Living With Awareness

Today I 'm reminded that I continue to develop a keen awareness of my personal context inside a much bigger picture. I learned that a dirty look can still go the distance, even when cast from my 5 foot 1 inch frame. I learned that it was the right decision to pass on the t-shirt printed, "I'm not short, I'm fun sized". And finally, I realized just in time that my act of ripping page after page from a magazine while waiting for my child at the hair salon caused the grey haired woman beside me to admonish through a punishing sidewise stare directed at me. Of course, why would she think I had bothered to bring a magazine from home? 

Who's still afraid of Mommy Dearest

Tonight during dinner I pantomimed Faye Dunaway's Joan Crawford from Mommy Dearest for my three kids. I'm still surprised by how much I got into the role. I briefly explained who Joan Crawford was and how there was a book, and then a movie, about her life called Mommy Dearest. I used the word berserk to describe Joan's character losing control after discovering that Christina left some cleanser clinging to the bathroom sink, or was it the bathtub? I got down on my hands and knees and wailed, "Scrub Christina, scrub". My kids were appalled, but laughing pretty hard just the same. No time for a costume change, and I was raging in the kitchen about wire hangers, favoring to beat my pretend hanger against the air instead of one of my kids. All in all, I put on a pretty good show. But it didn't end there. I told the kids that now that I'm thinking about Joan Crawford for the first time in 30 years, maybe I need to see the movie again. I said, "You know guys, I've lost it before. With each of you." I'm grateful that Rowan cut me off so quickly, "Yeah, but not like that." 


Maybe I need to invite a bunch of my girlfriends over to my house for a viewing with popcorn and wine. Who knows, we might empathize more now that we have kids of our own.  

You Call That A Stick?

Ella at eight weeks.

I am grateful for my dog. She is a complete freak. When we're in the woods together, she has this routine where she locates the biggest piece of wood around. Today, she wrestled a 10 foot length of branch with a diameter of 4 inches. Here's a visual key for you: Ella weighs about 40 pounds. She relies on two modes of hauling to move her prize along the trail. Most of the time, she grabs one end and hauls it battering ram style (and you better watch your back). I made it three quarters of the way around Millers Pond and was feeling a little smug until she pierced my quadriceps. Ouch! But it's when she grips it in the middle, tightrope walker with balancing pole style, that the fun really begins. She's good for a jaunty canter, no matter where she is, and to see her gaining speed while trying to balance the branch as it hits every tree in the woods is hilarious. I laugh out loud with sadistic glee. My dog is tenacious and resilient, both excellent qualities.

Cake Boss Continued

Nora turned 7 in the company of a bunch of cake decorating fiends (yeah, and they were also friends). Cake Boss Tara had it all figured out employing an adorable cheese wheel and mice theme and the kids had a great time. It never fails, though, the prep and planning that go into one of these birthday shindigs can generate an awful lot of stress. I try to do my thing and convince myself that I'm not out to top any of the parties of birthdays past. My kids have said often enough that a party they went to was the "best party ever". It does become a competition, but not the kind you might think. I'm not trying to best anyone. I just want my kids to feel like I put in some effort. Of course, I don't do this for the summer or spring birthdays in our family. For those, I leave it to the outdoors and pray for sunshine. Anyway, this subject actually came up during Nora's party. You know, how we parents are forever trying to make it into the birthday party hall of fame with our original ideas. This all comes under a heading I like to call Pottery Barn Kids. I try to put it out of my mind most days, but sometimes I can't help myself and I let the doom settle inside my head. I worry with a heavy heart that the kids being raised by my own generation are headed for big trouble. Entitlement is certainly on the short list of worrisome character traits and throwing fab birthday parties for our little princes and princesses seems like it just might be a very bad idea. By the way, don't miss the sparkly silver crown on the head of my princess.

Can You Beat the Stomach Flu?

"Awww, come on. Where's your confidence? You can beat this." These are the encouraging words my husband offered to me after witnessing me endure four hours of pre-stomach flu nausea, followed by the seal-breaking first vomit session. When I rejoined him on the couch, visibly beaten, I waited for the next wave to hit. It took about 35 minutes, at which time I dodged the ottoman again in a sprint to the bathroom. The tough part lasted another 6 hours, culminating at 3 am with a brown toilet and a bile-filled waste-basket. Gross, right? We've all been there. And it's literally something we have to gut out:) My husband thinks I'm from weak stock. Whenever a virus or bacteria get the better of me, he compares his in penetrable genetic immunity to my pathetic one. Yes I get sick. But I'm not a huge baby about it. Can you read between the lines? It's going around. First Aidan on Wednesday, me on Thursday, Rowan on Friday (cast from her father's mold - no actual vomitting). Only two left to fall - who will be next?

Homage to the Cake Boss

Well it's been a real think-tank around here, everybody in the family trying to nail down a theme for Nora's upcoming 7th birthday. We finally made some progress today. After seeing one of Tara Jay's awesome cake photographs on FB, I asked her (on a lark) if she would consider doing a cake decorating session for the party. She said YES and I am grateful to cross that one off the list. At tuck-in just moments ago, I probed a little further.
Here's me, "You know what you need to do next?"
Nora replied, "What?"
"You need to jot down a few things that you would like for your birthday."
Well she cut me off like a texting teen behind the wheel and offered in a whisper, "You know what I want?
"What Nora?"
"A robot that does everything for my family."
I cannot stop laughing.

Monkey Business

Last night we were in the car for the 30 minute drive to North Haven on our way to visit my brother and his family. The 3 kids were in the back discussing, of all things, evolution. They kicked it off wondering how it was that Adam and Eve came on the scene. Where did they come from? Short on answers, I heard someone say something about the first man and woman appearing in a poof. The conversation suddenly headed away from the Garden, with Rowan explaining the chain of life throughout the ages. She told them about the primate link and that was it. What else is left to say when your 6 year old says, "So I used to be a monkey?" That's right Nora, we could never find the words to tell you...