Fruit Loops, Dad's Boxers, a Play Date with (blank)

Fruit Loops
When I picked Lucy up last night, there was a little bracelet in her box made out of fruit loops (it's Learn About Circles week in the Toddler Room) I was all excited about bringing home her first piece of crafted jewelry. I went into the Toddler Room to get Lucy and she was hanging out with her teacher Liz and helping her pick up the toys.
Liz and I were chatting and Lucy worked the Fruit Loop bracelet out of my right hand and slipped it on her wrist. 2 minutes later, we go to leave and I look down to see Lucy bite the LAST FRUIT LOOP of the bracelet off smiling as she swallows and says MMMMM!!!

Best Birthday Gift Ever
Lucy gave me a 40 minute temper tantrum for my birthday.....it was the best gift I received. The Pandora bracelet Sean gave me was a close second.

Dad’s Boxers
So remember how I said I had connected with the Mum of an old childhood friend? Well, she just reminded me that when we were younger, we (and by that I mean we his daughters) used to take my Dad's boxer and sew them shut so we could wear them as shorts! And then we'd throw them in the wash and they'd get put back in his drawer…...Seems to me I also remember stealing his button down oxford shirts to wear…..

The FROG
Uncle Michael married into our family. And when they divorced, he stayed in our family

When we were kids, we used to spend time at Uncle Michael's each summer.
For some of us, it was weeks at a time; for others it was a few days here and there.
All I know is this:
Whenever you were with Uncle Michael, you ate steamed hot dogs (he got tired of making us lunch so he would just throw hotdogs and buns in the steamer and we’d eat them throughout the day), watched Hill Street Blues and F Troop, were surrounded by Playboys in the bathroom, never got in trouble with him, got scared by Mrs Grace Peasley, made forts in the living room, and were allowed to play with things you probably would not be allowed to under normal circumstances (power tools, hide and seek in the coal bin, driving the truck)......

Sean, Lucy and I spent the weekend with Uncle Michael and Maureen (Nennie) at their home in Barrington, NH. It’s a great little house on a lake and it could not have been any more relaxing than it was. Lucy was so relaxed she fell asleep while we were paddling in the lake!

And Uncle Michael is still the same (albeit sober) He built a FROG (Furnished Room Above Garage) and stocked the bathroom in there with Playboys (bottom drawer of the vanity if you’re looking for them). He let Lucy "drive" the boat and ring the captain’s bell as many times as she wanted and told Lucy that Mrs Peasley had moved with him to Barrington....she may not have understood but I did!

Sean got to sail, Lucy got to dig in the sand and brought home at least a dozen more rocks for her collection and I got to simply be and enjoy

Yeah, No!
So Lucy's new thing is saying "yeah" to everything while nodding her head.
A week or so ago, everything was "no" with am empathic shake of her head....so it’s nice to see her being so positive.
Hey Lucy, want to go play outside?
Nod and a smile with an excited Yeah!
Lucy, want to go up and take a bath?
She runs for the stairs while nodding her head and says Yeah!
Lucy, want to read a story?
Yeah! she says as she nods her head while reaching for the books in the box next to her toys
Lucy, can you say Mummy?
She looks up, smiles like the imp she is and says.....with a shake of her head.....NO!

Laughing String
We've booked our tickets to go to England. The Sykes Family will finally get to meet Lucy.....Sean is terribly excited as am I despite my irrational fear of flying. We'll visit family, some friends of Sean’s and his old school...Giggleswick....which I think is quite funny to say...I think its funnier when I say Laughing String but only I think that’s funny...I'm just hoping to see where Beatrix Potter used to live and write.

Anyway, we’re going in November.....I know it is not the best time of year weather wise but frankly, it was the most cost efficient and the easiest time for us both to be off work for an extended period of time.....plus, it saves me the cost of shipping our Christmas gifts!

A Play Date with ________
Last night, I went to Target to pick up a few things.
I pulled into a parking spot and was going to get out of the car when this big old Hummer pulld into the spot next to me....and he parked so close, I could not open my door! I made eye contact with the driver and gestured to the door; he laughed at me, shrugged his shoulders and scurried into the store. Who does that? I don’t even know what to say…..so I move to a new spot.

I head in to the Customer Service desk and am in such a state of flurry and bewilderment I misplace the receipt for the item I need to return.
Now I know at Target, if you paid with a card and the purchase was in the past 30 days, they can actually access the receipt and you can return things without having said receipt.
I ask the girl to do so and she says Nope, I need the receipt.
But I know you can do this I say, could you please try?
Nope, I need the receipt.
So I’m thinking you little snot nosed twit! I ask her again nicely
She refuses
I call over the manager who happens to be standing there and I explain that I have misplaced the receipt but have the card I made the purchase on could I please return the item
She says of course we can do that
So I say thank you so much but I think you should know, this young lady refused to help me. She would not let me return the item insisting I needed the receipt.
And would you believe the young girl looks at me and says
Why do you have to be such a narc?

Then I go the baby section. I swing into an aisle and this woman says, I think I know you. You look very familiar.

I'm sorry, I say, I'm not sure who you are...but I do have one of those faces…..
I don't even know what that means but I’ve heard it used in movies and it always seems to get the fugitive out of whatever situation s/he's in so I thought it would work for me.
I continue shopping

She catches up with me in the next aisle and says
You do look awfully familiar, how do we know each other?

I just smile and keep moving muttering I'm not sure we do.......
So I turn the corner into the diaper asile and bam! There she is

I know how I know you! You're Lucy's mother! From Puddle Duck!

What? Puddle Duck? Yes, Lucy's my daughter.

I knew I knew you! Yeah, my __________ is at Puddle Duck…....and _________ just loves Lucy! Every day, Lucy waves hello to us and then waves goodbye when I come back at night! She has changed so much and she is just so cute…...can you believe how blonde she is? How is she blond you have dark hair? So how do you like Puddle Duck? We love it!! _____________has learned so much.....and just adjusted so nicely (to what I have no idea..)

Now, I'm leaving blanks because I have no idea what she said her child’s name was and have no idea who she is - I think she said her name at one point but frankly, I just wanted to get diapers so I could go home and have leftover birthday cake!

And for 20 minutes, she went on and on and on about her child, Puddle Duck and Lucy and babies and diapers and changes and baby talk and blah blah blah

Normally, I love talking about Lucy but it's been a tough week at work, I have a ton of laundry to do and I left Sean home alone with the leftover chocolate cake.....plus, I had just been boxed in by a Hummer, called a Narc and at some point, tripped over my own foot causing me to stretch a little too far and I think I may have pulled something...really, I just want to go home....

She was still chattering away so I try to extract myself by saying something about having to get home to do the place cards and program for my sister’s wedding (ok not entirely true….I mean my sister is getting married but Sean is doing the program, not me and I’m not doing the place cards, I just suggested some to her….but God understands…I think he could tell I was desperate…)

Well she latches on to that and starts talking about her wedding(s) and another 5 minutes pass before I say it’s been lovely chatting with you (I said it was lovely chatting with you?!?!? What the %$#&?!?!) but I really need to be going.

We really should get _________and Lucy together for a play date

Sure I say (anything to get out of there!)

So I think I may have made a play date for Lucy with _______
I’m just going to apologize in advance for standing them up…………sorry.

Maria, the Mum