H.O.U.S. and Other Assorted Details of my Life

You know in "The Princess Bride" where they talk about the ROUS's? The Rodents of Unusual Size? Well I'm that same way, but not with rodents. I'm that way with my head. It's a Head Of Unusual Size. I don't know if it's the size or the shape, but headbands that are supposed to fit everyone never work on me.

I actually think it is a combination of my hair being so thin and fine,and of my weird shaped head. For Christmas, Vidal Sasson left the following in my stocking:

They are called "stay put head wraps" but they do no such thing. They slip and slide around my head like they were made of vinyl. I try putting them just behind my ears and about an inch and a half from my hairline. They slide up the back of my neck, to the crown of my head and keep sliding back. The little rubber "grips" sewn in are mocking me the whole way back.

It's always been like this. When I would play sports in high school and before the invention of these headbands, the best option was "pre-wrap" (which was put on the skin before the athletic tape was put on there ensuring minimal hair rippage when removing) because it had a spongey yet tacky consistency. You could roll up a length of it and put in your hair and if you were normal, it would stay. Mine never did. I was always so jealous of those who could make it stay.

I guess I just have to accept that I have a weird shaped head. It have too many crags and bumps on it and whenever I move my eyes or neck my scalp also moves. So I need to give up the hope of ever being able to wear cute headbands. "JUST LET IT GO, ALICIA!!" You have a H.O.U.S.

Next item of business. My child is sick. Maybe from the gym play area. (we took her there for the first time ever on Saturday so we could work out together) or from the petrie dish that is Nursery. She's not horrifically sick. Just a runny nose and slight fever right now. But she keeps waking in the night. Like 4 times last night. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Screaming (but not screaming my name. Remember, my child doesn't talk. Not even to call for me in the middle of the night)

And we, being the heartless wretches that we are, we let her cry it out most times. SHE DID NOT APPRECIATE THAT. As can be discerned from her slightly hoarse voice this morn. *Alicia is awarded mother of the year award. She accepts graciously* Yes, I let my child scream for upwards of 45 minutes. Please start a line of horrible comments after this post.

And the third totally unrelated topic: I am a non-fiction freak. The stinking non-fiction table at my library sucks me in every time I walk by. I go in to pick up a book I have on hold, and I walk out with 3 non-fiction books. What the WHAT? WHY DO YOU HAVE SUCH AWESOME COVERS AND INTERESTING TOPICS, YOU NON-FICTION TROLLOP!?!?

And I have found some of the greatest books there on the non-fiction table. I found this book there, and this one too. Both some of the greatest books I've read in a long while. So I can't say that I dislike the non-fiction table. I just like how everything looks so good!! Much like all the varieties at the Cheesecake Factory.

Hmmmm. Cheesecake.

And SCENE.

One of these things is not like the other. . .

I love zappos.com. Its the only place that someone with my giant size of a foot can find a shoe in their size. And cute too! And they have free shipping and returns. And because I'm a VIP member (insert ooooh's here) I get free overnight shipping on all my orders. So when Marcelo's gift was ordered and shipped on the "10th" (so they said, hmmfphf) it didn't arrive till the 24th. Almost missed Christmas. But I procrastinated buying Jules' gift this year (she was my secret santa) and I bought it on the 22nd and it was at her door the next day.

I LOVE YOU ZAPPOS.

However, I'm on the hunt for some new church shoes. The shoes I wear EVERY Sunday are hideous and my mom bought them second hand at Savers when I was 8 months pregnant. Yeah, so basically they are nasty and gross and nasty. Did I mention nasty?

So I went to look at the website just to put a few shoes on my "wishlist" in preparation for when I get to buy myself some new shoes. (That gets to happen when I lose 30 pounds. It's a mini goal)

As I'm narrowing down my search, I chose 4 categories or themes that my shoes should fall under. I choose the words "Dress, Feminine, Elegant, Formal" because like I said I need church shoes.

Here is the shoe at the top of the list they gave me. Please tell me which of the 4 words this shoe falls under.

Would you say more formal? or more elegant? or a mix of the two? Please let me know what you think.

P.S. They wanted $60 for these shoes. I'm going to go vomit right now.

Just in case you were wondering. . .

Super glue and carpet don't mix.

Just in case you were wondering.



This will serve as my "The Facebook" status update:

Alicia is. . . . Cutting Superglue out of Carpet

What is your current status?

(make sure your status starts with "(your name) is:")

Diga. . .DIGA!!!

The Bibi doesn't talk. I know I have mentioned this before, but apparently my pediatrician just became aware of the fact and has referred us to a specialist.

We have now had 3 home visits by 4 different women. A lot of time they ask the same questions. And both on Tuesday and again today they played a lot of the same games. But they all come up with the same conclusion: A very bright child, ahead of schedule for problem solving, motor skills and logic. A bright child who can communicate in other ways, but just chooses not to talk.

See, Evi DOES communicate when she wants something. She points to the fridge, or pulls me over to the bedroom to point to her videos, or puts her shoes on and points to the door. I mean, that's pretty dang clear, right? And when I ask her to put her shoes on, she goes right and does it. She can point to things in books and can match items we give to her. She recognizes the names of things and does the commands i give her. And yet, no words!!

Sure, she makes sounds, like she'll make a "ma ma ma ma" sound sometimes, but she doesn't come to me and say, "mama, afuera" when she wants to go outside. or "mama, leche" when she wants milk. The kid just doesn't talk. She just refuses to.

And to answer your questions about sign language, I don't think that would help us at this time. It's not like she is frustrated. She makes her wants very clearly known. I know what she is saying (well, not really, but you know what I mean) so the sign language is kind of not needed at this point. I mean, it's for kids that need to get what they want. And she has no problem getting what she wants from pointing, dragging and gestures. So in a way, I guess she does her "own" signs.

Anyway, we'll probably have these visits for a little while longer. I'll let you know how they all go. But in the mean time, I'll just keep taking my kid outside when she puts her shoes on, brings me her coat and points to the door. It seems to be working for now.

Christmas Wrap-Up

Last year we spent Christmas at my sister Sarah's house. Besides it being awesome and very accommodating for when people get sick (there's a bathroom on every floor and at every end of the house. At let me tell you, I needed every one!) but besides that, they have a great tradition about who the gifts come from.

At her house, they and the kids get not only presents from Santa, but also from Barack Obama, Nacho Libre, Spiderman and lots of other assorted celebrities/fake people. And I liked that. I mean, I don't think my kid would ever really think that Nacho Libre gave him a gift, so it might not be such a heart break when he learns that Santa isn't real either.

So, with a totally free conscious I've decided to steal Sarah's idea. And so Evi received many gifts this year from various people.

From Frank Lloyd Wright she received these blocks:




















From Pablo Picasso this:

And from Jack Kerouac she received the following books:



You get the idea. I don't believe in threatening my kids with Santa. Because if they were really bad, I would never not bring them anything. So why threaten to do something I would never be willing to follow through? Doesn't that make me a liar? A stinking threatening liar?

Anyway, I think my kids will be so filled with Santa crap at school and I don't plan on bursting their little bubbles at age 3. But if they think Santa is bringing them presents, then they can also believe that the deceased Frank Lloyd Wright can also bring them building blocks.

Who's with me on this?

And thanks to Sarah and Chad for the idea. You are the greatest. Who did your kids get presents from this year?

It's going around

So we are all sick. Evi got it first on Christmas Eve. I should've known because she was acting a fright at P.F. Chang's that night. She was screaming at the top of her lungs and didn't want to eat anything. (Marcelo and I still enjoyed the food, though. So the evening wasn't totally ruined)

And she continued to get sicker over the next 12 hours. Which means that me, the primary kisser of her face also am sick. I got it Christmas night.

And now Marcelo has it. He got it last night.

I think everyone with a husband will back me up when I say this: Men are horrible when they are sick. I mean, we ALL have it. This whole house is infected. Bibi's nose is on a 24 hour drip and the poor girl can't breathe. Also, I had it starting yesterday, but I still managed to feed everyone 3 meals, return things to various stores and clean this house . . .twice (with a place this small you have to clean constantly or it looks horrible)

But once Marcelo gets sick? ALERT THE NEWS MEDIA!! MARCELO IS SICK!! He sleeps in bed all day, and asks for meals to be catered to him. I didn't see him offering to cater meals to me when I was sick! Nor did I see him volunteering to watch the baby so I could take a 8 hour nap during the day.

Seriously, what is it about guys that makes them so weak when they are sick? I might as well have a second child for all the good he is to me now.

Anyway, I'm sure all your husbands are this way. I 'm sure I don't hold the monopoly on whiny sick husbands.

The worst part about it? We agreed to volunteer in the nursery today for the permanent teachers. And now we can't do it. We need to find subs in the next 25 min. I'm thinking that won't happen, so we might have to send our kids to another class. We'll see.

Happy snotting!!

DISCLAIMER!! No matter what the picture says, we don't have swine flu. Just a general cold virus going around.

People let me tell you about my Best Friend

I know you were all dying to see more pictures and videos of Evi and Raya. WELL YOU ARE IN LUCK!! Here you go.

Evi really does love Raya. Evi brings her all her favorite toys and clothes to her cage. You would not believe the stuff I have found in there. Toothbrushes and books. Even her prized rabbit was in there!! Now that's love. She also makes sure Raya gets all her leftovers. And if Raya doesn't want to eat it voluntarily, Evi has learned how to grab her mouth, lift the side of it and shove stuff in between her teeth. (mental note:get that on camera)

Anyway, one day Evi was on one. I don't know what was in her food, but she was acting seriously crazy. And this is what happened: peek-a-boo with Raya. Notice Evi's merriment at all Raya actions:



Look at Raya's face. She's in misery!! She's like "when will this be over??" But she puts up with it. She always does.

Here is some more abuse. Evi found this sticker and after pulling it off her arm over and over, she thought, "where else can I stick this?" Naturally the most logical choice was Raya's head:






Look at the gaze of pure torture on Raya's face. She's like "I know I'll get in trouble if I object. So, please don't push too hard on my head." Did I mention I have the best dog ever?

Here she is putting up with a few kisses, an off key song, and a tackle that results in a head banging.



Oh the tortures that this dog puts up with! She is a saint. I'm so happy they are best friends. I should get them matching BFF bracelets.

Cause that wouldn't be weird or anything.