Motherhood

I will never forget how I felt the day I found out I would become a mother ... excitement, anticipation, fear, shock, relief and above all else, love. Unconditional love for the child that was growing inside of me. I had no idea what was in store for me. I had no idea how to be a mother. What I did know is that this child was already the most important thing in my life.

There are days when I just want to be alone. I want a 10 hour night sleep without a being woken up by Princess D crawling into my bed at 7am to watch My Little Pony. I want to spend an entire day reading a book that doesn't have pictures of a Disney princess in it. I want to take a shower without having rush because she needs me help her with something. I want to not worry that I am spending too much time on me when I should be spending it on her.

It is when I hear her say "I missed you, Mommy" I realize my time to be selfish will come. I can already picture those pre-teen years when I will be missing all the things I want a break from right now. This little girl is my world. It is her love that fuels me every day and gives me a purpose. Motherhood is not a job ... it is my life, and I love it! I love her.



Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all of you other mommies!

Hi Girlfriend!

My 5 3/4 year old daughter received her first real phone call from a friend in her class on Friday night. It went something like this ...

Friend on phone: "Hi girlfriend!"

Princess D: "Hi girlfriend! What are you doing right now?

Friend on phone: "I'm in my backyard. What are you doing right now?"

Princess D: "I am getting ready for bed. What are you doing now?"

Friend on phone: "I'm going to my bedroom now. What are you doing this weekend?"

Princess D: "I am having a fancy sleepover at my grandma & grandpa's house. Do you want to have a play date and a sleepover?

Friend on phone: "Yeah!"

Princess D: "Ok girlfriend! Let me ask my mom."

Friend on phone: "Ok girlfriend! I have to go now. I love you!"

Princess D: "Bye girlfriend! I love you!"

Friend on phone: "Bye girlfriend!"

I couldn't help laughing while being unnerved at the same time. This is happening way too soon!

England 2011 - Day 7

The Boyfriend's son, Terror, is only 15 months younger than Princess D. Our kids have spent 3 long vacations together and numerous "play dates" on Skype. Even though Princess D has always referred to Terror as her little brother, it is on this trip I believe a real sibling bond is developing.

Terror is naturally competitive and wants so much to prove to Princess D, that even though he might be younger, he can keep up with her. When we get to a flight of stairs he screams "I want to be first!" When a button for a lift or crosswalk needs to be pushed he screams "I want to push it!" If Princess D is holding The Boyfriend's right hand Terror will want to hold it refusing to hold the free left hand. If we are eating a meal he has to eat more than her. Getting dressed becomes a race of who can win, and if he doesn't win then he declares that it wasn't a race after all.

Princess D has taken most of this in stride with the understanding that he is younger and someday he will grow out of this phase. There have been a couple of instances when Princess D has simply had enough of the "little brother" behavior reducing her tears of frustration and us having to adjust their behaviors.We set ground rules like making them take turns pushing buttons, or making him hold the door open for everyone if he insists on being the one to open it.

Then there are the moments when they just play together, or when he helps her with her video game, or when he wants to cuddle with her to watch a movie before bed, or when he insists that she sit next to him, or when he told a waitress that Princess D was his "big sister". Those are the moments when she remembers that Terror is the "little brother" she wants around ... even if he always wants to go first.

GIVEAWAY: Dream Big, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi

I remember watching Kristi Yamaguchi win gold at the 1992 Winter Olympics for women's figure skating. She was simply stunning out on the ice. All of her dreams were coming true in the last seconds of her final program, but you could see in her eyes that she was a girl who was determined to make all of her dreams a reality.

Kristi's dreams didn't stop at the Olympics. She went on to have a successful career touring with Stars on Ice. She was started the Always Dream Foundation in 1996. In 2003, her TV special, Friends and Family aired on NBC and ran has run annually for four years. Most of you might remember that she won ACB's Dancing With the Stars in 2008. On top of all this she is happily married with two daughters. Now, she is embarking on a career as a children's picture book author with the debut of Dream Big, Little Pig!

I received a copy a few weeks ago of Dream Big, Little Pig! and every night since Princess D has asked that I read it to her! Like the character Poppy, my daughter has her own big dreams of becoming a teacher, or a chef, or an actress. I encourage her to dream big and have always said that hard work and determination will help her make her dreams become reality. This book reminded me that it is important to have fun while working hard on making your dreams come true! It is the "fun" that gets you through the stumbles and falls.

If you have a child who has big dreams you should get Dream Big, Little Pig!by Kristi Yamaguchi. You can enter to win a copy of the book ($16.99 value).

THE RULES:
For this contest, there is one official entry and one bonus entry available. The deadline to enter is April 10, 2011 at 11:59pm PT. I will use random.org to draw the winner and post the results/notify winner via email, so I MUST have a way to get in touch with you. If the notified winner has not responded within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. The contest is open to US entrants only.

OFFICIAL ENTRY:
You MUST leave a comment below telling my you or your child’s big dream.

BONUS ENTRY:
Bonus entry #1: Follow me on twitter and tweet "Win a copy of Dream Big, Little Pig! by @kristiyamaguchi from @redlotusmama: http://tinyurl.com/4raxg8r #giveaway". Bonus entry will count only if you leave another comment below with a link to the tweet.

*****************************************************************************************

Sourcebooks provided the copy of Dream Big, Little Pig!. I was not asked to post about them or the book. All statements are my opinion and my opinion only.

How to make a leprechaun trap

When I found out that Princess D had to make a Leprechaun Trap for school I instantly turned to my dad who is a retired engineer. I was imagining something way to complicated. After looking at some ides online and brainstorming with Princess D and my parents we came up with this:



What you will need:

• 7x7 cardboard box
• green and blue construction paper
• glittery shamrock stickers
• pot of gold ornament
• cotton balls
• plastic hanger with pant clips (the kind from kids clothing)
• scissors and exacto knife
• glue and packing tape
• crayons

Tape the box closed then cut a 4x4 square hole on one side which will be the top.

Cut slits in the box where the pant clips can fit into. The will serve as a prop for the rainbow picture and a way for the box to be carried.

Cover the box with the green construction paper then cut an X in the paper where the hole is.

Decorate the box with the clover stickers.

Cut "grass" out the construction paper then glue it around the hole to mask it from view.

Cover a piece of cardboard with blue construction paper and decorate it with a rainbow and cotton balls for clouds. Then tape it to the hanger.

Glue the pot of gold to the box in front of the rainbow.

Happy St. Patrick's Day and leprechaun hunting!

100 day of Kindergarten

If you have (or had) a child in Kindergarten you will understand what a big deal the 100th day of school is. For this school year it is fast approaching and I am in shock that my little girl has been in Kindergarten for 100 days! Where did they all go?

To celebrate this day the kids have been asked to bring in a collection of 100 items. We started thinking what would be the perfect collection for Princess D ... pennies? seashells? stones? Then it dawned on me ... jewels!



There is a gift shop next to the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland. Princess D likes to get a little bag full of the plastic jewels every once in a while so that she can bury them in her sandbox. I knew for sure we had to over 100 of these so I dug them out.

First, I had Princess D separate the jewels by color then count how many there were in each group. She located the matching marker color to write out the number. We mixed them all back up and I had her separate them again, this time by shape. She counted how many jewels were in each group. Then she drew the shape and wrote the number next to it. We created a little flip book and put the jewels in a jar for her to bring to school.

It was so much fun working on this project with her. Counting, colors, shapes, writing ... it taught so much in a fun and simple way! She is really proud of her collection and I am so proud of her. I can't wait for her to present it to her class. I love Kindergarten!

MTV Shows Killed the Video Stars

I remember when "Video Killed the Radio Star," a song by the British group The Buggles, aired on MTV the summer of 1981. MTV was revolutionary! It introduced a whole other level to listening to music and watching TV. After school I would dance around my family room while watching my favorite bands' newest video. I would look forward to the premiere of a new music video as much as the release of an album. My taste in clothes, how I wore my hair and my vocabulary represented the musicians I listened to ... Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, or Janet Jackson. MTV and music videos were a huge influence in teaching us how to express ourselves through music and performance.

I can remember the first episode of The Real World and how fascinating it was to watch real drama unfold on TV, or when Jenny McCarthy was hosting Singled Out, or how Beavis and Butt-Head showed us how stupid stoners can be. Music videos were being aired less and less and the reality shows and cartoons became the forefront of MTV's programming. At least with efforts like Rock the Vote, MTV attempted to stay socially responsible.

Today, I never watch MTV. I no longer associate it with "music television" (do they even show music videos anymore?). Their daily programming are shows like Jersey Shore, 16 and Pregnant, The Hills, Teen Mom. It seems like instead of being interesting and entertaining, MTV feels like they have to be controversial ... infidelity, teen pregnancy, underage drinking, drugs, and grotesque sexuality. On January 17, the network aired their newest show is Skins (an adaptation of the controversial British TV production). MTV has described this show as:

"Skins is a wild ride through the lives of a group of high school friends stumbling through the mine field of adolescence... and stepping on most of the mines as they go...Be it sex, drugs, the breadth of friendships or the depth of heartbreaks, Skins is an emotional mosh-pit that slams through the insanity of teenage years. They'll crush hearts and burn brain cells, while fearlessly confronting every obstacle head on...or slightly off."

My daughter is only 5 years old, so I am not worried about her being exposed to these kind of shows. When she is with me I monitor what TV and movies she can watch, video games she can play and activities she can participate in. Am I controlling? No, I am her parent and it is my responsibility to teach and show her how be healthy, kind, respectful, gentle, compassionate, strong and balanced. I don't feel that any of these traits are present in MTV's current shows. Sadly, I know some parents who do not monitor what their kids watch or use shows to teach their kids about what NOT to do or act. I would hate to think their kids might come across Skins while channel surfing.

I am not the perfect parent (probably let my daughter indulge a little too much in the Disney Princess culture and give into her when she want more than she needs). I am not one to engage in online mob mentality either. But, the idea of teenagers "crushing" each other's hearts or "burning brain cells" makes me fear for my daughter's future. It makes her pink world of princesses look so much better! I believe that allowing MTV to air shows about the things we DON'T want our kids getting involved in is not the right approach. MTV says, "We are confident that the episodes of "Skins" will not only comply with all applicable legal requirements, but also with our responsibilities to our viewers. We also have taken numerous steps to alert viewers to the strong subject matter so that they can choose for themselves whether it is appropriate." MTV may think that they are not glamorizing bad teenage behavior, but they are desensitizing teens from how this bad behavior can possibly lead to abuse, rape, addiction, overdose, jail and (heaven forbid) death.

Regardless of the viewer alerts MTV says they have put in place the Parents Television Counsel has called for the U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees and the Department of Justice to "immediately open an investigation regarding child pornography and exploitation on MTV’s Skins." Companies are starting to pull their adversing from MTV during Skins time slot. And, if you agree that MTV has gone too far you can help by:

• DO NOT watch the show in order to understand what it is all about. That will simply increase the show's ratings. You can find out more about the show on their website.
• Retweet this post and/or the SD MOMfia post "MTV Must Be Stopped" with the hashtag #SkinThis
.
• Write a post about what you think and link up on the SD MOMfia post "MTV Must Be Stopped".

Our kids are the future of this country. Do you really want them at 16 to be manipulative, cruel, addicted or pregnant? I know I don't.

Santa doesn't leave IOUs under the tree

Back in November I had Princess D write out her Christmas wishlist. I told her she could ask Santa for 4 things:

1) Tangled Rapunzel Costume
2) Tangled Rapunzel's Tower Play Set
3) Toy Story 3 DVD
4) Despicable Me DVD

I was not surprised to see that two of the four items were from Disney Tangled. So, when the Friends & Family + Free Shipping discount showed up in my email I didn't hesitate to oder items #1 and #2. It saved me a trip to the crowded mall and a few dollars.

That was November 15th.

It has been a month since I placed my order when I received the following email from DisneyStore.com:

My parents have an ornament that on Christmas Eve Santa is supposed to put a "treat" in. It could be a piece of chocolate, money or a small toy. Last year Santa forgot to fill it on Christmas Eve, so when Princess D saw that the ornament was empty her eyes filled up with tears and she asked me if she hadn't been a good enough girl that year. Her heartbreak at that moment stuck with me. How could I explain to her this time that she really has been good this year even though Santa didn't give her one of the gifts she asked for? She is only 5 years old and believes in the magic of Santa Claus. Telling her "sorry, baby, but Santa couldn't make all of the toys in time this year" or "there wasn't room in Santa's sleigh" just aren't options. No matter how many gifts she gets this year they are not THE same gift.

Christmas is 10 days away, so panic set in and I started googling like a crazy mom. This costume was sold out everywhere I looked. In typical planning fashion I laid out my options:

OPTION 1: Bid $100 for the costume on eBay which is more than 3x the original price I paid.

OPTION 2: Get the Tangled Rapunzel night gown that is only in stock in a size 2.

OPTION 3: Bid for the correct size Tangled Rapunzel night gown on eBay and pay 2x the original price.

OPTION 4: Have The Boyfriend purchase the costume in the UK and bring it with him when he comes to visit at the end of the year.

Knowing that my anxiety had to be contained before I self imploded, Miss and The Boyfriend came up with a brilliant plan ...

Santa leaves Princess D a note apologizing that he accidentally spilled some of the milk she left out for him on the Rapunzel costume, so he is taking it back to his workshop for the elves to fix. In the meantime, he left her the nightgown she can use as a costume. Santa will make arrangements for The Boyfriend to pick up the replacement costume since he will be passing over the North Pole on his flight here.

This might be totally over thought, but it is enough to convince my daughter that she really was good this year and that Santa is just clumsy!

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Lunch Box Party sponsored by Fresh & Easy

I want to feed my daughter foods that not only taste good, but are good for her. Now that she is in Kindergarten I have joined the ranks of the moms that have to pack lunch and snacks Monday through Friday. Princess D is getting tired of eating the same old things I have been giving her for a while now. Enter Fresh & Easy, who are opening up more and more locations all over San Diego. If you haven't shopped there yet, you have to! They support local growers and businesses, have very reasonable prices and are all about healthy eating.

With the start of the school year they introduced their new line of kids food -- Goodness™. This new line is wholesome, natural foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and other foods that are naturally good sources of vitamins and minerals. Fresh & Easy worked hard to limit the amount of sugar, sodium, and fat in the Goodness™ products. They have no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, no added trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial sweeteners, and no added caffeine!





I have been wanting to get a bunch of local mom bloggers together for our kids to play (and simply meet some of them in person). Having this group together was a great opportunity to help spread the word about Fresh & Easy's Goodness™ new products. So, this past weekend I hosted a Lunch Box Party sponsored by Fresh & Easy. They provided all of the delicious food for the kids to try and for the mom's to snack on.





We didn't have the fabulous San Diego weather you typically hear about, but the moms had a good time chatting while the kids had fun playing, coloring and snacking. Hands down favorites for the moms was the salami and gouda cheese (which also double as an ice pack for San Diego Momma's daughter). The kids' favorites were Goodness™ Kettle Corn and Coco Boulders cereal.



That night my mom cooked up the Goodness™ Mac & Cheese for my daughter and Miss' son. This mac & cheese is is not only delicious, but is made with whole grains and has 4 grams of fiber! So even I indulged in some cheesy goodness with out feeling guilty.


Thank you to all of the wonderful moms who came to my Lunch Box Party: Miss, Hip Mom, Bird Rock Fabrications, San Diego Momma, Mama Mary Show, and Not Just Another Jen. I hope you ladies and your kids had a good time. Let's do it again soon!

Huge thank you to Fresh & Easy! They provided the food for my Lunch Box Party and a stipend for hosting. I was not asked to post about them or their products. All statements are my opinion and my opinion only.

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The 5 year old emotional roller coaster

My daughter has always been on the dramatic side. She is creative, imaginative and bossy. I have already prepared myself that performing arts will in her (our) future. What I didn't prepare myself for was this emotional roller coaster she is taking me on.

On Saturday she was watching Hotel for Dogs, a movie she has seen many times, while I picked up my bedroom. She came in with tears streaming down her cheeks. I though maybe she hurt herself or the puppy nipped her, but she just said "no". Then between whimpers and sniffles she mumbled "They took the dogs away."

I reminded her that she knows at the end of the movie the dogs get returned. She cheered up and went back to watch her movie. About 30 minutes later she found me picking up her bedroom with fresh tears running down her cheeks. I asked what was wrong this time and she replied "They are happy tears."

I know I am a tad emotionally detached. I haven't cried at a movie or a Hallmark card since I started becoming unhappy in my marriage. But, this I didn't quite know how what to do or how to react to her crying over a movie.

For the past few weeks her emotions have been raw -- like me when I am PMS'ing and have missed a day or two of my Lexparo dosage. Mommy friends of mine have told me that awareness of emotions begins at 5 years old. It is no longer just happy or sad. There is a whole rainbow of emotions! So, how do you reign them all in?

I have talked to her about her feelings more. Putting more descriptive names and explaining the difference of her emotions. The question now is how can I teach her to be more in control of them?

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What Happened to the Cooties?

When I dropped Princess D off at morning daycare today she was greeted by 3 boys. One with a head covered in sun-kissed wavy blond hair and a cherub face gave her a hug. At first I thought nothing of it until I heard another one of the boys say "She is cute!"

Wha? A 5 year old boy thinks my 5 year old daughter is CUTE and another boy is still hugging her? What was going on? What happened to "Girls rule, boys drool"? Or, boys have cooties?

I carefully looked the 3 boys up and down, asked them their names and what class they were in. One boy is in the afternoon Kindergarten class, but not the one Princess D is in. The boy who thinks she is cute is in the first grade. And, the little Romeo who had his arm around my daughter is in her class. I looked at the daycare teacher shaking my head and mumbled "This is happening way too soon."

The hug and saying Princess D was cute is totally innocent. Kids are exposed all the time in their animated movies and TV shows to physical attraction and falling in love. I remember when I was in Kindergarten a little boy named Marc Riggs kissed me. I returned the gesture by hitting him with a plastic banana toy. So, why was this situation with Princess making me feel like I needed to up my daily dosage of Lexapro?

We all know that 50% of marriages end in divorce, but a fraction of those marriages include small children whose parents are dating again. Princess D is witness to my long distance relationship with The Boyfriend. Apparently, her dad has had a woman sleep over (in his bed) on the nights he has our daughter, so I can only assume that is his "girlfriend". The concept of dating, falling in love and marriage is very real to Princess D unlike traditional families where if the mom and dad get a date night out is few and far between soccer practice and PTO.

So, what do I do about this? Do I talk to her teacher about keeping an eye out for too much hugging? Do I linger at the school during pick up to see if I can meet this boy's parents to have a chuckle about this "crush"? Is it time to have a G-rated "birds and the bees" discussion with D? Life is complicated enough trying to teach her how to read let alone trying to explain the difference between a "boy" friend and a "boyfriend" complicate it even more?

After school I asked her if she played with the little boy who hugged her today. She said "Yes, he was a prince and I was a princess and we got married ... but don't worry, Mama, it was just pretend." I asked her if he kissed her and she said "NO! I don't kiss my friends!"

Whew. I breathed a sigh of relief and said a little prayer that I won't have worry too much about this stuff for a few more years (or at least until the next crush).

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Everything she needs to know in life she's learning in Kindergarten.

Princess D made it through her first week of Kindergarten!

She really likes her new school and teacher. Every day she has come home singing new songs and playing new games she has learned in Kindergarten. Yesterday at dinner she even performing the hula! She is reading books WITH me before bedtime instead of me reading TO her. It is amazing how fast she is picking up on everything.

There are a few things Princess D has told me over this first week that she doesn't realize are lessons that will resonate even more when she is my age. I want to share them with you in her own words ...

1. It is hard to make new friends.

2. My bum was hurting because I was sitting for such a long time.

3. We all sing the same song, but we can all do our own dance to it.

Brilliant, I tell you! Everything you need to know in life you learn in Kindergarten.

The first day

Princess D has been going to the same preschool since she was 18 months old. She is not new to the full school days while I am working. The teachers at her preschool have seen her grow up, they helped me with potty training, and they helped teach her how to write her name and the fundamentals of reading. She has made so many friends who have come and gone over the years.



Almost every day we drive past her new elementary school on the way home so that she can see the kids playing out on the field and she understands how far from home she is. The past few months I have been talking with Princess D a lot about this major change about to happen in her life. She has told me that she is really going to miss her friends and is nervous about going to a new school, but she is also really excited.

I have been mentally prepared for this day as well. All the paperwork has been submitted and supplies purchased. My parents and her dad are all ready for our new schedule based on Princess D's school hours, school vacation days and (my favorite perk of all) no more naps. My commute will be cut down by 30 minutes giving me back an entire hour each day. I knew it would be emotional for all of us, but I made sure she knew I was confident that going to a new school was a really exciting and good experience. I was totally ready until I saw this today ...



My baby started Kindergarten. Her first steps towards learning to be independent in a whole new world. I wanted to hold her hand all the way to the desk chair, but we were told to stand at the gate. I wanted to not let her out of my sight until the teacher closed the classroom door, but there were so many parents wanting the same thing as their kids blocked Princess D from my view.

I know she will do great making new friends, getting to know her new teacher, adapting to the new classroom and getting used to a more structured curriculum. She will always be my baby ... and I am one proud mama!

My baby is now a little girl

It is amazing how fast this past year went by. My daughter went from still a little 4 year old still sporting her toddler belly to a little girl. Family traits are starting to surface as her "baby" disappears.

She certainly looks more like me, but she got her Daddy's big ears and feet. There are certain mischievous looks and a certain smile when I can see him in her. Most importantly she has her Daddy's passion to sing and perform. She can memorize songs and movies after hearing them just once. At her school recitals she is always leads or has the solo. Lately she has been making up her songs. I have a good feeling performing arts will be in her future.



D is taking after her Lola's cooking. She loves to help my mom prep the all of our family meals and she keeps telling me some day she wants to have her own restaurant. I think she just dreams of being Princess Tiana some day. Also, like my mom she loves stringing beads, painting, drawing, and crafts.



She is developing a green thumb like my dad. Almost every day she is home with us D likes to help her Lolo's water the plants, clean the garden and plant seeds. Last month we showed her some worms and got her a bucket of ladybugs explaining what they can do for a garden. For Earth Day this year she planted some sunflower seeds and over the months we watched them grow. This past week they finally started blooming. She is amazed out something so huge came out of something so small.



I started D in swim lessons just after she turned 2. When it is warm in San Diego her Grandpa heads straight for the pool, so I knew I had to get her waterproofed. Over the past year she has turned into a real swimmer. She has enough stamina that she can swim the entire length of an Olympic size pool using her "shark arms" (a.k.a. free style). Recently she has been swimming on her back doing a type of "frog" stroke. Like her Grandpa when it is warm she wants to be in the water and once she is in she doesn't want to come out.



Just like her Grandma, my daughter has passion for shoes ... jeweled, heels, sparkled. She loves a pair of butterfly wedge flip flops that her Grandma got her. I foresee a closet for shoes like Carrie's from Sex in the City.



Then there is me. Most people say that she is a mini me based on our appearance. We both have dark hair, dark eyes, tan skin and full lips. She has adopted a lot of my sayings and actions. She loves to read (or me reading to her) like me. And, just like me she can be a complete grump when getting woken up in the morning.



Four years old was such a fun age, but I am really excited to see what five years old will bring!

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Wordless Wednesday: Little Terror ... but I love him!

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NaBloPoMo - Day 6: I am a mom, and I am tired.

I love this time of year in San Diego. The sky is clear and blue. It's 11am and about 80°F, but sitting under the patio covering and the ocean breeze makes it feel like like 75°F. I am writing this post and taking pictures of the hummingbirds coming by for a drink out of the feeder. My dad is tending to his garden. My mom is in the kitchen cooking up something delicious. Princess D is busy in her sandbox. It is a perfect Sunday!



To be perfectly honest ... I wish I was still dozing off in bed!

Princess D got some strange 8 hour stomach bug last weekend so she had to come home from her grandparents house early. My X has been working out of town since Wednesday morning which means he missed his Wednesday night and entire weekend with her. I love my daughter more than life itself, but a day or night free to catch up on "non-mama" stuff is needed. There are some nights she likes to crawl into bed with me, so some night she just doesn't want to fall asleep unto 10pm. She is pretty good about sleeping until 7:30am, and sometimes she will "sleep in" until 8am!

No matter how exhausted I am I love being with her. Listening to her little voice while she is telling a story about the princess who lives in her sand castle. It's like she is telling me a bedtime story ... *yawn* ... maybe I could just take a little nap out here on the patio.

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Girl Talk Thursday: Bath time saves time!

Bathtime has always been a multi tasking phenomenon!

When Princess D was little I would shower while she napped. I would put her in the vibrating bouncer turn the bathroom lights off so that just the natural light would allow me to see. Princess D would fall fast asleep and I would get a long relaxing shower.

Then when D got a bit older she liked to sit in the bathroom eating her snack and watching a DVD while I took a shower before bedtime. While I was in the shower I would use her bathtub crayons to scribble out posts on the shower wall. (I did some of my best writing while in the shower).

Now that Princess D can barely sit still, my showers are too short to do any valuable thinking. (Have you noticed the decreased number of posts or the, um, quality of my writing ... no?) Her baths have gotten longer so that she can play while taking a bubble bath. So, I have learned to use her bathtime for me. Like right now ... I am wrighting this post while she is playing in the tub. I answer emails or IM with friends.

Once a week I like to give myself a mini manicure while Princess D is in the tub. My hands get a nice soaked in the soapy warm water while I get her situated. When she is playing in the water my nails are softened for filing and shaping, and my cutiles are easy to push and see what needs to be trimmed. By the time I am done she is ready to get out and my nails look good!

Now I just need to figure out how to give myself a mini pedicure during bath time ...

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The ties that bind

This trip was the first time my daughter and The Boyfriend's son met. We really didn't know what to expect. They are both only children who are used to having our attention solely on them. They are only 15 months apart in age, but so very different!

Princess D got her pseudonym because she LOVES anything princess. She is über girly (with the exception that she doesn't play with dolls)! Almost every night she puts on a princess gown, jewelry and make up. She loves to singing, dancing, string beads, and anything artistic. Her world is all about tea parties, gardening and cooking.

Terror got his nickname because he is all boy! From the minute he wakes up to the minute he passes out he is going at 100% energy level. Cars, trains and helicopters are his toys of choice. He fearlessly jumps without a helmet or parachute from anything. Rough and tumble is the only way to describe him.



They fought like we expected they would. They fought over The Boyfriend's attention. They fought over who would help with the groceries. They fought over who got to sit in the stroller. They fought over who would get to push the elevator button. They fought if they didn't have the same juice, the same toys, or the same markers.

But, the fighting was only 25% of the time. What we didn't expect was the other 75% ...

Princess D helped guide Terror in sharing and taught him her favorite concept of "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit". She influenced him to eat peas and to try other new foods. She would play "mommy kitty cat" to his "baby kitty cat". She taught him to not stomp on the flowers. She would help herd him in and keep him calm.

Terror would constantly out run Princess D. But, it helped her be more daring ... going on rides she would never go on before, sliding down a tree house poll, walking across or climbing ropes. He would help cheer her on and help her up. He was protective when another little boy pushed her.

The Monday before Princess D and I had to fly home we dropped Terror off with his Mum. He didn't want to say good bye to Princess D (I can only guess because he didn't want her to go). She cried the entire hour and a half drive home because she didn't have anyone to play with. Neither The Boyfriend or I were expecting their good bye to be so hard. After only one week together a bond formed ... big sister and little brother.



"Separated By Distance, Joined By Love" ~Chuck Danes

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Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day started a little early for me this year!

Dogeared is one of my favorite jewelry makers. I wore their "New Beginnings" lotus Make a Wish necklace when I was going through my divorce and their Karma bracelet is never removed from my left wrist. I love how their jewelry is so simple, but you can find a piece that has the perfect symbolism for you. The other thing I love about their jewelry is that their silver does not contain nickel (which I am extremely allergic to). You can imaging how excited I was when I found out Dogeared was running a giveaway for Mother's Day. To enter I had to write a post about why my mom is the best mom ever. So, I did ... and I won! I got the exciting news when I was in England via Twitter. The necklace was waiting for me when I got home.





The last full day of my trip The Boyfriend and I took Princess D on a little tour of London. We popped in Fortnum & Mason to pick up a Mother's Day gift for my mom. If you have never been this extremely high end store is worth visiting. Everything is displayed beautifully, smells heavenly and tastes incredible. We found perfect stuff for my mom, but I was very surprised to be presented with a little gift bag from Princess D (via The Boyfriend). Inside the little bag was a handmade chocolate biscuit decorated like a flower bouquet and some beautifully scented lime soap (I love anything lime). It was so sweet of the two of them to surprise me, but like The Boyfriend told Princess D, the best gift she could ever give me are hugs and kisses.







I don't think my dad has ever forgotten a special occasion. He is a true romantic and at the very least makes sure he gives my mom flowers. I was completely surprised tonight when he handed me a single long stem pink rose for Mother's Day.



These gifts were perfectly simple which is why I love each of them! For me, Mother's Day is about recognizing the simple efforts mom does on a daily basis to make life easier and better ... like packing lunches, taking care of you when you are sick, listening to you, picking up something at the store that she knows you like, making sure you get home safely.

I love my mom and I love being a mom because it is the simple things that really makes life complete. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I hope your day is filled with simple surprises!

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How can you argue with that?

One of my mom's friends gave Princess D a HUGE stuffed dog. I figured it would be a good temporary replacement for her desire for a puppy.

I was right in many ways!

This dog doesn't eat, poop or bark. I haven't heard a whine from Princess D about how much she misses our old dog or how much she wants a puppy noooooooooooow. She has named the stuffed dog that is almost as big as she is "Lady Heart Flower". And every night since we tuck that dog into bed right next to her.

The first night Princess D slept with her arms wrapped around Lady Heart Flower from the second she fell asleep until I woke her up. Every night since that wonderful night of sleep Princess D and that HUGE dog have crawled into my bed pushing me over to one side.

So, last night I asked Princess D to try her best to sleep in her bed the entire night. I tucked her and Lady Heart Flower in, read them a few books and kissed them (well, my daughter that is) good night. At 3:30am Princess D crawled into bed with me sans Lady Heart Flower.

When we woke up in the morning I asked her why she didn't sleep in her own bed and where her dog was.

She said in a very matter of fact tone, "Lady wanted to sleep alone last night."

"Well, why didn't you just let her sleep on the rug in your bedroom last night", I asked.

And, she answered "Lady wanted to sleep on the side you lie on when you read books to me, but Chocolate and Bolt [her two little stuffed dogs] were sleeping in that spot, so Lady had to sleep in my spot, so I came to sleep with you."



Yeah, anyone have a dog house they are getting rid of?

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