Family Ties ...

As children we live in the moment and hope for sunshiny days. We spend three hundred and sixty four days waiting for the big one. That amazing day.

YOU KNOW THE ONE.

WE ALL HAVE IT.

YES.

OUR BIRTHDAYS!


I can remember being so incredibly amped up on the eve of "the big day" that I felt sick.
...nerves, nerves.
Where are my presents?
When are we having cake?
When can I open my presents?
Who is coming over?...
...Nannie, Pop?
...Nana, Pop?
...Nan and Bull?
When can I open my presents?
...who from Mom's side?
...who from dad's side?
...which cousins?
When can I open presents?
...Can I have friends or is it just family?

The much anticipated day came and went. Then the countdown to the next big one started.
Those "big days" are filled with great things including family.

If you noticed, like many kids now... I too had more than two sets of Grandparents. This allowed multiple family tree branches. Some are rowans thick with blood relations, while other leafy stems hold blossoms that flowered "non- blood" ties. These blossoms are as integral a part of the tree as any sturdy branch. We need the fruit and the flower in order to continue, just as we hold dear the branches that carry them. Children thrive in this beautiful, but structured environment.

Does this make any sense to you?
I have to admit sometimes, here, in the middle of the night...
...I catch myself on a ramble.
Things like fluffy pink bunnies, petal pink lace and skipping through my living room pop into my head. I indulge and skip around with a bunny.
Why not?
If I do this too often...You know the ramble thing...
...reel me back in! (aka: comment away)

I'm bringing up family because what we think are simple, human relationships as children are a series of intricate branches. They become complicated with adult insight.

Family is "normal."
...then messed up.
...We question what "messed up" means.
...We question: How strange "perfect" families out there must really be.
...We conclude with: There is no such thing as "normal." Therefore every family is technically "normal."

I've said it.

---RE-CAP TIME---

We all have normal families because there is no such thing as normal. There are only degrees of abnormality.

That made me feel great! I hope it did the same for you.

When I was a kid I thought that life was peachy.
I had the prettiest, nicest Mom in the world.
My Grandparents constantly stole me away on vacations and sleepovers.
I had a new Dad that loved me and my Mom a ton.
I even had a lot more relatives thanks to the addition of "the new dad."
Life was a bowl of cherries.
After a brief, seven years on the planet isn't this how you should feel?

I hope that you're thinking YES.

I think of my beautiful, rosy cheeked girls. I hope that life is peachy for them. From my adult perspective it's full of sky scrapers to scale. I'm hoping that it takes a dozen or so years before they manage to develop a scewed adult viewpoint.

Somewhere during the teenage years Mom and Dad became the enemy. Grandparents worried too much and I realized that no one was perfect. They were riddled with anxiety, health concerns, stress and addictions. Relatives that couldn't stand each other held family meetings and mini, self concocted therapy sessions in order to come together for holidays and play Santa. The Nannie that never uttered a foul word in her grandchildren's presence cursed like a drunken, sailor in adult company.
I have to thank them. They managed to give me that peachy childhood. It was far from perfect, but remember...
...they never are.

I'm obsessing over this topic because mine has been a family heavy week.
I've purposely shared time with sisters and cousins and unexpectedly bumped into others in the oddest places.
- DMV being one of them!

Meet Julia...our au pair extraordinaire. 

My cousin and I try to keep in touch. Amy has always felt like more of a sister to me. We live in the same town and have six girls between us! Yes, we are the all female Brady Bunch folks.
However we're not lesbians.
...and I have an au pair, not a maid.
Our girls are cousins and at times, her Amanda and my Addi, who are close in age, like us...
... aggravate each other more like sisters would. They also play beautifully together and are more similar than they think. As their Moms we know this. As kids, they don't. That's why we're going to keep throwing the two of them together as often as we can!
We aren't selfishly motivated..
...I swear!
WINK...WINK...

Whether we visit constantly or don't have time to schedule anything around multiple sporting events, after school activities, play - dates or business obligations...
...We are there and we do care.

WE looooovvvee...

Aunt Marnee's...

home-made....

macaroons...

They just won't fit...

in our mouths with one bite!

Our first sleepover with cousin Amanda. It was a blast!

This brings me back to a song that I once blasted in my bedroom and my parent's car, to their dismay! It's a little ditty by a band called Faith No More. (Wow. I felt rather British with my "dsimay" and "ditty."...Note to self: Be a Brit more often.) The song is called We Care A Lot. It gets political at points but these stanzas sum it all up.
Enjoy.
I'm singing it.
Sing along if you know it!
...or just play it really loud!


We care a lot about the garbage pail kids, they never lie.
We care a lot about transformers because theres more than meets the eye.
We care a lot about the little things, the bigger things we top.
We care a lot about you people, yeah you bet we care a lot.
Yeah!

Said its a dirty job but someones gotta do it.
Well its a dirty job but someones gotta do it.
Said its a dirty job but someones gotta do it.
Well its a dirty job but someones gotta do it.
Well its a dirty job but someones gotta do it.
Said its a dirty job but someones gotta do it.
Said its a dirty song but someones gotta sing it.
Woah!

Kids love their "messed up" families. Don't forget to love yours!


Read more: FAITH NO MORE - WE CARE A LOT LYRICS http://www.metrolyrics.com/we-care-a-lot-lyrics-faith-no-more.html#ixzz1nYTcqIVh
Copied from MetroLyrics.com 

Miss. Manhattan...Scratch that, Mrs. Manhattan and Her Mahattanettes!

Four Pearls in a Clam

When the weekend is a rainy wash out...

When plans get cancelled unexpectedly...

When a winter vacation draws to an end...

When I'm getting "antsy"...

Or just because it's time to mix up our routine...

I pack my little trio up and head into Manhattan!

Picking a mode of travel is the first part of the journey.

Will it be Caravan?

Will it be train?

Hmmmmm....

Today we opted for train.

 It's been awhile. It was was time to discard the creature comforts that we parents have dubbed necessities.

No DVD.

No radio...aka ipod. (not risking it getting lost)

No seats with built in "butt-warmers.(I love my- butt - warm on a chilly day. Best feature ever!)

Say good bye to those favorite travel blankets kids! (Mommy IS NOT carrying them ALL DAY. ...Sorry.)

How many books do you want to bring? "Baby, Mommy said ONE BOOK....not five hard covers."

...I will never say no to books, ever...simply enforcing the need to lighten the load.

Addi pointed out the difference between a hard cover and soft cover book and we were back on track.

---TIME TO PACK THE RED BAG---

**Please note.This is a skill acquired after much dedicated parenting and kid toting. If you're new to this game you might really want to TAKE NOTES!***

My motto is: PACK LIGHTLY AND EQUALLY. 

Each of my girls packed a favorite paperback reader, a sketchbook, an 8 pack of crayons, a good 'ole #2 pencil (Nice and pointy for the best drawing, of course.)...with a "good" eraser (No nasty, pink smudges! According to my girls those are not allowed.) and gloves in case it got chilly.

Now throw in Addi's digital camera, my digital camera, my wallet, a pressed powder and chapstick, clunky key ring and cell phone!

Remember, this is only light packing.

I also load up on snacks. Today, the red bad had quite the variety of goodies.

- 4 cheese sticks                           - 3 bags of baked cheeses doodles

- 4 gala apples                              - 3 organic fruit strips

- 3 bags of trail mix                       - 4 granola bars

- a water bottle            

....Last but not least, a handful of my favorite ginger root chews.

There was something for everyone. A baggie with 10 folded baby-wipes to clean that "something" of of my "someones" saves the day!

OH!

...and an extra zip-lock, quart sized, to be used for emergency situations and garbage.

EMERGENCY... You wonder? I've had a child throw up in one before. I thanked God that I had it!

You might wonder...

How does she fit all of this into the single, red bag?!

This is my version of the clown car.

...A FEW YEARS WITH BABY BUNDLE #1 TAUGHT ME WELL.

I go against every grain of my "fly by the seat of my pants" nature in order to achieve that same feeling for my kids. They think that what I do is completely grand!! They think it's super and soooo spontaneous! They say that I'm  fun!

I laugh. I applaud myself, ...proud that I can successfully FAKE spontaneity!

My babies will have new experiences as often as I can give them. They will have the chance to be spontaneous themselves.

Whether they can achieve the mastery "of faking it" in parenthood depends on their skill level!

- To think, couples worldwide worry about fake orgasms.

Little do my girlies know that after they go to sleep Mommy stays up for a few more hours...

making lists.

creating equally portioned bags of snacks.

sharpening "perfect" pencils with "good" erasers.

digging through piles and piles and piles of books for their favorite sketchbooks.

tossing in one last load of laundry because it contains the best outfit ever...X3 (or 4 if mine is there too!)

checking the train schedule and writing it all down in a safe place. (on my hand in Sharpie works well)

"Us" just before Jim left for his trip this morning.

MY HUSBAND TEASES ME.

He tells me to stop and go to bed. He knows better, but can't help but try and save me from myself. It never works. Am I OCD? Aren't we all?

The fact that I've become this silly, mommy monster helps my girls. The more "together" I am the more secure they feel, or so I've convinced myself. When I see them having fun I let lose. It's my version of the old saying,"If Mom ain't happy...ain't nobody happy."

Except this version is about happy all around, in the most positive, twisted mommy sense!

I work. I pack. I juggle. I am happy! My kids are happy. They are carefree. I am not?! I am happier?!

...but seriously, I am.

Jim is typically in the office during these excursions. This is the place that eats up roughly 70+ hours of his week. My guy is all about the suburbs during the off hours. Can you blame him?

I love the city! It was wonderful to be living there in my twenties. The city's vibrancy and bustle thrusts itself at you on every corner, park and subway stop. I thoroughly enjoy sharing my and Jim's favorite spots and memories with our girls. We go on girlie adventures and make new ones.

Some of my best puddle jumping moments have been in Central Park. Jim, Addison and I were caught in a summer storm. Rather than run and find shelter we booked into the zoo boutique and purchased waaaay overpriced, but adorable rain boots with a matching coat for Addi. Voila!!

It turned into the best rainy day in history!

We were soaked to the bone, laughing hysterically and splashing through hoards of puddles.

Today wasn't wet. It was cold, windy and dull. After yesterday's rain the Museum of Natural History was a welcomed rainbow.

We shared the day with friends who had never been their before. This transformed my little Long Islanders into Manhattanites. They knew where they were and where we were headed. I had three, anxious tour guides. This helped. The museum was more crowded than I have ever seen it! Even the coat check was full to capacity. We were the lucky, last "checkers" after standing on a twenty minute long line.

...One more thing to add to the lucky day list. (I keep track thanks to Chloe.)

Every day is Chloe's lucky day. She proudly announces this each morning.

Her lucky days add to mine.

We women and our girlies said hello to the manatees and marine life on display. We layed on the large rubber floor, under the giant hanging whale. This we love a lot.

 Lay on the matt. Look up at the blue-ish rolling ceiling as is echos waves. Listen to the sounds of the sea and the noises that are sea life. Kids cartwheeled, tumblesaulted and crowd down upon me.

It was pure bliss.

Addi snapped so many photos in the dim surroundings that her battery died. I let her borrow my camera, but it was never for as long as she wanted it for.

Doesn't she remember that Mom likes photography too? 

Of course not...She's nine. My Addi resorted to borrowing her friend's iphone. Clever, clever girl.

Grace posed for many, many pictures. She loves hamming it up for the camera.

I have many images of Grace with fish, Grace with sharks, Grace in a giant clam, Grace saying,"Oooh..Look!" while pointing. Grace has a HUGE photo album! I should say that she will ...when I get around to printing all of these.

Chloe missed her Daddy. Jim has only been gone since 9 a.m. but Chlo Chlo is in distress. By 9:10 she was clinging to my hip and crying for her Dad. The "whale matt" took on new meaning when Chloe curled up next to me and said that she "missed her Dad and wanted him."...then cried. Our sensitive girl was breaking my heart. I cuddled and calmed her, not wanting her to freak out tourists, other kids or herself. After a few minutes we checked out more marine life.
Isn't it amazing how quickly a mood can change?

Grace and Chloe came running up to me.

"Mom...Mom! You have to see this! Close your eyes!"was shouted by Grace as she and her sister dragged me away.

To my surprise I was standing in front of a display that wasn't all about large, wet creatures. It was an underwater reef. Multicolored, pastel and neon plants and coral of numerous textures scattered the seascape. Two divers swam downward.

STOP.

TWO DIVERS?

I looked at my daughter's expressions as they stared at the wet looking, beach ready, men.

OK..I GET IT. I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

HERE IT COMES...

Chloe innocently asked,"Are they dead too?"

I hear laughter from an older couple behind us and a crowd of teenagers.

I turn and smile...chuckling. It's time to answer. Here it goes.

"No, Chlo. They were never alive."

-Both look puzzled. I keep going.

"A very lucky artist, was asked to make sculptures of people that looked very real, like they were swimming. The museum would never kill someone."

Chloe's response,"But Mom, isn't everything here killed?"

My response,"Only the animals and that was a hundred years ago."

Grace's response after absorbing content,"So a hundred years ago people always killed?"

I went on to explain the science of it and the history in it to my five and six year old. I hope that I did this glorious place justice.
Then, I wondered where my nine year old had gone?!

I momentarily forgot about the other two people on our journey. I was used to flying solo.

Oh, that's right...she wandered off with the friend who hasn't been to the city in twenty years!

I'm screwed!

-I grab Grace and Chloe and CALMLY and SOFTLY call for Addison.

Addi, her friend and the friend's Mom are found.

I snap into teacher on field trip mode and dictate the rules eloquently.

We decided to stop whale watching and watched out for a lost aunt.

I did not "typo."

I meant AUNT.

We had one more "girlie," toting a seven pound chihuahua, in a service dog bag to add to our adventurous crew.

My sister knew where we were...but unlike my kids, didn't know how to get there.

I was opening sporadic texts that asked,"Do I take the 6 train?"and "Where r u?"

I tried to respond but most of my messages were lost in space, ex-ed out and returned.

We met up with our found and not lost Aunt in the museum cafe.

Here, we spent more $$$$ than we had the entire afternoon. I could have bought a gourmet dinner complete with appetizers for the price of our chicken, drinks, and fries.

As a patron I will say, understandingly," I know that the museum needs to make a profit at the end of the day and be able to keep it's doors open to the public. I get it."

My wallet cried.

My kids barely touched their food.

I took out  the "emergency baggie" and dumped the chicken in it.

**Note to Self: Offer to kids on train or lacquer in GOLD POWDER and hang on the kitchen wall in tribute to the most expensive chicken meals NOT EATEN!

Our group travelled to the hall of the dinosaurs. I now have more photos of Grace. She has dinosaurs behind her head.

Chloe liked this area a lot. The budding scientist in her emerged. Now I have some smiling photos of her. Yay!

Addi grabbed my camera every chance that she could. This I love! I don't like it when her battery dies because I miss my chance to take photos of her taking photos. (I know...I'm crazy.

Addi begged us for toys from the gift shop. Her sisters both reminded her that "It's not nice to always ask for stuff." and "that we were there to look at the real, dead animals."

Addi gave up on asking me.

She begged her friend's Mom to go to the gift shop!!!
Who is this strange kid? My daughter?! No way!!!
She was rude. I am not enjoying this age when it comes to the multiple, poor attempts at adult manipulation. She needs to stop. She's not good at it. Please, Addi...please...Go back to being reasonable.

Hurry.

Mommy Loves you.

The friends that came with us insisted on looking for souvineers. Normally I'd say."Cool. Have fun...we can meet up in a few minutes." Today was different. The place was so crowded that tou could barely see from one hall to the next. The lines in the shops were wrapping around corners and I had three kids with me that weren't going home easily if they couldn't get a toy too.

I had a mom-to-mom chat that backfired. "The friend's mom" was now offering to but all of my kids museum toys.

Oh MY Goodness!

She didn't get it.

-I'm not a charity case.

-I've brought my kids to The Museum of natural History dozens of times and like fast food we just don't "do" the gift shop thing.

-Am I strange?!

-This was a can of worms that i didn't want to open.

-Plus I wasn't in the mood to lose friends in the city or miss our train because of the gift shop.

She said that her daughter really wanted "something."The Mom asked,"Why can't we just take a later train?"

Chloe chimed in,"I want to go home. I don't want to go to the store."

Thank you...my sweet, tired voice of reason.

There we stood outside of floor 1's gift shop, blocking the way and being bumped by passersby. I was clinging to my kids hands and Marn was clutching Jerry the chihuahua's tote. We swayed with the tide.

I lost it.

IT went something like this:

"__________________ I'm sorry, but I've really had enough. To be honest...my kids are tired and I'm shot. I don't want to miss the train. I'm cranky. (little smile to lighten things up. Did it work?) There is no way that we can go to a gift shop, see another exhibit, get coats from coat check and get back to Penn Sation in...Let me see...40 minutes."She looked angry, gave a squinty glare, then talked to her daughter and was chipper again. 

There was a quick Aunt Marnee intervention. Addi was magically a cool kid again. Then we were off and running to the subway.

The "C" train emerged from the darkness as we walked onto the platform. 

Perfect timing!

The kids surfed, rocked and twirled around the train poles. Onlookers smiled and commented on the "age of innocence" and "Oh...to be small again." Addi's friend was unfortunately, not allowed to stand and was forced to remain seated. Mom was a nervous wreck! She hadn't told me until now, on our return trip that she was terrified of riding the subway! I felt horrible. I wished she had mentioned this. We could have walked or "cabbed it."

Back at Penn station we had 15 minutes to spare before boarding the train. Addi's friend's Mom went to Starbuck's and ordered a Grande Iced latte. She also emerged with two very happy, latte sipping nine year olds! 

I was pissed. 

My kids don't even drink soda.

Was I PMS'ing? 

Should this bother me this much?

YES IT SHOULD. 

I had been bulldozed by another mother.

Now my oldest was going to be high as a kite, 

...with the caffeine rush of the century,

...while seated for an hour,

... on the Long Island rail Road!

This was done out of guilt for not buying a toy at the museum.

When she saw the look on my face she sweetly offered to by my five and six year olds latte's as well!

Holy woman, I love ya but...Get a clue.

I had to remind myself that I liked this chick, had known her for years, that she didn't mean any true harm and is my little girl's best friend's Mom before opening my mouth.

I blurted,"No thank you,_______________ I don't want you to buy my little ones lattes. They are far too young and I think that Addi is far too young as well. Next time please ask me first, because I would have said..No thank you."

Her response," It's no big deal. I got decaf."

My response," Decaf just has a lower quantity of caffeine. There is still caffeine in it. Just please, don't buy these for any of my kids in the future. Oh look! time for the train!"

TIME WAS NOW ON MY SIDE...or so I hoped.

That depended on the lattes. 

We ended up having a lovely train ride. The kids played nicely. They took cat naps. Addi spun in her seat a bunch of times. I had to ask her repeatedly to stop putting her feet in the air, while turning up-side-down. 

...But that was the worst of it.

We walked onto the platform of our stop. The kids jumped for joy! It was snowing. IT truly felt magical. What a peaceful, dreamy way to end such a surreal day.

Will we make this journey again? Yes, with out a doubt. will I be on the look out for non-subway going, latte giving mom's? Yes, with out a doubt!

Chloe, excited to go!

Gracie, reading on the LIRR. A born commuter!

Friends forever!

Gracie and I waiting for the train to halt.

Our first dinosaur of the day. That's it's head way up there!

Grace and dinosaur #7.

Two "lovelies" in a shell.

Addi taking photos.

...and more photos.

...and more photos!

There she goes again. Makes me proud.

Tiny hinys in the rainforest. The sounded the alarm while leaning!!

Quick! Strike a pose with the elephant seal.

"Mom! Did you see the whale and the squid?"

Being nine means that you're too cool to actually look "at the world" for more than 4 minutes at a  time.

There's the whale and squid! (photo by: Addison)

Chillin' on the matt under the sea.

Chloe asked," What kind of creature t is this?" Then she read the name!

One of Addi's photos.

Testing out a T-Rex's bite.

Rex tried to eat Chloe!

Grace and Chloe search the rainforest for critters big and small.

Chloe is amazed by the size of the dinosaur foot bones.

The girls walk the glass floor, above an excavation site.

We learned about the migratory paths and herds of dinosaurs.

Look under the tail. Do you see how crowded it was?

Grace created a comic book while commuting home. She "wowed" us with her story.

Addi bounced all over the place. Thank you latte.

Girl time.

La La Loopsies, Too Many Eggs and Way Too Many Periods!

After yet, another sleepover at our house, a morning filled with me as short order cook, a breakfast picnic in the living room, practicing for cheer camp, a rowdy game of charades, cheer camp and a hard core workout with Julia...
... I had managed to do it! I had made time for myself...really.

It was so exciting. I felt like I was doing something illegal. How did I manage this? It was 11:20. I was five minutes late and on my way out the door with my sister.

We all know that once you join the "mommy club" being five minutes late is the equivalent of five seconds.
But seriously...My friend and fellow mommy comrade was bound to be waiting for me. I was feeling guilty. I yelled for my sister, Marnee and we were out the door!

Yes...It was also a "great escape" because I was able to smuggle my little sister out with me!
 FUN> FUN> FUN>
I had a friend and a sister to play with. This, in essence, was a Mommy play-date.

I love our sister time. If only there were more days in the year.My friends and I could abandon our obligations, throw caution to the wind and I'd get my sister on the eastbound LIRR train more often. For now two hours were ours.

Off to Crystal Nails we go!
Pedicure.
Leg massage.
..and the ever popular shoulder and neck rub while air drying.
That, my friends is my favorite part.
This was the first professional pedicure that I had gotten since the summer.
It felt great!
For the past few months I've had my fingers and toes painted by New York's top, five and six year old makeover team.
NEED I SAY MORE?
-Didn't think so.

After the toes were painted a fresh and funky shade of blue and I was feeling relaxed we were off to the DMV.
Yup, the Department of Motor Vehicles awaited.
Today was one of the nicest days of the year and I was attempting to update my license and Marnee needed a new one.
Sisterhood is grand...At least we have the same annoyances to deal with.We were there to keep each other company.
I assured Marn that it would be a breeze..."Who's going to this place on such a nice day, and during a holiday break?"

THE WHOLE WORLD, THAT'S WHO.

We looked.
We listened.
We searched the perimeter for a sign...any sign that could tell us an approximate wait time.
NOTHING!
What's wrong with this place?
They must really want us to feel as if we're in Purgatory.

For a moment all I heard was... "Buhler...Buhler...Buhler."
Then I snapped out of it. Marn said,"NO way. Let's get out of here."
We had decided to leave and will attempt to head back in the morning as soon as they open. Then off to grab the kids(who will be getting ready with Julia...again, thank goodness for Julio!) Then we'll be off to the city and onto a new adventure.

For now we were in K-Mart.
Not very exciting but they have a bathroom and sell La La Loopsie Dolls. These are the current "hot item" with the elementary click. Those trendy under 12's need there imitation, plastic, rag dolls. I don't mind. It could be worse. They could want toy guns or something...Oh, wait I've already gone down that road! (please see previous blogs if you're curious!)
These dolls are creative and cute. A recycler/crafter's dream. All buttons and bows, frills, lace and pets! Yes, each doll has a pet with an outrageous name that no human being could possibly ever remember.

I think we own Pillow Featherbed, Patch Adams...wait that was Robin Williams in a movie...Ummm, Bea Spells a Lot, Splatter Splotch Splash and a few little sister dolls. I don't think that I'm right about these names. I never will be.
K-Mart was wiped out! I don't know how it was possible. Relatives and friends out there please be on the look out for me. It doesn't matter which one as long as it's not the MERMAID.
---Don't exactly know why but my girls have something against her.
The bathroom was gross.
Women of the world...or at least K-Mart...
LEARN TO HOVER PROPERLY!!
Or for God's sake wipe the seat clean!!
...didn't your parents teach you anything?!
NASTY...NASTY ...NASTY!
...and out we went with my arms full of snacks and three adorable skirts that I shouldn't have bought.
Am I spoiling my girls? Every girls needs a cheap, but adorable piece to add to her wardrobe every-so-often.
I'm teaching them the art of bargain shopping.
My young Paduans will appreciate this much when they are older and no longer spending my money.
Maybe they will understand the Dark Side of the mall and will avoid inflated prices!

As Marn and I were leaving we bumped into our Mom. Wow...a family reunion in K-Mart. So Random..really. I hardly ever go there. This was odd. We hugged. We kissed. We felt awkward. We"ll see each other soon!

NOW OFF TO THE PARK.
The adventure continued. Thankfully, the kids all had sunblock on. I neglected mine. You'd think that I'd learn being that I just had two procedures to remove "mutated, abnormal cells."

This is another case of Mom being a martyr. I care for the kids and not myself.
Note to SELF: Damn it! Wear SPF 45 fool!!!
 ...Julia I hope you got this. Can you put mine on for me before I leave for school? I'll stand in line with the kids.

My girls monopolized the bars on the playground. These were the Gymnast bars, not to be confused with the monkey kind.

BIG, BIG FAUX PAS IF THE TWO WERE CONFUSED.

Lots of..."Mom that's not what are." "MoOOOom wrong bars." and "These are the serious bars, like in gymnastics Mom." would be launched in my direction or anyone else's.

After a few minutes of Julia pushing Chloe's heels over her head and around on the tallest bar it was my turn. If your kids are like mine than you know that this action id endless.
"OK, again. Ok, Again. One more time please. Again. Again."

AAAHHHHHhhhhh! My legs and butt were sore from my three intense work out mornings and now my arms felt like they were about to go LIMP.

I smiled...and gave a wise.."Baby, one more time there are other children waiting."
Can we say smooth?
Worked like a charm...
...for five minutes.
this was the playground shuffle. Two kids chasing and tagging Aunt Marnee endlessly. With a tag team effort one daughter always came my way to be propelled around a bar. Then SWITCH!
They are slick! - They are my kids!
-Even worse..or maybe better...They are their father's daughters!
Note to Self: We did this to ourselves...Must remind Jim.
...Julia, Marnee did you get that too? Can I count on having both of you do my dirty work for the rest of the week. I'm feeling brain dead. Too much swinging and spinning in one day!

Here's the rest of the day in a nut shell.
Grocery store...because when you have three kids you live there.
Dinner...must feed the troops.
Baths...stinky, sand coated children need cleaning desperately.
MALL!!

Yes, I'm crazy.

Marnee and I decided to take Addi with us on a whim.
She vanished to grocery store land with Julia and her sisters though. We were momentarily derailed.
Marnee and I sat like perverted stalkers in the Trailblazer, outside of the house.
When the Caravan pulled into the drive way Addi wasn't sure if it was safe to walk over!
She said that "we looked creepy sitting here all shadowy!"
I imagine we did.
People must wonder what goes on here.
Why would the owner of the house sit outside, in front, in the car for close to fifteen minutes?

Like most of my girlie adventures this one got better as the night moved on. We were happily on our way. Three ladies in a manly car, headed to the mall and listening to today's greatest hits on the radio. Addi sang along. Only a nine year old could love the ten songs, played on constant loop that much. ...especially after hearing them thousands of times.

We were making mall plans, as any good shopper would do when Addi blurted out a statement that will ring in my ears forever.

"I DON'T WANT TO GET MY PERIOD."

HUH????
WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?
DO YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT HAS THERE PERIOD?
Do you know what a period is?
Has anyone told you about periods yet? (I know I hadn't!)
---Let the inerrogation begin.---
Marnee and I downplayed it for her sake and ours. 


Something to know about my lovely Addi..she is the kid that won't be able to dissect the frog or pig or whatever small creature they cut apart.
She will faint.
She will throw up.
She will scream bloody murder.

SHE'S AFRAID OF BLOOD.
She's even afraid of the thought of blood.
The word make her shudder.

What am I going to do when she gets her period?
There's only so much help that I can give!!

During the rest of our ride, we sang more, we laughed a lot and every few minutes Addi would blurt out...

"I DON'T WANT TO GET MY PERIOD."

My eldest daughter was freaking herself out. She's good at doing this. It's bringing her down from panic mode that's tricky. Thankfully she never went ther. I have to admit I was shocked. Addi has been doing that a lot lately.
...the shocking me thing.

At the mall the three of us did all of the things that you typically do. We tried on clothes together. Then we headed to the hats, scarves and jewelry. We searched for La La Loopsy -like accessories (think big bows in funky patterns). Next it was coffee and ice cream time. We had late night fun.
Addison is turning into a pretty interesting "biggish - smallish" person. (She's not big yet!) I didn't feel like she was my little girl tonight. The three of us were relating to each other as "women." It was more of an equal playing field. It was genuine and unscripted...totally new. This feels strange to type and even stranger to read, but I don't know how else to express it. I wasn't playing the role of Mom. I wasn't reprimanding her or asking her to do her homework for the one hundredth time. There was no nagging involved. We felt closer than we had in awhile.
At one point Marnee stated,"Addi really needed tonight." In reality we all did.

The "period" thing came up again on the ride home. I need to pull up a few good sites to check out with my kiddo. She won't feel at ease with out some kind of "real" proof (...meaning not from my mouth) that it will be ok and she'll be ok when it happens.
Thankfully, based on genetics we have a few more years to go!
My Addi Love (as I like to call her) bought an awesome fedora and a killer Mickael Jackson-like, black, pleather, sleeveless, studded motorcycle vest. She wears them well!
Maybe she toughening up!
Addi fell asleep curled  between her Dad and I on the couch while I stroked her hair.
She's still our little girl.


I'm still searching for more La La Loopsies.

Photos:
1) My stove-top this morning.
2-5) Addison, Grace, Chloe and their friend practicing for cheer camp in the bedroom.
6) My poor, concerned Addi love.
7) My poor. poor, exhausted feet!