Sunday, November 23, 2008

Bear's New BFF

Meet Kelly, my old cell phone. I did not name her. I do have a life.
Bear is her new owner. She immediately named her "Kelly."

To Bear she is heaven, Disneyworld, and her new best friend all wrapped up in a metallic pink bow garnished with jazzy ringtones. She is completely and obnoxiously enarmored with the damn phone. For all the gushing she does over the sheer amazingness of her phone, the kid should be getting a weekly advertising check from Motorola.

Bear has been petitioning steadily for a cell phone since THIRD GRADE, when the first of her friends received one. "Mom, Christa can call her mom from the school bus to ask if she can go on a playdate!" she told me earnestly. Like I would somehow find this convincing. I was not swayed.

But now, in sixth grade, I had to admit that some situations were cropping up where it would have been useful for her to have a phone, like school activities that ended after dark. I even had to lend her mine on a couple of occasions, which was not so convenient. When Nana and Papa offered to get one for her as an early birthday present, I caved.

It's only to be used to call for rides and to call family at this point. No calling friends. I'm not ready to totally jump into the deep end. She's only eleven, after all. For now, she is content. She's happily texting and calling us, her grandparents, and her aunt and uncle. She changes her ringtones every two and a half minutes. She takes pictures of the cats, her sister, and tinfoil ("it makes a cool texture for a background!").

This is about the maximum distance Bear ever allows between herself and the cell phone:
This photo kinda says it all, yes?

Friday, November 21, 2008

Just Tell Me When I Can Nap

Tonight is our fourthVisitor's Day at the dance studio in a week. While we love seeing the girls dance and getting a first peek at their recital costumes, there is also to be considered that we sit on supremely uncomfortable little plastic chairs for an hour and a half at a time in a studio made stuffy and sweltering from all the parents and kids crammed in there. Also? The 20 pairs of tap shoes in a confined space? I find myself consciously trying not to wince at the sound within twelve minutes. I don't know how their dance teacher does this on a daily basis. You know, without drinking heavily.

Still - I was so proud of my girls: Bear, whose grace and carriage really shines through in ballet; and Bug, whose energy and sense of rhythm is best showcased in jazz.

I must say, though, that after the crazy week we've had, when I treated the girls to McDonald's last night and Bear bit into a McNugget only to find it COMPLETELY RAW INSIDE, it felt like fate was deliberately messing with us. Enough so, that even though I was already in my comfy pants and slippers, I threw my coat back on and drove back to Mickey D's to return the Chicken McSalmonella Nuggets.

In summary: TGIF.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Pride of Salesmanship

(Overheard yesterday when Bug had a friend over to play):

Bug (proudly, to her friend): And did you notice this new spoon rest of my mom's? She got it from the school fundraiser. It seems to be working out pretty well for her.

Monday, November 17, 2008

My Poor Children

My kids were righteously indignant when they discovered that this is a full week of school. The past three weeks of school have been riddled with teacher in-service days, early release days, and national holidays.

"What? Not even a half day this week?" Bear asked.

"Nope. You go all five days this week. But next week is Thanksgiving, and you only have two days of school," I told them.

Bug sighed and layed her head on the kitchen table, "Man, this sucks. I need a break."

Because it's so stressful being eight years old?

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

A Bug's Letter to Santa


Yesterday, I casually mentioned to Bug that I had seen on The Today Show that Santa had begun deciding which toys to give to which children. (Hey, we all know that if Matt Lauer says it, it must be true, right?) I wondered aloud if she had finished writing her letter to Santa.

I do this every year, and it never fails to amuse me. I also announce when I've "seen on the news" that Santa is polishing the sleigh, that elves have begun wrapping presents, that x number of gifts have been reassigned because of last-minute naughtiness. Keeps 'em on their toes.

"No, but I'll get right on that," she said, standing up and unceremoniously dumping the snoozing cat off her lap. She fetched a notebook and pencil from her room and plunked herself in the middle of the living room floor to write. Bear, curled up in a recliner with a book, exchanged an knowing & amused look with me over the top of Bug's head.

Here is what Bug wrote:

Dear Santa,
Here is what I want for Christmas.

Wii games like My Sims Creator and My Sims Kingdom!

A Nintendo DS with DS game Tetris or Mario Carts.

The Webkinz eagel, bottle nose dolphine, or Manatee!

Bath and body works gift card.

Vidio camera to film puppet shows with!

Or you can surprise me!

I have been good all year my mom signed this to prove it.

Jennifer Z. Bestmomever

ps. I will be at my nanas and papas for christmas.

Signed
BUG

Monday, November 10, 2008

You Know You're Sick...

...when your normally snuggly-soft flannel sheets feel like sleeping on a loofah. I seriously spent an hour awake last night trying to figure out how to make a blanket out of the soft misty rain outside my window. For real. It seemed reasonable at the time.