The Cuteness

OK, so I am just in a very random frame of mind today, but am I the only one out there who thinks that the Dalai Lama is the cutest thing ever? Seriously! I know I shouldn't describe a high holy man as 'cute' and I have such tremendous respect for his life and work, but he is precious and always so very smiley no matter the circumstance.
Here's hoping he's showing our 'leader' the way to enlightenment so that he causes no further damage to our nation, people and reputation in his waning months (wishful thinking!)

This too...

...from our future Attorney General on waterboarding:

"...it depends on how one defines "torture."

Holy Moly! Even the CIA has supposedly banned waterboarding from its interrogation techniques. Not so sure about Jack Bauer...

This is striking...

I'm not going to go all Pete Stark, but still:

For the cost of just 41 days of war in Iraq, the nation could insure 10 million children for one year.

Miss Independence

Wow! When the toddlers hit the independent stage, they really hit it hard. No turning back to those little lumpkins who relied upon a parent/caregiver for everything. Leila's favorite phrase in recent months in retort to anything I've tried to help her with (pulling down a pull-up, putting on shoes, pouring juice in a cup...) is: "NO, only me!"

This morning included one of those epic battle of wills that leave me rattled to the point of blasting The White Stripes on my iPod while hoofing it to the metro after the daycare drop off. Who would have thought getting dressed in the morning would be so bloody difficult when one's child WEARS A UNIFORM to school?? Yesterday, she was a little angel getting dressed because we had the rare chance to wear our Sunday best for picture day, but today was a doozy. I did have to cave and let her wear her pink Disney Princess Mary Janes with her red sweatpants, as offering her the reward to make some minor choice does have to trump wise fashion on occasion.

Sorry I missed this!

I'm kind of wishing Leila or I had a sick day today so we could have watched AC help Oscar host the Grouch Network News. That is some quality kids' educational programming right there! But instead, I'm just on my way out of here to get the kiddo and I flu shots. Which is exactly how I'd like to start my Tuesday evening...

No more pacifiers (a.k.a. Baas!)

So we've been talking up the whole you're a big girl now Leila, only babies use pacifiers, when you're ready we'll pack yours all up and mail them to the babies who need them (in Africa - for some reason, I decided that babies in Africa were deserving of her baas and every time she heard something about Africa on the news or else where, she'd perk up and say "Africa is where the babies are!") then we'll go to the toy store to pick out a special big girl toy (ahhh...the powers of bribery) for a while now. She has nodded and assented, but then has not quite been ready to give them up. She has not used one at school for a nap in ages, but ALWAYS used them to sleep at home - nap and bedtime - and she had also discovered that she could stroll right into the kitchen and reach one on the drying rack any time something (like mom saying "no candy corn before dinner") frustrated her.

So last week I decided we were going cold turkey this weekend and we would talk about it every night before bed and she would agree that Saturday morning, she would go to the post office with mommie to mail the baas to the babies and then we would go pick our special toy. Even though Why Not would have done for a suitable toy, I promised her we'd go to Kinderhaus in Clarendon to make it even more of a special outing. Friday night we put all the old baas lying around in a padded envelope and wrote a note for the babies. She even took the one out of her mouth and put it in the envelope, but then she had second thoughts and took it back and I told her that was fine, we would seal it up in the morning (there is still one hidden in my spice cabinet for emergencies!) Saturday morning she had no problem giving me her last one and helping me seal the envelope, then we went to the post office (mailed them to my mom as a stand-in for the the babies) and to Kinderhaus and returned with this Melissa & Doug fold and go doll house. I consider it a starter doll house as I'd like her to have a full sized Victorian one when we ever get that house with a basement/play room, but much nicer than nasty old pacifiers, no?
I think mom's withdrawal/remorse was way worse than the resilient 2 & 1/2 year old. She was just fine w/o the baas Saturday except for boycotting her nap, but I broke down with the full realization that she's not a baby anymore as I looked at her sucking on her lower lip a bit as she slept Saturday night. Yesterday she napped (reluctantly at 3:00 for an hour & 1/2) and went to bed w/o asking after baa, and she very mater-of-factly stated this morning when we returned her sippy cup to the kitchen "we don't have baa anymore." My girl's all growed up! Now we just need to get more consistent on the potty training thing.

Fall Fashion

Now that it is finally fall, I can take a second to address fall fashion. I love the wide-leg pant trend if I can find some to fit my rear without going up a size. For some reason, I can still fit in 8s that I bought last season, but now when I try them on in stores, 10s are stretched taut in all the wrong places. It's a conspiracy I tell you. Retailers have shrunk their sizes in the past year (and, ummm... I've gained 10 pounds.)

I wasn't quite getting this whole dolman sleeved sweater thing until I tried some on and realized how cute and comfy they are. I was kind of resisting them like I resisted the $200+ jeans craze until I realized what wonders those jeans can do for the bootie. Today, I'm in one similar to that pictured, but it's a Marc Jacobs brown belted cardigan. That's right: Marc Jacobs. Thank the Lord for TJ Maxx! And when the temperatures take their next plunge, I'll be prepared with my knee length, fitted, black Calvin Klein down coat ($78! TJ Maxx. $78!!!)