Soccer, futbol...it's all Greek to me!

Diana and Amy were introduced to soccer over the summer. I was a little worried about this for Diana because by this time, most kids her age have been playing for several years and any activity we put her that involves sports will involve a game-like setting. I was worried that she would be overwhelmed, not know the rules and get frustrated. We decided to put her in Just 4 Kicks, which she did when she first start playing soccer when she was 3. (That experience didn't go well and she didn't play soccer again until this past summer). To my surprise, Diana enjoyed her summer soccer experience. She was forced to get in shape really fast and learned that soccer isn't like t-ball(which she was also playing this summer) - you are constantly moving in soccer.

We had a decision to make come fall - soccer or theatre. Rehearsal for theatre was on the same days and times as soccer. We knew we wanted her to get exercise and keep playing sports, but wanted her to be able to decide too. Since she wasn't too familiar with the play her theatre company was doing, it was an easy choice for her to make. So, we signed her up for soccer again. This time around it's an eight-week session with games on Tuesdays and clinics on Saturdays. We liked the fact that they do a clinic on Saturday because it not only gives her another day of exercise, but it gives her more skill work as well. She's improved tremendously over the past three weeks since the fall league started. When she's not tired, she's a lot more aggressive than we thought she would be. She knows how to create space with her elbows and does a good job of trying to steal the ball from opponents. Her favorite is playing goal right now - her hand shoots up when the coach asks who wants to play in the goal. I didn't say she was great at it...though when she's paying attention, she does fine. There are some kids out there right now that should be playing in the MLS, it's amazing. These kids are 8 and they do drop kicks and make it into the goal. They kick the ball harder than I ever could. It's almost unfair. We decided it was time to put Amy in soccer when we saw her kicking the ball easily and gracefully in the open field while running. She didn't fall, she didn't trip and she kicked it quite a distance without stopping. It was impressive. She quickly fell in love with her soccer ball and she always had it with her when we went to Diana's t-ball games. Her class is an introductory soccer class so she only plays a little "real soccer" as she calls it toward the end of the 30-minute session. She's got a smile on her face the whole time though. During Diana's Saturday clinic, she keeps playing on one of the fields that's not being used.

As for Matt and me, we have no idea what's going on out there. I just sit silently in my folding chair, clap every now and then and give Diana a thumbs up when she looks over at me. Every now and then I will tell her to "go get the ball" just so the other parents realize that I am, in fact, paying attention. We have no clue about soccer, can't figure out how these professional-looking eight-year-olds snuck into Diana's class and hope that someone can give Diana some tips because she's not going to get them from us. And she doesn't want to get them from us really. It's not going to help her. As long as the girls are getting exercise, smiling and enjoying themselves, they can play whatever sport they want. And I will continue to take pictures.

The tape shape game

A rainy day was upon us on Saturday and a new babysitter was on her way over. I remember seeing a genius idea on Pinterest that involved painters tape and decided today was the day to try it out. I grabbed the roll of blue tape and started making shapes all over the living room and playroom carpet. With Matt out of town at a basketball tournament since early in the morning, I knew I wouldn't get the normal Pinterest eye roll that I typically get when I experiment with a Pinterest idea. Amy quickly yelled "let's play Momma!" when I finished taping the eight shapes to the carpet. She even reminded me that I forgot to put a diamond down so I had to find another spot on the carpet to put a diamond. (What a smartie pants!) We played the game a couple of times with me shouting out a shape and Amy running around the house standing on the shape. She even got her hexagon and pentagon right! When the babysitter got there, it wasn't like we don't have other games to play, but this was a good icebreaker. Diana and I were off on our Coastal Cleanup effort and Amy sat with the new babysitter with a big smile on her face. Mission accomplished.

When Diana and I returned from the pouring down rain outside, Amy and her new friend had played nearly every game in the house, completed puzzles and even played the tape shape game a couple of more times. Score one for Mommy! It's Sunday now and as I head to bed, the only shape that's not still on the ground is the hexagon. Amy tried to tear up the rectangle a couple of times but she put it back together once I glared at her. Every once in a while today she yelled "Mommy, let's play the shape game!" I gladly obliged. When I put her to bed tonight and asked her what the best part of her day was she said "Staying at home and playing with you!" Melted heart. See? All you need is a little tape to make a 4-year-old's day!

Happiness is...being a Girl Scout leader

One of the best things about being a Girl Scout leader is not only that I get to do all kinds of fun stuff with my daughter, but I get to be super creative and come up with fun, new and interesting experiences for a bunch of girls who may have never experienced something like this had it not been for Girl Scouts. The time they spend in a meeting or out in the community or going on an outing with their "sisters" is time they might have been sitting on the couch or just playing in their backyard (not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not the same as doing some of the things that our Girl Scout troop has done lately). Last Friday, I hosted my first Girl Scout event at the house open to other troops - a Brownie Book Swap. The event was open to only Brownies and they each brought old books that they wanted to exchange with other Brownies. I had more than 35 Brownies and some of their moms in my house. We made popcorn for them and they exchanged books. It was a blast! We are definitely going to host it again in the future...but not at my house. I was so proud of myself for offering something like this to the Service Unit.

A couple of weekends ago, we released our adopted pelican back into the San Francisco Bay with some of his friends. It was an amazing experience and I am so glad that we got to give the girls the chance to do this. Last weekend, a group of my girls went orienteering in Sacramento. This is something that only I had done before but I knew that Girl Scouts must experience. We all had a great time. And by all, I mean girls and moms included. I love watching the girls interact with one another and work together to solve a problem. For our orienteering outing, we didn't have to use a compass because we were on the beginners course. That was fine with me because I struggled to figure out the compass during the orientation. The girls just learned how to read the map - which at times proved to be a challenge of its own.

Surprisingly, my youngest Girl Scout led our group through the first four controls. Then she got hungry and snacked out of her sack pack the rest of the morning. My girls got tired as the adventure wore on...especially when they realized that our other group probably finished before us (even though they started two minutes after us). But it was great. It's definitely something we will do again and that I recommend everyone try once. This weekend, we are participating in our second Coastal Cleanup event in Vacaville. We did this as a troop last year and it was so fun. I was amazed at how much fun the girls had. They worked so hard picking up cigarette butts in the park and along the creek in Vacaville's biggest park. They were all looking forward to doing it again this year and I am glad to lead them. Diana has been involved with a lot of different activities and sports over the past three years but the one constant that she says is her favorite is Girl Scouts. I like to think that me being the leader plays a big part in that, but I know that it's the surprise around the corner also. These girls never know what I have up my sleeve for them to participate in!

Pinterest Saturday

I became a fan of Pinterest less than a year ago. My neighbor insisted that I become a member of the site and after much denial, I finally got on board and have been hooked ever since. Now, every time I make a dessert, something fun for dinner or offer my kids something creative to do during quiet time at home, they ask "Pinterest?" I proudly say "yes. All good ideas come from Pinterest ladies." I have no shame. I had the girls to myself for a few hours on Saturday so I decided to turn it the short time before naps into Pinterest Saturday. We made Flubber - one batch was good, the other one was not so good (my bad for not cleaning the bowl out completely between batches). The girls loved it - the made "cookies" mostly, but it was a great time killer while I made lunch, cleaned up after lunch and then later made dinner. Yes, they actually came back to it later! After naps, I let the girls play outside. They have been very excited about painting lately (especially Amy) so I decided to try out a new painting "recipe" I found. It involved shaving cream and tempura paint. Yes, it was messy, but it made for some great artwork, a lot of creativity and many "wow" moments, which I live for! I now have to make a trip to buy some frames to hang up the girls' art work.

Seeing stars at the eye doctor

My girls have poor genes when it comes to vision. I wear glasses (though I didn't wear them until I was in college practically) and Matt has about the worst eye sight I've ever seen in a human. On my most recent trip to the eye doctor, I asked them when it was appropriate to bring the girls in for a checkup. They said about 4 years old. I was under the impression that you didn't have to take a kid to the eye doctor until they complained that they couldn't read what the teacher was reading on the blackboard - er, whiteboard - anymore. Wrong. So, before I left the doctor's office that day I made them an appointment. I didn't feel the need to tell the girls prior to the appointment that they were going to be visiting the doctor. I told them the night before and they were very excited about it. Diana pumped her fist. I later got a picture from my mom of she and Amy practicing reading big letters and small letters. I left work early to take them to the appointment and when we arrived and were called back, the girls practically ran back to the exam room. I knew they would like this place because the exam is very interactive and fun. It involves letters and it's a bit of a test which my kids love. Diana went first, sat up in that chair and fired off letters that were smaller than ants. Truly smaller than ants. The doctor was blown away. He showed me how small the letters were that she was reading and I couldn't even read them with my glasses on. Diana "aced" the rest of the exam and had a great time. She's a little far-sighted which the doctor said is normal because most kids start out far-sighted and as they get older become more near-sighted. Amy was a champ as well. She hopped up in the chair and ran through every test that Diana did. The doctor was impressed that a 3-year-old could focus long enough to do all the tests. Amy was funny - she got a little attitude when the doctor asked her what the pictures, numbers and letters were on the wall. She had a "duh" sound in her response a couple of times and doctor and I couldn't help but laugh. I guess Amy needs a little more of a challenge. I left the office beaming at my two little people. Once again, they amaze me and make me very proud. Sometimes they don't act like little angels at home and the tantrums are exhausting, but when we go out in public, especially to a place where I go solo sometimes, they behave and do as they are told. We went to Burger King to celebrate.

Full circle in a rectangle

I am lucky to have two little girls who love books, love to hear stories and love to make up stories. Three and a half years ago, I taught Diana how to read. She was almost four, about to become a big sister and a year away from being in kindergarten. It was time. It wasn't hard. She is a great learner and very enthusiastic. We did have our rough nights, but for the most part, she got it, wanted to learn how to read and picked it up in no time. It helped that I have parents who are familiar with the great resources available to teachers and could guide me in the right direction. My mom picked up Dr. Seuss' Hop on Pop to teach me how to read decades ago so she insisted that I start there. Along with Frontline Phonics and Hop on Pop, Diana and I were off. Now, three and a half years later, it's all coming full circle. I sit with my girls in Amy's bedroom nearly every night and we read. Amy proudly assigns us our books and we read. Amy even makes up a story based on the pictures in her selection. It's nearly always 100 percent accurate. Lately, Amy has been picking out Hop on Pop to read. I get a little grin on my face every time she picks it out. Time flies. The first time the three of us sat down to read, Amy amazed me at how well she knew the book. It wasn't until we were halfway through that I asked her if she had been reading it with Grandma V. "Yes," she said very matter-of-factly. Oh, that explains a lot. But still, it's very awesome how much she loves to read, how well she remembers the story and the words. She's also very easy to teach and I am sure that she will be ready for kindergarten in no time. After we read Hop on Pop, I head next door to read with Diana - Ramona Quimby, Age 8 is the book of choice these days. The book was published in 1981...I was six. I remember the book fondly and chuckle at everything that happens to Ramona in third grade. The egg in her hair, throwing up in class, her constant love-hate battles with Beezus. It's remarkable how books transcend time. I wasn't sure if Diana would like the Ramona series when her grandpa got the series for her a couple of birthdays ago, but we have worked through them pretty rapidly. I am the one who insists on taking a break once in a while, much to the dismay of Diana. As stressful as bedtime routines can be for a tired working mom, the quiet time we have in the final 30 minutes of our day is the most relaxing, enjoyable 30 minutes of my day. I love their creativity, their love for one another to sit and read to each other and their passion for books. I hope it never ends.

Well excuuuusssse me!

An area that I need to improve upon is patience. I've always thought I was a pretty patient person. Then my kids learned to talk back and developed a little bit of attitude and my patience went out the window. Any hint of attitude and I lose it. I won't stand for it. A mom friend of mine says that her kids are afraid of her. They don't give her attitude and in that remote chance that they do give her a little twinge of attitude or talk back, she gives them "the look" and the attitude flies out the window. My kids aren't scared of me. I try and give them a timeout and they just give me more attitude and yell more. Granted they are on their way to their bedroom, but they are still yelling. I don't think there's any chance my kids will ever be scared of me. That ship has sailed. I need to have various levels of the attitude that I will accept. Seven-year-olds these days are like 12-year-olds and unless my kids are cursing at me (that's not gonna happen), I have to give in a little. Plus, a lot of the blame goes back on me. I am a very sarcastic person and a 7-year-old can't quite comprehend that. She's just giving me the tone of voice that I give her and Daddy all the time. Sarcasm just comes out a lot different from her than it does from me. When I hear other kids Diana's age talk, they talk to their parents the same, if not worse, than she talks to me. I breathe a sigh of relief, briefly, that I am not the only one who deals with this attitude. I guess what it comes down to is as long as she doesn't give this attitude to other adults and her teachers, I'm OK.

Just another tough decision to make

As Amy's third birthday approaches we are re-evaluating her needs for speech therapy. She's doing great, talking a lot and saying more words. Her ability to communicate her needs to us improves every day. She's been with this speech therapist for almost a year now. We love Miss Cari. When I went back to work Cari was willing to continue Amy's sessions at the daycare instead of at our house. She has a great personality and Amy has trusted her and responded well to her from Day One. Cari has also called and left messages on our voice mail at home with a funny experience she shared with Amy from that day's session or just an update on how she's doing. It also helps that Cari brings trains every once in while to the therapy session. But Amy is "graduating," so to speak, to another level of therapy. Her case is being handed over to the school district. They will have Amy in a preschool setting a couple of days a week with a speech therapist and other kids to help her speech/development. The problem we run into is that "school" where Amy would have these sessions is on Travis Air Force Base and they are held in the middle of the day. I work 30-40 minutes away from the base. Logistically, it's a nightmare to even think about having to take off work, pick up Amy at daycare, drive out to the base, get a parking pass, wait in the car while she has class and then do it all again in reverse. I'd easily be away from work at least two hours. Thinking about the gas frightens me as well. The speech therapist informed me that they could provide transportation to and from the daycare. "Oh, what does that entail?" I asked. "Well, she would bussed out here," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You put a three-year-old on a bus?" "Yes, there are others her age that do it," she said, not at all seeing any problem with it. "Sorry, I am not putting my three-year-old on a bus and sending her across town," I said. Our other option is to decline the services. We know that's probably not the best option either. Amy still needs therapy. She especially needs it in the environment that the school district can provide - a group setting under a speech therapist's watch where she can help Amy learn to communicate with other kids her age. When she's at daycare now, and another kid comes within two inches of her, she gets raging mad. She hits, screams and shows a lot of anger. The teachers there are not trained to help her in the way a speech therapist can. We can only tell Amy so many times to "use your words" but if she doesn't know how to do that, it makes no sense to her. I've asked the speech therapist in our district about the possibility of an inter-district transfer. I work in Vacaville and it seems logical that they would try to honor this. She skirts around the issue and then eventually changes the subject. I am going to keep pursuing this option because it seems like the best option. Amy wouldn't start with her new speech therapist until the fall (she would be on the regular school year schedule for the most part) so we have some time. In the meanwhile, our district would perform an evaluation (which they are going to do at our house, thankfully) and see where she's at. If there is room in the Vacaville district program come fall, they might be able to squeeze her in. Who would've ever thought I would have to be on a waiting list for speech therapy for a three-year-old? Geez! Let the educational drama begin!

We're going to the Huki Lau

I have to be more in touch with my family so over the next month, my goal is to blog, blog and then blog some more. We have a lot going on and yet, I never write about it. So sad because I am, in fact, a writer. And I do take pictures to document everything we do. Today, the adventure for Diana and me was an Island Girls She and Me event run by another Girl Scout Troop in our Service Unit. It was, of course, Hawaiian theme and lots of fun. It was nice to be indoors, too, considering the temperature is nearing 95 degrees...it's April right? Diana and I got in our best Hawaiian themed outfits and headed over to the event. There was great food, games, crafts, raffle prizes and a dessert contest. Of course, I part took in the dessert contest. The rules were to use a tropical fruit. I took the easy way out and made Pineapple "D"-Lite Cupcakes (The "D" is for Diana). I started making them Saturday morning after breakfast (cupcakes are always freshest when eaten the day they are made, right?). But as the oven was preheating and I had the batter in the cake tins, the power went out. I waited 20 minutes, texted my neighbor to see if it was just us or the neighborhood, and then decided to head over to Grandma V's. I piled the girls in the car, grabbed all my supplies and drove into Fairfield. I baked and frosted the cupcakes, took a shower and got ready for the event at V's and then headed back to Vacaville. By mid-party, I was pooped. There was so much party left to be had though! I sucked it up, decorated a frame and watched Diana get a feather put in her hair. Then the results for the dessert contest were announced - four categories and I walked away with nothing. Granted there were about 50 desserts so my chances were slim. I must say though, that I was disappointed to see my cupcakes completely in tact though when I went to get a dessert. The judges hadn't even sampled mine! Technically, I was never in the running! I even went all out and put Girl Scout decor on them. They were awesome! When Diana and I left the party, I took my cupcakes and passed some out to the other moms I know who had family at home. I brought some home for the "real" judge...Matt.

Surprised? So am I

What does one write about when she hasn't written for five months? It's been a little busy around our neck of the woods and blogging hasn't even been on my radar. But tonight is a little funny in the Borchert house. After attending the local 100th Girl Scout Anniversary celebration downtown earlier tonight, I came home and put the girls to bed. Thirty minutes later, Matt was headed to bed because he's sick. That left me, at 8:30 p.m., alone sitting on the couch with my laptop, working on a project. I got a phone call from some politico lady who wanted 15 minutes of my time but I said no. I tried to kill time on Facebook, but it annoys me. I read my sister's blog which I haven't read in probably a year (sad, I know), read my blog which I haven't read in months and decided that I had a couple of minutes to write.

I'm busy. Too busy? Maybe. Working mom. Girl Scout leader. Coach's Wife. Taxi driver. There are a lot of little titles that I own in between those titles. I didn't necessarily enjoy every minute of being a stay-at-home mom, but man I had time to do things. I can barely find time to clean the house, do laundry, cook dinner now. I think it's because as my kids get older, they are involved in more activities. And I love that they are involved in activities. My dream of having a Girl Scout has come true. I love being a Girl scout leader. It's a lot of work but it's so rewarding. And Diana loves it too. She's so into it. And Amy loves her Saturday gymnastics class. I can't believe how good she is. She pulls herself up on that little bar and just dangles there. I am perfectly happy wearing myself out day after day to ensure that my little people are healthy and happy.
That's what it's all about right?
One of these days I will have time to myself...oh wait, I just had time to myself. See you in another five months!

We are one Cool family

We love our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch, the official kickoff to the fall season. Matt gets pumped about the holiday season. He gets all the decorations out and has the girls help him decorate the house. I don't help anymore. I don't do it right. And when the girls help, they don't do it right either. Then Matt asks me to "check their work." I am the last person that he needs to be asking to do that because I don't do it right according to him. He goes back and checks my work. If a decoration is a half-inch out of place, it will get moved to the correct place. So I just sit on the couch and let him decorate the house. I tell him "When you want something done right, do it yourself!"

Our trip to Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon is fun. The whole family comes out and this year we let Diana invite one of her friends and her family. We could've spent the whole day out there, it was so beautiful. I will let the pictures do the talking.

The girls walking into the patch with Daddy. I have a picture of Matt and Diana walking into the patch when she was three. It's great to see this one with an extra little person in it!



Diana and Amy love playing in the houses.



Another one of my favorites. I am going to get this one blown up and frame it with the one of Matt and Diana from three years ago. She's so BIG!



After a while, they just want to be chaffeured.

Remember me? I'm Amy!

Amy's birth story is great. I know she was born early and there were complications, but once she came into this world, she was awesome and her story is so unique. Not too many babies spend their first three weeks of the world in three hospitals. Both of us got great treatment in our hospitals, but Walnut Creek Kaiser has to be the most special. She was there for two weeks and let me tell you, she thrived!

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) there is one of the best, if not the best, in Northern California. There were so many babies in the NICU when we were there and all of them there for different reasons. Amy was very fortunate to be one of the healthiest babies in there at the time. I visited Amy every day once I was discharged from the hospital, making the 35-40 minute drive, sometimes with my mom, down Interstate 80, then to 680. I walked into the hospital, Boppy and diaper bag in tow and was excited about our one hour together for the day. I visited her in the morning and because the nurses didn't want her overstimulated, I was only allowed to hold her for an hour. Once she got bigger, I could hold her for longer. We did kangaroo care (where she laid on my naked chest in just her diaper) for an hour and we just sat there. I didn't sing, I didn't talk, I couldn't even rock in my chair. I wanted to fall asleep, but I couldn't take my eyes off this little person. She loved kangaroo care and so did I. When the nurses told me my time was up, they literally had to peel her off me - our sweaty skins were stuck together (LOL).

We were invited to the NICU graduate reunion and it was decided as a family that we were definitely going to go. I wasn't sure what it was going to be like because we didn't get an invitation last year. There were games, snacks, live kids music and activities. It was so much fun. Amy and Diana even led a group of kids in dancing to the live music.

I got a little emotional being back in Walnut Creek, seeing all the little babies and the big "graduates" walking around. I've been back to Walnut Creek since Amy left there, because she has appointments there once a year so I don't know why I was emotional on this day. But that hospital and the staff holds a special place in my heart and I will never forget how wonderfully we were treated there.

Here are some pictures from our fun day.

Amy was very helpful, making sure to set up the pins after she knocked them over in the bowling game.



Daddy was pumped that there were Color by Number coloring books. He needs structure, but I didn't know he needed THAT much structure!



You would've sworn that the "live music" was Taio Cruz or something by the way the girls were dancing, but no...just a man and his guitar singing kids music.

Another chapter begins

It's been a long 11 months. There have been ups and there have been downs. It's basically been an emotional roller coaster. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to stay at home with my girls and spend more time with my family which is what everyone wants,right? Walking Diana to school every morning has been extremely fun and being the first one to see her smiling face when she rushes out of her classroom at the end of the day is awesome. I can't wait to hear all about her first-grade adventures.
All the while, I have stayed busy with a lot of freelance work. It was important to me from the get-go to stay busy and still write and be involved with the community and take on projects. I even started volunteering with some organizations at Diana's school.
For the past month I have gone to a parent preschool with Amy which is so much fun. It's kind of surreal to watch her in a preschool atmosphere. I never got to do that with Diana. We dropped her off at daycare, went to work and picked her up. We relied on the teachers to fill us in with every detail of her busy day.
Now, it's time for another change. I am ready to go back to work and someone is...finally...ready to have me.
In my email inbox on Monday I hope to have an offer from Novartis, a pharmaceutical company in Vacaville. Yes, Vacaville, the city where I live. Not San Francisco, not Sacramento. I will drive 15 minutes to work every day and 15 minutes back home. If my kids get hurt at school, I can jet over and make sure they are OK if I need to. Amazing. Things happen for a reason. All the rejection for the past nine months happened for a reason.
I had an interview with this company on Friday afternoon. I was there for two hours and met with several different people. I loved every single one of them. They were excited about this position and honest about the company's "transitioning" culture. I am excited to possibly shape that culture.
At 6 p.m. that night, I got a phone call from the director of communications telling me that the committee met briefly and that it was unanimous to move forward with me as their primary candidate. I submitted my references and will wait for the offer to come in the email. They will do a background check, I will do a drug test and then I will start in a couple of weeks.
Check out the company online, my mom did. She's impressed. I'm impressed. While the job is only a contract position through the end of the year, there is a possibility that it could go full-time. Like I always do, I will work my butt off for the next two months and ensure that I can stay with this company as long as they want me.
Thanks to everyone for their support over the last 11 months. A big reason that I have been able to stay hopeful that there was something out there for me was because of the love and support of my family and friends.

It's time for preschool already

I knew it was time for Amy to start preschool when she got so excited about Diana's friends coming over for playdates. She was screaming for some friends of her own and for some time away from Mommy.
My mom convinced me that the parent preschool at her former place of employment (yay Mom!) was a great option for us now. It's four hours a day, twice a week. A bonus that you don't get a traditional preschool is that for about an hour during the day, I learn some great parenting techniques. We talk about discipline and other topics that parents feel they want to know more about.
Last week was the first week for Amy and me and she had a great time. She recognized the playground right away from the few times that I took the girls there to visit Grandma V. She busted right into the room and was so happy to have new toys to play with. I was really pleased with her for paying attention during circle time, sitting still at a big table during lunch and playing on her own while I was watching a video in another room. The kids played pretty well together on the first week, but they were all still a little shy. I am sure that will change as time goes on.
They got to play outside as well. When Amy heard that it was time to go outside, she shot out of the door like her hair was on fire.
I had never seen her run so fast - not even in the Diaper Derby! When she got outside, she couldn't decide what to play with first so she ran back and forth between the playground, the sand table and the play house. Then she went back to the sand table, and then the play house and then the playground. She was like a pinball.
I finally ran over to her and told her that we had plenty of time out here and that she would get to play with everything before we went back inside. It was almost like she took a sigh of relief. She settled on the playground first.
She slept really well that night and was very excited to go back a couple days later.
For me, it's nice to have some parents to talk to and to get to have some out of the house time with Amy. I love to watch her play and learn. It's going to be a great experience for both of us!

Well, that was rude!

We've all seen the movie Pretty Woman, right? You know the one...prostitute falls in love with billionaire and they live happily ever after. Right, we're up to speed now.
There's a scene in the movie where Richard Gere's character gives Julia Roberts' character money and she goes down to Rodeo Drive to shop for some "appropriate" clothes. When she goes into the first store, they tell her that she's in the wrong place and they don't have anything for her. Booo!
I love the scene a little later in the movie when she returns to that store with about 10 shopping bags in her hands and says that they made a huge mistake..."Huge!"
Well, I am no Julia Roberts, but I was "Pretty Womaned" the other day and I feel compelled to write about it.
I am going to be in a wedding at the end of October. I have been a little preoccupied lately so I put off dress-hunting until Friday. Huge mistake, I know. Especially since I was asked to pick a dress that is more summer color than fall color. My bad, yes. I saw an ad in the paper the other day for a popular dress shop in downtown Fairfield. They were having and end-of-summer clearance. Well, Angela missed out on all the summer dresses so when I went the clearance was over.
I strolled into the shop promptly at 10 a.m. after enjoying a Starbucks tea with Amy. She was still munching on her bagel when we arrived at the store. I immediately got dark stares upon entering the store with my kid. I could practically hear what the two older women were thinking "How DARE she bring a child in our store? And the child is eating to boot?"
The lady asked me to put Amy's bagel away (yea, good luck with that) so I had Amy put it back in the Starbucks bag. She screamed and then threw her book across the store.
"I have a thrower too," the lady said. I looked at her a little funny.
"My grandson is a thrower," she clarified.
Whatever. I told her what I was in the market for that day because I obviously wasn't in the mood for small talk. She looked at the swatches that I brought along and instantly she was discouraged at my color choice. She showed me a couple dresses that I said were "OK" but not exactly what I had in mind. She presented another dress that I don't think anyone in their mid-30s should even touch let alone wear.
"I don't think that's quite me," I said. She turned her nose up at me and went to another part of the store.
She then handed me back my swatches and said "I don't think we have what you are looking for."
HUH?
"Oh, well, OK," I said.
There was no offer to order something from a catalog or offer another shop. Nothing. Just a snooty attitude and dismissal. I left the store with my kid. As I manuevered out of the front door with Amy in the stroller, she didn't even offer to help. Not that I need it, but an offer would have been nice.
That's the last time I go to that store. (Technically I have never purchased anything at that store, but still...)
I have never been "Pretty Womaned" before and I have never gotten the kind of reception I did from those women anywhere else because I had a kid with me. Considering those women, at least one of them, was a grandma, I would've expected a little more courtesy.
It's all good. I went to JC Penney...a nice family-friendly store...and got a dress for the wedding for $30! Thank you big-box retailers and your end-of-summer clearance!

Staying very busy

I've known people all through my life who have held down three jobs just to make ends meet. They go from one job to the next, barely enough time in between to feed or even say hi to their kids, and this is their life. The whole family adjusts to this crazy schedule...but it's only crazy to those not in it. What is crazy to one family may not be so crazy to another.
As a writer, I can work from anywhere. Right now, I am in the backyard with the laptop, sitting at the table while Amy plays in the water table and slides down the slide. Diana is learning Spanish at school and Matt is at work. It's quiet for the most part, aside from lawnmowers doing their business and some birds chirping.
For the last few months I have been writing a column for the local newspaper about being a stay-at-home mom. I've gotten good feedback from it and I really enjoying writing it. Last week, I picked up another freelance writing gig and I have another prospective offer to do some freelance work for a local company. That's three jobs. And I haven't even mentioned the stuff I do for Matt's basketball team and freelance work I do for some of the other sports teams at Solano, some PR stuff I do for the Solano president and part-time PR for Diana's theatre company. Whew.
That's OK. It's projects, and I love projects. I love staying busy and keeping my creative juices flowing.
I had a coffee meeting with a friend this morning and she said that maybe I was just going to be one of those people who freelances. I said I was OK with that because freelancing allows me to be involved with my kids' lives. I can take them to gymnastics, theatre and all their other activities and still have some money coming in. I just have to make sure I am cutting back in places.
The thing I look forward to every day though is taking Diana to school and picking her up. She really looks forward to school and I have been able to help out a friend/neighbor by having her daughter walk with us to school every day. I realize that there's nothing quite like being there to tell your kid to have a great day and being the first one to ask how their day was. Yes, all the in between stuff is hard - disciplining a 2-year-old, coming up with creative lunches every day, cleaning the house, staying sane - but it's all worth it when that little first grader runs over to me in the afternoon and tells me all about her day on the way home.

First day of first!

There are new routines to adjust to on the first day of school. We have to get up a little earlier, there's more of a sense of urgency as the morning progresses and the to-do list is a little longer.
On Wednesday, Diana started first grade. She's been ready to go back to school for a while and, frankly, so have I. Unfortunately, even though she's excited, she still has no sense of urgency.
Diana woke up around 6:15 and got dressed right away (just like I told her was going to have to happen). I made breakfast and then got Amy going around 7. The little one is getting up about 30-45 minutes earlier than normal which sucks for her. Amy likes to chill in her crib for a while before greeting the family. She did well Wednesday though.
At the breakfast table, I had to remind Diana four times that we are not in talkative, summer, goof-off-at-the-table mode anymore. It's all business baby!
I admit to having a little anxiety on Wednesday but I wanted to make sure we got out of the house on time. Anticipating the traffic at school was at the forefront of my mind as well.
Once breakfast was over, Diana brushed her teeth and hair and put her shoes on. Once the clock struck 8, we were out the door and drove the 1 minute and 30 seconds down the street to school.
NEVER AGAIN.
So much traffic, so many people. I know it was the first day of school and all, but I had to park way down the street from school - it was nearly the equivalent of being at my house. What a waste of time.
There I was, pushing Amy in the stroller, lugging two reams of copy paper, a box of Kleenex and my purse with the camera in it. Meanwhile, Diana has a backpack that the crossing guard says makes her look like a turtle because it's so big. It's filled with supplies and she's carrying her lunch. We looked ridiculous but as I looked around at other families, we fit right in!
Diana was the first one in line and I didn't speak but two words to her the rest of the time. Once her teacher came out to greet the class, she went with her, put her backpack away and sat on the carpet. The teacher told the students to say "Hasta Luego" to the parents (remember, she's in Spanish Immersion) and Diana was still staring at the teacher as if to say "Yea, can we just start learning now?"



She finally turned around, waved and we left. I got a little misty eyed but I think it was more hurt feelings because my baby wouldn't say bye. Whatev, D! Momma doesn't forget! :)

The next Erin Andrews

We put our kids in sports in hopes they will become the next great superstar athlete. The chances of that happening are slim and we all know it, but we have to take a chance, right? Besides, they are getting some exercise, making new friends and learning valuable lessons along the way. There are really few negatives to being involved with sports.
In the past nine months since Diana has been involved with various athletic endeavors, she has learned that maybe she actually enjoys sports. She tries really hard at everything she does, she smiles, she has a great attitude toward her coaches and teammates and it's led to an interest in the sports we watch at home on television.
Since it's summertime, that means she's paying more attention to the (World Champion) San Francisco Giants. They are on nearly every day and even though most of the games are on past her bedtime, she can catch the games when they playing on the East Coast. (I am sure that she will be a fan of the National League East someday).
Diana can tell us what the score is, what inning it is - including whether or not it's the top half or the bottom half - and knows that three outs is all ya' get. Now, granted, these are basic baseball facts that everyone should know, but remember, she's a girl and she's just started showing interest in baseball. She's picked it up pretty quick. Her favorite player is Pablo Sandoval but I don't think she could tell you any other player.
I was excited the other day to learn that she's been paying a lot more attention than I though after talking to a friend of mine (a sportswriter) who struck up a conversation with Diana at a barbecue.
He told me that he was impressed with Diana's baseball knowledge. I had no idea what he was referring to.
He said that she was excited because the Giants has won two games in a row and that they won that day 4-1. She was aware, he said, of the Giants' streak of hitting a home run with no runners on base (something Dad must have taught her). I was blown away by all this knowledge. My friend was impressed.
I thought all day about this and later told Matt that if nothing comes of Diana being an athlete (with the legs she's grown over the summer though, I am pretty sure sports are in her future), she's got a career in broadcasting for sure! I can just think 20 or so years from now watching Diana on SportsCenter - blonde hair and all - as the next Erin Andrews (minus the stalker of course).
See, there's more to participating in sports than the physical side of it!

Our venture into signing

Amy began her second week of speech therapy this week. I sit on the couch and let the therapist work her magic for 30 minutes twice a week. She's teaching her a little bit of sign language which I am not totally for, but it's not a lot of signing. She's taught her how to say "more cookies please", "fish", "apple" and some others. She brings Amy snacks and encourages her to use her words if she wants another snack. I practice her signing with her at home while also encouraging her to use her words when she needs or wants something.
The two of them play with a train and the therapist shows her pictures of objects, encouraging Amy to look at her mouth while she says the word. She's impressed with Amy's jaw movement and how well she uses her tongue to chew, etc. The words will come, she tells me. (I'm still not concerned.)
The thing I realized this past week and I think the therapist realized it too, is that Amy just doesn't want to talk. She's not ready. Diana wasn't ready at this age. She knows how to ask for more cookies or Goldfish crackers, but instead she whines and points to them. We remind her to use her words and after a little bit of encouragement, she signs for them. The therapist says that she has several kids who are in the same phase as Amy and they don't seem to want to talk either.
While the girls were at Camp Gramma V, Diana taught Amy to say "Dada" so now everytime Matt comes home, he asks Amy who he is. When we sit down to dinner, he looks across the table and asks her who he is. "Dada" she replies. He chuckles. I just remind him who her favorite is...he shrugs because he knows the answer to that is me.
Amy's vocabulary is slowly expanding. I just don't know that it's because of speech therapy.

We gotta get outta this town

There are a lot of places to take kids in the summer that don't cost a thing. We have done Michael's craft days, gone to the park, gone swimming, visited the Jelly Belly factory...that's just the beginning.
But sometimes, you just gotta pack up the car, head out of town and spend a little bit of money. That's what I decided to do one day so we went to Fairytale Town in Sacramento. I didn't tell the girls where we were going, I just said we were going for a car ride. It was Amy's first trip to Fairytale Town and Diana's second. I realized not long after we arrived that Diana is a little bit old for that place. She was practically tackling the other kids who were climbing on the structures and going down slides. She loved it, but she's ready for something a little more age-appropriate. Amy, on the other hand, was in heaven. She loved chasing her sister around, going down slides much larger than those that we find at the parks and being outside.
It was fun to watch them discover a new place. And I was pleased that the snack bar inside Fairytale Town was extremely reasonably priced. Everything was less than $2 for the most part...way within my budget.

Here are some images from the trip. Diana first went to Fairytale Town with my mom years ago and she made Diana a photo album from it. I am going to do the same for Amy because Amy just loves looking at D's album. Now she can have her own.

Diana was such a good big sister, watching Amy as she climbed up the stairs on every slide to make sure she didn't fall.



Amy really did chase Diana around some times.



And they loved the hippopotamus water fountain!