I Gave My Child a Mullet

Oh, my.

Sarah says: I think I will fix Isabelle's bangs tonight because they are uneven and long.
Sarah thinks: I cut Nick's hair last week and it turned out great.

Nick says: Okay.
Nick thinks: Okay

(cut cut trim trim whack rip saw)

Sarah says: Oops.
Sarah thinks: Oh, crap. I can't send her to daycare like this. They'll call the child abuse hotline on me. The kids will make fun of her. She'll come home crying. Oh, crap.

Nick says: oops what?
Nick thinks: oops what?

Sarah says: Hmmm, it doesn't look too bad.
Sarah thinks: She looks like Joe Dirt. Oh, this is not a good thing. (sweating)

Nick says: What did you do? Sarah. (over exaggerated sigh)
Nick thinks: After what she did to my hair last week I don't even want to know what's going on in that bathroom.

Sarah says: It'll grow. Right?
Sarah thinks: Oh please Lord let it grow fast.

Nick says: Sarah, that looks awful.
Nicks thinks: Sarah that looks awful but I love you anyway.

Isabelle says: Mommy cutta my hair. Pretty.

for more information on the disorder that affects over 1 million Americans yearly go to www.mullet.com and donate today.

Just Pictures

Being a Parent and All the Cliches That Go With It

If you aren't a parent let me clue you into a few secrets. When you become a parent, nothing else is as important as your child. When they cry, you are all they want. When they are happy, you are the one they share that joy with. When they are being stinkers, you are the one that has to discipline them. When you go on a vacation without them, all you can think about is how they'll run into your arms when you return. When they go to school, you worry about them non-stop even though you trust who they are with. When they come home you cook them dinner and you actually like pleasing them with their favorite meal. When you sit on the floor and try so hard to pretend play with them, they are ecstatic, even if you are a terrible pretend player. Christmas becomes 10x as fun as when you were a kid. Birthdays are fabulous too. I often wonder who I was before I was a parent. I can honestly tell you that I don't know. I can't imagine having been alive without her. I can't imagine having to live without her. Those are the few things I learned in the past 2 1/2 years of being a parent. And I know I have much more to look forward to.

My Favorite Toy Is....

It's amazing how much money you can spend on toys . And yet, it all comes down to imagination. I remember when I was growing up we didn't have a swimming pool in our town. So the neighborhood kids and I would fill up drawstring trashbags with the water hose and then pull the draw string up around our necks to keep the water in. We would sit in those things for hours. Can you imagine what people driving by thought? Nick thinks this is an absolutley ridiculous story and loves making fun of me for it. But the point is this, do you really need money to be happy? No. Look at Isabelle enjoying this old stool we bought at an antique store for $10. She loves this stool. She jumps off it, climbs on it, puts blankets over it to make forts, plays her dolls using it as a house. What I wouldn't give to get that childhood ImaGinaTion back.

Sleeping Beauty

Hello again everybody! Isabelle's grandpa came to visit from Boonville tonight! So they decided to eat some popcorn and watch Sleeping Beauty. Don't they look cozy? It's 5 degrees here in Kansas City and getting colder. I am so grateful to have a home that is warm and full of such love. I'm posting another few pic's of Isabelle in a few minutes so stay tuned.

Almost V-Day!

Could she be any cuter? No guys, I mean Isabelle. This is not us tonight but I thought I'd share this picture anyway. Nick went out with Dink tonight. He left a few hours ago and I'm beginnig to wonder if he's coming back. I guess when you work from home you enjoy a little freedom when it comes your way. My girl and I watched Bambi II and Mickey's Christmas Carol (wrong holiday but who's counting). We also colored pictures of Princesses and made out her Valentine's for school tomorrow. Nothing is better than being a mom. And I love our special mommy-daughter time. On another note, the little boy downstairs left her a Valentine at the door tonight. I thought that was the sweetest gesture. So we took him some candy and a Cinderella valentine. Is it okay to send a boy a girly valentine? Oh, well. Chocolate is not gender specific. To all of you-Happy Early Valentine's Day and may you share it with someone you love!

The Stinky Cheese Man

I have never really read the book the Stinky Cheese Man. So I apologize in advance for taking the title and making it my own. Today work was very busy. On busy days we tend to deliver service to people that smell. Some smell like beer. Some like B.O. (a lot like B.O. actually). Some even smell like cheese. However, I have never (until today) smelled anyone quite like Mr. So and So. Mr. So and So is not a rich man. Though he isn't poor either. He is of short stature and has really nice blue eyes. He limps a little and his mouth droops to the left when he smiles. I would not have noticed these features had he not smelled like he stepped straight out of a cat box. A used cat box. I found myself in quite a spot. I was taking notice of all the things that made him appealing just to direct my mind from focusing on his smell. When he left I wondered if this little blip in my day made me a good person or a bad person. Was I good for focusing on all of his pleasantries? Or bad because I had to focus on all of his great attributes to avoid focusing on the atrocious smell? In the end I came to the conculsion that I am a bad person. I had a five minute conversation with a nice man and I can't tell you how old he is, if he has children, or even if he comes into to our center often. A good person would be able to tell you all of this and even his cat's name. So today I pray for grace, compassion, and a little bottle of lysol to take the pain away.

The Day the Couch Attacked Me.

Hey. My name is Isabelle. I am two years and have many worldy interests. I like to sing, dance, play Little Peoples, you know the usual. Saturday night I went with my mommy to visit my Grandma and Papa. They just finished their basement and it's much more kid friendly than it used to be. Or so I thought. The evening started with some hotdogs and chocolate milk in the kitchen, then we moved the party downstairs. Grandma just bought me a new doll house so I was playing with my princesses while watching the Little Mermaid. I had just gotten to the part where Eric jumps into the sea after Ariel to save her from the scary Octopus when I had the urge to run as fast as I could into the TV room where mommy was. Little did I know that Copernicus (the dog) was sleeping in my path to victory. Right before I landed on her after tripping on my own feet, the couch jumped up and attacked my lips. I still can't tell whether it was trying to kiss me or feed me chocolate. Regardless, I ended up visiting the doctore in the emergency room. The nice doctor gave me 5 stitches to take home along with 2 Incredibles stickers and 1 pooh bear sticker with a Halloween theme. So until next time, watch your step, you never know where you'll land.

Today I went to the dentist. What a great place to spend your day off (sarcasm). As a kid I remember thinking the dentist was a pretty cool place to go because they had a treasure chest full of suprises. Oh, what would I choose? The princess ring? Care Bear sticker? Balloons? How come as adults we don't get the treasure test? I didn't even get a new toothbrush! All I got out of the dentist today was a sore mouth and an appointment. I might suggest an a adult treasure chest to the dentist next time I go. Hopefully he won't think I am some sort of perv.