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Tuesday, September 10, 2013

How to survive the horrible 3's

My daughter is three and a half. When she was two, I was a smug as they come. Terrible 2's. Not my little angel. We didn't have tantrums. I had no reason to use time outs. Even with a new baby in the mix, she was sweet and good tempered. She communicated well and was really just a joy. I was smug.

Karma is a bitch and my smugness has come back to bite me in the ass. I now live with some one who can be just as sweet as that two year old but who can also be reduced to a sobbing mess because her cereal is too pointy. Yes, that has really happened.  Just this morning, she was furious at me because I said good morning to her stuffed cat, Douglas. Every night, I am required to give Douglas a goodnight kiss but saying good morning to her (Douglas is a girl) is a horrible thing to do because, "Don't say that. Douglas is a toy!"

It is like living in a mine field. You never know where to step or what to say. So I thought I would share a few of the ways, I am coping with the horrifying threes.
1.
 2.
 3.
Yeah, I've got nothing else. 

If you haven't yet experienced the Threes, be afraid. Be very afraid. 

Thursday, September 5, 2013

A House Divided





Way back a long time ago, I went to a wonderful little college known as the University of Tennessee. Every Saturday in the fall it turned into a sea of Big Orange as the glory of SEC football descended on the land. Like any good college student I was in the stands, decked in orange, cheering for my school. Our football team was good. They weren't great. But still it was an awesome experience.

And then one year, we got a new quarterback and suddenly we were great. His name was, maybe you have heard of him, Peyton Manning. To say having Peyton Manning as the QB of your college team is awesome would be an understatement. I instantly became a Manning fan. When he went pro, I stayed a Peyton Manning fan and though I wasn't a huge pro-football fan, the Colts were my team of choice because of there quarterback. 

Fast forward 10 years and I met my future husband and he was (is) a huge Baltimore Ravens fan. Football meant so much more to him than it did to me and I became a Ravens fan to support him and join in something he loved. I cheered for the Raven's every game, even when they played the Colts. But in my heart I still cheered for Peyton too, and could never really be disappointed when the Colts beat the Ravens. 

As the years have gone on and I have gotten more and more into NFL football, it has been

 harder and harder for me to not express my true team colors. I tried to have family unity. We are all for the Ravens!!! While on the inside I was conflicted. When Peyton changed teams, I found myself suddenly caring about the Broncos. 
Last year when the Ravens won the Superbowl , I decided that since my husband got that, I could have a year or two of openly and proudly cheering for my favorite player to win it all before he rides off into the sunset. This announcement was not greeted with enthusiasm by the husband but he has been more accepting than I would have ever dreamed. He draws the line at any Broncos gear for the kids though. I can accept that, they have plenty of of UT stuff.

So, tonight when the Broncos meet the Ravens, I will be on one side of the couch cheering the Blue and Orange and my husband, will be on the other side cheering for the Ravens. Our friends and family are shocked and disappointed at my betrayal but I have to go with my heart and finally say it out loud. What we can agree on? Guacamole in the middle!

Go Broncos!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

First of the first days

This morning, remarkably quickly after she came out of my womb, my Sweet Caroline went to her first day of preschool. School! What the what!?!!? How did we get here? But here we are and my big girl is now part of a class and requires a backpack. A backpack that is as big as she is.




Last week, the preschool had a day to meet the teacher and then and there Caroline fell in love with her classroom and the teacher. All weekend she would ask me, "remember when we met Mrs. S?" She was almost as excited about the day as I was. We started counting down the number of sleeps left until preschool started. 5, 4, 3, 2 ,1 and suddenly it was this morning and we put on her new Oliver and S Family Reunion Dress (post about that to come) and her new light up princess sneakers. Because it was a special day, she allowed me to put her hair in ponytails, a treat for me indeed.

Then she endured the picture taking.



When I dropped her off, she had no nervousness or fears. I didn't expect any. She has been going to daycare most of her life so she is accustomed to being away from mommy. No tears from me either!!!! I snuck one more quick pick as I walked out the door.

2.5 hours later I was greeted at the classroom door by Caroline wearing her backup clothes. Oops. Well, we won't dwell on that. She was happy and super excited to go back tomorrow.


I won't make the mistake of letting her have a drink on the way then.