My Almost Nightmare

I went to a pool party playdate today. Everything started great. We had been there before, so the Princess was looking forward to it. There's an in ground trampoline and a 30 foot water slide in my friend's backyard. The Princess was having tons fun going down the slide by herself with her life jacket on.

When the pizza came we all got our kids a slice of pizza. I took off the Princess' life jacket, dried her off and wrapped her in her towel. I sat her down and told her she had to eat before she went back in. All the kiddies ate at the kiddie table while the adults and the younger kids ate at the adult table.

Soon, the kids finished eating and started jumping on the trampoline. I finished feeding JR. Peanut and wiped him down. I decided to change him back into his regular clothes because he was shivering. While I was taking off the swim diaper, my other friend, J., was trying to ask me if I wanted her daughter's old floating bathing suit.

Then I heard something and I turned. On instinct, I put Jr. Peanut down and ran to the deep end of the pool. As I got to it, I saw my friend, A., jump in the water. The Princess had gone down the slide WITHOUT HER LIFE JACKET! I started screaming like a mad woman ( I didn't know this-- but J. later told me that I was screaming blood curdling screams). Just as A. reached her, the Princess was submerged and she was trying to reach up her hand. I was freaking out and delirious.

A. handed her to my other friend, D. (she's a registered nurse). The Princess was okay, but just shaken up and crying. D. handed her over to me, and I held her for a while. When she stopped crying, I lectured her about swimming without telling an adult and without using a life jacket.

I was really upset...and she just wanted to go back in. I wanted to leave because I was so upset and she wanted to stay. When we left, I visited the Breadwinner's office and started bawling. I can't seem to get rid of the image of her sinking with her hand reaching out, out of my head.

I'm traumatized. I don't think I can go to a pool with two kids or the beach when I'm out numbered 2 to 1 with my kids (Jennifer, I don't know how you did it!).

Today has been the scariest day of my life.

Princess Drawing

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while but I've been extremely lazy busy this summer. So I lolligagged until I read Shauna's Post today.

When the Princess showed me this picture, she told me it was a drawing of me. So, I asked her where my body is (drawing a body is one of those developmental milestones you can find in drawings). She took the picture and drew those two circles that I drew the arrows to. What part of my body could those be??? Here are my possibilities:

• my boobs
• my ovaries?? It is in the general vicinity of my ovaries.
• My nursing pepperoni sized aureolas? (I don't know how to spell it)
• My nipples?

I give up. You decide. You tell me what my little Picasso made.

Did you notice how my badges from Butrfly and Jackie got cut off?? I'm a Rockin Blo and I got a Thoughtful blogger Aw. Maybe I should come up with a new design...everyone else is doing it right?

I'm Afraid of the "C" Word

I'm truly fear the "C" word don't you? CANCER. A woman in my moms group just passed away after a 4 year battle with breast cancer and it's truly made me think a lot about how precious life is. You really just never know what is going to happen and how devasting it is to the family that gets left behind.

Our group has been exchanging crazy amounts of emails regarding her. Some people are interested in making her surviving family our "charity" for the year. I'm kind of hesitant about giving money to the family even though I know the treatments and funeral arrangements must have been costly. I would much rather give money to fund Breast Cancer Research in memoriam of her or find a way to give it directly to the children.

Money just doesn't seem appropriate to me because no amount of money would bring the parent back and in no way compensates for that sense of loss. The Breadwinner's Aunt died at the age of 29 from Hodgkins Lymphoma and left behind a toddler and a baby. His Aunt's husband remarried within a year of her death. He wound up remarrying several times and I think the children were really affected by all the mother figure changes. This is why I would want to do something that would directly benefit the children. Death has profound effects on children and it shapes the rest of their lives (not to take away from the pain an adult feels-- but children can't grasp a lot of "adult" concepts).

What are your thoughts? What do you think would be the best way to help a family through this period of time?

I actually would like to participate in Passionately Pink For the Cure. Has anyone participated in this at all? Do you have any other ideas to support Breast Cancer awareness/research?

The Princess-isms

Here are some conversations we've had with The Princess. Remember she's almost 4.

Breadwinner:What are you doing?

Princess:Nuthin'

Breadwinner:Are you making a mess?

Princess:(she doesn't answer)

Breadwinner:Can you help me clean up your mess?

Princess:Can't you just give me a break?

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Me:When I grow up, can I be gorgeous just like you?

Princess:No

Me:Mommy can't be gorgeous like Princess?

Princess:No, silly. I not grown up.

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On an excursion at Home Depot:

Breadwinner:OK Princess, I expect you to behave. (this is a tactic that I use and it works for me)

Princess:Why? Mommy's not here.

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On an car ride to the Breadwinner's office:

Princess:I want to go see Grammie. (this is the breadwinner's mom -- my mom is called Lola)

Breadwinner:You do?

Princess:Yeah, I want Grammie to give me stickers.

Breadwinner:Do you want to go see Grammie because you love her or because you want stickers?

There's a pause while she thinks about it.

Princess:I want the stickers.

I'm Restricted

I decided to copy Butrfly (she copied Shauna) and do a short post involving getting my blog rated:

I'm rated R because...I'm bringing sexy back baby!!!! Move over desperate housewives, now there's something sexier!!

(It's also because I mentioned piss (6x), crappy (4x), and breast (1x). This is surprising because I say ball sack, sexy, and I'm sure a lot worse than those words. Apparently I can't say breast, but I can say ball sack as many times as I want!!!!)

Piss on THIS!

My kids have a play room. We block it off at night because the cats love to piss on things in the play room.

So, I've been smelling piss in the play room for the past week. I've looked and looked for the area that the cats pissed on. I didn't find anything and I was getting increasingly annoyed with the cats.

I found it today.

There was piss all right. But it was human pee (cat pee has a distinct smell). In our Little Tikes sport thing:

Right in the basket that the boy is putting the ball in.

It had to have been a boy. I don't see how a girl can sit on the basket without falling over or getting hurt.

There were only 6 boys at the party.

Only 4 could walk.

Only 2 are not in diapers.

One is 8 years old and knows better (his mom is awesome).

The other will be 4 in November and his mom lets him run amok.

I think I'd be able to venture a guess as to who did it.

Absolutely.

Disgusting.

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On a happier note, I got a Rockin Girl Blogger award from the equally rockin' Butrfly

I also got a Thoughtful Blogger award from the equally thoughtful Jackie.

Thanks ladies. I'm [blushing] honored!

Jr. Peanut's B-day Pics

Getting My Money Back From This Crappy Excuse For a School

Remember when I blogged about The Princess going to summer camp? Well it didn't go over very well. The following letter explains why the school is crap.

Dear Preschool Director,

Per your request, I am sending this email to you to formally request that the "two weeks notice" policy be waived. I feel that it should be waived because I don't think my daughter is being provided the kind of preschool program I thought she would be getting based on the policy manuals that were given to me and my visits to the school. I do not wish to have my daughter exposed to an environment with the following things that my daughter and myself have experienced:

• Candy was provided to my daughter as a reward. I have several problems with this: 1) In the handbook it states that the parents are not allowed to bring candy to school and I feel that it is hypocritical to not expect parents to be allowed to bring candy but the teacher can give it out. 2) Lying by omission because I was never told that my daughter would be given candy as a reward. 3) It was given to her without my express permission. 4)These are four year olds and they don't brush their teeth very well. They shouldn't be given candy and this is the only preschool that I have ever heard of that gives Candy as a reward.
• When I confronted the front office person (not K, but the blonde woman that fills in while K is out and about) on 6/28 about the candy she said that there is a no candy policy and that someone would talk the teacher about it. When I told her that my friend caught her child's teacher (a different one) giving her kids M and Ms she said that sometimes the teachers do give candy out as a reward. Basically -- this woman LIED to me and then took it back.
• My daughter sat at a table all by herself on her first day of school because there is assigned seating. Assigned seating at 4 is ridiculous to me and I don't think it should be at the price of isolation especially on the first day of school.
• My daughter sat watching TV while eating lunch. 1)This is disrespectful to her food. 2)She can watch TV at home. 3)On the Summer Program Calendar, Monday is reserved as Movie day-- which is precisely why I chose Tuesdays and Thursdays. But she was still watching a movie...on a Tuesday.
• On 6/19 Before I gave K my check for the entire summer's tuition, I asked her if I would get a refund if my daughter didn't like it there and she said yes with no mention of the two week notice.

I really just don't feel comfortable sending my daughter to a school with this kind of environment and she has told me that she doesn't want to go. I have pre-paid the tuition for the entire summer and would like a refund of my money without the two weeks notice policy. Which would be $508.

Sincerely,

Cherann Translation: YOU GUYS BLOW!

Success!

After several long days of preparation, 24 party favor bags, loads of party decorations, hundreds of dollars dished out and lots of help from Godparents...Jr. Peanut's first birthday party was a success. It was a really good time. I really have to thank Cheryl, Kyle, Gomez, B, and J. You guys ROCK!! I think these god parents have learned a valuable lesson: Don't come to your god child's party early...or you'll get put to work.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it or not, but the party was a baptism/birthday party...so we had several things going on. We did the baptism during a public catholic mass and it was a totally different experience. The priest had us walk up during the processional, mentioned us several times during the mass, performed the entire thing while we stood at the front with loads of people watching, and made us walk down the aisle again for the closing. Good thing I'm not an extremely SHY person...otherwise it would have been a really painful experience. It was also hard keeping a 12 month old occupied during an hour long mass.

Althought the party was a success, there were some mishaps along the way:

• My sister-in-law crashed into our light post taking The Princess to my other SIL's daughter's Birthday party.
• Kyle left Cheryl's shoes on top of the car and drove away with it still on the roof. I found the remains of the mangled show down the street. I wish I had taken picures of it before I threw it away.
• B and J's flight was delayed THREE hours and they didn't even find out about it until they got there. They must have been so tired (they're east coasters)because their flight didn't leave until midnight (California time).
• The Breadwinner bumped his head on the BBQ trying to install the sink.
• While running around the pool table, The Princess fell and bit her lip HARD!
• Jr. Peanut's ear drums ruptured from an ear infection.
• The Princess and her cousin took several of the sprinkles jars (from cup cake decorating) and ate them in the jumper (The Breadwinner had to shop vac the jumper). Not to mention the fact that the kids ATE way to much sugar.

Thank god it's over. The house was a mess, there are tons of brand new scratches all over my hard wood floor. Lots of food left over. (Note to self: when you buy lots of appetizers...you need less food catered)I have a two month hiatus until the Princess' birthday... who already has decided that she wants a Hello Kitty party.

I'll post some pictures later.

Ta Ta!

My Thoughts on Raising a Daughter

I have to say that raising a daughter is probably one of the most difficult things I've had to do. When I see and hear the things that the Princess does, it painfully reminds me... of me. She is like a magnifying glass of all my most annoying traits.

The irritating stubborn as a mule trait? That's from me.

The hot temper? That's from me too.

Ugh. I hate seeing all that stuff in her. When she's being like me, I wonder how I even put up with myself. I wonder if maybe my mom thought the same thing about me too.

There's a New Badge in Town

At the suggestion of one of my reader's comments, I've worked hard and fashioned this special badge. Let me know if you want one too...

Not many people can say that about such a special search...

My Own Melt Down

It's the Monday before Jr. Peanut's Birthday party. He's turning one and he's getting baptized. So it's a big deal. There are so many things to do and I'm being bombarded by other things that I need to deal with:

• I am having difficulty with the crappy summer camp I sent my daughter to for the past two weeks and I'm trying to get my money back (I'll write a separate post about it later)
• The Caterer for the party tried to tell me that he didn't have the tables and chairs that we requested last week. He all of a sudden had two weddings come up. But luckily he has changed his mind.
• There are a ton of things on my to do list.
• The Breadwinner has decided that he absolutely has to golf the day before the party and the day all of our out of town guests come. And I'm the bitch that says he's got to get all these things done before he goes...
• Jr. Peanut bumped his chin on the kiddie fence and bit his lip. Now he's going to have a fat lip for his birthday party pictures.

So, I ask myself, is it really worth it? The next child (if there is a next one) isn't getting a big party.

Calgon! Take me away!