Times are really changing around here. Arianna’s favorite color isn’t pink anymore. She hung her first poster in her room. It is a poster of a cat, but I know all too well that posters of boys will soon follow. She is no longer into the Disney princesses. She writes in script, is pretty good at her times tables, is no longer a brownie – but a junior girl scout. Not to long ago, I noticed that her shirt wasn’t laying perfectly flat! Ahhhhh!!! No one else would notice, but I certainly did!
The good news is that she still wants a piggy back ride to bed each night, still wants Lenny and I to tuck her in, still believes that someday she’ll be able to fly. The best news of all is that she still really loves us! About an hour after we tucked her in the other night she came downstairs with a gift for both of us. It was a book she entitled, “My Family is the Best Family – The Ultamet Rock Stars”. (Yes, that’s how she spelled Ultimate)
Here’s a little piece of what she had to say:
My Mom
_________
My Mom is awesome, sweet and fun to hang around! She could never get any better! My Mom and I always have fun together. She is a shoulder to cry on. There are so many good things about her, I can’t even list them. You are caring and wonderful to be around. Thank you for making me and thank you for everything you have done for me!
She then dedicates a page to her Dad, one to our times in Las Vegas, one to “the rock stars in us” and then closes the book with this…
Thank you
__________
Mom and Dad, this book is for you, saying thank you for all that you have done. Some of my favorite things about my family. These are a few of the things I could think of. Please take this as a gift to remember I was just thinking of you.
by,
Arianna
What a beautiful gift!!! What more could I ask for!!! :)
Friendship can be a tough thing sometimes. Over the years I have had many friends come in and out of my life. I have however, had one long lasting friendship that I am proud of.
We're so odd...
My best friend is somebody that I have a long history with. Somebody I’ve known since I was a teenager. Somebody I’ve grown up with. Somebody that I can laugh with, cry with and just be down right silly with. My best friend will support me and stand up for me when no one else will. If we have a small disagreement or a huge blow out, I know that he will be there after the fall out with open arms. I know that my best friend won’t walk away or turn his back on me for any reason. He has been by my side through the absolute best and the worst of my life – picked me up off the floor and glued my pieces back together. Our true friendship is based on love, laughter, support, forgiveness and more love and more laughter. It’s what true friendship should be all about. My best friend will watch American Idol with me even though he hates it and rub cream on my dry, cold feet!! He also knows that in the end, I’m always right. (Ok, that part isn’t true. Only mostly true! LOL!)
I’m happy to say that my husband is my best friend. Always will be. I love you, Babe.
Confidence is one of those attributes I think we all hope that our children have. As a child, my mother was made fun of because of her glasses, white hair and braces. She pulled through the pains of childhood and grew into a confident, successful woman. She was the first woman ever to be hired as an EMT at her place of employment. Breaking into that world of men took guts and lots of confidence.
As a child, I too was made fun of because of my pointy Spock ears, my pointy fangs and anything else those rotten kids could pick apart. I was shy and unsure of myself, but what I did have were a few powerful, successful women that served as role models for me and helped me to grow into the woman I am today – one of them, of course, being my mother. I am totally comfortable with who and what I am and where I am in my life right now.
And then there’s my daughter….
Unlike the prior two generations, Arianna’s confidence issue seems to be the complete opposite of her elders. Let me give you an example. On the first day of school, the teacher handed out a “Getting to know you” sheet. You know, they ask questions like “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” or “Do you like sports?”.
Well one of the questions was “What are you most proud of?” Her response “ME!” And no, it’s not me, her mother that she was referring to. She is most proud of herself!! Then she had to fill in “The best thing about me is ….” and her response was “ME!” No lack of confidence going on in her head. In her view everything about her is so good, she couldn’t pick just one thing.
Arianna recently started gymnastics. I was driving her and a friend home from class the other night and listened while she told her friend that she’s close to a back walker over so soon she can learn a back hand spring. Her friend said, “No fair. You’re better than me and I’ve been doing it longer.” My daughter looks at her best friend and gleefully responds, “I KNOW!!! I AM BETTER THAN YOU!”
I’ve got a problem on my hands over here and it’s most certainly not from lack of confidence! She’s a wild girl and I am very anxious to see how her life plays out.
Can you tell which one of these was done by my child chalk and which was done by my kitten when I was painting? It doesn’t seem to matter what species we are. Kids will be kids!!!
There is this song that Arianna listens to every single day that describes her personality to a tee. The tempo moves about as quickly as she does. Every “dee da dee” and “yeeee haaaa” cracks me up because if you didn’t know my kid, you could get a feel for the pace at which her mouth and brain run just by listening to the song. It brings a smile to my face everytime!!
Now take a moment. Listen. Then imagine trying to work with that next to your ear all day long. Yapping and yapping and yapping! It’s a wonder I passed my July Audit!!!
One of my greatest joys is my husband’s biggest pet peeve. I am so glad to have Arianna home this summer – especially with the endless hours of singing. It’s not just any old singing either. It’s OPERA!!! Take a peek. . .
As most of you know, my parents watched Arianna for us, while Lenny and I enjoyed some time with friends in Vegas for our anniversaries. Although I don’t have time to write about our trip today, since I have work to catch up on, I thought I would share my father’s thoughts on his peaceful night at my lovely home.
————————————————————————————–
HI JEN
Well as you can see we returned your daughter pretty much the way you left her.
Although we did NOT quite succeed in killing the cat
We could have done a better job on your little RAT as he decided to do his Gymnastics
at two in the morning ———–round and round on his little wheel — ENDLESSLY the little rodent wouldn’t quit that little %$^*ing sh*t.
He finally wound up in the computer room ——-Thank GOD it was far enough away— that LITTLE ——–!!!!
Little miss kitty decided to do a dance on my chest at Five in the morning!
Friendly duo those critters are!!!
Now let me get some sleep and I’ll call you in the morning!!
Your loving pappy DAD
PS– Glad your back safe and sound
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FYI, his reference to killing the cat does not refer to the sad demise of Pepper, but rather to the fact that he allowed Fettucini to be locked in the basement without food, water or a litter box for 3 days! Seems I don’t feel so bad about his sleepless night after all!!! :)
After months and months of agony, my poor Pepper was put down last night. I would love to tell you that I was strong and rock solid in the waiting room at the Vet, or that I didn’t have snot running down my face and into my mouth as she lay motionless on the table, or that I hardened up in front of Arianna and gave her words of logic and support. I didn’t. I actually stood alone in the Vet’s office shaking uncontrollably and unable to sign my name on the paper for quite awhile. I didn’t cry quietly and beautifully like you see in the movies. My face was red and blotchy, my cries and gasps for air loud and my hands full of soaked tissues.
Now let us pay tribute to Pepper. She was abandoned as a kitten and lived alone under a shed behind Lenny’s family’s store. After much nagging and begging, Lenny caught the kitten one day and brought her home. It became evident early on that Pepper was a special needs kitty and that she had many issues. She didn’t like to be held, or cuddled or pet for too long. She didn’t like noise, or strangers and was mortified by the birth of Arianna. She liked quiet solitude, watching hamsters and squirrels, and she liked me. Oh and she like Lenny to pet her with his foot. Eventually she accepted Arianna too! It took her years to get up the courage to step out onto the deck to lay in the sun. As frightened as Pepper made everyone, she was really the scared one.
Most children were scared of her growl and her ever so welcoming hiss. People called her the halloween cat, evil, crazy and the people at the Vet’s office called her bi-polar (hence the name of my blog. See my play on words? I’m so clever, right?) and schizophrenic. Through my tears yesterday I did have to smile inside when I heard them saying that, because it was so true. All of that was what made Pepper our cat though – and for all that we loved her. She will be missed greatly.
You know when your little ones are babies and have that beautiful baby book? At first you notate every giggle, smile and fart. Then the chaos of life kicks in and those moments occur when you don’t have pen and baby book in hand. . . you think to yourself, “I won’t forget this. Who needs to write it down?”
Weird phases, strange habits, funny mispronunciations of words. Some that stick in your head forever and some that unintentionally get lost in day to day life.
Well, I am, or shall I say, Arianna is far beyond the days of memories in a baby book, so here’s an odd behavior I thought I would jot down for memories sake. Her Grandfather called today to talk to her. At first she was in the room with me. A few seconds later, she was in the dining room – walking around
and around
and around
and around
and around
and around the dining room table while speaking to him. This is not an isolated behavior nor is it specific to that particular table. If she is on the phone with anyone (and not playing Webkinz with them on the computer) she will choose any table and continuously walk around that object while chatting. It is like an uncontrollable compulsion.
So the next time you call to talk to her, ask her if she’s circling the table!
One night as Lenny and I were heading to bed for the night, I began my nightly routine as he followed behind me. I fed Fettucini downstairs, fed the hamster and made sure she had water and then fed Pepper upstairs. My hubby then said to me, “Geez, I’m sure glad you’re around because if they were dependent on me, I’d come home to a house full of corpses!”
I laughed and wondered to myself if Arianna would starve too if it were up to him. Then I realized that she wouldn’t, ’cause he’d lose her before he could starve her. It’s true. He wouldn’t know where to find her! Every week – week after endless week – Lenny will call me when he gets home from work and ask, ” Where are you?” And I’ll tell him I’m picking Arianna up from whatever the given activity is for that day. Or he’ll kiss her goodbye in the morning and tell her he’ll see her after Girl Scouts. Of course he says it on the wrong day but at least he knows she’s a Girl Scout, right?
If ever you want to feel that your role is this world is pretty darn important, just have your spouse tell you that you’re preventing the family from turning into corpses. I feel so much better about myself now!
