Here It Is, Kim B.

This is the "free" 10x13 from Picture People. Of course, we got our own frame at a fraction of the cost.

This is Munch's first official preschool picture. Got our own frame but basically paid and arm and a leg for the 10x13.

There Is a Catch

Well, I'm sure lots of mommies know this already about professional photography studios located in malls that offer free shots of your little ones...they say that there isn't a catch but there are strings attached to getting your "free" 10x13 photo of your cutie-pie or in our case, little Miss Sassy-Pants. A photogragher, once again, at our local mall approached us about having Munch's picture taken for free. In the past we never really showed any interest because we felt certain that there would be some hidden fees at the end of the ordeal. But today, we had some time to kill and Gi had not had her I'm-So-Into-My-Terrible-Twos meltdown yet so we proceeded with caution when the nice lady photographer approached us. All is going well...Gi is posing with happiness and spirit, Mommy is sitting down relaxing and Daddy is trying to amuse the Munch. The photographer announces that the photos are ready and that we should mosey on up to the monitor to view and pick our favorite ones. We pick our favorite ones and assume that we would be handed our free 10x13 soon. Nope! Now the studio trotts out all your favorite shots in matted and framed formats with an assortment of outrageous prices. And in the end they politely ask you, "So which frame is your favorite?" This is when Hubs pretends to be tending after Munch a few feet away and leaves me to be the bad guy. I muster up a superficial smile and tell the photographer that I am only interested in the free picture and not the framed ones. With a slight hint of disappointment, the photographer complies with my request and sends me on my merry way. I leave the neatly and cheerfully appointed studio as if I just swindled the place out of a million dollars. I know, I know...you say it's only a free photo. But I feel victorious nonetheless.

Confessions of a First Time Mom

Oh boy, the terrible twos are in full swing. From to morning to evening, the definitive word is "NO!" followed by a screech-like scream. Munch is exerting her independence and she wants her not-so-young parents to know it. You know that phrase "my way or the highway?" That's Gi's daily mantra now. Don't get me wrong...I ADORE the rascal but there are times I wish naptime came a little more often and stayed a little longer. There were a couple of months there when I secretly prayed that Gi would be more verbal and expressive. Well, my prayer has been answered 100 times over. Every phrase is repeated three times usually preceded by the word, MY. My bear, my bear, my bear! My potty, my potty, my potty. Oh and now Munch dismisses us...Daddy go now! Mommy out now! No Gon Gon! Every inappropriate action is repeated twice just to see if Mommy and Daddy mean business. Recently, Munch rediscovered the joy of picking her nose. I don't blame the girl since her cold has made her quite crusty. Well, Miss Sassy-Pants boldly inserts her booger-digging finger into her mouth each and every time that we firmly tell her not to. Oy vey! Does it get better when they turn three?

Best News So Far

not always angelic

Well, yesterday hubs and I got the best news so far. Ms. Deborah wrote on Gi's daily report that she was all smiles and that her little classmates like to play with her because she is kind to them. Whew! Her preschool also had pizza day yesterday. I'm told that Munch ate all her pizza and cupcake. Hooray! Now if only she could start to taper off the volcanic tantrums that she throws in the car once I pick her up. I am treated to a symphony of hellish screams and wails for Daddy every Tuesday and Thursday afternoons around 1:10 p.m. When I'm lucky she falls asleep halfway home. Is there a terrible-two god out there I can pray to?

Happy Birthday Hubs

birthday dinner for hubs---pizza---hubs favorite food

Munch helps Daddy blow out the candle

Gi partakes in the torte


Hubs enjoying his torte

The three Ds spent a quiet evening celebrating hubs' 43rd birthday. We munched on homemade pizza and a delicious dulce de leche torte. Whenever I mentioned to Munch that today was Daddy's birthday she would point a finger to herself and repeatedly proclaim "me birthday too." Ditto for the torte that we picked up at the store. "Me birthday too" became the national anthem for the day for my Munch. Too funny. Happy birthday, Hubs! May you always enjoy your special day with Munch and me.

Happy Harvest Moon

I just wanted to give a shout-out to my parents and good friends for joining us for a wonderful Harvest Moon celebration. The four spice girls had a blast. They ate together at the kiddie table and decorated their own lantern and lady-on-the-moon. Hugs and kisses for Po Po for helping me put out a spread of home-cooked Chinese dishes...I love her braised spareribs. And talk about desserts...our good friends brought over some serious yummies. So to all my friends and families...go out under the night sky tonight and gaze lovingly at the full, bright moon.

Gi and Daddy goofing around with the camera

Regression

Munch regressed a little today by briefly wailing when I dropped her off at preschool. When I picked her up, she was cheerful and talkative. Munch made sure that I saw her smiley face sticker from Ms. Deborah...probably given to her for not crying the rest of the day. She showed off the little bell and rain stick that she made in class. Gotta love preschool and preschool teachers---they are sooo creative. When I checked her lunch box, I found that Munch actually ate most of what I packed her. Miracle! Then we get in the car and start to drive home. Munch demands to eat the rest of her lunch of which there is not too much left. So I tell her to wait until we get home for more food. She throws a ginormous tantrum in her carseat and screams for her daddy. The next time I look in the rearview mirror, Munch is zonked out. All's well that ends well. Well, at least for now.

No Tears Today

Momentus day today...no tears dropping off nor picking up Munch. She walked into the classroom by herself sans teary eyes. When I picked her up no milking of mommy guilt. She even received a smiley face sticker from Ms. Deborah for being all smiles today. She did, however, needed to be reminded to use her "nice hands" today according to Ms. Deborah. Oh boy, I hope she is not hitting her little classmates or something. Anyway, hubs and I discussed it with her...not hitting others or throwing objects. What's going to be next???

Down Graded to Whining

Good news for Mommy...Munch actually walked into her classroom by herself yesterday without too much of a ruckus. Like a prisoner condemned to the gallows, Munch sullenly walks past cheerful Miss Deborah and enters her play space for the next four hours. She turns around to flash me two teary eyes. I return the favor by blowing her an exceedingly happy kiss. Then I scram out of the building and start to spy on her through the outside window. She looks a little sad but seems A-OK. When I pick her up, she greets me with a very weak whine...I'm sure designed to maximize mommy guilt. Miss Deborah tells me that she had a great day. In fact, she was "all smiles" shortly after I left. Now that's what I want to hear...good job, Munch!

Spit Up Happens

Munch is not letting me off easy. On her third day of preschool yesterday, she starts to whine before we even walk through the door to the car. Once we pull into the school parking lot, she starts her chant of "no please mommy." Then it is onto full-blown crying once we start walking toward the school building. She clings to me like a baby monkey does with it's mama. When I go to pick her up, her teacher promptly informs me that Munch threw up that morning. She asks me if Munch eats breakfast just before coming to school and if I could please feed her earlier to avoid the spit up again. Obviously, she doesn't know that my darling baby wakes us up anywhere between 5:45 - 6:30 a.m. and that we eat breakfast shortly after that. "Feed her breakfast earlier than 6:30?" I ask Miss Deborah. Gi doesn't go to school till 9:00 a.m., mind you. Miss Deborah shoots me a look of either disbelief or pity. I'm relieved that she doesn't press the issue. I pick up my crying munch and head out to the parking lot. Gi immediately stops crying and demands to eat her cheese. I look at her daily report which indicates that she had a good day despite the crying and vomiting. Oh, the challenges of mommyhood!