resolution

My real new year's resolution, I mean.

My real new year's resolution is to be The Best Wife Ever.

I know it sounds corny, but I am being serious. Because Jonathan rocks. And because we've been together for 8 years now and I don't want him to think I ever take him for granted.

And I don't think it's corny to want to keep my marriage strong and happy. Although some of the ways I think I could be The Best Wife Ever are pretty corny and make the feminist in me want to gag. So far, I have been meticulous about shaving my legs. Even above the knees. Even though it is January. And if you think that information is way too personal to post on the internet, check this out--I threw away all of my maternity underwear! And I bought all kinds of fun underwear from Victoria's Secret. Because The Best Wife Ever never wears granny panties.

The Best Wife Ever has ironed all of Jonathan's work shirts. The Best Wife Ever attempted to clean out the garage for her dear husband because he had been wanting to get around to it every weekend but something always came up and The Best Wife Ever would have finished cleaning out the garage if she hadn't sliced her arm open on a broken flower pot.

The Best Wife Ever is going to save lots and lots of money for her wonderful husband and will avoid hanging around Target touching all of the pretty, pretty towels.

And I know some of these things are very old-fashioned, but my husband is an old-fashioned guy. He still opens doors for me every time we get into the car and I think that is awesome. I'm not trying to morph into Donna Reed and wear pearls and say "yes, dear" and "no, dear" to everything he says. But I am going to try to make an effort to not look all nasty when he comes home from work and to drop whatever I am doing the minute he walks in the door at night to give him a great, big hug.

Because I am the luckiest woman I know. And I want him to know that I am very aware of how lucky I am.

Example: I have been cleaning out my closet (finally) because The Best Wife Ever runs a tight ship. And I found this rubbermaid full of every single little card and note we have ever given to each other. And torn movie tickets and programs from shows ... even menus from restaurants we went to on our honeymoon in Rome. I looked at every single adorable item in this rubbermaid, and it really made me get serious about adhering to this resolution of mine. Because, you see, this rubbermaid is not mine. It belongs to my husband. And he has kept all of these little mementos (many I had completely forgotten about) that add up to the story of our entire relationship stashed carefully away for all of these years.

Do you get it now? Do you see how freakin' lucky I am?

Casi's Face

Sometimes, I take your features for granted,
the constant shape of your eyes.

When you were born, everyone said you looked
more like your father, though I insisted your chin was mine.

Tonight while we wait for the macaroni to soften,
we dance in the kitchen to the symphony of a priest.

As I recuperate from an ungraceful spin --
a second stilled in the light of your face --

I see me, but taller; me but prettier,
and with your father's chin.

Gabriela Anaya Valdepeña

lion and becks

Poor Lion is still sick. I brought him to see the doctor today for a follow-up visit. He still has 2 ear infections and he also has a sinus infection. Poor little man. No wonder he has been so miserable! We gave him an antibiotic for the full 10 days, but it did absolutely nothing. So now he is on a stronger antibiotic and (get this) a steroid! So now we can blame his massive size on steroids! I wonder if he will get roid rage... And that, folks, is all the steroid jokes you'll get out of me. I promise.

And on to the real news, (no pun intended) David Beckham is leaving Real Madrid to play soccer here! Well, in LA anyway, so my chances of bumping into him on the street are pretty slim, but still. A girl can dream.


and a few more blueisms:

strawberries: dobbies
Bert and Ernie: Burp and Ernie
thirteen: chicken

blueisms

The other morning, I went into Blue's room to bring her downstairs. There were toys everywhere, in a sort of controlled chaos (she's really into sorting things by type right now).

She was putting a little pile of toy french fries on a blanket by her bed. I asked her, "What are you doing, baby?"

She said, barely glancing at me, "I'm making fries for the Wiggles."

She is so funny. It occurs to me that I may forget these cute expressions of hers, so I'm going to jot some of them down now:

elephant: essss
my dad and Judi: Papa Judi
TV: teetee
jump: gump


Damn.  Little Lion Man is crying. I'll return to this glossary later.

just like mommy

Bluebird had her first professional haircut yesterday!

She was such a fantastic girl! She sat very still, all through her shampoo, cut and blow dry. I couldn't believe she let them use the blowdryer--she usually runs away when I use mine at home, but she is so brave!

She looks adorable. Here are a couple photos:


Here she is on the way home, with her new haircut and her first lollipop:

shorn sheep

For a new look for the new year, I chopped my hair off this weekend. No more ponytails for me! Sigh. Now I look more like a mom than ever. And it seems everywhere I look, I am surrounded by women with gorgeous long hair. What have I done?

At least I donated my hair to Locks of Love so I can comfort myself with the knowledge that I have done a good deed.

all a bunch of sickos

That's us. Santa brought the plague right down our chimney for Christmas this year.



Christmas Eve--what was that, like a week ago now? Two weeks?--Blue did absolutely nothing but lay on the couch and stare into space. That night Jonathan and I were repeating, "I will not get sick I will not get sick I will not get sick" frantically under our breath.

Christmas morning, we looked at each other, at our glassy, watery eyes and our flushed faces, at the identical grimaces of pain whenever we swallowed, and we knew we were doomed. We were definitely getting sick.

And did I mention the Lion was sick? Well, the Lion was sick, too. And of course the pediatrician was closed until the 26th. So on the 26th we made appointments for the babies in the morning and then we also made appointments for ourselves for the afternoon.

Blue was just so whiny and miserable, and Jonathan and I both had awful sore throats and raging fevers while we clutched our crying children in the waiting room for what seemed like hours. And then the result: the babies did not have strep, they had viruses. Nothing to do but watch them slowly suffer it out. Tylenol, plenty of rest, lots of fluid, bye-bye and come again!

So Jonathan and I cancelled our afternoon appointments, figuring we had viruses too and so we were all pretty much screwed. Jonathan took off the entire week and he seemed to be feeling a bit better than I was, so the bulk of caring for crying, snotty, runny-bottomed babies fell to him, poor man.

Finally, on Friday, I said to him, "I feel worse every day, not better. I know it's probably a waste of money, but I'm going to the doctor." And since it was a 3 day weekend approaching, I went as soon as they could squeeze me in. And it turns out I have a sinus infection and an ear infection, if you can believe it.

So I came home and looked at Blue and Lion who were also not looking like they felt any better than I did, and who the hell gets an ear infection at the age of 31?! So, we bundled the babies into the car and headed back to the pediatrician. My Blue also has an ear infection and the Lion has 2 very bad ear infections.

Five doctors' appointments, three prescriptions, and countless bottles of Tylenol, Advil, Nyquil, and Vicks Vaporub later and we're still all miserable. And broke.

But enough whining. How was your holiday? At least we have (so far) managed to survive the new experience of all 4 of us being ill at the same time without too much crying or shouting.

Happy New Year. My resolution? To take my vitamins and drink lots of OJ. No, seriously, it's to be healthier (i.e. lose weight) and to be less catty. Happy New Year, Everyone! And to all a Good Night.