what are we teaching her?

Gracie's hungry, she says:  Let's eat, let's eat
I say: We can't eat until daddy comes home
Gracie says:  Oh, eat pitzzy! (pizza) 

Guess she remembers that daddy brings home pizza sometimes. 

Morning Rituals

Gracie and I watch Tangled on Netflix every morning while I comb out her own lovely locks and try to do something with that hair to keep it out of her face.  It's actually become a really great system, Gracie lets mommy play with her hair for up to 20 minutes sometimes, and then afterward, I get to snuggle with my baby for a little longer.  To me it was just a way to get her to hold still, then Skylar pointed out how clever it was of me to have her watch Tangled, of all movies, while I did her hair.  I didn't know I was being clever in movie choice, but I'll take the compliment.

Well Leap Day happened, and Netflix decided that we had enough of Tangled, so they took it away.  Not Happy were we.  I'm pretty sure we were mostly keeping our account just for the morning hair ritual. 
Now what? 
We bought it of course. Can't live without our Tangled. 

Goal pants? Check.

I didn't think I'd be able to, but I did it, I fit into the pants. This is a monumental occasion, because as I mentioned before, I've never actually fit into any of my goal pants in the past.

Here's my proof:

I probably should have cleaned up before having the picture taken, and we couldn't keep Gracie out of the picture, she has to do everything mommy does (she's putting on my hat there); and you can probably tell my tall husband took the picture, but there they are, my tiny skinny jeans - these things have zero stretch to them, so there was no chance of just squeezing into them, I really had to work for it.
Thanks for all your support!

Reflections on Bambi

 Recently Gracie is very interested in watching Babi (Bambi).  The cute thing is, I didn't introduce it to her, she just found the DVD among our collection and started giving it to me.
In general, I like Bambi, and I don't mind it playing in the background since there's very little talking and it's just instrumental music, which is quite enjoyable.  I have a rule that Gracie isn't allowed to watch anything that annoys me.
But I do have a few issues which I would like to address.
First of all, the names. 

Bambi - male, deer, Prince of the forest
Feline - female, deer, Bambi's girlfriend
Flower - male, skunk

Does anyone else see a problem here?  Bambi is not only feminine in itself, but the only other people named Bambi are female strippers.  Feline should be a cat, plus I always thought it sounded like Felipe, which is a European man's name.  And Flower? Cute, but not male.

Next, there seems to be some parenting issues here, while the entire forest comes to celebrate the birth of the new prince, the father is no where to be seen.  He doesn't get involved in Bambi's life at all until his mom is killed and it's time to teach him to be a man.
And on that note, WHY does Bambi's mom have to die??  This is a children's movie!  If there's one thing that children understand it's the importance of their mommy.  Bambi's mom dying is simply traumatizing, or at least it was for me when I was little, every time I knew that part was coming I'd run and hide in the bathroom until it was well over, then I could pretend it didn't happen.

I like Thumper and his little Thumperisms.  Was anyone else tempted to eat clover blossoms when they were small because of Thumper?  I was, they always looked so delicious.

Maybe I just take things all too seriously.

Banana Pancakes

I literally make the best banana pancakes ever.
And today I'm going to share my secrets with you:

For the pancake mix use half whole wheat and half bisquick - I recently started using the Heart Healthy kind because it doesn't have the hydrogenated oil that regular bisquick has in it, but both work equally.
Puree a whole banana with the milk in a blender or food processor.
Don't add oil
Do add the egg (although it still works without)
Chopped nuts are optional but highly recommended.Walnuts are my favorite, but almonds are also great.


I don't have proportions because I don't measure, I just add stuff intuitively, or until I have the right consistency.

I can be strong

I did 13 push-ups today.
It's the most I've ever done in my live, and it's a huge advance from the one half push-up that I was able to do a couple months ago. 
I feel pretty awesome. My original goal was to work up to be able to do 10 push-ups, now I'm bumping it up to 25. 

And by the way, about those pants, I think it's not going to happen, it's not me, it's my new momma hips that I didn't take into account.  But we'll see, I'll keep working on it.

A Dangling Carrot

 Like the majority of women in this country, I have constant and rarely reached health/weight-loss/get fit, (whatever you want to call it) goals.  I go to the gym regularly, but I rarely change my routine, or work hard enough to make much of a difference.  I like to eat a lot of healthy food, but I also eat an equal amount of junk food.  These make for a problem when it comes to reaching my goals and looking better.
Today, in an effort to motivate me a little more, I bought a pair of pants that are currently too small for me.  Goal pants, as I like to call it.  The thing is, this is not a new tactic for me, and the worst part is, it's never worked in the past, I just end up donating my never-been-worn-goal pants to someone else who is fortunate enough to not need to make the same goals as myself.

So here I am yet again, with goal to fit into a pair of pants that I bought knowing full well that I'll have to do some sufficient hiney shedding before I can comfortably claim them as mine.  Hopefully they'll still be in style when that day comes.  I'll try to keep you posted if it happens, perhaps there will even be a picture featuring my legs in said pants.
Does anyone else do this to themselves?

Not Dreaming of a White Christmas

I never liked the song I'm dreaming of a White Christmas, because I've never liked snow and winter.  I like sunshine and warmth. 
Upon moving to Ohio, I had no idea that the sun liked to hide for the winter, last winter it didn't show it's glorious face for what felt like 4 months straight. 
Today I received a Christmas miracle from my friend the sun. 
December 24th, the sun is shining!  There is no snow, and the sky is blue with a high of 40 degrees. That's my kind of winter.

words

Gracie has a growing vocabulary. But sometimes her words require a little translating. She says :
Momma= momma
Momma= play with me
momma= get that
momma= i'm hungry
momma= pick me up
momma= let's go
momma= hi dad

Ridiculous Incentives

It was bagels and schmear that got me out of bed this morning. 
I am trying to stick to a routine of waking up early to go to the gym and work out and be able to shower and have some me time, all before Gracie wakes up at 7:30 (ps, I hate you Daylight Savings Time, your throwing off my daughter's sleep schedule).  As it gets colder, waking up early gets harder.  I was actually awake already when the alarm went off, and I didn't exactly fall back to sleep, I just didn't want to get out of bed, for 35 minutes I thought of reasons why I don't need to actually get up this morning, or why I have legitimate excuses not to (the baby woke up at 3:00am and kept me up for 10 minutes, it's going to be a sunny day - I can run later, I could just make today my off day, and the list goes on and on). 
But then I remembered that at my gym, the second Tuesday of the month is Bagel day, and you can take as many as you want, and they're good.  At that thought I sprung to action.  I couldn't miss the opportunity to get free bagels for my family for breakfast.
Gotta get my money's worth for the gym membership, right?

Pretty Girl

My little girl is pretty, and goofy.   Here's a random selection..

 

 

My daughter is not a racist

We were starting to wonder, but she proved otherwise. 

Thanks for your patience with our small one, Kwame. :)

Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

In an attempt to repent of my ignorance I have written the following statement of admission:

I plead guilty to the following offense: 
Judging a mother for letting her young children watch "too much" TV. 

At one point my assessment of "too much" TV watching may or may not have even constituted as just a little more than none at all. 
Before I had children I had a vision of being a super parent, with learning activities constantly up my sleeve ready to keep MY child's attention. 
Now that I am a parent, my previous vision is slowly fading into a more realistic picture. 
Sometimes I just need the baby to sit quietly and stop climbing in the dish washer, in the dryer, in the trash can, in the toilet, pushing the chairs around, getting in the fridge, pulling out all the books from all the shelves, all the tupperware, pots, pans, bags, towels and washclothes from the cupboards and drawers and just stop stop stop stop stop.
I love my daughter, every moment of every day is not like that (but there is usually a moment in almost every day where she is like that). 
So, I committed the offense of which I have unrighteously judged against.
I turned on the TV.
Not only that, I searched for a show that would most keep her attention.
I taught her to watch TV.
Today I washed the dishes, tidied up the kitchen and switched the laundry while my busy toddlerbaby sat peacefully on the couch crunching cheerios and hugging her teddy mesmerized by the picture and sounds coming from the television. She sat for at least 25 minutes.    (Sesame Street, it's genius)
I can't say that I'm proud of it, but at the same time I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I am elated by the thought that she doesn't have to be asleep in order for me to get something done without my little buddy at my heels, literally pushing and pulling me along.

Online Shopping

We decided that we want to get Gracie her own little chair for Christmas, while we were shopping on amazon for baby/toddler chairs we found this one:

Very cute, eh?  (it's not the one she's getting)

The chair only had one poor review, here's what it said:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dissatisfied, September 28, 2011

LUKE: This review is for: Trend Lab Ultrasuede Club Chair, Red (Baby Product)

I'm afraid that I have to say that this chair is not at all what it appears to be. I was under the impression that it was for an adult. Turns out, it is child-sized. You'd think that they'd put that in the description somewhere...


HILARIOUS!  Just imagining this guy receive a baby chair at the door made us laugh with tears for a solid 10 minutes, it still gives me the giggles. 

Gross

Welp, it happened. 
I knew it would, I just hoped it wouldn't. 
Gracie tasted dog poop today.

I don't really like dogs, and I even more dislike irresponsible dog owners who don't clean up after their pups.  In fact, one of the few things that I dislike about our apartments is that they allow pets, I'd rather they didn't, then there wouldn't be any dogs around, and therefore, no dog poop.

However, doing away with dogs wouldn't solve our poopy problem all together.
Gracie stuck her finger in her own poop.  After doing her business in her potty chair she quickly got up to see her product and touched it before I could swoop down and save her finger.  
She was probably very confused at my bi-polar display of emotions - going from YAY Gracie!  Good job pooping in the potty to NO Gracie don't touch it! Bad!   (Luckily that experience has not resulted in less usage of the potty)

The little babe has got to learn that yes, everybody poops, but no we do not need to touch said poop.
Gross.

hiccups

I feel like I can truthfully brag (if that's the right word for it) that I get the hiccups far more often than the average human over the age of 2 (babies definitely beat me on this one).
Although I often execute the usual methods of getting rid of the hiccups, such as holding my breathe, drinking lots of water, thinking really really hard about the next upcoming hiccup and some more breathe holding and water drinking, nothing really helps; the hiccups leave when they want to leave just as they came when they wanted to come. 
I've found though that no one really seems to be bothered by somebody elses hiccups, in fact, they're often revered as humorously cute. And, I can't deny that I do find ways to be both cute and humorous, so I suppose the hiccups could be counted as a blessing, if they're contributing to my likability.
But when I am awaken from a lovely slumber at 2:23 am with uncontrollable hiccups that refuse to yield, I must say, all cuteness that may have previously existed completely ceases.
This time, the hiccups went too far.

laughing at myself.

I'm number 1478 on the waiting list for a reserved book at the library.  I could just buy the book, but I'm not in any hurry to read it, and I'm cheap.
I'll just wait for the free version. 

I'm a mom

As I was picking up Gracie's toys this morning, a task I do 3 or 4 times a day, I couldn't help but think to myself, I love being a mom.  There is nothing in this whole world that could replace me and my role as Gracie's mother.  Even more, there is also nothing that could replace the joy that Gracie brings to my life. 
Additionally, I love being my husband's wife. 


I pity the women who spend their lives complaining about their role as a wife, mother and homemaker.  I am doing the most important job, I'm the rock of our home and my family needs me, even though my work isn't glamorous, exciting or monetarily fruitful.

These two best friends are my best friends.

Beach, Tupperware, Collages!

We went to the Beach on Memorial Day, and I learned that I can download a free photo program and make a collage.  hurray!

Gracie is crawling around everywhere.  I had to rearrange our cupboards so that she can pull whatever she wants out of them without breaking anything.  It's fun following her around all day picking things up so that I don't trip and break my nose.

Perfect Driving Record

I got pulled over today.  I deserved it.
Don't you hate that feeling after you've handed over your license, registration and proof of insurance, while the cop is back in his car doing who knows what, wondering: Am I going to get a ticket?  How much will it be?  Should I go to court or just pay it?  Where am I going to get the money to pay it?  How much will my insurance go up now?  Is my husband going to be mad at me?  Why couldn't my baby have been bawling when he came to the window? How long does this take? sheesh

I've only got one ticket, and it was in Puerto Rico, on my mission, it was embarrassing.
But that doesn't mean I've only been pulled over only once. Oh, I've been pulled over many a times.  But I seem to have this way with the policemen that makes them always want to take it easy on me.  That's why I'm the primary driver in our family.

So I shouldn't have been surprised when the officer handed back my license and said:
"I didn't want to mess up your perfect driving record, and you've got a little baby"
I thanked him sincerely, we chatted a little about the neighbors in the area who had made complaints which led him to monitor that street and he sent me on my way.

I love being a woman.