Blech. So last night I started getting sick. I have a head cold which is fine but on top of that, the girls sleep is getting worse, so last night we started hardcore sleep training. That is, re-night weaning. She used to wake up at like 5, so I'd nurse her down for a few more hours of sleep. It crept earlier and earlier until she was up at 12:30 and still at 5, and now it's like every hour. I am sore. Wish us luck. I need rest.

I have a new friend. His name is Jude and he's got a british accent, golden curls, and is 3 1/2. The first day I met him, he was dressed as a pirate. Today he was dressed as a cowboy. He cracks me up. Today, we (Jude, the babygirl and I) drew pictures of fish, shark attacks, divers with knives, and pirate ships all over the walls. Imagine if you will, a cartoony fish scene drawn by an adult, lots of knives and blood drawn by a 3 year old, and various coloring-in done by an almost two year old. If only it weren't dry erase and not to be preserved. Sigh.

Today he did tell me about Jack Sparrow and how the pirates turn to skeletons, though. He seemed to be okay with it but I still don't think I'll sit down with my 4 1/2 year old for that one.

The question of the day was "why don't men (or maybe it was phrased "daddies") carry bags, like your purse?"

And I don't know. I said "well, most daddies don't carry around as much stuff" but really, I carry a wallet, keys, cell phone, and a diaper. I'd be thrilled if my husband carried around a diaper, and he carries everything else around.

So then, why? Because it's an affront to masculinity?

I can't freakin wait to get out of this town. I hate the politics. Hate them. These people need to devote their energy to a cure for aids or world hunger. They have that much extra time and energy. Wasted lives.

My dream last night. Where I was on a long car trip with just the kids, we stopped to get gas, and I ran into the store to go to the ATM. It was across the store so I was out of sight, but it was a cool day and I'd locked them in. 3 minutes later I returned to the car and the cops were there and it was all over the news and a creepy guy was sitting in my car with my kids.

Babygirl now sings along with Tony Bennett and the Dixie Chicks doing "lullaby of broadway" and I have to say it's one of the cutest things ever. "Good niiiight bayyybeee"

The boy just told me that we're going to have another girl, then another boy. I had been thinking this - that hubby wants another son, so if we get another daughter, I might get a shot at a fourth. I'll have to covertly find some of those methodology books.

Isn't it just the strangest thing to witness an accident? One moment you're spacing out pumping gas, the next, four cars you were half watching are crunched together. It always sounds less movie like and more plastic like than I expect. Not that I witness accidents all the time.

The causer was mad, but I think mostly at himself. He was mumbly and hands-up-in-the-air, but not yelling *at* people.

Also strange is seeing someone, that you didn't know had false teeth, without her teeth. Oogy boogy. Thank God the kids were there and not the 
husband. Much easier to behave in their company.

I really need to get better about pre-viewing what I let the boy watch. The other night, we were perusing youtube 
and found a video of a shark that a man caught on the beach. Fine. But then he yanks out a pistol. Fortunately, I clicked away before it got bad.

This afternoon, he's watching animal planet, and I'm making lunch, about 6 feet away. He has me come over to whisper a secret to me - something about a fish that will swim right up in your penis if you're not careful. Yikes!!

Sitting here on my lap, nursing mostly playing, I say "are you ready to put jammies on?"

You know what the answer is? "milk".

I know that's what is occupying you right now, goofball.

Woohoo!! No traffic ticket to pay!! I rock. ;o)

Then I went to target and spent the money on cute shoes and boots and new backpack for the boy. It's very cute and says things about "futbol" which is good for a little Europoseur like himself. ;o)

I was also incredibly excited to see, on my way to the closest current target which is about 30 minutes, not one, but *two* new targets slated to open in October. If they have a photo studio I will keel right over in joy. But seriously, new target might make me do that anyway.

In the morning, I go to court to contest a traffic ticket. 16 years of driving and this is a first. Wish me luck or something. It's not at all how I pictured it for several reasons.

I've decided that I'm going to just suck it up and get the ballerina stuff I so love from old navy, and if I feel bad about the money, use it for her halloween costume. I can do a little bun or something. That is hysterical.

I think maybe the last time I was this excited about a new shopping venue was my first trip to H&M.

Today I went to the New Balance factory store. Running sneakers, cool. Sparkly purply baby size sneakers for $10, freakin fantastic. I am on like a super high over the stupid place.

It's probably also too much caffeine and not enough food, not enough down time in the last few days. I am going to die if someone comes to look at the house Saturday.

The girl has this jungle thing. She always says "Jungle beans, jungle beans, jungle beans".
None of us know what this means. 
Today while I was changing her, she commented on Jungle Poop. News to me.

Okay. So NJ is the state with the most hellacious traffic ever.

Left at 1 pm friday. Arrived (according to mapquest, 4 hrs 40 minutes) at 8  pm. And the stops were only about 2 for 8 minutes each. Seriously now.

But it was worth it. Got to see bunches of friends and make the new ones. I got to *be* the special surprise at a bridal shower. Then fun crepes for breakfast. Still an awful trafficky ride, but we got to go to ikea, which if you know me, is always a good thing.

People are such losers.

His mom is already talking about moving into his house. Which she will eventually be evicted from when it is taken by the bank for non payment.

When her daughter died last year, she didn't go to her funeral and I'd bet you fifty bucks she won't go to his either. Hell, that's probably the day she'll move in. I can't believe he got out of that family intact and now this.

My heart is breaking a million times over. Yesterday, we were breaking down camp and getting ready to head home when we got a message that hubby's best friend was in a "really bad accident". We didn't know if that meant two broken legs or  . . . well, what happened. By 10 pm last night, life support was shut off and hubby was there with him when he went.

We have miller lite in the fridge for his visits. Wedding pictures feature him goofing off in many ways. We ate our wedding dinner with each other, and him. He knows the severity of baby girl's shreiks. We used to sit in front of the tv and have our bonding time while hubby put big boy to bed. Last time it was cut short, we sent hubby away because "we were bonding".

I don't know what happened. He hit a telephone pole. That's all we know. No rubber marks, 6:30 a.m., going about 60 mph which is the standard for the road he was on. We will likely never know.

My son just came to me with a turtle found out in "the weather". Aka the toy chest. And the turtle's name? Of course, it's Perry Trotman.

For some reason there's a mile or so of abandoned highway in the next town over. It's accessible but has no parking near it, so no one uses it. So we rode bikes over there (4-5 miles maybe? easy) and took the kids out on it. Boy rode his new bike with training wheels. As we were helmeting up and all, we saw two fox. They didn't even act ascared of us. Then we saw several snakes, much graffiti and rubber marks and burned sticks. I think it's mostly for animals and screwing around kids. I propose families take it back.

Soon we will go to the other end on the "outside" and see if it's more accessible. There's a relatively new wildlife observation deck, so someone is using it.

Spent the weekend camping on a lake in Maine. Fun, but it'll be more fun when our lil house is there.

Yesterday, while running laps around the tent, little boy tripped on a stake, smashed into hubby's boot. Right, like dss is going to believe the "fell" into daddy's boot line. Not to mention I think it may be broken. Seriously thinking that if the pediatrician won't do anything for it, of not telling anyone. Mandated reporters and whatnot.

Am I a bad mom if I find a babysitter for opening night of The Simpsons The Movie?

Today I was in target, with my long list about 3% complete, when I ran into a friend I have been having trouble connecting with for about 2 years. She has never met babygirl. So I dropped the list and we went to Denny's. I finished out the list this afternoon at walmart. And replaced the screenhouse purchased at target with the walmart version for 36/103 of the price. I don't get it.

Anyhoo, it was super fun catching up. Someone who knows me as just plain old me, not from childhood or as a mom, but as a true adult person. I showed her pics of the kids, sure, but we mostly talked about architecture and long lost friends from former jobs.

It'll probably be another two years before we repeat though.

In the interest of saving some money and eating more healthily, I've decided to plan our meals. I have never, ever, been a planner. I don't even know how to do this. I guess I need a calendar or something. It is pretty fun, though, that this afternoon we made dessert for tonight. It's very exciting.

We made honeydew melon with Jello inside. I feel so 50s housewife, in that "junk food twist on fruit" way.

The senseis are back from vacation and not a moment too soon. We love each other but we need structure.