A Brother Abroad

Having just returned home from Olivia's first dance recital (in case you missed the nightly news...it was legendary), I can't help but remember attending my own first dance recital as an adult, where my three year old niece Abigail was a star performer.

My brother was stationed in Yuma at the time, and I headed out west to visit the family and catch the Arizona installment of The Nutcracker Suite. As a three year old, Abigail player the all important fairy (sprite? firefly? I can't remember) and she was the most adorable little ballerina.

When Prince Charming came out, all the little girls started tripping over themselves in awe before pretending to fall asleep in little clusters around the stage. It was easy to spy Abigail who, despite demonstrating the illusion of sleep, couldn't quiet the little flutter of her all too excited feet.

It was a fabulous performance, which ended with my sister-in-law standing and cheering "Brava, Brava!" while her doting dad, my brother Paul, rewarded her with a bouquet of flowers at the end.

Until that moment, I had always envisioned myself as a mother of boys.

This is Day 129.

Dear Pediatricians of the World

Summoning us from the waiting room and escorting us to a small room at around the time of our scheduled appointment to only have us wait 45 minutes before a doctor actually sees us, DOES NOT mean you're keeping your appointments on time.

A Brother Abroad

While I'll spend tomorrow taking in the first dance recital of my little miss' adolesence, the actual significance of the day goes far beyond tutus and butterfly filled tummies, none of which would be possible had even the slightest decision been made differently or the men involved even slightly less courageous.

In the spirit of tomorrow, the 65th anniversary of D-Day, I give you the following:

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Forces: You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle... ...Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. --- D.D.E. 6/5/1944

This is Day 128.

A Brother Abroad

Am I allowed to take a day off?

Olivia's birthday, a dance recital, the end of the schoolyear. ghostwriting a novel, writing press releases, queries and an eBook on online marketing (zzzzzzzz), planning for Joseph's birthday......whine, whine, whine, whine, whine.

I hate whiners and I have officially become one of late.

My apologies.

So, for today's Brother Abroad post I will tell you that my brothers never whine. Ever. I mean they complain about things (occasionally that thing being their sister), but they never whine and moan about their unending responsibilities, or their obstacles.

Apparently, they leave it completely up to me.

This is Day 127.

A Brother Aboad

"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." - US Air Force Manual

This is Day 126.

A Brother Abroad

During our last conversation, Paul made mention of his enhanced skills in the art of killing....and it's not at all what you think.

Mice. There are lots, and lots of mice around.

Now, I guess you might be thinking things could be worse. He is in a still volatile region of the world, surrounded by a lot of people who wouldn't mind if harm comes to an American. But there's more to the mice problem.

The urgency to rid the mice from base and, in particular, his work area?

Where there are mice, there are cobras soon to follow.

Check, please.

This is Day 125.

It's Official: I'm a Mom

This is blogged in real time, which means I'll pay for it tomorrow when the first kiddo wakes at 5 something.....

So, for the last few hours, I've been working hard to perfect a press release for a client while also folding laundry. However, as the minutes tick towards midnight, my fingers are now sticky with frosting as I put the finishing touches on O's cupcake ice cream cones for her "school birthday" tomorrow.

Forget the labor pains and weight gain, NOW I really feel like a mom.

Another Thing to Know About 4 Year Olds:
"The Hokey Pokey" is the new "Wheels on the Bus"

A Brother Abroad and Birthday Wishes...

The only downside to having a crazy, wild "Ariel occupied" Princess party is the day after hangover that creates symptoms of exhaustion, extreme crankiness, and the absence of adulatory attention that was in abundance just hours before.

This morning was tough.

Bama and Papa returned home, the balloons appeared wilted, and the lack of sleep fueld by a sugar diet was beginning to catch up to her.

If something didn't cause her to cry, then it was ruled "disgusting" (her new favorite word). By ten o'clock, I was threatening to return all the toys. Convinced that a good rest would cure all, I tucked the little mister away and began a marathon book read with an audience that remained displeased with all of my literary choices. On the verge of putting her up in her room like the good ole' days, the phone rang and saved all.

It was Uncle Paul, calling from Iraq, to tell his little goddaughter "Happy Birthday" and that he couldn't wait to join her at the beach...perhaps to show Ariel a thing or two about swimming?

It was the first smile she cracked all day and a nap soon followed.

This is Day 124.

A Princess Party

In celebration of O's 4th Birthday party, she requested that we include Ariel and a few of her closest females under 3 feet. It was fun, and hysterical (I don't know how Ariel does it...given the seashells and fin), and I have learned some very valuable lessons from this year's installment of O's birthday party:

The Top 5 Lessons:

5) If you're going to host a little girl party, expect lots of squeals and shrieks of delight, sprinkled with lots of tears too....oh, the female drama.

4) Bubbles are soooooo 3 years old.

3) If you want to get any males involved in a Princess Party (they'll normally defer to the women with this theme), opt for Ariel or Jasmine as your princess of choice....

2) Don't even bother with a battle over an actual meal...it won't happen. I think O had popcorn, lemonade, and cake fore dinner.

1) Even with a scaled down affair, expect stressing over every little thing (enough food, appropriate favors, etc.) until the last minute no matter how many lists you make or pre-party prep you do.

Happy 4th Birthday!

To my sweet Little "O",

who insists on getting bigger.

(and, yes, Ariel stopped by to give her birthday wishes....details to come)

A Brother Abroad

Since we have finally found a place for Joseph to get his haircut that does not involve a complete meltdown on his part (he actually likes to get his hair cut now), I have been taking him with greater frequency, and ordering the "little boy" hair cut, as the hair menu describes. With the approach of summer and warmer weather, I have also been having her keep his locks even tighter. The result?

He looks like a little Marine.

Perhaps the only thing about him that resembles his uncles...

Day 124.