Do you think...

...that Dane Cook wants to be my boyfriend?

Does anyone have his number?
I don't think my husband would mind.

09/09/09

Hey Four...try to pay less attention to your teacher around 9:09am. At that exact time, on this exact day...you will witness a phenomenon that will not happen again in your lifetime or others and especially not on your tenth birthday!
Welcome to your double digits. I wonder if today is hard for your mommy!? You are a special boy with a passion for the Cubs matched only by your dad and god father (actually, your dad may have turned on them a little). Coach, The Kid, Kat and I all love you, but not even comparable to Tink's crush. Thanks for always picking her up every time she 'falls'.
Oh hey, if you miss the clock turning 9:09am...I guess you can check again at 9:09pm.
Have a special birthday on this special day!

Note to my readers: I would love to include a picture of our nephew, unfortunately my computer/Internet/camera all blow. Trust me, he's cute.

One for the baby book.

My tiny Tink just sang nearly all the words to her first Beatles song. Sure, she can shout out 'I Want to hold Your Hand', sway appropriately to the greatness of 'Hey Jude' and can obviously figure out 'Hello, Good bye'. But to sing most of 'Yellow Submarine'....I nearly cried. Screw being able to use a toilet, this is an accomplishment a parent can really be proud of.

As we live a life of ease
Every one of us has all we need
Sky of blue and sea of green
In our yellow submarine

My hope for you:

Yesterday Coco was baptized. We chose to give her 3 god mothers. An unconventional move and a tiny bit confusing to some but we loved this idea. We chose 3 special women we love, who were important to our lives and will be influential in her life. All 3 of these women have unique traits that combined, give Coco something to emulate while growing into a woman.
Doc, Flag girl and Duff's wife. (who right now does not have a cute nick name!)
Coco's older sister Tink has plenty of confidence and spunk, actually she could maybe scale back a touch. My hope for Coco is that she shares this and more.
Coco my hope for you:
Is that you are a strong woman, full of spirit. I hope your beauty is matched by your heart. I hope your intelligence allows you not only a brilliant career but the ability to carry a smart and witty conversation. I want your personality to be strong, unique and shine every time you walk into a room. I hope you stand proud.. never timid, have perfect posture and carry yourself with grace. I hope you are a reader like your Grammy, have strong faith like both your GiGi's and have the desire to mother many like your Grandma. (Because I will LOVE being a Grammy). I hope you never wear too much make up, your hair is more manageable than Tink's and you wear that aqua color again, because you are beautiful in it! Dance often, smile more than your mom, take a great photograph and sing too loud when you drive.
All of your God mothers have sisters they adore. I hope so very much that you and Tink follow in this example. I hope you are friends, who are just as excited for the other's accomplishments as if they were your own and call each other just to chat and never out of obligation.
I love you so very much. Seeing you dressed up with your new jewelry made my heart soar. You have completed my family. I was waiting for you, my baby, to finish my perfect trio.

Chew on this...

Several less advanced countries such as Cuba, India and many located in Africa and South America have their children completely potty trained by the age of 18 months.
I believe this has less to do with lack of pampers or indoor plumbing and more to do with overpowering the children before they are able to shriek phrases like:
No danks!
I can't!
No say dat to me!
No do dat potty!
No me a big girl!
No do dis to me!
And the VERY rarely attempted technique employed at her most desperate hour late into the afternoon and 6 hours into 'holding it'....
Mom, come close to me....Mom, I lobe you....Mom, pwease no more potty...Mom, pwease gibe me candy. (Followed by a lip pucker for a kiss). If you know Tink you are aware she NEVER and I mean NEVER will give an unsolicited kiss.
This would have worked on Dad.
And to all of you mothers who swear the naked approach works...how many of you had a puddle under your brand new covered kitchen chairs?
All that sad:
Tink has peed on potty 4 times this morning!! (she had plenty stored up)I am going to win!!
If winning means that it all happened on her time table, when she said go and after she stains everything in my house. Still, I am winning!

I'm going to break her....Part Deux

Tink peed on floor.
Eleven stops over. Spots the potty in the middle of the room. Goes about sitting on it and getting both her business done.
Tink's reaction, pure excitement and joy for her cousin. Claps her hands, jumps up and down, praises her and runs to fetch her some TP.
Eleven swept up in the excitement asks me for candy (something I'm sure she is not still receiving at home for every potty) but in this house...always. Also, a great opportunity to teach my candy lover a lesson.
Open the drawer and dramatically hand Eleven a big Hershey's kiss. Tink and Eleven shaking in excitement of chocolate. Tink extends her hand...
Mom: No candy. You went potty on the floor. Eleven is a big girl and went in potty.
Tink (SHOCKED!): No say dat to me! I can't potty. I want candy! I can't!
Eleven walks arrogantly out the door with grandma.
Tink: Bring dat candy back!
Grandma leans in for kiss good bye...good luck....totally denied.
They walk away.
Tink shrieking: Bring dat candy back! Mine candy!
Mom: You need to go in potty.
Tink: NO SAY DAT TO ME!!!
Runs away.
Score four hours into training.
Eleven: 1
Tink: 0
All carpet located under Tink: -1
Spot Bot carpet cleaner warmed up and ready to go.
PS- Commissioner please come clean out this potty your daughter used.

I'm going to break her....

...like a tiny pony who is mean and sometimes bites your ankles.
I have put this off all summer (due to the newborn) and waited an extra week for the Chicago trip. I was not going to take her into any random Chicago bathroom. I prepped the Doctor to give her a big lecture this week and we were to Wal-mart to buy a new seat for the big potty, in addition to her own potty.
The time has come. I am going to potty train Tink. Mind you she is the eldest of the 5/6 friends and cousins all born in her school year. Each has been trained in front of Tink, with her leaning over to watch and then clapping proudly at their accomplishments. She is very excited for Eleven and her progress and happily took Eleven's left over pull ups without a tiny dent in Tink's pride. Sure Tink has done both deeds herself in the potty, randomly and at her own accord. Calling Grammy and Dad to demand a candy bar or toy. She wakes up in the morning dry and has played several 'who can blink first' games with me, staying on the potty up to 57 minutes (I timed) without completing the assignment. But I say, NO MORE.
In one short hour this morning the following dialog as taken place, (Picture the cutest little voice on full scream):
Tink: No put dat pink potty on daddy's toe-it!
Tink: No take my diaper off
Mom: It is time to be a big girl like Eleven. Is Tink a baby or big girl?
Tink: Stop say dat to me!! (Finger point, feet stomping)
Tink: No me a big girl!
Tink then stomps into her bedroom to find her own clean diaper and opens it on the floor, sitting down on it and crossing arms.
I put potty in living room in front of TV.
Tink: No put dat potty in here!
Finally, sits on potty. 30 min later, still nothing. Maybe I should take off the soft comfy seat. Make it more old fashioned, not soft enough to recline back and watch cartoons.
I can't really blame her. Who wouldn't prefer to watch 3 hours of morning TV, clutching your chocolate milk and never pausing for a restroom break?
One hour and 15 min passed, still in the buff....still nothing.
Who do we think is more stubborn and more mean? Me or Tink? This will just be the first of MANY battles her and I will face. Imagine wardrobe, dates, smart mouth...I have allot riding on Kat to be the sweet one.
And yes...that is what her hair looks like in the AM. Actually, that looks pretty good.

Earth mother, Irresponsible or Chicken?

This morning we trudged all 3 children to the Doctor's office for check ups/stitches removal. Before entering we once again discussed our debate. When The Kid was a baby I got all of the shots I was told he HAD to have because he would never be able to get into school without them. I never felt comfortable with the shots, what they contained and hated every second of it. When Tink was born I did a few shots until she had a reaction. Shortly after, I saw Jenny McCartney on Oprah (I'll pause for your eye roll) heard her version, have done a little research and have decided to at least 'hold off' on future shots. (Because, really, who doesn't take parenting advice from Jenny McCartney!) My doctor has never talked me out of this decision but I am heavy with guilt every time I say "Let's skip immunizations again today".
Side note: Their dad is on board with the maybe we should/maybe we shouldn't. I told him he could make the final decision as long as he was the parent to hold the girls while the shots went in....he decided he was also against immunizations. Tough guy.
You may also wonder if children who visit the doctor but do not get shots are still rewarded with Dairy Queen...in this family: Hell yea.
Summary of the remainder of my day: we finished our fast food, drove The Kid back to school after giving him an extra hour of skip time, nursed the baby in the Wal-mart parking lot, bought heart healthy items such as Cinn Toast Crunch (which now has multi grains) and fat cheese puffs, Earth friendly items such as diapers and plastic Colgate 360 brushes at $3 a pop then drove the 20 min back to town (because, no Commissioner, I did not shop locally), unloaded and then drove 3 blocks to pick the kid up from school.
In conclusion: Earth mother...doesn't look like it. Irresponsible...I'd like to think no, I did buy the Colgate 360. Chicken...probably the likely answer. Have you seen how tiny Tink's legs are and how thick that needle is??