Three Blogs for the Price of One

In about 45 minutes it will be 2009. The days of late night celebrating are long gone. My family and I spent a quiet night at home, happy to be with each other and looking forward to the adventures the next year has to offer. The past few weeks have been busy so I have been jotting down notes on scraps of paper here and there of things I have been meaning to write about...

Holiday time. We are not church-goers or religious people, so I have struggled as to what to teach Bella about this time of year. So far, we have celebrated by decorating a tree and exchanging gifts, but we haven't really talked about Christmas, Hanukkah, etc. and what the holidays really mean. So the day after Christmas I asked Bella, "What is Christmas?". She replied "It's a special day to celebrate". "What do we celebrate?" I asked. She replied, "Well, we celebrate snow and presents and dogs and people and EVERYTHING!". " I asked, "What else do we celebrate?". She said, "Hanukkah." Then she sang the Dradle song (and she knew all the words?). Surprised, I asked her what Christmas and Hanukkah had in common and she said, " Celebrating with our families". I guess maybe I should not worry about what we can teach her, and think about what she can teach us.

Bella got a new piggy bank a few months back. It is divided into 3 sections. Spend, Save and Share. Every week she gets an allowance and we divide the money by percentages into the three banks.  A few days ago we counted up all the money and Bella made her first purchase. I told her she could buy anything she wanted. She walked up and down the toy aisles at Target, carefully looking at all her options. She finally chose a Barbie doll that came with a dog with 3 puppies. She counted out all the money at the checkout line and handed it to the cashier. Mommy was a little teary-eyed as we walked out of the store.  From there we counted out the "Share" money and went to Brent's Place, an organization that provides a home away from  home for kids with cancer and their families. Bella donated $5.07 (mostly in quarters and dimes!) and Mommy and Daddy matched it. They were very grateful and told her her money would be used to buy hot chocolate and cookies for the kids as a special treat after playtime. We told them we'd be back again at the end of next year. Mommy walked out even more teary-eyed from there. No words can describe the joy in seeing your child growing up to be a loving, responsible and comapssionate person. This year has been filled with moments like these and for that I am thankful.

And finally, yesterday we were walking into the supermarket and Bella reached for my hand and said, "Mommy, let's skip and sing, "Shiny! Shiny! Shiny smiles!". So we did.

Happy New Year to you. I can't wait to see what 2009 brings.

A Friday Thought

Draw a crazy picture,

Write a nutty poem,

Sing a mumble-gumble song,

Whistle through your comb.

Do a loony-goony dance,

'Cross the kitchen floor,

Put something silly in the world

That ain't been there before.

-Shel Silverstein

How to Solve the Housing Crisis

It has been COLD in Colorado this week. Too cold for my taste. But what can you do. 

Today driving in the car, Bella warmed things up with this statement.

"Mommy. When you see smoke coming out of people's chimneys, it means there's a chocolate factory inside." 

Ahh... just the thought of having a chocolate factory in my house makes me feel warm and cozy. 

Now if only we had a chimney....

And the Oscar Goes To....

This morning I asked Bella to help me put away some laundry and toys. She kept doing whatever she was doing so I asked her again. Ignored me like I wasn't even in the room. So I went over to her and asked her again. She looked at me and grabbed her little school backpack and said as she was walking out of the room, "NO! I am leaving town...FOREVER...forever...forever...forever" (she was actually fading out her own voice as she walked away). The kids' got quite a flair for the dramatic! All I could do was laugh.

Bella Be Good

Last week we were shopping at Whole Foods. They have a thing called the "Kids Club" where kids can choose from one of about a dozen snacks for free while you are shopping... fruit leather, a piece of fruit, string cheese or Bella's favorite, a cookie. Luckily the cookies are at the far side of the store from the entrance, so our usual routine is (standard mom bribery) "If you are good while we shop, you can have a cookie". Well, let's just say she didn't really hold up to her end of the bargain. So when we neared the checkout line she said, "What about my cookie?" to which I replied, "Well, you weren't being very good. I don't think you deserve a cookie today." She thought about it for a minute and said, "I was a little good, can I have a little cookie?" Another laugh out loud moment... for me and the woman behind us in line (whom I let go ahead of us as we went off to get a cookie).

If you can't be good today, at least try to be a little good. Might get you a cookie after all.

La la la la la la

Don't you love it how kids will just break into song at any given moment. Today at Target (imagine that, we were at Target) Bella saw something about the new Madagascar movie and at the top of her lungs started singing "I like to move it move it. I like to move it move it. Ya like to...move it!" and did a little dance in the shopping cart. I really wanted to join her but thought I'd better not. What a shame that I didn't. A few minutes of laughter and a lifelong memory would have been worth a moment of embarrassment.

Reminds me of the old song from Sesame Street...

Sing
Sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things, not bad
Sing of happy, not sad

Sing
Sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Sing
Sing a song

La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

"If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney

Yesterday I asked Bella what kind of job she would like to do when she is an adult (if you have read this blog before you know her answers change daily, so it is good to ask often in order to keep up).

Bella: "I want to build things."
Mommy: "What kind of things?"
Bella: "Like buildings and towers and stuff."
Mommy: "Oh, so do you want to be an architect?"
Bella: "No, I think a Buildatect."

The Good Shepherd

I was making dinner tonight when Bella asked, "What are you making Mommy?"
"Shepherd's Pie", I replied. "OH! ... I LOVE shepherds, but I don't like pie" she declared.
Hmmm....I really would have guessed it the other way around. Then again, I can't say that I have met a shepherd that I didn't like. Have you?

October Sky

It's that time of year... my favorite time of year. Autumn! There's nothing better than a sunny fall day. The air is cool, the leaves are bursting with color and the sky is so blue you just want to lay in the grass and spend the whole afternoon daydreaming. So what the heck, I gave it a try. The ground felt cool on my back, the crisp fall air filled my lungs. I closed my eyes and enjoyed it...for about 30 seconds. Then the dog licked my face and the 4-year old jumped onto my stomach. Ugh.

So instead we played tag, we raked leaves and made big piles to jump in, played fetch with the dog. And all of a sudden my daydreams paled in comparison to my reality. Ahh.

Don't Push Your Luck

Yesterday we went to Target to pick up a handful of items. I was speeding through the store to avoid having to stop in the toy or candy department. We were at the very back of the store and had almost everything we needed when Bella said, "I have to go potty". Never fails. I asked her if she could hold it for just a few minutes to which she happily said yes. So I ran to pick up the last item and went straight to the checkout line. As I was paying for everything, 3 people behind me in line and people in both lanes next to us, Bella says, very loudly, "I sucked it in Mommy." Looking back on the situation, I should not have asked her the next question...a confused, "What?" to which she yells out, "My poop! I sucked it back in!" with big smile on her face as if she is waiting for congratulations. I glanced around at all the people around me who were now stifling their chuckles ...what else was there to do but laugh.

I'm not even sure how to end this story...I think I'll just leave it at that.

Secret Schmecret

I was cleaning the house today when I stubbed my toe. I held back the curse words because Bella was in the room, but let out a holler and a grunt. Bella asked, "What's wrong Mommy?" to which I replied, "I stubbed my stupid toe." She looked at my toes and said, "I like your toes Mommy, they're not stupid."

How AMAZING is the mind of a child! All afternoon I thought about how optimistic children are. It is inspiring. So as of today there is a new rule at our house. No more complaining. If you're unhappy with something don't complain about it, DO SOMETHING about it. If you don't know the answer right away, write down the problem and come back to it later. NO more focusing on the negative. Focusing on the positive makes everything brighter. It's as easy as that. Instead of "I hate cleaning the house", how about "I love it when the house is clean!" Then enjoy the clean house. Life is too short to dwell on the negatives. And while we're stewing in the past, we may be missing the here and now.

If you want to live the good life, then just live it!

Sunday, Monday...

Last night I was helping Bella brush her teeth. She tried to turn on her electric toothbrush and it wouldn't start. I took it and tapped it hard on the sink and it started. She looked at me with a big smile so I said,"Mommy's just like Fonzerelli!" Blank stare. "What's Fonzerelli?"
It was that moment that I realized I have become the "Nerd Mom". From now on, I will start to embarrass my kid, just by being myself. Just like my parents embarrassed me and your parents embarrassed you. Next year she will be off to Kindergarten and it will only get worse from there. The way I dress, the way I talk, the car I drive, the music I listen to (although my daughter is a Beatles fan - so let's hope that holds over forever). I will be dorky 'Laverne' to her and her friends when in my mind I think I am Pinky Tuscadero. Oh well, that's just the way it goes I guess.
I think there will still be plenty of Happy Days ahead.

Aaaaaay!

September 12, 2008

...and shoes! I am also thankful for shoes! How could I forget shoes!

September 11, 2008

Today I am grateful for...

My beautiful daughter who is so full of life and quick with a smile to brighten my every day.
My husband who is able to enjoy his passion for hunting, even on this rainy Colorado day.
My sweet, gentle, caring dog who protects me and loves me unconditionally.
My mother and my step father, my father, my sister and my soon-to-be-brother-in-law who love me and whom I love dearly.
My in-laws who make me feel like I have always been a part of their family.
My friends who constantly remind me that life is meant to be fun and enjoyed.
My memories of all the people I love that are no longer here on earth.
My comfortable house, in the gorgeous state of Colorado, in our free and beautiful country, in an awe inspiring world.
My voice, my mind, my heart and my soul and the freedom to express them.

On this day, September 11, 2008, I am thankful.

Delicious!

I don't think baking is in her future.

ICE CREAM MAN!!!

Well, we were out for a walk tonight and the inevitable happened....
For 4 years we had never let Bella onto the fact that there was such a thing as an ice cream truck. Now, before you judge and think "Why would we deprive our child of such a thing as the ice cream truck?!" On a hot summer day you could hear those tinny sounding chimes of the ice cream truck song (usually 'The Entertainer') a mile away. Just enough time to track down your mom or dad for money, running through the house screaming "ICE CREAM!", then running out of the house along with every other kid in the neighborhood and waiting for the truck to turn the corner onto your block. Then it was decision time. The hardest part. Bomb pop? Push up? Drumstick? Or my favorite, the Creamsicle. So why has our daughter not known about this classic summertime phenomenon until now? Well, a few reasons really. First of all, it is not like the kid is lacking in the treat department. We're seriously considering changing her middle name to 'Chocolate' at this point, just because I don't think she can live without it. Secondly, in this day and age of the credit and debit card, you run the risk as a parent of not having any cash on hand when the truck comes by, and then you have to deal with temper tantrums and end up driving to the supermarket to pick up Popsicles if you want the crying and screaming to stop. And lastly, we knew she would eventually figure it out and there would be plenty of years of "ICE CREAM!" to come.

So that brings us back to our walk tonight....we're walking down a long block when all of a sudden, the ice cream truck turns onto the street and is headed right towards us. I look around frantically, there is no where to go. Bella asks, "What's that sound?". Now, she has heard the music before from inside the house, but never asked what it was. I guess she just assumed it was someone driving by with bad taste in music. The truck gets closer and closer, the music is getting louder and louder. When it finally pulls up next to us, she realizes what it is. I have to say the look on her face was priceless! It was worth depriving her of the ice cream truck until now. Her eyes were wide open and a huge smile came across her face. And then she looked at me and said "That's where the noise was coming from! Ice cream!" No turning back now.

Of course, I didn't have any money on me because we only headed out to walk the dog around the block, so I had to run to the store when we got home to get Popsicles. C'est la vie.

Mrs Cab Driver

The other day Bella went running by me, chasing her cousins that were here visiting for the week. I grabbed her on the way by for a hug. She sat down on my lap and let out a big sigh and said, "Mommy, when I get big I want to be a Taxi driver." Then she walked away. I called out to her "Why?" and she turned around and said, "Because I like Taxis."

Simple as that. Funny, how day to day, week to week, she declares what she wants to do with her life. How something inspires her so much that she thinks "THAT'S what I want to be." What it tells me is that she is learning, thinking and appreciating the things around her. She doesn't let anything slip by unnoticed. She literally does stop and smell the roses (on the walk to school).

We are living in a time of Political History! Lots of stuff happening in our country and around the world. This week the DNC is here in Denver, and next weekend the RNC will be in my other hometown of Minneapolis. I think we could all learn a lesson from the four-year-olds in our life. Listen, look around you, take the time to appreciate this wonderful country we live in and pay attention to what's happening. Be open to new ideas and be willing to change your mind about things. Think about what you can do to make the world a better place. For ourselves, our children, and even our taxi drivers!

Follow up 8/28/08: Just now I asked Bella if she still wanted to be a Taxi Driver and she said no. So I asked what she wanted to be now and she said "An Ice Cream Girl". No need to ask why this time.

What's Grosser than Gross?

In the bathtub tonight Bella was pretending to make soup, scooping water into a plastic cup, stirring it up. I asked her what kind of soup she was making and she replied, "Pedicure soup."

Ewww.....

A Nice Place to Visit But I Wouldn't Want to Live There

Last week, Bella and I were driving to the airport to pick up Aunt Tracy, when we drove by some new apartment/condo buildings. I mentioned how fancy they looked and then the conversation went something like this:

Bella: "I want to live in an apartment."
Mommy: "Why?"
B: "I like apartments."
M: "But we have a nice big house with a yard. Where would the dog play?"
B: "We would make space for her to play."
M: "Well, when you are old enough to live by yourself, you can live in an apartment."
B: "YAY! And then you can be in my tummy!"

Huh?

I am not quite sure how we got from apartment dwelling to pregnancy. Maybe she thought since we would give her a nice place to live and keep her safe and warm until she was an adult, then it would be her turn. By the time she is old enough to move out, I will be close to retirement age. And although the thought of floating around in the water with nothing to do, being fed and taken care of sounds wonderful, I was thinking more like the beaches of Mexico or Fiji, than back into the womb.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

This weekend Bella went camping with her Daddy, his friend Matt and his son, and Matt's 2 nephews. A weekend with the boys! They returned this afternoon, dirty and tired and full of stories about all their adventures. They shot bows & arrows and BB guns, went for a canoe ride and swam in the lake. Bella and Brodie got stung by bees :( Of course they roasted marshmallows and ate s'mores. A fun time was had by all (especially Mommy who was home alone for 2 days!)

I gave Bella big hug when she got home and said "I missed you!" to which she replied. "I missed you too Mommy. I tried to think of you all the time." Her answer struck me as funny for a moment. For a little person who does not really understand the meaning of time yet, it must be a whole different feeling when she is away from home, not knowing exactly when she will see Mommy again. Sometimes she asks when she will see Grandmommy next, or Abuela, Grandpa, etc., and we tell her, but whether we say two weeks or a year, she just smiles and goes back to what she was doing. She lives life in the moment. She is happy with the here and now. No worries about tomorrow, no regrets about the past. I am inspired. I will take more time to think of those that I love when they are not with me. I will enjoy the day for what it is.

Carpe diem!

Three Card Bella

My four year old can pretty much con her way into anything these days. It is hard to resist the batting eyelashes, sweet-as-pie smile and the hilarious way she words her devious requests. For example:

It has been 90+ degrees for about a week now in Denver. It's HOT!

"Mommy, I am SO hot! If I have a drink, like milk or juice, I will still be hot. BUT, if I have a nice frozen Popsicle, then I will be very cool." (she is sheepishly grinning and twirling her dress from side to side). Irresistible! I think we have eaten a dozen Popsicles each in the last 4 days.

"Mommy, I LOVE you SO much!" (climbs up on my lap and gives me a kiss) "We should have chocolate chip cookies."

"Mommy, I like your new shoes. They are very beautiful!" (you know you can get anything out of Mommy if you talk about shoes!) "You should wear them to Target and we can get a new Princess doll."

She's a con-woman. And with her charm and wit, I am sure there'll be many more chocolate treats, new toys and Popsicles in her future. But as long as she makes me smile and laugh, I am sure I will give in just that easily. Better than a temper tantrum any day.

The Next Phil Rizzuto?

The other day Bella & I were at the post office when she noticed a new baseball stamp display set out on a table. She took one of the cards and when we got in the car, she was looking it over. I asked her what it said to which she replied in her best baseball announcer voice, "It says...Derek Jeter's baseball game. Boooo Red Sox! The Yankees beat the Twins in Minnesota. Go Yankees!"

(Daddy's really got her trained well!)

???

I am not sure what to title this one....the road rash, the bruise and the band-aid mark, mixed with the feathery high heels...

"Ma'OhNo!' Blahnik", "Cicatrix in the City", "The Scarred and the Beautiful"... any suggestions?

Symphonie Fantastique

Those of you with small children have probably all witnessed this, but I think it's funny every time so thought I would share it with you.

Remember the movie "Sleeping With the Enemy"? Julia Roberts fakes her own death to escape a controlling psycho husband, who meticulously lines up everything from the bathroom towels to the soup cans in the cupboards...

I'll leave Bella in my room playing, only to come back a few minutes later to find that all my shoes have been lined up and sorted by heel height, my t-shirts organized by color. Sometimes it freaks me out a little and other times I am tempted to take her down to the Home Depot to see if she can get a job in the closet organization department, maybe make a little money for her college fund.

It just strikes me as so funny when kids do this. I know that it is all part of learning, recognition of patterns, counting, colors, etc. But it always catches me off guard and I have to laugh. Then I get that music stuck in my head all day from the movie....you know the one...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIGXXJgwl_c

Dear Miss Manners

Recently I had a little scare with my four year old daughter. Here's the story...

One of a mother's worst predicaments is what to do with your child while you take a shower.

At first, when she is a baby, you head to Target (after 3 days of not showering for fear of leaving the baby for one second) to buy a clear shower curtain. Then you can set her in her car seat on the floor of the bathroom and still see that she is breathing while you bathe.

A few years down the line, she is content in her room playing where you know everything is safe and or bolted to the wall. She has not yet figured out how to climb over the baby gate that blocks her door, so off to the bathroom you go to shower without worry.

Four years old...by this time, most of the house is safe so she is usually fine watching TV or playing with her toys in her room and you rarely worry anymore. Until the day you have your head covered with shampoo and you hear your daughter SCREAM something from outside the bathroom. You jump out of the shower, suds everywhere, run into her room dripping wet, only to find her playing happily with her dolls. "Why did you scream?" you ask. "You sneezed, Mommy. I was saying bless you loud enough for you to hear me in the shower."

Now, tell me Miss Manners, do I punish her for screaming and scaring the @*#& out of me? Or do I thank her for being polite, and then rinse off?

....signed Bubbly, but Blessed

Dizzy and Tired

I am proud to say that my child has made it to 4 years old without ever drinking a soda (that I know of anyway). I myself have just given it up...no more caffeine, saccharine, or aspartame for me. I have however found some alternatives...because every once in a while you need a little fizz in your life. So today I was drinking a Blue Sky Organic Lite Root Beer (no artificial color or flavors, no preservatives and, of course, no caffeine - tastes MUCH better than it sounds!) and I asked Bella if she wanted a sip. "Of course!" she said with a smile. She took a tiny little sip and exclaimed, "Oooh, it makes my tongue dizzy!"....had it been a Coke, she may have fainted!

Then, this afternoon we took our dog for a little walk around the neighborhood. About 20 minutes into it, as we were just rounding the corner for home Bella said with a big sigh, "Mommy, I am running out of walking."

I know just what you mean kid. By the end of most days, not only is my tongue dizzy, but so are my ears, my eyes and my head. I have run out of walking, talking, listening, tugging, lugging, holding, wiping, cleaning and patience. But I will never be too dizzy to kiss you good night and I will never ever run out of hugging, kissing, caring or loving....I promise.

My Girls

These just make me happy....

Free to Be You and Me

A few funny stories for you this holiday weekend...

Last weekend we took the camper out to a beautiful lake about two hours outside of town for the weekend. The majestic purple mountains surrounded us, the water glistened in the Colorado sun, the air all around us was cool and sweet smelling. When Daddy asked Bella what her favorite part about camping was she replied, "Um...the marshmallows." She obviously appreciates the finer things in life.

Yesterday, we were at Target and walked past the sunglasses stands. Bella stopped and put on a very large pair of glasses (think Paris Hilton) and smiled charmingly at me. I said, "Let me try them on." She gave them to me and I put them on, gave her my most glamorous look and asked, "How do I look?" To which she replied, "Modest." "Modest? Did you say modest?" I said. A woman on the other side of the glasses rack peeks around the corner to look at Bella. She looked at me and said, "She did say modest. Quite a vocabulary your little girl has." Then we both just looked at each other and laughed. I don't think she has any idea what the word means, and I am not sure why she knew it, but it sure was funny.

Later in the day we had lunch with our friend Keely and her baby, Donovan and her mom, Dorann. Bella was completely enthralled with Donovan. She would softly stroke his cheeks, which would bring a smile across his entire cute little face. After a while he started drooling a little and Bella said with a gasp, "Keely, he's leaking water out of his mouth!" Again, we all just laughed.

So on this holiday weekend, remember to eat plenty of marshmallows, celebrate modestly and try not to let too much water leak out of your mouth.
In the words of another Purple Majesty...

Be glad that U r free
Free 2 change your mind
Free 2 go most anywhere, anytime
Be glad that U r free
There's many a man who's not
Be glad 4 what U had baby, what you've got
Be glad 4 what you've got
~ Prince

Happy 4th of July everyone!
Peace.

When it Absolutely Positively Has To Be There Overnight

With Gas prices so high and airline tickets even higher...maybe FedEx is the way to get to Grandma's this summer....

BE the 4 Year Old

I am starting to think that in order to stay sane while living with a 4 year old, you have to become a 4 year old. Lately I have found myself doing the strangest things....

For example:

A few days ago I admittedly took my tired and hungry child on one too many errands, saving the most important grocery store until last (bad move on my part, but I said "admittedly"). So when the tantrums started, instead of the infamous counting to 3 or else.... "one, TWO, THREE..." I decided to just go with the flow. I threw a silly tantrum right there in aisle 13 next to the toilet paper. I fake cried while hopping on one foot, sticking my tongue out and threw in some jazz hands just to seal the deal. Bella's tantrum stopped right then and there as she looked at me wide eyed as if to say "What the hell are you doing?" Just being 4.

When it is a school day and Miss Sleepyhead does not want to get out of bed, I find myself putting Cinderella panties on my head and a pair of 5T pants on one of my legs. Always makes her laugh and then she shows me the right way to put them on. Voila! Kid is dressed and ready for school without a fight.

Last week we raced to the dinner table, raced out of the toy section at Target and to the checkout line, raced to see who could get in the car and get their seat belts on the fastest. Of course Mommy is very slow and NEVER wins. But I was not late for my dentist appointment today when we raced to the car when it was time to leave.

In the past month I have skipped, made silly faces, not known how to brush my teeth, comb my hair or eat my vegetables ("Does thee broccoli go in my nose?" "NO MOMMY! In your mouth, like this!"). I have pretended to be the Queen, a Princess, a Cowgirl and a baby.

And you know what? It's FUN! It's fun to be 4! Try it this weekend....just be a little silly when life gets you down....and be sure to throw in some jazz hands...it really helps!

Tiny Dancer

I can't seem to get this song out of my mind today....I wonder why...

Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand

All You Do To Me is Talk Talk

It seems like only yesterday my baby said her first word. "Daydee" (no not Daddy, but Zaidy, our dog). It was such a joy to hear her say a new word almost every day. We were amazed at how smart she was and how fast she was learning.

Cut to 3 years later.....Is it possibly that she can literally talk ALL day!...12 hours straight (that's 720 minutes or 43,200 seconds)! I am not even sure if she took a breath.

At about hour 4, I turned the TV on, figured I could get at least half an hour of silence, but she just talked to Dora the Explorer instead of me.

Hour 5 we went to Target where she talked to the sales people, customers passing by and continued to ask me 100 more questions.

Note: I was very shy when I was a kid, ask my mom. Instead of talking to people, I would just stick my tongue out at them. At this point, a bratty, but silent kid would be a nice break.

Hour 6 we played in the backyard. She talked about the garden, the grass, the trees, golf, soccer, the dog. Asked about 100 more questions.

Hour 7 just more talking (I can't tell you exactly what about because by this time I had started to tune out) and 100 more questions.

Hours 8 and 9...Barbies, Polly Pocket, mommy can I have a...mommy can we go to... mommy what is a....blah blah blah....about 100 more questions.

Hour 10 we were headed off to swimming lessons! Half an hour of peace for Mommy. I dropped her by the side of the pool and headed off to a near-by chair with a good book. I looked over at her every time it was her turn (she was talking to the boy next to her the whole time). When it was time for the kids to float on their bellies and put their faces in the water and blow bubbles, I looked over and Bella's face was in the water and yes, there were bubbles, but I wondered if she was blowing bubbles or talking about blowing bubbles. My guess is the latter.

Hour 11 she told me all about swim class in the car, and then I heard the repeat as she told it to Daddy we got home. About 100 more questions.

It's now hour 12 and she is in her room laying in bed. I can hear her talking to her stuffed animals through the wall.

In a few minutes I will go into her room and she will be sound asleep, exhausted from an entire day of questions and talking. I will give her a kiss and whisper I love you. And we'll do it all over again tomorrow.

How Many, How Much
How many slams in an old screen door?
Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live 'em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give 'em.

~ Shel Silverstein
`

Renaissance Girl

Today Bella said, "Mommy, when I get grown up I want to be a Mountain Climber and a Space Girl and a Hockey Girl." The kids' got big dreams. And I hope they all come true. What was your dream job when you were a kid? Are you doing it now? If not, why?

About 5 years ago, I got laid off from my job (that was definitely not my dream job). A week later I found out I was pregnant. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. The thought of dropping my child off at daycare on my way to a meaningless job that I would probably hate, was enough to inspire me to take my business (that was then a hobby) to the next level. Sure, for a while we had to give up HBO, dinners out, shopping trips to Target where you come home with $100 of stuff in one bag....but it eventually paid off. Today I have a business that is thriving and it is something I love doing (yes, when I was a child, I wanted to be an artist. I colored and cut paper, created art projects all the time). I now am able to spend a beautiful Colorado afternoon at a park overlooking the Rocky Mountains, watching my daughter laugh and play. I'll have to work until the wee hours of the morning to get my jobs finished, but knowing tomorrow I can do whatever I want makes it all worth it. I couldn't be luckier or more blessed. We've added back the HBO, go out to dinner occasionally and I think Target is our second home now. But when it comes down to it, if you are happy every day doing something you love and spending time with the people you care about most, you don't really need any of those other things. And anyway, who needs HBO when there are mountains to climb, stars to explore and hockey games to play?

America's Next Top Model, Part II

The girls' got attitude....

Le Ballon Rouge

As Bella's red balloon floated up into the sky last night, she looked at me, lip quivering, and said, "Maybe we could get a really big ladder and climb up into the sky."

Who's the Mommy?

Last night when I was putting Bella to bed, I tucked her in and was about to lean over to give her a kiss, when instead she sat up and kissed me on the forehead and said, "Goodnight Dear." Then laid down and went to sleep.

The $64,000 Questions

I have two questions that I ask Bella almost every day.

The first is "Do you know that I love you?" To which she always replies, "Yes." (and hopefully she will always answer the same way)

The second question is "What are you thinking about." Now this one is a great question to ask a preschooler. Because you never know what the answer is going to be..."Turtles", "Cinderella", "Candy" (this is a common answer - wouldn't you love to have the time to just daydream about candy). But it is always a great way to start a conversation and usually good for a laugh or two.

So next time your kid looks quiet and contemplative, ask him/her what he/she is thinking about. Whether your kid is 2 or 16, you might just learn something.

Enchanted

My grandmother is dying. We don't know when she will go, but it will be soon. All day today I thought of her and some of the funny things she used to do and they made me smile. And then I would cry. It is never easy to say good-bye to someone, no matter how old they are or what the circumstances are. Last night, my husband had tried to explain the situation to Bella. He told her that mommy's grandma was very old and sick, and she wasn't going to always be here, and that made me sad because I would miss her. So tonight, Bella and I snuggled up on the couch before bed to watch a movie and she leaned in close to me and asked, "Why is your grandma old?" I tried to explain to her, with a lump in my throat and a few tears. I didn't know if she would understand, but when you hear her response, you will know that she did.

She gently leaned into my face and gave me the softest kiss and said, "True Love's Kiss Mommy." (sob).

In all the Princess movies, True Love's Kiss is always the solution to breaking the spell or solving the problem....and you know what? It really works.

12|22|1919 - 5|2|2008 Good-bye Grandma. I'll miss you.

The Birds and the Bees...Not Quite Yet

Over the weekend, good friends of ours had a baby boy. We have been talking to Bella about it for a long time so we were very excited to head off to the hospital to see the new baby yesterday. As we were driving, Bella asked me why we were going to the hospital. I told her that that is where Keely and Steve had their baby. She thought for a moment (to which I was thinking in my head..'what am I going to tell her if she asks how it all works?') and then said, "I had a dream about the hospital the other night" (not what I was expecting). I said, "Really? What did you dream about the hospital?" "I don't know" she said. "Do you know what a hospital is?" I asked. "No" she replied.
So I explained what a hospital was instead...whew!

Weekend at Bella's

On Saturday, Bella came up to me in my office and said very seriously, "Mommy. I need to talk to you about something." "What?" I said. "I need to tell you about love.", she replied. So I said, "What would you like to tell me about love, my dear?" "That I love you Mommy" she said, and went back to what she was doing.

On Sunday we were sitting in a line of cars at McDonald's, behind a big stinky truck. Bella said, "Yuk Mommy, that truck has bad breath. I can smell it in my mouth."

Smart Kid.

Mem'ries, Light the corners of my mind

How come on any given day, I can remember...
The lyrics to "Do You Know the Muffin Man" and "Fifty Nifty United States"
How to do Jacob's Ladder and Cat's Cradle on a Chinese jump rope
How to make homemade Play Dough
The theme song from The Flintstones
Silly Knock knock jokes
and a recipe for homemade brownies...
but I can't remember where I put my keys?

It's kinda nice that our minds are set up to remember the fun stuff, the good times, the dabba doo times. Isn't it?

My Name is Tasha....

...and I am a chocoholic!
And it must be hereditary because this morning I was driving my daughter to school and she was naming off the colors in the rainbow. She said, "Purple, red, blue, chocolate..."
I think we will have to go through the 12 Step program together:

1. Admit that we are powerless over chocolate.
2. Come to believe that a Power greater than chocolate could restore us to sanity.
3. Make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of something other than chocolate.
4. Make a searching and fearless inventory of all things chocolate.
5. Admit to ourselves, and to another human beings the exact nature of our love of chocolate.
   
6. Be entirely ready to remove all the chocolate from our house.
7. Humbly ask the chocolate to forgive us.
8. Make a list of all persons we had harmed, (by not sharing our chocolate) and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible.
10. Continue to take personal inventory and when we see chocolate in the store, don't buy it.
11. Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with vegetables and healthy snacks.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to chocoholics everywhere, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Either that or we could go out for ice cream....

TGIF

Well, we made it through another week. Today Bella and I went to the gym and then ran around town doing errands. I had a gift certificate to a posh place that I had never used and it was just about to expire, so we had an extravagant "Ladies Lunch" before we came home. We ordered whatever we wanted to eat. Bella had macaroni and cheese and lemonade. Mommy had corn & crab chowder and Filet Mignon tacos. We colored with crayons and talked about Princesses, The Flintstones and our upcoming trip to Yankee Stadium. I couldn't have asked for a better lunch date. Then we headed home to do laundry, work a little and mess up the house (should have been clean up the house, but we messed it up instead).
Tonight as we were winding down and Bella was getting ready to go to bed, she curled up next to me on the couch and let out a big sigh and said, "It's good to be home."
I couldn't agree more.
Enjoy the weekend. We will.

Wishes Do Come True

Yesterday, Bella was sitting on my lap so we were looking at each other face to face. I had a little piece of glitter on my cheek (when you have a 3 year old daughter, there always seems to be glitter around).The conversation went something like this:
Bella: Mommy, you look sparkly!
Mommy: I do?
Bella: Yes. You have a sparkle right there on your cheek.
Mommy: I wonder where that came from.
Bella: Maybe from a shooting star or something.
Mommy: Maybe. (smile)

The New Life Diet

The other day we were at the grocery store and I bribed, er, I mean told my child that if she was good while I shopped, we could pick out a treat at the end (hey, it had been a long day!). She sat patiently in the shopping cart, singing and talking the whole time. So when I was finished we picked out a treat. A big raised donut with chocolate frosting and pink and white sprinkles! I told her she could have it as soon as we got in the car. Again she waited patiently. When I finally gave it to her, I watched her eat it in the rear view mirror on the way home. She was carefully eating only the top off the donut, which made me laugh, so I asked her, "Why are you only eating the top?". She replied matter of factly, "Because that's where the sprinkles are." I laughed again and then got to thinking....

The chocolate and the sprinkles are really the best part. The rest just makes you feel sick and regretful and full. When you relate that to life, it seems like we, as adults, have kind of forgotten that 'go for the good-stuff first' behavior. We spend so much time dealing with stress and worry...the part that makes you feel sick and full and regretful, and the good parts seem to go unnoticed a lot of the time. I think we all need to dive in to the chocolate and sprinkles first every once in a while...learn to appreciate and acknowledge the good things in life. Stop to taste the sweetness and roll the sprinkles around on your tongue a little. You'd might be surprised just how delicious life really is!

Frightening Frigidaire

Today we were eating lunch and Bella ate just a few bites of hers and then said she wasn't hungry anymore. I wrapped a little tin foil over the plate and put it in the fridge, knowing that in half an hour, she'd want it again. Sure enough she asked for it and I took the plate out and set it on the table in front of her. She looked at the tin foil and said, "Why did you cover it?" I replied, "just to protect the food" to which she said, "Mommeee, there's nothing dangerous in the refrigerator!"

She obviously does not yet know the evils of cream cheese, butter and cookie dough.

I Love Denver in the Springtime

Happy Spring Everyone!

A Charmed Life

What is it about little girls and princesses? Before Bella had even seen a book, TV show or movie about a Princess, she wanted to be one. Every thing we do these days revolves around Princesses. Most of the time, I am Cinderella and she is Anastasia (Cinderella's evil step sister). I tried reversing the rolls the other day. After Daddy's success with the Sleeping Beauty game, I thought maybe if I convinced her that she was Cinderella, I might get her to mop the floors and clean the bathroom...but she wasn't falling for it. So, I continue to get stuck with all the chores while Anastasia barks out orders and rules the house.....what's wrong with this picture?

Oh, and she doesn't call Daddy "Daddy" anymore. She calls him "Charmings"...which makes me giggle every time.

Now, back to my chores. But I think I'll head to DSW today...see if I can't find a new pair of glass slippers.

Saturday Night Dead

This week I....
Lost one hour of sleep for daylight savings time.
Prepared 17 meals.
Took Bella to school on Tuesday and Thursday, dance class on Wednesday, school pictures on Friday.
Made 3 trips to the paper store, 5 trips to the grocery store, 2 trips to the post office and 1 trip to the bank.
Worked out for 7 hours (lost 3 pounds!).
Did 7 loads of laundry.
Cleaned the house twice.
Printed 1,106 sets of wedding invitations.
Read 18 books before bedtime.
Washed the car.
Walked the dog.
Laid in bed next to the dog, and promised her I would walk her more next week.
Paid the car loan, the Visa bill and the water bill.
Had one new client meeting.
Answered over 300 emails.
Bought a pair of new shoes.
Went to one afternoon play-date.
Played 3 games of tag in the backyard and attending 3 tea parties.
Went to a hockey game and a surprise party.
Bought a new camper.

It is 11:00 Saturday night and I'm still going. And if my daughter wakes up in the middle of the night and needs something, I will be the first one out of bed to be by her side. Whoever said being a mother is the hardest job in the world, was right. But it is also the best job I have ever had. Knowing that my beautiful girl is upstairs sleeping in her own room, in our cozy house, surrounded by her princess books and fancy dresses and toys. Knowing that she knows she is loved by her mommy and daddy and family and friends, knowing that I am happy with my business and lucky enough to be home with my child everyday and she learns and grows....makes it all worth while.

Although a massage and pedicure would be a nice thing to add to the list tomorrow....

Rollercoaster of Love

There are ups....like when my child out of the blue says, "I really love you Mommy" or when I sing "Here comes the sun" and she follows with "do-un-do-do" or when we have tea parties in the back yard on a 70 degree sunny March day.

And there are downs....like when I am at the gym and a woman from the kids club comes to find me midway through my workout to tell me my daughter has had an accident (not the injured kind...the poop kind) or when I have just changed the sheets on my bed and put the brand new white ones on, only to find my daughter in my room minutes later shaking a glass of cranberry juice ALL OVER the bed.

When you are on a roller coaster, you assume the down part is the fun part. But the down part wouldn't be nearly as fun without the anticipation and excitement of climbing the hill. I think it's the most fun when you just enjoy the ride. Poop, cranberry juice and all.

Do-un-do-do.

Laugh and the World Laughs With You

I was sitting in my office working and was getting frustrated and tired and grumpy. In the next room, Bella was watching Blues Clues on TV and every few minutes she let out a giggle, then a laugh, a real belly laugh...the kind of laugh that when you hear it, makes you stop working, stop being frustrated and tired and grumpy, so you stop working and walk into the other room to give your kid a big hug and kiss...you know...that kind of laugh.

Cuckoo for Cocoa

In the car tonight my daughter asked me, "When we get home, can I be WILD and have ice cream?" I think the only answer to a question like that is, "Sure, why not." And I think I'll join her. Sounds like a fun Friday night to me.

Bella Bunker

So yesterday I am cleaning up the spare bedroom because Abuela is visiting this weekend. Bella leaves the room and I can hear her doing something but am not quite sure what, so I call out, "Bella, what are you doing?" to which she yells back, "I'm on the can". What? Has she secretly been watching reruns of Archie Bunker? On the can!? Who taught her that? I go towards the bathroom and she's not there. Instead I find her in the kitchen, sitting on top on the garbage can. OH, THAT can. Had to laugh.
Happy Friday everyone.

Chef's Special

My husband and I are going out to eat tonight with some friends so I was making an early dinner for Bella before the babysitter got here. I asked her if she wanted some macaroni and cheese and she said. "No I want something better." So I said, "Like what?" She replied, "Something COVERED with MnM's!"

I may request the same thing at the restaurant tonight.
Sounds delicious!

"Mommy, when I get married I am going to wear my Minnie Mouse dress."

(I hope this doesn't mean the wedding will be at Disneyland.)
I'll remind her of this on her wedding day.

My Little Democrat

I asked Bella today, "Who do you want to be the new President?" and she replied "Maracas Bama".

Sounds like fun to me.

Sleepy Mommy

Being a parent of a 3-year-old is exhausting. Being a parent in general is exhausting. I am sure Bella has said a lot of hilarious things since my last posting. I am just too tired to remember them.

Sleeping Bella and Prince Daddy

Daddy and Bella have a new game...Sleeping Beauty. Bella pretends she is Sleeping Beauty and lays down on the floor, couch, bed, wherever and pretends she is under a spell. She can't talk, move or open her eyes until Daddy (aka The Prince) gives her a kiss. She'll lay there forever totally still until she gets the kiss. Why didn't I think of that game. A totally silent (with the exception of an occasional giggle) and still 3 year old for as long as you want! Sometimes Daddy gets a bad rap, but this time...he's a Genius!

Merry Maid

I was mopping the floor this afternoon when Bella looked at me with a big smile and said, "Thank you Mommy." I said, "For what?" and she replied, "For making the floors so shiny!"

I might mop more often if I always received such an enthusiastic thank you.

Rockette sur la Tête

Most kids get gum stuck in their hair....but not my kid.....

Clever Girl

"Look Mommy! My feet are on backwards."

America's Next Top Models

I was putting my make up on this morning, Bella by my side as usual digging through my make up bag. She said she wanted to put on make up too. I said to her what every mother says to her daughter, "You don't need make up. You are beautiful just the way you are." To which she replied, "You are too. We're both FABULOUS!"

Nothing makes you feel more beautiful than sharing a conversation like this with your fabulous 3 year old daughter.

Ritzy Wrangler

Bella announced on the way home from school today, "Mommy, I want to be a Cowgirl." "Really? Why do you want to be a Cowgirl?" I replied. "Because I have a hat." I asked, "Why else would you like to be a Cowgirl?" and she said, "Because they wear a scarf."

I guess it's true what they say....It's all about accessorizing.

Dr Feelgood, DDS

Bella had a dentist appointment today. This was only the second time she had been, the first being 6 months ago and she wasn't too thrilled about it that time. But today, she seemed more than happy to be there. When they called her name, she immediately opened up her mouth wide and kept it opened wide all the way back into the office. She gladly showed the dentist how she brushed her teeth, she laid back in the chair and let them examine her mouth, smiled and said "Cheese" to show how they all lined up straight. When we were all finished, she took off right out of the office and straight to the "Treasure Chest" to pick out a prize. So that's the reason she was being so cooperative. The Treasure Chest! I didn't really even remember that part, but she obviously did. Maybe I should suggest that to my dentist. A little Treasure Chest by the door for his patients that were well behaved. Stock it with adult treats....maybe some expensive chocolates or little mini bottles of wine. It sure would make my visit to the dentist more pleasurable if I knew I was getting a reward at the end. I think I'll bring it up on my next visit.....

Genial Greens

My kid loves broccoli. If you ask her what her favorite thing to eat is, she says "broccoli and carrots'. Every mothers' dream. So tonight I made her chicken, noodles, carrots and broccoli for dinner. As she ate her dinner happily, she stopped to study the broccoli and remarked, "It looks like little trees. And they're all hugging."

I think she's destined for greatness.

True Love

Tonight I asked Bella to pick out a book to read before going to bed. She picked out one of her favorites "Olivia" and I picked out the new book she got from Grandmommy for Christmas, "On the Night You Were Born"... a beautiful book that is about how special my daughter is to me (and her Grandmommy, I'm sure). As I got closer to the end, my eyes started to get teary, a lump formed in my throat and I could feel my heart swelling. After I read the last line, I just looked at Bella and without saying a word, gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. She looked me straight in the eye and said, "I love you too Mommy" and gave me a hug.

Words cannot explain how I felt. My beautiful daughter FELT what I was feeling. She KNEW at that moment that she was loved. I can't think of anything that I have done in my whole life that was more satisfying than that one moment. WOW! I will hold on to this feeling for the rest of my life.

Bella Hilton

This morning we were getting ready to head off to school and I put some shiny 'lipstick' on Miss Bella (really lip balm to help heal her terribly chapped winter lips). We were just heading out the door when Daddy came over to give his little girl a kiss goodbye. She turned her head and then gave him the Heisman hand and said, "No Daddy! My lipstick!"
Look out Paris! There's a new girl in town.