When I Grow Up

A few days ago, Bella proudly announced "Mom! I changed my mind on what I am going to be when I grow up. I am going to be an Author and an Illustrator."

Of course I was proud. Not only for her new creative career choice, but because for the last year or so every time I ask her what she wants to do for a living she has replied, "I'm going to be an Ice Cream Taster".

Now don't get me wrong, if Ben and Jerry called to offer me the job, I may consider packing up the family and moving to Vermont. The thought of eating 'Late Night Snack" and "Chubby Hubby" every day does sound like a dream job. But then again, opportunities for advancement are limited (because really, what could be better than tasting ice cream...maybe ice cream and cake taster?), it gets really cold in Vermont in the winter and I don't like eating ice cream when I am cold, and then there's the health risks...daily brain freezes could cause permanent damage...you never know.

So while Ice Cream Taster sounds like a fun job, I think Author and Illustrator sounds like even more fun. And from the impressive stories and pictures the kid is already writing and drawing at age 7, I think she has a pretty good shot at it.

So for now, we'll just be amateur ice cream tasters. I think I hear Ben & Jerry calling now, from the freezer...

Countdown to Disney

Woke this morning to find Daddy & Bella's countdown to Disney drawn on the family chalkboard. One week from today we'll head off to sunny Florida for the adventure we have been planning for what seems like years. Numerous phone calls to my incredibly helpful cousin (whose husband works at the park) for hotel recommendations, park tips, travel arrangements; hours and hours of searching online for the list of attractions we don't want to miss; and day after day, night after night of daydreaming with a 7 year old on how much fun we are going to have...and it is now a mere 7 days away.

My mom, sister and I - Disney World 1972

Disney World has changed a LOT since 1972. The park had been open less than a year on my first visit. Some of the attractions were not even finished yet. There was no Epcot, no Hollywood studios, construction of the famous Space Mountain had not even begun yet. But the magic of Disney was still there. Right from the start Walt Disney had a dream of creating a magical world and right from the start it did not disappoint. I was 3 years old. I don't remember one thing about it. But I am assured now by my parents that my sister and I were as excited about the trip then as kids are today. They also tell me that I was terrified of the Disney characters in costume and did a lot of crying (sounds about right, I was a very shy child...believe it or not). Nonetheless, we had a great time (thankfully, with photos to prove I wasn't crying the entire time! ).

So as I plan the trip next week with my own daughter, I hope to fill our scrapbook with photos of fun and adventure. Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kindom, Mickey's fireworks, Tea Cups, It's a Small World, and more (and lucky for Mommy, Daddy & Abuela, it's Food & Wine Festival at Epcot while we are there too!) When I suggested lunch at the castle with Cinderella I was informed that "Princesses are for little girls Mommy", so we are having breakfast with the Mad Hatter instead. I can't wait to see the look on her face as we enter the park. That alone will make the trip worth it. A little girls dream coming to reality in just 7 days. Let the adventures begin!

Mind the Gap

I haven't been writing in the blog lately, but I have to check back in once in a while to document some important moments in history...

Tonight, as we sat down to eat dinner, Bella's very wiggly tooth plopped right out of her mouth and into her spaghetti. We celebrated with a toast and three cheers! The generous tooth fairy will come tonight (HE insisted the first one is worth a ten-spot!), so the excitement will continue tomorrow morning. I just stopped in her disaster-of-a-room to wish her good-night and told her that she should clean it up because the Tooth Fairy might trip on something on her way in. She replied, matter-of-factly, "Fairies fly Mommy, she'll be fine".

OK, Maybe Just One More

So my kid is in the tub and she yells for me, then says, "Mommy, smell in this cup" and hands me a plastic cup out of the tub. I say "why?" and she laughs and says "I tooted in it." She could only have gotten that trait from her father.

It's The End of the Blog As We Know It

Since my last post, Bella started Kindergarten, has learned to read, grew about 5 inches and she has just gotten smarter and smarter every day. Between school & homework, play dates, vacations, skiing, ballet lessons, duck hunting (yup, little girl's a ballerina and a hunter!), trips to the playground, etc. etc. etc., my time for keeping the blog updated has dwindled away. So while I'll say good-bye online, the words I have written for the past 2 years will be soon published in hardcover - forever in print to someday embarrass and torment my beautiful and beloved daughter!

So looking back to my very first entry, I'll end with this simple message:

Take a moment each day to laugh out loud...Because Life is Funny...Enjoy the ride!

It's beginning to look a lot like winter...

Last night it was a cold night. Bella crawled up onto my bed so we could read some books before going to sleep. The dog had been laying right where she wanted to sit so of course, the dog got kicked out and moped off to find another place to curl up. Bella noticed that the bed was nice and warm where Zaidy had been laying. She jumped right under the covers and yelled, "Mmm mmm...warm and cuddly, here I come!"

I know it's been a while since I last wrote, but the laugh out loud moments are still an every day occurrence. I'll try to be better about sharing them again.

Coming soon...

I know I've been slacking lately, but it's summer time! We've been having too much fun. Stay tuned...

Like Mother, Like Daughter

I can hear Bella in the next room playing with her friend. They are searching for treasures and playing dress up. I peek out and her friend has on some sunglasses and a hat and he says "I am going to be the mailman." As Bella puts on some fancy shoes with feathers on them, she replies "I am going to be Shoe Girl!"

That's my girl.

Car Talk

Today after running some errands, I was unpacking the car and Bella was still sitting in her car seat. I made 2 or 3 trips in to the house and she was still sitting there when everything was unloaded. I asked her, "What are you waiting for?" to which she replied, "Christmas."

Thank goodness she didn't pick up some of the worse things I say while stuck behind slow drivers!

Enjoy the Ride

I am a night owl. Love to stay up late. Mornings...not so much. 10 years ago I liked to stay up late, to stay OUT late, because that's when the fun happened. Meeting up with friends to party, talk, laugh until the wee hours of the morning. But things are different now. Now I like to stay up late for the quiet. Everyone is sleeping and it is peaceful at the end of the day. When I finally call it a night, I give my little girl a kiss and whisper in her ear, "I love you". She is sound asleep, dead to the world. Her energy completely drained from living each day to the fullest. She has not stopped thinking and learning (and taking!) since the moment she woke and tomorrow she'll do it all over again. I am in awe of her energy. Tonight, I too will go to bed completely exhausted, and in the morning I will wake way too early for my own good. But I don't mind. I don't want to miss a moment of it. Life is too short. There is too much to learn and see and do. 

Reminds me of one of my favorite James Taylor songs:

The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time
Any fool can do it
There aint nothing to it
Nobody knows how we got to
The top of the hill
But since were on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride

Good night...and enjoy the ride.