It was a week ago Friday, and the girls and I took the train and trekked down to the Pearl for my mom's group date at a coffee shop. After playing inside with the kids for a while and filling up on caffeine, we all headed outside to the fountain/pool/climbing rock area to let our kids run wild.

I struck up a conversation with a woman I'd talked to earlier and her friend, and asked if they were from the mom's group. They weren't, so I told them about it, and then there was some awkward silence.

The woman asked me which child was mine, and I pointed to Addie splashing in the pool.

"Which one is yours?" I responded.

"Oh, the one over there in the flowery swimsuit.
The one that needs a diet."

*Inner monologue ... 'wait, what? I am not quite sure how to process what you just said.'

"Yeah," she continued, as I noticed her very coifed hair and physique that meant hours spent in the gym, "we've got her on one percent milk now."

"Oh, really? She doesn't look like she's overweight. Did her doctor say something about it?" I asked.

"Yeah, he said that her height-weight ratio isn't what it should be."

"Oh," I said. And then quickly excused myself and relocated Addie to another part of the pool.

I looked at her daughter, and she wasn't overweight at all. And even if she were, it would never be okay to say that. I really wanted to cry, and then go over and give the mom a piece of my mind, because someone really should. I feel really sensitive to kids who are mistreated and can't stand up for themselves, and it kills me when I watch something happen and can't. do. a thing.

I just feel for that girl who has to go through life with a mom who tells a complete stranger that her daughter needs a diet, as a description of who she was.

It makes me sick.
It makes me want to hug my girls just a little tighter.

Addie has officially entered the twos, even though her birthday is not for two weeks. hence, I have not blogged. hence, I am exhausted.

"no, Addie, we don't play with the plugs, or you have to get down from the chair."

"If you hit your sister again, you will have to go on a time-out."

"Stay by momma, and don't run into the street, the cars are DANGEROUS and will hit you if you go into the street."

"Don't grab things off the counter, these knives are VERY sharp!"

whew! She is becoming quite skilled with throwing tantrums and objects when she doesn't get her way, screaming, and wearing all of us out. Yesterday we went to our mama and kids group at the waterfront, and I could barely relax because there were so many places for Addie to run away, and the fence blocking us from the river wasn't small enough to prevent children from squeezing through the bottom. I think I went through the scenario in my head of Addie falling in the river and me rescuing her a million times!

Hence, I decided to try to take away things that would make it more difficult for Addie. I decided to try going off of T.V. during the day, for a week. I usually watch the Today show for an hour, then Addie gets to watch about a half hour while Alex takes a nap.

I made it two days.

And then I wanted someone talking at me in the mornings, and a distraction for Addie so I didn't have to give her directions. It was so good for all of us, though. It forced me to pay more attention to them, to really play well with the girls, and to think of new activities to distract them.

Yesterday was quite fun ... I let Addie pull up a chair to stand on and play in the sink with water for about an hour. The peace and relative quiet felt soothing. When I was done washing the dishes, I left the room to get Alex, only to hear a crash come from the kitchen, where Addie had grabbed a glass on the rack, broken it, and was playing with the shards.

Hence, the Incredibles are entertaining Addie while I breath. And mourn the loss of our Canon Digital Elph, which passed away when a bottle of water emptied its contents in my diaper bag. I'm off now, to spend an uninterrupted ten minutes with China Mieville.

Wish me luck.

mmm ... make that about 100 degrees. so, honeywell is our new friend, and Chris is off to buy more (fans, that is).

but with the sun, my little tomato and three oregano plants are growing quite nicely.



these little yellow flowers will be my tomatoes soon! Hooray!



The lavender in the back is growing beautifully, and you can't even tell where Addie's eaten off the tops.



I hate when we're tighter on money, and subsequently run our of coffee. Finally, finally, friday came, along with Trader Joe's Tarrazu blend. My lack-of-caffeine headaches are gone, but perhaps this is not a good thing. ?



The girls have been very silly, as usual. Alex likes her sun hat, but it would be nice if along with blocking the sun it also blocked her from eating grass and dirt and rocks. Someone should invent a hat like that.




Addie got some hand-me-down knee-high boots, and we pulled her shirt down over her diaper to look like a miniskirt. hee hee! Note the band-aid on her chin.



And, at the end of the day, it's time for Dominoes, small little plastic pieces to scatter and tower and chew.