The 2013 Campaign

Well, life in the metro DC area is full of politics.  Someone is always wanting something.  There is a lot of shady deals and people acting on their own agendas.  This is no different within our household.  

A certain Little Miss has decided she wants a baby sister.  Named Kayla.  She's very specific.  It was cute a couple of months ago.  This past week, she's taken to begging.  Then, she changed tactics.  She's now listing her great qualifications as a big sister.  She is campaigning hard.

I keep telling her it's great that she's an only child.  A new baby would take away from her attention because we'd be busy looking after a baby.  She countered with the fact that she would be such a great help.  She could help feed her.  Yesterday, she pushed her cousin in his stroller and she wanted me to see how helpful she was steering and pushing the stroller now that she's a big girl.  She also has taken to positive visualization skills.  She starts sentences with "When my baby sister comes..."  Yesterday, I told her she needed a second bathing suit because she outgrew her ones from last year.  She said I need to get two so her baby sister will have one.  Seriously.  This is how our conversations go now.

I've tried to tell her that she may not get a sibling or a baby sister OR, horrors upon horrors, she could get a baby brother.  She did not hear me suggest there be no sibling at all.  No reaction.  As for the baby brother, she said that would be ok, but she "likes girls better".  

I just pray everyday that she doesn't say the phrase she says at home to anyone outside the house - "I can't wait for my baby sister to come!"  If she does, I'm going to explain that there's no baby, just an extra 5 pounds, but thanks for asking.

Husbands - Is it still illegal to shoot them?

Just for the record, that is a hypothetical question.  I'm not considering it.  This is important for the future.  I want to make it clear that I am not actually literally considering shooting him so this is not considered a premeditated act if something, say, happens in the future.

Husband flipped out because he couldn't find his second bathing suit.  Therefore, I must have left it at the Jersey Shore last summer because it was my job to pack the suits.  Yesterday, I asked why he packed a bathing suit if he was wearing one.  It was the one I "lost".  It turns out it was in the beach bag - the same beach bag he looked in at least a dozen times.

Yesterday, we went visiting with Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law.  Husband packed all his stuff for after the pool in the beach bag.  To make room, I packed out clothes in a separate bag and the pool items only in the beach bag.  When we got back to their apartment, he got into a giant tantrum because his deodorant was missing.  I must have left it at home when I was transferring the bags.  It turns out he left it in the bathroom.  I told him I must have put it away for him yesterday instead of packing it to come with us.

This happened at least a couple of more times where he blamed me for losing or misplacing items I never touched.  The pinnacle of his crankiness happened last night where he worked himself up enough to yell, "I don't understand why you just don't know where everything I own is at any single moment of the day!"

It's always nice to end arguments with laughter.  Otherwise, I'd be asking if it was still illegal to shoot husbands. 

Books Read in June 2013

1. Just One Kiss by Susan Mallery  (NOTE:  This is part of the Fool's Gold Series. You can find the order in which to read it here.)
2. Lush by Lauren Dane  (NOTE:  This is part of the Delicious series.  The order of which can be found here. However, this series is very close to the Brown series and many characters appear. You can find the order to that series here.)
3. It Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis (NOTE:  This is part of the Lucky Harbor series. The order of which can be found here.)
4. One Ssweet Ride by Jaci Burton. (NOTE: This book is part of the Play by Play series. The order in which to read can be found here.)
5. The Perfect Gift by Jennifer Ashley  (NOTE:  This is part of the Mackenzie Family series.  The order of which can be found here.)
6. Two of a Kind by Susan Mallery  (NOTE:  This is part of the Fool's Gold series.  The order of which can be found here.)
7. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin  (NOTE:  This is part of the A Song of Ice and Fire series.  The order of which can be found here.)

Big month and all spread out. Lots of fun little romances. Then, I finally finished A Game of Thrones. I've read the book on and off for years. Literally years. I finally finished it. I did buy the second book, and hopefully, it won't take me years to read that one.

Movies Watched in June 2013

1. The Great Gatsby
2. Star Trek Into Darkness
3. Dark Shadows
4. Much Ado About Nothing

It looks more impressive than it is, but it's better than last month.  I took Mom to The Great Gatsby for a belated Mother's Day present.  I don't know that it needed to be in 3-D, but it was a visually beautiful movie.  I saw Star Trek for my birthday, and that was a fun action movie with pretty boys.  I'm going to pretend I watched Dark Shadows on HBO, but Brave on Starz made up for it.  It was worth the wait.  Snuck in Much Ado About Nothing on the last day of the month.  It was really good, and I can take or leave Shakespeare.

Weekend Update - Summertime!

Last weekend, I got soaking wet walking home from work. It took my shoes 2 days to dry out. 

Saturday, we were given a beautiful day though. Little Miss and I went out to my parents' pool to celebrate my dad's birthday and Father's Day - both a little belated. We played at the pool with my parents, Sister and Nephew. We had lunch and snacks. Then, we went back to the house for dinner. We all ate ourselves silly and had cake as more of a symbolic gesture than anything else, but it's not a birthday without cake!

On Sunday, I met a friend in Bethesda for lunch and a movie. It was a really good day even if my GPS took me the scenic route home. The company and the movie were great. Husband golfed most of the weekend. It led into a quiet evening which was a great way to cap off the weekend.

Hockey

Little Miss has really enjoyed hockey this season.  We took her to a Rangers game during Spring Break.  She would watch the first period of the Playoff games with Husband before bed.  She was learning the players and their numbers.  She wore her jersey often.  Then, when the Rangers were eliminated, Husband had her rooting for Boston over the Pittsburgh.  So, when it came down to Boston versus Chicago, she continued to root for Boston on her own.  

During the last game, she said she was rooting for the "Bostons to win because I want them to win the Champions' Cup."  Unfortunately, she woke up to disappointing news.  

Lawyer Perhaps?

Little Miss is very influenced by advertisements.  She knows many jingles by heart.  She sings the Nationwide jingle all the time for instance.  The latest commercial that has caught her fancy is one for Flashlight Friends.  She mentioned to Husband the other night that she really wants one.  If you don't click on the link, they are stuffed animals with a built-in flashlight.  She said if she had one, it would help her read in bed and help her become a better reader.

That's sound logic right there.  There's a good chance she may be getting a Flashlight Friend. 

Honesty, Thy Name is Toddler - Part 2

As I mentioned here, Little Miss had a sleepover at the In-Laws' apartment. When I picked her up the next morning, I asked how her weekend went. She looked at me and said she had fun, but "Well, you won't be happy with some of it." 

As it turns out, she gets spoiled at her grandparents' house and things aren't done the same way they are done at home which is expected - one wants grandparents to spoil because many, many children don't have grandparents these days. One day (and soon, I imagine), she'll start to keep secrets from me so I try to react calmly so she'll share information with me as long as possible. In the meantime, I'm going to glory in the fact that she's still honest with me.

Honesty, Thy Name is Toddler

I don't wear green often.  Nothing personal, but I just don't have a lot in green.  The other day, I chose a green floral tunic top that I've worn maybe once before.  Little Miss looks at me and says, "Ugh, that color looks awful on you.  You should wear this shirt."  She then handed me a pink shirt.  So, I wore that one.  It is unclear if I will ever wear that green shirt again.

Weekend Update - Busy Bees

Two weekends ago, we had a busy weekend.  On Friday, I took the train and met a former co-worker for dinner and a walk around the mall.  It was a really nice evening.  Although, you should never mix martinis and shopping.  Regardless, it was a great night.

On Saturday, the three of us went to a BBQ at friends' house.  Then, we dropped Little Miss off at the In-laws' apartment with her cousin for a sleepover.  Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law, Husband and I, and two other couples went out for Mexican and then went bowling.  It was a lot of fun.  We were all feeling no pain except for our bowling scores.

On Sunday, Husband went golfing while I lounged in bed.  Then, I picked up both kids and met Sister-in-Law.  We went to the playground with the kids and then Little Miss took an unplanned nap.  When she woke up, the boys got there, and we all went to the pool.  We ordered pizza and then head on home. 

It was a great weekend, but it left us exhausted.  I think I spent all weekend recovering.

Too Many Choices

Last weekend, we went to a BBQ where it was BYOB.  So, I let Little Miss pick her own juice boxes to bring.  She stood in the large aisle looking at all her options.  Meanwhile, I was just wanting to run in, pick out our beverages and run out.  So, I tried to push her along.  She looked at me and said firmly, "Mommy, I need you to give me patience."

I counted to ten.  She chose juice boxes and then said, "See, when you give me patience, I make a choice!"

She's got a point.

Weekend Update - Father's Day

Last weekend, I came right home after work ended at 3PM and took Little Miss to the park for her last playdate with her friend.  Her friend and her family are moving to Poland so we tried to get as many playdates in as possible.  Because neither girl wanted to be sad about the parting, they decided to bicker the entire time, but they did part as friends.  On the way home, I picked up a small pizza for Little Miss for dinner.  She ate half of the 10" pizza and declared it "the best pizza in the world".

On Saturday, Little Miss had her last swim class.  There was a substitute, but she did quite a bit.  At the end, she got a certificate.  After, we came home and napped.  It was glorious.  Then, we cleaned.  And cleaned.  It was much-needed.

On Sunday, I got up with Little Miss because it was Father's Day.  We had a big breakfast and beat the storm and took a walk.  During our walk, we snacked along the way.  Little Miss had a cake pop and I snagged some frozen yogurt.  Then, we went to the store to cook Husband's dinner for Father's Day.  Husband got some crab dip and a pasta dish.  It was a nice relaxing day despite a couple of meltdowns on everybody's part. 

We had some tentative plans, but this was the last weekend we had before a bunch of very busy weekends so we stayed in which was perfect and relaxing.

oooops...

Little Miss came stomping into the living room today and announced that yesterday was Flag Day.  She said she wanted to celebrate, and we missed.  I responded that I forgot.  I mean, even if I didn't forget, it's not normally a holiday I celebrate outside of stating, "Hey, today is Flag Day."  So, she gives me this look of utter derision and says, "Well, now you know."  

Yes, now I know.

Family Pictures

Just a sampling of some of our family photos.



Below are the ones we purchased:

All in all, we were happy with them.  The process is always tedious (bordering homicidal for Husband), but we only do them every other year as a family.  Little Miss LOVES having her photo taken.  She'd still be there posing if we let her!

Spelling Humor

You know, when you spell hippopotamus, it starts with H-I-P-P... and after that, you lose a 5-year-old's attention because there is PP in the middle of the spelling.  *sigh*  I can't wait until her humor graduates beyond the bathroom.

Anything Goes

Yesterday was my birthday.  As I wrote, I had a lovely Friday night with friends for my birthday so most of the celebrating was over.  However, yesterday was quite nice for a Tuesday birthday.  I brought in munchkins to the office.  I like to do that because they're small and no one can say no to a donut hole.  My friend sent me flowers to the office which was a nice treat and brightens my sparse office.  My co-worker treated me to frozen yogurt which was a nice afternoon snack.  Then, after work, I met Sister-in-Law for a happy hour and dinner before seeing Anything Goes at The Kennedy Center.  The show was very energetic and really cute and high-energy.  When I got home, I got to open a card from Little Miss that said, "Happy birthday, Mommy!  I love you and I like you."  For some reason, that really made me giggle.  It's a keeper. 

It's a Wonderful Life

You can find the sign above here.

We have a plaque that says It's a Wonderful Life.  Little Miss loves to read it and point it out.  I mostly forget it's even there.  Regardless, tonight, she was hanging with Husband, and she pointed it at the sign and read it.  Then, she says, "It's a wonderful life ... Actually, it's not a wonderful life.  Sometimes, it's a bad life."

Wiser words have not been spoken.

Weekend Update - The End of an Era

Last Friday, I took some vacation time to see Little Miss in her preschool finale. The kids did a fantastic job. It really was a fantastic class - small and really close-knit. She made her first really good friends. The kids received a certificate.

 

You can see Little Miss was very proud of her certificate. After the show, there was a little reception - lots of sugar and presents. After, Little Miss was invited to spend the afternoon with her good friend while Husband and I returned to work. Little Miss painted pottery and then went to lunch and was dropped off at the Inlaws' apartment. I worked and then Friday night, I met friends, Sister and Sister-in-Law for some drinks, food and a movie to celebrate my birthday a little early. It was a lot of fun! On Saturday, Little Miss had swim class. Then, there was lunch and bath before we got family pictures taken. They came out really nice. We were pleased - even though Husband almost had a heart attack dealing with the traffic and mall stress. After Little Miss got to enjoy herself at the fair for about an hour. Then, Husband had plans to meet friends for some golf and dropped off Little Miss and me at my parents' house for dinner. Mom and Dad drove us home, and we were all sleeping before Husband came home (though he did say I had a conversation with him).

On Sunday, we had a quiet day recovering from our busy Saturday. Little Miss and I woke up early and had some breakfast and played some board games. Then, we had brunch and a nap. The nap was my favorite part. In the afternoon, a family from Little Miss's preschool hosted a really lovely bbq. The kids had a blast, and it was a nice end-of-year event before the kids all went separate ways. Some will at least be in town, but a couple of the kids are moving out of the country. It was a long weekend, but it was full of fun which is the best kind of weekend!

Weekend Update - And so begins the summer...

Husband and I mapped out our summer, and it is ridiculously busy.  Seriously, I'm exhausted and it hasn't started yet.  So, hopefully, this blog will be hopping!

This weekend, Little Miss came home on Friday with a low fever and a hacking cough.  I let her fall asleep in bed with me and Husband let her stay the night in our bed.  So, around 3AM, she woke us both up from the radioactive heat radiating from her body.  We took her temp which clocked in around 102.3 and stuffed some Tylenol down her.  At 5AM, she decided to sleep with her feet on my pillow, and at that point, she got booted back to her own bed.

Because she was sick, we kept her home from swimming and cancelled our day at the pool.  She ran some errands with Husband and then took a 4-hour nap.  Since then, she's been 99% (can't get rid of the cough).  Meanwhile, I promised my mom a day of fun for Mother's Day so we did lunch at Seasons 52 and then went to a movie.  After, I introduced her to Pinkberry. When I got home, I took a little nap and then we all did dinner and bedtime. Little Miss usually reads herself to bed and last night, she read Sleeping Beauty. So, at 9PM, she called me in crying. She has reached the point where she is comprehending stories and Maleficent scared her. A lot. So, we let her out on the couch and then back in bed with me, but she went to her room when Husband came to bed because we had a lot planned for Sunday. 

On Sunday, no surprise, Little Miss slept late. We did brunch around noon. Then, we pretty much went straight to lunch. Husband went out with a friend around noon while Little Miss and I hit the bank and then met some of her friends (and their parents) at The Cheesecake Factory. After, we met a bigger group of friends at the park for a big playdate. Little Miss played hard. She came home tired and sweaty, but it was a great day for her. She had such a fantastic class this year. I'll miss them.

Books Read in May 2013

1. Fly Away by Kristin Hannah  (NOTE:  You really should read Firefly Lane first.)
2. Strong Enough to Love by Victoria Dahl  (NOTE:  This is part of the Jackson Hole series.  The order of which can be found here.)
3. Hot Ticket by Olivia Cunning (NOTE:  This is part of the Sinners on Tour series. The order of which can be found here.)
4. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
5. Too Hot to Handle by Victoria Dahl  (NOTE:  This is part of the Jackson Hole series.  The order of which can be found here.)
6. Halfway There by Susan Mallery  (NOTE:  This is part of the Fool's Gold series.  The order of which can be found here.)
7. This Is Who I Am by Cherise Sinclair  (NOTE:  This is part of the Masters of the Shadowlands series.  The order of which can be found here.)

Decent month of reading.  They were all digital. I read A Reliable Wife for book club, but I bought the book years ago. So, if anything, I was glad to finally read it. The others were good books though some aren't for the faint of heart so if you're playing the home game, read the summaries before you read. I'm enjoying being able to read on the way to work, the joy of commuting on the train. Lots of good books coming out this summer, too.

Movies Watched in May 2013

1. Contagion

Sad movie month. On the last day of the month, I caught Contagion on HBO Go. Meh.

Age is Just a Number

Last weekend, Husband went golfing while Little Miss and I had some time home together.  Our usual Sunday routine consists of Husband making pancakes and bacon with Little Miss.  So, she explained to him later that we didn't have pancake and bacon because I don't know how to make pancakes, and I'm not a grown up.  That was great for the ego. 

Then, later this week, she was bouncing around the apartment (literally).  Husband said he wished I had that much energy, and Little Miss said I couldn't because I was too old.  That was also great for the ego.

When we got engaged, Husband bought me a hope chest with my name carved in it.  We've always used it to store stuffed animals even before Little Miss was born.  So, she has since claimed it as hers.  She told us Husband bought it for me, but it's hers now because I'm too old for it.

So, what I've taken away is that I'm old but not yet old enough to cook my own bacon.  They say age is just a number, but it turns out, it's not.  I think I'd rather it just be a number.  I'm totally fine with the number but not with the little barbs thrown at me by my own kid.

Not what Culture Club intended I bet...

For literally years, we've been trying to capture this video.  We listen to the 80's station on XM Radio a lot.  It's the only music the three of us can all agree on.  Somewhere along the way, Little Miss started this little butt wiggle dance to Culture Club's I'll Tumble for Ya.  Today, she let me record it.  It's always adorable, but I'm partial to when she did it as a squishy little toddler.  It's not quite the same as a big girl.  Still always makes me laugh though.  If you're not familiar with the song, I've embedded the original song below:

The Big Haircut of '13

Last Saturday, Little Miss and I went to the mall and got her haircut. We've been meaning to do it for quite awhile, but the chance never came up. So, we mentally prepared her and Saturday was the day. Above is the "before" picture.

She was a little apprehensive at first, but she was good. The man pulled her hair back and then cut it off all at once. Then, because it was 10", we had the opportunity to donate her hair to Locks of Love. I, of course, agreed and filled out the form. We've been praising Little Miss for her good deed.

The pictures make her look nervous, but she was told not to move so she didn't much. Once she was allowed to move, she shook her head a few time and a huge smile erupted all over her face. She can't stop touching and looking. It's a breeze to brush and it's so much lighter for her. She loves that she can wear her hair down. It's adorable.

As a bribe incentive, we told her she could get a new outfit at Build-a-Bear. So, after the haircut, we walked across the aisle at the mall. She picked out a set of pajamas, a robe and slippers. I told her to pick two, but I'll admit that once she picked two that I caved and bought all three anyway. So, after I was self-declared Best Mom Ever, Little Miss said she was hungry. So, I picked her up a little lunch at Corner Bakery. She loved the mac and cheese, and I have to admit it was pretty darned good.

Now that she's had her haircut as a big girl, I'm hopeful the subsequent haircuts will not need bribery incentive.

Weekend Update - Memorial Day

Last weekend was a nice, relaxing weekend actually.  On Friday, I had a half day at work.  There was some big demonstration that blocked the street so I snuck into The Gap.  A shirt, sweater and t-shirt later, I figured it was safe to continue home.  Then, Nordstrom Rack called to me so a pair of shoes and denim shorts later, I actually went home.  

On Saturday, Little Miss and I went out to my parents' house because my grandparents were only in town this weekend.  (More on that in a separate post.)  We had a great time.  She briefly played with Sister and Nephew before they had to head out and then we had dinner and went home.  

On Sunday, Husband went golfing while Little Miss and I met a friend for brunch.  We hung out and chatted for so long that Little Miss got hungry once again so I bought her a little frozen yogurt.  After, we all took a lovely family nap before cleaning the apartment a little.  Little Miss did a great job cleaning her room before she promptly took everything out to play.

On Monday, we had a quiet morning.  Little Miss had a project for school to do while I ran an errand and then we walked to the park for a school playdate.  We used Husband's new electric grill on the balcony to have a mini cook out and then called it a night. 

Good relaxing weekend.

Just Friends

We asked Little Miss about her boyfriend today.  She said they were just friends.

Well, not everybody can stay friends with exes so good for her. 

Truck Day

Every year, the town puts on Truck Day. We've gone three years in a row. Every year, I take a picture of Little Miss inside a wheel. It's going to be very awkward in 10 years. Still, you could say she's grown a bit in the last couple of years.

2011

2012

2013

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. 

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.