in like a lion....

She wakes up smiling every day like she's lit with sunshine from within. As I'm getting ready, she asks to put the music on so she can dance before we have to leave. I suppose I'm not the grumpiest person in the morning but I sure love a good nestle under the covers for a few extra minutes, hours or whatever I can grab. I have always wanted the Jetson's system of waking up. Remember how they tip the bed and do all the disrobing, cleaning and prettying up for you? In the matter of what I assume would be no more than ten minutes, you're ready to take on the day. I would love to say that would make me more productive but I really think that would mean I would just sleep longer.


I arrived at daycare Monday to find a sad little girl waiting for me. She was putting hand cream on her hands and Neosporin on her face to combat her 'chappers'. Even so, she still wasn't right and her teacher assured me that Giada would fill me in on the talk they had just had. We've been having quite a few talks these days so I asked for more details. It seems that she wasn't playing very nicely with her babies (dolls) and when the teacher heard her yelling and saw her hit the babies (again...these are dolls, not real...and it looks like she isn't the only one that has treated them this way, still....) the teacher sat her down and had a little talk. I feel bad for this kid because it seems like it's part of her routine these days. Eat breakfast, read a book, snack, paint, lunch, nap, play, talk, snack.... She's so over it yet the talks continue because every day, there's a new theme.

We get in the car and have a talk about the talk. It went well and there were few, if any, "I don't know" responses. Round and round it went, from 'why did you do it' to 'what happens when you do' onto the 'I better not hear about this happening again' and concluding with 'you need to tell Daddy about this when we get home'. Like most three year olds, she is quick to get over it and move on. The thirty five year old driving the car, is not. I kept wondering what could have made her do this? Ok, she's three and she's going to do things that I don't have answers for and things that will embarrass the hell out of me but, hitting? yelling? Who IS this child? Didn't her parents teach her better?....ohhh, s#*%!...that's me. sigh.

She wanted to stay outside and help Daddy so I gave Daddy the 411 on the down low and went inside to get dinner together. They came in a bit later and Giada proudly announced that she told Daddy about the babies. I assumed that this was the end of it.

Then, Giada announced that she 'pinky sweared' with Ms. X at school the other day. Really? Pinky Swore? She knows what that is? Enlighten me, dear. What did you pinky swear about?...... "I said I wouldn't spit anymore" Now what?!? She yells, hits and spits?! Oh Sweet Jesus! Apparently, my little sunshine thought it was appropriate to spit on the carpet.....but rest assured she pinky swore her way out of it!

Is it bad that I told her that I don't want her to be the kid that can't play with others because she might hit or yell? How do you get that through the thoughts of a three year old? All I could come up with is that yelling hurts people's feelings and hitting can hurt their bodies. Spitting, (and I had to throw this in too) picking her nose were just gross.



Last day of ice skating. She wanted me to take pictures of her being a rockstar. I tried but the lighting inside an Ice Skating Rink is less than desirable so here's what was salvageable from the 80 or so I took.

so proud of herself that she left the orange cone behind and passed her first class (we're proud too)

How do you know it's spring? The ice cream stands remove the boards from their windows and open up those windows to promises of little league teams, first dates, after dinner walkers and warmer days ahead. The glow of their lights and the sight of the first customers of the season are just as good as any sunset after a long winter.

heaven, minutes from our doorstep

Longing now, for the days full of sun and warmth.