You're Going to Hollywood!

I love watching the auditions for American Idol.
Randy's face during the horrible auditions is the best.
It's always a mixture of shock, surprise, and trying not to smile.
I mean, what is wrong with these people? How do they not know they cannot sing at all?
Seriously? How come their friends didn't tell them: You. Suck.
Didn't their moms tell them the truth?
Ah, no. No, they didn't.
Moms think their kids are the best singers, dancers, artists, underwater basket weavers, whatever.
I speak from experience.
I do not think I could ever tell Anna she isn't an amazing singer.
That's mostly because she is. I mean, I wouldn't lie to her or anything.
So, if you are sitting on the couch like me,
cringing at the embarrassingly bad singers and
feeling bad for the judges that have to break the bad news to these idiots,
thank a mother.
You're welcome. Our job here is done.

Welcome Aboard!

Anna's nickname among a few of our friends is The Cruise Director.
It is funny. And true.
She is always coming up with ideas of what and how to play with her friends.
She directs Jeff and I all day long.

A: Mommy, when I say look at this crown in my Spaghettio's,
you say 'Will it fit on your head?' and then laugh. Okay?
Me: Okay.
A: Oh, look at this crown in my Spaghettio's!
Me: Will it fit on your head?
A: (waiting) Moooom! You forgot to laugh!

So, of course, it is a little annoying sometimes, but for the most part, I think Anna
and everything she does is hilarious and totally adorable.
I am not one of "those moms," though.
I do realize not everyone thinks Anna is the greatest kid ever and that is fine by me.
You should think your kid is the greatest, not mine.
But, I have to admit, I do sometimes get uncomfortable when other parents praise Anna.
Or when a stranger tells me how funny/cute/smart she is in front of other people's kids.
I don't know why, but I feel bad. Maybe...it's more like embarrassed.
Or maybe I'm just sad.
Sad for them because they don't have their own Anna.
Because she really is the greatest.

Facebook: A blessing and a curse

So why haven't I blogged in over a year?
One word: Facebook.
Once my mother was my "friend" I no longer needed to update this blog.
Every few weeks I upload a picture of Anna, tag Jeff, and, BOOM, no need to blog.

My blogging had gotten pretty lame anyway, all I did was upload pictures and add a
quick caption or two, and I dreaded every second of it.
The pressure of, "Oh, I have to update the blog again" was really getting to me.
But in looking back over all of the blog posts since Anna was born, I realized
I missed writing about her life. I do write down the funny things she says in a journal and,
of course, in my status updates, but I kept feeling guilty about no longer using this format.
I stalk, I mean, follow a few other people's blogs and as I read them I catch myself thinking,
"I should start the blog again." You know, get the band back together.
And so here I am.

This time, though, there are no rules. Oh, you didn't know there were rules for blogging?
Well, I don't know if there are, but my rule was only to blog about Anna.
I figured no one else wanted to read my thoughts or musing for the day.
That's why Facebook (can we agree on FB?) is so great.
I can write my thoughts here and there and then get some feedback.
I discovered people actually "liked" what I had to say! Who knew?
Still, I am very careful with my FB status updates, and consider whether anyone
will actually be interested (and by that I mean leave a comment) in what I wrote.
Throughout the day I probably compose about fifty status updates in my head
(I can't be the only one who does this)
and then usually nix the idea of actually posting it in less than three seconds.
Here, I will only have a few readers and hey, I'm not automatically popping up on your news feed,
you CHOSE to come here, so you get what you get.
If you don't like it, there are millions of other blogs to stalk.
I mean follow.
Oh, and I have LOTS more to say about FB. More on that later.

Resurrecting the blog with a love letter to Anna

Dear Anna,
You turned four last month and I can honestly say, every day with you gets better and better. You are so smart and funny. You make me laugh every day. Like tonight when we were watching The Sound of Music (and by watching I mean fast forwarding to all of the songs as you instruct me to do) and you said, "They look like they are having a blast!" While watching Lizel and Rolf dancing in the gazebo. Then you said, "Does she have a bra on?" except you say it like this "Brawl." Like I said, you make me laugh every day.

Here are some things I don't want to forget about you at FOUR:
You go to school three mornings a week and you love it. You love to play school at home, pretending to read books to your class, and teaching me songs you sing.
You take ballet and love that, too. Today you said, "I don't know if I can go to ballet tomorrow because I can't decide what to wear: pink or black."
You are a serious fashionista. I try to compromise with you about some of your outfits, but for the most part I let you wear what you want. You despise wearing jeans, but are okay with the season's must have article of clothing, jeggings, but you usually wear them under a skirt or a dress. You have probably worn some form of pants without a skirt or dress three times all winter. Maybe. You are pretty into tights right now, too.
You haven't napped in years, but you still have quiet time everyday for at least an hour. I don't know what you do up there sometimes, but your room is usually a disaster afterward.
We read you three stories every night at bedtime, then turn on your nighttime music, lay in bed with you, say your prayers, and then we have to rub your back (or foot, or tummy, or hand, again, as you instruct us) for a few minutes.

I look back at your baby pictures and things I've written on this blog, and I do get sad for minute. You were so stinkin' cute and I just want to squeeze those cheeks! I guess I am afraid I might forget what you were like at different ages, but you are such a great "big girl" I don't stay sad for long. You make me proud every day by how polite you are to other adults, how nice you can be to your friends, and by all of the amazing things you learn right before my eyes. I am so happy to be your mom and thankful EVERY DAY that I get to spend more time with you than anyone else on the planet. You're my special girl.
I love you to bits,
Mommy