Schoooooool

Well technically it’s a Mother’s Day out program hosted at the local church, every Tuesday and Thursday.  LB is well positioned in the 18-24 month cohort- classroom setting, 8:30-2:30 (with nap time), 10 kids and 2 teachers.  Report cards are available every day and the feedback highlights demeanor (happy, sad, or please don’t hesitate to leave your kid at home) and eating/sleeping/potty performance.  If you are lucky, you receive anecdotal comments from the teacher like “Leighton waited for her turn to draw, and quickly said thank you after receiving the crayons.”  That’s my girl!

The biggest surprise for me was the lunchbox and backpack competition.  Well maybe it isn't a competition, but who wants to risk future self confidence issues for the kid because a parent didn't want to take a chance.  You can’t be like every other parent sending their kid to school w/ a Dora backpack and lunchbox…Not for our little girl.  No way.  We had to embrace our MarioKart roots and equip LB with a spiked Koopa Troopa shell.  And a lunchbox that shaped like a cow head, to which LB appropriately screams –MOOOOOOOOOOO! 

Call Me...Maybe?

LB decided to join the other youtube.com hopefuls with her twist on the Carly Rae single.  What you can’t see in the video is her demand to repeat the track, indefinitely.  I can’t explain why she is so attached to the song…San Antonio radio is probably to blame.  I was really hoping that she would throw some moves to David Guetta…I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose- fire away, fire away.  Ricochet, you take your aim- fire away, fire away.  You shoot me down, but I won't fall- I am titanium.  You shoot me down, but I won't fall- I am titanium!!!  Boom Boom Boom Boom, Bomp Bomp Bomp Bomp. 

Maybe it’s too early for her to enjoy some digital beats.  Soon.  

Vacation 2012 (Part 2 of 4)

Dave- Ash! I need material for the 2nd leg of the July trip.  Do you know what would be fun?

Ash- Another vacation?  Moving back to Atl?

Dave- All good ideas, but I was hoping to get you behind the keyboard this time to reflect on all the tales of playing in the garden with LB, wave runner in the lake, trips to Dick's Sporting goods, etc. 

Ash- Yeah.  No. 

Dave- Someday LB will read about these adventures and wonder what happened to mommy’s words and point of view. 

Ash- Mommy’s words usually find me on the losing end of scrabble.

Ash- And my point of view is baked into her crust from sunrise to sunset.

Dave- Well how do you explain her constant need to be entertained?  Where does that come from?

Ash- Is that a rhetorical question?

10 minutes later...
Ash- Check your email, I sent you some shots for the blog.  My pictures are worth a thousand words.
Dave- Touche.

Vacation 2012 (Part 1 of 4)

LB= trooper.  Gone are the days of stopping every hour to take a break.  Hello to the days of traveling w/ Portable DVD players and an infinite supply of food (Goldfish and Fried Fruit mostly) and beverage (M-I-L-K).  Bottom Line- 1000 miles in 2 days, with 3 total breaks, one of which was the hotel /sleeping quarters in Covington, LA.  Side note- Homewood suites by Hilton- very functional for families. Anyways- while we can celebrate the ease of planning trips without the consideration of a school calendar, any benefit claims would be offset by the added payload of packing for a toddler.  Holy cow.  Is that my trunk?  I thought I only packed a backpack.  Really?  Really.  

As for the vacation…Everything previously mentioned about Rosemary 2011 still applies today.  Leighton still loves the water and the added attention.  The weather did not factor into the vacation at all…Except when we committed our most significant parenting error to date (adult sun block lotion should not be applied to a baby face.  Babies rub their face and eyes- it’s inevitable.  And lotion stings)

For me, the true pleasure was seeing LB relate/play with other kids, specifically Anna and Riley.  Todd/Megs- thanks for renting us your little girls for the entire vacation.  Don’t know it would have been as enjoyable without seeing a perfectly stacked JENGA board terrorized by a 20 month old every day.      

Who is king of the world?

I am!  With my pretend phone, my powers are limitless!  

Perhaps the biggest shift in power surprise to me (given my beautiful bride’s commitment to home interior design) is the new door and window treatments.  Every time I find myself bird watching from the breakfast table, I can’t help but notice the recent addition of stickers to every single window.  Except this isn’t your normal ADT or “Save my Pet” warning…Not at all…Instead our windows and doors represent a strong affiliation to our Disney family.  Criticize all you want, but I think LB is on to something.  In a time where your personal standards are often illustrated in signs for a political candidate, religious leader, etc., why not stick out your neck out for a Mickey Mouse or Talking Car?  What is wrong with being an advocate for Fun…and Sharing…and climbing magical beanstalks?   

Cruising…For Bananas

It is our first Father/Daughter tradition.  Every Saturday morning, we wake up around 7am and eat breakfast together (coffee and chewable vitamin’s for me, whole wheat pancakes for LB).   Lux never misses our meal; she is stationed directly below the feeding table eagerly waiting for the next morsel to be dropped or intentionally tossed.  On Saturday’s we let Ashley sleep that extra hour to recharge her Mommy batteries.  After breakfast, we tiptoe out of the house and load up the SUV and head for McDonalds for Brunch (Please hold the criticism, I get it).  Why McDonalds though?  Because they have the most amazing Cinnamon Rolls and LB and I love to share one.  We never grub in the dining room; too much distraction.  Rather, I hop in the back seat and we go to town.  One bite for LB, two bites for Dad.  Wash it down w/ some 1% milk and you have a delicious and non-nutritious meal.  Yum.

 

20 minutes later, we arrive.  Central Market, San Antonio.  The place is Whole Foods on steroids.  The difference is more variety, better service and cheaper.  Every visit starts with a green balloon.  Kids love balloons and LB is no different.  I tie the balloon to the cart so she can always find her happy place.  We start in produce, taking our time to point out every known and pronounceable fruit.  LB will attempt just about anything and she has all the majors down.  I used to put all the food in her hands to help accelerate the learning, but Central Market management did not appreciate this all too much (I always thought you had to lick the object to make the purchase official?).  Anyways, this game makes our shopping cart one of the more popular carts in the market.  The 70-90 year old women eat this up.  They try and join in only to find themselves victims of an occasional grape to the eye.  I keep telling LB that if she continues to assault older people that I will post a sign on her cart that says “beware of baby!” 

By the time we finish our shopping adventure, LB will have consumed several free samples (sometimes we get seconds depending upon temperament), and at least two packets of Ella’s Kitchen (see prior post).  Me, when I am really lucky I clean out my pockets at home and find invites to the local retirement community Bingo night.  Score. 

Planking

Planking (or the Lying Down Game) is an activity consisting of lying down in an unusual or incongruous location. Having a photograph taken of the participant and posted on the Internet is an integral part of the game.

Players compete to find the most unusual and original location in which to play.  The term planking refers to mimicking a wooden plank.  Since early 2011, many participants in planking have photographed the activity in unusual locations. Planking can include lying flat on a flat surface, or holding the body flat while it's supported in only some regions, with other parts of the body suspended.