ssshhh…

::writing::

which children's storybook character are you?

this quiz was made by colleen

oh, how i am in love with my BC. there we were, driving to playgroup. i put on bob marley, the music of her birth (when i erroneously believed i would not need drugs during childbirth, i thought a mere boombox blasting bob marley would be the only medication i would need. boy, was i delusional.) and BC squeaks, “mommy, i LOVE this song!” ::melting::

don't get me wrong. there were possibly 3 or 4 occasions today when i seriously wanted to pull hair out. especially at bedtime, when she starts on her nightly mantra: “mama, i WANT you!” over and over and over and… there is nothing i would love better than snuggling up with my little bunny and snoozing (ok, well there ARE a few things i might prefer, but that is actually extremely high on my list of faves), but i cannot start her on bad habits or i shall never sleep again. it is tough to be a mom.

but… we went to the park this morning, and another mom was there with her two little girls, one only about 3 months younger than BC and one just a year old. i wish the world could see the gentle caretaker my little girl has become. she could care less about her little colleague, but she was so busy making sure that the baby didn't lose her little bottle and that the baby didn't stick her foot through the park bench and then some. she even stroked the little girl's cheek ever-so-gently. i was so incredibly proud of her.

then, at playgroup, the other mom was having a pretty stressful day. her daughters, who are really lovely little girls, were at each others' throats. and i am sure my BC wasn't helping too much. after my friend's daughter told her that she loved her, my BC piped up her other mantra: “i love you to the pink and purple and green and blue and rainbow moon and stars and beyond!” this, of course, is usually saved for me; but i was amazed at her ability to pick up that this other grownup really needed a hug, albeit a verbal one. in short, my child is an empath. just like her ma.

there are other moments from the day, but that is just a little sample of my little girl. i know i usually merely vent about the tough moments, but then i see these other moments that push though those clouds and i just cry my eyes out.

sorry guys. i am just not too cynical today. just grateful.

with thanks to frobisher.

which “monty python and the holy grail” character are you?

this quiz was made by colleen

so the house construction across the street is achieving a strange metamorphosis. when we last left the structure, it had been completely taken down except for the brick front.

now, the structure is up. the brick has just been painted grey. interesting. then they put on cedar shingles. they didn't go with the grey brick, but what the hell do i know? then, they painted the door a maroonish-red. ok, methinks i am not the stylist to the stars, but i know a house not matching when i see it. in short, i am perplexed.

so tonite, i am taking out the garbage, and in the span of, oh, say 2 hours, the cedar shingles have been painted a dark bluish grey. unevenly, i might add. hmm.

things i don't understand:
1) why paint bricks?
2) why paint CEDAR SHINGLES?
3) why did they keep the brick front only in the first place? they knocked the whole rest of the house down, so i guess maybe i don't get it all….

do me a favor… the center for science and the public interest is now doing an e-mail campaign to get mickey d's to offer veggie burgers. please take a minute and send them an e-mail — you can get to the form here.

and hell, while you are at it, check out the other campaigns. little things, like improve the way meat comes to your table, etc… you might care a little about that.

there is a dearth of nursery schools/early childhood centers where we live. we applied for two public school montessori programs here in our fair county, just for fun. BC is in a terrific day care, and we really probably would not move her anyway, but sometimes, you figure, y'know – like NY Lotto – “you've gotta be in it to win it.”

we knew that the chances were slim and none. not only do siblings of already-enrolled students get priority, but kids in the neighborhood get priority in one program. not to mention that 2/3 of the scant slots are for people of modest income (which, in these parts, is $52,000 or less – unbelievable, huh?) so out of a class where there might be 10 three-year-olds, BC has a shot at 3 or 4 slots at most.

can you say “snowball's chance in hell?”

in the spanish immersion program, BC is listed at #12 out of 68 on her part of the wait list. i figured this was next to impossible since this program gets applications from all over our county. statistically, though, she is better off than at our neighborhood school.

at our neighborhood school, BC is listed at #14. out of 14. as in last. of the last.

i am incredibly grateful that BC is in a terrific daycare. i had hoped to move her into something a little closer to home. but frankly, i should be grateful i got her in anywhere AT ALL.

christ. who do you have to sleep with to get your child into nursery school?

i made myself into a mermaid. but you try it yourself and see 🙂

i am tired. i think i need eugene to cheer me up.

today i had the genuine pleasure of meeting maddening IRL for lunch along with karly-warly. karl was on KST (karl standard time); but since i have grown fond of de guy, i didn't mind one whit. in fact, when akadashi-san and maddening-san showed up, i was merely annoyed because i had been watching a lady who was so busy talking on her cel phone that she couldn't see how her ridiculous parking abilities were impaired and she selfishly took up two spots in the process. G-d, i hate stupid people.

but i digress. we had yummy thai food; we two chicks are vegetarian in our fashion, so i didn't feel like a freak of nature 🙂 i never did figure out what was in the pink sweet sauce that came with the veggie rolls, but no matter. it was a lark, and i am glad to got out of the house — it definitely was better than the trip to home despot i had planned 🙂

heehee. thanks for lunch, el karlo.