My Intention for the Week/Year

I was reading Meagan Francis's blog The Happiest Mom about setting a parenting intention for the week. She talked about how most of us have the best intentions when it comes to our kids, but sometimes life just gets in the way. She suggested that we all set a simple intention for the week involving being a better parent, or at least that's how I interpreted it. I loved her post because I think just setting one intention for the week helps with mommy guilt overload -- read more, cook healthier food, swim more, bike more, hike more, etc. I'm exhausted just thinking about all the things I should do, but don't do enough. So, right here and now -- my intention for this week, and hopefully one that will last for years -- is to get back to writing regularly in this blog (at least once a week). There I said it. Now I need to stick with it!

So that was my intention and here is the latest Selby news. Where to begin? I'll start with her newish habit of singing, and sometimes dancing, loudly and often alone. She often sings to herself in bed, in the car, in the living room, etc. Sometimes the songs (all Selby originals) are in English, sometimes in Spanish, and often in Spanglish. She is adorable but, I'll admit, not a very good singer. I can't really attest to her songwriting prowess because I'm either laughing too hard, or I just don't understand what she's saying. Check out my little American Idol wannabe.

Grandma's Visit

Grandma Carol came to visit last week during Selby's fall break (uh, I don't remember having a fall break when I was in school. Isn't that what Thanksgiving is?). It was a great time to break out the pumpkins to carve and for Selby to spend some quality time with Grandma (while I spent some quality time without them). They visited the Aquarium, Target (Grandma's fave), the playground and with Ammy Jean.

Now she's back at school and happy to be reunited with her friends, and away from Grandma's tushy pinching I'd imagine. She seems to pick up more Spanish every day and has even incorporated some Spanish words into her nonsense language. Here's my little mermaid all dressed for swim class. Unfortunately, she decided not to go in the pool that day. Maybe she didn't want to ruin her hair?

Hoola Hooping in Aspen

Selby Loves Lulu

I, unfortunately, left Lulu at the bottom of a Target shopping cart. By this time, Lulu was so dirty and grungy, I'm sure the staff at Target just assumed it was meant for the garbage. So it was not surprising that she didn't turn up in the lost and found. But now...we needed another Lulu since Selby realized she was missing later that night. I took her to the doll aisle in Target a few days later and let her choose. She was overhwhelmed by her options. "Oh, I want that one and that one" she shouted as she pointed to a doll that burped, a doll that cried and a doll that crawled. She lined them all up on the floor and kept bouncing from one to the next trying to make up her mind (after suggesting we buy two). Finally, I let her know that her time was up and she had to choose one.

She chose the same doll that I had left in the shopping cart. She recognized her as her long lost Lulu (although much, much, much cleaner). Instead of choosing a fancy burping, peeing, eating doll...she chose a doll that does nothing, but gather dirt. Oh well. We took Lulu home and it was like a reunion of two old friends. Selby held and rocked her. Put her to bed and threw her over her shoulders like a "sack of potatoes".

Here's a vide of the two friends, and some photos of Selby in the morning.

Pull Out the Pullups

Two sort of related stories about Selby this week. First off, she was all about the potty and pullups earlier in the week. For some reason she decided that she did not want to wear diapers anymore. She insisted on underwear, which she wet within seconds. I convinced her to try pullups (not that she was ready for these either since she has yet to do her business in the potty) since I thought this would be better than pissing on herself all day (or worse!). She was all about sitting on her new Dora potty, at home and school (I bought one for school because she often says "my potty is at home" ... not realizing all potties will work for her) and wearing pullups (still not doing anything of note in the potty...although at school they think she did at least once). But by the end of the week she seemed content to go back to diapers (which we insisted she wear at night) and lost interest in the potty. Oh well. Seems like we're not as close as I thought. My mom claims that I was not potty-trained until I was three (I don't believe her).

Second story involves her reading preferences (the stories are related only because Tom claims she reads on the potty like my someone, who will go unmentioned, in my family). She is very into the New Yorker! I'm serious! She asks for it by name, although she pronounces it "Newkia", and then browses each issue looking for the comics, which she discusses in detail. "Him not wearing a shirt!" or "She's closing the door!"

Here we are at a party this weekend wearing her favorite Jamie dress and new glasses (I'm in the photo, too, btw). She did not seem to mind that she was the only child there. The other photo is of her reading -- what else -- the New Yorker!

The Secret's Out

What happens in Vegas (or while on errands with Dada) apparently doesn't stay in Vegas anymore. The night before Mother's Day while we were entertaining our friends Charlotte and Reid, Selby announced "Dada got Mama flowers!" I looked at Tom and he grinned sheepishly and said "I don't know what you're talking about, Selby." Well, now we know. Our secret, whatever it maybe, is no longer safe with Selby.

Here she is celebrating Mother's Day, and a bowl of chocolate ice cream, with Ammy, and a pink stringy thing.

Selby Takes Manhattan

We just returned from a 10 day trip to NYC to visit family, friends and for me to attend a writers' conference. My social Selby had a great time being doted on by Grandma and Papa, and Aunt Nancy and just checking out all the peeps walking around the big city. She LOVED riding the subway to visit Kellie, Nick, Sophie and baby Jasper in Brooklyn. And she made friends with everyone on the bus when my mom took her to visit cousins Stef, Izzie and Sophie. Her vocab is pretty impressive these days and her grasp of concepts is amazing.

We had Edmond and Marla and their four kiddies over (although Marla doesn't admit to having four children, she prefers to think of them as two sets of two since she has two sets of boy/girl twins) last night and the older set of twins Noah and Ellie along with Selby helped me make cookies. Everyone one wanted to participate so I took turns having each one pour in an ingredient. I thought Selby would be pissy about letting the other two help since she usually is my one and only helper.. but not only did she gracefully share her sous chef responsibilities, she pointed out who went next after her. "It's her turn," she announced. Ok, sounds silly but I was really impressed how she grasped the "taking turns" concept so quickly.

Cute story of the day: When I was getting her ready for school the day after we returned she announced that she had to bring a gift for Max (her sweetie at daycare). Why do you need to bring a gift for Max, I asked her. "Because I have to!" she insisted. So I found an unopened jar of Playdough and she said that was a good one. How cute is that?

Here she is with her cuzzies.