Yep, It's Strep...

Molly took a 2+ hour nap this morning (throwing up on your mommy can REALLY wear a person out!)... when she woke up, she said she felt fine. As I was talking to my mommy on the phone, I had Molly open her mouth again.

That's when I saw them.

little... red... dots...

And they were everywhere.

We went to the pediatrician. As soon as Molly opened her mouth the nurse jumped back a step. "Wow, I don't think I need to put this test in the machine..." Then Molly's doctor came in and said, "Yes, her test came back extremely positive."

The good news is that she'll be fine for the big birthday trip to Disney World. She started on her Amoxicillin today... so no school again tomorrow.

And to the parents that sent their Typhoid Mary daughter to ballet camp even though she was sick: Thanks. I'll be sending you Molly's medical bills.

We Interrupt this Birthday Season...

... because you're home sick today.

Seriously, I think you've been home sick from one other time in your life for being really sick. (When you were a baby, you were home a few times with eye gunk... but never really sick.)

You were complaining yesterday that your throat hurt. You had a low-grade fever, so we had a jammie day and watched movies and took it easy. (Especially after the past week of ballet camp and Five-A-Palooza...)

But this morning, you just weren't yourself. I was debating keeping you home or not... and that's when you threw up on me.

Decision made. We're at home.

Birthday Season - Part Deux

For the next installment of "Molly's Birthday Season," we took a trip to visit Grandma and Papa (Aaron's parents). And luckily, Molly's cousins were going to be there for a visit, too. So they cooked up a little surprise party for Molly...

First, there was the personalized balloon banner upon arrival:

(Unfortunately, the photo didn't turn out too well. But Avery and Riley spent a lot of time blowing up balloons and writing out HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOLLY, with one letter on each balloon. But the H kept falling off, so we kept laughing that the sign actually was wishing Molly a Happy Birt-day.)

Then, there was a light-up sparkly crown. Awesome!

And the crown-shaped cake, complete with jewels... (and REAL buttercream icing for Mommy to enjoy!)

Then, Grandma took all three girls to a pottery place to make their own pottery. And this wasn't one of those just "paint your own" places -- this was serious! The girls were using a real wheel and everything.

A B-I-G birthday season thank you to Grandma, Papa, Avery, and Riley for a fabulous birthday weekend!

Next time: Molly's Birthday Season continues with Five-A-Palooza...

Birthday Season Has Begun...

Molly -

I'm sorry I haven't written anything in awhile. July has been an extremely crazy month -- between LOTS of playdates with friends, a trip to see Papa and Grandma, planning for vacation, getting ready for Kindergarten, signing up for ballet and soccer, preparing for the big birthday party... the list goes on and on. But it's all good -- and all fun.

The other day, as I was working through the logistics of Five-A-Palooza (your big birthday party with your friends) and your birthday trip to Disney, you informed me that it was "my birthday season." Not a weekend... not a week... not even a birthday month. Nope. You, my friend, jumped right to season.

And it seems that people are buying into this. (And by "people," I mean your grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles...)

The birthday seaon began a week or so ago when you received a package from Aunt Lois and Uncle Jim. It really had to be the sweetest thing EVER. Inside the box were several presents, as well as instructions:

- The three big presents you can open now. (They were all BEAUTIFUL dresses.)

- The two little presents are to open on the plane to Disney World.

- Three big presents plus two little presents = 5 presents for Molly's big 5th birthday!

We called Aunt Lois and Uncle Jim while you opened the box (which was a Mickey Mouse box, by the way...) and you talked and talked and talked. And you modeled all the dresses for me so I could document the whole experience WHILE we talked to them on the phone.

The same day, you also got a package from Grandma. So we had to call her and model the new jeans skirt she sent while talking on the phone.

What a great way to kick-off your birthday season!

Stay tuned for Birthday Season Part 2 - Party in Springfield!

Questions For My Boss

The other day, Molly had three very specific questions for my boss at work. She made me PROMISE to ask him these three questions... even suggested that I write the questions down so I wouldn't forget them.

So, here was the e-mail to my boss that day:

Molly wanted me to ask you three questions: 1) when is it "Take your Kid to Work Day?" 2) Why can't my mommy have naptime at work? And 3) Why don't you have a jammie day at work? Yes - these are the burning questions on a four year-old's mind...

Luckily, my boss is a dad with four daughters of his own. This was his reply:

Pls tell Molly for me: Thank you for your interesting questions. Take your kid day will happen again in 10 mos.We can't wait until you are 7 so you can join us.I always assume when your mommy's office door is closed that she might be napping.I think a jammie day is a great idea and I will propose this at the next group ldr mtg.Thanks again for your questions, Molly.

Happy Fourth of July!

We had a really fun Fourth of July. Daddy had Friday (July 3) off and it was great to have him home. Your friend Madison (way back from your two year-old room at school) and her mom and little brother came over for a playdate in your new pool. Daddy grilled lunch out for us, too.

Then you decided that you wanted to go watch fireworks. You've never wanted to do this before, so we decided we'd better head out before you changed your mind. We had dinner at our favorite fried chicken place, then headed to the Arch Grounds.

It was a BEAUTIFUL night... unseasonably cool for July but absolutely perfect for walking around. Then we headed to my office to watch fireworks from inside, since you can't handle loud noises. (Ahhhh yes - Mommy of the Year right there.)

Then, on the 4th, we went to Home Depot Day... then went to Lowe's to spend all our money. (Sorry, Home Depot - Lowe's had better deals!) Then came home and hung out and played the rest of the weekend... including time in the carboard house. It was a fun weekend at home with all three of us.

Take That, Crooked House!

Ok, so I have to admit, I really would LOVE to have a Crooked House for Molly... Seriously, what's not to love? (Well, except the outrageous price tag...) Even after seeing the infomercial that was Crooked House on "Jon and Kate Plus 8" and the OVER THE TOP branding... and I'm a PR person, for goodness sake... a little pink Crooked House still would be heaven for a little girl.

But, after seeing the creation that Daddy made for Molly with the boxes from our Lowe's-A-Palooza (new garbage disposal, new sink, new faucet, new lawnmower, antacid for Mommy and Daddy...), this is 10 times more special and perfect.

Besides, Molly can color on it too without getting yelled at by Kate :)

Note - the stick-like piece of cardboard on the fence... that's a tree. And at one point we added a small doghouse too.

The Phrase of the Day

Four seems to be the age when kids try out all the great words and phrases that they learn at school. (Yeah, they hear these things at school... NOT at home...)



Before four, Molly would repeat things, but mostly just like a parrot. This is how we picked up, "See ya, wouldn't want to be ya" and "What's kickin', chicken?" But now, she's trying words in context... and (I think) looking for what reaction she'll get.



Molly has tried "stupid" at me only once. She's also tried "butt," "booty," and (now that I think about it) lots of other bathroom-related words. She also has whipped out the occasional, "Mommy, I will NOT do that," which I've promptly shut down.



So, I'm loading Molly in the van this morning and she starts to buckle herself in. (This is a new accomplishment, of which she's VERY proud.) Imagine my surprise when I hear, "Holy Jesus!" from the backseat.



(I think there were some words after that... but they were blacked out as my brain hit automatic TiVo rewind.)



"What did you say, Molly?" I asked, trying to look appropriately stern and not show that I was giggling under my breath.



"Um... I don't know."



"Where did you hear that, sweetie?"



And then Molly starts to cry - her reaction any time she thinks she's disappointed us.



Really - there are lots of words that can be directly attributed to me (especially ginormous) but I really have no clue where she picked up this little phrase...

Shutterbug - Part Deux

Molly's poor little pink Fisher-Price digital camera finally bit the dust a couple weeks ago. Aaron bought her that camera right before our first trip to Disney World. It was a RIOT watching her take pictures and saying "Got it!" every time... and watching other people watching her take pictures. It was too cute.

While some people might think buying a digital camera is an extravagant, crazy gift for a toddler, let me give you two great reasons why a digital camera is a PERFECT gift for every three year-old:

1) It's basically a $50 insurance policy for your own more than $50 digital camera. Because trust me, kids are OBSESSED with your very expensive digital camera and want to take pictures with it ALL THE TIME.

2) It's a blast to see the world from said three year-old's point of view...

So, this time, Aaron picked out the KidiZoom Camera from VTech. Not only is it indestructible, but it has little templates to put on your photos... so you can make Mommy a pirate...

Or put bunny ears on your best friend...

Or frame your feet...

It also takes videos (which we haven't tried yet). And it has great little games on it that takes the pictures Molly took and turns them into a puzzle. Or a little beach tic-tac-toe. So it's now a great time-killer at restaurants.

So, look out, Disney World. Molly Paige is coming back - brand new camera in tow!

Happy Fourth of July!

This One's for You, Papa...

A Glimpse 12 Years Into the Future...

We were visiting Ellie and her family the other night. And Ellie wanted to take Molly for a spin in her Princess car she had rediscovered.

Her MOTORIZED princess car.

(Aaron loves the fact that this is a Pontiac Solstice - a car and brand about to become defunct. But I digress.)

So, Ellie hops behind the wheel, turns the Cards game on the radio, (yes - it has a real working radio), Molly jumps in the passenger side, and off they go around the cul-de-sac. They are giggling like crazy the entire time, but Ellie is a passable driver (for a four year-old) so all is fine.

Then Molly takes the wheel.

And my life flashed-forward 12 years. And I looked at my husband and said, "She can NEVER get her driver's license."

Aaron looked back and replied, "Yeah - she's a horrible driver." And then he tore off to save Molly from rear-ending the van.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't have my camera on me to capture this on video. (All I had was Molly's new camera... more on that in another post...) But it was frightening and hilarious all at the same time. She would almost drive straight into the back of a car parked on the circle... then swerve away at the absolute last second. Aaron would run next to her and yell "STOP!!!" And she would... then just as he'd approach the mini-vehicle of doom, she'd hit the gas.

Note to the 16 year-old Molly and Ellie of the future: when you ask us to borrow the car to go out, we're going to say no. And we're going to pull out these photos and laugh and embarrass the HELL out of you.

And then we'll give you a hug and you'll drive off. And I can't even imagine what that's going to feel like. Probably 10 times scarier that watching you careen around in the Princess Solstice. And that was pretty scary...

Next, Her Imagination will Head to Canada for Cheap Meds

It was a BEAUTIFUL July 4th weekend... with rare weather for this time of year: cool with low humidity. So we tried to be outside as much as possible.

As Daddy and I cleaned out the garage, Molly played inside her new cardboard castle, made from the boxes of all the stuff we bought at Lowe's this weekend...

"Mommy! Mommy, I need to tell you something!"

"Yes, sweetie."

"My heel hurts... so I'm going to see my doctor. My heel doctor. Doctor Katie. She's in Mexico."

"Mexico? Really? Why is your heel doctor in Mexico."

"Because that's where Dr. Katie is."

So as Molly skips off down the sidewalk, I'm left wondering three things:

1) Why Dr. Katie? Her doctors are all men... she only knows a couple Katies at school...
2) Why is Dr. Katie practicing in Mexico?
3) Why would you visit ANY doctor in Mexico? Even a fake heel doctor?

At this point, Molly comes limping back. Dr. Katie informed her, she tells me, that she has heel-i-titis.

"Do you know what heel-i-titis is, Mommy?"

"No, Molly. It sounds serious."

"Heel-i-titis is when your heel hurts for no reason and they can't do anything about it."

Sounds about right for a diagnosis from a doctor in Mexico...