Weekend Update - Busy Busy Busy

Some weekends, you need a weekend after your weekend because it was so busy.  Last weekend was one of them.  I'll include photos later, but I've been horrible about backing up my pictures.  For me, that means I've left my pictures on my camera for more than a week (the horror!).  On Saturday, Little Miss and I went to Truck Day at our local library.  They had a county bus, a cement mixer, police vehicles, a fire truck, cranes and other trucks I could not identify.  In the past, there have been Army vehicles, too, but nothing this year.  There was also a donut truck there, and we had the most delicious mini donuts.  I dream about them still.

After, I left her in the care of Husband so he could handle swimming class, lunch and a nap.  There was a playdate in there, but it was postponed.

Meanwhile, a friend picked me up and we went to the Gaithersburg Book Festival.  It was a lot of fun despite the overcast weather.  I was proud that I only bought two books - both of which I look forward to reading.  Then, we went to the mall to browse around before heading to a mutual friend's housewarming party. 

On Sunday, I woke up with Little Miss again.  We did brunch and left the apartment to tour the Taste of Arlington.  We met Brother-in-Law, his new fiance, his father and Nephew.  We all had a lot of fun together, and the kids were awesome.  I think the highlights were Little Miss got free chocolate-covered strawberries despite the fact that I was trying to rid myself of taste tickets.  I enjoyed paella, roasted suckling pig and risotto balls.  Little Miss enjoyed frozen yogurt, ice cream and Italian Ice.  She actually also ate pizza and went home to eat a decent dinner whereas I was too full for dinner.  I enjoyed the Buffalo Pork Belly Sliders, too, but they were a little too spicy for me.  It's one of my favorite local events. 

Pictures and possibly video to follow.

Weekend Update - Mother's Day

Oh, I have cute pictures on my camera, too.  I'll have to load them and throw them on the blog later.  Below is one of Little Miss performing in the show.  Her letters were L, R and Y so she wore Lavender Lace, Rainbow Ribbon and Yellow Yard on her t-shirt and wore a lei which starts with L.  Unfortunately, it'll didn't make it to the end of the show.

Friday, I went to Little Miss's school for her Letter People show and Mother's Day Tea.  The kids were adorable and did such a great job.  I then worked for half a day. 

On Saturday, we did swim class and then took an afternoon nap before heading to the in-laws' apartment for dinner.  The kids had a blast. 

On Sunday, we made the trek to my parents' house.  My sister and Nephew came over, too.  We celebrated a joint Mother's Day and Nephew's birthday.  It was a lot of fun.  We did Thai delivery and just kind of talked while the kids ran around playing. 

Little Miss loves spending time with her cousins, even more than her friends, I think.  It's hilarious to see the different relationship she has with each cousin.  She is much more sibling-like with my sister's son.  They play well and bicker and stick up for each other.  She's more big sister to my brother-in-law's son.  She likes to tell him what to do and to teach him things.  She's so very patient with him.  It'll be interesting to see them all grow up together. I wonder if they'll stay as close even if they are boy/girl cousins. 

Just Passing By

So, we've established that the strawberry truck is good luck.  The other day, we were lucky enough to see TWO strawberry trucks.  Then, one day, we didn't see any strawberry truck (but some days are like that).  However, we saw a Doritos truck which excited me.  I said that a chip truck is much better than strawberries.  I was then corrected by a voice in the backseat of the car, "No, Mommy.  Chips are not healthy for you!"

Well, she's no fun. 

Continuing Story...

Last Friday, I got to talk to Little Miss's suitor's mother.  She said the little boy has acknowledged the relationship and has even asked his mom if Little Miss can spend 7 nights with them.  I believe they will be going to different schools in the Fall so their romance will be short-lived.  They were dancing at the Cinco de Mayo celebration last week though so they'll always have pre-school.

And So It Begins...

We have often joked because Little Miss comes home with gifts from boys.  Last Fall, a little boy gave her a ring (a plastic ring with Miss Piggy on it).  A couple of weeks ago, another little boy gave her a beaded bracelet.  

The other night, we were chatting on the way home.  Right outside the door, she just casually drops, "...and Aaron is my boyfriend."  What now?

I immediately had her walk in the door and tell Husband who just sat open-mouthed.  We asked the usual questions like "How did you become boyfriend and girlfriend?"  She replied that Aaron asked her earlier in the week in the library, and she said okay.  She also said that he plays what she likes, and she plays what he likes which really is the basis of a great relationship.  I've never seen her play with him, but he also comes later in the morning after the line up (which is saying something because we arrive quite late as it is).  I don't think they'll go to the same school next year so this is destined to be a short little fling.  Oh, young love...

My So-Called Life

The day of the bombing at the Boston marathon, I walked into work and was laid off.  Normally, I'd go home and feel sorry for myself.  The news help put things into perspective.  By the time I got to the parking lot, I had called Husband and texted all my friends in the industry.  By the time I got home, I had talked to a good friend and had requests for my resume.  I had a phone interview on Tuesday and two additional phone interviews by the end of the week.  I had three in-person interviews the following week.  There was one organization that informed that I was one of two finalists for the position, and I would know by the beginning of the third week.  Then, they wanted me to have another phone interview.  After the final phone interview, I was told I'd hear something by end of week, but I was called a couple of hours later and given the job.  I told them I had to think about it, ran around the apartment smiling like a fool and then called back to accept.  It was a long three weeks, but it was nice to hear such good things from my references as well as have such a fantastic support system within my family and friends.  I can honestly say I would not have been hired so quickly without them.  I know I earned the quick hiring, but my contacts and friends got my foot in the door definitely.

So, tomorrow is my first day at the new job.  Lots of changes.  I'll be taking the train into DC for the first time.  I've always worked in Virginia.  It'll be my first new job in over 7 years which, in this industry, is quite awhile.  I think it'll be a good fit, and I'm located in a nice part of the city and near many friends which helps.  I do have tiny butterflies as any new endeavor brings, but I do think this will be good change in the long run.

Movies Watched in April 2013

1. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
2. The Five-Year Engagement
3. What to Expect When You're Expecting
4. American Reunion
5. Breaking Bad

I watched many on Netflix or my DVR. I also ran through Season 1 of Breaking Bad on pretty much everyone's recommendation. I liked it. I'm not quite obsessed with it, but I'm social with my television. I like to watch with people and I'm watching this by myself. I'll keep with it to watch the farewell season this Fall though.

Books Read in April 2013

1. Love Irresistibly by Julie James  (NOTE:  This is part of the FBI/US Attorney series.  The order in which to read can be found here.)


2. Rush by Maya Banks  (NOTE:  This is part of the Breathless series.  The order of which can be found here.)


3. Be Mine by Jennifer Crusie, Victoria Dahl, and Shannon Stacey.  (NOTE:  Some of these short stories are part of a series, but they can totally stand alone.  It was a decent anthology for what it's worth.)


4. A bad Idea I'm About to Do by Chris Gethard

Decent month of reading.  They were all digital except Rush which I won.  At least none of the books were a waste of time and fairly quick reads. 

Weekend Update - Off to the Races

This weekend was fun and low key.  Friday was a family night.  I picked Little Miss up from school at 11:30AM because it was a half day.  I brought her bicycle, and she rode it all the way home.  She had a large lunch and then we cleaned the apartment.  

On Saturday morning, Father-in-Law took her to swimming class and got her ready for a sleepover.  We finished cleaning the apartment and cooked for our annual Kentucky Derby party.  It was low key this year, but it still required a bit of cleaning.  This year, for the first time, it wasn't too bad.  We had been keeping up with the tidying and cleaning.  We'll see how long it lasts.  We had a great time full of food and cocktails.

On Sunday, we slept late.  Husband slept later than I, but I read in bed which was a nice luxury.  Little Miss came home around lunch time.  Then, the two of us went out shopping which she loved.  I bought a new dress and, while trying it on, she said, "Oh, Mommy, you look incredible."  I am now taking her shopping with me every single time.  It's nice for the ego.  When we got home, it was board game time for her, nap time for me, and then dinner and bed.

Weekend Update - Another Busy Weekend

This is the second and hopefully last crazy busy weekend for us.  On Friday, it was a typical evening - home, tv, bedtime.  On Saturday, we did another swimming lesson where Little Miss jumped in the water and got her face and head completely wet!  This is big progress.  She is not ready to do it outside of her lesson, but it's a start.  After, we rushed through lunch and a bath so we could walk to the nearby playground where her classmates met.  She had a great time playing with everyone.  Then, Husband picked us up and we head to Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law's.  Sister-in-Law hosted book club and the kids were invited this time.  So, the boys went to a nearby bar while we all ate some yummy food and briefly talked about a book some of us started.  The kids were super cute as always.

On Sunday, we had a family brunch.  Then, Little Miss took a very (very very) long nap.  When she woke up, she requested we clean her room because it was very messy.  So, we cleaned her room and her toys.  Then, we played a couple of games.  She beat me soundly during both of them.  Dinner and bedtime followed and thus ended another weekend and the month of April.

Weekend Update - Busy Bees

Last Friday, it was a quiet evening. We mostly just sat and watched the news like many others did that night. On Saturday, Little Miss had her first swimming lesson. It went well. Mostly the purpose was to get the kids in the water and having fun. I can't speak for all the kids, but ours had fun. After, we managed to survive lunch and a bath before Husband and Little Miss went to a birthday party. Little Miss had so much fun that she didn't want to leave. In the meantime, I went out with a friend to Sarah Pekkanen's booksigning. It was a lot of fun and Sarah Pekkanen was just as gracious and friendly as ever. Her new book, The Best of Us, looks and sounds great. After, we went to grab a quick bite and I ended up beating Husband and Little Miss home.

On Sunday, Little Miss lived up to her promise of waking up early and getting me up. Traditionally, Sundays are Husband's mornings with her. However, if she asks for the other, we accommodate her. So, we had brunch and then head to my parents' house. My sister came over to hang out with Little Miss. Then, Mom, Little Miss and I went and ran some errands before staying for dinner. Little Miss really loves the attention and spending time with them both and the cat. After dinner, we head home where Little Miss fell fast asleep. That concluded a super quick weekend.

Do You Let Your Kid Win?

Well, it's a tough question.  It was raised by an author I follow on Facebook.  I don't want Little Miss to lose all the time and lose morale when she's learning games and rules for the first time.  However, I don't want her to think everything comes easily.  Luckily, at this age, most of the games are games of chance.  We haven't quite made it to strategy building yet.  

The answer is a big gray.  I don't necessarily let Little Miss win.  If I see I may win quickly, I may not play my best move, but I won't let her win.  If it's a game of chance, there's not much I can do though.  You play the cards, literally, dealt to you.

The key is that we choose games that she needs to work on or that she mastered.  For instance, she tends to lose Candy Land by chance.  However, she rocks Memory.  It helps that I have little to no memory.  

The lesson is to be graceful.  Whether she wins or loses, there's no temper tantrum or outburst.  She is asked to shake hands and say "good game" though sometimes it's a little more forced than other times.  She's a much better winner and loser than I am.  I am such a poor winner yet quite a graceful loser.  I'm sure that says something about me.

Weekend Update - Weekend of Nothing

Last weekend, we did nothing.  That's not entirely true.  I think we did a bath on Friday night with Little Miss.  On Saturday, she went with the In-Laws to the carnival and had a sleepover with her cousin.  They do so love each other.  I read a book and Husband had sports on.  We watched Louis C.K. on HBO as our big date night.  On Sunday, we slept gloriously late.  Then, Little Miss came home to help me clean the apartment, take her bath, eat dinner and go to bed.  So, very quiet weekend which was lovely.  The next two are stuffed with plans so it was nice to be boring while we could.

Boston

We often see the Coastal Sunbelt Produce truck in our neighborhood. We live across the street from an Edible Arrangements so it delivers often. Little Miss and I joke that it's going to be a good day because we saw the giant strawberry. So, this morning, we see the truck and joy erupted in the car. Little Miss says, "Today is going to be a good day. Yesterday, we didn't see the giant strawberry truck and it was a sad day. Did you know someone exploded a bomb in Boston?" I said yes. Then, she said, "But then people ran to give blood to people who needed it and the ambulances drove to the people." 

We don't try to shield her from things in the world. She had heard about Boston before she came home to us. We talked briefly about it last night, but she likes to process information slowly. Last night, I went to change the news when she came home and she say that it was sad and we should watch something happy. She helpfully suggested Doc McStuffins. She's nothing if not helpful. I do feel it's important to spotlight good deeds and did tell her that sad things happen, but that's when we need to be better people and do good things on our level. Then, she proceeded to tell me that she did a good deed yesterday to help her grandfather. So, we celebrated the good.

Little Miss Manners

While we were at my parents' last weekend, Little Miss blew some bubbles on the deck.  She'd blow the bubbles and pop them.  Sometimes, the bubbles would burst on the deck before she could catch them.  At one point, she almost had the bubble before the deck claimed it.  She looked down and said, "Oh!  Well done, Deck!  Good job."

I thought it was super cute.  Plus, I love that she knows the difference between when to use "good" and "well".

Books Read in March 2013

1. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
2. Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb (NOTE: This is part of the In Death series. The order of which can be found here.)
3. Thrown by a Curve by Jaci Burton (NOTE: This is part of the Play by Play series. The order of which can be found here.)
4. Cherished by Maya Banks and Lauren Dane (NOTE: The Lauren Dane short story is part of the Delicious series, a spin-off of the Brown Siblings series. The order of which can be found here.)
5. Tart by Lauren Dane (NOTE: This is part of the Delicious series, a spin-off of the Brown Siblings series. The order of which can be found here.)
6. Close Enough to Touch by Victoria Dahl (NOTE: This is part of the Jackson Hole series. The order of which can be found here.)

I read nothing in February. It was sad. Then, I kicked it into high gear and finished Gillian Flynn for book club. It was her debut novel and showed, but it was a decent book. I liked Gone Girl better. The others were all solid books. For some reason, I always savor Victoria Dahl and then read like 4 in a row and then wonder why I took so long to read them. I hope to keep it up this month, but I seem to be reading a lot of books simultaneously which I rarely do. So, we'll see how many I finish and how many I just keep partially read.

Movies Watched in March 2013

1. Argo
2. Magic Mike
3. This Means War
4. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
5. Rock of Ages

Some of these are repeats, but I count everything if I do a full watch. Husband and I rented Argo because he hadn't seen it. I got a free rental of Magic Mike and it seemed a shame to let it go to waste. I suffered through This Is War on HBO Go. I fell in love with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube. I haven't seen it all yet, but I watched 36 parts out of 100 in one night. Granted, each part is only 3-5 minutes. I got sucked into Rock of Ages on cable one night, too. I wouldn't watch it again, but I felt I had to stick it out.

Spring Break - Quick Trip

So, while it was getting warmer in northern Virginia, it was getting warmer in western Maryland where we went last weekend. On Friday, we had plans to get Little Miss's haircut, but we ran out of time when we hit traffic. So, instead, we just drove out to western Maryland with my parents. Little Miss stayed up late and enjoyed the time with my parents and the solo attention she received from them. On Saturday, she built the smallest snowman ever. She was going to go on the mountain coaster, but it was closed to help a panicked rider off and then closed before we could ride. We had a nice lunch and then all went to bed fairly early.

On Sunday, we woke up to ride the mountain coaster. Little Miss LOVED it. She loved going fast - which I do not. She rode twice with my dad and once with me. Then, she decided she wanted to go snow tubing. So, the four of us went a couple of times before eating lunch and heading home. It was nice to be able to play in the snow while it was so mild and warm outside. This marked the end of Spring Break. Sad, but we had a great week off. We're all struggling a little to get back into the routine this week!

Spring Break - New York, New York

The Monday after Easter, the three of us drove to New York. Husband miscalculated our departure time so we got held up in Washington Nationals traffic, but Little Miss was a champ during our 7 hour trip. We barely made it to our seats before the puck dropped at Madison Square Garden. However, because we were running late, we also had to eat in the stadium. On the plus side, we were in time to see the first goal. Little Miss was thrilled to sing the goal song and screamed whenever the Rangers scored. She had a blast. She was alert the entire time and cheered at all the appropriate times. She ate well and, as I keep joking, probably ordered the only milk Madison Square Garden ever served. I'd like to say we enforce a lot of milk drinking, but she's picky with her liquid intake and she polices herself nicely. She knows milk goes with lunch and dinner and will order when out for those meals. Tuesday, we had a nice lunch at the Husband's favorite restaurant. Little Miss was well-behaved for how snooty it is. Then, we got on the road for a long trip back as we hit DC rush hour traffic. 

On Wednesday, Little Miss and I met a friend in the city whose sister and nieces were in town. Little Miss loved playing with the girls even though I don't think any of the Air & Space Museum sank in with them. At least they had fun. She rode the carousel and had ice cream. Good day. Then, to top it off, we met Sister-in-Law at her work. She was nice enough to drive us home, too, so we didn't have to sit in rush hour on the train on the way home, too. I will say someone was nice enough to give Little Miss and me his seat though. Thursday, we had a relaxing day, much needed for all of us.

Weekend Update - Round Up

Let's see.  I'm many weeks behind on my updates.  

March 23 - March 24.  We can't remember anything.  It looks like I read a book and watched a movie.  I think it's safe to say we did nothing.  We may have gone grocery shopping and tidied up the apartment which seems to be the weekend default.  So, nothing else warranted space in my calendar.  I do remember we dyed eggs - according to my camera.

Easter weekend.  On Saturday, I met friends for lunch.  Both celebrated birthdays so we met and then did some shopping.  I took advantage of Old Navy's dress sale and bought two dresses and a pair of shorts and a cute vest for Little Miss for like $1.  The vest was $1.  Everything cost a bit more.  After, we went to the Inlaws' to celebrate Easter.  On Sunday, we opened presents that the Bunny left, had a mini Easter egg hunt, and hung around. 

 

Food for Thought

I read this article today. I do believe there are bad books, but as I responded on Twitter, maybe there is just poor or careless editing. The majority of books are just not my taste, but I do believe there are just some books that are poorly written. As I said, perhaps it was self-published or there was a lazy editor though. At the heart of it, I do believe that whatever book encourages people to read is worthy and doing good - even if it isn't, by my standards, actually good. I mean, you reach someone with one book, maybe they'll try another and another. 

As one who reads romance novels, I'm used to people looking down at the type of book I enjoy, but really almost all great literature is a romance in some way. All genre fiction requires some suspension of disbelief. Life is full of crap, why not read something happy? Besides, romance isn't what it used to be. There are dozens of subgenres - probably enough to satisfy just about everyone. So, I'll try to view the world as having no bad books. I like that viewpoint even if I'm having trouble believing it.

Weekend Update - Lucky Girl

On Friday, Husband had a friend over to watch some sports. We let Little Miss stay up a little later to entertain him (she's a bit sweet on him). We got some pizza. Then, I went to bed obscenely early. After a Thursday concert, I realized this girl ain't a girl anymore.

On Saturday, we had a day of nothing. So, I spent it sleeping more than anything else. Little Miss and I also went to the grocery store after a lengthy nap. I may choose not to co-sleep, but I do like the co-napping. We have kept up with the new food a week though we were a bit lazy this week. We did chicken parmesan which isn't really new seeing as she's had chicken, sauce and cheese before, but it was a new dish. No shocker that she liked it. I wouldn't say she loved it, but at least it widens the palatte a little at a time.

On Sunday, Little Miss and I woke up early to go to a party. The sad thing is that the party was at 11AM and it took everything we had to get out the door in time. She was supremely tired, but she had fun. She asked to come home early and take a nap so that's how tired she was. So, she did. I woke her up mid-afternoon to walk to the local bakery. During holidays, they give kids a cookie and frosting and sprinkles. So, Little Miss decorated her shamrock cookie. Then, we went back home. I believe she played and watched some tv on my iPad while I napped. Husband made her favorite dinner for our Sunday family dinner and then that summed up our evening. Little Miss did have some trouble sleeping over the weekend, but by Sunday, she seemed back into the swing of things. She gets like this annually where she just cries and cuddles instead of sleeps. It's frustrating but temporary at least. Yesterday, after we got back from cookie decorating, she just sat back and said she went to a party, got a cookie and was having chicken and pasta and lemony sauce. She was a lucky girl. I'm glad she thinks so.

The Truth About P!nk

Last night, I went to see P!nk in her The Truth About Love Tour. I left work just a smidge early to meet a friend for a margarita and dinner. Then, we saw the very end of The Hives and P!nk. She was absolutely fantastic. You can click here to see an example of her setlist. From my memory, it was pretty close to what she played last night. She is very high energy and it was just a really fun concert. I was surprised that she cleaned up a lot of the songs. She either sang the radio versions or moved the microphone away to downplay the language. Because I don't have a microphone and only buy the explicit versions of songs, I sang the real versions. 

Little Miss asked if she sang Raise Your Glass and was excited to hear that she did. Below is video of Try performed last night. Some of the aerials were more impressive than this one, but it gives you an idea of what she does. Also, one of the last songs had her flying over the crowd so she could give a show to the back rows and the high rows (though not as high as we were). That was pretty impressive.

Toddler Talk

Who knows how conversations start with toddlers.  All I know is we were talking and ended up talking about how some tv is not real.  Little Miss usually has a good grasp on what is real and what is not.  This has come up in conversation during particularly graphic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle episodes or commercials for certain video games on television.  The other day, some such example came up and this is how it went after I mentioned a tv show is not real:

Little Miss:  I know.  I know it's not real.  Some shows are real and some are pretend.  Like this is not real, but Snow White is real.  I know this because she's real.  I met her, remember?

So, yeah, thanks for that, DisneyWorld.  I can either let her believe everything is real or just crush her. 

Recipe Update

We don't make this (Cherry Tomato Spaghetti all'Amatriciana) recipe often, but I made it last night.  It's a good standby when we can't think of anything else to make. It's a fast recipe which is nice. I think it would taste really good with shrimp and, one of these days, I'm going to stop saying that and actually make it. 

Here is an update from the original time I made it: the herbs are essential. They add so much flavor. The parsley in the dish as well as the basil over the top. We don't put nearly that much cheese in, but we add to taste after the fact. Little Miss ate this dish this week. She didn't care for the cooked tomatoes, but she liked the rest - and even ate the parsley. She said she liked the taste except for the green things, but then I explained to her that the green things give it taste. I think, though, the pancetta, onion, garlic trio really add the taste though. Three of my favorite things.

Recipe recap:

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound regular or thick spaghetti
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/4 pound chunk pancetta, cut into small pieces
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
2 pints small cherry tomatoes
2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a couple generous handfuls)
Pepper
1 cup basil leaves, torn or chopped
2/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (a couple generous handfuls)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red onion, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, parsley and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes burst, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water and then the pasta, tossing to coat. Turn off the heat, add the basil and cheese and serve. 

Weekend Update - I Feel Like I Lost More Than an Hour

I had a busy weekend.  Starting with last Thursday when I had bowling and bowled the game of my life.  My score wasn't very high though it was pretty solid for me.  I won the first game of two.  The second game had my team falling behind.  However, half the team picked up some points.  So, it came down to me, the last bowler.  The first frame, I hit one pin down.  The second frame, I got a spare.  This lead to the bonus frame in the tenth which resulted in a strike.  With that strike under pressure, I scored one pin more than my opponent which gave us a one-pin win (and a one-point win) against our opponent.  It was a glorious night.

On Friday, a friend from college was in from out of town.  So, two other college friends (and a couple of her friends from grade school and grad school) and I met in Crystal City for dinner at McCormack & Schmick's.  It was a great night catching up - food, friends and wine never fails.  When I got home, I went in to check on Little Miss and this is how I found her:

Saturday, Little Miss and I went out to my parents' house to meet up with Sister and Nephew (and my parents' new kitty).  Little Miss tried on my wedding gown and Sister's veil under duress, but it made for a somewhat cute picture.  She really wanted to be playing with her cousin, but she gave us a couple of photos before I set her free.

 

Saturday night, I met with book club at a nearby pizza place.  It was another really fun evening.  Brother-in-Law and Nephew hung out with Husband and Little Miss at home so I got to see him briefly.  I got some really good hugs while he's still little enough to give them freely. 

The other nephew was caught rough housing with Little Miss (though, really, it was just bad timing) so his punishment was posing for a picture with smiles.  He takes his punishment well as you can see.

On Sunday, I slept until the afternoon (though my body still thought it was morning with the time change).  I was lazy until mid-afternoon.  Then, Little Miss and I went grocery shopping.  We all had a nice family dinner before an entirely sleepless night for me.  This is a rougher Monday morning than usual.

Parent Fail

Nothing good happens after this question, "Want to hear a word I heard Daddy say?"

Yep, she went there.  Little Miss said she wanted to whisper it to me.  Darned if that little voice didn't whisper the mother of all four-letter words.  

At this point, I may have overreacted.  I mean, all I did was exclaim (loudly), "That's a very bad word.  Don't say that again."  And, of course, that lead to her crawling onto my lap and crying for quite awhile.  Meanwhile, Husband apologized for using the word in the past.  We got through the moment.  However, later, I asked her a question.  I told her, "You must have known the word was bad if you had to whisper it.  Did you?"  She admitted she did though from her reaction, I don't think she knew exactly how bad.  Either way, lesson learned.  We did have a refresher course this morning just in case though.

What? My Kid's Not Perfect?

I don't want to be one of those parents who really just thinks her kid is perfect.  I mean, she's a strong "pretty awesome", but perfect is a reach.  A part of me always expects a phone call from the school to hear about her stubbornness or some such challenge.  However, when the teacher did email me with some trouble, the reason had me a little surprised.  

The first point was more of a manners violation.  This is not a total surprise.  We've been working with Little Miss to be better at using her "please", "thank you" and general manners.  She's always been very good, but she's also lazy so sometimes a reminder doesn't hurt.  Also, at home, she can tend to be a sore winner and sore loser and will answer "I know" when she receives compliments.  We've been trying to break her of both of those.  She's much better with the winning and losing (though she prefers to win, of course). 

The second point was more of a surprise.  She was downright mean to another kid.  The teacher, who absolutely loves Little Miss, immediately acted and emailed me.  We corresponded and agreed that punishment and discussion was not unreasonable.  

Later that night, we asked Little Miss how her day was, giving her a chance to come clean.  She did not though she also wouldn't meet eye contact.  She then admitted that she got in trouble, but she wouldn't say what she did.  She just sobbed for a very long time.  Husband and I decided not to punish her unless her attitude needed further adjusting.  Based on her reaction, we knew she knew she did something wrong.  That said, we still needed a good discussion.  She's very sensitive to her daddy.  She hates disappointing him, upsetting him or hurting his feelings.  She has no such qualms about me, of course (and thus begins the rest of our lives).  So, she wanted to just tell me as a secret, but there were going to be no secrets.  We told her she would get in trouble if she did not have a conversation with us and we outlined many privileges she would lose if she continued to not talk.  We finally got the story we already knew.  

Today, she did say how she could be a better friend and a better person.  We did request she apologize again.  I'm sure this will not be the last time our child is found less than exemplary.  Our bigger challenge is the fact that she really doesn't like to have any serious conversation about herself or anybody else.  She doesn't tattle or share secrets.  It's good - sometimes.  On the flip side, she did admit that she deserved to be in trouble and deserved the punishment.  She never complained.  She never lied or came up with a reason/excuse for her behavior.  She accepted any further punishment.  She's a stoic one.  Minor unrelated example of her stubbornness and refusal to talk: the kid had a mishap which resulted in a little goose egg and a cut on her face and knee.  She has no idea what happened and didn't want to talk about it, but she thinks she may have been tripped on the playground.  She said it was an accident though.  That one sentence of how she may have been tripped took an hour to extract.

The bottom line is that she is a good kid.  She just gets careless and, as with all kids, when she gets tired, she is cranky.  She also likes to get her way.  So, she slips up sometimes.  Until this is a trend, I think we're ok.  She has taken past lessons very seriously and they stay with her.  Even so, we're keeping an eye on things.

Weekend Update - In Like a Lion

March actually didn't come in like a lion.  We had a nice quiet first weekend in March.  On Friday, I procrastinated and didn't do any of the things on my list.  On Saturday, I renewed my library books so I didn't have to do that task.  Little Miss and I went to Target to grab some birthday presents.  It took us forever.  The girl isn't demanding, but she loves to walk around the store.  She likes to have a snack.  So, it's a whole afternoon.  She did demand a book and, because of the way she asked, she did not get it.  That pretty much took up on our entire Saturday.

On Sunday, Little Miss and I went to National Harbor.  I dropped her off at the Children's Museum for a birthday party and met a friend for margaritas and guacamole.  Then, I picked up Little Miss.  The kids and parents hung out at a restaurant for some food and cake.  After, we drove home for a quick dinner, but the party wore her out so Little Miss went to sleep and slept well.

Movies Watched in February 2013

1. Side Effects

I've been catching up on my DVR so not a lot has been read or watched. In fact, I haven't read a book since New Year's Day which is unheard of in my world. I did go out and see Side Effects last month though. Good film. I saw the twist overall, but it's still entertaining.

Beginner Reader

Little Miss is a really good reader. In this clip, she has a bit of assistance, but it is a book she's never seen before so she didn't memorize it like many other books. I also witnessed her sounding out words today. Sometimes, she can be a lazy reader, but she really is so proud of herself when she does it. It's really so great to see her making progress and owning it.

"I See," Said the Blind Man

Husband and I have both worn glasses for many years and have different eye problems between the two of us.  So, it was only a matter of time before Little Miss had her own eye challenges.  Back in January, Little Miss had her annual physical.  During the eye chart, she struggled.  So, today, we took her to the eye doctor.  Her left eye is a little weaker, but it was within acceptable limits.  She does have astigmatism in both eyes, but it was nothing insane.  Basically, the doctor agreed she needs glasses.  She just doesn't need them now.  We're going back in 6 months to reevaluate.  It does pose some additional costs and doctor visits, but oh, goodness, what a cutie she will be with little glasses.  Even with the little corrective lenses put on her during the visit were just adorable.

Kindergarten

Today is a big day.  On a minor note, Little Miss has her first eye doctor appointment later today.  Second, I registered her for Kindergarten.  The actual registration was painless.  The woman who handles registration wasn't there so someone else handled it.  She made copies, looked at all my paperwork and basically told me were all set until the summer packets were mailed.  The Orientation is either in March or April so I look forward to learning more about the school.  In the meantime, it's a stepping stone.  Man, is it dusty in here or is it me? 

Our Ice Skater

Here are two quick videos of Little Miss skating. So proud of how she did in her first real 30 minutes skating.  Even when she fell, she got right back up again.

What's Your Number?

So, we were talking about our week on the way to school when I asked Little Miss if she knew what Thursday was.  I told her it was Nanny's birthday.  Then, I asked her how old Nanny was.  She guessed 85.  I told her 65, and she went, "Yay!  Now we're all in the 60's!"  I'm not sure what that means, but I did say that all her grandparents were now in their 60's.  

So, I asked how old she thought I was if Nanny was 65 and older than I was.  She said 55.  It's not as funny.

Weekend Update - We're Gonna Party Like It's Your Birthday

Last Friday, I don't think we did anything. It was a busy week for me. Between Husband breaking his ankle and needing to go to the doctor and my social life of movie-going and bowling, I was ready to relax. I can't remember what I did on Friday, but I don't think it was a lot. Either way, on Saturday, I had grand plans of completing three small errands - return library books, visit the fabric store and go to the grocery store. Right.

So, the morning was pretty productive. There was breakfast and then like 3 hours passed in about 5 minutes. I swear I have no idea what happened. A big part of the time flying was Little Miss woke up in a crazy mood. She was very belligerent and cranky. I knew she wouldn't get a nap and would be staying up late so the odds were definitely not in our favor for having a relaxing day. After what seemed like a day and a half, we finally got out the door. I renewed the library books so we didn't have to go there. Husband was disappointed because he wanted me to pick up Girl Scout cookies from the booth there. However, there was a booth at the fabric store so he got his wish anyway. Then, Little Miss and I grabbed lunch during which there were many threats. She decided she didn't like the food even though she ordered it. After she tried it (which was the best mac and cheese I've ever had), she decided it wasn't so bad. We did run out of time before we could have dessert so she got a Tagalong in the car. We got home just in time to wrap the Inlaws' presents and head to Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law's house to celebrate joint birthdays (even though they're really in January and February).

We had a great time. The cousins were so cute together and really played nicely (see picture #1).  We had a delicious meal which Little Miss tried.  She was honest and said she liked the taste but didn't care for the texture of brisket.  I know beef is an odd texture and expected the reaction, but I wanted her to tell me if that was what she didn't like or if it was the whole thing.  So, I'm going to try meatballs next week.  I think it's a baby step from a hamburger but also she can help make them.  We transitioned into big girl toothpaste this week, too, so lots of changes.  She was reluctant to accept that change, but she's gotten better each night.  She just has to use the new toothpaste once a day until the old baby toothpaste is gone.

On Sunday, Little Miss was a full-on brat.  She took a very brief nap which didn't help.  Husband's friend came over briefly.  Then, Little Miss took a walk with me to the ATM and took, no lie, 20 minutes to get dressed.  When we got home, she took a bath and used up all our remaining patience.  So, she went to bed a lot earlier which worked out because then I got to watch the Academy Awards in peace.  Usually, we make a nice meal, but this year take out worked perfectly.  Also, Little Miss had a good night's sleep for the first time in days and woke up such a good girl this week.  (Extra note:  next time, we'll take the family picture before the end of the evening when we're all not as tired.)

Children Will Listen

From Into the Woods:

Careful the things you say
Children will listen
Careful the things you do
Children will see and learn
Children may not obey, but children will listen
Children will look to you for which way to turn
To learn what to be
Careful before you say "Listen to me"
Children will listen

While I was out last night, Husband was watching hockey. Little Miss asked to watch a DVD. She recently acquired some hand-me-down DVDs from my mom's neighbor. Husband explained that they were watching hockey.  So, Little Miss gave him the following speech (which is brilliant):  "Daddy, sometimes you have to try to watch something new.  You can't always just watch what you want to watch and get your way.  You have to try new things.  Try it, you might like it."

I'm paraphrasing from Husband's description, and it may not be 100% correct because I started laughing so hard my stomach hurt while he was speaking.  I'm also pretty sure, without trying, Husband likes the Rangers more than Care Bears.  On a positive note, it's nice to know she listens underneath the protests. 

Weekend Update - The Highs and Lows

This weekend was full of highs and lows. As always, I'll start at the top. On Friday, work let out early for the long weekend. I picked up Little Miss early. We hung out at the apartment while I goofed around online. Then, we went to Front Page for dinner where Husband joined us later. When asked if she wanted pasta for dinner or to go out, she responded, "let's go out for pasta." So, that's what we did. They treat her like a little princess there and give away a little treat from a treasure chest at the end of the meal. After dinner, Husband drove us into the city to see Disney on Ice. Little Miss was all dolled up in her Ariel costume this time. She was absolutely mesmerized. She almost fell asleep at the end until Sebastian started "Under the Sea". She slept well when we got home.

On Saturday, we woke up and left for western Maryland where my parents have their vacation home. We mostly relaxed and had a birthday dinner for my mom (a little early). We all went to bed early. On Sunday, we woke up to go skiing. Little Miss declared she wasn't going to go skiing this weekend so Husband took her tubing. We took a handful of runs down the mountain before we all met for lunch. Husband came hobbling in. After the first tubing run, his ankle crashed into a pile of ice. Then, on his way back to the house, the car got stuck and then slid into a ditch so it wasn't a great day for him. We went home to help and then stayed in for the evening. The hot tub wasn't working, but we managed to stay up past 9PM so that's something.  Little Miss was so great playing with Nephew (with very few exceptions).  She also claims that my parents' new cat was the highlight of her weekend.  Griffin is a sweetie and came out quite a bit for Little Miss.  He's still a little shy, but he was good with the kids when they stood still.

On Monday, I took Little Miss ice skating because she had asked. She had a "lesson" (basically, some kid walked her around the small rink) and then skated on her own for a half hour which is like 20 minutes longer than I expected. She loved it. Even after falling, she got right back up. I think, at one point, she cried after skating into a wall, but she got right back up and had stopped by the time she reached me. If I had known the kid was only going to walk her around once, I would have brought my skates, but I didn't so I was just on the sidelines while she basically taught herself how to skate. She did great, mostly walking on ice but she had enthusiasm which was more than she's shown in any other sport so far. I'll try to get some video up later this week. After, we ate lunch and got ready to come home. Once home, I dropped Husband off at Urgent Care while getting Little Miss ready for bed. Husband texted confirmation that his ankle was broken. His dad picked him up and drove him home with a cast, crutches and pain medication. He'll have to follow up with an orthopedic doctor as soon as he can. So, those were the highs and lows.

Conversation

Me:  We have some extra time.  Why don't we clean up a bit.
Little Miss:  Why?  Who's coming over?

Yep.  That sums up how we clean in our house.  If no one's coming over, we live in a pit.  I'm hoping to change that.

Mumford & Sons

Last night, a friend and I left work a little early and met at The Green Turtle for a yummier dinner than I expected there. Then, we walked around in the falling snow to a shop to kill some time before Mumford & Sons! We also caught one of the opening acts, Ben Howard, who I enjoyed much more than the opening act for another British band Coldplay I won't name. 

Below are two video clips from songs performed last night, Babel which opened the show and Lover of the Light, my favorite. 

NOTE:  For the setlist and music videos of the songs performed in last night shows (though not from last night's show), you can check this link out. There is video of the really cool encore where the band brought the opening acts back out to perform a cover of The Weight which brought back nice memories of the performance at the Grammys last Sunday. 

Lent and Sacrifice

Little Miss told me that she was giving up chocolate for Lent.  I waited for the punchline.  So, Husband followed that by telling me she came home and had an M&M cookie and some other form of chocolate.  Little Miss then says, "So, I'm giving up broccoli for Lent."  

I do think, for 5, giving up chocolate for 4 hours is a pretty long time so that should count as something.  I have no doubt she'll go the rest of the time without broccoli. 

Falling to Pieces

Little Miss loves The Script's Breakeven. (Lyrics can be found here.) 

In the car this morning, the song comes on the radio. She got all excited and started to sing along. Then, she asks what it means to fall to pieces. I told her it’s when you fall apart and cry or get upset because someone hurt your feelings. She just looks ahead and says, "well, I never do that." 

Husband and I joke that she has no emotions. I'm sure she will some day, and it's good she doesn't let other people affect her opinion of herself or her emotions, but it's also kind of funny and odd.

100 Days

I mentioned in last week's post that Little Miss did her 100 Days project. Well, here it is!

She did a great job.  We talked a lot about how we were going to do it, and she did it all.  I held the yarn while she cut it (and almost lost a finger or two).  I also traced circles for her, but she did all the cutting and gluing and painting.  She added the tree branch and apple as well.  She did a great job from start to finish.  I pinned a bunch of ideas on Pinterest, and she picked one.  Pinterest had a different vision so we reimagined it and executed it. 

Weekend Update - Cozy Up with the Cousins

Last weekend was fun but busy. Friday was a quiet night. We almost did take out, but I picked up a pork loin at the last minute which worked out because it was buy one get one free. On Saturday, we were just slow-moving. We cleaned the apartment and poor Husband had to go to two different stores for dinner preparations. He got home just in time for Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Nephew which meant dinner was very (very) late. However, the Third Asian Night was successful. We had sushi, fried rice, bulgogi and steamed rice, egg rolls, ribs and brownies. I know the last isn't Asian, but they were made by one!

The kids got to stay up late. For a brief moment, they reclined on the air mattress and were absolutely adorable - before getting up and chasing each other all over the place. They have an adorable relationship and, of course, are adorable together.

 

On Sunday, we slept late. Then, Little Miss and Husband made pancakes and we had a family breakfast. In the afternoon, Little Miss and I ran an errand and then went to Sister and Nephew's house. The two kids wrestled and had a good time. They acted like they hadn't seen each other in forever (though it's been less than a month). They were exceptional in terms of behavior in my opinion though. Nephew lost the latest of many teeth during dinner. You can't see it, but he also lost his top teeth earlier in the month. The lower right one is the one he lost last night.

My parents came over later for dinner as well as Sister's boyfriend, and we had a nice dinner. The kids got to play a little longer before Little Miss and I went to my parents' house to meet their new cat, Griffin (Nephew named him after RG3). He was a sweet little guy even if Little Miss was a little upset that he only came to me and she didn't get to pet him. Little Miss fell asleep on the way home after a long weekend with no minimal naps and sleeping, but it was worth it. Poor thing is coming down with a little cold, I think, too. Hopefully, it won't progress beyond the cough right now, but it's probably unlikely as her class has been sick. There's a long weekend coming up so it would be sad if she was sick for it. Plus, we have tickets to Disney on Ice on Friday which she's been looking forward to.

Smooth

If you know me at all, you know about my thing with matchbox twenty. My thing doesn't extend to going to their concert in the next state by myself on a weeknight, but if I could have found someone to go with me, I would have. Here's hoping the next leg of the tour hits DC. 

Smooth: The TV Show with Matchbox 20 from Rob Thomas

Weekend Update - 100 Days

It was so quiet last weekend, I don't remember what we did.  I know Little Miss and I woke up on Saturday and played board games.  We watched footage of the Groundhog who says we'll have an early Spring.  This may be true in northern Virginia, but I doubt anyone reading this from the Northeast will agree with him.  Oh, it's coming back to me.  After lunch, Little Miss and I ran errands.  We had lunch at a pizza place and then went to the craft store for some supplies for a school project.  Then, we hit the grocery store.  When we got home, she did her school project for the 100th Day.  Basically, after 100 days of school, the kids had to glue 100 anythings on poster board.  We bought white poster board.  She painted grass and a tree with an apple and we glued 100 yarn legs on 10 segments of a very hungry caterpillar.  We saw it on Pinterest and revised it for the project.  Little Miss and I spend many moments browsing through Pinterest for crafts and foods together.  It's kid friendly with all the pictures and links.  She has her own board and everything.  As an added bonus, I made little Goldfish snacks with a little poem attached for the kids with the 100 Day theme.  Little Miss did all the cutting and pasting.  All I did was handle the food and tied the yarn around the baggie.

On Sunday, the three of us woke early and went to Maggiano's (well, early for us, we had to be there for 10AM).  Little Miss got to decorate her own chef's hat and was given an apron.  She was taught to make her own lasagna and then made it to come home with us.  It was a lot of fun.  On the way out, she was given her own Maggiano's pizza cutter.  After the class, Husband put the lasagna in the car while the two of us stayed warm inside at Starbucks.  Then, when Maggiano's officially opened, we had a nice lunch.  When we got home, all three of us had probably the longest nap on record... and it was glorious.  The rest of the evening was just the regular routine.

You Know What's Weird?

Picking up a soda and forgetting you ordered root beer.  

Worst Parents Ever

What's that terrifying picture, you ask? Well, I may have mentioned before that Little Miss is way into The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. So, when she has permission, she goes into our room, turns on the DVR and chooses an episode to watch. She got all excited because the show aired a new episode, I, Monster. So, from what I understand (I was away from home when this occurred), she came out to Husband and said it was scary. He made a big deal of deleting the offensive episode in which The Rat King is introduced. Since then, she's been going back to watching Peppa Pig and Third and Bird and some other children's shows which are safer and colorful. I know the show is TV7, and we usually do watch them with her. That was, I swear, the first show she's watched on her own. I guess that'll teach us. Poor thing. That picture is the least scary one, too. He is really scary.

We're in Trouble

It's official. If Pre-K is a sign, we're in a lot of trouble. Last weekend, we were at Little Miss's friend's birthday party. The kids were running around screaming and the adults sat in the corner and chatted. One mom said her son went out of his way to buy Little Miss a special Valentine's Day card and chocolate. Another mom said her son colored her a picture. Last month, another little boy gave her a ring on the playground. She doesn't talk about them in return, and I never see her interact with them, but I guess because she's indifferent to them, they all just vie for her attention. I have seen her act all silly over some of the boys, but she doesn't do it as much as she did last year or earlier this year. 

Actually, you can see her try to be like the girls or play with the girls. Currently, there are 3 girls and 7 boys in the class. However, the girls are 6 months younger (which is a lot at this age) and quiet while Little Miss is definitely not quiet. She will sit and read and draw more than the boys, but she won't sit as long as the other girls. Plus, she's used to playing with her cousins - an older and younger boy - so boys don't intimidate her. It'll be interesting to see her once she's in a larger kindergarten class.

Books Read in January 2013

1. Gone Country by Lorelei James (NOTE: This is part of the Rough Riders series. The order of which can be found here.)
2. The Seduction of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley (NOTE: This is part of the Highland Pleasures series. The order of which can be found here.)

Because I was supposed to be reading my book club book, not a lot got read this month (or last). I like the book club book, but it's due back to the library after many renewing so I figure I'll just start next month's book instead. Meanwhile, my Goodreads account is all up-to-date if you'd rather follow me there. I'll keep this updated, too, at least for a little bit.

Movies Watched in January 2013

1. Lost Girl
2. Lincoln
3. Zero Dark Thirty

It was a slow month. I have been watching Lost Girl on Netflix, a few episodes a night. Not to mention the current season has been filling up my DVR along with the items I usually record. I managed to get to the theater to see Zero Dark Thirty opening weekend, too. That'll probably be all I see before the Oscars with the exception of one or two that I could rent (Beasts of the Southern Wild, Brave, and The Pirates - the last one I have on my DVR actually). I'd like to see Amour or The Impossible, but I don't know if that's going to happen.

Weekend Update - Food and Friends

Last weekend, it was a nice one - for me anyway.  Last Thursday, Little Miss had a touch of a stomach virus.  She was sick at my in-laws and got sick once at home.  Husband had the air mattress in the living room and spent the night watching over her.  On Friday, she felt right as rain, but we kept her home from school to be safe.  She was fine.

On Saturday, she was exactly what you want a perfect 5-year-old to be.  She was great.  Then, we went to a classmate's birthday party.  She had a great time with her friends.  It was at an indoor playground which was perfect because it was so bitter cold.  They had pizza and ice cream cake.  After, Husband dropped me off at book club at Jaleo nearby.  I got to talk about a book I didn't read (thank you, Wikipedia) and eat a lot and drink sangria.  When I got home much much later that night, Husband informed me that Little Miss had gotten sick everywhere.  So, he was in a bit of a mood.  I slept out in the living room that night with her.  

On Sunday, she woke up perfect again.  She had some Cheerios and stayed cheerful and happy.  Then, she went to lunch with my friends where we celebrated a belated Christmas.  She ate a good lunch and loved her presents.  After a friend and I went to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for a talk which was very interesting and got us inspired to search out the book.  When I returned home, I found out that Little Miss was once again the perfect specimen of a toddler.  Except for the stomach pyrotechnics, she had a wonderful weekend.