It's Been a While

I know, I know.... It has been ages. Since my last post over a year ago, here are a few things big and small that have happened...

• We went to Kansas City to see friends and family.
• We went to Disneyland. About 20 times.
• Calliope started taking hip hop classes with her brother.
• Benjamin started doing martial arts. 
• Calliope appeared in print ads for Janie & Jack, Splendid Littles and Lands End. 
• I went on a Bar Method bender that lasted all of one month.
• Vince started playing paddle tennis again.
• I stood in line at 2:30 in the morning to register Benjamin for a spot in a reknowned Mandarin immersion elementary school. 
• Calliope started preschool. 
• Benjamin graduated from preschool.
• Benjamin started Kindergarten (in aforementioned Mandarin immersion school, thank you very much)
• Benjamin learned how to write his name in Chinese.
• Calliope learned how to write her name in English.
• I got walking pneumonia.
• Benjamin got one blood transfusion.
• Calliope got five blood transfusions.
• Vince's office moved from Malibu to Agoura Hills.
• We tortured the kids with swim lessons.
• I got my first ever really bad sunburn.
• I cut of all of my hair a la Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby and had enough to time to grow it all back.
• My parents visited from Asia twice.
• We ate at A-Frame three times.
• We ate at Humble Potato five times.
• We ate at Pitfire Pizza about three dozen times.
• I shot over a hundred photo sessions.
• Vince's work week averaged between 55 (a good week) to 85 (a bad one) hours a week.
• Vince's company went public.
• My father-in-law celebrated his 70th birthday. 
• I bought four new strollers.
• I sold three old strollers.
• I read "Freckleface Strawberry" at bedtime a dozen times.
• I sang "Over the Rainbow" at bedtime over four hundred times.
• My friend and sister Deb moved away.
• We went to two weddings.
• Five friends had babies.
• One friend passed away.
• We celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary.

As I type up this list, I realize how very blessed I am in this life. I promise to write more. 

Tiny Terror

A PSA on Anatomy

Last Friday, the unsuspecting customers at the local Tanner's Coffee got an impromptu lesson on anatomy.

Benjamin (while I'm drinking my mocha): Mommy, you don't have a penis.
Me: No, I don't.
Benjamin: What do you have?
Me (in as quiet a voice as possible): A vagina.
Benjamin (in a louder voice to make up for my quiet one): A VAGINA??

I suppose I should say they got a lesson on my anatomy.

The Look That's Not Sweeping the Nation

I'm not a girly-girl. Ruffles and lace and pink princess frilliness just ain't my style. So after I had Calliope, I prayed, "Please, Gods of Fashion, don't make my daughter one of those girly-girls who wants to dress like a frilly princess." The Gods of Fashion listened.

Instead of a princess, my daughter likes to dress like an 80-year-old man.