Syndicate

This is totally a mommy blog. When I first heard that term, “Mommy blog,” I was a little offended. It sounded so negative and I don’t see why its wrong to blog about your kids growing up. One of the things I have learned from the bloggisphere is that all of us Mommies go through the same ups and downs, and that it is okay to make mistakes as a parent. How can it be wrong to belong to a community where you can brag about how great your kids are, and complain about how frustrating they can be, while giving and receiving support from people who are in the same situation?

But, I realize that it is the lack of uniqueness that gives mommy bloggers a bad name. Most of us write about the same issues. I tried for a while to branch out of the mommy blog stereotype by writing about organization and American Idol, but I now realize that the posts that I enjoy rereading the most (and yes, I do occasionally reread what I have written) are the ones where I talk about Chloe. Trust me, I could write about all sorts of things. I could do more posts on living in New Jersey, adjusting to life away from my family, whether or not I want to still be a teacher, and the ups and downs of marriage. But I know who my audience is, a majority of it anyway, friends and family. And I am assuming that none of you really wants to hear me whine, and that Chloe is a lot more interesting at this point. Not that I won’t do an occasional post about the above, I just am embracing my reality.

This is a mommy blog…and I am okay with that!

(Which would also explain my “G” rating! Someday I might turn this blog into a book for Chloe, and I don’t want to have to edit out a bunch of swear words!)

instead of just lame. Okay, not just lame, but the biggest lame-o in lamesville.

I had my blog tested to see what it rated…

Which, could mean a couple of things. I have successfully learned to express myself without using bad language or potty humor. Or I am lame. I keep going back and forth. One thing is for sure, I am definitely not gritty enough for the streets, so its a darn good thing I live in suburbia!

“She looks like she has leadership skills to me.”

“That’s just your way of saying she’s bossy, besides how can you tell, she’s sleeping.”

“She has a wise face.”

John found my camera! I have posted the pictures here. Of course, my favorites were taken by Ellen at her Memorial Day BBQ

Ready…

Set…

GO!

Chloe is now two, and she has become the stereotype. Every question is answered with an angry and accusing, “NO!”

“Chloe do you want lunch?” “NO LUNCH!” Two minutes later, “Mommy, hungry?”

“Chloe do you want to play outside?” “NO OUTSIDE!” Two seconds later, “Mommy, outside?”

“Chloe do you want a chocolate donut covered in a sticky sugar glaze?” “NO DONUT!” Pause pause, “Mommy, chocolate donut?”

If it is my idea then it can’t possibly be good.

We’ve also reached the wonderful world of tantrums. Not that Chloe didn’t throw tantrums before, she did and sometimes they were doosies, but now EVERYTHING is a tantrum. She definitely has her own agenda, and she is not willing to let me lead or guide her away from it. I am getting tired of the fits when I move her away from a swing in motion, or try to put a sweater on her because its cold. Last night was kind of funny because it was John’s turn to put her to bed, and she wanted mommy to do it, so she was throwing a fit. John had to carry her up the stairs an arms length away because she was kicking. He got up to the top of the stairs and said to her, “Say night night to mommy.” And calmly as if it were nothing, she said, “Bye bye, Mommy,” and the fit was over.

I know that even with the fits and the contrariness, she is still a really good little girl. The problem I have is that I have not yet adapted to her new behaviors. I haven’t figured out the tricks and the methods to calming her down so that we can both get what we want. I don’t have any doubt that I will figure it out, I just hope I can do it before she moves on to the next phase.

My parents flew out to NJ the same day I did and we had a wonderful whirlwind visit. We flew in on Wednesday, and while Chloe was napping I got my new driver’s license. On Thursday we went to Philadelphia to continued my dad’s history tour of the US (They visited Boston a year ago and DC a month ago.) Friday we took a tour of the Crayola factory in Pennsylvania. Saturday, we went to one of Chloe’s friend’s birthday party, then my parents babysat so John and I could go out on a date. Sunday, we went to the American History Museum in Manhattan. Monday, Mom, Dad and I went to Atlantic City (leaving Chloe at home with John because she was pretty done with the tourist thing.) Then we had a BBQ over at Ellen’s for Memorial day. Today, I drove mom and dad to the airport, and started the “process” of getting my house back in order.

I would love to show you pictures of all of these adventures, but I can’t. BECAUSE I LOST MY FREAKIN’ CAMERA! I am starting to think that there is something seriously wrong with me. Ellen insists that it is normal to become absent minded when you have kids because you are trying to keep track of so many things that the details become fuzzy. I have no excuse for the insurance card or the passport, but the driver’s license is easy to justify because I was literally carrying too many things. I had Chloe’s stroller, diaper bag, toy bag, glass of milk, bowl of muffins, baby doll (which I had to wrench away from her to run it through the XRay, which left a screaming kid,) her shoes, my shoes, and the stroller bag. Then, the security guy decided he needed to look through her diaper bag and he couldn’t do that until I was standing with him and watching him go through it. So, I had to wrestle Chloe back into her stroller (which of course she didn’t want to go back into because she wanted to walk,) then gather the rest of my belongings so that nobody could say that I left them unattended. While he was going through the back pack I tried to appear like I was watching him while I put my shoes back on and then Chloe’s shoes back on. Then I had to put everything back into the stroller. I was out of hands, and I thought my license would be safe in my pocket. I was wrong, and I spent a very stressful week in Denver paying for that error.

The camera is along the same vein. I was at the birthday party on Saturday at a Party Gym. I had the camera cord wrapped around my wrist throughout the entire party, until it was time to leave and I had to set it down to put my shoes back on. That is the last time I remember seeing it. Chloe wasn’t happy about leaving (she was having fun!) and I had to carry her out kicking and screaming…so, it wouldn’t surprise me if I forgot to pick it back up. I called the Party Gym, but of course nobody turned it in. So, all of my Philly pictures are gone, the birthday pictures are gone, and a $200 camera is gone. Which also means that I didn’t have a camera at the museum or in AC.

This absentminded thing is starting to be more than just annoying, its starting to get expensive!

And my myth TV stopped recording. We sat there through all of the other acts, the terrible vocals, the forced and bizarre commercial exploits, and didn’t get to see the end. I know David Cook won, but I feel like it was very anticlimactic. I just really hope they have the end on line tomorrow…next year I am watching the finale live!

We made it home with very little fan fair.  The airline was exceptionally helpful with getting through security, we were able to exchange our 5:10 pm flight with the 7:30 am flight my parents were on, and our flight was on time.  And, of course, Chloe was an angel (other than decorating the floor with raisins.)  All in all, my worry and stress was all for naught.  I really do hope that someday I will be able to take a moment and say, “I know everything is going to fine,” and actually mean it.  I will download the few pictures I did take of the trip and put them up in the gallery.

After many discussions with my mom and my sister (both American Idol fans) we have decided that this is what should happen tonight on the finale: David Archuleta should win because he is still a young and innocent kid who needs some direction with his musical career. David Cook should come in second since he is already an excellent musician and performer and should have more control over his career (which, as runner up on American Idol, he is practically guaranteed a record contract.) So it has been said, and so it shall be done! Tonight…vote for David! (just kidding, had to throw that joke in there.)