other words, they hit on him alot... but his delivery, just too funny.

Looks like we might be back in Vegas in January too!

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Stuffed Animals are the new Black

As I begin to plan for Christmas, and wonder what I can get Lauren that won't be laced in lead, I come back to my favorite things - stuffed animals. I surrounded myself with them. I slept with them. I took them with me on trips. I hugged and kissed and loved them. Most are "put away" now that I am an, ahem, "adult". But now I have an excuse to get more. Now I can live vicariously through Lauren, so the stuffed animal collecting has begun!

Yesterday I got her a huge Jellycat sheep. I got him at Parkleigh, my favorite store (with my 30% off coupon!!). I also found Jellycat animals at this great site called Oompa toys - I love the look of their site and their selection, thought they seem a bit pricey.

The sheep is currently stuffed rather unceremoniously into a box too small for his body. I thought about him as I lay awake last night. Is he sad? Is he lonely? Is he having trouble breathing in there? I may have to let him stay with me until Christmas eve, when I can wrap a red bow around him and place him gently under the tree for Lauren to find in the morning.

Big Bang Theory

I just think the new show Big Bang Theory is hilarious. I think my inner geek is finding Sheldon annoyingly cute.

Those greedy studios better give the writers more $$ and end this writer's strike or I'm not sure how I'm going to feed my tv addiction!

Oh No, Stinky Butt

Ignore the video but listen to the audio. Lauren's new favorite thing to say when getting her diaper changed (or to Mommy if Mommy is laying on the floor), "OH NO, stinky butt". She learned this in part from me, who throws around the word "stinky" when changing a poopy diaper, and from her daycare teacher, who says to the kids, "who has a stinky butt?".

Elefant and Daddy

IMG_5228.jpg
Originally uploaded by Matt_Bernius.

We had a wonderful Halloween, I think it will be Lauren's favorite holiday from here on out. She LOVED pumpkins, loved seeing "scary" things - "Mommy, cary?" she'd say about skulls and pumpkins and ghosts. But I think her very favorite part was handing out candy to the other trick or treaters.

On Halloween Eve we attended Jenny's dinner party, Leetle Elefant had quite a good time - especially eating Aaron's Grandpa's super secret, super delicious Spaghetti.

Thank you to Matt for the wonderful picture!