Vote for Emma...20??

Dear Em,
Happy Election Day. Election Day has always been exciting to me. There's something about casting your ballot & then watching as the future unfolds. Typically, I enjoy staying up late to watch the news coverage & election projections, but sadly I'll just be voting & going away for a work trip.

Today reminds me of a fun trip that we took to our Nations Capital a couple months ago. You're too young to understand that you were in a place that such big decisions are made. It wasn't a trip about politics. Instead we got to see Washington DC through the eyes of a two year old.

We started with a birthday celebration. My best friend lives just outside of DC, & we were visiting to celebrate her birthday. We started by bringing a little bit of Rhode Island to DC with an Allies Donut Cake in the shape of a Rhody Ram. I love how when we shout, "Rhody Rhody Rhody" you shout, "Rams Rams Rams!"

After that we headed to the zoo. The Smithsonian Washington DC Zoo is enormous & amazing & free (well, except for paying to park). In a lot of zoos we pass right by the indoor exhibits, because I find then dark, musty, & creepy. The indoor exhibits were one of our favorite parts. It is one of the best zoos I've ever been to.

The gorilla's, chimps, & monkeys were so fun to see up close. This guy was pretty serious, but we also got to hear a howling monkey (omg, rediculous), an orangutan swing from a ropes high in the sky, and cute little monkeys that you called "baby monkeys."

One of the most fun things we got to see while there was a couple getting engaged. The guy proposed right in front of the elephants. I don't have any pictures of that, because you were in the middle of a little mini-breakdown. It was warm. You were tired & hungry, & the whole zoo seems to be placed on one big hill. After lunch & a cool down in the splash pad you seemed to do better. There was a group of kids having a blast at the splash pad. I was a meany of a mommy & tricked you into reaching down & getting squirted in the face. I can't help it. It was funny.

This is one of my favorite pictures ever. You enjoyed watching the seals & sealions, you didn't want to go to any other exhibits.

There was a rain forrest type area where there was no glass or netting between us & the birds & animals.

There was a small farm area with Donkeys, cows, goats, & sheep close enough to pet. The Friday we went was the perfect day to go. It wasn't crowded at all, & you were able to get right up to everything.

We don't have any lions at our Rhode Island zoo. So, seeing "the Lion King" at the DC zoo was great.

The next day, we knew you had gone without a nap the previous day. Typically you do pretty well the day that you've missed your nap. The day after your missed nap is the day we all pay for it. You are a crankapotomus like woah. So, we planned a day where nothing was set in stone & most things were outdoors. We started with a picnic in the Botanic Gardens. Someone had mae the mistake of calling it a park. "Well, where are the swings & the slides?" you continued to ask all day. The definition of a park as an adult is much different from a two year old's definition.

Next we headed to the Capitol Building. I made a snide remark about this being where nothing gets done. But truly, I believe that this is where decisions are made & things happen. For better or for worse, this is what was set up in the Constitution so many years ago.

After that we tossed a football & played frisbee in the grassy fields of the National Mall. The day was so beautiful, we didn't want to waste it by going to the inside museums. Actually, we also didn't risk it. You continued to beg for swings & slides & whine with lack of sleep. A frozen yogurt food truck & a carousel set in the middle of the Mall (located right across from the Smithsonian Castle) were our saving grace. While pricey (who makes parents pay just to stand with their children), the carousel was worth every penny. You had a blast, & I enjoyed watching you twirl around with the Washington Monument in the background.

Then we headed over to the Sculpture Garden. You know what? I don't really get contemporary & modern sculptures, but there was a beautiful fountain that you enjoyed making wishes in & walking around.

We knew (pretty much the whole day) we were on borrowed time. We knew you were exhausted, & we knew we were only adding to it with the warm heat & all the excitement & all the walking. As we walked back to the car, you fell asleep. Most people don't understand how significant this is. You typically need two things to sleep: silence & darkness. Washington DC was neither. You falling asleep truly showed the extent of your exhaustion.

It's true that Washington DC is not as easy to tackle with a two year old as it was when it was just Daddy & I, but it was still truly magical. There's something amazing about being able to travel to our Nations Capitol, to be where the decisions are being made about our country. And it was amazing to share with you...even though I know you didn't really get that. You mostly just liked looking at the monkeys & eating frozen yogurt & riding the carousel. I'm pretty sure if you were the one making the decisions, you would make sure Washington DC had more swings & slides.

So, happy Election Day...come what may. Today & everyday, God bless America.

I love you so,

Mommy

Things I didn't think I would hear until you were older

Dear Em,
There are some days when I have to do a double take. The kind of double take you do when you can't believe your child just said that to you. I mean, are you 2 or 22?

For instance...

"I'm going shopping. I love you so. Have a great day."

You typically say this with a purse strapped over your shoulder & babies loaded in your shopping cart. You turn your head back & wave bye as you walk away...into the next room. Sometimes you ask Daddy if he wants to go shopping with you. You clearly haven't figured out his strong dislike for anything that involves a store or buying things (except for maybe Best Buy or a Sports Paraphanalia store).

"I'm married!"

This is what you say every time you put a ring on. It started because I accidentally scratched you with my engagement ring. There were some alligator tears, & I told you the story of how & why I got the ring to distract you. The talk went something like this, "Your daddy bought me this ring & told me he loved me very much. He asked me if I would marry him & stay with him always. I love him very much. So, I said yes, & he gave me this ring." You did a lot of "oooing" & "awwing." Now when you see a ring, you triumphantly put it on & exclaimed that you're married. When I ask you who you married, typically you say it's me. I've tried to tell you that you can only marry one person, but you don't care about that trivial detail. For now, it's fun to watch your daddy cringe every time you happily tell him you're married (he doesn't even want you to date until you're 30).

"I want to go on an adventure of my own."

I'm pretty sure we have Alpha Pig (from Super Why) to thank for this one. There was a Super Why episode where pig wanted to go on his own adventure. Since then, you've been packing up your things & asking to adventure on your own. Too bad for you we don't even let you play in the backyard without parental supervision.

"You don't trust me."

I think this is because Mother Gothel says "trust me, pet" in the movie Tangled. In any case, this phrase is hilarious for two reasons
1) This is exactly the thing I said to my parents...when I was 16.
B) You have absolutely no idea what it means. When we ask you to try your broccoli, you will firmly exclaim "you don't trust me!"

"I'm running away."

I have no idea where you picked this one up, but it breaks my heart a little when you say it. I mean, you're a little melodramatic so we're trying to mentally prepare ourselves for the possibility of you in your teen years slamming the door in our face & then yelling this behind a closed door. For now, it only breaks my heart a little. Usually, you start running & then look back with a little smile on your face to see if we're running after you. I hope wherever you run, you always come back.

I love you so,
Mommy

is that a man?

Dear Em,
My mom tells me stories about how I embarrassed her when I was a child. Recently, after her stories she smiles at me & says, "just wait, you'll see." I know that children say whatever comes to mind, but still I wasn't prepared for it. And then there was the grocery store...

We were weighing our avocados & a woman was waiting behind us. You looked at her & asked me, "is that a man?" I looked back at the woman standing behind us. She was an older woman with short hair & a birthmark that covered most of the right side of her face. I felt the blood quickly traveling to my face. I'm typically pretty good at handling uncomfortable situations like this, but I just blanked. I couldn't not think of one thing to say as I gave her an uncomfortable smile.

She looked at you & said, "Nope, I'm not a man. What's your other choice?" You made a little pout as you clearly became scared that a stranger was talking to you. I stood like a mute idiot.

The woman turned to me & said, "That's OK, hunny, I've looked in the mirror." She sweetly smiled & walked away.

It wasn't until after she walked away that I began to remember things like the English language & words & how to use my mouth to make words. Why didn't I say, "Oh, it's because you have short hair?" Why couldn't I explain that Rapunzel is your idle & you associate long hair with being a girl & short hair with being a boy. Why didn't I say anything? Why didn't I apologize?

I felt like crying. I felt so sad that we had hurt the woman's feelings, a woman we had never seen before & will probably never see again. I wasn't mad or upset with you. I know you would never try to hurt anyone, but I still felt so awful. At that moment I just wanted to sink into the floor & hide.

Moments later another woman with a tight bun walked by & you said, "there's another man." I started to quickly push our cart down the isle. I don't think I've ever grocery shopped so quickly. As we were walking out to the car, a man with long hair & a ponytail walked past us. "Look, Mommy, a girl," you exclaimed. I know that you are just curious & trying to learn by observing, but seriously?! It was as if the universe was conspiring against me. How many people could we possibly offend in one shopping trip?

During the drive home we had a long talk about women sometimes having short hair & men sometimes having long hair. Also, I asked if we could stop playing the girl or boy game at the supermarket.

I love you so,
Mommy

A casual hula two-year-old birthday party

Dear Em,
Well, the recaps continue. We just did so much in December. I feel like I have a celebration hangover. I wish I could curl up on the couch for the next month & do nothing...but that's not going to happen.

While we were in North Carolina, you had a birthday party with your friends & family down there. Nothing fancy, totally casual (we save the big celebration for your summer 1/2 birthday party), & totally fun.

I made brownie balls (or Oreo truffles as most people call them) instead of the elaborate cupcakes we made last year. You've been on a brownie ball kick, & I ran with it. Everything else from the party I got from Five Below. It was inexpensive & it was perfect for you & your little friends: hula skirts, flower leis, bubbles, balloons, & silly string. It helped that the North Carolina weather was warm enough to play outside without jackets, & of course a brand new puppy (not ours, we'll talk more about him later) was a nice surprise for you & the kids to play with.

I had to wake you up from a nap, which is never a great idea, but the guests were here for a party for you. I didn't think watching you sleep was a very fun party game. You cried as I brought you downstairs. So, I quickly gave you a brownie ball & the tears stopped.

I had plans for beach volley ball & balloon volley ball, but we had so much fun with the bubbles & the silly string it completely slipped my mind. That's the great thing about party planning. No one knows what is planned except for you. So, if something doesn't go as planned, as long as everyone is having fun, who cares?

I may have accidentally shot you with silly string. You were not a fan.

I didn't even pay for wagon rides. Bonus!

You gave your birthday party two thumbs up!

Later that night, you opened your birthday presents from family. You now have Rapunzel everything, & you love it. You walked downstairs today telling me that you are the lost princess.

It was a wicked fun day filled with sweet friends & amazing family. Thanks to everyone who joined us to make the celebration so special.

I love you so,

Mommy

Our little love turns two

Dear Em,
I had high hopes for your birthday. You were turning two, & I wanted your day to be so special. I had the day off. Daddy planned to finish work early so that we could open your presents together, sing happy birthday, & eat cupcakes before heading to Grandma & Papa's house for a fun celebration.

The night before your birthday, I asked you what you wanted to do on your special day. I listed things like the park & playdough, but you said you wanted to go shopping. Shopping. Really? OK. That was fine by me, I guess. I had a million after Christmas errands to run, but I was worried about how special running errands would be for you. It's what you picked, though, so I went with it.

The next morning (after we scared you half to death bursting in your bedroom to say Happy Birthday), I dressed you in your "2" shirt & pink tutu & off we went. It became evident in the first store that listening was not going to be one of your strengths that day. After wrestling my shopping list out of my hands (& screaming & whining until you had it in hand), you ripped it in half. Before we even got to the second store, it was clear the day was not going well. Luckily, I had a special surprise.

That morning I had asked you what you wanted for breakfast & you said "mac & cheese!" Panera has mac & cheese & I thought it would be special for us to go out for lunch, just the two of us. Fast forward to you throwing yourself down on the Panera Bread parking lot & refusing to walk. I thought maybe once you had some food in your belly, you would be more like yourself & the tantruming two year old I had spent the day with would be long gone.  We sat down to eat. You looked so adorable & so big as you sat in the booth opposite me & used the big Panera spoon to put your mac & cheese in your mouth. I felt the tension leave my body as you sat there so sweetly.

And then you spit out the mac & cheese & threw it on the floor (I guess it's just not Kraft mac & cheese). You spent the rest of the Panera experience making a cheesy mess all over. You stood on the booth & tried to dare-devil jump off of it. You slid to the floor & under the table (in the cheesy mess). You attempted to push your entire tray of food on the floor. When I wasn't shoveling my food down my throat as quickly as possible so we could leave, I was wondering where my well behaved child was & telling you not to do something or telling you I didn't like how you were acting or asking why you weren't listening to Mommy...& I was hating myself the entire time.

This day was supposed to be a special day. Instead, you were acting every bit like a two year old & I was telling you not to do something at every turn.

With cheese in your hair, we went home. You went down for your nap...except that you didn't. Instead of napping, you played in your crib. I laid you back down three times in hopes that after a nap, you would wake up refreshed. No luck. I had basically given up on you taking a nap altogether when you finally fell asleep 30 minutes before you typically wake up. Since you fell asleep late, you woke up late. This left no time for opening presents, singing, & eating cupcakes before heading to Grandma & Papa's. So, you woke up & we rushed out the door.

That night I confessed to your daddy that I was wicked bummed out by your birthday. I hadn't had big plans, but I had hoped for a special day. Instead, I felt like I had spent the whole day disciplining you. Your special day was just awful. I felt disappointed for you.

I asked Daddy if we could have a birthday redo, & he thought that was a great idea. Neither of us had to work the next day. On the day of your birthday redo we got to spend the whole day together, just the three of us. We opened presents. We sang. We colored with chalk & markers. We played with play dough. We danced. We ate cupcakes. We didn't leave the house. It was an amazing & special day.

Not every day will go as planned, my little love (especially during your twos), but it'll be OK as long as we have each other.

I love you so,

Mommy