In her words...

"Daddy, tomorrow I want to go eat out."

Note: she's 2 years and 9 months.

Some days it sucks to be a mom...

...like today, when I would've rather had my baby (Larissa, almost six) rip out my heart from my chest and step all over it. Instead she freaked out after I dropped her off at soccer camp, and run after me crying "mami, mami!"* not wanting to let me go. Gulp, sigh, and sniff.

Guilt is a powerful emotion. The need to hold her and cuddle her and keep her with me for the rest of her life even more so. And as her mom, the knowledge that it's better for her if I don't, the one that makes everything just suck. Ugh.


*for the non-Spanish speakers, the translation would be "mommy, mommy!"

Beware of the 5%!!!

Also known as "other duties as assigned" - that last line on most job descriptions, the 5% truly is a trap created by employers to make sure that: (1) they can change your job description at will without increasing your salary (heaven forbid!), and (2) you take on any duty whatsoever that can in any way, shape or form be associated with your current job description.

Case in point here: my friend and office neighbor Kristin, who for the purposes of this blog shall also be known as "Events Queen", was in charge of an event at work yesterday. Her job description has no custodial duties attached to it, and her title doesn't even get close to them - neither do mine. However, at the end of the day (a very, very, very long day), she and I found ourselves cleaning the patio off stepped-on crackers, grapes and cheese. Gross. But necessary. And yes, I did take some pictures for material and because I liked the light, but trust me, I also got my hands dirty (and wet).

So, beware of the 5%... and from this day on, if you drop a grape, a cracker or some cheese on the floor, for heaven's sake pick it up yourself!

Shell shocked!

I have to step aside from my usual entries just to do a little pat on the back... I just got two entries into the photography contest at the OC Fair!! I figured what the hell, I'll just send them and see. I mean, I like them, but it's so nice to know that others liked them too - enough to allow them into the exhibit hall!

As James Brown liked to sing... OW!!! I feel good...

Ever wonder...

...who the people are who write in those descriptions for movies on TV? Sometimes when I'm channel surfing and wondering what to watch, I read those descriptions and use them as a guide.

Granted, they're not much of a guide at all. I think nobody would ever watch TV if they based the decision on those descriptions. Try it! Read them and think about them. They don't work but for the simplest of movies, or the worst ones (they could actually make those appealing!)

I'm waiting to run into "Gone With the Wind" and see what is written. I bet it will be something like "Woman loses house in fire during Civil War." Margaret Mitchell would weep from her grave.

Just rambling... again...

I'm so emotional right now... (yes, it-is-that-time-of-the-month...) Too many things are going on in my life, and every time I think I was able to somewhat deal with one, there comes another!

So, to make a long story short, here's this blog's bottom line: Katarina is moving up to her next classroom. Yeah, big deal, I know... The thing is, as she moves from one classroom to another, I am confronting two realities: one is her inevitable growth, as she leaves behind everything that makes me think she's still a baby (except for the diapers, that will never happen...); the other one is the fact that, since she's my last baby, we are leaving this classroom behind as well.

Katarina is in the same developmental daycare where Larissa was before going to school. The Irvine Child Development Center (ICDC) has been the place we've trusted all this time. Each classroom has been special, but the one Katarina is about to leave is my favorite. Here is where I've seen the most change in both my girls. Here is where they went from being a babbling toddler, to being intelligible little people. Here is where diapers were replaced by pull-ups and panties (not for Katarina, never...), where likes and dislikes became more evident, were little friendships blossomed, where temper tantrums flourished - and were squashed. As my little one leaves, I get a little pang thinking of the things I've seen, of the things I've cherished, of the things I won't experience again.

So, I'm a little emotional, and as I write, I celebrate this pity party for myself.

Spring in full swing...

"Oh, no!! I got in a fight with the Easter Bunny, and I lost!" (never mind that the Easter Bunny came around a while ago...)

Couldn't help but snap this picture the other day as I was driving off campus. Her outfit was something between sky blue and light turquoise, her belt screamed eighties in cheery yellow, which matched her shoes, and it kind'a looked cute in a she's-so-young-and-damn-skinny way when I saw her walking on campus. Then I saw her on her pink bike, which matched the pink strikes in her hair... and that just got the best of me... fashion 911!! Where's the damn fashion police when you need it?