[W] Frick

We are almost a month into the offical big kid bed transition, and it SUCKS. An ex-boyfriend of mine, who I (reluctantly) befriended on Facebook, said he loved big kid beds and that his children now sleep more than they ever did. I am beginning to wonder if the fact that we ended badly all those years ago led him to tell me this colossal lie knowing what hell big kid beds would bring to my life. I cannot begin to express to you how desperately I wish we had left the wee hooligans in their cribs until they reached... ohhhhh... I dunno... TWELVE??? Cripes.

[C] For Future Reference

I wish I had the artistic talent to animate the series of moments that comprise toddlerhood, flashing by in fits and bursts like the choppy frames of an old motion picture. Luckily someone has done it for me. I came across these two films by Jeff Scher, which capture perfectly the fleeting impressions a parent experiences as days turn into months and years. But almost more apt is how he describes "the omnivorous now in parenting, and the constantly shifting challenges and demands of the moment, that creates a kind of rolling amnesia for everything yesterday." It is a relief to know that I'm not the only one who can't remember exactly what happened when, even milestones that seemed so unforgettable at the time. In some cases, this is a good thing. Who wants to relive a trip to the emergency room, for example? But in most instances, I feel it simply justifies the ridiculous number of photos that I take - almost ten THOUSAND pictures (and counting) will sure as heck make for a pretty good archive someday...

- C

[W] Amen, Amen, AMEN!I

Oh, Dear God. The main reporter on ABC is wearing the WORST dress. It's like the fashion department head went to her and said, "No, I'm serious! Shoulder pads and velvet are TOTALLY IN!" and the poor reporter fell for it and here we are. Yikes.

It has been an auspicious day for our country and not just because I went to the gym. Oh no. Auspicious because the handsome and INTELLIGENT Barack Obama took the oath of office. I feel the need to point out that a major difference between W and Obama is that Obama uses big words AND knows how to pronounce them. Man, oh man, I ADORE Barack.

Now who will John Stewart make fun of??? Go #44!!!!!!!!

P.S. I would like to take a moment to recognize Laura (and G.W.'s) capable parenting. Goodness knows twins ain't easy, and the Bush family appears to have managed it with aplomb. My personal suspicion is that it was pretty much all Laura -- but who knows. Either way -- good job on that front (if not on ANY other) Bush family. Huzzah!

[C] Inauguration Fever

How fabulous is our new First Couple?!

- C

[C] Year in Review

Between E's birthday, my birthday, and the holidays all in December (not to mention our early-Christmas family-reunion Thanksgiving last month), it has been a real happy-merry-b-day-x-mas-celebration-x-travaganza around here. Oh - well, except for a hair-raising mid-blizzard two-tow-truck trip to the in-laws' for the holidays. Oh - and of course there was also E's emergency hospitalization due to pneumonia. Both unwelcome surprises at the end of an otherwise pretty pleasant 2008. Even in spite of the aforementioned, E's second year still proved to be much cooler than her first (two nights in the hospital sure beats 86). And as for me, now squarely and numerically in my mid-thirties, we shall see...!

- C