Astro-Nutz

I've got to start this post with a few words about my complete and utter lack of understanding (read: patience to actually learn) the whole Bloggy cyber world. After six attempts to add some great photos herein - (read: there, here, no here, not here, uh oh there are gone!) I can't figure this out at all. I add the photos, and then all the words come out in a column not a paragraph. I better go fast before this even gets messed up.

Emily graduated from 3rd grade last week. When she was just a baby, we called her 'mini-he' because she looked exactly like Hubby. I see myself in her as she is approaching the ripe old age of 9 in September. Scary thought, poor thing.

Seriously, she is terrific. Hubby owes her a skateboard and a Nintendo game for the straight A's. She started camp this week and so far- every day has been wonderful. I am charting the scrapes, allergy complaints, dehydration issues, sore pinky toes, sunscreen splatterered sneakers....in other words, how many dramas and visits to the nurse and phone calls to home she will have this summer. So far - after 3 days at camp- the count is 4 and 0. She may have started her life looking like him , but she is becoming me all the friggin' way. (Right ma?)

Emily wants to go to Harvard. She wants to be the first female Yankee player. She wants to be professional singer and dancer. When she was about 4, she had simpler aspirations like being a crossing guard. She said "I blow a mean whistle, don't I?" Thank god she doesn't want to be President. I would like her to have at least some realistic goals. (ps, I am not a Hilary fan- but sadly I don't think a woman will ever be president in this country...although who better to multi-task and fix this mess we call a home?)

And, Rachel on the her morning of her preschool graduation, got to go with me to Starbucks to carbo load before the ceremony of song and celebration. And, as this was graduation day - she got a special treat. We usually order the fruit and yogurt (yeah, right)- or at least the fat-free blueberry muffin. But today, she's all over the chocolate donut like 'buzzards on a gut wagon'. She asked for a straw in the milk so she didn't smudge her lip gloss. So cute.

Now fast forward a week or so to the past 6 days and our poopie battles. **Mind blinding mental imagery occuring soon. Fasten your safety belts** In an attempt to get the kid to do her 'thang' so we can actually leave the house this summer (see previous posting) - I had her kneel on the potty. I had her standing on the potty. I had her sitting, legs open froggy style - bending forward enough so she could see what was happening in her nether-region , leaning on my knees so she wouldn't fall over. I had her by the armpits with her legs dangling over the pot like a Thanksgiving bird on it's way to the stuffer. She sat on her potty seat so much that there is a permanant ring on her little hiney! Her butt is redder than one of the baboons from the National Geographic specials...you know the ones, right? They attract mates with their red butts and by flinging their 'business' at the boys. But I digress. Sunday was a success - Monday was not. Nor Tuesday. Nor Wednesday. That will bring us to today. Today was a rousing success!!! She went like man! Twice! Two cartoon worthy swirly-poohs that would have made the illustrators of MAD Magazine and the Alfred E. Newman fan club proud!! We did a happy dance today, folks! We go to the pool tomorrow! And good thing- it's been over 100 degrees here this week. I am just so excited that I was able to hold my end of the threat...er, uh, I mean bargain. We do nothing until she does something. This has been harder on me than on her.


Rachel went to a Birthday party. Another one. This one was not a Pinata smashing party. This one had a rock wall to climb. She loved the going down part more than the going up part. By the end of the party she had made it 3/4 up the wall. Going down was like flying like Tinkerbell to her. So cute!

And, finally - My little Spaz-tronauts!! Who says I don't recycle! Custom fitted space helmet ready for hours of after dinner fun. Well, minutes - well....at least long enough to snap this little video.