The “Mommy meet up” turned out better than I had imagined. Normally, I blend into “groups” quite well, because I loves to talk to people and believe me, I’ll talk to anyone who’s willing to listen. I did feel somewhat uncomfortable and akward today around these women. It wasn’t anything they did, they were very friendly. I blame my vagina. She’s all stuck up today.
I don’t know, I just wanted to say “vagina.”
I talked to a few of the women, but I ended up wandering off by myself and taking pictures of ma’ girl. Not very “group like” of me, but I’m telling you, I felt… uncomfortable.
My favorite moment of the day happened when we joined the group for some “bubble blowing” fun. My daughter couldn’t participate because she still isn’t walking (almost, though!) So, she just stood there, watching and pointing. I felt sad that she couldn’t run and chase the bubbles like the other kids, because I could tell she wanted to so badly. My heart broke a little watching her standing all alone. As I watched and wept a little on the inside, the cutest little girl walked right up to her and smiled. Gabby got so excited, started waving and said “Hi!”. They just stood there staring at one another, smiling, talking baby talk. It was such a precious moment and as I watched, I realized that this was “one of those moments” that I’ll never forget, even when she’s older, I’ll think back on it and smile, maybe even cry a little, because, oh my GOD, it was so sweet. I’m thrilled to have been able to capture the moment.
*Kids of Katrina update*
Kindness of strangers nieghbors
That is my livingroom. All of those supplies, for children, are from ONE nieghbor. The bags are FULL of school supplies. You can’t really tell from the pictures… And there’s diapers, pacifiers, shampoos, bug repellant, books…And she’s bringing more tomorrow.
And? 3 more neighbors have called to tell me they have or are getting stuff to bring later this week.
This is awesome. Awesome.
Every bit counts…
I’ve hand written a letter to my neighbor asking them to join in Michele’s effort to get School Supplies to victims of Katrina.
I’m hoping that they come through in a very big way. I realize if they do, I’ll be having to fork out a great deal of money for shipping, but I’m willing to do that to make sure these kids get things they desperately need right now.
To those of you, be it friends or strangers, who want to throw your “BUSH” comments my way, how about you use that energy to help the vicims instead of sending me emails of leaving me comments, because, really? How is that helping?
Now, I’m off to Kinkos to have the flyers printed so that me and the kids can pass them out. Then, it’s off to Target to buy some supplies to donate. I can’t even describe how good it feels to be doing something…
**Michele has set up a Wishlist for those who want to help, but don’t have a paypal account or the time to buy/ship the items to her.
Doing something
Jen and Amy both passed along a link to a wondeful site if you’re interested in helping the victims of hurricane Katrina.
I wanted to pass it along to all of you.
Been There Clearinghouse.
Also? I’m going to be sorting through pictures and hopefully finding one good enough to put up for auction. If you’d like to participate, join the group and get to posting a picture.
Can I just tell you how much I LOVE that people are coming together to do something. Just makes me feel a little better.
Ya know?
Sorrow
(Photo courtesy of Fox News)
How can I complain about anything right now? I feel so grateful for EVERYTHING I have right now.
For the water bottle I’m sipping out of. For the diapers neatly stacked in my daughters bedroom. For the electricity. For the breeze blowing through my bedroom window. For the gas in the tank of my van. For the clean clothes piled on my bed. For the toothpaste sitting on top of my bathroom counter. For the toilet paper. For the toilet. For sound of laughter coming from down the hall as my son watches cartoons. For the shoes on my feet. For the food in my cabinets. For the phone I can call friends with. For the blankets I can gently place on my children at night when I tuck them in. For this old, ugly house that I spend much time hating, but that today I love dearly.
Everything.
My heart is broken. I feel sick and insignificant. As I watch the videos of people desperate for help, I sob because all I can do is watch. It’s horrible. HORRIBLE.
Tag THIS
Sarah went and called me out to do a meme. So as not to be called a “stuck up blogger”, I will do it. And also? Because she once used a gift certificate she had to buy me a E.E Cummings poetry book (that I STILL love to this day). Do NOT click the extended entry if you hate The Meme’s.
7 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Lose The Fat
2. Put MY PICTURESin photo albums. (that’s not even all of them, people)
3. GET MY FILM DEVELOPED! (those disposable cameras are from the early 90’s.)
4. Visit New York City again.
5. Watch my children get married.
6. Hold my grandbabies.
7. Learn to Salsa dance.
7 things I can do:
1. The Worm, bitches!
2. Push babies out of my vagina
3. Make tittymilk!
4. Clip coupons whilst taking a dump.
5. Make people laugh.
6. Comfort my children.
7. play the guitar, but only if it’s songs about Jesus.
7 things I can not do:
1.Whistle! ‘Er since I got my new teeth, seriously, I can’t.
2. Stop myself when I get too excited.
3. Save money.
4. Keep plants alive
5. Speak Spanish
6. Stop talking
7. Poop in public restrooms.
7 things that attract me to other people:
1. A sense of humor!
2. Sensitivity
3. Compassion
4. A smile
5. Wit
6. Did I say sense of humor? Because, sense of humor.
7. Money. (if you have a sense of humor, you’d know that was a joke)
7 things that I say most often:
1. Boobies
2. Vagina
3. Fart
4. Oh hell no
5. Step off!
6. SNAPS!
7. Tomorrow
7 Celebrity Crushes
1. Kevin James
2. Todd Glass
3. Judge Mathis
4. Leah Remini (only because I want to be her friend!)
5. Steve Edwards
6. Gary Busey. (DO NOT JUDGE ME)
7. Jimmy Smits
The last one was supposed to be “7 people you’d like to do this” but I don’t want to call people out LIKE SARAH CALLED ME OUT. ( I kid, Sarah, I aint mad ‘atcha.)
The reason I spend TWO HOURS clipping coupons and looking through ads every Sunday morning…
Now do you understand why Clip at any chance I get? DO YOU?
I got a buttload of groceries AND contraptions that make my house smell good all for only $103.
I don’t even care if you’re laughing at me because… “Oh, how pathetic, she’s excited because she saved ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY DOLLARS at the market! LOSER!”
Know WHY I don’t care?
Because, One hundred and sixty dollars, that’s why.
(Ok, so I never thought the high point of my life would be my “coupon savings” but, again? One hundred and sixty dollars, so SHUT IT.)
But if you call this a “Mommy Blog” I’ll Whip ’em out and squirt you.
A couple days ago, I wrote about how captivated I am with my daughter. From the first moment I saw her, I thought she was absolutely precious. However, now that her little personality is shining through so brightly (cheese) I find her to be EVEN MORE beautiful. And you know what that means, right? That means I can not stop taking pictures of her.
As if the constant picture taking wasn’t annoying enough, I can’t stop kissing her and biting her cheeks. I’m afraid I’ll accidently hurt her. The biting has to stop. I can stop the biting, but I can NOT stop with the pictures.
Because?
Look. Her eyes. Her LIPS. Her Cheeks. DO YOU SEE WHY I CAN NOT STOP BITING HER?
I realize that I’m being incredibly annoying, I do, but, that’s the great thing about this being MY blog that I PAY FOR. I can write about her and post pictures of her all day long if I wanted to! And maybe I WILL! Gosh!
And now, to balance out all of The Gabby. I give you, The ‘Hawks…
What makes The Mullet even GREATER is that there are only two teeth in her mouth.
What is that ‘do my daughter is sporting? Could it be a mullet?
It’s totally a mullet. And in combination with the Bang Cut I just gave her? It’s a classic, man.
Not as classic as The Cut I gave Tony the night before I gave birth to our first child. Oh man. If you saw the video? You’d hate me for what I did to his head.
I have a history of giving bad cuts. (Remember Snoops Hair massacre?) Don’t even get me started on the “self cuts” I’ve performed. One time? Tony came home from work to find me in the bathroom, crying hysterically, clippers in my hand, trying to SHAVE MY NECK because I had accidently cut my hair THAT short. He was all “What the hell did you do, woman?” And I screamed “I don’t know, but don’t yell at me, don’t you think having a BOY HAIRCUT is punishment enough? Now, will you please help me SHAVE THE BACK OF MY NECK?”
Poor Gabby. She’s destined for a life of Jacked Up Bangs and Neck Shaving, but at least she’ll be rid of The Mullet.
Love cheese
Sigh. My girl. She is so incredibly beautiful. So genuinely happy. So warm and affectionate. So absolutely perfect.
I feel overwhelmed by her presence.
I hold in my arms this perfectly amazing little girl. She reaches up, puts my face in her hands, looks into my eyes and smiles. Then, she’ll kiss me sweetly and say, in her tender little voice, “I yaya (I love you)”. At that moment, I feel humbled, I feel grateful, I feel so incredibly lucky to be her mother and I have to ask myself “Why was God so kind to me?”
cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese.
There are moments where I just want to BITE HER ALL OVER because she’s just that cute and I love her that much. Instead, I’ll take her little hand in mine, kiss it and say “One day I hope you can understand the depths of my love for you little girl.”
And then I bite her just a little bit because if I don’t? I’ll go crazy.
I made up a little song for her and I sing it to her everytime I hold her. As I begin to sing it, her big, brown eyes light up and she’ll start clapping. She’ll giggle a little, then, she’ll begin hum along while smiling at me through the entire song. As I watch how happy that silly little song makes her, I feel so proud. You people would laugh if you heard the song, it’s, well, silly, but SHE LOVES IT. My daughter thinks it’s great and that? I can’t even explain how great it feels.
The name of this blog says it all Unexpected Joy. That’s what she is, my Unexpected Joy. Or, as Ben likes to say “The Joy of Unexpected Cheese” because, MAN, that girl “made me go soft”. Thank God she farts like a grown man because that really helps balance this whole “Cheese” business out.
Balance is good.
(p.s. Speaking of Her Farts..the girl has learned how to “Fart on Command”. Seriously, I say “FART, GABBY! and she grunts, turns red and “pfffffffft” she goes. Awesome)