Eavesdropping

I went to yell out her window, into the backyard, to make sure that they were still playing together nicely.  As I glanced down onto the patio I could tell they were deep in a very serious conversation. 
It wasn't my intention to eavesdrop, but I just couldn't help myself.
She was all curled up, under the shade of the apple tree, in the the Adirondack chair, clad in a pink princess dress.  He was sitting at the table with the red umbrella shielding him from the sun, his cheek resting in on hand, his other hand full of fruit snacks.

I crouched to listen...





Really, Addie?  Do you mean it?
Yes!  For real, I mean it, Nicholas.
Really?  I'm your best friend?  Me?
Nicholas you are my best friend, for real.
You're my best friend too.
Yeah, you're my best friend forever.
Am I your best friend even when your mad at me?
Even when I'm mad you you're my best friend.  I still love you when I'm mad.
Oh.  Wait, can we still be best friends and be married?
Yeah, I think so.
Yeah, we're best friends, Addie.

Relaxing with the Reuters

She may have looked terrified:

But trust me, she loved every second of it:



 This weekend was filled with giggles and silliness - Addie's buddy "baby" Sam came to visit and the girls did a lot of giggling and playing, a tiny bit of napping and some carnival ride riding at Oktoberfest.  Sam didn't love the roller coaster, but the Ferris Wheel, cars and Merry Go Round were a hit.

Little Ferris Wheel Riders - they just kept going around and around

Silly willies on the Merry Go Round



Addie showing off Andy & Tool's favorite part of Oktoberfest

Enjoying the Ride

Giving the pony some loving

Mine and Michelle's favorite part of Oktoberfest
(the fried Snickers was a close 2nd for me)

The gentlemen enjoyed some plastic steins of good German beer, we all partook in some incredibly fried food (mmmm, sauerkraut balls) and the people watching could not be beat.  After a back yard fire pit Saturday night, Michelle and I turned in early (aaahhh, pregnancy), while the boys continued to play for few more hours. 

Sadly on Sunday our playmates had to head back to Chicago - but not before two sweet little princesses made crowns together and gave each other a dozen hugs.

It's amazing to see these little girls grow...isn't it?

In Chicago August 2009

In Cincinnati 2011

Dancing Queen

Sometimes I wish I could just step into her shoes and twirl. I would pivot and pirouette and spin like a dervish.

I would wear tutus and hair bows and constantly say "I wanna dance wiff you". I would courtesy and bow several times a day. I would grab the closest person and make them have ants in their pants, we would boogie down and jump around. I would be Beauty and I'd find a Beast and we'd float across the dance floor.

And then I would laugh and endlessly giggle and feel graceful, even though not even a little bit of me is.

Like Kate

Mama? (in the car, on our way home from a particularly good workout)

Hmmm? (me feeling sweaty and fiddling with the air conditioner)

Mama, when I grow bigger I want to be like Kate.

Like Kate, sweetie? Kate who?

Mama, I want be like A-cago Kate.

Really? How do you want to be like her?

I wanna have white hair. And pour my own milk. And I gonna take out the trash and drive a car. I grow up and have a kitty like A-cago Kate and lip stick. Yeah, just like A-cago Kate. I like her.

Later in the day we had lunch at Melt with A-cago Kate. Addie ran through the restaurant and smothered Kate with a huge hug and a squeal.

Kate and I managed to chat while we ate, but most of the lunch was Addie showing Kate pictures on my phone, exploring the hidden treasures of Kate's purse, regaling Kate with stories of our summer adventures and explaining how much she loves ice cream.

Watching them chat made me realize that Addie was onto something in the car: Kate is kind, generous, patient, successful, loyal and smart.

Just the kind of person I hope Addie will be when she grows bigger.

*The Blackberry picture is a little grainy - and as you can see Kate's hair is blond not white.

Thankful Thursday

What am I thankful for this Thursday?

• Four days with friends who always make me laugh - even if it resulted in one sick household.
• Amoxicillin and Lady and The Tramp.
• Crock pot dinner, chocolate and Glee with a gal pal.
• A neighbor who makes me feel included and always offers a beer.
• Having a few hours to myself, in a convertible, on a gorgeous day.
• Pretty as a Princess dance camp - even if it was cut short.
• Indoor/outdoor pillows.
• Feeling appreciated and loved.
• A nice glass of chilled Rose wine.
• Finally getting my hair short enough to make me smile.
• The return of my computer - oh how I missed you.

The Girls Get Away

Last Friday I loaded up my car with board games, peach sparkletini, wine and cheese products and headed toward my Girls Get Away in New Buffalo, Michigan.

The harbor on Lake Michigan - - - - My ass kicking Bloody Mary - - - - Melissa enjoying Ali's martini

There were eight of us - four moms and four non-moms (although one will be in early fall), also spilt up as: four women who wake up at the crack of dawn and four women who still possess the ability to sleep in.

In the two and half days that we were there we had only one real meal - everything else that was consumed was essentially a snack or revolved around a cheese based dip.

Ali's martini ~ Hot and Dirty - - - - Michelle's version of an energy drink - - - - - - - Laura's usual ~ a Bacardi & Coke

We shopped at the outlets, sat in the sunshine on the deck chatting, wandered into town to have a scrumptious lunch. We drank our fair share, but were still in bed well before midnight. There was a lot of laughter, a few inappropriate photos (some that got erased, some that will never be published on the Internet. You're welcome, Ali).

Keelin & Karen in full decorating mode - - -- Mich with her hat & camera - -- - Sue & Keelin getting ready to bet on the Derby

We decorated our own over-the-top Derby Hats, played a cutthroat game of charades, and laughed and drank some more.

Andy informed me that a boys weekend would never involve a craft or going to bed before midnight. I informed him this was Girls Weekend. There were no rules, except each girl was allowed to do what they wanted when they wanted to.

But mostly I believe what we wanted to do was to be together. To have a few drinks. To not count calories and to laugh. Repeatedly.

That mission was accomplished...and I kind of wish Girls Weekend was not a yearly thing, but a monthly thing. Or a weekly occasion.

But then again, how many Derby Hats does a girl need?

A forever friend

When we left Chicago I was sad for a gazillion reasons, but one of them was the fact I had a friend there with a son just about Addie's age. A friend who understood my neuroses and still put up with me. A friend who would drive an hour into the city just so we could log a face-to-face adult conversation.

We held each others' kids. We provided kid coverage so one of us could go to the dentist or get our hair cut. Or take a shower in peace. Our friendship was, is, effortless. It lacks drama. It's easy and lasting.

A little over a year after we pulled up stakes, so did her family. They left Chicagoland for New York Cityland (I know! ACK!). We don't get to see each other often. We attempt to keep in touch on the phone, but we never get to just sit and support each other - the exception being our yearly pilgrimage to the North Carolina shore and a fabulous visit this past weekend.

She, Renata, came to play with her son, Evan, and her husband, Toby, in tow. We went to the zoo. We munched on burgers. We took in a Cubs game without kids and with quite a few beers. We played board games, grilled, sat on the patio and let the kids run wild in the yard.

And the whole worry about two-year-olds not getting along or being shy...that is a worry that we don't have. Evan and Addie were peas in a pod. They swung on the swings, kicked balls, and jumped on the bed. The hugged and giggled and were so incredibly sweet to each other that at times I thought my heart might burst.

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When I was little I had friend like Evan -Andrew A.. Our parents were pals, he was just weeks older than me, and was my constant playmate. Pictures of him and his family pepper our photo album. He and I going off to our first day of kindergarten together, off to college, at my college graduation.
He moved away before first grade, but yet he still was a part of my life. We trekked to his house to spend the weekend cross country skiing. They came to our house to visit old friends and go hiking. We wrote each other silly letters and manage even now, in our hectic adult lives, to maintain a thread of friendship. He was at my wedding. This summer I held his baby son.

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And I imagine that Evan could be Addie's Andrew A.. They'll be thrown together because of their parents' friendship and soon pictures will spring up in albums. They'll have collective memories. Stories will be told over and over of their antics at the beach or the time she called him "my prince-y" or how he loved jumping on the air mattress in her blue tutu and yellow headband. Or the fact that if one of them had to go to the bathroom, the other did too.

And perhaps they will be pen pals. And celebrate each others' accomplishments. And maybe someday, long from now, dance at each others' weddings and hold each others' children.

And their friendship will be effortless. And easy. And lasting.

Kidcation

This past weekend Andy and I headed south for a 60 hour long kidcation. We headed to Durham, North Carolina to see our BFF Christie and her fiancee Michael. The impetus for our get-a-way was, of course, UNC basketball. The gents went to the UNC v. NC State game and Chris and I headed off for some pampering. We had our toes and fingers painted and rubbed. We chatted all things wedding, all things girly and enjoyed just being together.
On an un-girly note, UNC won. XU won. LU won. Visitation 5th grade basketball won - it was essentially Andy's best basketball day ever.

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Christie moved to Durham shortly after Andy and I fled to Cincinnati.

Prior to our moves, for the better part of nine years, we were inseparable. Chris and I worked together in a residential program for "at-risk youth". Imagine that - we were considered role models and mentors.

After leaving the program, our apartments were never more than two miles away from each other. We had weekly breakfasts and girl dates. We shared the same awesome circle of friends and a love of fruity drinks.

She cheered me on through grad school, stood with me when I got married and was at the hospital when Addie was born.

I cheered her through grad school, assured her that one day the right man would come along and watched jealously as she lived the wonderful life of a singleton in the big city.

Over many, frequent phone calls we've supported each other through the transition to new cities. We've listened to each other cry with frustration, mourning the circle of friends we left behind. We've encouraged each other and cheered each other on and celebrated each other's successes - professionally, personally, and endlessly.

She's going to marry Michael in seven months.

I plan to stand with her. To make sure the dress is flawless, the hair is in place and she is enjoying her moment. We'll toast and laugh and I'll get to say "See, I told you so".

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So for a day and a half we frolicked and laughed and misbehaved. I didn't have to worry about running a two year old to a potty. I wasn't woken up at 6:30 with a request for cartoons. There was no negotiations around meals or nap times.

Instead there were conversations that included complete sentences. There was uninterrupted watching of smutty TV and sipping of Sparkeltinis. And cosmos. And Jack Daniels. And beer. And Bloody Marys. Hmmmm. And Old Fashions. Er, and a jager bomb. And, above all else, our new favorite beverage - The Hollywood Night.

What is a Hollywood Night, you ask? Well, a la TKW, here is a recipe worth your time:

• 1.5 oz of vodka (yum. vodka.)
• 1 oz of triple sec
• 1.5 oz of chambord (yum. chambord.)
• A splash of Rose's Lime Juice
• Shake over ice and strain into a martini glass.

Okay, so those are the directions, but we had them shaken over ice and then served on the rocks in, what else, a rocks glass.

It was fruity. It was frothy. It was heavenly. And better than everything - it was purple!

It, and all it's companions, resulted in a helluva a headache and a few drunken photos. But, on a kidcation, a headache and silly photos are okay.

It also helps that Addie was in the wonderful care of Grandma Patty. She played, she shopped, she didn't have any accidents and she was the center of attention. It was her own Parentcation.

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As I wrote this, my kidcation officially said Screw you. You're back on duty.

Addie is refusing to nap. She stood in the hallway and peed her pants, her undies and all over the hardwood floor and subsequently melted down.

Did I mention that it's been snowing ALL DAY here?

What I would give for a Hollywood Night.

Sean + Ali = Vomit

Let's start at the very beginning....it's a very good place to start....

Almost two weeks ago I checked off the travel list:
Portable DVD player. Check.
Bag full of toys. Check.
Healthy snacks. Check.
Packed suitcases. Boarding passes. Check, check.

Off Addie and I flew to New England for nine autumn days with Gramma. Four planes later, we're back at home, readjusting to sleeping schedules and wishing Gramma was still around to change diapers and pour wine.

I mentioned last week that there are tales to be told...and the first one has very little to do with Addie. Nope this one is all about me, my poor decision making ability and my questionable choices in friends.

After arriving at Gramma's, late in the night, Addie wrapped herself around giraffe and snuggled up in the port-a-crib, snoozing blissfully until morning. On Friday we putzed around and lamented a rainy day, but I knew that rain was not going to ruin my plans. See, luckily for moi, two very good friends of mine live about 45 minutes from Mom, in Albany, New York. She is there finishing her ER residency and he is there desperately trying to figure out a way to get fired from his job. They're both counting the seconds until they can return to sweet home Chicago.

Ali drove over the mountains and met me at the outlets for some shopping before we headed back to their place for some drinks, dinner and fun. Addie kissed me goodbye and mom practically shoved me out the door in anticipation of one-on-one time with her littlest lady. Freedom.

Ali and I shopped and chatted and shopped some more. We drove to Albany, with my overnight bag, and uncorked some wine. We ate cheese, laughed, had a martini, laughed. We watched Sean make us dinner and we plotted our night ahead.

Dinner was lovely - rosemary roasted potatoes, smoked beer butt chicken and salad. Our martinis gone, we delved into two bottles of red from their impressive arsenal of wine. We laughed at each other and with each other and at our shared friends. It was lovely. By 11:45 I was in bed...In my pjs under the covers. Honk shoo honk shoo.

When I woke up I was groggy and had a bit of head ache, but okay. I showered, took up residence on their couch and waited for our day to start. Big plans for burgers and bloody marys were awaiting....but first....I hurled.

Yep. I christened their toilet in their newly refinished bathroom. Embarrassing? Yes. Par for the course if I have a tad too much to drink these days? Yes.

Hurling done, I was ready for lunch and feeling great.

Then the waitress but my burger down in front of me. I got a little hot feeling. I could hardly bare to smell or look at it. I excused myself to the oddest bar bathroom ever (all covered in chrome, mirrors and yellow) and I hurled some more.

Yep. I hurled in a public place. A lot. Did I want to hide my face? Yes. Was I a little more than embarrassed? Yes.

It was time to trek back to the Berkshires - I was feeling good enough and thinking about the mimosas Ali and I would sip. We got in their new car. It was shiny. It smelt like new car. It had all sorts of fancy buttons and screens - and I hurled again. In a bag, in their car, as we were heading to I-90.

Mortified. Check.

And then again, 5 miles from my Mom's house. And then two more times in the house I grew up in. I was feeling a little icky but overall decent, talking and laughing, and then bam - hurling. My stomach rejected Friday night's fun, three bites of a burger, a Pepcid and bottles of water.

I was BROKEN. While curled in a fetal position, demanding Ali use her doctor skills to fix me, I surrendered my rock star card.

Once and forever.

The days of mixing alcohol - gone. The days of drinking multiple martinis - gone. The days of bouncing back - gone. The days of being awesome - gone.

I say it loud and I say it proud - I am a Mommy NOT a rock star.

Ali and Sean broke me. Maybe permanently. But that isn't really the big story about those 36 hours - the big story is that Addison made a decision on Friday night that has pretty much changed my entire world.

But more on that later.

Buzz Buzz

Today just felt like Fall.

The house was freezing when we woke up. Both Addie and I bundled up in our robes and headed to the warmth of the basement. After laundry and coffee and milk we headed out to face the day.

I wanted to be in a pair of comfy jeans and a fleece, but instead I wrestled myself into my work out clothes and off to class Little Miss and I went. I ran and side shuffled and did push ups and crunches. Addie chased Elise and Max and skipped circles around us sweaty, grunting moms.

Apparently the blue skies and breeze put me in good mood and I took Addie to the playground to run off more energy with Elise.

She went down slides, and tried climbing big ladders, and giggled and jumped. She barely paid attention to the toddler play ground. Instead she ran off and attacked the play ground for the five year olds. She didn't care if she could see me. She was feeling fearless. And then...

A mean, horrible, pesky yellow jacket attacked her. She was just minding her own business, playing and being fearless, when she got stung in the wrist. There were tears and drama, most of was quieted by a kiss, some water, and a CareBear band-aid.

She survived, her nap didn't, and I have heard more about her *bumble bee boo boo* than you can even imagine.

But that's okay - bumble bee boo boos suck and deserve cuddles and kisses and hugs, and those were doled out by the hundreds on this gorgeous Fall day.

My Game, Mommy

Last week I mentioned Addie's new game. To the rest of the world it's called Chutes and Ladders to Addie it is her game. Addie's game, mama? Mommmmyyy, Gaame? Gaaaame, Mom?

She doesn't really get the concept, it's still a tad too old for her. But, she does love the colors and the slides and the pictures. She sees that there are pictures of good decisions and that there are pictures of bad decisions. She hearts the spinner, even though she struggles a bit with actually working it.

The first time she played she and Grandma named the board pieces - Elise, Amy, Ray and Bruce. I am not sure how, beyond Elise, those names were agreed upon, but they have steadfastly remained. Elise, is Addie's BFF - she's four and therefore super cool and adored. Addie apparently decided to honor their friendship by making Elise a major player in her new game.

When Addie plays her game, which is several times a day, I hear a lot of: No Amy! Ray's turn. Oh no, Eliiiiissssse. Addie likes to tell me all the bad decisions that she's made that the players have made too - taking cookies off the counter, drawing on the wall - and then point out what she or the players should have done.

Occasionally we play it together, but mostly she and the cat play while I pick up our endless mess. Last week, after a game of Chutes and Ladders in the front hallway with Michelob, Addie came running into the kitchen repeatedly saying:

Oh no! Mommy, oh no. Oh no, Elise. Elise broke Mommy.

It was the last statement that concerned me the most. What possible could have happened to Elise that she was broken?

My concern was justified, it indeed appeared that Elise took a heck of a spill off one of those ladders. Poor Elise.

I remember thinking that one of the hardest things I would ever do was to move from Pittsfield to Chicago to start at Loyola. While it was hard, I quickly adjusted. It helped that I discovered the beauty of alcohol and was surrounded by quirky, kind, interesting people...most of whom are my friends still today.

It turns out that, yes, that was a very hard move. But moving to Cincinnati after 13 years surrounded by all those quirky, kind, interesting people I met back in 1995 (plus a few I picked up along the way) turned out to to be equally as terrifying and hard.

I left behind an incredible community of people who supported me, laughed with me (okay, maybe at me) and held my hand through a thousand things.

I know that it will take a long time to build that kind of camaraderie and community here, but Thursday mornings have provided me with a fabulous start.

Since early October I have been meeting Genna (and her daughter Elise) and Sharon (and her son Ian) for coffee either out and about in the 'Nati or at one of our houses. We chat about nothing in particular...Old embarrassing stories from high school, our significant others (and their obvious flaws), our amazing, intelligent and gorgeous children, restaurants to try in the city or recipes worth exchanging.

I have found that after our coffee klatches I am more relaxed, more productive, more patient. It's like sanity in a coffee cup...

While the mommies caffinate and chat, the amazing kids quietly watch a cartoon. Addison paid some attention to Elise and Ian, but she was mostly paid attention to Maggie the Cat.

Chicago Invasion

This past weekend my house was invaded Chicago-style by 10 of mom and dad's closest friends. They seemed to have a good time, although I am concerned what our neighbors are going to think when they see our recycling pile this week.

I loved being with everyone. I got to sit on tons of laps, play on air mattresses and get more attention than I thought possible. My mommy only took ONE picture...I think she was too busy pouring mimosas for the crowd! Don't worry though, a lot of incriminating pictures of her were taken, and I am sure they will be shared generously.

I spent the night with Grandma and Aunt Nikki on Saturday while the crew when on a pub crawl...which, in my opinion, they (translate "they" to "mom") are not tough enough to handle. The next morning when mom picked me up and brought me home at 10 a.m. no one was functioning. But eventually breakfast was made, showers were taken and goodbyes were said.

Even though my house smelled (and looked) like a frat house by last night, it was worth it. Turns out, my parents' friends are amazing, silly, compassionate, darn good looking and fabulous. Lucky me that they're part of my life.

I know for sure mom and dad feel exactly the same way.

Kisses,
Addie

** Follow up note: Since the Chicago crew has left, Addison has made me "read" her Chicago Friend picture book to her at least a dozen times. Last night she stopped on the page of Keelin & Berto, and after I said their names, she said "Babo" and kissed the page twice. So freaking cute....