Two "Mom" Thoughts:

Yesterday afternoon Drew and I went to escape the dripping heat at a public pool. She starts swim lessons next week and I wanted to practice drill her to make sure she is not going to embarrass me (she really needs to get the bubble blowing and motorboat kick stuff down). The pool was packed but I eyed a nice shady spot in the grass to drop our stuff. I had barely dropped our towels when I felt tiny stings all over my feet and hands and looked down to see myself swarmed by ants. Leave it to me to walk straight onto an anthill. I started flinging and swatting my arms and legs. A balding man sunbathing only five feet away adjusted himself and turned his head the other way. As I was jiggling and wiggling trying to free myself from the little stings, Drew knelt down and swatted at my feet for me while I took care of my hands. As quick as the ants came, the ants went, leaving me with little red bump souveniers. Since then Drew likes to remind me of the ants and pretend to swat at them on my feet. I can't say exactly why this story is sweet to me. Perhaps because I am always taking care of Drew and she was so willing and happy to take care of me back. Even as I am scratching my itchy feet today, I can't help but smile thinking about it.

Also yesterday, Jason came home and told me about a patient that I can't get out of my head. This surgery patient was a two day old premie baby whose mother had died while giving birth. The father was in jail somewhere and there is no other family yet known. Even though well cared for by all the nurses and doctors, I can't help but think of the little unnamed baby being completely alone in this world. Coming out of surgery with no one to hold his tiny hand. Jason reminded me that he is only two days old and that he really doesn't know the difference. But I think he does. I feel so incredibly lucky today that I have someone to love and take care of.

Who also takes care of me.

Fourth of July in Six Pictures

(Where did that table full of illegal fireworks come from? And did you think you could smuggle them safely across the Arizonan border if you hid them in an Ulta bag?)

Songbird

This girl sings all the day long. Usually the ABCs, but she also enjoys popular artists like Plain White Tees and Adele. Try not to love driving when this beauty is in the car with you.

Big Girls and Binkies

Drew said goodbye to a very dear friend yesterday. A friend that has been with her for every nap and every bedtime of her little life. Jason and I knew we wanted her to be rid of the binky by her second birthday, so we decided why not just do it and get it over with. (That is what I am repeating to sentimental Chelise who is sad to say goodbye.)

After her nap yesterday, Drew and I sat down on the couch with all her bedtime gear: white blanket, stuffed lamb, and binky. I told her that binkies are for babies. Then I asked her if she was a baby or a big girl. She told me she was a big girl. Progress. She usually tells me she is a boy.

I continued telling her that big girls don't use binkies, so if she is a big girl then she needs to throw the binky away in the trash. With a smile she hopped off the couch, trotted to the kitchen (she never walks, she trots), and threw it straight in the trash.

Bedtime rolls around. We brush teeth. We sing our song. She gets white blanket. She gets lamby. Where's binky? "Remember Drew, you threw your binky away in the trash because you're a big girl." She cried for ten painful minutes then fell asleep.

I think this big girl stuff is going to be harder on me than it is for her. I might have fished into the trash later after she threw it away and kept her binky for myself. I am going to miss her little button mouth with the binky bobbing up and down, up and down, up and down...

Hidden Gems

My newest obsession is thrift store shopping. In Iowa City I occassionally would stop in at the few thrift stores around, but all I ever found was junk. (Jason would argue that it is all junk, but he doesn't know.) But in Phoenix there is a thrift store on practically every corner filled with more gems than I have time to look for. I drive past a Goodwill and my car goes into autopilot and makes the turn automatically. Because not only are there great finds, but the stores are actually pretty clean and nice.

I especially love finding things to keep Drew busy.

Hinged magnetic board briefcase full of wooden magnet letters. $2.

Monster size Sesame Street puzzle with huge pieces (all accounted for). $1.

Flip and Learn alphabet board. $1.

Shiny xylophone still in the box. $1. (She's serious about her music.)

I wish I could say these are the only things I've boughten the last few weeks since my obsession began. But this morning these are all the things Drew wanted to play with. And if she didn't want to play with them, who cares? I only payed quarters for them.

Update on Bruce: He has been replaced by Dori who is a much friendlier hide and seek friend.

Shark Infestation

Apparently Phoenix residents have more to worry about than scorpions and termites. Our house is currently infested with sharks. One shark that is, who shows up in many different places. For a few weeks now Drew has had it in her head that Bruce the shark (from Finding Nemo) lives in our house. At first it was a game. Out of nowhere she ran to inform me that Bruce was in Mommy and Daddy's shower. So we tiptoed in there together, sprung up on him, and hit the living daylights out of him. Of course she thought that was fun and for the next hour Bruce showed up in her crib, on the couch, on her potty chair, and all sorts of places.

Bruce has been a friendly member of the household until last night. We were cleaning up her toys before bed and I asked her to go pick up a book that was in the adjoining living room. After two hops she stops dead in her tracks and says, "No! Bruce eat Drew." I assured her that Bruce would not eat her. She took two slower steps and turned to tell me..."Bruce not eat Drew," as though she was trying to convince herself I was telling the truth. Two more steps and shaking her head, "Bruce not eat Drew." "No sweetie, Bruce won't eat you," I reassured her. She took another step towards the book and Bruce must have bared his teeth because she came running and crying into my arms. She didn't go anywhere alone for the rest of the night.

So far this morning no mention of Bruce. But according to Drew we are also infested with bees all over the place that need swatting.

Tutus and Rocks

There is always some work to be done around the house. And every member of the family must chip in. Most of the work lies in the backyard.

A backyard was one of my biggest criteria when looking for a house. I wouldn't have minded a pool. But if the pool took up the entire yard with no grass areas, then it was on to the next house. I have visions of my private oasis/backyard full of lush green grass, a large vegetable garden, and plenty of exploring room for Drew.

Our backyard is not very large and is filled with rocks and weeds. But it has a lot of potential. A big selling feature for us was the slate deck and built-in monster grill. I also love our big shade and climbing tree. That is about all we are working with here... everything else is going to go. Drew will be hauling many more buckets of rocks before it is our oasis in the sun. (And will probably still insist on wearing the tutu.)