A Word Of Warning

Before you watch your Christmas home movie from 3 years ago, remember two things:

1. You will be shocked and amazed at how much thinner and younger you look. In fact, your husband may look like another person and you may find yourself staring at the amazing cheekbones that used to reside on your own face.
2. After hearing your then 17 month old daughter yell "Daddeeeeee!!!" and see her dance awkwardly around the living room, you will look at your spouse and say "Oh my gosh, I want another baby." Scarily, your spouse will say "Me too!!"

If these things happen to you, grab your nearest bottle of alcohol and drink deeply until your senses return.

Darn You, Barbara Walters

Every year you suck me in with your promise of the year's MOST FASCINATING PEOPLE. And, I know better. I really do. The people are rarely fascinating and the interview clips are random bits of fluffiness. This year I vowed that you wouldn't get me. I was going to be strong and turn my back on you. But, you know me. You knew that I'd be emotionally drained after watching Grey's Anatomy and unable to resist your preshow clips featuring Justin Timberlake, the Beckhams and the promise of an amazing NUMBER ONE MOST FASCINATING PERSON. So, you know what I did, Barbara? I sat through the whole thing. I watched you ask Justin where the sexy had been before he brought sexy back. I watched you ask Bill Clinton if he would host the White House Easter Egg Hunt if Hillary won. I watched you ask Don Imus if he thought he should've been fired (well, actually, if I'm being honest I had almost completely zoned out by this point). I managed to find focus when you asked Victoria and David Beckham if they want more kids. (Because really, how could I go on without knowing that he'd like 2 more and she doesn't?) I even sat through Hugo Chavez talking about Pres Bush having the intelligence of a donkey. Barbara, I sat through them all knowing that you would reward me in the end. And, what did you do? Did you make my hour long patience worthwhile (and you know I'm not a patient person, Barbara!) No, you ended by announcing that J.K.Rowling was the NUMBER ONE MOST FASCINATING PERSON. And while it's no secret that I enjoy the HP from time to time (I mean, really, I read the last book two times in a row), I was highly disappointed that the one person you didn't actually interview with silly questions was your NUMBER ONE MOST FASCINATING PERSON. Sheesh! This is an hour I will never ever get back. Never. Ever. Next year, Barbara, next year I will resist you and your commercials. Unless you come on right after Grey's Anatomy...

Another Thing That Made Me Happy Today

In addition to the IM half-marathon with the infamous GooseWarrior/parenting coach, this conversation helped make my day better, too:

Noah: Happy Early Anniversary! (my wedding anniversary is the 15th)
Me: Thanks, Buddy
Liv: What's an anniversary?
Me: It's the day that Daddy and I celebrate the day we got married. This year we'll have been married for 11 years.
Liv: Oh my gosh! And you're still alive????
Me: Yep, can you believe it?
Liv: I hope Daddy is still alive, too.

I Needed Another Addiction

and this one had perfect timing. And you know how much I love perfect timing.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/all/

But I Don't Know What Else To Do

You know what sucks? Wondering if you're a decent parent. Today is turning into one of those days where I worry that I've screwed it all up.

Ok, I'll Give You That

One good thing about today's snow - the frenzy of birds feeding at the deck feeder today. The usual gang is here: cardinals, the little tufted titmouse, chickadees and blue jays. And, they actually seem to be getting along today. All 6 cardinals were sitting together nicely, something I haven't seen since they were fledglings. The returning favorites are finally back, too - dark eyed juncos (so great to watch playing in the snow) and the mini flocks of purple finches. We got a new guy this morning, too. A little downy woodpecker. Since he actually scooped out a spot in the discarded sunflower shells and settled in for a good 10 minutes, puffed up to keep warm, I'm guessing he'll be back.
I still have my headache but the birds are making the snow more tolerable than I thought.

Why, Weatherman, Why?

Did you have to pick today to be right about the weather? I'm not interested in snow today for lots o' incredibly good (or at least selfish) reasons. Besides, don't you know that it never snows in December in central VA? We like to wait until January or February. And, of course, we love to save the biggest freak snowstorms until March. I know it's not a lot of snow but it's white enough to give me a headache today. Can you come back in a few weeks? That'd be great. Thanks. I promise that then I will be excited to see you.

Early Evening Conversations

So we're sitting in front of the TV watching the riveting "Drake and Josh" on Nickelodeon when a commercial comes on for "Polar Express." Liv decides she needs to let us know we already own the movie by jumping up and down and yelling at the TV, "We know, We know." Simultaneously, the three of us begin expressing our love for this awesomely awesome movie and so, of course, I throw out the comment that Ms. M, next door, does not like this movie at all. And Livvie, Ms. M's biggest supporter (because M can do no wrong in Liv's eyes) declares, "Oh my gosh, she really is an alien." I cracked up, causing Noah to ask, "Mom, how did you always know she was an alien?" I run down the short list: she doesn't enjoy chocolate or songbirds or newborns or "The Polar Express." How can she possibly be human? Noah, looking thoughtful, nods and says "She must not have told Mr. C before they got married. Otherwise, he wouldn't have married an alien. That's weird."

Is there anything better than random conversations with your kids? :)

Today It Was "Head Over Feet"

It seems so strange to me, the way memory works. I'm guessing it's no surprise to anyone to hear that music is a big memory cue for me. I hear a song on the radio that I haven't heard for years and suddenly I remember a time and place, a specific moment or specific person that I was with when I heard the song. Today, Alanis Morissette came on singing "Head Over Feet" and I was instantly taken back to a conversation in a 7-11 parking lot during a rare bright moment of Evil Summer '96. The whole thing segued into me thinking about the power of the sense of smell. I know research says that so much of our memory is based on smell but it still bowls me over when I smell something (I've never figured out what it is) that reminds me of being in preschool. And then, just recently, the memory evoked by a particular scent made me almost forget to breathe. I had to decide whether or not to stay and try to maintain my composure or run away from it; the memory was so strong and unexpected. Maybe someone should tell me it's all just more proof that I remember too much, think about too much, live inside my head too much? Better yet, tell me it's like that for everyone...

That's The Word I've Been Looking For

Bittersweet.

It's only a few days late.

Another Perfect Weekend Comes To An End

It couldn't have been any better. Everything I love about December was wrapped up in this one little weekend and I think everyone else agreed. Tonight, when it was all over, I don't think I was the only one wondering how it went by so fast. Both kids were hit with the melancholy of J leaving and the beginning of a new week. I can only hope that a little of the weekend stays with them this week and carries us through until Friday.