The Chocolate and The Cheese

Although I've been away from this space for quite some time I was surprised to see that people were still reading it.  Go me!  So, although I am not going to be blogging in this space for much longer, I'm going to leave it up for the time being.  If nothing else as a way for people to find me in my next space. Next space you say?  Yes, I'm moving.  When I started this blog things were very different from what they are now.  I thought we were moving abroad much sooner, I was not going to school and there were no definite plans for a second baby.  That being said, the last few months I felt like I was not able to really be comfortable in this space.  So I'm opting to move someplace else, under a different blog name and start again.  I really hope that you will move over with me; I've so enjoyed having you along for the ride! So, sometime soon I will post about my new digs.  As soon as I find the time to put something up over there, you know, to make it a little m

First let me come clean.  I'm pregnant. Now, let the next thirty-one weeks commence where I talk of nothing else except my growing belly, appetite and need for Cheetos.  Not really, but I will say this; I'm tired.  So tired that normal everyday tasks that should only take me a few minutes suddenly sit around, unfinished, for days at a time.  Examples?  The dishwasher, the dirty dishes, groceries (the non-perishable ones, duh), folding the laundry, making the bed.  I mean, there are much better things to do, like, stuff handfuls of popcorn in my mouth while watching all the episodes of Angel, in order.  Don't judge me, I am returning to school in a few weeks; maybe this is just me trying desperately to channel myself as a Freshman in college?  Who the heck knows.  What I do know that my "golden time," or nap time as it is commonly called, was once used to clean, cook, tidy up, rest and blog.  Well, you know how much blogging I've done of late; and I like to d

We've had a whirlwind, chaotic, hectic, exciting week.  It was a week of fixes, car naps, quick meals and heat.  Oh, the heat!  I finally feel like today we had the chance to tone things down and take a breath.  The Little Lady and I were left to our devices for the evening while the Mr. took a much deserved night off.  We had a light dinner and then went outside for our favorite pre-bed activity, Bubble Chasing.  (Well, she chases, I blow).  The following conversation ensued. Laying in the grass: MP: Hey LL, look at all those clouds! LL:  Yeah mom, clouds. MP:  What do you see up there?  I see bunny ears! LL:  They just puffy mama. MP: (Humph, this might not work...) LL:  Mama, I see Lady! MP: (Getting excited)  That's great, what's she doing? LL:  Lady in Sky, with Broccoli.  I like Broccoli! MP: Well, yes, it does look like broccoli.  What else do you see? LL:  Poop in a glass.  Hahaha, mama, poop in a glass! And here ends what could have been a touching,

The last forty eight hours have been the kind of serendipitous summer time that I dream about all through January and February.  Perfect temperatures, light wind, sun and a casual, laid-back schedule.  It all started with a lazy afternoon outdoors.  The Little Lady chased bubbles, then we laid out our blankets and read our books.  LL read hers and I read mine.  At one point she looked at me and said, "Your book good mama?"  Seriously, this kid just keeps getting better and better. The next morning we had an impromptu coffee date with some friends.  We sat out on the patio and chatted while the kids ran around and entertained each other.  Besides that one window licking incident, the coffee was great and the pastries delicious.  After, we walked a few blocks to a new, great park.  Let the kids run off some of the sugar they had just ingested before walking back and heading home.  Then to cap it all off the LL and I went to a BBQ with some old friends of mine and she was just

Nap time is usually reserved for a mash up of cleaning, organizing, eating, blogging, surfing the web and trying to relax as much as possible before the Little Lady wakes up.  With our house going on the market tomorrow my house is the cleanest it has ever been.  Literally.  I feel like we're living in a model home.  Kind of like Michael and George Michael Bluth from Arrested Development .  It's equal parts nice and annoying.  Nice having a super clean home and annoying that I have to keep it show ready all.the.time. The best part of having a show ready house?  I have nothing more to do during nap time than blog, eat and watch Angel .  Because bad TV at nap time is the best way to relax.  Well, maybe just if you're living in a model home.

Potty training is an exercise of patience, control and humor on the part of the child, the parents and any other innocent bystander that gets caught in the way.  Luckily for us the Little Lady has done quite well for a wee person of her age.  We try to minimize and downplay accidents and have the mantra, " Pee and poop go in the potty.  Pee and poop go in the potty. "  (Imagine us swaying back and forth while clapping our hands.  Oh, the kinds of adults our kids reduce us to.) So the other week a friend of ours came to stay with us and accidentally got some paint on her arm as she was helping me paint our back porch.  The LL was quite concerned and asked if she had an accident and if she was ok and if she needed a bandaid or a kiss to make it feel better.  Our friend replied, no, she was fine and then asked if the LL ever had accidents. "Yes, I have accidents.  I pee myself." Spoken in a kind of sad, matter of fact voice.  Like she was discussing the war in Afg