To camp and back

Sunday morning, I was up bright and early. I had prepared myself to send biggirl off to gymnastics camp for months and the day had come! After much frustration, her (5 ton) suitcase was packed and her list had been checked, rechecked, and overchecked!

It took us about 2 1/2 hours to get there. We were given the chance to take a look around and meet the coaches and staff. Everything looked fantastic, especially biggirl's smile when she spotted her BFF, the one for whom she had frantically reserved the bunk above hers.

Finally, after a long presentation proving to all parents that the camp was beyond doubt worthy and capable of taking care of their offspring for a whole week, we were given 10 minutes to say our goodbyes. I had been warned: she did not want me to cry when it was time to leave (who me?)... Thank God for my oversized sunglasses!

On the way home, we decided to take another route which included a ferry crossing. Of course, just as we reached the ferry, it was full. That meant waiting for the next ferry... I'm all for road trips, but I couldn't wait to get back home! Who would've thought that this would be a 10-hour day? Not me!

Anyways, when we finally did get home, I made babygirl (who came along for the ride) dinner and sat on the porch with her while she was eating...

Me: I am pooped!

Babygirl (puzzled yet attempting to pursue the conversation) stated: I peed when we got home.

At first, I didn't get it, but then I realized that she just didn't know what "pooped" means. I thought this was really cute. So now, babygirl has a new expression she can use whenever she gets sleepy, which is still around 7 p.m. every night!

Can't wait to see how pooped biggirl will be when she gets home!

Easy way to feel forever young

It probably has a whole lot to do with being a mom, and a little to do with the fact that I now work from home so the only driving I do is to the rink for skating, to gymnastics, or for local errands, but I've become a highly prudent (meaning much slower) driver over the last few years. The radio, which used to play the latest dance hits very loudly, is now turned off most of the time since there is always this little voice chatting me up from the back seat! There is however an exception to this cautious mommy driving and it surfaces in hot summer weather when the roof is off our Jeep. Then, it's just me, my shades, and the latest downloads on my forever young husband's playlists (lucky for me, he has a knack for picking cool car music). For some reason, having the wind in my hair makes me forget about everything and look forward to picking the girls up here and there. I just slap on some sunscreen (fair skin and the top off don't mix that well) and hit the road... it almost makes me wish we lived in a bigger city so the ride would last longer aha!

Huffing,puffing, jogging mom

For the first time ever since high school track and field, I am running. I don't even remember where I found the 8-week running program I printed on a piece of scrap paper a few weeks ago, but it's gradual, motivating, and most of all, I'm owning it big time!
Of course, I did run on my treadmill last winter, but since spring and summer came along, I was content with walking with Zoey (the most adorable Boston Terrier ever!) on a daily basis. That is, until she was diagnosed with a luxating patella (knee trouble snif snif). Walking without her was just unappealing even with the hottest ipod playlist ever! Inactivity has never sat very well with me so when I stumbled on an article which stated something like running is the workout with the biggest payoff in the shortest time, BANG, I was transformed into a running mama!
Actually, there was nothing instantaneous about it, but a few swallowed bugs (I have yet to learn to run with my mouth closed) and sweaty jogging bras later, I am proud to say I am well on my way!

Just when you're feeling on top of things...

Head lice hits! I must say, I consider myself lucky that it took eleven years of motherhood before having to experience this awfully disgusting critter. Here's how it went down.
Let me first set the mood: First week of summer vacation, we were just getting into the groove of summer camps and activities. Biggirl is doing two, sometimes three mornings of gymnastics and staying there in the afternoon to help out with the little guys while babygirl has two mornings of skating a week. So on the first Wednesday, babygirl spent the afternoon in her bubble, playing quietly in her room and giving me the chance to get some work done. When biggirl came home she had tons to say and she was ecstatic about her first-ever working experience. I dared to contentedly say to myself that my summer plan was absolutely perfect... I felt serene until biggirl screamed from the shower that night.
At first, I didn't go running because sudden screams and cries of despair are quite common in our house and usually add up to a knot in one's hair or a missing necklace. This time however, biggirl had "captured" a bug in her hair! At first, I just brushed it off as a bug that fell in her hair while she was outside, it is summer after all right?
But, while completing my motherly duty of checking her hair, I found two other tiny, microscopic little beasts which I delicately (angrily) deposited in a plastic bag and took on a trip to the drugstore for a confirmation I really did not want!
30 minutes later, biggirl was back in the shower for a conditioner-free wash before applying the strong,chemical-smelling treatment.
The next day, I headed back to the drugstore for confirmation that what I had then found in her hair were nits. I still can't believe how tiny they are! No wonder there are head lice epidemics all the time!
The upside of the story is that it seems we discovered the little guys just in time and, even if I did have to spend about 20 (totally unpaid and unrewarding) hours checking the girls' hair and vacuuming and washing bedding over and over again, I do believe I have been victorious in the war against head lice... but I have not let that feeling of serenity come back just yet, just in case!