Aug 7, 2018 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
We had an unusually relaxing weekend. We didn’t have much planned and everything fell together nicely which doesn’t always happen around here.
On Friday we had friends over for lunch then we all went to the pottery painting shop. Annabelle painted a mermaid statue that will no doubt collect dust under her vanity. When I attempt to relocate it (aka donate or throw it away) after three months of ignoring it she will say it’s her favorite toy on earth and be devastated I considered getting rid of it. We’ve been down this path before.
As we were leaving the pottery place, my friend asked if we had evening plans. I said no so she volunteered to watch Sesame while we went on a date. Letmethinkaboutit YES PLEASE. She’s been so kind to us since we moved here but giving up her own quiet Friday night to watch our chatterbox made me want to kiss her feet.
She told me about a new restaurant and said the view was worth the drive. It did not disappoint.
I loved the date but the highlight of the weekend for me was taking AB out for her first pedicure. I’ve painted her nails at home but she’d never been to a spa. She loved it. She giggled at the bubbling water and changing lights. She told the nail lady 16 times that she picked orange. She talked about everything in sight. She put her hands behind her head, leaned back and said, “I’m going to relax now.”
I hate that she’s growing up so fast but doing things like this together are so much fun!
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| We won’t lose these bright little toes. |
Aug 2, 2018 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
My garden is doing horribly this year. The green beans wilted, the carrots never came up and I haven’t gotten one tomato. The tomato plants look full and lush but looks can be deceiving! I’ve had plenty of green tomatoes but the bugs eat them before they get past the palest orange stage. This has never happened in my 20+ years of gardening. No matter where I’ve lived I have planted a garden every summer. It’s one of the few constants I cling to. I’ve thrown probably 30 rotten tomatoes into the woods. I had a big summer goal of making a meal of homemade bread and homegrown tomatoes. Looks like I’ll be eating my bread with store bought tomatoes.
Speaking of bugs, we had our house sprayed for roaches. I saw what I believed to be a mouse run through the kitchen twice. Both times the kitchen light was off but it was light enough to see something scurrying. We didn’t see any signs of mice in the pantry so Christopher said it must be roaches. So that’s great. I’ve killed several bugs longer than 2 inches but for me to think what I saw was a mouse means it had to be even bigger. At the Y yesterday I saw a bug on the ground larger than Annabelle’s hand so that must be what it was. A man came to spray and since then I’ve found little piles of dead roaches around the house. When I say I want country themed decor I don’t mean I want live/recently killed animals in my house.
My car has been invaded by ants. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN. I’ve vacuumed it out multiple times but I keep seeing those little black ants scurrying around.
It’s either 174* here or it’s pouring.
On to less Debbie Downer topics!
AB has a pretty firm grasp on our country and can identify several states and who lives there. She knows where the White House is, who the president is and what the First Lady does. We’ve talked about the United States ever since she was old enough to have a conversation. Several weeks ago I was explaining to Annabelle the history behind the 4th of July. I went into detail about the 13 colonies, delegates, the Revolutionary War, taxes from England, the whole thing. I finished up the lesson by saying that America is a great nation and we should be thankful we live here. She pondered the information for a minute then said, “Wow. That sounds like a great place. I’d like to live there someday.” I guess we’ll be going back to square 1.
“Look, Mama! I’m standing like a sunflower.”
Sesame likes to use afternoon quiet time to reaccessorize. Her recent favorite is putting her bathing suit and/or her bumble bee tights on over her clothes. They don’t call her stylin’ Sesame for nothing!
My friend Amy came over for a visit today. Annabelle threw up during the night and she had a fever so I warned Amy she might have the stomach bug and I’d understand if she didn’t want to come. She said she could get germs anywhere and she would still come. I am SO glad she did. We’ve been here almost the same exact amount of time and we’re both having trouble adjusting. Sometimes you need to spend a few hours commiserating about how hard life is.
I made us dentist appointments the other day. I found the dentist on the insurance website and left a message on their machine. The next day a lady called me and said “Hi, it’s me. You called and left a message.” ???????? Normally people identify themselves but I’m not so good on the phone myself so maybe I shouldn’t talk. Finally, she clarified where she was calling from and she started to get our information. I don’t have a hard name to spell. It’s been on the top 100 girl names lists since 12 BC.
Her: What’s your name?
Me: Sarah with an H.
Her: So that’s S-h-e-
Me: S-a-r-a-h
Her: S-a….what’s next?
Me: R. S long pause A long pause R
Her: S-a-r-s-r-a-h
Me: ………………………………………………………………S…….A……R……A……H.
Her: And what’s your daughter’s name?
You can use your imagination on how spelling her name went.
Jul 27, 2018 | Currently, Uncategorized |
Reading: children’s book after children’s book after children’s book. We’re nearing the end of the library’s summer reading program and doing our best to have a strong finish. We blew the minimum number of books out of the water. The required number was 3 but we’re at 93. I didn’t know I was supposed to be keeping track of minutes until a few weeks ago so I used my poor math skilz to calculate that we were at 300 minutes. We have two more days to reach 600 minutes and we’re almost there. Almost meaning 90 minutes but we shall press on. Sesame doesn’t care one bit but I’m determined to make it. We went to an end of the program party and AB danced her little feet off. She got up on the stage with the other children and sang Let It Go. For some reason it made me tear up. She’s getting so big!
She won a prize for participating in the program and we picked it up today. She got a Pete the Cat book, stuffed animal and a few coupons for free ice cream and KFC. We also got a Dunkin Donuts gift card. The librarian let us choose between Pizza Hut and DD and without my influencing Annabelle chose DD. My work as a mother is done.
Burying: Benjamin “Little Blue” Harrison, our beta fish. He was never as beloved a member of our family as Millard T. Fillmore so it’s possible he died of a broken heart. He was a very boring fish and none of us are surprised he lived a short life. I sent him down the porcelain express this morning and we’ve already replaced him. Walmart isn’t where I typical purchase live fish but the pet department was right next to the shaving cream I needed so it was killing two birds with one stone. His name is TBD but Annabelle is calling him Bluey Gabluey and that’s a name train I refuse to get on.
Planning: my New Years 2020 party. The theme will be Hindsight.
Setting up: a slipnslide. Our old slipnslide went the same way as AB’s kiddie picnic table- lost somewhere between NY and here. Personally, I think it was stolen by the movers but that hasn’t been proven. I got a new one and set it up this morning to the soundtrack of AB’s constant comments. “Are you sure that’s the way it goes? Is it long enough? Can I have a snack? Can it turn into a pool? How do they make slipnslides? Is it lunchtime yet?” I put on my bathing suit and slide down because I want her to remember me as a cool mom. I banged my knee on a rock and am icing the huge welt it made on my leg as we speak. A few hours before that I shut my arm in the library door. She’ll remember me as the invalid mom.
(Apparently) bad at: drawing. I drew a number 7 balloon on a birthday package I was mailing and the lady at the post office asked if it was a sock. Because drawing a sock on a string makes sense. I’m not Norman Rockwell but it was slightly insulting.
Shopping at: Joanns. As always. This is so me. I saw a cute painted box in aisle 2 then wandered the store looking for an unpainted box, stencils and paint so I could make my own.
Forgetting: everything I was going to blog about.
Apologizing for: such a boring post.
Jul 20, 2018 | Sesame, Uncategorized, What's going on |
I had a doctor appointment today. She looked up from my papers and said, “You know, your blood pressure is a little high.”
I’m sure it is.
I started the day off by burning my arm on splatters of hot butter.
We got locked out of the house so I had to rip the bathroom screen and climb through the window. It was not a big window and I am not as small as I once was. Of course I had just taken a shower, done my hair and makeup and was wearing a dress. I gave the neighbors quite a show.
Last night I cleaned up ants crawling around the front seat of my car. I didn’t know they were also in the back until this morning when AB said ants were in her snack bag. I moved a few things in the back and saw dozens of ants running around. I have no idea how they got there but I need them gone. I had to do an emergency ant extermination.
I dropped papers off at an office in town and got delayed there so I got AB to the babysitter’s late. Because of that I got to the doctors late. Delays at the doctor meant I didn’t get in until over an hour past my appointment time.
I’m not surprised my blood pressure was a little high.
You know whose blood pressure is just fine? This sweet little ballerina.
She did three hours at a little ballet camp and suddenly she’s an expert on the art of dance. She was showing me a few things she learned and having me repeat them. “Oh no, Mama. That’s not the right way. THIS is the way. Do THIS with your foot. LIKE THIS, MOM.” Then she launched herself across the floor and slid into the refrigerator. She’s such a dainty little lady!
Jul 16, 2018 | Sesame, Uncategorized |
Sad news, everyone. Annabelle starts school in a month.
Let’s all have a moment of silence to process our grief.
I don’t know how this is happening since just last week she looked like this.
I know she’ll love it but I’ll so sad at the thought of her being away from me for 12 hours a week. Christopher likes to point out that it’s ONLY 12 but he’s much less emotional than I am. We spend all day, every day together and while I frequently wish I had family around to give me a break, knowing she won’t be around three mornings a week is too much for my delicate heart. I (not really) jokingly said I might park outside the playground and watch her play with the kids. Christopher said that’s a terrible idea and the police might get involved. There he goes again with being reasonable. Of course, 12 hours a week gives me plenty of times for naps and manicures so it might work out for both of us. (Yes, I did go through this when she started MDO and yes, I ended up loving it. Let me have my moment of despair before I shout my love of school from the rooftop.)
All that to say, I’m trying to pack in as much fun before school starts as we can. On Friday we had a Mommy Sesame Date. Normally we got to Dunkin Donuts (inside instead of drivethru because I like to keep our life spicy) but this time we got Chickfila. It goes without saying that it was in the high 90s but we’re stuck inside so much because of the heat I was determined to have a picnic. I was hoping for a nice picture but this is the look your child gives when you put your picnic blanket down on a pile of ant hills.
After the picnic, we went to a small gift shop to pick up a baby gift. Every so often I like to take her into such stores as a way to practice self-control and good behavior etc, but I wonder if it’s worth it when all I have to keep up a running commentary on do’s and don’ts. “Don’t touch! Look but don’t pick up! You can touch with one finger. Isn’t this pretty? You can hold a towel since those don’t break. Watch where you’re going! Don’t bump into that table! Ok, let’s wrap this trip up.” Such a relaxing way to browse the store.
That evening we played hospital for the 56th time that week. She’s is very into Doc McStuffins and has started her own Doc McSesame hospital in the living room. All her stuffed animals are patients and she gives us the option of being a med student, a chef or an entertainer. After we pick she decides she doesn’t like our choice so she tries to reassign us as ambulance drivers or nursery watchers. Without fail she informs us that we’re not doing the job correctly. “But Mama! Stuffy doesn’t talk to patients like that!” It’s tough to be a hospital employee. The hours are erratic, the benefits terrible. Good thing the boss is cute.
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| Pre hospital ball where we all wore blue and entertained the patients. |
Jul 12, 2018 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
* I tried a new zumba yesterday. I haven’t been since we moved even though every single week I wrote “go to zumba” on my church bulletin. Every week I write my weekly goals on the bulletin and 9 out of 10 times I write the same things week after week. It’s not a very effective system. Anyhow. It’s at 9:15 class which I think is too early to be out of the house exercising but I finally did it. I’ve been to many a zumba class but never have I ever been to such a loud class. The ladies, and one man, were whopping and hollering like a gang of hyenas. I could barely hear the music. Back where I come from, there’s a small applause after each song and the occasional enthusiastic yell but nothing like this. I’ll go back but I’ll pack earplugs along with my water bottle.
Churches are much more vocal here too. People are frequently amening, that’s righting and every week the congregation claps at least once. I don’t enjoy clapping in church (clapping makes it seem too much like a performance) but I do a polite golf clap every so often. When in Rome!
* Sesame got her first haircut when we were at home. She was obviously thrilled.
So many people have asked me lately if I curl her hair. Yes! I wake us both up at 4am to put her hair in curlers every single morning. I hope we’ll be able to keep it up this rigorous schedule when she starts school.
* I hold myself to a high library fines standard. I always pay them off immediately and pride myself in never owing more than $2. Imagine my shock and horror when I was checking out at the library and the librarian said we couldn’t get any books because we had reached our fine limit. Excuse me? I have never reached my limit. I asked how much we owed and she said $27. TWENTY SEVEN DOLLARS. I was speechless and mortified. She must have me mixed up with someone else. I didn’t believe her so she printed out a receipt that was over four feet long. It was so long that when I folded it, it was too bulky to fit in my wallet. It took two librarians and a visit to a different library to get it all sorted out. I thought I had returned a HUGE pile of books on their due date but had actually returned them a few days late. Take it from me- late fees add up fast.
Actual footage of the library accountant seeing my money roll in.
* I went out to grill chicken the other night and found two frogs hanging out under the lid. Needless to say, I can never cook on that grill again. I asked Christopher the other day when frog season will be over and he said it’s not a season. They’re a permanent fixture. If you hear I’ve been arrested for illegal drug possession you can blame the frogs.
* I’m been discussing adoption and foster care with AB lately. She gave me a hug and said, “I would want you and Daddy to adopt me.”
