More Craziness: An Addendum

Biting through the packaging of the chocolate bars I bought to make lava cakes:

Filling up the Brita pitcher with eggs:

What can I say? He's busy! :)

Living with a "Terrible Two-Year-Old"

Cal is really trying my patience lately. I think everyone gets so used to throwing around the words "terrible twos", that we forget how real it is! Or I guess, in my case, I forget how consistently the terrible twos manifest themselves in the minutia of my day. Everything is a battle right now. Not because Cal is a bad kid--it's just because that is what he is programmed to do right now: fight for what he wants.

Exhibit A.

Cal got ahold of a ricola throat lozenge who-knows-when, and turns out, he loves them. Every time he sees one--whether it's in my purse or on the counter--he loses interest in anything else. During the most recent episode, I gave him a firm "No," and then put the lozenges on the counter, out of his reach.

Or so I thought...

Cal: 1

Mommy: 0

Exhibit B.

Cal also loves coloring. I hide our writing

utensils as best I can, because he will color on anything--the wall, the cupboards, the fridge, throw pillows, sheets, the floor...

A few weeks ago, I was lying on the floor where Cal and I had been playing with trains, when Cal climbed on my back and started tickling me with his little finger. Except that, after a few seconds, I realized it wasn't his finger.

My back: Cal's first body art

Worse? I was his second project of the moment:

Cal: 2

Mommy: 0

Exhibit C. (*Note: this is definitely my own fault)

I had (note the past tense) two huge frames displaying photographs I took a few years ago. I had yet to hang them, and had discouraged Cal's interest in them by consistently removing him from the area where I had them resting. One day, I heard a HUGE crash, and came in to find him standing rather unapologetically next to this:

He'd just tipped them over for no reason! I naturally freaked out and snatched him up before he could cut himself. But then, to add insult to injury, as I'm sweeping up the extensive amount of glass, Cal walks into the room covered head-to-toe in his toddler toothpaste. It took me the better part of an hour to finish cleaning up both messes.

Cal: 4 (I'm giving that last one two points)

Mommy: still 0

To finish, here is a picture of Cal's naughty smile. It's the smile he does when he knows he's being naughty:

Oh Cal, what am I going to do with you? And will I survive these truly terrible twos?

Cal and his Friends

Cal loves playing with other kids. Although I do my best to entertain him, I'm sure our apartment must get very boring for a two year old. So we both love any chance we get to go hang out with our friends.

Dancing to "Tangled" with Annie:

Climbing with Caleb, Kate and Evelyn

Double slide with Caleb:

Busy building train tracks with Connor and Nolan:

Running w/ Caleb:

Popsicles:

McDonald's Playplace:

At the park with Everett:

Oh you know, just thinking...with Bryson:

I love that Cal loves playing with other kids so much. It's wonderful to see him so excited and entertained!

You Choose the Ending

I sit next to someone in choir who is constantly making disparaging, personal and audible remarks about the other singers. Our seats are assigned, so I can't switch.

What should I do?

A. Send her an email (seems a bit passive aggressive)

B. Respond to the next crazy comment she makes (I don't want to seem like the crazy person!)

C. Talk to the conductor about switching seats (Seems overly-dramatic)

D. Put super glue on her chair

You choose the ending!

Doing More with Cal

I had a great day with Cal today. I know that may seem like a benign comment, but it represents a huge triumph to me. Lately, I haven't been feeling like a great mom.

Doing something fun and simple together, not worrying about the mess or the time -- I've got to figure out a way to do things like this more often.

I love this little guy:

Something for Me

Inspired by several friends and relatives, I decided to take a chance a few weeks ago and audition for a local symphonic choir. I was really nervous about the audition: it has been a long time since I've performed any of my art songs--I had to flip through my music books, looking for pencil markings, in order to remember which songs I even knew! I found one I use to be pretty comfortable with, polished it up, and auditioned. Even with the nervousness, it felt so wonderful to be engaging in something that I used to love: performing music.

The director offered me a position in the choir right there at the end of my audition, and I took it. You're looking at (or I guess, reading the words of) the newest soprano of the Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale! Check out the website here: http://www.symphonysiliconvalley.org/SSVchorale.php

It's the perfect outlet for me: practices are once a week on Tuesday night, and we have about one performance per month. That is a schedule I can readily commit to. Also, we perform with Symphony Silicon Valley in the historic California Theatre, which adds a little coolness factor to the whole thing.

Anyway, I'm excited about this new project. It feels like one more way to keep my stay-at-home mind fresh, challenged and happy.

Moment of Truth

I am about to do something very scary.

I'm currently doing the last proof-read of my book, and then I'm publishing it on the Amazon kindle. I'm really excited about it, but it's interesting to me that some of the things I'm most looking forward to are also some of the things that scare me the most:

1. The project will be finished. No more proof-reading and editing and restructuring and workshopping, etc. I'll be so happy to be done, but it also means that any mistakes I've made, or problems with the structure of the book will be there forever.

2. I'll finally get to work on marketing the book. Right now, that sounds fun and exciting, but what if I hit wall after wall?

3. I'll get to hear what people really think of my writing. Pure, untempered criticism. Exciting, but very, very terrifying.

I'm so excited to get this book on the kindle! I'll be sure to announce once it's there!