You'll Never Work in This Town Again

I take LO to a play group at the preschool every week and this time one of the kids' dads came. He happens to be a popular TV personality, which was a surprise to me, but this being LA, everybody played it cool. It was funny, though to see the striking resemblance between him and his kid. Anyway, mister TV  persona was sitting down watching his kid play when LO went up to him, pointed and said "Daddy!" (She does this when we see dark-haired men sometimes who resemble DH). Well, instead of thinking it was cute and laughing, he got defensive and was all like "Uh uh, I'm not your Daddy" and quickly escaped to the other room. Like he was afraid his cover was blown or something.

So LO and I play in the kitchen area, where she sets up a little tea party. She pours the tea and sets a cup on a little saucer and carries it into the other room. I round the corner to find her offering it to big time TV guy who looks like he wants to climb the walls. I stand LO down and we chat for a polite minute about the merits of home-made play-doh, we back away and thankfully, LO takes interest in a different play area. But I'm convinced the guy now thinks I'm stalking him via my child.

Then came circle time where everybody sits in a circle with child on their lap and listens to a book reading and sings songs. LO is the only child of the bunch who will not sit with her parent. Instead, she stands in front of the instructor and dances until she's asked to sit or I drag her away. During her favorite song, "Jell-O in the bowl," LO let out one of her blood-curdling screams of joy (working on taming these) and was a wee bit obnoxious for the rest of the time, including snatching a plastic cow out of TV guy's kid's hands. The entertainment industry is a small world, so I'm just waiting for the day I have a job interview at TV guy's company and he spots me in the hallway and tells them not to hire me. Ugh!

Preschool Panic - Sorted!

LO got into our preschool of choice.  Hooray! The call came during LO's nap.  The director personally called to say they have a spot for LO.  I was so excited, I was fist pumping all afternoon until...I realized that it meant LO would attend 5 mornings per week.  Our backup preschool had 2 and 3-day options, which we were all set to do, but this school only allows 5 day-ers.  I became consumed with pre-separation anxiety at the thought of this.  She'll be in school for the rest of her life is my thinking.  A child that's 2.5 years old should be at home with her caregiver.  Right?  Then I look at LO and remind myself how much effort it takes to keep her stimulated all day, every day.  She needs the interaction with other kids and I can tell when we're at play groups that she's very out going and independent enough to handle it. In fact, it's going to me pining in the hallway outside her classroom, not the other way around. The idea has settled in and we've accepted it.  Now we're just excited and thankful to have gotten the slot. But don't think I won't be shedding a tear the first time I have to pack her little purple backpack.

The Real Hunger Games

Cue sweeping, urgent music.

VO: In a world where toddlers rule and parents only think they have power,
The quest for nourishment is an ever raging battle...

MOMMY (offering broccoli): "Want a bite?"
LO: "No way!"

VO: Give her a vegetable and she'll hurl it to the four corners of the kitchen...

(LO hurls perfectly blanched french beans over her shoulder.  Mommy scolds.)

VO: Give her a cupcake, cookie, chocolate chip or ice cream of any flavor and she'll scarf it down ten seconds after declaring herself too full...

(LO stuffs chocolate chips in her mouth.): "Mmm.  I love it!"

VO: Can Mommy prevail or will little one send the veggies packing?

(Mommy puts broccoli in a cheese sauce in front of LO.  She picks broccoli out, eats cheese.)

(Mommy takes a bite of collard greens, makes sour face.): "Look, this is delicious!" 

LO (not sold): "Try again, Mommy." 

The Real Hunger Games -- coming to a kitchen near you soon.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Oscars Mania

Tonight we're having an unconventional Oscars party -- the grandparents, DH, me and LO, who is recovering from bronchitis.  It's fun living in LA because we get to watch it all in real time and hear the helicopters flying overhead for hours on end.  If we were hipper, we'd hit a party or two, but really it's not worth the drive (says a tired parent).  Gram is making cabbage rolls from scratch, an endeavor that is taking her the entire day.  It's a cheap party since Gram & Gramps are off the sauce for Lent and I figure why not join them.

I've printed out Oscars ballots for everyone and I'm looking forward to scrutinizing everyone's red carpet looks.  Think about it -- half this town has spent the entire day getting hair, makeup and wardrobe done.  At least we get cabbage rolls for our efforts.  As far as the picks go, there are many nominations that baffle me.  "Tree of Life" was so bad it got booed at film festivals, "The Artist" is nothing special and why isn't it in the foreign film category, anyway?  Good old fashioned Weinstein politics, surely.  My vote for best screenplay is Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" and Meryl Streep for best actress (despite the fact that the film was lousy) and Brad Pitt for "Moneyball."

So there's my completely biased POV.  I'll be watching it all with LO, explaining the whole process to her and how she should really avoid a career in entertainment.  One day, if I'm ever nominated, I'll tell her the same thing.  "NO WAY," as she would say.  

Back in Cali

DH and I had our first adult get-away last weekend since LO was born.  Yes, it's been 2 years.  We went to NY for a friend's 40th and left LO at our place with Gram and Gramps.  DH and I reveled in our freedom, went to museums, saw friends, we even splurged on a movie, "The Artist" (yawn).  The highlight for me was the amazing Italian dinner we had at Lupa Osteria Romana, http://www.luparestaurant.com/.  I had the Cacio & Pepe -- highly recommend.  I'd eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I could.

With all of our exploring,  I was proud of myself for keeping my separation anxiety in check.  Gone for 4 days and not one tear shed.  Then I find out LO did not ask for us while we were gone.  Only once the night we returned, she asked Gramps where we were and he explained that we were flying home.  She said okay and went back to playing.  What's up with that?  

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my little sweetheart!  LO turned 2 on Friday and we had a small family party in the park to celebrate.  She made out like a bandit in the toy department, but we can't help it -- it's just too darn fun to buy her toys.

Curious George was the theme since LO is in love with the books and cartoon right now.  She liked that plus the big bouquet of balloons, stack of presents and cake.  I think she got what it was all about, or at least she got that it was a special day all about her.  After opening each present, she wanted to stop and play with it rather than move on to the next one.  Her favorites are the Play-Doh, the Playmobil pirate ship (some girls get doll houses, ours gets a pirate ship), the Dora karaoke mic and the Schoenhut piano.  She sits at the piano and plays while singing into the mic like Elton John.  I don't know where she picked that up, but it's hilarious.  Yesterday she and I rocked out to pop music, her singing into the mic and the two of us dancing in the mirror.

It was a whirlwind, to say the least.  Now that the relatives have flown home and it's all over, I have to admit there's a tinge of longing for that little baby to be back in my arms again.  But then I look at her an am so blown away by what a little person she has become and I want to see more more more.

4 More Days

LO will be 2 on Friday.  When somebody asks me how old she is, no longer will I be able to answer in months.  Two is two.  There's no more cuddling this child like a baby, she's on the move and extremely independent.  She relishes in saying "No" to everything:

Me: Do you want to eat breakfast?
LO: No, I don't want to eat breakfast.
Me: Do you want to go to the park?
LO: No, I don't want to go to the park.  (lie)
Me: Do you want...to get dressed?
LO: No, I don't want to get dressed.
Me: Do you want...to go see Gram and Gramps?
LO: No, I don't want to see Gram and Gramps. (lie)
(This goes on until...)
Me: Do you want some chocolate chips?
LO: (looks up from her toys) Okay!

Today we officially turned LO's car seat around to face forward.  She hated being backward so much with the sun always in her face and barely able to crane her head around the sides to see anything.  We got her a Britax Frontier 85 SICT, which will eventually serve as a booster seat down the road.  We were so excited for her to have her first ride, but when we got to the car, she refused to sit in it.  She wanted to sit on the actual backseat.  "Where's the buckle?" she said.  "I can't find it."  DH and I looked at each other: "You gotta be kidding me."  She had to be forced into her seat, but she eventually loved it.  Another day, another milestone.

Is anybody else turning their seat around soon?  Am I the only one a little sad to see my baby turning two?