Single Parent

I must give MAJOR props to all those single parents out there. I have NO. IDEA. how you do it! None.

My day today started at 6:15 a.m. Rather than play a volley with my snooze button, hitting it several times before actually dragging myself out of bed, I got up with the first obnoxious buzz (I had to switch from music to buzzer because I was regularly sleeping through it). The next hour and 50 minutes is somewhat of a blur, but I know that I got up/showered/dressed, I got both girls up fed/dressed/bundled up in winter gear, the coffee did get made, the bottles did make it out of the fridge and in to the car, and we actually made it out of the house by 8:05.

There was, of course, way more negotiating with Lily to get up/eat/get dressed/put her coat on than I'll ever admit. I did loose my cool once or twice. She did cry, declaring that she wasn't happy with me "not one little bit" and that she missed DDDAAAADDDDDDYYYYYY. (Me too kiddo!)

I got both kids to school on time, essentially, and arrived at my office before I was noticeably late. Since I'm currently working on a client press announcement (stay tuned for breaking news on Monday), my day FLEW by. Before I knew it it was a few minutes after 5, and I was technically late to start the evening child retrieval process.

Anna was happy to see me, the traffic gods were on my side tonight, and I got Lily with 12 minutes to spare. Just as I was contemplating what to fix for dinner, though, my Outlook reminder went off, alerting me to the fact that we're on the hook to bring birthday snack for Lily's class tomorrow. No nuts. No chocolate. No frosting. (No fun!) Dinner would have to wait...we were on our way to Harris Teeter for the ingredients.

I'll spare you all the details of the next hour or two, lest you be forced to relive my pain. In short, Lily chose banana muffins for tomorrow's snack, so we snagged the groceries and zipped home for a quick dinner (it's 10 p.m. though and I have yet to eat mine) pre-baking. Pleased with myself for some uber multi-tasking, I got Lily situated with her meal and a movie while I fed/bathed/bedded Anna. Once I resurfaced from Anna's room, though, I realized we were missing 4 eggs needed for the recipe. Great.

Perhaps you can see where this is headed. Sadly. I packed a sleeping baby up in her carseat, threw PJs and sneakers on Lily, and back to the grocery store we all went to purchase those pesky eggs (I still can't believe that we didn't have them in the fridge...we ALWAYS have eggs in the fridge!). BTW, call me a terrible/horrible/negligent parent, but for about ten seconds I actually considered putting the kids to bed and THEN sneaking out, quickly, to the grocery store 3 blocks away. Thankfully, it was only a fleeting thought.

We got home 20 minutes later, and I redeposited Anna in her bed while shuffling Lily off for a bath of her own. OK, the night was back on track. Or so I thought. I breathed a sigh of relief.

But just as I was getting Lily out of the tub, I heard an all too familiar cough coming from Anna's room. The cough that made her spit up last night...which required a late night sheet change, of course. I dashed in to Anna's room, picked her up and started walking around to lull her back to sleep. But then it happened. MAJOR projectile vomiting all over me. All over her. All over my bedroom rug. Yup, all over the hardwood floor in the hall. And everywhere in between.

By 9:30 I was able to get Anna cleaned up and put back to bed. The mess cleaned up. Lily -- 'til then frozen in place so horrified by what she saw -- to bed too.

Of course, the muffins weren't going to make themselves, so in the 45 minutes since then I whipped up two dozen delicious smelling (sadly very homemade looking) banana muffins. With sprinkles on top. Because even though they frown upon sugar at school, I can only ratchet down the fun by so much.


And now it's 10:15. I'm about to eat dinner. And then I will go apologize to my TiVo for breaking our date that I was SO looking forward to tonight. From a Discovery Health show about polygamy, to a BBC America documentary about legalizing marijuana, to Criminal Minds, ER and Little People Big World...I've got some serious TV watching that I need to do. But not tonight. Because the bottles for tomorrow still need to be made, the laundry needs to be switched from washer to dryer (remnants from the vomit incident), the muffins need to be packed up, clothes need to be laid out, and a few of the 2,564,892 toys that currently litter my living room floor need to be put away. And there's no one here but yours truly to get it all done.

How in the world do single parents do it? I'm 27 hours in to my single parenthood experience, and I'm already counting down until Friday night when Noah returns! TGIF will have a whole new meaning this week. N -- we miss you!!

So f-ing tired

I can't believe that it's been almost a week since my last posting. For those of you who wonder how I do it all -- work full time, parent two delicious but demanding children full time, and blog -- this just proves that I'm far from being a super mommy blogger. If I were I would have managed to survive the insanity of our lives AND pontificate about them online. But I'm not. In fact, I barely lived to tell the tale.

To recap, in the past week we...

...started a diet (me) and while I've started to see results (3 pounds!) my mood has become more annoying, though, with each lost pound. Perhaps you can't buy happiness, but I think that ice cream and bagels can get you pretty darn close to it!

...went to NJ to visit my bedrest-ridden friend, Jamie, who is close to delivering her twin girls AND managed to sneak in a visit to our favorite former neighbors who now live 20 minutes from Jamie.

...made TWO trips to the pediatrician. One for a sick visit where I discovered that Lily's 6 week old bronchitis had turned in to a raging ear infection. One for a "well" visit where I discovered that Anna was, apparently, recovering from croup and too sick to get her flu booster and polio shot...and that Lily was fully in the 75th percentile for both height and weight amongst four year old girls. Oh, right, and her hearing is great (check!) and vision is perfect (check, check!!).

...delivered one MAJOR client presentation (me), which was well received. I was able to create, memorize and deliver my slides without embarrassing myself or the firm. I might have even gotten a small smile from my boss after I concluded.

...nearly did an all-nighter, my first one in a LONG time, preparing for said presentation and other client work due the same day.

...decorated (Lily) and wrote out (me) some 18 thank you notes for birthday presents. Amazingly we're not done yet. I'm hoping that like with the year-long grace period you get for wedding presents, the same is true for four year old birthday thank you notes.

...packed up (Noah) and left for the Green Building Council's convention in Boston. Noah will be gone for the next three days and, god willing, the girls and I will survive on our own until his return.

...managed to work out Lily's social calendar, which I'm convinced is far more complicated than even President-Elect Obama's. Today's great challenge was figuring out how we can make it to 5 birthday parties (she was invited to 6 but sadly we had to turn down the last one because it directly conflicts with the time of the ballet) , 1 Nutcracker Ballet, 1 pilates class, 1 dinner outing....and a partridge in a pear tree....during the first weekend in December. And, oh right, Noah will be out of town that weekend.

...survived a fire drill drama at one daycare center than shall remain nameless. I can't get in to the details as I'm still too fired up. No kids were harmed, thankfully, but in the haste to get them outside all coats were left inside (thankfully my roving sources around the city spotted this and alert me). Which wouldn't be a problem if we lived in Miami, but it snowed today in DC. Well it flurried today (is that a word?), but I'm feeling pissed off and dramatic so I'll stretch that one to "snowed." But I finally stopped spitting fire about 15 minutes ago. The situation has been addressed and is being rectified. I've got to let this one go!

So my apologies for not posting an entry over the past week, but my energy and creative juices are gone. They officially left the building, and in their wake I discovered a whole clump of new gray hairs. I do promise, though, to crack open the new case of Diet Cokes I just discovered in the mud room and opine for you all in the coming days. I've missed you!

¿Hablas español?

Well, do you? Sadly I don't. Speak Spanish. But I got a nice email from the Univision reporter who included me in her article about breastmilk and baking. The article is done and live on the site! Click here to check it out.

In fact, the reporter wrapped up the lengthy article with my quote:

Courtney Fox es una profesional, residente en Arlington y madre de dos hijas a quienes ha amamantado. "Aunque estoy a favor de darles pecho a mis bebés, la idea (ceder su leche a adultos) me asusta y la encuentro completamenteimproductiva. Pregúntenle a cualquiera que haya amamantado, especialmente si trabajan fuera de casa y les dirán que apenas pueden cumplir con la demanda".

The irony is that the article was published just as I started to wean Anna. Not that the weaning was premeditated. In fact, quite to the contrary, I had every intention of nursing her for at least as long as I nursed Lily. But Anna doesn't seem all that interested in me anymore. And my supply doesn't seem all that interested in sticking around anymore. So it just sort of started happening. The weaning that is.

I'm certainly torn over this one. I feel that what I provided for one child I should certainly provide for the other. And while the American Academy of Pediatrics does recommend mother's milk for at least 12 months, the reality is that most babies get far, far less than that. My pediatrician told me that everything beyond 4 months of age is gravy...so perhaps I should take comfort in the fact that I gave Anna a good 3 months worth of the proverbial icing on the cake.

But, of course, we mothers are fantastic when it comes to guilt trips. And self-punishment. So, for the time being, Anna and I are maintaining our morning nursing sessions. Although what, if anything, she's getting is likely negligible. But I just can't quite let it go. Yet.

Hopefully the day won't come when, in a fit of sibling sparring, Lily turns to Anna and declares that I loved her more because she got 2 extra months at the breast. If it does, it'll just get added to the long list of things that I'm sure Noah and I do, knowingly or not, to screw our kids up. Add those counselling session bills to my tab!

Secretly, I'm looking forward to returning to my non-nursing bras. Not that these 1950's style milk machine slings aren't sexy. I mean, they do have front AND rear entry available. What's not sexy about that!?!

Love It, Check It, Hire It

People always ask me for recommendations -- what car seat should they buy, what bottles should they use, what kind of mattress should their baby sleep on, where can they go to test drive the newest strollers, what website offers the best selections AND cheapest shipping, who can they turn to to for parenting advice (certainly not me! just ask Lily, who now threatens to run away from home on a near daily basis) -- and I always seem to have an answer. I'm weird like that.

See, I'm a complete geek when it comes to this stuff. My dogeared copies of Baby Bargains and Toddler Bargains are testament to the amount of research I do before I shop. My favorites list of websites is a mile long. By no means an expert, after four years of being the consumer I have a pretty good grasp on what you need (vs. want), what is essential (vs. frivolous) and what's worth splurging on (vs. what is overpriced and worthless).

I can't tell you how many times someone has asked me for a rec and then said -- "why do the research myself when I know you've already done it!" or "if it's good enough for Lily/Anna, it's good enough for XXX."

Going forward, I'm going to try to post at least one "LOVE IT" product, "CHECK IT" website, or "HIRE IT" service each week. Disclaimer -- I have no stake in any of these products, sites or services, just a desire to share my favorite finds. And if the technology gods are on my side, I'll create a separate section where just these posts are archived...'cause who has time to search through tons 'o old posts when you just need to make a quick purchase!

Without further ado....

Under the category of hire. HIRE. H-I-R-E....Dr. Rene Hackney from Parenting Playgroups, otherwise known as my parenting guru. I'd build an addition on the house tomorrow if Rene would move in with us. I don't know what I did before my path crossed with hers. I owe my friend Laurie Ann and HUGE debt of gratitude for introducing me to Rene.

Tearing your hair out 'cause your sweet, darling, angel baby has suddenly started throwing tantrums? Saying no? Throwing food? Hitting? Biting? WHINING (my personal anti-favorite)? Issues between siblings? Rene to the rescue!

Her 8 Weeks to Positive Discipline workshop, which is actually done over the course of 4 weeks, has been a lifesaver for Noah and me. We took it right after Anna was born. Maybe, as a bonus, we won't have the same discipline issues with her since she was there to hear the lectures herself...strapped in the Baby Bjorn through it all. The theories are, essentially, all common sense but IT. WORKS. Totally works. Quickly. Of course, it only works when we remember to use the techniques. One of which is consistency. No wonder poor Lily is threatening to run away. We are SO not consistent.

For those of you who are out of town or don't have the time to commit to a full workshop, Rene does private consulting as well, in person or over the phone. Money super well spent. I should know. We've tapped her for that too.

Finally, for those of us who just can't justify the expense in this scary economy, Rene has a lecture series online. This is one site definitely worth bookmarking. And since she has a family of her own and likely won't be moving in with us any time soon, I frequently turn to our home computer just to hear her voice when Lily is hollering at us from bed, for the millionth time, that she just needs ONE. MORE. DRINK. OF. WATER. The advice is great, simple and easy to follow. And Rene always dishes it out with a smile!

Itchy & Scratchy

One thing that you quickly become acclimated to when you become a parent is grossness. Comes with the territory.

Baby spit-up? Gimme a break. Doesn't phase me; bring it on!

Urine? So not a big deal. While Noah has been peed on more times than I have (not sure what's up with that), it has happened more times than I can count and doesn't make me blink.

Bowl movements? OK, so some are more gross than others, and Anna's have definitely pushed the grossness envelope from Lily's. But we just hold our breath, go as fast as we can, and then wash, wash, wash the hands. Or the clothes that it got on. Or the sheets. That stuff goes everywhere.

Preschool vomit? Definitely gross. I used to get sick just thinking of that scene in Stand By Me where the entire pie eating contest audience throws up. But I've been so desensitized to it that it no longer even makes me gag. I just hold back the hair, wipe up the tears, and then clean it all up.

I made a discovery earlier this week, though, that is one for the history books. It redefines GROSS. GRODY. TOTALLY UKK. I was watering our completely gorgeous hibiscus plant. The one that had about one million blossoms in full pinky bloom. And about one million more buds. Ah, it was the punch of cheerful color that was going to get us through the long, grey, cold winter. And covering both the pinkalicious blossoms AND the cute green buds were black dots. TONS 'o black dots.

After 48 hours in the cool fall air, the hardy ones are still munching away on the blossoms.

Hoping against hope that it was some kind of a fungus, I quickly did a Google search. Turns out it's not a fungus. Not at all. Unfortunately we had a nice infestation of Aphids, otherwise known as PLANT. LICE. Yes, a zillion bugs had taken up residence on our hibiscus. I haven't stopped scratching since I made the discovery; my scalp automatically started tickling as soon as I read those dreaded words on the computer screen. Noah hasn't stopped itching. Even Lily was grossed out by this one!


The "cure" for aphids is involved, not guaranteed, and takes up to a year. So this family, that doesn't have even one green thumb between us, decided to just enjoy the hibiscus through glass. It's now living on our front stoop. It'll likely die a slow death as it gets progressively colder. C'est la vie. I wonder if our hibiscus benefactors....our favorite former neighbors who moved to NJ....had anything to do with the bugs. I think we've been Punk'd!

Lipstick for the Pit bull

Now that the dust is starting to settle, and President Obama merchandise has hit the shelves, the to-be-expected finger pointing has begun.

But I am amazed (and somewhat delighted) that FOX News is one of the largest finger-pointers. Or, more accurately, that they are providing a platform for the finger-pointers. So much for that "liberal media" critique; it doesn't get more conservative than FOX News.



It honestly scares me that Sarah Palin could have been sworn in to the second highest office in the land. And although President Bush has been mocked for his gaffes, "Bush-isms" and poor pronunciation for the last 8 years, at least he knows that Africa is a continent. At least I think, and hope, that he does.

The President -- and by extension Vice President -- of the United States is very much a figurehead. Don't get me wrong, the buck does stop at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. But the POTUS isn't the only one that takes up residence there on January 20th every four years. One could argue that the Chief of Staff, core group of senior aides and members of the Cabinet influence things as much as the actual Commander in Chief. So that takes care of things here at home.

But what the Chief of Staff cannot do, and what has been SO FREAKIN LACKING FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, has been someone in the role of Chief Diplomatic Officer. The rest of the world has been watching and laughing at us for the last 8 years. And somewhere along the way their jeers and jokes turned to distrust. But that changed some 36 hours ago. Now they are celebrating with and for us. One man, who had a dream, has united so many of us. It gives me goosebumps to see the reaction from all points of the globe. It makes me sad that his grandmother didn't live to see it.

Obama's win is a victory for America. It's a victory for the world. And it's a victory for our children. For my children. When we woke Lily up yesterday morning and gave her the news, she "yahoo-ed" and danced wildly around the house. She was gleeful!

Gerald Ford was President when I was born. But I have no memory of that. Carter, on the hand, was in office during my childhood and I DO remember him; I can even picture him in my minds eye at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. I think I was 4. Maybe 5.

So while Lily may walk around right now, shaking her head and declaring George Bush as "not good...not good at all," when she's older her first real memories of a sitting President will likely be of President Barack Obama. And that gives this "Mama for Obama" goosebumps. Not only is he a brilliant, articulate and charismatic leader, but he is, after all, African American. Or, as Lily would say, he has "pretty chocolate skin."

So my sweet, curious and inquisitive Lily -- a female Jew and, as such, a minority herself -- is going to grow up thinking that there are no limitations on anyone. Anyone can be anything. And that is just awesome. THAT is victory!

OMG. We DID It!

I had goose bumps during President-Elect Obama's acceptance speech. I was proud of the crowd of supporters in Chicago for being exuberant over the victory but respectful of the failed opposition (the same can't be said about the crowd in AZ).

Noah and I are still debating this one, but we're pretty sure that Sarah Palin got booed during McCain's speech. If that's the case, wow. I'm sure that the finger pointing has already begun. But she'll go back to Alaska. First Dude Todd will pursue succession, and she'll run for President of the Bridge to Nowhere.

In the meantime, life is good. Very, very good.

Happy Birthday To My Election Day Baby

Today is election day. As I sit here typing, I can hear from the living room that Ohio and Pennsylvania have been called for Obama. No republican has ever been elected to the White House without Ohio. Pundits are saying that McCain's campaign staff is already admitting defeat. And it's not yet 11:00 p.m. I'm afraid to put it in writing, but I actually think that we might pull this election off.

Lest I jinx the race, I'll save my election reflections for another post. For another day.

But as I try to sort out my thoughts -- which are racing around my head -- regarding this election, I can't help but think back 4 years to the last time a President was elected.

I was working for a lobbying firm at the time, so for us an election...a Presidential one no less....was comparable to tax season for an accountant. Things were slightly less intense for me -- I was one of the few non-registered lobbyists on staff -- but they were still nuts. People were walking around wearing their party affiliations on their selves. Literally. I've never seen so much red and blue attire in one place.

Monday, November 1 was, as you can imagine, completely crazy. I had a to-do list a mile long. I got through 98% of it, and almost wrapped things up for the day, but a nagging feeling told me to stay late and finish it up. I was 36 weeks pregnant.

I ended up racing straight from the office to my book club where I had a great time drinking wine with friends, eating a great meal, talking about kids and husbands, and discussing our book....whatever it might have been...for exactly three seconds. Why is it that book clubs always revert to supper clubs?

My back started aching at around 9:30. I had one bad cramp, down low on my right side, at about 10. A few minutes later I felt dampness. Down there. And I was sitting on my neighbor's BRAND. NEW. LEATHER. CHAIR. The one she and her husband had splurged on. I was almost too scared to stand up and look lest I discover a puddle. Thankfully when I did stand up the seat of the chair...and my pants....was dry. I feigned a headache and quickly got myself home. We were about to adjourn anyway, so suspicions weren't peaked.

Of course, when I got home I discovered an empty house. Well, empty except for my 8 pound dog, Truman. Who was totally cute but completely worthless. Turns out that I had just missed Noah. He left probably 5 minutes before I got home. To go work out. In a loud gym. Where cell phones don't hold a candle to blasting music and machines.

Long story short, when Noah returned an hour later I was fit to be tied. My "where are you darling?" voicemail messages had digressed to "you'd better get home immediately or I'm going to kill you!" I was fairly certain that I was in labor. My husband was missing. And my mother was in New York. For one night. Because of course I wouldn't go in to labor 4 weeks early, right? And she'd only be gone for 24 hours.

The good news was that there wasn't a lick of traffic between our house and George Washington University Hospital in downtown DC. And while my totally favorite OB, the one that I adore, wasn't on call that night, my second favorite OB was. And said second favorite OB showed up at 2 a.m. looking totally cute and completely perky wearing the most adorable black patent leather Dansko clogs. I now own two pairs. And I always get compliments when I wear them!

In the few hours between our arrival at the hospital when it was confirmed that I was leaking amniotic fluid and, thus, wouldn't be leaving the hospital....and when Lily was born just after 5 a.m. I must have made a dozen calls to my office, leaving messages for everyone about what work would need to be done in my absence. I was having a baby but the only "baby" I could focus on was my job.

But at 5:08 a.m., on November 2, 2004, after about 40 minutes of pushing, Lily Lewis Israel was born. And her little life only cost me three stitches. A minor price to pay. She weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces and was a tiny 19 inches long. And though covered in vernix and a fine white fur, missing her eyebrows and eyelashes (and early birth will do that to ya....you betcha!) and sporting a nose flattened like a pancake thanks to my birth canal, my OB took one look at her and declared that she was a gorgeous baby. And she wasn't blowing smoke up my stitched up arse either. She was completely amazed by Lily. I told you that she was my second favorite OB...for good reason!

It was a surreal moment. The room was quiet. It was just Noah and me, my OB and a nurse. Not the hustle and bustle that you see on medical TV dramas. There was no drama at all. Just a teeny tiny and totally perfect baby. And a sunrise outside my hospital window.


I will admit that it took me a few weeks to really bond with Lily. And during those weeks I spent a good amount of time crying. And when my milk came in I was in agony. Neither Lily nor I took to nursing naturally. And because she was pre-term, and super jaundiced to boot, there was some kind of crazy amounts of pressure on me to nurse, nurse, nurse the baby. It didn't help that I was sick when she was born. I probably could have pushed her out in half the time had my head not been full of 900 gallons of mucus.


But I did bond with my baby, and quite frankly I've been in awe of her ever since.

Lily has a heart bigger than most and frequently expresses her love. For her family. For her friends. For the random girl she met trick or treating. Who she had never seen before. Who she hasn't seen since. Alexa -- wherever you are, Lily loves you! Not only does she have a huge capacity to love, but she's a kind person who is concerned about others. Even Mr. Charles, who parks our car, or Ms. Ross, who is a security guard in the Huck building.


She is smart. CRAZY. SMART. And wonderfully curious. I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother. Everyone tells me the same. When Lily was two you could have an adult conversation with her. Now that she's four, I have a hard time keeping up.

She's incredibly outgoing. The mother of a classmate sent me an email after Lily's party on Sunday. "I was so impressed with how outgoing and friendly Lily was. Quite a little miss you have there!"


She's funny. Anna thinks she's hysterical.

She's a beautiful child. Inside and out.


She's my first. She's my baby. She changed me.

So while the 2004 elections were a dismal day for me, November 2, 2004 was an amazing one. Not only did I give birth that day. Not only did I become a mother that day, and Noah a father. But that was the day that my priorities changed for good. Yes, I had left a dozen messages for colleagues while I labored away. And yes, I had promised to come in, wrap up a few loose ends, and clean up my office. Did I? Yes. 4 months later. The minute they handed that tiny baby to me, work melted away.


I have learned so much from Lily these past four years. FOUR. YEARS. I still can't believe that she's four. Going on 34. She woke up on Sunday and announced that she felt different. Taller. Older. Definitely different.


We had a wonderful celebration at the National Zoo this past Sunday, on her actual birthday. She got to pick the guest list. And while she thought about it for a long time -- someone as outgoing as Lily was tortured by the process of choosing only 19 friends to invite (BTW, I don't even think I have 19 total) -- she chose a wonderful group from her new school, a tiny handful from her old, her cousin, and her swimming partner in crime. Working with her on the guest list reminded me of the process of widdling down our wedding invite list. LORD HELP ME when it comes time for Lily's wedding. This child is way too friendly for my pocketbook to handle.


And now we're in the midst of another election day. This will be a far better one politically. I think and I hope. And for me personally. I get to enjoy it with my family. Noah and I get to experience this one, this moment in history, with our completely amazing gift. Happy Birthday big girl! Happy Birthday my darling Lily. Perhaps your best gift of all will be a blue Virginia and a President "A-rock" Obama!!

GOTV

For those of you who didn't take advantage of early voting, please remember to VOTE tomorrow. If you have already VOTED and you're able to volunteer, please help get out the VOTE. Republicans have an amazing track record for getting people to the polls. To VOTE. That's what turned the tides with the last election. We can't let our country down. G.O.T.V.!

VOTING is a right and a responsibility. One to be taken seriously. Just ask Noah. I'm not sure that he was a regular VOTER before he met me. But he hasn't missed an election since!

Seriously, people, take part in history. VOTE!!

And if you are sick of listening to me, listen to Truett!



Tomorrow will be one for the record books. Keep the faith!! But just remember to pee before getting in line...they may be wicked long tomorrow.

PS -- if you go in to any participating Starbucks tomorrow and tell them that you VOTED, you'll get a tall drip on the house.* Free! Gratis!

* Limit one per person. Good while supplies last (um, nice try Mr. Legal Disclaimer Guy....the day a Starbucks runs out of brewed coffee is the day that, well, McCain gets elected President and pigs fly). Void where prohibited by law.

Halloween, Take Four

Hard to believe that we've lived through four Halloweens, four birthdays, and probably about 400 pounds of candy between them all.

Today is Lily's actual birthday. Her fourth. I can't believe it. In fact, it sort of hurts my brain to think about it. For those of you who are married.... do you remember when you switched from saying "my boyfriend" to "my fiance"? Remember how weird it seemed at first? THAT is exactly how I feel today. I've been saying "my almost four year old" for months, but to actually have a four year old seems mind-boggling. How in the world have four years passed? How can I be old enough to have a child this old? I'm sure my parents scratch their heads and say that almost daily. Good lord. That probably means I'm turning in to them.

Today I should be writing a sentimental entry addressed to my beloved birthday girl. But I'm too darn exhausted from the non-stop partying we've been doing for the last 72 hours. And the two glasses of wine I had with dinner tonight. So for that one you're going to have to wait a day or so.

In the meantime, I give you the "Hallweenies"....my awards for the best of the best!

The cutest Mermaid



The cutest Skunk



The cutest Huckleberry classmate



With a group award going out to the whole "cast"



The cutest Montessori classmate (OMG -- hello officer!)



The worst spot for a class photo (full morning sun -- eye burn!)



The best pre-trick or treating meltdown



The most candy



The GROSSEST candy I've ever seen. Ever!