The Clock is Ticking

Two hours left until I'm officially a "thirty-something."
When did that happen?

In the tradition of her father, Lily just couldn't wait to present me with her birthday card. It is, by far, the best card I've ever received. I love the new style of noses she's going with, and the hair is cracking me up. The girl's got a gift, I tell ya.

Lily and her Walk-In Closet

As if I wasn't worried enough about those teens years, she's gone and done this. Lily presented me with the above drawing, along with the description: "It's me standing in my closet with all of my beautiful shoes around."

We've been dealing with the eye rolls, the yelling, the foot stomping, the tantrums over having to wear anything but pink dresses and the general manic moodiness.

Now, at age 4, she's fantasizing about a walk-in closet lined with
colorful footwear? (And also, apparently, about going blond?)
Boarding school in Switzerland, anyone?

I hate Chinese Food

Nobody else seems to appreciate my daughter's works of art nearly as much as I do (totally understandable) so I promise not to post them incesently. I do want to share this gem.

The assignment was to make a "balloon person" doing your favorite activity. Most of her classmates made "people" who were playing or riding a bike or seeing a movie... Lily's is eating at a Chinese Restaurant.
(I'm not sure why the other dining guests are giant penises, but that's another issue for another time.)

Let me explain: My husband (who drives me crazy, if I haven't mentioned that) loves Chinese food. Not like a normal person does, but like a crazy person. He could literally (and I do mean literally) eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Every day. It's a problem. He would rather eat it than any gourmet, 4 star cuisine. For a foodie like me, this is tough to deal to take. The other problem is the caliber of restaurant that he will dine at or order in from. Closed down by the board of health? Fine! Buffet with the grubbiest customers ever? OK! Grease covered, highly questionable, dark meat chicken? Bring it on! After 12 years, the smell of sesame chicken makes me gag, and I am totally unable to eat even the finest Chinese food.

Thankfully for both of us, he now has a new dining companion in Lily. They have dates at the buffet at least once a week. I have to hold my nose when Lily comes running in to hug me covered in sweet sauce. While I am thankful that I am now off the hook as a guest, I am resentful that this trait has been passed on to a new generation. Most meals I present are followed by "I don't want this, I want Chineeese food!"
(And I mean Jeff too, not just Lily)

Thankfully, Ben has not seemed to inherit this gene, so maybe there's hope for my boys. Just once it would be nice to make a meal that is deemed preferable to Hunan Express.

Maybe someday. A girl can dream, right?

Lily's latest masterpiece

This is one of the 24 pictures that Lily drew tonight.
Is it just me, or does Ben strongly resemble the shrunken head man from Beetlejuice? Perhaps wishful thinking on her part?
Or more likely, not. But I thought the similarity was uncanny.

What my 4 year old drew today, over pancakes.

I love this picture. It includes the members of our household and "Bima" (my mom) The orange thing is our golden retriever. Not sure why she looks like roadkill, but I think the composition and color choices are brilliant.