Campbell's car, too?

I think she is getting a little ahead of herself, if you ask me...

Picked her up from school today- I had the Tahoe nice and cool for her majesty. I also had one of her CDs ready to play: "Rhinoceros Tap." (this is one of Grita's finds, and I have to admit I find myself singing the songs long after I am at my desk at work). Anyway, the title track it pretty catchy- see for yourself (click on the link). About two bars into the song she starts saying "muh, muh, muh" and pointing to the front seat. Finally I skip to the next song. She listens to a couple of bars and starts to shake her head "no." Are you kidding me? She is barely walking and she is now weighing in on what music she wants to hear?! Hilarious! We get all the way to #13 before she found what she was after. As soon as she heard the intro her head started to bob. I knew we hit pay dirt. She knew the words and was singing right along! "Muh, muh, muh, muh"
I wanted to stop the car just to kiss her. I didn't- I didn't want to ruin her groove.

Little stinker. I thought fighting over music in the car was waaayyyy in the future.

Previous fit throwing: all forgiven, for the moment, anyway.

Sidebar: My faves are 4, 5, 6, & 9. Philadelphia Chickens is also worth buying.

xoxo,
Campbell's Mom

Third time is NOT the charm

Let me just break it down. I am a crier. Always have been. Doesn't take much to get me going, either. Seriously, it is a very large category of things that can potentially get me started. I am one of those people that cry at movies, commercials, songs, life events. I often get weepy when i see a marching band perform....?Don't ask me why. And it doesn't have to be the blues that triggers the water works. I cry when I am happy, sad, moved, super-tired can make me cry, even frustration can do it occasionally. And of course, I don't just cry for myself. I will cry with you, near you, for you, along side you.... Sometimes a story retold about someone crying will make me cry! Like I said, I am a crier.

Therefore, for the last 30ish years my mom has had to deal with me and all those tears. And she has reminded me many times over that crying or sobbing in some cases will not make your head stop hurting, your fever go down, make a stupid boyfriend treat you better, make your pregnancy go any faster, or change the circumstances life has dealt you. With that in mind, it was her voice I heard in my head yesterday afternoon when I felt my face go flush and got the knot in the back of my throat.

Four days home from vacation and this precious baby girl has now made me cry three times. Not the good "she learned how to walk" or "she finally says Mama and means it" tears... No, these tears feel more like the ones from back in Junior High when you really can't figure out why the pretty girls are so mean.

How can a 16 month old have the ability to test my nerves to the extreme already? I know she is just testing her boundaries, but seriously.... Is this part of the Secrets of Motherhood that no one tells you about so that you will actually have babies???

Full blown screaming fits on the floor, complete refusal to walk, insistence on being carried around. And then five minutes later a perfect angel when her Dad walks through the door. Truth be told, he met us in the front yard- she was in the swing, I was sitting in the grass on the brink of tears. Campbell saw him and immediately started smiling with delight. That is when I wanted to burst into tears. She has so much love to give and I don't want her to be a brat...

Through a few streaming tears I told Alan to get changed into play clothes because Mommy either needs to "go for a run or run to the bar. Something has got to give today." I am sure I confirmed what he has thought all along: Renee is crazy as a loon.

Much love,
Campbell's Mom

Honey, I'm home!

Off to Grita's

We tip toed out of Grita's house at 4:45a on Monday morning and tip toed back in at 11:00p Friday night. That was a long time to be away from Campbell, but I think I did pretty well. I only called a couple of times each day. And, I tried not to bring her up to every stranger we met... not sure how I fared on that one. Alan and I had a wonderful trip to Sarasota. Weather was great. Town was lovely. Beaches were spectacular. Anniversary #7 was a success!

Lido Beach, Sarasota

It took roughly twenty years, but for the first time I came home from a trip to the beach withOUT a sunburn. Yes, you read correctly: Renee tanned responsibly. Seriously, not even slightly pink shoulders, no peeling nose or forehead- zilch. My lips didn't even get chapped. How depressing- I think I may actually be growing up.

As for Campbell, you'll have to pop over to Opal's blog to get the details on her vacation. But from what I can tell, she loved every minute of her trip. I am quite certain that I will never find out how much cookie dough she actually consumed or how much tea and coke she drank but at least she got her daily nap. Rumor has it that she loved the afternoon on the Slip-n-Slide and that she held court with the miniature dachshunds a couple of times....

As for now, we are all back in Cedar Park. Safe and sound.
Much love~
Campbell's Mom


P.S. I am fairly sure she didn't have shoes for a solid week as she will not keep them on now, period. Oh well, it is summer.

Slow, deep breaths

This is a new feeling for me. I have never experienced anxiety about going on vacation. I LOVE vacations! Who doesn't, right? Well, this is our first "real" vacay since Campbell was born.

One evening a few months back, we decided to cash in Alan's frequent flier miles and head to a beautiful beach somewhere. In spite of the multiple glasses of wine, I had enough sense not commit to leaving the country without Campbell... however, three glasses of red wine clouded my judgement a tiny bit when it came to how long we should stay. What started out as a long weekend, suddenly turned into a 5 day vacation.

Grita and Hooterbox couldn't be MORE delighted. I am sure they have all sorts of completely unacceptable spoilage planned! She probably won't even want to come home...

I am trying not to think about not seeing her for 5 whole days- because when I do, I start to freak out a little. Maybe Ainzley Opal will post some pictures of all the fun she and her cousin are having while I am away...

Lots of love!
Campbell's Mom

The last of the cast

Four long weeks and some super cool autographs... but good golly, Campbell is free at last!!

Monday was the big day! The nurse sawed it off, whilst Campbell screamed bloody murder. For once, no tears for Mommy. I was so excited to see that pink anchor come off!

Inside, (I should have snapped a pic) we found:

• A couple of shriveled up grains of orange rice- a la Chuy's, I am sure
• A blade of brown grass- a la Mommy. I let her play in the grass without the giant tube sock over the cast
• A small morsel of mulch from the playground at school

And that's it. I have to say, I was pretty impressed. I thought we would find all sorts of disgusting treasures down there.

Her little leg is a little skinnier than the left one, and the skin needs some serious moisturizing, but aside from that she is rocking it out.

Alan and I had hoped that she would be a Super-Baby and immediately begin walking / running as soon as the cast was removed. Sorry to disappoint, but she is not quite there yet. We still think she is a super baby!

Peace out from Cedar Park!
xoxo

If I only knew how to photo shop...

... I could have turned Campbell's chair orange and it would have been a perfect match! The age difference is off by a couple of years but the pose is spot on.

Make up your own caption

Let's hug it out



Seriously, is that Opal?

Hopscotch anyone?

Not much to report from Campbell's second Fourth of July. No fireworks. No block parties. Not even a single festive cocktail at the Codinas. Campbell was under the weather battling high temperatures and a few nights of middle-of-the-night vomiting... Needless to say, we stayed at home this holiday.

She in on the mend today and almost back to her old self, all except for the sad, watery, droopy eyes. In spite of feeling bad, I caught her being silly this afternoon. Luckily the camera was sitting on the end table beside me. Funny girl.

Pink Cast Update: Clearly the cast is far more upsetting to me than it is to her. Not only is she speed-crawling and walking on it (with assistance for balance)- today, I caught her balancing herself on the casted leg! She is a nut! One week from today and we are free at last! Good thing because the graffiti is piling up and so is the grunge!

Hopscotch?

Biggie Toe in the His'ouse!

How is this for cute?

So, after we drug Campbell to an outdoor swimming birthday party that she could not participate in, we noticed her biggie toe seemed to be sticking out a little farther than before. Not sure how much farther and not sure how long before but we were convinced the toe had either grown considerably or wiggled its way to freedom.

Parents-of-the-Year that we are, we only noticed it after she refused to wear the tiny walking boot. (Perhaps she felt that it was interfering with her image... and I have to admit, it was a little too silly for our taste- what with bears and red balloons on a hideous shade of khaki fabric. Not to mention the Velcro...) Walking boot refused equals some serious wear and tear on the precious and newly autographed cast. Add in a xero-scaped backyard with stoned covered playground and you get a tiny stubbed big toe. Just a minor set-back. A couple tears, a kiss, and a cupcake later she was ready to tackle the playscape again.

Later that evening, her dad and I pondered over the toe:
Does it just look longer?
Maybe it grew?
Is the pink polish just drawing extra attention to it?
Should we take her to the doctor?
Should we let her walk on it?
What if she breaks her toe?
Did she get too sweaty at the party and practically wiggle her entire foot out?
How much did YOU drink?
How much did YOU drink?
How did she stub her toe?
Weren't you watching her?
Weren't you?
Weren't the margaritas good?

Anyway, Campbell missed a day of school. I missed a day of work. And the doctor sent us home- same cast, same amount of toe sticking out.

Biggie toe strikes again- she must get that from her dad!

xoxo
Campbell's Mom