Our take on the Princess thing...

Everywhere you look, Disney princesses are plastered on products... cups, night lights, underwear, tissue boxes - you name it, someone will slap a princess on it and try to sell it. I have to confess, we might have kind of encouraged the princess-loving behavior at our house. Boo has a billion movies, books, dolls, plastic heels, costumes... oh jeez - what have I done?

I'll tell you what I've done. In every single fairy tale we read, I've inserted my secret weapon to combat the notion that a prince will swoop in and magically solve a gal's problems. (Please, I didn't get married until I was 30. I know most "princes" cause more heartache along the way than they are worth.) So, in my version of the fairy tales, before "they lived happily ever after" the princesses go away to college. They study hard and become a doctor or lawyer or nurse or veterinarian, and they meet other princes to make sure that the first prince is really the one they want to marry.

Not much is cuter than listening to Hubby and Boo role-play prince & princess together. From the other room this weekend I overheard Princess Boo tell Prince Hubby that she had to go to college and become a doctor before she could run away with him. In that same play session, I also overheard Prince Hubby asking Princess Boo to rescue him.

My work here is done. For now...

Back to Work

This week I started a new job. It's not the full-time gig with benefits that I was hoping for and it's not my new home away from home, but it's a very decent living and a chance to do something slightly different with my career. I've always had to work in a chaotic manner. Not because I'm chaotic (or maybe I am), but because there are competing priorities, distractions, unexpected crises and other time suckers, and I still had to meet deadlines on projects. Now I get to focus on working a project plan, and lending my past experiences to another organization in a consulting capacity. So I'm off the couch for now which is a good thing. The not so great news is that I'll be back on the job market again in 3 to 6 months. Maybe after the election and the holidays, things will pick up and look a little brighter. Like everything else in life, with Hubby's full support, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I love this face

Visit to the dentist

Boo went to the dentist yesterday. She had a great time. I wasn't allowed to stay with her during the examination. (Parents tend to interfere. Who, me???) So I only have her account to go by. They counted her teeth, took pictures of her cheeks, tickled her teeth with a spinning thing and scared the sugar bugs away. Cool.

The good news is, Boo has ZERO cavities and healthy teeth. The bad news is, she is missing a lateral incisor - which we obviously knew - but the x-rays show that she will not have either lateral incisor as an adult. This condition is referred to as "Congenital Missing Lateral Incisors". No one on either side of the family seems to know much about anyone having a similar condition, so it's a bit of a mystery why my beautiful Boo is missing adult teeth.

In the grand scheme of all the possible health problems and conditions a child could have, this is not a big deal. What it means for her is years of orthodontia appointments and creating gaps in her teeth to hold space for eventual implants. The teenage years are hard enough without worrying about having a "different" smile. I hope it doesn't make her smile less because if she's anything like I was as a teenager... well, Lord, help me. And I better start saving for this now. Sigh...

Remember when it was fun to spin in circles?

I remember being a thrill seeker. Once upon a time, I'd never met a roller coaster I didn't love. Now those rides make me want to puke, but I took more than my share of whirling, spinning, high-pitched screaming (me) abuse so Hubby could enjoy a few "Big Boy" coasters at the amusement park yesterday. Of course, I am the one who wields the camera, so you won't see any evidence of just how many times I took one for the team.

On the drive back today we stopped to enjoy the scenic views of the Ohio River Valley and explore just one of hundreds of caves in the area. It was Boo's first trip underground, and we got to see several bats! Boo LOVED that. She's a huge fan of "Stellaluna". We also saw plenty of evidence from the tail end of Ike's wrath - literally dozens upon dozens of downed trees and demolished crops.

And, of course, no trip to the amusement park would be complete without the traditional toddler meltdown!

In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes,

I can see the future -

A reflection of who I am and what will be.

Though she'll grow and someday leave,

And maybe raise a family.

When I'm gone I hope you see

How happy she made me.

For I'll be there,

In my daughter's eyes.

-James Slater

The Cosigner

Right after Hubby & I exchanged vows, our Matron of Honor and Best Man were pulled aside to sign the official documents. Hubby quipped to my dear friend as she signed our marriage license, "So this means if she defaults, I get you, right?" And thus, she became known as the Cosigner.

Cosigner and I met in college, floor-mates in a dorm at Granola U. We knew each other in person for exactly 12 weeks, give or take a week, thereafter Cosigner ditched Granola U and moved back to California. I made my exit two semesters later, only I wound up somewhere hotter, dryer, and sadly lacking an ocean. Oddly enough, we never lived in the same place at the same time again, but we found a kindred spirit in each other that's been the foundation of our lasting friendship.

Cosigner paid me a visit this week. We stayed up late every night having those chick conversations about old boyfriends, big mistakes, and roads not taken. Seeing as though we've both turned 29 multiple times over, it's kind of cool reliving the error of our ways because those old boyfriends and big mistakes got us where we are today; married to handsome, kind, caring, decent men who may drive us crazy from time to time, but we're darn lucky to have. These are real men - you know, the kind of men who adore their children, treat their wives with the respect we demand, and don't run away from life's challenges. It's like all of those stupid guys, dead ends, falling rocks, and forks in the road, led us both home.

The wine was good, the conversations were better, and Cosigner will always hold a special place in my heart as one of the coolest friends a girl could ever have

Oh, and we had a spa day!

Cosigner and me at age 20 or 21'ish. (Way before I discovered the benefits of eyebrow waxing!)



Yesterday... Dare I venture to say, older yet wiser? I wonder how smart we'll be 30 years from now???

Small town parades

It's the same thing every year. On a muggy Saturday in September at high noon a parade marches down Main Street in My Small Town, USA. Honestly, I don't look forward to it. I don't like getting hot & sticky and seeing as though I'm not from around these parts, I lack nostalgic feelings for the high school marching band & local football team, the Miss Tiny Tot winner, and the pee wee football league.

But, there are a few things I've grown fond of over the last five years.

• The Red Hat Society ladies - very cool. I should really google them because beyond wearing cool purple clothes and gorgeous red hats and looking like hip old ladies, I don't know what they do.







• The library float. We are now card carrying members of My Small Town, USA library, just beginning to explore the children's section with Boo.






• The local politicians. Marrying a hometown guy means I get the inside scoop on what these folks were like in high school.
  
• Seeing my neighbors. I finally feel like a part of this community because I run into people who actually know me. Although I must confess, way more people know Boo than me.
  
• Watching Boo's face light up when she hears the police siren kicking off the parade, the energy she has scrambling around for candy thrown from the floats, and the joy she feels when someone in the parade smiles directly at her and waves.

This year was really no different than the last. It was a muggy day, the parade started promptly at high noon, and we returned home with enough candy to last a year. And no parade outing would be complete without the traditional toddler meltdown, followed by the post-parade nap. It's time for mine.

9/11 will forever creep me out

Some people like to pretend it's just another day. For me, it will never be just another day. It's the anniversary of the day my faith in the security of comfy, cozy life in the United States was changed forever. I was glued to the t.v., feeling terrified of what might happen next & where, and talking often with my girlfriend whose husband was at work that day in the WTC.

He doesn't talk about it at all. For that reason I don't tell him how thankful I am that he got out and kept walking - home, where he belongs. I don't tell him that I think he is a great husband, a wonderful, funny guy, an involved and loving father of three incredibly gorgeous children, and someone I am proud to call my friend. When I look into the sparkling brown eyes of his youngest two children who were conceived post 9/11, I can't help but think about the eyes that never had the chance to sparkle because a mother or a father didn't come home that day. I thank God that he did.

Today is a the heaviest of reminders to be grateful for those dear to me and know how quickly it can be taken away. Today I'm going to hold Boo and Hubby a little closer to my heart.

Fall Festival

It's cooling down at night. The air conditioner is off - hopefully for the season - and when we sleep with the windows open at night, we wake up bundled under a pile of heavy covers surrounding by cats.

Tonight was the kick off of the annual Fall Festival in our small town... You know, cheap rides, silly games, local politicians out shaking hands & kissing babies, fundraising booths for the high school marching band & athletic teams, fresh corn on the cob dripping in butter, walking tacos, and, my personal favorite, homemade carmel corn.

We picked up Boo and her best friend from school this afternoon. I call her Giggles. Boo and Giggles lived it up tonight. They skipped and twirled down the street, spun themselves dizzy on rides, boogied on stage with a local singer, and hugged one another with all the giddiness of two thrilled four-year-olds. Boo loves Giggles. They are upstairs now, curled up in the bottom bunk together like little kittens - freshly bathed, bellies full, and completely worn out.

Reading Charlotte's Web

About a month ago Boo and I started reading a chapter of Charlotte's Web every night before bed. She's seen the movie countless times, but reading this book - without many pictures - was quite a different experience.

There were numerous occasions when I felt like she wasn't listening and would rather read a little picture book, but the beauty of Charlotte's Web is that Wilbur, like Boo, asks a lot of questions. Just when I thought I'd lost her attention, she'd perk up when Wilbur would ask because Boo wanted to hear Charlotte's wise answer.

The night we read the second to the last chapter of the book, something unexpected happened. I started to cry. The thought of poor, selfless Charlotte withering away & dying all alone in a pig stall at the empty county fairgrounds was just too much to bear. She had done so much for Wilbur and at the end of her life she deserved have her best friend by her side. Never mind the fact that she would never meet her 514 babies - her "magnum opus".

I tried to hide my tears and keep my voice steady. I kept reading and then made the mistake of making eye contact with Boo. Her bottom lip quivered, her eyes filled up with tears. She was looking for a sign from me that it was OK to let-er-rip. What the heck. We let the floodgates open and little Boo & I had ourselves a good long cry.

Hubby came upstairs to find two blubbering females who could only manage to choke out the words, "Charlotte DIEEEEEEED."

Thank goodness the final chapter, read the following evening, lent itself to a happy ending. But that cry, shared between mother and daughter, was a special bonding moment. And I knew that she really was listening and caring about each word I read.

From one year to the next

Just marveling out how fast Boo grows - May 2007 & September 2008.

My kitchen & recipe advice

BEFORE- Dull & a b!tch to keep clean

This is a huge topic of conversation for me lately. It's on Facebook, my baby board, and I've told just about anyone who will listen. It's like the most exciting thing that's happened in our house in years, and it proves that I am now officially a grown up. (As if the marriage, mortgage, minivan, and child weren't proof enough!) For the seventh anniversary of my 29th birthday (you do the math), Hubby got me new counter tops. I picked out the style and color scheme, and Hubby and father-in-law installed them over Labor Day weekend.

For the record, I labored, too - A LOT . I had to sand, prime and paint the walls because the back splashes on the other counter tops were slightly higher. I also had to listen to hubby swear, insert my opinion without being asked, and locate all of the "missing" tools that were right in front of his face.

I love the change. It feels like a brand new kitchen. And, seriously, I've been inspired to cook - like three nights in a row. I'm even getting a bit cocky and shared two recipes with a dear friend who is a professional stay at home mom & the epitome of "domestic Goddess", AND I posted my meatloaf recipe on my baby board.

I know, I know - crazy, isn't it?

Please do not report these unauthorized activities to the Women's Studies department at The University of Arizona.

AFTER - TADA!

Going to the zoo

The weather this weekend was amazing... high 70s, slight breeze, blue skies. These are the days we live for in the Midwest. We took Boo to the Zoo to enjoy a beautiful day with the animals.

I wish that I could still see the world through fresh eyes and enjoy living in each exciting moment that comes my way. Some days I wish that I could be Boo.

Explaining "laid off" to Boo

Boo: Mommy, why are you in play clothes?

Mom: I don't go to work anymore so I don't have to dress up. (Or change out of my pj's.)

Boo: Why? You don't like [Company Name] anymore?

Mom: No, I do. I like it a lot, but [Former Boss] doesn't like me. I'm not allowed to go over there and play anymore.

Boo: I don't like [Former Boss]. She's not nice.

Never let it be said that children are too young to understand. I put it in pre-K terms and she nailed it.

I'm addicted to HGTV

Is there a support group for this? I need a 12-step program to kick this thing.

http://www.hgtv.com/

House Hunters
Hidden Potential
My House is Worth What
House Hunters International
Rate My Space
What's With That House
Devine Design
Designed to Sell
Curb Appeal

My HGTV habit is the butt of Hubby's jokes, but he's benefited from my obsessive "decorating cents" and ability to "design on a dime". (Pun intended.) For example, we now have a gorgeous neutral yet modern color scheme throughout the house, a master bedroom with billowy curtains hung at the ceiling line to maximize the size of our picturesque window overlooking the scenic parkway, and a home office that's super functional for two people - plus houseguests. And let's not forget mini-makeovers in all three bathrooms including modern fixtures, mirrors and solid surface counter tops, and the gorgeous, yet cost effective, new counter tops in the kitchen along with my pride & joy - the zero-edge sink. It was worth every penny. Not only does it look great, I actually get a little smile on my face every time I sweep crumbs directly into the sink without hitting that annoying sink line. Sometimes I spill stuff - small chunks of food, liquids, etc. - near the sink just so I can wipe it in.

Hubby says I'm a voyeur by nature, and, yes, HGTV is G-rated voyeurism at its finest. Come on now, who would turn down the chance to peek in your neighbors windows without getting caught? HGTV rolls out the red carpet and invites you right in the front door - no climbing over shrubbery required.

Um, I think I need a day job!

Because they had to take the mommy parts out.

Lily was spayed today. Not an easy thing to explain to a 4-year-old, but Hubby is a total genius. The title says it all. Boo took great pleasure in relaying this tidbit of information to her teacher, the lunch lady, and most of the kids at school.

I wonder what he'll say when Boo asks, "Daddy, what are mommy parts?"

Critters

There are a lot of critters in our house. No, not the kind that require an exterminator - the kind that require expensive food and timely maintenance.

Shortly after Boo was born, we sadly had to put to sleep two of our three beloved cats within weeks of each other. We had lived with and loved these cats their entire lives, and sending them off to kitty heaven was pure hell on us.

But as the parents of a newborn, we soon adjusted to our one cat, one litterbox household, and we vowed not to adopt another animal until Boo was old enough to take care of it. That is, until the goldfish incident of 2007. Boo won ONE at a local carnival. She brought it home, so proud of this lousy, 10 cent feeder fish.

Here are the sequence of events as best I can recall...

• One crappy little feeder fish needed a friend, and that friend needed friends.


• Tiny fishbowl, upgrade to 2 gallon aquarium (feeder fish dies), upgrade to 5 gallon aquarium


• Hey, fish are fun!


• Purchase of 45 gallon corner tank from craigslist and 16+ tropical fish.


• Happy birthday, Hubby - I bought you an eel!


• Wow, wouldn't it be great to get another tank? A BIGGER tank???


• Purchase of 75 gallon tank from craigslist and, I dunno, 40+ tropical fish.


• Boo needs her own kitty. Let's get her one! Welcome home from the shelter, Fluffy. You just hit the kitty jackpot. Too bad the other cat hates your guts.


• Fish die, they are flushed, replacement fish are purchased not to mention heaters, filtration systems, rocks, fake plants, etc.


• Old cat still hates rambunctious new kitty. Let's get a kitten for new kitty.


• Welcome home, little kitten. You've just hit the kitten jackpot.


• New kitty + little kitten = LOVE. Old cat gets to live happily ever after.


• Um, let's get a bigger tank!!! Bye bye 75 gallons, hello, beautiful 110 gallon, big boy tank.


• Fish die, they are flushed, replacement fish are brought in. (Haven't we done this before?)


• Now we have a hamster. Her name is Tootie.

Let's see, that equals three cats, one hamster, one eel, and approximately 257 fish.

Laid Off = BLISS

I'm seriously getting paid to NOT deal with anything. It's good money, too. I'd like to thank my former boss of a whopping three months who decided that I was no longer worthy of employment. Thanks, former boss lady.

Of course, I am unemployed now. (Minor detail that may freak me out once the severance runs dry.) But it's nice that, being a woman, I can tell random people that I'm a STAY AT HOME MOM (SAHM) versus having to utter the "U" word out loud. I recently updated the forms at Boo's doctor, and next to "Mother's occupation" I proudly wrote SAHM. (Beats writing "I should still have a job but my ex-boss is clueless.")

I think I'm going on week eight without the stress of a daily grind and a place to be bright & early every morning. Money for NOTHING is awesome. Being a SAHM is a cool gig despite the fact that my kid is now in pre-K and not home during the day. Plus, Hubby works from home so I have to listen to him TALK LOUDLY all day long on the phone. (Damn open concept living.) It's odd... the more time I spend at home puttering around and playing on the computer, the more I wonder how I had enough time in the day to be a full-time employee. There's so much to do when you don't work. The possibilities are endless.

Oh, I've been looking for a new job and interviewing some, and I will hopefully find the right place to call my second home soon so I can once again live vicariously through the drama created by others around me.

A Girl Called Boo

On Friday the 13th in August of 2004, at 11:03 p.m. I delivered the most beautiful baby girl. Yes, I know all parents think their kids are gorgeous, blah, blah, blah, but MY girl was pure magic. (Mostly because I thought pregnancy sucked wind and I was thrilled to get her OUT!) She was born during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics, and weighed in at nine pounds (thank God for pain meds) with huge, round eyes full of curiosity.

We named her Erin Kathryn, but quickly began calling her Boo. No worries, we reserved her full given name for the onset of the toddler years; you know, for hollering at her to stop breaking stuff or running out into traffic.

Besides, Boo is such a cute nickname, and it comes in handy when convincing a small child that scary monsters are afraid of girls named Boo. (Monsters Inc., anyone?)

On this my inaugural blog post, I have to tell you about my girl called Boo. Check out the pic below. Compare one Boo with the other. This nickname was no accident. (Yes, it was.)